Month: October 2006

Armenian Army Best in Post Soviet Space

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.10.2006 18:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ This year Georgia followed by Azerbaijan will fix
the biggest budget, military and political expert Richard Giragossian
said in Yerevan today. When speaking of the military constituent of
security he remarked that "the Armenian and Nagorno Karabakh’s Armed
Forces are very strong, both in armament and morally. "The Armenian
army is the best one in the post soviet space, but Armenia should be
ready for a higher level and start reforms and modernization of the
army so as not to allow the Azeri army become stronger in 10 years,"
he said.

When touching upon the American-Turkish cooperation the expert remarked
that during many years it was rather successful and close. "However
after the Iraqi war the situation has changed and now the U.S. State
Department collaborates with the Turkish government rather than with
the Defense Ministry," he said. As for Iran, Richard Giragossian
considers that Iran is neither Iraq nor Afghanistan. Language of
weapon should not be used for talk with this country.

TURKISH MPs THREATEN TO EXPEL 70,000 ARMENIANS FROM TURKEY

Armenpress

PARIS, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS: A group of Turkish parliamentarians
in Paris threatened they would press for expulsion of thousands of
Armenian citizens living and working illegally in Turkey if France
adopted a legislation criminalizing the denial of the Armenian
genocide.

One of the group, Sukru Elekdag from the main opposition Republican
Democratic Party was quoted by Reuters as saying that some
70,000 Armenian citizens work and live in Turkey without proper
permissions. He said they all would be forced out of the country if
France adopted the law.

The French National Assembly is set to discuss the bill in question
on October 12. In May when the bill was presented by the opposition
Socialist party, Turkey recalled its ambassador in Paris.

TURKISH-ARMENIAN JOURNALISTS AWARDED NORWEGIAN PRIZE

Armenpress

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS: The editor of a Turkish-Armenian
magazine was Wednesday awarded the Norwegian Bjornson prize, worth
100,000 kroner (15,200 dollars), for highlighting massacres of the
Armenian minority by Ottoman Turks in 1915, DPA reported.

Agos’ editor Hrant Dink has frequently written on the subject that
continues to generate controversy in Turkey today, and has had
frequent run-ins with Turkish authorities. The prize will be handed
out at a November 24 ceremony in the Norwegian west coast city Molde,
the Norwegian news agency NTB reported.

The prize is awarded by the Bjornson Academy, established in 2003 to
protect freedom of expression.

Previous winners were Vivian Fouad and Samir Morcos from Egypt for
their efforts to promote ties between Muslims and Christians, and
Esma Redzepova from Macedonia who has championed the rights of the
Roma people.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FORMER YEREVAN DEPUTY MAYOR EXPLAINS WHY HE QUIT DISTRICT MAYORAL RACE

Armenpress

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, ARMENPRESS: Arman Sahakian, a former deputy Yerevan
mayor who first had defied his Republican Party’s ruling board’s order
to quit the campaign for the election of a Yerevan district mayor,
but then made a surprise decision to walk out of the struggle for
the post, told journalists today becoming a district mayor was not
an end in itself for him.

Arman Sahakian argued that he abandoned the mayoral race because
that was the decision of his Republican Party’s governing board. "I
regarded and regard the position of a district prefect as a platform
for implementation of community development projects. My refusal to run
for the post must not be transformed into a political show,’ he said.

His major rival, the current mayor Artsrun Khachatrian, who is believed
to enjoy the support of the chief prosecutor Aghvan Hovsepian, also
walked out of the campaign. Arman Sahakian, who is the son of Galust
Sahakian, the chairman of the Republican Party’s parliamentary faction,
said he wanted to become mayor to fight against what he said was ‘the
flagrant violation of urban construction norms in the district that has
been flourishing under the incumbent mayor’s rule.’ Four candidates
have been nominated for the position, one of them is Ruben Hovsepian,
chief prosecutor’s youngest brother. The election is scheduled for
October 29.

Armenian and Azeri FMs to Meet in Moscow Today

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 13:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian and Azeri FMs V. Oskanian and
E. Mammadyarov will meet in Moscow. As Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE
MG for Nagorno Karabakh settlement Yuri Merzlyakov reported at a
news conference in Yerevan, later a meeting of Armenian and Azeri
Presidents is possible. "After the meeting of Armenian and Azeri FMs
speaking of a meeting of Armenian and Azeri Presidents is possible,"
OSCE MG French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier stated in his turn.

Lavrov: Meeting with Oskanian and Mammadyarov Productive

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 13:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian FM Sergey Lavrov positively evaluated the
outcomes of his meeting with colleagues from Azerbaijan and Armenia
E. Mammadyarov and V. Oskanian, who arrived in Moscow to discuss
the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. In the words of the Russian FM, "the
meeting was productive." A diplomatic source in Moscow reported that
"the major topic of the tripartite conversation relates to searching
for ways to solve the Karabakh conflict." As OSCE MG Russian Co-Chair
Yuri Merzlyakov had reported earlier, the agreement over the meeting
was reached as a result of the talks with OSCE MG co-chairs in Baku
and Yerevan, reports ITAR-TASS.

EU "Privileged Partnership" Arranged for Turkey?

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 13:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Angela Merkel is leaving for Turkey amid a crisis
of relations of that country with the EU. Ankara considers the German
Chancellor as a reliable partner and expect positive signals. European
Commission is concerned with insufficient level of freedom of
expression in the country. Article 301 of the Criminal Code of the
country provides for imprisonment up to 3 years of insulting Turkey
and its state institutions. Thus, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli
Rehn urged Turkey to reforms.

Angela Merkel is expected to touch upon the issue on criticism that
aroused in Turkey owing to Pope Benedict XVI’s statements on Islam,
Reuters reports. Ankara’s response doubted its role as a "bridge"
between Europe and the Islamic world.

Turkey’s stand over the Cyprus also causes EU pretension. Turkey has to
open air and sea routes with Cyprus, as stipulated by the EU Treaty on
Customs Union. Otherwise talks on EU accession may be suspended. Merkel
has an non-compromising position regarding EU demands towards Turkey
to recognize Cyprus. As the Chancellor’s Department stated October 4,
"there will be no indulgence in terms of EU accession for Turkey."

Angela Merkel is one of those, who do not believe Turkey may become a
full EU member. She has a concept of "privileged partnership", i.e. a
level of cooperation, which is already achieved. Representatives of
the conservative camp of Germany have even harsher demands, demanding
ceasing EU talks with Turkey, reports Deutsche Welle.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Kazimirov: One Should Not Chase Soap Bubbles from Aside in Karabakh Process

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 14:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian and Azeri FMs will focus on two
known factors or "principles" of settlement out of almost 10 –
referendum over Nagorno Karabakh and the schedule of withdrawal of
troops. One-sided concessions should not be expected – progress may be
only mutual, former Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE MG Vladimir Kazimirov
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, guessing the results
of the meeting of the FMs is rather awkward. "Nothing can be decided
on Karabakh issue in other places," the Russian diplomat said. This
is confirmed by the parties failing to meet the UN SC resolutions in
1993, except for the cease-fire," Kazimirov underscored.

"The case had at the time an extraordinary development – the SC
refused to receive them over the Karabakh at all due to ignoring the
resolutions. Urges to fulfill these, made by the parties to conflict,
are hypocrisy examples. It is necessary to solve the conflict there,
where it should be solved and not to chase soap bubbles from aside. For
the time being the party, which is most interested in a peaceful
settlement, is isolated from contacts, the other is not hurrying
that much and the third does not wish it in the near future. 2006
is almost over, but it cannot hand on the baton to the next year,
but only 2009," Kazimirov said.

Semneby Does Not Consider Karabakh Process "Absolutely Hopeless"

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 14:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus
Peter Semneby stated at a meeting of the EU Foreign Relations Committee
that Armenia and Azerbaijan drag the time during the process of
Karabakh conflict settlement. In his words, Azerbaijan hopes for the
profit from oil to allow the country to become "richer and stronger
from the military point of view." "Building arms is a serious cause
for concern and it has an impact on the circumstance that Azerbaijan
does not consider solution of the Karabakh conflict extremely urgent,"
Semneby stated. At the same time the EU Special Representative does
not think the situation around settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict is "absolutely hopeless." At that he reported he will soon
meet with Armenian and Azeri FMs, reports RFE/RL.

Romania Supports Armenia on Way to European Integration

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.10.2006 14:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Romania is interested in Armenia continuing its
European integration process, Romanian leader Traian Basescu stated
in an interview with the Public TV Company of Armenia. At that he
noted that the beginning of this way is Armenia’s participation in
the ENP. "However, first of all interested in peace and stability in
the Transcaucasian region. In this context Romania supports Armenia
on its way to European integration," Traian Basescu said.

At that Basescu noted the historically good relations between Armenian
and Romanian peoples. Specifically, he reported that many Armenians
live in Romania, two of which have high political posts. "We are also
united by interest in stability and peace in the Black Sea region,
as well as religion and culture," the President underscored, reports
Novosti-Armenia.