KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL NOT SOLVE SOON, BAKU THINKS
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 16:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is not
predicted soon. The problem is becoming more conserved and is reaching
a deadlock, Musavat Party chair Isa Gambar stated in Baku. In his
words, foreign powers promote it.
By means of the Karabakh conflict Russia not only influences the
foreign policy of the two countries, but is also able to have impact
of government change in Armenia. In general, Russia considers conflicts
in the Caucasus as source of its influence,” he remarked.
Isa Gambar believes that Moscow is ready to resort to settlement of
the conflict only in case its peacekeeping forces are present in the
conflict zone.
“The West wants to change the status quo without Russia’s
participation, thus Armenia and Azerbaijan cannot find common points,”
he said. “Armenia states indirectly and sometimes even directly that
it is not going to step aside from its policy. Thus, settlement of
the NK conflict is not predicted in the near future,” Gambar said,
reports Day.az.

U.S. CONGRESSMEN AGAINST RECALL OF AMBASSADOR EVANS FROM ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 17:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Over 60 Members of Congress, led by Rep. Ed Markey
(D-MA), sent a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asking for
clarification on reports of U.S. Ambassador to Armenian John Evans’
recall over his forthright remarks about the Armenian Genocide,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
Amb. Evans will be relieved of his duties as soon as Hoagland’s Senate
confirmation process is completed.
The 60 Members of Congress expressed special concern about the
destructive precedent of recalling a U.S.
diplomat for speaking truthfully on matters of historical record. They
wrote that, “we must not allow the perception to linger that he
[Amb. Evans] is being required to vacate his position early for
accurately labeling the cataclysmic events of 1915 as genocide.”
The Representatives, noting President Ronald Reagan’s references
to the Armenian Genocide, reminded Secretary Rice that Amb. Evans
“did nothing more than succinctly repeat the conclusions enunciated
by those before him.”
“Ambassador Evans has been recalled for doing nothing more than
honoring the forsaken pledge of his president,” said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. “We want to thank Congressman Markey and
his 59 colleagues for calling for a clarification and rejecting the
Armenian Genocide ‘gag-rule’ imposed by the Turkish government and,
sadly, enforced by our own State Department.” “Armenian Americans
truly regret that the Administration lacks the courage to speak
honestly about its reasons for firing Ambassador Evans,” added
Hamparian. “We call upon the Senate Foreign Relations Committee –
the Congressional panel constitutionally charged with oversight of
diplomatic appointments – to hold a hearing thoroughly examining
the reasons behind this firing, the role of the Turkish government,
and the broader implications for the future of the Foreign Service
that a senior American diplomat’s career has been ended simply for
speaking the truth.”

AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT ACCEPT KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PRINCIPLES
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 16:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An essential aspect of the statement made by
international mediators is establishment of the opportunity to attain
a peace accord, stated Chair of the NKR National Assembly Standing
Commission for External Relations Vahram Atanesyan. In his words,
today there are no real preconditions for agreeing over settlement
principles, proposed by the mediators, as Azerbaijan does not accept
these.
“Before release of territories controlled by the NKR and return of
Azeri refugees Baku is not going to discuss the NKR status. At the
same time before the final determination of the NKR legal status
the Karabakh party cannot discuss matters, referring to the conflict
consequences,” the Commission Chair said.
Atanesyan underscored that Azerbaijan does not wish to make compromises
and refuses even the idea of postponing the Nagorno Karabakh status. At
the same time, having declared independence in 1991, the NKR does not
refuse from another one. “Taking into account the latest developments
in Europe, relating to the readiness of the international community
to recognize independence of Montenegro and Kosovo, NK has all legal
grounds for international recognition of its state independence,”
Atanesyan said, reports IA De-Facto.

FIRST ECHELON WITH RUSSIAN MATERIAL SENT FROM BATUMI TO ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 18:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The first echelon with property of 12th Russian
military base was sent from Batumi to Armenia on the night of
Thursday. According to a representative of the base command, The
echelon will deliver staff armored car and over 50 units of rear
equipment to 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri.
The next echelon will depart from Batumi to the 102nd military base
June 1, 2006. A total of 7 echelons with equipment and other property
of the 12th base of the Russian Defense Ministry are planned to be sent
to Armenia. This is the third echelon with armament and material of
the Russian military. Two previous ones transported the base property
to Akhalkalaki, reports Lenta.ru.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT AND OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS DISCUSSED KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROSPECTS
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 18:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met
with representatives of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries,
specifically co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Steven Mann (US)
and Bernard Fassier (France), as well as Russian Deputy FM Grigory
Karasin, US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried and Represetative
of the French MFA Pierre Maurel.
Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej
Kasprzyk was also present at the meeting, reports the Press Service
of the Armenian leader.
During the meeting the interlocutors discussed principles and
approaches of the current stage of the process of settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as exchanged views over prospects
of solving the issue.

BAKU ASSURES ZHIRINOVSKY DOES NOT BELIEVE WHAT HE SAYS
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 18:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “This is not the first time Vladimir Volfovich
Zhirinovsky permits himself statements, which run counter not only to
principles of Russia’s relations with former Soviet Union republics,
but also Russia’s common international doctrine. By saying that Nagorno
Karabakh can acquire independence Zhirinovsky makes a statement, which
conflicts with Russia’s official stance, which lies in recognition
of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity,” stated Head of the Press and
Information Policy Department of the Azeri MFA Tahir Tagizadeh. In
his words, “similar statements only complicate Russia’s stand as a
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group.”
“I do not know reasons, which urged Zhirinovsky to make an odd
statement like that, however it does not reflect not only official
Moscow’s stand, but also that of the Russian State Duma, of which Mr.
Zhirinovsky is a Vice-Speaker, and even the posture of the Liberal
Democratic Party of Russia, which he chairs. Besides, drawing parallels
between Montenegro and NK is inadmissible. The Russian State Duma
Vice-Speaker is looking for parallels where these cannot be found. Does
he believe his own words? I do not think so,” Tahir Tagizadeh assures.
Unrecognized republics, which were formed in the territory of
the former Soviet Union, will follow the path of Montenegro,
Russian State Duma Vice-Speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky had
stated. “Abkhazia, Transnistria and Karabakh will follow the path of
Montenegro. Referendum on declaring independence in Montenegro is a
precedent in the international law,” he told journalists in Moscow
before the third congress of the Union of Armenians of Russia. “Time
will come and resolutions on referendums will be adopted in the South
Caucasus, e.g. Karabakh will acquire independence,” Zhirinovsky
added. “Karabakh is fully entitled to become an independent state
and for Baku not to feel hurt, it may not join Armenia, having allied
relations with it,” the Russian State Duma Vice-Speaker said.

A-320 FLIGHT RECORDERS TO BE OPENED IN PARIS, BUT TO BE DECODED IN MOSCOW
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 18:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The flight recorders of A-320, which crashed into
the Black Sea, will be delivered to Paris, where a report on their
state will be drawn up, Spokesperson of Central Administrative Board
of the Civil Aviation of Armenia Gayane Davtyan told RIA Novosti
Thursday. “The flight recorders will be decoded in Moscow. However,
they will be delivered to Paris first, where a report on their state
will be drawn up with participation of Armenian, Russian and French
experts. Then flight recorders will be opened and chips will be
extracted and sent to Moscow for decoding,” Davtyan said.
She stated that before the official report any statements that they
are damaged are premature. In her words, a delegation of the Central
Administrative Board of the Civil Aviation of Armenia has left for
Moscow, reports RIA Novosti.

NOW IS TIME FOR SIDES TO REACH AGREEMENT ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT BASIC PRINCIPLES
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 19:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Having visited Armenia, representatives of co-chair
countries of the OSCE Minsk Group for settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict issued a joint statement for the press, which
specifically says, “We, the representatives at the Deputy Minister
level of the Russian Federation, the United States and France,
together with the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman in Office, have come together
in this joint diplomatic mission because of the need to promote a
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and because now
is the time for the sides to reach agreement on the basic principles
of the settlement.
We were received by President Kocharian and met earlier with Foreign
Minister Oskanian. As we did yesterday in Baku, we have discussed
important aspects of a future settlement. We have worked to create
the conditions for a meeting of the two presidents in the near
future. We have stressed the belief of our nations and, more widely,
of the international community that the conflict can be resolved in
no other way than a peaceful one. Both countries should, moreover,
prepare their publics for peace and not war.”
The Statement notes that discussions, both in Yerevan and in Baku,
were constructive. “A joint mission such as this one is a special
event. It must be taken as a sign of the seriousness with which we
approach the issue and in particular, a belief that we are at the
point where a mutually beneficial agreement is achievable.
What happens now will be up to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
We leave with hopes and expectations of progress,” says the Joins
Statement of the OSCE MG co-chair countries.

JACQUES CHIRAC INTENDS TO VISIT ARMENIA IN SEPTEMBER
AZG Armenian Daily
26/05/2006
Haraj newspaper of Paris informs that President Jacques Chirac of
France told Nerses-Petros the 19th, Patriarch of Catholic Armenians,
that he intends to visit Armenia.
The meeting took place May 15 in Paris where the Eastern Church leaders
had gathered to celebrate 150th anniversary of Oeuvre d’Orient. Seven
patriarchs took part in the get-together.
President Chirac said that Eastern Christians “have always been a
bridge to Europe and have contributed to the dialogue of cultures,
long before there was a major focus on international relations. In this
connection, they have more than ever their place in the Middle East.”
Patriarch Nerses-Petros the 19th reminded the French president of the
Nagorno Karabakh issue and expressed assurance that Nagorno Karabakh
will live in peace thanks to the president’s efforts. Jacques Chirac
said on his part that he has made every effort for that purpose and
that he intends to visit Armenia in September.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

‘THE LAST BELL’ RINGS IN ARTSAKHI SCHOOLS
By Kim Gabrielian in Stepanakert
AZG Armenian Daily
26/05/2006
This year’s decree of education and culture minister of Nagorno
Karabakh banned all “Last Bell Parties” for 2200 school leavers at
174 secondary schools of the republic. The Artsakh Diocese of the
Armenian Church organized blessing ceremonies for school leavers
yesterday. Later in the day, the school leavers gathered at the
Revival Square for a solemn event.
In 2006 the number of school leavers in Artsakh has increased by
300. This is the generation of 1989 when the revived national spirit
was hovering in Karabakh.