OSKANIAN DOES NOT CONFIRM REPORTS ABOUT HIS MEETING WITH MAMEDYAROV
Armenpress
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign minister Vartan
Oskanian said proclamation of the independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic (NKR) 15 years ago was a historical necessity without
which Armenians worldwide would have been unable to consolidate
their resources.
Speaking during a TV bridge between Yerevan and Nagorno-Karabakh
capital Stepanakert on the occasion of the latter’s 15-th independence
anniversary, Oskanian said unfortunately all conflicts in the world
are viewed now in the political context and their legal grounds are
being ignored.
Oskanian admitted that the talks with Azerbaijan over the conflict
resolution were again in what he described ‘a critical situation.” He
said the further course of the talks would be depending largely on
what kind of intervention the international community is going to make.
He said the document which is put now on the negotiations
table is based on the right of people of Karabakh to
self-determination. Oskanian did not confirm an upcoming meeting with
Azeri counterpart Elmar Mamedyarov. Mamedyarov was quoted by Trend news
agency late last week as saying that he had a telephone conversation
with OSCE Minsk Group cochairman from France, Bernard Fassier, who
suggested holding a meeting between the foreign ministers of Armenia
and Azerbaijan as part of the “Prague process” on September 12-13 in
Paris or 14-15 in London.
Mamedyarov was quoted as saying that he agreed to meet with
Oskanian. He also said the format of the meeting was being discussed
and some time later the day and the venue for the meeting would
be specified.

PATRIARCH MUTAFIAN TO APPEAL TO BOTH PEOPLES AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF SURP KHACH CHURCH OF AKHTAMAR
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
05/09/2006
On August 24, referring to Turkish sources daily Azg informed that the
reconstruction of Surp Khach church on the Akhtamar Island is over,
and Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Ordagan will officially open
it in October.
On September 1, Yeni Safaq newspaper of Turkey again touched upon
opening of Surp Khach, saying that the opening ceremony slated in early
October will be organized by the Turkish Culture Ministry and it will
be attended by representatives from Armenia and other 20 states as
well as Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople Mesrop II Mutafian.
The Turkish paper writes that Patriarch Mutafian will send a message of
reconciliation to Armenia and Turkey that will be relayed by Armenian
and Turkish Van FM radio stations. The radio stations themselves made
the suggestion of broadcast.

AMB. EVANS TO VISIT NATIONAL FILM LIBRARY
AZG Armenian Daily
05/09/2006
Thanks to the project of protecting cultural values financed by the US
government, the National Film Library of Armenia has got a storehouse
with necessary air conditioning for more than 270.000 Armenian films,
videotapes and photographs. Today, US ambassador John Evans will speak
to a press conference at the Film Library after which the journalists
will take a time to get familiarized with the storehouse.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATIONAL TEAM OF BELGIUM TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN
A1+
[06:18 pm] 04 September, 2006
The national football team of Belgium will arrive in Yerevan
tonight. On September 6 Armenia will meet with them in the first match
within the framework of the qualifying round of “EURO-2008”. Our
opponents will arrive in Yerevan without leading defenders Vincent
Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen. The guests will have training in the
“Hanrapetakan” stadium tomorrow. The match will take place the day
after tomorrow at 09:00 p.m.
As for the Armenian national football team, goalkeeper Armen
Hambardzoumyan and strikers Ara Hakobyan, Aram Voskanyan and Edgar
Manoucharyan have traumas. Roman Berezovski and Artavazd Qaramyan have
refused to play in the national team for different reasons. Factually,
the main players of the team are out and the coach of the team,
Ian Porterfield will try to make the best of it.

ARMENIA HAS NO CONTACTS WITH TURKEY: MINISTER OSKANYAN
Panorama.am
17:11 04/09/06
Vartan Oskanyan, minister of foreign affairs of Armenia, told reporters
today Armenia has no official contacts with Turkey as of today. The
minister did not deny that from time to time the two countries have
had some contacts. “If there is not result, we see no point in talking
about them,” the minister pointed out.
Speaking about the reports in the Turkish mass media, saying that
Armenian and Turkish historians cooperate to study 1915 Genocide
of Armenians, minister Oskanyan said, “Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan has clearly uttered our disposition to Prime Minister of
Turkey Erdogan. After that, nothing has been changed.”

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH SUPPORTS HABITAT FOR HUMANITY TO BUILD HOUSES
Panorama.am
18:50 04/09/06
Twenty-four families will receive accommodation in Gavar in the
framework of construction program “We will construct with faith”
under the name of Garegin B, Catholicos of All-Armenians. Another 12
houses will be ready in different regions of Armenia by the end of
2006. Habitat for Humanity, an international organization in Armenia,
conducts long-term credit program without interest rates since the
year 2000. In April of the running year, an agreement was reached
with the Armenian Apostolic Church (AAC) according to which the church
expressed readiness to support the program.
“A year ago, we received an invitation form Habitat to take part in
a housing program in Detroit, USA. We watched how enthusiastically
the works were conducted and saw the happiness of families which
received the houses. Then, we received an invitation to support a
similar program in Armenia,” Garegin B said.
Each house costs $6400. The owners have to pay it back in 20 years
without interest rates. “We were not suggested a credit, in fact,
because we do not pay interest rates. Today, monthly apartment rent
is $80 and I pay only 9100 Armenian drams per month (about $23)
in the course of 20 years,” a happy owner of a flat says.
Next year, Habitat will commission 100 houses or flats with the
support of AAC. By the year of 2011, the number of construction sites
is going to reach 1710.
According to Habitat statistics, 5% of Armenian families have no
residence and 40% live in temporary flats.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROSECUTOR SUGGESTS Four AND HALF YEARS IN JAIL FOR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF JAMANAK YEREVAN NEWSPAPER
Panorama.am
18:56 04/09/06
District court of Nork Marash and Kentron communities listened to the
charge brought against editor-in-chief of Haikakan Jamanak newspaper,
Arman Babajanyan, which was ready out by prosecutor Janna Kotikyan. The
prosecutor referred to the testimonies of witnesses, which say that
Babajanyan has faked documents with the purpose of army evasion.
It should be mentioned that all witnesses, including two employees
of Shengavit community military commissariat, were interviewed
secretly and did not appear to court with an excuse of “being away
from Yerevan.”
The prosecutor ruled out the claim of Babajanyan’s advocate, which
says, “unsigned letters cannot be a base for charge.” Kotikyan
referred to article 180 according to which ” information on crime
must be discussed and resolved immediately.”
Finally, Kotikyan made a mediation to recognize Arman Babajanyan
guilty based on two articles of the Criminal Code suggesting 4 and
half years of imprisonment.
After the speech of Kotikyan, Robert Grigoryan, the advocate of Arman
Babajanyan, had his say. He re-uttered that Babajanyan admits his guilt
of faking document with the purpose of army evasion but does not accept
that he has stolen documents for the same purpose. “I will not feel
more secure if you charge Babajanyan for 4.5 years,” Grigoryan said
adding that Babajanyan is in “psychologically terrible conditions.”
Grigoryan released his mediation asking for punishment not related
to imprisonment based on Armenian Criminal Code.
The judge suggested the defendant to come up with his defense speech,
but Babajanyan mentioned that he needs time to get ready. The judge
set the time for the next hearing – September 8, at 3 p.m.

ARMENIAN SIDE DOES NOT CONFIRM OSKANIAN-MAMEDYAROV MEETING ON SEPTEMBER 12
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “The Armenian
side did not confirm a meeting between me and the Azerbaijani foreign
minister Elmar Mamedyarov on September 12, and this position will
depend on further developments at other instances,” the Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated during a talk with reporters
on September 4. In his words, there must be no additional obstacles
so that the meeting will be successful: “If any obstacles arise
prior to the meeting, they should be overcome and only after that,
a meeting should be organized.” As regards the harsh statements of
Baku, the minister noted that these statements do not correspond to
the contents of the present document. At the same time, he said that
Baku’s harsh statements should not be completely disregarded: “Only
by returning to the negotiating table, we can make sure whether what
is going on in Baky is their policy indeed or they want to continue
negotiations in the spirit of the current document.”

SYRIAN MUFTI TO VISIT ARMENIA BY INVITATION OF CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
ETCHMIADZIN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The delegation
headed by Sheikh Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun, the Grand Mufti of the Arab
Republic of Syria arrived in Armenia on September 2, by the invitation
of Karekin II Catholicos of All Armenians. The goal of the meeting is
a dialogue and cooperation between the religions. During the five-day
visit, Sheikh Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun will visit the Mother See
of Holy Etchmiadzin where the Grand Mufti will have a meeting and a
private conversation with the Catholicos of All Armenians. Visits are
envisaged to the Sevan Vazgenian Spiritual college, Tsitsernakabert,
Surb (Saint) Geghard monastery, Yerevan Blue mosque, Surb Mesrop
Mashtots Matenadaran (Armenian repository of ancient manuscripts). As
Noyan Tapan was informed by the Information Services of the Mother
See, the Grand Mufti of the Arab Republic of Syria will have meetings
at the RA National Assembly, Foreign Ministry, National Academy of
Sciences and YSU Theology Faculty as well. A press conference with
participation of the Catholicos of All Armenians and Mufti Sheikh
Ahmed Badr-Eddine Hassoun will take place at the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin on September 6.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN: EXISTENCE OF THE SECOND ARMENIAN REPUBLIC IS AN UNQUESTIONABLE FACT ANY LONGER, PROCESS OF THE ARTSAKH HISTORY IS AN IRREVERSIBLE REALITY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Sept 04 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Proclamation
of the Nagorno Karabakh independence is the brightest display of the
Armenian people’s dignity and striving for freedom in the period of
time of the newest history,” is said in RA National Assembly Speaker
Tigran Torosian’s congratulating message on the occasion of the 15th
anniversary of the NKR independence.
“Existence of the second Armenian Republic is an unquestionable
fact any longer, process of the Artsakh history is an irreversible
reality. The Artsakh heroic people’s unbending will and numerous
Armenian sons’ entire devotion became those firm basis on which the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh rose. Today it becomes more powerful and
firmer day by day, as a free and democratic country what is the most
important guarantee for development and international recognition,”
Tigran Torosian writes in his message. “Bowing our heads to our whole
people’s stauchness and inflexible soul, to the memory of thousands
of martyrs died in the name of freedom of the Fatherland, we are
obliged to do our best in the name of stable development, security
and peace of Nagorno Karabakh,” is said in the message submitted to
Noyan Tapan by the NA Public Relations Department.