Author: Nahapetian Lilit

Karabakh leader says mediators have no new proposals – Armenian agency

Arminfo, Yerevan
25 Jul 06

Stepanakert , 25 July: "I do not think that the mediators have a
new proposal, but in any case a visit of the US co-chairman [of
the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza,] is a good opportunity to put
forward our position to Bryza and other co-chairmen," the president
of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR], Arkadiy Gukasyan, has told
an Arminfo correspondent in Stepanakert, commenting on Bryza’s visit
to the region, including Nagornyy Karabakh.

[Passage omitted: Karabakh wants to participate in talks]

Asked about holding a repeat referendum on Nagornyy Karabakh’ status,
Gukasyan noted that a referendum had already been held in Nagornyy
Karabakh and that its results were clear to everyone.

"If today there are guarantees that the international community
will recognize a referendum tomorrow, we could think about this,"
the Karabakh president said.

Baroness Caroline Cox concerned with the demolition of Armenian khachkars in Nakhijevan

ArmRadio.am
26.07.2006 12:16

Baroness Caroline Cox raised the question of the destruction of
Armenian khachkars in Old Jugha in the UK House of Lords, "Armenpress"
reports. The baroness officially declared that Azerbaijan has destroyed
about 1 000 Armenian khachkars and churches. In an eight-minute
speech she presented the facts, urging the British Government to
exert pressure over Azerbaijan and demand permission for different
organizations and individual researchers to visit Nakhijevan to study
the real situation. "The Government of Great Britain is concerned with
the fact that Armenian khachkars are being demolished by Azeris. What
Azerbaijan is doing is a vicious crime, I’ll do my best to tell the
truth to the world," Baroness Cox said.

ARMENTEL’S SHARES TO BELONG TO RUSSIAN HOLDING SYSTEMA AND
ARMENIAN-INDIAN CONSORTIUM

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 24, 2006

YEREVAN, July 24. /ARKA/. ArmenTel’s shares are to belong to Russian
holding Systema and international consortium established by VTEL
Holdings and Knightsbridge Associates. ComNews reports referring to a
source close to negotiation and tendering processes said the Russian
company would take cable telephone system over while Indian-Armenian
consortium will set control over mobile communication system.
The Russian company Director on Public Relations Irina Potekhina
neither confirmed nor denied the information. She said the tender
results would be announced in the beginning of August. Systema Company
started negotiating on ArmenTel purchase yet in early 2006, before
tender was announced. "Already having arrangement with Greeks, Systema
lobbied its interests at the highest level, in Armenian government,
and secure the same backing in Moscow", ComNews reports referring to
the source.

OTE Greek Company announced the international tender already knowing
the buyer, ComNews says. More than ten companies, including German
Deutsche Telekom, Norwegian Telenor, Swedish TeliaSonera and Tele2as
well as Russian CBOSS took part in the contest. Vimpelcom, a merger
comprising two companies Emirates Telecommunications Corporation
and Istithmar (one of Russian Synterra co-owner) – took a lead over
its rivals. All the mentioned companies were included in shortlist.
ArmenTel, Armenia Telephone Company, enjoins is the sole Internet
service provider. The company has enjoyed the monopolist right since
1998. The term of enjoying this right expires in 2013. The company
belongs to Greek OTE, who acquired 90% of ArmenTel’s shares in 1997
for $142.47 million. The remaining 10% belong to Armenian government.
ArmenTel served over 328.6 thousand mobile communication subscribers
by late March 2006. The same number of subscribers was served
by K Telecom, the second mobile communication provider. ArmenTel
also provide cable phone services to 600 thousand subscribers. The
company’s earning for 2005 totaled $145.3 million and net profit
$55.9 million. M.V.

EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE ON SOUTH CAUCASUS TO VISIT ARMENIA ON JULY 24-25

YEREVAN, JULY 19, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Peter Semneby,
EU Special Representative on South Caucasus, will visit Armenia on
July 24-25. As Regnum IA was informed from the European Commission
mission in Armenia, the schedule of EU representative’s visit is
being worked out at the current stage. It is supposed that Peter
Semneby will meet with RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, as well as
other high-ranking officials. Issues concerning Armenia-EU relations,
as well as Nagorno Karabakh settlement negotiations will be discussed
within the framework of the visit. Peter Semneby will leave Yerevan
for Azerbaijan and Georgia.

US Ambassador to OSCE Julia Finley: Closing of Upper Lars checkpoint
harms the Armenian population

ArmRadio.am
15.07.2006 13:15

US Ambassador to OSCE Julia Finley declared that the unilateral decision to
prohibit the transportation of people and cargoes through the
Russian-Georgian border hurts the economic and humanitarian interests
of the people of the region, including the Armenian population." The
American diplomat declared this, speaking at the sitting of the OSCE
Permanent Council.

July Finly called closing of the Upper Lars checkpoint unacceptable.

"We decisively call on the Russian government to reconsider its
activities and to open the checkpoint as soon as possible," said US
Ambassador to OSCE.

BBC Monitoring quotes from the Turkish press 12 Jul 06

BBC Monitoring Service – United Kingdom;
Jul 12, 2006

Turkey and USA

Hurriyet (centre-right) "Northern Iraq is totally under the control
of the USA. The PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] is flourishing there;
totally under the protection of the USA. And then every day in Turkey
we see funeral ceremonies for martyrs [people killed by PKK members
infiltrating across the border]." (Commentary by Emin Colasan)

Radikal (centre-left) "The USA is now making preparations for its own
Kurdish state that will be used to guard vitally important energy
resources and their transport routes." (Commentary by M. Ali Kislali)

Anti-Western feeling in Turkey

Hurriyet "In Turkey, enmity against the West and Christianity has
increased to a level not seen in other countries. In enmity against
the West, those who declare themselves secular and Ataturkist are
walking arm in arm with the most open opponents of secularism. Any
step that will divide Turkey from the West will prove fatal. We will
be stuck either with the religious quagmire of the Middle East or
military coups d’etats." (Commentary by Ertugrul Ozkok)

Problems with reforms

Milliyet (centrist) "In Turkey, reforms always have a caesarean
birth. It is not public welfare that decides which law is made and
which is not. It is the interests of small groups. In such an
atmosphere, no reforms are made without arm-twisting." (Commentary by
Metin Munir)

Sentence on Armenian writer Dink

Radikal "The term of [Armenian intellectual] Hrant Dink’s sentence
has been fixed. For the first time, the crime of ‘denigrating
Turkishness’ has been punished. I expect parliament will convene
before its normal opening date, 1 October, and it will debate and
pass nine EU reform packages into law. Changing Article 301 [of the
new Turkish Penal Code, cited in Dink’s punishment] must be included
in these packages as a matter of urgency." (Commentary by Ismet
Berkan)

Israelis and Palestinians

Zaman (moderate, pro-Islamic) "It is clear that Arab regimes are not
sincere about the Palestinian issue… Sincerely or not, it is only
Iran which has put this issue in the top of its agenda. Iran gains
big advantages from this issue." (Commentary by Ali Bulac)

Yeni Safak (liberal, pro-Islamic) "Apart from shame, what does the
Israeli state bring the Jews with the massacres it has been carrying
out? Why is it trying to settle in Israel the successors of Jews who
have shown the world the ugly face of fascism? Is it to show them the
dismembered bodies of Palestinian children? Is this the sight that
the people who experienced the ‘Great Fire’ [Holocaust] present to
their children?" (Commentary by Salih Tuna)

APRICOT FESTIVAL TO OPEN IN THE HERMITAGE GARDEN IN MOSCOW

Yerevan, July 8. ArmInfo. Apricot Festival will open in the Hermitage
garden in Moscow on July 9 within the frames of Armenia’s Year in
Russia. The Izvestia reports, the event organizers are Yerevan and
Moscow Municipalities.

The festival will be held in the atmosphere of a beautiful Armenian
national holiday with participation of Armenian singers. Visitors will
enjoy fiery Armenian songs and dances and sounds of duduk, national
wind instrument made of apricot tree exclusively. Moscow artists,
children groups will perform at the event. In addition, contests,
drawing and prizes are expected. Apricot is considered a verily
Armenian fruit and its Latin name – Prunus Armeniaca – is an evidence
of it. Moscow residents will also enjoy real Armenian apricot, apricot
jams, confitures, syrups, marmalades and dried fruits, as well as
lavash, Armenian bread, baked in the special stove tonir in the place.

OFFICE OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN THE USA
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600, Washington, D.C. 20036
Tel: (202) 223-4330
Fax: (202) 315-3339
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site:

PRESS RELEASE
July 6, 2006

SENIOR KARABAKH OFFICIALS highlight nkr progress during u.S. visit
and CALL FOR GREATER American ENGAGEMENT

Washington, DC – Nagorno Karabakh Republic (NKR) Parliament Speaker
Ashot Ghulian and Foreign Minister Georgi Petrosian have successfully
concluded a series of meetings and public engagements during their
June 23-30, 2006 visit to the United States. The visit aimed to rally
stronger U.S. support for NKR’s democratic and economic development,
and to help end Azerbaijan’s aggressive policies toward Nagorno
Karabakh.

While in Washington, Ghulian and Petrosian met with the newly-appointed
United States envoy for the Karabakh peace process, Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State Matthew Bryza, key senate and congressional
leaders, policy experts, media representatives and senior staff of
Armenian-American advocacy organizations.

In their June 26 meeting with Bryza, Karabakh officials provided an
assessment of the most recent developments in the peace process,
while highlighting the lawful nature of the establishment of NKR
and its government’s strong adherence to peace and security in the
region. Bryza is expected to tour the region later this month.

NKR officials held separate meetings with Senators Lincoln Chafee
(R-RI) and Jack Reed (D-RI), House foreign assistance appropriators
Chairman Jim Kolbe (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Nita Lowey (D-NY),
and Co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues
U.S. Representatives Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D-NJ). In those meetings, Ghulian and Petrosian highlighted
the democratic and economic gains made by NKR during 15 years of
independence, and called for increased U.S. assistance to help make
further progress. They also discussed Azerbaijan’s military build-up
and called for the U.S. to undertake the necessary steps to preserve
regional stability. Members of the U.S. Congress have pledged their
continued attention and support for Nagorno Karabakh.

On June 28, Speaker Ghulian and Foreign Minister Petrosian also spoke
at a U.S. Capitol reception organized in their honor. In addition
to the Armenian Caucus Co-chairs, Representatives Carolyn Maloney
(D-NY), Edward Royce (R-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA)
and George Radanovich (R-CA), as well as Armenian Ambassador to the
United States Dr. Tatoul Markarian and Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
of the Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church, also spoke
at the reception attended by congressional staff, journalists and
Armenian community members.

Ghulian and Petrosian also addressed a capacity audience at a June
28 public event jointly organized by the U.S. Institute of Peace and
Washington-based German Marshall Fund and attended by government
officials, policy experts and media. NKR officials discussed
Azerbaijan’s continued effort to exclude Nagorno Karabakh from the
peace process and misrepresent the nature of the Karabakh conflict.

Parliament Speaker Ashot Ghulian stressed that "Nagorno-Karabakh’s
legal existence is completely in conformance with international
law." Foreign Minister Petrosian noted that "the Karabakh conflict is
fundamentally an issue of the right of our people to live free. But
Azerbaijan seeks to paint it as an inter-state, ethnic or even a
religious conflict. This only helps postpone the conflict’s peaceful
resolution… Our main goal is to be able to conduct normal relations
and live normal lives and we will defend that right with all possible
means."

The NKR officials’ visit to Washington concluded with a reception at
the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia hosted by Ambassador Markarian
and attended by U.S. and foreign diplomats, members of the Armenian
community and others.

Speaking at the reception, NKR Parliament Speaker Ghulian stressed that
"Nagorno Karabakh’s determination to remain free and independent is as
strong as ever. This visit is just another step towards international
recognition of this fact."

As part of their U.S. trip, NKR officials also visited New York
and Boston, where they met with state officials, media and Armenian
community representatives.

At the conclusion of the visit, NKR Representative in the United
States Vardan Barseghian remarked: "It’s time for the U.S. and the
international community to recognize Karabakh’s progress in building
a free, democratic and economically viable society in the strategic
South Caucasus. Karabakh is a serious and reliable partner when it
comes to bringing about greater stability, long-term peace, democracy
and prosperity to the region."

Barseghian also express his appreciation to Karabakh’s supporters in
the United States and those who helped to make this visit a success,
in particular Mrs. Rita Balian, Mr. Hirair Hovnanian, Mr. Hratch
Kaprielian, Mr. Raffi Megerian, Ms. Carolyn Mugar, Mrs. Annie Totah,
as well as the Armenian Embassy, the Armenian Assembly of America,
and the Armenian National Committee of America.

The Office of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in the United States is
based in Washington, DC and works with the U.S. government, academia
and the public representing the official policies and interests of
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

* * *

This material is distributed by the Office of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic in the USA on behalf of the Government of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic. The NKR Office is registered with the U.S. Government under
the Foreign Agent Registration Act. Additional information is available
at the Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.

* * *

To request photos for publishing with the press release, send an
email to [email protected]

MILLIONAIRE FAMILIES

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
05 July 2006

The government policy on stimulating birthrate and improvement of
quality of life of large families really encouraged the people
of the region of Kashatagh. In this region, where thousands of
families are living, annual increase of birthrate is reported. Since
January 1, 2006 these families have privileges under the government
order. On June 29 four families were invited to the ministry of Social
Security. Emily Poghossian from Goghtanik had her fifteenth child. The
eleventh child was born to Karine Nersissian, and Margaret Mazulian
and Svetlana Grigorian had their tenth children. Minister Vasily
Atajanian congratulated the four women and wished them longevity,
welfare and happiness.

The minister delivered 5000 dollars each, a one-time aid to families
having many children granted under the order of the government.

AZERBAIJAN IS IMPORTANT AND RELIABLE PARTNER OF EUROPE – GERMAN FM
Author: R.Abdullayev

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 6 2006

Azerbaijan as an exporter of energy resources, as well as a country
which carries transit deliveries of energy products, greatly
contributes in the energy security of Europe. Therefore, Baku is an
important and reliable partner of Europe, said Frank-Walter Steinmeier,
the German Foreign Minister, to a news conference in Berlin. He was
commenting on the results of a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart
Elmar Mammadyarov, Trend reports citing Radio Liberty.

He noted that during the meeting they discussed bilateral cooperation,
in particular, the development of bilateral economic relationships
and integration of Azerbaijan in to the EU and NATO.

The sides also touched upon the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Steinmeier stressed the intensive development of the bilateral
relationships.

The German FM also voiced his hope in the soonest achievement of an
agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union under the New
Neighborhood Program. Mammadyarov noted that work in this direction
will be continued.

Speaking about the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Frank-Walter
Steinmeier noted that the unsettlement of the problems complicates the
integration of the region into the EU. The German Foreign Minister
called on the sides to compromises, needed for political resolution
of the conflict.

In his turn the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister noted that over the past
few weeks the goods turnover between the two countries has doubled.

Mammadyarov said that Germany is the biggest economic partner of
Azerbaijan in the West Europe.

In the end Mammadyarov announced that he will stay in Germany till
end of the week to watch the final round of the World Cup championship.