AZERBAIJANI LEADER: ECONOMIC STRENGTH TO ALLOW ADVANTAGEOUS RESOLUTION OF DISPUTED TERRITORY
Aida Sultanova
AP Worldstream
Jun 29, 2006
Azerbaijan’s rapidly growing economy would allow it to resolve the
dispute with Armenia over the mountainous Nagorno-Karabakh territory
to its own advantage, Azerbaijan’s president said Thursday.
Ilham Aliev’s comments were the latest in a series of increasingly
aggressive statements on the mountainous territory, whose status
remain unresolved more than a decade after a cease-fire ended six
years of open conflict.
Foreign ministers from the Group of 8 major industrialized nations,
meeting in Moscow, called for prompt resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh’s
status and other lingering conflicts in the former Soviet Union.
Nagorno-Karabakh is inside Azerbaijan, but is populated mostly by
ethnic Armenians, who have run it and seven contiguous districts since
an uneasy 1994 cease-fire ended six years of full-scale war. Sporadic
border clashes regularly break out and the unresolved conflict has
held up development in the strategic region.
Azerbaijan would not accept any resolution that “doesn’t correspond
to the country’s national interests,” Aliev said.
“From a political viewpoint, Azerbaijan’s superiority is evident,
our military potential is also growing,” he told a crowd in Ujar,
250 kilometers (155 miles) west of the capital, Baku.
“As for the economy, we are five times stronger than Armenia now and
in the near future our economic superiority will be increased by 10,
20 fold,” he said. “I am fully confident that due to this we’ll be
able to settle the Karabakh problem to our advantage.”
“Azerbaijan is willing to solve the problem by peaceful means, but
it will never reconcile with the loss of its territories,” he said.
Pushed by international mediators including France, the United States
and Russia, Aliev and his Armenian counterpart, Robert Kocharian, have
already met twice this year to try and agree on a resolution. Neither
effort has yielded any results, though some observers have said the
fact that the two presidents continue to meet was positive.
Azerbaijan’s economy has grown substantially in recent years as its
vast Casp ian Sea oil reserves have begun to be tapped. Aliev said
last year that the country’s military spending was set to double to
nearly US$300 million in 2005.
In Moscow, meanwhile, G-8 diplomats called for Armenia and Azerbaijan
to reach an agreement this year on the territory.
“We call on Azerbaijan and Armenia to show political will with the
aim to reach an agreement this year and prepare their peoples for
peace and not for war,” the joint statement said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NAY TO REFERENDUM? WHAT ABOUT AUTONOMY?
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
30/06/2006
Aliyev’s Populism Couched in Same Words
Granting Nagorno Karabakh high status of autonomy and “agreeing to
deployment of international peacekeepers was a major concession on
Azerbaijan’s part,” Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev stated. “It
can be considered a concession that we make it possible to deploy
peacekeeping forces. We can be ready for that though it’s not easy for
us as there are no foreign military detachments in our country. This
is our fundamental stance,” Aliyev stated.
On the other hand, “granting Nagorno Karabakh the high status of
autonomy is a big concession as previously it used to enjoy the
status of autonomous oblast. I am stating that we are ready to apply
the highest status of autonomy that the world knows. There can be no
other concession,” Aliyev said.
Though this stance is not something new, it’s interesting that
the Azerbaijani president is speaking of impossibility to make
other concessions. What does it mean? Is there a proposal of other
concessions too that are kept under wraps with the unpublicized
elements of the framework agreement? In the meantime it’s obvious
that such deployment of international peacekeepers seems to be,
in Aliyev’s words, a concession whereas it will simply serve as a
guarantee for carrying out reached agreements (concessions).

TURKISH LAWYER SEEKS CHARGES AGAINST ARMENIAN RELIGIOUS LEADER
AP Worldstream
Jun 29, 2006
A nationalist lawyer said Thursday that he has petitioned prosecutors
to bring an Armenian religious leader to trial for “insulting
Turkishness.”
Karekin II, whose official title is Catholicos of All Armenians, made a
visit to the Greek Orthodox leader in Istanbul last week. While calling
for improved relations between the two countries, he repeated Armenia’s
long-held view that the Turks committed genocide against Armenians.
“We can find positive solutions to the problems between us through
working side by side,” he said. “The genocide, however, is one of
the issues standing between us.”
Turkey vehemently denies that the killing of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks around the time of World War I was genocide, and several cases
have been brought against those who say otherwise. The cases have
been opened under a law making it a crime to “insult Turkishness.”
Lawyer Kemal Kerincsiz, who previously led a legal campaign against
novelist Orhan Pamuk, asked an Istanbul prosecutor to bring charges
against Karekin.
It was not clear if prosecutor would act against Karekin, who returned
to Armenia on Wednesday.
Pamuk went on trial after he said in a magazine interview that Turks
had killed 1 million Armenians, but the charges were later dropped.
Armenians say that as many as 1.5 million of their ancestors were
killing in an organized genocidal campaign by Ottoman Turks, and have
pushed for recognition of the killings as genocide around the world.

STATEMENT WAS TOUGH
By Tamar Minasian
AZG Armenian Daily
30/06/2006
The statement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs was tough and
unexpected; Grigor Harutyunian, member of the National Unity Party,
told journalists at “Pastark” club yesterday. “Negotiations are
proceeding in the wrong direction, their format is wrong,” Harutyunian
assures. In his opinion, Armenian president Robert Kocharian transposes
Karabakh-Azerbaijan relations to the sphere of Armenia-Azerbaijan
relations.
He is sure that the president will soon resign but not forced by the
authorities or the opposition but because “resignation will be a way
out from this situation when a document is being imposed.”
Armenia, Harutyunian argues, is taking one-sided concessions, which
is the result of illegitimate leadership. As to the inner political
situation, he welcomes the activities of the Republican Party and
promises that the opposition will be more active in autumn.

‘REVALUATION OF DRAM IN THE MARKET IS THE RESULT OF DEMAND AND SUPPLY SITUATION’
By Ara Martirosian
AZG Armenian Daily
30/06/2006
Ardshininvestbank’s Board Chairman Said at the Opening of Bank’s
Offshoot in Etchmiadzin
“Etchmiadzin” branch of Ardshininvestbank opened its doors in a new
building on June 28. As one of the bank’s 51 offshoots, “Etchmiadzin”
with its 18 employees will serve 3-3.5 thousand citizens.
At ribbon-cutting ceremony chairman of Ardshininvestbank’s Board,
Aram Andreasian, stated that contrary to other Armenian banks,
Ardshininvestbank already has branches all over Armenia. He emphasized
that the bank’s policy is to create comfortable conditions for the
clientele and added that 5-6 more branches will be repaired.
Asked about revaluation of Armenian dram, Mr. Andreasian said that
it’s a positive phenomenon in general though exporters suffer
certain loss. Yet, today’s currency is the result of demand and
supply situation in the market. He informed that dollar transfers via
Ardshininvestbank have increased against last year. Besides, big sums
flow into construction sphere and that also affects exchange rates and
increases demand for US dollar. Aram Andreasian thinks that it’s more
important that prices are stable than the changes in exchange rates.

FESTIVAL DEDICATED TO METAKSIA SIMONIAN
AZG Armenian Daily
30/06/2006
On July 2-8, “Metaksia” first republican theatre festival will be
held in Armenia. The festival is dedicated to 80th anniversary of
outstanding Armenian actress Metaksia Simonian. In the course of
June 28 press conference, Vahe Shahverdian, art director of the
Yerevan State Academic Theatre after Gabriel Sundukian, said that
15 performances will be staged at the Armenian theatres within the
framework of the festival.
It’s noteworthy that by RA Government’s decision, the anniversaries
of nine prominent Armenian art workers will be celebrated, namely
the anniversaries of Hakob Hovnatanian, Dmitriy Nalbandian, Grigor
Khanjian, Mkrtich Armen, Hakob Gyurjian, Metaksia Simonian, Makar
Yekmalian, Tatevik Sazandarian and Tigran Levonian.

ANTIGENICS CEO RECEIVES HUMANITARIAN AWARD FROM THE SABIN VACCINE INSTITUTE
Business Wire
Jun 29, 2006
Antigenics Inc. (NASDAQ: AGEN) today announced that the Sabin Vaccine
Institute has awarded the company’s chairman and CEO, Garo H. Armen,
PhD, the 2006 Sabin Humanitarian Award. The Albert B. Sabin Annual
Awards recognize extraordinary figures in biotechnology, medical
research and medical reporting, and were celebrated at a gala, themed
“Celebrating Hope for a Healthier World,” in New York City last night.
“In each case, these extraordinary individuals didn’t settle for high
achievement in just one area, but they broadened their horizons and
multiplied their effect,” said H. R. Shepherd, DSc, chairman of the
Sabin Vaccine Institute.
“They each found new ways to further medical science, reaching out
to help a greater cross-section of humanity.”
Dr. Armen cofounded Antigenics in 1994 with Pramod K. Srivastava,
PhD. Dr. Armen is also the founder and chairman of the Children of
Armenia Fund, a charitable organization established in 2000 that
is dedicated to the positive development of the children and youth
of Armenia. From mid-2002 through 2004, Dr. Armen also served as
chairman of the board of directors of the pharmaceutical company
Elan Corporation. He received a PhD in physical chemistry from the
Graduate Center, City University of New York.
About the Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute
The Albert B. Sabin Vaccine Institute is a public, nonprofit
organization dedicated to continuing the work of Dr. Albert Sabin,
who envisioned the enormous potential of vaccines to prevent
deadly disease. The Sabin Vaccine Institute (SVI) promotes rapid
scientific advances in vaccine development, delivery and distribution
worldwide. SVI’s Cancer Vaccine Consortium provides a mechanism for
collaborative activity to speed the research, regulatory process and
delivery of new cancer vaccines to the market.
The SVI grants annual Sabin Awards to honor individuals for their
extraordinary and ongoing contributions, and generosity of spirit
inspiring humanitarian actions. Their personal life and public work
exemplify the best of human kindness, and their continuous efforts
to alleviate suffering inspire hope for the greater good of all.
About Antigenics
Antigenics is a biotechnology company working to develop treatments
for cancers, infectious diseases and autoimmune disorders. For more
information, please visit Inc. Media
Relations: Sunny Uberoi, 212-994-8206 [email protected] Investor
Relations: Shalini Sharp, 800-962-2436 [email protected] .

‘WE NEED UNITY BETWEEN PEOPLE AND SOCIETY’
Film Director Tigran Khzmalian Says
By Gohar Gevorgian
AZG Armenian Daily
30/06/2006
Tigran Khzmalian’s documentary “From Arax to Kura, >>From Artsakh
to Javakhk” tells about Armenia, one of the ancient countries of the
world, its historic past, the recent political, economic and spiritual
issues, particularly the issues of Artsakh and Javakhk. The 42-minute
documentary created on new archive materials was filmed in 2006 and
as the fill director puts it, “It’s a try to cry out and an impulse
to awakening.”
Tigran Khzmalian believes that the documentary is not a sentimental
work but an attempt to reconsider history and to forecast the future.
“From Arax to Kura, From Artsakh to Javakhk” begins with presentation
of Armenia as a country land put on the ancient maps, which despite its
cruel fate lived through centuries as it has a mission of civilizing
other peoples. Then the filmmaker touches upon a few key moments in
the Armenian history and reaches the liberation of Armenian historic
land Artsakh.
Showing that we are able to unite in times of trouble, the film
director draws parallels to current problems of Javakhk. Putting
emphasis on poor living conditions of the Armenians of Javakhk,
Khzmalian describes the Georgians’ attitude towards the Armenian in
recent years. The film present at large the policy of “georgianization”
of Armenian cultural monuments by “fraternal Georgia”. Emphasizing
the liberation of Artsakh at the end, the filmmaker seems to raise
a question about solving the issues facing Javakhk.
“All issues have their solution but there is one precondition: the
people and the authorities should be united,” Tigran Khzmalian said
after the first screening of the film yesterday. He feels pain that
vital decisions in the nation’s life are taken by 2-3 people. He also
said that he will not be surprised if the showing of this documentary
is also denied as his previous films.

‘CILICIA’ ELUDES DISASTER
AZG Armenian Daily
30/06/2006
Unofficial sources informed daily Azg that on Wednesday-Thursday
overnight “Cilicia” sailing vessel was on the edge of disaster. A
sequence of mighty waves filled the vessel with water and threw two of
the crewmembers into the sea. Fortunately, the sailors were rescued,
and a Lithuanian fishing boat nearby saved the vessel from foundering.
The accident took place in the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea
between Sweden and Lithuania. We could not get in touch with the crew
yesterday but reportedly the crew is doing well now and “Cilicia”
is heading to the Lithuanian harbor.

KARABAKH BECAME INDEPENDENT EARLIER
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[01:07 pm] 30 June, 2006
Mentioning the Karabakh conflict all the time Azerbaijan issues an
ultimatum to the CoE asking either to settle the conflict in favor
of Azerbaijan or to close their eyes to the problems in their
country. Armen Roustamyan represented his opinion in the PACE
discussions about the referendum in Montenegro.
Congratulating Montenegro on the victory Mr. Roustamyan mentioned that
the Karabakh conflict would not exist now if Azerbaijan had accepted
the results of the referendum in NKR 15 years ago and had not tried
“to suppress the call of the blood”. According to the Armenian deputy,
there is only one way to settle the Karabakh conflict – to respect
the right of self-determination of the Karabakh people.
By the way, Montenegro which gained independence only a few months ago
already has pretensions of joining the European family and becoming
the 47th member of the CoE. It is noteworthy that no Azeri deputy
had registered to make a speech in connection with the issue.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress