Month: November 2006

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT LOCAL SUGAR PRODUCTION
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 2 2006
Armenian government made amendments to Armenian customs code to
protect interests of local enterprises and step up production of
sugar in the country, states the governmental press release to Arminfo.
It says that amendments will provide equal conditions for all producing
subjects and will increase demand for local production of sugar. It
was mentioned that Georgian sugar factory is importing sugar to Armenia
within the frames of the agreement on free trade and so without paying
taxes. The press release does not say what amendments have been done to
the customs code and how it will help local production. ‘Fleed Food’,
property of MP Samvel Aleksanyan, is almost a monopolist of sugar
import to Armenia. Sevan sugar factory is the only sugar producer in
Armenia. It was mentioned earlier that the importer prevents other
producers from entering the local market.

ARMENIAN FM PRESS SECRETARY: SETTLEMENT OF OTHER PROBLEMS WILL BE POSSIBLE ONLY AFTER GETTING AGREEMENT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH’S STATUS
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 2 2006
The Armenian side confirms its position in the Karabakh peace process.
Asked by an ArmInfo correspondent to comment on the Azeri high-ranking
officials’ statements about the stages of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, the press secretary of the Armenian Foreign Minister Vladimir
Karapetyan emphasized that the settlement of other problems of the
Karabakh peace process will be possible only after getting agreement
on the Karabakh’s status.
To note, Azeri officials say that first and foremost, Armenian armed
forces should leave the occupied Azeri areas, then the refugees and
forced immigrants should return to their motherland, afterwards works
for normalizing life conditions on this territory will be held and
the communication will be open.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TO INCREASE CONTROL OF ARMENIAN AIRPORT OVER DESERTERS
ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 2 2006
Control over deserters is strengthening in Armenian airports. Board
of General Prosecutor’s office decided upon it, among some other
questions, on October 18. Aghvan Hovsepyan, Prosecutor General of
Armenia, several Deputy Prosecutor Generals and Prosecutors of Yerevan
communities participated in the sitting.
Press service of Prosecutor General’s office reported that in focus
were the issues of control over fulfillment of Armenian laws on
‘Military Duty’, ‘Alternative Duty’ and on ‘Those who violated the
military duty and did not perform military service’. Participants of
the sitting also discussed the summons issues of Autumn 2007.
The statute on results of the sitting says that the role of Prosecutor
General over the control for the above stated, and other topic-related,
laws should grow.
If a person, wanted under the article of 327 CC RA (on non fulfillment
of military duty), reports on his place of residence and is ready
to serve in the Army, then the person should be sent to the military
committee at once and should not be detained at the criminal-executive
body.
Prosecutor General’s office intends to severe the documents check-up
procedures of those who deviated from performing military duties.
They pointed out that all necessary documents should be presented in
order to initiate criminal procedures.
Police structures will perform a deeper control on people violating
law on military duties. Special attention of the Prosecutor General’s
board was drawn to airports. Prosecutor of Malatia-Sebastia region
and that of Shirak region were told to step up a control over arriving
and departing people via ‘Zvartnots’ and ‘Shirak’ airports.

RUSSIAN, TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTERS PRAISE BILATERAL REALTIONS
Anatolia news agency, Ankara,
1 Nov 2006
Moscow, 1 November: “We attach great importance to the Black Sea
Economic Cooperation (BSEC) since it was founded 15 years ago upon
initiatives of Turkey,” said Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime
Minister Abdullah Gul on Wednesday [1 November].
Holding a news conference following his meeting with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov, Gul said: “Istanbul-based BSEC was founded
15 years ago upon initiatives of Turkey. Since it includes Balkan
and Caucasian countries besides the Black Sea littoral countries,
BSEC plays an important role in providing stability and security in
the region.”
“During today’s meeting, an agreement envisaging the construction of
a road along the Black Sea was opened to signature. If this project
is put into practice, economic and social aspects of the Black Sea
will be changed considerably,” he said.
Gul recalled that BSEC heads of state and government summit would be
held in Istanbul during Turkey’s presidency.
He said that he had the opportunity of holding bilateral talks with
his Georgian, Romanian and Albanian counterparts.
Referring to his meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov, Gul
told reporters: “We exchanged views over our bilateral relations
as well as political and economic cooperation. Trade volume between
Turkey and Russia exceeded 15bn US dollars this year. We hope that
the trade volume will reach up to 20bn dollars by the end of the
year. Our trade target for 2008 is 25bn dollars. Turkish companies’
investments in Russia reached 4bn dollars. Also, Turkish firms have
undertaken projects worth of 18bn dollars in Russia.”
“Turkey and Russia consider that Cyprus issue should be solved under
the roof of the UN,” said Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime
Minister Abdullah Gul on Wednesday.
Holding a news conference following his meeting with Russian Foreign
Minister Sergey Lavrov, Gul noted, “Russia thinks that the UN should
be strengthened further. We are glad about it. Russian President
(Vladimir) Putin and other Russian authorities consider that commercial
relations between [self-declared] TRNC (Turkish Republic of Northern
Cyprus) and Russia should be boosted.” Gul stated that representatives
from TRNC Chamber of Trade visited Russia last week and held several
talks there.
Replying to a question, Gul said: “Lavrov and he also discussed
Armenian issue. Lavrov welcomed Turkey’s proposal that a history
commission should be formed. He said that he would exert efforts on
this issue.”
Responding to another question on tension between Russia and Georgia,
Gul underlined that Turkey considered that such matters should be
solved through peaceful means and dialogue.
Answering a question on energy security, he noted, “there has been a
great cooperation in the area of energy – especially in natural gas
and oil – between Turkey and Russia.”
When he was reminded of criticisms from some EU countries that the pace
of EU reforms has slowed down in Turkey, Gul stated: “Such criticisms
are not true. The Turkish government is aware of the fact that EU
negotiation process will bring many favourable things to Turkey. The
government and the parliament are working night and day.
We have been fulfilling political reforms for our people. We have a
great determination to continue this process.”
Replying to a question on establishment of Pushkin University in
Turkey and Turkish Culture House in Russia, Gul said: “Year 2007
will be a Russian culture year in Turkey and 2008 will be a Turkish
culture year in Russia. There will be such proposals which will
boost relations between the two countries. We will exert efforts to
strengthen cultural relations.”

COMMANDER CONFIRMS ALL RUSSIAN TROOPS TO LEAVE TBILISI BY YEAR END
NTV Mir, Moscow,
2 Nov 2006
[Presenter] By the end of the year the Russian military will leave
the capital of Georgia. This was announced today in Rostov-na-Donu by
the commander the troops of the North Caucasian Military District,
Gen Aleksandr Baranov. Six military settlements of the Tbilisi
garrison will be handed over to the Georgian Defence Ministry. All
Russian hardware and property will be sent by train to Russia and
Armenia. Baranov noted that it is not difficult to complete this task
as long as the Georgian authorities do not interfere.
[Baranov] This withdrawal has been planned as an additional one, based
on what was voiced, you recall, by the president, who is the supreme
commander, and by the defence minister, about the impossibility of
continuing service in the conditions when it is not service but hard
labour in Tbilisi garrison. Therefore, the troops will be withdrawn
from there and, as I said, there will not be a single [Russian]
serviceman in Tbilisi by the end of the year.

ACTIVIST SAYS ARMENIANS MAY BE DISPLACED FROM GEORGIA
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
2 Nov 2006
Yerevan, 2 November: There is a real threat of the displacement of
Armenians who live in Georgia’s [Armenian-populated] Samtskhe-Javakheti
region, Vaagn Chakhalyan, member of the [Georgian-based] United
Javakhk democratic alliance told a news conference in Yerevan today.
Chakhalyan was arrested in mid-October in Yerevan on charges of
illegal crossing of the Armenian-Georgian border, Mediamax said.
Chakhalyan was released on 31 October, giving a written undertaking
not to leave Armenia.
Chakhalyan refused to speak about charges levelled against him,
pleading that the investigation is still continuing.
Armenian MP Amayak Akopyan, who was present at the news conference,
said that the issue of the displacement of Armenians from
Samtskhe-Javakheti “is the most acute problem for all the Armenians”.
He said that the project of the construction of
Kars-Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi-Baku railway was aimed at creating a “sanitary
cordon” around Armenia and displacing Armenians from Javakheti. The
MP called on Georgia “not to become a participant in Turkey and
Azerbaijan’s anti-Armenian programme”.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI OFFICIAL DISPLEASED WITH LACK OF WESTERN SUPPORT ON KARABAKH
ANS TV, Baku, in Azeri
31 Oct 2006
A senior presidential aide has hinted that Azerbaijan is disappointed
with the West, as the country has not got the help it expected from
Europe and the USA in the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
Novruz Mammadov, the head of the foreign relations department of the
Presidential Executive Staff, said that despite Azerbaijan’s role in
carrying Caspian oil to the world markets, the country had not got
the support it deserved.
“Since the early years of independence, Azerbaijan has combined all its
efforts – political, economic, energy, cultural, etc. – to integrate
into Euro-Atlantic structures as quickly as possible,” Mammadov told
the “Point of View” programme on commercial ANS TV on 31 October.
“Azerbaijan made enormous efforts in carrying hydrocarbons to the
world markets. But what did we get in return? Did we not deserve
help in at least one of our most difficult problems?… Could they
[Europe and the USA] not say that Azerbaijan is right and that its
territories have been occupied [by Armenia]?” Mammadov asked.
However, he added that Azerbaijan had not changed its strategic choice
to integrate into Europe and Euro-Atlantic organizations.

RUSSIA DEMANDS YEREVAN TACKLE CRIMINAL TYCOONS – ARMENIAN PAPER
by Ovanes Galadzyan
Iravunk, Yerevan,
2 Nov 2006 p 1
“The most important ‘property’ for Russian ‘debt'”
Certainly everybody in Armenia thinks that Robert Kocharyan’s working
visit to Moscow was very important. Although the official reason for
the visit was the opening of a monument to [Armenian composer] Aram
Khachatryan, it was clear to everybody that the Armenian president
went to Moscow with a more serious agenda.
The Russian president’s remarks that it is a shame Russia comes only
third among investors in the Armenian economy have already become
widely know. Robert Kocharyan’s reply was mainly about his readiness
to turn the Armenian strategic energy facilities into the Russian
ones. But they discussed not only the energy issues. Thus, it is not
accidental that exactly during Kocharyan’s visit the Armenian “gas
leaders” raised the problem of stealing of the Russian gas while it
went via Georgia to Armenia.
Undoubtedly, this has a political context concerning Armenian-Georgian
relations, or more precisely, Russian expectations with regard to
this relationship. We can say that the Russian and Armenian foreign
ministers have hinted that even though there is no demand from Armenia
to worsen its ties with Georgia, the neutrality of Yerevan will come
to an end.
The general tendency is the following: the “property for debt”
process continues to deepen, and this “debt” means not only financial
assistance from Russia, but also Moscow’s political kindness or backing
in certain issues. In this case Robert Kocharyan expected support
from Vladimir Putin so that he will be able to keep everything under
control in Armenia before the presidential election in 2008. And one
can say for sure that handing over the Armenia-Iran gas pipeline to
Russians is part of the price for Putin’s support.
That is to say, the policy of “complementarity” limits Armenia’s
actions even when it comes to relations with Iran, a country which
does not seem to have a foreign policy vector much different from that
of Russia. Surely, this does not mean that all the programmes and
arrangements made with Americans will remain on paper. Simply put,
in Moscow they made Robert Kocharyan understand that relations with
Uncle Sam should be agreed with uncle Putin.
There is another interesting piece of information, according to which
during the two-day working visit to Moscow Kocharyan was told to cede
in a short period of time and in return for Russia’s “political debt”
a very important “property” – the criminals who have gathered around
[Defence Minister] Serzh Sarkisyan. In a nutshell, the Armenian
president received a thinly-veiled hint that if Russia is fighting
its criminalized system of tycoons, then Armenia should follow the
suit. Naturally, Kocharyan was pleased with this demand, but speeding
the process up would require the president to use bigger resources and
this could have dangerous ramifications. But that is a different story.

ARMENIAN TROOPS HOLD WAR GAMES IN OCCUPIED AZERI DISTRICT – TV
ANS TV, Baku,
2 Nov 2006
The Armenian armed forces started a military exercise in the area of
Uzundara in the occupied Agdam District of Azerbaijan at 1700 today.
The Karabakh bureau of ANS TV reports that the Armenian army mainly
used heavy artillery in the military exercise. The military exercise
went on for several hours and residents of the villages of Camanli,
Sarcali and Haci Mammadli, which are close to the front line, could
observe the exercise.

JOYCE N. PARSEGHIAN, ATTORNEY: CAMPAIGNED FOR REOPENING OF CLOSTER SCHOOL
By Jay Levin, Staff Writer, North Jersey Media Group
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
November 2, 2006 Thursday
All Editions
Joyce N. Parseghian, an immigration attorney and a lifelong Closter
resident who was active in an unsuccessful effort to preserve and
reuse the borough’s century-old Village School, died Monday.
Ms. Parseghian, 53, had brain cancer, her family said.
In 2001, Ms. Parseghian served on a citizens committee advocating the
renewal of the Village School, which the Board of Education closed
in 1996, deeming it obsolete. Ms. Parseghian attended the school as
a child.
The preservationists contended that the school’s flaws were mostly
cosmetic, and that reopening it would alleviate school district
crowding. The Village School stands empty today.
Linda Parseghian of Demarest said her sister was committed to Closter
and its schools. Joyce Parseghian unsuccessfully ran for the borough’s
school board in 2000.
Ms. Parseghian shared an Englewood law office with a high school
classmate, Richard Abrahamsen. He called her a passionate attorney
who, in representing immigrants, “connected well with people from
all walks of life.”
Ms. Parseghian, a Rutgers Law School graduate, also did pro bono work
for the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, her sister said.
Ms. Parseghian additionally is survived by her son, Michael Doerr of
Closter; her parents, Arax Parseghian of Closter and George Parseghian
of Hackensack; and a brother, George Parseghian Jr. of Closter.
Visitation is 5 to 9 tonight at St. Leon Armenian Church, 12-61 Saddle
River Road, Fair Lawn. The funeral is 10 a.m. Friday at the church,
with interment at George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus.
William G. Basralian Funeral Service in Oradell is handling
arrangements.
The family suggests donations to the church.