PRESIDENT SAYS GEORGIA WILL NOT BE COWED BY RUSSIAN “BLACKMAIL”
Rustavi-2 TV, Tbilisi
5 May 06
[Presenter] President Mikheil Saakashvili, who has just returned from
Vilnius, has commented on Georgian-Russian relations. He made these
comments on the way to the Armenian Embassy in Tbilisi.
[Saakashvili] Our nation should show courage and firmness. In
absolutely no circumstances should we show these people frightened
faces or any kind of retreat because as soon as they see that, as
soon as they smell blood, they will devour us. We will not show them
our weaknesses. This is not just the government’s task, it is a task
for all of us, the Georgian people. So far the Georgian people have
shown that they do not intend to be cowed by blackmail.
We want neighbourly, warm, equal relations with Russia. I have just
return from Lithuania, which faced the same sort of pressure in the
1990s, yet today Lithuania lives three or four times better than
Russia does with all its oil and gas. That is a lesson for us. A
strong nation stood together, they did not pick on each other, but
they were able to withstand this pressure. I think we will be able
to do it more easily than the Lithuanians because we have already
created some kind of economic basis, we have already found markets.
These days it is no longer so easy for them to talk to Lithuania
in that kind of language. Now they are using it on us. I think the
Baltic States and Eastern Europe should be an example to everyone
that such threats only strengthen and consolidate every proud nation.
I do not think there is a single politician in Russia who doubts that
Georgia is a proud nation. It is much easier to get on with a proud
nation if you treat it calmly, with friendship, outstretched hands
and courtesy. When have we ever refused that?

ABKHAZIA WANTS FULL INVOLVEMENT IN RUSSIA-GEORGIA-ARMENIA RAIL CONSORTIUM
Apsnypress
5 May 06
Sukhumi, 5 May: Abkhazia will be a fully-fledged member of the
international consortium of Black Sea railways, Abkhaz prime minister
Aleksandr Ankvab said at a news conference held at the Apsnypress
news agency today.
A protocol on the creation of the consortium, which will include
Abkhazia, Georgia, Russia and Armenia, was signed in Moscow on 4 May
by representatives of the four sides.
Ankvab stressed that Abkhazia would never agree to anything detrimental
to its interests. The prime minister thinks that, from the economic
point of view, the restoration of the rail service through Abkhazia is
a very advantageous project for the republic. He added that Abkhazia
would not be able to maintain the railway on its own because the
railway “is not in its best condition, and its material and technical
resources are not up to modern standards”.
“This consortium will be a purely commercial structure which will
have nothing to do with politics,” Ankvab said. “We will not accept
any political demands. We are not selling our independence and no-one
will be able to force us to do so,” he added.

RA PRESIDENT AWARDS PRIZE FOR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION IN AFFAIR OF RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE TO EDGAR HILSENRAT
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA President Robert
Kocharian handed at the May 5 sitting of the “Hayastan” (Armenia)
All-Armenian Fund the prize for significant contribution in the
affair of recognition of the Armenian Genocide to German writer Edgar
Hilsenrat. Noyan Tapan was informed about it by the RA President’s
Press Office. By the President’s April 15 decree, it was awarded to
the poet for his novel “The Tale of the Late Thought”.

CIS SECURITY BODY CHIEF CALLS FOR COOPERATION WITH UZBEKISTAN
UzReport.com website, Tashkent
5 May 06
The heads of the member states of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization [CSTO] are ready to deepen cooperation with Uzbekistan,
the secretary-general of the CSTO, Nikolay Bordyuzha said in Minsk
on Thursday [4 May].
He is taking part in the away session of the international
antiterrorist media forum which is taking place in the capital of
Belarus, RIA Novosti reported.
“An idea of joint activities with Uzbekistan in a number of specific
issues found a complete support of the presidents of all CSTO members
states,” Bordyuzha said.
Bordyuzha said that after meeting Uzbek President Islom Karimov,
during which an agreement on deepening cooperation in a number of
spheres was reached, he also visited leaders of the CSTO member states.
“The presidents believe that we should cooperate with Uzbekistan in
the sphere of countering political and religious extremism, providing
stability in the Central Asian region,” the secretary-general of the
CSTO noted.
As a specific example of cooperation he demonstrated consultations of
the secretaries of the security councils of CSTO of the central Asian
region and Uzbekistan that were held in Dushanbe, and during which
“specific joint measures on ensuring stable situation in Central Asia
were discussed”.
Uzbekistan, Bordyuzha emphasized, as a big and powerful state in the
region, very seriously influences the political situation.
The secretary-general of the CSTO believes that if the steps that
are being made bring the member states of the organization and
Uzbekistan to a new level of cooperation, then, he does not “exclude
a possibility, if Uzbekistan is interested, of its joining the CSTO”.
However, Bordyuzha noted, for Uzbekistan, that had once joined the
collective security treaty, “it is not serious to do hasty steps now
and to join the CSTO”.
“Only joint activities of all states will ensure stability in Central
Asia, particularly, when the situation is getting tense there,”
Bordyuzha underlined.
The CSTO member states are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Russia and Tajikistan.
From: Baghdasarian

VAHAGN MELIKIAN TO TAKE PLACE OF ARSHAK POLADIAN ON POST OF RA AMBASSADOR TO UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. By President Robert
Kocharian’s May 4 decree, Arshak Poladian was discharged the
obligations of the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
of the Republic of Armenia to the United Arab Emirates and Vahagn
Melikian was appointed on that post (residence in Abu Dhabi). Noyan
Tapan was informed about it by the President’s Press Office. Vahagn
Melikian occupied formerly the post of the RA Foreign Ministry’s
“State Protocol Service” agency, which he was discharged on May 4.

ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN: “WE’LL CONTINUE STRUGGLING FOR ESTABLISHMENT OF EUROPEAN VALUES IN ARMENIA”
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. “We observe the five
years of Armenia’s membership to the Council of Europe as years of
stable progress,” Armenian National Assembly Speaker Artur Baghdasarian
stated at the May 5 conference “Armenia and the Council of Europe:
Five Years of Membership.”
According to him, during this period of time, Armenia has actively
been engaged in implementation of the obligations undertaken in
front of the Council of Europe: “We’ll continue our activity and
will go on struggling for establishment of the European values in
Armenia.” According to Armen Rustamian, the Chairman of the Parliament
Standing Committee on Foreign Relations, a member of the Armenian
delegation to the CE Parliamentary Assembly, it is quiet obvious that
without the close cooperation with the Council of Europe, Armenia would
be few steps behind in its democratic development that it is today. He
mentioned that more and more people in Armenia realize necessity of
holding democratic reforms and see Armenia’s place in the European
peoples’ family. At the same time, Armen Rustamian pointed out not
high speeds of implementation of reforms, what, according to him,
will push development of democracy behind. “The main task is the way
to the European values and raising speeds of reforms during it,”
Armen Rustamian stated. According to him, within the framework of
its further membership to the Council of Europe, Armenia must pay its
attention to issues of raising efficiency in the system of management,
to the active anti-corruption struggle and etc.

JEAN-LOURIS LAURENS: “WE HOPE THAT PROGRESS WILL BE FIXED IN ARMENIA DURING NEXT ELECTIONS”
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Five years of Armenia’s
membership to the Council of Europe – it’s a good reason to estimate
all achievements on this way. Jean-Louris Laurens, the Director
General of Political Affairs of the Council of Europe stated about
it. According to his estimation, repeal of the death penalty in Armenia
and reformation of the Constitution of the country became a great
achievement. He estimated positive Armenia’s adoption of few dozens
of laws and legislative acts, corresponding to demands of the Council
of Europe. According to Jean-Louris Laurens, at present the Council
of Europe and the European Union lead negotiations on widening the
cooperation, thus, among the 46 countries of the Council of Europe
and the 25 members of the European Union. According to Jean-Louris
Laurens, in this sense, the role of the Council of Europe is getting
great in implementation of the “New Neighborhood Policy.” Besides,
deepening of the cooperation with the European Union passes through
the way of cooperation with the Council of Europe: “This circumstance
shows that the way to Europe is single.” Jean-Louris Laurens stated
that the Council of Europe attaches great importance to holding
free and democratic elections and connected with it, is going to
concentrate its attention to holding the coming elections in Armenia:
“We hope that a progress will be fixed in Armenia during the next
elections. Free and just elections must be held, and the people’s will
must not be flouted.” Responding to journalists’ question about the
issue that the Council of Europe is not successive in its own demands,
and that the CE observers’ delegation displayed its position rather
clear after the falsifications in the November 27 referendum, the CE
representative said that Armenia is not the only country among the
CE members which has similar problems. To avoid problems during the
coming elections, the CE is going to beforehand start corresponding
work with state structures of Armenia.

FRENCH PRESIDENT, PRIME MINISTER AND FOREIGN MINISTER SEND MESSAGES OF CONDOLENCE ON OCCASION OF PLANE ACCIDENT
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. French President Jacques
Chirac sent a message of condolence to RA President Robert Kocharian
on the occasion of the accident of A-320 plane of Armavia airline
carrying out Yerevan-Sochi flight. “Mr President, My dear friend,
I was upset to learn the news about the plane crashed near Sochi, as
a result of which more than a hundred people died, the majority of
which were citizens of Armenia. At these tragic moments, on behalf
of the whole French people, accept my sincere condolences addressed
to you, to the families and relatives of the victims. Mr President,
please, accept the assertion of my respect and my friendly feelings
at this moment of ordeal”. As Noyan Tapan was informed from the French
Embassy in Armenia, French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin sent a
message of condolence to Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margarian:
“I was deeply upset to learn the news about the plane that had an
accident near Sochi, in consequence of which more than a hundred
people died, the majority of which were Armenians. At the moment of
the cruel ordeal of your country I want to present my condolences to
you and the whole Armenian people,” the message, in particular, read.
French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy sent a message of
condolence to his Armenian colleague Vartan Oskanian. “I was deeply
upset to learn the news about the crashed plane, in consequence of
which more than a hundred people died, the majority of which were
Armenians. At the moment of ordeal accept my support and condolences,”
the French Foreign Minister’s message, in particular, read.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NO CHANGE OF PRIME MINISTER ENVISAGED IN NKR
Noyan Tapan
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian disproved
the news about the NKR Prime Minister’s expected change. “There is
no such an issue on our agenda,” Arkadi Ghukasian stated in the May
5 interview given to journalists in Yerevan.

NO MEETING BETWEEN NKR PRESIDENT AND OSCE MG FRENCH CO-CHAIR HELD
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
May 05 2006
YEREVAN, MAY 5, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. On May 4, the
representatives of Co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group on settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict Bernard Fassier met with the
representatives of NKR President Arkadi Ghukasian and discussed some
issues. NKR President informed about it during his May 5 interview to
journalists. His meeting with the French Co-chair did not take place
as A.Ghukasian was informed about the meeting late: NKR President
was not able to meet the Co-chair in the first half of the day
and in the second half Fassier was already leaving. In response to
journalists’ questions, NKR President mentioned that he does not hold
the opinion that “we are very close to the final settlement of the
problem”. “Nothing can be excluded, may God help us to quickly find
the compromise necessary for all sides but no one can say whether this
will be in July, in August or in February,” Arkadi Ghukasian declared.