Author: Frangulian Shushan

QARVATCHAR INHABITANTS: THEY LEFT HOMES AT THE OTHER SIDE OF MRAV MOUNTAIN

Azg/arm
13 Jan 05

Ashghen Safarian, 82, has left 7 decades of her life together with a
newly built house and an orchard at Getashen. If it were possible she
would go toher house this summer, she misses it very much.

“The Turks (Azeris) entered the village on May 6 of 1991 and forced
all of us out. Turks now live in my two-storied house. I left
everything and fled with a bag. I want to go to my home this
summer. What can a Turk do to me”, Mrs. Ashghen says.

The Soviet army and the Azeri militia scattered the population of the
Armenian village in few days. Yeghish Markosian, 67, led his fellow
villagers out through woods and hills at the risk of being killed. He
was wounded twice.

“People of Getashen scattered as the sheep scatter when a wolf appears
amid them. There is no other village like ours in Karabakh. I cannot
forget it a second”, uncle Yeghish says.

Now this man of hoarse voice is planting trees in Qarvatchar with his
sons and 40 other families from Getashen. He says that he came here to
guard the border.

“I came out Getashen with my three sons and settled in Karmir. But we
couldn’ t make living there. Samvel Babayan (former defense minister
of Karabakh) heard that 40 families from Getashen want to come to
Karabakh and sent a man to call us. We came and liked it here. I
brought 10 other families with me, they settled in one of the
neighboring villages of Qarvatchar and renamed it into Nor (new)
Getashen”, Yeghish says.

Inhabitants of Qarvatchar

Vasili Nalbandian is the head of Shahumian region administration in
Karabakh. He says that his ancestors and his home were from the other
side of Omar and Mrav mountains. There are more than hundred families
who left their homes in Azerbaijan or in the north of Karabakh.

“Former residents of Shahumian, Getashen, Gardman (Northern Artsakh),
Baku and Sumgait are those who live today in Shahumian region. The
region of Qarvatchar was renamed into Shahumian because its first
residents were those from Shahumian”, Nalbandian says.

Tigran Gevorgian lost his home in Buzlugh and now lives in Nor Brajur
village of Shahumian region with his family. “I left my native Buzlugh
at the age of 8. I don’t remember much of our village”, Tigran says.

Brajur was one of tens of Armenian villages Ghanlar region. Armenians
of the village were also forced out from their homes. Having settled
in Qarvatchar, they founded the village of Nor Brajur. “We were 5 in
our family on coming here. Now there are two more members; my brother
got married and his child was born here”, Tigran says.

Almost all villages of Qarvatchar bear the names of Armenian villages
of Shahumian, Ghanlar and Getashen regions that were cleared off
Armenian population. Despite all difficulties, people are slowly
getting used to the conditions. What unites 82-year-old Mrs. Ashghen,
uncle Yeghish and Tigran is the fact that they all left homes and
orchards on the other side of Mrav and Omar mountains.

Heydar Aliyev inhabited Azeris at the houses taken from the Armenians

The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) expressed concern over the
fact that “the Azeri refugees and inner resellers take over
possessions belonging to Armenians and other ethnic minorities”.

“The Council advises Azerbaijan to take appropriate measures and to
compensate or to provide the Armenians and other minorities, whose
possessions were illegally taken over, with alternative lodging”, the
November 26 UN ECOSOC report reads.

Azerbaijan implements state policy of inhabiting the occupied Armenian
villages. In September of 2002 the late Azeri president, Heydar
Aliyev, took part in a ceremony of inhabiting 1000 Azeri families in
Shahumian and Upper Shen Armenian villages. The villages were renamed
after the ceremony. Bakuâ=80=99s Ekho newspaper wrote about this event
on September 10 and 14 of 2002.

Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund allocated $18 million for the inhabitation
expenses in 2001.

Nagorno Karabakh authorities control Qarvatchar

Qarvatchar is being populated spontaneously. The claims of official
Yerevan and Stepanakert that there is no state policy of inhabiting
the liberated territories unfortunately correspond to the reality. If
Azerbaijan has already inhabited 80 thousand houses with its citizens
then Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh do not hasten to inhabit Qarvatchar
and other regions.

If there were only few hundreds of families inhabited in Qarvatchar
during last 5 years, then Heydar Aliyev inhabited 1000 families in a
day.

To say that the authorities have formed a new region Shahumian by name
will mean to praise them. Karabakh authorities have only maintained
post factum supervision over Qarvatchar to avoid possible undesirable
situation.

to be continued
By Tatoul Hakobian

ArmenPress
Jan 11 2005

ARMENIAN-POPULATED REGIONS OF GEORGIA HAVE SCANTY BUDGETS

AKHALKALAKI, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS: The local budgets of two
Armenian populated regions in southern Georgia-Akhalkalaki and
Ninotsminda- make 3.6 million and 2.6 million laris respectively (one
Georgian lari is equal to $0.57). According to a local A-Info news
agency, the peculiarity of local budgets is that they are formed by
state subsidies and the legislation prohibits increasing their
revenues through other sources.
The state subsidies are enough only to pay pensions and public
sector wages and no money is left for school or roads repair. Thus,
only 100,000 laris are earmarked for health issues in Akhalkalaki,
while the money stipulated for road building is enough to cover with
asphalt a 100-meter long section.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Jan 11 2005

RA President congratulates Viktor Yushenko with election on the
position of the President of Ukraine

Catholicos of All Armenian receives Bulgarian Minister of Science and
Education

Plane of Armavia Airlines performing the flight from Yerevan in
Rostov on don was forced to return in Yerevan

Fifth round of negotiations between Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministers on Karabakh settlement held in Prague

Monitoring of NKR and Azerbaijani Armed Forces contact zone reveals
no violations of the ceasefire regime

Robert Kocharian: `We cannot encourage creation of privileged
conditions for anyone’

Russia will be a mediator in settlement of Karabakh conflict and
relations between Turkey and Armenia – V. Putin

RA Ministry of Science and Education receives the Minister of Culture
and Science of Bulgaria

Armenia to send humanitarian aid to Sri-Lanka population affected by
tsunami disaster

*********************************************************************

RA PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES VIKTOR YUSHENKO WITH ELECTION ON THE
POSITION OF THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharian
congratulated Viktor Yushenko with election on the position of the
President of Ukraine, President’s press office told ARKA. Kocharian
expressed confidence that historic relations between Armenian and
Ukrainian people will continue successful development and deepening
for the welfare of the two countries. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

CATHOLICOS OF ALL ARMENIAN RECEIVES BULGARIAN MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND
EDUCATION

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenian Garegin II
received Bulgarian Minister of Science and Education Igor Damianov,
St.Echmiadzin press office told ARKA. Garegin II noted expanding
relations between the countries, which are the `reflections of
century-long friendship of two Christian people’. He expressed
gratitude to Bulgarian authorities for tender attitude to Armenian
population of the republic.
RA Minister of Science and Education Sergo Yeritsian and Bulgarian
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Stephan
Dimitrov also took part in the meeting. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

PLANE OF ARMAVIA AIRLINES PERFORMING THE FLIGHT FROM YEREVAN IN
ROSTOV ON DON WAS FORCED TO RETURN IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. Plane of Armavia Airlines performing the
flight from Yerevan in Rostov on don was forced to return in Yerevan,
Armavia press service told ARKA. The decision was made after airport
of Rostov refused to accept the plant due to damage on landing strip.
L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

FIFTH ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN
MINISTERS ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT HELD IN PRAGUE

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. The fifth round of negotiations between
Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers Vardan Oskanian and Elmar
Mamedyarov on Karabakh settlement was held in Prague with
participation of Co-Chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group (MG). As Armenian
Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department told ARKA, earlier
both Ministers arrived in Prague by invitation of OSCE MG. As it is
stated in the press release, this is the first meeting of a similar
kind after some time break in the Prague negotiations. During the
meeting the Ministers discussed the issues related to possibilities
of settlement of the Karabakh conflict on the bases of common
approaches achieved during the previous stage of the negotiations.
Also, the Ministers had separate meetings with the Co-Chairmen of the
OSCE MG. Today in the late evening Oskanian returned to Yerevan.
To mention, the Foreign Ministers held four meetings around the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. On the last meeting of
the Ministers on Aug 30, the sides achieved agreement around future
meeting with the Co-Chairmen on Oct 25, 2004, however later the
meeting was postponed. As Oskanian stated earlier, all negotiations
concerning the process were suspended as the sides were expecting new
instructions from the Heads of two States around continuation of the
negotiating process. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

MONITORING OF NKR AND AZERBAIJANI ARMED FORCES CONTACT ZONE REVEALS
NO VIOLATIONS OF THE CEASEFIRE REGIME

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. The regular monitoring of the Nagorno
Karabakh and Azerbaijani Armed Forces contact zone near the
settlement of Marzili revealed no cases of violation of the ceasefire
regime. As NKR Foreign Ministry Press Service told ARKA, the
monitoring from the NKR territory was implemented by Coordinator of
the OSCE Tbilisi Office Lieutenant Colonel Imre Palatinusz (Hungary).
The Monitoring Group included Field Assistant of Personal
Representative of the OSCE Acting Chairman Alexander Samarsky
(Ukraine).
The monitoring was held as per the established schedule and no cases
of violation of the ceasefire regime were recorded.
The monitoring mission from the NKR side was accompanied by
representatives of the NKR Defense and Foreign Ministry. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: `WE CANNOT ENCOURAGE CREATION OF PRIVILEGED
CONDITIONS FOR ANYONE’

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. `It is necessary to conduct equal and
fair approach to economic subjects in realization of tax
administration’, RA President Robert Kocharian stated during the
meeting with the administration of RA State Tax Service. According to
the President, any exception will damage the whole process. `If you
start gathering taxes form yourself, your friends and relatives, I’m
sure you will not allow others stay away of tax field. Our attention
will be concentrated on this’, Kocharian said.
He stressed the necessity of easing the methodology of conduction of
tax inspections and paid attention of principle of conduction of
inspections on the base of results of researches. `Organization of
inspections should be realized on the base of data analysis, which
will increase their productivity. Researches of control service at RA
President’s show that there are companies where the inspections have
not been conducted for years and there are structures where the
inspections are made several times a year’, Kocharian said.
The President also paid attention to use of additional methods during
checking the reliability of reports of businessmen paying simplified
tax and fixed payments and improvement of mechanisms of control over
activity of tax inspectors and increase of demands to quality of
their work.
Kocharian stressed the necessity of increase the level of
transparency and publicity of process of settlement of all mentioned
problems. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

RUSSIA WILL BE A MEDIATOR IN SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT AND
RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA – V. PUTIN

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. Russia will be a mediator in settlement
of Karabakh conflict and relations between Turkey and Armenia, RF
President Vladimir Putin stated during the meeting with
representatives of Turkish business circles in Moscow.
Answering the question of Turkish mass media, Putin said that during
the meeting the parties did not discuss Karabakh conflict.
Both parties expressed desire to establish friendly relations between
neighbors.
`Russia in its turn will make everything to settle conflicts in post
Soviet area, including Karabakh conflict’, Putin said and added, `But
we will do it as a mediator and guarantor of agreements that will be
achieved between the parties of the conflict’.
Turkish PM in his turn spoke for future establishment of relations
with Armenia.
He reminded that Turkey already opened Istanbul airport for flights
from Armenia. Land border is not opened yet, but its opening will
depend on process of negotiations, he added.
Prime Minister stressed that Turkey is interested in development of
relations with Armenia. L.D. –0–

*********************************************************************

RA MINISTRY OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION RECEIVES THE MINISTER OF CULTURE
AND SCIENCE OF BULGARIA

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. RA Ministry of Science and Education
Sergo Yeritsyan received a delegation headed by Igor Demyanov, the
Minister of Culture and Science of Bulgaria. The delegation has been
to Armenia with an official visit since January 9-12. According to RA
Ministry of Science and Education Press Service Department, this is
the first official visit on the part of the Ministers of Bulgaria to
Armenia.
During the meeting Yeritsyan introduced reforms in the sphere of
education introduced in Armenia to guests. The Ministers of the two
countries discussed the program on cooperation in the sphere of
science and culture signed by the two countries in 2003, as well as
aspects of cooperation that can be implemented in the nearest future.
According to the parties, the cooperation may have an impact on both
the sphere of education and science. It’s supposed that a
corresponding protocol will be signed issuing from the results of the
visit.
In the course of the visit, the delegation will meet professors and
teachers as well as students of some Universities and will be
introduced cultural and historical values of Armenia.
RA and Bulgarian Governments began cooperation in 1994. A program on
cooperation between the two countries for 2003-2006 in the field of
science and culture was signed in the framework of the above
mentioned agreement during the official visit of RA President
Kocharyan to Bulgaria on September 8 2003. A.H.-0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIA TO SEND HUMANITARIAN AID TO SRI-LANKA POPULATION AFFECTED BY
TSUNAMI DISASTER

YEREVAN, January 11. /ARKA/. Armenia will send humanitarian aid to
the population of Sri-Lanka affected by tsunami disaster, as stated
Armen Bayburtyan, the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia. According
to him, it is planned to send tents and mobile energy generators to
the total sum of AMD 15 mln (about $30 thou), as well as antibiotics
and pain-relieving medicine of AMD 10 mln (about $20 thou). He also
said that it is also planned to send aid to Indonesia as well. In
addition, according to Bayburtyan, Armenian Church of Calcutta
pledged $210 thou to the Indian Government. Also, 10 citizens of
India can pass a treatment course by request in the Rehabilitation
Centre of the Armenian Red Cross. L.V. – 0–

ArmenPress
Jan 6 2005

AZERI, ARMENIAN FMs TO MEET IN PRAGUE JANUARY 11

BAKU, JANUARY 6, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijan’s deputy foreign minister
Araz Azimov told a local ATV channel that foreign ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan, Vartan Oskanian and Elmar Mamedyarov have
agreed to hold another meeting in Prague on January 11 in an effort
to continue exploring ways for ending the dispute over Nagorno
Karabagh.
Azimov said the OSCE Minsk group cochairmen from Russia, France
and USA will also participate in the meeting, which, according to
him, will discuss the so-called stage-by-stage conflict resolution
option.
Late last month Azeri foreign minister said Baku expects
considerable progress from the next meeting of Azerbaijani and
Armenian foreign ministers.
“If Armenia continues to approach the issue as seriously, as it
did during the two previous meetings in Sofia and Brussels of foreign
ministers, the conflict settlement process would mark remarkable
changes,” he said.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Officer

Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

Television broadcast of Christmas Mass via satellite from Antelias – January
6th, 2005

Antelias, Lebanon – The Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation International
(LBCI) will broadcast via satellite the Christmas Mass presided over by His
Holiness Aram I, from St. Gregory the Illuminator Cathedral in Antelias,
on.-

– Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 10:00 am (local time).

– United States of America Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 6:00 or
7:00 pm.

– Australia Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 9:00 pm.

– Europe Thursday 6 January 2005, beginning from 9:00 am (live broadcast).

##

The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the history and
the mission of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician Catholicosate, the
administrative center of the church is located in Antelias, Lebanon.

Those who crave caviar no longer have to go wild

By Emily Schwab, Globe Correspondent  |  December 29, 2004

Caviar has been the ultimate in luxurious eating since the
1400s. Rabelais, an influential French writer of the time, proclaimed
caviar the finest in hors d’oeuvres. Russian nobility no doubt dined
on the sturgeon eggs, since most of the sturgeon whose roe was used
live in the Caspian and Black seas. As a result, finicky diners will
insist on eating only the eggs from Caspian Sea sturgeon. But, much to
their dismay, eggs from North Pacific salmon and North American
sturgeon are also referred to as caviar.

Regardless of provenance, these salted fish eggs are served — in
their purest form — on a bed of ice and scooped right from the tin
with a tiny, nonmetallic spoon onto a toast point or blini (a
miniature buckwheat pancake). Often the spoons are made of ivory or
bone, both more time-consuming to craft than metal and therefore just
as luxurious as the fish roe. This accouterment just adds to caviar’s
elite image, and so does its association with Champagne. When it’s
time to celebrate, pop the corks and pass the caviar.

Most of the celebratory caviar this year, however, will not come from
the Caspian Sea. In the past year, the giants of the caviar
importation business in this country have by and large made the switch
to — gasp — farm-raised caviar or no caviar at all. Many caviar
lovers are turning to the farm-raised Sterling caviar from California,
as environmental conditions and overfishing threaten the Northern
Caspian, which is controlled by the former Soviet Union. Some caviar
importers will still use fish eggs from the southern,
Iranian-controlled areas, which tend to have fewer problems with
keeping the fish healthy and populated. Recently, Norwood-based
Boyajian Inc. stopped selling caviar entirely; because of the “severe
depletion of the sturgeon population and natural habitat,” reads their
website, they are withdrawing from the industry until conditions
improve in the Caspian.

Sterling Caviar has been raising American white sturgeon on its Stolt
Sea Farm in California for more than 15 years. Some areas of the
country carry both wild and farm-raised Sterling caviar (the
farm-raised costs $50 for one ounce or $90 for two at Whole
Foods). Farm-raised caviar is comparable to wild varieties; Sterling’s
Royal caviar is described as having a flavor similar to the osetra
caviar of the Caspian Sea. As for serving, true caviar lovers eat it
straight up — that is, without chopped onion, eggs, lemon juice, or
sour cream.

David Pilat of Ocean Trust, an ocean-conservation foundation, says
that although some consumers will always be wild-caviar purists,
others will buy more caviar if they know their fish eggs are
farm-raised and therefore sustainable. The savvy connoisseur can now
entertain guilt-free. 

© Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.

RUSSIA TO ALWAYS BE IN CAUCASUS: RUSSIA’S AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 24. ARMINFO. Russia has been, is and will be in
the Caucasus, says Russia’s Ambassador to Armenia Anatoly Dryukov.

The US activity in the South Caucasus is not a secret. The last NATO
Istanbul Summit declared that South Caucasus and Central Asia are
priority regions for NATO and its members. This is a big paradox –
the moment Russia starts asserting its interests in the post-Soviet
area the West begins to cry that this is neo-imperialism even though
Russia belongs to this region. While the interests of the countries
situated thousands km away are taken absolutely calmly.

“Russia is a Caucasian state and nobody will manage to drive it
northward of the Caucasian Mountains,” says Dryukov.

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF RUSSIA MEET

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 23. ARMINFO. Thursday, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan and Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Razov and
Assistance to the President for Education and Science Jakhan Poliyeva
discussed issues of reforms of CIS. The decision on the reforms was
made in September, 2004 in the course of CIS Summit in Astana, the
press-service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry informs ARMINFO. In
conformity with the decision, CIS signatories were instructed to
submit their notifications to Chairman of the CIS Council of FMs.

To fulfill the instructions, the Armenian Foreign Ministry directed
a package of the proposals presented by Kazakhstan to the Armenian
Government requesting introduction with the opinion of the ministries
interested, In the course of the inter-department discussion at the
Armenian Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry, the Ministry for
Finance and Economy, Defense Ministry, National Security Service
and the National Statistical Committee agreed with the proposals
of Kazakhstan. Armenian Police came out against the above proposals
pointing out that dissolution of the Council of CIS Interior Ministers
will considerab ly complicate the struggle against organized crime
in the CIS area. Permanent Plenipotentiary Representative of Armenia
in the legislative and other bodies of CIS, Armenian Ambassador to
Belarus Suren Haroutiunyan also expressed his opinion on the proposals
of Kazakhstan. The project of notifications of Armenia on the proposals
of Kazakhstan has been submitted to Armenian President.

In his turn, Armenian President instructed that the points related
to the insitution of permanent representatives in the CIS Economic
Court and Economic Council be amended. Then, notifications of
Armenia regarding Kazakhstan’s proposals were submitted to Chairman
of CIS Council of Foreign Ministers, Foreign Minister of Russia
Sergey Lavrov. In January of 2005, the Russian party will sum up
the opinions of the states and will present relevant information
to CIS signatory-states. In the course of his visit to CIS, Sergey
Razov will propose forming a task group on reforms of CIS, which
will include in it experts working under leadership of CIS Deputy
Foreign Ministers. Should need arise, the group will convene several
sessions in order that a final document be submitted to the session
of CIS Foreign Ministers planned for March of 2005 in Minsk, which,
in its turn, will submit a draft of the relevant document to the
session of CIS Leaders in August, 2005 in Kazan.

Nathan overcomes adversity for ‘miracle’ score

North Shore Times (Wed) (Australia)
December 22, 2004 Wednesday

KNOX graduate Nathan Kemp has suffered from chronic fatigue for the
past two years but that didn’t stop him from topping the state
in visual arts, achieving Band 6 results in all but one subject,
and scoring a UAI of 97.75. “I can’t believe it, it’s a miracle,”
the excited Turramurra resident told the North Shore Times.

“I am so, so happy.

“I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue in Year 11 and the doctors said
I had to stop school and rest, so I completed my HSC over two years.

“The teachers were really supportive and they helped me a lot.” Nancy
Khederlarian came first in the state for Armenian Continuers, which
she studied at the Saturday School of Community Languages at Chatswood
High School. “I was ecstatic,” the 18-year-old said.

“Armenia as a nation has had a very hard history, so I though it was
important to respect that and give something back by appreciating
the language.”

Nancy’s brothers, Mark, 10, and Michael, 5, were over the moon for
their big sister, giving her a great big hug after she was awarded
her prize.

“I think they were happier than I was,” she said.

ARKADI GHUKASIAN: ATTEMPTS TO ARTIFICALLY ISOLATE KARABAKH SIDE FROM
NEGOTIATION PROCESS ARE MADE

STEPANAKERT, December 21 (Noyan Tapan). As before the efforts
of political leadership of Nagorno Karabakh Republic are aimed at
achievement of final peace settlement of the conflict with Azerbaijan
on the basis of principles completely reflecting the will of NKR
people. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian declared this during the
December 16 extended consultation of all branches of Nagorno Karabakh
power held in Stepanakert. The President regretted to say that “at
the current stage of the peace process proceeding under the aegis of
co-chairmanship of OSCE Minsk Group attempts to artificially isolate
the Karabakh side are made.” Meanwhile he gave assurance that the very
circumstance doesn’t permit to give a new impulse to the negotiations
capable of developing everything positive achieved during the previous
10 years with the efforts of the conflicting sides and international
mediation. “The ineffective position of Baku authorities in no way
willing to take into consideration not only the reality but also
the interests of world and regional states, including Azerbaijan’s
allies, in fact, led the negotiation process to a deadlock, the way
out of which is impossible without Karabakh’s participation in it as
an equal side,” Arkadi Ghukasian emphasized. According to him, the
way out of the crisis will be found and the efforts of co-chairmen
of OSCE Minsk Group will give noticeable positive results in case
of Azeri leadership’s good will and real willingness to settle the
conflict on the basis of reasonable compromises. According to the
Information-Analytical Department of NKR Foreign Ministry, Arkadi
Ghukasian confirmed the readiness of NKR leadership for negotiations,
including direct dialogue with the official Baku, for joint discussion
of all issues concerning perspectives of Nagorno Karabakh’s future
interrelations with Azerbaijan. “But the Baku authorities seem not
to have refused of nonsensical and suicidal intentions to solve
the problem by forcible methods, which compels us to continue
taking measures for strengthening the defence capacity of NKR,
rise of fighting efficiency of our army, which is the most reliable
guarantee of security of the state and Nagorno Karabakh people,”
Arkadi Ghukasian declared. The President especially mentioned that
in spite of non-settlement of the conflict and non-recognition of
Nagorno Karabakh Republic the authority of the republic as de facto
independent state is growing day by day. “This is mainly explained by
the fact that the Nagorno Karabakh people managed not only to defend
its liberty in the detructive war thrusted upon by Azerbaijan and to
overcome its grave consequences in a comparatively short term, but
also to lay rather firm foundation first of all at the legislative
level for building a really democratic state loyal to the values of
the modern civil society. In other words, we established a political
system in the country, which calls forth the respect of the progressive
international society,” Arkadi Ghukasian mentioned.