Author: Basmajian Ani

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian Genocide: Poland Crawfishes and Decides to Support Turkey
01.07.2006 14:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ July 5 Polish Speaker Marek Jurek’s official visit
to Turkey should take place. This is the first official visit to
Ankara of the Chair of the Parliament of that country after the
worsened relations due to Polish Seimas adopting a resolution on the
Armenian Genocide on April 16, 2005. Thereupon the visit of Turkish
Milli Mejlis Bulent Arinc was canceled.

The Polish government has taken a number of measures to settle `the
problem arisen.’ In April 2006 Polish FM Stefan Meller visited Ankara
and `supported the Turkish thesis on need for historians to examine
the Armenian Genocide.’ During his visit M. Jurek is expected `to
voice support to Ankara’s position on the Armenian Genocide more
clearly,’ reports Trend.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT SETS LIMITS TO KARABAKH COMPROMISES

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
June 29, 2006 Thursday

The deployment of foreign peacekeepers to the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict zone and a top autonomous status for Karabakh are the greatest
compromises that Baku is prepared to make on Nagorno-Karabakh,
President Ilham Aliyev said at a meeting with writers on Wednesday
evening.

"Territorial integrity cannot be a subject for compromise. Yet we
may agree to the possible deployment of peacekeeping forces," he said.

"We may be ready to do that, although it is not easy to give our
consent. As you know, there are no foreign military units on the
territory of Azerbaijan. This is our firm policy," he said.

"Our position is not and will not be altered. I believe that we will
regain our lands. We have political, economic, military and every other
possibility to do that. This is the only serious problem Azerbaijan
is facing," Aliyev said.

He said they must be prepared for any solution to the Karabakh
problem. "We will never put up with the Karabakh secession from
Azerbaijan," he said.

Azerbaijan lost control over Karabakh in the 1990s in an armed conflict
with Armenia.

OSKANIAN: "WE HOPE AZERBAIJANI WILL REALIZE THAT WE HAVE A CHANCE TO RESOLVE CONFLICT AND ACHIEVE LASTING PEACE"

Armenpress
Jun 30 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, ARMENPRESS: In an interview to Armenpress news
agency Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian commented on the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ statement made June 22.

– The co-chairs in their statement say that "our approach has been a
modified one: we have not tried to solve all aspects of the conflict
in one phase.

Instead our principles seek to achieve a major degree of progress but
defer some very difficult issues to the future and envision further
negotiations." What does this mean?

– The actual negotiating document on the principles that is on
the table today is all-encompassing. It covers all the principles
affecting the resolution of the conflict. It includes the core issue
of status of Nagorno Karabakh, territories, refugees, security issues,
peacekeeping and every other conceivable issue that is necessary in
order to arrive at a lasting resolution of the conflict. Only after
full agreement on all these basic principles would the parties, as the
actual negotiating text says, "in cooperation with the co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk group to begin work on the elaboration of an agreement
on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict." In other words,
the agreement on principles will be comprehensive. The final agreement
may envision implementation over time.

– In their report, the co-chairs say "the principles include the
phased redeployment of Armenian troops from Azerbaijani territories
around Nagorno Karabakh, with special modalities for Kelbajar and
Lachin districts." What are these special modalities?

– This formulation is indeed very broad, and for a reason. This
issue has two layers. One is the issue of Lachin, where the actual
negotiating text on principles provides clear language stating that
there will be "a corridor linking Nagorno Karabakh to Armenia." For
Armenia, it’s very clear that this corridor must have the same status
as Nagorno Karabakh. The second layer is the issue of Kelbajar.

For Armenia, this also is clear: based on security concerns,
Kelbajar can be returned only after the referendum is conducted
and the final status of NK is determined. Azerbaijan’s position is
different on Kelbajar. That’s the disagreement that the co-chairs
are addressing in their statement. The co-chairs’ language in the
actual negotiating text, with regard to this issue, is generally in
line with our approach.

– The co-chairs say that there will be a referendum "to determine
the final legal status of Nagorno Karabakh," but they don’t say who
will vote.

– The actual negotiating text on principles clearly specifies that
"the final legal status will be determined through a referendum by
the population of Nagorno Karabakh."

– The co-chairs also say "certain interim arrangements for Nagorno
Karabakh would allow for interaction with providers of international
assistance." What does this mean?

– This is only one element of a much more detailed section in the
actual negotiating text which addresses interim status for Nagorno
Karabakh. We think the co-chairs have emphasized international
engagement, because that’s a major problem for the people of
Nagorno Karabakh. Their current, unrecognized, de-facto status,
has not allowed them to benefit from the generosity of international
organizations. In the actual negotiating text, the provisions address
such rights as control over their political and economic viability
and security, upholding their personal privileges and freedoms, the
right to democratically elect officials to govern Nagorno Karabakh,
the authority to effectively legislate and administer the internal
affairs of Nagorno Karabakh.

– What is Armenia’s overall assessment of the content of the document
as it stands today?

– This not a perfect document. For anyone. However, there are enough
solid and balanced provisions, with the right trade-offs on the main
issues – status, territories and security – that we are prepared to
continue to negotiate on the basis of these principles. In today’s
context, Azerbaijan’s rhetoric about autonomy and desperate calls
for militarization surprise us. We have at hand a real opportunity to
resolve all issues, including the much-maligned issue of refugees. But
Azerbaijan must revert to real situations and real opportunities,
rather than illusory maximalist hopes. Today, we hope that Azerbaijan
will realize that we have a chance to resolve the conflict and achieve
a lasting peace.

ALBUM OF ARMENIAN PALEOGRAPHY

AZG Armenian Daily
29/06/2006

A new precious publication – Album of Armenian Paleography – by
famous Armenologists Michael Stone, Tigran Guyumtchian and Hening
Lenman will see the light soon at "Tigran Mets" publishing house.

Published by the Aarhus University Press in 2002, the English volume
was dedicated to the memory of Mesrop Mashtots, founder of the
Armenian alphabet.

Translation of this 554-page book was ordered by the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin. Head of "Tigran Mets", Vrezh Markosian, said that
publishing is already over and they are working on the cover.

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN MAY MEET IN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE G8 SUMMIT

ArmRadio.am
27.06.2006 18:16

Today the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov said he
does not exclude that Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan
may meet in the framework of the summit of heads of G8 countries,
MEDIAMAX Agency informs.

Elmar Mammadyarov said that before the G8 summit OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chair Matthew Bryza is scheduled to visit the region.

"After this visit the position of the Co-Chairs will become clear, and
the issue of arranging the meeting of Presidents will be clear after
the meeting of the Foreign Ministers," Azeri Foreign Minister noted.

ACADEMY HAS 1 VICE-PRESIDENT AND ALMOST THE SAME STAFF AT PRESIDIUM

AZG Armenian Daily
27/06/2006

Academician Yuri Shukurian, director of RA Information Science
Institute, was elected vice-president of the RA National Academy
of Sciences. Besides the elections, the Armenian academicians also
approved the candidates for the academician-secretaries.

The following academicians were elected academician-secretaries: Yuri
Chilingarian for the post of academician-secretary for Astrophysics
and Physics, Vilen Hakobian, Natural Sciences, Vladimir Barkhudarian
for the Armenian Studies and Public Sciences, and Robert Atoyan
for Mathematics, Mechanics and Information Science. In autumn,
the elections for the Academician-Secretary pf RA National Academy
of Sciences will take place. Thus, there are two vacancies for the
presidium of RA National Academy of Science, particularly, the post
of the academician-secretary and the representative of RA State
University.

PUBLIC ORGANIZATION WANTS ARMENIA TO WRITE IN CLASSICAL SPELLING

Panorama.am
15:23 24/06/06

The Union for Recovery of Mesropian Spelling again raised the issue
of shifting to classical spelling.

The head of Diaspora Research and Education Center Suren Danielean
(we write his surname in classical spelling upon his request) is sure
that the shift to classical spelling will further strengthen the ties
with the diaspora. He is sure that the differences between Western
Armenian and Eastern Armenians are caused by Russians. "Return to
classical spelling will be a return to our origins. That return will
signify unification because the diaspora does not recognize today
the communist edition," he said.

Danielean was asked if they have studied public opinion on the issue
to which he answered, "it is not always that the relations between the
majority and minority reflect the truth. Our teachers were separated
from the diaspora and the diaspora separated the whole educational
system from Armenia."

According to Danielean, 19 schools have shifted to classical spelling
in Armenia. This year 7 schools will also teach classical spelling,
including one in Echmiadzin and 6 in Yerevan.

WILL ARMENIA EXPORT OIL?
Artem Yerkanyan "PanARMENIAN.Net" analytical department

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.06.2006 GMT+04:00

International experts are optimistic about the restarted works in
search for oil and gas occurrences.

In September Transeuroenegery Corporation, Canada, will launch
exploring works to search for hydrocarbon in Armenia. The essential
equipment will be brought in the near future and very soon it will
be possible to say whether Armenia has a chance to enter the cartel
of oil exporting states.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Specialists spoke of the necessity of exploring
works still in 1950-ies. In mid 1970-ies the matter grew serious. But
at that time the exploration was rather scientific than commercial
and no serious funds were invested in it. Now the optimism has grown
and Transeuroenegery Corporation has long-term plans. Canadians are
ready to spend over $10.5 million on the first stage of the works
that will take some 5 years. If things go well new investments will
be made. The other day the company leadership concluded an agreement
with a foreign company engaged in prospecting of oil and gas, which
will deliver modern equipment to Armenia. This equipment will allow
prospecting the bowels of the earth at a depth of 2500 km. The works
will start in September while the first results will be known in
February 2007. The Yerevan office administration is more optimistic
about gas than oil. It should be also noted that the gas-well boring is
easier. The exploring works will be launched in three Armenian regions
– Armavir, Krasnoselsk and Shoghaghbyur. The Armavir sector is rated
as the most promising. The only question is how much it will cost.

The first serious attempt to set oil and gas prospecting on a
commercial path was made 10 years ago. At that time the California
Energy Commission came to rather optimistic conclusion on oil
and gas occurrences in the Armavir sector and even calculated the
presumable amount of oil. January 27, 1997 the Armenian government
and the Armenian-American exploration company signed a contract on
prospecting in the Armavir license sector. The works were launched
the same year however they did not last long. In July 2000, after
the death of company owner Alen Poslen, the works were stopped. Since
that time the company has just been processing the data received and
looking for financial partners. In early 2004 Canada-based Idusmin
Energy purchased the rights of the Armenian-American exploring company
and resume works in Armavir. In autumn the company was renamed into
Transeuroenegery Corporation. Before this the Canadians proceeded to
prospecting in the northeast sector near Krasnoselks. In January 2003
the Corporation signed an appropriate memorandum with Geoenergetika
CJSC. At that time Indusmin Energy received the right for conduction
of exploring works on a territory of 3.5 thousand km2.

"I am sure there are oil and gas deposits in Armenia," said Head of
the Corporation Armenian Office Mike Smith. According to him, the
optimist is conditioned by the fact that there are rich occurrences of
hydrocarbon stuff very close to the Armenian border with Turkey. There
are also hydrocarbon occurrences in Georgia and foreign companies have
already invested over $70 million in oil exploring in Georgia. By
the way, Indusmin Energy, which is engaged in prospecting works in
two geological sectors in Imeretia, was among the investors. The
Canadians put up over $35 million.

They bored a well that has given 160-170 tons of oil annually since
1995. In Ninotsminda region, Javakhk, oil is being prospected
for a long time already. It’s unnecessary to speak of Iran and
Azerbaijan. Thus, if all our neighbors have hydrocarbon we should
have it too. The problem is that no proper attention was paid to oil
and gas prospecting. Now, when the matter is seriously treated we
can hope that Armenia will transform from an oil importing country
into an exporting one.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 23 2006

WORKING GROUP OF STATE COMMISSION ON POWS, HOSTAGES AND MISSING
PERSONS RESPONSES TO CLAIMS OF INTERNATIONAL WORKING GROUP
[June 23, 2006, 14:15:04]

The working group of the State Commission on POWs, Hostages and
Missing Persons made a statement on Thursday to respond to the claims
by co-chairs of the international Working Group for the release of
prisoners and hostages and the tracing of Missing People of the
Karabakh conflict (IWG) that there is little chance of finding the
missing people.

The Commission states that both Azerbaijanis and Armenian were
missing in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding
regions occupied by the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia.
According to the Commission’s data as of 20 June, 2006, the total
number of the missing Azerbaijani citizens is 4581; the number of
missing Armenians is 414, of whom 197 are citizens of Armenia, 211
are citizens of Azerbaijan of Armenian national, and 6 are citizens
of other countries; 23 of the Armenians were missing in Armenia, 2 in
Georgia, 389 in Nagorno-Karabakh, and only 10 beyond the area of
military operations. Therefore, the statement says, it is obvious
that search operations should be carried out just in the mentioned
territories. However, repeated visits of the co-chairs of the
International Working Group to the region has failed to help in
finding out the fate of any missing person, even despite the
co-chairs’ statement on "open doors" for them in Nagorno-Karabakh.

"At the same time, they question their own claims on the people who
survived noting there is tiny chance to find them. The first thing
that should be done to find the missing people is to search for
them," the statement continues.

"Regarding the alleged inhumane treatment of the former prisoners of
war in Azerbaijan, the things have nothing to do with how Mr.
Bernhard Clasen is trying to present them. No Azerbaijani authorities
persecute or convict anyone for being a prisoner of war. These
allegations by gentlemen from IWG are aimed at distraction of the
public from their primary duties: search of the missing persons," the
Commission says in the statement.

"The Commission informs the public once again that out of 1388
Azerbaijanis released from captivity, only 20 persons have been
liable to criminal prosecution. All of them have been convicted for
concrete crimes provided for in the Criminal Code of the Azerbaijan
Republic. None of them was prosecuted for being a former POW.
Therefore, the gentlemen from the International Working Group should
devote their short visits to what this non-governmental organization
was created for," the statement says in conclusion.

NKR PM: ESTABLISHMENT OF MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL ECONOMIC AND HUMANITARIAN LINKS WILL PROMOTE RELAXATION OF TENSION BETWEEN THE REGION’S COUNTRIES

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 22, 2006

The establishment of mutually beneficial economic and humanitarian
links, development of scientific-educational and cultural cooperation
will promote relaxation of tension between the region’s countries,
the NKR PM Anoushavan Danielyan stated, while opening an international
scientific conference titled "Nagorno Karabakh Republic: Past, Present,
Future" in Stepanakert.

The PM stated the amount of investments in the Nagorno Karabakh economy
increased year by year. "Due to foreign investments we have managed
to modernize industrial process in a number of branches of economic
complex", Anoushavan Danielyan said.

According to A. Danielyan, last year the amount of industrial
production was increased by 3, 7 times as compared with 2000. The
amount of industrial output produced in the Republic only for the
first quarter of the current year surpasses the level of 1999. For
the last three years the state budget’s own revenues increased by 43,
2 % on average. The amount of the production exported from the NKR
has been noticeably increased, making $ 38 millions.

Anoushavan Danielyan remarked the population’s money incomes increased
by almost 2, 2 times compared with 2000. Teachers’ salary increased
by approximately 70 %, that of the health care and culture employees –
by 30 %.

2006 state budget’s expenditures for social needs increased almost
by 30 % compared with last year. In 2005 there were about 3 500 new
jobs in various branches of the Republic economy.