ACTIVE OPERATION OF TRANSPORT CORRIDORS ONE OF PRIORITIES OF ARMENIAN-BELORUSSIAN
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 23 2006
YEREVAN, October 23. /ARKA/. Active operation of transport corridors
is one of the priorities of Armenian-Byelorussian foreign economic
and trade cooperation, Byelorussian Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky
stated at a news conference held jointly with his Armenian counterpart
Andranik Margaryan.
“We are closely examining the existent transport corridors from
Belarus to Armenia through Ukraine, Russia and Georgia, and we are
serious about the issues of transportation of Byelorussian goods to
Armenia and Armenian goods to Georgia,” Sidorsky said.
“We have attached and are attaching great importance to the
negotiations for active operation of transport corridors between our
countries. This is one of the priorities of Armenian Byelorussian
foreign-economy and trade cooperation,” he said.

ARMENIA, BELARUS HAS POTENTIAL TO INCREASE GOODS TURNOVER
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 23 2006
YEREVAN, October 23. /ARKA/. Armenia and Belarus have the potential
to increase goods turnover, Belarusian Prime Minister Sergey Sidorsky
reported at the joint press conference with his Armenian counterpart
Andranik Margaryan.
“The goods turnover between our countries in January-July 2006 reached
the level of 2005, and we have five reserve months to exceed this
level considerably,” Sidorsky said.
He pointed out that the goods turnover totaled $15mln in 2005, and
$14.9mln – over the seven months of 2006. The growth rates amounted
to 37% of exports, the growth of the Belarusian exports to Armenia –
28%, and the exports from Armenia to Belarus increased 2.2 times.
“This is a good indicator, though we are not satisfied with the volume
of the goods turnover. That is why we signed a specific protocol and
gave an assignment to business representatives to intensify the goods
turnover,” he reported.
The prime minister said that the overall goods turnover of Belarus
totals $30bln while the growth of the foreign trade turnover amounts
to 30%.
He said that taking these indicators into account, the volumes of
the goods turnover between Armenia and Belarus cannot be considered
satisfactory, and we “seek ways increase them”.
The Belarusian governmental delegation, led by Prime Minster Sergey
Sidorsky, arrived to Armenia on Sunday for a three-day official
visit. It is planned to hold meetings with the general authorities of
Armenia to examine the issues of humanitarian and regional cooperation,
and also to expand the trade and economic relations.

ARMENIAN NA SPEAKER MEETS WITH FRENCH AMBASSADOR
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 23 2006
YEREVAN, October 23. /ARKA/. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran
Torosyan held a meeting with the outgoing French Ambassador to Armenia
Henry Cuny.
During the meeting Ambassador Cuny thanked Speaker Torosyan for
efficient cooperation.
“Leaving Armenia, I do not to bid it adieu,” Cuny said. He added that
working in Slovakia he will continue contributing to the implementation
of education programs.
The French Ambassador called his 5-year diplomatic activities
interesting and important. During this period he has made many
friends. Ambassador Cuny pointed out the importance of developing
Francophony in Armenia, because it is based on European values.
Therefore, it makes the way on European integration shorter.
In his turn, Speaker Torosyan stressed that the Ambassador Cuny’s
diplomatic activities are marked by the irreversibility of Armenia’s
return to the European family.
Torosyan pointed out Cuny’s contribution to the dissemination of the
French language and culture in Armenia. “Henry Cuny is leaving good,
but complex, heritage for his successor. The new Ambassador will have
to maintain and develop the current achievements,” Torosyan said.

ARMENIAN CASSATION COURT, BELARUSIAN SUPREME COURT CHAIRMEN TO SIGN A COOPERATION MEMORANDUM IN YEREVAN
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 23 2006
YEREVAN, October 23. /ARKA/. Hovhannes Manukyan, the chairman of
Armenian Cassation Court and Valentin Sukalo, the head of Belarusian
Supreme Court, are to sign a cooperation memorandum Tuesday in Yerevan,
the Cassation Court’s press office reports.
The memorandum will be signed after the negotiations, in which the
chairmen of Cassation Court’s two chambers – on civil and criminal
cases – will take part.
Besides, Manukyan and Sukalo will be present at the negotiations
between Armenian Economic Court Chairman Eduard Muradyan and Belarusian
Supreme Economic Court Chairman Bictor Kamenkov.
Another cooperation memorandum will be signed between the two
countries’ economic courts.

U.S. INTERESTED IN TENSION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS, RUSSIAN PARLIAMENTARIAN SAYS
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2006 15:38 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. is artificially tensing the situation in
the South Caucasus, said President of the International League of
Human Dignity and Security Protection, Russian State Duma member,
General Valentin Varennikov. “The U.S. Administration is directly
interested in creation of tension in the South Caucasus,” he said. In
the General’s words, the U.S. wishes escalation of ‘frozen’ conflicts
in an aspiration to perform ‘peacekeeping’ mission in any part of
the world. “We have many times witnessed peacekeeping optimism,
for example in Kosovo,” he remarked. According to the deputy, the
U.S. decided to cut Russia from the outer world as it once happened
after the decline of the Soviet Union. “The Russian President cannot
openly say this but I do,” Varennikov underscored.
When touching upon tension in the Russian-Georgian relations Valentin
Varennikov stated that Russia will not allow settlement of ‘frozen’
conflicts on the Georgian territory by force. “Mikhail Saakashvili’s
statements are targeted at artificial tension in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia for launching war against these unrecognized republics,”
he said. In his words, the matter does not concern the opposition
of the Russian and Georgian peoples who lived in peace and consent
for centuries. The issue is conditioned by wishes and ambitions of
the Georgian President and his western patrons. “We should by all
means prevent escalation of the conflict between Georgia and two
unrecognized republics,” Varennikov resumed, reports newsarmenia.ru.

EUROPE WILL NOT SWALLOW ISLAMIC STATE WITH 80-MILLION POPULATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2006 17:22 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Politically Turkey’s reaction to the adoption of
the French bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide denial is adequate,
Political scientist, rector of the Caucasus Media Institute Alexander
Iskandaryan said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.
In his opinion, French parliamentarians were guided by public opinion,
which is not pro-Armenian but anti-Turkish. “The point is that France
is against Turkey’s accession to the EU, against enlargement, against
the European Constitution and it’s not alone in the opinion. Europe
will not be able to swallow an Islamic state with 80-million
population. Turkey has weak trumps in this game. Experiencing big
problems with Article 301 of the Penal Code it speaks of freedom of
speech. I think that a chain reaction may take place and some other
European states may pass a similar law. But I would like to repeat,
the point is not Armenians but Turks,” the Armenian political scientist
underscored.

POLITICAL SCIENTIST: THERE WILL BE NO WAR BETWEEN RUSSIA AND GEORGIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2006 17:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A ‘spy war’ is over by the Russian-Georgian
problems remained, said political scientist, rector of the
Caucasus Media Institute Alexander Iskandaryan in an interview with
PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, permanent crisis between the two states
tends to increase. “Russia has no methods of influence of the Georgian
side any more.
What other economic sanctions can be applied? Russia can block the gas
delivery. But gas in Georgia is mostly consumed by Russian companies
engaged in electricity processing. Russia can close some secondary
ports in the Black Sea. And nothing else will remain. Anyway, there
will be no war,” the CMI Director said.
He also underscored that Georgian wine and mineral water is already
being supplied to the Russian market with other labels via third
states. “The same is happening with transfers. Suppose that a Georgian
gastarbeiter will lose some 0.5% transferring money from Russia but he
will transfer this money by any means even via Australia. Sanctions
like the Russian ones do not work in the modern world. There is no
Moscow-Tbilisi train but there are Moscow-Baku and Baku-Tbilisi
routes. Thus, Russia seems to have beaten itself,” the Armenian
political scientist said.

EXPECTING FINAL DECISION OF KARABAKH IN COMING TWO YEARS SENSELESS
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2006 17:36 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Formally the Minsk process was not stopped. The
OSCE MG is a format created for contribution to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement. But since 2001 it has been frozen, political
scientist, rector of the Caucasus Media Institute Alexander
Iskandaryan said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net. In his
words, recently attempts to activate the work of the OSCE Minsk
Group can be observed. “The latest visit of the Co-chairs is a
proof. However I do not think that quick resolution of the conflict
is possible. Unfortunately the positions of the sides are rather far
away from each other.
Thus, it’s senseless to expect a final resolution during the coming
year or two,” he said
At that the political scientist said that energy essential for
activation of the Minsk process is being accumulated and this can lead
to deepening of useful contacts between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Thus,
a dialogue between the sides was resumed. However it does not mean
a quick resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Anyway, talks
are better than their complete absence,” Iskandaryan underscored.

FILM TITLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO BE SCREENED IN BRUSSELS DECEMBER 13
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2006 17:48 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A film titled The Armenian Genocide shot by French
film director Loren Jurdin will be screened in Brussels December 13 by
initiative of the Institute of audio-visual memory of the Jews and the
Institute of Sefarada, the RA MFA press office told PanARMENIAN.Net. A
debate with participation of public and political figures will be
held after the screening.

HENRY CUNY: LEAVING ARMENIA I DON’T BID FAREWELL TO IT
PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2006 18:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian National Assembly Speaker met
with French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny, who is completing
his diplomatic mission, reported the RA NA press office. The French
Ambassador said his departure doesn’t mean that he says goodbye to
the country. When covering his 5-year mission in Armenia the French
diplomat remarked that these years were interesting and full of
important work. As for the upcoming parliamentary election in 2007,
Amb. Cuny said, it will be an examination for Armenia on the way
towards democracy and it’s very important to pass this examination.
For his part Tigran Torosian remarked that Henry Cuny leaves good but
complex heritage for his successor, since the new Ambassador should
maintain the achievements and continue the activities. The parties
also referred to the French bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide
denial. Quoting French President Jacques Chirac, who once said “They
have missed the best opportunity to keep silent” on quite another
matter, Tigran Torosian characterized the conduct of the organizations,
which condemned the decision by the French parliament. In his words,
the reaction of Turkey and Azerbaijan lacks any logic and rationality.
The RA NA Speaker remarked that the bill doesn’t purpose the objective
to take somebody to prison but calls not to raise moral problems to
a political wrangle. “Those who try to give a lesson of democracy to
France looks somehow ridiculous,” he said.
Henry Cuny was appointed French Ambassador to Slovakia.