UKRAINE SELLS MILITARY EQUIPMENT TO AZERBAIJAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.06.2006 16:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ukraine sold twenty-five T-72 tanks, two BMP-1
(armored carriers), eleven 9A52 and twenty-three PM-38 artillery
mounts to Azerbaijan in 2005, says Ukraine’s report on selling of
weapons and military equipment to world countries submitted to the
UN. On the whole Ukraine gained $680 million from selling arms and
military equipment. Aviation, armored equipment, anti-aircraft systems
occupied the main place in the export, reports APA.
May 24, 2006 Chief of the Ukraine’s General Staff, colonel general
Sergey Kirichenko stated at a news conference in Yerevan that reports
on arms supplies to Azerbaijan are false. “Ukraine does not interfere
with conflicts between states and does not supply arms to any of the
parties. This refers to light armament, as well as tanks, planes,”
the Chief of the Ukraine’s General Staff underscored.

MAMMADYAROV: REPLACEMENT OF MANN NOT TO HAVE NEGATIVE IMPACT ON KARABAKH PROCESS
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.06.2006 16:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov is sure that replacement
of US co-chair of the OSCE MG Steven Mann will not have a negative
impact on the process of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. In his words,
this is owing to professionalism of US diplomats. “The important
thing is that Americans remain in the settlement process and want
to continue it,” the Azeri FM said. One to two months are enough for
bringing the new co-chair up to date, Mammadyarov said.
We remind that the previous OSCE MG co-chair Steven Mann is appointed
Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSKANIAN TO PAY OFFICIAL VISIT TO UKRAINE JUNE 19
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.06.2006 17:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ June 19 Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian will pay
official visit to Ukraine, Ukrainian MFA Spokesperson Vasily Filipchuk
reported. In his words, talks and meeting with Ukrainian top leadership
are planned during the visit. Besides, a number of urgent matters
of bilateral cooperation are to be discussed, specifically ways to
expand trade and economic cooperation, interaction within international
organizations, as well as European integration. In Filipchuk’s words,
special attention during talks with Ukrainian authorities will be
paid to settlement of “frozen conflicts in the South Caucasus,”
reports Novosti-Ukraina.

KARABAKH SETTLEMENT MEDIATORS TO WORK WITHOUT CHANGES
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.06.2006 17:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ No changes in the OSCE MG mission for settlement of
the Karabakh conflict are foreseen due to replacement of Steven Mann,
acting Spokesperson of the Armenian MFA Vladimir Karapetyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, the mediators will continue
their work, as before. We remind that the US has replaced Ambassador
Steven Mann, appointing him Deputy Assistant State Secretary for
Central and South Asia.

ENCOURAGING DOCUMENT ON KARABAKH BARGAINING TABLE, SAID BRYZA
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.06.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An encouraging document lies on the bargaining
table on settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the US
calls Armenian and Azeri leaders to make additional efforts to solve
Karabakh issue this year, stated Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
for European and Eurasian Affairs Matthew J. Bryza. In his words,
“attaining a peace accord this year is possible.” “We believe in the
possibility to solve the conflict this year as domestic situation
in Armenia will be more complicated next year. Thus, this year is
crucial for settlement,” Bryza underscored, reports Day.az.

OSCE MG: KARABAKH PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT TOPICAL AND ATTAINABLE
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.06.2006 17:50 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
is topical and attainable, says a joint statement by co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group adopted in Bucharest on June 6. “The co-chairs
believe that Karabakh peaceful settlement is topical and attainable and
the year 2006 is a favorable “window” for progress. The co-chairs of
the OSCE MG are sure that basic principles suggested to the parties
provide for adoption of mutually acceptable decisions. They regret
the parties have not reached an agreement over these principles yet,”
says the OSCE MG statement, reports Mediamax.

JEWISH STUDENTS CONDEMN FRENCH PARLIAMENTARIANS
AZG Armenian Daily
07/06/2006
According to “Paris Updated” website, the Union of Jewish Students of
France strongly condemned the French parliamentarians for their May
18 decision to postpone the discussion of the draft law that punishes
the genocide denials by criminal prosecution. “The excuse for the
probable consequences of Turkey’s political and economic sanctions
hurts the memory of the 1,5 million of Armenians massacred in the
Armenian Genocide in 1915,” stated the representatives of the union
at the press conference. They added that “registering the truth and
moral duty are no primary issues for the country’s political leaders.”
The French branches of other Jewish organizations, particularly,
“Crifi” and “Bney Briti” demanded that the Armenian Genocide and the
genocide in Rwanda should be acknowledged as crimes equal to Holocaust.
“Certainly, this is a very complicated issue, as it concerns the
relations of Turkey with France and Israel. But we will remain by
the side of the Armenian people until the full recognition of the
Armenian Genocide,” the “Bney Briti” representatives stated.

WORKSHOP ON ARMENIAN ECONOMY AT UCLA
By Hakob Tsulikian
AZG Armenian Daily
07/06/2006
A press release from the University of California, Los Angels,
informs that on May 14 the chair of Armenian Studies organized
workshop “Armenia: Challenges of Permanent Development” during which
economists, financial policy specialists and sociologists tried to
discuss achievements and shortcomings in issues of Armenian economy
development and poverty reduction.
In his opening speech Prof. Richard Hovhannisian noted that after 19
conferences on cities and provinces of historic Armenia its now the
time to tackle challenges facing the present-day Republic of Armenia.
Famous economist Prof. Armen Alchian was the honored guest of the
workshop. Born in Fresno in 1914, he majored in economy at the Stanford
University. From 1946 for 50 years he was a member of UCLA staff.
Alchian’s father emigrated to the USA from Erzrum and his mother was
one of the first Armenians born in California.
In his childhood memories Alchian told about Zoravar Andranik who
lived in their house for several months in 1920.
Professors Harold Demsetz, Michael Intriligator, Dr. Enrique Gelbard
and others held speeches at the workshop.

RAMBOUILLET REPLACED BY BUCHAREST WITH SAME UNSETTLED ISSUE, SAME EXPECTATIONS AND NO CHANGES
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
07/06/2006
RA president Robert Kocharian met with Ilham Aliyev, president
of Azerbaijan on June 4- 5 within the framework of Dialogue and
Cooperation Black Sea Summit. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,
Karel de Gucht, OSCE chairman in office, Andrzej Kasprzyk, personal
representative of the OSCE chairman in office, as well as the foreign
ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan were preset at the June 5 meeting.
Steven Mann, US co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, stated that the June
4 Kocharian-Aliyev meeting was held “in friendly atmosphere.” Yuri
Merzliakov, Russian co-chair, said that as compared with the
negotiations in Rambouillet, the meeting in Romania was quite a
different one, “and the atmosphere was always good.” After the meeting,
Mr. Kocharian refused to make any comments on the negotiations,
as there had been no agreement on talking to the journalists.
Aliyev didn’t say anything at all. While Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign
minister, said that the sides failed to agree only about the issue that
remained unsettled at the Rambouillet meeting, though new approaches
were suggested for the settlement of that issue. According to unchecked
data, the issue concerns Kelbajar region.
Meanwhile, according to “Novosti Armenii,” Mr. Kocharian stated
in Bucharest that the militant statements of Azerbaijan that almost
aren’t connected with the discussed theme make the impression that the
other side isn’t that interested in taking serious decisions for the
settlement of Nagorno Karabakh issue. “We discuss a variant that will
help achieve long-lasting and peaceful settlement. But I don’t have
big expectations from the meeting with the president of Azerbaijan,”
Kocharian said. He also expressed surprise concerning the Azeris’
statements, according to which the issue should be settled within
the framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and giving some
autonomy to Nagorno Karabakh.
Mr. Kocharian said that from the very first day of the establishment of
UN there has not been any nation that de facto achieved independence
due to its right for self-determination would change its mind and
return to the state they separated from. He added that the Armenian
people gave no grounds to think that they can act so.
The sides met at the Polish embassy in Bucharest. None makes any
comments on the place or the details of the negotiations. Daniel
Fried, US deputy State Secretary for European and Eurasian affairs,
said that the Nagorno Karabakh issue can and may have solely peaceful
settlement. Besides, Fried stated that the settlement depends on the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
At the same time, Peter Samneby, EU Special Representative to the
South Caucasus, refused to make comments on the current negotiations,
adding that at present, the sides have unique opportunity to settle
the conflict.

DISCORDS OVER BAKU-TBILISI-AKHALKALAK-KARS PROJECT
AZG Armenian Daily
07/06/2006
Georgian side participating in the project of
Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalak-Kars railway construction says there are
misunderstandings concerning the project.
According to Irakli Uzugbaya, head of Georgian Railway Company,
dissatisfaction is connected with how Turkey addresses
technical-economic tasks in the project.
It is the future goods transportation handling that concerns Tbilisi.