Author: Ekmekjian Janet

LITHUANIA’S ADAMKUS URGES TO SOLVE ‘FROZEN CONFLICTS’ IN EASTERN EUROPE

Delfi website, Vilnius
3 May 06

[Unatributted report: “Lithuanian President Urges To Solve ‘Frozen
Conflicts,’ Which Hinder Democratic Changes”]

President Valdas Adamkus thinks that one of the biggest hardships
for countries that have chosen the path of democratic reforms is
‘frozen conflicts.’

“‘Frozen’ conflicts are obvious threats, which raise fear and impede
economic development in entire regions. It is necessary to find fast
and peaceful solutions to those conflicts, because the union of law and
democracy cannot coexist with conflicts and isolation,” Adamkus said
in his greeting to participants of the Forum of Intellectuals at the
Vilnius Conference, called Common Vision for a Common Neighbourhood.

According to the president, ‘frozen conflicts’ also impede cooperation
of activities in the region.

“It is hard to imagine that democracy would be established in regions
where there is no cooperation of institutions or if they lack the
essence of cooperation. The engine behind European and transatlantic
cooperation should be cooperation, not competition,” the Lithuanian
head of state noted.

According to him, this was proven by the experience of the Vilnius
10, which, in 2000, united the efforts of new European democracies
to join Euro-Atlantic institutions. Adamkus said that today all of
those countries are firmly determined to support the development of
regional cooperation and the ‘open door’ policy.

The president also stressed the necessity of raising the goals and
values of the state above narrow pragmatic interests.

“Today I would like to wish the countries that are striving for
European and transatlantic integration: set your domestic and foreign
policy goals and secure support of the majority for those goals,”
Adamkus noted.

After noting that today the Eastern Europe seems determined to be
integrated into European and transatlantic institutions, Adamkus said
that at the same time he saw “wavering, looking back, and attempts
to look for the alleged ‘third way,’ whatever that third way might be.”

“In the European Union we also hear voices talking about the alleged
‘burnout of expansion.’ Those voices see Europe as a fortress or a
closed club,” the Lithuanian head of state noted.

However, he said he did not think that it was necessary to concentrate
on these questions, because European cooperation in the future would
be cooperation between democracies trying to expand freedom to move,
to trade, and to exchange ideas.

The president said that globalization did not leave the option of
living in seclusion, and it would find ways of punishing those that
would decide to build walls against democracy. According to Adamkus,
non-democratic states would be forced to face globalization challenges
alone.

After admitting that sometimes it is difficult to balance interests
with values (although it was necessary to make sure that they were not
contradicting one another), Adamkus said that today it was necessary to
agree on an ambitious agenda – the East European neighbourhood vision.

“Vision that would obligate us to create united and free Europe,
which would be united by economic integration and common values. I
believe that your determination, good will, and effort will help us
achieve that,” Adamkus said, in addressing intellectuals.

Representatives from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia,
the United States, Latvia, Poland, Lithuania, Moldova, Russia, and
Ukraine are participating in the Intellectuals Forum, which is being
held in Vilnius on Wednesday. They are discussing democratic changes
of recent years and their future prospects in the Eastern Europe.

LARGE FRAGMENTS OF A-320 PLANE FOUND AT BLACK SEA BOTTOM

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 22:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Large fragments of A-320 plane are found at Black
Sea bottom by means of a deep-water device. “The device is controlled
from the board of Captain Beklemischev ship. Exact coordinates will
be determined within a few hours and deep-water special equipment
will be delivered to that place,” said a participant of the search
operation. In his words, all objects found are identified as A-320
fragments. “It is not ruled out that exactly in those parts of
the crashed plane flight recorders are situated,” the source said,
reports RIA Novosti.

NKR PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER CONDOLES WITH FAMILIES AND RELATIVES OF VICTIMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.05.2006 02:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NKR Parliamentary Speaker Ashot Gulyan condoled
families and relatives of victims of the crash of Armavia air company’s
A-320 airbus performing Yerevan-Sochi flight. “We got the news on the
catastrophe with deep sorrow. On behalf of the NKR Parliament and me
in person I condole with the families of the victims, wishing patience
and stable spirit,” the message of the NKR Speaker says. By a decree
of NKR President Arkady Ghoukassian May 5 is declared a mourning day
in Nagorno Karabakh.

ARMENIAN DRAM APPRECIATES BY 0.5% AGAINST US DOLLAR IN APRIL 2006 COMPARED WITH SAME MONTH OF 2005

Noyan Tapan
May 03 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. In parallel with a 0.3% price growth on
the Armenian consumer market in April on March 2006, the Armenian drams
appreciated 0.2% against the US dollar. According to the RA National
Statistical Service, the increase in consumer prices and the settlement
exchange rate of the Armenian dram made 3.1% and 0.1% respectively
in April 2006 on December 2005. During the same period of last year,
a 7.9% decline in the exchange rate was registered along with a 2.8%
growth in consumer prices. The average settlement exchange rate of the
Armenian dram against the US dollar made 449.99 drams in April 2006,
which exceeds the respective index of last year by 0.5% (447.89 drams).

TBILISI IS STILL TAKING POKES AT RUSSIA
by Viktor Ruchkin

Source: Krasnaya zvezda, April 28, 2006, p. 1
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
May 3, 2006 Wednesday

RUSSIAN ARMY HAS PROBLEMS CONCERNING SAFE WITHDRAWAL OF THEIR TROOPS
AND AMMUNITION FROM GEORGIA; Tbilisi will not help Russia to withdraw
its army and military equipment from Georgia. Georgia Akhalkalakskiy
region citizens blocked the highway protesting against troops
withdrawal. Georgia Minister of Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili
remarked that Georgian authorities guarantee that no protest meetings
would be conducted by citizens against the base withdrawal from
Akhalkalaki. Georgia Minister of Foreign Affairs Gela Bezhuashvili
stated the other day that relationships between Russia and Georgia
are far not of good neighbors.

It was clear from the very beginning that Tbilisi would not take care
of safe withdrawal of Russian army from Georgia. (…) Not much time
has passed until this was proved.

Last Wednesday tens of Georgia Akhalkalakskiy region citizens blocked
the highway and made it impossible for communication troops cars,
belonging to Russian 62nd military base, to go to Armenia. That
was the way they voiced their protest against withdrawal of Russian
troops. Most of the citizens served at the Russian military base,
and now they will have no means of living. As is known, the group
of local citizens had a meeting with the base command and told them,
that until Georgia solves all the existent problems, namely the problem
of the safe life of the Armenians living in the region and employing
them, they would not allow Russian military equipment and ammunition
to leave the region. “If necessary, we will make all citizens of
Samtskhe-Dzhavakheti region take part in this action of protest”,
stressed the people.

The base command appealed to the local police command and Ministry of
Internal Affairs with a request to take care of the safe withdrawal
of military equipment. However, Georgian authorities refused to take
any measures saying this was not their responsibility. Moreover,
Georgia Minister of Internal Affairs Vano Merabishvili stated, that
the Russian side would be responsible for any problems or difficulties
when withdrawing the bases. Only after Russian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs reminded Georgia about its responsibilities according to the
signed agreement and expressed hope about Georgian authorities taking
measures in Akhalkalaki, Tbilisi agreed to act accordingly.

Namely, Vano Merabishvili remarked that Georgian authorities guarantee
that no protest meetings would be conducted by citizens against the
base withdrawal from Akhalkalaki. He is also convinced that in every
region there would be people capable of performing such actions for
destabilization of Georgia. As for the named above incident, he said
that about 20-25 people were making that performance for Russian TV
channels in Akhalkalaki as a protest against withdrawal of military
equipment from the base. The “actors” of that performance are citizens
serving at the Russian base in Akhalkalaki, and Vano Merabishvili
wants to believe that Moscow have nothing to do with this performance.

It goes without saying that Tbilisi sees Moscow in everything that
causes policy development problems for Georgia. Georgia Minister
of Foreign Affairs Gela Bezhuashvili stated the other day that
relationships between Russia and Georgia are far not of good
neighbors. It is possible to understand from his words that it is
Moscow who is to be blamed for it. When he was characterizing the
situation in Abkhazia and South Ossetia he said: “We have a number of
facts proving that Russia follows the policy of annexation concerning
Georgia”. However, the head of Georgia Foreign Policy Department
didn’t mention any of those facts, but took pokes at Russia.

AZERBAIJAN: FOUR PEOPLE MORE ARE JUDGED FOR BETRAYAL OF MOTHERLAND

Source: Information agency “Turan” (Baku), April 28, 2006
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
May 3, 2006 Wednesday

In the grave crimes Court under the chairmanship of Gadim Babaev
private session of the court on the case of four military people
accused on the basis of Article 274 (Motherland betrayal) and 338.1
(infringement of action post rules) has taken place. All the four
military are accused of giving Armenia secret information. Soldiers
of military service for a regular term Binali Mamedaliev (arrested in
October 2005), Shakhriar Ismailov, Shamkhal Agadzhamaliev and Parviz
Khabibov (arrested in 2006) served in Fizulinskiy region. During
their service time they were hooked by Armenians and worked for them.

The hearing of the case will take place on May, 4. As there it concerns
secret information, the case will be closed, and no information
is given about any mentioned facts. It is not the first case when
Azerbaijan soldiers are judged for cooperation with Armenians. Armed
Forces command has not yet given any explanation to the facts.

THEY SILENCE JOURNALISTS WITHOUT KILLING THEM

A1+
[05:39 pm] 02 May, 2006

“No one can suppress the truth for ever, but some people never stop
trying. It is journalists who pay the price” said Terry Davis on the
occasion of the 2006 World Press Freedom Day.

“Restrictions on freedom of expression are widespread, often violent
and sometimes lethal. In 2005 more than 150 journalists around the
world died carrying out their profession, and more than half of them
were murdered. Hundreds, if not thousands, have been deprived of their
freedom being either kidnapped or put in prison, and there are no
reliable statistics for those who have been threatened or persecuted.

As a rule, journalists in the 46 Council of Europe member states are
no longer tortured or killed, but that does not mean that they are
always free to do their work. The European Convention on Human Rights,
calling on public authorities to refrain from interfering with freedom
of expression, is frequently ignored. Some journalists may be silenced
through intimidation, others may be bought into compliance, but the
end result remains the same because democracy cannot properly function
without media which is genuinely free of governmental interference
and control.

A particularly insidious form of intimidation is the threat of
prosecution for libel. In fact, more than two thirds of the Council
of Europe member states maintain criminal sanctions for defamation,
and these laws are often used to stifle criticism. I call on all
Council of Europe member states to review their legislation, abolish
criminal provisions and prevent disproportionate damages in civil
cases against journalists. Progress in the protection of journalists
is the only credible way to mark the World Press Freedom Day. “

SERGE SARGSYAN TO LEAVE FOR MOSCOW TO FIND OUT CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE CRASH

Lragir.am
03 May 06

On May 3 President Robert Kocharyan held a consultation with the
prime minister, the ministers of defense and territorial management,
the Attorney General, the Police, the National Security Service and
the Department of Civil Aviation on the crash of the plane, flying
from Yerevan to Adler.

The head of the Department of Civil Aviation presented the details
of the crash.

The head of state instructed Serge Sargsyan, Defense Minister, Co-chair
of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Committee, to leave for
Russia to study the causes and circumstances of the crash on the spot,
informs the Press Office of RA President.

An intergovernmental committee will be set up, headed by the minister
of territorial management to deal with transportation of the bodies
and funeral.

The Attorney General reported that an action was suited.

The heads of the relevant agencies were instructed to report regularly
on the results of the investigation to the head of state.

Hellenic News of America
April 30 2006

Greek American Membership Organizations’ 2006 Policy Statement on
Compensation to Turkey’s Victims

Greek American Membership Organizations’ 2006 Policy Statement on
Compensation to Turkey’s Victims

WASHINGTON, DC– American Hellenic Institute president Gene Rossides
announced today that the major Greek American membership
organizations endorsed the 2006 policy statement on Compensation To
Turkey’s Victims. Prepared by the American Hellenic Institute, it is
part of the 2006 Greek American Policy Statements. The major
membership organizations are: the Order of AHEPA, the Hellenic
American National Council, the Cyprus Federation of America, the
Panepirotic Federation of America, the Pan-Macedonian Association of
America, the PanCretan Association of America, the Pan-Pontian
Federation of U.S.A. and Canada and the American Hellenic Institute.
The endorsed statement follows:

Compensation To Turkey’s Victims

We cite the compensation paid by the government of Germany to
holocaust victims and to the state of Israel and the government of
Japan to the victims of its actions in Asia before and during World
War II. We call on the U.S. government to press Turkey to pay
compensation:

* to the victims of Turkey’s illegal invasion of Cyprus of 1974;
* to the owners of property in Cyprus illegally taken, occupied and
used by the Turkish authorities and individuals since 1974;
* to the victims of the September 1955 Turkish pogrom against its
Greek citizens in Istanbul. The Turkish government at the time said
it would pay compensation to those victims but it has failed to do
so;
* to the victims of the Turkish genocide against the Pontian Greeks
in the 1920’s;
* to the victims of the Turkish massacre of the Greek and Armenian
populations of Smyrna (now Izmir) in 1922 under Kemal Ataturk’s
orders; and
* to the victims of Turkey’s Armenian Genocide in 1915.

Turkey, under threat of expulsion from the Council of Europe, finally
complied with the ruling of the European Court and paid the judgment
of the European Court of Human Rights which awarded $1.3 million in
damages to Titina Loizidou for the violation of her property rights
in the occupied area in connection with Turkey’s illegal invasion of
Cyprus in 1974 and its continuing illegal occupation. It demonstrates
that forceful action regarding Turkey will bring results. We call for
payments to all similarly situated Greek Cypriots and other owners of
property in the occupied area, including American owners.

###

For additional information, please contact Georgia Economou at (202)
785-8430 or at [email protected]. For general information about
the activities of AHI, please see our website at

RIA Novosti. Russia
April 28 2006

Suspect in Armenian student killing released from custody
17:27 | 28/ 04/ 2006

MOSCOW, April 28 (RIA Novosti) – A high school student detained in
connection with the killing of an Armenian teenager in Moscow last
weekend has been released from custody, a lawyer for the student’s
family said.

Sixteen-year-old Denis Kulagin had been detained for 72 hours in
connection with the fatal stabbing of Vagan Abramyants, a 17-year-old
student at a Moscow manager training institute, at Pushkinskaya metro
station in downtown Moscow on April 22.

But his attorney Simon Tsaturyan said, “Prosecutors found no grounds
to charge [the suspect], so he was released.”

However, he added the status of his client remained unclear, as
investigators had to establish whether he was a witness or suspect.
The lawyer, though, said the dropping of charges showed that
prosecutors were inclined to probe further into a race-hate version.

The other version under consideration was that a row had broken out
between the two young men over a girlfriend.

“Our version that the crime was racially motivated has taken the
upper hand,” the lawyer said, adding that prosecutors were pursuing
another line that a group of young men had carried out the fatal
attack.

“Whether Kulagin was a suspect or an eyewitness is a question that
investigation will have to answer,” the lawyer said.