OVER 100 FOREIGN OBSERVERS TO FOLLOW NKR REFERENDUM
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2006 17:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Over 100 foreign and 114 local observers are expected
to follow the course of the constitutional referendum in the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic. 12 foreign observers and 44 journalists are already
accredited. 278 polling stations are opened for holding the referendum,
one of these being in Yerevan, Mediamax reports.
EUROCOMMISSION: BUDGET FOR ENP COUNTRIES ~@12 BILLION IN 2007-13
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2006 18:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The European Commission today proposes new ways
to strengthen the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP), reported the
Press Office of the Eurocommission delegation to Armenia. The new
proposals are accompanied by progress reports on the Neighborhood
partners. The Communication will feed into work during the incoming
German Presidency in the first half of 2007.
European Commissioner for External Relations and Neighborhood Policy
Benita Ferrero-Waldner said: "I believe that our Neighborhood Policy
is bringing real benefits to Armenia and today we are offering to the
country even more attractive incentives. An important contribution
will be a new Neighborhood Investment Fund. The Neighborhood Policy
has made a positive start, but the EU can do much more. We must
rise to the challenge of promoting peace, stability and economic
prosperity of our neighbors. There is no better way of doing this
than by supporting their political and economic reforms."
>>From 2007-13 the budget foreseen for the countries of the ENP is
~@12 billion, 32% more in real terms than in the last budget period.
FRENCH FM: LATEST TALKS ON KARABAKH HELD IN CONSTRUCTIVE ATMOSPHERE
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2006 18:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "I believe that talks [over settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict], held within the past months helped achieve notable
progress owing to mediation of the OSCE MG co-chairs and were held in
a constructive atmosphere," French FM Philippe Douste-Blazy stated
at the session of the OSCE Foreign Ministers. He urged parties to
continue moving along the way chosen.
Luxembourg Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Jean Asselborn
also addressed the issue of unsolved conflicts in his speech. "The
increase of tension in Georgia, delay of search for a solution of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, separatism, the so-called referendum
and elections in Transnistria and South Ossetia hamper solution of
"frozen" conflicts," he noted. He welcomed OSCE efforts to search for
an agreement. In his opinion, the OSCE can form a favorable atmosphere
for search for a lasting solution of conflicts, reports Trend.
OSCE URGES ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS TO REDOUBLE EFFORTS IN KARABAKH PROCESS
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.12.2006 19:09 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "We are encouraged that negotiations [over settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict] in 2006, facilitated by the Co-Chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group and supported by the OSCE Chairman in Office,
have brought the sides closer to agreement on the basic principles for
the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict," says a statement
of the Council of OSCE FMs over the NK conflict, reports the Press
Office of the Armenian MFA. We welcome the support of the leaders of
the G8 to these efforts, expressed at the G8 Summit in St. Petersburg
in July. We urge Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan to redouble
their efforts in the coming year to finalize these basic principles
as soon as possible. We call on the sides, with the assistance
of the international community, to extend co-operation to conduct
an environmental operation to suppress the fires in the affected
territories and to overcome detrimental consequences.
These measures can constitute significant steps toward restoring
confidence between the sides. The OSCE is available to assist.
We also express our continuing support for the Personal Representative
of the OSCE Chairman in Office and his mission to the region and
particularly for their efficient assistance to the environmental
Assessment Mission and for their ongoing monitoring of the
cease-fire. We regret that incidents along the front lines continue
occasionally to result in loss of life on both sides and we urge the
parties to adhere strictly to the cease-fire."
ARMENIAN OFFICER WOUNDED IN IRAQ RECUPERATING
Armenpress
Dec 05 2006
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: Armenian defense minister Serzh
Sarkisian said today senior lieutenant Georgi Nalbandian, who had
been wounded while on duty in Iraq in early November, was recuperating.
Nalbandian was transported to Germany for treatment in an American
military hospital.
The 25-year-old senior lieutenant of the Armenian peacekeeping
contingent in Iraq lost his right leg below the knee in a mine
explosion and received fragmentation wounds to his left leg.
The minister said today that after recuperation Nalbandian will return
to Armenia to continue his service to the homeland. The minister said
Nalbandian may recuperate in 2-3 weeks, but added that he may go to
another country for prosthesis. He also said Nalbandian’s brother
may soon fly to Germany to see him.
Sarkisian went today to parliament to ask the lawmakers to extend
the presence of a small Armenian peace-keeping contingent in Iraq
for another 12 months. Yerevan’s small contingent of 46 non-combat
servicemen operates in a multinational division headed by Poland. It
comprises military trucks drivers, sappers and medics.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
ALL GEORGIAN MALES TO HAVE MANDATORY MILITARY TRAINING
Armenpress
Dec 05 2006
TBILISI, DECEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: Georgia’s president Mikhail asked a
parliament committee on defense and security issues to draft a bill
on mandatory 18-day military training of all males aged 27-50.
Under the bill all males between 27-50 will have to spend 18 days every
year in military camps to refresh their war skills. The committee
chairman, Givi Targamadze, was quoted by Georgian media as saying
the bill was prompted by ‘increasing threats.’ The only exception
are clergymen, court judges and students. The bill also suggests that
those students who will have this course for 3 consecutive years will
be expected from mandatory military service. Failure to turn in will
be considered as desertion.
Georgia’s defense ministry has set up three special camps to train
reservists. The bill is expected to go through in several days.
ARMENIA HARVESTS 483,000 TONS OF POTATO
Armenpress
Dec 05 2006
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: Potato growers in Armenia have
harvested 483,000 tons of potato, 6 percent down from what they
gathered last year, agricultural ministry said.
Arsen Avakian, a senior official of the ministry, said the bulk of the
potato crop , almost 54 percent-was gathered in Gegharkunik province,
followed by Armavir where 44,000 tons of potato were harvested and
Lori with 38,000 tons.
Growth of 13 percent was reported in Gegharkunik, 41 percent in Kotayk
and 10 percent in Ararat, whereas in all other provinces the amount
of harvest fell down.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
THOUSANDS IN GYUMRI STILL LIVE IN DOMIKS
Armenpress
Dec 05 2006
GYUMRI, DECEMBER 5, ARMENPRESS: The municipality of the northwestern
town of Gyumri in Shirak province has registered over 1,000 people
eligible to a 10,000 Dram assistance of the city hall to survive
harsh winter months this region is famous for.
In the past the authorities provided these families, which still
live in so-called domiks, temporary dwellings, 18 years after the
destructive earthquake of December 7, 1988, with wood.
However, only part of such families can hope for 10,000 drams,
precisely, families with three and more children and those made up
of old-age pensioners, lonely senior citizens and disabled. The city
hall has been providing this assistance for six consecutive years.
OSKANIAN AND MAMEDIAROV DIDN’T MEET
By Nana Petrosian
AZG Armenian Daily #233
06/12/2006
Yesterday, RA Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian didn’t meet with Elmar
Mamediarov, Azeri Foreign Minister, within the framework of the
annual sitting of the OSCE Ministerial Council. At the same time,
Mamediarov stated about his meeting with his Armenian counterpart
in Brussels. RFE/RL informed that yesterday, it was envisaged that
Vartan Oskanian will meet with the OSCE Minks Group Co-Chairs, while
no separate meeting with Mamediarov was envisaged.
The settlement of "frozen conflicts," as well as the issues directed to
increase of the effectiveness of the OSCE activities were included in
the agenda of the annual sitting of the OSCE Ministerial Council. Karel
de Gucht, the OSCE Chairman in Office, Foreign Minister of Belgium,
stated in his opening speech:" I call for all of you to get advantage
of opportunity that the OSCE Ministerial Council created and contribute
to the settlement of the frozen conflicts."
Holding his speech in the sitting, RA Foreign Minister touched upon the
Nagorno Karabakh issue. "The recent meeting between the Armenian and
the Azeri Presidents let us hope that the agreement may be achieved
even around the principles that the sides still have contradictions
about. We know that the long lasting settlement may be secured only
through preserving the safety and the status of the Nagorno Karabakh
people.
By discussing the principles, the negotiating sides tried to secure the
right of Nagorno Karabakh people for self-determination, annihilating
the war aftermaths at the same time," he said.
Afterwards, Vartan Oskanian touched upon the determination of the
Nagorno Karabakh people for applying democratization principles. In
particular, he stated that in few days a constitutional referendum will
be held in Nagorno Karabakh. He added that that would be a bog mistake
for the international community to ignore the democratic aspiration.
GUAM OPPOSE TO NK’S CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
06/12/2006
The Brussels sitting of GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova)
Foreign Ministers’ Council ended by a statement in which along
with other issues GUAM touched upon constitutional referendum in
Karabakh labeling it as "violation of the Azerbaijani constitution,
international laws and principles".
Moreover, GUAM Foreign Ministers voiced concern about the
constitutional referendum violating the present peace process.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress