INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY READY TO GUARANTEE OF KARABAKH PEACE ACCORD
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 13:18 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Many times in Paris, Key West, Rambouillet I saw
the closeness of attaining peace over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
and today OSCE MG proposals seem fair, weighed and reasonable. I told
this to Armenian and Azeri Presidents Kocharian and Aliyev,” French
President Jacques Chirac stated in an interview to the Hayastani
Hanrapetutyun (Republic of Armenia) newspaper. “I would like to see
Yerevan and Baku displaying courage for attaining peace,” he added. “I
was involved in the solution of the Karabakh issue myself, as I am
aware with the suffering caused by the conflict and as peace is the
only way to build a democratic and prospering future,” Chirac said. In
his words, economic dynamism, geostrategic location of Armenia will
be fully useful only provided that borders are open and relations
are settled with neighbors. “Today G8 countries and the international
community are ready to become guarantees of a peace accord over the
Karabakh issue. This apt moment should not be missed,” the French
President added.

ARMENIAN NATION SHOULD NOT FEAR TAKING THE ROAD OF FUTURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 14:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “France is ready to assist Armenia in political
modernization,” French President Jacques Chirac stated in an interview
to the Hayastani Hanrapetutyun (Republic of Armenia) newspaper. In his
words, an old nation like Armenian should not fear of taking the road
of the future. At that he remarked that between the Armenian and French
people there is a certain internal commonness. Chirac underscored
similar preferences of the two peoples, specifically independence,
spiritual wisdom in art and culture, beauty of the languages and their
being sacral,” Chirac underscored, adding some half a million French
of Armenian origin “conveyed their courage, talent and magnanimity
to France.” The French President underscored they preserved ties
with their historical fatherland and promote strengthening relations
between the two peoples. Addressing the Armenian youth, Chirac said,
“Belonging to such an old people, simultaneously having an opportunity
to build a new country is happiness.” “Armenia deserves its people
being devoted to it,” Chirac stressed.

INDEPENDENCE DAY OF ARMENIA MARKED IN STAVROPOL REGION
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 14:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 24 within the Year of Armenia in
Russia a holiday concert, marking the Independence Day of Armenia,
was organized in the yard of St. Sargis church of Pyatigorsk. As
reported by the Yerkramas, the newspaper of Armenians of Russia, the
event was organized by Round Table Coordination Council of Armenian
communities and Pyatigorsk Armenian National-Cultural Autonomy. Members
of Armenian communities of Kislovodsk, Budyonnovsk, Zelenokumsk,
Edissia village and stanitsa Suvorovskaya took part in the event as
well. St. Sargis church pastor Ter Khachatur opened the event with
prayer and congratulated those gathered on the holiday. Chair of
Pyatigorsk Armenian National-Cultural Autonomy David Lazaryan and
Round Table and Urartu Armenian community Chairman Mikhail Manvelov
addressed participants of the event. Folklore amateur performance
groups of Stavropol Region were in the concert program of the holiday.

FRENCH PRESIDENT ARRIVING IN ARMENIA SEPTEMBER 29 ON STATE VISIT
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 14:21 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 29 – October 1 French President Jacques
Chirac will pay a state visit to Armenia on an invitation of Armenian
President Robert Kocharian, reports the Press Office of the Armenian
leader. The official welcoming ceremony will take place at Zvartnots
international airports September 29. Then Kocharian and Chirac will
meet in the Armenian President’s residence. The French leader will
visit Tsitsernakaberd complex, will lay a wreath to Memorial of the
Armenian Genocide Victims, will visit the Genocide Museum within the
framework of his visit.
Chirac is also scheduled to meet with Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II and will visit the French Embassy in Yerevan. The Square
of France in the center of the Armenian capital will be opened with
participation of the two presidents. Besides, they will be present
at Aznavour and Friends concert, which will open the Year of Armenia
in France, titled “Armenia my friend.”

BAKU CONSIDERS COMPARISON OF KARABAKH ISSUE WITH KOSOVO FUTURE MODEL “GROUNDLESS”
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 15:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri Deputy FM, Special Representative of Azeri
President on NK Araz Azimov considers linking the Nagorno Karabakh
settlement with the future model of self-determination of Kosovo
population “groundless.” “Observing and respect of territorial
integrity as a principle remains in effect. In any case, even if
there is a precedent, the principle remains a dominant one. Finally,
Armenia should know that territorial integrity of Azerbaijan will be
secured,” the Azeri Deputy FM said.
“Russian President Putin is also known for his sympathy towards using
the Kosovo future status as a precedent for solving other ethnic
conflicts, including those in post-soviet space,” Day.az writes.

EREBUNI MILITARY AIRDROME CONVEYED TO RUSSIAN AIR BASE LOCATED IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 15:13 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ September 25-28 the sixth session of the
inter-departmental Armenian-Russian Commission on 102nd Russian
military base (RMB) located in Gyumri was held in Yerevan. Protocol
on conveying and usage of land lots of the 102nd RMB was signed by
the end of the meeting. Specifically, protocol N5 on introducing
changes to the Treaty on the Russian Military Base from March 16,
1995. The new supplement provides for allocation of lands for building
a kindergarten for families of Russian military, as well as providing
accommodation to them.
According to the protocol signed, Erebuni military airdrome is conveyed
to the RMB. Russian fighters will be located at the airdrome.
As Head of the General Staff of the Armenian Armed Forces, colonel
general Mikayel Harutyunyan stated at a news conference in Yerevan,
Armenian-Russian military cooperation is developing successfully. “We
are going to open a new school as well,” he said.

RUSSIA GOING TO RELEASE MILITARY DETAINED IN GEORGIA AT ANY PRICE
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 14:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian FM Sergey Lavrov stated Thursday that Russia
is going to attain release of the military detained in Georgia by
all means available.
“We demanded immediate release of our citizens and we will work firmly
to attain it by all means available,” he said. In his words, “there
is cause for the UN Security Council to engage in that issue.” Lavrov
was concerned over the incident in Georgia and called it “recurrent
provocation and demonstration of anti-Russian policy.”
We remind that Russian military and Georgian citizens suspected of
espionage were detained in Tbilisi, Batumi and other towns of the
country on Wednesday.
According to the data of the Georgian Interior Ministry, another
Russian citizen, allegedly accomplice of intelligence activities, is
hiding in the building of the Group of Russian Troops in Transcaucasia
(GRTT). The building was encircled and Georgian Defense Minister Irakly
Okurashvili promised to continue the siege, until K. Pichugin is given
away to the Georgian party. Georgian law enforcers cannot get to the
GRTT territory, as it has diplomatic immunity, reports RIA Novosti.

RUSSIAN FORTRESS IN GYUMRI BEING REMODELED INTO FESTIVAL CENTER
Armenpress
Sept 28 2006
GYUMRI, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: Authorities in the second-largest
town of Gyumri in north-western Armenian Shirak province hope to
accomplish remodeling of a 19-th century Russian fortress into a
modern art and culture center by 2007 November.
The fortress that was inaugurated by the Russian tsar Nikolay I
will have 1,500 seats. It will host film, theatrical and circus
festivals and also folk and modern music concerts. The fortress is
being reconstructed and remodeled by Hayk Hayrapetian, an Armenian
based in the Russian Saint Petersburg. He said to Armenpress the
center will also have a museum.
Hayrapetian said remodeling of the fortress is just half of the
idea. Later he wants to build a pagan village nearby. He says Gyumri
is perhaps the only Armenian town where one can restore an old Armenian
settlement with its everyday life and traditions. All this is expected
to make Gyumri more attractive for local and foreign tourists. The
project’s cost is about $2,2 million.

ARMENIAN TOP ARMY OFFICER BRUSHES ASIDE AZERI ALLEGATIONS
Armenpress
Sept 28 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS : A top Armenian army officer has
brushed aside today Azerbaijani accusations that Armenia is violating
the terms of the Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty.
Chief of staff of Armenia’s armed forces, Mikael Harutunian, told
reporters that before trying to accuse Armenia Azerbaijan should
itself observe the terms of the Treaty. He said Azerbaijan has 500
tanks, almost twice as many as it is allowed by the Treaty, also 700
artillery systems instead of 280 and 500 war cars instead of 220.
Mikael Harutunian said numerous inspections in the Armenian armed
forces revealed no violation of the limits. He said Armenia observes
strictly all its commitments stemming from the Conventional Forces
in Europe Treaty.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

FRENCH PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC ARRIVES IN ARMENIA
Armenpress
Sept 28 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 28, ARMENPRESS: The press office of the Armenian
President said today French President Jacques Chirac will pay a state
visit to Armenia from September 29 to October 1. Chirac is coming at
the invitation of his Armenian counterpart President Robert Kocharian.
Kocharian’s press office said the French delegation includes foreign
minister Phillip Douste Blazy, transport, tourism and seafaring
minister Dominique Perben, state service minister Christian Jacob
and culture and communication minister Reno Donedio de Vabre.
President Chirac will be accompanied also by a vats delegation of
French businessmen, prominent representatives of art, culture,
academic and sport communities, members of the French Armenian
community and journalists.
The official welcoming ceremony will be held at Yerevan Zvartnots
airport . Chirac and Kocharian will speak to reporters after talks
at Kocharian’s residence. The French delegation will lay flowers to
the Genocide Memorial in Yerevan to commemorate the victims of the
1915 Armenian genocide. The French President will then be welcomed
by His Holiness Karekin II, the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
President Chirac will also meet with the staff of the French embassy
in Yerevan.
Kocharian and Chirac will participate also in the official opening of
France Square in central Yerevan and will attend an open-air concert
of the famous French Armenian singer Charles Aznavour in Republic
Square. All these evens will give the start of the Year of Armenia
in France held under the motto ‘Armenia is My Friend.”