DASHNAKTSUTYUN IS DISSATISFIED WITH COUNCIL OF SECURITY

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 30 2006

The Council of Security of Armenia has never worked effectively,
stated Armen Rustamyan, representative of the Supreme Body of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun on November 30 at the Friday Club. He is hopeful that
the strategy of national security being worked out will be helpful to
the Council. "According to one of the amendments to the Constitution,
the president must set up a Council of Security," says Armen Rustamyan,
adding that the new president will form this council, but the strategy
of national security will be helpful for the efficiency of the council
of security because without a strategy any council will appear in
a difficult situation. The Strategy will revive the council, Armen
Rustamyan said.
From: Baghdasarian

HOW DASHNAKTSUTYUN WILL BECOME OPPOSITION

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 30 2006

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun voiced another
threat through Armen Rustamyan, member of the ARF Supreme Body, that
it will become opposition. This happened on November 30 at the Friday
Club when the reporters asked if the ARF disagrees with the policy of
official Yerevan on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Armen
Rustamyan said Dashnaktsutyun views the problem in a package, and
since the package is not complete, he cannot state whether he agrees
or disagrees with the policy of the government.

"We are constantly withdrawing details from the package, losing the
essence and the logic of settlement of the issue. The components of
the package are interrelated and indivisible. In order to be able to
state if this question was given a pro-Armenian or a fair solution,
you need to see the entire package. We haven’t seen the package, this
is the problem. This package will be there, it will be published,
and everyone will start going into detail and assessing if in total
it is acceptable or not," stated Armen Rustamyan.

He disagrees that the present government stated on taking up power in
1998 that it will not return a patch of land. Armen Rustamyan said
no such statement was made. There were three principles: Nagorno
Karabakh cannot be an enclave, it must have a legal status equal to
that of Azerbaijan and guarantees of security. The representative
of the Supreme Body of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun says there have been
no controversies between the policy of this government and the
approaches of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun. If controversies occur after
the situation becomes fully clear, Dashnaktsutyun knows what its next
step is going to be. "What will we be doing? What were we doing when
Levon Ter-Petrosyan was president? We will become opposition, because
we wanted to change the trajectory. We are saying that in 1998 the
trajectory changed, the national trajectory changed. This change of
trajectory is clear, it must be aimed at clear aims, the vector should
be visible," Armen Rustamyan said. If there is a difference of line,
Dashnaktsutyun cannot be inside or beside the government that follows
this trajectory.

PEOPLE WILL RISE AND SAY NO

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 30 2006

The implementation of the right for self-determination should be
absolute and maximum regarding the Karabakh issue. Karabakh has
the right to use this right at the highest level, stated Armen
Rustamyan, representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Body
November 30 at the Friday Club, thus formulating the stance of the ARF
Dashnaktsutyun. "Our goal should be the full implementation of this
right, which supposes two addressees – the international community
and Azerbaijan," Armen Rustamyan says. If agreement is reached with
Azerbaijan based on this principle, it will be the utmost and the
ideal, Armen Rustamyan thinks. If not, efforts should be made for the
recognition of the right for self-determination by the international
community.

What does the ARF Dashnaktsutyun think about the statements of official
Yerevan on returning the territories, even though it stresses the
condition of settling the question of status? Armen Rustamyan declined
to give a clear answer. "The territories are de facto guarantees for
the central function of sustaining military security performed by
the territories around NKR. We must choose a starting point not to
weaken the guarantees of security existing today. Today, in fact, we
have a certain state of guarantees. These guarantees are not definite
because if these were definite, it would not occur to Azerbaijan to
frighten us with militaristic statements.

These guarantees are not sufficient, but at least we should not take
steps to lose what we have today," says Armen Rustamyan, adding that de
factor security should be reinforced by guarantees of de jure security,
based on the law of nations.

However, Karabakh’s participation is essential to achieving something,
Armen Rustamyan believes. Armen Rustamyan thinks it is nonsense
that Karabakh is a conflict side but not a negotiating party. To the
question if the governments of Armenia and Karabakh make sufficient
efforts for the engagement of Karabakh in the talks, Armen Rustamyan
gives a reassuring but indirect answer. "Recently this question
has been discussed intensively, and I have to say that I can see
breakthrough regarding this problem, a process is underway to make
Karabakh a full-right party of the talks.

These problems are offered to Azerbaijan every time, these problems
are raised at international rostrums, and get an adequate perception
because this absurdity is clear to everyone – to be a conflict side
but not to be a party in the talks," says the representative of the
Supreme Body of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun. According to him, there are
questions only Karabakh should speak about, namely the status, the
territories, and the return of refugees. Armenia has no credentials
on these questions, Armen Rustamyan thinks. In this case is the
president of Armenia trespassing on the credientials of Karabakh when,
for instance, he states on Al Jazeera about returning territories,
what should be given and what should not be given? It becomes clear
from the answer to this question that Robert Kocharyan’s statement is
diplomacy. "The president of Armenia, the other officials can make
different statements depending on the situation, the nature of the
talks, the diplomatic necessity. These should not be confused, after
all the final settlement must be what it must be. These may differ
so there is no need to go ahead of time," says the representative
of the Supreme Body of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun. He states that the
settlement is the question which cannot be solved without the agreement
of the people of Karabakh, and the agreement should be expressed by
popular voting.

The news reporters reminded Armen Rustamyan that the referendums in
Armenia are never popular, although the turnout is the highest ever.

His answer resembled a confession. "This is not the case when a
referendum can be held by a scenario written beforehand. If people say
no, but they turn it into yes, people will rise saying no," stated
the representative of the Supreme Body. And if they beat again like
they usually beat demonstrators, the news reporters reminded Armen
Rustamyan. "We have been beaten since 1988 for this question, it’s
not news," he answered.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KARABAKH NEEDS STRONG GOVERNMENT IN ARMENIA

Lragir, Armenia
Nov 30 2006

"The political situation in Armenia is highly complicated. The reason
is the collapse of the coalition, as well as the possibilities of
the Bargavach Hayastan Party and the calls of the opposition for
unification. For us, fair elections are important of all. Karabakh
needs a strong government in Armenia, and a strong government is the
one which is supported by the majority of people before and after the
election," said Gagik Petrosyan, a member of the Azat Hayrenik Party
of NKR. "Armenia is really in the mode of parliamentary election, but
this does not mean that extraordinary developments are expected. I
think the opposition is confused, and the government’s actions are
clear and determined. I think there will be no essential change in
the political life of Armenia after the parliamentary election. My
impression is that maybe a more liberal, perhaps a clearly pro-west
force will enter the parliament, but it will be opposition.

As to the possible shake-up in the political life of Armenia and the
hint at the prospect of settlement of the Karabakh conflict, I think
it is time that the Armenian public shake off the prejudiced complex
about the role of an individual or a political force in establishing
dignified peace," says Vahram Atanesyan, the leader of the Democratic
faction.

IRAN WILL MOST PROBABLY ASSIST STABILIZATION OF SITUATION IN IRAQ
By Petros Keshishian

AZG Armenian Daily
30/11/2006

Kofi Anan: Almost a civil war goes on in Iraq

President of Iraq Jalal Talabani arrived in Teheran on an official
visit by the invitation of President of Iran Mahmud Ahmadinejad. The
meeting was to take place two days ago, but was cancelled because of
curfew in Baghdad.

Ahmadinejad asserted that Iran is ready to do everything possible to
help Iraq. He said that progress and prosperity in Iraq will benefit
all the countries of the region. The Iranian President added that
the enemies of Iraq have bought the country to a perplexing state.

On Monday UN Secretary General Kofi Annan declared that immediate
measures must be taken in order to prevent civil war in Iraq. "In
fact it has almost started," he said.

THERE CAN BE NO PEACE WITHOUT INCLUDING ISSUE OF ARMENIAN REFUGEES IN TALKS
By Ruzan Poghosian

AZG Armenian Daily #229
30/11/2006

On November 28, the Refugees and International Right Civil Society
Net made a statement reminding the participants of the negotiation
process of the Karabakh regulation that it’s impossible to reach
steady and prolonged peace without including on the agenda the issue
of the Armenians forced out from Soviet Azerbaijan and Nakhijevan.

" It must be clear to everybody that Armenian refugees will not
return to any territory lying under Azerbaijan’s control as it is
not safe and Armeniaphobia deepens in Azerbaijan. We declare that
Armenian refugees have right to resettle in former Aghdam and Fizuli,
Kashatakh and Karvachar and in whole territory called safe zone. The
Armenian authorities must support the Armenian refugees’ rights as
it is their duty," the statement reads.

Till the end of November the Civil Society Net will present to the NKR
National Assembly the revised version of NKR law on citizenship. Thanks
to this regulation, the whole Armenian population of Soviet Azerbaijani
will have an opportunity to become full citizen of NKR.

CONSTRUCTION OF ARMENIA-IRAN RAILROAD CONSIDERED
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
30/11/2006

The Agriculture Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Mohammad Reza
Esqandar and the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Andranik
Margarian on a today meeting in Yerevan considered the cooperation
of the two states in the sphere of agriculture and the progress in
the economical relations.

The Governmental Department for Information and Communication with the
Society reports that the officials emphasized the cooperation between
Armenia and Iran in the field of power engineering. They considered the
issues of construction of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, exploitation
of the second high-voltage electricity line and construction of an
Iranian-Armenian Hydro Power Plant on the river Arax.

The Armenian Prime Minister and the Agriculture Minister of Iran
also discussed a number of transportation communications project, of
which they emphasized the construction of a new alternative road from
Armenia to Iran, which would make North-South cargo transportations
through Armenia more attractive.

The project of constructing an Iran-Armenia railway was also
considered.

PM LEAVES FOR MOSCOW TO CLOSE YEAR OF ARMENIA IN RUSSIA
By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily
30/11/2006

Armenian delegation headed by PM Andranik Margarian is leaving
for Moscow today to close the Year of Armenia in Russia. They will
meet Russian PM Mikhail Fradkov then they will visit the All-Russia
Exhibition Center.

On Dec. 2, the Armenian delegation will participate in the opening of
"Armenian History" exhibition in Hermitage in St. Petersburg. The
official closing ceremony of the Year of Armenia will follow at
Ekaterina’s Palace.

‘ART OF ISFAHAN’ EXHIBITION LAUNCHES IN YEREVAN
By Melania Badalian

AZG Armenian Daily
30/11/2006

The cooperation of Armenia and Iran in the cultural sphere testifies
to friendly relations between two ancient religions – Christianity
and Islam, Advisor for Cultural Affairs of the Iranian Embassy in
Armenia Reza Atufi stated at the opening ceremony of the "Art of
Isfahan" exhibition in the Yerevan State Museum of Folk Art. R. Atufi
emphasized that that any piece of art which has reached us from the
ancient times can tell us about a nation’s feelings, thoughts and
ambitions, its past history. He was happy to note that thanks to this
exhibition, Armenians will be able to gain better knowledge of works
by Iranian world-famous masters.

It’s worth mentioning that on January 1, 2006, Isfahan was recognized
the cultural capital of the Islamic world in compliance with the
decree of culture ministers of 57 Islamic countries and members of
the Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization.

"WE SPEAK ABOUT EACH OTHER, BUT NOT WITH EACH OTHER"

A1+
[03:57 pm] 29 November, 2006

"Do you know where you are going? Are you sure where you are
going? Have you thought it over well enough?"

– these were the questions the confused Georgian frontier guard asked
the Azeri journalists who were coming to Armenia. The journalists
themselves told about it today in Armenia who explained half-jokingly
what results the mutual visits can have.

The representatives of Azerbaijan and Turkey have been in Armenia
since November 27. The visit has been organized by civic movement
"Alternative Start" according to which it is the fourth power that
forms the society, thus it is necessary to organize a dialogue between
Armenia, Turkey and Azerbaijan on the level of the journalists.

Representative of the Embassy of Great Britain who supported the
organization of the visit, mentioned that today the following principle
is applied, "We speak about each other, but not with each other"
which is supposed to change the philosophy of the meetings.

The guests are to meet students and journalists.

The Azeri journalists agreed that until now suchlike meetings
and visits have been organized in Armenia only. "Before 2001-2002
Armenians used to visit Baku where meetings were organized. During
the last meeting over 30 Armenians came. I don’t know what happened,
but after Heidar Aliev there were changes for the worse", mentioned
writer Alekper Aliev. He also added that "the image of an enemy has
not yet been eliminated".

Correspondent of newspaper "Anatolia" and radio TRT Nursul Erel
represented a report about the situation of the press and answered
the questions of the journalists.

First she tried to prove via a historical flashback that press has a
long history in Turkey, and then by the example of the covering of the
Armenian Genocide she tried to prove that there are no restrictions
on freedom of speech in the Turkish press.

The representative of Turkey has her own opinion on that historical
fact. "I personally think that there has been such a tragedy, but it
should not become a mania". According to Mrs. Erel, she was glad to
hear about the letter of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to the RA
Prime Minister asking to create a joint committee of historians in
order to investigate the documentation concerning the Genocide. "Don’t
you think it would be nice for historians to investigate the issue?",
the representative of Turkey asked the Armenian journalists with a
naivete not peculiar to journalists.

She also mentioned that she visited Armenia in 2001 and paid a visit
to the Museum of Armenian Genocide, and if there were a chance,
she would like to go there again.