ILHAM ALIYEV: “OUR POLICY MUST BE AGGRESSIVE, IT MUST ATTACK”
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
Oct 2 2006
Monday Azeri President Ilham Aliyev addressed the audience in the
course of the Parliament’s fall session.
“We should switch to the information and economic attack and strengthen
our external potential”, stated I. Aliyev speaking about the ways of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict’s settlement, Day.az reports.
Aliyev reminded that being elected a President he had set increase of
the military expenditure a principal goal. “We should put pressure on
Armenia, otherwise it will hardy liberate our territories. We should
also be ready for a war”, the President underscored. At the same time
Aliyev noted using both political and economic factors Azerbaijan would
be able to turn the heat on Armenia. “Yet, after Azerbaijan becomes a
hundred times stronger than Armenia, the war may become unnecessary”,
he believes.
According to the state’s Head, some opponents’ reproaches that the
conflict has not been settled are groundless. “It happens because
Azerbaijan cannot cope with unfavorable proposals. As a President
I will not go to the proposals that do not meet the Azerbaijan’s
interests. It is an issue number one, all our efforts should be
directed to this”, the President stated.
Aliyev informed that the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs were arriving in
the region current week.
“We do not deny the format, however, we believe other international
organizations can also contribute to the peacemaking process”,
he concluded.
Day.az, October 2, 2006 .
DE FACTO INFORMATION-ANALYTICS AGENCY’S COMMENT DE FACTO
Information-Analytics Agency has repeatedly noted that if Azerbaijan
resumed hostilities it would inevitably result in this state’s
destruction. The Armenian armed subdivisions can terminate the
Azerbaijani Republic’s short history. Perhaps, Azerbaijan must be
ready for a war, as the first in the line of succession President
believes. However, the Azerbaijan’s problem is that the Armenian
subdivisions are “ready” for such a course of events. And first of
all it concerns the moral spirit’s level, though, as for armaments,
we do not lag behind the Azeri army that spends hundreds of millions
for its needs.
Generally speaking, a war, blasphemously as it may sound, is favorable
for Armenians, who will face a country stuck in corruption and mutual
accusations, where a part (the Turks) tries to assimilate all the
national minorities. Nevertheless, even taking into consideration
the situation, Armenia is peaceable as always, offering constructive
approaches to the conflict’s settlement every time, unlike its
reflexive neighbor that doubts if to begin a war with Armenia or not,
yet, under condition that “Azerbaijan is a hundred times stronger
than Armenia”.
However, Aliyev is not Hamlet, and Azerbaijan will never be “a hundred
times” stronger than Armenia. Moreover, Azerbaijan will never be
stronger than the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as a party struggling
for its Motherland always relies on the native land’s vivifying saps.
Maybe that is a reason that Azerbaijan denies negotiations with
Nagorno-Karabakh, being aware that it has lost confrontation to it,
and not Armenia. However, going on involving Armenia in the negotiation
process, Azerbaijan is trying to lead the problem’s solution to the
other sphere, where, as practice shows, nothing can be settled. Sure,
Azerbaijan may not agree with the mediators’ proposals, no matter
how weighted they are.
However, the fact can just strengthen the international image
and authority of the NKR, which has been proving to the world its
ability to protect its statehood, and not only at the battlefields,
for fifteen years.
So, I. Aliyev will have to sit at the negotiating table with the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President, who was been elected by the
whole nation. The realities’ recognition is inevitable, even for the
politicians staking on “the information and economic attack”.

ARMENIANS CELEBRATE CULTURE
By Mathew Padilla
OCRegister, CA
Orange County
Oct 2 2006
Baklava, a rich pastry of thin dough, nuts and honey, is found in
many cuisines of the Middle East but was invented by Armenians,
says Seta Mergeanian.
She may be right – the pastry’s origins are a bit hazy, with Turks
generally getting the credit. What’s not in dispute is her pride,
a common vibe during Saturday and Sunday’s Orange County Armenian
Festival.
Mergeanian helped organize the second such festival in two years at
the Laguna Hills Community Center. Her goals were to get Armenians
to come together and share their culture with others.
Festival facts and highlights
~UThe festival featured other such edibles as soujouk, an aged spicy
beef; tabouli, a kind of parsley salad with bulgur (wheat), lemon,
and sometimes mint, tomato and onion; and shish kebab.
~UOrange County is home to nearly 11,000 people of Armenian descent,
according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Armenian groups claim the figure
is much higher, in the range of 25,000 to 50,000.
~UAbout 6,000 people came to the second annual Armenian festival in
Laguna Hills.
~UThe festival Sunday was on target to raise $14,000 for local schools,
double last year’s total, according to one organizer.

ALIYEV: THERE WILL BE NO TRADE-OFFS IN GARABAGH ISSUE DURING MY PRESIDENCY
Azeri Press Agency
Oct 2 2006
“I take delight when I look at the renovation of the parliament’s
building. I wish parliament had had such a renovated building when I
was a parliamentarian,” Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev said in his
address to the opening of the parliament’s autumn session, APA reports.
The head of state said the repairing of the parliament building in a
way that meets modern standards is the part of the construction works
carried out in Azerbaijan. He said this will improve efficiency of
the parliament’s work.
Stating that the role of the parliament in the Azerbaijani society
is increasing, President Ilham Aliyev said parliamentary elections
have always been the start of a new period.
Touching on the state budget for 2007, the head of state said the
government is focusing on the development of non-oil sector.
“We are reproached that Azerbaijan’s state budget is increasing by
the account of oil. But in fact, the government is implementing big
projects to improve non-oil sector. The state budget for 2007 will
target social sphere,” he said.
Azerbaijani President also said the infrastructure projects in the
country will be completed by 2007-2008. Noting that the period of
juridical state institution will start in Azerbaijan after 2008,
Mr.Aliyev said political reforms are being carried out.
Touching on the measures implemented in the regions, the head of
state said 450, 000 jobs have been created, 600 schools were built
in the past two years and big currency flows into the country. He
said Baku-Tbilisi-Akhalkalak-Kars railroad will be opened which will
create a new situation in the country.
“Azerbaijan faces no problem but Nagorno Garabagh. The solution
of the Nagorno Garabagh does not depend on Azerbaijan only. Our
position in this issue remains unchanged. That is Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity should be ensured, UN four resolutions should
be implemented. We support granting high autonomy to Nagorno Garabagh
within Azerbaijan. There are favorable opportunities for the solution
of the problem now. We are making information attack in this field.
This should be followed by economic attack. Azerbaijan’s military
budget will reach Armenia’s state budget. Azerbaijan should choose
attacking policy. Our opponents reproach us sometimes for not finding
a solution to the Nagorno Garabagh problem. This cannot be solved
as Azerbaijan does not agree to any compromises. I will not make
any trade-offs during my presidency. We support negotiating process
in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group,” Azerbaijani President
underlined.

AZERI PRESIDENT RECEIVED OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS
Author: S.Ilhamgizi
TREND, Azerbaijan
Oct 2 2006
On October 20, The President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev received the
co-chairs of OSCE Minsk Group in the Presidential Palace, Trend reports
with reference to the Press Service of the Presidential Apparat.
During the meeting, views were exchanged on the present situation
and prospects of negotiations were held regarding the settlement of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

ARMENIAN PM: TOTAL VOLUME OF FRENCH INVESTMENTS IN ARMENIAN ECONOMY EXCEEDS $160 MLN
ARMINFO News Agency
September 30, 2006 Saturday
The total volume of French investments in the Armenian economy exceeds
$160 mln, Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan said during
a meeting with a group of French businessmen who came to Armenia
together with French President Jacques Chirac.
The press service of the Armenian Government reports Margaryan to
say that there are 111 companies with French capital in Armenia –
among them such world renowned companies as Pernod Ricard, Castel,
Credit Agricole. Margaryan said that there are good opportunities
for organizing joint ventures in industry, agricultural processing,
power engineering, telecoms and IT.
The Armenian community of France is a good basis for economic
cooperation and is very helpful in joint projects.
Margaryan told the French businessmen that in the last 5 years the
macro-economic situation in Armenia has been stable and predictable.
In 2005 the economy grew by 14%, industry by 7.5%, export by 31.5%,
foreign investments by 31%. The foreign trade turnover between Armenia
and France is successfully developing. There are wide opportunities
for commodity turnover growth. Margaryan is sure that the conduct of
the Year of Armenia in France will open up new prospects for friendship
and cooperation between the two nations and states.
The French businessmen expressed interest in investment in health care,
agricultural light industry and IT.
To note, in Jan-June 2006 the volume of French investments in the
Armenian economy totalled $4.6 mln – 48.1% less than in Jan-June
2005. The foreign trade totalled $25.3 mln – 52.4% more than a
year before.

PACE SITTING TO START
A1+
[01:14 pm] 02 October, 2006
The fall sitting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) is to start today in Strasbourg. The delegation of
the RA National Assembly, with Speaker Tigran Torosyan at the head,
will participate in it.
The delegation includes head of the NA Standing Committee on Foreign
Relations Armen Roustamyan, member of the Republican Party Hermineh
Naghdalyan, head of the Justice faction Stepan Demirchyan and head
of the National Unity faction Artashes Geghamyan.
The fifth anniversary of Armenia’s membership in the CoE will also
be celebrated this week in Strasbourg.
The main issues of the CoE agenda are the situation in Kosovo and in
Balkans, as well as the speech of the Hungarian Prime Minister.
Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov will make a speech on
Wednesday. The letter presides over the CoE Ministers’ Committee.

ANKARA RESOLUTE OVER ARMENIAN BILL, SOLE CONCERN TIES WITH FRANCE
EmÝne Kart
Turkish Daily News
Sept 30 2006
‘The Armenian lobby should abandon backstage games and come up
with concrete arguments supported by historical facts,’ say Turkish
diplomatic sources
The French National Assembly has decided to vote in the coming
days on a highly contentious bill — shelved last spring, leading
to dismay and anger among the Armenian diaspora in France — that
penalizes any denial of an alleged Armenian genocide at the hands of
the Ottoman Empire.
The assembly’s decision for the vote, scheduled for Oct. 12, came
at the request from the main opposition Socialist Party, the bill’s
architect.
When the bill first appeared on the agenda in May, Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, backed by Turkish business leaders and unions,
appealed to France to block the contentious item, warning of the
potential threat to bilateral relations.
As of yesterday the Turkish capital didn’t feel the need to release
an official response to the recent development in France, which comes
at a time when the atmosphere in domestic French politics is heating
up with the approach of presidential and parliamentary elections,
both slated for next year.
Yet diplomatic sources at the Turkish Foreign Ministry, speaking with
the Turkish Daily News, underlined the importance Turkey attributes to
bilateral relations with France and expressed concern that adoption of
such a controversial bill would harm relations between the two peoples
as well as French businessmen doing business in and with Turkey.
“Even if this bill is adopted, it is not possible for Turkey to accept
such a theory,” the same sources said, while noting that Ankara
has been contacting French officials at every level to prevent the
bill’s adoption.
Turkish officials drew attention to the fact that Armenia, with its aim
of having genocide accusations against Turkey accepted by third-party
countries, is trying to damage bilateral relations between Turkey
and other countries to secure an advantage in the political arena.
“The Armenian lobby should abandon backstage games and should come up
with concrete arguments supported by historical facts,” the diplomatic
sources said, referring to Ankara’s proposal last year to establish a
joint committee of Turkish and Armenian experts to study allegations
of an Armenian genocide in the final days of the Ottoman Empire.
Earlier this month, during talks with his French counterpart, Philippe
Douste-Blazy, as part of a visit to France, Foreign Minister Abdullah
Gul suggested that France participate in such a body.
Gul said at the time that other countries, including France, could
join the proposed committee of Turkish and Armenian academics to
study the allegations.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan sent a letter to Armenian President
Robert Kocharian proposing the establishment of such a committee,
but his proposal was turned down by Kocharian, who instead offered
an intergovernmental commission that would study ways of resolving
problems between the two neighboring countries. Turkey says its
proposal is still on the table.
During talks with Douste-Blazy, Gul also raised Ankara’s uneasiness
over the French bill penalizing any denial of the alleged genocide.
Gul told Douste-Blazy it was a contradiction to hold a parliamentary
debate on a bill that restricts freedom of expression, while the
European Union presses Ankara to amend Article 301 of the Turkish
Penal Code (TCK) under which a wave of authors and journalists has
been tried. “We cannot accept a historical issue being dragged onto
a political platform,” he said at the time.
Chirac’s first trip to Armenia:
Ahead of his first official visit to Armenia at the invitation of
Kocharian, Chirac used the phrase “the Armenian genocide committed
by the Ottoman Empire.”
Chirac employed the wording during an interview with an Armenian
journal; the transcript was translated into Turkish by the French
Embassy in Ankara.
“Europe is first of all an effort of reconciliation, peace, respect
and openness to others. I believe in Turkey’s ability to pay historical
tribute, as the spirit of Europe lies in that,” he said.
Chirac, who was scheduled to depart on Friday for the official two-day
visit, is also scheduled to visit a monument dedicated to the killings
of Anatolian Armenians called the “Memorial to Armenian Genocide.”
Today, Chirac and Kocharian will attend a concert by the renowned
Charles Aznavour that will be performed to mark the beginning of the
Year of Armenia in France, called “Armenia, My Friend.”
–Boundary_(ID_qhVD+TQMXVFwxShB8754 4A)–

SAAKASHVILI IS CARVING A STRAIGHT PATH TO THE GOAL HE ALONE SEES CLEARLY
by Yuri Simonjan, Anatroly Gordiyenko, Vladimir Ivanov, Alexandra Samarina
Translated by A. Ignatkin
Source: Nezavisimaya Gazeta, September 29-30, 2006, pp. 1, 6
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
October 2, 2006 Monday
TBILISI: BEYOND THE POINT OF NO RETURN;
The Latest Russian-Georgian Scandal: Tbilisi May Have Pushed Moscow
Too Far; On Wednesday, September 27, the authorities of Georgia had
six Russian officers arrested and charged with espionage. Relations
between Moscow and Tbilisi have finally passed the point of no
return. The Russian Embassy in Tbilisi is longer accepting visa
applications from Georgians.
On Wednesday, September 27, the authorities of Georgia had six
Russian officers arrested and charged with espionage and subversive
activities. “Their arrest is a valid reason for having the UN Security
Council handle the problem,” because “the situation is quite serious,”
said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. The gravity of his words
is a clear indication that relations between Moscow and Tbilisi have
finally passed the point of no return.
Everything started when Georgian police surrounded the headquarters
of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus. Interior Minister Vano
Merabishvili immediately made a public statement, announcing that
Georgian counter-intelligence had caught “several persons including
four officers of the Russian Armed Forces GRU (Main Intelligence
directorate) and over a dozen Georgians.” As for the police cordons,
Merabishvili explained that Georgian law enforcement agencies wanted
another Russian officer (“GRU Lieutenant Colonel Konstantin Pichugin”)
for espionage, and that he was inside the building. “We appealed to
the command of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus to hand over the
spy who enjoys immunity on the territory that is off limits to us,”
the minister said.
According to Merabishvili, the network of spies was run by Colonel
Anatoly Sinitsyn of the Russian intelligence – organizer of the
terrorist act in the town of Gori on February 1, 2005, where several
Georgian police officers were killed. “He is running his assets from
Yerevan, Armenia, from Unit 44843 of the Armed Forces of the Russian
Federation,” Merabishvili said.
Merabishvili also said that the “network we’ve neutralized concentrated
on Georgia’s combat readiness, programs and plans for Georgia-NATO
cooperation, opposition parties and non-governmental organizations,
certain units of the Defense Ministry of Georgia, personnel, arms
procurement, sea ports, railroads.” Merabishvili even identified the
arrested Russians by name and rank: GRU lieutenant colonels Alexander
Savva and Dmitri Kazantsev, detained in Tbilisi, Lieutenant Colonel
Alexander Zavgorodny, and Major Alexander Baranov (both from the GRU)
in Batumi. On the morning of September 28, the Georgians reported
the arrest of two more Russian officers.
The Foreign Ministry of Georgia made its move without delay. Ivan
Volynkin at the Russian Embassy in Tbilisi was given a strongly-worded
protest note demanding the handover of Pichugin, still at the
headquarters of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus.
“The Embassy official was given a thorough account of the reasons
for the arrests made by Georgian law enforcement agencies,” a press
release stated. The document proceeded to announce that the Georgians
had permitted the Russians a meeting with the arrestees.
Obviously, all these gestures and explanations failed to satisfy
Moscow. Lavrov, in his comment from the town of Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk,
revealed Tbilisi’s true designs and motives. Lavrov presented the
latest developments as all being linked. He recalled Georgian President
Mikhail Saakashvili’s recent criticism of Russia at the UN General
Assembly, and Tbilisi’s actions in the Kodori Gorge.
“Typically, the latest provocation and the latest statements with
regard to the Kodori Gorge that conflict with all existing accords
took place and were made bare days after endorsement of the policy
of advanced cooperation with Georgia by NATO countries,” Lavrov
pointed out. The UN Security Council will ponder resolution on the
Georgian-Abkhazian conflict in the near future. “We will insist on
making this document a principal evaluation of Georgia’s subversive
actions in defiance of its own commitments,” Russian minister said.
The Russian Foreign Ministry’s reaction to the news from Georgia was
instantaneous. Georgian Ambassador Irakly Chubinishvili was summoned
to the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation on the evening of
September 27. Grigori Karasin, State Secretary and Deputy Foreign
Minister, protested against Georgia’s action and reminded the Georgia
diplomat that the Russian military is organizing the withdrawal of the
Russian military bases from Georgia under the terms of Russian-Georgian
agreements.
Defense Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Ivanov described
the events in Georgia as “absolute lawlessness.” “They are clearly
trying to provoke us into an inadequate reaction. Russia’s reaction
will remain adequate and reasonable,” Ivanov told journalists before
boarding the plane to Portoroj in Slovenia (meeting of the Russia-NATO
Council is scheduled there on September 29). “They deliberately
aggravate the situation in the hope to distract attention from the
problems Georgia is facing. I’m sorry for the Georgian people.”
Dismayed by the latest developments, Moscow doesn’t rule out the
possibility of sanctions against Georgia. “Arresting senior Russian
officers on charges of espionage is absurd, to put it mildly. Such
actions conflict with the CIS agreements which state in no uncertain
terms that CIS countries do not spy on one another,” said Yuri
Sharandin, chairman of the Federation Council Constitutional Law
Committee and head of the Russian delegation to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe. The lawmaker maintains that “these
patently invented and absurd charges” against the Russian officers was
a deliberate gesture. “Inventing evidence of espionage or intelligence
activities is the easiest. What secrets could Georgia be hiding,
a country as small as it is?” Sharandin warned the authorities of
Georgia of the consequences their actions may bring about. “Russian
answer will be more than adequate. We will invoke sanctions against
this country,” Sharandin said.
Konstantin Kosachev, chairman of the Duma Committee for International
Affairs, evaluates the latest action taken by the authorities
of Georgia as an element of a general strategy aimed at causing
Russian-Georgian relations to deteriorate as much as possible.
Kosachev attributes it to the lack of progress in resolution of
conflicts between the government in Tbilisi and breakaway provinces of
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. “When the Georgian leadership is compelled
to explain the situation to the population, it immediately refers
to the malicious Russia,” the lawmaker said. “We must do whatever it
takes to have our officers released. We must insist on coherent and
exhaustive information on why actions of this sort are undertaken. If
the conflict is not resolved at once, we may always resort to an
adequate response. Say, we may press similar charges against some
Georgians in Russia. I don’t doubt that our secret services have all
necessary information.”
By engineering such provocations, Georgia violates all international
norms, Gennadi Gudkov of the Security Committee of the Duma said.
“Under the circumstances, the Russian response may take the form of a
show of strength – say, a blockade of the Georgian Black Sea ports,”
Gudkov said. “Send the Black Sea Fleet to run an exercise somewhere
off the Georgian coast. Why not? Assign secret services and make sure
that they do their job. We have so many Georgians in Russia doing
what not exactly checks with the acting legislation. Methods must
be adequate. If the Georgians calm down, it’s okay. If they don’t,
we must show them to what lengths we could go.”
A source close to the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces says
that the latest developments in Georgia are just another attempt by
Tbilisi to negate Russian control over the situation. “Saakashvili
must have secured Washington’s support in the matter of Abkhazia.
Otherwise, his aggressiveness, which transcends all accepted and
acceptable practices and Russian-Georgian accords, could only be
described as political stupidity,” the officer said. The source
confirms that Russian peacekeepers operating in Georgia “might include
some intelligence officers at the tactical army level – who provide
the peacekeeper command with the information necessary for planning
or whatever.” “It is even possible to assume – as unlikely as it
is – that there may have been a small group of GRU officers at the
headquarters of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus,” the officer
said. “If there were, then they merely observed the American military
instructors training units of the Georgian national army.”
Even Western analysts suspect “American involvement” in the latest
developments in Georgia. Arnaud Kalika, Strategic Information Bulletin
editor (TTU, Paris), said: “Military contacts between Georgia and the
United States being so close, I cannot imagine such an operation being
organized by the Georgians without Washington’s knowledge.” Kalika
went on to say: “In fact, such an operation could even be coordinated
with the CIA. The Americans and their CIA made it plain more than
once that they would try to thwart the Russian policy in the southern
part of the Caucasus. The episode with the Russian officers fit the
pattern. Washington views Georgia as its own turf now. I’d even say
that the United States will try to prevent Russian sanctions against
Georgia. Presidents Putin and Bush will probably be discussing the
matter before very long.”
The situation in Tbilisi remains complicated. Russian Embassy
spokesman Mikhail Svirin maintains that the headquarters of the
Russian Army Group in the Caucasus remains surrounded by Georgian
police. The Russians have assigned an armored vehicle to guard the
entrance. Svirin confirms that the Embassy is longer accepting visa
applications from Georgians.
Economic leverage
Even if Moscow decides to suspend all import from Georgia, economic
effect of this decision cannot hurt Georgia as bad as the ban on wines
and mineral water did. Statistical data from the customs indicate that
Georgian wines and mineral water accounted for 56.4% of all Georgian
export to Russia last year. Nothing else can match these articles:
spirits accounted for 12.2% of all export, ferrous alloys for 12%,
and nuts, fruits, and so on for 19.2%.
Foods account for almost half of the Russian export to Georgia
(51.1%). Tbilisi can always recompense with enlarging import of
foodstuffs from other countries.
Fuel and energy supplies are the chink in Georgia’s armor. Georgia
is almost entirely dependent on Russian natural gas. It is paying
$110 per 1,000 cubic meters nowadays. If Russia decides to boost the
price or suspend the deliveries altogether, Georgia will be compelled
to seek alternative sources of gas – and do it without delay. (And
Moscow should bear in mind that Russian gas to loyal Armenia is
exported via the territory of Georgia.) Along with everything else,
RAO Unified Energy Systems sells electricity to Georgia in winter,
when Georgia experiences power shortages.

GEORGIA TO IMPORT ENERGY NOT ONLY FROM RUSSIA, BUT TURKEY, IRAN
ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
September 30, 2006 Saturday
Georgia will be able to import electric power it needs in winter not
only from Russia, but also from Turkey and Iran by transit via Armenia.
Tbilisi prolonged the relevant agreement of 2005 with Ankara and
sealed deals with Yerevan and Tehran, Georgian Energy Minister Nika
Gelauri said on Saturday.
Under the agreements, Georgia will import electric power from Turkey
and Iran by transit via Armenia on a barter basis.
Georgia will import 100 megawatts from Turkey and another 150 megawatts
from Iran.
Gelauri pointed out that “at present, Georgia is insured from any
incidents and emergencies in the country’s energy system.”
“The Russian-Georgian agreements remain in force. Pursuant to them,
Georgia will be able to import 200-250 megawatts from Russia by the
end of the year,” a ministry’s official told Itar-Tass.
“At present, electric power supplies from Russia are suspended, but
if it is necessary, they will be resumed,” the official said pointing
out that Georgia plans to prolong these agreements in 2007.
Georgia’s demand for electric power in winter makes up 1,700
megawatts. Georgia’s hydropower and thermal-power stations account
for 76 percent.

JACQUES CHIRAC: FRANCE FULLY RECOGNIZES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 30 2006
Robert Kocharian Does Not Object To Creation Of Commission On Solution
Of Armenian-Turkish Problem
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 30, NOYAN TAPAN. “Remember”. This was the only
word that the French President Jacques Chirac wrote on September 30
in the memorial book of the Museum-Institute of the Armenian Genocide
after visiting the Tsitsernakaberd memorial complex, laying flowers
at the eternal flame in memory of the genocide victims and becoming
acquainted with some museum documents. Jacques Chirac also planted
a fir-tree in the memorial alley of the complex.
During a press conference following their tete-a-tete meeting, the
two presidents responded to reporters’ questions. At the request
of a reporter of “Le Figaro”, J. Chirac touched upon the draft law
on recognition of denial of the Armenian Genocide as a punishable
action. It is envisaged to discuss this draft in the French National
Assembly in the near future. “I want to remind that France recognized
the Armenian Genocide by force of law and this law applies to
everybody,” J. Chirac noted. In his words, France is a legal state
where criminal responsibility is envisaged for ethnic intolerance
such as racism and actions instigating it. He pointed out once again
that France fully recognized the Armenian Genocide.
Responding to a question of “Le Monde”, President Kocharian said:
“Today our relations with Turkey have not actually been formed. We are
interested in having relations with a more predictable, more secure
and democratic country. Of course, Armenia does not see any danger in
the issue of Turkey’s membership of the EU, quite the opposite. We
would like the issues concerning us to be solved in this process,
as well as the European system of values regarding free movement and
openness of borders, to be used in Turkey as well, and at the initial
rather than final stage of its membership.”
The French president in his turn noted that every state develops
by admitting problems of its past: “By recognizing the genocide of
Jews, Germany did not lose its greatness and self-confidence. On the
contrary, a country and nation develops by admitting the mistakes
made in the past and striving to enter the union that respects human
rights. Turkey must think about discussion and admission of its past,”
President Chirac underlined.
Asked by Paris correspondent of the Turkish paper “Huriet” why the
Armenian president does not respond to the Turkish prime minister Recep
Erdogan’s proposal to set up a commission of historians to discuss
the issue of “massacres”, Robert Kocharian replied that the heads
of neighboring countries should communicate not through the press
but through their diplomatic missions and by holding consultations
of their foreign ministries. “I regret that no such relations exist
between Turkey and Armenia. Responding to Erdogan’s letter, I proposed
setting up an interstate commission to find solutions to all problems,
including the issue of creating a commission of historians. There
has been no response so far,” the Armenian president said.