Author: Ekmekjian Janet

NEW FROM EUROPE vs ARMENIAN SYSTEM

Panorama.am
16:44 24/06/2008

Till today not a single method to struggle is drafted, which the
representatives of authorities could apply in politics, said Arcrun
Pepanyan, political expert and the coordinator of "Verelk" political
examination club.

According to him the recent inter-political events have proved that the
society lacks political rational assessment system and such political
content is formed which is useless for creating a normal country. "20
years ago we make an attempt to implement European political culture
in our country but if we do want to adopt certain political culture
we have to adopt its political history also. This is quite dangerous
for our country as March 1 events have proved that civil wars can
start in Armenia as they started in France," he said.

Tigran Hakobyan, the coordinator of election campaign of Levon
Ter-Petrosyan said that when looking at other countries experience
we should not search for the bloody cases but, we should look for
their democratic victories.

4 MILLION FOR FIREWORK IS ENOUGH AND 5 MILLION FOR SUSTAINING NURSERY SCHOOL IS TOO MUCH
Anahit Danielyan

23-06-2008 11:14:30
KarabakhOpen

On Friday the government withdrew from the agenda the issue of
opening a nursery school in the village of Arakel in Hadrut. The
minister of education and science Vladik Khachatryan said 5 million
387 thousand drams is needed to sustain the nursery school. However,
Prime Minister Ara Harutiunyan thought that it is too much for 30
children in 6 months. He said that may become a precedent and other
nursery schools may offer similar requirements, and the government
cannot afford to pay that much. The head of the government thinks it
is not normal that a nursery school with 30 children has 10 employees.

In a few minutes the government decided without any discussion to
assign 15 million 595 thousand drams for the celebration of the 17th
anniversary of the independence of NKR on September 2. According to the
program, 4.5 million drams will be allocated to the ministry of culture
for organizing concerts and inviting performers from Armenia. As
much as 4 million drams is foreseen to spend on a firework, another
million is foreseen for flowers, invitation cards and other expenses.

None of the ministers said four million on shooting in the air is
too much for a country which is not doing very well. They did not
remember about the nursery school which could be sustained on this
money for half a year.

Government fireworks happen at least three times a year – on New Year,
the Day of Victory and September 2. In other words, every year we
shoot in the air 12 million drams or about 40 thousand dollars.

Let alone other expenses, such as invitation of performers from
Armenia, which costs 4-5 million drams every time. Especially that
besides these expenses 500 thousand drams is provided to each region,
and 2.2 million is provided to Stepanakert for the celebrations.

Turkmenistan.ru, Turkmenistan
June 20 2008

Serzh Sargsyan invites Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov to pay official visit
to Yerevan

President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov received a letter
from Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. The letter was published in
the Turkmen press on June 20.

As the Turkmenistan.ru correspondent reports from Ashgabat, in his
message the Armenian leader invited the president of Turkmenistan to
pay an official visit to Yerevan.

"I am confident that this visit will make it possible to boost the
development of our relations in all spheres of interstate cooperation
and will serve to the benefit of our nations in the best way", Serzh
Sargsyan said.

"The history of friendly relations between our nations is centuries
old. Let me express confidence that there is a huge untapped potential
of cooperation between our states," the message says.

MONEY IN THE MORNING, REVOLUTION IN THE EVENING
Vrezh Aharonyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on June 20, 2008
Armenia

There are few people in our reality who still doubt that
L. Ter-Petrosyan returned to active politics due to the great political
and financial support of the West.

Those financial means were invested in the Ter-Petrosyan-led movement
in an indirect manner – in the form of medium-scale grant projects
allocated to public, political and human rights organizations which,
behind the false slogan of democracy and human rights, used them with
political considerations. And the process has continued up to date.

As confirmed by the document that has come to hand, the
Ter-Petrosyan-led opposition has financial ties with foreign
forces. And this is just one of the numerous examples.

According to the document, certain Western circles make large-scale
financial allocations to different organizations operating under their
control. And the goal is to destabilize the situation in Armenia –
something that has periodically continued even after the March 1
developments.

This is one of the reasons that the situation here remains tense:
the West provides the funding, and L. Ter-Petrosyan’s team carries
out the tasks.

And thus, the document confirming the fact of the "Armenian colored
revolution’s" being funded by abroad is a kind of agreement signed
between the "Assistance Foundation of the Open Society Institute"
(Soros Foundation) and the "Helsinki Committee of Armenia". In other
words, the parties to the above-mentioned ill-famed agreement are
the "Soros Foundation" (which, as we know, has funded the colored
revolutions in Georgia and Ukraine) and the "Helsinki Committee of
Armenia", an organization headed by Avetik Ishkhanyan.

And what does George Soros’s office in Budapest offer Mr. A. Ishkhanyan
under the agreement? It offers him a grant project aimed at "Providing
Legal Assistance to the Individuals Arrested in the Post-electoral
Period", and the sum makes up around 32.5 thousand US Dollars. The
project implementation period is from May 14, 2008 till May 14, 2009,
and the report on the accomplishments is due in June 2009.

The amount has already been debited to the bank account opened in
"Converse Bank" for the "Helsinki Foundation of Armenia" (account
No. 00466910101,), and the transfer was made by "Deutche Bank Trust
Company Americas, New York" (account No. 04418885).

In this regard, there is the following noteworthy consideration:
the "Soros Foundation", otherwise known as "Open Society Institute",
is registered in Budapest as a charity foundation (address: Akademia
u. 6, Budapest, H-1054), but the grant, for some reason, is provided
by the New York branch of "Deutche Bank".

And here is the most important thing: what should the allocated sums
be spent on? According to the customer, the grant aims to assist the
"Helsinki Committee of Armenia" in covering the legal costs of the
individuals arrested after the presidential elections (February-March
2008).

These sums should be mainly directed at paying off all the court
expenses (including the sums spent on applying the Constitutional
Court and the European Court of Human Rights).

In fact, even if the arrested individuals and their relatives do
not want to apply to courts of different instances, the "Helsinki
Committee of Armenia" has to "persuade" them to make that step
so as the clauses prescribed by the agreement will be fulfilled,
and A. Ishkhanyan will be able to spend the amounts received under
a grant project. And the "Soros Foundation" will get what it wants,
i.e. destabilization of the internal political situation in Armenia
and decrease of the country’s international reputation.

As we know, this is one of the compulsory attributes of a "colored
revolution".

In accordance with another noteworthy clause of the "agreement", the
project will be managed by some Council of Experts responsible for the
decisions concerning the issues of the legal defense. The committee
will also elaborate the main strategic approach of the legal defense.

As to the "Helsinki Committee of Armenia", it is to coordinate the
activities of the legal defense and coordinate and assist in the
activities of the group of lawyers based on the decisions of the
Council of Experts.

Upon necessity, the Council will mobilize the experts of the human
rights organizations.

Well, he who pays the piper calls the tune. By this, "Soros" will see
to it that the money it sends serves its purpose. And the purpose,
as we mentioned above, is to destabilize the situation, preparing a
breeding ground for a colored revolution.

There are quite supported arguments testifying to the fact
that certain circles have been spending millions of sums on the
Ter-Petrosyan-led movement since the autumn of 2007, and they are
not going to discontinue the process unless they realize that they
have eventually suffered a defeat in Armenia. We have no doubt that
they will finally realize that.

NAREK SARGSIAN APPOINTED RA DEPUTY MINISTER OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Noyan Tapan

Ju ne 18, 2008

YEREVAN, JUNE 18, NOYAN TAPAN. By the decision of Tigran Sargsian, the
RA Prime Minister, Narek Sargsian has been appointed RA Deputy Minister
of Urban Development. This information was provided to Noyan Tapan by
the Information and Public Relations Department of the RA Government.

ARMENIAN RURAL RESIDENT KILLED AT ARMENIA-AZERI BORDER

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.06.2008 17:51 GMT+04:00

On June 18, at 3.40 p.m. resident of Chinar village, Tavush region
of Armenia, Levon Petrosyan, 21, was shot in a firing commenced by
the Azeri side, RA Defense Minister’s spokesman, col.

Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Levon Petrosyan died on the way to hospital.

A MAN KILLED IN A MASS BRAWL

AZG Armenian Daily
18/06/2008

Armenians in Russia

A man was killed on June 13 in a mass brawl between Russians and
Armenians in town Verkhneuralsk (Chelyabinsk province, Russia).

According to Russian news agencies, the reason of the brawl was
that three Russians among them the man killed in the brawl on June
12 entered a cafe belonging to Armenians and demanded to serve them
free of charge. The sides entered into an argument and arranged a
meeting to settle accounts.

One of the Armenians got serious cranial injuries in the mass brawl
and was moved to hospital.

A criminal case was initiated in connection with the incident,
Noyan-Tapan agency reported.

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MET WITH PACE RAPPORTEURS

armradio.am
17.06.2008 10:49

RA President Serzh Sargsyan received the Raporteurs of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe John Prescott and
George Colombier.

During the meeting the President of Armenia underlined that the
implementation of the provisions of the PACE resolution n. 1609 is in
line with his pre-election platform and concurs with the priorities
set by the political coalition. Serzh Sargsyan said that democratic
reforms are not limited to the implementation of the provisions of the
OSCE resolution only and will be continuous. The two sides spoke about
the steps undertaken by the working group established by the decision
of the President of Armenia and exchanged views on the implementation
of the recommendations contained in the resolution.

John Prescott hailed the creation of the special working group by
the President and measures taken toward the implementation of the
provisions of the resolution. Mr. Prescott stressed that even though
the PACE is well aware that the set time table is not sufficient for
registering comprehensive progress on all directions, the organization
however appreciates the apparent political will to do so. President
Sargsyan reiterated determination of the Armenian authorities to
steadily move the process of democratization forward.

The Armenian Weekly On-Line
80 Bigelow Avenue
Watertown MA 02472 USA
(617) 926-3974
[email protected]

http://www.a rmenianweekly.com

The Armenian Weekly; Volume 74, No. 22; June 7, 2008

Commentary and Analysis:

1. A Different ‘High School Musical’
By Khatchig Mouradian
Comments by Liz Hamm and Megan Hanesian

***

1. A Different ‘High School Musical’
By Khatchig Mouradian

Another world is not only possible, she is on her way.
On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.
-Arundhati Roy

I was invited to speak about the scourge of genocide at Tantasqua Regional
High School on April 18. I agreed to speak at the event, organized by the
school’s Amnesty International (AI) chapter, because I considered it an
opportunity for me to share my thoughts on genocides old and new and
motivate the students to get involved in anti-genocide activism. Little did
I know that the high school students of Fiskdale, this remote town in
Massachusetts, would, in turn, motivate and inspire me.

It was a handful of students, all members of the AI club, who had managed to
put together an impressive genocide commemoration event, including a photo
exhibit at the entrance of the event hall depicting areas affected by
genocide in the 20th and 21st century.

Before going on the podium, I talked to a few students who helped put the
event together, while they were selling anti-genocide bracelets and
T-shirts, taking care of last-minute arrangements, and ushering their
classmates in. They noted that I had to meet Megan, the student who
conceived and helped organize the event.

Speaking in front of 300-plus students, which included students who had
arrived-with T-shirts that read "Save Darfur" from another high school in
the area-I told the students the story of two families, one that went
through the Armenian genocide and another that survived the Holocaust. I
thought it was important to put faces and names to crimes that are often
reduced to mere numbers of victims. With the help of my PowerPoint
presentation, I took the students on a journey to the dark side of
civilization, and then we arrived at my concluding remarks:

"As high school students, you have countless reasons not to get involved in
human rights activism and anti-genocide movements. You have to worry about
your classes, college, your dreams, and many other large and small issues
that you face every single day. Also, many of the people who are being
subjected to gross human rights violations and massacres today live on the
other side of the Atlantic, have a different skin color, language, and
religion. Some of you might live your entire lives without encountering
people from those societies. . There are countless reasons not to get
involved, to be busy with our own lives. But there is one good reason why we
need to, have to get involved. And that reason is simply that, just like you
and me, those people suffering from genocide also deserve to go to high
school and college, also deserve to dream and live. And we are all part of
the same humanity. So all of us need to find that one minute in our hour,
that one hour in our week, or one day in our month when we can get involved
and support efforts to recognize and prevent genocide and other crimes."

Throughout the presentation, the students were listening attentively. A
Ph.D. student from Clark University, spoke after me. When the event came to
an end, the students did not rush back to their classes. In just a few
minutes, all 200 anti-genocide bracelets were sold. Several students
approached the AI club members and expressed their interest in getting
involved.

But let’s get back to Megan. After hearing from her classmates about the
great work she had done organizing the event, I finally met her, and as she
shook my hand, she introduced herself: "Megan Hanessian. I am Armenian."

In this small town in Massachusetts, among hundreds of students who, at
first sight, might appear very homogeneous, I was shaking hands with a
fellow Armenian, who was, in fact, the person without whom this
commemoration of genocides-all genocides, not just the Armenian case-would
not have been possible.

This is to all the Megans of the world. You are an inspiration to your
people and all peoples. This is also dedicated to the members of the AI club
of Tantasqua High School and all the students who, on April 18, 2008,
inspired me and assured me that another world is indeed possible.

***

Below, Tantasqua High School AI club members Megan Hanesian and Liz Hamm
talk about their club, and their impressions from the event.

Comments by Liz Hamm

Amnesty International is quite active in our school, although the projects
we work on vary. Our Amnesty is primarily student-run. Our adviser, Deborah
McKinstry, is extremely helpful in providing us with ideas and working with
us on events, but she makes it a point to let us do the majority of the
work. This set-up is both good and bad; it works well because it makes our
projects more meaningful, but it also means Amnesty is more successful some
years than others. For several years, Amnesty had a high involvement in
helping those in Haiti, following our reading Mountains Beyond Mountains.
This year was the first year we shifted our focus.

As I understand it, the idea for the event was proposed by fellow member
Megan Hanesian. Because of my busy schedule, I did not take part in the
initial planning of the event. Mid-year, Megan approached me with the idea
for a "Genocide Awareness Day," at which point I became active in the
Amnesty once again.

One of our main goals for the event was, as the title states, to increase
awareness of genocide. Everyone in our school knows about the Holocaust, but
few knew that genocides also took place before and after the Holocaust. I
overheard several students ask, "What’s genocide?" as they entered the
auditorium. We weren’t expecting students to immediately start working on
projects to stop genocide. While we certainly encouraged that, our goal was
more simple: All we wanted was for students to at least be aware of the
reality of genocide. We wanted students to know that genocide was not just
the Holocaust-it was Armenia, it was Bosnia, it was Guatemala, it was
Rwanda, etc. We also wanted to make students aware of the fact that genocide
isn’t simply a thing of the past; it happens today and it is happening today
in Darfur. So many students read the book Night and ask, "How could anyone
let this happen?" in reference to the Holocaust. What many do not see is
that it is actually quite easy to let such horrors happen, and that we all
are capable of doing so. If we could make this point, the students in the
future might take a more active role in the recognition and prevention of
genocide.

Overall, we were pleased with the event. The time limit our school schedule
gave us was a bit unfortunate; however, I do believe we made an impact with
the students. We sold out all our "Recognize Genocide" bracelets following
the event, and received a lot of donations and support from both the
teachers and students. We would love to work on holding similar events in
the future.

***

Comments by Megan Hanesian

My school’s (Tantasqua Regional High School) chapter of Amnesty
International decided to use genocide awareness as a theme this year because
it seemed very appropriate given the current situation in Darfur, Sudan, and
the lack of educations students seem to receive on genocide outside of the
Holocaust. I took a poll at the beginning of the year asking students if
they knew who Britney Spears’ ex-husband was and if they knew what the
Armenian Genocide was; 117 students knew who Spears’ ex-husband was, but
only 11 students knew what the Armenian Genocide was. Though the Armenian
Genocide was 93 years ago, there have been several other genocides since
then. There is no excuse for these terrible crimes to go unspoken-this was
millions of innocent people simply gone from this world.

Growing up, the events of the Armenian Genocide were taught to me very young
as something to never forget. Several members of my family perished in the
genocide, and to think that their deaths shall go unrecognized or even
unspoken of is extremely horrifying to me. Growing up, I just expected my
peers to know about the genocide because it was something that I always
knew. I figured that surely no one could be able to ignore 1.5 million
people. But I was wrong; my peers had never heard of the genocide, only that
Adolf Hitler once mentioned the "annihilation of the Armenians." I want
people to know our history just as 93 years ago my ancestors wanted people
to know theirs. Though the deaths may be over, the fight still goes on, 93
long years later. And it is for that reason that I choose to take matters
into my own hands, to spread the knowledge my generation-the hope of
recognition.

I thought the event went very well. We made over $300 in donations and
profits from the "Recognize Genocide" bracelets sold throughout the week.
Those profits will go toward charities promoting the end of the genocide in
Darfur. Many people approached me afterwards with tears in their eyes
telling me what a good thing we-Amnesty International-had done and that it
is people like us who will change the world. I hope more than anything that
students went home that day and told their family and friends what they
learned…because education brings the world one step closer to "Never
Again."

KHALAF KHALAFOV: "THERE IS NO ANY RUSSIA’S ENCLAVE IN THE TERRITORY OF AZERBAIJAN" – EXCLUSIVE

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 12 2008

"Exchanging of the Keshishchi Dagi territory with Georgia is not a
subject of discussions"

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf
Khalafov’s interview to APA

-In which stage are the negotiations with Turkmenistan and Iran
over the Caspian legal status? Will Turkmen President Gurbangulu
Berdimuhammedov’s visit to Baku have positive impact on these
negotiations?

– The visit of Turkmenistan’s President to Azerbaijan assumes great
historical significance. Negotiations between the Presidents create
new tendencies in the relations and a number of measures will be taken
for the strengthening and development of these tendencies. The visits
of Azerbaijani Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to Turkmenistan,
establishing of economic cooperation commission by the order of both
Presidents and solution of the debt issue between Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan as a result of the commission’s first meeting created
opportunities for the official visit of Turkmenistan’s President
to Azerbaijan. The visit has a great historical significance for
the two countries and two friendly peoples. The visit had very
significant results like the normal course of political relations
between Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan, background for the new stage of
development of the relations, decisions on the intensive development
of political dialogue between the two countries, expanding of
intergovernmental dialogue, economic cooperation, implementation of
concrete projects, especially energy cooperation on the basis of great
opportunities of both countries in this field, as well as deepening
and expanding of humanitarian and cultural relations, which have
historical roots. One of the main decisions was the agreement between
the Presidents to hold Azerbaijan-Turkmenistan oil and gas conference
in Baku. It assumes great importance. Firstly, this format enables
Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to start energy cooperation using their
potentials, to research the current situation and to start on its
basis the concrete measures and projects. Now organizational works
and preparations for the conference are going on. Several days ago,
Azerbaijani Minister of Industry and Energy Natig Aliyev and me
participated at the oil and gas conference in Turkmenistan. Only
Azerbaijani delegation was represented at this conference in the
high level. It shows that we have great will for further expansion
of cooperation and both sides make mutual efforts for that.

Regarding the delimitation of the Caspian seabed, it is very important
issue. There is an understanding in the negotiations and in the
context of the development of bilateral relations that this issue
should be discussed separately by the working groups. We have to try
to make positions of both sides closer and to make decision for the
common agreement. This issue will not have an impact on the bilateral
relations. We consider carrying out the joint projects, including
energy cooperation and at the same time to develop discussions on
the delimitation of Caspian seabed. One of the main points within
the framework of delimitation is that the sides have a great will to
solve this issue, which is under the control of the Presidents of both
countries. The Presidents instructed the working group for the regular
negotiations. Last negotiations were held in Ashgabad and a number of
issues were discussed there, but the experts continue work on some
issues, including the elements of center line coordinates, learning
of cartographic and topographic materials and etc. The potential of
today’s negotiations encourages us to say that we can reach important
and positive results. We hope for the soonest solution of the issue
and adoption of the variant acceptable for both sides.

-Can the agreement on the Caspian legal status be reached until the
Baku summit of Caspian littoral states?

-We always hope for that and will continue our efforts. Both sides
make efforts and there is good environment for mutual steps. We
hope that the issue will be solved soon. However it is impossible to
say that the issues will finally be solved in the next round of the
negotiations, because the elements don’t depend on the positions of
both sides only and there are certain legal issues too. Both sides
insist on the legal solution.

-What per cent of shares did former USSR and Iran have in the
sea? Iranian sources claim that they had half of the sea at that
time…

-Unfortunately legal issues were not implemented in the Caspian
Sea during the Soviet period and the issue was regulated within
the 1921 and 1940 agreements only. These agreements determined the
principle of free commercial navigation. It means that Soviet and
Iranian trade ships could freely navigate in the sea and it defined
fishing jurisdiction in 10 miles of width. Certain experiences were
implemented at the same time. There was experience of sharing in the
filed of mineral resources. USSR produced mineral resources in its
sector not depending form Iran and oil production in Neft Dashlari
began in 1940s. Mineral resources were shared not only with Iran,
but also among the former Soviet republics beginning from 1970s.

Actually, there was a conditional sector between Iran and USSR
and there were sectors among the Soviet republic for economic
activity in the Caspian Sea. There were experiences on the level
of common international law in the Caspian Sea. These rules are
efficient after the collapse of USSR. Formation of legal vacuum was
impossible, otherwise, it may result in anarchy. These legal rules
are still efficient, free trade navigation, 10-mile fishing zone
etc. The statements that Iran owns 50 percent of the sea have no
legal ground. The littoral states reached a common agreement that
the sea is to divided into sectors in terms of economic activity
and use of mineral resources. Practically, the work has started
and half of it has already been completed. We have signed relevant
agreements with Kazakhstan and Russia. Owing to these agreements, we
can regulate the issues among three countries completely. I believe
that the distribution principles can be applied in the other parts
of the Caspian Sea, with other countries. We continue negotiations
both with Turkmenistan and Iran in this direction.

There is a regular working group between Iran and Azerbaijan,
we review this issue from time to time, compare our positions and
continue talks. Mehdi Safari used to deal with this issue from Iranian
side, now First Deputy Foreign Minister of Iran Alirza Sheikh Attar
is engaged in this issue. Potential and level of bilateral relations
with Iran allows us to continue talks on the solution of these issues
within the framework of negotiations.

-Azerbaijani fishers are often detained in Kazakhstan waters. What
is its reason?

– There is no state-run fishing company in Azerbaijan. the relevant
government agency regulating this issue gives license to certain
companies to engage in fishing activity basing on quotas owned by
Azerbaijan and participate in supplying the country with the fish. Five
countries established inter-ministerial commission in connection with
fishery. This commission determines quota for fishing and focuses
its attention on the observation of CITES Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

The ships detained in Kazakhstan are engaged in poaching, fish
without license. These ships are held accountable wherever they
are detained. As the states have not yet adopted a new convention
determining the legal status of the sea, existing legal rules,
agreements in the Caspian sea are effective. Probably the ships with
our without license entered 10-mile fishing jurisdiction zone of
Kazakhstan, that’s’ why the country has the right to detain them.

-It was decided in Tehran summit to hold a conference on the security
issues of the Caspian in Baku. When will the conference be held?

-There were a number of proposals on the security aspects. For
example, Russia offers to establish Kasfor, Kazakhstan to sign an
agreement strengthening confidence, Iran offers to set up another
organization. These issues were raised in Tehran summit, when all
problems of the Caspian Sea were discussed. Taking into account that
security issues are complex issues, it was offered to hold common
discussions in connection with this. As the meeting of experts on
the legal status of the Caspian Sea will take place in Baku, it was
offered to hold expert meeting on security in Azerbaijan. We decided
to summarize all proposals on existing security issues, prepare
a project basing on them and submit to the experts. The security
issues cover various illegal actions in the Caspian Sea – terrorism,
smuggling, sale of weapons, prevention of human trafficking, safety of
the littoral states, their activity in the Caspian Sea, investments
of the companies engaged in production of mineral resources etc. All
these are complex issues. Besides, the existence of military forces,
their future activity, displacement – all these should be reflected
in one document. All these should be regulated basing on certain
principles in order to ensure all littoral states with equal safety
measures. The conference should be held before the summit. The next
meeting of the special working group on the legal status of the Caspian
Sea will be possibly held in Baku, too. The date of the meeting is
being specified, it will possibly take place in summer.

-No meeting has been recently held on the delimitation of land
boundaries. Is it connected with the change of chairmen of those
commissions from Russian and Georgian sides or are there any other
causes?

-We have two uncoordinated areas with Russia, one area has been
partially coordinated. We continue work on these three areas. Both
sides demonstrate great will to finalize this issue. I hope as a result
of regular talks we will achieve full solution of this issue. We are
engaged in Samur Bridge. Though it does not influence the issue on
delimitation, it is of great importance for the relations. Under the
decision of the intergovernmental commission working group was set up,
Deputy Foreign Minister Grigori Karasin chairs the group from Russian
side and I chair the commission from Azerbaijani side. Karasin has
visited Baku recently. We had broad discussions and reviewed Samur
Bridge. Repair of the bridge is a very important problem, because
500-600 go through the bridge. Samur Bridge is the traffic artery in
trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Russia. We want this work to
be completed in a short period of time – one or two months and want
repair or reconstruction to start.

Change of Commission Chairmen influences on negotiations
process. Experts have meetings though meetings of commissions are
seldom held. Expert Groups often carry out investigations in such
fields and work on topographic maps, advance compilation, earth
structure to ease work of the commission. The meeting was held in
the west direction two weeks ago, specifications were conducted and
the report made to be discussed at the next meeting of the commission.

-Does Georgia want to achieve David Gareji Monastery Complex by means
of exchange?

This area is not a subject of exchange. This issue is not discussed
in this way, irrespective of several opinions voiced. Borders
are coordinated between Azerbaijan and Georgia basing on current
documents. We are carrying out delimitation process basing on
investigation of documents.

Are Russians’ problems solved in Uryanoba and Khrakhoba villages of
Khachmaz? Have these territories ever been enclaves of Russia?

Russia has not any enclave in Azerbaijan. The problem occurred as
a result of illegal settlement. Mutual places were suggested to
carry cattle to summer pastures between Azerbaijan and Dagestan
during Soviet period, then people began to build houses and it
caused illegal settlement. After separation of Soviet Union, these
people lived in Azerbaijan having no legal base. Their situation
should be solved according to Azerbaijani laws. The villages are
territories of Azerbaijan and people should obey demands of Azerbaijani
laws. Foreigners, who lived in Azerbaijan for a long time, should
receive citizenship. Proper bodies should solve the problem within
the framework of Azerbaijani legislation.

Are the works on demarcation of boundaries with Iran and Turkey
carried out?

Demarcation is an act of creating a boundary around a place or a
thing. Iran and Turkey have state borders with USSR. After separation
of great states, newly-established states are accepted as heirs of
state borders according to international inheritance law. We are
heir of state border of USSR with Iran and Turkey. There are boundary
points and both sides protect state borders, and bank consolidation is
carried out as a result of change of the course of Aras River. These
are carried out with the participation of border service. The border
between Turkey and Azerbaijan is 11-12 km and there is no need
for demarcation. As Iran, Azerbaijan-Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh
conflicts impede the issue. Over 130-km borders of Azerbaijan with
Iran are under occupation of Armenian armed forces and we cannot
control the borders. After liberation of our lands, withdrawal of
Armenian forces from the lands, restoration of our sovereignty,
the border points will be put and border will be protected.

-Does delimitation of Azerbaijan-Armenia borders include in the program
prepared with the participation of international organizations on
restoration of territories after the end of Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

Delimitation is an issue between the two countries. It is not
an international issue. The issue cannot be included in any
program. Clearing of territories from mines, restoration of
infrastructure, recultivation, fertilization of lands, solution to
ecological issues, ensuring human security are included in the program
you mentioned above. We have administrative boundaries with Armenia
since Soviet period. There are documents on it. Works will be carried
out basing on these documents as we do with other countries. After
achievement peace treaty with Armenia, the borders will be coordinated
basing on the documents.