AZERBAIJAN LOST THE RIGHT FOR ITS TERRITORY
Lragir.am
02 Aug 06
Refugees and the Law of Nations civil society network, set up to
defend the rights and interests of Armenian refugees from Soviet
Azerbaijan and Nakhidjevan, addressed a message August 1 to the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs Bryza, Fassier and Merzlyakov, who are meeting
in Paris August 2 to 4 to set the schedule of work in the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict.
Refugees and the Law of Nations addressed the co-chairs “in an
attempt to draw the attention of the international organizations to
the problem of 500 thousand Armenian refugees”.
“We regret to say that none of the proposals of the Minsk Group
Co-Chairs on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict so far has
contained a single hint at defending the rights of the Armenian
refugees displaced from Soviet Azerbaijan and Nakhidjevan, recovery
of direct and indirect material and moral damage by the Azerbaijani
government, retrieving Homeland and the country of citizenship,” runs
the message addressed to the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. The authors
of the message announce that it is impossible to reach a lasting
settlement of the conflict over Karabakh without solving the problem of
the Armenian refugees. Refugees and the Law of Nations also informs
the co-chairs that the results of a poll among Armenian refugees
suggest that they will never return to their homes in Azerbaijan.
“Rejecting that it is the follower of Soviet Azerbaijan, the Republic
of Azerbaijan not only stated that it is not likely to settle the
problem of refugees but also took away from itself the right for
claims to the entire territory of former Soviet Azerbaijan. In terms
of the law, the only legal follower of Soviet Azerbaijan is Nagorno
Karabakh Republic. We think that if the Armenian refugees are granted
nationality of NKR, and the land which lie outside the territory
where NKR was declared but is under its jurisdiction is granted to
them as their property, it may partly solve the problem of Armenian
refugees,” runs the message of Refugees and the Law of Nations Civil
Society Network.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WHAT CONNECTION DOES THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATION HAVE?
Lragir.am
02 Aug 06
In Armenia, nobody doubts who the real leader of the Republican Party
is, who is going to strengthen his position in the political party.
He even set the timing, “in three or four months the results of the
process underway will become visible.” It goes without saying that
the minister of defense Serge Sargsyan is concerned, who is simply
going to buy the Republican Party, Manuk Gasparyan says.
However, even the “prophesy” of Manuk Gasparyan is useless already
because the “sale” of the Republican Party has already taken place,
which was confirmed during the extraordinary conference of the
Republican Party, when the one or two-days-old Republicans, who had
bid for membership to the Republican Party on Serge Sargsyan’s fancy,
were elected members of the Council of the party.
One of them, for instance, the mayor of Yerevan Yervand Zakharyan,
not only was elected member of the Council, but also elected others
like him. And he was assisted by the minister of communication and
transport Andranik Manukyan, studying the ballot of voting to the
Council of the Republican Party together with Zakharyan. Helping
one’s neighbor is not bad, of course, especially for a man who has
announced for a number of times about his close tie with God. He has
his political party, which is called “Solidarity”.
Consequently, it is supposed that the partisan ethic required not
interfering with the election of the Council of another political
party, especially if one is just a guest at the conference of this
political party. Of course, it is difficult to say that Yervand
Zakharyan followed Andranik Manukyan’s advice in voting. It is
also difficult to say that Andranik Manukyan advised anything to
Zakharyan. But it is a fact that Manukyan was scrutinizing the ballot
of voting to the council of the Republican Party, which our photo
camera recorded. Consequently, it is already a historical fact that
Andranik Manukyan was in the focus of the election of the Council of
the Republican Party.
And this fact is interesting not only because it is an interference
with the affairs of another political party. The point is that
Andranik Manukyan has always had controversies with the leader of
the Republican Party Andranik Margaryan. The recent controversy
occurred over the reports of ministries on 2005, when the prime
minister assessed the performance of the Ministry of Communication
and Transport as satisfactory, pushing the minister into a fury. This
is a fresh example. But there is an older, though a more vivid example.
When Andranik Margaryan was opening his hotel in 2001, President
Kocharyan and literally the whole government was there, except
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan. So it was a surprise to see the
minister of communication and transport among the few guests of the
extraordinary conference of the Republican Party, who later appeared
during the voting to be more than just a guest. Maybe it was an effort
by Andranik Margaryan to make it up with his namesake, although such a
truce resembles a capitulation rather. And under these circumstances
it is already unimportant who capitulated, the prime minister to the
minister of communication or transport or to the minister who had
probably invited Andranik Manukyan. The fact is that the election of
the Council of the Republican Party already takes place outside this
political party as well.
HAKOB BADALYAN
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VOTING WAS POSTPONED
Lragir.am
02 Aug 06
The news agency ARKA reports referring to the Armenian Assembly of
America that the voting to the nomination of Richard Hoagland U.S.
ambassador to Armenia was postponed until September.
The proposal on postponing the vote was extended by senators Joseph
Biden and John Kerry. The senators urge to vote to the nomination
of Richard Hoagland after he makes a clear statement that a genocide
was committed against the Armenians.

HIS NAME IS ANDRANIK MARGARYAN
Lragir.am
02 Aug 06
The defense minister’s membership to the Republican Party can serve as
a model for the political sphere of Armenia, said Artak Grigoryan,
member of the Council of the Republican Party, August 2 at the
Azdak Club.
“I consider this circumstance quite positive. This can also serve as a
model. Let us put aside everyting. Perhaps it would not be difficult
for Serge Sargsyan to set up a new party. If there is someone who
doubts this, they do not understand anything in politics. However,
using the existing basis is more correct than starting to grow new
flowers in the political sphere,” Artak Grigoryan says.
He also assured that there is no dual power in the Republican Party,
and there is a political leader he is led by for the past two years.
The name of this leader is Andranik Margaryan, Artak Grigoryan says.

“NONSENSE TO BE THE SUCCESSOR OF ILLEGAL AUTHORITY”
Aravot.am
01 Aug 06
– leader of “National Unity Party” Artashes Geghamian says.
Mr. Geghamian, how do you explain internal political situation in
Armenia when the authority powers are more active, than the opposition
powers? While the world worries about settlement of different important
problems, Kocharian-Sargsian couple makes efforts to dispart the
public, create hostility among our despaired people. Their only goal
is to prolong their authority at any cost. This is very anxious,
and when I try to analyze current events in Armenia, I remember the
famous proverb to this situation: feast during the plague. How do
you explain different people’s membership into Republican Party, in
your opinion why did the defense minister become Republican? They,
I mean Kocharian-Sargsian couple, have chosen very simple policy,
they try to distract people’s attention from the serious problems
of the republic focusing them on internal political events. It’s
obvious that it has no connection with the future of Armenia, with
its problems, which need in immediate solution. The ruling party
held its special congress but no party member raises any mental
new idea. They didn’t discuss any problem, which could be decisive
for the fate of country development. So internal political events in
Armenia have nothing general with the fate of Armenia. Anyway, how do
you explain defense minister’s membership into Republican Party, what
object does it purpose? If you follow the press, it will be clear for
you that they try to create such an impression, in particularly among
Minsk Group co-chairs’ countries, that Kocharian-Sargsian couple are
the only sober-minded statesmen who are tolerant in the NK conflict
peaceful settlement and ready to make a compromise that’s why they
are criticized both inside and outside the country. Mr. Sargsian
wants to prove the international community that he has become the
member of a party with Njdeh’s ideology, and prepares adoption of
mutual concessions passing through dangers. He wants to pretend
himself as a hero. There is also another point. Serge Sargsian and
Robert Kocharian fell the coming danger and realize very well that
the time of giving answers has already come. They couldn’t cheat our
people for 8 years assuring that there will be more perspective and
positive settlements in NK conflict, while we witness that great
economic projects, Baku-Tbilisi-Jeihan, Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum oil
pipelines have already been constructed, and Armenia is out of those
developments. Today it is spoken more and more that defense minister
is Robert Kocharian’s successor. Is it true?
Nonsense to be the successor of illegal authority. As regards the
wishes, there is a Russian famous proverb “wishing is not harmful”.
Margaret Yesayan
–Boundary_(ID_U5kv2YNjg6mXzpW9KoeL7A)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Vote on Hoagland Nomination Delayed till September
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the Ranking Democrat
on the Foreign Relations Committee, was joined today by Senator John
Kerry (D-MA) in forcing a month-long delay in the Committee’s vote
on the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to replace the
current U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
The controversy within the Foreign Relations Committee over the
Hoagland nomination began with Senator Biden’s June 23rd letter
asking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to respond to a series
of questions, including specific inquiries about reports that the
current Ambassador had been recalled due to his having “accurately
described the Armenian Genocide as genocide.”
“The ANCA welcomes the leadership of Senators Biden and Kerry in
ensuring that the Foreign Relations Committee has the time to more
carefully consider the implications – for both our foreign policy and
our values as a nation – of confirming a U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
who is on record denying the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Chairman Ken
Hachikian. “We appreciate, as well, the principled efforts of Senators
Allen, Boxer, Chafee, Coleman, Dodd, Feingold, Kennedy, Reed, Sarbanes,
and others to seek an honest explanation of the firing of Ambassador
Evans, to explore the role of the Turkish government in his recall,
and to insist that the Administration clearly articulate its stand
on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

Armenian Lobby Won Small Victory
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The decision by the Foreign Relations Committee to
delay the vote on Hoagland’s nomination is the result of purposeful
activities of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA),
ARF Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Office Director Kiro Manoian told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the voting of the Senate
once again proved the successful work of the Armenian lobby for the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
As for the further steps in this direction, Manoian said, the vote
was delayed till September only. “I do not know what will happen next,
but we proceed with activities,” he remarked.
To remind, Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the Ranking Democrat on
the Foreign Relations Committee, was joined by Senator John Kerry
(D-MA) in forcing a month-long delay in the Committee’s vote on the
controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland to replace the current
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans.

Israel’s Operations Crime against Humanity
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House
of Cilicia tersely condemned the bombing of a building in the southern
Lebanese city of Qana, calling it a massacre. “What has happened in
Qana, South Lebanon by Israel, is outrageous, inhumane and against
all international laws and conventions,” the Catholicos said in a
statement to the international press. “I simply do not understand how
Israel describes as ‘a technical error’ the shelling with his advanced
and sophisticated war machine a building where children, women, sick
and disabled people have taken refuge. All sorts of justifications
or clarifications provided by Israel are unacceptable in the face of
this human tragedy,” said Aram I.
Aram I emphatically added that “This war must end. It must stop
immediately and without any condition. Innocent people are being
killed, families are being destroyed; Lebanon is on the brink of
collapse and people are still dealing with diplomacy. One cannot
remain indifferent before human slaughter… We must protect human
life by all means. The UN and the powers of this world must act firmly
on this basis. This is the realistic way of dealing responsibly with
this complex and critical situation. First protection of life and only
then creation of proper conditions for diplomacy and for the settlement
of the conflict. Therefore, I add my voice to the Spiritual Leaders,
both Muslem and Christian, of Lebanon, to appeal to the international
community, for an immediate cease-fire.”

Leyla Aliyeva: Referendum in Karabakh Pregnant with Big Problems for Baku
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 14:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan has serious ground to press for a national
referendum, Azeri political scientist Leyla Aliyeva said. According
to her if legal conditions are created for conduction of a referendum
in Karabakh, the items of the referendum should exclude controversy
between the principle of territorial integrity and the right to
self-determination. “The items of the referendum should refer to
various levels of autonomy. It’s another matter, who will determine
these items. Anyway, conduction of the referendum in Karabakh only
is pregnant with big problems for Baku,” she said. “The only logic
used by the Co-chairs is that Baku should hold immediate talks with
Karabakh. This standpoint is supported by all the international
mediating missions. Anyway, Karabakh does take part in the talks but
not as a side in conflict but as a concerned party,” she remarked.
Aliyeva said some progress has been achieved. “The optimist of
the mediators may be explained by this fact. Compromise on a
stepwise plan was achieved. The sides also agreed that the talks
on Nagorno Karabakh’s status will be delayed for 10 years. I think
it’s an advance,” she said. At the same time the Azeri political
scientist said that “in order not to lose this achievement the
mediators apply cautious wordings. “These wordings base on the
agreements achieved. They leave open the issue of the referendum and
territorial integrity, which in our case conflict with in other. If
earlier representatives of some foreign states used to say that the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be resolved within the framework
of territorial integrity, so now such statements can be heard very
rarely. The wording on the referendum does not answer the question
what’s more important self-determination or territorial integrity,”
Aliyeva considers, reported Realazer.com.

Armenian Consul General Condemned Act of Vandalism in Rostov
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 15:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Representatives of the Armenian intelligentsia and
journalists fathered August 1 evening in the Consulate General of the
Republic of Armenia in Rostov-on-Don to discuss the desecration and
the attempt to set fire to the Museum of Russian-Armenian Friendship
located in the Surb Khach Church.
As reported by Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia,
Ararat Gomtsyan, the RA Consul General to the South Federal Okrug,
condemned the act of vandalism and called on law enforcement to find
and punish those guilty. Chairman of the town community Artem Surmalyan
and professor Minas Bagdyrov also addressed the meeting participants.
To remind, on July 31 night malefactors damaged the Museum of
Russian-Armenian Friendship located in the Surb Khach Church. As
reported by the Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia,
when coming to work the museum employees saw outraging inscriptions
of the museum walls. The vandals could not enter the museum but broke
the windows. Experts suspect skinheads; law enforces have not issued
any versions so far.