Author: Kharatian Ani

PEACEFUL TALKS MAY NOT LAST FOREVER: AZERBAIJAN’S DEFENSE MINISTER

TREND
13.07.2007 18:34:40

Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend E.Huseynly / "Armenia should make
relevant conclusions as a result of the peaceful negotiations,
otherwise, Azerbaijan will release its territories from occupation,"
said the Defense Minister of Azerbaijan, Safar Abiyev, during a
meeting with his Georgian colleague, David Kezerashvily.

According to the Minister, the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict settlement are continuing with the OSCE’s Minsk Group
and Azerbaijan gives preference to the peaceful settlement of the
conflict. "Peaceful talks, however, may not last forever. Armenia
should release occupied Azerbaijani lands in accordance with
international law," Abiyev said.

The Defense Minister of Azerbaijan highlighted the strategic character
of Azerbaijani-Georgian cooperation, saying that the countries hold
the same position regarding international events.

Kezerashvily stressed that the cooperation between the Defense
Ministries of Azerbaijan and Georgia in various spheres will serve
the interests of both countries.

GOVERNMENT APPOINTS WOMAN AS GOVERNOR OF SHIRAK PROVINCE

ARMENPRESS
Jul 12 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 12, ARMENPRESS; The government appointed today Lida
Nanian as governor of northwestern province of Shirak. Ms. Nanian is
the first woman to head an Armenian province. The government press
office said she was proposed to the post by the ruling Republican
party.

Ms. Nanian was born in 1948 in Azerbaijan. In 1968 she graduated from
the economy department of Yerevan State University.

Before the new appointment she was head of the Gyumri tax
department. She is married and has two children.

ROBERT KOCHARIAN TO MEET WITH NICOLAS SARKOZY
By A. Haroutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
12/07/2007

President of Armenia Robert Kocharian has left for a three-day visit
to France. The President is accompanied by Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian, Armenian Ambassador to France Edward Nalbandian and a number
of other officials.

Besides meeting with president of France Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr. Kocharian
is to meet with the head of the French Parliament and the Chairman
of the Senate.

In the frameworks of the Year of Armenia in France Mr.

and Mrs. Kocharians are to visit an exhibition dedicated to Armenian
painters of 1830-1930 at the "Le Palais Petit" museum.

Intellectuals’ visit aimed at informing Armenia of Azerbaijan’s stance
– aide

Turan news agency
3 Jul 07

Baku, 3 July: Since the meeting between the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan in St Petersburg [on 9 June] Yerevan has been taking a
nonconstructive position, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz
Azimov said in an interview with journalists. This could be connected
with the interests of certain people and organizations in the run-up to
the [2008] presidential election in Armenia, Azimov said.

Therefore, the recent visit by members of the intelligentsia of
Azerbaijan and Armenia to Nagornyy Karabakh and Armenia should be
viewed as an opportunity to inform the Armenian public of Azerbaijan’s
position.

At the same time, Azimov made a significant clarification saying that
the mutual visits of the two delegations are not meant to be viewed as
the "green light" to visits to Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh by NGO
members. "The intellectuals’ visit was a special event with the aim of
informing the Armenian public," the deputy minister said.

We cannot accept closed borders between Council of Europe member States,
PACE President declared in Yerevan

Strasbourg, 05.07.2007 – During his meetings in Yerevan, PACE President
René van der Linden stressed that utmost priority must be given to
improving relations among the countries of the region as a way to
necessary reconciliation and to building a new future for young
generations.

He called for compromise to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which
may be painful but necessary to ensure the development of the region.
"Open borders are a pre-condition for prosperity. We cannot accept
closed borders between Council of Europe member states," he said.

He called on the Armenian authorities to use the forthcoming
presidential elections to consolidate the democratic progress achieved
during the recent parliamentary elections.

"The Council of Europe and its Assembly are ready to contribute to this
process with their expertise and instruments," he added.

Mr van der Linden mentioned in particular in this connection the need to
ensure that media, especially TV and radio, are truly independent and
the need to continue the judicial reform.

Finally, he called on all political forces represented in the
Parliament, both from the majority and the opposition, to observe the
democratic rules of political life and work in mutual respect for the
future of their country.

The President will continue his visit in Georgia and Azerbaijan
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Press Release
Parliamentary Assembly Communication Unit
Ref: 485a07
Tel: +33 3 88 41 31 93
Fax :+33 3 90 21 41 34
[email protected]
internet:

The Parliamentary Assembly brings together 318 members from the national
parliaments of the 47 member states.
President: René van der Linden (Netherlands, EPP/CD); Secretary
General of the Assembly: Mateo Sorinas.
Political Groups: SOC (Socialist Group); EPP/CD (Group of the European
People’s Party); ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe);

EDG (European Democratic Group); UEL (Group of the Unified European
Left).

RA Prime Minister congratulates on Constitution Day

armradio.am
05.07.2007 11:42

RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan issued a congratulating message on the
occasion of the Constitution Day. The message says:

`Dear compatriots,
I congratulate you on the Constitution Day: based on the fundamental
principles of Armenian statehood and national objectives, the reformed
Constitution provides new and greater opportunities for the fulfillment
of these objectives for the reinforcement and development of our
statehood and ensuring the wellbeing of people.

Proceeding form the Constitutional amendments, considerable changes are
envisaged in the legislation of the Republic of Armenia, which will
enhance the implementation of reforms of new generation and new quality
of life, development of a state based on democratic values."

USA CELEBRATES INDEPENDENCE DAY

Armenpress
Jul 03 2007

YEREVAN, JULY 3, ARMENPRESS: On July 4, the United States of America
celebrate the 231st anniversary of its independence and the signing
of the Declaration of Independence on that day in 1776.

On July 3, Americans and Armenians jointly marked the day at a
celebration at the U.S. Embassy in Armenia. During the event,
U.S. Charge d’Affaires Anthony Godfrey stated, "Two hundred and
thirty one years ago, our founding fathers declared that our basic
rights are granted not by the state, not by a king or president,
but by our Creator."

He added that "U.S. – Armenia relations are strong.

We share a vision for our families of a world without fear of terror,
where our children can grow strong and free."

He also took note of the strong Armenian-American community in the
United States and their contribution in helping to make America great
and in strengthening the bonds between the two countries.

RESIDENT OF AZERBAIJANI AGHDAM REGION CAPTURED BY ARMENIANS

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
July 2 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / Òrend corr K. Zarbaliyeva / A resident of the
Azerbaijani region of Aghdam, Samandar Guliyev, was captured by
Armenians on the contact line of Azerbaijani and Armenian troops on
30 June, according to Armenian Mediamax agency.

During capture Guliyev did not have his identity card on him. Guliyev
said that he was born in 1972 in the region of Shusha, and lived
in the Ucoghlan settlement of the region of Aghdam. According to
the agency, the appropriate bodies of the unrecognized so-called
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic are investigating the reasons into why
Guliyev crossed the border.

The Azerbaijani State Commission on POW, Hostages and Missing Persons
and the Baku representative office of the International Committee of
the Red Cross reported to Trend that they were not aware of the case.

An investigation will be held in connection to this.

–Boundary_(ID_SG97Ybo2+CvBYolqsIpgLQ)–

IN EDUARD AGHAJANOV’S OPINION, DEPRECIATION OF DOLLAR IN ARMENIA HAS NO
ECONOMIC EXPLANATION

YEREVAN, JUNE 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The decline in the exchange rate of the
US dollar in Armenia has no economic explanation, economist Eduard
Aghajanov said at the June 29 press conference. According to him, these
fluctuations of the exchange rate are not in line with global
tendencies. Thus, the dollar appreciated in Armenia in April 2007,
before the parliamentary elections, although the dollar’s exchange rate
fell in the world at that time. After the elections – in May and June,
the dollar started strengthening in the world, whereas in Armenia it
depreciated. In the economist’s opinion, importers receive superprofits
as a result of these artificial fluctuations.

E. Aghajanov said that in 2003, the dollar’s exchange rate was 580
drams, while now it makes 340 drams: so when exchanging 100 dollars for
drams, an Armenian citizen loses 24 thousand drams. Taking into account
the fact that 1.5 billion dollars flow into Armenia annually, the
population loses 360 billion drams or over a billion dollars as
compared with 2003.

According to the economist, if the decline in the dollar’s exchange
rate or the appreciation of the Armenian dram had been a result of
Armenia’s economic growth, an inflation would have occured. The
government could have made businessmen reduce prices by using
mechanisms of taxing their superprofits but it is not done. E.
Aghajanov said that even prices of public services do not decline,
though they are regulated by the commission created with this aim.

"HEALTH AND PHARMACEUTICS EXPO 2007" EXHIBITION KICKS OFF

ARMENPRESS
Jun 29 2007

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS: "Health and Pharmaceutics EXPO 2007"
sixth international specialized exhibition kicked off today at "Moscow
House" center and will last until July 1. The exhibition presents main
spheres of health and pharmaceutics. Around 50 companies from Armenia,
Russia and Belarus participate in the exhibition.

"Health of each person is a great value and the basis of our economic
development is the health of our population. The progress we see in
the pharmaceutics and medical services sphere inspires us," Armenian
deputy health minister Tatoul Hakobian said at the opening of the
exhibition. According to him, "First of all we must pay attention to
the quality of medical assistance and services," saying that in this
sphere financial sector must also be taken into consideration but it
must be secondary.

The exhibition has been organized by "LOGOS EXPO Center" company with
the support of the Armenian Health Ministry. It is being conducted
within the framework of Armenia’s second international medical
conference.