Month: November 2006

CASTLEBAR GENEROSITY HELPS CHILDREN IN ARMENIA
By: Marian Harrison
Western People, Ireland
Nov 22 2006
A CONTAINER laden with 5,500 shoeboxes of goodies left Castlebar on
Friday evening last destined for children in Armenia.
Shoe boxes filled with toys, hats, gloves, colouring books, jewellery
and sweets will reach the children, many who would otherwise be without
a Christmas present, on January 6 after travelling by sea and land.
Ann Coleman and her elves have spent the past two weeks sorting
through boxes, wrapping presents and packing them away in the Old
Bargain Centre on Castlebar’s Main Street but all the hard work will
be worthwhile when the children open their presents, noted Ann.
This year is the fifth year of existence for the Shoe Box Appeal in
Castlebar and it wouldn’t survive without the help of local schools
and clubs, insisted Ann.
“I was visiting schools in October to tell them about the appeal and
a lot of students, teachers and clubs from the area got involved and
were a tremendous help and our location on the Main Street was great
for publicity with a lot of people calling in to find out what was
going on.” This year’s presents were even better than previous years
with hats, scarves, gloves and good quality toys being donated.
All the boxes collected in Castlebar wouldn’t fit in the container
and instead 2,000 boxes were sent to Westport where they will be
included in another batch to be sent abroad later in the month.
When the truck pulled out of Castlebar last week, Ann Coleman must
have felt a huge sense of pride but she’ll have to do it all over again
next year when she takes the job of Mayo co=ordinator for the appeal.
“I’m going on a distribution to Romania on December 8. It will boost
everyone for next year. I can bring back lots of pictures and hopefully
the appeal will be bigger and better.”
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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NOVRUZ MAMMADOV: CO-CHAIRS WILL ACHIEVE IMPROVEMENT IN TALKS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 22 2006
“OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ efforts will help to achieve improvement
in talks. The talks will show if there is a motive for Azerbaijani
and Armenian presidents meeting,” President’s Office International;
Relations Department Ali Hasanov told journalists, APA reports.
He said that American co-chair Matthew Bryza’s absence will not affect
the efficiency of the visit.
“Though American co-chair has not come to the region, we know that
they have opportunities to contact with one another concerning the
talks. The co-chairs may achieve improvement in talks after meeting
with the President,” he said. He also added he believes that the
co-chairs will take definite steps within their visit.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT WILL MEET WITH ARMENIAN LEADER IF THERE IS CONCRETE TOPIC – SENIOR STATE OFFICER
Author: A.Mammadova
TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 22 2006
Novruz Mammadov, the head of the Foreign Relationships Department of
the President’s Executive Apparat, stated during talks with journalists
on 22 November 2006 that the Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will
give his approval to meet with the Armenian President should there
be a tangible focus for discussions,Trendreports.
Mr. Mammadov expects that a meeting of the co-chairs with the
Azerbaijani President will confirm the steps to be taken to achieve
successful negotiations. “The efforts by the co-chairs will enable
progress to be achieved within the negotiations,” he stated.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH IS ONE OF POINTS OF PROGRESS OF TERRORISM – BSEC DEPUTY CHAIRMAN
Author: A.Ismayilova
TREND, Azerbaijan
Nov 22 2006
MP Asef Hajiyev, the Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), stated that the conflict
existing in the Black Sea region has had a negative impact on the
establishment of co-operation between the countries and the development
of economy, Trend reports.
He noted that the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is not only a problem
for Azerbaijan. It is a threat for the whole region and even the
world. This territory is out of control, where terrorism, human
trafficking, and drug trafficking is in progress. Hajiyev added that
the world is fighting against terrorism and that Karabakh is such a
territory we must fight against..
The Azerbaijani MP is also sure that BSEC member states will offer
their opinion in this respect.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MERZLYAKOV: “YEREVAN GIVES CONSENT FOR MEETING OF ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS IN MINSK”
Regnum, Russia
Nov 22 2006
“The Armenian side has given its consent for a meeting of Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents in Minsk on November 28, within frameworks
of the CIS summit,” OSCE MG Co-Chair (Russia) Yuri Merzlyakov told
reporters at Zvartnots Airport (Yerevan) before leaving for Baku on
November 22. According to him, “we need to receive confirmation from
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev as well, although earlier the
Azerbaijani foreign minister made several statements on the topic.”
Speaking on absence of OSCE MG Co-Chair (USA) Matthew Bryza in the
delegation of mediators, Yuri Merzlyakov said that it was caused by
the fact that “the co-chairs agreed to divide duties, and these days
our American colleague is to meet Arkady Gukasyan, who is now in the
United States.”
Speaking on outcomes of his visit to Armenia, he said his meetings
with Armenia’s President Robert Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan were “effective.” “Generally, the year is being finished
at a quite optimistic point and if we manage to preserve this mood,
we shall enter 2007 with quite good prospects. Despite the fact that
elections generally put restraining influence upon the negation
process, we believe the achievements we managed to have this year
will allow us overcome the pre-election period easier,” the Russian
OSCE MG co-chair said.

INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP: GEORGIA GOVERNMENT TO PREVENT CONFLICTS AMONG ETHNIC GROUPS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Nov 22 2006
“The Georgian government must take significant steps to avoid conflict
in the country’s ethnic Armenian and Azeri areas,” International Crisis
Group noted in its report Georgia’s Armenian and Azeri Minorities,
APA reports.
The latest report from the International Crisis Group examines the
grievances of these two communities. While there is no risk of the
situation becoming Ossetian- or Abkhaz-like threats to Georgia’s
territorial integrity, tensions are evident in the regions of
Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo-Kartli, where the two predominantly
live. There have been demonstrations, alleged police brutality and
killings during the past two years. Georgia has made little progress
towards integrating these minorities, who constitute over 12 per cent
of the population. Armenians and Azeris are underrepresented in all
spheres of public life, especially government, and a lack of dialogue
between them and Tbilisi adds to perceptions of discrimination and
alienation. This is aggravated by economic problems, including high
unemployment l and decaying infrastructure.
“Tbilisi needs to do much more to build confidence and to encourage
minorities to address their problems through state structures rather
then in the street”, says Sabine Freizer, Crisis Group’s Caucasus
Project Director.
While the government denies there is any inequality, many minorities
claim they are treated as second-class citizens. Feeling betrayed by
the Abkhaz and Ossetians, who declared independent states on Georgian
territory, Tbilisi has a deeply rooted, if unfounded; fear that others
may do the same. More sensitive and effective minority policies would
dampen such demands and might even help build trust with the Abkhaz
and Ossetians.
Some steps have been taken to improve the lives of minorities. With
donor support, Georgia has invested in road and infrastructure
rehabilitation in minority regions and created a ministry for civic
integration, established a public administration institute to train
minorities and ratified the Framework Convention for the Protection
of National Minorities.
The government needs to establish a comprehensive education system
to teach Georgian as a second language to minorities, but while a
new generation is educated, minorities should not be discriminated
against, especially in hiring for state jobs. The state should also
implement its international commitments, particularly allowing use
of minority languages for state affairs in municipalities with large
numbers of minority citizens, as is standard throughout Europe.
“Only by acting on both tracks will Georgia succeed in reducing
tensions and increasing minority integration.”

PARIS TO HOST TURKISH MINORITY CONFERENCE ON NOV. 25
By Cihan News Agency
Zaman, Turkey
Nov 22 2006
A conference on minorities living in Turkey will be held in Paris on
Saturday as a part of activities marking the “Year of Armenian.”
The conference, to be held in the Parisian suburb of Versailles,
is being referred to as “the common activity of the minorities once
exterminated or oppressed by Turkey.”
The theme of the conference focuses on the past and future of the
Armenian, Chaldean, Assyrian, Greek and Kurdish minorities. Leading
figures from minority associations and academics will also take part
in the conference.
France had declared September 2006 to July 2007 as the Year of
Armenia, a step that has been interpreted as a move to win votes of
the approximately 500,000 Armenians living in France ahead of the
French presidential elections in 2007.
‘Armenian genocide’ postage stamp
A postage stamp themed the ‘Armenian genocide’ has been printed in
France for the first time as part of the Year of Armenia.
French postal offices will not distribute the stamps, which were
printed by a collector. Those who are interested can purchase the
stamps for two and a half Euros and use them on their letters.

ARMENIA PRESIDENT IN CYPRUS ON EVE OF EU-TURKEY REPORT
Financial Mirror, Cyprus
Nov 22 2006
The President of Armenia Robert Kocharian arrives late Wednesday for
a three-day state visit to Cyprus, the first since the former Soviet
republic gained independence 15 years ago.
The visit also coincides with the run-up to Turkey’s EU accession
hopes and the obstacles that Ankara is facing, primarily with its
denial of the genocide of the Armenians in 1915 and refusal to comply
with EU protocols to allow the entry of Cypriot vessels at its ports
and airports.
The Armenian President, accompanied by Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
and a 30-member delegation, will be welcomed at Larnaca airport by
Acting Foreign Minister, Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and
the Environment Photis Photiou and will begin his official programme
on Thursday, with a meeting with President Tassos Papadopoulos at
the Presidential Palace.
The official talks will include an agreement on co-operation in
combating organized and other forms of crime that will be signed by
Cyprus Minister of Justice and Public Order Sophocles Sophocleous
and the Minister of Justice of Armenia Davit Harutyunyan.
Kocharian will later meet House President Demetris Christofias, while
Foreign Minister George Lillikas will host a lunch in honour of the
President of Armenia. After that Kocharian will meet with Archbishop
Chrysostomos II and the day will ebd with a state banquet will be
hosted by President Papadopoulos.
Ambassador Vahram Kazhoyan said that though a visit had been planned
during President Clerides’ administration, this did not materialise.
This visit was finalised when the two state leaders met at the events
marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II in Moscow
last year.
Central Bank Chairman Tigran Sargsyan is also expected to have meeting
with officials at the Central Bank of Cyprus, while Deputy Culture
Minister Gagik Gyurjian will sign a memorandum of cooperation that
renews a bilateral education and culture programme for the years
2006-2008.
On Friday, Kocharian will visit Nicosia Town Hall where he will meet
with the Mayor of Nicosia Michalakis Zampelas who will present the
Armenian president with the golden key to the city and will accompany
him to a visit to the old part of town and the cease-fire line.
Later on, Kocharian and his delegation will visit the Nareg Armenian
elementary school in Nicosia and meet with the Armenian Archbishop
and members of the community.
In the afternoon he will lay the foundation stone of the monument
to commemorate the survivors of the Armenian genocide at the Larnaca
Promenade.
He leaves on Saturday morning.

POSSIBILITY OF RA AND AR PRESIDENTS’ MEETING DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 22 2006
November 21 RA President Robert Kocharian met with the OSCE Minsk group
Co-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) and Bernard Fassier (France). The
OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Personal Representative Andrzey Kasprzyk was
also present at the meeting.
According to the information DE FACTO got at the RA President’s Press
Service, in the course of the talks the parties had discussed the
Karabakh conflict settlement’s present stage and the issues referring
to the RA and AR Presidents’ meeting that might be held within the
CIS summit frames. To note, the summit will be conducted in Minsk
November 28 – 29.

KARABAKH MPS: NKR CONSTITUTION’S ADOPTION TO BECOME NEW LANDMARK IN STATE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 22 2006
Today RA President Robert Kocharian received the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic National Assembly delegation headed by the NKR NA Chair
Ashot Gulian. The Karabakh MPs arrived in Yerevan to participate in
the Armenia-NKR Interparliamentary Cooperation Commission’s current
sitting.
According to the information DE FACTO received at the RA President’s
Press Service, in the NKR Parliament Speaker’s words, the
Interparliamentary Commission’s work was efficient and quite useful.
The Karabakh MPs mentioned the importance of a nation-wide referendum
on the NKR Draft Constitution to be held in the NKR December 10. In
their opinion, it will become a new landmark in the state construction
process. The NKR National Assembly Chair noted Armenia’s economic
development was an impetus for Karabakh.
In the course of the meeting RA President and Karabakh MPs discussed
reforms being carried out in Karabakh. The parties exchanged opinions
on the Karabakh conflict settlement and regional processes.