Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIA REJECTS UN ROLE IN KARABAKH TALKS
By Karine Kalantarian
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Sept 4 2006
Armenia will refuse to hold further peace talks with Azerbaijan if the
latter persists in trying to get the United Nations to deal with the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian indicated
on Monday.
Oskanian and his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov are
tentatively scheduled to meet in Paris or London next week to discuss
ways of kickstarting the Karabakh peace process. Officials in Baku
and Yerevan have said the meeting could pave the way for another
crucial Armenian-Azerbaijani summit before the end of this year.
“We have not yet confirmed the September 12 meeting,” Oskanian told
reporters. “I don’t know whether it will take place. It will depend
on developments unfolding at other bodies.”
He was clearly referring to a joint appeal to the UN which was made
last week by Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine. The four
ex-Soviet states aligned in the pro-Western GUAM grouping reportedly
asked the UN General Assembly to discuss the unresolved ethnic
conflicts in the South Caucasus and Moldova at its upcoming session.
They argued that international efforts to settle those conflicts have
yielded no results.
Armenia has always been opposed to UN involvement in Karabakh peace
talks, insisting that the Minsk Group of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe remain the main international body brokering
a solution to the Armenian-Azerbaijani dispute. It apparently fears
that Azerbaijan would enlist the backing of other Muslim nations to
push pro-Azerbaijani resolutions through the General Assembly. Speaking
to RFE/RL last month, the Armenian ambassador at the UN, Armen
Martirosian, warned that Yerevan will pull out of the negotiating
process if the Karabakh issue is included on the assembly agenda.
Oskanian did not deny this, saying that the additional “obstacles”
created by Azerbaijan would render further negotiations meaningless.
Speaking to Armenian state television at the weekend, he accused Baku
of toughening its position on the issue and being reluctant to accept
the Minsk Group’s most recent peace plan.
The plan, which was disclosed by the group’s American, French and
Russian co-chairs in June, calls for a gradual settlement of the
conflict that would culminate in a referendum on Karabakh’s status.
The authorities in Yerevan have largely accepted the proposed
deal, saying that it upholds the Karabakh Armenians’ right to
self-determination.
“Today there is no other document on the table,” Oskanian said on
Monday. “I think [further talks] will center on it.”
The Azerbaijani reaction to the proposed settlement has been more
ambiguous, with President Ilham Aliev repeatedly stating in recent
months that he will never agree to any deal that could legitimize
Karabakh’s secession from Azerbaijan. Aliev’s top foreign policy aide,
Novruz Mammadov, accused the mediators last month of “ignoring” his
country’s territorial integrity and warned that Baku might turn to
the UN.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UK SHOWS INTEREST IN REGULATION NAGORNO-GARABAGH CONFLICT
Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
Sept 4 2006
September 1, colonel-general, Safar Abiyev, met with Ambassador of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to Azerbaijan,
Mr. Laurie Bristow.
Speaking of the purpose of the meeting, Ambassador, Laurie Bristow,
stressed: After visit of Duke of York, Prince Andrew, to Azerbaijan,
interest of UK to Azerbaijan increased. He stressed that regulation
of Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Garabagh conflict is the most crucial
issue for Azerbaijan. We hope this conflict will be regulated very
soon. UK shows interest in solving this problem.
Colonel-general, Safar Abiyev, said: Azerbaijan cooperates with UK
both within the frames of NATO “Individual Partnership” program and
bilateral scope. We know that UK also shows interest in regulation of
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Garabagh conflict. Azerbaijan attaches
great interest to enlargement of cooperation with UK. Having said
that Azerbaijan makes efforts for peaceful regulation of the conflict,
minister said: Armenia takes destructive position that is why solving
of the problem delays. Armenia ignores requirements of 4 UN Security
Council resolutions in connection with the conflict in question,
and world community makes no pressure on Armenia for withdrawal of
Armenian military forces from occupied territories.
Azerbaijan will never put up with the fact that its territories are
occupied by Armenia. With the use of all political, economic means
including military ones we’ll liberate our territories.
Ambassador, L. Bristow, underlined: We understand very well what
factors define current policy of Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan has the
right to liberate its territories. At the same time Azerbaijan state
should pursue this policy in balanced form. Such policy should provide
harmonious economic, politic development of Azerbaijan, and at last,
promote peaceful liberation of its territories. He said: “My 3 year
old observations in South Caucasus allow me to conclude that outside
forces affected Armenian society”.
Safar Abiyev stressed: We hold that policy pursued by Armenia today
will lead to complete failure. We shouldn’t forget the history. 13
years have passed since occupation of Azerbaijani territories on the
part of Armenia. However, Armenia shouldn’t forget that territory of
Armenia is former Azerbaijani territory. Let Armenians not set their
policy against themselves.
Evaluating military-political situation in South Caucasus, Ambassador
underlined: Turkey is one of NATO leading states. Economic base of
Azerbaijan is sustainable and it harmoniously develops in all fields.
What situation will reign in Armenia in 10-15 years?
Colonel-general, Safar Abiyev, and L. Bristow exchanged views
concerning present military and political situation in South
Caucasus, historical roots of Armenia-Turkey and Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflicts. He underlined that non-regulation of Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict jeopardizes economic projects in Azerbaijan. Therefore,
European states participating in the above projects, including UK,
should demand from Armenia, country – aggressor, to give up its claims
and withdraw its military forces from Azerbaijani territories as soon
as possible.
Having said that Azerbaijan is on the right way related to conflict
regulation, guest declared that our truth would win: “There is no
factor preventing economic development of Azerbaijan. Unjust to
Azerbaijan should be removed”.
Having pointed out that he shared Ambassador’s view point Minister
of Defense said: all European states should understand it, and we
should make joint efforts in this direction.
After meeting both parties touched upon development of
Azerbaijan-British military cooperation.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EP TO FINALLY DEBATE SHARPLY CRITICAL TURKEY REPORT
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Sept 4 2006
After being postponed from July, debates in the European Parliament
of a draft report entitled “Turkey’s Progress Towards Accession,”
which includes a host of criticisms of Turkey, are set to start today.
Debates on the report, prepared by EP Committee on Foreign Affairs
Rapporteur and MEP Camiel Eurlings, were postponed to Sept. 4 after
the submission of some 400 proposals for amendments to it.
While some MEPs at the time stated that the debate was postponed
as it would take a long time to translate the amendment requests,
some European diplomats stated that there are many conflicting views
surrounding the proposed amendments.
The draft report criticized a number of issues, including
Cyprus, a slowdown in the EU reform process, the situation in the
southeast, problems with religious minorities, cultural rights and
civilian-military relations. It raised particular concerns about
last November’s Semdinli incident, during which a bookshop in the
southeast was allegedly bombed by members of the security forces,
and called for an impartial and objective investigation of it.
Turkey’s reservations about opening its airports and harbors to Greek
Cypriots will have serious implications for the EU process and could
even bring it to a halt, warned the draft report. The highly critical
document also called on Turkey to take steps towards the recognition
of the Greek Cypriot administration during its accession process and
raised the idea of an early withdrawal of forces from the Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). It also called on the European
Council to renew efforts to implement trade regulations with Northern
Cyprus.
The EP report severely condemned the killing in May of Council of State
Judge Mustafa Yucel Ozbilgin, expressing concern over the low level
of security offered to judges by the police despite clear and public
threats, and called on the government to rectify the situation. The
EP also condemned a resurgence of violence in the southeast by the
terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and stressed that there can
never be an excuse for violence against Turkish citizens in any part
of the country. The report also expressed solidarity with Turkey in
fighting terrorism.
On the Armenian issue, the EP took note of a Turkish proposal to set
up a bilateral committee of experts to deal with controversial past
incidents and of Armenia’s position on the proposal. It also urged
the Turkish and Armenian governments to continue their process of
reconciliation leading to a mutually acceptable proposal and asked
Turkey to take the necessary steps, without any preconditions, to
establish diplomatic and good neighborly relations with Armenia and
open their land border as soon as possible.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SAAKASHVILI’S LATEST ADDRESS COULD SET WORRYING PRECEDENT
The Messenger, Georgia
Sept 4 2006
The road to a democratic, rule of law based state is a bumpy one,
and Georgia’s roads have more than their fair share of potholes anyway.
However on August 31 President Saakashvili announced that Georgia
would be temporarily taking an unscheduled right hand turn.
In a speech broadcast live from a vineyard in Kakheti, Saakashvili
announced that “for the first and last time” the government “will
exert a bit of light racketeering” on Georgian businesses. Speaking
to some of the country’s leading business figures he asked them to
each buy at least ten tons of grapes, in order to help Kakheti’s
farmers out of the problem of lack of demand for their produce,
brought about by Russia’s continued embargo on Georgian wine.
Saakashvili is of course right when he says the wine ban is a
politically motivated tactic which aims to discredit the government
and sow social unrest in Georgia. However, by strong-arming businesses
in this way, and dressing it up in ill-conceived patriotic colours,
he is causing far more harm than good.
One of the priorities of the Saakashvili administration has been to
re-brand Georgia, to present it as a transparent business climate,
where property is respected and the state does not interfere with
private enterprise. It is to the government’s credit that they have
largely been successful in this, and have received good marks from
various international bodies. Forcing private business to buy grapes
has put a large question mark over the government’s commitment to
these principles.
Saakashvili said in no uncertain terms that “we should not make our
enemies [meaning Russia] happy…We should not let our enemies see
our wine-growers protesting,” and though undoubtedly many in Russia’s
political establishment would rub their hands in glee at the sight of
grape farmers on the streets in Tbilisi, equally important for the
government is that potential opposition voters don’t get swayed by
these possible protests in the run-up to the October 5 local elections.
Although Russia is very far from a reliable or helpful neighbour,
it surely doesn’t help matters to dismiss the idea of holding
negotiations. Saakashvili, however, thinks “there is no reason to have
talks with a predator.” By playing the Russia card so vigorously,
Saakashvili is attempting to instil a kind of ‘Blitz spirit’,
which is understandable; more worryingly though, he is playing a
with-us-or-against-us game, and thereby playing with fire.
In suggesting that the closure of the Zemo-Larsi customs checkpoint is
an attempt by Russia to encourage Armenia to “jointly plot against
Georgia” he runs the risk of inflaming ethnic tensions-exactly
what some in Russia would love to see-especially in the volatile
Samtskhe-Javakheti region of southern Georgia, where the desperately
poor Armenian population are already alienated and isolated from
Georgian society.
However, the most worrying part of the address was when the president
accused the opposition, and the media which disseminate opposition
statements as being “allies of Russia.”
“Parties that say that the Georgian government has closed the Russian
market to Georgian peasants are allies of Russia…as are media sources
that disseminate this information. Those media sources that will
start propagating the idea that there is a problem with the harvest
because the government made mistakes, will be [Russia’s allies],”
said Saakashvili, as quoted by online news source civil.ge.
This attempt to portray the opposition as traitors is especially
worrying in light of the much discussed possible law on ‘political
extremism’ which, according to some ruling party MPs, would outlaw
statements and protests that could be deemed as against state
interests. Although it was not the Georgian government’s fault that
the Russian market was closed, it does not make one an ally of Russia
to point out that mistakes have been made which probably made it
harder for Georgia to re-enter that market. Defence Minister Irakli
Okruashvili’s now infamous statement that “even faeces will sell in
Russia” is one such mistake.
The government should not be afraid of criticism, or that criticism
being reported by the media. Diverting from the path of free debate
can only harm Georgia. Also, the government should realise that, by
forcing businesses to help it out of a temporary crisis it is only
creating problems for itself down the road.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AMB. EVANS TO VISIT NATIONAL FILM LIBRARY
AZG Armenian Daily
05/09/2006
Thanks to the project of protecting cultural values financed by the US
government, the National Film Library of Armenia has got a storehouse
with necessary air conditioning for more than 270.000 Armenian films,
videotapes and photographs. Today, US ambassador John Evans will speak
to a press conference at the Film Library after which the journalists
will take a time to get familiarized with the storehouse.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH SUPPORTS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO BUILD HOUSES
Panorama.am
18:50 04/09/06
Twenty-four families will receive accommodation in Gavar in the
framework of construction program “We will construct with faith”
under the name of Garegin B, Catholicos of All-Armenians. Another 12
houses will be ready in different regions of Armenia by the end of
2006. Habitat for Humanity, an international organization in Armenia,
conducts long-term credit program without interest rates since the
year 2000. In April of the running year, an agreement was reached
with the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) according to which the church
expressed readiness to support the program.
“A year ago, we received an invitation form Habitat to take part in
a housing program in Detroit, USA. We watched how enthusiastically
the works were conducted and saw the happiness of families which
received the houses. Then, we received an invitation to support a
similar program in Armenia,” Garegin B said.
Each house costs $6400. The owners have to pay it back in 20 years
without interest rates. “We were not suggested a credit, in fact,
because we do not pay interest rates. Today, monthly apartment rent
is $80 and I pay only 9100 Armenian drams per month (about $23)
in the course of 20 years,” a happy owner of a flat says.
Next year, Habitat will commission 100 houses or flats with the
support of AAC. By the year of 2011, the number of construction sites
is going to reach 1710.
According to Habitat statistics, 5% of Armenian families have no
residence and 40% live in temporary flats.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VARTAN OSKANIAN TO DISCUSS WITH SCIENTISTS ISSUES RELATING TO ARMENIA-DIASPORA COMING CONFERENCE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian’s meeting with representatives of
the RA National Academy of Sciences and of the scientific-research
institutions functioning in its system will take place on September
4 at the academy conference hall. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the
RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department, the theme
of the meeting is the Armenia-Diaspora conference to be held on
September 18-20.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BEST SOVIET TRADITIONS CONTINUE
Lragir.am
04 Sept 06
This is the impression of the speech of the counsel for prosecution
Janna Kotikyan in the trial of Arman Babajanyan, the Editor-in-Chief
of the Times Yerevan.
In the first instance court of Armenia, there is one justice on the
bench, whereas Ms. Kotikyan addressed “justices”, as it was accepted
in good old times, about 20 years ago. In the Republic of Armenia the
counsel for prosecution cannot prompt or propose the justice on the
sentence, whereas Ms. Kotikyan proposed sentencing Arman Babajanyan
to one year of imprisonment for avoiding military service and 4
years for forging documents, all in all, sentence him to 4.5 years
of imprisonment.
Another “Soviet manifestation”. Janna Kotikyan started her speech with
the words, “the trial was compliant with all the rules of trial.” But
is it one of the rules of the trial to be 30 minutes late for the
trial, like Janna Kotikyan did? Of course, in the Soviet years we had
seen a district attorney be more powerful than the judge. The counsel
for prosecution thinks the accusations for avoiding military service
and forging documents are grounded.
Whereas, Arman Babajanyan’s attorney thinks that the accusations for
stealing and forging documents are groundless. Vahe Abovyan and Armine
Arakelyan broke relations with Arman in 2002. Hence, the documents,
namely the certificate of marriage and the birth certificates should
have been stolen before 2002, whereas in 2005 the birth certificate
was used to take the child to school. Moreover, since 2002 they
had not announced that their documents could have been stolen from
their house or forged. Armine Arakelyan stated this only during the
interrogation. “The accusations against Arman Babajanyan are based
on suppositions, and the doubts are interpreted in favor of the
defendant,” stated Robert Grigoryan.
The counsel for prosecution announced that it is legal to sue a person
on the grounds of an anonymous letter, and the counsel for defense
listed a number of cases provided by the NKR laws when the anonymous
letter cannot be grounds for suing.
Arman Babajanyan confessed avoiding military service. His attorney
said, “I felt protected when Arman Babajanyan avoided military service,
and if he is imprisoned, I will not feel more protected. He repents
and he is his most rigid judge. He can be corrected without insulation
from the society.” Robert Grigoryan proposed dismissing the accusation
for forgery and sentence Arman Babajanyan to a punishment other than
imprisonment for avoiding military service. “Instead of sustaining
him at the expense of the government he could be helpful to the state.”
In the next sitting of the court Arman Babajanyan will make his final
speech and only the verdict of Justice Mnatsakan Martirosyan will
remain to hear.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LPUTYAN WAS DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL
A1+
[04:06 pm] 04 September, 2006
Armenian renowned chess grand master Smbat Lputyan was discharged
from hospital and will continue the treatment at home. About a week
ago Lputyan was caught in a car accident and was taken to hospital.
According to the official version, on August 26 at about 05:00
p.m. S. Hayrapetyan’s “Moskvich” crashed into the “Honda” driven by
Smbat Lputyan. As a result of the accident Smbat and Susanna Lputyans,
Gayane Zh. Lputyan and Hripsime S. Lputyan were taken to hospital.
A criminal case was initiated in connection with the accident.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

US CONGRESSMEN CONGRATULATE NKR ON THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE
ArmRadio.am
04.09.2006 17:45
The flow of congratulations on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of
declaration of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic continues. The message of
US Congressmen Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg says, in particular,
“On September 2, 1991 the people of Nagorno Karabakh expressed its will
to have own independent state. With this declaration the heroic people
of Artsakh expressed its decision to live free. You defended your right
of living free though successfully resisting the military aggression
of Azerbaijan. Many courageous sons and daughters of your nation
sacrificed their lives for the victory of liberty on Artsakhi land.
During the past 15 years the Nagorno Karabakh Republic proved its
commitment to the values of freedom, peace, democracy and human
rights defense.
We have always been with you in your struggle for independence and we
continue to support you in your fair aspiration to reach international
recognition.
We believe that in the future we’ll continue supporting the
reinforcement of NKR security and development and we are looking
forward to the day when the flag of Artsakh will proudly flutter in
the world as a sign of fulfillment of dreams.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress