Month: November 2006

Azeri Opposition against OSCE MG Activities
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 15:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Our Azerbaijan opposition bloc demanded that the
authorities give up MG mediation in the Nagorno Karabakh settlement,
says a statement of the bloc released in Baku. “The bloc urges the
authorities of Azerbaijan to undertake specific steps to release
territories, occupied by Armenian armed grouping, by force and give
up OSCE MG mediation in the Karabakh settlement,” the statement notes,
reports Day.az.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

10% of ArmenTel Shares Passed to Management of Minister Communication of Armenia
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 15:10 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During a session yesterday the Armenian Government
passed the authorities on management of 10% of shares of ArmenTel
telecommunication company, held by the Government, to Minister of
Transport and Communication Andranik Manukyan, reports the Press
Office of the Government.
The decision is adopted by the Armenian Government in compliance with
the Law on Joint-Stock Companies.
ArmenTel is the major telecommunication company of Armenia. 90% of
its shares are held by OTE Greek company, while the Government has
10%. This year OTE announced a tender to sell its shares. 16 companies
took part in it. Russian VimpelCom and MTC, as well as ETISALAT
(Emirates Telecommunications Corporation/Istithmar ETV -Emergent
Telecom Ventures) VTEL Holdings/Knightsbridge Associates passed to the
second round of the tender, the results of which are not announced yet.

Several Bilateral Documents to Be Signed during RA President’s Visit to Kazakhstan
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 16:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ November 6 Armenian President Robert Kocharian will
pay a formal call to Kazakhstan on the invitation of Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbayev, reported the RA leader’s press office. The
Presidents will hold a tete-a-tete meeting to be followed by talks in
expanded composition. In the Kazakh capital city Robert Kocharian will
meet with entrepreneurs and representatives of the Armenian community.

MTS Unaware of ArmenTel Tender Outcomes
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 16:41 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ MTS Russian company doesn’t possess information
on the outcomes of the tender on 90% of ArmenTel’s stocks. “We are
waiting for the official results of the tender,” MTS Spokesman Kirill
Alyavdin said. When asked to comment on MTS’s chances, he said the
company ‘refrains from any comments before the announcement of the
formal outcomes of the tender.’ ArmenTel and the RA Ministry of
Transport and Communications also refrain from comments.
Meanwhile yesterday the Armenian government resigned its commission of
10% of ArmenTel’s stocks to Minister of Transport and Communications
Andranik Manukian.
Russian companies MTS and Vympelcom as well as VTEL-Holding are
participating in the tender.
Earlier it was reported that ArmenTel can be sold to Arab Emirates
Telecommunications Corporation (ETISALAT)/ Istithmar PJSC/Emergent
Telecom Ventures (ETV) for $600 million, however Andranik Manukian
refuted the information, reports newsarmenia.ru.

Azerbaijan Considers Karabakh Armenians “Its Citizens”
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 17:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Azerbaijan considers the Armenians of Nagorno
Karabakh to be its citizens and the government of the republic is
interested in the further development of this region, which is
an inseparable part of the state,” Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said at a meeting with Italy’s Permanent Representative
in the OSCE Francesco Bascone. The Azeri FM underscored that the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is possible ‘only within
the frames of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity with granting the
highest status of self-government to the Armenian population.’
Mammadyarov noted the importance ‘peaceful co-existence of the
Armenian and Azeri communities of Nagorno Karabakh.’ For his part
Mr Bascone said the conflicting sides should reach agreement on the
basic settlement principles and stressed the importance of essential
measures during the post-conflict period for creation of mutual trust
between the sides, reports Day.az

Serbian MFA: Kosovo’s Independence May Become Example for Nagorno Karabakh
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 17:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Vuk Draskovic
said that Kosovo may be an example for Nagorno Karabakh. The Minister
said that in case that Kosovo achieves its independence it will be a
precedent for Nagorno Karabakh and other unrecognized institutions
in the 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 supporting the sovereignty of states openly. We
will keep to this principle even in the most severe diplomatic
struggle,” the minister said. Vuk Draskovic said if the UN grants
independence to Kosovo, it will be an example for Transdniestria,
Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Nagorno Karabakh, Northern Cyprus, Basque
in Spain and even Ireland. “I counted. Nearly 40 regions of the world
may achieve independence,” the Minister said, reports the Azeri Press.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Transniestria against Replacement of Russian Peacekeepers by GUAM Contingent
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 17:25 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Transniestria stands against the replacement
of Russian peacekeepers by the troops of GUAM member states, said
chairman of the Transniestrian Supreme Council Yevgeny Shevchuk.
During 14 years joint Russian, Moldavian and Transniestrian
peacekeeping forces secure peace in the region. No burst of violence
was fixed and no one was killed in the course of these years. We
consider that change of the format can destabilize the situation,”
the Speaker said. “Deployment of GUAM’s blue helmets aimed at exerting
pressure on Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transniestria will not be
exercised,” Shevchuk underscored.
Late September 2006 in New York the FMs of the GUAM member states
(Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova) discussed the possibility of
replacing Russian peacekeepers by GUAM’s civil and police forces in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, reports ITAR-TASS.
Abkhazia also stands against GUAM’s peacekeepers.
Chairman of the Abkhazian committee on defense and national security
Garry Samanba said Abkhazia will never agree on withdrawal of the
CIS Collective Forces from the territory of the republic. In case
the forces are withdrawn Abkhazia is ready to host joint Abkhazian,
Transniestrian and South Ossetian peacekeepers, he added.

Russia and Georgia Don’t Need Mediators
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 17:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Armenia will welcome the Russia-Georgia dialogue,
normalization of relations and alleviation of tension,” RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said when commenting on Armenia’s role in
the normalization of the Russian-Georgian relations. In his words, the
discussion of the existing complex questions should be held by these
two states and there is no need in mediators. “Russia and Georgia also
said this,” the Minister remarked, reports the Public Radio of Armenia.

VARDAN OSKANYAN: OUSTING OF BSEC MEMBERS FROM TRANSPORT PROJECTS INADMISSIBLE
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Nov 3 2006
YEREVAN, November 3. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
believes that the ousting of some of the members of the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) from transport projects is inadmissible.
Speaking at the 15th meeting of the Council of the BSEC Foreign
Ministers, Minister Oskanyan stressed the inadmissibility of the
policy of ousting some of the member-states and of ignoring the
existing transport facilities simultaneously with efforts to form a
transport link.
Despite bilateral problems, the BSEC member-states have many common
features. To create a harmonious atmosphere for the settlement of
political problems these common features must prevail over differences,
Oskanyan said.
He also proposed studying the experience and new challenges and
carrying out necessary institutional reforms to enhance the BSEC’s
efficiency as part of preparations for the BSEC’s 15th summit in
Istanbul, Turkey.
Speaking of the expected membership of Bulgaria and Romania in the
BSEC, Oskanyan pointed out that it will create new opportunities
for closer cooperation between BSEC and the EU, considering common
interests and the membership of some countries in both organizations.
The 15th meeting of the Council of the BSEC Foreign Ministers was held
in Moscow on October 31-November 1, 2006. The meeting participants
adopted a declaration, and Serbia took over BSEC chairmanship from
Russia. P.T. -0–

RA Ambassador Briefed to Swedish King on Political and Economic Situation in Armenia
PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2006 17:52 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Ambassador to Sweden Ara Ayvazian
handed credentials to Carl XVI Gustav, the King of Sweden, reported
the RA MFA press office.
They discussed the Armenian-Swedish historical ties and the process
of development of interstate relations. By the King’s request Ara
Ayvazian briefed on the political and economic situation in Armenia and
in the region. The interlocutors also exchanged views on the prospects
of cooperation between the Scandinavian and South Caucasian states.