Author: Chakrian Hovsep

Javno.hr, Croatia
June 10 2007

Ex-Soviet Leaders Mull Trade Amid Strained Ties

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the leaders of 12 former
Soviet states on Sunday to forge closer trade links.

Russian President Vladimir Putin urged the leaders of 12 former
Soviet states on Sunday to forge closer trade links.
Putin hosted leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
after a high profile economic forum in Russia’s second city of St
Petersburg.

"I hope we will devote our meeting today to economic cooperation in
the post-Soviet space," Putin told his guests as he welcomed them to
the Konstantinovsky palace, his official residence in the Gulf of
Finland.

The CIS was formed as a way to ensure a ‘civilised divorce’ after the
1991 collapse of the Soviet Union. But hopes that it could turn into
a kind of European Union have faded.

Tense ties between some members have made formal discussions
difficult.

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, locked in a bitter territorial
conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, met on Saturday and Putin hosted
Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili.

Saakashvili has enraged Russia by driving his Caucasus country away
from reliance on Russia and seeking membership of the European Union
and the NATO military alliance.

INERTIA

"The inertia of separation (in CIS) turned out to be stronger than
integration efforts," Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev told the
economic forum before the CIS summit.

But Nazarbayev, who now holds the rotating CIS chairmanship, sounded
more upbeat when he met his colleagues at the Konstantinovsky palace.

"Cooperation within the CIS is an important element of foreign policy
of its members," he said.

Analysts say boosting integration with ex-Soviet states — Moscow’s
traditional powerbase — has become increasingly important for
Russia, which is looking for a new global role encouraged by several
years of strong economic growth.

Putin, who ends his eight-year presidency next year, has improved
ties with strategically important Central Asian neighbours
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, who have major energy
reserves.

Moscow has struck deals with the three which could revive the united
Soviet-era network of pipelines to ship gas to Europe via Russia and
pledged to step up cooperation in making them a railway transport
link between Europe and Southern Asia.

A free-trade zone negotiated between Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus
is also seen in Russia as an example of how ex-Soviet states could
integrate.

SCOPE OF DIFFERENCES ON ISSUE OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IS NARROWING, MATTHEW BRYZA CONVINCED

Noyan Tapan
Jun 07 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN. We cannot say that this time we expect
a turning-point in Saint Petersburg but we hope that some qualitative
progress may be made, the U.S. co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew
Bryza said at the June 7 joint conference of the Minsk Group co-chairs.

According to him, an active negotiation process is underway, and
the co-chairs see the differences between the sides but the scope of
these differences is constantly narrowing.

The Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlaykov said that after discussions with
Arkady Ghukasian it became clear again that there are some disputable
issues but at the same time there are some conditions allowing to
ensure a progress.

In the words of the French co-chair Bernard Fassier, "balanced
proposals were put before the sides on the negotiation table, and there
are hopes that something can be done based on these proposals." The
rest, according to the French diplomat, is the task of the presidents’
assessment.

As for the co-chairs’ position regarding the fact that the Armenian
side takes the view that the primary problem on which an agreement
should be reached is status of Nagorno Karabakh and the issue of
security, it was mentioned at the press conference that other issues
are being discussed in detail now and format-related and technical
issues are not under discussion currently.

In response to the question about possible recognition of Nagorno
Karabakh by the international community, Yuri Merzlyakov noted that no
country, including their countries, has recognized the independence
of Nagorno Karabakh, adding that Armenia has not recognized the
independence of Nagorno Karabakh either.

TURKEY: ‘WAKE UP! YOU’LL NEVER BE PART OF E.U.’ AUTHOR SAYS

AKI, Italy
June 5 2007

Rome, 5 June (AKI) – Author Feridun Zaimoglu is known as "the voice"
of Germany’s Turkish immigrant community. It is a reputation earned
through fiction which has dealt with the sense of loss of identity loss
but also discovery of new opportunities that so many tens of thousands
of Zaimoglu’s countrymen and women who left their native Turkey for a
better life in Germany have experienced. His book of the same name,
Kanak Sprack, the curious mix of German and Turkish spoken by the
so-called "Gast-Arbeiters" or guest workers, has won cult status.

For someone so in tune with the fears and aspirations of Turks living
in one of Europe’s most advanced nations and its economic powerhouse,
the 43-year old – 35 of which he spent in Germany – Zaimoglu depicts
Turkeys’ ambitions to join the European Union in the bleakest terms.

"Europe is a grand vision for Turkey, but those who had this dream
have finally woken up and realised that the country will never enter
the EU," Zaimoglu told Adnkronos International (AKI) in an interview
in Rome.

"Europe has decided it wants to be a spectator and has put Turkey
on the stage asking it to play the role of an archaic society in the
throes of deep transformation, sharp political contrasts, the clash
between new and old elites.

"Turkey is like a toy in the hands of children, some of whom want to
break it while other who find it fun want to keep it the way it is,"
Zaimoglu added.

The author was in the Italian capital for public reading of an
unpublished excerpt at a literature festival in the Ancient Roman
Basilica of Maxentius where he was scheduled to share the stage
with Elif Shafak, a female author who fell foul of Turkey’s laws
prohibitting any reference to the mass killings of Armenians under
Ottoman rule in the early 20th century.

"European intellectuals have always protrayed Turkey as an enemy,
that still clings to the past," said Zaimoglu, acknowledging however
that some of these stereotypes are based on reality.

"It cannot be denied that real dangers exist for authors in Turkey,
in relation to what is said and how it is said," he added.

Zaimoglu in many ways considers himself a "German author" and says
his narrative style has been influenced by that of the Brothers Grimm
in their fairytales. In recent days his novel "Leyla" a book that
treats themes close to his heart has gone on sale in Italy. It is the
story of a girl who flees from her violent father and traditional,
domineering family, first to Istanbul then to Germany – a tale of
courage and the choosing by its heroine of a a better future.

"Without wishing to idealise the female condition, I see that in
Germany, in the immigrant community, it is always the women who
more readily break with tradition and its hierachies. Often the
immigrant elite is made up of women. The men on the other hand have
more difficulty in fiding their place, they are less pragmatic,
think too much in terms of honour."

"It’s a pity that until now not enough stories of first generation
women immigrants have been told, These stories are of great battles,
great sacrifices but also great successes," Zaimoglu said.

hp?cat=CultureAndMedia&loid=8.0.421995864& par=0

COMPETITIONS OF RECONNAISSANCE GROUPS WITH PARTICIPATION OF ARMED FORCES OF RUSSIA, ARMENIA, KAZAKHSTAN AND UKRAINE ARE ORGANIZED IN BELARUS

Source: Vo Slavu Rodiny (Defense Ministry of Belarus), May 29, 2007, p. EV
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
June 1, 2007 Friday

Competitions of reconnaissance groups (platoons) of the armed forces
are organized in the fifth separate special-purpose brigade. Fifteen
teams of military professionals from Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan and
the Ukraine are taking part.

Organizers of the competitions try to make work of the reconnaissance
groups on the terrain as close to combat conditions as possible.

Competitions of snipers are going on simultaneously with competitions
of the reconnaissance groups. Participants of the sniper competitions
demonstrate their knowledge and skills in tactical and military
medical training, disguising and preparation of outfits and do various
exercises in firing sniper rifles.

EUROPEAN SOCIALISTS SATISFIED WITH ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

Panorama.am
20:09 31/05/2007

RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Vardan Oskanian received the European
Socialists delegates leaded by Peter Shider, the ex-President of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (Austria), leader of
the Party of European Socialists. MFA press-service informed that the
Party representatives highlighted the recent progress in Armenia. The
sides discussed the parliamentary elections.

Delegates mention that May 12 election was more democratic in
comparison with the previous ones. In this connection Armenia has
lot of political prospects.

The parties also discussed the issues of Armenian foreign policy,
Karabakh problem peaceful settlement, Armenia – Turkey relations,
Armenia’s integration into European structures, the Middle East current
situation and involvement of Armenia in regional peacemaking processes.

A FRIEND OF ARMENIA HAS PASSED AWAY

ArmRadio.am
31.05.2007 15:15

The great French actor of cinema and theatre, Mr. Jean Claude
Brialy died yesterday on may30 in Paris at the age of 74 after
a long disease. He had presented the great Concert offered by
Charles Aznavour in Yerevan on September 30, 2006 in the presence of
President Kocharyan, Mr. and Mrs. Jacques Chirac, Line Renaud and
many personalities and French artists. That day this friend of the
Armenians had said "Today, it’s the love’s feast". "Le Beau Serge"
under the direction of Claude Chabrol, is the film which had revealed
his talent in 1958.

ALEXANDER ARZUMANIAN’S DEFENDER IS GOING TO APPLY TO EUROPEAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. Making of application on the fact of
violation of fundamental freedoms and rights of former RA Foreign
Minister Alexander Arzumanian is underway at present. A. Arzumanian’s
defender, lawyer Hovik Arsenian said this in his May 31 interview to
Noyan Tapan correspondent. In his words, the application was based
on the fact that they arrested A. Arzumanian and only after it they
try to motivate the accusation brought to him.

H. Arsenian expressed bewilderment that "we try to prove our
innocence without giving testimony." For that purpose the defence
party presented petitions to National Security Service carrying out
preliminary investigation of the case instituted with accusation
of money laundering. The petitions relate to conducting separate
investigation actions, which in case of being sustained, as the
defender affirmed, will reveal the objective truth.

CIS MEMBER STATES SIGNED ENERGETIC AGREEMENT

A1+
[08:59 pm] 29 May, 2007

31 session of the Electric Energy Council of the Commonwealth of
Independent States’ was over in Yerevan.

During the meeting an agreement on forming joint market of electric
energy was signed. The agreement was signed by Russian Federation,
Armenia, Belarus, Ghazakh, Tajikistan and Kirgizia. Other CIS member
states did not have any official objections to the agreement, though
they did not sign it today.

The representatives of energetic sphere of the CIS countries, headed
by Anatoly Chubayes, head of the Electric Energy Council of CIS,
met the journalists.

Chugayes considered the agreement very important and informed that
one-tenth of the issues discussed during the session were of technical
character. According to Chubayes, the agreement on the joint market
of electric energy sets up open, transparent long term legislative
field of cooperation.

Answering to the questions of journalists, whether the document would
be an obstacle for other partners, for example, for the development
of cooperation with Iran in this field, Areg Galstyan, the RA Deputy
Energy Minister said: "No obstacle". He considers that a very important
step was accomplished which is only the beginning. In the coming 12
months each state that joined the agreement will work out its own
program for putting the document into force.

L. MKRTCHIAN: ALL CONDITIONS ARE CREATED TO ORGANIZE JOINT EXAM ON "ARMENIAN LANGUAGE, LITERATURE" IN PROPER WAY

Noyan Tapan
May 30 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. This year joint and school-leaving exams
on the Armenian Language subject are exams of not only school-leavers
but also of the testing centers and school directors. Levon Mkrtchian,
the RA Minister of Education and Science stated about it at the May
29 press conference, mentioning that the continual character of this
new education policy is provided by the process of the new examination
order and results.

In the Minister’s words, they will attempt to make the process of
passing from the secondary education to the professional education
as calm as it is possible, without concussions and additional amount
of work. "All conditions are created for organizing the exams in a
proper way, technical problems are solved, standards of objectiveness
are present," he said.

"This experience is more prepared than other educational reforms, and
the cases of corruption are almost excluded. However, in the case of
existence of crying cases, it is not excluded that the exam is held
at the given center for the second time," Levon Mkrtchian assured.

PATRICK DEVEDJIAN CANDIDAT UMP A LA PRESIDENCE DU CONSEIL GENERAL DU 92

Agence France Presse
29 mai 2007 mardi 4:40 PM GMT

Le groupe UMP et apparentes du conseil general des Hauts-de-Seine
a designe mardi Patrick Devedjian, depute UMP des Hauts-de-Seine et
conseiller general, comme son candidat a la presidence de l’instance
departementale, presidee jusqu’a recemment par Nicolas Sarkozy.

Le groupe UMP indique dans un communique avoir "elu, par un vote a
bulletins secrets, Patrick Devedjian", egalement secretaire general
delegue de l’UMP, comme candidat.

Le conseil general, a majorite UMP, elira vendredi en seance publique
son nouveau president, qui succedera ainsi a Nicolas Sarkozy,
demissionnaire depuis son election a la presidence de la Republique.

M. Devedjian semble largement favori, le groupe UMP, UDF et apparentes
detenant 30 des 45 sièges du conseil general.

En avril 2004, Nicolas Sarkozy, maire de Neuilly-sur-Seine
(Hauts-de-Seine) de 1983 a 2002, avait herite de Charles Pasqua la
presidence du conseil general des Hauts-de-Seine, le departement le
plus riche de France.

M. Sarkozy a annonce sa demission le 15 mai. Il reste neanmoins
conseiller general du canton de Neuilly-Nord, ce qui permet
d’organiser l’election du nouveau president sans passer par une
cantonale partielle.

"Il n’y a pas de date prevue pour le moment pour une election dans
le canton de Neuilly-Nord", avait-on explique la semaine dernière au
conseil general.

De meme source, on ignorait egalement si M. Sarkozy serait present
vendredi pour l’election du nouveau president du conseil general,
tout en jugeant l’hypothèse "peu probable".

–Boundary_(ID_Auxe0NUA595FH2jw7+ mLMA)–