Author: Tavakalian Edgar

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 SPIRITUAL LEADER OF THE GERMAN CHURCHES EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR THE
RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

In a letter to His Holiness Aram I, the spiritual leader of the German
Protestant Church, Bishop Wolfgang Huber has affirmed his full support for
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and has promised to exert efforts
in this direction.

Bishop Huber has informed the Catholicos about the work carried out by the
German Churches for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He has ensured
Aram I that he personally and the churches he presides over will pursue
their efforts: “Most recently the German Parliament accepted a common
statement on the issue. It does not fulfill all expectations but can be seen
as a step in the right direction . I tell you this in order to assure you,
that EKD and myself will try to do what we can to intensify the process of
recognition of the Armenian Genocide and to encourage a process of
reconciliation between the Armenian and the Turkish people.”

Bishop Huber is a personal friend of His Holiness Aram I. The Catholicos had
written to him a month ago, requesting his support in the efforts for the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Germany.

The German Bundestag adopted a resolution lately condemning the Armenian
atrocities and apologizing for the role played by Germany in them.

##

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.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet: <;

PRESS RELEASE
July 2, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA WELCOMES REJECTION BY OSCE PARLIAMENTARY
ASSEMBLY OF DIVISIVE NAGORNO KARABAGH RESOLUTION

— Meeting in Washington, DC, Parliamentarians
from 55-Member States Defeat Azerbaijani Effort

WASHINGTON, DC – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA), meeting last night in
Washington, DC, voted overwhelmingly to defeat a controversial
measure on Nagorno Karabagh authored by Azerbaijani Parliamentarian
Sattar Safarov, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).

The vote took place during a meeting of the OSCE PA’s Heads of
Delegation, as part of the opening session of the four-day meeting
for members of Parliament from the 55 member states of the OSCE.
The Safarov resolution, which was widely viewed as a biased and
divisive measure, received only token support, with nearly all the
Heads of Delegation voting, by a show of hands, to keep the measure
off of the OSCE PA agenda.

The OSCE PA proceedings are being presided over by Congressman
Alcee Hastings (D-FL), the first U.S. legislator to ever serve in
this capacity. Other members of Congress participating in the
Assembly include: Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), who is heading the
U.S. delegation, Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), and
Representatives Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD),
Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Louise McIntosh Slaughter (D-NY), Robert
B. Aderholt (R-AL), Mike McIntyre (D-NC), Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA),
Mike Pence (R-IN), and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC).

The Armenian delegation is being headed by Vahan Hovhannisian, the
Deputy Speaker of Armenia’s Parliament. Other members of the
delegation are Artashes Geghamyan, MP and Samvel Nikoyan, MP. The
ANCA worked closely with the Armenian delegation and the Armenian
Embassy in Washington, DC, as well as with Armenian National
Committee affiliates in Canada and throughout Europe, in sharing
with OSCE PA members the dangers of the Safarov resolution.

“We would like to thank Congressman Hastings for his leadership in
the Assembly’s proceedings, and to express our appreciation to all
those who voted against the Safarov resolution for their
responsible stewardship of the OSCE’s efforts to facilitate a
negotiated settlement to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict,” said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

The defeat of the Safarov resolution set the stage for the standard
consideration by the Assembly of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.
This discussion is being led by Swedish Member of Parliament Goran
Lennmarker, who has served since June of 2002 as the OSCE PA
special representative on this issue. In preparation for the OSCE
PA meeting, Lennmarker presented a report, entitled “A Golden
Opportunity: Some Ideas on Nagorno Karabakh Conflict,” to the Heads
of Delegations to the OSCE PA.

In this report, Lennmarker stressed that there is now a golden
opportunity, through the OSCE Minsk Peace-process, for a peaceful
solution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, based on a “win-win”
concept where both Armenia and Azerbaijan come out better. In his
remarks, Lennmarker noted that “the conflict is not frozen,” adding
that “there is no alternative to a peaceful solution – in fact
there is an urgent need to solve the conflict in order to end the
personal, economic, and social suffering on both sides of this
conflict.” He proposed basing a solution on experiences from
Europe, where democracy and integration are fundamental components
in securing a lasting peace, and added that strong European and
international institutions stand ready to support Armenia and
Azerbaijan.

In the weeks leading up to the convening of this meeting, the ANCA,
through grassroots outreach, stressed to the U.S. members of
Congress serving in the OSCE PA that Armenian Americans attach
tremendous importance to Nagorno Karabagh’s rights to freedom,
democracy and self-determination. The Armenian American community,
the ANCA stressed, has invested considerable hope in the OSCE Minsk
Group process and is firmly opposed to any efforts to derail this
effort.

In a June 24th letter sent to Congressman Hastings and to the
others in the U.S. delegation, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian warned
of the dangers presented by the Safarov resolution, describing it
as a “one-sided approach to a complex issue,” that “neither fairly
characterizes the conflict nor presents any practical steps toward
its resolution. In sum, it is a destructive measure that will, if
adopted, ultimately threaten the progress of the OSCE Minsk Group
peace talks.” Hachikian specifically called on the U.S. members of
the Assembly to vote against the Safarov resolution and “to
strongly oppose any and all efforts to use the Assembly’s meeting
as a forum for one-sided efforts to derail progress toward peace in
Nagorno Karabagh.”

The OSCE PA is the parliamentary dimension of the Organization for
Security and Co-operation in Europe, whose 55 participating States
span the geographical area from Vancouver to Vladivostok. The
primary task of the 317-member Assembly is to facilitate inter-
parliamentary dialogue, an important aspect of the overall effort
to meet the challenges of democracy throughout the OSCE area.
Recognized as a regional arrangement under Chapter VIII of the
United Nations Charter, the OSCE is a primary instrument for early
warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict
rehabilitation in its area. The Parliamentary Assembly, originally
established by the 1990 Paris Summit to promote greater involvement
in the OSCE by national parliaments, has grown into a very active
and esteemed member of the OSCE family.

To learn more about the OSCE PA, visit:

Moldova Azi
July 2 2005

Problem of Recognition of Self-proclaimed States Has to Be Solved –
Russian Presidential Administration CEO Says

Mr. Modest Kolerov, Chief of the Department for Inter-Regional and
Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries of the Russian Presidential
Administration, took part in an international forum “Europe: Results
of Changes” being held in Moscow, and stated, in particular, that the
problem of recognition of the sovereignty of unrecognized states
[such as Transnistria, South Ossetia, Abkhazia, Nagorny Karabakh]
needs to be solved.
“This is one of the most important and principal problems today, and
we all cannot avoid solving it”, he said, adding, “Today, we cannot
help recognizing the very reality of the existence of people living
in those unrecognized states with all their problems, like we cannot
help recognizing those very self-proclaimed republics.

Mr. Kolerov reminded there existed the so-called “international
corridors of possibilities for resolving the problem of unrecognized
republics. These include: international legitimization of elections
to power organs, e.g. like the recent parliamentary elections in
Nagorny Karabakh that were recognized by the OSCE; realization of the
self-styled republic’s rights in the fields of education, culture,
sciences; and other”, said the Kremlin high-ranked representative. In
his words, such unrecognized states are already participants in
international economic relations, except, perhaps, Nagorny Karabakh.

“At acting so, NATO has to be excluded from settling any conflicts
related to the existence of unrecognized states in the FSU area. Any
involvement of NATO’s in settling such problems will only lead to
further freezing of the conflicts”, said Modest Kolerov.

The Russian Presidential Administration representative criticized
former Soviet republics, having stated they lack sovereignty,
democracy, and leaders, “but their biggest and painful-most shortage
is the deficit of legitimacy”, as he put it.

Two weeks ago, Kolerov visited Chisinau and Tiraspol, and made a
number of loud statements that were perceived by the Moldovan
leadership as an indirect recognition of the ‘Transnistrian Moldovan
Republic’.

The ongoing Moscow forum is being attended by several politicians
from Moldova who represent the parties of the so-called pro-Russia
orientation – the leader of the Ravnopraviye [Equal Rights]
Socio-Political Movement Valery Klimenko, Valentin Krylov of the
Party of Socialists, Moldova Noastra Alliance Chairman MP Serafim
Urechean.

Speaking at the forum, Urechean qualified as “lame” the
Ukraine-proposed Plan of settling the Transnistria problem. He said
the Yushenko Plan “is not viable. It has no logical end”.

The New Anatolian, Turkey
June 30 2005

Turkey to the EU: ‘We will continue our way’

* Gul sends positive signals to EU on the eve of framework document
release: We have no hesitation.

Sanaa, Yemen – Turkish FM says Turkey will normalize its relations
with neighboring countries, including Armenia, by its own initiative.
‘We don’t need to hear such things from the EU,’ says Gul. ‘These are
issues that we’re already working on. Words from abroad on these
issues shouldn’t be seen as impositions or conditions’

Even surrounded by dozens of diplomats from a host of Islamic
countries, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul still could not
forget the issues of Ankara’s European Union membership bid.

Despite being at the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
summitin Yemen, reporters’ questions towards Gul yesterday mostly
concerned the path of Turkish-EU relations. And in answering these
questions, Gul sent positive messages to the EU on the eve of the
declaration of the framework document, the “road map” for Turkey’s
accession negotiations scheduled to begin on Oct. 3.

“We have no hesitation. We will continue our way,” said Gul, batting
to one side a question on whether the normalization of relations with
Armenia would be included on the document.

But the Turkish foreign minister did underline that Turkey would
normalize its relations with neighboring countries, including
Armenia, by its own initiative. “We don’t need to hear such things
from the EU,” said Gul. “These are issues that we’re already working
on. The words coming from abroad on these issues should not be
understood as impositions or conditions.”

He claimed that Turkey had satisfied the conditions for the start of
the negotiations by fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria. The period
for fulfilling “the Copenhagen criteria has ended,” he said. “This
was a condition for the negotiations, but it was finished by the
decision to start our accession talks.”

Conceding that there were still some deficiencies in the
implementation of the criteria, Gul said that Turkey would implement
them “for the sake of the Turkish people.”

Gul also said that he had had a chat with Iranian Foreign Minister
Kamal Kharrazi in the wake of the weekend landmark Iranian elections.
“It is obvious that a new period will begin in Iran after the
presidential elections,” Gul said. “We hope for the improvement of
our friendship, cooperation and brotherhood with Iran during this
period.”

Le Monde covers Armenian Genocide in its supplement

29.06.2005 15:06

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – In its literary supplement, the French newspaper
Le Monde has covered publications on the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, Armenpress reported.

The introduction says that a few years ago intellectuals and
historians had different views on the massacres committed by the
Turks in 1915. The issue was not the events but how they should be
qualified. Bernard Lewis, an American professor of the Middle Eastern,
who had denied the Genocide in 1993, was condemned two years later of
“fault” by a Paris court.

The Armenian Genocide is officially recognized in France. The
paper also has covered works by Armenian and foreign scholars on
the Genocide.

Protest action in Tsalka

The Messenger, Georgia
June 28 2005

On Sunday the population of the Tsalka district (Kvemo-Kartli region
in the east of Georgia) protested against the presence of the Georgian
Interior Ministry’s special forces and demanded their withdrawal,
Black Sea Press reports.

The local population protesting see the presence of the law enforcement
bodies as a way to increase tension between the ethnic Armenians and
Georgians. The region is populated predominantly by ethnic Armenians.

“They are irritated by our not speaking Georgian and that we are
Armenians,” one of the participants of the action said.

“We were born here; our ancestors have lived here for over 180 years.

Why does the police aggravate the situation?” said Majority Deputy
in Parliament from the Tsalka district Aik Mentonyan.

On June 27 MPs addressed the issue at the bureau session. According
to MP Elene Tevdoradze she plans to visit the region together with
Ombudsman Sozar Subari.

Special forces were first introduced in Tsalka this spring, after
several conflicts among the local population.

The situation grew especially aggravated when one of the ethnic
Armenians were wounded on June 25.

Turkish Press
June 28 2005

Press Scan

VATAN

FOUR CRITERIA OF EU

Vatan newspaper announces the negotiation framework agreement which
will be made public on Wednesday. According to the paper, there are
four demands of EU from Turkey: “Fulfillment of Copenhagen criteria,
Turkey’s having good relations with Greece and sorting out its
problems with Armenia, normalization of its bilateral relations with
South Cyprus and fulfillment of the homework stated in the Accession
Partnership.”

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
06/27/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://

1) OSCE Parliamentarians to Debate International Security, Human Rights,
Karabagh Conflict
2) ARF’s Nalbandian at Party of European Socialists Meeting
3) Aliyev Links Higher Defense Spending to Russian Arms Relocation
4) Turkey Won’t Accept Any New EU Criteria
5) ARS Javakhk Fund to Renovate Akhalkalak School

1) OSCE Parliamentarians to Debate International Security, Human Rights,
Karabagh Conflict

COPENHAGEN–Nearly three-hundred parliamentarians from Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) fifty-five participating States
will meet in Washington, DC, July 1-5, to debate issues affecting the OSCE
area, including Mountainous Karabagh, Abkhazia (Georgia), trafficking in human
beings, gender equality and respect for human rights.
The head of Armenia’s delegation to OSCE Vahan Hovhannissian, who is also the
Deputy Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly, will be in Washington for
the session, which is expected to review Goren Lennmarker’s report on
Karabagh.

Lennmarker, OCSE’s rapporteur on Karabagh, reaffirmed in his March 2005
report
that Mountainous Karabagh’s status is of utmost importance, and that Azeri
arguments concerning refugees and territory are secondary.
“By bringing the Azeri refugee issue to the forefront, Azerbaijan must
realize
that the Armenian side has the right to raise analogous claims, that is, to
insist on the return of Armenians to Baku and Sumgaitwhich is hardly possible
as Armenians in Azerbaijan are doomed to a violent death,” Hovhannisian said.
Senior officials, including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, will be
addressing the annual Session. The current President of the Assembly is US
Congressman Alcee L. Hastings of Florida.
OSCE parliamentarians from North America, Europe, the Caucasus, and Central
Asia will debate current issues based on resolutions prepared by the
Assembly’s
Rapporteurs on political, economic, environmental, and human rights issues
related to the Session’s theme ’30 Years since Helsinki: Challenges Ahead;’
supplementary resolutions on specific issues will also be presented.
Consideration will be given to topics such as piracy, trafficking in human
beings, standards of conduct by international humanitarian workers, combating
terrorism, trafficking in small arms, the Mountainous Karabagh conflict,
gender
equality, co-operation with Mediterranean states, Abkhazia (Georgia), money
laundering and corruption, Moldova, anti-Semitism, election observation
activities, and OSCE reform. The Final Document, to be adopted on the last day
of the meeting, will include recommendations on these and other issues.
Meeting for the first time in the United States, OSCE parliamentarians, will
also–for the first time–have the opportunity to meet and hear an address by
the newly appointed Secretary General of the OSCE Ambassador Marc Perrin de
Brichambaut. The Assembly will also honor Ukraine Television Channel Five with
the tenth OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy on the first day of the
Session.
The meetings of the Assembly will take place in the premises of the JW
Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. All documents and forms for the Session,
including press applications, resolutions and other general information,
can be
found on the Assembly’s website: <;
The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, created by the CSCE Summit in
Paris in
1990, is the parliamentary setting for the 55-nation Organization for Security
and Co-operation in Europe. The primary task of the 317 member Assembly is to
facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue, in an overall effort to meet the
challenges of democracy throughout the OSCE area.

2) ARF’s Nalbandian at Party of European Socialists Meeting

YEREVAN (Yerkir)–The Council of Party of European Socialists (PES) marked its
first anniversary as an independent European political party on June 24-25,
when it met in Vienna to discuss European Union (EU) enlargement, as well as
the party’s organizational reforms.
Mario Nalbandian, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau’s
representative in the Socialist International, represented the party and met
with various party delegates to discuss issues related to Armenia.
The first session, “Our Europe,” reviewed the common vision of social
democrats on the role and direction of the EU. This debate was of particular
importance after the results of the referenda in France and the Netherlands.
The debates continued the next day with discussion on “Decent jobs for all: a
new growth and investment strategy for Europe,” and “Meeting Europe’s
demographic challenges.”
The council adopted a resolution on building a more visible and influential
PES, one which is democratic and involves both its members and partners. The
resolution, in part sates: “Today’s EU policy agenda is more active and
fast-paced than it has ever been. It has also never affected more parts of our
core social democratic agenda; the EU agenda is constantly evolving in areas
that influence the very heart of what we stand for. Conversely, we can set a
proactive, new, progressive agenda at European level if we mobilize ourselves
collectively with that purpose.”
Socialist parties of EU member states comprise PES. Its Council works to
strengthen the PES as a political actor at EU level and to champion the
priorities of European social democrats.

3) Aliyev Links Higher Defense Spending to Russian Arms Relocation

(AP)–President Ilham Aliyev said Saturday that Azerbaijan was increasing its
defense spending in response to the relocation of Russian weapons from Georgia
to Armenia.
Even though Moscow said weapons would remain under Russian military control
and would not be turned over to Armenia, the redeployment “requires adequate
steps,” Aliyev said in a speech before military school graduates.
“We have undertaken such steps, having increased our military spending, which
will continue to grow in the future,” Aliyev said. He said Azerbaijan’s
military spending was set to increase from $175 million in 2004 to $300
million
this year.
“Our army is the strongest in the Southern Caucasus,” Aliyev said. “We have
achieved superiority and will continue to strengthen it.”
Russia said it had redeployed the weaponry to Armenia under pressure to speed
up its military withdrawal from Georgia. Despite Russian assurances that the
move wouldn’t destabilize the region, Azerbaijan has remained strongly
critical
of the relocation.
Aliyev also said Saturday that Azerbaijan will also work to strengthen its
relations with NATO. Azerbaijan has taken part in NATO’s Partnership for Peace
program and it has presented a plan that would further foster cooperation with
the alliance, “bringing Azerbaijan-NATO relations to a new level,” Aliyev
said.

4) Turkey Won’t Accept Any New EU Criteria

ISTANBUL (AP)–Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country
will not agree to any new conditions for European Union membership, adding
that
Turkey expects “honest politics” as it begins negotiations to join the bloc.
For EU membership talks to begin, Turkey must recognize Cyprus before the
talks open in October, show progress on Kurdish rights, improve the economy
and
limit the military’s influence in politics. Ankara is also expected to treat
ethnic and religious minorities equally and implement penal code reforms.
Still many European voters are balking at letting in the poor, predominantly
Muslim country of 70 million people, a decision that would extend the EU’s
borders to Iran.
EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said this week that the bloc
should have an open debate about Turkey’s candidacy. The country is scheduled
to start membership negotiations with the EU on Oct. 3.
“Turkey is not…renegotiating anything,” Erdogan told reporters late
Saturday. “If you impose new things on countries from one day to the next,
especially at a time when negotiations are about to start, that would not be
right,” he added. “We are used to honest politics, that’s what we expect and
want.”
Concerns about Turkey’s membership were highlighted by the recent
rejection of
the EU’s proposed constitution by French and Dutch voters, many of whom cited
Turkey’s bid as the reason they cast ballots against the charter.
Erdogan praised British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who this week urged the EU
to continue expanding. Blair warned that shutting the door to new members
would
give rise to nationalism and xenophobia in Europe.
“In politics, I like those who have a backbone…I don’t like the rest,”
Erdogan said.

5) ARS Javakhk Fund to Renovate Akhalkalak School

AKHALKALAK (A-info)–The Armenian Relief Society’s Javakhk Assistance Fund has
started renovation on Ghato village’s local school, located in the Akhalkalak
region. The school is one of the oldest in the region. Due to the efforts of
the ARS Javakhk Fund, the Akhlalkalak-based “Shinarar” organization has
undertaken the renovation of the dilapidated school, and is scheduled to
finish
work in September–in time for the 2005-2006 school year.
The ARS Javakhk Fund works in the Javakhk, Tsalka, Akhaltsikh, and
Ninotsminda
regions to renovate and repair not only local schools, but also clinics in
need
of care. With many projects already underway, the Fund also provides the
clinics necessary supplies.

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Pan Armenian News

R. SIMONS: NATO DOES NOT VIEW ITSELF AS MEDIATOR IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

23.06.2005 02:47

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ If the Government of Armenia `does not wish the presence
of Russian military bases in its territory, the NATO will assist Yerevan in
the matter,’ stated the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for
the Caucasus and Central Asia, NATO Deputy Assistant Secretary General for
Political Affairs and Security Robert Simmons. In the course of a meeting
with Armenian, Georgian and Azeri journalists and experts in Brussels,
Simons `assessed as very positive the latest Russian-Georgian talks at which
Moscow expressed readiness to abide by commitments assumed at the OSCE
Istanbul Summit in 1999 and withdraw its military bases from Georgia.’
Brussels hails the withdrawal of Russian military from the territory of
Georgia. `Meanwhile, Russia still retains its military base in Armenia,
moreover it transfers part of materiel from Georgian military bases to
Armenia,’ Simons says `this does not run counter to the Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE Treaty), however on the other hand the transfer
of arms from Georgia to Armenia is undesirable, as if Armenia does not wish
the presence of Russian military bases in its territory, certain
difficulties may appear.’ At that Simmons does not consider the presence of
Russian military bases hampers further intensification of Armenia-NATO
relations. `It is not a problem to the NATO, especially as Armenia itself
agrees with Russian military presence in its territory. The NATO does not
build relations with partner countries based on competition and does not
consider Russia its competitor in the South Caucasus,’ he added. In his
statement titled Road to NATO Membership Simmons noted that Georgia has left
Armenia and Azerbaijan far behind in intensification of relations with the
NATO.’ In his words, Georgia is the only South Caucasian country that has
expressed desire to become a NATO member. On the other hand, in his words,
expecting Georgia to become a NATO member in the near future is not real.
Touching upon the Karabakh settlement, Simmons remarked NATO does not view
itself as a mediator and `not wishing to duplicate the OSCE Minsk Group,
fully supports the OSCE.’ In his words, if the parties suggest the NATO a
larger role in Karabakh settlement, `we will discuss it.’ In Simmons’ words,
the Alliance posture is impartial and promotes peaceful settlement, reported
Regnum news agency.

CAUCASIAN PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

A1plus

| 20:34:01 | 17-06-2005 | Official |

According to the memorandum signed in Tbilisi, since January 1,
2007 the South Caucasian Parliamentary Assembly will function.

On June 16 in Tbilisi the session of the Southern Caucasus
Parliamentary Initiative Presidium took place, in which the future
development of the Initiative was discussed. As a result of the
discussions it was decided that the activity of the Initiative will
continue with another phase where each country will preside for
6 months.

In the memorandum signed by the countries it was stated that the
delegations of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia will spare no efforts
to make the South Caucasian Initiative a more active structure. All
the necessary steps will be taken to turn the Parliamentary Initiative
into the South Caucasian Parliamentary Assembly on January 1, 2007.

The secretariat of the Parliamentary Initiative has been ordered to
represent to the Presidium for the coming 18 months draft documents
which will regulate the authorizations and the activity of the
Parliamentary Assembly.

The Memorandum has been signed by the heads of the delegations
of the three countries. The Armenian delegation to the Presidium
session was represented by RA NA deputy speaker Tigran Torosyan and
Mher Shahgeldyan.