Author: Toganian Liana

PanARMENIAN.Net

OSCE MG Co-Chair States Interested in Military and Political Stability
in Region
01.07.2006 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Self-withdrawal of Co-Chairs of the OSCE MG for
Karabakh settlement does not mean withdrawal of the international
community from regional processes, political scientist Levon
Melik-Shahnazaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, OSCE
MG Co-Chair states are even more interested in sustaining the military
and political stability in Transcaucasia than two years ago.

«The matter, of course, concerns the importance of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline for Europe and latest agreements on
Kazakhstan linking up with the pipeline. An agreement with Israel on
oil transit into the Pacific region bypassing Iran is at the stage of
signing. All those projects, promising large political and financial
revenues, can be buried at once and for a long time in case
hostilities between Armenia and Azerbaijan resume,» he remarked. In
his opinion, against that background the seeming illogical statement
of the co-chairs has a simple explanation. «Azerbaijan is more
that integrated in all those projects and its leaders are the least
interested in a war,» he remarked.

He also underscored that under these conditions there is no need for
mediation. «Let Baku itself find cause for not resuming war. And
the consumers of its oil will threaten from time to time – do not
you dare! And it will be done for appearance, as Azerbaijan knows its
possibilities very well. Each such «do not you dare» will find
its grateful listeners and executors in Azerbaijan,» Levon
Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

ARMENTEL TO BE SOLD TO A COMPANY OFFERING MOST FAVORABLE CONDITIONS
FOR ARMENIA

Yerevan, June 30. ArmInfo. The Armenian economy is organically tied up
with the Russian economy, consequently, Russia is the key market for
Armenian goods, says the leader of the parliamentary faction of the
Republican Party of Armenia Galust Sahakyan.

He says that there is nothing strange or dangerous in Russia’s
increasing its economic capital in Armenia.

Concerning the possibility of a Russian company buying the 90% stake
of the ArmenTel telecom company, Sahakyan says that ArmenTel will be
sold to a company who will offer conditions that will be most
favorable for Armenia.

US SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CONSIDERS NOMINEE TO POST OF US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. On June 28, the US Senate Foreign Relations
Committee considered the candidature of Richard Hoagland to the post
of US Ambassador to Armenia.

The US Embassy in Armenia told ArmInfo that during the hearings at the
Committee, R. Hoagland was asked several questions. The nominee will
be asked additional questions later from Senator, afterwards voting
will take place, the source reports. However, the date of the voting
is not known yet. According to the Armenian Assembly of America,
Senate Foreign Relations Committee members GeorgeAllen (R-VA) and
Norm Coleman (R-MN) bombarded U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Designate
Richard Hoagland with questions about official U.S. complicity in
Turkey’s campaign of Genocide denial, questioning him, during his
confirmation hearing, regarding his ability to effectively represent
the United States in Armenia without properly recognizing the Armenian
Genocide. "I am not sure how we can continue to have Ambassadors
to Armenia who can be effective unless they give recognition to the
Genocide." – Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN).

v To recap, the reason of the recall of US Ambassador to Armenia John
Marshall Evans is the latter’s public recognition of Armenian Genocide
in the course of his meeting with the Armenian Diaspora of the USA
last summer. In the meantime, Armenian American activists across the
U.S. continue to call on Senators to demand a full explanation for the
early recall of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans. Later,
the American Foreign Service Association, set to award Amb. Evans with
the Christian A. Herter Award for constructive dissent, rescinded
the decision, according to the Washington Post, following pressure
from State Department officials.

Richard E. Hoagland was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan on
October 16, 2003. Ambassador Hoagland was Director of the Office of
Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs in the Bureau of Europe and Eurasian
Affairs, Department of State, June 2001-July 2003. He worked with the
Afghan Resistance during the Soviet-Afghan War. He has also served
in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research where
he was the lead analyst for Afghanistan (1989- 1991). After September
11, 2001, he initiated regular U.S.-Russia consultations in response
to the mandate by Presidents Bush and Putin that the two governments
work together to increase their collaboration and transparency in
Central Asia and the Caucasus. In July 2002, this consultative group
became part of the ongoing U.S.-Russia Counterterrorism Working Group.

ARDARUTIUN MAY WITHDRAW ITS SIGNATURE

Lragir.am
29 June 06

Ardarutiun Alliance may withdraw the signature it put to the draft
reform to the Electoral Code, stated Member of Parliament Grigor
Harutiunyan, the secretary of the Popular Party on June 29 at the
Pastark Club. He announced that the point of view that Ardarutiun
signed the draft constitution to reach a compromise with the government
and guarantee its reproduction in the parliament is not true.

"There were serious controversies over three or four points, and
we signed the document but we said it needs further elaboration. If
these points are rejected, we will withdraw our signature," states
Grigor Harutiunyan. His words regard staining fingers with ink,
proportional system of election and setting up committees.

Grigor Harutiunyan says a parliamentary group and judges cannot have
representatives in the committees, because only political forces run
in elections and they must set up committees.

Besides, Grigor Harutiunyan mentions that the government seems unlikely
to make active efforts in working out the amendments to the Electoral
Code because the meeting of the task force is often put off.

OSCE OFFICE POSITIVELY RESPONDS TO NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY’S INITIATIVE

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Organization
issues connected with the coming monitoring of Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijani armed forces contact-line were discussed at the June 27
meeting of NKR Deputy Foreign Minister Masis Mayilian with a number
of employees of the Office of the Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

Masis Mayilian expressed satisfaction that the OSCE Office has
positively responded to the initiative of NKR Foreign Ministry to
hold a monitoring in the border zone with Azerbaijan for the purpose
of evaluating the situation on the spot and putting an end to the
accusations of the Azerbaijani side about arsons of populated areas
under NKR’s control.

As Noyan Tapan was informed from NKR Foreign Ministry Press Service, at
the meeting OSCE Office employee Peter Key (Great Britain) introduced
Gunter Folk (Germany), newly-appointed Field Assistant to the Personal
Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office, to Masis Mayilian.

Irzhi Aberle (Czech Republic), Field Assistant to the Personal
Representative of OSCE Chairman-in-Office, also took part in the
meeting.

85 MILLION DRAMS ON SPECIAL ACCOUNT OF RA FINANCE MINISTRY TO BE PROVIDED T0 FAMILIES OF KILLED IN AIR CRASH NEAR SOCHI

Yerevan, June 27. ArmInfo. Eighty-five million drams have been
accumulated on the special account of the Armenian Ministry of Finance
and Economy. This sum will be provided to the families of the killed
in the crash of Armavia airbus near Sochi. A relevant decision was
made Tuesday by the special commission headed by the Minister of
Territorial Administration Hovik Abrahamyan.

The Armenian Government press-service told ArmInfo, the family of each
killed citizen of Armenia will receive by 1 million AMD. In addition,
the commission resolved providing 2 million drams to two citizens of
Georgia, Armenians by origin. On the whole, 88.461 million drams have
been accumulated on the special account. A memorial for the victims
of the air crash will be built on the remaining 1.461 million drams.

ONE NATION, ONE CULTURE SECOND ARMENIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL ORGANIZED AT IMPROPER LEVEL, FESTIVAL PARTICIPANS SAY

Noyan Tapan
Jun 26 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, NOYAN TAPAN. A book exhibition was organized on
June 26 at the Moscow cinema of Yerevan within the framework of the
One Nation, One Culture second Armenian festival. About 400 titles of
fiction, scientific and educational books published in Iran, Turkey,
Bulgaria and Belarus were presented at the exhibition.

It was announced in advance that Armenian and Diasporan
publishing-houses will present their production in Charles Aznavour
square. But, the exhibition-sale under the title "Armenian Book"
did not take place. According to the organizers, the reason is lack
of funds.

Only RA Government has allocated 117 mln drams (about 275 thousand
USD) for the festival, as well as there are many sponsors. But many of
the participants complain that almost all the events held within the
framework of the festival are at the improper level. And the festival
organizers in their turn call on to "treat the issue mildly as the
festival is still at the stage of formation."

Tiran Lokmagyozian, correspondent of the "Akos" Turkish weekly,
mentioned in his interview to Noyan Tapan correspondent that the
expectations were great: "We need such events. I hope the festival
will be held at a higher level even if in the coming years."

According Levon Ananian, Chairman of the Writers’ Union of Armenia,
the Diasporan Armenians express dissatisfaction saying that they are
not familiarized with the works of modern Armenian writers and the
exhibition-sale of books would enable them to present the literary
production of the recent years.

"This is important for us, as we also get to know the literature
created in the two fields through such exhibitions."

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 24 2006

Slovenia supports position of Azerbaijan in settlement of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict

Source: Trend
Author: S.Agayeva

24.06.2006

The head and people of Slovenia support the position of Azerbaijan in
the process of settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Borut Megusar,
consul of Slovenia in Azerbaijan, told Trend.

Megusar expressed his regret that during the chairmanship of Slovenia
in OSCE in 2005, it wasn’t achieved to obtain a positive result
related to the settlement of Azerbaijani-Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. However, it doesn’t mean that Slovenia has no concern about
the conflict, told Megusar.

"I always inform the head of Slovenia about the process happening
around this conflict. Official Ljubljana attentively follows the
process of solution of the conflict," Megusar emphasized.

According to him, Ljubljana is ready to create a situation for the
continuation of talks between the heads of conflict sides. Then,
some decision may be found on the question, told Megusar.

According to Megusar, Slovenia makes a support to Azerbaijan in
liquidating after-effects of Karabakh war, especially rehabilitation
of invalids of this war as well as mine-clearing of territories. In
the near future, the office of Slovenian institute for assistance to
people suffering from mine will be opened in Baku, told diplomat.

WILL NEXT PARLIAMENT CHANGE FOREIGN POLICY OF ARMENIA

Lragir.am
23 June 06

The issue of Karabakh will not be manipulated during the election
campaign in 2007, stated Shavarsh Kocharyan, the leader of the
National Democratic Party, on June 23 at the Pastark Club. He thinks
that Karabakh did not become a subject of manipulations even when the
home political situation was the tensest. However, Shavarsh Kocharyan
also thinks that the political forces must make the Karabakh issue a
matter of discussion in the campaign for the parliament but it should
not be confined to judgments about "giving up or not giving up,"
there should be a conceptual approach. Shavarsh Kocharyan thinks
it is important because he says there is necessity to change the
foreign political line of Armenia. According to the leader of the
National Democratic Party, it should be done by the next parliament.
According to Shavarsh Kocharyan, Azerbaijan makes efforts to present
Armenia to international organizations as an aggressor. The leader
of the National Assembly thinks that the reason is the policy of
Armenia on the settlement. "My opinion is that the new parliament
should make a political declaration, and it has the right to do it
under the new Constitution, which will enable protecting the efforts
of the executive power by the political will of the legislative on the
one hand, and on the other hand, will create a favorable atmosphere,"
says Shavarsh Kocharyan. According to him, the present government
of Armenia cannot change this political line because it is not
legitimate. Shavarsh Kocharyan considers the statement of the next
parliament and change of the political line possible only through a
legitimate election in compliance with European standards.

RA NA REPRESENTATIVE NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN WORKS OF "ROSE ROTH" SEMINAR

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenia will
participate at the level of the Foreign Ministry’s representative in
the regular, 63rd "Rose Roth" seminar to take place in Sochi in June
22-24, within the framework of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. It was
invasiged beforehand that Mher Shahgeldian, a member of the "Orinats
Yerkir" (Country of Law) faction who has resigned the post of the
head of the Armenian delegation to the NATO PA recently, must also
participte in the seminar, but he refused to go there at the last
moment, returning the tickets. NA Speaker Tigran Torosian informed
about it at the June 22 press conference. He also mentioned that he
found purposeful that M.Shahgeldian participates in the above-mentioned
seminar to be held on the theme "Russia-NATO: Security Issues in South
Caucasus" as it directly relates to Armenia as well. Conflicts in South
Caucasus will be discussed at the seminar and the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict will be a subject of a separate discussion. According to
T.Torosian, M.Shahgeldian expressed a wish to participate in a number
of meetings to be held in Washington almost at the same time, June
19-23, within the framework of the NATO PA, what was not encouraged
by the NA Speaker. By the way, the NA Speaker also informed that he
proposed M.Shahgeldian to head the Armenian delegation at the NATO PA
still in early June coming out of two circumstances: the first, there
is a short period of time left till the end of the acting parliament’s
commissions, and the second, a number of issues must be brought to end.