PARTICIPANTS OF SECOND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF MARKETS OF CAPITAL
STRESS IMPORTANCE OF FURTHER STRENGTHENING OF BUSINESS RELATIONS
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO. International Conference of Markets of
Capital, initiated by Thessaloniki Stock Exchange Center, was held in
Thessaloniki on Sept 25-26. ARMINFO was informed in the press office
of the Armenian Stock Exchange Armex, representatives of Armex and
Securities Commission of Armenia took part in the international
conference. Noteworthy, a Memorandum on cooperation was signed between
Armex and Thessaloniki Stock Exchange Center in March of the current
year.
Over 100 representatives of state regulators, institutes and
professional participants of the market of capital of Greece,
bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Italy, Russia, Romania, the
Ukraine, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Sweden and other countries
took part in the conference.
During the conference the participants had discussed a wide circle of
issues concerning perfection and further expansion of the cooperation
in the region, as well as prospects to overcome existing and possible
difficulties in this sphere. The representatives of all the
delegations had stressed the importance and necessity of further
strengthening of business relations between the markets of the
countries of the region, in particular, establishment of a united
information center, which unites information about the markets of
capital of the aforementioned countries, including legislative and
normative field.
Resources in the press office of the Armex did not exclude that the
tradition of holding similar conference will become annual.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CHINA ALLOCATES 100MLN. USD FOR CONSTRUCTION OF RUBBER-PRODUCING PLANT
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO. China has allocated 100mln. USD for the
construction of a plant to produce chloroprene rubber by Armenian
technology, the Armenian participant in the project, Director of the
“Nairit 2” CJSC Albert Sukiasyan told ARMINFO.
According to him, the construction of a plant with a designed capacity
of 30,000 tons of rubber a year in the province of Shaahsi was started
a year ago. The Armenian share in the authorized capital of the
“Shaansi-Nairit” CJSC is 40%, and that of China 60%. Sukiasyan pointed
out that the State Bank of China lent a credit, and the Armenian side
is to contribute with technologies and equipment. Sukiasyan pointed
out that a rubber-producing plan is already operating in Shaansi, but
is was closed for environmental reasons. The old plant is to be shut
down after the new one is put into operation, 50km. away from the
city. Sukiasyan reported that China’s yearly demand for rubber is
100,000 tons.
An agreement on the establishment of a JV was signed on October 2001
between the RA Ministry of Trade and Economic Development and the
Shaansi group of joint-stock companies of synthetic rubbers.

KARABAKH CANNOT BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN: ARKADY GHUKASYAN
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO. “Nagorny Karabakh will either become an
independent state or join Armenia,” President of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic (NKR) Arkady Ghukasyan stated at a meeting of the Armenian
General Benevolent Union (AGBU).
According to him, it is impossible for Nagorny Karabakh to be part of
Azerbaijan. “And we are trying to prove the international community
and the mediators that an attempt to re-join Nagorny Karabakh to
Azerbaijan is a direct way to a war,” Ghukasyan said. He pointed out
that the international community realizes it now.

ACTIVE MEMBERS OF PPFSA ARE PREPARING TO ACTIONS OF PROTEST AGAINST
ARRIVAL OF ARMENIAN DEPUTIES TO BAKU
BAKU, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO-TURAN. The Party Popular Front Single
Azerbaijan (PPFSA) of single Azerbaijan considers inadmissible arrival
of the Armenian deputies to Baku for participation in the seminar
Of the parliamentary assembly of PACE. Press-release of the PPFSA
reads that the active members of the organization are going to hold in
front of the building of the Milli Mejlis, Foreign Ministry and the
embassies of the countries-members of NATO in Baku. Relevant agreement
was sent to the Town hall.

CAUSTIC SODA PRODUCTION TO BE SET UP IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4. ARMINFO. A number of foreign companies are showing
interest in a 30mln. USD project of setting up the production of pure
solid caustic soda in Armenia initiated by the “Nairit-2” CJSC, Karen
Karapetyan, Head of the Information Department, Armenian Development
Agency (AAA), told ARMINFO.
According to him, the project was submitted to the Eurasian Economic
Union (EAEU) in Moscow on September 20. US companies showed the
greatest interest in the project. Karapetyan pointed out that
investments are to be directed to the purchase of up-to-date
equipment. Production is expected to be organized at the “Nairit 2”
CJSC. The project envisages the production of 50 to 100 thousand tons
of caustic soda a year. Karapetyan reported that the principal raw
material in the production of caustic soda is table salt. Salt
solution is leached from under the ground, and the formed cavities are
expected to be used for storing fuel and oil products. The storage
will allow oil-processing enterprises to be established in
Armenia. Karapetyan said that the Rustavi-based “Azot” plant is a
large consumer of caustic soda in the region.

Azeri pressure group vows to thwart Armenian presence at NATO seminar
ANS TV, Baku
5 Oct 04

[Presenter Ceyhun Aliyev] The Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO]
is planning to stage protest actions against Armenian MPs’ visit to
Baku [to attend the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s Rose-Roth seminar on
26-28 November].
[Correspondent over video of news conference] The Armenian MPs’ visit
to Baku should be thwarted, the KLO chairman, Akif Nagi, told a news
conference today. He said that opinions on the issue varied.
[Nagi] As long as Azerbaijan and Armenia are at war, as long as our
lands are under occupation, establishing any relations between
Azerbaijan and Armenia both at the official or unofficial levels is
beneficial to Armenia. Today Armenia has an interest in establishing
relations with Azerbaijan to demonstrate to the world that allegedly
nothing is happening between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
[Correspondent] Nagi said that this position was inadmissible. He
added that the KLO would do its best to thwart the Armenian MPs’ visit
to Baku. But he did not speak about details of the planned actions.
Afat Telmanqizi, Baxtiyar Salimov, Zeynal Zeynalov for ANS.

Turkish, Azeri defence ministers discuss cooperation, Armenia
Anatolia news agency
5 Oct 04
ANKARA
“Armenia’s policy about Azerbaijan and Turkey is extremely
dangerous. If Armenia does not give up its policy, Turkey should not
open its border with Armenia, and Azerbaijan will be ready anytime to
take its occupied territories from Armenia” said Defence Minister
Safar Abiyev of Azerbaijan on Tuesday [5 October].
Turkish National Defence Minister Vecdi Gonul met today Abiyev who is
in Turkey for an official visit.
Speaking at the meeting, Gonul said: “Turkey was the first country
that recognized Azerbaijan’s independence. Turkey and Azerbaijan have
been acting in full harmony in international fora such as the Council
of Europe and the NATO’s Partnership for Peace (PfP). There have been
perfect military relations between our countries. Nearly 3,000
Azerbaijani military personnel were trained in Turkey.”
Meanwhile, Abiyev recalled that a part of Azerbaijani territories had
been under occupation of Armenian armed forces. “Despite four
decisions taken by the United Nations in 1992 and 1993, Armenia has
not yet withdrawn from our territories. Azerbaijan must have a
powerful army to take its territories back. Therefore, we attribute
great importance to strengthening and modernization of our army,” he
said.

IRAN’S E. AZARBAIJAN PROV BOOKS 5% RISE IN NON-OIL GOODS EXPORTS

Asia Pulse
Oct 05, 2004

TABRIZ, East Azarbaijan Prov, Oct 5 Asia Pulse – Some 6,500 tons of
non-oil goods valued at US$4.2 million were exported from this
northeastern province during the first half of the current Iranian
calendar year (started March 20, 2004).
This was a 5 per cent increase compared to the figures of the
preceding year.
The goods were exported to the Azerbaijan Republic, Armenia and the
Autonomous Republic of Nakhichevan.
Consumer goods, construction materials and foodstuff were among the
main goods exported.

US official says military exercises to boost relations with Azerbaijan
Assa-Irada
5 Oct 04
Baku, 4 October: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov met US
Assistant Secretary of State for Political-Military Affairs Lincoln
Bloomfield on 4 October. Bloomfield spoke about the expediency of
holding military exercises and events of this kind to expand military
ties between the two countries. Speaking highly about Azerbaijan’s
support for the USA in fighting terrorism, Bloomfield emphasized the
need for the further expansion of bilateral relations and their
continuation within the framework of international organizations.
Mammadyarov said that Azerbaijan attached major importance to
partnership with the USA. The Azerbaijani military backs the US
efforts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, he added. Mammadyarov hoped
that the USA would become more active in the settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict as a co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Bloomfield said that the USA was very sensitive to tension in
Azerbaijan and Armenia over the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. He said
that official Washington would continue its efforts to settle the
problem.

BULGARIAN, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS DISCUSS BILATERAL TIES
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS: Bulgarian president Georgy Parvanov
has arrived today in Armenia on a two-day visit at the invitation of
Armenian president Robert Kocharian.
According to presidential press services, after the ceremonial
greeting of the high rank guest at the presidential residence, Robert
Kocharian and Georgy Parvanov had a face-to-face meeting. The two
presidents discussed different domains of Armenian-Bulgarian
relations, the current pace of cooperation and future prospects, as
well as shared opinions on regional and international issues. The
presidents of both countries expressed their determination to support
political dialogue and stimulate bilateral cooperation. They noted
with satisfaction their common commitment to integrate into European
structures as a priority area of foreign policy in both countries.
Later enlarged Armenian-Bulgarian talks were held with the
participation of Robert Kocharian and Georgy Parvanov. Discussed were
issues on boosting economic cooperation and special role of transport
infrastructures. The sides noted with satisfaction that the trade
turnover has increased recently between the two countries. The
president of the two countries also held a press conference.