Author: Maghakian Mike

SUMMER SESSION OF THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY TO START IN BRUSSELS
ArmRadio.am
03.07.2006 10:45
The summer session of the OSCE Parliamentary assembly will start today
in Brussels. Goran Lenmarker may possibly publicize his report on
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Despite this fact, the Azeri delegates
have decided to use the session as a platform for anti-Armenian
statements. Head of the delegation Eldar Ibrahimov noted that the
discussions on “Provision of human security over OSCE territory”
will be used for this purpose.

WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES FROM CONFLICT ZONE WOULD RELAX TENSION IN REGION
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
July 1 2006
The Co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group have led the peaceful dialogue to
a certain stage after which the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
should make a decision, Mathew Bryza, the USA state secretary advisor
on Europe and Eurasia, co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group, told in his
interview with Radio Liberty, Trend reports.
“My words may urge people to create a condition for healthy debates
in the region,” told Brysa.
“I am surprised not at the debates, but at the issue that several
persons who are not familiar with the recent statement of co-chairs
of Minsk group in Vienna gave a rapid reaction to the meeting. In
the statement of co-chair, everything was stated obviously, but my
statement was shorter and common,” Bryza added.
Bryza answered the question “May your peaceful plan statement be
considered part of the strategy on beginning of debates?” that “May
be yes or may be no. I only gave information on happening events. The
document offered to the Permanent Council of OSCE is open for society.”
“Co-chairs of Minsk Group used all their abilities and energy to
prepare a “framework agreement” where the main principles of settlement
found their reflections. The president need time to make a decision on
the agreement,” stressed Bryza. I’m very energetic and familiar with
the leaders enough. We will continue working with them and don’t state
that the process has been ceased forever. However, we want to note
that the dialogue was held till the definite level, after which the
heads of the conflict countries should themselves take a resolution.
Touching on the contradictory statements on the conducting of
referendum on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, American co-chair noted
that the sides couldn’t come to an agreement on main principles of
the solution. Therefore, both presidents take responsibility that
no agreement was reached up to now. “I cannot say which president
takes greater responsibility. The presidents may declare that an
agreement was reached on the main principles or may announce that
the agreement was made changes and a packet plan will be prepared,”
told new co-chair.
At the same time Bryza noted that he withdrawal of the Armenian armed
forces from the conflict zone, undoubtedly, increase the tension in
the region. “Therefore, the issue is important element of the major
principles of resolution. However, stating to Armenians that withdraw
the arms from the region and it will relax the tension in the region
and we will achieve the desired. The Armenians will go to it, if they
will receive anything in exchange. That is the major principle. The
experts are right -the withdrawal of the Armenian armed forces will
relax the tension. But they should receive something in exchange.
Therefore, the heads of state ought to take a difficult resolution.
Bryza noted that the demilitarization of the region will be
accompanied with national voting or referendum on future status of
Nagorno-Karabakh.
The problem is linked with coordination of the time parameters for
withdrawal or re-dislocation of Armenian forces with the status of
Karabakh. That’s the major problem complicating the process.
In the end Bryza voiced his hope that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
will be included in the agenda of the meeting of G8 in St-Petersburg.
The Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that the issue will
be under discussion. “We’d like the issue to be included in the agenda
of the meeting,” the adviser to the US Secretary of State in Europe
and Eurasia, said.

PRESENTING A FRIENDLIER FACE FOR AMERICA IN IRAQ
By Richard H. Humke
Special to The Courier-Journal
Louisville Courier-Journal, KY
July 2 2006
Iran has been off-limits for most Americans for the last 27 years,
since the beginning of the Iranian revolution in 1979 and the taking
of hostages at the American embassy in Tehran shortly thereafter.
Iranian-Americans and their families have continued to travel there
to visit, of course, but few other Americans have done so.
When the opportunity arose to visit Iran for 12 days, seven
Louisvillians eagerly joined 16 other persons from around the United
States and Britain to do so; I was pleased to be a part of that
group. The visit was sponsored by the Fellowship of Reconciliation,
an international peace-making group now approaching its 100th
anniversary. The Fellowship is experienced in sending groups of
visitors to places like Iran, where tensions between the United States
and that country are particularly great.
Before we left, we were questioned repeatedly by friends and family
about our sanity, and the question most often asked us was, “Aren’t
you afraid?” Of course, we weren’t afraid, or we probably wouldn’t
have gone. But the question did plant some seeds of apprehension in
us nonetheless. What we found in Iran was a welcoming hospitality,
tinged with surprise, everywhere we went. “Thank you for coming.” “I
can’t believe you’re Americans.” “Did they really give you a visa?”
And most surprising of all: “I’ve never talked to an American.”
Making a difference Such expressions of surprise helped us to realize
that we were accomplishing one of our goals: to present a friendly
face of America without the shrill rhetoric that so often accompanies
relations between our governments. We had no misapprehensions that we
could accomplish great things or change the direction of international
relations, but we did believe that each one of us could make the
difference that an individual can make.
We were not blind to the problems that we knew existed in Iran:
persecution of members of the Baha’i religion; zero tolerance for
homosexuals that could result in execution; political oppression
of opposition voices; widespread use of capital punishment and
restrictions on women. Nor did we think we could affect any of those
serious matters. We went to see and to listen and to learn.
We visited some of the many beautiful and ancient sites to be found
in Iran. Iran is not a country whose boundaries have been cobbled
together by Western powers, as Iraq was 75 years ago. It is an ancient
nation with a rich culture and history of which its people are rightly
very proud. Persepolis, Isfahan, Shiraz, Qom — these places are not
very familiar to most Americans, but like Florence or Delphi, they
are rich in architectural and historical interest. I considered our
visiting them as more than going to tourist destinations. Our visits
were also acts of affirmation for our Iranian hosts.
There are religious minorities in Iran, which is 98 percent Muslim.
Twenty-five thousand Jews still call Iran home, a remnant of what was
once a large and thriving ancient community. We visited a synagogue in
Tehran and listened to its president talk about Jewish life in Iran
today. We would have liked to ask him about Israel, and particularly
about the Iranian president’s inflammatory remarks about Israel,
but we knew that to do so would place him and our Iranian hosts in
a very difficult position.
We also visited an Armenian cathedral and its precincts, the Armenians
being the largest of a number of Christian groups in Iran totaling
as many as 250,000. Accepting the reality of living in an Islamic
republic, Christians, too, seemed to have a freedom to practice
their faith.
The Zoroastrians are the ancient, pre-Islamic religion of Iran, and
a visit to one of their centers and a talk (through an interpreter)
by one of their priests gave us further understanding of this very old
religion. They, too, appeared to be free to exercise their religious
faith within their own community.
It was only by accident that we were in Iran at a particularly tense
time, shortly after Seymour Hersh alleged in The New Yorker that our
government was considering the use of nuclear weapons against Iran’s
underground uranium-enrichment facility at Natanz. We visited the
village of Natanz and on the way passed that nuclear facility.
Our destination in Natanz, however, was a home for girls who for
various reasons were no longer able to live with their parents. The
home had been begun by a gentle-faced mullah who joined us and the
girls for a sumptuous Iranian lunch which they served us as we sat
on lovely carpets spread on the floor. As these beautiful and very
intelligent young women, enveloped in their chadors, spoke to us
about their hopes and dreams for their lives, I could not get out of
my mind the specter of those nuclear weapons which the United States
might possibly use. Because, of course, there would be no need for
those beautiful girls to have plans for the future. There would be
no future for them.
War ‘cannot be the answer’ I came back more convinced than I had
ever been that war cannot be the answer to our difficulties with
Iran. We must learn to talk together and to negotiate in good faith
— and so must they, of course — without the threat of destroying
one another. This great country of ours surely can take the lead in
doing that.
The Rev. Richard H. Humke is a retired Episcopal priest who lives in
Louisville. For many years, he was rector of St. Matthews Episcopal
Church.

Jerusalem Post
June 30 2006
Jerusalem of Film
By HANNAH BROWN

Israeli film buffs, your prayers have been answered. The 23rd
Jerusalem Film Festival, which runs from July 6-15 at the Jerusalem
Cinematheque and other Jerusalem theaters, has a star-studded guest
list, led by Life Achievement Award winner Roman Polanski, director
of such classics as Rosemary’s Baby and Chinatown, who will be here
to present his latest film, a new, grittier version of Oliver Twist.
In addition to Polanski, this year’s festival will host movie stars
and directors who will thrill serious cineastes and more casual movie
lovers alike and will feature nearly 200 movies from all over the
world.
“This year, we have some very gifted people coming,” says Lia van
Leer, Jerusalem Film Festival founder and director, as well as
founder of the Jerusalem Cinematheque, in an understatement. “And we
have some wonderful films.”
In the movie star category, there’s actress Debra Winger (An Officer
and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment), who will be attending the
festival as a juror for the Wolgin Awards for Israeli Features and
the Drama Award in Memory of Anat Pirchi. She also narrates the
newest documentary by Lily Rivlin, Can You Hear Me? Israeli and
Palestinian Women Fight for Peace. Actress Kim Cattrall, best known
as Samantha on the television show Sex and the City, will also be
attending as part of a Canadian delegation (please see sidebar on
special programs). Other festival guests (at presstime) include
director Chen Kaige, here with his latest film, The Promise ; Istvan
Szabo, who will present Relatives ; actress Julie Depardieu (daughter
of Gerard), the star of Sauf Le Respect Que Je Vous Dois ; and
Baltasar Kormakur, director of A Little Trip to Heaven, best known
for Reykjaviik 101.
Achievement Award winners this year are Atom Egoyan, the Canada-based
director of Armenian descent, whose 2002 film, Ararat will be
screened; producer Robert Lantos, who has made such films as
eXistenZ, Felicia’s Journey and Being Julia and who first visited
Israel as a water polo player for the Canadian team in the 1969
Maccabiah Games; and director/actor Eli Cohen, who has made such
films as summer of Aviya and the documentary in the current festival,
Fence, Wall, Border . . .
It’s no surprise that an Israeli shares the honors with distinguished
foreign winners, because this festival is the coming-out party for
the Israeli film industry: It has officially come of age. Two years
ago, the success – both here and abroad – of such movies as Avi
Nesher’s Turn Left at the End of the World, Eytan Fox’s Walk on
Water, Joseph Cedar’s Campfire, Keren Yedaya’s Or, Gidi Dar’s
Ushpizin, Eran Riklis The Syrian Bride and many other Israeli films
came as a surprise. Now, with Israeli films picking up major awards
at festivals all over the world, the time has come to acknowledge
Israel’s place in international cinema and van Leer has chosen to
mark this passage by opening the festival with an Israeli film for
the first time ever.
On July 6 at the Sultan’s Pool amphitheater, before a crowd of
thousands, Oded Davidoff’s Someone to Run With, an adaptation of
David Grossman’s bestselling novel will play on a giant screen. It
tells the story of a teenage boy and girl in Jerusalem who meet while
tracking down a lost dog and the girl’s drug-addicted brother.
Following the screening, there will be an opening party right nearby
at The Lab.
Someone to Run With is just one of a large group of promising Israeli
films competing this year for the Wolgin Awards (see sidebar on
Israeli cinema). Fourteen films from all over the world will also
compete for the Wim van Leer in the Spirit of Freedom Awards, which
are given in memory of Lia van Leer’s husband and deal with the quest
for freedom.
The festival has a special section on French cinema, which now
includes films in French from Francophone countries around the world.
Abderrahmane Sissako’s Bamako is set in Mali and interweaves stories
about families in a courtyard with a mock-trial of World Bank
officials. Alain Tasma’s Nuit Noire, 17 Octobre 1961 is a feature
film about a massacre in France of Algerians who protested the French
occupation of that country. Well-known French directors such as
festival guest Chantal Ackerman are also in the lineup. Her latest
film, a documentary called La Bas, is a film diary about her 2005
stay in Tel Aviv and her feelings about her own Judaism.
The rich Panorama Section features movies from all over the world,
including American movies with big-name stars such as Jennifer
Aniston, who appears in Nicole Holofcener’s Friends with Money.
Sidney Lumet’s latest film, the crime thriller Find Me Guilty
starring Vin Diesel, will be shown. But some of the most intriguing
films come from Asia, including Hong Kong director Johnnie To’s
Election and Election II look at the succession in a Sopranos-style
crime family. Super-cool Japanese crime star “Beat” Takeshi is faced
with an imposter in Takeshis’. The life of a family living in the
Mongolian plains is the focus of The Cave of the Yellow Dog,
Byambasuren Davaa’s follow-up to his international hit, The Story of
the Weeping Camel.
Latin American films also have a strong presence, with such movies as
Claudia Llosa’s Madeinusa, about a young woman in a remote Peruvian
village who sees a way out when a geologist comes to town.
As you flip through the 300-page festival catalog, certain themes
emerge. “There are wars everywhere, but there is also daily violence.
There are the same problems all over the world,” van Leer comments.
As in past years, many of the films deal with refugees and others who
don’t feel at home in the countries they live. For example,
Lebanese-born, Sweden-based Josef Fares’ latest film, Zozo, looks at
a teenage boy moving from Beirut to Sweden. And a special program of
films from the Sarajevo Film Festival examines the fallout from that
country’s civil war, with films such as Jasmila Zbanic’s Grbavica,
the story of a Sarajevo girl searching for the truth about what her
father did during the war.
The trend of strong documentaries continues with such films as Micha
Peled’s China Blue, a look at Chinese migrants from rural areas to
the cities; A Lion in the House, a portrait of children coping with
cancer; festival guest director Alan Berliner’s latest, personal look
at the universal problem of insomnia, Wide Awake; The Pervert’s Guide
to the Cinema, a portrait of festival guest philosopher and
psychoanalyst Slavoj Zizek by Sophie Fiennes (sister of actors Ralph
and Joseph); Ashim Ahluwalia’s John & Jane shows what really goes on
in a Mumbay international call center; and Deborah Scranton’s The War
Tapes focuses on three American soldiers in Iraq who document their
experiences with video cameras.
Werner Herzog is represented at the festival by two documentaries,
The White Diamond, about zeppelins and The Wild Blue Yonder, a
quasi-documentary look at people who believe in aliens. He is also
the subject of a third documentary, Walking to Werner.
The Jewish Experience program also features some intriguing
documentaries, including Mimmo Calopresti’s Volevo Solo Vivere, a
look at Italian concentration camp survivors. Among the feature films
vying for the Jewish Experience Awards are Song of Songs, Josh
Appignanesi’s look at British ultra-Orthodox; Richard Dembo’s La
Maison de Nina, about a Jewish refugee from Greece who sets up an
orphanage after World War II; and Nina’s Journey, Lena Einhorn’s look
at her family’s fight to survive the Holocaust in Poland.
Festival consultant Vivian Ostrovsky spotlights the best of
avant-garde cinema in her “Carte Blanche” program, including a look
at multi-media artist Matthew Barney, Matthew Barney: No Restraint.

Allston-Brighton TAB, MA
June 30 2006
Brazil fever grips Allston-Brighton
By Meghann Ackerman/ Staff Writer
Friday, June 30, 2006 – Updated: 02:02 PM EST
Although America was knocked out of World Cup play, plenty of fans
are still packing bars and restaurants to catch broadcasts of the
games. In Allston, home to a large population of Brazilians, yellow
and green jerseys and flags have been decorating the street and
businesses since the tournament began on June 9.

The sentiment among fans, Brazilian or not, is that watching the
soccer matches has brought people together and provided a link for
recent immigrants to each other and established citizens.

By 11 a.m. on Tuesday, June 23, fans had already headed to Café
Brazil and Café Belo, two of Allston’s Brazilian restaurants and bars
that have been showing World Cup games. The mood was celebratory as
Brazil trounced Ghana, 3-0.

“I didn’t think people would come this morning,” said Otavio
Canargo, the manager of Café Belo. By game time, the restaurant was
packed.

“We’re so confident they’ll win we skipped work on Tuesday
morning,” said Pedro Dosreis, a rabid Brazil fan.

Rachel Franca came to Boston from Brazil about a month ago to
study at Boston University. Although she admitted that she doesn’t
follow soccer as much as she used to, she said coming to the games
makes her less homesick.

“This is where I come home to,” she said. “I come and get to be
here with all the Brazilians and hear people speaking Portuguese.”

Canargo, said that he’s noticed Brazilians and Americans coming
together while enjoying a drink or some food and watching the game.

“I’m here to support Brazil all the way,” said Harout Semerdjian,
an Armenian by way of Los Angeles who has many Brazilian friends.

Support of Brazil has stayed strong, despite some obstacles.
Several people, who requested not to be named, watching the game on
Tuesday said that at some games officials came in to check
identification. The fear, they said, was that the officials were from
immigration and looking to deport people here illegally.

Dosreis, however, said even immigration checks won’t deter
Brazil’s fans.

“They’re still going to party, even if immigration comes,” he
said.

Because Boston sports fans are notorious for destructive behavior
after big wins, District 14 Police Captain William Evans said he’s
had officers checking on crowds at the World Cup games.

“It seems like we haven’t been getting the crowds,” he said.
“We’re going to put extra people out to monitor Saturday’s game.
Misbehavior won’t be tolerated.”

Canargo said he has not had any problems with security at Café
Belo.

“People are pretty calm. They get excited about the game, but
they don’t cause any trouble,” he said.

Brazil will be playing their next game tomorrow, July 1, against
France. The game begins at 3 p.m., and the tournament is at the
single-elimination point, meaning the loser of this game will not
continue.

Today, Azerbaijan
June 30 2006
US Ambassador to Armenia refuses to say “Armenian genocide”

30 June 2006 [11:00] – Today.Az

New US Ambassador to Armenia Richard Hoagland has taken up his
duties. Former US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans was discharged
after he claimed his recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide.

According to APA, the Senate confirmed Richard Hoagland as
Ambassador. Prior to this post, Hoagland was US extraordinary and
plenipotentiary Ambassador to Tajikistan.
Before the voting in the Senate, pan-Armenian senators George Allen,
Norm Coleman and Paul Sarbanes said the earlier recall of the
previous Ambassador John Evans caused dissatisfaction in Armenia.
Claiming that the United States should recognize the “Armenian
genocide”, these senators demanded the new Ambassador Hoagland to
make assessment of the 1915 events. Despite insistence of the
senators, Hoagland did not use the expression “Armenian genocide” in
his speech.
“President Bush assessed the 1915 events as unforgettable tragic
events. I represent the President and share his opinions,” Richard
Hoagland said.
Hoagland also said he will try to implement projects on regional
cooperation among Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia during his
new mission.
The previous US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans was recalled on
March 7 this year. The newspaper “California Courier” writes it was
due to his statement on the policy of genocide against Armenians by
the Ottoman Empire.
In his meeting with Armenian community in San Francisco a year ago,
John Evans pointed out possibility of recognizing the so-called
Armenian genocide. Seeing this statement sparked serious
dissatisfaction, Evans told a news conference in US Embassy that his
statement was unofficially made and does not represent his country’s
official position.
“At the meeting with Armenian community, I told that US position
regarding the Armenian tragedy remains the same. I used the word
“genocide” that time but this word belongs to me-John Evans only, not
a politician. But I must admit my statements were out of place,” the
Ambassador said.

URL:

VISIT OF CE SUB-COMMITTEE ON KARABAKH TO REGION TO TAKE PLACE IN LATE OCTOBER
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006
STRASBOURG, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The terms of visit
to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh of the ad hoc committee on
the issue of application of resolution N 1416 on Nagorno Karabakh
settlement within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group were discussed at
the June 28 meeting of RA NA Speaker, head of the Armenian delegation
in PACE Tigran Torosian, head of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE
Samad Seidov and reporter of CE Sub-committee on Nagorno Karabakh
issue Russel Jonston in Strasbourg.
PACE Bureau approved the committee’s new structure proposed by Tigran
Torosian in spring and now it consists of heads of Armenian and
Azerbaijani delegations, one opposition MP from each delegation,
reporters of the Monitoring Committee on the two countries,
Sub-committee Chairman Lord Russel Jonston, author of the regional
report on missing people Leo Platvoet. Taking into consideration
the fact that a sitting of PACE Monitoring Committee will be held
in Yerevan in the second decade of October and a sitting of the
Committee on Political Issues in the second decade of November
in Baku, a preliminary agreement was reached about organizing the
Sub-committee’s visit during the last week of October.
As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA NA Public Relations Department,
the Sub-committee’s visit will have a cognitive character and the
meetings in Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan will serve for
this purpose.
Sub-committee Chairman Russel Jonston proposed discussing the
idea of holding a joint seminar with participation of parliament
representatives during the visit.

G8 FOREIGN MINISTERS CALL FOR ACCORD ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
June 29, 2006 Thursday 03:12 PM EST
Foreign ministers of Group of Eight countries have called on Azerbaijan
and Armenia to reach an accord on Nagorno-Karabakh in 2006.
They said in a final statement of their meeting in Moscow that the
G8 supports the mediating efforts of the co-chairmen of the OSCE
Minsk Group.
The G8 foreign ministers stressed the need for agreeing as soon a
possible upon principles of a peaceful settlement of this conflict.
They called on Azerbaijan and Armenia to show political will and
reach agreement on this issue as early as in this year and prepare
their people for peace, and not for war.

KARABAKH WILL DECIDE FUTURE WITH REFERENDUM…EVENTUALLY
By Christina Tashkevich
The Messenger, Georgia
June 29 2006
Military parade in the de facto republic’s capital Stepanakert
The Armenian Foreign Ministry says the OSCE Minsk Group, which
moderates negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan on the Karabakh
conflict, for the first time confirmed that the people of Karabakh
should determine their future status through a referendum.
The Armenian side says the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan agreed
on the referendum issue, and the only disagreement left concerns the
sequence of how the military conflict should be settled.
Armenia says Azerbaijan is deliberately stalling in this regard.
The Azeri minister of Foreign Affairs, Elmar Mammadyarov, denied
Azerbaijan artificially delays the negotiating process, calling the
claims groundless.
“We need to consider the form of autonomy to be given to
Nagorno-Karabakh. This autonomy could follow the example of
Nakhichivan, Tatarstan, Bashkiria or other models. The issue of
status should be considered together with communities of Karabakh,
and relations should be established between these communities,”
Mammadyarov said.
The Azeri ministry says the Minsk Group co-chairs and the US co-chair
of the group, Matthew Bryza, have indicated only the general outline
of stage-by-stage peaceful settlement, currently under discussion.
“The Azeri side once again re-affirms being prepared to grant
Karabakh the highest status of self-rule within the framework of
the internationally-recognized territorial integrity of the Republic
of Azerbaijan and based on the current Constitution of Azerbaijan,”
says the statement.
The meeting of the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan on June 4-5
did not bring any results towards conflict settlement, despite the
intention of international observers to finalize a framework agreement
at the meeting.
Both Armenian and Azeri authorities agreed that no major movements
forward have been achieved at the meeting.
The co-chairs of the Minsk Group, however, say the sides can sign
the peace agreement this year. Observers back in Baku and Yerevan
note that, in case of an internationally recognized referendum,
the enclave’s reunification with Armenia or independence will be
legitimized.
Matthew Bryza, the U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for
European and Eurasian affairs, who has recently replaced Steven Mann
as the U.S. co-chair of the Minsk Group, told RFE/RL the framework
agreement would call for the removal of Armenian troops from Karabakh
as well as economic assistance to the region. After these issues
are resolved, the future status of Karabakh can be decided at the
referendum.
However, Bryza indicates the Minsk Group would not try to arrange
another round of presidential meetings or “broker an agreement.”
“We just don’t know where the presidents are right now. We’re
encouraging them, we’re nudging them by taking a step back. Nudging
them to show that they have this political will,” he told RFE/RL.
The US diplomat notes the cooperation of the OSCE with Russia on
the Karabakh issue is more fruitful than the cooperation to resolve
conflicts in South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Transdnistria.
“I would also say the United States has worked hard to keep the
Georgians as constructive and moderate as possible, and I hope
our Russians colleagues and friends will do the same in terms of
encouraging the Abkhaz to be constructive and moderate,” he said.
Bryza, as well as other US officials, hope to put the issue of frozen
conflicts in the region on the agenda of G8 summit in St Petersburg
in July, while Russian authorities does not approve of the idea.
While Karabakh, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdnistria are all
striving to be recognized, experts agree that there is a clear reason
why Karabakh did not join the union of the rest de facto republics,
which was recently formalized at a meeting in the de facto Abkhaz
capital of Sokhumi. There is an opinion that while Abkhazia, South
Ossetia and Transdnistria are oriented to Russia, Karabakh stays
oriented to Yerevan, which in turn not only turns for advice to Russia,
but also is waiting for the resolution of the conflict with the help
of Europe and the United States.

SECOND PAN-ARMENIAN CONGRESS OF YOUNG WRITERS KICK OFF
AZG Armenian Daily
29/06/2006
The second pan-Armenian jamboree of young writers kicked off yesterday
in Tsakhkadzor. 45 participants from Armenia, Artsakh, Georgia,
Iran and Syria gathered for the event that will last till June 30.
Presentations of a new newspaper of young writers, “Gretert”, and
“Mutq” book of reviews took place yesterday as well as 3 writers were
awarded “Iren Gyulnazarian” prize.