USA Ambassador to Armenia John Ordway has today met “Justice” Bloc leader Stepan Demirchyan and “National Unity” Party Chair Artashes Geghamyan. {BR} The meeting details are not informed. But Stepan Demirchyan told us they had talked about the political situation in Armenia and the ways to come out of crisis.

”The demand for power change in Armenia is clearly set. After the recent events people just don’t tolerate the present Authorities. Authorities are doomed, they must leave. Those supporting Robert Kocharyan heartily now, will feel embarrassment while looking into the eyes of people tomorrow”, “Republic” Party Chair Aram Sargssyan says. ”Republic ”Party leader...

It is hard to enter Yerevan from Vanadzor City today. People who managed to get Yerevan say Lori District policemen have blocked 2 highways from Vanadzor to Yerevan - Vanadzor-Aparan-Yerevan and Vanadzor-Sevan-Yerevan. {BR} Policemen stop all the cars, even taxies and private ones. They try to find why people come to Yerevan. They ask people if they are going to partake in the rally on April 21. If...

Coalition-Opposition-Intelligentsia meeting initiated by Raffi Hovhannissyan, finished. Aram Sargssyan /Republic Party/, Smbat Ayvazyan /Republic Party/, Stepan Zaqaryan /People’s Party of Armenia/, and Vazgen Manukyan /National Democratic Union/ from Opposition were present. {BR} Coalition calling for talks and dialogue was absent. Academicians Rafael Ghazaryan, Lenser Aghalovyan, Vardan Sedrakyan,...

Ruben Torosyan, Chair of “Supreme Soviet” MP Club, does not agree to power change as the way for solution to the problems. He thinks the legislative field is to be regulated thus making the superiors act within law. {BR} It is to state this organization has been reminding Authorities since 1997 that numerous vote frauds were committed during both presidential and parliamentary elections....

”ARF” activity is illegal”, Ruben Torosyan, Chair of “Supreme Soviet” MP Club announced at a press conference. {BR} According to him, ARF was to be dissolved 5 days ago. It turns ARF wasn’t registered and under the requests of the 33rd article of Armenian Law on “Parties” was to self-destruct by April 15, 2004. ”Supreme Soviet” MP Club...

On the initiative of Raffi Hovhannissyan, first Foreign Minister of Armenia, Opposition-Coalition dialogue resumed. {BR} Intellectuals and members of Parliament “People’s Deputy” group appeared as a mediator for the meeting. Journalists were forbidden to enter the building. We will later obtain information about the agreements achieved during the talks. Let’s remind that...

Norq Commune policemen have today visited the house of Colonel Gegham Harutyunyan, ex Deputy Defense Minister and member of “Republic” Party political board, and summoned him to the police department. Then he was accused of ribaldry. {BR} Law-enforcement bodies tried to take Harutyunyan to Court to subject him to administrative amenability. He refused to go to Court without an advocate....

“We are ready to resort to even violence to get rid of these Authorities”, Sargis Karapetyan, Chair of “Rescue of Nation” newly-established Party announced at the press conference. {BR} He assured their party will save Armenian people from treacherous Authorities within 3 months. “If hotels, casinos become more in our state, it means our state is very rich. The task...

One more party was established in Armenia. Its members left Democratic and Liberal Union of Armenia, headed by Seyran Avagyan after the 2003 presidential elections. {BR} ”I used to be the Vice-Chair of DLUA. After our Chair Seyran Avagyan sold the votes for his post of President’s Councilor, I put an application and left the party”, Spartak Meliqyan, the newly-elected Chair of the...

Speaking on foreign policy at today’s news conference, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said he found his April 16 meeting with his Azeri counterpart in Prague quite productive, but, in his words, their talk remained uncompleted. He said another meeting was planned to be held in mid-May.{BR} Oskanyan expressed his willingness for dialogue with Azeri Foreign Minister to make contribution...

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, speaking at a news conference on Monday, said the opposition had a right to stage rallies. At the same time, he says the right is not in force if the opposition activity contradicts Armenian Constitution and the law.{BR} It means if people are unhappy about the president’s work, they can do little but let him hang on until his presidential term expires....

Justice Ministry’s Press Secretary Ara Saghatelyan says rumors going around that key convicted in October 27 terrorist action trial Nairi Hunanyan is taken in hospital because of health problems, are groundless.{BR} The body of Nairi’s uncle Vram Galstyan, who died in jail in an alleged suicide, is given to his relatives.

Edgar Arakelyan, a young man from Armenian town of Lusakert, who participated in the peaceful demonstration the last week Monday and resisted police’s ominous assault on innocent demonstrators by throwing a plastic bottle at armed policeman, as it was shown on Armenian state-owned H1 TV, is charged with one count of seizing power by force.{BR} Procecutor’s Office says he has already pleaded guilty.

Defense of Liberated Territories organization issued a statement condemning violence committed by the police against peaceful marchers saying those having beaten their compatriots, women and the elderly can’t be considered men and Armenians.{BR} “We’d like to pay special attention to the fact of harassment of disabled Artak Zaynalyan and former defense minister General-Lieutenant...

"If the opposition tries to attract public attention by clogging the capital’s roads, the police will do what ought to do", President Kocharyan said in his interview with Russia’s Izvestia newspaper .{BR} It is the forth time Kocharyan has said in his interviews with Russian news agencies the opposition movement’s recent splash had been prompted by Georgian velvet revolution. Our...

One Nation, One Culture nationwide festival is to be held in Armenia from August 14 to 23, Culture Minister Tamara Poghosyan said at today’s news conference. Theatre, fine art, cinema, folk art, singing and dancing will be included in the event.{BR} In her words, 100 million drams are needed for the event. The government can’t afford to fund the festival. That’s why a fund will be found to collect money, she says.

At today’s news conference, our correspondent asked Culture and Youth Minister Tamara Poghossyan why she hadn’t made public her attitude toward violence committed by the police last Monday against peaceful demonstrators.{BR} “Everybody knows that I am a member of Orinats Erkir political party. The party has already expressed its opinion and I share it fully”, she said.

Yerevan Environmentalists’ Union issued Monday a statement saying the event dedicated to Earth Day that was scheduled for coming Sunday postponed for uncertain time because of unstable political situation in Armenia.{BR}

Despite the heavy rain, the meeting of joint Opposition took place. Many people gathered at Matenadaran. ”Mr Kocharyan, you are doomed”, “National Unity” Party Chair Artashes Geghamyan said. {BR} The statement by poetess Silva Kaputikyan condemning April 13 events was read out at the meeting. “Kocharyan has nothing to do in the political life of Armenia any longer”,...

Any citizen passing Yerevan streets today could think – who for the jubilee celebrations were held in Opera and Ballet Theatre while numerous policemen by truncheons were standing on almost all the streets of Center Commune. {BR} It was officially stated that a festive measure on Police Day was to take place in Opera and Ballet Theatre building. But it was strange to see that all the roads to...

Avetiq Ishkhanyan, member of Helsinki Committee of Armenia, didn’t want to comment on suicide of Vram Galstyan, “October 27” case prisoner for life. {BR} Ishkhayan was one of the firsts who was informed about the suicide. He was invited to “Nubarashen” jail where Galstyan had been. Representatives of “Civil Society Institute” and International Committee of...

While the participants of joint Opposition meeting demand for Robert Kocharyan’s resignation, he spends time in “Aragast” Cafe with USA Ambassador in Armenia. {BR} It is to remind in 2001 Kocharyan’s bodyguard beat up Poghos Poghosyan, citizen of Georgia, to death in “Aragast” Cafe.

”Kocharyan, go away!”, “There can be no freedom where truncheons are mastering”, “Kocharyan is not an elected president”. Meeting with such mottos took place near the consulate in Beverly-Hills, Los Angeles. About 300 people partook in it. {BR}