Category: News

Armenians claim capture of spy
Arminfo
9 Feb 05
Yerevan, 9 February: The Armenian law-enforcement bodies have arrested
an Azerbaijani spy.
The Armenian National Security Service arrested an Armenian citizen and
agent for the Azerbaijani special services as a result of operational
and intelligence measures, the press service of the National Security
Service told Arminfo news agency.
The source said the citizen, whose name has not been divulged so as
not to prejudice the investigation, was arrested this month.
An investigation has been launched under Article 229 of the Armenian
Criminal Code (high treason, espionage). The investigation department
of the Armenian National Security Service is carrying out the
investigation.

DIPLOMATIC MISSION OF RUSSIAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA NEARING
COMPLETION
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9. ARMINFO. The diplomatic mission of Russian
Ambassador to Armenia Anatoliy Dryukov is nearing completion. The
Ambassador himself made this statement talking to ARMINFO.
He said that his departure was fixed for the second half of March.
The new Ambassador Nikolay Pavlov will arrive in Yerevan also in
March. In response to the question about his next appointment, the
Ambassador answered that he intended to educate his grandchildren.

TRIAL ON SENIOR LIEUTENANT RAMIL SAFAROV, KILLER OF ARMENIAN OFFICER, RESUMED
IN BUDAPEST
BUDAPEST, FEBRUARY 8. ARMINFO. The trial of Ramil Safarov, Azeri officer
axing his Armenian counterpart Gurgen Margaryan in Hungary Feb 19 2004, resumed in
Budapest today.
The defense of the Azerbaijani officer tried to bring the judicial process to
the political field, but the judge prevented her attempts. The defense also
disagreed with the resolution of judicial medics insisting that an Azerbaijani
specialist examine Safarov, which was also rejected. The verdict will be
announced after another two sittings on 10 May and 27 September. The verdict’s
announcement was postponed because of the absence of a witness, a Latvian officer,
who lived in the same room with Margaryan and avoided Safarov’s axe by
chance. The second witness in the case was also absent from the trial because of
illness, it was another Azerbaijani officer who knew about the intentions of
Safarov but did not informed anyone of them before the crime.

VANDALS REPLACE ARMENIAN GRAVESTONES WITH GEORGIAN ONES OUTSIDE ARMENIAN
CHURCH IN TBILISI
AKHALKALAKI, FEBRUARY 9. ARMINFO. Unknown vandals attacked one of
the Armenian cultural monuments in Tbilisi.
According to A-INFO, last night, Armenian gravestones were stolen
from the courtyard of the Armenian St.Virgin Church and replaced with
Georgian ones. Leader of the Armenian Apostolic Church Georgian
Diocese, bishop Vazgen Mirzakhanyan is concerned that the next
victim will be the church itself and all the Armenian churches
in Georgia. Bishop Mirzakhanyan intends to apply to the Georgian
President Mihkeil Sahakashvili for help.

USA to grant Armenia over 1m dollars for rocket fuel disposal
Arminfo
9 Feb 05
Yerevan, 9 February: The US government will grant Armenia over 1m
dollars within the framework of the OSCE project on the disposal of
rocket fuel, the deputy US ambassador to Armenia, Anthony Godfrey,
said today at the presentation of the book “OSCE History, Activity and
Prospects” on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the foundation
of the OSCE’s field office in Yerevan.
In turn, the head of the OSCE mission in Yerevan, Vladimir
Pryakhin, said that the project was the result of international
cooperation. Under the project, components of rocket fuel will
undergo high-level processing and will be used in the production
of fertilizers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH PRESS DISPUTES WHO WILL BETTER PROTECT TURKEY FROM
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE CLAIMS – POLITICIANS OR HISTORIANS
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9. ARMINFO. It’s time that we accept the fact that
Armenian claims alleging that they suffered a genocide have begun to
gain acceptance, especially in the Western world, says Turkish Daily
News.
The Armenians have been diligent with respect to their goal for the
last 75 years. They have published thousands of books and articles.
They set up departments at universities and convinced the
international front. Yet, in the long run, they won international
recognition in spite of the fact that their data were insufficient
and did not reflect the truth.
We, meanwhile, just stood watching from the sidelines. We were
pacified by mere propaganda. We felt we could elude such finger
pointing by pretending that the accusations did not exist. We
believed that the international front would sooner or later recognize
the truth. But we were mistaken. The exact opposite of what we
expected has come to pass. Yet there is now no reason to cry over
spilled milk.
And thus we are opening a new chapter. We must act in accordance with
the situation encountered and reduce our losses to a minimum at this
juncture.

UK GOVERNMENT TO WRITE OFF 10% OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN DEBT
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9. ARMINFO. The UK Government suggests writing of
10% of Armenia’s foreign debt, says Armenia’s Finance and Economy
Minister Vardan Khachatryan.
No mechanisms are specified though. In the next few days Khachatryan
is meeting with UK Ambassador to Armenia Thorda Abbot-Watt to discuss
the terms and mechanisms of the deal.
“Now we have only the UK Government’s proposal while the
implementation mechanism will be specified by a relevant agreement,”
says Khachatryan. One possibility is the mechanism used by Armenia
and the EU: the EU gave Armenia a 28 mln EUR loan in 2004 Armenia rep
aid 7 mln EUR receiving 5.5 mln EUR; in 2005 it will have to pay off
2 mln EUR to get 1.5 mln EUR. This scheme was to help Armenia to repay
the debt by 2007 but the country has managed to repay it ahead of time.
Armenia’s foreign debt totals $1.117 bln with $700 mln to the World
Bank.
To remind, during their last meeting G-8 decided to write off debts
to the 19 poorest countries of the world: in Africa and South-Eastern
Asia. Armenia is also on the list and may enjoy writing off of 10%
of its foreign debt and 10% of accured interests.

FEBRUARY 8 DAY OF ANNOUNCEMENTS AT RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
Azg/arm
10 Feb 05
The key event of the day was the announcement represented by Justice
faction and read by Aram G. Sargsian. The faction expected that the
representatives of other factions and groups of the parliament will
sign their announcement.
It was emphasized in the announcement that “as a result of Nagorno
Karabakhâ~@~Ys isolation from the negotiation process, the essence
of the conflict has changed, turning into a territorial claim between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. At present, the settlement of the conflict
is observed through the scope of Azerbaijanâ~@~Y s territorial
integrity.”
The announcement stated that Nagorno Karabakh achieved its independence
legally, according to the international criteria of the right for
self-determination.
Stepan Zakarian, another member of the faction, condemned the policy
conducted by our foreign ministry and also touched upon the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. He said that our political figures are constantly
losing their calculations concerning the Karabakh issue.
They explained the decision to send a detachment to Iraq by the
possibility that the US can participate in the settlement of Nagorno
Karabakh issue. But on the very next day after our detachment departed
to Iraq, the US made a statement supporting the territorial integrity
of Azerbaijan.
It was obvious that the opposition made the issue of Nagorno Karabakh
a key one for their activities.
The MPs also discussed the clash between two criminal groups in a
Armenian settlement. Victor Dallaqian said that “the clash was a result
of the disorder in the republic. Immorality destroyed Rome; Caligula
made his horse a senator. While the disorder threatens Armenia.”
By Karine Danielian
–Boundary_(ID_C3da7wbIMc9d+KRZ4q+LIQ)–

HEAD OF GEORGIAN-ARMENIAN DIOCESE TO TURN TO SAAKASHVILI FOR HELP
Azg/arm
10 Feb 05
Akhalkalaki-based A-Info agency informed that unknown people took
away the headstones with Armenian names from the yard of the Armenian
Norashen St. Mother Mary Church, replacing them with the ones with
inscriptions in Georgian.
Concerning the issue, Archbishop Vazgen Mirzakhanian, head of the
Georgian-Armenian Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is going
to turn for help to Mikhail Saakashvili, President of Georgia.

SERGE SARGSIAN MEETING IRANIAN PRESIDENT
Azg/arm
10 Feb 05
Serge Sargsian, minister of defense of Armenia, met with the President
of Iran, Mohammad Khatami, within the framework of a three-day official
visit. According to official IRNA agency, President Khatami assured
that Iran is supporting the neighboring Armenia.
Khatami stated that the countries of the region may settle their
problems without help from outside if high-level negotiations
conducted. The Iranian President underscored the importance of
opening Iran-Armenia railroad for fostering bilateral ties. Serge
Sargsian noted that the railway communication will be efficient as
a North-South corridor.
Hosan Rohani, secretary of Security Council of Iran, received
Sargsian on February 8. IRNA agency reports that Rohani considered
the direct dialogue between Yerevan and Baku a productive way for
settling Karabakh conflict. Rohani excluded the military solution. He
noted that only a solution beneficial for both sides and considering
Karabakh peopleâ~@~Ys wish can be just. Serge Sargsian in his turn
excluded the possibility of step-by-step solution.
Rohani said that neither Tehran nor Yerevan will allow foreign agents
to intervene in Armenian-Iranian relations.
The Armenian defense minister was hosted by former president, Ali
Akbar Rafsanjan, who is currently running the Defense Council of Iran.
–Boundary_(ID_/WsO2Z/Nk5hcKAyJjlerWQ)–