SERJ SARKISYAN: AZERBAIJAN MISSES THE OPPORTUNITY TO SOLVE GARABAGH CONFLICT PEACEFULLY
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 8 2006
“Azerbaijan is missing the opportunity to solve the Nagorno Garabagh
conflict peacefully,” said Armenia’s Defense Minister Serj Sarkisyan
(APA).
Stating that he has not got detailed information on the recent
meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents in Bucharest, Sarkisyan
explained it by his failing to directly participate in the talks.
“I have not attended the meeting. So, I cannot say detailed information
on the talks. Armenian President informed me about certain details. I
reiterate that Azerbaijan is going to miss the opportunity of peaceful
solution of the conflict,” Sarkisyan said.
Commenting on the issue that the referendum on state status in
Montenegro can be a precedent for the solution of the Nagorno
Garabagh conflict, Armenian Defense Minister said, “Nagorno Garabagh
is already a precedent. There exists an independent republic with
its own attributes through holding of a referendum.”

OSKANYAN: ADOPTION OF ARMENIA-EU PROGRAM DELAYED BECAUSE OF PROBLEMS OF “OUR NEIGHBORS WITH EUROPE”
Regnum, Russia
June 8 2006
Talks between Armenia and the European Union concerning adoption of
the action plan have not been completed yet, but there are no unsolved
questions in terms of its content, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan is quoted as saying to the press.
As a REGNUM correspondent reports, according to Oskanyan, there
is no necessity in carrying out another round of talks. “However,
the process of adoption is delayed, which is mostly connected with
some difficulties that our neighbors have with the European Union,”
notes the minister.
On March 5, the third stage of talks between EU and Armenia’s officials
was held in Brussels to elaborate the action plan, the main political
document in accordance with which Armenian-EU relations are to develop
in the next few years. The plan envisages reform in politics, economy,
justice, promotion of market relations, development of production,
power engineering, and transport. In case the talks are a success,
the action plan will be presented to the EU Council for ratification.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANOTHER BATCH OF RF MIL HARDWARE REACHES GEORGIA-ARMENIA BORDER
Author: À.Mammadov
TREND, Azerbaijan
June 8 2006
(Itar-Tass) – A convoy of 15 wheeled military vehicles and six guns
withdrawn from the Russian military base in Georgia’ s Akhalkalaki
reached the Georgian-Armenian border on Thursday. The convoy will
keep on its way to the Russian military base in Gyumri after passing
the corresponding border and customs procedures, a source in the
headquarters of the Akhalkalaki base told Itar-Tass.
A train that is carrying 40 vehicles and some property from the Russian
military base in Batumi, western Georgia, left the city, a source in
the headquarters of the Russian Troops in the Transcaucasia said. The
train will pass 470 kilometers in Georgia and is expected to cross
the Georgian-Armenian border on Thursday afternoon, reports Trend.
Under the Georgian-Russian agreements the withdrawal of the Russian
military base from Batumi should be completed by the end of 2008. The
Russian base in Akhalkalaki should be closed by the end of 2007. Most
military hardware and weapons will be supplied to Russia; the remaining
part will be transferred to the Russian base in Armenia.
–Boundary_(ID_EWhou/LwlbRIH9D35Nc3Sw)–

AYNUR SOFIYEVA: “FIDE RECOGNIZES TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY OF AZERBAIJAN”
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 8 2006
In the next congress of FIDE held in Turin city of Italy, there was
a dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia Chess Federation leadership.
In the meeting, Armenians proposed accepting of tournament by FIDE,
which was held in occupied Nagorno Garabagh. Instead they confronted
the severe reply of Aynur Sofiyeva: “Making a speech I asked to
put an end to this talk. I stated that Armenian have nothing to do
with Nagorno Garabagh as well as with Khankendi. How can they hold
tournament in the occupied territory of Azerbaijan?” According to
Aynur Soviyeva after that speech, FIDE president Kirsan Ilumjinov
supported Azerbaijan Chess Federation: “He said in his speech
that holding of tournament of Armenia in the occupied territory is
illegal. FIDE leader said that Azerbaijan Chess Federation should give
permission for holding tournament in Azerbaijani territories occupied
by Armenia.” According to Aynur Sofiyeva, three sided meeting – FIDE,
Azerbaijan and Armenia delegation participation, was to be held with
regard to this matter.

AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS TO MEET SOON
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 8 2006
“The Armenian party is not going to make assessment of the past talks
in Bucharest,” Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan told a news
conference in Yerevan.
In his words, he may soon meet with his Azerbaijani counterpart Elmar
Mammadyarov. As of the outcomes of the two Presidents meeting in
Bucharest, Oskanian reminded Kocharian”s words before that meeting
that he has “modest expectations from the talks.”
“This was the case. As of further talks, Armenian and Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministers will meet soon. I should note that it seems after
any talks that dialogue opportunities are exhausted. This is not so.
I should again underscore there is no military solution to the Nagorno
Garabagh conflict,” the Armenian FM said.
At that he said that the talks have their own logic, “It lies in
every party thinking each time that it is worth meeting and some
agreement can be reached in a way. It does not turn out each time as
the parties want. However, this does not mean talks should be stopped,”
Oskanyan underscored.

RA AND NKR CONTROL CHAMBERS SIGNED COOPERATION AGREEMENT
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 8 2006
June 7 Nagorno Karabakh Republic /NKR/ National Assembly Chair Ashot
Gulyan received RA Control Chamber delegation headed by the Chair Gagik
Voskanyan that had arrived in Stepanakert on a two-day working visit.
According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR NA Press
Service, in the course of the meeting the parties had discussed the
issues referring to further development and raising efficiency of
cooperation between the two Republics’ Parliaments.
Welcoming development of cooperation between both Parliaments’ Control
Chambers, Ashot Gulyan underscored the importance of intention to lay
legal groundwork for the partnership. In his words, the cooperation
agreement will enable to raise the process to a higher level and
consecutively develop the document’s principles.
According to the NKR Parliament Speaker, conclusion of the agreement
actually marks a qualitatively new phase in the sphere of cooperation.
In his turn, RA NA Control Chamber Chair Gagik Voskanyan noted
although great work had been implemented, there was still a lot to be
done. In his opinion, both Chambers’ cooperation needs expansion and
intensification, as well as raising efficiency. He stressed unlike past
years there was a task to cooperate on the legal basis, so the parties
had reached accommodation to sign an interstate document between both
Parliaments’ Control Chambers. Gagik Voskanyan said the juridical
document provided a number of provisions, according to which the
sides pledge some engagements aimed at mutual visits’ organization,
exchange of experience, training and further training of staff,
conduct of researches and resolution of a number of other issues.
In conclusion of the meeting chairs of RA and NKR Parliaments’ Control
Chambers Gagik Voskanyan and Eduard Barseghyan signed an agreement
on cooperation between the Chambers.

FIDE COMMITTED TO ITS STANCE: NO TOURNAMENT IS LEGAL IN NK
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 8 2006
FIDE (World Chess Federation) remains committed to its stance that any
international chess tournaments in Nagorno-Karabakh are illegal, Kirsan
Ilumjinov, FIDE president said in Turin at the 77th FIDE congress.
This statement came as President of Azerbaijan Chess Federation
Aynur Sofiyeva appealed to the World Chess Federation for clarifying
Armenians’ allegations that FIDE has officially recognized so-called
tournament in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The congress also considered some organizational matters. President
of the Federation Aynur Sofiyeva was elected as FIDE zonal president
while vice-president Mahir Mammadov became the treasurer of the
European Chess Federation. FIDE awarded grandmaster title to Nijat
Mamamdov, Rashad Babayev while Ibrahim Mammadov and Ilgar Bajarani
became FIDE referees.

ZORY BALAYAN: “SUCH BOOK DOES NOT EXIST”
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 8 2006
During two last years the Azeri sites have been often quoting passages
from a book titled “Our Soul Revival” written by an Armenian writer
Zory Balayan, as Azeris allege. The book, allegedly, “refers to
the Hojalu events”. We publish a letter by Zory Balayan, who is in
“Kilikia” sailboat at the moment, addressed to “all mass media,
including the Azeri ones”.
“My acquaintances and unfamiliar people are repeatedly calling
“Kilikia” sailboat asking me if I have written the book titled “Our
Soul Revival” published by Vanadzor publishing house. The point
is that one and the same dirty information has been appearing in
Internet more than two years quoting, to put it mildly, nonsense
allegedly taken from my book. I do not want to lower to the level of
those who even do not realize that they first of all discredit their
own nation by insinuations of the kind.
I request that all those who ought to investigate such statements,
violations of writer’s copyrights should show the above-mentioned book
to the readers just once. If there is such a book, it is another thing.
I am quite convinced and sure that a person’s rights are not a
hollow sound, but the reality necessary in our life, so they should
be protected”.

OUR REPLY TO THE AMERICANS
Hakob Badalyan
Lragir.am
08 June 06
We have not given it but we will do soon, stated Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan June 8. It will be a response to the U.S. State
Department Trafficking in Persons Report 2005, where Armenia was given
a rather harsh and critical evaluation. Our country was referred to
as a source, and officials are accused of insufficient efforts to
combat trafficking and even assistance in trafficking.
“There will be a top-level consultation. We will be trying to give
an evaluation. I can state the fact, mentioned in this report, that
the government of Armenia is making significant efforts against this
problem,” says Vardan Oskanyan. According to him, significant efforts
are made for prevention, protection of victims and prosecution.
Perhaps the problem is so serious that Vardan Oskanyan does not refer
the harsh wording of the report to translation mistakes like with
the trafficking in drugs report. This time Oskanyan did not blame the
translation, but this he, in fact, assumes guilt and states things,
which are not found in the report, moreover, the report states the
contrary. The U.S. Department of State, particularly John Miller,
the head of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking accuse the
Armenian government of failure to comply with the minimum standards
for the elimination of trafficking, to show evidence of increasing
efforts to combat trafficking, insufficient protection of victims,
and investigation or prosecution, including government officials.
Hence, Americans said one thing, Oskanyan said another thing.
“In fact, the government is making significant efforts to tackle
this problem,” says Vardan Oskanyan. In fact, Vardan Oskanyan and
the Americans have different ideas of both English and significant
efforts to eliminate trafficking. However, there is a difference in
notions within our country too. For instance, Vardan Oskanyan says the
problem of trafficking exists in Armenia, and it is not a secret to
anybody. In the meantime, it is not a secret that Davit Harutiunyan,
the minister of justice, has a different notion of this issue. The
minister of justice announced that there are cases of trafficking
in Armenia but as a phenomenon trafficking is exaggerated. At the
same time, the government of Armenia, which points to the absence of
significant efforts and even such a phenomenon, takes the American
money with great pleasure to combat trafficking. For instance,
the Procuracy signed an agreement with the United States several
months ago, and received the recurrent amount of dollars to prevent
trafficking in persons. Evidently, however, the Americans do not
know everything or the whole truth. Before giving the money they
should have found out that the Procuracy might be more interested
in trade in seedling rather than persons for clear reasons. In that
case, the U.S. State Department would not complain that the money for
combating corruption is not spent efficiently. On the other hand, it is
interesting to know how Armenia is going to respond to the U.S. State
Department report. A harsh reaction means that we will not be getting
money in the future. A mild reaction means admitting the guilt. There
cannot be anything in between. The Armenian government has to solve
this complicated problem. However, our officials are experienced in
solving complicated problems, and this time too, they are sure to find
a way out. Although it is possible that the way out will find them.

UNPRECEDENTED GOAL FOR THIRD ARMENIA-DIASPORA FORUM
Lragir.am
08 June 06
On September 18-20 the Third Armenia-Diaspora Forum will take place
in Armenia. Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan was the first to inform
the public about the details of organization of the forum. On June
8 he met with news reporters for this purpose. The foreign minister
of Armenia thinks that the third forum is an excellent opportunity to
sum up the benefits of the previous two forums. Adding that the third
forum overlaps with the 15th anniversary of independence of Armenia,
Vardan Oskanyan emphasizes that unlike the previous two the third
forum will be held in a quite new reality. According to the minister,
the new reality is the new quality and institutional level of the
Armenia-Diaspora relations. According to the minister, this suggests
that the Armenia -Diaspora potential has become more powerful and is
able to solve new problems. And the third forum will attend to this
new problem, which is economic. Vardan Oskanyan says our Diasporan
compatriots will be invited to initiate investment programs in rural
communities in Armenia.
“Presently, the economic growth is gathering momentum in Armenia.
In fact, the growth of our economy is rather high. At the same time,
all of us can see and realize that this growth does not cover rural
communities, which is visible to anyone who visits Armenia. This is
a major obstacle for an even development of the country. Therefore
we think that this worries our Diasporan compatriots,” says Vardan
Oskanyan.
The Third Armenia-Diaspora Forum will open on September 18 with
a plenary meeting and marked by the speeches of the presidents of
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the Catholicos of All Armenians
and the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. The September
19 meeting will be devoted to rural problems. The final meeting on
September 20 will be devoted to general issues. A forum will be held,
entitled New Answer to Old Questions for the Nation State of the 21st
Century. Vardan Oskanyan says the forum will discuss dual nationality,
language, national identity, and other problems.
The Third Armenia-Diaspora Forum will be open to everyone who would
like to take part in it. Applications can be submitted to the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, the Secretariat on Diaspora, or via the official
website of the ministry.