N. MAMMADOV: AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO MEET AGAIN THIS YEAR
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 6 2006
“Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian
are expected to meet again this year,” said Novruz Mammadov head of
President’s Executive Office international relations department.
Commenting on the lack of detailed information about the recent meeting
of the Presidents in Bucharest, Mr.Mammadov said the talks are on
such a stage that it is unadvisable to give detailed information on it.
“After the first day of meeting, it was decided to continue the
negotiations next day. It means certain issues are being considered.
On the other hand, it is difficult to reach an agreement. Thus,
Armenia’s position is unacceptable. They want Nagorno Garabagh to be
given independence. President Ilham Aliyev making Robert Kocharian’s
position go to fall, stressed that the conflict should be solved only
in the frames of territorial integrity. There can be ten or fifteen
Armenian states if Armenians living in different parts of the world
establish a state,” Mammadov underlined.
The state official refused to say concretely what issue was agreed
upon in Bucharest meeting.
“The agreements on small details are consolidated, and a final
principle is determined. There is nothing new in the latest statement
by Kocharian. As a president, he needs to be careful while making
statements. His saying “Armenians should be given independence wherever
they are” sounds ridiculous,” he underlined.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

LITTLE PROGRESS MADE AT KARABAKH TALKS – AZERBAIJAN FM
RIA Novosti, Russia
June 6 2006
BAKU, June 6 (RIA Novosti) – The latest round of Azerbaijani-Armenian
presidential talks over Nagorny Karabakh has failed to bring the sides
any closer to a resolution of the long-standing dispute, Azerbaijan’s
foreign minister said Tuesday.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and his Armenian counterpart,
Robert Kocharyan, discussed the conflict on the sidelines of a Black
Sea summit in the Romanian capital, Bucharest, June 4 and 5. Their
previous round of talks in France in February also ended in failure,
despite the involvement of international mediators.
“I cannot say that much progress was made at the [Bucharest] talks,”
Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told reporters following the
meeting. He said it was important, however, that the sides continued
working toward a negotiated solution.
Another senior Azerbaijani official, in charge of international
relations in the Aliyev administration, told a news conference that
the Aliyev-Kocharyan talks had been taking place “in a very tense
atmosphere.”
Novruz Mamedov said the two leaders may meet up for further talks
before the end of this year.
The talks in Bucharest came just a week after Armenia and Azerbaijan
both claimed fatalities in border clashes near Nagorny Karabakh
and accused each other of breaching a 1994 ceasefire agreement. The
ceasefire ended six years of hostilities that broke out after the
Azerbaijani region with a largely Armenian population proclaimed
independence from Azerbaijan in a bid to join Armenia.
The conflict claimed 30,000 lives on both sides between 1988 and 1994,
and another hundred since the ceasefire was brokered.

US AGREE TO SUPPORT DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONS DEVELOPMENT IN AZERBAIJAN – ASSISTANT TO US SECRETARY OF STATE
Author: R. Abdullayev, À. Mamedova
TREND Info, Azerbaijan
June 6 2006
In the course of recent talks held by Azeri president Ilham Aliyev
in Washington, Us Government agreed to development of democratic
institutions in Azerbaijan, reportedly said Matthew Bryza, Assistant
to US secretary of State for European and Eurasian affairs.
“Democracy is each country specific and Washington just supports each
country’s efforts in this sphere”, – Bryza said.
As to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, US official said the year
2006 is very important for the conversation process. “The agreement
is possible but big courage is needed both from Azerbaijan and
Armenia. This will be a very decisive step for conversation process”,
– Bryza concluded.
–Boundary_(ID_XU0DSOCz8f9Rpz9TUV+Rqg) —

IRAN TV1: AZERBAIJAN RAISES TERRITORIAL CLAIM AGAINST INDEPENDENT NKR
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 6 2006
Iran’s state-owned television Iran TV1 introduced Nagorno Garabagh
as an independent republic in its news programme.
The World Azerbaijanis Congress (WAC) press secretary Ali Nijat told
APA. He said the television in the news programme, reported about
the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents, Ilham Aliyev and
Robert Kocharian in Bucharest at 2.00p.m on June 5.
“While reporting the announcer said, “The Independent Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh declared its independence 15 years ago. The Republic
of Azerbaijan raises a territorial claim against this independent
republic at present”. We accept this as Iran’s threat against
Azerbaijan. Thus, South Azerbaijan’s has information access to the
world through the Azerbaijan Republic only. Iran aims at closing this
access by making such threats,” the press secretary said.
Spokesman of the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan Majid Feizollahi told
APA that he was not informed about such report of the television. He
said Iran’s position regarding Garabagh is clear.
“This position remains unchanged. We do not care what says the
organizations like the WAC,” Feyzollahi said.

BLACK SEA COUNTRIES DISCUSS REGIONAL THREATS
The New Anatolian, Turkey
June 6 2006
Turkish State Minister Besir Atalay joined the leaders of Black Sea
countries on Monday for a summit at which they discussed ways to
combat the region’s drug- and people-smuggling networks, find ways
to tackle pollution and discuss alternative energy routes.
Delivering a speech at the Black Sea Dialogue and Partnership Forum
(BSFPD), Atalay expressed the hope that the forum would contribute
to efforts to make Black Sea a region of peace and stability.
“Turkey is for the improvement of stability, friendship and welfare
in the Black Sea,” said Atalay, noting the region’s strategic role,
particularly over the past 20 years.
Underlining the importance of regional cooperation for the development
of understanding among the area’s countries, Atalay said, “Turkish
policy is aimed at settling all disputes with its neighbors.
Turkey has settled most of its disputes with Greece and Syria and
hopes to normalize relations with Armenia.”
Atalay also stated that preparations are underway for the fourth round
of talks between Turkey and Armenia at the deputy undersecretary
level after the two sides failed to come to an agreement in their
latest round of secret talks, adding that he’s unable to give a date
for the next round.
Romanian President Traian Basescu, whose country is hosting the forum,
said that the region is facing new criminal and terrorist threats along
with uncertainty caused by insecure energy supplies. He added that the
region’s leaders have been called to manage and improve this situation.
“We know our problems … they’re problems inherited from a difficult
past, but there’s real potential for development,” Basescu said during
his opening speech.
“Putting the Black Sea on the map is a challenge in itself,” Romanian
Foreign Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu said in his opening speech
at the summit.
Among those present were President Viktor Yushchenko of Ukraine,
President Mikhail Saakashvili of Georgia, President Robert Kocharian of
Armenia, President Vladimir Voronin of Moldova and President Ilham
Aliyev of Azerbaijan as well as officials from Bulgaria, Greece
and Lithuania.
Other participants in the summit include top officials from NATO,
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE),
the United Nations and the Council of Europe (CoE).
Russia declined to send any high-level officials to the summit but
requested observer status. In his speech, Basescu called for Russia
to take part in the future development of the region.
“Romania considers there can be no regional cooperation process without
Moscow,” he said, highlighting Russia’s rich social, political and
economic resources. Russia was represented at the summit by its
ambassador to Romania, said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Corina Vintan.
Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Ukraine, Russia and Georgia directly border
the Black Sea, which is one of the world’s most polluted seas.
Its only outlet is via Turkey’s Bosphorus Straits.

AZERI PARTY FAILED TO ADMIT OSCE OBSERVERS TO ITS FRONTLINE
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 6 2006
June 6, pursuant to an earlier agreement with the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic leadership, an OSCE mission conducted a planned monitoring
of the Nagorno Karabakh and Azeri Armed Forces’ contact line to the
east of the settlement of Seysulan, NKR Martakert region.
The OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Field Assistants Peter Key (the UK) and
Irzhi Aberle (the Czech Republic) conducted the monitoring from the
NKR Defense Army’s positions, NKR MFA reports.
The monitoring passed according to the schedule, no cease-fire
violation was fixed. However, the Azeri party again did not admit
the OSCE observers to its frontline.
>From the Karabakh party the mission was accompanied by the
representatives of the NKR MOD and MFA.
From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT’S VISIT ENDS
AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 6 2006
Press secretary of the Milli Majlis (parliament of Azerbaijan) Akif
Nasirov told AzerTAg correspondent that meeting with members of the
parliamentary friendship group in the Seym of Latvia was one of the
important events during the visit of the parliamentary delegation
of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Latvia. Chairman of the Friendship
Group from the Latvian side Oleg Denisov said that his country shows a
great interest in Azerbaijan. Reminding of Latvian President’s visit
to Azerbaijan Oleg Denisov noted that his visit opened new stage for
further development of bilateral ties.
During the meeting, Latvian deputies spoke of the need for further
development of bilateral relations. They expressed their attitude
towards Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Deputy Arvinds
Ulme described barbarism committed by Armenians in Azerbaijani
lands as aggression against the humanity and expressed regret that
international structures have not taken the right and fair position
on this matter yet.
Chairman of the Milli Majlis Ogtay Asadov thanked the Latvian
state and its parliament for supporting of Azerbaijan’s just cause
towards Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Ogtay opined
on the need for more expansion of the Azerbaijan-Latvia ties and
interparliamentary relations both within groups of friendship as well
as relations between legislative bodies of both countries.
Head of the Milli Majlis Apparat Safa Mirzoyev highlighted the need to
establish cooperation between the administrations of both countries’
parliaments.
Milli Majlis deputy Gultekin Hajiyeva noted that the fact that
Azerbaijan first opened its embassy in Riga among Baltic States is the
testimony of the special interest both countries show to each other.
The meeting participants noted that there are potential possibilities
for developing economic, political, cultural, agrarian and tourism
ties and this visit will serve as impetus for bilateral relations.
Upon completion of the meetings, speaker of Azerbaijani parliament
Ogtay Asadov gave interview to the Central television of Latvia
LTV-1. He responded the journalists’ questions concerning
Latvia-Azerbaijan ties, Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, bilateral
economic relations and others.
The parliamentary delegation headed by chairman of the Milli Majlis
Ogtay Asadov also participated in some events. Charity concert
co-organized by the Embassy of Azerbaijan to Latvia and Latvian
Ministry of Culture was held for disabled children in Yurmala. The
joint concert program of the State Children’s Philarmonia of Azerbaijan
Republic and children’s musical schools of Latvia contribute to
development of cultural ties.
MM speaker Ogtay Asadov and members of the delegation visited
Azerbaijani embassy in Latvia and familiarized themselves with the
embassy staff’s work conditions.
Thus, the delegation wrapped up its working visits to Estonia
to participate in the Tallinn summit of chairpersons of European
parliaments, to Helsinki to participate in the event devoted to the
100th anniversary of the Finnish parliament and Latvia.
The delegation left Riga for Baku the same day in the evening.

MELKONIAN TO DISPLAY LATEST WORKS IN TEHRAN
Mehr News Agency, Tehran
June 6 2006
TEHRAN, June 6 (MNA) – An exhibition of paintings by Sirak Melkonian
is to open at the Mah Gallery in Tehran on June 9, the student news
agency ISNA reported here on Tuesday.
Melkonian is to display several paintings and drawings printed
on canvas.
His works reveal the painter’s perception of art over the past
30 years.
Melkonian is one of the main members of the group of painters and
sculptors, which was founded in the 1960s by Marco Grigorian and
Masud Arabshahi and came to life with Melkonian, Abdorreza Daryabeigi,
Morteza Momayyez, Faramarz Pilaram, and Gholamhossein Nami.
The group, the first center that introduced the conceptual art in Iran,
was dissolved in 1977, prompting Melkonian to leave the country and
live in Toronto, Canada.
Melkonian has participated in the biennials of Venice and Paris,
and other exhibitions in France, Armenia, Europe, the United States,
and Iran.
He is also scheduled to review the 1960s painters’ works at the
Iranian Artists Forum on June 12.

BLACK SEA STORIES – BUCHAREST STARTS THE DIALOGUE IN THE BLACK SEA REGION
de Ana Ilie
Translated by Sorin Balan
Jurnalul National, Romania
June 6 2006
The Black Sea Forum, initiated yesterday in Bucharest, which unites
representatives of all the riparian countries and of the international
organizations, was supposed to be the “beginning of a dialogue between
civilizations”, according to Traian Basescu.
Yesterday, Bucharest hosted the Summit for the initiation Black
Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership, an event that brought
together Presidents, External affairs Ministers, representatives of
international organizations and many journalists. Like everything that
is new, the Forum came with many hopes, but they can only become true
if the summit in Bucharest manages to start a real interest in it.
Despite a controversial beginning, mainly because of Russia (which
was quite skeptical about the summit and chose to be represented
only by its Ambassador in Bucharest), the summit should have produced
effervescent ideas and dialogues regarding certain issues that were
supposed to result in a better collaboration between the riparian
countries and in a long term security, stability and prosperity of
the region.
BIG WORDS
Actually, all the participants aware of the opportunities the Black
Sea is offering and of the Romanian initiative of building this Forum
have said big words like “prosperity”, “benefits”, “common history”.
“Today’s event is a step forward in the process of consolidation
of a prosper and developed Black Sea region”, the Romanian External
Affairs Minister, Razvan Ungureanu said. “The United States support the
efforts for the creation of a more prosper, more free and a safer Black
Sea region”, Jack D. Crouch, America’s representative to the Forum,
the former USA Ambassador in Romania, the current deputy adviser of
President George W. Bush, added.
EXPECTATIONS
One of the hopes regarding this Forum targets the appearance of
certain environments to help solving regional issues. According to
Traian Basescu, the controversial Nagorno-Karabah enclave was the
cause of the negotiations between Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and Azerbaijan President Iilham Aliyev for two days. There is another
issue with many hopes. It regards the Tansnistrian area and it will be
taken into consideration after the forum when President Traian Basescu
intends to show a 100% Romanian solution to Moscow and Chisinau.
All the participants seemed to agree upon one subject, the economical
collaboration, especially the alternative transportation routes for
energy, routes that should stop the appearance of a second European
“war of gas”. One of the few certain issues regarding yesterday’s
meeting was the announcement made by the US Marshall Fund, which
created the Black Sea Fund that should help financing the projects
for the consolidation of democracy, good governing and the ones for
the development of the regional cooperation and of the civil society
in the Black Sea region.
20M USD FOR THE FUND
During the Summit of the Forum for the Black Sea Dialogue and
Partnership, the United States Marshal Fund announced the initiation
of the Black Sea Fund (BSF) that should help financing the projects
for the consolidation of democracy, good governing and the ones for
the development of the regional cooperation and of the civil society
in the Black Sea region. The Marshall Fund allowed 20 million USD for
the initiation and started up negotiations with the USAID, with the
Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, with the Romanian Government and with
other private and public donors in USA and Europe in order to support
this initiative. “The Black Sea region is vital in order to ensure long
term stability, security and peace in Europe, the United Stated and
in the Euro-Atlantic Alliance. The Black Sea Fund will help ensuring
progress in the region at local, national and international level”,
Craig Kennedy, the President of the Marshall Fund, stated according to
a public statement sent to Jurnalul National. A two million USD annual
fund will be available for grants between 1,000 and 75,000 USD. They
will be offered to NGOs, local and regional authorities, media and
education institutions in the countries that took part in the Summit
of the Forum for the Black Sea Dialogue and Partnership (Armenia,
Azerbaidjan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldavian Republic, Romania, Russia,
Turkey and Ukraine), according to the same public statement. The same
source says the BSF will become operational by the end of this year.

TO HELP THE PEOPLE FIND THEIR CLOSE RELATIVES
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
June 6 2006
On June 5, RA NA President Tigran Torosyan received Leo Platvoet,
Rapporteur of the PACE Committee for Migration, Refugees and Population
on the Missing Persons in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
During the meeting issues concerning the preparing report as a result
of Mr. Platvoet’s regional visit were discussed. Tigran Torosyan, RA NA
President highlighted the discussion of the issue on the humanitarian
plane and keeping free from political interests, having the task to
help the people as much as possible to find out the fate of the their
close relatives during the war and those missing later.
Expressing satisfaction that Mr. Platvoet have also met the
representatives of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Mr. Torosyan proposed
to visit Nagorno Karabakh and set up a working group with trilateral
format from the representatives of Armenia, Azaerbaijan and Karabakh,
who working closely together could help the searches of the missing.
Agreeing with this proposal Mr. Platvoet noted that he designs in his
report to propose the sides to begin cooperation at the level of the
organizations being involved with these problems.
During the meeting the sides also touched upon the inter-parliamentary
relations of Armenia and Azerbaijan: NA President Tigran Torosyan
noted that Armenia is ready for cooperation and with different
formats the meetings in the international structures, within the
framework of South Caucasus parliamentary initiative are already
being carried out, as the creation of the favourable atmosphere for
the solutions of big problems with little steps, little solutions
is highlighted. Mr. Torosyan drew the guest’s attention to the fact
that, unfortunately, in the Azeri press false information is often
disseminated about the severe treatment conducted by the Armenians
towards the missing persons, which deepens the hatred, whereas the
PACE 1416 resolution calls on being free of campaigning hatred.
During the meeting the sides discussed other issues of bilateral
interest.