A320 BLACK BOXES SENT TO MOSCOW
Kommersant, Russia
May 25 2006
The second black box of the A320 jet that crashed on May 2 outside
Sochi was retrieved in the Black Sea yesterday. Experts of the
Interstate Aviation Committee are to start deciphering the data of the
recorders soon. However, the head of the committee, Tatyana Anodina
doubted that the data in the black boxes were kept intact.
Igor Levitin, Russian transportation minister and head of the committee
investigating the crash, Tatyana Anodina, head of the Interstate
Aviation Committee, and Armenian Ambassador to Russian Armen Sumbatian
went to Sochi yesterday to meet members of the search expedition. The
operation to retrieve the two flight recorders of the A320 lasted 20
days but finished with a success, as Igor Levitin said. The audio
recorder was found and retrieved on Monday. The parameter recorder
was located on Tuesday night and lifted from the Black Sea on early
Wednesday morning. The operation was complicated as the black boxes
were covered with a thick layer of sediments and experts first doubted
that they would manage to locate and hoist the recorders.
Chairperson of the Interstate Aviation Committee Tatyana Anodina
told the press that the audio recorder will be deciphered in Moscow,
contrary to earlier reports that the black boxes will be sent to
Airbus’ specialists in France. Ms. Anodina remarked that there are
chances that the data in the boxes was lost. “The parameter recorder
is intact, but the audio recorder may be in a bad state. The magnetic
film was damaged by the aggressive sea medium and mechanical effects,”
she said.
Experts hope to discover the cause of the crash with the help of the
data in the recorder. A participant of the operation supposed that
the plane probably crashed following the loss of aerodynamic qualities.

EXTREMIST GANG IN RUSSIA DISMANTLED
New York Times
Indianapolis Star,IN
May 25 2006
Officials say arrests bring end to group accused of a series of
racially motivated killings
MOSCOW — The authorities in St. Petersburg announced Wednesday that
they had broken up an extremist group that had shocked Russia with a
string of racially motivated killings, including that of an African
student in April and of an expert on hate crimes nearly two years ago.
The authorities said they had recently arrested five members of the
loosely organized group. Two others appeared to have been arrested
earlier on separate charges, while an eighth was fatally shot as police
tried to arrest him May 18. The police seized weapons, explosives
and neo-Nazi literature in raids of the gang members’ apartments,
the authorities said.
Though charges have not been filed, the case amounted to a rare
judicial success in Russia’s fight against a deadly wave of racism
that has resulted in at least 48 killings across Russia in the past
18 months.
St. Petersburg’s prosecutor, Sergei P. Zaitsev, said the seven
young men in custody were members of a small extremist group with no
known name.
The group’s members are accused of killing Lamzar Samba, a 28-year-old
student from Senegal, who was shot in the neck as he left a nightclub
April 7.
Zaitsev accused the group of killing an Armenian and a Korean, as
well as two of its own members. He said the group was also involved
in the killing of Nikolai M. Girenko, a Russian anthropologist who
became an expert on neo-Nazis, skinheads and other extremist movements.

LITHUANIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS COULD AND SHOULD BE MORE INTENSIVE – LITHUANIAN PRESIDENT
Author: E.Huseynov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
May 25 2006
Trend’s exclusive interview with the Lithuanian President, Valdas
Adamkus, on the eve of his forthcoming visit to Baku on 8-9 June 2006.
Question: How do you estimate the current level and perspectives of
bilateral relationships between Azerbaijan and Lithuania?
Answer: I may evaluate Lithuanian-Azerbaijani relations as friendly,
based of sympathy from the past and on the common future goals –
to live in prospering and safe Europe.
These relations could and should be more intensive – especially in
economical sphere. We receive the signals from our businessmen about
their interest in developing trade relations with Azerbaijan and
I hope that the foreseen visit to Baku this April will serve as an
impulse for the intensification of such cooperation. I am going to
have a group of businessmen accompanying me.
Azerbaijan – is and should be safe and stable transit country between
Europe and South Caucasus region.
I also see open possibilities for fostering our cultural relations,
renewing people-to-people contacts, encouraging flows of tourists
between Lithuania and Azerbaijan.
Lithuania’s, as a new member’s, integration experience is still “fresh”
and we are ready to share it upon the interest of your country. We
have gained a lot from the regional cooperation in this regard, we
suggest basing such a sharing of experience on a regional level –
this is the core of 3+3 initiative (cooperation between three Baltic
and three South Caucasus countries), which implementation depends on
common efforts.
Question: Have you defined the exact date of your official visit to
Azerbaijan? What issues will be on focus of discussions during the
forthcoming visit?
Answer: I think the agenda of this visit should reflect all major
issues of common interest – bilateral cooperation and possibilities
to develop it in particular fields, EU and NATO integration, energy
security, business development. As well, a very important subject of
discussions should be regional issues and Baltic-Black-Caspian sea
regions cooperation.
Question: What aid can Lithuania render to Azerbaijan in its
integration into the international establishments?
Answer: Lithuania welcomes Azerbaijan’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations. We
are ready to share with you all the lessons learned in our way towards
NATO. We already have good traditions of cooperation as Lithuania
and Azerbaijan have been cooperating bilaterally for several years
in various fields of defence. Our experiences in restructuring
security and defense sectors, establishing legal basis and setting
coordination mechanisms for Euro-Atlantic integration might be of
particular interest of your country in the current implementation of
Azerbaijan-NATO IPAP (Individual Partnership Action Plan).
Question: In what stage is the realization of your initiative on
regional cooperation 3+3 (three Baltic countries and three South
Caucasus countries)?
Answer: Having learned from our own experience, how advantageous is
regional cooperation in reaching strategic goals, we are willing to
encourage regional approach in South Caucasus as well. Therefore 3+3
initiative is an essential part of these efforts, as it could provide
opportunity to share Baltics’ experience with the South Caucasus
countries and promote links between them.
As I know the first informal meeting of five Ministers of Foreign
Affairs and Azerbaijani representative, held last December in Liubjana,
was considered as successful step into the implementation of this
initiative, the participants have agreed on the continuation of such
meetings. Let’s work together.
Question: Does Lithuania support the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan? How do you view the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh?
Answer: Lithuania has also suffered complicated historical situations
in relations with the neighbouring countries, though since the
independence our aim is not forgetting the past, to work for the
future and to strengthen friendly cooperation with neighbours –
as it is an inevitable precondition of the wealth of whole region.
The territorial integrity of each country should be respected. We stand
for resolution of any related disputes only in a peaceful manner and
truly hope that such peaceful breakthrough will be reached in your
region in the shortest run.

ARBITRATORS’ DELEGATION MET WITH ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER
Author: À.Mamedov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
May 25 2006
Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Grigory Karasin, Assistant to US
Secretary of State Daniel Freed and cochairs of OSCE Minsk Group met
with Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan today in Yerevan.
Mediamax reports, the delegation is meeting with Armenia’s President
Robert Kocharyan at 400Pm local time.
US Embassy officials said upon the completion of this meeting the
arbitrators are performing with a statement in Mariott hotel.
–Boundary_(ID_zVlIv4duBVBT7BkVkADQqA)–

REPRESENTATIVES OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIRMEN MAKE JOINT STATEMENT
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
May 25 2006
“We, deputies foreign ministers of the Russian Federation, the
United States of America and France, together with co-chairmen
of the Minsk Group of OSCE and the personal representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-office have arrived to Baku with joint diplomatic
mission to promote peace settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
to promote peace settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict because
the time for both parties has come to reach consent on main principles
of settlement”, the deputy minister of foreign affairs of the Russian
Federation Grigory Karasin said. Reading out the text of the joint
statement of representatives of the countries – co-chairmen of the
Minsk Group of OSCE he has told the news conference in embassy of
the Russian Federation in Baku on May 24.
G. Karasin has specified constructiveness of the meetings held in
Baku with President Ilham Aliyev, and up to that is with Minister for
Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov on which prominent aspects of the
future settlement have been discussed and were worked opportunities of
the meeting of presidents of two countries shortly. Both countries, as
stated, should prepare the public to peace, instead of to war. On May
25, the same discussions will be already lead in Yerevan with president
R. Kocharian and Minister of Foreign Affairs V. Oskanian. Then,
representatives of Group will go to the capitals to present reports
to heads of state. The co-chairmen also will inform OSCE and the
international community on results of trip.
” We are at such stage when the mutually advantageous agreement
is achievable. Whether there will be it, depends on Azerbaijan and
Armenia. We leave Baku with hopes and expectations of progress. We
are happy with our stay here and would like to express gratitude to
President Ilham Aliyev and people of Azerbaijan for warm reception”,
G. Karasin said.

THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILIZATION: A REVIEW OF HISTORY TO BE LEARNED
By Margie Weathers
Smoky Mountain Sentinel, NC
May 25 2006
The purpose of this review is to encourage you to read Fisk’s
1,038-page record of suffering and horror. It is an account of wars,
treaties, broken promises, betrayals and massacres, made vivid by a
witness to history.
When I lived in Europe, and now whenever I visit, I’m struck by
the perception of those Europeans with whom I speak toward Americans
concerning our grasp of history and of current events. Not only can we
speak no language but our own, but also we seem locked in a hopeless
provincialism. They never seem condescending or critical, but instead
are courteous and indulgent, somewhat as one would be to a very young
– or extremely immature – person. They see us as what most of us are:
not well informed.
Yet we have reams of information at our fingertips. News magazines
and analyses, factfilled and thoughtful books, abound. Here in Clay
County, Moss Memorial Librarian Mary Fonda, working with a small
budget and a busy staff, always has time to borrow books not on her
shelves from other sources. When there is the money, much of which
comes from the unflagging and skillful efforts of the Friends of the
Library bookstore volunteers, she entertains requests for books that
someone considers important.
For those who seek better to understand the perplexing times in which
we live, it’s hard to imagine a more important work than The Great
War for Civilisation. Robert Fisk has lived for 30 years in Lebanon.
Bom in England and educated in Ireland, he aspired from an early age
to a career in journalism, specifically as a foreign correspondent.
He has more British and international awards than any of his
colleagues. The title of his book, 16 years in the writing, comes
from a quotation on the back of his father’s World War I combat
medal. He sees much of today’s harvest of death and destruction in
the Middle East as the product of seeds planted by the great powers
in the aftermath of that conflict.
There are many other volumes that explore the roots of Middle
Eastern turmoil: The Great Game, Tournament of Shadows, A Peace to
End All Peace, Paris 1919, Balkan Ghosts, and Dame Rebecca West’s
epic two-volume. Black Lamb and Grey Falcon.
Fisk’s work differs in that it is an eye-witness account of 30 years
in which he sees and records the suffering of Middle Eastern peoples,
and includes interviews with survivors and site visits to those
atrocities of prior times.
In the preface, Fisk and a colleague ponder the purpose of
journalism. Fisk thinks the journalist should be an impartial witness
to history. His friend says no, that their job is to monitor the
centers of power. If Fisk fancies himself impartial, I’m sure some
readers will join me in classifying him as far left. What is burned
into his mind and heart is the incalculable damage done to civilian
populations caught in the crossfire as big countries struggle to
maintain the balance of world power. In his place, all of us might
feel the same. However, I think it does us no harm, whatever our
political persuasion, to consider the full spectrum of opinion and
draw our own informed conclusions.
Read this huge book for the accounts with which we are not so
familiar. Consider the early 20th century massacre of Armenians by the
Turks, the invasion of Lebanon by the Israelis, Russia’s Afghanistan
adventure, the incursion of Iraq into Iran and then Kuwait the latter
in our time but already fading from memory.
Our comfortable American world, so blessed with prosperity in the
wake of World War II, is going to change. Let us not be unaware of
the forces shaping our destiny.

MARK GERAGOS ELECTED TO THE ARMENIA FUND INTERNATIONAL BOARD
Valley Sun, CA
May 25 2006
La Cañada Flintridge resident, prominent celebrity attorney and CNN
legal analyst Mark Geragos has been appointed to the International
Board of Trustees of Armenia Fund, the governing body of the worldwide
organization.
The Board of Trustees, which is chaired by President Robert Kocharian,
unanimously approved Geragos’ appointment as a new Trustee to the
Board, it was announced May 12.
“What I like about Armenia Fund is what I call the ‘ecumenical
nature’ of the organization, meaning that it brings together Armenian
political, cultural organizations, and religious institutions around
the world under one mission – to rebuild Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh,”
said Geragos, in a prepared statement.
In the past three years Geragos has participated in Armenia Fund’s
annual Thanksgiving Day Telethons and assisted the organization with
its fundraising efforts.
“Geragos is a great addition to the International Board of Trustees of
Armenia Fund. He brings enormous access and a wide range of resources
to our organization to further our nation-building activities in
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,” stated Maria Mehranian, chairperson
of Armenia Fund, Inc.
During his visit, Geragos had the opportunity to meet with His
Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All-Armenians. On the sidelines
of the board meeting, Geragos also had a private meeting with Board
President Kocharian.
Recently, along with other Los Angeles based attorneys, Geragos filed
a lawsuit against German banks – Deutsche Bank A.G. and Dresdner Bank
A.G – regarding heirs of Armenian Genocide survivors that the banks
have refused to pay.
Geragos’ clients among others have included Hollywood actress Winona
Ryder and pop icon Michael Jackson. A graduate of Loyola Law School in
Los Angeles, Geragos was recently named as one of the most influential
attorneys in the country. The Los Angeles Times describes him as
“seemingly unbeatable.”
Armenia Fund, Inc., is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt corporation
established in 1994 to facilitate large-scale humanitarian and
infrastructure development assistance to Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh. Armenia Fund, Inc. is the U.S. Western Region affiliate of
“Hayastan” All-Armenian Fund.
–Boundary_(ID_UjNUJ2QUuqMlcZJrFPGZLw)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO READY TO HELP ARMENIA IN MILITARY REFORMS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
May 25 2006
YEREVAN, May 24. /ARKA/. NATO is ready to help Armenia in military
reforms, Special Representative of NATO Secretary General to the
South Caucasus and Central Asia told a press conference.
Commenting on the RA Defense Minister’s statements on the possibility
of completing military reforms before 2015, he pointed out that this
process will take much time. It is difficult to say whether or not
Armenia can complete reforms by 2015, he said.
According to Simons, a great role in this process belongs to the
implementation of IPAP.

LEGISLATORS’ OPTIMISM FADES FAST
By Sean P. Sullivan
Lakeland Regional High School
NorthJersey.com, NJ
May 25 2006
WAYNE — Student legislators met with high hopes Monday for the
first session of the 2006 Model Congress at the Business School of
William Paterson University in Wayne. Successes were few, however,
as the Senate passed only one of its six proposed bills while the
House passed four of nine.
First to be discussed in the House was a bill to commemorate the
Armenian genocide by naming April 24 “Armenian Genocide Recognition
Day.”” The House then moved on to more controversial matters,
bringing to the floor a bill dictating “ballpark” limitations on the
war in Iraq.
Many representatives-including Anthony Marzacco, Republican, 18, of
Wayne Valley High School — considered the bill unconstitutional and
warned that even if the House passed it, it would be “struck down by
the Supreme Court the first chance they get.” The bill did not pass.
The war in Iraq resonated once again on the House floor as the
Committee on International Relations presented a bill proposing
requirements for worker’s compensation benefits for all hired civilian
personnel in combat zones. Although Daniel Akkerman, Democrat, 18,
of Fair Lawn High School drummed up support for the bill as it was
presented to the House, the outspoken Marzacco came out against it,
proclaiming it incomplete.
“If you have a heart — vote for this bill,” said Akkerman in support
of the measure.
“If you have a brain – wait for the amendment,” contested Marzacco.
House Democrats and Republicans found common ground on economic issues,
however, passing two bills aimed at controlling spending. The first
was much broader, simply calling for a balanced federal budget,
while the latter more specifically sought to reduce federal debt by
restricting add-ons to spending bills not directly requested by the
president. Likewise, few representatives opposed the Committee on
Education and the Workforce (HEDU) bill requiring all U.S. citizens of
age and sound mind to draft a notarized, legally binding living will.
Aside from the two bills concerned with economic activity and the
two uncontroversial bills, the representatives found no other common
ground throughout the first session, failing to pass all other
measures proposed.
Among the ill-fated bills was legislation proposing tax breaks for
middle-class college students, a reallocation of funding provided in
the No Child Left Behind Act, and a national “obesity” tax on fast
food products, to be used in obesity education.
Said Christopher Mawson, 18, Democrat, of Lakeland Regional High School
of the latter: “I don’t know anyone who doesn’t know that fast food
is bad for them. And if not – you should go outside.”
Meanwhile, on the Senate floor, the first session saw overwhelming
failure among proposed bills, as only one was passed. The Source
of Disclosure Act, which protects journalists from revealing their
sources, presented by the Senate Judiciary Committee (SJUD), passed
narrowly, 11-10.
None of the other bills left the Senate floor. Among those that did
not pass was proposed legislation for a renewable, three-year guest
workers permit for all immigrants, which lost 14-7.
Of the more contentious bills discussed, few raised more eyebrows
than one suggesting stricter punishments for violators of immigration
laws. The Senate was split on the issue, however, as some senators
found the bill too stringent, while others considered it too lenient.
Matthew Tietjen, 18, of Clifton High School contended that it did not
provide strict enough punishments for those who cross U.S. borders
illegally. “I think death is a little extreme, but the punishment
[for illegal immigrants] should be a little more extreme. They are
a detriment to society,” said Tietjen.
No discussion was given to a bill brought forth by the Senate Armed
Services Committee (SARM) to provide bonuses to armed servicemen and
women who opted to re-enlist, most likely because it was felt that
the bill would discourage the possibility of implementation of a draft.
Similar to the House, the Senate rejected a bill mandating changes
to the No Child Left Behind Act, as well as an “All College Students
are Created Equal” bill. Both failed in the Senate and similar bills
met the same fate in the House.
The Congress’ sponsors were William Paterson University, the Nicholas
Martini Foundation, Verizon, PSE&G, the Office of the Passaic County
Superintendent of Schools and the North Jersey Media Group Foundation,
which is the charitable arm of the group. The group is the publisher of
the Herald News, The Record and more than 30 weeklies in North Jersey.

ARMENIA-NATO COOPERATION DISCUSSED BY KOCHARYAN, NATO SPECIAL ENVOY IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
May 25 2006
YEREVAN, May 24. /ARKA/. Armenia-NATO cooperation was discussed
Tuesday by Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and NATO Special
Envoy in South Caucasus Robert Simmons. Presidential press service
told ARKA News Agency that Simmons gave a good mark to the process
of individual partnership program IPAP implementation in Armenia
pointing out considerable progress reached for short period of time.
He stressed the importance of Armenian defense system reformation
and democracy buildup.
Kocharyan, in turn, put special emphasis on developing relations
with NATO as part of Eurointegration policy. In his words, an
inter-ministerial commission was set recently for dealing with this
process.
“We are racing against time to observe the schedule of work and are
trying to move even faster than it was initially planned to put joint
programs into reality”, Kocharyan said.