VLADIMIR JIRINOVSKI: NAGORNO GARABAGH WILL CHOOSE MONTENEGRO WAY
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 25 2006
The unrecognized republics in the former USSR territory, including
Abkhazia, Transdnestrovie and Nagorno Garabagh will choose the way
of Montenegro.
The referendum on Montenegro’s independence will be accepted
as precedent by the international law,” said Russian State Duma
vice-speaker Vladimir Jirinovski (APA). Participating in the third
congress of Russian Armenians’ Union, Jirinovski told journalists
that the so-called “Nagorno Garabagh Republic” can gain independence
by following the Montenegro way.
“One day referendums on independence will be held in the South Caucasus
too. For instance, Garabagh will achieve its independence.
Garabagh has a right to be an independent state. In order not to
offend Baku, Nagorno Garabagh can enter Armenia and have partnership
relations with this state,” Jirinovski said.
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry Press and Infromation Policy officer
Tahir Taghizadeh told APA that it is not the first time that Jirinovski
makes statements contrary to the Russian Federation’s foreign policy
and against the interests of a country that have good relations
with Russia.
“He needs to be more responsible because of his post. Such statements
by Jirinovski have negative influence on the settlement of the Nagorno
Garabagh conflict and are contrary to the developing Azerbaijan-Russia
friendly relations. Jirinovski is making such statements like a norm,”
Taghizadeh noted.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION COUNCIL OF “LINCI” FUND HELD A SITTING
ArmRadio.am
25.05.2006 17:02
The process of tender for construction of highways, schools and roads
of Yerevan on financial resources of “Linci” fund was discussed
at today’s sitting of the Programs Administration Council of the
Fund. It was presided over by Head of the Office to RA President,
Chairman of the Programs Administration Council of the “Linci” Fund
Armen Gevorgyan.
The participants of the sitting noted that construction companies
show great interest in the tender and a number of applications have
been already submitted.
It has been decided to carry out detailed investigation of the tender
packages submitted, paying great attention to provisions for the high
quality of the works to be accomplished and discipline.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ATTEMPT TO SOLVE KARABAKH ISSUE BY FORCE MAY RESULT IN INTERNATIONAL ISOLATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 15:08 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia’s stand is that Azerbaijan and Armenia should
agree over the option of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
between themselves.
An attempt to solve the conflict by force by any party can result in
international isolation, Head of the Russian MFA Fourth Department
Andrey Kelin told Azeri journalists when touching upon the Karabakh
conflict.
In his opinion, the Karabakh and Abkhaz conflict are
different. “Abkhazia was de facto established as an independent
formation and cannot join Georgia, while Karabakh is another matter,”
Andrey Kelin said, refraining from answering the question on the
status of Karabakh.
A columnist of the Zerkalo Baku-based newspaper writes that Azerbaijan
should hardly delude itself over Russia’s stand on Karabakh. “It
should be taken into account that the international community is ready
to support any option of settlement of the NK conflict, including
that not taking into account the territorial integrity principle,”
the edition writes.

NKR: RESPECT OF PEOPLE’S RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION CORNERSTONE OF CONFLICT SETTLEMENT
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 15:27 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The MFA of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic released
a statement on the referendum on independence in Montenegro. The
statement specifically says, “The holding of the referendum on
independence in Montenegro and readiness of the international community
to recognize the returns is a positive fact.
We are convinced that respect of peoples’ right to self-determination
is a cornerstone of conflict settlement and tool to establish political
stability.
Thereupon, it is expedient to remind that disrespect of NK
people’s right, who voted at referendum held on December 10, 1991
for independence, was a basis for further military aggression by
Azerbaijan.
Further neglect of NKR people’s right to self-determination during
settlement of the Azeri-Karabakh conflict, as well as right for
conditions that will ensure its political independence, economic and
military security, will postpone the prospect of finding a mutually
acceptable solution and establishment of lasting peace in the region.”
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EUROPEANS AGAINST TURKEY’S ACCESSION TO EU
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 15:34 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to a survey among 97500 Europeans, 52%
were against Turkey’s accession to the EU. Only 37% of respondents
believe that the geopolitical location and market economy of Turkey
will promote soonest accession. Most respondents are worried by the
fact that the percentage of poor is higher in Turkey than in other
European countries, as well as that most population are Muslims. 48%
of participants of the survey do not see any need to expand the EU
composition and consider accession of new members incorrect. In their
opinion, the EU can be enlarged only with the joining of Norway and
Switzerland, Day.az reports.

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TO MAKE COMMON STATEMENT IN YEREVAN
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 14:12 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian met with OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs Yuri Merzlyakov, Steven Mann and Bernard Fassier,
as well as Russian Deputy FM Grigory Karasin, US Assistant Secretary
of State Daniel Fried and Political Affairs Director of the French
MFA Stanislas de Laboulaye. The same day the mediators and official
representatives of the OSCE MG states will meet with Armenian President
Robert Kocharian. As the US Embassy in Yerevan told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter, this evening the co-chairs will make a joint statement.

EXPERT: MONTENEGRO MAY NOT BE EXAMPLE FOR KARABAKH
PanARMENIAN.Net
25.05.2006 14:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The referendum in Montenegro cannot be applied to
Nagorno Karabakh, head of the Department of Turkey of the Institute
of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Armenia, Doctor
Ruben Safrastyan told PanARMENIAN.Net. In his words, Azerbaijan will
never recognize the independence of NKR as different from Serbia,
which agreed with the referendum returns.
May 21 a referendum on independence was held in Montenegro. The
Montenegro independence block collected 55.5% of constituency votes,
while the supporters of preservation of the common state got 44.5%
of votes.

DEFECTORS FROM ORINATS YERKIR FORM NEW GROUP
Armenpress
May 25 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 25, ARMENPRESS: Ten parliament members who have defected
from the embattled Orinats Yerkir party of the outgoing parliament
chairman Arthur Baghdasarian, have formed a new parliamentary
non-partisan group, it emerged today. Only one defector, Melik
Manukian, refused to join the group which its founders named
“Businessman.”
All of the ten deputies are wealthy businessmen.
They defected from Orinats Yerkir’s parliament faction just in few
days, hastening Baghdasarian’s resignation and his party’s pullout
from the governing coalition.
One of the defectors, Grigor Margarian, was elected head of the group.
Under the existing National Assembly statutes, a non-partisan
group must have at least ten deputies in order to have an official
status. The 131-member assembly has already one such group, the
People’s Deputy, that holds 16 seats.

GURGEN ARSENYAN’S TAX BURDEN IS RELIEVED
Lragir.am
24 May 06
On May 23 the National Assembly of Armenia voted down the bill on a
cut in the lump-sum tax on imports of cigars to Armenia. The bill,
which was adopted on the first reading, was introduced by Member
of Parliament Mnatsakan Petrosyan, United Labor Party. The address
of this legislative action was not accidental because the import of
cigars to Armenia is the business of the leader of the United Labor
Party Gurgen Arsenyan. The bill provides for a cut in the lump-sum
tax from 1.5 million drams per 1000 cigars to 550 thousand drams.
Obviously, Gurgen Arsenyan took a legislative action on tax allowances
for himself, which is approved by the majority of the parliament,
at least on the first reading.
Most probably, this is part of the recent deal between the United
Labor Party and the government. The government guarantees softer
conditions on the import of cigars, and Arsenyan agrees to vote for
the legislative actions of the government, somehow filling in the gap
in the coalition. Of course, in return for this the United Labor Party
has also been granted the posts of two deputy governors, one deputy
minister and one minister, but Gurgen Arsenyan apparently knows that
government posts are not stable, whereas he will be importing cigars
for a longer period, having the guarantee of the law. The evidence to
the reliance of Gurgen Arsenyan on import of cigars is the building
in the park in front of the conservatoire, which is said to become a
Cigar Club, reported to belong to Gurgen Arsenyan. In this context,
it is possible that besides arrangements with the government and
government’s instructions the members of parliament had a more
serious motive to vote for more convenient conditions on the import
of cigars. The members of parliament have probably heard about the
Cigar Club, and they are probably hopeful to get an invitation to
the opening night and even try free and quality cigars. Besides,
they probably also expect that with lowers costs on import Gurgen
Arsenyan will sell cigars at a cheaper price, and they will smoke
a good deal of cigars. And we may be sure that he will do, because
Gurgen Arsenyan has already announced once that he is ashamed of
getting excess profit. Although it is also possible that this feeling
has become habitual for Arsenyan, and it may not force him to lower
the price of this product along with the cut in tax on this product.

A PERSON ABANDONING A POLITICAL PARTY WILL ABANDON A STATE
Lragir.am
24 May 06
The leader of the National Self-Determination Union Paruir Hayrikyan
thinks that the secession of the Orinats Yerkir Party from the
coalition and resignation of some members of parliament from the
Orinats Yerkir faction was not strange; moreover, it was predictable
and expected: “each party determines its place.”
On May 24 the leader of the NSDU said he could discern other dangers
behind the recent developments. “The strange thing about it is that
the members abandoned the political party, and the society considers
it a regular thing. Nobody fears that this departure, denial, desertion
is something that should be criticized.”
Whereas this is dangerous for the nation, because “the political
parties are proto-states, a party affiliate is supposed to have an
orientation, and if a person easily deserts the political party, the
same person may easily desert the state.” It is a serious concern and
alarm for the NSDU. “The so-called political parties apparently do
not exist. These are balloons, as people say,” notes Paruir Hayrikyan
and forecasts that if the Republican Party quit power, “a much worse
thing would be awaiting it.”
“If there are no political parties, but certain groups of people take
part in the life of our state under the label of political parties, who
is then leading life of our state? What can be awaiting a nation, whose
political will is accompanied by such disgraceful behavCors?” alarms
the leader of the NSDU.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress