Uzbekistan rejoins Russian-led security bloc
YURAS KARMANAU
AP Worldstream; Jun 24, 2006
Uzbekistan has rejoined a Russian-led security pact of ex-Soviet
nations, another step by the authoritarian Central Asian state toward
Moscow’s orbit after the rupture of its ties with Washington.
Uzbekistan was one of the founding members of the Collective Security
Treaty in 1992.
But in 1999, in an effort by Uzbek President Islam Karimov to keep
his distance from Moscow, Uzbekistan quit the organization to join a
rival regional body known as GUAM, which is seen as a counterweight
to Russian interests.
Karimov told a summit of the six-nation security body in the Belarusian
capital, Minsk, that Uzbekistan would resume full membership because
it also belonged to a parallel ex-Soviet economic body.
“Uzbekistan having become a member of the Eurasian Economic Community
cannot stop halfway, and so we have reinstated our membership in the
Collective Security Treaty,” he said Friday.
Putin welcomed the decision, saying that from this moment on,
Uzbekistan was “a fully fledged member of our organization and will
participate fully in its activities.”
Since the violent crackdown on an uprising in Andijan in May 2005,
which prompted harsh U.S. criticism, Karimov’s regime has turned
away from the West and switched its allegiance to Russia and
China. Uzbekistan last year left GUAM,
which now is dominated by pro-Western countries.
The Collective Security Treaty links Russia with Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. It is one of several overlapping
organizations seen as means for Moscow to preserve its influence
in its former Soviet backyard and to resist what it perceives as
U.S. efforts to expand its role in the region.
Earlier this month, at a summit of a separate Asian security body
that links China, Russia and four Central Asian states, Karimov
accused unnamed outside interests of sowing discord in the region
and said the U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan had proven ineffective
in combatting the drug trade and improving security.
Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko _ dubbed
“Europe’s last dictator” by the United States and other Western nations
for his relentless crackdown on dissent _ has repeatedly accused the
West of harboring aggressive intentions and sought to build closer
economic and military ties with Russia and other ex-Soviet nations.
Belarus this week is hosting the largest ever joint military
maneuvers with Russia, envisaging a joint response to an unnamed
outside military threat.
Leaders of Russia, Belarus and four Central Asian nations _ Uzbekistan,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan _ on Friday also held a summit
of their Eurasian Economic Community in the Belarusian capital,
focusing on plans to form a customs union of trade agreements.
Numerous previous attempts by the ex-Soviet nations to form a customs
union and coordinate their economic policies have failed because of
sharp differences in size and level of development of their economies
and fears of Russian domination.

RATINGS OF POLITICIANS
Lragir.am
24 June 06
Electoral Systems Center released the ratings for the political
figures of Armenia, given by the online poll. The voting was held
in 2006 three rounds: from February 20 to April 20, from April 20 to
May 20, and from May 20 to June 20.
In the first period (February-April) 688 people participated. Tigran
Karapetyan was the most popular politician with 192 voted. Andranik
Margaryan was the second, 103 people voted for him. Aram Zaveni
Sargsyan was the third with 58 votes. Raffi Hovannisian was the
fourth with 51 votes and Arthur Baghdasaryan was the fifth with 44
votes. The rating for Victor Dallakyan was 32, Gagik Tsarukyan 28,
Shavarsh Kocharyan 21, Gurgen Arsenyan 21, Artashes Geghamyan 19,
Serge Sargsyan 15, Vahan Hovanisyan 15, Stepan Demirchyan 10. 58
people did not sympathize with anyone.
The voting results from April 20 to May 20 did not suggest essential
changes in the leading five. Places were exchanged, and the number
of participants changed. 936 people voted to the second round. Raffi
Hovanisyan was the most popular politicians with 222 votes, Tigran
Karapetyan descended to the second place with 193 votes. Andranik
Margaryan was the third with 115 votes, Arthur Baghdasaryan was the
fourth with 86 votes, and Aram Zaveni Sargsyan was the fifth with 59
votes. The succession of the other political figures did not change.
68 people did not sympathize with anyone.
Finally, 9218 people voted in the third round. In the first five,
Aram Zaveni Sargsyan was replaced by Gagik Tsarukyan with 501 votes.
The other four did not change, but the ratings changed. Arthur
Baghdasaryan is the most popular politician with 2671. Tigran
Karapetyan is the second with 2536 votes, Raffi Hovannisian is the
third with 1590 votes, and Andranik Margaryan is the fourth with 1201
votes. Only 83 people voted against everyone.
Presenting the ratings of political figures for these three periods,
the Electoral Systems Center informs that it will conduct online
polls every month and publish the results at the end of each month.

ONLY 54 OF 191 UN MEMBERS ADOPTED DUAL NATIONALITY
Lragir.am
24 June 06
The Committee of External Relations held hearings on the topic
“Dual Nationality. International Law and Experience”, inviting the
representatives of political parties. Armen Rustamyan, Chair of the
Committee of External Relations, announced in the beginning that the
aim of the hearings is to elucidate the conception of dual nationality
worked out by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.
Levon Mkrtichan, the minister of education and culture, introduced
the conception. According to Levon Mkrtichyan, the adoption of dual
nationality will solve the problem of the right of the Armenians to
live and create in their motherland. “The goal of all Armenians will
be contained in the law.” However, it is necessary to observe justice,
equal rights, prevention of discrimination and iravachaputiun. Levon
Mkrtichyan noticed that the rights and duties of dual nationals,
namely eligibility and military service are regulated by international
conventions.
The head of the Constitutional Court of Armenia Gagik Harutiunyan,
who made a speech immediately after Levon Mkrtichyan, reminded that
there are about ten international conventions on dual nationality,
but Armenia has not joined any of them. Only 54 of the 191 members
of the United Nations adopted dual nationality. Some of these 54
countries adopted only elements of dual nationality. “In Armenia
debates on dual nationality are one-sided, and make a fetish out
of the institution of dual nationality.” By the way, concerns about
dual nationality are expressed in international conventions, and a
convention adopted in 1963 is entitled “Convention on the Reduction
of Cases of Multiple Nationality and Military Obligations in Cases
of Multiple Nationality”. The goal of this convention was to reduce
dual nationality.
The head of the Constitutional Court thinks that along with debates
on dual nationality in Armenia pseudo-terms such as a passive
citizen, a citizen with rights but no duties are increasingly
being used. Moreover, Gagik Harutiunyan says, “It is very wrong,
romantic and ingenuous to think that thanks to adoption of dual
nationality millions of dollars will be annually flowing into
the state budget.” Especially that presently we lack a conception
of Armenia-Diaspora relations. Gagik Harutiunyan thinks thus the
question is distorted, therefore the question of dual nationality
cannot be viewed from the economic aspect. And the countries with a
smaller population than the potential dual citizens “should forget
about dual nationality and independence at all.”
Member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation and others who support
dual nationality, namely Paruyr Hairikyan, National Self-Determination
Union, Communist Frunzeh Kharatyan, Shirak Torosyan, the Hzor Hayrenik
Party, admit that the United States, Russia and Holland are on the
path of restriction of dual nationality, and that the adoption of dual
nationality contains threats. They note, however, that everything
can be regulated by the law. In answer to the remark whether “it is
better not to establish a threat and not to adopt dual nationality”,
Armen Rustamyan, ARF, said, “Hence, if you have a headache, you’d
netter not have a head.” Paruyr Hairikyan thinks dual nationality
will save all the Armenians who refuse citizenship of Armenia and
become citizens of other countries.
The All-Armenian Movement and the Ramkavar Party are for improving
relations with the Diaspora for Armenians to live with dignity
everywhere, preserve their language, writing, religion, remain
Armenian, direct the potential of the Armenian gene towards Armenia
and change the attitude towards the Diaspora. The ways to reach this
is another issue. In this way dual nationality will not solve these
problems, thinks Hovanes Igityan, All-Armenian Movement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC: PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 June 2006
On June 21 the international conference entitled Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic: Past, Present and Future kicked off at Artsakh State
University. The conference will last till June 23 and is held under the
auspices of President Arkady Ghukassian. The council, which organized
and coordinated the conference, includes the minister of education,
culture and sport, the rectors of Yerevan State and Artsakh State
Universities, and over ten cultural and statesmen.
Besides NKR and Armenia, Russia, Germany, France, the United States,
Ukraine and other countries are participating in the conference
as well, namely over 100 participants including scholars who have
contributed greatly to Armenian studies. At the opening ceremony
Prime Minister Anoushavan Danielian and members of government, the
Archbishop of the Artsakh Diocese Parghev Martirosyan, Minister of
Education and Science of Armenia Levon Mkrtichyan, and others were
present. During the general meeting the German scholar Tessa Hoffman
made a report, drawing parallels between the conflicts of Nagorno
Karabakh, Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Ashot Melkonyan, the director
of the Institute of History of the Academy of Sciences of Armenia
drew historical parallels between Artsakh and Javakheti. From June
22 till June 24 the conference will continue in panels, namely the
history panel will be held at Artsakh State University, the culture
panel in Gandzasar, the politics, sociology, economy and philosophy
panels will be held in Martakert.
NORAYR HOVSEPYAN.
24-06-2006

MEETING AT NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
25 June 2006
On June 19 NKR Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgy Petrossian met with
the delegation of the International Working Group (IWG) on the Search
for Hostages, Captives and Missing People, including co-chairs Bernhard
Clasen (Germany), Paata Zakareashvili (Georgia), coordinators Karine
Minassian (Armenia), Avaz Hasanov (Azerbaijan) and Albert Voskanian
(NKR). During the meeting they discussed the current activities of the
IWG, the question of more active efforts in search for missing people
and places of burial. The foreign minister of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
said Nagorno Karabakh constantly assists in the activities of the IWG
and is open for cooperation, whereas the Azerbaijani government refuses
relations with the relevant agency in Karabakh. Hence, the minister
emphasized that the stage of the military actions was the territory
of Nagorno Karabakh and the NKR representatives should have a direct
and active participation in the search for the missing, captives
and hostages. With regard to this, Georgy Petrossian criticized
the efforts of Azerbaijan to politicize the sphere and called the
members of the IWG for a more determined attitude towards this problem
that contradicts to the principles of the humanitarian law. Bernhard
Clasen thanked the Karabakh party for assistance, at the same time he
regretted that former POWs are tried and persecuted in Azerbaijan. He
mentioned that the IWG will do everything to persuade Baku to put an
end to these phenomena. The participants of the meeting emphasized
the necessity for active cooperation of all the interested parties
in this humanitarian sphere. On the same day the IWG delegation met
with the head of the State Task Force on POWs, Hostages and Missing
People. Deputy Foreign Minister Masis Mayilyan, who is a member of
the Task Force, also participated in the meeting.
AA. 24-06-2006

HOW TO COMMUTE
Aram Abrahamian
Aravot.am
23 June 06
The RA President Robert Kocharian meeting the OSCE representative
of the freedom of the press Miklosh Harashti, expressed his opinion
that TV companies were too much in our country. /Mr. Harashti himself
has declared about it/. I think it is a sincere anxiety and positively
characterizes our president. Every good leader must worry about working
load of his subordinates and make efforts for avoiding of too large
working load. In this case the point of anxiety is the chief of the
President’s personnel Armen Gevorgian who is responsible for the
control and censorship of 17 TV companies. Mr. Gevorgian, leaving
his important state activities /in particularly elite construction/,
have to phone to the leaders of 17 TV companies and do “censorship
remarks” when the oppositionist says wrong things to the address of
the president or unpleasant news are broadcasted in the report. Or
the opposite the “flight of our economy” isn’t praised so much. And
more it is also under Mr. Gevorgian’s control and just he gives a
license or refuse the appearance of any oppositionist. And there can
be a question from where Mr. Gevorgian can get that information.
Whether there are 17 TV sets in his room. Certainly, no. But
fortunately there are a lot of careful citizens in Armenia. And just
the leaders of those TV companies are among those citizens. They phone
Mr. Gevorgian and complain; ” You forbid us but Kirakos has appeared
in the air of another TV Company and said such things addressed to
the boss…” Indeed Mr. Gevogian gains sympathy and the number of TV
Companies should be reduced.
Certainly there is another way. An angel suddenly appeared in half
of the action in one of Vasili Aksjonov’s novels who entered Party
bureau dictating the
following decision ; to separate art from the state. Perhaps an angel
appears in Baghramian street and dictate an order to the president,
to separate TV Companies from the authority. Unless no president will
sign such an order.
Indeed TV companies are too much. They gave all frequencies to their
–Boundary_(ID_hVsoeczpd60G9EBqWXexEQ)–

“I DON’T REMEMBER WHAT I HAVE DONE”
Anna Israelian
Aravot.am
23 June 06
The advocate Ashot Sargsian who is the representative of the assign
of the former circuit power director of Arzni Ashot Mkhitarian doesn’t
believe in the former mayor of New Hachn Armen Keshishian’s affirmation
The former mayor of New Hachn refused of his pre-investigating
testimonies about the murder in the court. What is the defendant’s
strategy?
Refusing of his testimonies was as strange for me as it was for his
defender. When Armen Keshishian declared that he was refusing of
pre-investigating testimonies, his defender asked ”I was present
in all your testimonies from what testimonies do you refuse?” It
is obvious for me that it was the result of arrangement between
the defendant and defender, which is natural. The point is that
Armen Keshishian has described in the first two testimonies all
his actions, how he shot, how policemen captured him, how he shot
the remained cartridges to the air. Then when the defender began
giving advices Armen Keshishian began losing his memory and he didn’t
remember anything in his other testimonies about the murder. He was
trying to assure the judge the same on of these days. It is proved
by Armen Keshishian detailed description that he was sober, without
any emotion. But now they have changed their strategy and they try to
assure the court that the murder was committed at the emotional moment.
In this way they try to avoid of punishment.
Another direction of testimonies of the former mayor of New Hachn is
that as if Ashot Mkhitarian himself provoked his murder as there was
a case when he threatened him by the gun, punched him and cursed him
in the presence of his parents, sister and children.
I didn’t understand during my interrogation whether Armen Keshishian
was Ashot Mkhitarian’s friend or wasn’t. It is written even in the
accusation conclusion that they were friends since childhood but
the hostility started in 2004 after the NA additional elections
when Mkhitarian hadn’t done the agreement about defending their
candidate. But according to Armen Keshishian’s testimony they have
never been close friends. He had to make friends with him as he was
like a prisoner. I don’t understand it.
An investigating examination will be made on 26 of June by your
interference. Which is the aim?
The aim is the following; in my deep assurance it happened in this way;
illegal construction was simply an occasion for Armen Keshishian for
managing to commit Ashot Mkhitarian’s murder in the most profitable
way. Being a jurist and understanding very well the difference between
104 and 105 articles of the criminal code formed a situation during
of which Ashot Mkhitarian had done illegal actions, offended and
cursed him after which he found himself in an emotional situation
and committed the murder. And when Armen Keshishian understood that
he wouldn’t manage to be re-elected as the mayor of New Hachn being
in Ashot Mkhitarian’s opposite field decided to kill him. The final
decision he made on 23 of September, the day before murder. And
he mentioned about it in his testimony; when he learned that Ashot
Mkhitarian had cursed him he said his father; ”He will answer for it
after week-end”. He went to the constr uction on Saturday when the
workers finished their work, suddenly he started to shout at them and
Ashot Mkhitarian came listening it. The latter asked ‘have you come
with the police?”, then Armen Keshishian shot at Ashot Mkhitarian at
once. If he didn’t have any intention for murder he would shoot at
the air but he aimed at his heart.
–Boundary_(ID_yXSyx7dp5E2l8bAGkLcPEw)–

Famous boxer Vik Darchinyan is in Armenia
ArmRadio.am
24.06.2006 14:55
Famous boxer, our compatriot Vakhtang darchinyan is in Armenia. One of
these days in Las Vegas he defeated Luis Maldonado of Mexico, who had
never lost before. Vakhtank Darchinyan is an IBF and IBO Champion. He
held 26 fights in the professional ring. He registers 26 victories,
21 of which with a knockout.
Vakhtang Darchinyan, 30, resides in Australia. However, every time
he comes to the ring, Ara Gevorgyanâ~@~Ys compositions sound and the
Armenian flag waves. He started training in Vanadzor at the age of 7.
The Armenian boxer is known to the world as Vik Darchinyan. Soon he
is going to marry his girl friend, Russian in origin, who was crying
for him during the last fighting.
Vik Darchinyan intends to found a boxing club in Vanadzor. The Armenian
community of Sydney has promised to provide financial assistance to
accomplish this intension of his.
–Boundary_(ID_XE0H7ezStcor73M8NS/ojQ)–

It’s time for Georgian authorities to listen to the demands of Javakhk
Armenians
ArmRadio.am
24.06.2006 13:55
Issues concerning Javakhk Armenians, particularly questions related
to reinforcement of political stability, defense of human rights and
improvement of socio-economic conditions, provision of the right to
use the Armenian language equally with the Georgian continue to remain
in the focus of non-governmental and other organizations. The-above
mentioned questions will be addressed today at the sitting of the NGO
of the “United Javakhk” democratic alliance,” President of the “Sports
and Cultural Union of Javakhk” Vahagn Chakhalyan said in his interview
with “Radiolur” correspondent. Representatives of Armenian communities
of Akhalkalak, Aspindza, Akhaltskha, Ninotsminda and Tsalka regions are
participating in the conference. The Georgian authorities have already
developed concrete programs regarding some of the above-mentioned
questions. For instance, recently the Georgian Government provided
about US$700 thousand to Georgian citizens – victims of natural
disasters – to move to Javakhk. These 220 families will be settled in
Tsalka, Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda regions. In the opinion of Javakhk
Armenians, these are not Georgians, as it is officially presented,
but Svans, who months ago became a reason of an interethnic clash.
The Georgian side explains this with the fact that the houses in the
Javakhk are cheaper, but Javakhk Armenians consider this a policy of
gradually changing the demographic composition of the population.
“The right of using Armenian equally with the Georgia is also among
the primary concerns of Javakhk Armenian. We do not say the Georgian
is not necessary, we just say the Georgian language should not replace
the Armenian,” Vahagn Chakhalyan said.

Armenian All-National Movement will never cooperate with “Prosperous Armenia”
ArmRadio.am
24.06.2006 15:10
“The Armenian All-National Movement intends to participate in the
coming parliamentary elections,” President of the Party’s Bureau
Ararat Zurabyan declared. The latter excluded that his party may
somehow cooperate with the newly founded “Prosperous Armenia” Party.
“This is never possible,” he declared decisively, turning to the
rumors that authors of the platform of the “Prosperous Armenia”
are front leaders of the Armenian All-National Movement.
“The Movement can in no way cooperate with several political forces,
which are unable to adhere to any kind of ideology,” Ararat Zurabyan
said.
“Obviously, some groups have been formed in Armenia, for which there
can be no restriction regarding any issue, and seeing the idleness
demonstrated by certain structures, we can confirm that there is a
very abandoned situation here,” he said.
In Ararat Zurabyan’s words, the corresponding bodies have an immense
work to do, but the speaker does not believe this will be realized,
especially considering that parliamentary elections are awaiting us.