Month: September 2006

ELMAR MAMEDYRAOV ACCUSES ARMENIA OF REFUSING FROM DIRECT TALKS ON KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
September 26, 2006 Tuesday

-TURAN. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov accused Armenia
of refusing from direct talks on the Karabakh conflict settlement. He
said yesterday at the 61st session of UN General Assembly that Armenia
occupies an unconstructive position toward resolution of the problem.

He said the conflict’s parties and mediators have accepted a
stage-by-stage approach to conflict settlement as "the only possible
option." The minister said "there are two main questions – the status
of self-government of the population of occupied Nagorno Karabakh
and the withdrawal of Armenian troops from occupied Azerbaijani
territories, which causes disagreements between the two sides."

"We proceed with the assumption that the status cannot be resolved
today. It must be resolved through peaceful democratic and legal
processes and direct participation of the Azerbaijani side and Armenian
community of the Nagorno Karabakh region," said the minister. He also
added that occupants must leave Azerbaijani territories and it is
necessary to create conditions for the safe return of Azerbaijani
internally displaced people to Nagorno Karabakh and surrounding
Azerbaijani regions.

"Such a logical succession of events will create necessary conditions
for the next stage of the conflict settlement. The next stage includes
the improvement of living conditions on the territory that has
suffered as result of the conflict, the restoration of relationships
between communities, socio-economic development and working out of
the model of self- government of the population of the region within
Azerbaijan. Our position is based on resolutions of the UN Security
Council and an OSCE decision, both of which demand unconditional
withdrawal of occupying troops from all occupied territories, and the
restoration of sovereignty and territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,"
stressed Mamedyarov.

RA PM RECEIVED PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE "GLOBAL STEAL HOLDINGS"

Public Radio of Armenia
Sept 26 2006

RA Prime Minister Andrani Margaryan received today President of the
Board of Directors of the British "Global Steal Holdings" Company
Promad Mitali.

Mr. Mitali told the Prime Minister about the long-term programs in the
sphere of mining the Company is implementing in Armenia, Government’s
Information and PR Department reports. He noted that there are good
opportunities for accomplishment of serious prospective programs in
Armenia, which is rich in stones and metals.

Welcoming the initiative of the "Global Steal Holdings" Company,
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan mentioned that it is consistent
with RA Government’s Policy of promoting ore mining in the country.

The parties turned to the issue of development of infrastructures
necessary for the successful accomplishment of long-term programs.

PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR ADMITS HIGH LEVEL OF MONOPOLIZATION OF ARMENIAN ECONOMY AND FORECASTS 5% INFLATION

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
September 26, 2006 Tuesday

Inflation in Armenia may total 5% as against envisaged 3%, Vahram
Nersisyan, Advisor of Armenia President, told journalists, Tuesday.

He explained the excess of the envisaged indicator by the high growth
of economy and transfers. He said that 3% inflation was forecasted in
case of a 7% economic growth, while the latter is much higher already
now. (11,6% economic growth was fixed in Jan-Jul 2006). Majority of
transfers are from Russia (70%) and the USA (20%). (Private transfers
to Armenia are expected at $1.5 bln in the current year -ed.) At
the same time, Vahram Nersisyan said no one could forecast that
apartments in Armenia would be so highly in demand among Armenians
from Diaspora. It has led to rather a high growth of construction,
which has a tangible share in GDP, he said. He believes that the
5% inflation in 2006 forecasted by IMF is not a bad indicator
for Armenia’s economy. In addition, the authorities hoped that in
conditions of dram appreciation, importers could create additional
demand in the domestic commodity market, which could led to reduction
of consumer prices. "However, it did not happen as the country’s
economy is monopolized. Several big investors are able to control
over the market prices, which is a great problem," he said.

V. Nersisyan added that the high growth of economy and transfers
have led to appreciation of the Armenian dram. Many exporters are
dissatisfied with this circumstance. However, they must rise the
productivity and become more competitive in the world market in
conditions of globalization, he said. Nevertheless, to soften the
consequences of the surplus appreciation of dram that may lead to
economic shocks, the Central Bank and the Ministry of Finance and
Economy of Armenia have issued $100 mln state bonds in the current
year. It was estimated that interest rates of credits could rise in
case of issue of more state bonds.

NKR FM CONCERNED OVER AZERBAIJAN’S ATTEMPTS TO TRANSFER KARABAKH PROBLEM FROM OSCE MINSK GROUP TO UN

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
September 26, 2006 Tuesday

Foreign Minister of Nagorny Karabakh Republic Georgy Petrosyan
received Vice Speaker of the House of Lords of the British Parliament,
Chairman of the Humanitarian Aid Relief Trust, Baroness Caroline Cox,
Tuesday. Baroness Cox heads a delegation of British and American
philanthropists to Stepanakert.

The NKR Foreign Ministry press-service reports Georgy Petrosyan
as expressing readiness to support the program implemented by the
philanthropists in NKR. At the request of the guests, he dwelled
on the current stage of the Karabakh peace process. Particularly,
Minister Petrosyan expressed concern over Azerbaijan’s attempts to
transfer the problem from the OSCE MG to the UN. He stressed that
it is impossible to determine the fate of a people without taking
into account its will. "We have participated in the establishment of
cease-fire, so why we are now deprived of the right to strengthen the
peace,?" he said. Asked about the relations with Armenia, Minister
Petrosyan said that Armenia is a guarantor of NKR’s independence and
security. As regards the political sphere, he said the countries
are observing the principle of noninterference. Touching upon the
continuing information war, the minister mentioned the recent fuss
about the forest fires in the bordering zone. "We proposed OSCE to
monitor the situation, The country’s authorities are ready to receive
international experts," he said.

TURKEY’S OBSTINACY IN KEEPING THE BORDER WITH ARMENIA CLOSE FREEZES THE MEMORIES OF THE PAST: ARMENIAN FM

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
September 26, 2006 Tuesday

Unlike other states where bordering regions are cooperation and
partnership points, the western and eastern borders of Armenia
are still close, which hinders the development of the region, said
Vardan Oskanyan, Foreign Minister of Armenia, at the session of the
UN General Assembly.

The Foreign Minister said in the case of Turkey, the damage is not only
economic. It holds the two people from dialogue. Turkey’s obstinacy in
keeping the border close, avoiding direct contacts and communications
freezes the memories of the past instead of bringing a new experience
which would create new memories, the minister said. At the same time,
he said that Armenia still hopes that one day Turkey will realize
that striving to avoid relations before forming an atmosphere of
harmony and mutual understanding is not a sober policy, he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ROBERT KOCHARYAN AND JACQUES CHIRAC ADDRESS ARMENIAN AND FRENCH PEOPLE

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
September 26, 2006 Tuesday

Armenia and France will mark the centuries-long friendship of the
two countries through a number of exclusive events starting from
September 21 2006 to July 14 2007, says the joint message of the two
countries’ presidents on the occasion of the opening of Armenia’s
Year in France. The message, particularly, says that while Armenia is
celebrating its 15th independence anniversary, the Year of Armenia
in France will contribute two deepening of the countries’ exclusive
relations. It will introduce the world community to the Armenian
civilization prospering between the West and the East, the presidents
say. Over 400 events will take place throughout the territory of France
to inform the French people of the ancient Armenian civilization. The
events will also present the fate of the Armenian people that has
participated in the world developments for centuries.

The presidents express satisfaction that the Year of Armenia in
France will officially start in Yerevan with a concert by Charles
Aznavour. Robert Kocharyan and Jacques Chirac express confidence
that the year of Armenia in France will not only deepen the cultural,
but also the economic and scientific cooperation.

EU OFFICIAL HOPES "UNJUST" REPORT ON TURKEY WILL BE MADE MORE BALANCED

Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
26 Sep 06

Strasbourg, 26 September: Joost Lagendijk, copresident of the Joint
Parliamentary Commission between the Turkish parliament and the
European Parliament, expressed his hope that the report on Turkey,
which would be debated today and approved by the European Parliament
tomorrow, would be made more balanced.

At a news conference prior to the debates on the report, Lagendijk
said that the report became tough, unjust and unbalanced as a result
of proposals on the Armenia and Cyprus issues, which were approved
by the Foreign Affairs Commission.

Supporters of the EU in Turkey would suffer the most if the report
was approved without any changes, he said.

Meanwhile, Cem Ozdemir, a member of the Greens Group, said that forcing
Turkey to recognize the socalled Armenian genocide as a precondition
for its EU membership was unacceptable.

"We also criticize that while Turkey is expected to fulfil its
commitments stemming from the Ankara Treaty, no one calls on the
EU to lift isolation of the Turkish Cypriots. Turkey has legal
responsibilities to fulfil the Ankara Treaty while the EU has political
responsibilities to lift the isolation," Ozdemir added.

KARABAKH MINISTER MEETS BRITISH BARONESS

Mediamax news agency, Yerevan,
26 Sep 06

Yerevan, 26 September: The foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh
republic (NKR), Georgiy Petrosyan, today expressed concern at
Azerbaijan’s attempts to refer the resolution of the Karabakh problem
from the OSCE Minsk Group to the UN.

Georgiy Petrosyan was speaking at a meeting with the deputy speaker
of the British House of Lords, Baroness Caroline Cox. Cox arrived in
Stepanakert [Xankandi] as the head of a delegation of British and US
philanthropists, Mediamax learnt from the NKR foreign ministry.

"We are seriously studying the current situation and drawing
conclusions so as to take relevant steps," the NKR foreign minister
noted.

At the same time, Georgiy Petrosyan stressed that it is impossible
to resolve the issue that concerns the fate of a whole people
without considering their own opinions. "We played our role in the
establishment of the cease-fire but why are we today deprived of the
right to strengthen peace?" Petrosyan said.

Asked about relations with Armenia, Petrosyan stressed: "Armenia is
a guarantor of the NKR’s independence and security. As for political
relations, there is a principle of non-interference between the
two republics."

Speaking about the ongoing information warfare, the minister spoke
on a fuss made by Baku over fires in the border zone.

"We have turned to the OSCE with a proposal that monitoring be
conducted for an objective opinion on the happenings to be formed.

The republic’s authorities are ready to receive international experts
and show all what interests them," the NKR foreign minister noted.

[Arminfo, Yerevan, in Russian 1457 gmt 26 Sep 06 said that NKR leader
Arkadiy Gukasyan received Cox and assured her that they intend to
resolve the Karabakh conflict peacefully and that the establishment of
"mutual trust" between parties to the conflict is a "prerequisite"
for this.]

ARMENIAN MINISTER, OSCE MEDIATORS DISCUSS KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS

ArmInfo News Agency
Sept 26 2006

Yerevan, 26 September: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan,
who is attending the 61st session of the UN General Assembly, today
met the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group for Karabakh settlement,
Arminfo learnt from the Armenian Foreign Ministry press service.

During the meeting, they discussed the current stage of the Karabakh
peace process within the context of new initiatives by GUAM, an
alliance of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova, which have been
included on the agenda of the UN General Assembly. The participants in
the talks touched upon scenarios of developments and the possibility
of resumption of talks on the Karabakh settlement.

Vardan Oskanyan is to meet US Under Secretary of State for Political
Affairs R. Nicholas Burns and the chairman of the UN General Assembly,
Haya Rashed Al Khalifa, in the afternoon local time.

YAPONCHIK BARRED FROM AZERBAIJAN
Ervin Mirza

Yeni Musavat, Baku
26 Sep 06

Three criminal bosses who wanted to meet the renowned boss were
detained

As the media reported earlier, the renowned Russian criminal boss,
Vyacheslav Ivankov, nicknamed Yaponchik, visited Armenia. Russian
Internet sites said that he would visit Azerbaijan after Armenia. He
reportedly planned to hold several meetings here and pay tribute to
the grave of [Azerbaijani criminal boss] Hikmat in Kurkandi village of
Sabirabad District [central Azerbaijan]. Hikmat was killed in Moscow.

The sources said that Yaponchik earlier wanted to take part in Hikmat’s
funeral, but Azerbaijani law-enforcement bodies prevented it.

A reliable source told us yesterday [25 September] that Ivankov was
prevented from visiting Azerbaijan from Armenia through Georgia. The
source said that even the Azerbaijani criminal bosses who were ready
to meet him were detained. APA news agency indirectly confirmed the
information we have obtained. It quoted the press service of the
Interior Ministry as saying that the ministry’s department to fight
organized crime rounded up a criminal group. The report said that
the group included a resident of Ganca, Samil Mehdiyev, as well as
residents of Baku – Yunus Nazarov, who is known as a criminal boss
in the underworld and Mubariz Hacizada, who also has authority in
the criminal world. All the three were arrested. A total of 10.124
grams of opium was found on Nazarov, 5 grams of heroin on Hacizada
and 10.045 grams of opium on Mehdiyev.

[Passage omitted: all three have reputation in criminal world]

According to the information we obtained yesterday, Ivankov regretted
being unable to visit Azerbaijan and flew from Tbilisi to Moscow.

Another report said that a criminal boss known as Mamed from Masalli
[District in southern Azerbaijan], who is currently living in Moscow
and is sometimes touted as Hikmat’s successor, is also involved in
the issue and is trying to have the arrested criminal bosses released.