Author: Frangulian Shushan

EU DELEGATION TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN

Deutsche Presse-Agentur
October 2, 2006 Monday 3:36 PM EST

A delegation of European Union diplomats headed by Finnish Foreign
Minister Erkki Tuomioja and Commissioner for External Relations Benita
Ferrero-Waldner was due to visit Azerbaijan as part of an ongoing
visit in the region, the Finnish EU presidency announced Monday.

The EU troika delegation included German Minister of State Guenter
Gloser since Germany is the next holder of the six-month presidency.

The delegation on Monday visited Georgia and Armenia.

The EU statement said talks focused on bilateral relations and current
international affairs.

In Armenia, the delegates were slated to meet President Robert
Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan.

In Georgia they were due to meet among others Georgian President
Mikheil Saakashvili, the prime minister and foreign minister, and
in Azerbaijan the delegation was to meet President Ilham Aliyev and
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

The special representative for the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby,
will represent the EU High Representative Javier Solana.

ROMANIAN PRESIDENT PAYS OFFICIAL VISIT TO ARMENIA 4-5 OCTOBER

Rompres news agency, Bucharest,
3 Oct 06

Bucharest, 3 October: Romanian President Traian Basescu over 4-5
October will pay an official visit in the Republic of Armenia at
the invitation of his counterpart Robert Kocharian, the Presidential
Administration informs in a release on Tuesday [3 October].

The visit is part of Romania’s policy to spread, as a future
EU member, the European policies in the Black Sea region and the
Southern Caucasus.

During his visit, President Basescu will hold official talks with
his Armenian counterpart and sign some bilateral legal documents:
the Common Political Declaration of the two presidents, the Agreement
Memorandum between the Romanian and Armenian Foreign Affairs Ministries
on European and Euro-Atlantic Cooperation, the governmental programme
on cooperation in the cultural, educational and scientific fields
over 2006-2009, the protocol amending the governmental agreement on
promotion and mutual protection of investments as well as the protocol
amending the governmental agreement on trade and economic relations,
technical and scientific cooperation.

Traian Basescu will also meet Armenian Prime Minister Andranyk Margayan
and His Beatitude Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians.

The head of state will also meet students and professors with
the State University in Yerevan, on which occasion he will tackle
Romania’s experience during the European integration process, the
release mentions.

Romania and the Republic of Armenia established diplomatic relations
on 17 December 1991.

The Armenian embassy to Romania was opened on 18 April 1994, and five
years later Romania opened its embassy to Armenia, on 9 February
1999. On 20 September 1994, the presidents of the two countries,
Levon Ter-Petrosian and Ion Iliescu, during the visit of the Armenian
president to Bucharest, signed the Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation
Relations between the two countries.

The bilateral trade relations between Romania and Armenia are based
on the Agreement between Romania’s Government and the Government of
the Republic of Armenia on Trade and Economic Relations and Technical
and Scientific Cooperation, on the Agreement between the Governments
of Romania and of the Republic of Armenia on Promotion and Mutual
Protection of Investments, on the Convention on Avoiding Double
Taxation and on other documents of an economic character.

The Romanian-Armenian Joint Commission on Economic, Technical and
Scientific Cooperation was established for strengthening the bilateral
economic cooperation, and held its first session in April 2000,
during the visit paid to Bucharest by President Robert Kocharian. The
ministers of transports are joint chairmen of the commission. Bilateral
trade in 2005 amounted to 6.1m dollars, of which 6.06m dollars being
exports.

ARMENIAN, FRENCH PRESIDENTS INAUGURATE SQUARE OF FRANCE

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
September 30, 2006 Saturday

French President Jacques Chirac and Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan inaugurated a square in Yerevan titled the square of France
on Saturday.

The Armenian president declared at the ceremony that France is
Armenia’s reliable partner in the European and international arena.

"History knows no periods of fading Armenian- French friendship,"
Kocharyan said.

After Armenia proclaimed independence France was one of the first
countries to side with the Armenia state, and it continues to promote
fostering of the Armenian statehood, developing its economy, culture
and education, the Armenian president said. He particularly praised
a constructive role France played in the process of settlement of
the Karabakh conflict. "We are proud that during World War II the
Armenian people took part in the Movement of Resistance and Liberation
of France," Kocharyan said.

The French president arrived in Armenia on Friday on a three-day
state visit. In the framework of the visit France will announce the
beginning of the Year of Armenia in France.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT APPROVES DRAFT BUDGET FOR 2007

Regnum, Russia
Sept 28 2006

On September 28, the Armenian government approved draft law ‘On State
Budget 2007,’ which will be submitted to parliamentary discussion,
at its regular session.

As REGNUM was informed at the Armenian governmental press office,
taking into consideration program of governmental actions, program
of strategy, aimed at poverty overcoming, anti-corruption strategy,
the draft law envisages orientation of country’s economy policy
towards preservation of achieved rate of economic growth, guaranteeing
micro-economical stability, increasing population’s standard of living,
especially one of poor strata, gradual overcoming poverty’s level,
prolonged increasing poverty, and solution of social and economic
questions.

It is recorded in the draft law; total revenue of budget-2007 will
total 587.3bn of drams ($1.545bn), total expenditures – 655.6bn of
drams ($1.725bn), budget deficit – 68.3bn of drams ($180mln). Revenue
of the total budget will increase by 90.3bn of drams, i.e. by 18.3%;
its expenditures – by 88.8bn of drams, i.e. by 15.6%. It is supposed;
revenue and expenditures of budget of obligatory social insurance
will total 106.4bn of drams each. According to forecasts; communities’
budgets will total 39.2bn of drams each (including official transfers,
received from state budget).

Revenue of the budget 2007 is approved at the rate of 489.5bn of
dramas ($1.288bn); its expenditures – 557.8bn of drams ($1.467bn);
its deficit will total 68.3bn of drams ($179mln). Comparing with
budget-2006, revenue of the budget-2007 increased by 77.2bn of drams,
i.e. by 18.7%, its expenditures – by 75.6bn of drams, i.e. by 15.6%.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Robert Kocharian and Jacques Chirac Opened France
Square in Center of Yerevan
30.09.2006 13:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian and French
President Jacques Chirac took part in the solemn opening ceremony of
the Square of France. In his speech the Armenian President said in
part, `This is a remarkable day for us: the Square of France opened in
the heart of Yerevan. Thousand of years have passed since French monks
stepped on the Cilician land where they were received as kin, where
they worked and fought together with the Armenians. The friendship of
our peoples originates from those times and became stronger with years
acquiring a new sense. The ideas of the French enlighteners had a
great impact on the development of the Armenian thought. The
renaissance of the Armenian culture in the 19th century reflects the
influence of the French culture. Many of the Armenian public,
political and cultural figures received education in France. Upon
return they spread the new flows of culture, the ideas of freedom and
humanism throughout Armenia and the whole region. Our friendship
became stronger in the times of ordeals. Having condemned the crime
committed against Armenians the outstanding representatives of the
French society rendered humanitarian assistance to those who survived
the Genocide. The French ships reached the coasts of Cilician Armenia
and rescued thousands of Armenians who escaped the carnage. The
migrants found shelter and human warmth in France.

These Armenians strained every effort to inculcate devotion to France
in their children. We are proud that during the World War II Armenians
took part in the French Resistance and the liberation of France. Some
of them glorified their names symbolizing the fraternity of our
peoples. Dear Mr President, you have many times spoken of the
contribution the Armenians of France made in the French economy,
education, culture and sports. Being French citizens, the children of
the migrants remain true to the Armenian consciousness. The name of
Charles Aznavour is a bright proof of this dual affiliation. The fate
of Charles Aznavour, the son of those who survived the Genocide, is
the answer of the Armenian people to genocides. We attach great
importance to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by France. This
is a big contribution to the just cause of protection of the oppressed
rights of the Armenian people and prevention of such threat to the
whole humanity.’

NO ISSUE, CONCERNING ARMENIA, TO BE DISCUSSED AT COMING OCTOBER 2-6 AUTUMN SESSION OF PACE

ARMINFO News Agency
September 27, 2006 Wednesday

No issue, which directly concerns Armenia, will be discussed at the
coming October 2-6 Autumn Session of PACE, the Head of the Armenian
delegation in PACE, RA Parliament Speaker, Tigran Torossyan, told
ArmInfo correspondent, when asked about the coming PACE session agenda.

He noted all the issues, discussed in PACE, are somehow or other
related to Armenia. He also noted the issues, related to the matching
of the country’s legislation with the new clauses of the Constitution
will be also discussed during the meeting, to be held tomorrow with
PACE monitoring group members. T. Torossyan informed the reporters for
monitoring in Armenia prepare a report on matching the RA legislation
with the Constitution. Their visit to Armenia is devoted just to this
issue, T. Torossyan said.

KOCHARIAN OPTIMISTIC ON INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF NKR INDEPENDENCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 17:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Legally, Karabakh today is an independent state,
and the government there is striving to strengthen the governmental
institutions, Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in an
interview to Al Jazeera TV company. In his words, for Yerevan, both
possibilities – the NKR being an independent state and joining Armenia
– are suitable.

"I think in the future, relations between both countries – Armenia and
Karabakh – will develop and form a federation. The future will decide
what will come after that. The future generations will decide on the
kind of relation the two countries shall have," the Armenian leader
stated. Speaking of the opportunity for the international community
to recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh, Kocharian said,
"I do not recall any similar situation which resulted in recognition
that came easily.

Decades of hard work are needed for a young nation to get that
recognition. There are factors. One important factor is for the world
to see that an independent state has proven itself as an efficient
state, capable of performing the tasks that any independent country
can perform on its territories. I believe that Nagorno Karabakh has
proven that it is a nation that can rely on itself and is capable of
developing as a nation.

Therefore, I am optimistic about the recognition. In fact, the Republic
of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora around the world are actively
working on gaining this recognition soon so that Nagorno Karabakh can
join the international community. In order to achieve this, Karabakh
is making the necessary changes to build better social institutions
and to achieve effective democracy."

THE RUSSIANS BOUGHT THE "ELECTRIC POWER NETWORK OF ARMENIA"

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Sept 27 2006

(A1plus.am) – The "Electric power network of Armenia" has a new
owner. Russian company "Inter RAO EES" paid 73 million USD for it.

British company "Midland Resources" handed the stock to the Russians
yesterday. The representatives of "Inter RAO EES" arrived in Armenia
in order to be present at the ceremony, reports Trend.

It is noteworthy that the new owner of the "Electric power network
of Armenia" intends to invest 20 million USD in the company till the
end of the next year.

ROBERT KOCHARYAN AND JACQUES CHIRAC ADDRESS ARMENIAN AND FRENCH PEOPLE

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
September 26, 2006 Tuesday

Armenia and France will mark the centuries-long friendship of the
two countries through a number of exclusive events starting from
September 21 2006 to July 14 2007, says the joint message of the two
countries’ presidents on the occasion of the opening of Armenia’s
Year in France. The message, particularly, says that while Armenia is
celebrating its 15th independence anniversary, the Year of Armenia
in France will contribute two deepening of the countries’ exclusive
relations. It will introduce the world community to the Armenian
civilization prospering between the West and the East, the presidents
say. Over 400 events will take place throughout the territory of France
to inform the French people of the ancient Armenian civilization. The
events will also present the fate of the Armenian people that has
participated in the world developments for centuries.

The presidents express satisfaction that the Year of Armenia in
France will officially start in Yerevan with a concert by Charles
Aznavour. Robert Kocharyan and Jacques Chirac express confidence
that the year of Armenia in France will not only deepen the cultural,
but also the economic and scientific cooperation.

OSCE CONSIDERS OBJECTIVITY OF ARMENIAN MEDIA OUTLETS

Panorama.am
14:16 23/09/06

OSCE Yerevan Office decided to educate the Armenian media outlets
to objectivity and advised to develop and use self-regulating
mechanisms. Yerevan Press Club and the Public TV joined OSCE in
this initiative.

Blanka Hanchilova, democracy development program head, mentioned that
not everything is possible to regulate with laws because they do not
fully reflect the reality and often are not implemented correctly. At
the doors of elections, OSCE wants to raise the importance of
self-regulating mechanisms.

It should be mentioned that Public TV heads are going to deliver most
speeches. Thus, the leaders of those media outlets which are funded
by the state and often reflect the authorities’ dispositions are going
to speak about objectivity and freedom of speech. "A news media should
not be funded by the state to the level that it has preference against
others in the market, thus violating the principle of competition,"
Yerevan Press Club Chairman Boris Navasardyan said.

Public TV has appeared in such a situation and its heads should have
been concerned with that. But the executive director of the Public TV,
Alexander Arzumanyan, and Public TV board chairman, Alexan Harutunyan,
were more concerned with the outmoded microphones of the company.

Speaking about the necessity of such seminar, the head of Yerevan Press
Club indicated that the recent incidents of attacks on journalists,
the upcoming elections and some disputes between reporters and other
institutions have brought them to this idea.

Navasardyan pointed out to several self-regulating mechanisms and
said there should be ombudsman in the area.