NKR PRESIDENT AND DELEGATION OF RUSSIAN “STRATEGIC CULTURE” FUND DISCUSS PROSPECTS OF KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 10 2006
STEPANAKERT, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. NKR President
Arkadi Ghukasian received on May 9 Vladimir Maximenko, the Director
General of the Russian “Strategic Culture” fund and experts Alexander
Krilov and Andrei Areshev.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NKR President’s acting Press
Secretary, participants of the meeting touched upon the present
approaches and viewpoints among the Russian experts’ and information
circles, concerning the essence of the Karabakh conflict and prospects
of settlement.

RA FOREIGN MINISTRY’S PRESS SECRETARY HAMLET GASPARIAN APPOINTED ENVOY TO FRANCE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Hamlet Gasparian,
the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia
was appointed the envoy to France. In 1999-2002 he also officiated
in France as the RA Embassy’s Advisor. H.Gasparian has occupied the
post of the Press Secretary since autumn, 2003. In 2005 he, at the
same time, coordinated works of organizing days of Italy to Armenia.
During his this mission trip, H.Gasparian will participate in holding
the Year of Armenia in France. According to the information submitted
to Noyan Tapan by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department, H.Gasparian combined during his activity professions of a
journalist and diplomate. In 1991-1995 he was the editor of the “Azg”
newspaper, in 1997-1998 he headed the National Television of Armenia.
He is an author of numerous articles, which were published in press
of Armenia and Diaspora, he formed and edited books, has translations
from French as well. By the RA President’s decree of late last year,
H.Gasparian was confired the dimplomatic degree of the RA Envoy
Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. Obligations of the RA
Foreign Ministry’s Press Secretary are provisionally put on Vladimir
Karapetian, the Chief of the Department for Ties with Media of the
Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information Department.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CASPIAN COUNTRY RICH IN PETROLEUM
By Ryu Jin
Korea Times Correspondent
Korea Times, South Korea
May 10 1006
BAKU, Azerbaijan _ The Republic of Azerbaijan is a petroleum-rich
country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. It gained independence from
the former Soviet Union in 1991 amid political turmoil and against
a backdrop of violence in Nagorno-Karabakh.
Dubbed the “Land of Fire,” the country has been famed for its oil
and natural gas resources since ancient times, when Zoroastrians _
for whom fire was an important symbol _ erected temples around burning
gas vents in the ground.
At the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, Azerbaijan is
bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia
to the northwest, Armenia to the west and Iran to the south.
In the 19th century, the country experienced an unprecedented oil boom,
which attracted vast international investment. At the beginning of
the 20th century, it was supplying almost half the world’s petroleum.
Since the 1990s, Western companies have invested millions of dollars
in developing the country’s oil and gas reserves, though critics say
the economy as a whole has not benefited as much as it might have done.
The period has also been marred by bloody conflict. As the Soviet
Union collapsed, the predominantly Armenian population of the
Nagorno-Karabakh region stated their intention to secede from
Azerbaijan.
War broke out and the Armenians of Karabakh took control of the region
and surrounding territory. A ceasefire was signed in 1994.
Azerbaijan lost 16 percent of its territory and must support some
528,000 internally displaced persons as a result of the conflict.
Some one-seventh of its territory remains occupied, while 300,000
other refugees are scattered around the country.
Azerbaijan has been a member of the Council of Europe since 2001,
although 93 percent of its 8.4-million population is Muslim,
three-fourths of them Shiites.
The country is formally an emerging democracy, but under strong
authoritarian rule. Often accused of rampant corruption and
election-rigging, the country’s ruling circles walk a tightrope
between Russian and Western regional geo-strategic interests.
South Korea established diplomatic relations with Azerbaijan in March
1992, but did not have a diplomatic mission there until last March.
A senior official accompanying Roh on his trip to Baku said
the president’s three-day official visit to Azerbaijan has great
significance since it will lay the cornerstone of Seoul’s diplomatic
efforts in the region.
Roh’s Azerbaijan visit is the first by a South Korean head of state
to the Caspian country.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ORINATS YERKIR PARTY TO PRESENT ITS EXACT POSITION ABOUT PROCESSES INSIDE PARTY AND FACTION IN COMING DAYS
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. In the coming days the Orinats
Yerkir (Country of Law) Party will present its exact position
about the processes going on inside the party and the parliamentary
faction. Mher Shahgeldian, party’s Vice-Chairman, Chairman of RA NA
Standing Committee on Defence, National Security and Internal Affairs,
informed about this preferring to refrain from any commentaries for
the present. According to him, as of May 10, in the recent 4-5 days,
5 businessmen MPs put in applications on leaving the party and the
parliamentary faction. They are Melik Manukian (electoral district
N 45), owner of the Bellagio restaurant complex Grigor Margarian
(electoral district N 13), Kotayk Governor’s brother Samvel Shahgaldian
(electoral district N 43), Arshak Mkhitarian and shareholder of
the MAP company Alexan Petrosian (the last two were elected by the
proportional system). To recap, earlier one more businessman MP,
owner of the SAS supermarkets’ network Artak Sargsian, was expelled
from the party for voting “for” the report on fulfilment of the state
property privatization program, against the party’s position. The MPs
who left the party according to their own application abstained during
the voting with the exception of M.Manukian who was absent from the
voting. According to M.Shahgeldian, no reason for leaving the party and
the faction was mentioned in the applications of the above-mentioned
MPs. To recap, according to some rumours, other businessmen MPs also
have serious intentions to leave the party and the faction, faction
head Samvel Balasanian is also mentioned among them. As Noyan Tapan
correspondent was informed by Hovhannes Margarian, member of the
party board, Vice-Chairman of RA NA Standing Committee on State and
Legal Issues, personally he “does not see any tragedy or shock if,
for instance, 61995 or 61994 out of over 62 thousand members of the
Orinats Yerkir Party remain”.
He also mentioned that they have passed a 3-year joint way with the
MPs who left the party and there is “a mutual confidence and respect
towards one another”. According to him, “black agitation campaign, a
crusade” has started by different political forces towards the Orinats
Yerkir Party in the recent month, but “they have obtained immunity
towards all this”. He assured that henceforth the Orinats Yerkir
Party will protect the principles adopted by it and the estimation
given by its electors will be the most important for the party.
“Not being for suppositions and prognoses” the MP said that he has
no apprehension that in the near future the party can found itself
among the minority, according to the rumours, having only 5-6 instead
of 21 MPs included in the party in advance.

JOINT SITTING OF COMMISSIONS ON DEMARKATION AND LIMITATION OF ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN STATE FRONTIER HELD IN TBILISI
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
TBILISI, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. A joint sitting of Armenian and Georgian
commissions on demarkation and limitation of the Armenian-Georgian
state frontier was held on May 9-10 in Tbilisi. After the sitting
the Chairmen of the commissions, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham
Gharibjanian and Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister Georgi Manjgaladze,
stated that the sides have came to an agreement on most part of the
outline of the state frontier between the two countries and reached
agreements about doing further works. Gegham Gharibjanian met with
Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili, conveyed him RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian’s greetings and presented the result of the
joint sitting. G.Gharibjanian also met with his Georgian counterpart,
Georgian first Deputy Foreign Minister V.Chechelashvili and discussed
urgent issues relating to bilateral relations.

ZORI BALAYAN INFORMS ARKADI GHUKASIAN ABOUT RE-START OF REGULAR STAGE OF “CILICIA” SAILING VESSEL’S NAVIGATION
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 10 2006
STEPANAKERT, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. NKR President
Arkadi Ghukasian received on May 9 writer and publicist Zori Balayan
who informed about re-start of the regular stage of the “Cilicia”
sailing vessel’s navigation and programs to be implemented during
it. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the NKR President’s acting Press
Secretary, Arkadi Ghukasian asked in his turn to pass his wishes
of happy journey and new and new successes to Armenian navigators
and expressed a hope that the “Cilicia” staff will this time as
well implement its high mission of re-start of Armenian navigation
traditions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THEATER FIGURES MARK KIM ARZUMANIAN’S 80th BIRTH ANNIVERSARY
Noyan Tapan
May 10 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN. The jubilee evening held on May 10 at
the Theater Figures’ Union of Armenia was dedicated to the 80th birth
anniversary of RA Honored Art Figure, prominent producer, theatrical
pedagogue, professor Kim Arzumanian. As Honored Art Figure Alexander
Kocharian mentioned, Kim Arzumanian started his stage activity from the
Theater of Young Spectator, then continued at the Gabriel Sundukian
National Academic Theater and at Hakob Paronian Theater of Musical
Comedy. Later, in 1951, he worked at the Armenian radio where he staged
34 radio performances. Then, starting to work at the television,
he produced 40 TV performances, which have not lost their freshness
now, many years later. Several generations of Armenian producers were
formed during the pedagogical activity of the talented art figure. As
A.Kocharian estimated, Kim Arzumanian, coming to TV from the stage,
was able to skilfully see the essential difference between the stage
and the video camera: “The very first performance produced by him made
it clear that the theater producer naturally became a TV producer”. The
prominent producer has always been the apologist of the classical,
traditional and realistic. “In his theatrical works he has been loyal
to the principles of the realistic theater and has not accepted the
temporary “tricks” penetrating into the art the course of time,”
A.Kocharian emphasized. Kim Arzumanian has staged 17 performances
for the theater, among which the most noteworthy are the “Mijnord
Ter Papa” and the “Madame San-Jem”. Kim Arzumanian’s “Sayat-Nova”
film is being warmly spoken about by the people up to this day. It
was repeatedly shown on TV at the viewers’ request.

ALLEGED MEMBERS OF ARMENIAN GROUP OF CRIMINALS ARRESTED IN GERMANY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 10 2006
BERLIN, MAY 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Police of Germany
arrested on May 9 three men who are suspected in being a member of
the Armenian group of criminals engaged in sale of narcotics and
implementation of murders.
According to Radio Liberty, two other people are also arrested on
this case: they are accused of having killed four Caucasians in
Eastern Germany, and the Police will attempt to find out if they
have any connection with six other murders committed in Europe. The
German DPA agency informs that the group of criminals functioned
in Germany, Belgium, Great Britain and Armenia. Persons’ names and
other data are not mentioned. It is informed that one of members of
the group of criminals is already taking his punishment in one of
prisons of Germany, another has been arrested in France and waits
for to be sent to Germany. According to the DPA, the investigation,
as a result of what arrests were implemented on Tuesday in the cities
of Gera and Halle of Germany, has started three years before when two
dead bodies and parts of clothes were found in the forest zone. One
of the victims was recognized as a 47-years old Armenian, identity
of another has not been found out yet.

BLACK SEA AIR CRASH SEARCH TO FOCUS ON BLACK BOXES THURSDAY
RIA Novosti, Russia
May 10 2006
SOCHI, May 10 (RIA Novosti) – Recovery teams are expected Thursday
to focus on the search for the flight data recorders of an Armenian
airliner that crashed off Russia’s Black Sea coast last week, emergency
services said Wednesday.
The search effort will be restarted when the hydroacoustic equipment
brought by French Airbus experts have been prepared, said Vladimir
Yerygin, who oversees technological support for the operation to
recover the black boxes. They are seen as the key to explaining why
the Airbus crashed killing all 113 people on board.
“The French experts brought the equipment yesterday, which will help
locate the A-320 flight recorders,” Yerygin said, adding that the
four beacons were at the Sochi seaport at the moment and it might
take six hours to deliver them onto boats and tune them.
In all, 51 bodies have been recovered so far.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ANGRY TURKS WITHDRAW FROM MILITARY EXERCISE
Brian Laghi
Ottawa Bureau Chief; With A Report From Stan Oziewicz
Globe and Mail, Canada
May 10 2006
Turkey has pulled out of an international military air exercise at
CFB Cold Lake to protest against Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s
characterization of a mass killing of Armenians as a genocide,
escalating an already testy diplomatic spat.
Officials with the Turkish embassy confirmed yesterday that a
half-dozen Turkish jet fighters, as well as support aircraft that were
supposed to take part in the exercise May 17 to June 24 in Alberta,
have been withdrawn. The move comes after the Turkish government
recalled its ambassador, Aydemir Erman, to Ankara for discussions.
“I think one can draw that conclusion at this point,” said one
official, when asked whether the decision flowed from Mr. Harper’s
remarks. “This seems to be related to the not-so-good period of
relations we are going through.”
The Harper government sparked Turkey’s ire after Mr. Harper recognized,
on behalf of the federal government last month, that Armenians had
suffered a genocide at the hands of Turkey during and after the First
World War. The issue is hugely controversial in Turkey, where the
government says the deaths were caused by the war and civil strife.
A spokesman for Defence Minister Gordon O’Connor said the Turks
cancelled their participation on Friday.
“This is a Turkish decision,” communications director Etienne Allard
said. “Exercise Maple Flag is a major training exercise which brings
great benefits to all participants. Turkey is an important NATO ally
and we hope they will be able to participate in future exercises.”
Exercise Maple Flag, at the Canadian Forces base in northeastern
Alberta, will involve about 40 aircraft and the pilots of nine
countries — Canada, Germany, France, Britain, the Netherlands,
Sweden, the United States, New Zealand and Singapore.
The Turkish embassy released a statement this week in which it
suggested Canada should avoid meddling in the issue.
“Turkey rejects and condemns attempts based on long years of propaganda
and political designs to create one-sided versions of history and to
have lies be acknowledged as if they were facts,” the statement said.
About 70,000 Armenians live in Canada, mostly in Toronto and
Montreal. They are just as adamant that what happened to their
forebears was a genocide.
The Conservative Party’s sympathy for the Armenian viewpoint stems
back to well before the party was created from the merger of the old
Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party, a source said.
The source added that Mr. Harper traditionally has been opposed to
recognition of past historical wrongs, but is no longer.
Turkey’s criticism of the characterization of the Armenian deaths as
genocide is long-standing and consistent.
Orhan Pamuk, a leading Turkish novelist, was accused last year of
insulting the Turkish nation and faced criminal charges for telling a
Swiss newspaper that a million Armenians had been killed on Turkish
soil.
The case was highly embarrassing to the government in Ankara because
it coincided with important meetings concerning Turkey’s attempt to
join the European Union. It is not entirely clear why the case was
dropped in January.
Last month, a court in Istanbul dropped charges against four Turkish
journalists accused of insulting the country’s courts, but decided
to press ahead with the trial of a fifth, according to the state-run
Anatolia news agency.
The five, who had faced from six months to 10 years in prison, have
been on trial since February for criticizing in print a court’s
decision last year to shut down a conference in Istanbul about the
mass killings of Armenians by Turks during the Ottoman Empire.
The court dropped charges against four of the journalists because
prosecutors had not filed the charges within the required two-month
period after the publication of the articles, the state-run Anatolia
news agency reported.
But the court decided to proceed with the trial of Murat Belge,
a columnist for Radikal, the agency said.