Author: Tavakalian Edgar

Armenian radio stations disputing government’s decision on paying
annual fees

Arminfo
15 Jun 07

Yerevan, 15 June: Armenian radio stations Vem, Impuls, City FM,
Ardzagank, Radio Hay, and FM 105.5 are disputing in the Court of
Cassations the government’s decision that radio and television
companies have to pay annually to the Ministry of Transport and
Communications for service, an attorney for the radio stations has told
a news conference.

Olga Safaryan, the legal council of the Internews, a non-government
organization, said that after studying the legal basis of the
ministry’s decision, she has concluded that it was passed with
violations of Articles 42 and 45 of the Armenian Constitution. She also
said that the radio stations had filed a claim with the Economic Court
of Armenia in February 2007 with a demand to void the ministry’s
decision of annual fees of 900,000 drams [about 2,600 dollars]. On 11
May 2007, the Economic Court dismissed the claim.

Safaryan said that the court’s ruling is a violation of the law. She
said they had appealed to the Court of Cassations on 25 May to overrule
the verdict of the Economic Court.

The radio stations have not yet received a reply regarding their appeal.

UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT SURE IN SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT THROUGH DIPLOMATIC WAY

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 15 2007

(video)
Ukraine, Kiev / special corr Òrend E.Huseynov / "I believe that the
resolution of the [Armenian-Azerbaijani] Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
can be achieved through diplomatic way and its formula will ensure
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and definition of special status
of Nagorno-Karabakh." The Ukrainian President made this statement in
an interview for Trend and several Azerbaijani television channels.

The question is whether the sides will have enough political will to
accept this format, hold a political leadership in their countries
to explain the people that it has no alternative in the resolution
of the conflict It is necessary to have enough political wisdom to
explain it to people who dislike this version and does not accept it,
the President emphasized.

At present the key problem in the resolution of the conflict is the
loss of time. Ukraine is ready to direct its resources to optimize the
dialogue on the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," he said.

Yuschenko said that Ukraine has held position for many tars that the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh can be considered within the framework of
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

–Boundary_(ID_A7QsAKiTa3kaxYRgRaJeqg )–

ARMENIAN FOOTBALL NATIONAL TEAM CLIMBS 48 PLACES IN FIFA CLASSIFICATION TABLE

Noyan Tapan
Jun 14 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 13 FIFA published a new
classification table of national teams. The Armenian national football
team has registered progress rising from 128th place to 80th. Georgia
is in 97th place, Azerbaijan 109th, and Turkey 21st.

The Ukrainian team occupies the highest place amongst the CIS
countries, 13th place. The national teams of Italy, France and Brazil
are the top three.

RA FM: OTHER CONFLICTS AND THEIR SOLUTIONS ARE NOT PRECEDENTS FOR US

ArmInfo
2007-06-14 13:31:00

"We have multiply claimed that other conflicts and their solutions are
not precedents for us", RA FM Vardan Oskanyan said in an interview with
"Kentron" TV channel.

"The Karabakh conflict has its logic, it advance by exact direction,
that is, the NKR people’s right for self- determination. There
will be no deviations from this. As for Kosovo, it will be good if
it gets independence, this will strengthen our relations. If not,
it will not affect our positions in the Karabakh process", RA FM
said. He emphasized that the danger is that attempts are made to
calm Georgia and Russia. "We fight against it. The main idea of
statements of Armenia’s representatives in international structures
lies in a circumstance that one should not recognize all the cases
unrealizable for the sake of one case and it is inadmissible to
make it an obstacle for the others", V. Oskanyan said. On the other
hand, he said, if Kosovo does not get independence, it will be
even worse for the Karabakh process and the struggle will become
more complicated. According to him, the world community may say:
"Even Kosovo did not get independence, how can independence be given
to Karabakh or the others?", V. Oskanyan said. He added that the
Armenian party succeeded to single the Karabakh conflict out of
another conflicts in the post-Soviet space. "It is considered in
another context due to the continued negotiating process", RA FM said.

EDUCATIONAL YOUTH CONFERENCE "EDUCATION AS PRECONDITION FOR DEVELOPMENT" IS HELD IN TSAKHKADZOR

Noyan Tapan
Jun 13 2007

TSAKHKADZOR, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The educational youth conference,"
Education as Precondition for Development", took place on June 8-10
in Tsakhkadzor, which was organized by the Armenian Round Table
Interchurch Charitable Fund of the World Church Council (WCC). About
80 young people, representatives of the RA National Assembly,
the RA Ministry of Education and Science, the National Institute
of Education, the Christian Upbringing Center of the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin, different diocesan institutions and youth unions
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Round Table Partner NGOs,
as well as guests from Georgia, Belarus and the Ukraine took part
in the conference. This was reported to Noyan Tapan by the Armenian
Round Table Interchurch Charitable Fund of the World Church Council.

The meeting opened with the Lord’s Prayer, then Bishop Pargev
Martirosian, Head of the Artsakh diocese, Chairman of the Board of
Trustees of the WCC Armenian Round Table Fund made a welcome and
blessing speech for those present and attached importance to this
initiative, underlining the necessity of education.

Afterwards, Karen Nazarian, Executive Director of the Round Table
Fund, greeted the participants of the conference and touched upon
the necessity of coordinating the efforts of different state bodies,
the church, and NGOs in the sphere of education, considering this
conference already an important step in that direction.

Two subjects were chosen as the leading titles for the three-day
meeting.

Educational reforms: the present and future of the educational system,
cooperation prospects of the church, state and civic society stressing
extra-school education and Education and the value system in the
formation and realization process of a person.

The meeting was held by Priest Vahram Melikian, member of the Board
of Trustees of the WCC Armenian Round Table Fund.

In the morning of June 10 the participants of the conference took
part in the Sunday divine service in the Kecharis monastery, then they
visited St. Katoghike church in Jrvezh in the diocese of Kotayk where
they were acquainted with the activities of the church’s social center.

AZERBAIJAN SHOULD TOUGHEN ITS POSITION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: DEPARTMENT CHIEF OF PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION

TREND News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 11 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend A.Ismaylova / The Azerbaijani side
highlights the importance of toughening up its position in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement.

The Chief of the Foreign Relations Department of the Executive
Apparat of the Azerbaijan President, Novruz Mammadov, said on 11 June,
commenting on the next meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia in Saint-Petersburg, that in this case, Azerbaijan may use
its leadership in the region.

According to Mammadov, the position will be toughened up both with
regards to Azerbaijan and the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group,
and international organizations and the international community. They
will be required to elaborate on their positions in Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

Mammadov said that the meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan,
Ilham Aliyev and Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, lasted more than two
hours. The meeting was hard. "Despite that Azerbaijan’s rating
is strengthening in the region, it was not enough that Armenia
demonstrates constrictiveness in the talks," he said.

He stressed that Armenia did not agree with the conditions of
the Prague process which envisages releasing the regions around
Nagorno-Karabakh, de-mining them, returning internally displaced
persons and placing peacekeeping forces. Mammadov said that several
years after these conditions have been met then an agreement may be
reached on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

According to Mammadov, there is a difference between the Government
of Armenia and the self-declaring head of Nagorno-Karabakh. Exactly
due to this, Armenia requires connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to the
negotiations process, he added.

Mammadov stressed that the sides decided to continue the negotiations
at the level of the Co-Chairs and Foreign Ministers. He did not
comment on the future processes on the peaceful settlement of the
conflict. According to Mammadov, if the international community does
not express a concrete position and does not make a proposal, there
may be an issue of military settlement of the conflict.

The conflict between the two countries of the South Caucasus appeared
in 1988 due to 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 Armenian occupation. 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) are
currently holding peaceful negotiations.

ARKADY GHUKASYAN: PEOPLE SAY THE DEFINITIVE WORD

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
11-06-2007

On June 7 NKR President Ghukasian met with the co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group Matthew Bryza, Bernard Fassier and Yuri Merzlyakov at the
Permanent Representation of NKR to Armenia. The co-chairs said the
negotiations are slow, and it is necessary to make progress, which they
expect from the conflict sides. The NKR president presented the stance
of the Karabakh side. Arkady Ghukasian said it is necessary to restore
the format of the OSCE summit in Budapest, since the talks without
Karabakh cannot produce the anticipated results. The NKR president
emphasized the status is the basic issue of the negotiations, the other
issues are the consequences of the conflict, and it is necessary to
reach more precision in formulation of issues under consideration.
Arkady Ghukasian maintained it is impossible to reach a compromise in
this atmosphere of hatred and lack of confidence between the parties.
He proposed to the mediators to get guarantees from the sides against
use of force and threat. The co-chairs thanked for the detailed talk
and said they share the concerns of the Karabakh side. After the
meeting, which lasted for over two hours, NKR President Ghukasian said:
`I presented our stance. I assure our stance has not changed: it is
pointless to discuss any other issue unless there is agreement on the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh.’ Although Arkady Ghukasian thinks the talks
between Azerbaijan and Armenia are not realistic, he said: `We thought
if it is easier for Azerbaijan to talk to Armenia and to negotiate the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh with Armenia, we can allow that. But these
hopes were not justified.’ As to the optimism of the mediators,
according to Ghukasian, it is difficult to anticipate developments
unless the mediators are optimistic. `But I did not have an impression
that the mediators expect the meeting in Saint Petersburg to be
crucial. Everyone understands the current situation does not presuppose
it. There is hope, the mediators said.’ In answer to the question if
the recent statement by Matthew Bryza about the pullout of force,
corridor and afterwards status was discussed with the co-chairs and if
this order matters, Ghukasian said: `We are not ready to discuss any
other issue unless there is agreement on the status of Karabakh,. It is
another problem that the territories are on the agenda, and it does not
depend on us. We cannot avoid discussing the issues that worry
Azerbaijan but for its part Azerbaijan must discuss the issues that
worry us. Number one issue for us is status and security.’ According to
the NKR President, the issues of territories and refugees are the
consequences and not the cause of the conflict. `The conflict existed
when there were no liberated territories and a problem of refugees. And
if the sides do not have a clear-cut approach towards the basic issue,
it is pointless to discuss the issues which are the consequences of the
war.’ The Nagorno-Karabakh issue cannot have a subjective basis, it has
an objective basis: Azerbaijan waged a war against Karabakh, Azerbaijan
lost the war and this status quo occurred. According to Arkady
Ghukasian, Azerbaijan uses the negotiations with Armenia for
propaganda, to show that Armenia is an aggressor. `I am disappointed
with the stance of Azerbaijan¦ You see, the impression is (or an
artificial impression is made) that Karabakh is indifferent towards its
fate because it agreed and accepted this format. We cannot impose it on
Armenia, Azerbaijan or the mediators. The mediators have, for instance,
repeated for several times it is not their fault Karabakh is not
negotiating with Azerbaijan. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office told me the
same thing. I certainly reminded that they must honor the decisions of
the OSCE summit instructing the co-chairs to negotiate with all the
sides of the conflict. Meanwhile, they maintain they do not make
decisions, Armenia and Azerbaijan decided,’ says the NKR president.
Anyway, the people of Karabakh will say the definitive word, Ghukasian
said. `We could state we don’t care for the talks between Armenia and
Azerbaijan because we do not take part in the talks. But it is not
constructive. In this case they would accuse Karabakh of the failure of
the talks.’

11-06-2007

NA BY-ELECTIONS BY MAJORITARIAN SYSTEM TO BE HELD ON AUGUST 26 AT
ELECTORAL DISTRICT N 15

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, NOYAN TAPAN. National Assembly by-elections by
majoritarian system will be held on August 26 at electoral district N
26, Aragatsotn. The Central Electoral Commission made this decision at
the June 11 special sitting.

To recap, RPA member Khachik Manukian, deputy of NA of previous
convocation, elected as a deputy as a result of the May 12 elections
and registered by CEC, on June 6, according to his own application,
without any motivation refused to receive the deputy mandate.

Jun 1, 2007 7:10 am US/Pacific
NoHo Teen Behind Bars After Wild Police Chase
()

(CBS) GLENDALE, Calif. An 18-year-old North Hollywood man was behind bars
Thursday for allegedly leading police on a 30-minute pursuit that began in
Glendale and ended on the Hollywood (170) Freeway, officials said.

Glendale police tried to pull Vachagan Arakelyan over when he was spotted
speeding in the area of Brand Boulevard and Chevy Chase Drive about 6:30 p.m.
yesterday, said John Balian of the Glendale Police Department.

A computer check revealed that the car had been stolen in Van Nuys, Balian
said.

The pursuit wound through the streets of Glendale at speeds up to 100 mph
and then onto the Golden State (5) Freeway and the Hollywood (170) Freeway,
where it was brought to an end by the California Highway Patrol at the Victory
Boulevard offramp, Balian said.

During the pursuit, Arakelyan nearly hit several pedestrians, Balian said.

He was arrested on suspicion of felony evading and assault with a deadly
weapon and was being held on $75,000 bail.

(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may notbe
published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press
contributed to this report. )

Rallies were held today in front of the OSCE Yerevan office, Foreign
Ministry and Armenian government building

ArmInfo
2007-06-08 09:06:00

Today several public organizations, in particular the Alliance and
public initiative "Liberated Territories
Protection" organized a march from the OSCE Yerevan office to the
Foreign Ministry and Armenian government building.

The participants in the march handed over "memorandum on complaints" to
the OSCE MG co-chairs, Armenian Foreign Minister and Prime Minister.

In front of the government building the participants applied to the
Prime Minister with a separate letter with a demand to discharge Jirayr
Sefilyan, coordinator of the public initiative "Protection of the
Liberated Territories" and his battle friend Vardan Malkhasyan. To
recall, coordinator of the "United Armenian volunteers", hero of the
Karabakh war Jirayr Sefilyan was arrested on 9 December 2006. He was
accused according to the 301 article of the Criminal Code – "Calling to
forcible overthrow of Constitutional system". The investigation is
being held by National Security Service of Armenia.