EVICTED FAMILIES DISMISS KOCHARIAN’S EXTRA CASH PLEDGE
By Ruzanna Stepanian
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Aug. 14, 2006
Disgruntled families whose old houses have been torn down in an
ongoing redevelopment in downtown Yerevan on Monday bristled at
President Robert Kocharian’s pledge to slightly raise compensations
paid to them by his government.
In televised remarks broadcast late Friday, Kocharian announced
that the government was wrong to controversially levy a 10 percent
income tax from the already modest sums paid to hundreds of displaced
families. He said proceeds from the tax, worth about 1.3 billion drams
($3.3 million), will be given back to them in the next few months.
Kocharian’s remark that “the issue will be closed” with the payment
of extra cash seems to have angered those former house owners who
feel that the compensations offered to them were well bellow the
market value of their demolished properties. Vachagan Hakobian, head
of a group representing their interests, said it does not represent
a fundamental solution to their grievances.
“We are not fighting for 10 percent,” Hakobian told RFE/RL. “We just
want the amount of compensation to be revised [upwards] and individuals
who committed illegal acts to be punished.”
“They won’t deceive us with that sum. Of course, we will take the cash
because it was stolen from us. But we will continue our struggle to
the end,” he said.
The pledge of extra money was Kocharian’s first public statement
on the controversy surrounding his government’s handling of the
redevelopment program that was effectively declared illegal by
Armenia’s Constitutional Court in April. Angry evicted residents,
backed by human rights activities, opposition politicians and
prominent public figures, have for months protested outside his
officials residence in the hope of clinching heftier sums.
The Armenian constitution stipulates that private property can
be confiscated by the state “only in exceptional cases involving
overriding public interests, in a manner defined by law, and with a
prior commensurate compensation.” The court backed critics’ argument
that the process, marred allegations of high-level corruption,
has been regulated only by a government directive and is therefore
unconstitutional. Still, it stopped short of ordering the authorities
to return the increasingly expensive land to their former owners.
Some of those residents were baffled by the timing Kocharian’s
announcement and saw political motives behind it. “Elections are
coming up,” one of them, Aleksandr Safian, said. “The president has
gone public to present himself in a better light. We don’t believe
in fairy tales.”
Another man, Zohrab Vahanian, claimed that the Armenian authorities
are worried about lawsuits filed by several disgruntled families to
the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. “They have realized
that we can’t do anything against them only in Armenia and that things
work a bit differently there [in Strasbourg,]” he said.
Kocharian’s statement, whatever its motives, is totally irrelevant
to Gohar Gharibian and her family that were offered $14,000, barely
enough to buy a tiny apartment in a Yerevan suburb, for their now
demolished house in the city center. They rejected the sum and now
hope for a “just” verdict by the Strasbourg court.
“We didn’t sign any [compensation] agreements,” said Gharibian. “They
came and threw us out. Our case is now considered by the European
court. That’s why I don’t care about that 10 percent.”

ANNUAL GROWTH OF MAJOR CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA OVER LAST FEW YEARS 30%
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 14, 2006
YEREVAN, August 14. /ARKA/. Over the last few years, the annual growth
of major construction in Armenia amounts to 30%, Armenian Minister
of Urban Development Ara Harutunyan told journalists on the occasion
of the celebration of the Day of Builder in Armenia on August 13.
He pointed out that over the last five-six years, serious construction
companies have appeared in Armenia, receive applications for serious
construction both inside and outside the country.
“You know what we have inherited, and in what sad plight there
construction companies were. That is why, a situation that could
allow implementation of construction work should have been created,”
the minister said.
Harutunyan said that this sector is distinguished not only
by highly-skilled specialists, but also by being technically
well-equipped. In this context, he pointed out the significance of
continuing investment programs.
“Construction is a business, and one should gain profit here and make
investments in it,” the minister said.
According to the National Statistical Service, the major construction
in Armenia in January-June 2006 totaled AMD 165,624.9mln, 31.8%
increase compared with January-June 2005.

AZERBAIJANIS TAKE SIDES IN ISRAELI-LEBANESE WAR
By Fariz Ismailzade
Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC –
Aug. 14, 2006
The ongoing military operations between Israel and Lebanon have
sparked popular protests and heated debates in Azerbaijan. Although
a predominantly Muslim country, Azerbaijan prides itself on being
a secular country and having strong ties with Israel and the United
States. Nevertheless, the high rate of poverty and the influence of
foreign radical Islamic groups have resulted in the establishment
and gradual growth of Islamic groups in the country.
Right after the launch of the war in Lebanon, the Azerbaijani Islamic
Organization for the Freedom of Religion attempted to stage protest
marches in front of the Israeli and U.S. Embassies in Baku. Similar
action was taken in front of the UN office in Baku. Local police
managed to disperse the crowd of about 200 people, yet this did not
discourage the group’s members from attempting a second rally. This
time, several people were arrested.
The group is headed by Ilgar Ibrahimli, a well-known Shia imam from the
Juma mosque, who made news three years ago for advocating on behalf of
the opposition candidate in the presidential election and subsequently
being evicted from the mosque for using religion in politics. Since
then, Ibrahimli has been a loud critic of the Azerbaijani authorities
and on several occasion has organized mass rallies to protest the
Danish cartoons against the prophet Mohammad, U.S. anti-terror
operations, and the presence of Azerbaijani military personnel in Iraq.
On another occasion, the residents of Nardaran, a village about 19
miles northwest of Baku, staged a protest meeting in the village’s
central square to criticize Israeli policy in the Middle East.
Protestors used slogans such as “Stop aggression! Bush and Israel are
full of blood!” Nardaran is one of the most conservative areas in the
country, where all women cover their heads and the street signs are
in Arabic. Clashes erupted between police forces and the residents of
the village in 2002, and since then Nardaran has remained an Islamic
stronghold on the outskirts of Baku.
Not all voices in the country, however, offer such emotional shows
of support for Muslim solidarity with Lebanon. Several Azerbaijani
newspapers, such as Azadliq, Echo, and Zerkalo, have questioned the
need to support Lebanon due to the close links between Azerbaijan’s
archrival Armenia and official Beirut. In fact, Lebanon has recognized
the 1915 Armenian genocide thanks to the lobbying efforts of the
Armenian diaspora in Lebanon, while Israel has refused to acknowledge
the event for many decades.
“How can ASALA [the Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia,
which targets Turkish diplomats and citizens] and Hezbollah co-exist
in one town?” exclaims the popular news portal Day.az, referring to
the fact that ASALA is headquartered in Beirut and gets a significant
amount of funding from Lebanon.
Similarly, some political experts and analysts believe that Azerbaijan
should not take an open stance in the Israeli-Lebanese war due to
the strategic importance of Israel to Azerbaijan. Both nations have
a long history of warm relations, and there are some 8,900 Jews in
Azerbaijan. Israel can serve as a vitally needed voice for Azerbaijan
in the United States and Europe by explaining Azerbaijani national
interests to foreign policy leaders. Israel’s military and economic
expertise could also be very useful for Azerbaijan’s rapidly growing
economy.
For these very reasons the Azerbaijani ruling elite has taken a very
cautious approach toward the latest conflict. The Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry has issued a very mild statement about the Israeli-Lebanese
war and President Ilham Aliyev decided not to travel to Malaysia to
participate in the August 3 emergency session of the heads of state
of members of the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Instead, the
lower profile prime minister, Arthur Rasizadeh, was sent to the event.
Similarly, Sheikh Allahshukur Pashazade, head of Muslim clergy in
the country, has been criticizing Arab unity since his return from a
conference in Tehran, and has reminded the Azerbaijani public that
not all Islamic nations have supported Azerbaijan in the ongoing
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
Instead of loud diplomatic statements and openly taking sides,
Azerbaijan has so far preferred to send humanitarian assistance to
the suffering people of Lebanon. With images of victims, especially
children, broadcast on television daily, the people of Azerbaijan are
not likely to remain indifferent. Yet the more pragmatic analysts in
Azerbaijan believe that Israel is more important to secular Azerbaijan
than is Lebanon.
icle_id=2371379

ACCREDITATION OF MASS MEDIA AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY STARTED
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Aug. 14, 2006
The accreditation of mass media, covering the National Assembly autumn
session, will take place from August 15 to 31 of 2006.
According to the National Assembly Rules of Procedure, the head of
given mass media has to forward an application to the Head of the
Public Relations Department of the National Assembly, indicating the
name, the position and attaching a photo of the reporter/journalist
to be accredited.
The representatives of foreign mass media have to present also the
copy of their accreditation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of
the Republic of Armenia.
We remind, that each newspaper and information agency are given two
nominal credentials for the reporters, and the television companies
are given four nominal credentials – two for the reporters and two
for the operators.
Note, that incomplete or incorrect applications will not be considered
and the reporters/journalists will not be accredited.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE TURKEY EFFECT
E. G. Vallianatos
Hellenic News of America
Aug. 14, 2006
The collapse of Russia in the late 1980s and the failure of Western
Europe to graduate from American tutelage have left America the
only superpower in the world, an unprecedented political event in
world history.
America?s monopoly of world power is dangerous, however. The United
States is now the new Roman Empire, but without the Roman Empire?s
Greek experience. Military America is now fortress America, dismissing
international law and conventions while flirting with tyranny at
home. The American military giant has already embarked on global
conquest, starting with a war in Iraq for the control of Middle
East oil.
Second, this new military America is also dismissing the Greek legacy
of its Western culture. On November 4, 2004, George W. Bush, the
first uncrowned emperor of the United States, recognized a former
province of Yugoslavia as the Republic of Macedonia! Imagine the
country of the lover of the Greeks, Thomas Jefferson, buying the
lies of Bulgarians and Albanians trying to pass for Macedonians,
who could only be Greek. Or, more accurately, Bush giving a Greek
title to a former communist group of non-Greeks because they deploy
a few soldiers in Iraq.
Third, America?s military alliance in Europe, NATO, should have
expired the moment Russia?s communist empire expired. But it did not.
NATO, emboldened by America, brought into its orbit countries that used
to be part of the Soviet Union. Strangely, this European subsidiary
to American power that includes Greece is reviving the cold war with
Russia while treating Greece like a colony.
The main reason for the bad feelings between the NATO ?allies? and
Greece is the Turkey effect, the insulting decision of the United
States to including Turkey, Greece?s most bitter enemy, in NATO. The
United States, working under the poisonous climate of the cold war,
and not little self-interest, dismissed its cultural and political
debt to the Greeks for the illusion of drawing Turkey against Russia.
But Turkey only follows its own rules, pretending to be on the
same fence with the West while remaining an Islamic country with
deep historical hatred for the West. Turkey uses NATO merely for
upgrading its military. And because Turkey is convinced America is
still fighting its cold war against Russia, it is possible that NATO
encourages Turkey?s outrageous behavior towards Greece.
In 1955, Turkey used a pogrom against the Greeks of Istanbul,
destroying the property and livelihood of some 80,000 Greeks, in
effect, exterminating millennia of Greek civilization in Asia Minor,
the Greeks? Ionia. The British actively encouraged Turkey in that
barbarous onslaught on the Greeks because the British hated the
Cypriot Greeks who were resisting British colonialism in Cyprus.
America dismissed the whole Turkish atrocity outright, telling Greek
government officials to immediately shake hands with the Turks.
In 1974, with the blessings of England and those of America, Turkey
invaded and captured a third of the Greek island of Cyprus. The Turks
killed thousands of Greek Cypriots, forcing close to 200,000 to become
refugees in their own land.
The Turks also plunder Cypriot antiquities, converting churches to
stables and mosques, while vilifying Cyprus? 13-millennia-old culture
and history.
The United Nations issued several resolutions condemning the Turkish
invasion of Cyprus, urging Turkey out of Cyprus, but Turkey, knowing
that America and England share its strategic interests, has been
ignoring the United Nations.
Turkey also keeps violating Greek air space, provoking Greece to nearly
daily confrontation. On May 23, 2006, such unfriendly behavior turned
lethal. Greek and Turkish F-16 fighter jets ?collided? over the Greek
island of Karpathos in the Aegean, killing the Greek pilot.
Despite Turkey?s aggression toward Greece, which is preparing the
ground for war, the European Union, doing America?s favor, is courting
Turkey for a possible EU membership. And Greece, pretending to be
overly forgiving or generous towards Turkey or, more likely, forced
to a pro-Turkish attitude by EU or the US, has been an active booster
for Turkey?s membership to EU. Of course, the pro-Turkish policy
of EU and US, based on the delusion EU membership would neutralize
Turkey?s Islam, strikes another blow against the Greek foundations
of Western culture.
How could anyone expect more than 70 million Turkish Moslems, now
governed by an Islamic government, to become Europeans? They have no
legacy of European civilization. Thinking of Europe one immediately
comes up with a galaxy of Greeks: Homeros, Aischylos, Sokrates, Platon,
Hippokrates, Aristoteles, Aristarchos, Archimedes, Alexander the
Great, Ploutarchos, Galen, Ptolemy; and another galaxy of non-Greek
Europeans: Dante, Desiderius Erasmus, Philip Melanchthon, Galileo
Galilei, Nicholas Copernicus, Isaac Newton, Beethoven, Voltaire,
Friedrich Nietzsche, Emile Zola, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein,
Pablo Picasso, and Leo Tolstoy. But thinking of Turkey no name comes
to mind, except the violent legacy of a state that terrorized and
slaughtered the people of Southeastern Europe for about five centuries.
The Turks are still celebrating their capture, in 1453, of
Constantinople, the capital of the Greek medieval empire. Turkey is
the country that George Horton, the American consul general in the
Ottoman Empire during World War I, described as ?the blight of Asia.?
The Ottoman Empire became Turkey while Horton observed its genocidal
policies against its non-Moslem minorities. In early twentieth century,
in fact, the Turks sealed the doors between them and Europeans: They
killed 1.5 million Armenians; then they turned against the Greeks,
murdering 1 million of them and expelling from Asia Minor another
1.5 million.
So the Turks don?t fit in Europe: Turkish Islam and the
exterminationist strategies of Turkey against the ?infidel?
non-Moslems are antithetical to Western values. Even the few millions
of them living in Germany and other European countries, including
Greece, find it difficult, if not impossible, to become European.
They care less about the West. Turks in Greek Thrace look to Turkey for
culture and protection. Next to Turkish aggression in the Aegean, they
are the main trigger for a future Greco-Turkish war. Greece ought to
find an acceptable humanitarian method of repatriating them to Turkey.
Fortunately, the people of France and Holland put the Turkish project
of EU into deep freeze. They rejected the EU constitution primarily
because of the Turkey effect.
If the Turks really want to join Europe, they will have to reinvent
themselves, probably an impossible task. They never had a Renaissance,
Enlightenment or Scientific Revolution. Theoretically, they must water
down their Islam, opening their culture to democracy, secular ideas,
human rights, and the rule of law. They will have to start that process
by coming to terms with their history, admitting and apologizing for
their genocide against the Armenians and the Greeks. Second, they
must change their behavior towards EU, which they claim they want
to join. Congressman Donald M. Payne is right in suggesting that the
Turkish government is displaying near contempt for policies affecting
its European orientation.
Above all, Turkey must get out of Cyprus and cease provoking Greece.
Both NATO and EU must oversee the removal of all Turkish forces and
Turkish settlers from Cyprus. Failure in this crucial policy affecting
a full member of EU, Cyprus, would have deleterious consequences for
both alliances, including terminating any prospect for a European
association of Turkey. The recent, 2002-2004, misuse of the United
Nations by the United States and Britain to force the dissolution of
the Republic of Cyprus by legitimizing the 1974 atrocity of the Turkish
invasion of Cyprus should never be repeated or the ?international
system? will become meaningless. Fortunately, Greek Cypriots smelled
the rat in the UN?s Annan plan, rejecting it in April 2004.
EU has also to become real EU by protecting its homeland first. The
test of that solidarity ought to be in guaranteeing the integrity
of Greek borders and the independence of Cyprus. If the majority
of Cypriots decide Cyprus ought to become part of Greece, no one
ought to prevent or be able to prevent such a union. In that case,
Cypriot Turks should have the option of becoming Greek citizens or
repatriate to Turkey.
If this modest proposal could materialize, especially now that the
Middle East is in flames and Cyprus showed the world its hospitality
and essentiality in a hazardous region, the Turks might decide that
it would be in their interests to respect international treaties,
a crucial requirement in becoming part of a civilized world.
It would help, of course, if Turkey?s patron, the US, ceased to boost
its ego while distancing itself from Turkish policies. Start that
transition by speaking truth to Turkey about Turkey?s genocidal past,
standing by John M. Evans, American ambassador to Armenia who discussed
publicly the Turks? Armenian genocide. Yet the State Department fired
Evans this past May, showing that the US is still doing the bidding
of Turkey, a country unwilling to face its past.
Unless and until that changes, Turkey remains a dangerous country.
And as long as America trades its values for the extremely unlikely
prospect of Turkish alliance in its war against Islam, American
policies will remain a double-edged sword for EU, Greece, Cyprus,
and Armenia.
With this unsavory record, EU should test Turkish intentions and
policies for at least a generation before deciding if Turkey could
be trusted in Europe.
E. G. Vallianatos is the author, recently, of ?This Land is Their
Land: How Corporate Farms Threaten the World? (Common Courage Press)
and the forthcoming ?The Passion of the Greeks.?
l?newsid=5442&lang=US

Tamerlan Garayev: List of Indian companies acting in NK submitted to the FM
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug. 14, 2006
The list of Indian companies functioning in the Armenian-occupied
Azerbaijani territories has been submitted to the Foreign Ministry,
Azerbaijani extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to India
Tamerlan Garayev told the APA.
The ambassador said negotiations have been conducted with different
Indian state bodies to stop the activity of these companies in the
occupied lands.
“Some of these companies were deceived and taken to the occupied
territories. An Indian company engaged in gold production in the
occupied Azerbaijani lands. Though the company’s headquarters is in
London, as the owner is Indian citizen, this state is responsible
for its citizen’s activity. However, Indian state structures say
they are not responsible for their citizen living in London. But,
we do not accept this explanation and insist on our demand regarding
this company,” Mr.Garayev said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PASHAYEVA: ARMENIANS BURNED OVER 60 HECTARES OUT IN GAZAKH-TOVUZ REGION OF AZERBAIJAN
Author: J. Shakhverdiyev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Aug. 14, 2006
The member of the Delegation of Azerbaijan to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe, MP Ganira Pashayeva completed her
monitoring linked with the Armenian vandalism she began on August 12,
Ganira Pashayeva herself told Trend today..
On August 11 Armenians again committed fires on the territories
bordering with the Villages of Farakhli and Dashsalakhli of the Gazakh
District of Azerbaijan. The fire was spread to the territory of these
two villages. Both villages were hard hit by the fire. Only by means
of fire-brigades it was possible to extinguish a fire.
The MP pointed out that she talked to the population of the villages
who told that the fire came from the Noyamberyan District of Armenia.
G. Pashayeva also pointed out that the Village of Mazan of the Gazakh
District of Azerbaijan borders upon seven villages of Armenia. The
Village o Gizilaghach was totally destroyed by the fire.
“The population of the regions told that the danger from Armenia
can emerge at any moment. Armenians fire, our people are horrified”,
she pointed out.
The MP told that the fire was extinguished with the help of the local
population. “We have collected all the material connected with the
fires, taken pictures of the place where it took place, and are to
about to add all that to the document we prepare for the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe”, underlined G. Pashayeva.
The MP prepares the document on intensive violations of the cease-fire
regime by Armenians for the recent days which she to send to the
Parliamentary Assembly.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES FIRE ON AZERBAIJANI ARMY POSITIONS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug. 14, 2006
Armenian Armed Forces continue to violate the ceasefire. At the night
of August 13 to 14, Armenian armed positions fired on Jerabert village
of Terter region from 22:05 till 23:00.
APA’s Garabagh bureau reports the enemy was resisted by response
fire. No casualties were reported.
Armenian Armed Forces from occupied villages of Bash Gervend and
Gulluja of Agdam region fired on the opposite positions of Azerbaijani
Army from 9:30 till 10:0 today. No casualties were reported.

PYUNIK HAVE WON THE LAST FIVE ARMENIAN TITLES
by Khachik Chakhoyan
uefa.com, Switzerland
Aug. 14, 2006
With Armenian sides’ involvement in Europe over for another year,
the focus has returned to domestic football where FC Pyunik look to
be running away with the title.
Running away
After 15 games, Samvel Petrosyan’s Pyunik are already 13 points clear
of second-placed FC MIKA. Having decided not to strengthen their
squad during the one-month break for European competition games,
Pyunik blooded some players from their feeder club in their most
recent game but still managed to maul FC Gandzasar Kapan 5-1.
MIKA second
Second placed MIKA hold the unique honour of having beaten Pyunik
twice this season, but since those victories came in the Armenian
Cup and Armenian Super Cup, they have had no bearing on the title race.
Attacking midfielder Davit Grigoryan has returned to the club from
Kazakh side FC Yesil Bogatyr Petropavlovsk but results have been mixed.
Mixed results
Grigoryan showed his potential as he scored his side’s only goal in
the 4-1 aggregate defeat against Swiss side BSC Young Boys in the
UEFA Cup first qualifying round, although the attacking midfielder
could not find the target at FC Shirak in the most recent league
game. That 0-0 draw gave FC Banants the chance to take second place
but they missed their cue, losing 3-0 at FC Ararat Yerevan.
Banants gloom
It was a sign of the times for Banants who have made drastic changes
following their away goals defeat by Georgian side FC Ameri Tbilisi in
the first qualifying round of the UEFA Cup. The club have offloaded
Sergey Sizikhin and Olexandr Dyndikov while signing forward Viktor
Arefev from FC Olympik Donetsk and midfielder Aleksandr Khistev from
FC Naftan Novopolotsk.
Ararat changes
Ararat have also made significant changes in recent weeks following
Varuzhan Sukiasyan’s appointment as coach. Brothers Nshan and Sergey
Erzrumyan, previously the strike force at FC Kilikia, have boosted
their forward line, with Nshan scoring twice on his debut against
Banants. Meanwhile, Kilikia will experiment with young players for
the remainder of the campaign.
Ulis experiment
At the foot of the table, FC Ulis Yerevan are also hoping to give
youth a chance having released experienced player Ararat Harutyunyan
and Karen Egiazaryan. They have taken Gevorg Nranyan and Artur Agasyan
on loan from Pyunik but will need to steady their nerves if they are
to avoid relegation.

AZERBAIJAN PRESENTS DRAFT TO UN ON ARMENIAN ARSONS IN OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Aug. 14, 2006
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry will take actions jointly with
international organizations related to arsons committed in the occupied
Azerbaijani regions by Armenians. Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov
told journalists, APA reports.
Mr.Azimov said the Azerbaijani side has already submitted a draft
resolution to the UN regarding these fires.
“We’ll continue these measures and benefit from international
organizations’ resources if there is additional decision. But, it
should be taken into account that only one international organization
is not powerful enough to achieve something in this case. There is
a need to the support from the UN, OSCE and other organizations,”
the Deputy Minister said.