KOCHARIAN: COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND KYRGYZSTAN SHOULD BE DEVELOPED
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 00:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today newly appointed Kyrgyz Ambassador to Armenia
Apas Jumangulov (residence in Moscow) presented credentials to Armenian
President Robert Kocharian, reports the Press Service of the Armenian
leader. During the meeting Kocharian indicated the need to renew ties
between the two countries and enhance the level of information about
each other. At that he added that thus all cooperation opportunities
will be used to the full. In his turn the Kyrgyz Ambassador underscored
the availability of good preconditions for strengthening ties,
noting active involvement of the Armenian community of Kyrgyzstan
in the state system and industries among them. Besides, the parties
discussed the process of political and economic reforms in Kyrgyzstan.

MSNBC HAS STARTED A NEW SURVEY ON THE PBS PANEL ON THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Panorama.am
18:39 27/04/06
The Assembly of Turkish American Associations (ATAA) has sent e-mails
to thousands of Turks asking them to vote FOR the panel. As of now,
55% of the voters have voted for the panel.
Please click on the link and Vote NO to preserve the memory of the
genocide.

GEORGIA, RUSSIA, ARMENIA AND ABKHAZIA TO DISCUSS RESTORATION OF ABKHAZ RAILWAY
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.05.2006 00:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Director General of Georgian Railways Public
Corporation Irakly Ezugbaya will take part in the meeting of the
quadripartite commission (Georgia, Russia, Armenia and Abkhazia)
on restoration of the Abkhaz part of the Tbilisi-Sochi railway.
“During the session of the commission in Moscow May 3-4 creation of
a consortium with participation of all four sides of the project will
take place,” Spokeswoman of the Director General of Georgian Railways
Public Corporation Tamara Machavariani said.
In her words, according to preliminary data, the project cost
fluctuates between $200 and $250 million, while the share participation
of the consortium members is still subject to discussion, reports
Novosti Gruzia.
We note that rail communication between Georgia and Russia through
Abkhazia was stopped right after the Georgian-Abkhaz armed conflict
commenced in 1992-1993.

THEY SILENCE JOURNALISTS WITHOUT KILLING THEM
A1+
[05:39 pm] 02 May, 2006
“No one can suppress the truth for ever, but some people never stop
trying. It is journalists who pay the price” said Terry Davis on the
occasion of the 2006 World Press Freedom Day.
“Restrictions on freedom of expression are widespread, often violent
and sometimes lethal. In 2005 more than 150 journalists around the
world died carrying out their profession, and more than half of them
were murdered. Hundreds, if not thousands, have been deprived of their
freedom being either kidnapped or put in prison, and there are no
reliable statistics for those who have been threatened or persecuted.
As a rule, journalists in the 46 Council of Europe member states are
no longer tortured or killed, but that does not mean that they are
always free to do their work. The European Convention on Human Rights,
calling on public authorities to refrain from interfering with freedom
of expression, is frequently ignored. Some journalists may be silenced
through intimidation, others may be bought into compliance, but the
end result remains the same because democracy cannot properly function
without media which is genuinely free of governmental interference
and control.
A particularly insidious form of intimidation is the threat of
prosecution for libel. In fact, more than two thirds of the Council
of Europe member states maintain criminal sanctions for defamation,
and these laws are often used to stifle criticism. I call on all
Council of Europe member states to review their legislation, abolish
criminal provisions and prevent disproportionate damages in civil
cases against journalists. Progress in the protection of journalists
is the only credible way to mark the World Press Freedom Day. “

WE ENCOUNTER REGRESS, GENTLEMEN!
A1+
[07:35 pm] 02 May, 2006
“Democracy has developed asymmetrically within the recent 14 years
in Armenia since the proclamation of independence. Though Armenia was
the first country among the Soviet former republics to put an end to
communists’ power, the absence of the efficient system of checks and
balances, the centralization of the president’s liabilities and the
lack of independent civil service paved a way for a weak governing
system and spread corruption,” the 2005 review of “Freedom House”
organization begins with these words.
The organization deems the RA election procedure a serious obstacle
for democracy; “The public inconfidence to the election procedure was
determined by the high – rank officials’ failure to hold democratic
elections.” According to Ann Walker, the reporter of “Freedom House”
on Armenian issues, though the Constitution guarantees a number of
fundamental provisions for human rights protection, in fact there
are many obstacles hindering their efficient protection. “Judicial
system has little independence.”
While speaking of the corruption deeply rooted in the country, Ann
Walker first of all laid the stress on official corruption. “The
close ties of the political and economic elites and the absence of
efficient law implementation give ground for official corruption.”
The representatives of “Freedom House” maintain that the discord
between the Government and the Opposition will still strengthen at the
turn of the year; on the eve of 2007 elections. The organized attached
importance to the role of mass media in establishing democracy in
the country and mentioned that the Armenian media turned “from half
independent” to “half dependent” in the course of 2002 – 2003. “The
main free Armenian TV channel “A1+” was embattled in 2002 and was
unable to resume its frequency license. The members of the Commission
on television and radio are so far appointed by President Kocharyan.”
The representatives of “Freedom House” stated at the end of their
review that they held a thorough survey taking into consideration
their meetings with the Government, political figures, NGOs and
representatives of mass media. By the way, certain journalists inquired
about the results of the Armenian observation in comparison with the
Georgian and Azeri ones. As it turns out, there has been progress in
Georgia in connection with democracy, whereas the state of Azerbaijan
is worse than that of Armenia.
This is a real consolation for Armenia.

A JOINT STATEMENT PRESENTED TO THE GOVERNMENTS
A1+
[06:41 pm] 02 May, 2006
On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, the media freedom
watchdogs of four of the world’s leading international organizations
have issued a joint statement urging governments not to let violence
against media personnel go unpunished and commending the vital role
the press plays for democracy.
“We take this opportunity to call upon all governments to combat
impunity with regard to violence against journalists and media
personnel, by bringing to justice those responsible for attacks
against them, and by taking measures that enable journalists
and media personnel to continue providing information freely and
independently. All journalists detained on the grounds of their
media-related activities should be released immediately,” the
statement reads.
“It is a grave sorrow to remind ourselves that in the year 2005 the
world recorded the highest number of journalists and other media
professionals, killed or injured in the line of duty.”
“The media constitute the foundation of a democratic society where
individuals and groups are encouraged to exchange information and
express opinions freely.
Nourishing media diversity is essential for maintaining pluralism,”
the four reporters stressed.
The joint statement was signed by: the Special Reporters of the United
Nations Commission on Human Rights on the promotion and protection of
the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the Representative on
Freedom of the Media of the Organization for Security and Co-operation
in Europe, the Special Reporter for freedom of expression of the
Organization of American States and the Special Reporter on Freedom
of Expression of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights.

THERE SHOULDN’T BE DISCRIMINATION IN FOREIGN TERRITORY
A1+
[06:55 pm] 02 May, 2006
The bill referring the problems of the RA national minorities and the
legal mechanisms regulating them is already in effect. The author of
the bill is the RA Government Board representative dealing with the
issues of national minorities and religion.
The bill is an urgent need as in 2000 the RA signed the convention on
the rights of national minorities which prescribes certain privileges
and first of all the existence of an adequate law. The bill is still
being discussed by various ministries. Later it will be presented to
the Government.
A seminar was organized in the hotel “Congress” on this score. The
representatives of Assyrian and Ezdi communities as well as the
representatives of the Government corresponding boards and interested
persons participated in it.
Hranush Kharatyan, the Chief of the RA Government Board on national
minorities and religion, mentioned that there are many legal acts
in all the laws on national minorities, but “their rights aren’t
distinctly formulated in any law, and there is no mention about
the characteristics according to which this or that group may be
considered a national minority. Even the Convention doesn’t define
their status as each country is to decide it itself.”
According to the bill, national minorities must be protected and
financed by the RA State budget.
Only the ethnic communities providing certain number will be
financed. “We attempted to be democratic in connection with
Armenia. Only those communities will be financed where at least two
generations lived, which weren’t aggressive and had no problems with
the local inhabitants. According to the second condition, they will
form 15% of the urban or rural population.
Their number must be 200 000 people, both adults and juveniles, so
that they could have at least 3 – 4 pupils in each class and would
be able to educate them,” noted Hranush Kharatyan.
Vigen Kocharyan, the member of the European Convention on ethnic
minorities, stated that national minorities fall into 4 groups;
existence and identity preservation, discrimination protection and
provision of engagement into public and state affairs. He mainly
underlined the exclusion of discrimination the provision of which is
very vital in a foreign territory.

TWO COALITION PARTIES COMPLAIN OF ANTI-PREACHING
A1+
[08:22 pm] 02 May, 2006
Only 22 NA deputies were registered for making announcement. Most of
them were the oppositional representatives.
Deputy Arshak Sadoyan suggested setting up “Political Veterans’
Club.” According to him, it is essential to gather Armenian veterans,
regardless of the fact which party they present, and “they will explain
to younger political figures what a country is with joint efforts.”
The Coalition parties seized their opportunity and declared that mass
media organizations hold anti-preaching against them. Secretary of
“Dashnaktsutyun” fraction Hrayr Karapetyan is sure of it and names it
“aspersion against their party.”
Deputy of “Orinats Yerkir” party Hovhannes Margaryan is of the
same opinion and deems it “a black preaching against Arthur
Baghdasaryan.” The Deputies of “Orinats Yerkir” also referred to
their meetings with electorate and the deposit return. Deputy of the
“Armenian Republican” party Hranush Hakobyan stated that she always
seizes her opportunity to make announcements as she turns to the
Government every week to solve the problems of population and doesn’t
wait for 20 days or a month in order to make announcements. Today
Hranush Hakobyan aroused the question of the state of Armenian
regions. She suggested making a strategic program on “rural development
and restoration” which will draw political attention.
Deputy of “Justice” fraction Stepan Zakaryan spoke of the human
rights protector. He claimed that the first Ombudsman was designated
by President Robert Kocharyan and added that the 1st Ombudsman’s
review on the year 2005 was already ready. There are many cases
of human rights violations in it, and nobody seems to be concerned
with them. “Human rights protector is a facade, a bridge to Europe,”
concluded Stepan Zakaryan.
As for other speeches, the deputies were indignant at the fact
that Robert Kocharyan praises electronic mass media. The leader of
“National Unity” fraction Artashes Geghamyan referred to Ilhalm Aliev’s
visit to the USA. Then he spoke of Armenia. “We must realize how the
President of the neighboring country is received, and what questions
he is asked. Mr. Kocharyan, you had better resign. The Coalition will
make adequate conclusions after your resignation.”

113 KILLED IN BLACK SEA PLANE CRASH
Guardian Unlimited
Press Association
Wednesday May 3, 2006 6:28 AM
An Armenian passenger jet crashed in bad weather off the Black Sea
coast while trying to make an emergency landing in Russia, killing
all 113 people aboard.
The Airbus A-320, which belonged to the Armenian airline Armavia,
disappeared from radar screens late on Tuesday night, about 3.7 miles
from the shore, and crashed after making a turn and heading toward
Adler airport, near the city of Sochi, Viktor Beltsov, a spokesman
for Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry, said.
The ministry’s southern regional branch said all 113 people aboard
the plane, including five children, were killed.
Wreckage from the plane was found not far from the shoreline,
Beltsov said. Search and rescue teams have pulled 11 bodies from
the water. Boats and divers were involved in the search, which was
hampered by rough seas and driving rain.
The plane disappeared from radar screens during a flight from
Yerevan to Sochi, a resort city on the Black Sea in southern Russia,
Beltsov said.
He said the plane went down while trying to make a repeat attempt at
an emergency landing.
The Armavia representative said the crew had communicated with Sochi
ground controllers while the plane was flying over the Georgian
capital, Tbilisi.
The controllers said there were poor weather conditions but the plane
could still land, according to the representative.
But just before the landing, they told the crew to make another circle
in the air before approaching the airport. Then the plane crashed.
He said weather conditions were “certainly” the cause.

A NEW NUCLEAR POWER STATION WILL HARDLY BE BUILT
A1+
[08:53 pm] 02 May, 2006
The USA Government is not that concerned with the construction of a new
nuclear power station in Armenia. The American officials informed the
Armenian journalists about their country’s position after the session
of the Armenian – American working group on economic cooperation. They
claimed that there are not delighted by the prospect of a new Armenian
nuclear power station.
Tom Adams, the coordinator of the American Government on European and
Asian assistance, the chief of the USA delegation and the co-chair of
the Armenian – American working group noted, “At present our position
is the following; there is a better alternative for the 2nd nuclear
power station, we are against the construction of the new one taking
into account the seismic instability of Armenia and the earthquake
which occurred not long ago.”
The American Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia
John Evans expressed his concern on this score, “We realize that
Armenia needs urgent diversification.” Then referring to the Iranian
issue, he ensured that the USA will punish the countries which will
make extra investments in Iranian nuclear programs.
RA Minister of Finances and Economy Vardan Khachatryan who was
the Armenian head of the working group, urged that all matters were
really discussed with the USA “freely, openly and compassionately.” He
made announcements contradicting his American partners. The deputy
Minister of Energy was also present at the session. He assured the
American side that the new nuclear power station must be exploited
on the day of closing the 2nd bloc. The Minister claimed that a new
bloc of 1000 MWt will be built instead of the current bloc of 440 MWt.”
It was the 12th session of the Armenian – American working group. The
group was set up 6 years ago and convenes two sessions annually in
Yerevan and in Washington. Two other sessions are likely to be convened
in Armenia as a result of which the budget expenditure will curtail;
this was Vardan Khachatrian’s prediction.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress