“KILIKIA” SAILING SHIP GETS INTO A HURRICANE
ArmRadio.am
30.08.2006 14:42
On its way from Sochi to Poti “Kilikia” sailing vessel got into a
hurricane this night. The crew of “Kilikia” applied great efforts to
survive and to save the vessel.
Honorary captain of the ship Zori Balayan said in his talk with
“Armenpress” correspondent that two years ago “Kilikia” faced the
same trial in the same place and in the same period of time. Zori
Balayan expressed the hope that ” Kilikia” will arrive at Poti harbor
September 3-4, and will reach Armenia on September 15.

AZERBAIJAN REFUSED TO ADMIT THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DELEGATION
ArmRadio.am
30.08.2006 16:10
Azerbaijan refused to admit the European Parliament delegation, which
was planning to hold monitoring at the site of the Armenain cemetery
in Old Jugha, MEDIAMAX agency reports, referring to well-informed
diplomatic circles.
The Armenian side agreed to provide the opportunity to the delegation
of the European Parliament to hold monitoring of the historical
monuments on Nagorno-Karabakh territory.
The delegation was to arrive in the region early September.
To remind, in Article 67 of the European Neighborhood Policy resolution
adopted January 19, the European Parliament called on Azerbaijani
authorities to ” stop the destruction of medieval Armenian cemeteries
and historical khachkars in the Southern part of Nakhijevan.” It is
noted in the resolution that the demolition of Armenian monuments
is the violation of the UNESCO convention on World Heritage, which
Azerbaijan ratified in 1993.

GERMANY STANDS FOR THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT
ArmRadio.am
30.08.2006 15:29
Germany stands for the peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict,
the newly appointed German Ambassador to Azerbaijan Per Christopher
said in a press conference in Baku, “Trend” agency reports.
The Ambassador said this position of Germany formed many years ago
is alrea dy known to Azerbaijan.
“We stand for continuing the peace talks on the settlement of the
conflict resolution. We consider that the settlement of the conflict
through application of force is unacceptable,” the German diplomat
noted.
He added that “Germany is ready to provide assistance in the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict any time.”

NO AGREEMENT ON THE MEETING OF THE PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
ArmRadio.am
30.08.2006 15:40
No agreement has been reached on the meeting of the Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyn and Ilham Aliev. However,
the opportunity of such a meeting is not ruled out, President’s Press
Secretary Viktor Soghomonyan said.
In his words, today it is untimely to say whether “the window
of opportunity” for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict has
been closed or not, since the year is not over. In this regard, he
reminded the statement by Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, according
to which Armenia stands for the constructive dialogue coming from
today’s reality.

THERE IS NO REPRESENTATIVE FROM CRIMINAL
Margaret Yesayan
Aravot.am
29 Aug 06
NA deputy Arakel Movsisian, the same Shmais, doesn’t agree with the
fact that a lot of criminal elements have become RPA members
Mr. Movsisian, why did you become the RPA member, did you do it by
your initiation or you had to.
Republican Party is very democratic, as Ashot Navasardian has
formed it, then there have been a lot of unified, normal persons,
who have been adopted by the people, and nowadays it has a better
status, especially a lot of influential powers have entered into the
party. Saying influential I mean the people accept them because they
have done a lot of things for the people. Besides, we have assisted
Republican Party for 10 years, where else can we go?
Are you introduced to the Njdeh’s ideology, have you read any book?
Nothing, I’m introduced as it is possible, we have martial ways,
which Njdeh has also passed martial ways, it’s another influence,
so you shouldn’t read Njdeh day and night. We have reached it by our
own life, which has been a devotion to the nation.
When you and some other persons became the RPA member that party was
criminalized, a lot of people speak about it. They say that persons
from criminal world have become that party members, do you think so?
I don’t share that standpoint, as there is nobody from the criminal
world there. If there were, neither Serge Sargsian nor the Prime
Minister wouldn’t become that party members. They all are respected
by the people as the people have elected them some of them has been
elected twice; the elections won’t be rigged twice.
It seems both times the elections have been rigged.
Omissions are everywhere, but the mass is normal in general.
Your name is connected with narcotics, Khorkhoruni’s murder, and if
it is true, does it mean you have contacts with the criminal world?
The court has proved that I have no connection with it and I haven’t
committed any crime. This country judges then it can’t justify. We
are engaged in that case, that decree is illegal.
How are you engaged in it?
When the time comes, the decree of justification will be made. Our
family has devoted to this nation. Six brothers have participated in
the war and four from them have become invalids. Our family is a hero,
and the time will come, some persons will be punished.
What is your opinion about giving the occupied territories back?
Those persons who speak about it want only to fill positions or
restore it.
Some politicians dream of becoming the president, but they don’t
know that this country has its elected representative of the people,
has its own army.
They can’t rule this country, they don’t think of this country,
they simply want to fill posts.
If there are fair elections will you be elected?
I haven’t seen unfair election up to the present day.
But even the international observers have seen it.
I haven’t seen any illegality in our precinct. Our elections have
always been transparent.
If Serge Sargsian didn’t become RPA member would you become that
party member?
Serge Sargsian has been our minister in Karabakh war, too, I deeply
respect him, I’m sure that people also accept him as the minister
of defense?
In your opinion, what kind of state is the Republic of Armenia,
they say, there is despotism there.
If you were in other countries you would be sure that our country is
the best one. It wasn’t so easy to restore the country after war.
How did you own your nickname, Shmais?
When some people were living in clover, I acquired gun of “Shmais”
type for participating in the war, it’s the name of a German gun.
Do you have that ”Shmais”?
Yes I have as a memory, museum.
–Boundary_(ID_LTDp0DIXNRxqtBA57aG1nw)–

TRUE PATRIOTISM
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot.am
29 Aug 06
Richard Hogland’s appointment as the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia caused
a great attention both in Armenia and Diaspora and in the U.S. Armenian
lobbyists, as well. Thanks to John Evans who has pronounced the word
”genocide”, irrespective of the fact he has done it accidentally or
in favor of patriotism. But it isn’t secret that the recognition of
genocide by the U.S. depends on Evans or Hogland as much as holding
fair elections in Armenia depends on Victor Soghomonian. Especially in
a country like the U.S. is, the Ambassador expresses the opinion of
its government, the latter reflects designed, formulated conception
of national interests. Otherwise we can conclude that if Mr. Evans
remained in his post, U. S. would change its policy in the problem
of genocide.
I think our sensuality approach to the political issues. Not only
the opinion of ambassador but the president’s too can be decisive in
the U.S. For instance, the current president of that country isn’t
a giant of wisdom but it doesn ‘t have any influence on the common
U.S. citizens, designed mechanisms operate there as there are in the
foreign policy. That same person /Bill Clinton for example/ is inclined
to recognize the Armenian genocide before and after his posting. But
when he feels the post of president he refuses. It’s another approval
that the person isn’t decisive at all in the policy of that country.
In my opinion Evans’ true pro-Armenian policy would be expressed when
he didn ‘t ignore the results of referendum in 2005. Because having
democratic, developing state is the most important thing for us. Only
in that case our country can develop and become a factor in this
region. Becoming a factor our national problems will be easy to solve.
–Boundary_(ID_mvCk9StnQWypeYp+7f1ZBA)–

ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN DENIES CONFLICT BETWEEN TOP OFFICIALS
Mediamax news agency
30 Aug 06
Yerevan, 30 August: The press secretary of the Armenian president,
Viktor Sogomonyan, today denied the allegations that a conflict
existed between Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and Defence
Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.
Speaking at a briefing in Yerevan today, Viktor Sogomonyan also denied
reports about a conflict between the Republican Party of Armenia, led
by Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan, and the Prosperous Armenia Party,
led by a well-known businessman, Gagik Tsarukyan, Mediamax reported.
“As far as I can judge, there exists certain disagreement between those
political forces which is quite natural,” the Armenian presidential
spokesman said.
Commenting on numerous media reports on imminent resignation of
Ecology Minister Vardan Ayvazyan, Viktor Sogomonyan said this issue
is not on the agenda of the president.

YEZIDI PUPILS HAVE THREE TEXTBOOKS IN NATIVE LANGUAGE
ARMENPRESS
Aug 30 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 30, ARMENPRESS: When Yezidi schoolchildren in Armenia
will go to school on September 1, when academic year here begins,
they will find, for the first time, three text-books in their native
language. They are the ABC, and textbooks on Yezidi language and
literature.
Hasan Tamoyan, head of a radio program broadcast by the Public Radio
for Yezidis, said the Union of Yezidis was instrumental in helping
to develop and print the textbooks. Yezidis have now media outlets-
a 30 minute radio program and an official newspaper run by the Union
of Yezidis.
Yezidis, also known as Yezidi Kurds, are Armenia’s largest minority
community, numbering officially more than 40,000. Many Yezidis began
to settle in Armenia during the Russian-Turkish wars of the 19th
century and more fled with Armenians during the massacres of 1915.
Neither Christian nor Muslim, practicing their own ancient rites,
the Yezidis stayed when Azerbaijanis and Muslim Kurds fled Armenia at
the beginning of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute in 1988-90. They keep
an ancient nomadic lifestyle and live by breeding cattle and sheep.

AS RESULT OF SEVERAL EXPLOSIONS IN TURKEY, 4 PEOPLE DIED, 90 WOUNDED. IF THERE ARE ARMENIANS AMONG THE SUFFERED, IT IS UNKNOWN AS YET
Ankara, August 29. ArmInfo. As a result of several explosions in
Turkey, 4 people died, 90 are wounded. As ArmInfo was told today in
the Department of Information and Press of RA MFA, the latter has no
information yet if citizens of Armenia or other Armenians suffered as
a result of explosions. It is only known about two suffered Russians.
As the leading world information agencies inform, the first explosions
happened on the night of Sunday to Monday in Istanbul and in a resort
town of Marmaris. One explosion more happened in the evening the day
before in a resort town of Antalia. According to the eye-witnesses,
the explosion was of such a force that some cars turned into a heap
of metal. According to information, the Turkish police prevented one
act of terrorism more , being prepared in the seaport Ismir.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
30-08-2006
Minister Oskanian Participates in
International Conference Caspian Outlook 2008
On August 27-28, Minister Oskanian participated the Bled Strategic Forum, an
international conference entitled ‘Caspian Outlook 2008’ held as a joint
initiative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia and the Institute
for Strategic Studies in Ljubljana.
Minister Oskanian delivered a statement during a panel entitled “European
Neighborhood Policy: The End Game.” Minister Oskanian specifically stressed
the importance of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) for development,
stability and peace in the region. “What European structures have done is
invaluable. In Europe’s search for peace, stability and prosperity for
itself, it has rightly decided to enhance rule of law, democracy and
economic development to those who live at its borders. We share these values
and we want them to take root in our societies – for our own sake, not just
for Europe’s.”
“Looking at it from the inside out, the Neighborhood Policy has facilitated,
encouraged, rewarded reforms. In Armenia, those reforms are irreversible and
already showing remarkable results. We are going to move now to second
generation reforms in order to continue to register successes in the second
half of this decade,” he continued.
The Minister expressed hope that ENP implementation by the three South
Caucasus countries will facilitate regional cooperation as well. Regarding
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict specifically, the Minister said, “We are at a
critical stage now. On the one hand, there is a sound and balanced document
on the table which is the result of two years of work by all parties, and
many of those principles have already been agreed to. There are a few left
to address, but we are hopeful that there, too, agreement can be found. On
the other hand, there is increasing Azerbaijani intransigence commensurate
with their accumulation of oil wealth, there is the illusion that time is
working to their advantage, and that there is always a possibility of a
military solution.” Minister Oskanian continued and said this is extremely
dangerous, because first, it can indeed become a self-fulfilling prophecy,
and second, this public rhetoric is effecting perceptions inside Azerbaijan
and making it difficult to reach a compromise resolution. The minister
reiterated the view that there is no military solution to this conflict and
the only way forward is through mutual compromise on the basis of the
current document.