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HEAD OF PRESIDENTIAL STAFF SAYS PRES.KOCHARYAN HAS HIGH CHANCES OF WINNING RUN-OFF ELECTION

FEBRUARY 28. The head of Pres.Kocharyan's staff Artashes Toumanyan says Kocharyan has high chances of winning the presidential run-off election.

In an interview to Armenia's Public Television Toumanyan said that in the first round the votes were equally divided between the pro-governmental and opposition camps. But Kocharyan's run-off rival Stepan Demirtchyan received only part of the opposition half. Adding even a little bit to his stable half Kocharyan may easily win.

Concerning the run-off preferences of the drop-out candidates, Toumanyan said that the electoral staffs of both Kocharyan and Demirtchyan are actively negotiating with them. Demirtchyan may seem to have good chances for obtaining the opposition votes. However, the 50/50 division is rather relative. That's why Kocharyan is still looking forward to receiving Artashes Geghamyan's electorate, especially as the latter is making no single attempt to orient his voters towards either of the rivals.

155 PEOPLE MADE ADMINISTRATIVELY RESPONSIBLE FOR TAKING PART IN UNSANCTIONED RALLIES

FEBRUARY 28. As of Thursday 155 people had been made administratively responsible for participation in unsanctioned rallies, contempt of the police and hooliganism.

86 people were arrested for 15 days, 69 people fined. Of them 31 have earlier conviction for various offenses, including rape, infliction of heavy injuries, murder.

Chairman of the Helsinki Committee of Armenia Avetik Ishkhanyan applied to Armenia's Justice Ministry Thursday to provide assistance in identifying the detainees. According to Press-secretary of the Justice Minister Ara Saghatelyan, the Ministry is ready to cooperate with NGOs within the framework of legality. But strangely enough, according to Saghatelyan, no other organization has so far offered its help in the matter.

CONFERENCE "SOUTH CAUCASUS AND EUROPE FAIL TO PASS JOINT MEMORANDUM

FEBRUARY 28. ARMINFO-BLACK SEA PRESS. The Conference "South Caucasus and Europe" held in Tbilisi on 26-27 February failed to pass a joint memorandum due to the conflict between the Armenian and Azeri parliamentary delegations, Dennis Samut, the organizer of the conference and the Head of the British NGO "Links" said at the today's press conference. The participants of the forum held in the frames of the parliamentary South Caucasian Initiative summed up the results of the conference.

Still Denis Samut regards the meetings held in the frames of the forum as a success. He briefed the journalists with the joint statement of all participants of the meetings who expressed their readiness to further cooperate in the frames of the South Caucasian Parliamentary Initiative.

Commenting on the incident between the Armenian and Azeri delegations, he noted that " delicate and complicated issues" are considered in the frames of the Parliamentary Initiative. For opening the dialogue, suitable conditions are needed and we should actively work at this, he said. As we know, yesterday after opening the conference "South Caucasus and Europe", the Azeri parliamentary delegation asked the participants of the forum to pay tribute to the memory of residents of the town of Hojala, the victims of the 26 February 1992 hostilities in Nagorno Karabakh, with a minute of silence. The Armenian delegation left the conference-hall protesting against the proposal. The meeting was interrupted.

The head of the Armenian parliamentary delegation Tigran Torosyan said to a BLACK SEA PRESS reporter that the Armenian delegation takes part in the working meeting jointly with the Azeri parliamentarians. He expressed regret with the incident saying that "holding such events is useless when showing disrespect to each other and without observing achieved agreements. The participants of the forum said that though the conference completed its work, tomorrow working meetings of parliamentarians of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia would go on.

ANM BACKING OF STEPAN DEMIRTCHYAN DAMAGES HIS RATING

FEBRUARY 28. The fact that the opposition candidate for presidency Stepan Demirtchyan is being supported by the ex rulers, Armenian National Movement, is a serious blow on his rating, the head of Pres.Kocharyan's staff Artashes Toumanyan told Armenia's Public Television Thursday.

As a matter of fact, ANM itself has a very low rating among the Armenians and its reappearance on the political stage revives bad memories and negative associations. In fact, the ANM factor is one of the major reasons for active criticism of Demirtchyan.

Toumanyan did not agree with the opinion that Kocharyan's electoral staff was passive during the first round. Kocharyan's tactics was quite sound: to show higher political culture and to abstain from blackening the rivals. Positive propaganda was given preference to black PR. Should the first round be repeated Kocharyan would act similarly.

However, in the run-off Kocharyan's staff should reconsider its policy towards applying some anti-propaganda methods too. "Though one should not forget about humanism, philanthropy is not a method of winning presidency," Toumanyan said.

FORCES OTHER THAN PPA WILL COME INTO POWER IN CASE OF STEPAN DEMIRTCHYAN'S VICTORY

FEBRUARY 28. Forces other than the People's Party of Armenia (PPA) will come into power in case of Stepan Demirtchyan's victory in the presidential run-off election, the head of Pres.Kocharyan's staff Artashes Toumanyan said in an interview to Armenia's Public Television Thursday.

Though being Demirtchyan's own party, PPA is, nevertheless, playing a very small role in his electoral entourage. The tune is set by completely other forces - a medley of drop-out parties united by common anti-Kocharyan ideology. And here PPA's and Demirtchyan's own passivity seems all but voluntary.

The pro-Demirtchyan argumentation is based solely on his name and origin, while political arguments, if any, are very obscure. Meanwhile, Demirtchyan seems to be reluctant himself to show his political abilities: he avoids public speeches, dialogues, press-conferences. He uses no "living" words, he makes no "living" contacts. All he says are cliches. It is unclear if Demirtchyan adopted this policy himself or if he was told to act so by his suppoters. Demirtchyan should not make secret of his post-victory programs. Toumanyan assumes that Demirtchyan may be pressured into doing so by his entourage. However, he must show the public that he masters the situation.

Toumanyan reminded that after the landslide victory during the 1999 parliamentary elections, PPA took almost no part in the formation of a new government and, consequently, assumed no responsibility for its subsequent activities. Now too, it may turn out passive. The power will go to those currently shouting from the rally tribunes. In this situation, Demirtchyan is obliged to promulgate the composition of his future government. Otherwise, should one vote for a man he know nothing about and for a party chronically evading responsibility? "This is a mere adventure to seek presidency in regionally disadvantaged country having no influence in one's own entourage," Toumanyan said.

THERE IS BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IRAQI PROBLEM AND KARABAKH CONFLICT

FEBRUARY 28.There is a big difference between the Iraqi problem and the Karabakh conflict. No parallels are pertinent here, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, Elizabeth Jones, said during a recent Baku-Washington TV bridge.

After Husein's invasion into Kuwait the world community agreed that no recurrence of this aggression must be allowed in future. For this purpose, the UN SC demanded that Iraq should stop developing, producing and keeping mass destruction weapons. But Husein defied this demand.

This is quite different from what is going on in the Caucasus. Application of arms for settling the Karabakh conflict would be a horrible decision. Nobody would agree to it. The US does not believe in such an outcome. That's why it is stimulating energy projects in the region and making active efforts within the OSCE Minsk Group to settle the problem peacefully. The US is trying to find a regional solution to it, Jones said.

ARMENIA'S DM REFUTES AZERI DM'S ALLEGATIONS ABOUT EXCHANGE OF FIRE BETWEEN ARMENIAN SOLDIERS AND KARABAKHI ARMENIANS

FEBRUARY 28. This is misinformation and a total nonsense, the press-secretary of Armenia's DM, Col. Seyran Shakhsuvaryan said today commenting on the Azeri DM's allegations about an exchange of fire between Karabakhi Armenians supporting incumbent Armenian President RObert Kocharyan and native Armenian soldiers.

Shakhsuvaryan said that the propaganda machine of official Baku continues making futile efforts to destabilize the situaion on the Azeri-Karabakh contact line.

In reality Feb 26 a 5-strong Azeri diversionary group tried to penetrate the positions of the Karabakh Army. The Karabakhi soldiers detected them and took necessary efforts to render them harmless. The enemy was forced to retreat firing back and throwing grenades. As a result, two Karabakhi soldiers were wounded.

NATIONAL UNION OF FARMERS WILL SUPPORT INCUMBENT PRESIDENT'S CANDIDATURE DURING RUN-OFF ELECTION ON MARCH 5

FEBRUARY 28. The National Union of Farmers of Armenia will vote in favour of the incumbent president Robert Kocharyan in the run-off election on March 5, 2003, says the statement of Chairman of the Union Vanik Soghomonyan received by ARMINFO today.

Pointing out that in the first round of the election over 500 members of the organizations voted in favor of the incumbent president, Soghomonyan explained this by the fact that they believe Robert Kocharyan an even-tempered, target-oriented and experienced political figure. They are of the opinion that due to the incumbent president's efforts, the domestic stability will be maintained in the country, Armenia's authority in the international arena will be increased, as well as programs of social-economic development will be implemented. "We urge all those who value peace, stability and economic progress to give their votes in favour of Robert Kocharyan," the statement says.

HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE VISITED YEREVAN MEMORIAL COMPLEX TO PAY TRIBUTE TO MEMORY OF VICTIMS OF TRAGIC EVENTS IN SUMQAYIT

FEBRUARY 28. Hundreds of people visited the Yerevan Memorial Complex today to pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the tragic events in Sumqayit.

Among them was Armenia's President Robert Kocharyan. Director of the Genocide Museum Lavrenty Barseghyan proposed erecting a big monument instead of the three cross-stones currently perpetuating the tragedy. He also proposed declaring Feb 28 a holiday. To remind, dozens of Armenians were massacred, over 200 injured, 18,000 deported as a result of the Amenian pogroms in that Azeri city Feb 28 1988

ARMENIA MUST CONSTANTLY REMIND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF CONTINUATION OF ARMENIA GENOCIDE: LAVRENTY BARSEGHIAN

FEBRUARY 28. Armenia must constantly remind the international community of the fact that the Armenian genocide is being continued, Director of the Museum of the Armenian Genocide Lavrenty Barseghian told ARMINFO.

According to him, the Turkic peoples continue developing the pan-Turkish ideology. It is no coincidence that on February 28, 1988, during the tragic events in Sumgait, Azerbaijan, 32 Armenians were killed and over 200 injured, 18,000 Armenians were driven out from the town that was once famous for its traditional internationalism. Armenian pogroms lasted until 1992 in other towns of Azerbaijan. "It is not clear why those events did not receive a proper political assessment in Armenia," Barseghian asked, pointing out that five years ago the Azerbaijani Parliament declared March 31 Day in commemoration of the victims of the Azerbaijani Genocide on the part of Armenians. "all know it to be a fiction, but nobody in Armenia has expressed his indignation," Barseghian said.

He urged the Armenian Parliament to adopt a law declaring February 28 day of memory of the Armenian Genocide in Azerbaijan. "We must struggle against such manifestations and get the international community to realize the reasons for the NKR people's aspiration for independence. Otherwise, the NKR 200,000-strong population would be annihilated and expatriated," Barseghian said.

NPA LEADER HAS CHANCE TO WIN RUN-OFF: VAZGEN MANUKIAN

FEBRUARY 28. The re-election of Robert Kocharian will become an evil for the country, Chairman of the National Democratic Union (NDU) Vazgen Manukian told a press conference. According to him, considering this, the NDU decided to support Chairman of the People's Party of Armenia (PPA) Stepan Demirchian in the run-off election. The NDU even has given its places in election commissions to Stepan Demirchian and is rendering assistance in his election campaign. Manukian stressed that numerous falsifications during the first round endangered Armenia's international reputation. The NDU leader expressed confidence that during the run-off election the country's authorities intend to resort to more cunning falsification. According to the NDU leader, if Robert Kocharian wins the run-off with the help of falsifications, his presidency will not last long. He also claimed that during Robert Kocharian's five-year presidency neither political nor economic progress has been recorded in Armenia. As regards a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia's position on this issue will not change no matter who is the country's president.

NO ESSENTIAL VIOLATIONS FIXED DURING FIRST ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA

FEBRUARY 28. No essential violations were fixed in the course of the first round of Presidential election in Armenia able to influence their results, the representatives of seven public organizations of Armenia observing the election process said at a press-conference today. According to the initiators of the press-conference, the main violations are of the following nature: the persons representing candidates were not aware of their rights and duties, gathering of electors at polling stations, as well as problems with electoral lists. According to electors, the peculiarity of the election of 2003 is that electors were not forced to vote in favour of any candidate. Besides, observers did not fix violations at the polling stations where militaries voted. All the conditions were created for normal work of all the persons representing candidates in the course of voting at electoral districts and calculation of votes. The election process was under the control of observers and the persons representing candidates, which testifies to the fact that the election was democratic. According to the press-conference, when summing up the results of the work, opinions of 1,000 observers monitoring 930 electoral districts were taken into account.

ALTERNATIVE COMMISSION RECORDED 500 VIOLATIONS OF MASS MEDIA'S PART: RUBEN TOROSSIAN

FEBRUARY 28. During the first round of the presidential election in Armenia the alternative commission monitoring the election recorded 500 violations on the part of Armenia's mass media, Commission Chairman of the "Deputy Club Supreme Soviet'" public organization Ruben Torossian told a press conference. According to him, during the 1998 presidential election in Armenia the country's mass media committed a total of 350 violations of the Election Code. The violations are mostly in unequal distribution of time on the TV between the candidates, as well as in overt canvassing for Robert Kocharian and overt canvassing against his major rival, Stepan Demirchian. Torossian also pointed out that the Commission addressed a total of 100 complaints concerning violations before, during and after the election to different instances. Thirty of them were sent to minor courts, 20 to the Central Electoral Commission, six to the TV and Radio Commission. As a result, two TV companies were fined, and posters advertising Robert Kocharian were taken off from the windows of government institutions. On March 3, the minor court of Yerevan's Center and Nork-Marash districts is to consider the Commission's claim against the CEC. The claimants charge the CEC with exceeding its powers. "If our statements on violations committed during the pre-election period had been listened to before February 19, numerous falsifications would have been prevented," Torossian said. According to him, since 95% of the violations were committed in Robert Kocharian's favor, the CEC must withdraw Robert Kocharian as a presidential candidate. This will considerably reduce the number of violations during the presidential run-off election, which will in this case be held without Robert Kocharian, Torossian said.

VAZGEN MANOUKYAN: THERE ARE TWO OUTCOMES OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA

FEBRUARY 28. There are two versions of possible results of the second round of the Presidential Election in Armenia, the leader of the National-Democratic Union (NDU), Vazgen Manoukyan told a press conference today. According to him, the presidential candidate, the leader of the National Party of Armenia (NPA), Stepan Demirchyan, has the right to start the boycott procedure of the second round of the presidential election and not take part in it as the authorities refuse to fulfil the opposition's demands concerning the release of the detainees of the opposition. In this case, the NDU leader said that Armenia's incumbent President Robert Kocharyan will individually participate in the election and become the country's fictitious president. According to the second version, Stepan Demirchyan will take part in the run-off. In this case, Manoukyan said that TV debates will be held between Kocharyan and Demirchyan wherein Demirchyan is sure to win. Vazgen Manoukyan considers expedient Demirchyan's participation in the second round of the Presidential Election as, despite the numerous falsifications by the authorities, and manifesting a strong political will he is sure to win the election.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER: POLITICAL CULTURE SHOULD WIN DURING CURRENT RESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA

FEBRUARY 28. Political culture should win in the course of the current Presidential election in Armenia and become the very power uniting the people, Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Armen Khachatryan told journalists today. He said he meant mutual compromises and tolerance. "Let the people make its fair choice," he said. No legitime and strong power is possible without fair elections, that is why, I am sure that out united will, reason and culture will win, Armen Khachatryan said.-

CC PRESIDENT, HEAD OF OSCE MONITORING GROUP DISCUSS PREPARATIONS FOR CONSIDERATION OF CLAIM LODGED BY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

FEBRUARY 28.President of Armenia's Constitutional Court Gagik Harutiunian and Head of the OSCE Monitoring Group Peter Eicher discussed today the issue of the CC's consideration of the complaint lodged by one of the presidential candidates, Chairman of the "National Unity" party Artrashes Geghamian, who is appealing against the results of the first round of the presidential election. The CC President informed Peter Eicher that the CC will hold a working meeting within the shortest possible time to discuss the issue of accepting the complaint for consideration.

KARABAKH PEOPLE MARKS COMMEMORATION DAY OF ARMENIAN MASSACRE VICTIMS IN SUMGAYIT IN 1988

FEBRUARY 28. Today the Armenian people marks the commemoration day of the victims of the Armenian massacres in the Azerbaijani town of Sumgayit in 1988. According to an ARMINFO correspondent, hundreds of people in Stepanakert, representatives of some working collectives, educational institutions and public organizations visited the "Tsitsernakaberd" Memorial Complex in Stepanakert, where in 1988 a monument was erected for paying homage to the Sumgayit victims. At 11 a.m. in the morning, President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Arkadi Ghoukassyan, NKR Speaker Oleg Yesayan, Premier Anoushavan Danielyan, parliamentary and governmental members, as well as some representatives of the High Command of the NKR Defense Army visited the complex. They also laid wreaths and flowers at the monument. Then a crowded meeting was held at the complex. Speaking at the meeting, NKR Spaeker Oleg Yesayan said that after the Armenian massacres in Sumgayit, the Karabakh national-liberation movement answered the challenge of the Azeri authorities. According to Yesayan, after the genocide of Sumgayit's Armenian population by the Azeri authorities, Azerbaijan declared a war on the Armenian people transforming the political process of the settlement of the NKR problem into an armed inter-ethnic conflict aimed at forced deportation of the Armenian population of the region. Oleg Yesayan said that by Sumgayit massacres Azerbaijan declared a large-scale war upon NKR and Armenia. He stressed that the authorities, political and public circles, the intelligensia of the neighbouring country are continuing to create an atmosphere of national irreconcilability and hostility towards Armenians which is directly connected with the ideology of racism. "Considering the massacres in Sumgayit at state level, we re-affirm that Nagorno-Karabakh Republic will consistently seek to international recognition of the fact of the genocide of the Armenian people in Azerbaijan. This crime has no long standing, and those guilty must be accused by all means," Yesayan said. The meeting participants delivered an address to the UN, other international organizations and the presidents of the OSCE co-chair-states for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. The address includes a proposal to initiate an open judicial process against the organizers and executors of the genocide in Sumgayit, Baku and other regions of Azerbaijan. Some other public and public-political organizations of the NKR also spoke at the meeting. Condemnig any violation of human rights, the authors of the address urged all international instances to give a proper assessment to the Armenian Genocide in Sumgayit

NDI CALLS ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES FOR RELEASE OF OPPOSITION CAMPAIGNERS

FEBRUARY 28. The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is deeply concerned about the administrative detention by Armenian authorities of many opposition campaigners for a period that extends beyond the March 5 presidential runoff election. According to the NDI's statement received by ARMINFO today, beginning in the early hours of February 22, police began detaining opposition activists for alleged hooliganism and/or participation in unsanctioned rallies. About 100 such persons were initially detained, and reliable reports place the number now as many as 200; more than 35 have been sentenced for up to 15 days in jail under a section of the administrative code that the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly urged be abolished. The statement says, "Every government has an obligation to respect the freedoms of assembly, association and speech, which are prerequisites to democratic political competition, just as they have an obligation to maintain lawful order. Arbitrary or disproportionate use of administrative or criminal sanctions in a political campaign period is a form of political discrimination that violates international standards and commitments th respect human rights as well as obligations to organize genuine elections. All opposition campaigners thus held should be released immediately from custody. Fair political competition is subverted every day opposition supporters are thus held. At the same time, the opposition and others must fully respect the law and the rights of everyone. Any calls for use of violence or unconstitutional actions are not legitimate responses to electoral grievances. The flaws in the February 19 election process reported by international and domestic election observers, including ballot box stuffing and irregularities in the tabulation of results, and a disturbing continuation of illicit practices from past elections. As noted by NDI's pre-election delegation, Armenia has the capacity to organize genuine elections if it demonstrates the political will to break cleanly from such practices. In the five days remaining before the runoff election both candidates' campaigns must respect the law, and all government and security forces must be politically neutral. Attempts to improperly influence voters, to interfere with campaigning and to manipulate the electoral outcome must cease so that the voters in Armenia may express freely their will at the ballot box on March 5 in order to establish a legitimate electoral mandate."

ARMENIA'S CASSATION COURT KEPT IN FORCES DECISION OF COURT OF APPEALS AND COURT OF FIRST INSTANCES ON SUITS OF EX FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARMENIA

FEBRUARY 28. The Cassation Court of Armenia, in fact, kept in force the decision of the Court of Appeals of Armenia and the court of first instance of Yerevan's community Center and Nork-Marash concerning the suits of the ex foreign minister of Armenia, and now the Head of the Center of national and strategic researches Raffi Hovhannisian. By a decision of the Chamber on civil and economic affairs of the Cassation Court of Armenia, the requirement of the ex candidate on making amendments to the decree of the president on granting him citizenship since 1991 was rejected, and the remaining part of the requirements of Raffi Hovhannisian was not changed. It should be noted that making an application, and then presenting a full package of documents to the Central electoral commission of Armenia for taking part in the presidential election, Raffi Hovhannisian at the same time appealed to the court with a claim. He insisted on that the decree of Armenia's president from Aug 10, 2001 on granting him citizenship of the Republic of Armenia was changed, and the words "since Sept of 1991" were introduced in the decree, i.d. since the moment of Hovhannisian's first appeal with a request to grant him Armenian passport. Besides, the ex foreign minister of Armenia in his suit qualified the actions of the presidential administration as "inactivity", as during 10 years ha had not got any response to his appeals, which, in his opinion, is infringement of his civil rights. In its turn, the responder, taking into account the fact that Raffi Hovhannisian before 2001 didn't refuse the citizenship of the USA, in all the legal instances referring to the 14th article of Armenia's Constitution, according to which a citizens of the foreign state cannot become an Armenian citizen at the same time, as there isn't the law in the republic on dual citizenship. As a result, the court of first instance on Jan 9, 2003 made a decision in favor of the responder, Raffi Hovhannissian appealed the decision at the Court of Appeals, which kept the decision in force. Today's verdict of the Cassation Court confirmed the decisions made early. As the authorized representative of Raffi Hovhannisian, the lawyer Hrayr Towmasian recently told ARMINFO, Hovhannisian intends "to win justice" at all the legal instances of Armenia, and if it doesn't bring a result, then he will appeal to the European Court on human rights in Strasbourg.