OPPOSITION SUSPENDS BOYCOTT?
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| 21:01:51 | 06-09-2005 | Politics |
Tomorrow Justice faction will discuss the possible suspension of the
parliamentary boycott. The spirits reigning within the faction give
reason to think that the decision will be positive. According Victor
Dallakyan, it is the demand of the nation.
National Unity party has scheduled a sitting on September 12. Faction
secretary Alexan Karapetyan informed that about 450 organizations were
instructed to study the public opinion, which will be then presented
at the sitting, during which the decision on the possible suspension
of the boycott will be taken. However Alexan Karaetyan refrained form
making premature statements.

RUPEL TO CONVEY ALIYEV’S MESSAGE TO KOCHARIAN
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|19:12:18 | 06-09-2005 | Politics |
During today’s joint press conference with Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian OSCE Chairman-in-Office Dimitrij Rupel reiterated that he
is to convey Ilham Aliyev’s message to Robert Kocharian.
When asked what kind of message it is Mr. Rupel said, “Presently I
cannot say anything. I’ll do it during the meeting with the Armenian
President”. He also noted that the closing of positions of Armenia
and Azerbaijan on Nagorno Karabakh is evident. “Though the positions
are close at the principal level they differ in details”, he noted.
In his turn Vartan Oskanian noted that “real problems will begin when
details are revealed. The journalists asked when the negotiations
within the Minsk Group format will start and when Karabakh will be
able to act as a party to conflict. Omitting the second part of the
question Mr. Rupel said, “The Minsk Group is lively, active and is
awaiting the Presidents’ instructions. The Co-Chairs also suggest
new ideas. Vartan Oskanian in his turn said, “When the President’s
proceed to details the necessity of restoration of the Minsk process
will arouse and at this stage Karabakh will join the negotiations.”
When asked by a foreign journalists whether the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
oil pipeline will impact on the Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations,
Vartan Oskanian said, “I hope that Azerbaijan’s confidence will be
limited to economic development.”
When one of the Armenian reporters asked whether the outcome of the
referendum on constitutional amendments can influence the negotiation
process D. Rupel said that the constitutional reforms are carried
out with good intentions and proceed in the correct direction.”

EDUARD POLATOV: 29 OF 80 GREEK CHURCHES WERE SET ON FIRE
AZG Armenian Daily #159
07/09/2005
Eduard Polatov, president of Patrida NGO of Greeks of Armenia,
told Arminfo agency that as a result of pogroms 50 years ago, 29
of 80 Greek Orthodox churches were set on fire and ruined, more
than 4000 trading centers along with 2000 houses were completely
destroyed. Polatov noted also that the pogroms of 1955 resulted in
emigration of Armenians and Greeks from Turkey.

CULTURAL SOLIDARITY
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| 12:32:51 | 07-09-2005 | Culture |
“Culture and cultural policies for development” will be the main
theme of a meeting of the Ministers of Culture of the south Caucasian
countries held by the Council of Europe in Kyiv on 15 and 16 September
at the invitation of the Ukrainian authorities.
This is the 5th ministerial colloquy to be held as part of the
STAGE project, which is intended to promote cultural exchanges and
co-operation between Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, assist them
in the development of their cultural policies and help strengthen
democracy in these countries.
Mykola Tomenko, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine, and Maud de
Boer-Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe,
will open the colloquy.

EXHIBITION DEDICATED TO HRANT MATEVOSIAN
By Nana Petrosian
AZG Armenian Daily #159
07/09/2005
Recently, many exhibitions were held at the galleries of the Vanadzor
Fine Art Museum. The museum represented over 10 exhibitions to the
art lovers of the city. Seven dozens of pictures by three artists are
being exhibited in Vanadzor these days. The art lovers were excited
and encouraged, visiting such interesting exhibitions at their
city. Khachik Gharabekian, Hrant Tadevosian and Nikol Aghababian,
artists represented pictures rich in colors and emotions. They
depicted the picturesque views of Vanadzor, the region of Lori. The
three artists spend whole August in Ahnidzor and created together
in the studio of Khachik Gharabekian. They opened the exhibition of
their new works created in Ahnidzor on September 2.
“It was really hard to guess that they can open new layers in the
nature of Lori for the local residents in their pictures”, Serge
Baghdasarian, art lover from Vanadzor shared his impressions about
the exhibition.
The artists were inspired not only by the picturesque views of
Ahnidzor, but also by the idea of representing their works at a
joint exhibition. They aimed to celebrate 70th anniversary of Hrant
Matevosian by holding this exhibition.
Khachik Gharabekian said that in the course of the month they worked
together they created paintings that had many things in common.
“Hrant’s absence in Ahnidzor changes something there. That’s why,
we tried to paint from our own viewpoint, including the worldviews
of Matevosian’s characters in Ahnidzor,” Mr. Gharabekian said.
“Everything is different in Ahnidzor. Hrant was different, too. His
presence here is different, too. That’s why people pay tribute to
his literature here,” Hrant Tadevosian explained the success of
the exhibition.
Nikol Aghababian emphasized the importance of such exhibitions,
saying that they help to bring fresh air of the capital’s cultural
life to the regions.
“We tried to combine our own feelings with the image of Hrant
Matevosian’s Ahnidzor. He created his works as a true artist. We were
looking for Hrant in today’s Ahnidzor,” Nikol Aghababian said.
The exhibition will last till September 20.

ARMENIA WILL ASSIST US
Pan Armenian News
06.09.2005 06:42
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Armenia is ready to provide the necessary assistance
to the US Government due to the consequences of the hurricane,”
Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated at a joint news conference with
OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian FM Dimitrij Rupel. In his words,
today the US Embassy in Armenia will provide the list of what is
necessary for the Katrina hurricane victims. As the minister noted,
at the moment the US needs money to the most, and Armenia is ready
to provide both financial and professional assistance to the US to
the best of its abilities. In the Minister’s words, rescuer teams,
physicians and other specialists will depart from Armenia for the US
in case of need.

BAKU-TBILISI-CEYHAN IS PROSPECT OF ESTABLISHMENT OF PEACE TO ARMENIA
Pan Armenian News
06.09.2005 06:55
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “We are sure that Azerbaijan will not manage
to introduce military imbalance to the region,” Armenian FM
Vartan Oskanian stated at a joint news conference with OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian FM Dimitrij Rupel. In his words,
if Azerbaijan hopes to increase its military potential by using
the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, this opinion is not true.
“There is no military solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” V.
Oskanian stated. In the Minister’s words, if it were possible to
decide the issue by force, it would have already been solved, as
Armenia has twice had military victories. At that he remarked that
the Armenian party considers Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan from the point of
view of prospects of establishment of peace, as foreign capital is
invested in the project and the decision to launch hostilities can
be made not only by Azerbaijan.

UKRAINIAN AMBASSADOR PRESENTED CREDENTIALS TO ARMENIAN FM
Pan Armenian News
06.09.2005 06:51
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today newly appointed Ukrainian Ambassador to
ArmeniaAlexander Bozhko presented credentials to Armenian Foreign
Minister (FM) Vartan Oskanian, reported the Press Service of the
Armenian MFA. In the course of the meeting V. Oskanian congratulated
the Ukrainian diplomat over appointment to the office of the Ambassador
to Armenia and return to the country. He wished Mr. Bozhko good luck in
fulfilling his high mission. Having expressed satisfaction over the
level of the Armenian-Ukrainian cooperation, the Minister noted that
much is yet to be done to intensify political, trade, economic and
cultural relations. Speaking of the process of European integration
of Armenia and Ukraine, the interlocutors noted the commonality of
foreign policies and emphasized the need for coordinated actions in
that respect. Within that context the parties noted the importance
of continuation of political dialogue. It should be noted that A.
Bozhko was Ukrainian Ambassador to Armenia in 1996-2001.

AZERI CEC LAUNCHING ELECTION DISTRICT FOR KARABAKH POPULATION – OPEN PROPAGANDA MOVE
Pan Armenian News
06.09.2005 05:17
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The decision for the Central Electoral Commission
(CEC) of Azerbaijan to launch an electoral district is an open
propagandistic move, head of the Department of Conflictology and
Migration of the Institute of Peace and Democracy Arif Yunusov
stated in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, “the
decision to reserve places for Azeri deputies in Nagorno Karabakh
(NK)was a similar one in its time, as everyone knew and understood
well that Azeris will not take part in the vote in NK.” Now it
is clear that Armenians will not participate, he noted. “Moreover,
the actions of Azeri authorities are very inconsequent. If they have
announced creation of an electoral district for NK population, let
them admit Armenian observers to monitor the election first. But they
announced creation of districts and then denied Armenian journalists
(if I am not mistaken) entry to Baku to observe the election due
to them being on the opposed side,” A. Yunusov added. In his words,
Azeri authorities have to change many other things as well. “At least
they should not hamper contacts between populations, representatives
of NGOs, etc. This is for the sake of peace and our peoples,” the
political scientist summed up.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YUNUSOV: I DO NOT EXPECT ANY “ORANGE” REVOLUTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN THIS YEAR
Pan Armenian News
06.09.2005 05:07
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Parliamentary election in Azerbaijan may fully result
in change of domestic political atmosphere in Azerbaijan. Although main
events will start in Azerbaijan closer to 2008, when the recurrent
presidential election will take place, head of the Department of
Conflictology and Migration of the Institute of Peace and Democracy
Arif Yunusov stated in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. “Before
that time the situation in Azerbaijan will follow the course of
increase. During the present parliamentary election 25-30 places
(out of 125) will be occupied by opposition and it will be a certain
factor of change of the situation in the country,” the political
scientist noted. In his words, the authorities hope for the arrival
of oil dollars in the country to notably improve the economic record,
which will allow mitigating the tension in the society. However,
the population will not evidently benefit from these oil dollars and
these will settle down in pockets of a small group. “A serious gap
between groups of population has outlined already now and the growth
of discontent is obvious. However, the process has just started. I
do not expect any “orange” revolutions this year,” Yunusov summed up.