Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Jan 29 2007

ARMENIAN FM, SECRETARY OF POLISH FOREIGN OFFICE DISCUSS BILATERAL
RELATIONS

YEREVAN, January 30. /ARKA/. Ra Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan held
a meeting with a Polish delegation headed by State Secretary of the
Polish Foreign Office Pavel Kovalev, who is in Yerevan to prepare the
Polish Foreign Minister’s visit to Armenia scheduled for February.
The Press and Public Relations Department, RA Foreign Office, reports
that Minister Oskanyan welcomed the polish delegation in Yerevan,
pointing out the importance of the visit for the development of
bilateral relations.
He expressed hope that the Polish Foreign Minister’s forthcoming
visit to Armenia will facilitate the specification of the agenda of
bilateral relations, discussion of issues related to the current
state of Armenian-Polish cooperation and further steps.
Minister Oskanyan pointed out a high level of bilateral relations,
which is, to a great extent, due to the lack of disagreements on
numerous international problems. The sides discussed issues of
bilateral cooperation, considering the opportunities under the
Armenia-EU program of action.
In this context, Minister Oskanyan stressed that the European
orientation is one of the priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy, and
in this aspect Armenia considers Poland to be an important partner.
The sides also discussed regional problems, problems of energy
security and the current stage of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.

Armenian-Polish political consultations were held at the RA Foreign
Office. The Armenian delegation was headed by Ra Deputy Foreign
Minister Armen Baiburdyan. P.T. -0–

PanARMENIAN.Net

Turks and Armenians commemorated Hrant Dink in Paris
29.01.2007 20:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Over a thousand Turks and Armenians marched together
in Paris on Saturday to commemorate Agos editor Hrant Dink, who made
great efforts for a dialogue between the two people. Three Armenian
organizations and the Turkish Citizens Unity Association (Racort) held
a silent march in honor of Dink in the capital of France, a country
that has a strong anti-Turkey lobby. The Armenian Diaspora Research
Center, the Armenian Audiovisual Association, the Armenian cultural
Association (J’APPEL) all accepted Racort’s invitation to participate
in the march. However, the Armenian Case Defense Committee (CDCA) and
the Committee for Coordination of Armenian Associations of France did
not respond to the invitation, reports Cihan News Agency.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Kocharian-Aliyev meeting this year theoretically possible
29.01.2007 14:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting of the Armenian and Azeri Presidents
this year is theoretically possible but there is no exact agreement
yet, RA leader’s Spokesman Victor Soghomonian told reporters in
Yerevan. Quoting the President he said activation in the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement talks is not expected during the election
period.

At that Soghomonian remarked that during the regional visit the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-chairs referred to the possibility of a presidential
meeting.

PREREQUISITES LEADING TO DINK’S MURDER TO BE CONDEMNED

Strasburg, January 25. ArmInfo. The prerequisites leading to
murder of Turkish journalist of Armenian origins Hrant Dink must
be condemned, Armen Rustamyan, Head of Foreign Affairs Committee
of Armenian Parliament, representative of Armenian delegation to
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), said at the
report discussion of Andrew McIntosh, Member of the UK Parliament,
Member of the Sub-Committee on the Media of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe.

A. Rustamyan said that H. Dink’s murder was an attempt to slain the
freedom of action. "However, officials of the Council of Europe and
the document hold back the key motives of H. Dink’s murder. H. Dink
believed that acknowledgement of Armenian Genocide will lead Turkey
to the road of true democracy and integration into Europe. This is
what they didn’t forgive him," A. Rustamyan said.

Netherlands MP Tiny Kox said that after H. Dink’s murder, an article
was published in Turkey headed "They Killed Turkey," which – by Mr.

Kox’s opinion, shows that the murder had ethnical grounds. He said
that H. Dink was a super tolerant person but he was not tolerated. H.

Dink and his family lived under threats and H. Dink appealed to the
European Court and said he lived in hell. But he didn’t leave the
hell in order to turn it into haven.

Erol Aslan Cebeci, Turkish MP, said that he shares the worries about
threats, persecution and murders of journalists. "Death of H. Dink,
who was dedicated to promoting democracy, tolerance and mutual respect,
set pain in our hearts. We condemn this murder as well as murders in
other countries of the world," the Turkish MP pointed out.

Assassins are not punished these days. Nowadays, journalists have
more chances to die from a hired assassin rather than in a fight.

"Freedom of speech is not only an independent right of a state.

Countries should guarantee practice of the freedom. Freedom of speech
and Mass Media is the ground of civil society. This is the 4th power,"
he concluded.

French MP Jean-Francois Le Grand pointed out that the countries where
journalists are murdered demonstrate that the countries doubt in
themselves and their democracy. They don’t want to respond for their
actions and thus they condemn themselves. Attacks on journalists should
be reflected upon at once and not post factum. Council of Europe will
pass a powerful signal on non-admittance of non-tolerance and will
ratify the resolution.

Note: 610 journalists have been killed in the world since 1992.

Kocharian and Aliyev unlikely to meet before parliamentary election in Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.01.2007 16:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov was positive, RA FM Vartan Oskanian told RFE/RL. "I can’t
say we achieved serious progress but it was useful experience and
the talks should be continued," he said adding that Robert Kocharian
and Ilham Aliyev will hardly meet before the parliamentary election
in Armenia.

RALLY DEDICATED TO HRANT DINK HELD IN ARGENTINA

BUENOS AIRES, JANUARY 24, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On January
23, more than two hundred Argentine Armenians gathered in Buenos
Aires to mourn over the death of Turkish Armenian journalist Hrant
Dink. According to Reuters, the crowd gathered in front of the Turkish
Embassy in Argentina. Some of them had such placards as "Turkey is
a Murderer-State," others were carrying candles and flowers. The
Armenian churchmen joined the crowd for saying the last farewell to
Hrant Dink with their songs ans prayers.

Reuters mentions that the Armenian community of Argentina is the tenth
largest Armenian community in the world, it has 130 thousand members.

1 BILLION 283 MILLION DRAMS RECEIVED FROM STATE PROPERTY ALIENATION IN
ARMENIA IN 2006

YEREVAN, JANUARY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. A single system of state property
registration was developed and introduced in 2006. The system is
constantly amended and updated, which ensures the reliability
of information and the continuity of data collection (and
provision). According to the State Property Management Department’s
annual report submitted to the RA prime minister on January 23,
the process of privatization and alienation of state property
was continued in 2006. The state budgetary revenues from property
privatization made 455 mln 420.4 thousand drams and 550 thousand USD,
with 42 mln 157.1 thousand drams of this sum being transferred to
community budgets. Resources from property alienation made 1 bln 283
mln 119.7 thousand drams, with 25 mln 133.6 thousand drams (about 68
thousand USD) of this sum being transferred to community budgets.

The Next Round of Talks on Karabakh Launched in Moscow

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.01.2007 13:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next round of talks on the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict started in Moscow with the participation of Armenian and
Azeri Foreign Ministers Vartan Oskanian and Elmar Mamedyarov. Armenian
Ambassador to Moscow Armen Smbatyan told, "We expect positive steps
from this meeting, since today’s realities demand new approaches." In
its part the Azeri MFA has informed that "the sides will discuss basic
principles of peacekeeping process," stressing that this is the first
meeting between the two foreign ministers of both countries this year,
ITAR-TASS reports.

Today Azerbaijan
Jan 22 2007

PACE co-reporters: "Azerbaijani and Armenian societies not ready to
compromise"

22 January 2007 [14:22] – Today.Az

"Armenia should use all possible means for the peaceful settlement of
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Yerevan should use its influence on Nagorno
Karabakh Armenians for the peaceful settlement of the conflict," the
report worked out by Mikko Elo and George Colombier, PACE Monitoring
Committee co-reporters to Armenia, reads.

The report, on Armenian implementation of commitments before the
Council of Europe, is going to be the main topic of the PACE winter
session meeting tomorrow. The report reads that Armenia doesn’t take
serious steps in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the biggest obstacle to the peace
and stability in the region. The presidents of the sides have met
three times- in Rambouillet (February), Budapest (June) and Minsk
(November). Nevertheless, no important steps have been taken for
the peaceful settlement. Robert Kocharyan showed no optimism to
the peaceful settlement of the conflict during the meeting with the
co-reporters. Besides, no work has been done to prepare both sides
for compromise. None of the societies is ready to compromise," the
report reads.

PACE Sub-Committee for Nagorno Karabakh conflict is going to organize
the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian delegations in Strasbourg
January 25, APA reports.

URL:

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Jan 22 2007

PREMIER OF AZERBAIJAN RECEIVES FIRST DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER OF
POLAND
[January 22, 2007, 20:09:09]

Prime Minister of Azerbaijan Artur Rasizade received the delegation
led by the first deputy foreign minister of Poland Pavel Koval, 22
January.

Noting presence of the historical relations between Azerbaijan and
Poland, the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan said the mutual visits of
the heads of state and established appropriate legislative base have
given strong impulse to development of bilateral links between the
two countries. "The efficiency of economic relations should, however,
rise, as there is great potential for this", Mr. Rasizade emphasized.
"The inter-governmental commission could promote bilateral
cooperation in the global energy and transport projects being
implemented in region", he stressed.

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
Artur Rasizade informed on the heavy sequences of aggressive
separatism and Armenian’s occupant policy.

The Polish diplomat updated the Premier on the meetings and talks he
held in Baku to strengthen cooperation between the two countries.
Azerbaijan has become a leading country in region, he stressed.
"Poland is going to cooperate with Azerbaijan not only in oil-gas
field, but also in economic, political, cultural spheres. We want to
activate our business links with Azerbaijan", he underlined.

Pavel Koval said his country stands ready to render any assistance in
Azerbaijan’s integration to Europe.

In meeting, the parties had comprehensive exchange of views on a
number of other questions.