MIKA TO RECEIVE STRONG COMPETITOR ON JULY 13
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. On July 13, Ashtarak “Mika” will receive
Swiss “Young Boys” in the first game of the UEFA Cup Tournament’s
firts tour at the Republican stadium of Yerevan.
On the same day, “Banants” will compete with the Tbilisi “Ameri”
within the framework of the UEFA Cup Tournament.

RA NA SPEAKER CONTENT WITH LEBANON’S BALANCED POSITION TOWARDS NAGORNO
KARABAKH PROBLEM
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Development of
Armenian-Lebanese relations, as well as other issues of mutual interest
were discussed at the July 11 meeting of RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosian
with the delegation headed by Lebanese Foreign Minister Fawzi Salloukh.
RA NA Speaker emphasized the importance of Armenian-Lebanese
relations not only from point of view of historic contacts, but also
of considerate attitude of Lebanon to Armenians after the Genocide,
condemnation of the Genocide, mentioning that the two states and two
peoples are not disconnected by anything. The Armenian Parliament
Speaker also expressed satisfaction with the balanced position of
Lebanon towards the Nagorno Karabakh issue.
Minister Fawzi Salloukh stated that the relations between the
parliaments of the two friendly peoples should continue and promised
that the group of deputy friendship will be created in the newly
elected Labanese parliament like in the current one. Touching upon
the Nagorno Karabakh settlement, F.Salloukh emphasized the importance
to solve the problem in a peaceful way acceptable for all sides. He
highly evaluated manifestation of friendly attitude of Armenia to
Lebanon at international structures. For the purpose of restoring
the former volumes of economic relations a regular sitting of the
Intergovernmental Commission will be held this year in Beirut, the
agreement about which was reached in Yerevan, during the meeting with
the Armenian Prime Minister.
According to RA Government Press Service, T.Torosian also presented
the Lebanese Foreign Minister the regional interrelations, Armenia’s
home political problems mentioning the parliamentary elections highly
evaluated by observers and the steps of the government formed as a
result of these elections.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR COMMERCIAL AND BUSINESS AFFAIRS FRANK
MERMOUD VISITS ARMENIA
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Frank Mermoud, U.S. Special
Representative for Commercial and Business Affairs at the
U.S. Department of State, is visiting Armenia July 11-13. During
his visit, Mr. Mermoud met with representatives of the American
Chamber of Commerce in Armenia, other business representatives
and Armenian government officials regarding economic, commercial
and business issues. Mr. Mermoud discussed ways to further increase
U.S. investment in Armenia and noted positive cooperation between the
United States and Armenia in the economic sector. He also encouraged
all Armenians to continue to fight against corruption and to work to
increase transparency as a means of promoting economic growth.
According to the report provided to NT from the U.S. Embassy in
Armenia, Frank Mermoud has served as Special Representative for
Commercial and Business Affairs since June 3, 2002. Mr. Mermoud is
responsible for managing U.S.
commercial and business affairs programs, developing strategic advocacy
assistance for U.S. businesses, and integrating business perspectives
into U.S. foreign policy. He possesses significant private sector and
government experience, having served in such positions as Co-Founder
of SageMetrics Corporation, Executive Vice President of International
and Corporate Affairs and a member of the Board of Directors for Aegis
Communications, Director of Legislative Affairs at the Department
of State, and Congressional Liaison Officer for the United States
Information Agency.

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: THERE ARE NO POLITICAL PROBLEMS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND LEBANON
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. There are no
political problems between Armenia and Lebanon, the relations
develop harmoniously, and there is enough legal-contractual basis for
cooperation. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian announced about this
at the July 11 meeting with the delegation headed by Fawzi Salloukh,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon. The Prime Minister stated
that both countries have also great experience of cooperation in
international organizations, especially within the framework of UN,
which is possible to deepen.
As Noyan Tapan was informed from the RA Government Information
and Public Relations Department, the meeting participants attached
importance to the activization of inter-governmental ties. A.Margarian
mentioned that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Lebanese
Parliament is accepted with great gratitude in Armenia and we highly
appreciate the warm attitude of Lebanese towards Armenians saved
from the Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. Talking about the Armenian
community both the RA Prime Minister and Lebanese Foreign Minister
pointed out that Armenians, as deserving citizens of Lebanon, have
their big contribution to the country’s development, they are actively
included in the country’s public-political life and contribute to the
strenghtening of the Armenian- Lebanese relations. Fawzi Salloukh added
that by the recognition of the Armenian Genocide Lebanon has proved
once more that it is against all kind of violences and genocides, it is
against terrorism, causing death of thousands of people in the world.
Stating that Armenia follows with attention and preoccupation the
development of the events in the Middle East region, RA Prime Minister
expressed interest in the developments of the Middle East conflict,
in response to which Foreign Minister Salloukh presented in detail
the situation in the region and the approaches of Lebanon over that
developments. He mentioned once again that his country is a supporter
of conflicts’ regulation through diplomatic negotiations and peaceful
way and makes efforts in that direction.
Fawzi Salloukh, taking into account the experience of Armenia and
the presence of high-quality specialists, asked for the assistance
of the RA Government in the issue of mine clearing of territories in
the Southern Lebanon.
Andranik Margarian replied that the assistance possibility will
certainly be discussed with the corresponding Ministries.
The Foreign Minister of Lebanon also presented the RA Prime Minister
the results of the meeting with his Armenian counterpart, Vartan
Oskanian. He mentioned that he had offered his colleague to convene
the coming sitting of the intergovernmental commision in Lebanon and
hoped that it will be possible to receive the RA Prime Minister in
his country.

Rescuer 2006 Exercises to Open in Yerevan July 14
PanARMENIAN.Net
13.07.2006 13:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ July 14 the opening ceremony of Rescuer 2006
exercises will be held at the Military Aviation Institute of Armenia,
Spokesperson of the Armenian Defense Minister, colonel Seyran
Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net. The exercises to be held within
the framework of the NATO Partnership for Peace Program. Some 250
representatives of 12 countries will take part in these. Rescuer 2006
exercises are of command and staff nature and are aimed to organize and
compare work of the Military and Medical Department of the Armenian
Defense Ministry and Rescue Service of Armenia, as well as expansion
of cooperation opportunities with NATO partner states.

TIGRAN TOROSIAN AND AMBASSADOR OF EGYPT ATTACH IMPORTANCE TO
DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIAN-EGYPTIAN INTERPARLIAMENTARY CONTACTS
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. Development Of Armenian-Egyptian
Interparliamentary Relations Was Considered As Important At The
July 12 Meeting Of RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosian With Ambassador
Of Egypt To Armenia Abal Abdel Rahman. NA Speaker Mentioned That The
Interparliamentary Relations At Least Should Not Be Inferior To The
Interstate Relations, As There Are Common Interests And Contacts
Of Thousand Years Between The Two Peoples. T.Torosian Emphasized
That The Possibilities Of Extension Of Relations Are Numerous And
They Include Mutual Visits, Exchange Of Legislative Experience,
As Well As Cooperation Between Delegations Of The Two Countries At
International Structures. The Importance Of The Relations’ Being
Practical And Being Aimed At Solving Some Problems Was Stressed.
Congratulating NA Speaker On The Occasion Of Being Elected The
Ambassador Of Egypt Abla Abdel Rahman Conveyed Him The Good Wishes
And The Willingness To develop cooperation of Chairman of Egyptian
National Assembly Fathi Surur, expressing readiness to contribute to
development of interparliamentary contacts as far as possible for the
sake of friendship between the two peoples, attaching importance
to the fact that there are all preconditions for deepening the
cooperation and the two countries have no political problems with
each other.
According to NA Public Relations Department, it was also mentioned
that deputy friendship groups work at both parliaments, but no
practical contacts have been established between them.

KIRO MANOYAN: AZERBAIJAN DID NOT AGREE TO PROPOSED VARIANT, WHAT ELSE
SHALL WE ARGUE ABOUT?
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The optimism expressed
by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs on the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict in 2006 was not grounded. Kiro Manoyan, Executive of
the ARF Dashnaktsutiun Bureau Hay Dat and Political Office, declared
this at the July 11 dispute at the Hayeli (Mirror) club.
According to him, Azerbaijan from the very start was not disposed
to solve the issue through mutual concessions. According to Manoyan,
for the Azerbaijani President, the negotiations were means of gaining
time, as he sets his hopes on funds to be received from oil and on
solving the problem with the the help of these funds through a war.
Manoyan declared that the Dashnaktsutiun is against the variant of
Nagorno Karabakh settlement proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs,
as it contains a provision to cede the liberated territories and
the conditions of the referendum to be held for the purpose of
self-determination are not precisely mentioned in it. “Our approach
is that first the issue of status should be solved the way it should
not cause commentaries. As far as the issue of status is unsolved,
the Artsakh issue is not solved for us and it is senseless to speak
about other concessions,” he emphasized.
According to Manoyan, the only positive point in the settlement
variant published lately is that the Co-chairmen, in fact, declare
that they see no other approach of settlement but to recognize
Nagorno Karabakh’s right of self-determination.
Manoyan stated that official Stepanakert and official Yerevan express
readiness to cede the liberated territories to Azerbaijan. Whereas,
the ARFD considers that NKR should stipulate its current factual
borders in the newly worked out Constitution.
According to him, refusing to take away new territories from
Azerbaijan or to resume the war can be considered as a concession on
the part of Armenia.
Besides, holding a new referendum in NKR is already a concession, as
Nagorno Karabakh has once expressed its position through a referendum.
Though the Dashnaktsutiun does not like the proposed variant of
settlement, nevertheless, according to Manoyan, the party is not going
to instigate a dispute in the society for the purpose of preserving
stability in the country.
“I do not think the time has come for us to start an argument in the
country, Azerbaijan did not agree to this variant, what else shall
we argue about?”
Kiro Manoyan declared.

ZHIRAYR SEFILIAN: FIRST AND FOREMOST TASK IS TO PREVENT REPRODUCTION
OF CURRENT AUTHORITIES
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. “Today there is no notion of the
Karabakh problem: the issue was solved long ago and in spite of
all conversations, there is no danger in the respect of ceding
territories,” Zhirayr Sefilian, Commander of the Shoushi special
battalion, Head of the In Defence of Liberated Territories NGO,
declared at the July 12 meeting with journalists at the National
Press Club.
According to him, the current authorities making “pitiful and
defeatest” statements pursue traitorous goals. And the statements
of Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian about the acceptability of the
frame agreement proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs are made
by the order of RA President Robert Kocharian who by this wants to
say to the Americans that “I am ready to do anything.”
In Sefilian’s opinion, the processes around the Nagorno Karabakh
settlement led the Armenian side to a deadlock, which strengthens
war danger. “This situation is the result of the non-competent policy
of the Armenian authorities.
The sooner we get rid of them the more real the possibility to delay
the war will be,” he considers.
Sefilian mentioned that the political elite is isolated from the
people in Armenia and there is something to think of here. According
to him, the Americans disclosing the frame agreement uncovered the
Armenian authorities. “Only one thing remains after it, to unite and
not to permit the reproduction of the current authorities. And in
this respect we, Armenian volunteers conduct an initiative, about
which the society will learn soon.” He again confirmed that today
the first and foremost task is prevention of the reproduction of
the current authorities.
In connection with the position of the U.S. in the issue of Nagorno
Karabakh settlement Sefilian emphasized that the Americans have
been never interested in the solution of this problem. “They are
not interested, to whom Aghdam belongs today, to the Armenians or
the Azeris. They are interested in the possibility to strengthen
control in this region and in ousting the Russians. At the same time,
we all know that the Armenian authorities have a status of heads of
the Russian province,” Zhirayr Sefilian declared.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CATHOLICOS KAREKIN II EXPRESSES GRATITUDE TO LEBANESE AUTHORITIES
FOR KIND ATTITUDE TOWARDS ARMENIAN COMMUNITY
ECHMIADZIN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On July 12,
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II received Lebanese Foreign
Minister Fawzi Salloukh accompanied by the Ambassadors of the two
countries.
His Holiness the Patriarch greeted the guests and in the person of
Mr Salloukh expressed his gratitude to the Lebanese authorities for
their kind attitude towards the Armenian community. His Holiness also
said that thanks to this attitude after the Genocide many Armenians
finding a shelter in Lebanon as deserved citizens of the country were
able to resume and develop their national, spiritual and religious
life, as well.
“We are glad and proud that the sons of our people as deserved
citizens make their important contribution to Lebanon’s political,
public and cultural life. We are also glad and it is pleasant for us
that the Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House is also under the
constant attention of the authorities and good relations are formed
on both parts,” he said.
According to the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy
Echmiadzin, in his turn, F.Salloukh highly evaluated the contribution
of the Lebanese Armenian community to the country’s development. The
Minister especially emphasized the role of the Armenian community in
educational, health protection and other spheres.

IGOR LEVITIN AND TATYANA ANODINA INFORM ROBERT KOCHARIAN ABOUT RESULTS
OF A-320 PLANE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION
YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Igor Levitin,
RF Transport Minister, Co-chairman of the Armenian-Russian
Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation, and Tatyana
Anodina, Chairwoman of CIS Interstate Aviation Committee, informed
about the results of the investigation of the accident of Armavia
airline’s A-320 plane crashed on May 3 in Sochi at the July 12 meeting
with RA President Robert Kocharian.
It was mentioned that the situation, in which the Armenian plane
appeared before the accident was modelled in the French city of
Toulouse. The work was done with participation of French, Russian and
Armenian specialists. During the medelling the flight instructions
were given proceeding from the information the specialists decoded
from the plane “black boxes.”
The summing up of the investigation results is underway at present. The
Interstate Aviation Committee has been charged to finish the work in
as short terms as possible and to publicize the final results.
According to RA President’s Press Office, Robert Kocharian discussed
a number of urgent issues on the agenda of bilateral relations with
Igor Levitin. In particular, they touched upon the closure of the
Verin Lars check-point, which the Transport Minister conditioned by
construction works.
The sides exchanged thoughts on prospects of transport communication
development. Igor Levitin also informed that currently the Russian
side tries to give a quick solution to the issue of relaunching of
the Mars enterprise.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress