Author: Toganian Liana

NEWLY-ELECTED PARLIAMENT STARTED ITS ACTIVITIES

A1+
[01:38 pm] 07 June, 2007

Early in the morning the newly-elected deputies were in the NA, except
for the "Orinats Yerkir Party" and the "Heritage" party. Sedrak
Saroyan and Artak Davtyan, who were sitting on the deputy chairs
for the first time, were even bewildered. The beginning of the NA
activities was heralded by the RA state hymn, afterwards the RA
President Robert Kocharyan spoke. He congratulated the deputies and
pointed that they had contributed to the country’s democratization and
promoted the maintenance of stability in the country. Mr. Kocharyan
mentioned that it was vital since "the legitimacy of the parliament is
irreproachable". He also pointed out that a very interesting format
was elected which would be basis for the parliamentary activities
for some years. He called the deputies to forming parliamentary
commissions and the government, confirming government projects and
starting to work. The All Armenian Catholicos Garegin II also greeted
and blessed the deputies.

The session was headed by the NA Deputy Rafik Petrosyan who read the
names of the deputies and then the swearing-in ceremony began.

Tigran Torosyan was nominated as the NA Chairman by the "Republican
Party of Armenia". In his speech Tigran Torosyan highly estimated
the parliamentary elections as corresponding to the international
standards and talked about the NA activities, underlining the necessity
of reforms in the social field.

ARKADY GHUKASIAN.

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
07-06-2007

"The authorities of Nagorno Karabakh assume the same attitude that
the negotiations are to be conducted in three-sided format with full
value participation of the representatives of Nagorno Karabakh. It’s
meaningless anticipating something supernatural from the meeting of
the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in St Petersburg", announced
the President of Nagorno Karabakh Arkadi Ghukasian after the meeting
with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
Kingdom of Spain Miguel Angel Moratinos. "The general problem of
the conflict is the status of Nagorno Karabakh, and if this problem
is not solved yet, there is no question of optimism. If there is
no agreement on the status of NKR, it’s meaningless to discuss the
other issues. There is another version: not to solve any problem,
it’s also a way of solving the problems. I understand that we cannot
demand 100 per cent in the negotiation process.

But I want to say again that the most important thing for us is the
status of Nagorno Karabakh", mentioned Arkadi Ghukasian. Anyway,
according to Arkadi Ghukasian the present format of the negotiations
is not logical: "We speak about the destiny of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh, and it’s incomprehensible why Nagorno Karabakh does not
directly participate in the negotiation process". At the same time,
whoever conducts the negotiation process, if it is in the interests of
the people of Nagorno Karabakh, it will be adopted. "Nagorno Karabakh
will never agree to be part of Azerbaijan and will never renounce its
independence. The rest is the issues of agenda and we are ready to
discuss them. Nagorno Karabakh will have the last word on this issue,
and our people will never agree with any decision that contradicts
the interests of Nagorno Karabakh", announced Arkadi Ghukasian.

What about the fact that Nagorno Karabakh was left behind the
negotiation process Arkadi Ghukasian thought that all of them were
guilty in it. "We understand that the present format of negotiations
will not contribute to the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict",
said the President of Nagorno Karabakh. To the question of "Azg"
daily "How much are the authorities of Nagorno Karabakh aware of the
discussed principles and do they agree with them?" Arkadi Khukasian
answered that there were no basic contradictions between Armenia and
Nagorno Karabakh on the settlement of the conflict.

"Nagorno Karabakh has its own attitude, which must be taken into
account by the authorities of Armenia. It’s not always that we can
persist in our opinion", he said.

SENATE OF CHILE CALLS OF THE GOVERNMENT TO CONDEMN THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmRadio.am
06.06.2007 18:13

On June 5 the Senate of Chile unanimously adopted a decision, in which
it calls on the Government of the country to support the Armenian
people and condemn the genocide perpetrated against it. The author
of the bill is Senate member Ricardo Nunies Munios (Socialistic Party).

VARTAN OSKANIAN: RESPECT FOR ARTSAKHI PEOPLE’S RIGHT FOR SELF-DETERMINATION THE ONLY WAY FOR CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

ArmRadio.am
05.06.2007 15:54

Discussion of other issues is impossible without ascertaining the right
of the Nagorno Karabakh people for self-determination, RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian declared during the joint pres conference
with the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel
Angel Moratinos.

In response to the question of a Spanish journalist about the most
disputable questions, the Foreign Minister noted the right for
self-determination of Artsakhi people is the main milestone. "That
is the reason why the conflict started. The remaining issues are
the consequences of the war imposed by Azerbaijan," Vartan Oskanian
declared, adding that the question can be settled only by recognizing
the right of Artsakhi people for self-determination.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS ARRIVE IN BAKU

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 5 2007

The US and Russian co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza and
Yuri Merzlyakov arrived in Azerbaijan tonight, APA reports.

French co-chair Bernard Fassier came to Baku yesterday.

The co-chair will meet Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
tomorrow.

The meeting is a preparation for the planned negotiations of
Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents in St. Petersburg.

The co-chairs will leave Baku for Yerevan.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT CONTINUES ELECTION HEARINGS

Panorama.am
16:58 04/06/2007

Today the Constitutional Court of Armenia continued hearing
applications by Orinats Yerkir (OYeK), Republic, New Times parties
(NTP) and Impeachment block requiring annulling the parliamentary
election results. The court hearing started with eight mediations
made by Ruben Torosyan, NTP representative.

In one of his mediations, Torosyan required to include Central
Electoral Committee members, particularly Felix Khachatryan,
into the court case. Vahe Grigoryan, representative of Impeachment
block, required excluding Justice Minister Davit Harutunyan, as a
codefendant. He said Harutunyan must be interested in his post of a
deputy with obvious contradictions with his role as a justice minister.

In one and half hour long speech, the representative of Impeachment
block, Vahagn Hovakimyan, presented discrepancies recorded by the
block during the election campaign and the actual conduct of elections.

In his words, Prosperous Armenia (BHK), Armenian Republican Party
(HHK) distributed food and money, BHK organized lotteries, gave away
ambulance cars during community campaign. Hovakimyan said voters
were brought to polling centers in mini buses. "CEC has ignored these
facts," he said.

FOOD PRICES GROW BY 4% IN ARMENIA IN MAY 2007

Noyan Tapan
Jun 04 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A 4% inflation was registered in the
Armenian food commodity market in May on April 2007, which was mainly
due to a 15.9% and 19.7% growth in prices of fruit and vegetables.

According to the RA National Statistical Service, a 18.4% growth in
prices of vegetables and potato was registered in Armenia in May 2007
on May 2006 and a 19.7% growth – in May on April 2007, which was mainly
due to a growth in prices of potato (24.3%), carrot (25%) and cabbage
(33.9%). Prices of tomato, garlic, onion and beet rose by 0.7-12.9%
in the indicated period.

In the fruit commodity group, a 26% inflation was registered in May
2007 on May 2006 and a 15.9% inflation – in May on April 2007. Prices
of lemon, banana, pear, grapes, apple, pomegranate, orange rose by
0.5-26.9% in May on April 2007.

In the commodity group of meat products, a 1% inflation was registered
in May on April 2007, mainly due to a 9% and 10.8% growth in prices
of mutton and pork respectively. The price of beef grew by 0.2%
in the indicated period.

A 0.1% inflation was registered in the commodity group of coffee, tea
and cocoa in May on April 2007, while prices in the commodity groups of
bread products, confectionery, other foodstuffs, soft drinks, alcoholic
drinks and cigarettes remained at the level of the previous month.

A 0.4% price fall was registered in the commodity group of fish
products in May on April 2007, mainly due to a 0.8% fall in the price
of fresh white fish.

0.1-0.2% fall in prices of milk products, butter, vegetable oil,
eggs and granulated sugar was registered in the country in May on
April 2007.

LEBANON IS NOT AT WAR WITH PALESTINE, LEBANESE AMBASSADOR ASSURES

Noyan Tapan
Jun 01 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 1, NOYAN TAPAN. Clashes of Lebanese army with
Palestine assault detachments are not a war between Lebanon and
Pelestine. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Lebanon
to Armenia Gabriel Geara stated this at the June 1 meeting with
journalists.

In Ambassador’s words, the army’s actions are aimed against the
Fath al-Islam extremist grouping, which includes representatives of
various countries.

The latters secretly entered Lebanon and concentrated in Nahr al
Barid Palestine camp. During May Fath al-Islam’s militants attacked
positions of Lebanese army in Tripoli, as a result of which more then
thirty Lebanese servicemen were killed. The organization is also
responsible for a number of explosions in the country. In Gabriel
Geara’s words, stating that the actions are aimed against Israel,
the grouping indeed has the goal to damage country’s security and to
undermine Lebanon. Mentioning that the grouping, in which Lebanese
make 10%, does not receive any assistance inside the country, at the
same time, he did not exclude that Fath al-Islam, which has financial
resources and arms and ammunitions, is assisted from outside. As the
Ambassador affirmed, the above mentioned clashes cannot be a basis
for resumption of a civil war in the country.

In Ambassador’s words, the authorities of Palestine and another
groupings of that country condemned Fath al-Islam’s actions. The Arab
League and the UN Security Council also made statements of the kind.

Gabriel Geara said that the Lebanese government will continue
assisting Palestine and the people of that country. He reminded that
at present there are nearly 400 thousand Palestinians in 8 Palestine
camps in Lebanon. Though these camps have autonomous status and the
Lebanese army, according to the agreement, does not enter the camps,
nevertheless, in Ambassador’s words, if the militants continue
using the camps as a point of support, the army will have to break
the agreement. The Lebanese government tries to take out peaceful
population of Palestine from camps. The peaceful population is
involuntarily used by militants.

Answering journalists’ questions, the Ambassador said that the Turkish
contingent functioning in the staff of peacekeepers located in Lebanon,
against penetrating which country’s Armenian community protested,
functions exclusively within the limits of the UN peacekeeping
mandate. On the whole, in Gabriel Geara’s words, the Armenian
population of Lebanon, which did nor suffer during the civil war,
continues to be far from places of clashes today and no danger
threatens to it.

In response to the question about Lebanon’s position in connection
with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Ambassador said that this
issue is not primary for his country’s foreign policy. In Gabriel
Geara’s words, Lebanon together with Azerbaijan is a member of Arab
League. As regards votings on that issue in UN, in Ambassador’s words,
Lebanon has always shown a neutral position in this issue.

KARABAGH PARLIAMENT APPROVED MAKING MODIFICATIONS TO LAW "ON PARTIES"

DeFacto Agency, Armenia –
May 31 2007

About 15 issues were discussed at the Nagorno-Karabagh National
Assembly current plenary session held May 30.

The deputies approved the bills on making modifications and additions
to the NKR laws "On Parties", "On an Ombudsman", "On Civil Service",
"On Social Ensuring of Servicemen and the Members of their Families",
"On the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic’s Administrative and Territorial
Divisions" and on making additions to the NKR law "On Language",
IA REGNUM reports.

The bill "On Alienation of Property for the Needs of Society and State"
was adopted at the first reading. The NKR draft laws "On the Program
of the State Property’s Privatization 2007-2009", "On Conducting
Cadastre of Movable Property, the Right to the Movable Property’s
Pledge and Registration of the Right to Rent by Leasing Agreement"
were also approved.

The deputies also approved a report made for 2006 concerning
implementation of the program of the state property’s privatization
2004-2006. The information of the NKR Ministry of Finance and Economy
concerning the implementation of the NKR state budget at the first
quarter of 2007 and the NKR Seismic Service on the implementation of
the works envisaged by a short term program on reducing seismic risk
on the territory of the Nagorno-Karabagh were taken into consideration.

The deputies’ statements were also heard according to the sitting’s
agenda.

CHANGES RELATED TO KARABAKH IN RUSSIAN ENCYCLOPEDIA
By Aghavni Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
31/05/2007

Changes are foreseen in Russian Big Encyclopedia, particularly in the
part related to Karabakh, announced the director of the publishing
house "Terra" Anjela Jhelezova to the Azerbaijani ANS television
company, according to Azerbaijani Trend Agency

As a reminder: Karabakh is mentioned as an independent republic in
the encyclopedia.

Azerbaijan has sent two notes to Moscow on this occasion and also on
the comments of Russian TV channels related to Karabakh.