Author: Karakhanian Suren

OSCE chairman in-office personal representative Andrzey Kasprzyk is on a visit to Yerevan

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 7 2006

[ 06 Jul. 2006 17:48 ]

OSCE chairman in-office personal representative Andrzey Kasprzyk is
on a visit in Yerevan, Andrzey Kasprzyk’s field assistant has told APA.

It should be noted that under the mandate of OSCE chairman in-office
personal representative yesterday monitoring was held in Veyselli
village direction of Fuzuli region under the occupation of Armenian
Armed Forces and Khojavend region Kuropatkina village territory,
contact lines of the troops related to burning of Azerbaijani
territorie’ under the occupation by Armenia. Field assistant did not
give any information on the results of the monitoring in his talk
with APA correspondent./APA/

CONFIRMATION OF THE NEW US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DESIGNATE POSTPONED

ArmRadio.am
06.07.2006 12:20

"Senate has postponed the confirmation of the new US Ambassador to
Armenia Designate, considering the criticism voiced by Congressmen
and mass media connected with the recall of John Evans," wrote the
Los Angeles based " California Courier."

The periodical noted that last week the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee discussed the candidacies of new US Ambassadors to Ireland,
Switzerland and Armenia. The same day the new Ambassadors to Ireland
and Switzerland were confirmed by the Committee, later by the Senate.

While Senate has postponed the confirmation vote for US Ambassador
Designate to Armenia, and it is not known when the Committee will
turn to the issue again.

The Armenian National Committee of America informs that a number of
Committee members, including former candidate for President John Kerry,
submitted a series of detailed written questions asking the nominee
to explain the guidance he has received from the State Department
concerning its policy on the Armenian Genocide.

According to the newspaper, last week Senators asked some harsh
questions connected with recalling John Evans ahead of time.

Publisher of the "California Courier" Harut Sasunyan told "Radiolur"
correspondent Marlena Hovsepyan that the confirmation hearing on
Richard Hogland’s candidacy has been postponed for an unknown period,
negotiations in the backstage are still expected. IN Harut Sasunyan’s
words, non-confirmation of an Ambassador is not an unprecedented
phenomenon. Such cases have been registered before.

According to the publisher of the "California Courier" Harut Sasunyan,
"the Senators pressed Hoagland into a hard situation. Ambassador
Designate Hoagland had to say that in case his candidacy is confirmed,
he will take steps to change US position in regard to the Armenian
Genocide.

INTERESTS OF POLES OF POWER CLASH

Lragir.am
06 July 06

The essential in the context of home political developments in Armenia
is that there is not a common interest in government. This opinion was
expressed by the political expert Manvel Sargsyan during the seminar
in Yerevan on July 6. The seminar was devoted the reform of the home
political sphere. Manvel Sargsyan says there are preconditions for
this reform.

"The interests of Robert Kocharyan, the corps of functionaries and
businesses divided. The energy of these three components of the ruling
camp went in different directions, which led to the erosion of the
ruling elite. In addition, the efforts made by each of these three
components contradict to the plans and interests of one another. This
circumstance reassures that the principles of establishment and
structure of government will change," says Manvel Sargsyan.

According to him, the cause of the present situation is the collapse of
the of the "contract-based mechanism" of preserving power, established
by the coalition memorandum of 2003 and dissolved because the Orinats
Yerkir Party seceded from the coalition. Therefore, according to
the expert, the two important conditions of the future activities
and controllability of the government – the principle of division of
spheres and style of work based on camps – disappeared.

"In the government camp real power passed to Robert Kocharyan, and the
political parties of the coalition lost their levers of influence on
the situation because they lost the factor of being a parliamentary
majority. Facing the problem of quitting power in 2008 and under
external pressure Robert Kocharyan steps up his personal political
program, which clashes with the interests of high-ranking public
officials and politicized business. The appearance of the Bargavach
Hayastan Party [Prosperous Armenia Party] on the political stage was
marked by the emergence of fundamentally new approaches of laying
out the image of the future government," says Manvel Sargsyan.

According to him, Armenian officials wonder why Robert Kocharyan
rejects the traditional Armenian path of reproduction of power,
why he fails to use his resources to make Serge Sargsyan president.

Manvel Sargsyan says the officials realized late that the president
is unlikely to choose the traditional path of reproduction. The
expert says the consolidation of officials by way of a fusion of the
Republican Party is the evidence to this perception.

Manvel Sargsyan believes that consolidation has one goal – to prevent
the application of a new, especially an electoral principle of forming
government by concentrating the administrative resource.

"The success of such a program is possible only in case Kocharyan’s
individual political program is neutralized by separating him from
administrative and financial levers," says the expert. According to
him, the factor of the business corps acquires a special importance
in this situation.

"The parliamentary businessmen are in a paradoxical state. At
one time their mandates were a "roof", and presently the property
of businessmen having mandates of parliamentarians has become a
target of political aspirations of different poles of the government
camp. The clannish mechanism of protection of property has lost its
effectiveness. Moreover, it contains additional threat for their
property. The threat of punishing businessmen for a "wrong" political
orientation has come true," says Manvel Sargsyan.

Manvel Sargsyan thinks that the development of the process depends on
this state of things, and generally the situation in the government
camp. According to the expert, though it may sound exaggerated, the
outcome or consequence of the developments underway in the government
camp depends on the political role and plans of the new opposition
of Armenia.

"Especially the stance of businesses greatly depends on this. The
factor of the leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party is acquiring great
importance. The dissatisfied electorate and businesses are bound
for perceiving such an oppositionist image. The interests of such an
opposition may objectively overlap with the interests of the Bargavach
Hayastan Party," says Manvel Sargsyan.

The expert believes that if the principals of the new opposition do
not win, and it displays a differential approach towards processes
inside the government, the reform of the political system may be real.

"All the internal preconditions for it are there. For external
preconditions, they have always existed," says Manvel Sargsyan.

FLOOD KILLS CATTLE

Panorama.am
15:52 06/07/06

Aragatsotn region sources say that Nerkin Sasnashen village river has
flooded due to rain on July 4, at 18:30-19:00. The water has flooded
nearby farms and cattle-sheds killing some cattle.

Today’s hail also damaged wheat fields of Sotk, Kut, Norabak villages
in Gegharkunik marz. Both marzes have established committees to
estimate to cost of the damage.

ARMENIA’S WORLD BOXING CHAMP INSPIRES CHILDREN IN ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES

Source: World Vision Middle East/Eastern Europe office (MEERO)
Reuters, UK
July 4 2006

Raging Bull’ Darchinyan Signs Autographs Surrounded By Children

Over 70 children in especially difficult circumstances were treated
to an inspirational surprise visit from Vic "Raging Bull" Darchinyan,
the Armenian World Boxing Champion by World Vision last week.

‘I admire Vic and watch each and every fight of his on TV. He was
never knocked down and can beat anyone in the world! ‘, said a proud
12-year-old Asatur Hakobyan, as he joined others who crowded around
Vic to take his autograph and have a photo taken with their famous
compatriot.

Asatur and the other children are cared for by the Vardashen No.1
Special Educational Complex in the capital Yerevan and are from
families with no means to support themselves, and children who display
anti-social behaviour or are in especially difficult circumstances.

‘Vic’s visit has had a serious psychological impact on our children.

They feel really privileged that a world champion came to visit them’,
says Larisa Sargsyan, Head of the school.

This is especially important for the children in Vardashen who need
attention and contacts with outside world, especially with people
who can serve as role models for them.

‘I wanted not only to promote healthy lifestyle among the children,
but also help them see perspectives, to show them they can achieve
their goals if they are hardworking and dedicated’, said Vic as he
shared his childhood memories with the children.

He told how ‘an ordinary boy from Lori who just loved to fight’
realised his dream of becoming a world-famous boxer.

Sam Mamikonyan, a cheerful boy of sixteen, held up his huge hands
and boasted: ‘We compared fists and Vic told me I have great physical
potential to be a boxer. I think I’ll start to think seriously about
boxing now’. He was also impressed that Vic was awarded by a rank of
‘Knight of Lori’ for his chivalrous manner in the ring.

Vic presented Vardashen school with a TV set, and promised keep an
eye on the children he got acquainted with.

World Vision provides the children of Vardashen with social and
psychological services, organizes various activities and cultural
events, as well as offers vocational trainings to give them an
opportunity for successful integration into the society after they
graduate.

2006 NANSEN REFUGEE AWARD GOES TO JAPANESE MAN WITH GLOBAL VISION

Reuters, UK
July 4 2006

GENEVA, July 4 (UNHCR) – The prestigious Nansen Refugee Award will
go this year to Japanese optometrist Dr. Akio Kanai, who over more
than two decades has improved the quality of life of over 100,000
uprooted people around the world by testing their eyes and providing
them with spectacles.

The Nansen Refugee Award Committee selected Dr. Kanai, chairman and
chief executive officer of Fuji Optical, for his practical commitment
to humanitarian work and dedication to easing the plight of refugees
by improving their eyesight.

The committee found Dr. Kanai had "rendered exceptional service to
the refugee cause" and had made a huge and genuine contribution to
uprooted people in human as well as financial terms. Dr. Kanai’s
company is based in Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

The annual Nansen Refugee Award is given to individuals or
organizations that have distinguished themselves in work on behalf of
refugees. It includes a US$100,000 grant from Norway and Switzerland
for a refugee-related project of the winner’s choice and is scheduled
to be presented in October during the annual gathering in Geneva of
UNHCR’s governing Executive Committee.

"Tens of thousands of displaced people living in extremely difficult
circumstances have been given a new outlook on life thanks to Dr.

Kanai," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres. "The
gift of sight is precious. Restoring it makes a huge difference in
individual lives, making learning possible for children and adults
and pulling them back from the fringes of marginalisation."

Dr. Kanai, himself forcibly displaced from the northern Pacific island
of Sakhalin at the end of World War II, started his humanitarian
optometry work in 1983 in Thailand with Indochinese refugees, many
of whom had lost or broken their glasses while fleeing. Many were
undergoing courses ahead of being resettled and needed glasses to
study. Dr. Kanai checked the sight of the refugees and, in doing so,
started a long engagement with refugee work.

He began cooperating with UNHCR in 1984, and has since conducted
more than 24 missions to help uprooted people in Nepal, Thailand,
Azerbaijan and Armenia. He has donated more than 108,200 pairs of
glasses, provided optometry equipment, made cash grants and trained
local medical staff. Fuji Optical is UNHCR’s longest-serving corporate
partner.

Dr. Kanai’s family and his staff are also involved in Fuji Optical’s
Vision Aid missions. Some 70 employees have taken part in the aid
missions, using their holidays to work in refugee camps.

The Nansen Refugee Award, created in 1954, is named after Fridtjof
Nansen, the celebrated Norwegian polar explorer and the world’s first
international refugee official. Previous recipients include Eleanor
Roosevelt, Medecins sans Frontières, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands
and Graca Machel.

Last year, the award went to Margarita Barankitse, also known as the
"Angel of Burundi," in recognition of her work with separated children
whose lives have been devastated by war and the scourge of HIV/AIDS.

–Boundary_(ID_9oLa5Dc86mynyRjWRLXgYA)- –

NO GARABAGH ‘FRAMEWORK ACCORD’ ON AGENDA, AZERI OFFICIAL SAYS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
July 4 2006

Baku, July 3, AssA-Irada
Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has said no "framework
agreement" on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict
is under discussion.

"There is no such document. I believe that in general, these statements
were rather hasty and of provocation nature. They were most likely
aimed to confuse the situation to see what happens next," Azimov
said while commenting on a recent statement by the co-chairs of the
mediating OSCE Minsk Group.

US co-chair Matthew Bryza has told Radio Liberty that the mediators
submitted a framework accord to the conflicting sides, but the latter
have yet to accept it.

Azimov said talking of any final document is premature at this stage
of the peace process.

"But I can say with confidence that there is no agreement, as the
talks are still underway.

"The co-chairs’ statement was aimed to see how the developments unfold
and study public opinion. But in any case, it was inconclusive. Taking
some elements out of context only leads to misunderstanding."

The deputy minister went on to say that Armenia has started taking
advantage of the "shock therapy" statements to make speculations.

"Everyone will be held responsible for their statements. Making final
statements is inappropriate in the absence of any results after two
years of discussions," the diplomat said.

Azimov unequivocally dismissed the statements that the Azeri government
had agreed to hold a referendum on Upper Garabagh in the future. "The
Azerbaijani leadership will never act counter to the Constitution. This
is absolutely out of question."

Azimov said a referendum could be held only in the entire territory
of Azerbaijan as a nationwide poll, in compliance with the relevant
provision of the Constitution. The deputy minister said any issue, and
the territorial integrity and inviolability of borders in particular,
must be solved through a vote in the entire country.

"The Azerbaijani leadership will never back away from its stance on
the referendum issue. Any speculations to that end are false. Our
position is clear. Discussions on political issues are possible only
after armed conflicts are eliminated," the deputy minister said.

"The Armenians living in Upper Garabagh were not the only residents
of the region and Azerbaijanis lived there as well. If we are talking
about democracy, the demographic composition of the region is to
be restored and the Azeri community must return there. To make this
possible, a suitable peaceful environmental should be ensured, which
requires the withdrawal of Armenians. This is a normal and logical
process and the Armenian side has accepted this. Political issues and
determination of the status of the parties [residents] living in these
areas should be addressed in accord with the law."* The Azeri official
noted that the "referendum" term should be used as rarely as possible.

"By using this word, we serve Armenian purposes, as the main goal
pursued by Armenians and representatives of some countries supporting
them is to put forth some kind of a term that they could materialize
this in the future by causing disputes around it."

AN ENTIRE MECHANISM OF REPRODUCTION IS DISSOLVING
Hakob Badalyan

Lragir.am
04 July 06

Armenia and Azerbaijan reacted to the revelation of negotiations
for the Karabakh conflict by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair Mathew
Bryza rather strangely. Official Yerevan complained of Mathew Bryza’s
statements more than Baku. It would not seem strange if there were
not for a circumstance. Complaining of the publication of the proposal
on the table of negotiations, Yerevan announced that it approves the
proposal. Baku did the contrary; it did not complain of publication but
it announced that the proposal was unacceptable for Azerbaijan. This
situation is a little strange, we should confess.

But I wish this situation were only strange. Because when after the
death of Heidar Aliyev Ilham Aliyev sat at the table, Azerbaijan
demanded to start from zero, and Armenia demanded to start from Key
West. In fact, everything started from Prague. It is difficult to
tell whether Prague is closer to Key West or zero, but most probably
Prague is close to neither of them, it is closer to the reality.

Perhaps because the leaders of the conflict sides constantly tried to
present their reality to their societies. No doubt, it is not helpful
for the settlement of the Karabakh issue and other problems, which
have accumulated so far. The presidents of both countries avoided
the reality, inventing another reality, and the problem of Karabakh
was a wonderful opportunity. Therefore, perhaps, Mathew Bryza and the
other co-chairs of the Minsk Group decided to reveal the reality to the
societies to protect them from manipulation by presidents, especially
that elections are drawing nearer in both Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Karabakh issue has always been a core issue in these elections,
both directly and indirectly. Even when it was not discussed, it was
always taken into account. Moreover, the Karabakh issue served the
governments of both countries as a peculiar shield against outside
intervention in home political processes. In fact, with regard to the
internal situation in Armenia and Azerbaijan the West was also guided
by the light of the Karabakh conflict, expecting that if reproduction
of power in both countries is bad in terms of democratization, it
may serve as a factor of stability in the conflict over Karabakh.

Perhaps, it was also expected that by guaranteeing reproduction of
power the parties would come closer to the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict. Otherwise, it is difficult to explain in Armenia and
Azerbaijan that it was delicately instilled in public consciousness
in both Armenia and Azerbaijan that only Kocharyan and Aliyev could
resolve the issue of Karabakh, and any other circumstance would cause
the war to ignite. In Armenia it went even farther. In addition,
the representatives of some traditional parties announced that only
a president, who comes from Karabakh, can settle the Karabakh issue.

The minister of foreign affairs went farther and shifted this thesis
to the level of a right, announcing that the fact that Robert Kocharyan
comes from Karabakh gives him the right to act on behalf of Karabakh.

In fact, by a single interview Mathew Bryza destroyed the entire
mythology, which used to protect governments of Armenia and
Azerbaijan with the laurel of a settler. To say that Bryza did not
do it on purpose or he did it unconsciously, or not as seriously as
we think he did means to be at least an Armenian politician. By their
statements Bryza and the other co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group let
Kocharyan and Aliyev know that they are unlikely to foster their
reproduction because they used to foster it to achieve reforms in
internal policies rather than only resolving or not only resolving
the Karabakh issue. If it fails, the West does not see a point in
overlooking electoral fraud using delicately the Karabakh issue with
expressions like "What democracy are you talking about? Look out,
they may take Karabakh away from us."

In other words, it is certain that the settlement of the Karabakh
issue is not as urgent for the West and namely the United States as
the promotion of democracy in Armenia and Azerbaijan. Therefore,
on the one hand, Armenia is disturbed by Bryza’s statement, and
on the other hand, it endorses talks based on the proposals on the
table. Armenia is troubled because it realizes that Karabakh is not
the problem. They are not going to take Karabakh away from us, they
are not going to take away anything, some people are losing power
rather. Therefore, they are worried. If in Azerbaijan Aliyev has
oil resources, which might be a lever in negotiating with the West
to keep power, in Armenia Karabakh has always been the only resource
of Robert Kocharyan for keeping power, which is now checked out from
the agenda by the Americans. There are two things to do: to rely
on the short-term effect of accepting the proposals on the table
of negotiation or to look for a more reliable and modern resource,
such as democratization of the government system.

MP ARMEN ASHOTYAN CALLS ASHOT BLEYAN TRAITOR TO THE NATION

ArmRadio.am
04.07.2006 16:38

The interview of the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza and the famous statement of the mediators continue to stay in
the center of attention and become subjected to various comments. A
dispute over the current state of the Karabakh conflict was launched
today between President of the "New Way" NGO, former Deputy Ashot
Bleyan and young Republican Armen Ashotyan.

According to Bleyan, Yerevan should establish friendly relations with
neighboring Baku, thus promoting Armenia’s development.

Republican Armen Ashotyan assimilates Ashot Bleyan’s suggestion with
a conspiracy.

"You have blurred the Karabakh issue, now go and find edges of
peace with Baku," suggested Ashot Bleyan, who considers Azerbaijan
a potential strategic partner and wants to go to Baku not through
Vienna, but via a direct Yerevan-Baku highway.

Armen Ashotyan sincerely confessed that he is very surprised with
the on-line contact with Bleyan and named him a traitor to the nation.

"We should respect our neighbor Azerbaijan," Bleyan confirmed. In
his opinion, Armenia is a loser in the Karabakh issue, and out loss
is irretrievable.

For Armen Ashotyan maintenance of the status quo in Karabakh is
acceptable.

He will stand for the deployment of peacekeeping forces if a referendum
is held in Karabakh parallel to the withdrawal of our forces.

THE AZERBAIJANI SIDE HAS THROWN FORTH VARIOUS STATEMENTS

Lragir.am
04 July 06

Acting Press Secretary Vladimir Karapetian Replies to

Question by Arminfo News Agency

– During the last several days, the Azerbaijani press is flooded with
statements and information by deputy ministers, the press secretary,
regarding recent developments in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution process, and those statements often contain contradictory
judgments and interpretations. How do you interpret this behavior?

– It’s true that in this recent period, the Azerbaijani side has
thrown forth various statements and interpretations, which do in fact
contradict each other.

However, the reality is very clear – the Minsk Group co-chairs,
with their second confirming statement, presented the principles
for resolution which are on the negotiating table, together with
their assessments.

Perhaps the reason for such contradictory interpretations is that the
Azerbaijani diplomats you mention are not familiar with the content
of the negotiations between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.