Author: Jagharian Tania

HIGH TECHNOLOGIES NEEDED FOR FURTHER DEVELOPMENT OF ARMENIA’S ECONOMY

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.07.2007 18:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In his speech at ArmTech2007 first congress in San
Francisco RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian pointed out Armenia’s
development, stability of the country and his perspectives. The RA FM
underlined the great importance of high technologies for the further
development of Armenia’s economy.

Vartan Oskanian also stressed the importance to use those technologies
in social sphere, including education and healthcare. The Armenian
Foreign Minister introduced changes of new generation reforms and
perspectives of country’s development conditioned by those reforms. He
particularly underlined that the society carries the responsibility
both for success and mistakes. In his speech Vartan Oskanian touched
upon also regional problems and introduced relations between Armenia
and the Diaspora in separate directions.

The next session of the congress is scheduled for 2009. Synopsys,
Impeva, PDF Solutions, Virage Logic, chief managers from Morgan
Stanley, Mckinsey & Company, as well as Armenian Center of Development
participated in works of the congress.

European official says conflicts in South Caucasus must be settled

Arminfo
4 Jul 07

Yerevan, 4 July: Frozen conflicts in the South Caucasus must be
settled, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe [PACE] Rene van der Linden has said prior to his visit to the
region.

The PACE president noted that the South Caucasus is in the focus of the
Council of Europe, the press service of the Council of Europe reported.
"The main reason for my return to the region is the opportunity to
evaluate how the Council of Europe can assist the settlement of
‘frozen’ conflicts. Only through the interest of all the nations of the
South Caucasus can a peaceful development of the region be achieved,"
the PACE president said.

He noted the importance of the role of parliamentary diplomacy in
conflict resolution.

In addition, during his visit van der Linden intends to raise questions
of protection of the rights of the opposition, freedom of expression,
the role of the civil society, establishment of an intercultural and
interreligious dialogue, relations with neighbouring countries and
opportunities for the formation of a united Europe without separating
borders.

Rene van der Linden will arrive in Armenia today. He will visit Georgia
on 5-7 July, and Azerbaijan on 9 July.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
June 5 2007

Baku and Yerevan political studies schools meet in Strasbourg

[ 05 Jul 2007 19:46 ]

A broad conference with participation of Baku and Yerevan schools has
started in Strasbourg in the framework of debates in the Council of
Europe Political Studies School, APA’s Europe bureau reports.
The conference is being held on the initiative and by the
chairmanship of the heads of two schools Ilgar Mammadov and Armen
Zakaryan.
They will exchange views on the development of the South Caucasus
region and Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
Political scientist Alexander Arzumanyan and Armenian parliamentarian
Shavarsh Kocharian also attend the meeting. /APA/

IN ROBERT KOCHARIAN’S WORDS, IT IS FIRST OF ALL ARMENIA THAT NEEDS REFORMS

Noyan Tapan
Jul 03 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 3, NOYAN TAPAN. RA President Robert Kocharian met with
the delegation of the Ago Monitoring Commission of the CE Foreign
Ministers’ Committee on July 3. It was mentioned that since membership
of the Council of Europe, Armenia has passed an important step in
the respect of fulfilment of commitments and has registered great
progress in terms of reforms.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA President’s
Press Office, the delegation led by the Ambassador of Sweden to the CE,
Per Sjogren, included the Ambassadors of Austria, France, Germany,
Russia, Romania, and Latvia to the Council of Europe, and officials
of the Secretariate of the CE Committee of Ministers.

R. Kocharian said that reforms embracing different spheres of
life are implemented with the deep belief that it is first of all
Armenia that needs them and there is no other way for country’s
development. "Armenia is not rich in natural resources. However,
our main resource is the human element, which can be manifested
completely only thanks to efficient, deep and large-scale reforms,"
the RA President emphasized.

The interlocutors touched upon the current stage of negotiations over
the Nagorno Karabakh settlement and the meeting between the Armenian
and Azeri Presidents in Saint Petersburg. They also exchanged thoughts
about the results of the parliamentary elections, international
evaluations given to them, preparation for the forthcoming presidential
elections. Positively evaluating the past elections, the Ago Group
members attached importance to further improvement of the electoral
legislation and electoral processes.

The interlocutors also spoke about the freedom of the media. The CE
Ambassadors touched upon the government’s initiative related to making
amendments to the RA law "On Television and Radio." R. Kocharian gave
detailed explanations about it.

SAMAD SEYIDOV: THERE IS NO NEED TO CREATE A STIR REGARDING AZERBAIJANI INTELLECTUALS’ VISIT TO NAGORNO KARABAKH AND ARMENIA

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 3 2007

Our intellectuals’ visit to Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia should be met
normally, I do not accept a stir created on this visit, Samad Seyidov,
head of Azerbaijani delegation to PACE told the APA.

He reminded that the resolution of Council of Europe adopted in
January, 2005 contained items on the occupation of Azerbaijani lands
by Armenian Forces, ethnic cleaning, items regarding refugees and
IDPs as well as gave several recommendations.

"One of the recommendations says that Azerbaijani and Armenian
communities of Nagorno Karabakh should meet. Our honorable
intellectuals fulfilled one part of this work. Our intellectuals are
not to blame for exchanging views with Armenians. It is not right
to create any stir regarding it. This is one of the meetings of
Azerbaijanis living in Karabakh and Armenian community. It is not
right to show unusual reaction to this meeting," he said.

AZERI FORREIGN MINISTER CONSIDERS THE MUTUAL VISITS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED

armradio.am
03.07.2007 13:16

Elmar Mammadyarov, the Azerbaijani Foriegn Minister, stated that
if we wish to prepare the nation for peace, mutual visits by the
intelligentsia of Azerbaijan and Armenia should be encouraged,
Trend reports.

The minister said that mutual visits by Azerbaijan and Armenia are
not harmful, but fruitful. He considered the visit of representatives
of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia to Nagorno-Karabakh to be quite
normal. "If the residents of Nagorno-Karabakh are the citizens of
Azerbaijan, then their visit to that region should be met as normal
practice. This does not indicate inclusion of Nagorno-Karabakh in
the talks as a party. As a Minister I hold talks with the Armenian
Minister.

Azerbaijanis visiting Nagorno-Karabakh is not a tragedy," the Foreign
Minister assured.

Voicing his attitude towards the presidential elections in the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, the Minister noted that until the
Azerbaijani community is repatriated to their native land, any
elections held in that region will not be considered as legal.

Commenting on negotiations held with Armenia, the Minister stressed
that the Co-Chairs should analyze the results of a meeting of
Presidents in St.

Petersburg. Only then will it be possible to speak about taking
further steps.

ARMENIA NOT TO ACCEPT MILITARY SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 2 2007

YEREVAN, July 2. /ARKA/. Armenia will not accept military settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Armenia’s Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanian during the press-conference in Yerevan.

"Peaceful settlement of the conflict is the only way of settling the
Karabakh conflict," he said.

Oskanian pointed out that Armenia intends to suppress all the
statements that do not correspond to the "spirit and letter of
negotiation process", despite their being a well thought-out step
or misunderstanding.

"We have already submitted our written complaints concerning the
statements of the CE Secretary-General Terry Davis and have already
declared about the unacceptability of these statements, which do not
correspond to the spirit and essence of the conflict," Oskanian said.

One of these days CE Secretary-General Terry Davis declared that
Nagorno-Karabakh is considered a conquered territory and is a part
of Azerbaijan.

Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988, when Nagorno-Karabakh populated
by Armenians declared secession from Azerbaijan.

Starting from 1992 negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the
conflict have being held within the OSCE Minsk Group, the Co-Chairs
of which are the USA, Russia and France.

AZERBAIJAN READY TO RECOVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH BY FORCE – ALIYEV

RIA Novosti
15:48 | 02/ 07/ 2007

BAKU, July 2 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia must voluntarily cede Azerbaijani
territory if it wants to avoid a new war over Nagorno-Karabakh,
the Azerbaijani president said Monday.

"Azerbaijan is militarily the strongest power in the region, and our
neighbors should face up to this. Armenia should voluntarily withdraw
its troops from Azerbaijani lands. Only on this condition will it
be possible to say with certainty that there will not be a new war,"
Ilkham Aliyev said.

He said Azerbaijan will never put up with the occupation of its lands
and is ready to free them by any means, including military.

"None of us want losses, but Azerbaijan is gaining strength and is
ready to conduct any operation at any moment. We will never accept
the situation now prevailing," he said.

The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan with a
largely Armenian population, first erupted in 1988 when it declared
its independence from Azerbaijan, and moved to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people were killed on both sides between 1988 and 1994,
and over 100 died following a 1994 ceasefire. Nagorno-Karabakh
remained in Armenian hands, but tensions between Azerbaijan and
Armenia have persisted.

Azerbaijan is determined to restore its control over the separatist
region.

RA DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER: THE SITUATION AT THE CONTACT LINE IS QUIET

armradio.am
02.07.2007 15:21

The situation at the contact line of the Armed Forces of Armenia and
Azerbaijan is stable, RA Deputy Defense Minister, Lieutenant-General
Gurgen Melkonyan told ArmInfo.

According to him, exchange of fire periodically occurs at the contact
line, and this is initiated by the Azeri side, the Armenian side
simply responds.

"This way they show that they are "awake." We also show that "we are
not sleeping." However, at large, the situation at the contact line
is quiet, the General declared. In his words, sometimes the Azeri
side gets more active when it receives supply of armaments.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Russian analyst: `Does Azerbaijan need Karabakh? No’
30.06.2007 14:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Karabakh. Does Azerbaijan need it? Certainly, no,’
said Ramil Latypov, director of the center of terror threats analysis
and minor intensity conflicts. `The Azeri people don’t need and have
never needed the territory of Nagorno Karabakh. Moreover, there have
been no preconditions for it,’ he told Yerkramas, the newspaper of
Armenians of Russia.

`The Azerbaijani government has taken an unswerving stance – war till
victory, victory that can’t be. This stance is a synthesized catalyst
of an artificial process. It promises destabilization in the region
for many years. It’s pregnant with destabilization, weakening of
economy, deterioration of living conditions, atmosphere of fear and
diffidence, hysteria, waves of internal protests in Azerbaijan,
Karabakh and Armenia,’ the expert said.

All this is beneficial for those, who wish to take control over the
world energy resources in a long-term outlook, according to him.

`It’s time to stop and resolve the problem, guiding by historical
justice, reason and interests of ordinary citizens, who carry the load
of this theater of absurdity where the director and stage manage is
Mister X.’ Ramil Latypov said.