ASBAREZ Online [05-16-2005]

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05/16/2005
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WEBSITE AT <;HTTP:// 1) Armenian, Azeri Leaders Hold Crucial Karabagh Talks 2) Hariri Electoral List Offends Majority of Lebanon's Armenians 3) Catholicos Aram I President Khatami Meet 4) Iran and Armenia Agree to Build Power Stations on Arax River 1) Armenian, Azeri Leaders Hold Crucial Karabagh Talks YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan spoke for nearly three hours late Sunday and early Monday in closely watched talks on Mountainous Karabagh. Information about the meeting held on the sidelines of a Council of Europe summit in Warsaw was scarce. Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian were reported to approve another series of talks between their foreign ministers who have reported progress towards a peaceful settlement in recent months. According to Azeri sources, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov indicated that the two leaders discussed a timetable for Armenian withdrawal from occupied Azeri territories around Karabagh. However, an Armenian foreign ministry official in Yerevan told Agence France-Presse that he has no information about such a agreement. "We are discussing which district should be liberated and when," Mammadyarov told Azerbaijan's ATV channel, according to BBC Monitoring. "They [the Armenians] agree that all the districts should be returned, however, they are thinking of a timeframe. There are many issues involved such as the military issue, the return of refugees, the issue of land mines and the rehabilitation of the territories." Yet another Azeri TV station, ANS, reported the contrary, quoted Mammadyarov as saying that although Aliyev and Kocharian "did not make a significant breakthrough" they decided to continue the so-called "Prague process" of meetings of the two foreign ministers mediated by French, Russian and US diplomats. Armenia has not released any details of the Warsaw talks that began at 11 p.m. local time and continued into early hours of the morning. "The presidents did not find it necessary to issue any statements to the media after the meeting," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamlet Gasparian said. "There is nothing I can say about their agreements and discussions. The presidents will do that if they find it necessary." Gasparian said that Aliyev and Kocharian began the meeting in the presence of the Russian and French foreign ministers as well as the three co-chairs of the mediating Minsk Group, and then spoke for two hours in a tête-à-tête format. Speaking to journalists after meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan later on Monday, Aliyev said the two presidents "reviewed" their positions. "You know that our foreign ministers often meet and discuss different issues," he said. "We shall not issue a statement for the press today as it is early yet. I hope that the negotiations will produce results and the issues between us will be resolved." Kocharian did not elaborate, only saying, "I see the prospect for finding a settlement of the Mountainous Karabagh conflict in the context of respect for European values," he said without elaborating in a subsequent speech at the Warsaw summit. The Aliyev-Kocharian talks were preceded by Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian's meeting with the US, Russian and French co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group. Gasparian declined to reveal its details. 2) Hariri Electoral List Offends Majority of Lebanon's Armenians BEIRUT (AFP/Aztagdaily)--Saad Hariri, son of the slain former premier Rafiq Hariri, on Sunday announced his electoral list for Beirut's three constituencies in the Lebanese general election due to begin May 29. Hariri announced 19 candidates for the city's 19 seats, of which 10 are Christian and the rest Muslim. These include candidates for the four Armenian seats, but exclude the two candidates put forth by the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), which has widespread support among Beirut's significant Armenian minority. "The list fails to consider the will of Lebanon's majority of Armenians," writes Beirut based Aztag Armenian newspaper "This deprivation of just rights counters the premise for creating national unity based on a balanced approach, to include the varies sectors of Lebanon's communities. Leading up to the release of the electoral list, ARF officials held several deliberations with key officials, including Hariri, so that the Armenian community of Lebanon would be properly represented. Calling the move "surprising and offensive" the paper also calls into question approaches to certain sectors of the Armenian community. Hariri's list includes Solange Gemayel, widow of slain president and Christian warlord Bashir Gemayel, who will be the only candidate for Beirut's Maronite Christian seat, and Shiite movement Hezbollah's Amin Sherri for one of the two Shiite seats. A key ally of Hariri's father and a former justice minister, Bahige Tabbara, is to stand for one of six Sunni seats. Other candidates on the Hariri list are the same as those who stood in the last elections in 2000 in support of his father. 3) Catholicos Aram I President Khatami Meet TEHRAN (Combined Ssources)--Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia Aram I, met with Iranian president Mohammad Khatami in Tehran on Saturday, and discussed current world and regional developments. President Khatami said Iran has consistently been tolerant of different religions, and that a peaceful coexistence is in place. The Catholicos described the that co-existence as "among the cherished values of the Islamic Republic of Iran." He said that religions are currently in danger and the followers of faiths must emphasize dialogue to strengthen the role of religion in human life. Referring to "hidden forces" that seek to disrupt Lebanon's stability, President Khatami praised the role of religious and ethnic leaders in preventing crises. "The Lebanese people must prove to the world they are able to safeguard stability and security in their country." The two leaders also discussed Iran's position on the Mountainous Karabagh conflict. Khatami said Iran promotes negotiations, and urges a peaceful resolution, emphasizing the issue must not be considered as a conflict between Muslim and Christians. "Territorial problem can be solved through discussions and logic." During his 14-day visit to Iran, His Holiness will tour the provinces of Isfahan, Markazi, West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan. Catholicos Aram I arrived in Iran on May 12 to conduct two weeks of official meetings. He presided over a special ceremony on May 13 in Tehran's "Ararat" sports' complex and dedicated the 10th anniversary of his enthronement and the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Seminary in Antelias, Lebanon. On this occasion His Holiness said: "I renew my vow to continue the mission of Antelias dedicated to the church, our nation and our homeland." Highlighting the Catholicosate's mission, he said that Antelias forms individuals, and enhances spiritual formation, and is also an expression of the will to build a homeland and a pioneer in the fight for justice. "Jubilees are nothing without man's readiness for devotion. The Catholicosate of Cilicia, with its brotherhood, seminary, dioceses and structure, flourished the lives of our church and nation during the last 75 years. One of the first victims of the Armenian Genocide, the Catholicosate of Cilicia prepared new manpower and formed spirits as a response to the inhumanness of the perpetrator and in place of the ruins and destruction," said His Holiness. The ambassador of Armenia to Iran, Iranian deputies, representatives of organizations and unions, as well as a large number of Iranian Armenians were present at the ceremony. 4) Iran and Armenia Agree to Build Power Stations on Arax River TEHRAN (Armenpress)--Iran and Armenia agreed on May 14 to build two power stations at the border of their two countries, IRNA reported. The decision was taken at the seventh meeting of the joint technical commission, and agreed to by Iran's Water and Energy Resources Company Ira deputy head for development projects Naser Ne'mati, and Armenian deputy minister of energy Karen Sarkisian. "Given the 40-km Iran-Armenia common border across the Arax river, the two sides decided to use the relevant hydroelectric potential," Ne'mati said. According to a report released by the Iran's Public Water and Energy Resources Company PR department, Ne'mati said that the first power station, with a production capacity of 130 MWs, will be established in Armenia by building an 18.3-km tunnel. "The second one with a capacity of 140 MWs will be constructed in Iran. A 17.5-km tunnel is required to be set up for the second power station," added the report. The preliminary studies on the first phase of the second project is currently underway. Five documents have already been signed and necessary talks on expediting the settlement of the current problems have been held. All subscription inquiries and changes must be made through the proper carrier and not Asbarez Online. ASBAREZ ONLINE does not transmit address changes and subscription requests. (c) 2005 ASBAREZ ONLINE. All Rights Reserved. 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