ARMENIAN POLITICIAN URGES OPPOSITION FORCES TO CLOSE RANKS

Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Nov 28 2006

Yerevan, 28 November: The leader of the National Democratic Union
[NDU], Vazgen Manukyan, today called on Armenia’s opposition parties
"to close ranks and set up a civil front around the idea of building
a state of free citizens".

Vazgen Manukyan, who held the posts of Armenian prime minister and
defence minister in the early 1990s, said that individual political
forces will not be able to achieve desired changes, Mediamax reported.

Moreover, the governance system of the country needs radical reforms
today and "[Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s departure from
power will not improve the situation", he believes.

The NDU leader is convinced that the people does not trust the
incumbent authorities which "are ready for new falsifications to
preserve their positions".

Vazgen Manukyan also spoke out in favour of adopting a new Armenian
constitution which he said will make it possible to form an independent
and transparent judiciary system.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ICG: SPECIFIC STEPS WILL HARDLY BE TAKEN AT KOCHARIAN-ALIYEV MEETING

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 13:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The International Crisis Group (ICG) does not
intend to publish new reports on Nagorno Karabakh, because no changes
have occurred in the situation, stated ICG South Caucasus Project
Director Sabine Freizer. She said that the Group will prepare a report
concerning the situation in the region in 2007.

As for the meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents to be
held within the Summit of CIS Head of States in Minsk Sabine Freizer
said she does not believe important decision will be taken on the
settlement of the NK conflict. "Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian are
not resolute in compromising. They have not prepared the society for
the possible compromises.

If the matter comes to agreeing over the principles, the presidents
will have to explain the essence of agreement elements and the
necessity of compromise to the public," she said, reports APA.

TURKISH EX-AMBASSADOR TO BAKU: OSCE MG INSUFFICIENTLY ACTIVE

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 14:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Inaction is observed in settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict lately. It causes anxiety. The Nagorno Karabakh
conflict awaits for its settlement for many years," former Turkish
Ambassador to Baku and Washington, Head of the Eurasian Center for
Strategic Research (ECSR) Faruk Logoglu said.

"The problem does not diminish, but expands. Minsk group co-chairing
countries need to bring new dynamism to the case. I think neither
Armenia, nor Azerbaijan benefits from inaction," he remarked. The
ECSR leader believes that the Minsk Group was not active enough
in settlement of the conflict. Faruk Logoglu said that in its time
Turkey tried to take active part in the OSCE Minsk Group. "However,
our country is fraternal to Azerbaijan and due to the known attitude
of Armenia towards us, the MG sometimes listened to us, but sometimes
did not. Turkey only confided to the information after US, France
and Russia’s seized the initiative," he said, reports APA.

MEMORIAL PLAQUE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS OPENS IN ROME

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 14:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A Memorial Plaque, dedicated to the victims of the
Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey in 1915 has opened in Rome. The
Plaque is established with the assistance of Rome City Administration
at the instance of the Armenian community of the Italian capital,
indignant at establishing a monument to Kemal Ataturk. Talks over
establishment of the Plaque were held by Head of the Italian Department
of the Hay Dat European Office Aleko Pezikian since July 2006.

The opening ceremony started in the yard of St. Nikoghos Church with
anthems of Italy and Armenia, followed by a speech by Pezikian, who
thanked the Rome Administration. He also noted that after the Italian
Parliament adopted the resolution, recognizing the Armenian Genocide,
the Rome Administration also passed a respective decision.

In his turn Armenian Ambassador to Italy Ruben Shugaryan noted that
the memory on the Genocide does not have a statute of limitation,
it is not a political question or that of return of lands. "It should
become part of human history, which should be conveyed to generations,"
Shugaryan noted. The Armenian Ambassador also hoped that Armenia will
soon become part of the European community, reports the Azdak.

OLLI REHN: EU-TURKEY TRAIN SLOWED DOWN BUT DID NOT STOP

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 16:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU term president Finland has announced that
its attempts to find a solution to the Cyprus problem have ended
unsuccessfully. Yesterday however, EU Commissioner for Expansion,
Olli Rehn, noted that Finland’s efforts had not been wasted, commenting
"We must keep our promises, and carry on with the EU program presented
to Turkey. As far as the commission is concerned, the talks cannot
be stopped.

The train has slowed down, but not stopped." Rehn had originally said
that the diplomatic crisis surrounding Cyprus might be responsible
for a "train wreck" for Turkey in December.

The EU Commission will be able to recommend that, at the most, 6 areas
of Turkish EU talks be stopped. In addition, it is expected that the
EU Commission will call for isolationary measures against Northern
Cyprus be lifted, as well as calling for the United Nations to begin
debates and talks on Cyprus including both sides, reports the Hurriyet.

KOCHARIAN, ALIYEV AND PUTIN WILL PROBABLY AGREE ON NEW MEETING OF SAME FORMAT

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 17:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting of Armenian and Azeri leaders over
Nagorno Karabakh is of most interest among bilateral summits in
Minsk, to say nothing of the possible Russia-Georgia meeting. The
Kocharian-Aliyev meeting will be held "under the auspices" of Vladimir
Putin. As the Commersant writes, "Public in Yerevan does not conceal
that Kocharian goes to Minsk for the sake of that meeting." "Public in
Baku say that the meeting may have results, "if Putin puts pressure
on Kocharian." If it is the case, according to Azeri experts, Aliyev
may agree with expected Moscow’s demand of Baku not to assist Georgia
in gas and electricity supplies," the article author believes.

However, in the opinion of the edition, the Azeri President is no
less concerned over Russian Government latest decision to reduce the
number of foreigners in retail trade, which threatens to hundreds
of thousand Azeri traders. "All these problems will probably not be
solved in Minsk today and the three Presidents will most likely agree
over a new meeting of the same format in Moscow," the newspaper writes.

ERDOGAN WELCOMED POPE IN PERSON

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 18:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in the Turkish capital
of Ankara on his first visit to a predominantly Muslim country amid
very tight security measures. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan, whose party has Islamic origins, welcomed the Pontiff soon
after he disembarked the plane. Erdogan and Pope Benedict then entered
the VIP Hall at the airport and had a brief meeting.

Five archbishops and five cardinals will accompany Benedict XVI during
the papal visit. The four-day visit to Turkey is his first one to
a predominantly Muslim country as Pope. He arrived in Turkey at the
invitation of President Ahmet Necdet Sezer. Thousands of law-enforcers
and snipers are invited to secure the Pope during his visit. Besides,
the authorities intend to use a false motorcade, which will move
in the city without the Pope. Authorities say nothing will threaten
the Pontiff.

Benedict XVI will be the second Pope visiting a mosque. Besides,
the Pontiff will meet with Muslim and Judaic leaders, as well as
heads of Christian communities of Turkey, reports BBC Russian service.

MOST TURKS AGREE TO RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA UNDER "CERTAIN CONDITIONS"

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 18:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The overwhelming majority of Turks have a positive
stance towards establishment of relations with neighboring Armenia, in
case the latter meets "certain conditions," returns of a sociological
survey in Turkey indicate. 82% of respondents out of 8 thousand 714,
questioned by Association for Struggle against Ungrounded Statements
on Genocide have a positive stance over establishment of relations
with Armenia, in case the latter meets "certain conditions." These
include refusal from "statements" on the Genocide, "apologizing to
Turkey for these statements." 53% of respondents listed a whole range
of preconditions, including "Armenians should apologize to Turks for
pogroms during WWI," "demolish" memorial to victims of the Armenian
Genocide in Yerevan, withdraw from Nagorno Karabakh.

16% of those questioned considered "breaking off relations
with the Armenian communities of Europe and US and refusal from
statements on the Genocide" sufficient. 18% of interviewees do
not wish establishment of relations between Armenia and Turkey at
all. Meanwhile, the percentage of those willing to establish relations
without preconditions is not mentioned, reports RFE/RL.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AIR COMPANIES AND LINERS NOT ON ICAO AND EU BLACK-LIST

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 18:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian air companies and liners are not on
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and EU black-list,
reported the Press Secretary of the Central Board of Civil Aviation
(CBCA) Gayane Davtyan. According to the ICAO annual list, made public
lately, the condition of Armenian airplanes is satisfactory. The
EU annually publishes the black-list of air companies. According to
the CBCA, at the moment 18 air carriers operate in Armenia, having
registered exploitation certificate, reports IA Regnum.

TALKS OF ARMENIAN AND AZERI PRESIDENTS START IN MINSK

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.11.2006 18:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The meeting of Armenian and Azeri Presidents Robert
Kocharian and Ilham Aliyev within the process of settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict opened at the Russian Embassy in Minsk,
Spokesperson of the Russian President Victor Soghomonyan told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. OSCE Chairman-in-Office Karel de Gucht,
OSCE MG co-chairs, Russian, Armenian and Azeri FMs Lavrov, Oskanian
and Mammadyarov are also present at the meeting. After the meeting
in wider composition, Kocharian and Aliyev will meet tete-a-tete.