Author: Jilavian Emma

FOUR LEADING POLITICAL PARTIES OF ARMENIA SIGNED THE COALITION AGREEMENT

arminfo
2008-03-21 12:33:00

ArmInfo. Four leading political parties of Armenia: the RPA, ARF
Dashnaktiutyun, Prosperous Armenia and Orinats Yerkir signed today
the coalition agreement.

The RPA leader, newly elected president of Armenia Serzh Sarkisyan said
at the briefing after the signing ceremony this is an unprecedented
phenomenon as earlier the coalition agreement was signed after
formation of the coalition government. He also added that a political
coalition was set up for making serious reforms which maybe very
painful for many people. "We needed political support for making
these reforms. For this reason we united our efforts and signed this
agreement", – Sarkisyan said.

Representative of the ARFD Supreme Body Armen Rustamyan said that
today they signed a document about political accord which does not
suppose distribution of the ministerial portfolios. Today the most
important task is reduction of tension in the country, he said.

The leader of the Prosperous Armenia party Gagik Tsarukyan said they
should unite efforts so that to justify expectations of the people
and lead them to the prosperous life.

The leader of the Orinats Yerkir party Artur Bagdasaryan said the
political forces that set up the coalition had gained majority of votes
and confidence in the society. He also added that the coalition is
taking political responsibility for the activity of the authorities. He
is sure that over a short period of time Armenia will be able to
occupy a worthy place in the list os stably developing states.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT-ELECT DOES NOT RULE OUT AMNESTY FOR RIOTERS

Interfax News Agency
March 19 2008
Russia

Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan elected as president on February
19 did not rule out amnesty for individuals arrested for organizing
and participating in the mass unrest in Yerevan in early March,
he told National Assembly of Armenia on Wednesday.

"There will be no amnesty as a purely political measure in order gain
public feelings. I do not consider such amnesty to be advisable,"
he said.

"However, if I closely study the situation and make a conclusion on
its necessity, the amnesty will be declared for sure," he said.

"All my steps will be aimed at national development," he said.

As for the opposition’s statements on possible international
investigation of the events of March 1-2, Sargsyan said that
the arrival to Armenia of foreign experts and the creation of an
international commission is a procedure envisioned by UN regulations.

"If you see this procedure, you will be able to assess the advisability
of this step," he said.

Armenia has no political prisoners to his knowledge, he said.

Meetings and processions of the radical opposition, that has not
recognized the results of the presidential elections, have been held
in Yerevan since February 20. (The opposition is headed by candidate
for president, the first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosian.)
These demonstrations developed into mass disorders where eight people
were killed and more than 200 people were wounded.

On the night before March 2 the incumbent President Robert Kocharian
decreed a state of emergency in Yerevan.

According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, 106 people have been
arrested in connection with the criminal case on the unrest.

ARMENIA STEADFAST IN DETERMINATION TO INVOLVE NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC IN NEGOTIATIONS

ARKA
March 19, 2008

YEREVAN, March 19. /ARKA/. Armenia remains steadfast in its
determination to involve Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in negotiations,
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said Wednesday in National
Assembly.

"We are always raising this issue in all our meetings. It is
arranged that when the negotiations reach certain stage, Karabakh
representatives will be involved in the process", he said.

Commenting on the proposal to include Karabakh representatives in
Armenian delegation, the minister said he finds it wrong.

"If so, these representatives will be considered as members of Armenian
delegation", he said.

Fars News Agency, Iran
March 16 2008

Iran ministry announces results of elections for religious minorities

Tehran, 16 March: With the end of the vote count in religious
minority constituencies the Interior Ministry has officially
announced the names of five religious minority candidates who have
been successful in the eighth Majlis elections.

According to the Fars News Agency, the list of successful candidates
for religious minorities and the number of votes gained are as
follows:

The Zoroastrain religious minorities constituency, Esfandiyar
Ekhtiyari-Kasnaviyeh with 3607 votes form the total of 7155 votes.

The Jewish religious minorities constituency, Siyamak Mareh-Sedq with
2374 votes form the total of 2845 votes.

The Armenian religious minorities Northern constituency, Vartan
Giyork with 11311 votes from the total of 14053 votes.

The Chaladean/Assyrain religious minorities constituency, Bet
Kelya-Yonaten, with 3560 votes from the total 4032 votes.

The Armenian religious minorities Southern constituency, Robert
Belgeriyan with 2503 votes form the total 2583 votes.

Panorama.am

15:50 15/03/2008

HARUTUNYAN RECEIVED KAPINOS

Today the Minister of Defense Michael Harutyunyan received the OSCE
Yerevan office chairman Ambassador Sergey Kapinos. According to the
Defense Ministry press secretary the Ambassador was accompanied by
Robert Wall, the OSCE human rights consulter and OSCE representatives.

The guests aimed to get some information about the RA armed forces
role in the post election time in Armenia, Harityunyan said that
according to the state of emergency providing rules RA police and RA
defense ministry were to deal with it. He added that it is 15 days the
state of emergency is announced and there have been no disorders or
breaking of rules.

The Defense minister also presented the condition in Azerbaijan and
the NKR border line. The OSCE office chairman expressed his concern
about it and said that he had already reported about it to the OSCE
Vienna.

Source: Panorama.am

MATTHEW BRYZA: NO ONE ACCUSES LEVON TER-PETROSSIAN OF USING VIOLENCE

arminfo
2008-03-14 14:30:00

ArmInfo. Now, no one accuses Mr. Ter-Petrossian himself of using
violence, but there were people in the crowd who did use violence, and
in many cases perhaps they would say "provoked", US deputy Secretary
of State for Europe and Asia, OSCE MG Cochairman Matthew Bryza told
the Radio "Liberty".

The American diplomat added that in any case this wasn’t
an instance of a particular leader having magical powers,
which, according to some statements from Yerevan, are ascribed
to Mr. Ter-Petrossian. "Mr. Ter-Petrossian is obviously a very
well-known politician who is very skillful in his oration, so he
does have the ability to inspire people, and he was doing so through
his repeated appearances at the demonstrations in Theater Square in
Yerevan", M. Bryza said. He added that during the meeting with L. Ter-
Petrossian, he encouraged him to participate fully in dialogue with
the government of Armenia to chart a way forward to restore democratic
momentum in Armenian society.

SARGSYAN: ROBERT KOCHARIAN WON’T BE PRIME MINISTER

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2008 13:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Incumbent President Robert Kocharian will not be
appointed Prime Minister, said Serzh Sargsyan, the President-elect
of Armenia.

"If we had planned to exercise the Russian scenario, we would have
announced it before the election. I have not decided who will head the
government and I do not know when I will name the new Prime Minister,"
he said.

"ARF Dashnaktsutyun will join the coalition government. I also met
with Vazgen Manukyan and other oppositionists. The new government’s
political program will be promulgated within 10 days. Formation of
a new government is only the start of the work. I am confident that
the coalition to be formed after April 9 will introduce significant
changes in our country’s development process. We have a serious program
to implement," he said, adding, "There will be staff changes in the
new government but not everything will change."

"There will be no extra parliamentary election. It would tense the
situation," Mr Sargsyan said, the Public Television of Armenia reports

GENERAL YASHAR DEMIRBULAG: "IT IS CREDULITY TO EXPECT SOMETHING FROM OSCE AND UN IN NAGORNO KARABAKH SOLUTION"

Azeri Press Agency
March 14 2008
Azerbaijan

Istanbul. Mais Alizadeh – APA. "Turkish-Azerbaijani joint operations
in Nagorno Karabakh are impossible", said retired General-Lieutenant
Yashar Demirbulag, former chief of Air Forces intelligence office in
his exclusive interview with APA Turkish Bureau.

He said he heard such purposes at times, when he worked as a military
adviser in Azerbaijan. "Then they asked for Turkish helicopters
to evacuate the peaceful population from Kelbajar. I told that
it was impossible. War is not a toy. Azerbaijan should strengthen
its anti-aircraft defense in current situation. This issue should
be approached seriously, if Nagorno Karabakh anti-aircraft system
is a part of CIS Collective Anti-aircraft System". General Yashar
Demirbulag regretted on Azerbaijani casualties in the result of
ceasefire violation by Armenians. "It is necessary to avoid casualties
during small confrontations. It is worldwide accepted rule – nobody
leaves bloodless the place where he entered bleeding.

Expectations from OSCE and UN are credulity. I have never seen
any examples. If Azerbaijan wants to liberate Karabakh, it should
use armed forces. It is necessary to build strong army. The ground
attacks are not enough and air forces should be used maximum. All
means should be used for the strengthening of regular army". General
Yashar Demirbulag’s parents left Demirbulag village near Iravan for
Kars in early years of Soviet Power. He was working Turkish military
attache in Washington and advised to former Azerbaijani President
Abulfaz Elchibey in army-building period in Azerbaijan.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF AZERBAIJAN EXPRESSED ITS DEEP RESENTMENT OVER THE POSITION TAKEN BY THE CO-CHAIRMEN COUNTRIES THAT VOTED AGAINST GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION

Today
s/43733.html
March 14 2008
Azerbaijan

Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to emphasize the utmost
importance of the resolution, which the General Assembly, despite
the efforts of some Member States, has adopted.

The resolution demonstrates that the international community firmly
stands for settlement of the conflict on the basis of territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan.

The resolution is timely and constructive since it stands for the
balance based on the norms and principles of international law.

It provides the population of the Nagorno-Karabakh region with a
possibility for self-rule within territorial integrity of the state
that it is part of.

It reaffirms the right of displaced population to return to their
places of origin.

It demands the withdrawal of the occupying forces from all occupied
territories of Azerbaijan.

It supports the mediation efforts carried out on the basis of norms
and principles of international law.

The resolution makes it clear for Armenia and for those behind her
that settlement of the conflict could be achieved only on the basis
of territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan.

Until the Armenian side realizes this, the settlement cannot be
achieved.

The Armenian side and those who support her must understand that
negotiations may be continued only on the basis of norms and principles
of international law.

The resolution provides a clear perspective for defining the
Nagorno-Karabakh region status at the level envisaged by the
international law, namely at the level of self-governance within
territorial integrity of the state, and unambiguously indicated that
this requires return of the displaced Azerbaijani population to the
Nagorno-Karabakh region.

As Armenia continues to dictate its will proceeding from the fait
accompli and tries to tear away the Nagorno-Karabakh region from
Azerbaijan based on the results of the ethnic cleansing of the
Azerbaijani population, she will not achieve peace with Azerbaijan.

Status of the Nagorno-Karabakh region may not be the subject of
negotiations on the basis of fait accompli.

Status shall be defined only through legal and democratic process
with participation of the entire population of the region within
Azerbaijan. This requires creation of objective conditions such as
relief of all territories from occupation, their rehabilitation and
return of the population forcibly expelled from their places of origin.

We are surprised and express our deep resentment over the position
taken by the Co-Chairmen countries that voted against this resolution,
since the text was carefully drafted based on the concept of settlement
they have repeatedly assured us to pursue.

Co-chairs refer to the draft paper on basic principles prepared by
them, which allegedly constitute the basis for the settlement.

Azerbaijan must state that this draft contains more disagreements and
unsettled issues, rather than clarity, and these issues by priority
are of utmost importance.

We took note of the Co-chairs support to the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan and would like to believe that they will follow their
statement.

We also expect that the Co-chairs in their work on the draft of basic
principles will take due regard of the position of international
community expressed in the adopted resolution and prescribed in the
international law, which shall serve as a basis for their activity.

We would like to stress that Azerbaijan will continue to be guided
by the principles laid out in the adopted resolution in its work on
the draft of basic principles.

We would like to express our gratitude for those countries, which
voted in favor of our resolution and demonstrated principled and
friendly support to Azerbaijan, and we will not forget that.

Likewise, we would not forget that a number of states didn’t find it
possible to vote in favor of the resolution, which is of principled
importance not only for Azerbaijan, but also for the international
community, although we do understand that decision among those which
chose to abstain in the voting was taken under pressure or due to
remote geographic location.

We firmly reject and consider as trifling the position of those who
voted against the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

Results of today voting will be thoroughly analyzed and taken due
note of in the course of preparation of our campaign for mobilizing
support to our resolution in the coming year.

RUSSIA: CSTO HEAD CONCERNED ABOUT DESTABILIZATION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS, MIDDLE EAST

Interfax News Agency
March 12 2008
Russia

"Despite the latest compromise resolution on Iran passed by the UN
Security Council on 3 March, who can guarantee that attempts to solve
the problems of Iran’s nuclear programme by military force will be
avoided?" Secretary-General of the CSTO (Collective Security Treaty
Organization) Nikolay Bordyuzha has said, as reported by Interfax-AVN
news agency on 12 March.

Use of force against Iran would "inevitably provoke a sharp reaction
from countries of the Islamic world, especially the Shiite parts,"
Bordyuzha said, speaking at a conference in Moscow. Bordyuzha noted
that this was "not a frivolous issue" for the CSTO given that some of
its member states enjoy close cooperation with Iran. "Incidentally,
there will be major exercises in the South Caucasus this autumn under
the aegis of NATO, in Armenia, which borders Iran," he added.

In a later Interfax-AVN report on the same day, Bordyuzha was quoted
commenting on external factors "destabilizing" the South Caucasus.

"The situation in Iraq, which has been destabilized seriously and
for the long term, is increasing concern about the situation in the
region. Raids by Turkish forces into a neighbouring country have
raised the level of tension, which was already high. Regarding a
ceasefire in the Nagorno-Karabakh zone, events at the beginning of
March have made a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement much more difficult,"
Bordyuzha said, according to the report.

Commenting on recent events in Armenia, Bordyuzha said: "One cannot
forget that, in our opinion, forces from outside the region had
an influence on the events in Yerevan to a certain extent, as the
media reported".

He added that interference by such forces was "quite clear with
regard to the Central Asian region". "In particular it concerns
statements by NATO figures, who were testing the waters regarding the
use of Uzbekistan’s military infrastructure to support operations
by international forces to facilitate security in Afghanistan,"
said Bordyuzha.

This interest is dictated by geopolitical and economic motives,
particularly the battle for natural resources, he added, according
to the report.

"As for the problem of Kosovo, the scenario of Pristina’s apologists –
together with the accession to NATO of three Balkan countries, Albania,
Macedonia and Croatia, planned for April this year at the summit in
Bucharest, and the USA’s acquisition of the option of creating mobile
bases in Romania and Bulgaria – not only contradicts international law,
but basically destroys the former system of international relations,"
Bordyuzha said, as quoted in another Interfax-AVN report.

On the subject of Abkhazia, Bordyuzha expressed his approval for
Russia’s lifting of sanctions from the Georgian breakaway republic.

Another Interfax-AVN report on the same day quoted him as saying:
"The time for that decision had come, and I believe it was the correct
one, because it allows the Abkhaz region to develop, and allows the
socio-economic state of affairs in Abkhazia to improve."

Russia’s decision is "equally important for both the Abkhaz people
and the Russian people; it is an evolution of the development of
ongoing processes," he added.

"Conflict between Georgia and Abkhazia must be solved in a way
that avoids bloodshed and violence. For this, the interests of both
the Abkhaz and the Georgians need to be taken into account," said
Bordyuzha, according the report. "The main thing is not to bring the
conflict to escalation, as happened in the Karabakh conflict zone on
1 March," he added.