Author: Tatoyan Vazgen

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
April 14 2006

AMERICAN POLITICAL ANALYSTS MARK THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS TO
BE THE BASIC THEME OF DISCUSSIONS DURING VISIT OF PRESIDENT ILHAM
ALIYEV TO WASHINGTON
[April 14, 2006, 22:03:20]

Forthcoming visit of the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on the
invitation of the US President George Bush to Washington is in the
center of attention of the American political analysts. The meeting
of presidents will take place on April 28 in the White House. The
parties will discuss such questions, as development of democracy and
cooperation on the Caucasus, power diversity, and also the teamwork
directed on expansion of freedom and safety, as common obligation of
the USA and Azerbaijan.

Though the work above the program of official visit of President
Ilham Aliyev yet has not completed, it is already known, that on
April 27 the heads of state will take part in conference on the topic
`The American-Azerbaijan strategic relations: political and economic
priorities’, devoted to the 10th anniversary of the activity of the
American-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce.

A number of authoritative political analysts on the South Caucasus in
conversation with correspondent of AzerTAc have shared views on what
they expect from the visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Washington.

The Editor-In-Chief of magazine `Central Asia-Caucasus’ S. Cornell
has told: `First of all, this visit will allow to lift the
American-Azerbaijan relations on the level reached at former
President Heydar Aliyev’s time. President Heydar Aliyev, making
frequent visits to the USA, has established very close ties with
American government. Ilham Aliyev’s visit will become a mean for
restoration of sense of trust and links of high level. As if to
concrete questions to be discussed, I consider, that the basic
question of the agenda will be Karabakh. Considering inefficiency of
the Minsk Group format, the USA now intends to show unilaterally
greater activity in settlement of the Karabakh conflict. This
tendency is completely clear.

As a whole, the USA understands strategic value of Azerbaijan, and
not only because of its geographical position, power resources of
your country but also because it is the secular Islamic state in
dangerous region of the world.

As if to the Iranian question, I should note, that the Azerbaijani
press strongly inflates this theme. Certainly, the neighborhood of
Azerbaijan with Iran is important for America. Nevertheless, I do not
think, that the Iranian theme will be in the center of attention on
discussions during visit’.

The general analyst of the Jamestown Fund Vladimir Sokor also has
shared his views: `I expect with optimism the visit of Mr. Aliyev.
This visit should take place earlier. America and Azerbaijan have
close strategic ties. Grandiose power projects of Azerbaijan would
hardly be carried out without political and economic support of the
USA. The United States are the unique force preventing hegemony of
Russia on Southern Caucasus.

I consider, that, despite of contradictions, last parliamentary
elections in Azerbaijan promoted strengthening of the
American-Azerbaijan relations. The analyses lead recently testifies
that these elections have been lead best of all the previous
elections in Azerbaijan. Washington admits this fact. Therefore,
President Ilham Aliyev has received the invitation to Washington. I
think, that present visit will make certain contribution to the
American-Azerbaijan friendly relations and will answer national
interests of Azerbaijan.

As to settlement of the Karabakh conflict, the United States clearly
wishes to take leadership in mediation. Steven Mann, working within
the Minsk Group, at the same time tries to make active intermediary
efforts of the USA with a view of achievement of direct settlement
between Armenia and Azerbaijan. The efforts, undertaken by three
co-chairmen, appear ineffectual, as Russia is not interested in
settlement of the conflict. The USA has the basic economic and
political keys. I hope, that Armenia, having shown sufficient wisdom,
will accept the USA as leader in mediation at settlement of the
conflict. I know, that Azerbaijan will not object to this. In this
case, 2006 can become successful in settlement of the Karabakh
question’.

Chairman of Central Asia-Caucasus Institute (CACI) of the Johns
Hopkins University Frederick Starr University: `Arrival of President
Ilham Aliyev in Washington is a very much good news. It will be very
successful visit. Certainly, the said visit will allow speaking
openly about Karabakh. We, the analysts, call members of the
government of the USA to lift the Karabakh question at negotiations
with the Azerbaijan party, to be more active in this. It is high time
of settlement of the conflict. The Azerbaijan territories should be
returned, and there urgently should begin regenerative process. After
this, there can be found the way out acceptable at the international
level for settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Armenians should
understand the reality. Time has come to pay attention to this
question more resolutely’.

ARMENIAN MOD HEAD APPRECIATES OSCE MG EFFORTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.04.2006 00:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Secretary of the National Security Service at the
Armenian President, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan met with OSCE
Minsk Group French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier, Armenian MOD Head’s
Spokesperson, colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net. During
the meeting the interlocutors discussed the current state and
prospects of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Serge
Sargsyan appreciated OSCE MG efforts, hoping these will finally have
the desired outcomes.

60-YEAR-OLD OBSERVATORY “BYURAKAN” REGAINS ONCE LOST GLORY

Yerevan, April 13. ArmInfo. “Byurakan” astrophysical observatory of
the RA National Academy of Science will celebrate its 60th jubilee by
organizing an International Conference with participation of scientists
from 7 countries. Observatory Director Hayk Haroutunyan told ArmInfo.

He said that on August 25 the International School of Astrophysics
in Byurakan will start operating. Scientists from the USA, France,
Italy, Greece, Germany and Russia will deliver lectures on the modern
achievements of world astrophysics for young specialists from abroad.

A solemn sitting is fixed for September 1. The International Scientific
Conference on Astrophysics will take place on September 2-3.

Besides, in the summer of 2007, a Congress of European Astrophysics
will convene in Armenia. Scientists from Europe, USA and a number of
Asian states will participate in it. Hayk Haroutunyan said Congress
might be held in the Ukraine, but the International Astronomic Union
(IAU) preferred Armenia. Under the Congress, 6 scientific symposiums
will be held.

“Byurakan” Astrophysical Observatory was founded in 1946 on the
highest peak of today’s Armenia, Aragats. The Armenian astrophysics
reached its fullest flower due to the leading scientist Victor
Hambartsoumyan. The results of the scientific research at “Byurakan”
Observatory got world acknowledgement and became a basis for new
directions in astrophysics, H. Haroutunyan said. However, during the
last 15 years the number of the employees at the observatory was cut 4
times. At present negotiations are underway with France for restoration
of the agreement on joint scientific research broken for some reasons
3 years ago. Similar talks are in process with Italy and Germany. An
agreement with Italy has already been signed, and implementation
of joint projects to start in 2007. The ties with Russian have been
activated as well. Thus, the famous Schmidt Telescope is currently
restored in cooperation with Russian specialists. Other telescopes
of the observatory are also being restored, H. Haroutunyan said.

KOSOVO AND THE POST-SOVIET CONFLICTS: NO ANALOGY MEANS NO “PRECEDENT”
By Vladimir Socor

Eurasia Daily Monitor, DC
April 13 2006

Part one of two.

Lavrov puts brakes on Kosovo recognition Russian Minister of Foreign
Affairs Sergei Lavrov and other officials have shifted their tactics
regarding the negotiations on the status of Kosovo. The new theme
of their statements and tactical approach to the negotiations is:
“No Haste.” In their view, the negotiations must prepare a settlement
“acceptable to all parties” — translation: hand Serbia blocking
rights — even if it means delaying the final outcome. Lavrov and
his spokesman, Mikhail Kamynin, somberly intimate that recognition
of Kosovo’s independence could set a “precedent” with “dangerous
consequences in Europe,” i.e., encourage movements in parts of certain
countries to press for separate statehood and international recognition
(Interfax, April 10). Meanwhile, the United States is the main promoter
of Kosovo’s independence, contingent on proper standards of governance
and human rights. The EU position is similar.

Moscow’s new arguments seek to dissuade some European governments
from supporting recognition and, through this tactic, to complicate
and prolong the negotiations.

The shift seems due at least in part to the prospect that the Serbian
government might officially consent to independence and international
recognition of Kosovo, albeit subject to international (i.e., Western)
certification that Kosovo has achieved democratic standards.

Serbian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vuk Draskovic recently declared
that Serbia could agree to international recognition of Kosovo’s
independence, including membership in all international organizations
save the United Nations (a reservation that seems destined to be
abandoned in due course). Draskovic’s statement has triggered a
reassessment of policy in Moscow.

The Kremlin had initially calculated that international recognition
of Kosovo’s independence could become a “model” or “precedent”
enabling Russia to call for recognition of Transnistria, Abkhazia,
South Ossetia, or Karabakh. However, Serbian consent to international
recognition of Kosovo would make it impossible for Moscow to apply
a “Kosovo model” to the post-Soviet conflicts. In that case, the
“model” would stipulate that international recognition of a new state
depends on the prior consent of the country from which that entity
secedes. Such a model would be useless to Russia and the post-Soviet
secessionist territories because Georgia, Moldova, and Azerbaijan
would not grant such consent in any foreseeable circumstances.

Moreover, rapid progress toward resolving the Kosovo issue with
minimal Serbian resistance would deprive Russia of opportunities to
play spoiler in the negotiations within the Kosovo Contact Group and
UN Security Council. Moscow wants a dragged-out negotiating process
with opportunities for tradeoffs, whether at Serbia’s expense or the
expense of Moscow’s proteges in the post-Soviet secessionist enclaves,
depending on tactical developments down the road.

Moscow is responding in three ways to the situation created by the
Draskovic statement. First, it tries to embolden hard-line nationalists
in the Serbian government to oppose Kosovo’s independence in principle
and to raise insuperable obstacles in the negotiations. Second,
it tries to outflank the United States by raising the prospect of
destabilization in Europe with some West European participants in
the Contact Group and with some Central-East European governments
in bilateral channels. And, third, it cries, “No Haste,” so as to
frustrate the U.S. and, largely, Western goal of achieving a resolution
this year.

The authorities in Tiraspol, Transnistria; Sukhumi, Abkhazia;
Tskhinvali, South Ossetia; and Stepanakert, Karabakh (and Yerevan as
well) never based their hopes for international or at least Russian
official recognition upon a possible Kosovo “model” or “precedent.”

When Russian President Vladimir Putin raised this idea earlier this
year and turned it into a staple of Russia’s discourse on post-Soviet
conflict resolution, the secessionist authorities reacted with caution
and skepticism. While putting a few of their eggs in the Kosovo basket,
they are clearly loath to stake their case on Kosovo or Russian
actions related to Kosovo. They continually stress other arguments,
“precedents” or “models” in their quest for recognition (see EDM,
February 2, 6, 8).

ANCIENT AZERI TOWN ARMENIANIZED

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006

Separatists in the self-proclaimed Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh republic
are trying to turn the occupied ancient Azeri town of Shusha into
a cultural center of world Armenians and plan to carry out this
outrageous plan by holding an electronic referendum.

“Every Armenian will be able to access a special website and voice
his opinion on the issue to facilitate the town’s turning into a
scientific, cultural and tourism center for not only Upper Garabagh
and Armenia, but also all world Armenians,” the head of the self-styled
Shusha Foundation, Bakor Karapetian, maintained.

Armenian scholars seeking to distort history have discovered items
dating back to the 12th century as well as the ancient Turkic period
during their archaeological excavations in the territory of Shusha.

The Armenian Catholic Church in Beirut, Lebanon had allocated $25,000
for the purpose.

TURKEY ALLOWS SCREENING OF CANADIAN DIRECTOR’S FILM ON MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS

National Post (f/k/a The Financial Post) (Canada)
April 13, 2006 Thursday
All but Toronto Edition

A private TV station will broadcast a movie by Canadian director Atom
Egoyan on the First World War massacres of Armenians for the first
time in Turkey where the subject still arouses nationalist feelings,
a spokesman for the channel yesterday. Kanalturk decided to show
Ararat by Mr. Egoyan, an ethnic Armenian, after a survey revealed
that 72% of the participants wanted to see the film, he said. “We
will show the movie with no cuts or censoring.” Even though the
Turkish government gave the go-ahead for the showing of the film,
which was released in 2002, an Istanbul firm was forced in 2004 to
drop plans to screen the movie because of potential protests that
would have required police presence.

US CONGRESS DELEGATION EN ROUTE
Author: E.Huseynov

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 12 2006

A US delegation headed by Congressman Jim Kolbe, the chairman of
the Ad Hoc Committee on foreign assignments of the foreign programs
committee of the House of Representatives, is arriving in Baku on
Wednesday with a two-day visit, Jonathan Henick, a spokesman of the
US embassy in Baku, told Trend.

The delegation is expected to hold a meeting with Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev.

The meeting will focus on current state and development of the
Azerbaijan-Armenian relationships, implementation of assistance
programs in Azerbaijan.

A news conference will be given in the end of the visit.

Prior to Baku the mission visited Georgia and Armenia. In difference
to these countries, the mission to visit Baku will not include
the Executive Director of Millennium Challenges corporation, John
Danilevich.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARMENIAN-HUNGARIAN RELATIONS HIGHLIGHTED

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
April 12 2006

On April 11 Artur Baghdasaryan, RA NA President received the newly
appointed Ambassador Arpad Sekey of Hungary to Armenia.

During the meeting problems of strengthening the legal-contractual
field between two countries were discussed. Both sides highlighted
the development of the interparliamentary relations and the study
of the Hungarian legislative experience and the enlargement of
the Armenian-Hungarian relations within the framework of the New
Neighbourhood Programme of the European Union, taking into account
the historical and current harmony interests.

Congratulating the Ambassador on the occasion of his appointment, the
NA President Artur Baghdasaryan expressed confidence that his activity
will promote the development of the Armenian-Hungarian relations and
expressed readiness to support the deepening of cooperation. The NA
President also touched upon the trial of the murder of the Armenian
officer Gurgen Margaryan going on in Budapest, and Mr. Sekey, highly
estimating the Hungarian judicial system, noted that the verdict will
be in compliance with the requirements of the law.

OPPOSITION SAYS BASE AGREEMENT WILL LEGALIZE RUSSIAN SPY PRESENCE IN GEORGIA

Imedi TV, Tbilisi
13 Apr 06

[Presenter] The Democratic Front has welcomed the start of the process
for the withdrawal of Russian military bases from Georgia, but has
objections to a number of clauses in the agreement. They say that the
creation of a joint Georgian-Russian antiterrorist centre will impede
NATO membership. The opposition also thinks the Georgian-Russian
agreement on the transit of Russian military equipment to Armenia
through Georgia is unacceptable. Koba Davitashvili says that the
Georgian government is only interested in PR and is not taking real
steps to have the bases withdrawn.

[Davit Zurabishvili, MP] The withdrawal of the Russian bases is
absolutely essential, it is an urgent matter. However, this should be
a complete withdrawal. A Russian contingent should not be present in
a country which has ambitions of joining NATO and the EU. Therefore,
we are particularly concerned about several points in this agreement,
specifically the one on the establishment of a joint Georgian-Russian
so-called antiterrorist centre on the site of the Russian military
base in Batumi.

[Ivliane Khaindrava, MP] Why is the Batumi base going to be the site
of this centre? Why is it necessary to set up a Russian-Georgian
antiterrorist base or centre in Ajaria so close to the border with
Turkey, a NATO member? Why does Georgia need Russia’s GRU [Russian
Defence Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate] to have a formalized
spy station [Georgian: rezidentura] in the country? To what extent
does this match our country’s rapid progress towards NATO?

[Davitashvili] Russia is now free to use us as a transit country on
the way to Armenia as much as it wants, like never before, not even
in Shevardnadze’s time. They have refused inspections of the Gudauta
military base [in Abkhazia] which has not been withdrawn. This was
all signed so that in 2008 they can stage a PR stunt about the bases
being withdrawn. I would once again like to call on the government
to stop its obsession with PR. In reality this document is useless
and I call on members of the majority to refrain from ratifying it.

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America
H.G. Bishop Moushegh Mardirossian
Prelate, Western United States
4401 Russell Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90027
Tel: 818-248-7737/8
Fax: 818-248-7745
E-mail: [email protected]

ON PALM SUNDAY

LET US CHERISH OUR CHILDREN, FOR THEIR ANGELS IN HEAVEN ARE ALWAYS IN THE
PRESENCE OF MY FATHER

DECLARED THE PRELATE

In the Christian tradition, the Armenian Apostolic Church celebrates Palm
Sunday, the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, on the Sunday
before Easter. On this special feast, our churches are decorated with olive
branches to symbolize peace and brotherhood during the welcoming of Jesus
upon His entrance to the Holy City of Jerusalem, thus creating a unique
atmosphere.
On Sunday, April 9, Holy Mass and special services were conducted
in all Prelacy churches to celebrate Palm Sunday. On this feast, His
Eminence Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, conducted Holy Mass
services at Montebello’s Holy Cross Mother Cathedral. During Mass, a
children’s procession took place followed by the Prelate’s sermon.
During his sermon, the Prelate reflected upon the message of Palm
Sunday and gave special consideration to the tradition of the children’s
procession. He brought to attention that children are like angels, thus
they are worthy of love, affection, guidance and care.
Following Mass, the rite of Opening of the Portals was conducted.

A.R.S. ANI CHAPTER LUNCHEON

After church services, the Prelate and parishioners gathered at
`Baghramian’ Hall where there was a traditional luncheon organized by the
A.R.S. Ani Chapter. The Prelate blessed the tables after which he delivered
his remarks. In his remarks, the Prelate expressed thanks to A.R.S. for all
the deeds they perform and especially for their allegiance to our church and
national traditions. He continued that these types of events, which bring
people closer to each other, to the church, and to our heritage, is a great
example of that allegiance.