Author: Maghakian Mike

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 7 2006

Azeri, Armenian Religious Leaders not Expected to Meet Until Late
2006

Source: Trend
Author: A.Ismayilova

07.09.2006

Haji Akif, spokesman for the Caucasian Muslims Board, told Trend that
leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia are not expected to meet until the
end of the year.

Recently Catholicos of Armenians, Garegin II, stated that he was
expected to have a meeting with the Azerbaijani religious leader
Allahshukur Pashazade during the year. "Though the meeting was not
scheduled for the near future, we hope to have the opportunity during
the year within the framework of a summit of religious leaders," he
stressed. The religious leader of Armenia underlined that it will
enable both sides to discuss questions of concern. "Discussions
between Armenian and Azerbaijani religious leaders may encourage a
resolution to the Karabakh conflict," he elaborated.

Haji Akif underlined that at present no preliminary agreement has
been made regarding the date or venue of the meeting.

UN RESOLUTION WITH UNFAVORABLE TITLE

A1+
[01:25 pm] 08 September, 2006

The U.N. General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for the U.N. to
urgently assist in preventing environmental damage from fires in the
disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

The resolution stressed "the necessity to urgently conduct an
environmental operation to suppress the fires." It took note of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s intention
to organize a mission to the region to assess the short-term and
long-term impact of the fires.

Azerbaijan’s U.N. Ambassador Yashar Aliyev introduced the draft
resolution, saying that in early June Azerbaijan registered massive
fires in the eastern part of the territory occupied by Armenia, and
by August the fire had damaged more than 600 square kilometers. After
the vote, he thanked everyone who supported the resolution.

Armenia’s U.N. Ambassador, Armen Martirosyan, said that although he
supported the content of the resolution, he had serious problems
with its title and opposed bringing any Nagorno-Karabakh issue to
the United Nations.

U.S. deputy ambassador Alejandro Wolff, speaking on behalf of the
OSCE group dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh issue – the U.S.,
France and Russia – said the three countries remain committed to
promoting a peaceful, negotiated solution to the conflict between
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Here goes the full text of the resolution.

Sixtieth Session of the UN General Assembly

Agenda Item 40,

Azerbaijan: resolution

The situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan

The General Assembly,

Seriously concerned by the fires in the affected territories, which
have inflicted widespread environmental damage,

1. Stresses the necessity to urgently conduct an environmental
operation to suppress the fires in the affected territories and to
overcome their detrimental consequences;

2. Welcomes the readiness of the parties to cooperate to that end and
considers such an operation to be an important confidence-building
measure;

3. Takes note of the OSCE intention to organize a mission to the region
to assess the short-term and long-term impact of the fires on the
environment as a step for preparation of the environmental operation;

4. Calls upon, in this regard, the organizations and programs
of the United Nations system, in particular the United Nations
Environmental Programme, in cooperation with the OSCE to provide
all necessary assistance and expertise, including, inter alia,
the assessment of and counteraction to the short-term and long-term
impact of the environmental degradation of the region, as well as in
its rehabilitation;

5. Asks the Co-Chairs of the Minsk Group of the OSCE to provide a
report to member States of the General Assembly by April 30, 2007

BAKU: U.N. GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY ADOPT DRAFT RESOLUTION ON KARABAKH WITHOUT VOTING

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.09.2006 17:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The draft resolution on the situation in the "seized
Azeri territories may be passed by UN General Assembly without voting,
Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said when commenting on
the delay of discussions at the U.N. General Assembly. The Minister
said the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs were holding consultations with
concerned parties in order to develop the adjusted version of
the resolution for its approval by the U.N. General Assembly. "I
cannot foretell the outcome. Our position is open and we are holding
consultations", he said, reported Trend news agency.

"WE DISCREDIT OURSELVES NOT RE-ESTABLISHING WAY OF WRITING GRANTED BY GOD," DIASPORAN ARMENIAN INTELLECTUAL IS SURE

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 06 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. "Betrayal of
the way of writing granted by the God is unworthy for our nation, and
we discredit ourselves, not re-establishing it. Our nation, cut off
real roots, is condemned to drying," Tom Samuelian, a lecturer of the
American University of Armenia stated at the September 5 gathering
of members of the Union Mesropian Orthography Supporters. In the
Diasporan Armenian intellectual’s words, 15 years ago, the Armenian
people was not yet ready to refuse the language policy obliged
to him, but today it will become the best step on the threshold
of the 15th anniversary of the Armenian Independence. In words of
Khoren Palian, a senior lecturer of the Yerevan State University,
famous Armenian intellectuals, including linguist Hrachia Acharian,
poet Paruyr Sevak, etc., were sure in the necessity of passing to
the classic orthography. In his words, if the Armenian Genocide did
not take place, this issue would not exist, either, and the nation
would today be more healthy and united.

OFFICIAL BAKU: DEMONSTRATION OF COMMENTARIES ABOUT NAGORNO KARABAKH BY RUSSIAN CHANNELS HARMS AZERBAIJAN-RUSSIA RELATIONS

Yerevan, September 4. ArmInfo. As to official Baku, commentaries,
shown by Russian TV-channels, about Nagorno Karabakh, timed to the 15th
anniversary of NKR independence, "harm Russia-Azerbaijan relations".

According to the deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Araz Azimov,
Interfax informs that "such commentaries conflict with the statements
made public by Russia at a state level". "These phenomena, along
with damaging the interests of Russia in the South Caucasus, harm
the bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Russia", Azimov said.

ARMENIAN ACADEMICIANS PRESS FOR SOONEST ADOPTION OF LAW ON DUAL CITIZENSHIP

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.09.2006 17:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ If a unified coordinating body consisting of
representatives of Armenia and Diaspora is not formed at the
Armenia-Diaspora Third Forum, it will become an ordinary event,
Academician Karlen Dallakyan said today at a meeting in the RA National
Academy of Sciences. In his words, otherwise the Armenian nation will
not be able to counteract the challenges of the 21st century. Dallakyan
accused Armenian TV channels of narrowness of covering of the events of
the Diasporan life. "From the very beginning of the military operations
in Lebanon we were presented by the viewpoint of the editor-in-chief of
Azdak newspaper, which is a body of AFR Dashnaktsutyun," he remarked.

For his part, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies Nikolay
Ohanesyan emphasized that one of the major problems of out nation is
the existence of two altars of the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC)
– in Holy Echmiadzin and in Antilas. "The holy altar should be one,
in Echmiadzin. The policy pursued by Catholicos Aram I leads to the
final split of the AAC," he said. Ohanesyan also noted the necessity
of precise line of the government towards the Diaspora.

According to historian Stepan Stepanyan, at the international arena
the NKR issue should be discussed together with the Nakhichevan
issue. "Nakhichevan was also given to Azerbaijan in 1921. These
problems are bound," he said.

The meeting participants also underscored that the law in dual
citizenship should be adopted as soon as possible.

RPA NOT TO SUPPORT ARMAN SAHAKIAN’S CANDIDATURE AT ELECTIONS OF AJAPNIAK DISTRICT HEAD

Noyan Tapan
Sept 04 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The Council of the Republican
Party of Armenia, with 61 for and 3 against votes, made a decision
on late August 31 that it did not consider purposeful to nominate
and support candidature of party council member, former Deputy Mayor
of Yerevan Arman Sahakian in the elections of the district head of
Ajapniak, Yerevan. Arman Sahakian, his father, National Assembly
"RPA" faction head Galust Sahakian and Sahakians’ closest relative
Ashot Aghababian voted against the decision. The party’s public
relations service also informs that "in the case of not fulfilling the
decision, the party members and party structures will be subjected to
disciplinary responsibility, according to the RPA regulations." RPA
Chairman, Prime Minister Andranik Margarian, the party Chairman’s
First Deputy, Council Chairman, Defence Minister Serge Sargsian were
also present at the sitting. Serge Sargsian, who visited on September
1 the Monte Melkonian Military Academy on the occasion of the new
academic year, commenting upon the RPA Council’s above-mentioned
decision at journalists’ request, stated: "The party is not a crowd,
and it is not a bit obliged to support any member in any issue. A
party member must understand that he is in an organization, and that
there are interests of the organization, there are regulations and
discipline. If a party member himself makes decisions, without taking
the party’s existence into consideration, then why he must expect the
party’s assistance." Galust Sahakian said to Radio Liberty as if that
approach of the party, that the Ajapniak community head’s election
is not a political, party poblem, is inadmissible for them. Arman
Sahakian said to the same radio, that he will certainly nominate his
candidature for this post, and considers normal the party council’s
decision, is not hurt and has no intention to leave the party.

Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 2 2006

Armenian official discusses Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku railroad project
with Chinese Ambassador

02 September 2006 [12:23] – Today.Az

Togran Torosian, Speaker of Armenian National Assembly and Chinese
Ambassador Zuo Xueliang, Ambassador of China, discussed the issue of
China’s participation in the construction of
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railroad.

The Press Service of RA Parliament informed that Mr. Torosian
approved the participation of China in development of cooperation
with the countries of the region. Besides, the Speaker expressed hope
that Beijing has chosen the most optimal variant that connects Europe
with the Eastern Asia by railway.

The sides also discussed issues of activating the inter-parliamentary
relations. Mr. Zuo Xueliang passed the invitation of the speaker of
Chinese Parliament to visit China. He emphasized the importance of
the coming visit from the viewpoint of developing the bilateral
relations. In his turn, Torosian added that soon the Chinese
inter-parliamentary delegation will visit Yerevan.

The sides emphasized also the developing inter-party relations,
particularly, that between the republican Party of Armenia and the
Communist Party of China.

‘HAYASTAN’ FUND ANNOUNCES ABOUT STRICT SUPERVISION
By Susanna Margarian

AZG Armenian Daily
01/09/2006

"Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund once again touches upon the
construction of North-South highway in Nagorno Karabakh Republic
assuring that the constriction works are continuing according to
schedule. "Construction is being carried out simultaneously I 7
sections of the road. Construction of Kichan-Drmbon’s 5.2 km long
section is in final stage. Construction of several other sections
nears its end," a statement reads.

During the year of 2006 "Hayastan" Fund has paved 90 thousand sq
meters of the highway. To solve the problem connected with bitumen
importing and to help construction organizations, the Fund has signed
an agreement of $1 million 2 thousand in 2006 as a result of which
1200 tones of bitumen have been imported to Armenia.

"As to the quality of construction, problems can occur in any
circumstance, and if needed the Fund turns to NKR government and other
authorized organs as well as strictly warns contractor companies. In
general, the Fund has made stricter its control over the quality of
the work," the Fund’s administration states.

SPOKESMAN FOR ARMENIAN PRESIDENT: RESIGNATION OF NATURE PROTECTION MINISTER IS NOT EXPECTED

Noyan Tapan
Aug 31 2006

YEREVAN, AUGUST 31, NOYAN TAPAN. It is not expected that a decision
about resignation of the RA Minister of Nature Protection Vardan
Aivazian will be made in the near future, Spokesman for the RA
President Victor Soghomonian stated during the August 30 press
conference. Asked if it it true that the US Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans gave the RA President a video cassette that confirms the
fact of V. Aivazian’s taking a bribe, V. Soghomonian replied that
"he is not informed about this video cassette".