Author: Ekmekjian Janet

A1+
TIME WILL COME, AND DALLAQYAN WILL MAKE UP HIS MIND
[06:07 pm] 10 November, 2006
`When the most important moment comes, I will decide
how to participate in the 2007 Parliamentary
elections’, today in `Pastark’ club NA deputy Viktor
Dallaqyan neither confirmed nor refuted the
information about his participation in the elections
as member of `Prosperous Armenia’. Instead, he
referred to the possible developments of the inner
political situation in Armenia.
According to him, the 2007 Parliamentary elections,
the confrontations inside the authorities, the
Karabakh conflict, the end of the office of Robert
Kocharyan, as well as other issues can affect the
inner political situation in Armenia. In Contrast to
2003, this time the Presidential elections will follow
the Parliamentary ones. `Those political powers which
will be dominating after the Parliamentary elections
will influence the Presidential elections’, Mr.
Dallaqyan mentioned.
Although the deputy thinks that during the past 15
years Armenia suffered from the problem of fabricated
elections, this time there is a chance to organize
free and fair elections in 2007. According to him, we
must put an end to the slogan of Nicaraguan despot
Samosa, `You won during the elections, I won while
calculating the votes’.
In the organization of free and fair elections Mr.
Dallaqyan found the order of formation of the
electoral committees important. `The electoral
committees must consist of equal numbers of
representatives of the authorities and the
opposition’.
As for the 2008 budget which according to the Prime
Minister is just wonderful, Viktor Dallaqyan thinks it
is another `survival budget’.
Dallaqyan drew parallels between the budgets of
Armenia and Azerbaijan and drew a sad conclusion, `The
settlement of the Karabakh conflict has been taken to
the economic field. The country which has stronger
economy will be dominating while settling the
conflict’.
In order to show the gap between the economic
development of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Viktor
Dallaqyan enumerated, `In 2003-2007 the budget of
Azerbaijan rose 8 times, whereas that of Armenia –
four times. During the last nine months the economic
growth of Azerbaijan was 34%, whereas that of Armenia-
12.5%. Besides, the state budget of Azerbaijan allots
1 billion USD to the defense of the country, whereas
that of Armenia – only 263 million USD’.

ELECTORAL LISTS FOR REFERENDUM ON NKR CONSTITUTION READY
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Nov 9 2006
According to the NKR CEC Head Sergey Nasibian, the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic Central Election Commission, Stepanakert city hall and NKR
regional administrations held joint preparatory and organization work
on ensuring the citizens’ full-fledged participation in a referendum
on the NKR Constitution.
In the course of the CEC sitting it was underscored the electoral
lists had been ready, while the Constitution’s text would be circulated
among the electoral commissions in the near future. The NKR citizens
that have attained their majority with the exception of those serving
their sentence will vote.
S. Nasibian noted 36 million drams had been allocated to conduct the
referendum, KarabakhOpen reports.
To remind, the referendum on the NKR Constitution will be held in
the Republic current December 10.

AZERI ARMY CAN LIBERATE ‘SEIZED TERRITORIES’ DURING ONE WEEK, AZERI EXPERT SURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.11.2006 13:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “I am convinced that but for Russia’s support to
Armenia, Azerbaijan could liberate the seized territories,” Azeri
military expert Uzeir Jafarov said in an interview with Day.az. “As
for the fact that Armenia can buy Russian weapons at a lower price,
one should remember that Armenia is a member state of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) and this allows buying arms at a
reduced price,” he said. When touching upon the defeat of Azeris is
1990-ies the expert said, “Now Armenians are idealizing the events of
that time and forget that they also met defeat at some periods. Now,
despite certain shortcoming of the Azeri army there are forces that can
fulfill the task quickly. It’s not a secret that during the Karabakh
war Russia was actively supporting Armenia. But time has passed and
a big deal of work has been carried out,” Jafarov said.

ARMENIA CONCENTRATES ON BALANCING ACT BETWEEN RUSSIA AND GEORGIA
Haroutiun Khachatrian
EurasiaNet, NY
Nov 8 2006
Worsening relations between Georgia and Russia continue to pose a
difficult problem for Armenia, as it tries to maintain some form of
balance in its relations with the two sides.
The effect of these tensions for the Armenian economy remains a
paramount concern. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive.]
Armenian President Robert Kocharian’s October 30-November 1 state
visit to Russia, which included meetings with Russian President
Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov, was a case in
point. In remarks to reporters, Kocharian noted that while Russia’s
transportation blockade with Georgia could pose difficulties for
bilateral trade between Russia and Armenia, “serious [Russian]
investment projects” would help compensate Yerevan for any economic
damage done by the Georgian embargo, the ITAR-TASS quoted Kocharian as
saying. [For additional information see the Eurasia Insight archive.]
Those investments appear to be growing. Russian energy giant Gazprom’s
acquisition of a controlling stake in the country’s gas distribution
network and, through this, potential control over an Armenian
section of an Iranian gas pipeline, its recent takeover of the fifth
unit of the Hrazdan electricity plant, and Russian company Rusal’s
modernization of aluminum manufacturer Armenal are among the most
prominent of these “serious” investment projects. Unlike neighboring
Georgia, Armenia will see its current $110 per 1,000 cubic meters
price for Gazprom gas frozen until 2009 in return for transferring
ownership of the Hrazdan unit to the Russian company, the government
has announced. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive.]
On November 3, announcement was also made that the Russian firm
VimpelCom has purchased a 90 percent stake in ArmenTel, the country’s
main mobile telecommunications carrier. The government will retain
the remaining 10 percent stake in the company.
Despite these signs of robust business ties, concerns about Russia’s
position toward Armenia have been growing since mid-October, when
nationalist Russian parliamentarian Konstantin Zatulin, a member
of the pro-Kremlin party United Russia, protested at an October
17 meeting of the Russian-Armenian inter-parliamentary commission
in Yerevan that Armenia “does not support its strategic partner
[Russia]” in its conflict with Georgia. Zatulin, who has previously
cast himself as pro-Armenian on the issue of the disputed territory
of Nagorno-Karabakh, called on Yerevan to choose between “normal
relations” with Russia or Georgia, the daily newspaper Haykakan
Zhamanak reported.
Zatunin’s statements met with almost unanimous protest by the Armenian
political elite, although some, like Armen Ashotian, a member of the
governing Republican Party, have stressed that the remark is the view
of one politician, not the official position of the Russian Federation.
Nonetheless, Armenian officials have continued to address the
Russian-Georgian dispute cautiously. “Current Russian-Georgian
relations are these countries’ internal problem,” Prime Minister
Andranik Margarian said at a joint press conference on October 24
with Belarusian Prime Minister Sergei Sidorski. “Armenia… should
not interfere with the resolution of this problem.”
Margarian, however, has stated that Armenia is ready to “help with
the… solution” for the impasse between President Putin and Georgian
President Mikheil Saakashvili if asked by Russia or Georgia.
So far, neither Moscow nor Tbilisi has shown interest in mediation.
At a November 1 meeting on the sidelines of a Moscow gathering
of the Organization of Black Sea Economic Cooperation, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian and Georgian Foreign Minister Gela
Bezhuashvili met, but details on the conversation were scarce. In a
succinct statement, the Armenian Foreign Ministry stated that the
two men discussed “issues of bilateral relations, the influence
of Russian-Georgian relations on the region and possibilities for
softening the current tension,” the news service Mediamax reported.
Before the talks, Georgian Ambassador to Armenia Revaz Gachechiladze,
in an October 30 meeting with National Assembly Chairman Tigran
Torosian, thanked Armenia for its “balanced approach.”
Greater speculation about Armenia’s relations with Georgia and Russia
has surfaced in media coverage of the October 10 arrest of Vahagn
Chakhalian, one of the leaders of the Miasnakan Javakhk, or United
Javakhk, non-governmental organization in Georgia’s predominantly
ethnic Armenian region of Samtskhe-Javakheti. Chakhalian was jailed
for two months pending trial for having allegedly “illegally” crossed
Georgia’s border with Armenia. On October 30, he was released. Some
local publications have argued that the release was at Russia’s
request.
Chakhalian’s arrest surprised most Armenians since no visa regime
exists between the two states; the arrest of an ethnic Armenian
for entering Armenia struck many as strange. Some members of the
opposition, including the Dashink Party of former Nagorno-Karabakh
warlord Samvel Babayan, said the arrest had been made at the request
of Tbilisi officials who wanted to curtail United Javakhk’s support
for ethnic Armenians in Samtskhe-Javakheti. (The leader of a rival
non-governmental organization to Miasnakan Javakhk has gone even
further, charging that Chakhalian was working with Georgian special
services to destabilize the region and push ethnic Armenians out
of the area.) The movement’s opposition to the construction of the
Kars-Tbilisi-Akhalkalaki railroad, which will connect the region with
Turkey, was seen as the reason for such action.
Both pro-government and opposition publications share strong opposition
to this project. Yerevan fears the line would further isolate Armenia,
currently hemmed in by blockades on its borders with Turkey and
Azerbaijan. On October 19, the pro-government daily newspaper Hayots
Ashkharh published an analysis that argued that the railroad would
damage ties between Armenia and Georgia, and urged the Saakashvili
government not to harm its relations with Armenia for “a $200 million
bribe by Turks and Azeris.”
The opposition newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak, a pro-Western publication
close to former President Levon Ter-Petrossian’s Armenian National
Movement, has taken a different approach. In its October 19 issue, the
paper argued that Russia could use Miasnakan Javakhk to put pressure
on Georgia. The newspaper Iravunk followed that line on November 3,
saying that Miasnakan Javakhk’s “strongly pro-Russian” position and
activities are “certain to worry Armenian Prime Minister… Margarian
and [Defense Minister] Serzh Sarkisian” as they pursue dialogue with
the West.
The government, to date, has not responded to the allegations.
Editor’s Note: Haroutiun Khachatrian is a Yerevan-based writer
specializing in economic and political affairs.

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTED DRAFT CONSTITUTION
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Nov 4 2006
On November 1 the second reading of the of the draft constitution of
NKR took place. Speaker Ashot Ghulian said after the first reading
and public debates a number of proposals were made, including 127 by
the parliamentary groups and factions and members of parliament. In
accordance with the bylaws, all the proposals have been presented to
the head of the Task Force on the Constitution. The amended draft was
presented to the parliament for the second reading. The head of the
Task Force, Attorney General Armen Zalinian thanked the members of
parliament for their constructive approach during the debates over the
draft constitution and mentioned that this cooperation resulted in a
Constitution “we can be proud of”. He also thanked the citizens of the
Republic for their activity during the public debates on the draft,
which means that the society is involved in the process of writing
and adopting the constitution, and everyone realizes its importance
in our present and future life. With regard to the proposals, the
head of the Task Force said the focus was on the provisions, which
need additional clarification to enable every citizen to perceive the
structural and functional powers of one state institution or another,
as well as the proposals which would improve the draft. The chair of
the State and Legal Committee Yuri Hairapetian and the chair of the
Committee of Defense, Security and Law Enforcement Rudik Hyusnunts
stated in their reports that the conclusions of the committees were
positive. After the reports of the factions the majority, 29 members of
parliament voted for the draft, 1 member of parliament voted against,
and 1 member of parliament abstained.

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan,
1 Nov 2006 p 3
PAPER REPORTS RIFT BETWEEN ARMENIAN FUND, KARABAKH LEADERSHIP
by Kristine Khanumyan’s
“The rift between the foundation and the NKR is widening”
The rift is widening between the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund [HAAF]
and the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh Republic]. The reason is the low
quality of the North-South road [in Nagornyy Karabakh funded by the
HAAF]. Lots of complaints are coming from Karabakh. Both the HAAF and
the NKR authorities, which are responsible for the quality of the road,
point at each other. That is to say, both are trying to get away with
murder and leave the Karabakh residents face-to-face with the problem.
The HAAF is trying to hold the NKR authorities responsible for
everything. At a recent news conference, the executive director of the
HAAF [and former NKR foreign minister], Naira Melkumyan, said that they
were not responsible for the roads whose guarantee had expired. She
also made one more interesting statement. She said that before 2005
there was no word about the low quality of the North-South road
(although those sectors of the road were put into operation earlier)
but that statements were made later saying that the roads had been
in bad repair since 2004.
As a result, the problem was discussed at the trustees’ council after
which the president of the trustees’ council, [Armenian President]
Robert Kocharyan, said that the cases of the companies which carried
out low-quality work should be referred to the prosecutor’s office.
In brief, Kocharyan “gave his approval” for the sending of the cases
of several persons close to Gukasyan to the prosecutor’s office. But
until today no action has been taken against companies such as Vrezh or
Chanshin although their cases were sent to the prosecutor’s office in
May, but this could be predicted. A few days ago the HAAF was asked
to submit some clarifying papers.
This time round a tougher approach has been taken towards the
programmes implemented by the HAAF in Karabakh, in particular the
asphalting of the roads was considered to be of poor quality.
Melkumyan said that she did not agree with this assessment and asked
who could assess the quality of asphalt. We should tell the HAAF
leadership that the dean of the architecture department of the State
University of Architecture, Artur Tovmasyan, is the person.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM IN KARABAKH SET FOR DECEMBER 10
Armenpress
STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS: Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arkady
Ghukasian has decreed today to set December 10 of 2006 as the date
of the constitutional referendum.
On November 1 the Nagorno-Karabakh National Assembly (parliament)
approved the draft Constitution in the second reading. The draft was
approved by the overwhelming majority of deputies, with one “against”
and one abstention.
On December 10, 1991 a referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh with
99.8 percent of voters supporting Nagorno-Karabakh’s independence
from Azerbaijan.

AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS NOT RELATED TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 1 2006
After the meeting of the foreign ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan
in Paris the Azerbaijani side did not state anything for several
days. Apparently, they were evaluating the results. And seven days
later the Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev suddenly gave a news
conference and made several significant statements. With regard to the
Karabakh issue he said that the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
is not a subject of the talks, and all Baku can give to Karabakh is a
status of autonomy. In fact, Aliyev outlined the stiff borders of the
“compromise” acceptable for Baku before the meeting of the foreign
ministers in Brussels on November 14. Although the foreign minister of
Azerbaijan Mammedyarov followed him and tried to mitigate the words of
the president. He mentioned that the mediators take into consideration
not only the standpoint of Azerbaijan but also that of the other party.
Commenting on the statements of the Azerbaijani president, the deputy
foreign minister of NKR Masis Mayilyan said that the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan has nothing to do with Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic. “Two independent states emerged in the territory of former
Soviet Azerbaijan, the Republic of Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic. NKR was established in accordance with all the international
standards. And in this sense the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan
cannot be a subject of the talks. The fact that the world recognized
the results of the referendum in Azerbaijan and did not recognize the
results of the referendum in Karabakh allowed Azerbaijan to claim to
Karabakh and use military force,” said Masis Mayilyan.
The deputy foreign minister also commented on Ilham Aliyev’s statement
that if the independence of Karabakh is recognized, the Armenians
living in other countries will also claim independence.
Masis Mayilyan says the people of Karabakh have never been diaspora.
This territory has always been controlled by the Armenians, therefore
this comparison is absurd, says Masis Mayilyan.

CHIEFS OF GENERAL STAFFS OF ARMED FORCES OF CSTO COUNTRIES TO HOLD CONSULTATIONS IN MOSCOW
ArmRadio.am
02.11.2006 10:27
Working consultations of Chief of General Staffs of Armed Forces
of CSTO member states will be held in Moscow today. The Armenian
delegation is headed by Chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces
of the Republic of Armenia, RA First Deputy Defense Minister,
Colonel-General Mickael Harutynyan. The agenda of the consultations
includes CSTO coalition army building by 2010, the format of the
mechanism of cooperation of the CSTO joint Staff and General Staffs
of member countries, military-technical cooperation, joint training
of specialists.

ARMENIA WOOS GEORGIA AHEAD OF UN DISCUSSION OF FROZEN CONFLICTS IN CIS
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Nov 1 2006
Yerevan, 1 November: The Armenian and Georgian foreign ministers,
Vardan Oskanyan and Gela Bezhuashvili, today met in Moscow on the
sidelines of a session of the council of foreign ministers of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organizations’ member countries.
The foreign ministers of the two counties “discussed issues of
bilateral relations, the influence of the Russian-Georgian relations
on the region and the possibilities of softening the current tension,”
the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Mediamax today.
Oskanyan and Bezhuashvili also discussed the issue of signing the
action plans by Armenia and Georgia within the framework of the
European Union’s Neighbourhood Policy scheduled for 14 November. The
ministers said that the beginning of implementation of the action
plans will deepen cooperation between Armenia and Georgia towards
the European integration.
“The sides also exchanged views on issues of settling regional
conflicts, and in this context, they discussed eliminating possible
consequences of the initiatives [on the frozen conflicts] by GUAM
[regional alliance of Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova]
member countries in the UN”, the press service of the Armenian Foreign
Ministry said.