SERGE SARGSYAN: I DON’T THINK COLOR REVOLUTION THREATENS ARMENIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.03.2006 20:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “A revolution will hardly take place in Armenia,”
RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan told Russian journalists. “I think
this phase is already over, since revolutions are attractive during a
certain period for a certain part of the society. Then soberness and
understanding come. I have always been an adherent to evolutionary
but not revolutionary development,” he added. “I do not think color
revolution threatens Armenia. The Armenian society is able to develop
evolutionary. This September we will mark the 15th anniversary of our
republic. 15 years in not very much but for Armenia it’s a sufficient
term to be considered a mature state.
Unfortunately our first republic existed several months only and
these 15 years is an achievement for us,” Serge Sargsyan said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UN RESOLUTIONS LEGALIZE NAGORNO KARABAKH AS NEGOTIATION PARTY
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.03.2006 20:59 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The UN resolutions maintain positive nuances,
as they not merely condemn the activities of local forces and urge
to abandon the seized regions. As a matter of fact the resolutions
legalize Nagorno Karabakh as a party to negotiations, chairman of
the RA National Assembly Standing Committee for Foreign Affairs in
1995-1999 Hovhannes Igityan told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter. In his
words, presently it’s very important not to make abrupt moves and
sharp statements. “Hostilities may change the format of the talks.
Countries wide of the conflict will settle the Nagorno Karabakh
problem. This is the purpose of Azerbaijan, which says that the OSCE
MG is already exhausted and tries to transfer the issue to the UN,”
he said.
Hovhannes Igityan also noted that the right to self-determination
of nations within the UN transformed in the right of peoples. “Any
change of format demands new juridical basis. In this case Armenia and
NKR can face the worst scenario – something like the Moscow Treaty
of 1921 between Russia and Turkey or the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact,”
Igityan emphasized.

POSSIBILITIES OF KARABAKH PROBLEM PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT IN 2006 NOT EXHAUSTED
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.03.2006 21:14 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During the meeting with U.S. Deputy Assistant
Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Mr. Matthew Bryza
Armenian parliament speaker Artur Baghdassaryan thanked the United
States for the assistance rendered to Armenia, reported RA NA press
service. Artur Baghdassaryan noted that the U.S.’s economic assistance
is accompanied by the assistance in conducting democratic reforms in
the republic. For his part Mr. Bryza noted that the settlement of
conflicts, energy security and economy development can be achieved
vie democratic reforms. The parties attached great importance to
the Millennium Challenge Account and also referred to the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict. According to Baghdassaryan, the possibilities to
resolve the problem in 2006 are not exhausted. Mr. Bryza also noted
the importance of the conflict settlement for the whole region. The
interlocutors also discussed the European Neighborhood Policy and
the possible development of the Euro- Atlantic cooperation.

SERGEY LAVROV AND CONDOLEEZZA RICE DISCUSSED KARABAKH PROBLEM
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.03.2006 21:49 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Upon the outcomes of the meeting with Russian
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held Tuesday in Washington U.S.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the U.S. is satisfied with
the relations with the Russian Federation. “We discussed a wide
scope of issues and touched upon global problems like Iran and Near
East,” she said. In her words, they also referred to the so-called
frozen conflicts in Nagorno Karabakh and Abkhazia. When speaking of
the U.S. and Russia’s attitude about various local conflicts Sergey
Lavrov said “although the parties differ on the methods of conflict
settlement the final goal is identical,” reported RIA Novosti.

OSKANIAN AND RICE TO SIGN MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE COMPACT
PanARMENIAN.Net
08.03.2006 22:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On March 27, Armenia’s Foreign Minister Vartan
Oskanian will address Armenian-American activists gathering in the
nation’s capital for a major three-day advocacy conference designed
to promote key community issues to Washington’s most influential
decision makers, reported the Armenian Assembly of America. Assembly
Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian said, “We are honored
that Foreign Minister Oskanian will address our National Conference
later this month. We also look forward to Armenia signing the $235
million Millennium Challenge Compact it was recently awarded by the
U.S. government. “Oskanian will join Secretary of State Condoleezza
Rice at the signing of the five-year Compact which is expected to
benefit the lives of 75 percent of Armenia’s rural population. The
Conference opens on March 26 with a welcoming reception at the U.S.
Botanic Garden featuring special guest, NKR Deputy Foreign Minister
Masis Mailian. Assembly leaders will convene earlier that day for
their annual Trustees Meeting. The following day participants will
sharpen their advocacy skills during a series of workshops and panel
discussions, all leading up to a full day of meetings with elected
officials on March 28. In those meetings, activists will seek support
on such issues ranging from U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian
Genocide and ongoing and robust assistance to Armenia, as well as
fighting against attempts to isolate Armenia by supporting passage
of the South Caucasus Integration and Railroad Act. This unique event
will also honor Armenian-American veterans of the Armed Forces.
Additionally, Armenia Mission participants and Assembly Intern Alumni
will have reunion events on March 26 and 27 respectively.

AZERBAIJN REPORTS FIRST HUMAN DEATH OF BIRD FLU
Armenpress
Mar 09 2006
BAKU, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: The Azerbaijan Ministry of Health confirmed
that a 16-year-old girl, Gunel Qasimova from Sarvan died of H5N1
in hospital on March 8. It said no new human cases of bird flu were
detected in Sarvan and Daykand villages of Salyan province during the
last two days. Earlier, six out of eight bird flu suspected people
were discharged from hospital.
Another resident of Daykand, Shahmar Asgarov, remains in hospital
receiving treatment for suspected bird flu. His state is serious. The
World Health Organization’s (WHO) bird flu experts are coming to
Azerbaijan and will stay in the country until the end of March. The
results of bird flu monitoring will be sent to London to be checked
by scientists at the WHO laboratory.

US SEEKS TO WORK WITH RUSSIA TO END POST-SOVIET CONFLICTS
Armenpress
Mar 09 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS: Daniel Fried, US Assistant Secretary for
European and Eurasian Affairs said during a March 8 Testimony before
the House International Relations Committee Subcommittee on Europe that
U.S. relations with Russia’s neighbors and other countries in Eurasia
seem to be viewed by some in Russia in zero-sum terms, a model that
‘we have both publicly and privately told the Russians is false.’
“We seek to work with Russia and others to resolve dangerous and
debilitating conflicts in places like South Ossetia, Transnistria,
Abkhazia, and Nagorno-Karabakh. We hope that Russia will take
advantage of Georgia’s proposals for a peaceful settlement of the
South Ossetia conflict and work toward a solution that respects both
Georgia’s territorial integrity and the interests of the people of
South Ossetia,” he said.
He also said the US urges the Armenian and Azeri leaderships to seize
the moment and help bring the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to a close.

AZERBAIJAN CONTINUES UNABATED CEASEFIRE BREACHES
Armenpress
Mar 09 2006
YEREVAN, MARCH 9, ARMENPRESS; The Armenian military reported fresh
violations of truce on March 7 and 8 . The defense ministry said
Azerbaijani forces on Wednesday continued to violate the ceasefire
regime in the westernmost sections of the border in Ijevan and
Shorzha regions.
On March 8 Azerbaijani troops shelled Armenian military units in
northeastern Tavush province and in Vayots Dzor that borders with
Azerbaijan’s enclave Nakhichevan. One of soldiers, the 19-year-old
Arsen Zakevosian, was wounded and died while being transported to a
military hospital in Ijevan on Friday in Ijevan.
Armenian defense ministry also denied allegations by the Azerbaijani
side that its positions in Kazah region were shelled by Armenians.

DANIEL FRIED TO DISCUSS OUTCOMES OF RAMBOUILLET TALKS IN YEREVAN AND BAKU
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2006 18:57 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Next week US Assistant Secretary of State for
European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried will visit Armenia and
Azerbaijan, State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack told journalists
in Washington. In his words, one of the goals of the trip will be
to discuss the outcomes of the Rambouillet meeting of the Azeri and
Armenian presidents over settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
reports RIA Novosti.

US DOES NOT CONSIDER KOSOVO POSSIBLE INDEPENDENCE PRECEDENT FOR KARABAKH
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2006 19:06 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The US thinks that the conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh
and South Ossetia have unique characteristics and need to be dealt with
“as separate issues”, US State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said
when commenting on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s warning that
granting independence to Kosovo might set a very dangerous precedent
for settlement of conflicts in the former Soviet Union. “Our position
is that conflicts in Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia have unique
characteristics that need to be dealt with on their own merits and
that’s how we view the issue,” Sean McCormack remarked.