CIS member countries Business Forum is to be held in Yerevan on May 1 as well as the Commonwealth countries’ trade and industrial chambers exhibition. Also Council of the chambers will gather on May 2 in Yerevan.{BR} Azerbaijan sent formal note to the Council informing about its absence from upcoming events to be hold “in hostile country’s territory”, day az. Internet outlet reports.

During the conference answering the questions of “The Armenian Times” Daily about the political situation in Armenia Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov said he didn’t want to comment or interfere in the inner problems of Armenia. “We establish our relations with Armenia as a strategic partner basing upon historical and cultural, religious, military and political contacts,...

Defense Ministers of CIS states are in Yerevan to partake in the sitting of Council of Defense Ministers. Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan won’t take part in the sitting. During the visit the delegation heads will meet Robert Kocharyan. {BR} Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov arrived in Yerevan. He informed in the airport issues regarding Armenian-Russian military cooperation, military and technical,...

7 members of People’s Party of Armenia were taken to Police in Artashat City. Their relatives assembled near the Police building during the day. {BR} Major Karapetyan, Vice-Head of Artashat Police informed us those taken to Police are not arrested, they are invited. “We have many criminal cases, even murder. So we want to check”, Major said. Relatives of the non-arrested assured...

”Justice” Bloc headquarters has released the list of studies, under which the actions of Armenian Authorities run counter to N 1374 report by PACE made in 2004. {BR} There are 4 planks introduced in the list proving the 9th point of PACE resolution is violated. “The practice of administrative detention wasn’t immediately stopped. New arrests were made. People taken in detention...

This morning preventive arrests have been made in Armenia. Under the information we possess Opposition activists were arrested in Artashat, Charentcavan and other cities. Some of them were “judged” at the scene and isolated for 10 days. Members of “Republic” and People’s Party of Armenia are mainly arrested. {BR} For the time being 15 people are in detention. Many are...

”I have entered Government to return culture figures to the sphere”, Armenian Culture and Youth Minister Hovik Hoveyan announced at the briefing in Government. {BR} Mr. Hoveyan warned journalists beforehand he had just assumed office so he had many obscure questions on the culture sphere. ”I was to speak in 3 months. But key bills were to be discussed during Government sitting...

”In fact, “A1+” was deprived of the broadcasting license under the legislation approved in correspondence with CE demands”, politician Agassi Enoqyan said during the seminar-discussion on N 1374 resolution Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe passed on April 28, 2004. {BR} According to Mr. Enoqyan, when our Authorities try to find justifications for their non-democratic...

-Do opening “Aravot” TV Company and nominating Aram Abrahamyan for Director compensate for “A1+” absence and does Council of Europe consider it as solution to “A1+” problem? -CE has no concrete stance over the issue. -In the recent report PACE demands for a new tender for frequencies while Grigor Amalyan, Chair of TV and Radio National Committee announces there...

Opposition MPs Vardan Mkrtchyan and Tatul Manaseryan toured Armenian remote town of Alaverdi on Wednesday to meet with its residents and inform them about recent events. The thing is that the town residents are deprived from receiving information, because only state-owned TV channels and radio stations are available to them.{BR} The lawmakers also spoke on copper-molybdenum plant in Alaverdi that...

Republic party member Suren Surenyants, who is kept in detention on charge of making seditious calls and contempt of the authorities, announced Wednesday about his intention to start hunger strike.{BR} He told his lawyer the hunger strike was the last resort. After his failure to find justice and vain motions filed to the authorities, Surenyants is left with no option but to take such a step, his lawyer says.

On Wednesday, Armenian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan met with his Turkish counterpart in Strasbourg. The meeting lasted two hours. Karabakh conflict was discussed by the sides.{BR} Baghdasaryan said Armenian leadership expected unbiased attitude toward the issue from Turkish side. Turkish Parliament Speaker, for his part, said Turkey was ready to display objectiveness in this issue....

Opponents of Rafik Arzumanyan, governor of Georgian province of Ninotsminda, have accused him of “anti-Georgian stance”. They vented their anger on Arzumanyan through newspapers blaming him for ties with Armenia.{BR} The province governor’s main achievement was that he had managed to provide the province’s residents with round-the-clock power supply. A-Info news agency reported...

Funeral of Armenian scientist Ph. Dr. Raphael Hakobyan died at age 72 was held on Wednesday.{BR} His health state deteriorated precipitously after participating in the April 12 rally brutally broken up by the police. Hakobyan’s relatives, friends and colleagues as well as People Party leader Stepan Demirchyan and its members were present at funeral ceremony.

Day.az Internet site reports, Azeri parliament launched a new campaign trying to prove that in May 28, 1918 Azerbaijan signed a treaty, according to which it ceded Yerevan to Armenia and another agreement signed in 1920, under which Azerbaijan ceded also Zangezur.{BR} Azeri MP Fazail Ibragimli proposed at today’s session to announce invalid the treaties. After hearing the proposal Azeri...

On Tuesday, Armenian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan, met President of PACE Peter Shieder in Strasbourg and discussed political situation in Armenia and regional issues with him.{BR} Baghdasaryan also met with CE Secretary General Walter Schwimmer.

On Tuesday, Armenian National Assembly Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan, speaking at a conference for European parliaments’ speakers in Strasbourg, said antidemocratic forces, as a rule, were being left with no option but to withdraw from political field and as examples pointed out many European countries.{BR} Speaking on Armenian lawmakers’ activity, he said Armenian parliament proved its...

Every day throughout the week protest actions is being held outside Prosecutor General’s Office in Yerevan. The protesters demand to release political prisoners from detention.{BR} They have collected 3 thousand signatures of citizens to pass them on to the prosecutor’s office. The demonstrators were told the response would be given in a few days.

Armenian Government and Carlos Pascuale, Coordinator of USA Support for Eurasia States have clarified today on what spheres exactly the sums allotted in the framework of “Challenges of Millennium” project of USA will be spent. {BR} The get the sum Armenian Government has already introduced the fitting program. According to Pascuale, the finances will be allowed within economy freedom,...

Artarutyun opposition bloc is collecting the facts of human rights violation. On Monday, the bloc made public some of them.{BR} The authorities continue to make so called administrative arrests in a clear breach of PACE resolution. Five people were taken in police custody on last week’s Friday. Contrary to the Constitution and PACE demands, Yerevan municipality didn’t authorize the Friday’s rally at Liberty Square.

Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan received Monday the President and Chief Executive of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group Gareth Evans who came to Armenia as part of his regional visit.{BR} Armenian premier met Evans at international congress dedicated to Armenian Genocide held in Sweden in the beginning of this year and invited him to international congress to be held in Armenian...

Artarutyun opposition bloc convened a session today to discuss the issues related to preparations for the next rally.{BR} Problem of political prisoners was discussed as well. The opposition is steadfast in its determination to struggle for their release. Protest actions are expected to be staged outside courts during trials.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan gave a news conference Monday upon returning from Strasbourg, where he attended the CE Ministerial Council’s session and met with his Azeri counterpart Eldar Mamedyarov.{BR} He said the next meeting with Mamedyarow is planned to be held in Prague on June 20. Oskanyan also said President Kocharyan couldn’t attend NATO summit in Istanbul because...

On Saturday, Ombudsman Larissa Alaverdyan visited Armenian town of Tsakhkadzor to attend a seminar focused on educational problems, where met with teachers from Armenian provinces.{BR} She spoke on the Ombudsman’s role and schoolchildren’s human right awareness.