Month: April 2007

AZERBAIJAN "WILL NEVER AGREE" TO ARMENIA’S PARTICIPATION IN REGIONAL PROJECTS
By M. Alkhazashvili
Translated by Diana Dundua

The Messenger, Georgia
April 18 2007

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev recently stated Azerbaijan would
never agree to Armenia’s participation in regional projects.

"We will never agree to Armenia’s participation in regional projects.

The country’s occupational and aggressive policy towards neighbouring
states has caused its own isolation," declared Aliyev, as quoted in
the newspaper 24 Saati.

According to Azerbaijan, they have already applied to the EU and
other financial institutions to drum up financial support for
the Kars-Akhalkalaki railway project but they were met with some
resistance. They say the difficulties weren’t economic in nature but
political. Pro-Armenian forces and the Armenian lobby was applying
pressure to the international financial institutions, azrebaijan
claims.

The Azeri president stated that the same organizations did not decline
giving money to construct the oil and the natural gas pipelines
that also bypassed Armenia because they were in great need of energy
carriers.

AZERBAIJAN’S POLITICIANS DO NOT AGREE WITH OPINIONS ON APPROACH OF SIDES TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 18 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr. Trend I.Alizade / For several times,
Azerbaijan and Armenia were near to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
but at the end, carrying out these plans appeared as impossible,
the politician of Azerbaijan, Rasim Musabeyov, said commenting on
the statement of the Foreign Minister of Armenia, Vardan Oskanyan,
on approach of the conflicting sides to the settlement.

Musabeyov said that such opinions are voiced not only by the
Foreign Minister of Armenia. The Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan,
Elmar Mammadyarov, also stressed that the conflicting sides have
reached a unified agreement on five out of ten discussed items. It
is a result of the productive discussions held by the Ministers.

As regards to the meeting of the Foreign Ministers in Belgrade, the
experts say that it mainly aims to create a base for discussing
questions that can be agreed upon in the near future. The
Representative of the Political Council of the ruling new Azerbaijan
Party (NAP) and also Member of the Azerbaijani delegation to the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), MP Aydin
Mirzazade, said that the senior officials of Armenia have made such
statements for several times.

"Each time we could see that they are only deception of Armenia.

Therefore, it is clear how Oskanyan’s statement reflects the reality
and readiness of Armenia for the conflict settlement," he said.

Other politician Zardush Alizade considers that the sides are far
from the conflict settlement. According to him, Azerbaijan and Armenia
have various views towards the solution of the conflict. "If we take
the views of the sides into consideration, then settling the conflict
will be impossible. After resolving the conflict, it is possible to
regulate the relations between the sides. However, it is impossible
to reach an agreement on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azerbaijan rejects the opportunity to present independence to
Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia – to return the occupied lands to
Azerbaijan. It is impossible to agree up on two questions contradicting
to each other," Alizade said.

Armenia has occupied 20 percent of the Azerbaijani territories –
Nagorno-Karabakh and its neighboring regions. These lands have been
laying under the occupation of Armenia since 1992. In 1994 Azerbaijan
and Armenia reached an agreement on ceasefire.

EU TO FINALLY AGREE ON ‘MINIMAL’ HATE CRIME AND NEGATIONISM LAW
By Yossi Lempkowicz

European Jewish Press, Belgium
April 18 2007

BRUSSELS (EJP)—European Union Justice and Interior ministers are
set to agree Thursday on a EU-wide anti-racism compromise law which
has been debated since 2003.

Citing its particular historic responsibility due to its Nazi past,
Germany, which took over the EU presidency in January, had proposed
the other EU member states adopt a legislation that would make
racism and xenophobia as well as Holocaust denial a crime in the
whole European Union.

But while unanimous in their condemnation of those who deny the
Holocaust, EU leaders were split over whether to criminalise such acts.

Two years ago, Luxembourg tried to use its EU presidency to push
through legislation to unify legal standards for Holocaust denial
but was blocked by Italy, Britain and Denmark on the grounds that
the proposed rules breached freedom of speech and civil liberties.

British historian David Irving, who was expelled from Austria to London
last december after spending 13 months behind bars for challenging the
Holocaust, could freely speak in the UK where freedom of expression
is guaranteed by law.

Such legislation requires unanimity among the 27 EU member states.

Jail sentences

Under the new legislation, pushed by the German presidency, offenders
will face up to three years in jail for stirring-up racial hatred or
denying acts of genocide, such as the Holocaust.

The latest draft text to be submitted on Thursday to the ministers in
Luxembourg foresees an EU-wide jail sentence of at least one to three
years for "publicly inciting to violence or hatred, directed against
a group of persons or a member of such a group defined by reference
to race, colour, religion, descent or national or ethnic origin."

The same rules would also apply to people "publicly condoning, denying,
or grossly trivialising crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity
and war crimes" as defined by international crime courts and in the
charter of the Nuremberg court.

According to press reports, the text wording has been carefully chosen
to only include denial of the Holocaust during WWII, as well as the
genocide in Rwanda in 1994, but would not criminalise denying mass
killings of Armenians during the Ottoman empire in 1915, something
that Turkey, a EU membership candidate, strongly opposes.

"The draft is the lowest common denominator which respects the national
legal systems relating to freedom of expression," diplomats said.

Current situation

Holocaust denial is already punishable in Germany, Austria, Belgium,
France and Spain, while Britain, Ireland and the Scandinavian states
it is allowed under freedom of speech rules unless it specifically
incites racial hatred.

Poland and the Baltic countries continue to hold on to their demand
that "crimes under the Stalin regime in the former Soviet Union"
become part of the new legislation, something which is opposed by
many countries.

Despite repeated appeals by EU leaders to fight it, anti-Semitism has
been reported as being on the rise in Europe in the latest years,
especially in France, the UK and Germany, the countries with the
largest Jewish communities.

According to the latest study published on Monday by the Tel Aviv
university, the sharpest rise in anti-Semitic incidents in 2006 was
registered in Britain, with a 60 percent increase in overall attacks
and a 37 percent increase in violent attacks against individuals,
a 20-year peak.

The report by the Stephen Roth Institute for the Study of anti-Semitism
and Racism attributed the dramatic rise due mainly to Israel’s war
against Hezbollah in Lebanon last summer and repeated statements by
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad questioning the Holocaust and
calling for Israel to be wiped off the map.

IRAN, ARMENIA AND RUSSIA TO OPEN TALKS ON OIL REFINERY

ISNA, Iran
Iranian Students News Agency
April 18 2007

TEHRAN, Apr.18 (ISNA)-High ranking officials of Iran, Armenia and
Russia will soon negotiate on constructing a big oil refinery on the
Iran-Armenia border.

Reportedly the facility will have the capacity to annually refine 7
million tons of oil exported from Iran to Armenia via a pipeline.

Meanwhile the petrol produced in the refinery will be shipped to Iran
through railway.

Apparently hundred millions of dollars are required for construction
of the 2 hundred kilometers pipeline and the railway.

Presently Iran and Armenia are not related by rail.

GENERAL DIRECTOR OF "ARMENTEL" STATED THAT "RENUNCIATION OF MONOPOLY WILL NOT HAVE A STRONG INFLUENCE OF OUR COMPANY"

Mediamax Agency, Armenia
April 18 2007

Yerevan, April 18 /Mediamax/. The Commission on Regulation of Public
Services (CRPS) of Armenia met today the request of "ArmenTel"
Company, prolonging up to June 30 of 2007 the term of fulfillment of
the commitments, provided for by the license N60.

Mediamax reports that, presenting today during the session of CRPS the
report on the fulfillment of commitments, provided for by the license
N60, the Director for Regulation of "ArmenTel" CJSC Hayk Faramazian
noted that the Company on the whole fulfilled its license commitments
on installation of telephones of settlements.

Hayk Faramazian, in particular, noted that in late 2006 "ArmenTel"
put into operation the CDMA network for digitalization of telephone
communication of 800 village communities, however, the realization
of the program somewhat delayed because of hold-ups whole porting
base stations of CDMA to the communication center in Yerevan.

Hayk Faramazian informed that at present, 400 villages have quality
digital telephone communication due to the CDMA technology, and the
whole number of villages, which are provided with communication,
makes 500.

As a conclusion, the Director for Regulation of "ArmenTel" stated that
the terms of the fulfillment of the project were also influenced by
the severe climatic conditions in late fall and winter, as well as the
process of the change of owners of the Company, which was accompanied
by deceleration of supplies and mounting of the equipment.

As an administrative measure, the CRPS made a decision today to
increase the number of villages, which should be provided with digital
telephone connection, up to 810.

The General Director of "ArmenTel" Oleg Bliznyuk stated today that
"the renunciation of monopoly will not have strong influence on our
company, which is ready for healthy competition".

Mediamax reports that Oleg Bliznyuk stated today that until "ArmenTel"
renounces the monopoly rights for fixed telephone communication,
all the license commitments of the company will be fulfilled.

According to him, the request, presented to the Commission on
Regulation of Public Services of Armenia, on prolongation of the
terms of fulfillment of commitments, provided for by the license,
was reasoned by the fact that "the Company did not correctly estimate
its physical abilities during the winter and did not manage to mount
the necessary equipment".

The General Director of "ArmenTel" expressed confidence that in the
nearest future the work on the license commitments will be concluded.

At present, there are about 1mln subscribers in the regions of Armenia
in the zone of CDMA coverage, Oleg Bliznyuk stated.

The General Director of "ArmenTel" described as "unjustified and
aggressive" the behavior of the defenders of consumers’ rights, who
were discontent by the decision of the Commission on Regulation of
Public Services (CRPS), which met the request on prolongation of the
term for fulfillment of commitments, provided for by the license N60.

Answering the question of Mediamax today, Oleg Bliznyuk stated that the
leadership of "ArmenTel" twice held meetings with the representative
of NGOs, involved in protection of the rights of consumers. The Head of
the Company stressed that "ArmenTel" always strives to reach consensus
with the NGOs.

Oleg Bliznyuk stated that at present the only discord with the
defenders of consumers’ rights is the issue of the debts, which formed
as a result of the phenomenon, when the virus programs, which had
entered the computers of a number of consumers, initiated unapproved
international calls during the use of internet connection.

At that, the General Director noted, at present "ArmenTel" considers
the opportunities to restructure the debts of 400 subscribers.

Speaking during the session of CRPS today, the Chairman of the Union
of Consumers’ Rights Protection Armen Poghosyan stated that "ArmenTel"
did not fulfill its license commitments, and the Commission should
apply the corresponding sanctions. Armen Poghosyan, in particular,
proposed to revoke the license from "ArmenTel" and to cut down the
tariffs for its services.

The expert of the Union of Consumers’ Rights Hakop Gharabekian stated
that the actions of "ArmenTel" are contrary to the social policy of
the Armenian authorities, and the Company is guided exclusively by
its own interests. According to the expert, the CRPS should have
postponed the consideration of the request of "ArmenTel" and give
opportunity to organize public hearings.

Commenting on these statements, the General Director of "ArmenTel" Oleg
Bliznyuk stated that "the process of digitalization of 800 villages
costs much more than the license N60, and it is tactless to accuse
us of not supporting the policy of the authorities of the country".

The Chairman of CRPS Robert Nazarian also described as "groundless"
the accusations and recommended the sides to organize monthly meetings
for the discussion of "sore subjects" and inform the Commission on
the results.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT’S TWO FACES

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 18 2007

Speaking at the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign
Affairs, in the course of hearings devoted to the settlement of the
issue of the Serbian province’s status, the U.S. Deputy Secretary
of State Nicolas Burns stated, "the U.S. will recognize Kosovo’s
independence, as soon as the province’s population declares it".

Burns also said, "the U.N. Security Council has no authorities to
grant independence to anyone; the province’s inhabitants must declare
their independence".

According to the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Washington "has
started a number of discussions with Russia’s government to persuade
it to support the process, or at the least not to block it". "The
U.S. and Europe hope Russia will cooperate in supporting stability
and peace in the region", Nicolas Burns added.

A high-ranking official’s statement reaffirms the Armenian politicians’
idea that the main criterion to recognize a state’s independence is
its population’s expressed will. At the same time Burns’s statement
arouses a lot of questions, in part, why the opinion of the Kosovo
province’s inhabitants is much more important for the U.S. than the
opinion of inhabitants of other states, which are not the members
of the U.N.? If "the U.S. and Europe" are sure the realization of
the idea to grant the status of an independent state to Kosovo is a
guarantee of stability and peace in the region, then who is the author
of the idea that the independence of NKR, Abkhazia, Transnistria or
South Ossetia will cause destabilization of peace in the region?

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN ABLE TO CONDUCT MANOEUVRES OVER OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
April 18 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr E. Huseynli / A source at the Azerbaijani
Ministry of Defence stated on 18 April that Azerbaijani National
Military can conduct military exercises over its occupied territories
at its own discretion.

The Ministry has noted that Azerbaijan does not feel the need to
infiltrate territories not belonging to them, including Armenia, and
has no intentions to infiltrate into its territory by air. "Unlike
Armenia we have not occupied land belonging to another country, nor
have we infiltrated into its air territory. Undoubtedly, the air over
the occupied territories belongs to Azerbaijan," Ministry stated.

The Ministry was commenting on the statement made by the Mikael
Arutunian, the acting Defence Minister of Armenia. Arutunian had
stated that in case Azerbaijani Air Forces interfere into the airspace
of Armenia or Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenian Air-Raid Service will do
the same.

Azerbaijani Defence Ministry sticks to idem position. "International
organizations should condemn air manoeuvres conducted by Armenian Air
Forces over Azerbaijani territory, as Armenia has occupied Azerbaijani
territory and thus violated the international legal regulations. Legal
violations rapidly increase, as the territories out of controlled
at present.

–Boundary_(ID_7/VBv+pFVMEVSN8WjeWdAA)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN DIASPORA IN ABKHAZIA TO HOLD ASSEMBLY SOON

Daily Georgian Times, Georgia
April 18 2007

The Armenian Diaspora of Abkhazia is getting ready to hold Assembly
in Sokhumi. According to the disseminated information, Head of the
Armenian Diaspora in Abkhazia will be elected.

According to the information of Marietta Topchiani, Co-chairman of
the Armenian Diaspora in Abkhazia, in a couple of days the date and
the number of delegates for the Assembly of the Armenian Diaspora of
Abkhazia will be defined.

As to the election of the Head of the Armenian Diaspora in Abkhazia,
Topchiani declared that it was difficult to talk about this, because
the internal situation had recently changed within the Diaspora.

"For the first time the Assembly will elect the Head of the Armenian
Diaspora in Abkhazia. 3 years have passed since the foundation of the
first organization for defending the interests of the Armenian Diaspora
in Abkhazia. In 2004 Abkhazia-based three Armenian organizations
Krunk, Mashtoz and the Armenian Culture Center founded the mentioned
organization", the source informs.

The source also reports that the creation of the joint structures is
aimed at consolidating the Armenian Diaspora in Abkhazia.

Prior to holding the Assembly, regional-importance conferences will be
organized all over Abkhazia, basically on the territories predominantly
populated by Armenian nationals to elect the Assembly delegates.

The only candidacy for the Chairmanship of the Armenian Diaspora in
Abkhazia is named at this stage. This is Galustra Pozonian, who was
members of the De-facto Abkhaz Parliament earlier.

CO-CHAIRS OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS ON ARMENIAN ISSUES FRANK PALLONE AND JOSEPH KNOLLENBERG URGED U.S. PRESIDENT TO REAFFIRM THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 18 2007

The Armenian Assembly of America commends the Co-Chairs of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Reps. Frank Pallone, Jr.
(D-NJ) and Joseph Knollenberg (R-MI), for sending a letter today,
urging President George W. Bush to reaffirm the United States’ record
on the Armenian Genocide in his upcoming April 24th commemorative
statement.

Last year in his annual commemorative speech, the President noted it
was a "tragedy for all humanity and one that we and the world must
never forget," but he has repeatedly failed to use the word genocide,
when referencing the tragic killings of 1.5 million Armenians from
1915-1923 by the Ottoman Turks.

In their letter the Co-Chairs encouraged the President to recognize
the atrocities committed against the Armenian people as genocide,
stating in part: "The United States must never allow crimes against
humanity to pass without remembrance and condemnation." In addition
the letter emphasizes the importance of the U.S. commitment to prevent
future occurrences of genocide, reiterating that "it is imperative
that we pay tribute to the memory of others, who have suffered,
and to never forget the past."

This year Armenians across the world will commemorate the 92nd
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. On Capitol Hill Pallone
and Knollenberg, in conjunction with the Armenian Embassy and
Armenian-American organizations will be spearheading an April 24th
event.

MEETINGS OF DELEGATION OF IPA CIS COMMISSION FOR OBSERVATION OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
April 18 2007

Members of the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth
Independent States (IPA CIS) Commission for observation of the
parliamentary elections in Armenia headed by the Vice Speaker of
the Council of Federation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian
Federation Mr. Alexander Torshin and the Secretary General of IPA
CIS Mr. Mikhail Krotov will arrive in Yerevan on April 19.

On April 19 meetings of the delegation are scheduled with the
Chairman of the Central Electoral Committee (CEC) Mr. Garegin Azaryan,
with the representatives of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA),
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), United Labor Party (ULP),
Justice, National Unity, Country of Law factions and the Prosperous
Armenia party.

On April 20 the delegation will meet the Prosecutor General of the
Republic of Armenia Mr. Aghvan Hovsepyan, President of the Republic of
Armenia Mr. Robert Kocharyan, the President of the National Assembly
of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Tigran Torosyan. The delegation will
also have a meeting in the Yerevan office of International Institute
on Monitoring Democracy Development, Parliamentarism and Suffrage
Protection for the Citizens of IPA CIS.

The meetings of the delegation will be summed up with a parliamentary
press conference.