AZG Armenian Daily #147, 20/08/2005
Diaspora
HAMSHEN ARMENIANS TO CELEBRATE DAY OF ARMENIAN CULTURE
The Hamshen Armenians will mark “And the Zurna of Hamshen Will Blow
Again” celebration of the Armenian culture on August 27-28 in Tuapse
region of Krasnodar province, Russia. The celebration is dedicated
to the 1600 anniversary of the Armenian alphabet, Yerkramas newspaper
reports.
The “Hamshen” Armenian cultural organization of Tuapse will held
workshops and concerts with the participation of best Armenian national
ensembles of Kuban. The celebration of culture will open in the village
of Shahumian, which was an Armenian administrative center till 1956.
By Ruzan Poghosian

Serious progress made in talks with Armenia – Azeri leader
Turan news agency, Baku
19 Aug 05
Ismayilli, 19 August: Serious progress has been made in the talks on
the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict, however, it does not
give us full assurances for a peace agreement, Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev has told journalists.
Evaluating the prospects of the forthcoming meeting between the
Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders in Kazan (Russia) on 23 August,
he admitted that there are still “serious differences” between the
sides. Nevertheless, unlike Armenia Azerbaijan’s position remains
unchanged. This position was put forward in the first meeting with
the Armenian president in Geneva back in late 2003. Azerbaijan’s
stand is that the occupied territories should be liberated, internally
displaced persons should return to their native land, ethnic Armenians
in Karabakh can receive a high degree of self-administration and
their security can be guaranteed.
Aliyev said that the “Prague process” envisages this option of
settlement, which is also called a “stage-by-stage” solution. The
occupied territories should be liberated and refugees should return
first and then talks on the status of Nagornyy Karabakh should start.
Moreover, these talks can be held without any time limit.
“No decision contradicting the will of the Azerbaijani people will
be made,” Aliyev said. The country’s territorial integrity will never
be a subject of discussion, he stressed.
Weighing the chances for a breakthrough in the settlement process,
Aliyev said that all the factors work for Azerbaijan. The country’s
military potential is rising at a high pace and Armenia cannot compete
with Azerbaijan in this respect.
Azerbaijan’s position is in line with modern processes going on in the
world, while Armenia’s stance is a leftover from the past, Aliyev said.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:
PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon
Armenian version:
HIS HOLINESS HONORS LEBANESE-ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS
BEBO SIMONIAN AND JIRAYR TANIELIAN
His Holiness Aram I awarded the “Mesrob Masdots” Medal of Honor to
Lebanese-Armenian intellectuals Bebo Simonian and Jirayr Tanielian
during a special ceremony outside the St. Asdvadzadzine Monastery in
Bikfaya on August 16.
Members of the Cilician Brotherhood, the Primate of the Diocese
of Lebanon and representatives of the Central Executive Council,
Rev. Soghomon Kilaghbian, Armenian MPs, the Ambassador of Armenia to
Lebanon, Arek Hovhannisian, the intellectuals participating in the
Armenia-Diaspora conference and representatives from cultural and
educational organizations attended the ceremony.
The opening remarks were delivered by the Chancellor of the
Catholicosate, Mr. Khatchig Dedeian, who pointed out that the ceremony
is an obligation towards two prominent intellectuals, well known for
the work they have carried out in the Armenian Community.
Aharon Shkeherdemian talked about the efficacy of Bebo Simonian,
presenting him as a teacher, pedagogue, writer, poet, editor and an
ideological man.
“However we look at Bebo Simonian’s work, he will appear before us as a
man of culture and a legitimate intellectual. He belongs to the class
of intellectuals who suffers with the conflicts of Armenians and the
world. He does not yield against social and human unjustness,” he said.
Garo Hovhannesian talked about Jirayr Tanielian the individual,
writer, teacher, principle and the dedicated servant to his nation,
who “infected” society with his hard work.
“Jirayr Tanielian has no money to distribute, even though throughout
out his career has helped out a lot of students in paying their
fees. However, he has given extensively intellectually and spiritually
speaking. He has given from his heart, he has given from his soul
and this makes what he has given very valuable and deeply humane,”
said Hovhannesian.
Irma Dedeian recited poems by Vahan Tekeian (Hashvehartar) and Taniel
Varoujan (Sermanogh).
His Holiness Aram I expressed his respect and love for the two
intellectuals, highlighting their sense of dedication, which allowed
them to consider the interests of the nation as being more important
than personal gains.
His Holiness assured that the important role played by the two
intellectuals, especially in providing Armenian education to the new
generations was undeniable. The Catholicos based his praise for the
two intellectuals on three main arguments:
– The Catholicosate of Cilicia values quality and values, words,
the reflection of which can be seen in the lives of Bebo and Jirayr.
– The Catholicosate praises all worthy Armenians without
discrimination. A human being’s worth is measured against his
contribution to his nation’s collective interests.
– The Catholicosate praises not only those who make financial
contributions, but also those who give from their intellect and
souls. Those who give money, give something they own. But those who
give from their intellect or their soul give from themselves.
“Bebo and Simon worked for others; Two people, who not only wrote,
spoke, read, but also taught, formed, established their viewpoints
and approaches and derived their impetus from our nation’s conflicts
and interests,” said His Holiness.
His Holiness’ Encyclicals were then read out and the Pontiff decorated
the two intellectuals with the “Mesrob Mashdots” Medals. The two
intellectuals expressed their gratitude to His Holiness Aram I and
the attendants.
The congratulatory note of the Zaven Yegavian, director of the Armenian
Communities Department of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and
Asdghig Tchamkerten were also read out.
The ceremony ended with “Cilicia” and “Mer Hairenik”.
##
View pictures here:
*****
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates
of the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the
history and the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer
to the web page of the Catholicosate, The
Cilician Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is
located in Antelias, Lebanon.

UNIT DEALING WITH PROBLEMS OF DIASPORAN SCHOOLS TO BE SET UP AT
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia is ready to organize
free teaching of all those Diasporan Armenians who want to study
Armenological subjects in Homeland. RA Minister of Education and
Science Sergo Eritsian stated this at the August 19 meeting with
Diasporan Armenian teachers at the Gevorgian theological seminary. He
underlined the importance of running one-month training courses
for Diasporan Armenian teachers. Sergo Eritsian announced that it
is planned to set up at the National Institute of Education a unit
dealing exclusively with problems of the Diasporan schools. S.
Eritsian said that the ministry is prepared not only to provide
the Diasporan schools with textbooks, methodological guides and
educational programs but also to send experts who will give advice
to the Diasporan Armenian teachers on the spot.

Aide says Armenian-Georgian ties may help solve Tbilisi’s problems with Moscow
Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in Russian 1130 gmt 19 Aug 05
Yerevan, 19 August: “The deepening of cooperation between Armenia and
Georgia and personal contacts between the two countries’ presidents
can play a positive role in resolving the existing problems between
Moscow and Tbilisi,” the Armenian president’s press secretary, Viktor
Sogomonyan, said in an interview with Mediamax new agency today.
Sogomonyan said this while commenting at Mediamax’s request on
the statements of some Russian political analysts that Armenia’s
rapprochement with Georgia allegedly testified to Yerevan’s intention
to “turn its back” on Moscow.
“There is no reason to say that the rapprochement between Tbilisi
and Yerevan might mean the change in the relations between Armenia
and Russia. This is absolutely incorrect perception of events. We
should consider relations of both Yerevan and Moscow with their
common neighbours in the region in the context of Armenian-Russian
strategic partnership as a certain mediation resource for resolving
touchy problems. For example, Yerevan perceives the development of
Russian-Turkish or Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation in an exclusively
positive fashion.
“There is clear-cut understanding that this can only have a positive
impact on the establishment of a lasting peace in the region, the
establishment of the Armenian-Turkish political dialogue and the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict,” the press secretary of the
Armenian president pointed out.
“Similarly, the deepening of cooperation between Armenia and Georgia
and personal contacts of the two countries’ presidents can play a
positive role in resolving the existing problems between Moscow and
Tbilisi. I am confident that this is the most correct approach to
`Moscow’s view ‘ of the current stage of the Armenian-Georgian
relations,” Sogomonyan said.

AZG Armenian Daily #147, 20/08/2005
Karabakh issue
ALIYEV: STEP-BY-STEP REGULATION IS THE ESSENCE OF PRAGUE PROCESS
Ilham Aliyev, according to Azeri mass media, emphasized at a
yesterday’s meeting with journalists that the progress in Nagorno
Karabakh issue achieved in course of talks is significant but it
gives no guarantee for peace as “positions of the sides still have
serious differences.” The Azeri President noted that the essence of
the Prague Process is the step-by-step regulation; “occupied lands
should be liberated in the first phase”, then the sides can reach a
mutually acceptable decision in conflict regulation.
The Armenian side does not claim that the Prague Process suggests
step-by-step regulation. The foreign minister of Armenia stated on
December of 2004, “We tend to preserve the right of Artsakhi people
on self-determination and we can be flexible as regards deadlines of
final decision”. “The right of self-determination of Artsakhi people
should be documented. We shall struggle to the end and will not sign
any agreement without confirmation of that fact”, Vartan Oskanian said
adding that realization of self-determinacy should not necessarily
happen at once.
Comparing comments by Aliyev and Oskanian, we may conclude that Armenia
is ready perhaps together with Azerbaijan to eliminate all consequences
of the war in the first stage, i.e. to return controlled territories
and refugees, revive communication and discuss the final status of
Nagorno Karabakh in the second stage, which is to come in 10-15 years.
By Tatoul Hakobian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #147, 20/08/2005
Neighbors
AZERBAIJAN RAISES ALARM OVER TRANSPORTATION OF NEW RUSSIAN MILITARY
EQUIPMENT TO ARMENIA
Aliyev Struggles to Justify Close Ties With Russia Before the US
Turkish Milli Gazet informed from Baku on August 18 that Azerbaijan
assigns more money for the military sector as a result of the
decision to transfer Russian military equipment from Georgia to
Armenia. Official sources notify that the state budget of Azerbaijan
allotted additional $50 million to the armed forces raising the
overall sum to $300 million.
According to the Turkish paper, Azeri Defense Ministry informed
Nezavisimaya Gazeta that “the Russian military equipment was located
in Berd and Ijevan towns of Tavush province bordering Azerbaijan”. A
representative of the Ministry stated in the Russian paper: “The
102d Russian base of Gyumri was not able to receive the equipment
from Georgia at this point. To settle that issue Armenian government
leased those regions neighboring with Azerbaijan to Russians”.
The Turkish paper notes that Armenia’s accumulation of Russian arms
makes Baku deepen relations with the US and Turkey in the military
sphere. The Azeri press quotes the aforesaid source as saying that
the Azeri foreign affairs minister had closed door discussions
with a Pentagon representative in Washington over the issue of
transportation of Russian weapons to Armenia. The Azeri Defense
Ministry has indirectly confirmed this information.
It’s hard to say how correct the information of both Turkish and
Azeri papers and the Azeri Ministry on accumulation of Russian arms in
Armenia is. But one thing is clear: it’s a ploy to justify military
expanses that go higher on the curve in Azerbaijan with every year
and the militant policy of the Azeri authorities.
It’s noteworthy that by putting this information in circulation
Baku hopes to secure a valid justification to Russia for giving in
to Washington’s demands. That’s the reason why the Turkish paper
views Azerbaijan’s military cooperation with America and Turkey as
a necessity stemming out from accumulation of Russian arms in Armenia.
President Ilham Aliyev seems to have no other alternative but to
put an end to his close relations with Russia due to the situation
on international arena. The absence of alternative makes the Azeri
authorities trumpet about new Russian military equipment in Armenia,
and their voice creates necessary conditions to turn down Russia’s
company and justify its unifications with the US.
When a state comes across the imperative of justifying its militant
policy and getting justified before the US, rootless information it
possesses comes to form the core of its propaganda. President Aliyev
has no alternate for disorientating the world community even in the
issue of transportation of Russian arms to Armenia and he forcedly
takes falsification.
The fact of misinformation should be considered imperative as Aliyev
comes closer to Russia in situation when US influence grows in
Azerbaijan and the EU takes ground. The reason — to maneuver between
them. The crises within EU turned Aliyev’s attempts futile. In the
created situation he gave momentum to the attempts to draw closer
to Russia but pressure from the international community on the eve
of parliamentary elections and the threat of “colorful revolution”
brought them to naught.
Deprived of the chance to balance the US influence in Azerbaijan,
Aliyev faced the need to justify himself before the Americans for
rubbing shoulders with Russia and that made him start a search for
Russian weapons at the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.
By Hakob Chakrian

BAGAPSH IN MOSCOW ADVERTISES GOAL OF SECESSION FROM GEORGIA
by Vladimir Socor
Eurasia Daily Monitor — The Jamestown Foundation
Friday, August 19, 2005 — Volume 2, Issue 163
On August 17 in Moscow, Abkhaz leader Sergei Bagapsh openly confirmed
the political program of Abkhazia’s secession from Georgia and de
facto merger with Russia. Speaking at a specially organized, widely
covered news conference, he outlined a set of legislative, military,
and economic measures to that end.
According to Bagapsh, the handing over of Russia’s citizenship to
Abkhazia’s residents has almost been completed: 84% of the current
residents have Russian citizenship, and 70% of the pensioners receive
Russian state pensions. Both figures should reach close to 100%
within the next six to 12 months, Bagapsh stated. In parallel with
this, the Abkhaz legislature is engaged in consultations with Russian
counterparts about bringing Abkhazia’s “laws” in line with the Russian
Federation’s legislation. Bagapsh stopped short of identifying those
Russian legislative consultants, and his percentage figures did not
take into account the ethnically cleansed Georgians, who had formed
a plurality of Abkhazia’s pre-1993 population.
The merger of “Abkhaz citizenship” with that of Russia has advanced
far enough for Abkhazia to request Russian authorities to accept the
transfer of Abkhaz common-law convicts to serve their sentences in
Russian prisons. Pleading poverty, the Abkhaz “parliament” chairman,
Nugzar Ashuba (a Bagapsh supporter in the Abkhaz internecine rivalries)
made that proposal in the course of the visit to Russia.
According to Bagapsh, Abkhazia is entitled “as any country” to possess
an army. Abkhazia does not criticize Western assistance to Georgia’s
army and it claims by the same token the right to receive Russian
assistance for the Abkhaz army, he argued. According to him, the
army numbers 10,000-12,000, not counting reservists. Abkhazia covers
some 20% of its military budget (implying that Russia covers 80%),
and 70% of Abkhazia’s military personnel have Russian citizenship,
he said. Moreover, “An influx of military specialists from Russia
is under way. These are mainly middle-rank personnel … We gladly
accept motorists, naval petty officers, border troops personnel”
(Interfax, August 17).
That remark suggests that Moscow and Sukhumi may prepare to create
and station “Abkhaz border troops” on Abkhazia’s “borders” and create
a fledgling “Abkhaz” coast guard, in addition to the army. Bagapsh
also reserved the right for Abkhazia to “invite” senior military
officers from Russia if necessary. He omitted the fact that Abkhazia’s
“defense minister,” “chief of staff,” and some other non-Abkhaz
senior officers are seconded from Russia’s military to the Abkhaz
army. Under the command of those two Russian generals this week, the
Abkhaz “permanent battalions” along with reservists are conducting
the largest military exercise since the 1992-93 Russian military
intervention against Georgia in Abkhazia.
Russia and Abkhazia intend to reopen and use in their interests the
“Abkhaz” section of Georgia’s state railway irrespective of Georgia’s
position, Bagapsh told the news conference. Russian state-connected
companies will cover the costs, estimated at $130-150 million.
Technicians from Russian Railways initiated that work last week.
Similarly, Russian companies are scheduled to begin on September 10
the reconstruction of the main motor highway in Abkhazia, from the
Russian to the Georgian “border,” without regard to Georgia.
A delighted Bagapsh also announced that Russian tourism in Abkhazia
this season is set to approach “Soviet-era levels,” with more than 1
million vacationers ensuring more than 50% occupancy of Abkhazia’s
accommodation capacities, despite those facilities’ admittedly
dilapidated state. Although that figure looks exaggerated, Bagapsh
displayed confidence that Russian tourism would become the main source
of sustenance to Abkhazia’s economy. He did not mention the fact that
Russian state and private entities are buying up choice properties
in Abkhazia on the cheap, and without regard to Georgia’s rights as
legal sovereign or the rights of lawful owners who have been turned
into refugees.
Bagapsh displayed no interest in a political settlement with
Tbilisi other than some form of recognition of Abkhazia’s secession
and coexistence of “two neighboring states.” As a first step in
that direction, he called for the signing of a Georgia-Abkhazia
“agreement on security guarantees,” which he said might be signed
along with economic agreements by himself with Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili. As he did earlier this month (Regnum, August 4),
Bagapsh again challenged Saakashvili to “take a historic opportunity”
and recognize Abkhazia’s secession from Georgia.
Repeatedly during the news conference, Bagapsh referred to the goal of
Abkhazia obtaining the status of an “associated” unit with the Russian
Federation. He and his Russian handlers know, however, that such an
option is both unrealistic and unnecessary. Moscow encourages Sukhumi
(and also some of Moscow’s own, officially licensed hardliners)
to raise this dramatic prospect in order to make their gradualist
steps and demands appear moderate by comparison. Those steps and
demands are directed toward the incorporation of Abkhazia by Russia
de facto, without requiring risky or controversial precedent-setting
in international law, and without shaking the international community
out of its complacency.
(Interfax, RIA-Novosti, Prime-News, August 17, 18; see EDM, August 1,
10, 16)
–Vladimir Socor

ARMENTEL MISLEADS PUBLIC, VICE CHAIRMAN OF INTERNET UNION STATES
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Vice Chairman of the Internet
Union of Armenia Grigor Saghian told NT correspondent that the
August 11 statement of ArmenTel contained some provisions that do
not correspond to the reality. According to the statement, Iran does
not provide any transit channels. However, as G. Saghian noted, Iran
is a country providing transit connections – the channels servicing
Australia, Singapore, India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates,
Turkey and some other countries are running through its territory.
Besides, the term “Internet channel” was used in the statement,
whereas in reality, according to G. Saghian, no “Internet channels”
exist. Simply there are channels used to transmit electric signals,
including signals characteristic of the Internet. Nevertheless,
the public was not informed about how long it would take to launch
the second channel connecting with the Internet along the already
operating Iran-Armenia highway. According to G. Saghian, the provision
that Armenia’s geographical position does not allow to provide cheaper
Internet access services is not true either. “Today it is possible
to rent a satellite channel that secures Internet access at a price
three times lower than ArmenTel’s tariff. However, ArmenTel that
holds the monopoly of data transmission, declines to provide this
service,” G. Saghian said. According to G. Saghian, the RA Ministry of
Transport and Communication proposed that ArmenTel and the Information
Technologies Development Assisting Council develop a formula of the
tariff for the data transmission channel secured with the operator’s
own resources and submit it to the Ministry for approval by June 1,
2005. The Council presented its formula to ArmenTel, but the company
has not sumitted it for approval so far. The provision that the
Internet providers are not obliged to rent from ArmenTel the Internet
access service does not coorespond to the reality either. “In reality,
ArmenTel obliges the providers to rent not only the data transmission
channel but also the data receiving channel on which it does not
have a monopoly,” G. Saghian noted. Acording to him, ArmenTel also
misled the public by alleging that “in the last six months, the optic
cable’s efficiency made 99.83%.” The Internet Union’s Vice Chairman
claimed that actually the cable often failed, and ArmenTel informed
the providers about these failures only in speech, without registering
these facts in writing. Finally, according to G. Saghian, ArmenTel’s
statement did not contain any explanation about how Armenia’s Internet
network would be protected against any mass attacks, although a direct
inquiry about it was made by the Internet Union.

RA DEFENCE MINISTRY CONFIRMS FACT OF AZERI SERVICEMAN BEING TAKEN PRISONER
YEREVAN, AUGUST 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Defence Ministry confirmed
the fact that Ramil Khudaverdien, an Azeri sergeant, has been taken
prisoner. The Defence Ministry spokesman Sayran Shahsuvarian said that
according to the verified data, the Azeri serviceman was taken prisoner
about two weeks ago. The fact of R. Khudaverdiev’s being taken prisoner
was confirmed the day before by the International Committee of the Red
Cross (ICRS) Yerevan Office in a letter sent to the ICRC Baku Office.