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News, 31 Aug, 2009.
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Turkish and Azerbaijani judo teams ready to come to Armenia. HAYOTS ASHKHAR, AZG, HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN, ARAVOT report that both the Azerbaijani and Turkish teams have reconfirmed their applications to participate in the European Youth Judo Championship,which will take place in Yerevan on September 11-13.
Wexler urges Turkey-Armenia cooperation. U.S. Congressman and Co-Chairman of US-Turkey Congressional Friendship Caucus Robert Wexler has urged his Turkish colleagues to intensify their political dialogue with Armenia. Sabah newspaper says that during his meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Wexler said that if Turkey stopped dialogue with Armenia, the resolution on the Armenian genocide would come before the US Congress and would pass (HAYOTS ASHKHAR, HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN, 168 ZHAM, AZG,GOLOS ARMENII).
Condolence book for Senator Kennedy. HAYOTS ASHKAR and HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN report that a Condolence Book for Senator Edward Kennedy will be available to the public for signing at the U.S. Embassy in Yerevan on August 31, from 10:00-17:00.
Window of opportunity closing for Armenia-Turkey. 168 ZHAM reports that Director of the Armenian Center for Strategic and National Researches Richard Kirakossian said that President Sargsian will go to Turkey for the November 14 football match but the real issue is that "Turkey’s approaches have changed – their interest in normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has weakened for two reasons: the first is that Turkey underestimated the reaction of Azerbaijan, overestimated its power and made a mistake in thinking there was no need to hurry in reaching agreement with Armenia. But the second reason is more important – normalization of relations with Armenia is no longer a priority for the Turkish government. During the past two weeks they have developed a new program of peace with the Kurds, and the normalization of relations with Armenia has become secondary for them.”
MP predicts Sargsian will not go to Turkey. Newspapers cover Friday’s press conference Republican Party MP Rafik Petrosian, who stated that President Sargsian will not go to Turkey, since the issues raised by him have not been addressed properly. According to Petrosian, no statement on opening the border has been made, adding that Turkey, in fact, has deceived U.S. President Obama to avoid U.S. recognition of the "Armenian Genocide." Petrosian also stated that he does not see any noteworthy, positive thing in the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. According to him, Turkey’s position on Armenian-Turkish relations may be seen in the recent statement of the Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan who tied normalization to progress in the Karabakh conflict.
AAA sees benefit to normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations. Newspapers are covering Friday’s press conference by Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) Yerevan Director Arpi Vardanian, who stated that normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations is not only a matter of opening the border, but a benefit to the Armenian and Turkish people as well. Referring to the recognition of the "Armenian Genocide," Vardanian said that she can't say how much President Obama's policy has changed and whether it differs from that of his predecessors Bush and Clinton, nevertheless, according to her, the Obama Administration takes a more serious view of recognition of the "Armenian Genocide." Vardanian is quoted as saying, “the incumbent authorities in the U.S., President Obama himself, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have spoken of the "Armenian Genocide" several times and made promises of "Genocide" recognition.”
March 1: Opposition told to prove charges. HAYOTS ASHKHAR, HAYASTANI HANRAPETUTYUN and AZG report that the Chairman of the interim parliamentary commission on March 1-2 events, Samvel Nikoyan, stated on Friday that the commission has asked the Armenian National Congress (ANC) to provide it with additional proof that the GOA put private bodyguards in uniform during the March 1 crackdown on opposition demonstrators (see August 28 Media Review). Nikoyan says the ANC must say who exactly provided them with this information, adding that “we guarantee confidentiality. If the information is confirmed, the responsible officials and MPs will be punished, otherwise, Kocharian and Safarian (the accusers) will be made responsible for slander.”
Prosperous Armenia denies charges. Meanwhile, HAYOTS ASHKHAR, AZG and ARAVOT report that the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK) released a statement on Friday maintaining that “members of the disbanded fact-finding group Andranik Kocharian and Seda Safarian announced that during the March 1 events some high-ranking officials and MPs had been given military uniforms and clear orders to provoke arson and plunder in the capital. [BHK leader] Gagik Tsarukian's name was among the aforesaid high-ranking officials. The BHK denies the allegations and asserts they do not correspond to reality….None of Gagik Tsarukyan's acquaintances was engaged in the March 1 disturbance. The authors of the allegations are trying to divert public attention from the real perpetrators of the March 1 tragedy and defame Gagik Tsarukian.”
Opposition businessman fights back. RFE/RL reports that Ara Zohrabian, lawyer for the Bjni Mineral Water Plant (a key asset of fugitive MP Khachatur Sukiasian), told RFE/RL on Friday that the company is going to file a court action against the Ministry of Environment demanding to hold it responsible for a multimillion fine that the company was forced to pay after being found guilty of improper installation and sealing of its water meters. Zohrabian added that they will demand the Ministry pay a sum equivalent to nearly $10.7 million that state bodies have forced Bjni to pay as a result of the alleged violation. Bjni said the device was installed and sealed by the Ministry’s inspector in 2005, while further inspections in 2005 and 2006 revealed no violations. |
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