Category: News

Armenian leader’s speech to Council of Europe turning point for Karabakh –
paper
Hayots Ashkarh, Yerevan
25 Jun 04

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s speech to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe has moved the settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict to the legal plane, according to an article
in an Armenian newspaper. Kocharyan played Armenia’s “trump card”,
when he said that Karabakh had never been part of independent
Azerbaijan, so recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity had
nothing to do with Karabakh, according to the article. “Europe can use
its real weapon, great international and political authority, and at
one stroke, by means of the NKR’s independence, cut the Karabakh knot
and ensure stable peace in the whole region,” the article concluded.
The following is the text of Vardan Grigoryan’s report in Hayots
Ashkarh on 25 June headlined “The real way of peace”:
It should be said that by means of Robert Kocharyan’s speech in
Strasbourg Armenian foreign policy has made that turning point in the
Karabakh negotiating process, which society was expecting for over 10
years. This was the transfer of the Karabakh settlement process to the
legal plane.
Robert Kocharyan’s strict, full and logical speech from the PACE
[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe] rostrum and
explanation of separate points of the Karabakh issue during the
briefing with deputies, was a turning point in the history of the
positions adopted by Armenian diplomacy on Karabakh. Saying that
Armenia has always been in favour of a peaceful settlement of the
conflict, has always accepted the proposal of the mediating parties
for a common state, the Paris principles, the Key West accords, at the
same time from the high European rostrum the Armenian president
revealed the trump card of the Armenian party: the legal content of
the Karabakh issue. That is:
a) The NKR has never been within an independent Azerbaijan, for this
reason recognition of the territorial integrity of the latter has
nothing to with Nagornyy Karabakh;
b) Nagornyy Karabakh declared its independence along with Azerbaijan
(and even a little earlier) and on the same legal basis, the USSR
constitution and laws, two independent states were formed on the
territory of the former Soviet Azerbaijan;
c) The legal grounds of the NKR independence are flawless, so in such
conditions, instead of the trite “compromises” often applied by the
world community, these grounds should be discussed and gain their
strict assessment, which have the same meaning;
d) From the point of view of preserving peace only the package option
for a settlement poses a lesser danger than today’s status quo. So any
breaking of the latter, without including all the important problems
connected with the Karabakh conflict, will unavoidably lead to a drop
in the parties’ motivation to reach a final settlement and this may
have unpredictable consequences.
All this complex of questions shows that at the current moment in the
negotiating process Armenia is trying to solve three main problems:
1. In proclaiming its devotion to the Paris principles and Key West
accords, which have become a logical ending of the model for a
political settlement, Armenia has been presented before the world
community as a constructive party which is ready for mutual
compromise;
2. Being ahead of Azerbaijan in terms of constructiveness and
commitment to the accords, at the same time the Armenian party
strictly sets its bottom line – the Key West accords, from which it
cannot retreat;
3. As Azerbaijan is the initiator of revising the accords, the
Armenian party supports the world community in transferring the
problem to the legal plane in order to get out of the deadlock, that
is, in international law not to look for the “golden mean” but to
decide who Nagornyy Karabakh, which is strictly preserving all the
laws proclaimed in its independence, belongs to? We think that in this
way we may reach a quick and fruitful settlement of the Karabakh
issue. That is, by discussing the legal grounds of the NKR’s
independence and establishing that they are flawless Europe may settle
all the problems in one go and enter our region. In these conditions
Azerbaijan will have no option but to recognize the fact, as the main
subject of the argument – Nagornyy Karabakh will be immediately taken
out of the field of competition between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Europe
can use its real weapon, great international and political authority,
and at one stroke, by means of the NKR’s independence, cut the
Karabakh knot and ensure stable peace in the whole region.

Armenian opposition leaders hail president’s address to Council of Europe
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
24 Jun 04

[Presenter] The reaction to [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s
speech in Strasbourg and his news conference have become a subject of
discussion in Armenia. According to our correspondent, irrespective of
their political views, people are talking with admiration about the
president’s speech and his answers during the news conference.
[An unidentified woman in the street] I felt proud that Robert
Kocharyan is the president of our country. He gave clear, correct
answers to all the questions, especially, to the Azerbaijani
journalist’s question on Nagornyy Karabakh. I was simply astonished.
[Another unidentified woman in the street] As a citizen of Armenia, I
was very pleased with the president’s speech and it seems to me that
today there is no other statesman in our political field who could
deliver such a speech in Strasbourg. He is a well-established
politician in our political field.
[Chairman of the Union of Armenian Writers Levon Ananyan in his
office] I think that the republic’s president gave clear, distinct
answers to all the questions concerning our foreign policy,
Turkish-Armenian relations and the genocide. I hope that it will
increase our country’s rating in the international community.
[Presenter] The Armenian president’s speech from the rostrum in
Strasbourg has had a positive influence on the country’s political
field. Even Robert Kocharyan’s political opponents highly spoke of his
speech. For example, speaking about Armenia’s position on the
settlement of the Karabakh problem, Artashes Gegamyan [the leader of
the National Unity Party], said that he was satisfied with Mr
Kocharyan’s assessments and approaches.
The leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia, Aram Sarkisyan, said
that one of the main parts of Mr Kocharyan’s speech concerned the
legal aspect of the Karabakh problem. According to Sarkisyan, the
president expressed the opinion that Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity has nothing in common with the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic
[NKR].
Representatives of the [ruling] political coalition have also said
that after Robert Kocharyan’s speech in Strasbourg, the international
community will have a more accurate impression about Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri minister regrets Armenian leader’s “aggressive rhetoric”
ANS TV, Baku
24 Jun 04

[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has already left
France. His speech at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe [PACE] on 23 June is being analysed as a confession of
occupation at the state level.
[Correspondent over video of Kocharyan speaking at PACE] This is
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s confession. Yes, I do not
recognize Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. I participated in the
military operation in Nagornyy Karabakh from 1988 to 1994 and am proud
of this.
The head of the Azerbaijani delegation to PACE, MP Samad Seyidov, said
that the Armenian president’s speech did not cause discontent only
amongst Azerbaijani MPs, but also European MPs.
[Samad Seyidov by telephone from Strasbourg] There was a big scandal
here, because of his statement at the Council of Europe that he had
occupied lands and was proud of it. This is a disgrace. At today’s
discussions on the Nagornyy Karabakh-Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict,
[Secretary-General elect] Terry Davis said that the Armenian president
had said those words yesterday. However, we should bear in mind that
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity has been recognized by the UN.
[Correspondent] Seyidov said that the shorthand report of Robert
Kocharyan’s report was already ready and the speech would be analysed
and reflected in documents and a resolution of the Council of
Europe. A quote: Kocharyan has actually exposed himself with his
statement in Strasbourg. He did not behave like a president, but a
ringleader. He will soon be brought to book at a military court for
his utterances, end quote.
Robert Kocharyan’s scandalous speech is already being debated in all
Council of Europe committees. The MP said that this issue would also
be debated at the autumn session of PACE.
[Samad Seyidov] We both protested against this, are preparing the
necessary documents for the next session, and members of our
delegation are meeting other delegates to prove that the information
given was wide of the mark. At the same time, we are planning to take
several other concrete steps.
[Correspondent] We asked the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry for its next
steps. Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said that the aggressive
rhetoric from the influential Council of Europe rostrum caused regret
and did not serve a peaceful resolution of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict.
Afat Telmanqizi for ANS.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE mediators concerned over truce violations on Azeri-Armenian border
Arminfo
25 Jun 04

YEREVAN
The co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group for the settlement of the
Nagornyy Karabakh conflict are concerned over the situation on the
border between Armenia’s Tavush Region and Azerbaijan’s Qazax
District.
The Russian co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuriy Merzlyakov, has
said in an interview with Regnum news agency that the OSCE co-chairs
are concerned over the situation in the area of the water reservoir
[on the border]. “In our assessments we are guided by the reports of
Andrzej Kasprzyk, the personal representative of the OSCE’s
chairman-in-office, who monitored the contact line between the
Armenian and Azerbaijani armed forces on 12-15 June,” Merzlyakov
noted. The co-chairman said that on the basis of his reports, the
envoys of the OSCE Minsk Group countries in Baku and Yerevan had
informed the presidents about their concerns and called on them to
prevent the escalation of tension. “The conclusion is as follows –
the cease-fire is being violated, and this has to be stopped as soon
as possible,” the Russian co-chairman noted.

Georgia restores Armenia’s rail link to Ajaria
Arminfo
25 Jun 04

YEREVAN
In accordance with an agreement signed between the railway companies
of Armenia and Georgia, the Yerevan-Tbilisi-Batumi railway link was
restored on 24 June in order to enable Armenian citizens to spend
their summer holidays at Georgia’s Black Sea resorts, the press
service of the Armenian Ministry of Transport and Communications told
Arminfo news agency today.

Bouygues’ Saur unit wins 41.2 mln usd water management contract in Armenia
AFX Europe (Focus)
Jun 25, 2004

PARIS (AFX) – Bouygues SA’s water unit Saur has won a 41.2 mln usd
contract to renovate and manage the water distribution network in
Armenia, the Armenian government said.
The contract covers management operations in 38 cities and 250
villages until 2009.
[email protected]

Armenia set to expand cooperation with NATO – deputy minister
Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
25 Jun 04

Text of Vaan Vardanyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Hayots Ashkharh
on 25 June headlined “What took place in Baku should be regarded as an
incident”
An interview with [Armenian] Deputy Defence Minister Artur
Agabekyan. He comments on the events that have taken place in Baku.
[Hayots Ashkharh correspondent] How do you assess the events in Baku
when an attempt was made to lynch two Armenian officers who attended a
NATO conference within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
programme?
[Artur Agabekyan] I think it may be regarded as an incident. Our main
purpose has always been to use any invitation to cooperate with
NATO. Only by means of cooperation, can numerous regional problems be
settled.
[Correspondent] Even if Azerbaijan seems unable to ensure the security
of Armenian officers on its territory?
[Agabekyan] I would not like to give such assessments, as if there is
any bias here. I think that on the first day of the conference, they
simply could not predict such an incident. In the next few days,
security was already seriously ensured and our officers took an active
part in the subsequent work of the conference. We managed to reach
such a level that we shall participate in upcoming summits as a
fully-fledged party with five Armenian officers in attendance. We
shall have posts in a multi-national unit which is being formed.
[Correspondent] Does it mean that the participation of the rank and
file is ruled out?
[Agabekyan] We wanted the Armenian rank and file to participate in the
exercises together with officers. But the incident let it be known
that only the participation of officers is expedient. Because ensuring
the security of officers is much easier for Azerbaijan than of the
rank and file. The point is that the rank and file will live in
barracks together with representatives of other countries’ rank and
file. As for the officers, they live separately as is the case in our
country. So in September, we shall take part in those exercises and
expect support from the NATO member countries and the USA. We hope
that the Azerbaijani party will learn a lesson from the incident and
will seriously ensure the security not only of Armenian officers, but
also of the whole event. After the last incident, not only Gen Murad
Isakhanyan, but also all the other participants in the conference
think that what took place was an attempt not only on the life of
Armenian officers, but also of all the participants in the
conference. The Azerbaijani party seems to have drawn conclusions from
this.
[Correspondent] How will you explain the latest worsening of the
situation on the defence positions in the village of Berkaber? An
Armenian contract serviceman was killed. Against the background of the
conference, is the Azerbaijani party deliberately worsening the
situation?
[Agabekyan] I would not like to connect these two questions. Such
worsening sometimes takes place along the entire Armenian border
during the period of time between shifts and engineering work. What
took place near the village of Berkaber was due to engineering
works. The Azerbaijani party tried to take a more favourable position
and the heights that were controlled by our observation posts. Our
units took relevant steps. I think that this activity will be
temporary. In any case, we should understand that we do not guard an
ordinary border, we guard the border with Azerbaijan. Unfortunately,
in such a situation, we may have losses and wounded, this is the
difficulty of service. But we have to find the strength and resist
it. Our general staff is cooperating with international structures. We
always visit sectors of the border and try to reduce the intensity of
firefights there.

No Azeri diesel on sale in Armenia – ministry
Arminfo
25 Jun 04

YEREVAN
The Armenian Ministry of Transport and Communications has denied that
Azerbaijani-made diesel oil is being imported from Azerbaijan to be
sold on Armenia’s domestic market, Gagik Grigoryan, head of the
ministry’s foreign relations department, has told an Arminfo
correspondent.
He said that information provided by an expert of the Flash Ltd
company, Musheg Elchyan, that Azerbaijani-made diesel oil was being
transported to Armenia via Georgia was not true.
[Passage omitted: details]

Two brandy producers reach agreement to jointly market Ararat
AP Online
Jun 25, 2004

An Armenian brandy factory, owned by the French liquor giant Pernod
Ricard, reached an agreement with another brandy manufacturer in this
ex-Soviet republic to jointly use the famous Ararat logo.
The agreement between the Yerevan Brandy Factory, bought in 1998 by
Pernod Ricard in one of Armenia’s most striking privatization deals,
and the Yerevan Brandy-Wine-Vodka Combine will allow both factories to
produce Ararat brandy.
The label dates back to 1887 and was named after the mountain _ which
is physically in Turkey but considered the symbol of Armenia _ where
legend says Noah’s Ark came to rest. Ararat brandy is one of the most
well-known brands in Europe, and was reportedly the favorite of
Winston Churchill.
Pier Laretch, the director of the French-owned Yerevan Brandy Factory,
said “tough negotiations” led to the agreement, adding “but when you
are talking about such a well known brand as Ararat, you must be
careful.”
He said the agreement requires both companies to produce the brandy
from Armenian-grown grapes and to distill a spirit that is matured and
bottled in Armenia. The factories will set up a joint association,
Brandy Bridge, to oversee the shared use.
Both factories “made a choice in support of an effective type of
cooperation that will promote the sale of Armenian brandy in Armenia
and in the world market and will further the creation of good-spirited
competition between the producers,” Laretch said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Norwegian PM visits “anti-Turkish” exhibition at Armenia’s invitation – Azeri
TV
ANS TV, Baku
24 Jun 04

An Azeri TV station has criticized the Norwegian prime minister and
foreign minister for accepting the Armenian president’s invitation to
an exhibition at the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. The exhibition,
entitled “Fridtjof Nansen and Armenia”, is dedicated to the work of
the Norwegian Nobel prize winner with Armenians in the early 20th
century. An Azeri delegate to the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe, Rafael Huseynov, told the TV station: “The books
being exhibited distort the truth and go against historical facts and
lack of bias.” The following is the text of the report by Azerbaijani
TV station ANS on 24 June:
[Presenter] We are going back to Strasbourg to speak about [Armenian
President] Robert Kocharyan’s visit. Proud of his role in the
occupation of Nagornyy Karabakh and other regions of Azerbaijan,
Robert Kocharyan met the Norwegian prime minister, the Norwegian prime
minister exactly.
[Correspondent over Kocharyan’s speech at the Council of Europe]
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has met Norwegian Prime Minister
Kjell Magne Bondevik in Strasbourg. What is intriguing is that the
Norwegian prime minister came to Strasbourg at the invitation of
official Yerevan to attend the opening of an exhibition titled
“Fridtjof Nansen and Armenia” at the PACE [Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe] building.
Who is Fridtjof Nansen? A Nobel Prize winner and public figure from
Norway, who devoted part of his activities to propaganda on behalf of
Armenia and the Armenians. From the 1920s, he was a big partner and
supporter of the Armenians. He even toured the world alleging that
acts of genocide were carried out against the Armenians by the Turks
and raised funds for the Armenians.
Alleging that the Turks carried out genocide against the Armenians,
Nansen’s books extensively propagate hatred for Turks. There is also a
monument erected in Armenia in his memory. In Strasbourg, at the PACE
building, Nansen’s books in Armenian were shown at the “Fridtjof
Nansen and Armenia” exhibition. The Norwegian prime minister also
attended the exhibition together with Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan. And the Norwegian prime minister’s visit to Strasbourg
namely for the opening of this exhibition creates an impression that
the Norwegian prime minister is in solidarity with his country’s
friends of Armenia.
The exhibition was also attended by Jan Petersen, Norwegian foreign
minister and chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe. Speaking at the exhibition, the speakers once again claimed
that the Armenians had been subjected to genocide by the
Turks. According to Armenian channels, entering the headquarters of
the Council of Europe, Kocharyan had a 40-minute conversation with the
Norwegian prime minister before meeting the PACE leadership. In turn,
the spokesman of the Armenian president, Ashot Kocharyan, said that
Robert Kocharyan and Kjell Magne Bondevik had debated bilateral
relations, energy issues and the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. I want to
reiterate that Norway now holds the chairmanship of the Committee of
Ministers of the Council of Europe. It is also worth noting that
Norway attended this anti-Turkish exhibition at the highest level.
MP Rafael Huseynov, a member of the Azerbaijani delegation at the
Council of Europe, said that the issue would be on their agenda for
the next session, and it was important for Turkey to take the
necessary steps.
[Huseynov, voice] The books being exhibited distort the truth, go
against historical facts and lack of bias. For example, the Turks are
accused of barbarism, the Germans are accused of not stopping the
Turks and similar things. A discussion on Armenia will take place in
September. I hope that Robert Kocharyan’s thoughts, which run counter
to the principles of the European Council, and the biased opinions in
books by Nansen in the exhibition, which was also attended by the
prime minister, will be covered in our speeches. We shall also prepare
a document for the autumn session of PACE. I think that Turkey should
also work in this direction.
[Correspondent] Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen, who will also
hold the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe for six months, called for activities to be stepped up for the
resolution of Nagornyy Karabakh. As for the possibility of an unbiased
attitude from Norway, this will become clear from the statements of
Oslo officials in a short while.
[Huseynov] Undoubtedly, the Norwegian foreign minister shares common
views with his prime minister on many aspects. However, as the foreign
minister of his country, his tenure in the post of chairman of the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe is six months. This is
not a post with extraordinary powers to have serious impact on the
resolution of any problem. Certainly, there might be an impact, but
this is a post where Azerbaijan and other countries are
represented. But in any case, while analysing Petersen’s activities,
we should also bear in mind this prelude and be more attentive and
cautious.
[Correspondent over Statoil’s Baku office] Let us recall that Norway’s
Statoil is one of the leading companies exploiting Azerbaijan’s oil
and gas projects. Norway now is investing in the Caspian littoral
states, rich in oil resources. For example, the Norwegian prime
minister was recently in Kazakhstan. Oslo always wants to play an
active role in oil and gas projects and expand cooperation with
Azerbaijan. Nevertheless, it seems a bit mysterious that the Norwegian
government should have resorted to such levers of pressure against
Turkey and Azerbaijan in alliance with Armenia.
We asked for comment on this subject, but were told that the Norwegian
ambassador in Azerbaijan would reply to these questions tomorrow.
Qanira Pasayeva for ANS.