DENOUNCEMENT AGAINST KAREKIN II
Anatolian Times, Turkey
July 3 2006
ISTANBUL – Kemal Kerincsiz, chairman of the executive board of the
Union of Jurists, denounced Karekin II, head of the Armenian Orthodox
Church, to the Chief Prosecutor`s Office in Istanbul on Thursday
on charges of denigrating Turkish people by claiming that Turks had
committed genocide against Armenians.
In a petition he submitted to the Chief Prosecutor`s Office, Kerincsiz
said that a public prosecution should be filed against Karekin II
for denigrating Turkish people in accordance with Article 301/1 of
the Turkish Penal Code.
Kerincsiz also requested the Chief Prosecutor`s Office to issue
a warrant of arrest to detain Karekin II if he enters the country
once again.
Karekin II paid a visit to Istanbul last week at invitation of
Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I.
During a news conference at the Turkish-Armenian Patriarchate on June
25th, Karekin II said that it was impossible to find a solution as
long as Turkey denied the so-called Armenian genocide.
Article 301/1 says that individual/s who openly denigrate/s Turkish
people, Republic of Turkey or Turkish parliament is/are sentenced to
prison from six months up to three years.

NO INCIDENT WAS NOTED DURING MONITORING ON FRONT LINE
Author: E.Javadova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 3 2006
On July 3, no incidents were noted during the monitoring held in
accordance with the mandate of the present OSCE chairman on the front
line controlled by Azerbaijani and Armenia forces, Ilgar Verdiyev,
employee of the press-service of the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry,
told Trend.
In accordance with the mandate of the personal envoy of the present
OSCE chairman, the monitoring was held on the front line near the
highway of Agdam-Hindarkh and Novruzlu village in the territory of
Agdam district.
>From Azerbaijani side, the monitoring was held by Imre Platinus
and Jiri Abrel, the assistants of personal envoy of the present
OSCE chairman.
And from the other side of the territory which has been internationally
recognized as the territory of Azerbaijan, the monitoring was held
by the personal envoy of the present OSCE chairman, ambassador Anjey
Kaspishk and his assistants Gunter Folk and Peter Ky.
On July 4, the monitoring will be continued by the same monitoring
group near Mahrizli village of Agdam district and Kuropatkino village
of Khojavand district and on July 5, near Kuropatkino and Ashagi
Veysalli villages of Khojavand district.

BAKU BELIEVES REFERENDUM ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH MUST BE NATIONWIDE
ITAR-TASS, Russia
July 3 2006
BAKU, July 3 (Itar-Tass) – Baku believes that a referendum on the
status of Nagorno-Karabakh should be nationwide, Azerbaijani Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told journalists on Monday.
He pointed out that Azerbaijan’s stand was “clear.” “The
Nagorno-Karabakh problem may be settled after effects of the armed
conflict are eliminated.”
“Earlier, not only Armenians, but also Azerbaijanis resided in
Nagorno-Karabakh,” Azimov said.
If to speak of democratic conflict settlement, the demographic
situation in Nagorno-Karabakh as it was before the conflict waged
should be re-established and the Azerbaijani Diaspora should be
returned back to their homes, he said.
As for future signing of the framework agreement on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement during the G8 summit due in St.
Petersburg, where the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents will take
part, Azimov said “such agreement should be drafted first as it does
not exist.”

PUTIN OPENS WORLD RELIGIOUS SUMMIT IN MOSCOW
Interfax, Russia
July 3 2006
Moscow, July 3, Interfax – Russian President Vladimir Putin has opened
the World Summit of Religious Leaders, delivering a speech at Moscow’s
President Hotel.
The forum involves more than 200 representatives from four Orthodox
Churches, the heads of the Armenian, Ethiopian and Coptic Churches,
representatives of Judaism and Buddhist organizations, and guests
from Islamic countries.
The Vatican sent one of the largest delegations to the Moscow forum.
The religious summit is considered unique because it involves a large
number of representatives of different religions and is taking place
in the run-up to the G8 summit in St. Petersburg. The forum will
offer G8’s political leaders solutions to key problems facing the
world from the point of view of various religious communities.
The religious summit will give top priority to ways to combat terrorism
and extremism, solutions to issues related to family and human life,
ways of promoting equality between genders, the moral upbringing of
young people and poverty reduction measures.
The forum will also address the role of the media, environmental
issues, steps to counter infectious diseases and drug addiction,
the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction, dialogue between
civilizations and other issues.
Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Alexy II came up with an initiative
to hold the forum, which was organized by the Interreligious Council
of Russia.

ATTACKS ON MINORITIES IN MOSCOW – HATE CRIME, PROSECUTORS SAY
Pravda, Russia
July 3 2006
Four Armenians and one Azerbaijani were attacked by about 15 assailants
at a subway station on Saturday, said Sergei Marchenko, a spokesman
for the Moscow prosecutor’s office. The Moscow prosecutor’s office
initially said only two people were hurt in the attack, and that it
was being investigated as “hooliganism,” not a hate crime.
Russia has seen a wave of xenophobia and hate crimes in recent years,
with hundreds of attacks reported, including many on dark-skinned
immigrants from former Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus Mountains
region.
Rights activists say hate groups are emboldened by authorities’
mild approach to prosecuting hate crimes, and say that neo-Nazi and
extremist literature is sold freely.
In Yerevan, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan on Monday
condemned the attack, and called on Russia to do more to head off a
rising tide of violent xenophobia in the country.
Meanwhile, three suspects in the Saturday stabbing of a Kazakh
citizen were arrested for a racially motivated crime, the Interfax
news agency reported.
Also Saturday, two Uzbek citizens were hospitalized with multiple
stab wounds after being attacked in southwest Moscow, Interfax said.

STATEMENTS OF ARMENIAN SIDE REGARDING REFERENDUM, KALBAJAR AND LACHIN TAKE SPECULATIVE AND PSEUDO CHARACTER – AZERI DEPUTY FM
Author: S.Agayeva
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 3 2006
Many statements of the Armenian side, as well as regarding the
referendum, status of Kalbajar and Lachin take speculative and pseudo
character, Araz Azimov, the deputy foreign minister of Azerbaijan,
told journalists on July 3, Trend reports.
According to Azimov, the Azeri side has repeatedly stated that only
national referendums may be held in the territory of Azerbaijan
and this position has been exactly defined in the Constitution
of Azerbaijan. Azeri government is not going to stand beyond this
position and all speculations in this direction are lie, told Azimov.
He remembered that the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh didn’t live
alone, but together with the Azerbaijanis, and if we speak about
the democracy, then the demography of the region should be restored
and Azerbaijanis should return to Nagorno-Karabakh. For this it is
important to ensure the relevant peaceful conditions and release of
Azerbaijan’s occupied territories. “It a normal logical process,”
Azimov added. “The settlement of political questions – appointment of
the status of both peoples’ joint living should be made democratically,
within Law,” Azimov told.
Azimov emphasized that the statements about the issue that as though
Kalbajar and Lachin will remain under the control of Armenian side is
absurd because the talks on release of these districts have been held
from the first day to the present time. Nobody will allow Armenians
to keep any territory of Azerbaijan under control, Azimov stressed.
According to Azimov, Lachin problem may be resolved through the joint
use of the road infrastructure of the district for relation between
Armenia and Azerbaijan, Armenians and Azerbaijanis in Nagorno-Karabakh,
as well as with Nakchivan Autonomous Republic.
“The statements regarding Kalbajar will be lie because the exits
from this district to Nagorno-Karabakh will be kept under a proper
control. An international peaceful contingent or controller will be
placed there, and there will be no danger and threat,” Azimov added,
mentioning the importance of ensuring the security of Azerbaijanis
in Nagorno-Karabakh. “There could be no one-sided demilitarization
in the control zone. And the demilitarization should be mutual,
and Armenian armed forces’ remaining there is impossible,” told Azimov.

ARKADY GHOUKASYAN: AZERBAIJAN’S ATTEMPTS TO MISLEAD INTERNATIONAL INSTANCES DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO ESTABLISHMENT OF MUTUAL TRUST BETWEEN PARTIES
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
July 3 2006
July 2 the Nagorno Karabakh Republic President Arkady Ghoukasyan
received the OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Personal Representative Andrzey
Kasprzyk.
According to the information DE FACTO got at the NKR President’s Press
Service, in the course of the meeting the parties had discussed a
number of issues referring to the Karabakh conflict settlement and the
situation along the Nagorno Karabakh and Azeri Armed Forces’ contact
line. The interlocutors touched upon the information circulated by
the Azeri party, according to which the Karabakh party, allegedly,
set fire to the populated localities near the contact line.
The NKR President noted the Azeri party’s attempts to mislead the
international instances did not contribute to the establishment of
mutual trust between the conflict parties’ societies.

U.S. SENATE COMMITTEE APPROVES $58MLN ALLOCATION TO ARMENIA AS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR 2007 FISCAL YEAR
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 3 2006
YEREVAN, July 3. /ARKA/. The U.S. Senate Committee on foreign
assignments approved Thursday allocation of $58mln to Armenia as
financial assistance for 2007 fiscal year.
Armenian Assembly of America told ARKA News Agency that this assistance
is $17mln smaller than that of 2006 fiscal tear.
Armenian Assembly of America expressed concern over the reduced
assistance and announced its intention to work with the U.S. Senate and
House of Representatives to ensure necessary resources for Armenia’s
security, prosperity and democratic development.
This assistance is very vital to Armenia, since the country is in
blockade from east and west, the Assembly Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny stressed.
Besides, the Senate’s Committee voted for $3.5-million parity
military assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan. Both countries will
also receive $790 thousand each under international military education
and training program.
Another $5 million was approved as humanitarian assistance for Nagorno
Karabakh. This assistance is $5mln greater than that of 2006.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTER: ARMENIA FACES PROBLEM OF SUBSTANTIAL REFORMATION OF EDUCATION SECTOR
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 3 2006
YEREVAN, July 3. /ARKA/. Armenia faces the problem of substantial
reformation of education sector, Armenian Education Minister Levon
Mkrtchjyan said Friday in parliament.
In his words, the republic’s education system is badly in need of
being updated and brought in conformity with international standards.
In his opinion, it is very important to make the country’s schools
diplomas recognizable and admissible outside the republic.
He said the intellectual reserves accumulated for long years of soviet
rule are already expiring.

GASPROM INTENDS TO ACQUIRE IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 3 2006
YEREVAN, July 3. /ARKA – RIA Novosti/. Gasprom intends to acquire
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline that is under construction now, the company
board Vice Chairman Alexander Ryazanov said Friday at shareholders’
annual assembly in Moscow.
In his words, the gas pipeline exploitation will make it possible
to enhance security of gas supply to Armenia. He says there are
problems with gas transit to Armenia from Georgia, since the latter
“takes gas without any authorization”.
Ryazanov said that the gas pipeline would start functioning in 2007
and would convey 1.2bln cubic meters a year.
Construction of Armenian section of Iran-Armenia 141-km pipeline with
700-diameter pipes is estimated to cost $120 million. The construction
is to be carried out at the expenses of Iranian side. In return,
Armenia will provide electric power to Iran.