Month: October 2006

IN WORDS OF TURK MINISTER OF STATE, EU MUST NOT INTERFERE IN ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Turkish Minister
of State and parliamentarian Abdullatif Sener warned the European
Union and other states not to interfere in the Armenian-Turkish
relations. Sener participates in Brussels in the event dedicated to
the Turkey-EU one-year negotiation process.

In the interview to the "Anadolu" agency, he touched upon the
statement made by President of France Jacques Chirac concerning
the Armenian Genocide in which the President insisted on accepting
Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide as a precondition in
the EU membership process.

On the occasion of the draft being discussed in France, which envisages
5-year imprisonement or 45.000 euro fine for all those who will deny
reality of the Armenian Genocide, the Turk official said: "Such an
attitude is inadmissible. It is against that cultural atmosphere that
the EU attempts to create."

"Armenia is an Asian country, but not a European one. So, it’s a third
country in the process of Turkey’s membership to the EU. It is out
of logic that the draft finds place in the Turkey-EU negotiations
process. Any EU member and not member state that influences on the
policy of Armenia from outside must give up those efforts. Chirac’s
statement was not a sincere one, and their goal is to influence on
the inner policy," Sener mentioned.

OPPOSITION DEMANDS NEW ELECTIONS IN JAVAKHK

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

AKHALKALAK, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The "United
Javakhk" People’s Alliance" public organization addressed on October 9
with the help of mass media to President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili
with a proposal to state invalid elections of local self-government
bodies held in the region of Akhalkalak on October 5.

A-Info states about it.

Representatives of NGOs joined the opposing "Industry to Save Georgia"
party are sure that results of the elections were falsified in the
region of Akhalkalak.

Particularly by the proportional electoral system, in words of "United
Javakhk" representative Aghasi Surenian, votes of the "Industry to
Save Georgia" party were reduced from 70% to 30%.

TURK DEPUTY OF LABOUR PARTY OF HOLLAND DOES NOT ORIENT IN ISSUE OF GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

AMSTERDAM, OCTOBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Labour Party
of Holland did not get free of the Armenian Genocide issue yet, the
Armenian Organizations’ Federation of Netherlands states. Member of
that party, famous deputy Turk Nebahat Albayrak’s position relating
to the Armenian Genocide issue was again called into question by
different mass media during the recent days.

That party broke off its ties with deputy Erdinc Sacan the last week.

He will not participate in the parliamentary elections to take place on
November 22 as he refuses to recognize the Armenian Genocide conducted
by Turkey in 1915-1917. Albayrak, who is the second in the party list
after Wouter Bos, still refused to give clear interpretations on her
orientation in the genocide issue.

According to the "Elsevier" newspaper, Albayrak did not give
explanations starting from the next week when she "brought the debate
to a problem," saying in the interview to the "Trow" newspaper that
it is impossoble to have a clear position as the historic sources
"were made dirty."

"Elsevier" writes that Albayrak puts forward the Turkish government’s
position as the Ambassador of Turkey wrote in the letter addressed
to Handelsbad. The diplomate said that "historians are of different
opinion in the issue of qualifying these events."

While Turk members of the Labour Party have evasive position concerning
the issue, its causes mess in another, the Christian Democratic Party
(CDP). 30 Turk members of the CDP protested at the last week congress
of the party on the occasion of taking out of the lists of candidates
names of 2 candiadtes refused to recognize the Genocide.

In the opinion of the Turkish Ambassador to Holland, the names of
Ayhan Tonca and Osman Elmaci were taken out of the list by a mistake.

On Monday the Turkish Parliament confered title of "honourary
parliamentarian" to Sacan, Tonca and Elmaci.

To recap, according to Marmara, Nebahat Albayrak recognized the fact of
the Armenian Genocide, however, adding that she stands for discussing
in what way that genocide was conducted. Opposing those explanations
of Albayrak, her co-partisans insisted that she "plays on two strings"
and expresses evasive opinion.

VARTAN OSKANIAN MET WITH THE BRITISH MINISTER FOR EUROPE JEFF HOON

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 11 2006

October 11 RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian received Jeff Hoon,
Minister for Europe at the British Foreign Office, who arrived in
Armenia in the framework of a regional visit.

Welcoming the guest, RA Foreign Minister highly appreciated the
bilateral relations with the United Kingdom, emphasizing Armenia’s wish
to activate these, particularly under the European New Neighborhood
Program.

Speaking about EU-Armenia Action Plan, Minister Oskanian underlined
Armenia’s intention to demonstrate the same efficiency as in the
negotiation period. For this purpose Armenia anticipates the practical
assistance of the European Commission and EU member states.

The British Minister for Europe presented the main objectives of his
visit, attaching importance to the enduring dialogue of the United
Kingdom with the South Caucasian countries and the accomplishment of
joint programs.

The interlocutors dwelt on regional questions, Armenia-Turkey relations
in the framework of the process of Turkey’s accession to the EU, as
well as the process of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict.

SERGEY IVANOV: RUSSIA NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR CONFLICTS ON POST-SOVIET SPACE

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 11 2006

Russia carries no responsibility for the frozen conflicts on
post-Soviet space, RF Deputy Premier, Defense Minister Sergey
Ivanov told the journalists. "As for the conflicts on the territory
of the former USSR, we have not initiated these and we carry no
responsibility, we are the guarantor of settlement," said Ivanov in
response to the question whether Russia may recognize the independence
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia because of the strained relations
with Georgia.

"It means that the two parties of the conflict, e.g. Moldova and
Transniestria, Armenia and Azerbaijan, Georgia and Abkhazia, Georgia
and Abkhazia, Georgia and South Ossetia, should somehow speak to each
other," RF Deputy Prime Minister noted. He said that the process is
different in case of different conflicts. Ivanov remarked that the
existence of frozen conflicts on former USSR territory is the result
of collapse of the Soviet Union.

NA CHAIRMAN TIGRAN TOROSYAN RECEIVED COE DIRECTOR OF THE LEGAL AFFAIRS

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 11 2006

October 11 Speaker of RA National Assembly Tigran Torosyan received
the delegation headed by Guy de Vel, Director of the Legal Affairs
of the Council of Europe. The meeting was attended by Special
Representative of CoE Secretary General Bojana Urumova and the
Permanent Representative of Armenia to PACE, Ambassador Christian
Ter-Stepanyan.

During the meeting NA Chairman Tigran Torosyan informed about the
changes implemented in the legislation after the Constitutional
Referendum Thanking the NA Speaker for productive cooperation with
the Council of Europe and expressing willingness to continue this
collaboration, Guy de Vel noted that a great work has been done in the
direction of accomplishment of obligations, important laws have been
adopted in regard to the democratic development of Armenia, which
have already been submitted for expert consideration. The parties
emphasized the importance of reforms in the court system and adoption
of the Judicial Code. With appreciation Mr. Guy de Vel referred to
the discussions with Venice Commission experts on the Electoral Code.

Reference was made to the Law on Yerevan and other questions of
mutual importance.

FIRST GROUP OF TURKISH PEACEKEEPERS ARRIVED IN BEIRUT

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 11 2006

The first group of Turkish peacekeepers arrived in Beirut. Turkish
military engineers and constructors will be deployed near Tir city,
where they will be engaged in reconstruction of buildings and
infrastructures.

Ankara has already sent a frigate that will join the naval division
near Lebanese coasts to be headed by Germany.

The total number of Turkish peacekeepers within UN forces in Lebanon
will reach 681. Turkey was the first Muslim country to send its
peacekeepers to Lebanon.

VAHAN HOVHANNISYSN: WE MUST HAVE RUSSIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS EXERT NO INFLUENCE ON ARMENIA’S INTERESTS

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

"I think we should do everything for the conflict between Russia and
Georgia not to impact the interests of Armenia. For this purpose we
must have a distinct position in our relations with both Russian and
Georgian partners," NA Deputy Chairman Vahan Hovhannisyan told the
journalists today.

In the Vice-Chairman’s opinion, it is obvious that Georgia is trying to
do everything for Russia to finally lose its role in Transcaucasian
politics, which is not favorable for Armenia today. On the other
hand, through utilization of the energy factor some political circles
of Russia are trying to become a superpower deciding everything in
the region, which is again unfavorable for Armenia. "The truth is
somewhere between," Vhan Hovhannisyan mentioned.

SERGE SARGSYAN: NK’S INVOLVEMENT IN THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS WILL BENEFIT IN ANY STAGE

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

Karabakh’s involvement in the negotiation process will benefit in
any stage, RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan said in an interview
with REGNUM news agency.

Why does Armenia mind the discussion of the Karabakh issue in the UN?

In response to the question, the Minister said that Armenia is
against transferring the question to any other structure. "What can
this transfer give? It is not the question that can be discussed
in different structures every day. There is the OSCE Minsk Group,
members of which are permanent members of the UN Security Council.

What can the discussion in other structures change? Do you believe
that people who represent let’s say Somali or other countries far away
from us are well informed about the Karabakh issue? Are you seriously
confident that they can give us clever advice? I’m confident that
the core of the conflict is different – not to distort the activity
of the Minsk Group in the settlement of the Karabakh issue," Serge
Sargsyan declared.

In response to the question about the possibility of the military
resolution of the Karabakh conflict within the coming five years,
Serge Sargsyan declared, "I have always said, and I repeat that the
Defense Minister, particularly the Defense Minister of Armenia must
be always ready that the military actions may start tomorrow. From
this very perspective he must show responsibility as it regards the
country’s security. On the other hand I think that resumption of
military actions in the near future is impossible because of a number
of reasons. First, the Minister is confident that the Azeri army is
not capable of launching military actions of this scale. Second, the
international community will be very strict to this kind of actions,
since the resumption of war in Nagorno Karabakh can mark the start
of resumption of military actions in many other places. We should
recognize this. We need to think about security."

DAVID BABAYAN: IT IS PROPER TIME FOR NKR TO ADOPT CONSTITUTION

Public Radio, Armenia
Oct 10 2006

During the 18 years of its new statehood Nagorno Karabakh has passed
through self-determination demands and peaceful demonstrations, the
terrible war imposed by Azerbaijan, the post-war rehabilitation period,
the phase of democratization of the society and currently it is in the
stage of economic development," political scientist David Babayan told
ArmInfo, commenting on the intension of NKR to adopt a Constitution.

"By the way, year buy year NKR standing on the international
arena rises. Many countries and peoples need decades to pass the
above-mentioned phases. And now it is the proper time for Nagorno
Karabakh to adopt a Constitution, the political scientist underlined.

"Adoption of the Constitution 15 years after declaration of
independence is somewhat symbolic, since we are adopting a constitution
after building a full-fledged state," David Babayan said.