Author: Tigranian Ani

POLAND STANDS BY AZERI EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
June 13 2006

Baku, June 12, AssA-Irada
The chair of Poland’s Seim (lower house of parliament) commission on
European Union issues Karol Karski and a member of the commission
Malgozhata Sadurskaya, met with members of the Milli Majlis
(parliament) group for inter-parliamentary cooperation with Poland
on Monday.

Karski pointed to numerous common features between Azerbaijan and
Poland, indicating that the developments in January 1990 in Baku
had marked the beginning of the Soviet Union’s break-up. The Polish
MPs spoke in favor of a negotiated settlement of the Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh conflict.

Hundreds of civilians were killed or injured by the Soviet troops
in Baku on January 20, 1990 on an order from the USSR leadership
that was trying to maintain the Communist regime in Azerbaijan and
strangle the national freedom movement.

The visiting MPs said Azerbaijan had enormous natural resources and a
burgeoning economy, while its ancient history and culture could make
it an interesting tourist destination. He said Azerbaijan was one of
Poland’s most important partners.

“As a member of the EU, Poland stands by Azerbaijan’s integration
aspirations. We also encourage your country’s cooperation with NATO,”
Karski said.

A member of the parliamentary group for cooperation and friendship
with Poland, MP Eldar Guliyev, said Poland was the first country to
recognize Azerbaijan’s independence. MP Sabir Hajiyev, for his part,
said Azerbaijan was doing a lot to become a member of the European
family and expressed hope that European countries would support
Azerbaijan’s cause in the Upper Garabagh conflict.

He said Azerbaijan was still in favor of peace talks despite the
ongoing occupation of its lands and the existence of more than million
refugees. It is for this reason, Hajiyev said, that Azerbaijan has
been abiding by the ceasefire agreement reached over 10 years ago.

“This has been possible due to the tolerance of the Azerbaijanis,”
the MP said.

NOT CLEAR ISSUES FOR VENETIANS

Panorama.am
17:04 12/06/06

Venice committee has sent draft conclusion to election code, NA
Speaker Tigran Torosyan said. He said the committee has grouped
issues into three groups. The first group relates to those promoting
electoral processes. The second group relates to issues which may
cause difficulties and should be ignored. Finally, the third group
includes unclear issues which should be explained. Only after further
explanations can Venice committee issue their conclusion if the
amendment will harm and contribute to election processes.

On June 19 a working meeting will be called to discuss the draft
conclusion and the election code amendments.

Daily Nation, Kenya
June 10, 2006

Unveil puzzle on Armenians

Publication Date: 6/10/2006

The Government owes Kenyans a lot of explanations following the
dramatic events that led to the arrest of the controversial Armenian
brothers.

This is the Government that officially assured us that the alleged
mercenaries were honest and genuine investors.

It is the Government that made all manner of accusations against
those raising queries about who the Armenians really were, what they
were doing in this country and why they seemed to enjoy State
protection.

Even when the fellows started acting in an arrogant manner that
should have been embarrassing to their hosts, they remained
untouchable as if confident that they enjoyed protection from the
highest office in the land.

Well, the chickens have come home to roost. The fellows have gone a
bit too far and somebody finally has had the courage to act.

The so-called investors are finally in police custody and now we
expect that the Government will be constrained to take the necessary
measures.

If they have committed any crimes, then they must be made to face the
law. Any move to spirit them out of the country before a full
investigation into their activities will be seen for what it is – a
desperate attempt at a cover-up.

The Government must also answer so many lingering questions. In the
first place, an embarrassing and very scary security breach was
witnessed at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.

Some individuals refused to open their luggage for inspection by
customs officers and brazenly forced their way out as the police
looked on helplessly.

An airport, especially in these days of terrorist threats, arms
smuggling and drug trafficking, is a high security area. How a few
individuals can send the entire airport security force cowering as
they defiantly drive away calls for a very serious probe.

Who gave them the security clearance to strut like tausi freely
around the most sensitive areas at the airport? Whom did they call to
seek intervention before making their getaway? How did they manage to
leave the airport without being challenged despite all the heavy
security?

There followed a police raid at their Runda residence, where items
were seized. A proper explanation must be provided for the haul of
car number plates – including for GK and diplomatic cars – and other
items found in the house. There was even a GK vehicle parked in the
compound!

The investigations must be thorough and culminate in the two men
being charged in court.

Deporting them before full and proper investigations are concluded
will be a pitiable attempt to prevent the truth from coming out.

Second flight recorder of the crashed A-320 to be decoded in 2-3 weeks

ArmRadio.am
10.06.2006 14:15

The reason of May 3 crash of the A-320 of Armavia Company will be
known in two or three weeks. Different versions are suggested, varying
from terrorism to shortage of fuel. However, the real reasons will be
known only after the information of the flight recorders is decoded.

One of the black boxes ` the voice recorder has been already decoded,
but these are not made public. The decoding was carried out at the
Interstate Aviation Committee of Moscow. The conversations were in
Armenian. These were translated by RA Ambassador Extraordinary and
Plenipotentiary to Russia Armen Smbatyan. In his interview with
`Radiolur’ the Ambassador did not mention the reason of the crash; he
assured, however, that it was not terrorism. The Russian Ministry of
Transport informs that the recorder registered 33 minutes of voice
information, including the start and development of the emergency
situation.

It is expected that the decoding of the second black box will be
completed in 2-3 weeks, after which it will be possible to draw
conclusions about the technical state of the plane, RA Ambassador
Armen Smbatyan told `Radiolur.’

The Ambassador urges to wait a little to escape disseminating false
information.

DASHNAKTSUTIUN AND REPUBLICAN WILL SWEAR AT ROBERT KOCHARYAN

Lragir.am
09 June 06

In two years time Dashnaktsutiun and the Republican will be swearing
at Robert Kocharyan, predicted Aram Manukyan, All Armenian Movement,
on June 9. For a lack of an ideological relation, he said. `I, for
example, will never swear at Levon Ter-Petrosyan, because accept him
or not, we were in the same ideological team. Whereas, the ARF and the
Republican Party, being in the same government with Robert Kocharyan,
do not have any ideological relations,=80=9D said Aram Manukyan.

84 ARRESTED ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING CHARGES

Radio Polonia, Poland
June 8 2006

A criminal gang smuggling people across the Polish border has been
broken by the border services in Opole, south-western Poland. The
detention of 84 members of the group came as the crowning of an
investigation going on for over a year. Apart from Poles, the gang
included citizens of Ukraine and Armenia. They are all being charged
with smuggling people and forging documents.

ARMENIA IS THE LAST IN THE REGION

Lragir.am
08 June 06

Armenia is behind Georgia and Azerbaijan by the anti-trafficking
efforts, stated the U.S. State Department officials who monitor and
combat trafficking on June 7 to Armenian news reporters during the
telebridge initiated by the U.S. Embassy. The three countries of the
South Caucasus are on the Tier 2 Watch List in the TIP Report 2005.

This is an average index but with regard to the anti-trafficking
efforts the U.S. State Department Officials point to the progress of
Azerbaijan and Georgia in raising awareness of the public, assistance
to the victims of trafficking and prosecution.

ARMENIAN CHURCH SETS YOUTH DAY

Press-Enterprise (subscription), CA
June 8 2006

The Armenian Apostolic Church of Riverside is set to hold Youth
Appreciation Day from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at Castle Park in
Riverside.

Admission is free to youth who regularly attend services at the church,
which serves Armenians in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

The cost for parents and other students is $13.95, which includes
admission, lunch and rides. The monthly service of Holy Badarak,
Divine Liturgy is set for 3 p.m. June 18 at All Saints Episcopal
Church, 3847 Terracina Drive, Riverside.

The service will include a blessing of the youth. Graduating students
will be recognized after the service.

For information about Youth Appreciation Day, call 951-274-
0616. For information about the Sunday service, call 909-883- 1066
or 951-684-1722.

OTE GETS 8 BIDS FOR ARMENTEL

Financial Mirror, Cyprus
June 6 2006

Hellenic Telecom Organisation (OTE) has received 8 non-binding bids
for its 90% stake in Armentel, which may fetch up to USD 140 mln,
according to Greek press reports.

The Russian press meanwhile reported that AFK Sistema has submitted
an interest to bid in the Armentel, Sistema’s Chairman Vladimir
Yevtushenkov said.

The stake is currently owned by Greece’s OTE, which said in late April
that it planned to sell the stake. The remaining 10% in Armentel is
held by the Armenian government.

Armentel is a privately owned monopoly having a near lock of the fixed
and mobile telephony in Armenia and is widely accused of stalling
the rapid growth of telecommunications in the country.

Armentel boasts 600.000 fixed line subscribers and 330.000 mobile.

During 2005, the OTE subsidiary reported USD 145.3 mln turnover and
profit of USD 55.9 mln.

Zaman, Turkey
June 4 2006

‘Enacting the So-called Genocide Law is Difficult’
By Cihan News Agency, Amsterdam
Published: Sunday, June 04, 2006
zaman.com

Enacting the proposed law presented to the Dutch Parliament which
criminalizes denial of the so-called Armenian genocide’ is decidedly
difficult.

Turkish origin Dutch parliamentarian, Fadime Orgu, considers that
legislative proposal that upset Turks in the Netherlands will be
delayed in the commission.

Orgu said the Armenian lobby seeking the support of the public
opinion in various countries now tries to stir the Netherlands, `the
country of tolerance’, and Turks in the Netherlands will not allow
this to happen.

Liberal Party member Orgu pointed out the groundless and pointless
draft was proposed by only three members of the Christian Union (CU)
party at the 150-seat Dutch parliament and the proposal will be
discussed first in the concerned commission.

Turkish Deputy said: `We will deal with the matter with our friends
within and outside the party. We need to be calm, strategic and
diplomatic. A huge responsibility has been entrusted to Turkish civil
institutions, businessmen and the public.

If we strengthen our lobby, we can stop the draft in its initial
stage.’ Orgu said it will be very difficult to pass the draft even if
it passes the commission.