Armenian foreign trade deficit grows 21% in H1
Interfax, Russia
July 31, 2006
YEREVAN. July 31 (Interfax) – Armenia’s foreign trade deficit increased
21.2% year-on-year to $513.5 million in the first half of 2006,
a source in the National Statistics Service told Interfax.
Foreign trade increased 12.6% year-on-year to $1.389 billion in
January-June. Exports dropped 0.6% to $437.7 million, while imports
grew 19.9% to $951.2 million.
Foreign trade turnover amounted to $2.79 billion in 2005, up 35.1%
from 2004. The trade deficit was $850 million. tj
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azerbaijan will never agree to Nagorno-Karabakh separation – President Aliyev
Interfax, Russia
July 31, 2006
BAKU. July 31 (Interfax) – Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity cannot
be a subject for negotiations, and Azerbaijan will never agree to
Nagorno-Karabakh’s separation, President Ilham Aliyev has said.
“Azerbaijan will never agree to the separation of Nagorno-Karabakh
-either today or tomorrow. And it will never agree to terms allowing
for the separation of Nagorno-Karabakh in the future,” Aliyev said
at a conference dealing with Azerbaijan’s socioeconomic development
in the first half of 2006.
“Therefore, the negotiating process is a positive approach,” he said.
The improvement of the national army’s material basis is among the
priorities facing Azerbaijan, Aliyev said.

Azerbaijani President held deliberation on the activity of the government in I half of 2006
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan –
July 31, 2006
Today Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev held deliberation on the
activity of the government in I half of 2006. (APA).
Making a speech at the deliberation, Azerbaijani president spoke
of the works implemented within this year in the country, increase
of economic development, execution condition of state program for
social- economic development of the regions. During the deliberation
dealing with Nagorno Garabagh conflict, the President stated that
he continues negotiations within OSCE Minsk Group frame for removing
the problem. “Neither today nor tomorrow we will not let separation
of Nagorno Garabagh from the composition of Nagorno Garabagh, and
not agree with the term providing separation of Nagorno Garabagh from
Azerbaijan. Everybody knows it.” Ilham Aliyev stated positive approach
to talks within Prague process for the settlement of the conflict.
In the meeting finance minister Samir Sharifov, taxes minister Fazil
Mammadov, economic development minister Heydar Babayev, National
Bank Managing Staff chairman Elman Rustamov, minister of agriculture
Ismat Abbasov, Minister of culture and tourism Abulfaz Garayev, and
minister of communication and information technologies Ali Abbasov
gave information to the state head about the works implemented within
6 month of this year.
The state head gave errands to government members on protection of
macro-economy stability, liquidation of possible inflation danger,
strengthening of control to budget, simplifying of mortgage, and
shortages in payment for the expenses on energy conductors’ and public
utilities fee./APA/

Matthew Bryza: Minsk Group’s proposals are rather acceptable for Armenia
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
July 31, 2006
Following the talks with Armenian President Robert Kocharian and
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan in Yerevan on 29 July, the US
co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Mathew Bryza arrived in Khankendi
and had talks with head of the separatist regime Arkadi Gukasyan.
APA reports the US co-chair returning to Yerevan told the RFE/Radio
Liberty that Kocharian was quite open with him.
“The talks I had with him will help in preparing recommendations for
other co-chairs,” Matthew Bryza said.
The co-chair said the meeting with Kocharian even encouraged him to
continue this process. Stressing that there is a chance to reach
peace agreement in 2006, Mr.Bryza said he believes possibility of
working and achieving success in electoral period as well.
“The parties cannot demonstrate political will to make a trade-off,”
said Bryza adding that after meeting with Kocharian he realized
that the proposals offered by the Minsk Group are rather acceptable
for Armenia.
Commenting on the future status of Nagorno Garabagh, Bryza said the
co-chairs admit that the status of Nagorno Garabagh is to be determined
by its population, “Participation of the people, who lived there till
1988, in this process is the constituent part of a large peace plan.”
The US co-chair is paying a one-day visit to the Azerbaijani capital,
Baku tomorrow. He is due to meet with President Ilham Aliyev, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and head of the Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno Garabagh Nizami Bahmanov.
The US Embassy told the APA Bryza is not planning to hold a press
conference in Baku. The Minsk Group co-chairs will meet in Paris
early next week. The co-chairs mediating in the settlement of the
Nagorno Garabagh will discuss Bryza’s visit in the region./APA/
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARKADY GHOUKASYAN: THERE WERE NO SERIOUS OBJECTIONS
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
July 31, 2006
After a meeting with the OSCE Minsk group U. S. Co-Chair Matthew Bryza
held July 29 Arkady Ghoukasyan informed the journalists that one of the
meeting’s principal items was the NKR’s participation in the talks. “I
believe Mr. Bryza realizes that the conflict cannot be settled without
Nagorno Karabakh. Not only he, but all the mediators are aware of the
fact. Sure, we discussed a number of other issues as well; however,
the issue of the NKR’s participation was the first on the agenda”.
In the course of the talk Arkady Ghoukasyan presented the NKR’s
official stand on various aspects of the problem. “I cannot say there
were serious objections on his part, as our approaches are logical,
and, naturally, were interesting for them. Naturally, due to the
negotiations’ confidentiality I cannot reveal all the details of
the talks; however, it is obvious that our position differs from the
approaches presented by the mediators to some extent. But I repeat
once again that I have not heard any serious objections”, the NKR
President stated.

Elections are not an obstacle to the conversations on
Nagorno-Karabakh – US co-chairman of OSCE Minsk Group
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 31, 2006
“I see the parties sow a political will to solve the problems and
the philosophy forming our basis is acceptable”, Liberty Station
reports quoting Matthew Bryza, US co-chairman of OSCE Minsk group,
following his meeting with Armenian President Robert Kocharyan on
settling Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Trend reports with reference to REGNUM information agency, Mr Bryza,
talking on proposals details, said there are some unsolved questions
linked to Kelbajar and Lachin, as well as the referendum. Mr Bryza
confirmed OSCE MG co-chairmen opinion of Nagorno-Karbakh people sole
entitlement to define Karabakh’s status. However, Bryza said, the
question is whom to consider people of Karabakh as some lived there
till 1988 and are also willing to take part in the referendum. Such
issues are just offers and suggestions and therefore the agreement
is inevitable.
Answering the question whether it is possible to reach the agreement
this year or only in 2009, Bryza said the chance always exists as it
would be beneficial for the two countries presidents to take part at
the elections with the problem already solved. However, he added,
the problems are much easier to solve without the tension in big
politics. Alongside, American diplomat said OSCE Minsk group was
ready to act as long as the parties take these problems seriously.
Touching upon democracy in Armenia, Bryza said US links to Armenia
would be as strong as the democracy in this country, especially
Armenia’s participation in “Challenge of Millennium” program

Azerbaijan eager to collaborate with Armenia in extinguishing fires
on occupied Armenian grounds – Foreign Ministry
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 31, 2006
Azerbaijan is ready to collaborate with Armenia in elimination
of consequences of fires on occupied Azerbaijan’s grounds, said
chief of press and information policy with the Ministry of Interior
Tahir Tagizadeh, commenting on the statement by Peter Semneby, EU
special representative for South Caucasus, that both the parties
shall be interested in creation of joint firefighting capacities at
international support.
Azerbaijan, diplomat said, already sounded its position on the
statements by Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan and some other
Armenian officials that Armenia is ready to cooperate with Azerbaijan
in this sphere. “Our position is that Azerbaijan considers this
problem important and, realizing possible environmental consequences
for the region, is eager to join efforts with Armenia in this field”,
underlined Tagizadeh.
He said, on the other hand, the proposals Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
presented in his letter to OSCE chairman Karl de Gucht show Azerbaijan’
positions matching the EU’s opinion in this respect.

Iran’s embassy in Armenia condemns Zionist crimes in Lebanon
Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran
Aug 1, 2006
Tehran, Aug 1, IRNA Iran-Embassy-Armenia
Iran’s embassy in Armenia by issuing a statement condemned savage
attacks on Palestinian and Lebanese people by warmonger Zionist regime.
According to Foreign Ministry Media Department on Monday, the embassy
by condemning horrible massacre of children, women and defenseless
men and wide demolishing of residential areas and infrastructures
in Palestine and Lebanon, along with all peace-lovers and justice
seekers in the world call for more efforts of world community,
especially the UN, to stop these crimes.
It continued regretfully in the recent weeks the world has witnessed
painful scenes of savage atrocities of the Zionist regime and full
and unconditional support of some military and political powers of
the world have disappointed everyone on the accomplishment of peace
and stability in the international system.

Bryza: Elections Not Obstacle to Karabakh Talks
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.07.2006 15:04 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-chair Matthew Bryza said
he still hopes that Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Robert Kocharian will
iron out their differences on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict in the
coming months on the most recent peace proposals of the OSCE Minsk
Group. “However I think it’s possible to work through an election
season and still make progress,” Bryza said in an exclusive interview
with RFE/RL.
He said he was assured by Kocharian that the Minsk Group plan is
essentially acceptable to Yerevan. “I enjoyed hearing his account
of where things stand and how we got here,” he said. “I felt a
constructive, candid attitude on his part. He was very open. And he
helped me think through what sort of recommendations I might bring
to my fellow co-chairs,” Mr Bryza remarked.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Oil for Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan Insufficient
PanARMENIAN.Net
31.07.2006 15:23 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The operation of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
proved that the existing infrastructure of the oil transportation in
Azerbaijan obviously exceeds the amount of its production, Zerkalo
newspaper wrote. According to the edition, the situation is quite
expectable, since foreign oil companies suffered big losses at many
Azeri oilfields. According to the latest data, the oil resources in
Azerbaijan make some 7 billion barrels and they will be sufficient
for 42.4 more years while the oil resources in Kazakhstan make 39.6
billion barrels and their production can last some 80 more years.