ARMENIAN COMMODITY TURNOVER WITH RUSSIA INCREASED BY 12.4%
Regnum, Russia
July 3 2006
Armenian commodity turnover has increased by 9.7% and totaled $1.1bn
for the first 5 months of 2006, compared with the same period of
2005. Of the total, exports amounted to $339.1mln (decrease by 4.6%)
and imports – to $768.3mln (increase by 17.4%). As REGNUM was informed
at the Armenian National Statistical Service, credit balance deficit
totaled $429.3mln and $415.4mln without humanitarian aid.
Commodity turnover with the CIS countries amounted to $318mln, or
28.7% of the total, a 22-percent increase compared to January-May,
2005. Commodity turnover with Russia amounted to $137.7mln (12.4%
increase), with the EU countries – $406.8mln (17.7% increase), with
the USA – $49.5mln (8.5% decrease). Within the accounting period,
Armenia exported to the CIS countries goods $60.3mln worth, of which
to Russia – $29.4mln worth.
$278.7mln worth produce was exported to other countries, of which
$184.2mln worth to the EU countries and $19.9% worth into the USA.
For the first 5 months of the period, goods $257.5mln worth were
imported to Armenia from the CIS countries, of which $108.3mln worth
from Russia, $222.6mln worth from the EU, and $29.6 worth from the USA.

CO-CHAIRMEN OF THE MG MADE STATEMENT RELATED TO NK CONFLICT SETTLEMENT ON THE LAST TALKS PROCESS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 3 2006
Co-Chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group made statement today. According to
the statement entered APA from the embassy of France to Azerbaijan
“Taking into account recent speculation about the basic principles
for a peaceful settlement of the NK conflict proposed to both parties
by the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, it is necessary to make the following
clarification.
On June 22 the Minsk Group Co-Chairs reported to the OSCE Permanent
Council on the results of the past months of negotiations between
the sides on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. They reported on their
intensive mediation activities over the past seven months aimed at
achieving agreement on the basic principles for a settlement. These
included three visits of the Co-Chairs to Baku and Yerevan, three
times together and several more times separately, two meetings of
the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Azerbaijan, and two
summits between Presidents Kocharian and Aliyev, first in Rambouillet
in February and then in Bucharest in early June. In addition, a joint
Mission of Representatives of the Co-Chair countries at the Deputy
Foreign Minister level traveled to the region in May. Throughout
their mediation efforts, the Co-Chairs stressed, as always, the
belief of their nations and of the international community that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved in no other way than a
peaceful one. They also stressed the need for the leaders of Armenia
and Azerbaijan to prepare their publics for peace and not for war.
The mediation efforts of the Co-Chairs resulted in the proposal
to Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian of a set of fair, balanced,
and workable core principles that could pave the way for the two
sides to draft a far-reaching settlement agreement. The principles
are based on the redeployment of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani
territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, with special modalities for
Kelbajar and Lachin districts (including a corridor between Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh), demilitarization of those territories, and
a referendum or population vote — at a date and in a manner to
be decided through further negotations — to determine the final
legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh. Deployment of an international
peacekeeping force and a joint commission for implementation of the
agreement would be established, and international assistance would
be made available for demining, reconstruction, and resettlement of
internally displaced persons in the formerly occupied territories
and the war-affected regions of Nagorno-Karabakh. Certain interim
arrangements for Nagorno-Karabakh would allow for interaction with
providers of international assistance. The sides would renounce the
use or threat of use of force, and international and bilateral security
guarantees and assurances would be put in place. Regarding the vote to
determine the future status of Nagorno-Karabakh, the Co-Chairs stressed
that suitable pre-conditions for such a vote would have to be achieved
so that the vote would take place in a non-coercive environment in
which well-informed citizens have had ample opportunity to consider
their positions after a vigorous debate in the public arena.
Unfortunately, at their most recent meeting in Bucharest the Presidents
did not reach agreement on these principles. The Co-Chairs continue
to believe that the proposals developed through the past two years
of negotiations hold the best potential for achieving a just and
lasting settlement of the conflict. They strongly believe that it is
now time for the two Presidents to take the initiative for achieving
a breakthrough in the settlement process based on these principles,
and they stand ready to assist the parties to conclude an agreement
if the Presidents indicate they are prepared to do so.
Although no additional meetings between the sides under the auspices
of the Co-Chairs are planned for the immediate future, they will be
ready to reengage if the parties decide to pursue the talks with the
political will that has thus far been lacking.

ARMENIANS BROKE CEASE-FIRE FOR 160 TIMES IN THE CONTACT FRONT LINES OF AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES IN THE PAST 6 MONTHS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 3 2006
Armenians violated the cease-fire for160 times in the contact front
lines of Azerbaijani and Armenian Armed Forces in the past 6 months.
According to the results of APA’s monitoring held on the basis
of information confirmed by the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry, the
cease-fire was violated for eleven times (twice in Fizuli, six times
in Aghdam and three times in Terter) in different part of the front
in June this year.
OSCE monitored the contact line of troops (Terter, Agdam) twice in
June. The monitoring did not suffer any incident.
The cease-fire was violated in April most of all and least of all in
January, May and June. The Azerbaijani Army positions and dwelling
houses were fired on by Armenian Armed Forces ten times in January,
14 in February, 50 in March, 65 in April, 10 in July and 11 times
in June. The cease-fire was often broken in the state border of
Azerbaijan-Mazam, Gizilhajili, Baljafarli and Baganis Ayrim villages
of Gazakh region; Hasangaya, Chayli, Jerabert, Gapanli villages of
Terter ;Bash Garvand, Orta Gishlag, Gulchuluk farm of Agdam region
and Ashagi Seyidahmadli and Ashaghi Andurrahmanli villages in Fuzuli.
Azerbaijani army forces’ 34 servicemen and one civilian having military
men status were killed and 11 were wounded due to the enemy’s bullets
and other reasons in the past six months. Four of them were killed in
a fire, six due to misuse of service gun, nine in car accident, two
committed suicide, two in snow-slide, one was hit by thunderstorm and
11 were killed by the enemy. As coming to the wounded, nine of them
were shot at by the enemy, one hit by a mine and one misused service
gun. Seven of the killed were officers, two ensigns, one sergeant and
the rest 24 were soldiers. 14 of them died outside the battle fields.
Azerbaijani Armed Forces lost 11 servicemen in January, 2 in February,
5 in March, 6 in April, 3 in May and 5 in June. Two of the killed
served for the Border Troops and the rest in the military units of
the Defense Ministry.

YEREVAN’S FUTILE EFFORTS
By Semih Idiz
Anatolian Times, Turkey
July 3 2006
MILLIYET- Armenia believes in the bad state of Turkish-US relations
and thinks it can take advantage of the international situation.
However, it couldn’t help being excluded from the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline project, which is very important for its interests in the
European Union and the US.
So now Armenia is exerting most of his efforts to hinder another
project between Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, the Kars-Ahilkelek
railway project. If this 100-kilometer railway worth $400 million can
be laid, Azerbaijan and Turkey will be connected through a railway
over Georgia.
This situation would make any resurrection of the Kars-Gumru railway
line irrelevant. In addition, it would further deepen Armenia’s
isolation in the region. Yerevan has set its strong Armenian lobby
in the US in motion and started to move on a bill in Congress banning
the issuance of credit for the Kars-Ahilkelek project by US financial
institutions. Officials from the EU Commission have been saying since
the beginning of this year that the EU wouldn’t support this project
financially. As a matter of fact, as Foreign Ministry Spokesman Namik
Tan stated recently, the countries pursuing this project don’t need
the EU or the US in terms of finding money. Yerevan saw this and now
started to send certain signals that it’s ready to make important
concession so the country’s isolation doesn’t get worse.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian visited Tbilisi last week
and, when he saw that he would be unable to convince the Georgian
government to give up Kars-Ahilkelek line, made an interesting
suggestion. As Armenian journalist Emil Danielyan wrote on the ‘Eurasia
Insight’ website, Oskanyan said that if this project was given up,
Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan would be use the existing Gumru railway
line on Armenian territory without Armenia’s participation.
In other words, Yerevan stated that he was ready to provide the
‘right of free entry.’ Of course, the three countries which have
serious problems with Armenia could never accept this suggestion. It
would also be hard for the Armenian people to accept this. If Yerevan
considers the issues at the root of its isolation more realistically,
instead of making such useless suggestions, it would better serve
their long-term interests. However, it can’t do this as a country
with its eyes fixed on the past, rather than the future.

THREE YOUNG MEN DETAINED IN KRASNOYARSK FOR BEATING ARMENIAN
ITAR-TASS, Russia
July 3 2006
KRASNOYARSK, July 3 (Itar-Tass) – Three young men who have beaten
a citizen of Armenia out of national hatred have been detained in
Krasnoyarsk, the territorial Prosecutor’s Office told Itar-Tass
on Monday.
According to Yelena Pimonenko, the senior aide to the Krasnoyarsk
territory Prosecutor, one of the suspects said during the detention
that he was “an ideological leader of Krasnoyarsk skinheads” and
explained that his attack was motivated by nationalist reasons.
Federal court of the Sovetsky district of Krasnoyarsk charged him
under article of the Russian Criminal Code envisaging punishment for
“inciting hatred or animosity and abasement of human dignity on racial
grounds in public with the application of violence.”
“The investigation is checking the arrested man for involvement in
similar crimes,” said Pimonenko.
The Armenian citizen was cruelly beaten up by a group of youth on the
Tatyshev Island on June 21. The attack victim got serious physical
injuries.
“It is the first high-profile manifestation of nationalism in
Krasnoyarsk,” Pimonenko pointed out.

NKR PRESIDENT: ATTEMPTS OF BAKU TO MISLEAD THE WORLD IMPEDE ESTABLISHING MUTUAL TRUST
Regnum, Russia
July 3 2006
The Nagorno Karabakh President Arkady Ghoukasyan received the OSCE
Chair-in-Office’s Personal Representative Andrzej Kasprzyk.
According to the information REGNUM got at the NKR President’s Press
Service, in the course of the meeting the parties discussed issues
related to the Karabakh conflict settlement and the situation along
the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani Armed Forces’ contact line. The
interlocutors touched upon the information circulated by the Azeri
party, according to which the Karabakh party allegedly setû fire to
the populated localities near the contact line.
The NKR President noted the Azeri party’s attempts to mislead the
international community did not contribute to the establishment of
mutual trust between the conflicting parties’ societies.
–Boundary_(ID_uUWaIT2RFCvuTaqfyY7LRg) —

TURKEY CONCERNED ABOUT IRAN’S ATTITUDE, ALPOGAN
Anatolian Times, Turkey
July 3 2006
AMSTERDAM – “Turkey is concerned about Iran’s position about the
nuclear weapons”, Turkish National Security Council (MGK) Secretary
General Yigit Alpogan said.
In an interview with the Dutch daily “De Volkskrant”, Alpogan stressed
that the Middle East is an unstable region, and said that Turkey is
closely monitoring the developments.
Alpogan noted that the developments in Iraq is another matter causing
concern, and stated that any negative development in the region may
cause a universal problem.
Regarding the terrorist organization PKK Alpogan said that Turkey will
never consider PKK as an interlocutor and never sit at a negotiation
table with it, and pointed out that Turkey will not follow Spanish
government’s example (concerning ETA).
Alpogan said that it is also wrong to compare the terrorist
organization PKK with ETA.
Stating that the terrorist organization PKK is trying to divide
Turkey and posing a big threat against Turkey, Alpogan said that
Turkey is carrying out a two-folded fight against this threat. “On
one side Turkey is trying to eradicate terrorism by military means,
on the other side it is trying to improve economic conditions and
living standards of the people in the Southeastern Anatolia Region”,
he emphasized.
ARMENIAN CLAIMS
Touching on Armenian claims, Alpogan said that this country should
first give up its genocide allegations, and stop lying to its own
people.
Alpogan recalled that Armenia does not recognize the agreement signed
in 1921 which draws the borders, and has territorial demands from
Turkey (in the Eastern Anatolia Region).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DENOUNCEMENT AGAINST KAREKIN II
Anatolian Times, Turkey
July 3 2006
ISTANBUL – Kemal Kerincsiz, chairman of the executive board of the
Union of Jurists, denounced Karekin II, head of the Armenian Orthodox
Church, to the Chief Prosecutor`s Office in Istanbul on Thursday
on charges of denigrating Turkish people by claiming that Turks had
committed genocide against Armenians.
In a petition he submitted to the Chief Prosecutor`s Office, Kerincsiz
said that a public prosecution should be filed against Karekin II
for denigrating Turkish people in accordance with Article 301/1 of
the Turkish Penal Code.
Kerincsiz also requested the Chief Prosecutor`s Office to issue
a warrant of arrest to detain Karekin II if he enters the country
once again.
Karekin II paid a visit to Istanbul last week at invitation of
Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I.
During a news conference at the Turkish-Armenian Patriarchate on June
25th, Karekin II said that it was impossible to find a solution as
long as Turkey denied the so-called Armenian genocide.
Article 301/1 says that individual/s who openly denigrate/s Turkish
people, Republic of Turkey or Turkish parliament is/are sentenced to
prison from six months up to three years.

NO INCIDENT WAS NOTED DURING MONITORING ON FRONT LINE
Author: E.Javadova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 3 2006
On July 3, no incidents were noted during the monitoring held in
accordance with the mandate of the present OSCE chairman on the front
line controlled by Azerbaijani and Armenia forces, Ilgar Verdiyev,
employee of the press-service of the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry,
told Trend.
In accordance with the mandate of the personal envoy of the present
OSCE chairman, the monitoring was held on the front line near the
highway of Agdam-Hindarkh and Novruzlu village in the territory of
Agdam district.
>From Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by Imre Platinus
and Jiri Abrel, the assistants of personal envoy of the present
OSCE chairman.
And from the other side of the territory which has been internationally
recognized as the territory of Azerbaijan, the monitoring was held
by the personal envoy of the present OSCE chairman, ambassador Anjey
Kaspishk and his assistants Gunter Folk and Peter Ky.
On July 4, the monitoring will be continued by the same monitoring
group near Mahrizli village of Agdam district and Kuropatkino village
of Khojavand district and on July 5, near Kuropatkino and Ashagi
Veysalli villages of Khojavand district.

BAKU BELIEVES REFERENDUM ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH MUST BE NATIONWIDE
ITAR-TASS, Russia
July 3 2006
BAKU, July 3 (Itar-Tass) – Baku believes that a referendum on the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be nationwide, Azerbaijani Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told journalists on Monday.
He pointed out that Azerbaijan’s stand was “clear.” “The
Nagorno-Karabakh problem may be settled after effects of the armed
conflict are eliminated.”
“Earlier, not only Armenians, but also Azerbaijanis resided in
Nagorno-Karabakh,” Azimov said.
If to speak of democratic conflict settlement, the demographic
situation in Nagorno-Karabakh as it was before the conflict waged
should be re-established and the Azerbaijani Diaspora should be
returned back to their homes, he said.
As for future signing of the framework agreement on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement during the G8 summit due in St.
Petersburg, where the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will take
part, Azimov said “such agreement should be drafted first as it does
not exist.”