Month: May 2008

MAGSIG, POOCHIGIAN IN HIGH GEAR: SUPERVISOR RACE EXPENSIVE AMONG JUNE CONTESTS.

by Kerri Ginis

The Fresno Bee (California)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
May 12, 2008 Monday

May 12–An expensive and intense race is unfolding between the two
candidates battling for the only open seat on the Fresno County Board
of Supervisors.

With incumbent Bob Waterston bowing out after eight years on the board,
Nathan Magsig and Deborah Poochigian are tirelessly campaigning for
his job to represent District 5 — which covers 3,000 square miles
that includes most of Clovis and the foothill communities.

This is one of the most expensive races in the June election with
the two candidates raising more than $1 million between them. Most
of the money in both campaigns is coming from people and businesses
in Fresno County.

The two candidates agree on most issues, but suggest different ways
for dealing with the county’s budget woes and the role the county
should play in economic development.

They also squabble about who is more qualified for the position.

Magsig, a Clovis City Council member for eight years, touts his
political background and vast knowledge of budgeting and government
services. Poochigian, a self-employed consultant, points to her
business and farming background as well as her ties to a prominent
political family — her late father, Deran Koligian, was a county
supervisor and she’s married to former state Sen. Chuck Poochigian.

Both candidates describe themselves as fiscally conservative. They
want to preserve agricultural land, limit development in areas with
water shortages and keep public safety the top priority for funding
in the county budget.

They also agree that county departments are going to have to make
cuts to keep expenses down. For years, the county hasn’t had enough
money to keep up with rising expenses.

Said Magsig: "We’re going to have to buckle down. There’s no other
choice."

Poochigian says the county has to control spending: "We have to
ask the department heads to become more efficient, to cut costs and
consolidate services."

Their approaches for increasing discretionary money — cash supervisors
spend as they please — offers the most glaring difference between
the two.

Magsig said he wants the county to build 1,000-acre or larger business
parks to drum up more property taxes and create jobs. Poochigian
said the county isn’t in the development business and should instead
increase reserves, consolidate services and focus on tourism.

Magsig, 31, a nearly 20-year resident of the county who comes from
a family of pastors, says county supervisor is a natural progression
in his political career. He says he is committed to local government
and wants to ensure that Fresno County is a place where young people
stay to raise their families.

"I feel I do have the upper hand in this race because I bring that
local government experience to the table," said the father of three
young sons.

The 55-year-old Poochigian — who grew up on a family farm speaking
only Armenian as a young child — has never held a public office. But
the mother of three grown children says she has more life experiences
than Magsig.

"I don’t think you need to be a politician to run for office," said
Poochigian, who consults for nonprofits and political campaigns. "I
have experience in making business decisions."

Waterston hasn’t endorsed either candidate. He said Magsig is the only
one who has asked for his help. Waterston said he believes Magsig may
be more qualified for the job because Poochigian isn’t well-versed
in government.

"I just think that there’s a difference in knowledge between the
two," he said. "I don’t think Debbie’s done her homework at all in
the issues that face the county."

Poochigian says her opponent has too many ties to local developers
and unions, which could influence his votes on issues.

Magsig is executive director of the Coalition for Urban Renewal
Excellence (CURE) — a nonprofit foundation that builds homes for
needy families. The nonprofit partners with local developers on
some projects.

He has also been endorsed by the Fresno Deputy Sheriffs Association
and other law enforcement unions.

But Magsig says he’s not pro- or anti-union. He also plans to
quit his job with CURE if he’s elected, so he can be a full-time
supervisor. County supervisors earn $107,273 a year.

"As a supervisor, I’m going to reach out to every group, regardless
of whether they are a deputy or a home health-care worker, and be
aware of all the issues affecting the county," he said.

But some of those union endorsements may benefit Magsig financially
as he tries to keep pace with Poochigian, who has outraised him in
the campaign.

As of March 17, the end of the last reporting period, Poochigian
has more than $515,000 in her campaign account. Magsig has more than
$355,000 — including nearly $200,000 he transferred from his City
Council campaign fund.

A Bee analysis of campaign donations shows that about 25% of the
money Poochigian has raised since July has come from agricultural
interests. Another 21% has come from professionals, which includes
accountants, lawyers and teachers. She’s also received 19% from
businesses.

About 46% of the money Magsig has raised since July came from the
building industry, a Bee analysis shows. Another 29% came from
businesses.

Already, the candidates are spending their money on television and
radio spots. Magsig also is filtering campaign information through
almost-weekly press releases.

Magsig, who has been much more visible in the campaign, has criticized
his opponent for not debating him on the issues in the race. He sent
out a recent press release asking, "Where’s Debbie hiding?"

Poochigian said Magsig’s assessment is untrue — she says she is
attending debates and has been holding town-hall meetings with
constituents in the foothill and mountain communities.

The approach Magsig has taken in the campaign is typical of someone
who is behind in the race, said Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, a political
analyst at the University of Southern California.

"It’s really politics 101," Jeffe said. "He’s got to get
exposure. Every candidate who needs to do that, does that."

Jeffe said Poochigian’s more low-key approach is a "front-runner
strategy."

Said Jeffe: "At this point, she doesn’t want to stumble."

Magsig says he’s not behind and just wants to ensure that voters have
all the information they need when they head to the polls. Poochigian
says she is not taking anything for granted and will continue to work
hard until the June election.

The Bee asked the two candidates about their views on a variety
of issues facing Fresno County. Here are their responses, edited
for space:

Budget

Magsig: Public safety is my top priority and I would fight to make
sure it was funded at the highest level possible. I would look to
consolidate services such as dispatch to create more efficiencies and
save money. I also believe cuts need to start at the top. Management
positions would be on the table and those positions which are
superfluous would be eliminated.

Poochigian: Consolidating services, cutting costs and eliminating
wasteful spending are ways to increase the amount of money in the
county budget. Recognizing that some programs have little room to cut,
I believe it is essential to find ways to grow the economy and provide
vital services — without raising taxes.

Retirement

Magsig: The current system was negotiated in good faith by previous
supervisors so we really couldn’t change it, even if we wanted
to. Going forward, however, we should create a new retirement system
for new hires that combines both a defined contribution and a less
generous defined benefit.

Poochigian: We must assure that decisions involving the retirement
system reflect proper actuarial principles and are based on realistic
projections of return on investment, etc. Leadership requires asking
tough questions and making tough decisions.

Agriculture

Magsig: As a supervisor, I will work with local legislators to keep
the Williamson Act. Why? Because elimination of this act could mean an
immediate loss of over $6 million to the general fund of the county. If
the state does not continue the program it will be difficult for the
county to absorb this loss in the short term.

Poochigian: Fresno County is the number one agricultural county in the
United States. The Williamson Act has been a very important tool in
preserving prime ag land and providing some tax relief that serves
not only the interest of the farmers and ranchers, but the public
as well. I will strongly advocate for preservation of ag land and
open spaces.

Economic development

Magsig: Investing in business parks would provide an opportunity for
thousands of new jobs to be created. We have great people here in
Fresno County. I would work to bring more high paying jobs to match
our talent.

Poochigian: We must adopt policies that recognize the essential value
of the private sector for creating jobs and growing the economy,
promote educational opportunities and innovative programs that
attract and encourage the best talents in fields such as business,
agriculture and technology.

Water

Magsig: The county needs a water master plan. I would like to see
developing communities all utilizing water reuse facilities. These
facilities will clean and purify gray water so communities can get
a double use out of water for landscaping. Before I would allow a
development, I would require the developer to prove that adequate
water existed to supply water to the new development without affecting
surrounding property owners.

Poochigian: Sound planning necessitates careful consideration of the
availability of a reliable water supply for new developments. In fact,
there are statutory requirements for findings on large-scale projects
to assure adequate water supply. Overdrawn groundwater supplies,
droughts, reduced sources due to state and federal court decisions
and the failure of government leaders complicate a serious problem.

ART FRAMES COLORFUL LIFE OF SAROYAN: WRITER IS THE INSPIRATION FOR CAROL TIKIJIAN’S ART MUSEUM SHOW.
by Felicia Cousart Matlosz

The Fresno Bee (California)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Business News
May 12, 2008 Monday

May 12–Artist Carol Tikijian’s 15-year journey via a black-and-white
dotted line has led her to the planetary steps of William Saroyan.

In a vivid contemporary exhibit at the Fresno Art Museum, Tikijian’s
six door-sized, gold-accented mixed media panels — as well as her
intricate black-and-white drawings — thrive against the deep-hued
red walls of the gallery. One panel is called "Come On-a My House,"
a cozy memory of an Armenian grandmother’s home: a red Persian rug;
pomegranates piled in a large, antique pot; a small kitchen device
used to make Armenian coffee; and a quilt popping with small squares
in all kinds of color.

Of course, that title also is the name of the famous Rosemary Clooney
1951 hit song written by Saroyan and his cousin, Ross Bagdasarian. As
you spend time in the exhibit, the lively tune plays in a regular
rotation. Clooney’s warm voice is a connective point for this art that
is a biographical take on the famous writer, his Armenian ancestry
and his world.

The other link flows from Tikijian’s black-and-white dotted line. She
says she started using the line as a metaphor for a journey or a
path. So, in this show, it follows Saroyan’s path. It’s there, running
down the right side of "Come On-a My House." Or providing a large
circle for a floor installation marking moments in Saroyan’s life.

The exhibit, which ends Sunday, is called "Why Abstract? William
Saroyan’s Dotted Line." The term "Why Abstract?" is the title of
a 1945 book mostly written by Hilaire Hiler (sounds like, as Time
magazine once said, kill-care smiler). Hiler was many things, including
a painter, a musician and a psychologist whose paths crossed with
Saroyan. Tikijian says that Saroyan contributed to the book, writing
about how artists feel more deeply and sense things more deeply.

The show comes in a year celebrating the centennial of Saroyan’s
birth in Fresno in 1908. Tikijian’s aim is that visitors leave the
gallery with an enhanced insight into Saroyan.

"I don’t expect people to understand what I’m doing cold," says
Tikijian, who has been an exhibiting artist for more than 30 years
and is a member of Gallery 25 in Fresno. "I know that’s not going to
happen, but if they just glean an essence that might lead them toward
an understanding — of, in this case, William Saroyan — that’s what
I hope to do."

Tikijian’s art here is accessible. "I like art that is open-ended,"
she says. "I like people to bring their own interpretations to
it. Oftentimes, I’m pleasantly surprised by what someone gets out of
it that I didn’t put into it intentionally."

The exhibit sprung from an invitation by Jacquelin Pilar, the museum’s
curator. "Carol has such an immediate sense of living life in a full
way," says Pilar, who adds that there’s a "real vibrancy" to Tikijian
and her art.

Pilar says visitors "absolutely love" the exhibit. It also will be
shown in the fall at a Merced arts center.

"Her work is expressive, and I felt that she brought to this work
the kind of characteristics that Saroyan also brought to his work."

Which brings us back to "Come On-a My House." Tikijian says she was
thinking of what her grandmother’s home was like in creating the
panel. And Saroyan is there, not just in the title of the song he
co-wrote or in the lyrics painted in the background, but physically as
well. A framed photo of him as an older man sits on what looks like
the end of an aged, narrow white-wooden table. Next to the picture
is a glass jar of pennies.

Tikijian, who did a lot of research for her exhibit, explains the
pennies connect to Saroyan’s brilliant short story, "The Daring
Young Man on the Flying Trapeze," about a young writer dying of
starvation. She says the main character finds a penny in a gutter
and wonders how many pennies it takes to stay alive.

Those are the kind of layers that deepen this exhibition. The floor
installation, for example, includes a Saroyan bicycle on loan from the
Fresno Metropolitan Museum, and two piles of earth, one from Fresno and
one from Armenia. Tikijian says his ashes are buried in both places.

"It is like the beginning and ending of his life," she says. "And
earth is an important part of his writing. He talks about the earth
and being from the Central Valley."

There also is a crate of lettuce, marking the time Tikijian saw
Saroyan. She was a student at California State University, Fresno,
in the early 1970s. Saroyan spoke to a club to which she belonged, and
several agriculture majors were there as well. She remembers Saroyan
spoke in support of farm labor leader Cesar Chavez’s lettuce boycott,
and the ag students stomped out: "It really stayed with me."

The gallery is divided into two spaces. Nine exquisite and intricate
black-and-white drawings line the walls toward the back. They feature
circular and labyrinth patterns — representing, for example, Saroyan’s
bicycle wheels and travel, meditative journeys and direction. Feathers
symbolize him as a writer and a free spirit. His written words also
are incorporated into these designs, as they are in the panels.

It was important to Tikijian to present a fully dimensional
Saroyan. Hence, there’s the black-and-white dotted line looping around
a pair of female legs adorned with a youthful black polka-dotted gold
skirt in "Double Helix." The panel reflects aspects of his personal
life, chiefly his relationship with his two children and their mother,
Carol Marcus, whom he twice married and divorced.

There’s also the homage to Armenian people in another panel that
evokes their spirit and strength. The piece includes a powerfully
written passage by Saroyan about his ancestry; the number 1915,
which is the year that the Armenian genocide started; and a pair
of black boots representing those forced out of their homes and,
in many cases, to their deaths.

All these aspects are elements in the 72-year timeline of Saroyan’s
life. As Tikijian says: "I wanted to show a complete William Saroyan."

A GROUP OF NATO EXPERTS ARRIVED TO ARMENIA

DEFENSE and SECURITY
May 12, 2008 Monday
Russia

An expert group of NATO arrived to Armenia on a two-day visit on
May 6, reported Colonel Seiran Shakhsuvaryan, press secretary of the
Defense Minister of Armenia. Shakhsuvaryan added, "The group arrived
to discuss improvements of the military educational programs with the
Defense Ministry of Armenia in the context of signing of an agreement
on continuation of cooperation."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MONITORING FAILED TO REVEAL BREACHES OF THE CEASEFIRE REGIME IN THE ZONE OF THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

DEFENSE and SECURITY
May 12, 2008 Monday
Russia

According to an agreement previously achieved with authorities of
Nagorno-Karabakh, on May 7 the OSCE mission did preplanned monitoring
of the line of contact of the armed forces of Nagorno-Karabakh
and Azerbaijan in the Agdam area. The press service of the Foreign
Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh reported that observation from positions
of the Nagorno-Karabakh army was done by coordinator of the OSCE
office Lieutenant Colonel Imre Palatinus (Hungary) and field aide to
personal representative of the acting OSCE Chair Irzhi Aberle (Czech
Republic). The monitoring was done in accordance with a preplanned
schedule. No breaches of the ceasefire regime were registered.

ABKHAZIAN KNOT: THE RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN CONFLICT PLACES ITS NEIGHBORS IN FRONT OF A CHOICE
by Victor Yadukha

DEFENSE and SECURITY
May 12, 2008 Monday
Russia

AS A RESULT OF A RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN CONFLICT MOSCOW MAY FULLY LOSE
POSITIONS IN TRANSCAUCASIA; Yesterday, Georgian State Minister for
Reintegration, Temur Yakobashvili, announced in Brussels that Georgia
was close to a war. On the same day, Yerevan-based agency PanArmenian
reported with reference to Real Azerbaijan that Baku was going to
provide military assistance to Georgia sending Afghan mojaheds and
its own militants from among the amnestied criminals and Azerbaijanis
living in the CIS. Baku called this report a canard. In any case,
the policy of Azerbaijan may change after the entrance of Georgia
into NATO.

Yesterday, Georgian State Minister for Reintegration, Temur
Yakobashvili, announced in Brussels that Georgia was close to a
war. On the same day, Yerevan-based agency PanArmenian reported with
reference to Real Azerbaijan that Baku was going to provide military
assistance to Georgia sending Afghan mojaheds and its own militants
from among the amnestied criminals and Azerbaijanis living in the
CIS. Baku called this report a canard. In any case, the policy of
Azerbaijan may change after the entrance of Georgia into NATO.

PanArmenian states that it is planned to restart air flights from Baku
to Kabul. The agency explains, "The transportation of big cargoes of
weapons and groups of Afghan mojaheds trained by British instructors
via Azerbaijan to Georgia is expected." According to PanArmenian,
"active recruitment" in Azerbaijani diasporas in Russia and CIS
continued for a month already

Khazar Ibragim, director of the press service of the Foreign Ministry
of Azerbaijan, said, "This is gibberish on which it is impossible
to comment."

Nonetheless, public discussion dedicated to this topic has been going
on in Azerbaijan for a long time. According to political scientist and
diplomat Fikret Sadykhov, despite the good neighborly relations with
Russia, in this conflict Azerbaijan "should take the side of Georgia"
because Azerbaijani hydrocarbons go to the European market through
it and Tbilisi "has always manifested understanding" to the stance
of Azerbaijan regarding Nagorno-Karabakh.

This topic is closely connected with the topic of entrance of the
country into NATO. Recently, President Ilkham Aliev announced that
"proceeding from the current situation, membership of Azerbaijan
in NATO is not discussed." Connection to the present moment is not
incidental. According to military expert Uzeir Dzhafarov, Azerbaijan
will definitely join NATO but only after Georgia. Alexander Skakov
agrees, "So far, Azerbaijan has managed to maneuver but if Georgia
enters into NATO Baku will hardly be able to continue the independent
game." Moreover, according to Skakov, in this case Armenia will be
in NATO too (its devotion to Russia should not be overestimated)
and Western peacekeepers will be inserted into Nagorno-Karabakh. In
this situation Russia can remain in Transcaucasia only by one way,
namely by blocking the entrance of Georgia into NATO.

AIRPLANES ARE THE PRIORITY OR FOR WHOM IS "UNFREEZING" OF THE CONFLICT IN THE CAUCASUS BENEFICIAL?
by Alla Prisyazhnyuk

DEFENSE and SECURITY
May 12, 2008 Monday
Russia

The independence of Abkhazia may lead to problems with revision of
borders between the former subjects of the Soviet Union

ARE HOSTILITIES POSSIBLE ON THE TERRITORY OF ABKHAZIA?; From the
strategic standpoint neither Georgia, nor Russia nor the West are
interested in a local war in the North Caucasus. Any shot in the region
that is waiting for big money may be fatal. Russia is preparing for
the Winter Olympics of 2014 in Sochi. Americans are protecting the
strategically important oil pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and are
cherishing plans to build the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline. However,
opinions of the parties about the ways to solve the Abkhaz problem
differed. The question who pulls the strings of the Georgian-Abkhaz
conflict – Tbilisi, Moscow or Washington – remains unanswered.

>From the strategic standpoint neither Georgia, nor Russia nor the West
are interested in a local war in the North Caucasus. Any shot in the
region that is waiting for big money may be fatal. Russia is preparing
for the Winter Olympics of 2014 in Sochi. Americans are protecting
the strategically important oil pipeline Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and are
cherishing plans to build the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline.

However, opinions of the parties about the ways to solve the
Abkhaz problem differed. The question who pulls the strings of the
Georgian-Abkhaz conflict – Tbilisi, Moscow or Washington – remains
unanswered.

Russia goes too far

The "thaw" of the Georgian conflict, started four years ago, is in
full swing. In 2008, it is going on with the active participation of
Russia. At first, the Russian Defense Minister announced an increase of
the quantity of CIS peacekeepers in Abkhazia from 2,000 to 3,000 and an
arrangement of 15 additional checkpoints. Six weeks ago, Vladimir Putin
issued decrees on the development of relations with these regions.

It is also understandable why it is Abkhazia and not South Ossetia
that is in the focus of Russian-Georgian conflict. First, there is a
deposit of gravel in Abkhazia which is the closest to Sochi and gravel
is used as construction material for Olympic objects. Georgia refers to
environmental problems and protests against gravel extraction. Second,
the Abkhaz labor force is cheaper. Third, Russian passports have been
handed out actively in Abkhazia, which should substantiate actions
of Russia aimed at defending the rights of its citizens.

Pretended war

Experts offer two main versions for escalation of the conflict in the
North Caucasus. The first and the most popular version is that Mikhail
Saakashvili has dared to undertake a risky independent game hoping
to win parliamentary elections on the wave of Georgian patriotism,
to purge the sponsors of the opposition and to increase his rating.

The second version is based on the "American trace." An American
show is being played in the North Caucasus in which the conflicts
in Abkhazia and South Ossetia serve as a disguise for preparation of
the operation in Iran. Sergei Tolstov, director of the institute of
political analysis and international studies, says that "Everything
depends on whether the decision on an attack on Iran is made. If the
decision is positive, according to one of the versions, Saakashvili
simply creates a distractive maneuver."

Future of the Russian-Georgian conflict

Are hostilities possible on the territory of Abkhazia? One way or
the other, everything shows that the parties will not risk starting
a military operation. This war is not beneficial for anyone. Victor
Konstantinov, researcher of the institute for study of Russia, remarks,
"Russia raises the stakes in this game moving combat-ready troops to
Abkhazia to deprive Georgians of the temptation to get involved into
this war." According to Tolstov, the downed airplane actually became
a demonstration of military power of Abkhazia capable of preventing
flights of reconnaissance airplanes above its territory.

At any rate, it is obvious that in case of a war in Abkhazia, Tbilisi
will not be able to resist Russia without American support. For the
US the Georgian problem is far from being its first priority. In
turn, Russia is afraid that in case of at least one shot near Sochi,
the license for conduction of the Olympics may be, if not taken away,
then sanctions will be imposed for sure. Besides, in case of an armed
conflict, Moscow will face harsh pressure on the part of the US and
European Union. If the Abkhaz conflict is viewed as an attempt to
postpone joining Georgia to the NATO Membership Action Plan, it is
bound to fail.

Finally, if the matter comes to this, Russia will have to fight in
Abkhazia all alone, says Sergei Markedonov, director of the section
of problems of inter-ethnic relations of the institute of political
and military analysis. Neither Ukraine, nor Azerbaijan will support
it. Armenia having only two outlets to the outer world via Iran and
Georgia is excluded too. Kazakhstan has problems of its own.

This is just another way that the Russian party tries to present
the Abkhaz situation as a negative consequence of Kosovo’s
self-determination. The Russian expert draws a grim picture: "The
independence of Abkhazia will lead to many other problems: a revision
of post-Soviet borders between the former subjects of the Soviet
Union. This is a precedent worse than Kosovo because in relations with
the Ukraine, there are skeletons in the closet (Crimea, Donbass). There
are questions in the relations with Kazakhstan too. Besides, there
are problems in Ukrainian-Belarusian relations like Polesye, although
they are not so obvious. There are also border disputes with Estonia."

AZERBAIDJAN-ARMENIE: POSSIBLE RENCONTRE ALIEV-SARKISSAIN EN JUIN

RIA Novosti
12 Mai 2008
Russie

BAKOU, 12 mai – RIA Novosti. Une eventuelle rencontre des presidents
azerbaidjanais et armenien, Ilkham Aliev et Serge Sarkissian, pourrait
avoir lieu en juin prochain, a annonce lundi aux journalistes le chef
de la diplomatie azerbaidjanaise Elmar Mamedyarov.

"Nous avons decide de poursuivre les negociations. Une rencontre
pourrait probablement avoir lieu en juin prochain au niveau des
presidents", a ajoute le ministre.

Elmar Mamedyarov et son homologue armenien Edvard Nalbandian se sont
rencontres le 6 mai au siège du Conseil de l’Europe a Strasbourg. Les
deux ministres ont notamment discute de l’eventuelle rencontre
Aliev-Sarkissian

Les co-presidents du groupe de Minsk de l’OSCE sur le Haut Karabakh
le Francais Bernard Fossier, l’Americain Matthew Bryza et le Russe
Iouri Merzliakov, ainsi que le representant personnel du president
en exercice de l’OSCE l’ambassadeur Andrzej Kasprzyk, ont participe
a cette rencontre.

"Un nouveau president a ete elu en Armenie. La rencontre avec les
nouvelles autorites (d’Armenie) montrera si elles sont pour la paix
ou non", a ajoute M. Mamedyarov.

Il a reitere la position de Bakou selon laquelle la question (du
règlement du conflit azerbaidjano-armenien sur le Haut-Karabakh)
doit etre resolue dans le cadre de l’integrite territoriale de
l’Azerbaidjan.

Le conflit azerbaidjano-armenien au sujet du Haut-Karabakh avait debute
en 1988 après que la region, peuplee majoritairement d’Armeniens,
eut proclame son independance face a Bakou.

En septembre 1991, la Declaration sur la proclamation de la Republique
du Haut-Karabakh avait ete adoptee. A la charnière des annees 1991
et 1992, des operations d’envergure ont eclate a l’issue desquelles
l’Azerbaidjan a perdu le contrôle du Haut-Karabakh et de sept autres
regions limitrophes. Les hostilites ont cesse dans la zone du conflit
le 12 mai 1994 a l’issue de la signature a Bichkek d’un cessez-le-feu
toujours en vigueur. Depuis 1992, des negociations sur le règlement
du conflit du Haut-Karabakh se poursuivent dans le cadre du Groupe
de Minsk de l’OSCE.

L’Azerbaidjan insiste sur la preservation de son integrite
territoriale, alors que l’Armenie defend les interets de la republique
autoproclamee du Haut-Karabakh qui n’est pas partie aux negociations.

–Boundary_(ID_P2TN/OcrxmhvZ84o/HeP nw)–

ARMENIAN PARTIES IN LEBANON ISSUE STATEMENT

Yerkir
May 12 2008
Armenia

Yerevan (Yerkir) – The three Armenian political parties in Lebanon –
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Ramkavar Azatakan party
and the Hnchak Social Democratic Party – held a meeting on May 9 in
Beirut in connection with the recent civil unrest, Shahan Kandaharian,
the chief editor of the Armenian-language newspaper Aztag, has said.

During a phone conversation, Kandaharian told Yerkir that the parties
have called on the conflicting sides to engage in a dialogue and stop
the bloodshed.

"The recent events remind us of the civil war in Lebanon," Kandaharian
said. "The clashes are mainly between the pro-government and the
opposition forces. The clashes have resulted in the opposition forces
taking control over the western districts of Beirut. The situation
is tense in the northern and mountainous parts of Lebanon where the
opposition has taken control too. Clashes occur at the Syrian border
as well and the highway to Damascus often gets blocked." He added
that the opposition has blocked the roads to the airport, and all
flights have been delayed.

Kandaharian said that the Armenian-populated districts of Beirut
are mainly unharmed. The roads to the Bekaa region are blocked but
the Armenian village of Ainjar has been saved since no clashes have
occurred there. He said that the Armenian air carrier Armavia has
suspended its flights to Beirut.

"The Armenian community has found itself in a new situation since
many were planning to travel to Armenia; because of the current
situation, it was impossible to celebrate the Shushi liberation
anniversary. However, before those events, the ARF youth organizations
and committees managed to hold several events dedicated to that
date. Some cultural events have been delayed," Kandaharian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LEVON MELIK-SHAHNAZARYAN: AZERI SPECIAL FORCES ATTEMPTED ON MY LIFE

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.05.2008 17:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I want to tell Azerbaijan’s President Ilham
Aliyev that I am alive and I will continue my activity. Aliyev
sponsors international terrorism and if I die he will be the only
man to blame for it," Armenian expert and political scientist Levon
Melik-Shahnazaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

"The Azeri special forces, who attempted on my life, had been
instructed or at least encouraged by Ilham Aliyev," he said.

On April 22, a bullet hit the iron-barred window of the expert’s
house in Ptghni settlement not far from Yerevan. "The man detained
by Armenian law enforces is not a citizen of Armenia. His testimony
proved my suspicions that the order was received from Azerbaijan,"
Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

The Armenian expert doesn’t rule out that Azeri special forces will
hunt after Armenian political scientists and prominent journalists.

"Azerbaijan launched a new stage of "struggle" against Armenia. It
took up the Israeli scheme, according to which any enemy of Israel
should be killed, no matter where he lives. They threatened me and
my family if I don’t stop my activities," he said, adding that upon
completion of the investigation he will bring a suit against Aliyev
to the European Court of Human Rights.

Earlier, Baku just sponsored international terrorism, now it acts
independently. Bin Laden’s fellow fighter, who detained in Germany,
testified that al-Qaeda leader visited Baku 86 times during past 10
years. We should not forget about hundreds of Afghan mujahids who
fought against Armenians in Karabakh. Furthermore, all drivers of
Iranian trucks entering Armenia are Azeris by origin and have Azeri
passports. It’s quite possible that besides their direct job, they
act as scouts," Melik-Shahnazaryan emphasized.

ARMENIAN SHEPHERD INJURED BY AZERI SOLDIERS

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.05.2008 17:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On May 12, 2008, the positions of the Armenian army
were fired upon by the Azeri side.

As RA Defense Minister’s spokesman, col. Seyran Shahsuvaryan told
PanARMENIAN.Net, resident of Baghanis village, shepherd Lorik Avagyan
was wounded.

"He was taken to Ijevan hospital and was operated on," he said.