Author: Hunanian Jack

RA FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS WITH LEBANESE PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF
PARLIAMENT IN BEIRUT

BEIRUT, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Vartan Oskanian who is
on a three-day visit in Beirut, met with Emil Lahud, the President of
the Republic of Lebanon on July 1. Passing RA President Robert
Kocharian’s greetings, Vartan Oskanian mentioned that Armenia followed
the last months developments in friendly Lebanon with concern, and is
happy that stability is re-established in the country in what
President Emil Lahud’s personal efforts were also decisive. As for the
Armenia-Lebanon interstate relations, the Minister mentioned that
during the last years, the existing political cooperation of a high
level is summed up by the mutual interest of business circles as well,
owing to what Lebanese investments in Armenia are significantly
increased in separate spheres, particularly in small and middle
business. Then the parties exchange opinions around a number of
international and regional issues of mutual interest. Minister
Oskanian briefly presented the present negotiation process,
developments and prospects of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict as well as the state of the Armenian-Turkish relations and
approaches of Armenia in the sense of their settlement. Visiting the
Parliament of lebanon, V.Oskanian congratulated Nabih Berri, on the
occasion of having been re-elected for the honorary post of the
Chairman of the Parliament. Mutual satisfaction was expressed with the
process of the Armenian-Lebanese interparliamentary cooperation
founded in 1993, which has been of continuable character: mutual
visits of the Chairmen of the Parliaments took place, Deputy Groups
for Interparliamentary Friendship were created. Issues connected with
strengthening of practical ties between the Parliaments, activization
of mutual visits in future were discussed. In that sense, Nabih Berri
attached importance to the role of the Lebanese Parliament MPs of the
Armenian origin, mentioning that, in general, the influnceable
Armenian community of Lebanon is a tying bridge between the two
countries. At the 2005 last p! arliamentary elections, 6 delegates of
the Armenian community, who represent the ARF (2 mandates), Liberal
Democratic Party and Social-Democratic “Hunchak” Party as well as AGBU
and the Catholic community, received deputy mandates. As Noyan Tapan
was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and Information
Department, on the same day, V.Oskanian visited Aram I, Catholicos of
the Great House of Cilicia. Opinions were exchanged around issues
concerning the Armenians in the present world, around the Armenia-
Diaspora relations and prospects of the development of Armenia. His
Holiness presented his viewpoints and interpretations about the
developments of Lebanon. V.Oskanian informed Aram I about the present
social-economic state of Armenia, main directions of the foreign
policy of Armenia as well as the process of the settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. In the evening, a solemn ceremony dedicated
to the 50th anniversary of the Haykazian University was envisaged at
the BIEL Center of Beirut. The Haykazian educational institution was
founded in 1955, it acted as a college up to 1991. In 1992 the
institution was named Haykazian College University. In 1996, by a
decision of the Ministry of Culture and Higher Education of Lebanon it
was renamed Haykazian University. That is the only higher education
institution in the reality of the Diaspora. At present, the four
faculties of the University annually give 650 graduates with about 40
specializations. Meetings with of the Lebanese Armenian party and
union heads and a visit to Armenian-populated district of Aynchar were
envisaged for the next day. V.Oskanian’s visit is widely covered by
the Lebanese press.

Pan Armenian News

APRIL 24 COMMITTEE URGED DUTCH SENATE TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

02.07.2005 03:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ April 24 Committee for recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, which forms part of the Federation of Armenian Organizations of
the Netherlands, has submitted an application to the Senate on June 28,
which urges the Parliament upper chamber to express attitude to the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the course of World War I. The Dutch
House of Representatives has acknowledged the Armenian Genocide on December
21, 2004. The Government hailed the move as stated by Foreign minister
Bernard Bot. If the Senate adopts a statement on recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, the Government of the Netherlands will have an integrated stand
over the issue. The application also demands censuring Turkey’s denialist
policy. Europe should pay serious attention to the policy along with its
impact on the freedom of speech and national minority rights (as it is
known, these are part of the Copenhagen criteria), which should influence
the date of starting talks over Turkey’s accession to the EU, the document
authors are sure, Regnum news agency reported.

Azeri, Armenian ministers meet to discuss conflict settlement principles

Azadliq, Baku
26 Jun 05

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Azadliq on 26
June headlined “The Mammadyarov-Oskanyan duet is continuing” and
subheaded “The Azerbaijani and Armenian ministers meet”

The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, Elman Mammadyarov and
Vardan Oskanyan, held an informal meeting at the international
conference on Iraq in Brussels.

Mammadyarov told journalists that during the meeting which lasted for
several hours, they discussed the components of the Warsaw agreement
reached by the two countries’ presidents on the settlement of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. He said that in Warsaw, the presidents
defined principles of solving the conflict.

“There are similar views on two principles now,” he said. He believes
that the ministers may meet again before the presidents’ meeting
scheduled for mid-August in Kazan [Russia].

There are no details of these two principles yet. Some reports suggest
that Azerbaijan is about to refrain from the “stage-by-stage solution”
it has been insisting on during the peace negotiations. This is
especially stressed by Armenian diplomatic circles.

Georgia: Ethnic Armenians demand withdrawal of special troops after shooting

Prime-News news agency
26 Jun 05

TBILISI

Residents of Tsalka District [district in southern Georgia with a
large ethnic Armenian population] are demanding the withdrawal of a
Georgian special detachment from the area. Some 100 people are
currently demonstrating in the centre of Tsalka [town] against the
forces’ presence.

The protests have been prompted by an incident in the village of
Ulianovka involving members of the special detachment and a local
resident, (?Nazarbyan).

According to the Interior Ministry, Nazarbyan and his companions
attempted to sell arms to members of the special detachment. When the
latter to decided to search his car, Nazarbyan disobeyed their
instructions and tried to flee. The troops responded by firing on the
car, wounding Nazarbyan in the shoulder. He was later taken to
Hospital No 1 in Tbilisi.

Local residents reject the official version of the incident and are
calling for the withdrawal of the special detachment, which was
deployed in the area several months ago in an attempt to put an end to
incidents between local ethnic Armenians and Georgians, who have
settled in the area from other parts of the country.

ITAR-TASS, Russia
June 25 2005

Azerbaijan increases defence budget

BAKU, June 25 (Itar-Tass) — Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev said
his country has increased the defence budget because Russia is moving
military hardware from its base in Georgia to Armenia.

`It is true that this hardware is not handed over to Armenia but
remains at the disposal of the Russian base. But still it will be
transferred to Armenia, and this required us to take proper steps,
which we did by increasing defence expenditures in the budget,’ the
president said on Saturday as he addressed the graduates of the
Azerbaijani Higher Military School named after his father.

Aliyev said the increase in defence capabilities is necessary in
order to `resolve the Karabakh conflict’.

`We will use all diplomatic and political methods, but the adversary
must know that the Azerbaijani army can mobilise at any moment and
liberate the occupied territories,’ he said.

`We will not step aside from our position even by an inch,’ Aliyev
said, adding, ‘The biggest compromise Azerbaijan has made in the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict is that the country remains
committed to a peaceful settlement.’

FINAL SITTING OF STILL ACTING NKR NA FAILS BECAUSE OF ABSENCE OF
QUORUM

STEPANAKERT, JUNE 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The final sitting of NKR National
Assembly with the former staff was to be convened on June 22. But the
sitting failed because of absence of quorum. The convocation of the
final sitting was postponed for a week. According to the Liberty radio
station, there were members of ARF faction among those who were
absent. Their absence is conditioned by the incident connected with
former freedom-fighter Pavel Manukian, member of their party nominated
by the ARF Movement-88 bloc’s proportional list in the June 19
parliamentary elections. According to eye-witnesses, on June 21, at
about 2 pm, two servicemen took P.Manukian, holder of the “Combat
Cross” order of second degree, to city hospital. Manukian was beaten
and had injuries dangerous for his life. According to some
information, he was beaten at the Ministry of Defence. According to
the radio station, journalists are still prohibited to enter the
hospital but the victim’s relatives said that the doctors registered
concussion of the brain, now P.Manukian has regained consciousness and
is able to testify about the incident to the investigators of the
Prosecutor’s Office. Vahan Badasian, member of ARF faction, assured
that they will do their best “to solve the issue within the framework
of the law.” “The criminal must be found sooner or later,” the ARF
member said.

KurdishMedia, UK
June 23 2005

How should Turkey face genocide charges?

23/06/2005 Bianet.org – By Tolga Korkut

Academics urge the government prepare “facing the past” vis-a-vis
“Armenian Genocide” charges in the Ottoman Empire. Macar advises the
state give up denial, while Caglar points to the fact that Turkey
needs to consider international community.

BIA (Istanbul) – As Turkish leaders angrily rebuff the recent German
Parliament decision calling Turkey recognize `Armenian Genocide’ in
1915, political scientists Prof. Baskin Oran of the Ankara University
and Associate Prof. Elcin Macar of the Yildiz Technical University,
are of the opinion that German parliament’s is a political call,
which bears no legal obligation for the Turkish Republic.

According to Turkish academics the main question here is: What does
it mean for the Turkish Republic to take historic responsibility for
the 1915 Armenian expulsion.

However Prof Bakir Caglar of Istanbul University is of the opinion
that `recognition of genocide’ would bring in its wake certain `legal
responsibilities’ for Turkey.

Facing the past

Recalling refusals and threats by the government directed at
academics who urge for an open discussion of the issue, Turkey has to
stop preventing public discussions on the Armenian problem, Macar,
told bianet.

“The state has to give up claiming that such a thing never happened,
embracing this as the official argument, and being a side in the
discussion,’ said Macar. `If you are for leaving the issue to
historians, then you should really leave it to historians. You can’t
prevent discussions.’

`Saying that `we have opened the archives’ means `let us look into
the truth because we don’t know the truth.’ But the Turkish state is
continuing to act as if it knows the truth,’ said Macar.

The German parliament has made the following calls on the German
government:

* The German government should help the Turkish Grand National
Assembly, the
Turkish government and the Turkish society to face its past,

* It should help set up a commission of Turkish and Armenian
historians,

* It should have the archives, which were sent from Germany to
Turkey,
opened to public,

* It should demand that the canceled Armenian conference takes place,

* It should contribute to the normalization of relations between
Turkey and
Armenia.

Oran: How can members of the `deep state’ in 1915 be defended?

Baskin Oran of Ankara University argues that the `individuals, not
institutions or states, are responsible for the genocide.’

Oran underlined the fact that the Turkish Republic is the state which
demolished the Ottoman Empire: `The Turkish Republic has not taken
upon itself anything of the Ottoman Empire, except for the `Duyun-u
Umumiye, the public debt owed by the Empire to individuals. And it
was normal for the Republic to take that debt upon itself. For,
otherwise it would have remained outside the international system.’

`I don’t understand why the Republic of Turkey, who has crushed the
Ottoman Empire, is now coming into the defense of the `Teskilati
Mahsusa’ (Special Forces) henchmen of the `deep state’ of 1915, and
the deep state itself,’ said Oran. `The Republic of Turkey has no
legal responsibility.’

Apologizing

According to Elcin Macar, Turks may apologize for the deportation of
Armenians in 1915 and express that this was a mistake of their
ancestors.

`If Turkey apologizes, it would be in the form of: `We apologize for
what our ancestors have done,” said Macar.

According to Oran however, the state must first apologize to the
Turkish public.

`If the Republic of Turkey is going to apologize, it should first
apologize to the Turkish public,’ said Oran. `For having masked the
issue for all these decades, for not discussing it, and for banning
the discussions.’

International law issues

According to Prof. Bakir Caglar of the Political Sciences Department
of Istanbul University, settling accounts with the past isn’t
something that can be done on one’s own. `This can only be possible
through means and groundwork of international law,’ said Caglar.

Caglar said in the face of increasing number of parliament decisions
across Europe the issue gains three dimensions in terms of
international law:

* The recognition of the genocide becoming a legal responsibility.

* The issue of insurance: The international companies that assumed
the insurances of Armenian property are still operational. The legal
procedure on the issue is continuing in the United States.

*Property in land: It is certain that real estate belonging to
Armenians were seized. This is a legal problem for Turkey. (TK)

BIA News Centre
21/06/2005

Pan Armenian News

NORWEGIAN SPEAKER ARRIVING IN ARMENIA TODAY

22.06.2005 03:59

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A Norwegian delegation headed by Parliamentary Speaker
Jorgen Kosmo will pay a visit to Armenia June 22-24 on the invitation of
Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia Artur Baghdassaryan. The
delegation will meet with A. Baghdassaryan, as well as the Vice-Speaker and
representatives of the standing commissions and factions of the Armenian
Parliament June 22. Besides, the Norwegian MPs will met with Armenian PM
Andranik Margarian and Deputy Minister of Defense Mikayel Harutyunian. June
23 the delegation will visit Holy Echmiadzin and the town of Spitak. June 24
a meeting with Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian is scheduled.

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER REPLACES DEPUTY MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL
AFFAIRS

YEREVAN, JUNE 22. ARMINFO. Armenian Prime Minister replaces Deputy
Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Yeghishi Nazaretyan by Artsruni
Aghajanyan, the governmental press-service informs ARMINFO.

Biographical reference: A.Aghajanyan was born in 1955 in Artik, In
1979 he graduated from Yerevan State University, economist. In
1986-1999 – Director of Garment Factory of Horom, chief economist,
head of the financial-economic department, deputy director for
financial issues, a member of the Elders Council of Artik. In
1999-2003 – Deputy of Armenian Parliament, a member of the
parliamentary standing commissions for social affairs, for health and
ecology, as well as for financial and credit, budgetary and economic
affairs. In 2003 he was appointed Deputy Minister, worked as Deputy
Governor of Shirak region. He is a member of Orinats Yerkir party,
married, has four children.

Permanent Mission of the Republic of Armenia
to the United Nations
119E 36th street, New York, NY 10016
Tel.: 1-212-686-9079
Fax: 1-212-686-3934
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:

June 20, 2005

PRESS RELEASE

Nagorno Karabagh successfully concluded its fourth parliamentary elections

On June 19, 2005, the fourth parliamentary elections were held in the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh (NKR) since 1991, when the Republic declared
its independence from Azerbaijan on the basis of a referendum conducted
according to the norms of international law and the existing legislation of
the time. Previous elections to the NKR legislative body were held in 1995
and 2000. About 100 observers from the Czech Republic, Greece, Iran, Russia,
the United Kingdom, the United States and other nations monitored the June
19 parliamentary elections.

Elections in Nagorno Karabakh are held with the intent to secure the
self-governance of the population living within its territory and strengthen
the democratic institutions, which is encouraged by the international
community at large.

In 1992, at the Helsinki CSCE Council of Ministers, the document that
mandated the Minsk Process, referred specifically to Nagorno Karabakh as a
side to negotiations, represented by their elected authorities. The Summary
of Conclusions of the Additional Meeting of the Council of Ministers reads:
“Elected and other representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh will be invited to
the [Minsk] Conference as interested parties by the Chairman of the
Conference after consultations with the States participating at the
Conference.”

Law and order are not just desirable, but also necessary for Nagorno
Karabakh, even if its final status is still undetermined. Popularly elected
authorities become an important factor in the negotiation process and in
implementing whatever agreements may be reached through negotiations. They
are also an expression of the people’s right to self-determination.

The 2005 Parliamentary elections in Nagorno Karabagh were the first held
under a new Electoral Code, which introduced numerous improvements to the
procedures in force during previous presidential, parliamentary and local
elections. Of the nine political parties in Nagorno Karabakh, eight
nominated candidates. Six of the parties ran separate party tickets, and two
parties established a common party ticket for the campaign. Women
constituted 8.5 percent of nominated candidates. Over 70 percent of 89,576
registered voters took part in the elections, exceeding the 25 percent
minimum requirement. Seven parties and 185 candidates were vying for places
in Nagorno Karabakh’s fourth parliament, with two thirds of the parliament’s
33 seats to be elected directly and on third under a proportional system.

The Public International Law and Policy Group Delegation to the June 19,
2005 Nagorno Karabakh Parliamentary Elections issued its preliminary report
concluded: “Nagorno Karabakh has made demonstrable progress in building
democracy and its authorities have made serious effort to conduct the 2005
polls by democratic means. The new electoral code in particular seemed to
have helped unlock the political energies of the Karabakh people while at
the same time channeling these energies in democratic directions by
facilitating the establishment of political parties. Districts appear to be
established on the basis of technical considerations rather than political
considerations. While there remains room for further improvement, there is
reason too for optimism that the people of Nagorno Karabakh can consolidate
the democratic progress witnessed in the June 19 elections.”

As reported by the Public International Law and Policy Group Delegation,
“The general climate at the polling places seemed to be positive and
businesslike. There was no evidence of intimidation or any climate of fear
or uncertainty on the part of voters.” In addition, it noted: “Electoral law
changes introduced by the Central Election Commission opened up the
democratic space for political parties. Competition in that arena adhered to
generally accepted international electoral standards. In their totality, the
evolution of the voting system toward a more democratic process, the nature
of the electoral campaign, and the conduct of voters and officials on
election day are strong signs that Nagorno Karabakh has made significant
progress towards establishing a functioning and we hope sustainable
democracy… We salute the voters, candidates and in particular the Central
Election Commission for demonstrating a serious commitment toward
establishing a democratic system in Nagorno Karabakh and working within its
rules and procedures before and during the election. The election
environment was calm and we have not received any reports of general
intimidation.”

The Public International Law and Policy Group Delegation was composed of
members with a balance of experience in international election monitoring,
democracy building and regional expertise. James Hooper, who led the
American Independent Monitoring Delegation to the 2002 presidential
elections, served with the US Department of State for more than 25 years,
where he followed elections in the Balkans and has subsequently held senior
positions in several nongovernmental organizations. Aleyda Kasten served at
Georgetown University for 20 years as deputy director of the National
Security Studies Program, administrator/researcher of the Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and executive director of the Albert B.
Sabin Vaccine Institute. Vladimir Matic, professor of international
relations at Clemson University and consultant to research institutes,
observed several elections including the 2002 presidential election with the
American Independent Monitoring Delegation and was an assistant foreign
minister in the former Yugoslavia. Louis Sell, a career diplomat and
currently adjunct professor at the University of Maine at Farmington,
previously served in the Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia and
participated in the 2002 presidential election with the American Independent
Monitoring Delegation. William Spencer, a career US diplomat for 14 years,
has organized and supported electoral processes in the Balkans and more
recently worked closely on human rights and democratization issues in
Afghanistan. Paul Williams, executive director and founder of the Public
International Law & Policy Group, has visited Nagorno Karabakh and is a
professor at American University’s School of International Service and
Washington College of Law.

End.