HETQ English Translations Confiscated by Armenian KGB

On Saturday May 5, 2007 the Armenian National Security Service conducted a search of the apartment of our English translations editor, Melissa Brown, and her husband, Alexander Arzoumanian, taking their computer and other personal effects. Among the files on the computer were the articles that had been translated for this week's English version of Hetq, and so we are unable to publish them today. We apologize to our readers and ask for their patience until we are able to resume publishing Hetq in English.

NKR MINISTRY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY AND KARABAKH TELECOM JOINTLY REALIZE HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 4 2007

The Nagorno-Karabagh Republic Ministry for Social Security and Karabakh Telecom Company jointly realize humanitarian programs.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the NKR Ministry for Social Security, in part, the families having 4 and more under age children are granted material assistance in Stepanakert and the Republic regional centers.

In January-April, 2007 lump sum monetary assistance was granted to 166 families at a rate of 10, 000 drams per each child at the expense of Karabakh Telecom Company's means within the frames of the program.

NKR GOVERNMENT RENDERS MONTHLY ASSISTANCE TO CHILDREN OF KASHATAG AND SHAHUMIAN REGIONS

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 4 2007

The NKR government is implementing a program on rendering monthly financial assistance to children under 16 to lend social aid to migrants in the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic Kashatag and Shahumian regions.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR Ministry for Social Security, since January 1, 2007, the children will receive allowance in the amount of 2, 000 drams.

For today total sum of monetary assistance is about 16, 5 million drams.

AZERBAIJAN LEADER'S TALK OF KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PRINCIPLES ANGERS ARMENIA

The Associated Press
Published: May 4, 2007

RAMANI, Azerbaijan: Azerbaijan's president on Friday laid out what he said were basic principles for the resolution of his country's dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, angering Armenian leaders who disputed his suggestion that they have assented to the terms he described.

Aliev's remarks appeared more likely to deepen distrust between the nations than to bring them closer to resolving the dispute over the territory, which is inside Azerbaijan but has been controlled by Armenian and local ethnic Armenian forces since a six-year war that ended in 1994.

Tensions remain high between Armenia and Azerbaijan, former Soviet republics in the Caucasus, and more than a decade of coaxing from international media tors led by the United States, Russia and France has yet to bring an agreement on the status of the territory.

Aliev said the basic principles of a settlement were the unconditional return of seven districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh that are also under ethnic Armenian control and he return of refugees to Nagornko-Karabakh, followed by the determination of its political status.

Aliev, speaking to refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh in the settlement of Ramani, outside Azerbaijan's capital Baku, said there was general agreement on the principles, which he suggested were the basis for settlement talks shepherded by the international monitors.

Today in Europe Sarkozy increases his lead in France; Royal warns of unrestLabour set back in Scottish votingTurkish ruling offers possible solution The details of settlement talks are usually kept under wraps out of the concern that revealing them could hurt delicate efforts to resolve the dispute, which raises strong emotions in
both countries. Aliev said he was discussing them publicly because the Armenian side had broken confidentiality and made misleading statements.

His words drew a swift and angry response from Armenian officials, particularly sensitive about the issue ahead of parliamentary elections later this month, with parliament vice-speaker Vaan Ovannisian calling accusing him of "obvious lies."

"There is no such agreement," Ovannisian said.

Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian cast doubt on Aliev's statement that there was agreement on the unconditional return of all seven surrounding districts. In the past there have indications that Armenia would agree to the return of five of the districts on condition of independence for Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Let him say what he wants, we have already announce our position," Sarkisian said.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Karapetian said that Armenia's position has been and remains "based on the recognition of the principle self-determination for Nagorno-Karabakh," according to a ministry statement. "Other questions that are on the negotiating table, that are under discussion, are secondary and will follow from
recognition of the basic principle," he said.

___

Associated Press Writer Avet Demourian contributed to this report from Yerevan, Armenia.

Why young people in Karabakh do not get married

28-04-2007 12:05:48 - KarabakhOpen

Young men often leave Karabakh for work and stay abroad for a long time. And this issue must be in the focus of the government. A doctor of the republic maternity hospital stated this during a round-table meeting on the demography and the rate of birth in Karabakh, held by Good Samaritan and Maternity NGOs.

First, the participants of the meeting were offered statistics. On the basis of this information they discussed the low birth rate and the rise in the rate of abortion. Marianna Hakobyan, the head of the department of youth of the NKR ministry of education and culture, said in Karabakh there is a rather high number of unmarried young men, especially in rural areas. They say the reason is poverty and housing.

Doctor Gohar Hovanisyan, chair of the Hanganak Organization, said young girls and boys do not get adequate "birds and bees" information, which is often the cause of unplanned pregnancy and abortion. Doctors propose teaching ethic and esthetics of family life and deliver regular lectures on sexual education at school.

It was noted that it would not be serious to rely on such a program alone. A complex of measures is necessary. The participants of the round-table meeting are likely to extend proposals on stimulation of birth rate to the government.

The organizers of the meeting said they had invited members of parliament, officials of the Ministry of Health and the Office of Prosecutor General but they did not show up.

LONGED-FOR MEETING WITH ARCHBISHOP

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
28 April 07

On April 23 the primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Pargev Martirosian met with the representatives of youth organizations of NKR. Most problems that they discussed were on the indifference of a major part of the society towards the church. There were proposals from young people on how to bring the society and the church closer. One of the proposals was to conduct service in modern Armenian, not in the ancient Armenian which people do not understand. Archbishop Pargev Martirosian said in some countries this innovation produced the contrary of what they had expected. As to the flourishing sects, the archbishop of Artsakh thinks this phenomenon has a different cause. Certain religious organizations interpreted and used the post-Soviet freedom in their own way, which is worrying
especially in Karabakh.

Especially that the small groups are backed by more powerful organizations, which have a well-designed and prepared program. However, it does not mean that the Armenian Apostolic Church makes no efforts to fight sects. "In 1989 there were 28-29 Armenian churches in the former Soviet Union, now there are over 400," said Archbishop Pargev adding that efforts are made to expand public relations, different books are published, radio and TV programs are broadcast. The Artsakh Diocese also makes efforts. Certainly, there are problems, namely shortage of money. Besides, there is a shortage of priests. If each member of a sect is a preacher of their ideas, it takes 10 years to prepare priests of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Yet there are other problems. The core issue of the meeting was the role of young people in this context. The participants arranged to meet again in the middle of May with proposals, and involve more people.

NORAIR HOVSEPIAN.
28-04-2007

EXTREME POVERTY DRIVES ARMENIAN IN TBILISI TO COMMITTING SUICIDE

ARMENPRESS
Apr 13 2007

TBILISI, APRIL 13, ARMENPRESS: A 41 year-old ethnic Armenian, Amiran Mkhitarian, a resident of Georgia's capital city Tbilisi, killed himself yesterday, Rustavi-2 TV channel reported. It said abject poverty was the reason that drove the man to committing a suicide.

The TV said the man killed himself after failing to find money to buy febrifuge medicine for his five year child.

Neighbors said the family fell into poverty last year after the man was sacked. He left behind his wife and three children.

SERGE SARGSYAN TRIES TO COME TO AN AGREEMENT WITH AZERBAIJAN

A1+
[08:33 pm] 09 April, 2007

"Our foremost task is to come to a peaceful agreement with Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue," RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan reported "Financial Times" newspaper.

During the interview Serge Sargsyan focused on the protection of human rights and Russia-Armenia relationship, APA agency reports. Mr. Sargsyan says that Armenia doesn't support the idea of opening a military base in South Caucasus.

Mr. Sargsyan noted that the May 12 parliamentary elections will be the most transparent ones in the history of Armenia.

The RA Prime Minister urged the Diaspora representatives to make investments in Armenia, as the Diaspora makes only 1% of the total investments.

Spanish police detain members of int'l ring trading in people

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
April 7, 2007 Saturday 02:36 PM EST

Police in the Spanish province of Catalonia have detained members of an international criminal ring that traded in people.

The detention took place in the resort region of Costa Brava, police officials said.

The grouping that engaged in trafficking East-European women for sexual slavery in Spain included citizens of Albania, Russia, Armenia and residents of Kosovo.

A spokesman for the Russian Consulate General in Barcelona told Itar-Tass Saturday there had been no official notifications on the issue from the police or local agencies of power, although Russian diplomats managed to use personal connections and to find out that three men from among the criminals had Russian passports.

``Also, there are Russians among the 40 released women whom the criminals forced into prostitution,'' he said.

ADMINISTRATIVE FINES FOR VIOLATION OF TRAFFIC RULES MADE STRICTER

YEREVAN, MARCH 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The bill on making additions and amendments to the RA Code of Administrative Infringements took effect on March 24. The meeting held at the RA Police on March 30 was dedicated to discussion of amendments and additions to administrative fines for violation of traffic rules. The speakers presented in detail the fines to be imposed for certian types of violation. Particularly, a fine of 20 thousand drams (about 55 dollars) is envisaged in case of violation that results in a road accident. Fines of 50 or 75 thousand drams are envisaged for driving a vehicle in drunken state, while in case of repeated violation, the driver may be deprived of the driving license for a year. A fine of 20 thousand drams is envisaged for driving a vehicle without a driving license, and if the driver is already deprived of the licence, the fine will make 300 thousand drams. If the driver does not stop the vehicle in case of forbidding signal of the traffic-light, a fine of 10 thousand drams is envisaged, if the same violation is committed within a year, the fine makes 30 thousand drams, and in case of committing this violation for a third time, the driver is deprived of his/her driving license for 6 months.

A fine of 20 thousand drams is envisaged for violation of pedestrian crossing rules, and a fine of 5 thousand drams is imposed in case of driving a vehicle without fastening the safety belt. A fine of 200 thousand drams is envisaged for not obeying the policeman's order to stop the vehicle, a fine of 300 thousand drams - in case of committing the same violation within a year by a person without a driving license; if the same violation is committed by a person with a driving license, the driver is deprived of the license for 6 months.

In case of not paying the fine within 60 days, its amount is increased fivefold, in case of refusal to pay the fine, it is confiscated by a court decision. In response to questions of reporters, Head of the Analytical Department of the RA Traffic Police Hayk Sargsian said that cameras fixing violations of traffic rules have not been installed yet. Responding to the question why 10 cars, which have parked near the pedestrian crossing at the administrative building of the police, are not punished for this violation, he said: "We have made the rules of the Code stricter for efficient fight against violations.

There will be time when these violations will be eliminated, in any case we want it to be so."