WE SHOULD HAVE PREPARED FOR FESTIVAL MORE SERIOUSLY, NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION UNION CHAIRMAN CONSIDERS
Noyan Tapan
Jun 28 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. “We should have prepared more seriously
before organizing the “One Nation, One Culture” second All Armenian
Cultural Festival. Paruyr Hayrikian, Chairman of the National
Self-Determination Union, expressed such an opinion in his interview
to Noyan Tapan correspondent.
According to him, this festival has only a cognitive character, but
it is time to pass to practical steps. P.Hayrikian said that this year
CIS countries solemnly mark the 15th anniversary of their independence
but nothing was said about this at the “One Nation, One Culture”
festival. “The Armenians spread all over the world have gathered in
their homeland and this was an occasion for solemnly celebrating the
15th anniversary of our independence. A nation becomes united first
of all with its statehood, but this statehood is not evaluated today,”
P.Hayrikian said.

ARREST AS MEASURE OF RESTRAINT CHOSEN AGAINST ALL THOSE ACCUSED OF MILITARY SERVICE EVASION IN 2005
Noyan Tapan
Jun 28 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2005, Armenian courts examined 76
cases against 76 persons under Article 327 of the RA Criminal Code:
evasion from regular military service or training excercises. In all
cases, arrest was chosen as a measure of restraint.
Spokeswoman for the RA Prosecutor General Sona Truzian stated this
when responding to NT correspondent’s question about why arrest as a
measure of restraint was chosen with respect to the editor-in-chief of
the newspaper “Zhamanak Yerevan” Arman Babajanian. She said that the
matter concerns a crime that poses a public danger of high degree –
evasion from regular military conscription, so no other measure of
restraint could be chosed in the given case.

ARAM SARKISYAN: ARMENIA AGREED TO RETURN FIVE REGIONS TO AZERBAIJAN
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 28 2006
“The OSCE Minsk Group co-chair from the US Matthew Bryza has
not announced all the details of the negotiating process for the
settlement of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict,” the Armenian Democratic
Party leader, parliamentarian Aram Sarkisyan stated (APA).
He said the co-chairs presented the parties to the conflict with the
map of the five regions which Armenia is ready to return to Azerbaijan
and the map of territories where peacekeeper will be deployed.
“The recent statement by Armenian Foreign Ministry shows that Yerevan
agrees to this document but Azerbaijan is against this variant of
solution. Now Baku taking into account Armenia’s having no territorial
claim against Azerbaijan, demands returning of seven regions not five
and Nagorno Garabagh as well. However, as far as I know, Baku has
agreed to the returning of five regions and a half-Kalbajar region,”
the Armenian parliamentarian said.
Sarkisyan said Arkadi Gukasyan, president of the alleged “Nagorno
Garabagh Republic” will never consent to this way of solution.
“The situation will become so tense that we’ll have to face the 1998
February events. The Armenian authorities are committing treachery.
We urge Robert Kocharyan to make public the content of negotiations
had with Azerbaijan,” Sarkisyan underlined.

“METAKSIA” THEATRICAL FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “Metaksia” theatrical
festival will be held on July 2-8 in Yerevan, on the occasion of the
80th birth anniversary of talented actress Metaksia Simonian. Theaters
of Armenia, Stepanakert, Tbilisi will take part in it. Each theater
will present the best performance of its repertoire on these days. Vahe
Shahverdian, Art Director of Gabriel Sundukian National Academic
Theater, declared this at the June 28 press conference.
According to V.Shahverdian, “Artist” competition will be held at the
end of the festival, within the framework of which awards will be
given to the art figures who will win in the nominations of the best
actress, the best actor, the best playwright and the best artist. They
will be given diplomas and Metaksia Simonian’s memorial medal.
“Metaksia was the actress, to which not one, but 10 jubilee events
can be dedicated,” Vahe Shahverdian emphasized.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

BAKU AND YEREVAN HAVE REACHED AGREEMENT ON KARABAKH REFERENDUM
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
June 27, 2006 Tuesday 7:07 PM MSK
The issue of the status of Nagorno- Karabakh ought to be solved by a
referendum, and this has already been agreed on between the presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, a statement issued by the Armenian Foreign
Ministry on Tuesday reads.
“The issue of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh must be resolved by the
people of Nagorno-Karabakh by way of referendum and the differences in
the negotiations have nothing to do with the issue of the referendum,
because this issue has already been agreed on by the presidents,”
the statement says.
“The disagreements concern priorities in dealing with the aftermath
of the armed conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh,” the statement explains.
“The co-chairmen are saying for the first time that the issue of
the status of Nagorno-Karabakh has to be resolved by the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh through a referendum.”
“Armenia holds the view that, on the whole, the principles offered
by the co-chairmen of the Minsk OSCE group from Russia, France and
the U.S. are a serious basis for the continuation of talks and we are
ready, on this basis, to have talks with Azerbaijan. Armenia also holds
the view that Azerbaijan’s indecision concerning these elements is
a serious obstacle in achieving progress in talks, and that if such
a policy was to continue Armenia will insist on Azerbaijan having
direct talks with Nagorno-Karabakh.”
In addition, the Foreign Ministry stated, “No matter the size of
the military budget of Azerbaijan, it will never be able to make the
people of Nagorno-Karabakh give up their right to freedom and self-
determination.”

COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND ASTRAKHAN REGION TO DEVELOP
Noyan Tapan
Jun 28 2006
ASTRAKHAN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian official delegation
headed by the governor of Ararat marz Alik Sargsian has been on a
visit to the Astrakhan region (Russia) on June 26-28. Within the
framework of the visit, an agreement between the Armenian government
and the government of Astrakhan region on trade, economic, scientific,
technical and cultural cooperation was signed on June 27. In the
words of A. Sargsian, the signing of this agreement will give a fresh
impetus to further development of mutually beneficial cooperation
between the sides in various spheres.
According to a press release of the RA MFA Press and Information
Department, an agreement on cooperation between the RA Chamber of
Commerce and Industry and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of
Astrakhan region was signed on the same day.
On June 28 the delegation met with representatives of the Armenian
community of Astrakhan region. During the visit, the Armenian
delegation members participated in the festivities to mark the 300th
anniversary of establishment of Astrakhan’s Armenian community.

PICTURES WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS
By Mick Oxley, The Journal
THE JOURNAL (Newcastle, UK)
June 27, 2006 Tuesday
Edition 1
Armenia still bears the scars of a terrible earthquake and the Soviet
withdrawal. But artist Mick Oxley found redeeming features on a
recent trip.
Mick Oxley, an artist from Craster, recently returned from Armenia
where he was working at the Veratsnund Art School in the Italian
Village in Spitak.
In 1988, Armenia was devastated by an earthquake which killed more
than 45,000 people and left 500,000 homeless. Spitak, home to 25,000,
was all but levelled.
Some countries supplied temporary accommodation and much of it is
still in use – hence Italian Village.
Mick’s trip was organised by Italian charity Family Care, which is
supported by churches in the Alnwick area. Recently they raised £1,700
to buy materials for the art school and to fly Mick out to teach and
inspire the people who use the place.
A wheelchair-user, Mick found attitudes to disabled people in Armenia
less sympathetic than in Britain.
These are extracts from the diary he kept during the trip
:May 6
We arrived on bumpy Tarmac at Yerevan at 11.45pm. As I started to
re-assemble my wheelchair, I was surrounded by uniformed guards. “We
need your passport and dollars for a visa.” Welcome to Armenia!
The guards were dressed in drab Soviet-style uniforms with enormous
peaked caps. They kept saying: “You need ambulance!”
I replied: “I don’t need an ambulance” and promptly wheeled off to find
myself at a flight of 20 stairs. I hopped out of the chair and scuttled
down the steps on my backside. By now, the reception committee had
grown to about 15, gawping at this nutter bouncing down the staircase.
We piled our cases into two cars and made the 15-minute journey to
our lodgings in central Yerevan.
May 7
After breakfast, we journeyed by car to Italian Village Spitak,
the Lada Niva packed with cases and wheelchair.
Last night on the plane, a steward asked: “Where are you getting off,
Yerevan or Tashkent?”
“Yerevan,” I replied.
“On holiday?”
“A working holiday,” said I.
“Are you collecting scrap metal then?” he said in jest.
The significance of his remark hit home on the journey. Piles
of rusty metal lay by the road, old cars and contorted pieces of
machinery. Buildings which were being constructed by the Russians
are as they were in 1991 when they left. The road was deeply potholed
and vehicles wove in and out, often at high speed.
Travelling over the high ground to Spitak, we passed ugly, Soviet-built
housing blocks, stranded from the city. The hardness of life up here
screamed out at you.
In total contrast was the majestic beauty of the countryside: soaring,
snow-capped peaks, verdant valleys, eagles gliding on the thermals.
Another massive plus is the warmth of the people, especially out of
the capital. There a wheelchair invites trance-like stares.
We went to Arsen and Arusiak’s house in Uzbekistan Village to celebrate
their son’s birthday.
May 8
I headed for the Veratsnund Art School at 9am. With two groups coming
every afternoon for the next six days, I felt acutely in need of
preparation. By 6pm, I had tried five styles of painting with the
materials at hand, with differing results. At least I had something
to show the students.
May 9
In the art school by nine.
After lunch, the first of two groups arrived. Not speaking Armenian,
I couldn’t really fire them up. Maybe the students, aged six to 14,
were fazed by the odd-looking bloke in a wheelchair who used sign
language. Later, Arsen called round. Like me, Arsen is in a wheelchair,
having broken his back in the earthquake. Also like me, he is trying
to establish himself as an artist. Arsen rarely leaves his immediate
environment, especially in a wheelchair. The terrain makes life hard
and there are stares and comments from some locals.
May 10
I painted a landscape, the road outside, weaving its way through the
mountains. Arsen painted a view of a neighbouring snow-capped mountain
in a more rapid style which was also new to him.
After lunch, the same children reappeared. Happier with the subject
and more comfortable with the teacher, they produced some pleasing
work in pastel.
I visited the orphanage. The kids range from babies to young adults
and have a range of mental and physical disabilities.
Many of the children are not orphans; they have been handed over to
the nuns because they are disabled.
May 12
Invited to the house of Juliette, her son Hovannes and daughter Hamest.
Every time we get in a car it causes comment when I put a seatbelt
on. Having the front seat (for ease of transfer from wheelchair),
it is always noted. Seatbelt wearing is not just optional but almost
frowned upon, taken as a slight against the driver.
With their house destroyed by the earthquake, their home has been
two steel shipping containers bolted together. With the rusting metal
sides, it is very dark and cramped. On the wall is a poignant photo
of Juliette’s other daughter, who died in the earthquake. Just before
our visit, the family received their compensation for the loss of
their house – £15.
May 14
The day started with the sound of a cuckoo! We headed to Spitak to
attend Sunday Mass at the new Armenian Apostolic church. In many ways
it was similar to a Roman Catholic Mass; the layout inside was similar,
the incense, the organ and the choir.
Afterwards, we headed up to Venadzor. It was previously a heavily
industrialised town. Now it looks fairly desolate.
The people remain, as do the factories. Sadly, though, for mile after
mile we passed ghost factories.
We journeyed back to Yerevan to view the venue for the exhibition,
the Artbridge in Abovian Street. Set in a pleasant avenue, the gallery
had a good ambience, with tasteful decor and cool music. The only
drawback again was access – two steps up and two down to get in and
inaccessible toilets.
May 15
Some of the children’s work is progressing well.
One girl, Piruz, was so cheerful and helpful, constantly translating
for me. Another student, Susan, consistently achieved pleasing
results. Arsen, too, was well into his stride, working happily in his
new-found style. Previously, he had concentrated on religious icons
and very traditional still-lifes.
May 16
I went into the art school early and started on a mountain view.
After 30 minutes, I was visited by three children from the orphanage,
Elizabeth, Igneas and Rosa. All were keen to paint. Within minutes
my picture was transformed into a more abstract representation! All
three left, pleased to have put me right!
We had arranged transport from Spitak to Yerevan for the exhibition
and many of the children were keen to attend with their parents.
May 17
I worked until 2.30pm, ringing and stringing 25 canvases and seven
framed pictures.
All but the framed work had been completed during our six working
days together. There were nine canvases from the children and eight
apiece from Arsen and me.
May 18
We arrived at the Gallery by 5pm and met Arsen and his family. It was
a big event for Arsen to venture out in his wheelchair after years of
ridicule and rude stares. Soon after, the bus from Spitak arrived;
the looks of wonderment on the children’s faces as they entered the
gallery and saw their work made everything so worthwhile. The Mayor
of Spitak made a speech, Arsen and I sold a canvas each and were
interviewed by Armenian TV.
May 19
We said our farewells. Arsen and his family had become good friends.
Would I visit again?
I would like to – if someone could help me manoeuvre the wheelchair
over the rough ground and monstrously high kerbstones.
May 20
After breakfast, I sauntered around the city centre. At one point,
I got stranded in the middle of the road while on a crossing with a
green man flashing. A marshrutka (taxicab) stopped and as I turned
to thank him, he was sitting shaking his fists at me!
May 21
Headed for Zvartnots airport. Yerevan was serene at that time of
morning.
The plane arrived late from Tashkent but we boarded without hassle –
only to meet some women from Seahouses.
PS
This was a trip I won’t forget. I feel we met our aims. We introduced
Arsen and the students to new ways of working. We also left a legacy
in terms of materials. I hope being there in a wheelchair might
have encouraged Arsen and others to venture out. If by wheeling
around Yerevan I changed one person’s view of the disabled, I would
be satisfied.
j Mick is participating in The Art Tour. See his work at the Village
Hall, Whin Hill, Craster, every Sunday in July from 11am to 5pm. Tel.
–Boundary_(ID_8ghcJ8dgveCmyzvFg8z7zA)–

KARABAKH PROBLEM TO BE DISCUSSED IN WASHINGTON, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER AND FOREIGN MINISTER OF NKR MAIN SPEAKERS
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006
WASHINGTON, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A discussion
“Karabakh Conflict: Peace Prospects” will take place at the United
States Institute of Peace in Washington on June 28. The main speakers
are Speaker of the NKR parliament Ashot Ghulian and Foreign Minister
Georgy Petrosian.
According to Radio Liberty, the following issues will be discussed: Has
the deadline for signing a peace agreement expired? What prerequisites
are necessary in order to complete the negotiation process and sign
a peace agreement?
How can the US contribute to this process? How will the problems of
thousands of Armenian and Azerbaijani refugees be solved? What are the
lessons to be drawn from other conflicts in the post-Soviet territory?
“This visit was envisaged long ago and has no relation to the latest
developments. Yesterday we arrived in Washington and a few hours
later had a meeting with the new US Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk
Group Matthew Bryza at the NKR representative mission,” Ashot Ghulian
told Radio Liberty. “To us, the meeting is of cognative character,
we have a lot of things to tell each other. I think we have succeeded
in exchanging preliminary information,” he noted.
In response to the question that Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian stated that the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents have come
to an agreement on the issue of referendum on Nagorno Karabakh status,
to which the Karabakh side has always objected, Ashot Ghulian replied:
“I think the Armenian foreign minister told that quite clearly,
and there is no need to make comments.”

NKR OFFICIAL DELEGATION VISITS USA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006
NEW YORK, JUNE 28, NOYAN-TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 22, within
the framework of the working visit of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s
delegation to the United States of America, NKR National Assembly
Chairman Ashot Ghoulian and the Republic’s Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrossian arrived in Boston.
On June 23, the NKR Parliament Speaker and Foreign Minister visited the
House of Representatives of the state of Massachusetts where they met
with Deputy of the Parliament Rachel Kapriyelian and advisor to Speaker
on Healthcare Issues Chris Hager. In the course of the meetings issues
concerning mutual cooperation in the sphere of education, culture,
and healthcare, as well as parliamentary activity were discussed.
Then the NKR delegation met with the members of the Council of editors
of the “Boston Glob” newspaper. During the conversation the current
state of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement peace process
and social-economic situation in Artsakh were touched upon. The NKR
representatives replied to different questions of journalists.
In Boston the official representatives of Nagorno Karabakh also
had meetings with representatives of the leadership of the Armenian
Assembly of America (AAA) Caroline Moughar and Anthony Parsamian. The
issues connected with the relations’ expansion between AAA and the
NKR authorities were discussed.
According to the NKR Foreign Ministry Press Service, in the evening NKR
National Assembly Chairman Ashot Ghoulian and NKR Minister for Foreign
Affairs Georgy Petrossian visited Armenian Cultural and Educational
Centre where they met with the leadership of the Armenian organizations
of the state of Massachusetts. After the meeting a public event took
place. During the meeting an important contribution of the USA Armenian
community to the development of Artsakh was noted. They also spoke
about the necessity of the participation of the Diaspora Armenians
in the confrontation to the challenges facing Nagorno Karabakh. The
official representatives of Artsakh answered the questions of the
participants of the meeting, which mainly related to economic, social
and cultural spheres.
On June 24, a meeting was held at Sam and Aida Bedjakians place
where a number of American philanthropists of Armenian origin were
present. During the meeting the NKR representatives on behalf of
the people of Nagorno Karabakh expressed their gratitude to their
compatriots from the USA for the consistent assistance which was being
rendered to Artsakh. In their turn, the Armenian businessmen of America
confirmed once more their readiness to support the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic.
The working visit of the NKR delegation to the USA is ongoing.

KAREKIN II: “WE DO NOT BELIEVE THAT EXTREMIST NATIONALISTIC FORCES WILL SUCCEED IN SOWING HATRED AND ENMITY TOWARD ARMENIANS LIVING IN TURKEY.”
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 28 2006
ETCHMIADZIN, JUNE 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. His Holiness
Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians,
having completed his first Pontifical Visit to Istanbul, returned
to the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin in the early morning hours of
June 28. The seven-day visit included a two day fraternal visit to
the Ecumenical Patriarch, followed by five days with the Armenian
community of Istanbul and the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.
Although His Holiness’ flight arrived in Yerevan in the middle of the
night, waiting for him in the Mother Cathedral of Holy Etchmiadzin
at 4:00 AM, were hundreds of faithful who had come to welcome him
home. His Holiness’ procession was escorted into the Mother Cathedral
under the singing of the “Hrashapar” hymn. Standing before the Holy
Altar of Descent, the Catholicos of All Armenians offered prayers of
thanks to heaven and thereafter conveyed the unforgettable and warm
impressions from his pontifical visit to all those present.
His Holiness Karekin II joyfully reflected on the enthusiastic
reception he received from the Armenian community of Istanbul, as
expression of their love and devotion to the Holy Armenian Apostolic
Church and the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin.
His Holiness stated, “Glory and thanksgiving to God. We return from
our pontifical visit to our sons and daughters in Constantinople
with a content heart. Our soul was filled with joy to personally see
and meet our faithful children, their enthusiastic devoted faith,
and their patriotic spirit. We communed with 600 years of history
and treasures of the Armenian Patriarchate of Constantinople.”
According to the press-release of the Information Services of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Pontiff of All Armenians stated
with contentment that the Armenian community of Istanbul, a community
that lives, breathes and speaks Armenian, is active today with a
vibrant national life. The community has 39 churches, 17 Armenian
schools and many institutions, the largest of which is the Holy
All-Savior National Hospital. His Holiness also fondly recalled his
meetings with Armenian intellectuals and youth of Istanbul.
As the visit of His Holiness was widely covered by the Armenian and
Turkish press and media in Turkey, His Holiness spoke of the press
conference convened in Istanbul on Sunday, June 25, following the
Pontifical Divine Liturgy, during which the Armenian Genocide was
discussed. (The full text of the press conference will be available
tomorrow on the website of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin,
). In reply to the concerns about the prospect
that His Holiness’ statements on the Armenian Genocide could negatively
affect the attitude of the Turkish authorities towards the Armenians of
Turkey, the Catholicos stated, “We do not believe that our thoughts
and words can affect the attitude of the authorities towards our
Armenians in Istanbul, because we never expressed hatred or enmity,
we simply stated the reality and the truth. Taking into account the
process of democratization, which the Turkish authorities desire
to achieve in their country, we also do not believe that extremist
nationalistic forces will succeed in sowing hatred and enmity toward
the Armenians or other minorities living in Turkey.”
His Holiness continued, stating that as many countries have recognized
the Genocide of the Armenians, so too must Turkey recognize the
Genocide, for which there exists no need for deliberations.
Regarding the protests that had been organized in Istanbul during
his visit, noting that the Turkish authorities characterized them as
the “actions of extremist groups”, His Holiness emphasized that in
no way did they diminish his impressions from the trip. Due to the
unprecedented security measures which were implemented, they did not
obstruct the activities of the Pontifical Visit and generally remained
unnoticed by the delegation.
Just before daybreak in Holy Etchmiadzin, as His Holiness concluded
his remarks, he once again expressed his appreciation to the Armenian
Patriarch of Constantinople and the faithful people of Istanbul for
the warm reception, and offered his prayers for the stability and
vibrancy of the Armenian Patriarchate. The Pontiff of All Armenians
also warmly expressed his thanks to all those present who had waited
all night long to greet him upon his return to Armenia.