US ENVOY PREDICTS AZERI-ARMENIAN ACCORD IN 2006

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
posted on April 10 2006

Baku, April 7, AssA-Irada
The US ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish has said an agreement
may be signed in 2006 to settle the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh. He reiterated that the United
States is doing everything in its power to achieve a solution.

Harnish said this year is suitable to reach peace for two reasons.

“We have carried out the needed talks both with the two countries’
presidents and foreign ministers and the co-chairs, and worked hard
to achieve sustainable and fair peace. On the other hand, 2006 is
essential to strike such an accord since no political developments
will take place this year,” the ambassador said.

The diplomat stressed that the co-chairs of the mediating OSCE Minsk
Group have paid frequent visits to the region of late.

GAZPROM KEEPS ESTABLISHING CONTROL OVER SUPPLIES OF FOREIGN GAS TO EUROPE
Source: Vedomosti, April 07, 2006; Vremya Novostey, April 07, 2006

Agency WPS
The Russian Oil and Gas Report (Russia)
April 10, 2006 Monday

On April 6, Gazprom reached an agreement with Armenia on supplies of
gas to it until 2009 at a price of $110 per 1,000 cubic meters. In
exchange Armenia will yield the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline via which
gas is delivered to Europe to Gazprom.

Armenia does not have gas production of its own. In 2005, Gazprom,
the only gas supplier to this country, sold 1.7 billion cubic meters of
gas to Armenia. On Armenian market gas is distributed by ArmRosgazprom
established in December of 1997. In this company 45% stakes belong
to Gazprom and Energy Ministry of Armenia and 10% belong to ITERA.

On April 6, Gazprom signed an agreement with the government of Armenia
for 25 years. This agreement outlined principles for cooperation in the
territory of Armenia. The document stipulates that until January 1 of
2009 Armenia will buy gas at $110 per 1,000 cubic meters (until April,
Gazprom sold gas to the republic at $54 per 1,000 cubic meters). For
stability Armenia will pay Gazprom generously. ArmRosgazprom will
buy from the government of Armenia the 40-kilometer extension of
the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline being under construction and will
accomplish it and will also be the customer of construction of the
second 197-kilometer extension of the pipeline.

As a result of an additional issue of shares the stake of Gazprom
in ArmRosgazprom will grow from 45% to 75%. A spokesperson for the
Ministry of Energy of Armenia says that the agreement does not mention
the gas pipeline. A source close to Gazprom says that the agreement
about this is achieved but is not signed yet.

Armen Movsisyan, Energy Minister of Armenia, says that Gazprom will
also buy out the fifth energy generating unit of the Razdanskaya heat
and power station from the republic (four units are managed by RAO
EES Rossii) for $248.8 million and will invest $140 million more in
its accomplishment. Until April 14, Gazprom plans to sign preliminary
agreements of sale-purchase and until January 1 of 2007 it is going
to acquire the promised objects.

Analyst Valery Nesterov of Troika Dialog remarks that obtaining the
Iran-Armenia gas pipeline Gazprom will control supplies of Iranian
gas, reserves of which are estimated at 28 trillion cubic meters, to
Europe. Now Iran exports gas to Turkey but potentially it may become
a serious competitor for Russian gas in Europe. One of the possible
routes for transportation of Iranian gas to Europe passes through
Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine. Nesterov says, “Any participation
of Gazprom in these projects will enable the company at least to
influence the transportation costs and the end price of gas.”

A manager of Gazprom presumes that Armenia may become a transit point
for Iranian gas to prevent its flow to Europe via Turkey. According to
the manager, it is possible to transport this gas to Europe through the
territory of Russia via the unified gas supply system of Gazprom. The
source concludes, “This will also allow reduction of our dependence
on Turkmen gas that Turkmenistan promises to sell to China.”

Gazprom is going to raise the price of gas for other CIS countries
too. Alexander Ryazanov, Deputy CEO of Gazprom, said earlier that
Azerbaijan and Georgia would have to buy gas at $110 instead of the
current $54 and $89 per 1,000 cubic meters respectively. For Belarus
for which Russian gas is the cheapest of all among the neighbors of
Russia now Gazprom promises to triple the price that now amounts to
$46.80 per 1,000 cubic meters. In any case, a manager of Gazprom
admits that the price for Belarus may be even lower if Belarusian
authorities keep their promise and give a 50% stake in the pipeline
company Beltransgaz to Gazprom. The source concludes, “The example
of Armenia proves that a compromise is possible.”

THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MAKES WORLD TELEVISION PREMIERE ON TVO’S HUMAN EDGE

Canada NewsWire
April 10, 2006 Monday 8:00 AM Eastern Time

TORONTO April 10

On Wednesday April 12 at 10 pm, TVO’s acclaimed Human Edge will present
the world premiere of The Armenian Genocide. Written, produced,
and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Andrew Goldberg, this
fascinating point-of-view documentary explores what many believe to be
the first genocide of the 20th century. Between 1915 and 1923 over a
million Armenians perished under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. In the
hour-long film, Goldberg speaks with Armenian, Turkish, and American
scholars and historians to shed light on the historical events that
precipitated the genocide, and why the Turkish government of today
continues to deny such events ever occurred. The film also features
Kurdish and Turkish citizens in present-day Turkey who openly share
stories told to them by their parents and grandparents.

To facilitate further understanding of this hotly-debated subject,
the documentary will be preceded at 8 pm on the night of broadcast by a
panel discussion on TVO’s Studio 2. The current affairs show’s regular
international affairs panel of Janice Stein, director of the Munk
Centre for International Studies, University of Toronto; Globe and Mail
editor, Patrick Martin; and Toronto Star columnist Richard Gwyn will
help to place the Armenian genocide into context. Viewers will also be
able to follow the Studio 2 discussion online at

As of April 7, viewers will also be able to register in our online
discussion board at to express their views,
as well as access links to other relevant websites.

Now in its 17th successful season, Human Edge is TVO’s acclaimed
series of challenging, provocative, point-of-view documentaries from
around the world. Hosted by award-winning writer and broadcaster Ian
Brown, Human Edge provides viewers with windows into complex or touchy
subjects that make up the human experience to expand their horizons
and foster healthy debate. Executive producer is Rudy Buttignol.

PALMARèS DU 12 E CONCOURS INTERNATIONAL YEHUDI MENUHIN

Le Figaro
10 avril 2006

Distinctions

Le 12 e Concours international de violon Yehudi Menuhin, dont le
createur aurait eu 90 ans cette annee, s’est acheve, ce week-end,
a Boulogne-sur-Mer (Pas-de-Calais), avec la victoire de nombre
de violonistes asiatiques et la participation de 43 candidats de
quinze pays.

Dans la categorie seniors (21 candidats de 16 a 22 ans), le premier
prix (7 000 euros) a couronne l’Armenien Hrachya Avanesyan, 19 ans
; le deuxième (4 500 euros) l’Americain Robin Scott, 19 ans ; le
troisième (2 500 euros) la Chinoise Shuai Shi, 16 ans ; le quatrième
(1 500 euros) la Coreenne Sulki Yu, 21 ans.

Dans la categorie junior (22 de moins de 16 ans), le premier prix est
alle a Sunao Goko (Japon) ; le deuxième a Fumiaki Miura (Japon) ; le
troisième a Yu-Chien Tseng (Taïwan) ; le quatrième a Robyn Bollinger
(Etats-Unis) ; le cinquième a Stella Chen (Chine) et le sixième a
Sirena Huang (Etats-Unis).

Fidèle a l’esprit de partage de Yehudi Menuhin, la competition va
au-dela d’un simple concours. Chaque candidat etait encourage a
rester pendant toute la duree des epreuves afin de profiter au mieux
d’activites parallèles, de stages et de concerts donnes notamment
par les membres du jury.

Le Concours a ete cree en 1983 par Yehudi Menuhin lui-meme et il
s’est d’abord deroule a Londres et Folkestone en Grande-Bretagne,
puis s’est transporte en 1998 et 2002 a Boulogne-sur-Mer.

–Boundary_(ID_PG7Vl4xxtflygmI3 S90SVw)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UN SYMBOLE DE L’AMITIE FRANCO-ARMENIENNE
par Charmot Francois

Paris-Normandie , France
10 avril 2006

Vendredi en fin d’après-midi, le depute-maire Jean-Louis Debre et
Edvard Nal Bandian, ambassadeur d’Armenie, ont plante un abricotier
dans le parc Francois-Mitterrand.

Entoures de nombreuses personnalites, parmi lesquelles le prefet et
le depute Jean-Pierre Nicolas, les deux hommes, qui ont aussi devoile
une plaque destinee a commemorer l’evenement, ont, l’un et l’autre,
rappele l’amitie qui unissait nos deux pays et nos deux peuples.

Une amitie qu’il convenait de materialiser de manière durable, en
cette annee de l’Armenie en France.

–Boundary_(ID_AU3NerCcEZQl3xQEyDnyww)–

SYRIAN LEADER HAPPY WITH YEREVAN TIES – ARMENIAN AGENCY

Noyan Tapan news agency, Yerevan
10 Apr 06

Damascus, 10 April: An Armenian delegation led by Foreign Minister
Vardan Oskanyan arrived in Syria on 8 April.

Oskanyan met Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mu’allim to discuss issues
concerning bilateral relations and regional problems. In particular,
the sides focused on bilateral cooperation in international
organizations, the settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict,
the situation in Iraq, relations with Turkey and other regional issues.

Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad received Oskanyan. The two discussed
regional problems, a source in the press service of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry said. Oskanyan described the current status of the
peaceful settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict and mentioned
Syria’s role in the Middle East. President Asad expressed satisfaction
with the present status of Armenian-Syrian relations and stressed
the necessity of strengthening economic ties.

[Passage omitted: Oskanyan attended luncheon, celebrations of local
Armenian organizations]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PAPER DESCRIBES AS “CRIMINAL” HANDOVER OF PART OF POWER PLANT TO RUSSIA

Aykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
8 Apr 06

The Armenian opposition Aykakan Zhamanak newspaper has described as
“a criminal deal” the handover of the fifth unit of the Razdan power
plant to Russia.

In an article headlined “They have sold a cow at the price of milk”,
the paper said the deal was advantageous for the Russian and Armenian
authorities but not for Armenia.

“This deal lacks an economic component. Talks that in this way
Armenia will step up its energy security are a fairy tale. What kind
of security are they speaking about if almost 90 per cent of Armenia’s
energy producing facilities belong to a foreign state?” the daily said.

The unit will remain an Armenian property. Russia will pay 250m
dollars for it. However, of this sum, Armenia will pay 190m dollars
to the population to compensate for the rise in Russian gas price.

“It becomes evident that this deal is simply an unprecedented one
because of it making no sense,” Aykakan Zhamanak said.

Under an agreement between Iran and Armenia, Iran is to supply gas
to the fifth unit and receive electricity produced by it instead. In
accordance with the agreement, the fifth unit is to produce 3.5bn KWh
electricity annually, which is more than half of electricity produced
by Armenia last year, the newspaper added.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT TO HOLD TALKS WITH US LEADER ON APRIL 28

EurasiaNet, NY
April 10 2006

In what some American analysts see as a US response to recent Russian
moves that strengthened Moscow’s Caspian Basin energy position, the
White House has announced that US President George W. Bush will hold
talks with Azerbaijani leader Ilham Aliyev on April 28 in Washington.

“Azerbaijan is a key ally in a region of great importance and a
valued partner,” said a White House statement issued April 10. The
statement added that Bush and Aliyev “will discuss a range of issues
including democracy promotion and cooperation in the Caucasus, energy
diversification, and our common commitment to working together to
advance freedom and security.”

Despite the Bush administration’s characterization of Baku as a “key
ally,” US officials had been resisting the idea of a face-to-face
meeting between Bush and Aliyev, in large measure due to the tainted
elections held in Azerbaijan in recent years. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive].

US concerns about Azerbaijan’s spotty record on democratization,
however, appeared to diminish significantly following the early April
announcement that Kazakhstan would enhance energy cooperation with
Russia, the main US economic and political rival in Central Asia.

[For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. Kazakhstan’s
agreements with Russia heightened concern about Astana’s participation
in the US-backed Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline. [For background see
the Eurasia Insight archive]. US officials are also trying to arrange
a summit meeting, or potentially two, between Bush and Kazakhstani
President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

Details of the Bush-Aliyev summit were reportedly discussed during an
April 7 meeting between Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov
and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Washington.

Earlier the same day Mammadyarov outlined Azerbaijan’s policy goals
and concerns during an appearance at the Heritage Foundation.

Mammadyarov sought to dispel the country’s poor democratization
image. He insisted that democratization, the rule of law and the
protection of human rights are priorities now, in stark contrast to
the Soviet era when Azerbaijan was the subject of the Communist command
economy. However, he cautioned that the transformation would be slow,
citing the country’s lack of experience in democratization.

He also said that improving Azerbaijan’s “human capital,” would be
a gradual process, in part because it is a “generational issue.”

The Asian Development Bank recently projected Azerbaijani GDP
growth to total 30.5 percent in 2006 and over 27 percent next
year. But Mammadyarov acknowledged that relatively high inflation
rates, caused by the massive and rapid rise in oil and gas revenues,
posed a problem. To avoid the advent of so-called Dutch Disease, the
foreign minister said that the Azerbaijani government was promoting
agricultural ventures, particularly cotton and winemaking.

Azerbaijan is also investing heavily in infrastructure improvements.

A top priority, Mammadyarov stated, was the expansion of the country’s
road and rail network. Plans are focusing on a $320-million rail route
that would stretch from Azerbaijan, via Georgia, to Turkey and beyond
to Western Europe.

Mammadyarov additionally indicated that he would strive to call
increasing international attention to Azerbaijan’s position on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. [For background see the Eurasia Insight
archive]. “We cannot now live with such 20th century phenomena as
forced border and ethnic changes,” he said. At the same time, he
stressed that a durable solution to the Karabakh conflict should be
based on negotiations. In recent weeks, some Azerbaijani officials,
including President Aliyev, have spoken of the possibility of resuming
armed hostilities if a political deal isn’t reached soon.

Editor’s Note: Washington-based writer Alex van Oss contributed
reporting for this article.

IT ISN’T JUSTIFIED

Aravot.am
9 April 06

The ANM administration made a declaration yesterday.

The current regime takes the progress step of threatening the RA
national security and keeping its own authority pleasing the people
under pretence of reducing gas price. Giving the 5th bloc of the
electric power station of Hrazdan to Russians instead of cheap
gas price for three years isn’t justified either politically, or
economically or socially.

Politically; giving the energy of the country to another state is
nothing else than the loose of one of the most important ground
of independence. Russia itself provides for the majority of state
energy as well as the strategic sphere. 80% of energy power of Armenia
belongs to Russia. By this bargain that percent reaches to 100%.

Economically; the state property is given to Russia by low price and
without any guarantees of working effectively as it was in case of
the famous bargain;”Estate instead of debt”.

The 5th bloc of the electric power station of Hrazdan can pay for
gas price only in 203 years.

Socially’ the interpretation of the regime as if the above mentioned
bargain is made in favor of social interests of the Armenian people
is a deception, no social problem is being solved by it. In reality
the compensatory money will be given to the solvent population of the
country and the oligarchs close to the regime. Everything is done at
the expense of insolvent population.

By the way 248,8 $ million which is foreseen from the bargain of the
5th bloc is sent to a special account of the Ministry of Defense,
which isn’t controlled. This bargain only aims a thing; to avoid of a
possible social revolt and collect enormous uncontrollable financial
resources for providing for the rehabilitation of the current regime
in the coming elections.

A “TACIT” STEP BY STEP SETTLEMENT
Norayr Hovsepian

Azat Artsakh, Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
07 April 2006

Recently debates and events connected with the Karabakh issue have
acquired a new quality and course. The offered solutions are so many
and so different that it seems impossible to offer a fundamentally
new solution. However, the relationships of the conflict parties have
not changed and still lack confidence. Hence, “bridges” are needed
rather to bring into being one of the existing solutions. This first
of all requires mutual confidence or at least a constructive dialogue
on good faith. The official bilateral and mediated meetings of the
representatives of Armenia and Azerbaijan apparently cannot foster
the establishment of this atmosphere. As a result the role of the
non-governmental sector increases, and recently it has been quite
active. In this context the Dartmouth Conference is a significant
step. This is an American initiative since 2001. The delegations of
Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh participate in the activity of
the Dartmouth Conference Regional Conflicts Task Force. The task force
has effective relations with both NGOs and official bodies. After the
meetings in Baku and Armenia the task force arrived in Stepanakert on
April 1. The US co-chairman Harold Saunders, the Russian co-chairman
Vitaly Naumkin, as well as Phil Steward and Irina Zvyagelskaya met with
the representatives of non-governmental and political organizations
at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The core question discussed at
the meeting was the draft of the framework agreement on the peace
settlement of the Karabakh issue, worked out in 2005, during the
ninth meeting of the Dartmouth Conference.

Harold Saunders briefed the main principles of the document. According
to him, none of the sides wants a deadlocked negotiation for the
peace settlement of the Karabakh conflict. However, he also pointed
out that it is impossible to lay bridges of agreement between the
logically opposite views that the sides have today. By the way,
Harold Saunders meant Nagorno Karabakh as a conflict side. For the
role of the framework agreement in establishing this bridge, Harold
Saunders thinks if applied it would establish serious progress in the
talks. He characterized it as a peace-building plan, in which every
next step is possible after the fulfilment of the previous one, rather
than a document that would establish peace at once. Accordingly, the
process is divided into two parts. In the first one it is foreseen
to establish an atmosphere, take actions and create conditions
for the second stage, when a final resolution of the issue will be
reached. The Russian co-chairman Vitaly Naumkin pointed out the fact
that the representatives of the United States and Russia, which have
considerable controversies with regard to conflict settlement, act
together in the peace settlement of the conflict over Karabakh. It
is interesting to know the status, however. According to him, it is
impossible to settle the Karabakh issue at once. First it is necessary
to create an atmosphere. With regard to this Vitaly Naumkin said it
is impossible to achieve results at once.

Therefore, it is preferable to take a tiny step than not to do anything
at all.

And the engagement of Karabakh in the talks will, according to him,
have only positive results for it. Nagorno Karabakh will be recognized
in international relations, and will have the right to sign certain
agreements and make commitments. The representatives of the NKR NGOs
and political organizations disagreed to certain principles and terms
used in the document with regard to the step-by-step resolution of
the conflict and the status of Nagorno Karabakh.

Margarita Karapetyan, Official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of NKR, said: “The document does not state clearly the legal status
of Nagorno Karabakh, which is of utter importance for the Karabakh
side. Here a de-facto, an ” intermediate” status is mentioned only. On
the other hand, the step-by-step settlement underlies this document,
determining the peace settlement by the return of certain territories,
the problem of refugees, etc. It is very important that it is done
through successive steps, the first, then the second, etc.

Practically, in accordance with the document, the conflict over
Karabakh and its settlement is viewed from the aspect of elimination
of the consequences rather than the cause of the conflict – the status
of NKR.”

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress