Author: Dabaghian Diana

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
April 15 2006
U.S. backs fair settlement of Upper Garabagh conflict

Baku, April 13, AssA-Irada
A US Congressman has said his country backs a fair settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh, but the
two countries should display political will to reach peace.
The United States is looking to achieve a just and long-lasting
solution. The mediating OSCE Minsk Group is also working to achieve
peace soon, Chairman of the U.S. Congress Subcommittee on Foreign
Operations, James Kolbe, told a news conference in Baku on Thursday.
`Armenia and Azerbaijan are principal sides. The people of the two
countries should give an impetus to the conflict settlement on their
own. We can facilitate the process but can’t solve it for them,’ the
Congressman said, emphasizing that the United States recognizes
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.
Kolbe said the Garabagh conflict may be settled through dialogue and
there is a good opportunity to achieve progress this year.
The Congressman said he visited Armenia and Georgia prior to coming
to Azerbaijan.
`I met with the Azerbaijani foreign minister, representatives of the
parliament and Defense Ministry as well as heads of some
non-governmental organizations during my two-day visit to Baku.’
Kolbe said the US co-chair of the Minsk Group Steven Mann is expected
to submit new proposals during his visit to Azerbaijan shortly. He
said it is possible to achieve progress soon if the Azeri and
Armenian leaders display political will.
`The conflict must be settled to boost development in the Caucasus.
If this happens, the United States will be one of the first countries
to assist in the rehabilitation of the occupied territories,’ the
Congressman added.*

EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICANEWS RELEASE
1 AMERICAN AVENUE
YEREVAN, ARMENIA
TELEPHONE (+374 10) 464700
FAX (+374 10) 464742
E-MAIL: [email protected]
April 11, 2006
Congressman Jim Kolbe, Congressman Scott Garrett, and MCC CEO John
Danilovich Visit Armenia
Congressman Jim Kolbe, Congressman Scott Garrett and Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) CEO John J. Danilovich are visiting Armenia April 10-12 as
part of regional travel. The focus of the visit is to review government,
economic, and military issues in the South Caucasus.
As part of their trip, Congressman Kolbe, Chairman of the House
Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Congressman
Garrett, member of the House Financial Services and Budget Committees and
Ambassador Danilovich will visit MCC and other United States
Government-funded assistance project sites throughout Armenia. In addition,
the delegation will hold meetings with Armenian government officials
including President Robert Kocharian, civil society leaders, Millennium
Challenge Armenia representatives and political and business leaders. A
number of issues will be discussed during the meetings, including the U.S.
assistance to Armenia, the Millennium Challenge Corporation Compact with
Armenia, U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations, civil society development and
the importance of free and fair elections in Armenia in 2007 and 2008. These
issues are important for Armenia’s continued eligibility for funding by the
Millennium Challenge Corporation.

Zaman, Turkey
April 14 2006
Genocide Monument’s Construction Resumes in Lyon
By Ali Ihsan Aydin, Paris
Published: Friday, April 14, 2006
zaman.com
Construction of the “Armenian Genocide Monument” resumed after a
month long suspension in the French city of Lyon.
A Lyon Municipality statement reads the construction resumed after a
few changes in the status of the Armenian Genocide Monument
Association of Lyon in accordance with the court’s ruling.
The assembly of the monument will be complete by April 24, the
anniversary of the so-called Armenian genocide.
The Lyon Administrative Court annulled the construction of the
monument upon a French association’s objection as the place where the
monument was going to be erected was a protected area declared by
UNESCO, UN’s science, education and culture institution.
The court justified its verdict through ambiguities related to the
monument’s future and maintenance when it was revealed that the
Armenian Association would dissolve itself upon the completion of the
construction.

“ARMENTEL” AND “ARMINCO” COMPANIES DOMINATING IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS MARKET OF ARMENIA
Yerevan, April 12. ArmInfo. The dominating positions of a number of
companies in the markets of “internet services” and “data transmission
services over leased lines” and “international services of satellite
data reception” were considered by the Commission for Protection of
Economic Competition (CPEC), Wednesday.
CPEC press-service told ArmInfo that according to a survey 213
economic entities have license for provision of internet services,
however majority of these entities do not provide “first hand internet”
i.e. they receive Internet from 10 big providers and directly from
ArmenTel. As regards the volume of the services of these 10 companies,
in 2005 it amounted to 1.9 billion AMD, including 37.1% being the
share of Arminco. Thus, the company has a dominating position in the
given segment, therefore, it was included in the relevant register
of CPEC. “Netsys” occupies 18.1% of the market segment, “Cornet-AM”
– 15.6%, “Escolt” – 14.5%, “Web” – 9.8%. In the market of satellite
data reception, the operating 21 economic entities provided services
worth 454.6 million AMD. However, the maximum share of the companies
engaged in the given segment did not exceed 20% i.e. no dominating
companies were recorded.

RALLY AGAINST SAFAROV’S SENTENCE TO BE HELD IN BAKU TODAY
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.04.2006 19:32 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ April 14 an action in protest against the sentence
passed upon Azeri officer Ramil Safarov by the Hungarian court will
be held in Baku.
As reported by the Organization for Karabakh Liberation, members of
Safarov’s defense committee and a group of refugees and displaced
persons will demand “to change the punishment meted out to Safarov”.
Protest action will also be held in various regions of Azerbaijan,
reported Trend. To remind, yesterday the Budapest Court sentenced the
murderer of Armenian officer Gurgen Margaryan to life imprisonment
without the right of pardon during 30 years.

PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV VISITED SHEKI TODAY
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006
President Ilham Aliyev has visited Sheki within his visit plan to
north-east region of Azerbaijan.
According to reporters from Sheki, President’s visit to Sheki
started in acquaintance with exhibits in Heydar Aliyev Museum in the
center of the city. Making a speech before the residents Mr.Alliyev
pointed out that government pays much attention to social-economic
development of regions. Noting the main problem in the country to
be unemployment and poverty, the state head stressed the planned
measures for liquidating of all these. According to Ilham Aliyev,
economic development of Azerbaijan last year reached to economic
indicators of 90s. Part of job places –350 thousand in the country,
according to President, falls to the share of Sheki, added that new
job places will be opened. The state head pointing out valuable
cultural-historical monuments in Azerbaijan, President said that
part of the analogical monuments in Sheki is repaired and part of
them will be repaired under the order of the President. Mr.Aliyev
in his speech has touched on the problem of destruction of claimed
Armenian monuments in Julfa: “This is fiction of Armenians. In fact,
historical monuments, mosques are destructed in the territories
of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenians. Last year when Fact-Finding
Mission of OSCE visited those places they did not find any safe
monument of Azerbaijan.” The state head of Azerbaijan has stated that
Armenians have always been busy in slander against Azerbaijan. Dealing
with religious endurance in Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev said that new
Catholic Church will be built in Azerbaijan recently. President Ilham
Aliyev after visiting Sheki Khan’s Palace visited “Sheki-Silk” Open
Joint Stock Company where he was informed about the activity of the
enterprise. It should be noted that the enterprise is employed 1600
employees being in general capacity of produce of 75 ton. The state
head within his visit framework concerned construction of module
type electric station which is built in Sheki. The state head was
informed that the electric station in the capacity of producing 87MVT
energy will be put into operation in August this year. President has
familiarized with the activity of brick plant with daily produce of
50 thousand number bricks where 130 employees work.
Azerbaijani President participated in a business-forum Sheki
Olympic Complex. Making a speech before Entrepreneurs said that all
round condition should be provided to entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan:
“Executive Power should not interfere the work of entrepreneurs. If
anybody wants to be busy with your business, do not let it, then
apply to law-enforcement bodies, in case of necessity you can apply
to me. Azerbaijani president supports Entrepreneurs. I ask you not
to be silent if you face this situation.” Credit in the amount of 813
thousand AZN was given to 11 entrepreneurs from – – Sheki, Zagatala,
Gakh, Balaken, and Gabala. At the end of the visit to north-east region
the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has held regional briefing
after which two-day visit program to Sheki-Zagatala was completed.

THE ORDER OF GETTING US VISA HAS CHANGED
A1+
[03:25 pm] 13 April, 2006
Applicants for non-immigrant visas to the United States may now save
time by scheduling their non-immigrant visa interviews by telephone,
instead of making a trip to the Consular Section of the U.S.
Embassy. Visa applicants may call (374-10) 49-46-86 any workday between
the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 pm to schedule their non-immigrant visa
interview, effective immediately. Applicants do not have to make
the call personally, but the person calling must have all needed
information available.
When scheduling an interview appointment by phone, callers should
have the applicant’s passport in hand and be ready to provide
the applicant’s name, passport number and passport expiration
date. Interview appointments will not be given to those whose passports
will not be valid for a minimum of six months from the date they
plan to enter the United States. Likewise, applicants must have an
Armenian exit permit valid for three months in order to receive an
interview time. Applicants must present a completed application form
at the time of their interview.
Application forms are available on the Consular Section web site,
, or can be picked up at the entrance to the
Consular Section workdays between the hours of 3:00 and 5:00 pm.
Beginning May 1, interviews can be scheduled only by telephone, and
it will no longer be possible to make an appointment in person at the
embassy. No visa applicants will be interviewed without appointments.
As summer approaches, the demand for visas increases and applicants
may have to wait several weeks to be interviewed. Those intending
summer travel should begin the visa process well in advance of their
planned travel dates. Current waiting times can be found on the
Consular Section web site:
The Consular Section is open Monday through Friday, but is closed
for all U.S. and most Armenian holidays.
A schedule of holidays and additional information may be found on
our web site:

TAJIKISTAN TO HOST INTERPOL, CIS INTERIOR MINISTERS SESSION
Avesta website, Dushanbe
12 Apr 06
Dushanbe, 12 April: Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble is
expected to arrive in Dushanbe in the middle of next week, a source
in the Tajik Interior Ministry told Avesta.
The main purpose of the Interpol secretary-general’s visit is to
participate in a regular session of the CIS Council of Interior
Ministers which will take place in Dushanbe on 21 to 22 April.
The conducting of anti-terror drills with participation of special
police units from Russia, Belarus, Tajikistan and Armenian is planned
within the session’s framework.
The previous session of the CIS Council of Interior Ministers took
place in Yerevan [Armenia] in September last year, where issues
relating to combating crime in various spheres were discussed.
During the visit, Ronald Noble also intends to meet the leadership
of the Interpol’s office in Tajikistan.
[Passage omitted: Tajikistan joined the Interpol in 2004]

UN BODY CONSIDERS DRAFT AGREEMENT ON TRANS-ASIAN RAIL PROJECT
Asia Pulse;
Apr 13, 2006
TASHKENT, April 13 Asia Pulse – A draft agreement on cooperation
for the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) project was presented in a
ministerial-level roundtable dialogue being held in Jakarta on Tuesday.
The move was part of the six-day 62nd Session of the United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP).
UNESCAP Executive Secretary Kim Hak-Su said in his remarks that
through various technical and knowledge advices, the UN body was
helping member states to develop efficient regional and international
transportation network, improve infrastructure and promote sustainable
tourism development in national, sub-regional and regional levels.
The draft of the TAR cooperation agreement, which was being discussed
in the meeting, was the final one and the signing of the agreement
was expected to be conducted in November 2006.
One of UNESCAP’s important agendas was to help modernize avenues and
railways in Asia under the Program of Transportation Infrastructure
Development in Asian Mainland.
The Trans-Asian Railway was first initiated in the 1960s and expected
to link up a total distance of 14,000km, from Singapore to Istanbul
(Turkey), and could be continued to Europe and Africa later.
However, the programme has faced a number of problems such as
regional conflicts which affected economic policy in implementing
the TAR programme.
A study was conducted in 1995 to look at a railway network connecting
China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Russia, and Korean Peninsula. A year
later, the study continued to Southeast Asia covering Indonesia,
Cambodia, Lao, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
The Southern corridor of the Trans-Asian Railway, which will connect
Thailand and China’s Yunnan Province with Turkey, and will pass
Myanmar, Bangladesh, India Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Iran, was studied
in 1999.
In 2001, a study was conducted to look at the final corridor, which
will connect northern Europe and the Persian Gulf, and will pass
Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Finland, Georgia, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
Negotiations and finalization of the draft cooperation agreement on
the Trans-Asian Railway Network was carried out from 1997 to 2005.

CHURCH LEADERS IN JERUSALEM OPPOSE PALESTINIAN BOYCOTT
Catholic World News
April 12 2006
Jerusalem, Apr. 12 (AsiaNews) – In a joint Easter message, the 13
patriarchs and heads of Christian Churches in Jerusalem have made
a powerful appeal for reconciliation between Israel and Palestine,
the AsiaNews service reports. The Christian leaders also called on
the international community not to boycott the Palestinian people by
stopping aid.
The leaders of the Christian communities in the Holy Land– Orthodox,
Armenian, Latin Catholic, Copt, Syriac, Anglican, and Lutheran–
call on their faithful to practice a “clear challenging love to all
with whom we come in contact.” In a message directed to Israeli and
Palestinian political leaders, they say: “If a sincere will exists,
there will be capacity and power to overcome all obstacles, in order
to reach security, peace and justice to all, Palestinians and Israelis
alike.”
In their appeal to the international community, the Christian leaders
argue that “it is not permitted to boycott a people on whom oppressions
and injustices were and are imposed.” Rather than withdrawing aid
to the Palestinian people, the Church officials ask world leaders to
“try seriously to put an end to the suffering of our land and of all
its inhabitants.”