Author: Tvankchian Parkev

‘NKR: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE’ CONFERENCE HELD IN STEPANAKERT

Yerkir.am
June 23, 2006

"NKR: Past, Present, Future" international conference opened on June 21
at the Artsakh State University. The conference, dedicated to the 15th
anniversary of the Karabakh independence declaration, was attended by
about 200 representatives from over 10 countries, including Armenia,
France, United States, Russia, Germany and Great Britain.

The conference was held in three panels: history, culture,
political-legal and socio-economic.

NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan’s address to the conference

I have apprehended the news on the conduct of the international
conference dedicated to the 15th Anniversary of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic’s declaration with solid satisfaction. It again provides
ample evidence of our state’s existence.

Last fifteen years showed to the world that the Nagorno Karabakh people
are entitled to have the independent state of their own declared
pursuant to the former USSR’s legislation and the international
law’s basic rules. Although the NKR has not been recognized by the
international community yet, however, by the level of conformity to
the European society’s standards our Republic noticeably outstrips
Azerbaijan, which endeavored to dispose of the Nagorno Karabakh’s
Armenian population having enforced a war on us.

However, our nation has not only survived in an unequal sanguinary
armed confrontation, but it managed to mainly cure the war’s wounds,
stage an economic recovery, restore social sphere, inspire new life
to the region’s cultural and spiritual development.

An efficient army equipped with modern weaponry, which is the safest
guarantor of the security and prosperity of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic and our nation, has been formed in the NKR.

At present Azerbaijan exerts efforts to reverse history, deprive our
nation of freedom and independence gained at the cost of irreplaceable
losses. It is an unpromising way. I am convinced: the future is the
talks between the NKR and Azerbaijan on the search for the ways of the
problem’s advantageous solution and the establishment of cooperation
between the two states.

One is eager to believe that our conference will promote deeper
comprehension of the realities of the region, which is difficult to
imagine without the Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s existence.

In this connection it is pleasant that you intend to discuss a wide
spectrum of issues referring both to the Nagorno Karabakh’s history and
culture, its spiritual heritage and to the legal aspects of the NKR’s
functioning, the outlooks of our country’s social-economic development.

Levon Mkrtchain: "Karabakh can claim its place in the family of
nations"

"Every nation lives and creates having the great goal of
independence. It should establish its own statehood on the territory of
its homeland and be able to defend it. This idea has been accompanying
our nation for centuries," Armenian Science and Education Minister
Levon Mkrtchian said in his speech at the ‘Nagorno Karabakh Republic:
Past, Present and Future’ conference held in Stepanakert.

"Many gave their lives to realize this goal, we have had irreversible
losses that we have to restore," he went on saying.

Mkrtchian also voiced the congratulations of the Armenian prime
minister.

"The international recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
is important not only because of today’s political concepts, that
recognitions is the core of Armenia’s and Karabakh’s independence,"
Mkrtchian said.

"And we should realize that we should strengthen the first serious
success of our liberation movement. Such strengthening happens with
an every-day work and through strengthening and development of the
Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic."

He also said that holding an international conference in Karabakh
demonstrates that the state has been established and it can claim
its place in the family of nations.

ARMENIA SAYS IT MAY UNVEIL DETAILS OF LAST THREE KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION OPTIONS

Armenpress
Jun 26 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 26, ARMENPRESS: Armenian authorities have reacted to
an interview by Mathew Bryza, the new US cochairman of the OSCE
Minsk Group, to the RFE/RL in which he disclosed what the RFE/RL
said were the basic principles of a framework agreement, developed
by international peace-brokers for resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Bryza’s interview was followed by Azerbaijani president Ilham
Aliyev’s remarks that the efforts of international mediators to
resolve the dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh were "hopeless". He was
quoted by Azerbaijani news agencies as saying that Azerbaijan was
ready only to negotiate the restoration of its sovereignty over
Nagorno-Karabakh. Aliyev further said the failure of international
mediation was forcing him to change policy. He said Azerbaijan would
retake Nagorno-Karabakh by whatever means it takes. Aliyev also warned
Armenia that he would use Azerbaijan’s rapidly expanding oil wealth
to strengthen the armed forces.

Viktor Soghomonian, a spokesman for Armenian president Robert
Kocharian, said in response to these reports. "Provisions of an
agreement unveiled by Mr. Bryza are only some elements of a document
that is proposed to the sides, which naturally, do not reflect the core
of the draft agreement, nut have caused the emergence of irrelevant
comments. In any event, if similar revelations continue to appear in
mass media the Armenian side will expose the content of all documents
which had been discussed during the talks in the last 7-8 years-from
the draft agreement based on the principle of ‘common state’, the
option that was discussed in Key West and the latest option that
was put on the table when Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents met in
Bucharest. I am confident that this will make all things clear. By the
way, all three conflict regulation options were rejected by Azerbaijan.

As regards Azerbaijani president Aliyev’s remarks, we do not
think it appropriate to comment on his repeated statements." In an
interview with RFE/RL Mathew Bryza, a senior US diplomat, appointed
recently to replace Steven Mann in the Minsk group, said there is a
framework agreement that calls for withdrawal of Armenian troops from
the regions which belong to Azerbaijan. He said it also envisages
normalization of diplomatic and economic relations between Armenia
and Azerbaijan, deployment of international peacemaking troops,
as well as international economic assistance to Nagorno-Karabakh .

According to Bryza, the agreement foresees, some time in future,
a referendum on Nagorno-Karabakh status. Bryza urged the leaders of
Armenia and Azerbaijan to accept the agreement. "We encourage the
presidents to accept the framework agreement, which requires political
courage," he said.

AZG Armenian Daily #117, 24/06/2006

Culture

FESTIVAL OF YOUTH THEATRE TO LAUNCH IN YEREVAN

Yesterday, the festival of Young Theatre Workers
launched in Yerevan. The festival will last till July
1. David Harutyunian, young director, opened the
festival. He represented a performance staged on "The
Feast of Beasts" by Vahe Kacha.

It is envisaged that 22 performances will be held in
Yerevan theatres and in the theatres in the regions of
Armenia, including the Artsakh based V. Papazian
Theatre and the Tbilisi based Petros Adamian Theatre.

Within the framework of the festival, discussions and
round tables will be held. The organizers of the
festival assure that this arrangement will help the
young generation of theatre workers to get
familiarized and cooperate with the theatre leaders
and participants of international festivals.

The organizers of the festival also represented
"Theatre" periodical issued by the young theatre
workers of Armenia.

By Tamar Minasian

OSCE RESPONDED TO NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY’S INITIATIVE

Lragir.am
23 June 06

On June 28 the OSCE monitoring group will visit Karabakh to investigate
the cause of the fires in the border areas. The visit will take place
on the initiative of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Since June
9 the Azerbaijani media have been writing that the fires in the border
areas of Karabakh cause great damage to historical and other monuments.

OSCE Secretary General Marc Perrin Brichambaut mentioned that the
OSCE will draft a report on these facts.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: WORK OF SPRING SESSION OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PROCEEDED IN NORMAL WAY

YEREVAN, JUNE 23, NOYAN TAPAN. 103 laws were adopted at the regular
plenary sittings of the spring session of the RA National Assembly,
other 13 were adopted at the special session. 36 international
agreements are certified. NA Speaker Tigran Torosian informed
about it at the June 22 press conference, summing up results of
the session. According to him, the above-mentioned proves that the
NA work proceeded in a normal way. By the outbalancing part of the
adopted laws, amendments were made in the acting laws, "but it does
not humble the done work." According to him, the necessity of a
part of changes appeared as a result of using the laws and of the
other part was connected with the constitutional amendments. The NA
Speaker expressed satisfaction on that occasion that during the short
period of time followed adoption of the constitutional amendments,
the Parliament has already adopted 8-9 laws coming out of the latter
ones, what is rather hopefull. During the summer the Government will
aslo go on working in the direction of the drafts arising of the
constitutional amendments, putting them in the official circulation of
the Parliament, according to the schedule affirmed beforehand. By the
way, another special session of the National Assembly will, perhaps,
be convened in early July.

Responding journalists’ questions, the NA newly elected Speaker foresaw
that the re-arrangements at the Parliament may be considered finished,
and new re-arrangements are not expected at the autumn session, so the
Parliament will finish works within the circle of the already formed
correlation of forces. As for the staff, according to Tigran Torosian,
the only goal of the staff must be securing of an effective work of the
Parliament, and a necessity to review the structure of the NA staff
will be soon, as a number of services, boards, departments exists
at the Parliament at present to solve issues of the same field. At
the same time, the NA Speaker mentioned that possible changes may
be observed not in contrast to the previous NA Speaker’s work,
but within the context of increasing the effectivity of work of the
Parliament. According to him, the above-mentioned amendments will
have no relation to the staff representatives’ belonging to this
or that party. The NA Speaker informed on the occasion of coming
visits that many visits were envisaged beforehand, but the visits
to be paid by parliamentary delegations to Armenia and from Armenia
will be defined only in July. According to the speaker, they must
be purposeful, and just protocol ones must be excluded or, at least,
their number must be brought to minimum.

FILM & MUSIC: JAZZ, WORLD, FOLK
Robin Denselow

The Guardian – United Kingdom
Jun 23, 2006

CD releases: The Rough Guide to the Music of Iran (Rough Guides/World
Music Network) pounds 9.99

Iran is a complex country where music has continued to flourish
even since the Islamic revolution of 1979, when western pop was
initially banned, and this wide-ranging guide is an eye-opening
introduction. There are gently sturdy classical performers, folk
musicians, virtuoso instrumentalists, and even rock bands such as
the laid-back Barad or upbeat O-Hum, whose lyrics somehow range from
contemporary angst to a beefed-up treatment of ancient Sufi poetry.

Then there are the regional bands like the sturdy and stirring Kamkars
from Iranian Kurdistan, famous for their Kurdish and Persian classical
styles played on long-necked lutes, fiddles and dulcimer. There are
Iranian Armenians such as virtuoso lute-player Hossein Alizadeh, and
black Iranians descended from African slaves, such as the Jahle band,
whose soulful, hypnotic Lullaby is one of the high points on a timely,
intriguing set.

UKRAINE TO PARTICIPATE IN RECONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN HYDRO POWER PLANTS

EASTBUSINESS.ORG
June 20, 2006 Tuesday 8:49 AM (Central European Time)

Ukraine will participate in the reconstruction of the Armenian hydro
power plants, Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia Alexander Bozhko said.

The issue was discussedon Mondayduring the visit of Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian to Kyiv.

According to the Ambassador, the equipment for the Armenian
hydroelectric power plants was produced by Kharkov-based
Turboatom plant and now Armenia is
interested in participation of specialists of the plant in tenders
for reconstruction of the energy sector.

We have already sent therelevant documentationto the Ukrainian Ministry
of Economy, Bozhko said.

US CONGRESSWOMAN URGES EU TO PRESS TURKEY ON ARMENIAN CLAIMS
Kezban Iyiyurek (JTW)

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
June 21 2006

US Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-NY) has urged the European
Union (EU) to press Turkey to recognize the Armenian historical
claims. Armenians argue that the 1915 events was genocide while the
Turks argue the reverse.

The US does not recognise Armenian claims, and the American presidents
have never mentioned the word ‘genocide’ in their regarding speeches.

A Turkish diplomat told the JTW that the American congresmen should be
more constructive in Turkey-Armenia relations instead of provocating
the sides. "We should focus on the current problems. An EU member
Turkey would be a golden opportunity for the neigbouring Armenia"
the diplomat added.

The United States has called upon Turkey to restore economic, political
and social ties with Armenia, while the European Parliament has
adopted a resolution urging Ankara to open its border with Armenia,
and recognize the genocide, as a precondition to membership to the EU.

40 REFUGEE FAMILIES IN ARTASHAT GET FLATS

Noyan Tapan
Jun 20 2006

ARTASHAT, JUNE 20, NOYAN TAPAN. The Artashat Mayor’s Office
allocated flats to 40 refugee families. The flats are provided with
sanitary junction, electrecity and heating system. As the Noyan
Tapan correspondent informs from Artashat, it became possible
only as a result of finishing construction of the many-apartment
building half constructed still since 1990s by money allocated
from the state budget. The construction was implemented by the
"Artashatshin" LTD. According to Artashat Mayor Gagik Muradian, two
other many-apartment buildings will be put in the service in the city
in 2007, and new ones will add them in future.

ARMENIANS OF ANAPA MARK KHACHKAR DAY

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 19 2006

KRASNODAR, JUNE 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A traditional
holiday, Khachkar Day, was marked in the village of Haykodzor, Anapa
region, Krasnodar territory. The holiday is dedicated to the date of
placing a khachkar (cross-stone) in this Armenian village. The 15th
anniversary of khachkar’s placing is marked this year.

According to the Yerkramas (Territory) newspaper of Armenians of
Russia, the festivity started with a prayer of clergymen of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, after which head of the city-resort of
Anapa Anatoli Pakhomov made a greeting speech. Diplomas were given to
the most active public figures of the Center for Armenian National
Culture of Anapa Region from the city administration. Diplomas were
also given on behalf of the Center to the people who spared no efforts
to the advantage of the region and the Armenian community.

The festivity was accompanied by a feast and performances of creative
folk groups, among which there were not only Armenian groups but also
those representing other peoples of Krasnodar territory, for instance,
Greeks and Cossacks.