OSCE MINSK GROUP’S PROPOSALS ACCEPTABLE FOR ARMENIA
By Nana Petrosian
AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2006
The statements of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, particularly those
of American co-chair Matthew Bryza, are still being commented by
both sides of the conflict. Speaking to a press conference yesterday,
Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian once again confirmed that “in
general the OSCE Minsk Group’s proposals are acceptable for Armenia,
and we are ready to continue negotiations with Azerbaijan.”
In Oskanian’s opinion, the choice was correct as regards the
concessions. “I think the Azerbaijani side will understand that and
will take right steps.”
Azerbaijani deputy foreign minister Araz Azimov stated on his part,
“Many statements of the Armenian side including those about the
referendum, Kelbajar and Lachin do not ring true.” He said that
Azerbaijan will agree only to a nationwide referendum and will never
give up this principle.
Trend news agency quoted Azimov as saying that it is wrong to leave
Kelbajar and Lachin under Armenia’s control and that no one will
allow the Armenian side to keep any lands captive.

FLIGHT OF CRASHED A320 TO BE MODELED
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
04/07/2006
The French specialists are going to model the May 3 flight of the
crashed A320 airbus, Artyom Movsisian, head of RA State Civil Aviation
Department, said.
Gagik Galstian, deputy head of Flight Security Department at RA State
Civil Aviation Department, left for France for modeling activities. The
modeling will be based on the data revealed after decoding the black
boxes of the crashed airbus. The records of the block boxes will help
fully imitate the duration of the flight.

RA MFA DOESN’T PREPARE FOR NEW ROUND OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH TALKS
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.07.2006 19:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs is not
preparing for a new round of the Armenian-Turkish talks, Acting
Spokesman of the RA MFA Vladimir Karapetian told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter.
“As for the statement by Turkish MFA Spokesman Namik Tan on the
proposal to form a commission of historians on the investigation of
the fact of the Armenian Genocide, I would like to remind that in
response Armenian President Robert Kocharian proposed to study the
ways for normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations at the level
of an intergovernmental commission,” Vladimir Karapetian said.

FILM ON DESTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN HISTORICAL MONUMENTS IN GEORGIA TO BE PRESENTED IN MOSCOW
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.07.2006 13:38 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Initiated by Mitk Union of Armenian Youth of Moscow
Yeghishe Gevorgyan’s Stones of Ancestors documentary will be screened
at Rolan cinema. According to the Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians
of Russia, the bi-serial film of ethnic Armenian film director from
Austria shows destruction of Armenian monuments in contemporary
Georgia and presents the current lamentable state of the Armenian
cultural legacy in that country. The film is built in the form of
an interview with Armenian, Russian and Georgian public figures,
who evidence falsification and destruction of cultural and spiritual
monuments of other peoples on the territory of modern Georgia. All
facts in the film are cited without author’s comments.

OSCE MG: KOCHARIAN AND ALIYEV SHOULD SHOW INITIATIVE IN KARABAKH ISSUE
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.07.2006 13:49 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs made a recurrent
statement. It says that principles of conflict settlement in Nagorno
Karabakh, the Co-Chairs have presented to Azerbaijan and Armenia,
are interpreted in different ways. The statement specifically notes,
“Taking it into account we consider necessary to make the following
statement.
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group reported to the OSCE Permanent
Council on the outcomes of the talks with parties of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. They presented a report on intensive mediation aimed
at coming to an agreement over settlement basic principles within
past seven months. The report contains information on the outcomes
of the three individual and joint visits of the co-chairs to Baku
and Yerevan, two meetings with Azeri and Armenian FMs, Rambouillet
and Bucharest meetings with participation of Kocharian and Aliyev
and visits to the region in May at the level of Deputy FMs of OSCE
MG Co-Chair countries.”
The statement notes that mediation efforts of the co-chairs have
resulted in handing fair, balanced and practical basic principles over
NK settlement. “This proposal may result in singing of a settlement
agreement desirable to both parties. The essence of those principles
lies in withdrawal of Armenian troops from regions around NK and
providing a special model to Kelbajar and Lachin regions (including the
corridor between Armenia and NK). The date and form of demilitarization
of those regions should be determined at later stages of the talks –
at the time of holding a referendum on NK status. According to those
principles, the parties will stop threatening each other and will
fulfill their promises on international and bilateral security.”
Over the issue of the coming referendum on determining the status
of Nagorno Karabakh the Co-Chairs noted that arrangements should be
held for its holding. “It is a pity that the Presidents during their
latest meeting in Bucharest could not agree over those principles. We
believe that both Presidents should take the initiative in their hands
to attain progress in the settlement. In case the Presidents come
to an agreement, we are ready to assist in concluding a treaty.” The
Co-Chairs said no additional meetings are planned on their initiative
in the near future. “In case the Presidents agree to continue the
talks, we can again engage in the matter,” reports Azeri-Press.

FRANCE IMPATIENTLY AWAITING YEAR OF ARMENIA START
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.07.2006 16:03 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 12 Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian and French FM Philippe Douste-Blazy will open the Year of
Armenia in France, French President’s Diplomatic Advisor Laurent Bili
stated at a press conference in Yerevan. In his words, both sides
are ready to introduce the program of events including exhibitions,
concerts, meeting with Armenian art workers. “Events will be held not
only in Paris but also in the other French cities. We are impatiently
waiting for the opening of the Year of Armenia, since this country
is dear for us,” Bili said.
He also said that the main purpose of the Year is to represent this
country to the world. Mr Bili is convinced that the Year of Armenia
in France will become symbolic for both states. “Armenia is a wonder
of a young state with centuries-old history. The French will be
represented the art of ancient and modern Armenia and the art of the
Armenian Diaspora.
Culture is a dialogue of civilizations. It also promotes tourism and
economic development,” Laurent Bili underscored.
As for the financing, the French government will assign 0.5 million
euros. “Some private persons also gave consent to finance the events. I
suppose the sum will total in 1.5-2 million euros. However this figure
is preliminary,” the French President’s Advisor said.

OSKANIAN: RUSSIA SHOULD TAKE MEASURES TO PREVENT XENOPHOBIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.07.2006 16:05 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During bilateral meetings Armenia always raises the
issue of murders and appliance of violence against Armenians in Russia,
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated at a press conference
in Yerevan. In his words, the Russian side also voices concern over
the incidents. “The Russian authorities should take serious measures
to prevent violence and xenophobia, otherwise this can become a threat
for the country. For our part we will continue to pay rapt attention
to the cases of appliance of violence against Armenians in Russia,”
the Armenian FM said.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA TO ISSUE COINS DEDICATED TO CHESS PLAYERS
Armenpress
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Central Bank said it was
planning to issue memorial coins with a nominal value of 10,000 Drams,
dedicated to the victory of Armenian men chess players at the 37-th
Chess Olympiad in Italian Turin.
The Armenian team visited last weekend the resort town of Dilijan
in Tavush province where they were granted the title of its honorary
citizens. The local municipality has also donated land plots to each
chess players and the Armenian Chess Federation.

DROUGHT EFFECTS ONLY MOUNTAIN AND SUB-MOUNTAIN AREAS
Armenpress
Jul 3 2006
YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: Officials from the government-affiliated
water committee and agricultural ministry have downplayed the purported
aftereffects of a long string of dry days that have affected largely
mountain and sub-mountain areas, where irrigation is not available.
Speaking to a round table discussion on the consequences of the drought
that was interrupted just few days ago, they said the overall volume
of damages suffered by farmers is being examined now by experts.
Mamikon Gasparian from the agriculture ministry said the irrigated
agriculture is immune against drought. The drought has sustained
damages only to those mountain and sub-mountain areas which have no
irrigation. Gasparian said farmers in lower areas who have access
to irrigation have overcome the panic and are now watering their
lands regularly.
Adibek Ghazarian from the water committee said lands received 15-20
percent of extra water. He said water reservoirs have enough water
for organization of due irrigation and pumping extra water out from
the lake Sevan was not discussed yet because the available resources
are enough to meet the demand.

TWO ARMENIAN BOYS STABBED IN MOSCOW
Armenpress
Jul 3 2006
MOSCOW, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: Moscow police are looking for unidentified
assailants who beat up and stabbed two Armenian boys in the Moscow
Underground, Russian news agencies said quoting a source in Moscow
law enforcement services.
It said the Armenians were attacked on July 1 afternoon. Both were
taken to hospital with knife wounds. The assailants escaped. Reports
from the Russian capital said also a Kazakh citizen, a student taking
an advanced training course at the Military Engineering Academy,
was attacked and stabbed in Moscow on the same day. A police unit
dispatched to the scene found out that the Kazakh had been attacked
and stabbed by ten assailants, four of whom were young women. The
injured Kazakh citizen was hospitalized.
His life is not in danger,” a source in Moscow police told Interfax
on Sunday.
“The assailants, all of them aged 17-18, fled,” the source said. On the
same day, officials at a city hospital informed police that two Uzbek
citizens had been admitted to a hospital with multiple stab wounds.
“Police officials later found out that the two were attacked and
stabbed on Saturday evening in southwestern Moscow. The assailants
fled,” the police said.
The victims are in grave condition, police officials said. More than
100 attacks incited by nationalistic hatred have been recorded in
Russia since the beginning of the year, officially about two dozens
of them ended in deaths of the victims.
In most cases, the attacks are committed by so-called skinheads,
activists of a nationalistic youth movement.