Month: June 2005

PARTY ARMENIAN-ARYAN ORDER ANNOUNCES ITS WITHDRAWAL FROM INTER-PARTY
CONSULTATIVE BODY
YEREVAN, JUNE 10. ARMINFO. Party Armenian-Aryan Order announces its
withdrawal from the Inter-party Consultative Body.
According to the statement of the party received by ARMINFO today, it
attaches a great importance to development of inter-party relations in
the political field. However no such approach has been observed within
the framework of the Inter- party Consultative Body so far. In this
connection, AAO party withdraws from the ICB maintaining only its
status of an observer to keep in contact with the political forces
included in the ICB. If the circumstances change, AAO party may
restore its membership.
Some two dozens of political organizations of the country are included
in the Inter-party Consultative Body, including the Democratic
Motherland head by Petros Makeyan and the Union Self-Determination
party lead by Paruyr Hairikyan.-

Armenpress
ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER VISITS JAPANESE LEADING COMPANIES
TOKYO, JUNE 10, ARMENPRESS: The visiting Armenian prime minister Andranik
Margarian met today with the president of the Japan’s International
Cooperation Agency (JICA) Atsushi Hatakenaki, and visited also Japan’s
leading Sumitomo and Panasonic companies and before that he was interviewed
by Japan Broadcasting Corporation.
The government press office said Margarian shared his views on a wide
scope of political and economic developments. It said the reporter
interviewing Margarian was eager to learn Armenia’s stand on a wave of
revolutions in some post-Soviet countries, US-Russia relations, Armenian
foreign policy priorities, its relations with neighboring countries,
Armenian Diaspora and its potential.
The press office said Margarian provided detailed answers to all these
questions and also on Armenian-Turkish relations, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
international recognition of the Armenian genocide. The government press
office said Margarian thanked the government of Japan and Japanese agencies
for their continued assistance to Armenia

PRESENCE OF RUSSIAN MILITARY UNITS IN ARMENIA’s TERRITORY
LOST ITS POLITICAL AND STRATEGICAL MEANING: VAZGEN MANUKYAN
YEREVAN, JUNE 9. ARMINFO. Presence of Russian military units in
Armenia’s territory lost its political and strategical meaning,
stated Leader of opposition “National-Democratic Union” party,
Armenia’s ex- deputy defence minister Vazgen Manukyan in an interview
to ARMINFO.
“I think, neither Russia’s nor the US or NATO’s military units should
be deployed in Armenia’s territory”, he stated. At the same time,
Manukyan stressed that Armenia should not follow Georgia’s example
and quickly withdraw Russia’s units from its territory. “This issue
will be solved in time as neither Russia nor Armenia need it”, he
stated. Manukyan stressed that all the three Southern Caucasian
republics should free themselves from the military presence of
foreign countries in their territories. -r-

Official expects progress in peace talks
Baku, June 9, AssA-Irada
The Azerbaijan-Armenia talks on the Upper Garabagh conflict settlement over
the past few months can be considered a step forward and certain progress is
likely to be achieved, a presidential administration official said.
Head of the President’s Office department on international relations Novruz
Mammadov says that the Armenian leadership has started realizing and assessing
the processes ongoing in the region and around the world. `Armenia has begun
to assess the position of the international community and is stepping up its
efforts to settle the conflict’, Mammadov said.
`Armenians understand that if they don’t take steps to solve the conflict
peacefully, the situation will not be in their favor.’
Mammadov noted that Armenia’s statements and ways of approaching the
resolution of the Upper Garabagh conflict show that `they are not
indifferent to the problem and are more inclined to negotiating’.
The presidential administration official also said it is premature to
disclose the content of the talks at this point.*

Foreign ministers’ meeting agenda determined
Baku, June 9, AssA-Irada
Issues to be discussed by Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in Paris
on June 17-18 were outlined at the Armenian foreign minister’s meeting with
mediators, which completed in Vienna on Thursday.
Vardan Oskanian and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs also discussed a number of
`elements’ relating to the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict
over Upper Garabagh, Armenia media reported.
Oskanian left for Washington following the meeting. While in the USA, he is
expected to meet with the Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, US President’s
National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley, Congressmen and other officials to
discuss the Garabagh conflict.*

Armenpress
STRATEGY FOR E-PROCUREMENT SYSTEM TO BE SENT TO GOVERNMENT APPROVAL
YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS: A senior official of Armenian finance and
economy ministry said today the ministry will submit in few weeks to
government’s approval the strategy on introduction of e-procurement system
for government agencies to conduct online shopping.
Karen Brutian, head of a ministry department, said the strategy will
serve as a basis for further improvement of online shopping in Armenia. He
also said the system will help companies, organizations, banks, ministries
and businesses to sell goods and services online in a convenient, fast and
efficient manner and will result in decreased corruption risks. Gurcharan
Sinhk from World Bank Armenia office said the introduction of e -procurement
system will also allow to economize time and funds meant for organization of
tenders. John Davidson from USAID praised Armenia for its progress in this
area. World bank released two years ago a $247,000 grant for development of
e-procurement system, but so far only $25,000 have been utilized. Brutian
said the grant was not used fully as they found that they had to specify the
main direction of the work.

,1564,1609652,0 0.html
Russischer Waffentransfer nach Armenien
Wohin mit den Kampfgeräten aus Georgien?

Russland bereitet die Schließung seiner Militärstützpunkte in Georgien vor.
Von dort verlegt Moskau Militärtechnik und Waffen nach Armenien. Das
benachbarte Aserbaidschan ist beunruhigt.

Vor kurzem haben Vertreter Georgiens und Russlands vereinbart, die russischen
Militärstützpunkte auf georgischem Territorium zu schließen. Somit beginnt
die russische Seite mit großer Verspätung die Verpflichtungen zu erfüllen, die
Moskau mit dem Istanbuler Abkommen von 1999 übernommen hatte. Der vollständige
Abzug der russischen Militärs soll 2008 abgeschlossen sein. Die Vorbereitung
der Verlegung hat nun begonnen. Davon zeugen Berichte aus Armenien.
Flugabwehrraketen und Munition
Am Samstag (4.6.) wurden im Bahnhof der armenischen Stadt Gjumri Bestände
abgeladen, die aus dem georgischen Batumi eingetroffen waren und für den
russischen Militärstützpunkt in Armenien bestimmt sind. Wie aus Militärquellen, die
ungenannt bleiben möchten, verlautete, trafen in Gjumri 15 Waggons mit
Gasabwehr-Fahrzeugen, Flugabwehrraketen und einer großen Menge Munition ein. Der Quelle
zufolge wird die Verlegung der Technik und der Waffen gemäß einem Plan zum
Abzug der Truppen aus Georgien vorgenommen. Verlegt wird vor allem, was sich in
den russischen Militärstützpunkten in Georgien angehäuft hat und überflüssig
ist. Ende des Jahres soll der vollständige Abzug der russischen Truppen aus
Batumi und Achalkalaki beginnen.
Jerewan: Kein neues Abkommen
In Armenien zweifelt niemand daran, dass Russland seinen Stützpunkt im
armenischen Gjumri mit Militärtechnik, Waffen und Munition aus Georgien verstärken
möchte. Der Pressesprecher des armenischen Verteidigungsministeriums, Sejran
Schahsuwarjan, erklärte, die Verlegung eines Teil der Militärtechnik von den
russischen Stützpunkten in Georgien nach Armenien werde durch das bilaterale
Abkommen über militärische Zusammenarbeit und die russischen Militärstützpunkte in
Armenien geregelt, aber auch durch die übernommenen Verpflichtungen bezüglich
der Quoten, die vom Vertrag über konventionelle Streitkräfte in Europa
vorgesehen sind. Ein neues Dokument oder ein neues Abkommen in dieser Fragesei
zwischen Armenien und Russland nicht unterzeichnet worden, sagte Schahsuwarjan. Er
fügte hinzu, eine Verlegung von Soldaten nach Armenien sei nicht vorgesehen.
Baku: Moskau verstärkt Spannungen
Im benachbarten Aserbaidschan ist man wegen der Verlegung russischer
Militärtechnik und Waffen aus Georgien nach Armenien ernsthaft beunruhigt. Baku
vertritt die Auffassung, dass Russland mit seinem Vorgehen die Spannungen zwischen
Aserbaidschan und Armenien absichtlich verstärkt. Indem Moskau eine der
Konfliktseiten aufrüste, provoziere es die Wiederaufnahme von Kriegshandlungen.

Aschot Gasasjan, Jerewan
DW-RADIO/Russisch, 4.6.2005, Fokus Ost-Südost

AZERBAIJANI COMMENTS ON PROGRESS IN NEGOTIATIONS FOR
SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT
YEREVAN, JUNE 8. ARMINFO. On the whole, after the meeting of
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in Warsaw, one can speak of some
progress in the fundamental issues in the negotiations for settlement
of Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov
told Trend agency.
He said that in the course of their forthcoming meeting in Paris,
Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers will discuss 7-9 elements
of the negotiations. “We think we shall manage to agree on several
issues, some we think very complicated. We shall discuss each issue.
But the position of Azerbaijan is well-known: territorial integrity
of the country must be restored,” the minister said. The issue of
deployment of peacemaking forces in the region after return of
Azerbaijani refugees and forced emigrant there is also on agenda. The
security issues is very important, and the Armenian party’s approach
to it is also very serious, he thinks.
Mamedyarov says that among the elements to be discussed are also
issue of demining and withdrawal of the troops from the territories
controlled by NKR. The sides also discuss opening of roads linking
Armenia and Nagorny Karabakh (via Lachin) and Azerbaijan with
Nakhijevan. he said. He says that discussion of
the above elements is held stage by stage and solution to each
following issue depends on the solutions to the previous ones. The
minister pointed out that the visit of OSCE MG CO-Chairs to the
region would depend on Paris negotiations. “But we plan that after
this meeting they will more activate their efforts,” the minister
said.

“FREE MOTHERLAND” KARABAKH PARTY TO ASSIST PROCESS OF NKR
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION
STEPANAKERT, JUNE 9. ARMINFO. Assistance to international recognition
of Nagorny Karabakh Republic, deepening of democratic processes,
creation of civil society, as well as creation of the united economic
one with Armenia – all this underlies in a program of “Free
Motherland” right-centrist party.
ARMINFO’s reporter in Stepanakert informs that party’s leaders
confirm that their position “reflects the vital interests of Karabakh
people, guarantees country’s freedom and security, as well as the
self-determination right”. Co-chairman Artur Tovmassyan notes that
the determination of an independent status of NKR is a prior task of
the negotiation process. Otherwise, in his opinion, “people of NKR
will suffer the fate of Nakhichevan”. -r-

AZG Armenian Daily #106, 10/06/2005
Armenian Genocide
BILL ENVISAGING PUNISHMENT FOR DENYING GENOCIDE DECLINED IN BELGIUM
The Secular Community Jewish Center of Belgium applied to the senators
demanding to vote for the bill that envisages punishment for denying the
Armenian Genocide on May 20. It was emphasized in the appeal that the
Armenian Genocide was recognized in Belgium in 1998, but till now there are
some forces in the country that try to deny it.
Azg informed about this in its May 21 issue. The Turkish Zaman newspaper
informed about declining the abovementioned bill in Belgium in its June 8
issue, emphasizing that it’s a temporal phenomenon, at the same time. The
paper said that the bill was discussed during the June 7 sitting and was
declined with 3 votes for and 12 votes against it. The declined bill will be
returned to the Belgian parliament after being discussed at a regular
sitting of the Senate.
The elections of local administration bodies of Belgium will be held in the
October of 2006. The Turkish Zaman emphasized with concern that the
abovementioned bill will again be included in the agenda of the Senate.
Loran Leylekian, chairman of European Armenians’ Federation, said in
response to the question of Zaman that though the fact of declining the bill
upset them, they managed to unfold discussion on the issue of denying
genocide.
By Hakob Chakrian