REFERENDUM WILL TAKE PLACE DESPITE ANYTHING
A1+
| 17:40:28 | 26-09-2005 | Politics |
Tomorrow in the Parliament a special session will be convened where
the draft Constitution will be discussed. At present the draft which
is to be presented by third reading is not yet distributed to the
Parliamentary fractions; it will be distributed either tonight or
tomorrow morning.
By the way, it is not yet clear if the special session will be
broadcast live or not. The NA deputy President Tigran Torosyan could
not answer the question, but he reminded that the opposition which has
decided to participate in the session does not have much possibility
as the regime of the third reading does not give much time for speeches
and questions.
Asked if there were enough changes introduced into the draft and if
they can say “Yes” to the draft Tigran T Torosyan naturally enough
said, “Yes, of course”. According to Tigran Torosyan, the editing
works are fulfilled, and the formulations are cleared.
Despite the announcements of other deputy Presidents and Armen
Roustamyan who said that the referendum may be postponed, Tigran
Torosyan said that nothing of the kind will take place.
As for the statement that the society is not ready for the referendum,
Tigran Torosyan disagrees with it, “Whether the society is ready or
not the responsibility falls on political powers. For that purpose
after the third reading we must make all efforts to raise public
awareness about it”.
The whole interview with Tigran Torosyan will be published in the
“Ayb-Fe” weekly.

INDIFFERENT TOWARDS THE COMMUNITY HEADS
A1+
| 17:39:22 | 26-09-2005 | Politics |
The elections of local governing bodies in all the communities have one
thing in common – they are marked by the passiveness of the electors.
For example, in Arabkir, from the total number of 83 127 electors
only 27 580 fulfilled their civic duty on Sunday. Factually, only 32%
of the residents decided who the community head will be.
By preliminary information, in Arabkir Hovhannes Shahinyan has
been elected community head receiving about 18 215 votes. And David
Gyuloumyan from the United Labor Party has received 8 079 votes.

2006 BUDGET TO BE BROUGHT TO THE PARLIAMENT
A1+
| 17:42:09 | 26-09-2005 | Politics |
“The draft law on the 2006 budget will be brought to the Parliament
earlier that it was supposed to”, announced the head of the NA Standing
Committee on Financial-Credit, Budgetary and Economic Affairs Gagik
Minasyan.
According to the law, it was to be brought to NA in November 1,
but according to our information, it is ready and it will be in the
Parliament a month earlier.

IRAQI SOLDIERS HOLD AN ARMENIAN FOR $1 MILLION RANSOM
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 03:59
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Iraqi soldiers, who captured 40-year old
citizen of Cyprus and LebanonKarapet Jean Jekerjian, Armenian in
origin, claim $1 million as ransom and the term expires today. They
threaten to kill the businessman, who by request of Jetko Company
was distributing drinks and food in Iraq. Meeting the demands of the
kidnappers the company suspended activities in Iraq. Last week the
soldiers demanded $2 million, however later the sum was lowered to
$500 thousand. According to the latest data, the ransom was set at
$1 million, ITAR-TASS reported.

TURKISH YOUNG GENERATION KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 03:06
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Turkey’s aspiration for the European Union demands
considerable democratic processes. But in Turkey like in any other
society there are forces not wishing this democracy proceeding from
their principles”, Murad Begle, said one of the initiators of the
“Ottoman Armenians During the Decline of the Empire: Issues of
Scientific Responsibility and Democracy” international scientific
conference held in Istanbul today. In his words, “some of them fear to
lose power.” “This way a front wishing to prevent Turkey’s integration
into the European structures is being formed. As for the Armenian
issue, the Turkish young generation is absolutely unaware of it over
the operating system of education. The Armenian issue is one of the
darkest pages of the Turkish history and no one wants to recognize
it. That is why education is used as an instrument. The reason of
the constant postponement of the conference lies not in the Armenian
issue only. This is the issue of democracy as well. People, who wish
to review and discuss the problem, gathered in the university today,”
he said. Murad Begle also gave a report titled “The Armenian issue from
a democratic viewpoint”. Meanwhile several hundreds of nationalists
gathered in front of the university shouting out slogans “Betrayers”,
“It’s Turkey – love it or leave it”. To remind, the conference
was scheduled for September 23. However one of the Turkish courts
has complied with the suit of the Union of Lawyers and banned the
meeting. Earlier it was supposed to hold the conference in May but it
was delayed since Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek called the idea
“the dagger stuck into the back of the Turkish nation.” Some people
voiced opinion that Turkish historians are oppressed and deprived
of the possibility to express their scientific viewpoint. The
majority knows that the conference was barred over the possibility
of discussion of the Armenian Genocide issue. Meanwhile Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the court resolution
and called it incompatible with the norms of democracy and civilized
society. Spokesperson for the EU Commissioner for Enlargement Krisztina
Nagy characterized the court decision as a “recurrent provocation”,
IA Regnum reported.

ARMENIAN ISSUE CONFERENCE STARTED IN ISTANBUL
Pan Armenian News
24.09.2005 06:52
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Two-day international conference titled “Ottoman
Armenians During the Decline of the Empire: Issues of Scientific
Responsibility and Democracy” started in the Bilgi University in
Istanbul September 24. The building is guarded by the police and strict
security measures have been undertaken. However several hundreds of
nationalists are holding a protest action in the neighborhood. “The
meeting is illegal. We will prevent it,” a representative of a Turkish
right wing party stated. To remind, the conference was scheduled for
September 23. However one of the Turkish courts has complied with
the suit of the Union of Lawyers and banned the meeting.
Earlier it was supposed to hold the conference in May but it was
delayed since Turkish Justice Minister Cemil Cicek called the idea
“the dagger stuck into the back of the Turkish nation.” Some people
voiced opinion that Turkish historians are oppressed and deprived of
the possibility to express their scientific viewpoint. The majority
knows that the conference was barred over the possibility of discussion
of the Armenian Genocide issue.
Meanwhile Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned
the court resolution and called it incompatible with the norms of
democracy and civilized society. Spokesperson for the EU Commissioner
for Enlargement Krisztina Nagy characterized the court decision as a
“recurrent provocation”, IA Regnum reported.

FINNISH PRESIDENT ARRIVING IN ARMENIA TODAY
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 02:29
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As PanARMENIAN.Net came to know from the RA
President’s press office, by invitation of Armenian leader Robert
Kocharian President of Finland Tarja Halonen and her husband
Dr. Pentti Arajarvi will pay a formal visit to Armenia September
26-28. The purpose of the visit is the development of bilateral ties
and economic cooperation. The state leaders will also touch upon the
EU-Armenia cooperation and some regional problems.
On September 27 Robert Kocharian and Tarja Halonen will hold
a tete-a-tete meeting followed by negotiations in expanded
composition. During the visit the Mrs. Halonen will also meet with
RA National Assembly Chairman Artur Baghdassyan and Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan. In Holy Echmiadzin she will meet with Catholicos of
All Armenians Garegin II. Besides, the Finn delegation will attend the
Memorial complex of Tsitsernakaberd and lay a wreath to the Armenian
Genocide victims. Tarja Halonen is also expected to meet with the
students and teaching staff of the Yerevan State University.
To note, the delegation is scheduled to visit Georgia and Azerbaijan
as well.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

STEVEN MANN TO DISCUSS KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IN BAKU
Pan Armenian News
26.09.2005 05:27
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-Chair Steven Mann
will arrive in Baku till the end of September, U.S. Ambassador
to Azerbaijan Rino Harnish reported. In his words, Mr. Mann will
discuss the current stage of the Karabakh conflict settlement with
the Azerbaijani leadership, Azeri media report.

AUTONOMY APPEAL FACES PARLIAMENT MEMBER’S BACKLASH
Armenpress
Sept 26, 2005
TBILISI, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS: An application of Armenian
organizations in southern Georgia demanding autonomy for a
predominantly-Armenian populated region of Samtskhe-Javakheti faced
a strong backlash from an Armenian member of the Georgian parliament,
Van Bayburdian.
The appeal was issued by a congress of Armenian organizations of the
Samtskhe-Javakheti region held in the town of Akhalkalaki Saturday.
Bayburdian , who is also chairman of the Union of Georgian Armenians,
said the appeal was’ groundless,” as the population of Ninotsminda
and Akhalkalaki regions, where the majority are ethnic Armenians,
‘have full authority to govern their regions.”
He said there are more than 100 Armenian schools in the region and
Armenians are represented in Georgian government bodies and have
five members in the parliament. He also said there was no tendency
to discriminate Armenians because of their ethnicity. He said all
Georgian regions face dire economic conditions, but the government
is committed to resolve them. “One should not politicize social and
economic problems of the region, a wrong policy assumed by some local
Armenian organizations,” he said.

CEC ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY HEAD ELECTION RESULTS IN TWO YEREVAN DISTRICTS
Armenpress
Sept 26, 2005
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Central Election Commission
(CEC) said the incumbent prefect of Kentron district in Yerevan,
Gagik Beglarian, won community head election in Sunday polls receiving
32,000 votes, his contender Ruzan Khachatrian from the opposition
People’s Party received 4,430 votes. The voter turnout was 43 percent.
In another community head election Hovhanes Shahinian won the polls
in Yerevan Arabkir community. He received 18,215 votes. Out of 97,00
eligible voters in Arabkir district only 28,000 went to the polls.