APPROVAL OF EU-ARMENIA ACTION PLAN DELAYED OWING TO NEIGHBOR STATES
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 15:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Talks with European Parliament Vice-President Edward
MacMillan-Scott in Yerevan were rather successful, Armenian FM Vartan
Oskanian stated at a news conference in Yerevan. “Vice-President’s
statement that Armenia can become EU member in coming 10 years was
good news to me,” Oskanian said.
The Armenian FM also noted that talks between Armenia and the EU over
approval of the Action Plan are not over yet. “There are no unsolved
matters within the program and there is no need for another round
of talks over the Action Plan. Delay of the final decision is due to
our neighbors having some difficulties with the EU,” Oskanian said.
As of Iran’s nuclear program, in the Armenian FM’s words, “Yerevan
assesses as positive the fact that Teheran did not turn down the EU
new proposals.” “We welcome EU High Representative for the Common
Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana’s efforts in Teheran and the
intention of the US to hold direct dialogue with Iran. We also hope
that it will be possible to solve Iran’s nuclear issue by means of
talks, without application of sanctions and military force,” Oskanian
underscored. The Armenian FM refused to comment on anti-government
statements of Azerbaijani residents of northern provinces of Iran.

ARMENIA-DIASPORA THIRD FORUM TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN IN SEPTEMBER 2006
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 15:16 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia-Diaspora Third Forum will be held in
Yerevan September 18-20, Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian stated at
a news conference in Yerevan. In his words, 15 years of Armenia’s
independence will be summarized at the forum. “Cultural events will be
held within the forum framework. One Nation, One Culture festival and
Golden Apricot Third Cinema Festival will be held before the forum,”
Vartan Oskanian remarked.
The Armenian FM also said that challenges changed in the course of the
past 15 years and so did the country. “We have other opportunities
now, other potential. Armenia is much stronger now and is able to
solve challenges the people and the country face,” he emphasized.
The forum will open September 18. Armenian President Robert Kocharian
and NKR President Arkday Ghoukassian, Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II and Catholicos of the Great Cilician House Aram I will
address the first plenary session. Relations between Armenia and
Diaspora, cooperation prospects will be discussed at the session. The
second day will focus on agriculture exclusively. New Solutions of
Old Problems of XXI Century Problems for Nation and State conference
will be held on the third, final day of the forum.
“By convening the Armenia-Diaspora forum we hope that by uniting all
national possibilities, capabilities, we can jointly solve all-national
problems and create secure conditions for development and prosperity
of the country,” Oskanian stressed.

US COMMITTED TO KARABAKH PEACEFUL RESOLUTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 15:33 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The United States remains committed to helping
secure a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, said
US Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza. In his words, the
Presidents met in Bucharest last weekend for intensive, detailed
negotiations. “Obviously, no breakthrough was reached, but we
continue to believe that 2006 represents a window of opportunity
if the Presidents can make difficult, courageous decisions to move
forward with a settlement,” he underscored.
Bryza also stressed that the United States is interested in
broadening cooperation with Azerbaijan in all fields. “We already
enjoy excellent cooperation on military and security matters, energy
issues, and democratic and economic reforms. President Aliyev’s visit
to Washington was very successful in advancing this cooperation and we
hope to deepen our cooperation still further in the weeks and months
to come,” he remarked, reports Trend.

TALKS ON KARABAKH TO BE HELD WITHIN DARTMOUTH CONFERENCE GROUP JUNE 18-20
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 17:34 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ June 18 – 20 the 10th round of the talks between
the representatives of Armenian, Azeri and Nagorno Karabakh public
within the frames of the American-Russian Working Group of Dartmouth
Conference on Regional Conflicts will be held in Snegiri, a town in
the Moscow region. The issues to be discussed will be determined at
the spot. However, it is known that in the course of the 10th round
of the talks the outcomes of Armenian and Azeri Presidents’ latest
meeting in Bucharest are to be discussed.
Some modifications have been made in the Armenian delegation:
first Ombudsperson of Armenia, Executive Director of the Fund
against Violations of Law Larisa Alaverdyan had been included in
the delegation.
The Dartmouth Conference on Regional Conflicts is the only format of
the Karabakh talks held with the participation of the representatives
of the Nagorno Karabakh public. At the 9th round of the talks within
the framework of the Dartmouth Conference on Karabakh held in December,
2005 a Framework Agreement on the peace process in the region was
coordinated and approved by Armenian, Azeri and Nagorno Karabakh
representatives. March 2006 the Co-Chairs Harold Saunders and Vitaly
Naumkin visited Baku, Yerevan and Stepanakert for the first time,
reports De-Facto agency.

IN 2011 ZVARTNOTS AIRPORT TO RECEIVE 3 MILLION PASSENGERS ANNUALLY
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 17:51 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Zvartnots airport will have flights round the
clock beginning on July 2, Airport Director Juan Pablo Gechijian
told journalists. In his words, owing to repair works at the landing
strip all flights since this March were put off till evening. “The
arrival hall of airport new complex will open in September, while the
waiting room will be ready by spring 2007. The new complex provides an
opportunity to receive 2 million passengers annually instead of today’s
1.2 million. After construction works finish in 2011, the airport will
have the capacity to receive 3 million passengers,” Gechijian remarked.

TURKISH PROSECUTOR GENERAL OFFICE RECOGNIZED DINK INNOCENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 17:58 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish Prosecutor General’s Office has decided
that there were no components of crime in the actions of Hrant Dink,
the editor of the Armenian-language weekly Agos and he should be
recognized innocent. The Prosecutor General’s Office of Turkey does
not agree with court verdict sentencing Dink to 6-month imprisonment
for articles in his newspaper that allegedly insult Turkish national
dignity. The Prosecutor General’s Office noted that according to the
Turkish Criminal Code, any critical opinion, if it does not contain
insulting, should not be penalized, reports RFE/RL.

AZERI PARLIAMENT CHAIR CONGRATULATED NEWLY-ELECTED ARMENIAN SPEAKER
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 18:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan’s Milli Mejlis speaker Oktay Asadov
congratulated Tigran Torosyan on his election as Armenian NA
Speaker. Asadov’s message was read at the 27th plenary session of
the Parliamentary Assembly (PA) of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organization (BSECO) in Yerevan by BSECO PA Azeri delegation head Asaf
Gajiyev. The same day the presidency of the BSECO PA transferred from
Armenia to Azerbaijan: Armenian Speaker T. Torosyan handed presidency
symbol – wood hammer – to Gajiyev. The next plenary session of the
BSECO PA will be held in Baku November 22-23 and the Armenian party
is already invited to participate, reports Mediamax.

ALIYEV: “IT IS NECESSARY TO CARRY KARABAKH PEACEFUL RESOLUTION THROUGH”
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 18:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “I am sure the Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be
settled within the framework of international norms and principles,”
Azeri President Ilham Aliyev told NBC TV channel. In his words,
terms of settlement of the Karabakh issue depend not only on
Baku. “Territorial integrity of Azerbaijan is recognized by the
international community and all countries, except Armenia. We will
never agree to secession of NK, we will provide it widest autonomy
within territorial integrity of Azerbaijan,” Aliyev underscored.
“They advice our country not to think of settlement by force. We
believe that until there is an opportunity to settle the conflict
peacefully, it is necessary to carry that way through,” Aliyev said.

EUROCOMMISSION TO MAKE PUBLIC FIRST REPORT ON SOUTH CAUCASUS STATES BEFORE YEAREND
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 18:35 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Before the end of this year the Eurocommission
will make public the first Report on South Caucasus states (Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Georgia) within the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP),
reported Head of Sector Coordination Unit for European Neighborhood
Policy in the European Commission, Andreas Herdina. In his words,
implementation of the fifth plan of Neighborhood Policy events will
finish before the end of 2006.

OSCE MG HAS NEW PROPOSALS ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT, BAKU SAYS
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.06.2006 18:54 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan is not content with peace talks
over Nagorno Karabakh settlement, reported Head of the Public and
Political Section of Azeri President’s Administration Ali Hasanov,
when commenting on Armenian and Azeri Presidents’ latest meeting
in Bucharest. As of continuing the meetings between the Armenian
and Azeri leader, he noted that Presidents themselves decide this
matter. “If President Aliyev believes these meetings have no prospects,
Azerbaijan will consider other adequate measures,” Hasanov said.
In his words, the OSCE Minsk Group has new proposals over settlement
of the conflict. However, these are not made public and are being
analyzed by the parties.
“We are not content with today’s talks, as Armenia does not give up
its non-constructive stance.
International structures, as well as the OSCE MG are not going to
exert pressure upon it. This does not content us,” he underscored,
reports Trend.