ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005

RUSSIA-ARMENIAN TRADE TURNOVER CAN BE INCREASED 3-4 TIMES

YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. Armenia and Russia have real potential
to increase their trade turnover 3-4 times, Chairman of the Union of
Manufacturers and Employers of Armenia Arsen Kazaryan stated at an
Armenian-Russian business forum in Yerevan. According to him,
evidence of this is the growing trade and economic indices between
the two countries. “Russia’s is Armenia’s principal trade and
economic partner not only in supplying energy sources to Armenia, but
also in other spheres,” Kazaryan said. According to him, the very
title of the business forum “Cooperation 2005” is evidence of
efficient and active cooperation. “Russia is a great sale market for
Armenian products and real opportunities for increasing this volume
are available,” he said. However, there are a number of obstacles,
particularly the lack of direct transport communication between
Armenia and Russia.
According to the RA Statistical Service, Armenian-Russian foreign
trade turnover increased by 41% in January-July 2005 and totaled
$173mln. Armenia’s exports to Russia increased by 25.3%, totaling
$58.4mln, and imports from that country by 41.1% to $136mln. P.T.
-0–

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005

RA OMBUDSMAN ACQUAINTED UN COORDINATOR WITH REPORT ON MASS VIOLATIONS
OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. RA Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan
acquainted UN Coordinator, Resident Representative of UNDP to Armenia
Consuelo Vidal with the report on mass violations of property rights
in Armenia, press-service of the RA Ombudsman Office reported ARKA
News Agency. Alaverdyan presented the special published report on
mass violations of the property rights related with compulsory
acquisition of the property under the cover of the state needs. She
expressed gratitude to Vidal for a visit, as well as for the
implementation of the program on supporting human rights and
improving public awareness on the activities of the RA Ombudsman,
initiated by the UNDP. The sides also gave importance to the
continuously updated web-site of the RA Ombudsman. She also pointed
to the importance of the visits of international experts coming to
Armenia, and round tables of the Ombudsmen of Eastern European and
CIS countries, organized and sponsored by the UNDP.
Alaverdyan has also presented the problems and challenges the
institution of the RA Ombudsman faces during the process of its
formation. A.A. -0–

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005

US AMBASSADOR TO THE RA: CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN ARMENIA WILL OPEN
NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY

YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. The Constitutional reforms in Armenia
will open new possibilities for the development of the country, as
the US Ambassador to the RA John Evans stated during the meeting with
the RA President Robert Kocharyan. According to the RA President’s
Press Service, the Ambassador thanked the government and people of
Armenia for support and sympathy for the victims of “Katrina”
hurricane. The sides discussed the process of regulation of the
Karabakh conflict. A.H. -0–

ARKA News Agency
Sept 15 2005

RA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE NEGOTIATES WITH WB ON
INTRODUCTION OF STUDENT CREDITING SYSTEM IN ARMENIA

YEREVAN, September 15. /ARKA/. RA Ministry of Education and Science
negotiate with the World Bank on introduction of student crediting
system in Armenia, RA Minister of Education and Science Sergo
Yeritsyan told journalists. He said that the credits, which will be
provided to pay for education, are expected to have low interest
rates. The pay off will start after one year of graduation. “This
will allow to increase the level of social protection of students
from current 35% to 80% in next three years”, Yeritsyan said. A.A.
-0–

Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Syria
Sept 15 2005

Syria’s grand mufti underlines religious tolerance

Syria’s grand Mufti and the Armenian consul discussed Wednesday the
religious tolerance in Syria as well as in the Arab region saying “we
have been carrying both Islam and Christianity as an honor message
that benefits all people and countries.”

Mufti Ahmed Hassoun appreciated Armenian people’s honorable stances
towards Arab and Moslems’ issues, particularly the “Palestinian just
right of establishing an independent state with Jerusalem as a
capital.” For his part, Armenian Consul underlined the deep-rooted
relations that connected the two countries and peoples in all fields,
stressing the necessity of developing and enhancing them to serve the
interests of both countries.

Cyprus News Agency, Cyprus
Sept 16 2005

Cypriot FM discusses Cyprus and EU with counterparts in US
CNA – NEW YORK-USA – 16/9/2005 08:11

—————————————————————-
0815:CYPPRESS:02

Cypriot FM discusses Cyprus and EU with counterparts in US

by Maria Myles

New York, Sep 16 (CNA) – Cypriot Minister of Foreign Affairs George
Iacovou had a series of meetings here yesterday with counterparts,
during which he talked about the question of Cyprus and other matters
of mutual interest relating to Cyprus’ role as a member of the
European Union.

The Minister, in New York for the World Summit and the UN General
Assembly, met a delegation of the American Jewish Committee, led by
its president Robert Goodkind, and his counterparts from Armenia,
Vartan Oskanian, and San Marino, Febio Berardi.

A1+

| 18:35:56 | 15-09-2005 | Politics |

PACKAGE SETTLEMENT STEP BY STEP

During today’s press conference dedicated to the sitting of the PACE
Subcommittee on Nagorno Karabakh Shavarsh Kocharyan noted that certain
progress is observed in the settlement process.

In part, the model proposed during the discussions can be rated as positive
since it says that the issue can be resolved by the OSCE Minsk Group only.
Besides, the MG Co-Chairs and other rapporteurs were impartial enough in
their assessments. They noted that the conflict cannot be settled at
present, since one of the parties follows the principle of territorial
integrity and the other – the principle of self-determination.

According to Shavarsh Kocharyan, it was also noted that Karabakh cannot be
an enclave and should be connected with Armenia. When the Azeri party
reminded about Nakhichevan the Armenian delegates stressed that Armenia was
always offered to restore the railway communication and provide connection
with Azerbaijan.

When commenting on the statement by Andrzej Kasprzyk, who pointed out to the
necessity of forces at the contact lines, the Armenian deputy said it
maintains some danger, since it can be rated as a package settlement.
According to it, territories are retuned first and then a referendum is held
after an uncertain period.

`This would be a perfect variant if we had to deal with democratic
Azerbaijan’, the Armenian delegates said reminding of the constant military
statements by official Baku, doubled military expenses as well as the call
of the Azeri Ombudsman to take a pattern by murderer Ramil Safarov.

To note, representatives of the Council of Europe stated that Azerbaijan
will be expelled from the organization in case it wishes to settle the issue
by force. In response Shavarsh Kocharyan said, `When Turkey occupied the
territory of Cyprus, which was the CoE member, it was not expelled.’
According to him we should not lose time since every lost day jeopardizes
our national interests.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2005

Self-proclaimed republic’s `foreign minister’ opposes ICG report

Baku, September 15, AssA-Irada

Arman Melikian, `foreign minister’ of the self-proclaimed Upper
Garabagh republic, has come out against the report on the
Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper Garabagh conflict issued by the
International Crisis Group, an organization working to prevent
conflicts worldwide.
ICG, in its report covering the results of its representatives’
visits to the two countries, indicated that 18,500 people died during
the war and over a million were ousted from their homes. It also said
that Armenia is destroying Azerbaijan’s property, appropriating land
in Upper Garabagh and failing to provide suitable conditions for
Azerbaijanis to return home.
Melikian opposed some proposals made by the Crisis Group. `The report
includes many provisions that are in favor of Azerbaijan and can’t be
accepted by Upper Garabagh Armenians’, he said.*

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2005

Pressure group urges to stop British MP’s visits to Garabagh

Baku, September 15, AssA-Irada

The hard-line Garabagh Liberation Organization (GLO) has demanded
that visits by Baroness Caroline Cox, vice-speaker of the British
House of Lords, to Upper Garabagh be prevented and a monument to
British soldiers removed from the Cemetery of Martyrs in Baku.
A 20-member British delegation led by Cox and comprising Christian
organizations visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan on
Tuesday as part of the so-called `Visit to Arstakh’ mission.
The GLO, in a statement, warned that it will launch continuous
actions to demand closure of the British embassy in Baku if the
British MP’s visits to the occupied land are not stopped.
Several members of the GLO youth council painted the monument to
British soldiers in black last night.
Cox paid her first visit to Upper Garabagh in 1989, during the
initial stage of Armenia’s aggression against Azerbaijan.*

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Sept 16 2005

Council of Europe not to assist in holding vote at Garabagh
constituency

Baku, September 15, AssA-Irada

The Council of Europe will not assist in the organization of voting
at the Khankandi district constituency in Upper Garabagh, which
allows ethnic Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan to vote in the November
parliament elections.
Azerbaijan’s central election commission (CEC) earlier requested CE
to assist in preparation of voter lists and other technical matters
related to the constituency, head of the CE office in Azerbaijan Mats
Lindberg said.
Lindberg told reporters on Thursday that the organization will not be
able to provide assistance, as the CEC appealed to the CE `at the
last moment’ and there is not enough time for this. However, the
Council of Europe office in Baku will try to provide a precise
response to the commission’s appeal, he added.*