Author: Maghakian Mike

GEORGIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA: KARS-AKHALKALAKI IS A NO-OPTION RAILROAD

Lragir/am
20 March 06

Georgia has to build the Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad, every country
needs transit routes, and we will be glad if the Gyumri-Kars railroad
is operated, stated Revaz Gachecheladzeh, Georgian Ambassador to
Armenia on March 20.

According to him, Georgia has no reasons to reject economic flows
determined by the railroad, with the annual capacity of the Georgian
ports of 22 billion tones.

Soon the ports will not supply the demands of developing Georgia. Revaz
Gachecheladzeh thinks that the Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad is favorable
for Javakheti too. “Not all the freight is for transit, part of it
remains. Besides, crafts will develop in Akhalkalaki.” The ambassador
suggests viewing Kars-Akhalkalaki as a purely economic project that
will become part of the Beijing-Paris highway.

Georgia, which welcomes the re-operation of Gyumri-Kars, will not
try to influence Turkey or Azerbaijan in the question of opening the
borders, however. ” First because even the Minsk Group cannot influence
Turkey and Azerbaijan,” and besides, “like Armenia, we also conduct
a complementary policy, we want to have good relations with everyone,
and especially our neighbors. The question of opening the borders is
your internal affair.”

Everyone understands that Kars-Akhalkalaki is not favorable for
Armenia. The ambassador does not say anything with regard to this. The
Georgian-Armenian economic relations were not satisfactory but there is
progress. For instance, in Georgia they are already selling Armenian
products – juice, cigarettes, cement, etc. Besides, the Armenians are
building a hotel in the resort town of Kobuleti. “We assist the inflow
of the Armenian capital to Georgia. I think you would assist the inflow
of the Georgian capital to Armenia. Our markets are small, and if we
unite, both countries will benefit,” assures Revaz Gachecheladzeh.

The Armenians and Georgians are also implementing regional
projects. The second transmission line of electricity from Armenia
to Georgia is being built.

If it joins the Iran-Armenia line, something that Georgia is eager for,
trilateral cooperation would facilitate the export of electricity among
these three countries. Georgia would like the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
to reach Georgia and have a sufficient capacity to transport gas to
Europe, which would be favorable for both Armenia and Georgia. But
“Armenia decided to construct a small pipeline.”

ARMENIAN PM APPOINTS GEVORK KOSTANYAN TO ARMENIAN DEPUTY JUSTICE MINISTER POST

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 15, 2006

YEREVAN, March 15. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
appointed Gevork Kostanyan to the post of Armenian Deputy Justice
Minister on Tuesday, Government’s press service told ARKA News Agency.

Gevork Kostanyan was born in 1977 in Yerevan. He was graduated from
Yerevan State University in 1999 with legal expert diploma.

Kostanyan has been Armenian Justice Ministry’s Adviser on legal issues
over a period between 1995 and 1999.

After serving his national duty in Armenian army in 1999 to 2001,
he continued his work in Justice Ministry as the Minister Adviser
and later as Deputy Chief of Justice Ministry’s Staff.

>>From 2004 till his today’s appointment Kostanyan worked at
Justice Minister Adviser position. He is married and father of one,
non-partisan.

CONSTRUCTION OF “YERANKYUNI” SPITAK DISTRICT TO BE COMPLETELY OVER IN APRIL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. It’s envisaged to completely finish
the program of building of the “Yerankyuni” (Triangle) district
of Spitak in April. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed from
the Public Relations Department of the “Hayastan” All Armenian Fund
implementing the program, the internal repairs of the last 2 out of
district’s 11 buildings are proceeding at present. It was mentioned
that like the buildings already put into exploitation, each of these
buildings will also have 3-2-room 8 apartments.

One of the “Yerankyuni” district’s buildings was built with the
financing of the “Hayastan” Fund’s German local body and the rest 10
with the funds of the British local body. To recap, the Fund started
the district construction in 1999.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT PROPOSES INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL MECHANISMS OF CONTROL OVER ECONOMIC ENTITIES WITH BIG LIABILITIES

Noyan Tapan
Mar 15 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 15, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues related to the activities of the
service ensuring the mandatory execution of court acts were discussed
at the March 15 working consultation conducted by the RA President
Robert Kocharian. According to the RA President’s press service,
the RA Justice Minister, the RA Minister of Finance and Economy,
heads of the tax and customs bodies, the RA Prosecutor General and the
Chairman of the RA Cassation Court participated in the consultation.

The consultation participants spoke about the shortcomings and abuses
committed by economic entities in fulfilling their tax and customs
liabilities. It was noted that these shortcomings and abuses result
in improper fulfilement of liabilties towards the state.

R. Kocharian instructed the heads of the appropriate structures to
find solutions for making amendments to the current legislation and
using additional mechanisms of control over economic entities with
big liabilities. He said that the steps to be taken should first of
all be aimed at the fight against shadow economy and prevention of
illegal economic activity.

EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY OPENS AT ART ACADEMY

Noyan Tapan
Mar 07 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 7, NOYAN TAPAN. An exhibition of the Sculpture
Department final course students’ works dedicated to March 8, the
International Women’s Day, opened on March 7 in the gallery of the
Yerevan Art Academy. 6 students’ small-sizes marble, bronze and copper
sculptures are presented in the exhibition hall. Karen Aghamian,
the Painters’ Union Chairman mentioned that the exhibition gave an
opportunity to “value and re-value the Armenian woman, revealing her
mistery of millenniums.” According Academy Rector Aram Isabekian, the
students presented interesting works. According to him, those prove
once more that the Academy students are talented and have particular
way of thinking.

A.Isabekian also informed that the 60th anniversary of the Art
Academy will aslo be marked this year. Within the framework of this
anniversary numerous exhibitions will be organized as well as an
album will be published.

QUOTES FROM THE TURKISH PRESS 8 MAR 06

Quotes package from BBC Monitoring
8 Mar 06

Tension between army and government

Hurriyet (centre-right) “The public prosecutor [in Van] has shown
great irresponsibility and violated legal norms by including the name
of Ground Forces Commander Gen Yasar Buyukanit in his indictment,
accusing him of interfering with the judiciary and setting up a
gang… How can a public prosecutor have the nerve to put in his
indictment an accusation which could cause a great crisis in Turkey
without having any serious evidence?”

(Commentary by Tufan Turenc)

“You will be deceived if you regard this crisis as being just
about ‘a commander, a prosecutor and an indictment’. This is a
regime problem. This is another aspect of the [anti-republican]
counter-revolution that is going on all around.” (Commentary by
Bekir Coskun)

“For two days, against a background of a big media campaign, it has
been said that the accusation against Gen Buyukanit is meaningless.

However I think a judgment is necessary to understand what is what
and that the Pandora’s box has been opened cannot be closed again.”
(Commentary by Cuneyt Ulsever)

Posta (tabloid) “The picture that emerges after the judgment begins,
words that are going to be said at the phase of hearing witnesses will
create many mini crises. We are going to go through a very difficult
process… If we can overcome this with calm, the democratic regime
will be greatly strengthened; if not we shall all be shaken by the
earthquake.” (Commentary by Mehmet Ali Birand)

Milliyet (centrist) “Turkey is going through the pains, the
problems of a general and rooted change. The army, the judiciary
and politicians must act as their counterparts do in developed
democracies… Everyone must show a talent for ‘solving problems
without turning them into a crisis’, which is the most important sign
of being developed.” (Commentary by Taha Akyol)

“Why is there an insistent search for a conspiracy against the regime
through this indictment? Would it not be better if we, the media,
could put judicial reform on the agenda and discuss the need for
that…?” (Commentary by Hasan Cemal)

Yeni Safak (liberal, pro-Islamic) “Turkey is going through a great
transformation. We are transforming into a more democratic, more
transparent country with more respect for rights and freedoms… In
every system that is restructuring, some things can get out of
control during the process… The indictment by the prosecutor can
be considered as such an event. Despite all claims to the contrary,
it is also understood that the prosecutor has not been engaging in
political manipulation.” (Commentary by Fehmi Koru)

Cumhuriyet (secular, Kemalist) “On one side, an Anglo-American
initiative is pulling Turkey into the deepening Middle East trap in
Iraq. On another, it is surrounded by the Armenian, Greek Cypriot
and Greek states’ demands. On another side, it is under attack by
the Kurdistan Workers’ Party. Also, in the middle of such a picture,
the AKP [Justice and Development Party] government is making a move
against the army. Is there any other such example in history?”

(Commentary by Ilhan Selcuk)

Iran’s nuclear ambitions

Milliyet “There are two reasons for Ankara’s sensitivity over this
issue [Iran’s nuclear programme]. 1. Iran’s challenging the world on
this issue is going to cause an international crisis and this will
create great tensions, especially in our region. 2. Iran’s having
atomic weapons will tilt the balances in the region to its advantage
and this will encourage the Tehran regime regarding its own aims.

That’s why Turkey wants diplomatic efforts to continue and a compromise
to be reached between Iran and IAEA [International Atomic Energy
Agency]” (Commentary by Sami Kohen)

MILITARY OMBUDSMAN INSTITUTION TO BE ESTABLISHED IN ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.03.2006 20:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia plans to establish institution of Military
Ombudsman, Deputy MOD Head, lieutenant general Artur Aghabekyan
stated during a seminar in Yerevan within Starlink Program. “Reforms
of defense legislation provide for introduction of the institution
of the Military Ombudsman. These are planned to start in 2008 and
to be finished by 2010,” Aghabekyan said. In his words, the Military
Ombudsman will deal with problems and complaints of the personnel of
the Armed Forces.

Besides, as the Deputy Minister remarked, amendments are to be
made on the Law on Defense, that will specify the functions of the
Defense Ministry and General Staff, while legal reforms are planned,
including social protection of the military and civil personnel of
the army. “New Law on Civil Officers in Defense is to be elaborated
to regulate activities of civil representatives in the Armed Forces
of Armenia,” Aghabekyan said, reports RIA Novosti.

MERCENARY PUZZLE
By Vincent Musumba

Kenya Times, Kenya
March 14 2006

THE alleged mysterious presence of mercenaries in the country took
a new twist yesterday when two men claiming to be the ones named as
being the hitmen on hire presented themselves and instead accused
two senior politicians of blackmail.

The two, claiming to be the Armenians, Artur Sargsyan and Artur
Margaryan, said Langata MP Raila Odinga and his Mwingi North
counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka had approached them seeking Sh 3 billion
to finance a vote of no confidence in the government.

Sargsyan and Margaryan also claimed that Kalonzo, who introduced them
to Raila, had requested for bullet-proof cars to use in their alleged
anti-government activities.

Addressing a press conference at the Jomo Kenyatta Interbnational
Airport’s VIP lounge in the company of their lawyer Fred Ngatia,
Sargsyan also claimed that Raila had separately requested for a loan
of Sh 108 million (US$ 1.5 m) which he advanced him on condition that
he would repay it by mid January this year although by yesterday he
had not repaid the money.

But in a swift rejoinder, Raila denied ever having met the two
brothers. Kalonzo, however, confessed having encountered them at “an
informal meeting” at the Grand Regency hotel’s Summit Club sometimes
last year.

Raila described Sargsyan and Margaryan’s statements as completely
unfounded, baseless, nefarious and maliciously concocted to scandalise
and malign his name.

Kalonzo protested his innocence and disclosed that he was introduced
to the two in his capacity as a former Foreign Affairs Minister. “It
is a clear government plot to malign our names and it falls right in
their face. I am a very simple person who cannot handle such a huge
sum of money,” said Kalonzo.

Two weeks ago, Liberal Democratic Party defacto leader, Raila revealed
about the existence of mercenaries in the country allegedly hired
by the government to kill some leading Orange Democratic Movement
(ODM) luminaries

Earlier, Raila had met Police Commissioner Brig Hussein Ali to record a
statement on the matter after he was requested to do so and thereafter
proceeded to record a statement with the police .

The mercenaries for the first time surfaced yesterday and addressed
a press conference to respond to the mercenary allegations.

The two Armenian brothers Sargsyan and Margaryan, the alleged
mercenaries, arrived at the JKIA airport from Dubai yesterday in the
morning and were ushered into the VIP lounge by government agents
where they addressed the Press and claimed they had met Raila and
Musyoka last year.

It was not immediately clear who authorised the two to use the VIP
lounge, which is normally reserved for presidents, senior government
officials, diplomats and other high ranking dignitaries recognised
by the state.

Government spokesman Dr Alfred Mutua denied knowledge of the issue
and refused to be drawn into it.

And soon after the press conference, that was organised by Ngatia,
Sargsyan was reported to have immediately returned to Dubai where he
had come from specifically for the media briefing. He is believed to
have arrived at around 7 in the morning and left at 11 am aboard a
Kenya Airways plane. Astonishingly, his name was missing on the two
KQ manifest that arrived and left for Dubai yesterday.

While copies of passports given by Raila last week indicated the two
businessmen aged 33 and 36 years, who resurfaced yesterday looked
much older.

The two brothers claimed to have business investments portfolio
worth US $ 5 million in Nairobi’s Karen area. They, however, refused
to give names of their Kenyan business associates or the names of
their companies.

Besides, the two also claimed to have vast business ventures all over
the world and Dubai, where they “ordinarily reside”, and that they
were first introduced to Raila and Kalonzo late last year while on a
tour of Kenya to seek business investment in the hotel industry and
general trade.

Consequently, they say, the two politicians requested from them Sh
3 billion allegedly to finance an anticipated vote of no confidence
against the government, but they declined to assist since “we do
not engage in local politics in all the countries where we have
investments”.

However, Raila and Kalonzo hurriedly convened a press conference
at Parliament Buildings during the lunch hour where they defended
themselves and pledged ignorance of the two men. Raila said he had
never met the two men and had never received the said money from them.

Interestingly, Kalonzo appeared to contradict him when he confessed
to having been introduced to one of them, as Armenian Foreign Affairs
Minister at the Summit of the Grand Regency hotel. The introduction
he said, was done casually and there were many people at the same
place at that time. Since then, he said, he had never met him.

“I may have met some people at the Summit of the Grand Regency although
that was the end of it. I dismiss their claims with the contempt they
deserve. I do not know their identities”, said the former minister.

Interestingly, Kalonzo confessed that he took some photographs with
the two Armenians during their encounter at the hotel.

Sargsyan, who asserts that he is the nephew of the Armenian President,
Robert Kocharian, says he is appalled by the “baseless accusations”
in Kenya’s Press and wants Raila to pay him back the money he owes him
or take him to court. The country’s Prime Minister as per Internet
sources is called Andranik Margaryan (since May 12, 2000). His name
resembles the surnames of the two brothers.

“Your political leaders should not be peddlers of falsehoods and the
press should not merely publish sensational but senseless stories
which can damage the reputation of persons whose only interest in your
country is to invest in legitimate trade”, he said in the statement.

Efforts to confirm the nationality of the two businessmen were
fruitless as Armenia does not have a an embassy in the country.

Raila and Kalonzo, who were accompanied by LDP MPs, Kenneth Marende,
Gor Sungu, Otieno Kajwang’, Ayiecho Olweny, Philip Okundi, Peter
Odoyo, Andrew Ligale, Kiema Kilonzo and Odhiambo Omamba, termed the
content of the press statement as “the most ridiculous and a phantom
of great imagination”.

He denied ever meeting the two brothers or holding a meeting with them
and accused the government of orchestrating a plot to mudslinging
them. He alluded to an interview the previous night on one of the
local TV channels where Mwea MP, Alfred Nderitu made claims similar
to those in Atur’s press statement.

He said the figures mentioned by the two were “large in any language
and cannot possibly be transacted in the air” and that nobody could
carry the Sh 3b as alleged without fearing for his security.

Said Raila: “Their claims are untrue. What empirical evidence or any
even a scintilla of it has been offered to sustain the contention
that the transaction took place?”, and added, “I therefore find the
claims made completely unfounded, baseless, nefarious and maliciously
concocted to scandalise and malign my name”.

He claimed their lawyer Ngatia was the man who had written the
statement on behalf of the two foreigners and described it as an
amateurish attempt by the government to divert the attention of the
public from corruption scandals facing it.

The LDP leader wondered why CID Director, Joseph Kamau had not disowned
the statement he had written on the existence of the mercenaries,
or why t hey were allowed to enter State House and who informed the
media that the two were expected at the airport in the morning.

The call, he said, had been placed to media houses by a Narc activist
from Othaya.

SABINE FREIZER: THE PEACE PLAN PROPOSED BY INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP IS GOOD BECAUSE IT IS REALISTIC
Haroutiun Khachatrian

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 13 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The International
Crisis Group, a respected organization involved in efforts of
conflict resolution, has recently proposed its suggestions about a
possible way of regulation of the Nagorno Karabakh problem. These
suggestions have had controversial echoes both among Armenians and
Azeris. Sabine Freizer, the Caucasus Project Director of the ICG,
presents the details in an exclusive interview with Noyan Tapan.

“NOYAN TAPAN”: Please remind us briefly the pre-history and current
activities of your organization. Whose was the idea of its creation,
who is involved in its activities, who provides funding?

SABINE FREIZER: The International Crisis Group is an international not
for profit organization based in Brussels, Belgium. The organization
was created in 1995 as an independent body that could combine detailed
field assessment and analysis with political advocacy to try to
resolve or prevent conflict. Its founders were leading international
decision-makers who were shocked by their own governments’ inability
to respond effectively to the conflicts in former-Yugoslavia, Somalia,
Rwanda and other situations that had spiralled out of control in the
early 1990s. They wanted to create an organization that could provide
comprehensive, quick and neutral analysis on conflicts, and recommend
means to respond to them.

Crisis Group receives funding from a variety of sources. The goal is to
have a diverse funding base to insure independence and credibility. In
2004 40% of Crisis Group’s funds came from governments, 43% from
foundations, and 16% from private individuals and corporations. In
2004 the organization raised some million to cover operating costs.

“NT”: You are an organization of experts, which means that your
recommendations should be addressed to policymakers rather than to
the public opinion.

Meanwhile, you often address to wider society, including political
parties and NGOs. Isn’t there a controversy present here?

S.F.: Our recommendations are mainly addressed to policy makers
especially in Washington, New York, Brussels, London, Moscow and
other major capitals. We try to influence their decision-making and
the activities of state and international actors. However especially
in the South Caucasus where international attention is weaker then in
other parts of the globe, we also take the time to share our reports
and recommendations with local policymakers, political actors, NGOs
and others. We believe that it’s important to do this to increase
public knowledge and understanding about conflict in the region from
a relatively neutral standpoint.

“NT”: Continuing the above question, your comments about the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict go beyond the conflict per se to include the
issues of domestic politics such as the problems of elections or
referendum. Why do you think it is proper?

S.F.: We think that its important to look at domestic political
developments in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia because they of course
also affect the potential for conflict resolution. Our focus is on
analysing the conflicts but we sometimes report on local political
issues such as the Fall Azerbaijani parliamentary elections and the
Armenian referendum. We were quite critical in both cases.

“NT”: In recent months, some Armenian media have argued that your
organization is influenced by pro-Turkish lobby. Can you deny these
allegations? And, if so, what is, in your opinion, the reason that
such publications appeared in the Armenian media?

S.F.: We have been accused of being pro-Turkish in Armenia and
pro-Armenian in Azerbaijan. This is very frequent in our work. People
who don’t like what we have to say try to discredit us by linking
us with outside political forces. But Crisis Group is a truly
international organization with staff and funding from across the
globe. We are fully independent and are not politically influenced
by anyone.

Of course I can deny that we are influenced by any kind of pro-Turkish
lobby. In our report in Armenia in 2004 we several times mention
the Genocide including in the Introduction. We also make tough
recommendations to Turkey to open its border with Armenia. It would
be hard for me to imagine a Turkish lobby group who would come out
with these kinds of statements.

“NT”: What are the benefits of the peace plan proposed by ICG for
the Armenian side, including Nagorno Karabakh?

S.F.: The peace plan proposed by ICG is good because it is realistic
in the current situation and meets a significant part of the both
sides key demands.

For the Armenian side it provides security guarantees and the right
to self-determination for the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. For
the Azerbaijani side it offers the return of all internally
displaced persons and return of all its occupied lands around
Nagorno-Karabakh. The plan also calls for assurances of free movement
of people and goods, including the lifting of all blockades and the
reopening of all transport and trade routes closed as a result of the
conflict. For Armenia this would mean the end of its regional isolation
and the opening of its border with Turkey. The plan also grants
Nagorno-Karabakh with an internationally recognized interim status.

“NT”: As for the proposals of your organization about the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, they are criticized by Armenian politicians for
several reasons:

First: The proposal to hold another referendum in Nagorno Karabakh
whereas a referendum meeting all democracy standards was held there
in 1991.

S.F: A referendum on statehood is not worth much — even if it meets
democratic standards — if its not internationally recognized. For
the past 15 years no state has recognized the 1991 referendum. The
internationally community is not going to recognize the referendum
now. Instead if Nagorno-Karabakh wants to receive international
recognition, and be accepted as an equal amongst other states, it must
hold a referendum, which meets international standards and is observed
by international organizations, first and foremost by the OSCE.

“NT”: Second: Many in Armenia express concern that withdrawal from the
territories around the former NKAO may disrupt the existing balance
(I do not speak about those who prefer to use the term “liberated”
rather than “occupied” for these territories).

S.F.: The Armenian side has a stark choice — to withdraw from the
occupied territories around Nagorno-Karabakh or to remain stationed
on land, which does not belong to it. If it chooses the latter,
Azerbaijan is much more likely to resort to the use of military force
to try to retake control of its land.

Should that happen the international community is unlikely to react
very strongly as UN Security Council Resolutions urge the withdrawal of
occupied territories. Today control of the land is NK’s only security
guarantee. We are proposing that it replaces this guarantee with
much stronger ones: a renunciation of the threat of the use of force
to settle disputes by Azerbaijan, the deployment of international
peacekeeping troops, and the creation of a joint commission including
Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh to address security problems. According
to this formula Azerbaijan will be more much constrained and will
have little ability to strike Nagorno-Karabakh. If it does choose to
do so it will become an international pariah state.

“NT”: Third: Peacekeeping forces (if any) in the Karabakh region
may present a threat to Iran, hence, Teheran will oppose their
installation.

S.F: If the sides — including the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries
— agree to the deployment of international peacekeepers I don’t think
that Iran will have much political weight to oppose them. Of course it
will be important to talk to Iran to explain to them the mission and
mandate of any peacekeepers. But I do not think that Iran’s political
concerns should override a compromise decision made by Russia, the US,
the EU, the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides, to deploy peacekeepers.

“NT”: According to your proposals, an intermediate status for
Nagorno Karabakh is to be established before is the final status is
defined. What elements this status can involve?

S.F.: An interim status for NK would provide NK with an internationally
recognized status — not as a state but as an interim entity. It
would be allowed to hold elections, which would be internationally
supervised. Based on this elected officials would be recognized
as representing the people of NK. Other interim measures could be
envisioned such as the granting of the right to have representatives
in international organizations, the right to trade, to issue travel
documents, receive international assistance etc…

After NK obtains interim status it should also accept the return
of displaced Azeris who should have the right to participate in all
elements of political, economic, social and cultural life.

“NT”: This question may look naive, but can you indicate a most
important factor hindering the progress in the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict?

S.F.: Distrust — between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and
the people of the two countries. Once there is confidence and trust, as
I believe there is between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries,
it is much easier to come to a compromise. The other lacking factor
is absence of understanding for the need to accept compromises. The
sides maintain a maximalist approach. They rather demand all but get
no deal, then demand a bit less but come to an agreement.

“NT”: What future actions can your organization undertake in the
observable future concerning the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

S.F.: We will continue monitoring and reporting on Nagorno-Karabakh. I
personally will be travelling to Washington DC and New York in
the coming months to meet with decision-makers and make public
presentations on Nagorno-Karabakh.

“NT”: Is the ICG involved in the settlement efforts of other conflicts
in the South Caucasus?

S.F.: Yes, we are also working closely on the South Ossetian and
Abkhaz conflicts.

ARMENIAN HISTORIANS NOT TO ATTEND FORUM ON ALLEGED GENOCIDE

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
March 14 2006

More than 50 experts from Turkey and abroad are expected to attend
the conference organised by the Istanbul University.

NTV-MSNBC Guncelleme: 13:31 TSÝ 14 Mart 2006 SalýISTANBUL – The Dean
of Istanbul University, Profesor Mesut Parlak, on Monday held a press
conference to discuss the forthcoming conference on the so-called
Armenian genocide.

Parlak said that Armenian historians who had been invited to
participate in the conference have rejected the invitations, with
just one responding in a written form.

“In the foreign press they made statement that had the aim of hurting
our university,” Parlak said.

Parlak said that the conference, to be held between March 15 and
17, would be the first such gatherings with a wide participation in
Turkey. He said the conference would open up a new page on the issue.

The meeting would bring to light many issues that were not made
public before.

Those who refused to take part in the conference from Turkey included
prominent writer Orhan Pamuk, Baskýn Oran, Selim Deringil and the
chief correspondent of the Armenian paper Agos Hrant Dink.

–Boundary_(ID_InUaq8CYr2GGDv52u6kPmw)–