Month: November 2006

ARMENIA MAKES SIXTH ROTATION OF PEACEKEEPERS IN KOSOVO
By Ruben Meloyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep
Nov 15 2006
Armenia has made a sixth rotation of its peacekeepers in Kosovo as
a 34-member platoon left on a six-month mission to the Balkans to
serve as part of a Greek battalion on Tuesday.
Addressing the soldiers leaving for Kosovo, Armenia’s Deputy Defense
Minister Artur Aghabekian stressed that Armenia once again proves
its readiness to make its contribution to international peacekeeping
missions.
According to the deputy minister, despite the lack of experience,
Armenian peacekeepers have gained an image of a reliable partner due to
the last two years’ service, professional training and responsibility,
which, he said, lays the foundations for establishing Armenia’s
peacekeeping forces. According to Aghabekian, the peacekeeping
battalion will become a basis for Armenia’s professional army.
“We expect this battalion to turn into a brigade in the future,” the
deputy minister said. “In 2007, we plan to begin the establishment
of the second battalion. And gradually we should remove the word
‘peacekeeper’, this should be an infantry battalion, manned with
professional servicemen and must be one of the main combat-efficient
subdivisions of Armenia’s armed forces: today performing peacekeeping
missions and tomorrow, if necessary, doing their duty on Armenia’s
borders.”
Armenian servicemen have been part of the peacekeeping mission in
Kosovo since early 2004.

ARTSAKH MUST BE INDEPENDENT
A1+
[08:50 pm] 13 November, 2006
“The people of NKR will not give up their independence. For the sake
of lasting peace, stability and economic development of the region
we are ready for serious dialogue with all the interested sides”,
announced NKR President Arkadi Ghoukasyan in the USA in an interview
with newspapers “Novoe Russkoe Slovo”, “Inner City Press”, as well
as with journals “Ararat” and “AGBU”.
Speaking about the present stage of the settlement of the Karabakh
conflict, Arkadi Ghoukasyan pointed at the non-constructive approach
of the Azeri President, particularly the fact that he refuses to
directly negotiate with Nagorno Karabakh which hinders the final
settlement of the conflict.
It is noteworthy that NKR President Ardaki Ghoukasyan is in the USA
in connection with the November 23 telemarathon dedicated to the
welfare of NKR.
Within the framework of the event Arkadi Ghoukasyan has visited
the Primacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church North America Eastern
diocese. He has also had meetings with other officials.

CONSTRUCTION MORE CONTROLLED, MAYOR ADVISER SAYS
Panorama.am
13:47 13/11/06
“There is more supervision on city building in Yerevan,” Hrach
Muradyan, chief adviser to Yerevan mayor on city building, told a
briefing today. The official assured there is no large-scale illegal
construction going on in the capital. “But it does not mean that
there are no illegal construction sites,” he admits.
In his words, the mayor personally supervises the construction of sites
on Tbilisy alley, Isakov avenue and other big streets. City authorities
try not to go away from the chief plan. Muradyan said working groups
are established to control construction in communities.

ARAZ AZIMOV: RESULTS OF MEETINGS BETWEEN TWO MINISTRIES TO BE KNOWN AFTER MONDAY
Author: P. Amirdjanov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2006
A meeting between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and
his Armenian counterpart Vardan Askanyan is being held in Brussels
this moment, Araz Azimov, deputy Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister has
said, Trend reports referring to ATV.
According to him, the meeting has been stated at 14:00 p. m. local
time. “The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is being discussed within a
common format. After the next Monday, OSCE Minsk Group’s Co-Chairmen
are expected to visit the region again, and only after then, we shal
know about the results of the negotiations being held”, he said.

ARMENIA TAKES OUT FORWARDS IN FINLAND GAME
Panorama.am
13:57 13/11/06
Yan Porterfield, chief coach of the Armenian football team, said he
can assess the preparedness of the Armenian team only after several
trainings. The coach did not rule out that the team may play with
two forwards in a game with Finland within Euro 2008 championship.
Porterfield did not hide his concern that Armenia may have problems
with defense since two fullbacks may not take part in the game –
one for having yellow cards and the other because of injury.
Armenia-Finland game will take place on November 15, at
21:00.
From: Baghdasarian

BAKU AND MOSCOW AGREE ON ISSUE OF CARRYING RUSSIAN MILITARY MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT FROM GEORGIA VIA AZERBAIJAN TERRITORY
Author: E. Husseynov
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Nov 14 2006
Baku and Moscow have reached a preliminary agreement on carrying
additional Russian military machinery and equipment from Georgia
via the territory of Azerbaijan, a source in Azerbaijan’s Embassy to
Georgia informed Trend.
Notably, in the beginning of November, Gen. Alexander Baranov,
Commander-in-Chief of the Northern Caucasian Military Okrug (Region)
of the Russian Forces, stated that the units of the Russian Army would
be withdrawn from Georgia by the end of this year, though previously
they were expected to be withdrawn only by the end of 2008. All
the military sub-units, headquarters, machinery, and equipment are
expected to leave the Georgia territory for the Russian and Armenian
territory by the end of the year. In order to re-deploy the forces,
military machinery, equipment, and ammunition, four special trains
have been ordered. Two of them will head for Russia, the other two
will be sent to Armenia, to the Russian territory Military Base 102.
According to the Embassy in Tbilisi, the Azerbaijani party gave its
consent to withdraw the Russian military machinery and equipment via
Azerbaijan. At present, the exact date when the military machinery
and equipment to be withdrawn from the Headquarters of the Group of
Russian Forces located in Tbilisi is under consideration. All the
machinery and equipment is expected to be withdrawn from Georgia by
the end of this year.

JUSTICE BLOCK LEADER PESSIMISTIC ABOUT KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION THIS YEAR
Panorama.am
14:48 13/11/06
Stepan Demirchyan, leader of Justice block and member of the Armenian
delegation in European Union Parliamentary Assembly, had difficulty
to comment on the upcoming meeting between Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan and his Azeri counterpart E. Mamediarov, saying,
“I do not have all the details of the negotiations.”
Demirchyan reiterated their disposition on Karabakh conflict
resolution, saying, “We believe there can be no Karabakh conflict
resolution without the participation of Karabakh.” He also said, “I
do not believe the conflict may be resolved this year.”

REPUBLICAN YOUTH FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE
Panorama.am
15:19 13/11/06
Chamber Music House hosted today young representatives from the
Armenian regions who showcased dozens of dresses. The representatives
won a contest in the regions. This fashion show took place within
the republican youth festival “Armenia is my motherland” organized by
the ministry of culture and youth affairs. The festival has sections
on photography, applied art, song and drawing. Deputy minister,
Arthur Poghosyan, said the state released 8 million Armenian drams
for the festival.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PEOPLE’S PARTY INTENDS TO WIN THE ELECTIONS
Panorama.am
15:22 13/11/06
Stepan Demirchyan, chairman of Armenian People’s party (APP) and leader
of Justice Block, is sure that APP is ready and can participate in
upcoming elections alone.
However, the party has not clarified its strategy yet because
it has postponed its general assembly slated for November. Most
probably, the assembly will be held in January-February. Demirchyan
underscored the parliamentary elections in a newly opened Friday Club
today. He does not share the optimism of authorities in power that
the elections will comply with democratic norms. “People themselves do
not believe that the elections may be free and fair in our country,”
he said.

MUSEUM HEAD REFUTES TRANSFER OF RAMIL SAFAROV TO AZERBAIJAN
Panorama.am
18:45 13/11/06
Some media outlets, including Armenian TV companies, made reports
according to which Ramil Safarov, who murdered an Armenian officer,
Gurgen Margaryan, in Hungary, later may be transferred to Azerbaijan
to undergo his punishment there. Safarov was sentenced to life
imprisonment by the Hungarian authorities. The reports referred to
Androsh Bragiova, judge of the Hungarian Constitutional Court, who
supposedly said that Safarov may be transferred later.
Haik Demoyan, head of Genocide Museum, who participated in the trial
in Budapest as a representative of the Armenian defense ministry,
refuted such rumors, saying the information was released by the Azeri
media and may possible be misinformation. “We have witnessed Azeri
misinformation during the recent few years,” he said.
By not excluding the possibility of transfer, the Hungarian judge may
have been just diplomatic, Demoyan said. He is sure if the transfer
were made, the Armenian parties would have been informed.