COOPERATION WITH EURO AND CIS STRUCTURES EXPEDIENT TO ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.09.2006 17:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Armenia’s complementary policy today is the most
acceptable from the point of view of state security,” stated Armenian
Deputy FM Arman Kirakosyan at an open lesson at Kirakosyan School
in Yerevan. In his words, Russia is a strategic partner of Armenia,
however this should not result in official Yerevan’s refusal from
cooperation with European structures and the NATO. “If it is the case,
Armenia will fall behind its neighbors, which will have a negative
impact on state security,” the Deputy FM said. Kirakosyan noted
the importance of signing the Action plan within the ENP. “Georgia
and Azerbaijan are also part of that process, thus refusing from
cooperation with Euro and CIS structures is not expedient to Armenia,”
he said, reports IA Regnum.

KEY DOCUMENTS ON KARABAKH ISSUED AS COLLECTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.09.2006 18:17 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A collection of reports on the Karabakh issue made
during parliamentary hearings March 29-30, 2005 was issued. In the
words of National Assembly’s Foreign Relations Committee Chairman
Armen Rustamyan, the Commission also included its conclusions, which
contain concepts for settlement of the problem. The book was a first
attempt to bring together all the key documents concerning the issue.
Rustamyan called on political forces to adopt a joint political
document based on the views expressed during the parliamentary
hearings, noting that such document would be significant if a broad
agreement is reached around the statements made in that document. In
his words, appearance of the collection will allow Armenia having a
united position in international organizations.
Foreign Minister Oskanian, in turn, said that while views expressed
in the collection may differ from each other, what unites them is that
they all admit the right of the Karabakh people to self-determination.
“With this book we send a message to Azerbaijan and the international
community that our society is united on this issue,” Oskanian said,
reports the Yerkir.

OPPORTUNITY TO SEND PEACEKEEPERS TO LEBANON DISCUSSED IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
14.09.2006 18:22 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated in a conversation
with journalists that sending peacekeepers to Lebanon is discussed
at present and the final decision depends on a number of factors.
Armenia got an official invitation. For the final decision we need
to clear out the mandate and the deployment location,” Oskanian
said. “These missions should not be an end it themselves, but should
have a goal. As soon as the latter is made clear, the final decision
will be made,” the Minister underscored.
He reminded that before the latest Israeli operation Lebanon asked
Armenia to send sappers to the country.
“When Israel provides maps of minefields, the situation will be fully
controlled. Armenia may take part in the mission in Lebanon in that
area,” the Minister said.
Oskanian also reported that Armenian community of Lebanon has urged
Armenia to send peacekeepers to the country. “We take into account the
community opinion and keep in touch with them. However, there are many
other factors. I am sure a correct decision will be made finally,”
the Minister said, reports Novosti-Armenia.

LORI WATER SUPPLY AND REMOVAL SYSTEM TO BE IMPROVED
Armenpress
Sept 14 2006
VANADZOR, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: A German Gitec and SacenWasser and
two local companies in Vanadzor are set to launch the first stage of
an 11 million euro worth project designed to improve the water supply
and sewage water removal system of the province of Lori.
Wolfgang Stenzel, the coordinator of the program.
said the feasibility study took ten months. The project will
be implemented on a credit released by German KfW bank. The first
stage is set to be over by 2007 spring. Stenzel said a tender will
be announced to select a company that will do the work.
He said studies revealed that around 200 people were tapped illegally
on the main water supply pipe.

345 ARMENIAN CONVICTS PARDONED AND 56 HAVE THEIR PRISON TERMS SHORTENED
Armenpress
Sept 14 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: Some 345 Armenian convicts have
been amnestied and another 56 have had their prison terms shortened
on the occasion of the 15-th Independence Anniversary. The amnesty
motion had been made by president Robert Kocharian and endorsed by
the National Assembly.
Anahit Voskanian, a press secretary of the justice ministry, said the
process of convicts pardoning will continue until September 30. She
said the pardon covers those convicts who were sentenced to various
prison terms before June 1, 2006.
The amnesty covers several categories of male and female convicts,
but does not cover convicts who committed grave crimes.

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY MAY DISCUSS CONFLICTS IN GUAM AREA
Armenpress
Sept 14 2006
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: The UN General Assembly decided on
September 13 to include a new item on conflicts in the Black Sea-South
Caucasus region in the agenda of its 61-st session. The decision to
include the issue in the General Assembly session -which was pushed
for by GUAM-member states Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova –
was adopted “following a contentious procedural debate,” according
to the UN press center.
The Assembly’s general committee had discussed this appeal on
September 12 and most of its members were against putting it on the
agenda. Sixteen countries, including the Baltic States, GUAM-member
states, the United States and United Kingdom voted in favor of
including the item entitled “protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and
their implications for international peace, security and development.”
Fifteen countries, including Russia and Armenia, voted against, while
65 abstained. Commenting on this decision Armenian foreign minister
Vartan Oskanian said today Armenia is against any attempts to shift
international efforts for resolution of the Karabakh conflict from
the OSCE Minsk group to the UN.
He said, “If we want the Karabakh conflict to be resolved our efforts
must be centered on the OSCE Minsk group process. If Azerbaijan has
other plans, Armenia is out of that game. We believe that the Minsk
group cochairmen’s proposals, put on the table are serious offering
possibilities to make progress.”
He said though the item is on the UN GA agenda it is yet hard to
say whether it will become a subject of debates. “We think it is
a deviation from the main question, harming the peaceful process,’
he said.

ARMENIAN APPOINTED DEPUTY HEAD OF INAD
Armenpress
Sept 14 2006
BUENOS AIRES, SEPTEMBER 14, ARMENPRESS: Pedro Muradian, a former member
of the South American Central Committee of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) and the current chairman of the regional ARF chapter
was inaugurated yesterday in Buenos Aires as deputy chairman of the
Argentinean National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia
and Racism (INAD-Instituto Nacional contra la Discriminacion, la
Xenofobia y el Racismo).
The chairman of the Institute is Maria Jose Lupertino. The Argentinean
office of the Armenian Cause, an affiliation of the ARF, said the
inauguration ceremony was attended by high-ranking government officials
and members of the Armenian community.
Pedro Muradian served for years as a member of the Argentinean
Commission on Human Rights. INAD was founded in 1995 acting under
the aegis of Argentinean ministry for human rights and justice.

SUGGESTION OF GUAM ISN’T INCLUDED ON UN AGENDA
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
15/09/2006
On September 12, in the course of the sitting of 61st session of the
UN general Assembly, the GUAM states (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan,
Moldova) put forward a suggestion to include on the agenda of the
organization a new issue concerning the lingering conflicts in the
GUAM region and their impact on the international peace, safety
and development. This point will unite and reflect all the regional
conflicts.
Anyway, according to RA Foreign Ministry, the above issue wasn’t
included on the agenda. Ukraine and Moldova voted for the issue,
while Armenia and Russia objected that.
P.S. While preparing this article for posting, we were informed that
the GUAM’s proposal was accepted by the second vote.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

USA TO TRAIN AZERI ARMED FORCES
By Aghavni Harutyunian
AZG Armenian Daily
15/09/2006
Starting next year, within the framework of “Educate and Provide”
program, it is expected that the United States will participate in the
modernization of several military detachments of Azerbaijan. According
to the military sources of Day.az, the sides have already preliminarily
agreed around this issue. It’s worth mentioning that at present,
USA participates in such a program in Georgia, where the American
servicemen deliver lectures.
As such a program is being discussed in Azerbaijan, the officials of
the Armenian Foreign and Defense Ministries are participating in the
“Partnership for Peace” NATO program.
This program is focused on information exchange and management through
the “e-PRIME” system.

WILL OSKANIAN AND MAMEDIAROV MEET IN NEW YORK?
AZG Armenian Daily
15/09/2006
The next meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
will take place in New York on the sidelines of the 61st session
of the UN General Assembly on September 25 or 26, Azerbaijani
Trend agency reports citing a press release of Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry. Armenian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vladimir Karapetian
told Azg that a meeting on mentioned dates can not be confirmed now.