Armenian minister invites Azerbaijan to economic competition

Arminfo
16 Mar 06

Yerevan, 16 March: Boasting about a military budget does not anyone
credit, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has said in an
interview with Yerevan H2 TV. Oskanyan was commenting on Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev’s statement about plans to make his country’s
expenditure equal Armenia’s entire budget.

Aliyev makes such statements quite often and one can form an impression
that the Azerbaijani state budget increases every day, Oskanyan said.

He supposed that probably for this reason the Azerbaijani military
violated cease-fire in an attempt to get rid of a surplus of
weapons. Not a single state or nation in the civilized world now
uses its military budget to compete with neighbours, he said. Today
countries are competing in different spheres such as economy, education
and culture, he said.

“In all these spheres Azerbaijan is inferior to Armenia and knows
this very well,” Sarkisyan stressed. Armenia is ahead of Azerbaijan in
creating favourable conditions for investment, free economy, democracy
and freedom of speech, he said. “International organizations say this,”
Oskanyan stressed.

Citing the World Bank’s data, he said that although Azerbaijan was
exporting oil, the country had not caught up with Armenia’s level
of per-capita income. “I would like to advise Azerbaijan to try and
compete with Armenia in these spheres, instead of boasting about
their oil resources and comparing military budgets,” the minister said.

He expressed regret that Aliyev had made his statement at a time when
both states have a task to prepare people in Armenian and Azerbaijani
to peace. “We consider that Azerbaijan is to blame for the failure
of the peace talks and such statements play a major role in this,”
the minister said.

Armenian Defense Minister criticized for statements regarding Karabakh settlement

15:0 9 03/17/2006

Armenian volunteers, who participated in Karabakh war called
“treacherous and immoral” statements of Armenian National Security
Secretary and Defense Minister Serzh Sarkisyan. He said that
“during the war, Armenia destroyed the enemy, and not liberated the
territories,” and used the term “security zone” instead of “liberated
territories.” Position of Armenian veterans was announce on March
16, during a round table conference in Yerevan, informed Assistant
coordinator of the public initiative “In defense of liberated
technologies” Armen Yegyan.

He said that Sarkisyan’s statements made at a meeting with army command
“demoralize officers, and presume return of liberated territories to
Azerbaijan.” According to ex-commander of Special Forces battalion
Girar Sefilyan “Sarkisyan must be dismissed by political means, using
opposition forces,” because “with such government, Armenia will not
be capable to conduct warfare,” thinks Sefilyan.

According to ex-Prime Minister MP Vazgen Manukyan, Sarkisyan “had no
authority to make such statements”. He said that the statements are
“directed to the West, and aims only to preserve power”, and noted,
that “return of liberated territories is impossible, because it can
happen only after the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh independence,
that is unacceptable to Azerbaijan”. He said that warfare can
recommence only if Azerbaijan feels stronger, and Armenia – weaker,
but in next 3-4 years it will not take place. “Armenian authorities
simply threaten the people with possibility of warfare recommence,
to prevent it we must compromise”, said Manukyan.

According to ex-Minister of Defense Vagarshak Arutyunyan, “if the
return of occupied territories is Armenian concession, than Azerbaijan
must return Artsvashen to Armenia and several occupied regions
to Nagorno Karabakh, and because of this, the question was never
raised at the negotiations on Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,”
said Arutyunyan.

Azeri speaker, EU rep for South Caucasus discuss ties

Lider TV, Baku
17 Mar 06

A resolution issued by the European Parliament on the destruction of
Armenian monuments in Naxcivan is wide of the mark and this cannot
be the parliament’s final document on the issue. At their meeting,
Azerbaijani Speaker Oqtay Asadov and new EU representative for South
Caucasus Peter Semneby mainly discussed the so-called document. Asadov
said that the fact that only 90 MEPs had taken part in the vote on
the resolution showed that it was biased.

The two men also discussed the future development of Azerbaijani-EU
ties. Asadov stressed the great importance of the EU projects,
especially the TRACECA [Transport Corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia]
project, for Azerbaijan’s integration into Europe.

[Video showed the meeting]

Ukraine completes WTO talks with Armenia, Colombia

UNIAN news agency, Kiev
17 Mar 06

Kiev, 17 March: Ukraine has completed talks on mutual access to markets
of goods and services with Armenia and Colombia in the framework of
Ukraine’s preparation to join the WTO, Ukrainian Economics Minister
Arseniy Yatsenyuk has said.

“We completed the bilateral talks regarding Ukraine’s accession to the
WTO with two countries – Armenia and Colombia – this morning,” he said.

[Passage omitted: background.]

‘Armenians’ are abusing the law

Standard, Kenya
March 17 2006

Justice may be slow to come by generally because of the rigour due
diligence demands, but in the ‘Armenian’ saga it is moving at an
unacceptable snail speed.

And with every hour and day wasted on this evolving saga of dithering,
indecision and postponing, national security is endangered, and the
ability of the Government to protect its citizens is compromised.

It is no longer intelligent or justice-minded to continue harping on
the line that these apparently innocuous businessmen have committed no
crime. It is also no longer politically prudent to use the ‘strangers’
as bait for political blackmail or mileage.

For doing so is dicing with a threat to national security.

With every revelation, allegation, and turn of events and episode
national security and sovereignty is compromised. To tolerate this
is to send the wrong signal that Kenya is a country where claimants
to unsubstantiated prominence can get away with mischief and slight
of public intelligence.

Now is the time to apply the rule of law to prove that the law is not
a respecter of persons or status and that the rule of law still counts.

Even on the surface of it there is evidence that crimes, petty and
pretty serious ones, may have been committed, and the police should
take action.

Let’s begin with the petty: It is a traffic offence to drive a car
whose number plates are concealed on a public road. For this alone,
traffic police officers have reason to investigate why law a biding
motorist should resort to such disguises. The businessman, Artur
Margayan, has explained this as a security precaution, but he is yet
to report to any police station that his life is in danger.

It is also a serious offence for anyone to claim he was approached
to fund the overthrow of the legally constituted Government of the
Republic of Kenya. The claim that these gentlemen were asked to fund
a vote of confidence in the Government points to treason.

The businessmen have also claimed affinity to the President of
Armenia, an allegation that has been denied. Under the laws of Kenya,
impersonation is a criminal offence, and if this is proved to be the
case, then these gentlemen are dangerous to national security and
should not be allowed to roam, issuing threats with impunity.

Yet the police seem helpless in handling the case. The first time
police officers went to the Runda house a week ago, a dog was set on
them and three CID officers investigating the matter fled.

Early this week, a police squad was recalled when they went to the
investor’s Runda house.

We are thus dealing with breaches of the law and possible crimes
that may have been committed or about to be committed, and threats
to national sovereignty and integrity.

The composure of the Kenyan people in Nairobi streets on Thursday
after Margaryan let our offices was a potent call to action. The people
could have lynched the businessman, but they didn’t. The message to the
Government is clear: Act on this case now to protect the rule of law.

Michuki questioned as ‘Armenian’ plot thickens
By Andrew Teyie

Standard, Kenya
March 17 2006

Internal Security Minister John Michuki yesterday appeared before the
Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Administration of Justice and
Legal Affairs to explain why the Government raided the Standard Group.

He is said to have claimed the Government raided the Group two weeks
ago because the media group runs a propaganda unit.

Michuki further claimed that the Group intended to publish a series
of stories linking key government officials to the Al-Qaeda terrorist
group, sources close to the Committee said.

“It was a government action. The Standard Group has a propaganda
unit which wanted to run stories that key government officials have
Al-Qaeda links,” a source close to the committee said of Michuki.

Michuki and CID Director Joseph Kamau assembled an elite police unit
code-named Kanga to raid the Standard Group at I&M towers and Likoni
Printing Press two weeks ago in contravention of the law.

They switched off KTN and dismantled the printing press. They then
went ahead to burn the day’s edition of The Standard, which had rolled
off the press before carting away computers and accessories.

Before then, they terrorised and robbed staff, who were on duty.

Later, Michuki blurted out: “If you rattle a snake, you must be
prepared to be bitten.” He stated that the Standard Group was engaged
in subversive activities.

Internal Security Permanent Secretary Cyrus Gituai accompanied Michuki
to the Committee hearings at Continental House. Kabete MP Paul Muite
chairs the committee. Members, who attended yesterday’s proceedings
were Amina Abdala and Muchiri Gachara.

According to sources, Michuki claimed that the Group had also lined
up stories on the Akiwumi Tribal Clashes report. The stories, Michuki
reportedly told the Committee, were to portray key government officials
as organisers of the clashes.

The source said the Committee was told: “They (Standard Group) wanted
to publish stories on the Akiwumi report claiming that the current
government was involved in the clashes.”

The source said Michuki pleaded with the Committee to understand
government actions.

Speaking after the meeting, Committee chairman Muite stated that
they have summoned Police Commissioner Major-General Hussein Ali,
Kamau and President Kibaki’s Strategic Advisor Stanley Murage.

Muite said Ali, Kamau and Murage would appear before them on Monday.

“We want to know whether Murage attended the planning committee on
the eve of the raid,” stated Muite.

Muite stated that they would get to the bottom of the issue.

“The Committee put to him all questions and as a result we now want
Ali and Kamau to tell us their side of the story. We want to get
to the bottom of it instead of bandying allegations in the media,”
stated Muite.

Michuki is said to have told the Committee that the raid was carried
out by Kenyans and was sanctioned by the Government. It is unclear
why they had to be hooded and why they had to carry out the raid in
contravention of the law.

Michuki reportedly insisted that those who raided the Standard were
not mercenaries. He is said to have assured the Committee that the
Government is investigating the mercenaries claims and any links such
people may have to a certain Narc activist.

Late yesterday evening, Michuki sent a statement to newsrooms
confirming that the mercenaries claims were under “active” government
investigations.

“The Government should be given an opportunity to carefully investigate
the matter devoid of political interference,” the statement said
in part.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

I can handle crowds – Armenian
By Cyrus Ombati

Standard, Kenya
March 17 2006

The man at the centre of the mercenary saga, Artur Margaryan,
yesterday remained defiant and proud while Kenyans expressed shock
at his defiance.

Margaryan said he expected hostility and was ready to handle it when
he stepped out in public on Thursday afternoon.

He, at the same time, questioned what crime he had committed to
warrant police interrogation.

“I knew some people could shout at me. I thought I could meet the
hostility when I arrived, but I don’t fear anything,” he said.

Margaryan said as a trained soldier he knows how to handle the general
public especially an agitated crowd. “You don’t shout at them. Just
laugh to the end as I did.”

A crowd charged at the foreigner as he left I&M Building on Thursday
forcing police to come to his rescue.

Speaking to journalists outside his compound in Runda estate, Nairobi,
the foreigner said he is in the country legally for investment
purposes to benefit the locals and dared MPs Fred Gumo and Reuben
Ndolo to make good their threats to evict him from his house.

“They should not come after a week. Let them come now and if they
want to fight me I will also fight,” he said.

In the meantime, he is beefing up his personal security. Margaryan
said he is not leaving the country. Instead, he is bringing in more
dogs to guard his compound against intruders.

Yesterday, there was an additional dog at the compound; a white dog
nicknamed “Amigo”, which he described as dangerous. That brings the
number of dogs in the compound to two.

He said four more dogs are on the way to bring the total number to
six and warned people to stay clear of his home.

“If anyone comes here without being invited, he will be mauled and
I don’t care who he is. This is private property,” he said.

The foreigner also denied reports that his passport and that of his
brother were fake. “My passport is legal and if it was illegal I
could be in jail. We do not have a consular or embassy of Armenia
here in Kenya so the claims are false.”

Margaryan later drove out of the compound in the company of his
girlfriend saying he was going to inspect his projects elsewhere in
the city.

On Thursday, he visited The Standard Group offices to clear his name
over the illegal police raid that was staged there.

Mercenaries: Probe now extends to Mombasa
By Willis Oketch

Standard, Kenya
March 17 2006

Detectives investigating the identity of two Armenians alleged to be
mercenaries have extended their probe to Mombasa to establish if they
have business links in the town.

Police sources said this followed suspicions that some businessmen
in the town had links with the two foreigners.

A group of detectives from Nairobi will visit the coastal town to
dig up any business links the duo might have.

“Police want to check out claims that these men, who claim to be
Armenians, have business links in Mombasa,” said the police source.

The source said police have received several claims that the two men
were frequent visitors to Mombasa where they stay in one of the top
beach hotels. Police will also be checking out if the Brother Link
Company in which the two are co-owners has been doing import business
through the port of Mombasa.

“If we know the nature of the business they do we will know if they
are genuine business people as they claim,” said the police source.

An earlier claim made by politicians allied to the Orange Democratic
Movement indicated that the two Armenians had business links with
some Mombasa businessmen.

Ukraine, Georgia and EU to construct gas pipeline to supply Caspian
gas in European countries

Regnum, Russia
March 17 2006

Ukraine, Georgia and EU plan to construct a gas pipeline to supply
Caspian gas into European countries, informed a source in the Georgian
embassy, quoting the statements, made on 5th international conference
“Oil, gas, power engineering and infrastructure – GIOGIE-2006”,
which opened in Tbilisi on March 16.

According to the source, a specially created international consortium
of five companies already started its work on the project. Length of
gas pipeline will be around 1,000 km. Part of the pipeline between
Georgia and Ukraine will be constructed and the sea floor. Source
informed that in the near future, work on technical basis of the
project will start.

Earlier, National stock company Naftogaz Ukraine declared its
intention to participate in constructions of transit gas pipeline
from Iran to Western Europe. It proposed the Iranian side two
possible routes of the Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Russia-Ukraine-Europe
and Iran-Armenia-Georgia-Black Sea-Ukraine-Europe pipelines. Naftogaz
Ukraine proposed Iran to begin the realization of one of project in
bilateral format, with further joining of other countries, informs
finance.ua.

UConn Advance, CT
March 17 2006

Coming to Campus
– March 20, 2006
Coming to Campus is a section announcing visiting speakers of note.

The Hon. Masis Mayilian, Deputy Foreign Minister of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, will give a public lecture on
“Nagorno-Karabakh Republic as a Factor of Peace and Stability in
the Region of South Caucasus” on Thursday, March 23, from 3 to 4 pm,
at the Alumni Center.

A reception will follow.

Since 1993, Mayilian has held various positions in the Nagorno-Karabakh
Ministry: head of the Desk of International Organizations, head of the
Department of International Organizations, advisor to the Minister,
and head of the Political Department.

In 1993, he was appointed a member of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
delegation at the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement.

In 2001, by resolution of the Republic’s government, Mayilian was
appointed as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

He holds the diplomatic rank of Envoy Extraordinary and Minister
Plenipotentiary.

The talk is funded by the Norian bequest to the University, which
supports a program of Armenian Studies activities to honor the legacy
of Alice Norian.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress