Month: November 2006

WHAT IS NECESSARY FOR HOLDING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS?
ArmRadio.am
31.10.2006 17:21
“For holding free and fair elections it is necessary for the
authorities and the opposition to demonstrate adequate political
will, people should be active and must realize the importance of the
elections,” MP, President of the National Democratic Party Shavarsh
Kocharyan said during the discussions of the Electoral code. He added
that only the amended Electoral Code cannot guarantee the conduct of
proper elections.
According to Shavarsh Kocharyan, one of the basic approaches that
can promote the conduct of fair elections is the application of
proportional election system.
The Deputy considers that the mechanism of formation of electoral
commissions is also very important. In his words, the commissions must
include an equal number of authority and opposition representatives.
“Generally the whole election process must be transparent. Observers
must have equal rights with commission members,” he noted.

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN MET WITH RF PRIME MINISTER
ArmRadio.am
31.10.2006 17:55
Today in Moscow RA President Robert Kocharyan met with the Prime
Minister of Russia Mikhail Fradkov.
“The economic cooperation between Armenia and Russia is developing,
but the process is hindered because of the problems in the sphere of
transport communication,” Robert Kocharyan said during the meeting. At
the same time RA President stated that the transport problem is
compensated with investment programs, particularly in the spheres of
manufacturing, construction and energy.
Mikhail Fradkov informed that he will discuss the questions of
bilateral cooperation during the meeting with his Armenian counterpart
Andranik Margaryan on December 1. According to him, the next day
concluding events in the framework of the Year of Armenia in Russia
will be held in Saint Petersburg.
The meeting of Robert Kocharyan and Mikhail Fradkov was attended
by Co-Chair of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental Commission,
Russian Transport Minister Igor Levitin.

HIS HOLINESS CONGRATULATES ARMENIAN CYPRIOT MP ON HIS ELECTION AS PARTY LEADER
ArmRadio.am
31.10.2006 18:00
His Holiness Aram I congratulated Cypriot Armenian Member of
Parliament, Mr. Marios Garoyan, for election as President of the
Democratic Party (DIKO).
During a phone conversation with Mr. Garoyan, His Holiness considered
him to be a great honor for the Armenian nation in general and the
Cypriot Armenian community in particular. His Holiness Aram I wished
the newly elected party leader full success in his new mission.
A highly educated man from the Cypriot Armenian community, Mr. Garoyan
has for years been an active member in DIKO and was recently elected
as a Member of Parliament from that party.

RUSSIA – NUMBER ONE TRADE PARTNER OF ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 14:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia keeps being number one trade partner of
Armenia, Minister of Trade and Economic Development of Armenia
Karen Chshmarityan told journalists in Yerevan today. “According to
the outcomes of the previous 15 years, from 1991 to 2005 Russia is
the first in volume of investments into Armenian economy,” Karen
Chshmarityan said, when commenting on Russian President Putin’s
statement that Russia being the third on investments in Armenia is
“shameful.” “The Russian President spoke about past year, as in
2005 Germany and Greece were on the first places on the volume of
investments into Armenian economy,” the Minister noted, adding that
Russia as an individual country keeps being number one trade partner
of Armenia,” reports Novosti-Armenia.

MARGARYAN AND FRADKOV TO MEET IN MOSCOW DECEMBER 1
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 15:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian PM Mikhail Fradkov is going to meet with
head of Armenia’s Government Andranik Margaryan in Moscow December 1,
the Russian Premier stated it during a meeting with Armenian President
Robert Kocharian Tuesday. Fradkov reminded that the Year of Armenia
is coming to its end in Russia. “I am convinced that the events
already held and those to be held will benefit economic cooperation
between the two countries,” the PM underscored in his conversation
with Kocharian. “The Russian party wants to organize the work in a
way for the completion of the Year of Armenia in Russia to be held in
Saint Petersburg,” the Russian PM said. He added Vice-Premier Dmitry
Medvedev will represent the Russian party at the closing ceremony.
In his turn, the Armenian President noted the high increase of
commodity turnover between the two countries. At that, in Kocharian’s
words, there are a number of issues, which hamper that increase,
specifically in the field of transport communications.
The situation is favorable in joint investment projects in building
and energy, the processing industry. “Here we feel growth of the
investment component,” Kocharian noted, Rosbalt reports.

GEORGIA HOLDING BORDER DEMARCATION TALKS WITH ALL NEIGHBORS
ArmRadio.am
31.10.2006 14:01
Georgia is holding talks on border demarcation with all its neighbors
from the former USSR, said First Deputy Foreign Minister of Georgia
Valeri Chechelashvili, RIA Novosti reports.
“We are holding talks with all our neighbors. The progress in the talks
with diferent countries difers. As of today, we have achieved greater
success in the negotiations with Armenia. The progress is more modest
in the talks with Azerbaijan. We are negotiating also with Russia,”
Chechelashvili said.
As for the border demarcation with Turkey, the Georgian Deputy
Foreign Minister noted: “We have no problems with our neighbor Turkey,
since the dematcation with that country was carried out still during
USSR era.”

MAMMADYAROV: MEETING IN PARIS ALREADY HISTORY
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 15:56 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The meeting in Paris is already history,” Azeri FM
Elmar Mammadyarov stated, when commenting on the meeting of Armenian
and Azeri FMs in Paris within the process of settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. “As you know, the next meeting will be in Brussels
November 14 to discuss new proposals and ideas made by the OSCE MG
co-chairs in Moscow. On that day Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan have
to sign the Action Plan on cooperation within the European Neighborhood
Policy,” he remarked. Mammadyarov considered revealing the essence of
the OSCE MG proposals premature. “The parties in Paris touched upon
1-2 elements out of 8-9 available and found it difficult to identify
whether there is any progress.
The Armenian party and we thought over the proposals and consider
there may be an opportunity to work in that direction. However, as
you know it is not a curt way. The direction to work in should be
determined as a result,” the Azeri FMs said, reports Day.az.

BAKU: OSCE MG BECAME ACTIVATED LATELY
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 16:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Opinion that France should be expelled from
co-chairing the OSCE MG is heard frequently,” Azeri FM Elmar
Mammadyarov said. “On the whole within the process the OSCE passed
a resolution on April 24, 1992 determining the mandate of the OSCE
Minsk Group. The document indicates that Armenia and Azerbaijan are
parties to the conflict, while the Armenian and Azeri communities of
NK are interested parties. Thereupon, some people start speaking of
changing the mandate, etc. The process should first of all be launched
at the OSCE and it will take time,” he remarked.
“The co-chairs become more active lately and positive outcomes were
reached with their participation. I would like to mention the role of
the co-chairs, especially the US, in discussion of the resolution on
the fires in occupied territories at the UN GA. They reached certain
consensus, owing to which a resolution was adopted by the UN GA for
the first time in the history referring to the matter of occupied
territories, having to do with Azerbaijan and Armenia.
As it is known, a monitoring group of experts visited the region,
specifically the NK. At present we are awaiting for the results of
their work over the report. The document will probably made public
in mid-November,” Mammadyarov said, reports Day.az.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKS LAID BLACK WREATHS IN FRONT OF FRENCH CONSULATES GENERAL IN GERMAN CITIES
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 17:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Union of Turkish Associations in Europe laid
black wreaths in front of French consulates general in four German
cities – Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Munich and Stuttgart – to protest the
bill criminalizing denial of the Armenian Genocide that was approved
by French National Assembly on October 12th, 2006. Recep Yildirim,
the Chairman of the Union of Turkish Associations in Europe, said
that France, which defended human rights and freedom of expression,
has blackened its history due to adoption of the bill.
Yildirim added, “we hope that the bill will not be approved in the
Senate.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EUROCOMMISSION INTENDS TO CRITICIZE TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2006 17:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ November 8 the European Commission report on progress
made by Turkey on the way to EU accession will be presented. The
document is expected to be critical of Turkish authorities for not
ensuring freedom of expression as well as failing to end torture of
prisoners and establish control of the society over the army.
Besides, the Eurocommission is going to demand more effective struggle
against corruption from Ankra, ensuring greater independence of
judicial bodies and protection of national minority rights. The
Eurocommission also criticizes the refusal of Turkish authorities to
open ports of Northern Cyprus for ships of Greek Cyprus, which enters
the EU in May 2004.
Thereupon, Cyprus authorities have already proposed suspending talks on
Turkey’s accession to the EU if Ankara does not agree to concessions.
The EU counts on specific guarantees by Turkish authorities that the
holding of the reforms that Brussels is demanding will be irreversible
and complete. The Eurocommission has already warned that in other
case the talks will be stopped on the spot.
According to European political scientists, the talks on Turkey’s
membership will last not less than 10-15 years, reports RIA Novosti.