Not long ago Great Britain Ambassador to Armenia Thorda Abbott-Watt announced it won’t be useful to recognize the Armenian slaughters in 1915 as Genocide. {BR} ”Our key task is unity of Armenian people, Diaspora and Armenia’s leadership and not Genocide recognition by Ambassadors of Great Britain, Germany or France. We must not allow anyone to discredit us”, Harutyun Sasunyan,...

”Armenia must be ready to partly withdraw the troops from NKR for opening Armenia-Azerbaijan railway”, Pier Garthon is sure. {BR} Pier Garthon thinks that NKR can remain in Azerbaijan composition but population there can freely move to Armenia or Azerbaijan anytime. Such a model is applied for Oland Island of Finland. But 95% of the Island population works in Sweden. Mr. Garthon has made...

European Parliament member, Swede Pier Garthon has today referred to the recent statement of President Robert Kocharyan that Council of Europe is not a “Politburo”, so it is not obligatory to fulfill its demands. {BR} “Of course, CE is not a “Politburo”. But European Union is closer to be the Political Bureau. The organization has the right to command to its member-states...

Opposition meeting will start in Vanadzor City in 1 hour. Authorities do their best to hinder participation of citizens in that rally. {BR} Tigran the Great Avenue, Vardanantc and Baghramyan Avenues of Vanadzor are blocked by police cars. By the way, shops and stores near Vanadzor Square are closed. “Sanitary Day” tablets hang on all the doors.

”No legal document on armistice was signed. So, it is not stable and was worked out under gentleman’s agreement”, Babken Ararqtcyan said at a conference on the 10th anniversary of NKR conflict truce. {BR} He confessed at the beginning of 1994 war already exhausted 3 parts /Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan/. ”In March the resources of all the sides were spent”,...

”To come out of NKR conflict settlement with credit Armenia and all the participants must have a solidly legitimate statehood”, Babken Ararqtcyan, Chair of “Armat” /”Root”/ social organization, said at a press conference. {BR} He is sure lack of legitimacy brings to “more concessions”. He also said it is hard to speak about democratic institutes and...

”Karabakhi conflict issue has transformed into the one of Armenian-Azerbaijani bilateral relations, which is already considered as a territorial demand”, Babken Ararqtcyan, Chair of “Armat” /”Root”/ social organization and ex Parliament Speaker, said during the conference on the 10th anniversary of truce. He is sure the armistice arranged 10 years ago is uneasy so...

”I don’t want to make the situation tragic. It’s not an ethnic conflict. But we won’t tolerate disorder and we don’t intend to be drawn into provocation”, Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili said commenting on the conflict between Armenians and Georgians in Tsalka. {BR} According to him, some enemies of Georgia want to involve the country in a new conflict. “We...

European Court on Human Rights has received and registered 13.03.04 claim of “Supreme Soviet” Deputy Club. {BR} It regards the breaches of club rights for observation mission in 2003 parliamentary elections in Armenia, i.e. – “disclosing numerous breaches in usage of pre-election funds of parties Club appealed to the Central Electoral Commission asking to allot the copies of...

Director of Programs Implementation State Office Arthur Tunyan said in an interview with our correspondent a 4,4-million USD credit had been taken from World Bank for justice system improvement.{BR} National Assembly Control Chamber presented Monday a report containing facts of abuses in various spheres, including justice. According to the report 3 million 800 thousand are already spent, however,...

Justice and National Unity parliamentary fractions’ MPs, who are still boycotting National Assembly’s sessions, came Tuesday to session hall at the hour of announcements.{BR} Opposition MPs made it clear they are unhappy about their meetings with ruling coalition. The opposition leaders remain steadfast in their demand the ruling coalition to comply with its preconditions. They persist...

Armenian delegation headed by Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will head to Strasbourg on Wednesday to attend 114th session of the CE ministerial committee.{BR} European Human Rights Court reform, the CE’s third summit and the CE contribution to struggle against international terrorism are put on the session agenda among other issues. Preliminary accord is reached for meeting between Armenian...

On Tuesday, Labor and Social Security Minister Aghvan Vardanyan, speaking at a news conference, admitted the fact of bad living conditions in the country, but, at the same time, said it isn’t typical of Armenian nation to make fuss over social problems.{BR} He also noted that the opposition today put forward other, not social demands.

At its Tuesday’s session, Justice opposition bloc discussed some issues related to the rally to be held Wednesday in Armenian town of Vanadzor.{BR} “Tomorrow the ruling coalition will present its written agenda for negotiations. We’ll consider it at our session and give a response”, Secretary of Justice parliamentary fraction Victor Dallakyan said today. The only issue on...

Justice, a 16-party opposition alliance, issued a statement on Tuesday, pointing out the authorities’ steps taken in a clear breach of the PACE 1374 resolution.{BR} 1. The authorities didn’t abandon their practice of arresting people as so called administrative punishment. 2. Those arrested for participation in unauthorized rallies haven’t been released immediately. 14 citizens...

Labor and Social Security Minister Aghvan Vardanyan, speaking Tuesday at a news conference, said all Armenian citizens have to apply for social cards till July 1.{BR} Those refusing to get cards will be fined, he said. The minister also said higher pensions will be set this year. In his words, it is a mere situational step. The ministry’s main objective is pension reform. Vardanyan said...

“Violence and election fraud have become dangerously commonplace in our country and all illegalities are being committed amid growing informational blockade”, said participants of For and Against Civil Will forum held by 40 organizations on Tuesday in Yerevan.{BR} Karen Hakobyan, a member of Hope organization, is convinced the time came, when each citizen must feel himself guilty for...

Serious abuses in implementation of justice system improvement program, which received a credit from World Bank, have been mentioned in the National Assembly Control Chamber report.{BR} Amount of more than 4 million USD was allocated for the repairs of 20 court houses. Only 9 of them were repaired. The report prompted Justice Minister David Harutyunyan’s discontent. He is unhappy about the...

Each participant of the For and Against Civil Will forum held Tuesday by 40 organizations had to go through barbed wire to get in the hall.{BR} Armenian Helsinki Assembly member Isabella Sargssyan says: “When I passed through the wire, some sense of freedom from fear and victory over lawlessness came over me”.

On Tuesday, National Assembly members discussed the Control Chamber Monday’s report on implementation of different programs in 2003, which find out a number of illegalities in budget, tax, customs, public health and financial spheres.{BR} National Assembly Vice-Speaker Vahan Hovhannesyan said at today’s parliamentary session that the report, if upheld by the parliament, would let the...

Armenian tennis player Sargis Sargssyan defeated Russian Nicolay Davidenko 6-2; 6-4 in the first round of international tournament in Hamburg and reached the second round. His second-round rival will be Russian Marat Safin.{BR}

Armenian Ambassador in the United States took part in an event held recently in the U.S. White House as a representative of one of 16 countries chosen by Millennium Challenge Account.{BR} The U.S. President George W. Bush said in his speech the Account opens new prospects for cooperation among chosen countries and provides investment opportunity to them in the sake of their countries prosperity. President...

Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan has today appeared with a statement after the political consulting, which says: “After long discussions in 2004 February-May the political consulting in Parliament had the first positive result. {BR} Representatives of “Republican Party of Armenia”, “Land of Law Party”, ARF, “People’s Deputy” group, “United...

The political consulting held by Parliament Speaker Arthur Banghdasaryan lasted for 2 hours. At the end of the consulting it was clear that the political powers in Parliament made certain preliminary arrangements for the political negotiations. {BR} ARF leader Levon Mkrtchyan announced Coalition will represent Robert Kocharyan in the negotiations. Coalition parties will discuss Opposition demand-suggestions...