Author: Chmshkian Vicken

ONLY 2 OF 15 BANKS EXPRESSED WISH TO BECOME OPEN JOINT STOCK COMPANIES

AZG Armenian Daily
25/05/2006

“Corporate Management of Banking Sector in Armenia” seminar opened
in Yerevan, yesterday. The seminar is organized by the International
Financial Corporation, by RA Central Bank and by the Government
of Netherlands.

Vache Gabrielian, member of RA Central Bank’s Board, told journalists
that they haven’t defined the deadline for the bank’s transfer to the
corporate management system. Only several points of the relevant law
will come to force from July 1, 2006. He stated that the corporate
management system will make the banking activities more effective and
transparent. He said that the main problem of the Armenian banking
sector is the lack of qualified specialists. “I hope that we will
settle this issue with the time,” he said, not excluding that the
representatives of the Armenian Diaspora may be involved in the
banking activities.

There is a great centralization of property in Armenian banks, said IFC
expert Panos Labrapolus presenting the results of a study. He noted
that 15 banks of overall 21 Armenian banks took part in the study
and that the results are based on the answers that the banks gave to
IFC questions. Only 2 of the 15 banks expressed wish to become open
joint stock companies.

Patrick Luternauer, IFC expert, said that the most urgent issue for
the Armenian banks in to secure access and transparency of information
about them. He also emphasized the importance of the work of the
Board of Directors that deals with the settlement of primary issues.

At the same time, he said that it’s good that the Armenian banks
are read to make amendments to their systems and apply corporate
management. It’s worth mentioning that the International Financial
Corporation is the investment branch of the World Bank. Its goal is
to make investments in the private sector companies of the countries
in the transition period. Armenia became IFC member in 1995.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF NATO SECRETARY GENERAL TO SOUTH CAUCASUS

Armenpress
May 23 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Robert Kocharian
received today Special Representative of NATO Secretary General to
the South Caucasus Robert Simmons.

Presidential press service informed Armenpress that during the meeting
the sides discussed issues on NATO-Armenia cooperation. Robert Simmons
positively assessed the pace of Armenia’s Individual Partnership
Action Plan program with NATO and noted that during the short period
of time a notable progress has been registered in the implementation
of the program. The sides particularly underscored the implementation
of reforms in the defense sphere and consolidation of democracy
in Armenia.

The president also said that for coordinating the works with different
European organizations an inter-ministerial commission has been set up
which will periodically report to the Armenian president about the pace
of works. “Our aim is not to stay behind of the planned work but to
move forward and fully implement the joint programs,” said Kocharian.

During the meeting the president also referred to the current pace
of the Karabakh conflict regulation process.

58 PEOPLE DIE, 446 INJURED AS RESULT OF CAR ACCIDENTS IN ARMENIA IN FIRST 4 MONTHS OF 2006

Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. In 2005, 1,312 road accidents were
registered in Armenia, as a result of which 310 people died and 1,774
were injured.

Chief the RA Police State Automobile Inspection (SAI) Colonel Ishkhan
Ishkhanian stated this during the May 19 press conference. According
to him, over the first 4 months of this year, 317 road accidents were
registered, as a result of which 58 people died and 446 received
bodily injuries. In the first 4 months of this year, 36,318 cases
of traffic rule breach were registered, including 722 cases due to
driving a vehicle in a state of intoxication. In 2005, these indices
made 165,723 and 4,745 respectively.

ARMENIA STARTED WITH VICTORY

A1+
[08:45 pm] 22 May, 2006

The 37th Chess World Olympiad started in the Italian city of Turin. In
the first round the Armenian national team met Venezuela.

Our team played without the leaders. Coach Tigran Nalbandyan gave Levon
Aronyan and Vladimir Hakobyan the possibility to have a rest. Despite
this the Armenian national team beat Venezuela 3:1. Gabriel Sargsyan,
Artashes Minasyan and Smbat Lputyan celebrated wins whereas Karen
Asryan suffered a loss.

In the second round they will play with the Nigerian team.

The women’s team played with Denmark and won 3:0. In the next round
the Armenian girls will play with Croatia.

“ZERKALO”: EUROPE AND THE NOTORIOUS “GENOCIDE OF ARMENIANS”
M. Mejidli

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
May 22 2006

France has postponed “restoration of inquisition”

Regardless of expectations of Armenian lobby, parliament of France
has postponed voting concerning bill presented by Socialist Party. It
should be pointed out that the said document envisaged criminal
penalty – 1 year imprisonment or fine amounting to 45,000 Euro – of
persons who, being in France, do not recognize “Genocide of Armenians”
or oppose this “fact”. Armenians were getting ready thoroughly for
this event and they were almost convinced that statements of Turkish
authorities that in case of adoption of the bill they would review
Turkish-French relationship, would have no effect for French parliament
members. However, speaker of the French Parliament, Jean Louis Debre,
opposed it. Armenians, attending the meeting, as informed “Zerkalo”,
started loud protest. They were turned out from the meeting hall
by representative of security service. This time Turkey managed to
defend its position. But it is not the end. Armenian lobby with the
help of one of French parties may attempt to re-introduce the bill
with the same content next year.

Even when this bill was introduced to the commission of French
Parliament, our newspaper asked: why Armenian lobby are so insistent?

Lawmakers of France recognized “Armenian Genocide of 1915”, isn’t
it enough?

It is clear that there is precedent, as Jewish community made the
world recognize Holocaust. Moreover, denial of Holocaust is persecuted
in such developed countries as Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic,
France, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Switzerland,
and of course, Israel. And now Armenians decided to introduce the
similar bill to parliaments of different countries.

Their logic is based on precedent in the form of persecution of
Turkish historian, Yusuf Galaoglu well known with his anti-Armenian
statements, on the part of Swiss authorities. Earlier Federal
Department on Foreign Affairs of Switzerland emphasized the use of
Swiss law with respect to representative of Turkish Labor Party,
Dogu Perinchek who denies the fact of “genocide of Armenians”. The
matter is that accordingly criminal code of Switzerland, denial,
underestimation and justification of genocide and other crimes against
humanity are punishable actions. Though, Switzerland had to soften
its position under pressure of Turkish government. In this respect
Swiss representatives said that they welcome proposal of Turkish
government concerning creation of joint Turkish-Armenian historic
commission, which should investigate historic facts of “genocide
of Armenians”. We wrote about it several times. However, Armenians
continue attacking Turkish positions despite discontent of European
countries. For example, professor of law from Belgian university ULB,
O. Gorten, calls the use of punishment of people who deny this “fact”
restoration of inquisition. Accordingly to him, history of Europe
is full of facts of “genocide” of different nations and if “Armenian
genocide” is recognized chain reaction will occur (“Hurriyyet”).

“I am not historian, and I cannot judge the events of 1915. But as a
jurist I believe that this issue is unacceptable. I informed commission
of Belgian parliament about the issue in question.

Armenians are ready to introduce the same bill to it. I gave my advices
to the French parliament”, jurist pointed out. The main reason of
Gorten’s discontent is that, first, there is no court decision of
those years proving the fact of “Genocide of Armenians”.

Second, even if such decision had been made by French parliament,
the law would not have had retroactive effect.

“At the beginning of XX c. there was no notion of “genocide”. History
does not provide unique evaluation of events of 1915. If we accept
the events of the beginning of XX century then how can we call actions
of Belgium in Congo? I think that the notion of “genocide” should be
used in connection with events occurred after World War II.

Otherwise, whole Europe will face legal questions – which criterion
prove realization of genocide? If we review history then facts of
killing of people can be found right up to the times of Roman Empire.

But to use punishment for the actions which cannot be proved is
unacceptable from legal point of view”, Gorten said.

“Imagine, that Belgium will adopt the mentioned law. And what do
we have to do – to arrest our Ministry descent from Turkey, Emir
Kir, who does not recognize “genocide of Armenians”. Or to send to
prison Turkish high officials who no doubt touch upon this issue
during discussion on European Union membership. If Belgian parliament
accepts this issue, it will be unpleasant surprise for me”, Belgian
professor stressed. It should be pointed out that, Emir Kir does not
recognize “genocide” that is why some Belgian politicians cooperating
with Armenian lobby have launched undermining campaign against him,
attempting to slander the Minister.

Ambassador of Algeria to Egypt, Abdulkadir Khijar, said: “First,
France should answer for mass destruction of population in Algeria
and Africa”. “Why world is silent when the matter concerns the fact
that during the war for independence of Algeria (1954-62) the French
destroyed 1,5 million Algerians. I partook in liberation fight
of Algeria. I was cruelly tortured in prison. When France started
occupation of Algeria in 1830, population was 9 millions. 120 later,
when we started liberation fight there were 10 millions of Algerians.

Is it possible for Muslim country to have just one more million
of population for 120 years? It proves the fact that our nation
was destroyed deliberately. What France dares to speak about?”,
Ambassador stressed.

There are many similar opinions. But it is strange that Europe
follows Armenian lobby and imposes “genocide of Armenians” on the
world. As for Turkey, the response of European country is substantial
step. In the end Europe will see that Turkey in turn will issue decree
on prohibition to deny in Turkey “genocide Algerians by France”,
“genocide in Congo by Belgium” etc. And to arrest diplomats who will
not recognize the fact of “genocide”.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey expressed discontent concerning
temporal postponement of consideration of bill on persecution for
denial of “genocide of Armenians”. Accordingly to “Trend” agency in
Ankara referring to Turkish mass media, Turkey expects that France
will reject bill and Paris will promote organization of meeting
between Turkish and Armenian historians for unbiased investigation
of made up problem of “Armenian genocide”.

–Boundary_(ID_fW9oInUfX34FtljsrOZb8A) —

TURKEY CAN’T BULLY HISTORY

The Chronicle Herald, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
May 22 2006

1.html

WHY would you resettle hundreds of thousands of people in a desert,
without providing for their basic needs – unless you meant to murder
them?

How could up to 1.5 million people of a single nationality – or even
500,000, if one accepts the current Turkish government’s figures – lose
their lives simply due to “civil unrest,” as Turkey now tries to claim?

The answer, as historians from countries around the world have
documented – with evidence that is simply overwhelming – is that the
Ottoman governments ruling Turkey during and just after the First
World War set out to exterminate Armenians as a people.

The Armenian genocide – or Armenian Holocaust, as it’s also known
– became an international scandal when news of massacres and mass
starvations of Christian Armenians inflicted by Muslim Turks in the
tottering, war-ravaged Ottoman Empire first hit Western newsstands in
1915. That Turkey continues to deny the magnitude of the slaughter,
or the full complicity of the country’s former governments in the
mass killings, remains a scandal today.

More than denial, in fact. For Turkey actively, and shamefully,
continues to attack anyone who speaks the truth about what happened
to the Armenians more than nine decades ago. After Canadian Prime
Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement last month commemorating
a sombre anniversary, the beginning of the genocide in 1915, Turkey
recalled its ambassador to this country for consultations, and warned
that Canadian-Turkish relations could be seriously damaged. It did
the same to France, where lawmakers are set to pass a law making it a
crime – punishable by five years in prison or a fine of 45,000 euros –
to deny the existence of the Armenian genocide, similar to a current
law on the books there referring to the Nazi Holocaust of about six
million Jews during the Second World War.

Turkey has criminally prosecuted its own countrymen for saying the
genocide ever happened.

The Turks, however, cannot bully history. Dozens of countries –
including Canada and France – have officially recognized the Armenian
genocide. Those responsible were indicted by the international
community for crimes at the end of the war. Many were tried in absentia
and found guilty.

And although it is not a formal requirement, several EU officials
have stated that Turkey’s pending membership in the European Union
may depend upon that country finally acknowledging what most of the
world already knows to be true – the Armenian genocide, at the hands of
the Turks. Turkey’s continued defiance of history, and world opinion,
is a road leading nowhere but upon itself.

Mr. Harper did the right thing in acknowledging what historians note
was the 20th century’s first holocaust. Turkey’s butchering of the
Armenians – whose pre-war population of some two million people
was reportedly reduced by three-quarters – eventually led to the
international community’s decision to set up an independent Armenia,
which, to this day, faces a completely closed border along its Turkish
frontier. If Turkey wishes to move ahead in its relations with other
countries, it should acknowledge what is one of the darkest stains
in its history.

CONCENTRATION OF RESPONSIBILITY ON PRESIDENTS INEXPEDIENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2006 13:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Concentration of responsibility fully lies on
Presidents and this is not correct, as the public opinion of both
parties is not ready for mutual and balanced concessions. Whatever
the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan sign, they will be accused
in betrayal”, Russian Co-Chair of the OSCE MG for settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict in 1992-1996, Ambassador Vladimir Kazimirov
stated in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. “It is necessary to
prepare the public opinion and the MPs role comes out here. Teamwork
would be correct to share the responsibility and prepare the societies
for compromise. I should mention that not everyone understands that
the Bishkek agreement on cease-fire is only a political document
without any legal basis,” he said.

THE ARMENIAN MEMBER OF THE GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT VAN BAIBURT CALLED FANTASTIC THE STATEMENTS THAT TURKISH SERVICEMEN WILL REPLACE THE RUSSIAN MILITARY BASES IN JAVAKHK, GEORGIA

Arka News Agency, Armenia
May 19 2006

YEREVAN, May 19. /ARKA/. The Armenian member of the Georgian Parliament
Van Baiburt called fantastic the statements that Turkish servicemen
will replace the Russian military bases in Javakhk, Georgia.

“First, the Georgian state has its own interests. Secondly, Georgian
borders on Armenia, considers and respects its interests,” Baiburt
told ARKA.

According to him, Georgia’s economic cooperation with Turkey is not
a ground for such conclusions.

“I am sure that time will come when Turkey establishes excellent
relations with Armenia,” Baiburt said. He added that the problem of
the Armenian Genocide, which is a most important component of national
consciousness, must not be ignored.

According to him, the rumors about Turkish servicemen’s arrival in
the region were spread by those interested in the Russian military
base in Javakhk.

“If Russia did not want to leave the region, it should not have signed
the documents of the Istanbul Summit and got involved in eight-round
negotiations,” Baiburt said.

“Russia should not have called on the local Armenians to support
its presence. Why should Georgia consider Armenians to be the ‘fifth
column’ in the country?” he asked.

PRESS RELEASE
Council of Europe Press Division
Ref: 292a06
Tel: +33 (0)3 88 41 25 60
Fax:+33 (0)3 88 41 39 11
[email protected]
internet:

116th Session of the Committee of Ministers
(Strasbourg, 18-19 May 2006) –

Conclusions of the Chair

The main theme of the 116th Session of the Committee of Ministers,
chaired by Mr Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
Romania, was the follow-up to the Third Council of Europe Summit, one
year on from Warsaw.

In reviewing progress with the implementation of the Summit decisions,
the Ministers identified the following priorities:

– consolidation of the Council of Europe’s system of human rights
protection;
– relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union;
– reinforcement of the Council of Europe’s action in favour of democracy
and good governance;
– the Council of Europe’s action to develop intercultural dialogue;
– implementation of Part V of the Action Plan of the Third Summit,
concerning Council of Europe reform.

During their discussions, the Ministers noted the position and
intentions of the Committee of Ministers’ institutional partners in the
Council of Europe on the issues on the agenda. They noted in particular
the positive assessment made of the work carried out in the areas of
intercultural dialogue and democracy (including local and regional
democracy and transfrontier cooperation). In this context, they took
note of the offer by Ukraine to host the plenary session of the Forum
for the Future of Democracy in 2009. They underlined the importance of
joint efforts from all Council of Europe actors for the success of the
current reform process carried out under Chapter V of the Action Plan.

The participants in the session also took note with interest of the
interim report of the Group of Wise Persons entrusted with drawing up a
comprehensive strategy to secure the long-term effectiveness of the
European Convention on Human Rights, which was presented by the Group’s
Chairman, Mr Iglesias.

The Ministers’ decisions and conclusions on the range of issues which
were on their agenda appear in the Session Communiqué.

The Council of Europe’s action in favour of democratic stability in
Europe though the promotion of its values and principles in the fields
of human rights, democracy and the rule of law was foremost in the
discussions. In this connection, the exchange of views with Mr Martti
Ahtisaari, Special Envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations
for the future status process for Kosovo, at the informal ministerial
meeting on the evening of 18 May, provided an opportunity to take stock
of the negotiations on this subject and to discuss the Council of
Europe’ possible contribution to the process, in particular on matters
relating to human rights protection, minority rights, decentralisation
and the preservation of cultural heritage.

Beyond Kosovo, particular attention was paid to the more general issue
of stability in south-east Europe, having in mind the important
referendum on Montenegro’s independence, scheduled for 21 May. It was
underlined that the referendum must be conducted in full respect of the
relevant international standards and Ministers called on all the
political forces of Serbia and Montenegro to act responsibly and to
accept the results of the ballot. It was also recognised that a crucial
phase would begin after the referendum, irrespective of the results.
Reference was made to the need to continue the reforms in the fields of
human rights, democracy and the rule of law and the Ministers agreed
unanimously that the Council of Europe should continue the activities
which it has carried out to this end for several years, in consultation
with the other international bodies concerned.

Several Ministers also expressed concern that Serbia and Montenegro was
still not giving the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former
Yugoslavia (ICTY) the full and entire co-operation expected. They
recalled that this co-operation was one of the fundamental undertakings
entered into by Serbia and Montenegro when it joined the Council of
Europe and they called on the country’s authorities to take immediate
steps to comply with this commitment.

Another issue addressed concerned the conduct of free and democratic
elections in Europe. The Ministers expressed satisfaction that the
parliamentary elections in Ukraine on 26 March 2006 had been in
conformity with the relevant international standards. They also noted
with satisfaction the positive assessment made by the Parliamentary
Assembly of the rerun of the parliamentary elections in ten
constituencies in Azerbaijan on 13 May, which was a prelude to future
major elections in this country. In order to ensure that these
elections take place in a fully democratic manner, the Committee of
Ministers recalled the necessity of revising the electoral legislation
in co-operation with the Venice Commission as soon as possible. The
same point was made with regard to the current revision of the Armenian
Electoral Code.

In the case of Belarus, several Ministers regretted that the
presidential election of 19 March 2006 had not respected the
international standards referred to above and expressed great concern
about the continued deterioration of the situation concerning human
rights and fundamental freedoms following the election. In this
context, they urged the Belarus authorities to release all the persons
arrested before and after the elections and to embark resolutely on a
democratic reform process, particularly by guaranteeing the exercise of
freedom of expression and association, in accordance with the country’s
international undertakings. In this respect, it was hoped that the
Belarus authorities would co-operate actively in the implementation of
the action plan recently adopted by the Council of Europe in order to
foster its values and principles in the fields of human rights,
democracy and the rule of law in Belarus.

It was noted that more than ever, the Council of Europe’s
standard-setting acquis and its adaptation to meet the new challenges
facing Europe were critical elements for the strengthening of democratic
stability in Europe. In this context, the Ministers welcomed the opening
for signature at the Session of the Council of Europe’s 200th treaty,
the Convention on the Avoidance of Statelessness in relation to State
Succession.

The Ministers also took note with satisfaction of the signatures and
ratifications in recent months of (i) the Convention on the Prevention
of Terrorism, (ii) the revised Convention on Laundering, Search, Seizure
and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the Financing of
Terrorism and (iii) the Convention on Action against Trafficking in
Human Beings.1 They reaffirmed the importance of these legal
instruments in the international fight against terrorism and human
trafficking and consequently encouraged countries that had not yet
signed or ratified these conventions to do so as soon as possible.

It was also pointed out that it was essential not only to sign and
ratify conventions but also to implement effectively Council of Europe
standards in domestic law and practice. The Ministers again stressed
member states’ individual and collective responsibility for ensuring
that judgments of the European Court of Human Rights were fully applied,
as an essential condition for the credibility of the Convention’s
supervisory system. They referred in particular to the four interim
resolutions adopted by the Committee of Ministers in the case of Ilascu
and others v. Moldova and Russia. They expect the Court’s judgment in
this case to be executed without any further delay.

Finally, the Ministers welcomed the emphasis placed over the past six
months on areas where joint action by member states, based on Council of
Europe values, could make a major contribution to democratic stability.
In particular they:

– welcomed the efforts of the Council of Europe, on the strength of the
Romanian Chairmanship’s input, to promote a culture of democracy with
the authorities and citizens of the member states, in particular through
the network of political schools aimed to train new generations of
leaders in the fundamental values of the Council of Europe (the first
conference of the schools took place on 27 and 28 April in Bucharest),
and the three-year action plan on education for democratic citizenship
and human rights, launched on the occasion of the evaluation conference
of the European Year of Citizenship through Education (2005) held in
Sinaia on 27 and 28 April;

– noted with satisfaction the launch in early 2006 of the activities of
the High-Level Task Force on Social Cohesion in the 21st century, which
had been mandated to review the Council of Europe’s strategy in this
area. In this connection, they welcomed the adoption in April of the
Ten-Year Action Plan on Equal Rights for People with Disabilities and
the Romanian authorities’ support for the plan’s implementation, in the
form of a regional seminar held in Constanta on 14-16 May 2006;

– gave their support for the Council of Europe’s three-year programme
“Building a Europe for and with Children”, inaugurated in Monaco on 4
and 5 April 2006, after the conference on children’s rights held in
Bucharest on 1 and 2 February, expressing the hope that the programme
would rapidly lead to practical and significant measures to improve
children’s rights, particularly where they live in difficult economic
and social conditions;

– recalled their firm commitment to the total abolition of the death
penalty in Europe and beyond. In this regard, they noted with
satisfaction that since their previous session Protocol No. 13 to the
ECHR had been ratified by Monaco, the Netherlands, Turkey and
Luxembourg, and signed by Armenia on 19 May at the Treaty event
organised in parallel to the session;

– stressed the importance of efforts to foster the rights of persons
belonging to national minorities (including Roma and Travellers). They
also welcomed the fact that, since the inauguration of the European
Forum for Roma and Travellers in late 2005, the Romanian Chairmanship
had supported this initiative, in particular by organising a conference
in Bucharest on 4 May on the implementation and harmonisation of
national policies on Roma, Sinti and Travellers;

– reiterated the importance they attach to the work carried out by the
Council of Europe of Europe in the area of the protection of national
minorities, particularly through the competent expert committee (DH-MIN)
which held its 3rd meeting in Bucharest in March 2006. In this context
they paid tribute to the Romanian Chairmanship’s initiative in
organising the same month in Brasov an international conference on the
role of consultative bodies in the promotion of the participation of
members of national universities in decision-making processes;

– gave their support to the Romanian Chairmanship in its efforts to
promote intercultural dialogue, through the 3rd Intercultural Forum of
the Council of Europe on “The promotion of intercultural dialogue
between generations” (Bucharest, 17-18 March 2006) and the seminar on
“Identity, citizenship and cohesion” (Bucharest, 5 May 2006), as well as
to encourage the protection of the environment and sustainable
development, with the Regional Conference held in Bucharest on 27 and 28
April 2006.

The Ministers once again underlined the importance of ensuring efficient
interaction and creating synergies between the Council of Europe and its
main partners on the European stage, so that citizens may reap practical
benefits from international action in these different areas. In this
respect they welcomed the useful cooperation between the Council of
Europe, the European Union and the OSCE over the last six months,
including through the high-level meetings held in Brussels on 30 January
with the OSCE and in Strasbourg on 15 March with the European Union.

At the end of the session, Mr Sergey Lavrov, Minister for Foreign
Affairs of the Russian Federation, informed his colleagues of the
Russian Chair’s priorities for the Committee of Ministers over the next
six months. The transfer of the chairmanship from Mr Ungureanu to Mr
Lavrov took place immediately afterwards.

1 7 new signatures and 2 ratifications were recorded during the Session.
This brought the number of signatures to 33 for the Convention on the
Prevention of Terrorism, 21 for the revised Convention on Laundering,
Search, Seizure and Confiscation of the Proceeds from Crime and on the
Financing of Terrorism and 28 for the Convention on Action against
Trafficking in Human Beings

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A political organisation set up in 1949, the Council of Europe works to
promote democracy and human rights continent-wide. It also develops
common responses to social, cultural and legal challenges in its 46
member states.

ANOTHER WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY OPENS BEFORE OSKANIAN-MAMEDIAROV MEETING
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
19/05/2006

It seems new developments are expected in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement or, perhaps, such an impression is being shaped at some
levels of the settlement process. Particularly, when the meeting
of foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan is being prepared,
taking the advantage of the 116th session of the CE Foreign Ministers’
Committee, Matthew Bryza, US Deputy State Secretary for European
and Eurasian Affairs, stated the following: “The sides are more than
close to coming to agreement.”

According to RFE/RL, Bryza also said that particularly, USA,
observes the coming period of few months as another opportunity
for settlement. Bryza believes that the authorities of Armenia and
Azerbaijan should display political courage to overcome the last
contradictions.

It’s noteworthy that Bryza expressed such optimism also in the course
of his visit to Yerevan after the negotiations in Rambouillet. But
his recent statements seem to be more optimistic.

At the same time, Peter Semneby, EU Special Representative to the
South Caucasus, said in the interview to the Russian Nezavisimaya
Gazeta that the conflicts of this region will not be settled without
hard work and mutual trust. Moreover, both EU and Russia, as well as
the regional countries should spare no efforts for that. But Semneby
didn’t exclude the threat of new escalation of the conflicts unless
they are unsettled.

It’s worth mentioning that at present, Mr. Semneby sees no prospects
for membership of the South Caucasus states to EU and states that
that will be hard to apply the a similar with the stability pact in
the Balkan states in our region. Though EU suggests more profound
relations to the South Caucasus states within the framework of the
EU New Neighborhood Program, it doesn’t envisage a prospect for the
membership to EU.

Besides, Semneby stated that EU is going to render financial assistance
of several hundred millions of Euros to each South Caucasus states
in 2007-2013.

Thus, if the prospect of EU membership was one of the key issues on
the settlement process of the Balkan states, EU leaves “the frozen
conflicts” in the South Caucasus to the regional states. At the same
time, the European and the American diplomats do not forget to remind
about “the notorious window of opportunity” just before the meeting
of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Though the very
sides in conflict do not make any progress in the negotiations, the
international participants of the settlement process speak of only
final settlement in their statements.