Author: Tambiyan Samvel

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
May 27 2007

Azerbaijani FM About Lachin Corridor and Peace Keepers

Turan 27/05/2007 22:21

"I agree with French OSCE MG co-chairman Bernard Fassier that
military solution to the Karabakh conflict is unacceptable. The
sooner the conflict is settled, the better it is for Armenia and
Azerbaijan and for the whole region," Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mamedyarov told journalists while commenting on the co-chairs’
statements made at the press conference in Baku.

The minister once again reiterated the need for adoption of the main
principles of settlement by the sides, on the basis of which a future
peace agreement will be signed. These principles remain unchanged:
Armenia must withdraw troops and refugees will return to their native
lands, said the Minister.

The remaining issues have not been agreed on yet. The sooner
Armenia’s administration understands that the conflict must be
settled within the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,
the sooner it will be solved. Of course, we need time for that, said
Mamedyarov.

The term of reasonable width of the Lachin corridor is not
accidental. The Lachin road passes through the mountains.

"Considering security of traffic, we have agreed to place
peace-keeping troops in this zone," added Minister. "Military experts
must take into consideration possible points of fire, from which the
road is clearly visible. It is most important to avoid the resumption
of military activities," said Mamedyarov.

The term of placement of peacekeeping troops and their composition
remains open to discussion. Mamedyarov recalled that peace-keeping
troops must not include representatives of countries of the region,
nor countries of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen.

CONGRESSIONAL HELLENIC CAUCUS CALLS FOR PASSAGE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

ArmRadio.am
26.05.2007 11:36

In a sign of the growing bipartisan support in Congress for the
Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106), the Caucus on Hellenic
Issues – spearheaded by New York Democrat Carolyn Maloney and Florida
Republican Gus Bilirakis – this week asserted that "it is time"
for the US government to recognize this crime against humanity,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The Co-Chairs of the 127-member Caucus, in a May 23rd letter
circulated to their House colleagues, stressed that, "it is time for
our government to finally acknowledge that the unimaginable horror
committed on Turkish soil in the aftermath of World War I was, and is,
an act of genocide. The United States must stand up for human rights
everywhere by renewing its commitment to prevent similar atrocities
and by acknowledging that the Armenian Genocide is a historical fact."

"We appreciate the leadership of Representatives Maloney and Bilirakis
and support of the membership of the Hellenic Caucus for the timely
adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian.

"We welcome, as well, the work of the American Hellenic Institute and
all our friends in the Greek American community for full recognition
of the genocidal crimes Turkey has committed against its Christian
subjects."

The Congressional Caucus on Hellenic Issues regularly cooperates on
issues of mutual concern with the Armenian Issues Caucus, Co-chaired
by Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI). The
American Hellenic Institute and the United Hellenic American Congress
are among the Greek American organizations supporting the adoption
of the Armenian Genocide Resolution. The ANCA, last week, joined with
Hellenes around the world in marking May 19th, the day of remembrance
for the genocide of the Pontian Greeks.

H.Res.106, and its companion bill in the Senate, S.Res.106, call on
the President to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide and to help
ensure that the U.S. government applies the lessons of this atrocity
in seeking to prevent future crimes against humanity. In the House,
the resolution is being led by Representatives Adam Schiff (D-CA),
George Radanovich (R-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs
Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), and Foreign Affairs
Committee members Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI). The
House measure has 196 cosponsors. The Senate bill, which is led by
Senators Richard Durbin (D-IL) and John Ensign (R-NV), currently has
31 cosponsors, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).

CONNECTICUT BECOMES 5TH STATE IN UNANIMOUS CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2007 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Connecticut becomes 5th state in unanimous
congressional support for H. Res. 106 on recognizing the Armenian
Genocide of 1915 perpetrate by the Ottoman Turkey. Congressmen John
Larson, Joseph Courtney, and Christopher Murphy, the Connecticut
delegation now unanimously supports the Armenian Genocide resolutions
in the Senate and House of Representatives, the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA) reports. Senator Christopher Dodd,
Senator Joseph Lieberman, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, and Congressman
Christopher Shay, were all original cosponsors of S. Res. 106 and
H. Res. 106. Currently, the New England states of Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont have 20 of 22
Representatives signed on to H. Res. 106, and nine of twelve Senators
signed on to S.

SHAVARSH KOCHARYAN: INTERNATIONAL OBSERVERS DO NOT HAVE THE AGENT NET IN ARMENIA SO THAT TO DISCLOSE THE MASKED VIOLATIONS

Arminfo
2007-05-24 11:53:00

"International observers do not have the agent net in Armenia so that
to notice those who voted instead of another person. The opposition
parties had to do that and inform them about the violations", –
the leader of the National-Democratic party Shavarsh Kocharyan told
ArmInfo correspondent.

He also added that the perfectly masked violations over the election
might be noticed only by those who live in Armenia. This is the reason
of the positive assessment given by international observers. , –
Kocharyan said.

As for the CIS observers, Kocharyan thinks that they simply remained
faithful to themselves as they used to give negative assessment only
in case of the "colour" revolutions.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Armenian version:

THE CATHOLICOSATE OF CILICIA PARTICIPATES IN THE WSCF INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE

The World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) organized an inter-faith
conference in Jordan on May 17-20 with the participation of representatives
from Christian and Muslim youth movements based in Lebanon, Egypt, Syria,
Iraq, Sudan and Jordan.

The Catholicosate of Cilicia was represented in the conference by Rita
Sagherian, a member of the Armenian Church University Students’ Association
(ACUSA).

The conference tackled several topics, including: coexistence,
multiculturalism, Christian-Muslim relations and mutual understanding.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

PRESS RELEASE
Council of Europe Press Release
Spokesperson and Press Division
Ref: 215b03
Tel. +33 3 88 41 25 60
Fax. +33 3 88 41 34 11
E-mail: [email protected]
For more informations:

The issue of missing persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia is
humanitarian, not political

Belgrade, 24.05.2007 – The PACE Standing Committee, meeting in Belgrade
today, deplored that, twelve years since the end of hostilities, the
issue of the missing persons in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia remained
unsolved. According to a report by Leo Platvoet (Netherlands, UEL), the
number of missing persons as a result of the conflicts over the regions
of Nagorno-Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia can be calculated at 7
538 persons.

For the Standing Committee, the issue of missing persons is a
humanitarian problem with human rights and international humanitarian
law implications. It should "not be treated as a political issue" and
consequently should "not be dependent on the political settlements of
the disputes in the region".

In a resolution adopted today, the Standing Committee addresses to the
three countries a number of proposals to agree consolidated lists of the
missing, establish a multilateral mechanism for co-operation between
commissions for missing persons and work together on tracing, mapping,
identification and management of human remains. It also recalls that the
families of the missing need social, material and psychological support,
and that the memory of the missing needs to be respected.

TEEN ARRESTED IN KILLING AFTER NORTH HOLLYWOOD CONFRONTATION

San Francisco Chronicle, CA
May 22 2007

A second teenager was arrested for the possibly gang-related killing
of an Armenian man after a confrontation at a San Fernando Valley
coffeehouse last month.

A 17-year-old boy was arrested by plainclothes detectives Monday night
at Universal CityWalk for allegedly shooting Marat Manukyan on April
26, Detective Richard Wheeler said.

"He is believed to be the shooter," Wheeler said.

Manukyan was killed after a fight among a group of Armenians at a
Starbucks in suburban North Hollywood.

The shooting stemmed from a fight Manukyan and acquaintances had
with another group in which a chair was thrown at the Starbucks,
investigators said. The dispute continued at another area and Manukyan
was shot to death.

Arsen Vardanyan, 18, was arrested May 17 for investigation of assault
with a deadly weapon for the chair-throwing incident.

Members of the Eurasian Organized Crime Task Force – composed of
federal, state and local investigators – helped LAPD detectives with
translation and contacts in the Armenian community, Detective Martin
Pinner said.

MAP COMPANY FINED FOR USING PATENT BOTTLES OF PROSHIAN BRANDY FACTORY

Noyan Tapan
May 23 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. At the May 23 sitting, the RA State
Commission on Protection of Economic Competition made a decision
to fine MAP alcoholic drink producing company in the amount of 100
thousand drams (about 290 USD) for selling its barndy in patent
souvenir bottles of Proshian Brandy Factory company.

The commission started the examination based on a complaint of Proshian
Brandy factory. It was indicated at the sitting that this company has
patented 26 types of souvenir bottles made by A. Osipian, Shirak &
Sons and Hrat companies. The examination revealed that MAP purshased
patent bottles of Proshian Brandy factory from Hrat and used them
for bottling its brandy and selling it.

This fact was qualified as an instance of bad faith competition.

According to the commission chairman Ashot Shahnazarian, prior to
purchasing these bottles, MAP was aware of their being patented.

OSCE MINSK GROUP’S CO-CHAIRMEN TO VISIT ARMENIA

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 21 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr E. Huseynov / The co-chairmen of the
OSCE Minsk Group on peaceful settlement of Armenian-Azerbaijani
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will visit the South Caucasus region on
22 May, the Russian co-chairman of the Minsk Group, Yuri Merzlakov,
reported on 21 May.

The mission of mediators will arrive in Yerevan, Armenia on the evening
of 22 May a will hold two day consultations with the administration of
Armenia. "We intend to continue coordination of basic principles of
the settlement that we have been doing in the last year," Merzlakov
said. The organization of the next round of direct negotiations
between the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents planned for June in
St Petersburg will be on the agenda of the consultations.

After talks in Yerevan the mediators will visit Baku and hold the
similar negotiations with the representatives of the Azerbaijani
administration. The Russian diplomat noted that they would not visit
the Nagorno-Karabakh due to lack of time.

The delegation will include the Russian and French co-chairmen of the
Minsk Group, Yuri Merzlakov and Bernard Facie. The US co-chairman,
Mathew Bryze, will not attend this mission. "This time Bryze cannot
visit the region, but he will do next time during the regular visit
of the co-chairmen to be held in the first half of June," the Russian
diplomat said. Next time the co-chairmen will visit the South Caucasus
after the visit of the acting OSCE Chairman, the Foreign Minister of
Spain, Miguel Angel Moratinos, scheduled for 4-5 June.

The mediators will discuss the possibility of a meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents, Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev,
likely to be held on 10 June in St Petersburg.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries broke out in
1988 in view of Armenia’s territorial claims to Azerbaijan. Some 20%
of Azerbaijani territory (Nagorno-Karabakh and 7 nearby regions)
have been occupied by Armenian Armed Forces since 1992. In May of
1994 a ceasefire agreement was signed between the sides. Peaceful
negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chaired
by Russia, France and the United States are still fruitless.

–Boundary_(ID_qbgs1ucN9pnNIFQqPF4Hsw) —

OSCE MINSK GROUP COCHAIRMEN DUE IN YEREVAN FOR FRESH TALKS OVER KARABAKH ISSUE

ARMENPRESS
May 21 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 21, ARMENPRESS: International peace brokers from the
OSCE Minsk Group are due in the Armenian capital city later today,
acting press secretary of the Armenian ministry of foreign affairs
Vladimir Karapetian told Armenpress.

He said the Russian, French and American cochairmen of the Group will
meet with Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian on May 23. He said
they are expected also to be received by president Robert Kocharian.

Karapetian said the peace brokers and Armenian leadership will focus
on a number of contentious points in the framework agreement, revised
by the cochairmen when they met with foreign ministers of Armenia
and Azerbaijan in Belgrade, Serbia, earlier this year.

He said Oskanian met with the cochairmen in Strasbourg on May 11 to
present Armenia’s approaches.

Karapetian said negotiators will also discusses chances for another
Kocharian-Aliyev meeting.