Author: Chatinian Lara

IRAN DOES NOT CONFIRM GAZPROM’S PARTICIPATION IN IRAN-ARMENIA GAS PIPELINE CONSTRUCTION
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
15/06/2006
Iran finds that Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be settled only through
negotiations. Ali Akbar, deputy ambassador of Iran to Armenia, stated
that Iran is ready to support in peaceful settlement of the conflict
as it maintains good relations with all neighbors and is interested
in a stable region.
Speaking to a press conference in Yerevan, deputy ambassador touched
upon construction of Iran-Armenian gas pipeline and said that no change
was made in the Iranian-Armenian document on pipeline construction.
Mr. Akbar noted that Iran is unaware of Russian Gazprom’s intention
to join the construction. He also said that high-ranking Armenian
officials did not confirm the information that Gazprom was entrusted
with the construction of a certain section of the pipeline.
The gas pipeline is scheduled to open on January 1 2007.

NA RATIFIES AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ARMENIA AND THE WORLD BANK
ArmRadio.am
14.06.2006 13:48
RA National Assembly ratified the agreement between Armenia and
the World Bank on providing loans for renewable energy development
in Armenia.
Deputy Minister of Energy Areg Galstyan informed the MPs that the
agreement was signed on April 7, 2006.
The agreement envisages provision of US$5 million loan to Armenia,
which will be spent on renewable energy development. With the same
objective the World Bank will provide a US$3 million grant with 40
years maturity and a 0.25 interest rate.

RA FOREIGN MINISTER TO LEAVE FOR PARIS, THEN FOR BRUSSELS, KIEV, GENEVA AND TBILISI
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Jun 12 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 12, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On June 13, RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian will leave for Paris where he will meet with
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadiarov with participation of
OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs. According to RA FM Press and Information
Department, on June 14, RA Foreign Minister will leave for Brussels
to take part in the meeting of the Northatlantic Council and Armenia
(26+1) format with RA Defence Minister Serge Sargsian, during which
the process of implementation of Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership
Actions Plan (IPAP) based on the results of the IPAP interim estimation
given by NATO international staff delegation on May 18-19 will be
discussed. On June 19, Minister Oskanian will pay an official visit
to Kiev where he will meet with the Ukrainian President and Foreign
Minister. On June 20-21, Minister Oskanian will be in Geneva for the
purpose of taking part in the opening sitting of UN Human Rights
Council. On June 27-28, RA Foreign Minister will pay an official
visit to Georgia.

ROAD UNDER CONSTRUCTION TO BYPASS MOTORWAY WITHIN REACH OF AZERBAIJANI
GUNFIRE

IJEVAN, JUNE 8, NOYAN TAPAN. Voskepar-Baghanis bypass making part of
Ijevan-Noyemberian motorway is currently under construction. Thus, the
road is being moved away from the border area within reach of
Azerbaijani gunfire. The bypass is being constructed by road builders
of Ijevan with allocations from the RA state budget.

The Messenger, Georgia
June 9 2006
Great interest in the Saakashvili-Putin meeting
Georgian and Russian analysts and politicians are expressing great
interest in Russian President Vladimir Putin’s and Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili’s upcoming meeting, which is planned for June 13
in St. Petersburg.
As the meeting approaches both sides have become milder – a fact that
should be seen as reflecting the two countries’ positive attitudes
towards the meeting. In fact, the currently milder relations between
the two countries can be regarded as an important achievement in and
of itself.
The Speaker of the Parliament Nino Burjanadze called upon her
political colleagues to observe a week’s moratorium on openly
criticizing Russia. She asked the country’s MPs not to intensify the
already existing difficult atmosphere before the Saakashvili-Putin
meeting. Accordingly the parliament has postponed discussion of the
issue of the Russian peacekeepers’ withdrawal from the conflict
zones. Governmental representatives are making optimistic statements
toward the future meeting.
“We have many reasons to think that the Georgian and Russian
Presidents’ meeting will solve many issues positively. Russia still
can play a positive role in the development processes of the region.
We hope the aforementioned meeting will solve the problems that are
so painful for us, in particular issues connected with the conflict
zones,” Burjanadze said as quoted by the newspaper 24 Saati.
The State Minister for Conflict Resolution Goga Khaindrava has made
analogous statements and is asking Moscow to make use of this “unique
chance.”
“This is a chance to accomplish an unprecedented feat: to solve the
issue of Georgian territorial integrity with the support of Russia.
We are expecting from Russia that they will see the great potential
here. Even one political decision taken by official Moscow will be
enough to change the process positively,” Goga Khaindrava said as
reported by the newspaper 24 Saati.
Such statements are necessary to lay the foundation for the two
presidents’ meeting and seem to be having the desired effect.
Although some analysts have a less optimistic attitude towards it and
they think that Russia will make concessions only if Saakashvili is
prepared to satisfy Moscow’s interests towards Georgia.
The New Rights made a special statement in which they called on
Saakashvili to be more attentive. According to them Georgia should
not make any concessions on principle issues.
“If the president makes any such concessions then it will be
treason,” Davit Gamkrelidze, the leader of the New Rights said as
quoted by the newspaper 24 Saati.
According to the newspaper Alia Saakashvili and Putin have already
met each other twice in Moscow, and once in Kazan so now they will
meet for the fourth time. The two presidents have also frequently
spoken on the phone, and Alia says that they have had 13 telephone
conversations.
According to unofficial information Saakashvili and Putin’s last
phone conversation was brought about by diplomatic efforts on the
part of the U.S. Russia does not want its relations with its
neighbors to become a thorny issue on the upcoming G8 summit
meeting’s agenda which is planned to be held in St. Petersburg later
this summer. Moscow wants to put its best face forward at this summit
and to gain respect as being a fully modern and civilized country and
not a source of potential instability and unrest.
At the same time Russia has its own interests in Georgia and fights
for the realization of these interests. For example: it has been
trying to prevent Georgia from integrating with the western world; it
wants to receive Georgia’s necessary approval for entering the World
Trade Organization; and it wants Georgia to guarantee the lines of
communication and commerce connecting Russia with Armenia. The issues
that Saakashvili is going to raise at the meeting are quite different
from Russia’s.
In reality Saakashvili’s main goal is to soften the tense relations
between the two countries. During the meeting the President of
Georgia is definitely going to push the issues of the conflict
situations in Georgia’s separatist regions, hoping to reconfirm
Russia’s commitment to the territorial integrity of Georgia.
Saakashvili will also address the Russian ban on Georgian products;
the protection of the interests of Georgian citizens who live and
work in Russia; and the increase in energy prices.
According to some analysts the aforementioned issues are wider and
more important for Georgia than Russia’s interests towards the
country, the newspaper Rezonansi writes.
Some think that the meeting will have a positive result if Moscow
agrees to reject taking any more aggressive steps against Georgia.
For example, if Moscow will agree to stop its attempt to transpose
the “Kosovo model” on the Caucasus.
According to some analysts if Russia is willing to make such
concessions then Georgia will have to cease demanding the withdrawal
of the Russian peacekeepers. If this happens then the Georgian
opposition will immediately evaluate such a development as “the
treason of Georgian interests.”
During his meeting with Putin, Saakashvili will have to balance
Georgian-Russian-Western relations and this will be quite difficult.

AZERBAIJANI POLITICIAN CALLS ON ARMENIAN PRESS TO TOLERANCE AND
REFUSES TO RESPOND FOR PUBLICATIONS OF THEIR COLLEAGUES OF BAKU

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Media representatives
must support solution of conflicts but not draw attention to
conflicts. Asaf Hajiyev, the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary
delegation addressed to Armenian journalists with such a call at the
press-conference dedicated to results of the BSEC PA 27th plenary
session held in Yerevan.
Responding the Noyan Tapan correspondent’s question about his attitude
towards the recent publication in the “Zerkalo” newspaper in which, as
quotings from Armenian writer Zori Balayan’s book (not existing in
reality), brutalities as if conducted by Armenians against Azeris are
described, Hajiyev stated that he is a deputy and may not be
responsible for the ones press of his country writes.
Russian delegation head Alexander Dzasokhov mentioned in his turn that
there are two viewpoints in dialogues between the two sides of
conflicts: either to postpone all issues till settlement of the
conflict, or, not waiting for the final settlement, to solve all
possible issues. The Russian politician quoted President of Armenia
Robert Kocharian who mentioned in his address to participants of the
Assembly that joint regional projects will support settlement of
conflicts. According to Dzasokhov, though there are small and big
conflicts in the region, the principle of tolerance was chosen in the
BSEC PA work, and it is one of important results of the Yerevan
convention.

WE SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN’S JUST ASPIRATION TO LIBERATE ITS TERRITORY – OIC SEC-GEN
Author: R.Agayev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
June 8 2006
“We support Azerbaijan in its fair aspiration to liberate its
lands which are under [Armenian] occupation,” Ekmaleddin Ihsanoglu,
the Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Organization
(OIC), as stating to a news conference in Moscow on 7 June in reply
to question to Trend special correspondent.
“We support any peace talks between the sides. We support Azerbaijan
and call on Armenia to cooperation in international arena with all
who endeavor to the resolution of the conflict, no matter whether
within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, European Union, UN and
other international organizations,” he underlined.
Besides, Ihsanoglu spoke about the chairmanship of Azerbaijan at OIC.
“As to role of Azerbaijan as a chairing country, that it will take
at the next summit of the OIC in Baku at the level of the Foreign
Ministers, we are glad to see Azerbaijan in this position. I expect the
Baku meeting to yield positive results. It will come as the first of
OIC held in the former Soviet country CIS, where the communist regime
reigned. It leads to two major conclusion that Islam is striving
to refusal from extremist manifestations and on the other hand all
Muslim countries will feel that none of them is forgotten and lost. I
think all allies worldwide support this position, which have gained
independence recently and joined the OIC. No matter where they meetings
are held the conclusion will mirror that Islam is keen on moderation,
calmness and peaceable co-existence with all religions,” he said.
Touching upon the disorders staged by Azerbaijanis in Iran, the OIC
Secretary General noted that he did not have relevant information.
“However, I should say that in respect to these issues we came out from
the aspect of respect to the territorial integrity of the country,
urge all countries to respect the human rights and achieve peaceable
solution to all similar problems.”
Ihsanoglu also informed about the results of talks with Russian
present Vladimir Putin on the situation with Russian diplomats in
Iraq. The meeting also focused on the Palestinian issues.
In his turn Aslambek Aslakhanov, the adviser to the Russian
President, stated that soon there will be set up the construction of
shopping-hotel center business center in the Center of Moscow, which
will serve as a representation of the OIC member-countries. An area
with the square of 5h has been selected in this respect and accorded
with the Moscow’s Mayoral Office.

DARCHINYAN TO SEARCH FOR MORE WORLD TITLES
Stathi Paxinos
The Age, Australia
June 9 2006
AUSTRALIA’s flyweight world champion Vic Darchinyan said yesterday he
would only fight for new world titles after he completed his fourth
title defence by a knockout last weekend.
And the feisty Armenian-born Darchinyan said he was prepared to move
up three weight divisions to secure the fights he wanted.
Darchinyan, who yesterday received a disappointingly low-key reception
in Sydney after retaining his International Boxing Federation and
International Boxing Organisation belts last weekend, said he was
only prepared to fight other world champions from now on.
He said negotiations were being held to fight World Boxing Organisation
flyweight champion Omar Narvaez on the undercard of either the Hasim
Rahman and Oleg Maskaev fight in August or the next Diego Corrales
fight scheduled for September – both of which would give him extensive
coverage in the US.
He said he would wait one month after that bout to secure fights
with holders of other flyweight belts. If he could not secure a bout,
he would move divisions.
“Super-flyweight, bantamweight, super-bantamweight, it doesn’t matter
for me. If someone has a belt and wants to fight me, I will fight
him. But he needs a belt,” Darchinyan said.
“I don’t want to just defend my titles, I want other titles … I
want to put my name in the memory of boxing.”
Darchinyan said he has sparred against Israel Vazquez, World Boxing
Council and IBF super-bantamweight champion, and was comfortable at
that weight.
He extended his perfect sequence of knockouts in world title fights
to five with his eighth-round stoppage of previously unbeaten Mexican
Luis Maldonado in Las Vegas last weekend.
The exciting southpaw’s “warrior” style earned him plenty of fans in
the US and delighted promoters.
But when Darchinyan arrived at Sydney airport just after 6am yesterday,
there were only a couple of reporters and no television cameras or
fans to meet him.
The scene was in contrast to the throng that met former
junior-welterweight world champion Kostya Tszyu on his early-morning
return from numerous overseas conquests.
Darchinyan, who relocated to Sydney from Armenia after representing
that country at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, was diplomatic about the
continued modest level of recognition for his feats.
“Maybe it’s because there’s not too much advertising or too much
media involved,” he said. “But my promoters and (US pay TV network)
Showtime told me, ‘Your style is very exciting, everyone wants you,
they’d like to watch you again’.”

SERBIA OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES ABOUT SEPARATION OF SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO
AZG Armenian Daily
08/06/2006
The Parliament of Serbia officially declared about the collapse of
Serbia-Montenegro Federal State. BBC reports that 126 of 250 deputies
of the Serbian Parliament voted for that decision. The members of
the Serbian Radical party, the largest opposition party, didn’t
participate in the sitting.
The state bodies should complete the separation process of Serbia
and Montenegro by elaborating relevant legal acts for receiving new
international legal status for the republic.
According to Serbia-Montenegro charter, Serbia remains the member
of the UN and other international organizations, while Montenegro
should apply for membership. All the federal ambassadors abroad will
be considered the ambassadors of Serbia.
As compared with the official and dull atmosphere at the Serbian
Parliament, in Podgorica the citizens of Montenegro declared
independence in quite festive atmosphere. It’s worth mentioning
that 55,4% of the Montenegro citizens voted for the independence
from Serbia.

STARTING JUNE 30 FLIGHTS FROM ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT TO BE OPERATED IN NORMAL REGIME
Noyan Tapan
Jun 07 2006
YEREVAN, JUNE 7, NOYAN TAPAN. Staring June 30, flights from Yerevan’s
Zvartnots Airport will be operated in the normal regime. To recap,
since April 10, flights have been operated only at night – from 8:00
pm to 10:30 am in connection with repairs of the airport’s runway.
Zvartnots Director Juan Pablo Gechjian told reporters that about
8 mln USD will be spent on asphalt laying this year. Repair of
asphalt cover is being carried out on the last 1,200 meter-section
of the runway. The other sections have been repaired over the past
two years. The airport director found it difficult to indicate the
total amount spent on the runway’s asphalt laying. He only said that
40 thousand tons of asphalt has been used.
Asked about his opinion concerning the statement of a NA deputy to
the effect that Zvartnot’s manager makes superprofits from this work,
J.P. Gechijian said: “The government did not ask that the exact amount
of investments be indicated in the concessional agreement, it is
required to build an airport in line with international standards. Let
deputies go and see what kind of terminal we are building.”