U.N. CHIEF DEMANDS HEZBOLLAH RELEASE 2 CAPTIVES
Gainesville Sun, FL
Aug. 28, 2006
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan demanded Monday that Hezbollah
release two captured Israeli soldiers to the international Red Cross,
and that Israel lift its air and sea blockade of Lebanon.
Also Monday, Turkey’s Cabinet voted to send peacekeepers to southern
Lebanon, becoming the only Muslim country that has relations with
Israel to propose deploying troops. Turkey’s Parliament will convene
later this week or early next week to debate becoming part of an
expanded U.N. force.
Italy’s Cabinet, meanwhile, approved sending 2,500 troops to take
part in the expanded U.N. peacekeeping mission.
Visiting Beirut on the first leg of an 11-day Mideast tour, Annan
said he was renewing his “call for the abducted soldiers to be free,”
and urged Hezbollah to transfer them to the Lebanese government
“or a third party” under the auspices of the international Red Cross.
“We, the U.N., will be prepared to play a role if we are required to
do so. And I offer our services,” he said.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora led Annan on a tour of Beirut’s
southern suburbs, an area ravaged by Israeli airstrikes during the
34-day war. Hundreds of Lebanese shouted pro-Hezbollah slogans and
booed him as he toured the rubble-strewn streets. The crowd mobbed
Annan’s heavily guarded motorcade, and security agents ran along both
sides of the vehicles.
Annan urged Israel Monday to lift its blockade on Lebanon. “I’m
working with them and a number of international partners to see to
it that this is done,” he said.
Israel has said a resolution of the conflict must include the release
of the two soldiers captured by Hezbollah militants in a cross-border
raid that triggered the conflict last month.
“So long as this issue with the two soldiers is not solved, the whole
thing is of little significance,” Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said
in Germany. “Our sovereignty has been infringed and if this resolution
does not make that good, then we still have this problem.”
France, saying the European Union did not do enough to end the
“devastating” conflict, urged Israel to lift its air and sea blockade
of Lebanon, which has kept out all but a trickle of supplies.
Annan met with Mohammed Fneish, one of two Hezbollah ministers in
Saniora’s Cabinet, in the first direct contact with the guerrilla
group during the U.N. chief’s Lebanon visit.
Annan also met separately with Saniora and Parliament Speaker
Nabih Berri, who serves as Hezbollah’s de facto negotiator. The
secretary-general said the Lebanese government assured him it would
“faithfully” implement the cease-fire resolution.
“We have a chance now to have a long-term cease-fire and a long-term
peace (in Lebanon), and we all need to work together and this is the
purpose of my visit here,” Annan said.
But Annan cautioned that the road ahead would be long, and pledged
the international community’s support.
“There is lots of work to be done. We are now entering the stage
of recovery and reconstruction,” he said. “I assured Speaker Berri
that the U.N. and international community will want to work very,
very intensively with the parties to ensure that they do implement
the resolution to the fullest, and that we have long-term peace in
this region.”
Annan also was expected to visit Israel, and Hezbollah’s main
supporters, Syria and Iran, during his 11-day tour.
The resolution ended 34 days of fighting between Hezbollah and Israeli
forces on Aug. 14. It calls for deployment of 15,000 peacekeepers
in southern Lebanon and an equal number of Lebanese troops to patrol
the border region when Israel withdraws.
The Italian government on Monday also approved a $38.4 million aid
package for Lebanon, and authorized spending for the peacekeeping
mission of $239.1 million until Dec. 31.
Earlier Monday, the Defense Ministry said a naval task force was
already being assembled to transport to Lebanon some 1,000 troops,
including marines and engineering corps specialists.
The task force, led by the Giuseppe Garibaldi aircraft carrier, is
scheduled to set sail Tuesday from a southern Italian port and reach
the Lebanese coast on Friday.
On Friday, the European Union pledged 6,900 troops _ the core of the
proposed 15,000-member force.
The United States, the European Union and Israel also were pressing
for peacekeepers from Turkey, the only Muslim member of NATO, and
a country with close ties to Israel and Arab countries. A growing
number of Turks, though, oppose sending troops who could face danger
and be seen as supporting Israel against fellow Muslims.
“In principle, we’ve decided to join the U.N. peacekeeping mission,”
government spokesman Cemil Cicek said. “We will call on the parliament
to meet in the shortest time.”
Cicek added that it was “out of the question for the mission to be
directly responsible for disarming Hezbollah. Turkey won’t be part
of such an effort. We’ve made that clear, so there is no point of
us hesitating.”
Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, who holds a ceremonial post but
wields considerable influence in the country, came out strongly against
the deployment on Friday, saying it was not Turkey’s “responsibility
to protect the interests of other countries.”
Turkey ruled Lebanon for 400 years during the Ottoman Empire and many
Turkish officials want their country to have a say in an area that
they regard as their country’s backyard.
The large Armenian population in Lebanon has loudly protested Turkish
involvement. Armenians say up to 1.5 million Armenians died or were
killed over several years during World War I as part of a genocidal
campaign to force them out of eastern Turkey.
In Germany, which has mediated past prisoner exchanges between
Hezbollah and Israel, German deputy foreign minister Gernot Erler told
ZDF television that a meeting between Livni and German intelligence
chief Ernst Uhrlau would include discussion of efforts to get the
Israeli soldiers released.
“It is well known that Germany has possibilities … to help free
these captured and kidnapped Israeli soldiers,” Erler said. “There
are also earlier cases and experiences that we can use.”
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier denied that German officials
were already making contacts to free them.
“There has been no request either from the Israeli or the Lebanese
side,” he added.

337 PRISONERS AMNESTIED IN ARMENIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 28, 2006
YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. 337 prisoners have been amnestied in
Armenia on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the country’s
independence. Fifty prisoners’ terms have been reduced.
Press Secretary of the RA Ministry of Justice Anahit Voskanyan reported
that the amnesty applies to the people that committed crimes before
June 1, 2006.
She also said that the information on the amnestied prisoners is as
of August 18, 2006.
“However, the number of amnestied prisoners will not rise, because
the amnestied groups are clearly determined. The process will last
until September 30,”she said.
On July 7, 2006, the RA Parliament made a unanimous decision announcing
amnesty.
Most of the prisoners included in the amnesty are persons sentenced
to three years, persons subjected to punishment not involving
imprisonment, as well as persons subjected to conditional punishment.
In certain cases, people sentenced to 5-10 years will be amnestied
as well.
The perpetrators of serious and grave crimes will not be amnestied.
The last amnesty was announced in Armenia in 2001, on the occasion
of the 1700th anniversary of the adoption of Christianity in Armenia.

ARMENIAN NA SPEAKER MEETS WITH CATHOLICOS GAREGIN II
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 28, 2006
YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran
Torosyan and Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II discussed the
drafting of a bill on relations between the Armenian State and the
Armenian Apostolic Church.
The bill is being discussed on the basis of a relevant article of
the Armenian Constitution after it was amended.
Garegin II expressed hope that the drafting and adoption of the
bill will regulate relations between the Church and the State and
settle the issues related to state ceremonies with the participation
of high-ranking clergymen, spiritual education of society, use of
symbols of the Armenian Church.
In his turn, Speaker Torosyan pointed out the Armenian Church’s role
in the people’s spiritual life, as an integral and important part of
Armenian integrity. He pointed out the importance of adopting the bill
to resolve problems of improving social life during the post-Soviet
period and moral upbringing of society.
“Ensuring freedom of conscience and worship in our country and the
activities of religious organizations within law, we must distinguish
the Armenian Apostolic Church as an all-important element of the
national system of values,” Torosyan said.
According to him, the bill is supposed to define the mission of the
Armenian Church.
The sided reached an arrangement about joint discussions of the bill.
According to Article 8.1 of the RA Constitution, the Republic of
Armenia recognizes an exceptional role of the Armenian Apostolic Church
as national Church in the Armenian people’s spiritual life, development
of national culture and preservation of national identity.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN CENTER OF INTERREGIONAL COOPERATION ENHANCES ARMENIA’S REPUTATION IN RUSSIA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Aug. 28, 2006
YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. The activities of the Russian-Armenian
Center of Interregional Cooperation contribute to the enhancement of
Armenia’s reputation in Russia, Director General of the Center Henrik
Bakunts told reporters.
“The Center publishes the Russian-language newspaper “Ararat-Info-Most”
in Russia, an international newspaper for the CIS countries,” he
said. Bakunts added that the potential of the Armenian people is thus
being made known to the Russian public.
Among joint measures Bakunts included a forum with the participation
of leading Russian and Armenian scientists, publication of a catalogue
and an exhibition of scientific and technical innovation projects
in Russia and Armenia, as well as the release of electronic English,
Armenian and Russian self-taughts.
The Russian-Armenian Center of Interregional Cooperation was founded in
July 2005 with the assistance of the leaders of the RF Federal Assembly
and RA National Assembly. The Center is carrying out its activities
in medical and biological, scientific and technical, humanitarian and
interregional fields. The Center’s goal is ensuring the involvement
of scientists, cultural workers, businessmen, economists in the
implementation of programs of mutual assistance in professional
and social activities in Russia and Armenia, implementation of
jo0int projects and accumulation and dissemination of experience of
cooperation in Armenian and Russian regions.
On August 23, 2005, Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosyan,
commenting on the reforms of the Parliament staff and particularly
on the liquidation of the Russian-Armenian Center of Interregional
Cooperation, stated that the Armenian Parliament cannot be a donor
for NGOs.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

POLICE WERE SLOPPY IN ARTUR BROTHERS PROBE
Story by Stephen Muiruri and Mugumo Munene
Daily Nation , Kenya
Aug. 28, 2006
Police chiefs have been accused of being indifferent and amateurish
in the way they handled the Artur brothers’ saga from the time they
learnt the two were international criminals to when they ordered
their deportation.
People who have read the findings of the Kiruki Commission, which
investigated the saga, said the force has been criticised for:
Failure to act on an Armenia Interpol report, which revealed Mr Artur
Margaryan and Mr Artur Sargsyan were travelling on stolen passports
and were part of an international gang syndicate.
Breaking the force chain of command in investigating the brothers.
The way they handled the breach of security at the Jomo Kenyatta
International Airport, which saw the foreigners deported instead of
being arrested and charged.
The way they carried out their investigations after the brothers had
been deported to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.
Lack of commitment Those who have seen the report say Chapter Six is
dedicated to how the police handled the entire saga.
They quote the commission as having found out that the “actions
(by police chiefs) showed they lacked commitment, coordination and
professionalism.”
In particular, sources say the report criticises police commissioner
Mohamed Hussein Ali for disregarding the force’s chain of command by
appointing Mr Isaiah Osugo, the then deputy Nairobi provincial CID
chief, to investigate claims by MPs Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka
that the brothers were mercenaries and that they had been hired by
the Government to assassinate them.
Maj-Gen Ali acted in a manner suggesting he had no faith in suspended
CID chief Joseph Kamau and then Nairobi provincial CID chief Sammy
Githui by overlooking them and dealing directly with Mr Osugo, their
junior, sources say.
The matter was taken up by the media as evidence of hostile relations
between the police boss and Mr Kamau. Mr Githui was transferred to
Embu in the same capacity and replaced by Mr Osugo.
The Kiruki commission is understood to have noted that the scope
of Mr Osugo’s investigations seemed to have been expanded later to
include all matters touching on the Armenian brothers.
Those who are familiar with the report say it notes that Mr Kamau,
through his advocate, Mrs Jane Ondieki, told the commission that he
had been deliberately sidelined by Maj-Gen Ali.
They say it recommends that the police department be subjected to
a management audit to establish if the current leadership structure
and functional set-up are relevant.
Redundant structures should be identified and disposed of and officers
assessed for competence.
The audit should be done urgently to avoid a repeat of an incident
such as the JKIA’s, which embarrassed the country locally and
internationally, they quote the commissioners saying.
If the police had taken correct and timely actions, the Arturs
would have been arrested before they could leave JKIA’s baggage hall
after a gun drama. This would have saved the country considerable
embarrassment, the document is reported to say.
The presence of the Arturs was first made known to the police by
public statements made by Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka in March, when
they claimed that they knew of an assassination plot against them.
The brothers in turn addressed journalists at JKIA and denied the
claims, while alleging that Mr Odinga owed them money and that he
was merely attacking them to avoid repaying it.
On March 15, the Kenyan police wrote to Interpol Armenia seeking
information on Mr Margaryan and Mr Sargsyan concerning their
nationality, occupation and whereabouts, according to evidence before
the commission.
And on two occasions – March 18 and April 3 – Interpol Armenia informed
the police that an impostor was using the name of Artur Margaryan,
which had been reported stolen and replaced. The passport had been
stolen from a tax collector.
As for Mr Artur Sargsyan, the Interpol said that according to the
Armenia’s General Department of combat against organised crime, he
had left Armenia a long time ago for United Arab Emirates and was
wanted for evading military duty, according to the evidence.
Interpol Armenia then sent the photos of the two Arturs and requested
Interpol Kenya to cross-check with the two men, who were then in Kenya,
and notify Armenia on results of any investigations against them.
Interpol also informed the police that the two men had no relationship
with the Armenian Prime Minister and the President as they had claimed
at the JKIA news conference.
Those who have read the report say the commission notes that although
Interpol Armenia responded to all the requests from Interpol Kenya,
the former’s requests were not reciprocated.
They say that although Interpol Kenya was fully informed by their
Armenian counterparts about the Arturs’ criminal record, no attempts
were made to share the data with the immigration department.
Maj-Gen Ali only appointed Mr Osugo to investigate the brothers when
Mr Odinga made the assassination claims.
Amateurish search
The police are taken to task for the manner they carried out a
search at the Arturs’ Runda residence following the deportation,
the sources say.
Although the police knew they had guns, they carried out “an
amateurish” search that took them three days and the recovered items
were not properly accounted for.
The items included two Armenian passports No AB03222223, bearing the
name of Artur Margaryan and No AF0599780 in the name of Artur Sargsyan.
The documents were given to a Mr Gagan Depar to deliver to the Arturs
who had been allegedly stranded at Dubai Airport. Sources say the
Kiruki commission observes that the move was not in order.
They also quote the report as stating that the passports should have
been stamped Prohibited Immigrant (PI) to ensure the two did not
return to Kenya.
Questions were raised on why none of the two Armenians were questioned;
asked to record statements or had their fingerprints/palm and
photographs taken.

CONSCIOUS THEATRE AT THE FOUNTAIN
LAist, CA
Aug. 28, 2006
LITTLE ARMENIA at the Fountain, the show developed by and for the local
Armenian community surrounding the Hollywood theatre, has added two
more weekend matinees before it closes September 3rd. This play was
developed by Fountain writers throughout 2005, and incorporates stories
from the history of Armenian politics and immigration to California.
Playwright and actress Dael Orlandersmith (Pulitzer finalist for
YELLOWMAN) follows next at the theatre with her one-woman show. THE
GIMMICK is a coming-of-age story set in Harlem, told from the point of
view of teenagers Alexis and Jimmy. Three weeks only: Sept 13 – Oct 2.

TURKS LEAN TOWARD SENDING TROOPS FOR UNIFIL
Compiled by Daily Star staff
Daily Star – Lebanon
Aug. 28, 2006
Cabinet has approved move in principle, will ask parliament to ratify
The Turkish government agreed in principle on Monday to contribute
troops to an expanded United Nations Interim Force in South Lebanon
(UNIFIL). “The issue of the UN peacekeeping force was discussed and
it was decided in principle that we participate in the mission,”
Justice Minister Cemil Cicek told reporters after a cabinet meeting.
NATO member Turkey has good ties with both Israel and the Arab
states. The United States, Israel and Lebanon have all urged Ankara
to take part in the peacekeeping force. The Turkish government will
ask Parliament to reconvene this week or next to approve the troop
deployment, but no details of its size were revealed Monday.
The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is keen to boost
Turkey’s role in the Middle East but has been concerned about the
UN force’s rules of engagement. Some AKP lawmakers are worried that
Turkish troops may be asked to help disarm Hizbullah and could get
dragged into the conflict with Israel.
However, the Tashnak Party, which represents many members of the
Armenian community in Lebanon, reiterated its opposition to Turkish
participation.
During a visit to the Cypriot and French embassies in Beirut, a
delegation from the party said the Armenians in Lebanon “rejected
the presence of the Turkish Army in Lebanon.” It also submitted
documentation of the military and strategic alliance between Turkey
and Israel.
Also Monday, the Italian Cabinet approved the deployment of 2,500
troops to join the expanded UNIFIL. It also approved a $38 million
aid package for Lebanon.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has asked Italy to command the Lebanon
force as of February 2007, when France’s term is set to expire.
Italian General Fabrizio Castagnetti will head the mission’s new
strategic command center from the peacekeeping department at UN
headquarters in New York.
The Italian decision also authorized a $240 million budget for 2006
operations.
“In the coming hours we will initiate the complex logistics for
the deployment of the Italian forces,” Foreign Minister Massimo
D’Alema said.
The Italian Defense Ministry had said earlier in the day that a naval
task force was already being assembled to transport some 1,000 troops
to Lebanon, including marines and engineering corps specialists.
The task force, led by the aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, is
scheduled to set sail Tuesday and reach the Lebanese coast on Friday.
Spain is also preparing to send troops to Lebanon. Spanish Defense
Minister Jose Antonio Alonso will go before Parliament next week
to explain his government’s possible contribution to the emerging
international peacekeeping force in Lebanon, the ministry said Monday.
Alonso will make his case on September 7, but it is not yet known if
there will be a vote the same day, the ministry said.
The Socialist government of Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero
is reportedly considering sending up to 1,000 troops to the new force
being created to monitor a buffer zone in South Lebanon after 34 days
of war. – With agencies

IRAN PLANNING ETHNIC CLEANSING IN IRAQ?
AINA, CA
Assyrian International News Agency
Aug. 28, 2006
Indications are that Ahmadi-Nejad is planning three massive campaigns
of border adjustments and ethnic cleansing on a scale that will make
Slobodan Milosevic look like a petty thief. Ahmadi-Nejad’s threats
against Israel represent only the tip of the iceberg of his plan
to create a new “National Socialist” Middle East. In most danger
following Israel are Iraq, Saudi Arabia, the Persian Gulf states,
Lebanon, and Azerbaijan
First, Iran will drive all the Sunnis from Iraq, and use Iraq to
consolidate Iranian control of Lebanon, Syria, and the Persian Gulf.
To do this, Iran will alter Iraq’s borders and will probably annex
outright eastern Iraq including the Basra region that contains 60%
of Iraq’s proven oil reserves.
In order to partition Iraq, Iran will also encourage Iraqi Kurds, with
whom Tehran already has a political agreement aimed at disenfranchising
the Sunnis, to drive all the Sunnis from Mosul and Kirkuk. The
Kurds would then proclaim an independent Kurdistan, with Kirkuk as
its capital. Kirkuk contains Iraq’s largest oil reserves, following
Basra. Thus, the Sunnis would be deprived of all substantial income
from oil revenue.
Iran’s ethnic cleansing in Iraq would have catastrophic consequences
for the region. For one thing, Iran then would be in a strong
position after challenging Iraq’s borders to challenge Saudi Arabia’s
borders. Specifically, Iran/Iraq would then stir up irredentist
sentiment among Saudi Arabia’s large Shia community abutting Iraq,
which contains the bulk of Saudi oil reserves. Iran could make a
power grab for this territory, which would touch off another round
of ethnic cleansing as the Iraqi-Saudi border is adjusted.
For another ethnic cleansing opportunity, Iran could spur Shia
militancy in the Persian Gulf states like Bahrain. As these states fall
into Iran’s orbit, massive refugee flows of Arabs could ensue.Israel,
Palestine and Lebanon.
Second, Iran will drive all the Jews from Israel, along with the
secular and Christian Palestinians, from “Palestine.” Ahmadi-Nejad
already openly boasts of “wiping Israel from the map.” His pro-Shia
ethnic cleansing for Iraq, Israel and Palestine would put severe
pressure on the Shia in Lebanon, now under Iran/Hezbollah control,
to follow suit with their own copycat ethnic cleansing campaign.Iran,
Azerbaijan and Central Asia.
Third, Iran will then turn on its domestic Azeri community — some
30 million strong and increasingly pro-Turkey.Iran’s Azeris want
no part of an Iranian empire in the region, which at some point
entails Iranian confrontation with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Iran is
already an ally of Armenia, much to the discomfort of Turkey and
Azerbaijan who are locked in a bitter dispute with Armenia over the
future of Nagarno-Karabakh. Iran’s Azeris identify more with Turkey
and Azerbaijan than with Tehran.
In this final round of ethnic cleansing, Iran will send large numbers
of Azeris to Turkey and Azerbaijan to remove a potential threat to
the stability of Iran’s theocratic regime. In a recent provocation,
a leading official Iranian newspaper printed a cartoon depicting
Iran’s Azeris to Turkic-speaking cockroaches, a provocation that led
to days of rioting and several deaths in Iran. Remember, whatever
Ahmadinejad does to the Sunnis, Jews, and non-Islamist Palestinians,
he will do to the Azeris.
To put it another way, if Ahmadinejad chooses to pursue ethnic racist
national socialist policies abroad, beginning in Iraq, he will do
so at home as well. Of course Ahmadi-Nejad’s entire ethnic cleansing
plan is insane. So was Hitler’s plan, but he went ahead anyway.

SLOVENIA, AZERBAIJAN PRESIDENTS MEET
Baku Today, Azerbaijan
Aug. 28, 2006
Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev visiting Slovenia today had a
one-on-one meeting with Slovenian President Janez Drnovsek.
APA reports quoting Azertag the sides exchanged views on development
bilateral relations and international issues. Following the meeting
of the presidents, the delegations held a meeting. The two heads of
state held a press conference.
Slovenian President Janez Drnovseki said Azerbaijan and Slovenia
declared their independences almost at the same time. Since that
time, the two countries have achieved great improvements in their
developments.
“We can achieve more progress through bilateral cooperation between
our countries. There exist opportunities to develop cooperation
in political, economic and cultural spheres. We can also take an
active part in the project of forming future Europe. I am hopeful
for Azerbaijan’s future EU membership and its full integration into
Europe. I believe the Nagorno Garabagh conflict will be resolved in a
peaceful way in this context. This problem will be solved by mutual
agreement. We know that this dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia
has lasted long. I hope both countries will make joint efforts with
the European Union to cope with difficulties. Slovenia is ready to
help Azerbaijan by all possible means,” Mr.Drnovseki said.
President Aliyev said the relations between the toe countries are
developing very speedily, and this visit will give impetus to further
development.
“There exists a potential to continue the successful cooperation
between our countries. At the same time, we are interested in Slovenia
as EU member country. I want to note that Azerbaijani hero Mehdi
Huseynzadeh fought shoulder to shoulder with Slovenians against
fascism and was buried in Slovenia,” Mr.Aliyev said.
Touching on the resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict,
President Aliyev said, Azerbaijan’s position bases on international
law norms.
“Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity has been violated. Armenia is
pursuing ethnic cleansing policy against Azerbaijan, which resulted
in over one million Azerbaijanis becoming internally displaced
persons. What Azerbaijan demands is to resolve the conflict within
international law norms,” he underlined.

AZERBAIJAN ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO DEVELOPMENT OF RELATIONS WITH SLOVENIA – AZERI PRESIDENT
Author: S.Aliyev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Aug. 28, 2006
The President of Slovenia Yeniz Drnovshik announced at the join
press-conference with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that he
supports the peaceful settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
He expressed his regret that the conflict has being continuing for
many years, Trend reports with reference to ITV. However, he voiced
his confidence that Azerbaijan, together with European Union, will
find the ways of resolving the conflict.
Touching on the bilateral relations, Slovenian president stressed
that both countries have regained their independence at same time.
And at the moment, each of the countries are developing and
participating in the formation of Europe. Saying that at the moment,
Europen Union attaches a great importance to the relations with
Azerbaijan, the Slovenian president spelled out that his country
satisfactorily approach Azerbaijan’s future membership to this
organization.
Ilham Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan attaches a great significance
to the development of realltions with Slovenia. He noted that this
visit will server further development of bilateral relations.
Official Ljubljana, as a member of European Union, is an important
partner.
Besides, Aliyev spelled out that during the bilateral talks, a
special attention was paid to the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. He once again remembered that the position of Azerbaijan
remains unchanged. The territorial integrity of Azerbaijan has been
violated, a large number of Azerbaijanis have become victims of
the ethical cleansing implemented by Armenians. The president also
rememnered that UNO have adopted four resolutions on unconditional
withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from Azerbaijan’s occupied
territories. Besides, the Council of Europe has officially confirmed
that Azerbaijani territories have been occupied by Armenians.
Azerbaijan requires that this conflict should be resolved within
international norms.
Aliyev spelled out that the negiotiations are being held within Prague
format. This variant is available. Armenian side should demonstrate
a constructive position and stop the occupant policy.
Non-settlement of the conflict is a danger for all region, Azerbaijani
president said.
Also. He touched on the existing Azerbaijani-Slovenian economical
relations. The sides are not satisfied with the results obtained
by present. The mutual visits of officials and business people will
change this situation.
Touching on the energy cooperation between Azerbaijan and European
Union, Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan turns into a large oil and gas
supplying country. The gas that will be obtained from “Shah Deniz”
field will be directeded mainly to Europe.
Also, the president of Azerbaijan met with the special representatives
of active chairman of OSCE Peer Shevale, the president of European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development Jane Limer and American
co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group Mathew Bryza.