REPRESENTATIVES OF RA ARMED FORCES TO TAKE PART IN “JOINT ARCH” AND “JOINT STRIVING” EXERCISES
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The “Best Joint Effort” and “Joint
Partner” exercises held within the framework of the Partnership for
Peace NATO Program were unified in 2006 being named “Joint Arch”. The
preliminary (was held on January 16-20, 2006) and main (was held on
February 6-11, 2006) planning conferences of these exercises were held
in Moldova with participation of two headquarters officers of RA Armed
Forces. Representatives of RA Armed Forces will also take part in the
final planning conference to be held in May and the exercises’ working
meeting to be held in September. The place of their holding is not
clear yet. The exercises will be held on September 11-29 in Moldova.
According to Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, Spokesperson for RA Defence
Minister, 2 headquarters officers, 1 doctor, 1 signaller and a large
detachment consisting of 8 persons from the peace-keeping battalion
of RA Defence Ministry will take part in the exercises. As for the
“Joint Striving-06” interco mmunication exercises, they are organized
by the U.S. European Command. Their two conferences were held in 2005
in Albania and Macedonia and the main planning conference on January
22-28 this year, in Croatia. The intercommunication specialists of RA
Armed Forces took part in all of these conferences. The final planning
conference of the exercises was held on March 21-24 in Georgia.
Representatives of RA Armed Forces took part in it, too. The exercises
will be coordinated by means of an intercommunication hub located in
Germany, with which the participants should get in touch from their
countries. Representatives of RA Armed Forces will take part in the
above-mentioned exercises from the territory of Armenia, through
a satellite communication. The preliminary planning conference of
the “Joint Striving-07” exercises will be held on September 11-15
in Yerevan.

CRIMINAL CASE ON FACT OF ATTEMPTED MURDER OF RA MP SASUN MIKAELIAN INSTITUTED AT RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. A criminal case on the fact
of attempted murder of RA MP Sasun Mikaelian was instituted
at the Investigation Department of RA Prosecutor General’s
Office. According to the web site of RA Prosecutor General’s Office
(http://www. genproc.am), the materials on the attempted murder were
given to RA Prosecutor General’s Office by the National Security
Service attached to RA government on March 7 2006 and the same day the
Investigation Department of RA Prosecutor General’s Office instituted a
criminal case on the signs of the 1st part of Article 38-34-104 and 1st
part and Article 235, RA Criminal Code. The preliminary investigation
is going on. To recap, Sasun Mikaelian was elected as RA MP by the
majoritarian system and is not a member of any parliamentary faction
or group.

ARMENIAN PRISONER OF WAR REPATRIATED UNDER ICRC AUSPICES YEREVAN
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On 24 March an Armenian prisoner of war
detained in Azerbaijan was repatriated under the auspices of the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). As Noyan Tapan was
informed by the ICRC, the operation took place on the road between the
Azerbaijani town of Gazakh and the Armenian town of Ijevan. The ICRC,
participating as a neutral intermediary and in accordance with its
mandate, facilitated the repatriation of the released prisoner at the
request of the Azerbaijani and the Armenian authorities. ICRC delegates
visited the prisoner of war before the operation to ensure he was
returning home of his own free will. Since the start of its activities
in connection with the Nagorny Karabakh conflict in 1992, the ICRC
has helped repatriate or transfer 656 people, and the organization
will support any similar operation in the future should the need arise.

ACCORDING TO ARTASHES GEGHAMIAN, OTHER PEOPLE AS WELL TO SUFFER FATE OF FORMER HEAD OF PRESIDENT’S STAFF
Noyan Tapan
March 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Artashes Toumanian, the former head
of the RA President’s staff who had stated about his intention to
create a party, probably changed his mind. Hrayr Karapetian, the
Secretary of the RA NA “ARF” faction interpreted Toumanian’s leaving
the political field in this way.
According to him, parties must be created on ideologies and
conceptions, and when those ones are absent, creation of parties
isn’t justified, irrespective of the fact who creates that party. “I
feel sorrow when a man who encoureged Kocharian on October 28, 1999,
at the time when everybody stepped back of him, who has in future
been his staff’s head for about 7 years, was both discharged his
post for incomprehensive reasons, and left the political field as
well,” Artashes Geghamian, the head of the “Azgayin Miabanutiun”
faction mentioned.
According to him, other people as well, who has acted like Artashes
Toumanian, will appear in the same situation in future. According to
Geghamian, if there are serious reasons for discharging Toumanian, they
didn’t naturally appear just now. According to him, the authorities
give opportunity and even they instigate this or that official to
carry out illegal actions, to blackmail them in future. He expressed
a hope that the given case in another.

CONFERENCES ON DEMOCRACY DEVELOPMENT ISSUES TO BE ORGANIZED IN YEREVAN AND HAGUE
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues of development of the
Armenian-Nethelandian interparliamentary cooperation were discussed
at the March 24 meeting of RA National Assembly Speaker Artur
Baghdasarian with Eimert van Middelkoop, Senator of the Upper House of
the Parliament of Netherlands. An agreement was reached on organizing
conferences on issues of development of democracy in Yerevan and
Hague joint with the Parliament of Netherlands within the framework
of the “New Democracy” program. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the
NA Public Relations Department, Artur Baghdasarian asked to pass his
congratulation to the Parliament of Netherlands for recognition of the
Armenian Genocide what will prevent any repetition of similar crimes.

ACCORDING TO AGHASI ARSHAKIAN, WEST USES DOUBLE STANDARDS
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Double standards are used by western
media and politicians in the issue of the elections held in Armenia
and Belarus.
Aghasi Arshakian, a member of the “Azgayin Miabanutiun” (National
Unity) faction stated about this at the March 24 parliamentary
briefing. Participating in the presidential elections of Belarus as an
observer, Arshakian congratulated citizens of Belarus in the interview
given to media of that country on the occasion of holding free and
just elections. The Deputy mentioned that when the authorities used
violence against the participants of the rally of many thousands
in Yerevan, nobody protested against it. But when in Minsk where
“no blood came from anybody’s nose and just 20-30 people were taken
their arms and taken away, it raised world yell.” According to Aghasi
Arshakian, “such total fillings as there were in Armenia, weren’t
in Belarus.” The deputy who visited more than 15 polling stations,
according to himself, saw no violation. Just the opposite, unlike the
Armenian elections, the voters stand in a queue and congratulate each
other on the occasion of the President’s being elected.

AZERI LEADER RENEWS KARABAKH WAR THREATS
By Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech rep.
March 27 2006
Azerbaijan issued on Monday a fresh threat to win back Nagorno-Karabakh
by force, with President Ilham Aliev warning that he may unleash an
all-out war against Armenia “at any moment.”
Addressing officers of the National Security Ministry, the Azerbaijani
successor to the Soviet KGB, Aliev said there is still a chance of
a peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict, but did not specify
whether he thinks it can be achieved this year. He instead urged his
countrymen to be prepared for renewed fighting.
“I think that the peace potential has not yet been exhausted.
Therefore, we will of course remain faithful to the peace process,”
Aliev said in remarks broadcast by the Azerbaijani TV station ANS.
“But at the same time, we must be ready for any eventuality and
that is why Azerbaijan has stepped up its army building efforts in
recent years.
“Our military spending has increased over the past years, and it will
increase further. This is our sovereign right, this is our job. Our
country is in a state of war.”
“The opposite side must know that Azerbaijan is capable of securing
its territorial integrity through war at any moment,” he added.
The comments came against the background of fading hopes for
an imminent Karabakh settlement that stemmed from major progress
registered in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks in the course of last
year. Aliev and his Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharian were widely
expected to hammer out a framework peace agreement when they met
in France last month. However, the two-day summit mediated by U.S.,
Russian and French diplomats ended in failure.
Shortly afterwards Aliev reverted to his regular public threats,
always shrugged off by Armenian leaders, to resolve the conflict by
military means. Kocharian responded by warning that Baku’s refusal
to make major concessions to the Armenians could lead Yerevan to
formally recognize Karabakh’s independence.
The Azerbaijani leader’s bellicose rhetoric was indirectly criticized
on Friday by the European Union’s new special representative to
the South Caucasus. “An attempt on the Azeri side to resolve the
conflict by military means will have very serious consequences,”
Peter Semneby told RFE/RL. “It may not be successful in the first
place, and it will also seriously damage Azerbaijan in terms of its
investment climate and reliability as a partner.”
Aliev’s chief foreign policy aide, Novruz Mamedov, was quick to
dismiss the warning. “If Azerbaijan can indeed discredit itself as
a partner if it starts war to liberate its own lands, how come that
Armenia occupied Azerbaijani territories in a war and has kept them
under occupation for 15 years, but this has not discredited Armenia
anyhow?” Mamedov told the Azerbaijani ATV channel.
Meanwhile, the international mediators insist that the peace process
may still be salvaged but seem undecided about their next steps.
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian said last week that they will
either visit the conflict zone or arrange another round of
Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations soon.

“HANRAPETUTIUN” PARTY PROPOSES TO TAKE MEASURES IN DIRECTION OF ENERGY SAFETY OF ARMENIA
Noyan Tapan
Mar 27 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 27, NOYAN TAPAN. Rise in prices envisaged for gas
and for energy following it will cause rise in prices for all the
services and products of first necessity. This circumstance will not
only strike a blow on the social state of the widest strata of the
society of Armenia but will also obstacle the natural development of
the economy of Armenia, the social polarization will reach dangerous
sizes. This is said in the March 24 statement of the “Hanrapetutiun”
(Republic) party. The “Hanrapetutiun” party considers necessary to
review the present Armenian-Russian relations and secure alternative
factors addressed to the energy safety. Particularly, to satisfy needs
of Armenia by a quick operation of the Armenian-Iranian gas pipe, and
to reach increase of political and economic weight by the Iranian gas
transit. It is also proposed to consider development of the atomic
energy corresponding to the world standards and creation of a new,
safer atomic power station primary.

MAMMEDYAROV: NK CONFLICT RESOLUTION TALKS HAVE TO BE CONTINUED
Author: R. Abdullayev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
March 27 2006
“Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution talks have to be continued.
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry is ready to go on negotiations and there
can be no timeout, “Azerbaijani Foreign Minister, Elmar Mammedyarov
told on March 27, adding that “works within the frames of the Paris
process have to be continued”, Trend reports.
“This is the position of the president Ilham Aliyev. However, if
the dialog will be fruitless, we will apply another measures,” the
minister said.
Commenting the statement made the Armenian Foreign minister, Vardan
Oskanyan, claiming that “in the modern state of things next step in
negotiations has to
be done by Azerbaijan”, the minister said that “this sort of statements
have an aim of affecting domestic policies in Armenia.”
“Azerbaijani position remains unchanged. We were talking and we
are talking about the liberation of the occupied lands. Territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan has to be restored. Refugees and forcibly
displaced persons have to be returned to their homes,” Mammedyarov
said, adding that any sort of the conflict regulation has to be in
accordance with the Azerbaijani constitution.
“If we want to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh problem we have to consider
the international law principles as well,” the Minister concluded.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA HOSTS INDIAN DIAMOND AND BUSINESS DELEGATION
Tacy, Israel
March 27 2006
A delegation from India and Dubai of consisting of heads and
representatives of major diamond and jewelry, IT, film production,
metal processing, pharmaceutical, tourism, and food industry
enterprises are visiting Armenia for three days to discuss business
cooperatives with Armenian partners. Armenian Minister Vartan Oskanian
received the delegation, headed by Harshad R. Mehta, Honorary Consul
of the Republic of Armenia in Mumbai. Mehta is the owner of a large
diamond cutting operation in Armenia.
Oskanian briefed the Indian businessmen on Armenia’s business
climate and the government’s investment involvement priorities. Also
participating in the meeting were Ashot Kocharian, Armenian’s
Ambassador to the Republic of India and Reena Pandey, India’s
Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia.
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