REPRESENTATIVE MARKEY LEADS CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION TO WHITE HOUSE RECALL OF US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
25.05.2006 11:49
Over 60 Members of Congress, led by Representative Ed Markey, sent a
letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking for clarification
on reports of US Ambassador to Armenian John Evans’ recall over his
forthright remarks about the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America.
The letter was sent on the eve of a May 23rd White House announcement
nominating Richard Hoagland to serve as the new Ambassador to
Armenia. Ambassador Evans will be relieved of his duties as soon as
Hoagland’s Senate confirmation process is completed.
The Administration has recalled Ambassador Evans over his February 2005
statements at Armenian American community functions, during which he
properly characterized the Armenian Genocide as ‘genocide.’ Following
his statements, Ambassador Evans was apparently forced to issue a
statement clarifying that his references to the Armenian Genocide were
his personal views and did not represent a change in US policy. He
subsequently issued a correction to this statement, replacing a
reference to the genocide with the word “tragedy.” The American
Foreign Service Association, which had planned to honor Ambassador
Evans with the “Christian A. Herter Award,” recognizing creative
thinking and intellectual courage within the Foreign Service,
reportedly rescinded the award following pressure from the State
Department a few days before Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan traveled to Washington, DC to meet with President Bush.
“Ambassador Evans has been recalled for doing nothing more than
honoring the forsaken pledge of his president,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. “We want to thank Congressman Markey and
his 59 colleagues for calling for a clarification and rejecting the
Armenian Genocide ‘gag-rule’ imposed by the Turkish government and,
sadly, enforced by our own State Department.”
The 60 Members of Congress expressed special concern about the
destructive precedent of recalling a US diplomat for speaking
truthfully on matters of historical record. They wrote that, “we must
not allow the perception to linger that he is being required to vacate
his position early for accurately labeling the cataclysmic events
of 1915 as genocide.” The Representatives, noting President Ronald
Reagan’s references to the Armenian Genocide, reminded Secretary Rice
that Ambassador Evans “did nothing more than succinctly repeat the
conclusions enunciated by those before him.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE PLACE OF DECIPHERING THE RECORD BOXES IS NOT KNOWN YET
A1+
[06:00 pm] 24 May, 2006
The search for the record boxes of the plane A-320 lasted 20
days. Today it is over and both boxes are in the Sochi port waiting
to be taken to Moscow.
The deciphering of the record boxes will take place not in France as
it was announced but in Russia, the International Aviation Committee
informs. As “Vesti” reports, head of the Committee Tatiana Anodina
informed about it. Experts of the Aircrash Investigation and Analysis
International Bureau, representatives of the RF Prosecutor’s Office
and representatives of all those structures which participated in
the search work will participate in the deciphering.
According to Tatiana Anodina, the first box which was found recorded
the conversations on board. It was in bad condition as it records on
a common tape and lay under the water for a long time. The second
box fixes the information on a digital camera and it ought to be
better preserved.
“The fact that the Russian specialists managed to find the record
boxes is extremely important. This is a unique case. It is the first
one in the international practice when the work was successful in
the rough sea, with a complicated underwater relief,” RF Minister of
Transportation Igor Levitin said.
By the way, the information about the deciphering of the record
boxes has been controversial. Different versions have been
circulating. According to one of them, the boxes will be deciphered
in Paris.

NATO WAITS FOR ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT
Lragir.am
25 May 06
NATO is waiting for the government of Armenia to open an information
center of NATO in Yerevan, said the special representative of the
Secretary General of NATO on the South Caucasus Robert Simons on May
23 in Yerevan. He said that NATO is likely to open an information
center but the problem of premises is a problem that the government
of Armenia must solve. Simons announced that NATO would help to solve
the other problems if the government solved the problem of premises.
It is notable that Robert Simons spoke about opening this center
during his visit to Yerevan in November. At that time he discussed
this question with the government of Armenia. In fact, the problem
of premises has not been solved yet, however.

REPUBLICANS SAY ROBERT KOCHARYAN WILL NOT RUN FOR THE THIRD TERM
Lragir.am
25 May 06
Garnik Isagulyan, adviser to the president of Armenia, had stated May
20 that Robert Kocharyan would not run for the third term. Isagulyan
also announced that soon everyone would be able to see that Kocharyan
is unlikely to become prime minister. Isagulyan’s statements were
approved by Galust Sahakyan, the leader of the Republican faction
on May 24. “I think there is not going to be another term, for the
post of prime minister, he has the right to be prime minister, but
this question is not considered yet,” said Galust Sahakyan to the
reporter of Lragir.am. He mentioned that the stance of the Republican
will become known after a debate which has not been held yet.
Galust Sahakyan says the Republican will also nominate president,
and according to Galust Sahakyan, there are more than one worthy
candidates. “I think there are many worthy candidates of president,
in the course of time there will be references,” says Galust Sahakyan
adding that people will make the deciding vote.

22 FREIGHT CARS WITH MILITARY EQUIPMENT HEADING FOR ARMENIA
Lragir.am
25 May 06
Last night a train loaded with Russian military equipment set out from
Batumi for Gyumri. The Georgian Ministry of Defense reported to Trend
that the train consists of 22 freight cars loaded with 54 units of
heavy military equipment, including 24 armored cars, 22 trucks and
28 pieces of heavy artillery. This is the equipment of the Russian
military installation of Batumi, which is being transported to the
Russian military base in Gyumri.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS LEFT BAKU FULL OF HOPE AND EXPECTATIONS FOR PROGRESS
Tatul Hakobyan
“Radiolur”
25.05.2006 13:32
Last evening the statement of the mediators on Karabakh conflict
resolution was read at the Russian Embassy in Baku. According to the
statement, the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs and the senior diplomats
from US, Russia and France left Baku full of hope and expectations
for progress. Today the international mediators held talks with RA
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan. Later they will be received also
by President Robert Kocharyan. Before departing the mediators will
issue a joint statement for the press.
In their statement issued in Baku yesterday the mediators underlined
that ” the time has come for both parties of the conflict to agree
upon the major principles of settlement.”
“The two countries should prepare their societies not for war but for
peace,” the statement says. The document notes that “the disputes in
Baku were constructive.”
Minsk Group Co-Chairs Steven Mann, Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier,
as well as Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigori Karasin, US Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried and Director on Political
Issue of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs Stanislas de Laboulaye
had a meeting with the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev and Foreign
Minister Elmar Mamedyarov.
Issues related to the important aspects of future settlement were
discussed during the talks. Reference was made to the opportunities
for the meeting of Armenian and Azeri Presidents in the future. On
behalf of their countries and the international community, the
mediators assured that the conflict can be resolved solely in a
peaceful way. According to preliminary information, the recurrent
meeting of Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take place June
5 in Bucharest.
The Co-Chairs and the senior diplomats characterized this joint
mission of theirs as an extraordinary event. The joint statement
issued in Baku says that this visit should be conceived as a proof
of the seriousness the mediators take the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict and especially of the conviction that the parties are in a
stage when a mutually beneficial agreement is achievable.
Yesterday, Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Araz Azimov criticized
the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.
“The statements of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs on development of
new suggestions on resolution of the Karabakh conflict do not provide
grounds for optimism. With such statements the Co-Chairs are solely
willing to raise the importance of their activity in the public eye,”
Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister noted.
“No doubt, the Co-Chairs should justify their activity, therefore,
they periodically voice statements on new ideas,” Azimov said.

THE DELEGATION OF MEDIATORS TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA
ArmRadio.am
25.05.2006 10:14
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs assisted by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
Grigori Karasin, US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried
and Director on Political Issue of the French Ministry of Foreign
Affairs Stanislas de Laboulaye will arrive today in Yerevan.
During the meetings with RA President Robert Kocharyan and Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan issues related to the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict will be discussed. This time the mediators are not
scheduled to meet NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan.

ARE TURKS BEHIND THE 10 POINTS FOR ANDRE?
AZG Armenian Daily
25/05/2006
The 10 points that Andre, Armenia’s representative at the
Eurovision-2006, received from Turkey have incited much talk. According
to Yerkramas newspaper of Russian-Armenians, Armenian reader from
Ankara told the paper that the Turkish population of the country did
not influence the voting during Eurovision-2006.
The reader stated that the ethnic Turks had boycotted the voting as
they were not allowed to vote for Turkey’s representative and that
most of the people behind the 10 points from Turkey were Armenians
(including Islamic converts and those hiding their ethnic background),
Kurds, Jews and other nationalities.

FINDING JOB IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE FOR DISABLED PEOPLE IN ARMENIA
By Gohar Gevorgian
AZG Armenian Daily
25/05/2006
Roman Khmboyan, 22 years old disabled, is member of “Pyunik” Union
of Disabled People. He graduated from the Yerevan Industrial Collage
and, being specialist of radio-electronic equipment, he still fails
to find a job. At present, he studies mathematics for the entrance
exams to the university. He hopes that having higher education,
he will be able to find a job. He used to apply to many companies
for job and everywhere people told him that he didn’t have required
education. Certainly, Roman realizes that unemployment is a big problem
for many Armenian citizens, as even his family members are unemployed,
except for his father. “I would say that the attitude of people gets
worse and worse. In particular, I can feel that when communicating
with young people. It’s much better to communicate with older people,
they are not only tolerant but also very friendly,” Roman says.
“Pyunik” Union has been carrying out “Public Tolerance and Integration
of Young Disabled People in Society” program by the financial
assistance of RA Culture and Youth Affairs Ministry since November 1,
2005. Hakob Abrahamian, chairman of the union, stated at the closing
ceremony of the program that they have visited the regions and in
collaboration with the local organizations tried to settle the issues
of disabled people. He stated that the one of the most urgent problems
for disabled people is the environment that is not suitable for freely
moving. The disabled people also have financial, unemployment problems,
as well as unhealthy attitude of the society to them. Mr.
Abrahamian added that the state assists the disabled people by
securing free of charge medical treatment for them, providing them
with technical equipment and prosthetic devices.
Anahit Hakobian, representative of the Department of Disabled People
at RA Labor and Social Security Ministry, informed that 141 thousand
disabled people were registered in Armenia, in 2006. She added that
they deal with the employment issues of the disabled people, but
didn’t say how many people they managed to provide with jobs.

ALL THE RESIDENTS OF THE CIS WILL BE CALCULATED
A1+
[01:29 pm] 25 May, 2006
A session of the government heads of the CIS member countries was
convened this morning in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe. RA
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryn also participated in the session.
The heads of the governments signed a number of documents concerning
the cooperation of the CIS countries among them the implementation of
general census of the population in the member countries in 2010, the
improvement of life quality of the peacekeeping forces and terrorism
sufferers who participated in local conflicts and wars within the
years 2006 – 2010.
RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan met with Georgi Baramidze,
deputy Prime Minister and State Minister of Georgia during his
work visit to Dushanbe. The two sides attached a great importance
to the fact that the two Prime Ministers head the intergovernmental
committees of Armenian-Georgian economic cooperation noting that it
greatly contributed to the solution of many questions accumulated in
the past as well as gave ground for working out new joint projects
mainly in the spheres of energy, transportation and tourism.
Andranik Margaryan and Georgi Baramidze gave their positive evaluation
to the discussion of the Armenian-Georgian border opening procedure
noting that the next joint session of the corresponding committees
will be convened in August, in Yerevan.
Other key issues of their discussion were closely connected with the
Javakhq Armenians and their problems. The RA Prime Minister once more
underlined Armenia’s readiness to render assistance to the Georgian
authorities in implementing complex programs aimed at restoring the
Javakhq substructures.
According to Andranik Margaryan the tension of the local residents
has significantly weakened, and he claims it would be wiser to involve
the local businessmen and population in the construction works taking
into account also the fact that they have great experience in such
work. Mr. Margaryan noted that according to the decision of the two
Prime Ministers, the Armenian side will render its assistance in
the reconstruction of educational establishments in this phase. The
format and means of further assistance will be decided after the
presentation of the restoration complex programs of the regional
structures to the Armenian side.