MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT PREDICT REPRESENTATION OF POLITICAL FORCES IN
PARLIAMENT IN 2007
Lragir.am
15 April 06
The new parliament will be based on the people’s will. The author of
this statement is the secretary of the Ardarutiun Alliance Victor
Dallakyan. During the parliamentary briefing on April 14 Victor
Dallakyan and the leaders of the other factions predicted the
representation of forces in the parliament in 2007.
Victor Dallakyan thinks the parliamentary election in 2007 will differ
from 2003 because it will be held before the presidential
election. Victor Dallakyan thinks the coalition forces will hardly
make a deal with the president for a share of power.
The coalition forces avoided specific forecasts. The leader of the
Dashnaktsutiun faction, for instance, says there are members of
parliamentwho have been in the parliament since 1990 and will stay
there with this or that political force.
`To be more serious, the ongoing political processes in Armenia are
quite interesting, and the political forces are now trying to assess
their potential to make decisions on further action and partnership,’
says Levon Mkrtichyan.
Mher Shahgeldyan, the Orinats Yerkir Party, also finds it difficult to
forecast who will appear in the next parliament, saying that in the
long run it is important to specify civilized pre-election rules.
`The system should be designed in a way so as to express the will of
the voter,’ says Mher Shahgeldyan, considering the outcome less
important. The leader of the faction of the Republican party Galust
Sahakyan carries on the general forecast of the coalition; he is also
reluctant to give names of future members of parliament.
`It is still presumptions, no pre-election processes have started
yet. But I think that the main forces represented in this parliament
will be represented in the next one as well,’ says the leader of the
faction of the Republican Party. Only the leader of the faction of the
United Labor Party Gurgen Arsenyan specifies his forecast for 2007. He
announces that from the current parliamentary forces the United Labor
Party, the National Unity, Dashnaktsutiun, the Orinats Yerkir Party
and the Republican Party will be represented in the parliament of
2007. `Also one of the new political parties will appear in the
parliament,’ says Gurgen Arsenyan, without specifying, of course.
The deputy leader of the National Unity Alexan Karapetyan thinks the
future parliament greatly depends on the standpoint of the president
of Armenia. The leader of the National Unity says if Robert Kocharyan
were active in the parliamentary election, the outcome of the
parliamentary election would not be good.
The leader of the Dashnaktsutiun faction Levon Mkrtichyan also thinks
that the president has a considerable influence on the electoral
processes. He says the three parties of the coalition government and a
number of other political forces voted for Robert Kocharyan in 2003.
`So, it is apparent that the president has a political influence,’
says Levon Mkrtichyan. And the leader of the Republican parliamentarians
Galust Sahakyan, answering the question what depends on the president
in the next parliament, announced: `Much depends on the will of the
president.’

April 16 is Police Day

ArmRadio.am
15.04.2006 15:06
It is 5 years already that Armenia is celebrating Police Day on April
16. On this occasion, the parade was accepted today by President
Robert Kocharyan. The President congratulated the employees of the
system and veterans.
`The Police is one of the most essential state structures, which
carries out its duty with honor,’ the President said. He noted that
the Police should be able to respond to the process of corresponding
development of the society and its possible negative expressions.
In President Kocharyan’s word it is necessary to pay special attention
to the Police, to arm it with modern armaments, improve the
professional capacity of the Staff.
`We should strengthen the primary directions. Special attention shold
be paid to the improvement of the spheres, which immediately have to
do with citizens. During the Artsakhi war the employees of the
Armenian Police demonstrated great dignity in keeping the country’s
borders secure. Today we must remember those, who fell on the field of
war. The development of our country is greatly conditioned by the
quality of your work,’ The President said in his congratulating
address.
On the occasion of the Police Day, Robert Kocharyan awarded titles and
medals to a number of Police workers.

Governor of Ulyanov region to visit Armenia

ArmRadio.am
15.04.2006 15:12
April 20-21 Governor of Ulyanov region of Russia Sergey Morozov will
visit Armenia.
The Russian `Commersant’ newspaper informs that Sergey Morozov will be
accompanied by governmental and business delegations. The major aim of
the visit is to establish trade relations between Ulyanov region and
the Republic of Armenia. In the framework of the visit Sergey Morozov
will meet President Robert Kocharyan and business circles of the
Republic.

Budapest Court Has Sentenced Ramil Safarov

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15.04.2006
Final process concerning Azerbaijani Officer, Ramil Safarov, was held
on April 13, 2006 in Budapest City Court.
First, long-awaited verdict of the Court was delivered. Judge, Andras
Vashkuti, on behalf of Hungarian Republic, announced that Ramil
Safarov is sentenced to life in prison for killing an Armenian
officer, Gurgen Margaryan, with a 30-year minimum before parole
hearing.
After delivering the verdict, judge, A. Vashkuti, informed about the
details of the crime and results of investigation. To comprehend the
fact of the crime, judge informed about Armenian-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He underlined that the above conflict
caused numerous victims, and that Armenian military forces control the
territory of the Upper Karabakh. Accused, R.
Safarov, accordingly to judge, not partaking in military operations,
witnessed many killings and suffering of his compatriots. And these
facts inspired him to choose military profession.
However, despite these facts, the judge did not take into account
post-traumatic shock of the accused officer believing that R. Safarov
got the weapon earlier and was ready to commit a crime, and having
done it he voluntary gave himself up to representatives of law
enforcement authority.
After announcement of court decision, Public Prosecutor expressed her
consent with decision. The accused, said he did not agree with the
decision demanding appeal. R. Safarov’s lawyer, Gyorgy Magyar also
expressed his discontent and demanded appeal. Lawyer did not agree
with the final verdict of the judge as well as definition of the crime
as assassination committed deliberately and cruelly, in this
connection he said that appeal would be lodged immediately.
The judge announced that the court of appellate jurisdiction would
consider the case and R. Safarov would stay in the same detention
place until completion of court process.
Court meeting was over. Representatives of the Embassy of the Republic
of Azerbaijan to Hungary, our diaspora members, Azerbaijani students,
representatives of Hungarian, Azerbaijani, Turkish, Armenian etc. mass
media attended court meeting.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
Turkey Has New Strategic Goal of Becoming Energy
Bridge

15.04.2006 01:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey has set a strategic goal of
playing the role of energy bridge in East-West and
North-South transport corridors. Turkish MFA
representative Midhat Rende said that Ankara is
working out a new energy strategy to that end. In his
words, there is a task of turning port Ceyhan into an
energy trade center in the near future.
The favorable geo-strategic location of Turkey, in his
words, provides full opportunity for that. Rende said
that the project of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil
pipeline that is close to completion, will play an
important role in implementation of the plan of
diversification of energy routes of US and European
countries,» the Turkish MFA representative said. He
also emphasized that Turkey highlights the North-South
corridor as well and wants to become a transit country
in that field, AzerTaj reports.
We remark that at the Vienna meeting of Foreign
Ministers of EU Troika and Turkey last month it was
suggested that Ankara take part in future talks on the matter.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Kocharian: Armenian Police Fulfills Its Mission with Honor

15.04.2006 19:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Police fulfills its mission of fighting
crime, protecting public order, human rights and citizen’s property
with honor, Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in the course
of the celebration of the 5th anniversary of the Police of Armenia
today. «The Police should timely and neatly respond to all
incidents. Enhancing the professional level of policemen is important
in everyday work. Under the conditions of new challenges it is
necessary to cooperation more closely with international structures
for fighting money-laundering, drug trafficking and terrorism,» the
state leader said.
Mr. Kocharian also emphasized the need for more efficient struggle
against violations of public order and rules of the road. «During the
national liberation war in Artsakh the Police of Armenia fulfilled its
mission with honor on battlefields to guard state frontiers. Everyone
should be guided by the principle that the role of the police is very
important in a strong and developed state,» the Armenian President
said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Opinions Differ, Baku Says
15.04.2006 19:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `It is early to express an opinion on the new
proposals made by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs regarding the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The proposals should be grouped and
formed in order to air an opinion on this. We will express our opinion
if a specific proposal is put forward,’ said Novruz Mammadov, Director
of Presidential Administration Department for International Relations.
The state official thinks that `the stances of the conflicting sides
not those of the OSCE Minsk Group are fundamental.’ `There should be
some changes in the sides’ stances, they should take a constructive
position and take serious steps to solve the conflict,’ he
underscored. Commenting on a statement of OSCE Minsk Group French
co-chair Bernard Fassier, who said, `The new proposals can satisfy
both sides 80 percent’ and Russian co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov’s
statement `If both sides are satisfied 50 percent, I would think the
mediation had been fulfilled’, Mammadov said that every co-chair makes
proposals based on his certain considerations. `Even the opinions of
the co-chairs do not coincide,’ he added.
Responding to a question whether Azerbaijan will agree to the
liberation of 50% or 80% of its occupied territories, Mammadov said it
suits Azerbaijan by no means. Commenting on the stance of Azerbaijan
to the co-chairs’ suggestion of organizing a meeting between
Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents, Mammadov stressed that the
co-chairs’ opinions do not coincide regarding this issue
either. `There can be an opinion, if there is an opportunity for the
meeting of the Presidents,’ he added.
Mammadov also touched on the American co-chair Steven Mann’s visit to
Baku scheduled for 18 April, explaining it by the recent intensified
negotiating process. `Therefore, the co-chairs often visit the region
to express their stances, exchange views and consult together on the
issue,’ Mammadov concluded, reports APA.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Baku Suggests Launching Nation-Wide Information Campaign
15.04.2006 20:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia takes place
not only at the contact line of fire, but also in the information
space. From time to time and sometimes regularly both countries commit
diversion and implement campaigns to provoke the adversary and convey
their truth on the developments to the international community. There
is a huge number of examples of Azerbaijan’s defeat in information war
against Armenia, writes the Zerkalo, a Baku-based newspaper.
Another matter is who is guilty of it, the newspaper asks.
«Undoubtedly, the state structures of Azerbaijan are guilty first of
all, e.g. the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the State Committee on
Affairs of Azerbaijanis Abroad. The Ministry and the Committee should
think over campaigns and work out their implementation.
«What do our Embassies do to disseminate the truth on the
Armenian-Azeri relations throughout the world? Judging from the
scarce information, received by Azerbaijan, our Embassies «do not
suffer» special activity. The same is true of the Diaspora,» the
Zerkalo writes.
The article authors see a solution as follows, «All state structures,
NGOs, political parties, citizens and all others, who care for the
image of our country, should start a nation-wide campaign
conditionally called Azerbaijan Starts Winning.» As initial actions
the newspaper recommends providing all international structures with
lists of cultural and historic values, which remained in the
«occupied» territories and attain monitoring of their state. At that
the newspaper underscores it is not «infected» with the idea that all
agitation of history and culture of Azerbaijan should be of
anti-Armenian nature.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Armenian MOD Head: Chance to Settle Karabakh Conflict Not Lost

15.04.2006 20:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «The current format of visits of OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs to the region is conditioned with the state of health of the
Russian Ambassador,» Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan told
journalists. Commenting on Rambouillet talks between the Armenian and
Azeri presidents, the Armenian MOD Head remarked he does not consider
the chance to settle the conflict in Nagorno Karabakh lost. «The year
2006 being pre-election one in Armenia will not influence the course
of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,» Serge Sargsyan said.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Nagi: `Hungarian Courts Not Worth Trusting’
15.04.2006 20:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `After all that happened we should not leave Ramil
Safarov’s fate to the mercy of Hungarian courts,’ said Akif Nagi, head
of Protection Committee of Safarov’s Rights. He said Budapest court
had issued `a very unjust and severe sentence’ regarding Azeri officer
Ramil Safarov. `This witnesses the lack of justice in
Hungary. Alongside the shame on Hungarian authorities and courts, this
case demonstrated their dependence on Armenian lobby. `Appealing to
the higher judicial instances of this country makes no sense any
more», Mr. Nagi said.
He said also `the first injustice’ was trying Safarov’s case not in
military tribunal but in a civil court. «Taking all this in
consideration we think Azerbaijan’s government should do its best to
return Safarov home. Each day of his stay in Hungary is a threat to
his life. Moreover, there is no necessity to try his case in other
judicial instances of Hungary as it should be done in a NATO military
tribunal or somewhere in neutral European country. We do not trust
Hungarian courts», Nagi stressed, reports Trend.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress