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05/24/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Bush Nominates New Ambassador to Armenia 2) Azeri Statement Does Not Correspond to Ongoing Negotiations 3) OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen to Arrive in Armenia May 25 4) Greece Condemns Turkey over Fighter Jet Crash 5) Western Prelacy Elects New Council Members And Delegates 6) Second Black Box from Crashed Armenian Airbus Recovered 1) Bush Nominates New Ambassador to Armenia (Combined Sources)--The White House announced on Tuesday that President George W. Bush will ask the US Senate to endorse his nomination of Richard E. Hoagland as the new US Ambassador to Armenia to replace outgoing Ambassador John Evans. Hoagland is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor. Currently, he is serving as the US ambassador to Tajikistan. 2) Azeri Statement Does Not Correspond to Ongoing Negotiations YEREVAN (Armenpress)--The Armenian Foreign Ministry responded Wednesday to a statement made by Azeri Foreign Affairs Minister Elmar Mamedyarov, in which he advocated a step-by-step solution to the Karabagh conflict. "We are once again surprised that the Azerbaijani side tries to present such an approach to the public, which does not correspond to the content of the negotiations over the Karabagh conflict regulation," said spokesman for the Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministry Vladimir Karapetian. Azeri media outlets reported Tuesday that Mamedyarov stated that the optimal regulation of the Karabagh conflict would be a "stage-by-stage" solution and that only after the return of the refugees it will be possible to discuss status of Karabagh. "We have stated many times that to reach a mutually acceptable agreement, Azerbaijan should first recognize the right to self-determination of Nagorno Karabagh's people," said Karapetian, adding that only then will it be possible to discuss eliminating "consequences of the war." 3) OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen to Arrive in Armenia May 25 YEREVAN (Armenpress/Yerkir)The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group co-chairmen Yuri Merzlyakov, Steven Mann, and Bernard Fassier will visit Armenia on May 25. The delegation will also include Russian Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Grigori Karasin, Director of the political affairs department at the French Foreign Affairs Ministry Stanislaus De Labouillet, and US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried, reported the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The delegation will meet with Armenian President Robert Kocharian and Foreign Affairs Minister Vartan Oskanian to discuss the current round of the Karabagh conflict regulation process and the possibility of another meeting between the Armenian and Azeri presidents. The Russian, French, and American co-chairs also visited Baku and Karabagh prior to their visit to Yerevan. 4) Greece Condemns Turkey over Fighter Jet Crash PARIS (Reuters)The Prime Minister of Greece Costas Karamanlis condemned Turkey on Wednesday for its part in a crash involving Turkish and Greek fighter jets over the Aegean and said such incidents did not tally with Ankara's ambition to join the European Union. NATO members Greece and Turkey have blamed each other for the crash in disputed air space on Tuesday. "Yesterday's incident should be a signal... to persuade Turkey to abandon such tactics which do not tally with its European perspectives," Karamanlis told a news conference in Paris. A warming in relations between the two long-time foes has been vital to Turkey's drive to join the European Union. Athens' backing of Ankara's candidature in 1999 opened the door to negotiations now taking place with Brussels. Asked whether the incident would prompt changes in Greece's strategy regarding Turkey's EU path, Karamanlis said: "All this is taken into consideration vis-a-vis the European perspectives of Turkey. All behaviors are taken into consideration." The two countries, who came close to war as recently as 1996, have improved ties but have yet to resolve territorial disputes in the Aegean Sea and over the divided island of Cyprus. 5) Western Prelacy Elects New Council Members And Delegates The Western Prelacy held its 34th National Representative Assembly on Friday and Saturday, during which new Religious Council members and Delegates for the Catholicosate's General Assembly were elected. The Assembly, conducted under the auspices of Prelate, Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, also discussed the activities of the Religious and Executive Councils of the previous year and various other issues. The Assembly then proceeded to conduct elections. The following is the list of the newly elected members: Religious Council Members: Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian, Very Rev. Fr. Barthev Gulumian, Rev. Fr. Vahan Gosdanian, Rev. Fr. Vazken Atmajian, Rev. Fr. Ardak Demirjian, Rev. Fr. Razmig Khatchadourian, and Rev. Fr. Gomidas Torossian. Executive Council Members: Dr. Garo Agopian, Dr. Hagop Der Megerdichian, Mr. Vahan Bezdikian, Mr. Boghos Sassounian, Mr. Garbis Bezdjian, Mr. Garo Avakian, Mr. Mher Der Ohanessian, Dr. Navasart Kazazian, Mr. Nerses Melkonian, Mr. Vahe Havaguimian, and Mr. Varoujan Der Simonian. General Assembly Delegates: Mr. Khajag Dikijian, Mr. Hrair Balian, Mr. Armand Keosian, Esq., Mr. Peklar Pilavjian, Dr. Hagop Der Megerdichian, Mr. Vahan Bezdikian, Mr. Garbis Bezdjian, Mr. Boghos Sassounian, Mr. Hagop Yedalian, Mr. Garo Avakian, Mr. Noubar Demirjian, Dr. Hagop Dickranian, Dr. Garo Agopian, Mr. Khatchig Yeretzian, and Deacon Mark Shirin. Substitute Delegates: Mr. Krikor Sulahian, Mr. Sarkis Kitsinian, and Mr.Vartan Minassian. 6) Second Black Box from Crashed Armenian Airbus Recovered (AP)--Russian search teams recovered Wednesday the second flight recorder from an Armenian airliner that crashed into the Black Sea three weeks ago, killing all 113 people aboard, local media reported. The flight data recorder was lifted by a diving apparatus from a depth of about 1,640 feet (500 meters) after it was separated from a thick layer of silt, said Transport Ministry spokeswoman Svetlana Kryshtanovskaya, according to the RIA-Novosti news agency. The black box was discovered within 16 meters (50 feet) from the spot where workers on Monday found the plane's cockpit voice recorder. Russian television channels showed footage of a yellow, remote-controlled apparatus lifting the red recorder from the sea surface. Investigators hope the two recorders will help determine why the Armavia Airbus A-320 plane plunged into the sea on May 3 amid heavy rain and poor visibility. The flight was en route from Yerevan to the southern Russian sea resort Sochi. All passengers and crew members on board were killed. Prosecutors almost immediately dismissed the possibility that terrorists had brought the plane down, and officials point to rough weather or pilot error as the likely cause. Armavia officials have suggested, however, that air traffic controllers were at least partly to blame. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. 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