AZERI CEC: ARMENIAN OBSERVERS CANNOT TAKE PART IN THE ELECTIONS

DeFacto, Armenia
Sept 5 2005

According to the Azeri CEC, representatives of Armenia cannot take part
in the Azeri Parliamentarian elections on November 6 as observers.
“Azerbaijan has no diplomatic ties with Armenia, so the Armenian
representatives cannot take part in the elections as observers”,
stated AR CEC International Department Head Rovzat Gasymov during the
interview for Trend Agency. In his words, even though the Armenian
observers are in the CIS mission, they cannot visit Azerbaijan with
the Armenian passports. “If we do not have diplomatic ties with
Armenia, how can the observers arrive in Azerbaijan with Armenian
passports? That is the Central Electoral Commission’s stand. Azeri
Foreign Ministry may hold its own position on the issue”, said Gasymov.
According to Day.az, CIS Executive Secretary Vladimir Roushajlo said
if Armenia wished to take part in the elections’ monitoring it was
its right. He noted the leadership of the country holding elections
had filed a note to CIS to send observers to the elections. “We send
the notes to CIS countries, including Armenia”, stated Roushajlo.

ILHAM ALIYEV IS READY TO GUARANTEE “KARABAKH ARMENIAN COMMUNITY’S SECURITY”

DeFacto, Armenia
Sept 5 2005

During the interview for Hurriyet newspaper (Turkey) Azeri President
Ilham Aliyev said Baku was ready to guarantee “Karabakh Armenian
community’s security”.

“I told Kocharyan we were ready to guarantee Karabakh Armenian
community’s security. I stressed Baku would not allow the community
to face any danger”, stated Aliyev.

In his words, “Azerbaijan is very strong, and Armenia will not manage
to withstand its onslaught”. “However, we do not want a war, as a
lot of people will die. I believe we’ll recover our lands sooner or
later. Let no one doubt it”, said Aliyev.

Commenting on the outcomes of the Kazan meeting with RA President
Robert Kocharyan Ilham Aliyev said there had been no results so far.

“The Armenians are waiting for us to grant independence to them.

However, it is impossible. The maintenance of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity is of primary importance for us”, noted Azeri President.

He stated after the Kazan meeting he had felt some easing in
Kocharyan’s stand; however, it was not enough for the conflict’s
settlement, Freedom Radio Station reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA PRESIDENT SENT A CONDOLING MESSAGE TO GEORGE BUSH

DeFacto, Armenia
Sept 5 2005

RA President Robert Kocharyan sent a condoling message to the US
President George Bush in connection with the disastrous results of
the “Katrina” hurricane. DE FACTO received the information at the
RA President’s press service. The message runs: “Your Excellency,
I learnt with deep sorrow about the devastating hurricane “Katrina”,
which hit the Eastern shores of the United States causing great
destruction and loss of human lives. We share your grief and pain, and
on behalf of the people of Armenia and my own behalf, send our sincere
condolences to you, friends and families of those, who were affected
by this disaster. We wish you great endurance and moral strength”.

THE ORGANIZATION FOR LIBERATION OF KARABAKH CONDUCTED A SOCIOLOGICAL POLL ON THE WAYS OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

DeFacto, Armenia
Sept 5 2005

The Organization for Liberation of Karabakh conducted a public opinion
poll on Azeri people’s attitude towards Karabakh issue, Trend reports.
1943 respondents were asked a question how the Armenian aggression’s
consequences could be eliminated – by military or peaceful way. 39%
of those asked said they were for the military way of the conflict
settlement, 40% were the negotiations’ supporters, while 21% found it
difficult to answer the question. That was the adult people’s answer.

Young people gave the following answer: 40% were for the military
way, 35% were the supporters of the conflict’s peaceful solution.
To note, 49% of women were for the conflict’s military settlement,
while 37% were the negotiations’ supporters.

MILITARY COOPERATION

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| 12:43:08 | 05-09-2005 | Official |

On September 5 the Delegation of the Secretary of the Security Council
under the RA President, the Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan will
leave for the Republic of Latvia on an official visit.

Within the framework of the visit the delegation will sign
memorandumabout Military cooperation between Armenia and Latvia.

SLOVENE FOREIGN MINISTER PLEASED WITH PROGRESS IN NAGORNYY KARABAKH TALKS

STA news agency, Ljubljana
5 Sep 05

Baku, 5 September: Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, the OSCE
chairman-in-office, said he was satisfied with the progress in the
talks on a resolution on Nagornyy Karabakh as he visited Azerbaijan
on Monday [5 September].

Speaking to the press after meeting Azeri counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov
in Baku – the first stop of his two-day tour of Azerbaijan and Armenia
– Rupel called on Azerbaijan to keep striving for a solution to the
conflict with Armenia in spite of the current election campaign.

Because of the 6 November parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan,
it is difficult to assess how the talks will progress, he said.

The Slovene foreign minister expects the two countries to continue
their dialogue on the matter, although he admitted that “it is clear
that serious open issues remain”.

The two sides agree on matters in principle, but a lot is open in
terms of the technical nature of the solution, he said.

Rupel also held talks with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, who briefed
him of the talks he held with Armenian counterpart Robert Kocharyan
on 27 August in Russia. Moreover, he met Azeri PM Artur Rasizada.

The Nagornyy Karabakh “is a long story with many components”, Rupel
stressed, adding that he doubted a solution could be reached during
Slovenia’s stint as OSCE president.

There is concern in the international community that the forthcoming
elections might derail the progress in the Nagornyy Karabakh talks,
as the conflict could become a tool for internal political purposes.

However, Mammadyarov downplayed the possibility of the conflict
becoming hostage to political campaigning in Azerbaijan. The
negotiations are continuing, however, the issue is so complex that
a solution cannot be reached in just a few days, he told the press.

[Passage omitted – background]

Meanwhile, the upcoming parliamentary elections figured highly in
Rupel’s talks with Azeri opposition officials and representatives of
NGOs, who presented their concerns regarding the elections.

According to Leila Yunus from the NGO Institute for Peace and
Democracy, non-governmental organizations have been barred from
overseeing the elections, which she believes is a sign that the
government does not want the poll to be free and fair.

Rupel said it was not the OSCE’s task to criticise but to offer
advice on elections to participating states. He added that he hoped
that certain problems regarding election teams and electoral rolls
would be resolved ahead of the poll.

Meanwhile, Mammadyarov said he was convinced the elections would
be free and fair. Admitting that Azerbaijan could not achieve
Western-styled democracy overnight, he pointed out that the elections
would be monitored by observers from the OSCE and the Council of
Europe.

COUNCIL OF EUROPE HEAD URGES AZERBAIJAN TO HOLD FAIR ELECTION

Azad Azarbaycan TV, Baku
5 Sep 05

[Presenter] The Council of Europe secretary-general, Terry Davis, is
in Azerbaijan. In an interview with journalists at the Heydar Aliyev
international airport, Terry Davis said that the main purpose of his
visit is to familiarize himself with the preparations for the November
parliamentary election. The secretary-general said that hopes are
high that the election will be held more professionally than before.

[Terry Davis, in English with Azeri voice-over] The election is
extremely important for Azerbaijan and we will discuss the pre-election
situation first. This is the basic aim of my visit to Azerbaijan. I
hope that this election will be held more professionally than before.

I shall discuss this issue at meetings with the Azerbaijani
authorities. I am not here to give my support to a political
organization or an individual. I support a just and fair election in
Azerbaijan. I am sure the election will be in full compliance with
Azerbaijan’s interests. I think citizens will vote for individual
candidates. As for the Karabakh issue, I have always paid attention
to this problem.

EDGAR MANOUCHARYAN INJURED AGAIN

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| 15:03:01 | 05-09-2005 | Sports |

The 18-year-old player of the Armenian National team and “Ajax” Edgar
Manoucharyan was injured at the very beginning of the match with the
Holland national team, as a result of which he left the game.

The trauma turned out to be a serious one. According to the doctors,
Edgar will be able to play again in a month only.

THE REPUBLICAN PARTY SPLITTED UP

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| 14:40:25 | 05-09-2005 | Politics |

Today the ex-members of the council of the Republican party who left
the party made an official announcement commenting on their decision.

Mr. Bazeyan represented the content of the announcement, “Expressing
our disagreement with the political path of the Republican party,
considering the hopes to solve inner political problems with the help
of outer powers unacceptable, considering the promises to organize
revolution periodically given to the people non-realistic, as well
as considering the search for scape-goats for their own mistakes
unacceptable, we announce that we are ceasing our member ship to the
Republican Party”.

The announcement has been signed by the ex-members of the council of
the Republican party Albert Bazeyan, Vagharshak Haroutyunyan, Simon
Gregorian, Hovhannes Aharonyan, Hayrapet Margaryan, Armen Lazarian,
and Gevorg Andrikyan. More detailed comment will be made during
tomorrow’s press conference in which Vagharshak Haroutyunyan will
also participate.

YEREVAN TO BE CLEANED

A1+

| 14:31:08 | 05-09-2005 | Social |

Yerevan will be cleaned with the help of a Russian company with
which the Armenian side has signed a contract to get refuse-cleaning
containers. The head of the Construction, reconstruction and communal
economy department of the Yerevan municipality Frunzik Basentsyan
informed about it today.

The residents of the Arabkir community will be the first to get the new
containers. They will arrive in Armenia till the end of September. At
present there are 6000 containers in Yerevan. According to Basentsyan,
450 tons of house refuse is taken out of Yerevan. The process is
carries out by 12 organizations with 270 cars.

By the way, the workers of the organizations are paid only for moving
the house refuse. As for the technical dumps, the citizens must pay
separately for their cleaning.

Mr. Basensyan was surprised to learn that very often refuse cars
are driven without a cover violating the sanitary norms. “I have
never heard of it. If there are such cases, those responsible must
be punished for it”.