ARMENIAN-FRENCH MILITARY COOPERATION DEVELOPS SUCCESSFULLY
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 16:20 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Secretary of the National Security Council at the
President of Armenia, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan received French
Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny and newly appointed Military Attache
of France in Armenia, colonel Daniel Chambon. As Spokesperson of
the Armenian MOD, colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net,
dynamics in development of Armenian-French military cooperation was
noted at the meeting. Sargsyan specifically underscored that military
medicine and language studies cooperation. D. Chambon noted he will
do his best for further strengthening the already available relations.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN AND KARABAKH HAVE EQUAL RIGHTS TO TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 17:00 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The main problem in the Karabakh process lies in the
fact that Azerbaijan insists on keeping its territorial integrity, and
it considers Karabakh to be part of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan,
Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in an interview to Al
Jazeera TV company. In his words, the fall of the Soviet Union resulted
in radical changes, the whole map of Europe changed. “We have never
been against any country’s territorial unity and integrity because
we also have a country.
However, we believe that Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh each have
equal rights for territorial integrity. Both are countries with
the right to exist independently. This is the obstacle that the
negotiations have been facing for the past 15 years.
Nagorno Karabakh is an independent state. It was never part of
independent Azerbaijan. Today, a generation has emerged that does
not relate to Azerbaijan and cannot even imagine living under another
country’s rule,” Kocharian stated.
Answering a question on Baku statements on “occupation of 20% of
territories of Azerbaijan by Armenia,” Kocharian said, “There exist
two lies. The first is that 20% of Azerbaijan territory is occupied,
and the second is that there are one million Azeri refugees.
The true numbers are totally different. However, the numbers made up
by Azerbaijan have been repeated so many times that it is now believed
to be the reality.
The number of refugees actually includes people from both sides:
Armenians and Azeris. During Soviet rule, there lived half a
million Armenians in Soviet Azerbaijan, excluding those living
in Karabakh. Where are they now? Part of those Armenians are now
in Armenia, another part are living in Russia, and a third group
are scattered around the world. As for the Azeri lands, we have
repeatedly stated that, except for the narrow strip of land (Lachin)
between Karabakh and Armenia, we are prepared to negotiate the terms
of returning territories to Azerbaijan. If Azerbaijan truly cared
about its refugees and the situation in those lands outside the
administrative borders of Azerbaijan, it could have restored them
a long time ago if the Azeri president had signed the agreement in
Minsk and which was drawn up by the OSCE Minsk Group.”

KOCHARIAN OPTIMISTIC ON INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF NKR INDEPENDENCE
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 17:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Legally, Karabakh today is an independent state,
and the government there is striving to strengthen the governmental
institutions, Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in an
interview to Al Jazeera TV company. In his words, for Yerevan, both
possibilities – the NKR being an independent state and joining Armenia
– are suitable.
“I think in the future, relations between both countries – Armenia and
Karabakh – will develop and form a federation. The future will decide
what will come after that. The future generations will decide on the
kind of relation the two countries shall have,” the Armenian leader
stated. Speaking of the opportunity for the international community
to recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh, Kocharian said,
“I do not recall any similar situation which resulted in recognition
that came easily.
Decades of hard work are needed for a young nation to get that
recognition. There are factors. One important factor is for the world
to see that an independent state has proven itself as an efficient
state, capable of performing the tasks that any independent country
can perform on its territories. I believe that Nagorno Karabakh has
proven that it is a nation that can rely on itself and is capable of
developing as a nation.
Therefore, I am optimistic about the recognition. In fact, the Republic
of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora around the world are actively
working on gaining this recognition soon so that Nagorno Karabakh can
join the international community. In order to achieve this, Karabakh
is making the necessary changes to build better social institutions
and to achieve effective democracy.”

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED OVER DINK LOT
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 18:30 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Amnesty International posted a letter on its
website that stated it was dismayed at the news that “yet another
case has been opened against journalist Hrant Dink on charges of
‘denigrating Turkishness’ under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code.” “The organization considers that this prosecution is part of an
emerging pattern of harassment against the journalist exercising his
right to freedom of expression,” the organization said in its letter,
entitled “Turkey: Journalist targeted yet again.” Hrant Dink was given
a six-month suspended prison sentence in October 2005 on charges of
“denigrating Turkishness,” which was upheld by the Court of Appeal in
July 2006, and if found guilty on the same charge, Dink would go to
prison, said the organization in its letter, and further added that
in that case Dink would be considered as a prisoner of conscience.
Amnesty International message also refers lately ceased case regarding
another writer, novelist Elif Shafak, on charges under Article 301
relating to statements made by characters in her novel The Bastard
of Istanbul,” the Zaman reports.

OCALAN URGES KURDS TO RECONCILIATION WITH TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 18:37 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Kurdish leader Abdullah Ocalan, who is in a Turkish
prison at present, urged activists of the Kurdish Working Party
(KWP) to announced ceasing hostilities against official Ankara,
reports AFP referring to a source, close to Kurdish separatists.
“The KWP should not use arms, except cases it is actively attacked
in order to kill,” Ocalan writes in a message.
Having been indicted for terrorism, the KWP leader also noted
the importance of arranging the democratic union between Turks and
Kurds. “With the start of that process a way for diplomatic dialogue
will open,” Ocalan is sure.
We remind that the Kurdish separatist leader is serving a life sentence
in a prison on Imarli Island.

SUPERPOWER INTERESTS MEET IN ARMENIA, RATHER THAN CLASH
PanARMENIAN.Net
28.09.2006 19:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia inherited quite a rich and historical
relation and cultural exchange, in addition to the common interests
that Yerevan and Moscow have improved for decades, or even for hundreds
of years, Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in an interview
to Al Jazeera TV company. “Today, we are preserving this inheritance
and using it to further our common interests. Until today, we have
succeeded in maintaining this relation. We have excellent relations
with Russia in the economic and military sectors, as we have very
good relations with Iran. We are also developing our relations with
the European Union since we were admitted to the EU Neighborhood
program and now we are trying to implement the requirements of that
program. In addition, our relations with the USA are very special
especially because of the aid that Armenia receives from the USA and we
were included in the 3rd Millennium Program, which is helping Armenia
develop economically. We maintained the relations we already had and
developed them without creating any disagreement between the nations
and their interests. We work with the belief that all the interests
of the powerful countries meet in Armenia, rather than clash, and
we try to avoid any step that could be considered a danger to the
security of our partners.”

PRESIDENT JACQUES CHIRAC OF FRANCE ARRIVING IN ARMENIA TODAY
By Tamar Minasian
AZG Armenian Daily #185
29/09/2006
At the invitation of president Robert Kocharian, president Jacques
Chirac of France is arriving in Yerevan 29 Sept evening. According
to RA President’s Press Office, the French delegation will include
Philippe Douste-Blazy, foreign minister, Dominique Perben, minister
for transport, infrastructure, tourism and the sea, Christian Jacob,
minister for the civil service, and Renaud Donnedieu de Vabres,
minister for culture and communications. Jacques Chirac will also
be accompanied by businessmen, representatives of science, culture,
education and sport, members of the French-Armenian community and
journalists.
During the two-day official visit, the French delegation will visit
the Memorial of Armenian Genocide. His Holiness Karekin II Catholicos
of All Armenians will also receive the French president.
Tomorrow morning the Armenian and French presidents will take part
in the opening of the French Square downtown Yerevan. Later that day
world famous Charles Aznavour and his friends will perform a concert
at the Republic Square. The legendary singer arrived in Yerevan on
Sept 27. “Even if I am worn out, I will come to the Republic Square in
a cheerful mood because it’s a present for my people,” Aznavour said
at the airport. “My visit is also important as Armenia is celebrating
15th anniversary of independence. The independence of my country is
the same for me as it is for every Armenian.”
This will be the beginning of the Year of Armenia in France that
bears the title “Armenia, My Friend.”

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PASSES AMENDED REPORT ON TURKEY
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
29/09/2006
Recognition of Armenian Genocide Not Highlighted as a Prerequisite
for EU Membership
On September 27, the European Parliament discussed the report on Turkey
adopted by its External Relations Committee on September 4. With 429
votes for, 71 against and 125 abstentions the European Parliament
passed the report.
As it is known, the draft report made out by Camiel Eurlings indicated
Turkey’s failure in carrying out reforms and put a prerequisite of
recognizing the Armenian Genocide for Turkey to join the EU. Moreover,
the draft report reminded of the genocides of Pontic Greeks and
Assyrians.
All these instigated strong opposition in Turkey that resulted in
removing the Armenian Genocide recognition from precondition list
following censure by socialist, liberal and “green” parties. “Though
the Armenian Genocide is not one of the Copenhagen Criteria,
reconciliation with its past is unavoidable for a country on the path
of EU membership.”
The proposal to include the genocides of Pontic Greeks and Assyrians
with a separate paragraph in the report was also rejected.
In other words, on September 27 the European Parliament voted for an
amended draft that was adopted with overwhelming “yes” votes.

VARTAN OSKANIAN: AZERBAIJAN TRIES TO ABORT SETTLEMENT PROCESS BY ARMENIA’S HANDS
AZG Armenian Daily
29/09/2006
Meanwhile Karabakh Is a Place That Exists in Reality
Within the framework of the UN Assembly 61st session, RA foreign
minister and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs discussed the current
situation in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, i.e. there was
an intention to hold a ministerial meeting in New York, after the
meeting in Paris, but he GUAM suggestion to discuss the regional
conflicts at UN changed the situation. Thus, the Armenian side
suggested to postpone the meeting. Besides, according to Vartan
Oskanian, the Armenian side doesn’t evade the meeting.
He added that the new developments in the UN deprive the coming
ministerial meeting of any sense.
In an interview to RFE/RL, Oskanian touched upon the evaluations
of the Azeri side regarding Nagorno Karabakh, particularly, they
say that Armenia has elaborated a myth on the historical past and
the economic achievements of NKR. In his turn, Oskanian said that
Karabakh is a place that exists in reality and the representatives
of the international community may go there and check the situation
themselves. He emphasized that any attempts of Azerbaijan to deny
this reality are doomed to failure.
As for the current stage of the negotiations, in his speech,
Vartan Oskanian confirmed the agreement of Armenia to the principles
discussed, adding that “Azerbaijan not obviously tries to show that
they break the agreements that are achieved till now, and this is the
main concern.” Moreover, Oskanian said that the current position of
Azerbaijan is meant to abort the OSCE Minsk group process and to do
that with the help of Armenia.
Vartan Oskanian confirmed the existence of the referendum in the
document that the Azeri side evades to sign. As for the coming
Oskanian-Mamediarov next meeting, before that the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs will have telephone conversations or may visit the
region. He didn’t exclude the resumption of direct negotiations
between Armenia and Azerbaijan both at the level of president and
the foreign ministers.
Oskanian added that the presidents may meet only after the meeting
of the foreign ministers.

ATOM-ANTI-TERROR 06 EXERCISES KICK OFF
By Marietta Makarian
AZG Armenian Daily
29/09/2006
Atom-Anti-Terror 06 exercises began in Armenia Tuesday Sept. 26. Heads
of anti-terror departments of CIS states are participating in
the exercises and the representatives of the G8, OSCE, UN Security
Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee as well as Shanghai Organization
Cooperation are acting as observers.
Greeting speeches were made by Colonel General Boris Melnikov, head
of Counter-Terrorism Committee of the CIS, and Colonel General Gorik
Hakobian, head of National Security Service of Armenia. President
Robert Kocharian sent a greeting message to the participants of
three-day drills. The opening ceremony taking place at Armenia-Marriott
Hotel was attended also by defense minister Serge Sargsian, head of
RA Police Department Hayk Harutyunian and other officials.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress