Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]
CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS, MEMBERS URGE PRESIDENT BUSH TO CONDEMN AZERI ACTIONS AGAINST ARMENIA, KARABAKH
President Bush, Azeri President to meet tomorrow
Washington DC – On the eve of President Bush’s meeting with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, Members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues are calling on the U.S. leader to firmly denounce Azerbaijan’s
ongoing war mongering, and other actions, against the Republic of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ),
along with Caucus Members George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff
(D-CA), sent a letter to the President that states in part:
“Azerbaijani government officials have consistently threatened war and
fostered anti-Armenian intolerance. Ignoring international criticism,
President Aliyev has repeatedly declared that Azerbaijan could launch
a new military offensive against Karabakh, and that he is waging a
‘cold war’ against Armenia where the ongoing negotiations are only a
way to achieve unilateral Armenian concessions.” (The complete text
of the congressional letter is attached below.)
“We thank Congressmen Knollenberg, Pallone, Schiff and Radanovich for
expressing their strong concerns regarding Azerbaijan to President
Bush,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Rather than
continuing to threaten military aggression and blockade Armenia,
Azerbaijan should instead adhere to the standards of democracy, human
rights, and justice as espoused in our National Security Strategy
which was announced by President Bush last month.”
In a speech before the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington
today, Aliyev continued making bellicose statements against Armenia,
saying that the “war is not over,” and that the “patience of the
Azerbaijani people has limits.”
The congressional letter also notes that in the past year, Baku has
increased its military spending by 100 percent and is working with
Turkey to push forth an $800 million railroad proposal aimed at
isolating Armenia from East-West commercial corridors.
The lawmakers also highlight Azerbaijan’s continued human rights
violations, specifically a disturbing film which captured Azerbaijani
soldiers destroying historical Armenian monuments in the medieval
cemetery of Julfa, Nakhichevan in Azerbaijan.
The Congressmen also underscored the fact that Azerbaijan’s actions
are counterproductive to the stability of the South Caucasus as well
as U.S. objectives in the region.
###
NR#2006-043
Editor’s Note: Attached is the full text of the congressional letter
to President Bush.
April 26, 2006
The Honorable George W. Bush President of the United States The White
House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
It is our understanding that you will be meeting with President
of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev later this week. We urge you to take
this opportunity to condemn the Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other
actions taken against the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
which undermine U.S. objectives in the region.
In the years since the 1994 cease-fire agreement in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani government officials have consistently
threatened war and fostered anti-Armenian intolerance. Ignoring
international criticism, President Aliyev has repeatedly declared that
Azerbaijan could launch a new military offensive against Karabakh,
and that he is waging a “cold war” against Armenia where the ongoing
negotiations are only a way to achieve unilateral Armenian concessions.
As part of this campaign, this year Azerbaijan has increased its
military spending by 100% over the previous year to more than $600
million. It has also tightened the seventeen year economic blockade
against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Moreover, President Aliyev has
indicated he would not engage in any confidence-building measures with
Armenia and he had “no desire” to tone down his country’s war-mongering
and anti-Armenian propaganda.
Under the backdrop of the peace talks last December, eyewitnesses
captured on film Azerbaijani soldiers destroying historical Armenian
monuments in the medieval cemetery of Julfa, Nakhichevan of the
Azerbaijan Republic. Condemned by the European Parliament, this
incident is not isolated. A Scottish expert on Armenian architecture,
who traveled through Nakhichevan in the summer of 2005, found that a
number of Armenian monuments that were intact as late as the 1980s
were razed to the ground. Knowingly expunging traces of Armenian
presence also raises serious questions about Azerbaijan’s commitment
to engage in the peace process.
We acknowledge and appreciate the assurances of the Administration that
U.S. opposition to such tactics has been officially conveyed. However,
the United States will be unable to advance its policy objectives and
the OSCE Minsk process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan is allowed
to risk war with impunity. These counterproductive strategies are
undermining the stability of the South Caucasus region.
We urge you to condemn these actions and call upon President Aliyev
and Azerbaijan to desist from making any further threats against its
Christian neighbors Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
We look forward to working with you on this issue and look forward
to your response.
Sincerely,
Rep. Joe Knollenberg Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.
Rep. George Radanovich Rep. Adam Schiff

ASBAREZ ONLINE
TOP STORIES
05/01/2006
TO ACCESS PREVIOUS ASBAREZ ONLINE EDITIONS PLEASE VISIT OUR
WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1) Oskanian: Karabakh Will Never be A Part of Azerbaijan 2) Gul Criticizes France over Bills Proposing Jail Time for Genocide Denial 3) Thousands Rally to Stop the Violence in Darfur 1) Oskanian: Karabakh Will Never be A Part of Azerbaijan STEPANAKERT (Combined sources)--"Negotiations for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict have reached a stalemate after Rambouillet. A certain progress was observed before those talks, and now attempts are being made to restore it," Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian stated at Artsakh State University during his two-day visit to the Republic of Mountainous Karabakh. Oskanian said the settlement of the Karabakh conflict is one of the most important issues of Armenia's foreign policy. The minister also said the two most current issues in the foreign political sphere are public democratization and stable economic development. He also stressed the importance of cooperation in various spheres with Russia, and the necessity for Armenia and Karabakh to integrate into European structures. Regarding the current state of the negotiation process, Oskanian said "Azerbaijan should understand that one cannot turn back the clock. Baku should get rid of the idea of a forced settlement of the conflict." Touching upon mutual concessions, Oskanian said, ~SMutual compromises should be born during talks. Each of the parties has a line that the other cannot overstep.~T For the Armenian side, that line is the guarantee of Karabakh security, independence for Karabakh, and uninterrupted land communication with Armenia. Oskanian made clear that these points are not negotiable and they won~Rt be compromised. "I don't know what status Karabakh will have in the future, but I know for sure what it will not be: Karabakh will never be a part of Azerbaijan. That is absolutely impossible," Oskanian said. ~SKarabakh has never been part of Azerbaijan,~T he emphasized. 2) Gul Criticizes France over Bills Proposing Jail Time for Genocide Denial (Combined sources)--Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met his French counterpart Philippe Douste-Blazy in an informal meeting of NATO foreign ministers in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia last week. During the meeting Minister Gul sharply criticized France for five bills in the legislative proposing jail sentences and fines for denying the Armenian genocide. Turkey asked France to stop these resolutions, which were submitted to the French parliament by the Socialist Party with the aim of punishing those who deny the Armenian genocide. Gul asked the French minister, ~SIf I visit France and say there is no Armenian genocide, will you imprison me too?~T The minister went on to ask if the French government would imprison Turkish politicians paying an official visit to France and they deny the Armenian genocide to reporters. "Will you put these politicians in jail? If our president or prime denies the Armenian genocide in France, will you imprison them too?~T Gul stressed that if these proposed resolutions are enacted, they will create problems with the political and economic relations between Turkey and France. The French parliament will debate the resolutions on May 18. 3) Thousands Rally to Stop the Violence in Darfur Protesters urge Bush to push for a stronger multinational peacekeeping force. WASHINGTON (Reuters)--Thousands of people rallied Sunday on the National Mall against human rights abuses in Darfur, joining celebrities, politicians and activists who called on the Bush administration to strengthen its efforts to end the violence in Sudan's western region. "Let's tell President Bush he needs to do more," said David Rubenstein, coordinator of the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of 165 religious and humanitarian groups that sponsored the rally. "His heart is in the right place, but he is not doing enough. We need George Bush to work harder to save Darfur now." People came from as far away as California to send that message and to hear such speakers as actor George Clooney, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), Nobel Peace Prize winner and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel and Olympic speedskating gold medalist Joey Cheek. The Save Darfur Coalition wants Bush to push harder for a stronger multinational peacekeeping force to protect people in Darfur. Its members have collected more than 750,000 postcards urging him to do so. The conflict in Darfur began in 2003 when Arab tribal militias, known as janjaweed, began a campaign of terror to crush a rebellion in Darfur. The Sudanese government denies widespread accusations that it backs the militias. The White House and Congress have described the campaign of mass killings and rapes of civilians as genocide. More than 180,000 people have died, and more than 2 million are homeless. On Sunday, hours before a deadline for peace talks imposed by African Union mediators, the rebels rejected a proposal to end the fighting, the Associated Press reported. One rebel faction said the measure did not address its demands for greater autonomy and for the appointment of a vice president from Darfur, the Associated Press said. The Sudanese government had said earlier in the day that it would agree to the plan, although there were indications that it did so only after determining that the rebels would reject it. The proposal could bring as many as 20,000 United Nations forces to bolster the 7,000 African Union troops that have largely failed to prevent violence. In response, the African Union extended the deadline for negotiations for 48 hours. Appearing Sunday on ABC's "This Week," U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice called on China and Russia to join the United States in trying to get Sudan to accept U.N. truce forces. "Obviously, a peace agreement would be a very important step forward in getting this done," she said. On Sunday afternoon, Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick issued a statement "urging the parties to finalize the agreement right away." He praised the participation of the thousands who came to more than a dozen rallies scheduled in cities across the country, including Austin, Texas; San Francisco; Seattle; and Portland, Ore. "People want a solution," he said. "Their activism and energy is commendable." The rally on the Mall attracted 240 busloads of activists, according to organizers, who said last week that they expected 10,000 to 15,000 to attend. The National Park Service, which is responsible for events on the Mall, no longer provides estimates of crowd sizes. Sunday's gathering under a bright blue sky brought together older people, families with young children, and students from a wide variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds. "I heard that there wasn't a bus left in New Jersey," said Stacey Orden of Hillsdale, N.J., who came with 55 people from her temple. "In 1944, when 6 million people died in concentration camps, the U.S. waited too long to intervene. Never again. And never again means never again," Orden said. "Innocent people are being killed, and women are being raped." Nan Myers of Philadelphia said she wanted to "make our views known to the people who can make a difference to stop the genocide in Darfur. It is gratifying to see so many young people." About 50 students traveled from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, even though they have final exams today. "This is a lot more important than exams," said Joanna Zelman, 20. "There is genocide going on, and you cannot sit by and let that happen." She and her friend Jamie Persons, 19, said they were inspired by the movie "Hotel Rwanda," which told how hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina saved more than 1,000 lives during ethnic violence in that country. Rusesabagina, who was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year and has visited Sudan, addressed the rally: "What I saw in Darfur is exactly what was going on in Rwanda." Seminary students Dan Peake and Kevon Gray came from Columbus, Ohio, because Gray had heard about the problems in Darfur while on an evangelical mission in Africa. Anderia Arok, a Sudanese who came to this country four years ago and lives in Colorado, said, "They are committing genocide to get land in Darfur." Peter Marcus, a Los Angeles lawyer, led a delegation of more than 100 from Jewish World Watch, a Southern California organization he described as opposing "egregious human rights abuses, including genocide." "Darfur is currently our primary focus," Marcus said. "The rally this weekend is to draw attention to the issue. Genocide is a particularly sensitive issue in the Jewish community, for obvious reasons." He said of Darfur: "The United States and the world are not doing enough." All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2006 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Op-Ed: Blowback in Africa
By RAFFI KHATCHADOURIAN
New York Times
April 28, 2006
EVER since Chad gained independence 46 years ago, it has been a
world-class model of political dysfunction. In the 1970’s, Chad’s
president, François Tombalbaye, compelled civil servants to
renounce Western customs, undergo a tribal initiation rite known as
yondo and profess belief in a nationalist creed he called
Chaditude. He was executed in 1975. In the 1980’s, a rebel leader
named Hissène Habré led an army to the presidential palace and
seized power. He became known as the “African Pinochet” and
murderously pursued opponents for nearly a decade.
In 1990, Mr. Habré was chased out by an armed faction led by Chad’s
current president, Idriss Déby. Now Mr. Déby is facing his own
rebellion.
Americans might dismiss this numbing cycle of coups as esoteric
history belonging to a troubled and distant country. They
shouldn’t. The C.I.A. armed Mr. Habré for years, and since 2003,
the United States military has been training and equipping
Mr. Déby’s army, making his fight to stay in office our fight, too.
Last year, Chad took part in a vast, international military exercise
organized by the United States – the largest exercise of its kind in
Africa since World War II, according to the Defense Department. This
summer, American forces will continue to advise Chadian soldiers, and
Congress is expected to allocate $500 million for a five-year program
to train and equip several Saharan armies – including Mr. Déby’s.
The military hopes these initiatives will help contain the threat of
terrorism by bringing order to the Great Desert and its
borderlands. For centuries, the Sahara has been a lawless realm, and
with millions of Muslims living across the region in isolated
communities, counterterrorism officials fear that Islamic militants
may seek sanctuary there.
But dispensing military aid to Chad now – with Mr. Déby fighting
hundreds of rebels backed by Sudan – seems reckless. It puts American
military equipment and expertise in the hands of a desperate
dictator. Worse still, it risks pouring additional fuel into the human
furnace of Darfur, and it may well come to impede the careful
diplomatic work required to solve that crisis.
So far, American officials have made much of Sudanese assistance to
the rebels, framing the recent conflict in Chad as an outgrowth of the
tragedy in Darfur. There is some truth to this. But the violence in
Chad also has its own political narrative. During his 16 years in
power, Mr. Déby has ruled Chad brutally. His security forces have
committed torture, rapes, summary executions and mass killings.
Mr. Déby is a member of the Zaghawa – a northern tribe making up
roughly 5 percent of Chad’s population – and last year the State
Department described his regime as a Zaghawa oligarchy shielded by a
security and intelligence apparatus that violates human rights with
impunity. In 2004, Mr. Déby altered Chad’s Constitution to grant
himself another term in office. Elections are scheduled for next
Wednesday. There is little likelihood they will be fair.
Only one compelling argument exists for giving Chad military aid, and
it follows from the logic of lesser evils. Many of the refugees
fleeing Darfur are Zaghawa, and Mr. Déby has taken them in. If his
regime collapses, tens of thousands of people will once again be at
the mercy of Sudan’s janjaweed marauders, and the genocide may spread.
This argument, though, is complicated by another unsettling
development. In recent months, scores of Chadian soldiers have
defected to the rebel militias. If the defections continue, they raise
the horrific possibility that American military equipment and
expertise could end up going to men aligned with the janjaweed. In
that case, our military assistance to Chad, far from containing
political anarchy, would only add to it.
Raffi Khatchadourian traveled to Chad in 2005 for the International
Reporting Project at Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced
International Studies.
n/28khatchadourian.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Azeris want USA’s fair stance on Karabakh – official
Lider TV, Baku
28 Apr 06

An Azerbaijani top official has said that the USA is not approaching
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem fairly.
In an interview with the Azerbaijani private TV channel Lider on 28
April, the head of foreign relations department at the presidential
administration, Novruz Mammadov, said that “we cannot see the world’s
leading states, including the USA, taking a fair and correct stance”
on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
He went on to say that as the world’s leading state and co-chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group, the USA could influence the Karabakh settlement
process.

Thousands protest Turkey’s plans to build nuclear power plant
AP Worldstream; Apr 29, 2006

Thousands rallied in Turkey’s Black Sea coastal city of Sinop on
Saturday to protest government plans to build the country’s first
nuclear power plant there.
Turkey has long sought to develop nuclear power to make up for a
limited supply of domestic energy and to reduce dependence on energy
supplies from Iran and Russia.
The government announced earlier this month that it had chosen Sinop
to build the plant.
About 4,000 people gathered on a main street in the city, calling on
the government to abandon plans to build the reactor and to seek
alternative energy sources, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Protesters carried banners reading: “We don’t want nuclear reactors,
we want schools,” and “We don’t want death.”
Turkish rock band Mogollar gave a concert in a show of support to the
people of Sinop while fishermen joined in the protest, unfurling
anti-nuclear banners from fishing boats, Anatolia and other reports
said.
Calls for Turkey to develop alternative energy sources were widespread
during the past winter, when unexplained cuts in the supply of natural
gas from Iran forced many companies to lower or entirely stop
production.
Turkey first announced plans to build a reactor in 1996, but the
project has repeatedly been put on hold due to financial problems.

Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
April 27, 2006
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: [email protected]
CAUCUS CO-CHAIRS, MEMBERS URGE PRESIDENT BUSH TO CONDEMN AZERI ACTIONS
AGAINST ARMENIA, KARABAKH
President Bush, Azeri President to meet tomorrow
Washington DC – On the eve of President Bush’s meeting with Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, Members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues are calling on the U.S. leader to firmly denounce Azerbaijan’s
ongoing war mongering, and other actions, against the Republic of
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ),
along with Caucus Members George Radanovich (R-CA) and Adam Schiff
(D-CA), sent a letter to the President that states in part:
“Azerbaijani government officials have consistently threatened war and
fostered anti-Armenian intolerance. Ignoring international criticism,
President Aliyev has repeatedly declared that Azerbaijan could launch a
new military offensive against Karabakh, and that he is waging a ‘cold
war’ against Armenia where the ongoing negotiations are only a way to
achieve unilateral Armenian concessions.” (The complete text of the
congressional letter is attached below.)
“We thank Congressmen Knollenberg, Pallone, Schiff and Radanovich for
expressing their strong concerns regarding Azerbaijan to President
Bush,” said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. “Rather than
continuing to threaten military aggression and blockade Armenia,
Azerbaijan should instead adhere to the standards of democracy, human
rights, and justice as espoused in our National Security Strategy which
was announced by President Bush last month.”
In a speech before the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington today,
Aliyev continued making bellicose statements against Armenia, saying
that the “war is not over,” and that the “patience of the Azerbaijani
people has limits.”
The congressional letter also notes that in the past year, Baku has
increased its military spending by 100 percent and is working with
Turkey to push forth an $800 million railroad proposal aimed at
isolating Armenia from East-West commercial corridors.
The lawmakers also highlight Azerbaijan’s continued human rights
violations, specifically a disturbing film which captured Azerbaijani
soldiers destroying historical Armenian monuments in the medieval
cemetery of Julfa, Nakhichevan in Azerbaijan.
The Congressmen also underscored the fact that Azerbaijan’s actions are
counterproductive to the stability of the South Caucasus as well as U.S.
objectives in the region.
###
NR#2006-043
Editor’s Note: Attached is the full text of the congressional letter to
President Bush.
April 26, 2006
The Honorable George W. Bush
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

It is our understanding that you will be meeting with President of
Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev later this week. We urge you to take this
opportunity to condemn the Azerbaijani war rhetoric and other actions
taken against the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh which
undermine U.S. objectives in the region.

In the years since the 1994 cease-fire agreement in the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, Azerbaijani government officials have consistently threatened
war and fostered anti-Armenian intolerance. Ignoring international
criticism, President Aliyev has repeatedly declared that Azerbaijan
could launch a new military offensive against Karabakh, and that he is
waging a “cold war” against Armenia where the ongoing negotiations are
only a way to achieve unilateral Armenian concessions.
As part of this campaign, this year Azerbaijan has increased its
military spending by 100% over the previous year to more than $600
million. It has also tightened the seventeen year economic blockade
against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Moreover, President Aliyev has
indicated he would not engage in any confidence-building measures with
Armenia and he had “no desire” to tone down his country’s war-mongering
and anti-Armenian propaganda.
Under the backdrop of the peace talks last December, eyewitnesses
captured on film Azerbaijani soldiers destroying historical Armenian
monuments in the medieval cemetery of Julfa, Nakhichevan of the
Azerbaijan Republic. Condemned by the European Parliament, this
incident is not isolated. A Scottish expert on Armenian architecture,
who traveled through Nakhichevan in the summer of 2005, found that a
number of Armenian monuments that were intact as late as the 1980s were
razed to the ground. Knowingly expunging traces of Armenian presence
also raises serious questions about Azerbaijan’s commitment to engage in
the peace process.
We acknowledge and appreciate the assurances of the Administration that
U.S. opposition to such tactics has been officially conveyed. However,
the United States will be unable to advance its policy objectives and
the OSCE Minsk process will achieve nothing if Azerbaijan is allowed to
risk war with impunity. These counterproductive strategies are
undermining the stability of the South Caucasus region.
We urge you to condemn these actions and call upon President Aliyev and
Azerbaijan to desist from making any further threats against its
Christian neighbors Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.
We look forward to working with you on this issue and look forward to
your response.
Sincerely,
Rep. Joe Knollenberg
Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr.
Rep. George Radanovich
Rep. Adam Schiff

Lithuania preparing to host international conference in Vilnius 3-5 May 06
Kauno Diena, Kaunas
28 Apr 06
Twenty-six high-ranking delegations from different countries of the
world will take part in a large international conference that will be
held in Vilnius next week.
More than 2000 police officers will maintain order in the centre of
Vilnius, when dozens of important guests from many different countries
of the world will arrive to the large international conference in
Vilnius. The three-day forum, which will cost 2 million litas to the
government, will take place in several places in Vilnius; therefore,
strict city security and strict traffic restrictions have been
planned.
US Vice President Is Expected To Participate
Even 26 top-ranking delegations are expected to participate in the
Vilnius conference – Common Vision for Common
Neighbourhood. Presidents of Poland, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova,
Georgia, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, US Vice President Dick Cheney,
Javier Solana, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and
Security Policy, NATO Deputy Chief Alessandro Minuto Rizzo,
Azerbaijan’s Prime Minister Artur Rasizade, Swedish Deputy Prime
Minister Bose Rinkholm, foreign ministers of Armenia, Belgium, and
Spain, European affairs ministers of the UK and Germany, other high
ranking officials will come to the Lithuanian capital to discuss
Europe’s eastern policy and the future of the Baltic-Black Sea region.
During the international conference, youth, public organizations, and
individual intellectuals will hold various forums. The forums will be
attended by scientists, political analysts and experts from many
countries of the European Union, the United States,
Canada. Representatives of public organizations from Russia and
Belarus opposition representatives will also attend the forums.
Former Belarus opposition’s presidential candidate, Alexander
Milinkevich, was supposed to take part in the forum. However,
yesterday special agencies detained him at the order of Belarus
President Alexander Lukashenka. He will spend 15 days in jail.
Meeting of Presidents To Top The Agenda
The conference will end with the meeting of the presidents on 4
May. Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus and Polish President Lech
Kaczynski will be hosting the meeting.
By the way, the Polish president will commemorate the Constitution Day
on 3 May, and the Latvian president will commemorate the country’s
Independence Day on 4 May in Vilnius.
Plans have been made to announce a common declaration of the
presidents. Moreover, bilateral talks between presidents and other
officials will be held during the forum.
Approximately 500 guests will come to Vilnius. Almost 200 accredited
reporters will be covering the event.
Some Will Bring Their Wives
Five presidents and top officials, including Cheney, will travel to
the conference with their significant others. There has been a
separate programme planed for them. Alma Adamkiene, the wife of the
Lithuanian president, will entertain the first ladies.
The presidents will start arriving in Vilnius on 3 May. In the evening
of the same day there will be a reception held at the President’s
Palace. The presidents’ conference will be held on Thursday at Reval
Hotel Lithuania.
During lunchtime, there will be another reception. It will be held at
the Sky Bar, located on the 22nd floor of the hotel. The dinner, which
will end the conference, will be held at Prie Belmonto Kriokliu
Restaurant.
Various events of the forum will also be held at the President’s
Office, the University of Vilnius, and the Forum Palace Conference
Centre. Press offices will be set up at the President’s Office, Reval
Hotel Lithuania, and Naujasis Vilnius (New Vilnius) Hotel.
The guests will be staying at nine hotels in the city. The majority
will be staying at Reval Hotel Lithuania and Naujasis Vilnius. By the
way, the Cheney family will be staying in presidential suites at Reval
Hotel Lithuania.
Common folk will not be able to rent rooms at this hotel during 3-5
May. Special attention will be devoted for the safety of this hotel.
The majority of the guests will leave Vilnius Thursday evening; some
will stay until Friday.
Year of Preparation
Almost a year was spent preparing for the Vilnius Conference: Common
Vision for Common Neighbourhood. Several dozen officials from the
President’s Office the Foreign Ministry and Polish diplomats have been
organizing the conference.
Two million litas has been allocated for the forum from the Lithuanian
budget.
The logo of the conference shows silhouettes of two people holding
hands. Different shades of blue colour symbolize two regions of
Europe: the light blue symbolizes countries of the Baltic Sea region,
dark blue – countries of the Black Sea Region. The event’s organizers
explained that, “the people holding hands are forming a circle, which
is symbolizing close cooperation of Europe’s many regions in the areas
of science, culture, business, politics, and in other important areas
of life.”
Will Guard Bridges
Due to the visits of the presidents and top officials, traffic in the
capital will be restricted. In addition, safety measures will be
increased. According to State Security Department Director Raimundas
Kairys, “all special agencies of Lithuania will participate in
ensuring safety of the event.” The list will include the Police
Department, the Border Patrol, Fire Safety and Rescue Service, the
State Security Department, certain departments of the Defence
Department, including the very secretive Second Department of Special
Operations.
The Police Department announced that more than 2000 police officers
would be working in Vilnius during the event. Eight hundred out of
them will be brought in from other cities. They intend to guard all
the bridges of the city. Police officers and National Guard troops
will be stationed around the city.
Officers strongly urged the capital’s residents not to drive their
cars to the city’s centre and the old town. They also reminded that
the traffic would be restricted not only around the areas where the
forum’s events will be held, but also around the streets leading to
the airport, when delegations’ convoys will be using those streets
[passage omitted on more traffic restriction information].
Officers’ Slap in the Face
A portion of police officers may create headaches for their colleagues
who will be guarding the important guests during the Vilnius Forum.
On May 4 they are planning to hold protest rallies in front of the
parliament and the government office. The officers who will be off
duty that day should be protesting against the government’s
unwillingness to compensate their salaries that have been reduced over
a few years. Five hundred police officers are expected to participate
in the rallies.
However, the organizers of the rallies have not made final decision
whether they will be holding the protests on the scheduled
day. Moreover, the Vilnius City Municipality has not issued the
permission to hold the protests on 4 May.
Organizers of the Vilnius Conference say that even if the protests
will be held, they will be held relatively far from the places where
the international forum will be held; thus, major problems should not
occur.

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian
Subject: PACE: Karabakh Issue Should Be Solved for Sake of Young Generation
PanARMENIAN.Net
PACE: Karabakh Issue Should Be Solved for Sake of Young Generation

29.04.2006 19:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Nagorno Karabakh conflict `should be solved for
the sake of the young generation first of all,’ President of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) René van der
Linden said. `Solving conflict is always difficult, however after my
visit to the region it was obvious to me that both parties have the
desire to settle the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. There are many people
outside Armenia, who push Armenian government and opposition in a
certain direction. I am sure the future of the young residents of
Armenia is much more important than the feelings of Armenians
outside,’ the PACE President said.
Answering a question on the prospects of settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh issue in 2006, René van der Linden said, `I hope for it. The
international community wishes to help, however, it is hard to solve
problems when there is lack of political will. It is utterly important
for political parties, the government and opposition form an
atmosphere favorable for taking decisions. If you exploit the
situation for electoral goals, you cannot solve the issue,’ he said,
reports Mediamax.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Oskanian: Karabakh Subordination to Azerbaijan Ruled out

29.04.2006 19:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `When it is time to reach an agreement on principles
of settlement of the conflict, Nagorno Karabakh should take part in
the talks without fail, as its fate is decided,’ Armenian FM Vartan
Oskanian stated at a meeting with the teaching staff and students of
Artsakh State University within his two-day visit in NKR. `I cannot
now state which status NK will have, however subordination to
Azerbaijan is merely ruled out. NK has never been part of Azerbaijan,’
he emphasized.
The international situation does not allow recognizing the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic yet, however the issue of recognition of the NKR is
a political lever, which should be used at an apt moment, the Armenian
FM remarked. Touching upon mutual concessions, Oskanian said, `Mutual
compromises should be born during talks. Each of the parties has `a
read line’ that it cannot overstep. For the Armenian party it is the
guarantee of NK security and uninterrupted land communication with
Armenia,’ the Armenian FM said. In his words, in any case settlement
by force is not acceptable. `Although the probability of resumption
of hostilities is low, we should be constantly ready to these. I am
glad NK is ready to it. We work for peaceful settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, however if Azerbaijan wants to solve the issue by
force, then, as stated by President Kocharian, Armenia will recognize
NKR,’ Oskanian noted. He emphasized that only after recognition of the
NKR elimination of the consequences of the war can be the point,
reports IA Regnum.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Four Soldiers Judged in Baku for «Cooperation with Armenians»

29.04.2006 19:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A preparation session on the case of four
servicemen, accused on article 274 (parricide) and 338.1 (violation of
combat post rules) was held in Azerbaijan. All the four are accused of
«conveying secret information to the Armenian party.» Binali
Mamedaliyev, Shakhiyar Ismailov, Shamhal Aghajamaliyev, Parviz Habibov
served in Fizuli region.
«During their service, they were recruited by Armenians and cooperated
with them. The trial is scheduled to begin on May 4. Owing to presence
of secret information, the process will be held behind closed
doors. This is not the first case of the kind, when Azeri soldiers are
judged for cooperation with Armenians,» reports Day.az.