VARTAN OSKANIAN: NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IS ALL-ARMENIAN PROBLEM

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. After the last meeting of Armenian
and Azerbaijani Presidents in Minsk both sides have many things
to think over. I think after the New Year holidays, in January on
in early February, the sides will try to resume negotiations on
peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict." Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian declared at the December 19 press
conference. As for RA President Robert Kocharian’s recent statement
that no active negotiations are scheduled in the first six months of
2007 due to the parliamentary elections, the Minister said that the
President was rather exact in this issue. "No doubt, in the preelection
period the main attention will be concentrated on the elections. The
negotiations will be less public and the periodicity of the meetings
will be also lowered, but the negotiations process will not suffer
in the sense of its content. The process will continue at the level
of Foreign Ministers," V.Oskanian declared. The Minister refuted
accusations addressed by some opposition forces to the authorities,
according to which the authorities speculate the Nagorno Karabakh
issue abusing it in the home policy. "The process has its logic and
use of artificial obstacles for achieving political purposes can
do a great harm to the state and to the people. We proceed from our
national interests, from the logic of the negotiations process and
from the current situation," V.Oskanian declared.

The Minister warned that speculation of the Nagorno Karabakh problem
may result in dangerous processes and called the political forces for
standing higher than narrow interests, as settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict is an all-Armenian problem.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: WE ATTACH GREAT IMPORTANCE TO ARMENIA’S COOPERATION WITH EUROPEAN ORGANIZATIONS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. The coming six months will be
very active for Armenia in the respect of development of cooperation
with European organizations. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian
declared at the December 19 press conference. In his words, cooperation
with the European Union receives key importance. Thus, Germany that
will preside in EU from January declared about its priorities in
the period of its chairmanship in EU, among which are the Caucasian
region, the New European Neighborhood program. And proceeding from
this, the coming six months will be rather eventful and intensive
in the respect of cooperation with EU. Armenia plans to clarify its
priorities within the framework of the Actions Plan and to present
them to EU. In the Minister’s words, both many-sided cooperation with
the European Union and reaching agreements on a number of issues
with concrete members of EU are scheduled within the framework of
the Actions Plan. V.Oskanian reported that intensive work in another
two European directions – NATO and the Council of Europe, is also
planned. In particular, in the first half of 2007 NATO is to sum
up the results of the first year of Armenia’s cooperation with NATO
within the framework of the Individual Partnership Actions Plan. In
the respect of Armenia’s cooperation with the Council of Europe the
Minister pointed to reforms in the sphere of legislation.

ASIF-3 PROGRAM TO START IN LATE 2006

Noyan Tapan
Dec 19 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. Information about the completion
of the Armenian Social Investment Fund’s (ASIF) second program and
the fund’s third program was discussed at the December 18 sitting
of the ASIF Board of Trustees conducted by the board chairman, the
RA prime minister Andranik Margarian. NT was informed about it from
the RA Government Information and PR Department.

According to the ASIF executive director Ashot Kirakosian, the ASIF-2
Program started in November 2000. In addition to a credit equivalent
to 20 mln USD, resources of the Armenian government, communities and
the grant and co-financing resources of the UK DFID were allocated. The
fund’s executive office received over 1,200 program-related proposals
from Armenian urban and rural communities. These proposals were
examined in accordance with the ASIF procedures.

The executive director said that 333 programs of the total contract
cost of 22.24 mln USD were implemented. Most of them were related to
comprehensive schools (60%), drinking water pipes (19%), specialized
schools (6%), community centers (5%) and medical establishments
(4%). 35 thousand two-seat desks were distributed to 620 schools
with the fund’s financing. During implementation of infrastructure
restoration programs, the fund cooperated actively with a number of
local and international sponsor organizations (Aznavour for Armenia,
IFAD, UNHCR, Hayastan and Tufenkian Foundations) and private
philanthropists, implementing 56 programs of 2.1 mln USD. During
the years under review, the finacial assistance to communities was
great as well, with about 1.43 mln USD being transferred for community
investments by local and international donor organizations and private
philanthropists. Besides, given the lack of knowledge, experience and
stable traditions for governing the newly established self-government
bodies in Armenia, the ASIF-2 Program also included the training
component with the aim of strengthening local self-government bodies
and community organizations. It was noted that the fund’s activities
were appreciated by communities, which prompted the government to
express its interest in the ASIF’s continuing its work and starting
the ASIF-3 Program. For this purpose a credit agreement of 25 mln
USD was signed between the Armenian government and the International
Development Association in September 12, 2006. A. Kirakosian said
that the ASIF-3 Program aims to improve the living standard of
the poor and vulerable groups through restoration of community
infrastructures, improvement of the quality and accessibility of
services, and development of additional capacities at community
and municipal level. The fund’s third program has three components
(community investments, formation of local self-government bodies’
capacities and management of ASIF-3 Program). It will start in the
second half of December 2006 and finish in June 2011. During this
period it is envisaged to implement numerous programs on restoration
of infrastructures of small and medium communities, mostly in poor
rural settlements, remote, isolated, mountainous communities and
communities of the earthquake zone.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

GEORGIA’S PIPELINE REPAIR DELAY MAY LEAVE ARMENIA WITHOUT GAS

RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 19 2006

MOSCOW, December 19 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s underground gas storage
facilities may be empty this winter if Georgia fails to restore
its pipeline pumping Russian gas on time, an official spokesman for
Russian energy giant Gazprom said Tuesday.

"If repair work continues for a long time, Armenia may have no
more gas in its underground storage facilities this winter," Sergei
Kupriyanov said.

The Georgian Gas Transportation Company reported Monday that an
avalanche damaged the pipeline pumping Russian gas to Georgia and
Armenia in the early hours of December 18.

A reserve branch pumping 1.2 million cu m of gas per day is currently
being used to ensure supplies to Armenia, which in the past has
received around 10 million cu m per day in winter.

Kupriyanov said the Georgian Gas Transportation Company had promised
to repair the pipeline Monday but later said it will take several days.

He said Russia and Armenia, which has not received the required
volumes of Russian gas for two days and is using gas from its storage
facilities, expects Georgia "to take all the necessary measures to
restore [the pipeline] as soon as possible."

ARMENIAN SOLDIER KILLED ON AZERI BORDER
By Emil Danielyan

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Dec 19 2006

An Armenian army soldier was shot dead late on Monday in what the
Defense Ministry in Yerevan called an Azerbaijani cease-fire violation
registered in a tense section of the Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

A ministry spokesman said Junior Sergeant Ruben Tamrazian, 39, was
killed by an Azerbaijani sniper near the northern Armenian town of
Ijevan. "An investigation is underway," Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian
said in a brief statement on Tuesday.

The area close to eastern Georgia has seen regular skirmishes this
year between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops deployed on either side
of the heavily militarized frontier. Each side has reported casualties
and accused the other of breaching the truce.

Another Armenian soldier was fatally shot in the chest in the same
area and under similar circumstances in late September.

There was no immediate reaction to the latest reported incident from
Azerbaijan. The Azerbaijani military said instead that its forces
positioned northeast of Nagorno-Karabakh came under Armenian fire
but suffered no casualties on Monday.

KARL DE GUCHT: AGREEMENT ON SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT CAN BE REACHED NEXT YEAR

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2006

"The positions of the parties have come closer to the main principles
in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict," OSCE chairman Karl
de Gucht told Armenpress, APA reports.

He said that the main principles of solution discussed by the parties
improve the process of talks. Carl de Gucht did not rule out reaching
an agreement on Nagorno Karabakh conflict next year.

"The positions of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents on the main
principles of the process of settlement came closer in the last
meeting in Minsk. I hope the presidents will speed up the process of
the settlement.

"Carl de Gucht expressed his gratitude to the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs for their active participation in the preparation of the
document concerning the fundamentals of the settlement process.

Carl de Gucht finishes his mission as OSCE chairman on January1.

Spanish Foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos will succeed him.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TARHAN TOWER AIRLINES REALIZES DIRECT FLIGHTS TO ARMENIA

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2006

Turkish Tarhan Tower Airlines realizes direct flights to Armenia,
governmental sources told the APA Turkish bureau. Direct flights to
Yerevan have been realizing four times a week at night since May.

The head of the aviacompany is Ali Tarhan. His company also works in
the tourism, construction and food industry sectors. Tarhan Group’s
partner Tower Company took up the function of Turkish representation
of "Armenian Airlines" and organized direct flights to Yerevan twice
a week in 1999. In 2003 Tower Company rented 2 planes and organized
tourists’ visits to Yerevan. The main office of Tarhan and Tower
Company is in Kadikoy district.

RAUL KHAJIMBA DECLARES WAR TO ARMENIANS

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2006

Anti-Armenian mood has increased in Abkhazia, APA reports quoting to
Georgian press. Local population worries about the case that Armenians
had appropriated the high positions in Abkhazia.

It should be noted that, the building of Armenian representatives
in Sukhumi was exploded last year, and the analogical explosion
occurred in Armenian schools later. After the explosion the paper
written on the slogans against Armenians were glued on the walls. At
that time Armenians demanded Sergey Bagapsh to give an explanation
about the recent events and these demands resulted in president
of false organization apologized to Armenian nation. The article
"Raul Khajimba calls for Abkhazia to clean from Armenians" published
in Georgia press stressed that the divergences of the idea between
Raul Khajimba and Sergey Bagapsh appeared after the explosion of the
building of Armenian Office in Sukhumi. According to the author’s
ideas, Raul Khajimba accused Sergey Bagapsh in pro-Armenianism.

"Bagapsh could not blame Khajimba for pro-Armenianism. Khajimba
removed hundreds of Armenian families from Gagra territory after
the war in Ardzinba period. The reason of the Khajimba’s losing
the support of Armenian electors was connected with this case. As
Armenians dissatisfied with Khajimba, they supported Sergey Bagapsh
in the elections."

Georgian press notes that after being elected as the president Sergey
Bagapsh supported and strengthened Armenians’ position in the country.

"Today though Abkhazian people fill the most important positions in the
country, Armenians governs the country. Armenians owned the properties
of Abkhazia being backed by Sergey Bagapsh. Abkhazia already became
Armenian. Armenians have big sum of money, and money is strong power."

The author of the article noted that Raul Khajimba is concerned over
the fact that Armenians took the control of everything.

"Khajimba loves Abkhaz nation, he hates Georgians. Bagapsh can not
be compared with Khajimba in this issue; the main task for Bagapsh
is his personal earning. Armenians plan to pay lots of money and to
take control over the coast of the Black Sea. They are in a step of
achieving their goal to get access to the black Sea. " The article
does not rule out armed confrontation of Armenians and Abkhazians.

"If Armenian-Abkhazia war breaks out, Abkhazians can not hope for
Russia’s support. Only the nations of North Caucasus can support
Abkhazians in this issue. " The article also states that Raul Khajimba
blames Premier Ankvab for protecting Armenians.

"According to the investigations, the removing process of Abkhazians
to the coasts of the Black Sea has already begun. At present, the
number of Abkhazians living in Abkhazia decreased to 25 000, but the
number of Armenians living in Abkhazia is over 100 000. Using their
majority Armenians try to bring their favorites to elective bodies.

Sergey Bagapsh supports Armenians, but Raul Khajimba does not let it
happen."

VARDAN OSKANYAN: INTENSIFICATION OF NEGOTIATIONS ON THE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT TO FALL

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2006

"Intensification of negotiations on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh
conflict may fall in connection with the parliamentary elections",
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan told reporters, APA reports
quoting Panarmenian.

He stated that the negotiations will be ongoing next year, as well.

"The intensification of the negotiations will fall in connection
with the parliamentary elections in Armenia and will be held in
closed form. Nagorno Karabakh conflict should be speculative subject
of pre-election fighting. This conflict is so important for Armenia
that neither government nor opposition can manipulate in this issue,
because it is very dangerous", he noted.

SPANISH AND RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS NAGORNO KARABAKH PROBLEM

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Dec 19 2006

Spanish Foreign Minister, OSCE new chairman Miguel Angel Moratinos
and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov today discussed Nagorno
Karabakh problem within the framework of discussions of GUAM frozen
conflicts, Spanish Foreign Ministry told the APA exclusively.

They discussed the last stage of negotiations on Armenian and
Azerbaijani conflict and the ways of the settlement of the conflict.

Besides the relations between Russia and Spain, economic partnership
relations in CIS region were discussed.