CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS MET REPRESENTATIVES OF 30 TURKISH MEDIA
ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 16:49
Yesterday the Catholicos of all Armenians Garegin II met the
journalists in Istanbul. Representatives of about 30 Turkish media,
both print and broadcast, participated in the meeting with the Supreme
Patriarch. Editor-in-chief of the Turkey based “Zhamanak” newspaper
Ara Kochunyan told “Radiolur” that among others the Armenian Issue
was discussed.
As we have informed earlier, on June 20 the Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II left for Istanbul at the invitation of Archbishop Mesrop
Mutafyan and Ecumenical Patriarch His All-Holiness Bartholomew
I. This was the third visit of Armenian religious leaders to Turkey
during the last 50 years. In 1961 Vazgen I paid an official visit to
Turkey. In 1996 Garegin the First’s visit was non-official. Garegin the
Second’s visit is also of a non-official character. It was, however,
a unique opportunity for Turkish journalists to meet the Catholicos
of all Armenians.
The issue of the accident at Ataturk Airport on the day of the visit
of the Patriarch was not evaded, either.
To remind, a group of 50 people organized an act of protest next t
the airport. Those protesting threw eggs on cars of two Patriarchs,
who were meeting Garegin II According to the editor-in-chief of
“Zhamanak” daily, the media coverage of today’s press conference and
the Catholicos’s visit was rather balanced and objective.
The hooliganism of the nationalists did not receive proper attention
of the media; the political parties did not respond, ether.
By the way, in the framework of the PACE summer session Turkish Prime
Minister Rejeb Tayyib Erdogan is expected to deliver a speech before
the European MPs on June 28. The topic is rather interesting: the
necessity of maintaining the balance between the freedom of speech and
the respect for the believers’ rights. The Armenian delegation will
try to receive the Prime Minister’s response regarding the Turkish
version of respecting the religious feelings.

IT’S STILL TOO EARLY TO DREAM OF QUITTING THE MONITORING PHASE
Karine Asatryan
A1+
[04:29 pm] 26 June, 2006
“Monitoring can’t stop until Armenia and Azerbaijan have settled
the conflict”, Rene van der Linden, PACE President told the “A1+”
correspondent. According to him, this is a problematic issue not only
for the CoE, but also for the other international structures.
“I hope the conflict will be settled finally after such a long time”,
the PACE President told a news conference in Strasbourg. He also
referred to a number of issues among which those included in the agenda
of the session and combat against terrorism. A report on “Alleged
secret detentions and unlawful inter-state transfers in Europe” will be
represented in the session. “This is not an anti-American report”, Mr.
van der Linden said. He claimed that the authors of the report have
carried out much work and gathered enough information in order to
reveal the truth.
Although there are no issues directly concerning Armenia in the agenda
of the session, the Azerbaijanis will probably mention the name of
our country many times. For example, during the press conference one
of the Azeri journalists informed the PACE President that forests
are burning “in the territories occupied by Armenia” and this issue
must be represented in the session during the discussions about the
protection of forests.
By the way, Azeri delegate Rafael Huseynov has already represented
a document “About the exploitation of the mines in the Azeri areas
occupied by Armenia”.
According to the document, Armenia creates danger for the future of
Azerbaijan and its people. In particular, they are concerned by the
fate of the gold mines in Gizibulag, Veynal and Zod.

STEPAN HAKOBYAN HAS BEEN ARRESTED
A1+
[04:42 pm] 26 June, 2006
On June 24 Stepan S. Hakobyan born in 1978 was arrested in connection
with the June 22 murder in Malatia. No charge has been brought against
Hakobyan yet but he is suspected of keeping illegal weapon.
During the search in his house cartridges have been found. The
information has been confirmed by press secretary of the Prosecutor’s
office Sona Truzyan.
It is noteworthy that Stepan Hakobyan is the nephew of NA deputy Hakob
Hakobyan. Let us also remind that Stepan Hakobyan and Sedrak Zatikyan
who was murdered on June 22 had a terrible quarrel two years ago.
Stepan Hakobyan will be accused of keeping illegal weapon. The
investigation is under way.

RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FIRST OF ALL TURKEY’S DOMESTIC ISSUE
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.06.2006 15:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is always ready to dialogue with all
its neighbors, Armenian Speaker Tigran Torosyan stated, when
answering questions of readers of the Golos Armenii. In his words,
this refers both to Azerbaijan and Turkey. At that he noted that “it
is impossible to solve any problems under the conditions, which are
created in Azerbaijan and Turkey, where hatred to Armenian people is
inseminated.” “The latest evidence is the meeting of the Catholicos
of All Armenians in Istanbul, which is shameful for Turkey,” the
Speaker emphasized.
As for the issue of the Armenian Genocide, Torosyan remarked that
“it would have been strange, if we doubted the fact of the Genocide
and started discussion with Turks of whether it happened or not.”
“We have another question to discuss with them – how to advance. Thus,
it is first of all a domestic issue for Turkey and its people,”
Torosyan said. The Speaker added that peoples become increasingly
aware that genocide is a crime against humanity and it is necessary
to recognize that fact to avoid its repetition. “This is evidenced by
recognition of the Genocide by Parliaments of many European countries,”
Torosyan remarked.

TWO KILLED, ONE ARRESTED
Lragir.am
26 June 06
On June 24 Stepan S. Hakobyan was arrested and charged with the
murder in the community of Malatia-Sebastia, Yerevan on June 22. In
a street shooting Sedrak Zatikyan, 1980, the son of the former head
of the community Vahan Zatikyan, was killed. Karineh Sargsyan, 1969
was killed when passing by the place.
By the way, Stepan Hakobyan is the cousin of the Member of Parliament
Hakob Hakobyan, who also lives in Malatia-Sebastia.

NEW ORGANIZATION IN JAVAKHETI
Lragir.am
26 June 06
A-Info reports that on June 24 United Javakheti Popular Alliance
NGO was founded in Akhalkalaki. The goals of the organization were
proclaimed, including improvement of the social and economic state
of the Armenians of Javakheti, giving Armenian a status of a second
official language in the region, granting cultural sovereignty to
the region. The board of the NGO including 13 members was elected.

WHY DO YOU RECALL EVANS?
Lragir.am
26 June 06
The Armenian National Committee of America told the news agency ARKA
that four U.S. House representatives sent a letter to Condoleezza Rice,
calling for reconsidering the decision to recall U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia John Evans. The letter was signed by George Radanovich, Adam
Schiff, Frank Pallone and Joe Knollenberg. John Evans is said to have
been recalled for directly using the word “genocide” in a meeting
with the Armenian community in the United States. The letter says
that the reason for the recall is unclear, and if John Evans remained
ambassador to Armenia, it would be a powerful signal to Turkey to
recognize the genocide, and would reinforce the stance of the United
States on this issue, think the representatives of the U.S. House.

ALIYEV AND KOCHARYAN HAVE A PAUSE BEFORE A SERIOUS STEP
Lragir.am
26 June 06
Armenia and Turkey are ready to establish bilateral relations. The
news agency ARKA reports that the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State
Mathew Bryza told this in an interview with the Radio Liberty. He
said they are making efforts to improve the relation between Armenia
and Turkey. According to him, both Armenia and Turkey are ready for
it. Bryza also said that the normalization of Turkish and Armenian
relations is facilitated by the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
With regard to the settlement, Mathew Bryza, who is also the new
American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, said that the co-chairs
decided to take a pause throughout the summer. “The co-chairs talked
today about taking a bit of a pause throughout the summer to find out
whether or not the presidents do in fact have that sort of political
will,” said Bryza.

NO REASON NOT TO INVITE KOCHARYAN TO WASHINGTON
Lragir.am
26 June 06
There’s no reason not to want President Kocharian to come to
Washington, said Mathew Bryza, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair, U.S.
Assistant Secretary of State, in an interview with Radio Liberty,
reports the news agency ARKA. “Let me just say I hope we can see a
similar series of positive steps on democratic reform in Armenia as
we hope we are starting to see in Azerbaijan. Maybe we’re wrong about
Azerbaijan. Maybe we’re overly hopeful. But we think things are moving
in a positive direction,” said Mathew Bryza. At the same time Bryza
mentioned that the United States signaled its support for Armenia with
the Millennium Challenge Account. “That is, in many ways, one of our
highest forms of stating that we seek a partnership with a country,
to help it move forward on democratic reform,” stated Mathew Bryza.

FIRES REACHED EUROPE
Lragir.am
26 June 06
If cases of fires are reported in the Azerbaijani areas controlled
by the Armenian forces, problems are reported in the settlement of
the conflict over Karabakh. Rene van der Linden, the president of
the PACE, made such a statement in a press conference in Strasbourg
on June 26. His press conference was devoted to the summer session of
the PACE. According to Rene van der Linden, the PACE Interim Committee
on Karabakh will raise the question of fires. The president of the
PACE criticized such actions on behalf of one of the conflict parties.