WFP ASSESSES HIGHLY COOPERATION WITH ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 16:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
met with Executive Director of the U.N World Food Program (WFP)
James Morris, reported the RA MFA press office. During the meeting Mr
Morris briefed on the works carried out for providing those suffered
in hostilities in Lebanon with food. He also gave a high estimate
to the cooperation with the Armenian government. For his part Vartan
Oskanian presented the current stage of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement process.

NONE OF OSCE MG PROPOSALS IMPLIES RESTORATION OF ARMENIAN REFUGEES’ RIGHTS
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 16:31 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ August 2 the Co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group for
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement will meet to discuss the
current stage and prospects of the settlement basing on the outcomes
of U.S. mediator Matthew Bryza’s regional visit. “Refugees and
International Law” civic society network representing the interests
of the Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan has addressed
the mediators with a message that says in part,
“To OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs Matthew Bryza (U.S.), Yuri Merzlyakov
(Russia) and Bernard Fassier (France)
Dear Sirs,
“Refugees and International Law” civic society network formed for
ensuring efficient protection of the rights and interests of the
Armenian refugees from the Azeri SSR and Nakhichevan is appealing to
you with a call to draw the attention of international organizations
to the problem of 500 thousand Armenian refugees. We have to state
that up to now none of the settlement options of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, proposed by the MG co-chairs, has even a hint on restoration
of their violated rights. We believe that without solving the issue of
Armenian refugees full settlement of the NK issue is not possible. By
its refusal to be a successor of the Azerbaijani SSR, the Azerbaijani
Republic not only demonstrated it is unwilling to provide compensations
to Armenian refugees, but also was deprived of any legal ground to
claim the entire territory of the Azerbaijani SSR. From the legal
point of view the NKR is the only legal successor of the Azerbaijani
SSR. We believe that if NKR citizenship is granted to the Armenian
refugees and territories outside NKR boundaries, within which the NKR
was declared and which are under its jurisdiction today, are given
to them as private property, this can partially solve the issue.
“Refugees and International Law” civic society network is ready to
participate in actions, aimed at attaining a long-term settlement
of the Karabakh issue. We believe that the solution of the matter
should include restoration and effective protection of the rights of
all victims.”
We remind that earlier “Refugees and International Law” civic society
network sent an open letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, reports IA Regnum.

AUGUST 4 VARTAN OSKANIAN GOING ON 2-WEEK LEAVE
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 16:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ August 4 Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
will go on a 2-week leave, RA MFA Acting Spokesman Vladimir Karapetian
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the Minister will resume
work August 17-18. “Till August 11 the Armenian Foreign Minister will
be in Armenia,” Karapetian said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE MG MAY SUGGEST NEXT ROUND OF TALKS TO FMs
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.08.2006 17:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Consultations are held in Paris today with
participation of OSCE MG co-chairs Matthew Bryza (U.S.), Yuri
Merzlyakov (Russia) and Bernard Fassier (France) and Personal
Representative of the OSCE CiO Andrzej Kasprzyk. US Ambassador,
who was in the region on a familiarization visit July 29 – August
1, will report to his colleagues on the outcomes of the visit, as
well as further steps of the mediators for settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict will be discussed. It is expected that the co-chairs
will suggest that Armenian and Azeri FMs Vartan Oskanian and Elmar
Mammadyarov hold another round of talks within the Prague Process.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRMEN TO MEET IN PARIS SOON
AZG Armenian Daily #145, 03/08/2006
Karabakh issue
The next consultation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen is expected
to take place on August 2-4 in Paris. The main theme of the meeting
is going to be the results of Matthew Bryza’s visit to the region of
the South Caucasus. The Co-Chairmen will consider the attitudes of
the conflict sides to latest suggestions in the framework agreement
by the Minsk Group and will elaborate an action plan for the closest
future. They will also discuss the opportunity of the next meeting
between the Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

MATHEW BRYZA, OSCE MG U.S. CO-CHAIR HELD MEETING WITH LEADER OF
AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY OF NKR AND FOREIGN MINISTER OF AZERBAIJAN
AZG Armenian Daily #145, 03/08/2006
Karabakh issue
Matthew Bryza, OSCE MG U.S. Co-Chairman, held a meeting in Azerbaijan’s
Foreign Ministry on August 1.
He met with Nizami Bakhmanov, leader of the Azerbaijani community
of Nagorno Karabakh and with Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar
Mamedyarov. After the meeting, Matthew Bryza refrained from making
comments. He just stated that he had come to Baku to learn the opinions
of the Foreign Minister and the President. He stressed that he came
to Baku as an OSCE MG co-chairman, to discuss questions related to
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Mr. Bryza said that on August 2 he
will go to Paris to meet with the other OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen,
Bernard Fassier and Yuri Merzliakov.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARAM SARGSIAN BELIEVES MANY POINTS IN FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT WILL
BE CHANGED AS SOON AS NKR PARTICIPATES IN NEGOTIATIONS
AZG Armenian Daily #145, 03/08/2006
Karabakh issue
“The visit of the OSCE MG Co-Chair Matthew Bryza showed that the NKR
authorities insists on NKR’s participation in the negotiations as a
main side,” Aram Sargsian, leader of Democratic Party of Armenia,
chairman of “For Defence of NKR” committee, said. He stated that
“as soon as NKR participates in the negotiations, very many points in
the framework agreement package submitted by OSCE MG co-chairs will
be changed.” Sargsian stated that the visit of Bryza still didn’t
give any answers to many unsettled urgent issues in the agenda
of the negotiations. He said that though this was a familiarizing
meeting for Bryza, his statement do not lose their force still. “It
seemed to me that one of the co-chairs is paid more attention.
We believe that equal and balanced attitude should be displayed to
all of the co-chairs. I absolutely didn’t understand the statements
of the Armenian Foreign and Defense Ministries that stated that the
basic settlement principles are acceptable for Armenia,” Sargsian
stated. Sargsian emphasized that the most burning issue in the agenda
of the co-chairs is the deployment of the peacekeepers in the safety
zone around NKR. He added that in case the Armenian self-defense forces
are withdrawn from the five regions, the task for maintaining peace
will be obviously carried out by the peace keepers. He emphasized that
the deployment of the peacekeepers will break the geopolitical balance
in the region. “According to the OSCE MG format, the co-chairs can’t
participate in shaping of the peace keeping forces, which means that
Russian peace keepers will not be included among the peace keepers,”
Sargsian stated. He added that most likely NATO peacekeeping forces
would be deployed in the region. Sargsian assured that Armenia’s
consent for deployment of the peacekeepers would mean the change of
the geopolitical vector. “Russia is for preserving the status quo in
this issue, as it’s obvious that no peace can be maintained without
the peaceful negotiations, while any forced semi-agreements will
only cause resumption of the military conflict,” he emphasized. At
the same time, he assured that in the near future their committee
is not going to carry out any actions of protest, as they still need
to follow the development of the events. “If RA authorities really
sign the suggestions announced by Bryza, our committee will lead the
movement against that agreement. We have enough force to achieve the
breakthrough, as this very structure of the committee participated in
removing Levon Ter-Petrosian from his position,” Sargsian underscored.

MATHEW BRYZA: THE ISSUE OF KARABAKH’S STATUS SHOULD BE SETTLED BY NK PEOPLE
AZG Armenian Daily #145, 03/08/2006
Karabakh issue
During his Baku visit the US co-chair to the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza met not only the country’s president and foreign minister but
also Nazim Bakhmanov, head of the so-called “Azerbaijani community
of Nagorno Karabakh.” Commenting on this meeting the later voiced
complaint that Bryza had met the Karabakh Armenians. Moreover,
Bakhmanov thinks that Bryza brought no new suggestions.
Curiously enough the US co-chair voiced optimism about the dispute
being resolved in early 2007. This is in fact the first public
statement of the embarrassed US co-chair about the failure of the
“window of opportunity.” Not to show pessimism concerning 2006, Matthew
Bryza meantime states that there is still possibility that Karabakh
issue still can be settled in 2006 thus paving a path for elections in
Armenia and Azerbaijan. According to RFE/RL, speaking to the leaders
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, the US co-chair underscored difficulties
connected with the issues of Kelbajar, Lachin and referendum. Still
in Bryza’s words the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are sure that it
is up to the people of Nagorno Karabakh to determine the status of
the enclave. “But the question is who should be considered people
of Karabakh. There are also people who settled there after 1988 and
also want to take part in the referendum. All these issues need to
be worked out as a part of an extensive agreement package.”
By Aghavni Harutyunian

ISRAEL ASKS U.S. JEWS TO LOBBY
AZG Armenian Daily #145, 03/08/2006
Middle East
For Azerbaijan, Against Armenia
It is common knowledge that Azerbaijan, following Turkey’s footsteps,
tries to use the political clout of Israel and American-Jewish
organizations in Washington, D.C. to counter Armenian interests. Israel
obliges the Azeri demands out of an interest in importing oil and gas
from Azerbaijan and exporting various products, possibly including
weapons. Israel also needs access to Azerbaijan in order to collect
intelligence on neighboring Iran.
The details of this close cooperation, more aptly described as “mutual
exploitation,” are not usually made public. The July 10, 2006 issue of
The Jerusalem Report, however, published a 13-page article by Netty
C. Gross disclosing some of the ties between Azerbaijan, Israel and
American Jewish organizations. The Report covered the visit to Baku of
“a delegation of Israeli dignitaries and Russian Jewish functionaries”
in mid-May. The article titled, “The Azeri Triangle,” started with a
straightforward statement: “Israel and Diaspora Jewry are deepening
their own links with oil-rich Muslim Azerbaijan and helping the Azeri
regime win friends in Washington.”
Describing “a strong Azerbaijani-American-Israel-Jewish
connection…[t hat] benefits everyone,” Gross wrote that Israel
“is deeply interested in consolidating its relations” with
Azerbaijan. “Israel has seen it in its interest to encourage U.S. Jews
to take up the Azeri cause in the Washington corridors of power,
at the same time reinforcing the notion held by many Azeris and
others in the Third World that the way to Washington leads through
Jerusalem.” It is noteworthy that Gross implicated “U.S. Jews”
in carrying out the instructions of Israel — a foreign power —
in the United States to serve the interests of Azerbaijan.
In addition to its connections in Washington, Gross reported that
Israel is using the services of “rich and influential Russian Jewish
businessmen, some of whom have powerful contacts from the old Soviet
days — and who proudly point out to me that [Pres.] Ilham [Aliyev]’s
son-in-law has a Jewish mother and a Muslim father.”
Gross provided the list of visits made to Azerbaijan earlier this
year by various Jewish individuals and groups: “In recent months,
a parade of several high-level Israeli and Jewish delegations,
who have been mobilized to help Azerbaijani interests in the U.S.,
passed through Baku…. In early February, a 50-strong delegation
from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Organizations
was received by Aliyev. In April, the Azeri president welcomed
Israeli tycoon Lev Leviev…. And in early June, Israeli National
Infrastructures Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer arrived in Baku, to
explore the idea of purchasing Azeri oil or gas at some time in the
future…. Underscoring the close ties between the Russian Jewish
machers and the locals, EAJC [Euro-Asian Jewish Congress] operatives
move about Baku’s corridors of power like kings, freely initiating
press conferences and government meetings….”
Gross gave the details of some of the links between the two countries
as relayed to him by Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan, Arthur Lenk, a
native of New Jersey: “The weekly Azerbaijani Airlines flights between
Tel Aviv and Baku are packed, and there are Jewish studies programs,
with local and Israeli students and some Israeli faculty, at Baku State
University…. Israeli agro-businesses recently visited Baku for a
bilateral trade forum and Israeli technology in telecommunications and
waste management is being used in Azerbaijan. (In the past, Israelis
have had financial interests in, among other things, Azerbaijan’s
second-largest cell phone firm, a hospital project and a turkey farm).”
Gross then disclosed the political connections between Azerbaijan,
Israel and American Jews regarding Armenian issues: “Israel’s main
selling point with Azerbaijan is not Israeli. Rather, it’s the American
Jewish lobby, which, encouraged by Israel, has helped Azerbaijan
in Congress. The background to the story is the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict…. A particularly painful sore point is Section 907,
a U.S. congressional amendment to the 1992 Soviet [sic] Freedom
Support Act, aimed at boosting economic and humanitarian aid to all
of the 15 emerging former Soviet republics except Azerbaijan. Passed
at the urging of the Armenian-American lobby in 1993, when the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was flaring, 907 barred the U.S. from
military or other cooperation with Azerbaijan…. Encouraged by Israel,
influential American Jewish groups have since acted on behalf of Baku
as a bulwark against the powerful American-Armenian lobby in Congress
and have tried to get 907 repealed. Since 2002, when the U.S. needed
Azeri airspace to reach Afghanistan, the U.S. has agreed to annual
presidential waivers of 907, which lift restrictions.”
Gross then specifically cited Mark Levin, the executive director of the
National Conference on Soviet Jewry, a Washington-based organization
that is “a member of the coalition of Jewish groups that have
worked on behalf of Azerbaijan’s interests on Capitol Hill.” Levin,
who traveled to Baku with the Conference of Presidents in February,
told Gross that the organized Jewish community has “worked closely
with the administration to implement the presidential waiver of 907
in 2002,” and that the coalition “continues to express support on a
regular basis for the waiver.”
Gross quoted Levin as stating that the American-Armenian lobby in
Washington “is very strong and organized, and speaks in a unified
voice. On other political issues, we have partnered with [the
Armenians], but when it comes to Azerbaijan, we are on different sides
of the fence.” Levin acknowledged that, on the whole, American Jewish
policymakers feel comfortable in their strong support of Azerbaijan
on the Hill and take their cue from the U.S. and Israel.
Various Azeri officials confirm the value of the Jewish lobby
in countering Armenians: “American Jews have helped us lobby in
Washington against the Armenians and their help is very important. We
are very appreciative,” Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
told Gross. Sheikh Alla Shukur Pasha Zade, the Spiritual leader of
Azerbaijan, is also quoted telling the gathered Jewish delegation
in Baku: “I know that Jewish groups have played a role against
the Armenian lobby in trying to find a positive alternative to the
conflict. I would like to express my gratitude to these groups for
lobbying on Azerbaijan’s behalf.”
Regrettably, Gross misleads his readers by not pointing out that
not all Jews sell out their souls to Azerbaijan or Turkey. As it
has been repeatedly documented in previous columns, many Jewish
individuals and organizations in both Israel and the United States
are strong supporters of Armenian issues, despite the pressures from
the government of Israel!
Gross balanced the effusive pro-Azeri comments in his article by
including statements that accuse Azerbaijan’s leaders of “corruption
and political repression.” He referred to critics who said that the
cozy relationship between Israel and Azerbaijan “will unravel just
as Israel’s romance with Iran did.” He quoted Dr. Asim Mollazade,
the chairman of an Azeri opposition party, as saying that the
United States, Israel and Jewish Americans would someday be “deeply
disappointed” for supporting the undemocratic and corrupt regime in
Azerbaijan. Gross also pointed out the double standards practiced by
Azeri leaders who present themselves to Jews as being pro-Israeli while
distancing themselves from Israel in front of the Muslim world. He
mentioned, for example, the fact that Israel opened its Embassy in
Baku in 1993, and yet Azerbaijan has not opened its Embassy in Israel
in order to appease fellow Muslims. Last month, Azerbaijan assumed
the chairmanship of the Organization of Islamic Countries which held
its annual conference in Baku.
Furthermore, Gross reported that the Jewish community in Azerbaijan has
dwindled from 80,000 to around 10,000 during the past decade. He also
pointed out another telltale sign of potential trouble in “paradise”
when he revealed that “all the Jewish institutions in Baku appear to
be protected by armed guards.”
Obviously, Israel is free to establish economic and political ties
with any country, including Turkey and Azerbaijan. American Jewish
organizations are likewise free to send delegations to various
countries. But when they agree to place their considerable political
clout at the services of Azerbaijan or Turkey against Armenia’s
interests, Armenians worldwide then have the perfect right to expose
their sinister arrangements and counter their every move.

“BLUE SHIELD” COMMITTEE CONCERNED ABOUT FATE OF CULTURAL-HISTORICAL MONUMENTS IN NEAR EAST
AZG Armenian Daily #145, 03/08/2006
Middle East
“Blue Shield” International Committee grieves about the victims,
the distractions and hardship that took place in Israel, Lebanon and
Palestine. According to the organization’s statement sent to ArmInfo,
Joan Van Albada, chairman of the organization, expresses concern that
in case the military conflict spreads, the rich historical-cultural
heritage of Israel and Lebanon may be in danger. “Blue Shield” turns
to all sides in conflict with the claim to spare no efforts to spare
the historical monuments of the region from distraction. The committee
reminds that the international law forbids to use the sightseeing
places for military goals. “The Hague convention on defence of the
cultural values in the military conflicts” adopted in 1954, as well as
the convention on the defence of cultural heritage and nature demand
from the sides in conflict to avert direct and indirect damaging the
cultural values in their territory,” Joan Albada stated, adding that
both Israel and Lebanon have signed both of the conventions.