Month: April 2007

TURKEY AND RUSSIA STRUGGLE FOR SOUTH CAUCASIAN REGION

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 14:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Turkey and Russia lead an active struggle for the
South Caucasian region, and we should confess that currently Turkey
has a little outdistanced Russia," Director of RA NAS Institute for
Oriental Studies doctor Ruben Safrastian stated to a press conference
in Yerevan. He said, Georgia and Azerbaijan are moving towards West,
which means collapse of Russian diplomacy in the region. "However,
we must underline that a more global opposition is on the way between
Sunnis and Shias. With the help of the United States Sunnis are trying
to form a union of Sunni states. Most recently the first meeting
was held in Pakistan with participation of Turkey, Egypt, Saudi
Arabia and Pakistan. But soon after it representatives of Iran and
Saudi Arabia organized a meeting in order to stop the process. Iran
outweighs Turkey and Azerbaijan in regional policy, which proceeds
from Armenia’s interests," Safrastian stressed, adding that the
U.S. unnecessarily politicizes opposition between Shias and Sunnis.

He also noted formation of a one more alliance is on the way
between Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia aimed against Armenia
and Russia. "However, Russia will always be present in the South
Caucasian region and the Middle East supporting Iran," doctor
Safrastian underscored.

RUSHAYLO: ABSOLUTELY "STERILE ELECTIONS" ARE NEVER HELD IN ANY COUNTRY

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 15:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Absolutely "sterile elections" are never held in
any country, always occur some technical problems, chief-coordinator
of CIS observation mission, Sec. Gen. of CIS Executive Committee
Vladimir Rushaylo stated in Yerevan April 5. "Our task is to find
out shortcoming if they exist and clarify if they are of systematic
character and if they could influence on the outcome of elections. I
have participated in 16-17 observation missions in CIS countries,
and we used to find out shortcomings, but they were not of systematic
character and could not influence on the final results of elections,"
Vladimir Rushaylo noted.

He also said the final statement for elections will be prepared basing
on forms of observers, and the next day after summing up the results
of voting the mission will voice its statement, "besides, a Council of
Coordinators will be formed, which will include representatives from
CIS and representatives of CIS Central Electoral Commissions". "There
is an opinion that we are already preparing a draft statement, and I
can assure that we do not do anything beforehand, we cannot do such
a thing, since the mission includes parliamentarians of different
levels from CIS countries and it is impossible to command them," the
head of observation mission stated. V. Rushaylo underlined the mission
does not state its preferences for this or that candidature. "We only
state correspondence of elections to the Electoral law of the country
where elections are being held," the Sec.

Gen. of CIS Executive Committee stressed, IA Regnum reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA INTRODUCED NEW PRIME MINISTER TO GOVERNMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 16:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President of Armenia Robert Kocharian held a
session of the RA government April 4, the Press Office of the Armenian
Government reports.

Before passing to discussion of issues included in the agenda, the
President introduced to the cabinet his order on appointing Serzh
Sargsyan as Armenia’s Prime Minister. "May be there is no need in
introducing Serzh Sargsyan to you, I’d like only to remind that he is
a member of cabinet from 1993 up today, and 6 months from this period
he has worked in the RA presidential administration. He occupied the
post of RA Defense Minister more than 8 years. The army that we are
proud of and Serzh Sargsyan’s personal contribution to strengthening
our armed forces is difficult to appreciate. I know Serzh Sargsyan for
a long time as an industrious, responsible and consistent person. I
am sure on this responsible moment he is able to lead the government,
we do not have another person with such a huge experience," Robert
Kocharian said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UNION FOR FRIENDSHIP AND COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA SENT CONGRATULATIONS TO SERZH SARGSYAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 16:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Union for Friendship and Cooperation with Armenia"
inter-regional public organization sent a congratulation letter to
Serzh Sargsyan on his appointment as Armenia’s Prime Minister. "On
behalf of faithful Russian friends of Armenia accept our sincere
congratulations for your appointment on this higher post – Prime
Minister of Armenia," says the letter.

The letter that was received by the PanARMENIAN.Net on the name of
the newly appointed Prime Minister, says, "Your life and experience
has entirely been devoted to fair solution of the Nagorno Karabakh
problem, rebirth of state self-dependency of Armenia, freedom and
unity of the whole Armenian nation, strengthening her thousand-year
old indissoluble friendship and infinite ties with Russia and
Russians. During Karabakh underground times and chaos, the following
difficult years of establishing the Second Armenian State, you have
always solved the most complicated problems bravely and thoroughly."

BECAUSE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL TURKEY SUSPENDED TALKS WITH GAZ DE FRANCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 17:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey has suspended talks with Gaz de France
(GDF) on the French firm’s possible participation in a major Nabucco
pipeline project, where key players are Turkey’s energy ministry
and the state-owned oil and gas company BOTAS, AFP reports citing
the Anatolia news agency. The cause of suspending the talks is the
bill pending in the French Senate. The bill penalizes denial of
the Armenian Genocide. The five-company consortium plans to build a
3,300-kilometre conduit that will carry natural gas from the Middle
East and Central Asia to the European Union via Turkey and the Balkans,
bypassing Russia.

The other partners in the venture are gas companies from Austria,
Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. The consortium had been in contact with
GDF for some time as part of its efforts to find a sixth partner in the
six-billion-dollar project, which is expected to become operational
in 2012. The four other partners approved GDF’s participation, but
Turkey has opposed it because of a French draft law that makes it
a criminal offense to deny the Armenian Genocide committed by the
Ottoman Turkey during World War I.

The bill was adopted by the French National Assembly in October 2006.

"We will suspend partnership with Gaz de France until the French
presidential elections. We will decide according to policies to be
followed after the elections," a senior energy ministry official,
who declined to be named, said. Energy Minister Hilmi Guler declined
to comment on the issue of Gaz de France. "We attach great importance
to the Nabucco project. We realized the first phase of this project.

Turkey is in an important position in meeting Europe’s gas needs and
we are aware of this," Guler stated to Reuters. Gaz de France had no
immediate comment.
From: Baghdasarian

VARTAN OSKANIAN HIGHLY APPRECIATED CIS’S INITIATIVE ON SENDING OBSERVERS TO ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 17:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Acting Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
hosted CIS Executive Secretary, Chairman of CIS Executive Committee
Vladimir Rushaylo, currently in Yerevan preparing the observation
mission for the May 12 parliamentarian elections. Highly appreciating
CIS’s initiative on sending observers to Armenia, Vartan Oskanian
underlined the importance of conducting elections in accordance with
the highest international standards. The sides also highly appreciated
Armenia’s activities in CIS framework, particularly the deepening and
enlargement of humanitarian cooperation and Armenia’s constructive
participation during discussions over CIS reforms, the RA MFA Press
Office reports.

NICOLA SARKOZY IS THREATENED WITH TERROR ACTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 17:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Group on Struggle against Terrorism under the
Paris Court has began to study e-mails, the authors of which inform
about a planning terror act against French presidential candidate
Nicola Sarkozy. Authors of suspicious messages assure a terror
act against Sarkozy will be committed on Thursday during his visit
to Lyons.

The investigation was launched after editorial office of TV5 channel,
as well as the administration of Social Party informed about the
received letters in the following form. "Sarkozy – terror act –
Lyons – April 5, 2007".

The close circle of ex-Minister for Interior Affairs and the
presidential candidate, as well as the ruling party of National
Movement are avoiding of making comments. Specialists for the struggle
against terrorism are trying to identify authors of messages.

Sources in police assure still there is nothing that would indicate
that really a terror act is being prepared against Sarkozy.

Sarkozy, who on March 26 left the post of Interior Minister, is going
to visit Lyons on Thursday in the framework of electoral campaign. He
is one of the favorites in presidential campaign of France, RIA
"Novosti" reports.

FASSIER DOES NOT EXCLUDE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGES IN KARABAKH ISSUE TILL JULY

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.04.2007 17:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ OSCE Minsk Group French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier
stated on Thursday that till July some changes are possible in
the negotiation process of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. He made
this statement responding to a request to comment on legitimacy
of presidential election in Nagorno Karabakh scheduled for July
19. Fassier said it is early to comment the elections, explaining that
a meeting will be held between FMs of Armenia and Azerbaijan till
July. He thinks still there is some time till July and obstacles
that exists in the settlement process of the conflict may be
removed. Fassier did not specify the place of meeting, already 3rd
this year, between ministers Elmar Mamedyarov and Vartan Oskanian. He
said several variants are under discussion. OSCE MG Russian Co-Chair
Yuri Merzlyakov too did not comment on elections and noted that more
important question must be solved till elections. He also did not
specify details of meeting between FMs, "Trend" reports.

FAIR ‘HRAZDAN’ IS AT STRIKE

A1+
[07:24 pm] 05 April, 2007

Today workers in ‘ Hrazdan ‘ fair organized demonstration in front
of the Government House and spoke out against the illegal actions
towards them.

The owner of the fair RPA member Ashot Aghababyan gave 3 days for the
employees either to pay taxes or to quit the jobs. ‘The employers hire
only 20-26 year old applicants. The best and experienced teachers
and doctors are dismissed from their jobs. They are not allowed to
do even this job to keep their families,’ the strikers complained.

At present they have to pay 225.000 AMD for a booth.

The administration used to pay the taxes, but now the employees have
to do it. ‘90% of the population is in debts. They are unable to
earn their living. Even the Turk was not able to humiliate Armenians,
but they managed to do it in our country,’ the strikers told.

In fact, a dozen of strikers were regulated by the same amount of
policemen who did not allow them to make a step forward.

Several demonstrators were received by some government employees and
promised to raise the question for consideration at tomorrow’s meeting.

‘NO ELECTION CAN BE PERFECT’

A1+
[08:56 pm] 05 April, 2007

CIC 9 countries are engaged in the NA forthcoming elections. Leader
of CIC observers’ mission Vladimir Rushaelo met Garegin Azaryan,
chairman of RA CEC as well as other CEC members.

Vladimir Rushaelo has told the reporters that they dwelt over a number
of issues concerning the upcoming elections. Today the observer mission
has opened a headquarters in Yerevan and plan to open 4 more in RA
regions.’ We intend to visit all 41 election sites, and on the very
election day – over 60% of electoral stations. Our long-term staff
will work in the initial stage. It is not implemented only in Armenia,
but in all over the world. The latter allows observing the election
procedures and the preparatory works. We need to have 29 observers;
the list of the names is already agreed,’ mentions Vladimir Rushaelo
and adds that the number of the observers may exceed 150 on May 12.

‘At present we work with RA Executive bodies to decide how many people
we will need taking into account site administrative situation, the
number of the candidates running for the elections and other issues
peculiar to the Republic of Armenia.’ CIC acting secretary states.

Presently, the Mission group is studying RA Legislation, particularly
RA Electoral Code which greatly differs from general international
norms. The group has reached to the conclusion that Armenia should
be guided by legal norms due to International Election Convention.

What concerns free and transparent elections, Rushaelo noted that
"No election is pure and sterile. Some technical shortcomings are
inevitable." The observer mission group will make the final results
public based on the questionnaire formed by the group.

Mr. Rushaelo assures, "We are not going to give preference to any
candidate; our main goal is to make RA NA elections take place
according to RA Electoral Code."