NATIONAL TEAM OF CHINA WINS WORLD YOUTH TEAM WITH ONE POINT
TAIYUAN, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The competition of the youth chess
teams of China and world finished on July 23 in the city of Taiyuan,
China. The national team of China won with a score of 36,5:35,5. Karen
Asrian, representative of Armenia gained 6 from the possible 12 points
in the world team and showed a 50% result.

REPRESENTATIVES OF ARMENIAN-POPULATED REGIONS OF GEORGIA TO TAKE PART IN
TBILISI SEMINAR
AKHALKALAK, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 22-25,
“New Generation, New Initiative” NGO and the U.S. Embassy in Georgia
will held a seminar in Georgia on “Active national minorities for
democratic society”, in which representatives of Samtskhe-Javakhk
and Kvemo-Kartli regional organizations (also non-governmental),
non-governmental organizations engaged in issues of national minorities
will take part.
As the A-Info agency informs, during the seminar the participants will
receive information from the experts about the role of the political
organizations in electoral processes, details of elections’ monitoring
and about the comprehensive programs to be implemented during the
pre-election period.

PETER SEMNEBY:THE BLOCKING OF UPPER LARS CONTROL POINT AROUSES
CONCERN IN EU
Yerevan, July 24. ArmInfo. “The Blocking of the Upper Lars control
point aroused the concern in the European Union,” Peter Semneby, EU
Special Representative in the South Caucasus, said this at today’s
joint press conference with RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.
Semneby stated that EU realizes all the difficulties that were caused
after the blocking of the Upper Lars control point. He added that in
the course of his visit to Georgia, he discussed the problems between
Russia and Georgia, particularly the blocking of the border that
concerns Armenia as well. “The given issue also caused the statement
of the country in chair of EU few days ago,” Semneby said.

DEFENSE MINISTER MARKED THE RESCUERS’ TRAININGS AS SUCCESSFUL
Yerevan, July 24. ArmInfo. Defense Minister Serge Sarkisian estimated
the rescuers’ trainings as very successful. On the closing ceremony
of the trainings he said that the trainings were organized so as to
enhance the cooperation between military and rescuers’ forces of the
participant states.
300 military servicemen and rescuers from 11 countries – Armenia,
Albania, Austria, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Macedonia,
Romania, Tajikistan, Ukraine and the USA took part in the event,
organized by the US European Command in the frameworks of the
‘Partnership for Peace’. The Armenian side was represented by the
Defense Ministry and the National Rescue service. Commander of the
Kansas National Guard Todd Bunting, USA, expressed satisfaction with
the high professionalism of the Armenian rescuers and with the high
level of the events’ organization.

EU STANDS FOR USING ANY OPPORTUNITY OF PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF THE
KARABAKH CONFLICT
Yerevan, July 24. ArmInfo. The European Union calls upon the sides of
the Karabakh conflict to use any opportunity of peaceful settlement.,
said on a joint press conference with Foreign Minister of Armenia
Vardan Oskanian, Peter Semneby, EU Special Representative in South
Caucasus. He said that the EU is very interested in the region,
and the launch of the ‘New Neighborhood’ program is a result of that.
Commenting on the growing military power of Azerbaijan, Mr. Semneby
said that any statement about the possibility of military resolution
of the conflict causes much concern to the European Union. He said
that the EU is trying to convince the sides to avoid military actions.

OVER 50 PEOPLE ARRIVE IN YEREVAN BY SPECIAL FLIGHT ARMAVIA
Yerevan, July 24. ArmInfo. Over 50 people arrived in Yerevan by
special flight of “Armavia” company from Israel. The company informed
that tonight they will carry out a regular Yerevan-Aleppo-Yerevan
flight to transfer all the citizens that want to return from Beirut
to Yerevan.

MATTHEW BRYZA TO BRING NO NEW SUGGESTIONS FOR NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
Yerevan, July 24. ArmInfo. US OSCE MG Co-Chair Matthew Bryza is not
going to bring new suggestions for the Nagorno Karabakh settlement on
his July 29 visit to Yerevan. Vartan Oskanian, RA Foreign Minister,
stated this at today’s press conference. “Our expectations from the
visit of the US Co-Chair of the OSCE MG are linked to his ability
whether he will manage to make the Azeries return to the negotiations
or not. If Azerbaijan agrees to continue the suggestions, there will
appear an opportunity to enter a new stage of the negotiations and
fix progress,” Oskanian said.
He added that if Azerbaijan again disapproves the suggestions of the
co-chairs, the situation in Nagorno Karabakh may get complicated.
According to Oskanian, the package of the OSCE MG suggestions may
be considered also in 2007, but, taking into account the coming
elections, it’s getting more complicated to achieve the agreement.
“The new package can’t be just an occasional one, there can be slight
corrections to certain points, but the main principles will not be
changed,” RA Foreign Minister emphasized.

SHAH WILL STAB OR SHAH WILL BE STABBED
Lragir.am
25 July 06
On July 22, the conference of the Republican Party marked the alliance
of corrupt officials and criminal business. This event had been
expected for a long time, and everybody wanted to know how the members
of this camp would feel and what their strategy would be. The point
is that both the public and the members of the Republican-criminal
bunch learned on the eve of the conference that nobody in this world
wants to assume responsibility for the plans and fate of this alliance.
Considering that since 1998 the Republicans have already twice
appeared in the center of attention of people whose credo is “nothing
compares with us”, there could not be other attitude towards them,
for except the members of this camp everyone else have realized that
the time of these business plans is over and will never come back
again. The Republicans realized only one thing – for the first time
they acted without having the approval of the superior. The “orgy of
self-assertion”, during which the main principles of activity of the
Republican Party were figured out, passed with this perception and
the grudge on Robert Kocharyan and his new Bargavach Hayastan Party
(Prosperous Armenia).
It was said that “the party is going to act independent from others
actions” and the Republican Party is the force which will lead Armenia
to a new level, and in four months everyone will be able see to what
the Republican Party is. And it was said for others. For them, the
political party drew a conclusion: Gagik Tsarukyan and his boss are
the first who cannot hinder the Republicans. And for this purpose it
is enough to make them take their opinion into consideration.
The native officials are, of course, afraid that they might not have
enough time, because they might be dismissed from their posts, and in
that case, they would not even dare to call and offer condolences.
But this is not their greatest fear: the president may not go into
detail. He may decide to let them fly until their 3.5 percent in the
parliamentary election 2007. This is what they are afraid of, for the
Republicans know that the only way of success is total control over
election committees, where the necessary number of votes is drawn.
Money and administrative terror do not bring votes. How can they
take away the committees from Robert Kocharyan and Tsarukyan? This
is the problem.
Objectively, if we become one with the native criminal for a moment,
we will realize that they are in a complicated state. In fact, they
need to grow into a monster, involve the entire Armenia, and corner
Robert and Gagik, make them retire to a far corner where they would
not reach the election committees. Perhaps this is what the Republicans
will be trying to do in the upcoming four months.
They have thought out a sensible plan. However, it will be difficult
to implement. They have little authority to persuade them. Besides,
there is not a legal lever. It is difficult to use the hobby of
Serge Sargsyan – defamation. The Attorney General Aghvan Hovsepyan
disappointed them too. It is possible to coerce parliamentarian
businessmen to join in, but it is already illegal. As for “caressing”
the members of the electoral committees in compliance with the law,
it is also unclear.
What should they do? Should they retreat? The criminal would not
like this, there is nowhere to retreat for the law is behind. So,
all they can do is corner the Law. What is law for those who struggle
against the law and lawfulness all their lives? There is no need for
intelligence to corner the law, experience and strength is enough. No
doubt, this option was chosen. Hence, Armenia appeared in a state
when either the Shah will stab or the Shah will be stabbed. Shah
Kocharyan played the same games with his viziers.
Kocharyan has already heard words addressed to his “support” Gagik
Tsarukyan and him. He must feel that soon he will be hearing more
bitter words. In four months he will lose the right to “touch” the
parliament and the government. At that time they will talk to him
seriously. He appears to be meditating. In the beginning, he fell
ill. Anyway.
It seems there is no need to think. They must stab with the Law.
People with bad intentions do not have anything to tell public
officials. The country will not lose anything, it will only benefit
if it realized that its way does not cross with those who “push their
truth forward” from all directions. But does Kocharyan know what law
is. If he knew, he would not lead the country and himself into this
state. And now he must be meditating on ways of calming his furious
“viziers”.
The problem is to find a way of soothing the criminal without
the law. What should he do, maybe persuade? Is it sensible? No,
of course. Moreover, if he goes on to have a think, other
“brave men” might come up with their advice and prompt “effective
approaches”. Gagik Tsarukyan may prompt one of his favorite ways,
like Tetsi Krug. Party building is not a sign of enlightenment.
Moreover, for his part, this comrade may have taken the advice of
more experienced friends.
As for former general Samvel Babayan, he announces that “everyone
who will try to falsify the election in 2007 will be punished right
away”. He even says, “You will see who will punish.” And he does
not appear to be joking because they say he is setting up a “squad”
(there are rumors that certain boys are trained under the surveillance
of a special operational force member).
The question might occur what he can prompt and finally why. But
are there no reasons? After all, Babayan is an odious figure. It
is not clear why he should fight against electoral fraud. However,
considering that Serge Sargsyan is known as someone who instigates
electoral fraud, something floats up, nevertheless.
“Struggle against falsifiers” might be Babayan’s pay for a chance to
return to politics with practical aims – return to native Karabakh as
a lord. Moreover, his main “adversary” Arkady Ghukasyan has recently
become rather close with Serge Sargsyan and worries about Sargsyan’s
future and also his future. The chance appeared to “rip off” the
heads of both and liberate his “sanctuary” in Stepanakert.
If the law does not work, everything may emerge from water. Falsifiers
and usurpers of power always deserve a punishment. But it does not
mean that it is possible to struggle against them with their methods,
moreover, with a special intention. The situation already demands
something else: it is necessary to collect refuse lying in the way
of the country. If they fail to, everything will be done by the
advice of those who use every method and passed the test of time.
And at that time there will be blows from every direction, and the
result will be obvious – those who start will win for themselves.
But what price will the country have to pay because “Shah” is
pusillanimous? This is the question.
MELIK AVANYAN
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BOXERS OF ARMENIA WON 2 MEDALS IN EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP
PLOVDIV, JULY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 23, the Europe Championship
of boxing finished in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Armenian
boxer Hrachya Jafaghian (Vanadzor, 60 kilograms) won a silver
medal. Hovhannes Danelian (Yerevan, 48 kiligrams) won the bronze medal.

State Department misled Senate on Turkish communications about Ambassador Evans
ArmRadio.am
25.07.2006 15:24
In yet another troubling development concerning the controversial
nomination of Richard Hoagland to serve as US Ambassador to Armenia,
Department of Justice records have revealed that the State Department
has misled the US Senate regarding its communications with the Turkish
government concerning the February 2005 public affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide by US Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In a letter, dated June 28, 2005 written on behalf of Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice to Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE), the
Ranking Democrat of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
the State Department denied that the Turkish government had even
approached the Administration on this issue. However, official
Foreign Agent Registration filings by the Turkish government’s
registered foreign agent, the Livingston Group, document that, in
the days following Ambassador Evans’ February 19, 2005 remarks, one
of Turkey’s agents communicated on at least four different occasions
with State Department officials concerning the envoy’s statement and
his subsequent retraction.
Consistent with the pattern of unresponsiveness that has come to
characterize the Administration’s actions on the Hoagland nomination,
the only answer the State Department chose to provide in response
to Senator Biden’s four questions was a misleading one. His other
inquiries – including an official request for an explanation of why
Ambassador Evans was being replaced prematurely – remain unanswered.
On June 23rd, as part of Ambassador Richard Hoagland’s confirmation
process to replace Amb. Evans in Yerevan, Senator Biden wrote a letter
asking Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice a series of questions
including the following: “Has the State Department received any
communication – written, electronic, or spoken – from the Turkish
Government concerning Ambassador Evans?”
Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs Jeffrey T. Bergner
responded on behalf of Secretary Rice with the following assertion:
“Please be assured that allegations that the U.S. is removing
Ambassador Evans under pressure from the Government of Turkey
are simply untrue. The Government of Turkey has not approached
the Administration on this issue, and the United States and Turkey
engaged in no diplomatic exchanges related to this matter.” However,
Justice Department filings by the Livingston Group reveal that a day
after Amb. Evans’ statements on the Armenian Genocide were publicized
in an ANCA-San Francisco press release dated February 24, 2005, a
Turkish agent communicated with the State Department concerning his
statements. On February 28, 2005, one business day after the agent’s
first phone call, Ambassador Evans issued his first public retraction –
noting that his mention of the Armenian Genocide was made in a private
capacity. Later that same day, the Livingston Group reported three
additional calls between one of Turkey’s agents and State Department
officials including the Deputy Chief of Mission-designate at the
US Embassy in Ankara to discuss Ambassador Evans’ retraction. The
very next day on March 1, 2005, Ambassador Evans issued a public
correction of his retraction – removing entirely any mention of the
Armenian Genocide.
In addition to the Justice Department filings, several Turkish
press accounts reported that officials of the Government of Turkey
communicated their concerns to the State Department regarding
statements made by Ambassador Evans.