BI LINE COMPANY TRANSLATES WINDOWS XP OF MICROSOFT CORPORATION INTO ARMENIAN
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. By the order of MICROSOFT corporation,
BI LINE, one of the leading IT companies of Armenia, will complete
translation of WINDOWS XP into Armenian. Rouben Avagian, technical
director of BI LINE, informed ArmInfo about this.
He said that the sides signed an agreement in July, 2005, adding
that at present the BI Line experts and 60 experts from other IT
companies have already elaborated the translation of the terms’
dictionaries from English. He said that initially, the dictionaries
were represented at the BI LINE site to involve the various circles
of specialists in the translation. Avagian said that the BI LINE
specialists translate the rest of the WINDOWS XP system components.

VAHE VOSKANIAN ARRESTED FOR FALSIFICATION OF DOCUMENTS AND FINANCIAL EMBAZZLEMENT IN USA
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo.As of June 23, RA Public Prosecutor’s
Office was informed by RA National Security Service that RA citizen
Vahe Voskanian tried to steal $15 thousand from “Bank -f America”
by means of falsifications in Los Angeles. He was detained by the US
law enforcement forces.
RA Public Prosecutor’s Office instituted a suit on the given case on
June 23, 2006. Voskanian was released on bail and managed to escape to
Armenia. At present, he is announced wanted in USA. Only on June 24,
2006, by court decision Voskanian was sentenced to imprisonment.
It’s worth mentioning that Voskanian is the son of Gagik Voskanian,
the head of RA Control House.

OSKANIAN COMMENTS ON THE STATEMENT OF THE CO-CHAIRS OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP IN AN INTERVIEW TO ARMENPRESS
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. The actual negotiating document on the
principles that is on the table today is all-encompassing. It covers
all the principles affecting the resolution of the conflict. It
includes the core issue of status of Nagorno Karabakh, territories,
refugees, security issues, peacekeeping and every other conceivable
issue that is necessary in order to arrive at a lasting resolution
of the conflict, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian says in
a interview to ArmenPress while commenting on the June 22 statement
of the OSCE MG co-chairs.
Only after full agreement on all these basic principles would the
parties, as the actual negotiating text says, “in cooperation with the
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk group to begin work on the elaboration of
an agreement on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.” In
other words, the agreement on principles will be comprehensive. The
final agreement may envision implementation over time.
Asked to comment on the passage “the principles include the phased
redeployment of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories around
Nagorno Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and Lachin
districts,” Oskanian says that this formulation is indeed very broad,
and for a reason. This issue has two layers. One is the issue of
Lachin, where the actual negotiating text on principles provides
clear language stating that there will be “a corridor linking Nagorno
Karabakh to Armenia.” For Armenia, it’s very clear that this corridor
must have the same status as Nagorno Karabakh.
The second layer is the issue of Kelbajar. For Armenia, this also
is clear: based on security concerns, Kelbajar can be returned
only after the referendum is conducted and the final status of NK is
determined. Azerbaijan’s position is different on Kelbajar. That’s the
disagreement that the co-chairs are addressing in their statement. The
co-chairs’ language in the actual negotiating text, with regard to
this issue, is generally in line with our approach.
The actual negotiating text on principles clearly specifies that
“the final legal status will be determined through a referendum /
population vote by the population of Nagorno Karabakh.”
Concerning the sentence “certain interim arrangements for Nagorno
Karabakh would allow for interaction with providers of international
assistance,” Oskanian says that this is only one element of a much more
detailed section in the actual negotiating text which addresses interim
status for Nagorno Karabakh. We think the co-chairs have emphasized
international engagement, because that’s a major problem for the people
of Nagorno Karabakh. Their current, unrecognized, de-facto status,
has not allowed them to benefit from the generosity of international
organizations. In the actual negotiating text, the provisions address
such rights as control over their political and economic viability
and security, upholding their personal privileges and freedoms, the
right to democratically elect officials to govern Nagorno Karabakh,
the authority to effectively legislate and administer the internal
affairs of Nagorno Karabakh.
Asked what is Armenia’s overall assessment of the content of the
document as it stands today, Oskanian says that this not a perfect
document. For anyone. However, there are enough solid and balanced
provisions, with the right trade-offs on the main issues – status,
territories and security – that we are prepared to continue to
negotiate on the basis of these principles. In today’s context,
Azerbaijan’s rhetoric about autonomy and desperate calls for
militarization surprise us. We have at hand a real opportunity to
resolve all issues, including the much- maligned issue of refugees.
But Azerbaijan must revert to real situations and real opportunities,
rather than illusory maximalist hopes. Today, we hope that Azerbaijan
will realize that we have a chance to resolve the conflict and achieve
a lasting peace.

ARMENIAN DM: IT WOULD BE RIGHT IF AMERICAN CO-CHAIR OF OSCE MINSK GROUP PUBLISHED DOCUMENT ON KARABAKH CONFLICT AND NOT HIS COMMENTS
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. “I think it would be right if the American
Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza published the document
concerning the settlement of Karabakh conflict and not his comments,”
Serge Sargsyan, Defense Minister of Armenia, told journalists,
Thursday.
The minister said “the co-chairs urge the parties not to publish the
negotiation details to avoid emotional approaches, while they act
just on the contrary.” As regards the possibility of a new turn of
armed conflict and Azerbaijan’s statements on this topic, the minister
said he does not think that “anything that supposes a start of new war
has happened.” “There are no preconditions for resumption of military
actions,” the minister said. Simultaneously, he confirmed that Armenia
is for refraining the parties from emotional attitude to this document.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER AND PACE SECRETARY GENERAL DISCUSS AGGRESSIVE POLICY OF AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION TO PACE
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. Tigran Torossyan, RA Parliamentary Chairman,
the Head of the Armenian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe, discussed the aggressive policy of the
Azerbaijani delegation to PACE with the Secretary General of PACE Terry
Davis in Strasbourg, the RA Parliamentary press office told ArmInfo.
T. Torossyan stressed the importance of PACE sessions both for the
discussion fulfillment of CE member-states’s commitments and other
general issues. While, Azerbaijani delegation uses PACE tribune
slander and make groundless allegations against Armenia, he said. T.
Torosyan explained that this time the Azerbaijani delegation raised
the issue of fires in the green areas around Nagorny Karabakh. He
informed Terry Davis of the real picture. T. Torosyan pointed out that
the Azerbaijani delegation performed a political show in Strasbourg 2
weeks before the NKR leadership applied to the Representatives of OSCE
CIO Assistant for monitoring of the real situation. In such conditions,
one cannot hold Armenian delegates from return speeches. In his turn,
Terry Davis called the slander and lie unworthy of the Council of
Europe and proposed taking measures to correct the situation. He agreed
that the problem is really serious and promised to take measures. As
regards the June 8 interview of Terry Davis with the correspondent of
Yerkir Media TV, CE Secretary General explained that the correspondent
drove him to make condemning statements, specifically, on the problem
of Armenia’s economic blockade by Turkey while he has no sufficient
data on this issue. In this connection, Terry Davis requested the
full text of the interview.

US SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE CONSIDERS NOMINEE TO POST OF US AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA
Yerevan, June 29. ArmInfo. On June 28, the US Senate Foreign Relations
Committee considered the candidature of Richard Hoagland to the post
of US Ambassador to Armenia.
The US Embassy in Armenia told ArmInfo that during the hearings at the
Committee, R. Hoagland was asked several questions. The nominee will
be asked additional questions later from Senator, afterwards voting
will take place, the source reports. However, the date of the voting
is not known yet. According to the Armenian Assembly of America,
Senate Foreign Relations Committee members GeorgeAllen (R-VA) and
Norm Coleman (R-MN) bombarded U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Designate
Richard Hoagland with questions about official U.S. complicity in
Turkey’s campaign of Genocide denial, questioning him, during his
confirmation hearing, regarding his ability to effectively represent
the United States in Armenia without properly recognizing the Armenian
Genocide. “I am not sure how we can continue to have Ambassadors
to Armenia who can be effective unless they give recognition to the
Genocide.” – Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN).
v To recap, the reason of the recall of US Ambassador to Armenia John
Marshall Evans is the latter’s public recognition of Armenian Genocide
in the course of his meeting with the Armenian Diaspora of the USA
last summer. In the meantime, Armenian American activists across the
U.S. continue to call on Senators to demand a full explanation for the
early recall of U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Marshall Evans. Later,
the American Foreign Service Association, set to award Amb. Evans with
the Christian A. Herter Award for constructive dissent, rescinded
the decision, according to the Washington Post, following pressure
from State Department officials.
Richard E. Hoagland was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to Tajikistan on
October 16, 2003. Ambassador Hoagland was Director of the Office of
Caucasus and Central Asian Affairs in the Bureau of Europe and Eurasian
Affairs, Department of State, June 2001-July 2003. He worked with the
Afghan Resistance during the Soviet-Afghan War. He has also served
in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research where
he was the lead analyst for Afghanistan (1989- 1991). After September
11, 2001, he initiated regular U.S.-Russia consultations in response
to the mandate by Presidents Bush and Putin that the two governments
work together to increase their collaboration and transparency in
Central Asia and the Caucasus. In July 2002, this consultative group
became part of the ongoing U.S.-Russia Counterterrorism Working Group.

MUTAFYAN DISAGREES WITH CATHOLICOS ON GENOCIDE RECOGNITION
PanARMENIAN.Net
30.06.2006 12:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul Archbishop
Mesrob Mutafyan told reporters Wednesday that he did not agree
with statements made by His Holiness Garegin II, the Catholicos
of All Armenians regarding the need for the Turkish recognition of
the Armenian Genocide. Mutafyan proposed that the “1915 issue” be
addressed by historians and sociologists in order for the sides to
“understand each other’s sensitivities.”
During a pontifical visit to Istanbul, Catholicos Garegin II said
the Genocide was not a debatable issue for Armenians and it is a fact
that Turkey should recognize. The Turkish press reacted adversely to
this statement, with one newspaper-the Hurriyet-characterizing the
Catholicos’ visit as a protest demonstration. Mutafyan said that the
Catholicos’ statements were not unexpected and since his pontifical
visit was being covered by the Armenian media and would be seen by the
Diaspora communities, “the Catholicos spoke taking into consideration
Diasporan sensitivities,” reported Marmara newspaper.
To note, during his visit to Istanbul Garegin II said the Armenian
Genocide is not a topic of discussion and must be recognized by Turkey.
It should also be noted that since the times of the Ottoman Empire
the Constantinople Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church sis
appointed by the Turkish government but not by Holy Echmiadzin.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AND AZERI LEADERS NEED TO PREPARE PUBLICS FOR PEACE AND NOT FOR WAR
PanARMENIAN.Net
30.06.2006 13:20 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In November last year the Minsk Group Co-Chairs
reported to this Council that the two sides in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict were poised to make a transition from negotiating to
decision-making and that a historic breakthrough in the settlement
of the conflict was possible in 2006, says the statement by the OSCE
Minsk Group made in Vienna June 22.
“During the past seven months, we intensified our mediation efforts and
worked hard to achieve the agreement of both sides on basic principles
for a settlement. We visited Baku and Yerevan three times together and
several more times separately, organized two meetings of the Ministers
of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Azerbaijan and two summits between
Presidents Kocharian and Aliyev – first in Rambouillet in February
and then in Bucharest in early June.
For the first time since 1997, when the current format of the
Co-Chairmanship of the Minsk Group was established, a joint Mission
of Representatives of the Co-Chair countries at the Deputy Foreign
Minister level traveled to the region in May in order to make clear to
the presidents of both countries that 2006 is the necessary window of
opportunity for reaching an agreement on Nagorno- Karabakh. In fact,
the delegation of Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigoriy Karasin,
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried, and high-ranking
French diplomat Pierre Morel – representing French Political Director
Stanislaus de Laboulaye – told the two Presidents that our three
countries expected them to take advantage of this opportunity by
reaching an agreement on core principles for a settlement at their
Bucharest summit in early June.
Our deputy ministers told the two Presidents that an agreement on
basic principles now, before the July G8 Summit in St. Petersburg,
would secure broad international support and a high level of
financial assistance for postconflict reconstruction and peacekeeping
activities. We stressed – as always – the belief of our nations and,
more widely, of the international community that the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict can be resolved in no other way than a peaceful one. Moreover,
we stressed that both leaders need to prepare their publics for peace
and not for war,” the statement says.

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES $58 MILLION FOR ARMENIA IN FY 2007
ArmRadio.am
30.06.2006 10:21
The full Senate Appropriations Committee voted to cut economic
assistance to the Republic of Armenia in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2007
Foreign Operations bill. While the aid level is equal to the overall
budget request of $58 million, the Freedom Support Act (FSA) account
was sharply decreased to $34.2 million, more than half of last years
enacted level of $75 million.
“Given that Armenia remains blockaded on its east and west, continued
robust funding is vitally important,” said Executive Director of
the Armenian National Committee of America Bryan Ardouny. “The
Assembly is therefore concerned about this overall decrease and
looks forward to working with the Senate and House to provide the
necessary resources for Armenia’s security, prosperity and democratic
growth.” In a positive development, initial reports indicate that
the Senate Appropriations Committee reinstated military aid parity
between Armenia and Azerbaijan for FY 2007. The legislation, which
allocates $4.29 million in military financing to both countries,
signals that Azerbaijan’s continued war rhetoric is not welcome and
is in fact counterproductive.

HEARINGS ON 12-YEAR EDUCATION TO BE HELD AT THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
ArmRadio.am
30.06.2006 10:34
NA Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth Affairs
has organized today parliamentary hearings on “12-year education:
the process of reforms in the educational system.”