Author: Emil Lazarian

Competition, not confrontation
Yerkir/Arm
June 17, 2005

At a news conference in the National Press Club on June 16 Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau representative Hrant Margarian
shared his opinions on the current stage of the Karabakh conflict
settlement, ARF’s participation in the parliamentary election in
Karabakh as well as Armenia’s domestic and foreign policy.
What is Armenia’s position in the negotiation process? Are Armenia’s
policies regarding the Karabakh settlement process weak? Commenting on
these questions, Hrant Margarian noted that Karabakh remains on the
top of Armenia’s policy agenda. `I believe that Karabakh should have
much better conditions to develop and flourish.
I believe that our people should be much closer to the government and
this is why the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Party will be
actively participating in the coming elections in Karabakh,’ Margarian
said at the same time expressing his concern with the corrupt
practices that can be witnessed today in Karabakh such as misuse of
administrative resources and voter bribing in some case. Margarian has
visited Karabakh and met with the president of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic Arkady Ghukasian. He has voiced his concerns regarding the
above-mentioned issues.
`I hope these phenomena can be eliminated.’ Arkady Ghukasian has
assured Margarian that the elections will be held without
violations. `Either he will prevent the violations and prove that he
can keep his promise or he will fail to prevent them and will prove
the contrary.’ Commenting on the question why ARF is in the opposition
camp in Karabakh, Margarian noted that the government had moved ARF to
the opposition camp.
`We never see Karabakh as a place where we can struggle for
power. However, we were dissatisfied with certain issues connected
with socio-economic governance. We had a different position on those
issues.
Several months ago we tried to solve some of those problems while
being in the government. After we were forced into the opposition camp
we are now trying to do the same as an opposition force. But even now
we know our limits and we will never go beyond them. Stability is very
important in Karabakh and our opposition to the current government
should not lead us to a confrontation. Today we are in a situation of
competition rather than confrontation as an end in itself’.
Commenting on the current stage of the Karabakh conflict negotiations
process Hrant Margarian said that it is wrong to create a defeatist
environment in Armenia.
Margarian Margarian said his impression is that on the one hand the
international forces pressure Azerbaijan to accept that Karabakh (and
probably Lachin, too) should be joined to Armenia, and on the other
hand they pressure Armenia to accept that the liberated territories
should be returned to Azerbaijan.
“I don’t believe there is an Armenian who wants the liberated
territories to be reutnred,” Margarian mentioned. “But I admit that
the issue can be touched upon during the talks process for tactical
reasons, but when Azerbaijan refuses at all to consider the issue of
ceding Karabakh to Armenia de jure — on the contrary, militant
rhetoric prevails in Azerbaijan — then I don’t understand why are we
creating a seemingly defeatist mood among our people?
This is unwise, to say the least. Our people have paid a big price for
the liberation of Karabakh and will not let anyone surrender
territories.” He added that concessions should not include such issues
as Karabakh’s sovereignty, national identity and today’s factual
borders.
Margarian believes one should speak publicly about things around which
no compromise can be accepted while issues around which compromise can
be achieved should be discussed at a negotiation table. He says the
borders of any country are defined based on certain considerations.
The borders of the administrative unit that was called
Nagorno-Karabakh and was part of the Soviet Azerbaijan should not be
considered as a starting point while defining the borders of
Karabakh. Historic realities and security issues should be considered
as the basis for defining the borders of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic. This is what matters when defining the borders of any state.
`Karabakh was a bit late in this respect since it has not yet declared
control over the liberated territories. In this respect our activities
in Karabakh become political struggle’, Margarian noted. What will
ARF’s position be if Azerbaijan agrees to give up Karabakh including
Lachin?
Margarian will be glad for that since such an act will constitute 50%
of Armenia’s victory after which he will be waiting for the other 50%
– the liberated territories joining Armenia as well. `Those
territories were the guarantor of peace in the past years,’ Margarian
said noting that any agreement reached through negotiations should be
approved by the people.
Margarian commented on the issue of eliminating the ban on dual
citizenship from the Armenian Constitution. `The opinion that after
adoption of dual citizenship an uncontrolled situation will be created
is wrong. The law on dual citizenship will allow the Armenian
government to grant citizenship at the same time defining the new
citizens’ rights and obligations.
This is what they do in all the countries. The issue of dual
citizenship should be considered in this context. It is wrong to think
that millions of people will come to Armenia and others will be
deciding the country’s future. The opinion that thousands of Diaspora
Armenians will come to Armenia is exaggerated as well. I wish it could
be so. That would be a great potential and strength for Armenia’.
The relations between Armenia and Turkey and the process of Genocide
recognition. Margarian first expressed his doubt whether there are any
relations to speak about. `Any such relations were suspended on the
day when Turkey closed the border and put forward preconditions for
relations with Armenia.
Those preconditions are unacceptable. If we overlook them and speak
about relations with Turkey we put ourselves into a humiliated
position. Turkey is the one who closed the border and put forward
preconditions and says that it will open the border only if its
preconditions are satisfied,’ Margarian said noting that some people
tend to forget about this as if Armenia is the one who has closed the
border with Turkey.
`I can’t understand this. Relations with Turkey were severed because
of this country’s hostile policies towards Armenia. Of course, we need
relations with Turkey but such relations should be based on the
dignity of the two nations. Recognition of the Genocide is what the
Turkish nation needs itself so that it can free itself of the complex
of a genocide perpetrator,’ Margarian said.
How realistic are the rumors regarding the possibility of organizing a
revolution in Armenia? What is ARF’s position in this respect ` is it
pro-Russian or pro-Western?
These questions become urgent against the background of the statements
made by various opposition leaders regarding their political
orientation. `I would prefer all of our political forces, whether
pro-governmental or opposition, to derive from the interests of our
nation, to have an Armenian orientation. We are pro-Armenian and I
think the reason why some of our political forces turn to external
forces is their weakness,’ Margarian said adding jokingly that some of
our political leaders have started learning English.
Margarian advised the organizers of revolutions not to assume that a
revolution is like a theater performance that starts and ends at a
certain time. `If there is a revolution one cannot go on a vacation,
neither can one have any other interests. A revolutionary person is A
fighter. This is not what we have now when the opposition leaders go
to Spain for their vacation after the opposition demonstrations fail
to have a rest before coming back and starting a new revolution.
Revolutionaries have a hard life, they often have to work
underground. They are taken to prisons; they work with the people and
not go to vacations abroad. And if we see revolution as an attempt to
improve our lives ` well, then this is exactly what ARF is doing,’
Margarian said. Commenting on the activities of the political
coalition and the responsibilities of the member parties, Margarian
said all of the parties are responsible. He believes the coalition is
functioning only formally.
This is why ARF is doing its best to restore the Coalition Council
meetings. `If we are responsible for something we have to be truly
responsible. No one should try to cheat the others. We have to face
the reality. We are doing our best and I think we have succeeded in
achieving our goal. I hope we will be able to come to a situation when
we will be able to be truly responsible for the work of the
Coalition. I think this was a temporary difficulty and we will be able
to overcome it in the near future,’ Margarian said.
Commenting on the struggle against corruption, Margarian noted that
publicizing names will not change anything. The coming presidential
elections were also discussed at the meeting in the Press Club ` will
ARF support Robert Kocharian if he is nominated for the third time?
`ARF will have its own candidate in the coming presidential
elections. There is no point in speaking about a third term for
president Kocharian since he himself has excluded this possibility,’
Margarian concluded.
By Karine Mangassarian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Journal of Turkish weekly
June 20 2005
Armenia Arrests Turkish Researcher Studying on Armenian past
Yektan Turkyilmaz, the first Turkish researcher to receive a
permission to study Armenian international archives, has been
arrested at the Yerevan Airport. Turkyilmaz is accused by Armenia of
attempting to take history books to Turkey.
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan had called Armenia and Tashnaks
to open their archives. Turkish Ottoman archives have been opened for
the decades to all researchers from all over the world.
Armenia has resisted to open its archives. It is also argued that the
Tashnasks archives in the US contain vital documents about the 1915
events, Armenian immigrations and Tashnak-Nazi collaborations.

A1plus
| 12:00:44 | 20-06-2005 | Politics |
ELECTIONS IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
Yesterday the Parliamentary elections took place in the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic. 7 political powers had put forward their candidacy by the
proportional electoral system. They were – «Armenian Revolutionary
Federation – Movement-88» bloc (18+20 candidates), Artsakh Democratic Party
(25+10 candidates), Artsakh Communist Party (10+5 candidates), «Our Home is
Armenia» party (4+3 candidates), «Social Justice» party (3+1 candidates),
«Moral Renaissance» party (3 candidates), and Artsakh Armenakyan party (1
candidate).
6 of all the candidates put forward are up to 30 years old, 64 are 30-50
year old, and 36 are older than 50. 97 of them have higher education, 5 have
medium specialized education, and 4 have finished secondary school.
Yesterday at 8:00 a.m. the elections of the 4th National Assembly started,
and the 22 Electoral Committees took up their responsibilities. At 8:30
there were already queues in the electoral areas, which testified to the
high activeness of the electors.
Let us also mention that many observers followed the course of election –
from USA, Russia, Iran, etc. But of course, the overwhelming majority of the
observers were from Armenia.
The course of the elections was relatively quiet. There were no written
complaints from the candidates or from the electors.
At 8:00 p.m. Sergey Nasibyan, head of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Central
Electoral Committee, announced the end of the elections and the final
results of the activeness of electors. According to him, 73.6% of all those
having suffrage, that is – 66 197 electors participated in the Parliamentary
elections. In Yerevan 149 citizens of the NKR voted, securing 93.7%
participation. And in Karabakh the highest index of participation was
recorded in the Azokh N12 electoral area – 90.5%. In contrast to that, the
lowest was in the Stepanakert N6 electoral area – 55.5%.
ANNA ISRAYELYAN
Correspondent of `Aravot’ especially for `A1+’
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DELEGATION HEADED BY NORWEGIAN STORTING PRESIDENT TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN
ON OFFICIAL VISIT ON JUNE 21
YEREVAN, JUNE 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The official visit of the delegation
headed by Jorgen A.Kosmo, President of Norwegian Parliament, Storting,
to Yerevan is planned for June 21-24. According to Noyan Tapan’s
information, the delegation will meet with Armenian parliamentarians,
as well as country’s high-ranking leaders. The results of the visit
will be summed up at the press conference at RA National Assembly.

In Caucasus enclave, Internet puts young in touch with outside world
Agence France Presse
June 19 2005
STEPANAKERT, Azerbaijan (AFP) – For 15-year-old Albert, who lives in
Nagorno Karabakh, the Internet is an exciting venue for meeting
people of his own age from any nation but one, Azerbaijan, which
remains dead against any moves to have the enclave recognised as an
independent state.
“I have never seen a single Azeri in my life, but I consider them
enemies. If it hadn’t been for the war with them, my father would
not have died and our house would not have been destroyed,” said the
teenager from Nagorno Karabakh, a mostly ethnic Armenian enclave that
lies within Azerbaijan.
As the territory holds parliamentary polls Sunday, hoping to convince
the world it should be recognised as an independent country, Albert’s
resentment of Azerbaijan, which surrounds Nagorno Karabakh, is typical
of many young people here.
Nagorno Karabakh seceded from Azerbaijan upon the Soviet Union’s
1991 collapse, leading Armenia to fight Azerbaijan for control of
the territory in 1993 and 1994, with the loss of an estimated 25,000
lives and the displacement of millions of people, most of them Azeris.
Just over a year old when the fighting erupted, Albert remembers
nothing of the bombings and underground shelters where families
sought refuge.
But the loss of his father and the family home have led him to
passionately oppose any Azeri attempt to retake his homeland.
Continued border clashes and ideological sniping make laying past
grievances to rest all the harder.
“We live very well without Azerbaijan and to be honest I can never
understand those politicians who want to see us subject to Azeri rule
again,” said another young resident, Narek, a 17-year-old economics
student.
Propped up by Armenia — itself supported by a large Armenian community
in the West — Nagorno Karabakh has in recent years taken on more of
a stable appearance.
Whereas its young people used to have to travel to the Armenian capital
Yerevan for higher education, institutes have sprung up in Nagorno
Karabakh’s main city of Stepanakert, offering their own degrees.
The political landscape has also grown more diverse.
While young people alot a healthy amount of time to the main
entertainment of evening walks and bar-hopping, the weeks prior to
Sunday’s poll found many of them vigorously discussing the programmes
of the seven parties vying for parliamentary seats, and some joining
in the campaigning.
And among the territory’s young there are some who feel the only
way forward is to reach out to Nagorno Karabakh’s large, oil-rich
neighbour, Azerbaijan — especially as rumours persist that Baku may
try to take back the territory by force.
“I am afraid of war and don’t want it to happen again,” said Sveta,
a 27-year-old lawyer, explaining that she had many Azeri friends she
chatted to over the Internet.
“We need to communicate, to know each other better, to learn to trust
each other,” Sveta said.
For others the important thing is that the vote should be fair, so
that Nagorno Karabakh can win the international community’s respect
and eventually recognition of its independence.
“We want peace and to enjoy our youth in an economically developed
and democratic country,” one teenager said.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
DR. NORA BAIRAKDARIAN IS APPOINTED THE NEW CHAIRWOMAN
OF THE ECUMENICAL RELATIONS COMMITTEE OF THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA
The Ecumenical Relations committee of the Catholicosate of Cilicia
held a meeting in the Catholicosate on June 16. His Holiness Aram I
presided over the meeting.
Ecumenical Relations officer Bishop Nareg Alemezian talked about the
ecumenical conferences and meetings in which the Catholicosate of
Cilicia participated during the last few months. He focused on events
and aspects important to the Armenian Church and the Catholicosate.
His Holiness then identified the significant aspects of the present
ecumenical landscape by spelling out the specific role of the Armenian
Catholicosate of Cilicia. Aram I praised the seriousness and the
commitment of the delegates who represented the Armenian Church in
various ecumenical activities.
His Holiness announced that he has appointed Archbishop Sebouh
Sarkisian (Primate of the Diocese of Tehran) and Mrs. Teny
Pirry-Simonian, the executive secretary of the Relations Department
of the World Council of Churches, as two new members of the committee.
Aram I said prayers for the soul of the recently deceased chairwoman
of the committee, Ms. Manoushag Boyadjian. Then the Committee members
unanimously welcomed the nomination of Committee member Dr. Nora
Bairakdarian-Kabakian by His Holiness Aram I as the new chairwoman
of the committee.
Dr. Bairakdarian is a professor of international law and political
science in the Lebanese University. In the last few years she has been
very active in ecumenical relations, representing the Catholicosate
of Cilicia in various international meetings.
##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
Ecumenical activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate, The
Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NKR PRESIDENT APPEALS TO NKR PEOPLE ON THE OCCASION OF THE ELECTIONS TO NKR NA
STEPANAKERT, June 17. /ARKA/. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasyan appealed
to NKR people on the occasion of the elections to NKR NA. He noted that
he believed that the deputies of the new convocation of the Karabakh
parliament will be most worthy candidates. “Pre-election campaign is
being over and it was held positively and became one more step for the
further democratization of our state and society”, according to the
statement of the president. Meantime, it’s noted in the statement that
some candidates forgetting about elementary norms of ethics, pursue
only one goal, namely by any means, including inadmissible ones, to
discredit rivals, without introducing to electors their own programs
on legislative activity. The president guaranteed in his appeal that
voting will be fair and transparent. “I assure you that any attempts
to violate the law, as well as post-elections destabilization of the
situation will receive due evaluation. The initiators and performers
will be held responsible”, he said.
In his message Ghukasyan noted that the approaching elections are
have an important international meaning for Nagorno-Karabakh. “By our
attitude to elections we should demonstrate the world irreversibility
of democratic reforms in the country and contribute to international
acknowledgement of NKR. If the forthcoming parliamentary elections
are not in line with European standards, then the image of our state
will suffer, and its authority on the international arena will in
its effect negatively on peaceful process of the settlement of the
conflict with Azerbaijan. In other words, the fate of Artsakh and
our achievements are at stake”, according to the message. A.H. -0–

National Council of Churches USA, NY
June 17 2005
Habitat for Humanity launches 2005 Jimmy Carter
work project, and NCC rolls up its sleeves
New York, June 16, 2005 – National Council of Churches USA General
Secretary Bob Edgar will join former President Jimmy Carter and
volunteers from 50 churches June 19-24 to build 40 homes during
Habitat for Humanity’s 2005 Jimmy Carter Work Project in Michigan.
“President Carter is demonstrating once again that our obligation to
those who are struggling in our economy is more than lip service and
good intentions,” Edgar said. “The thousands of volunteers who will
be rolling up their sleeves and grabbing hammers are witnesses to the
fact that we all have a duty to work together. Those who have homes
must never turn their backs on those who can’t afford them.” Edgar is
shown at left meeting with the Carters at an earlier work project.
A special addition to this year’s work project will be the presence
of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians. Karekin will preside over an announcement of the Armenian
Church’s partnership with Habitat for Humanity to build in Armenia,
the United States and other countries.
During the annual event, thousands of volunteers will join Mr. Carter
and his wife, Rosalynn, to make the dream of homeownership come true
with families in need. Volunteers will complete more than 230 homes
throughout Michigan and in Windsor, Canada. The Carters will build
in host cities Benton Harbor and Detroit.
Leading up to the project, denominational leaders Bishop Gary Hansen
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and Bishop Bob Gepert
of the Episcopal Church led a campaign to get denominations engaged
by providing seed money and matching grants to encourage involvement
from local congregations.
Diverse church groups represented include Presbyterians, United
Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, Baptists and many
non-denominational churches including Willow Creek Community Church
near Chicago, which is sending more than 200 volunteers and
sponsoring two homes.
Representatives from Michigan Faith Leaders Council will show their
support by building along with church members from various
denominations and nondenominational churches.
–end–
Contact: NCC News, Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2252,
[email protected]; Leslie Tune, 202-544-2350, [email protected]
Contact Habitat for Humanity, Duane Bates, 229-938-1917,
[email protected]; Jennifer Lindsey, 202-270-2030,
[email protected]

The Road to Yerevan
Emerging Markets Economic Briefings
Oxford Business Group
Turkey, Volume 154
17.06.2005
A Turkish parliamentarian’s recent visit to Armenia has once again
spurred talk of Turkey reopening its border with its eastern neighbour –
a move that could spur trade and create jobs in Turkey’s impoverished
eastern provinces, while also providing a massive boost to Armenia’s GDP.
But before such a thing can happen, the two countries would have to
settle several long-simmering political spats, or at least choose to
ignore them – a process that carries some heavy political and historical
burdens.
In early June, Turhan Comez, a deputy in Turkey’s ruling Justice and
Development Party (AKP), visited Armenian deputy Hacat Sukyasian in
Yerevan. This was the first visit by a Turkish parliamentarian to
Armenia since Turkey sealed its borders with its eastern neighbour in 1993.
This closure came as a result of Armenia’s conflict with Azerbaijan.
Azeri defeat in the conflict led to Armenia occupying a land corridor
between its frontiers and the Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh,
which lies within Azeri territory. This occupation remains in place to
this day.
Turkey has long supported its ethnic kin in Azerbaijan, and closed the
border to pressure Armenia into resolving the conflict. Yet closing the
frontier has had a major economic impact on both sides.
Armenia, small and landlocked in the Caucasus region, lost a large and
valuable trading partner and a viable shipping route. Meanwhile, Turkey
saw a collapse in commerce in its eastern provinces, which are now among
its poorest.
At present, goods do circulate between the two countries, but largely
via a more circuitous route, using connections through Georgia. This,
however, is a far more costly business, both in terms of time and money.
Direct flights do run between Yerevan and Istanbul, yet these are of
minimal economic impact.
The co-chairman of the Turkish-Armenian Business Development Council
(TABDC), Kaan Soyak, claimed back in February that according to official
data, the volume of Armenian-Turkish goods in 2004 was a meagre $120m.
This, he suggested, could triple should the border be reopened. TABDC
also has ambitious plans ready to restore the Kars-Yerevan railway,
should the border be reopened, turning the currently desolate eastern
frontier into a major trade and transport corridor. This in turn would
provide a boost to the local economy that might help reverse the trend
towards depopulation on the Turkish side, as poorer rural dwellers head
west for jobs in the big cities.
TABDC also has integration plans such as an online wholesale market for
agricultural products grown in Armenia and eastern Turkey already set out.
Yet even with the obvious benefits for both sides, calls for an open
border and trade between the two countries have had little impact in the
past.
Armenia’s foreign minister, Turkish and Armenian businessmen and Western
diplomats have all expressed a preference for economic co-operation, and
Yerevan has stated it is ready for an unconditional restoration of land
links. However, Ankara has not been willing.
Yet, “Turkey’s own economic interests are playing a role here,” Nicolas
Tavitian, TABDC’s Brussels representative, says. “It is precisely
because [the Turks have] much to win from the border reopening that they
are perhaps seriously considering that possibility now.”
As for Armenia, if the border were opened, Tavitian argues, citing World
Bank statistics, “Armenia’s exports would double in the short term and
its GDP would increase by an estimated 30 to 40%.”
However, while the economic arguments for reopening the frontier may
have been clear for some time, the issue remains clouded by political
and strategic concerns. Indeed, few expect any shift in Turkey’s
position as long as the Nagorno-Karabakh issue remains unresolved. While
EU pressure may be on for Turkey to normalise its relations with its
neighbours – indeed, this is a positive requirement of EU candidate
Turkey in its accession process – and US pressure may be on as part of
Washington’s wider Central Asian strategy, Ankara remains largely pinned
down by its Azeri commitments.
Meanwhile, the controversy over Armenian claims of a genocide committed
by Ottoman Turks against them in 1915 also makes a resolution of
disputes between Turkey and Armenia much more complex. At the same time,
Ankara also accuses Yerevan of failing to satisfactorily renounce
territorial claims on Turkey.
Yet Comez’s visit, and generally positive reception, also indicates that
there is strong pressure for change and reassessment building. Tickets
through to Yerevan on the Kars railway may still be some way off, but
they may not be entirely out of the question, either.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
June 17 2005
German parliament’s Armenian bill draws Turkish ire
The CHP said that the bill was a fiasco on the behalf of the
government’s foreign relations policy.
Guncelleme: 17:43 TSI 17 Haziran 2005 Cuma- The German parliament’s
passing of a motion recognising claims that the Ottoman Empire had
massacred many of its Armenian community some 90 years ago will cast
a shadow over Turkish-German relations, the speaker of the Turkish
parliament said Friday.
Parliamentary speaker Bulent Arinc has sent a letter to his German
counterpart saying that the bill, which also calls on Turkey to
acknowledge the allegations that Armenians were massacred in 1915,
was neither based on common sense or on facts.
Also on Friday, Kemal Anadol, the leader of the parliamentary group
of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), said that
history and politics were two terms that should not come together and
slammed various parliaments for passing resolutions without knowledge
or understanding of the facts.
The leader of opposition True Path Party (DYP), Mehmet Agir, was
another to react to the bill, saying that by this decision Germany
had covered the head of history with a sack.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress