ASBAREZ Online [06-27-2005]

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06/27/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) OSCE Parliamentarians to Debate International Security, Human Rights, Karabagh Conflict 2) ARF's Nalbandian at Party of European Socialists Meeting 3) Aliyev Links Higher Defense Spending to Russian Arms Relocation 4) Turkey Won't Accept Any New EU Criteria 5) ARS Javakhk Fund to Renovate Akhalkalak School 1) OSCE Parliamentarians to Debate International Security, Human Rights, Karabagh Conflict COPENHAGEN--Nearly three-hundred parliamentarians from Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's (OSCE) fifty-five participating States will meet in Washington, DC, July 1-5, to debate issues affecting the OSCE area, including Mountainous Karabagh, Abkhazia (Georgia), trafficking in human beings, gender equality and respect for human rights. The head of Armenia's delegation to OSCE Vahan Hovhannissian, who is also the Deputy Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly, will be in Washington for the session, which is expected to review Goren Lennmarker's report on Karabagh. Lennmarker, OCSE's rapporteur on Karabagh, reaffirmed in his March 2005 report that Mountainous Karabagh's status is of utmost importance, and that Azeri arguments concerning refugees and territory are secondary. "By bringing the Azeri refugee issue to the forefront, Azerbaijan must realize that the Armenian side has the right to raise analogous claims, that is, to insist on the return of Armenians to Baku and Sumgaitwhich is hardly possible as Armenians in Azerbaijan are doomed to a violent death," Hovhannisian said. Senior officials, including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, will be addressing the annual Session. The current President of the Assembly is US Congressman Alcee L. Hastings of Florida. OSCE parliamentarians from North America, Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia will debate current issues based on resolutions prepared by the Assembly's Rapporteurs on political, economic, environmental, and human rights issues related to the Session's theme '30 Years since Helsinki: Challenges Ahead;' supplementary resolutions on specific issues will also be presented. Consideration will be given to topics such as piracy, trafficking in human beings, standards of conduct by international humanitarian workers, combating terrorism, trafficking in small arms, the Mountainous Karabagh conflict, gender equality, co-operation with Mediterranean states, Abkhazia (Georgia), money laundering and corruption, Moldova, anti-Semitism, election observation activities, and OSCE reform. The Final Document, to be adopted on the last day of the meeting, will include recommendations on these and other issues. Meeting for the first time in the United States, OSCE parliamentarians, will also--for the first time--have the opportunity to meet and hear an address by the newly appointed Secretary General of the OSCE Ambassador Marc Perrin de Brichambaut. The Assembly will also honor Ukraine Television Channel Five with the tenth OSCE Prize for Journalism and Democracy on the first day of the Session. The meetings of the Assembly will take place in the premises of the JW Marriott Hotel in Washington, DC. All documents and forms for the Session, including press applications, resolutions and other general information, can be found on the Assembly's website: <; The Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, created by the CSCE Summit in Paris in 1990, is the parliamentary setting for the 55-nation Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. The primary task of the 317 member Assembly is to facilitate inter-parliamentary dialogue, in an overall effort to meet the challenges of democracy throughout the OSCE area. 2) ARF's Nalbandian at Party of European Socialists Meeting YEREVAN (Yerkir)--The Council of Party of European Socialists (PES) marked its first anniversary as an independent European political party on June 24-25, when it met in Vienna to discuss European Union (EU) enlargement, as well as the party's organizational reforms. Mario Nalbandian, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau's representative in the Socialist International, represented the party and met with various party delegates to discuss issues related to Armenia. The first session, "Our Europe," reviewed the common vision of social democrats on the role and direction of the EU. This debate was of particular importance after the results of the referenda in France and the Netherlands. The debates continued the next day with discussion on "Decent jobs for all: a new growth and investment strategy for Europe," and "Meeting Europe's demographic challenges." The council adopted a resolution on building a more visible and influential PES, one which is democratic and involves both its members and partners. The resolution, in part sates: "Today's EU policy agenda is more active and fast-paced than it has ever been. It has also never affected more parts of our core social democratic agenda; the EU agenda is constantly evolving in areas that influence the very heart of what we stand for. Conversely, we can set a proactive, new, progressive agenda at European level if we mobilize ourselves collectively with that purpose." Socialist parties of EU member states comprise PES. Its Council works to strengthen the PES as a political actor at EU level and to champion the priorities of European social democrats. 3) Aliyev Links Higher Defense Spending to Russian Arms Relocation (AP)--President Ilham Aliyev said Saturday that Azerbaijan was increasing its defense spending in response to the relocation of Russian weapons from Georgia to Armenia. Even though Moscow said weapons would remain under Russian military control and would not be turned over to Armenia, the redeployment "requires adequate steps," Aliyev said in a speech before military school graduates. "We have undertaken such steps, having increased our military spending, which will continue to grow in the future," Aliyev said. He said Azerbaijan's military spending was set to increase from $175 million in 2004 to $300 million this year. "Our army is the strongest in the Southern Caucasus," Aliyev said. "We have achieved superiority and will continue to strengthen it." Russia said it had redeployed the weaponry to Armenia under pressure to speed up its military withdrawal from Georgia. Despite Russian assurances that the move wouldn't destabilize the region, Azerbaijan has remained strongly critical of the relocation. Aliyev also said Saturday that Azerbaijan will also work to strengthen its relations with NATO. Azerbaijan has taken part in NATO's Partnership for Peace program and it has presented a plan that would further foster cooperation with the alliance, "bringing Azerbaijan-NATO relations to a new level," Aliyev said. 4) Turkey Won't Accept Any New EU Criteria ISTANBUL (AP)--Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country will not agree to any new conditions for European Union membership, adding that Turkey expects "honest politics" as it begins negotiations to join the bloc. For EU membership talks to begin, Turkey must recognize Cyprus before the talks open in October, show progress on Kurdish rights, improve the economy and limit the military's influence in politics. Ankara is also expected to treat ethnic and religious minorities equally and implement penal code reforms. Still many European voters are balking at letting in the poor, predominantly Muslim country of 70 million people, a decision that would extend the EU's borders to Iran. EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said this week that the bloc should have an open debate about Turkey's candidacy. The country is scheduled to start membership negotiations with the EU on Oct. 3. "Turkey is not...renegotiating anything," Erdogan told reporters late Saturday. "If you impose new things on countries from one day to the next, especially at a time when negotiations are about to start, that would not be right," he added. "We are used to honest politics, that's what we expect and want." Concerns about Turkey's membership were highlighted by the recent rejection of the EU's proposed constitution by French and Dutch voters, many of whom cited Turkey's bid as the reason they cast ballots against the charter. Erdogan praised British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who this week urged the EU to continue expanding. Blair warned that shutting the door to new members would give rise to nationalism and xenophobia in Europe. "In politics, I like those who have a backbone...I don't like the rest," Erdogan said. 5) ARS Javakhk Fund to Renovate Akhalkalak School AKHALKALAK (A-info)--The Armenian Relief Society's Javakhk Assistance Fund has started renovation on Ghato village's local school, located in the Akhalkalak region. The school is one of the oldest in the region. Due to the efforts of the ARS Javakhk Fund, the Akhlalkalak-based "Shinarar" organization has undertaken the renovation of the dilapidated school, and is scheduled to finish work in September--in time for the 2005-2006 school year. The ARS Javakhk Fund works in the Javakhk, Tsalka, Akhaltsikh, and Ninotsminda regions to renovate and repair not only local schools, but also clinics in need of care. With many projects already underway, the Fund also provides the clinics necessary supplies. 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) 2005 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.