Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER SENDS CONGRATULATION MESSAGE ON OCCASION OF INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THEATER
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 28 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 28, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA National
Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasarian sent a congratulation message
on the occasion of the International Day of Theater. In the message
submitted to Noyan Tapan by the RA Public Relations Department,
is said: “I warmly congratulate theatrical figures and certainly
admirers of theater as well on the occasion of their holiday, the
Day of Theater. The Armenain theater having history of millenniums
had an invaluable contribution in the Armenian people’s culture
and history, and why not, in the history of the world theater as
well. Armenian artists have always been in the center of attention
with their art, gifting people the wonder of art. And today as
well, continuing the splendid traditions of their predessesor,
they assist the moral-spiritual education of the spectator and the
progress of the society. The draft “On State Assistance to Theater”
is in circulation at the National Assembly the adoption of which will
contribute development of the theatrical activity. Again congratulating
all the people of the theater, I wish them health and happiness,
successes and that the theater’s curtain is never pulled down.

OPEN LETTER TO ARMENIA’S CITIZENS AND ALL INSTITUTIONS INTERESTED IN ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN THE REPUBLIC
Panorama.am
13:47 28/03/06
IN DEFENSE OF HERITAGE Since March 4, 2006, Chairman Raffi
K. Hovannisian of the Heritage Party and the staff of its central
office have been forcibly denied the right of entry into their own
place of work, which under the existing contract is theirs until
June of this year. Considering this to be a flagrant infringement,
on the part of the incumbent presidency and its ruling clique, of
fundamental civil liberties and political freedoms, MP and chairman
of the National Democrats’ Alliance Arshak Sadoyan has launched an
initiative whereby he has petitioned all political parties in Armenia
as well as institutions that are interested in the establishment of
democracy in the Republic to raise their voice of protest against
this blatant lawlessless. The authors of this initiative declare
that the letter is open to all political forces and public and
private organizations which choose to demonstrate their solidarity
on this matter. On March 4, 2006, a criminal break-in took place at
the premises which Armenia’s first Minister of Foreign Affairs Raffi
K. Hovannisian has been leasing for more than 12 years. Without advance
notice on legal warrant, the lock of the Heritage Party headquarters’
main outer door was smashed and replaced with another.
As a result, the chairman of the Heritage Party and the staff of
its central office have been forcibly denied the right of entry into
their own place of work, which under the existing contract is theirs
until June of this year. The absolute closure of access to Heritage’s
official seal, documents, computers, and means of telecommunication
has brought the party’s activities to a standstill, paralyzing the
regular contact between its headquarters and regional offices.
Raffi Hovannisian and the executive board of the Heritage Party have
issued formal and telephonic petitions to Prime Minister Andranik
Margarian, Attorney General Aghvan Hovsepian, and Police Chief Haik
Harutiunian regarding this unlawful act. No response, explanation,
or comment has been received to date from the law enforcement bodies.
In fact, the constitutional order has once again been violated in
Armenia. A leading opposition party that has stood out of late with its
civic and public initiatives has effectively and illegally been shut
down. We consider this to be a flagrant infringement, on the part of
the incumbent presidency and its ruling clique, of fundamental civil
liberties and political freedoms.
We demand that the Armenian authorities reopen the Heritage Party
headquarters immediately and implement measures guaranteeing its
normal, unfettered, and secure operations.
Forum of Intellectuals of Armenia National Democrats’ Alliance Republic
Party National Rebirth Party National Democratic Union New Times Party
Social Democrat Hnchak Party Social Democratic Party of Armenia Social
Ecological Party of Armenia Democratic Motherland Party Motherland
and Pride Union National Unity Mission Party Armenian Arian Union
Armenian Center for Cultural Assistance and Strategy “Human Rights 96”
NGO “The Officer’s Pride” NGO Anti-globalists’ Union “People are the
Country’s Owners” Union.

KOCHARIAN’S MESSAGE: DISCUSSION OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE IN THE SPHERE OF FOREIGN TRADE IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 28 2006
YEREVAN, March 28. /ARKA/. Discussion of the first international
experience in the sphere of foreign trade and financing, its
development and adaptation are of great importance for Armenia,
according to the welcoming message of the RA President Robert Kocharyan
to the participants of the first international bank conference on
financing of the foreign trade, which opened today in Yerevan.
Kocharyan’s message, presented by the Chairman of the CBA Tigran
Sargsyan, emphasizes that the foreign trade plays a stimulating role
in securing economic growth.
“Consequently steps and events taken in this direction, including
this conference, will contribute to the compatibility of the Armenian
business as well as activate export-import processes”, the message
states. Kocharyan also attached importance to establishment and
development of business relations between banks and enterprises of
Armenia and other countries.
“Taking into consideration the presented content of international
structures I hope that new business relations will be established
between Armenian and international organizations, Kocharyan stated.
The organizers of the conference are the EBRD and Armeconombank, and
“ARKA Armenian News Agency, “Armnews” TV-channel and “Republic of
Armenia” newspaper are among the media-sponsors of the conference.
Such issues as the role of banks and bank instruments in promotion of
international trade as well as cooperation of banks and exporters in
the sphere of trade financing in Armenia are intended to be discussed
during the conference. Issues of management of credit risks, payment
balance of Armenia, estimation of documentary operations’ risk and
development perspectives of the international trade in Armenia will be
touched upon during the conference as well. Three-year work experience
of the Armeconombank by the foreign trade promotion program, worked
out together with the EBRD, is going to be presented at the conference.
Representatives of the Deutsche Bank, ABN-Armo bank, Citibank,
Interstate Bank as well as the CBA, the RA Union of Manufacturers
and Entrepreneurs, large-scale international and local companies and
banks will take part in the conference, which will last till March 30.

SYNCHRONIZATION OF ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN ENERGY SYSTEMS TO TAKE ABOUT 3 YEARS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
March 28 2006
Yerevan, March 28. /ARKA/. The synchronization of the Armenian and
Russian energy systems will take about three years, Yevgeny Dod,
Director General of the “INTER RAO UES” CJSC, told reporters in
Moscow. He pointed out that synchronization of the Armenian and
Russian energy systems first of all requires the establishment of
communication between Russia and Georgia.
Dod stressed that this is “system and global” issue. He added that
the Armenian and Russian energy systems will be synchronized through
Georgia.
“The construction of a transmission line between Georgia and Armenia
is rather expensive. Georgia will carry out construction on its side,
while Armenia on its side,” Dod said. He expressed conviction that
synchronization will successfully be completed in case of stale work.
In the USSR, the Armenian energy system’s synchronous operation with
the other Soviet republics was ensured through Azerbaijan.
Fourteen of 15 CISA countries (except for Armenia) had synchronously
operating energy systems until 2003. That year Turkmenistan withdrew
from the CIS integrated energy system.

RA OMBUDSMAN TO PARTICIPATE IN OSCE CONSULTATIONS
ArmRadio.am
27.03.2006 16:45
OSCE International Consultations on “Attorneys and national
institutions of defense of human rights: legal, state and non-state
aspects” will be held March 30-31 in Hofburg palace of Vienna.
The role of attorneys and national institutions in the defense of
human rights will be discussed.
It is noted in the preliminary agenda of the sitting that the OSCE has
long-term relations with national institutions of defense of human
rights and attorneys, based on obligations expressed in different
OSCE documents.
Representatives of all 55 OSCE member states will participate in the
sitting. RA Human Rights Defender’s Office informs that RA Ombudsman
Armen Harutyunyan will also participate in the event.

WORKING VISIT OF A. BAGHDASARYAN TO SPAIN
National Assembly of RA, Armenia
March 27 2006
>From March 29 to April Artur Baghdasaryan, President of the National
Assembly of the Republic of Armenia will pay a working visit to
Spain. During the visit the meetings of NA President with Javier
Rojo, President of the Senate of Spain and Manuel Marin Gonzalez,
President of the Congress of Deputies are envisaged.
On March 29 Artur Baghdasaryan, NA President and Ann Marie Lizin,
Chairwoman of the Senate of the Belgian Kingdom will open the fifth
forum of the World Alliance of the Cities Fighting against Poverty,
during which four cities of Armenia will become the alliance.
During the visit other meetings are also envisaged.

ARMENIAN PRISONER OF WAR REPATRIATED UNDER ICRC AUSPICES YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On 24 March an Armenian prisoner of war
detained in Azerbaijan was repatriated under the auspices of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the ICRC, the operation took place on the road between the
Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of Ijevan. The ICRC,
participating as a neutral intermediary and in accordance with its
mandate, facilitated the repatriation of the released prisoner at the
request of the Azerbaijani and the Armenian authorities. ICRC delegates
visited the prisoner of war before the operation to ensure he was
returning home of his own free will. Since the start of its activities
in connection with the Nagorny Karabakh conflict in 1992, the ICRC
has helped repatriate or transfer 656 people, and the organization
will support any similar operation in the future should the need arise.

Regnum, Russia
March 24 2006
`Russia gives Azerbaijan and Armenia `to the mercy’ of the US’: Azeri
press digest
Politics
`Armenia’s withdrawal from the occupied Azeri lands will improve our
relations with that country,’ Azeri President Ilham Aliyev says Mar
15. `We want nothing extraordinary. We just want the Armenians to
leave our lands. After that we will be able to live like neighbors,’
Aliyev says in a Mar 15 meeting with the Turkish delegates to the 2nd
World Azeris Congress. (New Time)
`Armenia will not be able to rival with Azerbaijan,’ Aliyev says at
the 2nd World Azeris Congress in Baku Mar 16. He says that Azerbaijan
is augmenting its military capacity annually and has a $600 mln
military budget this year. `My task is to shortly make our military
budget as big as the whole national budget of Armenia.’ `Armenia will
never be able to rival with us. The sooner they realize that the
better for them.’ Aliyev says that Azerbaijan will have to revise its
participation in the Karabakh peace process if it sees that Armenia
is wrecking the process by non-constructive attitude. `The peace
talks have been ongoing for 12 years already, but with no result. And
nobody knows for how much longer they will go on. We are for peace
talks, but when we see how con-constructive and insincere Armenia is,
we are losing patience. If we see that the peace process is just a
fake, we will come out of it,’ says Aliyev. `Azerbaijan will not
allow the seizure of Nagorno Karabakh in either 10 or 100 years.’
`Unless we agree on the return of displaced persons to their homes,
we will reach no peace agreement at all,’ says Aliyev. (Zerkalo)
Zerkalo daily reports: `Reliable diplomatic sources say that an
unprecedented pressure was put on the Azeri leadership during the
last visit of the US assistant secretary of state for Europe and
Eurasia to Baku. The Washington emissaries tried every means to get
Ilham Aliyev to agree to the OSCE MG-proposed peace. They also urged
Aliyev to agree to take part, if need be, in the US anti-Iranian
coalition, otherwise, the US will use various levers of pressure: the
human rights and democracy situation in Azerbaijan, especially after
the last parliamentary elections, the problem of corruption in the
government.
‘It was hardly coincidence that right after the failure in
Rambouillet, the US `found’ proofs that the well-known Czech
businessman Viktor Kozeny continued bribing top Azeri officials after
1998. It seems that Washington has made `the Kozeny case’ `a
long-playing record’ for playing it every time Baku tries to `defy’
its plans in the region. Moreover, the same reliable diplomatic
sources say that Baku will hardly get `support’ from Russia, who
wants to `freeze’ the conflict most of all. This time, Russia has
decided to give its `reliable ally,’ its `outpost’ in the South
Caucasus Armenia and its `strategic partner’ Azerbaijan `to the
mercy’ of the US. Just one look is enough to see that Russia is
actually doing that.
`…The situation is not easy. Unfortunately, Azerbaijan has little
inner capacity to resist the outer pressure in the Armenian-Azeri
peace process. In his time Haydar Aliyev (Azeri president in
1993-2003 – REGNUM) left room for system opposition and could
actively use them if offered unfavorable peace scenarios. The
`Azeri-way’ parliamentary elections can become a `Pyrrhic victory’
for the Azeri elite. The point is that having crushed the opposition
before, during and after the elections, the elite can hardly convince
the international community now that it will not be able to cope with
them if it agrees to the MG-proposed peace agreement. One can guess
that this time the US may use the opposition to its own ends, but one
can hardly imagine how. But one can’t but notice that during his Baku
visit Daniel Fried met with only one Azeri opposition leader – the
baskan (leader – REGNUM) of Musavat party Isa Gambar…’
The US will keep an intent eye on the May 2006 repeated parliamentary
elections in Azerbaijan, US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe
and Eurasia Daniel Fried says in Baku. He says that they in the US
are disappointed that the Nov 2005 parliamentary elections were not
as free and fair as they expected. They urged the Azeri government to
repeat voting in the districts with biggest violations. Democracy
development in Azerbaijan is and will be a key goal of the US policy,
says Fried and notes that a strong government should have a strong
opposition. (Zerkalo)
`To fight religious-extremist groups is one of the primary tasks of
the Azeri special services,’ Azeri National Security Minister Eldar
Mahmudov says in an interview to Interfax-Azerbaijan. `Now those
groups are mostly engaged in terrorist activities to overthrow the
present secular democratic regime and to force Azerbaijan to refuse
from involvement in international anti-terror operations,’ says
Mahmudov. `Their methods are to commit terrorist acts against vital
strategic facilities, embassies, wherever foreign citizens work and
live.’ `And to solve this problem we need not only administrative,
legal or urgent measures, but also social work and instruction. The
practice shows that the core of any extremist groups is basically
religious young people from poor families, students majoring in
theology or jobless youths. To prevent religious extremism we must
timely keep Azeri youths from getting into its nets. This is a very
hard job: despite our big experience and active work, we were really
shocked to find out that Al-Qaeda was planning to recruit Azeri young
girls as suicide bombers (shahids),’ notes Mahmudov.
The opposition Musavat party is planning mass actions for Apr, says
the party’s vice chairman Arif Gajily. They are planning rallies in
the districts of repeated elections and also a republican rally in
Baku. (Yeni Musavat)
`The state financing of the Azeri political parties is impossible
this year,’ says the executive secretary of the ruling Yeni
Azerbaycan party, MP Ali Ahmetov. The key reason is that the state
budget has no relevant allocations. State financing is a good but
also a hard thing. The public should first decide the criteria and
mechanisms of such financing. `If everybody decides that the state
should finance the parties, we will discuss this problem at a higher
level. I hope that the Azeri authorities will soon decide that such
financing is necessary and will take measures to this end,’ says
Ahmedov. (Trend)
`It is for the states themselves rather that for international
organizations to ensure the transport security of the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline on their territories,’ Azeri Deputy
Prime Minister Abid Sharifov said at a news conference. He reminded
the journalists of the repeated breaks of the Baku-Supsa oil pipeline
and noted that BTC may face the same danger. `Now that the pipe is
not yet full with oil, we are not expecting such dangers, but they
are still possible – not in Azerbaijan, but in the other BTC states,’
Sharifov said. (New Time)
`A junior sergeant of the Azeri army has confessed his cooperation in
captivity with the Armenian secret services,’ reports AzerTag.
“Counter-intelligence into the case of junior sergeant of N military
unit of the Azeri Defense Ministry Bekirov Ruslan Hagani Oglu, 1985,
called up by the Shamkir military commissariat and held in captivity
by the Armenians Feb 15-May 7 2005, has proved that he was in secret
cooperation with the Armenian secret services.
Misled by the Armenians, the commander of the N unit Ruslan Bekirov,
together with his men Abdulayev Hayal Idris Oglu, 1986, and Tagiyev
Hikmet Adem Oglu, 1983, deserted to the enemy Feb 15 2005, thereby
betraying his Fatherland and causing detriment to the national
security, sovereignty, territorial integrity and defense of the
Azerbaijani Republic.
Upon being brought back from captivity by ICRC, Bekirov admitted his
cooperation with the Armenians. But counter-intelligence showed that
Bekirov’s first testimony was part of the Armenians’ secret plan. As
a result, Bekirov confessed that the Armenians persuaded him,
Abdullayev and Tagiyev into secret cooperation.
They met with Bekirov 7 times and, finally, got him to pledge secret
cooperation on paper and video. They nicked him `Ramin’ and told him
how to keep contact. They promised him $3,000-4,000 for each mission.
An Armenian secret agent, calling himself Rudik, told Bekirov to
organize blasts on the route of the Azeri president, at BTC and in
the territory of Haydar Aliyev Airport as well as to photograph
various military-strategic facilities and to send the pictures to
Armenia.
All the above facts were proved. The Military Council of the AR Court
on Grave Crimes ruled Oct 7 to imprison Bekirov and Abdullayev for 12
years – for high treason (article 274), desertion at war time or on
duty (334.3), abuse of duty (338.1) and abuse of powers (341.3),
while Tagiyev for 11 years – for high treason (274), desertion at war
time or on duty (334.3) and abuse of duty (338.1).
Mar 16 several members of the Organization for Karabakh Liberation
(OKL) tried to prevent the participation of Armenian delegates in the
OSCE Economic Forum preparatory conference in Baku, but were stopped
by the police. 10 OKL members were arrested. In its following
statement, the OKL says that by its actions the OSCE is trying to
justify the `occupant’ policy of Armenia, to force Azerbaijan to make
it up with the enemy and to put up with the loss of its lands. The
OKL qualifies the OSCE’s actions as disrespect for the international
law. The OIL also blames the Azeri government for allowing the
Armenian delegates to come to Baku. The arrested OKL members are
still in custody. (525th Daily)
Iran. Diplomatic scandal
In a Mar 14 Baku press-conference US Assistant Secretary of State for
Europe and Eurasia Daniel Fried said that he had discussed the
problem of Iran’s nuclear program with the Azeri leaders and noted
that the US would discuss with Azerbaijan all its possible actions
Iran. Fried said that the US did not want this to happen and hoped
that the world community would convince Iran to stop its nuclear
program. (525th Daily)
`Whatever the further developments, we better be on the safe side of
it and consider the possible outcomes of the US war against Iran. If
one sunny morning we are suddenly waked up by a thunder of blowing up
bombs in neighboring Iran, like it or not, but we will have to think:
what to do?’ says Zerkalo. `Not to get in is certainly the best way
for us. But the question is if a small country like us will be able
to stay `weightless’ so close from Iran. We are by far not Turkey yet
to be able to keep relations with Iran and to oppose its strategic
partner US in the matter. On the other hand, even if we manage to
stay calm and aloof, we will have to manage the inevitable surge of
Iranian refugees in our country…’
Mar 17 the Iranian Embassy in Baku sent the Azeri FM a note of
protest against some anti-Iranian statements made during the Mar 16
2nd World Azeris Congress. The note says: `We deeply regret to see
some anti-Iranian elements taking part in the congress and strongly
protest against their groundless and unfriendly statements about
Iran’s internal affairs. We also condemn the actions openly
interfering in our domestic affairs and running counter to the
internationally recognized norms and to the principles of friendly
relations between two neighboring and brotherly states. This is also
contrary to Azerbaijan’s commitments under the agreement on
friendship and cooperation signed by our former presidents in Tehran
in May 2002. We are surprised to hear anti-Iranian statements during
an event organized by the Azeri government as well as statements
referring to the Turkmanchay Treaty and presenting Azerbaijan as a
divided state.’ The note points out that now that Azerbaijan is
facing a territorial problem itself, such statements damage its own
interests and bilateral relations with Iran. `The Embassy of the
Islamic Republic of Iran in Baku strongly demands that the Azeri
government stop such actions by anti-Iranian elements, calls for
signing an agreement on friendship and asks to respect the principles
of good neighborhood.’ (525th Daily)
Azerbaijan-Armenia. Karabakh problem
One cannot solve the Karabakh problem by such statements, US
Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Daniel Fried said
in Baku, while commenting on the statement of Armenian President
Robert Kocharyan that Armenia will recognize Nagorno Karabakh’s
independence if the peace talks fail. (525th Daily)
`Armenia has deployed vast loads of arms and military hardware,’
Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev said in a meeting with his
Romanian counterpart Teodor Atanasiu. He said that Armenia has moved
its vast arsenal to the `occupied’ Azeri territories. (Trend)
`They in Azerbaijan are displeased with the western scheme of the
Karabakh conflict settlement,’ says Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta. `The
West is actively taking over Russia’s initiative in settling the
frozen CIS conflicts. The German-US Marshall Fund has joined the EU
and the US in this process.’
Recently The Washington Post published an article by Ana Palacio, the
former foreign minister of Spain, and Daniel Twining, an Oxford-based
consultant to the German Marshall Fund of the United States. The
authors urge Europe and the US to jointly battle the `shadow empire’
of Russia, who is trying to `retain political and military suzerainty
over their weaker neighbors.’ As a counteraction the West should
`require closure of the Russian bases on Armenian and Georgian
territory, support Georgian calls to internationalize the
Russian-dominated `peacekeeping’ force in South Ossetia and Abkhazia
and offer a mini-Marshall Plan for the entire South Caucasus.’ The
details of the plan are given in the paragraph about the Karabakh
conflict. The authors say that `this barely frozen conflict threatens
a hot war that would devastate the region.’
But `it is also the place where a breakthrough is perhaps most
likely. Western governments could support a settlement there in which
Armenia returned to Azerbaijan the occupied provinces surrounding the
disputed territory and allowed Azerbaijani refugees to resettle
there. Nagorno- Karabakh could enjoy full autonomy until its ultimate
status was decided by democratic referendum at some future date.’
The Azeri authorities have not yet reacted to these recommendations.
But the local media and most political experts strongly object to the
idea of a Karabakh status referendum. Considering The Washington
Post’s close relations with the White House, they take the above
article as the outlines of the US’ Armenia-Azerbaijan reconciliation
plan.
`A plan Baku must not accept,’ says well-known Azeri political expert
Rasim Musabekov. He says that `the Azeri leaders must in no way
accept the idea of Karabakh status referendum.’ `The very acceptance
of this norm will mean our renouncement of the principle of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity and de facto recognition of the
right of the Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh to
self-determination,’ Musabekov says to NG.
Azeri experts say that the `new Marshall plan’ is not a fantasy by
retired western politicians but a joint concept by the West and the
US to ensure control over the South Caucasus. It is for OSCE MG US
Co-Chair Steven Mann to make this concept true. His abilities are not
just hearsay in Azerbaijan: it was due to his efforts mostly that BTC
is a reality. They in Baku assume that Mann may have already got the
agreement of the Georgian and Armenian leaders by promising them
hundreds of millions of US dollars in free Millennium Challenge
assistance in exchange for their support of the new `Marshall plan.’
Baku experts say that this is hardly a bait for the self-sufficient
Azerbaijan. At stake is Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity – if Ilham
Aliyev accepts the new `Marshall plan’ he will lose Nagorno Karabakh.
To get him to accept the plan and to agree with Robert Kocharyan one
will probably need stronger arguments, says NG.
In its `Armenia’ section the official site of RAO UES calls Shusha –
Shushi, Lachin – Kashadag, Nagorno Karabakh – Nagorno Karabakh
Republic; with no Naxchivan mentioned as part of Azerbaijan in
`Azerbaijan’ section. In this connection, Azeri NGOs and media are
going to launch a campaign against RAO UES, reports Real Azerbaijan.
No Azeri soldiers will take part in any military exercises in the
territory of Armenia, says the deputy spokesman of the Azeri Defense
Ministry Ilgar Verdiyev. Earlier Armenian Deputy Defense Minister
Artur Agabekyan said that in June 2006 Armenia will host NATO PfP
Rescuer 2006 exercises. He said that attending the exercises will be
representatives from 20 countries and probably from Turkey and
Azerbaijan. The Azeri DM reacted by saying that this is impossible.
`Armenia takes just a formal part in the NATO PfP program. They hold
just one formal PfP event in a whole year,’ says Verdiyev and notes
that even if the Azeri DM gets an official invitation to take part in
any military event in Armenia, it will not accept it. (Trend)

Armenpress
KARABAKH WELCOMES ICG REPORT, BUT SAYS ITS
RECOMMENDATIONS NOT FEASIBLE
STEPANAKERT, MARCH 24, ARMENPRESS: The foreign
ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh praised a report by the
Brussels- based International Crisis Group (ICG) on
EU’s role in resolution of conflicts in the South
Caucasus, issued on March 20, describing it as
‘serious and analytical work.”
The report in question said instability in the
South Caucasus is a threat to European Union (EU)
security. “Geographic proximity, energy resources,
pipelines and the challenges of international crime
and trafficking make stability in the region a clear
EU interest. Yet, the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh,
Abkhazian and South Ossetian conflicts have the
potential to ignite into full-fledged wars in Europe’s
neighborhood. To guarantee its own security, the EU
should become more engaged in efforts to resolve the
three disputes. It can do so by strengthening the
conflict resolution dimension of the instruments it
applies. As the EU is unlikely to offer membership to
Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan even in the medium
term, it must identify innovative means to impose
conditionality on its aid and demonstrate influence.
This is a challenge that Brussels has only begun to
address.”
Irina Beglarian, head of a department at
Nagorno-Karabakh foreign ministry, said
Nagorno-Karabakh shared these concerns and welcomed
every effort aimed at preventing resumption of
hostilities in the region and establishment of
stability and peace. She said Karabakh authorities
comprehend the desire of the EU to get involved in
peace efforts, but she added that recommendations
offered by the report to achieve the goals are not
feasible, as they do not reflect the core of the
Karabakh conflict and are based on misinterpreted
basic concepts.
Irina Beglarian said also Nagorno-Karabakh was
surprised at the report’s authors attempts to accuse
the OSCE Minsk group of monopolizing the peace
process. She said the Minsk group does not work at the
whim of separate diplomats or countries. The group is
mandated by the OSCE to help the parties to find a
mutually acceptable peace formula.

THIRTY-SEVEN HOUSES FOR HOMELESS FAMILIES
Lragir/am
23 March 06

According to the news agency ARKA, in the framework of the Charity
Building Program of Catholicos Garegin II thirty-seven apartments will
be built for homeless families in Armenia, informed the Armenian
Habitat. In the press release of the company it is stated that the aim
of the project is to assist in solving the problem of the homeless,
and it is implemented by the Armenian Habitat and the Armenian
Apostolic Church, under the auspices of Catholicos Garegin II. The
program includes building houses in the region of
Gegharkunik. Particularly, 24 houses will be built in the town of
Gavar, Gegharkunik region.