CANADIAN COMPANY TO START PROSPECTING FOR OIL AND GAS IN ARMENIA IN SEPTEMBER
Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Starting mid September, Transeuroenergy
Corporation (Canada) will start drilling near the Armenian settlements
of Armavir, Karmir and Shoghaghbyur with the aim of prospecting for
oil and gas. During an interview to Radio Liberty, director of the
company’s Armenian office Mike Smith expressed confidence that there
are oil and gas reserves in Armenia.
To substantiate his statement, he noted that all Armenia’s neighbors
have such reserves: Armenia just wasn’t so lucky in the past and the
prospecting work did not produce positive results.
Transeuroenergy Corporation recently signed an agreement with one
of the world’s leading drilling companies, which will bring moder
equipment to Armenia to explore the earth’s entrails up to the depth
of 2,500 meters. According to M. Smith, the first results of drilling
will be known in February 2007.

FIRST FESTIVAL OF YOUTH PERFORMANCES STARTS IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 22 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 22, Festival
of Youth Performances will start at Yerevan Theater of Young Spectator
with a performance “The Feast of Beasts” staged by young producer
David Haroutiunian on the basis of the novel of the same name by
French Armenian writer Vahe Kacha.
Young producers and actors from almost all Armenian theaters, as well
as from Artsakh Vahram Papazian Theater and Tbilisi Petros Adamian
Theater will present 22 works of different genres at the festival.
At the press conference held before the festival, young creators
spoke about the importance and the further developments of the coming
festival. They said that the festival is first of all important in the
cognitive and educational respect, it also has a creative importance,
as for the majority of the participants this festival is just an
opportunity to indroduce themselves to the society.
According to the young creators, even they often do not know about the
occupation of one another. “This is a unique opportunity to get to know
first ourselves, and then to associate and to get to know one another.”
Some of them expected that in the future the festival will become
international and will create an opportunity for new contacts and
new cooperation.

TIGRAN TOROSYAN HINDERED MHER SHAHGELDYAN’S VISIT
Lragir.am
22 June 06
On June 22 Speaker Tigran Torosyan elucidated Mher Shahgeldyan’s
resignation from the post of the head of the Armenian parliamentary
delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Mher Shahgeldyan
told the media that he had had to resign from the post of head of
the Armenian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Tigran
Torosyan says he talked to Mher Shahgeldyan about it and even
proposed him not to stay at the post because little time is left and
it would be better if Mher Shahgeldyan finished the work. But there is
another circumstance in this story, which is outside the scope of any
delegation. Mher Shahgeldyan had told Tigran Torosyan before submitting
his resignation that he had been invited to visit the United States
in the framework of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. On learning this
Tigran Torosyan said they would try their best that his visit took
place. The visit was scheduled on June 19-23. But some days later
Tigran Torosyan learned that a Rose Roth seminar would be held in
Sochi on June 22-24 on the topic “Russia-NATO Security Issues in the
South Caucasus.” During this seminar conflicts and namely the Karabakh
issue would be discussed. Tigran Torosyan decided that Mher Shahgeldyan
should visit Sochi instead of the United States. “It was said that they
invited a representative of the government. I saw the letter. Like, for
instance, last September, when we were discussing the Karabakh issue in
Paris in NATO Parliamentary Assembly, they had invited a representative
of the executive of Armenia to present the view of the government. Of
course, it does not mean that it cannot be a member of parliament. On
the contrary, there should be a member of parliament. Therefore,
I said that since these overlap, we must be where a more burning
issue for Armenia is being discussed,” says Tigran Torosyan. In fact,
he sent Mher Shahgeldyan to where a representative of the government
had been invited. In other words, the participation of the member of
parliament was not obligatory in the Sochi seminar. There is nothing
we can do but guess why Tigran Torosyan preferred the Sochi seminar
to the American visit of Mher Shahgeldyan. But there is no need to
guess after learning the purpose of the American visit. It was for
preparing the report of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly on the role
of NATO in the South Caucasus. Evidently, the program of the American
visit and the seminar in Sochi had almost the same goal. Therefore,
it is interesting to know why Tigran Torosyan thinks that the seminar
in Sochi is more important. Yes, it included the Karabakh issue. But
does Tigran Torosyan really think that the seminar in Sochi would
be more important if even Bucharest proved insignificant? There is
a subtlety, however, that Tigran Torosyan could have omitted, but he
did not keep silent not to appear in a more awkward situation in case
this circumstance becomes known later. Or maybe because there was a
higher-level decision to prevent Mher Shahgeldyan’s visit, and it was
necessary to hint at it as a display of power. The meetings that Mher
Shahgeldyan would have in America mattered. He was supposed to meet
with a number of U.S. officials, such as Mr. Fried, whom we know,
Dan Fried, who has visited Yerevan too, as well as representatives
of different analytic centers, says Tigran Torosyan.
In fact, there is no need to make other suggestions. Official Yerevan
considers Sochi more important, and funny though it may seem, safer.
This makes it clear why Mher Shahgeldyan resigned from the post of the
head of the delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, and refused
Torosyan’s proposal to stay. Tigran Torosyan says the question of the
head of the Armenian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
will be solved after the summer session of the OSCE. Most probably,
however, the question of the entire delegation will be solved rather
than that of the head of the delegation. Tigran Torosyan mentions that
the correlation of representatives of the government and the opposition
in the delegation including three members has changed. “The question
is which one of the three members should head the delegation. Either
one of the old members must be named or a new delegation must be set
up and a new head named,” says Tigran Torosyans. Bookmakers can offer
betting which option Tigran Torosyan will choose.

ARTSAKH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA ARRIVES IN YEREVAN TO TAKE PART IN “ONE NATION, ONE CULTURE” FESTIVAL
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 22 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 22, Artsakh
Chamber Orchestra arrived in Yerevan to take part in the “One Nation,
One Culture” Armenian cultural festival. On June 25, the orchestra
will have concerts in Vanadzor, on June 27 in Yerevan.
As Noyan Tapan was informed from AGBU Armenian Office, last week
Artsakh Chamber Orchestra went on a pilgrimage dedicated to St
Hovhannes Mkrtich to Martakert with the blessing of Artsakh Diocese
leader Pargev Archbishop Martirosian. After having concerts and a
warm welcome in Martakert the orchestra left for Berdzor. The pupils
of Berdzor music school met the guests with a musical greetings
and the orchestra had a full-value concert. Seeing and feeling the
longing of Berdzor inhabitants for classical music, Gevorg Muradian,
Art Director and Principal Conductor of the orchestra, promised to
have concerts several times a year there.
The orchestra was founded in 2004 September and since the day of its
foundation the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) has assumed
sponsorship of the orchestra. AGBU not only provides monthly monetary
assistance to the orchestra members, but also pays for the apartment
and communal expenditures of musicians having arrived from Yerevan. Day
by day the orchestra is replenished with musicians from Artsakh.
The orchestra has repeatedly held concerts both in Artsakh and
in Armenia.
The orchestra’s first concert was held in 2004 October, only a month
after the start of its activity.
Over these years, besides Stepanakert, the orchestra has also performed
almost in all regions of Artsakh, as well as in Yerevan.

ANM BOARD DEPUTY CHAIRMAN IS SURPRISED WITH PRESENT POSITION OF RPA CONCERNING ISSUE OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP
Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian society does not display
a unequivocal approach towards the issue of dual citizenship. Samvel
Nikoyan, the RPA Deputy Chairman, the Secretary of the NA “RPA”
faction said about it at the June 21 debate. According to him,
a part of the society finds that dual citizenship is necessary to
unite all the Armenians and to create an all-Armenian potential. The
opposite side insists that it will bring to negative consequences,
will create a mess connected with the state-citizen legal relations,
citizens’ obligations and rights, and even will become a threat for
the state security.
Expressing his own viewpoint, the speaker mentioned that only Armenians
by origin may be given dual citizenship. Besides, a man must personally
come to Armenia to get citizenship, and some compulsory schedule for
visits and living in Armenia must be fixed to keep the right of dual
citizenship. He also attached importance to paying some taxes for
keeping the right of citizenship what must be much bigger than the
consular payment: this tax may be of different sizes for different
countries.
According to Nikoyan, if the electoral right is awarded to
all those getting dual citizenship, the issue of the state
political administration of Armenia may be solved by the U.S. and
Russia. Consequencly, not all dual citizens must get the right of
electing, and after adopting the law on dual citizenship, elections
must take place only in Armenia. The electoral code must be connected
with obligations as well, particularly with the compulsory military
service. According to the speaker, there are problems connected with
the land property. Becoming a dual citizen must not give a person an
unequivocal right to become a land owner. To get the right for land,
a person must have some instillations in Armenia.
Andranik Hovakimian, the Deputy Chairman of the ANM Board mentioned
that his party joint with the RPA was against the dual citizenship
in 1995, and that’s why he is surprised with the present position of
the Republican Party concerning this issue.
According to the speaker, the principal connected with Armenians by
origin, which is a national discrimination and may not be accepted
by the CE Venice Commission, is not understandable.
“In essense, there are two issues: one of electing and one of serving
in the army, or of obligations and rights, and whatever we do, we’ll
get two types of citizens what is inadmissible for any country and
especially for Armenia,” Hovakimian emphasized. According to him,
the issue is mentioned as an argument that Diasporan Armenias will
become better with Armenia, getting dual citizenship. But it does
not correspond to reality as at present many Diasporan Armenians are
close with Armenia irrespective of anything and do their best for
the Fatherland within borders of their possibilities, and there are
opposite examples when people do not recognize their nationality and
even do no want to visit Armenia.

ACCORDING TO RPA DEPUTY SPEAKER, ARMENIA IS MADE CONDITIONS TO RETURN KARABAKH TO BE INVOLVED IN REGIONAL PROGRAMS
Noyan Tapan
Jun 21 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 21, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia remained out of the regional
developments. Andranik Hovakimian, the Board Seputy Chairman of
the Armenian National Movement (ANM) made such a statement at the
June 21 debate organized at the “Hayeli” club. According to him,
all those economic programs which have been implemented by now in
the region, went round Armenia. The most important among them is
the Baku-Jeyhan pipeline, possibility of countsruction of which the
Armenian authorities called in question. At present the same is said
concerning construction of the Kars-Akhalkalak railway which will
also go round the territory of Armenia.
Another participant of the debate, Samvel Nikoyan, the Deputy Chairman
of the Republican Party of Armenia, a NA Deputy mentioned that Armenia
has been made conditions to return Armenia into Azerbaijani staff for
Armenia is involved in regional economic programs. According to him,
the Baku-Jeyhan pipeline was a program of political meaning. “The only
prize for all these is Karabakh: Turkey and Azerbaijan which clearly
put the question, have a weighty participation in all those programs,”
he emphasized.
According to Andranik Hovakimian, the Baku-Jeyhan pipeline has never
been connected with returning Karabakh. Another issue is that Armenia’s
involvement in that program was provided by the political solution
of the Karabakh problem.
According to him, the Armenian authorities have stated for already
two months that the Karabakh issue entered deadlock. Hovakimian
mentioned that if the authorities are not able to solve this issue,
let them resign, and new authorities are elected during just elections.
According to Hovakimian, the ANM has stated long before that there
is no alternative for a phasal solution of the Karabakh issue. “The
problem of the Nagorno Karabakh status hinders the negotiations process
as it is obvious that the sides have opposite viewpoints concerning
the status: one must let the status aside and attempt to solve the
problem in another way, in the way the ANM proposed.” According to
the speaker, by the phasal variant proposed in 1997 the circumstance
of Nagorno Karabakh’s factually being out of Azerbaijani staff would
be fixed internationally, “and we’ld do our best for Armenia and
Karabakh develop economically, and it becomes possible to negotiate
concerning the status already from positions of power.”
According to him, the authorities are not ready for solution of
the Karabakh problem and do their best for “the status quo” is kept
“even at the price that Armenia occupies economically the last place
in the region.”
According to Samvel Nikoyan, if the status issue is pushed backround
by the present variant as well, then it is at last done with the
conditions of holding a referendum. He emphasized that it is a great
compromise by Armenia and there is a misgiving that the great part
of the society or political forces may even not accept this variant
with which the authorities agreed as for conceding the important
acquisitions, the Armenian side will get a document which may clearly
not work in the case of change of geopolitical realities.

GEORGIY PETROSSIAN: OFFICIAL BAKU COULD NOT GIVE THIS OR THAT STATUS TO NAGORNO KARABAKH, AS GIVEN ISSUE DOES NOT ENTER INTO COMPETENCE OF AZERBAIJAN
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 22 2006
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Recently the
Azerbaijani side by the words of Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov stated on the readiness to give the
most superior status of autonomy to Nagorno Karabakh, adopted
in the world, including the equivalent status of Tatarstan in
the Russian Federation. This was declared by NKR Foreign Minister
Georgiy Petrossian who mentioned that “in this way it is possible
to express hope, that the given status will be given to lezghin,
talish and other people, living in Azerbaijan.” What concerns the NKR,
with whom the Azerbaijani leadership continues to avoid any contacts,
“it is necessary to emphasize, that official Baku could not give this
or that status to Nagorno Karabakh, as the given issue does not enter
into the competence of Azerbaijan.”
“The status of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is determined in legal
frames of the people, living here. The essence of Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict is concluded in the fact, that Azerbaijani side turned out
to be non-capable to solve similar issues in a civilized way and
resorted to armed agression,” Georgiy Petrossian declared.
NKR Foreign Minister also emphasized that “the official Baku continues
to ignore the existing reallies, concluded in the fact, that the NKR
independence is the most superior value of the Republic’s people,
which is being supported at national referendum on state independence
on December 10, 1991.”
“The NKR people not only protected his right to deal with its own
fortune in the course of the war, unleashed to it, but for the
last 15 years as minimum 7 times confirmed its will by the means
of democratic national presidential and parliamentary elections,
conducted in the NKR, when the electorate voted for the programs of
separate candidates and political parties, appealing for the Republic’s
state independence,” the statement spread by the NKR Foreign Ministry
Information and Analytical Department read.

ARMENIAN STUDENTS OF MOSCOW EXPRESSED ANXIETY TO RA AMBASSADOR RELATING TO EVENT TAKEN PLACE RECENTLY WITH ARMENIANS IN RUSSIA
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 22 2006
MOSCOW, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A meeting of RA
Ambassador to RF Armen Smbatian and Moscow students of Armenian origin
took place at the Embassy of Armenia to Russia on June 18.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, issues being in the center of attention of
Moscow students of Armenian origin were discussed at the meeting. Those
issues are: usage of the dual citizenship institute in Armenia,
problems of the sphere of migration, widening of the possibility of
adding quotas being allocated to citizens of Armenia in institutions
of higher education of Russia.
At the same time the students expressed anxiety on the occasion of
the event taken place recently to representatives of the Armenian
origin in Russia.
Those events are presented by some mass media as a display of
intolerance towards Armenians. According to them, all those anger
the society both in Armenia and in Russia what may be used by third
sides interested in weakening of the Armenian-Russian relations and
may influence negatively on the cooperation process.
Ambassador Smbatian, agreeing in general with modernity of the problem
arisen by the students and with their approach that those events are
addressed in no way against representatives of the Armenian nation,
emphasized that those problems first of all do not arise of interests
of Russia and oppose the policy fostered by Russia towards Armenia and,
in general, Armenians living in Russia.
The students were informed at the meeting about the steps implemented
by the Embassy on the occasion of that event as well as about works
being implemented by the Russian authorities in the direction of
revealing the last murders.
It was emphasized that those crimes are also condemned by
representatives of the highest authorities of Armenia. It was also
mentioned that the authorities of Russia assured at different levels
that all the possible means will be used in the direction of revealing
those crimes and punishing those guilty with the whole strictness of
the law.

MHER SHAHGELDIAN RESIGNS POST OF HEAD OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO NATO PA
Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. Mher Shahgeldian, the Deputy Chairman
of the “Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law) party, the former Chairman
of the RA National Assembly Standing Committee on Defence, National
Security and Internal Affairs, officially informed Parliament Speaker
Tigran Torosian on June 21 that he resigns the post of the head of
the Armenian delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. Radio
Liberty informs about it.
After the “Orinats Yerkir” party’s leaving the staff of the rulling
coalition, Shahgeldian resigned the post of the committee head what
does not suppose that he was to compulsory resign the post of the
head of the Armenian delegation to the NATO PA.
It is expected that Aramayis Grigorian, the newly elected Chairman
of the Committee will be appointed the new head of the Armenian
delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

OTE PUBLISHES SHORTLIST OF COMPANIES TO PASS SECOND ROUND OF TENDER FOR SALE OF ARMENTEL SHARES
Noyan Tapan
Jun 22 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The OTE company (Greece) on June
22 published the shortlist of four companies that will be allowed
to participate in the second round of the tender for sale of 90%
of ArmenTel’s shares. According to a press release of the company,
these are the Russian companies Vimpelcom and Mobile Telesystems (MTS),
a group of telecommunication companies operating in the Persian Gulf
region – ETISALAT-Emirates Telecommunications Corporation/Istithmar
ETV-Emergent Telecom Ventures, and VTEL Holdings/Knightsbridge
Associates Corporation, about which the press release does not provide
any information.