CONSTITUTION ADOPTED
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| 13:09:48 | 28-09-2005 | Politics |
Today the Parliament continued the special session and adopted the
draft Constitution by the third hearing with a distribution of votes
90-for, 0-against, 0-undecided. After that Arthur Baghdasaryan put the
decision to apply to Robert Kocharyan to fix the day of the referendum
to voting.
In this connection Viktor Dallakyan announced that the NA
regulation-law 60th article 5th clause has been violated. According
to it, the draft was supposed to be distributed to the deputies an
hour before the voting.
“Nothing has been distributed to us”, he said, but the coalition
deputies claimed the vice versa. “You are violating the law”, announced
Viktor Dallakyan. In answer to this Arthur Baghdasaryan said, “Let
them think what they want, and now let’s vote”.
Let us remind you that yesterday the National Unity had announced that
they will boycott the session, the “Justice” bloc is not participating
in the voting at all. After the break the draft was adopted, and the
special session was over.

IN WASHINGTON WITH SPECIAL MISSION
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| 11:39:09 | 28-09-2005 | Official |
On September 24-28 the RA Governmental delegation was in Washington to
participate in the RA-USA inter governmental working group session,
as well as in the annual meeting of the World Bank and Currency
International Fund.
During the visit the members of the Armenian delegation met the deputy
executive director of the “Millennium Challenges” corporation Charles
Setness. The course of the investigation phase of the Millennium
Challenges Armenian program was discussed.
In the margins of the session of the RA-USA inter governmental
economics working group the parties have discussed a wide circle of
issues about the economic cooperation between RA and USA.

FAREWELL TO AMBASSADOR
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| 13:25:01 | 28-09-2005 | Official |
Today Robert Kocharyan had a farewell meeting with the Greek Ambassador
Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Antonios Vlavianos who
is finishing his diplomatic mission in Armenia.
The sides agreed that Robert Kocharyan’s upcoming official visit to
Greece will become a new impetus for the continuation of political
dialogue between the two countries and the economic cooperation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NO DESTABILIZATION IN THE COUNTRY
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| 15:40:30 | 28-09-2005 | Politics |
“The Constitutional referendum cannot be reason for destabilization
in the country”, claimed the NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan during
the briefing with the journalists.
He announced that all the political powers must preach the new
constitution, “It is not the monopoly of the coalition”. The NA
President promised to do everything within his authorizations,
especial when a large part of the society is not aware of the
amendments offered.
As for the postponing of the referendum, Arthur Baghdasaryan does
not see any need of it. According to him, the referendum will be
organized during the last decade of November.
Arthur Baghdasaryan also mentioned that he had made several conclusions
after the Elections of local governing bodies, particularly, that the
electoral rolls are really in a sad state. According to him, this
fact must be in the center of the attention of the corresponding
bodies. The NA President promised to take care of it himself and
added that there have been other errors too which must be corrected.

DAYS OF WORLD ARMENIAN CONGRESS STARTING IN RA AND NKR TODAY
Pan Armenian News
28.09.2005 03:37
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Traditional days of the World Armenian Congress
and the Union of Armenians of Russia (UAR) are starting in Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh today. The events are initiated by outstanding
public figure and entrepreneur, head of the World Armenian Congress
and UNESCO Good Will Ambassador Ara Abrahamian. The presentations
of UAR editions will be held in the National Academy of Science. The
opening ceremony of the Days will take place in the National Theater
of Opera and Ballet after Alexander Spendiarov. The members of the
Russian delegation will meet with Armenian writers, servicemen of the
Armenian Armed Forces and Russian frontier guards. “Together Forever”
festival of schoolchildren symbolizing the age-old friendship between
Armenia and Russia will be as well organized.

RA NA ADOPTED ADDRESS TO PRESIDENT ON CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
Pan Armenian News
28.09.2005 03:25
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 28 the Armenian National Assembly with
90 votes “for”, no “against” and abstentions adopted the address to
Armenian President Robert Kocharian to hold the referendum on the
constitutional amendments. Justice and National Unity opposition
factions did not take part in the voting. Today the Armenian
parliamentarians adopted the package of amendments to the Organic Law
of the country and the law “On Referendum”. As Vice Speaker Tigran
Torossian told journalists, the President is entitled either to sign
or decline the address within three weeks. According to T.
Torossian, the referendum will be held no sooner than 45 days and no
later than 60 days after the signing. In his turn Parliament Chairman
Artur Baghdassaryan informed that the referendum will be held in
the third decade of November. He also stressed that the spreading
of propaganda among the population is the task not only of parties
serving on the coalition but also of all the political forces and
public organizations, IA Regnum reports.

ARMENIAN OFFICER MURDERER TRIAL PUT OFF TILL DECEMBER 15
Pan Armenian News
28.09.2005 03:15
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recurrent court sitting on the case of Azeri
officer Ramil Safarov accused of the murder of Armenian officer
Gurgen Margarian was held in Budapest yesterday. According to Azeti
lawyer Adil Ismaylov, the court decreed to postpone the sitting
till December 15. The postponement was caused by the disagreement
of the experts on Ramil Safarov’s psychological state. The opinion
of three Hungarian experts, who were carrying out the examination,
differed and the court set another examination. To remind, the
previous court sitting was held on May 10, 2005. As reported by
AzerTage news agency, yesterday’s sitting was opened by presiding
Judge Anrdas Vaskuti. He read the request of the Armenian attorney
to involve an Armenian expert in the examination process. The request
was declined over the possible retardation of the process. The letter
sent by the Azerbaijani Embassy in Hungary and reporting that witness
Anar Aliyev will not give testimony over illness was also read. A
witness from Lithuania did not appear either, however his testimony
was read. The court heard the evidence by witness from the Armenian
part Hayk Manucharian. Then it proceeded to the outcomes of the
examination. To remind, the first examination was made immediately
after the tragic incident. The second one was carried out later with
the participation of Azeri observers. Since the opinion of the two
expert groups differed fundamentally the Judge set another examination
and declared that the next court sitting is fixed for December 15,
2005. Members of the Azerbaijani Embassy, representatives of the Azeri
Diaspora, sportsmen and students were present in court. To remind,
the trial of Ramil Safarov started last November. He is accused
of murder of Armenian officer Gurgen Margarian (February 19, 2004)
during NATO English courses in Budapest. The previous court sitting
took place on February 8, 2005. Ramil Safarov is accused according
to the Article 166.2 of the Hungarian Criminal Code (murder with
aggravations) calling for deprivation of liberty with a term of 10-15
years or life imprisonment.

REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS URGE AZERI INTERIOR MINISTRY HEAD ENSURE SECURITY FOR JOURNALISTS
Pan Armenian News
Sept 28, 2005
BAKU, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: “Reporters Without Borders ” urged
Azerbaijani interior minister Ramil Usubov to do his utmost to protect
journalists in the run-up to legislative elections after dispersal of
the oppositionists’ action on 25 September 2005, Trend news agency
reported, citing a statement of the international organization,
issued today.
The statement notes, “the events of 25 September demonstrated
again the complicated climate set up in Azerbaijan on the eve of
the parliamentary elections”. “The situation is especially sharply
reflected on the activities of the Media representatives. It becomes
even more difficult to obtain information in Azerbaijan and the
journalist’s activities are connected with the risk”, the document
reads.
The statement was prepared in response to the tough actions of the
representatives of the law-enforcement bodies towards four journalists
during the latest action of the Azerbaijan’s opposition.

HEIKKI TALVITIE ARRIVING IN YEREVAN TODAY
Pan Armenian News
28.09.2005 05:38
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus
Heikki Talvitie is arriving in Yerevan today, RA MFA press center
reported. Mr.
Talvitie is scheduled to meet with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, Defense Minister Serge
Sargsyan as well as with the representatives of non-governmental
organizations. September 30 he well depart from Yerevan.

FINNISH PRESIDENT MET GAREGIN II
Pan Armenian News
28.09.2005 05:01
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 27 the Finnish delegation headed by
President Tarja Halonen met with Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
II. Justice Minister Davit Harutyunian and Armenian Ambassador Vladimir
Karmirshalian were also present at the meeting, press service of Holy
Echmiadzin Chancellery reported. The Catholicos expressed satisfaction
with the developing Armenian-Finnish relations and noted the brotherly
relations between the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Finnish
Lutheran Church.
Garegin II thanked the Finnish President for the contribution to
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict peaceful settlement. “We believe that
the good must win and there is no other way but living in peace and
cooperation in our region and in the world”, the Catholicos of All
Armenians stated. The parties also discussed the process of Armenia’s
democratization as well as the activities of the Armenian Apostolic
Church in the educational and social fields.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress