“YOUTH AND ARMENIA’S FUTURE” ROUND-TABLE DISCUSSIONS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.05.2006 13:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Round-table discussions entitled “Youth and
Armenia’s Future” will be held in the conference hall of Marriott
Hotel May 27, reported the Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of
Russia. The event was initiated by the Moscow office of the World
Philanthropic Organization and the Russian-Armenian Center of Youth
Initiatives. Representatives of youth public and political movements
were invited to discuss the development of the Russian-Armenian
cooperation between youth organizations.

BLACK BOXES OF CRASHED A-320 TO BE DECODED IN MOSCOW
Yerevan, May 25. ArmInfo. The black boxes of Armavia’s crashed A-320
will be decoded in Moscow, says the press secretary of the chief
department of civil aviation of Armenia Gayane Davtyan.
First the boxes will be taken to Paris where Armenian, Russian and
French experts will examine their state, will open them, will remove
the chips and will send them to Moscow for decoding. Armenian experts
have already left for Moscow. The delegation includes the deputy head
of the CDCA Armen Petrossyan, CDCA security inspector Gagik Galstyan
and an Armavia representative.
Davtyan says that until the experts examine the boxes it is untimely
and groundless to speak about their state.

‘ORINATS YERKIR’ LEADER ACCUSED THE PRESIDENT FOR PRESSING UPON CERTAIN DEPUTIES
Yerevan, May 25. ArmInfo. The withdrawal of 10 ‘Orinats Yerkir’
deputies from the party was resulted by the atmosphere of fear and
pressure by the President’s administration and the law enforcement
structures, said yesterday leader of ‘Orinatas Yerkir’ Arthur
Bagdasarian during debates with ‘National Unity’ party leader Artashes
Geghamian on ‘Shant’ TV channel.
Artashes Geghamian’s objections Arthur Bagdasarian parried by stating
that the deputies were pressed on by President Robert Kocharian
himself. Without giving the names Bagdasarian also stated that many
of his former party-fellows were summoned by certain high-ranking
statement and blackmailed.

HAYGACHEN OUZOUNIAN, LEADER OF MELKONIAN STRUGGLE, DIES AT 86
By Massis Der Partogh in Cyprus
AZG Armenian Daily
26/05/2006
Haygachen Ouzounian, a prominent figure in the Armenian Diaspora and a
staunch supporter of the struggle to help save the historic Melkonian
school, died in Larnaca late Wednesday after a long illness at the
age of 86.
His funeral is expected to take place in Switzerland.
Ouzounian was born in Adana in 1920 and came to the Melkonian
Educational Institute in 1933 from where he graduated in 1938. He
continued his studies and became a civil engineer with an international
portfolio of achievements.
He got involved in politics and joined the ranks of the Armenian
Democratic Liberal Organization (ADL), also known as the Ramgavar
Party, rose to the post of co-president, and was a leading founder
of the party’s affiliated Tekeyan Cultural Society, an organization
with chapters around the world establishing various literary awards
and scholarships.
His dedication to community service attracted Haygachen Ouzounian to
rise to the leadership of the Armenian General Benevolent Union where
he served as Vice President to the late Alex Manoukian, the charity
organisation’s president for four decades.
Ouzounian was an inseparable part of the AGBU and was recently declared
a Director Emeritus for his contributions. He believed that one of
his biggest achievements was to realise the AGBU’s vision for the
Melkonian that involved the partial sale of land in the early 1980s
in order to fund the construction of modern boarding facilities, a
sports complex for the students and the Melkonian Commercial Centre
on Limassol Avenue, as a revenue earning project that would secure
the school’s long-term financial needs.
When he first suspected that the present leadership of the AGBU
planned to close the Melkonian and sell the land, he initiated
a campaign that immediately engulfed the worldwide alumni of the
school. He was a fervent supporter of the legal battle that has seen
two court cases filed against the AGBU in Cyprus and the U.S., with
the Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul as the plaintiff.
The Azg daily of Yerevan recently published Haygachen Ouzounian’s
memoirs that covered his adolescent and young adult years at the
Melkonian Educational Institute.
In an extensive report to the Armenian Mirror-Spectator published in
Boston, Ouzounian said: “It will be the most tragic move made by the
AGBU, and will cause the most harm to our nation. Those determining
the current policy of the Central Board will be subject to severe
indictment by our people in the court of history”.
Ouzounian, one of the early graduates of the Melkonian, blamed the
Central Board for the decrease in the number of boarding students. The
school, he said, could accommodate up to 350 boarders but this was
the thwarted by the Central Board, who hiked the fees to such that
Armenians from East Europe, the Middle East and Armenia could not
afford.
“There is reason to close the Melkonian,” he said in a recent
interview from his home in Larnaca. “Melkonian is very important for
our youth. Melkonian is not only important for Cyprus, but for all
Armenians in the Diaspora.”
“Unfortunately AGBU does not represent the image that it carried in
the past,” said Ouzounian. “It has lost its favorable facade among
the people and has been re-organised as a foundation in the hands of
only a few who do whatever they please. It is unfortunate that an
organization such as this after 100 years of earning our nation’s
trust is now falling apart and losing its credibility among our
people. How can they close the Melkonian?”

SIXTY USA CONGRESSMEN ADDRESSED STATE SECRETARY FOR EXPLANATIONS ABOUT REASON OF USA AMBASSADOR RECALL FROM ARMENIA
Yerevan, May 25. ArmInfo. Sixty American congressmen headed by Edward
Marki, the congressmen from the Chamber of Representatives, sent a
letter to the State Secretary Condoleezza Rice with request to explain
the reason of recall of the USA Ambassador John Evans from Armenia.
As ArmInfo was told in the Armenian National Committee of America,
the letter was sent after the information from the White House about
the assignment of the USA Ambassador to Tajikistan Richard Hogland
a new Ambassador of USA to Armenia. According to the information,
the Ambassador J. Evans will be dismissed after the Senate approves
Hogland’s candidacy. The source notes the resignation, presumably,
is a result of last-year remarks of the American diplomat concerning
1915 events, having been recognized by Evans as Armenian Genocide.
Sixty congressmen expressed special anxiety that J. Evan’s recall would
become an unprecedented case, undermining the USA image. “We call up
the USA Senate to hold hearings and thoroughly study the reasons for
J. Evan’s recall”, the Executive Director of ANCA Aram Gasparyan said.

KARABAKH DEPUTY: KARABAKH PEOPLE, UNLIKE KOSOVO, GAINED ITS INDEPENDENCE BY ITSELF
Stepanakert, May 25. ArmInfo. Recognition of the results of referendum
on Chernogoria’s independence by Serbia’s authorities is the evidence
of tolerance and constructive approach of Serbian authorities. But,
saying honestly, it seems to me that Chernogoria’s independence is
necessary to both Chernogoria and Serbia proceeding from the fact the
European Union has stopped its negotiations with Serbia concerning
membership and it is supposed the process will be resumed if Serbia
recognizes Chernogoria’s independence. As ArmInfo correspondent in
Stepanakert informs, the chairman of the NKR Parliament’s constant
Commission for Foreign Relations Vahram Atanessyan is of this opinion.
According to him, these two countries, as sovereign states, will soon
become a part of the United Europe. I think, The European Union must
show the same interest to the former Soviet Union countries as well.
In particular, the EU has to make it clear to Azerbaijan that this
country cannot be integrated into the European structures without
recognition of the Karabakh people’s right for self-determination,
Atanessyan said. According to him, the Europe does not show a special
interest to the post-Soviet area, “proceeding from subjective egoistic
considerations, it says, the South Caucasus id far from Europe
and the fire, which appeared here, does not threaten the European
house”. “However, it is a false idea. There is one way for stability:
to respect the rights of all peoples of the region”, Atanessyan said.

“VINDICTIVENESS AND RANCOUR”
A1+
[09:51 pm] 25 May, 2006
Which criteria did NCTR and Grigor Amalyan guide by while embattling
“A1+”. Let us present you the opinions of the representatives of the
RA political parties.
Stepan Demirchyan, leader of “Justice” faction, ” Once more the
administration of the country proved by this step that they are afraid
of having unbiased and impartial media.”
To tell the truth, I didn’t have any illusion, “With the
embattlement of “A1+” the procedure of the 2003 election frauds
initiated. At present we are on the threshold of new elections and
this administration cannot naturally allow the existence of even
free radio station. If they had a chance they would surely deprive
“Radio Free” of its broadcast license.”
Vahan Hovhannesyan, NA deputy, member of Republican Party, “The
contests are not always held impartially in Armenia. I cannot say
for sure whether this time the results of the competition are based
on the justice or not. I can say the same thing for each contest,
starting from constructive one and finishing with the journalistic
one. I didn’t follow the current of the competition. ”
Aghasi Arshakyan, member of “National Unity,” claims, “This act once
more testifies to the fact that we go ahead with vindictiveness and
rancour. It is the result of willfulness, compulsion of a haughty
man who guided by vindictiveness and rancour.”

MILITARY-INDUSTRIAL COURIER: BLOWS TO IRAN MAY PROVOKE OPERATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
Yerevan, May 25. ArmInfo. Blows to Iran may provoke operations between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, it is said in Aleksey Matveyev’s article,
published in the Russian “Military-Industrial Courier”.
According to Matveyev, a n unexpected power scenario may appear in
the Karabakh problem solution where Iran, USA and, possibly, other
countries of the region may be involved in addition to Armenia and
Azerbaijan. This scenario is connected with the beginning of possible
operations of Pentagon against Iran under the stipulation that
Azerbaijan will come out here as its ally as it was already during
Iraq occupation. In reply to such service, the USA will support Baku
in attempts to solve the Karabakh problem in military way. In its
turn, Baku, having seen the Americans favour to it, could have secret
contacts with Pentagon.
As the author notes, Aliyev welcomes the Iranian contacts even
outwardly. On the other hand, he has no reasons to quarrel with
Tehran, after all, a mutually beneficial cooperation is being
developed with the neighbor, including natural gas transportation
from Iran to Azerbaijan. Iran and Azerbaijan are connected with
ethnic ties (about 16 mln Azerbaijanians live in Iran, that is twice
more than the number of Azerbaijan itself ). Aliyev-younger follows a
different-vector policy, which means that good-neighbor relations of
Baku with Tehran are supported by Moscow and do not break the safety
balance, though Americans, interested in strengthening the influence
on Caspia, would like to break it. On the other hand, Aliyev assumes
that Americans may be on the side of Baku in the Karabakh conflict
in response to loyalty. It is quite clear that it cannot be expected
from Moscow. Aliyev had never refused from the American assistance and
hopes for more, i.e. the USA assistance in the recreation of country’s
integrity. However, no efficient assistance, including the military
one, to Baku is observed yet from the Americans. In case of operations
beginning against Karabakh and Armenia, it will need an international
support. Washington can render such assistance. The author dos not
rule out that in case of entering into an alliance between Baku
and Washington and operations beginning from the USA against Iran,
Tehran will help Armenia in the struggle against Azerbaijan Army.
According to the source, the 2006 military budget of Azerbaijan is $600
mln, budget of Armenia – $150 mln. According to the western sources,
number of Azerbaijan’s AF is 69 900 (people). Meanwhile, rather great
forces are concentrated in Karabakh, i.e. 20 000 – 25 000 people of
crew, 316 units of tanks, 332 of artillery (122 mm and higher).

BLOODLESS WEAPON FOR THE CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
A1+
[08:55 pm] 25 May, 2006
“I see Armenia’s face in Haik. His work promotes the activity of
the country. Such books are proper and bloodless weapons,” said
the first Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan today in the hotel “Yerevan”
during Haik Demoyan’s monograph presentation titled “Turkey and the
Karabakh conflict.”
The book which is published in Russian is a historical comparative
analysis of 20-21 years. According to Haik Demoyan, the author of
the book, the monograph is an analysis of the Turkish position on
the Karabakh conflict and views the conflict in the framework of the
regional security and Armenian – Turkish relations.
The sources of the book are multiple. The author made use of Armenian,
Russian, English, French and Turkish sources and on their grounds
he revealed that Turkey had a negative impact on the conflict
peaceful settlement. Haik Demoyan noted, “Azerbaijan and Turkey had
an aggressive position towards NKR and Armenia regardless of many
international agreements and liabilities.’
The conclusions of the author are as follows; by the act of proclaiming
a country named “Aderbaijan” in 1918 Turkey paved a way for the
emergence of the Karabakh conflict, and now Turkey is one of the
conflict sides taking into account the policy of the country and not
a participant of the conflict.
The book was published with the financial support of the RA Defense
Ministry. Arthur Aghabekyan, deputy Defense Minister noted that
their cooperation has started long ago and added that the book will
be translated into Armenian as well.
By the way, Haik Demoyan is the author of 4 monographs and about 40
scientific articles.

THE CO-CHAIRS HAD NOTHING TO SAY EXCEPT DISTRIBUTING PAPER
A1+
[08:46 pm] 25 May, 2006
The diplomats announced in Armenian that they have a “surprise” for
the journalists. The “surprise” was that 6 members of the delegation
read a small announcement for the journalists made at the end of
the meetings. By the way, the reading was divided into “roles;” the
announcement was divided into three parts which were introduced in
Russian, English and French.
It is noteworthy that the readers were not the OSCE Minsk group
Co-chairs, but they were Daniel Fried, assistant of US State Secretary,
Grigori Karasin, Russian deputy Foreign Minister and Ambassador Pier
Moriel, representative of the French Foreign Ministry who came to
the region with the Co-chairs of the Minsk group.
“We, the representatives at the Deputy level of the Russian Federation,
United States, and France, together with the Co-chairs and 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 a settlement.”
We were received by President Kocharyan and met earlier with Foreign
Minister Oskanyan. 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 for war.
Our discussions, both today in Yerevan and yesterday in Baku, were
constructive. We met yesterday with President Aliyev and Foreign
Minister Mammadyarov.
Tomorrow we will return to our capitals to brief our leaders. The
Co-chairs will, as well, brief the OSCE and the international
community.
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 are pleased to be in Yerevan and
wish to express our gratitude to President Kocharyan and people of
Armenia for receiving us.