Month: October 2006

PanARMENIAN.Net

CIS Council of Heads May Convene in Minsk November 28
27.10.2006 18:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The sitting of the CIS Council of
Heads will probably be held in Minsk November 28,
reported representative of the CIS Executive Committee
S. Ordabayev. In his words, Chair of the CIS Council
of Heads proposed the date and the hosting party –
Belarus – accepted it.

The draft agenda of the session will be arranged at
the coming sitting of the CIS Council of FMs and the
Council of Heads of the State. The Executive Committee
does not have official information on the date of
these sessions, Ordabayev reported. We remind that the
sitting of the CIS Council of Heads was earlier
scheduled October 17, but was postponed later, reports Trend.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Home

SEVEN YEARS PASS AFTER TRAGEDY

RA National Assembly Commemorates 7th Anniversary of
October 27 Terrorist Act

Yesterday marked the 7th anniversary of the terrorist
act at RA National Assembly committed in 1999. The
press service of RA National Assembly informed that
this morning, the Armenian deputies laid flowers on
the monument to the victims of the tragedy in the yard
of the Parliament building. Tigran Torosian, Chairman
of RA National Assembly, stated that although 7 years
have already passed since the tragedy, the witnesses
and the relatives and friends of the victims will
never forget it and they demand justice. He added that
anyway they should not only mourn but also learn a
good lesson from this tragedy to avert any repetition
of such crimes in the future.

The terrorist group led by Nairi Hunanian killed the
Chairman of Ra National Assembly Karen Demirchian,
prime minister Vazgen Sargsian, vice speakers Yuri
Bakhshian and Ruben Miroyan, MPs Henrik Abrahamian,
Mikael Kotanian, Armenak Armenakian and minister
Leonard Petrosian on October 27, 1999. According to
the court decision, the terrorists had been sentenced
to life imprisonment.

By Marietta Khachatrian

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Karabakh issue

SERGE SARGSIAN: AZERBAIJAN’S MILITARY OPTION WILL FAIL AGAIN

"Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be settled
peacefully and only through mutual concessions,"
Armenian defense minister Serge Sargsian stated in an
interview with Janes Intelligence Center that studies
military and security issues. Yet, he said that
Azerbaijan’s policy does not contribute to such a
settlement. "Today [Azerbaijani] officials are talking
about resuming the war. The country’s military
expenses were doubled last year," the minister said.
According to neutral experts, Azerbaijan is unable yet
to resolve the conflict militarily, Sargsian said. "If
hostilities resume, Armenia will again have
advantage." Touching upon Azerbaijan’s petrodollars
and the country’s desire to use them to bring a
solution to the Karabakh issue, the minister reminded
that in 90s Azerbaijan also had the odds as it had
more soldiers and more weaponry inherited from the
USSR. "They rounded up the Armenians of Karabakh, and
few believed that we can succeed. With all the
forecasts for big oil revenue, Azerbaijan won’t have
the odds it had 14-15 years ago. It’s military option
was a failure then and will be a failure today either.
Hopefully, sooner or later Azerbaijani authorities
will give up this approach."

Speaking about Armenia-NATO relations, Armenia’s
defense minister touched upon Turkey underscoring that
the latter’s policy has been damaging NATO’s authority
in Armenia. "Russia’s military base in Armenia was
founded in conditions of an external threat, and to a
certain degree served as deterrent for possible
aggression. Unfortunately, the threat is still there
as there was no considerable improvement in our
relations with Turkey. This country continues its
blockade of Armenia, which is in fact an act of
animosity towards us. Turkey also backs Azerbaijan in
Karabakh issue, and stipulates that Armenia should
attend to Azerbaijan’s whim if it wants improved of
relations with Turkey," Serge Sargsian said.

By Nana Petrosian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Karabakh issue

ARMENIAN TERRITORIES ARE ALSO DISCUSSED

The statement of RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
made at the National Assembly yesterday, saying that
the issue of the territories will be discussed only
after the discussion of that of the status of Nagorno
Karabakh in the negotiations with Azerbaijan received
the positive evaluation of Tair Taghizade, press
secretary of Azeri Foreign Ministry. "The necessity to
return the Azeri territories is a fact for the
Armenian side," Taghizade said in the interview to
"Trend" agency. "RA Foreign Minister has made it quite
clear that the Armenian side realizes that the return
of the occupied Azeri territories is integral part of
the conflict settlement process," he said. Taghizade,
certainly didn’t specify that Oskanian meant the
Armenian territories, as well, including the Northern
and Eastern regions of Karabakh, Martouni, Martakert
and Shahoumian that are also fixed in the package, as
Mr. Oskanian emphasized yesterday. Mr. Oskanian
emphasized that all these issues are at different
levels but all of them are parts of the package.

By Nana Petrosian
From: Baghdasarian

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Home

SERGE SARGSIAN MEETS WITH HENRY CUNY

Serge Sargsian, RA Defense Minister, met with outgoing
French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny. According to
Defense Ministry press-secretary Seiran Shahsouvarian,
the Minister stated that the Armenian-French relations
that develop day by day will have brighter future. He
added that the recent visit of French President,
Jacques Chirac to Armenia testifies to that in the
best way. In his turn, Mr. Ambassador highly estimated
the attitude of Armenia and its people to his country.
He emphasized that he has quite a special attitude to
the Armenian people and their culture. Mr. Cuny added
that he is returning to France with a rich library
about Armenia. He said he was sure that soon peace
will be established and the borders will be unblocked
already during his next visit. At the end Mr. Sargsian
expressed gratitude to Mr. Ambassador for his
contribution to the military sphere and wished him
success in further activities.

By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Opinion

TURKEY NOT READY TO BE MORE VIRTUOUS

"I think we are unwisely misusing the Genocide of
1915. Maybe we have a goal today – to make Turkey and
the Turks to accept responsibility for that bloody
page of their history – that is gradually coming true.
Also, to make them understand what was done and then
go forward," Armen Darbinian, rector of Slavonic
University, former prime minister, said about the
Armenian Genocide at the yesterday’s meeting with
students.

The rector said that our longing to see a Turkey that
has recognized the Genocide is conditioned by the fact
that we want to see it cleaner, better and more
virtuous. But to achieve that they have to be
prepared. "This is perhaps a good aim but I think we
have a more important aim – we have to become more
truthful," the rector said.

By Gohar Gevorgian

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Home

KAREN KARAPETIAN: WE NEED TO MAKE IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE PART OF
ARMRUSGAZPROM STRUCTURE

Before the Government conference, Karen Karapetian, director of
ArmRusGazProm company, answered a number of questions concerning some
information about the Iran- Armenia gas pipeline.

He said that the gas pipeline doesn’t consist of two parts. It
stretches for 40 km and united the Iranian gas system with that of
ArmRusGazProm.

As for the issue of selling the gas pipeline on the Russian side,
Karapetian said that it will be better if the pipeline belonged to
ArmRusGazProm. In the course of the Government conference, Karapetian
represented the arrangements that the company carries out to secure
safe gasification of the local gas network. In particular, the company
experts check all the gas equipment of all the subscribers and carry
out other activities twice every year. At the same time,
Mr. Karapetian emphasized the importance of the responsible behavior
of the subscribers, as well, for securing safe utilization of gas. He
also informed that they have enlarged the volumes of stored gas,
making them 110 million cubic meters. In case of emergency situation,
the stored gas will be enough for 2 months in summer and for 20-25
days in winter. The daily volume of gas waste makes 5 million cubic
meters in summer and 9-10 million cubic meters in winter.

Gazprom’s shares in ArmRusGazProm will increase from 45% to 58%

The official website of Russia’s Gazprom Company informs that the
Board of Directors of the company agreed yesterday to acquire excess
shares of ArmRusGazProm. As a result of the deal Gazprom’s shares in
ArmRusGazProm’s authorized capital stock will increase from 45% to
58%.

By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily #206, 28/10/2006

Home

SERGE SARGSIAN RECEIVES NATO INTERNATIONAL CONSULTATIVE GROUP

Serge Sargsian, RA Defense Minister, has received the
members of NATO International Consultative Group. The
press Secretary of RA Defense Ministry Seiran
Shahsouvaryan informed that the delegation includes
Minister plenipotentiary of Slovenia’s Foreign
Ministry Damian Bergant, the Lithuania’s Foreign
Minister James Gribovsky, the German adviser of RA
Government in security isssues, Major-General of
reserve, Holger Zamet, the representative of Defense
Ministry of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland, Major-General of reserve, John
Drevienkievich, the senior staff scientist of the
Baltic Defense College, Margis Kolgan, the
representative of the Department for contacts with
countries and political relations of the Directorate
of the Euro Atlantic Integration and Partnership,
Lorenc Mayor-Minerman, the Director of the Latvian
Institute of International Relations, Atis Leinc, the
representative of the Clement of Ohrid Sofian
University, professor Todor Tanev. In the course of
the meeting, the British representatives stated that
the consultative group welcomes all the points of the
RA National Security concept regarding the state and
civil society development. Dwelling on the security
issues, the delegation members emphasized that two of
four states, contiguous with the Republic, i.e.
Azerbaijan and Turkey, hold Armenia in blockade. The
country can be connected to the outer world solely
though the roads in Georgia and Iran. As concerning
the foreign policy of the Republic of Armenia, the
group members noted that it is mainly conditioned by
two factors, important for all of the Armenian people,
that is, the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict and the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
The delegation members underscored in the end that
Armenia manages to conduct balanced policy from both
strategic and global, and tactical and regional
viewpoints.

By Nana Petrosian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+

`ARMENIA HAS LOST SELF-DEPENDENCE’
[06:49 pm] 27 October, 2006

`After October 27 Armenia lost its self-dependence as
the murdered officials were independent politicians
and the dignity of the country was important for
them’, said another victim of October 27 Stepan
Zaqaryan.

According to him, after October 27 because of the
behavior of the authorities Armenia turned from a
strategic partner into the outpost of Russia. The
deputy thinks that Armenia carries out a downright
shadow policy. He brought as an example the arrest of
Vahagn Chakhalyan, member of the council of `United
Javakhq’, with which, according to him, the RA
authorities flatter Georgia.

Stepan Zaqaryan noted that long ago Karen Demirchyan
managed to make the living standards of Armenia higher
than that of its neighbors, whereas now it is the
opposite. The deputy is convinced that the volumes of
the gas pipeline between Iran and Armenia would be
larger if Armenia protected its interests.

A1+

«THEY DID NOT BEAT US; WE LOST OURSELVES»
[07:03 pm] 27 October, 2006

`Armenia has always faced a dilemma; it used to be
between Byzantium and Persia before, and now it is
between the West and Russia’, announced member of ARF
Dashnaktsutyun Alvard Petrosyan in `Pastark’ club
during the discussion of Armenian-Russian relations.
Mrs. Petrosyan who has grown up in Russian atmosphere
and considers Russian literature one of the greatest
achievements of the world, also considers servility
and blind admiration for the Russians unacceptable.

`Once there were Russian painters in our house who
asked me if we love them. I answered that we wouldn’t
love them if we had any alternative’. Alvard Petrosyan
admits that it’s impossible to solve many problems
without Russia, but the fear that we can’t live
without them is destructive for us.

Alvard Petrosyan can’t stand it when someone comes
Armenia and calls us an outpost, «I’m not angry with
the Russians; I’m angry with us. They did not beat us;
we lost it ourselves».

According to Mrs. Petrosyan, it is fashionable today
to love France, «I highly appreciate their culture,
but France would never adopt the resolution if they
didn’t need it themselves. Protecting us, France
protects itself. At this rate the Eiffel tower will
become the highest mosque of the world».