OSCE PA NEWLY ELECTED CHAIRMAN EXACTLY SEES FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN
DIRECTION OF NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
YEREVAN, JULY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Swedish deputy Goran
Lenmarker, reporter on the issue of Nagorno Karabakh, was elected new
Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly during the secret ballot
at the OSCE PA summer session convened on July 3-7 in Brussels. 5
candidates, including Georgian Parliament Speaker Nino Burjanadze,
pretented to the post of the chairman. As Vahan Hovhannisian, head
of the Armenian delegation, RA NA Speaker, who was also included in
the Assembly’s electoral commission, assured at the July 10 press
conference, the elections were held “in accordance with the high
European standards, without stuffing ballot-papers, without switching
off the light and stealing the ballot-box at the end.” As a result,
G.Lenmarker succeeded at the second stage. The Armenian delegation had
a short meeting with the latter, during which the further cooperation
prospects were outlined.
In response to journalists’ questions, the speaker said that the newly
appointed Assembly Chairman exactly sees the further developments in
the direction of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement and thinks that,
nevertheless, some work will be done by the end of 2006. According
to Vahan Hovhannisian, in the American, Canadian, Swedish and French
delegations they are also convinced that OSCE Minsk Group American
Co-chair Matthew Bryza with his statements makes an attempt to
“directly notify the societies and to do some spade-work among them
by evading the executive level.” “At that, everybody realizes very
well, what side took a step towards concessions and what side declined
this step.
Everybody understands that Armenia shows an extremely pliable position
and Azerbaijan not,” the NA Vice-Speaker assured. He also stated
that some countries’ activity in the direction of being involved
in the format of the Minsk Group Co-chairs engaged in the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement is obvious. He also sees some activity in the
issue of moving the discussion of the Nagorno Karabakh problem to
different parliamentary assemblies. As Vahan Hovhannisian assured,
involvement of new countries and new instances can prolong the process
of conflict settlement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA AMBASSADOR TO EGYPT MEETS WITH SPIRITUAL LEADER OF SUNNI FOLLOWERS
CAIRO, JULY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenia geopolitically
and historically has become part of the Near East region and the
economic, political and cultural events taking place there had a direct
impact on Armenia. RA Ambassador to Egypt Ruben Karapetian declared
this at the July 6 meeting with the spiritual leader of Islamic sunni,
All-Azkhar Imam Sheikh Sayed Tantaui.
In connection with the current level of Armenian-Egyptian relations
Karapetian said that they are built on the principles of friendship
and confidence.
Sheikh Tantaui in his turn appreciated Armenia’s readiness to deepen
cooperation with the Islamic world and assured that he will support
this cooperation as far as possible.
According to RA Foreign Ministry Press Service, during the conversation
RA Ambassador also presented the prehistory of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict emphasizing that the problem has not a religious character
and is based on a nation’s right of self-determination.

AZERBAIJANI JOURNALIST CALLS FOR USING POTENTIAL ON CREATION OF ATMOSPHERE OF CONFIDENCE
YEREVAN, JULY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Distrust existing between the Armenian
and Azerbaijani peoples is the biggest problem in the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Alekper Aliyev, free journalist,
writer-publicist from Azerbaijan, declared at the international
conference titled “European Integration as a Factor Contributing
to the Settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh Conflict” held on July 10
in Yerevan.
According to him, mutual demonization, growing military expenditures
and cases of violation of the cease-fire agreement becoming more
frequent are evidence that time “assigned” for the peaceful settlement
is expiring. Aliyev mentioned that it is necessary to “impose a ban”
on the mutual propaganda of hatred and to use the potential on creating
an atmosphere of confidence between the peoples. In the Azerbaijani
journalist’s opinion, the parallel process will play a great role
in this respect: namely, there are supporters of a dialogue in the
civil societies of the conflict sides. Especially as the NGO sector
representatives do not bear the burden of being accountable to Moscow,
Washington or Paris.
Alekper Aliyev emphasized the necessity to implement programs aimed
at improving mutual understanding and tolerance, especially among
the representatives of the civil society and journalists. Measures
on extension and deepening of democratic processes in both countries
could play a great role in achieving a compromise.
“The situation will improve when the compromise loses the negative
meaning it has for both countries at the moment and in this case the
sides will consider the Nagorno Karabakh settlement as an integral
part of these countries’ integration to the European Union,” the
Azerbaijani journalist declared.
As for the frame agreement proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs,
he declared that Azerbaijan agrees to the referendum in Nagorno
Karabakh after 10 years and only after the return of the refugees.

Robert Kocharian to Visit Moscow in July
PanARMENIAN.Net
10.07.2006 16:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Late July Armenian President Robert Kocharian will
pay a visit to Russia to take part in an informal summit of the CIS
leaders in Moscow, RA President’s Spokesman Victor Soghomonyan told
a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. The leaders of the states will also
attend the horse race for the prize of the Russian President. The
RA President’s Spokesman remarked that the agenda of the visit and
schedule of the meetings have not been fixed yet.

RA NA Vice-Speaker: Various States Try to Join OSCE MG Format
PanARMENIAN.Net
10.07.2006 16:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The situation with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
gives a possibility to some states to join the format of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Armenian National Assembly Vice-speaker Vahan Hovhannisian
stated a news conference in Yerevan today. In his words, such attempts
are obvious from the direction of the UK as well as some other states
and parliamentary structures.
“If the talks under the immediate patronage of the three Co-chair
states fail, activities will be launched at different levels including
the parliamentary one,” Vahan Hovhannisian said adding that the NATO
PA shoes interest in the problem. At that he remarked that if the
Karabakh issue is discussed in other structures Armenia should not
hope for easy success. “With the joining of new instances everything
will be started from the very beginning,” he said.
In his words, three proposes submitted by the OSCE MG since 1998 prove
that the more the investigating body deepens in the core of the problem
the more pro-Armenian become the proposals, reported Novosti-Armenia.

Robert Kocharian Condoled on Jet Crash in Irkutsk
PanARMENIAN.Net
10.07.2006 17:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian sent a condolence
message to Russian President Vladimir Putin over the jet crash in
Irkutsk, reported the RA leader’s press office. The message says in
part, “Dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, we deeply grieve about the losses
caused by the crash in Irkutsk. Let me on behalf of the Armenian
people convey condolences to You and the relatives of those killed
and wish soonest recovery to the injured.”
To note, A-310 owned by S7 (Sibir) airlines crashed when landing at
the Irkuysk airport on Sunday. It went down from the landing ground,
crashed into the constructions and got inflamed. There were 203 people
aboard. 124 of them were killed.

AZG Daily #128, 07/11/2006
Conclusion
VAHAN HOVHANNISSIAN: ARMENIAN DELEGATION CARRIED OUT
SUCCESSFUL ACTIVITIES AT OSCE JULY SESSION
Vahan Hovhannissian, Vice-Speaker of RA National Assembly, said that
July session of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is extremely fruitful
for Armenia. He stated that the resolution submitted by delegates of
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey on Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project was
disapproved by OSCE PA. He added that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan project
contradicts the norms of regional cooperation as it is directed
to isolation of Armenia. “We managed to get adopted the text of
the resolution that we planned,” Hovhannissian said. The Armenian
delegation also managed to hinder adoption of the resolution for
the construction of Kars-Akhalkalaki railroad. Another resolution
of Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey, declaring “nothing can approve
separatism,” was disapproved by OSCE PA. The Spanish delegates who
emphasized that in case of discrimination, the national minorities
have the right to protect their rights strictly criticized this
project. Moreover, the commission for humanitarian issues adopted the
resolution on the important part that the national minorities play
in the life of a state (in the context of the Armenian residents
of Samtskhe Javakheti region of Georgia this is one of the most
important resolutions). As for the commission of political issues,
the Armenian delegates managed to get adopted the resolution on the
fact that the referendum in Monte Negro is a good example of balance
between the right of the nations for self-determination and territorial
integrity. Besides, the Russian and the Armenian delegates hindered the
adoption of the amendments to the resolution that forbids to consider
the future status of Kosovo as a precedent submitted by the Georgian,
Azeri and Turkish delegates. It’s worth mentioning that the co-authors
of the Armenian initiatives were RF, Canada, Switzerland and Monaco.
Moreover, the delegates of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly consider
the statement of Matthew Bryza, OSCE MG Co-Chair, as an appeal to the
Armenian and Azerbaijani people, and as a attempt to activate public
diplomacy, without turning to the executive power. Vahan Hovhannissian,
Vice Speaker of RA National Assembly, head of RA Delegation to OSCE
PA, said this today.
“Everybody realizes that Armenia is maximally compliant, extremely
compliant in Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, but none can say
what will the sides reach by the end of the negotiations, though Goran
Lenmarker, newly elected chairman of OSCE PA, is quite optimistic about
the prospects of Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,” Hovhannissian
said. He stated that earlier the official Baku had declined more
beneficial for Azerbaijan suggestions, as well.
Hovhannissian said that Azerbaijan hopes to increase its military
capacity. He added that even when in 1990-ies the military budget of
Azerbaijan also surpassed that of Armenia, we, the Armenians could
successfully resists their attacks.
Since 1998, OSCE MG took three initiatives and each of them was
more and more acceptable for Armenia. Vahan Hovhannissian, Head
of RA Delegation to OSCE PA, Vice Speaker of RA National Assembly,
said this at today’s press conference. Thus in 2001, in Key West,
the mediators suggested Armenia to secure a corridor for Baku to
communicate with Nakhijevan, in Rambouillet this point was not even
discussed. “The more the international structures get familiarized
with the Nagorno Karabakh conflict essence, the more beneficial for
Armenia their approaches become,” he said.
He added that several countries, in particular, Great Britain,
make efforts to get involved in the OSCE MG structure, while the
parliamentarians of various countries show their participation in
the Nagorno Karabakh issue. Hovhannissian said that if OSCE MG isn’t
active enough, parliamentary unions, for example NATO PA, will take
the initiative. He stated this development is not desirable, as the
coordination of the settlement process by new instances may annihilate
the results achieved in the current format.
The Armenian delegation emphasized the importance of shaping a working
commission in Brussels for preparation of a report on the current
situation of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement, as a report elaborated
by one reporter is much more subjective
By Nana Petrosian

Panorama.am
14:40 10/07/06
AZERBAIJAN FAILED AT OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
The Armenian delegation is quite content with the results OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly (PA) summer session. “All pro-Armenian
resolutions are adopted and Armenia managed to oust anti-Armenian
resolutions proposed by Azerbaijan,” NA Vice Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan
who headed the Armenian delegation to OSCE PA told a press conference
today.
All anti-Armenia proposals were supported by Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey, he said, concluding that “cooperation among these countries
is active.”
According to V. Hovhannisyan only three countries among 56 OSCE
member states – Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey supported the proposal
to return territories under dispute to the countries to which they
belong and thus to settle the conflicts.
The Armenian delegation managed to include the principle of
self-determination in OSCE resolution documents. They based the
proposal on Montenegro independence referendum. “Despite of outrageous
protest from Azerbaijan and Georgia, the voting indicated that the
principle of national self-determination has a great acceptance among
OSCE member states,” Hovhannisyan said./Panorama.am/

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY WAITING FOR HAPPY END
Panorama.am
15:24 10/07/06
Vahan Hovhannisyan, NA Vice speaker who headed the Armenian
delegation to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said he had a talk with
Goran Lennmarker, OSCE PA newly elected Chairman. “Mr. Lennmarker
is well aware of further developments and thinks that by the end of
the year further efforts will be put to settle Karabakh conflict,”
Hovhannisyan said.
NA Vice Speaker also delivered the assessment of American, Canadian,
French, Swedish delegations on the statement made by Minsk Group
co-chairs. According to V. Hovhannisyan, the statement aimed to conduct
spadework among the public. “Efforts are made to call for peace and
not war. They all understand that Armenia is putting maximal efforts
to go for concessions unlike Azerbaijan,” Hovhannisyan said.
Speaking about change of format of Minsk Group on Karabakh conflict
settlement, V. Hovhannisyan said, “it would mean to erase everything
and start it over.” /Panorama.am/

SECOND WATER AUTO-ACCIDENT ON LAKE SEVAN
Panorama.am
16:09 10/07/06
Judging from everything it may be said that Armenians cannot keep to
traffic rules not only on the ground but also on water. Two accidents
were reported on lake Sevan in the course of 15 days.
On July 9, at about 2:40 pm, two water motorbikes collided near the
vicinity of Akhtamar peninsula, rescue services report.
Bella Abrahamyan was taken to hospital with body injuries. Doctors
say her conditions are bad.
Note: on June 25, at 2 pm two other motorbikes collided near beach
Water nymph. The accident took the life of Karen Karapetyan born in
1981. /Panorama.am/