Month: November 2006

VYMPELCOM DIDN’T RECEIVE PROPOSAL ON PURCHASE OF 10% ARMENTEL PACKAGE
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.11.2006 18:37 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ VympelCom Russian company has not received a proposal
from the Armenian government to buy the 10% ArmenTel package. “We have
not received a formal proposal on purchase of ArmenTel stocks but we
are ready to discuss any possibility,” said VympelCom Spokesperson
Yekaterina Osadchaya. “VympelCom has not appealed to the RA government
with such a request either,” she added, reports newsarmenia.ru.
Earlier Armenian Minister of Transport and Communications Andranik
Manukian told reporters that the RA government will sell its 10%
package to VympelCom if the latter refuses from monopoly rights.

NEXT YEAR CNN WILL CONTINUE BROADCASTING ADVERTISEMENT SKETCHES ABOUT ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.11.2006 18:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2007 Armenia will keep on financing broadcast of
advertisement sketches about the republic on CNN. 160 million AMD out
of 250 million provided by the state budget for the tourism development
program will be spent for the purpose, said the RA Minister of Trade
and Economic Development Karen Chshmaritian. In his words, the rest of
the funds will be spent on organizations of exhibitions, preparation of
advertisement and cognitive materials, reports newsarmenia.ru. CNN has
broadcast advertisement sketches about Armenia since September 2006.

ANDRANIK MANOUKYAN WILL SELL
A1+
[05:14 pm] 08 November, 2006
The RA Government intends to sell the 10% of the shares of “ArmenTel”
to Russian “Vympelcom” if the latter renounces monopoly, RA Minister
of Transport and Communication Andranik Manoukyan said today.
“Why did we keep the 10%? As far as there were provisions about
monopoly, having that 10% the Government participated in the session
and discussions and tried to affect the decisions. But it didn’t. Only
one of the five members of the Council represented the Government. And
four is always more than one. Now that there is no monopoly, the
tariffs are formed in the circumstances of competition”, Andranik
Manoukyan explained. Let us remind you that he has the control over
the 10% of shares of “ArmenTel”.
By the way, Andranik Manoukyan also informed that the third cellular
operator can appear in Armenia no sooner than in 2009 as the Government
has promised not to give a license to any new operator until then.

RUSSIA READY TO ACT AS GUARANTOR OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 8 2006
Official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Mikhail Kaminin said in an interview with RIA Novosti that “Moscow
is ready to act as a guarantor of settlement of the Karabakh conflict
in case the parties reach mutual concessions.”
“We proceed from the fact that the main responsibility for the final
choice falls on Armenia and Azerbaijan. Russia is ready to back the
way of settlement of the question, which will satisfy the parties
involved in the conflict and to act as guarantor of settlement in
case an agreement is reached,” said Kaminin.
He underlined that Russia intends to continue assisting the parties
to find a solution though mutual concessions.

BRUXELLES RENONCE A PUNIR LA TURQUIE
De Notre Correspondante A Bruxelles Alexandrine Bouilhet
Le Figaro, France
08 novembre 2006
MALGRE la remise par ses propres services d’un rapport très critique
sur l’evolution de la Turquie, malgre l’impasse sur la question
chypriote, la Commission europeenne ne recommandera pas aux Vingt-Cinq,
aujourd’hui, la suspension des negociations d’adhesion avec Ankara. ”
Personne, a Bruxelles ou dans les capitales des Etats membres,
ne veut porter la responsabilite d’une crise avec la Turquie ” ,
explique-t-on a la Commission. Pour ne pas donner l’impression de
fuir ses obligations, face a des Etats membres sous pression de leurs
opinions, l’executif europeen promet de faire une recommandation au
Conseil avant le sommet des chefs d’Etat et de gouvernement prevu le
15 decembre.
La bataille n’est donc que partie remise. À Bruxelles, on compte sur
un plan de sauvetage finlandais pour resoudre a temps le casse-tete
chypriote. La bienveillance de la Commission a l’egard de la Turquie,
qui se voit octroyer un delai de cinq semaines pour ouvrir ses ports
aux navires chypriotes, irrite plusieurs Etats membres. ” La question
chypriote va polluer le Conseil europeen ! ” redoute un diplomate
francais. La France, l’Autriche, les Pays-Bas, la Grèce et Chypre
figurent parmi les pays les plus sevères envers la Turquie. Mais
aucun d’entre eux n’ose demander a Bruxelles la suspension des
negociations. ” Personne ne veut porter le chapeau d’une rupture ”
, resume un connaisseur du dossier. Embarras de Paris Bete noire
d’Ankara depuis le vote de l’Assemblee nationale penalisant la
negation du genocide armenien, la France est très prudente. ” Ce
n’est pas a nous de bloquer ” , confie-t-on côte francais. L’embarras
de la France laisse les mains libres a Olli Rehn, le commissaire
finlandais a l’Elargissement. Refusant la rupture avec la Turquie,
c’est Olli Rehn qui a eu l’idee de reporter de cinq semaines l’avis
de la Commission. Il est soutenu dans sa demarche par Jose Manuel
Barroso et l’ensemble du collège, a l’exception du Chypriote Markos
Kiprianou. Egalement d’accord avec cette approche en deux temps,
le Francais Jacques Barrot n’aurait qu’une seule exigence : fixer la
date butoir au 12 decembre pour la recommandation de la Commission. À
court terme, les manoeuvres de la Commission font le jeu d’Ankara,
qui accuse l’Europe de vouloir lui claquer la porte au nez sans
respecter ses engagements. À moyen terme, elle peut se reveler tout
aussi douloureuse pour la Turquie. ” Si la Turquie n’ouvre pas ses
ports aux bateaux chypriotes d’ici a la fin de l’annee, comme prevu,
il y aura des consequences sur les negociations “, assure-t-on
a Bruxelles. En attendant, la tactique d’Olli Rehn n’est pas sans
resultats. Le premier ministre turc, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a annonce
une revision de l’article du Code penal qui punit les insultes a ”
l’identite turque “. ” C’est la preuve que le premier ministre turc
est engage en faveur de la liberte d’expression “, s’est felicite
Olli Rehn, persuade de pouvoir regler de la meme facon la question
chypriote, pourtant beaucoup plus complexe.
–Boundary_(ID_H47nrpqyGishssW1CmaP5Q)- –

LUEUR D’ESPOIR POUR UNE REFORME DE LA LOI SUR ” L’INSULTE A L’IDENTITE NATIONALE ”
Le Figaro, France
07 novembre 2006
A l’affût de tout progrès democratique en Turquie, Olli Rehn, le
commissaire europeen a l’Elargissement, s’est empresse de saluer les
declarations de Recep Tayyip Erdogan sur l’article 301 du Code penal.
” L’intention affichee par le premier ministre de mettre la loi sur la
liberte d’expression en conformite avec les critères europeens est la
bienvenue, a-t-il declare lundi. Elle montre que le premier ministre
s’engage personnellement en faveur de la liberte d’expression et de
l’adhesion a l’UE “. Dimanche, le chef du gouvernement a fait un pas en
avant vers un amendement du texte dans le collimateur de Bruxelles : ”
Nous sommes prets a faire des propositions pour preciser l’article 301
si des problèmes se posent en raison de son flou. ” Cette disposition
du Code penal turc qui reprime ” l’insulte a l’identite nationale
turque ” d’une peine pouvant aller jusqu’a trois ans de prison a ete
utilisee contre une cinquantaine d’intellectuels, dont Orhan Pamuk,
le prix Nobel de litterature 2006, la romancière Elif Shafak ou
Hrant Dink, le directeur du journal bilingue turco-armenien Agos . La
Commission europeenne reclame sans relâche son abrogation mais Ankara
a jusqu’a present fait la sourde oreille et le ministre de la Justice
Cemil Cicek s’est prononce a plusieurs reprises contre son abrogation.
Dans son rapport de suivi annuel attendu mercredi 8 novembre,
Bruxelles s’apprete a donner un carton rouge a la Turquie pour son
absence d’avancee sur la liberte d’expression. Trois jours avant sa
publication, la porte entrouverte par Recep Tayyip Erdogan permettra
peut-etre d’en adoucir les conclusions.
–Boundary_(ID_vTrADsVVzTzssSRfe1RoH w)–

RA FM IS SATISFIED WITH GREAT BRITAIN’S POSITION FOR KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 8 2006
RA Foreign Minister, Vardan Oskanyan, is satisfied with the Great
Britain’s position for the Karabakh conflict settlement.
Commenting, in the talk with journalists, the recent statement of the
top official from Great Britain, saying that his country recognizes
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh in its
structure, RA FM noted that the Armenia has addressed the Great Britain
for explanations after this statement. “They confirmed their position,
having claimed that there no changes in it. They protect the Minsk
process, its content, and they will support it despite any decision
made to be made”, V. Oskanyan said. The Minister noted he does not
want to comment this statement. “Until their position is as such,
we are satisfied with it” , V. Oskanyan concluded.

FYODOR LUKYANOV: EU HAS NO POLITICAL WILL
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 7 2006
Russian political scientist, editor-in-chief of the “Russian Global
Policy” Fyodor Lukyanov considers that the prospects of development
of Armenia-EU relations depends on the fate of Turkey’s accession.
“If Ankara continues its successful progress toward the EU, Yerevan
will be able to assert that Armenia has even more bases to aspire for
EU membership. However, despite the great efforts of Ankara, it seems
that no one is going to let Turkey into the EU, which means that the
South Caucasus is also loosing the prospects,” Fyodor Lukyanov said
in an interview with Mediamax agency.
The Russian political scientist considers that signing of the Action
Plans with Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia in the framework of the
European Neighborhood Policy will not lead to the increase of EU’s
influence in the South Caucasus.
“EU’s presence in the South Caucasus will find expression in a number
of symbolic gestures, but in the rest of the questions the European
Union has no proper tools and resources of influence in this complex
region. For a long time the EU will be engaged in the resolution of
its domestic issues, and prospects of common foreign policy seem very
suspicious,” said Fyodor Lukyanov.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE ARMENIA” PROGRAM IS NOT JEOPARDIZED
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 7 2006
No danger threatens the “Millennium Challenge Armenia” program, RA
Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan said, turning to the publication of
the Freedom House, which calls on the US to suspend provision of means
to Armenia among other countries. According to the Prime Minister,
the publication of the above-mentioned organization “was unpredictable
for us, but It should not be associated with the “Millennium Challenge
Armenia” program.
It should be noted that most probably, by the end of November the
American side will receive the first portion of the sum, which will
exceed $1 billion.

KAREL DE GUCHT HAS CERTAIN SUGGESTIONS ON THE SETTLEMENT OF THE KARABAKH ISSUE
Public Radio, Armenia
Nov 7 2006
“Unfortunately, this year no practical progress was achieved in the
negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan, and correspondingly
these yielded no results,” OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Belgian Foreign
Minister Karel de Gucht told “Zerkalo” newspaper.
According to the source, at the same time the OSCE leader reminded
about the upcoming visit of the Azeri President Ilham Aliev to Belgia,
during which ways of resolution of the Karabakh conflict will be
discussed. “This meeting will precede the talks between Foreign
Ministers Oskanian and Mammadyarov scheduled mid-November. As for me,
I have certain suggestions regarding the forthcoming meeting, but I
will not make these public now, since my personal opinion may impact
the development of events. However, I anticipate positive outcome
of the talks and I think that these will be more productive than the
previous ones,” Karel de Gucht declared.