Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

WHICH PARLIAMENTARY FORCE WILL REPRESENT INTERESTS OF JAVAKHETI?

Lragir.am
14 June 06

Generally associations of compatriots should not become involved
in politics, but the circumstances are a little different, said the
chair of Javakhk Association Shirak Torosyan June 14 at the Pastark
Club. The circumstance is naturally the same association led by him,
because there is an issue of Javakheti. Therefore Javakhk Association
is not free from politics. Moreover, its chair is a member of the
Hzor Hayrenik Party. Hence, in the parliamentary election 2007 Shirak
Torosyan and his political party can rely on the support of about 300
thousand Javakheti Armenians living in Armenia, especially considering
the anxiety of the Armenians of Javakheti that the lawmakers of
Armenia have never raised the question of Javakheti.

The leader of Javakhk Association does not hide that the members of
their association want Hzor Hayrenik to represent the interests of
Javakheti in the next parliament. This political party is distinguished
by its moderate stance on the issue of Javakheti and is really
aware of its problems, because the leaders of the party come from
Javakheti. It is evident, however, that Hzor Hayrenik is one of the
few political parties which try to take up the issue of the Javakheti
Armenians. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation has been the most
active political party so far. The ARF is more active and also more
radical. Dashnaktsutiun often sets forward the question of sovereignty,
even independence. This is done even at the party leaders’ level.

We will get a full picture if we recall the point of view of an ARF
leader about “the third front.” Hence, the ARF can be the main opponent
of Hzor Hayrenik for 300 thousand votes of Javakheti Armenians living
in Armenia. Especially that these political parties have opposite
visions for the settlement of the issue of Javakheti.

The evaluation of Dashnaktsutiun’s approach given by Shirak Torosyan,
the chair of Javakhk Association and a member of the Hzor Hayrenik
Party, shows that competition will become more intensive.

The evaluation is in the form of a question. “If they are concerned
about the issue of Javakheti, why did they fail to raise it in the
parliament?” asks Shirak Torosyan.

INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR DEDICATED THE YOUTH PROBLEMS WITH “3+3” FORMAT
BALTIC AND CAUCASIAN STATES STARTS ITS WORKS IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. An international seminar entitled “3+3:
Baltic-Caucasus: Cooperation in Sphere of Youth Policy” opened on June
8 at the “Lusakert” resting house of Armenia. As the event organizers
informed, about 30 young leaders from Baltic and Caucasian 5 countries
presented applications for participation in the
seminar. Representative of one of the three states of South Caucasus,
Azerbaijan, did not arrive yet: Azeri participant presented
application for participation was to arrive in Armenia from the
territory of Georgia.

Boyana Urumova, the Special Representative of the Secretary General of
the Council of Europe expressed a hope that the change in the format
of the 5-day event is not final, she welcame holding of the event as a
display of regional cooperation. And one of the Armenian delegates
noticed that the “3+3” format has already been secured:
Armenia-Karabakh-Georgia and three Baltic states.

In the interview to the Noyan Tapan correspondent, Artur Poghosian,
the RA Deputy Minister of Culture and Youth Issues mentioned that the
mentioned initiative has no direct connection with big policy, but a
good idea became a basis for the mentioned event. To recap, President
of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus stated within the framework of the visit
paid to Armenia in April that “the time came to speak about one common
future of states of the South Caucasian and Baltic regions” and
expressed confidence that the format called “3+3” will become a
reality.

The goal of the youth event aimed to encouragement of regional
cooperation is, particularly, to study the experience of Baltic
countries’ European integration, two regions’ youth policy, to work
out jointly solutions of challenges and problems arisen in front of
youth, to create ties among youth organizations of the two regions,
etc.

BUCHAREST MEETING AGAIN DEMONSTRATES ARMENIA’S STRIVING FOR PEACE, RA
PRESIDENT’S ADVISOR STATES

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The Armenian
authorities’ striving for the conflict settlement is quite obvious,
there is one main issue here: the political heads’ renponsibility in
front of generations,” Seyran Avagian, the RA President’s Advisor
stated at the June 9 discussion in the “Mirror” club dedicated to the
present situation of the Karabakh conflict settlement.

He emphasized that military statements of the Azerbaijani heads are in
essense a blackmail to which neither people of Armenia nor authorities
give way. “The international community knows well that the military
stage of solving the conflict finished,” Seyran Avagian
stated. According to him, Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents’ last
meeting in Bucharest again demonsrated Armenia’s striving for peace.

Another participant of the discussion, head of the “Academy of
Political Researches” NGO, politician Alexander Manasian stated that
Azerbaijani leads propaganda much more actively than the Armenian
side, and this circumstance may not avoid influencing on the whole
process of the Karabakh conflict settlement.

According to A.Manasian, he is not at all anxious with postponing of
the problem solution, as the main issue here is best use of these or
other arguments, the thing that has never been done by now by Armenia
which allowed that territories under control of Armenian military
formations started everywhere to be called “occupied” what gives basis
to Azerbaijan to start military actions. “We must prepare such
approached and arguments owing to which postponing of the process on
settlement will bring us benefit,” Alexander Manasian stated.

CONSTITUTIONAL TASK FORCE MET JUNE 5

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
07 June 2006

On June 5 NKR President Arkady Ghukassian conducted the meeting of
the NKR Task Force for the Constitution. Arkady Ghukassian highly
appreciated the work done in drafting the main law of the country,
stressing that it has already received positive opinions from
experts. Then the head of the Task Force Armen Zalinian presented
a report on the work of the Task Force. The representatives of the
political forces, government and the National Assembly expressed
their opinions on the draft. Summing up the opinions and approaches,
Arkady Ghukassian decided to introduce the draft constitution to the
National Assembly. At the same time, the head of state instructed
the Task Force to go on to study the proposals on the draft.

IRAN DENIES ITS TV CHANNEL’S REPORT ON ‘GARABAGH INDEPENDENCE’

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
June 8 2006

Baku, June 7, AssA-Irada
Iran’s state-run television channel has reportedly termed Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh, an Azeri region under Armenian occupation, as an
independent country, despite its officials dismissing the statement.

The head of Iranian Foreign Ministry’s department on CIS, Mehdi
Safari, has told the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry that the reports
have no merit.

According to some media reports, the neighboring country’s TV-1
channel maintained that Upper Garabagh has been an independent state
for 15 years, while Azerbaijan is allegedly putting forth “territorial
claims” against the self-styled republic. The reports were commenting
on Sunday’s round of talks between Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
in Bucharest to discuss settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict.

The Azeri Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Taghizada said that in his
statement, Safari indicated that as a state channel, TV-1 expresses
only the position of the Iranian government and the latter’s stance
on the Garabagh conflict is clear.

TURKISH DEPUTY: ANKARA WISHES OPEN BORDER WITH ARMENIA

Yerkir
07.06.2006 18:13

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Turkey wishes to have open border with Armenia,
member of the BSEC PA committee on legal and political issues,
member of Republican People’s Party of Turkey Mehmet Sevigen told
journalists. In his words, Turkey does everything depending on it
to open the border with Armenia, but the latter should also take
essential steps.

“Armenia should observe the U.N. resolution and quit the seized Azeri
territories,’ Sevigen said. When touching upon Turkey’s acknowledgement
of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, Sevigen
stated that the “events of 1915 were not genocide but so-called
genocide.” “Armenia should surrender its claims for recognizing these
events as genocide. Historians should deal with the issue.

Turkey has opened all its archives of those times and invited all
historians concerned. When everything clears up we will see that
matters do not stand the same as politicians describe,” Sevigen said,
reported IA Regnum.

WHEN LAW IS EQUAL FOR EVERYONE

Lragir.am
07 June 06

As long as people do not have trust in anything, every businessman is
sure to be trying to take the safest place, that is in the parliament,
says Deputy Speaker Vahan Hovanisyan.

According to him, the owners of big businesses will be successful.

However, “when the law becomes equal for everyone, and the elements of
injustice are overcome, and competition between different producers
is fair and equal,” as soon as this beautiful reality is established
in Armenia, the businessmen will realize, says Vahan Hovanisyan, that
their direct presence in the parliament hampers both their business
and the parliament. And a less colorful and beautiful reality will
emerge, “lawyers, economists, trade unions, political parties of the
same economic environment will come, and the parliament will become
more effective.”

BLACKSEA PARTNERSHIP & DIALOGUE FORUM STARTS

Anatolian Times, Turkey
June 6 2006

BUCHAREST – “To settle problems we have with our neighbors is the
main policy of Turkish government,” Turkish State Minister Besir
Atalay said on Monday in Bucharest, Romania, where he attend the
“Black Sea Partnership & Dialogue Forum”.

Asked about efforts of Turkey to normalize relations with Armenia,
Atalay said, “many problems have been solved with neighbors –mainly
Greece and Syria. There are some known problems with Armenia. Turkey
wishes Armenia to act reasonably and try to normalize relations.”

Atalay said preparations were underway regarding the 4th round of
talks (at deputy undersecretary level) between Turkey and Armenia,
but noted that he is unable to give a firm timetable for the moment.

-COOPERATION IN BLACK SEA-

Speaking to reporters at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport prior to
his departure, Atalay said this new initiative aimed at boosting
cooperation in the Black sea.

“Turkey is for the improvement of stability, friendship and welfare
in the Black Sea,” Atalay said, noting that, “Black Sea has become
a very important region particularly in the past 20 years. Istanbul
Strait, which is the only exit point of the Black Sea, is in Turkey.

What Turkey would say pertaining to Black Sea is important,”
he reaffirmed.

Atalay said, “Black Sea Economic Cooperation Council is the actual
platform of the Black Sea. It has already been a regional organization
and Turkey pioneered for the establishment of this organization,
which has its HQs in Istanbul.”

-ALIYEV-KOCHARIAN MEETING

Commenting on the meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
and Armenian President Robert Kocharian in Bucharest aiming to find a
peaceful solution to the problem of Upper Karabakh (Azeri territory
under Armenian occupation), Atalay said Turkey is for a dialogue
between the two countries.

Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, Georgia, and Ukraine join the forum in
presidential level. Greece is represented by Public Order Minister
and Bulgaria is represented by its deputy prime minister.

Besides the Black Sea littoral states, representatives from EU member
countries, United States, Norway, Israel and some international
organizations participate in the meeting.

Atalay is expected to return to Turkey late on Monday.

ALEXANDER RAHR: ARMENIA HEADS FOR BECOMING CLOSER TO WEST IN FOREIGN POLICY

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.06.2006 15:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Program Director at the Korber Center for Russia/CIS
Studies Alexander Rahr speaking of prospects for Asian states and
Armenia joining a union state stated in an interview to DW-WORLD.DE the
following, “A number of integration initiatives can be and are being
implemented in the post-soviet space, for example, the Collective
Security Treaty Organization. I admit unification based on common
economic interests or security interests.”

“However, political reintegration of post-soviet republics is
unlikely. Today many CIS states are more interested in becoming closed
to the West, while in the long-term prospect the political role of
China will also increase. As of Armenia and other Transcaucasian
republics, in their foreign policy they have headed for becoming
closer to the West and first of all the US long ago,” Rahr noted.

DURING SUMMER MONTHS TRAINS WILL WORK IN YEREVAN-BATUMI DIRECTION

ArmRadio.am
07.06.2006 11:50

June 15 – September 15 trains will work in Yerevan-Batumi direction and
vice versa. To organize the summer rest of the population at Black Sea
resorts, the decision was taken still last year at the sitting of the
Intergovernmental Armenian-Georgian Economic Cooperation Commission.

RA Ministry of Transport and Communication informs that the trains
will consist of six two-person and four-person carriages and a
carriage-restaurant.

Yerevan-Batumi train will head from Yerevan to Batumi on odd days of
the month, and on even days it will start from Batumi to Yerevan. On
the territory of Armenia the train will have stations in Yerevan,
Armavir, Gyumri, Vanadzorand and Sanahin. One-way ticket for two-person
carriages of Armenian railways will cost 18 703 drams, the ticket
for four-person carriages will cost 9 297 drams. The costs for using
Georgian trains are 21 256 and 10 542 correspondingly.