Author: Emil Lazarian

USA EXPECTING OSCE’S REPORT CONNECTING TO FIRES AT OCCUPIED AZERI LANDS
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 27 2007
There is no change in the US policy related to settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The United States does not recognize
Nagorno Karabakh as an independent structure and upholds the country’s
territorial integrity, reports the correspondent of AzerTAc, quoting
the press secretary of the US Department of State Adam Ereli as saying
at a briefing for media representatives. He said the United States
‘adheres the earlier mechanisms and channels to settle the problem’.
Mr. Ereli said two persons from Nagorno Karabakh have come to
Washington. They will meet with Matthew Bryza, co-chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group. “We have done it and earlier. It is a mere forum of the
carried out discussions’, thus, Adam Ereli clarified the Armenian
claims on meeting of the Armenian side with the Bush Administration.
The US Department of State press secretary also said the United States
is aware of the fires at the occupied areas of Azerbaijan.
‘According to information provided, the OSCE is preparing a report
on the matter… the United States expects report of the OSCE
representatives’, he said.
To note, two representatives of the so-called “Nagorno Karabakh
Republic’ should appear at the Washington’s Peace Institute and
Marshall Fund this week. But according to the Fund’s information,
taking into account the few number of those who want to take part
at the actions, the ‘representatives’ will only appear at the Peace
Institute.
Ambassador of Azerbaijan Republic to the United States Hafiz Pashayev
has sent a letter to president of the Marshall Fund expressing regret
for providing by one of the influential international institutions
as the Fund with platform of the representatives of the illegal
structure. Expressing that this will be an erroneous massage to the
world community, Mr. Pashayev requested to remove the action. The
same letter was sent to the chairman of the House of Representatives
Denis Hastert, where it was stated that by providing with room of
representatives of the illegal structure to arrange banquet in the
Capitol, the Congress ignores official policy of the United States
that does not recognize Nagorno Karabakh as an independent structure
and insults the state and people of Azerbaijan, one of the strong
allies of America.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BASIC KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PRINCIPLES ON THE TABLE TODAY REMAIN A SERIOUS BASIS FOR CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS: ARMENIAN FM
Yerevan, June 27. ArmInfo. Armenian Foreign Ministry has appeared
with a statement today:
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
Karabakh’s 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 continue to negotiate with Azerbaijan;
6. Armenia believes that Azerbaijan’s 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.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KAZIMIROV: “FRAME AGREEMENT” ON NK DOES NOT GUARANTEE NON-RESUMPTION OF WAR
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 27 2006
The “frame agreement” on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
voiced by the U.S. does not guarantee non-resumption of hostilities in
Nagorno Karabakh, as only peacemakers’ dislocation here is not enough,
the OSCE Minsk group Russian Co-Chair in 1992 – 1996, Ambassador
Vladimir Kazimirov told REGNUM Information Agency while commenting
on the statements made by the new U.S. Co-Chair for the conflict
settlement Matthew Bryza.
“It is the key issue. Without intrinsic, and not word guarantees of
the conflict parties plus international organizations (perhaps, even
the U. N. Security Council) one will not manage to initiate the first
stage, where the Azeris would like to see the liberation of a part of
the occupied territories and return of the forced migrants there. To
the accompaniment of the threats of power revenge, while the principles
of the disputes’ peaceful settlements, non-application of force and
threats of force are being obviously violated, it is impossible to hope
for the beginning of realization of the first stage’s measures. Only
the refusal of all the parties, without exception, of irresponsible
and waning power dreams can open the way for real changes in the
situation, practical implementation of the coordinated measures”,
Vladimir Kazimirov stated. He noted “one should be quite naïve to
hope to obtain something from peaceful steps first and then get
“the wanting” by force – one can only cheat himself this way”.
Estimating the fact of the Matthew Bryza’s large interview as a new
Co-Chair, the Russian diplomat noted it was an unusual and even too
pretentious interview. “It may seem that the conflict parties and
mediators have failed to reach accords on Karabakh and decided to
come to understanding on something and all of a sudden agreed in
cancellation of the negotiation process’s former confidentiality.
However, another approach is taken sometimes: rules are applied
allegedly to be violated”, Kazimirov noted. He reminded that a few
years ago Baku, despite an agreement on the talks’ confidentiality,
had published the full texts of the three proposals made in 1997 –
1998 by the three Co-Chairs (Russia, the U. S. and France) to the
three conflict parties -Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Then Yerevan did the same. “It is a bit strange that such
an interview is actually the first step undertaken by the new
U. S. Co-Chair. Couldn’t he wait for the first visit to the conflict
region? There used to be numerous rakish mediators on Karabakh both
here, in Russia, and in other countries as well. However, where are
their achievements?” Vladimir Kazimirov noted.
In his words, in case the parties and mediators really decided to
make known the essence of the “frame agreement”, it would be much
more reliable to read out the text of the project presented to the
two parties instead of a private interview with its retelling. “The
document’s original is always more convincing, than its retelling.
Otherwise, the shaking of micro agreement between the parties is
worthy of regret. Especially if it has been done not by a conflict
party that can have various interests, but a mediator, who must honor
any agreement, even the procedure one, reverently” Vladimir Kazimirov
summed up.
–Boundary_(ID_PM5wy+7GybwB+ac0W2x3Kw)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

40 MEMBERS OF PACE SUPPORTED IDEA FOR NEW RESOLUTION ON NK
Author: R. Abdullayev
TREND, Azerbaijan
June 27 2006
Recommendations for working out the draft of PACE resolution on illegal
settlement on Azerbaijan’s occupied lands signed by 40 members of
Assembly have been submitted to authorities of PACE, Trend reports
quoting Ganira Pashayeva, member of Azeri delegation to PACE.
“In the closest days PACE will unambiguously state its position on this
matter. The most important is how Assembly’s position will be stated”,
– Azeri MP said, underlining that members of Azeri delegation provided
authorities of PACE with full; information on this matter.
“We have enough facts and documents to reveal Armenia’s illegal
policy on modifying the map of Azerbaijan”, Pshayeva said, stating
he satisfaction with support of Azerbaijan’s position in PACE.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IS THE MAP OF TERRITORIES TO RETURN READY?
Lragir.am
28 June 06
Aram Gaspari Sargsyan, the leader of the Democratic Party, continued
the revelations of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Mathew Bryza.
Announcing that Bryza told what everyone knows, Aram Gaspari Sargsyan
said it is not all.
“At the moment the map of the territories that Armenia is gong to
return to Azerbaijan is included in the document of the talks. The
places where the peacekeeping forces will be deployed are already
marked on the map,” stated Aram Gaspari Sargsyan, telling the news
reporters not to ask about the source. Aram Sargsyan says the statement
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia affirmed that they are
willing to accept it, but Azerbaijan is against. And Azerbaijan is
against the conditions because they wetted its appetite, thinks Aram
Gaspari Sargsyan. He says it is not strange that Azerbaijan rejects
conditions, which are so favorable for them.
“Look how the statement of the Foreign Ministry alleges that the
corridor between Armenia and Karabakh is discussed. It means that
this is the best way. I simply demand that Mr. Kocharyan declassify
the content of the document for us to be able to discuss it together,
unbiased and in own interests,” demands Aram Sargsyan.
The leader of the Democratic Party asserts that the NKR president
will never accept it. He also reminds the statements of the leaders of
Yerkrapah not to give up a strip of land. “Therefore the situation is
going to be so tense that we are going to face another February 1998,
and I think it is the most probable scheme. Or Mr. Kocharyan will
unbridle unprecedented repressions to suppress the surge which will
rise in case these agreements are brought into being,” says the leader
of the Democratic Party.

OVER 59,000 TONS OF GOODS EXPORTED FROM JOLFA BORDER POINT
IRNA, Iran
June 27 2007
Tabriz, East Azarbaijan Prov
Iran-Jolfa-Exports
Over 59.4 tons of goods were exported from Jolfa border point in this
northwestern province during the first three months of the current
Iranian calendar year (started March 21, 2006), an official at Jolfa
Customs Office said.
Speaking to IRNA here Tuesday, Seifollah Keshtiban said that the
goods exported had a value of 160 billion rials.
He said cement, iron, steel and plastic products were among the main
commodities exported from Jolfa.
The goods were mainly exported to Iraq, Armenia and Azerbaijan,
and showed an 83 and 51 percent boost in terms of weight and value,
respectively, compared to the figures for the same period in the
previous year.
On the other hand, the official noted that 18,309 tons of goods,
worth 290 billion rials, were imported from Jolfa border point into
the country over the same period.
The commodities imported during the period showed a 31 percent boost
compared to previous years.
Keshtiban cited cigarettes, glasses and industrial and mechanical
machinery as among the main goods imported into the country from
Turkey, China, Switzerland and Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN’S DEFENSE MINISTER: ARMENIANS FEAR WAR
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 27 2007
“The preparedness of the Azerbaijani Armed Forces enables to liberate
our territories by force. We need only time to take this step,”
Azerbaijan’s Defense Minister, Colonel General Safar Abiyev told
journalists. Stating that not only Armenia but also super states take
interest in the Nagorno Garabagh conflict, the Defense Minister said
some states aim at wielding influence on Azerbaijan.
“These states are still on the same opinion. They will give up if they
see Azerbaijan is powerful. We’ll prove this,” Mr.Abiyev underlined.
Commenting on his Armenian counterpart Serj Sarkisyan’s claims
that Azerbaijan does not intend to conduct war, Abiyev called these
statements groundless, “I do not care what he says. These statements
aim at calming down the Armenian community, remove fear among the
people. Armenians fear war.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WE HAVE NO TRUNCHEONS, THEY HOLD A CONGRESS
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
27 June 06
Count chickens in fall, Republicans in summer. We have to admit that
the Republican Party had not given the society a surprise during its
biography in power as it did by holding an extraordinary congress
on July 22. In the meantime, summer is raging in Armenia, and human
brains are on the point of melting. What a risk did the Republican
take, staking their own brain?
However, the midsummer extraordinary congress is out of fear
rather than out of risk. Besides, what is risking a brain for the
Republicans if the whole is risked, power, posts, business and finally
freedom? This is the reason for holding a congress of the Republican
Party at the high of the summer vacation. The party leaders hold the
congress on July 22 for the Republicans, who attend the congress,
not only understand but also feel that their leisure, interrupted
for a while, can be lost forever. For them to realize what they are
going to lose. If the Republican leaders are treating the activists
of their own party so severely, the situation must really be serious.
The Republicans could have waited until fall to hold a congress,
especially that the rest of the political sphere, including the
Republicans, delayed all the questions of political developments
until fall. What happened suddenly? What is the reason for this
hastiness? Especially for a ruling party, which added the post of
speaker of the National Assembly to that of the prime minister.
Perhaps they realized that they are given part by part to take away
the whole at once. However, most probably, it was too late when they
realized this. They should have known before taking it part by part
and refuse the part to keep the whole. Now they can only count on
the “great combinator”. However, he is not the same as he used to
be. It is true that now he is an honorary citizen of the Center,
but he has never liked to be in the center, especially as a citizen,
who can get killed in the street by a stray bullet. A citizen when
already dual nationality is under consideration.
In other words, a citizen should have been a past stage, but it is
just coming up. And many others are coming up. Some of them are from
the United States: an OSCE Co-Chair, an ambassador, directors of other
offices. They are coming, so let them come, but as soon as they come,
they make announcements, advising Armenia to learn democracy from
Azerbaijan. Whereas, how nice it was when there was nothing new!
Whereas, now the new are on the way, but statements are already
there. In this sense, the summer congress of the Republic is belated,
independent from what problems they are solving. They could have
spent the money of the congress more effectively, and bought 500
batons instead of 250 and distributed to the Police. Otherwise, how
much do they have to wave 250 batons for it to be cool in summer and
warm in winter?

FOR THE SAKE OF ARMENIA?
Aram Zakaryan
Lragir.am
27 June 06
The Dashnaktsutiun (Armenian Revolutionary Federation) faction
has worked out a conception of dual nationality and offered for
discussion. In the ARF they think that “dual nationality is a
unilateral obligation of Armenia to make Armenia the spiritual
homeland of all Armenians and foster repatriation.” How is Armenia
going to assume unilateral obligation to solve a problem, which
refers to at least two countries. What if no other country adopts dual
nationality? By the way, the world tends to reject dual nationality,
restrict the rights of dual citizens. The representatives of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation admit this.
In other words, the countries, which tasted dual nationality, did
not like it very much. And the ARF conception does not explain why
we are reluctant to learn from others’ mistakes and experience and
are trying to repeat the useless way the passed.
The ARF suggest granting citizenship of Armenia to people who will
offer proof of their Armenian origin. It is clear that there should be
some agency, which will check the Armenian origin, and it is possible
that some people will get a refusal. Hence, in countries with a large
Armenian community groups if not crowds of people who have a grudge
against Armenia will appear, which is not desirable with the currently
complicated relations within the Armenian Diaspora and with Armenia.
The ARF conception suggests that dual citizens must participate in the
defense of the Republic of Armenia as set down in the law and pay taxes
in the country where the source of their income and the most part of
property is. In other words, in Armenia men under age 27 or 35 are
drafted, and if one is not drafted without violating the law, they
will have no problems. Now imagine a great number of Dashnaktsutiun
members, who were born and lived abroad until age 27 or 35, become
citizens of Armenia and buy less property than they have abroad and
live on the income they earn abroad, they will have the same rights as
each of us, who survived the cold and dark days of economic crisis,
with a low income and quality of life, resulting from corruption and
protectionism, potential victims of street shootings. They will have
political rights as well, because although they know in the ARF that
in countries with dual nationality eligibility stipulates a period of
permanent residence in that country, they suggest in the conception,
that “in conformity with the renewed Constitution of Armenia there is
no restriction of the right to vote, therefore people who will get dual
nationality in Armenia will fulfill their right to vote.” The Armenian
Revolutionary Federation suggests conducting universal elections in
the territory of the Republic of Armenia only. We should agree that
for a political party such as the ARF it is as easy for a dual citizen
member of the ARF to arrive in homeland for a day as to piss.
We learn from the conception of the ARF that in a globalizing world
the countries are likely to introduce the notion of a world citizen.
It should be noted, however, that this is not done through dual
nationality. Again the ARF admits it. Only 54 out of 191 countries
of the UN adopted dual nationality. Some of these countries allow
only elements of dual nationality. Now everyone is going in for
restrictions. Our strategic partner Russia does not allow a dual
citizen to occupy high posts. Our key partner United States does not
allow its citizens to become subjects of other another country. And
if the globalizing world is establishing a “citizen of the world”,
it is achieved by opening borders, providing more opportunities and
cooperation with neighbors. Here is a path where the ARF principle of
genetic incompatibility is devoid of any sense and dual nationality
desired by the ARF has a tertiary role. For instance, the European
Union. First they created a common market and economy, provided new
opportunities of economic development, only then they are trying to
adopt EU citizenship. In addition, they are not in a hurry. It is
not essential to welfare.

FOREIGN MINISTER VARDAN OSKANYAN TO LEAVE FOR GEORGIA
ArmRadio.am
27.06.2006 10:22
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will leave today for Georgia on
a working visit. In Tbilisi the Minister is scheduled to meet meet
the President of Georgia Mikhail Sahakashvili, Foreign Minister Gela
Bezhuashvili, and Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze.
June 28 the Foreign Minister will deliver a speech on regional policy
issues at the Georgian foundation for strategic and international
studies.
The same day the delegation headed by Minister Oskanyan will return
to Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress