Month: June 2005

EU looks to Turkish entry talks
BBC
29 June 05
The European Commission says talks on Turkey’s membership of the
EU should start on time on 3 October with accession as a “shared
objective”. The recommendation comes in a proposed framework for the
talks, which needs unanimous approval from member states.
The Commission says the talks will be open-ended, and that Turkey
cannot join until 2014 at the earliest.
The proposal comes at a time when critics of Turkish membership are
making their voices heard.
The mood in Europe has changed and there is not much enthusiasm in
evidence, says the BBC’s Chris Morris in Brussels.
Political hurdle
Like other would-be members in the future, Turkey will also face much
stricter conditions than candidates in the past.
Our correspondent says it is not just about human rights and
democracy. There are a host of technical issues which will take years
to resolve, including agricultural reform and environmental standards.
But the biggest hurdle will be a political one, he adds.
Plenty of influential political voices say Europe does not want
Turkey as a member and the next generation of leaders in the biggest
EU countries may well be far less supportive of Turkey’s candidacy
than the current one.

Azeri minister cautiously optimistic over progress in talks with Armenia
Ekspress, Baku
28 Jun 05
The Azerbaijani foreign minister has showed cautious optimism towards
peace talks with neighbouring Armenia over the disputed region of
Nagornyy Karabakh. In an interview with the Azerbaijani daily Ekspress,
Mammadyarov noted that there is little progress in the talks, but
convergent views are there and the sides will try to explore ways for
a breakthrough. The following is an excerpt from Alakbar Raufoglu’s
report carried by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 28 June headlined
“The principles defined in Warsaw will be approved in Kazan” and
subheaded “Mammadyarov and Oskanyan has ‘a meeting without particular
reason’ in the hall in Brussels”; Subheadings are as published
The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers, Elmar Mammadyarov
and Vardan Oskanyan, met face-to-face in Brussels last week. The
unofficial meeting was conducted on the fringes of the international
conference on the reconstruction of Iraq. Mammadyarov shed some light
on the present stage of peace talks in an interview with Ekspress. He
said that the ministers are currently discussing the elements of the
agreement reached by the two presidents in Warsaw.
There is no progress, but closer positions
[Interviewer] Oskanyan has said that in Paris the ministers failed to
conclude the agreement reached by the presidents. What is specifically
being discussed and what is the current status of the talks?
[Mammadyarov] I would not say that there is great progress in the
talks. However, discussions are under way and there are convergent
views on some points. Both Azerbaijan and Armenia may agree on certain
principles. Granted, some points are still open and it is difficult
to resolve them. But we will discuss them and we will think about
what we can do to push the talks forward. The co-chairmen [of the
OSCE Minsk Group] are expected to visit the region soon. They will
be in Baku on 11 July and we will continue these discussions.
[Interviewer] Russian co-chairman Yuriy Merzlyakov said that the
mediators made their proposals a long time ago and are now expecting
the parties to take a constructive position… [ellipses as published]
[Mammadyarov] We are currently negotiating seven to nine elements. In
reality, these do not form a proposal but are the elements of the main
agreement that we have been discussing. These are the liberation of the
occupied lands, the restoration of communication lines, the opening of
roads, mine clearance, etc. There is progress on some issues, while
on others we are trying to find a common language. It is important
to know which option and principle will be accepted. I cannot unveil
them because the talks are under way and this is a sensitive issue now.
[Passage omitted: known details about agreement on two principles]
Ministers’ ordinary meeting
[Interviewer] Was the meeting in Brussels part of the Prague process?
[Mammadyarov] We met without a specific reason, sat in the hall and
discussed where we are and how we have to act to bring peace to the
region. Now we think that we can compare our positions after the
co-chairmen arrive.
[Interviewer] You said that there is agreement on two principles.
What are they?
[Mammadyarov] Generally, the talk is about withdrawal from the occupied
territories, the repatriation of IDPs [internally displaced persons],
the restoration of living conditions and the status of Nagornyy
Karabakh. We always say that the discussions must be held solely within
the principle of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. Whatever we
discuss, we have to consider Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
[Interviewer] What will happen to the Armenian population living in
those territories after IDPs return to their native lands?
[Mammadyarov] The proposals of the co-chairmen [on the Karabakh peace
settlement] were based on the report of the [OSCE] fact-finding
mission. The report says that the Armenians who were illegally
settled in the region should be evicted. This is unambiguous and the
international community supports this report, which was distributed
as a UN document.
UN resolution depends on talks
[Interviewer] Baku has declared that the draft UN resolution [on
Armenia’s illegal settlements in occupied Azeri lands] may be again
put to a vote in August-September. On the other hand, Armenia has
been elected the deputy chairman of the 60th session of the General
Assembly. Will it create new obstacles?
[Mammadyarov] No. The Azerbaijani ambassador to the UN, Yasar Aliyev,
is highly likely to be elected the chairman of the fourth committee.
This means that our country will also become a member of that committee
and we will not lose in this regard.
As for the resolution, everything depends on the talks here. The
situation may change if there is a breakthrough in the negotiations.
Otherwise, we would have to work on the resolution.
[Passage omitted: meeting of presidents in Russia’s Kazan]
Rice not expected soon
[Interviewer] Who else did you meet in Brussels?
[Mammadyarov] There were representatives from over 80 countries and
international organizations at the meeting in Brussels. [Passage
omitted: details]
[Interviewer] Did you meet US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice?
[Mammadyarov] I talked to Ms Rice, but did not have a meeting.
[Interviewer] What is the status of discussions around her visit
to Azerbaijan?
[Mammadyarov] I do not believe that this visit will take place soon
because the Americans are very busy and the agenda of the visit is
still to be defined. She told me in Chile that she wants to visit
the region, but this visit does not fit her schedule.

ARMENTEL TO LOWER MOBILE COMMUNICATION TARIFFS IN ARMENIA STARTING JULY 1 2005
YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. ArmenTel telecommunication company will
introduce new lowered tariffs for mobile communication services
in Armenia starting July 1, 2005. According to the source in the
company, all the settlements of accounts with the subscribers will
be carried out not in USd, but in Armenian national currency. The
cost of 1 minute talk for the holders of Easy Card prepayment system
will make AMD 99 instead of AMD 134. The tariff for international
(addition to international tariff of ArmenTel) will also be lowered
to AMD 99. The sending of SMS will cost AMD 19, against former AMD 27.
According to ArmenTel, the one time guarantee sum for SIM-card holders,
paid by the subscriber as prepayment for the card activation and
returned to him in 11 months will make AMD 22 thou against AMD 55,2
thou. The monthly subscriber fee for 1st year will make AMD 5 thou
(previously – AMD 6676). The cost for all types of local calls is
set at AMD 45 against AMD 56 per minute. The cost of 1 minute of
international call is lowered from AMD 53 to AMD 30. Sending of SMS
will cost AMD 16 instead of former AMD 22.
OTE Greek Telecommunications Company purchased 90% of shares of
ArmenTel IN 1997 for $142,47 mln. Till the Ra Government deprivet the
company of its exclusive right on November 4, 2004, ArmenTel was the
monopolist in the market of mobile communications in Armenia.
Note, starting from July 1, 2005 K-Telecom company with its VivaCell
trademark will enter the Armenian mobile communication market. ($1 =
AMD 443,22). L.V. -0–

SPEAKER OF ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT, CANADIAN AMBASSADOR DISCUSS PROSPECTS
OF DEVELOPING BILATERAL RELATIONS
YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament
Artur Baghdasaryan and Canadian Ambassador to Armenia Christopher
Westdal discussed prospects of developing bilateral interstate and
Interparliamentary relations. During the meeting, Speaker Baghdasaryan
informed the Canadian side of the constitutional and legislative
reforms in Armenia, as well as of democratization.In his turn,
Ambassador Westdal pointed out the Armenian Parliament’s important
role in the ongoing processes and stated political achievements and
economic growth open up new prospects for Armenia’s development. He
also stressed his country’s willingness to contribute to Armenia’s
economic development as well as to Armenian-Canadian scientific,
educational and cultural cooperation.
During the meeting the Canadian Ambassador re-affirmed the invitation
to pay an official visit to Canada extended to Speaker Artur
Baghdasaryan. P.T. -0–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Le Monde covers Armenian Genocide in its supplement
29.06.2005 15:06
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – In its literary supplement, the French newspaper
Le Monde has covered publications on the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, Armenpress reported.
The introduction says that a few years ago intellectuals and
historians had different views on the massacres committed by the
Turks in 1915. The issue was not the events but how they should be
qualified. Bernard Lewis, an American professor of the Middle Eastern,
who had denied the Genocide in 1993, was condemned two years later of
“fault” by a Paris court.
The Armenian Genocide is officially recognized in France. The
paper also has covered works by Armenian and foreign scholars on
the Genocide.

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN ENHANCING ARMENIAN-CANADIAN RELATIONS
A1plus
| 14:07:39 | 29-06-2005 | Official |
On June 19 RA NA President Arthur Baghdasaryan received the Canadian
Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Armenia Christopher
Vestdal.
During the meeting the perspectives of enhancing the relations between
the countries and their parliaments were discussed. With the request
of the Ambassador the RA NA President informed him about the course of
Constitutional reform in Armenia and the democratic processed within
the country.
The Ambassador found important the role of the Parliament in the
processes and mentioned that the political success and economical
growth open wide perspectives of development for Armenia. He also
expressed the readiness of his country to contribute to the economic
development of Armenia and Canadian-Armenian cooperation in the
scientific, educational and cultural fields.
During the meeting the invitation of the RA NA President Arthur
Baghdasaryan to visit Canada was reconfirmed and details about the
visit were discussed.

Georgia: Azeri protesters block highway over missing mullah
Kavkasia-Press news agency
29 Jun 05
Tbilisi, 29 June: Ethnic Azerbaijani residents of the village of
Sadakhlo have closed off the main Georgia-Armenia highway since the
morning. Our regional correspondent reports that protesters from the
border village are demanding an investigation into disappearance of
(?Mullah Haji Sabragin Mamedogly Falangov) who was abducted from the
village several weeks ago.
The protesters told journalists that they suspected that the Mullah
was murdered. According to them, a few months ago the Mullah and
his supporters challenged the Sadakhlo police chief Gocha Shubitidze
over bribery and illegal arrests. So, they do not rule out that the
Mullah’s abduction could be linked to the incident.

KOCHARYAN CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ARMENIA
A1plus
| 13:44:22 | 29-06-2005 | Official |
Today Robert Kocharyan received the members of the Coordinating council
of the program “Armenia 2020” Nubar Afeyan and Rouben Vardanyan,
They represented the main tendencies of the program and the results
of the work done by now.
The members of the “Armenia 2020” council informed that the development
programs of several fields, particularly health, gold processing and
diamond processing, have already been worked out.
The fulfilled program and the work done will be represented in
September in the Conference in Yerevan.

ELIMINATING DOUBLE TAX
A1plus
| 13:40:26 | 29-06-2005 | Official |
Today those responsible for the economy of Armenia and Syria opened
a new page in the historical friendship of the two countries. In the
Finance and economy Ministry the deputy Ministers of Finance of both
countries signed a document which is called “Agreement about avoiding
double tax of Profit”.
The Armenian deputy Minister of finance Tigran Khachatryan considered
the signature of the document the expression of the historical
friendship. The Syrian deputy Finance Minister Mohamad Khader Alseyd
Ahmad said that the preparation of the agreement demanded 2 year of
hard work from the Governments of both countries.
He claimed that the Parliament of his country will ratify the agreement
as soon as possible. Tigran Khachatryan claimed the same, conditioning
the 2-month delay by the summer vacation of the Parliament.
The document about avoiding double taxation regulates the activity
of the businessmen of a country in the other, and helps them to avoid
paying both income tax and profit tax.

FM Oskanian to visit Lebanon
29.06.2005 17:04
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian is set to start
on June 29 a three-day visit to Beirut, Lebanon, to participate as a
keynote speaker in the ceremony marking the 50th anniversary of the
Haykazian University.
He is also to meet with high-ranking officials of the country, as well
as pay a visit to the family and grave of the former Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri. He will also meet with Cilicia Catholicos Aram I and
other clerics.