AZERI GENERAL CONSUL CONCERNED ABOUT STATEMENT OF HEAD OF KARS
ADMINISTRATION ABOUTING UNBLOCKING BORDERS WITH ARMENIA
Yerevan, August 2. ArmInfo. The Turkish-Armenian borders may be
unblocked under three conditions only. APA informed that Hasan
Zeinalov, General consul of Azerbaijan to Kars, stated about this.
“The borders may be unblocked only, Armenia should renounce the issue
of the Armenian Genocide, give up territorial claims from Turkey and
leave the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,” Zeinalov said. He added
that there are forces in Turkey that are interested in unblocking the
border with Armenia. “I state once again that the issue of unblocking
the borders is neither in the plenipotentiaries of the head of regional
administration, nor in the rights of the interested forces,” he said.
It’s worth mentioning that Alibekoghlu, head of Kars administration,
emphasized the importance of opening borders with Armenia in the
interview to “Turkish Daily News” newspaper. He said this will help
export the Turkish goods to the Middle East and Far East by a cheap
and reliable path.

“CILICIA” ARMENIAN VESSEL SHIP CONTINUES ITS NAVIGATION DOWN RIVERS OF RUSSIA
Yerevan, August 2. ArmInfo. “Cilicia” Armenian vessel ship continues
its navigation down the rivers of Russia.
Armen Nazarian, participant of the voyage, informed ArmInfo that that
the vessel-ship sails down the numerous sluices of the Volga-Baltic
channel and will head for the Upper Sheksana river thought the
Black Sea.

CILICIA VESSEL ARRIVING IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.08.2006 13:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Cilicia vessel, made in Armenia according to XIII
century drafts, is arriving in Nizhny Novgorod today. The ship is an
exact copy of the vessel, on which Cilician seafarers navigated in
XI-XIII centuries. Extraordinary Envoy and Plenipotentiary Minister
of the Armenian Embassy in Russia Ashot Manukyan is arriving to meet
the crew.
The vessel has followed the route Venice-Amsterdam, having doubled
Spain and France, visited Saint Petersburg. The voyage in Russia is
the final stage of the way, devoted to the official declaration of
the Year of Armenia in Russia.

SENATOR COLEMAN WORRIED ABOUT US POLICY OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIAL
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.08.2006 14:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Daily Comment US newspaper and a number of
others have made public the pledge of member of the Foreign Relations
Committee of the US Senate Norm Coleman that he will vote against
the candidacy of Richard Hoagland, nominated by President Bush as
the Ambassador to Armenia. “I am concerned over our policy over
denial of historical realities. The Bush Administration recognizes
that since 1915 Turkish troops killed and expelled 1.5 million
Armenians, however, avoids word “genocide”, when speaking about it,
Norm Coleman said. The editions also remind that Senator Barbara
Boxer, who represents California, agreed to the hearings on Hoagland’s
appointment be delayed, however she did not report whom she would vote
for. “The Administration has to change its policy towards Armenia,”
the Senator noted, reports RFE/RL.

ARMENIAN AND SHIITE COMMUNITIES OF LEBANON HAVE NO POLITICAL DIFFERENCES
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.08.2006 14:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Relations between the Armenian and Shiite communities
of Lebanon have always been fraternal and there is no single case,
when interests of both communities were complicated by political
differences, Head of Defense of Released Territories organization,
native of Lebanon Zhirayr Sefilyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In
his words, Armenians of Lebanon have always supported Lebanon’s
demand on release of territories, occupied by Israel. “Our political
and religious leaders have always supported Lebanon’s efforts to that
end,” he said.
In Sefilyan’s opinion, the key personage in that struggle is
Hezbollah. “It should be noted that Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan
Nasrallah grew up in an Armenian environment, in an Armenian
block. When speaking about domestic problems in Lebanon in his
speech on the TV and the press, Nasrallah appreciates the role of
Armenians in the country’s life. Armenian parties periodically meet
with Hezbollah leaders. We also see the role of that organization in
Lebanon’s life and appreciate Hezbollah having nothing in common with
Osama bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda,” Sefilyan underscored.
Some 100 thousand Armenians live in Lebanon at present. The residence
of Cilician Catholicosate (Antilias) is also situated in Lebanon.

BEIRUT ARMENIAN BLOCK NOT BOMBED BY ISRAEL
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.08.2006 14:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Lebanese Army will be able to
worthily rebuff the Israeli Armed Forces, Head of
Defense of Released Territories organization, native
of Lebanon Zhirayr Sefilyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. “My confidence is grounded: Lebanese Army’s
will unite with Hezbollah against Israel. This was the
case in 1996, when by joint efforts the fire was
ceased, Israel left South Lebanon with the mediation
of the US and France. In 2000 the same military
operations resulted in Israel’s defeat. I do not doubt
it will lose this time again. The Lebanese Army along
with Hezbollah and with the support of all of the
Lebanese people will fight for independence and Israel
will have to withdraw from Shebaa. Otherwise Northern
Israel, including Haifa, will always live being
threatened,” Sefilyan underscored.
At that he noted that the Christian block of Beirut
and the Armenian block next to it were never bombed by
Israel. “Most Beirut Armenians live in Eshrefi block,
many live in Burj-Hamud town. Armenians also reside in
Antilias, Zalkan, Jel-el-Dib and other suburbs. Many
Armenians live in Tripol, second largest city in
Lebanon,” Zhirayr Sefilyan said.
Some 100 thousand Armenians live in Lebanon at
present. The residence of Cilician Catholicosate
(Antilias) is also situated in Lebanon.

MEETING AT THE NKR MFA
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
31 July 2006
On July 27, Nagorno Karabakh Republic Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrossian received Vice Speaker of the British Parliament House of
Lords Baroness Caroline Cox and a delegation, which had arrived with
her in Stepanakert. On the request of the guests the Head of the NKR
Foreign Office dwelt upon the process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement in the context of recent regional and world events. “The
Nagorno Karabakh conflict is a complicated one, as a great number
of interests are coming into collision here, which acquire a special
urgency from the standpoint of the recent events in the region and in
the world on the whole,” Georgy Petrossian said. The Minister noted
that the existing format of the negotiations on the Karabakh conflict
settlement did not reflect the core of the conflict. “Unfortunately,
today, the mediators focused their attention not on the essence of the
conflict but on the liquidation of the conflicts’ consequences. We
emphasize once more that without the participation of Nagorno
Karabakh – the most suffered party to the conflict, the achievement
and realization of any agreements are impossible,” Georgy Petrossian
said. Having noted that the negotiations for Nagorno Karabakh are
not an end in itself, the Minister expressed the NKR authorities’
readiness to discuss any issues, which do not infringe upon Karabakh
people’s rights and do not threaten their security. The interlocutors
also touched upon the issues of democratic development of Nagorno
Karabakh and its integration into international processes. “Today,
we face a task of development but not a survival. In this connection
we attach great importance to democratization processes. The freer
are the people, the more protected are their rights in our country
the stronger we shall be. It is a strategical way for us,” Georgy
Petrossian emphasized. Baroness Cox and the delegation members,
headed by her, expressed their readiness to assist Nagorno Karabakh in
asserting its interests on the international scene and in announcing
truthful information to the world community.
PRESS-SERVICE OF THE NKR. 31-07-2006
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RECALL OF US AMBASSADOR FROM ARMENIA INSULTING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS MEMORY
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.08.2006 14:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The reason, for which they want to recall US
Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, is insulting to the memory of
over 1.5 million innocent Armenians, killed in the Ottoman Empire,
political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter. In his words, in this case the policy of Armenian lobby in
the US, led by the Hay Dat office should be hailed.
“Besides, Armenia should stop practicing silent agreement to any
functionary, sent by the State Department as Ambassador to Armenia. In
compliance with the international law, we have the right not to issue
an agreement to a person, who does not display proper respect towards
our history and people,” the political scientist underscored.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKADY GHUKASSIAN MET WITH MATTHEW BRYZA
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
03 Aug 2006
Recently the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs visiting the region
avoided meetings in Karabakh on different excuses. But the ice is
melting. Recently NKR President Arkady Ghukassian met with the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chair Matthew Bryza in Stepanakert, which is highly
appreciable. This is Matthew Bryza’s first visit after becoming
mediator in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Earlier last week
the NKR president said in connection with the meeting that the visit
of the U.S. co-chair is a good chance to present our standpoint fully
to Bryza, as well as the other co-chairs. “This is a cognitive visit
because this is Bryza’s first visit and I believe that it is better
to see once than hear twice. As for our engagement in the talks, this
question will be discussed as well. I believe that no controversies
will occur because all the co-chairs emphasized and realize that it
is impossible to settle the Karabakh issue without the engagement
of Karabakh.” After the meeting on July 29 the NKR president told
news reporters that recently he has been invited to meet with the
co-chairs in Yerevan but he found that it is more correct to hold
these meetings in Karabakh. As for this meeting, Arkady Ghukassian
affirmed that Bryza did not come to Karabakh with new proposals,
he came to get acquainted directly with the standpoint of the third
party. “And we managed to present our standpoint duly,” said Arkady
Ghukassian. Matthew Bryza avoided details, and only mentioned that
the atmosphere was highly constructive and even creative. He said
they tried to find certain approaches that would favor the peace
settlement. The minister of foreign affairs Georgy Petrossian said,
“Today the approach of both the head of state and the U.S. co-chair
was creative. As for details, there are no such. There were new ideas,
which need to be clarified, agreed on and discussed.” Bryza avoided
answering the question if there is a striking difference between the
standpoints of the parties. The NKR president spoke more openly,
“It is natural that we may have different approaches. I think it
was interesting to hear our opinion. I would not say we met strong
countering, because I think our approaches are quite logical. I cannot
give more detail because the meeting is highly confidential, and it
is clear that our standpoint differs from the presented approaches. I
think it is easy for news reporters to make conclusions because you
know our standpoint in the sense that we do not accept components
to be separated from the context. We are against that the problem
of Azerbaijani refugees be viewed separately from the problem of
Armenian refugees. We are against viewing the question of territories
outside the context of the status of Nagorno Karabakh. I repeat
I cannot analyze the whole package proposal, but on the whole it
does not deny that we defend our standpoint. There are no crucial
controversies between the standpoints of Armenia and Artsakh, but
Karabakh has its own approach concerning certain details. I guess
you know both our standpoint and the standpoint of Armenia and you
can draw your conclusions. I would not say that there are crucial
controversies, but we have our approaches on definite details. This
standpoint does not differ from the standpoint we present to our
people. We cannot say one thing to people and another thing to the
co-chairs.” As for the engagement of Karabakh in the talks, the NKR
president thinks that Matthew Bryza, as well as the others realize
that it is impossible to settle the problem of Karabakh without the
engagement of Karabakh. The news reporters asked the same question
to Matthew Bryza, who was again reluctant to comment, saying that
the important thing is that he is here and learns the approaches of
the Karabakh party. With regard to the engagement of Karabakh in the
talks, Bryza said it is the problem of Armenia and Azerbaijan, who
must reach agreement on this question. With regard to the revelations
he made on June 22 in Vienna, Bryza said those were proposals. He
again emphasized that he came to get acquainted with the standpoints
of the presidents, all the interested parties, and is going to meet
with the other co-chairs of the Minsk Group in Paris. According to
him, there are new ideas, new components which may favor the next
step in the talks. The questions concerning the conclusions of the
co-chairs and their next steps, the reaction of the people of the
region to the next step of the Minsk Group do not have answers yet,
and these answers will determine stability in the region. Recently
some media have written that there is pressure on the leaderships
of conflict parties on behalf of certain co-chairs of the Minsk
Group. In answer to the question whether there was pressure during
this meeting, Arkady Ghukassian said, “Do I look like an oppressed
man? And to be more serious, I have not encountered such things over
the past years. I have been in this complicated process since 1992
and I have never felt pressure on me.”
NIKOLAY BAGHDASSARIAN.

MEETINGS WITH NKR PRESIDENT
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
03 Aug 2006
On July 29 NKR President Arkady Ghukassian met with the delegation
of journalists and human rights defenders from Armenia, NKR,
Azerbaijan and Georgia. Arkady Ghukassian appreciated the visit of
the Azerbaijani delegation to Artsakh, which is a positive example
of constructive dialogue between the two societies separated by the
war. Arzu Abdullayeva, the co-chair of Helsinki Civil Assembly and
the coordinator of the National Committee of Azerbaijan, said the
Azerbaijani members of HCA and the Civil Forum on the Settlement
of the Karabakh Conflict are for the engagement of Karabakh in the
talks, a peace settlement and friendly relations between the two
societies. Ms. Abdullayeva said the Azerbaijani, Armenian and Karabakhi
NGOs cooperate in a warm atmosphere and mutual understanding. We
would like the official meetings were in a similar atmosphere. The
participants of the meeting emphasized the problems of reaching a
peace settlement of conflicts and establishment of mutual confidence
between the peoples and societies. Answering their questions, the NKR
president particularly mentioned that a historical reconciliation of
the peoples of the region is the underlying precondition of settlement
of the conflict over Karabakh and establishment of peace. Without
reconciliation it is impossible to implement a peace agreement,
eliminate the consequences of war and clear the path for regional
development, he said. On July 31 NKR President Arkady Ghukassian
met with the Armenian Member of Parliament, the leader of the
National Democratic Party Shavarsh Kocharian and discussed questions
concerning the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, social and economic
development of NKR and parliamentary ties between Artsakh and Armenia.