Author: Emil Lazarian

INTERNATIONAL WORKING GROUP HELD MEETINGS IN STEPANAKERT

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
June 19 2006

The International Working Group (IWG) on the Search for the Missing
People, Hostages and POWs in the Karabakh conflict zone arrived in
Nagorno Karabakh on a two-day working visit.

June 19 the IWG members met with the NKR Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrosyan, the leadership of the NKR State Committee on Missing People
and Hostages, heads of the Stepanakert Office of the International
Committee of the Red Cross, as well as with former hostages. In the
course of the meeting the issues referring to activation of search
for the missing and burial places were discussed. The requests of the
state commissions on missing persons and hostages of Nagorno Karabakh,
Armenia and Azerbaijan were considered as well.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ISLAM COUNTRIES TO DISPLAY BEST SOLIDARITY

Hurriyet, Turkey
June 19 2006

"Islam countries will display the best olidarity among themselves,"
Turkish Foreign Minister & Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul said
on Sunday. Gul arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan to attend the 33rd meeting
of foreign ministers of Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC).

Speaking to reporters, Gul said that Cyprus issue and Armenian
occupation of Azerbaijani territories were among the topics on the
agenda of the meeting.

"This is the first time such a wide-scale OIC meeting takes place in
Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev will deliver a speech
at the meeting and Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will chair the
meeting," Gul said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

HIGH-RANKING US OFFICIAL TO SUCCEED GARABAGH MEDIATOR

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Posted June 19 2006

Baku, June 16, AssA-Irada
US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs Matthew Bryza will succeed Steven Mann as the American co-chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group mediating settlement to the Armenia-Azerbaijan
Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict, says Armenian Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian. He said the new appointment must be approved by the
OSCE Permanent Council at its meeting in Vienna next week.

Oskanian did not rule out that the diplomat will visit the region
after being approved for the post.

Touching on the latest meeting between Azeri and Armenian foreign
ministers in Paris, Oskanian said the discussions targeted seeking a
common approach to the issues that were not agreed during the prior
meeting between the two leaders in Bucharest. "I can’t say that we
achieved the goal. However, the meeting was beneficial and the talks
will be continued."

The Armenian minister said it is premature to talk about the next
meeting of the two presidents, as it would be futile in the absence
of any rapprochement between the positions of the conflicting sides.

The latest talks between the two leaders in Bucharest and Rambouillet
did not produce any results.

Political analyst, director of the Center of Political Innovation
and Technologies, Mubariz Ahmadoglu, praised the new appointment. "As
I understand, Matthew Bryza knows the region just as well as Steven
Mann. He has repeatedly visited Azerbaijan and Armenia. His attitude
toward Azerbaijan could be considered objective," he told AssA-Irada.

The expert said that greater hopes should be bound with Bryza than
his predecessor, considering his higher status.

"Mann used to come here and hold meetings and then report to the US
Department of State. These reports, along with others, then reached
Matthew Bryza. The latter, however, is able to keep in touch directly
with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice."

Ahmadoglu said that Russia and France will soon replace their co-chairs
with more high-ranking officials as well.

"It is very likely that co-chairing counties will set up a group of
low-profile diplomats. The taskforce will be permanently working in
the region," the analyst added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN LOBBY BOYCOTTS REGIONAL TRANSPORT PROJECTS

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Posted June 19 2006

Baku, June 16, AssA-Irada
The Armenian lobby continues its efforts to boycott large-scale
transport projects being implemented in the region.

The Armenian organizations operating in the United States have
achieved the adoption of legislation that prevents US companies from
participating in the Gars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project.

The decision passed by the committee on financial allocations of the
US House of Representatives bans US companies’ involvement in the
project. US financial support to the project is also ruled out.

Commenting on the issue, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee of America, Aram Gamparian, alleged that the Congress’s
decision is of great importance and makes it impossible to render US
financial aid under the plans aiming to leave Armenia out of major
regional projects.

Georgian State Minister Kakha Bendukidze, for his part, called
the decision inappropriate, saying it shows US Congressmen’s
misunderstanding of economic estimations.

"The Gars-Tbilisi-Baku railway is a very interesting and efficient
project that may bring considerable dividends to its parties in the
future. As for the US Congressmen’s decision, I believe they were not
comprehensively informed about the economic benefits of the project,"
he said.

MATTHEW BRYZA TO PAY VISIT TO KARABAKH CONFLICT REGION

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2006 13:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Newly appointed U.S. Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk
Group will pay a visit to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict region,
Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov stated. In his words,
June 22 in Vienna the Co-chairs will report to the OSCE Permanent
Council on the current stage of the settlement. "The Co-chairs
have already proposed to hold a new meeting at the level of FMs and
received my consent. In Vienna Matthew Bryza will officially assume
his duties. After this he will alone visit Baku and Yerevan," the Azeri
FM said. "The U.S. government has not lost hope for progress. Matthew
Bryza is aware of the region and being well informed of the Karabakh
conflict he won’t need time to get familiarized with the problem,"
Elmar Mammadyarov said, reported Day.az.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NETHERLANDS ATTACHES HIGH IMPORTANCE TO ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC GROWTH

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2006 13:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2006 the Dutch government will assign a grant
totaling in 5 million euros to Armenia, Dutch Minister of Development
and Cooperation Agnes Van Arden said upon completion of the meeting of
the Dutch Group, International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. In
her words, the aid will be rendered in Armenia follows the economic
path it has chosen. She remarked that Netherlands has been cooperating
with Armenia since the time the republic became independent. "We have
rendered budget assistance and implemented programs targeted at the
development of small and middle business in Armenia," Agnes van Arden
underscored adding that high importance is attached to the economic
growth of the republic. The Dutch leadership prefers the cooperation
between the state be exercised on only at governmental level but at
the level of businessmen as well. "We would like Armenian and Dutch
entrepreneurs establish joint ventures, develop the small and middle
business and create work places," she said, reported IA Regnum.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UKRAINE TO PARTICIPATE IN RECONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIAN HYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.06.2006 14:53 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ukraine will participate in the reconstruction
of the Armenian hydroelectric power plants, Ukrainian Ambassador
to Armenia Alexander Bozhko said. The issue was discussed today
during the visit of Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian to
Kyiv. According to the Ambassador, the equipment for the Armenian
hydroelectric power plants was produced by Kharkov-based "Turboatom"
plant and now Armenia is interested in participation of specialists
of the plant in tenders for reconstruction of the energy sector. "We
have already sent the essential documents to the Ukrainian Ministry
of Economy," Bozhko said, reported RBC-Ukraine.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE NETHERLANDS GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE CREDIT OF 5 MLN EURO TO ARMENIA

Panorama.am
14:39 19/06/06

The government of the Netherlands will provide Armenia with a credit
of 5 mln Euro on preferential terms by the end of this year if the
country does not turn down its planned economic indicators, Agnes van
Arden, minister on development of cooperation of the Netherlands told
a press conference in Yerevan.

In her words, the funds will be directed to enlarged business ties
between the entrepreneurs of both countries and mutual attraction of
investment. She noted that joint ventures are highly preferable with
subsequent new employment opportunities.

It should be noted that in 2005 the Netherlands has provided Armenia
with a credit of 4.7 mln Euro. The funds were directed to fund
management in state sector, democratic development and establishment
of civil society.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net

Dual Citizenship Important for Unifying Interests of
RA Citizens and Diaspora
17.06.2006 15:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Dual citizenship is one of the most important tasks
for Armenia, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said in Yerevan. In
his words, the problem arouses concern, since it refers to the
whole Armenian nation. "Dual citizenship is very important for the
unification of interests of the RA citizens and Diaspora. This is the
issue of pride and responsibility. The current state of Armenianhood,
specifically its division into Armenia and Diaspora is an imposed
state," the RA FM said.

In his words, a number of events forced the Armenian nation to
it, these being the Genocide, establishment of the Soviet regime,
collapse of economy after obtaining independence and the war in
Karabakh. "Now Armenia, as a state, should return its citizens all
what they lost. A new state was formed in Armenia and it should be
strong and democratic. When speaking of rendering dual citizenship
to Armenians one should not forget that a great deal of work has been
carried out and the issue of military service and the right to elect
or being elected remain the only items unsettled," Vartan Oskanian
said, reported Novosti-Armenia.

Presidents Putin and Aliev discuss the Karabakh issue

ArmRadio.am
17.06.2006 15:02

In the framework of the consultation summit on means of cooperation
and trust in Asia held in Almati, Presidents of Russia and Azerbaijan
Vladimir Putin and Ilham Aliev discussed issues related to economy
and the situation in Eurasia. The Presidents showed full mutual
comprehension of the processes in the post-Soviet field, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the journalists. They appreciated
the rapid pace of rise of turnover of goods. The Presidents discussed
also the schedule of the future meetings and issues related to the
Karabakh conflict settlement.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress