Author: Nargizian David

AKHALKALAK SCHOOL AFTER RUBEN TER-MINASIAN ON THRESHOLD OF BEING CLOSED

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Apr 27 2006

AKHALKALAK, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Akhalkalak
Armenian secondary school No5 after Ruben Ter-Minasian is on the
threshold of being closed. The problem is that, according to the
“A-Info” agency, the school building is in unsafe state, and the
Government of Georgia decided to restore in Akhalkalak building of
schools having more than 500 pupils, while the school No5 has 120
pupils. Nartsis Karapetian, the Education Department Chief of the
region of Akhalkalak mentions that in the case of not being restored,
the once famous school will not only have first grade in the 2006-2007
academic year, but other grades will be carried to other schools,
and the school will be closed.

SHELL THROWN BY AZERBAIJANIS BLOWS UP ON ROOF OF ONE OF HOUSES IN VOSKEPAR: PERISHED FREEDOM-FIGHTER’S FAMILY SAVED BY A MIRACLE

Noyan Tapan
Apr 27 2006

YEREVAN, APRIL 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On the Commemoration Day of the
Armenian Genocide, April 24, fire was opened from the positions
of Azerbaijan in the direction of the village of Voskepar, Tavush
region. At about 11:30 am, the shell of the grenade thrower hit the
house of perished freedom-fighter Hrachik Alaverdian. The perished
freedom-fighter’s wife with her two under-age children was at home
at that moment. Fortunately, they did not suffer.

A PIPELINE TO PROFITS AND TERRITORIAL TENSION
April 25, 2006 20 21 GMT

Stratfor
April 26 2006

Summary

As the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline moves toward operational
status, the Azerbaijani government stands to make a lot of money very
quickly. Most will likely go to President Ilham Aliyev, his clan and
the country’s defense budget (probably in that order). Meanwhile,
hostilities between Azerbaijan and Armenia, which occupies the
Nagorno-Karabakh territory within Azerbaijan, will likely escalate
and eventually erupt into renewed conflict.

Analysis

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, which will bring oil from the
Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean, is scheduled to become operational
within two months. The income the pipeline will bring to Azerbaijan,
along with other energy projects, will reach approximately $2.8 billion
by the end of 2006. Though much of the money will go to President
Ilham Aliyev and his clan, the defense budget will benefit as well.

Any increase in military spending has been dismissed by Baku as purely
defensive, but the longtime ethnic and territorial conflict within
Azerbaijan suggests a future arms buildup and increasing hostilities
with the Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh enclave.

During a bloody conflict in the early 1990s, Armenians gained control
not only of Nagorno-Karabakh but also of a buffer zone and corridor
to Armenia. A tenuous cease-fire has been in place since 1994.

However, there has been some shooting over the Line of Control, and
the atmosphere is palpably tense. A recent meeting in France between
the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia, as expected, brought the
two no closer to a solution.

With the influx of cash, Azerbaijan might purchase armaments and
vehicles from France, the United States or the former Warsaw Pact
countries, and the Azerbaijani military could receive instruction
from its U.S. ally. While the intensity of Armenian nationalism —
and the inferiority of the Azerbaijani military — has usually made
up for the smaller Armenian defense budget, the obvious imbalance in
funding will likely shift the equilibrium.

In 2005, Armenia’s national budget was $930.7 million, while the
Azerbaijani national budget was $2.986 billion. Azerbaijani defense
expenditures in 2005 reached approximately $300 million, according to
numbers from the Jamestown Foundation, and Aliyev has been quoted as
saying that Azerbaijan’s defense budget will soon match the entire
national budget of Armenia. While Armenia’s defense budget for 2005
was $100 million, it will increase in 2006 to $160 million.

Upon completion, the BTC pipeline, along with the already-operational
Baku-Supsa oil pipeline and the South Caucasus (Shah Deniz) natural
gas pipeline (which comes online in the fourth quarter of 2006),
will be the major contributor to the Azerbaijani economy. And the
BTC is ramping up quickly — currently, the pipeline fill is complete
through Azerbaijan and Georgia and is in the final stages in Turkey.

In 2007, production is expected to increase significantly as new
platforms come online in the Caspian Sea. The BTC will reach its full
capacity of 1 million barrels per day as early as 2008. Without even
including projected income from the Shah Deniz natural gas pipeline,
this will result in a dramatic increase in income for the Azerbaijani
economy.

Although it looks as if an Azerbaijani attempt to incorporate the
secessionist enclave is imminent, there are several factors that could
temper any aggressive move. Not the least of these are the many large
multinational corporations that have set up camp in the country,
running the numerous energy operations around Baku. Anything that
could jeopardize the extraction operations or the pipelines will
not be looked upon kindly by the people who brought Azerbaijan all
this income.

There are other vulnerabilities that could be exploited. The BTC and
the South Caucasus pipeline both come close to Nagorno-Karabakh and
secessionist regions within neighboring Georgia. Sabotage is quite
possible on the 1,094-mile-long pipeline, despite high security.

Moreover, all secessionists in the region are supported by Russia in
one way or another, and the patron might decide to cast a complacent
eye toward any sabotage, since the BTC circumvents Russia’s own
pipeline network.

The Armenians have shown they are willing to fight. They are also
quite politically powerful — the Armenian community in the United
States, which outnumbers Armenians living in their own country, has
an influential lobby in Washington. The delicate balance of the U.S.

alliance with Azerbaijan and U.S. support for Armenia will cause
Washington to do everything within its means to prevent the
remilitarization of the conflict.

However, nothing can prevent the escalation of an age-old blood
feud in a region where history means everything. Any quarrel can
be escalated to trigger renewed bloodshed. Slowly but surely, the
conflict will again come to a head, but this time, the Azerbaijani
side will be better-prepared, better-armed and better-financed,
gradually shifting the balance to its side.

for map, see
article.php?id=265269&selected=Analyses

THE US EX-PRESIDENT ASSISTANT ON NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES SAID ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES TO OCCUPY THE TERRITORY OF AZERBAIJAN

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 27 2006

Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev, who is on a visit in the US has
hold his first meeting on April 26 in Washington in International
Relations Institute. APA quoting “Azer tag’ informs that the US
ex- president assistant on national security issues, general Brent
Skoukroft has stated in the meeting that Azerbaijan is most starategic
partners of the US.

Dealing with Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, Mr.Brent has stated
Armenian Armed Forces to occupy the territory of Azerbaijan. He
highly valued the Azerbaijani parts’ efforts toward conflict
resolution, and Azerbaijan’s right position will be supported
after that. President Ilham Aliyev has stated that Azerbaijan is
in the stage of development. Azerbaijani President said he attaches
strategical importance to the US-Azerbaijan relations, existence of
mutual understanding in the field of security, economic field. The
state head spoke of the history of Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict,
its bitter results for our country, of the negotiations for conflict
settlement. The Azerbaijani president stressed in the course of
talks the Azerbaijan territorial integrity not being the issue of
discussion, and Armenia being monoetnhic state and being outside of
the regional projects. President Ilham Aliyev has specially stressed
that, official Baku is ready to give high autonomous status to Nagorno
Garabagh within the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

President Ilham Aliyev added that Azerbaijani oil will be delivered to
world market through the oil- pipeline which will be operated recently.

With regard to Iran issue, Ilham Aliyev said that Azerbaijan is for
peaceful solution of all the problems in the region: “In accordance
with the agreement signed between Azerbaijan and Iran, our territories
can not be used for military purposes against each other.”

Touching upon Azerbaijan-Russia relations, Mr.Aliyev has stated
that these relations develop successfully in all fields: “Azerbaijan
selecting economic development, mutual cooperation, will never turn
to the field of confrontation.”

Azerbaijani President visited “Arlington” national cemetery in
Washington yesterday. It should be noted that since the day of
establishment of the US state, martyrs died for the independence of
the country have been buried in this cemetery. American soldiers, who
died in military operations, have also been buried in this cemetery.

Mr.Aliyef laid a wreath to grave of Unknown Soldier. Azerbaijani-
the US anthems were sounded. The Azerbaijani state head familiarized
with the museum here. Azerbaijani state head had presented memorial
gift to the museum. Mr.Aliyev has met in his residence with the
US NGO representatives operating in Azerbaijan. Soros Foundation,
“Human Rights Watch”, “Freedom House”, IREX organuizations and National
Democracy Institute representatives have participated in the meeting.

President Ilham Aliyev gave interview to PBC channel of the US. The
visit continues.

IRAN SEEKING CLOSER TIES AMID RISING TENSION WITH US

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 27 2006

A high-ranking Iranian military official held talks in Azerbaijan
last week in what many see as the neighboring country’s attempt to
forge closer ties amid escalating tensions with the United States.

The Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Muhammad Najjar said the Azeri
leader’s upcoming talks in Washington could alter the U.S. policy
on Iran.

“We believe President Ilham Aliyev will urge American officials to
see things the way they are and be rational. This may convince them to
abandon their actions. But this does not mean Azerbaijanis will act as
mediators, as they can only explain our position to Americans,” Najjar
told the press after talks with officials in Baku on Thursday. Western
countries suspect Iran of seeking nuclear weapons under the cover of
a civilian atomic program, a charge Iran denies saying its uranium
enrichment activities are peaceful.

The UN Security Council has lately given Iran 30 days to comply owing
to the pressure built by the US. The Iranian embassy on Friday flatly
dismissed media reports suggesting that the defense minister tabled
the issue of Azerbaijan’s mediation in US-Iran talks. The Iranian
minister described the reports saying the US plans to declare a war
on Iran as mere talk. “We have never been afraid of Americans. The
US has been threatening Iran for 27 years and this is not new to
us. We are ready to resolve all issues through talks, but if we are
confronted with something, we are ready to deal with it,” Najjar
said. US President George Bush says he is using diplomacy to curb
Iran’s atomic ambitions, but does not rule out a military option,
including a nuclear strike, to prevent the Islamic republic from
acquiring nuclear weapons. “Iran’s nuclear program is peaceful, but
some countries trying to present it as a source of tension will not
achieve their goal. We do not see implementation of the program as
such and intend to proceed with it,” the minister said. Najjar said
consistent work in this area is underway and his country continues
to develop its atomic program in compliance with the demands and
wishes of millions of Iranians. “We have already completed uranium
enrichment and even held celebrations on this occasion attended by
the Azeri ambassador to Tehran Abbasali Hasanov,” he said. Najjar
dismissed reports saying his country is cooperating with Armenia in
the military field. “This information is completely wide of the mark.

This has never happened and will not happen.” The Iranian minister
said his country is interested in expanding military ties with
Azerbaijan. “The goal of my visit is to expand collaboration
in line with the agreements signed by our countries. Tehran may
assist Azerbaijan in developing its defense industry and we can
exchange relevant experience,” he said. Azerbaijani Defense Minister
Safar Abiyev called on Iran to assist Azerbaijan in finding a fair
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh, during a meeting with his Iranian counterpart. He emphasized
that Armenia’s policy is the main obstacle for security in the
region. Muhammad Najjar, in turn, said his country is ready to provide
such assistance, adding that Iran has always supported Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity. An MP from the ruling New Azerbaijan Party,
Mubariz Gurbanli, said Azerbaijan plans to stick to a balanced policy
on the crisis over Iran. “Azerbaijan and Iran have an agreement banning
the use of their territories by another country for an offensive on
either state. Azerbaijan remains faithful to the document.” However,
many in the country doubt Baku will be able to retain its neutral
stance on the Iran issue. The editor-in-chief of opposition Azadlig
newspaper, Ganimat Zahidov, says that in the best-case scenario, the
Azeri government, taking into account the balance of forces, may trim
its sails either in favor of the US or Iran. “By defending the United
States, Azerbaijan may come under overt and indirect interference
on the part of Iran. A recent visit by the Iranian defense minister
to Baku indicated how dangerous this may be,” Zahidov said. Zahidov
said, however, supporting Iran could pose even a greater threat. “It
should be taken into account that Azerbaijan is facing a sensitive
problem like the Upper Garabagh conflict. Defending Iran would prove
even more perilous.” The newspaper editor went on to say that acting
as Iran’s partner could also hamper Azerbaijan’s integration into
Europe. “This could be a setback for the country both in terms of
human rights and economic development.

Moreover, its position on the Garabagh conflict may weaken,” said
Zahidov. Nonetheless, some experts say that supporting Iran could
bring Azerbaijan certain dividends. The Azadlig editor said joining
the international anti-Iran coalition could considerably strengthen
the country’s ties with the United States, but warned that it would
be hard to fathom the potential benefits. In general, the Azeri
public does not support moves to join the anti-Iran coalition and is
opposed to granting permission for the use of the country’s territory
for a possible strike. A launch of hostilities could have dire
ramifications. Apart from the threats arising in borderline regions,
hostilities would affect Iran’s 30-million ethnic Azeri population.

The director of the Caspian Studies Program at Harvard University
Brenda Shaffer says there was a specific objective behind the Iranian
defense minister’s visit. “The Iranians are interested in showing
to the world that they have good relations with neighbors because
in the event of [US] sanctions or military action, the reaction of
Iran’s neighbors will have to be reckoned with. This, however, does
not mean that the Iranian minister has been putting any pressure
on Azerbaijan,” Shaffer said. With regard to the possibility that
Azerbaijan may broker a US-Iranian dialogue, Shaffer said it was
possible, albeit not necessary. “The point is that Iran already has
such relations with Russia and Europe and there is no need for yet
another mediator,” she said. She said it was highly unlikely that Iran
might provide Azerbaijan with any assistance in its conflict with
Armenia over Garabagh. “Iran has forged warm relations with Armenia
and Upper Garabagh in particular. When I was in Garabagh, I saw a
great number of Iranian cars there. Obviously, this being the case,
Iran would not be able to provide any assistance to Azerbaijan,”
Shaffer said. As far as President Ilham Aliyev’s upcoming visit to
the US is concerned, the researcher said it was a major success of the
Azerbaijani diplomacy. She said it showed the geo-strategic importance
Azerbaijan represents to the USA. “In the event of economic sanctions
against Iran, Azerbaijan’s borders will represent special importance
to the West. Obviously the issue will be discussed by Presidents Ilham
Aliyev and George Bush. Under such circumstances, Aliyev may well say
to his US counterpart that while Azerbaijan is actively cooperating
with the West in such important issues, Baku was also in need of the
West’s cooperation in resolving the Garabagh conflict. This meeting
could produce tangible results,” Shaffer said.

1,000 JOIN SYSTEM OF A DOWN IN RALLY

The Gauntlet, CA
April 26 2006

Armenian Americans from across the United States joined today with
System Of A Down’s Serj Tankian and John Dolmayan at a Washington,
DC “Rally for Justice,” urging the Turkish Government to end its
worldwide campaign of Armenian Genocide denial.

Organized by the Armenian National Committee of Greater Washington
(ANC-GW) and the Armenian Youth Federation Washington Chapter,
the protest attracted over 1,000 activists to the Turkish Embassy,
as Armenians worldwide marked the 91st anniversary of this crime
against humanity. Among the participants was DC United star player
Alecko Eskandarian, who was MLS Cup Champion and MVP in 2004.

Tankian and Dolmayan are in Washington, DC as part of a three-day
advocacy tour in support of Congressional recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. Following participation in the rally on Monday, the band
members will be meeting with Members of Congress and the media urging
passage of legislation in the Senate and House that would recognize
the Armenian Genocide. On Tuesday evening, Tankian and Dolmayan
will host a screening of excerpts of “Screamers,” a powerful film by
Carla Garapedian about System of a Down’s international anti-genocide
advocacy efforts.

On Wednesday evening, they will be honored for their vocal pursuit
of justice for the Armenian Genocide at the annual Armenian Genocide
observance on Capitol Hill.

The inter-generational “Rally for Justice” brought together young
and old in their call for the Turkish Government to end its campaign
of Genocide denial. Activists were met by a smaller group of Turkish
and Azerbaijani counter-protesters, who were apparently organized by
the Turkish Embassy staff and its paid lobbyists.

Following the demonstration, attendees walked to the Embassy of the
Republic of Armenia for a short service and wreath-laying ceremony.

Members of local Armenian organizations placed wreaths and flowers
in front of the Khatchkar (stone cross).

The ceremony was led by Ambassador Tatoul Markarian and featured
remarks by Nagorno Karabagh representative Vardan Barseghyan, and
the participation of the Washington Homenetmen Armenian Scouting troop.

SEPARATIST GARABAGH ARMY READY TO REPEL AZERI ATTACK, COMMANDER SAYS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 25 2006

Baku, April 24, AssA-Irada
The joint military exercises of the separatist Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh
and Armenian armed forces that ended last Wednesday were intended to
prepare a retaliatory blow to the Azerbaijani army in the event of a
possible attack, the commander of the so-called Garabagh armed forces,
Seyran Ohanian, told a news conference on Monday.

He said the exercises were also intended to test the Garabagh army’s
combat readiness and the capacity to engage in military action.

“The drills helped establish the possibility of putting the troops
on a high status of alert, perform troop management and coordinate
activities during attack and defense. The exercises also examined
the availability of resources for mobilization.”

Ohanian maintained that the Garabagh army was capable of repelling
a possible Azerbaijani attack along a 250-km frontline. He indicated
that the Armenians had built technical facilities along the contact
line and mined territories. This will make it very difficult for
Azerbaijan to launch an attack, he claimed.

NEWSRU.COM: CONFESSION OBTAINED FROM SUSPECT OF MURDER OF ABRAMYANTS BY DECEIT

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 22:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New details of murder of Armenian Vahan Abramyants in
Moscow metro Pushkinskaya station past weekend are known now. Several
Russian newspapers say the suspect, Denis Kulagin, 17, has not
committed the crime, reports Newsru.com. In the words of schoolboy’s
mother, she made him confess in the murder herself owing to threats
of inspectors. Besides, the instrument of the crime is not found –
the knife, while observation cameras did not shoot anything and the
inspectors have only the confession of the minor, who was illegally
interrogated for several hours without his mother’s or a lawyer’s
presence.

According to D. Kulagin’s mother – Olga Kulagina, she got to know
from Denis that he with neighbors Ilya and Kostya went to Marino to
see the fight of fans of Spartak and Lokomotiv football teams. “The
boys were to meet Lokomotiv fans Lazar and Vahan at “Pushka”.

Denis and Ilya picked up Zhanna. They met with Lazar and Vahan at
half past four. 12 young people gathered.

Two of them – Lazar and Vahan – went up to smoke in the street. At
4:45 p.m. they ran down to Ilya, Kostya and Denis. They just said,
“Someone is following us or spying,” and guys in leather coats appeared
and started brutally beating them. Denis took Zhanna to a train up
to Barrikadnaya station. Then they came back to Pushkinskaya and
told policemen about those attacking. This is how he was taken to
the police department,” Olga Kulagina said.

“When I arrived we were suggested a choice: either Denis will serve
a sentence of 15 years for murder on national ground or for murder
owing to personal dislike. For a murder in “a love triangle” the
investigator promised “conditional” or a short imprisonment. He asked
to write a confession. I insisted that Denis sign the conflict was
due to the girl,” Kulagina said. She also noted her son is not like
the suspect sought for.

To note, after a meeting with a professional lawyer Denis Kulagin
refused from his confession.

ARMENIAN UNION LEADER URGES JOINT RESPONSE TO ETHNIC HATRED

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
April 24, 2006 Monday 11:35 AM MSK

All public organizations and the government should unite to rebuff
the mounting Neo-Nazi threat in Russia, Union of Russian Armenians
leader Ara Abramian told Interfax on Monday.

“The recent cruel murders in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other Russian
cities show that, unfortunately, Nazis, fascists and skinheads of
various kinds are better organized and united than governmental and
law enforcement agencies,” he said.

“It is not just that my compatriot, a young man, has been killed.

The thing is that we do not feel protected in this country. A man gets
killed in the center of Moscow in broad daylight merely because of
his nationality and skin color. Yet somebody still call such crimes
hooliganism,” he said.

The increase in hate crimes shows that society is sick, Abramian said.

“If fascists and Nazis are not stopped, Russia will fall apart,”
he said.

“By coincidence, the crime coincided with the 91st anniversary of the
Armenian genocide, which is being marked in many countries,” he said.

U.S. EMBASSY HOLDS FIFTH ANNUAL JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH IN YEREVAN

Yerevan, April 20. ArmInfo. The U.S. Embassy in Armenia is proud to
announce that it will hold its fifth annual Jazz Appreciation Month
in Armenia April 26-30.

This year’s program will include multiple events including film
showings, a jazz dance performance, and Armenian and American jazz
music concerts, which are open to the public, U.S. Embassy told
ArmInfo. The Judy Bady Quartet from New York City, along with many
well-known Armenian jazz musicians, will take part in this week-long
celebration of jazz. A new addition to this year’s events is a jazz
dance performance “American Suite” at the Paronyan Theater. On the
first day of the event, Children’s Art Museum will open at the National
Aesthetic Center.

Tickets for all performances are on sale at the Opera and Paronyan
Theater box offices. Additional information can be found on the U.S.

Embassy website at