Author: Khondkarian Raffi

AGO GROUP TO VISIT BAKU

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
June 12 2006

The AGO group of the Council of Europe Ministerial Committee will
visit Azerbaijan, June 13.

The goal of the group led by permanent representative of Germany at the
Council of Europe, Ambassador Roland Wagener is to study fulfillment
of the obligations the Republic took before the Organization.

In the frame of visit, the Group is to discuss the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, issues of political prisoners and election practice, meet
with governmental dignitaries, NGO representatives and oppositions
parties.

After the visit, the Group will prepare a report to be published
prior to the PACE session.

As stated, the AGO Group will come to Baku form Yerevan.

UNDP CARRIES OUT PROJECTS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY BUDGET

Armenpress
Jun 08 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS: Today five cost-sharing agreements were
signed with five municipalities of the Armenian Ijevan, Masis, Abovian,
Vedi and Dilijan towns. Besides, a Memorandum of Understanding has been
signed with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for
projects in the scope of UNDP Armenia Performance Budgeting project.

In addition, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) presented
the Performance Budgeting Manual.

The ceremony, held in UN House in Yerevan, was attended by
municipality teams, experts of the project, USAID representatives,
as well as representatives of the US Treasury Department, Armenia
Social Investment Fund, government and the media.

Consuelo Vidal, UN resident coordinator/UNDP resident representative,
said the goals of the project are to support further decentralization
in Armenia, strengthen the capacities of local self-governance
bodies, and facilitate accountable and measurable public expenditure
management. It assists in the implementation of performance budgeting
during community planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes
ensuring citizens’ participation in the whole process. This is new
to not only Armenia, but also to the region.

Performance budgeting enables the local population to be part of the
local planning and development process. Wide public participation takes
place during projects’ planning and implementation, enabling public
participation in local development processes, engaging citizens and
local governments in planning and prioritizing together, and making
local governments accountable for the use of their financial resources.

Since its inception in 2005, the Performance Budgeting Project
has generated much interest among local self-governance bodies in
Armenia. This new budgeting process covers the entire strategic
planning process, from situation analysis and assessment, to setting
priorities, objectives and targets, stating outputs and monitoring
indicators, and finally developing an output-based budget.

The Performance Budgeting Project promotes community-level active
citizen involvement in the local development process, accountability
and measurability of municipal services provided to the communities. In
this way, it supports participation and governance at the local level
and also encourages a culture of results.

The “Performance Budgeting in Local Government” training manual also
presented today is a product of a comprehensive and in-depth work
in the framework of the Performance Budgeting initiative supported
by UNDP. The manual presents experiences gained during training
courses, advisory meetings, and joint seminars and actual budgeting
processes conducted in the five pilot towns of Armenia (Ijevan, Masis,
Abovian, Vedi and Dilijan). It provides a detailed description of local
performance budgeting principles, framework, budgeting process phases,
and budget planning, execution, and oversight. It is designed to become
a step-by-step guide for other communities in Armenia and abroad.

AGO GROUP OF COE COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS ARRIVED IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
09.06.2006 13:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ago Monitoring Group of the Council of Europe
Committee of Ministers led by Germany’s permanent representative
in the CoE Roland Wegener is in Yerevan to meet with RA President
Robert Kocharian, NA Speaker Tigran Torosian, Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian, Justice Minsiter David Harutyunian and Ombudsman Armen
Harutyunian as well as representatives of Armenian NGOs, reported
the RA MFA press office.

CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM IN NAGORNO KARABAKH DEC. 10

AZG Armenian Daily
09/06/2006

President of Nagorno Karabakh, Arkady Ghukasian, has signed a decree on
holding a constitutional referendum on December 10 2006, RFE/RL quoted
Rudik Hyusnunts, vice-speaker of NKR parliament, as saying. In his
words, President Ghukasian is going to submit the draft constitution
to parliament speaker Ashot Ghulaian after which discussions will
start in September.

Interestingly, the people of Karabakh will go to the polls the same
day that it said “yes” in the referendum for independence 15 years ago.

ARMENIA SAFE FOR AZERIS BUT AZERBAIJAN THREATENS EVERY ARMENIAN

Panorama.am
12:42 07/06/06

“We are neighbors and that is determined by history. Neighbors are not
chosen. In case Karabakh conflict is regulated, our two countries can
also cooperate,” Asaf Hajiev, deputy of Azeri parliament, mejlis,
stated at the National Assembly of Armenia today. Together with
the representative of New Azerbaijan Party Musa Guliev, Hajiev is
in Armenia to participate in Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC)
27th parliamentary assembly. “Neighbors cannot fail to cooperate if
they are not in war. Azerbaijan and Armenia are in a state of war,
therefore, it is impossible to speak about cooperation,” the head of
Azeri delegation said. He does not think it possible that Armenia and
Azerbaijan cooperate also within BSEC, saying it is a collective entity
and it is hard to speak about individual countries. “Imagine if Germany
suggested to cooperate with the Soviet Union during WW2 when it was
at the doors of Moscow, would SU go for that? Of coarse, not,” he said
referring once again to the principal of inviolability of borders and
ignoring the principle of self-determination. Replying to the reporters
on the case of Chernogoria which found its independence from Serbia
via referendum, he said, “We respect all countries. If Chernogoria and
Serbia found it possible to have independent statehoods, we respect
that decision. But if Armenia thinks that Karabakh is part of it,
we cannot accept that.”

Hajiev confessed that respects all nations, including Armenians,
since he thinks that “Karabakh conflict is created not by Armenians
but by Armenian politicians.”

He also said he feels safe in Armenia despite of the fact that
Azerbaijan has stated at the doors of various events that it cannot
ensure the safety of the Armenian delegations.

Why would the Azeri deputy not feel safe in Armenia?

Of coarse, no one is going to stab him to death, especially when he is
sleeping. Similar “axe” attitude is characteristic to our neighbor. It
is also true, that Armenians have proved that those who rise against
us with arms, get a respective response. Karabakh freedom fight is a
proof for that. Besides, we can say that Karabakh conflict is created
and deepened by Azeri politicians and public figures. Heidar Aliev’s
confession that Azerbaijan was taking steps to change the demographic
picture in Karabakh is enough to prove that.

ANOTHER TRAIN WITH COMBAT MATERIEL LEAVES GEORGIA FOR RUSSIA

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS Military Newswire
June 6, 2006 Tuesday

Another train, carrying Russian arms and materiel being withdrawn
from Georgia, left the Georgian Tsalka railway station on Tuesday,
Deputy Commander of the Russian Task Force in Transcaucasia Colonel
Vladimir Kuparadze told Interfax-Military News Agency.

“The train, carrying ten T-72 MBTs, spare parts and other equipment,
belonging to the Russian 62nd military base, deployed in Akhalkalaki,
went through the customs on Monday, and left for Russia at 9 a.m.

Moscow time (0500 hours GMT) on Tuesday,” Kuparadze said.

“The train will go through Azerbaijan, which has signed an agreement
on transits of Russian military cargo with Russia,” he added.

Kuparadze said that it was the sixth train, loaded with military
hardware, to leave Georgia. Three other trains, carrying hardware of
the 62nd base left for Russia earlier, and two more trains, loaded
with materiel of the 12th base, left Batumi for Armenia to equip the
Russian 102nd base.

He also pointed out that a convoy of 20 wheeled vehicles would leave
Akhalkalaki for Armenian Gyumri on Thursday to equip the 102nd base.

“In addition to that, 40 other wheeled vehicles would be sent to
Gyumri from Batumi by train,” Kuparadze said.

Russian military bases are to be withdrawn from Georgia by 2008.

ANDRANIK MARGARIAN: THERE ARE NO GREAT EXPECTATIONS FROM BUCHAREST MEETING OF PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
June 05 2006

YEREVAN, JUNE 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. There are no great
expectations from the June 4-6 Bucharest meetings between RA President
Robert Kocharian and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev on settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict as responses of the Azerbaijani
side do not shape well that a great progress will be. RA Prime
Minister Andranik Margarian stated about it responding journalists’
questions at the RA NA on June 5. He considered probable that no
regress will be fixed in the issue of the Nagorno Karabakh problem,
and one will see in future if a progress will be or not. Touching upon
the inner-political issues, the Prime Minister excluded possibility
of straining of the inner-political situation. As for the issue that
the Republican Party of Armenia has undertaken at present both Prime
Minister’s and NA Speaker’s posts, according to the Prime Minister,
the party does not aviod responsibility as it has entered the policy
and went to the elections with a definite program, therefore it
realizes the load of undertaken responsibility and is ready for
it. The issue of participation in the 2007 parliamentary elections
with the alliance or separatly will be defined by the RPA Council not
earlier than in February-March of coming year. According to Andranik
Margarian, the RPA rows are being refreshed at present. There were
dischargements of some members as a result of registration, and
a part left the party itself what is provided by the fact that a
part of members left Armenia or joined other parties. As for keeping
normal relations with opposing figures, including future development
of relations with Artur Baghdasarian, the head of the “Orinats Yerkir”
(Country of Law) party after the party’s joining the opposition field,
they “were warm” and, in the Prime Minister’s opinion, “will continue
in this way.” As for statements and accusations expressed in address
of representatives of the “Orinats Yerkir” and “Azagyin Miabanutiun”
(National Unity) factions during the last statements at the NA, the
Prime Minister mentioned that “he estimates that quality badly as
one may not decrease a debate at the NA to such a level, to injure
each other.” According to him, it is excluded at the Government.

AZERI-TURKISH ORGANIZATIONS OF WORLD COUNTRIES TO MEET IN ANTALIA
Author: R.Abdullayev

TREND, Azerbaijan
June 5 2006

A meeting of the Azerbaijani-Turkish organization functioning in
different world countries will start its work in Antalia, Turkey, on
Tuesday (6 June), Trend reports. Over 200 delegates from 30 countries
will participate in the forum.

The participants in the event will discuss joint measures targeting
the prevention of the spread of policy on the so-called ‘Armenian
genocide’ in Osman Empire. “The event is a next evidence testifying
for the expansion of the relationships between Azerbaijan and Turkey,”
the Turkish television channel TRT reported.

A world forum of the Azerbaijani intelligentsia started in the Turkish
report city Antalia on 5 June.

June 2, 2006, 9:43AM

Turkey Loads 1st Oil From Caspian Pipeline
By SELCAN HACAOGLU Associated Press Writer

ANKARA, Turkey Authorities at a Turkish Mediterranean oil port on
Friday loaded the first shipment of Caspian Sea oil from a newly built
pipeline onto a tanker for Western markets.

The shipment from Ceyhan, a Turkish port on the Mediterranean Sea,
marks a crucial step in completing a project designed to create
alternative oil routes to ease the West’s dependence on Middle East
crude. The pipeline starts in Baku, Azerbaijan, runs through Tbilisi,
Georgia, and then travels southwest through Turkey to Ceyhan.

Although it included oil from the Caspian pipeline, the bulk of the
shipment was already stored at Ceyhan after having been brought in by
tanker to test new storage tanks at the site several months ago, oil
officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were
not authorized to speak to the media.

The loading of some 600,000 barrels of Caspian crude onto The British
Hawtharne began at 4:17 p.m. and was expected to take at least 12
hours. The shipment was destined for the northwestern Italian port of
Savona, officials said.

The recently completed 1,100-mile pipeline, conceived in the mid-1990s
and launched in 2002, is intended to tie the oil-rich newly
independent former Soviet nations to the West and reduce the influence
of Russia and Iran. U.S. officials insisted that the pipeline be built
through Turkey, bypassing the Middle East and Russia. The project cost
some $4 billion.

The Caspian Sea fields are estimated to hold the world’s third-largest
reserves, bypassing Russia and Iran.

Ceyhan is also the end point of a pipeline running from neighboring
Iraq, and Turkey built a new terminal and storage tanks to ship Azeri
oil.

At Ceyhan, the new oil terminal is expected to begin pumping 1 million
barrels of crude per day when fully operational.

Friday’s shipment is largely considered a technical exercise. A formal
launching ceremony to be attended by the presidents of Azerbaijan,
Georgia and Turkey is scheduled for July 13.

The Caspian’s reserves are shared by Iran, Russia, Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

However, hopes that Caspian oil could be an alternative source to
Middle Eastern oil have so far proven unrealistic. Analysts say the
Middle East still provides 50 percent of global oil supplies.

___
Associated Press writer Suzan Fraser in Ankara contributed to this report.

Prensa Latina, Cuba
June 3 2006

Cuba Beats Uzbekistan in Chess

Rome, Jun 2 (Prensa Latina) The Cuban male chess team defeated
Uzbekistan in the 11th round Friday, 2.5-1.5, in the World Chess
Olympiad in Turin.

Grand Master Lazaro Bruzon (Cuba) with ELO average of 2,652 points,
led the Cuban performance, beating Uzbek Rustam Kasimdzhanov (ELO
2,673) at the first table.

Cuban GM Jesus Nogueira (ELO 2,556) won the victory over
International Master Anton Filippov (Uzbekistan, ELO 2,497) at the
third table.

The match between GM Leinier Dominguez (Cuba) and Uzbek Timur Gareyev
at the second table was tied.

At the fourth table, Cuban GM Yunieski Quesada (ELO 2,512) was
defeated by Uzbek GM Saidali Iuldachev (ELO 2,480) and this became
the second defeat for the Cuban player.

The Cuban male team dropped from seventh place to eighth, with 27.5
points, while Ukraine became seventh by defeating Azerbaijan 3-1 in
this same round.

Armenia is in first place with 32 points, after defeating the Czech
Republic 3-1, followed by China and France, both with 28.5 points.

In the female teams’ competition, Cuba beat Spain 2-1, with victories
by FIDE Master Jennifer Perez (2,163) and GM Maritza Arribas (2,235)
at the second and third tables.

Cuban GM Sulennis Piña (2,334) suffered the only defeat of the Cuban
female team in the 11th competition round, losing to Spanish Monica
Calzetta (2,317).

The Cuban female team advanced from 35th to 28th place, with 18
points, in a competition led by Ukraine (25.5 points) followed by
Russia (24.5) and China (23.5).