RA NA PLENARY SITTINGS START ON MAY 2
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Regular plenary sittings of the RA
National Assembly started on May 2. Unlike the usual sittings, they
will last 3 days as the Monday was a holiday. More than 5 dozens of
issues and 13 international agreements presented for the RA President’s
certification are on the agenda. Before starting discussion of issues
on the agenda, the Parliament adopted 7 drafts discussed during the
previous four-days sittings. They envisage amendments and additions
to the acting laws.

NA ULP FACTION’S STAFF TO REMAIN UNCHANGED
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. Member of NA United Labor Party faction
Levon Poghosian withdrew his application in the term set after he
made public his resignation. NA Speaker Artur Baghdasarian declared
this at the May 2 parliamentary sitting. L.Poghosian, as well as
head of the faction Gurgen Arsenian transferred all shares of the
companies belonging to them to the trust management of the Swiss
juridical company and fulfilled the constitutional requirement
of MP’s being engaged in an entrepreneurial activity this way. To
recap, the application publicized by L.Poghosian at the NA previous
four-day session on resigning his MP commissions and on assuming the
position of Director General of Mshak company was conditioned by the
above-mentioned ban.

ANNUAL REPORT OF FREEDOM HOUSE PRESENTED TO RA NA SPEAKER
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 2, RA National Assembly Speaker
Artur Baghdasarian received the delegation led by Deputy Director
of the Freedom House NGO Thomas Melia, Head of the European Office
Christie Evenson and editor of the Economist Intelligence Unit
Anna Walker. As Noyan Tapan was informed from NA Public Relations
Department, Th.Melia presented NA Speaker the 2006 annual report
of the Freedom House NGO mentioning that both the methodologies of
evaluation and the criteria are given in the report. The sides touched
upon the process of Armenian reforms attaching importance to deepening
of democracy, economic developments and free elections, freedom of
speech in the countries experiencing the transitional period for their
progress. Reliability of information was also considered important.

NOR ZHAMANAKNER PARTY CHAIRMAN AND NDI YEREVAN OFFICE DIRECTOR DISCUSS A NUMBER OF ISSUES OF HOME AND FOREIGN POLICY
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. A number of home and foreign political
issues, as well as those relating to the organization and fair and
transparent holding of the coming elections were discussed at the
meeting of Nor Zhamanakner (New Times) party Aram Karapetian with
Andrew Benett who has assumed the position of the Director of the
U.S. National Democracy Institute (NDI) Yerevan Central Office. The
meeting was held on May 2 at the NDI office. As Noyan Tapan was
informed from the party’s Press Service, Talin Sanasarian, Director
of NDI programs entitled “Leadership of Women and Political Culture”,
also took part in the meeting that lasted about an hour.

RA DEPUTY DEFENCE MINISTER ADVISES AZERBAIJAN TO RESTRAIN ITSELF FROM MAKING STATEMENTS ADDRESSED TO ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “This can be said by
a person who has no idea at all about the military service, about
transportations in the theater of war and about the mission of the
transport service,” RA Deputy Defence Minister Artur Aghabekian
declared this commenting upon the Azerbaijani President’s recent
statement made in Washington at the request of Noyan Tapan
correspondent. Ilham Aliyev, in particular, had declared that
Azerbaijan takes an active part in the anti-terrorist actions in
Iraq whereas Armenia only sends drivers there. A.Aghabekian also
advised Azerbaijan to show on TV the mission of its servicemen
in Iraq restraining itself from making statements addressed to
Armenia. According to him, the Defence Ministry constantly publicizes
the service of its staff, in addition, the Armenian servicemen have
been always given numerous letters of thanks and rewards by not only
the Armenian command but also by the command of the multi-national
division for fulfilment of the tasks in Iraq.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THIRD STAGE OF NEGOTIATIONS DEDICATED TO WORKING OUT EU-ARMENIA ACTIONS PLAN TO BE HELD ON MAY 3 IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The third stage of the negotiations
dedicated to working out the EU-Armenia Actions Plan within the
framework of the European Neighborhood policy will be held on May 3 in
Yerevan. As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Service, representatives of RA interested departments and
European Commission will take part in the negotiations. RA delegation
is led by RA Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Bayburdian, the European
one by Director of the European Commission on Issues of East Europe,
South Caucasus and Central Asia Huge Mingarelli. The provisions
not coordinated at the previous stages will be discussed. The joint
press conference of Armen Bayburdian and Huge Mingarelli will be held
immediately after the meeting.

NEWLY APPOINTED AMBASSADOR OF KYRGHYZSTAN HANDS COPY OF HIS CREDENTIALS TO RA FOREIGN MINISTER
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On May 2, newly appointed Ambassador of
Kyrghyzstan to Armenia Apas Jumagulov (residence Moscow) handed the
copy of his credentials to RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. RA
Foreign Minister congratulated the Ambassador of Kyrghyzstan on
the occasion of his appointment and wished him success in his
high mission. Expressing satisfaction with the current state
of Armenian-Kyrghyz relations the interlocutors mentioned that
there is still much to do in the direction of deepening the ties
to which implementation of joint programs in concrete spheres
can contribute. The Ambassador emphasized that Kyrghyzstan has
centuries-old friendly contacts with Armenia and intends to develop
cooperation in different spheres. The interlocutors spoke about
deepening cooperation in international organizations. According to
RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department, Apas Jumagulov
was born in 1934. He graduated from the State University of Oil
and Gas after Gubkin, he is an academician of RF Academy of Natural
Sciences. In 1993-1998 he was the Prime Minister of Kyrghyzstan. In
1998-2003 he was the Ambassador of Kyrghyzstan in GDR, in the Kingdoms
of Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Since 2005 he has been the Ambassador
of Kyrghyzstan to Russia.

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN TAKES PART IN TRANSATLANTIC FORUM IN BRUSSELS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 02 2006
BRUSSELS, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. First Armenian
Minister of Foreign Affairs, represented Armenia at an international
policy conclave which was convened here from April 28 to 30 under
the auspices of the German Marshall Fund of the United States,
the Federal Government of Belgium, and the Bertelsmann Stiftung
of Germany. According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan
by the Armenian Center for National and International Studies,
entitled “Transatlantic Challenges in a Global Era,” the Brussels
Forum brought together world leaders, public figures, diplomats,
academicians, activists, and renowned journalists in order to
reassess the transatlantic agenda from American, European, and
neighborhood perspectives; to discuss the threats of terrorism and
pandemics across the globe of the 21st Century; to explore global
competition in the public and private sectors; to chart the course
of democracy and geopolitics in wider Europe, the Middle East, and
China; and to contemplate transatlantic energy security, national
identities, and international integration. In his intervention, Raffi
Hovannisian addressed the track record of the transatlantic alliance
and examined its contribution to the transition from Cold War to
European cooperation. He also underscored the imperative correlation
between collective security and shared core values both within the
alliance and for potential partners on its periphery. In particular,
he urged the stringent and equal application to all national actors
of the highest standards of democracy, rule of law, human rights
protection, and genocide prevention and condemnation–irrespective of
their place and role in the international system. Against the backdrop
of contemporary democracy movements and geopolitical developments,
Raffi Hovannisian held informal meetings with Dr. Javier Solana,
Secretary General of the Council of the European Union; NATO Secretary
General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer; Romanian President Traian Basescu;
and United States Senators John McCain and Bob Bennett. In the
margins of the conference, Raffi Hovannisian also met with Crown
Prince Philippe of Belgium; Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt;
General James Jones, Supreme Allied Commander in Europe; Chairman
Elmar Brok of the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs;
Belgian Foreign Minister and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel De Gucht;
Canadian Foreign Minister Peter MacKay; U.S. Senators George Voinovich
and John Edwards (former); Jordanian Senator Marwan al-Muasher; former
Spanish Foreign Minister Ana Palacio; DaimlerChrysler Chairman Dieter
Zetsche; and several others. Hovannisian and his conference colleagues
were received at the Royal Palace by His Highness King Albert of
Belgium. Raffi Hovannisian, who is founder of the Armenian Center
for National and International Studies and the National Citizens’
Initiative, currently chairs the Heritage Party of Armenia.

UNION FOR THE SAKE OF ARMENIA PARTY OFFICES OPEN IN VANADZOR
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
VANADZOR, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. On April 29, offices of the Union for the
Sake of Armenia party opened in Vanadzor. Members of the organizing
body – RA MPs Vahram Baghdasarian, Levon Khachatrian, painter Hrant
Tadevosian, representatives of the party’s youth wing were present
at the opening of the offices. According to Vahram Baghdasarian,
the initiators of party’s foundation were the members of NA National
Deputy MP group who have never belonged to any political force by now
and have now united around a single political idea. As Baghdasarian
affirmed, there is a need of a new word in the political field of
Armenia connected with the rearrangements expected in this field,
which Vahran Baghdasarian and his co-thinkers connect with the coming
parliamentary elections. This is one of the main reasons for founding
the party. A representative meeting of the party took place after the
ceremonies of opening the offices. Numerous supporters and co-thinkers
of the party took part in the meeting.
The same day party’s offices opened in another regions of the country
as well.

HOVHANNES HOVHANNISIAN: KARABAKH PROBLEM CAN BECOME ADJUNCT OF IRANIAN ONE
Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. The settlement of the Karabakh problem
can become an adjunct of the Iranian nuclear problem. Chairman of
the Liberal Progressive Party of Armenia Hovhannes Hovhannisian
expressed such an opinion at the May 2 meeting at the Hayeli
(Mirror) club. According to him, it is the first time in the
whole process of Nagorno Karabakh settlement when U.S. tries to
find personal solutions. “The activity of U.S. during the recent
year shows that U.S. makes an attempt to speed up the process of
settlement,” the speaker mentioned. According to Hovhannisian, the
“Iranian dossier” served as a spur for the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh problem. According to the speaker, the programs of Armenia’s
and Azerbaijan’s neighbor Iran on creating nuclear weapons indeed
pose a serious danger for the world. Hovhannes Hovhannisian said
that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s recent visit to U.S. and
his meeting with President of that country George Bush show that
U.S. tries to make Azerbaijan a country of the international class,
which will have its influence on the world processes. According to the
speaker, millions of Azeris living in Iran, as well as Azerbaijan’s
own and transit energy resources are a trump for Azerbaijan.