Month: November 2006

Official Visit of Bogdan Borusewicz, Senate Speaker of the Republic
of Poland to the Republic of Armenia
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
On November 5 the delegation headed by Bogdan Borusewicz, Speaker of
the Senate of the Republic of Poland will arrive in the Republic of
Armenia on an official visit.
On November 6 in the parliament meetings will take place: a private
talk with the President of the National Assembly Tigran Torosyan and
a meeting with extended staff.
On the same day a meeting is envisaged with the representatives of
the Polish community in Armenia.
Andranik Margaryan, RA Prime Minister will receive Bogdan Borusewicz,
Speaker of the Senate of the Republic of Poland.
On November 6 the delegation headed by the Speaker of the Senate
of the Republic of Poland will put a wreath at the memorial complex
Tsitsernakaberd to the memory of the victims of Genocide.
On November 7 His Holiness Garegin II, Catholicos of All Armenians will
receive Bogdan Borusewicz, Senate Speaker of the Republic of Poland.
On the same day the results of the official visit will be summed up
with the joint press conference in the National Assembly.

No consensus reached on next meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijan Military Ministers
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 3 2006
[ 03 Nov. 2006 15:04 ]
There is no consensus on the next meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijan
Military Ministers, National Security Council chief and Military
Minister Serge Sarkisian said APA reports.
Speaking about the results of his meeting with Azerbaijan Military
Minister Safar Abiyev the Armenian Minister said that they only
discussed the protection of ceasefire regime and the control of
boarders during the meeting. They did not touch upon the problem of
the occupied territories.
The meeting of the two ministers was held in the initiative of
personal representative of OSCE Chairman-in-office Andrzej Kasprzyk
in the direction of Ijevan-Gazakh on October20. /APA/

REFERENDUM ON THE NKR DRAFT CONSTITUTION TO BE HELD IN
NAGORNO-KARABAKH DECEMBER 10
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
According to the information DE FACTO got at the NKR President’s
Press Service, November 3 the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President
Arkady Ghoukassian had signed a decree “On setting a Referendum on
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Draft Constitution’, according to which
a nation-wide referendum would be held December 10, 2006.
To remind, November 1 the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic National Assembly
adopted the NKR Draft Constitution by the overwhelming majority of
votes in the second reading.
The NKR National Assembly Chair Ashot Gulyan said after the Draft
Constitution’s adoption in the first reading and public discussions
numerous proposals had been made, including 127 proposals of the
Parliament’s factions, groups and the deputies, the NKR MFA Press
Center reports.
According to the regulations, all the proposals were presented to
the Head of the Constitutional Commission Working group and discussed
with the Commission’s representative, as a result of which an amended
project was presented to the Parliament for the second reading.
The Head of the Constitution Commission Working group Armen Zalinian
mentioned the working atmosphere and constructive stand of the
NKR National Assembly deputies in the course of the discussion of
the country’s Principal Draft Law. Armen Zalinian also stated the
citizens’ activity during the document’s public discussions, which,
in his words, testified to the realization of its importance for the
country’s and nation’s present and future.
The NKR National Assembly Chair Ashot Gulian urged the deputies, the
government, the Republic’s political forces that were not represented
at the Parliament and the NGOs to propagate the document’s significance
and its role.
“I would like to underscore that fifteen years after the independence’s
declaration and its fixation via a referendum we will once again
say our competent and firm word about the country’s future”, the NKR
Parliament Speaker stated.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 3 2006
Serbian Foreign Minister: Granting independence to Kosovo may be an
example for Nagorno Garabagh and other unrecognized institutions
[ 03 Nov. 2006 14:19 ]
Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Draskovich said that Kosovo may be an
example for Nagorno Garabagh, APA Eastern bureau reports.
The Minister said that in case that Kosovo achieves its independence
it will be a precedent for Nagorno Garabagh and other unrecognized
institutions in Post Soviet space. He said that while discussing
Moldova’s sovereignty and integrity Serbia voted for such kind of
resolution. The Minister said it is impossible to agree to Kosovo’s
independence even theoretically.
“We will not allow Kosovo’s accession to the UN and organizations
stressing the sovereignty of states openly. We will keep to this
principle even in the most severe diplomatic struggle,” the minister
said.
Vuk Draskovich said if the UN grants independence to Kosovo, it will
be an example for Transdniestria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno
Garabagh, Northern Cyprus, Basque in Spain and even Ireland.
“I counted. Nearly 40 states of the world may achieve independence,”
the Minister said. /APA/

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 3 2006
Armenian General causes scandal in meeting
[ 03 Nov. 2006 14:38 ]
A scandal happened in the meeting of Staff Generals chiefs of
Collective Security Treaty Organisation member countries in Moscow,
APA reports.
The first Deputy Armenia Defense Minister Mikhail Arutunyan accused
Tajikistan of allying with the enemies of its allies. This issue covers
military-technical cooperation treaty signed between Azerbaijan and
Tajikistan. Arutunyan caviled at not only Dushanbe but also Moscow.
“It is evident that Azerbaijan is Armenia’s enemy. But some Collective
Security Treaty Organisation member countries founds the cooperation
with Azerbaijan possible,” he said.
Russia also cooperates with Azerbaijan on Military-technical sphere.
Arutunyan said that these kinds of relations are not accepted
positively in Armenia. /APA/

NKR FM MET WITH INDEPENDENT CONSULTANT CATHERINE BARNS
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
November 2 the NKR FM Georgy Petrossian met with an independent
consultant, Consortium Initiative’s consultant on strategic issues
Catherine Barns on the latter’s initiative. The meeting was held at
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Permanent Representation in the RA.
In the course of the meeting Catherine Barns took an interest in
the NKR FM’s estimation of the Consortium Initiative activity being
implemented in Karabakh and the organization’s further programs.
The NKR FM took a favorable view of the organization’s activity in
the Nagorno Karabakh and underscored such program’s success depended
on the Azeri party’s stand.
The NKR Permanent Representative in the RA Karlen Avetissian and
Consortium Initiative Eurasian programs manager Dessislava Rusanova
also participated in the meeting.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 3 2006
The President of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mehmed Ali
Talat: I expect official invitation from Azerbaijan
[ 03 Nov. 2006 13:09 ]
“We wish to improve fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Turkish
Republic of Northern Cyprus. The main target in our relations with
Azerbaijan is to establish cultural and social relations,” Mehmed
Ali Talat, the president of TRNC told the APA at the briefing held
for foreign media in Istanbul.
“We understand the problems of Azerbaijan, as we have analogous
problems. But despite all problems we are resolute to improve our
relations,” he said.
Mehmed Ali Talat said that he paid an official visit to Pakistan and
noted that he expects an official invitation from Azerbaijan. Mehmed
Ali Talat said the resolution of the UN Security Council concerning
TRNC is applied unconditionally, but Armenia does not fulfill the
resolutions of the same organization on the liberation of Azerbaijani
territories.
“I don’t like the word double standard. There are but more standards
here. Different standards are applied to both countries. Nagorno
Garabagh and Northern Cyprus should not be substituted. The occupation
of 20% of Azerbaijani territories is a terrible fact. The world
community is indifferent to it. The accession of Greek Cyprus, to
the European Union, is an important factor against us. The Greek do
not reach consensus. In this situation it comes into view why we are
facing manifold but not double standards,” he said. /APA/

Railway in Russia: Russia-Iran Railway Talks
Railway Market Magazine, Poland
Nov 3 2006
A high ranking Russian delegation headed by Vladimir Yakunin will be
in Tehran within 4-6 November to discuss restoring linkage between
the two countries’ railways.
Russian delegation would put forth the issue of re-linking the two
railway systems which has been cut following Azerbaijan-Armenia
conflict over Karabakh region, reports the agency.
The construction of a new Ghazvin-Rasht-Astara railway would be
necessary and Russia is intent on contributing to constructing and
modernizing Iran’s railway infrastructure.
Iranians and Russians are also to exchange views on ways and means
of providing security measures for Russian made locomotives and wagon.

OUTCOME OF SALE OF ARMENTEL IS NOT KNOWN TO MTS
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
The Russian MTS company does not possess any information on the
outcome of tender for 90 percent of shares of Armentel. The news
agency ARKA reports that the press secretary of MTS Kiril Aliavdin
stated this November 2. “There is no information yet, we are waiting
for the tender to end,” he said. Aliavdin declined to comment on
the opinions that MTS will probably win the tender and said they are
waiting for the outcome to be published.

RATE OF CRIME GOES UP BUT STATE OF NEIGHBORS COMFORTS US
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
The state of crime has been under control over the past 9 months in
the Republic of Armenia, stated Ararat Mahtesyan, the deputy chief of
the Police November 3. Meanwhile, this year 7529 crimes were reported
against 6724 in the first three quarters of 2005. The rate of crime
grew by 2.5 percent. And the rate of revealed crime totaled 81.5
percent against 84.8 percent last year.
The deputy chief of the Police says the crime rate of 2005 is equal
to that of 1983, the crime rate of this year is closer to that of
2004. However, the Police does not worry, the situation in Armenia
is much better. For instance, by the rate of crime per 100 thousand
people we are 4.4 times better than Georgia, 6.5 times better than
Belarus, 9 times better than Russia and Latvia, 4.7 times better than
Romania and 55 times better than Finland. Or presently an annual 2500
robberies have reported in Armenia, whereas 13-15 years ago the rate
of robberies mounted to 6000. Meanwhile, the rate of robberies over
the past months grew from 1775 in the first three quarters of 2005
to 2310. The rate of robbery, fraud, assault and murder and attempts
grew (from 52 to 74). The rate of rape went down by 9, the rate of
assaults by 7, the cases of misappropriation or dissipation by 44.
702 cases of drug crimes were revealed compared with 461 in the first
nine months of the previous year.
“The number of female convicts went down by 0.5 percent, but the cases
involving female offenders grew by 7.5 percent,” the Police reports.
Deputy Chief of the Police Ararat Mahtesyan said recently there
have been fewer publications on corruption in the Police. In this
respect, traffic wardens remain a painful issue for the Police. There
is another problem for the solution of which the Police asks for
everyone’s help. First, the citizens who witness offenses in broad
daylight refuse to give evidence, and deny that they have seen or
heard anything. “It is possible that the Police is also to blame,”
says Ararat Mahtesyan. Meanwhile, for the other vice, the shift of the
values of young people to the “criminal world, criminal approaches”
all of us, the whole society is to blame.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress