ARMENIAN GENERAL DOWNPLAYS EXCHANGES OF FIRE WITH AZERBAIJAN
Hayots Ashkar, Yerevan,
30 Sep 06 p 5
“Negative developments were not observed”
An interview with Chief of the General Staff Col-Gen
Mikayel Arutyunyan. He comments on present situation on the
Armenian-Azerbaijani contact line.
[Ayots Ashkar correspondent] Mr General, what is today’s situation
at the contact line taking into account the fact that an Armenia
servicemen was killed recently?
[Mikayel Arutyunyan] In general, the situation is calm on the contact
line. There were no big clashes, but unfortunately single shots
can still be heard. And one of such shots has recently killed our
warrant officer. But the Azerbaijani party should understand that
our tolerance has its limits. A deterioration of the situation will
undoubtedly result in an appropriate response by Armenia and should
that happen they will also have casualties.
But in general, there are no major negative developments on the contact
line. Our and Azerbaijani engineers carry out their work. At any rate,
we are getting ready to thwart any kind of provocation. By this I do
not mean large-scale offensive operations about which top Azerbaijani
military officials like to speak.
[Correspondent] Earlier, Azerbaijan used to move their positions closer
to ours. Then the process was stopped. What is the situation today?
[Arutyunyan] Such actions were not observed in 2006. Actually they
were trying to push their positions forward and as a result of those
actions they had a serious number of victims not because of the shots
of our snipers but because of being blown up by their own landmines.
The reason is that the area between our positions was mined by both
sides long ago.
I think that this should be taken into account by Azerbaijan and
such initiatives should be abandoned pending reaching a political
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
[Correspondent] Did the OSCE monitoring group register any cease-fire
violations by Azerbaijan?
[Arutyunyan] The OSCE monitoring group visits the front-line from
time to time from both sides. Of course, they do register the cases
of cease-fire violations and take measures. Let us remind that there
was a case when the monitoring group visited the front-line from the
on the side of Karabakh and Azerbaijanis opened fire in the direction
of the OSCE monitors. Fortunately, there were no victims.

ARMENIAN, FRENCH PRESIDENTS PRAISE BILATERAL TIES
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan,
30 Sep 06
[Presenter] Armenian President Robert Kocharyan and French President
Jacques Chirac met in the presidential residence today, accompanied
by officials of the two countries.
The sides discussed the current state of relations between Armenia
and France and the possibility of expanding economic cooperation.
They also touched on the regional issues.
[Kocharyan] I highly rate the state of our bilateral relations
given their development and essence. I especially want to note that
the economic component of our bilateral relations is becoming more
essential. There are more than 100 French companies in Armenia which
have already been involved in our infrastructure. This means that the
economic component of our relations is at the stage of qualitative
changes.
I want also to note the intensification of interparliamentary contacts
between the two countries and exchanges of delegations. More than 20
towns have status of sister towns confirmed by agreements.
This also deepens the bilateral relations between the two countries
at the level of local governments.
We also discussed the current settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict with the French president. I want, particularly, to note
that the French president is aware of this issue at the level of an
expert and has been personally involved in the settlement process.
I want to note that the Armenian community in France also plays an
important role in expanding the bilateral relations between the two
countries. [Passage omitted: Kocharyan speaks about the activity of
the Armenian diaspora in France]
[Chirac, speaking in French with Armenian voice-over] I am grateful
to President Kocharyan for his warm words. We are good friends and
know each other for a long time.
This is my first ever visit to Armenia. Armenia is a country close
to France. I express my satisfaction with the opening of the France
Square in central Yerevan.
[Passage omitted: Chirac speaks about cultural relations between the
two countries]
[Chirac] We also discussed the regional problems. It was more
interesting to me, as the president of France and a representative of a
European country, to hear both Kocharyan’s and Armenia’s views on the
region’s future. It was more important to me to hear his analysis. We
will discuss the relations between Armenia and the European Union,
as well as economic and cultural relations between Armenia and France.
I am once more grateful to the Armenian president and Armenians.

ARMENIE: M. CHIRAC A RAISON MAIS AURAIT Dû PARLER PLUS TôT (BAYROU)
Agence France Presse
1 octobre 2006 dimanche
Le president de la Republique a eu raison de dire que la Turquie
devrait reconnaître le genocide armenien avant d’entrer dans l’UE mais
il aurait dû le faire “plus tôt”, a estime dimanche le president de
l’UDF Francois Bayrou.
“L’absence de reconnaissance” du genocide armenien “pèse très lourd
sur notre memoire commune europeenne”, a declare M. Bayrou dans le
Grand rendez-vous d’Europe 1 et TV5.
Mais il fallait “dire il y a trois ans” que la reconnaissance du
genocide devait etre “un prealable” a l’entree dans l’UE, a regrette
M. Bayrou, qui ne cache pas son opposition a l’entree de la Turquie
dans l’UE.
“C’etait une faute de le part de la France et de tous les autres
signataires” de la decision de commencer les negociations d’adhesion
avec Ankara sans ce prealable, a dit le president de l’UDF.
M. Bayrou s’est en revanche montre hostile a la proposition de loi
des socialistes au Parlement francais, visant a faire de la negation
du genocide un delit.
Le problème “appartient a l’histoire et a l’equilibre politique de
l’Europe, pas a la loi penale, me semble-t-il”, a-t-il dit.
–Boundary_(ID_ToH+yiDSSSGscRZBuKtIWA)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZNAVOUR LANCE PAR UN CONCERT GEANT A EREVAN L’ANNEE DE L’ARMENIE EN FRANCE
Agence France Presse
30 septembre 2006 samedi
Charles Aznavour a lance samedi soir “l’annee de l’Armenie en France”
par un concert geant sur une place de Erevan, auquel a assiste le
president francais Jacques Chirac en visite d’Etat dans ce pays.
Nana Mouskouri, Line Renaud, Danny Brillant, Isabelle Boulay,
Helène Segara et Michel Legrand – ces deux derniers etant d’origine
armenienne – ont precede sur la scène Charles Aznavour, veritable
star dans son pays.
De “La bohème” a “Emmenez moi” ou encore “J’me voyais deja”, celui-ci
s’est lance sur la “place de la Republique” durant plus d’une heure
dans un tour de chant durant lequel il a interprete ses principaux
succès devant plusieurs dizaines de milliers d’Armeniens eblouis,
hurlant de joie dès le debut de chacun des tubes du chanteur de 82 ans.
Il a dechaîne regulièrement le public en lui parlant en armenien,
reconnaissant qu’il n’utilise jamais cette langue sur scène, “mais
ca va peut-etre changer”, a-t-il lance.
“Merci de nous avoir donne Charles Aznavour, ce soir nous vous le
pretons”, a declare Line Renaud a la foule en le presentant aux côtes
de Jean-Claude Brialy, l’animateur de la soiree.
M. Chirac et son epouse Bernadette, ainsi que les quatre ministres
qui l’accompagnaient, l’ancien ministre d’origine armenienne Patrick
Devedjian, plusieurs deputes et une dizaine d’hommes d’affaires
d’origine egalement armenienne, dont Alain Manoukian (textile) et
Amen Petrossian (caviar), ont assiste a ce concert, clos par une
chorale d’enfants d’Erevan chantant un “formi-formidable” revisite.
Ce concert ouvre l’annee de l’Armenie en France, “Armenie mon amie”,
qui presentera jusqu’au 14 juillet prochain environ 400 manifestations
culturelles armeniennes dans une centaine de sites en France.
Monument de la culture francaise, meme s’il n’aime pas ce qualificatif,
Charles Aznavour, 82 ans, est aussi l’une des plus celèbres vedettes
internationales originaires d’Armenie, le pays de ses parents, avec
lequel il a entretenu des liens etroits tout au long de sa vie.
Le chanteur, dont le vrai nom est Aznavourian, fonde en decembre 1988
après le tremblement de terre qui devasta le nord du pays, le comite
“Aznavour pour l’Armenie” pour collecter des fonds.
Il est ensuite nomme ambassadeur permanent en Armenie par l’Unesco.
–Boundary_(ID_pRlSSWnBIYFAv4lyccNZ/A)- –

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER COMPLAINTS OF PASSIVITY OF ARMENIAN DELEGATES TO PACE
ARMINFO News Agency
October 2, 2006 Monday
Speaker of the Armenian Parliament, the head of the Armenian delegation
to PACE Tigran Torossyan complained of passivity of the delegates.
He says that the delegation should consist of MPs who really want and
can work at PACE on a permanent basis and push Armenia’s interest
there. They should take part not only in PACE plenary sessions but
also in the meetings of PACE committees. Torossyan complaints that
the present delegates are passive not only in Strasbourg but also
in Yerevan: only the leader of the National Unity opposition party
Artashes Geghamyan was present at the last Yerevan meeting of the
Armenian delegation with the PACE monitoring group in Armenia
Torossyan says that the Oct 2-6 PACE session will not discuss
problems directly concerning Armenia but all problems discussed
at PACE do concern Armenia as the country is full member of that
organization. Meanwhile, PACE committees will discuss 3 issues
directly concerning Armenia: the monitoring committee will consider
harmonization of the Armenian legislation with the constitutional
amendments, the committee on refugees will discuss draft report on
missing people and the political committee will discuss a pact on
stability in the South Caucasus.

FRENCH, ARMENIAN LEADERS ATTEND CONCERT IN CENTRAL YEREVAN
ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow,
30 Sep 06
French singer Charles Aznavour’s concert in Yerevan’s Republic Square
today opened the Year of Armenia in France and the Days of France
in Armenia.
ITAR-TASS news agency reported that the Armenian and French presidents,
Robert Kocharyan and Jacques Chirac, were present at the concert with
thousands of people in attendance.
The agency also reported that a total of 150 tons of musical equipment
had been delivered to Yerevan from Moscow for the concert.

FRENCH SOCIALISTS SHARE CHIRAC LINE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Agence France Presse — English
October 1, 2006 Sunday
A leading French Socialist who hopes to run for the presidency said
Sunday his party shared President Jacques Chirac’s view that Turkey
should acknowledge genocide of the Armenians before it can join the
European Union.
Speaking during a visit to Yerevan, capital of Armenia, on Friday,
Chirac said Turkey ought to recognize the killing of hundreds of
thousands of Armenians during World War I as genocide if it wants to
join the EU.
“This is also the position of the Socialist Party,” said former
finance minister Dominique Strauss-Kahn, a contender for selection as
the Socialist candidate for next year’s French presidential election.
Turkey strongly denies responsibility for genocide, arguing that
300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks died in an internal
conflict sparked by attempts by Armenians to win independence in
eastern Anatolia.
“We have considered that acknowledgment … of the Armenian genocide
should be made a condition of Turkey’s entry into the EU,” Strauss-Kahn
said on television.
“There are plenty of other conditions, but this one is symbolic,”
he stressed.
France, with 400,000 citizens of Armenian descent, officially
recognized the events as genocide in 2001, putting a strain on
relations with Turkey.
Previously, however, France had refused to make a direct link between
the genocide issue and Turkey’s EU membership bid. The bloc of 25
nations has not made it a condition.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ILHAM ALIYEV: PEACE WILL NOT BE REALIZED UNTIL ARMENIA IS PRESSURED
ARMINFO News Agency
October 2, 2006 Monday
-TURAN. The situation regarding settlement of the Karabakh conflict is
developing favorably for Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev said in parliament.
“We started an information attack, and now we must start an economic
attack, and then strengthen our military potential. In the future,
Azerbaijan’s military budget will be equal to the whole state budget
of Armenia. Until Armenia feels this pressure, peace will not come,”
Aliyev said.
Using its economic and military potential, Azerbaijan will liberate
its territories, Aliyev said, and noted that the strengthening of
military potential does not mean war. He stated that Azerbaijan’s
position will not change: the conflict can be settled only within the
framework of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, and Baku is ready
to give Nagorno Karabkah a high degree of autonomy.
Confirming Azerbaijan’s devotion to talks within the OSCE Minsk
Group’s framework, Aliyev noted the need to use the potential of
other international organizations.

FRANCE’S CHIRAC PAYS HOMAGE TO ARMENIAN “GENOCIDE” MEMORIAL
Agence France Presse — English
September 30, 2006 Saturday 7:45 AM GMT
French president Jacques Chirac attended a solemn ceremony at
Armenia’s monument to the 1915-1917 massacres of Armenians at the
hands of Ottoman Turks in a move likely to irritate neighboring Turkey.
Accompanied by his wife Bernadette, Chirac is on the first ever visit
of a French president to the impoverished Caucasus nation, which is
at odds with its Turkic neighbors Azerbaijan and Turkey.
Chirac placed flowers at the towering Tsitsernakaberd monument where
he was greeted by an honor guard playing mournful music before being
taken on a tour of a “Genocide Museum.”
France, which has 400,000 citizens of Armenian descent, officially
recognized the World War I-era events as genocide in 2001, putting a
strain on its relations with European Union aspirant and fellow NATO
member Turkey.
Visiting dignitaries traditionally plant a fir tree at the memorial
grounds and Chirac paused near a pine planted by slain Lebanese Prime
Minister Rafiq Hariri, asking to be photographed before planting his
own sapling.
France became the first Western power to officially recognize the
massacres as genocide.
Many countries, including the United States and Israel, have so far
refused to label the massacres as genocide.
Armenians throughout the world have pushed for official recognition of
the killings, in which they say 1.5 million of their brethren perished,
as genocide.
But Ankara argues that 300,000 Armenians and at least as many Turks
died in an internal conflict sparked by attempts by Armenians to win
independence for eastern Anatolia and secure assistance for their
bid from Russia — Turkey’s age-old nemesis.
Armenia is also locked in a stalemate with Azerbaijan over the
ethnic-Armenian enclave of Nagorny Karabakh, which it gained control
of in an early 1990s war but which is still internationally recognized
as part of Azerbaijan.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEOPLE MADE THEIR CHOICE LONG AGO
Christine Mnatsakanian
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Sept 29 2006
On September 26 Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian met with the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. We have learned from the department of
public relations of the Armenian foreign ministry that the current
state of negotiations was discussed in the context of the new
initiative of GUAM on the agenda of the UN General Assembly. And on
September 25 Vardan Oskanian made a speech in the 61st session of the
UN General Assembly. The foreign minister asserted the fact that the
only settlement of the Karabakh conflict is compromise and realism,
“Armenia expressed its standpoint clearly. We agreed to every basic
principle of the document on the table. In bringing into being this
or another document Azerbaijan cannot think or pretend that it still
has the military option. They tried out the military way and failed.
Compromise and realism are the only realistic variants,” said
the minister, according to the department of public relations of
the foreign ministry. The minister described the present policy of
Azerbaijan to neglect whatever took place over the past 20 years as
unrealistic and dishonest. Vardan Oskanian thinks that nobody can
accuse us of our confidence that Azerbaijan is not ready or is not
interested in the talks. “By rejecting the former two proposals based
on compromise presented in the past 8 years, they are reluctant to
assume responsibility for having rejected the plan of establishing
peace, thereby using every means, including state violence and
international maneuvers to get the Armenians reject it,” said the
minister. With regard to the settlement in the context of territorial
integrity or the right for self-determination, Vardan Oskanian says
Azerbaijan’s efforts to place territorial integrity above all the
other principles were promoted, especially in this hall. However,
he says, the right to self-determination was placed on an equal basis
with the other principles in the Helsinki final act. He thinks that
the Nagorno-Karabakh people made their choice. “They were victims of
state violence, defended themselves and succeeded despite all,” said
Vardan Oskanian. He stated that the states must deserve their right to
rule. “Azerbaijan did not treat the people of Nagorno Karabakh with
responsibility or morally who were its citizens. In towns, far from
Nagorno Karabakh, they slaughtered, bombed and displaced 300 thousand
Armenians, and after the defeat they started sweeping all the traces of
Armenians, demolishing thousands of khachkars and gravestones,” stated
the foreign minister at the session of the UN General Assembly. Vardan
Oskanyan said this means that the attitude of Azerbaijan to tolerance,
human values, culture, cooperation and even peace has not changed.