Author: Kalashian Nyrie

Vartanian faces preliminary hearing Sept. 1

The Fresno Bee
Wednesday, July 15, 2009

By Pablo Lopez

Lawyers for Fresno businessman Krikor "Kirk" Vartanian, who is facing
assault and domestic-violence charges, will have more than six weeks
to investigate the case before his preliminary hearing, a judge ruled
Wednesday.

Fresno County Superior Court Judge Arlan Harrell also ordered
prosecutors to turn over any evidence against Vartanian to his
attorneys, Daniel Bacon and David Balakian. Specifically, defense
lawyers want to view photographs of any injuries suffered by the
alleged victim — Vartanian’s wife, Natasha.

Harrell scheduled a Sept. 1 hearing to set a date for Vartanian’s
preliminary hearing. The preliminary hearing will be held to determine
whether there is enough evidence to try Vartanian on five felony
charges stemming from an alleged attack on his wife June 26.

After Wednesday’s hearing, Vartanian and his lawyers said they won’t
discuss the case until after their investigation is completed.

Vartanian, 40, was arrested while he was in the midst of revitalizing
the Granite Park development in central Fresno.

He spent nearly two weeks in jail before he posted $155,000 bail on
the felony charges. To be released and to resolve a warrant for his
arrest in Nevada, he also had to set up payment plan on $241,000 he
owes to two Nevada casinos.

Fresno police say Vartanian and a woman argued over a $135,000 watch
in a northeast Fresno home on June 26. He slapped her, threatened her
with a large kitchen knife, sat on her, and tried to suffocate her
with a pillow, police said.

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MADRID PRINCIPLES CONFIRM UNRESERVED DEFEAT OF ARMENIAN DIPLOMACY, IDHR STATES

NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 15, 2009
YEREVAN

The Institute for Democracy and Human Rights thinks that Madrid
principles on the Artsakh problem settlement confirm the unreserved
defeat of the Armenian diplomacy. Considering inadmissible the call of
the U.S., Russian and French Presidents in the July 10 joint statement
on quickly reaching a final agreement in connection with them, IDHR
considers more revolting the Armenian authorities’ defeatist and
unreasonable position on this occasion.

According to the IDHR, RA Foreign Minister E. Nalbandian’s July 11
statement confirms that the RA authorities are shamelessly ready to
yield Armenian state interests, the RA and NKR peoples’ rights for
safe life and development.

"We think in a similar circumstance that, to overcome the situation
with dignity, the RA authorities must state at least at the RA
President’s level that our state and people do not accept the
stated principles. It must be also unequivocally demanded that the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh is recognized a full and equal member
of the negotiations. It is inadmissable to sit at the negotiations
table on the occasion of the Artsakh problem, without satisfying
these conditions. The Armenian party has all the preconditions for
the victory from both legal and historic-cultural and military
viewpoints. And the compromises and defeats in the political
negotiations are provided only by diplomates’ and elite’s political
flabbinees and weakness," is stated in the IDHR July 14 statement.

If the present authorities of Armenia can not realize and carry out
the interests and fundamental rights of the state and the people,
then, according to the IDHR, they must quickly leave their positions
or must be removed from them. Moreover, it must be carried out at the
level of the RA President or government, but not the Foreign Minister.

The IDHR expresses its assistance to all those forces who expressed
resoluteness for keeping all the territories confirmed by the
Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh, recognition of the state
status of Artsakh or uniting with Armenia and are ready in this
direction. The IDHR also calls the authorities of the Republic of
Artsakh to express a principal position and reject Madrid principles
and exert pressure on the RA authorities on that occasion.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV MEETS BRITISH PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN

APA
July 13 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Within the framework of his visit to Great Britain,
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev had a meeting with British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown.

APA reports quoting AzerTAG State Agency that the British Prime
Minister congratulated the Azerbaijani President for the economic
successes achieved in the country. He noted that the cooperation with
Azerbaijan was successfully developing in various spheres, including
energy field.

Touching upon Azerbaijan’s participation in an anti-terror coalition,
Gordon Brown stated that Great Britain highly assessed Azerbaijan’s
activity in this direction.

Mr. Brown also congratulated President Aliyev for successes achieved
in the field of democracy and positively estimated the expansion of
relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union. He emphasized
that Great Britain would support Azerbaijan in different fields in
the international arena henceforth: "We are committed to expending the
relations with Azerbaijan in political, economic and other spheres".

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted that relations with Great
Britain in political, economic and other spheres were successfully
developing. Energy field is one of the most important directions
of the mutual relations. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and BP has
dynamically been developing for long years. There are good perspectives
for further development of other fields.

President Aliyev spoke about the successes achieved in economic field,
including energy and non-oil sector. According to him, Azerbaijan has
been integrating into the European family at an accelerated pace and
added that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union
stepped into a new stage from this point of view.

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh,
Ilham Aliyev stated that Armenia’s continuous aggression against
Azerbaijan created great obstacle to the regional development. The
head of state underlined that Azerbaijan actively participated in the
anti-terror coalition and made contributions to the maintenance of
regional and international security. The President also shared his
views on Azerbaijan’s role in the energy security of Europe.

The meeting also exchanged views on bilateral, regional and
international issues.

After the meeting, a MoU was signed between State Oil Company of
Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and BP Company of Great Britain. The
document was signed by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and Chief
Executive of BP Exploration & Production Andy Inglis.

JAMES STEINBERGE: "ARMENIAN-TURKISH RECONCILIATION PROCESS TO ADVANCE IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY OTHER PROCESS"

Noyan Tapan
July 13, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The United States of America has
always said that the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process must
advance irrespecetive of any other process, independently. U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State James Steiberge mentioned it at the press conference
held at the end of the July 10 meeting with President of Armenia
Serge Sargsian in Yerevan. "We are sure that the parties will move in
that direction as well, as it is driven by both parties’ interets to
advance in that direction, we will encourage that the process advances
independently, of course, we will welcome the parallel progress in
the Nagorno Karabakh settlement," he said.

In the high-ranking official’s words, the U.S. appreciates efforts
of Armenia to advance in the process having a historic meaning and
welcomes the steps which were taken to open a new chapter in the
history of the region.

Steiberge mentioned that there is a considerable progress in the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement within the framework of the OSCE
Minsk Group: "We impatiently wait for further steps in that direction,
particularly for the coming meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and
Aerbaijan in Moscow."

The American delegation, before coming to Yerevan, met with
President Aliyev in Baku: "Both parties have great desire to find
a joint solution based on Madrid principles, statement of the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairpersons and three Chairmen of the co-chairing
countries to fix a progress at Moscow meeting. We feel that there
is resoluteness to continue the progress, there is a constructive
approach," J. Steinberge said.

The American diplomate also welcame the Armenian authorities’
statement on the irreversible character of the process of deepening
the democratic reforms in Armenia. The U.S. also welcomes the Armenian
authorities’ decision to announce amnesty and encourages to countinue
that process. The U.S. is ready to assist the process of deepening
the democratic reforms, economic development of Armenia, realizing
that challenges of the time make the state of developing countries
like Armenia especially difficult.

Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian in his turn mentioned
that the United States, as one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing
countries, has serious contribution in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement. "We welcome the constructive efforts of the U.S. and
other co-chairing countries in the process of outcome of this pivotal
problem," he said. He mentioned that it was mentioned at the meeting
with the RA President that Armenia will continue making efforts
in the direction of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, based on self-determination of nations, the territorial
integrity and principles of non-use of force or non-use of threat of
force. It was mentioned relating to the Armenian-Turkish relations
that Armenia is ready to regulate relations and open the borders
without any preconditions: "We wait for practical steps by Turkey,"
E. Nalbandian said.

It was fixed at the meeting that the Armenian-American relations passed
an important way of development but there is a serious potential and
bilateral readiness for widening them, and "we shall take practical
steps in that direction," the Minister said. Different spheres of
the agenda on the Armenian-American relations, this is the political
dialogue, economic cooperation, programs of the United States of
America on assisting development of Armenia and their widening,
were touched upon during the meeting.

The Armenian Foreign Minister appreciated the OSCE Minsk Group U.S.,
French and Russian Chairpersons’ statement addressed to the co-chairing
countries, it is an additional assistance to the parties to make the
positions closer.

In his words, it is important that "what has been spoken about by
Armenia for a long time is unequivocally said here: the Karabakh status
must be defined by expression of the Karabakh people’s will which
must have a legal obliging power. It is important that uninterrupted
land communication between Armenia and Karabakh is spoken about,
it is important that security guarantees are spoken about. Those are
the important elements about which Armenia many times stated as the
most important basis for the Nagorno Karabakh problem settlement,"
Edward Nalbandian said.

ACCORDING TO THE RESOLUTION OF THE FORUM TAKEN PLACE IN STEPANAKERT ARMENIA AND TURKEY ARE COMMITTED TO ESTABLISH NATURAL RELATIONS AND THE FINAL REGULATION OF THE ARTSAKH ISSUE IS THE PEACEFUL NEGOTIATION WAY

ARMENPRESS
JULY 13, 2009
STEPANAKERT

The "Artsakh issue" and "Armenian-Turkish relations" forum held July
10-11 in Stepanakert has adopted a joint resolution. Presenting it the
member of Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau Aghvan Vardanian
noted: "The preservation of our Armenian identity, the future of two
Armenian states and our nations are dependent upon the development
and troubleshooting of our two agenda issues.

We are decisive through all the possible and impossible means to
protect our national and state interests and rights and to ensure
our self dependent and dignified place in the family of civilized
nations. We demand for self-confidence, realism and political will
from today’s and tomorrow’s Armenian and Nagorno Karabakh authorities
in these two fatal issues to be exclusively guided by the interests
of the Armenian nation and responsibility towards the generations,"
he said.

According to A. Vardanian based on these concepts, the forum has
recorded that as neighboring states Armenia and Turkey are finally
committed to establishment of natural relations.

"Armenian initiative to start a non-preconditioned diplomatic relations
and open the borders was already a compromise, an experience of a good
will towards Turkey. But by now within more than a year’s period Turkey
has not equivalently reacted to the unilateral readiness of Armenia,"
A. Vardanian said.

The member of ARF bureau noted that the present tendency of enforcing
rapid solutions to the Artsakh issue by the power centers of the
world is dangerous because with it they promote the process of
Armenian-Turkish relations in a way Turkey wishes.

According to A.Vardanian the forum has also recorded that the status
quo established in the region is a result of Azerbaijani policy of
forceful suppression of the right to self-determination of the Nagorno
Karabakh people, unleashing war and losing it.

"Artsakh not only could defend its right to live, but also
established a democratic state relevant to all the norms, which
consolidates and develops in its natural order. Today and tomorrow
Artsakh’s self-dependency and security are directly connected with
the dignity of Armenia and the Armenian community, its existence and
prospects. Some tendencies of rapid regulation of the issue and the
Azerbaijani warlike statements force us to permanently be watchful,
keep the issue under our national agenda and in case of necessity to
exclude the opportunity of unfair solution of the issue through all
Armenian powers," the resolution says.

"Thereby the forum finds that the final way of Karabakh conflict
regulation is the peaceful negotiation process, where the distorted
format should be changed and enable the NKR to perform as a full
party. In the negotiation process the fact of the self-determination
of Artsakh people should be adopted as a base and be guided by the
results of the 1991 referendum of independence and 2006 Constitution.

The negotiations must aim at giving a primary solution to the
Nagorno Karabakh independence and its security and must not bypass
the conquered Shahumian, Getashen, Martakert and Martuni sectors as
well as thousands of Armenians expatriated from Azerbaijan.

The forum regards the adoption of any international document without
a direct participation of the Nagorno Karabakh authorities as
condemnable, inadmissible and deprived of the legal force. The forum
has confirmed that through all the means Armenia must guarantee the
Nagorno Karabakh security and independence and achieve international
recognition of this status.

The participants of the two-day forum on the Artsakh issue and
Armenian-Turkish relations reconfirmed our unity and decisiveness in
the national-state issues.

"Independent Armenian Republic, free Artsakh, organized Diaspora
permanent rights of our nation are supreme values for us," the
resolution says.

ARMENIA WELCOMES STATEMENT BY OSCE MG CO-CHAIR-COUNTRIES

ArmInfo
2009-07-13 13:45:00

Armenia welcomes the statement by OSCE MG co-chair- countries, Foreign
Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan said at July 11 joint press-
conference with Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg.

‘I welcome the attention paid by OSCE MG co-chair-countries to the
conflict settlement. Their contribution to the conflict resolution
and rapprochement of the parties’ positions is great’, the Armenian
FM emphasized.

To recall, the presidents of France, USA and Russia made a joint
statement on Nagorno Karabakh, where they instructed their mediators
to present to the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan an updated
version of the Madrid Document of November 2007, the Co- Chairs
last articulation of the Basic Principles, as well as urged the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the few differences
remaining between them and finalize their agreement on these Basic
Principles, which will outline a comprehensive settlement. According to
E. Nalbandyan, the details of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
include the provisions on which the Armenian party insisted. He
said some details of the recently published Madrid Principles are
already discussed by the parties, and some of them are still to
be discussed. ‘The important points, which Armenia has been long
claiming about, are as follows: future determination of the final
legal status of Nagorno Karabakh through a legally binding expression
of will; a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno Karabakh; an interim
status for Nagorno Karabakh providing guarantees for security and
self-governance; and international security guarantees that would
include a peacekeeping operation.

"These are the elements Armenia has been multiply claiming about as
a basis for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement", E. Nalbandyan
emphasized and added that Armenia will keep on making efforts towards
peaceful settlement of the conflict based on the principles of the
peoples’ rights for self-determination, territorial integrity and non-
use of force.

Interfax, Russia
July 10 2009

Nagorno-Karabakh ready to defend its independence – Saakyan

STEPANAKERT July 10

Attempts made by the authorities in Baku to portray Nagorno-Karabakh
as part of Azerbaijan are unacceptable, said the president of the
self-proclaimed republic, Bako Saakyan.

"Our position has always been clear and remains unchanged: the
independence of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is a fact which cannot
be debated," Saakyan said in Stepanakert on Friday, addressing an
Armenian forum on Armenian-Turkish relations and the Karabakh problem.

The event involves more than 130 representatives from 20 countries.

"Any attempt to present the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic within the
territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is totally incomprehensible and
unacceptable" to the authorities in Stepanakert, he said.

"It both disregards the ongoing process of life’s natural development
and history and contradicts the realities of the past," Saakyan said.

Azerbaijan’s political leaders keep speaking about their "right" to
solve the Karabakh problem through military methods, he said.

Nagorno-Karabakh is ready to "give a fitting rebuff to any incursion
by an adversary," he added.

tm rp

TURKMENISTAN TO PARTICIPATE IN NABUCCO PROJECT?

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
11.07.2009 12:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkmenistan has enough gas reserves for
the realization of Nabucco project aimed at delivering Caspian
basin natural gas to Europe, Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly
Berdimuhamedov finds.

In an enlarged government session, President said that the country
had colossal gas reserves, as shown by last year’s independent audit
of natural gas fields and Turkmen geologists’ recent findings.

Speaking about tank gas surplus, President said that it might be
realized by consumers on state border.

"All that will enable us to implement various projects, including
Nabucco," President said.

Resumed early this year after the outbreak of Russian-Ukrainian gas
conflict, negotiations over Nabucco provide long-term guarantees for
gas supply. It is planned to launch pipeline construction in 2011 and
start gas delivery in 2014. Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran
and Iraq are among potential energy sources within project frameworks.

Objecting to Iran’s participation in Nabucco, United States is in
favor of gas delivery from Iraq.

On July 13, representatives from Turkey, Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary
and Romania will meet in Ankara to sign intergovernmental agreement
over Nabucco project.

Nabucco project (estimated $7,9 billion) is aimed at delivering
natural gas to European countries via Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey,
Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Austria. Forming the continuation of
Baku-Tbilisi-Erzrum pipeline, it will deliver 20-30 cubic metres of
gas annually.

EU allocations to Nabucco were initially estimated $250 million but
the sum was later reduced to $50 million, Novosti-Azerbaijan reports.

FOREIGN POLICY DOCTRINE DEVELOPED IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
10.07.2009 20:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ RA foreign policy draft doctrine will be submitted
within coming days, Shavarsh Kocharyan, Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs of Armenia said in Stepanakert, PanARMENIAN.Net reports from
Nagorno Karabakh. According to Mr. Kocharian the concept will clearly
set out principles that will build the Armenian-Turkish relations
and lead towards the solution of the Karabakh problem.

KARABAKH ISSUE SURFACES AT G-8 SUMMIT: US, FRANCE AND RUSSIA CALL ON ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN TO RESOLVE THE REMAINING DIFFERENCES

armradio.am
10.07.2009 16:09

The United States, France and Russia called mutually Friday for the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to settle a long-running dispute
over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.

In a statement released from Group of Eight summit in Italy, the
three countries that co-chair a committee of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe said they "affirm our commitment"
to efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to finalize "the basic principles
for settlement" of the conflict, the Associated Press reported.

The statement the Minsk Group put out Friday from the G-8 summit said,
"We are instructing our mediators to present to the presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan an updated version" of a proposed peace outline
brought forward in the Madrid Document of November 2007.

"We urge the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to resolve the few
differences remaining between them and finalize their agreement on
these Basic Principles, which will outline a comprehensive settlement,"
the statement said.