AMBASSADOR EVANS WASN’T AUTHORIZED FOR TALKING ABOUT GENOCIDE

Azg/arm
5 March 05

The biggest Armenian organizations sent a joint letter to George Bush,
calling on him to use the term “Armenian genocide” in his April 24
annual statement addressed to the Armenians. “On the eve of the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide we call for You, Mr. President,
to follow the example of Ronald Reagan and many other American
officials and confirm the historical facts that you have already
characterized as Armenian Genocide once,” the letter said.It is signed
by the Armenian Assembly of America, the Armenian General Benevolent
Union, the Commission of the Armenian Cause and a number of other
organizations.

The representative of the White House said in the interview to the
Liberty Radio Station a day earlier that “the things Ambassador Evans
did were totally his own initiative. It absolutely contradicts the
policy of the US government that is defined by our President=80¦ There
is no one in our governmentwho could authorize Ambassador Evans for
such a statement.”

It’s worth reminding that on February 19, Mr. Evans, expressing
hispersonal viewpoint saying during the meeting with the Armenian
community members in California that the Armenian Genocide was the
first genocide of the XX century, adding that “everybody realizes that
Karabakh can’t be given back to Azerbaijan.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS IS REACHED IN ISSUE OF INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: ARFD PARTY

YEREVAN, MARCH 4. ARMINFO. Considerable progress is reached during the
last years in the issues of international recognition of Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey, said Leader of ARFD party Levon Lazarian
at today’s briefing in Armenia’s National Assembly.

“We should not stop on what we have reached and should stir up our
activity in this direction”, Lazarian noted. In his words, the ARFD
has elaborated a draft on “Proclamation of a day of the Sumgaitian
massacres the Day of Commemoration and Deportation of Armenian Peoples
from the Soviet Azerbaijan”.

He stressed that the Armenian party only should represent actively and
consecutively the true essence and the genesis of the Karabakh
conflict in international structures to reach the support of the their
community in this issue. Whereas, Azerbaijan is forced to falsify and
think out facts favorable for itself. Lazarian also said that the
ARFD welcomes the recent statement of the USA Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans and stressed that it is significant, in particular, on the
threshold of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. -r-

MOST ARMENIAN MPs SAY THAT PRESIDENT AND RULING COALITION ARE KEEPING
THEIR ELECTORAL PROMISES

YEREVAN, MARCH 4. ARMINFO. All the parliamentary forces of Armenia
(except for the opposition) says that Pres.Kocharyan and the ruling
coalition are successfully keeping their electoral promises.

The leader of the parliamentary faction of the Republican Party of
Armenia Galust Saakyan says that both Kocharyan and the coalition have
been consistenly fulfilling their electoral programs in the past two
years. But there are still many pending problems among them high
corruption.

Of the same opinion are the leaders of the parliamentary factions of
the ARFD and State of Law Levon Lazarian and Samvel
Balasanyan. Meanwhile the secretary of the People’s Deputy group
Vahram Bagdasaryan says that the ruling coalition is an artificial
alliance aimed to reinforce the positions of the three ruling parties
who have been actively canvassing for the next elections since the
very first day the coalition was formed.

The secretary of the Justice opposition bloc Viktor Dallakyan slates
both the ruling coalition and the president citing the report 2004 of
the US State Department saying that there is high corruption and
unemployment and no freedom of speech in Armenia and that the
presidential and parliamentary elections 2003 in the country did not
comply with the international norms. “This assessment fully coincides
with the opinion of the opposition,” says Dallakyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERZH SARGSYAN MOST PROBABLE SUCCESSOR OF ROBERT KOCHARYAN IN CASE OF
ORDINARY CHANGE OF POWER IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, MARCH 3. ARMINFO. Armenia’s Defence Minister Serzh Sargsyan
is the most probable successor of President Robert Kocharyan in case
of non revolutionary change of power in the country, says Armenian MP
Manuk Gasparyan.

The government does not trust ambitious Parliamentary Speaker Artur
Bagdassaryan. Kocharyan should be confident that if he resigns he and
his clique will enjoy safety and immunity just like he did for the
APNM regime. And Sargsyan, Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan and
Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharyan are the best men for
that. Bagdasaryan’s advantage is that the West stakes on people under
45 that is those who were not in power during the Soviet times.

As to Justice Minister David Haroutyunyan Gasparyan says that he will
remain grey cardinal and his wits will always help him survive any
regime.

HAMLET GASPARIAN: REPORT OF OSCE MISSION ON TERRITORIES UNDER
KARABAKH’S CONTROL WILL MAKE CLEAR SERIES OF ISSUES, WHICH HAVE BECOME
A SUBJECT OF SPECULATIONS

YEREVAN, MARCH 4. ARMINFO. The report of OSCE Mission concerning the
territories under the control of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, may
make clear a number of issues. Spokesman of Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Armenia Hamlet Gasparian stated.

According to him, the report of the OSCE mission will be officially
submitted to OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna this month. “We were
given an chance to be acquainted with the document. It is rather
detailed and exhaustive. If it is made public, we are sure that it
will give explanations concerning several problems, which have become
a subject of speculations recently”, Gasparian said.

SPOKESMAN OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN MINISTRY CONSIDERS REPORT OF U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE ON HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION EXAGGERATED AND
ONE-SIDED

YEREVAN, MARCH 4. ARMINFO. Armenia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has
thoroughly examined the annual report of U.S. Department of State on
the provision of human rights, Spokesman of Foreign Ministry Hamlet
Gasparian informed.

According to him, considering the hard correlation between economic
and social realities, the report clearly points out the stable
switchover of Armenia to market economy. “The achievements of the
country in the sphere of human rights are also highlighted in the
report. Though the criticism in the report is of exaggerated and
one-sided nature, nevertheless, on the whole, it may serve as a basis
and pointed for reaching much more progress in the sphere of civil
rights and human rights”, Hamlet Gasparian said.

JUSTICE BLOC INTENDS TO MAKE CLAIM TO COURT TO RECOGNIZE LEADERSHIP OF
ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT INACTIVE

YEREVAN, MARCH 4. ARMINFO. The opposition Justice bloc will appeal to
the court with a claim to recognize the leadership of National
Assembly inactive, if the chairman of the National Assembly and vice
speakers do not put on the agenda of the parliamentary four-day
sessions the bill on making amendments to the referendum and draft law
on return of deposits of the population in the Savingsbank of the
USSR. Secretary of the Justice bloc Viktor Dallakian stated during the
briefing at the National Assembly, Friday.

He reminded these bills were included in the agenda of the
parliamentary three-day sessions, but the parliamentary majority
refused to discuss them. “Now when the law on the rules has changed,
and the sittings of the parliament are held four times a week, the
bill, included in the agenda of the parliamentary three-day sessions
must mechanically be put on the agenda of the parliamentary four-day
sessions”, mentioned Viktor Dallakian.

Head of the faction of the Republican party Galoust Sahakian also
expressed concern over the activity of Speaker of National Assembly
Arthur Baghdasarian.

UN NEWS CENTRE

5 March 2005

UN and regional bodies can aid each other in curbing conflict, says OSCE
chief

Chairman-in-Office of OSCE, Dimitrij Rupel
4 March 2005 – The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) told the United Nations Security Council today that both
organizations could complement each other in the search for stability and
peace in many of the world’s crisis flash points.

“It is difficult for inter-state organizations to deal with non-state
actors, even if – as in some cases – they are de facto authorities,” OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel said in an
open briefing, in which he mentioned separatist conflicts in Kosovo,
Georgia, Moldova, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

“There are times when the leverage of powerful states – including Permanent
Members of this Council – can be crucial. I urge you to exert that pressure
in the context of OSCE mediation efforts to help resolve these long-standing
conflicts,” he added.

Conversely, Mr. Rupel noted the report of the High-level Panel on Threats,
Challenges and Change in drawing up a strategy suitable for the 21st
century.

“Through the implementation of this strategy, I believe that the OSCE can
take on some of the UN’s burden in the OSCE area. As the UN Panel noted, the
Security Council’s ability to more proactively prevent and respond to
threats could be strengthened by making fuller and more productive use of
regional organizations. The OSCE is well positioned and well-equipped to do
so,” he declared.

There are areas, such as preventing ethnic conflict and regulating the
marking and tracing, as well as the brokering and transfer of small arms and
light weapons, where the OSCE is even more progressive than the UN, he said.

The OSCE, for example, has considerable expertise in national minority
issues, policing and building the effective public institutions that were so
essential for Kosovo’s peaceful and sustainable development. In many tense
situations, effective policing is needed rather than UN blue helmets
military units, he said.

In Moldova, Georgia and in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, the
OSCE is actively trying to resolve conflicts that are sometimes referred to
as frozen but which lately have started to thaw, he added. The slow but
steady progress in the dialogue between Armenia and Azerbaijan on
Nagorno-Karabakh is encouraging, and it is to be hoped that recent changes
in Ukraine and a new post-election environment in Moldova will enable a new
attempt to resolve the Transdniestrian conflict.

The OSCE is also working with parties to reduce tensions in South Ossetia,
Georgia, and to promote demilitarization, build confidence and achieve a
lasting settlement there.

Regarding the clash between the concept of “responsibility to protect” and
the principle of non-intervention in the internal affairs of a state, Mr.
Rupel stressed that the OSCE was very clear and progressive when it came to
human rights. Commitments undertaken in the organization’s human rights
dimension are of direct and legitimate concern to all participating states
and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of the state
concerned, he said.

That legitimate intrusiveness is the basis on which participating states
hold each other accountable for the implementation of their commonly agreed
commitments, he added. He also stressed that the battle against terrorism
must not violate human rights.

PanArmenian News
March 4 2005

TURKEY READY TO DISCUSS GENOCIDE ISSUE WITH ARMENIA BUT NOT DIASPORA

04.03.2005 13:48

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey cannot carry on pursuing the policy of the
Armenian Genocide denial, head of the parliamentary faction of the
Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Socialist Union of
Germany Wolfgang Bosbach during the event with the subject `How will
the dialogue with Turkey proceed?’ organized in Koln by the Union of
Turkish Democrats. The declaration by the leader of the German
opposition aroused indignation of the Turkish Prime Minister’s
Adviser on Foreign Affairs Cuneyd Zapsu. He stated that Turkey is
ready to discuss these issues with the representatives of Armenia but
not of the Armenian Diaspora. He also noted that there are many other
issues to be discussed thus trying to distract attention from the
topic of the Armenian Genocide. In response Mr. Bosbach asked, `What
other issues besides the Genocide can arouse during the dialogue with
Armenians? I wonder about the facts you can furnish for this
discussion. Do you think Germany would become an EU member and one of
the leading states without having recognized the Holocaust and
denying the fact of its history. In this case no single state would
maintain relations with us. If Germany acknowledges its history so
why cannot Turkey do that?’ Mr. Bosbach stated. After these words the
Turkish Prime Minister’s Adviser preferred to finish up the
discussion saying, `If our ancestors were so blood-thirsty, there
would not be any Christian left in Europe.’

ARKA News Agency
March 4 2005

Delegation of Latvian Seym to visit Armenia

RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan received the Chief Deputy
Commander of the North -Caucasus Military Unit

Coordinated actions will help to enhance efficiency of CIS
structures: Vladimir Rushailo

CIS observer mission needs reforming: Vladimir Rushailo

Informal Summit of the Presidents of the CIS states to be held in
Moscow on May 8

*********************************************************************

DELEGATION OF LATVIAN SEYM TO VISIT ARMENIA

YEREVAN, March 4. /ARKA/. A delegation of the Latvian Seym headed by
Speaker Ingrida Udre is to pay an official visit to Armenia on March
7. The Public Relations Department, Ra National Assembly, reports
that the same day the Latvian delegation are to hold a meeting with
Speaker of the RA Parliament Artur Baghdasaryan, Vice-Speaker,
Chairman of the Interim Commission for European Integration Tigran
Torosyan, members of the `Armenia-Latvia’ deputy group. The
delegation is also scheduled to hold meetings with RA President
Robert Kocharian, RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan, Catholicos of
All Armenians Garegin II. The delegation members are to lay wreathes
to the Memorial to victims of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire
in 1915. P. T. -0–

*********************************************************************

RA MINISTER OF DEFENSE SERGE SARGSYAN RECEIVED THE CHIEF DEPUTY
COMMANDER OF THE NORTH -CAUCASUS MILITARY UNIT

YEREVAN, March 4. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan
received the Chief Deputy Commander, Head of the Headquarter of
Troops of the North -Caucasus Military Unit, General -Lieutenant
Alexander Postnikov- Streltsov, as stated the RA Ministry of Defense
Secretary, Colonel Seiran Shakhsuvaryan. In the course of the
meeting, Postnikov- Streltsov introduced the newly appointed
commander of the Group of Russian Troops in Transcaucasia (GRTT),
General-Mayor Alexander Bespalov to the Minister. Sargsyan expressed
his gratitude to the ex-Commander of GRTT Alexander Studenkin for his
good service and wished him further success. In the course of the
meting the parties discussed the current Armenian-Russian military
relations and touched upon the issue of introducing military duty,
battle readiness of forces, as well as the issue of providing
officers with housing. Sargsyan emphasized that `out relations
develop dynamically and well’.
According to the press-release, in the framework of the arrangements
devoted to the 60th anniversary Sargsyan, Vladimir Rushailo, the
Chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, who is in Armenia, and
veterans accompanying them put wreaths on the Grave of the Unknown
Warrior. During the meeting organized in RA MFA Rushailo awarded
veterans gratifying letters and books. A.H. – 0 –

*********************************************************************

COORDINATED ACTIONS WILL HELP TO ENHANCE EFFICIENCY OF CIS
STRUCTURES: VLADIMIR RUSHAILO

YEREVAN, March 4. /ARKA/. Coordinated actions will help to enhance
the efficiency of the CIS structures’ activities, Chairman of the CIS
Executive Committee Vladimir Rushailo told a press conference in
Yerevan. He pointed out that in spite of the available contractual
basis, the CIS countries have some problems with the execution of
previously made decisions. `The CIS was formed ten years ago and the
legal acts adopted at that time require revision. In this connection,
the contractual basis is being inventoried, experts are revealing the
most interesting points from the viewpoint of amendments aimed at
enhancing efficiency,’ Rushailo said. He also reported that the
experience of the EU and other structures is being studied. According
to him, the most interesting is the experience of Latin American
structures, especially in the economic sphere. `It is rather
difficult to mechanically apply any schemes to the CIS for a number
of reasons, so certain fragments which have positively been practiced
by other international organizations should be adopted and applied to
the CIS,’ Rushailo said, adding that the CIS leaders have the final
say. P.T. -0–

*********************************************************************

CIS OBSERVER MISSION NEEDS REFORMING: VLADIMIR RUSHAILO

YEREVAN, March 4. /ARKA/. The CIS observer mission needs reforms and
closer cooperation with other international organizations, Chairman
of the CIS Executive Committee Vladimir Rushailo told a press
conference in Yerevan. According to him, the activities as a member
of the CIS observer mission in elections in the CIS countries is an
importance directions of humanitarian cooperation. `This work
requires higher-quality approaches, improved methods, closer
cooperation with other international organizations. We have followed
this way since September 2004 and have held seven meetings with the
OSCE mission leaders on election days in the CIS countries, during
which we compare the sides’ approaches and viewpoints,’ Rushailo
said.
Responding to journalists’ questions concerning `revolutionary’
sentiments in the CIS countries, Rushailo pointed out that the
situation in the CIS have to some extent been influenced by
techniques elaborated by western European institutes for a long time.
`But the situation should not be dramatized, through there are a
number of signals we must respond to. It appears that we have to
change the quality of our observation of election processes, we must
be better prepared for observing elections and see the processes
going on in the CIS countries,’ Rushailo said. P.T. –0 –

*********************************************************************

INFORMAL SUMMIT OF THE PRESIDENTS OF THE CIS STATES TO BE HELD IN
MOSCOW ON MAY 8

YEREVAN, March 4. /ARKA/. On May 8, informal Summit of the Presidents
of the CIS States will be held in Moscow. The Summit will be dated
for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the victory in World
War II (WWII), as stated Vladimir Rushailo, the Chairman of the CIS
Executive Committee, at a press conference in Yerevan. He stated that
in the framework of celebrating the 60th anniversary of the victory
in WWII arrangements are held connected with the implementation of
the program approved by the presidents of the CIS states. He also
stated that in regard with this, meetings with veterans of the war
and men serving in rear will be held in the CIS states, in
particular, in Belarus, Tajikistan and Armenia. A.H. –0 –

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress