ARMENIA FORCES AZERBAIJANI CAPTIVES TO WORK IN VARIOUS HEAVY WORKS – AZERI PM
Author: J.Shahverdiyev
Radio Liberty,
Aug. 10, 2006
Two documents revealing the occupation policy of Armenia are being
prepared for submit to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe (PACE), the member of Azerbaijani delegation in PACE,
PM Ganira Pashayeva told Trend.
The deputy noted that Armenia forces the Azerbaijani captives to
work in Kalbajar gold fields and various heavy works. “It often
causes their tragic death. Besides, the Azerbaijani representatives
visiting Nagorno-Karabakh were not allowed to go to Kalbajar. I have
prepared a document in relation with this issue to submit to PACE,”
Pashayeva said.
Besides, she stressed that they have sever facts related to the
activity of foreign companies in Azerbaijan’s occupied territories.
“According to the international principles, such facts are
unacceptable. Nagorno-Karabakh is the territory of Azerbaijan.
Therefore, each company that desires to function in that territory
should receive permit only from official Baku,” Pashayeva added.
Pashayeva added that she works on the next document to present to
the discussion of PACE.

MORE LEBANON EVACUEES FLOWN TO ARMENIA
By Hovannes Shoghikian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug. 10, 2006
Nearly 800 people, most of them Lebanese citizens of Armenian descent,
have been evacuated to Armenia since the start of Israel’s war with
Hezbollah forces in Lebanon, a senior official said on Thursday.
Vahan Ter-Ghevondian, the Armenian ambassador in Beirut, told RFE/RL
that 300 of them are citizens of Armenian, while the others are mainly
members of Lebanon’s 80,000-strong ethnic Armenian community.
Virtually all of them have been airlifted to Yerevan on special
flights from Syria partly financed by the Armenian government. The
government pledged to help its citizens and co-ethnics flee Lebanon
shortly the start of the Israeli onslaught on July 12. It also said
all Lebanese citizens fleeing the deadly air strikes will be able to
take refuge in Armenia for at least three months.
Speaking by phone from Beirut, Ter-Ghevondian said that although some
100 more Lebanese residents are due to arrive in Armenia early next
week, the influx of evacuees has considerably decreased. He said
Israeli air attacks on the main Lebanese highway leading to Syria
is not the main reason for that. “But I can’t say this is so because
the situation here has improved,” added the diplomat.
Most Lebanese Armenians live in Christian neighborhoods of Beirut
that have not been targeted by the Israeli air force so far. Yeghia
Jerejian, an ethnic Armenian member of Lebanon’s parliament, told
RFE/RL from the Lebanese capital that none of them was among some
1,000 people killed in the bombardment.
According to the Foreign Ministry in Yerevan, there were an estimated
1,200 Armenian citizens living in Lebanon before the outbreak of
the war.

ARMENIANS URGED TO GUARD AGAINST UNPRECEDENTED HEAT
By Ruzanna Stepanian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug. 10, 2006
Medical authorities urged the population on Thursday to stay indoors
in the afternoon and take other precautions against a blistering
heatwave that has gripped Yerevan and other parts of Armenia this week.
According to meteorologists, air temperature hit almost 42 degrees
Celsius on Wednesday and was just as high the next day, making August
the hottest month registered in the country in a century.
“This is the highest temperature registered in Yerevan in the last
100 years,” said Albert Torosian, deputy director of the national
meteorological service. Torosian blamed the weather on air currents
flowing into Armenia from the south and said it will remain extremely
hot for at least two more days.
The Armenian Ministry of Health, meanwhile, advised citizens —
pregnant women, elderly people and children in particular — to avoid
walking in the streets from noon until 5 p.m. local time and to drink
at least three liters of water a day. Armenians were also urged to
cover their heads and wear cotton clothes when going out.
The summer heatwave is not confined to Armenia and the region. Many
parts of Europe and the United States have also been suffering from
an extremely hot weather and have reported scored of casualties. In
France alone, the heat has already claimed more than 100 lives.
The Armenian authorities have not reported any fatalities yet. Still,
health officials said the number of ambulance calls has soared
in recent years. Elmira Gevorgian, a senior doctor at the Health
Ministry’s ambulance service, told RFE/RL that her medics received some
50 heat-related calls and treated at least five people who fainted
on the streets of Yerevan on Wednesday. She said exposure to heat is
particularly dangerous for people suffering from cardiac diseases.

DASHNAKS OPPOSED TO ARMENIAN ANTHEM CHANGE
By Ruzanna Khachatrian and Gayane Danielian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug. 10, 2006
A senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
(Dashnaktsutyun) voiced on Thursday strong opposition to government
plans to change Armenia’s current national anthem which was first
adopted by the nationalist party when it ruled the country in
1918-1920.
The “Mer Hayrenik” (Our Fatherland) song had an official status until
the short-lived first independent Armenian republic was incorporated
into Soviet Russia. It was for decades banned by the Soviet authorities
before being reinstated by Armenia’s first post-Communist government
in 1990.
Many Armenian music composers and artists disapproved of the move,
saying that the song’s uncomplicated theme is too simple for an anthem
and calling for the adoption of a more solemn tune. The Armenian
government heeded their concerns early this year, setting up an hoc
commission tasked with suggesting alternative anthems.
The 22-strong commission, which consists of prominent intellectuals,
artists and government officials, short-listed on Wednesday five out
of 85 songs submitted by local composers. The short-list includes
Soviet Armenia’s former anthem with changed lyrics that no longer
glorify Soviet rule and the Communist Party.
The head of the commission, Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosian, said
the contest will finish later this year. “It is very difficult to
make the right choice,” she said. “But we must pick the best one.”
The song that will be chosen by the commission is expected to be
submitted by the government to the National Assembly for approval.
Gegham Manukian, a parliament deputy from Dashnaktsutyun, said the
party, which is represented in the government, will likely draft a
separate bill that would uphold the status of “Mer Hayrenik.” “We
hope it will pass,” he told RFE/RL. “Since there are no or almost no
music composers in parliament, the vote will be more impartial.”
Manukian also dismissed the commission’s significance, saying that
the Armenian authorities have not yet made a final decision on the
anthem. “The ultimate decision will be a political one,” he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

DALLAIRE INSTITUTE: TEACHING TEACHERS ABOUT GENOCIDE
By Bob Klanac
Western News, Canada
Aug. 10, 2006
They say those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Those words
are doubtless first and foremost in the minds of the organizers of
the annual General Romeo Dallaire Genocide Institute, taking place
at Western, August 14 – 18.
The Dallaire Institute hosts 40 teachers and focuses on teaching
them the lessons of the Holocaust, Armenian and Rwandan genocides,
as well as how to teach the stories in the classrooms.
“We want to teach them how to teach those lessons in such a way that
it isn’t a lesson about history but a lesson of history,” notes Rich
Hitchens an Associate Scholar of the Holocaust Literature Research
Institute in Western’s Faculty of Arts & Humanities. “We want them to
go back and use what happened to teach students moral lessons. It’s
character education.”
True to the issue of character, the institute was named after General
Romeo Dallaire for his heroism and idealism.
“We wanted to recognize what General Dallaire accomplished in Rwanda in
trying to prevent and stop the genocide there in 1994 which included
saving tens of thousands of people,” Hitchens explains. “His actions
are representative of the messages that we wanted to convey through
teacher to students: tolerance, human rights and helping others in
needed. His actions in Rwanda, and since, embody those messages. It
just made perfect sense that we would try and honour him in this way.”
Although one could be forgiven for considering that Holocaust education
is currently at an appropriately high level, Hitchens notes that it’s
an incorrect perception.
“Around the world, genocide education, especially the Holocaust, is
very much the vanguard of teaching about tolerance and human rights
but Canada is very far behind on that. The Dallaire Institute is the
only annual institute for teachers. And it’s quite unique in that
it’s focused on genocide in general, and not just the Holocaust.
“This has become very much the beacon of genocide education in Canada,”
says Hitchens.
The institute uses material about the Holocaust and the genocides in
Armenia and Rwanda. Because of the currency of the latter two examples,
living witnesses to these genocides are a featured component of the
Institute’s curriculum.
“On Wednesday night we have a survivor of the Rwandan genocide
coming. He is a graduate of the French PhD program at Western who now
teaches at Queens,” notes Hitchens. “This guy was saved by the guy who
ran Hotel Rwanda and he’s one of the people saved by General Dallaire.”
Hitchens adds that Dallaire will be teaching Monday night and is very
involved in the Institute, coming every year to teach.
“Frank Chalk from Concordia University in Montreal is widely considered
the pioneer of genocide studies in the world,” Hitchens says. “The
teachers will actually get to study with Frank Chalk.
That’s like a physicist studying with Newton.”
Although the institute’s 2004 inaugural year included local teachers
only, this year the invitation was extended to instructors in many
major cities throughout the country. Despite the national reach,
the Dallaire Institute still only accepts 40 teachers for the summer
session.
“We haven’t increased the numbers because we don’t want it to be so
large that teachers don’t get the interaction,” Hitchens explains.
“But teachers in coming years will return to do advanced seminars
on the Holocaust, Armenia and Rwanda. This introductory institute is
like first year at university.”
stern_news/story.html?listing_id=21709

PASHAYEVA: ARMENIAN ACTIONS CONTRARY TO PRINCIPLES OF COE, GENEVA CONVENTION, ETC
Author: J. Shakhverdiyev
TREND, Azerbaijan
Aug. 10, 2006
The Armenian actions are contrary to principles of the Council of
Europe, the Geneva Convention, and other international principles.,
MP Ganira Pashayeva, the member of Azerbaijan delegation to the
Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe told Trend.
She pointed out that she prepares a document concerning the recent
firings of peaceful population of villages located close to the front
by Armenians, and the intense breaking of the cease-fire regime by
them to the Parliamentary Assembly. “The main goals of the recent
breakings of the cease-fire from by Armenians are local peaceful
population. The people of those villages which lies near the front
fear to come out to the fields under crops where they work because
of Armenian snipers”, she told.
She also pointed out that there are no suspicions that just Armenia
stands for the Nagorno-Karabakh separatists. “I raised this issue
at the summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly. I marked that
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan congratulated the separatists on
the day of occupation of the Town of Shusha. The visit of the Armenian
Prime-Minister and Defense Minister to Nagorno-Karabakh complicates
the situation. Moreover, the Armenian Defense Minister participates
in the military trainings of the Nagorno-Karabakh separatists. During
my speech I proved that Armenia is the main party of the conflict”,
she stressed.
According to her, despite the 14/16 Resolution of the Parliamentary
Assembly of Council of Europe on Acknowledgement Armenia as an
aggressor urged Armenia to withdraw its troops from the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan, Yerevan has chosen the way of complicating
of the situation. “Now Armenian targets are peaceful population of
the areas lies close to the front. The people live in a fear in their
villages. Armenian military units regularly fire them”, she told.
The MP told that despite the Armenia being a member of the Council
of Europe, it carries out actions contrary to the principles of
this organization. She also said that during the summer session of
the Parliamentary Assembly more than 40 members of the organization
signed the document on Armenian Policy on Illegal Settlement of
Armenians on the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan being prepared
earlier. “The document also points out that Armenia makes burnings
on the occupied territories of Nagorno-Karabakh, excepting Kalbajar
and Lachin where it settles Armenians. That speaks that Armenians
intend to hold a referendum in the future”, she stated, pointed out
that according to the official state program of Armenia till 2010 it
is stipulated to raise Armenian population in Nagorno-Karabakh up to
300,000 people. I marked in the document that 23,000 Armenians were
settled in Lachin. Among them the most are citizens of Armenia.The
Armenian Government pledges to provide them with all necessary
conditions and render a financial aid to them. There are foreign
citizens of the Armenian origin there”, she told.
G. Pashayeva also told that she has prepared a resolution on the
Armenian actions contrary to all international principles and submitted
it to the parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe.

AZERBAIJAN MEMBERSHIP TO WTO DOES NOT DEPEND ON NK CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
Regnum, Russia
Aug. 10, 2006
The World Trade Organization has no requirements that make Azerbaijani
membership to the WTO and its further member relations with Armenia
dependable on settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, a REGNUM
correspondent is told at the Armenian Ministry for Trade and Economic
Development.
The ministry also notes that Azerbaijan has not become a WTO member yet
and its joining the organization is not a matter of one day. “In the
next few months Azerbaijan will definitely be unable to become a WTO
member. To enter this organization, Baku should bring the country’s
economic legislation into accordance with WTO requirements,” the
Armenian ministry believes.
It is worth mentioning, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Mahmoud
Mamedkuliyev announced that if the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
has not been settled before Azerbaijan is admitted to the World
Trade Organization, under WTO requirements Azerbaijan would have
a right not to establish economic ties with Armenia. Speaking on
other Azerbaijan duties to the WTO, Mahmoud Mamedkuliyev noted
that Baku should undertake them both before and after entering
the organization. According to him, Azerbaijan would intensify its
activity to enter the WTO. A number of meetings are planned to be
held in Geneva by the end of the year.
It is worth mentioning Armenia became WTO full member in February 2003.

ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS TAPE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY
Submitted by: MCB Quantico
Marines.mil
Aug. 10, 2006
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(Aug. 10, 2006) — Two television
journalists from the Republic of Armenia visited Quantico July 26
to capture on tape the spirit of the United States Marine Corps and
what Americans stand for as a democratic society in hopes to further
educate their own country on the positive impression the United States
brings to the rest of the world.
In conjunction with the State Department, Avet Demuryan, vice president
of YPC Productions in the Republic of Armenia, and Hovhannes Hakobyan,
a cameraman from NTV, a Russian television station, made the long trip
half way around the world to meet with Larry Clamage, a television
co-op producer contracted with the State Department. Clamage’s job
is to plan the logistics of the journalists’ trip to the states. He
made contacts and set up interviews for every angle the journalists
wished to cover while filming in the states.
“These projects are very important,” Clamage said. “It’s in our
interests as Americans to let the world know what a democracy is
like, and that this way of life is worth pursuing for other foreign
countries. It’s one thing if an American journalist appeared on
foreign TV to tell the people how great democracy is, but having it
come from the mouth of one of their own respected journalists makes
all the difference.”
Clamage and the Armenian crew visited The Basic School to the
highlight the training of a Marine Corps officer. The place where newly
commissioned Marine Corps officers learn to lead Marines into combat
as platoon leaders is an important part of their story on the Corps.
Demuryan served in the soviet military around 25 years ago in his
military’s Special Forces as a military journalist. As a young man he
saw combat while in the Republic of Belarus. His experiences in the
military shaped his life as a journalist and gave him a deep respect
for military forces such as the Marine Corps.
Demuryan thinks the Armenian viewers want to see and hear the story
of the Marine Corps because of what the Corps stands for among the
military services in the United States and among the world.
“The Marines are of the highest level,” Demuryan said. “They are in
my opinion the best part of the American military. The Marines are
always the ones on the front lines. They are the best of the best
and that’s what the Armenian viewers want to see.”
The crew is traveling across the country to many different locations
to cover their story on the Marine Corps and some other U.S.
services. They have already been to National Defense University in
Washington, D.C., to visit Congress, the Pentagon and Quantico.
Within the next two weeks the crew will be traveling to Tampa, Fla.,
to the U.S. Central Command, Fort Leavenworth in Kansas City, Mo.,
and Camp Pendleton, Calif.
Their story of the Marine Corps and other U.S. military services
will be broadcasted throughout the former Soviet Union region and
the Armenian military in a 20 to 30 minute long news media show.
sf/0/44DAF24D3C4860E6852571C60047B67C?opendocument

‘ETCHED IN OUR MEMORIES’
Robert Leiter
Jewish Exponent, PA
Aug. 10, 2006
A barracks at the Buchenwald concentration camp after liberation The
first edition of Photos That Changed the World appeared in 2000, one
of various volumes put out by the great art and photography publisher
Prestel to commemorate both the accomplishments and tragedies of
the 20th century, in this instance as they were captured in still
photography. There’s a new edition of the work out this year, and
the only difference between the two is that the newer one contains
four additional images that bring the volume squarely into the
21st century. The inclusion of these four pictures makes perfect
sense, though they depict some of the most devastating occurrences
of the last several years: the attack on the World Trade Center;
the genocide in Darfur, Sudan; the tsunami in the Indian Ocean; and
Hurricane Katrina’s ravenous effect on New Orleans. Not pretty sights,
but definitely powerful and in need of inclusion in such a book.
Perhaps the most famous Holocaust image, taken in the Warsaw
ghetto In all other ways, the work is the same as its predecessor,
and is presented with the same intent. Once again, Peter Stepan,
the editor, notes in his brief foreword that many photographs exist
that we appreciate for their composition and taste — and then there
are those photos that disturb us “so deeply that they are etched in
our memories forever.” The book he has given us, especially with its
additional images, is definitely about these latter kinds of pictures,
generally known as photojournalism, which tend, if successful, to
rock the foundations of our being.
The editor then takes his point one step further: Many of the images
that have been gathered here not only moved those who saw them but they
also managed to set social action into motion, helping to transform
society in positive ways. He cites as examples Lewis W. Hine’s photos
depicting the abuses of child labor in early 20th-century America
that compelled Congress to enact stringent laws protecting the young;
and the photos taken by the Farm Security Administration, especially
in the Midwest and South, that exposed the pervasiveness of poverty
in these regions during the Great Depression.
Eventual victims of the notorious S21 prison in Cambodia, run by Pol
Pot’s regime
“Similarly,” Stepan continues, “Robert Capa’s photograph of a dying
Spanish soldier, photographs of massacres in Vietnam and China,
images of starvation in Biafra — to mention but a few — mobilized
public opinion.”
But he’s also had to admit that some photographs, despite the fact
that they’re as equally powerful as those he’s listed, made no such
impact, though they clearly had the potential to do so. He points to
horrific photos taken of the genocides in Armenia and Tibet.
“Perpetrated ‘on the quiet’ in obscure corners of the world,” he adds,
“these crimes are in danger of being forgotten.”
Neither Jewish images nor Jewish photographers predominate in Photos
That Changed the World — though the book contains examples of both
— but the Holocaust and its aftermath, to say nothing of subsequent
genocides, are pervasive. And, considering this subject alone, you
could argue that images have done nothing to eradicate the problem,
though they may have stirred public opinion and mobilized people to
protest in favor of action.
But taking the long historical view, the exposure of the Holocaust
and its horrors has not put an end to genocide, as we know from
more recent examples of the crime in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and,
as this new edition reminds us, in Darfur.
A Hutu bearing scars of Tutsi violence inflicted during the Rwandan
genocide
Nor has exposure of hate crimes through images ended anti-Semitism
or any other form of bias against specific groups. Many writers
suggested at the end of World War II that exposure to the most famous
images from the camps — the rotting piles of corpses, the stick-thin
survivors staring back at the camera as if from some netherworld —
might finally convince people that those who’d always hated Jews
meant what they said and were willing, given the proper conditions,
to act upon their feelings.
Still, it seems that no amount of images — no matter how stark or
awful in their particulars — can eradicate the ancient hatreds or
stop the crimes that generally follow along from them. For example,
have the photos of the aftermath of suicide bombings in Israel helped
to erase even a trace of anti-Semitism? I think it’s the opposite.
They may even encourage more blood lust against Jews.
But using the history of the last 15 years as a guide, photos, even the
harshest or most artful, may whip hatred into a greater frenzy than
ever before — and, in a corollary development, may perhaps dull the
senses of some so completely that indifference grows, permitting the
bold ones to perpetrate the crimes without interference from their
more pacified fellow citizens.
0350/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A MEETING OF AZERI, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS WILL DEPEND ON FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS- OSCE CHAIR’S SPECIAL ENVOY
Author: A.Ismayilova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Aug. 10, 2006
Trend’s exclusive interview with the special envoy of the OSCE
chairman-in-office, Andzey Kasprzyk
Question: After the Paris meeting the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
immediately made a statement that the Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign
Ministers were proposed to meet in Prague in autumn. Is there any
agreement in this respect?
Answer: At present the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov,
is on a visit, while the Armenian FM is on holiday.
Therefore, we can’t hold any talks with the sides. At any case, the
achievement of an agreement on the meeting of the foreign ministers
depends on the interests of the sides. We will shortly discuss this
issue as soon as Mammadyarov is back.
Question: Do they prepare a meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
Presidents? Did the co-chairs make any proposals in this connection?
Answer: The presidents meet periodically and frequently enough. The
Foreign Ministers prepare the meetings of the heads of state. Of
course, the dialogue of the Presidents will depend on further
developments linked with the coordination of the meeting by the
Foreign Ministers. There is no concrete idea on the next round of
talks between the Presidents. There is an opinion that some issues
should be discussed, while the way and the level of discussions will
be discussed by the co-chairs in a meeting with the ministers.
Question: Are the co-chairs expected to hold a private meeting with
the ministers?
Answer: Nothing is planned for the time being. I understand that
you’d like to hear the concrete date, but I can’t say. Now it is the
period of holidays. However, it does not mean that nothing is being
done. The issues discussed in Paris have been passed to sides and
now they consider some milestones.
I think we will find the moment and time for the meeting, while they
are still to be defined. The co-chairs’ activities are directed at
leading forward the issues which were not mulled. They try to bring
closer the positions of the conflict sides. That is their task.
Question: Do you feel proximity in the positions?
Answer: The co-chairs put forward different plans, which could
be taken as basis during the talks. The plans were rejected by the
sides. The Prague process, within the framework of which the meetings
of Ministers and Presidents are held, lasts too long. Though the
Presidents precisely retain their positions, considering it important
for their countries, no intension of the kind has been observed in
the talks earlier.
Question: There is an idea that following the replacement of the U.S.
Ambassador at the OSCE Minsk Group other co-chairs will also be
replaced. Could it affect on the process of talks?
Answer: There is nothing surprising. It is normal during the
carrier of a diplomat. I think it is not inked with the process of
negotiations. Every chairman is a personality. The general position
is defined by the co-chairs’ will on leading the process till the
end. Replacement of co-chairs means a new stance. The new diplomat
might see that which others could not, or simply approach from
private prism.
Question: You have developed a report on the results of monitoring
held on 3-5 July in the contact line in connection with firing in
the occupied territory of Azerbaijan. In what stage the question is?
Answer: At the request of the Azerbaijani side, I held a 3-day
monitoring in several places. Fires in the contact line are not
something unusual. Every year I observe over the fired sections. But
this time Azerbaijan prepared and submitted a very comprehensive
document for 2006. Besides I can assert that the spread of fires,
taking into cooperation the climatic conditions this year, is larger
than the usual. The figure concerns the regions, which are located
not too far from the contact line, but no economic activities are
conducted here. Besides the northern section, the fire also touched
the outskirts of Agdam. If fires reach any agricultural sections, it is
possible to think over cooperation in order to keep it under control.
The report has been submitted to the conflict sides and the
OSCE member-states. At present I am waiting for data on further
activities. If any of the sides put forward requirements, we will
take measures. The process is also hindered in the holiday period.
Question: When do you plan to hold the next monitoring?
Answer: Usually, we hold two monitoring a month. My team is comprised
of 5 people and two of them are on holiday at present. As soon as
they return [it will occur in late this August], I will be able to
hold a next-in-turn monitoring. In September it is planned to conduct
two monitoring more.
Question: Do you have any data on the injured and killed in the
frontline as a result of armistice breach?
Answer: Usually the sides inform me about the victims and the
injured. Such cases were relatively more when I came to the region
in 1996. Even then I told the Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosian
that as of the estimations of mine, the number of the victims and
injured from every side reaches 200 people. Afterwards, thanks to the
political will, it was possible to maintain the ceasefire regime and
my office played a considerable role in it. The cases of the violation
of ceasefire regime decrease every year. From time to time shooting
is heard in the definite sections due to different reasons.
Sometimes even the officers find difficult to halt the shooting,
especially when someone suffers. In these conditions my monitoring
is very helpful. My tour disciplines everyone.
At the moment it is more or less stable in the contact line. During
every visit to Baku, Yerevan and Karabakh I hold talks. I put every
effort to notify the officers and soldiers that no firing is allowed.
Question: What are the data for the year?
Answer: In the beginning of the year the situation was so tense,
but in the end of May it stabilized. I think, this year the injured
and the killed from both sides is around 20 people.
Question: Do the armistice breaches in the frontline impact on the
negotiations?
Answer: The violation of the ceasefire regime might hurt the talks.
If there is complication in the contact line and too many injured,
it will reflect in the mood of the population and affect the
negotiations. In this case it is very difficult to make a compromise.