Author: Karakhanian Suren

EMPLOYEE ‘HAD VITAL EVIDENCE’
Nicki Walker

Norfolk Eastern Daily Press, UK
Oct 12 2005

A factory employee told a jury at Norwich Crown Court yesterday how
she gave detectives the vital breakthrough in their bid to identify
a dead man and track down his killers.

Vanessa Armstrong, who works at Cooper Roller Bearings in King’s Lynn,
recognised a scorched piece of memo, found next to the dead man’s
burning body, dumped in a field at Upton, near Peterborough.

The man had been shot and stabbed before being doused in petrol and
set alight on December 21, 2002.

David Farrell, prosecuting, told the court that detectives spent
almost a year trying to identify the body. But once they found the
source of the memo, it helped them find the murder scene – Cooper
Roller Bearings’ medical room. This led them to the alleged killers –
Armenians Nishan Bakunts, 28, and his father-in-law Misha Chatsjatrjan,
44 – and helped them identify the murdered man as 42-year-old fellow
countryman Hovanhannes Amirian.

The court heard that after finding the partly-burned memo – bearing
the names Talbot and Armstrong – detectives wrote to everyone with
those surnames in the eastern region. More than 2000 letters were sent,
asking recipients if they recognised the memo.

Ms Armstrong told the court yesterday that she contacted the police
on September 4, 2003, after receiving a letter from the force and a
copy of the burned memo.

She told the court: “I recognised it instantly, because it is something
I do fortnightly. It was quite clearly my writing and my memo.”

>>From the memo and with Mrs Armstrong’s extra information, police
were able to establish it had been sent to an employee, Paul Talbot,
regarding a routine medical check at the factory.

Mr Talbot realised the last time he had the memo was in the factory’s
medical room.

After searching the room, forensic officers discovered traces of the
dead man’s blood on the couch and walls.

Bakunts, it emerged, was working as a security guard at the factory
on the weekend of the murder.

In a statement read to the court, Det Insp Bert Deane, who led the
murder investigation, said of the call from Mrs Armstrong: “It was
a major breakthrough in the investigation.”

Bakunts, of Lichfield Road, Yarmouth, and Chatsjatrjan, who was living
in Holland, deny murdering Mr Amirian.

Home Office pathologist Dr Nat Cary said his examinations showed
the man had died from gunshots to the face and multiple stabbing to
his body.

Mr Cary said it was likely that two people carried out the attack.

He said it was unusual for a murderer to use one method of killing
such as a gun and then change and use a knife.

The man would have been dead when the killers set his body alight,
he added.

The trial continues.

AZERBAIJAN NOT CONSIDER EU STATEMENT AS SERIOUS

Azerbaijan News Service
Oct 7 2005

A high-ranking European Union official has warned Azerbaijan may
“fall behind” in the EU New Neighborhood Policy due to its forging
ties with the unrecognized Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
(TRNC), Armenia media reported. The European Commissioner for
Foreign Affairs Benita Ferrero-Waldner said the international
community recognizes a united Cyprus. This country is currently
blocking the progress achieved by Baku within the mentioned program
due to the opening of direct flights with TRNC, she said. I have
informed Azeris that if they do not change their decision, we will
continue collaborating only with Georgia and Armenia within the
New Neighborhood Policy. Nonetheless, we hope Azerbaijan will find
a solution for the problem, said Ferrero-Waldner.In his turn Azeri
official do not consider the statement as serious. Tahir Taghizadeh,
head of the information of the Ministry of foreign affairs of
Azerbaijan said official Baku did not receive any letter on the
issue. In his interview with ANS TV, Mr. Taghizadeh said during his
visit to New-York within the 60th session of UN, Elmar Mammadyarov,
foreign minister of Azerbaijan met with his Cypriote (Greek Part)
Colleague and no excitement was heard from that part. In any case we
are not going to change our position. Because position of Azerbaijan
coincides with one of the United Nations, European Union and other
countries who call to eliminate problems and bring the Northern Cyprus
from isolations. Relations with Northern Cyprus are only commercial
and no need to politicize the case.

Panorama.am
13:30 08/10/05

61-st Rose Roth Seminar ¡§Security in the South Caucasus¡¨

7 October 2005

Report by the Secretary of the National Security Council under the President
of the Republic of Armenia ¡V Minister of Defense Serzh SARGSYAN

Topic: Defense reforms in South Caucasus

Dear organizers, participants, guests

First of all I would like to greet the organizers and the participants of
the seminar and congratulate for arranging such an interesting and
overarching event. This is an excellent manifestation of productive
cooperation between National Assembly of Armenia and NATO Parliamentary
Assembly.

Modernity, regional significance and in general the global nature of the
chosen topic make us study it thoroughly and multilaterally to have an
ultimate understanding of many aspects of defense reforms in South Caucasus.

. Political Military situation in South Caucasus: Regional threats

South Caucasus has traditionally been a crossroad, where the interests and
contradictions of different security forces, military political force
centers, and different super powers have been focused. This fact has
definitely left its footprint on historic development course of the regional
states. In this sense South Caucasus is a specific region with its
geography, history, culture, demography and with other factors
characterizing its security environment. It is a crossroad of different
ethnic groups, religions, cultures, and civilizations, transportation routes
of international importance. Although South Caucasus occupies a relatively
small area in geographical sense, nations have different world perception
given their historical-cultural development, language and as a consequence
national psychological features. These nations have for centuries been
involved in wars of empires and instilling hatred and enmity between them
was one of the effective ways for empires to achieve their goals and
interests. As a result international distrust has been shaped in the region,
often aggravating into atmosphere of hostility.

The main part of existing international conflicts in the region have their
roots in soviet period, since the demarcation lines in the South Caucasus
were drawn neglecting ethnographic and demographic factors.

After the breakdown of the Soviet Union South Caucasus found itself in a
security environment facing internal and external regional threats. Internal
regional threats are predominantly due to the existence of international
conflicts and armed conflicts. Being at the crossroad of interests between
East and West, Europe and Asia, Russia and USA, today the South Caucasus
continues to bear the impact of contest among these interests. The mentioned
factors bring about additional stimulus for different international security
systems to amplify the leverages on regional states¡¦ defense and security
systems. This is the very reason that the areas providing security and the
developments taking place here are prioritized and possibly politicized in
the regional states. What refers to the security systems and military
structures of South Caucasian states, it is worthy to note that these were
established during armed conflicts in all three states. Armed Forces being
organized under such conditions did not set the goal of being led by
international standards, which is a complex and time consuming process. They
were seeking to apply traditional and non-traditional methods to settle
interethnic problems through military means. It is understandable that all
the resources ¡V economic potential, traditions, armaments, tactics and
goals bore the imprint of the Soviet Union. However, under these
circumstances Armenian defense complex managed to withstand Azerbajanian
forces prevailing in strength and armaments and to provide both the security
of the population of the Republic of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

Thus, under such military-political conditions numerous threats come to the
fore, which are related to any of the South Caucasus States and have
symmetrical and asymmetrical nature.

As symmetrical threats of regional security may be viewed regional unsettled
conflicts and perspectives of their settlement through military means,
blockade of regional economic-transportation routes, unsatisfactory course
of democratization, disproportional development of regional states,
differentiated approach of external regional powers and international
community to regional states.

As asymmetrical threats of regional security may be viewed international
terrorism and the attempt of performing international terrorist network
activities in the region, regional intolerance and atmosphere of distrust,
seeding of international enmity, disinformation.

Here it is also worthy to mention another important thing: symmetrical and
asymmetrical threats are interwoven and the existence of the one may cause
the derivation of the others. For example, atmosphere of intolerance and
distrust may be easily abused by international terrorist organizations to
breed a fertile ground to resume military operations in South Caucasus
conflict areas.

All these threats have common nature that no country in the region is able
to avoid. Their ultimate defusion is impossible by individual efforts,
without the assistance of international community and reforms in security
and defense structures. In my opinion, this is the very goal that the
defense reforms in the South Caucasus are to be targeted at.

. Factors impacting defense reforms in South Caucasus

When speaking about defense reforms in South Caucasus those major factors
generating from regional political-military situation, which predetermine
the direction of defense reforms here, should be taken into consideration.

The first and the major factor is related to the existing conflicts that
three South Caucasus states are involved in: Armenia and Azerbaijan ¡V
Nagorno Kharabakh conflict, Georgia ¡V Abkhazia and South Ossetia. ¡§No
peace, no war¡¨ status greatly impacted on further development of military
components as well as foreign policy of regional states and state
development direction. As a result of these unsettled conflicts military
factor plays a considerable role in state efforts of construction both in
Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia. Moreover there are many forces in regional
countries and especially in Azerbaijan that are guided by the destructive
desire of settling conflicts through military means. These forces shape an
atmosphere of intolerance by their bellicose policy, which involuntarily
impacts on comprehensive defense reforms in Armenia and makes the
authorities of the Republic of Armenia evince cautiousness. However it is
noteworthy to mention, that by the support of international organizations,
if not final settlement, at least, if possible to put it this way,
¡§stable¡¨ and ¡§guaranteed¡¨ freezing of the conflicts opens opportunities
to conduct gradual defense reforms.

The second important factor impacting on defence reforms in South Caucasus
are international new threats. Realizing these threats and especially the
effective struggle against international terrorism drastically changes
traditional security perceptions. If we cast a glance on the activities of
international terrorist organizations and the frames of counter-terrorist
military operations, we will notice that South Caucasus occupies
geographically central place within these frames. South Caucasus is a
crossroad ¡V a transit zone for Chechen, Arab-Israel, Iraqi, Afghan
terrorist pockets. Here, under conditions of weak state structures,
imperfect mechanisms to combat terrorism and under conditions of
international conflicts, an opportunity to establish terrorist network and
activities is open.

One of the main factors impacting on defense reforms in South Caucasus is
the European integration policy adopted by regional states. This policy
gives wide opportunities to be involved in European security structures and
to take advantage of their experience and advice. In general, intensive
reforms conducted in international defense and security structures, in
individual states, adopting new approaches, development of new mechanisms
attest that development of common strategy, improvement of interoperability
mechanisms, rapid response and peacekeeping forces, mobile teams and etc.
come to overtake traditional defense structures. These factors expedite
international integration processes in defense area.

South Caucasus states have also entered into a resolute stage of European
integration. It leaves its positive influence on directing defense reforms
of regional states in synergy with the principles of overall European
security system restructuring. Particularly both Armenia, Georgia and
Azerbaijan are involved in international stabilization processes. It
contributes to establish rapid response and peacekeeping forces in these
states in line with international standards and fully interoperable with
international forces. Anyhow there is a specific feature: three South
Caucasus states conduct integration separately` refusing internal regional
integration. Notwithstanding Armenia makes suggestions to establish regional
security system through cooperation and integration. It is clear that the
absence of internal regional integration and cooperation makes it impossible
to fully provide the security despite individual reforms in security
structure of South Caucasus states. Thus the absence of internal regional
integration essentially impacts on the nature and direction of defense
reforms.

In general positive and negative factors impacting defense reforms in South
Caucasus are numerous and miscellaneous which account for the cautiousness
of South Caucasus states to implement defense reforms.

. Standpoints of regional states on defense reforms: differences and
generalities Regional and international threats and South Caucasus European
Integration direction requires equivalent reforms from regional states.
However the nature, objectives, intensity and direction of reforms are
different in Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia.

Differences in standpoints of three South Caucasus states in implementing
defense reforms are due to different perception of providing security and
defusing threats: these differences are widely displayed in the perceptions
of Armenia and Azerbaijan. For example, on the issue of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement we are guided by the principle of ¡§Partnership for
Peace¡¨, suggesting to reach mutual confidence and stability through
cooperation, which is the primary precondition for the conflict resolution.
Azerbaijan, to the contrary, connects the establishment of cooperation with
the settlement of the conflict and rebuffs any suggestion of cooperation
until conflict resolution.

Having in circulation the option of settling Nagorno Karabakh conflict
through military means, authority circles of Azerbaijan have the vision of
reforming Armed Forces and enhancing the capabilities truly by militarized
means. To this end military expenses are multiplied in Azerbaijan year by
year. Moreover, the recent statement of Aliev on doubling the military
budget in 2006 is a challenge of arms race. Armenia, to the contrary, offers
complete exclusion of military settlement of the conflict to reach success
in defense reforms. This will give an opportunity not to weave defense
reforms with the conflict resolution and embark upon more practical steps.
But not receiving desirable response, Armenia has to and is ready to
withstand rude force with force. Armenia and Azerbaijan hold contradictory
opinions of issues on establishing regional security system and regional
integration. Both the official circles of Armenia and the representatives of
International community have made suggestions from different platforms on
this issue, every time Azerbaijan¡¦s refusal to start any cooperation.
Moreover, by this stance Azerbaijani authorities incite other countries also
to refusal. Frankly speaking, such a standpoint casts doubt on the desire of
Azerbajanian authorities to conduct defense reforms in line with
international standards.

In this hostile atmosphere to have a numerous army becomes a priority for
Armenia. We certainly realize that keeping a numerous army is not in line
with our aspirations and priorities of European integration, democratization
and reforms. However, in contrast with other priorities, which predominantly
generate from our national natural interests, having a numerous Armed Forces
is a compelling priority, a reliable guarantee to provide security.

On different occasions I have noted that most effective way to provide
military security and strengthen Armed Forces capabilities is military
integration and reforms. This strategy is important to meet the military
needs of the Armed Forces and to provide their stable development.

To have a stable security system Armenia is actively getting involved in
different security systems. Today Armenia cooperates within NATO and CSTO
/Collective Security Treaty Organization/, which contributes to the
establishment of Armenian Armed Forces interoperability capabilities by
different international standards. Therefore, both Armenian-Russian military
alliance within bilateral and CSTO frameworks and enhancement of cooperation
with NATO organizations and USA are the guarantees providing Armenia¡¦s
security. Through Armenia-NATO cooperation Armenia implements defense
reforms within the frameworks of PARP and IPAP. Reform strategy within CSTO
is targeted at establishing a joint and effective system to defuse security
threats.

Despite differences in standpoints of South Caucasus countries on defense
reform issues, there is a circumstance inspiring hope for their successful
implementation: defense reforms in three countries proceed in the course of
international integration.

We also realize, that defense reforms constitute only a part of overall
process of advanced development of statehood i.e. establishing legal state
and civil society. In this process the establishment of all legislative,
defense, social, economic, democratic institutions and the area of
institutional reforms are interconnected and symbiotic, and cannot develop
separately. Defense reforms conducted in regional states should be viewed in
the context of developing the countries through reforms and democratization
as one integral process, one system. It is impossible to build reformed,
transparent and modern Armed Forces in economically and socially weak
countries lacking democratic traditions and principles. Therefore, not only
cooperation with NATO must be taken full advantage of but also with other
European structures Council of Europe, OSCE, EU, the assistance of advanced
European institutes in this sphere, ¡§European Neighborhood policy¡¨,
Consultations of Venice commission for Democracy through Law, etc. Armenia
is resolute in its decision to be guided by this principle.

. The nature of defense reforms in South Caucasus region

I have already noted that defense reforms in South Caucasus with their
positive and negative aspects proceed in the spirit of European integration.
Cooperation with Euro-Atlantic Alliance plays a considerable role in these
reforms, since it is NATO who urges supports and assists in reforms.

What refers to the nature of defence reforms, as a result of consistent
policy in recent two years they have become more institutionalized`
engulfing real and specific goals. Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan have
joined PARP and IPAP by presenting all those goals that cooperation with
NATO is to be targeted to implement them.

By joining IPAP, Armenian on the whole presumes the following major reforms
in defense field: – Development of National Security Strategy

Although National Security Strategy will be developed for a transitional
period it will allow three South Caucasus states to reconfirm defending
nature of their activities aimed at providing national security supporting
the establishment of atmosphere of mutual confidence by that. Particularly
in Armenia¡¦s case once again it will be proclaimed that our country is for
peaceful settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and is determined to
implement policy of integration to European structures. By 2007 Republic of
Armenia plans to develop the National Security Strategy and table it for
broad public discussions.

– Development of Defense Concept

Armenia greets NATO initiative to support the development of Strategy
Documents in South Caucasus states. Defense Concept of the Republic of
Armenia, which will be in harmony with the defense provisions defined by the
National Security Strategy, will be widely spread among population and will
be approved in 2007. It will also be submitted to the discussion of the
National Assembly of Armenia, which will provide the basis for near-term and
long-term defense planning. Defense Concept of Armenia will describe the
role and mission of Armenian Armed Forces and will serve as a principle
document to direct reform efforts. It will provide a single united strategic
direction for the Armed Forces and for other Government officials
responsible for national defense. Broad circulation of Defense Doctrine
across the country will foster public discussions on defense issues and will
provide support to meet military needs identified in the document. Defense
Strategy will play an important role to guide the efforts of Armenian Armed
Forces reforms and modernization.

– Defense system and particularly defense planning and budgeting reform
Reforming this area will give an opportunity to use defense resources more
effectively supporting the balance between economic growth and defense
expenditures. It will greatly enhance the defense budget transparency, which
will also contribute to strengthen mutual confidence in a stable security
environment.

– Strategic Defense Review

This process will give an opportunity to develop and implement plans for
Armed Forces improvement and transformation in accordance with tasks defined
by strategic documents. The process, which is planned to conduct during
defense reforms, will also continue after the completion of reforms becoming
a tool for Armed Forces assessment and continuous modernization.

– Defense Legislation and Administration Review

Through this review it will be possible to identify the shortfalls in
defense legislation and make necessary amendments to the legislation in
parallel with defense reforms. The present legislation /¡¨Law on Defense¡¦,
¡§Law on Mobilization¡¨, ¡§Law on Liability for Military Service¡¨, ¡§Law on
Entering to Military Service¡¨ and other laws/ will need to be changed after
Constitution reforms and approvement of National Security Strategy.
Amendments have already been made in defense legislation of the Republic of
Armenia. Particularly amendments were made to the ¡§Law on liability for
military service¡¨ of RA in October 2000, on 3rd July 2002 ¡§Law on entering
to Military Service¡¨ was adopted, and ¡§Law on Alternative Military
Service¡¨ of RA was adopted on 17 December 2003 and amended on 29 January
2004.

– Increasing the system of democratic-public control of the Armed Forces
will in its turn contribute to the enhancement of Armed Forces transparency
and will provide more public support to the state defense policy. It is
necessary to use the existing mechanisms when conducting events to increase
democratic control in regional states by expanding and improving them year
by year, training appropriate specialists and conducting public awareness
policy.

– Input of civilian personnel in the Armed Forces of the Republic of
Armenia Implementation of the above mentioned reforms will automatically
necessitate the input of civilian personnel in the Armed Forces system. MOD
will require civilian experts well aware of defense policy principle
provisions and able to manage different spheres of national defense
structure. Civilian experts can greatly contribute to the development of
defense policy, legislative collaboration, legal advice, resource
management, public affairs and procurements. Increasing the number of
civilian experts handling issues of defense policy development and planning
will assist Armenia to achieve her National Security goals.

As a result of the above mentioned activities the opportunity of
interoperability with European and Euro-Atlantic structures, institutional
and conceptual compatibility will be expanded, without any harm at all to
its cooperation within CSTO.

Anyhow the true desire and the real understanding by the heads of regional
states and public awareness policy based on that understanding is of primary
significance to successfully conduct the reforms. This is the only possible
way to smooth out existing contest, sometimes-even hostility between
regional nations. Obviously it is impossible to reach stability and
prosperity in South Caucasus when the head of one state speaks about
European integration, compromising and peaceful settlement of conflicts,
regional cooperation, but at the highest political level of the neighboring
state bellicose statements are made, thus seeding own people with hostility
and intolerance against the neighboring nation.

I am confident that the continuation of impartial and balanced policy course
towards Armenia and Azerbaijan by NATO and European institutions, efforts
seeking to establish an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual confidence will
uphold South Caucasus states to achieve cooperation through reforms and to
peace and stability through cooperation.

Thank you.

EU official meets Turkish novelist who faces prison

ISTANBUL, Oct 8 (Reuters) – A senior European Union official on
Saturday met best-selling Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who faces a
possible three-year jail sentence for his views, and urged EU
candidate Turkey to respect freedom of expression.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn is in Turkey to mark the opening
of EU membership talks this week with the large Muslim nation after
years of delay due partly to human rights concerns.

“Free speech and free expression are core values of the European
Union,” Rehn’s spokeswoman Krisztina Nagy quoted him as saying after
meeting Pamuk at his home in Istanbul.

“You don’t have to agree with everything a writer or journalist says
but they all have a right to express themselves freely,” Rehn was
quoted as saying.

Pamuk, best known for historical novels such as “My Name is Red” and
“The White Castle”, is being charged in connection with claims that
Armenians suffered genocide at Ottoman Turkish hands during World War
One.

The first hearing in his trial has been set for Dec. 16.

Underlining the sensitivity of the Armenian issue in Turkey, an
Istanbul court gave Armenian-Turkish journalist Hrank Dink a six-month
suspended sentence on Friday for “insulting Turkish identity” in an
article he wrote.

Dink denies any wrongdoing and says he had in fact called on the
Armenian diaspora to reject the anger they felt towards Turkey for
events which happened 90 years ago.

Nagy told Reuters Rehn had wanted to meet Pamuk because he admired his
work. She said they had discussed literature and the situation in
Turkey and in Europe.

Pamuk’s comments about the Armenians upset the Turkish establishment
and nationalists, who strongly deny the Armenian genocide claims.

They were also angered by Pamuk’s remarks that Turkish forces shared
responsibility for the death of more than 30,000 Kurds in southeast
Turkey during separatist fighting there in the 1980s and 1990s.

Rehn met Turkish political leaders in the capital Ankara on Thursday
and told them their country would now come under much closer scrutiny
as it tries to bring its laws and standards into line with those of
the wealthy 25-nation EU.

10/08/05 13:22 ET

Pan Armenian

Indian Vice President Invited Artur Baghdassaryan to Delhi

07.10.2005 12:11

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Parliament Speaker Artur Baghdassaryan met with
Thiru Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, RA NA press center reported. The discussions
focused at the development of the Armenian-Indian relations. Artur
Baghdassaryan voiced assurance that the visit of the Vice President will
become a new stimulus for the development of bilateral relations. He also
noted the importance of the development of interparliamentary ties and
informed that an Armenian-Indian parliamentary friendship group was formed
in the RA National Assembly. The parties discussed the possibilities of
cooperating in IT sphere. Bhairon Singh Shekhawat invited Artur
Daghdassaryan to Dehli.

ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
October 7, 2005 Friday 10:29 AM Eastern Time

Self-determination should be Karabakh settlement basis-Kocharyan

By Tigran Liloyan

YEREVAN

The Karabakh conflict should be resolved on the principle of
self-determination of peoples, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan
told a joint press conference with Latvian leader Vaira
Vike-Freiberga on Friday.

CHAIRMAN OF CEC: “IF THERE IS A VIOLATION IN REGISTRATION OF CANDIDATES WITH PREVIOUS CONVICTIONS, SUCH CANDIDATES WILL BE DISQUALIFIED”

Today, Azerbaijan
Oct 5 2005

Interview with the chairman of the Central Elections Commission (CEC),
Mazahir Panahov.

Question: Is the process on clarification of electors’ list held by
the CEC complete. Was the electors’ list on Khankandi constituency
compiled?

Answer: List of electors, who are Azerbaijani by origin, in the
Khankandi constituency has been compiled. However, the list of
citizens, Armenian by origin, is still to be compiled. Even unless the
list of clarified, the results of elections on Khankandi constituency
will be considered as adopted, because there no quorum on number of
electors in the Azerbaijani legislation. So, the participation of
electors, Azerbaijanis by origin, in the elections will be enough
to consider the results of voting as legal. The international
organizations also gave positive estimation to the establishment of
the Khankandi constituency. An interim report by the OSCE Office
for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Election Observation
Mission (EOM) to the Republic of Azerbaijan Parliamentary Elections
in particular stressed the issue.

Question: The document also contains some notes in connection with
the pre-election processes in Azerbaijan. How do you estimate the
interim report by the OSCE/ODIHR and EOM?

Answer: The report is normal and balanced, while there are some
milestones which I can’t agree with. I think they take wrong position
in connection with participation of religious leaders. The precinct
elections commissions did not register the candidacy of the head of
religious Jewish community, Mr. Zelmanovich, as the Constitution of
Azerbaijan bans the election of religious leaders to the parliament.

The OSCE tries to make suspicious that Zelmanovich is a religious
leader. However, he himself indicted his official position in the
document submitted to the precinct elections commission as the
head of the Jewish religious community. The head of the religious
community is a clerical leader, so the precinct elections commission
did not register his candidacy and the CEC maintained the resolution
in force. OSCE makes notes in this respect, while I’m sure there is
no ground for dissatisfaction. Besides, there are notes in connection
with the cancellation of the candidacy of the chairman of the Islamic
Party, Hajiaga Nuri. There is no any restriction in the registration
of the political parties in Azerbaijan in respect to their religious
activities. To my mind, such notes included in the report do not
correspond to reality as well. The rest can be somehow accepted. As
of general estimation, the pre-elections developments go on well. The
international organizations, in particular, their observation missions
do not consider as necessary to mark the satisfactory peculiarities of
the situation. They mainly note and inform about the shortcomings. As
it seems, no serious shortcomings were indicated in the report.

Question: How many international observers will observe the elections?

Answer: Over 100 international observers have been registered thus
far. Their total number attains even 1000 people. Vladimir Rushaylo,
the chairman of the CIS Executive Committee, will pay a visit to Baku
on 5 October with his delegation. The mission of observers plans
to hold meetings with the leadership of the CEC and discuss the
pre-elections processes. I guest the CIS mission will be satisfied
with the current stage of elections and work done by the CEC thus far
for holding elections. Question: How do you estimate the process of
electioneering? Answer: I think this stage develops quite normally.

We should not lose from sight the number of candidates to participate
in the elections is quite high. Over 2,000 candidates ballot for
deputy mandate. So, it would not be real to name everything as
ideal and urge that all candidates will behave correctly. In some
cases they lay accusation on each other. As a chairman of the CEC,
I would like not to see such facts. Some candidates even come out
against the statehood, which is also unacceptable.

Question: Some complaints are made on the heads of the Executive
Powers, state officers, involved in the elections process. Some
candidates, abusing their better financial status, try to attract
the voters. Does the CEC take relevant steps in regard to such people?

Answer: We studied some complaints and revealed that they did not
correspond to reality. Some problems sometimes are exaggerated. In
case the complaints do not correspond to reality, people who commit
law-breaks are warned. The CEC takes steps in accordance with the
law. The candidacy of those who made serious violations can be
disqualified in the end.

Question: When will the results of the investigation into cases of
candidate with previous accusations be publicized?

Answer: the CE secretaries are seriously involved in it. As a result
we will define how legal the registration of the candidates is. In
general, 10 candidates are suspected to have such accusations.

Shortly, the court will provide the reply and the CEC will take a
final resolution. If any law-break is revealed, the candidate will
be immediately disqualified. The results will be publicized late
this week.

Question: The opposition parties and blocs are anew going to appeal
to the CEC with request to combine the free air time allocated them.

Could the proposal be implemented?

Answer: No, the proposal fully contradicts the legislation. Even if
the CEC wants, it cannot do it. So, the CEC did not consider the
appeal. The CEC secretaries explained it with irrelevance of such
proposals with their competency. The CEC Secretary, Vidadi Mahmudov,
held talks with the applicants. As to their dissatisfaction with
the duration of air time, it concerns only the free air time. The
candidates can use the paid air time as much as they want. AzTV and
the Public TV offer better conditions for candidates. I guess, there
is no ground for dissatisfaction.

Question: Were the shortages in covering the elections removed after
the CEC’s appeal to media?

Answer: Yes, the TV channels have fully observed the law and the
process of covering of the elections develops normally. The mistakes
made earlier are also eliminated.

YOU MUST BUILD YOUR HOUSE

A1+
| 11:37:20 | 05-10-2005 | Regions |

For the last two years no state program of house-construction has
been realized in Gyumri. A variant of solving the problem of proving
people with houses was the allotting of certificates for buying
houses. Another variant is private house-construction.

This is 98 people have been allowed to build their houses. According to
the Municipality urban development department head Hrayr Karapetyan,
this year was unprecedented as so many people received permission to
build houses.

The reason is that no state program of house-construction has been
realized in for the last two years. According to the official, 98%
of the applications get a positive answer. The only exceptions are
the cases when the applicants want to build their houses in places
where no construction is allowed.

BID TO SAVE EU TURKISH ENTRY TALKS

CNN
Oct 3 2005

Draft document sent to Turkey, Austria to try to broker deal

LUXEMBOURG — European foreign ministers were trying to rescue talks on
Turkey’s entry to the European Union after they were forced to postpone
them following a hard line by Austria on full Turkish membership.

EU president Britain presented Turkey and Austria with a revised
draft negotiation mandate for Turkey’s EU membership talks in a bid
to break a diplomatic deadlock and launch the talks, diplomats said.

“Things are at an advanced stage. We are checking with Ankara and
Vienna to ensure that any text we put on the table will meet the
approval of all,” a British official told Reuters.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul was waiting in Ankara to fly
to Luxembourg for a delayed opening ceremony late on Monday if the
compromise was accepted, the diplomats said.

But chances appeared slim, with Austria — alone among the 25 EU
nations — sticking to its insistence that predominantly Muslim Turkey
be offered something short of full membership if it cannot meet the
entry criteria.

The postponed ceremony had been due at 5 p.m. (1500 GMT) in Luxembourg
and was to have involved Turkey’s Gul.

In the end following Austria’s stand, he did not leave Turkey in time
to attend — and a bid from U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
to get the talks started on schedule failed.

Austria was sticking to demands that the vast, poor, Muslim country
be offered an alternative, less-than-full membership if it failed
to meet all the EU criteria. Turkey said it angrily rejected any
second-class status.(Turkish PM: No compromise)

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw — due to chair the talks –said
negotiations were “hard and difficult,” but continuing.

Straw had told reporters after a private meeting with Austrian Foreign
Minister Ursula Plassnik and a telephone call with Turkish Foreign
Minister Gul Monday morning he was not sure the talks would go ahead.

Diplomats told Reuters he had told the 24 other EU foreign ministers
upon resuming talks after only a couple of hours’ sleep: “Yes, we
are near but we are also on the edge of a precipice.

“If we go the right way we reach the sunny uplands. If we go the
wrong way, it could be catastrophic for the European Union.”

Diplomats said there were also problems between Turkey, on the one
hand, and Greece and Cyprus, on the other, over a clause in the draft
negotiating mandate demanding that Ankara not block the accession of
EU states to international organizations and treaties.

Turkey was concerned the wording could give a divided Cyprus a lever
to join the NATO defense alliance without a U.N.-brokered peace
settlement on the Mediterranean island.

Turkish hardliners had argued that Turkey could prevent Ankara blocking
a divided Cyprus from joining NATO.

Diplomats revealed how U.S. Secretary of State Rice had stepped in
Monday to try to rescue the talks.

They told Reuters that Rice had spoke by telephone with Turkish
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and assured him that the EU’s proposed
negotiating framework for the talks, due to open later on Monday,
would not impinge on NATO.

Cypriot officials denied to The Associated Press that they sought
additional demands.

But the central problem remained Austria’s insistence — alone among
the 25 EU nations, including Cyprus — that Ankara be offered a
status short of accession if it failed to meet the criteria or if
the EU was unable to absorb it.

Straw had urged that all member states had to fulfil their many
promises to Turkey, a long-establish NATO member and strategic ally
of America and Europe, British sources said.

He also warned that pulling the plug now risked widening the divide
between the Christian and Muslim worlds, the UK’s Press Association
reported.

Turkish financial markets weakened on the uncertainty in Luxembourg,
with the main share index down 2.3 percent and the lira down almost
1 percent against the dollar. Although there was no apparent markets
panic, failure of talks could deal a longer term blow to political
reform and foreign investment in Turkey.

“We are not striving to begin negotiations no matter what, at any
cost,” Gul said in an interview published Sunday in Turkey’s Yeni
Safak newspaper. “If the problems aren’t solved, then the negotiations
won’t begin.”

Outgoing German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer warned his colleagues
that Turkey might walk away if the EU watered down the terms on offer
any further.

“If you want to open negotiations, you have to remember we have to
have someone to open them with,” a diplomat told Reuters he had told
the meeting Sunday.

Cyprus issue The EU has already angered many Turks by demanding that
it recognize Cyprus soon and open its ports and airports to traffic
from the divided Mediterranean island.

The European Parliament compounded Turkish ire last week by saying
Turkey must recognize the 1915 killings of Armenians under Ottoman
rule as an act of genocide before it can join the EU.

EU diplomats had hoped Austria would ease its stance after regional
elections in Styria province Sunday. Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel’s
People’s Party lost power there for the first time since 1945 despite
his brinkmanship on Turkey.

Schuessel has informally linked the Turkish issue to a demand that
the EU open accession talks immediately with Austria’s largely Roman
Catholic neighbor, Croatia.

But those talks have been frozen until Zagreb satisfies U.N. war
crimes prosecutor Carla del Ponte that it is cooperating fully in
the hunt for a fugitive indicted ex-general.

Accepting the mostly poor, predominantly agricultural Turkey into the
bloc has been met with resistance across the EU. Recent polls show
a majority of French, German and Austrian voters oppose admitting
Turkey, and a majority of Danes would rather see non-EU candidate,
Ukraine, in the EU than an Islamic country.

Turkey has accepted unprecedented conditions to take part in the EU
negotiations, including an open-ended halt to the movement of Turkish
workers into the bloc.

Turkish immigration remains a thorny issue in many EU states and
anti-Turkish sentiment figured in votes in the EU constitution in
France and the Netherlands.

Austrians in particular have some deep-rooted historical mistrust
of Turkey, seeing themselves as Europe’s gatekeepers ever since they
vanquished the Ottoman Turks in the 1683 Battle of Vienna. (Austrians
troubled by Turkey)

ARMINFO News Agency
September 30, 2005

FINLAND SUPPORTS OSCE ACTIVITY IN SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30. ARMINFO. Finland supports the OSCE activity in
settlement of Karabakh conflict, says Finnish President Tarja Halonen
at a joint press conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
in Baku, Azertag reports.

Finland is for settlement of the conflict through peaceful
negotiations only. Tarja Halonen expressed desire that the
conflicting parties achieve a mutually advantageous way of
resolution. ‘As you know, we paid a special attention to the problem
and aspired for appointment of EU Special Representative. And this
work was fulfilled’ the Finnish president said. The work was uneasy
as there are other states in the region, she said. They also faced
conflicts and make similar steps to settle them, the president said.
‘ OSCE is on the one side and the EU on the other side. I think
strengthening the relations of Azerbaijan with the EU can make a
definite contribution to settlement of the given problem,’ Halonen
said. She added in the course of its chairmanship Finland will
further work actively to render necessary assistance to Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan.