Author: Nalbandian Eduard

GUL WARNS IRAN NOT TO MISS OPPORTUNITY FOR PEACE
By Ramil Ismayilov, Vusal Guzelov, Cihan News Agency, Baku, Cihan

Zaman, Turkey
June 20 2006

With the nuclear crisis between the Iranian administration and the
international community reaching a critical level, Turkey increased
its efforts to find a peaceful solution.

Tehran is expected to give its response to the "package of incentives"
proposed to end the tension ahead of the G-8 summit on June 29.

With only days remaining before a response is expected, Foreign
Minister Abdullah Gul, who continues his efforts with the Iranian
administration, met his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki at the
Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) foreign ministers meeting
held in Azerbaijan.

At the OIC foreign minister’s meeting convening for the first time
in a Turkic republic.

Gul sent the messages "support the Annan Plan and take the opportunity
of a peaceful solution," to Mottaki.

Gul also met host country Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev.

Turkish and Iranian foreign ministers, at news conference after their
meeting, revealed their pleasure at the outcome of the 45-minute talks.

When reporters asked, "What did you talk about?" Gul simply responded,
"We spoke about positive things."

In the meeting, Gul once again emphasized "the importance of finding
a solution to the crisis through peaceful and rational means."

Mottaki thanked Turkey for its "facilitating efforts" for a solution
and asked for "the continuation of these sincere contributions."

Mottaki also said they are trying to conclude their works on an
official response to the package of incentives and they will inform
Turkey on this issue.

Western countries gave Tehran a deadline of the June 29 G-8 Summit
to reply to the package.

Gul may go to Tehran in the upcoming days to continue efforts for a
solution in his "facilitating role."

Economic issues were also handled in the talks. Gul invited Mottaki
and the Iranian Minister for Energy to attend the opening of the
Baku-Ceylan pipeline, to which Mottaki positively accepted, should
his political program allow.

The 33rd Session of OIC foreign ministers meeting began with the
recitation from the Qur’an at the Gulistan Palace and President Aliev,
in his opening remarks, sent the message.

"Islam is a religion of peace and freedom. It is wrong to identify
Islam with terrorism," and asked for support on the issue of the
Armenian occupation.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and Russia joined the
three-day meetings in Baku as observers.

UNE EXPOSITION SUR L’ARMENIE FERMEE EN RAISON DE TENSIONS AVEC DES TURCS
Valentigney (Doubs) 17 Juin 2006

Agence France Presse
17 juin 2006 samedi 2:59 PM GMT

Une exposition comprenant une quarantaine de cliches sur le thème
de la memoire armenienne, qui se tenait a Valentigney, a dû fermer
ses portes en raison de tensions avec des membres de la communaute
turque locale, a-t-on appris samedi auprès des organisateurs.

L’exposition de photos se tenait sous un chapiteau a l’occasion d’une
fete folklorique et s’inscrivait dans le cadre de l’annee de l’Armenie.

Dans la journee, une dizaine de personnes de la communaute turque
locale sont venues demander que deux photos soient retirees de
l’exposition au motif qu’elles faisaient reference au "genocide
armenien perpetre par les turcs".

Le photographe Antoine Agoudjian ayant refuse que ces deux cliches
soient retires, les organisateurs de la fete ont ferme l’accès au
chapiteau, en accord avec la mairie.

Interroge par l’AFP, M. Agoudjian a denonce "une situation ubuesque"
et "une atteinte grave a la liberte d’expression alors meme que la
France a reconnu officiellement le genocide armenien". Il a precise
qu’il refusait que ses photos soient exposees toute la semaine dans
la MJC de Valentigney, comme cela etait prevu.

Les photos sont extraites d’un livre qu’Antoine Agoudjian a publie
chez Actes Sud.

–Boundary_(ID_sDhYaVZ4uOEzMxkvZc2C6A)–

MURALS UNVEILED AT ARMENIAN CHURCH

Cambridge Chronicle, MA
June 15 2006

The Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church, located at 200 Lexington St.,
Belmont, unveiled two historical murals and an art exhibit by artist
Daniel Varoujan Hejinian on May 28. The murals are 48 inches by 79
inches each, and are located on the side walls of the church.

They depict the baptism of King Drtad and the creation of the Armenian
alphabet.

To the left of the center altar, one mural celebrates the 1,700th
anniversary of Armenia Christianity. This panel depicts the Baptism of
King Drtad as the first Christian King in 301 A.D. Saint Gregory the
Illuminator stands on the bank of the Euphrates River and baptizes
the King, who is bowed in humility. Queen Ashkhen and the king’s
sister Princess Khosrovitookht stand behind him, wile two soldiers
witness the event. Also depicted in the mural are Mount Ararat in
the distance, and in its shadow, the Holy Echmiyadzin Church, which
was built 305 A.D. by Saint Gregory and King Drtad.

Located on the wall to the right of the center altar, the second
mural celebrates the 1,600th anniversary of the Armenian alphabet
and Armenian culture. It depicts Saint Mesrob Mashdotz who created
the Armenian alphabet in 405 A.D. for the purpose of translating the
Bible into the Armenian language. In this panel, Saint Mesrob holds
a pen while through a stream of light the alphabet floats to him
through divine inspiration. Behind him, there is the symbolic image
of Ft. Mekhitar, who in the 1700’s founded the Mekhitarist Order in
the island of San Lazarus. Also depicted in the background is the
bell tower of the San Lazarus Monastery, because its congregation was
devoted to the advancement of learning and the publication of works
in the Armenian language, in addition they established schools in
populated Armenian communities throughout the world.

The Holy Cross Armenian Catholic Church in Belmont, is the seventh
church to display religious murals painted by Varoujan.

Saints Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church in Chelmsford,
Massachusetts, was the first church to commission Varoujan’s religious
murals. Twenty years ago, Daniel Varoujan Hejinian completed 46 murals
covering the northern and southern walls of Saint Vartanantz Armenian
Apostolic Church. Since then, he has painted many religious murals
and paintings in Armenian Churches throughout the United States.

Varoujan has painted several corporate murals in the Renaissance style
such as the Causeway Street Mural, a five-story high mural, which is
the gateway to the North End; the murals at Fillippo’s Restaurant in
the North End; and Luccia’s Restaurant in Winchester.

For more information, visit armenianchurch-art.com.- Rosario Teixeira

PACE COMMITTEE CONDEMNED ARMENIAN WAR AGAINST AZERBAIJAN

Democratic Azerbaijan
Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
June 13 2006

On June 9 the regular session of the Committee for Environment,
Agriculture and Regional Affairs of the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe was held in Paris. Rafael Huseynov, member of
Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, MP attended the session.

The session was focused on a number of urgent problems and discussed
the report entitled Prevention of Forest Fires in Europe. The report
was prepared by Inaki Tueka, a MP from Spain.

Concerning the report R. Huseynov told: Forests are called ‘lungs’
of nature. Their preservation is the preservation of our today and
our future, and also a work on behalf of our health. Already for 15
years Armenia is keeping 20% Azerbaijani lands under occupation. In
spite of that Armenia has occupied the lands 15 years ago, throughout
this period Armenia is waging regular ecology war against Azerbaijan.

The forests, flora and fauna in occupied territories of Azerbaijan are
being exterminated, and nuclear wastes are being buried in non-control
lands. All that is extremely dangerous phenomenon.

But one more act of vandalism committed by Armenia in occupied
territories several days ago is directly linked with the problem,
which is discussing at the session and challenge serious concern.

Armenians arrange large-scale fires in some villages of the occupied
Aghdam situated beyond the bounds of Nagorno-Garabagh. These fires
lead to annihilation not only of forests and plants but productive
topsoil, and also extermination of flora and fauna in these lands
not only today but further.

On the other hand, the explosion of mines laid by Armenian armed
forces in the territories wherein fires occur, terrified the people
living in neighbor villages.

Council of Europe should not be indifferent to this point. Fires,
including forest fires – are always tragedy and it is always
dangerous. Usually, these months CE is discussing fires occurring in
European forests, as a result of disasters. But it is very terrible
when the people themselves make fires. Armenia made particularly
such fires in occupied territories of Azerbaijan. As these lands are
out of control of Azerbaijan as well as international organizations,
nobody address that. Council of Europe should immediately address this
point and undertake measures for prevention of this fact of vandalism
committed by Armenia, damaging serious damnification to Azerbaijan’s
nature and environment of the adjacent frontier region.

Summarizing discussion results, Walter Schmidt, Committee Chairman,
a MP from Sweden, told that he felt concern with Azerbaijan and
expressed an absolute concern and underlined as necessity to discuss
this point in upcoming PACE session.

–Boundary_(ID_k7l1u+JFYLBmnYbVz5+zRg)–

MPS: MICHUKI IS TO BLAME
Story By Odhiambo Orlale And Owino Opondo

Daily Nation, Kenya
June 14 2006

MPs turned the heat yesterday on security minister John Michuki,
calling for his sacking over the Artur brothers saga.

Speaking in Parliament, the MPs accused Mr Michuki of embarrassing
the President and the country over the Armenians’ saga.

Mr Michuki

Also in focus was Immigration minister Gideon Konchellah who the MPs
said should step aside.

Mr Kirugi M’mukindia the MP for Central Imenti, who is a former
Cabinet minister, said he was ashamed to be a Kenyan. "I stand in
this House ashamed. I never knew I would see a day when Michuki would
crawl before foreigners."

The Narc MP said it was a shame that the Government which had tackled
the menace of Mungiki, matatu and cattle rustlers decisively, was
unable tame the controversial Armenians.

"I join my colleagues in saying the whole House has been let down by
gun-running, money-laundering foreigners as the Government watches
helplessly."

He challenged the Government to tell Kenyans why it was unable to tame
the deported Armenians who he said were threatening national security,
yet it had been disarming armed cattle rustlers, dealing with Mungiki
and matatu operators. Mr M’mukindia accused the Government of hiding
something about the Armenians.

"The time has come for the House to be told the truth. The time
has also come to say enough is enough," he said. Mr M’mukindia also
asked why the Criminal Investigations Department boss and other civil
servants were suspended while the real godfathers were left alone.

On his part, Mr Charles Kilonzo of Yatta, claimed that the force was
as divided as the Cabinet over the Armenians saga.

The Narc MP accused Mr Michuki of protecting the Armenians for sinister
reasons, and said he should step aside or be sacked.

Asked the Yatta MP: "The President has a lot of work to do at State
House, and he should start sacking tainted ministers one after another
every day to show them who is in charge."

Mr Kilonzo asked what was so special about the daughter of Narc
activist, Ms Winnie Wangui, and what her role was in the saga.

"What is so special about Wangui, who is just a mere junior civil
servant? Why did they get police escort even to dance at Carnivore
using GK vehicles," the Narc MP said.

The Yatta MP said that three Cabinet ministers, Mr Michuki, Mr
Konchellah and Mr Kivutha Kibwana (the Environment), had supported
the two foreigners to the hilt early this year when Langata MP,
Mr Raila Odinga, accused them of being mercenaries.

Mr Kilonzo demanded to be told if it was true that guns used by the
presidential escort were found in possession of the Armenians.

Leader of the Official Opposition Uhuru Kenyatta sought government
assurance on the country’s security.

Mr Kenyatta said Kenyans wanted to be assured by the Government that
national security had not collapsed.

"Kenyans are as perplexed as MPs. Who were those foreigners who
entered a high security area and threatened public servants with
guns?" he asked.

Mr Kenyatta said that an ordinary Kenyan could have been killed for
breaching security and peace at the country’s main airport.

Then he put a number of questions to the Government. He wanted to
be told the connection between the raid on the Standard newspaper
offices in March and the goods recovered from the Runda residence of
the two Armenian brothers, Artur Margarian and Artur Sargsyan.

"Police got jackets and hoods with QRU (Quick Response Unit) emblems,
similar to those we saw on TV during the Standard raid. Can the
Government explain the link," he asked.

Buoyed by calls of "Shame! Shame" by MPs from both sides of the House,
Mr Kenyatta added: "How did the two Armenians, two private foreigners,
get weapons that belong to the security agency"?

He said that the Arturs debacle had cast questions on the validity of
Kenyan travelling documents, and asked to be told how the Armenians
acquired vehicle registration numbers.

Mr Kenyatta, who is also the Kanu chairman also wanted to know who
accredited the Armenians as deputy police commissioners. What happened
at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, he warned, could persuade
foreign tourists to avoid the route and the country at large, leading
to hefty losses in foreign currency.

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON PROBLEMS OF MULTISTORIED BUILDINGS’ SEISMIC RESISTANCE SYSTEMS TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON JUNE 15-17

Noyan Tapan
Jun 14 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 14, NOYAN TAPAN. An international conference on
problems of seismic resistance systems of multistoried buildings
with the participation of 42 experts from 9 countries will be held
in Yerevan on June 15-17. Mikael Melkumian, chief expert of the
engineering research center at the American University of Armenia,
Chairman of the Armenian Seismic Resistant Construction Association,
announced this during a press conference on June 13.

According to him, Armenia is one of the world’s leaders in the
development and use of seismic-proof rubber-metal systems. The sector’s
development started in 1994. Particularly, Armenia is the only country
where seismic insulation of residential and school buildings was done
during their use without moving residents temporarily to other places
and discontinuation of the edicational process. Besides, the tallest
buildings with seismic insulation in Europe – 16-storey ones are in
Yerevan. Buildings that have more than 16 floors and are provided with
seismic insulation are only in Japan and China. There are 30 buildings
with seismic insulation in Armenia (some of them were previously build,
others are under construction).

M. Melkumian reminded that the 8th world forum on seismic construction
took place in Yerevan in 2003.

U.S.DEPT OF STATE
12 Jun 2006
U.S. Plans “Significant” Contribution to New Black Sea Fund
Public-private grant-making trust will promote democracy, regional cooperation

By Vince Crawley
Washington File Staff Writer

Washington — The United States plans to make a substantial
contribution to the Black Sea Trust, a new multimillion-dollar fund
promoting democracy and cooperation among nine countries in southeast
Europe, President Bush’s deputy national security adviser says.

The trust will provide grants to focus on enhancing economic and
security cooperation, crisis management and democracy in Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Turkey
and Ukraine.

In remarks at the Black Sea Forum June 5 in Bucharest, Romania,
Deputy National Security Advisor J. D. Crouch said the United States
would participate in and make a significant financial contribution to
the trust in partnership with the German Marshall Fund, the Romanian
government and other donors.

Crouch said the United States is supporting other initiatives such
as the Black Sea Economic Cooperation initiative and the Southeast
European Cooperative Initiative. “We want to hear your ideas on how
to cooperate more effectively to address a broader range of issues,”
Crouch added.

“For centuries, these lands have been a cultural crossroads —
connecting Europe to the Middle East and Central Asia,” Crouch
said. The flow of communication through the region was stifled during
the Cold War, he added, “but today your nations have a new opportunity
to build stronger links with each other — and thereby reclaim your
historic position as a region of connections between East and West.”

The German Marshall Fund (GMF) of the United States announced
the creation of the trust on June 5 during the Black Sea Forum in
Bucharest, Romania. The GMF said it anticipates launching operations
of the Black Sea Trust in the fall, with initial contributions
of more than $20 million, climbing to more than $40 million as the
trust matures. Contributors include the U.S. Agency for International
Development (USAID), the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Romanian
government and other private and public donors from the United States
and Europe.

The trust is expected to provide grants to local organizations —
including civic groups and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs),
local and regional governments, educational institutions and media,
according to a news release by the German Marshall Fund. Grants will
be awarded for civic-participation programs as well as projects that
promote cross-border cooperation in the region.

“Approximately $2 million in rolling grants will be given out each
year,” said the GMF, which will staff the trust. “Individual grants
would range from $1,000 to $75,000 with an average size around $15,000
or $20,000, and will be approved monthly by a grant-making committee
that will include GMF representatives and one representative from
each of the donors to the Trust.”

The German Marshall Fund is also in negotiations with the Romanian
government to base the trust’s operations in Bucharest. (See related
article.) The U.S. State Department recently signed agreements with
Bulgaria and Romania to share military bases near the Black Sea
coast. (See related article.) The GMF, USAID, and the Mott Foundation
previously joined forces in 2003 to create the Balkan Trust for
Democracy, a $30 million fund that has given out millions in grant
money toward promoting regional cooperation and reconciliation,
civil society development, and democracy-building ideas and
institutions throughout the Balkans. The Balkan Trust for Democracy
“has successfully grown and added new partners after its founding,
a process the Black Sea Trust will emulate,” the GMF said. (See
related article.) In March, the German Marshall Fund co-sponsored a
conference aimed at promoting cross-border cooperation, particularly
in disaster response planning, and some of the same countries attended
that were represented at the Black Sea Forum. (See related article.)
The U.S. Embassy in Bucharest has posted the full text of Crouch’s
remarks on its Web site. The Black Sea Trust press release is posted
on the Web site of the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

The Southeastern Europe Cooperative Initiative (SECI) is a law
enforcement consortium that allows authorities to share intelligence
and coordinate activities in the pursuit of criminals across
jurisdictional lines.

Information on SECI’s work against human trafficking is available in
a USINFO Electronic Journal article “European Alliance Combats Human
Trafficking” and the Web site of the SECI Center in Bucharest.

Additional information is available on the Web site of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation, to which the United States was recently granted
observer status.

AZG Armenian Daily #107, 10/06/2006

Event

APRICOT FESTIVAL TO BE HELD IN MOSCOW

The opening of the Apricot Festival will be held in the “Hermitage”
park in Moscow within the framework of the arrangements of Armenia’s
Year in Russia. The Russians can taste Armenian apricots and listen to
duduk. It is envisaged that a number of exhibitions will be held at
the Pushkin Museum, theatre performances will be staged, the Armenian
musicians and dancers will hold concerts within the framework of
“Beliye Nochi” festival in St. Petersburg till the end of
2006. “Churches of Armenia” exhibition will be held at the Shchustev
Architectural State Museum on June 1-30.

By Aghavni Harutyunian

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
June 9 2006

Azeri, Armenian FMs to meet in short

Source: Trend
Author: À. Mammadov

09.06.2006

Armenian FM Vardan Oskanyan does not rule out the possibility of one
more meeting between Azeri and Armenian presidents during 2006.

`Talks at the level of foreign ministers will undoubtedly go on’, –
Oskanyan said in an interview to Armenian Kentron TV channel.

Trend reports with reference to ÀRÊÀ, Oskanyan said FMs may meet the
soonest. `Co-chairs already called the parties to define the date of
the meeting’, – Oskanyan said.

`The principles to be discussed are the same, status of
Nagorno-Karabakh, grounds, refugees, security’, – Oskanyan added,
claiming the parties having found contact for most of these issues.

`A few issues are still disputable and presidents shall try to reach
agreement on them’.

News24, South Africa
June 6 2006

Muscle injury halts Nalbandian
09/06/2006 17:52 – (SA)

Paris – David Nalbandian will await medical tests before deciding
when to begin his grass-court season after injuring abdominal muscles
and quitting against Roger Federer in their French Open semi-final on
Friday.

The Swiss moved through 3-6 6-4 5-2 as Nalbandian retired after just
over 90 minutes of play.

“It’s impossible to know, I have to see a doctor and then we make a
decision what to do,” the Argentine said of his chances of fronting
for the Halle event in Germany which starts on Monday.

Nalbandian, third in the world, has had trouble with his abdominals
before.

He said this current injury occurred in his quarter-final against
Nikolay Davydenko. He went to the court feeling fine for the Federer
clash, but things soon deteriorated.

“I started well, much better than during the previous match,” said
the third seed. “I played a set and a half very well, and I didn’t
feel the pain at all.

“But all of a sudden, I felt a very sharp pain that was worse than
during the previous match.”

Nalbandian is well-acquainted with the problem. “This injury, I’ve
already had two or three times already.

“Normally it happens in very long tournaments with very tough matches
with many sets, where I spend a lot of time on court. You feel very
bitter about it, having to retire like that, with that type of
problem.”