AZERI, ARMENIAN FMS TO MEET IN PARIS ON 13 JUN
Author: A.Mammadov
TREND, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
The Azerbaijan and Armenian Foreign Ministers will meet in Paris on
13 June 2006, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian stated in
Yerevan on Monday (12 June), Midiamax reports.
Addressing the news conference Oskanian said that the format and
agenda of talks are still to be defined.
“The last meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in
Bucharest yielded no results. In Paris we will try to close the
positions on the issue which the presidents had failed to accord. We
have repeatedly stated that the variant under discussions contains
a number of positive aspects, in particular, we succeeded to reach
agreement on the matters which earlier were stumbling bloc. Thus,
it is necessary to put every effort to benefit the favorable moment,”
Oskanian underscored.
Armenian found difficult to forecast the results of the Paris talks
of the Foreign Ministers, noting that the key objective is to make
possible the next meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia.

SWITZERLAND FOR SEARCH OF WAYS FOR DIPLOMATIC RESOLUTION OF THE NK CONFLICT
Author: À.Mammadov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
Switzerland is for search of ways for diplomatic resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Micheline Calmy-Rey, the deputy chairperson
of the Federal Council of Swiss Confederation, stated in Yerevan on
12 June in a joint news conference with Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian.
The Swiss government has repeatedly organized meetings of the
Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan in Geneva, Trend reports citing
ARKA.
“The resolution of the Karabakh conflict will stimulate the restoration
of relationships between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well as Turkey,’
she underlined.
The deputy chairperson of the Federal Council of Swiss Confederation
is on an official to Armenian from 11 to 13 June.
During the visit Calmy-Rey will meet with Armenian President Robert
Kocharian and Prime Minister Andranik Markarian, Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian.
–Boundary_(ID_kUCPjQ5CgkLN74inYyu8Ig)- –

US CONGRESS ALLOTS $790K TO EDUCATE AND TRAIN AZERI MILITARIES
Author: À.Mamedov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
Chamber of Representatives within US Congress has approved a budgetary
law draft for provisions for UG Government’s foreign operations for the
year 2007. Trend reports the law draft under International Military
Education and Training allots $790k for education and training of
Azeri militaries. The law draft was passed by 373 Congressmen.
The similar amount is granted to Armenia and Russia, while Ukraine
receives $1.725mln.
“IMET is the part of US common program for assistance in security
sphere, through which US Government grants education to militaries
of allied and friendly countries”, – the reference document says.
According to the document, total amount of budget provisions for IMET
program in 2007 is approved to be $88mln.
–Boundary_(ID_5UIpcUu1ZTu8+AdFaD19rw)–

AZERI FM TO PARTICIPATE IN A MEETING WITH HIS ARMENIAN COUNTERPART IN PARIS
Author: E.Huseynov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, is going to
participate in a next meeting with his Armenian counterpart Vardan
Oskanian in Paris on Tuesday (13 June), Tahir Tagizade, the head of
the pres and Information Policy Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry, told Trend.
The meeting of the ministers will be held within the framework of
continuation of ‘Paris process’ and the sides will discuss the ways
for peaceable resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh.
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will participate in the talks.
The last meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents was held
in Bucharest on 4-5 June 2006. Then the presidents gave instructions
to the Foreign Ministers to continue the consultations to bring closer
the positions of the countries. The Paris meeting will consider the
possibility of next round of meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
Presidents, Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian.

‘THE LAST ROSE IN OUR ORCHARD’ STILL FRESH AT 100
By Maureen O’Donnell Staff Reporter
Chicago Sun-Times, IL
June 12 2006
How to list the ways that Helen Paloian is remarkable?
At age 100, she is a link to the attempted genocide of the Armenian
people. She remembers when World War I-era Turkish soldiers forced
everyone from her village. She survived by eating grass and roots,
“like a chicken.” Yet she also remembers the Turks who slipped her
crusts of bread.
“Be happy,” she likes to say. “Love.”
She has a thick head of hair and all her own teeth. She doesn’t use
hearing aids. Her hip healed nicely after she broke it at 97.
She has almost figured out the Rubik’s Cube given to her by her
grandson, Massachusetts Institute of Technology neuroscientist Robert
Ajemian, who said his MIT colleagues are “blown away” by her mental
acuity.
Helen Paloian celebrates her 100th birthday Sunday at St. Gregory the
Illuminator Armenian Church, 6700 W. Diversey. She credits her long
life to prayer, and no smoking or drinking. (KEITH HALE/SUN-TIMES)
Ask if she knows who the Beatles are, and she replies: “Oh yes! I
like Paul.” Her favorite TV show is “Everybody Loves Raymond.”
She’s a rabid White Sox fan. She does her own cooking.
Not bad for a woman born six years before the Titanic sank.
Friends and family honored her centennial birthday Sunday at St.
Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church, 6700 W. Diversey.
Family genealogist Charles Hardy recounted her story for the crowd.
Helen Paloian’s mother and father died when she was a toddler. Two
brothers were conscripted into the Turkish army and one fled to
America.
None were heard from again.
She begged on the streets for food and went to an orphanage. She
recalled that Turkish soldiers cleared that place of children and took
them to a church packed with other Armenians. The women feared the
soldiers were going to set the church on fire. Helen decided to escape.
“I jump from the window,” she said Sunday. “No stocking, no shoe,
nothing. They don’t catch me, because I’m little girl.”
‘I always say there is a hope’
At that time, her cousin Jacob Hardy was half a world away in the
U.S. He had a strange dream.
In the dream, Helen’s late mother, Mariam, showed him a rose. “This
is the last rose in our orchard. You must pick this rose and take it
with you,” she said.
The next day, he saw Helen’s name on a list of orphans in an Armenian
newspaper. “Now, he understood the dream. Helen was the rose,”
Charles Hardy said.
Jacob Hardy found her at an orphanage in Greece. Told she had a
better chance of entering the U.S. from Cuba, they took a detour
to Havana. They arranged a sham marriage with an Armenian-American,
Zadig Paloian, to try and gain her entry to the U.S. The plan was to
have the marriage annulled later.
She and Jacob were able to emigrate to Racine, Wis., where she decided
to accept the handsome Zadig as her husband.
They settled in Chicago and were married 55 years until his death in
1986. She gave birth to four children and lost two. A daughter, Sima,
died at 31 of cancer. Mariam died in an accident at age seven. Two
others survived: her daughter Lucille Ajemian, 67, of Boston, and
her son Matthew, 66.
Helen lives with Matthew on the Northwest Side. She has six
grandchildren and four great-grandchildren who have achieved multiple
college degrees.
She attributes her long life to prayer, and no smoking or drinking.
“I walk around the block,” she said. “I read the Bible. I sing. My
voice, still young. I always say there is a hope. Hope and pray.”
She also tells young wives they don’t have to do what their husbands
say. Zadig “always said ‘Vote Democratic.’ I said ‘OK,’ but I vote
Republican.”
news/cst-nws-bday12.html

RA FM TO LEAVE FOR PARIS TO MEET AZERI COLLEAGUE
DeFacto, Armenia
June 12 2006
June 13 RA FM Vardan Oskanyan will leave for Paris to meet with
his Azeri colleague Elmar Mammadyarov. While talking to journalists
Armenian FM stated the meeting’s agenda has not been determined yet,
REGNUM correspondent reports.
To remind, June 8 Vardan Oskanyan said RA and AR FMs’ meeting for
the conduct of the Nagorno Karabakh talks might be held in the near
future. However, he noted there was no information on a recurrent
meeting to be held between the two countries’ Presidents Robert
Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev. “The date of a recurrent meeting between
the two countries’ heads will be known after our meeting”, Vardan
Oskanyan remarked.
According to RA FM, the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs are not expected
to put forward new proposals on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement. “Unfortunately, the parties failed to work out an
agreement in the course of the talks in Bucharest, despite new
proposals repeatedly submitted by the mediators, being disapproved by
the parties. After the Presidents’ meeting in Rambouillet (France)
the document that was on the bargaining table has undergone
alternations and enlarged from one page to two and a half. Some
items, formulations have been extended, however, the essence and
stands are unchangeable. The issues being discussed by the Presidents
are complicated, but they can be settled only via negotiations. The
dialogue should be continued, there is no alternative to the talks”,
Vardan Oskanyan stated.

US COMPANY INVESTS $1 500 000 INTO AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES UNDER ARMENIAN OCCUPATION
Today, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006
Foreign companies continue to invest capital to Azerbaijan’s
territories under Armenian occupation to exploit natural resources
there.
As APA reports, the investigations proved that US ATA-Vank-Les Company
has invested $1 500 000 in Nagorno Karabakh.
This company engaged in making parquets. Besides, Swiss Andronik
Shpon Company engaged in woodworking has invested $340 000 in the
region. Armenia’s Max Wood Ltd has invested $144 300 in Karabakh.
The Ministry also reports that capital costing $35 million was invested
in renewing of the economy of the so-called “Nagorno Karabakh Republic”
in the period between 2001 and 2003. Foreign capital shares $25
million of this investment, Armenia shares $5 million and the same
amount is shared by businessmen acting in Karabakh.
Karabakh Armenians living in the US, Canada, France, Australia,
Switzerland, Lebanon, Russia and Armenia continue to make investment
in Nagorno Karabakh.
URL:

EIGHT NOW IN HUNT FOR OTE’S 90% STAKE IN ARMENTEL
Tele Geography, DC
June 12 2006
Three leading Russian telecommunication conglomerates – Sistema,
Rostelecom, and Vimpelcom – have joined the hunt to buy a 90%
interest in Armenia’s largest fixed and wireless operator ArmenTel
from Greek telco OTE. The Russian companies will compete with five
other operators, MTC Kuwait, Armenia’s Sil group, Belgium’s Belgacom,
Hungary’s PanTel, and Etisalat of the United Arab Emirates. The most
serious rivals to the Russian challenge are expected to come from
MTC and Etisalat.
OTE announced its intention to sell 90% of ArmenTel shares in early
April 2006. The Armenian operator provides services to 595,000 fixed
line customers and controls over a half the country’s cellular market,
with more than 50,000 subscribers. OTE is pulling out following a
disagreement with minority shareholder – the Armenian government –
over the planned business strategy for the company. The state is said
to be opposed to plans to raise tariffs.

UNESCO CENSORSHIP FOR OTTOMAN ARCHIVES
>From the Zaman Daily Times
Judeoscope.ca, Canada
June 12 2006
UNESCO, an organization founded to promote collaboration among
member countries to the United Nations through education, science
and research, attempted to alter historical documents it did not like.
An exhibition of Ottoman Archives in Paris last week was cancelled
due to controversy over censorship.
UNESCO asked that five of the 50 documents sent by the Turkish General
Directorate of State Archives be removed from the exhibition and two
of them be modified.
The documents censored include the friendship letters sent by Armenian
dignitaries to the Ottoman palace in 1889 and 1898.
UNESCO claimed the letters would anger the Diaspora Armenians.
Another document about Jews was also asked to be modified.
The Ottoman Empire protected the Jews expatriated from Spain and
Portugal at the end of the 15th century and settled them in different
regions.
UNESCO has been uneasy about the expression, “The Jews who took refuge
in the Ottoman State and settled in Edirne upon being expatriated from
Spain and Portugal…” in the document included in the Tahrir Defteri,
a written survey of a province.
UNESCO asked the word “expatriated” to be removed from the text and
be replaced with “Spanish and Portuguese Jews.”
The document will only be allowed to be exhibited only after this
change has been made.
Turkey’s permanent representative for the organization discussing
the issue with UNESCO officials approved the removal of the five
documents and the modification of the two documents.
The document on the Polish residents of Polonozkey in Istanbul that
UNESCO asked to be removed was not excluded from the exhibition.
The Turkish representative later communicated these developments to
the Foreign Ministry and General Directorate for State Archives.
The ministry and general directorate reacted harshly against the
attempt for censorship and insisted on exhibiting the documents in
their original form.
The General Directorate for State Archives emphasized the documents
they chose meticulously do not offend any nation and said the samples
show the Ottoman State displayed an impartial attitude towards humanity
with no practice of any religious or ethnic discrimination.
As no consensus between Ankara and Paris was established, the
exhibition scheduled to be held at the UNESCO Headquarters on June
8-22 was cancelled.
UNESCO officials stated the exhibition was postponed upon the Turkish
Embassy’s demand but offered no response to questions regarding the
censorship attempt.
Turkey’s Ambassador to UNESCO Numan Hazar said the exhibition has
been postponed “due to technical problems.”
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GEORGIA HAS TO PROVIDE FIRM GUARANTEES TO ATTRACT AZERI CAPITAL
Daily Georgian Times, Georgia
June 12 2006
Traditionally Georgia and Azerbaijan maintain good neighborly
relations. When Russia cut gas and electricity supply to Georgia
last winter Baku extended a hand of friendship to Georgia sharing
some of its supply with Tbilisi. Georgia and Azerbaijan have similar
problems with territorial integrity. However, Azerbaijan has improved
its relations with Russia and due to its oil resources has started
to push its economic growth.
GT interviews Azeri ambassador to Georgia Namig Aliyev. This is
the first interview the Azeri ambassador has given to the Georgian
print media.
Namig Aliyev: At the GUAM summit a short while ago, Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili came up with a proposal to create a free economic
zone. I think this initiative should be welcomed, and we hope Georgia
will build its relations with its neighbouring country this way. I
believe Azerbaijan and Georgia are destined to live in peace and
friendship. It cannot be otherwise. It’s quite natural that our
relations have been improving.
Q: Many are unhappy to see good neighborly relations between Azerbaijan
and Georgia. In a live broadcast on Russian TV Channel RTV, a Russian
political expert noted with regret that Azerbaijan shared its supply
with Georgia when Russia cut the gas and electricity to Georgia,
adding that Russia was involuntarily strengthening the friendship
between Georgia and Azerbaijan by resorting to such actions…
A: Azerbaijan wants to maintain friendly, peaceful relations with all
of its neighbors. We do want to have friends, kind and peace-loving
neighbors in the north and south, east and west, with whom we can work
and interact. We want our borders to be open. This will contribute
to a firm and long-lasting peace in the region.
Q: You are struggling to achieve friendly relations with Armenia, much
like Georgia is with Russia. Is this because we have similar problems:
Azerbaijan – that of Karabakh, and Georgia – those of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia? How are you going to settle the Karabakh conflict,
and does Azerbaijan have any advice for Georgia?
A: Let’s start from the end. There are no ready recipes to solve
the problems. The biggest problem plaguing the Caucasus today is
the unresolved conflicts in the region. 20 percent of Azerbaijani’s
territory is broken away from Azerbaijan. Negotiations are underway
and conducted under the aegis of the Minsk group. We do want our
neighbour [Armenia] to make proper conclusions and recognise the
norms of international law, as other states have done. Our hope is
that the international community will make political assessments of
our neighbour’s actions, especially as OSCE has already recognized
that Armenia is occupying Azeri territory.
Q: Do you think this issue will reach the Hague Tribunal? As far as
I know, Azerbaijan is working on the issue, and our compatriot Paata
Davitashvili is also involved in this activity.
A: Launching a case in Hague would need extensive work. I think,
if necessary, Azerbaijan will take the proper measures, but it does
need preparations.
Q: In your opinion, how effective would it be to conduct an
inter-Caucasian dialogue with the participation of the leaders of
all three South Caucasian states, plus neighbouring Turkey and Russia?
A: We have seen several such meetings conducted under various
formats. Parliamentary speakers of these countries have already met
but it’s hard to say how effective these meetings have been. I hope
a meeting between the executives of the countries will yield more
concrete results. I can say more about the importance of bilateral
relations. Azerbaijan has a very distinct, clear position about the
breakaway territory, and is demanding the withdrawal of forces. It’s
absurd, almost impossible, when someone tries to impose on you the
importance of economic relations or re-opening of rail communications
when the territory is still in foreign hands. We can only talk of
ending this occupation, eliminating the results of the aggression,
and demanding compliance [from Armenia] with the norms of international
law.
Q: What is Azerbaijan’s position on re-opening of the rail link between
Georgia and Russia via Abkhazia? Armenia and Russia have deep interests
in this project.
A: It’s up to Georgia to determine the need for re-opening this
rail link. We cannot comment on it. I can only say that Georgia and
Azerbaijan are friendly countries and we have much in common.
Q: Among common points we can also name the BTC pipeline. What role
do you think it plays in Georgian-Azeri relations?
A: Had the pipeline been unprofitable for Azerbaijan, we would not have
launched it. It is profitable for Georgia, as well. Azerbaijan made
this step based on our historically friendly relations with Georgia.
Q: Let’s touch on the issue of the Georgian settlements in
Azerbaijan. As far as we know, Georgian schools functioning in
Azerbaijan have had some problems using Georgian textbooks. Is
Azerbaijan planning to make any steps to help Georgian schools?
A: Some 17,000 Ingilos live in the Kakh and Zakatalo regions in
Azerbaijan. I can say that they have all necessary conditions to
develop and preserve their mother tongue, to learn Georgian culture
and develop it. They have their own cultural centre and a theatre.
The Azeri government pays heed to the demands of the Georgian
population and assists them in solution of the problems. During her
visit to Azerbaijan, (Georgia’s First Lady) Sandra Roelofs asked our
government to provide ambulances for these regions and we certainly
honored her request. You know that Georgia is also home to a half
million Azeri minority. However, Azerbaijanis have quite a different
problem here – they are not taught the Georgian language at high
level. Poor language skills are one of the major impediments for the
integration of the Azeri minority in Georgia. Georgia should create
conditions to improve the teaching of its state language.
This is why we do want Azeri people to learn the Georgian language,
the history of the Georgian people, and to receive education in the
Georgian language to ensure that they are equal citizens of Georgia
and enjoy equal privileges and rights. However, due to poor knowledge
of the Georgian language, they cannot participate in the active life
of Georgia.
Q: From the very first years of its independence, Armenia has
identified Russia as its strategic ally. Azerbaijan has managed to
establish rather balanced relations with Russia; at least it does not
have any acute problems in its relations with Russia, while Georgia
does. Ironically, Azerbaijan has not sold any assets of strategic
importance to Russia, while Georgia has sold many. How have you
managed to improve your relations with Russia?
A: You know, every policy should be built on realism and experience
of international law. Azerbaijan made it clear that it was to build
its policy on good neighbourly relations and friendship. We only
want one thing – to make friends with all of our neighbours. That
would guarantee peace in the region. This is why, when we talk about
relations with Russia, Georgia, Iran, and even with Armenia, we try
to base our relations on peaceful co-existence, international law
and friendship. If you follow this policy without major deviations,
without compromising your principles, the policy will bear fruit in
the long run.
Q: Are you striving for integration into NATO?
A: No, we are striving to keep relations with the international
community and international organizations normal and active. At this
stage, we are satisfied with this level of relations with NATO as it
helps us further develop. However, it is not absolutely necessary
to join NATO to achieve that. We don’t set such goals at all, but
cooperation is beneficial for both parties.
Q: The US is building pressure on Iran concerning nuclear armament
allegations. If the US decides to attack Iran where will Azerbaijan
stand?
A: Iran is our neighbour and we have good neighbourly relations. We are
ready to cooperate with every party that supports peaceful settlement
of the issue.
Q: Azerbaijan is a member of GUAM. At the recent GUAM summit in Kiev,
Saakashvili’s rhetoric over Russia was explicitly negative, while
Azerbaijan refrained from being critical. Will those differences in
foreign policy priorities deepen the rift within this organization
and help divide it into two camps?
A: Let’s make it clear that GUAM is not an organization that
is targeting any country. GUAM is an organization which aims to
solve issues concerning the four member countries, to facilitate
to economic, political and cultural actions among them. It aims to
create the necessary conditions for common development. I don’t think
its confrontation with any country or organization would be reasonable.
Q: At the GUAM summit the leaders of the member countries talked
about further enlargement of the organization to incorporate Romania,
Bulgaria and some other countries.
A: I don’t think that is a bad idea.
Q: You don’t, but Russia might not like it.
A: I don’t have any such information, nor have I heard of any open
rhetoric [against GUAM enlargement]. Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said
that Azerbaijan viewed GUAM as an organization with a more economic
basis than a political one.
Q: Let’s get back to relations between Georgia and Azerbaijan. The
two countries have not yet agreed on the restoration of the portion
of the Davit Gareji monastery complex which is in Azeri territory.
Georgia wants to restore the complex and has launched some work,
but Azerbaijan has suspended it. Can you explain this?
A: Azerbaijan is planning to do the restoration work on its own and it
is expecting an appeal from the Georgian Patriarchate. What happened
before is that several Georgian men just crossed the border and began
erecting some frames around the monastery. This was an illegal move
and we had to take all proper measures to end to the action. However,
Azerbaijan is still ready to restore the monastery.
Q: Azerbaijan has spoken of conducting certain economic projects in
Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia [densely settled by Azeri population].
What is Baku thinking about the projects now?
A: I don’t think Azerbaijan will refuse the implementation of any
projects. However, Georgia has to create a favourable investment
climate to encourage Azeri investors.
Q: Who or what is hindering the inflow of investments?
A: Do you know? If I knew who was impeding the final solution of the
issue I would name them.
Q: Azerbaijan has seen a tremendous growth in its economy.
Nonetheless, Azeri companies do not participate in tenders in
Georgia. How can you explain this?
A: Georgia has to provide firm guarantees to attract Azeri capital.
This is very important for investors.