Armenian minister hopes for peaceful solution to Iran nuclear issue

Arminfo
8 Jun 06
Yerevan, 8 June: Armenia welcomes recent developments in Iran,
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan told a news conference
today.
“Because we also believe that the issue should be resolved by means of
a dialogue,” the foreign minister pointed out. He recalled that this
issue was of greet importance for Armenia which borders Iran.
“We welcome any progress in this issue, we welcome EU official Javier
Solana’s visit, the proposal of a new ‘package’, the fact that Iran
did not decline it and that the USA has proposed establishing direct
contacts with Iran,” Oskanyan said.
He also expressed the hope that the positive events of the last week
would yield positive results and that the issue would be resolved by
peaceful means and through talks, without imposing sanctions or using
military force.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Lebanese president meets Karabakh official – Armenian agency
Mediamax news agency
8 Jun 06
Yerevan, 8 June: President of Lebanon Gen Emile Lahhud received the
foreign minister of the Nagornyy Karabakh Republic, Georgiy Petrosyan,
in Beirut on 6 June, Mediamax quoted Beirut’s Azdak newspaper as
reporting.
The meeting was held with members of the Central Committee of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun in Lebanon and the
Armenian ambassador to Lebanon, Vaan Ter-Gevondyan, attending.
[Passage omitted: report about the meeting has been posted on the
official website of the Lebanese president]

Armenian minister hopeful Karabakh may be resolved in 2006
Mediamax news agency
8 Jun 06
Yerevan, 8 June: Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan does not
rule out that Armenia and Azerbaijan will manage to agree on the
principles of Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement in 2006.
The Armenian foreign minister said that “nothing can be ruled
out”. “As the saying goes, hope springs eternal,” Oskanyan said.
The Armenian foreign minister pointed out that the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents, Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliyev, did not
agree on a new meeting at talks in Bucharest on 4-5 June.
“The sides agreed that a meeting would be held between the Armenian
and Azerbaijani foreign ministers if the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen
considered it necessary,” Oskanyan said.
He noted that there was no agreement yet on a possible meeting with
his Azerbaijani counterpart. “It is up to the mediators to decide,”
Oskanyan said.
“In Bucharest, like in Rambouillet, the presidents could not agree on
one very difficult issue,” Oskanyan said. Asked what the expectations
for a possible favourable outcome of the Bucharest talks were based
on, the Armenian minister said: “Every time there are new formulas and
approaches to major issues on the negotiating table, the sides hope
that they will manage to persuade the other side to soften its
position. This did not happen in Bucharest. We should try again.”
The Armenian foreign minister pointed out that the position of the
Armenian side remained unchanged – Yerevan is ready to discuss issues
related to the elimination of the aftermath of the conflict, but only
after Azerbaijan recognizes the Nagornyy Karabakh people’s right to
self-determination.
Oskanyan said that Armenia did not feel pressure from the [OSCE]
mediators and said he doubted they would face this kind of pressure in
the future.

SERGE SARGSIAN TO PAY OFFICIAL VISITS TO BELGIUM, NATO CENTRAL
HEADQUARTERS AND LITHUANIA

YEREVAN, JUNE 9, NOYAN TAPAN. The delegation headed by RA Defence
Minister Serge Sargsian will pay an official visit to the Kingdom of
Belgium on June 12-13, to the NATO Central Headquarters on June 14,
the Republic of Lithuania on June 15-16.
Within the framework of the official visit to Kingdom of Belgium Serge
Sargsian will meet with the Defence Minister of Belgium and the
Defence Headquarters Chief, will visit the Royal Military Academy of
Belgium.
On June 14, Serge Sargsian will take part in the sitting of the
Northatlantic Council, where the process of implementation of the
Armenia-NATO Individual Actions Plan will be discussed.
As Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, the Spokesperson of RA Defence
Minister, informed Noyan Tapan, within the framework of the visit to
Lithuania the delegation led by the Defence Minister will meet with
the President of the Republic of Lithuania, the Defence Minister, the
Chairman of the Parliament Commission on National Security and
Defence, will visit military subdivisions.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Delegation headed by RA Defense Minister to pay a visit to Belgium

ArmRadio.am
09.06.2006 13:32
June 12-13 the delegation headed by RA Minister of Defense will pay an
official visit to the Kingdom of Belgium, June 14 it will visit NATO
Headquarters, June 15-16 it will leave for the Republic of Lithuania.
In the framework of the visit to Belgium the delegation will have
meetings with the Defense Minister of Belgium and Head of Defense
Staff, and will visit the Royal Military School of Belgium.
June 14 Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan will participate in the
sitting of the North-Atlantic Council, where the process of
accomplishment of Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Actions Plan is
to be discussed.
In the framework of the visit to Lithuania members of the Armenian
delegation will meet the President of the Republic of Lithuania,
Defense Minister, Head of the Parliamentary Committee on National
Security and Defense, and will visit military units.

RA FM: SHORTLY RESUMPTION OF MILITARY OPERATIONS IN KARABAKH CONFLICT
AREA SEEMS UNLIKELY
Yerevan, June 9. ArmInfo. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan
considers the shortly resumption of military operations in the
Karabakh conflict area unlikely, RA FM said in an interview to
“Kentron” TV channel.
According to him, such a threat is not real at present, though the
situation may change. Having reminded that Azerbaijan often talks
about it, Oskanyan said not only the Armenian party but also other
counties and experts, who think that Azerbaijan is not ready for war
today, answer this question. “War is a war and Azerbaijan has already
a bitter experience, having tried to resolve the problem in a military
way twice, and both times – with fiasco. The third attempt will become
the last mistake for Baku. I think the military solution will not be
in their favour”, Oskanyan said.

RA FM: TURKEY IS NOT READY TO ESTABLISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH
ARMENIA
Yerevan, June 9. ArmInfo. Turkey is not ready to establish diplomatic
relations with Armenia, RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan said in an
interview to “Kentron” TV channel.
Commenting the statements of some Turkish figures on “non-recognition
of frontiers with Turkey by Armenia”, Oskanyan has reminded that there
is nothing of the kind in the RA Constitution. “There is a just a
reference there to the Declaration on Independence saying about the
historical past and values. There are no dangerous clauses for Turkey
in it”, Oskanyan said. According to him, Turkey uses the pretence of
“frontiers” for its purposes. “Turkey is not ready to establish
diplomatic relations with Armenia”, Oskanyan noted. In view of this he
reminded that the issue of frontiers is regulated by a Protocol on
diplomatic relations establishment. “This is a practice, accepted by
the international community. Then why Turkey wants us to make a
statement, meet their requirements, while we do not know if they are
ready for diplomatic relations with Armenia”, Oskanyan said.

Armenian leader urges to develop regional cooperation
Arminfo
7 Jun 06

Yerevan, 7 June: Armenia thinks it is necessary to develop regional
cooperation without waiting for the settlement of all the conflicts
because cooperation itself can promote the settlement of conflicts.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said this in his message to the
participants in the 27th plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization in Yerevan.
Armenia attaches special significance to cooperation in the spheres of
energy, transport, education and science. “Every country [in the
region] can fully develop its potential only if there is intensive
regional cooperation,” the president’s message said.

Canadian minister, Turkish MP discuss premier’s remarks about
“Armenian genocide”
Anatolia news agency, Ankara
9 Jun 06
Ottawa, 9 June: “We regretted Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s
statements about the so-called Armenian genocide,” said on Friday [9
June] Egemen B agis, an MP from Justice and Development Party (AKP)
and adviser to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for foreign
affairs.
Bagis, who is currently in Canada to attend the Bildergberg meetings,
met Foreign Minister Peter MacKay of Canada in Ottawa.
Referring to economic and commercial relations (between the two
countries), Bagis noted that Turkey is willing to further increase
trade volume, which is currently around 1bn US dollars, with Canada.
Expressing regret over recent statements of Canadian Prime Minister
Stephen Harper, Bagis said, “Prime Minister Erdogan sent a letter to
his Canadian counterpart Harper a week before his statement. In his
letter Erdogan asked Harper not to be involved in arguments over the
Armenian issue. Harper’s accusations against Turkey caused regret in
Turkey. That statement has overshadowed our bilateral relations. We
expect Canada to take steps in order to remove that shadow.”
“We think that the issue should be resolved by Turkey and Armenia
themselves. Mr Harper’s statements will not make any contribution to
Turkey-Armenia relations,” Bagis added.
Meanwhile, MacKay said in his part that he appreciated the initiative
of Prime Minister Erdogan, who asked Armenia to form a joint committee
of historians. Noting that he would call on Armenian authorities to
respond positively to Prime Minister Erdogan’s proposal, MacKay added
that they were aware of Turkey’s sensitivity over the issue.

Kenyan police said under pressure “from above” to release Armenians
Capital FM radio, Nairobi
9 Jun 06
A high powered security meeting is currently under way at police
headquarters over the late night raid at the Runda residence [Nairobi]
of the Artur brothers. Sources say the raid has sent panic among
senior police officers due to what they are terming as interference
from above.
No senior police officer involved in the operation is willing to
comment on the matter, referring all questions to the police
commissioner himself.
The meeting at Vigilance House [police HQ] chaired by Maj-Gen Hussein
Ali is reportedly charting the way forward over the matter.
Seven people among them Artur Margaryan, his brother Sargasyan,
another man said to be their brother, a Caucasian lady and three
Kenyans are recording statements with the police at Gigiri, Muthangari
and Hardy police stations. The raid followed an earlier scuffle at the
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [Nairobi], where the brothers are
alleged to have drawn a gun at customs officials. Police say Margaryan
had gone to the airport to receive his brother and pulled out a
firearm when asked to follow customs regulations. When authorities
raided the residence of the Armenians in Runda, they detained 11
vehicles including one bearing Government of Kenya [GK] number
plates. They also recovered numerous other registration plates with
more GK, UN and ordinary plates.
Back at the Armenian’s Runda residence, trucks that had been brought
in to tow the vehicles have now left the compound. No official at the
scene is offering the explanation to the journalists present and it
remains unclear whether the eleven top of the range vehicles will be
towed to police yards. Officers are still conducting a search at the
expansive residence, where they’re also going through data in
computers found at the residence.
A senior source says police are under pressure to release the Armenian
brothers.
Meanwhile, opposition leader Uhuru Kenyatta, has demanded thorough
investigations into the matter. Uhuru wants prosecution against the
Armenians should investigations reveal that the brothers actually
roughed up government officials at the airport.
He also says a thorough probe should be conducted into the number
plates which were allegedly recovered at the Runda residence.