Author: Jagharian Tania

ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN: OUR TASK IS TO GET RID OF THIS REGIME RATHER THAN TO MAKE LEVON PRESIDENT
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NO YAN TAPAN
June 12, 2008

According to the commander of the Shoushi special battalion Zhirayr
Sefilian, all those guilty of keeping him in prison illegally for 18
months must be held accountable by law. He stated this at the June
12 meeting with reporters. Z. Sefilian pointed out that he demands
it not out of revenge but in the interests of establishing statehood
in the country.

In his words, although it is true that "the fish begins to stink at the
head", the heads of the country also have a lot of "employees". In
particular, many "robotized guys" work in the national security
system who are ready to imprison illegally even their own mothers, and
"to serve any president of the country, even if it were Ilham Aliyev".

Z. Sefilian said that he was the only person convicted of keeping
illegal arms who has been kept in prison until the end of his term. He
underlined that he has no personal problems with the former and current
presidents, and the reason for "special" attitude to him lies in
"his type". According to Z.

Sefilian, over the past 10 years the authorities have governed the
country by using three principles: to bribe, intimidate, remove,
which is impossible to do with men of his kind.

Z. Sefilian called the program on his deportation a serious
one. However, at the moment the authorities have given up their
intention, and if such a decision is made, then Z. Sefilian, in his
words, will not be absent from Armenia for a long time, and he will
spend his time abroad to inform the Diaspora about the situation
in Armenia and use the Diaspora’s potential in the interests of the
national movement.

Z. Sefilian declared he will participate in the rally on June 20. He
noted that the rally will be one of the next in turn decisive steps
of the opposition. He said that the opposition will not use the way
of coup, and this is correct. In his opinion, the February events
proved that it is possible to achieve a power shift as a result of long
rallies with the participation of many people. Although the indicated
way is complex and long, it will allow to avoid loss of human life.

Z. Sefilian said that he has differences with the leader of the
national movement Levon Ter-Petrosian, particularly in the issue of
Karabakh problem’s settlement but these differences are not a reason
for not being on his side. He considered it wrong that a group of
people from L.

Ter-Petrosian’s entourage "has made him an idol". The majoity of
people worship not his person but as a man with greater capabilities
than those of the other leaders of the opposition. "Our task is to
get rid of this regime rather than to make Levon president. Levon has
said repeatedly that he is only an instrument to be used, and we use,"
Z. Sefilian stated.

IRAN READY TO RESUME MEDIATING MISSION

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
June 11 2008

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Sheikh-Attar has said
Tehran was ready to resume its mediation in the settlement to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict.

"Iran used to act as a mediator in the Garabagh
settlement. Unfortunately, our country was estranged from mediation
as a result of outside forces’ influence. But if a relevant proposal
is made by both sides, we are ready to undertake the mediating mission
again," Sheikh-Attar told a news conference in Baku last week.

The deputy minister said that although Iran did not deem the activity
of the mediating OSCE Minsk Group as satisfactory, it supported peace
talks under way within this framework. He reaffirmed that Tehran
backs Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

Sheikh-Attar regarded as a provocation the reports circulating that
Iranian companies are cooperating with the separatist regime in
Upper Garabagh. He rebuffed the allegations that a telecommunications
company from Iran was collaborating with the self-proclaimed republic.

Commenting on the new Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanian’s
recent visit to Iran, Sheikh-Attar said Iran has 15 neighbors, and
such visits paid within good neighborhood relations are normal. He
added that no issues against Azerbaijan were discussed in Ohanian’s
meetings with Iranian officials.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict for over a
decade. Peace talks brokered by the OSCE Minsk Group kicked off after
a lengthy war that ended with the signing of a cease-fire in 1994,
but have brought little tangible result so far. Armenia continues
to occupy Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh and seven adjacent Azerbaijani
districts in defiance of international law.

ORGANIZATION OF "RUBEZH 2008" MILITARY EXERCISES DISCUSSED AT THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

armradio.am
10.06.2008 17:06

Today the Secretary of the National Security Council at RA President’s
Office Arthur Baghdasaryan chaired the sitting of the task force
engaged in preparing the "Rubezh 2008" joint military exercises on the
territory of Armenia within the framework of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization. Issues related to the conduct and organization
of the military exercises were discussed during the sitting.

The Secretary of the National Security Council informed about the staff
changes in the task force. Artjur Baghdasaryan gave instructions on
the preparation and conduct of the "Rubezh 2008" military exercises.

PATRICK WILSON GORE: STALIN’S ANNEXATION OF KARABAKH TO AZERBAIJAN WAS DUE TO HIS "PARANOIA" OF ARMENIANS

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.06.2008 20:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ There is no evidence that the Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh committed "genocide" against Meskhetian Turks of Khojaly,
Canadian military historian Patrick Wilson Gore said during the launch
of his latest book "Tis Some Poor Fellow’s Skull: Post-Soviet Warfare
in the Southern Caucasus" at the embassy of the Republic of Armenia in
Ottawa, independent French journalist Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Gore stated that Stalin’s annexation of Nagorno Karabakh to Azerbaijan
was due to his "paranoia" of Armenians and a secret deal between him
and Ataturk, the Turkish dictator.

The Canadian expert stated that for 70 years Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh were treated as second-class citizens under Azeri rule. The
treatment of Armenians by Azeris was a classic case of ethnic
cleansing.

After the Sumgait and Baku massacres of Armenians in the early 1990s,
the Armenians were forced to fight to defend their families and
their lives.

In regard to the Khojaly incident, Gore said "Azeri troops ran
faster than the Meskhetian Turk civilians they had been using as
human shields". Upon their retreat to Agdam, civilians of Khojaly
were fired upon by the Azeri OMON garrison of Agdam, mistaking them
for Armenian forces. He said that a day before the start of Khojaly
battle, the Azeri forces executed 32 Armenian prisoners of war.

Regarding the ongoing Azeri government threats of resumption of war
to take Nagorno Karabakh, Gore said that "peace is for the benefit
of both sides". It is true that the Azeri government is getting
emboldened with its new-found oil wealth, but the Aliyev government
has to "consider that their oil and gas pipelines run 30 km north
of Nagorno Karabakh, and Azeris have invested heavily in their Baku
facilities." Gore questioned whether Azeris want to jeopardize their
vital pipelines and "risk their money sources."

The author of the 139-page book is a Canadian specialist in military
history and theory. He studied at Oxford, and subsequently graduated
from the National Defense College at Kingston, one of NATO’s senior
command colleges. Much of his career has focused on strategic
intelligence. This is his eleventh book. He used to be paratrooper
and marine commando.

HOSTAGES WILL BE RETURNED
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Panorama.am
19:18 09/06/2008

"Our compatriots can calm down as they will be taken back to the
country," announced the Minister of Defense of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan,
in a press conference. The representatives of Armenian Armed Forces
find it not accurate the announcements made by the Azeri side that
four Armenian hostages are diversnats.

S. Ohanyan said that in a meeting with Red Cross Committee supervisor
James Rainolds he has expressed his concerns about Armenian
hostages. The representative of Red Cross Committee said that he was
also concerned with their lives.

Note that in that meeting the minister notified about those Armenian
hostages who are caught in Azeri side.

–Boundary_(ID_E+BxmPr7uFLsM7wm9NXRug)
Cont ent-type: message/rfc822; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-description:

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Hostages will be returned
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Panorama.am

19:18 09/06/2008

HOSTAGES WILL BE RETURNED

?Our compatriots can calm down as they will be taken
back to the country,? announced the Minister of
Defense of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan, in a press
conference. The representatives of Armenian Armed
Forces find it not accurate the announcements made by
the Azeri side that four Armenian hostages are
diversnats.

S. Ohanyan said that in a meeting with Red Cross
Committee supervisor James Rainolds he has expressed
his concerns about Armenian hostages. The
representative of Red Cross Committee said that he was
also concerned with their lives.
Note that in that meeting the minister notified about
those Armenian hostages who are caught in Azeri side.

Source: Panorama.am

Get the name you always wanted with the new y7mail email address.

–Boundary_(ID_E+ BxmPr7uFLsM7wm9NXRug)–

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT’S REPORT ON ARMENIA CONTAINS SUBJECTIVE AND ONE-SIDED OPINIONS, DEPUTY ARMEN ASHOTIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 6, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. In the words of member of the NA
"Republican Party of Armenia" (RPA) faction Armen Ashotian, the
U.S. State Department’s latest report on human rights and democracy
in Armenia contains either one-sided or subjective opinions about the
presidential election and postelection developments in the country. At
the June 6 press conference he expressed his amazement at the fact that
the State Department’s opinion condradicts that of the OSCE observer
mission’s report, according to which the presidential election was
mostly in line with democratic standards.

He said that the State Department’s report consists of two parts. The
first one, according to him, has some subjective approaches to the
electoral process in Armenia, while the second part includes a summary
text about their own work aimed at democratization in Armenia. The
deputy added that the report authors seem to have addressed this text
to U.S. tax payers, telling them "look how we have spent your money".

A. Ashotian reminded about the opinions given once by Freedom House’s
about the state of democracy in the U.S. In particular, Freedom House
indicated that several journalists who opposed the war in Iraq were
dismissed from their jobs, censorship was imposed and people were
sent to prison for political dissidence. According to A. Ashotian, in
the U.S. policemen often exceed their authority and commit violence,
while 3% of the population – about 7 million people are in prison
and the death penalty has not been abolished. Whereas, he said, the
U.S. states that "at least ten people died" during the March 1 events.

ISRIA , DC
June 7 2008

Armenia: Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan visited the RA State Customs
Committee by the Government and introduced to SCC staff newly
appointed head of the Committee Gagik Khachatryan

The Prime Minister said in particular:

"You very well know him, the skilled expert who keeps track of the
situation and, to our belief, is the one to provide for effective
operations of the customs service, program performance and, on the
other hand, to carry out such reforms as will ensure that customs
services are competitive in the Republic of Armenia and live up to the
best of global experience, are acceptable to those citizens and
businessmen who make customs payments, the charges on this
administration are minimal and fail to create obstacles to business
and, on the contrary, promote entrepreneurship in our country. It is
not a secret that this is a major problem in the Republic of
Armenia. We are a small country and the volume of imports and exports
grow every year. This means that from year to year the work of the
customs service should vary and comprise such potential to provide for
the delivery of high-quality services. The future of our economic
system is dependant on the efficiency of your work and the quality of
your services. We have no alternatives: the quality of customs
services should be the best in the region and meet the best global
experience. And this will be brought about through your hard work. We
are convinced the Mr. Khachatryan closely follows the developments in
this field, and is in a position to carry out the needed reforms. You
are on the first line of our front, and your work accounts for the
attitude of domestic tax-payers to our State because due to those
difficulties which first of all face the authorities and the State, we
lose in the trust of our citizens which is extremely dangerous. I want
you to realize this responsibility as your success will be the success
of our State.

I want to congratulate Mr. Khachatryan and assure you that he will get
every possible backing from us in order we manage to address this
important task through joint efforts and are proud of having built up
the most effective customs service in the region. And this has to be a
reality obvious to everybody and our people, first of all. I
congratulate Mr. Khachatryan and, at the same time, I have the honor
of introducing to you his newly appointed assistant ? Mr. Artak
Shaboyan. Mr. Shaboyan is young, but he has quite a long experience in
this area, he is a scientist, senior lecturer at the French University
of Armenia and the Economic University. For many years now, he has
worked in the Central Bank, has supervising skills and experience in
macroeconomic analysis and knowledge, and, from this point of view, I
feel that that potential which he has is crucial for the realization
of reforms in the customs sphere. He is well-known both in Armenia and
with the international structures which keep inviting him to attend
different missions, to deliver lectures and to introduce practical
functions in various transitional economies. This means that this
potential will be for us extremely useful during the implementation of
drastic reforms. Also, it seems extremely important for us that those
concepts which are already submitted by Mr. Khachatryan and concern
steps on reforming customs service, its structure, it is extremely
important that tax and customs reforms are carried out in parallel and
that there was a constructive cooperation.

I want to draw your attention to one more circumstance, namely those
allegations that are frequently heard about civil servants accusing
them of direct involvement in business, protectionism and so on. This
is of course a major concern for us and it is not a secret that there
are such rumors about Mr. Khachatryan, the staff of the customs
service, tax officers in a sense that they use the public office to
promote their private affairs. Such behavior on the part of our
officials is unacceptable to us. At the same time, we seek to protect
fair-minded and honest officials, publicity being the only way to it.

You may know that a key point of our reforms is the introduction in
the Republic of Armenia of the institute of conflict of
interest. Yesterday, as the World Bank presented those analytical
materials concerning our country and the areas of cooperation, it was
noted that the introduction of the institute of conflict of interest
in the Republic of Armenia will be high on the government’s reform
agenda. Objectively, all of us have relatives and persons related to
us who are engaged in business. This is inevitable, though the problem
consists in that the individuals closely related to us should be in
the center of our attention and, first of all, they should have a
confidence-building reputation by paying taxes punctually instead of
evading them. It is understood that Mr. Khachatryan and many of you
have relatives in the sphere of business. First of all, you must be
exacting toward your relatives if we want the customs service to enjoy
the confidence of our people. We shall introduce this institute and we
shall start from the tax and customs services as they, on the one
hand, will create a corresponding atmosphere which will help your
activity and, on the other hand, will be free to carry out these
reforms with more determination. Once again, I congratulate
Mr. Khachatryan and Mr. Shaboyan on appointment and wish them fruitful
work."

CTED/D/2008/JUNE_13/diplo_07june2008_25.htm

origi nal source
tre_8/official_news_en.php?&date=1212606000

World Market Research Center
Global Insight
June 6, 2008

EU Contemplates Free-Trade Deal with Armenia

by: Natalia Leshchenko

Deputy head of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for
External Relations, Hugues Mingarelli, said during a visit to the
Armenian capital, Yerevan, that the European Union (EU) plans to open
negotiations on a free-trade agreement with the country soon. The
issue was discussed with Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sarkisian,
Finance Minister Tigran Davtian, and Foreign Minister Eduard
Nalbandian. No indication of the date was given, however, and judging
by previous experience, the process is likely to take many months, if
not years.

Significance:The introduction of such a regime would allow Armenian
goods easier access to the EU market and would be welcomed by Armenian
producers, especially given that the two large neighbouring markets,
Azerbaijan and Turkey, are closed to them over political
disputes. According to official Armenian statistics quoted by Agence
France-Presse (AFP), EU member states accounted for 39% of the
country’s external trade in the first four months of this year. The
total value of the Armenia-EU commercial exchange rose by 35% to
almost $597US million in this period. In strengthening ties with
Armenia, the EU is seeking to augment its position in the Caucasus. EU
assistance to Armenia totalled more than 400 million euro ($620US
million) from 1992 to 2006. In 2007, the EU adopted a 21-million-euro
aid package to the country, and by the time of Mingarelli’s visit had
released a first instalment of a 16-million-euro grant designed to
help fight youth unemployment through educational reform. The other
CIS countries currently preparing for free-trade regime talks with the
EU are Ukraine and Moldova.

FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT ON GARABAGH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT TO BE SIGNED BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA UNTIL LATE 2008

Azerbaijan Business Center
June 4 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Ilham Aliyev and Serj Sarkisyan, the presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia respectively, will conduct their first meeting
on June 6 within the XII Economic Forum in St. Petersburg (Russia).

Today at XV Caspian Oil&Gas Conference Mathew Brioza, state secretary
deputy assistant for Europe & Eurasia and US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group, said that 2008 is of principal significance for settlement of
Nagorno Garabagh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

"On Friday the two countries’ leaders will have a meeting in
St. Petersburg.

Presently speech is not about search of compromise, but about a
framework agreement on conflict settlement. The agreement can be
signed until the end of 2008," Mr. Briza said.

The Garabagh conflict began in 1988 from separatist movement in
Armenia.

More than 30,000 people dies and up to 1 million Azerbaijanians
became refugees for period of hostilities. Armenia occupied 20% of
Azerbaijani territory (the whole Nagorno Garabagh and 7 adjoining
regions) and created puppet regime there.

U.S: TURKEY NEEDS PLAN B IF CONGRESS PASSES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.06.2008 16:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey needs a plan B in the likelihood the
U.S. Congress passes a resolution endorsing Armenian Genocide under
a new administration, said campaign advisers for the presidential
candidates of both American political parties.

Richard Burt, campaign advisor to Republican nominee John McCain,
and Philip Gordon, campaign advisor to likely Democratic nominee
Barack Obama, discussed the implications of a Republican or Democratic
victory for Turkish-American relations at a panel organized by the
Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD) and
the Brookings Institute.

U.S. Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic Party’s top presidential
candidate, has pledged to recognize the World War I-era killings of
Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as Genocide if elected president,
as does his competitor Hillary Clinton.

Though not excluding a possibility of a change of heart, given that
politicians act differently in practice than they claim in their
election campaigns, Gordon advised the Turkish government to have a
plan B on the Genocide Resolution issue. Marc Parris, a former American
ambassador to Ankara, argued that Democrats will become stronger in
Congress and said the Turkish government should be prepared.

Whereas Burt argued that both Democrats and Republicans see Turkey as
a traditional ally, Gordon said the new administration will have to
devise a new policy on Turkey and cannot afford to continue overlooking
Turkey in favor of other priorities, the Turkish Daily News reports.