RF STATE DUMA: SOUTH OSSETIAN REFERENDUM MET INTERNATIONAL NORMS

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 15:57 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Russian State Duma adopted a statement on the
referendum and presidential election in South Ossetia. The document
says that the referendum on independence and presidential election
of the non-recognized republic were held in correspondence with the
republic’s electoral legislation and universally recognized democratic
principles and norms.

According to the republic Central Electoral Committee, over 95% of
voters took part in the referendum and presidential election. 99.88%
voted for South Ossetia’s independence. Incumbent President Eduard
Kokoyty was backed by 96.1% of voters.

The RF State Duma considers that the outcomes of the referendum in
South Ossetia ‘reflect the genuine expectations of the population and
should be taken into account by the international community for the
sake of human rights protection, peace and security in the region
as well as fair settlement of the Georgian-Ossetian conflict via
peaceful talks.’

The State Duma supposes that Russia should build its policy taking
into consideration the free will of the South Ossetian people as
well as in accordance with the international and legal norms and the
Russian legislation, reports RIA Novosti.

EU-TURKEY TALKS MAY BE POSTPONED FOR AT LEAST A YEAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 16:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ German Chancellor Angela Merkel offers to toughen
conditions for Turkey’s EU bid. She refrained from presenting ultimatum
to Turkey but adheres to a tough line on the state. The European Union
urges Turkey to recognize the Greek Republic of Cyprus and tries to
find instuments of influence on Ankara.

The proposal, which had been mooted at the recent NATO summit in
Riga, was discussed by Merkel and Chirac when they met in Mettlach in
western Germany on Tuesday. Merkel and Chirac met for their customary
bi-monthly informal talks, which were followed by a three-way summit
with Polish President Lech Kaczynski.

EU foreign ministers are expected to agree on the freeze when they
meet in Brussels on Dec. 11. The measure will see that eight of the
35 policy chapters, which all candidate nations must complete, remain
closed. A deadline for resuming full talks does not form part of the
proposal so far but officials have told the press that both France
and Germany believe it is necessary to maintain pressure on Ankara.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ATTORNEYS MAY GO TO INTERNATIONAL COURT

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 7 2006

The City Hall of Glendale decided to support Arman Babajanyan, the
editor-in-chief of the Zhamanak Yerevan newspaper, who got a 4-year
sentence on a charge of forging documents and avoiding military
service. Arman Babajanyan’s case is heard at the Court of Cassation.

The City Hall of Glendale is going to send its decision to the Court of
Cassation. The attorneys of Arman Babajanyan informed news reporters
about this on December 7. They said it is possible that in case the
Court of Cassation does not satisfy their claim they will appeal to
international organizations besides the Court of Appeal.

Attorney Haik Alumyan said it is possible. He said he is not satisfied
with the process, as it is not complaint with the law. Haik Alumyan
mentioned that the court has turned down several solicitations without
any reason. For instance, the chief justice of the Court of Cassation
refused to provide the verdicts on other persons imprisoned on the same
charges to the attorneys of Arman Babajanyan to use as a precedent
during the hearing of the case at the Court of Cassation. The chief
justice of the Court of Cassation asked them to turn to the first
instance court, and the first instance court refused to provide for
"unclear reasons".

ANN DERSE: US AGAINST 907TH AMENDMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 16:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The United States of America is against the
existence of the 907 amendment to the Liberty Support Act," said US
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Ann Derse to a press conference in Baku. In
her opinion US position on the 907th amendment of Liberty Support Act
has not changed and official Washington is against the existence of
such amendment, reports Trend news agency.

It is worth reminding that the 907th amendment to Liberty Supporting
Act was adopted by the US Congress in 1992 in response to Azerbaijan’s
blockade of Armenia over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. It supposes
only humanitarian aid to Azerbaijan.

LAST ECHELON WITH RUSSIAN ARMAMENT LEFT GEORGIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 16:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The last railway echelon in 2006, which carries
equipment and property of 12th Russian base in Batumi was sent from
Georgia to Russia. This is already the 7th echelon of Russian armament,
equipment and property leaving Batumi. The previous 5 echelons were
sent to Russian military base in Gyumri, Armenia. The 6th echelon was
sent to Russia. The process of armament withdrawal will resume in 2007.

The Sochi agreement supposes that the withdrawal processes of Russian
62nd military base in Akhalkalaki will be completed till the end of
2006. Fully the base will be closed on December 31, 2007. The Group of
Russian Armed Forces in South Caucasus reports that over 700 military
equipment and armament will be taken out from Akhalkalaki military
base. The 12th base in Batumi will be closed during 2008, reports
the Group of Russian Armed Forces in South Caucasus to Regions.ru.

TRANSDNISTRIA AND NAGORNO KARABAKH HAVE MUCH IN COMMON

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 17:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Transdnistria and Nagorno Karabakh have much in
common. These are two self-sufficient states with all inseparable
attributes, Yuri Hayrapetian, the chairman of the committee on state
and legal issues at the NKR National Assembly, told a news conference
in Tiraspol. Yuri Hayrapetian and NKR government representative Garry
Jahangirian arrived in Transdnistria to observe the presidential
election due on December 10.

The NKR delegates are going to attend the polling stations and meet
with the Armenian community of Transdnistria. "Both Transdnistria and
Nagorno Karabakh are not perceived by the international community as
full structures of international law.

Both states formed and asserted their independence and survived
bloody wars. Both are in blockade and experience economic and
political hardships," Hayrapetian said. At that he remarked that
unlike Transdnistria Nagorno Karabakh has a supporter – the Republic
of Armenia, which defends its interests at international level and
renders financial assistance having a common border with NKR.

"The other difference is complete absence of any interaction between
Karabakh and Azerbaijan, the borders with which make the front line
and actually we are still in state of war. Meanwhile Transdnistria
and Moldova maintained some kind of dialogue. Nagorno Karabakh has
repeatedly stated its readiness to hold talks, however the Azeri
authorities are not aspired to dialogue but threaten with war. The
negotiations proceed limply and we decided not to turn back to these
activities and build our state in accordance with our interests,"
Yuri Hayrapetian said, reports New Region.

ARMENIA LEFT WITHOUT HYMN FOR SOME DAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 17:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’s National Assembly will hold a special
session within the next few days aiming at adopting the bill
"On Hymn" in final reading, Prime-Minister Andranik Markaryan
said. "Unfortunately we did not have time to adopt the law in second
and third readings, it is very unpleasant. In fact within the next
few days from legal point of view Armenia will not have a hymn,"
the Prime Minister remarked.

Touching on the causes of such situation Markaryan noted, that by his
estimations for final adoption of the law just there was not enough
time in Parliament.

"We should take into consideration the fact that this very law
regulates an issue that we cannot discuss in quick procedure," said
the Prime Minister, reports IA Regnum.

NATO SEC. GEN. ASSESSED HIGHLY ARMENIA’S CONTRIBUTION TO ALLIANCE’S PEACEKEEPING

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 18:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met
with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, reports the RA MFA
press office. The parties discussed the process of implementation of
the Individual Partnership Action (IPAP) launched in January 2006. They
also gave a positive estimation to the sitting of the Council of
the North-Atlantic Alliance held in 26+1 format in June. Minister
Oskanian informed that the IPAP Armenian committee responsible for
the implementation of the plan held 8 sittings dedicated to the
various issues.

Expressing NATO’s readiness to deepen cooperation with Armenia Jaap
de Hoop Scheffer strssed the importance of strengthening democratic
processes in Armenia, pointing out to NATO’s assistance in reformation
of the defense system of the republic and assessed highly Armenia’s
contribution to NATO peacekeeping activities.

The interlocutors marked out the role of the Yerevan-based NATO
Information Center informing the public with the Armenia-NATO
cooperation. Minister Oskanian gave a high estimate to the elaboration
of the Strategy of National Security formed with the assistance
of the Alliance of International Consulting Group. For his part,
the NATO Sec. Gen. briefed on the outcomes of the Riga Summit. The
parties also referred to the Armenia-Turkey relations and the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict settlement.

GEORGIA, UKRAINE AND MOLDOVA MEDDLING INTO ISSUE THAT DOESN’T CONCERN THEM

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.12.2006 19:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia, Ukraine and Moldova are playing into the
hands of Azerbaijan by meddling into an issue which does not concern
them, said RA FM Vartan Oskanian when commenting on GUAM’s statement
about referendum in Nagorno Karabakh. In his words, the statement
does not have anything with reality.

"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 negotiation process, reports
the RA MFA press office.

TURKEY’S INTEGRATION INTO EU IS SUSPENDED AT LEAST FOR 20 YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.12.2006 GMT+04:00

According to the Hudson University expert Zeyno Baran the probability
of military upheaval in Turkey in 2007 is estimated 50/50.

European Politicians have started to speak of Turkey as of a
country having small possibilities for integrating into EU more
frequently. Nicola Sarkozy, a possible candidate for the French
presidency, announced that "Turkey has no place in EU"; these words
caused recurrent indignations in the country.

"The latest events caused troubles in Turkey’s relationship with the
European Union.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Pope’s visit together with the European
Commission’s decision on suspending the negotiations about
the country’s integration into EU, in fact, breaks off Turkey’s
relationship with the West. The Pope’s visit emphasized the great gap
between the Islamic religion and culture and the Christian Europe,"
writes John Hopkins University professor Steven Sabo.

Leaders of a number of European Countries, including Germany, France,
and Greece consider it a paradox that Turkey, which is ambitious
to become fully integrated into Europe, denies recognition of the
EU Member Cyprus, and applies economic sanctions against it. EU
Council’s session on foreign affairs and common issues is going to
be held on December 11. The President of the European Commission Jose
Manuel Barroso hopes that the European countries will have developed
a common view point by that time and says that Turkey’s integration
into EU is suspended at least for 20 years.

Turkey’s integration into EU has become the number one question on
the agenda of the US Foreign Policy. Will US, regardless everything,
impose its will on EU regarding Turkey’s Euro integration, or will
EU fight the pressure and make it on its own way, which in fact, was
obvious already last year, when the negotiations on full membership of
Turkey in European Union had only started. Such turnings in the doings
gave birth to some problems; after the defeat of the Republicans,
it is senseless to speak about the US policy in Europe. America has
already got stuck in Iraq and Afghanistan. But there is also the
problem with North Kurdistan, which, mildly speaking causes troubles
in the Turkish-Iraqi relationships. Besides, it should be remembered
that Turkey, finding itself on the roadside to Europe, may suddenly
recall its belonging to Islam, and then the world will have a rather
powerful country ruling over the army headquarters, and which can very
soon become uncontrollable and even unpredictable. Both Brussels and
Washington is well aware of this fact, that’s why they are trying
to avoid such a scenario. Moreover, according to Hudson University
expert Zeyno Baran, the probability of military upheaval in Turkey
in 2007 is estimated 50/50. That is why, she advises to recognize
Turkey’s integration into EU, to avoid "unpleasant" outcomes.

George Bush’s true ally Prime Minister of Great Britain Tony Blair
called Turkey and EU "to compromise over the issue of Turkey’s
integration into Europe".

According to Turkish mass media the British Prime Minister fears
Turkey’s close relations with Islamic radical countries (because of
Ankara’s confrontation with EU), which will have its negative impact
on the Caspian power stuff supply. "We must take measures to help to
carry on the process of Turkey’s integration into EU. It will demand
compromises from all the sides involved in it. To deny Turkey, I
believe, would be a serious mistake for Europe in respect to long-term
prospective", quotes British Mass Media. EU demands from Turkey to
satisfy the requirements of the additional protocol of Customs Union
and open its sea and airport to Cyprus. The Turkish authorities in
their turn demand to remove the trade and economic embargo from the
northern part of the island, where the self- declared "Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus" is formed, which is recognized in the whole world
community by Ankara only. Other requirements are the negotiations with
Armenia over the matter of the Armenian Genocide, reestablishment of
the railway communication with Armenia and negotiations with Greek
refugees from the Northern Cyprus (occupied by Turkey in 1974),
and provision of equal rights of Kurds.

As for the words of the Pope Benedict XVI, according to which he
"supports the country’s urge towards integration into European Union",
then it must be mentioned that this statement doesn’t adjust with
his previous statements, when he was still Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger
of Germany. At the time he announced, "The fact that Turkey is an
Islamic country means that this country can never belong to the
European Union".

"PanARMENIAN.Net" analytical department