TREND Information, Azerbaijan
March 11 2006
PACE Political Affairs Committee to discuss Nagorno-Karabakh issue on
14 Mar

Source: Trend
Author: R.Abdullayev

11.03.2006

The meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE)
Political Affairs Committee will discuss the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in Paris on 14 March.
The issue comes 10th in the preliminary agenda of the meeting, Trend
reports. Lord Russel-Johnson, the head of the PACE Subcommittee on
Nagorno-Karabakh, will deliver a statement at the meeting.
It should be mentioned that the meeting of the Political Affairs
Committee will be staged during the spring session of PACE, which
will be held in Strasburg from 10 to 13 April.
It should be mentioned that Samad Seyidov and MP Ali Husseynov are
the Azerbaijani delegates to PACE, while MP Gultakin Hajiyeva is the
alternative of Seyidov.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Georgian Orthodox Church Founded Diocese in Armenia,
Armenian Apostolic Church Puzzled

11.03.2006 20:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Supreme Council of the Armenian
Apostolic Church (AAC) has expressed its confusion
over a decision of the Synod of the Georgian Orthodox
Church (GOC) to establish a diocese in the territory
of Armenia without notifying the AAC. By its decision
of February 6 the Synod of the Georgian Orthodox
Church has established a new – Tashir-Agarak –
Diocese, subordinating it to religious authority of
Dmanisi Diocese bishop and without notifying the
Armenian Apostolic Church. A statement of the AAC says
that the new Georgian diocese `is established in the
northern region of Armenia,’ in localities `where the
GOC has no parish.’ Meanwhile, `the fair right of
hundreds of thousand of Armenians for return of
churches to the Armenian Diocese is ignored’ in
Georgia, the Council members noted. According to
Armenian bishops, no appeals to Georgian authorities
on providing public status to the Armenian Diocese and
on return of 6 historical Armenian temples are
satisfied yet. The Council urged `to continue efforts
to flourish the AAC Diocese in Georgia and strengthen
the centuries-old fraternal relations between the
Armenian and Georgian peoples and Churches,’ reports Itar-Tass.

PanARMENIAN.Net
US Officials Frequent Visits to Armenia Not Due to
Karabakh Issue

11.03.2006 21:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The US is not trying to intercept
the initiative in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated in an
interview with Shant TV Company. He remarked that he
does not consider the visits of US officials to
Armenia becoming more frequent as an attempt to take
the initiative or compete. The Armenian FM supposes
that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will adjust their
positions in the Karabakh issue. In his words, today
the US-Armenia cooperation agenda is rather rich and
the two countries have `enough tasks and common
interests’ besides the Karabakh issue. At that V.
Oskanian reminded that in the near future the Armenian
part of the Millenium Challenge Account will be
signed. Frequent visits of US officials are due
exactly to that question, though during these matters
referring to the NK issue are also discussed, he
added. The Armenian FM reminded that US Assistant
Secretary of State Daniel Fried will be the next to
visit Armenia. He will arrive in Yerevan accompanied
with OSCE MG American Co-Chair Steven Mann.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Baku Twice Tried to Solve Karabakh Issue by Force,
Third Attempt Will Be the Last
11.03.2006 21:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian ruled
out the military option of settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. The Minister stated it in an
interview with Shant TV Company. In his words,
proposals on compromise settlement of the issue are on
the bargaining table today. Baku should understand
that the issue does not have another option of
settlement, Oskanian said. The military option is
ruled out, he added: «the Azeri party cannot frighten
Armenia or change its position.» The Armenian FM
remarked that at the moment Azerbaijan is not ready to
war. «If the Azeri party does not risk attaining a
settlement of the Karabakh issue by compromise, it
will never assume the risk of solving the issue by
force,» Oskanian said. He reminded that Baku had tried
to solve the issue by force twice. «The third attempt
will be the last one,» Vartan Oskanian remarked. «In
case of resumption of hostilities and a negative
outcome for Azerbaijan, its losses will be
considerable,» he added. «Billions were invested in
that country and these will become victims,» Oskanian
remarked. Thus, today no one will let unleashing a war
today easily, the Armenian FM said.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Oskanian: Armenia Already Made Its Part of Compromises
in Karabakh Issue

11.03.2006 21:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nagorno Karabakh people’s right to
self-determination is the key issue in the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement and it is irreversible, Armenian
FM Vartan Oskanian stated in an interview with
Armenian Shant TV Company. In his words, Baku will
touch upon the issue willy-nilly, `as it is a matter
on the agenda and Azerbaijan is under much pressure
regarding that question.’ At that Vartan Oskanian
added that the link between the right to
self-determination and the moment of final solution of
all aspects of the conflict should be outlined today.
`If we formulate that link in a correct manner and
come to a compromise solution, the process can be
moved. Otherwise, it will mean, that Azerbaijan
remains on maximalist positions and no progress will
be made in the NK settlement,’ the Armenian FM said.
Armenia has made its part of concessions and it was
not easy, he emphasized. `I do not know how our people
will take it,’ Oskanian remarked.

PanARMENIAN.Net
Karabakh Conflict: Armenia Reached Limit and Cannot
Move Farther

11.03.2006 21:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Taking into account common
interests and prospects of development of Armenia,
peace in the region, it seems to me that what is on
the bargaining table at the Nagorno Karabakh talks and
what we agreed to is a limit, after which Armenia
cannot move farther,’ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian
stated in an interview with Armenian Shant TV Company.
In his words, Azerbaijan did not even approach that
limit, thus much indeed depends on Baku. `Today a
balanced settlement option is on the bargaining table,
which can be both painful and have large
opportunities. Azerbaijan should demonstrate the
degree of its readiness to compromise at the talks,’
Oskanian said. At heart Azeri leadership considers the
process should not be missed. However, on the other
hand the degree of Azeri maximalism is determined now,
the Armenian FM believes. `If Azerbaijan does not
concede in a specific issue, this means it remains on
maximalist positions,’ Oskanian added. Armenia has
made concessions on its part and this is recognized by
all parties, including the OSCE Minsk Group and
Azerbaijan’s concessions are necessary for advance in
the process, the FM added.

PanARMENIAN.Net
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
Kosovo Self-Determination Will Strengthen Armenia
Positions in Karabakh Issue

11.03.2006 21:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Armenia’s stand is that each
conflict has its peculiarities and these should be
considered in the common context taking into account
historical and legal factors, as well as political
conditions,’ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated in an
interview with Armenian Shant TV Company. At that he
remarked that possible self-determination of Kosovo
will form a new precedent in settlement of ethnic
conflicts. In his words, it will strengthen Armenia’s
positions in Nagorno Karabakh settlement and Karabakh
people exercising right to self-determination.

PanARMENIAN.Net
CD with Songs Having Lyrics in Hamshen Dialect of
Armenian Language Released in Krasnodar

11.03.2006 22:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ First Hamshenian CD, which was
released in the Krasnodar Territory, has collected
together most popular musical compositions, performed
in the Hamshen dialect of the Armenian language,
reported the Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of
Russia. Compositions are performed by Caravan band
with organizational support of Armenian Hamshen
Scientific, Information and Cultural Center and
material assistance of local philanthropists.
In 2006 Hamshen Scientific, Information and Cultural
Center plans urgent research of the regions, where
Hamshen Armenians live, working out the structure of
Hamshen Encyclopedia, publishing scientific bulletins
on issues of Hamshen Armenians, forming a web-site of
the organization, forming ideas and script for a
documentary, issuing Hamshen library book series,
creation of Hamshen folklore theater, organization of
all-Hamshen cultural festival, etc. According to
experts, up to 250 thousand Hamshen Armenians
compactly live in Kuban, Adygeya and Abkhazia. They
come from Hamshen region of Western Armenia (now
territory of Turkey). They moved to Kuban in the
middle of the XIX century and early XX century after
the Armenian Genocide in Turkey. They speak a special
– Hamshen -dialect of the Armenian language.

PanARMENIAN.Net
United Javakhk Censures New Tide of Violence against
Armenian Population in Georgia

12.03.2006 00:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ United Javakhk is outraged and
censures the new tide of violence on national ground
in Gugark region (Kvemo-Kartli) of Georgia, says a
statement of United Javakhk Alliance. The document
also notes, `March 9 evening 15 Georgian extremists
attacked residents of Ghushchii village, brutally
killing Gevorg Gevorgyan, 23, while two other
residents of the village were severely wounded and
thus hospitalized. Those attacking fled due to
idleness and permissiveness of law-enforcement bodies.
Instead of urgent measures to arrest those guilty
regional leadership ordered special destination forces
to block all roads, connecting the town with
neighboring Armenian villages. By force actions the
regional authorities tried to suppress the will of the
Armenian population.
United Javakhk Alliance condolences with the widow and
relatives of deceased G. Gevorgyan and draws the
attention of all political and public forces to the
circumstance that unceasing acts of violence and
murder on national ground are a direct consequence of
Georgian leaders’ course for artificial change of the
historically formed ethnic composition of the region.
Large-scale settlement of Georgians in territories
populated by Armenians upsets the ethnic balance in
the region and provokes artificial growth of ethnic
tension, thus forming a center for ethnopolitical
destabilization in the region.
United Javakhk Alliance urges Armenian population in
the region to reserve and composure, as well as
demands that law-enforcement and judicial bodies of
Georgia be guided by the law, irrespective of the
national identity of those, who attacked, and the
victims. It also calls to hold an impartial
investigation of all circumstances of the crime and
make a fair verdict.’

PanARMENIAN.Net
Hovhannes Igityan:
Karabakh Conflict: Not Making Jerks Very Important
Today
Legal basis for existence of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic (NKR) is becoming increasingly important for
further steps for peace settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh (NK) conflict. Azerbaijan makes more
persistent statements on UN resolutions, which in
Baku’s opinion fully meet Azerbaijan’s interests.
Besides, Baku flatly objects to a referendum in NK.
Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of
the National Assembly of Armenia in 1995-1999
Hovhannes Igityan presents his vision of the problem
to PanARMENIAN.Net.
08.03.2006 GMT+04:00

Which are the legal bases for recognizing the NKR a
party at the negotiation process?
The referendum in 1991 was fully in line with the
legal framework of the USSR. As you remember, there
was a Law on Withdrawal of a Union republic, which
also provided for secession of an autonomous republic
or district. That was exactly that referendum, which
made the NKR a legal party to the conflict. As you
remember, the UN has adopted several resolutions on
the Karabakh conflict. These maintain positive
nuances, as they not merely condemn the activities of
local forces and urge to abandon the seized regions.
As a matter of fact the resolutions legalize Nagorno
Karabakh as a party to negotiations from the legal
point of view.
In my opinion a new referendum on the status of
Nagorno Karabakh, proposed at the Rambouillet meeting
of the Armenian and Azeri Presidents, is a trap. The
returns of the referendum on NKR’s independence in
1991 are in fact canceled if it is the case. The move
can be considered as a concession by Azerbaijan,
however it is not so. The NKR should be the one to set
conditions of holding (or not holding) a referendum. A
legal formula should be «invented» for displaced
persons and refugees – only the NKR Ministry of
Internal Affairs can deal with that.
Which are the recent changes in the settlement
process?
The format of peace talks over the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict has changed during the 7-8 years. Both
subjective and objective factors were present in this
case. In 1998 new President Robert Kocharian came to
power and the foreign policy changed naturally. New
authorities pursued the policy of bilateral talks
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, which suited the
opposing party rather well. The methodology of the
conflict changed. Azerbaijan started calling Armenia
an aggressor country exclusively. Azeris said it so
many times, that they started believing it even
themselves.
Each new meeting of the two presidents and mediators
only legalized that new format. The OSCE MG accepted
those changes with pleasure – there was one problem
solved. However, it should not be forgotten that
signatures of Armenia, Azerbaijan and the NKR are
under the Bishkek agreement on cease-fire. As of the
participation of the so-called «Azeri community» of
NK, lead by Nizami Bakhmanov, in the talks, it is
absurd at all. Nizami Bakhmanov is not a juridical
person and is not entitled to represent anyone.
What can be expected if the conflict enters a phase of
hostilities?
Presently it’s very important not to make jerks and
harsh statements. Large-scale hostilities may change
the format of the talks. A totally different
atmosphere will be formed and countries wide of the
conflict will settle the Nagorno Karabakh problem. By
the way, this is the purpose of Azerbaijan, which says
that the OSCE MG is already exhausted and tries to
transfer the issue to the UN.
I also want to remind of the right to
self-determination of nations within the UN has been
transformed in the right of peoples. Any change in the
format demands new legal basis. In this case Armenia
and NKR can face the worst scenario – something like
the Moscow Treaty of 1921 between Soviet Russia and
Turkey or the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact.
«PanARMENIAN.Net», 08.03.2006