ARMENIAN CITIZENS TRY TO ENTER GERMANY ILLEGALLY
Panorama.am
15:44 31/07/06
Law officials of Germany have detained 27 foreign citizens trying
to enter the territory of Germany illegally. Referring to federal
police, German web-based “e100” reports that the illegal persons
tried to cross the border of Frankfurt hiding themselves in two truck
trains. One of the trains carried 3 men and 5 women from Armenia,
Vietnam and Egypt. The other train carried 14 men and 5 women. The
police have not identified their citizenship yet./Panorama.am/

RA OMBUDSMAN APPEALS TO OMBUDSMAN OF GEORGIA TO HELP
80 ARMENIANS STUCK NEAR GORY-TSKHINVAL BORDER
AZG Armenian Daily #143, 01/08/2006
Home Issues
Recently, Armen Haroutiunian, RA Ombudsman, received an appeal
to render assistance to 80 Armenians that are stuck near the
Tskhinval-Gory border. In his turn, Mr. Haroutiunian, appealed to
Sozar Subari, People’s Ombudsman of Georgia, with the request to
settle the issue.
Besdies, Mr. Haroutiunian, sent a letter to Yervand Zakharian, Mayor
of Yerevan city. The letter includes the suggestion of Mr. Ombudsman
concerning the approval of the right for property of the Kozern
district residents.
By Sousana Margarian

TURKISH AUTHORITIES MAKE CHARGES AGAINST WRITER ELIF SHAFAK
Panorama.am’ 14:43 31/07/06
The Turkish authorities made charges against writer Elif Shafak,
who is also professor of Arizona University (USA). Ms. Shafak is
charged for insulting the dignity of Turkish nation, United Press
International reports.
The criminal prosecution, facing her the prospect of three years
of imprisonment, is launched against Shafak for writing a piece of
literary art. Arizona Republic reports that the story touches upon
the subject of 1915 Genocide, killing 1.5 million Armenians.
This is the first time ever Turkey prefers a charge under this article
for a work of art, the newspaper writes. /Panorama.am/

Armenian community in Lebanon is well organized
Interview conducted
by Karine MANGASSARIAN
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
Editor in Chief of “Aztag” Newspaper in Beirut Shahan Gantaharian
told us about the situation with the Armenian community in Lebanon
and the organization of assistance for the refugees.
Q: What can you tell us about the developments of the last several
days? A: The war started by Israel against Lebanon has been going on
for fifteen days. The war has brought tremendous destruction and the
damage it has caused is estimated at billions of dollars. The military
actions of the last several days were concentrated in the southern
border territories. There are serious clashes between Hezbollah
and the Israeli army. Israel has bombed the military units of the
Lebanese army dislocated to the North of Beirut and the broadcasting
station of Radio Lebanon. It is not yet known whether they bombed
it from the air or from the Israeli military ships located near the
Lebanon shore. There is no information as to the number of dead or
injured. The perspective for a cease fire is still very vague since
the preconditions the sides put forward are very different.
Q: We were informed that an inter-party meeting was held in Beirut that
sent an appeal to the Armenian community. What issues were discussed
at this meeting? A: The Armenian community in Lebanon is organizing
assistance to the refugees. An inter-party meeting was held on Monday
in which representatives of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
Party, Ramkavar Liberal Party and Social-Democrat Hnchakian Party
participated. At the end of the meeting the parties came up with an
appeal to the Armenian community to stay united around the Armenian
political parties.
On July 25 the delegation of ARF’s Central Committee in Lebanon
visited Vehapar Aram I, the Armenian Ambassador to Lebanon Vahan
Ter-Ghevondian and the leaders of the Armenian Catholic and Evangelical
Churches. Consultations were held during these meetings and issues
of development and revitalization of the Armenian community life
were discussed. Ambassador Vahan Ter-Ghevondian informed Azdak that
Armenia will provide humanitarian assistance to Lebanon, mostly
medicines. The Armenian assistance will reach Aleppo on July 28 and
will be transported to Lebanon from there.
Q: What is the situation with assistance to the refugees?
A: The coordination body established by ARF continues to work
intensively organizing assistance. There are many problems awaiting
solution. People listen to the calls made by this body and have their
contribution to the organization of humanitarian works. Armenian and
foreign media are constantly in touch with Azdak newspaper. They have
noted that the dynamic updates on Azdak’s website are very important
for them. I would like to inform that we have already published on our
website the video materials prepared by Yerkir Media’s Lebanon office
and ARF’s office. These materials mostly tell about the assistance
programs implemented in the community.

Baku’s militaristic fantasies seem to have no end
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
By Gayane MOVSESSIAN
OSCE Minsk Group American Co-Chair Mathew Bryza’s planned visit to
the region raises different expectations among the conflict sides.
Yerevan, according to Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian, expects
that Washington will succeed in convincing Baku to return to the
negotiations table to continue discussion of the document developed
and recently publicized by the mediators.
Baku on the other hand expects that Bryza will bring new proposals. The
Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov stated that if Baku sees in
Bryza’s proposals any possibility for progress in the negotiations
it will agree to hold a meeting of Azeri and Armenian Foreign
Ministers. However, the American Co-Chair cannot bring any radically
new proposals since it would take much time to come up with such
proposals and to discuss them with the other two Co-Chairs.
Besides, the Co-Chairs have indicated in one of their statements that
they have exhausted their imagination and are expecting new ideas
and decisions from the Armenian and Azeri presidents. The American
Co-Chair’s visit aims at understanding in what direction the mediators
should move further. Mr. Bryza will brief his colleagues on the results
of the visit during their meeting in Paris in the beginning of August.
It should be noted that Bryza will visit not only Yerevan and Baku
but also Stepanakert. Even though this visit cannot be expected to
cause any changes in the Co-Chairs’ approach to the conflict, it is
possible that Mr. Bryza will see on the ground that no arrangement in
the framework of the Armenian-Azeri dialog can be made and implemented
without active participation of Karabakh.
Mr. Bryza’s meeting with another overlooked side of the
conflict, the Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan, can also be
interesting. “International Rights of Refugees”, a civil society
network organization, has appealed to the American Ambassador in
Armenia John Evans with a request to organize such a meeting.
The network includes eight organizations that represent the interests
of refugees from the former Azerbaijani SSR and Nakhijevan. If this
meeting is held Mr. Bryza will receive much information to think
about and to recharge his Minsk Group colleagues’ imagination. The
prospect for Nagorno Karabagh Republic ‘s participation in the resumes
negotiation process as well as the prospect of long-term settlement
of the conflict will depend on how the international mediators will
use such information.
It is obvious that Baku will be against such a turn in the developments
around conflict settlement. Baku is usually against any initiative
aimed at the settlement of the conflict. Lower-ranked officials and
experts from Azerbaijan openly say things that official representatives
of Baku do not always state, “The present plan for peaceful settlement
(referring to the document containing the main principles – editor)
is not in Azerbaijan’s interests…
First of all, taking into consideration that Azerbaijan will not
have full control over Lachin and Kelbajar as well as the presence
of Armenian troops in the conflict zone, Azerbaijan partially loses
its territorial integrity. Secondly, there are no guarantees that
if a referendum is held in 15 or 20 years the Armenian community
in Nagorno Karabagh that would significantly improve its economic
situation through international assistance and Azerbaijan’s oil
money will not demand independence again. Thirdly, if this plan is
implemented Azerbaijan will lose one of its main leverages – the
possibility of military settlement of the conflict.”
Baku is still expecting that it will have a new opportunity to
resort to aggression against Nagorno Karabagh and Armenia. “There
was a time when the small Armenia was allowed to do everything… In
the new international order Azerbaijan can always have a chance of
settling the conflict through another war,” member of Azerbaijan’s
Soros Foundation Board Ilhar Mamedov stated.
Azerbaijan is afraid that if no results are achieved through
negotiations the international community will be in a position to
force a peaceful settlement upon the parties.
This is why Azerbaijan is trying to win some time. For the sake of
winning some time Azeri experts even advise the government to engage
in negotiations with Nagorno Karabagh. “In terms of strategic issues,
Azerbaijan will show to the international community its willingness
to reach an agreement, its readiness for compromises.
This will somewhat isolate Armenia from the negotiation process
and will show to the community in Nagorno Karabagh the benefits of
economic cooperation with Azerbaijan. Besides, engagement of the
Armenian community in Karabagh into the negotiations process will
mean additional rounds of discussions which will take some time. This
in its turn would mean postponement of a forced peace agreement, a
‘South Caucasus Dayton’,” they write.
The Azeri experts explore the possibility of members of the Azeri
parliament visiting Nagorno Karabagh. “It is noteworthy that the
Azeri parliamentarians want to go to Karabagh not through Armenia
but directly crossing the frontline.
The parliamentarians to participate in this visit might include
Nizami Bahmanov (the head of the Azeri community in Karabagh),
the deputy elected to the Mili Mejlis from Khankendi (Stepanakert)
precinct, members of the Azeri delegation to the PACE, journalists
and others. Such a delegation would not allow the Armenians to claim
that Azerbaijan recognizes the so-called “Nagorno Karabagh Republic”
since the parliamentarians are not representing the executive power.
The Armenians would hardly reject such a proposal since it would be
rejection of negotiations and would indicate unwillingness for mutual
compromises. It would result in a very negative response from the
international community and will be an advantage Azerbaijan could
use in further negotiations. In this way Azerbaijan would have more
arguments to convince the international community that Armenians are
not ready for mutual compromises”.
In the best case scenario, the visit is planned as another act of
propaganda. Even worse, if our “peace-loving” neighbors are trying
to provoke a break of the ceasefire which we believe is much closer
to the reality. It is not difficult for them to start shooting and
then blame Karabaghi population for everything.
Their imagination, as opposed to that of the mediators, does not seem
to be exhausted at all. The Minsk Group Co-Chairs had better try to
revive their imagination instead of merely calling on the leaders
of the conflicting sides to prepare their peoples for peace and not
for war. They should better think about how to calm down the Azeris’
militaristic fantasies.
Director of the International Crisis Group’s European Program Nicolas
White and ICG Caucasus Project Coordinator Sabina Freiser made a
statement on this, “Russia, Europe and USA should make a statement
on unacceptability of war…
Some representatives of Azerbaijan hope that geopolitical interests
would make the international community allow a military campaign to
regain the territories lost in 1994. Russia, Europe and USA should be
absolutely clear on this issue if the mediators’ last statement fails
to send this message. They should indicate that resort to military
action would eliminate prospects for any assistance in economic and
political spheres. If the international community does not succeed in
bringing peace to the South Caucasus it should make a clear statement
on unacceptability of another war.”

NKR Foreign Ministry: The current format of negotiations
does not reflect the core of the conflict
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
The talks for Nagorno-Karabakh are not an end in itself but the NKR
authorities stand ready to discuss any issue that would not violate the
interest of the Karabakh people and threaten its security, NKR Foreign
Minsiter Georgy Petrossian said during his meeting with Vice Speaker
of the British Parliament’s House of Lords Baroness Caroline Cox.
“The Nagorno Karabakh conflict is a complicated one, as a great number
of interests are coming into collision here, which acquire a special
urgency from the standpoint of the recent events in the region and
in the world on the whole,” Georgy Petrossian said.
The Minister noted that the existing format of the negotiations on the
Karabakh conflict settlement did not reflect the core of the conflict.
“Unfortunately, today, the mediators focused their attention not on
the essence of the conflict but on the liquidation of the conflicts’
consequences. We emphasize once more that without the participation
of Nagorno Karabakh – the most suffered party to the conflict,
the achievement and realization of any agreements are impossible,”
Georgy Petrossian said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Corruption decreases in some countries but not in Armenia
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
The World Bank has recently released its third report called
‘Anticorruption in Transition 3- Who is Succeeding… And Why.” The
report concludes that efforts to tackle corruption in former socialist
countries have yielded positive results but to prevent regression
sustainable reforms are needed.
Armenia’s scores in comparison with other countries
WB experts say Armenia should continue tackling bribery. According
to the report, in 2005, the 200 Armenian companies surveyed have
continued to pay bribes in the same frequency as in 2002 courts but
is still below the average for countries of the CIS. Meanwhile, the
bribery incidences have increased in tax and customs bodies as well
as in courts.
The survey showed that the businessmen in Armenia (as well as in
Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) do not consider corruption to be a serious
problem as they colleagues in other CIS countries do. The report
also indicated that while the portion of the ‘tax burden’ is lower
for the companies in Armenia, Croatia, Lithuania and Moldova, the
overall volume of the bribes paid is much bigger due to the rapid
growth of economies in those countries.
In Armenia – as well as in Georgia and Moldova – the incidences of
bribery are more frequent for registering companies and taxation
process, and in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgizstan,
the problem of tax administration is more acute.
WB experts have concluded that in Armenia, Albania, Russia and
Azerbaijan, the bribery has significantly grown on the legislative
level where the “rules of the game” are frequently distorted to fit a
small number of the privileged. Meanwhile, in those terms a significant
improvement has been seen in Bulgaria, Lithuania, Slovakia, Ukraine,
Georgia and Slovenia.
The survey said the in Armenia the bribery in the tax administration
has risen from the previous low level to the middle.
Noteworthy is a conclusion made in the report that Armenia launched a
” Anticorruption Strategic Program” in 2003 and in 2004 a high-level
anticorruption commission was set up headed by the country’s prime
minister. But several corruption indicators have even degraded. In
contrast, a National Anticorruption Strategy was launched in Georgia
followed by Actions Plan. This plan has been applied in conjunction
with aggressive anticorruption policies and institutional reforms,
which have resulted in reduction of bribery and change in society’s
tolerance towards corruption.
By Mher Ohanian

Prisoners laugh
Yerkir.am
July 28, 2006
We have already informed our readers that on the initiative of
“Samvel Baghdasarian” LLC the Armenian government has officially
declared April 1 as the day of humor and satire.
This company in cooperation with the Armenian Union of Satirists have
always been trying to bring humor and satire into our daily lives
even before the official day of humor was declared. The importance
of humor cannot be overestimated in our extremely politicized society
that carries the burden of social dissatisfaction.
Samvel Baghdasarian and his colleagues perform in all regions of
Armenia as well as in Stepanakert. They organized a competition of
satiric works.
Over 60 authors participated in this competition. The winners’ works
received prizes and were staged by different satirist actors. Samvel
Baghdasarian has recently come up with an interesting initiative. With
the assistance of the Ministry of Justice and personal assistance
from Prime Minister Andranik Margarian the Armenian humorists are
performing in penitentiary institutions. Such a performance was held
at Erebuni Penitentiary institution on July 25.
Head of Erebuni Penitentiary Tigran Navasardian told us that after
years of non-operation and staying empty the institution’s club hall
s currently under renovation. Therefore, the performance was held at
the institution’s cafeteria. The performance was a great success. The
actors were more than satisfied with outbursts of laughter accompanying
the performance.
“I used to think that since the prisoners are isolated from the
society they might fail to understand some of the jokes,” Baghdasarian
says. “Because at least to understand political humor and parodies they
would need to be following the developments of social and political
life. However, yesterday’s and today’s performances showed that this
is not the case.”
The prisoners and the staff of the penitentiary were laughing at
the jokes. Director of the institution Tigran Navasardian informed
that the last time a cultural event was held at the penitentiary was
in 2005 when Armenian singers had a performance here.
The performances will continue in similar institutions in Abovian,
Yerevan and Sevan. Through their performance the actors were sending
a message to the prisoners – a message of patience, law obedience
reminding them that their relatives and families were waiting for
them beyond the barbed wire. Laughter has a great impact on people
and we can assume that the impressions of this performance will stay
with the prisoners for a long time.
H.Y.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONSENT WITHOUT AGREEMENT
Aravot.am
29 July 06
Both Armenia and Azerbaijan agree with the OSCE Minsk Group
cochairmen’s proposals about the NK conflict settlement.
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov has declared recently
that Azerbaijan agrees with the declassified version of the OSCE Minsk
Group cochairman about NK conflict settlement. They regard it as a
“phase” version, which is profitable for Azerbaijan. Both RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian and Defense Minister Serge Sargsian announced
about their consent to that version.
The latter was insisting that the proposed version was a ”package”
one. The current situation is more than surprising, because if
we believe in both sides of the conflict, both of them agree with
the MG cochairmen’s proposals. In that case why isn’t the conflict
settled, why do the cochairmen complain that they don’t have enough
imagination any more to make new proposals? Thus, what does hamper
the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan to settle the conflict and
achieve peace? Politician Stepan Grigorian answered to our question:
“It seems to me that both sides aren’t ready to sign any document,
because both sides understand whatever document they sign, good or bad,
it will cause dissatisfaction among societies of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Karabakh. So the authorities don’t want to sign any document. G8
declaration also included itself the problem, and it happened when
the whole world was busy in Israeli-Lebanon problems. It will still
put pressure on both sides. So they carry out a strategic fight:
none of them wants to be put pressure more, that’s why each of them
declares that they are for the proposed version. Now they carry out
so-called fight of nerves. But in global case, no side is ready for
the conflict settlement and sign of an agreement because they will
be struck inside their countries”.
Perhaps our societies don’t know but OSCE Minsk Group cochairmen indeed
know which side has refused that version of settlement. Dissatisfied
party was Azerbaijan but it declares now that it agrees with that
settlement waiting what will happen next. Certainly, these strategic
games can’t last long. If both sides agree with the proposed version,
OSCE MG cochairmen will make them come and sit round negotiating
table and will say: sign below the corresponding document. Serious
processes will launch after”.
OSCE MG co-chairs stressed in their declaration on July 22 that
they froze their mediatory mission for a while and would wait for
the proposals of the conflicting sides, after which the negotiating
process will restart. Mr. Grigorian is sure “the co-chairs will hold
another meeting during the coming 1-2 months”.
RA some political powers affirm that the 1998 year will be repeated /
that is, changeover of political powers/ in case of international
community’s pressures on the NK conflict. But S. Grigorian thinks
there is no sign for special elections. “I don’t think NK conflict
or international community will have connection with the special
elections. There must be a serious tension inside the country, but
it doesn’t exist.”
Naira Mamikonian
–Boundary_(ID_FR4EGph3I7YmcbDe7fVujA) —

NKR PRESIDENT MEETS WITH OSCE MG US CO-CHAIR
Stepanakert, July 31. ArmInfo. During a press-conference Saturday
Nagorno-Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukassyan said that the key
topic of his meeting with OSCE MG US co-chair Matthew Bryza was the
involvement of NK in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace talks.
Ghoukassyan said that all the mediators realize the necessity of
involving NK in the negotiating process. He said that he had informed
Bryza of NK’s position on the Nagorno-Karabakh problem and Bryza did
not object. “Our position is logical. Of course, it somewhat differs
from what the co-chairs have proposed but Bryza has made no serious
objections to it,” Ghoukassyan said.
He said that without visiting NK the newly appointed US co-chair
would hardly get the full picture of the problem. He said that he did
not expect much from Bryza’s visit as he came more to listen than to
propose. Ghoukassyan said that the long pause in the co-chairs’ visits
to the region was mostly of technical nature. He said that he was
always invited to Yerevan whenever the co-chairs came but he believes
that it is more correct to hold such meetings in Stepanakert. “I
think there is already a clear understanding that the problem cannot
be solved without Karabakh,” Ghoukassyan said.
Concerning the proposals Ghoulassyan said that one should not consider
problems outside the general context: one should not consider the
problem of Azeri refugees without considering the problem of Armenian
ones, the problem of territories without the problem of NK’s status
and security.
Asked if the mediators are pressuring the sides, Ghoukassyan said
that he has been in the peace process since 1992 and has never seen
any pressure on the mediators’ part.