THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF SYRIA CELEBRATES 60 YEARS OF ITS INDEPENDENCE
ArmRadio.am
17.04.2006 12:20
Today the Arab Republic of Syria is celebrating the 60th anniversary
of its independence.
On the occasion of the day, a congratulating address was issued by
Minister Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Syria in the Republic of
Armenia, Doctor Mukhlis Farauni.

SITTING OF THE CHIEF COUNCIL OF THE WORLD ARMENIAN CONGRESS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
ArmRadio.am
17.04.2006 13:45
On May 16 the sitting of the Chief Council of the World Armenian
Congress will be held in Yerevan, in the framework of which the future
plans will be discussed. Reference will be made also to the activities
carried out last year, Vice-President of the World Armenian Congress
Vladimir Aghayan told ” Armenpress” correspondent, adding that the
issue of opening Offices of the Congress in different countries will
discussed as well.
“Offices of the structure must exist in different countries. This
will make the activates directed at uniting the Armenians of the
world more efficient.”

“ARMENTEL” KEEPS AVOIDING RESPONSIBILITY
ArmRadio.am
17.04.2006 13:30
At 3 a.m. today the trial of “ArmenTel” case will continue at the
First Instance Court of Ararat-Zeytun community of Yerevan.
To remind, Internet user Iren Sargsyan was forced to pay the immense
sum registered on her account. Iren Sargsyan applied the Court, but
representatives of the Company continue to insist, “The citizens are
obliged to pay no matter whether they made international calls or not,
otherwise their telephones will be disconnected for ever.”
MP Arshak Sadoyan also defends the citizens’ rights. According to
his calculations, “ArmenTel” has presented debts ranging form 300
thousand to 2 million AMD to hundreds of its subscribers. According
to the Deputy, this way ” ArmenTel” tries to earn additional sums
from the population.
The complaints of the citizens continue to increase. However,
“ArmenTel” continues to avoid responsibility and forces people to
pay the unrealistic sums.
Head of the Association of Consumers Armen Poghosyan told “Radiolur”
correspondent that the number of those who suffered from the activity
of “ArmenTel” Company gradually increases.

RUSSIAN MP PAYS HOMAGE TO 1915 GENOCIDE VICTIMS
ArmRadio.am
17.04.2006 13:53
Russian MP, member of “Yedinaya Rosia” Party faction Sergey Shishkarev
paid homage to the memory of the Armenian Genocide victims. “Yerkramas”
newspaper of Armenians of Russia informs that on the occasion of the
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide he underlined in his address
to the Armenians of Kuban that the tragic events of 1915 were the
preamble to the terrible crimes against humanity, which the 20th
century was full of.

SYMPOSIUM ON OTTOMAN TURK-ARMENIAN TIES TO BE HELD IN TURKEY
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
16 Apr 06
Kayseri, 16 April: Plenary discussion panel on: “The Art of Living
Together in the Ottoman Society: The Case of Turkish-Armenian
Relations” will be organized in Erciyes University (EU) in Central
Anatolian city of Kayseri, it was reported on Sunday [16 April].
EU Rector Prof Cengiz Utas held a news conference and said the
university will host the symposium between 20 and 22 April Utas said
125 scientists from various countries and Turkish Armenians Patriarch
Mesrob II would attend the symposium where social dimensions of the
Turkish-Armenian relations would be examined rather than political
dimensions.
Prof. Metin Hulagu, the Chairman of the Symposium Organization
Committee said they hoped the symposium to be a new start in
Turkish-Armenian relations, stating that issues based on documents
would be discussed.
“We want the symposium to establish a new bridge between Turkey and
Armenia. We hope to organize the second symposium in Armenia.
Peace, tolerance and dialogue between Turks and Armenian will be
taken up,” he noted.

OSCE MEDIATORS TO PRESENT NEW PROPOSALS TO AZERI, ARMENIAN LEADERS
Interfax-AVN military news agency website, Moscow
14 Apr 06
Yerevan, 14 April: The Russian, French and US co-chairmen of the
OSCE Minsk Group on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagornyy
Karabakh are planning to present new ideas on a settlement and adapt
the negotiating format, the group’s French co-chairman Bernard Fassier
told reporters in Yerevan.
“In May, the three co-chairmen are planning to meet in Moscow in a
bid to work out joint proposals to be presented to the conflicting
parties,” Fassier said.
“When we speak about a possible new meeting of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents, this means we are ready to present them
with new ideas on the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement and to expand the
already existing ones worked out beforehand,” he said.
New ideas will be suggested, but not a change of format, the French
diplomat said.
Talks on the Nagornyy Karabakh settlement will stay within the format
of the OSCE Minsk Group, he said.
“However, it is now possible to speak about adapting the current
negotiating format,” Fassier said, adding that the Minsk Group’s
co-chairmen would like to use every opportunity to pay both collective
and independent visits to the region.

SEPARATISTS CONDUCT WAR GAMES TO PRESSURE BAKU TO SIGN PEACE DEAL – AZERI PUNDIT
Yeni Musavat, Baku
16 Apr 06
Excerpt from Tamerlan’s report in Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat
on 16 April headlined “Armenians preparing for war” and subheaded
“The enemy has started large-scale military exercises in Karabakh”
The Armenian separatists have started conducting military exercises
in Nagornyy Karabakh and other occupied territories of Azerbaijan.
Military units and mobilized civilians are participating in the
drills, which are aimed at “improving the combat readiness of Armenian
forces and coordinating their work during defence and counterattack
operations,” Turan has reported.
The deputy Armenian defence Minister and chief of the Armenian General
Staff, Col-Gen Mikayel Arutunyan, is monitoring the exercises. In
fact, he commands the drills, which once again shows that the hostile
country is the main occupier of Azerbaijan’s territories.
[Passage omitted: the drills show that it is not “a handful of
Karabakh Armenians”, but the Armenian-Russian military alliance that
has occupied Azerbaijani territories,]
Political analyst Vafa Quluzada says that the Armenian military
exercises do not come by chance. This kind of demarche, which followed
the abortive Rambouillet talks and Azerbaijan’s refusal to sign a
capitulatory peace agreement desired by the West and Armenia, aims
to put pressure on Azerbaijan, he said.
“Or more precisely, this is another ring in the chain of pressure.
Apart from that, this is a way of demonstrating that Russia has a
final say on the issue,” Quluzada said.
Those who are trying to force Azerbaijan into signing a humiliating
peace agreement also take into account the sensitivity of our public
opinion to casualties in the army, he said.
“I mean, the Azerbaijani public is being blackmailed in this way as
well,” Quluzada added.
[Passage omitted: the war games in Karabakh are a response to President
Ilham Aliyev’s bellicose statements]

PRESS RELEASE
KNOW GENOCIDE Coalition
CONTACT: Harout H. Semerdjian
Tel: 617-489-1597
E-mail: [email protected]
April 10, 2006

BOSTON, MA – A new multi-ethnic, non-partisan coalition, KNOW GENOCIDE
will be announced to combat the ongoing denial of known cases of
genocide, such as the Darfur, Cambodian, Jewish, Rwandan, and the
Armenian genocides. The coalition is grounded in the understanding
that denial of genocide is the final stage of that crime. For the sake
of human rights as well as the historical truth it will counter and
expose attempts at genocide denial.
On April 21, 2006, at 1:00pm, KNOW GENOCIDE will be publicly launched
witha rally outside the Massachusetts State House directly after the
Armenian Genocide Commemoration Ceremony. The coalition’s inception
will bemarked by brief presentations by Dr. Taner Akcam, the first
Turkish scholar to publicly acknowledge and discuss the Armenian
Genocide, as well as major community leaders representing the
coalition.
Denial of genocide and silence in the face of ethnic cleansing
emboldens future perpetrators to carry out these same crimes. In
April, the month of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, KNOW
GENOCIDE stands up for the Armenian community. The coalition is
prepared to stand up for others when efforts to perpetuate denial
surface.

Armenian opposition leader says Karabakh peace ideas “in favour of Azerbaijan”
Aravot, Yerevan
12 Apr 06
Excerpt from Margarit Yesayan report by Armenian newspaper Aravot on
12 April entitled “To root out the evil is the most important task”
An interview with the leader of Anrapetutyun [Republic] Party, Aram
Sarkisyan.
[Correspondent] Mr Sarkisyan, what do you think of the sale of the
Razdan power plant?
[Aram Sarkisyan] I think that the “Property for Debt” and “Property
for Gas” programmes are in fact addressing a different problem that
may be described as “everything for debt”. Obviously the Armenian
energy security has received one final blow from the authorities. The
problem is not at all about being a vassal of Russia. The problem
regards the state and statehood. We cannot speak about independence
and profitability when the state property is being sold to Russia or
any other state for that matter.
[Passage omitted: reiterates the point]
[Correspondent] So you are against the deal. But what do you suggest,
another revolution?
[Sarkisyan] If there is another option, please suggest. The gas price
will rise, but in three years time. I suppose that one day three years
later we shall find out that a “cheaper” gas price cost us not only
the Razdan power plant but also shares in the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline.
[Passage omitted: Sarkisyan speculates on other possible consequences
of selling property]
[Correspondent] But what is the way out? What does the opposition
suggest?
[Sarkisyan] In our country the authorities consider the opposition
their enemy. Today we can only be against this. But
tomorrow…[ellipses as published]. All I can say is that our party is
drafting a law on nationalization because if there is a law on
denationalization and privatization, there should also be a law on
nationalization to avoid abuses. This law will give an opportunity to
annul all the illegal deals.
[Correspondent] You have put forward your proposal for the Karabakh
issue settlement. Did they reply?
[Sarkisyan] No, they did not. But today’s options for a settlement of
the Karabakh issue are in favour of Azerbaijan. And there is no mutual
compromise. I am sure we shall be able to root out the evil and
produce good results. But if not, Armenians will continue to leave
Armenia. We shall then lose this state and turn into a nation which
will be making toasts on foreign shores. [reference to Armenians
living abroad]
[Correspondent] How will the political field look before the
parliamentary election 2007?
[Sarkisyan] It is too early to speak about this election. That is the
field of the authorities and they are preparing for that election. But
I am sure that it would just be an imitation. Actually the year of
2006 raised serious questions for our country and the region as it is
considered to be a year of the Karabakh issue settlement.
The presidents of the two countries may meet again in May. All the
parties are awaiting the results of that meeting, especially the
ruling party as it does not know what will happen afterwards, what
parties it will unite and whose interests it will support.

Armenian paper looks at reasons for US backing of incumbent leader
Aykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
14 Apr 06

Text of unattributed report by Armenian newspaper Aykakan Zhamanak on
14 April headlined “The double outpost”
Australia’s the Australian newspaper has carried a report which said
that the American Armenians determined the US policy towards
Armenia. This provides answers to many questions. In particular, it
explains why the American authorities are so kind to the incumbent
government of Armenia which is authoritarian by nature.
The USA is not just kind to the Armenian authorities, but it has
itself become an accessory to their illegal acts and fraud. Many
people do not yet realize the reason for this. And it cannot be ruled
out that there is only one reason – the Armenian lobby of the USA has
persuaded the Washington administration that this is necessary. In
fact, the Armenian lobby advocates committing even more illegal acts
in Armenia to prolong Robert Kocharyan’s stay in office. But why are
American Armenians so much concerned about perpetuating the current
situation in Armenia?
The point is that our compatriots from the Armenian diaspora do not
mean Yerevan, Sevan, Echmiadzin or Dilizhan [towns in Armenia] when
they say Armenia – they mean Mus, Van, Agahan and Adana [towns in
Turkey claimed by Armenia]. They have only one problem connected with
Armenia: the Armenian genocide. That is to say, for the Armenian lobby
in the USA, Armenia is more of an outpost against Turkey, a
springboard towards their country [eastern part of Turkey claimed by
Armenia], rather than a motherland or an independent state.
The problem is that Robert Kocharyan is the perfect president for
turning Armenia into such an outpost and the incumbent Armenian
government is the perfect one to turn our country into a regional
aggressor. They are ready to fulfil all the orders of the diaspora at
any price. And the immoral constitutional referendum on double
citizenship is evidence of this. Thus, the American diaspora and
Robert Kocharyan have a rich potential for cooperation and for
implementing their plans. They will do everything possible in order
not to leave any independently thinking people in Armenia, so that
when our American brothers give a directive to cross the Araz River
[separating Armenia and Turkey] there would be no person in Armenia
who would dare to object at the wisdom of such a move. Representatives
of the diaspora will watch the event on their computers monitors and
will gamble our lives.
This is the reason why American Armenians who have lived there for
many years hate those who emigrated from Armenia to the USA over the
past decade, as they had to stay in Armenia and act as their
pawns. This also explains the uproar among the American Armenians in
the wake of reports about possible recall of the US ambassador to
Armenia, John Evans. Now it becomes clear that Evans is not only a US
ambassador, but also an ambassador of the Armenian lobby of the
USA. We should finally understand and recognize the realities and
challenges because without surmounting these challenges Armenia faces
inevitable destruction.