Author: Dabaghian Diana

AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT SEE THE NECESSITY OF CHANGING THE FORMAT OF TALKS

ArmRadio.am
26.02.2007 14:56

So far Azerbaijan does not see the necessity of changing the format of
negotiations of the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Head
of the Foreign Relations Department of the Office to the Azeri
President Novruz Mamedov declared that "the Co-Chairs still have the
opportunity to demonstrate more resolute position," Trend reports.

"They can do that, and the time has come. In case of other conflicts
opinion is expressed, while in this concrete case the responsibility
is laid on the parties," said Mamedov.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 23 2007

ARMENIA SHOULD NOT IGNORE AVIAN FLU RISK

YEREVAN, February 23. /ARKA/. Armenia should not ignore the risk
connected with the avian flu, Armenia’s Minister of Agriculture David
Lokian told journalists.
"The risk is high as bird flu cases were recorded in our neighboring
countries – Turkey and Iran. Some time ago signs of bird flue were
found in Azerbaijan and Georgia, and it is unreasonable to rule out
the disease risk," Lokian said.
"The most important thing is to be ready to promptly localize the
virus once it is found and to prevent its spread that bears serious
risks for the economy and people," Minister said.
He reported the prohibited import of poultry to Armenia from the
countries where bird flu was found.
The interagency coordinating body continues operating and holds its
meeting once per week, with participation of the U.S. and EU experts,
Lokian said. N.V. -0–

ARMAVIA TO START IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW YEREVAN-COLOGNE-YEREVAN FLIGHT
FROM MARCH 29

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. The "Armavia" company will
implement a new Yerevan-Cologne-Yerevan flight on every Thursday
starting from March 29. The Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed
about it by the press service of the company. According to the same
source, "Armavia" states 25% discounts of prices on tickets in all
directions for women and girls upper 12 yearls old from March 8 to
April 7. It is possible to get those tickets from February 21 to April
7.

ARMEN ROUSTAMIAN: ABSENCE OF KARABAKH PARTY IN TALKS IS ABSURD

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Feb 22 2007

EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby’s
statement on establishing a dialog between the Nagorno-Karabagh and
Azerbaijan reflects just the same thing the Armenian party has been
stated many years, ARF Dashnaktsutyun representative and the RA NA
Standing Committee on Foreign Relations Chair Armen Roustamian stated
at a press conference in Yerevan.

In his words, the Karabakh party’s absence in the talks is absurd.

"The negotiation process cannot replace trilateral talks. As we have
repeatedly stated, at the Nagorno-Karabagh talks Armenia stands out
on behalf of the NKR, and not as a conflicting side, only because
the NKR is not recognized by the world community. RA cannot replace
the Nagorno-Karabagh in the issues of status, security and displaced
persons’ return – it is a prerogative of the NKR leadership and
people. And finally, Armenia is a guarantor of the Nagorno-Karabagh
population’s security and cannot remain an outside observer," Armen
Roustamian underscored, PanARMENIAN.Net reports.

RECURRENT VICTIM OF THE ARTICLE 301

ArmRadio.am
21.02.2007 14:47

The Public Prosecutor’s Office of Turkey launched a case against a
journalist of the Istanbul based Agos daily, the Deutschland Radio
reports. Journalist Engin is accused of insulting the Turkish nation
like it was the case with Hrant Dink.

In the near future he will have to come to the Prosecutor’s Office
to give testimony.

Engin said the reason of the persecution is his article published in
Agos on January 5, where he referred to the violations of the rights
of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN: WE CAN NOT SPEAK ABOUT SERIOUS SUCCESSES IN NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Feb 21 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. According to
President of Armenia Robert Kocharian’s estimation, "we can not speak
about serious successes" in the negotiations on the Karabakh conflict
settlement. According to Radio Liberty, the President of Armenia
stated about it in his speech made during the banquet organized by
representatives of the French Armenian community on February 19 at
the Paris "InterContinental" hotel. According to the same source,
the Armenian President mentioned that the problem is to find "a
stable solution" in that process. "The negotiations have one goal:
to legalize what we today have on that land," Kocharian emphasized.

Robert Kocharian gave a negative answer to the question of Radio
Liberty if it is possible to sign an agreement with Azerbaijan in
the coming summer.

Kocharian also touched upon today’s state of Armenia, saying that
the country came out of "the very hard" situation and entered "the
stage of stable development."

Speaking about the issue of Turkey’s recognizing the Genocide, the
President of Armenia emphasized that it is "not only a moral problem,
but also a problem of security of Armenia."

BRANDY PRODUCTION IN ARMENIA IN 2006 MADE 9057,9 THOUSAND LITERS

Mediamax Agency, Armenia
Feb 20 2007

Yerevan, February 20 /Mediamax/. The brandy production in Armenia in
January-December of 2006 made 9057,9 thousand liters, having decreased
by 0,8%, as compared to 2005.

As Mediamax was told in the National Statistical Service of Armenia
today, the vodka and distillery production made 12801.1 thousand
liters in 2006, having decreased by 8%, as compared to 2005.

The volume of wine production in 2006 made 3825.6 thousand liters,
having decreased by 43,2%. The beer production in its turn increased in
2006 by 17,4%, thus making 12617.6 thousand liters, and the champagne
wine – 542,8 thousand liters (growth – 4,5%).

SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT IS NOT VISIBLE YET, VAZGEN MANUKIAN CONSIDERS

Noyan Tapan
Feb 20 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, NOYAN TAPAN. If even it hadn’t been for the
Nagorno Karabakh movement, all the same a question to get rid of
Armenians would have been raised in Azerbaijan after the collapse of
the Soviet Union, as the Azerbaijanis would never let the economic
levers be in the hands of Armenians. RA MP Vazgen Manukian, Chairman
of National Democratic Union Party, declared this at the February 20
press conference.

Nevertheless, in V. Manukian’s words, conflicts between nations took
place in many countries of Soviet Union, from which Armenians also
suffered. In his words, these conflicts were provocations organized
by central authorities, into which Armenia was not involved, as at
that time the Armenian people was jointly striving for achieving
settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

However, in V. Manukian’s words, "people’s inspiration was not used
rightly: and "today we have a situation when a group neglecting the
state and the people abuses people’s trust like a leech."

Touching upon the Nagorno Karabakh settlement, the NDP leader said
that the settlement of conflict is not visible yet. "Now the time
works in favor of Azerbaijan, while the current Armenian authorities
can make time work in favor of us," V. Manukian said adding that for
achieving this Armenia should develop at a rapid pace and should find
allies all over the world.

CHARLES AZNAVOUR: ARMENIA NEEDS DESERVING FUTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.02.2007 18:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Children are the future of the state. Armenia
is a country with rich past and it needs deserving future,"
stated world-famous singer of Armenian origin Charles Aznavour
speaking at the charity concert for Armenian children in Paris
Garnier Opera Theatre organized in the framework of Armenian Year in
France. Presidents Robert Kocharian and Jacques Chirac, first ladies
of both countries Bernadette Chirac and Bella Kocharian, as well as
high ranking officials of both countries, including French Defense
Minister Michel Alo-Mari, Environment Minister Nelly Olin, Minister
of Culture and Communications Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres, as well
as Armenian Ambassador to France Eduard Nalbandian were present at
the charity concert. The means from the concert will be directed to
children in Armenia who need operation.

Vou Snous Ils French agency reports that at the concert "Charles
Aznavour and friends" alongside with famous French singers an Armenian
children chorus song on the same stage. According to the source,
in the framework of Armenian Year in France about 30 French towns
will accept children from Armenia, who will try to learn French
language. The measure is organized with the help of French Ministry
of Education, IA Regnum reports.

REPORT: ARMENIAN PRESIDENT OFFERS TO SET UP JOINT COMMITTEE WITH TURKEY TO DISCUSS SENSITIVE ISSUES

AP Worldstream
Feb 19, 2007

Armenian President Robert Kocharian renewed his offer to establish
diplomatic ties with Turkey and proposed setting up a joint government
commission to discuss sensitive issues, a French newspaper said Monday.

Kocharian, interviewed by Le Figaro newspaper during a visit to
France, was asked why his country had refused Turkey’s offer to form
a joint research committee to discuss the World War I-era killings
of Armenians, which Armenia considers genocide.

"Normalization of bilateral relations is up to governments, not
historians," Kocharian was quoted as saying.

"That’s why we are ready to establish diplomatic relations with Turkey
without conditions, and to create an intergovernmental commission
and to discuss all questions, even the most sensitive," he said.

Armenia accuses Turkey of genocide in the killings of up to 1.5 million
Armenians during World War I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire
as part of a campaign to force them out of eastern Turkey. Turkey
denies this.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations, and the border between
the two countries has been shut since 1993 because of Armenia’s
unresolved conflict with Azerbaijan _ a close Turkish ally _ over
Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory inside Azerbaijan.