Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

A1+
REPORT TO BE DISCUSSED IN PACE
[06:54 pm] 02 June, 2006
Strasbourg, 02.06.2006 – Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
(PACE) rapporteur Dick Marty (Switzerland, SOC) will present his
report on alleged secret detentions and unlawful inter-state transfers
involving Council of Europe member states to the Committee on Legal
Affairs and Human Rights in Paris on Wednesday 7 June.
The report is scheduled for debate during the plenary session of the
630-members-strong PACE in Strasbourg on Tuesday 27 June 2006.
Rapporteur Dick Marty and PACE President René van der Linden will give
a press conference on Wednesday 7 June at 1 pm at the Council of
Europe office in Paris (55, avenue Kléber, Métro Boissière).

RIA Novosti, Russia
June 2 2006
Experts start analysis of Black Sea Airbus flight recorders
16:56 | 02/ 06/ 2006

MOSCOW, June 2 (RIA Novosti) – Investigators have started analyzing
data from the black boxes of an Armenian Airbus that crashed May 3
into the Black Sea with the loss of everyone on board, Russian
prosecutors said Friday.
Rescue teams recovered the cockpit voice recorder on May 22 and the
flight data recorder May 24.
“Experts instructed to conduct a forensic examination and experts
from the Interstate Aviation Committee have started analyzing the
data from the flight recorders,” the Prosecutor General’s Office said
on its Web site.
The airliner, operated by Armenia’s Armavia, crashed while flying
from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, in stormy weather 6 kilometers
(3.7 miles) from Russia’s Adler airport, which services the popular
resort of Sochi. All 113 people on board died.

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
31-05-2006
Acting Press Secretary Vladimir Karapetian Replies to
Question by Arminfo News Agency
QUESTION: As a result of the referendum held in Montenegro on May 21, that
Balkan state has effectively become independent. It is notable that the
result of the referendum has been universally recognized which gives
additional legitimacy to Montenegro’s independence. What’s the reaction of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia to the creation
of a new state in Europe?
MR. KARAPETIAN: We welcome the decision of the authorities and people of
Montenegro to create an independent state. We congratulate and wish the
Montenegrin people the best of luck in the process of state building.
In such a peaceful dissolution, Armenia attaches importance to the fact that
the Montenegrin people’s right of self-determination was expressed through a
referendum, which proves that in international relations, a referendum
remains a universally recognized and civilized means of resolving such
problems and of expressing a people’s right.

ANDRE: ARMENIA’S FIRST PARTICIPATION IN EUROVISION REGISTERS GREAT SUCCESS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 31 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenia’s first
participation in the Eurovision-2006 song contest registered great
success, whereas there were countries that have participated in this
contest for several dozens of times but have no success. Singer Andre
who represented Armenia at the contest declared this at the May 31
press conference. Armenia took the 8th place as a result of voting
of viewers of 38 countries and this means that a representative of
Armenia receives an opportunity to perform in the final without taking
part in the semi-final in the next, Eurovision-2007 festival. Andre
is sure that not only the Armenian Diaspora, but also foreigners
have voted for Armenia as they liked the song. According to Andre,
his performance in semi-final had some shortcomings that were caused
by sound directors. The singer said that almost participants of all
countries had technical problems, which was normally accepted by
them. “We treated this contest very seriously, whereas for other
countries this was a common TV show,” he emphasized. According
to Andre, even the videoing was not done in accordance with the
requirements of the producers of country-participants. Andre also
mentioned that singers with strong voices, such as representatives
of Cyprus and Belgium, took part in the Eurovision-2006, but they
did not pass even to the final: “As a result, Finland won, which,
as the organizers estimated, had come to Athens for mocking the
Eurovision.” Diana Mnatsakanian, Foreign Relations Executive of the
Public Television of Armenia, informed that H1 is already working out
the rules of participation in the preliminary stage of the Eurovision
contest, which should be brought in correspondence with the general
regulations of the European Union of Broadcasters. According to
D.Mnatsakanian, they will be placed on the site of H1 by September
and everybody who wants can present his/her songs by November.

ALIYEV SAYS NO TO ‘SECOND ARMENIAN STATE’
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
June 1 2006
President Ilham Aliyev has said Azerbaijan will never come to terms
with the loss of its lands and with the establishment of the second
Armenian state on its territory. Azerbaijan is the victim of Armenian
aggression and has nonetheless made concessions by respecting the
ceasefire agreement signed 10 years ago.
In fact, it is Armenia who has occupied Azerbaijani lands and has
to vacate them now, Aliyev said in an address at the NATO spring
session in Paris on Tuesday. As originally anticipated, Aliyev mainly
focused on the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict. The president cited
specific facts and documentary evidence to support Azerbaijan’s cause
and accused Armenia of breaking international legal norms. Aliyev said
about 20% of Azerbaijani territory was under Armenian occupation and
that the country was home to more than a million refugees and IDPs.
This is a serious problem for Azerbaijan and a threat posed to the
entire region. The head of state added that all countries of the
world apart from Armenia had recognized Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity. He stressed that this should serve as a vector for the
conflict settlement. President Aliyev reiterated that Azerbaijan was
interested in a settlement based on the principles of international
law. “Azerbaijan demands that Armenia withdraw its troops from the
occupied territories,” he said, adding that the OSCE fact-finding
mission had established the looting and desecration of cultural
and historical monuments and cemeteries on the Armenian-occupied
territories. Upper Garabagh, which is internationally recognized as
part of Azerbaijan, has both Azeri and ethnic Armenian population. It
was occupied by Armenia in early 1990s, along with seven other
Azerbaijani districts, after large-scale hostilities that killed up
to 30,000 people and forced over a million Azeris out of their homes.
The ceasefire accord was signed in 1994, but peace talks have been
fruitless so far and refugees remain stranded. The Azerbaijani leader
also drew comparisons between the rapid economic development in
Azerbaijan and the profound recession in Armenia, noting that the gap
would be even more abysmal in a matter of three to five years. Then
the floor was opened for a question-and-answer session. The head
of the Armenian delegation, Mger Shakhgeldian, said Azerbaijan was
continuously saying that it was in favor of a negotiated settlement
and asked the president whether Baku was prepared for compromise.
President Aliyev said Azerbaijan had not occupied any country’s
territories to make any compromises. “It is Armenia which has taken
over Azerbaijani lands. The fact that Azerbaijan has maintained a
ceasefire for 10 years is the biggest compromise we can make.” This
question by the Armenian delegation did not go down well with NATO
Parliamentary Assembly President Pierre Lelouche, who enquired why the
Armenian president was not attending the session. President Kocharian’s
presence could set the scene for the continuation of dialogue between
the two countries, he said and expressed regret at what he described
as timidity on the part of the Armenian leader.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Center for National and International Studies
75 Yerznkian Street
0033 Yerevan, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 52.87.80 or 27.48.18
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Website:
May 30, 2006
ACNIS Hosts Policy Forum on Middle East Peace
Yerevan–The Armenian Center for National and International Studies (ACNIS)
today convened in its conference hall an off-the-record presentation and
panel discussion, entitled “Big Dream, Small Hope,” on the Middle East peace
process.
Addressed by visiting experts Professor Mohammed Dajani Daodi, director and
founder of the American Studies Institute at Al-Quds University and the
Jerusalem Studies and Research Institute, and Dr. Daniel Noah Moses of the
Harvard School of Education, the meeting brought together scholars, policy
specialists, diplomats, media commentators, political leaders and other
public figures. It was moderated by ACNIS senior analyst Hovsep Khurshudian.
Founded in 1994 by Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi K.
Hovannisian and supported by a global network of contributors, ACNIS serves
as a link between innovative scholarship and the public policy challenges
facing Armenia and the Armenian people in the post-Soviet world. It also
aspires to be a catalyst for creative, strategic thinking and a wider
understanding of the new global environment. In 2006, the Center focuses
primarily on civic education, conflict resolution, and applied research on
critical domestic and foreign policy issues for the state and the nation.
For further information on the Center and its activities, call (37410)
52-87-80 or 27-48-18; fax (37410) 52-48-46; e-mail [email protected] or
[email protected]

KARABAKH : CHIRAC REAFFIRME L’URGENCE D’UN REGLEMENT NEGOCIE DU CONFLIT
Agence France Presse
30 mai 2006 mardi 11:16 AM GMT
Le president Jacques Chirac a reaffirme mardi l’urgence d’un reglement
negocie du conflit sur l’enclave disputee du Nagorny Karabakh, en
recevant le president d’Azerbaïdjan Ilham Aliev, a rapporte l’Elysee.
Lors de cet entretien d’une heure, M. Chirac “a souligne qu’il n’y
avait pas d’alternative a un reglement pacifique negocie et a rappele
l’importance de la paix pour l’Azerbaïdjan, l’Armenie et toute la
region dans son ensemble”, selon l’Elysee.
L’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan se disputent la region du Nagorny Karabakh,
une enclave habitee en majorite par des Armeniens et qui a fait
secession de l’Azerbaïdjan après un conflit meurtrier debute a la
fin des annees 1980.
Un cessez-le-feu est intervenu en 1994 mais la situation reste tendue
en depit des efforts de mediation de l’OSCE.
M. Chirac “a fortement reaffirme les principes de la declaration
commune du groupe de Minsk reuni a Erevan le 25 mai”, a ajoute
l’Elysee.
Dans cette declaration, le groupe de Minsk de l’Organisation pour
la securite et la cooperation en Europe (OSCE), co-preside par les
Etats-Unis, la Russie et la France, avait souligne que “le temps
est desormais venu pour chaque partie d’arriver a un accord sur les
principes de base du reglement du conflit”.
La France avait accueilli en fevrier des pourparlers au château de
Rambouillet, près de Paris, entre Ilham Aliev et Robert Kotcharian,
le president armenien. Ces discussions a huis clos et en tete-a-tete
s’etaient soldees par une absence totale de progrès.
D’autre part, MM. Chirac et Aliev ont eu “un echange de vues sur la
situation regionale et notamment sur l’Iran”, l’Azerbaïdjan assurant
la presidence de l’Organisation de la Conference islamique (OCI),
a indique l’Elysee.
–Boundary_(ID_qfS+GtBxZqQqaOu4degSmw)- –

TRADE IS APPARANT IN THE POLITICAL SPHERE
A1+
[06:41 pm] 30 May, 2006
“The internal developments in Armenia have been determined by the
Karabakh conflict since 1988,” announced Aram Sargsyan, chairman
of the Armenian Democratic party today. He doesn’t expect any new
changes from the Aliyev – Kocharyan meeting as the expectations may
be only negative. According to him, Kocharyan will have to resist the
USA pressure and in case Bush succeeds to persuade Aliyev to use the
territory of Azerbaijan as a bridgehead against Iran, the Karabakh
conflict will be settled in Azeris favour.
“This is not the case when I shall laugh at Kocharyan’s
mistakes. Generally I am not delighted by the President’s mistakes,”
noted Aram Sargsyan. By the way, he also mentioned that though people
got tired of the Karabakh residents the Armenian society will support
the same Karabakh conflict once more and will demand the resignation
of the authorities in case the conflict is settled not in favour
of Armenians.
NA deputy Aram Sargsyan referred to the recent internal developments
and announced that they testify to the fact that the political,
economic and social crisis in the country is more profound than it
once seemed.
Aram Sargsyan respects the OYP decision to quit the Coalition but he
mentioned with regret that Arthur Baghdasaryan’s resignation and his
debate with the National Unity didn’t let the Parliament know about
“NA Speaker’s scandals with Robert Kocharyan which Arthur Baghdasaryan
announced himself.” Aram Sargsyan also noted that other representatives
of the Coalition didn’t comment on the OYP resignation.
According to Aram Sargsyan we shall face a severe phase of political
developments. The further political developments will be more
interesting starting from the September of 2007 when the parties will
convene sessions, party alliances will become known, and we shall
know which party cooperates with which one. Aram Sargsyan would
like parties to be united on ideological bases; and to be divided
into right and left alliances, but, “During the elections we shall
have business with such people who look down on others’ ideas and
suggestions who enter the political sphere to preserve their property,
thus the system won’t be changed.”
“The main fault of this system is that business in not independent in
it,” said Aram Sargsyan recalling Andranik Margaryan’s announcement
that “businessman may not countervail the authorities.” In Sargsyan’s
words though people are disappointed their attitude is the same. There
is a vast mass of people who are faithful to their principles, aren’t
sold and will vote guided by their heart remorse.
Aram Sargsyan claims that many people were eager to see “Justice”
bloc dissolved but their expectations blew up as the members of the
bloc are people who united on the ideological basis and who strive
to establish constitutional order in the country. And the bloc will
exist until it fulfills its objective.
NA new Speaker’s election has no political significance in his
words. “Armenia is a developing country. The Coalition doesn’t exist,
it has turned into a trade, and no political matters are solved in it,”
claims Sargsyan.

AZERI PRESIDENT RULES OUT CONCESSIONS TO ARMENIA
ANS TV, Baku
30 May 06
[Presenter] Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has delivered a speech
at the session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly in Paris. Prior to
that, the head of state had a meeting with his French counterpart,
Jacques Chirac. Now over to Paris for more detailed information.
Joining us is ANS TV’s special correspondent Zamina Aliyeva. Zamina,
good evening. Could you tells us about the main points of the
president’s speech?
[Correspondent Zamina Aliyeva by telephone] Good evening, Natavan.
The Nagornyy Karabakh problem was the main point of the president’s
speech at the spring session of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. He
proved that Azerbaijan’s position on this issue was fair. The speech,
which was based on facts and arguments, was not only welcomed, it
also showed that Armenia has gone beyond the principles of NATO and
the international community. Ilham Aliyev said that the occupation of
20 per cent of Azerbaijan’s territory by Armenia and the existence
of more than 1m refugees were a big problem for the country and a
serious threat to the region.
He pointed out that Azerbaijan wants to solve the problem by means
of peace talks based on international law. He said that Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity has been recognized by all states, except for
Armenia, and that the conflict must be settled only on the basis
of this principle. Saying that Azerbaijan is demanding that Armenia
withdraw its occupying troops from Karabakh, the president brought
to the attention of participants in the session that the report of
the OSCE fact-finding mission reflects the destruction of houses,
historical monuments and graves in the occupied territories. He said
that it was a humanitarian tragedy.
The president firmly said that Azerbaijan will never accept the
occupation of its territory and will not allow a second Armenian state
to be established on its territory. The settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh problem is important not only to Azerbaijan but also to the
region, end quote.
I should point out that in response to a question from the Armenian
delegation that it is not only the issue of Nagornyy Karabakh, but
Azerbaijan is also violating human rights, [changing tack] while
asking this question, a member of the Armenian delegation heard
a remark from Pierre Lelouche, chairman of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly. Pierre Lelouche said that although [Armenian President]
Robert Kocharyan had been invited to the session, unfortunately he did
not attend it to participate in the dialogue. As for Ilham Aliyev,
he firmly told the Armenian representative that our position on the
Nagornyy Karabakh problem is not based on wishes and dreams.
The president said that we have no concessions to make to Armenia
because we have not occupied anyone’s territory and our problem is
not related to the population living in Karabakh, but to separatists.
The president said that today Karabakh has turned into a hangout for
drug trafficking and terrorism.
The Turkish delegation asked a question that supported Azerbaijan.
Asked whether he was pleased with the support of international
organizations on the Karabakh issue, the president answered that
although the Council of Europe resolution that describes Armenia as
an aggressor and the four UN resolution that demand an unconditional
withdrawal of occupiers from Azerbaijan’s occupied territories were
positive, several days ago Armenians celebrated the liberation
of Susa. There is a question – who was Susa liberated from? From
Azerbaijan? Unfortunately, international organizations have not
reacted to this issue.
[Passage omitted: Ilham Aliyev also spoke about Azerbaijan’s economic
development and the process of democratization in the country]
Another question was put to the president. This question stressed
that there were human rights abuses and political prisoners in
Azerbaijan. The president said that there were no political prisoners
in Azerbaijan and all reports about this were not true.
[Passage omitted: Ilham Aliyev’s speech was welcomed at the session]

Lawyer: youths kill Armenian teen while yelling ‘Glory to Russia!’ in Moscow
suburb

AP Worldstream; May 30, 2006
Prosecutors opened a hate crime investigation into the fatal stabbing of an
Armenian teenager at a Moscow suburban train station, a prosecutors’ official
said Tuesday.
Artur Sardaryan, 19, was killed Thursday in the latest in a string of
racially motivated attacks in Moscow and throughout Russia.
Yelena Rossokhina, a spokeswoman for Moscow regional prosecutors, said three
young men approached Sardaryan as he sat on a regional commuter train around
11:30 p.m. and stabbed him for no apparent reasons. He died later on the way
to a hospital, she said.
Lawyer Simon Tsaturyan told Ekho Moskvy radio that witnesses reported the
youths yelling “Glory to Russia!” and “Long Live Russia!”
Russia in recent years has seen an increase in racially motivated attacks on
foreigners and dark-skinned immigrants from the poorer Caucasus region and
Central Asia.
Last month, an apparent skinhead fatally stabbed an Armenian student on a
central Moscow subway platform.