Author: Maghakian Mike

DEFENSE MINISTER THINKS BRYZA WAS WRONG
Lragir.am
29 June 06
The publication of details of the talks for the Karabakh conflict
settlement will not lead to another war, stated Defense Minister
Serge Sargsyan June 29 with regard to the statement of the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chair Mathew Bryza, reports ARKA News Agency. “I do
not think there happened something that would lead to a war. There
are no preconditions for military actions,” stated Serge Sargsyan.
According to the minister, “It would be better if instead of his own
comment Bryza had published the documents adopted in Key West and
afterwards.” “It is somehow wrong that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
urge confidentiality to prevent emotional perceptions, and then they
do the contrary,” said Serge Sargsyan. He stated that the settlement
of the conflict is the problem of the presidents of two countries,
and the co-chairs will accept what the two presidents will decide.

“THE POET’S RETURN” FILM BY HAROUTIUN KHACHATRIAN TO PARTICIPATE AT KARLOVY VARY INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Yerevan, July 28. ArmInfo. “The Poet’s Return” film by Haroutiun
Khachatrian will participate in the competition program of the Karlovy
Vary International Film Festival. Haroutiun Khachatrian, said this
at today’s press conference. He said that the film festival will take
place on July 8.
He said that about 16 films from Brazil, Russia, Denmark, Germany,
Spain and Sweden participate in the Karlovy Vary film festival.
“The Poet’s Return” have already participated in the Rotterdam Film
Festival and, according to the regulation of the Karlovy Vary Film
Festival, it couldn’t be included in its competition program. But,
according to Sousana Haroutiunian, film critic, the organization
committee of Karlovy Vary Film Festival made an exception for
Khachatrian’s film. The film attracted the attention of the foreign
film makers by its sincerity and professional technical solutions.
She added that thanks to the participation in the Rotterdam Film
Festival, the film can be represented also in 20 other festivals. The
film was shown in Tehran and Getteborge.

NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER, FOREIGN MINISTER TO DISCUSS KARABAKH IN WASHINGTON
Yerkir
28.06.2006 17:24
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – “Karabakh Conflict: Peace Prospects” conference
will be held on June 28 at the United States Peace Institute in
Washington. Nagorno Karabakh Republic National Assembly Speaker Ashot
Ghulian and Foreign Minister Georgi Petrosian will be the keynote
speakers at the conference.
As reported by the Radio Liberty, the conference is to discuss issues
as whether there still is time for signing a peace accord, what is
needed to bring the peace talks to a conclusion, how can the US help
the process as well as issues related to refugees.
“The visit was planned long before the recent events,” Ghulian was
quoted by the radio station as saying. “We arrived in Washington
yesterday and only hours later met with OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chair
Mathew Bryza. The meeting was informative to us, we had a lot to say
to each other. I believe we succeeded to make the initial exchange
of information.”
When asked to comment on Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanian’s statement
that the Armenian and Azeri presidents have reached an agreement on
the Karabakh status referendum, Ghulian said, “I believe the Armenian
foreign minister’s statement is more than explicit and there is no
need for further comments.”

SOAD CALGARY BOUND
By MIKE BELL — Calgary Sun
Jam! Showbiz, Canada
June 25 2006
For System Of A Down, the vacation is over.
Now, it’s time to roll up the sleeves and get back to work.
Well, in order to get ready for summer vacation.
Which, um, will precede an extended vacation.
Don’t question it, or even attempt to make sense of it, just be
thankful the Armenian-American metal band is returning to our fair
city for a ‘Dome show Monday.
And for those who were lucky enough to catch the band nine months
ago in the same venue, drummer John Dolmayan says that first break
in SOAD’s schedule bodes well for their return visit.
“We haven’t toured for over seven months and we have a lot of desire
to get out there and play onstage again,” Dolmayan says from his home
during a break in his World Cup-viewing.
“So we’ll probably have a little bit more energy than we had last time.
“Last time we came out it was after about five months of touring,
and you know how it is, you just burnout after awhile, you get tired.
“Although you may not have noticed it, we feel like near the end
of the tour we get a little tired — now you’re catching us on the
beginning of the tour.
“Nice and fresh.
“Although,” he says jokingly, “you’ll have to deal with whatever
cobwebs are there …”
Of course, those who caught the quartet’s incredible show last
September will take them however they can get them, especially because,
since that show the band released its second album of 2005 Hypnotize,
the companion piece to the earlier dropped Mezmerize.
With the pair of albums and a year of touring, burnout was
understandable.
That’s also the reason after the brief tour they’re embarking on,
SOAD will follow it up with a stint on this year’s Ozzfest, something
Dolmayan likens to summer camp for bands, because of its easy pace
and enjoyable atmosphere.
And then, once those shows wrap up, the band will take an extended
hiatus, which the Lebanese-born drummer estimates will last more than
two years.
While there have been rumours the break will be permanent, fuelled
further by confirmation guitarist Daron Malakian is starting a new band
Scars On Broadway — with bassist Shavo Odadjian a likely member —
Dolmayan says the temporary cessation of SOAD business will likely
further the band’s career.
“It’s hard to maintain focus after so many years of doing the same
thing over and over again,” he says. “We need a break from each other
as well as the whole scene and the pressures of being in a band that’s
at the level were at.”
As to how he’ll spend the next couple of years, Dolmayan says he
won’t pursue a musical project of his own, noting he has no wish to
be a songwriter, even admitting he’s not that good at it.
“Everyone’s got a position, and I’m happy with mine.”
Instead, he’ll spend the time doing something else he loves.
“I’m starting a comic book company based on the Internet …,” he says.
“That’s what I’ll be pretty much diverting most of my attention to.
It’s my other passion — I love music and comics are what I’ve also
been into since I was a kid.
“I’m a nerd, man. I’m staying true to my nerd roots.

MEETING AT NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 June 2006
On June 19 NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgy Petrossian met with
the delegation of the International Working Group (IWG) on the Search
for Hostages, Captives and Missing People, including co-chairs Bernhard
Clasen (Germany), Paata Zakareashvili (Georgia), coordinators Karine
Minassian (Armenia), Avaz Hasanov (Azerbaijan) and Albert Voskanian
(NKR). During the meeting they discussed the current activities of the
IWG, the question of more active efforts in search for missing people
and places of burial. The foreign minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
said Nagorno Karabakh constantly assists in the activities of the IWG
and is open for cooperation, whereas the Azerbaijani government refuses
relations with the relevant agency in Karabakh. Hence, the minister
emphasized that the stage of the military actions was the territory
of Nagorno Karabakh and the NKR representatives should have a direct
and active participation in the search for the missing, captives
and hostages. With regard to this, Georgy Petrossian criticized
the efforts of Azerbaijan to politicize the sphere and called the
members of the IWG for a more determined attitude towards this problem
that contradicts to the principles of the humanitarian law. Bernhard
Clasen thanked the Karabakh party for assistance, at the same time he
regretted that former POWs are tried and persecuted in Azerbaijan. He
mentioned that the IWG will do everything to persuade Baku to put an
end to these phenomena. The participants of the meeting emphasized
the necessity for active cooperation of all the interested parties
in this humanitarian sphere. On the same day the IWG delegation met
with the head of the State Task Force on POWs, Hostages and Missing
People. Deputy Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan, who is a member of
the Task Force, also participated in the meeting.
AA. 24-06-2006

Daily Post (Liverpool)
June 23, 2006, Friday
North Wales Edition
THE WAY I SEE IT;
I’ve witnessed the eerie, evil silence that envelops the death camp
at Oswiecim – known in German as Auschwitz. That’s what you call
racism
by ian PARRI
THE World Cup has certainly succeeded in stirring up a few emotions.
Take reader Bryant Merrick, who calls himself “a proud Yorkshireman”,
and who in a letter dubs me a “racist” because I choose not to
support his country’s football team. Get real.
Didn’t they knock us out of the World Cup, having booed our anthem
with venom before the teams met at Old Trafford? You surely don’t
expect me to support them? I’d rather back Greenland. True, we booed
their anthem in Cardiff too, but that was surely knock for knock in
car insurers’ parlance. Wasn’t it?
But how ludicrous can you get? It’s only a game, for crying out loud.
If through some aberration I was to support England in Sunday’s clash
against Ecuador, would I then be accused of racist anti-Ecuadorian
bias? Even a hatred of the entire people of the Andes, duty bound
never to buy an album of pan-pipe music ever again?
Paul Balsom similarly finds himself under the cosh. The 42 year-old
Englishman, who’s worked for the Swedish FA for the last eight years,
was branded a traitor in the London press for preparing a dossier on
England’s team prior to the two teams’ clash on Tuesday.
Which was a bit rich considering that England’s management team
consists of more Swedes than your average farm field. What’s the
Swedish for “traitor”, then?
Such accusations are too easily bandied about and applied to sporting
banter. I’ve seen the rows upon rows of graves in the Terezin ghetto
in the Czech Republic, and I’ve stood at the moving eternal flame
memorial in Yerevan to the one million Armenians slaughtered by the
Turks during World War I. I’ve witnessed the eerie, evil silence that
envelops the death camp at Oswiecim – known in German as Auschwitz.
That’s what you call racism.
On an admittedly far less bloodthirsty scale, I live in a state where
the laws declare categorically that I don’t have the same rights as
those for whom English is their mother tongue.
The unilateral Act of Union of 1536, annexing this country to England
in the same manner as Germany’s THE World Cup has certainly succeeded
in stirring up a few emotions. Take reader Bryant Merrick, who calls
himself “a proud Yorkshireman”, and who in a letter dubs me a
“racist” because I choose not to support his country’s football team.
Get real.
Didn’t they knock us out of the World Cup, having booed our anthem
with venom before the teams met at Old Trafford? You surely don’t
expect me to support them? I’d rather back Greenland. True, we booed
their anthem in Cardiff too, but that was surely knock for knock in
car insurers’ parlance. Wasn’t it?
But how ludicrous can you get? It’s only a game, for crying out loud.
If through some aberration I was to support England in Sunday’s clash
against Ecuador, would I then be accused of racist anti-Ecuadorian
bias? Even a hatred of the entire people of the Andes, duty bound
never to buy an album of pan-pipemusic ever again?
Paul Balsom similarly finds himself under the cosh. The 42-year-old
Englishman, who’s worked for the Swedish FA for the last eight years,
was branded a traitor in the London press for preparing a dossier on
England’s teamprior to the two teams’ clash on Tuesday.
Which was a bit rich considering that England’s management team
consists of more Swedes than your average farm field. What’s the
Swedish for “traitor”, then?
Such accusations are too easily bandied about and applied to sporting
banter. I’ve seen the rows upon rows of graves in the Terezin ghetto
in the Czech Republic, and I’ve stood at the moving eternal flame
memorial in Yerevan to the one million Armenians slaughtered by the
Turks during World War I. I’ve witnessed the eerie, evil silence that
envelops the death camp at Oswiecim – known in German as Auschwitz.
That’s what you call racism.
On an admittedly far less bloodthirsty scale, I live in a state where
the laws declare categorically that I don’t have the same rights as
those for whom English is their mother tongue.
The unilateral Act of Union of 1536, annexing this country to England
in the same manner as Germany’s anschluss or annexation of Austria in
1938, was never repealed. It states that it aims “to extirpate (from
Wales) all and singular the sinister usages and customs differing
from the same (the Kings’ realm)” and that “no person or persons that
use the Welsh speech or language shall have or enjoy any manor,
office or fees within the realm of England, Wales or the king’s other
dominions.”
That, again, is racism. Supporting others at football is a wheeze we
enjoy because our team isn’t there – especially when there’s a tenner
riding on the winner. Viva Argentina!

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
June 23 2006
“Zerkalo”: Uncontrolled Territories May be Dangerous for Europe
23.06.2006
It was stated by the head of the Ministry of National Security during
the meeting with Chief Executive of International Organization on
Migration.
Yesterday Minister of National Security of Azerbaijan, Eldar
Makhmudov met with Chief Executive of International Organization on
Migration, B. McKinley. Minister acquainted guests with processes
going on in the region. Possible dangers in this direction were
focused on, as “Trend” informs referring to information from Public
Relations Center of the Ministry.
During the meeting problems of international terrorism, illegal drug
transaction, illegal migration and transnational organized crime were
discussed. E. Makhmudov acquainted B. McKinley with work carried out
by the Ministry in this direction.
Minister touched upon problems connected with occupied territories of
Nagarni Garabagh. Accordingly to him, the fact that over 132 km. of
frontiers are not controlled now, is dangerous not only for
Azerbaijan but for Europe, as it would be helpful for illegal drug
transaction and illegal migration.
–Boundary_(ID_xY7IqFzWwXxm0KkkV+3krA )–

One Nation, One Culture Festival Starts in Armenia
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.06.2006 13:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The second pan-Armenian festival “One Nation, One
Culture” is starting in Armenia today. Over 40 events will be held
in all the regions of Armenia, Javakhk and Nagorno Karabakh during
seven days. The festival will start with the parade of participants,
outdoor fetes and non-stop performances with elements of theater,
cinema, national music and dances. Days of theater, cinema, painting,
literature and poetry, music, dance and museums will be held.
Some 2000 people from Armenia, Russia, Italy, the U.S., Austria,
Australia, Turkey, UK, France, Iran and Syria are expected to
participate in the second pan-Armenian festival.
The festival was initiated by the Ministry of Culture and Youth and
One Nation, One Culture Fund and will be held under the RA President’s
patronage. In 2006 the state assigned 117 million drams (some $280
thousand) for the conduction of the festival, reported Novosti-Armenia.

ALERT WATCH OF PUBLIC ORDER
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
23 June 06
After the epic battle of Tetsi Krug in Yerevan everybody believes
that the society is regularly going to witness criminal skirmishes,
for the criminals were not punished. If a criminal is dismissed,
crime is automatically encouraged. And it reoccurs with some delay
to express itself more brazenly than before. The June 22 incident
proved this. If in Tetsi Krug the criminals nevertheless avoided
battle in broad daylight (although they may also have taken into
consideration tactical problems), Malatia was a “daytime show,”
let’s wait for the dawn.
Most probably, we will not have to wait long. Very soon the government
will encourage the valiant soldiers of Malatia in court.
After all, they have to show that intellect is not the only power of
the government. Intellect was useful in Torino, whereas in Yerevan they
need a “mauzer” not to let the people, excited about chess, think that
the ruling elite became intellectual. A long pause between gunshots can
shatter the government because dictatorship fears civilization. This
fear helps the police disperse peaceful protestors in a couple of
seconds, whereas they miss the raging criminal. And it would be too
ingenuous to think that the guilty will be punished this time. There
will not be such a thing, especially on the eve of elections. The
government will not break up with the criminal because very soon the
government will need it. And who knows, maybe it was the order of
the government to start exercising, and we should even be grateful
that they at least shoot one another.
However, passers-by suffer too. In other words, the public is already
in danger. It means that the law enforcement agencies fail. And
it is strange that on their professional day Robert Kocharyan
awarded law-enforcers with different awards and medals. As they
say, for good work. The job of a law enforcers is to guarantee the
security of the citizens. If the life of citizens is in danger, as
we become convinced every 6 months, so for what good work does the
president award the Police, the National Security Service and other
law enforcement agencies? What do they rely on to announce that the
Police succeed in maintaining public order? Maybe they really succeed,
whereas what happens outside the public order is not the business
of the Police. They are not awarded for this. They are awarded for
not interfering.

REPUBLICAN AND BARGAVACH HAYASTAN ARE COMPETING
Lragir.am
22 June 06
The Lragir.am has learned that the relations between the Republican
party and the Bargavach Hayastan Party have become tense. In
particular, these tensions are reflected in the “hunt” for school
directors and teachers. The local governments are in trouble because of
the competition of these two political parties, for they do not know
whose instructions they had better follow in “enlisting” people. It
was even reported that a school director, who had become Republican,
joined the Bargavach Hayastan Party in several days. The Lragir.am
has learned that Bargavach Hayastan has been especially successful
recently, whereas a month ago the “Republicanization” of schools
seemed impossible to prevent.