A1plus

| 13:11:53 | 29-04-2005 | Official |

ARMENIA COMBATING TERRORISM

«Libya and Sudan took significant steps to cooperate in the battle against
terrorism in 2004. Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, however, continued to
maintain their ties to terrorism», says the US Department of State annual
report om terrorism. It is written about Armenia:

In 2004, Armenia continues to be a full and active participant in the global
war against terrorism. A new Armenian sriminal law more clearly defining
terrorist acts replaced Soviet-era legislation in 2003. Thr National
Assembly passed legislation outlawing money laundering and financing of
terrorism in Dewcember 2004, bringingg Armenian legislation in line with its
int ernational obligations to combat terrorism finance, and strengthening
the ability of the Government to prosecute terrorist-related offenses.

Border Guards seized 42 grams of non-weapon-grade radioactive material in
2004. While none of the material was likely destined for terrorist
organizations, the Border Guards have shown that they are capable of
detecting and interdicting nuclear material. The Armenian Central Bank fully
cooperated with efforts to freeze terrorist assets but reported finding none
in 2004.

A1plus

| 13:35:39 | 29-04-2005 | Politics |

ARMENIA NOT THREATENED BY `MULTICOLORED REVOLUTIONS’

In the international conference titled `Caucasus-2004′ the report about
Armenia was represented by Souren Zolyan, rector of the Yerevan State
Linguistic University after Valeri Brusov. He is convinced that today there
are no preconditions of `multicolored’ revolutions in Armenia. But the
situation can change drastically by political `criminalization’.

Zolyan is also sure that the `multicolored’ revolutions are not a solution
of problems. But for changing something in Armenia not the activeness of
political powers, but the change of social approaches and points of view is
needed.

AZG Armenian Daily #078, 30/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

YOSI SARID’S THOUGHTS AFTER INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Yosi Sarid’s article “Return from Armenia” was published on April 27 in
Haaretz newspaper. Yosi Sarid is the member of Israel’s Kneset. He wrote the
article after the participation in “Ultimate Crime, Ultimate Challenge.
Human Rights and Genocide” conference held in Yerevan on April 20-21. Yehuda
Bauer, Israel Charni, Yair Oran were also invited to the conference.

“Israel’s pretense is extremely important for the Armenians. They even made
some changes in the schedule, giving us an opportunity to return home on the
eve of Pesakh. The Jewish-Israeli position in the issue of the Armenian
Genocide deeply concerns and at the same time encourages the Armenians. They
are concerned as the official Israel still avoids to recognize their
ultimate crime. They are encouraged, as the world’s Jewish community and we
rebelled against the statement of Simon Peres who denied the Armenian
Genocide,” Sarid wrote.

Sarid called all the disputes over the fact of the genocide stupid and
disgusting. He says that it’s out of the question that one could kill 1,5
million of people in two years without planning the massacres beforehand.
“The Turks can bring thousands of excuses and explain what had happened, but
that is not the point. The point is that people, women, children, men died a
cruel and unnatural death,” he said.

Sarid also touched upon the prevention of the genocide, meaning that the
phenomenon of the genocide still exists. He emphasized the importance of the
responsibility. “Today’s Turks are not guilty for that, so I can’t
understand why they still deny the genocide instead of bearing the moral and
the historical responsibility. They damage their authority, especially, when
they are knocking at the EU’s doors. They should be admitted, but only after
bearing the responsibility,” Sarid wrote.

By Ruzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily #078, 30/04/2005

Diaspora

HRANT DINQ ACCUSED OF ‘INSULTING TURKS’

‘I Am a Turkish Citizen, but I Am No Turk’

Hrant Dinq, editor of Istanbul-based Akos Armenian newspaper, was informed
from Urfa Public Prosecutor’s Office that a suit has been instituted against
him. If the charge brought against him is proved, he will be sentenced to 3
years of imprisonment.

Dinq said in the interview to Azg that he was charged with “Insulting the
Turks.” Particularly, Dinq said that during one of the conferences in Urfa,
2002, he complained about the word combination “my heroic nation” in the
anthem of Turkey.

“I said that I am against this sentence, as it is nationalistic. Besides
Turks, Greeks, Armenians and other nations also live in Turkey. I said that
I am from a different nation and it is not easy for me to utter this word
combination,” Dinq said.

Hrant Dinq also spoke against the sentence “I am a Turk, I am honest and
hard working,” which the children pronounce in all the schools of Turkey
before each lesson. “I said during the conference that I am an Armenian, I
am no Turk, I am merely a Turkish citizen,” he said in the interview to Azg.

Hrant Dinq doesn’t think that the suit instituted against him is connected
with his activities. “It doesn’t concern the recent events. I don’t think
this is a serious suit. Certainly, I can be charged but I am not guilty,” he
said. Mr. Dinq said that he is unlikely to leave for Urfa himself to
participate in the trial. He will hire a lawyer, instead.

Particularly lately, when the talks on Turkey’s membership to EU became more
active, Dinq is being invited to many conferences, including to those held
in Europe. He is being cited in almost all the articles about the Armenian
Genocide and the Turkish-Armenian relations published in the Western press.

By Tatoul Hakobian

A1plus

| 18:12:09 | 29-04-2005 | Official |

OSKANYAN MEETS THE FRENCH OFFICIALS

Today RA foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan received Senator Jean-Noel
Guérini, head of the French Buch-du-Ronne region Chief Council, delegates of
the French National Assembly Christophe Maesse and Richard Mallié, as well
as member of the EU Mrs. Marie-Arlette Carlotti.

Minister Oskanyan thanked the French Parliamentarians for constantly
supporting Armenia. In particular, he found important several
educational-health programs of the Buch-du-Ronne region which are
successfully put into practice in the Armenian regions.

Afterwards the sides exchanged ideas about the present developments of South
Caucasus, the possibilities provided by the European new neighbors policy in
this connection, the relations Armenia-Turkey and the Armenian perspectives.

During the visit the French delegation will have meetings with the RA
Ministers of Health and Social affairs and will visit yumri and Echmiadzin.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1plus

| 17:12:40 | 29-04-2005 | Social |

ASSYRIANS WORRIED ABOUT EDUCATIONAL PROBLEMS

Today there are 4000 Assyrians in Armenia. According to Razmik Khosroev,
member of the National Minorities Council attached to the RA President,
today the most urgent problem for the Assyrians is that of education.
According to him, a school textbook in Assyrian was published 15 year ago,
and the pupils have to get education in Russian.

The Assyrian schools are closed because of the reduction of cumber of
classes. According to Mr. Khosroev, the reasons of the above mentioned
problems are the shortcomings of the educational system in Armenia. `If it
weren’t for the law that there must be at least 20 pupils in a class, there
would be more classes in our schools and henceforth the schools would not be
closed’.

A1plus

| 16:43:42 | 29-04-2005 | Politics |

LAW ENFORCERS DON’T WORK WELL WITH THE «NEW TIMES»

After the regional meetings of the party `New Times’ which has started a
national revolution the law enforcers have searched the houses of the NT
members and questioned them. Today the leader of the party Aram Karapetyan
was expected to meet the journalists but only the political council
secretaries Edik Grigoryan and Emanuel Margaryan were present at the
announces press conference. They complained from the attitude of the
policemen and public prosecutors.

Edik Grigoryan was especially worried by the fact that the representatives
of the party were called to be questioned without summons, as it is
envisages by the law. According to him, today 13 members and 9 cars
including that serving Aram Karapetyan are in the law enforcement
department. And Aram Karapetyan was not present at the press conference as
he was called by the Sevan prosecutor and had not been fully questioned by
3:00 p.m.

Edik Grigoryan told the journalists in every detail about the actions of the
law enforcers towards the heads, members, drivers of the party and their
families. His aim was to let the public know by means of Mass Media that by
the order of the authorities the law enforcers have started an unregulated
struggle against the New Times Party.

As for the notice of the `Armenian Times’ that the authorities have
condemned the Sevan incident and criticize the encroachments against NT,
Edik Grigoryan said, `The Coalition parties are not in charge of power
structures’.

AZG Armenian Daily #078, 30/04/2005

Visit

MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING OVER ARMENIAN ISSUES IN GEORGIA

A joint group of Armenian and Georgian specialists to find out to whom 9
Armenian churches on Georgia’s territory belong seems to be emerging as a
result of a meeting between RA National Assembly speaker, Artur
Baghdasarian, and Georgia’s Patriarch Ilya II. Despite Patriarch’s intension
to study only Norashen church of Tbilisi, Baghdasarian insisted that the
scientists’ group traced the history of 8 other Armenian churches, too.
Patriarch Ilya II assured Baghdasarian that the jural status of Armenian
churches in Georgia will be defined as soon as the Georgian parliament
adopts a law on religion.

National Assembly speaker met yesterday representatives of Armenian
community in Georgia. The primary concern of the community representatives
was improving social conditions of Javakhk residents, preservation of
Armenian churches, renovation of educational programs of Armenian language,
literature and history in 150 Armenian schools and retraining teachers.

Artur Baghdasarian underscored that President Saakashvili took commitment to
solve issues of Javakhk and said that RA education minister will visit
Georgia in near future to study problems in this sphere.

Baghdasarian’s meeting with Georgian prime minister, Zurab Noghaideli,
scheduled today will finish his two-day official visit.

By Nana Petrosian in Tbilisi

AZG Armenian Daily #078, 30/04/2005

Armenia-Turkey

‘WE MAY PERHAPS ESTABLISH POLITICAL RELATION WITH ARMENIA’

PM Erdogan stated informing that he had ordered to reconstruct Surp Khach
church of Akhtamar

On April 28, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Miliet
newspaper’s staff to give clarification for his statements about President
Kocharian’s reply letter. It was published in April 29 issue article of
Miliet entitled “We May Perhaps Establish Political Relation With Armenia”.
Miliet writes that Turkish PM gave green light to thorough political changes
and spoke of creating a resolution to lay foundation of a U-turn in the two
countries relations. Miliet conditions these shift in Erdogan’s position by
Armenian President’s reply to his letter where the latter indicated, “We
need first diplomatic relations established and then form a commission”.

During his meeting with Miliet staff, PM Erdogan noted, “I do not say that
only historians should take up the Armenian issue. Let the political
scientists join them and the politicians draw their final conclusions. We
are ready to put up with our past. But are they? We cannot accept those who
confuse deportation with genocide. Kocharian tried to remind us in his
letter that that is an issue for politicians. We know that very well. But
politicians usually have a team. The team comprised of historians, political
scientists, archive workers does the work and presents us, and we take
decisions based on their studies. Without having done this, they demand
opening the borders. Very well, why do you keep on pushing the international
recognition of the genocide while you demand to open the border?”

Afterwards, Miliet indicates at another sign of Erdogan’s goodwill: his
order to the Culture and Tourism Ministries to reconstruct Surp Khach church
of Akhtamar Island. “We have done assignments. Most likely the work is in
process. I demanded Mr. Atilla (tourism minister) to get in touch with
Armenian Patriarch and demand an architect for reconstruction. This is done
to avoid rumors that they ruined it and now are reconstructing improperly”,
Erdogan said.

At the end, expressing hope that the Armenian side will give an adequate
sign, Erdogan reminded that Armenians do not accomplish UN Security
Council’s resolution and European Council’s decision and added, “We warn
them saying: ‘You do not end your occupations’. But there is less resistance
in the issue of Kars Treaty. Their position shifted to positive. That’s why
I wrote the letter. We can establish political relations and simultaneously
continue the works”.

It’s not excluded that Erdogan points to his offer to study the Armenian
Genocide by saying works. That is unacceptable. But it must be accepted that
Erdogan does not anymore put forward preconditions while speaking of
establishing political relations with Armenia, nor does he link these
relations with the will of 3d counties. That’s is perhaps unprecedented for
the Turkish PM.

By Hakob Chakrian

AZG Armenian Daily #078, 30/04/2005

Armenian Genocide

TURKEY WILL TRY TO FIND SOME MEANS TO CONDEMN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Andrey Piontkovsky, head of the Russian Center for Strategic Studies,
believes that “The Turkish authorities will try to find some means for
condemning the Armenian Genocide under the pressure of Armenia and the
Council of Europe.” Mediamax informed that Piontkovsky said many EU member
countries doubt about Turkey’s membership, believing that the admission of a
non-Christian country will change the mentality of the European society.

“They will take advantage of such a fact as Ankara’s position in the issue
of the genocide to hinder Turkey’s membership. But, on the other hand, I am
surprised at the attempts of the Turkish elite to give up many prejudices of
the past. That is why, I foresee the following in this situation: Turkey
will try to find some means of condemning the Armenian Genocide under the
pressure of Armenia and the CE.”

Sergey Mikheev, expert at the Center for Political Technologies, differs in
his opinion a bit. He believes that the demand of the EU to recognize the
Armenian genocide can be a mere “veil.”

“One should realize that the real interests are the main priorities. The
rest is nothing more than a technological veiling. If the accession of
Turkey is in the EU’s interests, Turkey will be accepted to the EU
notwithstanding the fact whether they have recognized the genocide or not.
But, if the EU and the European elite is interested in continuing to exert
pressure over Turkey, the issue of the Armenian genocide’s recognition will
be used as a means pressing upon Turks,” Sergey Mikheev believed.