Author: Boshkezenian Garik

TWO DETAINED ON FRAUD CHARGES IN CHAKHMAKHCHIAN’S PRESENCE – PROSECUTORS

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
June 5, 2006 Monday 12:57 PM MSK

The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office has reported the detention of
two individuals in the presence of Federation Council member Levon
Chakhmakhchian, one of whom was carrying $300,000 in police-marked
bills.

“Chakhmakhchian was identified as a Federation Council member. He
enjoys parliamentary immunity and no measures were taken against him,”
says a Monday report by the Prosecutor General’s Office.

The office and the Federal Security Service detained Igor Arushanov,
chief accountant of the Association of Russian-Armenian Business
Cooperation, and Armen Oganesian, assistant auditor of the Russian
Audit Chamber.

“The detention is part of a criminal case against members of organized
criminal groups who stole large sums of money from businessmen through
fraud. The operation was held on the basis of information from the
Audit Chamber’s security service,” the report runs.

NOTHING DEFINITE WAS SAID ABOUT CHIRAC’S VISIT

Lragir.am
05 June 06

“I will only say that if a French-Armenian high level visit,
particularly, a visit of the president of France took place, I am sure,
the French president would first visit the French University.

That’s it,” said the French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny to the
reporter of Lragir.am. And our reporter had enquired about a possible
visit of Jacques Chirac to Armenia in 2006. “You know it is an honor
for any ambassador when his president, the head of state, visits the
country where the ambassador is appointed. That’s it,” said Henry Cuny.

The ambassador gave this answer during an event, devoted to the French
University. In Armenia they are already preparing seriously for the
visit of Chirac. The reception room of the presidential residence is
being repaired, most probably as part of these preparations. Meanwhile,
the French ambassador is reluctant to even hint that this visit may
take place in 2006.

Today, Azerbaijan
June 2 2006

Armenians break cease-fire for 150 times, Azerbaijan lose platoon of
soldiers in the past five months

02 June 2006 [13:23] – Today.Az

The Armenian Armed Forces violated the cease-fire from different
directions of the front line for ten times in May this year.

According to the results of APA’s monitoring held on the basis of
Defense Ministry’s reports to the media, Azerbaijani Army lost two
soldiers as a result of Armenians breaking the cease-fire in May.

The cease-fire was violated for four times in Aghdam, twice in Gazakh
and Terter and once in Fizuli and Goranboy. OSCE twice monitored the
contact front line of Armenian and Azerbaijani Armed Forces (Gazakh
and Khojavend) in May. The monitoring passed without any incident.
One Azerbaijani soldier died and six were wounded due to breaking
training regulations in May. One of the wounded was ensign and the
rest were soldiers. The ensign died due to misusing his service gun
and the rest were killed in traffic accidents.

Totally, according to the results of the past five months, the
cease-fire was violated for 150 times. Azerbaijani armed forces’ a
platoon of soldiers-29 servicemen were killed and nine were wounded
due to the cease-fire violation and several other reasons during this
period.

Four soldiers were killed in fire, four due to misusing service gun,
eight in traffic accidents, one committed suicide, two in snow-slip,
one was struck by lightening, and nine of them were killed by the
enemy. Eight of the wounded were targeted by enemy bullet and one
misused his service gun. Five of the killed were officers, two
ensigns, one sergeant and the rest twenty-one were soldiers. Eight of
them were killed outside battle zone. The Azerbaijani Armed Forces
lost eleven servicemen in January, two in February and five in March,
six in April and three in May. All of the killed servicemen served in
the armed groups subordinate to the Defense Ministry.

According to the results of the monitoring held in five months, the
cease-fire was broken in April more times and less in January and
May. The Armenian Armed Forces fired on the Azerbaijani Army’s
positions and living quarters for 10 times in January, 14 in
February, 50 in March, 65 in April and 10 times in May. The
followings were the hot spots of the front:

On state border of Azerbaijan: Mazam, Gizilhajili, Balajafarli and
Boganis Ayrim villages in Gazakh region; Hasangaya, Chayli, Jerabert,
Gapanli villages in Terter; Bash Gervend, Ortagishlag and Guluzchuluk
farm in Aghdam; Ashaghi Seyidahmadli and Ashagi Abdurrahmanli
villagesin Fuzli region.

URL:

CONFLICT PARTIES HAVE POTENTIAL FOR PEACE TALKS
E. Babayan

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
01 June 2006

An international seminar entitled “Evolution and Effective Management
of Conflicts. Principles, Approaches and Technologies” was held on May
18 and 19 in Tbilisi, Georgia. The seminar included representatives
from Georgia, Russia, Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, South Osetia,
and Nagorno Karabakh. Our country’s representative was Albert
Voskanian, the director of the Civic Action Centre human rights NGO,
the coordinator of the task force on the missing, hostages and POWs
in the Karabakh conflict area. On returning from Tbilisi Albert
Voskanian told our reporter that he had presented a report on “The
Problem of Disadvantages of Negotiation Formats. Double Standards”
noting that the Karabakh conflict had been artificially moved from the
Karabakh-Azerbaijani to the Armenian-Azerbaijani plane, distorting
the essence of the conflict. “The armistice in 1994 was signed
by three parties: Nagorno Karabakh, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. It
is unfair and wrong that Nagorno Karabakh was forced out of the
talks. The people of Karabakh should decide their fate themselves at
the table of negotiations with Azerbaijan directly. The legitimate
government of Nagorno Karabakh must participate in the talks and
represent the interests of its people,” said Albert Voskanian, adding
that in the referendum in 1991 the people of Nagorno Karabakh made
their choice. After his report during the seminar Albert Voskanian
received a number of questions, which mainly referred to the occupied
territories and refugees. Albert Voskanian stated that these are
questions that should be settled at the table of negotiations. “When
we consider the return of Azerbaijani refugees, we should not forget
about the Armenian refugees, who also have the right to live where
they used to live. For the territories occupied during the war,
these are now a “security area” for Nagorno Karabakh, guaranteeing
the security of Nagorno Karabakh settlements in case Azerbaijan
bombs these settlements.” He also reminded the participants about
the territories of Nagorno Karabakh controlled by Azerbaijan, namely
the region of Shahumian, a number of settlements in the regions of
Martakert and Martuni. Albert Voskanian thinks that it is necessary
to prepare the publics of the conflict sides for possible compromise
to achieve progress in the peace talks. “The leaderships of the
conflict parties should work with their publics, prepare them for the
idea that compromise in signing a peace agreement is inevitable and
it is a practical step, not a half measure. This perception lacks,
the Azerbaijani side constantly threatens to start military actions,
and Karabakh displays its readiness to counterattack.” At the same
time, he said the conflict over Karabakh is the only conflict in the
post-Soviet space where no peacemakers are involved. “The military
actions did not resume after signing the armistice on May 12, 1994,
and tens of thousands of lives were spared. This allows concluding
that the conflict sides have the potential for peace talks,” said
Albert Voskanian. Elchin Behbutov, the chairman of the Committee
Against Torture, has stated recently that there are secret prisons
in Karabakh, and the Armenians torture Azerbaijani POWs. In answer to
this statement Albert Voskanian said this is but misinformation. “Our
organization regularly conducts monitoring in the penitentiaries in
the country, the remand prison of Stepanakert and the prison of Shushi
for over four years, to find out the state of sanitation and hygiene,
rights of prisoners, etc. In the reports, which are extended to the
Council of Europe, the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights, the OSCE
and other international organizations, we have noted a number of times
that the inmates are Armenians only. If there were inmates of other
nationalities, including Azerbaijanis, we would write about it by
all means,” said Albert Voskanian. “The officers of the International
Committee of the Red Cross in Stepanakert also visit the penitentiaries
of Nagorno Karabakh, and there are no closed doors for them. I think
they will also refute the information on Azerbaijani POWs in the
prisons in Karabakh. After the ceasefire in the Karabakh conflict area
Azerbaijani human rights defenders visited the prisons in Karabakh. So,
the information in the Azerbaijani mass media that Azerbaijani soldiers
undergo violence in the prison of Shushi is false.”

LORIS TJEKNAVORIAN PREPARING FOR 70TH BIRTHDAY BASH IN 2007

Mehr News Agency, Iran
May 31 2006

TEHRAN, May 31 (MNA) – Iranian-born Armenian composer and conductor
Loris Tjeknavorian is to celebrate his 70th birthday in 2007, the
Persian service of CHN reported on Wednesday.

He wants to perform all his compositions during a festival for his
birthday celebration.

He has announced that he is currently making plans for the festival,
and expressed hope that he would be able to hold it at Persepolis.

“I must find several sponsors for the festival to cover the costs. I
am also thinking of performing with one of the orchestras from Vienna,
Russia, or Armenia, or even several.”

He went on to say that the Tehran Symphony Orchestra is not in a
good situation, adding, “If sufficient funding is provided for the
orchestra and it can repair its instruments and purchase some new ones,
I will perform several pieces with this orchestra as well.”

“I am currently doing my best to get the higher education license
for my Academy of Music. If the license is obtained, the Tjeknavorian
Cultural Center will be launched in autumn,” he noted.

Loris Tjeknavorian was born in 1937 in Borujerd in the southwestern
Iranian province of Lorestan and was educated in Tehran.

After he studied violin and piano at the Tehran Conservatory of Music,
he studied composition at the Vienna Music Academy, where he graduated
with honors in 1961.

Tjeknavorian has performed throughout the world, having conducted
international orchestras in Austria, Britain, the United States,
Canada, Hungary, Iran, Finland, the former Soviet Union, Armenia,
Thailand, Hong Kong, South Africa, and Denmark.

His own compositions have been performed by major orchestras, including
the London Symphony Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the
Halle Orchestra, the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, the American
Symphony Orchestra in New York, the Tehran Symphony Orchestra,
the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra, the Mexico Symphony Orchestra,
the London Percussion Virtuosi, the Strasbourg Percussion Ensemble,
and the English Chamber Orchestra.

‘Yerkir Media’ will be accessible in internet

29.05.2006 17:18

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – `Yerkir Media’ TV station’s news is now available
in the near future in internet. Such possibility gives the
telestation’s official fist web site.

>From now on immediately after `Yerkirn Aysor’ live news, the most
important news will be placed in the website, giving Armenians wider
and more in depth TV coverage.

The telestation’s management says that using recent technologies gives
an opportunity to spread `Yerkir Media’s programs further in the
world.

`We are sure that compounding the telecompany with the web site has a
big future and in few years this will be the main way of working in
the telemedia. ` Yerkir Media’ which has always used the new
technologies and new approaches in work, will be going in this
direction’, – mentions the telestation’s Strategical Programming
Coordinator.

The telestation’s news department is planning to place the English and
Russian news programs also in the web site.

The web site address for Yerkir Media is _www.yerkirtv.org_
() .

The department of Public Relations at Yerkir Media

WORLD SUMMIT OF RELIGIOUS LEADERS TO TAKE PLACE IN MOSCOW ON JULY 3-5

MOSCOW, MAY 29, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. A meeting of
specialists preparing the World Summit of Religious Leaders took place
in Moscow on May 25-26. The meeting was organized by the
Interreligious Council of Russia. 60 Christian, Muslim, Judas,
Buddhist and Hindu representatives from Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bahrain, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Egypt, Estonia,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Vatican, India, Iran, Israel, Italy,
Kyrghyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, Syria,
Turkey, United Kingdom and U.S. participated in the meeting. As Noyan
Tapan was informed by the Interchurch Relations Department of the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the participants exchanged opinions
and proposed themes for discussion for the World Summit of Religious
Leaders which will take place in Moscow on July 3-5, before the
Petersburg meeting of the Great 8. Bishop Yeznik Petrosian, the
responsible for interchurch relations represented the Mother See of
Holy Etchmiadzin at that meeting.

GEGHAM MANUKIAN ELECTED “ARF” FACTION SECRETARY

YEREVAN, MAY 26, NOYAN TAPAN. Gegham Manukian, completed the deputies’
staff on May 22, undertook by the faction’s decesion the vacant post
of the RA National Assembly “ARF” faction Secretary. Hrayr Karapetian,
the newly elected head of the faction informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent about it. Before it, Levon Mkrtchian, undertaken the
post of the RA Minister of Education and Science on May 17 was the
faction head, and Hrayr Karapetian was the faction Secretary.

PEOPLE ARE THE CORE OF ORINATS YERKIR

Lragir.am
26 May 06

There is no information on a mass desertion of the regional organizations of
Orinats Yerkir, stated the deputy leader of the Orinats Yerkir Party Gagik
Mkheyan and Gagik Avetyan. They mentioned that over the ten years of existence
of Orinats Yerkir many people joined and left the party but the core stayed.
Gagik Avetyan says people are the core of the Orinats Yerkir Party. The
Orinats Yerkir members of parliament said they did not have information that
there is pressure on the regional organizations of the party to disband the
political party.
Gagik Avetyan thinks that people are making a fuss about the party, but the
real danger is smaller than the noise. Gagik Avetyan has announced that the
question of pressure from law enforcement agencies on him was settled several
months ago. `It lasted and came to an end, a positive end,=80=9D said Gagik
Avetyan, adding that all the charges were dismissed.

CASTLE OF KAMSARAKAN PRINCES BEING RESTORED

TALIN, MAY 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The restoration of the castle of
Kamsarakan princes situated in the territory of the community of
Dashtadem, Aragatsotn marz’s Talin region, has started within the
framework of the events aimed at promotion of tourism in Armenia. 800
mln drams (about 1.8 mln USD) has been allocated from RA state budget
for the purpose of implementation of the restoration works. As Lyova
Ghukasian, Director of the Aragatsotn state-owned CJSC, informed Noyan
Tapan correspondent, considerable work has been already done in the
direction of restoring the castle’s first and second partitions and
Surb Sargis Church. It is envisaged to finish the restoration in late
2007. Head of the community of Dashtadem Andranik Avetisian is sure
that after the restoration of the castle Dashtadem will interest the
tourists visiting Armenia.