Month: July 2007

UN WARNS OF REGRESS IN KOSOVO PROCESS

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 14:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Kosovo’s overall progress towards building a
functioning economy and establishing democratic institutions of
self-government has been encouraging, but those advances could soon
unravel unless the Serbian province’s future status is determined,
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says.

In his latest progress report on the work of the United Nations
Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK), Mr. Ban writes that
the progress being made under UN administration is threatened by the
continuing tensions between the province’s ethnic communities.

"Sustaining and consolidating progress made by Kosovo will require
concrete prospects for the conclusion of the future status process
and the active and constructive cooperation of all involved," he
says, adding that the determination of Kosovo’s final status should
as such remain a priority of the Security Council and the broader
international community.

In March, a report by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the
future status process Martti Ahtisaari found that the only viable
option for Kosovo, where ethnic Albanians outnumber Serbs and others
by nine to one, was a phased process of independence. Kosovo’s Albanian
leadership support independence but Serbia is opposed.

Mr. Ban notes in his report that Kosovo’s so-called Provisional
Institutions of Self-Government (PISG) have made "concrete progress"
towards meeting the standards, a set of eight overall targets that
include building democratic institutions, enforcing minority rights,
creating a functioning economy and setting up an impartial legal
system.

"The Provisional Institutions have laid the basis for a peaceful
and normal life for all of the people of Kosovo," Mr. Ban writes,
while observing that much remains to be done in achieving some of
the targets.

UNMIK has run Kosovo since Western forces drove out Yugoslav forces
amid inter-ethnic fighting in 1999.

The Secretary-General stresses that reintegrating and reconciling
the communities of Kosovo "remains an uphill challenge." Kosovo
Serbs in particular feel that the PISG do not represent them, and a
large majority boycott the institutions and rely instead on parallel
structures supported by authorities in Belgrade.

"At the same time, returns of Kosovo Serbs remain disappointingly low
due to uncertain economic prospects and continuing security-related
concerns."

Mr. Ban’s report, released ahead of Security Council consultations on
Kosovo scheduled for next Monday, contains a technical assessment
of the progress towards the standards by Joachim Rucker, the
Secretary-General’s Special Representative in the province, the UN
communication unit reports.

ARMENIA DOESN’T HAVE OFFICIAL STANCE ON INDEPENDENT KURDISTAN FORMATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 14:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia doesn’t have an official stance on formation
of independent Kurdistan, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian
said in the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.

"Each nation has the right to live freely and independently on the land
of ancestors and form a state. However, this should be achieved via
peaceful talks but not by use of force," Mr Kirakossian underscored.

FIRES IN KARABAKH COME EVIDENTLY FROM THE AZERI SIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Since the end of May of 2007, there have been
periodical fires along the line of contact of the NKR and Azerbaijani
armed forces. The NKR Rescue Service is engaged in localization and
fire extinguishing. In case of necessity the servicemen of the NKR
Defense Army, as well as the civilians come to assist the Rescue
Service, the NKR MFA press office reports.

According to head of the NKR Rescue Service’s operative department
Ashot Verdyan, 24-hour duty has been established in the corresponding
zones in all the districts, the number of field fire-rescue points
(with a fire-machine and a fire fighters brigade ) increases 5 times
compared with last year (there were 18 points in 2006, and 23 –
in 2007).

"We react operatively to the alarms of fires and undertake
corresponding measures immediately. Under the conditions of techniques
lack the fire brigade makes heroism. Last year’s experience of
fire-fighting now helps the successful localization and prevention
of fires. In case of large-scale fires several cars are enabled
simultaneously, servicemen and civilians come to assist. Besides
the regular points, there are movable posts – by driving around on
"UAZes" we control the corresponding territories," Ashot Verdyan noted.

According to head of the NKR Rescue Service fire- rescue department
Samvel Hayrumyan, due to the preventive measures the number of fires
has been significantly reduced in comparison with last year.

According to the data of July 4, 13 hectares of planted areas were
burnt in the Hadrut district, 6 hectares in Martouni and 10 hectares
in Martakert.

Head of the NKR Rescue Service’s Hadrut fire station Roman Mayilyan
informed that most frequently fires occur in the districts of Horadiz
station, between the posts of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani
armed forces.

"We don’t have any access there, that’s why we can’t surely speak on
the reasons of inflammation. When the fire spreads to our side, we
undertake every effort for localization and fire extinguishing. Our
fire brigade is on an intensified duty. Servicemen and civilians give
help as well," Mayilyan noted.

According to head of the NKR Rescue Service’s Martakert fire station
Karen Grigoryan, 4 cases of fire were fixed on the territory over the
reporting period and the fire came out from the Azerbaijani side. Fire
fighters and rescuers located in the region undertook corresponding
measures on localization and fire extinguishing. Prophylactic measures
on their prevention have also been taken.

Head of the NKR Rescue Service’s Askeran fire station Artur Daniyelian
told that according to the data of July 4, planted areas did not
catch fire, however, there was a fire which occurred on the territory,
controlled by the Azerbaijani troops, and spread to the front lines
of the NKR Defense Army, then under the influence of wind changed
its direction and did not achieve the posts. On the whole, the fire
enveloped 15 km of areas. The fire fighters and rescuers managed to
put out the fire.

"Evidently the fire came out from the Azerbaijani side. Most probably
having gathered their harvest, in the lowlands it ripens earlier,
the Azerbaijanis burnt down the field. We are ready just now to hold
a joint monitoring with the Azerbaijanis to become convinced of the
real state of affairs", – Artur Daniyelian noted.

In addition, a Republican headquarters, headed by the NKR Minister
of Agriculture Vahram Baghdassaryan, was formed. It aims to ensure
cropping without losses.

Representatives of interested structures including the NKR Rescue
Service are the members of the headquarters.

Earlier the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a note to the
Office of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
expressing concern over numerous cases of fires from Azerbaijani
side across the Line of Contact between armed forces of NKR and
Azerbaijan and urged to conduct a crisis monitoring of the borderline
area. The NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that the
timely interference of the Office of Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office would allow avoiding a repeat of the summer
2006 situation, which had been used by Azerbaijani authorities,
in particular, for propaganda and became an additional factor
destabilizing the peace process.

In the other note, the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs called upon the
Office of Coordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities
to take a principled and consistent stand in realization of the
OSCE Mission’s recommendations, which, as it was noted in the note,
"will allow achieving the goals set in the report and creating an
efficient mechanism for fire prevention along the line of contact,
which may become one of the elements of confidence building measures."

ARMENIA DOESN’T NEED A NEIGHBOR WITH A-BOMB

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 14:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I am convinced that Iran’s nuclear problem will
be resolved via diplomacy," RA Deputy FM Arman Kirakossian said
in Yerevan. Armenia doesn’t need a neighbor with an atomic bomb,
according to him.

"Nevertheless, Iran has the right to a peaceful nuclear
program. Georgia is of the same opinion, I think. War in the region
can’t have positive consequences," Mr Kirakossian underscored.

OSCE PA PRESIDENT THINKS THERE IS A ‘GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY’ FOR KARABAKH PROBLEM RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 15:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Thoughts of a military resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict are inadmissible, OSCE PA President Goran Lennmarker
said when opening the organization’s 16th session.

Both states will benefit from a peaceful agreement, he said.

"Thousands of displaced persons and refugees will be able to return
to their homes. A peaceful resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
will offer both states a possibility to work jointly with Georgia for
formation of a secure and democratically developing region," he said.

Mr Lennmarker described the current situation as a "golden possibility"
for the conflict resolution. "The OSCE Minsk Group has prepared a
framework agreement which includes all points the sides are concerned
about. The document is ready for signing by the leaders of two
states. Only political will is needed," he said, Day.az reports.

TURKEY CAN RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IF EU URGES IT

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 15:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey can recognize the Armenian Genocide if the
European Union urges it, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian
said in the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.

The Turkish society should reach a certain level to acknowledge the
Armenian Genocide, according to him.

"It’s hardly possible in the near future. One of the major obstacles is
article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, according to which recognition
of the Armenian Genocide is classified as "insulting Turkishness,"
Mr Kirakossian said.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION WILL BE VOTED DOWN AT TURNING-POINT

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 15:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. possible recognition of the Armenian Genocide
will not necessarily mean recognition by Turkey, RA Deputy Foreign
Minister Arman Kirakossian said in the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic)
University.

"I think, just before the voting the Resolution will be turned down
following a call from the White House.

If the administration decides that the H. Res. 106 jeopardizes
national security, no one will back it, as it happened in 2000. We
should not forget either that Turkey is U.S. ally in the region,"
the RA Deputy FM said.

Absence of U.S. Ambassador negatively influences on the
Armenian-American relations, according to him. "We enjoy good relations
with the United States. Armenia is included in the Millennium Challenge
Account; meetings of the Armenia-U.S. bilateral commission are held
twice a year. However, contacts cannot be exercised at a proper level
without Ambassador," he said.

Ambassador John Evans was recalled in 2006 over public recognition
of the Armenian Genocide. Later, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations
Committee twice blocked Richard Hoagland’s nomination. New Jersey
Senator Robert Menendez has twice vetoed the designation. A man denying
the Armenian Genocide can’t defend the U.S. interests in Armenia,
he stated.

When addressing the Senate Richard Hoagland said he recognized the
events of 1915 but doesn’t think they were genocide.

The Armenian government has given consent on Hoagland’s nomination.

IMAGE OF ENEMY CULTIVATED IN TURKEY AGAINST RUSSIA HAS DISAPPEARED

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 16:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Turkey and Russia enjoy wonderful relations at
present. The image of enemy cultivated in Turkey against Russia has
disappeared," RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakossian said in
the Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) University.

"The commodity turnover between the two states makes $15
billion annually. Some 700 Turkish companies are functioning in
Russia. Moreover, Russia is interested in Turkey as a transit country
for delivery of energy resources to Europe," Mr Kirakossian emphasized.

AZERI MFA "CONDEMNED" PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN KARABAKH

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 17:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned
holding of presidential elections in Nagorno Karabakh scheduled for
July 19, 2007. "Holding of such elections is a grave violation of the
Azerbaijani Constitution, principles and norms of the international
law. Consequently, they can’t be legal," the Azeri MFA statement said.

Elections in Nagorno Karabakh may be recognized fair and free once the
Azerbaijani population takes part in them equally with the Armenian
population," the statement says.

Azerbaijan "calls of the Armenian side to demonstrate wish and take a
constructive stand in the negotiation process to settle the conflict
on the basis of norms and principles of the international law and put
an end to destructive policy of illegal moves that have no outlook,"
Trend reports.

DINK CASE ACQUIRES NEW DETAILS

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2007 17:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New details in Hrant Dink’s murder case were revealed
during the investigation launched against the "Union of Movement of
Patriotic Forces."

Some information on assault of the Turkish Court of Appeals was
also clarified.

Taner Unal, the arrested leader of the union, said the assault on
the Court of Appeals was organized by retired captain Muzafer Tekin.

The investigation showed that during a phone conversation the union
members mentioned Hrant Dink’s name.

Vehbi Shanly, the leader’s assistant and some Necat Mete were speaking
on the phone a day before Dink’s slaying.

Turkish media made the conversation public. "Hello, any
news?" "Hello. Everything is ok." "Is it our friends to kill this man
yesterday?" "Yes, our friends. Were they found?" "No, don’t worry,
they were not found."

In May 2006 Alparslan Aslan has committed an assault on the Court of
Appeals. As result, one judge was killed, four wounded, Yerkir reports.