Author: Hovhannisian John

CORY WELT: U.S. NOT GOING TO ATTACK IRAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.06.2007 16:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The U.S. is not planning to attack Iran," deputy
director and fellow of Russia and Eurasia Program of the Center for
Strategic and International Studies, Cory Welt told a news conference
in Yerevan.

"Unfinished war in Iraq and the Afghanistani problem exclude such a
scenario," the American expert said. "We are trying to influence on
Iran with other tools. Furthermore, we are facing a presidential
election. Iran will elect President in two years. Under the
circumstances it makes no sense to wage war," he said.

Victory of a Democrat at the presidential election in the U.S. will
not change foreign policy, according to him. "The U.S. policy doesn’t
depend on a party; it defends national interests proceeding from the
world situation," Mr Welt said.

DEPUTY FM OF ISRAEL: KARABAKH CONFLICT MAY BECOME EXAMPLE FOR SETTLEMENT OF ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PROBLEM

arminfo
2007-06-13 09:59:00

Karabakh conflict may become an example for Israeli-Palestinian problem
settlement. As the "Trend" reports, deputy FM of Israel Jossi Gal
said at the press-conference upon results of a two-day visit to Baku.

He said that situation in the Near East was discussed during
negotiations with official Baku. Position of Israel is to create
two states in the Near East – Israel and Palestine. Creation of the
latter must be carried out of Palestinian people’s will. The deputy
FM also said that the principal moment is the fact that the newly
created state should live in peace with Israel.

The diplomat added that Israel makes all the efforts to achieve peace
in the region, however, the extremists impede this process. They are
supported by a number of states, including Iran, Syria and others,
he said.

IF THE USA AND RUSSIA AGREE UPON IMPLEMENTATION OF GABALA RADAR STATION, NO ONE WILL EVER ASK BAKU’S OPINION ABOUT THE ISSUE
"PanARMENIAN.Net" analytical department

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.06.2007 GMT+04:00

Russia’s proposal to the USA regarding the missile defense system
speaks of Russia’s readiness to solve the security problems together
with America and Europe in a constructive way.

The RF President’s proposal regarding the common implementation of
the Gabala radar station instead of locating missile defense system
in Poland and the Czech Republic came as a shock. Azerbaijan has
already started to think it over, whether or not to agree with RF
President’s initiative, unless the US Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice announced in an interview with Associate Press that it should
still be found out how important Azerbaijan is to the USA in the
context of missile defense.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In other words if the great powers agree upon
implementation of Gabala radar station, no one will ever ask Baku’s
opinion about the issue. It should also be mentioned that Azerbaijan
thinks that with the help of Gabala Radar Station Russia realizes a
kind of technical reconnaissance of Turkey, which gives Baku grounds
to worry. But the radar station will enable spying on Iran, which is
more important now. We may assume that Putin’s step might be dictated
by its wish to be with the West in the issue regarding Iran nuclear
problem. It is hard to predict whether or not the relationship between
Moscow and Tehran will go worse if the RF President takes an obvious
pro-western position in this issue. Yet, there is no doubt that this
radar station is of great interest to the USA.

Another consideration is that Putin simply doesn’t want to be involved
in arms race keeping in mind what it led to in the times of Ronald
Reagan. Then exactly the arms race became one of the reasons of the
USSR breakdown, and Putin certainly doesn’t want Russia’s breakdown.

On January 25, 2002 Heydar Aliyev and Vladimir Putin signed an
intergovernmental agreement "about the status, the principles and
conditions of implementation of informational-analytical center in
Gabala". As a result Russia gained the right of using the station
with the period of 10 years. The object lease will cost Moscow $7
million a year, $5 million for energy usage, plus $10 million for
all public utilities. The term of lease expires in 2012, when the
station is already outdated in spite of the ongoing upgrades.

"The radar station in Gabala indeed allows controlling not only the
launch of intercontinental missiles, but also cruise missiles in a
huge sector to the south of the Russian border. Russia’s proposal
to the USA regarding the missile defense system speaks of Russia’s
readiness to solve the security problems together with America and
Europe in a constructive way," said the RF first deputy prime minister
Sergey Ivanov.

The station is located near the city Gabala in Azerbaijan. It is a
fixed radar station like Daryal, included in the system of missile
attack prevention.

The construction has been carried out since 1976. The radar station
is used for tracking the launch of ballistic missile from Asia and the
area of the Indian Ocean, as well as for controlling the space objects.

Daryal cannot cover missiles one after another, which theoretically
must be headed to Europe.

The experts claim that from the military point of view one only radar
station in Azerbaijan will protect the Continent from hypothetic
threat from Iran and North Korea better, than the whole program
of locating new missile defense system in Europe worked out by
the Pentagon. And this project will cost much less expensive. But
a contradictory image is seen in the countries which are directly
involved in these events; the official representatives of the Czech
Republic and Poland do not hurry to feel glad together with EU, and it
is quite understandable; besides the military aspects, the project of
"the European missile shield" promises a number of economic benefits
to their countries. However, it should not be disregarded that the
2/3 of the population of their countries is against locating the US
elements of missile defense radar system in their territories.

REGIONAL BONDS MARKET ON THE HORIZON IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS?
By M. Alkhazashvili
(Translated by Diana Dundua)

The Messenger, Georgia
June 8 2007

Scandinavian exchange group OMX proposes establishing a regional
securities market in the South Caucasus.

During his visit to Yerevan, senior vice president of OMX’s Corporate
Development unit Henri Bergstrom stated that having a securities
market in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia would make it possible to
create a regional securities market that would increase investors’
and entrepreneurs’ interest in the South Caucasus.

OMX owns exchange markets in 7 countries of the world and its
technology is on the exchange markets of more than 50 countries
reports the news agency Regnum.

According to Bergstrom, OMX already has experience in creating regional
markets in the Baltic States.

To develop a regional bonds market in the South Caucasian states
including Armenia it would be important to introduce modern technology
in the country.

ARMENIA DEMONSTRATES MILITARY RESOURCES, BUT AZERBAIJAN DIPLOMATIC SUPERIORITY: POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 6 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Trend corr.S.Ilhamgizi / Mubariz Ahmadoglu, the head
of the Center of Political Technology and Innovation and political
scientist, has stated that Armenia, who is losing a diplomatic arena
to Azerbaijan, intends to demonstrate their force resources. Azerbaijan
could put an end to such actions through similar steps.

The political scientist considers that the negotiations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict are the factor
maintaining stability in the Armenian society. Armenia’s will of
interrupting the negotiations due to possibility of withdrawal
of troops from 7 occupied regions of Azerbaijan, is actually in
Azerbaijan’s favor. " Azerbaijan well uses the disagreement and
hysteria in Armenia," he noted.

Ahmadoglu reminded that the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
revealed the details of negotiations. President Aliyev stated that
the immediate liberation of 7 occupied districts was discussed during
the latest negotiation.

Armenia agreed upon this issue, while Armenians want the dispatch of
peacekeeping forces to the region.

Lachin region might be used as a land corridor after definition of
status for Nagorno-Karabakh status and repatriation of refugees.

Azerbaijan dominates in all military and economic and political issues.

The statement of the President caused anxiety in Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh.

The statements of the French and Russian co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
group confirmed the Azerbaijani President’s position the recent tour
of the region t. Moreover, they stressed that Nagorno Karabakh was
an integral part of Azerbaijan.

"OSCE MINSK GROUP FORMAT DEFECTIVE AND SENSELESS"

A1+
[09:06 pm] 05 June, 2007

"Nothing can be said on the conflict settlement process until the
Nagorno-Karabakh status is not clarified", announced Arkadi Ghukasyan,
the president of Nagorno-Karabakh during the meeting with Miguel Angel
Moratinos, the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Goran Lennmarker, the OSCE PA
President and with the other members of the delegation. Mr Ghukasyan
does not have any particular expectation form the presidents’ meeting.

Arkadi Ghukasyan informed that during the all meetings they raised the
question of returning Nagorno-Karabakh into the negotiation process
and stated: "This format of the OSCE Minsk Group is defective and
not logical.

The destiny of Karabakh people cannot be decided without Karabakh’s
participation". He noted that during the 1994-97 Summit in Brussels
an agreement was signed by which the official negotiating parties were
Armenia, Karabakh and Azerbaijan. "Let Spain and Portuguese negotiate,
I only wish Karabakh to be recognized as an independent state". Mr
Ghukasyan also pointed that not always Armenia presented Karabakh’s
approach during the meetings.

"Position of Karabakh is definite; we may even talk on the liberated
territories but after the solution of Karabakh status only". Mr
Ghukasyan also stated that no agreement would be signed without
the nation’s approval. He also mentioned: "I do not think the Serge
Sargsyan is for the returning the territories. If we get a status
solution, case we may go to compromises".

EVENTS DEDICATED TO 70th ANNIVERSARY OF GREAT SINGER LUSINE ZAKARIAN
HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. Jubilee events dedicated to the 70th
anniversary of great singer Lusine Zakarian were held on June 1 on the
initiative of the National Library of Armenia. Early in the morning
representatives of National Library of Armenia and lovers of singer’s
art left for Etchmiadzin and laid flowers to the singer’s grave in the
yard of Surb Gayane Church. An exhibition opened the same day at the
National Library of Armenia. Articles about the singer published in
Armenian and foreign media, photographs, disks released in Armenia and
U.S. kept at Library’s archives were presented at the exhibition.

"Lusine Zakarian’s name stands out in the history of Armenian art
thanks to her talent, unique timbre of her voice and sincerety of her
performances," Mher Navoyan, Chairman of Sacred Musical Center, senior
lecturer of Komitas State Conservatory of Yerevan, said. In his words,
L. Zakarian’s uniqueness is conditioned by the circumstance that in the
Soviet years the singer was able to take out Armenian sacred music to
concert stage. And though the church criticized L. Zakarian’s step, the
singer without hesitating made Armenian sharakans (Armenian chirch
psalms) popular not only in Armenia, but also abroad. The Center
Director emphasized that L. Zakarian managed to properly present sacred
music first of all thanks to her husband, connoisseur of sacred song
Khoren Palian.

M. Navoyan regretted to say that today one can seldom listen to L.
Zakarian’s songs: "Our musical life is not pure, today only short-lived
phenomena appear in the air and the fundamental layers of culture are
left out," he said.

Claimant party requires to debar RA Justice minister from participation
in hearings in RA CC

arminfo
2007-06-04 15:49:00

The claimant party requires to debar RA Justice Minister David
Haroutyunyan from participation in hearings on the claim of four
oppositional forces which insist on abolishment of May 12 parliamentary
election results.

To recall, the "New Times", "Orinats Yerkir", "Republic" parties, as
well as the "Impeachment" bloc contest the election results, and D.
Haroutyunyan is one of representatives of the defendant party at the
process. The claimant’s representatives presented the relevant petition
today since, as a representative of the "New Times" party Rouben
Torossyan said at the process, David Haroutyunyan was in the
proportional list of the Republican party on the eve of the election
and, upon their results, he was elected to the parliament. Therefore,
his participation in the process cannot be objective and
unbiased. Besides the aforementioned petition, the claimant party
insists on abolishment of RA CEC decision from May 19 about approval of
final results of the voting, invitation of international observers from
OSCE ODIHR as witnesses. It also insists on invitation of
representatives of the President and CEC, as three of nine members of
the Central Election Committee refused to sign the final voting
protocol.

Constitutional Court of Armenia to continue considering claim of opposition
parties

ArmInfo
2007-06-02 10:57:00

The Constitutional Court of Armenia to continue hearing the claim of
opposition parties, Saturday. Thus, New Times, Republic, Orinats
Yerkir parties and Impeachment bloc have appealed against the result
of May 12 parliamentary election in Armenia. The claim is
unprecedented as the case consists of over 4,000 pages and the
respondent party comprises Defence Minister of Armenia David
Haroutunyan, CEC Chairman Garegin Azaryan, his assistant Abram
Bakhchagulyan, Deputy Head of Armenian Police Lt. General Ararat
Mahtesyan, Solicitor-General Gevorg Danielyan.

Leader of Impeachment bloc, editor-in-chief of Haykakan Zhamanak
newspaper, Nikol Pashinyan, stated that the election must be
recognized null and void for mass violations during the voting. He is
sure that the authorities carefully planed the election rigging yet
before the election day. Amendments to the Electoral Code of Armenia
deprived over 700,000 citizens of Armenia residing abroad of
votes. Due to it, Republican Party of Armenia easily used their votes
in its favor. Prime Minister of Armenia, RPA Leader, Serzh Sargsyan
openly campaigned for his party abusing his powers. He pro-government
media also campaigned for RPA and the pro-government party Prosperous
Armenia.

Afterwards, the Constitutional Court heard Orinats Yerkir
representative, MP Hovhanness Manukyan for several hours. CC Chairman
Gagik Haroutunyan called the speech political and lacking specific
facts. "That is why, it is not clear what Orinats Yerkir demands,
either cancellation of the results in specific districts or
cancellation of the election result, on the whole," CC Chairman
said. On June 2, the CC will hear New Times and Republic
parties. Then, the Court will call upon the respondent party.

ARAM SATIAN RECEIVES HIGHEST MINISTERIAL AWARD
By Marieta Makarian

AZG Armenian Daily
31/05/2007

Within the framework of "National Gallery" international music
festival, Denis Zhdanov, famous celloist from Germany, gave a concert
recently, on May 26. The musician impressed the listeners with this
performance at the concert.

On the same day, Karine Khodikian, RA Deputy Culture and Youth Affairs
Minister, represented the order of Hasmik Poghosian, RA Culture and
Youth Affairs Minister. By the ministerial decree, composer Aram
Satian, professor at the Yerevan State Conservatoire after Komitas,
was awarded the golden medal of RA Culture and Youth Affairs Ministry
for his contribution to the development of Armenian music.

Mrs. Khodikian highly estimated the pieces by Mr. Satian. We
congratulating the composer with the award and wish him success in
his creative activities.