Author: Nalchajian Markos

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES SLOVENIAN AMBASSADOR

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 14 2006

YEREVAN, July 14. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian received
Thursday Slovenian Ambassador to Armenia Joseph Puari concerning
the completion of her diplomatic mission, the press service of the
Armenian President reported.

Kocharian expressed gratitude to the ambassador for the effective
work and pointed out that during her activity in Yerevan, the
Armenian-Slovenian relations has been considerably intensified.

In particular, they discussed visits at different levels, including
the official visit of the Armenian President to Slovenia. During the
talk, they also touched upon the bilateral cooperation programs. At
the same time, the Slovenian Ambassador told Kocharian about the
ongoing processes in the Balkans. R.O. -0–

ARMENIAN FOOTBALL AND THE ARMENIAN "POLITICAL" THOUGHT

Lragir.am
13 July 06

The eighteenth World Cup ended and excitement ended as well, making
us think anew about Armenian football. It is known that football is
a serious tool for great political moves all over the world except
in independent Armenia, where political and public figures are busy
with filling their pockets with money rather than doing politics. The
most vivid example – the team Lernayin Artsakh of Hayk Football Club
was left out of the Premier League in 2005.

In order to understand the point it is necessary to go through the
history of this club. The club started in 1992, after the independence
of Armenia, first known as Karabakh, and organized games under
the missiles and bullets of the foe to bolster up morale among the
Armenians of Karabakh, which the present criminal political leaders
fail to do. Several years later they renamed the team Artsakh which
won its place in Armenian football. And in 2001 on the proposal of
the president and prime minister of NKR a shareholder of the famous
watch company Franck Muller Vardan Sirmakes and Armenian American
Hrach Kaprielian became the owners of the club. Almost in the same
period these two "benefactors" received Ararat FC and Dzoraghbyur
Sport Base belonging to this club since Soviet times for 50 years
to reconstuct (this will be dwelled on separately). The odyssey of
these two glorious clubs began. Problems started when these two
"benefactors" decided that independent Armenia does not need a
national team, and all Armenians need is a club named Ararat. As
a result of this "bright" idea these two clubs were twice left
out of the championship of Armenia. Eventually, they put an end to
Karabakh football by giving the sport complex of Stepanakert to these
"benefactors" for 500 thousand U.S. dollars in 2005 for reconstruction
(by the way, Robert Kocharyan was against this deal, but one of the
influential ministers of Armenia and NKR Prime Minister Anoushavan
Danielyan met with him and persuaded Robert Kocahryan), but nothing
was reconstructed. Moreover, the space to the left of the government
of Karabakh in Stepanakert, where the office of Artsakhbank was located
(these two "benefactors" are the main shareholders of the bank), almost
a hectare of land, was given to these two to build a business center,
and since the leadership has been "fed" by Artsakhbank since long,
they overlooked the fact that no investments were made.

Anyway, on the eve of the parliamentary election in 2005 construction
in the stadium of Stepanakert began on Arkady Ghukasyan’s request. They
brought a lifting crane, started ripping off wooden benches. After
the election the "activity" of the sole lifting crane was stopped.

Presently the sport complex is in ruins, and a lifting crane continues
digging because Ghukasyan and Danielyan are eager to become president
and prime minister again.

And we keep complaining that the population of Armenia and Karabakh is
declining every year, there is no confidence in our own government,
and the money donated to Armenia Foundation is becoming less. Why
are we complaining all the time that no investments are made in the
economies of Armenia and Karabakh if such "investors" are invited?

VARDAN GABRIELYAN

Lebanese Foreign Minister to pay tribute to Genocide victims

ArmRadio.am
12.07.2006 11:08

Today in Tsitsernakaberd the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Emigrants
of Lebanon, who is in Armenia on a two-day official visit, will pay
tribute to the Armenian Genocide victims. The Minister is expected
to visit also Matenadaran.

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: THERE ARE NO POLITICAL PROBLEMS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND LEBANON

YEREVAN, JULY 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. There are no
political problems between Armenia and Lebanon, the relations
develop harmoniously, and there is enough legal-contractual basis for
cooperation. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margarian announced about this
at the July 11 meeting with the delegation headed by Fawzi Salloukh,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lebanon. The Prime Minister stated
that both countries have also great experience of cooperation in
international organizations, especially within the framework of UN,
which is possible to deepen.

As Noyan Tapan was informed from the RA Government Information
and Public Relations Department, the meeting participants attached
importance to the activization of inter-governmental ties. A.Margarian
mentioned that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Lebanese
Parliament is accepted with great gratitude in Armenia and we highly
appreciate the warm attitude of Lebanese towards Armenians saved
from the Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. Talking about the Armenian
community both the RA Prime Minister and Lebanese Foreign Minister
pointed out that Armenians, as deserving citizens of Lebanon, have
their big contribution to the country’s development, they are actively
included in the country’s public-political life and contribute to the
strenghtening of the Armenian- Lebanese relations. Fawzi Salloukh added
that by the recognition of the Armenian Genocide Lebanon has proved
once more that it is against all kind of violences and genocides, it is
against terrorism, causing death of thousands of people in the world.

Stating that Armenia follows with attention and preoccupation the
development of the events in the Middle East region, RA Prime Minister
expressed interest in the developments of the Middle East conflict,
in response to which Foreign Minister Salloukh presented in detail
the situation in the region and the approaches of Lebanon over that
developments. He mentioned once again that his country is a supporter
of conflicts’ regulation through diplomatic negotiations and peaceful
way and makes efforts in that direction.

Fawzi Salloukh, taking into account the experience of Armenia and
the presence of high-quality specialists, asked for the assistance
of the RA Government in the issue of mine clearing of territories in
the Southern Lebanon.

Andranik Margarian replied that the assistance possibility will
certainly be discussed with the corresponding Ministries.

The Foreign Minister of Lebanon also presented the RA Prime Minister
the results of the meeting with his Armenian counterpart, Vartan
Oskanian. He mentioned that he had offered his colleague to convene
the coming sitting of the intergovernmental commision in Lebanon and
hoped that it will be possible to receive the RA Prime Minister in
his country.

MEETING OF ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS NOT TO PRODUCE NEW RESULTS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 11 2006

YEREVAN, July 11. /ARKA/. Meetings of Armenian and Azerbaijani
Presidents Robert Kocharyan and Ilkham Aliyev will not produce
any new results in the aspect of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement,
Speaker of the RA Parliament Tigran Torosyan stated, commenting on
the possibility of such a meeting in Saint Petersburg.

"From now on, the Presidents’ meetings will not produce any new results
until there have been elaborated mechanisms of clarifying which side
is backing out of the agreements," Torosyan said at his meeting with
Head of the OSCE Yerevan Office Vladimir Pryakhin.

The sides also addressed the statements and expectations of the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement.

Torosyan stated that the sides’ behavior must be clearly appraised
when the goal is a final settlement of the conflict. Specifically,
Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements and propaganda of hatred must be
taken into account.

"The sentiments imparted to the public are an indicator of
settlement. Of course, the Co-Chairs should be cautious and reserved
in their appraisals for the conflicting parties to draw closer to
each other. However, no appraisal of negative sentiments is made,
which encourages a formal approach to the settlement," Torosyan said.

Speaking of Azerbaijan’s speculations over the last few months,
Torosyan pointed out that that country is disseminating misinformation
on fires in the NKR and adjacent territories at all levels, including
international organizations.

He said that as far back as June 15 the NKR Defense Office applied
to the OSCE office for monitoring, but no clear official answer
was received.

In his turn, Ambassador Pryakhin promised to convey Speaker Torosyan’s
concern to the OSCE top officials. P.T. -0–

Panorama.am

14:40 10/07/06

AZERBAIJAN FAILED AT OSCE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

The Armenian delegation is quite content with the results OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly (PA) summer session. "All pro-Armenian
resolutions are adopted and Armenia managed to oust anti-Armenian
resolutions proposed by Azerbaijan," NA Vice Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan
who headed the Armenian delegation to OSCE PA told a press conference
today.

All anti-Armenia proposals were supported by Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Turkey, he said, concluding that "cooperation among these countries
is active."

According to V. Hovhannisyan only three countries among 56 OSCE
member states – Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey supported the proposal
to return territories under dispute to the countries to which they
belong and thus to settle the conflicts.

The Armenian delegation managed to include the principle of
self-determination in OSCE resolution documents. They based the
proposal on Montenegro independence referendum. "Despite of outrageous
protest from Azerbaijan and Georgia, the voting indicated that the
principle of national self-determination has a great acceptance among
OSCE member states," Hovhannisyan said./Panorama.am/

AZG Armenian Daily #127, 08/07/2006

Judiciary Issues

RA PARLIAMENT DISCUSSES LAW "ON AMNESTY"

RA National Assembly discussed the draft law "On
Amnesty" submitted by RA President Robert Kocharian in
the first reading.

David Haroutiunian, RA Justice Minister, stated that
the amnesty is dedicated to the 15th anniversary of
the independence of Armenia. About 300 prisoners will
be released from the prisons after the amnesty. He
emphasized that the prisoners sentenced for extreme
crimes will not be included in the amnesty lists. In
particular, this also concerns those who committed
crimes Before June 1, 2006.

The amnesty decision will be carried out till
September 30, 2006.

By Nana Petrosian

JUSTICE MINISTER TO STEP UP POLITICAL ACTIVITY

Armenpress
Jul 6 2006

YEREVAN, JULY 6, ARMENPRESS: Armenian justice minister David Harutunian
has denied today media speculations that he is going to either join
a pro-government party, or set up his own party or contest the 2008
presidential election.

Speaking to journalists in the parliament premises, the minister,
nevertheless, did not rule out that he may contest a parliaments seat
on a ticket of one of the pro-government forces. "One thing is clear,
it is that I shall continue to deal with politics and this does not
mean to have a parliament member mandate or seek the post of the
country’s president," he said, but ignored questions about what party
he may join.

Though the minister had announced earlier that he had no plans to
join a political party, Harutunian said today he could not restrain
the temptation by watching how political developments were unfolding.

"I have my ideas on various issues and I cannot insist that my
interests are restricted only to justice administration," he said. The
minister spoke against the single-mandate election system to the
parliament adding that government ministers should also represent
a party.

BRYZA MAY VISIT STEPANAKERT

Lragir.am
06 July 06

Ashot Ghulyan, Speaker of the NKR National Assembly, commented on the
statement of the foreign minister of Armenia Vardan Oskanyan that
the proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are unacceptable
for Armenia. "Vardan Oskanyan said the proposals are acceptable as
a starting point in the talks. There are worries in both Armenia and
Karabakh that not all the points are acceptable for us," said Ashot
Ghulyan. In answer to the question of the Lragir.am if there is a clear
stance on this in Karabakh, and why it is not expressed openly, the
minister of foreign affairs of NKR Georgy Petrosyan said the Karabakh
government did not find it expedient to express a standpoint on the
statement of the OSCE Minsk Group since Karabakh does not take part in
the talks. "The agreement of Azerbaijan to the engagement of Karabakh
in the talks may signal the commitment of Baku to compromise. However,
the talks have not produced any results so far because Azerbaijan is
not ready to negotiate. And the necessity of participation of Karabakh
is determined by several important circumstances. First, by signing
the armistice Karabakh assumed obligations and is also responsible
for lasting peace in the region. Second, participation will enable
Karabakh to defend own interests directly. Third, the normal format
of the talks will thereby be restored," said Georgy Petrosyan.

RA PRIME MINISTER AND AAA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DISCUSS PROCESS OF MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE’S ARMENIAN PROGRAM

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jul 6 2006

YEREVAN, JULY 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenian-American
relations, in particular, the process of implementation of the
Millennium Challenge’s Armenian program, as well as a number of
regional problems were discussed at the July 6 meeting of RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian with Bryan Ardouny, Executive Director
of the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), and Arpi Vardanian, AAA
Regional Director.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan from RA Government
Information and Public Relations Department, Bryan Ardouny informed
the Prime Minister about the work being done at present by AAA aimed
at implementation of programs favorable for Armenia in the U.S..