Author: Chilingarian Babken

KAZIMIROV: FRAME AGREEMENT ON NK LACKS PEACE GUARANTEES

Regnum, Russia
June 27 2006

The "frame agreement" on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
voiced by the U.S. does not guarantee non-resumption of hostilities
in Nagorno Karabakh, as the mere peacemakers’ dislocation here is not
enough, the OSCE Minsk group Russian Co-Chair in 1992-1996, Ambassador
Vladimir Kazimirov told REGNUM while commenting on the statements made
by the new U.S. Co-Chair for the conflict settlement Matthew Bryza.

"It is the key issue. Without not just rhetorical but substantial
guarantees provided by the conflict parties themselves and by
international organizations (perhaps, even the U. N. Security
Council) one will not manage to initiate the first stage, in which
the Azerbaijani party would like to see the liberation of a part of
the occupied territories and the return of forced migrants there." To
start implementing measures planned in the first stage, one would need
to first rid of the threats of forceful revenge, to stop violating
the principles of the peaceful conflict settlement, non-application
of force and threatening by force, Kazimirov said.

"Only if all the parties, without exception, denounce irresponsible
and inadequate dreams of power can open the way for real changes in
the situation, for practical implementation of coordinated measures",
Vladimir Kazimirov stated. He noted that "it is quite naïve to hope
to obtain something from peaceful steps first and then get ‘the rest’
by force – this is only the way to deceive yourself."

Speaking on the Matthew Bryza’s extensive interview as a new
Co-Chair, the Russian diplomat noted it was an unusual and even too
pretentious interview. "It may seem that the conflict parties and
mediators have failed to reach accords on Karabakh and decided to
come to understanding on something and all of a sudden agreed to
abandon the confidentiality of the negotiation process. However,
another approach is applied sometimes: rules are invented exactly to
be violated," Kazimirov observed. He also reminded that a few years
ago Baku, despite an agreement on the talks’ confidentiality, had
published the full texts of the three proposals made in 1997-1998
by the three Co-Chairs (Russia, the U. S. and France) to the three
conflict parties -Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Nagorno Karabakh. Then
Yerevan did the same. "It is a bit strange that such an interview
is actually the first step taken by the new U. S. Co-Chair. Couldn’t
he wait for the first visit to the conflict region? There were many
bold mediators on Nagorno Karabakh both here, in Russia, and in other
countries as well. However, where are their achievements?" Vladimir
Kazimirov wondered.

In his words, in case the parties and mediators really decided to
make public the essence of the "frame agreement," it would be much
more reliable to read out the text of the project presented to the
two parties instead of a private interview with its retelling. "The
document’s original is always more convincing than its retelling.

Otherwise, this kind of breaking of micro-agreements between the
parties is worthy of regret. Especially if it has been done not by a
conflict party that can have different interests but a mediator who
must honor any agreements, including the procedural ones," Vladimir
Kazimirov summed up.

–Boundary_(ID_ywL7iTW0SGkXPknXfn8wGg)–

SIX BACHAUER FINALISTS GET THE NOD FOR THE FINALE
– Jennifer Barrett

Salt Lake Tribune, UTAH
June 28 2006

After deliberating for more than an hour, jury members from the Gina
Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition on Tuesday night
selected six performers to advance to the final round.

They are Hinrich Alpers from Germany; Stephen Beus, Washington state;
Vadym Kholodenko, Ukraine; Ka-ling Colleen Lee, Hong Kong; Jue Wang,
China; and Takashi Yamamoto, Japan.

Two Utahns – Aram Arakelyan, a native of Armenia and a student at Utah
State University in Logan; and Jonathan Bowman, raised in Santaquin
but now studying in Italy – did not make the cut.

Kholodenko, Alpers, and Yamamoto will perform with the Utah Symphony
beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, while Lee, Beus and Wang will play
with the orchestra at the same time Friday. The concerts will be
at Abravanel Hall, 123 W. South Temple, Salt Lake City. For ticket
information, visit or call 801-355-2787.

OSCE MISSION TO CARRY OUT MONITORING OF TEHCONTACT LINE IN THE DIRECTION OF AGHDAM

ArmRadio.am
28.06.2006 10:53

Today the OSCE Mission will carry out monitoring of the contact line
of Armed Forces of Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan in the direction
of Aghdam.

To remind, on June 15 NKR Ministry of Defense had applied the Office
of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office with the
request to hold a crisis monitoring at the border with Azerbaijan to
assess the real situation with the objective to deny the imaginary
reports of the Azeri media on arsons on the territories under NKR
control.

GEORGIA STRENGTHENS CONTROL OF BORDER WITH ARMENIA AND WEAKENS CONTROL OF BORDER WITH TURKEY

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 26 2006

AKHALKALAK, JUEN 26, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By the decision
of the Georgian Department on Border Defence, the number of frontier
posts was added in the Georgian part of the Armenian-Georgian border:
a new post was opened in the village of Kalinino of the region of
Ninotsminda.

At the same time, according to the "A-Info" agency, the control of
the Georgian-Turkish border from the Georgian side was weakened.

According to the same source, at present, the number of soldiers on
watch in the part of the Ninotsminda region of the Georgian-Turkish
border is fewer than the number of servicemen in the part of the
Ninotsminda region of the Armenian-Georgian border. Moreover, the
Georgian-Turkish part is longer one of the mentioned two parts of
the state border.

EXPERT: SPEAKING OF SETTLING THE NK CONFLICT IN A YEAR OR TWO IS TOO OPTIMISTIC

Regnum, Russia
June 25 2006

"Nagorno Karabakh is a conflicting party, and the people of the
republic is not only object but also a subject of international law.

And it is the people that has to decide its own fate," researcher
at the Institute of World Economics and International Relations
of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian political scientist,
turcologist Victor Nadein-Rayevskiy said at a news briefing at the
Caucasus Institute for Democracy.

He said that each country has to be granted certain guarantees.

"Resolving a conflict depends on the readiness of the conflicting
parties to compromise, on the capability to respect one’s partner and
understand their apprehensions in security issues." However, so far
we do not have such guarantees, first of all, from the Azerbaijani
party. "Despite the Azerbaijani party’s promises of widest possible
autonomy to the Nagorno Karabakh, up to the level Tatarstan enjoys in
Russia, apprehensions of both Nagorno Karabakh government and people
are not dismissed." Nadein-Rayevskiy also found it relevant to remind
the statement of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the South Ossetian
conflict. "President of Russia Vladimir Putin said that people we also
have to consult with. It is the people who have to decide their fate –
that is the essence of democracy," Nadein-Rayevskiy said.

He reckons that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is "very far from being
resolved." "Arguing that, in a year or two, it will be possible to
make a progress in the settlement process, is too optimistic."

GLOBAL GOLD MINING TO INVEST $9.6 MLN IN ARMENIA BY THE END OF YEAR

Panorama.am

14:50 23/06/06

By the end of 2006, Global Gold Mining will make a total investment of
$9.6 mln in Armenia in conducting geological-investigation services,
Ashot Poghosyan, director of the Armenian branch told a press
conference today.

In his words, the company has invested up to $6.5 mln. The company
has got the license for investigation works in Tukhmanuk, Tenik,
Hankavan and Mardjan in 2004. A. Poghosyan informed that investigation
services in Tukhmanuk started in September last year and are almost
done. This year the company plans to start extraction of ore and has
got the necessary equipment for that from USA a week ago.

The Armenian company works on losses this far, Ashot Poghosyan says,
adding that investigation requires a lot of expenditure. Moreover, to
reach American standards, the company has to increase its expenditures
by 1.5 times.

The company was not been warned by the Minister of Nature Protection
that it must submit a permission for conduction investigation services
in three-month time. According to Ashot Poghosyan he learned about
it from local mass media.

Several days ago the minister of nature protection Vardan
Aivazyan stated that company Global Gold is not included in the
list of organizations conducting geological investigations in
Armenia. /Panorama.am/

PRESIDENT ALIYEV OF AZERBAIJAN RECEIVES GUL

Anatolian Times
June 22 2006

BAKU – President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan received on Monday Turkish
Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul who is currently
in Azerbaijani capital Baku to attend meeting of foreign ministers
of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

The meeting focused on Kars-Tbilisi-Javakheti (Ahilkelek)-Baku
Railway Project.

Gul stressed that transportation ministers of Azerbaijan, Turkey and
Georgia should come together to overcome several difficulties about
the project.

"Georgia has some serious hesitations. Turkey can help Georgia to
remove those hesitations," he said.

Noting that Armenia might join the project, Gul said that private
companies in Kazakhstan were interested in construction of the project.

Meanwhile, President Aliyev said that they attached importance to
the railway project.

The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline was also high on agenda
of the meeting.

President Aliyev said that the inclusion of Kazakhstan in the pipeline
was a historic development.

Referring to Iran`s nuclear activities, President Aliyev said that
Turkey`s role was of great importance to this end.

President Aliyev said that they appreciated Gul`s efforts to resolve
the issue through diplomatic ways.

The Upper Karabakh dispute, recent developments in Palestine and
activities of the OIC were also taken up at the meeting.

Gul invited President Aliyev to attend the Summit of Turkish-Speaking
Countries in Turkey in fall.

FOR 5 MONTHS OF 2006 NKR STATE BUDGET REVENUES INCREASED BY ONE THIRD COMPARED WITH LAST YEAR

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 21 2006

January – May 2006 the Nagorno Karabakh Republic /NKR/ state budget’s
own revenues made 3 milliards 846, 2 million drams, which is 33, 9 %
more as compared with the same period last year.

According to the information DE FACTO Information-Analytics Agency
got at the NKR Ministry of Finance and Economy, the budget revenues
have been mainly ensured at the expense of tax proceeds (78, 4 %
of the revenues’ amount). In its turn, 54, 7 % of tax proceeds are
guaranteed at the expense of Value Added Tax (VAT).

For the same period the state budget expenditures increased by 34, 4 %,
making 8 milliards 780, 6 million drams, which is basically stipulated
by rise in salaries, growth of social transfers and capital expenses.

For January – May 2006 receipts to the NKR Social Insurance Fund
made 866, 7 million drams, or 10 % more of the level of the same
period 2005.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE: LITHUANIA NORMALIZES CRACKED RELATIONS WITH TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.06.2006 16:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Lithuania keeps on normalizing relations with Turkey
that cracked after the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution by
the Lithuanian Seimas and promises support on the way to the European
Union, Lithuanian President Valdas Adamkus stated upon completion of
the meeting with Turkish President Ahmet Necet Sezer in Ankara. "The
resolution adopted by our Seimas will not introduce any changes into
the policy of the Lithuanian foreign policy," he said. To remind,
last summer the Lithuanian parliament passed a resolution calling
upon Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide. Turkey’s response
was a political demarche. Lithuanian Ambassador Vytautas Nauduzas
was invited to the Turkish Foreign Ministry and warned that the
resolution will not have a positive impact on the Turkish-Lithuanian
relations. "We agreed to avoid deeds that would damage the development
of bilateral relations," the Turkish President stated at a briefing,
reported Trend news agency.

ARMENIAN FM: OFFERING AUTONOMY TO A PEOPLE WHO HAVE FOR NEARLY TWO DECADES BEEN IN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES ON THEIR OWN HISTORIC LANDS IS AT THE VERY LEAST, SELF-DECEPTION

Yerevan, June 21. ArmInfo. "Offering autonomy to a people who have
for nearly two decades been in control of their lives on their own
historic lands is at the very least, self-deception," said Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanian in his speech at the opening of the first
session of the newly-formed UN Human Rights Council. The RA Foreign
Ministry press-service reports.

"Armenia has and continues to promote stronger international
mechanisms to prevent and eradicate the crime of genocide, and all of
its precursors including efforts, too often successful, at not just
cleansing a region of its indigenous people, but also erasing their
memory. Armenians have survived and gone on to live through each
of these attempts. Even today, in the 21st century, we have watched
helplessly as the spiritual and cultural markers of our people are
decimated," the minister said.

He went on to refer to the destruction of the Jugha Cemetery in
Nakhichevan, Azerbaijan. "This violation of the memory and spirit of
centuries of Armenian existence on lands which are today Azerbaijan’s
is cynical and dangerous. These huge, exquisite, unique stone crosses
which were both sculpture and tombstone are now gone – 2,000 of
these medieval markers were destroyed just a few months ago. The
gravemarkers are gone, and Armenian and international fears that
Azerbaijan’s authorities might in fact not be serious about peace
have been reinforced. After all, their organized, violent, armed
response to peaceful calls for self- determination two decades ago,
was the first attempt at ethnic cleansing in the soviet space and
ignited the conflict which remains unsettled today. This most recent
manifestation of organized violence, in a place where no Armenians
live today, and far from the Nagorno Karabakh conflict area, tells
us that neither Azerbaijan’s methods nor its intent has changed. Such
unambivalent, callous demolition of culture and history also destroys
trust and peace."

In speaking about the present state of negotiations with Azerbaijan
on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, the Armenian
Foreign Minister said, "If Azerbaijan’s one step forward, one step
back approach in the negotiations was simply alarming, their recent,
desperate offers of autonomy are concrete examples of a retreat from
the letter and spirit of these talks, and clearly not in sync with
international trends.

We hope the negotiations will develop in a way which will give the
parties a real hope for durable peace, the minister said in conclusion.