Author: Nahapetian Lilit

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF MUSLIM COUNTRIES MEET IN BAKU
By Cihan News Agency

Zaman, Turkey
June 19 2006

The 33rd Foreign Ministers meeting of the Organization of Islamic
Conference kicked off in the Azeri capital Baku on Monday.

The foreign ministers of 57 member countries, including Turkish Cyprus,
will take up regional problems including Israel-Palestine, Iraq and
Sudan and will discuss the reconstruction of the organization for
the coming ten years.

The Armenian occupation of Azerbaijani lands and the Cyprus problem
are likely to be taken up during the three days of meetings.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, whose country is attending
the meeting as an observer, is also among the participants.

For further information please visit

RA AND AR FMS AGREED TO CONTINUE KARABAKH TALKS

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 14 2006

According to an agreement RA and AR Presidents reached in Bucharest
June 13 the two states’ FMs Vardan Oskanyan and Elmar Mammadyarov
met in Paris.

According to the information DE FACTO got at the RA MFA Press
Service, the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia),
Bernard Fassier (France) and the OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Personal
Representative Andrzey Kasprzyk also participated in the talks.

In the course of the meeting the parties discussed the principles and
positions of the conflict settlement raising controversy. Armenian
and Azeri FMs agreed to continue the talks aimed at the rapprochement
of the stands.

VAROUZHAN HAKOBYAN – WINNER OF THE SAN MARINO TOURNAMENT

A1+
[12:46 pm] 14 June, 2006

Armenian Grand Master Varouzhan Hakobyan became the winner of the
chess international tournament in San Marino together with Vadim
Milov from Switzerland.

Hakobyan and Milov have 7.5 points after 9 games. 148 chess players,
including 30 Grand Masters participated in the tournament.

Varouzhan Hakobyan has been citizen of the USA for the last five
years. Together with the US team he won a bronze medal in the World
Olympiad. By the way, in 1998 in the Youth Chess Olympiad in Istanbul
Varouzhan became the champion together with the Armenian national team.

DISCUSSION OF ISSUE DIRECTLY CONCERNING ARMENIA NOT ENVISAGED BY AGENDA OF PACE SUMMER SESSION

Noyan Tapan
Jun 13 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Discussion of an issue directly relating
to Armenia is not invisaged by the agenda of the summer session of
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to be convened in
Strasbourg on June 26-30. Tigran Torosian, the RA NA Speaker, the head
of the Armenian delegation to the Assembly informed the Noyan Tapan
correspondent about it. He did not exclude possibility of discussion
of an issue relating to the South Caucasian region, especially to
Azerbaijan, connected with holding parliamentary elections in that
country. According to T.Torosian, involvement of the above-mentioned
issue in the agenda of the Assembly is greatly provided by discussions
envisaged before that at the monitoring committee.

It is still uncertain if Tigran Torosian undertaken the NA Chairman’s
post these days will head the national delegation to the PACE in
future as well, or commissions of the delegation head will be passed
to another member of the delegation.

MPS RATIFY THE ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT ON INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILE COMMUNICATION

ArmRadio.am
13.06.2006 14:36

Deputies of the National Assembly ratified the Armenian-Georgian
intergovernmental agreement on international automobile
communication. RA Minister of Transport and Communication Andranik
Manukyan noted in his speech that the agreement was signed on April
25, 2006 in Tbilisi. According to the contract, all vehicles in both
countries are exempt from transport and custom duties. The agreement
does not envisage ecology payments, either.

AN UPSIDE DOWN PROPAGANDA

Yerkir.am
June 09, 2006

Stereotypes are awful and mean. Monten has said that an idea is hard
to get into a fool’s head, but once there, it is even harder to get
it out.

Stereotypes formed under habits and traditions are even more awful
than ideas.

It has become a tradition for TV channels to screen movies like
“Nahapet,” ” Missing,” and “Miro of Gorge” on each April 24. In more
recent years, films like Henry Verno’s “Mairig,” Egoyan’s “Ararat”
as well as other films, including “Aram” became additions to this
list. While it makes sense to show those films on the Genocide
Commemoration Day, it makes no sense at all for big and small TV
channels to screen films like “Zangezour,” “Sevan Fishermen,” “Boys
of Band,” and “Mexican Diplomats,” on May 28. All these films mock
the idea of independence that we celebrate on May 28.

“Zangezur,” for example, mocks severely the national hero, Nzhdeh. How
long should we tolerate this film shot under the personal order of
Stalin and falsifying our past? I am not advocating destroying these
films – after all, they represent the history of our film industry
and thus our history. History about how history was falsified. But
why should we show them on the day when we are celebrating our
independence?

How do I have to explain my children why the Armenian general was so
coward, low and funny?

The best way to screen these films would be with a preceding
explanation by a historian and an art critic. But even then, they
are not fit to be shown on May 28. All these films depict how the
‘heroes,’ who mainly are foreigners – Russians, or sometimes even
Turks – destroy our independence. Why, then, are we surprised that
this nation doesn’t really care for its independence?

Kenya opposition leader, MP opposed to deportation of “controversial”
Armenians

KTN TV, Nairobi
9 Jun 06

[Presenter] While the controversial Armenian pair, Artur Margaryan and
[Artur] Sargasyan await deportation back to their country, questions
are being asked about their activities in the country. Leader of the
official opposition, Uhuru Kenyatta, says that some senior government
officials have been having dealings with the brothers, while Kabete MP
Paul Muite is sceptical of the government’s motives in the latest
twist of the Armenian brothers’ saga.

[Reporter John Allan Namu] The soap opera that has been a sojourn of
Armenian brothers, Artur Margaryan and Artur Sargasyan began in early
March when the siblings stepped off a plane and into the Kenyan lime
light claiming they were businessmen. Their flamboyance quickly
aroused suspicion with LDP [opposition Liberal Democratic Party]
leader Raila Odinga being the first to raise the alarm setting off a
battery of counter-accusations between himself and like-minded
politicians on one side, and the pair on the other. [Passage omitted]
Their impending extradition back to Armenia is causing as many ripples
as their arrival into the country did. [Passage omitted]

[Kenyatta] They have entered into a security area with weapons. They
have taken goods out of customs by force without paying duty. They
have broken several Kenyan laws. We expect the government to prosecute
these individuals. The full force of the law must be applied to these
individuals. We do not want to hear of instances where they have been
told that they have been ferried out and they have been deported. No.

[Namu] While in Kenya, the Armenian brothers were linked to the early
March raid of the Standard Group with CCTV capturing a hooded
Caucasian seemingly directing the police commandos, an event that
caused public outrage. The government’s decision to deport the
brothers today, probably has a number of Kenyans at ease, but Kabete
MP Paul Muite thinks it is an elaborate ruse by the government:

[Muite] Clearly, the purpose of this stage-managed deportation is to
cover up those who ordered the raid and those who participated in the
raid. The [parliamentary justice and legal affairs] committee would
like to put on notice those who are stage-managing this deportation,
that they are committing the offence of obstructing the course of
justice.

[Namu] As the curtain falls on the Artur act, Kenyans would probably
look back on this interesting pair with questions lingering on just
whether there was more to this brothers than meets the eye. John Allan
Namu, KTN News.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
Government House # 2, Republic Square
Yerevan 0010, Republic of Armenia
Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

08-06-2006

ARMENIA DIASPORA CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT

The third Armenia Diaspora conference will convene on September 18-20 in
Yerevan.

This year will also mark the 15th anniversary of Armenia’s independence. In
that context, ArmeniaDiaspora III will examine, analyze, assess our past and
consider how history and current geo-political realities raise new issues
before our nation, and how the possibilities and prospects for resolving
them together.

The agenda of ArmeniaDiaspora III will consist of various strands.

On September 18, at the first plenary, we will explore the current condition
and future prospects for Armenia-Diaspora relations and cooperation – a
traditional concern which requires new approaches, taking into consideration
ever-changing geopolitical development. During this session, speakers will
include the leadership of the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, the
Catholicos of All Armenians, the Catholicos of the Holy See of Cilicia, as
well as other spiritual leaders, and the heads of all Diaspora-wide
structures.

During the second half of the day and on the next day, we will focus on the
second agenda item – rural development in Armenia. To secure Armenia’s total
development, and from the perspective of certain strategic concerns, the
comprehensive development of Armenia’s rural communities must be assured.
Therefore, our objective is to rally the resources of the Armenian
government and Armenia’s business community, the Diaspora and international
organizations, to renovate rural infrastructure, facilitate economic
development and create the necessary contemporary conditions to live and
work in rural communities.

As a starting point, and for obvious strategic reasons, we have decided to
begin with Armenia’s border villages.

Participating in this agenda item will be the representatives of those
communities, organizations, groups as well as those individuals who have
already agreed to take part in this program. Of course, those conference
participants who are interested in this topic may also attend.

Beginning Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday, September 20, there will
be a forum entitled “New Answers to Old Questions for a New Nation-State in
the 21st Century.” Armenian identity in the context of globalization –
preservation, language, culture, education, dual citizenship, repatriation
as a phenomenon, the history of Armenian repatriation, its organization, new
repatriation possibilities, prospects, as well other issues will be on the
agenda.

Also on Wednesday, the Ministry of Agriculture, as well as the Ministry of
Trade and Economic Development will be holding a forum on economic
developments and prospects.

On Thursday, September 21, independence day celebrations will take place
throughout the capital. All conference participants are invited.

On Friday, a major exhibition on Armenia’s economic activity, agricultural
development, prospects and partners will take place in the same venue as the
conference, at the Demirchian Sports Complex, and all conference
participants will be encouraged to attend.

Additional information about the agenda, registration forms, as well as
modalities of participation will be available over the next several weeks at
or at

The conference is open to all who wish to be present and take part in
Armenia’s future.

AZERI, ARMENIAN LEADERS TO TABLE GARABAGH AGAIN THIS YEAR: OFFICIALS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
June 7 2006

Baku, June 6, AssA-Irada
Another meeting of Azeri and Armenian presidents Ilham Aliyev and
Robert Kocharian to discuss settlement of the long-standing Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict is scheduled for this year, the head of
the President’s Office international relations department, Novruz
Mammadov, has told journalists.

Mammadov said no information was provided on the latest meeting of
the two leaders in Bucharest, Romania because this would inappropriate
at the current stage in the negotiations.

“The presidents’ meeting on Monday lasted an hour and half. It was then
decided to continue it on the next day. This means work is underway
on certain issues. The talks are challenging and it is difficult to
reach agreement, as Armenia’s position is unacceptable.

They want Upper Garabagh to be granted independence.

“We can say before the international community that it is ridiculous
to grant independence to any area settled by Armenians,” Mammadov said
referring to Kocharian’s speech. He added that the Armenian leader’s
position has not changed.

Mammadov said President Aliyev dismissed the stance of his Armenian
counterpart by saying that this is impossible and the dispute could
be resolved strictly within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. As
for the Armenians’ demand “to determine their own fate”, they had
done so with the establishment of the Armenian state, he said.

The presidential administration official said it is hard to say at
this point whether the sides have agreed any specific issues. “The
agreements reached on certain details should be put together and the
final principles coordinated.”

Mammadov added that despite all this, the presidents’ meeting in
Bucharest is a step forward.

ARMENIANS NGOs PROTEST RACIAL KILLINGS IN RUSSIA

Armenpress
Jun 05 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS: A number of Armenian non-governmental
organizations staged a rally today in front of the Russian embassy
in Armenia to protest racially-motivated killings of Armenians and
other non-Slavs in Russia.

The demonstrators handed a statement to the embassy officials which
says that in 2005 about 402 attacks on non-Slavs and 28 murders were
reported in Russia. In 2006 alone 6 ethnic Armenians have been killed
in Moscow. “The citizens of Armenia and Armenian non-governmental
organizations condemn the activity of raging nationalistic
organizations in Russia and the negligence of Russian law-enforcement
bodies to detect perpetrators and punish them. We demand that Russian
authorities take speed measures to arrest murderers and punish them,”
their statement said.

The protest rally was staged by the Union for Science Development
and the Armenian Helsinki Committee. Their leaders said today that
Russian nationalists enjoy the support of ‘serious forces’ and some
media outlets. The latest murder of an Armenian in Russia was reported
in late May. Arthur Sardarian, 19, was stabbed to death by a group
of young people on a train in a Moscow suburb.

Simon Tsaturian, who represents the family of another ethnic Armenian
killed in Moscow in April, cited witnesses as saying the murderers
were chanting ‘Glory to Russia’ while stabbing Arthur Sardarian. The
attackers then stopped the train by setting off an alarm and escaped.

Tsaturian represents also the family of Vigen Abramiants, 17, a
student of a Moscow university, who was also stabbed to death in a
Moscow metro station on April 22.