“RING” ACTION MUST BE OBSERVED AS PART OF INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM, PARLIAMENTARIAN OF ARTSAKH SURE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 17 2006
STEPANAKERT, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Open doors hearings
on the theme “The “Ring” (koltso) military action: Azerbaijani
SSR and USSR violations against the Armenian population of Nagorno
Karabakh and neighboring regions” took place on May 15 at the NKR
National Assembly. Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulian, deputies,
representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the republic,
of the Prosecutor’s Office, justice, legal bodies and the public
participated in the hearings. The speech of Vahram Atanesian, the
Chairman of the NKR NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations was
based on data of documents and independent sources, particularly of
the Russian “Memorial” law center, RSFSR Supreme Council Human Rights
Committee, Russian officers and journalists. He also presented May 17,
1991 resolution of the U.S. Senate by which attacks against peaceful
inhabitation, bombing of unarmed people, violations committed against
them, etc. are condemned. The deputy emphasized that all documents and
certificates prove that the Azerbaijani authorities saw the Karabakh
problem solution in annihilation and mass removal of the native
inhabitation of Nagorno Karabakh. According to him, in consequence of
the “Ring” military action, in total 6030 people were displaced from
April 30 to May 15 of 1991. NKR National Assembly deputy, witness of
the events Maxim Mirzoyan mentioned that the “Ring” military action
is an action of terrorism addressed againt the peaceful inhabitation
of the settlements of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan populated with
Armenians which was worked out and affirmed by the USSR and Azerbaijani
SSR high level authorities. The deputy drew attention of participants
of the hearings, in his opinion, to an important circumstance which
proves that the happened was an agreement. “In November, 1990,
being in the U.S., I met with same Paul Goble who was among first
people to work out the plan on settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict, supposing exchange of territories. I saw on his table the
map of supposed exchanges. Factually, I had seen the same map a bit
earlier before the meeting with Goble at the headquarters of Safonov,
the regional commandant on emergency state, whose headquarters
worked out its military actions to press on Karabakh Armenians’
“saparating” moods. Of course, the identity of the map used by Safonov
and proposed by Goble is not a coincidence and speaks about the fact
that there was a joint program of actions towards Nagorno Karabakh,”
the deputy said, mentioning that the “Ring” military action must
be observed as a part of the international terrorism. NKR National
Assembly Speaker Ashot Ghulian said: “during the first months of 1991
a volumnious military action of purge of then the NGAR and neighboring
Azerbaijani settlements populated by Armenians was organized at the
state level by the authorities of the Azerbaijani SSR. A part of male
population of those villages, especially those, who were suspected
in participation in the national-liberating movement, was taken to
Azerbaijani prisons under the cover of “passport regime control.” The
happened is the continuation of the anti-Armenian policy of the
early 20th century. Factually, by the same scenario, the Azerbaijani
state made an attempt to implement its policy in our days, but,
by the means of the modern military technics, own troops. But in
any case, it is clear for everybody that this policy is organized
at the state level.” As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NKR Foreign
Ministry’s Information-Analytical Department, the speaker mentioned
that a parliamentary interim committee has been created this year on
studying facts of violations committed against NKAR and NKR citizens
which will allow to sum up the existing information about displacing of
the Armenian inhabitation of Nagorno Karabakh and neighboring regions
during the “Ring” military actions and to make concrete conclusions.

ACCORDING TO INTERNATIONAL LEGAL NORMS, FORCIBLE DISPLACEMENT OF ARMENIAN POPULATION OF AZERBAIJANI SSR WAS ETHNIC CLEANSING
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 17 2006
STEPANAKERT, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “18 years
ago tragic events took place in Shoushi that played a big
role in strengthening of confrontation and resumption of the
Azerbaijani-Artsakh conflict. On May 16-17 1988, the leadership of
Azerbaijani SSR by means of its agents and Azerbaijani authorities
of Shoushi region of Nagorno Karabakh began forcible displacement
of the Armenian population of the town of Shoushi,” NKR Foreign
Ministry May 16 statement read. The NKR foreign political department
is convinced that these actions that became possible as a result of
impunity of the Armenian massacres in the town of Sumgayit in February
of the same year had a goal to exterminate the Armenian element in
Nagorno Karabakh. According to the document, the circumstance that
these actions considered to be ethnic cleansings according to the
international legal norms did not receive an adequate estimation by
the leadership of the USSR, enabled the authorities of Azerbaijani
SSR to implement massacres and displacement of the Armenian population
(Khanlar, Kutkashen, Vardashen, Shamkhor regions, town of Mingechaur,
etc. – November-December 1988, town of Kirovabad – November 1989, Baku
– January 1990, “Ring” operation – April-June 1991), which created
preconditions for the beginning of a large-scale aggression against
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. NKR Foreign Ministry draws the attention
of the international community to the fact that the militaristic
propaganda and deepening of xenophobia in the Azerbaijani society are
the continuation of the policy of Azerbaijani authorities. The document
contains an appeal to give the respective estimation to these actions
and to recognize the international legal responsibility of Azerbaijani
Republic for mass violations of basic rights of the Armenian population
of the former Azerbaijani SSR and for aggressive war against Nagorno
Karabakh Republic, which “will have great importance in strengthening
of security and peace in the region and final settlement of the
Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict”.

SERGE SARGSIAN ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO COOPERATION WITH U.S. NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY IN WORKING OUT STRATEGY OF NATIONAL SECURITY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Serge Sargsian, the
Secretary of the RA National Security Council attached to President,
the Defence Minister attached importance to the cooperation with
the U.S. National Defence University in the affair of working out
the document on the RA national security strategy at the meeting
with Michael Lemon, the U.S. National Defence University Professor,
former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the U.S. to the
RA. As Noyan Tapan was informed by Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, the RA
Defence Minister’s Press Secretary, Michael Lemon spoke about the way
Armenia passed and its positive intensions as well as the transparency
of the process of working out the document on the national security
strategy. John Evans, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the U.S. to the RA participated in the meeting as well.

CONCERT OF CHAMBER CHOIR OF ARMENIA TAKES PLACE WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF “NATIONAL GALLERY” SECOND CLASSIC MUSIC FESTIVAL ON MAY 17
Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. A concert of the Chamber Choir of Armenia
takes place on May 17 at the Wall-Paintings Hall of the National
Gallery of Armenia, within the framework of the “National Gallery”
second classic music festival. Works of Armenian classics Komitas and
Mansurian are performed. Awarding of the prize fixed by the “Vahan
Tekeyan” cultural center in the sphere of music will take place as
well. It will be given to composer Tigran Mansurian, a RA People’s
Artist, Professor of the Yerevan State Conservatory after Komitas. To
recap, the “National Gallery” second music festival started on April
20 and is dedicated to the 85th anniversary of the National Gallery.

COMPOSER EDVARD MIRZOYAN AWARDED UN’S “LEONARDO DA VINCI” MEDAL
Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Under the decision of the European
Committee of Public Awards and Prizes attached to UN, USSR People’s
Artist, composer Edvard Mirzoyan was awarded “Leonardo da Vinci”
medal and diploma. Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed about it by
Gayane Durgarian, Press Executive of RA Ministry of Culture and Youth
Affairs. The composer was recommended for the award by RA Ministry
of Culture and Youth Affairs and the Armenian Peace Foundation.

ENTRANCE TO ALL ARMENIAN MUSEUMS TO BE FREE ON MAY 18, INTERNATIONAL DAY OF MUSEUMS
Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. Like in the whole world, International
Day of Museums will be marked in Armenia on May 18. The entrance to
all museums of Yerevan and regions will be free for all visitors on
that day. As Anahit Galstian, Head of Museums and Libraries Department
of RA Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs, said in her interview to
Noyan Tapan correspondent, at present 110 state and non-state museums,
house-museums and reserve-museums work in Armenia, 60 of which are
under the protection of the state and 30 under the protection of
the communities. The rest of the museums work under the patronage of
individual citizens or organizations. In spite of numerous obstacles
the museums had in the recent years, they continued to work. Some
museums closed but new ones opened instead of them. According to
A.Galstian, on the occasion of the International Day of Museums
Armenia has joined 3 international actions, the most interesting
of which is the “Museum Night” action announced on May 20. Subject
events accompanied by musical programs will be organized from 5:00 pm
to 1:00 am on May 20 at all state museums. These actions are aimed
at development and protection of museums. The International Day of
Museums has been marked in Armenia since 1978.

ARA ABRAHAMIAN POINTS TO NECESSITY OF ACTIVE WORK WITH YOUTH
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian President
has expressed readiness to provide all possible assistance to the work
of the World Armenian Congress. World Armenian Congress President Ara
Abrahamian declared this at the May 17 press conference in Yerevan. He
pointed to the active work of WAC in different directions, including
research and humanitarian ones.
At present the expert group created within the framework of WAC is
working at collecting documents relating to the Armenian Genocide for
the purpose of applying to the International Court with a lawsuit. A
preparatory work on organization of the third congress of the Armenians
of Western Armenia is also being done: the second analogous congress
was held in 1919. At the same time, according to Ara Abrahamian, in
contrast to the Union of Armenians of Russia that united the majority
of Armenian organizations of that country, during 2.5 years of its
existence WAC was not able to unite the Diasporan Armenians.
According to him, WAC had possibilities to open branches in many
countries but no corresponding conditions have been created for
this yet: there are problems inside many organizations and parties
in the Diaspora: “The Armenian communities in the U.S., in France
and in other countries are not ready for opening our branches, we
failed to work together”. He pointed to the necessity of more active
work with the youth: “The youth is our future and we should foster
the feeling of consolidation and unity in the young people, which we
lack”. As for WAC’s possible participation in the home political life
of Armenia Ara Abrahamian declared: “We cannot be indifferent to the
political situation in Armenia, we should take part in it as much as
the Armenian legislation permits this: participate but not intervene”.

FOOTBALL PLAYER OF ARMENIAN ORIGIN INVOLVED IN IRANIAN TEAM
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Andranik Teymurian,
a football player of Armenian origin was involved in the national team
of Iran which will participate in games of football world championship
in Germany in the summer. As Radio Liberty informs quoting the DPA
agency information, 23 years old Teymurian is the only Christian
member of the Iranian team. He is involved in the list of those 25
players whose names main trainer of the Iranian national team Branko
Ivankovich made public.

TWO DEPUTY MINISTERS OF “ORINATS YERKIR” DISCHARGED THEIR POSTS
Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. By RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian’s
decree, Arayik Grigorian was dischared the post of the RA Deputy
Minister of Trade and Economic Development starting from May 15,
2006. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Government’s Information
and Public Relations Department, by the Prime Minister’s another
decree, Artsruni Aghajanian was discharged the post of the RA Deputy
Minister of Labour and Social Issues.

MICROSOFT OFFICE OPENS IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The official ceremony of opening the
Yerevan Office of the Microsoft company took place in Yerevan on May
16. According to the company’s information, so far, Microsoft has
opened its representative offices in such CIS countries as Russia,
Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Azerbaijan. Microsoft’s Deputy
Regional Chairman for Central and Eastern Europe Vahe Torosian said
that the company management made this decision, taking into account
a high level of knowledge in the spheres of high technologies,
engineering, mathematics and physics in the regional countries,
particularly in Armenia. “We should try to develop a powerful,
healthy and competitive system of information technologies in
Armenia,” he noted. According to him, one of Microsoft’s first
undertakings in Armenia will be translation of the operation system
Windows XP into Armenian and making it available to consumers in
late summer 2006. Microsoft has such a problem as protection of
intellectual property rights, particularly, unlicensed use of its
software. V. Torosian said that in this respect they encounter serious
problems in all CIS countries, including in Armenia where up to 90%
of the software used are unlicensed.