Author: Emil Lazarian

BRYZA: ARMENIAN TROOP PULL-OUT FROM THE CONFLICT ZONE WOULD HELP REDUCE TENSION
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 29 2006
“I was not surprised my first interview in the post of co-chair caused
a stir.
Because we knew — the co-chairs knew — and my predecessor Steven
Mann, the co-chair before I assumed responsibility on the very day of
that interview, knew that what they had just announced at the OSCE
was significant and would make people think twice, and would spark,
as we like to put it, a robust debate in the region. I was simply
in the unenviable position of having been on this newest assignment
for an hour and I was the guy that got to explain the decision that
others had made before me,” Matthew Bryza, the new U.S. co-chair of
the Minsk Group stated in an interview with the RFE/Radio Liberty.
The RFE/RL told the APA that Matthew Bryza said he was not surprised
that a robust debate was sparked.
“What did surprise me though was that people spoke so quickly in
reacting to the interview without reading the publicly available
document that the co-chairs issued at the OSCE in Austria, which
laid out in much greater detail everything. My interview is small
generalization of this document,” the US co-chair said.
Mr. Bryza said the core principles that were over the course of two
years by the co-chairs and [Armenian President Robert] Kocharian and
[Azerbaijani President Ilham] Aliyev and their foreign ministers,
ultimately weren’t agreed to by the two presidents.
According to the co-chair, talk about recapturing Karabakh by force
or any use of force by any party is simply not helpful, “It is not
necessary because there is a viable framework on the table that just
requires a little bit more political courage on both sides to forge
a compromise.
The co-chairs have exerted all of the creativity and all the
negotiating energy that they could and they have gotten this framework
of core principles as honed as possible in their judgment, such that
the presidents, in their mind, need a little time to think things over
and decide whether or not they can accept or adjust this framework. But
what we are saying in the statement is that there is no more room
for diplomatic creativity to make this piece of metal shine a little
bit more brightly. It is honed and you have to decide whether you
want it or not, or the trade-offs that would have to be made are so
significant politically that it requires the head of state to make
the trade-off,” Bryza said.
The American co-chair thinks pulling of Armenian troops back from
the occupied territories will reduce tension.
“Would an Armenian troop pull-out reduce tension? Well, sure as hell
it would. That is why it is a core element of our core principles.
But the Armenians are not just going to pull back the troops because
we say, “Golly, gee, that would help reduce tension.” They will do
it if they get something for it and that is precisely what these core
principles are all about. Therefore, the heads of state need to make
tough decisions.
Matthew Bryza also said the latest statement touched on what steps
to be taken for demilitarization.
“I would just point you to the statement…. It is very clear, and lays
out in a lot of detail what exactly the overall set of trade-offs would
be. Demilitarization is the phrase used for troop pull-back, and that,
as the framework indicates, should be, or could be, accompanied by some
sort of process that would lead to a population vote, or a referendum
vote on the future status of Karabakh. I think that is, in the Armenian
mindset, extremely important, so that is what the Azerbaijani side
would have to offer the Armenians, along with the other things within
this statement to which I refer you. On the Azerbaijani side, I think
that they are willing to consider the possibility of some type of a
vote on the status of Karabakh if many other elements of this overall
package are present. What gets difficult is how you correlate the
withdrawal, or the redeployment, of Armenian troops with the timing
of a vote on the future status of Karabakh,” Matthew Bryza said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
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PRESS RELEASE
Thursday, June 29, 2006
LADIES AUXILIARY COMMITTEE OF ATHENS HOSTS MOTHER’S DAY CELEBRATION
On May 22, 2006, the Ladies Auxiliary Committee of the AGBU Athens
Chapter hosted an exciting comeback event, their first in nearly two
years, with a Mother’s Day celebration. The program attracted more
than 160 attendees and was held in the AGBU Artaki Kalpakian School’s
Hrant & Louisa Fenerjian Hall.
The festive occasion began with a welcome speech by the Chairman of
the Auxiliary Committee, Evi Tomboulian. Mrs. Tomboulian then
introduced the keynote speaker, Ani Demirjian, who described the
important role Armenian mothers play in keeping the Armenian language,
spirit and culture alive.
Reviving one of the Committee’s longstanding traditions, the title of
Honorary Mother of the Year for 2006 was awarded to Julia
Jelalian. Mrs. Jelalian was recognized for her steadfast support of
the Committee, her dedication to the Armenian culture and heritage,
and her role as an exemplary Armenian mother.
The Mother’s Day celebration came to a fitting end with a commitment
from the Ladies Auxiliary Committee to increase their activities with
a focus on cultural and social events.
The Mother’s Day celebration came to a fitting end with a commitment
from the Ladies Auxiliary Committee to increase their activities with
a focus on cultural and social events. Established in 1911, AGBU
Athens is committed to preserving and promoting the Armenian heritage
and culture through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs. For more information, please email, [email protected].
For more information on AGBU and its youth programs, please visit
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN RECEIVED RF INTERIOR MINISTER
ArmRadio.am
28.06.2006 17:48
President Robert Kocharyan received today RF Interior Minister Rashid
Nurghaliev. He arrived in Armenia to participate in the joint collegial
sitting of the law-enforcement structures of the two countries.
The President expressed appreciation for the effective cooperation
established between law-enforcement bodies of Armenia and Russia.
Briefly presenting the circle of the issues discussed at the sitting,
RF Interior Minister noted that these are very urgent and relate
to the crimes in the sphere of migration, as well as the economic
security of the two countries.
Rashid Nurghaliev said that the cooperation between the Ministry
of Interior Affairs of Russia and the Armenian Police is gradually
getting more and more practical, and this is evidenced by the conduct
of joined military exercises.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEDIATORS CONFIRM DISCLOSED KARABAKH PLAN
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty. Czech Rep.
June 28 2006
The OSCE Minsk Group has officially confirmed and elaborated on
the key principles of its proposed solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict that were controversially disclosed by its new U.S. co-chair
late last week.
In a joint statement that was circulated by the U.S. embassy in Yerevan
on Wednesday, the mediating group’s American, French and Russian
co-chairs said their hitherto confidential peace plan envisages
a self-determination referendum to be held in Karabakh after the
liberation of Armenian-occupied territories in Azerbaijan.
The statement was presented to the OSCE’s decision-making Permanent
Council in Vienna last Thursday and was not made public until being
posted on the U.S. embassy website almost a week later. Washington’s
new top Karabakh negotiator, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Matthew Bryza, revealed details of the proposed peace plan to RFE/RL
shortly after the Permanent Council meeting.
Although those details had already been leaked to the media by Armenian
officials last year, Yerevan reacted negatively to Bryza’s interview,
saying that the U.S. official failed to present other important
provisions of the Minsk Group plan. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said
on Monday that those include enabling Karabakh to retain an overland
link with Armenia and remain under Armenian control at least until
the referendum.
Bryza’s remarks also sparked allegations in the Armenian press that
Washington is exerting pressure on Yerevan ahead of the Armenian
parliamentary and presidential elections due in 2007 and 2008
respectively. It is not clear if the U.S. State Department decided
to publicize the Minsk Group statement through its mission in Armenia
in order to end that speculation.
“These principles include the phased redeployment of Armenian troops
from Azerbaijani territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, with special
modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin districts [separating Karabakh
from Armenia proper],” said the co-chairs. “Demilitarization of those
territories would follow. A referendum or population vote would be
agreed, at an unspecified future date, to determine the final legal
status of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“An international peacekeeping force would be deployed,” added
the statement. “A joint commission would be agreed to implement the
agreement. International financial assistance would be made available
for demining, reconstruction, resettlement of internally displaced
persons in the formerly occupied territories and the war-affected
regions of Nagorno-Karabakh. The sides would renounce the use or
threat of use of force, and international and bilateral security
guarantees and assurances would be put in place.”
The mediators said the conflicting parties would also have to work
out practical modalities of the Karabakh referendum. “Suitable
preconditions for such a vote would have to be achieved so that
the vote would take place in a non-coercive environment in which
well-informed citizens have had ample opportunity to consider their
positions after a vigorous debate in the public arena.”
This peace formula seems largely acceptable to Armenia. Its Foreign
Ministry argued that the mediating powers have thereby recognized the
Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination. The ministry said
in its statement that Presidents Ilham Aliev and Robert Kocharian
have agreed to the proposed referendum but remain divided on other,
unspecified issues.
The Azerbaijani side initially responded positively to Bryza’s
disclosure of Minsk Group peace proposals. But in a statement on
Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry in Baku chided the U.S. official for
“taking them out of the general context of the proposed document.” It
also reiterated that Baku is only ready to grant Karabakh “the
highest status of autonomy” and will never recognize its secession
from Azerbaijan.
The mediators, meanwhile, warned that failure by the two sides to
cut a framework peace deal before the end of this year would close
a rare “window of opportunity” to eliminate the principal source of
instability in the South Caucasus.
“We see no point right now in continuing intensive shuttle diplomacy
we have engaged in over the past several months,” they said. “We also
see no point in initiating further presidential meetings until the
sides demonstrate enough political will to overcome their remaining
differences.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PEACE-MAKERS’ PRESENCE IN NKR MUST BE RULED OUT
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
Yerevan, June 28. /ARKA/. The presence of peace-makers in Nagorno
Karabakh must be ruled out, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Armenia
(DPA) Aram Sargsyan told reporters.
“We consider a peace-making mission in Nagorno Karabakh inadmissible,
because the balance of forces is maintained by the NKR Defense Army,”
he said.
According to Sargsyan, peace-makers’ arrival in the zone will disturb
this very balance, which is pregnant with new threats and challenges
in the region.
Commenting on a recent statement made by RF Minister of Defense
Sergey Ivanov that the Russian army’s involvement in the peace-making
mission is possible, A. Sargsyan pointed out that Ivanov meant Russia’s
participation as part of international forces.
“I think that this is pregnant with new complications,” Sargsyan said.
On June 23, American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza stated that the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
are currently discussing a framework agreement. According to him,
Armenia’s troops must leave the Azerbaijani territories under their
control. He pointed out that the document contains other points,
particularly ones on stationing of peace-makers in the conflict
zone, international assistance to Nagorno Karabakh and holding of a
referendum on the status of Nagorno Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESIDENTIAL PRIZES IN FIELD OF ART AND SCIENCE AWARDED TODAY IN ARMENIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian today
awarded presidential prizes in 13 nominations in the field of art
and science. The prize-winners in the field of the development of
natural sciences are professors of the Yerevan State University
Sergey Hairapetyan and Hambartsum Khachatryan. The prize-winner in
the field of technical sciences and information technologies was
Doctor of technical sciences Stepan Meschyan.
In the field of medicine a prize was awarded to young Yerevan
cardiosurgeon Mesrop Shatakhyan for the development of cardiac valves
from biological materials for newborn infants.
Chairwoman of the profile commission for medicine Gohar Kyalyan
pointed out that this development is unique in the world.
In the field of physics, presidential prizes were awarded to the
astrophysics Felix Aharonyan, Vardan Sahakyan, Ashot Akhperjanyan
for a series of scientific articles “Registration of gamma rays of
extra high energy emitted from astrophysical sources”.
Chairman of the profile commission for physics, Professor Robert
Hovakimyan pointed out that despite the insufficient funding, the
field of physics in Armenia is actively developing. The witness to
it is the big number of works submitted for prize awarding.
The prize-winner in the field of literature was Alexander Topchyan for
the novel “And Even After Death”, and in the field of the humanities
– Sergey Sarinian – for the monograph “Two Centuries of the Armenian
Literature”. At the same time, in the two nominations – humanitarian
activity and vocal, there was no prize-winners, as, according to the
chairmen of profile commissions, “outstanding works worthy for a high
award have not been presented in these fields”.
Youth presidential prizes were also awarded in the field of fine arts
and cinema, literature and instrumental performance of classical music.
Money prizes to the amount of $2,500 (in AMD), certificates of the
contest winner, breastplates were awarded as the prize. ($1-AMD
418.71).

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN POLICE TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION ON MIGRATION CRIMES
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
Yerevan, June 28. /ARKA/. The RA Police and the RF Ministry of the
Interior will exchange information on migration crimes, Chief of the
RA Police Hayk Harutyunyan told reporters, presenting the results of
the 7th meeting of the top officials of the RA and RF Police.
Harutyunyan reported that the sides signed a joint order on the
exchange of information on individuals and legal entities, criminal
groups concerned with migration crimes and human trafficking.
Joint preventive measures and intensification of work to disclose
crimes are expected.
Harutyunyan stressed that joint work to prevent the activities of
individuals and firms concerned with organization of illegal labor
migration to Russia is under way. Harutyunyan cited the example of
Bashkortostan, where criminal activities have been prevented.
“Joint measures allowed about 40 Armenian citizens that found
themselves in a grave situation to return to the homeland,” Harutyunyan
said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OVER 140 YOUTH EXTREMIST GROUPS OPERATE IN RUSSIA – INTERIOR MINISTER
MosNews, Russia
June 28 2006
Russia has more than 140 youth extremist groups with overall membership
reaching 6,000, the country’s interior minister said Wednesday,
RIA Novosti news agency reports.
“Youth groups have become more aggressive and better organized, and
some of them are under the influence of criminal organizations,” said
Rashid Nurgaliyev. He spoke to reporters in the Armenian capital,
Yerevan, where he is attending a joint board session of Russia’s
interior ministry and Armenia’s police force.
Nurgaliev expressed concern over extremist organizations’ promotion
of violence among the younger generation. “It is worrying that some of
the extremist organizations use violent forms and methods of protest,
promoting them among young people,” he said.
The minister said law-enforcement agencies had launched anti-extremism
raids in 38 of Russia’s 89 regions so far this year, tracking
down groups believed to be behind serious crimes, including in
St. Petersburg and in the southwestern region of Voronezh, both of
which have acquired reputations as sites of Russia’s most violent
race-hate crimes.
Voronezh has seen at least seven apparently racially motivated killings
of non-white foreigners over the past six years, including the murder
of a Peruvian student last October.
St. Petersburg has been suffering from negative publicity over alleged
neo-Nazi attacks and killings, including the killing of a student
from Senegal in April and the stabbing of a nine-year-old girl of
mixed Russian-African origin in early 2006.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“METAKSIA” THEATRICAL FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Metaksia” theatrical
festival will be held on July 2-8 in Yerevan, on the occasion of the
80th birth anniversary of talented actress Metaksia Simonian. Theaters
of Armenia, Stepanakert, Tbilisi will take part in it. Each theater
will present the best performance of its repertoire on these days. Vahe
Shahverdian, Art Director of Gabriel Sundukian National Academic
Theater, declared this at the June 28 press conference.
According to V.Shahverdian, “Artist” competition will be held at the
end of the festival, within the framework of which awards will be
given to the art figures who will win in the nominations of the best
actress, the best actor, the best playwright and the best artist. They
will be given diplomas and Metaksia Simonian’s memorial medal.
“Metaksia was the actress, to which not one, but 10 jubilee events
can be dedicated,” Vahe Shahverdian emphasized.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH GEORGIAN PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER IN TBILISI
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006
TBILISI, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 27, RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian, who is in Tbilisi on a working meeting,
was received by Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili.
In their greeting speeches the Foreign Ministers of the two countries
held the same opinion that Armenian-Georgian relations based on close
historic contacts and strong friendship will continue to develop in
the spirit of friendship and mutually beneficial partnership.
Then an interested and practical conversation on bilateral and regional
issues of mutual interest went on between the two Ministers. The
sides estimated the agenda of Armenian-Georgian relations as large,
the evidence of which is the high-level eventful mutual visits and
constant contacts between the governments on various issues.
As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, the sides especially emphasized combination of
their efforts in the sphere of economy and business in the direction
of deepening of contacts and encouragement of mutual investments. The
Ministers mentioned that deepening of Armenian-Georgian trade and
economic contacts can contribute to development of economically
efficient transport communication. In this connection they discussed
the possibilities of full exploitation of the regional transport
routes. They also touched upon issues relating to energy security, as
well as socio-economic programs in border villages with the assistance
of international structures and individual countries.
RA Foreign Minister mentioned that a number of economic issues have
some political implication and require a special attention. Minister
Oskanian, in particular, emphasized that the relaunching of the
Kars-Gyumri-Tbilisi railway will contribute to the growth of volumes
of bilateral commodity cirulation, as well as will enable all South
Caucasian countries to equally use the regional transit potential.
In his turn, the Georgian Foreign Minister said that Georgia precisely
realizes its role of a bridge and its responsibility in the region
and will continue to try to create conditions of a more beneficial
transit for Armenia.
Georgia is interested in diversification of transport routes, which
at large, in the prospect will contribute to development of all
regional countries.
Touching upon the problems of Javakhk, the sides held the same
opinion that efficient implementation of programs by the Georgian
government in the economic, cultural and educational spheres will
greatly contribute to mitigation of socio-economic problems in the
region. Minister Oskanian repeated RA government’s proposal to as far
as possible assist the Georgian authorities in the issue of solving
the problems existing in Javakhk.
Speaking about the process of demarkation and delimitation of the
Armenian-Georgian state border, the sides, taking into consideration
the political will, expressed confidence that the process will have
a mutually acceptable end in as short terms as possible.
Then the Ministers touched upon the developments in the direction of
Europe, in particular, upon the Actions Plan within the framework of
the EU Neighborhood Policy and issues of deepening of cooperation with
NATO mentioning the importance to combine the efforts of the two sides.
In the respect of the prospect of regional development the Ministers
touched upon the settlement of conflicts. The Ministers informed
each other about the current negotiations and settlement prospects
around Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia, about the
peculiarities of discussions dedicated to them at different
international organizations.
V.Oskanian’s and G.Bezhuashvili’s joint press conference was held
after the meeting.
The same day in the evening the Armenian Foreign Minister was received
by Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili.
The Foreign Ministers’ contacts during the visit continue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress