Author: Talalian Arpi

VATICAN NO. 2 WRAPS UP ARMENIA VISIT

Radio Liberty
March 6 2008
Czech Republic

Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican’s secretary of state, ended
on Thursday a three-day visit to Armenia that was overshadowed by
its grave political crisis.

The visit, originally scheduled to start on Sunday, was put off for two
days because of Saturday’s clashes between Armenian security forces
and opposition supporters that left at least eight people dead and
more than 100 others injured.

The unrest was a major topic of his meetings and joint prayers with
Catholicos Garegin II, head of the Armenian Apostolic Church. "They
prayed together for the souls of the victims and asked the Lord to
keep and protect the Armenian people and reinforce them with faith,
hope and love," read a joint communique issued by the two clerics.

"The Cardinal expressed the complete support of the Catholic Church
to the Armenian Church, for her efforts utilizing her high moral
standing, aimed at providing solutions to all concerns through the
promotion of dialogue and peaceful means and fostering a common sense
of responsibility, so that the dignity of the Armenian people and state
remain unharmed within international society," said the statement.

The statement also said Bertone’s visit is a "sign of the continuing
development of ties" between the two churches. "May God bless Armenia
and all Armenians – the first Christian people in the world – so
that all of Christendom can continue to enjoy their exceptional and
irreplaceable contributions," it added.

According to the Vatican’s daily newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano,
Bertone told Garegin that Benedict XVI "joyfully awaits you in Rome
to express in person his admiration for the extraordinary cultural
and spiritual treasure that Armenians have given to humanity."

Benedict’s late predecessor, John Paul II, became in 2001 the first
Catholic pontiff to ever visit Armenia.

Bertone also met with outgoing President Robert Kocharian and Prime
Minister and President-elect Serzh Sarkisian. Kocharian described the
cardinal’s visit as "yet another indication of high-level partnership"
between the Roman Catholic and Armenian Churches.

BAKU WILL NOT USE SITUATION IN ARMENIA – AZERI FOREIGN MINISTRY

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 3, 2008
Russia

Azerbaijan will not use the situation in Armenia to secure its own
interests, chief spokesman for Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry Khazar
Ibragim said at a briefing on Monday.

"Azerbaijan does not interfere in other countries’ internal affairs,
this is not in line with our views and traditions. We believe all
processes occurring in Armenia are its internal affair," Ibragim said.

At the same time, Armenia is a country, which occupied part of
Azerbaijan’s territories, and the parties continue talks on the
Karabakh conflict, the diplomat said.

"Given these issues, we would not like the events occurring in
Armenia to impact the negotiating process. Armenia must take a more
constructive stand. Azerbaijan is not going to make use of this
situation in Armenia, and we want our neighbors to understand this
and treat us in the same way," Ibragim said.

DEADLY CLASHES DURING PROTESTS IN ARMENIA ALARM SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

States News Service
March 3, 2008 Monday

The following information was released by the United Nations:

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today voiced his deep concern about the
deadly clashes between demonstrators and police forces in Yerevan,
the capital of Armenia, where the results of recent presidential
elections have been disputed.

"It is his hope that these events, during which eight people died,
will be thoroughly investigated," Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said in
a statement.

"The Secretary-General calls on all parties to exercise full restraint
and to find a way out of the current crisis. He also urges the Armenian
authorities to take all necessary steps to ensure a return to normalcy,
including through a speedy lifting of the state of emergency."

The statement was issued a day after Louise Arbour, the UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights, also voiced alarm about the violent
clashes in Yerevan and urged authorities to exercise maximum restraint.

She noted that Armenia is a signatory to the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) which states that, even during
states of emergency, fundamental rights such as the right to life
and the prohibition of torture and cruel, inhumane and degrading
treatment cannot be suspended.

Protests began in Armenia after Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan was
declared the winner of the 19 February presidential poll, a result
that is disputed by the opposition candidate Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

OSKANIAN: ARMENIA’S ALWAYS FELT VATICAN’S ASSISTANCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2008 14:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met
Wednesday with Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone,
the RA MFA press office reported.

Welcoming the guest, Minister Oskanian noted that the visit indicates
the high level of relations between Armenia and Vatican. He made
special mention of inauguration of monument to Saint Grigor Lusavorich
in Vatican.

"The purpose of my visit is to render support to the Armenian
people. I had a meeting with Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan to discuss
the situation in the republic. I also met with Catholicos of All
Armenians, His Holiness Garegin II and we offered a prayer for peace
and stability in Armenia," Cardinal Bertone said.

In conclusion of the meeting, Vartan Oskanain briefed the Cardinal
on the Armenian-Turkish relations and Karabakh process.

217 PEOPLE, MOSTLY SERVICEMEN, SUFFERED IN YEREVAN MELEE

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2008 18:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 326 people (177 in Yerevan and 155 in regions) were
brought to police over suspicion in participation in disorders on
March 1,2. The number of arrested by police reached 30; the National
Security Service detained 16 (8 already arrested).

217 (71 civilians, 43 policemen and 133 servicemen, aging 18-20)
were taken to hospital.

26 cars, 6 buses and 3 trolleybuses were burnt down.

Plenty of weapons were confiscated, said Sayat Shirinyan, spokesman
for RA police chief.

"The disorders which shocked Yerevan can’t be justified. Police did
utmost to prevent bloodshed.

It’s hard to realize that 8 people were killed in melee initiated by
our citizens and compatriots," said Grigor Grigoryan, deputy police
chief. "We should be proud of our soldiers who defended their homeland
and enured security of the citizens."

MAYOR’S OFFICE SHOULD NOT AUTHORIZE ANY RALLY UNLESS SITUATION SETTLES DOWN COMPLETELY

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.03.2008 18:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Yerevan city administration should authorize
any rally unless the situation settles down completely, RA President
Robert Kocharian told a news conference in Yerevan.

"We should derive a lesson from the latest developments and introduce
certain limitations in permission for conduction of rallies to avoid
public hysteria. Conduction of regular rallies at one and the same
site by one and the political force should be banned," he said.

"For example, conduction of rallies in Liberty Square should be
permitted twice a week only."

"The response of the authorities should be strict to prevent repetition
of the disorders. But it’s the task of the next President," Mr
Kocharian said, Novosti Armenia reports.

TEN ARMENIAN THEATER WORKERS TO HAVE TRAINING IN USA

ARMENPRESS
March 5, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 5, ARMENPRESS: Ten Armenian theater workers will leave
this year for the USA for a theater management training course. This
program is implemented by the USAID and Project Harmony organization.

Nune Amirian, a program coordinator from Community Ties program,
said the goal is to help exchange of cultural values between USA
and Armenia. She said the training comprises seminars and practical
lessons with US specialists.

This program for theater workers has been implemented since 2005
having embarked so far 115 Armenians.

US SAYS KOSOVO NO PRECEDENT FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Reuters
March 5 2008
UK

WASHINGTON, March 5 (Reuters) – The United States expressed
concern on Wednesday about a shootout that killed up to 16 people
in Nagorno-Karabakh, and said Kosovo’s recent breakaway from Serbia
could not be a precedent for the disputed Caucasus mountain enclave.

Earlier, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev said Kosovo’s newly declared
independence had emboldened Armenian separatists in the mountainous
enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan accused each
other of stoking the violence there this week.

"We’re concerned by the outbreak of fighting. We want to see that
incident not be repeated," State Department spokesman Tom Casey said.

"Kosovo is not a precedent and should not be seen as a precedent for
any other place out there in the world. It certainly isn’t a precedent
for Nagorno-Karabakh," he said.

Nagorno-Karabakh was seized by pro-Armenian forces from Azerbaijan in a
war in the 1990s in which an estimated 35,000 people died. A ceasefire
was agreed in 1994 but the search for a lasting peace has stalled.

Azerbaijan and Armenia gave differing accounts of the death toll from
Tuesday’s clash.

Muslim Azerbaijan said 12 Armenian fighters and four Azeri soldiers
were killed. Christian Armenia said eight Azeri soldiers died and
two Armenian soldiers were injured.

Casey said Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia on Feb. 17
with strong support from the United States, was a unique situation
because it had been managed by a United Nations resolution that
anticipated a decision on its final status.

A U.S. official telephoned Armenia’s foreign minister to ask that
the violence in Nagorno-Karabakh not be repeated and is on his way to
Armenia in a previously arranged trip to discuss a political standoff
after Armenia’s recent election, Casey said.

The U.S. official, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matt Bryza, has
already stopped in Baku and discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh situation
with officials there, Casey said.

"There is absolutely no military solution to this issue. It’s one
that has to be dealt with through a diplomatic process," Casey said.

Bryza is U.S. co-chair of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group, which oversees negotiations
on Nagorno-Karabakh.

AZERI VERSION OF THOMAS DE WAAL’S BOOK ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH PRESENTED IN BAKU

Trend News Agency
March 5 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 5 March / Trend News corr J. Babayeva/ On 5 March,
the Azeri version of the book by the British journalist Thomas de Waal
‘ Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through peace and war ‘ was
presented in Baku. It was translated into Azeri with the financial
support of the US Embassy in Azerbaijan.

" Black Garden: Armenia and Azerbaijan through peace and war ‘ tells
about the history of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the on-going
processes in the region".

According to the Head of the PR Department at the US Embassy
in Azerbaijan, Jonathan Henik, the Embassy does not bear the
responsibility for the thoughts of the writer.

"We are sure not everybody in Azerbaijan and Armenia will agree with
the several facts reflected in the book," he said.

According to Thomas de Waal, the book was written in order to realize
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. "I wanted to realize the core of the
conflict, but could not find enough information about that. So,
I decided to collect the facts and to compile them into a book,
thus trying to realize the core of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."

In February 2006, the English version of the book was presented
in Baku.

Thomas de Waal is Caucasus editor at the Institute for War and Peace
Reporting in London.

ARMENIA PRESSURES OPPONENTS, ARRESTS 30 FOR RIOTS
By Hasmik Lazarian

Reuters
March 4 2008
UK

YEREVAN, March 4 (Reuters) – Armenian police have arrested 30
opposition activists for starting a riot which killed eight people,
the Prosecutor-General said on Tuesday, in a clampdown on opponents
during a state of emergency.

The ex-Soviet state’s top military commander also said he needed the
emergency laws to ensure stability but opposition leaders accused
the authorities of abusing their powers.

"Thirty people have been detained for provoking mass disturbances on
March 1, not obeying the police and violent actions against policemen,"
the Prosecutor-General’s office said in a statement.

Police had already arrested a handful of prominent opposition figures
— for allegedly plotting a coup or hoarding firearms — during daily
mass demonstrations against a Feb. 19 presidential election.

The protesters accuse Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan of rigging an
election last month in which he officially won 53 percent of the
vote and his main rival, former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, won
21.5 percent.

Armenia’s current President and Sarksyan’s ally, Robert Kocharyan,
ordered the army onto the streets of Yerevan and imposed emergency
laws during riots on Saturday — the worst civil violence since
Armenia’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991.

Now armed soldiers loiter on Yerevan’s street corners and armoured
personnel carriers stand in the main square imposing the military’s
control and ready to counter any demonstrators.

"The situation in Yerevan is fully under control," General Seyran
Ohanyan, the chief of Armenia’s general military staff, told a news
conference.

"If it’s needed, we’ll help police to guarantee public order."

Armenia is an ancient Christian state on the fringes of the Caucasus,
an unstable transit route for oil between the Caspian Sea and Europe.

Envoys from Europe, the United States and the Vatican have flown to
Armenia since the state of emergency to talk to the government and
opposition leaders who say the laws are an abuse of the authorities’
powers.

"This is a terror which goes to a different level," Arman Musinyan,
Ter-Petrosyan’s spokesman said.

Also on Tuesday parliament discussed stripping four opposition members
of parliament, accused of provoking violence, of their immunity from
prosecution. (Additional reporting and writing by Margarita Antidze
and James Kilner in Yerevan; Editing by Charles Dick)