BAKU: ‘KARABAKH CAN BE RETURNED ONLY PEACEFULLY, BY APPROBATION OF KARABAKH ARMENIANS’
Yerkir
06.07.2006 18:39
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – ”Azerbaijan cannot return Karabakh by force and
we do not have and will not have power to rebuff the Russian-Armenian
alliance,” political scientist Hikmet Hajizade told the Zerkalo
Baku newspaper.
His conviction is that ”Karabakh can be returned only peacefully,
by approbation of Karabakh Armenians.”
As of NKR referendum, the scholar noted that inclusion of that
referendum into the framework agreement is a big defeat of the Azeri
diplomacy. ”Even if Azeri leaders manage to refuse from signing
a peace treaty, the referendum issue will loom in all other peace
settlement plans in the future,” Hajizade said.
He reaffirmed the 2006 will not be the year of settlement of the
Karabakh issue. ”By the highest standards it is not a conflict
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, but that between Azerbaijan and the
Russian-Armenian alliance, even between West and Russia. If Azerbaijan
agrees to OSCE conditions, luckily for us, under the pressure of
Russia Karabakh and Armenia will refuse that plan.
In its turn the West want to fight against Russia instead of us. The
Karabakh peace may occur, when the West and Russia settle their
global discrepancies, one of which – not the most important one –
is Karabakh,” Hajizade emphasized.
The political scientist also considers that the West wishes to
conclude the Karabakh peace as soon as possible for ”continuing
pumping out energy resources of Azerbaijan and using the territory
for strategic goals.
For the sake of that objective they are ready to support any unfair
peace.
Some groups in the West are trying to present the affairs as if
Karabakh is not an occupied, but a disputed territory. They say
Abkhazia and Ossetia are Georgian lands, but Karabakh is a totally
different case,” he said.
–Boundary_(ID_1S9WQPIawo+d7QgMpjc6Zw)–

DELEGATION HEADED BY RA PRIME MINISTER ANDRANIK MARGARYAN TO LEAVE FOR GEORGIA
ArmRadio.am
06.07.2006 17:13
July 7 RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan will leave for
Georgia to participate in the 5th sitting of the Armenian-Georgian
intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission to be held in
Batumi, Ajaria.
The delegation headed by the Prime Minister comprises RA Minister of
Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan, Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham
Gharibjanyan, President of the State Custom Committee Armen Avetisyan,
Deputy Minister of Energy Areg Galstyan, Adviser to RA Prime Minister
Stepan Margaryan, Executive Director of the “Armenian Railway” CJSC,
Ararat Khrimyan, Heads of Governmental MFA Agencies, other officials,
Information and PR Department of RA Government informs.
During the visit Andranik Margaryan is scheduled to meet his
Georgian counterpart Zurab Noghaideli. During the sitting of the
Armenian-Georgian intergovernmental Economic Cooperation Commission
reference will be made to the Process of accomplishment of the
decisions taken at the previous sitting, the current state of economic
cooperation and prospective directions of cooperation, including issues
connected with the cooperation in the spheres of agriculture, energy,
nature protection, healthcare, transport and communication, culture,
education, tourism, etc. The sitting will be followed by the joint
press conference of the Prime Ministers of Armenia and Georgia. The
delegation headed by RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan will return
to Armenia on July 10.

5TH SESSION OF THE ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION COMMISSION TO BE HELD IN BATUMI
ArmRadio.am
06.07.2006 17:31
July 7-10 the fifth session of the Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental
Economic Cooperation Commission will be held in Batumi. Georgian
and Armenian PMs Zurab Nogaideli and Andranik Margaryan will chair
the meeting. According to the Department of Press and Information of
the Georgian MFA, priorities of bilateral economic and humanitarian
cooperation between Armenia and Georgia are planned to be determined
at the session. Urgent issues, including enhancement of the contractual
basis between the two states will be considered as well.
Within the framework of the meeting a business forum of Georgian and
Armenian businessmen will be held with Participation of Nogaideli
and Margaryan, reports IA Regnum.

ASHOT GULYAN: LATEST PROPOSALS OF THE MINSK GROUP CAN SERVE A BASIS FOR TALKS
ArmRadio.am
06.07.2006 18:10
“Latest proposals of Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group for settlement
of the NK conflict can serve a basis for talks on settlement of
the Karabakh conflict,” NKR Speaker Ashot Gulyan stated at a press
conference in Stepanakert.
In his words, not all provisions of the statement in question
are acceptable to Nagorno-Karabakh leadership and Armenia. Making
public proposals on basic settlement principles by the mediators is
aimed at launching public intercourse by the parties to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. This way the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs provide
an opportunity to the parties to find a solution to the problem
themselves, NKR Parliament Speaker remarked.
Ashot Gulyan expressed positive opinion on the future settlement
being a comprehensive one judging from Minsk Group Co-Chairs’
statements. Speaking of the opportunity to solve the issue this
year he underscored that the situation in Azerbaijan and the
behavior of Azeri authorities evidence that Baku is not ready to a
settlement. “Willingness of the Azeri party to launch dialogue with
Nagorno-Karabakh will signal that Azerbaijan really wants to solve
the conflict,” the NKR Speaker said.
As of the opportunity to send a peacekeeping mission to the Karabakh
conflict zone, Gulyan noted that “conversations on a peacekeeping
operation are early.” Calling peacekeeping forces a guarantor of
sustaining peace and fulfillment of an agreement between the parties,
the Speaker emphasized that the cease-fire is sustained without third
parties, which is possible in the future as well.
“The NKR is cautious on possible deployment of peacekeeping forces,”
stated NKR FM Georgy Petrosyan. He underscored that the Karabakh party
would like to see not elimination of the consequences of the conflict,
but solution of the issue. He also reported that during their visit to
the US, NKR representatives voiced their concerns over making public
settlement principles of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to OSCE MG US
Co-Chair Matthew Bryza.
“Latest developments in the settlement process created a new
situation and it is not known yet in which format will the talks
resume. Our position is unchanged – Nagorno-Karabakh participated
in the establishment of the cease-fire, thus it is entitled to
participate in the process of talks, at which its fate is decided,”
the Minister underscored.

THOSE GUILTY OF THE CRASH OF THE A-320 SHOULD BE SEARCHED FOR ON THE LAND
ArmRadio.am
06.07.2006 17:49
“All non-official versions assert one thing – the pilots are guilty.
Decoding of the flight recorders reveals, however, that those
responsible for the crash should be searched for on the ground,”
wrote the “Moskovski Komsomolets” today.
“One of these days modeling of the flight will be performed in
France, based upon the decoded data of the black boxes. According to
specialists, 3-4 days after that the International Aviation Committee
will draw its final conclusion about the reasons of the tragedy. Up
until now the Committee has not voiced any official version, but all
non-official versions speak about the pilot’s fault. However, analysis
of the data by experts shows that the human factor cannot be considered
the cause of the tragedy,” the Moscow based periodical stated.
The newspaper quoted also the words of pilot Alexander Akimenko.
“There are no felones-de-se among pilots. And after the crewmembers
die, taking also the lives of hundreds of passengers, the culprits
should be searched for among the alive,” he said.

DAVIT HARUTIUNYAN HAS UNSETTLED PROBLEMS
Lragir.am
06 July 06
Commenting on his July 5 statement about active engagement in politics,
the minister of justice Davit Harutiunyan stated July 6 that he is
not likely to set up a political party. “At least now.
If I have such plans, I will tell.” Every word by Davit Harutiunyan
arouses suppositions. For instance, Davit Harutiunyan stated several
months ago that he is not going to affiliate with any political
party. He announced today, “This statement does not mean that my
intention is going to be the same forever. I may become member of a
political party. I may not be.” Davit Harutiunyan presently declines
to specify possible and impossible parties.
It is a fact that I am going to become engaged in politics, and
there are different ways of doing politics, says the present minister
of justice. Davit Harutiunyan does not fear ending up like Artashes
Tumanyan. “As a minister, a minister does politics. I am doing politics
now.” According to him, there cannot be members of parliament who do
not belong to a political party and ministers who do not represent
the policy of a political party.
“I still have unsettled problems. These problems make considering
engagement in politics. It is wrong to stop halfway. I cannot insist
that my interests are confined to the sphere of justice, however first
of all I have unsettled problems in this sphere,” announced Davit
Harutiunyan. My steps will be for the sake of the Republic of Armenia.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN PROPOSED GENERAL AMNESTY
Lragir.am
06 July 06
On June 30 President Kocharyan offered the National Assembly a proposal
on granting general amnesty on the occasion of the 15th anniversary
of independence of Armenia. The proposal will be discussed in the
July 6 extraordinary meeting of the National Assembly.
The minister of justice Davit Harutiunyan says if the proposal of
Robert Kocharyan is enacted, 300 convicts will be released. According
to the chair of the State and Legal Committee Rafik Petrosyan, 700
inmates will be released.
Robert Kocharyan proposes amnesty for people who committed a crime
before June 1, 2006 including, and amnesty on the basis of disability
and age is for people, who were recognized disabled before the day
before the adoption of the decision on amnesty, or who became 60
years old before September 30, 2006.
In accordance with this bill, amnesty will be granted to persons
sentenced to three years of imprisonment, and persons put on
probation. Amnestry will be granted to convicts sentenced to five
years of imprisonment, who have disabilities of the 2nd or 3rd
categories and aged 60 and more, convicts who were under 18 at the
moment of committing the crime and do not have previous convictions,
as well as participants of the war. Amnesty will be granted to the
convicts sentenced to ten years of imprisonment, who have served 1/3
of the sentence. Generally, the list of prisoners, whom amnesty will
be granted, is rather long.

PERHAPS WE WILL CHEAT AGAIN
Lragir.am
06 July 06
The government of Armenia made a decision June 16 on a merger between
Armenergo, the Thermal Power Plant of Hrazdan and Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade
and Armgasard and work out a privatization package until 2007. It
became clear from the facts published by the State Tax Agency of
Armenia that at least three of these companies suffered losses in 2005.
In 2005 the losses of Armgasard totaled 954.525 million drams,
Hrazdan TPP 670.250 million drams, Sevan-Hrazdan Cascade 5.621 million
drams. Armenergo is not on the list. It is not found on the list of
1000 big taxpayers either, where the 100th taxpayer paid 6.795 million
drams. So, Armenergo paid less tax and if it does not have losses,
it does not have income either.
What is the point of joining three or four weak companies in one and
can such a company attract investors? In answer to these questions
Member of Parliament Tatul Manaseryan said normally weak companies
are taken over by stronger companies, but he said, “I very much doubt
that these losses are real.” In a larger context, Tatul Manaseryan
says, if the privatization of this merger “makes our energy system
more vulnerable, I am against it from the aspect of national security
and economic security.” At the same time, Tatul Manaseryan notices,
“our strategic partner is eager to take over greater assets, therefore
I cannot understand why it is done and who could have prompted.”
What if this new company is not sold to the Russians? Tatul Manaseryan
said, “I do not believe in such economic miracles.”
It is pertinent to recall the sale of the fifth generating unit to the
Russians. At that time Serge Sargsyan interfered and announced that we
were selling a concrete building rather than a generating unit, which
is not worth 250 million dollars, in fact. It appeared that we cheated
the Russians. In fact, if the status of Serge Sargsyan remains the
same, we will again have to cheat all kinds of our strategic partners.

DISASTER WHICH BENEFITED ALLEGED HISTORICAL MONUMENTS
Zarine Mayilian
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
05 July 2006
Azerbaijan is said to make allegations that fires in border areas
are instigated by Armenians to destroy alleged historical monuments
of the neighbouring countries. We are not surprised, of course,
at the allegations of the Azerbaijani mass media that the Armenians
burn non-Armenian historical facts. Local fires during the season of
harvest, which may have different causes, became a cornerstone for
the information in the Azerbaijani media that Armenians burn trees,
houses, etc. near the Karabakh-Azerbaijani border. Moreover, a group
of Azerbaijani members of parliament visited the border area. They
said they could not take pictures but they saw Armenians set on
fire houses of Azerbaijanis. We were told at the NKR Ministry of
Emergencies that a Task Force on Fires was set up, which is now working
in the region of Askeran. There are no facts of arson instigated
by Karabakh, said MP Rudik Martirossian, chair of the Committee of
Defense and Security. Evidence shows that fire began from shooting
by the Azerbaijani side. The minister of industrial infrastructures
and territorial management Armo Tsatrian said there are fires, which
started from fires that came from the Azerbaijani side. The Armenian
side grows wheat in the border area. The fires caused great damage
to the owners of these crops.
Over 165 ha of wheat burnt. Rudik Martirossian says the Fire Department
keeps the areas under crop under surveillance to organize the harvest
normally.
The reserve fund of the government allocated funds for the Fire
Department to prevent arable crops from burning. “We keep the
situation under control, we know there are facts of fires, and the
fire department prevents fires. Simply Azerbaijanis distort the
facts and this is another political ruse. It is nonsense,” said
Rudik Martirossian. By the way, several years ago the NKR Ministry
of Foreign Affairs proposed setting up an OSCE Minsk Group-mediated
Karabakh-Azerbaijani format to settle humanitarian problems. The
Azerbaijani side remained indifferent.

MILLIONAIRE FAMILIES
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
05 July 2006
The government policy on stimulating birthrate and improvement of
quality of life of large families really encouraged the people
of the region of Kashatagh. In this region, where thousands of
families are living, annual increase of birthrate is reported. Since
January 1, 2006 these families have privileges under the government
order. On June 29 four families were invited to the ministry of Social
Security. Emily Poghossian from Goghtanik had her fifteenth child. The
eleventh child was born to Karine Nersissian, and Margaret Mazulian
and Svetlana Grigorian had their tenth children. Minister Vasily
Atajanian congratulated the four women and wished them longevity,
welfare and happiness.
The minister delivered 5000 dollars each, a one-time aid to families
having many children granted under the order of the government.