Author: Nadirian Emma

ARMENIAN AND AZERI FMS TO MEET JUNE 13

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2006 13:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The recurrent meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministers will take place June 13, RA FM Vartan Oskanian
stated at a news conference in Yerevan. In his words, the format of
the meeting has not been determined yet but the talks on the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement will include the items the parties failed
to come to an agreement on. The RA Foreign Minister underscored that
to date agreement was achieved on some issues that were unsettled
earlier. “However, some items still remain unsettled. We will try
to reach agreement on them. The recurrent meeting of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani Presidents will be also discussed in Paris,” Vartan
Oskanian said.

SWITZERLAND STANDS FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.06.2006 13:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Swiss Federal Department for Foreign Affairs
stands for a peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
Swiss FM Micheline Calmy-Rey stated at a press conference in
Yerevan. In her words, achievement of peace between Armenia and
Azerbaijan will not only lead to stability in the region but also to
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

As for the Armenian Issue, Ms. Calmy-Rey underscored that the Armenian
Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915 was recognized in Switzerland
at the state level as well as by Cantons and municipal bodies.

“Switzerland recognizes and condemns the Armenian Genocide. We are
ready to contribute to any kind of dialogue between Armenia and Turkey
for normalization of relations. But attempts have been fruitless so
far,” she said.

The Head of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs also
reminded that the Swiss legislation maintains an article providing
for criminal punishment for those who deny the Armenian Genocide and
propagates racial and national intolerance.

The Standard, Kenya
June 9 2006

Kenya: Police Arrest Armenian Brothers

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
June 9, 2006

Standard Reporter
Nairobi

Police have arrested seven people including the two Armenian
brothers, Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan, after they were caught
up in a near-shootout with airport security officcers last night.

Police also recovered hoods and motor vehicle number plates from the
Armenians’ Runda house in Nairobi. They also found 11 top of the
range cars, one bearing government number plates, parked at the
residence.

The raid was carried out by about 40 police officers, who forced
their way into the compound by breaking down the gate after the
brothers refused to let them in. Also arrested was a third alleged
brother of the Armenians, and four employees said to be bodyguards.

According to police sources, the raid was ordered by Police
Commissioner Major-General Hussein Ali after the Arturs assaulted a
customs official at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport last
night. Sargasyan was said to have arrived in the country from Dubai
accompanied by a woman. They refused to have their luggage inspected
by customs officials and a confrontation ensued.

Sargasyan is said to have drawn his gun and assaulted a customs
official. They then walked away with his brother, Margaryan, who had
gone to pick him up with about five bodyguards. The suspects are
being held at Muthangari and Kileleshwa police stations.

Raid on Standard Group

The Armenian brothers have been at the centre of mercenary claims
since March, when Langata MP Raila Odinga circulated copies of their
passports, claiming they took part in the raid on the Standard Group.

A week later, the two brothers held a press conference at the Jomo
Kenyatta Kenyatta International Airport VIP lounge and denied the
mercenary claim, saying they were businessmen seeking to invest in
Kenya. They claimed that they had loaned Raila about Sh100 million.

They also claimed that Raila and Mwingi North MP, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka,
had asked them for Sh3 billion last year to finance a no-confidence
motion against President Kibaki.

The two claimed that the President of Armenia was their uncle and
that they had vast business interests in various Asian and African
states, including Kenya.

They claimed that they had copies of CCTV footage on all the meetings
they held with Raila and Kalonzo Musyoka at the Serena and Grand
Regency hotels.

On March 14, attempts by police officers to arrest and search the
Armenians’ Runda Estate house failed after Margaryan refused to let
them in.

THERE WILL BE NO WAR BETWEEN AZERBAIJAN AND NAGORNY KARABAKH: ARMENIAN
PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

Yerevan, June 8. ArmInfo. Azerbaijan will try to use all possible ways
to resolve the Karabakh conflict by peace, the head of the Azeri
delegation to PA BSEC Asaf Hajiyev said at a press-conference
following the PA BSEC 27th meeting in Yerevan.

But when all ways are exhausted the situation will change completely
and will require new approaches including militarist.

Speaker of the Armenian parliament Tigran Torossyan said that nobody
can seriously consider the possibility of military resolution of the
Karabakh conflict. Armenia and Azerbaijan do not live in isolation but
in an international community that will not allow military actions in
the Karabakh conflict zone. There is no international organization
that will support the resumption of war in Karabakh and the present
militarist statements are just propaganda.

There will be no war between Armenia and Azerbaijan as both sides
remember the bitter lessons of the war, Torossyan said.

‘WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITIES’ SOUNDS LIKE OBVIOUS OBLIGATION
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
08/06/2006

Kocharian and Aliyev Are Likely to Meet in Late 2006

The June 4-5 meeting between Armenian president Robert Kocharian and
his Azeri counterpart Ilham Aliyev doesn’t seem to be satisfactory for
both sides. Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign minister, stated yesterday
that the sides failed to come to terms over the same issue that
remained unsettled in Rambouillet. Foreign minister of Azerbaijan
voiced the same opinion about the Bucharest meeting. He said that
the sides didn’t achieve big progress in the course of the Bucharest
negotiations. At the same time, Mamediarov said that the sides agreed
to continue the negotiation process and hold the next meeting at the
level of the foreign ministers, if needed.

Meanwhile, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs pointed out in the
statement made on the June 6 Bucharest meeting that “the peaceful
settlement is still actual and achievable, while 2006 is “a window”
for securing progress.” The co-chairs are sure that the settled
principles they defined for the sides in conflict “secure mutually
acceptable settlement grounds and they express regret that the sides
haven’t come to agreement around those principles, yet.”

As for the activities of the Minsk Group co-chairs, according to
RFE/RL, Steven Mann stated that USA will represent another diplomat to
settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by the rotation principle. Mann
will occupy the position of the US Deputy State Secretary for the
Central and the South Asian states. The change of the co-chair may
have certain impact on the negotiations from the aspect of time,
as the new co-chair will have to study the process. Bedsides, Russia
doesn’t support the rotation of the co-chair.

The Azeri mass media informed that Burdikin, temporary representative
of RF Affairs in Azerbaijan, said that Steven Mann realizes the
peculiarities of two countries and the change of the co-chair in the
course of the president’s meeting “is not a very good step.”

On the other hand, taking into account not very satisfactory evaluation
of the Bucharest meeting, the sides state that another Kocharian-Aliyev
meeting will be held in late 2006. Both Novruz Mamedov, head of
Foreign Relations Department at Azeri President’s Staff, and Victor
Soghomonian, press secretary of RA president, expressed this opinion.

According to PanArmenian.net Victor Soghomonian stated that the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs will meet and give instructions to the foreign
ministers, who will prepare the meeting of the presidents. As for
the probability of signing any agreement during the third meeting
of the presidents in late 2006, none of the sides sees such an
opportunity. Meanwhile Matthew Bryza, deputy US State Secretary for
Europe and Eurasia, stated that the sides in conflict have quite
a trustworthy document for settlement at their disposal, while USA
urges presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to take more efforts to
settle the conflict this year, in the course of “The Oil and Gas of
the Caspian Basin” exhibition in Baku.

EU IS A HORIZONTAL ORGANIZATION

Lragir.am
07 June 06

Edward McMillan-Scott, Vice President of the European Parliament,
thinks there is no reason why Armenia should not become member of
the European Union within the upcoming decade. However, it is clear
that the EU views the South Caucasus as a single unit and in the
majority of cases Armenia suffers from the non-constructive approach
of Azerbaijan. Edward McMillan-Scott says he personally would prefer
separate approaches to separate countries, considering the visible
cultural and historical differences. He stated that this approach
had been applied to the Balkans, and it could be applied to this
region as well. He stressed that this was his personal opinion,
not the opinion of an MEP.

Edward McMillan-Scott vowed to speak to his colleagues on his return
to Brussels to prevent any artificial obstacles to EU membership. The
EU official thinks that membership to this organization is an active
process, and even Palestine is seeking for membership. However,
it is impossible in the nearest future, says Edward McMillan-Scott.

However, very soon Bulgaria, Romania and several Balkan states,
Croatia and Serbia will become members of the EU if the problem of the
criminals of war is solved. The EU refers to Ukraine as its potential
member, whereas Turkey’s membership has caused a lot of concern within
the EU.

Edward McMillan-Scott thinks that the recently circulated term “EU
absorbability” is just an artificial excuse, for the EU is an open
and horizontal organization.

ETHNIC AZERIS VOW “MAJOR” RALLY OVER TEHRAN’S REJECTION OF DEMANDS – BAKU PAPER

Yeni Musavat, Baku
5 Jun 06

The Baku-based Yeni Musavat paper has reported that ethnic Azerbaijanis
in Iran have vowed to continue their protests because of Tehran’s
refusal to fulfill over 30 demands put forward in a statement issued
by a rally in Tehran on 4 June.

Quoting the statement, the paper said that ethnic Azerbaijani
protesters in Iran will stage “a major protest” in Qum on 6 June
and the Iranian government will be held responsible for any future
incidents.

The statement said: “The Turkish language should be recognized as
an official language, the use of the phrase ‘Azeri language’ should
be stopped in official documents, the Turkish language should be
taught at secondary and high schools throughout the country, given
that Turks live throughout the entire territory of Iran, radio and TV
channels should be established and broadcast in Southern Azerbaijan,
a separate Turkish-language 24-hour channel should be opened for
[ethnic] Azerbaijanis in Tehran, a state newspaper or agency which
could be distributed to all Iranian regions should be set up.”

It also called for the allocation of 5bn dollars for the implementation
of economic projects and “for the coverage of damage inflicted by
the recent developments”.

The statement said that 22 May, a day of riots in Tabriz, “should
officially be marked as Azerbaijani Martyr Day, … and a separate
Azerbaijani province should be set up”.

“Those arrested should be freed, those who fired at people should
be brought to book and the publication of all [ethnic] Azerbaijani
papers which were recently closed down should be resumed… and Iran
newspaper should be closed down for good, the policy of changing the
ethnic composition of Azerbaijani-populated towns should be ended,
Iran should cease all political, cultural and trade relations with
Armenia,” it said.

Yeni Musavat quoted a source in Ardabil in Iran as saying that forty
of 1,075 people who had been recently arrested were women and only
102 of the detained protesters were set free.

Armenian, Azeri leaders may sign peace accord at Bucharest talks –
Yerevan daily

Azg, Yerevan
30 May 06

Text of report by Armenian newspaper Azg on 30 May headlined
“Mediators will not agree with a second Rambouillet”

It cannot be ruled out that under pressure from the [OSCE] mediators,
the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will reach an agreement in
Bucharest [early June].

Prior to the Rambouillet meeting [between the Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents in February 2006], Azg newspaper ruled out the signing of
an agreement on a settlement of the Karabakh conflict, and this
happened. We gave a reason as well. Azerbaijani society is not ready
to any scenario of a settlement based on compromises. If a document of
this kind was signed, the country’s president would have had serious
problems after returning home.

What a situation we have before the Armenian-Azerbaijani meeting in
Bucharest? It is possible that not an agreement, but serious progress
will be achieved. Unlike Rambouillet, the international community
exerts serious pressure on both sides for reaching an agreement. We
can say that the co-chairmen [of the OSCE Minsk Group] have their
countries’ authorities approval to bring the two sides’ positions
closer. The fact that not only the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen but
also senior officials of these countries’ foreign ministries have paid
a visit to the region testifies to this.

They visited only Armenia and Azerbaijan, but not Karabakh. It means
that they held concrete talks with the Armenian and Azerbaijani
officials involved in the [Karabakh] negotiations. This was not a
fact-finding visit, and it was not unexpected that the announcement
about a meeting of the two countries’ presidents in Bucharest was made
after the visit. What does it mean? It means that the mediator
countries hope to reach a specific agreement and are not planning the
second Rambouillet. Probably, Armenia and Azerbaijan have to agree
with some changes to a settlement scenario proposed in Rambouillet.

Here is another question. Will the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents
compromise under pressure from the mediators? Will a settlement
agreement be signed? True, this will be a difficult problem for both
[Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan and [Azerbaijani President]
Ilham Aliyev. It is impossible to give an exact answer to this
question. Though we can say that a refusal to sign any kind of
document will be very difficult for them as this will have negative
results. But what kind of document has been offered to the sides?
According to media claims about what the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents, the foreign ministers and other officials have been told,
the principles of the Karabakh settlement are approximately as
follows. Armenia will pull out from five districts neighbouring
Nagornyy Karabakh (there are seven [occupied by Armenia] of them). In
return, Azerbaijan will recognize the right of the people of Nagornyy
Karabakh for self-determination and agree to hold a referendum
there. Nagornyy Karabakh will get a transition status till the
referendum.

In his recent TV address, the Armenian president said that the sides
could not reach an agreement on one issue. According to the western
media, this could be the issue of Kalbacar District [occupied by
Armenia].

According to available information, Robert Kocharyan and especially
Ilham Aliyev will have serious political problems in their countries
if they agree with these principles. Some principles of a document are
completely unacceptable for Armenia, and others for Azerbaijan.

But the Azerbaijani president is in more difficult situation from this
point of view because if Armenian society is a bit ready to the idea
of returning the occupied territories in return for security
guarantees, Azerbaijani society does not want to hear about Karabakh’s
self-determination. Unlike Rambouillet, where we ruled out the signing
of any agreement, in Bucharest we cannot rule out that an agreement
may be signed because of international pressure.

TRANSITIONAL PERIOD OF ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMEMT COMES TO END

Noyan Tapan
Jun 1 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The transitional period of development
of the Armenian economy is coming to a end. RA Deputy Minister of
Trade and Economic Development Tigran Davtian expressed this opinion
at the June 1 press conference. In his words, it is evident from the
fact that Armenia’s GDP in 2005 was greater than that of the Soviet
Armenia in 1990. The deputy minister said that today local investors
make considerable investments, an invetsment field has been formed,
some microeconomic stability has been established, and there is
no need to apply privileges for foreign investments. Particularly,
staring 2007, the previously introduced profit tax privileges for
foreign investments will no longer be used because these privilages
were envisaged for an early transitional stage of development of the
Armenian economy.

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO US RESPONDS TO TURKISH AMBASSADOR’S ARTICLE IN NEW YORK TIMES

Yerkir
01.06.2006 18:00

YEREVAN (YERKIR) -­ In response to an article by Turkish Ambassador
to the United States Nabi Sensul published in the New York Times on
May 24, and disputing the fact of the Armenian Genocide, Armenian
Ambassador to US Tatul Margarian sent a letter to the newspaper.

Margarian’s letter appeared in the May 31 issue ofthe paper.

“While the Turkish ambassador argues that the history should be left
to historians, the Turkish government itself has made the history
a precondition for normalizing relations with Armenia,” the letter
stated.

“Turkey should first of all come to terms with its history and stop
harassing Turkish authors who have the courage to study the events of
1915. Only after that Turkish historians would be able to research the
rich documents, including the death sentence rendered by the Turkish
Court Martial in 1919 for the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide.”

“Historians and lawyers, including Raphael Lemkin, the author of the
term genocide, have long recognized that the 1915 events correspond to
the description of a genocide defined by the 1948 Genocide Convention,”
the letter went on saying.