Author: Emil Lazarian

KAREKIN II CATHOLICOS EXPECTS BELARUSIAN AUTHORITIES’ SUPPORT IN AFFAIR OF BUILDING OF ARMENIAN CHURCH
Noyan Tapan
Oct 25 2006
ETCHMIADZIN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Receiving on October 24 at the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin Sergey Sidorsky, the Prime Minister
of Republic of Belarus who is on an official visit in Armenia,
Karekin II Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians
expressed satisfaction with making closer and strengthening the
Armenian-Belarusian relations at the state level, considering them
natural consequence of centuries-old friendship of the Armenian and
Belarusian peoples. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the Press Services
of the Araratian Patriarchal Diocese, the Armenian Patriarch thanked
in the person of the Prime Minister the authorities of Belarus as
well for the attentive and careful attitude towards the Armenian
community. His Holiness expressed confidence that the authorities
will support the Armenian community in the affair of construction of
an Armenian church in Belarus.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AND TURKISH PHOTOJOURNALISTS’ JOINT EXHIBITION OPENS IN YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Oct 25 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Exhibition of Armenian and Turkish
photojournalists under the title Merhabarev took place on October
25 at Moscow cinema of Yerevan. The exhibition was organized by
the Caucasian Media Institute with the sponsorship of the Embassy
of Switzerland in RA. The Merhabarev is the first joint program of
photojournalists of Patkerphoto Armenian and Nar Turkish agencies. In
the words of the Patkerphoto founder, photographer Ruben Mangasarian,
five Armenian photographers took photos of Istanbul and five Turkish
photographers took some pictures in Yerevan streets. In the words
of Turkish photojournalist Oscan Yurdalan, the exhibition’s name,
Merhabarev, is a double greeting consisting of Turkish word “merhaba”
and Armenian “barev” (greeting). He said that he communicates with
his Armenian colleagues “in the language of documentary photography,
which enables “to concentrate upon the present at the same time sending
a message to the future.” And photojournalist Anahit Hayrapetian said
that in Istanbul she has worked with representatives of various local
strata and has never met any obstacle or pressure. “We, Armenians,
by saying “Turks” imagine a savage people, which indeed is not so,”
Anahit said. As she affirmed, it is already time that ice between
the two peoples melt.

DUTCH GOVERNMENT ENVISAGES TO PROVIDE 500 THOUSAND-EURO SUBSIDY FOR EXPANSION OF METRIS COMPANY’S ACTIVITIES IN ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Oct 25 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The Dutch government envisages
to provide a 500 thousand-euro subsidy to the Dutch medical and
pharmaceutical equipement manufacturing company Metris for expansion of
its activities in Armenia and staff training for this purpose. Levon
Baghdasarian, technical manager of the company, said this during
the October 25 press conference. According to him, such an agreement
was reached between the Dutch government and Metris so that the cost
of transportation and installation of the equipment (which will be
provided at its cost price to Armenia) will be subsidized by the Dutch
government. At the same time, it was noted that so far no Armenian
pharmaceutical company has made an offer to purchase this equipment
whose lowest price is 20 thousand USD. L. Baghdasarian said that in the
last two years, Metris’ equipment-related programming has been done
by Metris IT Solutions company that operates in Armenia and employs
4 programmers. It was noted that the program on expansion of Metris’
activities in Armenia had a problem with finding specialists (with
the initial minimal salary of 500 dollars), and an attemp was made to
solve this problems by making respective statements and cooperation
offers in higher educational institutions. As a result, it was decided
to launch a program on staff preparation at Metris from January 1,
2007. Over the last two years, Metris IT Solutions has prepared five
developments, which have been used in the equipment produced at the
request of Glexo-Smith-Klein company. In the words of L. Baghdasarian,
Metris’ equipment software serves the purpose of creation of “main
signal recognition, registration and analysis” automated systems used
in pre-clinical studies on drug effects. There are few institutions
engaged in this field that solve software programs ensuring high
precision. It was noted that in India the payment for such work is
three times as much as in Armenia. Metris has been operating on the
US and European markets for about 10 years. The company has branches
in Armenia, Japan, Russia, Hong Kong, with the total staff of 50. It
cooperates with such companies as Phillips Medical Systems, TNO
(Netherlands), Siemens (Germany), National Instruments (US). Among
the company’s customers are GM, Roche and others.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SPEECH BY VARTAN OSKANIAN, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARMENIA
Panorama.am
14:40 25/10/06
At the 15th Anniversary Celebration Of Armenia’s Independence I am
pleased, honored, and still a little awed by the fact that I can stand
before you, as foreign minister, at the official celebration of 15
years of Armenia’s independence. The fact that we are celebrating in
this important capital, with the representatives of a strong, active,
prosperous, proud and engaged Diaspora, in the presence of several
of Armenia’s ambassadors, is still the stuff of dreams.
It has been 15 years since our independence. This came at the end of
a difficult century and an even more difficult millennium. Armenians
take great pride in their millennia of history. The leitmotifs that
run through our recollections of our past are fraught with a search
for silver linings.
We have outlived the empires of the Babylonians and Assyrians, the
Hittites and Medes, the Byzantines, the Mongols and the Ottomans. We
shared the gods of the Greeks and the Romans, until St. Gregory
illuminated the path to Christianity. We translated the Bible not
just into Armenian, but also into Chinese. We recorded the history
of Armenians and of Western civilization in beautifully illuminated
manuscripts. We welcomed the Crusaders to our Kingdom in Cilicia,
and accompanied European traders to the exotic East.
Instead of fortifications, we built monasteries and centers of learning
which have withstood invaders and earthquakes. In the 18th century,
when first the American colonies, and later the people of France
were upholding liberty, equality and fraternity, our students and
merchants in Europe, were watching and learning. They knew that they
had rights and liberties as subjects of three different empires, and
used the formulations and vocabulary of the leaders of the Western
enlightenment to articulate them. It wasn’t that they wanted to
overthrow those governments which abused or usurped their rights,
but to reform them. It didn’t work.
The Sublime Porte, which ruled over the majority of Armenians, made its
Armenian minority the scapegoat for its own inability to govern. The
Genocide followed. The remnants of the Armenian people who emerged
following the Genocide had independence hoisted upon them in 1918. A
population of refugees, insufficient resources with which to govern and
protect, an elite that did not live in Armenia, and an army composed
of well-meaning patriots – that was Armenia’s first modern attempt at
independence. It was a valiant effort to first wrestle with the social
and existential dangers from within, and later to fight against the
direct physical threats from without. The First Republic of Armenia
survived independently long enough that, when it fell, it fell as a
legitimate, independent, political entity. That entity was subsumed
into the Soviet Union as the Armenian Soviet Socialist Republic.
That was the journey that brought us to today and to the improbability
of our independence – the improbability that this surviving nation
would witness the fall of yet another empire – this time Lenin’s.
And that the homeland would be born again, free and independent.
In Armenia, and in the Diaspora, too, where you are still overwhelmed
at the improbability of Armenia’s independence, you sometimes suffer
from the reverse: because we’ve never really had independence, we
sometimes believe that we don’t deserve to have it or that it will
necessarily be taken away again. I want to tell you that Armenians are
not only worthy of independence, we are also capable of independence,
aware of the demands of independence, responsive to the expectations
of independence and accepting of the burdens of independence. But we
were ready. Armenia’s Democratic Movement, the Environmental Movement,
the Karabagh Movement were not just the product of a changed Soviet
Union, but they also accelerated the transformation of the USSR.
Independence is borne of high ideals. We believed that freedom is
the secret to a prosperous nation, a healthy nation, a fair and just
nation, and a stable future. We believed that freedom isn’t just the
right to do what you want, it’s the opportunity to do what you want,
it’s the opportunity to make choices, the right choices.
We made the basic choice – we chose the way of a liberal society –
open markets and democratic institutions. That was the first choice.
And today, as we celebrate independence, we are celebrating that
choice. We are celebrating in Washington, the capital of the country
that proved that a liberal economy in a democratic republic is a
winning combination. Americans are the people who set out to design
a political system that is built around the individual, his liberties
and capacities.
In other words, the American Declaration of Independence is about
rights. It is a testament to the rights of individuals, of peoples,
of society. But no man was ever endowed with a right without being
at the same time saddled with a responsibility.
We are privileged to be the generation that is consolidating
independence. We do have wide and generous opportunities to turn a
dream into a country, a stable country with a promising future. And to
that end, I want to propose a declaration of responsibilities. Our
responsibilities. This generation’s responsibilities. The
responsibilities of Armenia and Diaspora, of all those who call
themselves Armenian.
— We have a responsibility to empower our people to confidently
participate in building their democracy.
— We have a responsibility to create an even playing field for every
Armenian citizen.
— We have the responsibility to continue on the diffcult but necessary
path of political and economic reforms.
— We have a responsibility not to take Armenia for granted, but to
work to create an Armenia that makes real the promises of democracy
and freedom.
–We have a responsibility to remember our past, without being bound
by it, because the future is ours.
— We have a responsibility to reach a just and lasting resolution
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict based on mutual compromise.
— We have a responsibility to make the Diaspora an extension of the
homeland – not a permanent dislocation, not a destructive dispersion.
— We have a responsibility to rally every bit of our resources –
individual and collective, private and public.
— We have a responsibility to stand united, to work united, to go
forward united in the face of new challenges, we can win together,
and not lose separately.
These responsibilities come with independence, with freedom, with
liberty. Demanding freedom means recognizing the responsibility
to ourselves, for ourselves. Freedom is also the right to make
mistakes, to learn from those mistakes. It remains for those who
have greater experience in freedom to be patient as we sort out
the options and freely choose the one that is right for us. We
believed that independence may be bestowed, but freedom must be
achieved. Independence meant rights. Liberty means responsibility.
Thank you.
Washington DC October 21, 2006
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO DISCUSS ON NOVEMBER 7 APPLICATION OF 27 DEPUTIES OF NATIONAL
ASSEMBLY CONCERNING ACCORDANCE OF A NUMBER OF PROVISIONS OF ELECTORAL CODE WITH CONSTITUTION
Noyan Tapan
Oct 25 2006
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The RA Constitutional Court will
discuss at the November 7 sitting the issue of accordance of a number
of provisions of the Electoral Code with the RA Constitution. The
demandant side is 27 deputies of the National Assembly: from the
“Ardaroutiun” (Justice), “Azgayin Miabanutiun” (National Unity),
“Orinats Yerkir” (Country of Law) factions as well as independent
members of the Parliament. The respondent side is the NA adopted
the EC. The disputed provisions relate to the order of formation
of electoral commissions, according to which one judge is involved
in each of present electoral commissions, and 2 judges will be
involved in each of them after the 2007 parliamentary elections as
the competence of the NA acting “People’s Deputy” deputies’ group to
appoint one member in each of the commissions will be given to the
judicial power. According to the demandant side, by the disputable
provisions, representatives of judicial power implement in the
collective body staff commission characteristical for the executive
power, that’s, secure implementation of the electoral right what
contradicts the provision of separating powers fixed by Article 5 of
the RA Constitution. The EC disputed provisions also contradict the
first part of Article 19 of the RA Constitution according to which
“every person has a right to re-establish his violated rights as well
as the right of public examination of his case to find out reasoning
of presented accusation in conditions of equality, with keeping all
demands of justice, by independent and impartial court and within
sober term.”
By reasoning of the demandant side, arguments started while
implementing the electoral right are subject to dispute at the court,
so the power examining the citizen’s complaint, representatives of
which participated in accepting the act being appealed, may not be
impartial. According to the demandant side, the disputed provisions
also contradict the provision on incompatibility considered a component
of a judge’s legal status fixed in the first part of Article 98 of
the RA Constitution as the central electoral commission and district
electoral commissions are state bodies functioning according to
constant principles, a commission member is a state post and is not
connected with the judge’s obligations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

1 GRAM OF NICOTINE KILLS A HEALTHY HORSE
A1+
[04:05 pm] 25 October, 2006
Or Smoking Is Harmful For Health
The editorial staff of website sport.am together with representatives
of several sports organized a march from Abovyan – Sayat-Nova crossroad
to the Republic Square with the slogan “Sports against smoking”. Young
football players of club “Amik” who participates in the march walked
towards the Republic Square handing out posters against smoking to
passers by.
Although the organizers promised that representatives of the Ministry
of Health and Union of Greens would also participate in the march,
they never showed up.
“This is a month of events, from October 21 to November 25. We have
already gone hiking and mountain climbing; we climbed Mount Hatis
and celebrated the opening of the month there”, said editor of the
website Ashot Levonyan. “Our aim is to show the young people of
Armenia once again that there is an alternative to smoking as in
developed countries smoking is no more fashionable; smoking people
get less salary or are not hired to work at all.
Unfortunately Armenians start smoking at an early age.
We want to show them that smoking is not the right thing to do, and
there are much more interesting things to engage in which will keep
them healthy”.
By the way, on December 24, 2004 the RA NA adopted a law on
“Restrictions of sell and purchase, consumption and usage of
cigarettes”. The law regulates the sell and purchase and consumption
of cigarettes. The 11th article of the law enumerates those areas
where it is forbidden to smoke – educational institution, cultural
institutions, theaters, cinemas, circuses, concert halls, museums,
libraries, exhibitions, health institutions, etc.
The means of transportation also belong to this list – buses and route
taxis. But it is not a secret that almost all the drivers of route
taxis smoke regardless of the presence of the passengers. Even the
non-smoking posters in taxis are of no avail as the drivers simply
tear them away.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UN Development Programme (UNDP) Armenia
14, Petros Adamyan St., Yerevan 375010, Armenia
Tel: +374 10 56 60 73 + 121
Mob: +374 91 43 63 12
Fax: +374 10 54 38 11
E-mail: [email protected]
URLs:
PRESS RELEASE
October 25, 2006
CONTACT: Aramazd Ghalamkaryan
E-mail: [email protected]
UNDP AND HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND JOIN EFFORTS TO ALLEVIATE RURAL
POVERTY IN ARMENIA
/Yerevan, October 25, 2006/ – Today, in the UN House in Yerevan, United
Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
signed a memorandum of understanding to closely cooperate in the area of
rural poverty alleviation in Armenia.
Ms. Consuelo Vidal, UNDP resident representative in Armenia and Ms.
Naira Melkumyan, Chief Executive of the Fund signed the memorandum.
Ms. Vidal noted in her speech: “Rural poverty alleviation is a serious
concern both for the government and the United Nations’.
Rural poverty eradication was the focus of the recently held
Armenia-Diaspora Third Conference. UNDP and Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
also participated in the conference and presented their respective
programmes in the field.
As of today, village development plans for 20 communities are already
developed with direct participation of the village inhabitants and the
local self-governance bodies, with UNDP’s assistance. UNDP’s support
will not be limited only to infrastructure, but to local projects in the
villages that generate jobs.
“We are very happy with the partnership with Hayastan All-Armenian Fund
that we formally establish today. We strongly believe that through
joining our efforts we will be able to achieve much more in our fight
against poverty in the country,” – mentioned Ms. Vidal.
Ms. Melkumyan, in her answers to the journalists’ questions, mentioned:
“We and UNDP agree on the methods to be used while supporting Armenian
villages. Namely, we tend to provide means to build houses and not
ready-made houses. That is, we want to create all the necessary
conditions for villagers to become wealthy. Only in this case we will be
successful in our endeavours.”
Currently, Hayastan All-Armenian Fund’s activities focus on improvement
of large-scale physical and development infrastructures. The Fund has a
proven track record: 138 miles (220 km) of roads, 81 miles (130 km) of
waterways, 36 schools, 3 electric transmission networks, 210 residential
buildings, and 14 healthcare institutions.
UNDP is the UN’s global development network. We operate in 166
countries, working with them on their own solutions to global and
national development challenges. As they develop local capacity, they
draw on the people of UNDP and our wide range of partners.
* * *
/For additional information and packages of development plans for 20
border villages, please contact Mr. Aramazd Ghalamkaryan: tel.: +37410
566 073, ext. 121, +37491 436 312, e-mail: [email protected]
./
* * *
The story on UNDP website:

PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
October 25, 2006
___________________
PRAYER SERVICE FOR UNITED NATIONS COMMUNITY HELD AT ST. VARTAN CATHEDRAL
By Florence Avakian
New York City’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral was filled to capacity as the
impressive procession of Orthodox Church leaders, dressed in flowing and
colorful majestic robes, filed into the sanctuary on Tuesday evening,
October 10, 2006. The occasion was the sixth annual Orthodox Prayer Service
for the United Nations Community.
Designed to foster peace and understanding throughout the world, each year
the service is conducted in the traditions of one of the participating
Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches. This year, it followed the
tradition of the Coptic Orthodox Church, officiated by Bishop David, of the
Coptic Orthodox Church Archdiocese of North America.
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church
of America (Eastern), offered a warm welcome to the 600 people in
attendance.
“Once again, as has become an annual tradition for the last six years, we
are gathered for the holy purpose of focusing our prayers on the need for
peace and harmony on earth. Each year, we come together to recognize the
important mission and work of the United Nations,” the Primate said. “We
are committed to bringing our voice to the efforts of all men and women of
good will that we might, together, plant the seeds of peace, harmony, and
fellowship among all nations.”
The annual event is organized by the Joint Commission of the Standing
Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas and the Standing
Conference of Oriental Orthodox Churches.
Among the more than 75 clergy present were several church leaders, including
Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Church in America; Green
Archbishop Nathaniel of Detroit and Romania; Greek Bishop Dimitrios of
Xanthos; Metropolitan Herman of the Orthodox Church of America; Metropolitan
Paisios of Tyana and Bishop Vikentios of Apameia, both of the St. Irene
Chrysovalantou Sacred Patriarchical Monastery of the Greek Orthodox Church;
Archbishop Antony of Ierapolis Eastern Eparchy, of the Ukranian Orthodox
Church in the United States; Bishop Antoun of Miami, of the Antiochian
Orthodox Christian Archdiocese of North America; Bishop Mercurius of the
Russian Orthodox Church; Bishop David of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Archdiocese of North America; Bishop Makaryus of the Coptic Orthodox Church
Archdiocese of North America; Archbishop Mor Titus Yeldho of the Malankara
Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church of North America; and Bishop
Vicken Aykazian, diocesan legate and ecumenical officer.
>From the United Nations community, several dignitaries and diplomats
attended, including Ambassador of Armenia Armen Martirosian.
KOFI ANNAN HONORED
In recognition of the service of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi
Annan, a proclamation was issued by the Joint Commission of Eastern and
Oriental Orthodox Churches. Because of an emergency Security Council
meeting at the United Nations, Mr. Annan was unable to be present, but hi
representative, Edward Mortimer, director of communications for the
Secretary-General’s office, read a message.
“By coming together on this occasion every year, you provide a much-needed
sense of continuity amidst the challenges that never cease to confront our
United Nations,” MR. Mortimer said, after being introduced by Bishoy M.
Mikhail, ecumenical officer and deacon of the Coptic Orthodox Church.
“The work of the United Nations would be hard to imagine without the
steadfast dedication of men and women of faith,” he continued. “As teachers
and guides, you can be the agents of change, and inspire people to new
levels of public service. You can help bridge the chasms of ignorance, fear
and misunderstanding that plague our world. You can set an example of
dialogue, cooperation and respect between people of different beliefs,
traditions or cultures.”
He quoted the profound words of the late United Nations Secretary-General
Dag Hammarskjold, who said, “The United Nations stands outside —
necessarily outside — all confessions. But it is, nevertheless, an
instrument of faith. As such, it is inspired by what unites, and not by
what divides, the great religions of the world.”
And these words are still true today, Mr. Annan’s message said. “Spiritual
and religious practices differ widely, but we all acknowledge certain
universal values to be merciful, tolerant and to love thy neighbor. Such
teachings animate the United Nations Charter, and lie at the root of our
search for global harmony and peace.”
During the evening, the peace and beauty of the Coptic Vesper service filled
St. Vartan Cathedral, as its priests and deacons intoned the ancient prayers
a cappella. Both clergy and attendees participated in the liturgy dedicated
to peace, understanding, justice and harmony throughout the world.
COMMON GOALS
In his keynote address, Bishop David, the ranking clerical leader present of
the Coptic Orthodox Archdiocese of North America, conveyed the greetings of
Pope Shenouda III, Patriarch of the See of Alexandria.
“This meeting manifests our common goals concerning several crucial
challenges that face this generation as well as future generations,” he
said. “As ambassadors of Christ, we must serve others, in total
self-denial, for the common good and salvation of all human kind.”
Turning to current world problems, he emphasized that “Harsh socioeconomic
conditions are among the causes of violence and terror. The work of the
United Nations is guided by the conviction that eradicating poverty and
enhancing the quality of life of every individual are necessary steps in
creating conditions for lasting world peace. The members of the Oriental
and Eastern orthodox Churches are committed to pray for, endorse, and
support all the humanitarian initiatives and efforts of the United Nations.”
Congratulating Secretary-General Kofi Annan for launching a new fund to
support peace building in countries emerging from conflict, Bishop David
stressed the vital role of the United Nations in “cultivating a world based
on human values.”
“This goal is only realized when the United Nations represents the consensus
of all of its member countries, not merely the national or political
interests of its more privileged or powerful members,” he said.
— 10/25/06
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Coptic Bishop David speaks inside New York City’s St.
Vartan Cathedral on October 10, 2006, during the Orthodox Prayer Service for
the United Nations Community.
PHOTO CAPTION (2): Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of
the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and Archbishop Demetrios, of the
Greek Orthodox Church in America, present a proclamation, on behalf of the
Joint Commission of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches, to Edward
Mortimer, director of communications for the office of U.N.
Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
PHOTO CAPTION (3): Archbishop Barsamian is joined by leaders of several
Oriental and Eastern Orthodox Churches in St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral
during the Orthodox Prayer Service for the United Nations Community on
October 10, 2006.
PHOTO CAPTION (4): Coptic clergy join hundreds of clergy, faithful, and
dignitaries from the Orthodox community during the Orthodox Prayer Service
for the United Nations Community, held at New York City’s St. Vartan
Armenian Cathedral on October 10, 2006.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI, ARMENIA FMS TO WORK OUT BASIS FOR KARABAKH PEACE TREATY
by Dmitry Gorokhov
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
October 24, 2006 Tuesday 03:42 PM EST
The Paris negotiations on the Karabakh settlement are aimed at the
elaboration of “main principles of the drafting of a peace treaty
acceptable for the both sides,” French Foreign Ministry spokesman
Jean-Baptiste Mattei told Itar-Tass commenting on Tuesday’s meeting
between the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers.
The two ministers met in Paris under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk
Group.
The diplomat stressed that the principles should be “balanced, fair
and workable.”
Mattei reaffirmed that the October 6 meeting between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani foreign ministers in Moscow, which also was held under
the OSCE auspices, gave the start to the present-day round of talks.
France, jointly with Russia and the United States, is one of the
countries co-chairing the Minsk Group, created by the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to promote progress in
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NAGORNY-KARABAKH: PAS DE PROGRèS A PARIS, PROCHAINE RENCONTRE LE 14 NOVEMBRE
Agence France Presse
24 octobre 2006 mardi 7:23 PM GMT
Les ministres armenien et azerbaïdjanais des Affaires etrangères ont
decide de se retrouver le 14 novembre a Bruxelles pour poursuivre
leurs discussions sur la region disputee du Nagorny-Karabakh, a-t-on
appris a l’issue d’une rencontre mardi a Paris où aucune avancee n’a
ete signalee.
Le chef de la diplomatie armenienne Vartan Oskanian et son homologue
azerbaïdjanais Elmar Mammediarov ont eu mardi une “rencontre
constructive, dans une atmosphère franche et ouverte”, ont indique
dans un communique conjoint les mediateurs internationaux (France,
Etats-Unis, Russie).
Les deux ministres ont “examine en profondeur” des “elements
complementaires” a des “principes de base” d’un règlement negocie
avances par les mediateurs le 6 octobre a Moscou, “qui ouvrent de
nouvelles perspectives aux negociations mais demandent encore a etre
clarifies”, ajoute ce communique, sans donner plus de details sur
les elements en discussion.
“Ils ont accepte de se rencontrer a nouveau le 14 novembre a Bruxelles
afin de poursuivre les discussions sur ces clarifications”, ajoute
le communique conjoint.
Le ministre des Affaires etrangères, Philippe Douste-Blazy, a par
ailleurs recu mardi Vartan Oskanian, et lui a exprime “sa satisfaction
quant au developpement des relations bilaterales”, après le voyage
du president Jacques Chirac en Armenie en septembre, a indique le
porte-parole du ministère dans un communique.
M. Douste-Blazy s’est en outre “rejoui” que la reunion entre
M. Oskanian et son homologue armenien “ait permis des echanges
approfondis entre les parties”, souligne le communique.
Les hauts diplomates francais, americain et russe charges du suivi
des negociations comptent se rendre dans la region fin novembre
afin d’evaluer la possibilite d’une nouvelle rencontre, d’ici la
fin de l’annee, entre les presidents armenien Robert Kotcharian et
azerbaïdjanais Ilham Aliev.
Le Nagorny-Karabakh est une enclave habitee en majorite par une
population armenienne et qui a fait secession de l’Azerbaïdjan après
un conflit meurtrier au debut des annees 1990. Un cessez-le-feu est
intervenu en 1994, mais la situation reste tendue.
Paris, Washington et Moscou ont ete charges de la mediation de ce
dossier au sein du “groupe de Minsk”, une emanation de l’Organisation
pour la securite et la cooperation en Europe (OSCE).
–Boundary_(ID_oJOTWlAGy91s/oNxwJuD6g)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress