FOREIGN MINISTER VARDAN OSKANYAN TO LEAVE FOR GEORGIA JUNE 27
ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 17:22
June 27 RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan will pay a working visit
to Georgia. During the visit the Minister will meet the President
of Georgia Mikhail Sahakashvili, Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili,
and Parliement Speaker Nino Burjanadze.
June 28 the Foreign Minister will deliver a speech on regional policy
issues at the Georgian foundation for strategic and international
studies.
The same day the delegation headed by Minister Oskanyan will return
to Armenia.

THERE IS A GREAT POTENTIAL FOR COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND BULGARIA
ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 17:43
The recurrent fourth sitting of the Armenian-Bulgarian
intergovernmental commission for trade-economic and
scientific-technical cooperation started today in Yerevan.
The trade-economic cooperation between the two countries should be
activated, stated the Co-Chairs of the Commission – RA Minister of
Transport and Communication of Armenia Andranik Manukyan and the
Minister of State Governance and Administrative Reforms of Bulgaria
Nicolas Vasilev. In 2005 the volume of commodity turnover between
Armenia and Bulgaria totaled US$85 million. Although this index
is rather high as compared to US$10-12 million in 2003, it does
not satisfy RA Minister of Transport and Communication, Armenian
Co-Chair of the Armenian-Bulgarian intergovernmental commission
for trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation Andranik
Manukyan. In his opinion, the economic relations should be as active
and warm as the political ties.
The Bulgarian Co-Chair of the Commission, Minister of State Governance
and Administrative Reforms of Bulgaria Nicolas Vasilev considers that
there is a great potential for cooperation between the two countries,
which should be utilized to further improve the relations between
Armenia and Bulgaria.

THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS NOT SUBJECT TO DISPUTE, CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIANS DECLARED IN ISTANBUL
ArmRadio.am
26.06.2006 18:05
“The Armenian Genocide is a reality of 90 years. For our people this
issue is not subject to discussion,” the Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II said in a press conference in Istanbul.
The Catholicos emphasized that “such events should be condemned by
all peoples to save the humanity from the reoccurrence of these.”
The Supreme Patriarch noted that the fact of the Armenian Genocide is
recognized by all countries, except Turkey, since, according to him,
there are numerous evidences of the massacre, Istanbul based “Marmara”
daily informs.
The visit of the Catholicos of All Armenians to Istanbul was
covered also by Turkish media. “Zaman” daily titled the article
about the Patriarch’s visit “The thrilling comments of the Armenian
Patriarch.” “Radikal” used the following title – “Garegin II: The
reality of the Genocide.” It deserves attention that the Turkish
media used the word “Patriarch” instead of “Catholicos.”
Turkish papers note that the Catholicos expressed appreciation for air
communication between Armenia and Turkey. He remarked that Armenia is
willing to normalize its relations with Turkey. Garegin II mentioned
that despite the fact that Armeniansare spread all over the world,
they have their own state; therefore, according to him, the Republic
of Turkey should speak with Armenia as a state.
In response to the questions about the acts of protest organized
by Turkish nationalists, the Catholicos noted that it was his first
visit to Constantinople and these protests had no influence on his
impressions. He expressed the hope that no such protests will occur
during his second visit.

FORMATION OF BEAUTY INDUSTRY IN ARMENIA REQUIRES FIVE YEARS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2006
YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. The formation of the beauty industry in
Armenia requires about five years, President of the Armenian Union
of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists, International Referee Marina
Arakelyan told a press conference in Yerevan.
According to her, this industry is just in the making in Armenia.
“Beauty shops are now opened in Armenia for hobby or business. I hope
that the situation will change in time, and this sphere will become
a business industry,” she said.
According to Arakelyan, beauty shops must ensure a high quality of
services for this industry to develop, and professional producers of
cosmetics must be represented in Armenia.
She pointed out that the only representative of the world producers
of cosmetics in Armenia is the L’Oreal company. “There are no specific
obstacles to the development of beauty industry in Armenia.
What is needed is time,” Arakelyan said.
In his turn, Head of the Department of Trade and Services, RA Ministry
of Trade and Economic Development, Gagik Kocharyan pointed out that
hairdressing and visagism is a relatively new industry in Armenia
that is dynamically developing. “The consumers have a wide selection
of quality and prices on this market,” he said. G. Kocharyan added
that competition promotes professionalism.
The Armenian Union of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists was founded
in 1999. This allowed Armenia to join the World Organization of
Hairdressers founded in 1907 (headquarter in Paris).
The main goal of the Armenian Union is raising the professional level
of local specialists. The Union is closely cooperating with the renown
Russian stylist Sergey Zverev.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA READY FOR RELATIONS WITH TURKEY WITHOUT PRECONDITIONS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2006
Yerevan, June 26. /ARKA/. Armenia is ready to establish diplomatic
relations with Turkey without any preconditions, RA Presidential
Spokesman Victor Soghomonyan told ARKA, commenting on an interview
give by the American Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Mathew Bryza
to the Liberty Radio.
Armenia has repeatedly stated this, Soghomonyan said. He pointed out
that, by stating that the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement will contribute
to the establishment of Armenian-Turkish relations, Bryza expressed
his point of view.
Still earlier, Matthew Bryza stated that Armenia and turkey were
ready for the establishment of normal relations. He pointed out that
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict would contribute to
this process.

EU’S EFFORTS TO SETTLE NK CONFLICT MOTIVATED BY ITS AMBITION TO RID REGION OF RUSSIA’S DOMINANCE
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2006
YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. European Union’s efforts to settle Karabakh
conflict are motivated by its ambition to rid the region of Russia’s
dominance, Russian political analyst Victor Nadein-Rayevski said
Saturday at a press conference in Yerevan.
He also said that OSCE Minsk Group’s and International Crisis
Group’s latest proposals prompt certain concern. In particular,
if peacekeeping forces are deployed in the troubled region,
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s borders, including border with Armenia,
will be blocked and European Union will oust Russian troops from the
region, the political analyst said.
In his opinion, Azerbaijani refugees return backed by peacekeeping
forces will produce irreparable effect here, just like in Kosovo,
where Serbs fled their homeland to survive genocide.
Nadein-Rayevski also pointed out that this way to settle the
conflict is very convenient to the EU also because it will secure
Baku-Tbilisi-Jeyhan oil pipeline. Instead, this way is extremely
disadvantageous to Karabakhi and Armenian people, he said wondering
why the problem of Azerbaijani refugees is surrounded by so fuss
while that of Armenians driven from their homes in Baku and other
Azerbaijani cities is fallen into neglect.

ARMENIAN FM TO VISIT GEORGIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2006
Yerevan, June 26. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan is to
be on a visit to Georgia on June 27-28, 2006.
The RA Foreign Minister is to hold meetings with Georgian President
Mikhail Sahakashvili, Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili and Speaker
of the Parliament Nino Burjanadze.
On June 28, at the Georgian foundation for strategic and international
studies, Minister Oskanyan is to make a report on regional foreign
policy affairs.

NKR PEOPLE’S OPINION MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2006
YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. Karabakh people’s opinion must be taken
into account in Karabakh conflict settlement, Russian political
analyst Victor Nadein-Rayevski said Saturday at a press conference
held in Yerevan.
He is convinced that Karabakh people must decide its own fate and
pointed out that this is the essence of democracy.
Nadein-Rayevski finds it wrong to distance Karabakhi people from
the process of negotiation on the conflict settlement regardless of
whether the republic enjoys international recognition or not.
The political analyst thinks time is needed to comprehend what was
said above. He said the years of the republic’s de-facto independence
have played their role and Karabakh people’s and authorities’ worry
is completely.

RA NA SPEAKER DOESN’T THINK NEWLY ESTABLISHED POLITICAL PARTIES CAN OUTDO REPUBLICAN PARTY IN 2007 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
June 26 2006
YEREVAN, June 26. /ARKA/. Tigran Torosyan, Armenian National
Assembly Speaker and Republican Party’s Vice Chairman, thinks newly
established political parties will be unable to outdo his party in
2007 parliamentary elections.
Asked by Golos Armenii newspaper about his view on new-created
parties Bargavach Armenia (Prosperous Armenia) and Union in the Name
of Armenia, Torosyan ruled out this probability.
Bargavach Hayastan hasn’t even convened its congress, Torosyan said
calling into question the party’s ability to obtain necessary public
support. He is convinced the party has no capacity needed for that
and will fail to accomplish in campaigning for parliamentary seats
unless resorts to violation of political game rules.
At the same time, he welcomed new parties thinking they will add
a fresh blood to Armenia’s political life, which has stalled for
recent time.
However, Torosyan pointed out some circumstances should be taken
into consideration.
“It these two parties, like many other parties, try to put emphasis
on such aspects as money and administrative measures, they will
jeopardize the whole Armenian multi-party system, not only themselves.

ARMENIAN FM’S STATEMENT ON MATTHEW BRYZA’S INTERVIEW
Today, Azerbaijan
June 26 2006
Armenian Foreign Ministry made a statement on recent interview by
Matthew Bryza to RFE/RL.
The statement reads:
Taking into account the statement that the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group presented to the OSCE Permanent Council, in Vienna, on June
22, and the interview that Matt Bryza, the new US co-chair gave soon
thereafter, where albeit partially, the principles of the settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict were revealed for the first time,
and also taking into account the recent desperate calls by Azerbaijan
for a military solution and autonomy for Nagorno Karabakh, we would
like to make several observations.
The co-chairs have partially revealed the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
resolution principles; they have left out references to a corridor
linking Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia, and issues relating to Nagorno
Karabakh’s status until a referendum;
The co-chairs have, for the first time, affirmed that the people
of Nagorno Karabakh shall determine their own future status through
a referendum;
Those items over which the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
continue to disagree does not include a referendum; that concept has
been agreed to by the presidents; The area of disagreement between
the presidents has to do with the sequence in which the consequences
of the military conflict are removed;
In an attempt to resolve this remaining area of disagreement, a
proposal was made by the co-chairs after Rambouillet. This proposal
was accepted by Armenia in Bucharest. Azerbaijan rejected it.
Armenia finds that the basic principles, overall, on the table today
remain a serious basis for continuing negotiations; Armenia is prepared
to continue on that basis to continue to negotiate with Azerbaijan;
Armenia believes that Azerbaijan’s wavering on these principles is
a serious obstacle to progress in the negotiations. If this policy
continues, Armenia will insist that Azerbaijan conduct direct
negotiations with Nagorno Karabakh.
Finally, we would remind Azerbaijan once again that regardless of the
size of their military budget, they cannot force the people of Nagorno
Karabakh to renounce freedom and the right to self-determination.