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.

OSCE TO MONITOR CONTACT LINE OF KARABAKH AND AZERI ARMED FORCES MARCH 10
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2006 19:29 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE monitoring will be held at the contact lime
of the Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani armed forces in the west of
Borsunlu village of Terter district on Thursday. The measure will be
held in compliance with the mandate of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office’s
Personal Representative. Harry Eronen and Peter Key, field assistants
to the special envoy of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, will hold
monitoring in the Azerbaijani side of the frontline. Yuri Aberle and
Imre Palatinus, special envoy’s field assistants, are in charge of
monitoring in the Armenian side of the contact line.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PALLONE CALLS FOR PARITY IN MILITARY AID TO YEREVAN AND BAKU
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2006 19:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Congressman Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Co-Chairman of
the Armenian Issues Caucus, took to the floor of the U.S. House of
Representatives yesterday to criticize the Administration’s “breach
of an agreement struck between the White House and Congress in 2001
to maintain parity in U.S. military aid to Armenia and Azerbaijan,”
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). The Bush
Administration recommended last month, in its Fiscal Year 2007 budget,
that Azerbaijan receive significantly more military training and
hardware than Armenia. The President also proposed cutting U.S.
economic aid to Armenia from last year’s appropriation of $74.4
million to $50 million, a nearly 33% reduction. The New Jersey
Congressman explained to his House colleagues that, “a lack of
military parity would weaken ongoing peace negotiations regarding
Nagorno Karabakh. Furthermore, I believe that any imbalance will
contribute to further instability in the region if military parity
is not achieved.” He added that, “failing to respect the parity
agreement undermines the role of the U.S. as an impartial mediator
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.” “We want to thank Congressman
Pallone for his longstanding leadership in educating his colleagues
about the important U.S. interests served by our assistance program to
Armenia, direct aid to Nagorno Karabakh, and the other Armenia-related
provisions in the Foreign Operations bill – most recently and notably –
the need for maintaining parity in U.S. military aid to Armenia and
Azerbaijan,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

WASHINGTON URGES ARMENIAN AND AZERI AUTHORITIES TO END KARABAKH CONFLICT
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.03.2006 20:47 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “We urge the Armenian and Azeri leaderships to
seize the moment and help bring the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to
a close, US Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs Daniel Fried said. “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 remarked. “We keep working with
our European partners to fight tyranny and for conflict settlement
along the European freedom borders – in Belarus, the South Caucasus
and Balkans. To reach those goals we work to strengthen capacities of
key international organizations as the NATO and OSCE and strengthen
US-EU relations,” said the US Assistant Secretary of State.

RAILA AND KALONZO RESPOND TO CLAIMS
By Biketi Kikechi
Standard, Kenya
March 14 2006
Langata MP Raila Odinga has denied ever meeting with Armenian
businessmen alleged to be hired mercenaries.
He also dismissed claims that they had loaned him US $1.5 million
(Sh112 million).
“The contents of the statement are most ridiculous and a phantom of
great imagination,” said Raila.
The MP claimed it was “another desperate attempt” by the Government
to save its face from myriad corruption scandals surrounding it and
abuse of power.
But his Orange Democratic Movement colleague, Kalonzo Musyoka, said
it was possible he had met the men at the Grand Regency Hotel during
or after the referendum.
Raila said he had never met Artur Sargsyan and Artur Margysyan or
their associates.”I find the claims completely unfounded, baseless,
nefarious and maliciously concocted to scandalise and malign my name,”
said Raila.
He said the figures mentioned to have exchanged hands were too large
and could not have been transacted in the manner they want Kenyans
to believe.
He claimed the two Armenians had confirmed they were the mercenaries
he was referring to because they did not deny that they were the
people he mentioned to the media.
Press conference at VIP lounge
The former Roads minister claimed they were closely linked to the
Government because they had allegedly been seen several times at
State House.
“Find out who called the media to go to the airport for their Press
conference and you will see that it is people associated with one Narc
activist from Othaya,” said Raila. The MP said it was strange that
“ordinary businessmen” were allowed to address the Press from the
VIP lounge at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. He also doubted
that one of the businessmen travelled from Dubai into the country on
Monday morning. Raila asked the two businessmen to explain with whom
they conducted business in Kenya.
The MP said if Sargysyan was a senior Armenian official as he claimed
to be, then he must be in the country as a guest of the Government.
On March 4, Raila claimed that mercenaries from Russia had been
brought into the country to assassinate some Orange Democratic Movement
(ODM) leaders.
Speaking at a rally in Kibera slums to drum up support for a
demonstration in support of media freedom, he claimed the mercenaries
had taken part in the Standard/KTN raid carried out by the police
two weeks ago.
Police later demanded that Raila record a statement to substantiate
his allegations, but the former Roads minister said the issue he had
raised was obvious.
“They know very well that a squad of Russian mercenaries is in the
country. Why should I record a statement about it?” he posed.
Russian embassy dismissed claims
Two days later on March 7, Raila claimed he had information the
mercenaries hired by the Government had been moved from a hotel in
the city centre to a secret location.
He further alleged the mercenaries were under protection of the General
Service Unit. He also insisted the mercenaries were from Russia.
“We all know there are no white people in our police force, where did
they come from during the attack (against the Standard Group)?” he
asked.
He claimed that efforts by the Russians to conceal their identity
using masks had failed as the colour of their skins could be spotted
from the opening around the eyes.
A day later, Raila recorded a statement with the police after meeting
Police Commissioner Hussein Ali. He gave details about the identities
of four men who were allegedly living in a house in the plush Runda
Estate, off Limuru Road. He insisted that he chose to record the
statement and was not forced to do so.
But the Russian Embassy in Nairobi dismissed the MP’s claims even as
police visited the house in Runda.
A spokesman of Russian Ambassador Alexander Ignatiev said the Russian
government was unaware of the existence of mercenaries in Kenya from
their country.
Police visited the Runda house using a map provided by Raila, but
only found watchmen at the gate who denied them entry.
Some neighbours indicated the house has been vacant since December,
but other sources said police using unmarked vehicles frequently
visited the house.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress