INTRODUCTION OF RIGHT OF JUDICIAL PRECEDENT IS INEVITABLE IN ARMENIA,
CHAIRMAN OF RA COURT OF CASSATION SURE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN. The discussion promoted at the August
25 meeting of heads of the justice and judicial systems of Armenia
with Tigran Tevrizian, a US retired federal judge of Armenian origin
was dedicated to possibilities of usage of the right of judicial
precedent in Armenia. Hovhannes Manukian, the Chairman of the RA Court
of Cassation mentioned that an approach process of two legal systems,
continental and Anglo-Saxon, is going on in the world. According to
his estimation, usage of particularly, the right of judicial precedent
developed in the American judicial system is unavoidable in the
nearest future, in Armenia which is on the eve of the second stage of
the judicial-legal reforms. H.Manukian mentioned that conditioned by
the implementation of the consitutional reforms, some objective
necessity also arose to change the system. According to him, it is
envisaged, based on the constitutional reforms, to review the laws “On
Judge’s Status,” “On Forming Court” and “On Justice Council”
foundamentally.

ARMENIAN-HUNGARIAN RELATIONS HAVE GOOD PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT
YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of
the RA National Assembly received Pal Steiner, the head of the Center
of Budapest, and Laslo Mester, the head of the 18th region, deputies
of the Parliament of Hungary, on August 25. Noyan Tapan was informed
about this by the RA NA Public Relations Department. A.Baghdasarian
attached importance to development of the ties among the two countries
and re-affirmed the invitation of an official visit to Armenia
addressed to the Chairman of the Parliament of Hungary.
According to him, that visit may become an important spur for
development of the interstate relations between the two countries. The
great role of the Armenian community living in Hungary and Budapest
was mentioned, establishment of regional ties between the two
countries and implementation of concrete programs were attached
importance to. P.Steiner and L.Mester mentioned that the
Hungarian-Armenian relations have a good prospects of development. The
agreement on cooperation signed between the centers of Yerevan and
Budapest may also become a base for implementation of mutually
beneficial programs. Special importance was attached to the sphere of
tourism for development of which the direct flight Budapest-Yerevan
may become an additional stimulus.

AZG Armenian Daily #152, 27/08/2005
Constitution
A TIME FOR RESPONSIBILITY
On August 29 the National Assembly will discuss the proposed amendments to
the Armenian Constitution. This is an extremely important process that
should be taken seriously by all political actors, as well as by all
citizens of Armenia.
A Constitution is the founding law of any land and the document on which the
rule of law is based. It took us Americans thirteen years to arrive at the
first version of the U.S. Constitution. Since then we have amended it
twenty-seven times, most recently in the early 1990s. As we see in Iraq
today, writing a Constitution – like amending one – is properly a lengthy,
weighty process that demands the highest degree of responsibility from all
parties, in order to ensure that the resulting document expresses the will
of the people and provides an appropriate balance of power among the
branches of government.
The United States supports the efforts of all those who have been involved
in the process of attempting to amend the current Armenian Constitution, and
encourages all parties to engage in responsible and constructive debate on
this issue. The constitution of any country establishes the rules of the
political game. Every political party ought to be interested in establishing
those rules. Once the rules are established, then let the political game
begin, and let it be hard-fought, even fierce, but conducted within the
rules that have been agreed.
In addition to political actors, every citizen should be attentive to the
process of amending the Constitution, as this document will be the
fundamental law of the land. The international community, including the
United States, has consistently supported the efforts of the Council of
Europe in helping Armenia arrive at a good package of reforms. In our view
the current package represents a notable step forward, but its approval is
of course a matter for the voters of the Republic of Armenia to decide. I
hope that the necessary steps will be taken to increase public awareness
about this important process so that a well-informed public can express its
will in the referendum scheduled for November.
As the members of the National Assembly prepare to discuss the proposed
constitutional amendments on Monday, we hope that they will recognize the
heavy responsibility they bear before their fellow-countrymen for agreeing
on the best constitutional arrangements for the Republic of Armenia.
Monday’s debate and the subsequent process will be taken as an indication of
the level of political development in Armenia.
U.S. Embassy, Yerevan

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II NOT TO VISIT JAVAKHK
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Priest Vahram
Melikian, the head of the Press Service of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin disproved the news about a visit to be paid to Javakhk by
Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. He mentioned that nothing
like that is envisaged. To recap, the presvios day, the “A-Info”
agency spread news, according to which His Holiness would visit
Javakhk on October 1.

AZG Armenian Daily #152, 27/08/2005
Home
HOW AND WHEN WILL NEW BUILDING OF AIRPORT BE BUILT?
Investments to Amount to $230 Million in Total
RA Government has approved the first stage of Zvatnots airport’s new
building’s main layout. Artyom Movsisian, head of Department of Civil
Aviation, said about this. He informed that “Armenia” International
Airports” company, the coordinator of the airport, suggested amendments to
the formed master-layout that was conditioned by the great number of
passengers. This number amounted to 23,3% last year. The airport had 1
million 89 thousand passengers this year. While the coordinator company
envisaged to achieve this indicator only in 2008. Anyway, it is envisaged
that this data will increase to 2 million in 2030.
Artyom Movsisian informed that new technologies that increase the security
level will be used when constructing the new building of the airport. A
high-level security system will be installed. It will help define the
identity of the passengers and watch the airport on 90 screens.
As for the new main layout, it envisages investments amounting to $230
million in total. The investments should be made till 2030.
$105 million will be invested in the first stage. The new two-storied
building of the complex will be built in this stage. The second floor of the
building will be used as the hall for departures together with the old
building of the airport. The hall for departures will be completed in late
2007.
The second stage covers 2008-2020. $140 million more are envisaged to be
invested then. The second hall for departures will be built and all the
passengers will be served there.
The second stage of the construction envisages investments amounting to $21
million that will be used for preservation needs.
Artyom Movsisian stated that the coordinator company is most likely to built
new blocks of flats for the residents of the tall buildings and two hostels.
This will be done for the security of both the airport and the residents. 15
thousand square meters of are will be allocated for the construction and
better living conditions will be secured for the residents.
By Ara Martirosian

HRANT MATEVOSIAN’S STORIES TRANSLATED INTO PERSIAN
TEHRAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A collection of
stories “Old Mountains Under Open Air,” “Green Field,” “Orange Mare”
by Hrant Matevosian were published in Persian translation. Seyfollah
Golkar from Iran translated the stories from French. According to the
“Alik” daily, the Armenian original of Matevosian’s works was first
translated into Russian, then into French, however, owing to pedantry
of the translator of Persian, aesthetic nuances of Matevosian’s
literary style were completely secured, by what we got a successful
model in translation for acquainting a Persian language reader with
modern Armenian prose literature.

Armenpress
PUBLIC TV TO AIR PARLIAMENT SESSION AUGUST 29
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS: An ad hoc parliamentary commission on
European integration, headed by deputy parliament chairman Tigran Torosian,
approved today a special procedure for debating a package of constitutional
reforms that will be put on discussions at an August 20 extraordinary
parliament session.
Under this procedure the two key speakers will be given 30 minutes each
and as much time will be given to a representative of the Council of Europe
Venice Commission monitoring this process. The commission decided to
continue the debates next day if the parliament fails to approve the package
in the second reading by 6 pm on August 29. It also suggests that the
session be aired live by Public TV.

CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN CAUSE TO OPEN BY TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER GUL’S
SPEECH
ISTANBUL, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Ayshe Soysal and Tosun Terzioghlu,
Directors of the Bogazichi and Sabanj Univerisities, approved at the
press-conference that the postponed conference concerning the Armenian
Cause will take place at the Bogazichi University, on September
23-25. According to the “Marmara” daily, the two directors mentioned
that the academicians of the Universities again prepared the note of
the conference. They emphasized that such a conference will be greeted
under the principles of the academic ripeness, without forgetting that
it is not for sure that the University shares the opinion expessed by
academicians which, as a result of academic and scientific searches,
must be shared with opinion of other academic circles and the society.
The two directors secured the opinion that still before the
conference, reports of such an academic conference must not become a
target for positive or negative interpretations for political or other
motives as such interpretations do harm the principle of the
scientific and academic freedom. These ideas are not the official
viewpoint of the Universities and may be committed to various
discussions and criticism within the academic circles. “Huriet” stated
that the opening of the conference envisaged at the Bogazichi
University will be held by a speech of Abdullah Gul, the Minister of
Foreing Affairs of Turkey. The newspaper mentioned that Ayshe Soysal,
the Director of the Bogazichi University, asked Gul on the phone to
make the opening speech of this conference. In respond to a question
of media, the Foreing Minister approved the news saying: “The Director
asked me to make a speech. And I answered that I’ll do with pleasure.
We have no reservation or fear on this theme. Why should we hide our
head in the sand? I said the same during the first conference as
well. Its postponing was in vain. Our society can argue on this theme
very calmly.” Some Turkish circles immediatly started reacting upon
holding of this conference in the way they reacted in the past. The
Coucil of the Public Organizations of Turkey, that spoke against the
conference in May, again made a convictng statement on August 23,
emphasizing that they will make attempts to fail the conference this
time as well. “Our four months ago reaction will continue in the same
way. We should do everything in order that the conference does not
take place. Nobody living in this country can betray Turkey,” the
statement reads.

Armenpress
ARMENTEL REFUSES TO PAY $400,000 FINE
YEREVAN, AUGUST 26, ARMENPRESS: A government-affiliated commission for
protection of economic competition said it has received today a complaint
from ArmenTel telephone operator protesting its August 12 decision to fine
the company $400,000 for the more than month-long breakdown of its network
that caused widespread anger among its nearly 300,000 subscribers from June
30 to July 10. The company had to pay the fine within ten days.
The commission had ruled that the Greek-owned company, which maintains
its legal monopoly on fixed-line telephony and Internet services in Armenia,
has abused its “dominant position” in the cellphone business. Commission
chairman, Ashot Shahnazarian, said ArmenTel said it would cite additional
information to explain the service’s failure. He said the commission will
convene on August 31 to respond to the complaint, saying also that the
commission is very unlikely to revise its August 12 decision. He said if the
company fails to pay the fine the commission will take the case to court.
Shahnazarian said he was assured by ArmenTel’s managers that the quality
of mobile phone services “will finally improve by September 15.”

AZG Armenian Daily #152, 27/08/2005
CIS summit
PRESIDENTS GATHER IN TATARSTAN
Kocharian and Aliyev to Meet Today
Russian President Vladimir Putin stated during his March 25 visit to Yerevan
that the CIS is “a useful club” and “a good arena for settling business
issues,” adding that one shouldn’t have too big expectations, otherwise the
disappointment would be unavoidable. “If any state expects to achieve any
goals in the spheres of economic, political or military cooperation,
naturally, that will not happen, as could never have happened,” Mr. Putin
stated, adding that, “certainly, the CIS should be preserved.”
The next meeting of the presidents of the CIS member countries is envisaged
to take place in Tatarstan. This time they will discuss “suggestions
directed to the improvement of the CIS structures, as well as the
cooperation of the CIS states in the humanitarian sphere.” Besides, the
presidents will participate in the arrangements dedicated to 1000th
anniversary of the country’s capital Kazan.
This club of 12 former Soviet republics that undertook various political
priorities has adopted about 3000 decrees during the past 15 years. Most of
these decrees were not carried out. Moreover, in fact, Armenia and
Azerbaijan, members of the same organization, are in war condition, while
Georgia has deep contradictions with Russia. There are serious disagreement
cases between Russia and Moldova, Georgia and Byelorussia, Ukraine and
Russia, etc.
Anyway, the CIS summits are important for Armenia because the president can
have a number of bilateral meetings with his colleagues. “The CIS is a good
arena for settling business issues. We should be glad that we have such an
arena, because the level and the volume of the cooperation between the
countries are really big. There are always serious themes and issues for
discussions and certain decisions. I meet with three of my colleagues, at
least, during each of the CIS Summit. And these meetings are quite
fruitful,” RA President Robert Kocharian said at the joint press conference
during Vladimir Putin’s last visit in Yerevan.
The CIS served the forum that enabled to hold dozens of meetings for the
Armenian and the Azeri presidents. They are going to meet in Kazan, as well.
This summit is important for Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan for
the very negotiations between Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev. The meeting
of the presidents is envisaged on August 27.
It’s worth reminding that Foreign Ministers Vartan Oskanian and Elmar
Mamediarov have already discussed the current stage of Nagorno Karabakh
negotiations with the participation of the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs in
Moscow, on August 24. If on the eve of the July visit of the co-chairs, the
sides had rather optimistic expectations from the meeting of the presidents
in Kazan, today they are skeptical. Anyway, the Azeri side sees no
breakthrough in the negotiations.
By Tatoul Hakobian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress