INTERNATIONAL DAY OF DISSAPEARED MARKED TODAY
A1+
| 12:23:04 | 30-08-2005 | Politics |
Today, on the International Day of the Disappeared, the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) calls for renewed attention to one
of the most serious humanitarian problems caused by armed conflict –
the fate of missing persons and the suffering of their families.
Today, hundreds of thousands of families around the world remain
without any news of their relatives who went missing in situations
of armed conflict or internal violence. Whether people go missing on
the battlefield or are the victims of forced disappearances, their
relatives have a right to know what has happened to them.
More than 10 years after Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a ceasefire
agreement ending the conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, during which
thousands went missing, many families are still uncertain about
the fate of their loved ones. The ICRC is keeping up its efforts
to help the authorities of both countries fulfil their obligations
under international humanitarian law to find out what happened to
those people.
In February 2004 the ICRC submitted to the authorities of Armenia
and Azerbaijan, and to the de facto authorities of Nagorno Karabakh,
a list of persons unaccounted for in connection with the conflict. The
updated version of this list contains 3,165 names. In January 2005
the ICRC further submitted to the parties a memorandum encouraging
them to help elucidate the fate of these people and proposing that
specific activities be undertaken to obtain information on the missing
and make it available, to recover and identify human remains and to
support the families involved.
The ICRC is continuing to collect tracing requests from the families
of missing persons and it plans to step up this activity in 2006,
when it will begin gathering personal information (ante-mortem data)
that might help the authorities identify the remains of those who died
during the conflict. This will be done in close cooperation with the
respective State commissions on POWs, hostages and missing persons.
At the same time, the ICRC is encouraging the authorities to record
and protect burial sites believed to contain the remains of people
who died during the conflict with a view to their future possible
recovery and identification.
The ICRC is also strongly urging the authorities to provide
psychosocial assistance for the families who require it and is
supporting them in their efforts to do so.

VENICE COMMISSION WILL NOT PRESENT OFFICIAL RESOLUTION ON 2ND READING OF DRAFT CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS OF ARMENIA
STRASBOURG, AUGUST 29. ARMINFO. Experts of Venice Commission will
not present any official resolution on the 2nd reading of the draft
Constitutional reforms. External Relations Officer, Venice Commission,
Tatyana Mychelova informs ARMINFO.
She thinks the draft has already received the approval by the Venice
Commission experts, further assessments can be made if the Armenian
authorities apply for it to the Venice Commission Task Group. It should
be noted that Venice Commission expert Giovanni Buchichio planned
to speak at the extraordinary sitting of the Armenian Parliament
today. However, because of delay of his flight at Frankfurt airport,
G.Buchichio missed the flight from Vienna to Yerevan. Myshelova says
G.Buchichio returns to Strasbourg.

RETAIL PRICES FOR PETROL IN ARMENIA GREW ON AVERAGE BY 11.8% FROM EARLY AUGUST
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29. ARMINFO. Retail prices for petrol and air-fuel
in Armenia grew on average by 11.8% and 10.1% respectively from the
beginning of August.
At the same time, Deputy director of “Flesh” oil-trade company
Mushegh Elchyan noted in an interview to ARMINFO that they not
expect any changes in prices till Sept 15. In his words, reserves
of warehoused petrol are being realized in the republic at present.
“Flesh” company may reserve the most quantity of petrol – 10 mln
liter. Further tendencies will depend on both world prices and new
purchases. It is difficult to do long-term forecasts when world
prices for oil have risen headily and have already made up to $70
per a barrel, he noted. Elchyan informed that a liter of “Regular”
costs 360 AMD, “Premium” – 380 AMD, and “Super” – 400 AMD at company’s
filling stations (320, 340 and 360 AMD respectively early in Aug).
Prices for air fuel also grew on average by 10.1% within Aug, which
has already brought to cost increase for air tickets. Air fuel cost
$728 per a ton early in Aug, $742 – in the middle of Aug, and $793 –
on Aug 29.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEMBERS OF AAA COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES TO VISIT ARMENIA AND KARABAKH IN OCT
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29. ARMINFO. The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA)
prepares for an annually mission of members of its Council of Trustees
to Armenia and Karabakh.
As ARMINFO was informed in the AAA, within 12-day tour they intend
to meet with Armenia’s and NKR’s high-rank officials. The tour
will start from London on Oct 19. Upon their arrival in Armenia, the
mission participants will visit Tsitsernakaberd – the Memorial and the
Museum of victims of Armenian Genocide, monastery complex Khor Virap,
and Armenia’s pearl – Lake Sevan. They also will visit Stepanakert,
Shushi and other NKR towns. The source notes that this visit will
be rememberable as it will celebrate the 10th anniversary of the
initiative’s existence.

ARMENIAN NGO THAT WANTS TO WATCH PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN HAS FACED BLANK WALL OF MISUNDERSTANDING
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29. ARMINFO. The Central Electoral Commission
of Azerbaijan did not respond to the application of the Armenian
charitable nongovernmental organization ‘Azat Hayk’ to include it in
the list of the international organizations on monitoring over the
parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan, Leader of Azat Hayk Rouben
Mnatsakanian informed ARMINFO.
“In the main to the Azeri CEC from 20.07.05 our organization
pledged itself to undertake all the financial costs of the mission
of the observers and the refusal means that the Azerbaijani CEC
has something to conceal”, Mnatsakanian said. According to him, the
CEC did not answer either the e-mail or the fax. In this connection
the nongovernmental organization has appealed to the Yerevan-based
offices of international organizations, as well as diplomatic
representations of different countries with a request to assist
sending a fax release. But oral refusal was received from all.
Mnatsakanian mentioned that the organization Azat Hayk has carried
out a monitoring over parliamentary elections to the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic and estimated them as open and democratic. He stressed
that all the aforementioned gives basis to state that international
organizations and individual statesmen do not have any moral right
to require from Nagorno-Karabakh Republic concessions to Azerbaijan.
“Nagorny Karabakh, the democracy standard bearer in the region cannot
cooperate with an anti-democratic country, all the more to become
its part”, Mnatsakanian stressed.

ARMENIAN ASSISTANCE UNION RESTORES 4 FIRST-AID POSTS IN JAVAKHK
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29. ARMINFO. Through the program of support to
Javakhk the foundation “Armenian Assistance Union” has restored 4
first-aid posts in that Armenian-populated district of Georgia. As
A-INFO informs, in the nearest future the organization will repair
surgeries in villages of Burnashet and Gushchi.

GENOCIDE WITH PICTURES AND SHOTS
A1+
| 20:18:43 | 29-08-2005 | Politics |
On August 22-27 In the Brazilian city Salvador in the Georgi Amadu
University which has more than 35 thousand students a week of events
devoted to the Armenian Genocide took place. It was initiated by the
faculty of international relations of the University and the chief
Armenian Consulate in San Paolo.
During the week a major exhibition devoted to the Armenian Genocide was
opened, the film “Ararat” by Atom Egoyan and “Betrayed Armenia. Denied
Genocide” by James Muller were shown, and the visitors were distributed
booklets about the Armenian Genocide in Portuguese.
In September another chain of suchlike events will be organized in
the Federal University of the State Pernambuko.

ACCIDENT IN NOR NORQ
A1+
| 17:34:34 | 29-08-2005 | Social |
On August 28 at about 08:30 a.m. on the roof of the building near the
Nor Norq 9th quarter house N15 the dead body of Amalya Matevosyan,
resident of the above mentioned building has been found.
The Police have not aroused a criminal case, as according to the
Nor Norq and Avan Prosecutor chief assistant Hovsep Hovsepyan, there
were no traces of violence on the dead body. “It was an accident”,
said Mr. Hovsepyan.
Amalya Matevosyan’s husband informed the workers of the Prosecution
that his wife went out to the building entrance where possibly
approached the balcony to look down. She fell down from that very
balcony. The Matevosyans’ house is on the 7th floor of the building.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TRAININGS IN ASHULUK
A1+
| 17:16:24 | 29-08-2005 | Official |
Today the delegation with the Defense Minister, Secretary of the
National Security Council attached to the RA President Serge Sargsyan
left for the Russian Federation to participate in the final phase of
the military trainings “Military Cooperation-2005” which will take
place on August 30.
The Military detachment of 42 Armenian soldiers will participate in the
joint event organized by the Defense Ministries of the CIS countries.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: REFORMATION OF ARMENIA’S CONSTITUTION OPENS BROAD PROSPECTS FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29. ARMINFO. The reformation of Armenia’s Constitution
opens broad prospects for further development of the country. Tigran
Torosian, Vice Speaker of National Assembly of Armenia, Head of
interim parliamentary commission for Eurointegration, stated during
the discussions of the draft amendments to the Constitution.
According to Torosian, fundamental changes are offered by the draft
int he sphere of formation of the government. If according to the
acting Constitution the president only consulted with parliamentary
factions and appointed or dismissed the premier, then after adoption
of the changes, he, first of all, does not have the right to dismiss
the premier at his discretion, and secondly he is obliged to consult
with factions and make clear which candidate enjoys the support of
the parliamentary majority and only then to nominate his candidature.
Tigran Torosian called important also the provisions of the draft
of the reforms concerning formation and activities of the Council of
Justice of the Republic of Armenia.
Speaking about the part of the draft concerning the activities of mass
media, the vice speaker mentioned that the matter concerned creation
of one body, which coordinates the activities of mass media.
He also reminded about the proposed amendments to the Constitution
concerning the activities of the Supervisory chamber of the
parliament. The presence of independent Supervisory chamber and
constitutional guarantees of its independence give possibility of that
proposals of Supervisory chamber will not be set aside, though many
provisions of this part of the bill need regulation by a law, which
will be done, the vice speaker said. “Serious changes made in the
draft amendments to the Constitution open wide prospects of further
development of Armenia, that’s why the commission proposes to the
parliament to adopt the document in the second reading”, Torosian said.
He also proposed that during the discussions the deputies spoke about
the problems of the country, and forming their position regarding one
or another issue demonstrated how the draft solves these problems in
order simple citizens of the country had clear idea on the essence
of the bill. He stressed that the most important bill for the whole
period of the activities of the parliament of the current convocation
is being discussed today.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress