HOUSE COMMITTEE OPPOSES FUNDING FOR RAILROAD THAT BYPASSES ARMENIA: LAWMAKERS CALL PROJECT “PURELY POLITICAL”
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 15 2006
WASHINGTON, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Armenian
Assembly of America commended Members of the House Financial Services
Committee for adhering to U.S. policy goals of regional cooperation
and economic integration by ensuring that no Export-Import funding
would be used for a proposed rail link project that would connect
Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan, while bypassing Armenia.
Lawmakers approved on June 14 H.R. 5068, the Export-Import Bank
Reauthorization Act of 2006, which included an amendment introduced
by Congressman Joseph Crowley (D-NY), along with Congressmen Edward
Royce (R-CA) and Brad Sherman (D-CA), ensuring that taxpayer dollars
will not be spent on efforts that would exclude Armenia from regional
projects and commercial opportunities.
Unanimous approval of this amendment by the House Financial Services
Committee sends a strong message that it does not endorse attempts to
undermine U.S. policy goals, which seeks to normalize Armenian-Turkish
relations and to reach a peaceful settlement in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Moreover, the Committee’s action echoes recent statements
made by Ambassador-Designate to Azerbaijan, Anne Derse, who indicated
that the proposed railroad would “not be beneficial to regional
integration…”
“With this amendment, we are sending a message to the governments
of Turkey and Azerbaijan that continually excluding Armenia in
regional projects fosters instability,” Crowley told Members of the
Committee. “Bypassing Armenia is just another attempt to further
suffocate this republic, which has made great strides in democratic
and economic reforms notwithstanding its neighbors’ hostility. If the
Caucasus region is to move forward, we must ensure that all countries
move forward together at the same time.”
During the mark-up, Royce noted that the amendment was modeled after
H.R. 3361, the South Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act,
and said that taxpayer dollars should not be used to exclude Armenia
which is already facing dual blockades by Turkey and Azerbaijan. The
legislation, which also has a Senate counterpart, would prohibit
U.S. assistance for the promotion or development of a railroad that
would connect the three countries and exclude Armenia.
The House bill currently has 85 cosponsors.
Sherman, who also addressed the Committee, said that the European
Union has already publicly indicated that it will not finance a rail
project in which Armenia is not involved.
“Export-Import made a huge mistake when it approved finance guarantees
for the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline in 2003,” Sherman told the Assembly. “This
amendment puts Congress on record opposing a repeat of that fiasco
embodied by this ill-conceived and wasteful rail project.”
“Our foreign assistance should help end conflict by fostering
cooperation,” Sherman continued. “We should not entrench divisions
by financing projects which exclude countries friendly to the United
States.”
Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) also spoke in favor of the
Crowley-Royce-Sherman amendment and submitted a statement for the
mark-up, which stated in part: “Armenia is a friend and an ally of
the United States that for too long has been subjected to blockades
and aggression from its neighbors, Turkey and Azerbaijan….Allowing
the exclusion of Armenia from important transportation routes would
stymie the emergence of this region as an important East-West trade
corridor. It is in our economic and security interests to ensure that
the aggression against Armenia comes to an end.”
“We thank Congressman Crowley, along with Congressmen Royce and
Sherman, for their leadership on this crucial issue which is a
key Assembly priority for the 109th Congress. We also commend the
Armenian-American community for rallying support for this important
initiative,” said Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Passage of this
amendment protects U.S. goals and interests in the region and ensures
that attempts by Turkey and Azerbaijan to isolate Armenia will not
go unanswered.”
The proposed railway is estimated to cost upwards of 0 million.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev told an Azeri news agency last
summer that, “We are currently working on a new project – a new rail
road Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku..If we succeed with this project,
the Armenians will end in complete isolation, which would create an
additional problem for their future, their already bleak future…”
Armenian government officials have repeatedly said that a new costly
railway is unnecessary given that a railroad linking Armenia, Georgia
and Turkey already exists.
The next step in the legislative process is a vote in the full House
on H.R. 5068.

RA DEFENCE AND FOREIGN MINISTERS PARTICIPATE IN NORTH ATLANTIC COUNCIL’S MEETING
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 15 2006
BRUSSELS, JUNE 15, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Defence and
Foreign Ministers Serge Sargsian and Vartan Oskanian participated
on June 14 in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council and Armenia
(26+1 format).
The meeting was dedicated to discussion of the implementation process
of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Actions’ Plan (IPAP),
based on results of the IPAP intermediate estimation given by the
NATO international staff’s delegation on May 18-19 of this year.
Ministers Sargsian and Oskanian made speeches, touching upon
problems of deepening the Armenia-NATO cooperation, events planned
for implementing the IPAP and their implementation.
It was followed by speeches of the Ambassadors of the North-Atlantic
Council member states in which estimations were given to progress
of Armenia in the direction of implementing the IPAP principles,
paying attention to democratic processes in Armenia as a security
guarantee, reforms of the defence sphere, issues of widening the
political dialogue with the NATO.
Then, as Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, the Ministers answered numerous questions,
which related to priorities of the foriegn policy of Armenia,
security components, regional problems and energetic security,
present developments of the peacefull settlement of the NKR issue.

MYSTERY DEEPENS AS ARTURS’ FOREIGN GUESTS VANISH
Dominic Wabala
The Nation (Kenya)
Jun 15, 2006
Mystery surrounds the whereabouts of six foreigners who entered the
country on the same night the two Armenian brothers caused a scene
at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.
The six were part of the entourage that caused a security scare at
the airport. But they were overlooked in the commotion that followed
when the Artur brothers defied orders to open luggage for inspection.
The six were driven to the five star Grand Regency Hotel together
with a businessman who had figured in the Goldenberg affair.
They were in the same convoy as the Artur brothers, Sargsyan and
Margaryan, who were later deported together with two other Armenians.
Four of the six were booked in at the Grand Regency but checked out the
following day after news broke of the brothers’ arrest and deportation.
The four, who were originally booked to stay at the hotel until June
28, have since disappeared – and the whereabouts of the other two
foreigners could not be established either.
Police said last night they did not know what had happened to the
six, explaining they had been focusing their attentions on the Artur
brothers and the two other Armenians deported with them.
The six foreigners who had arrived from Dubai and were received by
the Artur brothers at JKIA last Thursday night were whisked away to
the Grand Regency after the Armenians and their bodyguards grabbed
their bags and escorted them to a convoy of cars. They left the
airport with about seven other people.
The bags and their contents were left in five rooms reserved for the
associates of the businessman.
When the foreigners checked out after spending just one night,
their bill – around Sh25,000 each – was marked for payment by the
same businessman.
According to documents shown to the Nation, the four guests were
booked into the hotel at about 8:30 pm.
The next morning, a manager instructed some of the hotel staff to
check them out.
Hotel records show three of the four foreigners gave fictitious
addresses in the United Arab Emirates, while the fourth gave a New
Delhi address that is not consistent with the city’s postal system.
Sources revealed the Armenian brothers and the businessman who paid
their bills were scheduled to open a new casino at the Grand Regency
on the night they were deported.
The casino was opened in spite of the brothers’ absence under the
watchful eye of the businessman and the Armenians’ associates.
Close circuit television cameras seized at the brothers’ Runda home
were to have been be installed at the casino.
Meanwhile, members of the commission of inquiry named by President
Kibaki to investigate the security violations at JKIA were sworn in
by Chief Justice Evan Gicheru, with the promise that their hearings
will be in public.
Commission chairman Shedrach Kiruki promised fairness and openness and
a thorough job, as he pleaded for patience from members of the public.
Mr Margaryan, who moved to Dubai when the brothers were deported from
Kenya, expressed his willingness to give evidence to the commission.
He also threatened to sue the Government.
And Catholic bishops yesterday expressed concern at Thursday’s security
breach at JKIA, saying it had raised great concern regarding security
in Kenya.
“At stake is the safety of Kenyans within our borders as well as our
pride as a sovereign state,” the 28 bishops said in a statement signed
by the chairman of the Kenya Episcopal Conference, Bishop John Njue.
Internal Security minister John Michuki yesterday ordered journalists
out of his office when the outgoing US ambassador to Kenya, Mr William
Bellamy, paid him a courtesy call.
Mr Michuki told the journalists – who had been invited by his office to
cover the meeting -to get out because the courtesy call was personal.
He declined to allow journalists to ask the ambassador any questions
even after Mr Bellamy had started talking about his tenure in Kenya.
The minister asked the reporters to remove their microphones soon
after they entered his office, saying he only wanted pictures of him
and Mr Bellamy taken as there were no discussions.
As the microphones were placed on the table, he asked: “What are this
for? I don’t think we need this… Just take pictures and leave.
There are no discussions here.”
Attempts to persuade the minister to change his mind were rebuffed.
Mr Bellamy watched in bewilderment, at times smiling as Mr Michuki
asked his aides to remove the journalists.
He accused the media of going to cover the function because they
wanted to follow up a story from Parliament where MPs had earlier
said the minister should be sacked over the security breach at the
airport involving the Artur brothers.
The MPs had demanded that Mr Michuki and his Immigration counterpart,
Mr Gideon Konchellah, be sacked for allowing Mr Margaryan and Artur
Sargsyan to compromise the security of the country.
The two brothers stormed the airport brandishing pistols and seizing
luggage that they refused to be checked. They were later found to
have guns and bullets in their Runda estate home.
Instead of being charged in court, the Armenians were deported and
the Opposition accused the Government of trying to cover up the saga.
Mr Michuki said: “You have come here because of what happened in
Parliament…not because of the ambassador. I have nothing to say.”
Mr Michuki – speaking mainly in Kiswahili – refused to answer questions
on whether or not he was going to resign. Instead he said: “You are
now being disrespectful… We have asked you to leave.”
At that point, his aides started pushing journalists out of the
minister’s office.
In his brief remarks, Mr Bellamy said Kenya was a good country and
he would return in a different capacity and encourage Americans to
visit the country.
He said: “I will certainly be returning. I have been very fortunate
to make many friends. This is a very big country…I am going to
encourage other Americans to come.”

G-8 INTERIOR, JUSTICE MINISTERS DISCUSS TERRORISM, ILLEGAL MIGRATION IN MOSCOW
Anton Troianovski
AP Worldstream
Jun 15, 2006
The ministers of interior and justice of the Group of Eight member
countries on Thursday opened two days of talks on international
strategies to combat terrorism, Internet crime and illegal immigration.
Franco Frattini, the European Union’s justice and home affairs
commissioner, told reporters that he would propose that each EU and G-8
member state establish a central national unit to prevent cybercrime
in order to create “a real international network of cooperation.”
Frattini said he would also discuss new measures to combat illegal
immigration, focusing on the countries where migrants start their
journeys as well as transit countries. He called the black labor market
“the most dangerous pull factor for illegal immigration to Europe.”
Frattini said the EU had recently flown its first joint repatriation
flight out of Europe _ an Austrian-organized mission to return dozens
of Georgian and Armenian crime suspects to their home countries.
At the outset of Thursday’s meeting, Russian presidential chief of
staff Sergei Sobyanin called illegal immigration a pressing problem
for G-8 member countries.
“Uncontrolled and illegal migration is fraught with significant side
effects, and we are feeling this throughout the world,” Sobyanin said,
according to the Interfax news agency.
“The criminalization of the labor market, a rise in interethnic tension
in society, shadow financial flow _ ultimately, these are serious
threats to the internal stability of all our countries,” he said.
This week’s talks, held in advance of the G-8 summit in St.
Petersburg next month, will also focus on the financing of terrorism.
Frattini said that within 12 months the EU would enact limits on
moving more than A10,000 (US$12,600) in cash through Europe, and
noted that the European Council had approved “in principle” plans on
the traceability of public and private financial transactions.
Frattini spoke to reporters before a bilateral meeting with U.S.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, with whom he planned
to negotiate a new agreement on providing passenger data to the U.S.
after the EU’s highest court found problems with the current agreement.
Frattini also called on the U.S. Congress to expand the country’s
visa waver program to all EU member countries.
“The Congress of the United States is thinking about extending step
by step _ I mean first to Poland and then we will see,” Frattini
said. “It would be very much preferable for us to have a road map
for all new member states.”

TAX PAYER DOLLARS WON’T BE SPENT ON KARS-AKHALKALAKI RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2006 15:26 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Members of the House Financial Services Committee
adhere to U.S. policy goals of regional cooperation and economic
integration by ensuring that no Export-Import funding would be used
for a proposed rail link project that would connect Turkey, Georgia
and Azerbaijan, while bypassing Armenia, the Armenian Assembly of
America reported.
Lawmakers approved H.R. 5068, the Export-Import Bank Reauthorization
Act of 2006, which included an amendment introduced by Congressman
Joseph Crowley (D-NY), along with Congressmen Edward Royce (R-CA)
and Brad Sherman (D-CA), ensuring that taxpayer dollars will not be
spent on efforts that would exclude Armenia from regional projects
and commercial opportunities.
Unanimous approval of this amendment by the House Financial Services
Committee sends a strong message that it does not endorse attempts to
undermine U.S. policy goals, which seeks to normalize Armenian-Turkish
relations and to reach a peaceful settlement in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. Moreover, the Committee’s action echoes recent statements
made by Ambassador-Designate to Azerbaijan, Anne Derse, who indicated
that the proposed railroad would “not be beneficial to regional
integration…”
“With this amendment, we are sending a message to the governments of
Turkey and Azerbaijan that continually excluding Armenia in regional
projects fosters instability,” Crowley told Members of the Committee. ”
If the Caucasus region is to move forward, we must ensure that all
countries move forward together at the same time.”
The legislation, which also has a Senate counterpart, would prohibit
U.S. assistance for the promotion or development of a railroad that
would connect the three countries and exclude Armenia. The House bill
currently has 85 cosponsors.
Sherman, who also addressed the Committee, said that the European Union
has already publicly indicated that it will not finance a rail project
in which Armenia is not involved. “Export-Import made a huge mistake
when it approved finance guarantees for the Baku-Ceyhan pipeline in
2003,” Sherman told the Assembly. “This amendment puts Congress on
record opposing a repeat of that fiasco embodied by this ill-conceived
and wasteful rail project.” “Our foreign assistance should help end
conflict by fostering cooperation,” Sherman continued. “We should
not entrench divisions by financing projects which exclude countries
friendly to the United States.”
The next step in the legislative process is a vote in the full House
on H.R. 5068.

PEACEKEEPERS – IMPORTANT INSTRUMENT FOR MAINTAINING PEACE IN CONFLICT REGIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2006 15:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After the end of the cold war peacekeeping forces
became a very serious and important instrument for maintaining peace in
conflict regions, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian stated
in Yerevan. In his words, the U.N. member states came to a conclusion
that it’s extremely hard to counteract conflict without this mechanism.
“Presently the U.N. peacekeeping operations are conducted in 15
hot spots on the globe. Some 90 thousand people are engaged in
them. Peacekeeping operations are one of the priorities of the Armenian
foreign policy. Peacekeepers serve for peace, stability and security,”
Kirakossian underscored.

SKINHEADS ACCUSED OF MURDER OF ARMENIAN STAND TRIAL IN NIZHNY NOVGOROD
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2006 15:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Two young people, members of a skinhead organization
stand trial in Nizhni Novgorod, Russia. Alexander Boytsov is accused
of public calls for extremist activities and inciting of national
hatred. His friend Roman Lavrentyev is charged of premeditated murder,
the press service of the department for Privolzhsky okrug at the
Russian Ministry of Interior said.
The source said the investigation found out that September 17, 2005
Boytsov and Lavrentyev drinking alcohol with their friends calling them
for violence against people of non-Slavonic nationality. On the same
evening Lavrentyev noticed two unknown men with Caucasian appearance,
one of whom was Tomas Amaryan, an Armenian citizen. Lavrentyev asked
the men for a cigarette but they did not have one and tried to escape
in order to avoid beating. Drunk Lavrentyev decided to kill Amaryan and
ran after him. When the Armenian stumbled and fell down the skinhead
took out a knife and stabbed him many times. Amaryan died in hospital.
It took the investigators two months to find and detain the criminals,
reported RIA Novosti according to the press service.

OFFICIAL BAKU TRYING TO DISCREDIT ARMENIAN PARTY
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2006 15:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “By spreading false information about arsons in Azeri
villages set by Armenians and destruction of Azeri cultural monuments
on the territories controlled by the NKR Defense Army, Azerbaijan tries
to neutralize the negative reaction of the international community
to the demolition of the ancient Armenian cemetery in Nakhichevan,
head of the NKR Defense Ministry’s press office, lieutenant colonel
Senor Asratyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words,
after each unsuccessful round of talks on the Karabakh conflict,
in this case, after the Bucharest talks between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents, official Baku attempts to discredit the
Armenian party. “The Azerbaijani authorities have taken a militaristic
stand by strengthening the anti-Armenian propaganda. They are not
ready for compromise and this impedes the settlement process,” Senor
Asratyan said.

VALDAS ADAMKUS: SECURITY IN SOUTH CAUCASUS VERY IMPORTANT FOR INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2006 16:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During a meeting with Armenian Defense Minister
Serge Sargsyan Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus underscored that
security in the South Caucasus is very important for the international
community. The report of the Lithuanian leader’s press office says
that Mr Adamkus voiced hope that the current year will offer new
opportunities for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement.
Within the framework of his 2-day visit to Lithuania Serge Sargsyan
will meet with Acting Defense Minister of Lithuania Gediminas Kirkilas
and attend the Seimas to hold meetings with the members of the National
Committee on National security, reported BNS.
From: Baghdasarian

NAMIK TAN: TURKEY HASN’T TAKEN PART IN ANY STAGE OF SECRET CIA ACTIVITIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
15.06.2006 18:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey yesterday denied any involvement in alleged
CIA secret activities after the Council of Europe (CoE) concluded last
week that 14 European nations colluded with U.S. intelligence in a
“spider’s web” of human rights abuses to help the CIA spirit terror
suspects to illegal detention facilities. “Turkey hasn’t and won’t
take part in any stage of secret CIA activities,” Turkish Foreign
Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said at a weekly press conference.
Tan made the remarks in a response to an Amnesty International
statement on Wednesday which accused seven European countries,
including Turkey, of aiding U.S. abductions of terror suspects. ”
Accusations by Amnesty International, other institutions or people,
shouldn’t be taken seriously,” Tan added. Asked whether Incirlik Air
Base in Adana could be used for alleged transportation of detainees
by CIA secret flights without the Turkish authorities being informed,
Tan ruled out such a possibility, saying, “Incirlik is a Turkish Armed
Force [TSK] base. Our officials are aware of everything that goes on
at the base.” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also previously denied
allegations of detainees being interrogated on secret CIA flight at
Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul, accusing such groundless claims
of being aimed at opening a debate on the sovereignty of the Turkish
Republic, reported ABHaber news agency.
Turkey yesterday denied any involvement in alleged CIA secret
activities after the Council of Europe (CoE) concluded last week that
14 European nations colluded with U.S. intelligence in a “spider’s
web” of human rights abuses to help the CIA spirit terror suspects
to illegal detention facilities. “Turkey hasn’t and won’t take part
in any stage of secret CIA activities,” Turkish Foreign Ministry
Spokesman Namik Tan said at a weekly press conference.
Tan made the remarks in a response to an Amnesty International
statement on Wednesday which accused seven European countries,
including Turkey, of aiding U.S. abductions of terror suspects. ”
Accusations by Amnesty International, other institutions or people,
shouldn’t be taken seriously,” Tan added. Asked whether Incirlik Air
Base in Adana could be used for alleged transportation of detainees
by CIA secret flights without the Turkish authorities being informed,
Tan ruled out such a possibility, saying, “Incirlik is a Turkish Armed
Force [TSK] base. Our officials are aware of everything that goes on
at the base.” Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also previously denied
allegations of detainees being interrogated on secret CIA flight at
Sabiha Gokcen Airport in Istanbul, accusing such groundless claims
of being aimed at opening a debate on the sovereignty of the Turkish
Republic, reported ABHaber news agency.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress