HIS HOLINESS KAREKIN II RECEIVES JUSTICE MINISTERS OF THE MEMBER STATES OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE
Panorama.am
13:14 17/10/06
On October 13, His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and
Catholicos of All Armenians, received 150 participants of the 27th
Conference of the Ministers of Justice of the Council of Europe, being
held in Yerevan. Among the participants were the Justice Ministers
of the 46 member states of the CE.
The delegation to Holy Etchmiadzin was led by Davit Harutyunian,
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Armenia.
The Catholicos of All Armenians welcomed the participants to Holy
Etchmiadzin and spoke of the theme of the conference – “Victims:
Status, Rights and Assistance”. His Holiness stated, “Today the
issue of assistance to and rights of victims is on the forefront of
your thoughts and actions. However, this issue has been troubling
mankind since biblical times and has accompanied the Church since its
inception, since the formation of the first Christian communities. Our
priests have dealt with such realities as they have brought their
consoling assistance and message of hope to individuals who have been
victimized, and as a result, we consider the work you are doing to be
highly beneficial to the healing process, as well as the reinforcement
of a healthy society.”
His Holiness further stressed the greater frequency of victimization
has become troubling, and that today, the Church considers her
social and spiritual mission to be of assistance to all who suffer,
especially with regards to the psychological and moral consequences
of this phenomenon.
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, Information Services

MODERNIZATION OF AZERI ARMY NOT MATTER OF SEVERAL MONTHS AND EVEN YEARS
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 15:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Modernization of the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan is
not a matter of several months and even years. The shortest way is
to transfer at least part of military detachments to forming on the
basis of a contract, as well as launching staff retraining programs
similar to Train and Equip, held in Georgia with the support of the
US analyst of Spectrum Center for Strategic Analysis Sergey Sargsyan
told PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, even Georgian experience shows
that making even a few battalions comply with NATO standards takes 2-3
years. Besides, as neither Armenia, nor NKR are not going to attack
anyone, the expenses for sustaining combat efficiency for a defense
doctrine will be lower,” Sargsyan underscored.
At the same time he underscored that the complicated relief in the
conflict zone, deeply echeloned system of NKR Defense Army positions,
modern engineering fortification, impossibility for Azerbaijan to have
an advantage in the air in the foreseeable future allow sustaining
the current balance of power for a long period of time. “Although,
of course relaxing and hoping for the balance to be sustained by
itself is inadmissible. On the other hand this is rather the military
aspect, while the excessive financing of Azeri Defense Ministry at
the expense of social programs is the political one and it may arouse
wide discontent of the population,” he said.

PICKETERS THREW EGGS AND VEGETABLES ON FRENCH EMBASSY IN BAKU
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 15:24 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 16 a group of Karabakh Liberation
Organization (KLO) activists and veterans of Karabakh war held an
unsanctioned picket in front of the French Embassy in Baku. During
the action, having handed a resolution of the picket to an Embassy
representative, they threw eggs, tomatoes and egg-plants on the Embassy
building. KLO reported 18 picketers were detained by the police. The
resolution demands that the French Parliament repeal of the bill
criminalizing the denial of the Armenian Genocide, close the French
Embassy in Baku, expel France as OSCE MG co-chair, reports IA Regnum.

ESTABLISHMENT OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS HARDLY POSSIBLE IN NEAR FUTURE
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 15:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Establishment of Armenian-Turkish relations hardly
possible in near future, analyst of Spectrum Center for Strategic
Analysis Sergey Sargsyan told PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, Turkish
foreign policy is rising currently. “It became activated in the
Middle East, as illustrated by the participation of Turkish military
in the peacekeeping contingent in Lebanon. Turkey became more active
in the South Caucasus: its projects of breaking a Turkic corridor via
Georgia to Azerbaijan and father to Turkic republics of the Central
Asia is realistic as never.
Specifically owing to Georgia needing allies due to the confrontation
with Russia. I believe that the “European project”, which is actively
lobbied by Islamic-leaning Party of Justice and Development, is
a clearly calculated move, aimed at reviewing basic principles of
Turkey as a secular state, not at its accession to the EU,” the
Armenian analyst said.
The military who were considered to preserve the legacy of Kemal
Ataturk, secular nature of the country and close integration of Turkey
with the West, were deprived of influence on political decision-making
resulting to reforms at the demand of the EU, Sargsyan remarked. “This
strengthened the position of the Justice and Development Party and
allowed the Islamist party changing the foreign and internal policy
of Turkey. The growth of nationalist and Islamist moods in Turkey and
Europeans’ apprehensions for the future of the EU in case of Turkey’s
accession are the outcome. As a result Turkey will probably be left
out of the EU, positions of guarantors of Turkey being secular – the
military – are undermined. Thus, Islam-leaning forces by pro-European
policy can attain what they could not during their attempts of direct
Islamization of the country during Erbakan being the Premier. Thus,
against the background of on the whole successful internal and foreign
policy, withdrawal of “the Armenian block” of issues as compulsory
preconditions of Turkey’s accession to the EU, it is more advantageous
for the ruling JDP to abide by its earlier position, i.e. linking
establishment of Turkish-Armenian relations with settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict at terms favorable to Azerbaijan and thus
to a further prospect,” Sergey Sargsyan said.

ARMENIA SHOULD PREPARE TO MITIGATING CONSEQUENCES OF RUSSIA-GEORGIA OPPOSITION IN ADVANCE
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 16:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the given phase of the protracted confrontation
between Georgia and Russia there are no significant and moreover
catastrophic consequences for Armenia expected from economic and
political pressure put by Moscow upon Tbilisi, analyst of Spectrum
Center for Strategic Analysis Sergey Sargsyan told PanARMENIAN.Net. In
his words, firstly, the matter does not concern economic blockade
yet, but economic and psychological pressure. “Moreover, Russia is
interested to make these addressed, thus limitations will not concern
transit. Secondly, the next peak of anti-Russian campaign in Georgia,
marking local authorities elections is already overcome. Another matter
is that Russia used the occasion – the detention of its servicemen –
to radically reconsider its policy towards Tbilisi. Thus, one should
not rule out further aggravation of Russian-Georgian relations, up
to introducing complex sanctions. Thus, it would be good to prepare
to it in advance, e.g. changing transportation routes,” he remarked.
Besides, Sargsyan underscored that in the current situation repair
and expanding of Poti-Akhalkalaki-Gyumri road could be lobbied within
the Millennium Challenge Account. “Its sponsors will meet the idea
with understanding, as otherwise the cargo will go through Iran,
and this will tie Armenia with IRI even closer – both in economic
and political respects,” the Armenian analyst said.

HENRY CUNY: ARMENIA COUNTRY OF INEXHAUSTIBLE TREASURES
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 16:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II received
French Ambassador to Armenia Henry Cuny, who is completing his mission
in Armenia. The Catholicos thanked the Ambassador for active diplomatic
mission in Armenia. In his turn H. Cuny conveyed the gratitude of the
French government to the Armenian religious leader for strengthening
ties between the two peoples. “Armenia is a country of historical
evidence. It is a land of inexhaustible treasures,” the Ambassador
stressed, reports the Press Office of Holy Echmiadzin.

EUROCOMMISSION DELEGATION HEAD COMPLETES MISSION IN ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 16:34 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with
Eurocommission Delegation Head Torben Holtze, who is completing his
mission in Armenia, reports the Press Office of the Armenian leader
reports. The parties expressed mutual gratitude for mutual effective
work. The President noted with content that during the mission of
the Eurocommission Delegation Head serious progress was registered in
EU-Armenia relations. The relations became more coordinated and entered
a very serious stage for Armenia. Kocharian expressed confidence that
the EU-Armenia Action Plan within the ENP will provide an opportunity
to work more closely and effectively.

RYZHKOV: “HOW CAN WE PUNISH ARMENIANS, WHEN WE LIVE BESIDE THEM?”
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 17:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia’s actions regarding Georgia are not
aimed against Armenia, Co-Chair of Armenian-Russian Commission on
Interparliamentary Cooperation Nikolay Ryzhkov stated in Yerevan. “We
never thought to punish our friends. How can we punish Armenians,
when we live beside them? Moreover given 2 million Armenians living
in Russia,” he said.
Ryzhkov is sure that Russia’s political leaders did not have thoughts
like that, excellent relations between leaders, parliaments and
governments of the two countries are established. “Another matter is
that taking into account the transport communication between Georgia
and Armenia, today’s situation has indirectly influenced Armenia,
however, as far as I know, there is an agreement, according to
which cargo may pass through the territory of Georgia to Armenia,”
he remarked, reports Novosti-Armenia.

ARMENIAN RESCUERS TAUGHT TO COUNTERACT WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 17:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A team of emergency response experts and hazardous
materials specialists from the U.S. Department of Defense and Federal
Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is in Yerevan to conduct a realistic
two-day training scenario October 17-18, 2006. This training scenario,
which takes place at the Emergency Management Academy and involves
a simulated Weapons of Mass Destruction incident, is the culminating
event in a series of courses taught by this team in Armenia over the
past few years under the U.S. Department of Defense International
Counter-proliferation Program. During this visit, the team also
is providing training for representatives from the Armenian Rescue
Service, the Ministry of Defense and the Republic of Armenia Police
on the use of detection and monitoring equipment, as well as evidence
collection equipment. This equipment was part of a U.S. Government
equipment donation to the Government of Armenia in July that totaled
more than $300,000.

SPEAKING OF NATO ACCESSION FOR GEORGIA INAPPROPRIATE NOW
PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2006 18:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia’s active dialogue with the NATO does not mean
Georgia will become an Alliance member without fail, NATO Military
Committee Chair, General Ray Henault stated at a news conference
in Moscow. In his words, “Intense dialogue does not guarantee NATO
membership, but allows us holding talks with any state. The political
decision on admission of a state to the NATO is made on the basis of
a number of requirements, which should be met,” Henault said.
He also added that among major requirements for a country, claiming
NATO membership, is sustaining good neighborly relations with adjacent
countries and a settled domestic political situation.
“Georgia has to solve unsettled matters with unrecognized republics
on its own, however in interaction with Russia. These matters refer to
domestic policy, and the state should solve these on its own. The NATO
is considering that matter as part of bilateral relations of Georgia
with surrounding states,” the NATO Military Committee Chair said.