Author: Frangulian Shushan

DELEGATION OF RUSSIAN INTERIOR MINISTRY VISITS ARMENIA

ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 28 2006

YEREVAN, June 28 (Itar-Tass) – The Wednesday meeting of the Joint
Collegium of the Russian Interior Ministry and the Armenian Police
is to discuss the prospects for the further cooperation between the
law enforcement structures of the two countries. Interior Minister
Rashid Nurgaliev is representing Russia.

"The main purpose of the current meeting is to further enhance the
effectiveness of our joint actions," Nurgaliev noted upon arriving
n Yerevan. "It is necessary more than ever before to consolidate our
efforts, to concert the actions of the law enforcement structures of
Russia and Armenia" in order to guarantee the rights and liberties of
our citizens, to ensure the stability and security of the two states,
the Russian minister stressed.

The Press Service of the Armenian Police reports that the Collegium
is planning to discuss the methods of perfecting the interactions of
the Federal Migration Service of the Russian Interior Ministry and
the Armenian Police in order to combat illicit migration. Economic
crimes committed on the territories of the two countries are also on
the order of the day. The sides are planning to sign a protocol on
cooperation between the All-Russia Research Institute of the Interior
Ministry and the Armenian Police.

The Russian Interior Minister and his Armenian colleague will go on
Thursday morning to the highland health resort of Tsakhkadzor, where an
anti-terrorist exercise of special-purpose units of the two structures
will be held. Taking part in it from the Russian side will be the "Rys"
(Lynx) special-purpose unit of the Russian Interior Ministry.

The visit of the delegation of the Russian Interior Ministry to
Armenia will last until June 30.

CE SECRETARY GENERAL: FORCEFUL METHODS IN SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT INADMISSIBLE TO COUNCIL OF EUROPE

Strasbourg, June 28. ArmInfo. Council of Europe Secretary General
spoke at a press conference in Strasbourg. He expressed hope that the
settlement of Karabakh conflict will meet the interests of Nagorny
Karabakh people, Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as the whole South
Caucasus region.

He said he attentively follows the negotiation process as the
settlement of Karabakh conflict is one of the commitments of Armenia
and Azerbaijan to the CE. The commitment implied display of only
peaceful initiatives on the conflict’s resolution, T. Davis said. He
expressed disappointment at the protraction of the process. He said in
the course of the recent international conference he met with Ilham
Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, who informed him of the current
state of affairs. T. Davis intends to discuss the Karabakh conflict
with the leadership of the Armenian delegation to PACE this week. He
reiterated that the Council of Europe is for peaceful settlement
of the conflict on the basis of a compromise treaty. T. Davis is
disappointed about the lack of an agreement unlike the encouraging
moments before the last round of negotiations of the presidents in
Bucharest. Terry Davis said he is well aware of all the difficulties
the parties are facing and tries not to criticize them.

GEORGE SOROS REJECTS ACCUSATIONS OF FINANCING REVOLUTIONS IN POST-SOVIET SPACE
Author: A.Aleskerov

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 27 2006

George Soros, currently in Turkey, led a news conference in Conrad
hotel in Istanbul, sharing his vision of the processes going worldwide,
Cumhurýyet reports.

Trend’s special correspondent reports from Turkey, Soros rejected
the accusations of being a sponsor and organizer of various revolts
in a post-Soviet space. He said these accusations are fabricated by
Russian propaganda machine. "Revolution in Ukraine scared Russia and
instead of ruling the people correctly they blame me",- he said.

Speaking on situation on South Caucasus, Soros, stating the conclusions
of Open Society Institute, indicated Armenia’s corruption as greater
than that in Georgia. He said ‘we would love to help Armenia but the
government shall wish it’.

Mr Soros also criticized US President’s policy that ‘opened a war
on terrorism and directed us to wrong side’. In his opinion, the war
will go on and on and weaken US positions worldwide.

–Boundary_(ID_qR8lvpk4wyxws71KAVXIpA) —

AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS MIGHT MEET IN ST.PETERSBURG IN JUNE

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 27 2007

Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents might meet in St.Petersburg,
Russia, in the framework of the G8 Summit in July, Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists.

He said the exact date of the Presidents’ meeting will be specified
following the OSCE Minsk Group American co-chair Matthew Bryza’s
visit to the region.

"We need to wait for Mr.Bryza’s visit to the region. After that OSCE
will take position regarding the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian
Foreign Ministers, and the meeting of the Presidents will be possible
following that," Mr.Mammadyarov said.

YEREVAN DEPLORES U.S. DISCLOSURE OF PROPOSED KARABAKH DEAL
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
June 26 2006

Armenia criticized a senior U.S. official on Monday for disclosing
key details of the most recent framework agreement to end the
Nagorno-Karabakh which was put forward by the U.S., Russian and
French mediators.

In an interview with RFE/RL late last week, the U.S. Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State Matthew Bryza said the conflicting parties have been
discussing a gradual solution to the dispute that would culminate in a
referendum on Karabakh’s status. Bryza said the vote would determine
the disputed region’s status "at some point" in the future after the
liberation of Armenian-occupied lands in Azerbaijan proper.

President Robert Kocharian appears to have been taken aback by the
remarks. His press secretary, Viktor Soghomonian, claimed that Bryza
unveiled only "some elements of the document proposed to the parties
which do not reflect the whole essence of the draft [Karabakh]
agreement."

"If similar revelations appear in the media in the future, Armenia
will publish all the documents discussed at the talks in the last
seven to eight years," Soghomonian told the Russian news agency
Regnum. "Namely, the [1998] draft agreement based on the principle of
a `common state’, the document discussed in Key West [in April 2001]
and the draft agreement which was recently discussed in Bucharest. I
am sure everything will be crystal clear then."

"Incidentally, all three draft agreements were rejected by Azerbaijan,"
Soghomonian said.

Bryza, who has just taken over as the new U.S. co-chair of the OSCE
Minsk Group, essentially confirmed Karabakh-related information
leaked by Armenian and Azerbaijani officials last year. It is
therefore not clear why official Yerevan was irked by the move,
especially considering the fact that the proposed referendum would
likely legitimize Armenian control over Karabakh.

Azerbaijan’s reaction to Bryza’s remarks was far more positive, with a
spokesman for the Foreign Ministry in Baku saying over the weekend that
they "reflect the state of affairs" in the Karabakh peace process. The
Azerbaijani newspaper "Zerkalo" quoted the official, Tahir Tagizade,
as claiming at the same time that the referendum would be held not
only in Karabakh but also Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev insisted on Friday that he will
"never let Nagorno-Karabakh be separated from Azerbaijan" and that
"this cannot be a subject of negotiations."

The referendum option clearly envisages the possibility of
international recognition Karabakh’s secession from Azerbaijan,
though. It is believed to have dominated two rounds of unsuccessful
negotiations held by Aliev and Kocharian in Bucharest and outside
Paris last February. The fiasco has all but dashed hopes for a speedy
resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Bryza said he and the two other Minsk Group co-chairs have decided
to take "a bit of a pause throughout the summer" to see whether Aliev
and Kocharian have the political will to make "tough compromises."

"The Minsk Group has decided that there’s no sense in us trying to
arrange another round of presidential meetings or trying to broker
an agreement, because we have taken the process as far as we can,
and all that’s left to do is for the presidents to make these tough
decisions," he said.

"We just don’t know where the presidents are right now," added the
U.S. official. "We’re encouraging them, we’re nudging them by taking
a step back. Nudging them to show that they have this political will."

LES STUDIO : RENCONTRE AVEC ROBERT GUEDIGUIAN

La Nouvelle Republique du Centre Ouest
26 juin 2006

Le cinema les Studio recevra, jeudi 29 juin, le realisateur Robert
Guediguian pour son film " Le Voyage en Armenie ". Le voyage est
celui d’Anna, Francaise, qui vit assise dans ses certitudes, ses
valeurs. Sûre de sa vie. Mais son père, Barsam, qui est gravement
malade, sait qu’il est armenien de coeur et il veut revoir la terre
qui l’a vu naître. Il s’enfuit donc pour renouer avec ses origines,
mais il laisse suffisamment de traces pour qu’Anna le suive et le
retrouve. La-bas, pense-t-il, elle doutera, elle saura qu’il n’y a
pas qu’une verite. Le voyage d’Anna est donc un voyage initiatique,
riche en peripeties, qui va l’amener a remettre en cause son identite,
ses valeurs, ses sentiments.

Avec Ariane Ascaride, Gerard Meylan, Simon Abkarian…

La projection du film aura lieu, a 19 h 30 et sera suivie de la
rencontre du realisateur avec le public. Le film sera sur les ecrans
a partir du mercredi 28 juin, en sortie nationale.

– Jeudi 29 juin, a 19 h 30. Cinema Les Studio, 2, rue des Ursulines,
a Tours. Tarifs habituels. Tel. 02.47.20.27.00.

–Boundary_(ID_GLtOIvynhjPCjSVVIZ 2Oew)–

ARMENTEL NEW OWNER NAME TO BE KNOWN IN LATE JULY-EARLY AUGUST

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.06.2006 14:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The name of the new owner of 90% of ArmenTel
company shares will be known in late July – early August, Armenian
Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan told
journalists yesterday. In his words, only in case the stockholder
is changes the issue of reconsideration of the terms of the license
will be solved. Manukyan remarked the Armenian Government has not
yet expressed its stand over four possible buyers of ArmenTel. He
expressed satisfaction with OTE Greek Company selling its 90% shares,
reports the Yerkir newspaper.

We remind that after the first phase of the tender for buying ArmenTel
company, Vympelkom and MTC Russian companies, as well as ETISALAT
(Emirates Telecommunications Corporation /Istithmar ETV -Emergent
Telecom Ventures) and VTEL Holdings/Knightsbridge Associates will
continue the competition.

A PROBATION PERIOD MAY BE SET FOR ARMENIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM

Panorama.am
17:12 23/06/06

A probation period may be set for the Armenian national anthem,
Henrik Harukyan, an artist, expressed this opinion in a discussion
with poet Razmik Davoyan.

In his words, if a new song may be selected as the national anthem,
it must be broadcast by radio, so that population gets used to
it. Harukyan thinks that the discussions on national anthem should
be postponed since "the wish of the people has not got matured yet."

In his turn, Razmik Davoyan who is a member of contest committee at the
Ministry of culture and youth affairs said that no application has been
considered yet. The poet thinks that the national anthem must be a song
about a mother and children must be educated to it since childhood.

Applications for the national anthem of Armenia will be accepted by
August 1. The present national anthem – "Our Motherland" was approved
by the parliament of the republic on July 1, 1991./Panorama.am/

Today, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

Matthew Bryza announces details of framework treaty on Karabakh
conflict

23 June 2006 [16:36] – Today.Az

"The parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict are negotiating on the
items of the framework treaty regarding Armenian armed forces’
withdrawal from Azerbaijani territories," OSCE Minsk Group new US
co-chair Matthew Bryza stated.

The co-chair said the framework treaty will enable to normalize
economic relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia. He said this
treaty is about deploying peacekeepers in the conflict zone,
international economic support and several other issues.

"The treaty also envisages holding of a referendum in Nagorno
Karabakh after all these issues are completely solved. I call on the
Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents to sign the framework treaty on
the settlement of the conflict. There is a need to demonstrate
political will for that," Mr.Bryza said.

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs yesterday presented a report the OSCE
Permanent Council regarding the negotiating process for the
settlement of the conflict, APA reports.

URL:

Moscow views Baku as key player

Baku Sun, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

The Human Rights Institute of the National Academy of Sciences of
Azerbaijan last week held a round table to discuss the role of the
Diaspora in Azerbaijani-Russian relations.

Tatyana Poloskova, head of department at the Center for International
Scientific and Cultural Cooperation (CISCC) under the Russian Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, also attended the event.

Baku Sun’s Mammad Bagirov asked Ms Poloskova for her comments on the
problems facing Russia’s sizeable ethnic Azerbaijani community. –
What are the main problems facing Azerbaijanis in Russia today? –
During the round table, we agreed that Azerbaijanis really are facing
problems in Russia.

The main problem is the negative image of Azerbaijanis which has
developed in Russia. As I said at the round table, it is actually
possible to improve this image. A group of Russian and Azerbaijani
experts are going to look into the reasons for this negative image.

On the surface, the negative attitude towards Azerbaijanis in Russia
stems from the fact that Azerbaijanis have filled a certain economic
vacuum in Russia, particularly in the sphere of trade. But in fact,
there were no other contenders for this vacuum apart from Azerbaijanis.

As Russians have traditionally never shown interest in trade,
Azerbaijanis engaging in trade cannot serve as a reason for this
negative image. Yes, we have to admit that one can frequently observe
Azerbaijani vendors behaving incorrectly in Russian markets. However,
vendors representing other nationalities behave in the same way as
well. This is a special market environment.

I think one of the main reasons behind this negative image of
Azerbaijanis is their ability to compete. They are hard working,
mobile and less inclined to alcoholism. There are ways of building up
a positive image, and we are ready to work with the Azerbaijani side
on this. Why is this important for us? One of the responsibilities of
the CISCC is to accompany Russia’s foreign policies with informational
initiatives in the humanitarian field.

It is very difficult to hold a humanitarian dialogue with Baku as
long as the problem of Caucasusphobia remains in Russia. If we do not
resolve this problem, it will hinder our humanitarian relations. –
One of the problems hindering Azerbaijani-Russian relations is Russia’s
policy of double standards toward Azerbaijan. For instance, when dozens
of Azerbaijanis were killed in a market roof collapse in Moscow, Russia
did not declare mourning. But Russia did mourn Armenians killed in
a recent aircraft crash. – Yes, Russia should have declared morning
after the roof collapse in the Basmanniy market. It is difficult to
say why the Russian authorities did not do so. I think in politics
lobby systems play a greater role than states. However, I cannot say
that there is an efficient Armenian lobby in Russia today. They are
much less efficient than they might be.

On the contrary, the Azerbaijani lobby in Russia is becoming more
powerful with each passing year.

Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline. As strange as it may seem, Russia
reacted calmly to this. Is this a sign that the position of Russia’s
political elite is changing towards realism and pragmatism? – Reaction
always means something. Moscow realizes that Azerbaijan is a key player
in the South Caucasus region with its political, economic and cultural
potential. Russia has spiritual and religious ties with Armenia and
Georgia. But Azerbaijan is the key player because of its potential.

Therefore, one should address the key player while building relations
with the region. The reaction of the presidents is important. You may
have noticed that the issue of the Diaspora receives great attention
in the Azerbaijani-Russian dialogue. If you have such a large Diaspora
in Russia, one cannot but view Azerbaijan as the key player.