BAKU WILLING TO RESOLVE KARABAKH PROBLEM BY STAGE AND PACKAGE OPTION
Armenpress
Jul 4 2006
BAKU, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS: A senior Azerbaijani official has reaffirmed
the official Baku’s willingness to continue talks with Armenia on a
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution option based on the so-called
‘stage and package’ approach.
Head of Azerbaijani foreign affairs ministry’s press office, Tair
Tagizade, told the Russian Itar-Tass news agency that Azerbaijan
perceives that the first stage should comprise from 8 to 10 elements
which include particularly the pullout of Armenian troops from all
regions surrounding the administrative borders of Nagorno-Karabakh,
demining of the frontline, return of refugees, ensuring their security
and restoration of communications.
The talks in second stage, he said, must center on defining the
legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh within the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, which is possible only after restoration of the ethnic
composition of Nagorno-Karabakh before 1988, ensuring the security
of Armenian and Azeri communities of Nagorno-Karabakh in line with
Azerbaijani constitution.
On Monday deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan, Araz Azimov was
quoted by the Turan news agency as saying that Baku has never said
it agrees to such a solution of the conflict that would culminate in
a referendum on Nagorno-Karabakh status.

KOCHARIAN CONGRATULATES NATION ON CONSTITUTION DAY
Armenpress
Jul 4 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian has
congratulated his country fellows on the occasion of the Constitution
Day marked on July 5. A message by Kocharian says.
“Dear country fellows, I congratulate you on the occasion of the
Constitution Day. The basic law of our country is our people’s choice
and the reflection of their goals. It is of key significance on our
road of building a democratic, social and legal state and our progress
in anchored directly on the strict observance of the Constitution.
In 2005 important constitutional amendments were made, which have
opened new prospects for comprehensive development of the nation and
the country, ensuring a most balanced performance of all branches of
power, strengthening of the human rights protection system.
I believe that the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia in its
modernized form will serve continuously for the next generations.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

REVERBERATIONS IN ARMENIAN COMMUNITY TO KAREKIN II’S COMMENTS ON GENOCIDE
Hurriyet, Turkey
July 5 2006
The recent visit to Istanbul by the leader of the worldwide Armenian
Orthodox Church, Catholicos Karekin II, has reportedly divided
members of his wide spread community. Karekin II, who was in Turkey
between June 20-27, made several widely publicized statements about
Armenian claims of genocide by the Turks, noting that it was Turkey’s
responsibility to officially recognize the genocide.
Speaking after Karekin II’s departure from Turkey, Patriarch Mesrob
II, the leader of the Armenian Orthodox community in Turkey, stated
that he did not agree with Karekin II’s comments on Armenian claims
of genocide. These comments from Mesrob II in turn elicited an angry
reaction from the Turkey-based Armenian language “Agos” newspaper,
whose editor, Hrant Dink, claimed in an article that “a trap had been
laid” for Karekin II on his visit here. Dink’s comments were supported
by statements issued on the “PanArmenian” web site, which said that
the Turkish government had appointed Mesrob II to his position.

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH RESPECTS EXTENDING JURISDICTIONAL RIGHTS OF GEORGIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH
Regnum, Russia
July 5 2006
On July 4, His Holiness Patriarch Alexiy II of Moscow and All Russia
met with His Holiness and Beatitude Iliya II, Catholicos-Patriarch
of All Georgia at the World Summit of Religious Leaders. As Russian
Orthodox Church official web site informs, different aspects of
relations between the two Manorial Orthodox Churches were discussed.
In particular, His Holiness Patriarch Alexiy stressed that the Russian
Orthodox Church respects jurisdictional rights of Georgian Orthodox
Church in the whole space of its canonical territory and it committed
to observing canonical norms in inter-Orthodox relations.
“We have come to Moscow with love in order to express once more our
good feelings towards the Russian Orthodox Church,” the head of the
Georgian Patriarchy said and invited His Holiness Patriarch Alexiy
to visit Georgia again at any convenient time.
It is worth mentioning that Georgian Holy Synod decided on February
6 to restore “one of its historical eparchies” in Armenian territory.
The Holy Synod enacted: “To restore historically existed Agarak-Tashira
Eparchy and to subordinate it to Dmanisi bishop whose title should be
defined in the following way: Bishop of Dmanisi and Agarak-Tashira,
Dmanisi pulpit.” In this connection, Council of Armenian Apostolic
Church stated that the new Georgian Eparchy “has been established
in the northern region of Armenia” in places “where the GOC does not
have believers.” Meanwhile, “the fair right of hundreds of thousands
of faithful Armenians to receive back churches of Armenian Eparchy is
ignored” in Georgia, the council’s members stressed. It is ascertained
in the statement of the AAC Council that Armenian bishops had not
received yet a satisfactory response to their appeal to the Georgian
state authorities concerning granting to the Armenian Eparchy status
of non-governmental organization and returning to it 6 historical
Armenian temples.

ARMENIAN POLITICIAN CLAIMS US MEDIATOR’S PRO-AZERI STANCE
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted July 5 2006
Baku, July 4, AssA-Irada
The latest statements by the US mediator brokering settlement to the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict “openly revealed
his slant toward Azerbaijan”, an Armenian parliament member maintains.
The US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State and the new co-chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group (MG), Matthew Bryza, has told the press that
the mediators submitted a framework accord to the conflicting sides
and outlined its key principles, but added that the latter have yet
to accept it.
Armen Ashotian, who represents the Armenian Republican Party, said
the first part of the statement did not cover determination of the
Upper Garabagh’s status and the issue concerning the Lachin and
Kalbajar districts.
“There is a considerable difference between the statements of Bryza
and those of other MG co-chairs,” the MP said.
He went on to say that the United States binds great hopes with its new
intermediary. He said international experience in the area of settling
conflicts over Georgia’s breakaway republics of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia enables a conclusion that “these hopes are not groundless”.
Commenting on Bryza’s position on other issues, Ashotian said the
American mediator places a particular emphasis on launching dialogue
between Armenia and Turkey after the Garabagh dispute is settled and
normalizing relations between the two countries in the future.

NATO DEPUTY CHIEF URGES NEGOTIATED GARABAGH SETTLEMENT
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted July 5 2006
Baku, July 4, AssA-Irada
NATO calls on both Azerbaijan and Armenia to seek a negotiated
settlement to the Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, its Assistant
Secretary General Jean Fournet has said.
“The dispute can be resolved only in peace and all other means
questioning this option should be given up,” he told a news conference
in Baku on Tuesday.
“We are interested in the continuation of talks. But we have no
intention to act as a part of the OSCE Minsk Group dealing with
the conflict.”
Asked of the alliance’s possible role in case the parties strike an
agreement, Fournet said this question could be answered only after
the actual peace accord is reached.
The enforcement of decisions passed by influential international
organizations has been in public domain of late. Particularly alarming
is the fact that the UN Security Council’s four resolutions on the
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan have not been implemented yet.
Fournet said the issue should not be addressed by NATO proper. He said
all decisions in the alliance are made based on a consensus and are
definitely enforced. Fournet said he is not inclined to talk of other
organizations in this respect but added that all of their decisions
should be properly executed.
The NATO official avoided commenting on the fact that 20%
of Azerbaijan’s territories are under occupation. Although he
repeatedly stated that the alliance is committed to fighting terror,
he failed to put forth a firm stance concerning Armenia’s committing
an act of terror against its neighbor. Fournet hinted, however, that
NATO has no plans to eliminate the aftermath of the Armenian terror,
adding that the organization intends only to jointly struggle against
emerging threats.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN LEADER TO VISIT IRAN
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted July 5 2006
Baku, July 4, AssA-Irada
Armenian President Robert Kocharian will start his two-day visit
to Iran on Wednesday. He is due to meet with his counterpart Mahmud
Ahmadinejad, followed by a broad meeting between the two countries’
delegations. Armenia and Iran are expected to sign bilateral documents
in conclusion of the talks, Armenian media reported.
Kocharian will be accompanied during the visit by the ministers of
foreign affairs and energy.

CONSTITUTION IS A HOLIDAY WHICH IS ALWAYS WITH US
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
05 July 06
Since 1995 July 5 has been celebrated as the Constitution Day. And
though on November 27 nothing remained of the Constitution adopted
on June 5, July 5 of 2006 was not an exception, and the society is
celebrating the Day of Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. The
word “celebrate” is exaggerated, however, and is closer to the vision
rather than the reality. The word “not to work” is closer to the
reality. The Constitution Day is a day off. Usually, holidays are
days off for the pubic to enjoy them at full. However, with regard
to the Constitution Day, besides a simple explanation, a day off is
also symbolic because this document, supposed to regulate state and
public relations, continues not to work. And apparently by not going
to work on July 5 the citizens get tuned to the Constitution a day
in the year, although the contrary would be desirable.
Perhaps, the Constitution is devised to bring the vision closer
to the reality for the state to live in accordance with the wish
or wishes established by an agreement of the society rather than
separate people. It is known to everyone that the Constitution of
Armenia adopted in 1995 and changed in 2005 does not reflect the
wish and approach of the society. In both cases the main law of the
country was used as a political tool, and in this case it is not
important whom it served and what prospects it guaranteed for the
state. Consequently, with regard to the Constitution of Armenia,
11 years after its adoption the establishment of a tie between
the constitution and the public remains urgent. The content of the
Constitution is not a problem. Perhaps, it is not bad, and maybe it
was not bad before the reform either. We may even assert that the
Constitution is good, which is affirmed by the leadership of country
on this holiday, who are to guarantee the work of the Constitution.
And the work of the Constitution is important, which can fill in for
content, and the absence of which cannot be filled in by the content,
because a good Constitution is a Constitution, which is never violated.

LEVITIN MET FRENCH RESCUERS ENGAGED IN A-320 CRASH INVESTIGATION WORKS
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.07.2006 18:23 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During a working visit to France Russian Minister
of Transport Igor Levitin met with the French rescuers, who were
engaged in the works carried out at the A-320 crash site in Sochi,
reported the RF Transport Ministry’s press service. To note, the
flight of the crashed Armenian jet is being modeled in France. It
will be accomplished on the basis of decoded flight recorders and
will help to reconstitute the flight trajectory.
To remind, on May 3 night Airbus-320 owned by Armavia national carrier
crashed in the Black Sea 6 km away from Adler airport killing all
of 113 people aboard, including 6 children and 8 crewmembers. June
17 the Inter-State Aviation Committee completed works on decoding
the records, registered by parameter recorder of A-320, as well as
synchronizing the objective control means aboard and on land.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THEY HEARD A SHOT FROM THE POSITIONS OF AZERBAIJANI ARMY
Information-Analytical Department Of NKR MFA
Lragir.am
05 July 06
On July 4, the Office of the OSCE Personal Representative Chairman in
Office conducted monitorings of the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh
and Azerbaijan contact-line in the region of the settlement of Marzily
and in the north-west of the settlement of Kouropatkino.
>From the positions of the NKR Defense Army the monitoring group was
headed by the OSCE Personal Representative of Chairman in Office
Andrzey Kasprzyk. Field assistants of the PRC-i-O Peter Key (Great
Britain) and Gunter Folk (Germany) were in the monitoring group.
Monitorings passed in accordance with the planned schedule. However,
during the monitoring in the northwest of the settlement of
Kouropatkino the OSCE Office coordinator Imre Palatinus, who was
monitoring from the Azerbaijani side informed from the second
contact-line of AR army of a shot , which was heard in a kilometer
left-wing from them. The OSCE mission from the NKR Defense Army did
not hear the shot. As the Azerbaijani side broke the agreement and
did not led out the OSCE monitoring group on the front line, but on
the second line, which was situated in 1,5 km from the contact-line,
the monitoring participants from the Karabakh side were justified to
tell the OSCE mission that they heard a shot from the positions of
Azerbaijani army.
The representatives of the NKR Defense Army and Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, who accompanied the OSCE monitoring group, noted that
contrary to the information spread by the Azerbaijani side on the
burnings of the settlements being under the NKR security zone the
monitoring participants did not fix such facts.
On July 5, the OSCE mission will hold monitorings in the settlements
of Kouropatkino and Ashaghy Veisaly.
Let us remind of the fact that on June 15, 2006, the NKR Ministry
of Foreign Affairs addressed to the office of the OSCE Personal
Representative Chairman-in -Office with a request to conduct
a monitoring in bordering with Azerbaijan zone for the purpose
of giving real estimate to the situation and make certain of the
strained accusations of Baku on the alleged burnings of the adjoining
settlements, situated under the control of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic territories.