WEST ALWAYS PERCEIVED KHATAMI AS LIBERAL
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.09.2006 17:40 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The West always perceived Khatami as a leader of
the liberal wing of the Iranian society, and first of all students,
Armenian political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, when commenting on the isseu of a US visa
to former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. In his words, during
Khatami’s Presidency in Iran, especially during the first tenure,
there was thaw in US-Iran relations. “Washington probably remembers
differences between Khatami and ayatollah Khamenei, arisen at the
time. Although Khatami lately made a few harsh statements, addressed
to the US, Washington apparently views him as a potential leader of
a democratic movement. Favor towards him, in the opinion of American
strategists, should signal and stimulate proponents of democratic
changes in the country. It is another attempt to split the Iranian
society,” the political scientist said.

ARKADY GHUKASIAN: AZERBAIJAN’S DIPLOMATIC CORPS ACTS ON THE OFFENSIVE; ISN’T IT TIME FOR US ALSO TO ATTACK?
By Marietta Khachatrian, Hadrut-Yerevan
AZG Armenian Daily
14/09/2006
On September 11, president of Nagorno Karabakh, Arkady Ghukasian,
answered journalists’ questions in Norashen village of Hadrut region.
– Vartan Oskanian said that if Azerbaijan wants to be productive in
fighting against fires then it has to turn to authorities in Nagorno
Karabakh. The UN has adopted a resolution; an OSCE mission should
visit the region. Did they sand the fact-finding mission, and what
do you think about the possibility to cooperate with Azerbaijan.
– First of all, it was our proposal. When Azerbaijan set up a clamor
about the fires it became clear that it is an artificial clamor
as the fires’ authors are Azeris and they are also behind the
propaganda. We repeatedly applied to international organizations
asking to send missions because we ourselves are interested that
the world community has a clear understanding of what is going on in
Nagorno Karabakh’s surrounding territories. It was our proposal, and
today as an OSCE mission is getting ready for a visit, it’s natural
that they should cooperate with authorities in Karabakh. So far there
was no official application but I am sure it will arrive soon. We are
ready to receive the mission, and I am sure the mission will draw an
objective conclusion from the events in Nagorno Karabakh.
Azerbaijan’s goal remains the same: to smear everything connected
with Karabakh.
– Was there any appeal or proposal about cooperation?
– There was no appeal on Azerbaijan’s part, and it’s natural, as I
don’t think they are after cooperation or creation of constructive
atmosphere. Azerbaijan has other goals: to cause problems to Karabakh,
to make the international community to condemn or punish it.
If Azerbaijan comes out with such proposals we will gladly accept
them. We on our part have turned to Azerbaijani leadership, the OSCE
and other international organizations for many times as we find the
more contacts with not only Azerbaijan’s leadership but also diverse
organizations, the larger our chances to settle the issues. We have
many problems in contiguous regions connected with water supply, fires
etc, and I am sure that the Azeri population living by the border
is interested in contact as it will help to settle vital issues. But
Azerbaijani authorities have always been opposing to this, refusing
every proposal about contacts. In this case I am sure that Azerbaijan
is concerned not with the essence of the issue but the propaganda
over Karabakh.
– What about Bryza’s statements, and is the window of opportunity
already closed for this year? Also, you said in a radio speech that
Karabakh’s international recognition can be a way out.
– International recognition has always been an option as we are sure
that Karabakh’s future is in de jure recognition of its status. In
regards to the window, we never closed it, just the opposite, we try
to keep the window open, and I am hopeful that the window is open,
and we are ready for a constructive dialogue with Azerbaijan.
– What do you think about transferring the issue to UN?
– I think it’s a destructive approach as the OSCE Minsk Group has been
entitled to mediate and any attempt to include other international
organizations can cause chaos in regulation of the issue.
– Can we block these attempts?
– Regrettably Nagorno Karabakh is not represented in these
international structures. Armenia has made its position clear: no
other international organization should take up the issue that is
entitled to the OSCE.
– Do you mean we have to pick up the right diplomatic tools?
– Perhaps the Armenian diplomacy should be more active. Unfortunately,
a situation emerges where Azerbaijan’s diplomatic corps is on the
offensive and we have to defend; isn’t it time for us to attack too?

AZERBAIJAN STATES THAT OSCE IS PREJUDICED
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
14/09/2006
According to preliminary agreement, The OSCE mission has held a
program monitoring in the border line of the armed forces of Nagorno
Karabakh and Azerbaijan near Seisoulan settlement. Lieutenant-Colonel
Imre Palatinus and Irzhi Aberlei, field assistant of the special
representative of the OSCE Chairman in Office, carried out the
monitoring from the NKR side. In the course of the monitoring, The
Azeri side didn’t allow the OSCE mission approach their positions,
holding them back at a distance of 700 meters. Thus, they hindered
to carry out full-fledged monitoring. It’s worth mentioning that no
violations were fixed as a result of the monitoring.
The Azeri side stated in the interview to Azerpress agency that the
Armenian side had opened desultory fire, but the OSCE representatives
failed to fix that “fact.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ELECTIONS TO LOCAL ADMINISTRATION BODIES ARE EXPECTED IN JAVAKHK
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
14/09/2006
On September 11, the Georgian parties completed registration for the
elections to the local administration bodies envisaged for coming
October.
“Javakhk-Info” informed that two Joint national movements and
“The Union of Georgi Topadze-Industrials” party are registered
at the polling station # 40 in Akhalkalaki. Another Joint national
movement is registered at the polling station #41 in Ninotsminda. The
agency informed that exclusively Armenians are registered in the
abovementioned parties.

WAY BACK HOME SEEMS SHORTER
By Tamar Minasian
AZG Armenian Daily
14/09/2006
It’s for already several days that “Cilicia” sailing vessel returns
home by land. Zory Balayan informed that the vessel ship is on the
way to Bagratashen.
“Every time the ship gets farther from the shore and the weather
becomes rainy, we say that even the nature is crying for that,”
he said.
The day when the ship left the sea and began its way back home by
land. The ship has to pass 7 kilometers to get home.
Before leaving the port, Zory Balayan turned to Hayk Harutyunian,
head of RA Police, with the request to secure the safety of their
expedition’s last part. The Georgian policemen accompany the sailors
till the border of Armenia.
“Cilicia” reached Poti from Yerevan in 10 days. But the sailors
should spare no efforts to shorten the way by two days. This is how
they planned their way. “We should take into account the fact that
the way back home always seemed shorter,” Zory Balayan said.
We want to wish good luck to our sailors and to say that we look
forward to the meeting with them in Armenia.

USA INTENDS TO DECREASE FINANCING OF UN
By Petros Keshishian
AZG Armenian Daily
14/09/2006
USA intends to decrease financing UN, if this organization fails to
make effective inner reforms.
John Bolton, US Ambassador to UN, made such a statement at UN, the
day before yesterday.
He said that USA has grounds to be dissatisfied with the activities
of UN from the viewpoint of the organization’s management and
reports. Bolton said that it is normal to demand annihilation of
corruption and effective management.
According to Reuters, Bolton said that “UN should totally focus on
making inner reforms by the end of the year.” He warned that, if it
turns out by the end of the year that no inner improvement process
was on in UN, the American will reconsider the sizes of the financial
allocations paid to the budget of the organization.
“I believe that the rest of UN member states will realize what we
attain and our determination to achieve our goals. Thus, they may
figure out how much that will cost to refuse making reforms,” the
Ambassador stated.
At present, the payments of USA make about 1/4% of the annual budget
of UN.

APPOINTMENT OF A NEW AMBASSADOR IS POSTPONED
A1+
[04:38 pm] 13 September, 2006
A senator put a hold Tuesday on the nomination of Richard Hoagland to
be ambassador to Armenia to protest the Bush administration’s refusal
to classify the deaths of 1.5 million Armenians as genocide.
Last week, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted 13-5 to send
Hoagland’s nomination to the full Senate for a vote. Until Democratic
Sen. Robert Menendez lifts his hold, however, the Senate cannot vote
on Hoagland’s nomination. Under Senate rules, any senator can block
nominations or legislation.
Menendez said all Americans must recognize the atrocities committed
between 1915 to 1923 in Armenia, during the waning days of the Ottoman
Empire, amounted to genocide. The Bush administration and Turkey,
successor to the Ottoman state, admit many Armenians died but reject
the genocide classification.
“Mr. Hoagland has declined to acknowledge the mass killings of the
Armenians as genocide, and has said that if confirmed, he would work
to represent the president’s policy,” Menendez said. “I have great
concerns that Mr. Hoagland’s confirmation would be a step backward.”

INFORMATIONAL TERROR AGAINST THE OPPOSITION
A1+
[06:18 pm] 13 September, 2006
The Parliament has been discussing the draft laws about introducing
amendments to the NA regulations for the last three days. One draft
has been represented by almost all the political powers, including the
“National Unity” and the “Justice” bloc. The other one was represented
by the United Labor Party.
“Three days of fruitless discussions and loss of time”, independent
deputy Manouk Gasparyan qualified the work of the first days of
the Parliament.
Another independent deputy Viktor Dallakyan noted that not the number
of sessions of the Parliament is important but the level of that very
Parliament – if it consists of political figures or those who simply
push buttons.
He also announced that what the Government wants to do, that is –
to deprive the national TV channel of the chance to broadcast
the question-and-answer process of the Parliament, is simply
unacceptable. “To deprive the national TV channel of the chance to
broadcast the question-and-answer process of the Parliament means
to deprive the opposition of air. It is informational terror against
opposition”, Viktor Dallakyan announced.
Independent deputy Tatoul Manaseryan noted that today’s session
is not broadcast on the radio. Manouk Gasparyan underlined that if
the National T Company does not want to highlight the work of the
Parliament, the money given to them for that work can be given to
another TV Company which will do that work gladly. He especially
stressed the names of “Kentron” and “AR” TV Companies.

POLITICAL DUEL
A1+
[06:45 pm] 13 September, 2006
Armen Ashotyan from the Republican Party and leader of the Democratic
Party Aram G. Sargsyan, the guests of “Mirror” club, were to debate
about foreign policy, particularly about regional problems, but
gradually the debate was taken to the inner political field.
The sides debated mixing together the present and the past. The
journalists blamed Aram Sargsyan for repeated thoughts for the last
seven years. Asked the question if the opposition does not blame
itself for four years’ idleness Aram Sargsyan said, “Not four but two”
and noted that the opposition has not done anything after the famous
April 2004 events. “What could they do if their opponent followed
the principle of brutal force? ” He added that the only mistake of
the opposition was that “they did not lead the people to destroy
those authorities”.
Has Aram Sargsyan himself made any mistakes? To the journalist’s
hint about entering Robert Kocharyan’s administration he answered,
“I rectified my error resigning after a year”.
Armen Ashotyan noted that the issues are of mutual interest. He said
that if the authorities consisted only of “thieves and robbers” as Aram
Sargsyan claimed, it would be easy for the opposition to distinguish
itself. But the opposition did not make use of that chance. According
to Ashotyan, “maybe they did not have enough chances, or they may
have failed to assess the situation”.
Ashotyan blamed his opponent for not having a political plan
and for intolerance towards the Republican Party and “Prospering
Armenia”. According to him, the governing parties have those political
features which the people need today.
Aram Sargsyan was angry at the fact that “his opponent protects the
authorities”. Ashotyan’s last announcement that there are no political
crimes in Armenia made not only Sargsyan but also the journalists
outrageous. Vainly did they try to remind him about irrefutable facts
about suchlike crimes.
After the end of the debate Aram G. Sargsyan informed “A1+” that next
time he is invited to a similar debate he will turn the invitation
down, or he will try to make sure that the debate will be about
“serious themes”.

YOUNG REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NEW TIMES ARE MOLESTED
A1+
[06:51 pm] 13 September, 2006
The party “New Times” has made a statement which says, “We have noted
cases of encroachment against the head of the youth wing of the party
“New Times” Narek Malyan lately.
In particular, some people calling themselves “representatives of
the system” have tried to terrify him. The party “New Times” calls
on the state structures and law enforcement bodies to be more alert
and announces with all seriousness that in case of any act of terror
or violence directed against its members the party will resort to
similar measures in answer”.