Author: Torosian Aram

IRAN-ARMENIA INK 7 MOUS

Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
July 5 2006

Iranian and Armenian officials signed up seven Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) in the fields of energy, economic and industrial
infrastructures, legal and cultural heritage cooperation here
Wednesday evening.

The MoUs were signed by officials in the presence of President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian.

For one document, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his
Armenian counterpart Vartan Oskanian signed an MoU concerning Iran’s
development aids in the field of industrial and economic infrastructure
for Armenia.

In another MoU, Energy Minister Parviz Fattah and Armen Movsisyan
signed a cooperation agreement in the field of energy.

The two countries agreed in another document to cooperate in the
field of legal issues.

Iran’s Justice Minister Jamal Karimi-rad and Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian inked an agreement about extraditing criminals.

Dissemination of information in the field of cultural heritage was
another MoU signed up by officials from Iran’s Cultural Heritage
Organization and Armenian Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs.

Also agreement about financing electricity power line project was
signed.

In the last MoU, the two countries agreed on the implementing program
of the third electricity power line between Iran and Armenia.

Armenia is located in the Caucasus region and borders with Georgia
in the north, Azerbaijan east, Turkey west and Iran south and it does
not have access to the open sea.

Armenia does not have any oil or gas resources, but has rich mines
of gold, copper, zinc and lead.

The country achieved its independence on September 21, 1991 from the
former Soviet Union.

Armenia’s population is about 3,300,000 according to the census
on 2002.

FRENCH WAIT FOR HOLDING OF YEAR OF ARMENIA WITH GREAT INSPIRATION, FRANCE CULTURE ORGANIZATION CHAIRMAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 3 2006

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues relating to the program of events
of Year of Armenia in France were discussed at the July 3 meeting
of RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian with Chairman of the France
Culture organization Olivier Poivre d’Arvor.

The Chairman of the France Culture organization, touching upon the
great experience of France in the issue of dialogue of cultures, said
that the French are waiting for the holding of Year of Armenia with
inspiration, and this is an excellent occasion for getting to know
the Armenian culture closer and for rapprochement of the cultures of
the two peoples.

According to RA Foreign Ministry Press Service, the sides emphasized
that rather a serious organization work is being done at present
for Armenia to be able to properly present its cultural wealth with
its history, traditions and modern characteristics and expressed the
hope that the event will promote strengthening of economic contacts
between the countries and tourism development.

The joint press conference of V.Oskanian and O.Poivre d’Arvor took
place after the meeting.

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 30 2006

NKR PRESIDENT RECEIVED DELEGATION OF SWEDISH LEFT PARTY

June 29 Nagorno Karabakh Republic /NKR/ President Arkady Ghoukasyan
received a delegation of the Swedish Left Party headed by the Party
First Deputy Chair, Swedish MP Ulla Hoffman.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the NKR President’s
Administration, the interlocutors had discussed the issues referring
to the Karabakh conflict settlement, as well as the development of
Nagorno Karabakh’s contacts with the European political organizations
and NGOs.

The meeting’s participants also touched upon the process of
democracy’s development in NKR and the Karabakh issue’s legal
grounds. Arkady Ghoukasyan expressed hope for the cooperation’s
continuation.

ELECTIONS WILL SHOW WHO WILL DO WHAT: SERZ SARGSYAN

Panorama.am
15:00 29/06/06

Defense Minister Serz Sargsyan said he is not aware of the statement
made by Republicans that on July 22 he is going to become co-chairman
of the party. However, S. Sargsyan, neither refuted nor accepted
the statement. "You see the process. In ten days you will have an
answer. But do not pay too much attention to the issue," he said.

The reporters asked how can the political balance be preserved in case
if he joins one political force. "I cannot go to elections with all,"
Serz Sargsyan was amazed, also saying that he is going to keep normal
relations with all others.

Asked whether he will take the post of prime minister or president
after the upcoming elections, the defense minister advised not to
hurry. "The elections will show which political force will do what,"
he said.

VARDAN OSKANYAN COMMENTS ON THE STATEMENT OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS

ArmRadio.am
30.06.2006 14:10

RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian commented on the statement of
the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in an interview to Armenpress.

Question: The co-chairs in their statement say that "our approach
has been a modified one: we have not tried to solve all aspects of
the conflict in one phase. Instead our principles seek to achieve a
major degree of progress but defer some very difficult issues to the
future and envision further negotiations." What does this mean?

V.Oskanyan: The actual negotiating document on the principles that is
on the table today is all-encompassing. It covers all the principles
affecting the resolution of the conflict. It includes the core issue
of status of Nagorno-Karabakh, territories, refugees, security issues,
peacekeeping and every other conceivable issue that is necessary in
order to arrive at a lasting resolution of the conflict. Only after
full agreement on all these basic principles would the parties, as the
actual negotiating text says, "in cooperation with the co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk group to begin work on the elaboration of an agreement
on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict." In other words,
the agreement on principles will be comprehensive. The final agreement
may envision implementation over time.

Question: In their report, the co-chairs say "the principles include
the phased withdrawal of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories
around Nagorno-Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and
Lachin districts." What are these special modalities?

V.Oskanyan: This formulation is indeed very broad, and for a
reason. This issue has two layers. One is the issue of Lachin, where
the actual negotiating text on principles provides clear language
stating that there will be "a corridor linking Nagorno-Karabakh to
Armenia." For Armenia, it’s very clear that this corridor must have
the same status as Nagorno-Karabakh. The second layer is the issue of
Kelbajar. For Armenia, this also is clear: based on security concerns,
Kelbajar can be returned only after the referendum is conducted
and the final status of NK is determined. Azerbaijan’s position is
different on Kelbajar. That’s the disagreement that the co-chairs
are addressing in their statement. The co-chairs’ language in the
actual negotiating text, with regard to this issue, is generally in
line with our approach.

Question: The co-chairs say that there will be a referendum / popular
vote " to determine the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh,"
but they don’t say who will vote.

V.Oskanyan: The actual negotiating text on principles clearly specifies
that "the final legal status will be determined through a referendum
or population vote by the population of Nagorno-Karabakh."

Question: The co-chairs also say "certain interim arrangements
for Nagorno-Karabakh would allow for interaction with providers of
international assistance." What does this mean?

V.Oskanyan: This is only one element of a much more detailed section
in the actual negotiating text, which addresses interim status for
Nagorno-Karabakh.

We think the co-chairs have emphasized international
engagement, because that ‘s a major problem for the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh. Their current, unrecognized, de-facto status,
has not allowed them to benefit from the generosity of international
organizations. In the actual negotiating text, the provisions address
such rights of control over their political and economic viability
and security, upholding their personal privileges and freedoms, the
right to democratically elect officials to govern Nagorno-Karabakh,
the authority to effectively legislate and administer the internal
affairs of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Question: What is Armenia’s overall assessment of the content of the
document as it stands today?

V.Oskanyan: This not a perfect document for anyone. However,
there are enough solid and balanced provisions, with the right
trade-offs on the main issues – status, territories and security –
that we are prepared to continue to negotiate on the basis of these
principles. In today’s context, Azerbaijan’s rhetoric about autonomy
and desperate calls for militarization surprise us. We have at hand
a real opportunity to resolve all issues, including the much-maligned
issue of refugees. But Azerbaijan must revert to real situations and
real opportunities, rather than illusory maximalist hopes. Today,
we hope that Azerbaijan will realize that we have a chance to resolve
the conflict and achieve a lasting peace.

RUSSIA HAS 140-PLUS YOUTH EXTREMIST GROUPS – MINISTER

RIA Novosti, Russia
June 28 2006

YEREVAN, June 28 (RIA Novosti) – Russia has more than 140 youth
extremist groups with overall membership reaching 6,000, the country’s
interior minister said Wednesday.

"Youth groups have become more aggressive and better organized, and
some of them are under the influence of criminal organizations," said
Rashid Nurgaliyev. He spoke to reporters in the Armenian capital,
Yerevan, where he is attending a joint board session of Russia’s
interior ministry and Armenia’s police force.

Nurgaliev expressed concern over extremist organizations’ promotion
of violence among the younger generation.

"It is worrying that some of the extremist organizations use violent
forms and methods of protest, promoting them among young people,"
he said.

The minister said law-enforcement agencies had launched anti-extremism
raids in 38 of Russia’s 89 regions so far this year, tracking
down groups believed to be behind serious crimes, including in
St. Petersburg and in the southwestern region of Voronezh, both of
which have acquired reputations as sites of Russia’s most violent
race-hate crimes.

Voronezh has seen at least seven apparently racially motivated killings
of non-white foreigners over the past six years, including the murder
of a Peruvian student last October.

St. Petersburg has been suffering from negative publicity over alleged
neo-Nazi attacks and killings, including the killing of a student
from Senegal in April and the stabbing of a nine-year-old girl of
mixed Russian-African origin in early 2006.

REPRESENTATIVES OF AATA VISITED MONUMENT OF EX-AZERI PRESIDENT AND MARTYRS’ AVENUE
Author: S.Ilhamgizi

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 27 2006

The delegation headed by the president of Assembly of American-Turkish
Association (AATA) Chengiz Vurulan visited the monument of ex-Azeri
president Heydar Aliyev and Martyrs’ Avenue.

Besides, the delegation put a bunch of flowers in front of the grave
of Turkish soldiers who became martyr in the fight for the freedom
of Azerbaijan at the beginning of XX century.

The primary goal of the visit is to get familiar with Azerbaijan,
collect information about results of economic development programs
realized in the country, and about Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The
delegation is planning to hold meetings with the chairman of the State
Committee for Work with Azerbaijanis Living Abroad (SCWALA) Nazim
Ibrahimov, minister of culture and tourism Abulfaz Garayav, Turkish
ambassador to Azerbaijan Turan Morali and other senior officials.

AZERI, ARMENIAN PROBABLE TO MEET UNDER G8 SUMMIT – FM MAMMADYAROV
Author: R.Abdullayev

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 27 2007

A meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents in St-Petersburg
under the forthcoming summit of G8 is not ruled out, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, told journalists.

However, prior to summit the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair Matthew
Bryza plans to tour the region. "Only after the visit the co-chairs’
position will be cleared up, while a meeting of the Foreign Ministers
will determine the conduct of a new meeting of the heads of state.,"
Mammadyarov underlined.

Besides, a frame agreement, some details of which were publicized by
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs were very actual.

The document reflected issues on the status of the Nagorno-Karabakh.

"However, it is necessary to resolve conceptual issues. If sides
come to an agreement peaceable co-resistance of the two communities
of Nagorno-Karabakh, the question will be discussed. Undoubtedly,
Nagorno-Karabakh should have a status. It is still to define whether
it will be similar to the status that Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic,
or Tatarstan, or Bashkordistan holds. It all will be topic of future
discussions," the Azerbaijani FM announced.

Four pre-selected to bid for ArmenTel

TeleGeography, D.C
June 23 2006

OTE, the Greek parent of Armenian fixed line operator ArmentTel, has
whittled down the number of companies it will allow to bid for its
90% stake in the company from ten to four. The approved companies are
Russian cellcos Vimpelcom and Mobile TeleSystems (MTS), a consortium
of VTEL Holdings and Knightsbridge Associates, and another consortium
backed by UAE-based Etisalat.

ArmenTel was established in March 1995 as a joint venture between
the Ministry of Communications and US-owned Trans World Telecom. In
1997 the MTC launched the privatisation of the telco, and at the end
of that year Greece’s OTE won an international tender, paying USD143
million for a 90% stake in ArmenTel in March 1998.

THE UNEMPLOYED GOT A TEMPORARY JOB

A1+
[12:17 pm] 23 June, 2006

Since June 1 reconstruction work has been carried out in the
communities of Getatagh, Hatsavan, Vaghatin, Balaq, Shaghat,
Spandaryan, Bnunis, Mutsq and Tolors and in the town of Sisian within
the framework of the program "Paid social work".

The ten programs realized have been discussed and approved by the
Syunik regional Committee of employment support. The state budget
has allotted 18 million 300 thousand AMD for the realization of
the program.

About 347 unemployed people are participating in the works. Their
daily wage is 1200 AMD. The whole period of the work will be recorded
in their work-books.

TV Company "Syuni", Sisian