Month: May 2008

GEORGIA QUITS CIS ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENSE TREATY

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 15:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia sent a note to the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of Belarus to inform of its secession from the treaty on
creation of CIS anti-aircraft defense system.

Georgia will suspend the treaty a year after the depositary [Belarus]
accepts an appropriate note.

The treaty on creation of CIS anti-aircraft defense system was signed
on February 10, 1995 in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, by heads of 10 CIS
member states: Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine.

ARMENIAN, AZERI PRESIDENTS TO MEET IN SAINT PETERSBURG JUNE 7

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 15:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The first-ever meeting between President Serzh
Sargsyan of Armenia and Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan will take place
in Saint Petersburg on June 7, RA Foreign Minister said.

Edward Nalbandian voiced hope that the presidential meeting will
offer new opportunities for the ongoing talks on Karabakh.

The Minister also advised not to link progress in the Karabakh process
with the forthcoming presidential election in Azerbaijan and not to
set time limitations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERIS FIRE UPON NKR DEFENSE ARMY POSITIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 16:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On May 14, positions of the NKR defense army were
fired upon by the Azeri armed forces at the Aghdam-Fizuli segment of
the contact line.

The Armenian side did not fire in return, head of the propaganda and
information division at the NKR Defense Ministry, lieutenant colonel
Senor Hasratyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"We commence reprisal fire only in case of dire necessity, when lives
of our soldiers are in jeopardy.

Nobody was injured in yesterday’s firing," he said.

"Skirmishes often occur at the contact line. It’s quite natural that
ceasefire is violated from time to time. A peaceful agreement is the
only measure to put an end to firings."

PAUL GOBLE: I’LL ENTER HISTORY AS KARABAKH FOR MEGHRI SWAP PLAN AUTHOR

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 17:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "In historical books, my name will always be linked
to the idea I suggested in January 1992 in the "Goble’s Plan" prepared
for the then-Secretary of State," well known U.S. political scientist,
director of research center at the Azerbaijani academy of diplomacy,
Dr Paul Goble said when asked whether he deals with the Nagorno
Karabakh problem at present.

"At that time I thought that the conflict has reached its critical
point and all possibilities should be considered. The decisions taken
presently should be different from those taken in 1992. I would like
people to think over my ideas in today’s context. I have decided
for myself to refrain from any comment on the policy pursued by
Azerbaijan while I am working in this country," he said, the Azeri
Press Agency reported.

ARMENIA TO STRENGTHEN DIPLOMATIC PRESENCE IN LEBANON

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 17:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia intends to strengthen its diplomatic presence
in Lebanon, RA Foreign Ministry official said Thursday.

"We will send one more diplomat to Lebanon next week, thus bringing
the number of diplomats to three," said Armen Melkonyan, head of the
Middle East division at the Armenian MFA.

"The decision is conditioned by the complicated internal political
situation in the country," said, adding that the post of Armenia’s
Ambassador to Lebanon is still vacant, Novosti Armenia reports.

By a President’s decree of March 26, 2008, Vahan Ter-Ghevondyan was
released from the post of Armenia’s ambassador to Lebanon he had
occupied since January 2006.

Fierce clashes escalated in Beirut a week ago between Sunni supporters
of the government and loyalists of Hezbollah, the Shiite militant
group, after Hezbollah’s leader said the government had declared war
by threatening to shut down the group’s private telephone network.

Hezbollah gunmen melted off the streets of Beirut Saturday, heeding
an army call to pull the fighters out after the Shiite militants
demonstrated their military might in a power struggle with the
U.S.-backed government.

Prime Minister Fuad Saniora, in his first public statement since
sectarian clashes erupted on Wednesday, said Lebanon can no longer
tolerate Hezbollah having weapons. He called on the army to restore
law and order and remove gunmen from the streets.

Despite his tough talk, Saniora made a key concession to the
Hezbollah-led opposition that would effectively shelve the two
government decisions that sparked the fighting.

Muslim West Beirut was mostly calm a day after Hezbollah and its allies
seized control of neighborhoods from Sunnis loyal to the government.

Most Hezbollah gunmen had pulled out, leaving small bands of their
Shiite Amal allies to patrol the streets.

While tensions in the capital appeared to be defusing, violence spread
and intensified in other parts of the country.

At least 12 people were killed and 20 wounded when pro- and
anti-government groups fought in a remote region of northern Lebanon,
Lebanese security and hospital officials said. It was the heaviest
toll for a single clash since fighting began.

At least 37 people have been killed in four days of clashes – the
worst sectarian violence since Lebanon’s 1975-1990 civil war.

RA MFA: APPROACHES VOICED BY AZERBAIJAN HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON WITH DOCUMENT ON THE TABLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 18:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Pushing forth its views on the Karabakh problem,
Azerbaijan will never be able to introduce them in the document under
discussion, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said when
commenting on statement by Araz Azimov, Azeri Deputy FM.

According to Azimov, the Karabakh conflict may be resolved in the
framework of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, the goal of the
settlement process being not only return of 7 regions surrounding
Nagorno Karabakh but also transfer of NKR under Azerbaijan’s
jurisdiction.

"Approaches voiced by Azerbaijan have nothing in common with the
document on the table. The key issue is Nagorno Karabakh’s status to
be determined through plebiscite. The OSCE MG mediators presented
proposals which are the result of long and scrupulous work and
talks should be continued on the basis on these proposals," Minister
Nalbandian said, IA Regnum reports.

CONGRESSMAN SCHIFF INTRODUCED BILL URGING TURKEY TO LIFT BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 20:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced a
bill urging the President and Secretary of State to call upon Turkey
to immediately lift its ongoing blockade of Armenia.

Rep. Schiff’s spokesman, Mr Sean Oblack told PanARMENIAN.Net that the
"End the Turkish Blockade of Armenia Act" requires a report from the
Secretary of State within 30 days of final passage that will outline
steps taken by the U.S. to end Turkey’s blockade of Armenia.

"We need to step up pressure on Turkey to lift the draconian blockade
of Armenia, permitting Armenian businesses to fully participate in
the global economy and assisting Armenia’s integration into Europe,"
said Schiff.

The State Department has estimated that the blockade is inflating
Armenia’s transportation costs by 30-35%, and the blockade has
prevented U.S. and international humanitarian assistance from crossing
its borders, which is a violation of U.S. law and international
humanitarian standards.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO: ARMENIAN ARMY WELL-TRAINED

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 20:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian army is well-trained, a NATO Brigadier
General said.

"I got convinced of it during Best Effort 2003 exercise that was
conducted in Armenia, NATO Heidelberg United Land Forces commander,
Brigadier General Claudio Ernesto Vercellotti told a news conference
in Yerevan.

"The purpose of Cooperative Longbow/Lancer 2008 is to develop joint
activities and to drill the servicemen according to NATO standards,"
he said.

He informed that invitations have been sent to all states participating
in Partnership for Peace program.

"Russia, Turkey and some other states haven’t given their consent
yet but I think these countries will join the exercise," General
Vercellotti said, adding that Armenia has matured in organization
of maneuvers.

CooperativeLongbow/Lancer -2008 due in Armenia September 15-20 will
bring together some 1000 servicemen, 320 of which will represent
our republic.

ARMENIAN SOLDIER KILLED AT BORDER

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.05.2008 21:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ As result of firing commenced by the Azeri side,
on May 15, at 11.45 a.m. Armenian soldier Andranik Hayrapetyan, 19,
was wounded in abdomen.

As RA Defense Minister’s spokesman, colonel Seyran Shahsuvaran
told PanARMENIAN.Net, Hayrapetyan was taken to hospital and died at
12.30 p.m.

Investigation has been launched

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH SCIENTISTS WARN LAKE VAN MAY DISAPPEAR IN DECADE

ARMENPRESS
May 15, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 15, ARMENPRESS: Turkish scientists have warned that Lake
Van in the southeastern part of the country will disappear in the
next 10-15 years if no radical measures are applied to save it. Lake
Van is regarded the fifth biggest lake in Europe.

The warning came from the Turkish Association for Protection of
Water Environment.

Turkey.ru website reported that the association has included Lake Van
into a project called Boundless Blue Space. This project is designed
to radically change the situation on the lake’s shores.

Thousands of Turks have their summer holidays on the lake’s shores,
although 40 percent of them are no longer fit for health or fishing
purposes. The endemic species of fish, once abundant in its waters,
called tarekh, is on the verge of extinction.

The Turkish association says its goal is to preserve the lake for
next generations. It will organize special lectures for over 105,000
school and university students and many of them are supposed to take
part in an extensive clean-up of the lake’s shores.