Author: Badalian Vardan

QUANTITY OF OFFICIALLY REGISTERED UNEMPLOYED IN ARMENIA MAKES 103,2
THOU IN THE END OF APRIL 2005
YEREVAN, May 20. /ARKA/. The quantity of officially registered
unemployed in Armenia made 103,2 thou in the end of April 2005.
According to the RA National Statistical Service, the quantity of
the unemployed has reduced by 12% compared to April 2004. At that,
the quantity of unemployed reduced by 2,6% in April compared to
previous month. L.V.-0–

ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER POINTS OUT TURKISH DIPLOMACY BLUNDERS
Armenpress
YEREVAN, MAY 20, ARMENPRESS: Armenian foreign minister Vartan Oskanian
argued yesterday that Turkey’s prime minister Erdogan’s meeting with
Armenian president Robert Kocharian would first of all benefit Turkey
itself, as it is turkey that has to prove to the European community
its willingness to start normalization of relations with Yerevan.
During a televised appearance on Armenia’s Public TV Oskanian said a
Kocharian-Erdogan meeting has never been high on Armenia’s foreign
policy agenda. “Over several recent months the Armenian side has
never voiced an intention to have a meeting with Turkey’s leadership,
but I am sure that Robert Kocharian would have responded positively
to an Ankara proposal to organize it, as there is a lot for the two
leaders to discuss,” Oskanian said.
Oskanian said Turkish diplomacy made a rash mistake by declaring
about the possibility of Erdogan-Kocharian meeting in Warsaw counting
that the first move would be made by Kocharian to initiate the
meeting. “Turkish diplomacy’s calculations proved to be wrong that
came as a big surprise, since Turkish diplomats have the reputation
of skilled negotiators,” Oskanian said.
He said the Turkish diplomacy’s blunder has actually reduced to
zero the small progress that had emerged from a recent correspondence
between Erdogan and Kocharian. The second blunder of Turkish diplomacy,
according to Oskanian, was Erdogan’s tough speech at the Council of
Europe summit in Warsaw creating an impression in Europe that there is
no progress at all in Turkish-Armenian relations. “It played against
Turkey which is eager to integrate with European family of nations. The
united Europe has made Turkey’s membership in the EU contingent on
a set of requirements, including also the acknowledgment of Armenian
genocide and lifting its blockade of Armenia,” Oskanian said.

AZERI TRUTH OR VICTORY OF ARMENIAN DEMOCRACY?
A1plus
| 21:25:28 | 17-05-2005 | Politics |
RPA Faction head Galust Sahakyan considers yesterday’s statements by
Azeri FM Elmar Mamedyarov to be the victory of the Armenian democracy.
To remind, yesterday Elmar Mameduarov stated that Armenia will return
7 Azeri regions and the terms are being fixed. When responding to
A1+’s question whether it is possible that the conversation concerning
the return of the territories really took place Galust Shakian said,
“I do not think so, I suppose that his statement is connected with
the upcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan. In this view the
diplomatic elite should count with the opinion of the international
community, which does not consider that Armenia should return the
territories. He says, that Armenia still in 1994 ceded two territories
as well as Martunashen, where Armenians lived. I think Armenia will
make no other concessions. The status of Karabakh should be determined
first of all”.
ARFD member Armen Rustamian said he does not trust either Azeri
political figures or mass media. He rules out the possibility of
retuning the territories without determining the status of Karabakh.
Chairman of the Commission on Defense said they do not possess any
information on the issue.
Justice faction deputy Shavarsh Kocharyan says that Armenia would
better present some explanations.

EXPERT PROPOSES REDEPLOYING RUSSIAN MILITARY BASES IN GEORGIA
MOSCOW, May 16 (RIA Novosti) – Russian military bases in Georgia can be
redeployed to Abkhazia, Vice President of the Academy of Geopolitical
Problems Leonid Ivashov said at a press conference on Monday.
Abkhazia is a self-proclaimed republic which formally belongs to
Georgia but pursuing a pro-Russian policy. Many Abkhaz citizens have
Russian passports.
“Russia could re-deploy military bases to Armenia or Gudauta (Abkhazia)
to protect its citizens,” the expert said.
Once Russia had a military base in Gudauta which was withdrawn in
2000 in compliance with the Istanbul agreements. A decision on the
withdrawal of Russian bases from Georgia was made at the OSCE summit
in 1999. Today Russia has two military bases on Georgian territory,
in Akhalkalaki and Batumi.
The terms of the bases’ withdrawal is a stumbling block in
Russian-Georgian relations. The Russian Defense Ministry believes
that the troops can be withdrawn no sooner than in 3-4 years. The
Georgian side insists that this should be done by January 1, 2008.
In March 2005, Abkhaz President Sergei Bagapsh proposed deploying
the military bases in Abkhazia.
Leonid Ivashov is convinced that Russia will have to withdraw the
bases from Georgia.
“I hope for common sense of the Georgian leadership,” he said. In
his opinion, Georgian authorities will not aggravate relations with
Russia but will keep forcing the military bases out of Georgia.
Meanwhile, Georgian Defense Minister Irakly Okruashvili said today
that the government would display maximal liberalism in its position
on the bases’ withdrawal in order not to aggravate the situation and
achieve an agreement.
However, the Georgian side had serious instruments to put pressure
on Russia, Novosti-Georgia agency quoted Okruashvili as saying.

Pan Armenian News
TILL YEAR END ARMENIA SHOULD TAKE STEPS FOR OPENING ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER
13.05.2005 02:48
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During a press conference on occasion of the 5-th
anniversary of his period of office Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian said he does not rule that at first after the opening the
Armenian-Turkish border certain hardships and problems may emerge especially
as regards the import of Turkish goods to Armenian market. In his words, an
analogous situation was created when establishing trade relations with Iran.
However within two years the problems were solved and the Armenian party
succeeded in producing the goods, which had been imported from Iran before.
The Armenian Premier noted that the trade with Turkey is carried out with
closed borders via Russia and Georgia presently. `Till the end of the year
we should try to take steps for opening the borders and establishing trade
relations with Turkey’, he said pointing out to the progress in the context
of the recent correspondence between the Armenian President and the Turkish
Prime Minister. Andranik Margarian also mentioned of the possibility of
Armenian-Turkish meetings till this autumn. `Thing are moving’, the Armenian
Premier resumed, IA Regnum reports.

Armenian Speaker, European envoys discuss constitutional reforms
A1+ web site
11 May 05
The speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan, received
the rapporteurs of the [Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe] PACE
Monitoring Committee, Irzhi Yaskenya and George Kolumbie, today.
The meeting discussed the fulfilment of Armenia’s commitments to the PACE.
Asked by Yaskenya on constitutional reforms and a referendum, Bagdasaryan said
that the National Assembly had already adopted a draft of the constitutional
reforms in its first reading. The draft was drawn up by the coalition parties
which took into account the proposals of the Venice Commission of the PACE.
The speaker said that before the second reading, the draft would be discussed
with experts of the Venice Commission in order to bring the document into
line with the Council of Europe requirements.
[Passage omitted: minor details]
As for the resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh problem, Bagdasaryan said that
Armenia is ready to continue peace talks and demonstrate a constructive
approach to the settlement of the conflict. At the meeting they also discussed
further democratic reforms in Armenia.

A1plus
| 19:44:25 | 11-05-2005 | Official |
THE BANKS WERE ORDERED TO SERVE THE RAPIDLY DEVELOPING ECONOMY OF THE
COUNTRY
Today Robert Kocharyan has had a working meeting with the heads of the
Armenian Commerce Banks. Robert Kocharyan has mentioned that although the
experts appreciate our banking system as a healthy one, there is still much
to be done, especially towards the enhancing of the system.
He has offered the bank heads to discuss in a sincere atmosphere all the
problems that hinder the quick development of the system, and also to refer
to the negative phenomena in the currency field and to the methods of their
prevention.
The main concern of the participants of the meeting was the disbalance
created as a result of the changing course of the Armenian currency as it
gives the shade economy a good chance to develop.
Robert Kocharyan has mentioned that they will be very strict in this sphere.
`There is information that some banks are in conspiracy with the exchange
spots. Let me tell you that in case of recording a concrete case the results
will be drastic for the bank’, underlined the President.
Robert Kocharyan has also mentioned that the final decisions about the
problems raised will not keep us waiting.

A1plus
| 16:08:12 | 11-05-2005 | Politics |
EXEMPLARY JOB IN COE
According to sources close to Armenia’s Foreign Ministry, Armenia will soon
have another employee at the Council of Europe. The Council of Europe’s
General Directorate on Culture and Education has announced a job opening for
citizens of 17 member states, including Armenia.
Armenia’s permanent representative to Strasbourg, Ambassador Christian
Ter-Stepanian, is now actively trying to make sure that an Armenian citizen
is appointed to that position. Of course, Armenia would have achieved
greater success if our other diplomats had worked in a similarly exemplary
manner.

AZG Armenian Daily #084, 11/05/2005
Karabakh diary
9 MAY 1992: SHUSHI LIBERATED
These days 13 years ago Armenian tricolor was already fluttering from above
Shushi fortress. Defense of the town was broken from north and east on May
8. After street fights, the Armenian forces took under control the center of
Shushi in the evening. On May 9 Shushi was liberated from Azeri occupation.
57 Armenians gave their lives for the town’s liberation. Azeris’ tolls were
much heavier: 200 killed.
It has been 13 years already that Armenians worldwide celebrate the great
victory. These days 5 years ago, Father Gevorg from Surp Khazanchetzotz
church was telling, “We must populate and make Shushi prosper, otherwise our
struggle and victories render meaningless. We paid the highest price, the
blood of our young people, for Shushi”.
Unfortunately, the town is still mostly ruined today. Residents of the
gloomy and sad town, counting several thousands, drab miserable existence.
Most of them lost their homes in Baku and Kirovabad. May 9, Day of Shushi
liberation, is the only day in the year that breathes life into the town.
This is the day when the town becomes unnaturally populous: officials and
guests from Armenia and Diaspora come to the town to put candles in the
church. Indifference and misery prevails all other days of the year.
May 9, which is painted red in our calendars, is a day of great celebration
indeed but it is very slow to enter the lives of ordinary residents.
By Tatoul Hakobian

Pan Armenian News
CONCERT TO MARK DAY OF FIRST ARMENIAN REPUBLIC IN KRASNODAR
10.05.2005 03:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ May 25 a festive concert will take place in the Krasnodar
Territory concert hall to mark the Day of the first Republic of Armenia
reported the Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia. The event is
organized by Yerkir youth association of Krasnodar chaired by Diana
Hunanian. The concert program includes performances of young singers, Arax
dancing ensemble, a vocal and instrumental ensemble and Kuban Armenians team
of KVN (Club of cheery and smart). A number of youth ensembles of the
Armenian communities of Krasnodar territory are also expected to appear.