Author: Emil Lazarian

ELECTRICITY NETWORK AGAIN
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| 20:23:09 | 19-09-2005 | Social |
Robert Kocharyan who presided over the latest Government session
had given three days to the Power Ministry to clear up all the
misunderstandings in the sale contract of the Armenian electricity
network to the Russian company “RAO EES”.
The three days are gone, and no one knows what the Power Ministry
workers have spent them on, but today till late in the evening they
assured us that they are still working on the problem.
If the sale of the electricity network is realized, the production
and sale of electricity in Armenia will become the monopoly of
Russian companies.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ELMAR MAMMADYAROV: “AZERBAIJAN WILL NEVER AGREE WITH TERRITORIAL LOSES”
Azerbaijan News Service
Sept 19 2005
Azerbaijan will never agree with territorial loses. And any confidence
to Armenia can be regained after returning occupied regions. Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov reported in the common discussions of
60-th session of UN General Assembly. He said that UN launched active
works to liberate occupied territories after Azerbaijan joined to
this organization. He added that Azerbaijan backs the settlement of
the problem by peaceful means in accordance with International rights,
UN Security Council and Council of Europe resolutions. Azerbaijan will
be in constructive position and won’t miss advantage opportunity. These
steps can create good conditions for settling of the problem. Foreign
Minister said that Azerbaijan is ready to secure Armenian community in
Daglig Garabagh. Giving any status to Daglig Garabagh may be possible
only after returning refugees to occupied territories and creating
normal life conditions.
Elmar Mammadyarov added that it is important to give juridical and
politic guarantee to realize agreement if any agreement is reached.
For that it is important to send peacemaking forces to the region,
clear territories from mines, reconstruct communications and create
local police forces. “The next variant of regulating conflict is
creating connections between Armenia and Armenian community of Daglig
Garabagh and between Naxichevan Autonomy Republic and other regions
of Azerbaijan” said Elmar Mammadyarov. Foreign Minister talked about
final results of Kazan talks between Azerbaijani and Armenia presidents
and added that there is still chance regulate the conflict by peaceful
means and negotiations should be continued over Prague agreements.

ARMENIANS, GEORGIANS TO COOPERATE ON RADIO TRAINING PROJECT
International Journalist’s Network
Sept 19 2005
Radio journalists in Armenia and Georgia have until September 28 to
apply for a training program that will bring them together to work
on team reporting projects. The Media Diversity Institute (MDI)
is organizing the program, scheduled for October 1 to 10.
MDI says it will select eight participants for the program, four
each from Armenia and Georgia. Their base will be Yerevan during
the program, as the journalists will travel around Armenia to do
their reporting.
Before embarking, the team will decide what the topic of their
reporting will be. But it should be related to diversity issues, such
as those faced by minority groups, refugees or disabled people. As
MDI says, the subject can be “basically any group that is generally
marginalized by the mainstream media.”
The journalists will produce their programs together and make them
available for free to stations in their home countries. Although
the training will be conducted mostly in Russian, the programs will
be produced in Armenian and Georgian and translated into English
for editing.
Interested radio journalists should send their CV and letter of
interest to their local MDI country coordinator. Armenian journalists
should contact Artur Papyan at [email protected],
telephone +374 (1) 53 00 67, or visit 9B Ghazar Parpetsi str., 375003,
Yerevan. Georgian journalists should contact Elena Aladashvili at
[email protected] or visit 10 Chovelidze St.,
Room No. 304, Tbilisi.
;CId=303580&CIdLang=1

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005
THE RA MINISTRY OF FINANCE AND ECONOMY THINKS TO EMIT A NEW TYPE OF
GOVERNMENTAL (TREASURY) SAVINGS COUPON BONDS
YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. The RA Ministry of Finance and Economy
is going to emit a new type of governmental (treasury) savings coupon
bonds. According to the RA Government’s Press Service Department, for
this purpose at today’s session of the government the suggestion of
making amendments and additions to the RA Civil Code was approved.
The emission of new bonds will target at funding deficit of the state
budget, increase the financial inflows management efficiency, and
develop and improve the system of State Treasury, forming a constant
demand for governmental bonds.
At present the Ministry emits four kinds of governmental bonds:
governmental short-term bonds (AMGT), medium -term governmental
(treasury) coupon bonds with partial maturity (AMGM), medium-term
governmental (treasury) coupon bonds without partial maturity,
long-term governmental (treasury) bonds (AMGB).
According to the Ministry’s latest data, governmental bonds totaling
AMD 58824,51 mln. at par value were in circulation as of the
beginning of September, 2005. At that, 65,7% or AMD 38647 mln.
accounts for AMGM, 24,61% or AMD 14477,5 mln. – AMGT, and AMD 5700
mln. or 9,69% – AMGB. ($1 = AMD 453,26). A.H. –0-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SOCHI MUSEUM REPLENISHED WITH WORKS OF ARMENIAN ART
Pan Armenian News
19.09.2005 03:43
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The exhibition of Armenian modern paintings and
graphic arts opened in the Sochi art museum, Yerkramas, the newspaper
of Armenians of Russia reported. Most of the exhibits are from
private collections and a part of them has been already presented to
the museum. The works are remarkable for bright national coloring and
maintain the traditions of the Armenian art. Besides, unique carpets,
three of which were woven in the 18-th century and one at the beginning
of the 20-th, are displayed. The art workers rate the opening of the
exhibition of Armenian modern paintings and graphic arts as an eminent
event. They confess that such generous gifts are given too rarely.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Hürriyetim
18.09.2005
Edinburgh council causes diplomatic incident with Turkey
An article was published on the Scottish website newscotsman.com on Sunday
claiming that Edinburgh city council has caused a diplomatic incident with
Ankara by proposing a motion on the so-called Armenian genocide. Instead of
the council fixing the capital’s roads and other known problems with parking
wardens and sky-high council taxes, the writer says the only thing the
council has done recently is to anger Turkey. Opposition politicians have
accused the council of indulging in 1980s-style student politics.
The article reports that A Turkish diplomat will be sent to Edinburgh from
the Turkish embassy in London to stop the motion, as Ankara believes that it
could damage Turkey’s EU bid. And that the matter has been reported to the
Turkish government in Ankara, and a high-ranking official is expected to
arrive in Edinburgh to discuss the matter next month.
Also reported was that Edinburgh council leader Donald Anderson has already
enraged Turkey by telling its ambassador in a letter: “Having researched
this issue, I am in no doubt that the Armenian community suffered a genocide
at the hands of the Ottoman regime. There are substantial eyewitness
accounts that are well documented and there is, I believe, wide support for
the view that the historical evidence is robust and compelling for
genocide.”
“As council leader I have to advise you that I am convinced of the need to
support recognition for what I believe was genocide.”
While the move has been welcomed in the city by members of the Armenian
community, it has puzzled and enraged Turks. The embassy did not give any
official comment, with a source saying that they hoped they could deal with
the issue by talking to the council.
The source said: “We believe that raising this issue is calculated to damage
Turkey’s bid for EU membership and the country’s reputation in the West.
“We also believe that it is unhelpful to create divides between Muslims and
the West at the very time we are seeking to promote the ideal of a modern
and democratic Islam and coexistence.
“You also wonder what this has to do with a Scottish city council. I would
have thought they might have other things to deal with, like roads and so
forth.”
Ian White, the Tory leader on the council, echoed these sentiments, saying:
“Whatever the view on Turkey and Armenia it is not for councillors in this
city to sort out. I would have thought they should focus on fixing roads and
making sure that our streets are clean. It is a typical empty political
gesture. One would have hoped they had grown up and put the era of 1980s
student politics behind them.”
Anderson said: “Accusations of genocide are a very sensitive issue and we
are attempting to deal with it as such. The accusations are made against the
Ottoman regime and are no reflection on the modern Turkish state or Turkish
people. I have met to discuss the issue with a range of representatives from
the Turkish community and agreed to host a seminar for them to present their
view on this period of history.”
Asked why it was felt necessary for the council to have a position on a
historical issue which happened abroad, he said: “Although this isn’t a
particularly fashionable or high-profile issue, the council does from time
to time become involved in issues that are not recognised as our core
business. Apartheid would have lasted a lot longer if a wide cross section
of organisations, including local authorities, had not campaigned.”
An aide to Anderson said he “strongly supports” Turkish membership of the
EU.

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN THINKS CONTINUATION OF PRAGUE PROCESS A VERY
POSITIVE FACTOR

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17. ARMINFO. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev
thinks the continuation of the Prague Process a very positive factor.
Speaking at a sitting on army construction at the Azerbaijani Defense
Ministry, the president called a positive fact the visits of OSCE
Minsk Group to the region, negotiations as well as new approaches. At
the same time he expressed hope for continuation of the Prague
Process. “As I have repeatedly stated, Prague Process means a
stage-by-stage settlement. That is, the international community and
OSCE, as well as the Minsk Group present their position on the issue,”
the president said.
However, the problem remains unresolved. So, it is natural that
Azerbaijan raises its budget, which will exceed 3 bln 500 mln USD next
year, the president said. He added that the military budget of
Azerbaijan will reach 600 mln USD in 2006. He promised to reach the
military budget of Azerbaijan to the state budget of Armenia.
As regards the concern over the increase of military expenses in
Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, in his turn, expressed concern about the
replenishment of the Russian military base in Gyumri with the armament
withdrawn from Georgia and the joint Armenian-Russian exercises. He
explained the main reason of the increase in the military budget of
Azerbaijan with “the fact that in 1990 Russia illegally transported 1
bln USD armament to Armenia.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #167, 17/09/2005
Armenian Genocide
TURKEY VERY CAREFUL IN REPULSING WASHINGTON’S DECISION
The two resolutions on Armenian Genocide commemoration and acknowledgment of
the Ottoman Turkey’s role in it passed by the US International Relations
Committee of the House of Representatives last night presumed that Turkey
would fight back fiercely. The Turkish Zaman daily newspaper conditioned
endorsement of the two resolutions with “Turkey’s refusal of the March 1
motion to allow US troops to open a northern front before the Iraqi war”.
In the article titled “US House Takes Revenge of March 1 Motion by the
Armenian Draft”, Zaman quoted the International Relations Committee’s senior
co-chair Tom Lantos as saying that more US soldiers were lost in Iraq today
because the March 1 motion was not approved in the Turkish Parliament”.
According to another paper, Milliyet, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff who
submitted the draft “Commemoration Decision of the Armenian Genocide between
1915 and 1923” also spoke of the March 1 decision of the Turkish Parliament.
He spoke not to argue the resolutions on the Genocide but to reply to the
message sent to Chair House Judiciary Committee, Henry Hyde, saying that the
resolutions may damage Turkish-US relations. Milliyet writes that Schiff
underscored Turkey’s importance for the US and said: “The March 1 decision
of the Turkish Parliament did not result in spoiled Turkish-American
relations. Therefore the resolutions should not harm these relations”.
Hyde came to add to Schiff’s words saying: “I don’t believe that endorsement
of the resolutions will harm relations between the two states. Yet, denial
of the fact of genocide cannot be justified. In the meantime I want to point
out that Turkey is not responsible for that crime”.
The paper writes that the committee members occasionally mentioned of
Germany’s responsibility for the Holocaust and warned Turkey that filling
lawsuits against Turks who recognize Armenian Genocide (as in case of Orhan
Pamuk) will result in nothing good.
The absence of resistance in Turkey towards the resolutions of the House
International Relations Committee is a sign of watchfulness but not a sign
of impotence. Simply Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is still on his
American visit and will return today, Sept. 17. It’s out of doubt that
Erdogan takes appropriate steps in this direction, and opposition will
follow once he is back in Ankara.
By Hakob Chakrian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #167, 17/09/2005
Karabakh issue
MAMEDIAROV: WE ARE CLOSE TO A BREAKTHROUGH
In an interview to Associated Press in New York the Azerbaijani foreign
minister stated that in order to get Nagorno Karabakh conflict settled the
president of Armenia and Azerbaijan “must act as state figures but not as
politicians who go after national interests”. According to Mediamax agency,
minister Elmar Mamediarov said that the Kazan meeting prepared ground for
the negotiation process. “I would like to say that we are close to a
breakthrough but problems still persist”, he said.
On his part, Heikki Talvitie, EU Special Representative for the South
Caucasus, declared in Baku that “the Kazan meeting between Aliyev and
Kocharian allows to state that historic opportunity to resolve the Karabakh
conflict was created and it should be grasped”.

Pan Armenian News
OFFICE OF INTERNATIONAL EUROPEAN MOVEMENT TO OPEN IN ARMENIA
16.09.2005 06:55
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Chairman of the Armenian National Assembly Artur
Baghdassaryan met with Secretary General of the International European
Movement Henrik H. Kroner, RA NA press service reported. To note, the
European Movement is an association contributing to the establishment of a
unified, federal Europe, founded on respect for human rights and democratic
principles, by informing and mobilizing citizens and influencing
decision-makers at all European Society levels. One of the major
achievements of the European Movement was contribution to the creation of
the European Union and the European Parliament. During the meeting the
interlocutors discussed the possibility of opening EM Office in Armenia. Mr.
Kroner offered the RA NA Speaker to become a member of the Movement.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress