Author: Nalbandian Albert

NOR ZHAMANAKNER PARTY CHAIRMAN AND NDI YEREVAN OFFICE DIRECTOR DISCUSS A NUMBER OF ISSUES OF HOME AND FOREIGN POLICY

Noyan Tapan
May 02 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 2, NOYAN TAPAN. A number of home and foreign political
issues, as well as those relating to the organization and fair and
transparent holding of the coming elections were discussed at the
meeting of Nor Zhamanakner (New Times) party Aram Karapetian with
Andrew Benett who has assumed the position of the Director of the
U.S. National Democracy Institute (NDI) Yerevan Central Office. The
meeting was held on May 2 at the NDI office. As Noyan Tapan was
informed from the party’s Press Service, Talin Sanasarian, Director
of NDI programs entitled “Leadership of Women and Political Culture”,
also took part in the meeting that lasted about an hour.

PATIENCE TO THE RELATIVES OF THE VICTIMS

A1+
[03:15 pm] 03 May, 2006

Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II has delivered a condoling
message to the relatives of the victims of the air crash. The
message says:

“We learned about the destruction of the airplane and the death of
the passengers and the crew with the deepest sorrow. We mourn this
great and unexpected loss together with the relatives of the victims
and the whole nation. We condole with the families and relatives of
the victims on behalf of the Armenian Church.

We pray to God to accept the innocent souls and to grant them eternal
peace. We pray Him to console the souls of those who are desolate in
order to survive the grief of the loss. Amen”.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
April 29 2006

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN MEETS US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
[April 29, 2006, 15:45:14]

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on 28 April met with Secretary
of Defense of the United States of America Donald Rumsfeld in
Washington.

The Secretary of Defense highly estimated visit of the Azerbaijani
President to USA, stressing its importance for development of
bilateral relations. Reminding his visits to Azerbaijan in different
times, Mr. Rumsfeld said he is pleased with cooperation in the
military sphere, and appreciated Azerbaijan’s participation in
anti-terror coalition.

The cooperation between two countries in numerous fields, including
in the field of energy, develops and enhances, President of
Azerbaijan said.

Donald Rumsfeld highly valued participation of Azerbaijan in ensuring
safety in different world countries, emphasizing its active
cooperation in the frame of NATO Individual Activity Program.

In the meeting, also focused were issues of current status of
negotiations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
regional cooperation and other questions of mutual interest.

Panorama.am

15:34 28/04/06

NEGOTIATIONS OR MEETINGS ABOUT MEETINGS?

`All the normal countries in the world have inner and foreign
policy. In addition to those, there is another field of policy among
the Armenians which is called Karabakh,’ the head of Caucasian
Institute of Mass Media Alexander Iskandaryan says. By the way, the
Institute has organized `Caucasus 2005′ scientific conference in
Yerevan during which questions dedicated to North and South Caucasus
will be discussed, particularly the developments that took place in
the region during last year.

Alexander Iskandaryan is sure that the developments in the scopes of
Karabakh policy are the same as two years ago, and the same is
expected to happen this year. Looking at the negotiation process
during the first three months of 2005-2006 in retrospective the
politician calls it: `Meetings about meetings’. That is, as a result
of the meeting in London last April the Foreign Ministers of Armenia
and Azerbaijan agreed upon the next meeting to take place in
Paris. Later, in Paris the meeting in Rambouillet was arranged, and in
Rambouillet it was decided that a round table should be organized in
Washington D.C. /Panorama.am/

Azeri pressure group urges war for Karabakh

Azerbaijani news agency APA
28 Apr 06

Baku, 28 April: The Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLO) issued a
statement today condemning Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan’s
visit to Xankandi [Stepanakert], the KLO press service has told APA.

In its statement, the KLO described Oskanyan’s visit to Karabakh as
Armenia’s position on the conflict. “The Armenian foreign minister’s
visit to Xankandi [Stepanakert] at the current stage of the talks
proves that they have no intention of giving up their aggressive
policy. And this negates the desire and hopes for the continuation of
the talks,” the statement said.

The KLO demanded that the authorities stop the talks [with
Armenia]. “Taking account of Armenia’s position, Azerbaijan should
halt the talks and start an anti-terrorist operation to liberate the
occupied territories by war. No state can deprive Azerbaijan of this
right.”

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
April 27, 2006 Thursday 07:26 AM EST

Georgia ready to accommodate deported Meskhetian Turks

by Tengiz Pachkoria

Tbilisi is ready to welcome back and accommodate in Georgia
Meskhetian Muslims, who were deported by the Soviet authorities from
southern Georgia to Central Asia, Georgian State Minister Georgy
Khaindrava said on Thursday.

He heads the state commission for repatriation of the population
deported by the Soviet authorities in the 1940s.

“We will take into account the Meskhetian Muslims’ traditional
pursuit – agriculture – and we are ready to settle them in rural
areas in eastern and western Georgia,” he said at an international
conference on repatriation of Meskhetian Muslims to Georgia.

“At this stage for certain reasons their return to Mesheti is not on
the agenda,” he said.

In some regions of southern Georgia there are Armenian enclaves and
people there are worried the return of Muslims may cause tensions in
the region.

“Georgia will be unable to properly accommodate the repatriated on
its own,” Khaindrava said.

He expressed the hope that “some international organizations and the
countries where Meskhetian Muslims currently reside will help
Georgia.”

Taking part in the two-day conference are representatives of the
UNDP, the European Centre for Minority Issues, and non-govermental
organizations of Meskhetian Muslims residing in Russia, Azerbaijan,
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey and Ukraine.

Almost 300,000 Meskhetian Muslims reside in these countries,
including 60,000 in Russia.

Georgia as a member of the Council of Europe pledged to settle the
issue of repatriation of Meskhetian Muslims by 2011. Around 40,000
Meskhetian Muslims want to resettle to Georgia.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Russian Expert Called Karabakh Conflict Sluggish

28.04.2006 21:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Azeri diplomacy possess few key factors on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, senior specialist of the
Institute of World Economy and International Relations at the Russian
Academy of Sciences Alexander Krylov stated in a conversation with
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
is like the Israeli-Palestinian or the Taiwan opposition that are
being resolved for dozens of years. `I would call them sluggish and
these conflicts are not likely to be settled in the near future. Talks
are going on, they stop from time to time and then resume,’ he
noted. At the same time the Russian political scientist considers that
the U.S.-Azerbaijan relations in the light on the Iranian problem will
not have any impact on the conflict settlement.

ALIYEV: “EVERYBODY KNOWS, ARMENIA COULD NEVER OCCUPY OUR TERRITORIES WITHOUT RUSSIAN ARMY’S ASSISTANCE”

Regnum, Russia
April 27 2006

“We hope, that USA as a superpower and co-Chair of OCSI Minsk Group
will contribute to Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, and peace
will be finally established in the region,” President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev stated in Washington. “Karabakh is the main question,
which hinders in Azerbaijan’s development, excepting this, we are
quite okay: the budget is growing, energy programs are expanding,”
Aliyev stressed speaking at the Foreign Affairs Council.

Answering the question, to what extent Armenia, which has won the
war, is ready, in Aliyev’s opinion, to compromise, the Azerbaijani
president stated: “First of all, from my point of view, Armenia
has not won the war. Perhaps, the country achieved some advantages
with considerable assistance of other states. Everybody knows that
Armenia could never occupy our territories without Russian army’s
assistance, which played a vital part. Nevertheless, the war is not
over.” “I think it is time for the Armenian authorities to imagine,
what it will be with the country in five, ten or fifteen years, if
the conflict is not settled. Azerbaijani people’s patience is not
everlasting,” Aliyev stated. According to him, “Azerbaijan’s future
is rather clear; our country will be strong, prosperous, with strong
economy and society. Azerbaijan will become a country, with which it
will be worthy to be a neighbor or not to be at all.”

According to Aliyev, peace is profitable for all the parties. In
exchange for compromises, Armenia will get communication ways, a way
out to Russia, and a very important circumstance – the country will
be able to participate in regional projects and developments. As for
Nagorno Karabakh population, it will obtain a right for peaceful and
legal life, Aliyev stressed. “Our position in the question is very
clear: the conflict should be resolved in context of Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. Nagorno Karabakh population will receive right
for high level of autonomy in the framework of Azerbaijani territorial
integrity. They should receive rather clear political guarantees, that
there will be eternal peace in the region,” head of the Azerbaijani
state pointed out.

It should be mentioned, American mediator on Karabakh settlement
Steven Mann, who was present during Aliyev’s speech, stated that “it
is important to reject attempts to solve existing questions quickly
and finally. Reverse approach should be preferred – to move slowly
and to put some complicated questions aside,” Radio Liberty informs.

BAKU RUBBISHES TURKISH WEBSITE REPORT

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 27 2006

Azerbaijan will launch an attack on Armenia in the coming days, a
Turkish report has said. Azerbaijani officials have dismissed it as
groundless. Turkish hurhaber.com website quoted diplomatic sources as
saying that the Azeri government has made serious preparations for
liberating Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh from occupation and that Baku
has passed a decision to restart hostilities.

Armenia has occupied 20% of Azeri territory in defiance of
international law since the war broke out in the early 1990s which
has claimed thousands of lives and displaced 700,000 of Azeris from
their homes. The report linked the expanding US-Azeri relations to
the military action to be waged in Garabagh, saying that US President
George Bush welcomes the idea of launching military action. The website
also indicated that the operations would affect the oil price. Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian said the Garabagh conflict could
not be settled through war, which is confirmed by EU representatives.

“Military action by Azerbaijan may become its last mistake,”
he said when commenting on the Turkish site’s report in a news
conference held jointly with Austrian Foreign Ministry Secretary of
State Hans Vinkler. “Azerbaijan may restart war only when all hope
for peace is gone. However, the Azeri leadership can’t make this
decision on its own,” Oskanian said. Oskanian added that Armenia
would closely follow the talks on the Garabagh conflict to be held
during President Ilham Aliyev’s upcoming visit to Washington. Armenian
Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisian could not help voicing his concerns
over Azerbaijan’s warnings about the resumption of military action
and the country’s growing military expenditure. “We are not afraid
of war but don’t want it to flare up. An agreement [ceasefire] on
ending hostilities was reached in 1994 with Russia’s mediation. Our
troops have already taken preeminent defense positions and we have
been invigorating our positions with engineering facilities over the
past 12 years,” he said. He said the Caucasus is a very small area,
which makes regional countries dependent on each other. “For this
reason, a resumption of military action could bring about negative
consequences for us,” the Armenian defense chief said. Sarkisian
claimed that Azerbaijan’s statements that its military spending
has doubled are nothing but “blackmail”. Former Armenian foreign
minister Alexander Arzumanian said he does not expect any drastic
changes in the conflict resolution. “However, considering Azerbaijan’s
statements made following the two presidents’ meeting in the French
town of Rambouillet, it is not ruled out that this country may resume
military operations.” Azerbaijan threatened to use force to free its
territories from Armenian occupation after the latest unsuccessful
round of talks between the two countries’ leaders. The Azeri Defense
Ministry spokesman, Ilgar Verdiyev, said the report contradicts
reality and peace talks are underway. The Foreign Ministry official,
Tahir Taghizada, declined to comment on such “rubbish” published by
the Turkish site. He said Azerbaijan is still adhering to a peaceful
option to resolve the dispute, but warned that the Azeri people’s
patience was not boundless and the country “won’t negotiate for
the sake of negotiating”. If the talks yield no fruit, Azerbaijan
reserves the right to regain its lands no matter what it takes,
Taghizada said. The outgoing US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish,
said on Friday it was necessary to get rid of the military rhetoric
to resolve the long-standing dispute. “A resumption of hostilities
in the Caucasus could completely destroy the region.” The diplomat
said the negotiations to settle the conflict had intensified over the
past two years. “Tangible results have been achieved in agreeing the
principles of a fair and lasting peace,” Harnish said, adding that
Washington would continue to do its utmost to accomplish the goal.

PRESS RELEASE
Armenian General Benevolent Union Inc.
Viken L. Attarian
Chairman
805, Manoogian street
Ville St-Laurent, QC H4N 1Z5
Tel: 514-748-2428
Fax: 514-748-6307
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:

AGBU MONTREAL CENTENNIAL AUDIOVISUAL CULTURAL EVENT A MAJOR SUCCESS

Montreal, April 26, 2006 – On Saturday April 22, 2006 AGBU Montreal held its
second centennial celebration event with a unique artistic presentation
entitled A Harmonic Synthesis of Armenian Poems and Music, an audio visual
libretto, produced and directed by Khatchig I. Pilikian of London, England.

Close to 200 attendees had filled the AGBU Jirair and Elise Dervishian hall
and were treated to a unique artistic event of exceptionally high caliber.
AGBU chairman, Viken L. Attarian made the introduction, stressing the
dedication of the event to the memory of the 1.5 million martyrs of the
Armenian people; he highlighted the historical contribution of the AGBU to
the well-being of the survivors of the Genocide, and to the subsequent
rebirth of our nation. He also thanked the major sponsors, as well as the
president of the event, Dr. Sarkis Yeretsian.

The production included a slide presentation from a selection of Armenian
artistic works, paintings, architecture and photographs as well as rare
photographic records depicting the victims of the Armenian Genocide by the
German medical officer Armin Wagner. The music was a synthesis of Armenian
composers’ work as well folkloric songs and chants. Prof. Pilikian also
sang acapella some mediaeval Armenian songs such as the lament of Mogats
Mirzeh and the lament of the Braves of Sassoun.

The poetic readings were performed by prof. Pilikian and several talented
local young Montrealers, who were Ani Tanielian, Shoushanig Melkonian,
Hermineh Bechakjian, Mary Pashayan, Shahe Tanashian, Rafael Khatchadourian,
as well as the very young Ashod Hovhannesian and Sevan Rezian.

At the conclusion of the presentation, a large stage-sized map of historic
Armenia was covered by the participants with red carnations, in all the
areas of the killing fields of the Genocide.

A special publication of the content of the libretto and a poster of
historical depictions of Armenia on various world maps from ancient times
(1000 B.C. until the map of modern Armenia and Artsakh) were made available
to the attending audience.

On Wednesday, the 26th of April, prof. Pilikian gave a special lecture
analyzing the content of the Harmonic Synthesis, to an appreciating audience
of the AGBU Montreal Armenian Studies program. During the lecture, the
attendees had the opportunity to ask specific questions on the selection of
the artistic works as well as to comment on the literary content of the
presentation.

For further information, please contact the AGBU at 514-748-2428 or visit
the website at