Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Democratic Azerbaijan
Ïðàî ûáîðà, Azerbaijan
June 30 2006
“Zerkalo”: Candidate for the Ambassador of the United States to
Armenia Denied to Use Word “Genocide”
30.06.2006

In spite of obstinate demands of pro-Armenian senators
The candidate for the post of new Ambassador of the U.S. to Armenia,
Richard Hoghland in his speech at the Committee for International
Relations of the U.S. Senate declined the demands of a number of
Senators and did not use the word “genocide”.
Reportedly Trend News-Agency referring to Turkish mass media, the
confirmation of R. Hoghland’s authorities needed Senate’s uphold. But
three pro-Armenian Senators – George Allen and Norm Coleman (Republic
Party), and Paul Sarbanes (Democratic Party) demanded from R.
Hoghland to recognize the fictitious genocide of Armenians in Ottoman
Empire. Regardless of urgent requests of three Senators, R. Hoghland
did not use this word. “I am not for game of words and call to see
future not past,” said American diplomat.
In case of confirmation of Richard Hoghland in the post of the
Ambassador to Armenia binds to uphold development of regional ties
with Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia. Ex-Ambassador of the
U.S. to Armenia John Evans was recalled by the President George Bush
in 2005 in consequence of using of the word “genocide” to the 1915
events in Ottoman Empire.
To date R. Hoghland is acting Ambassador of the United States to
Tajikistan.

Thai Press Reports, Thailand
June 30, 2006 Friday
ARMENIA PROPOSES DIRECT FLIGHT WITH THAILAND
Section: General News – On 29 June 2006, Mr. Artur Lazarian,
Honorary Consul of Thailand in Yerevan, Armenia paid a courtesy call
on Dr. Kantathi Suphamongkhon, Foreign Minister, on the occasion of
his visit to Thailand to discuss with Thai authorities concerned ways
and means to make use of the new building of the Royal Thai Consulate
in Yerevan which was recently opened. Mr. Greg Der-Kevorkian,
Honorary Consul of Armenia in Thailand, also attended the meeting.
During the talks, Mr. Lazarian discussed plans for the new building
of the Royal Thai Consulate in Yerevan which may include several
representative offices for Thai companies and spaces for use in
cultural activities. This, noted Dr. Kantathi, would fall under the
same line of the idea of establishing a Thai Center in various
capitals.
Another issue that was discussed between the two sides included the
Armenian proposal for direct flights linking Yerevan and Bangkok. At
the moment, flights originating from Yerevan have to make connections
either in Europe or the Middle East. Thus, with the increasing
numbers of Armenian tourists to Thailand, especially in winter time,
it would make a lot of sense to have the direct connection.
Regarding bilateral exchanges, Mr. Lazarian took the opportunity to
convey to Dr. Kantathi the invitation from the Armenian side for the
Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister to pay an official visit to
Armenia in the near future. Dr. Kantathi showed appreciation for the
invitation, reaffirming that the dates of both visits would be worked
out in due course, however also taking into account the current
political situation.
Dr. Kantathi reaffirmed Thai-Armenia close relations, recalling that
the ‘Thai town’ in Los Angeles, U.S.A. was located in Armenia village
while the former Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations
in New York was housed in an Armenian church.
Mr. Lazarian is on a 3 day-visit to Thailand. He is due to meet with
representatives of Thai Airways, the Thai Trade Representative as
well as officials from the Department of Export Promotion and Chamber
of Commerce the next day to discuss issues relating to the promotion
of trade and economic activities between Thailand and Armenia
further.
(Foreign Affairs Ministry: 29 June 2006)

“ARMENIA AFRAID OF WAR”
Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
June 29 2006
Safar Abiyev: “Let Sarkisian says what he wants” “For the last
years we got specific achievements in the field of creation of
the Army. Beginning from 1997 the syllabus in military colleges of
Azerbaijan are set up in accordance with NATO standards, our country
launched for training of professional personnel in accordance with
modern requirements. Furthermore, Azerbaijan’s military budget grows
per annum, resulting in reinforcement of our military’s social
protection”. Minister of Defence of Azerbaijan, General-Colonel,
Safar Abiyev, said it at the ceremony devoted to 88th Anniversary
of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan. According to S. Abiyev, the
above-mentioned factors resulted in strengthening of work aimed at
increasing of the military’s social protection. “Our armed forces
widen international relations. To date we signed the agreement on
military-technical cooperation with such countries as Iran, Turkey,
the U.S., Russia, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Germany, etc.
Azerbaijani military participate the hundreds of annual arrangements
conducted by the NATO within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
Programme. Our Army is strong and won’t concede Azerbaijani lands.”
S. Abiyev informed that Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces are ready to return
the Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia by military way.
According to him, in order to wage a war, it takes just a time.
Furthermore, the Minister emphasized that this conflict infringes
on Armenian interests as well as many other countries. In spite
of that S. Abiyev did not call specific states, but he stated that
some of them were interested in direct influence upon Azerbaijan:
“Some major states uphold their views, but they will be forced to go
back before the power of Azerbaijan. We can show our power.”
S. Abiyev expressed his attitude towards statement of Armenian Defence
Minister Serge Sarkisian who informed that Azerbaijan did not intend
to wage a war. “Let Sarkisian says what he wants. With his words he
is trying to soothe Armenian community and appease a fear of opinions
due to forthcoming war.”
–Boundary_(ID_TvBZOYMHEQmrkMkCOKvM1g) —

YEREVAN TO HOST DAYS OF LEBANESE LITERATURE
Armenpress
Jun 29 2006
YEREVAN JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS: Armenia will hold Days of Lebanese
Literature. Levon Ananian, the president of the Union of Armenian
Writers, said they were negotiating with Lebanese culture ministry
the details of the event, which will be held most likely in autumn.
Ananian said before the start of the event in Armenia a monument to
prominent Armenian poet, Avetik Isahakian, will be erected in Lebanese
capital city Beirut.
He said the return event- Days of Armenian Literature in Lebanon-
will be held next year.

LLOYD: “I WILL PAY MY FIRST VISIT TO AZERBAIJAN AS A RAPPORTEUR IN SEPTEMBER OR OCTOBER”
Today, Azerbaijan
June 29 2006
“I’ll take up my duty at once. As rapporteur on Azerbaijan, I’ll pay
my first visit to the country to get acquainted with the situation
in September or October this year.”
“I have much to do,” the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly
Monitoring Committee new co-rapporteur on Azerbaijan, British
parliamentarian Tony Lloyd stated.
Mr.Lloyd said all issues related to development of democratic
institutions are interesting and important for him.
“I’ll bring to a focus effecting reforms in the rule of law and legal
system and improving of electoral legislation. Thus, next elections
are upcoming,” the co-rapporteur said.
Lloyd refused to comment on the current situation in Azerbaijan saying
he can do it only after visiting Azerbaijan and having talks there.
Regarding the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to be very serious and
dangerous issue not only for Azerbaijan and Armenia but for the entire
region, the co-rapporteur said he is not yet ready to comment on this
problem either, APA reports.
URL:

GULIYEV: “HUNGARY COURT OF APPEAL CAN CHANGE RAMIL SAFAROV’S SENTENCE WITH 10-15 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT”
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 28 2006
“Struggle is on in legal sphere in Hungary Court of Appeal for
relieving Ramil Safarov from his sentence.
We think that this might change Ramil Safarov’s sentence with 10-15
years of imprisonment.” This statement was made to journalists by
Ramil Safarov’s Rights Defense Coordinating Council member Azay
Guliyev.(APA). Azay Guliyev has stated that no announcement is given
to press related to the activity of Coordinating Council. Because,
some groups make use of it. The experience showed that these kinds
of things did not help Ramil Safarov. Armenians made use of Court
process and achieved the most hard punishment to Ramil Safarov.
Everybody knows that the punishment given to Ramil Safarov is not
adequate to his deed.

BAKU BLAMES YEREVAN FOR DISTORTING ESSENCE OF KARABAKH TALKS
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
June 28, 2006 Wednesday 9:22 AM MSK
The Azeri Foreign Ministry has denounced what it calls “the continued
attempts by the Armenian Foreign Ministry to purposefully distort
the realities in the negotiating process for the settlement of
the Armenian-Azeri conflict over Nagorno- Karabakh” in a statement
on Tuesday.
“The Armenian Foreign Ministry’s statement [] has become yet another
evidence of the persisting unconstructive position of Armenia in the
process to settle the conflict,” the Azeri Foreign Ministry said.
According to the Azeri Foreign Ministry, the OSCE Minsk Group co-
chairmen, particularly Matthew Bryza of the U.S., “only outlined
specific principles for a gradual peace settlement, which are being
discussed now and which cannot be taken out of the general context
of this document.”
“This sets the grounds for misunderstanding, confusion of the terms,
and speculations similar to those contained in the Armenian Foreign
Ministry’s statement,” it said.
“The definition of [Nagorno-Karabakh’s] status is impossible under
continued occupation and ethnical cleansing and therefore presumes
that the occupied Azeri territories be liberated and the entire
conflict zone demilitarized, which, given appropriate international
security guarantees, should provide conditions for the return of the
displaced Azeri population to their permanent residence. The Armenian
leadership acknowledges this as well,” the Azeri Foreign Ministry said.

SECURING AN OVERLAND CORRIDOR BETWEEN ARMENIA AND KARABAKH SHOULD BE ONE OF THE KEY POINTS OF REGULATION
Armenian Foreign Ministry Statement
AZG Armenian Daily
29/06/2006
Taking into account the statement that the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group presented to the OSCE Permanent Council, in Vienna, on June
22, and the interview that Matt Bryza, the new US co-chair gave soon
thereafter, where albeit partially, the principles of the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict were revealed for the first time,
and also taking into account the recent desperate calls by Azerbaijan
for a military solution and autonomy for Nagorno Karabakh, we would
like to make several observations.
1. The co-chairs have partially revealed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution principles; they have left out references to a corridor
linking Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia, and issues relating to Nagorno
Karabakh’s status until a referendum;
2. The co-chairs have, for the first time, affirmed that the people
of Nagorno Karabakh shall determine their own future status through
a referendum;
3. Those items over which the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
continue to disagree does not include a referendum; that concept has
been agreed to by the presidents; The area of disagreement between
the presidents has to do with the sequence in which the consequences
of the military conflict are removed;
4. In an attempt to resolve this remaining area of disagreement, a
proposal was made by the co-chairs after Rambouillet. This proposal
was accepted by Armenia in Bucharest. Azerbaijan rejected it.
5. Armenia finds that the basic principles, overall, on the table today
remain a serious basis for continuing negotiations; Armenia is prepared
to continue on that basis to continue to negotiate with Azerbaijan;
6. Armenia believes that Azerbaijan’s wavering on these principles
is a serious obstacle to progress in the negotiations. If this
policy continues, Armenia will insist that Azerbaijan conduct direct
negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh.
7. Finally, we would remind Azerbaijan once again that regardless
of the size of their military budget, they cannot force the
people of Nagorno Karabakh to renounce freedom and the right to
self-determination.

CONFIRMATION HEARINGS FOR US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA NOMINEE RICHARD HOAGLAND TO BE HELD IN US SENATE
ArmRadio.am
28.06.2006 10:42
Confirmation hearings for US Ambassador to Armenia nominee
Richard Hoagland are expected today in Senate Foreign Relations
Committee. Armenian Organizations of America and Congressmen launching
pro-Armenian activity consider that John Evans is being recalled
ahead of time because of publicly recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

ANOTHER LETTER FOR ROBERT KOCHARYAN?
Lragir.am
27 June 06
On these days there has been a more intensive indirect dialogue
between Armenian and U.S. officials in the form of statements. The
new OSCE Minsk Group co-chair, Assistant Secretary of State Mathew
Bryza made several interesting statements. Namely, he stated that
democracy in Armenia falls behind of Azerbaijan. Bryza had also
revealed the details of negotiations for the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict. The reaction of official Yerevan shows how serious
these statements are. The press secretary of the president and the
Foreign Ministry tried to reply to Mathew Bryza, and the former even
threatened that Armenia would publish the history of the past 7-8
years of negotiations. In the meantime, the Lragir.am has learned
that besides statements the U.S. officials sent a letter to official
Yerevan. The letter is said to have been written by John Danilovich,
Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
There is information that Danilovich touched upon democratization in
Armenia, which is the main stipulation of the Millennium Challenge
Account. Moreover, he even said that the United States may reconsider
allocating 235 million dollars to Armenia.