Author: Khoyetsian Rose

Our principles unchanged
Yerkir.am
July 14, 2006
Kiro Manoyan, the director of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Bureau’s Political Affairs and Hay Dat Office, said on Tuesday that the
intention to settle the Karabakh conflict in 2006 is very optimistic
but unrealistic.
Speaking at a round table discussion with National Assembly member
Hmayak Haovhannisian, Manoyan said that it is unrealistic due to the
Azerbaijani president’s destructive position.
“The optimism was based on a sole fact that there will be no elections
in Armenia or Azerbaijan in 2006,” Manoyan said. Hovhannisian, in
turn, said that Azerbaijan pursues an aggressive policy and is not
ready for any concession.
Manoyan also mentioned it was not right to say the negations are
deadlocked since Azerbaijan had no intention from the very beginning
to settle the conflict based on mutual compromise. He also added
that the only positive provision in the latest statement by the OSCE
Minsk group co-chairs is the inclusion of a provision that gives the
Karabakh people a right to self-determination.
Hovhannisian noted that the Karabakh negotiations have been
favorable for Armenia after 1998 because there was no mentioning
of a self-determination referendum in proposals made before 1998.
Manoyan said Stepanakert has never formulated a proper position
towards the liberated territories.
“The ARF position is that especially today that Nagorno Karabakh is
working on a constitution, Karabakh should declare its dominance
on those territories, ” Manoyan said. “However, both Yerevan and
Stepanakert view those territories as part of compromise, something
we don’t agree with.”
Manoyan said Karabakh’s agreement to hold a referendum is a compromise
in itself since it had conducted one years ago.
Manoyan also called the OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chair’s statement an
inappropriate statement made by a newcomer because he (the co-chair)
revealed the proposals part-by-part while the official joint statement
was made only a week later.

Yerevan in festivals
Yerkir.am
July 14, 2006
The third “Golden Apricot” festival is in its midst. Immediately after
its end the capital will host the traditional jazz festival followed by
“Armmono” and “Hayfest” international festivals.
These festivals make the cultural life of the capital interesting. Only
a few years ago, not many people believed the “Golden Apricot”
festival would be a success. Now that the third “Golden Apricot”
is under way it is certain that it is much better and some of the
films screened here could satisfy prestigious festivals.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that Yerevan is becoming an
international movie capital during the festival days. Only a few
years ago when pessimistic voices were heard about the festival the
organizers countered them with their unyielding will.
The various sections of the festival are headed by world-renowned
figures, such as Zanussi, Atom Egoyan and Marco Beloccio whose names
could crown any other festival. Let alone Atavazd Peleshian, whose
mere presence gives this festival an international significance.

Georgy Petrosyan: Achievement of solutions possible only with participation of NKR authorities
ArmRadio.am
18.07.2006 17:45
Commenting upon the statements of made during the summit of the Group
of Eight countries in Saint Petersburg, NKR Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrosyan said in particular, “One may only welcome a statement of the
G8 countries on maintenance of the intermediary efforts of the OSCE
Minsk Group and on necessity of co-ordination of the core principles
of the conflict’s peaceful resolution.
Nagorno Karabakh has always come out in favor of peaceful resolution of
the problem and is ready to exert every effort to achieve the agreement
on establishing long-term peace in the region. Unfortunately, not
everything depends on the mediators. Considering Azerbaijan’s extremely
destructive position and its unwillingness to be in any contact with
Nagorno Karabakh it is very difficult to find an acceptable and
correct solution to date. The President of the Russian Federation
has fairly noted that Russia is not going to impose any solutions on
the parties to the conflict and that the compromise must be reached
by people. Taking into account the Russian Federation’s readiness
to become a guarantor of the agreements’ fulfillment, we remind once
again that the achievement of solutions directly concerning the future
of our country and our people is possible only with participation of
representatives of legally elected authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic, the main and the most suffered party to the conflict”.

G8 DISCUSSED THE ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN, NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT
[July 17, 2006, 21:11:16]
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
July 17 2006
The problem of settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict was discussed in the frames of the Summit of heads the
“Great Eight” passed on July 15-17 in St. Petersburg. For the first
time Russia presided over the Summit.
As the press service of the Kremlin said, in the Statement of Chairman
of the Summit is noted, that during the meeting the question on
situation around Nagorno Karabakh has been lifted. In the Statement,
it has been confirmed, that “the group of eight” supports intermediary
efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group (Russia, USA, France) and necessity
of the quick coordination of main principles of peace settlement of
the conflict in 2006. The Statement says: “We call Azerbaijan and
Armenia to show political will, to reach the agreement and prepare
their peoples for peace”.
In opinion of experts, discussion of the question on settlement of
the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict at the summit of the
“group of eight” where the three of the countries of co-chairmen of the
OSCE Minsk Group, testifies to attention of the world community to this
problem and aspiration to render political influence on its solution.
In opinion of observers, inauguration of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline also erects this question in frameworks priority as
full-scale realization of the “Contract of the Century” assumes
long-term and predicted safety of the country which is impossible
without the settlement of disputable territorial questions.
Analysts also assume, that representatives of OSCE MG stir up the
activity in search of mutually acceptable decisions for the quick
coordination of main principles of peace settlement and try to do it
this year.

Fearful escape from Beirut
By Lin Noueihed and Adam Bell
Sunday Telegraph/Australia
July 16, 2006 12:00
THE first Australians to flee war torn Lebanon arrived home to tearful
reunions with family in Sydney last night.
“It was very bad,” Joseph Hadchiti cried.
“They burned all the bridges, the airport. I was very worried.”
Mr Hadchiti fled Beirut with his wife and seven-year-old daughter
on Thursday.
The Sydney father told of his 36-hour dash to flee the region. His
family got a lift to the Syrian border, then a cab to Damascus,
where they boarded a commercial flight which flew via Bahrain.
But his excitement last night to be home was tinged with sadness. Mr
Hadchiti had to make the heart-wrenching decision to leave his other
daughter, Xena, behind with her young family.
His other daughters and son in Sydney spent an anxious two days
awaiting news that their family were safe. They could communicate
only via SMS text messages because all the telephone lines were jammed.
“It’s 4.20am and we haven’t slept yet because of the sound of the
Israeli airplanes and bombings. God bless xo,” read one text.
Also touching down on Australian soil last night was Rosie Haddad
and her children Stephanie, Ellie and Anthony.
“We just ran as soon as we found out. It was very stressful,”
Mrs Haddad said. Asked how it felt to be back home, Anthony said:
“It’s the best.”
They were the lucky ones. For most people, every avenue for safe
rescue remains blocked as the intense Israeli bombing campaign has
shut down all Lebanon’s main transport routes.
There are an estimated 3000 Australians travelling in Lebanon and
another 25,000 members of the Australian Lebanese community who
live there.
They include 78 members of the Sydney Armenian Community dance group,
including young children, teens and young adults, who are trapped in
Beirut as Israel’s bombing raids continue.
“There is a lot of anger, and a lot of frustration,” said Rosemary
Diodati, 12 members of whose extended family are stranded.
“I don’t think they (governments) are doing enough. We want them out,
and we want them safe and sound,” he said.
Sydney man Aren Eablanian, 23, a member of the dance group stuck in
Beirut, said they were becoming increasingly anxious listening to
the bombs exploding.
“We’re seeing what’s happening on television, and it’s pretty scary —
especially what’s going on with the airport,” he said.
Younger members were panicking, Mr Eablanian said. “It’s getting
really stressful for everyone.
“We just want to go home, but we have no idea when that will be.”
At least 79 civilians have been killed and 248 wounded since Israel
began its assault on Lebanon after the capture of two soldiers and
the killing of eight others by the Shiite militant group Hezbollah
on Wednesday.
Eighteen civilians, including nine children, were burnt alive in
an Israeli helicopter gunship attack yesterday on residents fleeing
border villages in south Lebanon, UN and hospital sources said.
The bomb raids have destroyed runways at Beirut’s airport and major
roads out of the country.
Israeli army chief Dan Halutz said more targets would be bombed in a
bid to remove Hezbollah from the border and replace it with a force
answerable to the Lebanese government.
In retaliation, Hezbollah fired more than two dozen rockets at towns
in northern Israel, slightly wounding several people.
Hezbollah leader Sheik Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, speaking shortly
after Israeli jets destroyed his Beirut home, said the guerrilla group
had hit an Israeli warship off Beirut and threatened to launch deep
strikes inside the Jewish state.
“You wanted open war. We are going to open war,” Sheik Nasrallah
declared.
Israel’s assault on Lebanon has drawn mounting world criticism,
but the White House said President Bush would not press Israel to
halt operations.

Thousands of Aussies stranded in Beirut
Washington Times, DC
July 15 2006
Some 25,000 Australian tourists are reported trapped in Lebanon in
the fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants.
The Age newspaper said some people had managed to cross to Syria
to fly home from there, despite the bombing of the Beirut-Damascus
highway by Israeli warplanes. But others remained trapped in and
around the Lebanese capital, including 43 performers of an Armenian
dance troupe based in Sydney.
Roland Jabbour, chairman of the Australian-Arabic Council, was
reportedly stuck in a Beirut hotel with his family after Israeli jets
bombed the runway of the international airport.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Canberra said the situation was
being reviewed constantly and Australia had no immediate plans for
evacuation, The Age said.

ARMENIA SCIENTISTS FIND ANCESTORS OF DINOSAURUSES
Minsk, July 13. ArmInfo. The expedition of the Armenian scientists
found the ancestors of dinosauruses in the Klyapino Kormyanskiy region
of Byelorussia.
“Yerkramas” informed ArmInfo that these amphibious newts are 20 cm and
are considered the ancestors of the dinosauruses. These newts can even
grown in special conditions. Sahak Atanesian, Doctor of Aetiology,
head of “Uniecofor” union, stated that they have been carrying out
special researches on newts in Armenia. The scientists have recreated
special conditions of the Jurassic period for the newts.
The discovery of the Armenian scientists is of special importance for
Byelorussia, as the pectinate newts are included in the Red Book. The
Armenian expedition has found an entirely unknown dwelling place of
the pectinate newts in the swamp near Klyapino village.

Vardan Oskanyan: We are not about to participate in Azeri games
ArmRadio.am
14.07.2006 15:36
“We are not about to participate in Azeri games,” declared RA Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan, turning to those statements of Azerbaijan,
which assert that Armenians conflagrate the territories under their
control.
“I do not even want to spend time to discuss those kind of statements,”
Vardan Oskanyan said, noting that Azerbaijan is trying to direct
the attention of the international community away from its” barbaric
activity ” carried out in Azerbaijan, which resulted in the destruction
of a whole layer of the Armenian culture.

Turkish President “Hopes for Soonest Establishment of Peace and Stability in South Caucasus”
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.07.2006 17:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Turkey is bound with Caucasian peoples with deep
historical roots, and I wholeheartedly hope that peace, stability
and prosperity will soon become South Caucasus symbols. I believe
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline as a model of cooperation
between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia will be a pledge for prosperity
of the entire region,” Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer stated
at the opening ceremony of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline at Ceyhan
Terminal after Heydar Aliyev July 13.
In his words, Turkey is in the center of “the energy map of the
world”. “Official Ankara works for using all advantages of the
geostrategic position,” Sezer said. “After the BTC oil pipeline
Samsun-Ceyhan oil pipeline and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzerum gas pipelines are
planned to be put into operation. Special attention will be paid to
implementation of East-West energy corridor, specifically putting into
operation NABUCCO gas pipeline. All this will finally contribute to
economic development of the region, as well as strengthening stability
and peace,” Sezer said.

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO LEBANESE AUTHORITIES
FOR KIND ATTITUDE TOWARDS ARMENIAN COMMUNITY
ECHMIADZIN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 12,
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II received Lebanese Foreign
Minister Fawzi Salloukh accompanied by the Ambassadors of the two
countries.
His Holiness the Patriarch greeted the guests and in the person of
Mr Salloukh expressed his gratitude to the Lebanese authorities for
their kind attitude towards the Armenian community. His Holiness also
said that thanks to this attitude after the Genocide many Armenians
finding a shelter in Lebanon as deserved citizens of the country were
able to resume and develop their national, spiritual and religious
life, as well.
“We are glad and proud that the sons of our people as deserved
citizens make their important contribution to Lebanon’s political,
public and cultural life. We are also glad and it is pleasant for us
that the Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House is also under the
constant attention of the authorities and good relations are formed
on both parts,” he said.
According to the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin, in his turn, F.Salloukh highly evaluated the contribution
of the Lebanese Armenian community to the country’s development. The
Minister especially emphasized the role of the Armenian community in
educational, health protection and other spheres.