Author: Emil Lazarian

Turkey Concerned About Iran’s Attitude – Turkish National Security Council (MGK) Secretary General
Author: À.Mammadov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 4 2006
(Zaman) – “Turkey is concerned about Iran’s position about the nuclear
weapons”, Turkish National Security Council (MGK) Secretary General
Yigit Alpogan said.
In an interview with the Dutch daily “De Volkskrant”, Alpogan stressed
that the Middle East is an unstable region, and said that Turkey is
closely monitoring the developments.
Alpogan noted that the developments in Iraq is another matter causing
concern, and stated that any negative development in the region may
cause a universal problem, reports Trend.
Regarding the terrorist organization PKK Alpogan said that Turkey will
never consider PKK as an interlocutor and never sit at a negotiation
table with it, and pointed out that Turkey will not follow Spanish
government’s example (concerning ETA).
Alpogan said that it is also wrong to compare the terrorist
organization PKK with ETA.
Stating that the terrorist organization PKK is trying to divide
Turkey and posing a big threat against Turkey, Alpogan said that
Turkey is carrying out a two-folded fight against this threat. “On
one side Turkey is trying to eradicate terrorism by military means,
on the other side it is trying to improve economic conditions and
living standards of the people in the Southeastern Anatolia Region”,
he emphasized.
Touching on Armenian claims, Alpogan said that this country should
first give up its genocide allegations, and stop lying to its own
people.
Alpogan recalled that Armenia does not recognize the agreement signed
in 1921 which draws the borders, and has territorial demands from
Turkey (in the Eastern Anatolia Region).
–Boundary_(ID_H+TeQ+W77RByDZnT0HKMiA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN FIRED AT OSCE REPRESENTATIVES HOLDING MONITORING
Azeri press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 4 2006
Under the mandate of OSCE chairman in-office personal representative,
the monitoring aimed at holding in Marzili village of Aghdam and in
the direction of Kuropatkia village of Khojavend, borderline of the
troops have been delayed.
Garabagh bureau of APA reports that OSCE representatives held
monitoring in Marzili village of Aghdam at first. Monitoring was
conducted there normally. Then OSCE representatives started for
direction of Kuropatkina village of Khojavend region. While they
were in the territory, Armenian side fired in the direction of OSCE
representatives. The bullets were passed across the representatives.
Fortunately, they were not aimed. After that OSCE chairman in-office
Andrzey Kasprzyk made decision on stopping the monitoring. As a result
monitoring delayed. No information is given on continuation of the
monitoring tomorrow.
It should be noted that the monitoring from the Azerbaijani side has
been planned by OSCE chairman in-office personal representative field
assistants Imre Palatinius and Jiri Aberle, in then opposite side
of the borderline of Azerbaijan known in international level OSCE
chairman-in-office Andrzey Kasprzyk, his field assistants, Gunter
Folk, Peter Kinin. The monitoring was planned to be held related to
the fire in the territories of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenians.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT DUE IN TEHRAN
Fars News Agency, Iran
July 4 2006
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Armenian President Robert Kocharian is
due to arrive in Tehran Wednesday morning.
The visit takes place at the invitation of the Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who will extend an official welcome to Kocharian
at the presidential office tomorrow morning.
The Armenian President is scheduled to attend meetings with
different Iranian officials, including President Ahmadinejad,
Expediency Council Chairman Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, Speaker of
the Islamic Consultative Assembly Gholam Ali Haddad Adel, Foreign
Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Supreme National Security Council
Secretary Ali Larijani, to discuss bilateral relations and exchange
views about different issues of mutual interest.
The two sides will also sign several cooperation agreements at the
end of Koucharian’s visit to Iran.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AMENDMENTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN RA LAND CODE
ArmRadio.am
04.07.2006 14:33
July 3 RA President Robert Kocharyan signed the Law on implementing
amendments in the Land Code of the Republic of Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TODAY IS TALENTED ACTOR MHER MKRTCHYAN’S BIRTHDAY
ArmRadio.am
04.07.2006 15:06
Today is Mher Lazarian’s birthday. He was a person who stayed a child
up until his death, a person for whom love was the most important
thing in the universe. Today at the Komitas Pantheon his friends and
relatives again remembered and told about this talented individual
and actor of our times.
In response to the question what talent is, Mher Lazarian had
responded, ” Talent is a burden, responsibility and obligation.”
“Is it worth saying how talented he was? Together with the word
“talented” we can use today all superlative adjectives having a
positive sense, and they all would suit Mher,” said actor Azat
Gasparyan.
In Albert Lazarian’s words, his characteristics of his brother are
extremely egoistic and non-objective, since for him, Mher Lazarian
was a God both as a talented person, a brother, an Armenian, and as
a father. Love was the highest value for him.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AKHTAMAR CHURCH (ALMOST) RESTORED
Yavuz Baydar
The New Anatolian, Turkey
July 3 2006
A three day trip to Eastern Anatolia can be, even in the cooking heat
of summer, an extremely heartening, enlightening, teaching, well,
delightful experience. I had never been to the town of Dogubeyazýt,
which faces the majestic Ararat mountains and looks as if it is
protected by it. When the mayor, Ms Mukaddes Kubilay, elected as
candidate of pro-Kurdish DEHAP Party, invited me and a colleague of
mine, Oral Calýþlar, for a roundtable discussion on Kurdish question,
I accepted enthusiastically.
Soon after we arrived in the small and busy airport of Van, we headed
for a destination of great importance: island of Akhtamar, situated
southside of Van, some 5 miles off the shore of Van Lake. The island
is known throughout the world with its ancient Armenian church, called
Akhtamar – or, Akdamar, as in Turkish. 1.100 years old, Akhtamar was
one of the main temples of the Armenians. Its historical and symbolic
value has been undisputable.
The symphatetic church, built with the lightbrown local stones, has
been a ruin for decades, left as it was deserted. Its walls had deep
scars, bullet holes, grafiti and all sorts of prints by vandalism.
But a year ago, by the initiative of AK Party government, a restoration
work was commissioned. Under the surveillance of a group of experts
from universities of Ýstanbul, Ankara and Van, contractor firm
Kartalkaya, of the local Zeydanlý family, initiated the work.
As we approached the island, I did not expect much progress in
restoration. After all it was not even a year under harsh climate
conditions. But the visit around and inside the church was full of
great surprises.
The external work was almost completed and internally and, according
to Ahmet Mete Tozkoparan, who co-leads the Project, less than a
couple of months were needed. Four young experts were in full action
in recovering what was left of the fantastic frescoes. The floor
was complete.
Outside, it was even a more fabulous sight. Facades, that depicted
much of the iconography, some with references to Abbasi dynasty,
were cleaned neatly.
Then, as suggested by Yalcýn Karaca, an extremely knowledgeable
archeologist from Van University, we were taken to the other side
of the churchyard, where the team meticolously excavated what was
left of the walls and rooms of the monastery and the school. Those
of us who only remembered only earth on that part, were met with
astonishment. Our hosts pointed out that the walls now faced the
threat of the winter: Since they were fragile, the first strong rain
would start to threaten to destruct it. They were expecting, in vain,
some quick green light from the Department of Culture for covering
them neatly. It looked urgent indeed.
Over tea with the gentle team we discussed a lot about the iconography
of the church, that stood there, above us, majestically.
Turkish Prime Minister Erdoðan, we were told, took care of the work
of restoration personally, and he even visited the site by a chopper,
an unannounced appearence that even took place without the knowledge
of the local governor.
Next week, the island will have another visitor. The Armenian Patriarch
of Turkey, Mesrob II, will travel to Akhtamar to see what it now looks
like. He will be, I am sure, as surprised as we were. I could easily
call it the best restoration work ever done in Turkey.
One certainly hopes for more.
The opening of the church will not only mean a lot for the Armenians,
but also for the locals who expect more tourism and contacts.
–Boundary_(ID_ryDVpxVkqwTf7bZzK0A5kA)- –
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CHIEF TRAINER OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM OF ARMENIA FILES HIS RESIGNATION
ArmRadio.am
04.07.2006 17:26
Chief trainer of the national football team of Armenia Samvel Darbinyan
was dismissed for the position, according to his own application.
He will soon leave for Iran, where he will lead one of the local
football teams, Press Secretariat of RA Football Federation informs.
Earlier Samvel Darbinyan worked in Iran for two years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DAMAGE CAUSED BY NATURAL CALAMITIES MAKES 1.4 BLN DRAMS IN TAVUSH REGION
Noyan Tapan
Jul 4 2006
IJEVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. This year the damage caused by natural
calamities – spring frosts, floods and drought, made 1.4 bln drams
(about 3.3 mln USD) in Tavush region. NT correspondent was informed
about it by Razmik Melikjanian, Head of the Agriculture and Nature
Protection Department of Tavush Regional Administration. According
to him, the account on damages was submitted to the government,
but is not known yet whether the government will compensate the damage.
According to the head of the department, 45 out of 62 communities
suffered.
Fruit gardens suffered from drought by 60-70%, sowing areas of
potatoes and vegetables by 50-60%, vineyards by 15-20%. Due to the
long drought the average crop of grain is expected only in the amount
of 8-10 centners from 1 hectare.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

150 CHILDREN OF SCHOOL AGE OF VERIN DVIN HAD TEN-DAY REST IN CAMP ORGANIZED BY AMERICAN FOUNDATION
Noyan Tapan
Jul 4 2006
ARTASHAT, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. It is already several years
that the U.S.-based Armenian Community Development Foundation
non-governmental organization organizes a ten-day summer camp in the
Verin Dvin community of the Ararat marz for the children of ethnic
minoroties. Assyrians who live in the village have a possibility to
learn in their native language. The children are not only fluent in
Assyrian, Armenian and Russian, but also know English and German.
The inhabitants of the Verin Dvin had an interesting rest from June 27
to July 7 due to the Armenian Community Development Foundation. During
ten days, the 1-6 form pupils were in the camp from 10 am, amd the 6-9
form pupils attended the second shift. Nearly 150 children participated
in studies and games of different groups in the camp. Specialists
sent by the non-governmental organization conducted the studies.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“NATO HAS NO INTENTION TO JOIN NK CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROCESS”
Today, Azerbaijan
July 4 2006
“It is the fourth time that NATO school has been holding in Azerbaijan,
the purpose is here to bring the youth together, to involve youth to
the process related to security issues.”
NATO assistant Secretary General Jan Furne has told in the press
conference held today, APA reports.
He stated that recently Euroatlantic seminar will be implemented,
in this measure, NATO member countries and partner countries experts
will participate, the ways against terrorism will be discussed.
Furne has stated that NATO supports that Armenia and Azerbaijan solve
the conflict through peaceful way: “Non-peace way proposed from any
side should be refused.”
Furne Stated that NATO has not intention to join Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement process.
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress