ARFD TO TAKE PART IN ELECTIONS ALONE

14:44 04/10/2006

Armenian Revolutionary Dashnaktsutyun Federation (ARFD) is going to
participate in parliamentary elections in 2007 on its own, Deputy
Speaker of Armenian parliament, ARFD bureau member Vahan Hovhannisyan
stated on Sunday, answering questions of Voice of Armenia newspaper’s
readers. At the same time, he stressed: “It is too early to speak
about it.”

Mentioning newly-established and being established parties in Armenia,
the deputy speaker stressed: “Everyone, who regards himself as leader,
believes it to be necessary to establish a party now. That is why,
programs of majority of Armenian parties did not differentiate from
each other, and their lives are usually short.”

FM LAVROV SAYS TOO EARLY TO SPEAK OF GIVING KOSOVO INDEPENDENCE

RIA Novosti
13:17 | 10/ 04/ 2006

MOSCOW, April 10 (RIA Novosti) – Russia’s foreign minister says it
is early to speak of granting independence to the troubled Serbian
region of Kosovo, the ministry said Monday.

Sergei Lavrov told Slovak newspaper Pravda last week that hasty
decisions on giving Kosovo sovereignty “would be immediately projected
on other conflicts, including in the CIS [Commonwealth of Independent
States].”

Lavrov said that it was tempting to establish the Kosovo case as unique
and say it did not create international legal precedent, but that
this was no more than an attempt to evade international legal norms.

“Double standards and selectiveness in conflicts settlements are
unacceptable,” Lavrov said.

Earlier, some Russian politicians expressed concern that independence
for Kosovo would create a precedent for recognition of breakaway
regions in the former Soviet Union.

Moldova is dealing with a separatist regime in Transdnestr,
while Georgia has two breakaway regions in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia. Nagorny Karabakh, a largely ethnic Armenian enclave inside
Azerbaijan, has long been a source of friction between the two
Caucasus states.

Formally part of Serbia, Kosovo has been a UN protectorate since
1999, following a NATO military campaign to drive out Yugoslav forces
accused of atrocities against Albanian civilians.

KARABAKH TURNS TO ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

A1+
[12:18 pm] 10 April, 2006

The Foreign Ministry of NKR made a statement today which says:
“The cases of the violation of ceasefire in the borderline of the
NKR and the Republic of Azerbaijan have become more frequent lately,
mostly because of the absence of the proper evaluation of the militant
statements which sound on the highest levels in Azerbaijan.

The incidents which result in the growth of the number of victims
near the borderline, deepen the mutual distrust and can cause serious
increase of tension in the Azeri-Karabakhian conflict zone which will
threaten the stability in the whole region. In this connection the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic re-confirms their position to settle the
conflict exceptionally by the peaceful way and expresses readiness to
meet the termless commitments of the sides towards the strengthening of
the ceasefire regime stipulated in the 1995 February 6 agreement signed
by the Defense Ministers of the NKR, RA and Republic of Azerbaijan.

We call on the other two sides – the Republic of Azerbaijan and the
Republic of Armenia which signed the above mentioned agreement to
join our initiative.

We voice hope that by the joint efforts and through the mediation
of the OSCE Minsk group co-chairs, as well as other international
mediators it will be possible to re-confirm faithfulness to the
mentioned agreement and to realize the mechanisms stipulated in the
document for the localization of the incidents near the borderline.

The Nagorno Karabakh Republic re-confirms their position that
alongside with the unconditional preservation of the ceasefire regime,
the peacemaking processes by all the parties of the conflict, the
formation of trust between them as well as the enhancing of democracy
and respect of the human rights are the preconditions for the peaceful
settlement of the conflict.”

KARABAKH ANALYST: ILHAM ALIYEV JUSTIFIES MILITARIZATION AND HYPER-CENTRALIZATION BY KARABAKH FACTOR

15:44 04/07/2006

“Oil drug heavily influenced minds of Azerbaijani politicians: their
optimism, caused by inflow of oil dollars into Azerbaijani economy
and Azerbaijan’s advantages concerning Armenia turns into bragging and
creating political mythology, which are very dangerous for societies,”
stated Karabakh analyst David Karabekyan to REGNUM.

At the same time, he stressed, most likely Baku will intensify
its activity in foreign policy in future, wishing to strengthen its
positions as independent actor of sub-regional and regional politics,
that more and more firmly and harder proclaims its interests and
readiness to defend them. “In the situation, when the neighboring
country strengthens its pressure on us, it is necessary to defend
our position more fundamentally, more heartily to correct errors,
look for resources to solve problems. I personally believe that to
deal with aggressive regime, propagating hatred against Armenia,
is the same as to put out fire with petrol or to try to calm down
predator with victim’s meat. Every new concession will cause new
demand,” said David Karabekyan.

The analyst stressed, by manipulating the Karabakh factor, Azerbaijani
leaders solve questions of internal policy and of their power’s
strengthening. “Manipulating the Karabakh factor, Aliyev-senior
succeeded in dismissing his fellow countrymen from Nakhichevan Abulfaz
Elchibey from the presidential post, and conjointly, having clearly
calculated political state of affairs in the country and around
Transcaucasia, he got rid of competitors-representatives of national
security, defense and law enforcement agencies, and opponents, as well
as suppressed mutinies in Lenkoran and people’s liberation movement
of Lezghins, living in the North of Azerbaijan,” said David Karabekyan.

According to the analyst, Aliyev-junior smartly uses the factor for
justifying of military expenditures growth, hyper-centralization of
governing, and abundantly wide and active participation of power
structures’ representatives in social and political life of the
country. “As for the struggle against opposition, everything is
easy and effective here. Like his father, Aliyev-junior succeeded
in persuading Azeri and international community, that the post
and political niche, occupied by him, are exactly those, he is
to occupy and will do it for benefit of all and everyone. In
contrast to impulsive and unpredictable Saakashvili, Aliyev is
predictable and bears certain traditions. It means, unlike his
opponents-oppositionists, Aliyev-junior intends to carry out
more reserved and considered policy in direction Russia-West and
Iran-Turkey-Russia-USA. Evidence of it is pretended successes of his
regime, which are proclaimed by Azerbaijani propaganda to be real,
in Karabakh settlement, economy, and growth of Azerbaijani factor in
regional policy,” said David Karabekyan.

The analyst believes, forces opposing to the current regime are not
able to change fundamentally the situation in the country, whereas the
ruling regime demonstrate that it anyhow pushes the country forward.

DIASPORA IS MAIN INVESTOR

Lragir.am
10 April 06

83 per cent of foreigners who made investments in the economy of
Armenia are Diaspora Armenians. According to the news agency ARKA,
this fact was provided by the director of the research center
Economy and Values Manuk Yerghinyan. “Considering the indices of
foreign investments in 1994-2004, this percentage is 69,” says the
expert. According to Manuk Yerghinyan, the majority of Diasporans
investing in Armenia are from the United States, Russia and Iran. They
make 60 per cent of investments by Diasporans.

ARMENIA HAS NOT DISCUSSED IRANIAN GAS PIPELINE

Lragir.am
10 April 06

In the negotiations with Gasprom on the compensation for the price of
gas Armenia did not discuss the Iran-Armenia pipeline, and did not
make any arrangements with the Russian party, stated Prime Minister
Andranik Margaryan on April 10. Andranik Margaryan said to the reporter
of the Lragir.am: “No arrangements. These are independent projects. We
continue the implementation, negotiations over the construction of
the third high-voltage transmission line, and the second project
with Iran is supply of gas; when we build the second line, it will
go on. In other words, one is not related to the other.”

The official website of Gasprom, informing about the outcome of
the Russian-Armenian talks over the price of gas, reported about an
agreement on buying the first section of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline
from Armenia. However, several hours later the information was edited,
and the sentences on buying the gas pipeline were deleted.

THE STATEMENT OF NKR MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

Lragir.am
10 April 06

Recently cases of violation of the ceasefire at the front line have
become more frequent due to the lack of an adequate appraisal of
top-level militaristic statements voiced in Azerbaijan.

The border incidents, which caused the number of casualties to go
up, deepen mutual mistrust and may lead to a serious escalation of
tensions in the zone of conflict over Nagorno Karabakh, threatening
stability in the entire region. With regard to this Nagorno Karabakh
Republic confirms its standpoint on a peace settlement of the conflict
and commitment to the maintenance of cease-fire, set down in the
February 6, 1995 agreement signed by the defense ministers of NKR,
the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan.

We call the other two parties, the Republic of Azerbaijan and the
Republic of Armenia, which signed the abovementioned agreement,
for joining our initiative, and we hope that by cooperative effort
and mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as well as other
international mediators and interested parties, it will be possible
to confirm commitment to this agreement and fulfill the instruments
set down in the document for localizing incidents at the front line.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PACE SPRING SESSION TO START TODAY IN STRASBURG

ArmRadio.am
10.04.2006 10:24

The spring session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe will start today in Strasburg. Two issues immediately related
to Armenian are included in the agenda, i.e. the state of refugees
and displaced persons in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan and the
rights of servicemen.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MG CO-CHAIR BERNARD FASSIER TO ARRIVE IN BAKU

ArmRadio.am
10.04.2006 10:39

This evening the French Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard
Fassier will arrive in Baku. The visit comprises part of his regional
visit, in the framework of which Fassier will pay a visit to Armenia.

Issues related to the negotiations process after the meeting of
Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents will be discussed during the
meetings to be held in Azerbaijan and Armenia.

RA PRESIDENT RECEIVED CHARLES AZNAVOUR

ArmRadio.am
10.04.2006 12:35

RA President Robert Kocharyan received today famous singer, public
figure Charles Aznavour, who arrived in Armenia with the first flight
of the “Air France” Company.

Warmly welcoming the guest, the President noted that he should pay
at least one or two visits to Armenia annually and should visit not
only Yerevan but also other marzes to get to know whole Armenia.

“I’m glad to see that the life in the country progresses,” Charles
Aznavour said. The interlocutors discussed humanitarian issues, and
turned to the process of implementation of the programs by “Aznavour
in Armenia” Fund and the new initiatives. Robert Kocharyan informed
that a number of interesting programs including various spheres are
being discussed currently with the French side.