Author: Badalian Vardan

GAZPROM GOING TO PURCHASE IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE
PanARMENIAN.Net
30.06.2006 14:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ When addressing Gazprom stockholders at the annual
sitting Deputy Chairman of Gazprom’s Management Committee Alexander
Ryazanov said Gazprom is going to purchase the abuilding Iran-Armenia
gas pipeline. In his words, the purchase of the Iran-Armenia gas
pipeline is conditioned by the necessity of raising the durability of
gas delivery to Armenia because of instability of gas delivery via
Georgia, which misappropriates some amount of gas. The gas pipeline
is likely to be put into operation in 2007, its’ capacity will make
1.2 billion of cubic meters per year, reported Russian media.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE CONFLICT RESOLUTION ACCORD SUGGESTED BY BRYZA OF THE OSCE MG
Translated by A. Ignatkin
Source: Turan news agency (Baku), June 24, 2006
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 28, 2006 Wednesday
RFE/RL quoted Vagram Atanesjan of the “parliament” of Nagorno-Karabakh
as calling “unacceptable” terms of the conflict resolution accord
suggested by Matthew Bryza, American representative in the OSCE
Minsk Group. As far as Atanesjan is concerned, the document promotes
interests of Azerbaijan and is actually an attempt to put Armenia under
pressure. Commenting on the framework accord, Press Secretary of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry Vladimir Karapetjan said that official
Yerevan views the matter of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh as a
priority. “Proposals concerning Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution
constitute an integral whole, they cannot be considered separately,”
he said.
President of Armenia Robert Kocharjan in his turn announced that his
country was still involved in the negotiations. “Armenia was ready to
accept the document mediators had come up with for the latest summit
in Bucharest. Azerbaijan, however, found it unacceptable. The talks
will therefore continue,” Kocharjan said addressing the summit of
the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization in Minsk.
These are the fundamental provisions of the framework accord aired
by Bryza:
– Armenian troops are withdrawn from the territory of Azerbaijan;
– Armenia and Azerbaijan normalize their economic and diplomatic
contacts;
– Peacekeepers are deployed in the conflict area;
– International economic aid is made available to the sides of the
conflict;
– Referendum on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh is organized.

VALENTIGNEY FETE L’ANNEE DE L’ARMENIE MAIS CENSURE LE GENOCIDE
Claire Guillot
Le Monde, France
28 Juin 2006
L’Annee de l’Armenie s’annonce moins consensuelle que celle du
Bresil. En avril, a Lyon, le Memorial dedie au genocide armenien par
les Turcs en 1915 etait tagge avant meme d’etre inaugure.
Le 17 juin, c’est le photographe Antoine Agoudjian, connu pour son
travail sur la communaute armenienne, qui etait vise. Invite par
la ville de Valentigney (Doubs), il a vu son exposition decrochee
après les vives reactions de la communaute turque, forte de plusieurs
milliers de personnes en pays de Montbeliard, choquee par deux legendes
mentionnant le mot “genocide”.
Cette exposition etait presentee dans le cadre du festival folklorique
Rythmes et couleurs de Valentigney (13 000 habitants), qui presentait,
les 17 et 18 juin, des danses, spectacles et expositions sous le
signe de l’Annee de l’Armenie.
Sous un chapiteau, Antoine Agoudjian exposait 35 images de son travail
Empreintes, publie dans la collection “Photopoche” (Actes Sud). Mais
dès l’ouverture, les legendes de deux images ont crispe les visiteurs
turcs : l’une montre des rescapes du genocide a Sassoum (Turquie),
l’autre fait reference au Memorial de Lyon et au million et demi
d’Armeniens morts en 1915.
Le ton est monte, mais le photographe s’est obstine, rappelant que
l’Assemblee nationale a reconnu le genocide armenien en 2001.
L’adjoint a la culture, Daniel Petitjean, a decide alors de fermer,
puis de decrocher l’exposition.
Rentre a Paris, Antoine Agoudjian ne decolère pas. “Au lieu de me
defendre, la municipalite m’a laisse me debrouiller avec la communaute
turque, au milieu des insultes et des menaces. Et quand j’ai refuse
d’enlever les legendes incriminees, elle m’a censure.” La municipalite
de Valentigney, embarrassee, precise dans un communique qu’elle a dû,
devant les “risques”, “suspendre durant les deux jours du festival
en plein air, et non censurer, l’exposition de M. Agoudjian”.
Mais le photographe dit qu’avant l’exposition “un marchandage” a eu
lieu : “La mairie a soumis mes images, a mon insu, aux representants
de la communaute turque, afin qu’ils valident mon expo. N’est-ce pas
de la censure ?” La mairie estime que cette “reunion preparatoire”
organisee avec deux associations turques de la ville etait necessaire
afin de “prevenir les tensions”.
Les photographies d’Antoine Agoudjian sont desormais visibles, jusqu’au
30 juin, a la MJC de Valentigney. Le conseil municipal vient de voter
l’organisation d’un vernissage de clôture “en hommage a l’artiste,
a son oeuvre et au peuple armenien”.
–Boundary_(ID_9voLqIcSavcoL4zEVf +kUQ)–

NEW ORGANIZATION IN JAVAKHETI
Lragir.am
26 June 06
A-Info reports that on June 24 United Javakheti Popular Alliance
NGO was founded in Akhalkalaki. The goals of the organization were
proclaimed, including improvement of the social and economic state
of the Armenians of Javakheti, giving Armenian a status of a second
official language in the region, granting cultural sovereignty to
the region. The board of the NGO including 13 members was elected.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
<; PRESS RELEASE 26-06-2006 Statement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Taking into account the statement that the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group presented to the OSCE Permanent Council, in Vienna, on June 22, and the interview that Matt Bryza, the new US co-chair gave soon thereafter, where albeit partially, the principles of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict were revealed for the first time, and also taking into account the recent desperate calls by Azerbaijan for a military solution and autonomy for Nagorno Karabakh, we would like to make several observations. 1. The co-chairs have partially revealed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution principles; they have left out references to a corridor linking Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia, and issues relating to Nagorno Karabakh¹s interim status until a referendum; 2. The co-chairs have, for the first time, affirmed that the people of Nagorno Karabakh shall determine their own future status through a referendum; 3. Those items over which the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan continue to disagree does not include a referendum; that concept has been agreed to by the presidents; The area of disagreement between the presidents has to do with the sequence in which the consequences of the military conflict are removed; 4. In an attempt to resolve this remaining area of disagreement, a proposal was made by the co-chairs after Rambouillet. This proposal was accepted by Armenia in Bucharest. Azerbaijan rejected it; 5. Armenia finds that the basic principles, overall, on the table today remain a serious basis for continuing negotiations; Armenia is prepared to continue on that basis to negotiate with Azerbaijan; 6. Armenia believes that Azerbaijan¹s wavering on these principles is a serious obstacle to progress in the negotiations. If this policy continues, Armenia will insist that Azerbaijan conduct direct negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh; 7. Finally, we would remind Azerbaijan once again that regardless of the size of their military budget, they cannot force the people of Nagorno Karabakh to renounce freedom and the right to self-determination.

GLOBAL GOLD MINING HAS MINE EXPLORATION LICENCE, DIRECTOR OF COMPANY’S
ARMENIAN SUBSIDIARY CLAIMS
YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. Global Gold Mining (GGM), a company
engaged in mineral resource mining in Armenia, operates based on
the licences granted by the RA ministry of nature protection and
the RA ministry of trade and economic development. Ashot Poghosian,
director of the company’s Armenian subsidiary, stated this during a
round table at the Club of Economic Reporters on June 23. Thus, he
actually refuted the statement of the RA Minister of Nature Protection
Vardan Aivazian that GGM has no licence. A. Poghsian said that GGM has
already invested 6.5 mln USD and intends to increase this figure to
9.6 mln USD by late 2006. According to his agruments, since 2003, GGM
has been a shareholder of the SHA company that conducts exploration of
mines in Hankavan and Marjan. SHA’s licence, which was granted by the
RA ministry of nature protection in 2002, is valid until 2017. However,
according to the amendments to the legislation, old licences have
to be replaced by new ones valid for the same period. SHA applied
to the ministry of nature protection with a request to receive a new
licence for the same period, but the ministry granted a licence for
exploring about 120 mln tons of Hanakavan mine’s reserves for only a
year. Although the company has submitted a 1.2 mln-dollar investment
program, after which the ministry reassured that it will grant a new
licence, no licence has been granted so far. Under the current law,
if the authorized body does not make a decision on a new licence
within a month, the old licence is not considered as having lost its
effect and the company continues operating. A.
Poghosian said that a company’s operating licence may be cancelled
only under a court decision. If a company has committed a violation,
before applying to court, the ministry of nature protection must warn
the company in writing and allow it to eliminate this violation within
at least 90 days. A. Poghosian noted that GGM has not received such
a warning.

OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 223-4330
Fax: (202) 315-3339
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:
PRESS RELEASE
June 23, 2006
HIGH-RANKING NAGORNO KARABAKH OFFICIALS BEGIN U.S. VISIT
Conflict Resolution, Political and Economic Issues Top the Agenda
Washington, DC — On June 23-30, 2006 Nagorno Karabakh Republic
(NKR) National Assembly Speaker Ashot Ghulian and Foreign Minister
Georgi Petrosian will visit Boston, New York and Washington, DC for
a series of political and economic discussions aimed at garnering
stronger support for NKR, while highlighting Karabakh’s progress
during almost 15 years of de-facto independence. NKR leaders will
meet with Bush Administration officials, Members of Congress and the
Armenian-American community.
In Boston, Speaker Ghulian and Foreign Minister Petrosian will
meet with Massachusetts State Assembly representatives, leaders of
the Boston area Armenian-American organizations and members of the
Armenian Community. In New York and New Jersey, the delegation will
meet with major supporters of NKR and take part in community events.
On June 26 – 30, NKR senior officials will be in Washington D.C. to
discuss issues related to the settlement of the conflict with
Azerbaijan and increased humanitarian and development assistance.
A U.S. Capitol Reception is scheduled for June 28, which will be
followed by a Diplomatic Reception at the Armenian Embassy on June
29. Speaker Ghulian and Foreign Minister Petrosian will be available
to press throughout their stay in the U.S.
The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is
based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia
and the public representing the official policies and interests of
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Artsakh.
* * *
This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic in the USA (NKR Office) on behalf of the Government of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the
U.S. Government under the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional
information is available at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

EDELMAN TAKES FLOOR IN OZAL CONFERENCE
Anatolian Times
June 22 2006
WASHINGTON D.C. – Eulogizing Turkish leaders Mustafa Kemal Ataturk,
Ismet Inonu and Turgut Ozal who managed to bring “times of crisis
to progress of the country”, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense Eric
Edelman stressed that the United States needed such an impressive
leadership in Turkey.
Edelman, who served as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey between July
2003-2005, took the floor at traditional “Turgut Ozal” session
organized in Washington D.C. by the Washington Institute for Near
Eastern Policy, a think-tank organization.
Edelman extolled Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, who turned Turkey’s face to
the West with his reforms, Ismet Inonu who steered Turkey toward
international organizations like the UN and NATO after the Second
World War, and Turgut Ozal who had Turkey integrate with the world
economically and politically.
-“STRIKING LEADERSHIP CAPACITY-”
Replying to a question about current leadership in Turkey, Edelman
said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan “displayed a
striking capacity in political and economic reforms particularly in
the first period of the government and paved the ways for beginning
of negotiations with the European Union (EU).
Edelman also underscored that the Turkish government at the same
time displayed a valor for a solution in Cyprus based on Annan plan,
“thanks to this courage, for the first time after 40 years, the
parties approach the solution this much,” he indicated.
“However, the process was obstructed after the Greek Cypriot voted
‘no’ in the referendum,” he said.
-“SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE”-
When he was recalled that positive point of view of the Turkish public
towards U.S. administration was at the lowest level (when compared
with the whole world) according to the surveys, Edelman said it would
be advantageous if the administrations of Turkey and the United States
have consistent exchange of views.
-“TURBULENCE IS NOT A SECRET BUT BEING OVERCOME GRADUALLY”-
“Turkish-U.S. relations entail attention of both parties,” Edelman
remarked and noted that both countries should continuously work to
enhance dimensions of bilateral relations and consult each other.
Edelman said, “there are not only Armenia and PKK issues in
Turkish-U.S. relations. Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Turkey’s relations
with Ukraine and Russia and various NATO issues are in question.”
“The United States values Turkish-U.S. relations,” Edelman said and
added that the “turbulence” which started in the wake of September
11 and with Iraq war was not a secret, yet noted that all those were
being overcome gradually.
-“IRAQ SHOULD NOT BE A SHELTER FOR PKK ANYMORE”-
“Our hearts beat together with the families of Turkish citizens
who lost their lives because of PKK terrorism,” Edelman indicated
and noted that Iraq should not be a shelter for the terrorist PKK
organization anymore.
Edelman emphasized that Turkey and the United States were in
collaboration on that matter. “The two countries have never been so
close to each other in exchange of intelligence.”
Edelman said methods other than military force should be sought while
searching for ways to impede acts of terrorism. He said that efforts to
improve economic situation in Turkey’s southeast would be beneficial.
-“ALSO TURKEY IS ON TARGET”-
Pointing out that the United States was determined to resolve Iran
issue through diplomatic ways, Edelman said Washington welcomed
the support that Turkey gives to the process carried out with 3 EU
member countries.
Edelman said it would be the regional countries (in geographical terms)
that would be mostly harmed in case Iran attains nuclear capacity
and stressed that Israel and Turkey were “on the target”.
He said Israel and Turkey were two democratic countries in the region
and contributed to the democratic progress of the region.
-IRAQ-
Edelman acclaimed the efforts that Turkey exerted for stability in Iraq
and particularly the initiative that convened Sunnites in Istanbul.
Asked about the situation of Kirkuk, Edelman said, “this is a very
sensitive issue for Iraqis,” and noted that the decision pertaining
to the situation of the city belonged to Iraqis.
-CYPRUS-EU-
Responding to a comment that Cyprus question obstructed Turkey’s EU
membership, Edelman said this problem was considered a “potential
obstacle” yet joint efforts were underway to resolve the problem.
Edelman stated that the Turkish government displayed “flexibility”
in the past few months on Cyprus question, indicating that the other
party should display the same flexibility.
“The United States has been advocating Turkey’s EU membership since
1963. This is not something new. We have always been consistent,”
Edelman said.
-ATTACK ON COUNCIL OF STATE-
Asked whether the attack on Council of State judges was an attack
against secularism, Edelman said, “I do not make any comment on an
issue which is under investigation.”
-“I SHARE SAME VIEWS WITH MY BOSS”-
Asked if he shared the views of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
who had said, “the insurgents in Iraq would not be so effective if
Turkey had approved March 1 motion,” Edelman said, “I have same views
with my boss.”
-TURKEY-RUSSIA RELATIONS-
Responding to a question, Edelman said improvement of Turkey’s
relations with Russia should not be considered an alternative to its
relations with the West.
“The U.S. is pleased to see that Turkey has constructive relations both
with Russia and Ukraine.” On Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, Edelman
said Turkey would play the role of an “energy depot” in the region.

ARMENTEL MAY GET NEW OWNER ALREADY TOMORROW
Yerevan, June 21. ArmInfo. OTE General Assembly, the owner of 90 pct
stake in ArmenTel, will meet tomorrow on June 22 in Athens to adopt
a decision on the sale of its stake. OTE headquarters told ArmInfo.
The source refrained from any comments on the upcoming decision of OTE
before the official report. To note, according to unofficial data, 8
companies applied for the stake. Among them are large Russian companies
“Mobile TeleSystems,” “Vimpelcom,” and “Megaphone” who control over
70 percent of the market in the post-Soviet area.

ARMENIAN SPIRITUAL LEADER IN ISTANBUL
Zaman, Turkey
June 21 2006
Head of the Armenian Apostolic Church, Karekin II, came to Istanbul
Tuesday as a guest of Turkey’s Armenians Patriarch Mesrop II and
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew.
Karekin II, welcomed by Bartholomew, will hold week-long meetings
with several leaders.
Karekin II, who traveled from Erivan on Armenian Airlines, was expected
to leave the airport via the VIP Hall at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport,
but left instead in a vehicle convoy for security reasons.
A crowd of nearly 50 gathered at the airport protested the arrival
of Karekin II.