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07/24/2006
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP://WWW.ASBAREZ. COM 1. EU Concerned Over Azeri Calls for Resumption of War 2. Parties Issue Joint Announcement on Lebanon Crisis 3. Over 400 People Evacuated to Armenia From Lebanon 4. US Urges Turkey to Delay Anti-PKK Attacks 1. EU Concerned Over Azeri Calls for Resumption of War YEREVAN (Yerkir, RFE/RL)--The European Union's special representative to South Caucasus Peter Semneby Monday criticized Azerbaijan for calling for the resumption of military activities as a resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. He said if Azerbaijan continued to make hostile calls then the EU would be forced to make them realize that the resurgence of military activities could have a negative impact on the further development of the process. "Any military solution concerns us," the visiting dignitary told a joint press conference with Armenia's foreign minister Vartan Oskanian. In response to a reporter's inquiry about possible sanctions against any country calling for the resumption of war, Semneby said "I cant's talk of sanctions but the EU can convince the sides to stay away from military assertions because it would not be in their interest." The diplomat explained that such a course not only be detrimental in politically, but also in economic terms as the countries of the region are building free-market economies and a war would make investors reconsider their decisions of investing in the region. Oskanian said that the two discussed joint Armenia-EU initiatives, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenia's relations with its neighbors and next year's parliamentary elections in Armenia. When asked whether the OSCE Minsk Group US co-chairman Matthew Bryza, would make new proposals on the conflict resolution process during his visit to the region, Oskanian said such proposals do not drop from the sky, but rather are formulated at the negotiation table. He added he hoped Bryza could convince Azerbaijan to resume talks. The freedom and fairness of parliamentary elections due in Armenia next spring will be "crucially important" for the Armenian government's drive to forge closer political and economic links with the European Union, Semneby said. The EU representative warned that a repeat of serious electoral fraud would seriously jeopardize Yerevan's participation in the European Neighborhood Policy program that provides for a privileged partnership with the 25-nation bloc. Speaking during a regular visit in Yerevan, he said the plan of ENP-related actions which the Armenian government is currently discussing with the EU will include a pledge to conduct the upcoming polls in accordance "European values, standards and norms," reported Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. "The elections that will follow the entry into force of the action plan will be a crucially important test for Armenia in terms of the quality of its future relationship with the European Union," Semneby told a news conference after talks with senior Armenian officials. "After all, Armenia has committed itself and has confirmed in the far-reaching and detailed document, which will regulate the Armenia-EU relationship, that free and fair elections are a top priority," he said. "That is why I expect the elections to be free and fair." The EU has always added its voice to Western criticism of the Armenian authorities' handling of elections. In particular, the bloc questioned their "commitment to democracy" in the wake of last November's constitutional referendum which was marred by allegations of massive vote rigging. However, EU pressure for Armenia's democratization was otherwise minimal until recently. The EU signaled its intention to press harder for political reform in February when its External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner visited Yerevan and raised the issue with Armenian leaders. They assured her that they will do their best to tackle the chronic vote rigging. Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said the issue was high on the agenda of his talks with Semneby. He said Yerevan is close to completing its negotiations with the EU on the ENP action plan and will publicize the document "soon." "The Armenian side is having virtually no problems [in the talks,]" he said. "There are a number of minor outstanding issues which we think will be sorted out in the course of next week." Semneby's itinerary in Yerevan also included a meeting with President Robert Kocharian. The meeting was apparently not held in the presidential palace in Yerevan, with photographs released by the presidential press service showing Kocharian wearing casual clothes. 2. Parties Issue Joint Announcement on Lebanon Crisis BEIRUT (Aztag)--Representatives of the three traditional political parties met Monday evening to discuss the ongoing crisis in Lebanon and to assess the condition of the Lebanese Armenian community. Following the meeting a joint communique was issued signed by the Armenian Democratic League (Ramkavar party) Central Executive, the Social Democratic Hunchakian Party Governing Body and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee of Lebanon. The political leaders discussed the 13-day-old Israeli attacks on Lebanon and called on the international community to accelerate its efforts for an immediate cease fire and an "end to the bloodshed." They also assessed the resulting refugee crisis in the country and the conditions under which the victims of these attacks are living. The meeting emphasized the importance of community unity, which was deemed as "the only guarantee to maintain the security and safety of the community." The political parties decided to continue holding such meetings, in order to effectively monitor and respond to the military and diplomatic developments in the country. Continuing assistance to the displaced citizens of Lebanon through the parties' organizational and community mechanisms was an important topic of discussion at the meeting, which pledged to further its efforts to provide care to refugees and victims. To this end, the meeting welcomed the assistance by the Armenian government, as well as various Diaspora communities, which the meeting participants said underscored the national role the Lebanese-Armenian community plays in our reality. 3. Over 400 People Evacuated to Armenia From Lebanon YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--More than 400 Armenians and ethnic Armenian citizens of Lebanon have been evacuated to Armenia since the start of Israel's military assault against the Middle Eastern nation, a senior official in Yerevan said on Monday. Deputy Foreign Minister Gegham Gharibjanian said virtually all of them have been transported to Yerevan from Syria in special charter flights carried out by the Armavia national airline and partly subsidized by the Armenian government. "The planes flying to Syria are empty and the government covers their one-way cost," told RFE/RL. Gharibjanian said Armavia carried out a similar flight to Tel Aviv, bringing back more than 50 Armenian nationals residing in Israel early on Monday. Not all of them are believed to have returned to Armenia for security reasons, though. The government estimates that some 1,200 Armenian nationals lived in Lebanon before the start of the Israeli onslaught almost two weeks ago. Lebanon is also home to an estimated 80,000 ethnic Armenians, most of them living in the Christian districts of Beirut that have been largely spared bombardment so far. The Armenian community has not reported any casualties yet. "Fortunately, our forecasts have proved correct and there has been no massive influx [of Armenian evacuees from Lebanon], even though our diplomatic missions are prepared to help to evacuate more people," said Gharibjanian. The government in Yerevan announced last week that any citizen of Lebanon fleeing the war and willing to take refuge in Armenia will be granted special residency permits free of charge. It also sent two diplomats to Beirut and Aleppo, Syria to assist in the evacuation. So far, about 30,000 foreign nationals have fled Lebanon, most traveling to Cyprus and Turkey by boat. 4. US Urges Turkey to Delay Anti-PKK Attacks CRAWFORD, Texas (AFP)--The United States appealed to Turkey to delay its invasion of Iraq in an effort to destroy Kurdish insurgency strongholds. Over the weekend, President George Bush telephoned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan and urged a postponement of an invasion of Iraq. Officials said Bush, in his second phone call in three days, pledged to intensify US efforts to eliminate strongholds of the Kurdish Workers Party, or PKK, in Iraq's Kandil mountains. They discussed the need to work jointly to address that terrorist threat," White House spokesman Tony Snow said. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice also contacted her Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. They said what ever is necessary will be done, the Turkish Zaman daily newspaper reported. Rice told Gul that the US is aware of the seriousness of the problem and would not let it go unattended. She said the US would definitely do whatever was needed. Matthew Bryza, US assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs, held a press conference in Washington and promised concrete steps would be taken against the PKK soon. The most important item in Rice -Gul's phone conversation was the PKK issue. Gul told Rice that Turkey wanted an immediate, visible, sensible, and concrete solution to the PKK issue. Turkey would be seriously hampered in its aid efforts to Iraq as long as the PKK existed. The two phone conversations were welcome relief to Ankara and raised optimism that the US would take firm steps against the PKK. As for tripartite meeting, which was attended by military, diplomatic, and intelligence officials from the US, Turkey, and Iraq, sources said, any decisions made would be as important as the meeting held. Tripartite meetings were previously held in February 2005 and August 2005 in Ankara and Washington respectively. The results, however, did not satisfy Ankara. The statement, "concrete results are expected," is being interpreted as several PKK leaders may be arrested, and handed over to Turkey. In 2005, Turkey delivered official documents to Iraqi and US officials about 150 PKK members. However, neither Baghdad nor Washington has taken any steps so far. President Jalal Talabani said Iraqi territory should not be used to launch attacks against Turkey but insisted that Iraq's sovereignty should be respected. The president's comments came a day after Turkish troops killed two Kurdish rebels in a clash near the border with Iraq and amid increasing threats by Turkey to launch attacks against members of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, in northern Iraq. "It is necessary to solve the pending matters between Iraq and Turkey and securing the border between the two countries," Talabani said according to a statement released by his office. "Iraq's territories should not be used and exploited against Turkey." The PKK has been battling for autonomy in Turkey's southeast for the past two decades in a fight that has killed more than 37,000 people. The PKK is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the United States and the European Union. There has been escalating tension between Turkey and rebels. The deaths of 15 soldiers in three separate attacks last week prompted Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to say the Turkish military was considering a cross-border operation to clear PKK bases in northern Iraq. The US, which has some 130,000 troops in Iraq, is strongly opposed to such an operation. "Iraq's sovereignty and independence should be respected," Talabani said when he received Turkey's acting ambassador. 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) 2006 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.