ONCE AGAIN, GEORGIA, UKRAINE AND MOLDOVA ARE PLAYING INTO THE HANDS OF AZERBAIJAN

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

Comments by Vartan Oskanian, Minister of Foreign Affairs, on Karabakh’s
Constitutional Referendum

Once again, Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are playing into the hands
of Azerbaijan by meddling into an issue which does not concern them.

A statement by GUAM on the upcoming constitutional referendum in
Nagorno Karabakh is misguided. What is being argued is far from
the truth.

During this decade and a half, in a situation of no-peace and no-war,
and to their credit, the people and authorities of Nagorno Karabakh
have built a lawful, well-regulated internal governance system. They
have built political institutions; through elections they have selected
their own authorities and developed a legislative framework.

Today, they have recognized the need for a basic law, and chosen
the internationally accepted practice of a referendum as the only
acceptable way to collectively adopt that basic law.

Azerbaijan claims that exercising a vote is an obstruction to the
peace process.

Just the opposite. At the core of the negotiations to reach a peaceful
resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the right of the people
of Nagorno Karabakh for self-determination.

What really obstructs the process is the Azerbaijani overreaction
to Karabakh’s democratic activities, their refusal to engage Nagorno
Karabakh in peace talks, their repeated militaristic calls and their
persistent efforts to sidetrack the Minsk Group negotiations process.

For Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine to dismiss the democratic aspirations
of the people of Nagorno Karabakh and blame them for choosing to
behave democratically is counterproductive.

CENTER OF YEREVAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

After the earthquake in 1988, which took 25 000 lives, and among
the former Soviet countries Armenia was the first to adopt the
national regulations on seismic building, however, in Armenia not
all the building projects keep to the rules of seismic building,
stated Alvaro Antonyan, the head of the National Service of Seismic
Security on December 7. Today in Armenia seismic buildings can resist
magnitude 9 compared with the former magnitude 7. According to Alvaro
Antonyan, the center of Yerevan is the most dangerous area in Yerevan
considering the density of buildings and seismic resistance, "Buildings
are being built which are unacceptable in terms of urban planning. The
new highrise buildings increase the seismic risk. God forbid if a
strong earthquake destroyed one of them, traffic in the center of
Yerevan would be blocked for ambulances, rescuers." The Japanese
experts walking in the center of the town were amazed and even joked,
"Even Arno Babajanyan’s statue is amazed by this type of buildings."

The seismic map of Yerevan has been confirmed, which will underlie
the general map of the city, however, the head of the National Service
of Seismic Security says, "Unfortunately, the general map of Yerevan
is designed for a completely build-up city." Alvaro Antonyan stated
that there must be a vital area around every building, especially if
it is a highrise building. But "do we think we are not going to have
children any more, they don’t need a yard?" A 15-storey building is
built immediately on the pavement. Buildings were built even in the
area of the earthquake of Spitak, which do not comply with the rules
of seismic building. Alvaro Antonyan stated that the buildings built
for foreign companies comply with the rules of seismic construction,
whereas the Armenians tend to forget about the danger.

The National Service of Seismic Security does not have levers to stop
or prevent the building of dangerous buildings, however they have
expressed their fears to the relevant bodies. No cases of stopping
construction were reported. By the way, all the owners of the buildings
built in the center of Yerevan are high-ranking officials or their
relatives. Besides warning the government the National Service of
Seismic Security also works on raising awareness among the public
because if people are not prepared for an earthquake, the toll mounts
by 30 percent.

NKR DEFENSE MINISTER: WE DID NOT LIBERATE TERRITORIES TO EXCHANGE

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

On December 6 Lieutenant-General Seyran Ohanyan, the defense minister
of NKR held a news conference. First the reporters visited the Ivanyan
Military Academy, then the fourth defense area. The reporters were also
taken to the front line, where the press conference was held in a tent.

Commenting on the statement of Garnik Isagulyan, the adviser to the
president of Armenia that the territories were liberated during the
war in order to have something to offer in return for the status of
Karabakh, Seyran Ohanyan said: "These territories were liberated to
create a security area around Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as well as
to guarantee the peaceful existence of the people. We removed all the
emplacements from where the areas of the republic were shelled. Of
course, if we want to reach settlement of the Karabakh issue there are
going to be compromises and exchanges in the result of the talks and
the actions of the political leadership. If you can see, generally I
don’t speak about it. My purpose is to reinforce the front line and
struggle for every patch of land."

ARMAN BABAJANYAN’S ATTORNEY MET WITH SERGE SARGSYAN

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

Zaruhi Postanjyan, the attorney of Arman Babajanyan, Editor-in-Chief
of the Zhamanak Yerevan Newspaper, sentenced to 4 years on a charge
of forging documents and avoiding military service, met with the
defense minister Serge Sargsyan in connection with her defendant.

Zaruhi Postanjyan told about this meeting in a news conference on
December 7.

The attorney met with the minister of defense in connection with Arman
Babajanyan’s application to the ministry requesting to apply the law
adopted in 2005. This law suspends prosecution of persons aged 27
and up who avoided military service from 1992 to 2005. These persons
are not prosecuted if they pay a certain fee. The fee is 100 thousand
drams for every conscription. For Arman Babajanyan, the total number
of conscriptions is 10, and he has already paid a 1 million dram fine.

Meanwhile, the ministry of defense has not attended to his request
yet. The special commission led by the minister is to discuss the
request, but the deadline of considering it and making a decision
has passed, and the commission has not decided to reject or meet it.

Therefore, Zaruhi Postanjyan initiated this meeting with Serge
Sargsyan to find out if the commission is going to attend to the
application and make a decision for the counsel of defense to know
what steps to take. Serge Sargsyan said the commission will attend to
the case. However, Zaruhi Postanjyan did not speak with the minister
on the reason of this delay, for her aim was to ask to discuss the
application and make a decision.

Zaruhi Postanjyan also says that there is discrimination in the
approach of the office of the public prosecutor towards Arman
Babajanyan, which investigated the case. The attorney says, in
accordance with the law, the agency investigating the case must request
to apply the abovementioned law providing for stopping prosecution
if the fee is paid. The office of the public prosecutor failed to do
this, whereas fining a person is more favorable for the state than
putting a person to prison, says the attorney.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WE WILL NOT HAVE OFFICIAL ANTHEM FOR SEVERAL DAYS

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

How will the problem of the national anthem be solved? After 24:00
December 6 we will not have an official anthem?

You are right to raise this question. Unfortunately, we did not
manage the second and third readings at the National Assembly. For a
few days, officially, legally, we will not have an anthem but these
few days will not affect the activities of the state. We will try to
hold an extraordinary meeting to solve this problem.

What was the reason not to do it in time? Was it a complicated problem?

You must remember the debates. I think, the National Assembly did
not have enough time, and we could not speed up the solution of the
problem. There were shortcomings, both at the National Assembly and
the government.

The Orinats Yerkir Party retired from the coalition, and now the
controversies you had are being exposed. Is it good that you broke
relations with Orinats Yerkir?

Let us not try to assess the past. Over those three years we have
done everything together. If there were controversies, these did not
obstruct the implementation of the government policy. The Orinats
Yerkir Party found that these controversies were too many and
cooperation was impossible, so it withdrew.

Aram Sargsyan has invited you and the defense minister to run in the
election from the same constituency with him, for he believes that
you will never let him commit electoral fraud to win.

There are a number of offers. Aram’s offer is just one of them. I
have to think whose offer to accept.

Will you remain prime minister if you win the parliamentary election
in 2007?

I suggest you ask me this question after the election, as soon as it
becomes known how many votes the political parties will have got.

Garnik Isagulyan, adviser to Robert Kocharyan has stated that Serge
Sargsyan is the preferable presidential candidate.

We have stated for a number of times that the Republican Party is not
considering a presidential candidate yet, and we will speak about it
at a more convenient time. And the convenient time is the parliamentary
election 2007.

The opposition is initiating different movements. What is your
attitude?

I think it is good. There has been enough talking. It is time to work,
to be in movement. The problem is how may movements there will be,
who will participate.

Why was the business forum cancelled during your visit to Moscow?

The purpose of my visit to Moscow was the official closing of
the Armenian year in Russia. We were not holding a meeting of the
intergovernmental commission. The Russian party wanted to hold it as
well but then they changed their mind. We are ready to hold business
forums at the Armenian expo hall at any time.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

18 YEARS LATER STILL RELIANT ON THE OUTSIDE
Aram Zakaryan

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

18 years have passed since the devastating earthquake in Spitak in
1988. According to different sources, it took 25 thousand lives. We
commemorate the victims of the disaster on every December 7. You
cannot bring back the victims, but by caring for the alive we can
bring peace to the souls of the victims. Unfortunately, today we have
too little to boast for.

The funds of the Armenian government, as well as the funds of foreign
and international organizations and foundations have been spent
on the reconstruction of the area of the earthquake. The largest
foreign donation was Kirk Kerkorian’s 100 million dollars. Houses,
cultural and sport buildings were built on this money. Only in Gyumri
20 thousand apartments were ruined by the earthquake in 1988. So far
13 thousand have been reconstructed. The government has decided that
instead of building new apartments it will be more effective to sell
the existing ones, because, first, a new apartment eventually gets
ruined if nobody lives there, besides, according to the prime minister,
as soon as the family living in a cottage moves into a new apartment,
an inhabitant of the nearby villages occupies the cottage.

People are granted certificates for purchase of apartments with
a certain value. In 2005 220 certificates with a total value of 1
billion drams were granted in Gyumri, and all were used. In 2006 300
certificates with a total value of 875 million drams will be granted,
and only 40-50 were used. Currently there are about 6000 cottages
in Gyumri, but half of the inhabitants of the cottages have the
status of homeless. The other half did not lose apartments during the
earthquake, therefore they are not considered as homeless. They are
perhaps the "re-settlers" mentioned by the prime minister. In Spitak
500 families are homeless, they are living in cottages. If these
rates of certificate deals continues, the solution of the problem of
homeless in the region of Shirak will take at least 15 years.

The Dashnak governor of Shirak and the Republican mayors of Gyumri
and Spital state that new apartments are needed. However, instead of
trying to explain the necessity and effectiveness of building new
apartments to their party and coalition colleagues they are trying
to build new apartments on the money of businessmen who come from
Gyumri or Spitak and make money abroad. It is difficult to say how
successful they will be.

If the housing problem can be considered as partly solved, the problem
of unemployment remains a burning issue. Despite the two-digit economic
growth, unemployment is a more painful problem in the area of disaster
that took place 18 years ago. Absence of jobs and presence of grim
prospects of future were another problem why many are abroad now.

SWECO WINS SEK14M ROAD CONTRACT IN ARMENIA

Nordic Business Report
December 7, 2006

NORDIC BUSINESS REPORT-7 December 2006-SWECO wins SEK14m road
contract in Armenia ©1998-2006 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

Swedish consulting group SWECO said on Thursday (7 December) that it
has received a road engineering contract in Armenia.

The contract, valued at SEK14m, covers studies, investigations and
conceptual design for approximately 1,000 km of rural roads as well
as ramps and connections to rural bridges.

SWECO will carry out the project in cooperation with Swedish company
SweRoad and Armenian engineering firm Dorproject.

The project is funded by the American Millennium Challenge Corporation.

SWECO, headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden, provides consulting services
within engineering, environmental technology and architecture. It
has subsidiaries in eight countries, and is currently involved in
projects in over 60 countries. SWECO is listed on the Nordic Exchange
in Stockholm.

One British pound (£) is worth approximately 13.49 Swedish kronor
(SEK).

(Comments on this story may be sent to
[email protected])

–Bound ary_(ID_Ai8iUASoAgx3Gk252BJdcQ)–

ENVOY ADMITS TO ARMENIAN LOBBYS INFLUENCE ON PARIS

AssA-Irada
December 6, 2006 Wednesday

The French ambassador to Azerbaijan Bernard du Chaffaut has said
that if the latest decision by the National Assembly of France goes
into effect, this could harm the countrys relations with Turkey
and Azerbaijan. The bill, tabled in the legislature by opposition
Socialist Party and passed Thursday, criminalizes denying the genocide
of Armenians. Although the law was passed the assembly, it will not
go into effect unless it is approved by the French parliaments upper
chamber, the Senate.

Armenians say Ottoman Turks killed 1.5 million people in 1915, a claim
strongly denied by Turkey. The envoy told a news conference Friday that
he is disappointed with the adoption of the bill in the lower chamber
of parliament, expressing hope that the measure will not be approved
by the Senate. The measure has sparked off outcry in France as well,
he said. Du Chaffaut emphasized that the fact it passed the lower
chamber does not mean it will be approved, as making any bill law
in France requires a very lengthy procedure. I hope this procedure
will not be completed. He said Frances Constitutional Council may
intervene as well. The body may deem it contradictory to freedom of
expression. Finally, although the president has no right of veto,
he may send it back for repeated deliberations at the National
Assembly. Du Chaffaut admitted that the Armenian lobby influences
the French government. I suspect that the law was supported by some
Armenian voters in some election constituencies.

The diplomat said France has come under pressure of the European
Union to reject the law. Du Chaffaut said the latest developments
will not lead to a postponement of French President Jacques Chiracs
visit to Azerbaijan next year. Such decisions, he said, are up
to the presidents, but said he is confident the visit will take
place. The ambassador said he does not expect tension to escalate
in French-Turkish relations and called on the Turkish Diaspora to
actively struggle against the adoption of the genocide law.

Azerbaijani MPs on Tuesday protested at the bill and forwarded a
relevant appeal to the French legislature. The Turkish ambassador
to Azerbaijan Turan Morali has termed the move as major injustice
against his country that is primitive and embarrassing. A group of
the Whole Azerbaijan Popular Front Party members attempted to hold a
rally outside the French embassy in Baku on Friday in protest at the
adoption of the genocide bill. The protest was prevented by the police.

EASTERN ANATOLIAN CHURCHES TURKISH, NOT GEORGIAN OR ARMENIAN – STUDY

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Dec 7 2006

["RESEARCH REVEALS MANY OF CHURCHES IN EASTERN TURKEY BELONG TO TURKS" – AA headline]

ERZURUM (A.A) -07.12.2006 -A research carried out by Ass.Prof. Dr
Tahsin Parlak, head of the Traditional Craftsman Department at Ataturk
University, has revealed that many of the churches in eastern Anatolia
belonged to Kipchack Turks.

Speaking to A.A correspondent on Thursday, Parlak said they compared
the motifs, designs and manuscripts crafted on the Menzil Churches
which were constructed in eastern Anatolia, (which was under the
rule of Cildir Principality) between the 12th and 14th centuries with
those of motifs and designs from Central Asian Turks and Gokturk and
Uyghur epitaphs.

Noting that they have came across traces of Turkic origin in Aksik-a,
Banak, Parin-ak, Hov-ak, Ak-Pisor, Ak-Cur, Ovsan-Ak, Bibi Meryem Ana,
Haluli and Ishan churches Parlak said, "We have found motifs of "the
sun" and "two headed eagle" motifs and letters belonging to Uyghur
and Gokturk alphabets in the mentioned churches. These motives have
been used by Turks of the Central Asia for thousands of years. It is
possible to come across these motifs in all Turkic works of art.

These churches were thought to be of Georgian and Armenian origin as
no research had been done.

However, these motifs designs and letters reveal unequivocally that
these churches are the work of Kipchack Turks"

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI MINISTER, US OFFICIAL DISCUSS BOOSTING MILITARY TIES

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 7 2006

Baku, 7 December: The Azerbaijani defence minister, Col-Gen Safar
Abiyev, today received a delegation led by the US deputy assistant
secretary of defence for international security, James McDougall,
APA learnt from the Defence Ministry press service.

At the meeting, Abiyev said that Azerbaijani-US relations were
developing in all areas under the programme envisaged.

Abiyev touched upon the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. He said the
fact that the conflict had not been resolved was a great obstacle
to the development of Azerbaijani-US and Azerbaijan-NATO military
cooperation: "We will never put up with the Armenian occupation of
our lands. If the conflict is not resolved peacefully, the Azerbaijani
armed forces will liberate our lands from the occupiers."

The fact that Section 907 in the Freedom Support Act had not been
lifted completely restricted Azerbaijani-US cooperation, the minister
stressed.

For his part, McDougall said he agreed with his counterpart’s opinion
concerning Section 907. He said that this document’s provisions indeed
restrict US-Azerbaijani cooperation.