Author: Kalashian Nyrie

OSCE co-chairs urge Armenians, Azeris to prepare for peace
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
25 May 06
[Presenter] The representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair
countries made an official joint statement following the Yerevan talks
few hours ago.
The Russian deputy foreign minister, the US Assistant Secretary of
State and the French Foreign Ministry’s adviser in their joint
statements expressed confidence that the sides can achieve a mutually
acceptable agreement at this stage [of the peace negotiations]. They
described their talks in Baku and Yerevan as constructive.
[Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin, in Russian with
Armenian voice-over] We, the representatives at the deputy minister
level of the Russian Federation, the United States and France,
together with the co-chairmen and the personal representative of the
OSCE chairman-in-office, have arrived [in Yerevan] with this joint
diplomatic mission to promote the peaceful settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict and because now it is time for the sides to achieve
agreement on the basic principles of the conflict settlement.
[US Deputy State Secretary Daniel Freed, in English with Armenian
voice-over] As we did yesterday in Baku, we have discussed important
aspects of a future settlement. We worked to create conditions for a
meeting of the two presidents [Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev] in
the near future. We stressed the belief of the international community
that the conflict can be resolved only by peaceful means. Both
countries should prepare their people for peace, not war.
[French Foreign Ministry’s Ambassador at Large Pierre Morel, in French
with Armenian voice-over] A joint mission as this one is a special
event. It must be taken as a sign of seriousness with which we
approach the issue and, in particular, of our belief that we are at
the point when mutually beneficial agreement is achievable. It is up
to Armenia and Azerbaijan to let it happen. We are leaving with hopes
and expectations of progress. We are pleased to be in Yerevan and want
to express our gratitude to President Kocharyan and the people of
Armenia for receiving us.

ARMENIANS OF RUSSIA CONTRIBUTE TO STRONGER BILATERAL COOP – PRES
by Susanna Adamyants, Tamara Frolkina
ITAR-TASS News Agency
May 25, 2006 Thursday
Russian-Armenian relations have been developing in the spirit of
partnership and mutual respect, Armenian President Robert Kocharian
said in his greeting message to participants in the congress of the
Union of Armenians of Russia.
“Representatives of the Armenian and Russian diasporas always played an
important role in the two countries’ relations. The Armenian diaspora
fully integrated into the Russian society contributing to all areas
of its activities,” he said.
The Union of Armenians of Russia made a considerable contribution
“to keeping good traditions of cooperation between the two countries,”
Kocharian said.
He expressed the hope that this organization would help translate
into reality projects involving all Armenians of Russia into multiple
activities both in Armenia and Russia.

ATTEMPT TO SOLVE KARABAKH ISSUE BY FORCE MAY RESULT IN INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 15:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia’s stand is that Azerbaijan and Armenia should
agree over the option of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
between themselves.
An attempt to solve the conflict by force by any party can result in
international isolation, Head of the Russian MFA Fourth Department
Andrey Kelin told Azeri journalists when touching upon the Karabakh
conflict.
In his opinion, the Karabakh and Abkhaz conflict are
different. “Abkhazia was de facto established as an independent
formation and cannot join Georgia, while Karabakh is another matter,”
Andrey Kelin said, refraining from answering the question on the
status of Karabakh.
A columnist of the Zerkalo Baku-based newspaper writes that Azerbaijan
should hardly delude itself over Russia’s stand on Karabakh. “It
should be taken into account that the international community is ready
to support any option of settlement of the NK conflict, including
that not taking into account the territorial integrity principle,”
the edition writes.

DIPLOMATS OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIRING STATES MAKE JOINT STATEMENT ON VISIT TO ARMENIA
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 25 2006
The diplomats of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing states today made
a joint statement on the conclusions of their visit to Armenia (APA).
The statement reads: “We have visited the region to support peaceful
way of settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh. It is high time for both
parties to reach an agreement on main principles for the settlement
of the conflict.”

“MELTEX” LOST AGAIN
ArmRadio.am
25.05.2006 15:52
“Ulis Media” point the majority of points at today’s tender for FM
90.3 radio frequency, featuring “Meltex” and “Ulis Media.” The Company
will present programs about the show business and contemporary culture.
As for the FM 90.7 frequency, from now on it will belong to “Radio
Pro.”
This Company also bet “Meltex” Ltd, which was participating in the
tender for the 12th time.

RUSSIA AND ARMENIA EQUALLY INTERESTED IN BALANCE OF FORCES IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
PanARMENIAN.Net
24.05.2006 15:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia and Armenia are equally interested in
maintenance of balance of forces in the South Caucasus, strengthening
of stability and security in the region, President of the Union of
Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan said. “Russia is not indifferent
about the situation in the region and the role of Armenia. Armenia is
certainly not indifferent either. Moreover the Armenians of Russia
can do much for strengthening stability in the South Caucasus,”
Abrahamyan said. The UAR leader positively assesses the decision on
conveyance of a part of military equipment to the 102nd Russian base in
Gyumri. “Armenia made a proposal targeted at prevention of misbalance
in the region and it’s good that it is being implemented,” he said.
He also informed, he is unaware of investments made by
Russian businessmen of Armenian origin into the defense sector
of Armenia. “However the Union of Armenians of Russia is actively
working within the Russian military units deployed in Armenia. In
part, we provide computers, TV sets, home equipment and arrange
various cultural events,” Abrahamyan said, reported Interfax.

EUROPEAN SICKNESS
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot.am
23 May 06
The fact that the overwhelming majority of TV viewers gave their votes
to the Finnish “Lordi” group in “Eurovision-2006” isn’t accidental
at all.
Certainly we can console ourselves that it was a “protesting” polling;
people have got tired of sweet melodies of pop-music and inclined
to the strong, ” monstrous” appearances. But that inclination is the
epicrisis of a serious sickness. If I would A European I would stop
for a moment and think whether they go in a right way.
Let’s give a simple example; let’s suppose that a person is a
homosexual. It’ s his own business, let him do what he likes at his
own house. He can’t be pursued for it and deprive of his rights or
work. This is the limit of tolerance. But the point is that the modern
Europeans aren’t satisfied with that limit. They think that women and
men of non traditional orientation have a right to organize parades
performing their ugliness in the streets. And it is the infringement
of my rights because I don’t want my children to see demonstrations
of those spiritual invalids.
In the same way, if you are leprous or evil spirits are inside you,
go and receive a treatment or pray at home. But you take you sickness
to the stage knowing that millions of young people suffer from the
same sickness. They even call their ”song” ”Haliluya” /which is
translated from Hebrew ”Praise the God” /. We can affirm that the
“Lordi”-s were praising the Satan. And the mode of “Satanism” in
Europe, which is a dangerous signal.
Today the authorities of Armenia and almost all political powers,
sincere or hypocritical take oaths of faithfulness to European
values. It is a positive process in general; Armenia must indeed
become a state where the best ideas of European thinkers of 17-18
centuries must be embodied. But we must also know the limit and not
to pass the limit of above-mentioned tolerance.
It is known that our officials who sent singers to the ”Eurovision”
have been led by the following principle up to the present day; to
imitate the former winners of that contest. We can say that principle
won in Athens. But we should know the limit in using the approach. We
shouldn’t make for example Inga and Anush Arshakians take on the
masks of leprous and send to Finland.
–Boundary_(ID_PIBgAmbEWPV9HOB4kiVyyw)–

KAREL DE GUCHT: “I AM NOT PESSIMISTIC, HOWEVER, NOT EXCESSIVELY OPTIMISTIC ABOUT KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT CURRENT YEAR”
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 23 2006
“I am not pessimistic, however, not excessively optimistic about
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement in 2006”, OSCE Chair-in-Office,
Belgian Foreign Minister Karel de Gucht said, ArmInfo reports quoting
RFE/RL.
According to Karel de Gucht, OSCE is doing its best to bring the
conflict parties to a general resolution of the Karabakh issue. OSCE
Chairman-in-Office suggests that all efforts should be exerted
to find the settlement of the frozen conflict till the end of the
current year. “Everything depends both on Armenia and Azerbaijan;
they should arrive at understanding, while OSCE can only help them
in the matter”, Karel de Gucht stressed.
He also remarked there often were some side obstacles to the frozen
conflicts’ settlement, one of which is the closed Armenian-Turkish
border that hampers the problem’s solution. As for the settlement’s
outlooks, OSCE Chair-in-Office believes we should be optimistic.
“Unless one is optimist he has nothing to do in politics”, he stated.

A 320 FLIGHT DATA RECORDER FOUND AT THE CRASH SIGHT SERIOUSLY DAMAGED
Regnum, Russia
May 23 2006
By calculations of experts from the Russian Transport Ministry,
flight data recorder of the A 320 belonging to Armavia Armenian
Airlines can be lying within a radius of five meters from the place
where the flight communication recorder was found. Search operation
to find the second flight recorder has continued at present moment.
Earlier, on May 22, flight communication recorder was found.
Theoretically, first results of decoding the tape can appear as early
as within 10-14 days. The flight recorder was seriously damaged.
The A 320 passenger aircraft crashed while approaching the airport of
Adler in the night of May 3. 113 people aboard died. The investigation
names several reasons for the tragedy; however, as experts point
out, a grounded conclusion can be made only after data of the flight
recorders are decoded.

PEOPLE’S DEPUTY TURNED DOWN PROPOSALS OF COALITION
Lragir.am
23 May 06
Member of Parliament Karen Karapetyan, the leader of the People’s
Deputy Group, told news reporters May 23 that they had proposed to
nominate him speaker of the National Assembly. But Karen Karapetyan
declined this offer.
“I received certain proposals to occupy higher positions, but I
think occupying a position is not a goal, not a means for fulfilling
goals. Now I do not find it expedient to take up a post. As to the
group, it was also offered posts in the government and the National
Assembly. But the group finds that it must not be an end in itself.
If at the moment we took this chance and used these opportunities
not in favor of our people, at the moment, over this short period of
time, this work would not be effective, therefore we think it cannot
be our goal, it is merely a means,” states Karen Karapetyan.
However, according to him, it does not mean “we believe in ultra
approaches.”
The leader of the People’s Deputy says they have their logic, which has
its goal – political balance. “The key problem is political balance in
the country. If we fail to maintain political balance in the country,
forces from outside may impose their interests on many political forces
and attempt at fulfilling their interests in our country and try to
control our political sphere,” says Karen Karapetyan. According to
him, the People’s Deputy acted similarly over the past years, and it
is not going to change the logic of its activities.
“Since the correlation of forces in the National Assembly, the
opposition-government balance has changed, our main goal is also
political balance, in other words, we will be giving greater support
to the government to maintain political balance together,” says Karen
Karapetyan. He assures that the People’s Deputy was and will remain
in the constructive field.
“Hence, the prime problem: there is a single word at the top of the
pyramid – political balance. Any activity will be made to correspond
to this,” says Karen Karapetyan. He declined to say what posts the
People’s Deputy Group had been offered in the executive and the
legislative. Karen Karapetyan also declined to say if the government
offered stipulations along with offices. “I think our behavior
has always been adequate, and over this period our activities were
dignified. I think we did right. Besides, what does it mean “to offer
stipulations”? They proposed, they said there were such proposals,
we said we would think on these proposals, then we said no,” says the
leader of the People’s Deputy Group. He says the reason for declining
the proposal of the government was the lack of time rather than the
unsatisfactory levers offered to us.
Nonetheless, Karen Karapetyan gave an ambiguous reply with regard to
stopping the talks for entering the coalition. “I will say only one
thing: I think the group behaved in a highly dignified manner. In
fact, it means that there is no necessity to negotiate. We will be
working together, our priority is the political balance, we will be
working with them in this framework,” said Karen Karapetyan.