Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

US CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION COMPLETES CONTACTS IN ANKARA AND MOVES TO ISTANBUL

New Anatolian, Turkey
May 30 2007

An American congressional delegation completed its contacts in the
Turkish capital and moved to Istanbul Tuesday to meet the business
and financial community.

In Ankara the delegation met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
and Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc.

After their talks held at Erdogan’s office at the parliament,
co-chairman of the working group Edward Whitfield and U.S. Senator
from Nebraska Benjamin Nelson held a press conference.

Whitfield stated that they discussed the Turkish public disappointment
regarding PKK terrorism exported from Iraq, the general situation
in Iraq, the bill introduced to the U.S. Congress regarding the
allegations on so-called Armenian genocide and the prospective effects
of such a bill in case of its adoption.

Moreover, Turkey’s EU membership process, France and Germany’s
opposition to full Turkish membership and unification of Cyprus were
also on the agenda of the meeting, Whitfield said.

Asked to comment on a possible Turkish military incursion into Iraq,
Whitfield said that they thought the U.S. should take some concrete
steps on the issue, however, they did not encourage Turkey to carry
out a military operation as well.

Earlier Speaker Bulent Arinc on Monday received
U.S. delegation. Whitfield, referring to the general elections that are
due July 22, saying the visit takes place at a very historical time.

Turkey-U.S. Interparliamentary Friendship Group Chairman Egemen Bagis
also hosted a dinner in honor of members of the visiting delegation.

Speaking at the dinner, Bagis recalled that Ed Whitfield led the first
U.S. delegation that visited the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC) by using Ercan Airport. He said, "following this initiative,
other foreign delegations paid such visits."

"Also the fact that the U.S. delegation attended the first formal
luncheon in Turkey together with the Turkish Cypriot ambassador shows
their support for the lifting of the isolations (on TRNC)," noted
Bagis. He also expressed pleasure over the efforts of U.S. delegation
against the draft on so-called Armenian genocide.

Noting that Iraq and PKK terrorist organization were discussed in
all meetings of U.S. delegation, Bagis said that terrorism in Iraq
is preventing many things.

PACE CALLS ON AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA TO COOPERATION IN ISSUE OF MISSING PEOPLE

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 29 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend A.Gasimova, E.Huseynova / Leo Platvoed,
a co-rapporteur of the Parlamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) on POWs and missing people in the South Caucasus, calls on
Azerbaijan and Armenia to cooperation so that to define fate of people
missed during the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

As a result of armed conflicts in the territory of the South Caucasus,
which broke out after the collapse of the former USSR, the place of
7,538 people is still unknown. Some 4,604 people are considered to
be missing in Azerbaijan, 947 in Armenia, 1,763 in Georgia, 197 in
Abkhazia. The data were publicized by the co-rapporteur in a meeting
of a PACE permanent commission in Belgrade on 24 May.

In an interview through telephone Platvoed stressed the importance
of close cooperation of the Azerbaijani and Armenian authorities,
both with the international organizations and local institutions
established in that countries. "There is a commission on search of
missing people in Nagorno-Karabakh, but it cooperated with Armenia,
not with Azerbaijan," he added.

The Azerbaijani State Commission on POWs, Missing People and Hostages
announced in April that there are 4,499 missing people in Azerbaijan.

Over the past 6 months the fate of 70 people have been defined,
of them 36 died as a result of armed actions and were identified by
their parents.

In March Bernhard Clazen, the chairman of the international group on
Missing People, POWs and Captives, said in an interview with Trend that
the international community is prepared to assist the conflict sides in
the resolution of humanitarian problems. The conflict sides will define
which assistance they need from the international community. He also
reminded that the last meeting of the State Commissions on missing
people of Azerbaijan and Armenia was organized in Tbilisi 2005,
wile later no appeal was submitted by any side on the organization
of the meeting.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus appeared in
1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan.

Armenia has occupied 20% of the Azerbaijani lands including
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven Districts of the country surrounding
it. Since 1992 to the present time, these territories have been
under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France and USA) hold peaceful negotiations.

IRAQ’S ASSYRIANS NEED THEIR OWN REGION

EasternStar News Agency
Assyrian International News Agency AINA
May 29 2007

If a majority of the population in a country, where people with red
hair are a minority, votes for a law that forces all people with
red h! air to l et themselves be enslaved or be beheaded, is that
democracy? This is a good allegory for what Iraqi democracy today
means for the Assyrians.

The sectarian violence and the general chaos in Iraq affects all
Iraqis, regardless of their ethnicity. But the Christian Assyrians
suffer the most, because they are Assyrians and Christians. They are
Christians in Iraq where Islamic extremism, both Sunni and Shiite,
is increasing every day. Besides the sectarian persecution which
the Assyrians are subjected to, the KDP (Kurdish Democratic Party)
led KRG (Kurdish Regional Government) is systematically persecuting
and oppressing the Assyrians, which are the indigenous people of Iraq.

The purpose of the actions of the KRG is the Kurdish nationalist
ambition to take over all historically Assyrian territory in northern
Iraq. The Assyrians lack protection in today’s Iraq and suffer
non-proportionally, something that is affirmed by the fact that 40%
of all Iraqi refugees are Christians, although their numbers only
constitute 5% of the Iraqi population.

The Assyrians will never be able to live in peace, liberty and
security as equal citizens in Iraq, not among Arabs nor Kurds. The
oppression will continue until the last Assyrians have fled the
country. The only way to prevent Iraq from being entirely drained
of its indigenous people is to give the Assyrians the possibility to
create an own autonomous region on the Nineveh plains, the historically
Assyrian heartland, where the majority of the population is still
Assyrian. Self-government in an autonomy within the boundaries of
the Iraqi state is the only way for the Assyrians in Iraq to escape
the enormous pressure from the increasingly radical Muslim majority.

In an autonomous Assyrian region also Assyrians from other parts of
Iraq would find a refuge, instead of being forced to migrate through
the neighboring countries of Syria and Jordan to Europe and America.

Also other Christian Iraqis, like the Armenians, could settle there
to live in security. This would be in line with the ambition of
many European countries to make efforts on site to prevent refugee
disasters, instead of receiving the refugee streams in the camps
on home ground, with all the strains that an overused asylum process
brings with it. Many Assyrian refugees currently in Europe and America,
illegally or waiting for their asylum applications to be processed,
would move back to Iraq if they had an Assyrian region where they
could feel safe and where they could build up a life. Not to mention
the several hundred thousands of Assyrian refugees in Jordan and Syria,
waiting for a chance to get to Europe.

If a safe haven is not created for the Assyrians in Iraq within a near
future, Europe and America should be prepared for an enormous refugee
stream the coming decade, to be compared to a full scale evacuation
of the Assyrian population of Iraq. The Assyrians should be prepared
for a definite and final extinction from their historical lands. The
world should be prepared for the termination of one of the worlds
oldest civilizations after a continuous presence of five thousand
years in Mesopotamia.

HAMDAN BIN RASHID RECEIVES ENVOYS

Emirates News Agency, UAE
May 28, 2007 Monday 3:56 AM EST

Dubai, May 28th, 2007 (WAM) — Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum,
Dubai Deputy Ruler and Minister of Finance and Industry today received
Vahagan Melikian, Ambassador of Armenia, who came to offer greetings
at the start of his tenure..

The Consul General of the Netherlands, Bart Twaalfhoven, was also
received by Sheikh Hamdan when he came to bid him farewell at the
end of his tenure..

Both meetings were attended by officials..

EastsideBoxing.com
May 27 2007

Abraham returns with dominating KO of Demers in 3!

26.05.07 – By Izyaslav `Slava’ Koza: It was a welcome and sweet
return to the ring for Armenian born German Arthur Abraham as he took
out Canadian Sebastian Demers in 3. The bout started off tentatively
with the first round showing both men having their moments but due to
lack of accuracy on Abraham’s part the round going to the Canadian.
In the second more of the same continued but Abraham found his form
and landed a few more telling and accurate blows. In the third the
bout came to a screeching halt as Abraham’s accuracy finally buzzed
Demers and he fell to the ropes looking to Winky Wright his way out
of a jam.

Abraham as promised went after the Canadian’s body and forced to run
across to the other side of the ring to hide from the assault. There
was no hiding, however, as a massive straight right landed from left
field flush on Demer’s jaw. While he was able to get to his feet his
lack of balance and senses forced the ref to call a halt to the bout.

With the win against a decent middleweight opponent in Sebastien
Demers, Arthur Abraham makes his successful return after the
heart-based victory over Edison Miranda.

The Library of Congress
H.RES.106
Title: Calling upon the President to ensure that the foreign policy of the
United States reflects appropriate understanding and sensitivity concerning
issues related to human rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in
the United States record relating to the Armenian Genocide, and for other
purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29] (introduced 1/30/2007) Cosponsors
(195)
Related Bills: S.RES.106
Latest Major Action: 1/30/2007 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred
to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

COSPONSORS(195), BY DATE [order is left to right]: (Sort: alphabetical
order)
Rep Radanovich, George [CA-19] – 1/30/2007Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6] –
1/30/2007
Rep Knollenberg, Joe [MI-9] – 1/30/2007Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27] – 1/30/2007
Rep McCotter, Thaddeus G. [MI-11] – 1/30/2007Rep McNulty, Michael R.
[NY-21] – 1/31/2007
Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14] –
1/31/2007
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12] –
1/31/2007
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9] – 1/31/2007Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12] –
1/31/2007
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2] –
1/31/2007
Rep Dreier, David [CA-26] – 1/31/2007Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1] –
1/31/2007
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13] – 1/31/2007Rep Udall, Mark [CO-2] –
1/31/2007
Rep McMorris Rodgers, Cathy [WA-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6] –
1/31/2007
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-40] –
1/31/2007
Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1] –
1/31/2007
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15] – 1/31/2007Rep Kirk, Mark Steven [IL-10] –
1/31/2007
Rep Nunes, Devin [CA-21] – 1/31/2007Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8] –
1/31/2007
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38] – 1/31/2007Rep Berry, Marion [AR-1] –
1/31/2007
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9] –
1/31/2007
Rep Doolittle, John T. [CA-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2] –
1/31/2007
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC] –
1/31/2007
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10] – 1/31/2007Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3] –
1/31/2007
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8] – 1/31/2007Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7] –
1/31/2007
Rep Allen, Thomas H. [ME-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23] – 1/31/2007
Rep Diaz-Balart, Lincoln [FL-21] – 1/31/2007Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5] –
1/31/2007
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14] –
1/31/2007
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14] –
1/31/2007
Rep Wilson, Joe [SC-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16] – 1/31/2007
Rep Rogers, Mike J. [MI-8] – 1/31/2007Rep Cantor, Eric [VA-7] – 1/31/2007
Rep Souder, Mark E. [IN-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Meehan, Martin T. [MA-5] –
1/31/2007
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1] –
1/31/2007
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39] – 1/31/2007Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28] –
1/31/2007
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14] – 1/31/2007Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep Dingell, John D. [MI-15] – 1/31/2007Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17] –
1/31/2007
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9] – 1/31/2007Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9] – 1/31/2007
Rep Garrett, Scott [NJ-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30] –
1/31/2007
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille
[CA-34] – 1/31/2007
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6] – 1/31/2007Rep Diaz-Balart, Mario [FL-25] –
1/31/2007
Rep Rohrabacher, Dana [CA-46] – 1/31/2007Rep Campbell, John [CA-48] –
1/31/2007
Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8] –
1/31/2007
Rep Porter, Jon C. [NV-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43] – 1/31/2007
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13] –
1/31/2007
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Frelinghuysen, Rodney P.
[NJ-11] – 1/31/2007
Rep Visclosky, Peter J. [IN-1] – 1/31/2007Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3] –
1/31/2007
Rep English, Phil [PA-3] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 3/15/2007)Rep Cardoza,
Dennis A. [CA-18] – 1/31/2007
Rep Wolf, Frank R. [VA-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20] –
1/31/2007
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33] – 1/31/2007Rep Jindal, Bobby [LA-1] –
1/31/2007(withdrawn – 1/31/2007)
Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Gerlach, Jim [PA-6] – 1/31/2007
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53] – 1/31/2007Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18] –
1/31/2007
Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] – 1/31/2007Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2] – 1/31/2007
Rep Levin, Sander M. [MI-12] – 1/31/2007Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8] –
1/31/2007
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51] – 1/31/2007Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] – 1/31/2007
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17] – 1/31/2007
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-20] – 1/31/2007Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] –
1/31/2007
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13] – 1/31/2007Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1] –
1/31/2007
Rep Shays, Christopher [CT-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Ryan, Paul [WI-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Miller, George [CA-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25] – 1/31/2007
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31] – 1/31/2007Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47] –
1/31/2007
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Schakowsky, Janice D.
[IL-9] – 1/31/2007
Rep Solis, Hilda L. [CA-32] – 1/31/2007Rep Bilirakis, Gus M. [FL-9] –
1/31/2007
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22] –
1/31/2007
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Ferguson, Mike [NJ-7] – 1/31/2007
Rep Bono, Mary [CA-45] – 1/31/2007Rep Miller, Candice S. [MI-10] – 1/31/2007
Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13] – 1/31/2007Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [WI-5] – 1/31/2007Rep Musgrave, Marilyn N.
[CO-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7] – 1/31/2007Rep McKeon, Howard P. "Buck" [CA-25] –
1/31/2007
Rep Herseth, Stephanie [SD] – 1/31/2007Rep Bean, Melissa L. [IL-8] –
1/31/2007
Rep Wamp, Zach [TN-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1] – 1/31/2007
Rep Renzi, Rick [AZ-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Weller, Jerry [IL-11] – 1/31/2007
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4] – 1/31/2007Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15] – 1/31/2007Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4] –
1/31/2007
Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7] – 1/31/2007Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] –
1/31/2007
Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Hinojosa, Ruben [TX-15] – 1/31/2007
Rep Wynn, Albert Russell [MD-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Jones, Stephanie Tubbs
[OH-11] – 1/31/2007
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Millender-McDonald, Juanita
[CA-37] – 1/31/2007
Rep Shimkus, John [IL-19] – 1/31/2007Rep Dent, Charles W. [PA-15] –
1/31/2007
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] – 1/31/2007Rep Boren, Dan [OK-2] –
1/31/2007(withdrawn – 5/2/2007)
Rep Davis, Lincoln [TN-4] – 1/31/2007Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17] – 1/31/2007
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18] – 1/31/2007Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3] – 1/31/2007
Rep Matheson, Jim [UT-2] – 1/31/2007Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3] – 1/31/2007
Rep Moore, Dennis [KS-3] – 1/31/2007(withdrawn – 3/13/2007)Rep Ross, Mike
[AR-4] – 1/31/2007
Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17] – 1/31/2007Rep Scott, David [GA-13] –
1/31/2007(withdrawn – 4/18/2007)
Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1] – 1/31/2007Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35] – 1/31/2007
Rep Lungren, Daniel E. [CA-3] – 1/31/2007Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10] –
1/31/2007
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5] – 2/5/2007Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] – 2/5/2007
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1] – 2/5/2007Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12] –
2/5/2007
Rep Green, Gene [TX-29] – 2/5/2007Rep McCarthy, Kevin [CA-22] – 2/5/2007
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4] – 2/8/2007Rep Lamborn, Doug
[CO-5] – 2/8/2007
Rep Walsh, James T. [NY-25] – 2/8/2007Rep Wu, David [OR-1] – 2/8/2007
Rep Marchant, Kenny [TX-24] – 2/8/2007Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36] – 2/8/2007
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2] – 2/8/2007Rep Green, Al [TX-9] – 3/1/2007
Rep Bachmann, Michele [MN-6] – 3/1/2007Rep LaTourette, Steven C. [OH-14] –
3/1/2007
Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] – 3/12/2007Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1] –
3/12/2007
Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3] – 3/12/2007Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [CA-50] – 3/12/2007
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7] – 3/29/2007Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13] – 3/29/2007
Rep Miller, Gary G. [CA-42] – 3/29/2007Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3] –
4/16/2007
Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52] – 4/16/2007Rep Reichert, David G. [WA-8] –
4/16/2007
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] – 4/16/2007Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1] –
4/19/2007
Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. [CO-6] – 4/19/2007Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1] –
4/19/2007
Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] – 5/9/2007Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2] – 5/14/2007
Rep Udall, Tom [NM-3] – 5/14/2007Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6] – 5/21/2007
Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5] – 5/21/2007Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1] –
5/24/2007

AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER IS A TRAITOR OF MOTHERLAND
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
26/05/2007

On June 1 an Azerbaijani soldier that has also yielded to the Armenian
side will be brought to a legal trial in Azerbaijan as a traitor
of motherland.

On December 31, 2006 Azerbaijani soldier Eldaniz Nuriev yielded to
the Armenian side, then he was returned to the Azerbaijani side,
where he was arrested and charged with a treachery of motherland,
"Azeri press" agency informs.

To remind that it’s not the first case. Another Azerbaijani soldier
was sentenced to 11 years in prison with the same charge.

Now we can understand the Azerbaijani soldier, who is in Armenia
nowadays and who prefers to stay in Armenia being afraid of a similar
"judgment".

DMITRIJ RUPEL: THE KARABAKH ISSUE SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY THE CONFLICTING PARTIES

ArmRadio.am
25.05.2007 15:38

The Karabakh conflict should be settled by the conflicting sides,"
the Foreign Minister of Slovenia Dimitrij Rupel said in an interview
with "Trend."

"Armenia and Azerbaijan are neighbors. This is a fact. Both parties
will benefit if the conflict is resolved, and I’m sure my friends
in the region understand it," Rupel declared. Simultaneously,
he underlined that the conflict should be settled in a peaceful
way. Europe can play an important role in the settlement of frozen
conflicts. "W can help by drawing the attention of the international
community to those questions, the region, as well as on the
opportunities of cooperation in the sphere of economy."

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CRITICIZES "EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE" BY GEORGIAN LAW ENFORCERS
By Nino Mumladze

The Messenger, Georgia
May 25 2007

At globalization conference President Saakashvili addresses human
rights abuses based on ethnicity

Torture, ill-treatment and excessive use of force by Georgian police
officers continue to be practiced with impunity in Georgia remarks
international human rights watchdog Amnesty International (AI) in
its annual report released on May 23. While on May 24, President
Saakashvili criticized international human rights organizations for
not paying enough attention to human rights abuses based on ethnicity
in Georgia.

"Pre-trial and convicted prisoners were reportedly ill-treated on
several occasions, and excessive force was reportedly used in prison
disturbances in which at least 8 detainees died and many more were
wounded, including special forces officers. Police officers continued
to enjoy impunity in dozens of cases in which torture, ill-treatment
and excessive use of force have been alleged," reads AI’s abstract
on Georgia.

Not surprisingly, special attention is given to the high-profile murder
case of Sandro Girgvliani and the Tbilisi prison incident last March
which took the lives of 7 inmates.

"In January, officers of the Interior Ministry severely beat and
otherwise ill-treated Sandro Girgvliani and his friend Levan Bukhaidze
on the outskirts of Tbilisi…Sandro Girgvliani died as a result of
injuries he sustained…In July, four officers were sentenced to prison
terms for causing his death. However, no impartial investigation was
opened into allegations that those who killed Sandro Girgvliani had
acted on the orders of senior officials of the Interior Ministry,"
stresses the report.

AI says that out of the several alleged instances of ill-treatment and
excessive force against inmates in detention facilities and prisons,
only the case of Tbilisi prison disturbances last March was subject
to an official investigation and it did not start until June.

Moreover the results of the investigation were not made public until
the end of 2006.

AI notes a positive move of parliament in April, when time limits were
removed for bringing up charges against suspects accused of torture,
inhuman and degrading treatment.

But comments that the human right’s group expresses regret that the
government did not extend the two-year Plan of Action against Torture
which expired in December 2005, "although many recommendations by a
range of international human rights bodies remained unimplemented."

Violence against women in the family and freedom of expression at risk
in conflict zones are the other points underlined by AI. The report
says authorities failed to protect women from domestic violence or
bring its perpetrators to justice and reported that, "Most frequently,
women were beaten, hit and kicked, but they were also burned with
cigarettes, had their heads bashed against walls, or were raped."

The report is also critical of Georgian authorities for not gathering
comprehensive statistics on domestic violence. It also points out that
despite "an important step" of adopting a new law on domestic violence
in May, "implementation of the provision for temporary shelters for
victims of domestic violence was postponed until 2008."

The Committee urges that a national action plan to combat domestic
violence be completed and implemented.

In terms of freedom of expression, AI claims civil society activists
in South Ossetia risked harassment from the secessionist authorities
because of contact with Georgian activists. The report refers to an
incident when the mother of civil society activist, Alan Dzhusoity
was dismissed from the position of headmistress of a Tskhinvali school
in South Ossetia "in an apparent attempt by the authorities of South
Ossetia to put pressure on her son to end his contacts with Georgian
civil society organizations."

In the same context, on May 24, President Saakashvili complained
about the international community’s lack of attention to continued
human rights abuses in Georgia based on ethnicity.

"Two months ago, Georgian books from all the schools in Gagra [a town
in breakaway Abkhazia] were publicly burned in the town center. Where
was the international community at that time and why didn’t anyone
say anything? If in the 21st century we allow the existence of
such an ideology – wherein someone can’t return home just because
of ethnic origin, it means not only do we not have a state, but it
also indicates humankind has serious problems," Saakashvili declared
at an international conference on globalization and dialogue among
civilizations in Tbilisi.

He also stressed the importance of tolerance in a country as
multi-ethnic as Georgia.

"When I was in the opposition, I was saying and I will repeat it many
times: for those people, who hate Armenians in Georgia, I will be
Armenian; for those who hate Azeris, I will be Azeri….Of course,
it will be a great honor to me to be Jew," Saakashvili said.

rkey_joins_ch.html

VANGOLD RESOURCES LTD.: VANGOLD ENTERS INTO EXCLUSIVE PETROLEUM EXPLORATION PRODUCTION SHARING AGREEMENT FOR THE EXPLORATION OF 13,775 SQ KMS IN ARMENIA

M2 Presswire – United Kingdom
Published: May 24, 2007

Vancouver, British Columbia CANADA – Vangold Resources Ltd. (VAN
– TSX Venture), ("Vangold") announces that has entered into an
agreement to participate in a Production Sharing Agreement (the "PSA")
between the Ministry of Energy of Armenia and Blackstairs Energy plc
("Blackstairs"). Vangold will participate as to a 50% working interest
in Blocks 4, 5 and 6, which cover an area of 13,775 sq. km (over 3.4
million acres) in central and southern Armenia. Under the PSA, the
term of exploration is five years, which may be extended (subject to
an agreed work program) by two additional periods, each of two years.

The total financial commitment for five years is US$2.4M of which
Vangold will expend US$1.2M. The Blocks are governed exclusively by
this PSA, which was effective as of April 27th 2007. With respect
to Block 6, Blackstairs and Vangold have yet to complete the exact
terms of Vangold’s acquisition as to a half interest partner.

Dal Brynelsen, President and CEO of Vangold states: "I am very pleased
with this acquisition on two fronts. These particular concessions
encompass half of Armenia and are adjacent to Iran, Azerbaijan and
Georgia, all countries with very extensive oil and gas resources. We
believe a similar potential exists in southern Armenia. We are very
pleased to have aligned ourselves with executive oil and gas experts
from Blackstairs who have extensive exploration and development
experience in both Armenia and in east Africa. We look forward to
working closely with Mr. Sheehan and his crew not only in Armenia but
also in Rwanda and Kenya. The addition of the Armenian sedimentary
basin brings Vangold’s oil and gas concessions in east Africa and
Armenia to a total of 45,200 sq kms."

Blackstairs Energy Plc

Blackstairs, a private company based in Dublin, Ireland, will operate
the Blocks under the terms of the PSA. An office is being opened
in Yerevan, an experienced General Manager, Mr. Tim Papworth, has
been appointed, and the recruitment of key technical and commercial
staff is underway. Mr. Papworth is a UK-based petroleum exploration
consultant with over thirty years of experience in areas including
the North Sea, onshore UK, Libya, Egypt, Tunisia, Malaysia, Gabon,
Namibia, Georgia and Russia. He has worked intermittently in Armenia
since 1994. The Technical Summary included in this news release was
authored by Mr. Papworth.

The operation in Armenia will also be supported by other members of the
Blackstairs’ team of experienced geological, geophysical and petroleum
engineering staff including the Managing Director of Blackstairs
Mr. Gerard Sheehan, B.Sc., M.Sc., FRAS and Mr. John D. Scott, B.Sc.,
M.Sc. Mr. Sheehan is a former Exploration Manager and New Ventures
Manager for Tullow Oil plc. Throughout his nineteen years with Tullow,
Mr. Sheehan worked on a variety of petroleum projects in Africa,
the Indian Subcontinent and Eastern and Central Europe.

Mr. Sheehan resigned from Tullow in July 2006 to concentrate on the
development of Blackstairs. Mr. Sheehan is member of the Society
of Exploration Geophysicists, the American Association of Petroleum
Geologists and a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Mr. Scott is a non-executive director of Blackstairs and is a petroleum
engineer with over 35 years experience in the oil sector. His extensive
career includes the position of Petroleum Engineering Manager for
Tullow Oil plc where he assumed responsibility for all of Tullow’s
field development projects in the UK, Syria, Pakistan, Bangladesh
and across Africa. Mr. Scott was also the Engineering Manager for
Ranger Oil from 1986 to 1994. Mr. Scott is a member of the Society
of Petroleum Engineers, the Society of Professional Well Log Analysts
and an Associate of International Petroleum Negotiators.

As reported by Vangold on March 1, 2007, Tullow had announced that
its Kingfisher-1 exploration well in Block 3A in Uganda (50% Tullow:
50% Heritage Oil) was flowing 13,893 bopd in total. This Ugandan
discovery is part of the Albertine Graben which may extend into
Vangold’s White Elephant concession which is 7,208 sq kms in Rwanda,
not 2,708 as previously announced by Vangold.

Vangold is very pleased that Messrs. Sheehan and Scott will also
provide their extensive expertise to the geological evaluation of
this area.

Work Program Armenia

Blackstairs and Vangold will undertake a comprehensive technical
program.

The objective of these programs is to elucidate the petroleum system,
high-grade the most prospective areas, and identify prospects which
may be considered for additional delineation or drilling.

The projects identified for the initial phase of exploration are:

* Collation and re-assessment of the existing technical database

* Reprocessing of suitable geophysical data, including seismic data

* Satellite Imagery interpretation

* Gravity Surveys

* Geochemical surveys

* Field geological mapping

* Acquisition of at least 170 km. of 2D seismic.

Brief Technical Summary of the SE Armenia Licence Area, Blocks 4, 5 & 6

Armenia lies within the Caucasus orogenic belt situated between the
Black and Caspian seas. This orogenic belt was formed as a result
of the closure of a number of Tethyan Ocean tracts, since as long
ago as the Devonian. The remnants of some of these paleo-oceans are
represented in Armenia by up to three narrow, discontinuous belts of
ophiolites, which strike approximately north-west to south-east. The
outcropping ophiolites range in age from Jurassic to Cretaceous. They
do not necessarily represent fully oceanic material, but may instead
be parts of the floors of narrow marine basins similar to the present
Gulf of Suez. These ophiolite belts serve to divide the country into
tectonic zones (see below).

Please click on link provided to view tectonic zones:
basinmay23x1x1.jpg Graphic
hosted by Filing Services Canada Inc. website.

The south-western zone is represented by three basins, the Oktemberyan,
Artashat, and Surinaven. They lie along the course of the present day
River Araks, which forms the border with Turkey. They are referred to
collectively as the Ararat Intermontane Depression. Their sedimentary
section is Tertiary in age, which is floored by ophiolites (Cretaceous
/ Jurassic) or Paleozoic sediments. These basins lie within Transeuro
Energy operated Block 2, due west of Block 4, with part of the
Surinaven Basin within Block 5. Gas prospects exist within the
Oktemberyan Basin.

To the north-east, the section rises onto a regional high composed of
Paleozoic metasediments, before dipping again into a large sedimentary
basin referred to as the Central Depression. These sediments ranging
in age from Devonian to Recent. Folding, wrench faulting, and possibly
reverse and thrust faulting, are all recognised structural phenomena
within this zone. Near the north-western end of the Central depression
lies the Aragats volcano, dormant since Pliocene times.

Further north-east, a major tectonic suture occurs within the
Sevan-Shirak zone, and Cretaceous and Jurassic age ophiolites
outcrop within it and along the northern margin. The Sevan-Shirak
zone itself is represented by Middle Eocene tuffs and associated
volcanic vents and intrusives. Finally, in the north of Armenia, the
Somkhet Karabakh and Bazum zones contain Middle Jurassic to Cretaceous
sediments overlying basement. These are deformed by reverse faulting
and thrusting and penetrated by igneous intrusives. The section dips
regionally northwards into the oil productive Kura Depression of
Georgia and Azerbaijan.

The Central Depression, which covers much the SE Armenia Licence
area, has been subdivided into two tectonic zones – the Yerevan
-Ordubad zone in the north and the Miskham-Zangezur zone in the
south (in Block 6). The former is possibly the more prospective,
with most exploration having been carried out in its western part, in
the Near Yerevan Depression in Block 2, where oil has been recovered
from a borehole east of Yerevan. Similar prospects may exist further
east into Block 4; oil shows were seen in the Yeranos borehole just
southwest of Lake Sevan.

Based upon gravity data, the Central Depression can be subdivided
into at least seven sub-basins, these being, from west to east –
Aragats Depression, Fontan Depression (potential oil source area
in NE Block 2, extending into Block 5), Near Yerevan Depression,
Sevan Depression (in central Block 4), Chatma-Vedi Depression (far
west Block 5), Vardenis Syncline (SE of Lake Sevan) and Vayotsdzor
Depression (central and south Block 5). The Kapan block (Jurassic
and Cretaceous in age) in east Block 6 may also be prospective.

A summary of oil and gas indications for the general area are shown
below:

* oil traces found in the Paleocene/Upper Cretaceous of the Azat-1
well (eight kms from western border of Block 4), and one cubic
metre of oil recovered (and several hundred metres of oil shows)
from Paleocene in Shorakhpur-1P well, eight kms further west;

* oil shows in the Upper Eocene of the Garni-1G well (eight kms from
western border of Block 4), and oil found in the Middle Eocene of
Shorakhpur-1P;

* medium/light oil was recovered from drilling muds in the Mid-Jurassic
of the Akhkaklu-3 borehole, north of Block 4;

* oil seeps seen in the old Yeranos borehole, SE of Lake Sevan
(Block 4);

* gas seeps recorded in Lake Sevan and nearby shallow boreholes
(Block 4);

* gas shows in the Vedi-1T well in the Cretaceous (western part of
Block 5);

* heavy, waxy, asphaltic residual oil found within Triassic coals in
the Ghermanis-4 borehole, west of Yeghegnadzor (Block 5);

* the presence of Permian organic rich, mature, oil- and gas-prone
calcareous shales and mudstones in the general area (blocks 5, 6);

* bitumen found in the Shahumian borehole and the Coniacian of the
Spitakjour River area (Block 6), which may be of Devonian origin, and

* an unsubstantiated report of an oil show in the Meghri area
(Block 6).

Please click on link provided to view Armenian map:
meniamay23.jpg Graphic
hosted by Filing Services Canada Inc. website.

To find out more about Vangold Resources Ltd. please visit our
website at or contact Dal Brynelsen at 604-684-1974
or by email [email protected].

On Behalf of the Board of VANGOLD RESOURCES LTD.

"Dal Brynelsen" Dal Brynelsen, President and CEO

The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept
responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this
news release.

Vangold Resources Ltd.