Month: October 2006

COMMERSANT: MOSCOW MAY ENABLE PRESSURE OF ARMENIA UPON GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2006 15:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ One of leading Russian newspapers, the Commersant
believes that Moscow may enable pressure of Armenia on Georgia. An
article published on Monday concerns the visit of Armenian President
to Moscow October 30-31.

Robert Kocharian met with Russian President Putin on Monday. The
newspaper supposes Georgia will be the subject of conversation. "The
Kremlin is looking for tools to influence Georgian President
Saakashvili.

Tbilisi fears that one of the tools to influence Georgia may be
suspension of electric power supplies from Russia and Armenia. Georgia
will be in a catastrophic position then," the Commersant writes.

The article does not rule out Moscow asking Armenia to organize
"small disorders" in the southern province of Samtskhe-Javakheti,
where some 200 thousand Armenians live.

Georgian experts do not rule out these developments, as Armenia depends
on Russia in the political and economic respects. At the same time
Armenia cannot have a confrontation with Georgia, as it is the only
way, linking with Russia and European countries.

"Russia has already appropriated Iran-Armenia gas pipeline and the
Hrazdan thermal electric power plant.

Now Russia works to appropriate the rail network of Armenia. Yerevan
is going to organize a tender for conveying ownership of the railway
for 30 years, but President Putin will try to persuade his Armenian
counterpart the tender is not necessary and Russia will take care of
the railway of Armenia," reports Prime News.

GREAT SILK ROAD REEMERGING?
By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily
31/10/2006

The Great Silk Road functioned 2000 years ago and still can function
today. The CIS member states are looking to restoring it. This issue
was discussed at the session of the council coordinating transport
communication in CIS countries. The routs of the Great Silk Road pass
through 40 European and Asian states.

Russia’s transport minister Igor Levitin said that projects of
organizing corridors for goods transportation from China to Europe
are being elaborated jointly with Ukraine. During the upcoming 5
years transportation corridors of the Great Silk Road passing through
Kazakhstan are going to be restored, transport minister of the country
Serik Akhmetov assured.

THANKS FOR ARMENIA’S BALANCED APPROACH

AZG Armenian Daily
31/10/2006

Chairman of the National Assembly Tigran Torosian received yesterday
Georgian ambassador to Armenia Revaz Gechachiladze. According to
NA information center, the Georgian ambassador thanked the Armenian
parliament for its balanced, restrained and acceptable approach during
the Georgian-Russian crisis. Tigran Torosian, on his part, expressed
hope that Georgia and Russia will soon overcome the crisis and assured
that Armenia is ready to contribute to a solution. Torosian stated that
our country was always for peace and prosperity in the region. They
also discussed the OSCE report on stability in the South Caucasus
published in San Marino on October 17.

TURKEY’S JOINING EU UNREAL IN FORESEEABLE FUTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2006 16:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s joining the EU is unreal in foreseeable
future, Chief of the Department of CIS Countries of the Russian
Institute of Strategic Research, Candidate of Historical Sciences
Alexander Skakov said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his
opinion, the EU can choke in the enlargement. "No organization can
develop eternally. Besides, enlargement at expense of admitting a
major Islamic state can change the EU image and its ideology. At
the same time rejection to accept Turkey may have unpredictable
consequences. The European Union has entrapped itself by keeping
Turkey on a short lead and giving uncertain promises," Skakov
said. He also considers that national processes ripen within the
Turkish public. "Disappointment in Europe is growing over Brussels’
duplicity. Turkey insists on its own policy proceeding from its
national interests but not the European solidarity. There will come a
moment when the indignation of the Turkish public will dominate and
the elite will understand that they are being deceived. Turkey will
itself turn its back on the European Union. This scenario provides with
new dangers and possibilities. It’s easier to deal with a sovereign
states than with a satellite," the expert said.

REFUGEE ISSUE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED PROCEEDING FROM REALITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2006 17:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Nagorno Karabakh’s condition is beneficial as
compared to the other unrecognized states. It has a security zone or
"seized territories", Chief of the Department of CIS Countries of
the Russian Institute of Strategic Research, Candidate of Historical
Sciences Alexander Skakov said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In
his words, it would be hard to preserve the current status quo, since
the powers interested in its violation are too influential. "Azerbaijan
is rapidly gaining financial, economic, military and demographic
resources and Armenia should reckon with it. A serious choice between
war and compromise should be done. Neither of the sides is ready to
choose," he remarked.

The Russian analyst considers that in future with the presence of good
will it can be possible to speak of the formula of "peace and status
in exchange for territories", that is of the establishment of a new
border of independent Karabakh. "I perfectly know that Stepanakert
will not compromise over Lachin and Kelbajar, but there are other
regions which are not so problematic to cede. As for the refugee
issue, there are well known approaches to exchange of population,
territories and material compensations. Modern history records no
single case of complete return of refugees.

When resolving it one should proceed from reality but appeal to the
graves of the ancestors. It’s possible to achieve progress with good
will and mediation. Of course, it does not mean that the problem of
Nagorno Karabakh may be settled in 2006 or 2007. The process will be
long. Talks always take more time than war does," Alexander Skakov
underscored.

He also remarked that the sides should stop appealing to history. Each
side has its arguments. To decide who is right one should be not
only a historian but also an impartial specialist of the issue. "Now
it resembles dialogue of two deaf people. No one in the West or in
Russia is intends to of into details. The ethnic right to the territory
confirmed by history is not absolute and obligatory for us. Proceeding
from the logic of ethnic right for territory Russia should demand
Crimea from Ukraine and give Eastern Prussia to Germany. European
states, not to mention the U.S., experience the same problems. Similar
situation is the Georgian-Abkhazian and Georgian-Ossetian conflicts,"
the expert said.

RUSSIA CAN MAKE ANY MOVE TO PREVENT GEORGIA FROM JOINING NATO

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2006 17:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia has two clear objectives as regards Georgia,
Chief of the Department of CIS Countries of the Russian Institute of
Strategic Research, Candidate of Historical Sciences Alexander Skakov
said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. "I am nor speaking of a
fantastic dream to see Georgia a friendly state. Russia insists on
maintenance of the current format of peacekeeping operation in Abkhazia
and South Ossetia without making any attempt to internationalize
the peaceful process. It first of all wishes the settlement to be
convenient not for Moscow or Tbilisi but for the people of these
unrecognized republics," Skakov remarked.

He underscored that Georgia’s aspiration to join the NATO tenses
the relations. "We do not eye the NATO as hostile organization but
the anti-Russian vector has strengthened after Latvia, Estonia and
to some extent Lithuania and Poland joint the Alliance. Georgia will
boost this anti-Russian mood. We do not think that Georgia’s joining
the NATO is a decoded matter Influential states like Germany, France
and Canada hold an opinion that the further enlargement of the NATO
is inappropriate. Besides, Georgia will not meet the NATO standards
in the near future not to mention the unsettled conflicts on the
Georgian territory. The matter concerns only Tbilisi’s joining the ID
(Intense Dialogue). It does not lay any obligation on the Alliance
and does not determine Georgia’s membership on the NATO. That is why
it cannot arouse Russia’s discontent. Each country itself decided
its military allies," the Russian expert said. However, he remarked
Russian can take any move to prevent Georgia’s membership in the
NATO. "Some forces in Tbilisi, Washington or Brussels may think that
Russia "swallowing" NATO’s enlargement towards the Baltic states will
tolerate Georgia’s joining the Alliance.

Russia can for example one-sidedly recognize the independence of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Thus.

Georgia will have to choose whether to grant independence to seceded
autonomies and bravely head for the NATO or stay in actual war with
Russia and forger about the NATO, since the Alliance will never accept
Georgia, which is in state of war with its northern neighbor. Tbilisi
can get into its own trap," Skakov underscored.

NKR MFA: PREMATURE TO ASSESS OSKANIAN-MAMMADYAROV MEETING

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.10.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "It is premature to evaluate the October 24 meeting
of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan and Armenia Elmar
Mammadyarov and Vartan Oskanian. Basing on the outcome of this meeting,
the ministers arranged to meet November 14 in Brussels. At the same
time, I think, it should be noted that it is necessary to create
a basis for success regarding all the core issues: atmosphere of
confidence, denial of force and coercion, strengthening the mode of
not resuming military actions, full-format negotiations," said NKR
FM Georgy Petrosian.

"The mechanism of bilateral consultations successfully operates between
Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh Republic on both the presidential level
and foreign ministerial level. After Vartan Oskanian’s return there
was a telephone talk and the details and outcome of his meeting with
Elmar Mammadyarov were discussed. It has been stated for a number
of times that the meetings of the foreign ministers of Armenia and
Azerbaijan are confidential, and a premature revelation of the details
of their recent meeting would be incorrect," he said.

"ELECTORAL CODE IS A SUBJECT FOR SALE AND PURCHASE"

A1+
[07:14 pm] 30 October, 2006

"Before the discussion of the amendments to the Electoral Code the NA
political powers had agreed not to refer to the formation of electoral
committees and the ratio between proportional and majority systems",
said member of the Republican Party Samvel Nikoyan in "Mirror"
club. He blamed the opposition for not keeping their promise.

During the first reading of the amendments "Justice" bloc voted
against it, and "National Unity" did not vote at all.

"We could not vote against it as 80% of our offers had been adopted;
we could not vote for it either as all our offers can be put into
execution only in case of 100% proportional system", said deputy head
of National Unity Alexan Karapetyan. Samvel Nikoyan announced that
the disagreements about proportional and majority systems would not
be so acute if it weren’t for the journalists, "No one treats the
issue as seriously as the journalists", he said.

Alexan Karapetyan tried to defend the journalists, "If they read the
Electoral Code once, everyone will see that electoral fabrications
cannot be eradicated without 100% proportional system". According to
him, the authorities do not treat the Electoral Code seriously. "Why
did the NA majority make a deal with the "People’s Deputy"? Violating
the Electoral Code, they gave one place in each electoral committee to
"People’s Deputy"; but "People’s Deputy" is not a political power and
90% of the faction has left it for the Republican party. That is to
say, the members of the Republican party had one more place in each
electoral committee. The authorities have made the Electoral Code a
subject for sale and purchase", Alexan Karapetyan commented.

Republican Samvel Nikoyan was very much offended by this remark and
he decided to reveal the potential of the Republicans, "We do not
make deals with anyone.

The Republican party has so much potential it can make its decisions
public and put them into execution alone". Mr. Nikoyan did not
hide that he is not glad about the involvement of judges into the
electoral process. "We have not referred to the issue as it is up
to the Constitutional Court to decide whether the involvement of the
judges into the electoral process contradicts the Constitution or not".

Let us remind you that the Constitutional Court will discuss the
issue on November 7; it will be represented by deputy head of NGO
"Democracy" Hrayr Tovmasyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE STATE CAN ONLY GRANT A STATUS

A1+
[07:58 pm] 30 October, 2006

Head of the Migration department of the Ministry of regional governing
Gagik Eganyan gets 4-5 applications a day from the Armenians of
Iraq. Today during the seminar titled "Dual citizenship and migration
issues under the light of integration processes" Gagik Eganyan
mentioned that about 600 Armenians have been granted temporary status;
390 of them are from Lebanon. "The citizens of the countries at war
choose Armenia as a safe country. But what is important is that 20
of the citizens of Lebanon are Arabs who could have found refuge in
other countries", Gagik Eganyan said.

The Migration department does not have data about those who go back,
as "there is no request to inform us when they leave. But some of
them do leave, and it’s natural".

According to Gagik Eganyan, Armenians living in foreign countries
must have ground for living in our country when they come back. Since
2002 Armenia grants those who migrate to Armenia status of temporary
protection. What is interesting is that the only thing the state
does is granting status: no help is offered when it comes to housing
or transport.

Asked the question what we will do if Russia follows the same policy
towards Armenians as it does towards Georgians, Gagik Eganyan answered,
"In that case not only the state, but also the Diaspora will support
us".

GEORGIA IS GRATEFUL

A1+
[08:14 pm] 30 October, 2006

RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan received Ambassador of Georgia to
Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze.

Mr. Gachechiladze thanked the NA Speaker and the RA Parliament
for balanced attitude towards the Russian-Georgian relations. NA
Speaker Tigran Torosyan voiced hope that the contradictions between
the countries will be overcome soon and mentioned that Armenia is
ready to contribute to the settlement of the problems. Mr. Torosyan
mentioned that Armenia has always been for peace in the region and
is ready to do everything possible for it.

On November 17 in San Marino the PACE Standing Committee will discussed
the report about the Stability treaty in South Caucasus. During the
meeting the sides discussed issues about the report.

During the meeting a reference was made to the possible cooperation
between the Armenian and Georgia Parliaments.