MEDIATORS CONFIRM DISCLOSED KARABAKH PLAN
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty. Czech Rep.
June 28 2006
The OSCE Minsk Group has officially confirmed and elaborated on
the key principles of its proposed solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict that were controversially disclosed by its new U.S. co-chair
late last week.
In a joint statement that was circulated by the U.S. embassy in Yerevan
on Wednesday, the mediating group’s American, French and Russian
co-chairs said their hitherto confidential peace plan envisages
a self-determination referendum to be held in Karabakh after the
liberation of Armenian-occupied territories in Azerbaijan.
The statement was presented to the OSCE’s decision-making Permanent
Council in Vienna last Thursday and was not made public until being
posted on the U.S. embassy website almost a week later. Washington’s
new top Karabakh negotiator, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
Matthew Bryza, revealed details of the proposed peace plan to RFE/RL
shortly after the Permanent Council meeting.
Although those details had already been leaked to the media by Armenian
officials last year, Yerevan reacted negatively to Bryza’s interview,
saying that the U.S. official failed to present other important
provisions of the Minsk Group plan. The Armenian Foreign Ministry said
on Monday that those include enabling Karabakh to retain an overland
link with Armenia and remain under Armenian control at least until
the referendum.
Bryza’s remarks also sparked allegations in the Armenian press that
Washington is exerting pressure on Yerevan ahead of the Armenian
parliamentary and presidential elections due in 2007 and 2008
respectively. It is not clear if the U.S. State Department decided
to publicize the Minsk Group statement through its mission in Armenia
in order to end that speculation.
“These principles include the phased redeployment of Armenian troops
from Azerbaijani territories around Nagorno-Karabakh, with special
modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin districts [separating Karabakh
from Armenia proper],” said the co-chairs. “Demilitarization of those
territories would follow. A referendum or population vote would be
agreed, at an unspecified future date, to determine the final legal
status of Nagorno-Karabakh.”
“An international peacekeeping force would be deployed,” added
the statement. “A joint commission would be agreed to implement the
agreement. International financial assistance would be made available
for demining, reconstruction, resettlement of internally displaced
persons in the formerly occupied territories and the war-affected
regions of Nagorno-Karabakh. 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.”
The mediators said the conflicting parties would also have to work
out practical modalities of the Karabakh referendum. “Suitable
preconditions 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.”
This peace formula seems largely acceptable to Armenia. Its Foreign
Ministry argued that the mediating powers have thereby recognized the
Karabakh Armenians’ right to self-determination. The ministry said
in its statement that Presidents Ilham Aliev and Robert Kocharian
have agreed to the proposed referendum but remain divided on other,
unspecified issues.
The Azerbaijani side initially responded positively to Bryza’s
disclosure of Minsk Group peace proposals. But in a statement on
Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry in Baku chided the U.S. official for
“taking them out of the general context of the proposed document.” It
also reiterated that Baku is only ready to grant Karabakh “the
highest status of autonomy” and will never recognize its secession
from Azerbaijan.
The mediators, meanwhile, warned that failure by the two sides to
cut a framework peace deal before the end of this year would close
a rare “window of opportunity” to eliminate the principal source of
instability in the South Caucasus.
“We see no point right now in continuing intensive shuttle diplomacy
we have engaged in over the past several months,” they said. “We also
see no point in initiating further presidential meetings until the
sides demonstrate enough political will to overcome their remaining
differences.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PEACE-MAKERS’ PRESENCE IN NKR MUST BE RULED OUT
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
Yerevan, June 28. /ARKA/. The presence of peace-makers in Nagorno
Karabakh must be ruled out, Chairman of the Democratic Party of Armenia
(DPA) Aram Sargsyan told reporters.
“We consider a peace-making mission in Nagorno Karabakh inadmissible,
because the balance of forces is maintained by the NKR Defense Army,”
he said.
According to Sargsyan, peace-makers’ arrival in the zone will disturb
this very balance, which is pregnant with new threats and challenges
in the region.
Commenting on a recent statement made by RF Minister of Defense
Sergey Ivanov that the Russian army’s involvement in the peace-making
mission is possible, A. Sargsyan pointed out that Ivanov meant Russia’s
participation as part of international forces.
“I think that this is pregnant with new complications,” Sargsyan said.
On June 23, American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza stated that the parties to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
are currently discussing a framework agreement. According to him,
Armenia’s troops must leave the Azerbaijani territories under their
control. He pointed out that the document contains other points,
particularly ones on stationing of peace-makers in the conflict
zone, international assistance to Nagorno Karabakh and holding of a
referendum on the status of Nagorno Karabakh.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN POLICE CARRY OUT FULL-SCALE COOPERATION
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA/. Armenian and Russian Police are carrying
out full-scale cooperation, Chief of the RA Police Hayk Harutyunyan
told reporters.
According to him, the work to identify and detain the wanted criminals
is being carried out.
“During 2005 and five months of 2005, 109 people wanted by Russian
law-enforcement agencies were identified and detained in Armenia,
and six of them have been extradited,” Harutyunyan said.
During the same period, 69 people wanted by Armenia’s police were
detained in Russia and extradited to Armenia.
Harutyunyan stressed that effective cooperation in training police
officers for Armenia continues with the RF Ministry of the Interior.
“From 2005 and up to now 44 officers of Armenian police have attended
refresher courses and taken part in workshops in various educational
institutions of the RF Ministry of the Interior,” he said. The officers
were also sent to Moscow and Saint Petersburg Universities of the RF
Ministry of the Interior and to the Academy of Administration of the
RA Ministry of the Interior.
“Forty-seven officers of Armenian Police are currently internal
and external students at various educational institutions of the RF
Ministry of the Interior,” Harutyunyan said.

PRESIDENTIAL PRIZES IN FIELD OF ART AND SCIENCE AWARDED TODAY IN ARMENIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian today
awarded presidential prizes in 13 nominations in the field of art
and science. The prize-winners in the field of the development of
natural sciences are professors of the Yerevan State University
Sergey Hairapetyan and Hambartsum Khachatryan. The prize-winner in
the field of technical sciences and information technologies was
Doctor of technical sciences Stepan Meschyan.
In the field of medicine a prize was awarded to young Yerevan
cardiosurgeon Mesrop Shatakhyan for the development of cardiac valves
from biological materials for newborn infants.
Chairwoman of the profile commission for medicine Gohar Kyalyan
pointed out that this development is unique in the world.
In the field of physics, presidential prizes were awarded to the
astrophysics Felix Aharonyan, Vardan Sahakyan, Ashot Akhperjanyan
for a series of scientific articles “Registration of gamma rays of
extra high energy emitted from astrophysical sources”.
Chairman of the profile commission for physics, Professor Robert
Hovakimyan pointed out that despite the insufficient funding, the
field of physics in Armenia is actively developing. The witness to
it is the big number of works submitted for prize awarding.
The prize-winner in the field of literature was Alexander Topchyan for
the novel “And Even After Death”, and in the field of the humanities
– Sergey Sarinian – for the monograph “Two Centuries of the Armenian
Literature”. At the same time, in the two nominations – humanitarian
activity and vocal, there was no prize-winners, as, according to the
chairmen of profile commissions, “outstanding works worthy for a high
award have not been presented in these fields”.
Youth presidential prizes were also awarded in the field of fine arts
and cinema, literature and instrumental performance of classical music.
Money prizes to the amount of $2,500 (in AMD), certificates of the
contest winner, breastplates were awarded as the prize. ($1-AMD
418.71).

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN POLICE TO EXCHANGE INFORMATION ON MIGRATION CRIMES
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
Yerevan, June 28. /ARKA/. The RA Police and the RF Ministry of the
Interior will exchange information on migration crimes, Chief of the
RA Police Hayk Harutyunyan told reporters, presenting the results of
the 7th meeting of the top officials of the RA and RF Police.
Harutyunyan reported that the sides signed a joint order on the
exchange of information on individuals and legal entities, criminal
groups concerned with migration crimes and human trafficking.
Joint preventive measures and intensification of work to disclose
crimes are expected.
Harutyunyan stressed that joint work to prevent the activities of
individuals and firms concerned with organization of illegal labor
migration to Russia is under way. Harutyunyan cited the example of
Bashkortostan, where criminal activities have been prevented.
“Joint measures allowed about 40 Armenian citizens that found
themselves in a grave situation to return to the homeland,” Harutyunyan
said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KOCHARYAN EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES TO PUTIN ON DEATH OF RUSSIAN DIPLOMATS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan has addressed
a telegram to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the tragic
death of Russian diplomats in Baghdad.
“With deep sorrow and indignation we received the news about the
brutal violence against Russian diplomats who fell innocent victims
to terrorists in Baghdad,” Kocharyan said.
According to Kocharyan, the violent act is another confirmation of the
inhuman essence of terrorism and of the necessity of urgent struggle
against all manifestation of terrorism, says the message.
The RF State Duma adopted a resolution demanding a comprehensive
investigation of the murder of Russian diplomats in Baghdad. The
RF Foreign Office has demanded that the Iraqi authorities and the
Command of the multinational forces exert every effort to punish the
perpetrators of this crime against the Russian citizens.

ARMENIAN, GEORGIAN FMS THINK MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN TWO COUNTRIES TO KEEP DEVELOPING
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and
his Georgian counterpart Gela Bejuashvili who met in Tuesday Tbilisi
expressed confidence that the mutually beneficial partnership between
the two countries will keep developing.
The Armenian and Georgian Foreign Ministers were united in thinking
that Armenian-Georgian relations are based on close historic ties and
strong friendship and will keep developing in the future, Armenian
Foreign Ministry press service said.
he sides estimated Armenian-Georgian relations agenda as deep and
comprehensive and pointed out high-ranking officials’ mutual visits
and constant contacts between the two countries’ governments over a
wide range of issues as convincing evidence of that.
The ministers also stressed the necessity of coordinating
efforts in economy and business area to make the ties closer and
stimulate investments. They also emphasized that effective transport
communications development will spur economic relations between the
two countries.
Both Oskanyan and Bejuashvili were also convinced that problems
connected with Armenian-Georgian border delimitation and demarcation
will be solved very soon.
They considered prospects of regional development and the process of
regional conflicts settlement as well as exchanged information about
the course of negotiations over Karabakh, Abkhazia,and South Ossetia.

FOUR MURDERS OF ARMENIAN CITIZENS COMMITTED IN MOSCOW AND ITS REGION
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 28 2006
YEREVAN, June 28. /ARKA – RIA Novosty/. Four murders of Armenian
citizens committed in Moscow and Moscow region in the 1st quarter
2006, and the two of them are detected, Head of Russian Ministry of
Internal Affairs Rashid Nurgaliev reported during a press conference.
The minister pointed out that the specific part of the crimes against
Armenian citizens in Russia is committed by their fellow countrymen.
“For instance, in January 2005 in Moscow, $300,000 was blackmailed
for abduction of Armenian citizen Varlanyan; however, the criminal
group consisting of four people that also included Armenian citizens
was arrested,” Nurgaliev said.
He also pointed out that the number of crimes committed by Armenian
citizens considerably exceeds the number of crimes against them. In
particular, the minister referred to the statistical data, according
to which Armenian citizens committed 2,496 crimes, 501 – against them,
and in 2005 this figure totaled 2,940 and 593, respectively.
According to the minister, during the first quarter of the current
year the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia points out reduction
of crimes, whose victims were Armenian citizens.
“During this period, 112 crimes were committed against Armenian
citizens, 11.1% less against the corresponding period of last year,”
the minister said. He pointed out that “the overwhelming majority of
crimes, related to Armenian citizens is of mercenary character”.
In particular, during the 1st quarter 2006 they committed 552 crimes,
including: over 100, related to making and sales of false documents,
26 – illegal sales of drugs, 82 thefts, 40 robberies, 19 frauds, 16 –
hold-ups, 11 – heavy physical trespass, 3 – murders and 3 cases of
gangsterism.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN YOUTH CONDEMNED “BARBARITY AND SHOCKING HOOLIGANISM OF TURKISH NATIONALISTS”
Regnum, Russia
June 28 2006
“Turkey tries to destroy Armenian heritage at the state level,” ARFD
Nikol Agbalyan Student Union Head Ishkhan Sagatelyan stated on June 27
at a press conference in Yerevan which covered incidents that happened
during the visit of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II to Istanbul.
The press conference’s participants informed that Republican Party’s
youth wing and ARFD Nikol Agbalyan Student Union released a statement
in which they condemned “barbarism and shocking hooliganism” that
occurred in Turkey during the visit of Garegin II. In particular, it
is stressed that “it is not the first case of attacks on Armenians
and Christian clergy in the Turkish history.” “Several months ago,
a fanatic slaughtered a Catholic confessor during divine service
in Turkey, country which intends to access the EU.” Representatives
of Armenian youth expressed apprehension with the fact that Turkish
mass media themselves have stirred up the public opinion, propagating
intolerance against Armenians and Christian religion, and the “Turkish
authorities have been destroying relics of Christian culture, insulting
heritage of religious minorities for dozens of years.”
“We request that international community, in particular, the EU member
states, would respond and condemn the campaign aimed at terrorizing
the Catholicos of All Armenians and which humiliates Turkish Christians
too, in particular, civil rights and religious freedom of Armenians,”
it is said in the document.
The appeal will be addressed to all embassies accredited in Armenia,
as well as international organizations. 33 youth political,
non-governmental, and student organizations signed the statement.
The Republican Party’s youth wing is going to apply for a meeting with
the Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II, after he returns back,
in order to discuss the possibility of increasing the Church’s role
in the lives of Armenian youth, Armenian Republican Party’s youth
wing Head Karen Avakyan informed at the press conference.
Visit of Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II paid on June 22-28
was accompanied by numerous protest actions of Turkish nationalists.

AZERI PEOPLE SHOULD BE ATTENTIVE IN PROTECTION OF RIGHTS OF AZERI ARMY OFFICER
Author: J.Shahverdiyev
TREND, Azerbaijan
June 28 2006
Extensive measures are taken for the protection of rights of officer
of Azeri army Ramil Safarov accused of killing Armenian officer in
Hungary, PM Azay Guliyev, the member of the Coordination Council
created for the protection of rights of Ramil Safarov, told, Trend
reports.
He noted that in order not to allow several groups to use the fact for
their own purposes, they have come to a conclusion not to exaggerate
the activity on the protection of Safarov’s rights. “Some persons
present Safarov as a person of year and other hero of year and the
third party – the honour of Azeri army. All these didn’t serve the
protection of Safarovs’s rights,” told Guliyev.
“The Appeal Court will consider his sentence due to which he has been
sentenced to 10-15 years. If we want to make contribution to him,
we should be attentive in this issue. Therefore, the Coordination
Council reveals its activity in a centralized form,” Guliyev added.