AZERI TV CRITICAL OF ARMENIAN PRESENCE AT BAKU-HOSTED OSCE FORUM

ANS TV, Baku
16 Mar 06

[Presenter] We have just learnt that representatives of the occupying
state [Armenia] have set foot in Azerbaijan. It is intriguing that
the government does not think this is a sign of Baku’s cooperation
with Yerevan.

[Correspondent] The 14th OSCE economic forum entitled
“Enhancing transport security in the OSCE area” was held in Baku
today. Regrettably, representatives of occupying Armenia have attended
this closed-door forum. The Armenian delegation led by a Nersesyan
of the Foreign Ministry includes this country’s representative to the
OSCE, Minasyan, and Vaan Badalyan of the Transport and Communications
Ministry.

Frank Geerkens, who represents the OSCE’s Belgian chairmanship, said
that the key aim of the forum was to ensure the security of transport
networks and develop transport in the OSCE area.

[Geerkens, talking to reporters with Azeri voice-over] We mainly
focused on regional cooperation. The OSCE mainly deals with three
key issues. First, political and military issues, second, economy
and environment, and third, human rights.

[Correspondent] The Belgian representative sees nothing extraordinary
in the fact that representatives of occupying Armenia are attending
official events in Baku.

[Geerkens] The OSCE deals with conflict settlement and crisis
management. From this point of view, the main priority of the OSCE
chairman-in-office is to find the best way, a diplomatic way, for the
resolution of a conflict and play a coordinating role in this sphere.

[Correspondent] What is more shocking is that Azerbaijani Deputy
Prime Minister Abid Sarifov, who is attending the forum, also sees
nothing extraordinary in the fact that Armenian representatives are
attending the Baku event.

[Sarifov] The presence of the Armenian representatives at the
conference does not mean that we cooperate with Armenia.

[Correspondent] Members of the Karabakh Liberation Organization
attempted to stage an unsanctioned protest but the police thwarted it.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

VARTAN OSKANIAN AND DANIEL FRIED DISCUSS STEPS DIRECTED TO CONTINUING NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF PRAGUE PROCESS

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian received early on March 16, Daniel Fried, the Assistant
for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs of the U.S. Secretary
State, who is in Armenia within the framework of a regional visit, and
Steven Mann, the OSCE Minsk Group U.S. Co-Chairman, accompanying him.

Opinions were exchanged at the meeting concerning a number of regional
and bilateral issues of mutual interest.

Issues of securing the energetic safety of the region, including of
Armenia as well, concerning what the sides stated their approaches,
were discussed. It was mentioned that in this sense, settlement of
the conflicts existing in the South Caucasus will allow to completely
use possibilities of the region in future.

Then the sides discussed the state created on the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement and opinions were changed concerning steps directed
to continuing negotiations within the framework of the Prague process.

A discussion was promoted on the Armenian-Turkish relations as well,
particularly touching upon the issue of opening the border and
functioning of the means of communication.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press and
Information Department, the “Millennium Challenges” program as well
as issues concerning deepening democracy in Armenia were touched upon
at the meeting.

REFERENCE: Daniel Fried started his service in the U.S. Economic Bureau
of the State Department in 1977 where he worked till 1979. In 1980-81
he worked at the U.S, Consulate General in Leningrad. In 1982-85 he
was Political Officer in the U.S. Embassy in Belgrade. In 1997-2000
D.Fried was the U.S. Ambassador to Poland. In 2000-2001 D.Fried was
Principal Deputy Special Advisor to the Secretary of State for the
New Independent States. From January 2001 Ambassador Fried was the
Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European
and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council. Daniel Fried
was appointed the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State in May, 2005.

CHILDREN’S RIGHTS PROTECTION DEPARTMENT TO BE CREATED AT LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT BODIES TILL APRIL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. A National Commission on Children’s
Rights Protection was created in Armenia. Representatives of
different ministries are involved in it. The commission will
regulate works directed to protection of children’s rights in the
republic. Corresponding departments will be created at the Yerevan
Mayor’s Office and all the regional administrations till April to
implement those works at place. Those departments will particularly
be engaged in solution of problems of children being in difficult
situations, left without parental care as well as in issue of placing
those children in different special institutions or returning their
families.

As Lala Ghazarian, the Chief of the Department on Family, Women’s and
Children’s Problems of the RA Ministry of Labour and Social Issues
informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, at these departments doctors,
pedagogues, psychologists, social workers and lawyers will work. The
latters will be civil servicemen. According to L.Ghazarian, within
the framework of programs of international organizations, re-training
courses will be organized for employees of the departments during
the coming two years, and the departments will be provided with
modern equipment.

It was also mentioned that according to the last data, 36 vagrant and
beggar children, 6751 children left out of the system of comprehensive
education, among them 2888 in Yerevan, are registered in the republic.

FEATURE SERIAL DEDICATED TO 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE OF ARMENIA TO BE SHOT IN 2006

Noyan Tapan
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The “Yerevan” studio envisages to
implement from 2006 works of shooting a 5-parts feature film dedicated
to the 15th anniversary of the independence of Armenia. The Karabakh
war will be widely touched upon in the film. Aleksan Haroutiunian,
the Chairman of the Council of the Public Television and Radio
Company informed about this at the March 15 sitting of the RA National
Assembly Standing Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Youth
Issues. Without defining, he informed that the film director is a
resident of Moscow of the Armenian origin.

A.Haroutiunian also stated that works of technical re-equipment of the
Public Television and the Public Radio will almost completely finish
till the end of this year, and the latters will be ready to secure
digital broadcasting. At the same time, the Council Chairman noticed
that it will be possible to implement digital broadcasting in the case
of existence of the corresponding type of receivers in the republic,
whereas there are no such ones put for sale at present. The Public
Television will also have a main subsidiary building till the end
of the year which will be fundamentally renovated according to the
European standards.

UN REPRESENTATIVE TO ARMENIA MAKES FIRST VISIT TO MOTHER SEE

Noyan Tapan
Mar 16 2006

ETCHMIADZIN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians Karekin II received UN representative to RA
Consuelo Vidal on March 15. According to the information submitted
to Noyan Tapan by the Information Services of the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin, this was C.Vidal’s first visit to the Mother See.

Congratulating the UN representative on the occasion of
her appointment, the Armenian Patriarch wished her productive
activity. Touching upon the effective cooperation implemented between
Armenia and the UN, His Holiness expressed satisfaction for all those
helpfulnesses that the UN structures show in different spheres of
life of Armenia.

The mission and present activity of the cradle of the All Armenian
belief, the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, was also spoken about at
the meeting. The fact of annihilation of the Jugha Armenian khachkars
(cross stones) in Nakhijevan was also touched upon.

CONSTRUCTION OF “YERANKYUNI” SPITAK DISTRICT TO BE COMPLETELY OVER IN APRIL

Noyan Tapan
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN. It’s envisaged to completely finish
the program of building of the “Yerankyuni” (Triangle) district
of Spitak in April. As Noyan Tapan correspondent was informed from
the Public Relations Department of the “Hayastan” All Armenian Fund
implementing the program, the internal repairs of the last 2 out of
district’s 11 buildings are proceeding at present. It was mentioned
that like the buildings already put into exploitation, each of these
buildings will also have 3-2-room 8 apartments.

One of the “Yerankyuni” district’s buildings was built with the
financing of the “Hayastan” Fund’s German local body and the rest 10
with the funds of the British local body. To recap, the Fund started
the district construction in 1999.

DEMOCRACY IN ARMENIA IS THE ISSUE WHICH U.S. OFTEN TOUCHES UPON, DANIEL FRIED SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “I hope that in
future as well I’ll have possibility to visit Armenia and work with
the Government of Armenia on our general issue which is building of
the future of Armenia,” Daniel Fried, the U.S. Assistant Secretary
of State for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs informed at
the March 16 joint press-conference with Steven Mann, the OSCE Minsk
Group American Co-Chairman.

He attached special attention to development of democratic processes
in Armenia and mentioned that democracy in Armenia is the issue which
the U.S. often touches upon.

Daniel Fried stated that his and Steven Mann’s visit to the region
has three important goals. The first: after the Ramboillet meeting to
discuss the negotiation process on the Karabakh issue settlement in
Baku and Yerevan. The second: to consider the South Caucasus’ future,
taking into account the state when regional problems like the issues
of Nagorno Karabakh, Abkhazia, Osetia, will already be solved and
“the countries of this region will be able to develop their future in
peaceful and safe conditions and will be able to make their choice
freely, without any outer pressures.” The goal of the visit is also
discussing of the energetic issues, “particularly connected with the
events taken place in January, this year.”

As for the one if the U.S. will assist Armenia in the issue of building
a new atomic power station, Daniel Fried mentioned that Europe and
U.S. observe problems of diversification of energic sources. “I know
what a solution those issues will get in general and particularly
relating to Armenia. I’ve heard that there is great interest in atomic
energy in Armenia, and I’ll inform Washington about it,” he stated.

ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS DEMAND THAT 1921 MARCH 16 MOSCOW TREATY BE INVALIDATED

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The Treaty of
Sevres concluded by Europe and Japan with Armenia and sultan Turkey
on August 10 1920 was invalidated by the shameful Russian-Turkish
Treaty concluded 85 years ago, on March 21 1921, in Moscow. In
accordance with the Treaty of Sevres, Turkey was obliged to give
back more than 90 thousand sq.km. to Armenia from the occupied
lands. Rafael Hambartsumian, Executive of the National Council of
Armenian Intellectuals, declared this at the March 16 intellectuals’
meeting at RA National Academy of Sciences.

Armenian political parties’ and compatriot unions’ representatives
who were present at the meeting, touching upon the historical
facts of concluding the treaty, mentioned that the main goal of
the Russian-Turkish illegal bargain was to keep Armenian and Greek
territories annexed to Turkey, to preserve the state of Azerbaijan
established in 1918 for the Caucasian Tatars and to conclude the
Armenian Genocide by this: to kill and deport the rescued Eastern
Armenians from their historical homeland and to annihilate the Republic
of Armenia.

The Russian-Turkish Treaty of Moscow was signed without the presence
of the third, Armenian party, which was considered by historians
and lawyers illegal from point of view of the international law
norms. According to historians, today it can be fully considered
illegal at international judicial instances.

The participants of the intellectuals’ meeting made a statement at
the end of the event demanding that RA National Assembly consider
illegal and invalid the Russian-Turkish treaty of 1921 and invalidate
the Kars Treaty of 1921 October 13 compulsed by this bargain to the
Soviet Armenia by Soviet Russia.

The meeting participants also made another statement applying
to representatives of Russian Embassy in Armenia, in particular,
demanding that the “position to be adopted by Russia towards the
Russian-Turkish Treaty of Moscow be considered a precondition of
Armenian-Russian proper relations, a question to invalidate the Treaty
be raised before the Russian State Duma”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SERGE SARGSIAN BELIEVES POSITIVE RESULTS OF U.S. EFFORTS ON NAGORNO KARABAKH SETTLEMENT WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF OSCE MG

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Daniel Fried,
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Euroasian Affairs,
presented the details of his regional visit at his March 16 meeting
with Serge Sargsian, RA Defence Minister, Secretary of the National
Security Council under RA President.

Again emphasizing the readiness of the U.S. to assist in the Nagorno
Karabakh peaceful settlement, he mentioned that the solution to the
problem will become a stimulus for region’s economic progress and
free development.

Touching upon bilateral cooperation in the military sphere, Colonel
Mike Anderson, a member of the delegation led by Daniel Fried, on
behalf of General James Jones expressed gratitude for the Armenian
peacekeepers’ successful mission in Iraq highly estimating their
professional level. He especially thanked the Minister for the
assistance rendered by RA Defence Ministry and Officers’ staff in
the course of the defensive estimation and for transparency of RA
Armed Forces. Colonel M.Anderson also mentioned the importance of
the rescuing exercises to be held this year in Armenia.

Minister Serge Sargsian agreed to Steven Mann’s opinion that the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict can’t be solved by war either today or in
15-20 years. For the purpose of preventing the cases of ceasefire
violation he proposed that contact-line monitorings be held more
often and their results be made public.

Touching upon the process of reforms implemented in the Armenian army,
the Minister established that 10 years later Armenia will have an
army more capable of cooperation and corresponding to international
standards. Mentioning the importance of relations of NATO with Armenia,
he once more mentioned that they develop rapidly.

Serge Sargsian expressed gratitude for the efforts strained by the
U.S. within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, aimed at Nagorno
Karabakh problem settlement, mentioning that he is optimistic and
believes their positive results.

As Noyan Tapan was informed by RA Defence Minister’s Spokesperson,
Colonel Seyran Shahsuvarian, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman
Kirakosian, U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to RA
John Evans, American Co-chairman of OSCE Minsk Group Steven Mann were
present at the meeting.

DANIEL FRIED HAS MEETINGS WITH RA PRESIDENT, DEFENCE AND FOREIGN MINISTERS, HEADS OF PARTIES

Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Mar 16 2006

YEREVAN, MARCH 16, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Assistant Secretary
for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried, accompanied by Senior
Advisor for Eurasia Steven Mann, visited Armenia March 15-16 as part of
regional travel. Assistant Secretary Fried traveled to Azerbaijan and
Georgia March 13-15, and will depart for Ankara, Turkey on March 16.

According to the official information submitted to Noyan Tapan
by the Public Ties Department of the U.S. Embassy to Armenia, in
Armenia, Assistant Secretary Fried held meetings with President
Robert Kocharian, Minister of Defense Serzh Sargsian, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian, and political leaders from the full
spectrum of local political parties. A number of issues were discussed
during the meetings, including the U.S.-Armenian bilateral relations,
democracy, and Nagorno-Karabakh.

This trip was Ambassador Fried’s second visit to Armenia since his
appointment as Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs in May 2005. Prior to this position, Ambassador Fried served
as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European
and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council.