Month: August 2008

BAKU SEEKS FOR NEW WAYS OF LAUNDERING ITS PETRODOLLARS, NKR MFA SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 18:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Baku misinformation on building a settlement of
Nargiztepe for refugees on the occupied territory of NKR Martouni
region, obviously, pursues propagandistic goals. It is not accidental
that, first, this information was promptly denied just by the
Azerbaijani party. However, some of its points were "resuscitated"
and introduced in a rather different angle, as it is often practiced
in Azerbaijan, said Marsel Petrossian, Chief of NKR MFA Information
Department.

"A reasonable question arises in this connection: why is Nargiztepe
settlement being built just in the Arami desert, 2-3 km from
the contact-line, an area, which, according to the Azerbaijani
side, is permanently fired at and is not absolutely adapted for
habitation? Couldn’t they find a more favorable inhabitancy than
this severe desert for the refugees from Nagorno Karabakh who are
more developed than the citizens of the Azerbaijani regions? This
"initiative" should be qualified as a couldn’t-care-less attitude
towards the mentioned section of the population," he said.

"Probably, Baku decided to organize another military-political
provocation – to draw informational-propagandistic "fire" to the newly
created settlement, and in fact – reservation of 5 or 6 thousand
of forced settlers (according to our data, this is the number of
refugees from Nagorno Karabakh living nowadays in Azerbaijan) and
shift the guilt to the Karabakhi side."

"During the war between Azerbaijan and Karabakh, there were many
instances that the Azeri authorities urgently populated different
settlements and then turned them into military control points, thus,
actually creating a "human wall" for their servicemen and dooming the
peaceful population to death. The Karabakhi side, which is concerned
about its former Azerbaijani citizens, expresses its regret that
for 20 years the Azeri leadership has taken no steps for thawing the
relations between the two alienable nations," he went on to comment.

"Maybe, Baku merely seeks for new ways of laundering its
petrodollars? And the searches have obviously brought to the
desert. Actually, we have no doubt and would like to warn the
societies that the Azeri propagandistic machine will start including
the above-mentioned settlement into its Defense Ministry’s round-ups
as a place, which is under the NKR Defense Army’s heavy fire," Mr
Petrossian resumed.

OSCE CHAIRMAN CALLS ON GEORGIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA TO HALT MILITARY ACTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 18:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign
Minister Alexander Stubb, today urged an end to all military action
in the zone of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict.

"The intense fighting in the South Ossetian conflict zone risks
escalation into a full-fledged war. War would have a devastating
impact for the entire region. I urge the Georgians, South Ossetians
and Russians to cease fire, end military action and stop further
escalation," he said. "We need to pull back from the brink of a
full-fledged war. "

Stubb said he was in contact with Tbilisi and Tskhinvali as well as
all international actors involved in resolving the conflict.

"The international community needs to act together to prevent a
full-fledged war. I am in constant contact with my colleagues in the
European Union and the United States. I have also called for restraint
in the Russian reaction," he said.

"I condemn the shelling of the OSCE Mission premises in Tskhinvali. The
OSCE Mission to Georgia is intensively working with all parties to
defuse tensions. The Mission’s work and mandate must be respected
by all parties in the conflict. I am ready to increase the number of
OSCE observers as soon as the situation allows."

The Minister said the Special Envoy of the Chairman-in-Office,
Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, would travel to Georgia immediately. Other
immediate steps include an extraordinary Permanent Council meeting
in Vienna today. The Chairman-in-Office is planning to visit Georgia
in the very near future, the OSCE communication unit reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT REQUESTS U.S. SUPPORT IN WAR WITH RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 18:36 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili stated that
Russia started war with Georgia.

"It’s in the interests of the United States to extend a helping hand
to Georgia. Russia is fighting a war with us in our own territory,"
Saakashvili said in an interview with CNN.

"Georgia will withdraw its unit from Iraq to give a proper response
to Russian aggression," he said, RBC reports.

For his part, Georgia’s National Security Council head Alexander
Lomaia warned Friday that Moscow and Tbilisi will be in "a state of
war" if reports of Russian tanks, military trucks and troops entering
South Ossetia prove true.

BAKU: GEORGIA PROVED THAT AZERBAIJAN "HAS THE RIGHT TO RETURN ITS LAND BY USE OF FORCE"

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 18:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia has proved that peaceful talks is not the
only way to restore territorial integrity, says a statement issued
by the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry on the recent development in the
Georgian-Ossetian conflict zone.

It means that Azerbaijan "has the right to return its lands by use
of force, the statement says, Bakililar.az reports.

RA MFA: ARMENIA CONCERNED ABOUT HOSTILITIES IN SOUTH OSSETIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 19:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia is gravely concerned over the situation in
South Ossetia and hopes that the sides will do their utmost to resolve
the conflict via talks and restore stability in the country, says a
statement PanARMENIAN.Net received from the Armenian Foreign Ministry.

The Armenian Embassy in Tbilisi and Consulate General in Batumi
closely watch the situation. Armenian citizens in Georgia will be
rendered essential support in case they wish to return to homeland,"
the RA Foreign Ministry said.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE CALLS FOR END TO VIOLENCE IN SOUTH OSSETIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 19:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. Department of State’s acting deputy
spokesman, Gonzalo R. Gallegos, said Washington is "urging Moscow to
press South Ossetia’s de facto leaders to stop firing."

"We’re urging Tbilisi to maintain restraint. We’re very concerned
about the situation. We call for an immediate end to the violence and
for direct talks between the parties," he said at a press briefing
in Washington.

Earlier today, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili requested
U.S. support in war with Russia.

On the night of August 8, Georgia troops attacked Tskhinvali,
seizing several districts of the South Ossetian capital and then 11
surrounding villages.

Commander of combined peacekeeping forces, major general Marat
Kulakhmetov said that South Ossetian capital, Tskhinvali, has been
nearly destroyed.

"Gunfire has been suspended. Tskhinvali is enveloped in fires,"
Interfax’s correspondent reported from the site.

Meanwhile, according to some sources, Russian armored vehicles entered
the city.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili said 150 Russian tanks and
armored personnel carriers entered South Ossetia.

FIRING IN TSKHINVALI HUSHES, RESIDENTS FEAR NIGHT ASSAULTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.08.2008 21:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Residents of Tskhinvali come out of the basement
where they were hiding from Georgian shelling. Firings hushed. There
is no electricity, water and gas. South Ossetian Defense Ministry
officials say Georgian military abandoned the territory and people
are searching for wounded.

"We should first of all do something to help those in the city
hospital. It’s still unclear what happened to the people. Many have
lost their homes. People fear that the assault will be resumed at
night. There is no panic but shock," a man said, Vesti reports.

On the eve on the Olympic Games in Beijing, Georgia launched an
intrusion into South Ossetia. Civilians and Russian peacekeepers were
killed and wounded.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called the assault "a grave violation
of the international law" and said the deaths of the Russian citizens
will not go unpunished.

Russian forces were sent to support peacekeepers. Staff headed by
Russian army land forces commander Vladimir Boldyrev was established
in Vladikavkaz, North Ossetia.

ONE HUNDRED JOBLESS PEOPLE IN SYUNIK WILL HAVE TRAINING COURSE

ARMENPRESS
Aug 8, 2008

KAPAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS: One hundred jobless people in the
southern province of Syunik will have a training course organized
with the help of the government this year. The course is supposed to
make them competitive at local labor market.

An official of the regional employment center in Kapan told Armenpress
that 54 jobless people are already having the course. Twenty are from
Kapan, 18 from Goris and 25 from Sisian.

The training course will teach the professional skills for which
there is a demand in the province-waiters, cooks, hairdressers and
so on. Araik Hayrapetian , deputy director of the center, said 80
percent of these jobless are sure to find jobs. The course lasts 2-3
months. The participants receive stipends.

THE 29TH OLYMPIC GAMES KICK OFF

ARMENPRESS
Aug 8, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 8, ARMENPRESS; The 29th Summer Olympic Games kicked
off today in the capital of China Beijing with the participation of
athletes from more than 200 countries. The author of the opening
performance, which took place in the National Stadium of Beijing,
is the well-known Korean film director Chzhan Imou. The Chinese have
prepared a rich program of the opening of the games during which old
and new culture of China was presented. The motto of the Beijing
Olympics is – "One World One Dream." Chinese president Hu Jintao
and President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge
opened the Olympic Games.

Armenia this time was not among the first rows of marchers as it
always was but was the 74th among 205 countries according to the
Chinese alphabet. The bearer of the Armenian flag was distinguished
Armenian athlete Albert Azarian. Armenia will be represented by 25
athletes in seven sports types – free and Greek-Rome style wrestling,
weightlifting, boxing, judo, light athletics etc. A number of Armenians
are included in the teams of different countries of the world.

The biggest delegation in the games has China which is represented
in the games by 639 athletes, it is followed by USA – 596, then comes
Russia 467, Germany 439, Australia 433, Japan 351.

The games will kick off tomorrow, August 9.

ARMENIAN STATE BUDGET TO RELEASE 138 MILLION DRAMS FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKS OF CHARLES AZNAVOUR HOUSE-MUSEUM

ARMENPRESS
Aug 7, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 7, ARMENPRESS: Deputy Yerevan mayor Kamo Areyan
said today at the government’s session that 138 million drams
will be provided from the government’s reserve fund to the Yerevan
municipality. K. Areyan said that the provided funds will be directed
towards the implementation of construction works of the Charles
Aznavour house-museum which have already started. The house-museum
is situated in the territory near Cascade.