JOINT SITTING OF ARMENIAN AND GEORGIAN BORDER DEMARCATION COMMISSIONS HELD IN TBILISI

ArmRadio.am
10.05.2006 17:55

May 9-10, 2006 joint sitting of the Armenian and Georgian Border
Demarcation Commissions was held in Tbilisi.

After the sitting Heads of Commissions Gegham Gharibjanyan, RA Deputy
Foreign Minister, and Georgi Manjgaladze, Deputy Foreign Minister of
Georgia, stated that the parties have agreed upon most part of the
Armenian-Georgian border outline and have arranged the future actions.

RA Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanyan had a meeting with Gela
Bezhuashvili, Georgian Foreign Minister, during which he conveyed
RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan’s greetings and presented the
results of the joint sitting.

REGIONAL MESS, AS INTERPRETED BY ARAM G. SARGSYAN

Lragir.am
10 May 06

A conference on regional prospects will be held May 17 and 18 in
Yerevan, entitled “The Caucasus Without Terrorism and Conflicts:
Dialogue of Civilizations in the Caucasus Crossroad.” The conference
is organized by National Center Dialogue of Civilizations NGO. The
president of the board is Aram Gaspari Sargsyan, leader of the
Democratic Party of Armenia. He informed about the conference on May 10
in a press conference at the National Press Club. It is notable that
the conference is supported by Ara Abrahamyan, the president of the
Union of Armenians of Russia. What is interesting about it? may ask
the reader. It becomes interesting starting with the moment when Aram
Gaspari Sargsyan presents the geography of the invited participants of
the conference: Russia, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, NKR and Azerbaijan. Only
experts are invited. The conference is not related with the ruling
circles. It is uncertain whether the Azerbaijani guests will attend
to the conference because they said they had problems in their own
country. Besides, European experts have been invited from Germany
and Switzerland. In this connection it is interesting that they did
not invite experts from the United States to conduct science-based
debates on the future of the Caucasus, whereas the United States
is one of the most active architects of the future of the Caucasus,
if not the most active one.

It became clear from Aram Gaspari Sargsyan’s words that the Americans
were not invited for financial reasons. The expenses are covered by the
organizers, and they do not have money to invite experts from America.

“We have informed the U.S. Embassy, if they want they can take part.

Besides, the session of the World Armenian Congress is scheduled
on these days, and our compatriots from the United States and other
countries will take part in it. They may participate in the conference
too,” says Aram Gaspari Sargsyan. He disagrees that the conference
is pro-Russian, therefore the experts of the country which has
considerable interests in the Caucasus were not invited. “If we had
invited everyone who has interests in this region, France, Germany,
the UK, China, the U.S. and others would all be invited. In other
words, it is a center of clash of interests. We are speaking about
the countries of the region, which are to establish their relations
themselves. Because if we keep trying to remain in the focus of clash
of these interests, we are going to lose every time,” says one of
the organizers of the conference.

Aram Gaspari Sargsyan gave the idea, Ara Abrahamyan pays for gasoline.

Apparently, this principle underlies the international conference,
and the one who pays for gasoline decides who will “get in the car.”

However, this question is not going to be discussed either during
or after the conference. “I have no wish to discuss today the
thesis on being pro-Russian, pro-Western etc. I only consider the
postulate, recently often considered, that Russia’s presence here
is not desirable. In this case, if we are supposed to be absolutely
sovereign, independent and free from influence from the outside, I
am willing to discuss all these questions with these people. On the
other hand, if others come, who are likely to move from some slavery
into other slavery, I have nothing to discuss with such people,”
says Aram Gaspari Sargsyan.

Besides the United States, Abkhazia and South Osetia will not be
invited to the press conference either. This fact is obvious against
the background of participation of Karabakh. But everything becomes
clear due to the perception that “Karabakh is ours.” Aram Sargsyan says
inviting the other unrecognized countries of the region is a subtle
question, which is related with Georgia. The organizers did not want
to assume such a responsibility. And maybe they were not needed since
the most responsible country of the region is with them. Aram Gaspari
Sargsyan says the Russian experts will represent Abkhazia and South
Osetia in the conference.

ELECTION 2007 IS ALREADY FALSIFIED

Lragir.am
10 May 06

On May 10 the leader of the Democratic Party Aram Gaspari Sargsyan
gave condolences to the businessmen members of parliament who seceded
from the Orinats Yerkir Party. The leader of Democrats announced
at the National Press Club that they should offer condolences to
the parliamentarians, who were ordered to leave this or that party,
and not the leadership of the Orinats Yerkir Party.

“If a businessman fears the government, it means they can call him at
any moment and tell him what to do or what not to do. Such a member
of parliament has no value at all. If they run to somewhere now,
they are not going to have any value there as well. Because they
lack a standpoint,” says Aram Gaspari Sargsyan. According to him,
what happened to the OYP, absolutely corresponds with the logic of
the system which Robert Kocharyan has established and encourages. Aram
Gaspari Sargsyan thinks that striking the Orinats Yerkir is something
that the system needed rather than Robert Kocharyan. Aram Sargsyan
says such developments in Armenia are probable and continuous,
because for the government all the methods are political except the
political methods.

“Of course, they are interested who are going to struggle for these
very expensive seats in the parliament, which will be the foreword
of the forthcoming presidential election. The Republican Party goes
without saying and, of course, the newly established Bargavach Hayastan
Party (prosperous Armenia), I do not know, there may be other new
parties. Here is the result of all this. Arthur Baghdasaryan also has
to account for everything, for his joining the coalition, having his
specific standpoints,” says Aram Gaspari Sargsyan.

According to him, the government does not forgive those who decide
to secede from the system after cooperative efforts. Aram Sargsyan
reminds the case of Artashes Tumanyan. Although, he thinks, possibly
Tumanyan was punished for an attempt to act against the system, as well
as in the context of the quest for a scapegoat for illegal activities.

“For me this is a dark story, for I do not know the real reasons. If
I had once met with Artashes Tumanyan, if he had explained anything,
it would be possible to draw some conclusions. Though, I think, he was
a scapegoat, because there must have been big breaches in the Lincy
Program, and now someone has to account for it,” says Aram Sargsyan.

According to him, the government will go on acting similarly, and
it has already started to falsify the election of 2007. This is Aram
Sargsyan’s opinion on the recent joining of teachers the Republican
Party. “Namely, 120 teachers in one day unanimously became members of
the party. It goes without saying that this renders speeches about
fair and free elections pointless. It is clear that these teachers
will be included in electoral commissions, and they will be forced,
and they are going to say that they said if you do not join the party,
you will be fired. Nowadays, this is a way people are disgraced. What
kind of people are they going to be. Good people? No. Venal,” says
the leader of the Democrats.

PRIZE TO HRANT DINK

Lragir.am
10 May 06

The Stern Weekly reports that Hrant Dink, Editor-in-Chief of the Agos
Weekly published in Turkey, will receive the Henri Nannen prize of
the German Gruner & Jahr Publishers and Stern Weekly. Hrant Dink was
distinguished for high professionalism and bald standpoint of an honest
and brave citizen, writes the Stern. The prize was given to one of 191
press reporters. The prize will be delivered to Hrant Dink in Hamburg
on May 12. For Hrant Dink, the Stern writes that he gives his vote to
his people, he is a voice of his people. The Stern emphasizes that the
bald materials of the editor of the Agos has broken the wall of silence
and fear in Turkey, behind which the Armenians of Turkey are living.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

REQUIEM SERVICES HELD IN PRELACY CHURCHES FOR PLANE CRASH VICTIMS

On Sunday, May 7, by the directive of H.E. Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate, special requiem services took place in all of the
Western Prelacy churches in memory of the victims who perished in the plane
crash that occurred on Wednesday, May 3rd.
The Prelate presided over Holy Mass at Holy Martyrs Church in
Encino. In attendance were the Honorable Gagik Giragossian, Consul General
of Armenia, Executive Council Chairman Mr. Hrair Balian, A.R.F. Central
Committee representative Mr. Koko Topalian, H.E. Archbishop Vatche
Hovsepian, and hundreds of faithful.
In his sermon, the Prelate made a special reference to the lives
lost in the plane crash and once again expressed his condolences to the
Consul General and to the families of the victims. The Prelate urged the
faithful to pray for the souls of the deceased and prayed to Almighty God to
keep us all away from harm.

IN SAN FRANCISCO AND LAS VEGAS

On Sunday, May 7, Very Rev. Fr. Muron Aznikian, co-director of
the Prelacy Christian Education Department conducted Holy Mass at St.
Gregory Church in San Francisco. Alongside the special requiem services for
the plane crash victims, a special service took place for H.M.E.M. scouts.
Very Rev. Fr. M. Aznikian presented the more than 20 scouts with ribbons for
completing the first part of the `St. Mesrob Mashdots’ program. After
successful completion of the second part of the program, the scouts will be
awarded with the `St. Mesrob Mashdots’ medal.
On the same day, Rev. Fr. Ardag Demirjian of St. Mary’s Church
conducted Holy Mass at the Las Vegas parish where requiem services also took
place for the plane crash victims. Several members of the Holy Martyrs
church choir took part in the ceremonies. Under the direction of the Prelate
and the Religious Council and in collaboration with the city’s parish
council, Mass is offered on the first Sunday of each month. On this
occasion, Rev. Fr. A. Demirjian conveyed the Prelate’s blessings to the
parishioners and bade success to the new parish council’s endeavors.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Western Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
H.E. Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate
6252 Honolulu Avenue
La Crescenta, CA 91214
Tel: (818) 248-7737
Fax: (818) 248-7745
E-mail: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
Website: <;

PRELATE REPRESENTED AT A.R.S. FESTIVAL AND A.G.B.U.’S 100th ANNIVERSARY

On Saturday, May 6, and Sunday, May 7, the annual festival of
the A.R.S. Regional Executive took place at the Glendale Civic Auditorium.
Archpriest Vicken Vassilian of Hollywood’s St. Garabed Church,
who is also the chairman of the Religious Council, representing H.E.
Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian, Prelate, conducted the opening prayer and
delivered the Prelate’s blessings.
In the evening of Sunday, May 7, A.G.B.U. celebrated its 100th
anniversary at the `Alex Manoogian’ Center in Pasadena. Very Rev. Fr.
Barthev Gulumian, co-director of the Prelacy Christian Education Department,
represented the Prelate at the event.

EurasiaNet, NY
May 9 2006

NAGORNO-KARABAKH: ANOTHER SUMMIT MEETING IS PLANNED
Haroutiun Khachatrian 5/09/06

Armenia and Azerbaijan seem prepared to make yet another attempt at
settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The presidents of the two
states are now tentatively scheduled to hold their second summit
meeting of the year.

Armenian officials revealed May 5 that President Robert Kocharian
hopes to meet his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, in June. The
precise time and venue for the summit will be determined at a meeting
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers later in May.
The announcement followed an early May meeting of the OSCE’s Minsk
Group – comprising representatives of the United States, Russia and
France. Following that Minsk Group meeting in Moscow, French Minsk
Group Co-Chair Bernard Fassier traveled to Yerevan and Baku to secure
both parties’ agreement to another summit.

There were high hopes for a breakthrough heading into the first
summit meeting of the year between Kocharian and Aliyev, held in
February in France. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
However, that meeting ended without any tangible progress toward a
lasting peace settlement. Both sides have remained tight-lipped about
the discussions in France, as well as about any new proposals
currently under consideration.

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian indicated that Karabakh
discussions remained in an acutely sensitive phase, in which the
slightest misstep by either side could derail the renewed efforts to
foster a peace deal. “The problem now is to avoid a setback, and we
expect appropriate moves from Azerbaijan,” the Armenpress news agency
quoted Oskanian as saying on May 7.

Since the summit meeting in France, Azerbaijan has appeared to be the
party most dissatisfied with the proposed peace framework. The first
Kocharian-Aliyev summit talks appeared to stumble over differences on
a proposed referendum that would determine Karabakh’s political
status. Aliyev and other Azerbaijani officials have since repeatedly
stated that they will never to agree to Karabakh’s secession from
Azerbaijan.

Prior to first summit of 2006, Armenia made what officials in Yerevan
considered to be a major concession, abandoning their insistence on a
so-called “package” settlement, in which Karabakh’s status would have
been determined in tandem with a decision to return to Azerbaijan
territory occupied by Armenian forces. Armenian leaders are now
willing to go along with a “step-by-step” settlement, in which the
return of occupied lands, along with the return of Azerbaijani
internally displaced persons, is followed by settlement of Karabakh’s
status.

The United States has been the most active Minsk Group member in
promoting a Karabakh settlement. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel
Fried visited the region in March, and US Minsk Group Co-Chair Steven
Mann engaged in a round of shuttle diplomacy in late April, just days
prior to Aliyev three-day visit to Washington.

Nagorno-Karabakh figured prominently in Aliyev’s discussions with US
officials, including President George W. Bush. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. Armenian officials and policy analysts
had feared that Aliyev would strike a geopolitical deal with the Bush
administration, in which Washington would provide unqualified support
for Azerbaijan on the Karabakh issue in return for Baku’s backing on
the tough US stance toward Iran.

Following Aliyev’s trip, Azerbaijani officials voiced satisfaction
with the US position on Karabakh. Nevertheless, Armenian officials
were relieved that no Azerbaijani-American geopolitical deal was
struck. “We know that Aliyev was made to understand in Washington . .
. that seeking a military solution to the Karabakh conflict is not an
option. We appreciate it,” Oskanian said, according to Armenpress.

Even if the second summit meeting is held in June as currently
planned, and the two presidents somehow manage to agree on a peace
framework, there are concerns that they will have trouble selling a
settlement to the Armenian and Azerbaijani public. In Armenia, for
example, there appears to be substantial opposition to the withdrawal
of Armenian forces from the occupied territories around Karabakh. For
example, Deputy Defense Minister Manvel Grigorian, who is also a
leader of Yerkrapah, the influential organization of the Karabakh war
veterans, recently spoke out against the return of occupied
territories. “We have no lands to cede,” Grigorian said at a
Yerkrapah meeting May 8.

Editor’s Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a Yerevan-based writer
specializing in economic and political affairs.

ESPN / Reuters
May 9 2006

Hapoel Tel Aviv win Israeli State Cup

TEL AVIV, May 9 (Reuters) – Hapoel Tel Aviv won the Israeli State Cup
by beating city rivals Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv 1-0 with an 87th minute
goal from Ilia Yavorian on Tuesday.

Hapoel, who will come second behind champions Maccabi Haifa when the
season ends this weekend, had already clinched a UEFA Cup spot so
Bnei Yehuda will also now be in the competition.

The losers were lucky to stay in contention until the dying moments
of an untidy encounter, however, and had Nigerian keeper Vincent
Aniema to thank for several spectacular saves that kept Hapoel’s Cup
hopes on ice until three minutes from time.

Hapoel’s fans were in the majority among a 40,000 crowd and erupted
with joy as Armenian Yavoryan slotted home from close range after a
pass from the right by Nigerian Ibazito Ogabuna.

Hapoel’s typically dogged, defensive counter-attacking style snuffed
out Bnei Yehuda’s flair and their hopes of a repeat of the last of
their two cup final victories in 1981, when they beat Hapoel on
penalties, were thwarted by the late goal.

The victory was a fitting farewell for Hapoel coach Dror Kashtan and
he thanked the fans at the end of the match as he preapres to take
over as Israel coach.

‘You are the best and most loyal fans, you have been our 12th player
throughout the season and you deserve this victory,’ Kashtan told the
supporters over the public address system.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav awarded the trophy to Hapoel captain
Shimon Gershon as fireworks went up around the National Stadium in
Tel Aviv. It was Hapoel’s 11th State Cup win since they became
inaugural winners of the trophy in 1928.

Journal of Turkish Weekly
May 9 2006

Turkish FM Gul Meeting US Delegation Talks About Iran

ANKARA – Turkey’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul received the US House
of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee Council at the
ministry residence yesterday.

Turkey’s relations with the U.S., Armenia and Israel, along with Iran
and Iraq related issued were discussed at the meeting.

Explaining Ankara’s attitude over Iran’s nuclear program, Turkish FM
Gul said Turkey does not want a new crisis in the region and that
they invite the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council
Ali Larijani to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA).

Referring to the importance of preserving Iraq’s territorial
integrity and forming a national unity government, Turkish FM Gul
asserted that Turkey and the US should support the integrity process
of all parties in Iraq.

Gul also briefed about the historical Armenian allegations at the
meeting, and he pointed out the importance of forming a joint
committee to investigate the historical disputes. Both sides accuse
each other of committing genocide against each other. “More than
520.000 Turks and Kurds were massacred” Dr. Nilgun Gulcan says.
Similarly the Armenians name the 1915 Relocation Campaign as
‘genocide’.

Zaman, Turkey
May 9 2006

Turkey Reacts to French Motion on So-called Genocide
By Celil Sagir

ISTANBUL – Reactions against the legislative offer to punish anyone
that denies the so-called Armenian Genocide in France continue to
echo.

Turkey also forwarded a communiqué against the act in addition to a
warning issued by a group of French historians asking the French
government “not take historians hostage”.

Nine journalists, authors and academics in Turkey, renown for their
denigrations regarding the so-called genocide claims, will release a
declaration in the French press warning those supporting the
proposal.

The declaration prepared by intellectuals in Turkey will be published
on Friday in the French daily Le Figaro. It asks for the disapproval
of a legislative proposal that will hamper freedom of expression.

Signed by Ahmet Insel, Hirant Dink, Halil Berktay, Murat Belge, Elif
Safak, Baskin Oran, Etyen Mahcupyan, Muge Gocek, and Ragip Zarakoglu,
the notice reads that Armenians and Turks experience a normalization
process, in which freedom of expression and free dissemination of
information are essential to move forward with the process.

Speaking with Zaman, Agos Newspaper Editor in Chief Hirant Dink said
their call is to everyone behind the French proposal; and warns
French-Armenians not to be involved in making such a serious mistake.
Due for discussion in the French parliament on May 18, the Genocide
recognition legislation motion, put forward by the Socialist Party
making denial of the so-called Armenian genocide a crime, is
anticipated to be denied.