ARMENIAN FM: ARMENIA READY TO COOPERATE WITH ALL COUNTRIES IN REGION
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 16:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ When the European community speaks of regional
cooperation, it means open borders between countries of the region,
Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated at a news conference in Yerevan. In
his words, there are problems, however these can be solved by
cooperation in economy and security. “Armenia has no problems with
Georgia and Iran. If Turkey opens the border, I do not see problems
either. We are ready to cooperation, however Azerbaijan is not
and does not want normalization of the situation in the region,”
Oskanian remarked.
In his turn Erkki Tuomioja, the Foreign Minister of Finland hopes that
the coming visit of the co-chairs of the OSCE MG over settlement of
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict may move the process from the stalemate.
“There is an opportunity for the OSCE MG to open “window of hope,”
Erkki Tuomioja said. As for Nagorno Karabakh being mentioned as
belonging to Azerbaijan in the Action Plan within the ENP, he said
NK is not mentioned in the document. “The parties to conflict should
solve these issues themselves,” he underscored.

EU READY TO ASSIST RUSSIA AND GEORGIA TO SOLVE CONFLICT
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 16:43 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU Troika delegation leaves Yerevan for Tbilisi
October 2 and will try to deal with the situation between Russia
and Georgia on the spot, Finnish FM Erkki Tuomioja stated at a news
conference in Yerevan. In his words, the parties should try to avoid
a new round of tension. “EU is ready to help Russia and Georgia to
solve the conflict, but it is not enough. They should be ready to it
themselves,” the Finnish FM said.
A statement approving the Action Plan within the ENP is planned in
Georgia. The EU started talks to implement the program simultaneously
with the South Caucasus states in 2005.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA NOT READY TO SPEAK OF FULL EU MEMBERSHIP YET
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 17:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia at present is not ready to speak of EU full
membership, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated at a news conference
in Yerevan. In his words, unless the EU decides how it will expand,
speaking of it makes no sense. “Our task is to maximally implement
the ENP,” he said.
In his turn Finnish FM Erkki Tuomioja underscored that each country
chooses its format of relations with various structures, e.g. the
EU and NATO. “Finland is not a NATO member and we are not going to
become such.
However, if, for example, Armenia wants it, it is its business,
no one will object,” he remarked.

AZERBAIJAN MAJOR GOAL TO ISOLATE ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 17:13 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Peaceful resolution of the Georgian-Russian
crisis is a major task of the Armenian foreign policy at present,
Armenian Deputy FM Arman Kirakosyan stated at South Caucasus 2006:
Trends of Development, Threats and Risks international conference
organized by Spectrum Center for Strategic Analysis. In his words,
Armenia has normal relations with both countries. Kirakosyan hoped
the crisis, which has a strong impact on the economy of the country,
will be solved soon. “We hope the EU will help to overcome it within
the ENP,” the Deputy FM said.
He also reminded that Azerbaijan’s major goal is to isolate Armenia
from the rest of the world. “GUAM pursues a short-sighted policy,
which will do not good. Armenia, to the contrary, cooperates with
countries of the region and international structures – this is the
complementary foreign policy’s actuality.
As for cooperation with the EU, not membership in that organization,
but democratic reforms are important for Armenia. Participation in
the ENP will help overcome conflicts and differences in the region,”
Kirakosyan underscored.

EU-ARMENIA ACTION PLAN TO MAKE POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC SYSTEM OF RA CLOSER TO EUROPE
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 17:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Once the EU-Armenia Action Plan within the ENP
is signed, we’ll be able to publicly present the entire document,
Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated after the singing of a joint
statement with the EU Troika on completion of consultations for
working out the Action Plan. “Let me just tell you that it says
clearly, at the outset, that through this Action Plan, Armenia is
invited to enter into intensified political, security, economic and
cultural relations with the EU, enhanced regional and cross border
co-operation and shared responsibility in conflict prevention and
conflict resolution,” he said.
In Oskanian’s words, the document, goes on to detail each of these
categories, and sets a 5-year time period during which each of these
actions will take place.
“The distinction of this document, as the joint statement clearly says,
is that it involves significant measures of economic integration
and political cooperation. It’s called an Action Plan and rightly
so. It is not just a document of intentions, but of concrete actions
to bring Armenia’s social, political, economic systems more in line
with Europe’s since the premise is that we do in fact live in the
same neighborhood and interact together. It opens new partnership
perspectives in very basic fields such as science, education, culture,
and of course in economic development,” Oskanian remarked. In his
words, these reforms are extremely important for Armenia. “We are
where we are today, exactly because we made the courageous economic
reforms on Day 1 of our independence. We knew then and we know even
better today that reforms are our only resource, they are what will
strengthen and empower our society. This document provides the
opportunity to move forward with reforms in a focused, strategic
way. It gives us a way and a means to do what we know we must do –
revamp our institutions, retool our society, rethink our methods and
assumptions. We are signing this on the 15th year of our independence,
it will be concluded on the 20th year of our independence, and we
will be able to mark a new turning point in Armenia’s future as a
more democratic, open and prosperous society,” the Minister noted.

NATO NOT COMPETING WITH RUSSIA IN SOUTH CAUCASUS
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 17:44 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The world is gradually becoming more open, however
new threats appear in the face of international terror. Current
relations between countries enable the NATO to successfully address
those challenges, US Temporary Charge d’Affaires in Armenia Anthony
Godfrey stated at South Caucasus 2006: Trends of Development, Threats
and Risks international conference organized by Spectrum Center for
Strategic Analysis. In his words, the NATO is a unique body, whose
members have conflict resolution skills. “Being NATO member is not
compulsory for participation in various programs, like PfP or IPAP,”
the diplomat underscored. “The NATO does not compete with Russia in
the South Caucasus, each of us has our own tasks,” he added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU CAN SERVE AS SETTLEMENT MODEL IN CONFLICT REGIONS
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 18:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ South Caucasus may be called a transitional
period region: conflicts and energy resources have caused dangerously
explosive situations, EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus
Peter Semneby stated at South Caucasus 2006: Trends of Development,
Threats and Risks international conference organized by Spectrum Center
for Strategic Analysis. In his words, the profit from energy resources
should be distributed with extreme caution, as large incomes cause
other problems. “There are problems, which are not solved, but put
limitations on coming financial programs of the ENP,” Semneby noted.
He also remarked that in 3 months after Bulgaria and Romania joint
the EU, the EU will become a Black Sea power. As for Turkey, the
EU Special Representative said that in this case Europe can play
a more evident and stabilizing role, as it enjoys the trust of all
countries of the South Caucasus. “The EU may serve as a settlement
model in conflict regions. We have choice of instruments for solving
conflicts,” Semneby said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

CONFLICTS LIKE KARABAKH CAN BE SOLVED BY TALKS EXCLUSIVELY
PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2006 18:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
EU Troika delegation, led by Finnish FM Erkki Tuomioja, reports the
Press Office of the Armenian leader. During the meeting the President
was content with the institutional contacts between Armenia and EU
starting in 1999, when Finland was presiding it as now. Noting the
importance of successful completion of the Armenia-EU Action Plan
within the ENP, the President said Armenia is prepared for serious
work and considers the EU Action Plan as a new opportunity to implement
purposeful and coordinated reforms. In his turn, Erkki Tuomioja stated
that EU highlights progress in the Caucasus, especially the need for
free and fair elections. The parties also discussed developments in
the Karabakh settlement. Kocharian noted that conflicts like the
Karabakh one can be solved by talks, discussions exclusively and
never by resolutions and votes. The parties also exchanged views on
the Armenian-Turkish relations.

HRANT KHACHATRYAN’S ROOM BECAME MUSEUM
A1+
[05:26 pm] 02 October, 2006
Although former President of the Constitutional Right Union Hrant
Khachatryan resigned from his post last week and announced that he
leaves the politics field for good, the tension inside the party
wasn’t reduced.
Moreover: the adherents of Hrant Khachatryan who have not left the
party do not mean to retreat and try to restore their position in
the party; and the supporters of Hayk Baboukhanyan continue their
activity as if nothing has happened.
By the way, to everyone’s surprise, after seeing off the foreign
guests of the party, Hrant Khachatryan returned the “VAZ 31-10”
which was serving him, to the party, although the party had decided
to leave the car to him as the honorary President of the party.
Despite his connections with the members of the party, Hrant
Khachatryan does not go to the office. He has also stuck a table saying
“Museum” to his former room.

“LET THE STUBBORN GROUPS WORK AND NOT MAKE REQUIREMENTS”
A1+
[08:47 pm] 02 October, 2006
Today the Parliament did not put the RA draft law on “Amendments to
the Regulations of the National Commission on Television and Radio” to
vote. Tigran Torosyan called on the “”stubborn groups” not to complain
and to demand to take back the draft but to make clear-cut suggestions.
As for whom Tigran Torosyan meant by saying “stubborn groups” – “All
those who demand to take the draft back instead of making suggestions
about them”.
Let us remind you that the amended Constitution demands to amend
the law. According to the previous law, the members of the National
Committee on Television and Radio were appointed by the President.
According to the new Constitution and the new Law, they must be
appointed by the President and the NA.
Nevertheless, according to some provisions of the Constitution, the
members of the Committee stay there till the end of their office,
that is, even if the Law in amended, the new one will come into
force only in 2011. Today, the oppositional deputies mainly offered
to organize public hearings before putting the draft to vote.
“I have an impression that the draft was written by Grigor
Amalyan. Besides, I think that the Minister of Justice is more
professional and would not make mistakes which are present in the
draft”, Stepan Zaqaryan from “Justice” told “A1+”.
Co-author of the present Law on Television and Radio Shavarsh
Kocharyan found several grave mistakes in the draft and called on
all the deputies to vote it down.
Nevertheless, NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan said that the best time to
improve the draft is the time period between the first and second
hearings. But as far as the NA Speaker is to leave Armenia tomorrow
morning, it’s hard to say whether the draft will ever be voted.