PABSEC 27TH PLENARY SESSION IN YEREVAN
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
June 1 2006
On June 6-8 the 27th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation will be held in Yerevan.
On June 6 at NA Gilded hall the 34th session of PABSEC Bureau, then
the 27th session of the Standing Committee, the special sitting of
the PABSEC Standing Committee on Economic, Commercial, Technological
and Environmental Affairs.
On June 7 the 27th plenary session of the PABSEC will begin its
activities at NA Chamber. After the solemn opening ceremony of the
Assembly when the welcoming speeches will sound, new procedural
will be debated at the first sitting, the agenda will be approved,
new mandates will be debated, the PA activity report and protocol of
the 26th plenary session the PABSEC’s General Assembly held in Tirana
on November 22-24, 2005 will also be approved. Then the problems of
the power security in the Black Sea region will also be debated. The
same day the organizational, economic, commercial, technological,
environmental, legal and political issues will be debated.
The cultural, educational, social and financial issues are on the
agenda of June 8 debates. At the end of the PABSEC 27th plenary
session the venue and the deadline of the autumn session of the General
Assembly of BSEC will be decided. Presidency rotation will take place,
and the presidency will be transferred to the President of the Milli
Mejlis of the Republic of Armenia.
The activities of the Assembly will be wrapped up with the press
conference for the journalists.

RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTER RULES OUT IMPOSED SOLUTION TO KARABAKH CONFLICT
MosNews, Russia
June 1 2006
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Wednesday that talks
between Azerbaijan and Armenia were the only way to resolve the
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, the Interfax news agency reported.
Speaking in Baku, where he met his counterparts from other post-Soviet
states – members of the CIS – he said a solution imposed from outside
could be counterproductive and dangerous.
Russia, the United States, and France co-chair the Minsk Group of
nations tasked with helping solve the 18-year-old conflict.
At the same time, the minister did not rule out that a peacekeeping
contingent could be deployed in the conflict zone in the
self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh “in the foreseeable
future”.
“As far as Nagorno-Karabakh is concerned, I do not rule out that
peacekeeping forces could be brought in in the foreseeable future.
Their mission will be to guarantee the implementation of all political
agreements that will be reached sooner or later,” he said.
This uncertainty cannot continue forever, he said.

TURKEY DISCUSSES RELATIONS NORMALIZATION WITH ARMENIA
Reporter, Greece
June 1 2006
11:46 – 01 June 2006 – Turkish and Armenian officials have been
discussing normalizing relations, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said
Wednesday, despite the fact that Armenians accuse Turks of genocide and
the two countries have no diplomatic ties. “A negotiation process has
started between the two countries to seek a common ground,” Foreign
Ministry Spokesman Namik Tan said. “Three rounds of talks were held
so far.”
The talks have apparently led to no breakthroughs, but that the two
countries are even talking might be considered one in itself.
Several informal earlier attempts at dialogue faltered amid disputes
between Turks and Armenians over the massacres of Armenians at the
time of World War I. Armenians say that Ottoman Turks slaughtered
1.5 million Armenians in a planned genocide and have demanded that
Turkey recognize the killings as such.
Turkey vehemently denies that the mass killings were genocide, saying
the death toll is inflated and Armenians were killed in civil unrest
as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.
The talks between Turkish and Armenian foreign ministry officials
started after Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a
letter to Armenian Prime Minister Robert Kocharian asking for the
two countries to open a joint historical investigation to research
the killings, Tan said.
Kocharian wrote back, leading to a series of talks, he said. Tan said
the talks would continue, but would provide no substantive details.
He requested that Armenia adopt a more flexible and constructive
approach to regional problems, saying, “Turkey is intending to pursue
efforts to normalize relations with Armenia.”

HRANT MARGARIAN: PROSECUTOR HAS NO RIGHT TO CREATE A PARTY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 31 20060
YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “A Prosecutor
has no right to create a political party either directly or
indirectly. The country should not permit him to do this,” Hrant
Margarian, representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutiun Bureau, declared
to radio Liberty commenting upon the rumors that the Union for the
Sake of Armenia party is created by Armenian Prosecutor General
Aghvan Hovsepian. In response to the question, whether these rumors
are true, Hrant Margarian said: “Yes, I am convinced of it.” He also
expressed an opinion that “there are people in Armenia who consider
themselves to be the feudal of this or that marz (region). I mean
the Aragatsotn marz.” Hrant Margarian did not clarify whom he meant
by saying “feudal.” Touching upon the forthcoming elections, Hrant
Margarian said that he is not going to nominate his candidature at the
presidential elections but did not exclude that at the parliamentary
elections his name will ne included in the Dashnaktsutiun’s list,
at that, according to ARFD Bureau representative, some businessmen
will be also included. He added that the Dashnaktsutiun does not
consider the Union for the Sake of Armenia or the Bargavach Hayastan
(Prosperous Armenia) parties to be its rivals. Speaking about the
current political situation in Armenia, Hrant Margarian stressed that
“no one has perceived the Orinats Yerkir’s leaving the coalition
with pleasure. “Now the coalition consists of the Dashnaktsutiun,
the Republican Party and the President,” he stated.

PARLIAMENT AGAIN RUINS ADOPTION OF DRAFT ON NATURAL PERSONS’ PROPERTY AND INCOMES DECLARATION
Noyan Tapan
May 31 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. The special sitting of the RA National
Assembly that was convened on the initiative of more than 5 dozens
of deputies, started on May 31. There are about 50 issues on the
agenda, including elections for vacant posts of the National Assembly
Speaker and Chairmen of two of the NA Standing Committees. According
to preliminary data, discussion of the issue on elections is scheduled
for June 1. 11 draft laws and legislative packages and 8 international
agreements discussed during the previous four-days sittings are on the
agenda. All those were adopted, except the legislative law “On Making
Amendments to the RA Laws “On Natural Persons’ Property and Incomes
Declaration” and “On Income Tax” discussed in the second reading and
the draft “On Making Amendments and Additions to the Criminal Code”
discussed in the first reading by which punishments are envisaged for
spitefully avoiding taxes, duties and other compulsory payments. The
discussion of the above-mentioned drafts failed as the necessary number
of deputies, at least 66 ones, did not participate in the votion. We
must mention that their adoption at the Parliament is correspondigly
failed for the third and second time. The first package this time got
at least 54 “for” and one “against” and one “abstaining” votes. The
“Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law), “Ardaroutiun” (Justice), “Azgayin
Miabanutiun” (National Unity) factions, “People’s Deputy” group as
well as some deputies from the “RPA” faction did not participate
in the votion. 46 deputies were for the second draft, without no
“against” and “abstaining” votes.
Besides the above-mentioned unions, 3 of the “ARF” 4 non-partizan
members did not participate in the votion of this draft.

ARMENIAN CHESS-PLAYERS AGAIN IN LEAD
Noyan Tapan
May 31 2006
TURIN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Both men’s and women’s Armenian national
teams gained victories in the 9th tour of 37th world chess olympiad
being held in Turin. The men competing with the strong Ukrainian team
gained advantage with a score of 2.5 to 1.5. Levon Aronian, Vladimir
Hakobian and Karen Asrian drew their games with Vasili Ivanchuk, Sergei
Karagev and Pavel Elyanov, respectively. And Gabriel Asatrian defeated
Alexander Moiseenko. After the 9th tour the Armenian national team
has gained 26.5 points and contiunes to be in the lead. The Chinese
national team is in the second place (25.5 points). It defeated the
Georgian chess-players with a score of 4 to 0. The next places were
taken by the teams of France (24), Russia, the U.S., the Ukraine
(23.5 points each). The Armenian women chess-players defeated the
Germans with a score of 2.5 to 0.5 in the 9th tour. Lilit Mkrtchian
drew the game and Elina Danielian and Siranoush Andreasian defeated
their rivals. After this success the Armenian women’s national team
takes the 6th place with 18 points. The women’s national teams of
the Ukraine (21 points), Russia (20.5) and Georgia (19) are among
the first three best teams. In the 10th tour to be held on May 31
both the Armenian men and women will compete with the chess-players
of China. Only 4 tours have remained until the end of the olympiad
and the winners and other prize-winners will become known on June 4.

ARMENIAN CHESS TEAM REINFORCES ITS LEADING POSITION
ArmRadio.am
01.06.2006 12:32
In the 10th round of the World Olympic Games held in Turin men’s chess
team of Armenia scored 2.5:0.5 against the Chinese team. Grand Master
Vladimir Hakobyan won Van Vonn. The three other gamed ended a draw.
Gaining 29 points the Armenian team reinforced its leading position
even more. The team of China is the second with 27 points. Teams of
Russia and Czech Republic share the 3rd-4th places with 26.5 points. In
the 11th round our team will meet the Czechs.
The 11th round will be held on June 2. The tournament will come to
an end on June 4.

ARMENIA MOVES BIG AMOUNT OF MILITARY TECHNIQUE AND VEHICLES TO NK – AZERI DM
Author: R.Abdullayev
TREND, Azerbaijan
June 1 2006
Armenia moves big amount of military technique and vehicles to
Azerbaijan’s occupied lands, Trend reports quoting Colonel-General
Safar Abiyev, Azeri Defense Minister, speaking June 1 on the totals
of Azeri-Tajik military talks in Baku.
Minister said he informed his Tajik colleague of Armenia’s having
invaded 20 percent of Azerbaijan.
Colonel-General Abiyev said Tajik Defense Minister Colonel-General
Sherali Heyrulayev supported Baku’s position in the conflict. “In
the course of the meeting, several ministers stated their support to
Azerbaijan’s position in claiming Armenia aggressor country. Among
them was the very Tajik Minister”, Abiyev said.

DEPUTY FM DISCUSSES NAGORNO-KARABAKH WITH OSCE AMBASSADORS
Author: E.Huseynov
TREND, Azerbaijan
June 1 2006
Araz Azimov, deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, received OSCE
mission in Baku. Trend reports with reference to press center of
Foreign Ministry, the mission consists of Spanish ambassador to OSCE
(future representative of organization), as well as ambassadors of
Liechtenstein, Germany and Norway.
At the meeting the parties exchanged opinions within the whole range
of relations between OSCE and Azerbaijan. They paid special attention
to the peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and OSCE’s
role in it.
Officials of press center said this is a traditional practice of
OSCE ambassadors visits to different regions, in particular South
Caucasus. The mission aims at discussing cooperation with the countries
of region, in particular Azerbaijan.

ATP ORGANIZES TRAINING FOR TEACHERS AND TREE-PLANTING GUIDANCE FOR COMMUNITIES
ArmRadio.am
01.06.2006 11:10
After publishing its environmental education curriculum, “Plant an
Idea, Plant a Tree,” for public school students, Armenia Tree Project
(ATP) sponsored a special teacher-training course to explain how to
use the teacher’s manual.
A total of 16 teachers from Yerevan and the regions of Syunik, Lori,
and Kotayk participated in the “Training of Trainers,” organized by
Dr. Gayane Ghukasyan, ATP Environmental Education Program Manager.
In his welcoming speech, ATP Director of Operations Vache
Kirakosyan emphasized the importance of teaching the environmental
education curriculum in local schools, and thanked all attendees
for participating with ATP. “Your cooperation is very important to
increase the awareness of environmental issues, specifically among
Armenia’s youth,” he stated. “As a result of our work together,
we may reap fruit in the very near future. The assistance received
from such motivated and devoted educators as yourselves is another
step toward improving the ecological situation in our country.”