Armenian defence minister set to join ruling party – agency
Mediamax news agency
14 Jul 06
Yerevan, 14 July: Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan said in Yerevan
today that he had applied for membership of the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA).
The RPA is a member of the ruling coalition. The party’s chairman Andranik
Markaryan has been holding the post of Armenian prime minister since May 2000.
The deputy chairman of the party, Tigran Torosyan, was elected speaker
of the Armenian National Assembly in June.

Azeri opposition daily lambasts US mediator for Karabakh remarks
Yeni Musavat, Baku
14 Jul 06
An Azerbaijani opposition daily has criticized the new US mediator
for the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict for ignoring the public opinion in
Azerbaijan and insisting on a referendum on the breakaway region’s
legal status. The paper said that the US co-chairman of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, was confident that the Azerbaijani
government could quell any public opposition to an agreement with
Armenia on holding a referendum in Nagornyy Karabakh. The following
is the text of Alya’s report in Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni Musavat
on 14 July entitled “Who should make Bryza silent?”:
[US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group] Matthew Bryza has again
spoken about a referendum in Adana [in Turkey]. A couple of hours
before the final completion of the USA’s useless project, i.e. the
opening ceremony of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, he gave
an interview to journalists to say that there was no other way to
settle the Karabakh problem and that the [Azerbaijani and Armenian]
presidents should persuade their peoples to agree to this idea
[referendum on Nagornyy Karabakh’s status].
It emerged that the new co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group is absolutely
indifferent to the public opinion outside the USA. This means that
Matthew Bryza could not care less about the negative attitude of the
Azerbaijani people towards the referendum. How else can one assess the
statements by Bryza who is obstinately insisting on the referendum
even after seeing the negative public reaction following his first
statement? Even if he had not noticed this negative reaction, he
should have guessed because of his official post that like other
world nations, the people of Azerbaijan will protest resolutely
against the proposal to cede their lands.
As it is out of the question that the new mediator, who joined the
Karabakh settlement process late but fervently, knows nothing about
such simple matters, his behaviour might also be explained by the
fact that he regards as insignificant both the public opinion in
Azerbaijan and our reaction to the issue.
Why? Is it because he is confident that the authorities can at
any time (for example, after [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev
consents to sign a peace agreement on holding a referendum) quell any
opposition, or does he consider that we are not strong and decisive
enough? In my view, we should now think more about this rather than
the international situation that can make a peace agreement possible
or impossible.
True, for the time being it is a decisive factor that Russia is not
interested in the resolution of the Karabakh problem. But there is
no guarantee that the situation will not change. Russia might one
day compromise Azerbaijan to its eternal rival as it compromised
Afghanistan and conceded Iraq to the USA after its international
position was shaken. The history has seen many events which once
seemed unlikely.
The matter has another unpleasant aspect – it is international factors
that have turned Karabakh into a subject of endless bargaining;
Ilham Aliyev was permitted to commit election fraud precisely as a
result of this bargaining; it
is this bargaining that holds back Azerbaijan’s development and
has doomed
us to live under the tyranny of a repressive and corrupt regime. We
have been onlookers of this bargaining for many years and we
have been feeling the growing damage of it with every cell of our
body. If we finally want to put an end to it, we should think about
eliminating the reasons behind this attitude rather than being
surprised at the occupying boldness and demonstrative disrespect
of Bush’s envoys. There is no need for tedious pondering and long
research. We simply must get rid of our status of onlookers, stop
bowing to officials from a district police officer to Ilham Aliyev,
and remove animal fear from our hearts.
Given our “qualities”, we should not be surprised at what is
happening. Do we not know that we are “a bit” weak in putting up
resistance? Those on the other shores of the ocean probably know this
better than we do. Maybe they hesitated at the beginning. But after
seeing that we show endurance to the most brutal election violence
and the worst methods of pillage, they have calmed down and began
to seek Ilham Aliyev’s consent only.
They were very anxious after the 2003 presidential election. They
arrived in Baku under the guise of experts of some international
organization and asked representatives of NGOs and of various layers
of society and politicians probing questions. They asked everyone:
“Do you think the election could lead to growing terrorist moods and
Islamic fundamentalism in Azerbaijan?” They tried to find out how
real was the danger of a civil war. I myself came across one of them
at one of those meetings. He insisted that I should tell him if a
civil war was possible in five or 10 years. In fact, his questions
made me laugh because just a month had passed since the 16 October
[2003 presidential election] events and I still remembered well what
part (percentage) of my dear Azerbaijani people could dare to fight.
I still remember it. The reason people like Steven Mann, Matthew
Bryza and others are coming to us demanding that we “concede Karabakh”
is that there were
few of us on that day. Those “brave boys” – “impartial” and
“honest” who
claimed that we were born to fight not them [referring to ANS TV
and radio] – dared to call us “violent” because there were few of
us on that day. But the situation has not changed yet.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian leader against defence minister’s plans to join ruling party – daily
Iravunk, Yerevan
12 Jul 06
Text of D. H.’s report by Armenian newspaper Iravunk on 12 July
headlined “He has not given his approval”
According to a source close to a newly-established pro-government
party [presumably, the Flourishing Armenia Party], immediately after
returning from Iran Armenian President Robert Kocharyan had a hard
talk with Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan who is going to join the
Republican Party [led by Prime Minister Andranik Markaryan] and even
occupy one of the top posts in the party.
Robert Kocharyan simply forbade Serzh Sarkisyan to join the Republican
Party explaining this by unfavourable geopolitical reaction to
such a step and saying that an alliance between Serzh Sarkisyan
and the Republican Party was not in line with the programmes of any
geopolitical centre connected with the future of Armenia [sentence
as given].
According to the same source, Kocharyan and Sarkisyan finally arranged
to discuss the problem after a G8 summit which will be held in St
Petersburg on 15-17 July.

Armenia condemns Israel’s “disproportionate force” against Lebanon
Arminfo
14 Jul 06
Yerevan, 14 July: The Armenian Foreign Ministry issued a statement
today expressing concern over a large-scale military action in Lebanon
that has caused many casualties.
The statement, which was forwarded to Arminfo by the Foreign Ministry
press and information department, said that Armenia condemns any
manifestation of violence, be it kidnappings or use of military force.
“We think that it is unacceptable to use disproportionate force
devastating infrastructure and civilians. It is difficult to understand
Israel’s action, especially as the Lebanese government has clearly
noted that it has nothing to do with the kidnappings. We hope that
reconciliation will be achieved in the region and the problems will
be resolved through negotiations,” the statement of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry said.

Consul denies rumours about Russian naval bases in Montenegro
Vijesti, Podgorica
14 Jul 06
Text of report by N.V Vaniev entitled “We are not interested in that”
Russia is absolutely not interested in opening a military base in
Montenegro. Our relations are friendly and we are working on good
neighbourly cooperation, development of trade, tourism and we have
absolutely no military goals in the area of Montenegro, Russian
Federation consul in Podgorica Vladimir Vaniev told Vijesti recently.
Earlier, unofficial sources in the government told Vijesti that no
country had suggested building a military base in the coastal area.
Not a word can be said about Russian military bases in Montenegro. We
have bases in former Soviet republics, along the borders of Russia,
but we are abandoning them slowly, like in Georgia. In Armenia they
are interested in having our troops remain. It is not only a defence
issue, it also concerns employment, Vaniev explained.

Thousands of Australians in Lebanon
The West Australian, Australia
July 16 2006
The federal government is being called on to help thousands of
Australians flee Lebanon following open conflict between Israel and
the Lebanese militant group Hizbollah.
But it claims there is no longer a safe way to rescue almost 3,000
Australians travelling in the war-torn country, nor the 25,000 members
of the Australian Lebanese community who live there.
“There is no way at the moment for anyone to leave and the sea ports
are dangerous, the road and the highway’s been damaged and also the
airport,” Teresa Gambaro, parliamentary secretary to the Foreign
Affairs Minister, said.
“There’s no means, no transportation mode, that is safe to us at the
moment and, in fact, we would be putting Australians at risk if we
advised them to leave at this time.”
As the violence increases, there is mounting criticism the government
was too slow to decide it must evacuate its citizens.
The parents of 57 young Australians stranded in Beirut lashed out
at the prime minister on Saturday, accusing John Howard of not doing
enough to help their children.
“There is a lot of anger, and a lot of frustration,” said Rosemary
Diodati, who has 12 members of her extended family, including two of
her children, stranded in Lebanon.
“I don’t think they (the government) are doing enough. We want them
out and we want them safe and sound. You don’t just say stay put –
stay put until when?”
About 78 members of the Sydney Armenian Community dance group,
including young children, teens and young adults, are trapped in
Beirut as Israel’s devastating bombing raids continue.
The attacks began after Hizbollah launched a cross-border raid on
Wednesday killing eight Israeli soldiers and kidnapping two others.
On Saturday, Hizbollah’s chief all but declared war on its neighbour.
“You wanted open war. We are going to open war,” Sayyed Hassan
Nasrallah said in a call to Hizbollah’s television.
Ms Gambaro urged people in Australia to contact family members in
Lebanon and get them to register with the Australian embassy in Beirut.
But some of the last Australians to flee the war-torn country,
touching down at Sydney Airport on Saturday night, said the embassy
had been slow to act.
Rosemary Haddad, back in Australia with her husband and three
children, spent more than a day sitting by the phone trying to call
the Australian embassy in Lebanon.
“I was abandoned and I think it’s disgusting,” she said. “We are
Australians and we were in a foreign country. We had no idea what to
do or where to go … the only people that helped us were the local
travel agents.”
Escaping across the Syrian border in a car driven by a family friend
was “like Armageddon”, she said.
“There were cars everywhere, everyone was trying to get out and once
we got to the airport we had to wait 16 hours before we could get on
a plane,” she said.
Ms Haddad was one of less than a dozen people who touched down in
Australia on Saturday night after fleeing the violence.

G8 leaders to discuss CIS trouble spots – Putin-1
RIA Novosti, Russia
July 16 2006
STRELNA (near St. Petersburg), July 16 (RIA Novosti)-Leaders of the
Group of Eight industrialized nations will discuss the situation
in the former Soviet Union, particularly troubled areas, Russian
President Vladimir Putin said Sunday.
“I am certain that we will talk about the entire post-Soviet space,
particularly those problem areas that are not yet quiet,” Putin told
a briefing in the early hours of Sunday morning.
He told journalists that he and U.S. President George Bush had talked
about conflicts in territories neighboring Russia earlier in the day.
“We mostly talked about Georgia,” he said.
Talking about the breakaway region of South Ossetia in Georgia, which
has been the source of tension between Moscow and Tbilisi this year,
Putin said it was a concern.
“The situation is tense and is not being defused,” he said.
He called on Georgia to find ways to cooperate with South Ossetia.
Putin also said the G8 leaders would touch upon the problem of
Nagorny-Karabakh, a territory disputed by Armenia and Azerbaijan.
The president said the U.S. and French leaders were particularly
involved in the problem, but added Russia and its partners were ready
to become guarantors of any agreements on the issue.
“We will not foist a decision on either the Azerbaijani nor Armenian
side,” he said.

Iran-Armenia strengthen commercial ties Service: Economy
ISNA, Iran
July 16 2006
TEHRAN, July 15 (ISNA)-Armenian Parliamentarians through attending
in Iran’s Chamber of Commerce announced their interest in expanding
bilateral commercial relations.
In this session the Armenian side while referring to potential
fields which both sides could strengthen their relations asked for
the expansion of commercial ties between both sides.
The Iranian side welcomed this offer and hoped that through removing
existing obstacles this matter could be actualized.

Trapped, scared and begging to come home
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
July 16 2006
Young Australians trapped in the siege of Lebanon have made a desperate
plea for the Government to bring them home as the Hezbollah Islamist
guerilla group declared “open war” on Israel.
More than 50 teenage dancers and their families, among 2200 Australians
travelling in Lebanon, were last night holed up in a hotel in downtown
Beirut listening to an escalation in the Israeli bombardment of
the city.
The leaders of the Armenian Sydney Dance Company said they were afraid
and running out of money to pay for food.
“We need help to get out of this country. Please, before it gets
worse,” said Maggie Kasparian, one of the parents leading the troupe.
Worried relatives in Sydney called on the Government to “pull their
fingers out” and bring them home.
A number of other Australians tried to drive to Syria to catch
flights to Bahrain, but they were being refused entry. They also
risked Israeli air attacks on the Beirut-Damascus highway.
Other countries have started evacuating citizens. In response to the
dramatic spike in violence yesterday, the US used marines to move
Americans to Cyprus.
At least nine civilians were killed and dozens wounded in Israeli
attacks yesterday, raising the death toll to 73 since the start of
the offensive.
An Israeli navy ship was set ablaze off the coast of Beirut and four
Israeli troops were missing after being struck by an unmanned drone
packed with explosives.
Three Sydney men holidaying in Lebanon face being conscripted into
the Lebanese army and forced to fight on the frontline if Lebanon
decides to defend itself against the Israeli attacks.
Ziad Adasi, 25, Anthony El Fanj, 22, and his friend Nabil Saray Eldin,
22, could be forced to perform six months’ compulsory military service
because they hold dual citizenship.
“The Government should do something about this,” Ms Kasparian said.
“We are very tired – and we want to go home.”
A spokeswoman for the Foreign Department said yesterday: “The
Government is looking at possible options for evacuation if the
security situation allows.
“At this stage the best advice is to remain in secure locations
indoors, monitor the media and follow the instructions of local
authorities.”
The Australian embassy in Beirut reopened yesterday. Families in
Australia who could not make contact with loved ones in Lebanon can
phone 1800 002 214.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd called on Foreign
Minister Alexander Downer to marshall every available bureaucrat to
help Australians caught up in the turmoil.
Prime Minister John Howard backed Israel in its “war” with Lebanon
and said it was clear Hezbollah started the conflict. “I do believe
Israel is justified in defending herself,” Mr Howard said yesterday.
Fears the conflict could expand into a region-wide war grew when
Syria declared its support for Lebanon.
There is no end to the conflict in sight with the United Nations
Security Council failing to act on Beirut’s demand for an immediate
end to Israeli attacks on its territory.
WAR OF WORDS
“You wanted open war. We are going to open war.”
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah (left) after his apartment
building in Beirut was destroyed by an Israeli air strike.
“The Syrian people are ready to extend full support to the Lebanese
people and their heroic resistance to remain steadfast and confront
the barbaric Israeli aggression and its crimes.”
Communique from Syria’s ruling Baath party.
“I do believe Israel is justified in defending herself.”
Prime Minister John Howard.
“I call on him to make sure that his department has all hands on deck
to provide consular support to these tens of thousands of Australians.”
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd urges Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer to act to assist Australian citizens.
“No. The President is not going to make military decisions for
Israel.” White House spokesman Tony Snow when asked whether US
President George Bush had agreed to a request from Lebanon to rein
in the Israelis.
“We are being asked to stop Hezbollah, but no one is putting the
necessary pressure on Israel to stop the problem.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Teshoian gets a warm sendoff
Worcester Telegram , MA
July 15 2006
By Gary V. Murray TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
[email protected]
Retiring Judge Sarkis Teshoian, left, receives the key to the city
from retired Judge Paul V. Mullaney. (ED COLLIER) Enlarge photo
I attempted to be understanding and, when warranted, to be
compassionate, while at the same time trying to honor the oath that I
had taken to uphold the laws of the commonwealth and the Constitutions
of the commonwealth and the United States.
WORCESTER- His stern demeanor on the bench belied an inherent
compassion and sense of fairness that earned him the respect of his
peers and the lawyers who appeared before him.
That was part of the portrait of Judge Sarkis Teshoian that emerged
yesterday as more than 100 sitting and retired judges, lawyers,
court employees, friends and family members gathered to wish him a
happy and healthy retirement.
A Worcester native and son of Armenian immigrants, Judge Teshoian
will turn 70 tomorrow, the mandatory retirement age for state court
judges. Yesterday was his last day on the job.
“It’s a sad day, my friend,” said Darlene M. Perro, a sessions
clerk in Central District Court, where Judge Teshoian was regularly
assigned over the last several years. Ms. Perro, among those on hand
in Courtroom 408 to bid Judge Teshoian adieu, described the guest of
honor as “a man respected by all because he respects all.”
“In 32 years of practicing law, he’s as fine a judge as I’ve been
before,” said lawyer Michael M. Monopoli. “He’s consistent and you know
what to expect when you’re before him. He follows the law and does what
he thinks is right. He’s never been affected by the outside pressures.”
Born in Worcester and a product of the city’s public school system,
Judge Teshoian graduated from Clark University and Boston College
School of Law. He passed the bar in 1962 and was then named secretary
to Worcester Mayor Paul V. Mullaney, who would also later become a
district court judge.
It was while he was working for the mayor that he formed a law firm
with Mel. L. Greenberg, now a state Appeals Court judge. The two were
soon joined by lawyer Alexander E. Drapos, who died earlier this week.
“We didn’t make much money, but we had a lot of fun,” Judge Greenberg
told former City Clerk Robert J. O’Keefe at yesterday’s gathering.
“And you were good lawyers,” Mr. O’Keefe said.
Mr. Mullaney, also retired from the bench, presented Judge Teshoian
with a key to the city yesterday on behalf of Mayor Timothy P. Murray.
In 1988, Gov. Michael S. Dukakis appointed Judge Teshoian as the
presiding justice of Uxbridge District Court, a position he held until
1997. For the last several years, he has generally been assigned to
his hometown court.
Regional Administrative Judge Paul F. LoConto, who was master of
ceremonies at yesterday’s retirement party, said Judge Teshoian was
“a person that all of us went to for advice” and “a mentor and model
to many, many new judges.”
Judge LoConto said one of the things he admired most about Judge
Teshoian, who received the Judicial Excellence Award this year at
the Massachusetts Judges Conference annual dinner, was “his respect
and his love for his fellow man.”
Chief Probation Officer William P. Mattei spoke of Judge Teshoian’s
integrity, work ethic and willingness to listen.
“He’s very fair to people and when people deserve a break, they get
a break,” Mr. Mattei said.
“I’m humbled by your presence and I thank you,” Judge Teshoian said
to those gathered in his honor.
In an earlier interview, Judge Teshoian reflected on his nearly 18
years on the bench.
“What I would like to think is that I was fair in the judgments that
I made. I attempted to be understanding and, when warranted, to be
compassionate, while at the same time trying to honor the oath that I
had taken to uphold the laws of the commonwealth and the Constitutions
of the commonwealth and the United States,” he said.
While he feels he was able to contribute to society and do some good
as a judge, he said, the job also sometimes left him with a certain
sense of frustration.”When you look at society as a whole, the level
of civility has diminished. It seems to me that the work ethic that
was the bedrock of this country developing is being eroded,” Judge
Teshoian said. As times have changed, judges have increasingly been
called upon to try to modify behavior, according to the judge. “And
that is an extremely difficult goal to achieve,” he said.
Although he has no specific plans for retirement at the moment,
Judge Teshoian said he was looking forward to just taking it easy
and spending more time with his wife of nearly 33 years, Ardemis
(Afarian) Teshoian, the woman he calls “God’s gift to me.”
“I do have mixed feelings,” he said of retirement. “I will miss some
of the camaraderie. I will miss some of the people. But I do think
it’s time for me to move on.”