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07/19/2006
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1. OSCE Blames Azerbaijan for Karabakh Arsons
2. Lebanese Evacuees Seek Refuge in Armenian Community
3. ANCA Challenges Rep. Burton’s Attack On Nagorno Karabakh
4. Turkish Prosecutor Probes Armenian Journalist For Genocide Statement

1. OSCE Blames Azerbaijan for Karabakh Arsons

YEREVAN–After weeks of monitoring the region, the OSCE concluded that recent
wildfires in Nagorno-Karabakh were a direct result of arson perpetrated by
Azerbaijan, reported Armenia’s Foreign Ministry Wednesday in a statement.
A report by a personal representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzei
Kasprchik was delivered to both the Armenian and Azeri foreign ministries,
concluding that Azerbaijan was the cause of the wildfires in that area.
"We hope that this will put an to Azerbaijan’s irresponsible and absurd false
accusations," said Armenian foreign ministry spokesman Vladimir Karapetian.
The Azeri foreign ministry acknowledged the receipt of the report. A ministry
spokesperson said that it will issue a statement after reviewing the entire
report.
On Tuesday, the Armenian Foreign Ministry issued an announcement regarding
this matter. Below is the translated text of the statement:
"The fires on the Nagorno Karabakh territory bordering with Azerbaijan have
been taking place since early June 2006. The situation is a subject of serious
concern for the Karabakh leadership, since it poses a threat for the security
of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic and its population.
"A special commission formed by the representatives of the ministries and
departments responsible for security issues has been established in the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic to study the circumstances and reveal the reasons of
the fires. The subunits of fire-prevention service, the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic Department for Emergency Situations and the leadership of local
administrations and population have been mobilized for the localization of the
centers of the fires and non-admission of fire spreading. A twenty-four-hour
duty has been organized in all the communities to prevent emergency
situations.
"However, the situation in the regions is deteriorating due to the fires and
is ripe with unfavorable long-term consequences for the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic agriculture and food security. The number and area of the fires at
wheat fields on the territories bordering with Azerbaijan have sharply risen.
"As a result of the work of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic special commission,
indisputable data indicate that the reasons for the fires were hostile
activities by Azeris. By these actions official Baku pursues an agenda to
erode
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s economy and deprive it of the possibility of
development. In order to conceal its intentions, the Azeri leadership, from
the
very outset, has launched a wide-ranging campaign both in the local and
foreign
mass media, in an attempt to lay the blame on Karabakh. This campaign is a
continuation of the propaganda and the psychological war against the people of
Nagorno Karabakh and is blatant attempt to hide this act of aggression.
"We would like to remind that as early as in 2001, the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic authorities suggested via the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution, a package of measures on establishing
confidence between the parties to the conflict. In particular, we offered
cooperation in fire prevention on pastures and agricultural territories in the
bordering regions. Regrettably, official Stepanakert’s initiatives were not
supported at the time in Baku and were not honored with due attention by the
OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen.
"Moreover, as early as June 15, 2006, the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Ministry
of Foreign Affairs addressed a request to the Office of the OSCE Chairman-in
Office’s Personal Representative to hold a crisis monitoring on territory
bordering with Azerbaijan to estimate the real situation on the spot and
refute
the Azeri party’s vain accusations.
"We draw the attention of the international community and especially the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairmen to the Stepanakert’s right, in the event Azerbaijan’s
hostile activities are not addressed, to undertake adequate measures of
response to ensure the Republic’s security".

2. Lebanese Evacuees Seek Refuge in Armenian Community

BEIRUT (Aztag)–As the number of displaced people increased as a result of the
Israeli attacks on Lebanon, many Lebanese refugees sought refuge in Armenian
community establishments in and around Beirut Wednesday, the Aztag newspaper
reported.
Public school building have been turned into shelters for evacuees. Aztag
reporters toured the Bourdj Hammoud neighborhood and discussed the situation
with several refugees.
To address the needs of the affected population, the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation Lebanon Central Committee announced the establishment of a task
force, which will organize relief efforts in and around area, coordinating
activities with city hall and relief organizations working in the area.
The Armenian Relief Society Araxi Boulghourjian infirmary has been designated
as the headquarters for the efforts.
The ARF CC of Lebanon issued an announcement Tuesday, pledging all its
organizational resources to the affected Lebanese public. This announcement
and
other details about the ARF-initiated efforts were broadcast on Lebanese
television and radio, as well as other media outlets.
The Lebanon Prelacy issued an announcement Wednesday condemning what it
called
the barbaric attacks by Israel on Lebanon.
Armenia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Vahan Ter-Ghevondian held a press conference
Wednesday afternoon, announcing that Armenia’s Embassy in Beirut would
continue
its operations.
"Our embassy will be open 24 hours a day and our staff has been answering
phone calls and inquiries regarding the developments and continues to accept
visitors," said Ter-Ghevondian, adding that through the embassy’s and
Armenia’s
foreign ministry’s efforts Armenian citizens were being evacuated to Armenia.
Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported that some 200 more Armenian citizens
and other residents of Lebanon will be evacuated to Armenia on Thursday amid
the continuing Israeli assault on the tiny Arab state, the Foreign Ministry in
Yerevan said on Wednesday.
A ministry spokesman, Vladimir Karapetian, told RFE/RL that the evacuees will
be transported to Syria by bus and then fly to Yerevan on board two Armenian
airliners. "Most of them are citizens of Armenia," Karapetian said. The
evacuees will be accompanied by Armenian diplomats during the high-risk
journey
from Beirut to Aleppo, he said.
According to the ministry, 160 Armenians and dozens of Lebanese citizens of
Armenian descent have already escaped to Armenia since the start of
devastating
Israeli raids on civilian and guerrilla targets in Lebanon on July 12. It says
some 1,200 Armenian nationals lived in the country before the assault.
Prime Minister Andranik Markarian has promised to provide "state support" to
them and other Lebanese residents who would like to take refuge in Armenia.
Two
Armenian diplomats have been sent to Lebanon and Syria to assist in their
voluntary evacuation.
"I wouldn’t say there is a big influx of evacuees from Lebanon right now,"
said Karapetian. "It’s just that we are prepared for such an influx because it
is not clear when all of this will end."
The official added that no Armenian casualties have been reported so far.
"There is no mass exodus of Armenians yet," Shahan Kandaharian, editor of the
local Armenian-language "Aztag" daily based, told RFE/RL from Beirut.

3. ANCA Challenges Rep. Burton’s Attack On Nagorno Karabakh

WASHINGTON–The Armenian National Committee of America responded today to a
July 17th speech on the House floor by Congressman Dan Burton (R-IN) that
seriously misrepresented Nagorno Karabakh’s history, status, and right to
self-determination.
The Indiana legislator took to the House floor yesterday in an apparent
attempt to undermine the growing Congressional support for Nagorno Karabakh –
as demonstrated by the successful recent Washington, visit and US Capitol
reception for the Parliamentary Speaker and Foreign Minister of the
Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh. Commenting on what he perceived as a pro-Nagorno Karabakh
tilt among US legislators, Rep. Burton stressed that: "Any outside influence,
any shift in neutrality can only result in a false peace. That is why I am
deeply concerned when I hear some of my colleagues throwing barbs at the
Azeris
and attempting to lay all the blame for this complicated issue at their
doorstep."
In a factually incorrect statement, he sought to call into question Nagorno
Karabakh’s right to self-determination, asserting that: "So far as I know, the
Nagorno-Karabakh region has never been a part of Armenia. To suggest
otherwise,
and to suggest that the problems in Nagorno-Karabakh are caused solely by
Azerbaijan seems to me to distort the facts and potentially undermine our good
faith efforts to see this conflict resolved; and to see peace and prosperity
come to the people of both Azerbaijan and Armenia."
In a three-page fact sheet sent to every Congressional office, the ANCA
challenged Congressman Burton’s inaccurate description of the Nagorno Karabakh
issue as well as the biased and counter-productive advice he offered to his
House colleagues. The key points addressed in the ANCA document included:

1. Nagorno Karabakh’s commitment to peace
2. Azerbaijan’s threat to regional stability
3. Nagorno Karabakh’s economic growth
4. Nagorno Karabakh’s right to self-determination
5. Nagorno Karabakh’s commitment to democracy
6. Nagorno Karabakh’s pivotal role in ending the Soviet threat to America

In addition, the ANCA provided a one-page update on Azerbaijan’s post-Soviet
evolution into an increasingly corrupt and autocratic petro-state,
characterized by leaders who seek to bridge the growing gap with their own
population by demonizing their Armenian neighbors.

4. Turkish Prosecutor Probes Armenian Journalist For Genocide Statement

ISTANBUL (AP)–A Turkish prosecutor once again launched an investigation into
an Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrant Dink for calling the events of 1915 a
Genocide, a news report said Tuesday.
The probe may or may not lead to Hrant Dink, editor of the bilingual
newspaper
Agos, being prosecuted for insulting "Turkishness," the Dogan News Agency
reported. He could be imprisoned if charged and convicted. Dink said he was
aware of the reports but had not been officially notified about the probe. The
prosecutor in Istanbul could not be reached for comment.
The investigation was launched over Dink’s statement to the Reuters news
agency in which he said: "Of course I say it was genocide… With these events
you see the disappearance of a people who lived on these lands for 4,000
years."
Dink said he was surprised by the probe. "I had no intention of insulting
Turkishness," Dink said. "My only concern is to improve Armenian and Turkish
relations."
The new probe comes just days after a Turkish high court confirmed a
six-month
prison sentence imposed on Dink for attempting to influence the judiciary
after
Agos ran articles criticizing the law which makes it a crime to insult
Turkishness. Dink’s sentence, however, was postponed.
The law, which also brings penalties for insulting Turkish officials or
government institutions, has been used to bring charges against dozens of
journalists, publishers and scholars. The European Union has warned Turkey
that
the law could seriously hamper efforts to join the bloc.
Author Elif Safak, a University of Arizona assistant professor, was recently
charged with "insulting Turkishness" because of the words uttered by fictional
Armenian characters in her novel "The Bastard of Istanbul." Turkish courts
dropped similar charges against acclaimed novelist Orhan Pamuk earlier this
year following an international uproar.

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