Opposition leader warns Armenia not to let US peacekeepers into Karabakh

Regnum, Moscow
9 Mar 06

9 March: The future development of events in the South Caucasus region
will depend on the further progress of the situation around Iran’s
nuclear programme, the chairman of the Democratic Party of Armenia
[DPA], MP Aram Sarkisyan, has told a news conference at the National
Press Club.

If the UN Security Council takes a decision to apply sanctions against
Iran, the regional countries may turn into a military firing range, he
said.

The Armenian politician believes that the USA will not need Armenian
territory to launch hostilities against Iran, Azerbaijan and Georgia
can do this. “It cannot be ruled out that Azerbaijan will agree to
provide its territory in exchange for pledges that the Nagornyy
Karabakh issue will be settled in its favour,” Aram Sarkisyan said.

“Everyone understands that in the context of a possible war against
Iran, the USA will need to station its peacekeeping contingent in the
zone of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. If Armenia agrees to the
deployment of peacekeepers in the conflict zone, it will be its
biggest mistake. This will not lead to a new Kosovo but will further
complicate the situation,” Sarkisyan said.

He believes that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have
promised the superpowers that they will sign an accord on a settlement
to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict which also stipulates the deployment
of NATO peacekeepers. “Nothing was signed at the presidents’
Rambouillet talks, which certainly disappointed the superpowers. It is
not by chance that the USA is recalling its ambassador to Armenia,
John Evans. This means that the country is altering its policy,” Aram
Sarkisyan said.

He also stressed that Ambassador John Danilovich, chief executive
officer for the Millennium Challenge Corporation, had invited Armenian
President Robert Kocharyan to Washington.

“The president will either be suggested a new option for the Karabakh
settlement or obliged to sign the already existing option,” the DPA
leader said. He added that “the existing option is unacceptable for
Armenia”. “It cannot be ruled out that Robert Kocharyan will resign,”
the MP said.

Armenian opposition leader says positions “conceded” in Karabakh talks

Mediamax news agency
9 Mar 06

Yerevan, 9 March: The leader of the Democratic Party of Armenia and
member of the opposition Justice bloc, Aram Sarkisyan, believes that
Armenia “has conceded many of its positions” in the negotiating
process on the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Speaking at the National Press Club, Aram Sarkisyan said that
“following the talks in Key West [in the USA], the appetite of the
Azerbaijani side has been growing by the day”. Sarkisyan believes that
several years ago, “the Azerbaijani authorities were psychologically
ready to lose Nagornyy Karabakh and recognize its independence de
facto”, but “the Armenian side was dilatory”.

Commenting on the meeting between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
presidents at Rambouillet [10-11 February], Sarkisyan said that the
leaders of the two countries had promised the [OSCE Minsk Group]
co-chairing countries [Russia, France and the USA] to sign a document
on the settlement of the conflict, “but did not do so and caused the
disappointment of the super powers”.

Aram Sarkisyan believes that Armenia cannot recognize the independence
of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic [NKR] because “back in 1989,
Armenia’s Supreme Assembly made a decision on the reunification of
Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh, which hinders the official recognition
of the independence of the NKR”.

Russia sees protecting rights of compatriots abroad as a matter of prestige

RIA Novosti
9 Mar 06

Moscow, 9 March: The Russian Foreign Ministry regards the protection
of compatriots abroad as a matter of the prestige and vital interests
of the Russian Federation.

“The Russian position is that it cannot keep out of the concerns and
the problems facing the Russian diaspora in one country or another,
particularly when it is a question of the violation of human rights
and freedoms. It is also our moral duty to fellow-countrymen, and a
matter of prestige and vital interests for the state,” Aleksandr
Chepurin, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry department for work
with compatriots abroad, has said in an interview with RIA-Novosti.

The Russian diaspora, according to the ministry, is one of the biggest
in the world and numbers between 25m and 30m people. Almost half of
them live in the CIS and Baltic countries.

“On the whole the situation in the CIS space is considerably better
than in the Baltic countries,” he said.

At the same time, the diplomat said, the continuing migration of the
able-bodied and socially-active part of the diaspora leads to a
situation whereby the ‘specific weight’ in the diaspora of the
representatives of the population on low income (pensioners, invalids,
single-parent families or families with many children) is increasing.

“What strikes one is the fact that Russians are not properly
represented in power: they, as a rule, are not represented among heads
of local administrations, in judicial or law-enforcement
structures. There have been incidents when compatriots were ‘pushed
out’ from prestigious places in the field of culture, science,
education and health care. In some countries the sore point is the
narrowing of the Russian space. I mean reduction in the number of
Russian schools and the number of TV and radio stations broadcasting
in Russian, as well as limiting access to periodical media in
Russian,” Chepurin said.

According to him, in most CIS countries the Russian-speaking
population is an important factor of domestic and foreign policy, and
bilateral relations with Russia.

“The Russian language dominates the sociopolitical and cultural life
in Belarus and is widely spread in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Kirgizia,
Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Moldova,” he said.

Receiving education in Russian still remains prestigious in many CIS
countries, he added.

“It is clear that reaction to violation of the rights of our
compatriots should be appropriate and be part of the general fabric of
bilateral relations,” Chepurin said.

In Tsalka, as a result of an attack, the person is killed

March 10, 2006

On the ninths of March, at about 6 one o’clock in the evening in the
city of Tsalka (the center of Tsalka area of Kvemo-Kartli region of
Georgia) took place an armed attack on a group of young men of the
Armenian nationality. The attack occurred in the city centre when the
lads were leaving the restaurant after their supper. The citizens
sitting in the car were unexpectedly attacked, were dragged out of the
car and beaten up. According to, both the eyewitnesses, and one of the
victims, the number of the attacking people was about 15 people, and
many of them were armed with cold steel. 23-year-old Gevorg Gevorkyan
was killed, as a result of knife wounds he died shortly after the
incident, V. Saakyan (25) was wounded in the leg, and K.Baloyan (25)
with a serous wound, 7 hours later was delivered to (Aramyants) Tbilisi
city hospital #1. After the attack the criminals escaped. Gevorg’s young
wife has become a widow now.

Baloyan wounded in his left lung had to reach the capital by car along
bumpy roads within 4 hours. Despite of deep wounds, numerous bruises and
greater loss of blood, the condition of the wounded man is stable.

The casualties are not aware of the reason for the attack, committed,
from their point of view, by Adjar or Svan migrants. All victims are
fellows-villagers, dwellers of village Kushchi of Tsalka area.

According to eyewitnesses, after a while, all entrances to the city of
Tsalka from the Armenian villages were blocked by SWAT units. The other
roads including the trunk one leading to the capital were free for
traveling.

In Tsalka area periodically there are periodically conflicts between
Armenian and Greek communities from one side and the Georgians, who
moved to the area from high-mountainous areas Adjara and Svaneti several
years ago, – from the other side. The latter ones settled down in region
after ecological disasters as a result of which their houses and farm
lots had been destroyed. More than 2000 Georgian families were inhabited
into the houses abandoned by the Greeks who had emigrated or temporarily
left for Greece in order to earn their living in the late eighties –
early nineties. Illegal intrusion into other people’s property and
shooting up of the criminal situation in the region due to the
echoemigrants causes natural discontent by the root local population.

A couple of years ago in Tsalka, as a result of similar collisions
already there were already victims, a Georgian and a Greek were killed.
And the largest clash which has captured Tsalka and neighboring
villages, occurred on the 9th of May 2005, between Georgians and
Armenians during which more than 30 people were wounded. As the result
of last year’s incidents, which outnumber several dozens, internal
military units temporarily entered the region. And their efficiency,
against the background of the events repeating today is prejudiced by
the local population.

¿ Armenia.ge

Armenian Cooperation Centre of Georgia

Artur Aghabekyan: Speaking of War Not Serious

10.03.2006 01:46 GMT+04:00
PanARMENIAN.Net

The Armenian Armed Forces are ready to neutralize any encroachment of
the enemy, RA Deputy Defense Minister, lieutenant general Artur
Aghabekyan told journalists. In his words, speaking of war is not
serious. `However every soldier knows he should be ready to repulse
any local incident or full-scale operations,’ Aghabekyan noted. He
also denied any special measures undertaken due to the recent stirring
up at the Armenian-Azeri contact line. `Moreover no trainings with the
participation of the first-class persons subject to call-up are
scheduled for the next few months,’ he underscored.

OSCE monitoring on Armenian-Azeri front line passes off without incidents

Mediamax news agency
10 Mar 06

Yerevan, 10 March: Today, an OSCE mission held routine monitoring on
the contact line between the armed forces of Nagornyy Karabakh and
Azerbaijan in the east of the Talis village of the Mardakert [Askaran]
District of the Nagornyy Karabakh republic (NKR).

The monitoring was held in accordance with a schedule, no cease-fire
violations were registered, the press service of the NKR foreign
ministry told Mediamax.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
—————————————— —-
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +37410. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +37410. 562543
Email: [email protected]

PRESS RELEASE

09-03-2006

Second Phase of Talks on Action Plan under European Neighbourhood Policy
Completed

On March 6, the second phase of negotiations on the elaboration of the EU’s
European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan was held in Brussels. Armen
Baibourtian, Deputy Foreign Minister headed the Armenian delegation, and
Hugues Mingarelli, European Commission Director for Eastern Europe, the
Caucasus and Central Asia Republics, lead the EU team.

The Armenian delegation consisted of representatives of nearly a dozen
ministries, including deputy ministers and experts from the Ministry of
Economy and Finance, Ministry of Industry and Trade, Ministry of Justice,
Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Education and Science, as well as
representatives of the Presidential Administration and the National
Assembly.

The sides discussed the Draft Action Plan, which included the provisions and
agreements of the first phase of the negotiations held in November 2005.

The sides agreed on some crucial issues coming from the previous phase. A
few other issues and provisions that need further editing will be discussed
later, including new proposals made by Armenia.

During the coming weeks, the sides will work on the necessary changes and a
date will be determined for the next session of negotiations

ANCHOR:

Armenians around the world are calling for legal proceedings against the
instigators and perpetrators of the Armenian pogroms in Sumgait and Baku.
They say that those responsible for a wave of crimes against humanity were
released after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Armenia TV’s Paul
Chaderjian reports.

REPORTER:

Thousands gathered in Yerevan to protest the anti-Armenian hysteria being
promoted by officials in the Republic of Azerbaijan. At the center of
Azerbaijan’s malice is a border dispute with Armenia over a sliver of land
where Armenians have lived for centuries.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan can be traced back to Joseph
Stalin, who in an attempt to control the ethnic communities in the Soviet
Empire, placed the centuries-old Armenian region of Mountainous or Nagorno
Kharapagh under Azeri rule.

In reaction to talks of Armenian autonomy in Kharapagh, Azeris attacked
Armenians with the approval and support of local authorities.

What resulted were massacres of native Azerbaijanis of Armenian decent.
Hundreds were killed, tortured, burnt alive, stabbed with crude and barbaric
weapons, children were held over the open flames of stoves. More than 300
thousand Armenians were forced to flee Azerbaijan, but the world didn’t take
notice.

STAND UP: Rally organizers say the Sumgait massacres were never fully
acknowledged and addressed by Soviet authorities. Further, they say, those
who orchestrated and carried out these brutal and barbaric attacks were
never punished by the courts.

It took the Red Army three days to march into Sumgait and put a stop to the
violence, but violence broke out in other Azerbaijani cities and forced
Armenians in Kharapagh to defend themselves.

For 18 years now, Armenia’s government has been trying to find a diplomatic
solution to the Armenian Republic of Nagorno Kharapagh’s referendum to break
away from Azerbaijan and be part of Armenia. As recent as a few weeks ago,
another meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, failed to
achieve any results.

Adding insult to injury, an Azerbaijani political party awarded its man of
the year award to an Azeri solider who hacked to death and decapitated an
Armenian officer attending a NATO peace conference in Hungary.

Armenians are asking Azerbaijanis to stop the desecration, destruction and
vandalism of ancient Armenian holy sites, cross stones and cemeteries.

For the CNN World Report, Paul Chaderjian, Armenia TV

# #

Following is the rundown for this weekend’s CNN World Report, scheduled to
air on Saturday, March 11 and Sunday, March 12:

– Africa, Europe, & the Middle East:

Saturday:
06:30A CET/12:30A Eastern Time – Program A
15:30P CET/09:30A Eastern Time – Program A
05:30A CET/11:30P Eastern Time- Program A

Sunday:
05:30A CET/11:30P Eastern Time – Program A

– Latin America:

Saturday:
02:30A Buenos Aires/12:30A Eastern Time – Program A
11:30A Buenos Aires/09:30A Eastern Time – Program A
01:30A Buenos Aires (Sunday)/11:30P Eastern Time (Saturday) – Program A

Sunday:
01:30A Buenos Aires (Monday)/11:30P (Sunday) Eastern Time – Program A

– East & South Asia:

Saturday:
13:30P HK, 11:00A New Delhi/12:30A Eastern Time – Program A
12:30P HK, 10:00A New Delhi (Sunday)/11:30P Eastern Time (Saturday) –
Program A

Sunday:
12:30P HK, 10:00 New Delhi (Monday)/11:30P Eastern Time (Sunday) – Program A

– North America & The US:

Saturday:
06:30A CET/12:30A Eastern Time – Program A
15:30P CET/09:30A Eastern Time – Program A
05:30A CET (Sunday)/11:30P Eastern Time (Saturday) – Program A

Sunday:
05:30 CET (Monday)/11:30P Eastern Time (Sunday) – Program A

PROGRAM A

EUTV, EUROPEAN UNION Row at the European Union Over Services Debate
ARMENIA TV, ARMENIA Rally Marking the 18-th Anniversary of the Sumgait Massacre
FUTURE TV, LEBANON Rug Made by Armenian Orphans in Lebanon Adores White House
IRIB, IRAN Iranian Artist Paints a Noble Portrait of Virgin Mary
UNTV, UNITED NATIONS UN Helps Indian Fishermen & India’s Rural Development
UGANDAN TV, UGANDA Uganda Masters Farming of the Deadly Tse Tse Fly
CCTV, CHINA China Helps Neighboring Laos Curb Its Opium Cultivation
TIANJIN TV, CHINA Destination: Shi’s Residence in Tianjin

Armenia raises domestic gas prices

Mediamax news agency
10 Mar 06

Yerevan, 10 March: Beginning from 10 April 2006, the population of
Armenia will pay 90 drams [20 cents] for 1 cu.m. of gas instead of the
previous 59 drams [0.1 dollars].

Today, the public service coordinating commission set new tariff rates
for natural gas, Mediamax reports.

Beginning from 10 April, industrial consumers (using over 10.000
cu.m. a month) will pay 146.51 dollars for 1,000 cu.m., instead of the
previous 79 dollars.

The population (with the volume of consumption not exceeding 10,000
cu.m. a month) will pay 90 drams for 1 cu.m. of gas instead of the
previous 59 drams.

On 28 February, ArmRosGazprom company appealed to the public service
coordinating commission asking them to review gas tariffs due to the
increase in Russian natural gas prices beginning from 1 April 2006
from 56 dollars to 110 dollars for 1,000 cu.m.

ArmRosGazprom proposed raising the tariffs from 59 to 108 drams for 1
cu.m. for the population and from 79 dollars to 145 dollars for 1,000
cu.m. for the industrial consumers.

[Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in Russian 1040 gmt 10 Mar 06 quoted
the chairman of the Union of Consumers of Armenia, Armen Pogosyan, as
saying that the decision to raise the tariffs was “socially
unacceptable”.]

International mediators urge Armenia, Azerbaijan to prepare for peace, not war

Turan news agency, Baku
10 Mar 06

Washington, 10 March: The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen have expressed
regret over the failure of the recent talks between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani leaders and urged them to make efforts to achieve peace in
2006.

In a special statement on the results of their meeting in Washington
on 7-8 March, the co-chairmen said that they discussed the results of
the 10-11 February talks in Rambouillet. Assessing the current state
of affairs in the region, the co-chairmen said that “great progress
has been achieved over the past six months”. They expressed regret
that this progress did not continue in the past weeks “despite great
opportunities”.

The co-chairmen called on both sides “to lay the basic principles” for
a future settlement in order to reach an agreement in 2006.

The co-chairmen still believe that objective conditions make 2006 the
most favourable year for stable progress and urge the governments of
Armenia and Azerbaijan to work energetically to achieve a result. The
co-chairmen also called on the governments of the two countries “to
prepare their people for peace rather than war”.

The co-chairmen will visit the region after they assess the sides’
readiness. The next meeting of the co-chairmen is scheduled to be held
in Istanbul on 20 March, the statement said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress