Author: Tumanian Talar

AGREEMENT ON BASE PRINCIPLES OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT MAY BE SIGNED THIS YEAR: AMERICAN POLITICIAN

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
June 6 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend S.Aliyev / The American Co-chairman of
the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, stated on the 6th of June in Baku,
that he has optimistic outcomes from the meeting held in Azerbaijan.

According to him, Azerbaijan and Armenia take constructive steps to
regulate the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "The sides held very serious
talks over the recent period. If they wish to resolve the remaining
issues, this year it will be possible to sign an agreement on the
base principles," he said.

Bryza once again stated that the conflicting sides are very
near to the conflict settlement. Commenting on the meeting of the
Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia scheduled for the 10th of June
in Saint-Petersburg, the American politician said that the conference
needs to discuss several complicated issues and carry out certain
works.

The conflict between the two countries of South Caucasus appeared in
1988 due to the territorial claims of Armenia against Azerbaijan.

Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijani land including the
Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven districts of the countries
surrounding it. Since 1992 to present time, these territories have
been under the occupation of the Armenian Forces. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a cease-fire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France and the USA) held peaceful negotiations.

AGIUS, APIGIAN SPOTLIGHTED CANDIDATES
By Sean Delaney, Press & Guide Newspapers

Dearborn Press and Guide, MI
June 6 2007

DEARBORN HEIGHTS – In about two months, residents will be asked to
help narrow the field of candidates seeking a seat on the Dearborn
Heights City Council from eight to six.

The current field of candidates includes Dearborn Heights residents
Ned Apigian, Bob Brown, George Landry, Maria Ellul Langlois, Barbara
Langlois and Rose Tripepi, as well as incumbent candidates Elizabeth
Agius and Ken Baron.

In an effort to keep our readers informed about the candidates and
the issues they will face if elected, the Press & Guide will profile
the candidates alphabetically in future editions leading up to the
Aug. 7 primary. Each candidate was asked to provide brief biographical
information, and to tell voters why they have chosen to run.

Agius and Apigian will be profiled in this issue, followed by
Baron, Brown, Landry, Ellul Langlois, Langlois and Tripepi in future
editions. Each candidate is vying for one of three open seats on the
council, including the seat of former Councilman Bob Constan.

Now, let’s gets to know City Council candidates Elizabeth Agius and
Ned Apigian.

Agius, 40, has lived in the city of Dearborn Heights for 20 years
and is currently employed as a program evaluator and research analyst
and the Wayne State University School of Medicine.

She has served as a member of the Dearborn Heights City Council for
eight years and has been elected to serve as Council Chair for the
past three years.

In her spare time, Agius enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time
with her family and friends. She is a member of the St. Linus Parish,
the Alliance for Nonprofit Management, the Maltese-American Community
Club and currently serves as a board member of the Michigan Association
for Evaluation.

Agius is married to her husband Christian Klein, who serves as an
adjunct professor of psychology at Wayne State University and the
University of Michigan-Dearborn. She is the daughter of Frances and
Emmanuel Agius, who currently serves as a field representative for
Wayne County Commissioner Philip Cavanagh.

Agius also has two sisters – Judy Rodriguez and Pauline Raymond –
and one brother, Michael. She has two nieces and five nephews.

Why have you chosen to run for City Council?

Agius: I am committed to continuing to make Dearborn Heights a great
place to live. I’m running again because I believe I possess the
knowledge and experience necessary to do a good job for residents.

My priorities are to continue working to provide great services such
as high quality public safety, and to work with the administration
to generate cost-savings in the city.

Apigian, 69, is a semi-retired, self-employed architect, professional
community planner and residential builder licensed by the state of
Michigan. He has lived in the city of Dearborn Heights for 36 years.

While he has not held public office before, Apigian is an active member
of the community and has run unsuccessfully for several local offices.

He has served on the board of directors of the Armenian Community
Center, St. Sarkis Towers in Dearborn and the American Association of
Architects, as well as the Armenian Cultural Association of America
and Camp Haiastan located in Franklin, Mass. He is also a member of
St. Sarkis Church.

Apigian has been married to his wife, Aroxie, for 42 years. They have
one daughter, Heather Apigian Krafian – a 1983 graduate of Dearborn
High School and a 1988 graduate of Michigan State University – who
currently residents in Belmont, Mass. He also has four granddaughters,
ages 4, 8, 11 and 14. His wife is employed as an administrative
assistant for a Southfield-based law firm.

Why have you chosen to run for City Council?

Apigian: I would bring a very special background to the deliberations
of the Council as a design and physical planning professional licensed
in three separate disciplines, which no other city council person or
candidate can bring to the process.

The city does not employ a staff person with my background and
professional qualifications, which can only be a useful asset on the
City Council.

Candidates Ken Baron (I) and Brown will be profiled in the June 13
edition of the Press & Guide, followed by candidates Landry and Maria
Ellul Langlois on June 20. Candidates Barbara Langlois and Tripepi
will be profiled in the June 27 edition.

For more coverage leading up to the August primary and the general
election in November, see future editions of the Press & Guide.

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ORINATS YERKIR FACTION NOT TO ATTEND PARLIAMENTARY SESSION

ArmInfo
2007-06-06 16:17:00

Orinats Yerkir party faction will not participate in the session of
the Armenian National Assembly of the fourth convocation before the
end of the hearings on the united claim of four opposition parties
at the Constitutional Court, Orinats Yerkir party Press-Secretary
Susanna Abrahamyan told ArmInfo.

Heritage party faction made a similar decision on Tuesday. To recap,
the Constitutional Court is hearing the claim of New Times, Orinats
Yerkir, Republic parties and Impeachment bloc against the result of
May 12 parliamentary election.

RALF YIRIKIAN: "WE WILL CONTINUE"
Karen Mirzoyan

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

Karabakh Telecom implements various charity programs in NKR. On June
2 the playground at Amiryan Street, Shushi, was dedicated, which was
funded by Karabakh Telecom. The head of the administration of Shushi
Vladik Kasian appreciated the contribution of Karabakh Telecom to the
post-war reconstruction of the economy. "The people of the region of
Shushi and I are grateful to Karabakh Telecom and Mr. Yirikian," he
said. After the blessing of Reverend Andreas Tavadian Vladik Kasian
and the CEO of Karabakh Telecom cut the symbolic tape. Ralf Yirikian
expressed his great sympathy for Shushi and emphasized the importance
of this place. He called all the companies, which can afford, to aid
our people as much as they can. "I was a child when the war started in
Lebanon two decades ago. I know how a child feels at war. It needs lots
of things. I also know how difficult it is for their parents. Thanks
god we have overcome the difficulties and now we must be optimistic
about the future. I also want to add that what Karabakh Telecom does
is its duty. We will continue, and I promise that a similar playground
will be built in Martakert and other regions," he said.

HEADQUARTERS FOR HARVEST LAUNCHED
Nelson Stepanian

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

On May 29 the NKR minister of agriculture Vahram Baghdasarian held the
first meeting of the headquarters for harvest of grain in 2007. The
main issue was fire security and prevention of losses. By the way,
last year the fires destroyed over 2 thousand hectares of arable crops,
also damaging forests and meadows. The minister of agriculture said
considering this, the headquarters must take all the necessary measures
to prevent losses of arable crops in 2007. First, it is necessary to
make sure the preparations for the harvest are sufficient, eliminate
technical hitches, be ready to prevent fires. It is also necessary
to expose and punish wrongdoers. The director of the NKR Rescue
Service V. Arustamian said the list of fire security activities has
been worked out and handed over to the regional administrations. He
said it is necessary to provide more petrol and diesel fuel to fire
brigades and control the use of fuel, the quality of extinguishers,
and use agricultural machines apart from fire engines, because in
some parts a tractor may be more useful than a fire engine.

Extension is also important to facilitate the work of fire
brigades. The fire service is facing problems, namely most fire engines
need repair, the extinguishers are low quality, the government fails
to cover all the expenses. A proposal was offered to arrange with the
NKR defense ministry to involve the military personnel in fighting
fires if necessity occurs.

RETURN OF TERRITORIES WILL END ARMENIAN STATEHOOD – KARABAKH ANALYST

Arminfo, Yerevan
5 Jun 07

Stepanakert, 5 June: The return of the territories surrounding Nagornyy
Karabakh to Azerbaijan, a state that does not hide its hatred towards
Armenians and where anti-Armenian policies have been made a state
ideology, will simply mean an end to Armenian statehood in both
Armenia and Karabakh, Karabakh political analyst Davit Babayan has
told Arminfo.

[Passage omitted: Babayan says Azerbaijanis may poison waters in
rivers starting in Kalbacar District if it is given back to Azerbaijan]

Babayan also said that Armenian President [Robert Kocharyan], who
will step down in 2008, will hardly agree to such an unpopular step
as the return of the territories. Those who are going to fight for
the presidential post will not do it either as it will automatically
deprive them of any chances of being elected, he said.

[Passage omitted: Babayan says foreign countries have no consolidated
stance on the issue, and Azerbaijan, in turn, wants not only the
adjacent territories but Karabakh proper too]

EVERYTHING IS DONE WHOLEHEARTEDLY
Susanna Balayan

Azat Artsakh Daily, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]
04 June 07

Every year the Rehabilitation Center of Stepanakert celebrates June 1
with singing, dancing, performances, clowns, cakes and ice cream. This
year June 1 was double holiday because the children’s health center
was dedicated.

President Arkady Ghukasian, Speaker Ashot Ghulian, Prime Minister
Anushavan Danielian, Deputy Prime Minister Ararat Danielian, the
head of the National Security Service Bako Sahakian were present in
the ceremony. The center was set up in September 1998 by the vice
speaker of the British House of Lords Caroline Cox. Vardan Tadevosian,
therapist and professor, was invited from Yerevan by Lady Cox to
be the head of the center. Thanks to her and other benefactors
the facilities of the center are improving every year, it got
new equipment, classrooms, studios, playground, furniture, musical
equipment. In 2002 the center was transferred to the NKR Ministry of
Health, in 2005 it was renamed after Caroline Cox who helps people
with disabilities in NKR. Since its establishment the center has
provided in-patient treatment to 579 and out-patient treatment to
279, visited 514 patients at homes. The psychologist has provided
services to 780 people. "Everything here is done wholeheartedly,"
NKR President Ghukasian said in his address. "The NKR government will
continue to support all the programs implemented by the center, like
the establishment of the children’s center," he said. Vardan Tadevosian
said the center was set up to treat children with disabilities until
age 6 and help them integrate with healthy children or children with
limited abilities. The center includes a nursery school where besides
children with disabilities the children of the personnel of the center
will attend. The nursery school has equipment and specialists for
treatment of children with disabilities.

DURING THE VOTE COUNT THE ORINATS YERKIR PARTY’S VOTES WERE TAKEN AWAY FOR PRO-GOVERNMENTAL PARTIES: OY MEMBER

ArmInfo
2007-06-01 16:33:00

During the vote count of the May 12 parliamentary election in Armenia,
the votes given to the Orinats Yerkir party were deliberately taken
away, Hovhannes Margaryan, a member of the Orinats Yerkir faction,
said at today’s hearing of the claim of 4 political parties disputing
the parliamentary election returns.

In his speech, he dwelled on the events that took place in a number
of polling stations on May 12. "Our proxies and representatives
in the electoral commissions noticed several cases of voting with
new passports". An OY member of the district electoral commission
even recognized his neighbor who was trying to vote not with his
passport. Being recognized, the falsifier tried to take to flight,
H.Margaryan noted. "There were also cases of deliberate rigging of
votes," he said.

After a recess, the Constitutional Court continued the consideration
of the joint claim of the New Times, Republic, Orinats Yerkir parties
and the Impeachment bloc.

NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT: "LIBERATED TERRITORIES" IN FOCUS
by Artur Papyan

Global Voices Online, MA
May 31 2007

The Armenian blogosphere is full of speculations about the seven
regions in Azerbaijan currently under the control of Armenian and
Karabakh forces, which are referred to as the "Liberated Territories"
by those with a more nationalistic perspective.

Now that the parliamentary elections are behind us the international
community is once again turning to what is perhaps the number
one problem in the regions – unresolved frozen conflicts and in
particular, Nagorno Karabakh, says Onnik Krikoryan looking at the
latest developments on way of conflict resolution examining RFE /
RL, Today.az and Eurasia Daily Monitor.

No surprise to discover that mediators from the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) were in Yerevan earlier
in the week before moving on to Baku. According to RFE/RL’s report
posted on the day of their departure, the OSCE Minsk Group mediators
have said they hope that the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will
meet on the sidelines of a summit to be held in St. Petersburg on 10
June. With presidential elections set to take place in both Armenia
and Azerbaijan next year, there really is very little time and only
a small window of opportunity for a long anticipated breakthrough
framework agreement.

While Oneworld Multimedia is looking for possible solutions to the
conflict, Armenian Breaking News reports that Turkey is inciting
Azerbaijan to war in Karabakh:

"The Nagorno Karabakh conflict cannot be settled peacefully. Everyone
should know that lands which were seized with bloodshed cannot be
returned bloodlessly," said lieutenant general Yasak Demikbilek,
former chief of Turkish intelligence agency.

As noted also by Onnik Krikoryan in the post referenced above, the
problem of seven regions in Azerbaijan currently under the control
of Armenian and Karabakh forces, continues to bother politicians and
activists in Armenia. Via Ahousekeeper (ru) I learned that Anaid1708
(am) has posted some video extracts from the presentation of the
book "Liberated Areas of Armenia", where Armen Ayvazyan (political
scientist) and Zori Balayan (publicist, writer) speak about the
importance of keeping these lands in the Armenian hands and putting
this issue in the context of solving the Armenian Question, which is
a diplomatic term, referring to the protection and the freedoms of
Armenians from their neighboring communities.

The new wave of discussions seem to have started at OpenArmenia forum,
after which Kornelij Glas (ru) posted about the petition signed by
a number of internet resources (ru) against the surrender of the
liberated territories, saying that the negotiations currently in
progress are based on "the readiness of Armenia to surrender already
all seven (!) liberated territories around NKR, living only the
Lachin corridor (not the region)." In exchange Karabakh would gain
the right to conduct a referendum on its status after about 5-15
years. Kornelij Glas (ru) says that his opinion – that this will
definitely lead to a new war in which Armenia will be on the losing
side – is only shared by a few people, and of those few, most think,
that Robert Sedrakovich (president of Armenia) is from Karabakh and
would never make concession on the issue.

Ahousekeeper (am) here, here and here as well as the Freedomfight777
(am) and Hayblog (ru) are also joining the petition and urging
everybody to sign the petition "AGAINST THE SURRENDER OF THE LIBERATED
TERRITORY" at Armenia Breaking News is writing
that according to Vahram Atanesyan, chair of the NKR Parliamentary
Committee of External Relations, all the issues discussed during the
talks must become subject of public debates:

I think the people of NKR are to solve the question of status of
NKR and the territories surrounding former NKAR[Nagorno Karabakh],
because only people are empowered.

Looking at all the polemics in the blogosphere Uzogh (ru) is stating
that there is no way to go without Kharabakh conflict resolution and
is asking – what are the options?

I know 2 [positions in circulation currently]: the position of
Jirayr Sefilyan (which can be described in short as: "the hell do
we care about resolution, we are OK as we are now"), which rejects
the concept of resolution per se, and we have vague suppositions,
that can be reduced to the phrase "surrender of 7 regions".

Uzogh’s (ru) post has definitely generated a lot of interest: 103
comments when I last checked it, which by Armenian blogging standards
is pretty big deal.

Pigh (ru) says he won’t sign the petition. This is all pointless noise
the blogger says: "Serge and Robert [Prime Minister and President]
would never surrender Karabakh – 100%".

One thing is sure – if Armenia wants peace and integration in this
region, we have to be prepared to surrender something. But what will
be the true price?

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ABOUT 700 CHILDREN, INVALID AND HAVING SPECIAL EDUCATION NEEDS, STUDY AT SCHOOLS OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. A course entitled "Usage of standards
of special education for children having light, moderate and serious
mental backwardness" was held within the framework of the "Education
for Everybody" program implemented by the Bridge of Hope public
organization. Solemn ceremony of giving the certificates to the
teachers undergone the training took place on May 30.

As Susanna Tadevosian, the Chairwoman of the Bridge of Hope NGO stated
the program has been implemented since 2002 jointly by the Mission East
organization and RA Ministry of Education and Science, with financing
of the International Development Agency of Denmark. In her words, the
goal of the program is to assist stable development of children having
educational difficulties in Armenia. Standards of special education
of children having light, moderate and serious mental backwardness
were particularly worked out within the framework of the program.

S. Tadevosian stated that at present about 700 pupils, invalid and
having special education needs, study at 6 special and 6 embracing
schools of the republic. In her words, education of those children
is organized by individual educational plans.