NKR urges Armenian MPs to present NK position to Int’l Community

NKR urges Armenian MPs to present the position of the Karabakh side to
the international community more actively

ArmRadio.am
28.04.2006 13:28

NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan urged Armenian parliamentarians to
present the position of the Karabakh side to the international
community more actively.

Arkadi Ghukasyan said this during the meeting with the delegation of
Armenian MPs headed by NA Vice-Speaker Tigran Torosyan. The delegation
was participating in the sitting of the Parliamentary Cooperation
Commission of NKR and Armenia. During the meeting issues related to
expansion of parliamentary cooperation and development were discussed.

Tigran Torosyan positively assessed the results of the two-day work of
the Commission and declared that an agreement has been reached to
include issues of economic integration of NKR and Armenia in the
agenda of the next sitting.

The Vice-Speaker of RA National Assembly underlined the importance of
exchange of views with Karabakh parliamentarians and also expressed
his support for activation of relations.

Turkish paper turns to George Bush’s address to the Armenian people

From: [email protected]
Subject: Turkish paper turns to George Bush’s address to the Armenian people

Turkish newspaper turns to George Bush’s address to the Armenian people

ArmRadio.am
28.04.2006 12:21

Turkish `Radikal’ writes that the only factor that overshadows US
State Secretary Condoleezza Rice’s visit to Ankara is US President
George Bush’s April 24th address to the Armenian people on the
occasion of the day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.

Although Bush avoided using the word `genocide’ in his speech, he made
reference to the `report characterizing 1915 events as genocide,’ thus
going one step forward than the previous US Presidents.

`With such position Bush caused damage to Turkish-American relations,’
the newspaper wrote.

Bush-Aliev meeting expected in Washington: Situation in Iran, NK

Bush-Aliev meeting expected in Washington: Situation in Iran and the
Karabakh conflict (analysis)

ArmRadio.am
28.04.2006 15:55

Today US President George Bush will receive Azeri President Ilham
Aliev in the White House. The negotiations will focus on the situation
over Iran and the prospects of resolution of the Karabakh
conflict. Aliev has already declared that Azerbaijan will not join any
possible military action against Iran. Today the Azeri President is
scheduled to meet also Vice-President Dick Cheney and Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Washington recognized the independence of
Azerbaijan at the end of 1991, in March 1992 US Embassy was opened in
Baku. The highest US Official that visited Azerbaijan during the next
15 years was Secretary of State James Backer: February 12, 1992 the
State Secretary visited Tbilisi, Yerevan and Baku in the framework of
a regional visit.

Instead, higher officials of Azerbaijan have paid visits to
Washington. Heydar Aliev visited US twice. In 2001 Heydar Aliev and
Robert Kocharyan held negotiations in Key West, Florida, after which
on the way back Bush, Jr. had short meetings with Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan. It should be reminded also that in May 1999 in
the framework of celebration of the 50th anniversary of NATO, US
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright started the series of meetings
between Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents, which continues up until
now.

Generally, for the US Azerbaijan is considered one of the most
important countries in the Caspian Basin. The most serious issues,
which has existed and exist in Washington-Baku relations are the
question of democracy and violation of human rights in
Azerbaijan. There have been no elections except for the presidential
ones in 1992, which the US would consider democratic. Moreover, in
summer 1993, when Heydar Aliev seized power through a military-state
revolution, for a certain period of time those in Washington
considered Elchibey the President of Azerbaijan. Despite the critical
position because of the election frauds, the US executed no sanction
against Baku. It was only once that the US executed sanctions in 1992,
since Azerbaijan blockaded Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. The question
here is about correction 907, which actually lost its force after the
terrorist act of September 2001.

How do those in Baku comment Ilham Aliev’s visit to Washington and the
American-Azerbaijani relations.

Asim Mollazade, Azeri PM, `The is of great importance for development
of relations between Baku and Washington. Today US is actively
involved in the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict. This
question will become central in the negotiations. The cooperation
between the two countries in the sphere of energy is no less
important.’

Isa Ghambar, President of `Musavat’ Party, `For a long time Ilham
Aliev was not invited to Washington. The reason was the mass frauds
during 2003 presidential elections.’

Armenian officer wounded in ceasefire violation

Armenian officer wounded in ceasefire violation

Arminfo
28 Apr 06

Yerevan, 28 April: An officer of the Armenian armed forces has been
wounded in a ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side.

The Armenian Defence Ministry press service has reported that at about
1530 yesterday [1030 gmt 27 April], the Azerbaijani side fired on a
section of Idzhevan-Noyemberyan road. As a result, Sr Sgt Gegam
Mikhayelyan, who was travelling in a Kamaz lorry, was wounded. The
officer was admitted to Noyemberyan city hospital at about 1600 [1100
gmt]. Doctors describe his condition as satisfactory.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian foreign minister holds consultations in Karabakh

Armenian foreign minister holds consultations in Karabakh

Regnum, Moscow
28 Apr 06

27 April: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan is paying a
two-day visit to Nagornyy Karabakh. The visit is aimed at holding
consultations.

Oskanyan has already met Nagornyy Karabakh foreign minister Georgiy
Petrosyan and the ministry staff, a Regnum correspondent has reported
from Stepanakert.

It is also planned that Oskanyan will have meetings with Nagornyy
Karabakh president Arkadiy Gukasyan, prime minister Anushavan
Daniyelyan, parliament speaker Ashot Gulyan. Oskanyan will also make a
speech at Artsakh state university.

Iran expected to top agenda in Washington talks between Aliyev, Bush

Iran expected to top agenda in Washington talks between Azerbaijani
president, Bush

AP Worldstream; Apr 28, 2006
AIDA SULTANOVA

Iran is expected to figure prominently in Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliev’s White House meeting with President George W. Bush on Friday.

Aliev, however, has made it clear from the start of his Washington
visit that he would not allow his Caspian Sea country to be used for
any operations against its neighbor.

“We think that diplomatic efforts should be stepped up for settling
all questions that arise between the United States and Iran,”
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told reporters in
Washington on Thursday.

Calling Iran “our big neighbor,” Mammadyarov emphasized that the two
countries “share history, culture and religion,” and that Iran
guarantees Azerbaijan transit rights for land shipments and provides
gas supplies to its Nakhichevan enclave, cut off by Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh.

“All this plays a great role when we speak about the situation around
Iran.”

Separately, a report being released Friday by the chief of the
U.N. nuclear watchdog, Mohamed ElBaradei, on Iran’s nuclear program is
expected to conclude that Tehran has failed to meet a deadline for
complying with U.N. Security Council requests to suspend uranium
enrichment.

Senior U.S. administration officials said Thursday that the White
House discussion with Aliev would address the growing number of
countries united in their concern about Iran’s nuclear ambitions. They
stressed that Aliev has what one called “a close perspective on Iran”
and that he would be able to share his views with Bush.

As for the U.S. side, its interest is in ensuring Azerbaijan and the
United States have a shared understanding of the concerns posed by
Iran.

Mammadyarov said that the Bush-Aliev meeting signified the two
countries were entering a new level of cooperation as Azerbaijan
becomes a key energy transit country. The newly built
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, which provides an alternative to Russian
routes and energy sources in the volatile Middle East, is scheduled to
deliver the first shipments of Caspian Sea oil to Western markets this
June.

In the fall, the new Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipeline will provide a
new source of energy for the Turkish market.

“This answers our national interest and signifies the strengthening of
Azerbaijan’s independence, of our position on the international arena
and the region,” Mammadyarov told The Associated Press in an
interview.

The senior U.S. administration officials said that Azerbaijan’s
interest in U.S. help in developing energy markets gave Washington
leverage on the question of democracy promotion in the former Soviet
republic. The White House meeting will address democracy concerns,
including the last two parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan that did
not meet international standards, they said.

Azerbaijani officials also hope Bush and Aliev will discuss the
18-year-old conflict over the ethnic Armenian-dominated enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh. At least 30,000 people were killed and 1 million
made refugees during six years of war that ended with a shaky
cease-fire in 1994. Ethnic Armenian forces occupy the enclave inside
Azerbaijan.

The United States, together with Russia and the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, is trying to mediate a resolution.

___

Associated Press writer Tom Raum contributed to this story.

Rustamyan: Parliament drafting ‘roadmap’ on NK conflict settlement

Armen Rustamyan :Armenian Parliament is drafting a ‘roadmap’ plan on
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement

28.04.2006 13:33

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Standing Commission on Foreign Relations of
Armenian National Assembly (NA) is working on a new plan of settlement
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The plan was initiated by members of the
Commission.

According to the Committee Chair Armen Rustamyan, the plan was due
long time ago. It will give an impetus for parliamentaries of
different political affiliations to develop a joint clear stand on the
NK conflict resolution. To achieve this goal, commission members have
already applied to the 14 political parties represented in the
Armenian Parliament to submit their proposals on statements made in
the report on parliament hearings on Nagorno-Karabakh issue held on
May 29-30, 2005.

Spring Floods Last in Armenia

SPRING FLOODS LAST IN ARMENIA

Yerevan, April 27. ArmInfo. Spring floods last in Armenia.

As ArmInfo was informed in the Rescue Service of Armenia, the water
level in the Vedi river vastly increased because-of heavy rains and a
threat of the pump station flood in the settlement Gor on the
Vedi-Ararat 2 km road appeared. Damage control is carried out at
present. A support wall collapsed the same day on the Vaik-Azatek 2 km
road having blocked off the traffic. As a result of it, cracks
appeared and a stone fall happened. Repair-and-renewal operations are
carried out at present. Water level increase in the Razdan river
caused flooding of wheat crops in the villages Sis, Noramarg, Sipanik,
as well as of farmlands of 14 houses in the village Sayat-Nova. There
is threat of settlements’ flood. Moreover, the overflowed river Pambak
flooded the railway section not far from the “Rus” restaurant on the
Spitak-Vanadzor highway. Engineering works are carried out.

Armenian Dialectics

From: [email protected]
Subject: Armenian Dialectics

ARMENIAN DIALECTICS

Aravot.am
27 April 06

Why do people in the country like Armenia climb to power? To earn
money, in particularly in illegal ways. And why do people aspire to
earn money / it isn’t spoken of necessary money for food and clothes/?
For filling higher posts by investing that money. And so on. In short
we deal with the chain of dialectics here about which Hegel and Marx
have written a lot. And using the latter’s idea we can draw the
universal formula of so called `political life’ of Armenia;
`money’-`authority’-`money1′-`authority1′ , `money2′-`authotrity2′
etc. Where the difference of `money1′ and `money’ is equal to the
effectiveness of authority levers and «authority1» minus
«authority» is equal to the sums given to the voting
mass and officials.

The logic of coming parliamentary elections is just in this
formula. Naturally the nominated parties and candidates won’t say;
«I want to become a deputy for keeping my property and become
more wealthy». They will speak about nation, country,
democracy, Karabakh and other right things. But those words will be
pronounced mechanically and `in favor of ethics’, nobody believes in
those words any more, and the essence of motivations is hidden in the
above-mentioned formula.

Starting the pre-electoral campaign is meaningless without money. We
everybody remember how Lyov of Alraghats whose first and last read
book is the Alphabet, won the professor Ludmila Haroutiunian in the
parliamentary elections in 1999. We should have good relations with
the authority for earning money otherwise we’ll be bankrupted or
arrested whatever powerful oligarch you are. And more, young persons
from power structures say politely to wealthy person before every
pre-electoral campaign; `You earn money in this country, so you must
pay’. And those wealthy persons pay money in favor of a candidate of
the authority.

Consequently the opposition doesn’t have any chance in the coming
parliamentary elections and some percents will be written for it for
the CE doesn’t get angry. Certainly the opposition can find
alternative sources of money out of Armenia. But it will be the worst
version.

Aram Abrahamian

`We Have Nothing To Hide’

From: [email protected]
Subject: `We Have Nothing To Hide’

`WE HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE’

Aravot.am
27 April 06

The representatives of opposition parties say don’t worrying at all
about agents who pursuit them.

The leader of `New Times’ party made sensational revelations about
agents found in the `New Times’ after the operation towards the leader
of that party and his bodyguards by the RA NSS. We should remind the
A. Karapetian declared on 21 of April that there were 14 agents of
power structures in his party, two of which were dismissed for their
bad behavior. A. Karapetian didn’t give names at that time but
elucidated that «nicknames of some of them were said to their
bosses» and he didn’t exclude that the warm attitude of power
structures had connection with it. Whether «NT» is the
only party in the opposition where the power structures have their
agents.

The leader of «Republic» party Aram Sargsian answered to
this question; «In my opinion, the RA National Security Service
has been engaged in inter political and economic problems for about
5-6 years for solving own problems. And more, it is much possible that
the NSS tries to have its agents in the parties. As regards the
«Republic», I belong to those politicians who don’t deal
with the persons if they suspect them. I don’t think there are such
persons in our party. But I’m sure; everything is recorded in our
party. And they try to involve persons in new-formed parties for
disparting parties and putting some ideas. Our party has its
prehistory. People who passed a long way with Vazgen and each other
gather here, irrespective of the circumstance whether they have been
party members or not. But nobody is guaranteed from such things. The
authorities want to control everyone, especially the
oppositionists. But in my opinion such kind of agents are in the
authority more where people in their offices speak frightened than we
do, knowing that we are listened. Let them listen to us, we have
nothing to hide».

The PPA press speaker Ruzan Khachatrian repeated this thought;
«I consider possible the involvement of those agents. But it
isn’t understandable for me the mechanism by which the
«NT» has found them. But everything is possible. By the
way that practice is not only used by the power structures. Other
agents from other parties are involved in another parties who are
members of a party but work in favor of another. I mean the political
field in general. If there are some mechanisms of detecting agents,
let’s ask Mr. Karapetian to publish those methods».

Whether the PPA is insured against the NSS activities, or example
pursuit of party members, listening the offices. `We aren’t only
insured but also sure that it is listened. We don’t have certain
facts, but we are sure that phones can be listened as that practice is
used in Armenia. As regards the pursuit, I have felt for some times
that I’m pursued. It was after 27 of October. As regards the party
leaders, I’m sure, each their step is pursued by microscope.

Naira Mamikonian