ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVED OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2006
On 3 October, the President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan received
the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia),
Mathew Bryza (USA) and Bernar Face (France) who are in the Country
on a regional visit.
The meeting was also attended by the personal representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andzey Kasprzyk, “Novosti-Armenia” News Agency
reported quoting the Press Service of the State Head.
The meeting focused on the issue linked with the present process of
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
On the same day, the Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan also
received the Co-chairs of the OSCE Mink Group.
According to the information provided by the Press & Information
Department of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the negotiators
discussed the current situation of the negotiations process, and
also exchanged views on the prospects of settling the conflict,
Trend reports.

AZERI AND ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS TO MEET IN MOSCOW
Author: A.Ismayilova
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2006
Matin Mirza, the speaker for the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry told
Trend that the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammadyarov is
to meet with his Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanian, in Moscow,
Trend reports.
According to Mirza, a meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian
Foreign Ministers was scheduled for 6 October, as the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs had proposed. Oskanian also gave his consent for the
meeting to take place, as stated to a news conference in Yerevan by
the Russian Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair.
In 10 days the Ministers may hold one more meeting. In his turn
the French Ambassador Bernard Fasie spoke of the possibility of
conduct of talks between the Azerbaijani and Armenian President in
the near future.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, who arrived in Baku on 2 October,
visited Yerevan and now plan to leave for Nagorno-Karabakh.

TURKEY SHOULD RESUME ITS REFORM PROCESS, REHN
Turkish Press
Oct 4 2006
ANKARA – Turkey should resume its reform process with determination,
said European Commissioner for enlargement Olli Rehn.
Holding a joint press conference with Salih Kilic, the chairman of
Turk-Is (Confederation of Turkish Employees’ Trade Unions) in capital
Ankara, Rehn stated that he is visiting Turkey for three reasons, and
listed them as ensuring cooperation among social partners and showing
the importance they attach to the NGOs; marking the first anniversary
of start of Turkey-EU entry talks. “And, thirdly I am here because
I don’t want this first anniversary to be the last one,” he said.
Rehn pointed out that Turkey should fulfil its liabilities,
particularly those stemming from additional protocol to the Customs
Union.
On the recent initiative launched by EU Acting President Finland
regarding Cyprus, Rehn said that this initiative has not been rejected
by any parties so far, and noted that all parties are trying to find
a solution as they have seen the seriousness of this matter.
Rehn refrained from detailing this initiative, but he said, “I don’t
want to be so much optimistic but this is an encouraging situation.”
-GEN. BUYUKANIT’S REMARKS-
On Chief of General Staff Gen. Yasar Buyukanit’s remarks about
fundamentalist threat and asked if he sees such a threat, Rehn said
that they have great respect to the professionalism of the Turkish
Armed Forces, but underlined importance of reforms for democratization
of civilian-military relations.
“The army is under civilian control in European democracies,” he said.
-ARTICLE 301 OF TCK-
Commenting on the Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code, Rehn noted
that the freedom of expression is defined as a fundamental freedom
in the European Convention on Human Rights.
Rehn said, “you see that there is not any concept like insulting
Britishness or insulting Finnishness. So, there is no approach in EU
countries like the approach in Article 301 (insulting Turkishness).”
Rehn pointed out that the number of cases filed under this article
has risen, pointing out that more than 60 people have been tried
under Article 301.
Most of the cases ended up with acquittal, he said. “Turkey is a strong
country, why does it need such an article. It is not an article in
line with EU standards,” he noted.
Rehn said that there should not be any violence when expressing
thoughts.
“If any thought incites violence, this is another thing. In this case,
it cannot be considered within the scope of freedom of expression,”
he added.
Rehn emphasized that it will be for the best interest of Turkish
people if Turkey fully ensures freedom of expression, and said
this will also be important for not only social change, democratic
progress and Turkey’s modernization, but also it is related with the
negotiation process.
-SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS-
Stressing that recognition of the so-called Armenian genocide
allegations is not a precondition before Turkey’s membership, Rehn
said that such historical issues should be solved within Turkey,
and underlined importance of discussion of this matter by Turkey
and Armenia.
Rehn said that the EU is supporting all types of dialogue aiming to
resolve this matter, and welcomed Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s
proposal to set up a joint commission of historians.
Reiterating resumption of Turkey’s reform process, Rehn said that the
ninth reform package should be adopted as a first step, then freedom
of expression, rights of Non-Muslims and religious minorities should
be taken up.
“We may prevent a train crash by taking necessary decisions,” he added.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WEB TO LINK TEACHER WITH ARMENIANS
Orlando Sentinel, FL
Oct 4 2006
Education Schools In Brief
New Dimensions High School teacher Nicolle Boujaber has been chosen
as one of 25 educators nationwide to participate in the 2006 Armenia
School Connectivity Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of
State and administered by the nonprofit Project Harmony. Boujaber
and her students will engage in online discussions with high-school
students in Armenia on topics such as globalization, economics,
environment, culture and democracy. Boujaber will attend a conference
in Burlington, Vt., this month where she will join other educators
to discuss the project. Her students are also raising money for needy
Armenians. Details: projectharmony.org.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YEREVAN AND BAKU AGREED TO CONTINUE DIRECT CONSULTATIONS
Gayane Movsesyan
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
According to the international mediators, the main obstacle to the
settlement is the lack of confidence between the parties.
The central goal of the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs’ visit to the
Karabakh conflict region has been achieved: an arrangement on the
resumption of the direct consultations between Armenia and Azerbaijan
on the principal issues of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement
has been reached. The RA and AR FMs’ current meeting will be held
in Moscow October 6. After that, in 7 – 10 days, the two countries’
FMs may hold another round of consultations with the mediators’
participation. Only after that the mediators may put forward a
proposal on the organization of a meeting of the Presidents Robert
Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev, the OSCE MG Co-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov
(Russia), Matthew Bryza (the U. S.) and Bernard Fassier (France)
stated yesterday in the course of a press conference held in Yerevan
on the outcomes of a meeting with RA President Robert Kocharyan,
with whom they had discussed the issues referring to the present
stage of the Karabakh talks. The OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Personal
Representative Andrzey Kasprzyk>>> also participated in the meeting.
At the press conference the Minsk group Russian Co-Chair Yuri
Merzlyakov stated an addition had been written to a basic
principle presented by the mediators to the conflict parties this
May. Y. Merzlyakov refused to go into detail, alluding to the
negotiation process’s confidentiality.
In the U. S. Co-Chair Mathew Bryza’s words, “the basic principles is
the best thing the mediators could offer, however, it does not mean
they are agreements”.
The Co-Chairs underscored they had elaborated a common view on the
necessity to activate efforts to achieve the conflict’s settlement,
as they have been convinced of the readiness of Yerevan and Baku
to search for the ways of advance. Yet the mediators noted great
breakthrough could hardly be achieved in the near future. There are
some difficulties, and the principal one is the lack of confidence
between the conflict parties.
In this connection the OSCE Chair-in-Office’s Personal Representative
Andrzey Kasprzyk pointed out frequent cease-fire violations in
the conflict zone that resulted in victims from both parties. “The
cease-fire should be strengthened”, A. Kasprzyk stated. Answering
the journalists’ questions, the French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier
categorically refuted the Azeri mass media’s information that being in
Baku the day before he had allegedly spoken against Nagorno Karabakh’s
return to the negotiating table. Matthew Bryza also refuted some
publications in the Baku mass media. In part, he allegedly said
the GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Moldova) countries’
initiative to discuss the issue on the protracted conflicts on the
countries’ territory at the U. N. would be useful for the process
of the Karabakh conflict settlement. However, Bryza actually said,
“the GUAM countries are not represented at the OSCE MG and the MG
co-chair countries hope the proposals they have offered are aimed at
the achievement of the conflicts’ just settlement”.
Today the Co-Chairs will leave for Stepanakert to hold consultations
with the NKR President Arkady Ghoukasyan and other authorities of
the Republic.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERI DELEGATION WILL ASK CHAIRMAN OF COMMITTEE OF MINISTERS OF COE QUESTIONS REGARDING NK
Author: J.Shahverdiyev
TREND, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2006
The meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will
take place in the Spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE) that will be held in Strasburg, the member
of the Azerbaijani delegation in PACE, MP Ganira Pashayeva told Trend.
She stressed that after the speech by the Head of the Committee,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, he will be asked questions.
The Azerbaijani side has also prepared its questions. Pashayeva
emphasized that despite the fact that Russia is the co-chair of
the OSCE Minsk Group and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers and
states that it recognizes the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,
the TV channels of this Country presents the head of the separatist
regime Arkadi Kukasyan as the president of fictitious Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic. “My questions will deal with this problem,” she stressed.
In addition, she said that the Chairman of the Committee will also
be presented questions regarding the non-implementation of the PACE
Resolution No. 14/16 containing the necessity of returning Azerbaijani
refugees to their land occupied by Armenian Armed Forces.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS WITHDRAW FROM THE REGIONS BORDERING WITH AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2006
Armenian government asks Armenian Diaspora organizations to solve
economical problems of villages bordering with Turkey and Azerbaijan,
APA Eastern European bureau reports quoting to Armenian Diaspora
organizations in Europe.
The Diaspora demands to promote democracy in the region.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said Armenian Diaspora
organizations allocated fund for construction of roads, schools and
restoration of irrigation system in over 50 villages. The government
hopes investors will make investment in the region and people will
come back.
The Foreign Minister said there are 159 villages to be reconstructed
each of which needs US $500-700.
In the meeting with The Diaspora organizations on September 31 Armenian
government said they will start economic struggle, because Azerbaijan’s
economic power has increased.

ARMENIA PLANS TO SIGN TWO AVIATION AGREEMENTS WITH USA
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
YEREVAN, October 4. /ARKA/. Armenia is actively working with the
USA to sign two aviation agreements, Head of the RA Civil Aviation
Department Artyem Movsisyan told reporters.
“We are actively working with the USA to sign an interstate agreement
on aviation security and air communication,” he said.
According to Movsisyan, the proposals were made by the US Embassy in
Armenia. “The American side is interested in the sphere. Tjhis is a
very important country for us, and we are happy about their activity,”
Movsisyan said.
According to him, the “Armavia” airline is unequivocally interested
in cooperating with American air carriers, considering the existence
of a large Armenian community in the USA.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT HAPPY ABOUT ARMENIAN-SWISS RELATIONS
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
YEREVAN, October 4. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan,
receiving Tuesday copies of credentials from Lorenzo Amberg, newly
appointed Swiss Ambassador, said he is happy about Armenian-Swiss
relations.
Presidential press service reports that Kocharyan expressed
appreciation of Switzerland’s contribution to the process of
reformation in Armenia.
The ambassador said fast economic growth in Armenia and stable
political situation lays favorable ground for progress.
Amberg said he would make whatever necessary to deepen bilateral
relations between the countries.

CAD HEAD SATISFIED WITH SITUATION IN ARMENIA’S AVIATION
Arka News Agency, Armenia
Oct 4 2006
YEREVAN, October 4. /ARKA/. Head of the RA Civil Aviation Department
Artyem Movsisyan expressed his satisfaction with the situation in
Armenia’s aviation.
“We have a good air fleet, and technical service is provided by highly
skilled specialists,” Movsisyan said.
He stressed that Armenia has a good air-navigation system, which
allowed it to join Eurocontrol.
On the other hand, Movsisyan said that much has still to be done.
This work involves the commercial policy of the “Armavia” airline,
as well as the construction of a new terminal at the “Zvartnots”
airport.