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09/08/2004
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Iran's Khatami Pledges Closer Ties with Armenia 2) NATO, US to Develop Military Aid Program in Azerbaijan 3) Abkhazia Will Never Rejoin Georgia Announces Speaker 4) Aliyev, Chirac Meet in Paris 5) Finland Defeats Armenia in World Cup Qualifier 1) Iran's Khatami Pledges Closer Ties with Armenia YEREVAN (RFE-RL)--Iran's President Mohammad Khatami described on Wednesday his country's relationship with Armenia as a benchmark of peaceful co-existence and cooperation between neighbors on the first day of an official visit to Yerevan where he was given a red-carpet reception. Khatami was greeted at Yerevan airport by virtually all members of Armenia's ruling cabinet before going into talks with President Robert Kocharian. The two leaders signed a framework treaty on bilateral cooperation which they said will further strengthen political and economic links between the two nations. They also presided over the signing of several other agreements covering the energy sector, customs administration, and culture. "The relationship between the Armenian and Iranian peoples can serve as the best example for all those who want to live side by side and respect each other's sovereignty," Khatami declared at an ensuing joint news conference with Kocharian. "We have felt obliged to establish and deepen relations with Armenia since its independence," he said. "Every year that followed 1991 saw a further development of our relations. The agreements signed today give us hope that they will continue to deepen in the future." "I declare that this relationship is to the benefit of the sides but not to the detriment of anybody else," Khatami added. "We are ready to make every effort to help resolve crises existing in the region, including Mountainous Karabagh, and to contribute to the establishment of a lasting peace and stability in the region," Khatami said in a speech at the Armenian parliament later in the day. Kocharian, meanwhile, said that Armenia and Iran should pay particular attention to developing their economic cooperation. He singled out the energy sector where the two nations plan to implement multimillion-dollar joint projects. The biggest is the construction of a pipeline that will ship Iranian natural gas to Armenia and possibly other countries. An agreement on the implementation of the $120 million project was signed by the two governments in Yerevan last May. Armenia's ambassador to Tehran, Gegham Gharibjanian, said this week that work on the Iranian section of the pipeline is already underway and will soon begin on the Armenian side. Energy Minister Armen Movsisian had said earlier that the Armenian government will receive a $30 million loan from Iran to finance the construction of the Armenian section. Despite the energy projects, the volume of Armenian-Iranian trade has steadily declined in recent years and made up only 3.5 percent of Armenia's external commercial exchange last year. 2) NATO, US to Develop Military Aid Program in Azerbaijan BAKU (Ekspress)--Commenting on the outcome of US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's visit to the South Caucasus last month, NATO general Frank Boland told Baku-based Ekspress that the US and NATO intend to launch an unprecedented military aid program in the region in the near future. "We are thinking about extending our aid to Azerbaijan within the framework of the newly-drawn up program. Discussions were held during Rumsfeld's meetings with Azerbaijani officials," commented Boland, the chief of Force Planning Section at NATO's Defense Planning and Operations Division The US Congress, according to Boland, has considered specific loans for the development of military forces in the South Caucasus countries in the current year. "This figure is higher in Azerbaijan than in other countries," he said, and revealed that Azerbaijan seeks to implement the program in the Caspian basin and its borders. According to some critics, the US and NATO project exceeds the limits of the Caucasus. Boland said the initiative will help beef up the onshore, offshore, and air security of Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan in the Caspian region. He also said that NATO is familiar with the realities of the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, and is seeking new approaches there. "We will increase our positive attempts to achieve a solution to the conflict." Addressing NATO, Azerbaijan cooperation, Boland stated that the fight against terrorism in maintaining security in the region is necessary, and that numerous projects centering on security, are nearing completion. "These projects mainly serve the development of security in the region. The interests of NATO and Azerbaijan in the region coincide." 3) Abkhazia Will Never Rejoin Georgia Announces Speaker SUKHUMI (Interfax)--Abkhazia will never voluntarily rejoin Georgia, Abkhaz parliament speaker Nugzar Ashuba said during a meeting with OSCE envoys in Sukhumi on Tuesday. "We cannot commit another fatal mistake. We are prepared for any sacrifices just to defend our freedom, so that the world not lose one more people," Ashuba said. He did agree, however, that the negotiation process between Georgia and Abkhazia should continue. The OSCE delegation visiting Abkhazia is led by Ivan Naidenov of Bulgaria and includes representatives from 23 countries, including Russia, the United States, Germany, Poland, France, Britain, Italy, Latvia, Romania, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Denmark and others. "We are here to study the situation in the region on the spot. The OSCE could be more actively involved in the processes going on here," Naidenov said at the meeting in the Abkhaz parliament with the Abkhaz parliamentary speaker and deputies. The sides discussed approaches to settling the Georgian-Abkhaz conflict, Abkhazia's political status, the return of refugees, and the implementation of agreements concluded between the Russian and Abkhaz leaderships in Sochi. 4) Aliyev, Chirac Meet in Paris PARIS (AzerTag)Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev met with French counterpart Jacques Chirac in Paris on Tuesday, underlining the rapid political and economic developments between the two countries. They also focused on Azerbaijan's aspirations to integrate into the European Union, as well as Azerbaijan's regional conflicts, including Mountainous Karabagh. Chirac stressed his commitment to continued peace negotiations, and said that France would implement its mediation mission as an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair. 5) Finland Defeats Armenia in World Cup Qualifier YEREVAN (Reuters)Finland beat Armenia 2-0 in a World Cup Group One qualifier on Wednesday, lifting Finland to second place in the group on six points, three behind leaders Romania who hold a perfect record. In an often choppy game with fouls stopping the flow of play, Finland went ahead after 24 minutes when striker Mikael Forssell, surrounded by defenders, found the back of the net from the edge of the box. Finland made it 2-0 in the 67th minute when Alexei Eremenko was put through just over the halfway line for a clear run on goal before slotting the ball past Armenian keeper Armen Ambartzumyan. The 21-year-old, widely regarded as one of the best new talents of Finnish football, scored twice in Finland's comfortable 3-0 win over Andorra on Saturday. There was little for the Armenians to take from the match, whose goal tally is now 0-5 after two defeats in their opening two qualifiers. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2004 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. ASBAREZ provides this news service to ARMENIAN NEWS NETWORK members for academic research or personal use only and may not be reproduced in or through mass media outlets. From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress