Author: Navasardian Karapet

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 10 2006

Prosecutor-General Zakir Garalov: No Armenian prisoner of war is held
in Azerbaijan, we are ready to investigate if Armenia has evidence

[ 10 Jun. 2006 10:22 ]

Azerbaijan’s Prosecutor-General Zakir Garalov received the delegation
led by Leo Platvoet-rapporteur of the Committee on Migration,
Refugees and Population of the Council of Europe Parlaimentary
Assembly.

APA reports quoting the Prosecutor-General’s Office that Mr.Garalov
first thanked to Mr.Platvoet, as head of the PACE election
observation mission for his unbiased assessment of the partial re-run
of the parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. He also stressed that
Platvoet’s new mission is related to a very sensitive issue adding
that Armenia has been pursuing aggressive and genocide policy against
Azerbaijan for over 20 years. The Prosecutor-General noted that as a
result of this aggression, more than one million Azerbaijani
residents of Nagorno Garabagh and surrounding regions have become
refugees and internally displaced persons and 20% of our territories
have been occupied.
Garalov also reported that Azerbaijan’s State Commission for
Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons has registered 4,604
Azerbaijani persons as missing in the conflict zone. The
investigation group, which was established three years ago for
investigation into the crimes committed by Armenian armed forces
during the undeclared war against Azerbaijan, interrogated 1,061
prisoners of war or hostages. The investigation proved that hundreds
of people were massacred, taken hostage and underwent torture during
the invasion of Azerbaijan’s town of Khojali, Meshali and Garadagli
villages.
`The perpetrators of these crimes will stand our courts and also
international courts if needed. No Armenian prisoner of war is held
in Azerbaijan at present, we are read to any international monitoring
of this issue. If Armenian side has evidences on that, the
Azerbaijani side is prepared to conduct relevant investigations,’ the
Prosecutor-General noted.
Expressing his satisfaction with the meeting, Leo Platvoet said as
the head of the mission for missing persons, while in Armenia he was
given no official documents proving holding of any Armenian prisoners
of war or hostages in Azerbaijan. The rapporteur noted that in his
further activity, he will take into account the information and
issues raised by the Prosecutor-General./APA/

Vahan Hovhannisyan: President of Azerbaijan is not ready for concessions

ArmRadio.am
08.06.2006 18:06

`We have seen many times that the President of Azerbaijan is not ready
for concessions, and this can be explained with the public opinion in
Azerbaijan. We should not forget, however, that the public opinion
was formed mostly with the influence of the aggressive statements of
the Azeri President,’ NA Deputy Speaker Vahan Hovhannisyan said.

The Deputy Speaker considers it is irrefutable that the oil factor has
a certain role in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. He does not
think, however, that Baku can use this as a guarantee that no pressure
will be exerted over it in any case.

`In reality, it is not that difficult to match the positions of the
parties, only Azerbaijan should recognize the right of
self-determination of people of Nagorno-Karabakh. International
experience shous that it is an applicable mechanism,’ Vahan
Hovhannisyan said, turning to possible developments of further
development.

The current world processes, in Vahan Hovhannisyan’s opinion, will at
last make Azerbaijan realize the necessity of a more tolerating
approach.

CATHOLICOSATE OF GREAT HOUSE OF CILICIA DONATES 100 THOUSAND DOLLARS
FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW CHURCH IN KARABAKH

ANTELIAS, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. It’s envisaged to
build a Cathedral in Stepanakert, the capital of the Republic of
Armenia. Construction works have already been started. As significant
expression of entity and unity of the Armenian church as well as of
active participation in national work of building the Fatherland, the
Great House of Cilicia Catholicosate donated 100 thousand dollars for
construction of the Stepanakert Cathedral.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Services of the Great House
of Cilicia Catholicosate, Aram I Catholicos of the Great House of
Cilicia wrote in his letter addressed on that occasion to Karekin II
Catholicos of All Armenians and NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian: “We
once again prove the initiative of the Great House of Cilicia
Catholicosate and personally our one to support all works addressed to
strengthening and progress of Armenia and Karabakh.”

AZERBAIJANI YOUTHS IGNORE 3+3 SEMINAR IN ARMENIA

Armenpress
Jun 08 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS: Representatives of youth organizations
from Azerbaijan ignored an invitation to come to Armenia and join
peers from the three Baltic nations and Georgia and Armenia for a
five-day seminar on ways to boost youth cooperation.

The seminar is part of a framework known as 3+3 (three Baltic and
three South Caucasian nations).

Around 30 young men and women from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia,
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh will discuss how to make youth cooperation
more effective. The seminar is organized by the Federation of Armenian
Youth Clubs.

Armenian deputy culture minister and a representative of the Council
of Europe office in Armenia were present at the opening.

ASAF HAJIEV: NO SENSE IN SPEAKING ABOUT ECONOMIC COOPERATION BEFORE KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

ArmRadio.am
07.06.2006 16:40

“Without the settlement of the Karabakh conflict it is senseless to
speak about cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan,” said Asaf
Hajiev, Head of the Azeri delegation at the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Milli Mejlis Deputy, who is in
Armenia to participate in the 27th sitting of the PABSEC. “After the
resolution of the issue we should cooperate since we are neighbors,”
he said, adding that the President of Azerbaijan confirms “there will
be no economic cooperation while there is war.”

CHRISTENUNIE: BESTRAF ONTKENNING VAN VOLKERENMOORD

ANP
1 Juni 2006

DEN HAAG (ANP) – Het ontkennen van volkerenmoord, zoals de
Holocaust, moet strafbaar worden. De ChristenUnie heeft daartoe een
wetsvoorstel ingediend. Wie opzettelijk genocide en misdrijven tegen
de menselijkheid ontkent om daarmee anderen te beledigen of aan te
zetten tot haat, maakt zich volgens het voorstel schuldig aan een
strafbaar feit waarop maximaal een jaar cel staat.

De indiener van het wetsvoorstel, Tweede Kamerlid Tineke Huizinga
van de ChristenUnie, wil een en ander expliciet in het wetboek van
strafrecht opnemen om een duidelijk signaal te geven dat dergelijke
ontkenningen ontoelaatbaar zijn. Ook is het dan beter mogelijk om
discriminatie op internet aan te pakken, zei Huizinga donderdag bij
de presentatie van haar voorstel.

Voor slachtoffers van volkerenmoord en hun nabestaanden zijn welbewuste
ontkenningen van het aangedane kwaad of opzettelijke verdraaiing
van feiten “onverteerbaar”. Huizinga noemde als voorbeeld behalve
de jodenvervolging door de nazi’s tijdens de Tweede Wereldoorlog ook
de omvang van de slavernij, waarin ook Nederland een “kwalijke rol”
heeft gespeeld.

Bovendien herinnerde het Kamerlid aan de volkerenmoord op Armeniërs
in 1915 ten tijde van het Ottomaanse rijk die in het hedendaagse
Turkije en door Turken elders nog steeds wordt ontkend. Huizinga en
andere Kamerleden zijn de afgelopen tijd bedolven onder e-mails van
vooral Turken die zich tegen het voorstel van de ChristenUnie keren.

Huizinga benadrukte dat haar voorstel niet bedoeld is om de vrijheid
van meningsuiting te beperken. Het debat over feiten in de geschiedenis
moet volgens haar altijd worden gevoerd. De ontkenning, goedkeuring
of rechtvaardiging van volkerenmoord moet daarom strafbaar zijn op
het moment dat het een welbewuste uiting is om mensen te beledigen
en te discrimineren.

De Federatie Armeense Organisaties Nederland noemt het wetsvoorstel
een stap voorwaarts en is blij dat de Armeense genocide expliciet in
de toelichting wordt genoemd. Een vertegenwoordiger ervan, Inge Drost,
gaat ervan uit dat het met deze wet mogelijk zou zijn om sites in
Nederland aan te pakken waarop de Armeense volkerenmoord wordt ontkend,
zoals op de volgens haar onschuldig ogende site www.armenië.nl.

Ook het Landelijk Bureau ter bestrijding van Rassendiscriminatie en het
Centrum Informatie en Documentatie Israël (CIDI) lieten in een reactie
weten het voorstel te steunen. Het wetsvoorstel gaat nu eerst voor
advies naar de Raad van State, waarna de Kamer zich erover kan buigen.

–Boundary_(ID_OhRUqu8hMuzbp281nkVNjw)–

FSS IMPRISONED ARMENIAN SENATOR OF KALMYKIA LEVON CHAKMAKYAN WHILE TAKING BRIBE 300.000 DOLLARS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 6 2006

Federal Security Service imprisoned Armenian senator of Kalmykia
Levon Chakmakyan while taking bribe 300.000 dollars, as a result of
operation implemented in Transaero air company, General Prosecutor’s
Office of Russia informed.

During the operation Russia- Armenia Economic Cooperation Association
chief accountant Igor Arushanov and Account Chamber chairman assistant
Armen Ohanesyan have also been imprisoned. General Prosecutor’s Office
has stated that the three persons have detained for their being busy
with crme related to getting money from businessmen. Special operation
has been implemented in accordance with the information of Accountant
Chamber. Igor Arushanov and Armen Ohanesyan is convicted with the
article in taking money in the form of group and roguishness. Since
Levon Chakmakyan has deputy inviolability, official conviction has
not been initiated against him. Levon Chakmakyan has stated that
Transaero Company Board of Directors chairman Pleshakov asked him
support for being selected Russia-Armenia Economic Cooperation
Association vise-president.

“Pleshakov also asked for help in the organization of advertisement
of the company he runs, I promised him to familiarize him with a
person that I know.” The investigation defined the name of that
person to be chief accountant Igor Arushanov. Levon Chakmakyan said
that after they met in the office Pleshakov gave a briefcase to his
acquaintance. Kalmykia senator and chief accountant while leaving
the Transaero company office Federal Security Service associates have
detained them. Levon Chakmakyan was released after two hours.

Transaero company public affairs department chief Sergey Bikhal
said the information of Armenian senator to be false. “We leave
everything to his conscience.” Federation Council chairman Sergey
Mironov applying to Kalmykia parliament demanded to put an end to
authority of senator Chakmakyan. Today Kalmykia President Kirsan
Ilumjanov expressed his confidence for the parliament to put an end
to authority of Levon Chakmakyan. Accounting Chamber chairman Sergey
Stepashin identified the events happened. He stated that chairman
of Board of Directors of the organization, Pleshakov applied to him
related to examinations in Transaero Company. “Pleshakov stated his
dissatisfaction related to the issues in our report. The matter is
about paying 14 billion dollar compensation to customs office while
purchasing plane from foreign companies. Some mediators applying
to Pleshakov stated that they can change the opinion of audit of
Accounting Chamber for 3 mln dollars. During the talks this figure was
reduced to 1,5 mln. dollars. After Pleshakov has informed me about,
I informed Federal Security Service director Nikolay Patrushev.”

According to Sergey Stepashin, President Putin, Federation Council
chairman Mironov and state Duma speaker Boris Grizlov were informed
beforehand of the imprisonment. According to him, if Kalmykia
parliament does not deprive of him his authority, by the award of
Supreme Court, he will be imprisoned. In the investigation materials it
was identified that the names of those mediating to change Accounting
Chamber opinion for 1,5 mln dollars, is Armen Ohanesyan and Levon
Chakmakyan.

CO-CHAIRMEN CONTINUE TO BELIEVE THAT YEAR 2006 IS A WINDOW FOR REACHING AGREEMENT ON NAGORNO KARABAKH

Noyan Tapan
June 06 2006

BUCHAREST, JUNE 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs
“continue to believe that the year 2006 is a window for reaching
agreement on Nagorno Karabakh.” OSCE Minsk Group American Co-chair
Steven Mann declared this to radio Liberty on June 5 in Bucharest. In
response to the question about progress in the negotiations process
as compared with the previous stage, the American diplomat said:
“I will only say that we have had very detailed negotiations.”

According to reports, asked about the working document on the main
principles of conflict settlement in circulation, Steven Mann said:
“Documents are changed very often.” So, according to radio Liberty,
no result was registered at the Bucharest stage of Nagorno Karabakh
negotiations, either.

TALKS WITH EU WITHIN EUROPEAN NEIGHBORHOOD POLICY IMPORTANT FOR ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.06.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The EU activities are targeted not at the accession
of new members but at the expansion of cooperation within the European
Neighborhood Policy, Mr. Edward McMillan-Scott, the European Parliament
Vice President stated in Yerevan. In his words, Bulgaria and Romania
will join the EU next year. The Balkan states have also issued a
bid. “The European Union is not a closed organization, but we pay a
greater attention to the development of horizontal ties. The Balkan
states wish to join the EU as soon as possible but it’s not real at
present. At that I do not see obstacles for Armenia’s joining the EU,
but this is the matter of the future. At the present moment the talks
with the EU within the European Neighborhood Policy are important
for Armenia,” the European Parliament Vice President said.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN AND ILHAM ALIEV MET IN ROMANIA

ArmRadio.am
05.06.2006 10:56

Last evening Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan Robert Kocharyan
and Ilham Aliev met at the Polish Embassy in Romania. Leaders of the
two countries arrived in Bucharest to participate in the Summit of
the Black Sea Forum for Dialogue and Partnership.

Kocharyan-Aliev meeting featured the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel
de Gucht, OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk and Foreign Ministers of
Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Later the Presidents met tête-a-tête, following which the talks
continued in an enlarged format. The negotiations lasted for over
four hours, following which the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan
dined with the President of Romania Traian BÄ~Csescu. After the talks
the Presidents did not meet reporters. The latter expect to receive
comments during today’s summit.

Preceding the meeting with Azeri President Ilham Aliev, Robert
Kocharyan had a meeting with the President of Romania Traian
BÄ~Csescu. The parties discussed bilateral relations, as well as
issues related to today’s summit and further cooperation.

It was noted that the Romanian President is expected to visit Armenia
in October 2006.

Before the start of the summit today RA president Robert Kocharyan
will have bilateral meetings with the Foreign Minister of Belgium,
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel de Gucht, Deputy Assistant to US
President on Security Issues J.

Crauch and EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter
Semneby.

–Boundary_(ID_uvctS5JmJLZjtXeWzyB f0Q)–