Author: Maghakian Mike

FIFTH TRUCK CONVOY LEAVES RUSSIAN MILITARY BASE IN GEORGIA

RIA Novosti, Russia
May 29 2007

TBILISI, May 30 (RIA Novosti) – The fifth military convoy left a
Russian military base in Georgia Wednesday as part of a 2006 deal
on the withdrawal of Russian military bases from the South Caucasus
country, a spokesman for Georgia’s Defense Ministry said.

"The truck convoy crossed the Georgian border mid-afternoon Moscow time
(8.00 a.m. GMT) and headed to the Russian military base in Gyumri in
Armenia," the official said.

The Akhalkalaki base located in a region with largely ethnic Armenian
population will be completely withdrawn before the end of the year,
while the base in the Black Sea port of Batumi is to close by the
end of 2008.

Russia has agreed to dispatch five truck convoys and 10 trains to
withdraw the remaining equipment from the Akhalkalaki base by the
yearend.

Russia completed the pullout of its military garrison from the Georgian
capital, Tbilisi, handing over control of its headquarters to Georgia’s
Defense Ministry, last December.

Thirteen of the garrison’s 387 personnel will remain in Georgia
overseeing the withdrawal of Russia’s two Soviet-era bases.

Georgia’s Western-leaning leadership, which is seeking to join NATO, is
uneasy about Russia’s continued military presence, and has repeatedly
urged Moscow to close its Soviet-era bases.

BAKU TO HOLD MEETING OF MINISTERS OF EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY OF OIC

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 29 2007

The meeting of Education and technology Ministers of Organization
for Islamic countries will be held in Baku in 2008, deputy foreign
minister vagif Sadikhov told the press conference, APA reports.

Vagif Saikhov gave the detailed information on the 34th Session of
the Islamic Conference of Foreign ministers (ICFM) held in Islamabad
on May 15-17. He said the session accepted three resolutions on
Azerbaijan. One of them condemns Armenian occupation of Azerbaijan
territories, the other destruction of Azerbaijan cultural monuments
by Armenians. The third covers humanitarian-technical assistance to
Azerbaijan. According to Vagif Sadikhov since Azerbaijan’s joining
OIC this body always supported Azerbaijan’s position on Nagorno
Karabakh issue.

Organization for Islamic Conference was established in 1969.

Azerbaijan became OIC member in 1993.

PM SERGE SARGSYAN RECEIVED RAO UES CEO ANATOLY CHUBAIS

ArmRadio.am
29.05.2007 17:20

RA Prime Minister Sere Sargsyan received today the delegation headed by
Chief Executive Officer of RAO UES Anatoly Chubais, who is in Armenia
to participate in the sitting of the CIS Electric Energy Council.

Anatoly Chubais first congratulated RA prime Minister on holding
successful parliamentary elections and wished success to RA Government
and the Prime Minister. He presented to Serge Sargsyan the circle of
the questions discussed during the Council’s sitting. Anatoly Chubais
stressed the importance of the agreement on formation of a common
CIS energy market the Heads of Governments signed in Yalta recently.

Highly assessing the cooperation with Armenia in the sphere of energy,
CEO of RAO UES underlined that the company headed by him has always
felt the interested support of the Armenian authorities.

RA Prime Minister expressed willingness to continue the mutually
beneficial cooperation in the energy sphere, expressing his
appreciation for the creation of a common energy market.

At the request of the interlocutor, RA prime Minister presented the
state of Armenia’s economy, the results of the Government’s activity
during the recent years.

Day, Azerbaijan
May 26 2007

Azeri minister says peacekeepers to be deployed in Karabakh

26 May: Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on Friday [25
May] spoke about plans for the settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagornyy Karabakh.

"The sooner Armenian leadership understands that there is no
alternative to a peaceful solution to the conflict within territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan, the sooner an agreement will be reached. The
sooner the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is settled, the better it will
be for Armenia, Azerbaijan and the region as a whole," Mammadyarov
stressed.

"The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan cannot be called into
question. The withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan and possibilities for displaced persons’
return to their homes are being discussed at the current stage of the
negotiations," he said.

He added that all the seven districts around Nagornyy Karabakh that
are currently under [Armenian] occupation should be returned to
Azerbaijan and no-one can doubt it.

According to the minister, the parties have reached an agreement on
the deployment of a peacekeeping force in a security zone. At the
same time, it is not known yet what countries will take part in
maintaining peace in the region.

"An opinion exists that the countries of the region and the countries
that co-chair the [OSCE] Minsk Group [mediating in the talks] should
not be represented in the peacekeeping contingent," Mammadyarov said.

He went on to add that a "reasonable width" of the Lacin [district
connecting Nagornyy Karabakh with Armenia] corridor should be ensured
for the security of Azerbaijani citizens.

He said: "A reasonable width means the security guarantee issue. The
Lacin road goes through mountains and in this case security of the
population and cargo transportation should be guaranteed. Why did we
agree to [the presence of] the peacekeeping force? Because that is
the issue of security for Azerbaijani population which will return
there. In this case, when we are speaking about the implementation of
this process, military experts should calculate from what places the
road can be and cannot be subject to shooting."

The main thing is to escape a risk of the resumption of hostilities,
he said.

Mammadyarov added that he would to the end keep to diplomatic efforts
in the Karabakh settlement. "However, everything depends on these or
other points," he said.

KARABAKH ARMY PART OF ARMENIAN ARMY – CHIEF OF STAFF

Arminfo, Yerevan
25 May 07

Yerevan, 25 May: New Chief of Staff of the Armenian Army Lt-Gen Seyran
Ohanyan is getting accustomed to his position. He said this speaking
to journalists today. This is Seyran Ohanyan’s first communication
with media after his appointment to the post of chief of staff of
the Armenian army. Earlier, Ohanyan was the commander of the Nagornyy
Karabakh defence army.

"Military service is not something new for me. However, every new
position is connected with difficulties of the first period and getting
used to it," Ohanyan said. He said that although he is generally
acquainted with the divisions of the Armenian armed forces, he intends
to get to know them better and has already started the process.

Answering the question whether his appointment was an order, he said,
"it was an invitation, to which I agreed".

Ohanyan said that the Nagornyy Karabakh defence army is also part
of the Armenian army. He noted the presence of some deficiencies and
stressed that the Armenian army has gone through a good path through
the 15 years since its establishment.

[Arminfo, Yerevan, in Russian 0933 gmt 25 May 07 reported that
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan conferred the rank of Col-Gen on
Seyran Ohanyan]

DOCUMENT BETWEEN MATENADARAN AND HILL OFFICIALLY STOPPED, MATENADARAN IS PROPOSED TO WORK OUT DETAILED PROGRAM OF DIGITIZATION

Noyan Tapan
May 24 2007

YEREVAN, MAY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The agreement signed between
the Hill Museum Manuscript Library attached to the Saint John
monastery-university of the U.S. state of Minnesota and M. Mashtots
Matendaran (repository of ancient manuscrips) is illegal, so it
is stopped. Such a decision was made at the May 23 sitting of the
professional commission held at the RA Ministry of Education and
Science. RA Deputy Foreign Minister Gevorg Gharibjanian, RA Deputy
Justice Minister Gevorg Malkhasian, NAS Chairman Radik Martirosian,
YSU Rector Aram Simonian, historians, literary critics, representatives
of the high technologies sphere and others were present at the sitting.

Minister of Education and Science Levon Mkrtchian, opening the
discussion, stated that he met with Prime Minister Serge Sargsian,
then with President Robert Kocharian as well on the occasion of the
issue of interpretations of different types arisen by specialists
on digitization of the manuscrips of Matendaran. In the Minister’s
words, R. Kocharian approved the program and expressed his assistance,
saying that one must implement the program step by step.

The future discussion was continued without journalists. It was found
out after the sitting from the participants’ explanations that not
all members of the professional commission welcame the affair of
implementation of the agreement in the created situation.

Minister Levon Mkrtchian stated that they will send a letter to the
Hill directorate, stating that this issue will be discussed at the
RA Government. And it was demanded from the Matenadaran to present
a business plan concerning the proposal of the Hill museum within a
20-day term. "This issue was to have just such a progress as only
the agreement on intentions was still signed, and the three-stage
agreement itself was to be signed after successive discussions. Simply,
by a mistake instead of memorandum on intentions it was written
"agreement" in the document: no agreement was signed yet and no
bargain was concluded," the Minister assured.

He also added that if proposals are got from Armenian organizations
during the discussion, "naturally, priority will be given to Armenian
organizations."

To recap, two weeks ago the Matenadaran directorate made a statement
where the mentioned agreement was also announced invalid. "For I
have a rest from the noise arisen on digitization of the Matenadaran
manuscripts and criticisms of different types, I announced invalid the
agreement-contract of intentions signed with the Hill Museum Manuscript
Library, but the Ministry has its viewpoint on this occasion, so it
invited this working visit," Matenadaran Director Sen Arevshatian
said. In Sen Arevshatian’s words, today’s discussion is very useful:
"It is what we wanted: a competent commission which will give a correct
solution with the help of discussions. And, that the program is useful
for keeping and security of the manuscripts, it is unequivocal."

In Gevorg Gharibjanian’s opinion, the reason for such a situation is
not the issue of digitization of the Matenadaran manuscripts and not
so much the issue of the agreement, as much that "the wide society
is not aware who signed that agreement." Besides, in his words,
this issue was not corectly covered for the society.

Garegin Chugaszian, the Director of the Information Technologies Fund,
who has more radical approach, stated that during the commission
sitting, Deputy Justice Minister Gevorg Malkhasian explained that
the agreement signed with Hill is stopped as it opposes the RA laws.

G. Chugaszian is sure that before signing an agreement with
Hill, Matenadaran has no program concerning digitization of the
manuscripts. "When you ask what 80-90 mln there were, on what they were
to be spent, nobody is able to clearly explain." And responding the
question if those mentioned millions are realistic or not, he said:
"One may speak about the price only when a clear program will be." In
his words, the program to be presented by Matenadaran must be discussed
by numerous professional groups after what it will enter the government
and again be discussed with the Prime Minister’s participation.

Qualifying the present document as an "Utopian," Chugaszian attached
importance to the circumstance that Matendaran today has no specialists
of that sphere, can not say a based work on those issues. "We think
that digitization is not a need, but is an obliged thing and it demands
a serious professional approach," he said, adding that the Information
Technologies Fund is ready to cooperate with all organizations,
including Hill as well."

PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN SHOULD DEMONSTRATE POLITICAL WILL IN RESOLUTION OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT: FRENCH AMBASSADOR AT OSCE MG

Trend News Agency, Azerbaijan
May 24 2007

French Ambassador Bernard Fassie, an OSCE Minsk Group co-chair,
stated at a news conference in Yerevan on 24 May that the Presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan should demonstrate a political will in the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Íîâîñòè-À& #xF0;ìåíèÿ reports.

He stated that the co-chairs are attempting to assist the conflicting
sides to reach a compromise. Whilst none of the three co-chairing
countries can wave their magic wand, they are unable to offer the
sides an easy solution.

"To achieve progress within the resolution process, the two sides
must demonstrate political will. We cannot make a decision for them.

The proposals by the co-chairs are very important, but there is
something more important – to what extent are both sides prepared
to demonstrate their political will to understand each other,’ the
diplomat emphasized.

In his turn the Russian Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov noted that the
co-chairs believe that 90% of the conditions are impartial in the
resolution of the conflict.

The OSCE Minsk Group Chairs from France and Russia have been visiting
Armenia from 23 May as part of a tour of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflicting region. During their visit they held meetings with the
President of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian
and the Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.

On 24 May the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will leave for Baku.

–Boundary_(ID_cjdRck7F+qUe9NjI3E/Qsg)–

AZERI MASS MEDIA’S AWKWARD PROPAGANDA ACTION

DeFacto Agency, Armenia
May 23 2007

According to the head of the Nagorno-Karabagh Republic MOD Press
Office sub colonel Senor Asratian, the information circulated by
the Azeri mass media concerning the fact that RA Armed Forces "again
set fire to the territories of the Fizuli and Jebrail regions" is an
"awkward propaganda action’.

Today, in an interview with DE FACTO agency, Senor Asratian said the
information did not correspond to reality. In his words, undertaking
such steps, Azerbaijan is trying to discredit the Nagorno-Karabagh
before the international community. "Last year they also resorted to
such measures, however, OSCE mission formed by independent experts
confirmed the artificiality of the Azeri party’s accusations of
deliberate arsons", Senor Asratian underscored.

The head of the NKR MOD stated Nagorno-Karabagh was interested
in stability in the conflict zone, so it had no intention to take
measures that can threaten it.

ARMENIA TO PARTICIPATE IN EBRD ECONOMIC FORUM

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.05.2007 16:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The economic forum of the European Bank
for Reconstruction and Development will be held in Kazan May
30-31. Businessmen and representatives of authorities from various
countries will be present at the forum. The central topic of the
forum is "Financing of New Boundaries". The forum will consist from
3 sessions, a number of press conferences and discussions. Besides,
presentations of different countries will be held in the framework
of events.

Russia’s presentation will take place upon the opening of the forum,
its subject is "Diversification of Economic Competitive Ability of
Russia". Besides Russia Azerbaijan, Armenia, Byelorussia, Bulgaria,
Georgia, Kyrgyzia, Moldova, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Montenegro and other
states will also hold presentations, "Kavkaz-Press" reports.

MEDIATORS TO MEET WITH RA PRESIDENT AND FOREIGN MINISTER

armradio.am
23.05.2007 10:17

The Russian and French Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri
Merzlyakov and Bernard Fassier will meet with RA President Robert
Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian today.

According to the Acting Spokesman of RA MFA Vladimir Karapetyan,
the discussions will focus on the new suggestions the mediators made
in Belgrade.

On May 11 in Strasbourg Minister Oskanian presented the approaches
of the Armenian side; the discussions will continue in Yerevan.

Vladimir Karapetyan noted that the meetings are also targeted to
prepare the meting of the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. As
it is known, the recurrent meeting of the Presidents is scheduled
for June 10 in Saint Petersburg.

The Co-Chairs will depart from Yerevan tomorrow, but they will return
early June

No visit to Stepanakert and meetings with NKR authorities are
envisaged.