Author: Emil Lazarian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MET WITH US EUROPEAN COMMAND DEPUTY COMMANDER
31.03.2005 02:24
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian met Deputy
Commander, Headquarters US European Command Charles F. Wald, the Press
Service of the Armenian leader reported. In the course of the meeting
the parties discussed Armenian-American military and technical
cooperation, as well as matters relating to conflicts that are in
focus of the international community. The interlocutors also discussed
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and the possible developments.
Charles Wald thereupon noted that sustaining peace and stability in
the South Caucasus is highly important both to the US and Europe.

OSCE chief warns against “aggressive rhetoric” on Karabakh conflict
Mediamax news agency
31 Mar 05
YEREVAN
The OSCE chairman-in-office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij
Rupel, has said in Yerevan that “the Nagornyy Karabakh problem is a
special case and this conflict cannot be compared with other frozen
conflicts”.
Rupel said this during a news conference in Yerevan on the evening of
30 March, commenting on his address to the meeting of the UN Security
Council on 4 March, in which he called Nagornyy Karabakh a “disputed
territory”, Mediamax news agency reports.
The OSCE chairman-in-office said that “reports about frequent
cease-fire violations on the front line cause serious concern”. “I
hope that everything possible will be done to alleviate the existing
tension,” Rupel said. For this purpose, he noted, the parties must
refrain from “aggressive rhetoric”. Rupel said that he intends to
discuss the situation on the contact line between the parties during
his talks with the Azerbaijani leadership.
“The OSCE does not know any ‘other methods’ of settling conflicts than
peaceful ones,” Rupel said, commenting on Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev’s recent statement that “Azerbaijan will resort to other
methods” if the peace talks on the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict fail.
The OSCE chairman-in-office said that the settlement of the Nagornyy
Karabakh conflict topped the agenda of his talks with Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan. Also
on 30 March, Rupel met the president of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic, Arkadiy Gukasyan.
Armenian Foreign Minister Oskanyan expressed his confidence that the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents would meet either in Moscow or
Warsaw in May this year. He expressed his hope that the meeting would
be productive and allow the foreign ministers of the two countries to
speed up their dialogue.

Azerbaijan-Georgia border delimitation talks turn out fruitless

Baku, March 30, AssA-Irada
The meeting of Azerbaijani and Georgian state commissions on border
delimitation held in Tbilisi March 28-29 turned out fruitless, as the
parties did not reach a general agreement due to differences over a
number of areas and sub-territories.
The parties decided to hold meetings between experts and research
relevant documents in order to continue the discussions on the
disputed areas. Azerbaijan was represented at the meeting by Deputy
Foreign Minister Khalaf Khalafov.
Only 5 out of 24 disputed sub-territories on the Georgian-Azerbaijani
border have been agreed upon so far.
Georgia has lately proposed to exchange land, claiming that the
ancient Alban temple located in the territory of Azerbaijan is a part
of the Georgian monastery. The Georgian side also claims the
Keshishdagh hill in Aghstafa District, proposing to exchange it for
another territory.
Azerbaijan rejects the proposal, as Keshishdagh is of great importance
for the country, which allows to keep the territories of Georgia and
Armenia under surveillance.*
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

US CONGRESS MAY ADOPT “ARMENIAN RESOLUTION” THIS YEAR: TURKISH NEWSPAPER
YEREVAN, MARCH 30. ARMINFO. For 90 years already the Armenians have
been trying in vain to push through US Congress a resolution on the
Armenian Genocide. This year they may succeed but due to aggravating
Turkish-American relations rather their own efforts, reports Vatan
newspaper referring to its interview with Turkish co-chair of the
Council for Developing Armenia-Turkish Business Ties Kaan Soyak.
Vatan reports Soyak as saying that learning two months ago that the
resolution may again appear in US Congress he informed of it “his
friends in Armenia’s Foreign Ministry.” They said that if this year
the Armenian Diaspora does what it has been failing to do for 90 years
this will mean that the preventive mechanism is no longer operative.
Asked what will happen if US Congress adopts the resolution Apr 24
Soyak says that the resolution mentions “Turks” rather than “Ottomans”
which means that if the resolution is passed anyone having Turkish
passport will be considered a Genocide perpetrator.

NAGORNY KARABAKH CONSIDERS IDEA ON REPEATED REFERENDUM OF INDEPENDENCE
AS TENDENCY ON READINESS OF INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY TO RECOGNIZE
RIGHTS OF NKR PEOPLE FOR SELF-DETERMINATION
YEREVAN, MARCH 30. ARMINFO. Stepanakert considers an idea on holding a
repeated referendum of independence in NKR as a tendency on the
readiness of international community to recognize the rights of NKR
people for self-determination, NKR Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan
stated at today’s hearings on “Karabakh Conflict: Ways of Settlement”.
He stressed that there are numerous unclear questions for holding the
repeated referendum. All these questions may make the referendum
senseless, therefore, Stepanakert considers its holding only as an
idea.
To note, this idea belongs to Chairman of NATO’s Parliamentary
Assembly Pier Lelush. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and
Defence Minister Serje Sargsyan also stated about the possible
adoption of this proposal as a version for the solution of Karabakh’s
conflict. They stressed that the repeated referendum in NKR will
become a compromise from the Armenian party as NKR held such a
referendum 15 years ago in accordance with the international law
standards. Former Russian Co-Chairman of the OSCE MG Vladimir
Kazimirov also stressed the acceptability of this idea. -r-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanArmenian News
March 30 2005
DEPUTY COMMANDER OF U.S. EUROPEAN COMMAND ARRIVING IN YEREVAN TODAY
30.03.2005 02:16
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Gen. Charles F. Wald, Deputy Commander,
Headquarters U.S. European Command, based in Stuttgart, Germany, will
arrive in Armenia March 30 and depart March 31. USEUCOM is
responsible for all U.S. forces operating across 91 countries in
Europe, Africa, Russia, parts of Asia and the Middle East, and most
of the Atlantic Ocean. While in Yerevan General Wald and his staff
will meet with President Robert Kocharian, Defense Minister Serge
Sargsian, and members of the Armenian military leadership.

Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
March 30, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
EX-IM EXPANDS SUPPORT FOR ARMENIA
— ANCA Welcomes Move to Broaden U.S.-Armenia Commercial
Opportunities
WASHINGTON, DC – In a move welcomed by Armenian Americans and the
growing number of U.S. firms doing business with Armenia, the
Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced last
week the expansion of its loan guarantee, export credit insurance,
and direct loan programs in Armenia.
“We welcome this contribution by EXIM to the expansion of U.S.-
Armenia commercial relations,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram
Hamparian. “We appreciate the role of the Bank in fostering an
environment of greater bilateral economic cooperation and look
forward to the new job-creation opportunities that this expansion
will make possible.”
The policy change to its “cover policy arrangements” includes new
support for short and medium term programs in Armenian public
sector. These changes, effective as of today, were based on risk
rating changes made by the U.S. Interagency Country Risk Assessment
System. Short term deals typically last up to one year, while
medium term transactions last between one and seven years.
Ex-Im Bank, the official export credit agency of the United States,
is in its 71st year of helping finance the sale of U.S. exports,
primarily to emerging markets throughout the world, by providing
loan guarantees, export credit insurance and direct loans. In
fiscal year 2004, Ex-Im Bank authorized financing to support $17.8
billion of U.S. exports worldwide. For further information on Ex-
Im Bank programs in Armenia, visit Ex-Im Bank’s web site at
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Karabakh issue main obstacle to Armenia’s development – French envoy
Noyan Tapan news agency
29 Mar 05
YEREVAN
Speaking at the [Armenian] parliamentary hearings on the settlement of
the Nagornyy Karabakh problem on 29 March, the French ambassador to
Armenia, Henry Cuny, outlined the importance of the discussions “since
peace is an important factor and war is a tragedy”.
The ambassador stressed that with this speech, he did not mean to
interfere in the resolution of the Karabakh problem because this issue
should be resolved between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
“I have been in Armenia for three years and I can state that Karabakh
has become a Gordian knot for Armenia. Despite the double-digit
economic growth, Armenia’s trade and economic potential is not being
exploited in full,” Henry Cuny said.
The closure of the borders is becoming an obstacle to small businesses
and investors. Transport expenses, a small market, limited purchasing
capacity and small population are also barriers. At the same time, the
high level of education and hard work can be a unique trump card for
Armenia in the region.

Armenian genocide claims “unacceptable”, Turkey tells Switzerland
Anatolia news agency
29 Mar 05
ANKARA
Allegations of Armenian genocide are unacceptable accusations which
Diaspora put forth to preserve its presence. They sometimes strain
relationship with friendly countries and poison the air,” Turkish
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said on Tuesday [29 March].
Gul met Micheline Calmy-Rey, chief of the Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs of Switzerland.
At a joint press conference that was held after the meeting, Gul said
the Armenian issue was discussed comprehensively with the Swiss
minister and stated that he conveyed Calmy-Rey that a decision made by
Switzerland’s Vaud canton in the past was wrong.
Gul said he conveyed the Swiss minister what had happened about the
issue since World War I, noting: “I also conveyed her that
unfortunately Diaspora poisoned our relations with the countries in
line with their interests.”
Gul said Calmy-Rey told him that view of Swiss government was
different from the decision made by the Vaud canton.
Gul said: “From time to time, some people may come together in the
parliaments and make some decisions. However, they obviously told us
today that decision of Swiss government was not like this and they did
not support that decision.”
We have opened our archives to everybody
Replying to a question, Gul said all archives of Turkey were open to
everybody, and noted those who made such allegations may use the
archives. Gul said: “All archives of Turkey are open. Those
accusations can not be accepted. Those who make the allegations,
should come to our archives to study and moreover world’s esteemed
scientists may join them. They may also open their archives if they
have.”
“The countries should not allow this,” Gul said, noting: “We have
launched this call to Armenia, we also launch it to France,
Switzerland and other countries.”
Calmy-Rey said the issue was a difficult topic in Turkish history,
noting that Switzerland believes that it is up to each country to
delve into its history. Calmy-Rey stated that they considered as
positive the proposal of the Turkish government for a joint study. She
said joining of international experts to the studies would be
beneficial to increase credibility of the study.
Calmy-Rey said they would be pleased if Armenian Diaspora joins the
studies.
Gul: Turkish-Swiss relations continue positively
Gul said that economic and political relations between Turkey and
Switzerland continued positively. Gul said bilateral and regional
relations were discussed at the meeting, stating that there was 4bn US
dollars trade volume between Turkey and Switzerland. He said
Switzerland has foreign investments in Turkey reaching to 2bn US
dollars. Noting that there was more than 300 Swiss companies in
Turkey, Gul said there was 100,000 Turkish citizens living in
Switzerland.
Calmy-Rey said her visit aimed at deepening bilateral relations
between Turkey and Switzerland and noted that bilateral relations
could be further improved particularly in economy. Calmy-Rey said they
also discussed issues pertaining to human rights during the meeting,
and noted that her country attached particular importance to this
issue. She said Turkey made important reforms on this issue noting she
conveyed the pleasure felt over those reforms. Calmy-Rey said
implementation of the reforms was very important, stressing that there
were steps to be made on violence against women.
Stating that integration with Europe was also discussed at the
meeting, Calmy-Rey said Switzerland welcomed a European Union decision
to start membership talks with Turkey, saying the negotiations would
help bring peace to the European continent. [Passage omitted]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

“JAVAKHQ – ZONE OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS” ROUND TABLE ADOPTS STATEMENT
MOSCOW, MARCH 29. ARMINFO. The round table “Javakhq – zone of the
conflict of interests” with participation of international
organizations and representations of the Armenian Diaspora in Moscow
resulted in signing of a statement.
The statement says that the heavy social-economic situation in the
region of Samtskhe-Javakhetia even more aggravated by the pressure
exerted by Tbilisi on the Russian side in the course of bilateral
negotiations for withdrawal of the Russian military bases, in
particular, the 62nd military base dislocated on Javakheti.
The statement mentions the negative influence on the situation by the
possible repatriation of Turk-Meskhetins, which the statement’s
authors think a regular step of the “planned policy of the Georgian
leadership on ousting of Armenians who make up the greatest part of
the region’s population.”
The statement also mentions the heavy social state of the Azerbaijnai
region of Kvemo-Kartli. The existing preconditions for escalation of
the conflict in Samtskhe-Javakhetia region will have an extremely
negative impact on the stability in the whole Transcacuasus, the
statement says. The local Armenians’ concern for occurrence of a
Turkish military contingent in the region after withdrawal of the
Russian troops in not groundless.
The statement points out the necessity of agreement of the decision on
withdrawal of the 62nd military base from Akhalkalaki taking into
account maintenance of stability, provision of security to the
peaceful Armenian population and solution to the existing
social-economic problems of the region.- M-
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress