ARMENIA IS READY TO TAKE ACTIVE PART IN WORK PROCESS OF EUROCONTROL ORGANIZATION
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 12 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. Armenia is ready to take active part in work
process of Eurocontrol organization, occupied in air transportations,
as the Head of the Chief Department of the RA Civil Aviation Artyom
Movsesyan stated during the session of the Council of the organization
in Brussels.
According to the Press and Information Department of the RA Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, during his speech Movsesyan pointed out importance
of this organization.
Armenian delegation became member of the Eurocontrol in March 2006
and for the first time took part in the session of the organization’s
council as a full member. Membership in Eurocontrol will enable to
bring Armenian aviation on one level with European standards, secure
increase of qualification of Armenian pilots, which corresponds to
the policy of Armenia’s integration into European structures.
Eurocontrol is one of the most important European organizations in
the sphere of security of air communication. The main aim of the
organization is developing pan-European system of air transport
control.

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT CORRECTS DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO LAW “ON ENERGY”
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
Yerevan, April 11. /ARKA/. The RA Government has introduced corrections
into the draft amendments to the RA Law “On energy”, which stipulates
the abolition of government monopoly of nuclear energy, Speaker of
the RA National Assembly Artur Baghdasaryan stated in Parliament.
According to him, the draft amendments stipulate that the Armenian
nuclear-power plant (NPP) located in Metsamor will remain the
Government’s property and is not liable to privatization.
Among other important corrections is the issues related to the
construction of a new NPP in Armenia must be regulated by a special
law.
“This is a serious political arrangement,” Baghdasaryan said.
On March 1, 2006, the RA parliament postponed the voting on
the bill on abolition of government monopoly of nuclear power
because of disagreements. The opposition factions, as well as the
coalition-forming “Law Governed Country” faction voted against
the bill.
On March 16, the Parliament held a hearing of the issue of Armenia’s
energy security. During the hearing, RA Minister of Energy Armen
Movsisyan re-submitted the justifications of amendments to the law.
According to the RA Government, Armenia cannot afford the
construction of a new NPP. Therefore, the construction requires
foreign investments.

ARMENIAN FM MEETS WITH SYRIAN LEADERS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan held
meetings with Syrian top officials on April 8-9, 2006. The sides
discussed Armenian-Syrian relations and regional problems.
On April 8, 2006, in Damascus, Minister Oskanyan and his Syrian
counterpart Ualid Mualim discussed bilateral relations and regional
issues. The sides addressed issues of cooperation within international
organizations, the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, situation in Iraq
and relations with Turkey.
At Oskanyan’s the meeting with Syrian President Bashar Al-Asadthe
the sides discussed regional issues. Minister Osakanyan presented
the current stage of the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, pointing out
Syria’s role in the Middle East. In his turn, the Syrian President
expressed his satisfaction with the Armenian-Syrian relations,
pointing out the importance of consolidating economic relations.
On Sunday, in Aleppo, Minister Oskanyan took part in the celebrations
of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian General Benevolent Union and
of the 75th anniversary of the Armenian Youth Association.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT TO DISCUSS BILL ON LIBRARIES
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
Yerevan, April 11. /ARKA/. The RA Parliament intends to consider a bill
“On libraries”, Deputy Director of the RA National Library, Secretary
of the Armenian Library Association Rafik Ghazaryan told reporters,
summing up the results of the national library week.
According to him, the adoption of this law will facilitate legal
protection of libraries and librarians.
“Mechanisms of applying the law for consolidating the public’s
relations with libraries need to be elaborated as well,” he said.
According to Ghazaryan, over 1,000 libraries operating in Armenia now
are unable to properly perform their functions because of the lack
of new acquisitions, poor material and technical base, and lack of
professional personnel.
Ghazaryan pointed out that over 200 events were organized throughout
Armenia as part of the library week both for librarians and for
large sections of the population. “Arrangements like this arouse more
interest in libraries,” he said.
In this context, Director of the RA National Library, Chairman of
the Armenian Library Association David Sargsyan stressed that the
role of public libraries is ensuring appropriate development of the
young generation and maintaining a high cultural and scientific level
of society.
He pointed out the assistance rendered by the RA Foreign Office, local
government bodies, “Antares Holding” Ltd and “Second-hand Bookseller”
Ltd and the Armenian Fund of Culture.
The National Library Week was held in Armenia on April 3-10, 2006.
This is the 5th library week organized on the initiative of the
Armenian Library Association.

RUSSELL-JOHNSTON THINKS OF WAR IN NK WITH “GREAT DISPLEASURE”
Today, Azerbaijan
April 11 2006
Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee on Nagorno Karabakh Lord
Russell-Johnston has announced he thinks of a possibility of renewing
military operation in the conflict zone “with great displeasure”.
As REGNUM reports, Lord Russell-Johnston noted: “Establishing committee
on Nagorno Karabakh in the PACE does not mean that we are trying to
be full-fledged mediator at the negotiations.”
“The OSCE Minsk Group has been occupied with it for over ten years,
and I do not think the Council of Europe could substitute it. Our
goal is to render assistance to OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,” he said.
Speaking on plans of the committee, Lord Russell-Johnston did not
rule out that its members would visit Armenia and Azerbaijan this
year. “We are also considering possibility of staging meeting of
Armenian and Azerbaijani MPs, however, it is too early to speak on
specific actions,” he said.
URL:

FRENCH OSCE MG CO-CHAIR TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA IN APRIL 12
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. French Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group
Bernard Facier will arrive in Armenia in April 12, 2006, according
to the Press Secretary of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hamlet
Gasparyan.
In his words, his visits envisage meetings with the RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian as well as with other officials. Gasparyan emphasized
that details of the visit will be announced later.
On April 12 Facier arrived in Azerbaijan, where issues of finding
ways of settling Karabakh conflict were intended to be discussed.

ARMENIA RANKS 1ST IN WORLD FOR SHARE OF DIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN GDP
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. Armenia ranks 1st in the world for the
share of direct foreign investments in the country’s GDP, Director of
the research center “Economy and Values” Manuk Erginyan told reporters.
“According to the latest data, the share of DFI in the total amount
of the country’s GDP was 4.31%,” Erginyan pointed out during the
presentation “Role of Diaspora in Attracting Direct Foreign Investments
in Armenia”, held in Yerevan. According to him, China ranks 2nd in
this list – 3.78% of the GDP, then comes Israel – 3.52%, India –
0.71% and Philippines – 0.4% rank 4th and 5th respectively.
According to Erginyan, the Armenian Diaspora in this context should be
considered as an exclusive asset in the development of the National
economy. “Besides, the Diaspora is not only a source of private
transfers of the DFI, but also a source of political support, and a
means of propaganda of the Armenian culture in the West,” he said.
The Armenian Diaspora numbers about 6mln people in the world, while
Armenia’s population is about 3.2mln. The largest Armenian communities
are located in Russia, USA, France, Iran and Lebanon.
The research “Role of Diaspora in Attracting Direct Foreign Investments
in Armenia” was held by the research center “Economy and Values” with
the support of the Yerevan office of the Caucasus Research Resource
Center, which is one of “Eurasia Foundation” programs.

1ST RA OMBUDSWOMEN TO BE INVITED TO DISCUSSION OF REPORT ON ACTIVITIES OF OMBUDSMAN IN 2005
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 11 2006
YEREVAN, April 11. /ARKA/. The first RA Ombudswomen Larisa Alaverdyan
will be invited to discussion of the report on the activities of
the RA Ombudsman and violations in the sphere of human rights in
2005, according to the Speaker of the RA National Assembly Arthur
Baghdasaryan. “Alaverdyan will be officially invited to discussion and
she will be also given right to make a speech”, Baghdasaryan stated.
Report about the activities of the Ombudsman in 2005 is included in
the agenda of the 4-day session of the RA NA.
Deadline of authorities of the RA Ombudswoman Larisa Alaverdya expired
on January 5, 2006. New ombudsman of Armenia was elected candidate
of the ruling coalition of Armenia, rector of the Academy of State
Governing of Armenia Armen Harutyunyan on February 17, 2006.

ATTENTION FOCUSES ON IRAN IN BUSH-ALIYEV TALKS
Rovshan Ismayilov
EurasiaNet, NY
April 11 2006
An upcoming meeting between Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and
US President George W. Bush is fuelling speculation about what role
Azerbaijan may play in the conflict between Iran, its neighbour to
the south, and the US over Iran’s nuclear research program.
The White House announced on April 10 that President Bush will meet
with President Aliyev in the White House on April 28. [For background
see the Eurasia Insight archive].
Information about the White House’s invitation was first reported
by Radio Liberty on April 6 and confirmed by Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov on April 7. Novruz Mammadov, the head of
the presidential administration’s international relations department,
said that Ilham Aliyev will meet with US President George W. Bush
and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
The largely unexpected invitation has sparked frustration among
Azerbaijan’s opposition and celebrations among the country’s ruling
elite. During last year’s parliamentary election campaign, the
opposition had targeted the lack of a White House invitation for
President Aliyev as proof of Azerbaijan’s poor record on democratic
reform.
Coming just one month after a US State Department report that
strongly criticized human rights conditions in Azerbaijan, the sudden
invitation has surprised many local observers. News of the trip
has encouraged speculations over what role Azerbaijan might play in
the conflict between the US and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear research
program. Attention is also being given to the ongoing Nagorno Karabakh
talks, Caspian surveillance system negotiations and other security
and energy issues.
Iran, which borders Azerbaijan and has a large ethnic Azeri
minority, is expected to feature prominently in the White House’s
discussions with President Aliyev. Recent articles in The New Yorker
and The Washington Post have indicated that the US administration is
considering launching a military attack against Iran. The April 10 New
Yorker article by investigative journalist Seymour M. Hersh claims
that “US Air Force planning groups are drawing up lists of targets,
and teams of American combat troops have been ordered into Iran,
under cover, to collect targeting data and to establish contact with
anti-government ethnic-minority groups,” including ethnic Azeris.
Azerbaijani officials have been careful in discussing what the US
conflict with Iran means for Baku’s relations with Washington. In a
visit to the Azerbaijani capital in late March, however, Assistant
US Secretary of State Daniel Fried stated that the US is keeping
the Azerbaijani government informed about its plans concerning Iran
“because Azerbaijan has the right to be aware about it,” local media
reported. Fried also said that the US looks forward to reaching
consensus with Azerbaijan on this issue. The US official did not
dismiss the possibility of US troops being deployed in Azerbaijan some
day, although said that a large military base should not be expected
any time soon.
Turan news agency chief political analyst Zafar Guliyev believes that
Iran is the main reason for Ilham Aliyev’s invitation to the US. “I
think they [the US] will try to involve Azerbaijan in the anti-Iranian
coalition. The White House wants to get Azerbaijan’s approval for
using its territory against Iran. To get Azerbaijan’s participation
in the coalition is as important as it was during the Iraq campaign,”
Guliyev told Day.az on April 10.
While acknowledging that Iran has featured in a topic of discussion
with Washington, government officials, however, maintain that
Azerbaijan does not intend to join any alliance against the Persian
Gulf state. At an April 6 press conference, Deputy Foreign Minister
Araz Azimov rejected reports that the US is attempting to include
Azerbaijan in an anti-Iranian coalition. “Azerbaijan has no intention
to become part of a coalition against someone else and wants to
build friendly relations with all the region’s countries,” Azimov
said. The official noted only that “Azerbaijan is concerned about
some activities of Iran in the disputed sector of the Caspian Sea.”
Azimov stressed that “the US wants nothing from Azerbaijan.”
Washington’s interest in Azerbaijan, the official continued, is
“to see Azerbaijan developing as a normal stable state. That is why
possible threats to Azerbaijan’s national security were discussed.”
Guliyev argues that sooner or later Azerbaijan will have to choose
between Washington and Tehran. “For the time being, the Azerbaijani
government did well balancing in its foreign policy, but there are
moments when choice is inevitable.”
Independent political analyst Rasim Musabekov agrees that concerns
over Iran form the primary reason for the White House’s invitation
to President Aliyev, but sees little chance that Azerbaijan would
stand with the US against Iran. “Given the geographical neighborhood,
and the historical, cultural and human links, it is impossible for
Azerbaijan to become a member of such a coalition. But regardless
of whether Azerbaijan supports US plans or not, their realization –
whether as economic sanctions or military actions — will have a huge
impact on our country.”
Analysts project that the two sides will discuss many issues about
Iran that are unrelated to the country’s nuclear ambitions, among
them border security, prevention of Iranian threats against US and
Western-owned property in Azerbaijan, and security for Azerbaijan’s
oil and gas fields in the Caspian Sea. Azerbaijani officials have
noted that they are also interested in discussion of Iran’s treatment
of ethnic minority Azerbaijanis.
Many observers assume that securing Azerbaijan’s support for the
US position on Iran will be linked to progress on resolution of the
18-year conflict with Armenia over the disputed exclave of Nagorno
Karabakh. Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has announced that he
received an “interesting proposal” for resolution of the Karabakh
dispute during his April 7-8 trip to Washington. Before meeting with
Mammadyarov on April 7, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spoke on
the phone with both President Aliyev and Armenian President Robert
Kocharian, according to the US State Department press office.
Baku, according to Mamadyarov, will announce its response to the
proposal when Steven Mann, US co-chair of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group, which supervises the Karabakh
talks, visits the Azerbaijani capital on April 18.
Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov, who visited Washington in late
March, has also told reporters that a130-kilometer-long section of
the Azerbaijani-Iranian border, currently under Armenian occupation,
made up part of his discussions with US officials.
A series of recent visits paid to the US by Azerbaijani officials
and to Baku by senior US diplomats indicate further likely topics
for discussion during President Aliyev’s visit.
Security, energy and reforms issues were also discussed during an
April 8 meeting between Condoleezza Rice and Elmar Mammadyarov,
US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Reno Harnish told Turan on April 10.
For its part, the delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Azimov
reviewed joint anti-terror efforts, non-proliferation of weapons of
mass destruction (WMD), border security and the general military
and political situation in the Caspian Sea basin. The delegation
included Azerbaijani Naval Forces Commander-in-Chief Shahin Sultanov,
and high level representatives from the Ministry of National Security
and State Border Service.
Of particular note are the two Caspian Sea basin surveillance systems
proposed by the US (Caspian Guard) and Russia (CasFor). Russia
maintains that the two systems cannot exist in the same area,
and favors establishment of a common system, according to Gennady
Yevsyukov, spokesperson for the Russian embassy in Baku. Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, however, has stated that Azerbaijan will
have to make the ultimate decision about whether the two systems
can co-exist.
According to Azimov, a number of agreements were reached during
the visit. “The . . . risks and threats in the Caspian region [are]
very complicated. There are elements of war, terrorism, environmental
threats,” Azimov told the state-run Azertag news agency on April 1.
“In this regard, the US will cooperate with Azerbaijan very closely.
We have reached a number of agreements.” The official stated that
“several groups of the US experts” will visit Baku to consider the
possibility of Azerbaijan joining the G-8 club of industrialized
countries’ WMD non-proliferation initiative.
Editor’s Note: Rovshan Ismayilov is a freelance journalist based
in Baku.

TURKISH COURT DROPS STATE SLANDER CHARGES AGAINST 4 JOURNALISTS
Chris Buell
JURIST
April 11 2006
[JURIST] A Turkish court on Tuesday dropped criminal charges against
four journalists over reports critical of a court opinion [JURIST
report] last fall, but the court upheld charges against a fifth
journalist. The court dismissed charges against the four because it
held that prosecutors failed to file charges within the two months
following publication of the stories. The court upheld charges against
Radikal columnist Murat Belge. Belge could face up to 10 years in
prison if convicted of the charge under Turkish Penal Code Article 301
[Amnesty International backgrounder], which criminalizes insulting
“state judicial institutions.”
The five journalists were accused [JURIST report] of publishing stories
critical of a court ruling that would have banned a conference on
Turkey’s involvement in the alleged genocide of its minority Armenian
population under the Ottoman Empire. Similar charges against novelist
Orhan Pamuk were dropped [JURIST report] earlier this year. Turkey
[JURIST news archive] has been under pressure from the EU to improve
its freedom of expression laws as part of its bid for EU membership.
/2006/04/turkish-court-drops-state-slander.php
From: Baghdasarian