NO AGREEMENT YET ON KEY ARMENIAN-AZERI SUMMIT
By Harry Tamrazian in Prague
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
May 19 2006
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said on Friday that he and his
Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov failed to set a date
for the next, potentially decisive Armenian-Azerbaijani summit on
Nagorno-Karabakh during talks in Strasbourg the previous night.
The two men met in the presence of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
on the sidelines of a regular session of the Council of Europe’s
decision-making Committee of Ministers. The American, French and
Russian mediators hope than another face-to-face meeting between
Presidents Ilham Aliev and Robert Kocharian will yield a breakthrough
in the Karabakh peace process.
A Kocharian spokesman said earlier this month that the meeting’s venue
and exact date is likely to be agreed by Mammadyarov and Oskanian
at Strasbourg. However, this clearly did not happen, with Oskanian
explaining that Baku and Yerevan have not yet laid the groundwork
for the crucial summit.
“Discussions focused on the proposals and ideas that have been on
the table,” he told RFE/RL by phone, referring to the Strasbourg talks.
“Overall, it was not a bad meeting. However, there are still many
issues that have not yet been agreed on.”
Oskanian went on to indicate that the Aliev-Kocharian encounter might
therefore not take place at all. “While not ruling out the possibility
of such a meeting at this point, I can’t say for certain that it will
take place because a lot depends on the co-chairs’ high-level visit
to the region.”
In a further sign of the seriousness of their intentions, the co-chairs
will begin the visit on May 25 together with more high-ranking
diplomats, including U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Dan Fried
and Russian Deputy Foreign Minster Grigory Karasin. The mediators
will discuss with the conflicting parties their new unpublicized
peace proposals put forward following the collapse of the last
Aliev-Kocharian meeting that took place in Rambouillet, France in
February.
“The co-chairs see a new momentum after Rambouillet and they believe
that by raising the level [of their diplomacy] they can attract more
attention and will try during their visit to create a situation that
will convince the parties to agree to a meeting of the presidents,”
said Oskanian.

PRISHTINA’S STANCE ON KOSOVO IS UNCONSTRUCTIVE – RUSSIAN FM
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 19 2006
STRASBOURG, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – The Kosovan leadership’s
intransigent attitude is delaying a solution over the status of the
troubled Balkan territory, Russia’s foreign minister said Friday.
Sergei Lavrov, speaking at a news conference in Strasbourg, said:
“The position of Prishtina’s leadership, which is insisting on the
unequivocal independence of Kosovo, is very unconstructive.”
Lavrov said a unilateral approach should not be taken to talks on
Kosovo, and that negotiations must be held through the UN and the
Contact Group.
Talks on the UN-administered territory’s status should be concluded by
the end of the year, a view that is shared by the six-nation Contact
Group – the U.S., Russia, Britain, France, Germany and Italy –
Lavrov said.
Earlier, some Russian politicians expressed concern that independence
for Kosovo would create a precedent for recognition of breakaway
regions in the former Soviet Union.
Moldova is dealing with a separatist regime in Transdnestr, while
Georgia has two breakaway regions in Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Nagorny Karabakh, a largely ethnic Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan,
has long been a source of friction between the two Caucasus states.
Formally part of Serbia, Kosovo has been a UN protectorate since
1999, following a NATO military campaign to drive out Yugoslav forces
accused of atrocities against Albanian civilians.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO SECRETARY GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO SOUTH CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA TO COME TO ARMENIA ON MAY 22
Author: A. Mammadov
TREND, Azerbaijan
May 19 2006
On May 22 NATO Secretary General`s Special Representative to South
Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons to pay a two-day visit
to Armenia.
As “APKA” Agency was informed at the Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia today,
meetings with Armenia`s President Robert Kocharyan and Prime Minister
Adranik Markaryan, the Armenian Parliament Vice Speaker Tigran
Torosyan, Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan and other ones
are envisaged during the visit.

EGYPTIAN PRESIDENTIAL AIDE: OFFICIAL CAIRO FULLY SUPPORTS AZERBAIJAN’S EFFORTS TO PUBLICIZE INVASION FACT IN THE WORLD
Azeri Press Agency
May 19 2006
“The Arab Republic of Egypt has broad knowledge of the Nagorno Garabagh
conflict and Cairo fully supports Azerbaijan’s efforts to publicize
the occupation fact to the international community,” said Usae Ilbaz,
political aide to Egypt’s President Hosnu Mubarak at a meeting with
Azerbaijani delegation at Egyptian Foreign Ministry (APA).
Mr.Ilbaz said that official Cairo is ready to deploy different
delegations to Azerbaijan to promote raising much more awareness in
Egyptian public on the Nagorno Garabagh conflict.
“Do not feel offended for our parliamentarians lacking broad
information on the conflict during the meeting at Egyptian
parliament. Most of our parliamentarians are interested in the problems
that concern Arab world mainly. We can deploy different delegations to
Baku to familiarize with Azerbaijan’s stance and have much knowledge of
the truths on its problems. Everybody knows that there is instability
in the world, systems are changing and problems are emerging. After
the September 11 events, the international community has thought of
Islam religion as a threat to the world.
This opinion is absolutely wrong,” the presidential aide noted.
Mr.Ilbaz also aid he gained large impressions about our country by
his short-term visit to Baku.
“I have been to Azerbaijan recently, got chance to familiarize with
your country. My 48-hour stay in Baku was enough to get acquainted
with your culture. I was deeply impressed by your rich culture and
hospitability,” Ilbaz stressed.
The presidential aide also reported that Egyptian large delegation
will visit Azerbaijan soon. This visit will be important from the
aspect of drawing up a wide report o Azerbaijan and problems it
faces. Stating that the official Cairo supports the settlement of
the Nagorno Garabagh, Usame Ilbaz stressed that no conflict has ever
brought dividend to the parties.
“I assure you that no parties to a conflict win anything. Egypt is
ready to take steps in level of international organizations for the
settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict, and supports Azerbaijan’s
efforts in this field,” Mr.Ilbaz concluded.

ETHNOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF ALL ANCIENT AZERBAIJANI TERRITORIES WILL BE HELD
Azeri Press Agency
May 19 2006
“It is high time that Azerbaijan to lose in information war. Our not
responding to their propaganda has led to hard results. How long will
we pursue a policy on responding Armenians attacks?
It is already time that we begin to wage on war against their attacks
and be the side that attacks”, Director of History Institute of
Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences, parliamentarian Yagub
Mahmudov has told a press conference held today.(APA) Saying the
former leadership of the institute was not busy with this work
quite enough, Yagub Mahmudov said the institute will do its utmost
to expose Armenians real face to world community. “Of course, world
community will not believe to our opinions at first as we are late in
this matter. But we have to do it. We put theory of lost territories
forward.” According to scientist, recently Armenian State Committee
for Real Property, Manuk Vardanian has made a statement that the first
national atlas of Armenia will be published. In that atlas 40 thousand
geographical names will be registered, 7-8 thousand geographical names
characteristic to different nations will be changed and be substituted
in Armenian names. “7-8 thousand geographical names mentioned by
Vardanian, belong to Azerbaijan who were deported from the mentioned
territories. It is known to science that Armenians are not aborigine
population of South Caucasus, they have come there. Tribes considered
to be ancestors of Armenians approximately appeared in the middle I
millennium of BC in upper parts of Efrat river. They have moved here
from Balkan Peninsula. ” Yagub Mammadov said that “Garabagh History”
book which was published some months ago will be translated into
German and French languages.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN’S YOUTH AND SPORT MINISTER HOLDS NEWS CONFERENCE ON HIS 100TH WORKING DAY
Azeri Press Agency
May 19 2006
Azerbaijan’s Youth and Sport Minister Azad Rahimov held a press
conference on the occasion of the 100th day of his appointment to
this post today (APA). The minister reported on measures and youth
and sport events held in the country during his activity.
Mr.Rahimov said that the state-funded Mortgage interest will be
reconsidered soon and declined to rule out decrease of costs.
Stressing that building of apartments for new couples is being
reviewed too.
Minister Rahimov also informed about the three-sided meeting between
Azerbaijani, Armenian Football Federation heads and UEFA special
commission in Nyon, Switzerland, for determination of a venue for
the match between Azerbaijani and Armenian football teams.
“We informed the UEFA representatives about our bad relations with
Armenians. There is skirmish on the frontline everyday We told them
that Armenians killed nearly ten Azerbaijani soldiers and officers
on the frontline in the past five months. So, it is impossible to
receive Armenian team in Baku. I think the members of UEFA special
commission for this problem understood us. Though they said they will
review this issue, no specific date was shown,” The Minister reported.
Commenting on Armenian Football Federation president Ruben Ayrapetyan’s
statement “UEFA has decided the match venue and ordered the federation
heads not to publicize it”, Rahimov called this nonsense. He said if
it were true, the Azerbaijani side would have known this too.
“It is true, UEFA officials ordered us not to inform the media about
the three-sided meeting held in Switzerland. But I don’t think there
is anything wrong in making it public. As coming to Ayrapetyan’s
statements, they are false,” he said.
The Minister also stressed importance of making our Olympic Games
champions Igor Ponomaryov, Kamandar Majidov, who are abroad, to return
home country to reinforce development of our sport.
“I think, relevant sports federations in the country should deal with
this. I have been recently informed that there is our compatriot in
Munich in Germany, who can play football very well, and her mother
works in Indian embassy. We invited him to Baku to evaluate him,”
the Minster noted.
Rahimov also admitted a number of shortfalls in the activity of the
Ministry. He said it is the Ministry’s fault that Azerbaijani bronze
medal winners of the recent European Greco-Roman Wrestling championship
in Moscow, Rovshan Bayramov and Fuad Aliyev wore uniforms of their
clubs not that of Azerbaijani national team while wrestling.
“The Wrestling Federation was to inform us about the lack of uniforms,”
Rahimov noted.

BLACK SEA CRASH PLANE BLACK BOXES MAY NOT BE FOUND – MINISTER
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 19 2006
MOSCOW, May 19 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s transport minister admitted
Friday that the flight recorders from an Armenian airliner that
crashed May 3 off Russia’s Black Sea coast may never be found.
“In crashes like this there is the probability that the black boxes
will not be found,” Igor Levitin said.
Levitin said experts with deep-sea equipment were combing an area of
20 square meters where signals from the radio beacons on the black
boxes had been detected, but admitted that the beacons could have
become detached on impact.
All 113 people on board died when an Airbus A-320 operated by Armenia’s
Armavia flying from the Armenian capital, Yerevan, came down in stormy
weather six kilometers (3.7 miles) from Adler airport, which services
the popular Russian resort of Sochi.

AYATOLLAH KASHANI CALLS ON INT’L BODIES NOT TO GIVE IN TO US, ZIONISTS DEMANDS
Fars News Agency, Iran
May 19 2006
TEHRAN (Fars News Agency)- Tehran’s interim Friday prayers leader,
Ayatollah Emami Kashani, called on the International organizations
not to lose their reputation by giving in to the illegitimate demands
of the US and the Zionist regime.
Addressing worshippers in Tehran University campus on Friday, Ayatollah
Kashani condemned the terrorist attack in Iran’s southern city of Bam,
in which 12 defenseless citizens were martyred, adding, “The US, the
Zionist regime and their mercenaries can not do anything whatsoever,
even by causing insecurity along Iranian borders.”
He also stressed that the enemies of Islam attempt at sowing the seed
of sedition between Shiites and Sunnis by causing insecurity along
Iran’s borders.
Tehran’s interim Friday prayer leader pointed that Iran is a country
that even Christians and Armenians have MPs at the Parliament, saying,
“The ignorant enemies have not understood the common culture between
the Shiites and the Sunnites in the path towards maintaining Islam
and the Holy Quran, and that all Iranians are united in defending
their soil against enemies, no matter what religion they have.”
Ayatollah Kashani reiterated that Iran’s peaceful nuclear program
does not seek military purposes, adding, “Once again we announce that
Tehran is ready to defend its nuclear achievements and would by no
means forgo even an iota of its legitimate rights to gain access to
peaceful nuclear technology.”
Ayatollah Kashani stressed that all of Iran’s nuclear activities
follow peaceful purposes and have been under the supervision of IAEA
inspectors. He concluded, “International organizations should not
lose their reputation by giving in to the illegitimate demands of
the US and the Zionist regime.”

EDBI TO FINANCE POWER LINE PROJECT IN ARMENIA
Mehr News Agency, Iran
May 19 2006
TEHRAN, May 19 (MNA) — The Export Development Bank of Iran (EDBI)
will finance construction of a power transmission line in Armenia.
The bank will offer 85 percent of the contract fee to the project
contractor for the building of the power transmission line. Repayment
of the credit will be made over a five-year period, noted the bank’s
chairman Noruz Kohzadi.
The project will offer new venues for the exchange of 800 megawatts of
electricity between the Islamic Republic and the Republic of Armenia,
he asserted.
The project aimed at development of the exports of the technical and
engineering services is to receive its insurance coverage through
Export Guarantee Fund of Iran (EGFI), he explained.
The line to be built in the Armenian territory will totally extend
312 kilometers, the official said.

‘FRENCH PARLIAMENT SEIZED BY ARMENIAN LOBBYISTS’
By Ali Ihsan Aydin
Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
May 19 2006
A well-known French academic, Professor Pierre Nora, has strong
criticism for the bill advocating the imprisonment of those who deny
the Armenian Holocaust.
The respected historian told Zaman his opinions on the bill to be
discussed in the French National Parliament, and said, “The French
parliament is being held captive by Armenian pressure groups.” Nora
pointed out that the approval of the bill will end the discussions
on the Armenian genocide and added, “It is much easier to discuss
the Armenian problem in Istanbul than it is in Paris.”
Professor Nora, one of the French historians that composed a protest
letter against the proposed Armenian genocide law, said, “The bill is
a Socialist Party bid to win Armenian sympathy before the elections.”
Nora also criticized the genocide law passed in 2001 and recalled
the appearance of famous historian Bernard Lewis in court. He said
these kinds of scandalous events should not be repeated.
The French historian said “I’m afraid this bill will pass” as he
warned the Armenian problem will become impossible to discuss if
it becomes a law. Nora asserted this attempt will open the door
for other societies’ to demand similar laws, and “the past will be
imprisoned in law” as historians will be prevented from studying the
most controversial historical events.
Nora noted they founded the “Association of Freedom for History”
with a group of French academics after the French Parliament began to
discuss laws on historical issues. He expressed that they want bills
which determine what historians should teach and what should be studied
to be withdrawn. The French historian maintains this kind of law is
an attempt to form an official version of history and said: “France
has become accustomed to making such laws. But a law restricting the
freedom of historians does not suit a free country.
They can only happen in the totalitarian countries where politicians
talk about the official reality.”
Bill, a political investment
“It is easier to discuss the Armenian question in Turkey than it
is in Paris” said Nora, highlighting the conferences held for the
Armenian issue in Turkey and the Turkish government’s initiative to
create a commission of historians, which he considers significant
improvements. “The French Parliament is being taken hostage by
Armenian oppression groups,” said Nora, claiming that Armenian groups
in France are extremely powerful and well-organized, and consequently
influence politics. Nora expressed his disapproval of the “Genocide
Law” issued in 2001, and qualified the judicial process of renowned
historian Bernard Lewis for such a case as a “scandal”.
Recalling the “guarantee” given to them by members of the parliament
whom they met with after the law on communicating the good sides
of colonialism, and the call from President Jacques Chirac to the
Parliament to remain detached from historical subjects, Nora assessed
PS’ law proposal, which disregards all of the above, as “shocking.”
While historian claims that this was a political investment of
Socialists, he said, “The only aim of the bill is to win the sympathies
of Armenians for the upcoming elections.”
Historians also strive to stop Armenian Bill
French politics are so hard to decipher that even the French themselves
have a hard time making sense of it, said a historian in his reaction
against French politicians, “The situation is so nonsensical that
one can hardly ever take a serious look at it.”
Ratification of the proposed “genocide” bill will further complicate
the Turkish march towards membership with the European Union (EU),
said Nora, and pointed the finger at the incongruity of the PS’
effort, considering the party used to back the Turkish struggle for
an EU membership.
It is not up to French historians to speak out about the Armenian
genocide because they do not have an understanding of its specific
conditions, said Nora, as he declined to express his own ideas over
the Armenian issue, mentioning instead he is rather interested in
the French politician’s attitude towards the Armenian question.
Historians are also making an effort to stop the bill from being
enacted, said Nora, adding that the news media will hear further
statements from the historians in the near future.
As Nora stressed their ongoing efforts to keep in touch with
parliamentarians, he quoted the parliamentary group leader of the Union
for a Popular Movement (UMP) as saying in a telephone conversation
that there is no guarantee for anything yet, but there will be every
possible effort to stop it from happening. What is more striking is
the fact that 300 Armenians gathered just outside the UMP headquarters
during the parliamentary discussions over the Armenian genocide bill.
Nora is a member of the Academic Francaise, and is widely known as
a French historian and intellectual.