RAMIL SAFAROV’S LAWYER SUBMITS AN APPEAL – ADIL ISMAYLOV
Author: J.Shakhverdiyev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 18 2006
An appeal has been submitted against the sentence issued on Ramil
Safarov, Trend reports with reference to lawyer Adil Ismaylov speaking
at the conference in the International press center.
Mr Ismaylov said violations have been admitted at the last session
on R. Safarov’s case held in Budapest Court. For instance, when Mr
Safarov was saying his last word, the judge interrupted him, which is
prohibited by Hungarian laws. “The judge stopped Mr Safarov, saying
Azeri officer supposedly offends Armenian officers. Thus, the judge
was trying to oppress R. Safarov. However, Mr Safarov’ lawyers have
brought to the attention of the court that there was no offense in
his words. In general, the judge’ opinion on R.Safarov was biased
and this resulted in a life imprisonment verdict” – Mr Ismaylov said.
The lawyer said also the judge had openly shown his bias yet a year
ago. “Yet prior to the legal investigation, examination of accused
and witnesses, the judge said he would sentence R.Safarov to life
imprisonment anyway” – the lawyer claimed.
Mr Ismaylov said he hoped for change of the verdict by Appeal Court
that shall process the appeal within the year. “I think The Appeal
Court will change the penalty and there will be no need to address
the higher instances, including European Court.”

AZERBAIJANI DM RECEIVED US AMBASSADOR WHO IS ACCOMPLISHING HIS MISSION
Regnum, Russia
April 18 2006
Azerbaijani Defense Minister, Col.-Gen. Safar Abiyev has met US
Ambassador in Baku Reno Harnish, who is accomplishing his diplomatic
mission in the country, REGNUM is told in press office of the
Azerbaijani defense ministry.
The minister noted that during the ambassador’s mission in Azerbaijan,
bilateral relations between the two countries, including military
cooperation, have developed significantly. Talking about the
Armenian-Azerbaijani, Nagorno Karabakh, conflict, Safar Abiyev
stressed that the US should intensify its effort aimed at searching
for conflict settlement within framework of the international law
and territorial integrity of states. He said: “I suppose, US co-chair
Steven Mann’s visit to the region will have positive influence upon
the conflict settlement.”
In his turn, Reno Harnish noted that the US-Azerbaijani cooperation
is of strategic nature. According to him, Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev’s visit to the USA would give a momentum to further development
of the bilateral ties.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

IT IS ENVISAGED TO TRANSFORM ARDSHININVESTBANK INTO OPEN JOINT STOCK COMPANY
Noyan Tapan
Apr 18 2006
YEREVAN, APRIL 18, NOYAN TAPAN. It is envisaged to transform
Ardshininvestbank CJSC (closed joint stock company) into an open joint
stock company (OJSC) in the future. Chairman of Ardshininvestbank
Board Aram Andreasian stated at the April 18 press conference
that the bank management also intends to attract an institutional
investor. According to him, by the results of the first quarter of this
year, Ardshininvestbank took first place in the RA banking system by
the amount of its undistributed profit, which made about 4.9 bln drams
(about 10.9 mln USD). The bank was in second place by the amount of its
assets, capital and credit invetsments, which made 53.1 bln drams, 9.4
bln drams and 22.8 bln drams respectively. There was an unprecedented
growth in the number of ArCa and MasterCard plastic cards issued by
the bank in the first quarter of 2006 (15 thousand cards). It was
noted that this year the bank will continue participating in a number
of international programs. Particularly, Ardshininvestbank plans to
take part in the mortgage crediting market development program, which
is being implemented by KfW Bank (Germany). A. Andreasian assured
that this market will develop in Armenia and mortgage crediting will
become accessible for many sections of the country’s population.

INITIATIVE GROUP FOR RETURN OF WESTERN AZERBAIJANIS
Author: J.Shakhverdiyev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 18 2006
Azerbaijan’s Way movement has established an initiative group to
promote returning Western Azerbaijanis chased out by Armenians, to
their homelands and giving them a status of enclave. Trend reports
that on this occasion the aforesaid movement has arranged a press
conference on April 18.
Opening the conference, Ilgar Gasymov, leader of Azerbaijan’s Way,
said in 1948-53 and in 1988 over one million Azerbaijanis had been
exiled from Armenia. “In order to return them to their homelands, we
planned to arrange mass actions around the globe on April 24 – May 8.
These actions will be supported by Turkish and Jewish organizations
of the world. Preliminary agreement on the matter ha already been
concluded”.
Mr Gasymov said also a signature collection campaign is planned on this
matter. Upon the completion of the campaign and preparation of all
necessary documents, the materials will be submitted to Azerbaijan’s
representatives to PACE. The movement aims to raise this question
in PACE.
Speaking at the conference, deputy Fazil Gazanfaroglu called return of
Azerbaijanis exiled from Armenia the topic of the day. Mr Gazanfaroglu
said Milli Medjlis would include this issue in its day agenda.
Azerbaijan’s Way movement has also addressed the head of the state,
speaker and minister of exterior on the matter of returning exiled
Western Azerbaijanis to their homeland.

CORPORATE MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES TO REDUCE SHADOW ECONOMY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 18 2006
Yerevan, April 18. /ARKA/. The introduction of corporate management
principles will contribute to the reduction of shadow economy in
Armenia, Board Chairman of the “Ardshininvestbank” CJSC Aram Andreasyan
told reporters.
According to him, the need for corporate management is urgent in the
real economic sector in contrast to the transparent banking sector.
Andreasyan reported that at their meeting at the end of May 2006
the bank’s shareholders will introduce corporate management related
amendments into the bank’s regulations.
In January 2006, the Central Bank of Armenia launched the introduction
of corporate management.
The “Ardshininvestbank” CJSC received License #83 from the Central
Bank of Armenia on February 23, 2003. The bank was founded by the
Russian financial-industrial group “International Business Center.”
The bank is owned by the two companies forming the group. By March
31, 2006, the bank’s authorized capital had amounted to AMD 3bln,
assets AMD 53.1bln and balance profit AMD 4.9bln ($1 – AMD 450.15).

PACE DELEGATION TO VISIT ARMENIA TO EXAMINE GENDER EQUALITY
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 18 2006
YEREVAN, April 18. /ARKA/. A delegation of the PACE Committee for
gender equality is on a visit to Yerevan.
The delegation includes Reporter Vera Oskina and Jeanique Devout,
staff member, PACE Secretariat.
On April 16, the delegation held meetings with NGO representatives.
On April 17, Oskina and Devout held a meeting with RA Minister of
Health Norair Davisyan, RA Minister of Labor and Social Security
Aghvan Hovsepyan, RA Minister of Urban Development Aram Harutyunyan,
as well as with RA Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan.
The same day, the PACE delegation held meetings with Head of the
Armenian delegation to PACE, Vice-Speaker of the RA Parliament Tigran
Torosyan, Chairman of the Commission for Social Affairs, Health and
Ecology Gagik Mkheyan and Parliament members Hermine Nahdalyan and
Armenuhi Hovhannisyan.
Oskina and Devout are also to visit the Research Center of Obstetrics
and Perinatology and the correctional institution in Abovyan.

TURKEY’S ADMISSION TO EU POSSIBLE AFTER SETTLEMENT OF ISSUE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 18 2006
Yerevan, April 18. /ARKA-Novosti-Armenia/. Turkey’s admission to the
European Union is only possible after the re-opening of borders with
Armenia and settlement of the issue of the Armenian Genocide in 1915,
Chairwoman of the EU-Armenia Parliamentary Cooperation Commission
Mary-Ann Isler Begin told reporters in Yerevan.
According to her, the European Parliament has always been for the
re-opening of the Turkish-Armenian borders. This issue will certainly
be raised the moment of Turkey’s admission to the European family.
Otherwise, the admission of the country having its borders with its
neighbors closed to the EU is impossible, Isler Begin said.
She also pointed out that, before being admitted to the EU, Turkey
must settle the issue of the Armenian Genocide inside itself.
On October 3, 2005, a meeting of the EU Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg
reached an agreement on Turkey’s admission to the EU. On October 4,
2005, the EU started official negotiations with Turkey.
Western experts forecast that the negotiations with official Ankara
may last 15-20 years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PENTAGON CALLED REPORTS ON US INVASION OF IRAN SOON ‘ABSURD SPECULATIONS’
Yerkir
19.04.2006 12:21
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Pentagon called reports on forthcoming US invasion
of Iran “absurd speculations,” US military department’s official
representative Bryan Whitman stated at a briefing in Pentagon.
“Like the international community the US President chose diplomacy
as a preferred approach to stop Iran’s nuclear programs,” Bryan
Whitman said.
At the same time Bryan Whitman did not fully deny the US has plans
of military operations in the region. “No one will believe Pentagon
does not have plans for all types of potential military developments,
including those in Iran,” Whitman said. He remarked, Pentagon forms
plans based on any development of the situation, RIA Novosti reports.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KEITH KEENER’S POSITIVE THOUGHTS
San Francisco Caller
San Francisco, CA, USA
April, 2006
Part 1 and part 2 of Keith Keener’s Positive Thoughts were written
some 3 years ago – they must have struck a cord. I continue to
receive an outpouring of mail, most of it people expressing agreement
with my support of President Bush and the War on Evil. In fact,
the question most people asked me is, “Besides flying the American
flag and participating in hate crimes, how can I show my support for
the President?”
Actually, most of the so-called “hate crimes” you’re talking about
are directed at terrorists, so they’re really motivated by love for
America. It’s time to start calling them “love crimes.” Actually, now
that I think of it, “crimes” doesn’t really best capture this. Maybe
“making love.” Though I think that one’s taken.
Since you’ve asked, though, the best thing you can do is to start
boycotting right now. France refuses to go along with America on our
pre-emptive retaliation at Iraq, so I say, start boycotting French
wine, French cheese, etc. I live in Wisconsin, so I don’t even eat
French cheese (why would I, with good old Wisconsin fried cheese
curds all around?) or drink French wine (again, with Wollersheim
Winery located in Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, I don’t need to import).
I can’t stop eating French fries, so like many Americans, I’m calling
them “Freedom fries.” And there’s also “freedom toast.”
We should also be boycotting Turkish stuff, because of the way that
Turkey has treated us. President Bush generously offered Turkey
something like 90 billion dollars in aid, plus U.S. special forces
to use in fighting the Armenian menace. He then pledged to remove,
by executive order, the word “Armenia” from American dictionaries,
which he has already whittled down to just about 600 words in previous
presidential decrees. Come to think of it, he already took “whittle”
out of U.S. dictionaries, so I have to rewrite that sentence or start
using British English, whatever the heck that is. Anyway, I don’t think
I can boycott any Turkish things, so I am trying to think of a good
way to rename “Turkish taffy,” which is that country’s most important
cultural legacy. They’re also really mad about the popularity of My
Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Anyway, the upshot of this is, if you see someone wearing a beret
or a fez, I suggest that you make love. Or commit a love crime,
whichever you think is the better way to say this.
Sorry for the long intro, but it sort of ends Part 1 and 2 of the
Positive Thoughts. Until next time.
PMB 31 322 Cortland Avenue San Francisco, CA 94110.

VARDAN OSKANYAN PRESENTS EU HIS COMPROMISE PROPOSAL
Author: Z. Ibrahimli
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 18 2006
The Armenian foreign minister, Vardan Oskanyan told on April 18 in
Yerevan: “presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have failed to reach the
agreement in Rambuy, however, we don’t think that the meeting itself
was a failure.” Speaking today at the commission of the parliamentary
cooperation Armenia- EU in Yerevan, Osknayan said that “misfit in
Rambuy does not mean the failure of the whole negotiating process,”
Trend reports, citing Mediamax agency. He reminded that the Rambuy
meeting has been held on the basis of the existing progress achieved
in the course of 2005.
Oskanyan noted that considering previously achieved agreements and
activity of mediators there are possibilities to hope for the progress
in the negotiating process.
If previously Yerevan announced that it will discuss the problems
of the conflict consequences only after the political status of
Nagorno-Karabakh will be defined, now Armenia is doing a ‘serious
compromise’ and follows a different position.
“If Azerbaijan agrees with the fact that Nagorno-Karabakh people have
right for self-definition, which might be implemented not necessarily
now but in the future, then Armenian side is ready to discuss the
settling down of the conflict consequences – territory, refuges and
other security matters,” Oskanyan said.