Author: Hambardsumian Paul

ANDRE’S CHIEF SPONSOR IS GOD HIMSELF
A1+
[03:54 pm] 22 September, 2006
Singer Andre who represented Armenia in “Eurovision 2006” announces
that he does not belong to any religious sect. He told a press
conference today that although he was born in an atheist family,
he considers God his chief sponsor.
“During the Karabakh war when I was 8 I sang my first song called
“Prayer” with Christ’s picture in my hands. I sang and prayed God to
protect my father who fought in war and to give us victory”, Andre
said. He mentioned that he does not avoid saying that he believes
in God, but that doesn’t mean that he belongs to a sect. “Everyone
believes in some thing. Some believe in the coffee cup, others in
stars. I believe in God”.
By the way, Andre was surprised to find out that his September
26concert in Vazgen Sargsyan stadium has a number of sponsors –
major and famous firms. According to him, no one has ever sponsored
his concerts.
The majority of the tickets of the concert has already been sold
(11 thousand from 14). Andre promised the football fans that the
stadium will not be spoilt.
There will also be guests in the concert: singer Varvara from Russia,
Elena Lisnetski who represented Macedonia in “Eurovision 2006” and
others. During the concert Andre will represent his new CD which is
called “A Thousand Times”. After the Yerevan concert Andre will leave
for the United States and a number of European countries in order to
give concerts. He will return to Yerevan on December 12.
He also mentioned that the video of his song “Without you love” is
still broadcast by a number of European TC Channels. Besides, he was
invited to the celebration of the Independence Day of Ukraine as an
honored guest.
Let us add that on September 2 in connection with the 15th anniversary
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic the National Assembly of NKR awarded
Andre a medal as a singer devoted to his homeland. Andre who is from
Artsakh by birth accepted the medal proudly.

Turkish Press, MI
Press review
Published: 9/21/2006
EURLINGS: “STATEMENTS ON GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS SHOULD
BE STRICKEN FROM THE EP REPORT”
Dutch MEP Camiel Eurlings, the European Parliament Committee on
Foreign Affairs rapporteur who recently prepared a report on Turkey,
yesterday said, “Recognizing the [so-called] Armenian genocide
can’t be a precondition. These statements should be stricken from
the text.” Speaking about next week’s vote on the report, Eurlings
said that he didn’t like the current state of the report and he was
working to change it. “If the report is issued as is, it will be
a problem for Turkey’s accession,” said Eurlings. In related news,
Eurlings’ report, which contains exaggerations, is now encountering
opposition from EP groups. Recognizing the so-called Armenian
genocide as a precondition for membership is at the focal point of
the debates. Socialists and Greens are planning to vote against the
report if it’s not changed. /Milliyet/

FORUM OF KARABAKH AND IRANIAN BUSINESSMEN IN STEPANAKERT
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 20 2006
STEPANAKERT, SEPTEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. On the initiative of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic Ministry of Territorial Management and
Development of Industrial Infrastructures, the Artsakh Development
Agency and Public organization of businessmen and merchants of Iran
in Armenia, a group of businessmen and manufacturers from Iran paid
a two-day visit to Stepanakert.
A number of issues of mutual interest were discussed in the course
of the forum conducted in the building of the NKR Government. In
particular, variants of import of raw materials and corresponding
equipment were discussed. It was decided also to organize an exposition
of Iranian goods in the NKR in future.
The Iranian businessmen visited a number of industrial enterprises of
the republic, got acquainted with the production of local businessmen,
showed interest in the tax field and breaks established for foreign
investors.
On behalf of the NKR Government Anoushavan Daniyelian expressed
readiness to render necessary assistance to the Iranian businessmen
in implementation of their programs in Nagorno Karabakh.

Manifestation a Nevers contre l’expulsion d’une famille armenienne
Agence France Presse
20 septembre 2006 mercredi 2:36 PM GMT
LYON 20 sept 2006 — Plusieurs centaines de personnes ont manifeste
mercredi a Nevers afin de protester contre l’interpellation d’une
jeune fille armenienne sans papiers de 21 ans, scolarisee dans un
lycee de la ville, et de membres de sa famille, a-t-on appris auprès
de la police et des manifestants.
Les manifestants – 200 selon la police, 300 selon les organisateurs
-, dont de nombreux elèves du lycee Raoul Follereau où la jeune fille
suivait des cours de terminale jusqu’a son interpellation mardi matin,
ont organise un sit-in tout l’après-midi devant la prefecture de
la Nièvre.
Majeure et arrivee en France il y a quatre ans, la jeune fille ne
rentre pas dans le cadre de la circulaire Sarkozy.
“Nous demandons une autorisation derogatoire de sejourner sur le
territoire, le temps qu’elle finisse sa terminale, et que ses parents,
un couple mixte azeri-armenien, s’organisent pour demander l’asile
politique”, a indique a l’AFP Catherine Terret, professeur et membre
du collectif nivernais de soutien aux elèves sans papiers.
D’après le Reseau Education sans frontières (RESF), la jeune fille,
ses deux frères majeurs, ses parents ainsi que deux cousins, ont ete
transferes vers differents centres de retention administrative de la
region parisienne.
Mardi, des manifestants s’etaient deja rassembles devant le
commissariat de Nevers.
–Boundary_(ID_B2wNCm7g9u0wQK5hHmvLRA)–

Speaker of Armenian parliament: Oil dollars are not key to resolving Nagorno Karabakh conflict
REGNUM
September 21, 2006
Speaker of Armenian parliament: Oil dollars are not key to resolving
Nagorno Karabakh conflict Read it in Russian
Speaker of Armenian parliament Tigran Torosyan received Sep
20 ambassador of Netherlands to Armenia Onno Frederic Gudenol
Elderenbosch.
The sides discussed issues of inter-government cooperation, REGNUM
reports referring to the parliament press office. Tigran Torosyan
described inter-state relations with Netherlands as important to
Armenia. Armenia, he stated, has announced Euro-integration a priority
of its foreign policy, and experience and capabilities of Netherlands
are of great interest to Armenia.
The Netherlands ambassador said that Armenia is of special interest
for his country, and signing in October a new neighborhood program
with the European Union will open new opportunities for developing
cooperation and realizing joint programs with the EU.
Onno Elderenbosch informed that after the April elections in
Netherlands, he would be able to take effort to organize bilateral
visits and extend inter-parliamentary relations.
Speaking of the regional situation, Tigran Torosyan noted that Armenia
is ready to establish normal relations with all her neighbors,
although, unfortunately, not all the neighbors are ready for such
relations. In particular, Torosyan maintained, Azerbaijan propagates
hatred towards Armenians, which does not help to settle the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, since it is not oil dollars that are the key to
resolving the issue. It is not coincidental that EU representatives
voice concern about Azerbaijan’s inflating military budget and
belligerent rhetoric of its political leaders. At the same time,
cooperation with other countries, for example, Iran, develops based
on mutual respect.
The sides also touched upon parliamentary elections of 2007,
emphasizing the importance of their conformity to international norms.

GREECE REBUFFS TURKISH CRITICISM OVER MUSLIM MINORITY TREATMENT
Agence France Presse — English
September 17, 2006 Sunday 9:16 PM GMT
Greece on Sunday rebuffed Turkish claims that Athens is violating the
rights of the Muslim minority living along its northeastern border,
telling Ankara that it should instead concentrate on human rights
reforms at home.
“Turkey…has undertaken the obligation to meet specific conditions
and commitments before the European Union,” the Greek foreign ministry
said in a statement.
On Saturday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Greece
should respect the right of its Muslim minority to elect its own
religious leader, known as a mufti, or risk reciprocal measures
from Ankara.
“If Greece respects its own minority rights and has expectations
from Turkey on this issue, then its should also fulfill its own
obligations,” Erdogan told an assembly of Turks from northeastern
Greece, the Anatolia news agency reported.
“This issue must be resolved. If not, there are things Turkey could
do under the principle of reciprocity,” he said.
The issue arose after the recent death of Mehmet Emin Aga, a senior
ethnic Turkish Muslim who for years acted as mufti to the Muslim
minority in the face of opposition from the Greek authorities, who
nominated a rival mufti.
Greek courts convicted Emin Aga repeatedly in the past decade
for illegally acting as a mufti, leading to protests from the
international human rights group Amnesty International and Greek
rights organisations.
Erdogan on Saturday charged that Greece’s treatment of its Muslim
minority of about 100,000, which lives in the northeastern Thrace
region bordering Turkey, amounted to a violation of the human rights
criteria of the European Union of which it is a member.
“Our aim is to allow our kinsmen to benefit from their rights under
bilateral and international agreements as respected and equal citizens
of Greece,” the prime minister said.
On Sunday, the Greek foreign ministry said Athens treated all its
citizens equally, and accused Ankara of seeking excuses to disguise
the sluggishness noted in its EU-mandated reforms.
Turkey itself is under pressure from the European Union, with which it
began membership talks last year, to improve the rights of minorities,
including its sizeable Kurdish community and non-Muslims.
Predominantly Muslim Turkey is home to small groups of Jews and
Christians, mainly Orthodox Greeks and Armenians, most of them
concentrated in Istanbul.
Istanbul is also home to the The Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarchate,
which represents the 250 million Orthodox worshippers in the world.
Ankara plays no part in the elections of the patriarch, but refuses to
recognise the patriarchate’s ecumenical title and says it represents
only Orthodox Greeks in Turkey.

Azat Artsakh, NKR
Sept 13 2006
HARVEST WAS BETTER ORGANIZED THIS YEAR
Vladimir Zakiyan, the deputy minister of agriculture of NKR, says
this year harvesting of grain crops started late was delayed by
rains, but it finished in time. He pointed out that this year the
harvest was better organized and more agricultural machines were
used. On the whole, the deputy minister is satisfied with the course
of harvest, but he is worried by the low yield. The average yield per
hectare was 1140 kg, which is lower by 210 kg compared with 2005. The
lowest yield was in Shushi, where the average yield per hectare was
900 kg, and in Kashatagh, 940 kg. The yield of grain in Martakert was
comparatively good, the average yield per hectare was 1610 kg, in
some parts the average yield totaled 3000 kg per hectare. By official
data, 55,272 hectares was harvested, 62,454 tonnes of grain was
produced. The deputy minister said, unfortunately, the lasting heavy
rains in May damaged almost 50 percent of the yield. In answer to the
question whether it was possible to prevent the losses, V. Zakiyan
said sustainable yield requires deep tillage and several procedures,
which are not always performed by the farmers. Besides, very few
farmers use phosphate fertilizers; it is clear that an ordinary
farmer cannot afford to. Another cause of the poor yield is that
people sow wheat and barley in the same field every year. Crop
rotation is not practiced, however, and one of the problems is the
tax on land. If the government exempted farmers from the tax on land
for a year, it would be very helpful. V. Zakiyan said this year land
under crop will expand. He also informed that he government will
provide seeds and fuel aid to the owners of fields, which were
damaged by weather or fires, which is moral support rather.
M. DAVTIAN.
13-09-2006

[In Dutch and then in English]
“Turkey’s recognition of genocide is not out of the question”
NRC Handelsblad
9 september 2006
`Turkse erkenning van genocide niet uitgesloten’
Vraaggesprek met EU-onderhandelaar Ali Babacan
Niemand moet verwachten dat Turkije zijn standpunt over de
Armeense kwestie wijzigt’, zei de Turkse premier Erdogan. Maar
zijn eerste onderhandelaar met de EU is genuanceerder.
Door onze redacteur Wilmer Heck
Den Haag, 9 sept. De vrijheid van meningsuiting laat nog veel te
wensen over, de rechten van minderheden zijn niet gegarandeerd,
de positie van het leger is te sterk, de kwestie-Cyprus verkeert
in een impasse en Ankara weigert te erkennen dat
honderdduizenden Armeniërs in de EersteWereldoorlog slachtoffer
werden van genocide door Ottomaanse Turken.
Kortom, EU-kandidaat Turkije wordt stevig aangepakt in het
rapport dat CDA-europarlementariër Camiel Eurlings heeft
opgesteld en dat deze week veel steun kreeg in de
buitenlandcommissie van het Europees Parlement (EP).
Ali Babacan, de Turkse minister van Economische Zaken en
hoofdonderhandelaar met de EU, bezocht deze week Den Haag om de
Turkse zaak te bepleiten. Hij wijst de meeste Europese verwijten
van de hand. Maar erkenning van de massamoord op Armeniërs in
1915 als genocide sluit hij niet uit.
Op de Turkse ambassade ligt Babacan de Turkse positie toe.
Erkent u dat het Turkse hervormingsproces steeds trager
verloopt?
`Nee, het kost gewoon tijd voordat de resultaten van de
hervormingen zichtbaar worden. Onze bereidheid tot hervormingen
is in ieder geval even groot als voorheen en zal eerder toenemen
dan afnemen. Het voltallige Europees Parlement stemt over enkele
weken over dit rapport. Tot die tijd zullen wij proberen het op
andere gedachten te brengen.’
Wat vindt u van de eis dat Turkije de massamoord op Armeniërs in
1915 erkent als genocide?
`Turkije staat open voor alle uitkomsten van wetenschappelijk
onderzoek naar deze kwestie. Daarom hebben wij voorgesteld om
samen met de Armeniërs een onderzoekscommissie in te stellen.
Verder hebben we al onze archieven opengesteld voor
wetenschappelijk onderzoek. Wij zijn alleen van mening dat het
Europees Parlement niet de aangewezen instelling is om zich uit
te spreken over wat er is gebeurd. Volksvertegenwoordigers zijn
geen historici. De opstelling van het Europees Parlement, die
niet ondersteund wordt door wetenschappelijk onderzoek, past ook
niet in de Europese manier van handelen.’
Als een door Turkije gesteunde onderzoekscommissie concludeert
dat sprake was van genocide, erkent Turkije dat dan?
`Ja, wij accepteren elke uitkomst.’
Gaat Turkije ervoor zorgen dat schrijvers niet langer worden
aangeklaagd voor `belediging van de Turkse staat’?
`In de komende twee tot zes maanden evalueren we het bewuste
wetsartikel 301. Als we zien dat dit artikel ongewenste gevolgen
heeft, zullen we bekijken wat we kunnen doen.’
Wat vindt u van de toon van het rapport-Eurlings?
`De manier waarop het geformuleerd is, laat achterliggende
emoties zien. De negatieve invloed hiervan op de stemming onder
het Turkse volk is groot en bemoeilijkt de onderhandelingen. Als
de Turken het gevoel krijgen niet welkom te zijn, zullen ze zich
afvragen of zich zo sterk op EU-toetreding moeten blijven
focussen.’
Struikelblok in de relatie tussen de EU en Turkije vormt ook de
Turkse weigering om de lucht- en zeehavens open te stellen voor
verkeer uit Grieks-Cyprus (dat niet door Ankara wordt erkend).
De kwestie frustreert de onderhandelingen en leidt er mogelijk
toe dat ze deels worden opgeschort.
Babacan sprak in Den Haag ook met minister Ben Bot van
Buitenlandse Zaken. Na afloop stapte Bot op het vliegtuig naar
Cyprus. Om ?te bekijken of er links of rechts ruimte’ is om uit
de impasse te komen, aldus diens woordvoerder. Bot rapporteerde
aan Europees Commissaris Olli Rehn (Uitbreiding), met wie
Babacan op zijn beurt donderdag een ontmoeting in Brussel had.
Is Turkije bereid als eerste een nieuwe stap in deze kwestie te
zetten?
Ali Babacan: `Nee, zeker niet. Zoals de Europese Unie heeft
beloofd, moet eerst het isolement van de Turks-Cyprioten worden
opgeheven. Daarna zijn wij direct bereid onze havens en
vliegvelden te openen voor Grieks-Cyprus. We hopen op nieuwe
bemiddelingen door de Verenigde Naties. Het zou oneerlijk zijn
om de partij die in 2004 bereid was tot een compromis, nu te
straffen met het stopzetten van onderhandelingen. De
Grieks-Cyprioten stemden destijds tegen het VN-compromis voor
hereniging van het eiland, de Turks-Cyprioten stemden voor.’
Het bezoek van Bot aan Cyprus leverde volgens diens woordvoerder
niet direct nieuwe inzichten op. ?Maar het is belangrijk dat er
beweging blijft”, aldus Bots woordvoerder, ?want deze kwestie
mag niet tot een echte impasse in de onderhandelingen leiden.
Hoopvol is wel dat er onder VN-toezicht ondertussen een
voorzichtig begin is gemaakt met heropening van de
onderhandelingen tussen de Grieks- en Turks-Cyprioten.’ De
woordvoerder benadrukt dat er geen sprake is van officiële
bemiddeling namens de EU.
_____________________________________________ ___________________
NRC Handelsblad (Dutch daily newspaper)
9 September 2006
“It is not excluded that Turkey will recognise the Genocide”
Interview with EU negotiater Ali Babacan
By our editor Willem Heck
Nobody should expect Turkey to change her mind about the
Armenian question”, Turkish PM Erdogan said. But his first
negotiator with EU is more balanced in this.
The Hague, 9 September. Freedom of speech has not improved
sufficiently, the rights of minorities are not guaranteed, the
position of the army is too strong, the Cyprus item is in an
impasse and Ankara refuses to recognise that hundreds of
thousands of Armenians became victim of Genocide by the Ottoman
Turks in World War I.
In short, the EU report by Dutch Member of European Parliament
Camiel Eurlings of Christian-Democrat Party took a firm line
with EU candidate Turkey and the report is largely supported by
the Foreign Policy Committee of the EP this week. Turkey’s
Economy Minister and Chief EU negotiator Ali Babacan this week
visited The Hague to advocate the Turkish interests. He rejects
most of the European reproaches, but does not exclude
recognition of the massacres of Armenians in 1915 as Genocide.
In the Turkish embassy he explains the Turkish viewpoint.
DO YOU ADMIT THAT THE TURKISH REFORM PROGRESS IS PROGRESSING TOO
SLOWLY?
“No, it just takes time before the results of the reforms are
visible. We are at least as committed to the reforms as before.
Our commitment will rather increase than decrease. The plenary
vote of European Parliament on the report will take place by the
end of this month. Until then we will try to change its mind”.
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CONDITION THAT TURKEY SHOULD RECOGNIZE
THE MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS AS GENOCIDE?
“Turkey is open for all outcomes of scientific research on this
matter. That’s why we proposed to establish a research
commission together with Armenians. Also we opened all our
archives for scientific research. We just think that the EP is
not the right institution to pronounce about what has happened.
Representatives are no historians. The position of the EP is not
leaning on historical research, and it does not suit the
European way of acting”.
IF A RESEARCH COMMITTEE BACKED BY TURKEY CONCLUDES THAT IT WAS
GENOCIDE, WILL TURKEY RECOGNISE THAT?
“Yes, we will accept any outcome”
WILL TURKEY ENSURE THAT WRITERS WILL NO LONGER BE CHARGED FOR
“INSULTING TURKISH NATION”?
“In the coming 2 to 6 months we will evaluate the Article 301.
If we see that this Article has an undesirable impact, we will
examine what we can do”
WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TONE OF EURLINGS REPORT?
`The way the report is phrased shows the emotions behind it. The
negative influence that has on the feelings of the Turkish
population is large and complicates the negotiations. If the
Turks get the feeling they are not welcome, they will ask
themselves if they should keep on focussing so much on EU
admission’.
Another stumbling block in the EU-Turkey relations is Turkish
refusal to open air and sea harbours for traffic coming from
Greek Cyprus (which is not recognised by Ankara). The issue is
frustrating the negotiations and may lead to a partial hold up.
Babacan also met with Foreign Minister Bot in the Hague. After
the meeting Bot took the airplane to Cyprus, to `find out
whether there is room on the left or on the right’ to come out
of the impasse, his spokesman said. Bot reported tot EU
Commissioner (for Enlargement) Olli Rehn, with whom Babacan on
his turn, met on Thursday.
IS TURKEY READY TO BE THE FIRST TO MAKE A NEW STEP FORWARDS IN
THIS ISSUE?
Ali Babacan:’No, certainly not.’ As the EU promised, first the
isolation of the Turkish Cypriots must be terminated. After that
we are immediately ready to open our harbours and airports for
Greek Cyprus. We hope for new mediation by the United Nations.
It would be unfair to punish the party that was ready for a
compromise in 2004, by stopping the negotiations. The Greek
Cypriots in that time voted against the UN compromise for the
reunification of the island, while the Turkish Cypriots voted in
favour of it’.
Bot’s visit to Cyprus did not bring new visions, his spokesman
said. `But it is important that we keep on moving’, according to
Bot’s spokesman, `because this issue should not lead to a real
impasse in the negotiations. It gives hope that meanwhile under
UN survey a careful start has been made to reopen the
negotiations between the Greek and the Turkish Cypriots.’ The
spokesman emphasised that there is no official mediation on
behalf of the EU.
You can also see (in English and Dutch) and discuss this topic
at Holandahay Forum at: http

FACTBOX-“FROZEN” CONFLICTS IN FORMER SOVIET STATES
Reuters AlertNet, UK
14 Sep 2006 12:59:12 GMT
Dnestr-Moldova dispute
More Sept 14 (Reuters) – Moldova’s rebel Dnestr region will hold a
referendum on Sunday to underpin its independence, first proclaimed
16 years ago but unrecognised internationally, and set down its desire
to join Russia one day.
The row between Dnestr and Moldova is one of the so-called “frozen
conflicts” among former Soviet states which killed thousands of people
in fighting in the early 1990s and threaten to erupt once again.
The issue has also soured ties between Europe and Russia, which makes
little secret that it backs the separatists.
Here are the main details on such “frozen” conflicts that are left
over from the collapse of the Soviet Union whose internal borders
were often drawn regardless of ethnic lines.
MOLDOVA:
**DNESTR. The Russian-speaking region broke away from Romanian-speaking
Moldova in 1990 and fought a war in 1992. Russian troops intervened
to stop fighting and have remained in the region ever since.
The region is home to the bulk of Moldova’s industrial
might. Authorities in Chisinau are keen to return to the region and
are offering a broad autonomy but Slav hardliners, who run Dnestr,
want full independence.
GEORGIA:
**ABKHAZIA is a territory sandwiched between the Black Sea and the
Caucasus mountains. It fought a 1992-3 war against Georgia in which
it won de facto independence but no international recognition.
It was isolated for years after its victory but it has then forged
closer ties with Russia which has given Abkhaz residents passports
and pensions.
**SOUTH OSSETIA threw off Georgian rule in fighting in the early
1990s. A ceasefire was signed but the violence has threatened to
reignite, especially since pro-Western Georgian President Mikhail
Saakashvili was elected in 2004 and vowed to reunify the country.
Russia has peacekeeping troops in South Ossetia.
The region plans a referendum on Nov. 12 to confirm its independence.
AZERBAIJAN/ARMENIA
**NAGORNO-KARAB AKH TERRITORY is part of Azerbaijan but has been
controlled by Armenian separatists since armed conflict erupted in
the 1990s.
A major pipeline linking Caspian Sea oil fields to world markets
passes a few kilometres from the conflict zone.

PUTTING SECESSIONIST CONFLICTS UNDER THE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Civil Georgia
2006-09-14 13:52:45
GUAM-member states have successfully lobbied for a discussion of
“protected conflicts” in the Black Sea-South Caucasus region at the
61st UN General Assembly, despite Russia’s objection.
The decision to include the issue in the working program of the General
Assembly session -which was pushed for by GUAM-member states Georgia,
Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova – was adopted “following a contentious
procedural debate,” according to the UN press center.
The approval has reversed a decision adopted by the General Committee
that recommended on September 12 to exclude the item entitled
“protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and their implications for
international peace, security and development” from the agenda.
16 countries, including the Baltic States, GUAM-member states (Georgia
was absent at the session), the United States, United Kingdom,
Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Romania and
Turkey voted in favor of including the item into the agenda of the
General Assembly session.
15 countries – Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Cyprus, Eritrea, Greece,
Guinea, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nigeria, Panama, Russian Federation, South
Africa, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe – voted against; while 65 abstained.
The representative of Ukraine spoke on behalf of the GUAM-member
states, saying that “GUAM’s aim was not to change the format of
existing negotiations, but to have the chance to bring the matter to
the international community through the Assembly.”
The Russian Federation’s representative voiced his objection to the
move, saying that “the insistence on including the item was aimed
at undermining existing mechanisms to negotiate settlements of the
conflicts.”
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili is expected to leave for New
York to participate in the UN General Assembly Session on September 19.
Discussing the secessionist conflicts at the Session is part of
Georgia’s policy to intensify international efforts to peacefully
resolve the Abkhazia and South Ossetian conflicts. In recent weeks
especially, officials in Tbilisi are focusing more on the South
Ossetian conflict.
The issue is also expected to be high on the agenda during
Georgian Foreign Minister Gela Bezhuashvili’s visit to Brussels on
September 14-17, where he will meet with top officials from EU and
NATO. Following this trip Bezhuashvili plans to visit Washington and
then New York.
Meanwhile, some strongly worded statements have been voiced towards
the secessionist authorities in breakaway South Ossetia following
the Georgian authorities’ intensive calls on western powers to react
on what Tbilisi describes as “outrageous provocations” staged by the
unrecognized republic’s leadership.
Recent weeks have seen a series of incidents in the conflict zone,
including firing on a Georgian army helicopter, a clash that led to the
deaths of four people, and sporadic overnight shootouts. Secessionist
authorities’ announcement of plans to hold an independence referendum
and presidential polls on November 12 has further fueled tensions.
Officials in Tbilisi have warned that the Georgian side may use force
if Tbilisi fails to secure “an appropriate” international support.
On September 12 a group of western diplomats, including British,
French, German, Italian and U.S. Ambassadors in Georgia, traveled to
Tskhinvali and met with South Ossetian leader Eduard Kokoity. Western
diplomats have strongly condemned the September 3 helicopter incident,
triggering the anger of the South Ossetian leadership.
On September 13, Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry
Davis said secessionist authorities in South Ossetia “are wasting
time and effort on the organisation of a ‘referendum on independence’
in November.”
Also on September 13, EU envoy for the South Caucasus issues Peter
Semneby said that the referendum will be “meaningless” to the
European Union.
At the same time, the Russian Foreign Ministry has backed an upcoming
independence referendum in Moldova’s breakaway region Transdnestria,
scheduled for this Sunday, and said in a statement issued on September
13 that the European Union should not ignore the results of the
referendum. The Russian State Duma Council, the lower house of the
Parliament, plans to send its observers to the November 12 polls in
breakaway South Ossetia.