US VISIT OF NKR HIGH-RANKING OFFICIALS CONTINUES
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
05 July 2006
On June 28 NKR Speaker Ashot Ghulian and Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrossian visiting Washington met with the Primate of the American
East Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop Oshakan
Chaloyan. The speaker of the National Assembly of NKR thanked
Archbishop Oshakan Chaloyan for their constant assistance to Artsakh
and expressed hope that these warm relations and cooperation of the
past years will continue. On June 29 the NKR delegation met with US
House Representative Jim Kolby, House Appropriations Committee. The
NKR officials thanked the US Congress on behalf of the people
and government of NKR for their assistance to NKR. Presenting
the humanitarian problems in Artsakh, Ashot Ghulian and Georgy
Petrossian called for continuing assistance, involving new spheres,
namely democratic development, market economy and human rights. In the
afternoon Speaker Ashot Ghulian and Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian
met with the president of Marshall Legacy Institute Perry Baltimore.
During the meeting they discussed problems related to the
implementation of mine clearance programmes in Artsakh and prospects
of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.

NKR PRESIDENT MET WITH ANDRZEJ KASPRZYK
Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
05 July 2006
On July 2 NKR President Arkady Ghukassian met with the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk. During
the meeting they discussed the settlement of the Karabakh conflict
and the situation at the front line between the armed forces of the
conflict parties. They also discussed the allegations of Azerbaijan
that the Karabakh side burns the settlements located along the front
line. Arkady Ghukassian mentions that the consistent efforts to
disorient the international organizations are not helpful for the
establishment of confidence between the societies of the conflict
parties.

PROMOTING FRIENDLY TIES FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF STRENGTHENING RUSSIA-ARMENIA PARTNERSHIP
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 14:37 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During his stay in Moscow on the occasion of the
World Summit of Religious Leaders Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
II met with President of the Society of Russian-Armenian Friendship
and Cooperation Victor Krivopuskov and Society Board member, President
of the Russian-Armenian Commonwealth Yuri Navoyan, Victor Krivopuskov
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his words, it was noted at the
meeting that development of centuries-old friendship tradition is the
fundamental principle for further strengthening bilateral strategic
cooperation and fighting xenophobia and nationalism cases that are
alien to people.
Matters of holding Year of Armenia in Russia, Yerevan’s Days in Moscow
were discussed at the meeting. These will promote civil understanding,
forming peace and accord culture.
Garegin II thanked the Russian People’s Diplomacy Society for
active position on denouncing cases of vandalism and genocide
of Armenian monuments, committed by Azerbaijan in December 2005,
including a medieval Armenian cemetery and 4 thousand khachkars
that are masterpieces of world architecture and are protected by the
UNESCO. Artsakh Diocese head, Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan took part
in the meeting.

ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN ECONOMIC TASK FORCE TO MEET IN BATUMI TOMORROW
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 14:46 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ July 7-10 the fifth session of the Armenian-Georgian
Interstate Commission for Economic Cooperation will be held in
Batumi. Georgian and Armenian PMs Zurab Nogaideli and Andranik
Margaryan will chair the meeting. According to the Department of Press
and Information of the Georgian MFA, priorities of bilateral economic
and humanitarian cooperation between Armenia and Georgia are planned
to be determined at the session. Urgent issues, including enhancement
of the contractual basis between the two states will be considered as
well. Within the framework of the meeting a business forum of Georgian
and Armenian businessmen will be held with Participation of Nogaideli
and Margaryan, reports IA Regnum.

AGO GROUP TO PRESENT FINAL REPORT ON SOUTH CAUCASUS
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 15:02 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On July 12, the AGO monitoring group of the Committee
of Ministers (CM) of the Council of Europe (CE) will present a report
on the recent visit to the South Caucasus countries. The report will
be included in the agenda of the next meeting of CM CE at level of
permanent representatives.
Earlier the head of the AGO group – German diplomat Ronald Wegener
-already delivered a short oral report on this topic.
The AGO group was established for the monitoring of the implementation
of the obligations undertaken by Azerbaijan and other South Caucasus
countries before CE, and the document will reflect both negative and
positive moments, Trend reports.

ARMENIAN COMPANY WON TENDER FOR BUILDING ELECTRIC MAIN BETWEEN GEORGIA AND ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 15:11 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An Armenian company is planning to build an electric
main of 330MW between Georgia and Armenia. Georgian Ministry of
Energy Nika Gilauri reported that the Armenian company won the tender
announced by the Energy Ministry. The details of the project are being
discussed at present. The Armenian company will launch the building
works soon, while the deadline of the works will be determined by the
yearend. The electric main will be 100km long, the project will cost
$20-24 million, reports RusCable.Ru.

GEORGIA ABLE TO FUND ITS SHARE OF KARS-AKHALKALAKI-BAKU RAILWAY
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 15:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia will finance its share in the building
of Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku railway on its own, Georgian Premier Zurab
Nogaideli said in Baku. In his words, if Georgia ever had some problems
in financing projects like this, these are solved now.
“Georgia will fund its entire share in the Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku
railway on its own,” Nogaideli said, reports AzerTaj.

ASHOT GULYAN: NOT ALL ITEMS OF OSCE MG STATEMENT ACCEPTABLE TO NKR AND ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 16:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Latest proposals of co-chairs of the OSCE MG for
settlement of the NK conflict can serve a basis for talks on settlement
of the Karabakh conflict, NKR Speaker Ashot Gulyan stated at a news
conference in Stepanakert.
In his words, not all provisions of the statement in question are
acceptable to the NK leadership and Armenia. “Making public proposals
on basic settlement principles by the mediators is aimed at launching
public intercourse by the parties to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. By
that the MG co-chairs provide an opportunity to the parties to find
a solution to the problem on their own,” the NKR Speaker remarked.
Ashot Gulyan expressed positive opinion on the future settlement being
a comprehensive one judging from MG co-chairs’ statements. Speaking
of the opportunity to solve the issue this year he underscored that
the situation in Azerbaijan and the behavior of Azeri authorities
evidence that Baku is not ready to a settlement. “The agreement of
the Azeri party to dialogue with NK will signal that Azerbaijan really
wants to solve the conflict,” the NKR Speaker said.
As of the opportunity to send a peacekeeping contingent to the Karabakh
conflict zone, Gulyan remarked “conversations on a peacekeeping
operation are early.” Calling peacekeeping forces a guarantor of
sustaining peace and fulfillment of an agreement between the parties,
the Speaker emphasized that the cease-fire is sustained without third
parties, which is possible in the future as well, reports IA De-Facto.

KARABAKH PARTOOK IN ESTABLISHING CEASE-FIRE AND IS ENTITLED TO PARTICIPATE IN TALKS
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 16:09 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The NKR is cautious on possible deployment of
peacekeeping forces,” stated NKR FM Georgy Petrosyan. He underscored
that the Karabakh party would like to see not elimination of the
consequences of the conflict, but solution of the issue. He also
reported that during their visit to the US, NKR representatives
voiced their concerns over making public settlement principles of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict to OSCE MG US Co-Chair Matthew Bryza. “Latest
developments in the settlement process created a new situation and it
is not known yet in which format will the talks resume. Our position
is unchanged – NK partook in establishment of the cease-fire, thus
it is entitled to participate in the process of talks, at which its
fate is decided,” the Minister underscored, reports IA De-Facto.

ARMENIAN PM TO LEAVE FOR GEORGIA ON WORKING VISIT JULY 7
PanARMENIAN.Net
06.07.2006 17:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian PM will leave for Georgia on a three-day
working visit July 7 to take part in the fifth session of the
Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation
to be held in Batumi. Margaryan will meet with Georgian PM Zurab
Nogaideli and will discuss implementation of decisions of the past
session, the current state of bilateral economic relations, including
in agriculture, energy, customs and tax issues, development of tourism.
The Armenian delegation includes Minister of Economy and Finance
Vardan Khachatryan, Deputy FM Gegham Gharibjanyan, Head of the
Customs Department at the Government of Armenia Armen Avetisyan,
Energy Minister Armen Movsisyan, Deputy Energy Minister Areg Galstyan,
Advisor to the PM Stepan Margaryan, Executive Director of Armenian
Railways CJSC Ararat Khrimyan, MPs. The Armenian delegation will visit
a number of Batumi enterprises and the resort zone. The visit will
finish July 10, reports the Press Service of the Armenian Government.