Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

RIA Novosti
January 28, 2005
NO MONEY SHOULD BE SPARED ON REGIONAL CONFLICT MEDIATION-PRESIDENT
PUTIN
MOSCOW, January 28 (RIA Novosti) – No money should be spared on
mediation in regional conflicts, Russian President Vladimir Putin
believes.
Speaking at a session of the National Security Council Friday, Mr.
Putin highlighted the need to encourage neighboring countries to
cooperate with Russia by providing them with “tangible preferences
and privileges.”
Russia should offer to its partners “more or less competitive
solutions to shared problems” in economics, politics, the
humanitarian sphere, and security, the President said. He said he was
talking specifically about the settlement of regional conflicts, the
enhancement of border control, protection from shared threats,
technical upgrading, and training of personnel for national armies.
These areas are too important to economize on, Mr Putin pointed out.
He recalled the government’s recent decisions concerning personnel
training programs and the sale of arms at domestic prices to fellow
members of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization (besides
Russia, this alliance includes Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan).
“Our partners have hailed these decisions,” Mr. Putin said. On
January 25, he told about Russia’s initiatives to Kyrgyz President
Askar Akayev during this latter’s routine visit to Moscow. The
Russian leader spoke out in favor of preferential treatment for
allies when it comes to security issues, saying that “we should
continue efforts to find out more about our allies’ needs.”
Mr. Putin proposed raising the topic of Russia-EU security
cooperation at one of the forthcoming National Security Council
sessions. “I would like to request Security Council Secretary Igor
Ivanov that he put security cooperation with EU on the agenda of
future sessions,” he said.
EU member countries are reviewing their security policies now, the
Russian President remarked. Russia “maintains dialogue with its
[European] partners,” he said, stressing the need to make that
dialogue meaningful, systemic, and productive.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRANCE INTERESTED IN RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT WITHIN SHORTEST
TERM
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28. ARMINFO. France is interested in resolution of
the Karabakh problem within the shortest term and is ready to do
everything possible for it, French co-chairman of OSCE Minsk Group on
settlement of Karabakh conflict, Bernard Fassier says at a
press-conference in Baku.
Fassier says,
adding that French-Armenian friendship is well-known, while still much
is not known about French-Azerbaijani friendship. In this connection,
he brought several examples confirming the existence of
French-Azerbaijani friendship. At the same time, Bernard Fassier says
that Minks Group and its co-chairs cannot solve the problem instead of
Azerbaijan and Armenia, they can only contribute to establishment of a
dialogue between the governments of the two states. The OSCE Minsk
group is accused of doing nothing for 10 years, it is wrong, he
says. The co-chairmen cannot say anything concerning liberation of any
region of Azerbaijan this year, it is the governments that are to make
such decisions. The French diplomat says that together with his US and
Russian colleagues, he will meet the leadership of Azerbaijan
today. As regards the resolution of PACE on Karabakh, he says that the
document was not adopted by European states, but by their parliaments.
The diplomat says he was appointed to the post of OSCE MG co-chairman
by the French Government on January 1, 2005. He told that he served in
the Armed Forces as an officer for 25 years and than started his
diplomatic service. He has been engaged in diplomacy for some 20
years. The guest notes that he was in Baku yet in the Soviet period of
time, this visit to Azerbaijan is the first in the period of the
country’s independence. He is well-informed of the South Caucasus and
Karabakh problem as since joining the French Foreign Service in 1987
he has held the position of Vice Director for the USSR (1987-1990),
and has worked for the French Embassies in Switzerland (1990-1993) and
Georgia (1993-1997). Senior Deputy High Representative and Head of the
Rule of Law unit Ambassador Bernard Fassier joined the OHR in August
2002. Ambassador Fassier’s most recent appointment was as the French
Ambassador to Belarus (1997-2002). Fassier says he held posts which
to some extent prepared him for his current position. During his work
in Georgia, he coordinated distribution of humanitarian aid by the EU
for the South Caucasian states.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 28 2005
Two presidents, peoples need to establish trust – OSCE MG French
co-chair

The newly-appointed French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard
Fassier visiting Baku, in a news briefing on Thursday, spoke of his
activity in CIS states.
He said that he acted as the French ambassador to Georgia in
1993-1997 and to Belarus in 1997-2002.
Touching upon the prospects for the ongoing peace talks between
Azerbaijan and Armenia, Fassier said that statements that the OSCE
Minsk Group is not engaged in any serious work are erroneous.
As for Armenia’s withdrawing its armed forces from the occupied Azeri
land, Fassier said that the `the co-chairs are unlikely to say
anything specific in this respect, as a relevant decision should be
made by the conflicting sides’.
Fassier said that the OSCE Minsk Group cannot settle the Garabagh
conflict instead of Azerbaijan and Armenia and the co-chairs may
assist the sides only in fostering dialogue. First of all, trust
should be established between the two presidents and second, the two
peoples, he said.
With regard to the PACE resolution on Upper Garabagh, Fassier said
the document states the stance of this organization, which is
considered a cradle of democracy in Europe. It also reflects the
position of parliamentarians represented at PACE, he said.
Fassier added that other international organizations should state
their position on the Garabagh conflict as well.*

ARMENIA AGAINST TURKEY’S MEDIATION
YEREVAN, JANUARY 27. ARMINFO. Turkey has an erroneous idea of Nagorny
Karabakh and Armenian-Azeri relations, Armenia’s FM Vardan Oskanyan
says in an interview to Zaman (Turkey).
Ankara dos not or does not want to perceive the gist of the
problem. The Karabakh conflict is not a territorial dispute between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. The Karabakh Armenians are struggling for
their independence. They do not want to be citizens of Azerbaijan and
part of that country. Presently they are building up their own
independent state. Before the Karabakh conflict no single Azeri
territory was controlled by the Armenians. All this is the result of
the conflict.
Oskanyan says that Armenia cannot accept Turkey’s intermediation as
Ankara is Baku’s ally and supports it everywhere. Asked about the
possibility of withdrawal of troops from the controlled territories
Oskanyan says that Nagorny Karabakh has always been an Armenian
land. As for the other controlled districts this issue should be
settled by Nagorny Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Jan 27 2005
US Insurance Pays ‘Genocide’ Claimants
By Anadolu News Agency (aa)
An American insurance company named New York Life Insurance has made
its first payments to the beneficiaries of policyholders killed in
the alleged Armenian Genocide.
The Company made the payments according to an agreement reached
between the beneficiaries of policyholders that died in the alleged
genocide and that bought life insurance policies before 1915.
Payments of $333,333 were made to five Armenian foundations in the US
yesterday.

PACE RESOLUTION ON NAGORNY KARABAKH IS PECULIAR WITH ITS SPECIAL
SUBJECTIVITY: HEAD OF ARFD FACTION
YEREVAN, JANUARY 26. ARMINFO. , Head of the ARFD faction, ex-deputy foreign minister of
Armenia, Levon Lazarian, told ARMINFO.
He pointed out that PACE Resolution contained such provisions which
had not been included into international documents before. he said, Levon Lazarian said.
Commenting on the current situation, he said that one could say that
due to efforts of Azerbaijan to transfer the Karabakh issue from OSCE
MG format into the format of international structures, a new stage
started in the settlement process of the Karabakh conflict. Being
aware that propaganda plays a great role in the Karabakh issue,
Azerbaijan has changed its strategy and raised the issue at
international instances. he said.

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Jan 25 2005
OFFICIAL VISIT OF AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV TO IRAN
MEETING OF PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN ILHAM ALIYEV WITH CHAIRMAN OF IRAN
PARLIAMENT GHOLAM ALI HADDAD ADEL
[January 25, 2005, 15:17:40]
President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on January 25 in
Tehran has met with the Chairman of Parliament of the Islamic
Republic of Iran – Chairman of Majlis of the Islamic Council Gholam
Ali Haddad Adel.
Warmly greeting the Head of the Azerbaijan State, Mr. Haddad Adel
highly evaluated the official visit of President Ilham Aliyev to Iran
and expressed pleasure of meeting him.
Presenting members of the Parliament of Iran to President Ilham
Aliyev, the Chairman of Parliament reminded merits of the nationwide
leader of Azerbaijan People Heydar Aliyev and thanked President Ilham
Aliyev for continuation of his policy in regard with Iran. Mr. Haddad
Adel stressed necessity of a number of measures for strengthening of
activity of the joint inter-parliamentary commission.
President Ilham Aliyev expressed consent with the course of his visit
to Iran and the hospitality he was shown, and emphasized importance
of the development of cooperation in all fields between the two
countries with historically friendly traditions, including in the
expansion of inter-parliamentary links.
Then, the sides noted existence of ample opportunities to develop
all-round relations between Azerbaijan and Iran and stressed
necessity for effective use of them. As stated, the sides will do
everything to realize all the actions to speed up development of
mutual relations.
President Ilham Aliyev and Mr. Gholam Ali Haddad Adel positively
assessed the role of the Azerbaijan-Iran inter-parliamentary
friendship groups in strengthening of kind and sincere relations
between the two countries and peoples, at the same time stressed
necessity of deepening of these ties.
In the meeting, also was discussed the question of peaceful
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorny Karabakh conflict,
situation in the region and other issues of mutual interest.

Zaman, Turkey
Jan 25 2005
‘Yerevan Must Take 3 Concrete Steps to Compromise’
By Suleyman Kurt
Published: Tuesday 25, 2005
zaman.com
Ankara described an announcement by Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanyan that they would recognize the Kars Agreement as
“opportunism.”
A Turkish Foreign Ministry diplomat said yesterday: “There are some
expressions used in the Armenian Constitution and the Declaration of
Independence. They use the expression “Western Armenia” to describe
Turkey’s eastern regions and the Agri Mountain is registered as the
national emblem. Secondly, they are not working on any concrete steps
to withdraw from the Azerbaijani territories they occupy. They blame
Turkey for the alleged ‘genocide’ through the diaspora. If we are
talking about compromise, concrete steps should be made in those
three areas.”

Tehran Times
Jan 25 2005
Iranian, Azeri presidents call for expansion of ties
Tehran Times Political Desk
TEHRAN — Immediately after the formal ceremony to welcome Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev to Tehran, Iranian president Mohammad Khatami
and his Azeri counterpart talked to reporters at a joint press
conference in which they called for the expansion of Tehran-Baku
relations.
President Khatami said that Iran is keen on the further development
of relations with the Azerbaijan Republic.
Responding to an Azeri reporter about what Iran will do to help
resolve the Karabakh crisis, President Khatami said that Iran is
among the few countries which supports Azerbaijani national
sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Iran believes that the
Karabakh crisis can be resolved with logic and understanding between
the two parties without resorting to force.”
“I believe that the Karabakh conflict will be resolved if the two
sides seriously decide to do so,” IRNA quoted President Khatami as
saying.
He said that Iran has friendly relations with both Azerbaijan and
Armenia and is ready to mediate between them to help resolve the
crisis and also hopes for an immediate settlement of the Karabakh
conflict.
Another Azeri reporter asked Khatami whether there is any similarity
between occupation of the Arab lands by the Zionist regime and
occupation of Karabakh by Armenia, the Iranian president said that
Iran condemns occupation with the use of force by any country.
“Still, there is a difference. I believe Israel has occupied the
entirety of Palestine and has also established an illegitimate
existence, but Armenia is a country itself. But at the same time,
occupation and seizure of even an inch of another country’s territory
should be condemned, and the international community should help end
that occupation,” President Khatami said.
President Aliyev told reporters that his visit to Iran is aimed at
developing relations in all fields including the economy.
He pointed to the accords President Khatami has signed during his
visit to Baku and said the Azerbaijan Republic calls for
implementation of these accords.
The Azeri president added that Tehran-Baku relations are developing
rapidly and political and economic cooperation is excellent.
“The exchange of visits by the presidents of both countries indicates
the great extent of relations that we both enjoy,” President Aliyev
said. MS/DJ

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 20 2005
OSCE mission to travel to occupied territories through Armenia

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs (Russia, USA and France), due to
arrive in Baku on January 28 as part of the OSCE fact-finding
mission, will head for Azerbaijan’s Khankandi region under Armenian
occupation passing through Armenia, Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov
said.
The mission representatives will gather in Yerevan, and then leave
for Khankandi, along with the OSCE chairman’s special envoy Anjei
Kaspshik, Merzlyakov said. The mission’s credentials include looking
into the illegal settlement of Armenians in the occupied Azerbaijani
lands, but not giving any political assessments.
Deputy Foreign Minister, President’s special envoy on Upper Garabagh
Araz Azimov regarded the fact the mission will enter occupied Azeri
territories from Armenia as `a technical and temporary step’, as
there is no other alternative.
Azimov added that the mission must guarantee that relocation of
Armenians to the occupied Azerbaijani land will stop.
The mission is expected to will visit five Azerbaijani regions –
Kalbajar, Lachin, Jabrayil, Gubadly and Zangilan – where Armenians
were purposefully settled.*