National Assembly of RA
30 Nov 2004
Shavarsh Kocharyan’s Press Conference
The topic of November 30-press conference of Shavarsh Kocharyan was the
history of Armenian democracy in the 90s and today. The opposition MP sees
the necessity of estimating the process of democracy, taking into
consideration its regression.
He presented the journalists his estimations on the former USSR republics.
As he, said the wave of democratization went back in 5 Middle Asian
countries, leaving space to authoritarian system. In the opinion of the
speaker, today a mixed system of authoritarianism and totalitarianism is
dominating also in Belarus, but conditioned by geographical position and
other activities, he thinks that the power of Alexander Lukashenko will not
last long. Georgia overcame the obstacles against the democracy by
“revolution of roses,” and the current process of Ukraine the deputy also
finds to be progressive. According to Shavarsh Kocharyan, the democratic
processes in Armenia and Azerbaijan are under a question. He considers this
a very painful fact, as at the beginning the world pinned big hopes with
Armenia. After the collapse of the USSR there were four countries (Baltic
countries and Armenia), which were initially directed to go through
democratic way. But Armenia has deviated from that way, said the deputy, and
appeared in a position, when having no alternatives, is contradicted to the
democratic values. Shavarsh Kocharyan noted that Russia does not always
speak for Armenia in the issues of strategic importance. The opposition MP
also thinks that our country is now in isolated situation,”in the aspect of
Karabakh we’ve reached to a point that it’s difficult to imagine what to do
next.”
The only way of coming out of the situation is to establish democracy, Mr.
Kocharyan believes. All this must be taken into distinct consideration and a
social order to be set up directed to all this, said Shavarsh Kocharyan.
Democracy is not only related to opposition, says Shavarsh Kocharyan.

The Messenger, Georgia
Dec 2 2004
Georgia benefits from Ukraine’s revolution
Over the last week the Georgian administration has declared its
position regarding the political turmoil in Ukraine, including
obvious statements in support of the opposition by Parliament, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Mayor’s Office and even an allusion
by President Mikheil Saakashvili that the country is proud to see
other countries in the region following Georgia’s example.
In a comment published by the International Herald Tribune on
Tuesday, Saakashvili signed off noting that Georgians “also see that
the message of our revolution – that democracy is universal and can
be successful in post-Soviet states – is widely spreading in the
region.”
His political opponents have begun speculating that the Georgian
revolutionary leader has been contaminated with ‘Trotsky’ and ‘Che
Guevara’ illness and wants to export revolution. Leaders of the Labor
Party say that it would have been better for Georgia not to openly
assert its sympathies so as not to irritate Russia.
But Russia’s increasingly obvious meddling in another country’s
presidential election have backfired not only in Kiev but have also
drawn greater attention to Moscow’s inclination to interfere into
neighboring countries’ affairs, including Georgia’s. Tbilisi’s
current support for the opposition, and for democratic norms like
fair elections, serves to increase this attention.
Russia under Putin has drifted farther from democracy and is
gradually backing away from democratic reforms. It continues to
export its own administrative model to neighboring countries so as to
exercise its influence in post-Soviet countries. But already there is
a tradition of notable failures. In Serbia Russia supported Milosevic
yet he lost. In the last two months Russia has supported Khadjimba in
the Abkhaz presidential elections, and Yanukovich in Ukraine’s; but
in both cases popular support has been expressed for another
candidate; and there is the suggestion that support for Baghapsh and
Yushchenko is partly due to Moscow’s interference.
Although in Georgia one year ago Russia did not openly support
Shevardnadze, it did demonstrate its staunch support for Aslan
Abashidze. Within months Saakashvili was hailed as a hero in Batumi
and Abashidze was on a plane retreating to Moscow. Here too,
undemocratic interests in Russia lost.
The Georgian political establishment is trying to foresee future
developments in Ukraine and its impact on Georgia. Some forecast that
2005 will be very difficult year for Georgia no matter what: if the
Orange Revolution in Ukraine fails to materialize, it will equate to
a victory of Russian neo-imperialism and Georgia may become the
target of Russia’s next attack. If Yushchenko wins, some Georgians
worry that Russian imperialist forces will try to take revenge on
Georgia to compensate for their failure in Ukraine.
While Russia meddles, Georgia has taken a remarkably prudent approach
to elections in Abkhazia. The Tbilisi administration has taken very
wise steps from the very beginning, ufficials refusing to comment and
withholding statements even when the situation began to boil over.
Such an approach deprived neo-imperialists in Russia of the ability
to speculate on Georgia’s threat to Abkhazia.
Until recently Russia has demonstrated ‘skilled’ experience in
supporting separatism in South Ossetia and Abkhazia (Georgia),
Transdnestr (Moldova) and Karabakh (Azerbaijan). Recent events
indicate that policy managers for these regimes are losing their
grip. The worry in Ukraine is that Russia is increasingly desperate
and determined to prove that it can still influence satellites as it
did two decades ago.
Of course the best development for Georgia is the victory of
Ukrainian democracy, which will open the way for this country into
European integration and accelerate Georgia’s movement toward Europe
as well. This will facilitate further close collaboration between two
countries keen on European integration.
It will have inevitable repercussions for other post-Soviet states
too; and even in Russia questions will be asked about how long a
country can stand against the desire for genuine democracy.

OSCE mediator sees UN debates on Karabakh as Azerbaijan’s “mistake”
Azadliq, Baku
1 Dec 04

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 1
December headlined “The Minsk Group blames Azerbaijan for making a
mistake” and subheaded “Yuriy Merzlyakov explains his opinion by
Azerbaijan’s refusal to accept the suggested resolution”
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairman from Russia, Yuriy Merzlyakov, has
clarified some issues about the details of the resolution on Nagornyy
Karabakh submitted to the UN General Assembly for discussion on 23
November. It became known that the co-chairmen [from the USA, France
and Russia] who failed to prevent the discussions attempted to include
an alternative resolution in the agenda of the UN General Assembly.
However, official Baku opposed this demand.
“We submitted an alternative resolution to Azerbaijan four days before
the UN General Assembly discussions. Disagreeing with this, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov insisted that the resolution submitted by
Azerbaijan should be put on the agenda. However, Azerbaijan did not
admit that it made a mistake by submitting its resolution for
discussion,” he said.
Saying that the meeting was confidential, Merzlyakov declined to
disclose the content of the draft they had put forward. The
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry did not declare either which resolution
the talk was about.
The head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry press service, Matin
Mirza, said that there could be a certain resolution which Merzlyakov
spoke about. However, this proposal was unofficial.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

L’Expansion
1 décembre 2004
Arménie; Les patrons de la diaspora financent le réveil arménien
par Jean-Luc Barberi, à Erevan
Place de la République, à Erevan, une statue de Kirk Kerkorian,
enfant du pays et milliardaire américain, remplacera-t-elle un jour
celle de Lénine, abattue en 1991 lorsque l’Arménie est devenue
indépendante? Ce ne serait que justice. Car ce self-made-man
californien de 87 ans, capitaliste intraitable, roi de Las Vegas et
ancien gros actionnaire de DaimlerChrysler, dépense sans compter pour
embellir la capitale arménienne.
Par le biais de sa fondation Lincy, cet ancien laveur de carreaux
devenu la trente-troisième fortune des Etats-Unis a offert 170
millions de dollars en dix ans pour rénover les infrastructures du
pays. Il est loin d’être le seul. Si Erevan (1,2 million d’habitants)
va mieux, c’est notamment grce à la mobilisation de l’importante
diaspora arménienne – 3,5 millions de personnes dans le monde. Au
total, plusieurs dizaines de millions de dollars ont été récoltés
depuis une dizaine d’années. Et ça se voit. La plupart des centres
culturels, des thétres et des écoles de la capitale ont été rénovés
grce aux dons des patrons expatriés. Leurs fonds servent aussi à
financer de gros travaux d’infrastructures, comme l’actuelle
réfection des canalisations. Quant à Kerkorian, c’est lui qui a payé
la remise en état de la voirie et de l’éclairage du centre-ville. Un
changement majeur, rappelle un habitant, car, «voilà seulement quatre
ans, il n’y avait pas de lumière dans les rues.»
Aznavour et Alain Manoukian
Tout comme Kirk Kerkorian, Louise Manoogian Simone, présidente de
l’Union générale arménienne de bienfaisance (Ugab), basée à New York,
pilote la collecte de fonds aux Etats-Unis. Albert Boyadjian, roi du
pain industriel, et Hrayr Hovnanian, une pointure de l’informatique,
sont des contributeurs réguliers, comme l’Anglais Vatche Manoukian,
qui a facilité l’installation d’une filiale de la Banque HSBC. Tous
s’activent pour donner du tonus aux affaires de ce petit pays
caucasien de 3,6 millions d’habitants. Les Français ne sont pas en
reste. Parmi eux, le chanteur Charles Aznavour, bien sûr. «Beaucoup
de bienfaiteurs donnent par l’intermédiaire de notre association»,
rappelle Pierre Terzian, patron de la revue Pétrostratégies et
président du Fonds arménien de France. Le couturier Alain Manoukian
et le fabricant de lunettes Alain Mikli ont rejoint en 2003 les 13
000 familles françaises qui ont versé 1,5 million d’euros pour que
renaisse la «mère patrie».

Hovnanian plans to sell $300 million in notes
SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 15 (Reuters) – Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. <_HOV.N_ (aol://4785:HOV/) >, a homebuilder, said on Monday it had agreed to
issue $200 million in senior notes and another $100 million in senior
subordinated notes.
The Red Bank, New Jersey-based company said it planned to use the
proceeds of the offerings to repay current debt and for other
unspecified corporate purposes.
11/15/04 17:08 ET
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

La Nouvelle République du Centre Ouest
02 décembre 2004
Exposition-vente
Artisanat russe, avec l’association « Droujba », de 14 h à 19 h, à
l’hôtel de ville, jusqu’à samedi, ainsi qu’une exposition de photos
sur « L’Arménie, 3000 ans d’histoire, et la Lituanie, de la
mythologie à l’Union européenne ». Renseignements au 05.49.47.65.88.
Conférences
– « L’Arménie à l’épreuve des siècles », par Jean-Pierre Mahé, membre
de l’Institut, à 17 h 30, à l’hôtel de ville, salle du Blason, place
du Maréchal-Leclerc. Renseignements au 05.49.47.65.88.

SLOVAKIAN PARLIAMENT RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
BRATISLAVA, December 1 (Noyan Tapan). On November 30, the National
Assembly of Slovakia recognized the Armenian Genocide with the
overwhelming majority of votes. This information was provided by NT’s
correspondent in Bratislava.
According to the approved resolution, the National Assembly of
Slovakia recognizes and condemns the 1915 Armenian Genocide in Ottoman
Turkey, whose victims were “hundreds of thousands” of Armenians, as
the crime againt humanity.
The Slovakian parliament also touched upon the issue of Turkey’s
membership in the European Union, giving assurance that it is possible
only in case of Turkey’s fulfillment of the following preliminary
conditions: the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, lifting of
blockade on Armenia, the removal of the article from the Criminal Code
of the country, which foresees criminal punishment for statements
about the Armenian Genocide and the necessity of the withdrawal of the
Turkish troops from Cyprus; respect for the rights of the national
minorities in the country.
The Slovakian parliament faced strong obstacles of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of the country for the approval of the decision on the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse
30 novembre 2004 mardi 4:57 PM GMT
Rixe à Valence: l’UDF dénonce “une agression inacceptable”
PARIS 30 nov 2004
Le groupe UDF à l’Assemblée a “dénoncé avec force” mardi “l’agression
inacceptable” dont ont été victimes des jeunes d’origine arménienne
samedi à Valence (Drôme) de la part de jeunes d’origine turque et a
demandé “des sanctions”.
Dans un communiqué rédigé au nom de son groupe, le député de la Loire
François Rochebloine a demandé “au ministre de l’Intérieur et au
ministre de la Justice de prendre toutes les dispositions nécessaires
pour que les auteurs de ces actes soient sanctionnés et ne puissent
être renouvelés dans le futur”.
“La liberté d’informer et de manifester doit être préservée”, a-t-il
ajouté.
Samedi à Valence, une rixe avait opposé des Français d’origine
arménienne à des Français d’origine turque. Les premiers, qui
militent contre une entrée de la Turquie dans l’Union européenne,
distribuaient sur la voie publique des tracts sur le génocide
arménien en 1915 par l’Etat turc.
Selon la police, cette rixe a fait quatre blessés légers et n’a donné
lieu à aucune interpellation.
M. Rochebloine a souligné que cette “agression” de jeunes militants
d’asociations arméniennes était intervenue quelques jours avant le
sommet européen du 17 décembre consacré à la question de l’entrée de
la Turquie dans l’UE.
L’UDF est opposée à une adhésion d’Ankara à l’UE.

Le Monde, France
mercredi 1 Décembre 2004
Sur le dossier turc, Ari Vatanen double ses amis de l’UMP
A 8 heures par e-mail, recevez la Check-list, votre quotidien du
matin. Abonnez-vous au Monde.fr
Bruxelles de notre bureau européen
Les eurodéputés de l’UMP étaient fous de rage, mardi 30 novembre, à
l’issue d’un vote du Parlement européen sur la Turquie. Alors qu’ils
sont contre l’adhésion de ce pays à l’Union, et que Jacques Toubon
négocie depuis des mois avec les Allemands de la CDU le soutien de
ces derniers à la solution d’un “partenariat privilégié”, ils ont
exprimé un point de vue radicalement opposé, en commission des
affaires étrangères, en laissant Ari Vatanen parler et voter en leur
nom.
Le champion automobile finlandais, investi par l’UMP comme second de
liste dans le Grand Sud-Est aux élections européennes, a toujours été
favorable à l’intégration de ce pays musulman dans l’UE. Il considère
qu’elle “empêchera des conflits de civilisations” et qu’elle rendra
possible “la paix mondiale”. “J’ai voté selon ma conscience”, a-t-il
affirmé à l’issue du scrutin. Les Français de l’UMP ont pourtant tout
fait pour dissuader M. Vatanen de voter. Margie Sudre, la présidente
de la délégation, l’a prié de ne pas assister à la réunion de la
commission des affaires étrangères, dont il est titulaire. Elle lui a
demandé de laisser sa place à sa suppléante, Nicole Fontaine,
ancienne présidente du Parlement européen, qui aurait alors eu le
droit de voter. M. Vatanen a refusé.
Mme Sudre lui a alors demandé de tenir compte, “au moins, des
positions du président de la République”, Jacques Chirac, et de
“s’abstenir sur l’ensemble du texte”. En vain. Mardi midi, Françoise
Grossetête, ancienne chef de file de la liste UMP du Grand Sud-Est, a
envoyé un de ses assistants dans un restaurant où M. Vatanen
mangeait, lui rappeler “à qui il – devait – son investiture”, et lui
réclamer une certaine loyauté.
La délégation française de l’UMP devait se réunir mercredi 1er
décembre pour discuter d'”éventuelles sanctions” à l’encontre de M.
Vatanen. Celui-ci restait serein : “J’ai voté un amendement de M.
Toubon qui demande que la Turquie reconnaisse le génocide arménien
!”, précisait-il. “Sur le reste, comment pourrait-on me sanctionner,
alors que j’ai `uvré à la paix mondiale ?”, demandait-il.
Rafaële Rivais

ARMENIAN “ARION” THEATER PARTICIPATES IN FESTIVAL OF DAMASCUS DRAMATIC ART
DAMASCUS, November 30 (Noyan Tapan). The 12th festival of Damascus
dramatic art was held in Syria on November 21-30. The Armenian “Arion”
theater after Edgar Elbakian participated in the festival with the
“Final Waltz” play of Fridrich Dyurenmat. RA People’s Artist Vladimir
Msrian, RA prominent artists Anna and Armen Elbakians were involved
into the theatrical troupe.
According to the press service of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
simultaneously with the performances given within tbe framework of the
festival the theatrical troupe also gave performances for the Armenian
Communities of Damascus and Aleppo upon the initiative of the RA
Embassy in Syria.
A press conference of actors was held on November 26 with
participation of representatives of mass media, as well as theatrical
theorists, who highly estimated the performance of the Armenian
theatrical troup.