Author: Karagyozian Lena

Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Tel: (202) 223-4330
Fax: (202) 315-3339
Email: [email protected]
Web:
MEDIA ALERT
DATE: October 17, 2005
TO: Media Colleagues
RE: The Washington Post publishes NKR Representative’s Letter
Today, The Washington Post published NKR Representative Vardan Barseghian’s
letter to the Editor in response to an October 5 news story entitled,
“Independent Candidates Court Anger in Azerbaijan Campaign”. Representative
Barseghian’s letter is included below:
The Washington Post
Letters to the Editor
Conflict in the Caucasus
Monday, October 17, 2005; Page A14
While reporting on the parliamentary election campaign in Azerbaijan, Philip
Kennicott misrepresented key facts about the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict [news
story, Oct. 5].
In response to the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s democratic aspiration for
self-determination, Azerbaijan launched a war against Nagorno-Karabakh, not
Armenia. Nagorno-Karabakh was able to take the war outside its borders,
pressuring Azerbaijan into signing the 1994 cease-fire agreement.
Nagorno-Karabakh, not Armenia, now controls some 8 percent, not 16 percent,
of Azerbaijani territory. This buffer zone between Nagorno-Karabakh and
Azerbaijan helps maintain a relative peace in the region.
VARDAN BARSEGHIAN
Representative
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
Washington
* * *
This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
in the USA (NKR Office) on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the U.S. Government under the
Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional information is available at the
Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is based in
Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia and the public
representing the official policies and interests of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic, Artsakh.

Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)
October 11, 2005 Tuesday
Symphony opens year luminously
by Edward Reichel
SALT LAKE SYMPHONY, Libby Gardner Concet Hall, Saturday.
The Salt Lake Symphony opened its new season Saturday under the baton
of its new music director, Robert Baldwin, with a program of music by
Barber, Prokofiev and Tchaikovsky.
Baldwin led the orchestra in wonderfully articulate readings that
showed his keen sense of expression and perceptiveness. And the
orchestra, for its part, played luminously. The evening’s soloist was
the young Armenian pianist Karen Hakobyan, who played Tchaikovsky’s
ever popular B flat minor Concerto in the second half of the concert.
A former Gina Bachauer competitor and currently a student at the
University of Utah, Hakobyan is an immensely talented and dynamic
performer with an impressive technical command of his instrument. The
20-year-old made short work of the pyrotechnic demands placed on the
soloist in the first movement. However, Hakobyan was also at times
rather careless in his playing and fell to using the pedal
excessively.
In the first movement, Hakobyan attacked the music too aggressively,
making his interpretation too one-dimensional and monotonous. It also
frequently affected the balance between the piano and the orchestra.
The poetic slow movement and the fiery finale fared much better.
The concert opened with Barber’s “Essay No. 2.” This ruggedly
expressive piece with its bold statements and dramatic force is one
of the composer’s more intense forays into orchestral music.
Baldwin captured the drama and vitality of the “Essay” wonderfully,
giving a finely wrought reading that was dynamic and quite often
electrifying.
The orchestra, with few exceptions, played wonderfully. In
particular, tenor saxophonist Dave Feller was remarkable in his
extensive part, playing with expressiveness and eloquence.

MEMORANDUM ON COOPERATION SIGNED BETWEEN RA NA AND US AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 13 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN. A ceremony of signing a memorandum
on mutual understanding between the National Assembly of Armenia and
the US Agency for International Development (USAID) took place at the
“gilded hall” of the RA NA, on October 13. From the American party,
the memorandum was signed by Robin Phillips, the Director of the
USAID Armenia Mission, from the Armenian party by Artur Baghdasarian,
the Parliament Speaker.
“This is another good occasion to express our gratitude to US for
its consistent help and assistance to Armenia during the last 15
years,” Artur Baghdasarian stated during the short briefing wich took
place after signing the memorandum. According to him, signing of the
document will allow to raise the role of the parliamentary institute
in Armenia. The memorandum envisages implementation of a more than 2
mln US dollars program led to widening the RA NA international ties
as well as ones with the population of Armenia. This envisages the
NA staff’s, deputies’ re-training, technical assistance as well.
Answering the Noyan Tapan correspondent’s question, R.Phillips
mentioned that the program led to cooperation has started still in
2004 and will continue till 2007. The program envisaged by the present
memorandum is the continuation of another program with a value of 2
mln US dollars as well.
In his turn, Artur Baghdasarian mentioned that the program is a
rather effective one, and at present the sides start a new stage of
development of the cooperation. In the case of the constitutional
reforms’ being adopted by the November 27 referendum, this may
also have an important role in the issue of raising the role and
significance of the National Assembly what is envisaged by the
amendments.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZIMOV: NO OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV PRIVATE MEETING SCHEDULED IN LJUBLJANA
Pan Armenian
13.10.2005 20:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The peace talks over settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict should continue until all resources are used up,
Azeri Deputy FM Araz Azimov stated yesterday. “Conflict settlement
opportunities are still available,” he said, noting the OSCE Minsk
Group Co-Chairs plan to have a number of meetings before visiting the
South Caucasus. After their visit to the region they are scheduled
to have a meeting with Azeri and Armenian FMs in Ljubljana, where
the OSCE FMs will convene in early December. He also noted that no
Mammadyarov-Oskanian meeting is planned in Ljubljana yet. “A meeting
of that kind may only be held in a special case,” he said. As of the
date of the following meeting of the Azeri and Armenian Presidents,
the Azeri Deputy FM said, “the date of a new meeting is not known.”
When commenting on official Baku attitude towards the reports
and proposals of the International Crisis Group (ICG), Azimov said
organizations like the ICG were unofficial ones. “ICG recommendations
and proposals are an outcome of personal deliberations of its
representatives,” the diplomat said, noting the proposals will not
be considered by Azerbaijan at the official level. At the same time
A. Azimov remarked, “the document, made public by the ICG, contains
many mistakes and shortcomings owing to insufficient information
and expert incompetence.” “No one can point out the quantity of
Azerbaijan’s budget assignments for military needs,” the Deputy FM also
said. Official Baku proceeds from its own resources when increasing
defense spending. “The Government of Azerbaijan makes efforts to
develop all spheres of state activities, including the strengthening
of the military power,” Azimov underscored. “Army enhancement is a
essential part of state development.
Servicemen are the same citizens of Azerbaijan and their salaries
should be increased as well,” A. Azimov concluded.

TRANSPORT PROBLEMS REMAIN MAIN HURDLE TO BOOSTING TRADE WITH RUSSIA
Armenpress
Oct 13 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian defense minister Serzh
Sarkisian, who is also the Armenian cochairmen of the Russian-Armenian
commission on economic cooperation, said yesterday transport
problems were the main hurdle for drastic boosting of trade with
Russia. Addressing a recurrent meeting of the commission in Yerevan
Sarkisian said trade between the two countries in the first half of
this year was up 30 percent.
His Russian counterpart, transport minister Igor Levitin, said
Russian-Armenian trade-economic partnership was exemplary for other
CIS member countries. Vahagn Movsisian, the director of the Armenian
Development Agency, cited several figures, saying that inflation in
the first half of the year was 7 percent, GDP growth upped 15 percent,
a 5 percent higher from a year ago.
Levitin also said they were going to look into what should be done to
give a boost to a ferryboat line running from Georgian port of Poti
to Russian port of Kavkaz, but he blamed its inefficient operation
on small volumes of goods the ferryboat takes aboard.
Armenian prime minister Andranik Margarian met today the Russian
minister to discuss ways for enhancing bilateral trade. The government
press office said the two sides expressed satisfaction with growing
trade that constituted $120 million in the first six months of this
year. Margarian was reported to reaffirm Armenian government’s
readiness to help restore railway communication across Georgia’s
breakaway region of Abkhazia.

ARMENIAN FAIR IN MOSCOW GATHERS 200.000 VISITORS
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily #184
13/10/2005
Russians Show Interest in Armenian Dairy Products, Dried Fruits
and Juices
“The first open-air fair of Armenian goods in Pushkin Square of
Moscow on September 20-25 gathered around 200.000 visitors”, Vahagn
Movsisian, executive director of Armenian Agency for Development,
told yesterday’s press conference.
The fair was organized within the frameworks of Armenian-Russian
trade-economic cooperation. The Moscow authorities supported the
organizers in opening the fair and did not even charge money for
using the Pushkin Square for two days.
Interestingly, the Muscovite Russians and Armenians were greatly
interested in Armenian cheese, dairy products, dried fruits and
juices. The pavilions selling cheese run out of it in 1.5 hour after
opening the fair; the remaining 20 kg was taken away to put up the
next day.
Among other products on the display there were 48 sorts of Armenian
wines, jewellery, gobelins, goods of ceramic, silverware and canvases
of Armenian painters.
One of the major events of the fair was the sale of self-tuition manual
of Armenian language, 80 percent of which was bought by Russians.

ARMENIAN, US ENERGY MINISTERS DISCUSS IRAN GAS PIPELINE, REFORMS
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 12 2005
Yerevan, 12 October: US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman has asked his
Armenian counterpart Armen Movsisyan at which stage the process of
building the Iran-Armenian gas pipeline is.
The meeting between the two countries’ ministers was held in Washington
on 11 October, the Armenian embassy in the USA told Mediamax new
agency today.
During the meeting, Movsisyan expressed his thanks for US assistance
to the Armenian energy sector and spoke about the current situation in
the sphere of energy reforms. Armenian Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan
noted the need to provide the republic with alternative sources of
energy until the closure of the Metsamor nuclear power plant.
During the meeting, the Armenian and US energy ministers agreed
to study possibilities of holding an Armenian-US energy investment
forum with the participation of private companies and international
financial organizations.

FM OSKANIAN MEETS WITH VICE-PRESIDENT AND FM OF INDONESIA IN JAKARTA
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 12 2005
JAKARTA, OCTOBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreing Minister
Vartan Oskanian’s visit to countries of the South-Eastern Asia and
Pacific Ocean is in process. After Australia, the Foreign Minister
paid an official visit to Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia where on
October 12 he had official meetings with the Vice-President and the
Minister of Foreign Affairs of that greatest Islamic country with
the population of 245 mln people. This is the first official visit
of the Foreign Minister and in general of a high-ranking Armenian
delegation to Indonesia.
At the meeting with Pak Hassan Wirajuda, the Foreign Minister of
Indonesia, Oskanian expressed condolence on the occasion of victims
and ravages of Bali bombing hoping that this will never repeat.
During the exchange of ideas promoted then, the sides discussed
possibilities of development of bilateral relations, implementation
of concrete programs especially in the sphere of economy.
Regional problems, particularly ways of settlement of present conflicts
were also touched upon. The Foreign Minister of Indonesia presented
details concerning an agreement signed receintly on settlement of the
Aceh conflict and its further implementation. In his turn, Minister
Oskanian presented his partner of Indonesia the process of settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, emphasizing that the conflict isn’t
of a religious character but this is only the display of the Nagorno
Karabakh people’s right to self-determination.
In the context of these issues, the sides came to agreement on
continuing cooperation established between the two countries within
the framework of international organizations, particularly the UN.
At the end of the meeting, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs signed
an interstate agreement on avoiding double taxes and a memorandum
of mutual understanding concerning creation of a consulting forum
between the Governments.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Information
and Press Deparment, on the same day, Jusuf Kalla, the Vice-President
of Indonesia received Vartan Oskanian. During the conversation,
the Foreign Minister presented briefly the social-economic state
of Armenia, prospects of development, the most important issues of
foreign policy connected with the security problems and prospects of
development of the region. The Minister expressed Armenia’s readiness
to promote an active bilateral cooperation with Indonesia as well as
one within the framework of international organizations.
On October 13, Minister Oskanian will leave for Singapore where he will
have a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of that country.

T. TOROSIAN: ONLY OSCE MG TO BE ENGAGED IN NK SETTLEMENT
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The autumn session
of PACE was held on October 3-7 in Strasbourg. It was the first time
since 2004 January that no issue immediately concerning Armenia was
on the agenda of the session. Tigran Torosian, head of the Armenian
delegation in the Assembly, RA NA Vice-Speaker, reported this at the
October 11 press conference.
According to speaker’s prognostication, such issues will emerge in
2006. In particular, the report of the commission on Nagorno Karabakh
issue created within the framework of the Assembly will be heard at
the January session.
Three meetings were held with participation of the Armenian party
on the days of the session. In particular, the Armenian delegation
in PACE met with Roland Wegener, head of the Ago Group. The subject
was the process of constitutional amendments in Armenia. According to
T.Torosian, Wegener expressed hope in connection with the successful
process of referendum on constitutional amendments and regret in
connection with the repulsive position of the opposition in this issue.
The third meeting was held on the initiative of Rene van der Linden,
PACE Chairman, with participation of heads of Armenian, Georgian and
Azerbaijani delegations. The high-ranking official asked about the
process of constitutional amendments in Armenia and also expressed
his assistance.
The third meeting was held within the framework of Assembly’s ad hoc
commission on Nagorno Karabakh issue with participation of Russel
Jonston, commission’s Chairman, and Armenian and Azeri delegates
included in the commission. The subject of the discussion was the
future fate of the commission. T.Torosian didn’t exclude that the
commission will be given additional authorities in the future for the
fulfilment of the clauses of the resolution on NKR conflict adopted
at the PACE 2005 January session. At the same time, he once more
reaffirmed that the processes of Nagorno Karabakh settlement will
develop within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and PACE will
provide the necessary atmosphere within the framework of its mandate
in order to make the future solutions admissible.

MURDER ROOM
Lynn News, UK
Oct 11 2005
A man whose burning body sparked a country-wide murder hunt had been
killed in the medical room of a Lynn factory, a court has heard.
Hovhannes Amirian had been shot four times and stabbed several times
and traces of his blood were found in the medical room at Cooper
Roller Bearings factory in Wisbech Road, South Lynn, it was alleged
at Norwich Crown Court yesterday.
The killing was linked to Lynn through a semi-burnt piece of paper
found near the body.
It turned out to be a health check appointment addressed to a factory
employee which had been disposed of in the medical room at Coopers.
A forensic examination of the room uncovered blood splatterings
belonging to Mr Amirian, said David Farrell QC, prosecuting.
A former security officer at the factory, 27-year-old Nisham Bakunts,
and his father-in-law, Misha Chatsjatrjan (43) are on trial for
murdering Mr Amirian between December 19 and 20, 2002, at Lynn.
Mr Farrell said Mr Amirian’s body was found burning in a field in
Upton near Peterborough, on Saturday, December 21, 2002, by off-duty
firefighter Jake Ellard.
“It was the body of an Armenian man known as Sako, who had been shot
four times, once in the head, once in the neck and twice in the face,
and who had also been stabbed in his body several times and then
transported to an isolated field, doused in petrol and set alight,”
said Mr Farrell.
Pieces of paper found at the fire referred to a medical appointment
and contained the names Talbot and Armstrong.
A total of 2,099 letters were sent out between August and September
2003 to people with those surnames, and on September 5 a significant
lead developed in a phone call to police from a Vanessa Armstrong,
who was secretary at Coopers.
It was Ms Armstrong’s job to arrange health tests for staff and the
letter had belonged to a Paul Talbot, who had been in the room three
days before the body was found.
Police and scenes of crimes officers searched the medical room on
September 22 and October 1, when it was discovered the layout of the
room had been changed since the body was found.
A cupboard had been placed against a wall on which Mr Amirian’s blood
was found, as well as on the couch. Disposable gloves were also found
which were from the same batch as those found near the body.
Mr Farrell said: “This proved the deceased man was killed in that
room. A lot of the area in which he had been killed was hidden by
the cabinet which had been moved.”
Mr Farrell said the victim was an Armenian national living in Belgium
who had been staying with Mr Bakunts in Yarmouth with his partner,
Arpine Karpetian (23), and their two children, for several months.
Mr Amirian had attended the couple’s wedding in Belgium, which turned
out not to be a proper ceremony. Mr Bakunts was granted asylum to
live in this country.
Inquiries revealed Mr Bakunts was a security officer at Coopers and
was in charge of factory security from 6pm on December 20 until 6am
on December 21 2002.
Every two hours welfare checks of the factory were made and there
was no response to the 4am check.
Mr Bakunts was not present when the shift changed at 6am on the 21st.
He called in sick that day and on December 23 his partner called
saying he would be off for another two days. In fact he never went
back, said Mr Farrell.
Another employee, Wayne Coddington, told police that Mr Bakunts
sometimes turned up at work with another man who he claimed was his
brother but was in fact Mr Amirian, said Mr Farrell.
Mr Farrell said a post mortem by Home Office pathologist Dr Nat Cary
revealed four bullets were found in Mr Amirian’s head and face,
with multiple severe stab wounds to his trunk, which had all been
inflicted while he was still alive.
A blank firing pistol costing £92.95 had been bought by Mr Bakunts
from a gunshop on December 2, 2002, along with 50 blank cartridges.
The bullets used were home- made and lead used to convert the
cartridges into real bullets was available at Coopers, said Mr Farrell.
Mr Bakunts, of Litchfield Road, Yarmouth, and Mr Chatsjatrjan, of
The Straat, The Netherlands, deny murder.
The case continues.
–Boundary_(ID_fzX1HsSPV6Aea618CWKQ5A)–