Author: Nahapetian Samvel

ORANGE FRONT WINS IN “DAYS OF BAZE IN ARTSAKH” FESTIVAL
YEREVAN, AUGUST 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The orange front won in the “Days of
Baze in Artsakh” All-Armenian Youth Festival held from July 26 to
August 1. As Armen Alexanian, the Deputy Director of the festival
mentioned at the August 4 summing up press-conference, the main
achievement of the festival was its being organized out of borders
of Armenia, in Artsakh. 9 detachments participated in the festival
organized by the All-Armenian Youth Fund: 2 Armenian detachments, 5
ones from Artsakh, 1 from Javakhk and 1 from Diaspora, formed of the
winners of the song, dance, recitation, painting, fashion, intellectual
and sporting inter-front competitions during the 2002-2006 “Baze”
all-Armenian gatherings. The detachments were divided into 3 fronts
symbolizing the tricolour flag: red, blue and orange. Gagik Sargsian,
the sporting head of the festival mentioned that sporting (football,
volleyball, tennis, chess), cultural (song, dance, fashion, sculpture)
and intellectual (“Brain Test,” “What, Where, When) competitions were
held. The young people had meetings with the NKR National Assembly
Speaker, Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers of Education, Culture and
Sports, Defence and Foreign Affairs, visited Gandzasar and Shoushi.
A.Alexanian and G.Sargsian mentioned that the goal of the festival
is to inspire the youth with military-patriotic soul and stregthen
it. They also mentioned that one of peculiarities of the festival is
also the event’s not being made political.

There are no Captives and Hostages in Kharabagh
ArmRadio.am
07.08.2006 19:22
Since May 12 1994 there are no hostages and captives in
Kharabagh. Detached cases of captivity of Azerbaijanian soldiers
may occur during ravaging actions.These cases are immediately being
reported to the Red Cross International Committee Office in Stepanakert
by the NKR authorities.
In 1-2 months by mediation of the Red Cross International Committee
these captives are being returned to the Azerbaijanian side. The
coordinator of the Committee “Helsinki Initiation-92” Karen Ohanjanian
informed the own correspondent of ArmInfo about this. He interpreted
the “Turan” agency information, where in particularly it is said:
“In the tunnels of golden mines of Kelbajar Azerbaijanian captives
are being used”.
“The Azerbaijanian authorities are raising the problem of azeri
captives in Kharabagh in order to conceal the loses of their
army by the war obligated by them. Instead of helping Armenian
and Azerbaijanian Non Governmental Organization for solving this
humanitarian problem Baku makes it political”, mentioned Karen
Ohanjanian.
We want to remind that a regional conference of experts
of traceless losts’ conference took place the other day in
Stepanakert. Representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia
and NKR participated in the conference which was organized within
the framework of “Yellow Tulips” project by the contribution of the
Church World Committee. In their speeches the reporters spoke about
different aspects of traceless losts, presented the role of Mass Media
in the regulation of the problem, the attitude of State Structures’
towards the problem.

TREND, Azerbaijan
Aug 4, 2006
Azeri Foreign Minister hasn’t received any proposal to hold meeting
with his Armenian colleague in Prague
Source: Trend
Author: A.Mammadov
04.08.2006
The Azerbaijani foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov hasn’t received
any proposal from the mediators to hold a meeting with his Armenian
colleague Vardan Oskanyan in Prague in the fall. Event the American
co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group Mathew Bryza didn’t touch up on this
question, Mamadyarov told journalists on August 4, Trend reports with
reference to Lider TV.
According to the minister, the co-chairs discussed different variants
of resolving Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Official Baku isn’t aware of
the negotiations.
Mammadyarov noted that Azerbaijan support the peaceful talks.
“One of the disputable questions in settling the conflict is the
conducting of the reforms. American co-chair supports the position
of Azerbaijan in this direction,” Mammadyarov stressed.
Official Baku is worried by the activities of the foreign companies
belonging to Armenian businessmen in the Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories, the minister added, noting that they are mainly engaged
in the construction of hotels and other objects.

Leyla Aliyeva: Referendum in Karabakh Pregnant with Big Problems for Baku
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan has serious ground to press for a national
referendum, Azeri political scientist Leyla Aliyeva said. According
to her if legal conditions are created for conduction of a referendum
in Karabakh, the items of the referendum should exclude controversy
between the principle of territorial integrity and the right to
self-determination. “The items of the referendum should refer to
various levels of autonomy. It’s another matter, who will determine
these items. Anyway, conduction of the referendum in Karabakh only
is pregnant with big problems for Baku,” she said. “The only logic
used by the Co-chairs is that Baku should hold immediate talks with
Karabakh. This standpoint is supported by all the international
mediating missions. Anyway, Karabakh does take part in the talks but
not as a side in conflict but as a concerned party,” she remarked.
Aliyeva said some progress has been achieved. “The optimist of
the mediators may be explained by this fact. Compromise on a
stepwise plan was achieved. The sides also agreed that the talks
on Nagorno Karabakh’s status will be delayed for 10 years. I think
it’s an advance,” she said. At the same time the Azeri political
scientist said that “in order not to lose this achievement the
mediators apply cautious wordings. “These wordings base on the
agreements achieved. They leave open the issue of the referendum and
territorial integrity, which in our case conflict with in other. If
earlier representatives of some foreign states used to say that the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be resolved within the framework
of territorial integrity, so now such statements can be heard very
rarely. The wording on the referendum does not answer the question
what’s more important self-determination or territorial integrity,”
Aliyeva considers, reported Realazer.com.

MEMBERS OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES CONTINUE TO DODGE MILITARY SERVICE
Armenpress
YEREVAN, JULY 31, ARMENPRESS: A deputy chief military prosecutor said
29 Armenians males were placed on the list of wanted persons after
they all refused to take either alternative military or alternative
labor mandatory services, envisaged by the law for persons who refuse
to serve in the regular army on religious grounds.
Mnatsakan Sarkisian, the deputy chief military prosecutor, said all
29 men are members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses religious organization,
which encourages its male members to dodge the obligatory military
service.
He said unlike in the past, now the law envisages criminal prosecution
for such people. “Every male citizen of the Republic of Armenia must
know that he must have its mandatory military service, set by the
Constitution,” he said.
He said 656 cases of dodging military service were registered in the
first six months of this year, down from 877 from a year ago.
Under the law, those who want to have alternative military (in the
army units) or alternative labor service (mainly in hospitals and
old-people’s houses) have to file an application beforehand, Sedrak
Sedrakian, from the defense ministry said no applications were received
so far from those males who are to be called this autumn.
The law on alternative military service was enforced in 2004
March. The term of alternative military service is 36 months and that
of alternative labor service is 42 months, while the term of service
in the regular army is 24 months.

JURIST, University of Pittsburgh
July 28, 2006
Turkish court dismisses civil damages case against novelist
Joshua Pantesco at 1:02 PM ET

[JURIST] A Turkish court on Friday dismissed a lawsuit seeking
compensation from novelist Orhan Pamuk [TIME profile; JURIST news
archive], who was sued by six nationalists after he made allegedly
unfavorable remarks to a Swiss magazine about Turkey’s stance on the
mass killing of Armenians during World War II. The lawsuit demanded
6,000 Turkish Lira (US $4,500) from Pamuk to compensate each
defendant for “insulting, humiliating and making false accusations.”
In January, a Turkish court dropped criminal charges against Pamuk
[JURIST report] arising from the same statement. Pamuk was on trial
for “public denigration of the Turkish identity,” and the case was
dropped after the Justice Ministry declared that it was legally not
competent to judge whether the case should proceed under the
controversial revised penal code [JURIST report]. Criminal charges
now stand against journalists Hrant Dink and Murat Belge [JURIST
reports] for “insulting Turkishness” by referencing the alleged
Armenian genocide.

ARMENIA CONDUCTING EXERCISES TO CHECK INSTITUTIONS’
ABILITY TO DEAL WITH BREAKDOWN IN ANPP
Arka News Agency, Armenia
July 27, 2006
YEREVAN, July 27. /ARKA/. Armenia is now conducting exercises aimed
at checking all relevant agencies’ and ministries’ ability to act in
case of breakdown in Armenian Nuclear Power Plant, ANPP., Armenian
Rescue Service’s press office reported on Tuesday.
This two-day training will enhance these institutions ability to
shield people from consequences of the nuclear breakdown, if any. The
exercises are based on Armenian population protection national plan
worked out in conformity with IAEA.
The plant started operating in 1976. Its 407.5-megawatt first-breed
soviet-era block is operating now. Experts say the plant can remain
functional until 2016. INTER RAO UES (parent company is RAO UES
Russia) possesses 60% of shares and the remaining 40% belong to
Rosenergoatom. M.V. -0—

Crew responsible for Armenian A320 crash near Sochi – Levitin
Interfax, Russia
June 26 2006
MOSCOW. July 26 (Interfax) – The crash of an Airbus A320 passenger
jet belonging to the Armavia airline near Sochi on May 3 happened due
to the fault of the crew, Transportation Minister and head of an ad
hoc government commission investigating the crash Igor Levitin said
at a press conference in Moscow on Wednesday.
“The human factor played its role in difficult weather conditions,”
Levitin said.

SERGE SARGSIAN AND PETER SEMNEBY EXCHANGE OPINIONS ON NAGORNO KARABAKH
SETTLEMENT AND ARMENIA’S RELATIONS WITH NEIGHBOR COUNTRIES
YEREVAN, JULY 25, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 25, the
delegation led by Peter Semneby, EU Special Representative to the
South Caucasus, was received by Serge Sargsian, RA Defence Minister,
Secretary of the National Security Council under RA President.
They touched upon the Individual Partnership Actions Plan attaching
importance to the stage of its fulfilment.
Thoughts were exchanged on the Nagorno Karabakh peaceful settlement
and Armenia’s relations with its neighbor countries.
Peter Semneby once more confirmed EU’s readiness in the issue of
peaceful settlement of the conflict.
The interlocutors touched upon the EU’s involvement in the forthcoming
parliamentary elections.
As NT was informed by Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, Spokesperson for RA
Defence Minister, Ambassador of Germany to Armenia Heike Peitsch and
Ambassador of Finland to Armenia Terhi Hakala took part in the meeting.

LETTERS FROM LEBANON:BEIRUT SUNDAY JULY 23, 2006
AZG Armenian Daily #138, 25/07/2006
Give Peace a Chance!
Dear Friends,
It has been eleven days. People are really tired of waiting for an
end to a war that feels like both a repetition of what we have seen
decades ago and a novelty in many respects, such as the speed and
extent of destruction. Lebanon is a special and precious country
and continues to be so, thus people refuse to put an end to their
hope in a bright future. Today, I said a short prayer in church. I
wanted us to remember that every Sunday is a day of Resurrection,
not just the peaceful Sundays!
A ceasefire has been expected from the very first day of this new
war in and around Lebanon, but is has not materialized. Fighting has
intensified on the southern border. Sporadic air and sea bombing
of almost all regions in Lebanon has continued, including the
infrastructure of the country. Rockets fired from Lebanon have been
causing damage and casualties in Israel as well. Dozens of thousands
of foreign nationals have left Lebanon by sea or land, including
hundreds of Indian nationals today from their embassy near Haigazian
University. Most USA nationals, probably exceeding 8,000 who had
expressed a wish to leave have already done so. The problems and the
numbers of the internally displaced are intensifying radically. In
previous wars, displacement from Southern Lebanon had a map. Now,
there is no map. Some of the displaced have moved from the south to
the north, others from Beirut to the Bekaa; others from the Bekaa to
Beirut; some from one suburb of Beirut to another, then to yet another;
others from Beirut to the mountains, etc. etc. This war has no clear
terrain and no map.
To our dismay, a ceasefire has not materialized and will probably not
materialize for a number of days. Secretary Condaleezza Rice has tried
to explain why not: “We do seek an end to the current violence. We
seek it urgently… We also seek to address the root causes of that
violence.A ceasefire would be a false promise if it simply returns
us to the status quo”. Having heard this and other similar speeches,
the world concluded that the current crisis will continue indefinitely,
thus explaining why dozens of thousands of foreigners are leaving the
country without giving a ceasefire a chance. Neither I, nor anyone
else I have spoken with in these two days here and abroad was convinced
that postponing a ceasefire will help anyone address the “root causes”
of violence. With all due respect, we know well that looking into
“root causes” of social, human, political, religious or economic
conflicts is not one of the virtues or interests of political powers.
Neither I, nor anyone else around me was comfortable hearing that
a ceasefire can be a “false promise”. When you are under fire,
every ceasefire is a true promise for another opportunity to breath,
to save a life, to treat an injured person, to decently bury a loved
one, to find drinking water, to enjoy the blessings of electricity,
to communicate with the world, and so forth. Obviously, it may be
a temporary promise, but certainly not less temporary than what
political powers and negotiators will be able to accomplish.
I remember teaching my “Pastoral Care” students that when they are to
help people in crisis they have to address the crisis itself before
anything else. If a person has a history of deep problems, a helper
cannot solve all their problems at the crisis hour. A sensitive helper
will, however, accompany the needy person later and will help address
the deeper problem. The same can be said of medical professionals
who cannot let a patient bleed indefinitely from a wound caused by
an injury if they realize that he/she has a chronic disease!
May we all work, pray, act, write, and hope for a ceasefire before
everything else. May we remember, though, that our hope is not in
the ceasefire itself, but what a ceasefire will allow us to do once
it is realized.
I look forward to a week of hopeful activity even in these difficult
times in Beirut and the Haigazian University administrative
offices. Our communities are not only hopeful this too shall pass,
but many groups have been conducting organized activities to reach
out to the needy and the helpless. The majority of the people in
the country have not been working for eleven days now. They have
been watching the news, waiting for an end. Yet, there are new
and meaningful challenges for serving each other in our societies.
Even in these disastrous days, much good can be done. I thank you
for your letters of support. Keep upholding Haigazian University,
our community, Lebanon, and the whole world in your prayers.
Thanks be to God in every situation!
Paul Haidostian, Ph.D.,President of Haigazian University