PROPOSAL OF AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION TO PA OSCE
Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
Reportedly a member of Azerbaijani delegation to the Parliamentary
Assembly of the OSCE, Chairman of MM Commission for Human Rights,
Rabiyyat Aslanova attended the PA OSCE summer session which was held
in Brussels, recently Azerbaijani delegation raised the question
concerning punishment of Armenia for committed crimes by the OSCE.
R. Aslanova said that recently the sessions of the PA OSCE Committee
for Security and Political Issues, Committee for Economic Issues,
and Committee for Human Rights were held. “These arrangements were
focused on Reinforcement people’s security in the space of the OSCE.”
56 Member States of PA OSCE attended the discussions. They stated that
the security won’t be ensured if territorial integrity of the OSCE
Member States has been violated or aggression committed,” informs
member of Azerbaijani delegation.
At the same time, the sessions discussed a number of issues. R.
Aslanova’s speech here was devoted to the national minority related
issues: “Regarding to destiny of Azerbaijanis expatriated from
Armenia, I underlined that this fact per se means the violation of
security. Thus, we included this issue to agenda and demanded to
punish Armenia.”
Eldar Ibrahimov and Fattah Heydarov spoke at the Committee for Economic
Issues, told about important economic projects being realized in
Azerbaijan. Furthermore, Chief of Azerbaijani delegation, Bahar
Muradova, and Azay Guliyev attended the Permanent Committee for
Security & Political Issues. “6 out of 16 our proposals made to the
Resolution to be adopted by the Permanent Committee for Security &
Political Issues, have been adopted. All of them concern regulation
of conflicts and OSCE activity,” informed MP.
–Boundary_(ID_EwFRGcoJq3ZuoDViFCB43A)–

“ECHO”: CAN ARMENIA START WAR FIRST?
Kh. Gasimova, N. Ramizoglu
Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
Accordingly to experts, such variant must be ruled out as the countries
that invested South Caucasus will not allow such provocations.
Armenia will not be able to start the war first as it would be the end
for this country. It was the statement made by head of press service
of the Defense Ministry, Ramiz Melikov, for “Echo”, on commenting
recent statement of vice speaker of the parliament of Armenia, Vaan
Ovanesyan concerning taking “steps” to prevent the threat to Armenia.
In interview for “Aravot”, Ovanesyan stated that “if Azerbaijan
declares openly that it needs time out to strengthen attack, then,
it would be wrong to provide time for it”. “If we see that Azerbaijan
not only threatens but turns into real threat for us, we should think
about our own steps”, he said. At the same time, Ovanesyan refused
to explain what steps he meant.
Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan holds that at this stage Armenia
even cannot think of military operations against Azerbaijan. “Famous
Azerbaijani poet, Samad Vurgun, wrote that before death comes, goat
bothers herdsman. World knows Armenian as aggressor, and it cannot
take such step to worsen its image. As for Azerbaijani military forces,
they must be ready to repulse attacks of enemies”, Melikov emphasized.
Milli Mejlis deputy, Vakhid Ahmadov, shares this opinion. He and group
of deputies recently visited one of military units on front line. He
doubted that Armenia can start the war first. “While all leading
countries and international organizations insist on regulation of this
conflict this year, such turning-point is impossible. Leading countries
are interested in security of South Caucasus and it is not surprising,
as they invested economy of the region”, parliament member said for
“Echo”. At the same time Akhundov doesn’t deny that Armenia may give
way to provocations. “Armenia knows that it is in no-go”. Though he is
sure that in case of attack against Azerbaijan on the part of Armenia,
our army can manifest its forces to prevent provocations on the part
of neighboring country.
Military expert, Uzeir Jafarov, holds that Ovanesyan’s statement
shouldn’t be taken seriously. He believes that it is another attempt
of Armenian politicians to present desirable thing as real one. “To
admit it was possible several years ago, as there were opportunities
and prerequisites for the start of military operations. Taking into
consideration the fact that economic project Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan is
realized in the region, I don’t think Azerbaijan or Armenia can be
given chance to start military operations”, Jafarov said for “Echo”.
Though accordingly to expert, Azerbaijan has moral and legal right
to declare war to Armenia. Armenia occupied Azerbaijani territories
and this fact is recorded in 4 UN resolutions. “We have right to start
military operations. Nobody can use economic and legal sanction against
Azerbaijan. Last statement of OSCE Minsk group co-chairmen once again
proves that we just waste time, and no progress is observed in peace
talks on regulation of Nagorni Garabagh conflict.
At the same time Armenia refuses to return Lachin, Kalbajar regions”.
He said. Expert holds that in near future there will be
no prerequisites for military operations. Though, he holds that
Armenians attempt to do something in frontline regions. “But if any
attempt of Armenia causes war, then separatist will face repulse”,
expert concluded.
–Boundary_(ID_qNnDmxo8B3TTlABcLBZYvw) —

ARMENIAN PRIME MINISTER TO VISIT FRANCE IN OCTOBER
PanARMENIAN.Net
05.07.2006 18:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan will pay
a visit to France October 17-18. He will take part in the conference of
twin cities of Armenia and France to be held under the patronage of the
heads of the French Senate and the Armenian parliament, reported the RA
government’s press service. “I think this event will mark the opening
of the Year of Armenia in France,” Margaryan said. He assured Yerevan
will do the utmost to make the Year of Armenia in France a bright
event for the development of the friendly Armenian-French relations.

AZERBAIJAN POINTS TO ILLEGAL ARMENIAN SETTLEMENTS
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
Azerbaijani MPs have submitted a document condemning the illegal
settlement of Armenians in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan to
the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
The report, co-signed by over 30 parliament members, was prepared by
Ganira Pashayeva, a member of the Azeri delegation at the Assembly.
Armenia, which ignores the four UN Security Council resolutions on the
unconditional withdrawal of its armed forces and the PACE resolution
on liberation of Azerbaijani lands and return of refugees to their
homes, jeopardizes the ongoing talks between the two presidents,
the document said.
“This policy runs counter to international legal norms and the
mentioned documents. Armenia tries to assert the status-quo in the
occupied territories and hinder the return of Azeri IDPs home by
increasing the number of Armenian-populated settlements in these
areas.”
The document reads that according to official figures, in 1989,
there were 145,450 Armenians in Upper Garabagh. Yerevan is pursuing
a purposeful policy aimed at bringing the figure to 300,000 by 2010,
it says.
“According to Armenian and other sources, 23,000 Armenians have
been settled in the occupied Upper Garabagh region and seven adjacent
districts, including 13,000 in Lachin, 700 in Kalbajar, 520 in Zangilan
and 280 in Jabrayil over the past few years. The population of these
districts comprised only Azerbaijanis before their occupation by the
Armenian armed forces.”
The document reads that separatists in Armenia and Garabagh forced
Azeris to leave their homes and pursued a policy of ethnic cleansing
in the occupied territories. Hundreds of ethnic Armenian families
from Armenia and other countries were settled in the occupied Aghdam,
Fuzuli and other districts.

GOV’T ANGERED BY SWEDISH MPS’ VISIT TO OCCUPIED LANDS
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
A Swedish parliamentary delegation led by the head of Swedish Leftist
Party, Ulla Hoffman, has reportedly visited the occupied territories
of Azerbaijan.
The delegation consisting of party members, who arrived in the occupied
land from Armenia, is believed to have met with “vice-speaker” of the
self-proclaimed Upper Garabagh Republic, Rudik Usnunch, on Thursday.
Usnunch thanked the Swedish government for what he described as
recognizing the “genocide of Armenians” and requested his interlocutors
to take steps to recognize the entity as an independent state.
Hoffman said the Leftist Party is taking interest in Armenia and
Upper Garabagh and will be regularly in contact with the self-styled
republic.
The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry has instructed the country’s embassy
in Great Britain to look into the Swedish MPs’ visit. If the report
is confirmed, Baku will officially express its objection to the visit,
the Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Taghizada said.
Such visits to the separatist entity have been paid by foreign
nationals on numerous occasions in the past, drawing fire from Azeri
officials. The visitors included British, Russian, French and US
parliament members, not to mention frequent visits by representatives
of various foreign companies and even popular Russian singers.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VISITORS FROM EURASIA TOUR CONCORD PLANT IN SEARCH OF NEW IDEAS, TECHNOLOGIES
By Leo Strupczewski [email protected]
The Delaware County Times, PA
July 6 2006
CONCORD — Five visitors had broken from the tour and joined an
impromptu business meeting. Twenty visitors from Armenia, Moldova,
Georgia and Ukraine toured the Concord Sewage Treatment Plant
Wednesday. The tour was part of an U.S. Department of Commerce program
for mid- and senior-level water resource management and maintenance
engineers and executives from Eurasia.
While Tom Chew, the facility’s managing director, directed the tour,
Karapet Ohanyan was talking with Peter Snow, the training manager
for Godwin Pumps.
It couldn’t have worked out any better for Ohanyan, from Yerevan,
Armenia. He needed a portable water pump, but didn’t want to buy them.
No one in Armenia rents them, Ohanyan said. The same also goes for
Ukraine and Georgia.
“It would be good for both sides if you did rent there,” Ohanyan said
through an interpreter.
Snow, an Aston resident, smiled and pulled Godwin’s national sales
manager Joseph Abbott Jr. into the group.
“The idea is to bring them in, expose them to our technologies,”
Abbott said of the program, called the Special American Business
Internship Training Program. “Maybe stimulate some sort of business
relationships.”
No deal was settled on the spot, but the program was a success.
The 20 visitors have been in the country for four weeks. They’ve
toured facilities throughout the Mid-Atlantic states and met with
manufacturers, along with local, federal government officials and
water treatment plant officials.
They visited Concord because it’s a smaller plant, Abbott said. It’s
also state-of-the-art and clean.
“They run a nice operation,” he said. “I wish they all looked like
this.”
For the facility, hosting a similar program six years ago probably
would not have been possible.
“It would have been difficult at best,” Chew said. “There just wasn’t
any personnel.”
Or space.
Chew said the facility has experienced tremendous growth since 2000.
At the time, there was only one full-time pump operator and two other
part-time employees.
Now, there are six full-time employees and a new garage with office
space. The facility will also break ground on a new pump in August.
All of it is attributed to the population growth in the area. The
facility’s main customer is the Delaware County Prison, but also
serves roughly 2,000 households.
“It’s sort of a chicken and the egg scenario,” Chew said. “Concord
could’ve never grown at the rate it did without the facility.”
But for Ohanyan and the other visitors, the tour was about picking
up some advice and making contacts.
“At the minimum, I will let people know what I’ve learned,” Ohanyan
said. “Everyone here has had lots of patience and interest with us.”

AZERBAIJAN IS IMPORTANT AND RELIABLE PARTNER OF EUROPE – GERMAN FM
Author: R.Abdullayev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
Azerbaijan as an exporter of energy resources, as well as a country
which carries transit deliveries of energy products, greatly
contributes in the energy security of Europe. Therefore, Baku is an
important and reliable partner of Europe, said Frank-Walter Steinmeier,
the German Foreign Minister, to a news conference in Berlin. He was
commenting on the results of a meeting with his Azerbaijani counterpart
Elmar Mammadyarov, Trend reports citing Radio Liberty.
He noted that during the meeting they discussed bilateral cooperation,
in particular, the development of bilateral economic relationships
and integration of Azerbaijan in to the EU and NATO.
The sides also touched upon the resolution of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
Steinmeier stressed the intensive development of the bilateral
relationships.
The German FM also voiced his hope in the soonest achievement of an
agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union under the New
Neighborhood Program. Mammadyarov noted that work in this direction
will be continued.
Speaking about the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict Frank-Walter
Steinmeier noted that the unsettlement of the problems complicates the
integration of the region into the EU. The German Foreign Minister
called on the sides to compromises, needed for political resolution
of the conflict.
In his turn the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister noted that over the past
few weeks the goods turnover between the two countries has doubled.
Mammadyarov said that Germany is the biggest economic partner of
Azerbaijan in the West Europe.
In the end Mammadyarov announced that he will stay in Germany till
end of the week to watch the final round of the World Cup championship.

OFFICIAL DOWNPLAYS OSCE GARABAGH EFFORT
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
An Azeri official has cited a “gap” in the OSCE’s activity with regard
to conflict resolution, saying it has failed to reach settlement to
existing conflicts, including the long-standing Armenia-Azerbaijan
dispute over Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh.
“The [mediating] OSCE Minsk Group has yet to attain considerable
progress. I therefore don’t agree with statements that it is a more
important and influential organization to settle conflicts,” Deputy
Foreign Minister Vagif Sadikhov told journalists.
Sadikhov said last year the Minsk Group stepped up its activity. The
elections are over both in Azerbaijan and Armenia and the MG co-chairs
are trying to take advantage of this period to attain progress before
the next elections.
“Our position is more justifiable than that of Armenia. The latter
is in a very bad shape and is therefore maneuvering and changing
course all the time. Azerbaijan, however, adheres to a position of
principle. If the accelerated efforts by the co-chairmen simply aim
to pull wool over our eyes, we will not support this,” the deputy
minister said.
Sadikhov said that not only the two presidents but also international
organizations involved in conflict settlement bear responsibility
for the unresolved status of the Garabagh conflict.

FRAMEWORK DEAL SHEER SPECULATION, OFFICIAL SAYS
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
July 6 2006
Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov has said no “framework
agreement” on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh conflict
is under discussion.
Azimov said it was premature to talk of any final accord at this
stage in the peace process.
“I can say with confidence that there is no such document and talks
are still underway. In general, these statements were quite hasty and
provocative,” the Azerbaijani President’s Upper Garabagh negotiator
said when commenting on a recent statement by the co-chairs of
the mediating OSCE Minsk Group that sparked off a great deal of
speculation.
US co-chair Matthew Bryza has told Radio Liberty that the mediators
submitted a framework accord to the conflicting sides but the latter
have yet to accept it.
“The co-chairs’ statement was aimed to see how the developments
would unfold and to study public opinion. But in any case, it was
inconclusive. By taking some snippets out of the general context we
cannot develop an unbiased view on the gist of the talks and this
only leads to misunderstanding,” Azimov said.
Azimov unequivocally dismissed statements that the Azeri government had
agreed for a referendum to be held in Upper Garabagh in the future. A
referendum could be held only on the entire territory of Azerbaijan
as a nationwide poll in compliance with the constitution.
“The Azerbaijani leadership will never step back from its stance on the
referendum issue. Any speculation to that end is false,” Azimov said.
“The Armenians living in Upper Garabagh were not the only residents
of the region. It was also home to Azerbaijanis. If we are talking
about democracy, the demographic composition of the region must be
restored and the Azerbaijani community must be given the chance to
return to their homes. To make this possible, a peaceful environment
must be ensured, and that requires the withdrawal of Armenian armed
forces. The Armenian side has accepted this logic.”
Mediators ‘clarify’ statement The Minsk Group co-chairmen issued a
statement on Monday to follow up on their report released hot on the
heels of a meeting in Vienna on June 22.
“Taking into account the recent speculation about basic principles
for a negotiated settlement of the Garabagh conflict proposed to both
parties by the Minsk Group co-chairs, it is necessary to make the
following clarification,” said the document released by the French
embassy in Baku.
“The co-chairs reported to the OSCE Permanent Council on the results
of the past months of negotiations between the sides on the Garabagh
conflict. They reported on their intensive mediation activities
over the past seven months aimed at achieving agreement on the basic
principles for a settlement.
“Throughout their mediation efforts, the co-chairs stressed the
confidence of their nations and of the international community that
the dispute can be resolved in no other way than peace.”
The mediation efforts of the intermediaries resulted in the proposal
to Presidents Aliyev and Kocharian of a “set of fair, balanced, and
workable core principles that could pave the way for the two sides
to draft a far-reaching settlement agreement”.
“The principles are based on the redeployment of Armenian troops from
Azerbaijani territories around Upper Garabagh, with special modalities
for Kalbajar and Lachin districts (including a corridor between
Armenia and Upper Garabagh), demilitarization of those territories
and a referendum or population vote (at a date and in a manner to be
decided through further talks) to determine the final legal status
of the region,” the Minsk Group said.
“Suitable pre-conditions would have to be achieved for the vote
to take place in a non-coercive environment in which well-informed
citizens have had ample opportunity to consider their positions after
a vigorous debate in the public arena.”
The mediators indicated that deployment of an international
peacekeeping force and a joint commission for implementation of the
agreement would be established, and international assistance would
be made available for de-mining, reconstruction, and resettlement of
IDPs in the occupied territories and the war-affected regions. The
MG said the sides would renounce the use or threat of use of force,
and international and bilateral security guarantees and assurances
would be put in place.
Touching on the most recent meeting between the two leaders in
Bucharest, the intermediaries said that unfortunately, the two did
not reach agreement on these principles. The co-chairs, however,
continue to believe that the proposals developed through the past
two years of negotiations “hold the best potential for achieving a
just and lasting settlement of the conflict”.
“We strongly believe that it is now time for the two Presidents to
take the initiative for achieving a breakthrough in the settlement
process based on these principles, and stand ready to assist the
parties to conclude an agreement if the presidents indicate that they
are prepared to do so,” the statement said.
“Although no additional meetings between the sides under the auspices
of the co-chairs are planned for the immediate future, they will be
ready to re-engage if the parties decide to pursue the talks with
the political will that has thus far been lacking.”
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian has praised the
intermediaries’ proposals.
“The suggestions are largely acceptable for the Armenian side and
we are ready to continue talks with Azerbaijan,” he said in Yerevan
on Monday.
The minister said they equally benefit both parties to the conflict,
regarding this as “the right way to reach compromise”.
“I believe that Azerbaijan will realize this and take appropriate
steps,” he said.
From: Baghdasarian

SECESSIONIST SPEAKERS MEET DUMA DEPUTIES
Eka Basilaia
The Messenger, Georgia
July 6 2006
Georgian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) condemned a July 4 meeting
of officials of the breakaway republics of Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and Transnistria in Moscow, saying Russia has been applying “double
standards.”
Speakers of the parliaments of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transnistria
signed a bilateral agreement on cooperation on July 4, Russian news
agency Rosbalt.ru reported.
“We will sign agreements on cooperation between our legislative
bodies,” Abkhaz parliament speaker Nugzar Ashuba stated Monday after
signing the agreement, noting “Cooperation means the exchange of
experience and consultative work.
“Our parliaments have been cooperating effectively for a long time.
These agreements will lay juridical foundations for these contacts,”
Ashuba said.
The agreement highlights the importance of “strong cooperation”
among the unrecognized republics in respect to the things that all
of them have in common.
According to the agreement special commissions will be set up within
the parliaments to promote cooperation. Also the secessionists plan
to organize inter-parliamentary forums and yearly bilateral meetings.
Apart from the de facto officials from the three secessionist
republics, representatives of the Russian Federation’s State Duma
were also in attendance at the event. The vice speaker of the Duma,
Sergei Baburing even expressed his approval of the event.
“All Duma factions support the brother nations. The republics have more
than once proved the consistency of their statehood and showed they
can be a stronghold and a hope for their peoples. Enhancing the links
between their parliaments and the Duma will serve the interests of
politics and people as well,” Baburing stated, according to Rosbalt.ru.
However, the MFA considers their active involvement in the process as a
“regrettable fact” that can be described as “another political farce,”
putting the Georgian-Russian relationships under further tension.
“Their pro-separatist rhetoric raises serious doubts about the Russian
side’s support for Georgia’s territorial integrity [which has been]
articulated at various, including the highest levels, but carries
only a declaratory character and has nothing in common with the
actual political course pursued by Russia with respect to Georgia,”
the statement released by the MFA on July 4 stated.
According to the press statement Russia’s use of double standards is
“totally inadmissible in civilized inter-state relations” and could
lead the peace processes into deadlock. All this, the statement
reported, might put under question Russia’s ability to “qualify as
an unbiased mediator in the conflict resolution processes.”
According to the rabidly pro-secessionist Russian news agency
Regnum.ru, which is not noted for its unbiased or well sourced
information, one more conflict region located on the territory of
the former Soviet Union the Nagorno-Karabakh self-proclaimed republic
intends to join the coalition “Community of Democracy and the Rights
of Peoples” established by presidents of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and
Transnistria. The decision was voiced by the president of South Ossetia
Eduard Kokoity at a meeting with the Java district administration, the
news agency reported. This has not been confirmed by Karabakh sources.
The coalition was set up at a meeting on June 14 in Sokhumi, the
meeting ended with signing a joint declaration on common activities
and cooperation. The de facto leaders also issued a statement on the
Russian peacekeeping forces, expressing their high esteem for the
Russian peacekeepers’ activities in the conflict zones and demanding
that they should not be withdrawn. It remains to be seen what benefits
Nagorno-Karabakh would derive from joining this coalition, as there
are no peacekeepers on its territory.