Author: Torgomian Varazdat

V. Soghomonyan: Armenian and Azeri Leaders Not Scheduled to Meet in Saint Petersburg
PanARMENIAN.Net
10.07.2006 14:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting of the Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Azeri leader Ilham Aliyev is not planned in Saint
Petersburg within the G8 summit framework, RA President’s Spokesman
Victor Soghomonyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.
It should be noted that Ilham Aliyev also refuted the possibility
of the meeting. To remind, this year the Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan met twice – in France and in Romania.

AZERBAIJAN DID NOT GIVE CONSENT TO A REFERENDUM IN NAGORNO KARABAKH
Translated by A. Ignatkin
Source: TURAN news agency (Baku), July 3, 2006
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
July 5, 2006 Wednesday
Commenting on reports in the Armenian media, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign
Minister Araz Azimov pronounced a bunch of lies all speculating on
how Azerbaijan had allegedly given its consent to a referendum in
Nagorno-Karabakh. According to the diplomat, Azerbaijan has always
promoted a nationwide referendum – all over Azerbaijan.
This is what the national Constitution specifies, and this is what
the political leadership is committed to.
Commenting on the statement of chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group on
the conflict resolution talks, Azimov said that all evaluations were
“way too early” while the negotiations were under way yet.
Azimov denounced the Armenians’ reports on the alleged special
status for the Lachin and Kelbadjar districts. Both parties need a
safe Lachin corridor that connects Azerbaijan with Nakhichevan and
Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh.
As for Kelbadjar, security of Nagorno-Karabakh may only be ensured by
presence of foreign observers or peacekeepers, and that’s what makes
the attempts on the part of the Armenians to retain control over
the districts legally groundless. Azimov spoke against unilateral
militarization of the region. Asked to comment on effectiveness of
the negotiations, Azimov said that everything depended on political
will of “the other side”.

HMAYAK WAS TURNED DOWN AGAIN
Lragir.am
05 July 06
Member of Parliament – political scientist – analyst Hmayak Hovanisyan
is said to have offered his membership and service to Samvel Babayan,
leader of the Dashink Party, on the condition that Babayan will charge
him with the ticket of the party, personnel problems and the power
of leading the ideological line of the party.
Our source says it is possible that Hmayak Hovanisyan’s step was not
voluntary, it was dictated by the link of the government, whom Hmayak
Hovanisyan traditionally served directly or indirectly. Thus both
home political problems and the question of the parliament mandate
of Hmayak Hovanisyan in 2007 is solved. Most probably, however,
the question is up in the air, because we have learned that Samvel
Babayan has rejected Hmayak Hovanisyan’s offer.

ARMENIA DOESN’T GET PREPARED FOR NEW STAGE OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH TURKEY
By Nana Petrosian
AZG Armenian Daily
06/07/2006
Armenia doesn’t get prepared for the new stage of negotiations with
Turkey. Vladimir Karapetian, Press Secretary of RA Foreign Ministry,
informed about this.
It’s worth mentioning that the press secretary of Turkish Foreign
Ministry spread quite an opposite statement, emphasizing the importance
of shaping a joint commission of the Armenian and Turkish historians
for studying the issue of the Armenian Genocide.
In response, Mr. Karapetian reminded that Ra president has already
responded the relevant letter of the Turkish Prime Minister. He added
that the expected three meetings with the Turkish side at diplomatic
level were not active and fruitful enough.

PRESS RELEASE
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services
Address:  Vagharshapat, Republic of Armenia
Contact:  Rev. Fr. Ktrij Devejian
Tel:  (374 10) 517 163
Fax:  (374 10) 517 301
E-Mail:  [email protected]
Website: 
July 3, 2006
His Holiness Karekin II Departs for World Summit of Religious Leaders
On the morning of July 3, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch
and Catholicos of All Armenians, departed for Moscow to participate
in the World Summit of Religious Leaders. From July 3 to 5, more than
100 leaders of religions and denominations will gather in the capital
of Russia for the first world summit to discuss urgent problems of
modern times.  The summit precedes the G8 summit of industrial leaders
in St. Petersburg.
The delegation, led by the Catholicos of All Armenians, consists of
His Eminence Archbishop Voskan Kalpakian, Primate of the Armenian
Diocese of Greece; His Eminence Arcbishop Pargev Martirosian, Primate
of the Diocese of Artsakh; His Eminence Archbishop Yeznik Petrosian,
Director of the Department of Inter-Church Relations for the Mother
See of Holy Etchmiadzin; and Mr. Rafael Papayan, lay member of the
Supreme Spiritual Council.
Also accompanying the Pontiff of All Armenians to Russia is His Grace
Bishop Vicken Aykazian, who will be participating in the Summit as
the President of the National Council of Churches (USA).
##
–Boundary_(ID_V4nLxujMqm11A3tpzGrO6g) —

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: I BELIEVE THAT RA CONSTITUTION IN ITS CURRENT, MODERNIZED FORM WILL LONG SERVE NEXT GENERATIONS OF OUR PEOPLE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jul 4 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA President
Robert Kocharian sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of
the Constitution Day. The message provided to Noyan Tapan by the
President’s Press Office, read:
“Dear compatriots,
I congratulate you on the occasion of the Constitution Day.
The Basic Law of our country is the choice of our people and the
expression of its goals. It has a basic importance on the way of
building a democratic, social and legal state. Our progress directly
depends on the application of the Constitution without deviating
from it.
Important constitutional amendments were made in 2005. They open new
prospects for the all-round development of our country and people,
provide more balanced activity of power branches, strengthen the
system of human rights.
I belive that the RA Constitution in its current, modernized form
will long serve the next generations of our people.”

RUINS OF POST-URARTIAN FORTRESS DISCOVERED IN TSAKHKADZOR
By Melania Badalian
AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2006
As the tradition has it, once upon a time the surroundings of Berdi
Glugh settlement were covered with flower gardens, and the wind
would scatter the flowers all over valleys thus giving birth to the
name of Tsakhkadzor (valley of flowers). Old-timers tell that there
used to be shabby houses that were crumbled later on. According to
historiography, during the rule of the Arsacid (Arshakuni) Dynasty
the royal family used to spend holidays in this region. These facts
made the Forests For the Next Generations NGO embark on the study
of the lands stretching southwest from the Writers’ Home. The group
of enthusiasts was looking for the trace of the famous palace of
prince Prosh who settled in Tsakhkadzor. Having discovered 5-6 lines
of stone walls, the NGO applied to the Ministry of Culture asking
to come and take a professional look at the findings. As a result
of a survey by the specialists of the Agency for Preservation of
Historic and Cultural Monuments and the Institute of Ethnography,
ruins of a post-Urartian fortress built of huge basalt stones. The
archeological finding is dated back to 6-5 centuries BC. “The walls
of the inner fortress have preserved and only northeastern part is
damaged as a result of a road constructed by Viva Cell to erect
its cell-phone tower. The inner fortress has a surface of 5.000
sq. m. The fortress was used in the middle ages too. It has a great
historic-archeological value. It’s a subject to serious scientific
research and therefore no construction works should be carried out
here,” reads the experts’ conclusion.
NGO member Movses Manukian told daily Azg: “I think serious excavation
should be carried out. Tsakhkadzor is developing today as a resort
city and the fact of an ancient sight can add to its attractiveness. We
will clearly pursue that the government does not allot these lands.”

AZERBAIJAN OF GREAT IMPORTANCE IN THE QUESTION OF GLOBAL ENERGY SAFETY
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
July 3 2006
Foreign minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov met with the newly
appointed ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the United
States to the country Ms. Anne Derse, 3 July.
The Minister congratulated her on the new appointment, noting that
she begins her diplomatic mission in the Republic in an important
period. He also reminded President Aliyev’s recent visit to the United
States, underlining that the coming ceremony of inauguration of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline would open wider prospects for close
cooperation between two countries.
Ambassador Anne Derse especially noted the role of Azerbaijan in
the question of global energy safety. She welcomed the becoming
of Azerbaijan an influential center of region and appraised the
role of the country as the key player in the large-scale energy
projects. She stressed the necessity of expansion of economic links
between Azerbaijan and the United States of America also in the
non-oil sectors.
Noting that Azerbaijan’s integration will influence on development of
institutional infrastructure in the country, Mr. Anne Derse emphasized
necessity of development of the non-oil sector, in particular,
agriculture, information technology, agribusiness.
Azerbaijan gives great importance to integration to the Euro-Atlantic
structures, and this process will give impulse to reforms and
development in numerous fields, including political, economic,
humanitarian spheres.
Ms. Anne Derse highly assessed the role of Azerbaijan in combat against
terrorism and in peacemaking operation in Iraq and Afghanistan. At
the same time, she stressed necessity of expansion of cooperation
between Azerbaijan and USA in the security field.
Touching upon the negations on settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno Karabakh conflicts, Ms. Derse stressed necessity of settlement
of the conflict stage by stage. According to her, prior to definition
of the status of Nagorno Karabakh, the occupied areas should be
released, and also the refugees and IDPs return to their homelands.
Minister Mammadyarov received a copy of her credentials and wished
success in activity.

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS OF COE ANSWERED QUESTIONS OF AZERI DEPUTIES
Author: J.Shahverdiyev
TREND, Azerbaijan
July 1 2006
The members of the Azeri delegation in the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) addressed several questions to the
deputy chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Aleksandra Grushko. At each session, the chairman of the Committee
of Ministers presents a report on the works realized within last year.
Because of the absence of Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov, the
chairman of the Committee of Ministers, at the session due to several
reasons, he was substituted by his deputy Aleksandra Grushko. The
member of Azeri delegation Rafael Huseynov asked a question about the
recognition of Armenia as an aggressor and ethnic cleansing policy
implemented by Armenians against Azerbaijan in the resolution No.
1416 of the Council of Europe.
Other members of Azeri delegation Aydin Mirzazade and Ganira Pashayeva
appealed with a question “as a chairman of the Committee of Ministers,
what steps does Russia take in the regulation of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict”. And Grushko told that Russia is interested in the
settlement of this conflict and makes possible efforts within the
OSCE Minsk Group.
The influence of the Council of Europe on the solution of the conflict
may consist of the acceleration of the talks and use of possible means
for politically regulating the conflict. The main responsibility falls
on the Minsk Group and this organization may play a decisive role.

Over five thousand Armenians live in the Swiss Armenian community

ArmRadio.am
01.07.2006 15:30
Over 5 000 people live today in the Armenian community of Switzerland.
Here they are engaged in different things; most of the Armenians,
however, earn through goldsmithery.
Jean Pierre Sedef was the last Armenian to settle in the Swiss
Armenian community. He told `Radiolur’ correspondent Nvard Davtyan
that he has the largest wedding saloon in Switzerland. He moved from
France to Switzerland, as it is easier to live here.
`Local Armenians are more open, far from politics and party games,’
Jean Pierre Sedef says. However, Armenians see their great role in the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide by Switzerland.
Armenian scientists work at the European Nuclear Research Center in
Geneva. President of the Union of Armenians of Switzerland Vahe
Gabrash is delighted with the Armenian scientists.
`It seems that the issue of preservation of the native language is
under threat here. There is only one Armenian school in Geneva,’ Vahe
Gabrash told our correspondent.