ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: AZERBAIJAN DID NOT USE IN BUCHAREST POSSIBILITY OF FIXING PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The extreme
nationalism made its run in Russia that is addressed not only against
Armenians, does not come from Russians’ interest. RA Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian stated about it in the June 14 interview to
journalists. According to him, if this process continues, contrary
steps are also possible towards a great number of Russians living in
different countries of the CIS. “I think that Russia’s authorities
and legal bodies must clearly show their position,” Andranik Margarian
mentioned.
According to the Prime Minister, a Tajik girl’s murder in
Saint-Petersburg got its worthy response, and it created a basis for
continuing similar actions.
As for the Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers’ meeting taken
place in Paris, the Prime Minister mentioned that it is provided by
the necessity again to organize a meeting between the Presidents of
the two countries.
According to Andranik Margarian, the sides had in Bucharest a great
possibility for a progress connected with the peaceful settlement
of the Karabakh conflict: “It’s a pity, that the possibility was not
used by Azerbaijan.”

REGIONAL SEMINAR “IMPROVEMENT OF PRESERVATION OF CULTURAL HERITAGE BY PERFECTION OF LEGISLATIVE FIELD” TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 16-17, the Armenian National
Commission on Issues of UNECSO in Yerevan will hold a regional seminar
under the title “Improvement of Preservation of Cultural Heritage by
Perfection of the Legislative Field.”
As Noyan Tapan was informed from RA Foreign Ministry Press and
Information Department, the seminar will involve representatives of all
interested institutions and services, including representatives of RA
Ministry of Culture and Youth Affairs, Agency of Monuments Protection,
Mayor’s Office, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS)
Armenian Committee, a number of organizations engaged in territorial
government and cultural heritage.
The main reporters at the seminar will be David Michelmore, expert
of the World Heritage Center and ICOMOS, Georgian and Iranian ICOMOS
representatives, as well as experts from Russia and the Ukraine.

JAVAKHK COMPATRIOTIC UNION CALLS FOR NOT AGGRAVATING SITUATION IN JAVAKHK
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The situation in
Javakhk should not be aggravated, constructive works should be done
for the Armenian and Georgian authorities to find a common denominator
as a result of discussions of some issues. Shirak Torosian, Chairman
of the Javakhk compatriotic union, made such a statement at the June
14 press conference.
According to him, the governments of Armenia and Georgia
should together determine the ways of solution of problems of
Javakhk for Javakhk “not to become a factor in the hands of
some forces.” Sh.Torosian also said that they should not run to
extremes: today we should secure raising of the level of Javakhk’s
self-government and giving its powers to independently solve some
problems, for a budget of its own to be formed, within the framework
of which it will be possible to solve some cultural, financial and
technical problems. “If in the future the Republic of Georgia by its
Constitution makes a decision to change the administrative-territorial
structure and to have the structure of a federal state, it will
be right if Javakhk also has a status of autonomy,” the speaker
emphasized.
In connection with withdrawing the Russian military base from the
territory of Georgia Shirak Torosian expressed anxiety that this
will deprive residents of Javakhk of hundreds of jobs. Besides, the
population feels itself safer with the Russian military base being
in Georgia.
According to Sh.Torosian, now the main administrative-civil bodies are
moved to Akhaltska, so, they are moved away from the Javakhk population
and power structures are brought to Javakhk. “Two power structures have
been created in Javakhk lately, one is the gendarmerie, the other the
military police. A question emerges: if there are no Georgian military
units in Javakhk, why is a military police created?” the Speaker
emphasized at the same time expressing an opinion that by means of
this the Georgians wish to destabilize the situation in Javakhk in
order “to appropriate Javakhk in the political and military respect.”
As for the Kars-Akhalkalak railway, according to Sh.Torosian, the
Armenians of Javakhk are against its construction as this is not in
the interests of Armenia.
Shirak Torosian gave assurance that it will be possible to smooth over
Armenian-Georgian contradictions within the framework of bilateral
negotiations and discussions, as a result of mutually beneficial
cooperation between the two states.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY APPROVES 2005 STATE BUDGET EXECUTION REPORT
Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The report on the 2005 state budget
execution was approved unanimously – by 77 votes in favor, at the June
15 session convened on the initaitives of the RA National Assembly
deputies. Representatives of the opposition factions Justice and
National Unity were not present at the voting, while members of the
Orinats Yerkir faction did not participate in it..
According to the approved report, the actual revenues of the 2005
state budget made 374.7 bln drams or 99.9% of the adjusted program,
actual expenditures – 417.5 bln drams or 97.1%, the defecit – 42.8
bln drams or 78.3%. The underfulfilment of the defecit was due to
underimplementation of financing by 57.6%, with the internal financing
program being exceeded by 26.6%.
In 2005, the economic growth made 14%, exceeding the target index by
6% and the respective index of 2004 – by 3.5%. Nominal GDP amounted
to 2 trillion 244 billion drams, per capita GDP – to 697,421 drams
or 1,524 USD.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FIRST PRIZES NOT AWARDED IN COMPETITIONS ANNOUNCED FOR PREPARING MONUMENTS OF G. CHAVUSH AND M. MKRTCHIAN
Noyan Tapan
Jun 15 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN. The Yerevan Mayor’s Office initiated
competitions of drafts to monuments of Armenian prominent politicians
and intellectuals. Works recognized best in the competitions will be
placed in the capital.
As Samvel Danielian, the Chief Architect of Yerevan informed at the
June 12 press conference, competitions on building monuments to Gevorg
Chavush and Mher Mkrtchian have already been held.
According to S.Danielian, by the competition commission’s decision,
no first prize was awarded in the competition for preparing the
monument to G.Chavush as none of the presented drafts corresponded
to all the proposed demands.
And the second prize winner was proposed to remake the draft and to
present it to the commission during the coming months. According to
S.Danielian, works of preparing the monument to G.Chavush will start
after affirming the draft.
It will be placed in the community of Ajapniak, at the place of cross
of the streets of Mazmanian-Bashinjaghian-Beknazarian.
6 works were presented at the competition of creating Mher Mkrtchian’s
monument. No first prize was awarded here as well. Sculptors awarded
2nd and 3rd prizes must remake their works after what the final
variant will be decided.
To recap, M.Mkrtchian’s monument will be placed in the park of the
G.Sundukian National Academic Theater.
S.Danielian informed that a competition has been announced for
preparing Garegin Nzhdeh’s monument as well. It is envisaged to place
the monument in the community of Shengavit, on the square near the
“Hayrenik” cinema.

HOUSE COMMITTEE OPPOSES FUNDING FOR RAILROAD THAT BYPASSES ARMENIA: LAWMAKERS CALL PROJECT “PURELY POLITICAL”
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 15 2006
WASHINGTON, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian
Assembly of America commended Members of the House Financial Services
Committee for adhering to U.S. policy goals of regional cooperation
and economic integration by ensuring that no Export-Import funding
would be used for a proposed rail link project that would connect
Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, while bypassing Armenia.
Lawmakers approved on June 14 H.R. 5068, the Export-Import Bank
Reauthorization Act of 2006, which included an amendment introduced
by Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), along with Congressmen Edward
Royce (R-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA), ensuring that taxpayer dollars
will not be spent on efforts that would exclude Armenia from regional
projects and commercial opportunities.
Unanimous approval of this amendment by the House Financial Services
Committee sends a strong message that it does not endorse attempts to
undermine U.S. policy goals, which seeks to normalize Armenian-Turkish
relations and to reach a peaceful settlement in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Moreover, the Committee’s action echoes recent statements
made by Ambassador-Designate to Azerbaijan, Anne Derse, who indicated
that the proposed railroad would “not be beneficial to regional
integration…”
“With this amendment, we are sending a message to the governments
of Turkey and Azerbaijan that continually excluding Armenia in
regional projects fosters instability,” Crowley told Members of the
Committee. “Bypassing Armenia is just another attempt to further
suffocate this republic, which has made great strides in democratic
and economic reforms notwithstanding its neighbors’ hostility. If the
Caucasus region is to move forward, we must ensure that all countries
move forward together at the same time.”
During the mark-up, Royce noted that the amendment was modeled after
H.R. 3361, the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act,
and said that taxpayer dollars should not be used to exclude Armenia
which is already facing dual blockades by Turkey and Azerbaijan. The
legislation, which also has a Senate counterpart, would prohibit
U.S. assistance for the promotion or development of a railroad that
would connect the three countries and exclude Armenia.
The House bill currently has 85 cosponsors.
Sherman, who also addressed the Committee, said that the European
Union has already publicly indicated that it will not finance a rail
project in which Armenia is not involved.
“Export-Import made a huge mistake when it approved finance guarantees
for the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline in 2003,” Sherman told the Assembly. “This
amendment puts Congress on record opposing a repeat of that fiasco
embodied by this ill-conceived and wasteful rail project.”
“Our foreign assistance should help end conflict by fostering
cooperation,” Sherman continued. “We should not entrench divisions
by financing projects which exclude countries friendly to the United
States.”
Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) also spoke in favor of the
Crowley-Royce-Sherman amendment and submitted a statement for the
mark-up, which stated in part: “Armenia is a friend and an ally of
the United States that for too long has been subjected to blockades
and aggression from its neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan….Allowing
the exclusion of Armenia from important transportation routes would
stymie the emergence of this region as an important East-West trade
corridor. It is in our economic and security interests to ensure that
the aggression against Armenia comes to an end.”
“We thank Congressman Crowley, along with Congressmen Royce and
Sherman, for their leadership on this crucial issue which is a
key Assembly priority for the 109th Congress. We also commend the
Armenian-American community for rallying support for this important
initiative,” said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Passage of this
amendment protects U.S. goals and interests in the region and ensures
that attempts by Turkey and Azerbaijan to isolate Armenia will not
go unanswered.”
The proposed railway is estimated to cost upwards of 0 million.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told an Azeri news agency last
summer that, “We are currently working on a new project – a new rail
road Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku..If we succeed with this project,
the Armenians will end in complete isolation, which would create an
additional problem for their future, their already bleak future…”
Armenian government officials have repeatedly said that a new costly
railway is unnecessary given that a railroad linking Armenia, Georgia
and Turkey already exists.
The next step in the legislative process is a vote in the full House
on H.R. 5068.

RA DEFENCE AND FOREIGN MINISTERS PARTICIPATE IN NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MEETING
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 15 2006
BRUSSELS, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Defence and
Foreign Ministers Serge Sargsian and Vartan Oskanian participated
on June 14 in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council and Armenia
(26+1 format).
The meeting was dedicated to discussion of the implementation process
of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Actions’ Plan (IPAP),
based on results of the IPAP intermediate estimation given by the
NATO international staff’s delegation on May 18-19 of this year.
Ministers Sargsian and Oskanian made speeches, touching upon
problems of deepening the Armenia-NATO cooperation, events planned
for implementing the IPAP and their implementation.
It was followed by speeches of the Ambassadors of the North-Atlantic
Council member states in which estimations were given to progress
of Armenia in the direction of implementing the IPAP principles,
paying attention to democratic processes in Armenia as a security
guarantee, reforms of the defence sphere, issues of widening the
political dialogue with the NATO.
Then, as Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, the Ministers answered numerous questions,
which related to priorities of the foriegn policy of Armenia,
security components, regional problems and energetic security,
present developments of the peacefull settlement of the NKR issue.

MYSTERY DEEPENS AS ARTURS’ FOREIGN GUESTS VANISH
Dominic Wabala
The Nation (Kenya)
Jun 15, 2006
Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of six foreigners who entered the
country on the same night the two Armenian brothers caused a scene
at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The six were part of the entourage that caused a security scare at
the airport. But they were overlooked in the commotion that followed
when the Artur brothers defied orders to open luggage for inspection.
The six were driven to the five star Grand Regency Hotel together
with a businessman who had figured in the Goldenberg affair.
They were in the same convoy as the Artur brothers, Sargsyan and
Margaryan, who were later deported together with two other Armenians.
Four of the six were booked in at the Grand Regency but checked out the
following day after news broke of the brothers’ arrest and deportation.
The four, who were originally booked to stay at the hotel until June
28, have since disappeared – and the whereabouts of the other two
foreigners could not be established either.
Police said last night they did not know what had happened to the
six, explaining they had been focusing their attentions on the Artur
brothers and the two other Armenians deported with them.
The six foreigners who had arrived from Dubai and were received by
the Artur brothers at JKIA last Thursday night were whisked away to
the Grand Regency after the Armenians and their bodyguards grabbed
their bags and escorted them to a convoy of cars. They left the
airport with about seven other people.
The bags and their contents were left in five rooms reserved for the
associates of the businessman.
When the foreigners checked out after spending just one night,
their bill – around Sh25,000 each – was marked for payment by the
same businessman.
According to documents shown to the Nation, the four guests were
booked into the hotel at about 8:30 pm.
The next morning, a manager instructed some of the hotel staff to
check them out.
Hotel records show three of the four foreigners gave fictitious
addresses in the United Arab Emirates, while the fourth gave a New
Delhi address that is not consistent with the city’s postal system.
Sources revealed the Armenian brothers and the businessman who paid
their bills were scheduled to open a new casino at the Grand Regency
on the night they were deported.
The casino was opened in spite of the brothers’ absence under the
watchful eye of the businessman and the Armenians’ associates.
Close circuit television cameras seized at the brothers’ Runda home
were to have been be installed at the casino.
Meanwhile, members of the commission of inquiry named by President
Kibaki to investigate the security violations at JKIA were sworn in
by Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, with the promise that their hearings
will be in public.
Commission chairman Shedrach Kiruki promised fairness and openness and
a thorough job, as he pleaded for patience from members of the public.
Mr Margaryan, who moved to Dubai when the brothers were deported from
Kenya, expressed his willingness to give evidence to the commission.
He also threatened to sue the Government.
And Catholic bishops yesterday expressed concern at Thursday’s security
breach at JKIA, saying it had raised great concern regarding security
in Kenya.
“At stake is the safety of Kenyans within our borders as well as our
pride as a sovereign state,” the 28 bishops said in a statement signed
by the chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, Bishop John Njue.
Internal Security minister John Michuki yesterday ordered journalists
out of his office when the outgoing US ambassador to Kenya, Mr William
Bellamy, paid him a courtesy call.
Mr Michuki told the journalists – who had been invited by his office to
cover the meeting -to get out because the courtesy call was personal.
He declined to allow journalists to ask the ambassador any questions
even after Mr Bellamy had started talking about his tenure in Kenya.
The minister asked the reporters to remove their microphones soon
after they entered his office, saying he only wanted pictures of him
and Mr Bellamy taken as there were no discussions.
As the microphones were placed on the table, he asked: “What are this
for? I don’t think we need this… Just take pictures and leave.
There are no discussions here.”
Attempts to persuade the minister to change his mind were rebuffed.
Mr Bellamy watched in bewilderment, at times smiling as Mr Michuki
asked his aides to remove the journalists.
He accused the media of going to cover the function because they
wanted to follow up a story from Parliament where MPs had earlier
said the minister should be sacked over the security breach at the
airport involving the Artur brothers.
The MPs had demanded that Mr Michuki and his Immigration counterpart,
Mr Gideon Konchellah, be sacked for allowing Mr Margaryan and Artur
Sargsyan to compromise the security of the country.
The two brothers stormed the airport brandishing pistols and seizing
luggage that they refused to be checked. They were later found to
have guns and bullets in their Runda estate home.
Instead of being charged in court, the Armenians were deported and
the Opposition accused the Government of trying to cover up the saga.
Mr Michuki said: “You have come here because of what happened in
Parliament…not because of the ambassador. I have nothing to say.”
Mr Michuki – speaking mainly in Kiswahili – refused to answer questions
on whether or not he was going to resign. Instead he said: “You are
now being disrespectful… We have asked you to leave.”
At that point, his aides started pushing journalists out of the
minister’s office.
In his brief remarks, Mr Bellamy said Kenya was a good country and
he would return in a different capacity and encourage Americans to
visit the country.
He said: “I will certainly be returning. I have been very fortunate
to make many friends. This is a very big country…I am going to
encourage other Americans to come.”

G-8 INTERIOR, JUSTICE MINISTERS DISCUSS TERRORISM, ILLEGAL MIGRATION IN MOSCOW
Anton Troianovski
AP Worldstream
Jun 15, 2006
The ministers of interior and justice of the Group of Eight member
countries on Thursday opened two days of talks on international
strategies to combat terrorism, Internet crime and illegal immigration.
Franco Frattini, the European Union’s justice and home affairs
commissioner, told reporters that he would propose that each EU and G-8
member state establish a central national unit to prevent cybercrime
in order to create “a real international network of cooperation.”
Frattini said he would also discuss new measures to combat illegal
immigration, focusing on the countries where migrants start their
journeys as well as transit countries. He called the black labor market
“the most dangerous pull factor for illegal immigration to Europe.”
Frattini said the EU had recently flown its first joint repatriation
flight out of Europe _ an Austrian-organized mission to return dozens
of Georgian and Armenian crime suspects to their home countries.
At the outset of Thursday’s meeting, Russian presidential chief of
staff Sergei Sobyanin called illegal immigration a pressing problem
for G-8 member countries.
“Uncontrolled and illegal migration is fraught with significant side
effects, and we are feeling this throughout the world,” Sobyanin said,
according to the Interfax news agency.
“The criminalization of the labor market, a rise in interethnic tension
in society, shadow financial flow _ ultimately, these are serious
threats to the internal stability of all our countries,” he said.
This week’s talks, held in advance of the G-8 summit in St.
Petersburg next month, will also focus on the financing of terrorism.
Frattini said that within 12 months the EU would enact limits on
moving more than A10,000 (US$12,600) in cash through Europe, and
noted that the European Council had approved “in principle” plans on
the traceability of public and private financial transactions.
Frattini spoke to reporters before a bilateral meeting with U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, with whom he planned
to negotiate a new agreement on providing passenger data to the U.S.
after the EU’s highest court found problems with the current agreement.
Frattini also called on the U.S. Congress to expand the country’s
visa waver program to all EU member countries.
“The Congress of the United States is thinking about extending step
by step _ I mean first to Poland and then we will see,” Frattini
said. “It would be very much preferable for us to have a road map
for all new member states.”

TAX PAYER DOLLARS WON’T BE SPENT ON KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2006 15:26 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Members of the House Financial Services Committee
adhere to U.S. policy goals of regional cooperation and economic
integration by ensuring that no Export-Import funding would be used
for a proposed rail link project that would connect Turkey, Georgia
and Azerbaijan, while bypassing Armenia, the Armenian Assembly of
America reported.
Lawmakers approved H.R. 5068, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization
Act of 2006, which included an amendment introduced by Congressman
Joseph Crowley (D-NY), along with Congressmen Edward Royce (R-CA)
and Brad Sherman (D-CA), ensuring that taxpayer dollars will not be
spent on efforts that would exclude Armenia from regional projects
and commercial opportunities.
Unanimous approval of this amendment by the House Financial Services
Committee sends a strong message that it does not endorse attempts to
undermine U.S. policy goals, which seeks to normalize Armenian-Turkish
relations and to reach a peaceful settlement in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Moreover, the Committee’s action echoes recent statements
made by Ambassador-Designate to Azerbaijan, Anne Derse, who indicated
that the proposed railroad would “not be beneficial to regional
integration…”
“With this amendment, we are sending a message to the governments of
Turkey and Azerbaijan that continually excluding Armenia in regional
projects fosters instability,” Crowley told Members of the Committee. ”
If the Caucasus region is to move forward, we must ensure that all
countries move forward together at the same time.”
The legislation, which also has a Senate counterpart, would prohibit
U.S. assistance for the promotion or development of a railroad that
would connect the three countries and exclude Armenia. The House bill
currently has 85 cosponsors.
Sherman, who also addressed the Committee, said that the European Union
has already publicly indicated that it will not finance a rail project
in which Armenia is not involved. “Export-Import made a huge mistake
when it approved finance guarantees for the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline in
2003,” Sherman told the Assembly. “This amendment puts Congress on
record opposing a repeat of that fiasco embodied by this ill-conceived
and wasteful rail project.” “Our foreign assistance should help end
conflict by fostering cooperation,” Sherman continued. “We should
not entrench divisions by financing projects which exclude countries
friendly to the United States.”
The next step in the legislative process is a vote in the full House
on H.R. 5068.