Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 14 2006
Novruz Mammadov: OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ stances do not coincide
[ 14 Apr. 2006 20:18 ]
`It is early to express an opinion on the new proposals made by OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs regarding the settlement of the Nagorno
Garabagh conflict,’ said Novruz Mammadov, director of Presidential
Administration Department for International Relations.
`The proposals should be grouped and formed in order to air an
opinion on this. If a specific proposal is put forward, we’ll express
our opinion,’ Mr. Mammadov added.
The state official thinks that the stances of the conflicting sides
not just the stances of the Minsk Group are important.
`There should be some changes in the sides’ stances, they should take
a constructive position and take serious steps to solve the
conflict,’ he underlined.
Commenting on OSCE Minsk Group French co-chair Bernard Fassier’s
statement `The new proposals can satisfy both sides 80 percent’ and
Russian co-chairs Yri Merzlyakov’s statement `If both sides are
satisfied 50 percent, I would think the mediation had been
fulfilled’, Mammadov said that every co-chair make proposal basing on
their certain conclusions.
`The co-chairs’ stances do not coincide. The main thing for us is to
liberate our territories from occupation, make the internally
displaced persons return to their native lands, and ensure the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan within the international
juridical norms,’ the Department director said.
Responding to the question whether Azerbaijan will agree to the
liberation of 50% or 80% of its occupied territories, Mammadov said
Azerbaijan can never consent to this.
Commenting on the stance of Azerbaijan to the co-chairs’ suggestion
of organizing a meeting between Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents,
Mammadov stressed that the co-chairs’ opinion do not coincide
regarding this issue either.
`There can be an opinion, if there is an opportunity for the meeting
of the Presidents,’ he added.
Mammadov also touched on the American co-chair Steven Mann’s visit to
Baku scheduled for 18 April, explaining it by the recent intensified
negotiating process.
`Therefore, the co-chairs often visit the region to express their
stances, exchange views and consult together on the issue,’ Mammadov
concluded./APA/

Electronic Newspaper, Singapore
April 15 2006
Miss Iraq goes into hiding
Fifth-placed winner takes crown but fears being targeted by religious
extremists
April 15, 2006

SHE took fifth place in Iraq’s national beauty contest last week, but
Ms Silva Shahakian is now wearing the Miss Iraq crown.
That’s because the original winner stepped down four days after the
contest after receiving death threats.
The first, second and third runners-up also bowed out for the same
reason.

Now, Ms Shahakian, who is an Iraqi Christian, has gone into hiding.
She fears she will be targeted by Islamic militants, said a source
familiar with the pageant.
The pageant was held in a Baghdad social club and the initial winner,
Ms Tamar Goregian, an Armenian Iraqi, returned the crown four days
later, said the source. The man spoke on condition of anonymity,
saying he too feared retribution from militants.
Ms Shahakian’s whereabouts are unknown, but she was quoted by ABC’s
Good Morning America as saying that she will keep her title.
TAKING THE CHANCE
‘This chance does not come to every girl. So I’m lucky to have that.
I’m not going to lose it,’ she said in the programme. ‘I’ll take
care. I will change my living place. I would like to take that
chance. I will do my best.’
ABC reported that Ms Goregian received threats from a group of
religious extremists who referred to her as ‘the queen of infidels’
for participating in the contest.
Her four-day reign is believed to be the shortest in the pageant’s
60-year history. The pageant director told ABC that he respected her
decision.
‘The country is undergoing rough times, and we understand her desire
to protect herself and her family,’ he said.
Pageant organisers were planning to hand the crown over to runner-up
Mona Hilmi, an Iraqi Sunni Muslim.
One of the organisers said she was ‘equally intelligent and
beautiful’.
Apparently, she declined, although news reports did not elaborate.
The second and third runners-up also turned down the title for
security concerns, although they had not received specific threats.
Beauty pageants in Iraq usually attract girls from wealthy, liberal
families who often have a Western education.
The contest was the first to be held in Iraq since the US-led
invasion in 2003, according to ABC.
The network said the pageant organisers are hoping to send the winner
to the Miss Universe pageant in Los Angeles on 23 Jul. – AP.

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 14 2006
Political parties and associations protest Ramil Safarov’s sentence

Source: Trend
Author: J. Shakhverdiyev

14.04.2006

Alongside the injustice shown at issuing the life sentence on Azeri
military officer Ramil Safarov charged with killing Armenian officer
in Hungary, the sentence itself is issued by the order of Armenian
lobby, Trend reports with reference to Mamed Alizadeh, chairman of
Deliberative Council and leader of Azerbaijan Democratic World Party.
He said that R. Safarov was issued such a sentence, as Azerbaijan’s
society was not eager to protect his rights. «Armenian lobby in
Hungary did much for issuing such a sentence on our compatriot. In
this regard we should do our best to have the Appeal Court of Hungary
change the penalty»,- he outlined.

On this matter Umud party has disseminated a statement saying
Hungarian court has shown its injustice on the case of Azeri officer.
«The last words said by R.Safarov show that he had killed Ramenian
officer not in revenge, he was provoked to commit the crime. This
fact should have promoted the penalty softening. However, 5eh court
didn’t mind his words».
Umud party officials also suggest the influence of Armenian lobby on
the judge.

Azerbaijan Way movement also regarded the verdict issued by Judge
Andrash Vashkuti as biased. The movement officials said fair judge
should have thoroughly analyzed the case, but the judge did not take
R.Safarov’s feelings into consideration.

Vurgun Eyyub, first deputy chairman, Mussavat, says it had been very
unfortunate to present him a national hero as such position had a bad
influence on the judge. Mr Eyyub opines that official Baku should
persuade Hungarian Appeal Court to change the penalty.
Vahdat, Islamic, Social-Democratic, Great Creation, Civil unity and
Ana Vatan parties also protested R.Safarov’s unfair sentence.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 14 2006
Union of liberation movements addresses local offices of
international organizations and Hungarian courts

Source: «Trend»
Author: S. Ilhamgyzy

14.04.2006

Union of liberation movements addressed local offices of UNO, OSCE,
EC, Hungarian government and legal instances, Trend reports with
reference to the Union officials.
The address states the negative reaction the sentence issued by
Budapest municipal court on Azeri military officer Ramil Safarov
received in our country; this sentence causes doubt in justice in
Hungary that is a member of European family. It also gives the notion
of R.Safarov’s psychological state in the moment of the crime, and
says Armenians had occupied his homeland and murdered all relatives.
It stresses that Hungarian court’s sentence issued on R.Safarov may
result in distrust between Azeri and Hungarian nations and calls to
fix this injustice.

Baku Today, Azerbaijan
April 14 2006
War Worst Option For All Parties Of Conflict, Says Bernard Fasye
The Co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group warned all parties of the
conflict that war is the worst option and war means new victims,
tragedies, orphans, destructions, refugees and meaningless expense.
Irregardless of the outcome of a war, the sides will find themselves
in the situation that existed before the war, said Bernard Fasye,
French co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, at a press conference
yesterday in Yerevan.
He urged the parties to put off the dispute about who declared
started the war and who settled in Nagorno Karabakh first. It is
necessary to build a peaceful future as neighbors, he added.
Fasye said format of negotiations cannot be changed, it can be
“adapted,” but not replaced. It is impossible to fully resolve the
conflict, because of the absolutely opposite demands of the sides. He
added that the co-chairmen are seeking, for the basis of the future
settlement, to prepare the framework agreement.
The co-chairmen’s hopes for the talks in Rambouillet went unrealized,
but negotiations did not reach an impasse, they continue, he said. In
early May the co-chairmen intend to meet again in Moscow and then
together visit the region to prepare for another meeting between the
Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents.
“Right now I cannot say the place or date of the meeting, because
they are yet to be determined. But the co-chairmen will use every
opportunity to organize the meeting in June or July,” he stressed.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Regnum, Russia
April 14 2006
Powerful Motherland Party: `Armenia has more powerful resource than
oil dollars’
`We are ready to cooperate with parties outside of the National
Assembly, and to take part in 2007 parliamentary elections being
united,’ leader of Democracy and Work Party Spartak Melikyan stated
at a press conference on April 14. According to him, the law On
Electing of Armenian National Assembly Deputies has to be changed. In
particular, Spartak Melikyan stressed, at 1999 elections 23% of votes
were not taken into consideration, as well as 27% in 2007, `because
in total exactly so many citizens voted for parties and blocs, which
did not overcome 5%-barrier, and , correspondingly did not receive NA
mandates.’ `In such a way, forces are now presented at parliament,
which do not represent interests of one third of Armenian
population,’ resumed the party head, suggesting decreasing of the
barrier up to 3%.
In its turn, Head of the Armenian United Communist Party (AUCP) Yuri
Manukyan excluded possibility of unification with other political
groups, motivating his position by fact, `at present, there is no
party in Armenia, except for AUCP, which strives for returning to
socialism.’ Deputy Head of Powerful Motherland Party Shirak Torosyan,
foreseeing `possible falsification of 2007 parliamentary elections,’
insisted on changing of the law’s norm on announcement election
results. According to him, the outcomes have to be known at midnight
of the election day, and not of the following day, as it is foreseen
now.
Finally, participants of the discussion agreed, state should not
`concentrate efforts,’ but `guarantee conducting of fair and
democratic elections.’ `We have not to fear oil dollars of
neighboring enemy, we have even more powerful resource – democratic
society,’ stressed the head of the Powerful Motherland.

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
April 14 2006
Members of PACE Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in
Armenia

On April 15-18 Vera Oskina, Rapporteur of the Committee on Equal
Opportunities for Women and Men and Jannick Devaux, PACE Secretariat
officer will be in Yerevan.
On April 16 they will meet with the representatives of the NGOs.
On April 17 meetings with Norayr Davidyan, RA Minister of Health and
Aghvan Vardanyan, RA Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Ruzan
Alaverdyan, RA Urban Development Deputy Minister and Armen
Harutyunyan, Human Rights Defender.
The same day Mrs. Vera Oskina and Mrs. Jannick Devaux will be
received by Tigran Torosyan, head of NA delegation in PACE, NA Vice
President, Gagik Mkheyan, Chairman of NA Standing Committee on Social
Affairs, Health Care and Environment, MPs Hermine Naghdalyan and
Armenuhi Hovhannisyan.
Vera Oskina, Rapporteur of the Committee on Equal Opportunities for
Women and Men and Jannick Devaux, PACE Secretariat officer will visit
RA Obstetrics and Perinatalogy Research Institute and Abovian
Criminal Procedure Institution of the Ministry of Justice.
On April 18 the madams will leave Yerevan.

Ïðàî ûáîðà, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
April 14 2006
“Echo”: Armenian Lobbyists Change Position
14.04.2006

James Kolbe thanked Azerbaijan for partnership in anti terror
coalition
“Let me express gratitude of American nation to Azerbaijan nation for
partnership in anti terror coalition”. James Kolbe, US Congressman
from Arizona State, Chairman of Sub-Committee for External Affairs of
the House of Representatives of US Congress stated at the
press-conference. He underlined that Azerbaijan sent its peace-makers
to Afghanistan and Iraq, and also gave the right of flight all along
its air space and landing in its territory.
Talking of the settlement of Nagorno-Garabagh conflict, James Kolbe
reminded that the United States are one of the Co-Chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group, and urged for signing long-term just peace that could
set up conditions for development and prosperity of the region. He
also expressed a confidence that Azerbaijan President’s visit to
Azerbaijan will demonstrate development of US-Azerbaijan
relationship.
But journalists were interested with another: reportedly
well-informed sources, in due time James Kolbe was one of the
co-authors of the 907 Amendment “tied hands” of the Washington to
develop bilateral relations with Azerbaijan that called by Kolbe
himself as strategic ally of the US. At the instance of “Echo”
commenting this point James Kolbe hastened to assure that his role in
adoption of 907 Amendment “had been exaggerated a little” and
underlined that for the last five years he always voted for support
of the US Administration’s proposal concerning to suspend 907
Amendment. Demonstration of “change of positions” of the most
Armenian lobbyists in US Congress turned out more impressive.
James Kolbe did not exclude that the issue relating elimination of
907 Amendment will be discussed pending Azerbaijan President’s visit
to US, but underlined that last word is behind the US Congress. At
the same time, he said that one of the ways for elimination of 907
Amendment should be the conflict settlement.
James Kolbe also commented the fact that differing from Armenia and
Georgia Azerbaijan was not included to the Millennium Challenge
Programme. James Kolbe emphasized that no projects being implemented
within the framework of Millennium Challenge Programme concern
Nagorno-Garabagh. According to him, he took an active part in project
development that should give a new direction to US financial aid
abroad. According to him, annually, 6-7 new countries are included to
the Programme, and the main criterion of choice is efficiency of
national power branches. The corruption level determined by the
Congress on the basis of estimation of independent experts plays a
leading role.
At the instance of journalists James Kolbe commented the fact that US
Congress is not concern with reinforcement of neo-authoritarian
tendencies in Russian policy towards newly-established States. As
stated James Kolbe, the United States are, mostly, concerned with
political and economic aspect of this point rather military, and
assured of that Washington is ready to support political and economic
independence of the newly-established countries in the region,
including Azerbaijan.

Turkish Press
April 14 2006
Press Review
TURKIYE
GUL MEETS WITH POLISH FOREIGN MINISTER
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul yesterday met with his Polish
counterpart Stefan Meller in Ankara. During their talks, the two top
diplomats discussed bilateral relations. At a press conference,
afterwards, citing the Polish Parliament’s decision last year on the
so-called Armenian genocide, Gul conveyed Turkey’s concern over the
matter. Stressing that the issue should be taken up by historians,
not politicians, Gul said the move could encourage Armenians. Turkey
has offered to Armenia to investigate the matter, but has so far
gotten no reply, added Gul. For his part, Meller stated that his
government’s support for Turkey’s European Union membership bid would
continue. /Turkiye/

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 14 2006
National renascence movement addresses Europe protesting unjust
sentence issued on Ramil Safarov Karabakh’s youth associations to
address international organizations

Source: «Trend»
Author: J.Shakhverdiyev

14.04.2006

National Renascence Movement (NRM) has addressed European
organizations in a way of protest the unjust verdict issued on Azeri
military officer Ramil Safarov charged with murder of Armenian
officer in Hungary, NRM head Faradj Guloyev told Trend.

Mr Guliyev said an official address had been sent through NRM
representatives in Switzerland, Russia and Turkey to the governments
of these countries and international organizations. «We have also
dispatched a protest note to the other European countries and all
diplomatic representations in Azerbaijan. In the event of any protest
rallies or campaigns run by some organization we will join them
immediately».

NRM leader said also some actions would be taken tom protect Mr
Safarov’s rights. Mr Guliyev stressed that the verdict issued by
Hungarian court on R. Safarov’s case is an unjust and unfriendly one.