Month: November 2006

U.S. EXPERT: YEREVAN HAS ARMY, BAKU HAS ARMED FORCES ONLY

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2006 16:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During debates held in the Johns Hopkins University,
Washington, senior associate at the American Foreign Policy Council
Wayne Merry described Azerbaijan’s constant threats to start blitzkrieg
as unreal. "Nagorno Karabakh is a natural stronghold, which was
consolidated by the Armenian army. Even the U.S. army will face
hardships in case of attacking it," the expert said. "The Armenian
Armed Forces excel their rival several times. It’s not a secret
that Armenia has an army while Azerbaijan has ‘armed forces’ only,"
Merry said. In his opinion, in case of resumption of war Azerbaijan
will hope for human resources while Armenia will rely on armament
and efficiency. Armenians will defend Karabakh while Azerbaijan will
have to conquer it, what is unreal, he added. Taking into account
these factors Merry considers that Azerbaijan will never succeed in
settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict by force.

According to him, Baku’s military rhetoric constitutes a threat of
war. As a settlement variant Merry proposes ‘territories in exchange
of status’ meanwhile the Lachin corridor should remain under control
of the Armenian side, reports Yerkir Online.

ARMENIAN AND AZERI LEADERS MAY ANIMATE KARABAKH PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2006 17:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents will breathe life
into efforts to resolve the long-running Nagorno Karabakh conflict
when they meet tomorrow in Minsk on the sidelines of a Commonwealth
of Independent States (CIS) summit, reports Turkish Daily News. The
new round of top-level diplomacy may be a surprise to many, since it
comes at a time when Armenia is bracing for parliamentary elections,
scheduled for May 2007. Few expected the two leaders to meet again
after their high-hope February talks behind closed doors at Rambouillet
Castle near Paris failed to produce any visible progress. International
pressure and Armenia’s growing isolation in the region may be the
key reason it is opting for a fresh diplomatic drive on the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, diplomats and analysts say.

ARMENIA TO BE REPRESENTED AT BRAZILIAN CARNIVAL

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2006 17:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the initiative of the Armenian Consulate General
in San Paolo one of the major carnival schools will represent Armenia
at the traditional Brazilian festival to take place in February
2007. One of 5 allegorical cars 18 meters long and 12 meters high
will represent Armenia as the cradle of humanity, ancient civilization
and the state of first Christians. A huge model of Ararat and Noah’s
Ark, Armenian khachkars and letters, Armenia’s golden emblem and a
7-meter flag of the Republic of Armenia will be shown. 5 000 people
will represent the school at the carnival. Brazilian film and TV
starts of Armenian origin as well as well known representatives of
the Armenian community, tourist groups from Latin America, U.S.,
Europe and Armenia will be engaged in the event to be broadcast in
over 100 countries. In the recent years when Egypt and Japan were
represented at the carnival, Egyptian Foreign Minister and Japanese
Prime Minister were present at it. In 2006 Venezuelan President Hugo
Chavez was present at the march dedicated to the struggle of the Latin
American states for independence, reports the RA MFA press office.

OFFICIAL KYEV DAMAGED OWN POSITIONS BY TAKING BAKU’S SIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2006 18:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During 15 years Ukraine kept trying to maintain
peacekeeping distance to all the conflicting sides in the post
soviet space, said Yevgeny Sharov, the head of the department of
integration and strategic partnership at the Institute of National
Studies. "As for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Ukraine has never
taken either Armenian or Azerbaijani side and this position was
adequately perceived by Baku and Yerevan. However during the visit
of the Ukrainian leader to Azerbaijan Ukraine has taken the stand of
one of the sides and used rather strict rhetoric. With all respect
to Azerbaijan and Azeri people, official Kyev has certainly damaged
its position of an impartial peacekeeping side," the expert said.

In his opinion, the cardinal change of position did not yield dividends
to Ukraine. "Moreover, I do not rule out that the attitude of the
Armenian Diaspora to Ukraine has strained. The Armenian community is
strong in Europe as well and the adoption of the Armenian Genocide
bill by the French parliament is an evidence of this influence,"
Sharov said.

As for the GUAM peacekeeping party, the expert considers that Ukrainian
peacekeepers become a side in the conflict. "During recent 14 years
Ukraine was guided by a good formula: we can take part in peacekeeping
operations under the aegis of the UN or OSCE. GUAM is a geopolitical
project of the U.S. targeted against Russia. Thus the so-called GUAM
peacekeeping forces challenge not only one conflicting side but Russia
first of all," Sharov said, reports From-UA.

ARAM I AWARDED WITH SUPREME ORDER OF CATHOLIC ABBACY OF SAINT JACOB

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2006 18:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The awarding ceremony of Cilician Catholicos Aram
I with Pax Christi Award, the Supreme Order of Catholic Abbacy and
University of Saint Jacob will take place in the Minnesota University
December 6. The library of the Saint Jacob University contains
the largest collection of photocopies of ancient manuscripts. Pax
Christi is given for the service in maintenance and popularization of
ancient church manuscripts, reports the press office of the Cilician
Catholicisate.

ALTERNATIVE NOT TO SEEK PARLIAMENT SEATS

Armenpress
Nov 27 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: Nikol Pashinian, chief editor of
an aggressive independent newspaper, Haykakan Zhamanak (Armenian
Time) said people who are proponents of liberal views and ideas are
uncertain which party to join because of numerous parties which say
they profess these same values.

Pashinian, who is one of the founders of a public initiative called
‘Alternative’ said the "Alternative’ was founded to save liberal
ideas and values from what he dubbed as ‘amorphous liberal processes."

He said the Alternative was beyond party affiliation and anyone,
no matter what party he belongs, can join the initiative. The sole
condition is that this person should accept their values and ideology
and their rules of game.

He said such notions as a pro-government force or an opposition
force should be revised because ‘in many cases their do not differ
in terms of their vision of Armenia’s future and ways to resolve its
major challenges."

He said the Alternative, designed as a future model, would begin
political activity only after winning an army of supporters. "There
are many smart people in Armenia who have things to say but they have
no platform. We shall provide that platform to them’ he said.

Pashinian also said the Alternative had not plans to contest the 2007
parliamentary elections. "It is not a plot to win a couple of seats
in the parliament," he added.

PARLIAMENT SPEAKER PRAISES CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS

Armenpress
Nov 27 2006

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS: Armenian parliament speaker Tigran
Torosian described today the outcome of the last year November 27
referendum on a set of constitutional amendments as an event of
‘exclusive significance for Armenia’s pace towards full democracy."

Speaking to reporters on this occasion Torosian advised some forces
which ‘are going to organize actions (apparently to reiterate that
the referendum was rigged) to display serious approach towards the
constitution and the country’s future.’ Torosian said, however,
that no one rejects that the referendum was marred by breaches, but
he argued that despite the reported vote fraud the referendum brought
about very essential changes, which would become tangible after next
year’s parliamentary elections when some of these amendments would
be enforced.

As one of these essential changes Torosian singled out a provision
giving the opposition and ordinary citizens the right to challenge
government’s decisions and parliament laws in the Constitutional Court.

Torosian said now was the best time to make use of these changes and
hold clean and just parliamentary elections in 2007.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA FOREIGN MINISTER: RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IS NO PRECONDITION FOR GOOD-NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS BETWEEN TURKEY AND ARMENIA

AZG Armenian Daily
28/11/2006

"The recognition of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915
is no precondition for good neighborly relations between Turkey and
Armenia", RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, said in the interview
to France-Presse.

Mr. Oskanian expressed confidence that the "interdiction may be
overcome by cooperation of the Armenian and Turkish people." He called
"dubious" the proposal of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan,
to shape a joint commission of scholars-historians to investigate
the events of 1915-1917 in the Ottoman Turkey. "No joint commission
can be shaped before diplomatic relations between official Ankara
and Yerevan are established. The question is a political one and it
should be considered from the relevant viewpoint. Turks have never
been so mobilized, on the state level, about the negation policy,
before," Mr. Oskanian emphasized. He added that Turkey’s aggression on
Armenian Genocide grows simultaneously with its recognition by other
countries. He emphasized that French Parliament’s adoption of the law
envisaging criminal prosecution for denial of the Armenian Genocide
was a "definite response to Turkish government’s policy of denial."

Mr. Oskanian said that at present, only the recognition of the Genocide
is the only issue in the agenda of Armenia’s foreign policy and that
nobody should fear about its demand for contribution. At the same
time, Ra Foreign Minister agreed that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
is quite a serious obstacle in Armenia’s relations with Turkey and
that "Ankara’s definite solidarity with Azerbaijan works against very
Turkey, because it risks the country’s credibility for undertaking
the role of the East-West bridge." Mr. Oskanian didn’t agree with
correlation of Nagorno-Karabakh and South Cyprus, as the first appeared
as a result of USSR’s collapse and the second occurred on the UN
member-state’s territory. He agreed that both Cyprus and Armenia see
obstacles in Turkey’s membership in EU but none of these countries
work against Turkey. "We do have common questions to discuss but we
do not unite against anyone", Vartan Oskanian underscored.

AZERBAIJANI VERSION OF TV CHANNEL CLOSURE
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
28/11/2006

National Council of Azerbaijani TV and Radio has taken a decision
to discontinue the activity of ANS TV and ANS CM radio station. The
situation reminds the story connected with Armenian A1+ TV when the
channel’s license was not prolonged putting an end to broadcast and
the process of issuing a new license was endlessly delayed.

According to Azeri-Press agency, the license of ANS TV and ANS CM radio
station was suspended after many warnings and sanctions. ANS TV does
not agree with such an argument for suspension and is going to appeal
the decision of the National Council of Azerbaijani TV and Radio.

Yet, before any court in the country has taken up the discussion of
this issue, technicians of the Telecommunications and Technologies
Ministry of Azerbaijan began dismantling broadcasting equipments
of the channel and the territory of the company was cordoned by the
police. Though the Council’s decision was to take effect at 3.00 pm
on Friday, the channel aired news at 15.20 pm that day.

Representatives of other mass media, political parties and
international structures have voiced concern over these actions of
the authorities.

So far the crackdown on oppositional media is what characterizes the
preparation for upcoming parliamentary elections.

TELEPHONE TARIFFS TO REMAIN UNCHANGED TILL MARCH 1 2007
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
28/11/2006

This year, on October 13, the State Commission on Public Services
disapproved the appeal of "ArmenTel" company according to which
the tariffs for a number of services, including the wire telephone
connection, provided by the company would sharply grow. The sides
failed to come to agreement on the tariffs and the issue was discussed
again at the recent sitting of the commission.

As you know, certain changes took place recently, in particular,
"ArmenTel" was sold to the Russian "VimpelCom" and Oleg Bliznyuk,
became the head of the company.

Armen Arshakian, head of tariff policy department of the commission,
informed that due to the sides’ failure to come to agreement, it was
decided to approve the December 7 tariffs as transitional till March1,
2007. Thus, the tariffs will remain unchanged till that day. At the
same time, the commission decision envisages that "ArmenTel" may make
some corrections and new suggestions concerning its tariffs till then.

Oleg Bliznyuk, head of "ArmenTel," said that taking into account the
fact that the company’s owner was changed quite recently; they also
asked the commission to prolong the current tariffs till March 1, 2007.