Month: June 2005

CBC / Canadian Press
June 11 2005
Amid fears of Syrian meddling, Lebanon to hold elections in centre
and east
BASSEM MROUE
ALEY, Lebanon (AP) – Music blared from loudspeakers on cars and
candidates’ pictures beamed from walls Saturday in this mountain
resort, a day before Lebanon’s “Big Sunday,” when voters go to the
polls in the populous centre and east of the country to choose their
representatives in parliament.
Sunday’s vote in the central and eastern regions – together
accounting for nearly half the 128 seats in Parliament – is too close
to call, and the winners could decide the country’s political
direction for the next four years.
Lebanon’s neighbour Syria casts a big shadow over the poll, the first
to be held since Syrian troops pulled out of Lebanon after 29 years
six weeks ago. Lebanon’s anti-Syrian forces, who blame Damascus and
its local allies for the murders of former premier Rafik Hariri and
anti-Syrian journalist Samir Kassir, say they fear Syria may be
planning more political assassinations.
“Probably there is a decision – with the knowledge or without the
knowledge of (Syrian) President Assad – to continue the
assassinations,” Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said this week on LBC
television.
Those concerns have been echoed by the United Nations and the United
States, which said Friday Syria had not fully withdrawn its
intelligence operatives from Lebanon and was perhaps even organizing
political assassinations.
“There are reports that we have been hearing about for some time
about Syrian hit lists, targeting key Lebanese public figures of
various political and religious persuasion, for assassination,” White
House spokesman Scott McClellan said. U.S. President George W. Bush
said the reports were “troubling.”
Damascus has strongly denied the allegations.
Lebanon’s anti-Syrian opposition hopes these parliamentary elections
– being held in four stages through June 19 – will end Damascus’
control of the legislature once and for all.
While the race in most of Lebanon is largely between pro-and
anti-Syrian camps, the central and eastern areas have thrown up
surprising alliances between pro-and anti-Syrians.
The vote in central Mount Lebanon, the nation’s most populous region,
has been billed as the “mother of all battles,” with friends and foes
running against each other in a jumble of baffling alliances.
Political tensions have already spilled over into violence. The
government sent army and police reinforcements to Mount Lebanon
fearing clashes between rival groups, mainly allies of Jumblatt and
those supporting former army commander Michel Aoun, who returned home
last month after 14 years in exile.
Aoun, who fought and lost a war against Syria in 1989, was one of
Syria’s main Lebanese foes but recently broke with other opponents of
Damascus and forged alliances with pro-Syrian politicians.
Last week, a gun battle in the mountain resort of Sofar between
Jumblatt’s supporters and those of Druze rival – and Aoun ally –
Talal Arslan left at least seven people wounded.
In the Baabda-Aley constituency, the Aoun-Arslan alliance is fighting
a ticket backed by Jumblatt’s Progressive Socialist Party and the
Lebanese Forces, the main Christian militia during Lebanon’s civil
war, as well as the Syrian-backed militant group Hezbollah. The
battle is too close to call.
In the Chouf area, the Druze heartland, a Jumblatt-Lebanese Forces
ticket is expected to do well, while rival Christian tickets are
battling it out in the Christian heartland of Kesrwan-Byblos.
In Metn, Aoun has forged an alliance with pro-Syrian politician
Michael Murr and Armenian political party Tashnag, against an
anti-Syrian ticket headed by legislator Nassib Lahoud and Pierre
Gemayel, son of former President Amine Gemayel.
Aoun says his feud with Syria is over now that Damascus has withdrawn
from Lebanon. He is campaigning on a promise to fight the corruption
he blames for Lebanon’s economic ills, including a national debt of
over $30 billion US.
In the Bekaa, where 23 seats are being contested, Hezbollah and its
allies are expected to win in the Baalbek-Hermel constituency, while
in the western Bekaa district a tough race is expected between a
ticket backed by Saad Hariri, son of the assassinated former prime
minister, and a pro-Syrian alliance.
In the central Bekaa around the provincial capital of Zahle, an
alliance of traditional leader Elie Skaff and Aoun will face stiff
competition from a Hariri-backed ticket that includes former Defence
Minister Mohsen Daloul.
Many Druze in Aley said they would vote for the Jumblatt-backed
ticket.
“I will go out and vote tomorrow for the Mount Lebanon Unity list
because it is a united list representing Muslims and Christians,”
said barber Imad Najm.
In the nearby Christian town of Kahaleh, Aoun’s supporters decorated
the streets with pictures of the candidate and his allies.
“Tomorrow we will vote for Gen. Aoun. I will vote for him because as
a Christian I see him as our saviour on earth. He is our saviour from
corruption and subservience (to Syria),” said Salam Mkarzel, a
housewife from Kahaleh. “My blood is calling me to vote for the whole
ticket.”
On May 29, elections were held in Beirut where a ticket headed by
Hariri won all 19 seats. Last Sunday, Hezbollah and its allies won
all 23 seats in the south. The north votes in the last phase of
elections June 19.

Pan Armenian News
MOSCOW GOING TO CONTINUE PROMOTING SEARCH FOR UNBINDING KARABAKH KNOT
11.06.2005 03:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moscow intends to actively promote search for unbinding
the Karabakh knot, stated Alexander Yakovenko, a Russian Foreign Ministry
official representative, reported RIA Novosti. In his words, Moscow `is
going to continue actively promoting search for unbinding the Karabakh
knot.’ `We positively assess the outcomes of the latest meeting of the
Armenian and Azeri Presidents in Warsaw in May. It conveyed an impetus to
the search for soonest political settlement of the Karabakh conflict,’ the
diplomat emphasized. `The position of Russia over Karabakh remains unchanged
in principle. We come against imposing any recipes from the outside over the
participants of the conflict and we proceed from the point that the basic
responsibility for the final choice should be carried by Azeris and
Armenians themselves,’ the Russian Foreign Ministry official representative
said. He noted that Russia `would be ready to support the option of solution
of the problem that fits all parties to conflict and in case a compromise
agreement is made – to come as the guarantor of the settlement.’ `In our
opinion the solution of the problem allowing to restore stability and peace
in the Transcaucasia will be viable. In the post-conflict period it will
assist in sustaining the historically formed geo-political balance of power
there and will not lead to making the region an arena of international
political and military contest,’ Mr. Yakovenko underscored.

420 TRANSPARENT BALLOT-BOXES PROVIDED FOR PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN NKR
STEPANAKERT, June 11. /ARKA/. The Central Electoral Committee of
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has adopted a number of orders and decrees,
including the decision on election campaign in connection with the
forthcoming Parliamentary elections on June 19 in Nagorno-Karabakh,
stated Sergey Nasibyan, the head of the Central Electoral Committee of
NKR at today’s press conference in Stepanakert.
According to him, 420 transparent ballot-boxes had been delivered to
NKR, the voting papers are being prepared and would be given to the
Committees in accordance with the term set by the law.. “At present,
105 single candidates, 6 parties and 1 party bloc are currently
struggling for seats in the Parliament. 5 of 111 registered by the
majority system have withdrawn their candidatures”, said Nasibyan.
274 polling stations have been created on NKR territory, 1 polling
station is functioning in the Permanent representation of NKR in
Armenia. To date, 30 applications have been received from the
observers. On the whole, about 130 observer missions from different
countries will follow and cover the elections.
Applications have already been received from Russia, Armenia, the
Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan and the USA. L.V.-0–

VISIT OF SPEAKER OF LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT TO ARMENIA LAYS FOUNDATIONS
FOR PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION
YEREVAN, June 11. /ARKA/. The visit of the Speaker of Lithuanian
parliament to Armenia has laid the foundations for parliamentary
cooperation, Speaker of the RA National Assembly Artur Baghdasaryan
told a news conference held jointly with Speaker of the Lithuanian
Seym Arturas Paulauskas, who is on an official visit to Armenia.
According to Baghdasaryan, no normal parliamentary relations have so
far been established between the two countries. In this context, he
reported that Armenia and Lithuania are shortly to sign a
parliamentary cooperation agreement, which will chiefly concern the
tasks of Armenia’s European integration.”Lithuania, which is quite
active in the international arena, is a member of NATO and EU, and can
share its experience with Armenia,” Baghdasaryan said. According to
him, during Speaker Paulauskas’ visit to Armenia an arrnagement has
been reached on encouragement of cooperation between Armenian and
Lithuanian scientific institutions. In the political aspect, he
pointed outthe necessity of parliamentary cooperation in the 3+3
format (three Transcaucasian and three Baltic countries). According to
Baghdasaryan, «it is a good and significant opportunity for developing
regional cooperation and intensifying bilateral contacts.» P.T. -0–

EQUATORIAL GUINEA’S AMBASSADOR, IN CONNECTION WITH INCIDENT WITH
ARMENIAN PILOTS, ADVISES TO CHOOSE EMPLOYERS MORE CAREFULLY
YEREVAN, June 11. /ARKA/. Equatorial Guinea’s Ambassador to Russia
Fausto Abesso Fuma advised those visiting the country to choose
employers more carefully, he said Friday at a press conference focused
on Armenian pilots release from jail in Equatorial Guinea, where they
had been taken for their alleged complicity in coup attempt. According
to RIA Novosti, he said the Armenian pilots had been used for
Equatorial Guinea’s interior political conflicts solution.
“This isn’t their guilt, they have been used to commit coup in the
country. They even had no idea about that”, the Ambassador said. In
his words, those coming to the country for jobs are ill-informed about
the situation in the country. “That’s why I don’t rule out that
tomorrow Belarusian or Moldovan pilots can find themselves in the same
situation their Armenian colleagues face today”, the diplomat said.
Six Armenian pilots have been working in Equatorial Guinea on board of
An-12 aircraft registered in Armenia since January 2004. In March
2004, they were taken in police custody on charge of complicity in
coup attempt and espionage.
On Nov 26, 204, Malabo city’s court sentenced the crew commander to 24
years in jail and the rest members of the crew to 14 years. Armenian
pilots have performed only one flight to Congo before being jailed. In
June 2005, Equatorial Guinean President granted forgiveness to the
arrested. M.V. -0–

Pan Armenian News
JUNE 4 ANNOUNCED ARMENIA DAY IN US VIRGINIA STATE
11.06.2005 05:08
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ City authorities of Alexandria (VA) decided last week to
announce June 4 the Day of Armenia, city Mayor William D. Euille stated in
the course of an Armenian Festival Day held in Alexandria, reported the
Press Service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry. Being adjacent to the
capital of Washington, Alexandria is a sister city of Armenian Gyumri. The
festival was organized with the support of the Armenian Embassy in the US.
Armenian folk music and dances, as well as Armenian cuisine dishes were
presented at the festival.

Pan Armenian News
TURKISH MP: TURKEY CANNOT DENY WHAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE
11.06.2005 04:17
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ «The visit to the National Assembly of Armenia is one of
the steps on the way of further actions,» Deputy of the Grand National
Assembly of Turkey Turhan Comez stated at a meeting with Armenian
Parliamentary Speaker Artur Baghdassaryan, reported the Press Service of the
National Assembly of Armenia. In the course of the meeting he said the fact
that both countries are ready and wish to discuss questions not only for
development of bilateral relations is very important. In Comez’ words,
Turkey cannot deny what has already happened and one has to go forward and
to view the reality openly. Nevertheless, he called the problem of
recognition of the Genocide a task for historians. «We are countries that
are situated in the same geographic territory and have to come to an
agreement,» Comez remarked. In the course of the meeting he welcomed the
Armenian Speaker on behalf of his Turkish counterpart Bulent Arinc. He also
said he was ready to disseminate ideas discussed in the course of the
meeting among the Turkish society and Government. The parties also discussed
matters of organizing a possible meeting of the Armenian and Turkish youth
under the auspices of the Parliaments of the two countries to discuss urgent
problems of Armenian-Turkish relations.

Pan Armenian News
TURKEY HAS TO HAVE COURAGE TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
11.06.2005 03:56
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Chairman of the Armenian Parliament Artur Baghdassaryan
met with a Turkish delegation headed by Deputy of the Grand National
Assembly of Turkey Turhan Comez, reported the Press Service of the National
Assembly of Armenia. Thereupon, A. Baghdassaryan noted that Armenia
advocates normal relations with all neighboring states. He also emphasized
that the problem issues of Armenian-Turkish relations have to be decided via
common discussions. «It is necessary to solve the problems available, not to
fight against them,» Baghdassaryan said. The Chairman of the Armenian
Parliament called to build relations facing the future and having at that
the courage to recognize the Armenian Genocide and go forward basing on the
joint way of Euro-integration. As noted by A. Baghdassaryan, Armenia hopes
for establishment of diplomatic relations as a basis for further discussion
of diverse issues. The Armenian party also noted that Armenia does not
object to having an EU member neighbor having provided that double standards
are ruled out. `There is no question for us whether there was a Genocide or
not and we consider one has to move forward and think of the future without
forgetting the past,’ Baghdassaryan said. He also noted that the Armenian
Constitution includes no slightest mentioning of land claims to Turkey.

Pan Armenian News
LITHUANIA TO SHARE EURO-INTEGRATION EXPERIENCE WITH ARMENIA
11.06.2005 03:36
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian yesterday met with
Chairman of the Lithuanian Seimas Arturas Paulauskas and the delegation
accompanying him, reported the Press Service of the Armenian leader. Having
noted the interest of Armenia in expansion of the cooperation with Lithuania
R. Kocharian said that he is sure that the visit of the delegation will be
another stimulus for development of bilateral relations. A. Paulauskas noted
that the visit aimed at acquainting with the situation at the scene and
activation of parliamentary cooperation. At the same time he added that the
Baltic states have gained much experience in the process of European
integration and intend to share it with Armenian partners. In the Lithuanian
Speaker’s words, large reforms are appreciable in Armenia in almost all
spheres. Having noted Lithuania’s success in European integration and most
efficient overcoming of hardships of the transition period, R. Kocharian
considered the way that Lithuania has passed useful to Armenia from the
point of view that the two countries have much in common, specifically, the
size of the countries, the number of the population and the economic
structure. In his words, integration first of all provides for reforms and
questions referring to that process are of high importance to Armenia. The
interlocutors discussed prospects of development of economic cooperation,
noting the importance of more intense contacts, exchange of information and
activation of business ties. The Armenian President answered the questions
that were of interest to the Lithuanian MPs. These specifically referred to
regional problems and the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

Pan Armenian News
VOLUME OF DUTCH INVESTMENT IN ARMENIAN ECONOMY TO INCREASE
11.06.2005 03:19
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An agreement over encouraging investments and mutual
security is signed by Armenia and the Netherlands, Armenian Minister of
Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan stated at a press conference in
Yerevan. The agreement was signed by Vardan Khachatryan and Dutch Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Gerrit Zalm. The latter noted that
there is development of the Armenian economy available. In his words much
has changed after his first visit to Armenia in 1995. As noted by Mr. Zalm,
Armenia and the Netherlands have common interests within the cooperation
with the IMF and the WB and within that period of time close relations were
established. In his words, the agreement will promote growth of investment
in Armenian economy. The document provides for protection of the holdings of
the investors. It also determines the obligation of each of the parties to
secure a fair and equal regime for investments of the other party. The order
of resolution of disputes between the investor and the other party over the
investment made is also established.