TWO DETAINED ON FRAUD CHARGES IN CHAKHMAKHCHIAN’S PRESENCE – PROSECUTORS
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
June 5, 2006 Monday 12:57 PM MSK
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has reported the detention of
two individuals in the presence of Federation Council member Levon
Chakhmakhchian, one of whom was carrying $300,000 in police-marked
bills.
“Chakhmakhchian was identified as a Federation Council member. He
enjoys parliamentary immunity and no measures were taken against him,”
says a Monday report by the Prosecutor General’s Office.
The office and the Federal Security Service detained Igor Arushanov,
chief accountant of the Association of Russian-Armenian Business
Cooperation, and Armen Oganesian, assistant auditor of the Russian
Audit Chamber.
“The detention is part of a criminal case against members of organized
criminal groups who stole large sums of money from businessmen through
fraud. The operation was held on the basis of information from the
Audit Chamber’s security service,” the report runs.

MANIFESTATION A EREVAN CONTRE LA XENOPHOBIE EN RUSSIE
Agence France Presse
5 juin 2006 lundi 11:28 AM GMT
Une centaine de personnes ont manifeste lundi devant l’ambassade de
Russie a Erevan pour protester contre le racisme et la xenophobie en
Russie, a l’origine, selon elles, de plusieurs meurtres recents de
jeunes Armeniens.
“Stop au fascisme”, declaraient les panneaux apportes par des militants
du Comite d’Helsinki et de neuf autres organisations de jeunes.
Les manifestants ont remis a l’ambassade une declaration accusant
“certaines structures d’Etat” russes de couvrir les assassins.
“Le fait que des groupuscules racistes et fascistes agissent sans
entraves et que leurs crimes et les assassinats restent essentiellement
impunis suggère que les activites desdits groupuscules beneficient
de la protection de certaines structures d’Etat de la Federation de
Russie”, declare ce document.
Selon les manifestants – et les medias armeniens – six jeunes Armeniens
ont ete tues a Moscou depuis le debut de l’annee “sur fond de haine
interethnique”.
Le 25 mai, un jeune Russe d’origine armenienne a ete tue a coups de
couteau par un groupe de jeunes a bord d’un train de banlieue près de
Moscou, en criant “Gloire a la Russie”, selon l’avocat de la famille.
Le 22 avril, un autre jeune Russe d’origine armenienne, Bagan
Abramiants, a ete tue d’un coup de couteau en plein jour dans une
station de metro du centre de Moscou.
“Il y a un vide ideologique en Russie a la suite de la chute des
valeurs et principes democratiques. Certaines forces cherchent
a combler ce vide avec une ideologie nationaliste. Il faut les
arreter”, a dit a l’AFP le president du Comite d’Helsinki d’Armenie,
Avetik Ichkhanian.
–Boundary_(ID_WFb+HtfZx7hm6jG1GW6EqA )–

AZERI DELEGATION MANDATE ISSUE INCLUDED IN PACE JUNE SESSION AGENDA
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.06.2006 16:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The agenda of the Summer Session of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to be held June 26-30 has
been announced. June 26 Rene van der Linder will deliver a speech,
a report on the development of the Assembly Bureau and Standing
Committee will be heard, the outcomes of the referendum in Montegerno
will be discussed. Russian Foreign Minster Sergey Lavrov will address
the session as the chair of the Committee of Ministers. Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is scheduled to deliver a speech June 28.
June 29 the issue of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE will be
discussed. In this view the report organized by co-chairs of the
Monitoring Committee Andreas Gross and Andres Herkel will be heard. The
issues to be considered on the last day of the session include the
ratification of the Framework Convention on the rights of national
minorities, reported the press service of the Council of Europe.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA PREMIER DOESN’T ANCHOR BIG HOPES WITH KOCHARIAN-ALIYEV TALKS
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.06.2006 17:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan stated
today he does not anchor big hopes with the Kocharian-Aliyev talks
held in Bucharest. In his words, the position of the Azerbaijani side
does not show promise. At that the Armenian Premier added there will
be no regress in the process. As for progress, time will show. He
also remarked that the outcomes of the Bucharest meeting will not
cause tension in Armenia.
To remind, the talks between Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev stated
in Bucharest June 4 within the framework of the Black Sea Forum for
Dialogue and Partnership.

YEREVAN READY TO CONTINUE DIALOGUE WITH BAKU FOR KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.06.2006 17:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “We are ready to continue dialogue with Azerbaijan
for the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and with Turkey on
establishing relations without any preconditions,” Armenian President
Robert Kocharian stated when addressing Black Sea Forum for Dialogue
and Partnership. “The people of Nagorno Karabakh have implemented
in practice the right for self-determination. It was done fully in
line with the requirements of international law. Results of the
referendum on independence were later defended in the war forced
on that people. These events developed in the timeframe of global
changes, related to the collapse of the Soviet Empire. That situation
is classical for cases of self-determination through secession,”
Robert Kocharian said.
“Now for fifteen years Nagorno Karabakh Republic continues to prove its
right for independence by own achievements in effective statecraft. A
whole generation grew up there, which watches itself as possessors
and defenders of that statehood. We believe that there is a need for
effective efforts for a full-scale integration of the Republic in
the international society,” the Armenian President remarked.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. AGREEMENT ON KARABAKH DEPENDS ON AZERI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.06.2006 18:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian and Azerbaijani governments themselves
have decided to request the international community for assistance in
establishing a dialogue on the Nagonro Karabakh conflict settlement,
Daniel Fried, Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of European and
Eurasian Affairs stated. In his words, the parties were close to an
agreement in Key West, however failed to achieve real progress. “May be
this time the sides will succeed. The OSCE MG Co-chairs will not exert
pressure upon the sides. They have just advanced some ideas, which
can serve as a good basis for the conflict resolution. The decision
depends on the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents,” Mr. Fried said.
He remarked that as a U.S. representative he wishes “return of as many
regions as possible to Azerbaijan and return of refugees to their
homes.” He also underscored that the OSCE MG framework serves for
finding ways of settlement. “However, I reiterate, everything depends
on the Presidents,” Daniel Fried said, reported Azertag news agency.

BLACK SEA REGION STATES UNITED BY COMMITMENT TO COMMON SYSTEM OF VALUES
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.06.2006 18:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Countries of the Black Sea region have rich and at
the same time dramatic history of co-existence,” Armenian President
Robert Kocharian stated when addressing Black Sea Forum for Dialogue
and Partnership. “The Black Sea has always been a center of strategic
interest. This led to many devastating wars that have formed its
current political map, ethnic and religious diversity.
However, this all has also resulted in substantial interrelation of
our cultures and traditions.
Partially that is why there are so many similarities in the process
of transformation underway in our countries. This is true in case
with the internal transformation, aimed at deepening of democracy and
transparency of the society. This also influences the shaping of new
types of foreign interactions in the context of the changing world.
We are present at the formation of new dynamic processes, changing
the region, forming new perceptions about it. Two objective questions
come across: how possible is a common direction of development of the
region? Will this lead to the formation of the new regional identity,
based on a common interest and inherited cultural interaction?
Our Forum is called to address these challenging issues,” the Armenian
leader remarked.
“We shall first evaluate the level of motivation in each country of the
region. Secondly, we shall work out approaches increasing our mutual
will for partnership. For Armenia, with limited natural resources
and emphasized entrepreneurial mentality of the people, the choice
was clear. Transformation for us primarily meant the liberalization
of economy, open trade regimes, and a competitive environment. These
reforms substantially changed the structure of Armenian economy. Today
over 85 per cent of GDP is produced in private sector, with over 40
per cent of it being produced in small and medium businesses.
Annual growth of GDP during last five years has averaged at above
12 per cent. It is natural, that we watch openness and regional
cooperation as the most effective way for our development. Only lazy
people do not speak about benefits of regional cooperation. It is an
axiom, which however comes across many obstacles, which are often of
a subjective nature.
There is a need for pragmatic evaluation of the positive and negative
realities.
Let us first assess what unites us: – Commitment to a common system
of values and readiness to play along the same rules.
– Obvious, tangible economic benefit of regional integration processes.
– Common challenges and threats to the stability and security caused
by the increasing transnational crime, extremism and terrorism.
Meanwhile, we are divided by: – Unresolved ethnic conflicts, – Certain
deficit of trust, caused by the negative experiences of the history
of the region.
I am confident that we shall concentrate on those elements which
unite us. We shall take steps to harmonize our reforms, achieve
unification of trade regimes and transportation tariffs. There is
a need for joint investment projects in the infrastructures of the
region. First of all, for energy and transportation projects, covering
the entire Black Sea basin, and increasing its economic attractiveness.
This will create favorable environment for resolution of existing
conflicts. Through cooperation to the settlement, through communication
to a bigger trust – that is the best formula for overcoming the
controversies, based on a search for a common interest,” Robert
Kocharian said, reported RA leader’s press office.

BSECO SECRETARY GENERAL ARRIVING IN ARMENIA JUNE 6
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.06.2006 19:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization will be held in
Yerevan June 6-8. Secretary General of the BSECO Standing International
Secretariat Leonidas Chrisanthopoulos is expected to participate
in the event. Within the visit framework he will meet with Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian and National Assembly Speaker Tigran
Torosian, reported the RA MFA press office.

KOCHARIAN-AIYEV MEETING OVER IN BUCHAREST
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.06.2006 19:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents
Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement finished in Bucharest. Today’s meeting lasted 40 minutes,
no detailed have been announced. Yesterday the leaders of the states
held a 4-hour meeting, reported IA Regnum.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS NGOs PROTEST RACIAL KILLINGS IN RUSSIA
Armenpress
Jun 05 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS: A number of Armenian non-governmental
organizations staged a rally today in front of the Russian embassy
in Armenia to protest racially-motivated killings of Armenians and
other non-Slavs in Russia.
The demonstrators handed a statement to the embassy officials which
says that in 2005 about 402 attacks on non-Slavs and 28 murders were
reported in Russia. In 2006 alone 6 ethnic Armenians have been killed
in Moscow. “The citizens of Armenia and Armenian non-governmental
organizations condemn the activity of raging nationalistic
organizations in Russia and the negligence of Russian law-enforcement
bodies to detect perpetrators and punish them. We demand that Russian
authorities take speed measures to arrest murderers and punish them,”
their statement said.
The protest rally was staged by the Union for Science Development
and the Armenian Helsinki Committee. Their leaders said today that
Russian nationalists enjoy the support of ‘serious forces’ and some
media outlets. The latest murder of an Armenian in Russia was reported
in late May. Arthur Sardarian, 19, was stabbed to death by a group
of young people on a train in a Moscow suburb.
Simon Tsaturian, who represents the family of another ethnic Armenian
killed in Moscow in April, cited witnesses as saying the murderers
were chanting ‘Glory to Russia’ while stabbing Arthur Sardarian. The
attackers then stopped the train by setting off an alarm and escaped.
Tsaturian represents also the family of Vigen Abramiants, 17, a
student of a Moscow university, who was also stabbed to death in a
Moscow metro station on April 22.