ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, ITALIAN MINISTER DISCUSS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
Yerevan, 6 October: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan thinks that
Italy’s experience of cooperation between small and medium-sized
businesses and foreign trade may be very useful for Armenia.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said this in Yerevan today at
a meeting with Italian Foreign Trade Minister Adolfo Urso. Robert
Kocharyan praised the pace of the development of Armenian-Italian
relations, noting that the political dialogue has become more active in
the recent period and the commodity turnover between the two countries
has increased. The president said that almost all Italian investment
in Armenia has been successful.
Adolfo Urso pointed out that commercial chambers are sufficiently
developed in Italy. He discussed the possibilities of using this
experience in Armenia with his Armenian counterpart.
The parties also discussed assistance to the development of small
and medium-sized business. The Armenian president noted that small
and medium-sized entrepreneurship and family businesses are priority
directions of country’s economy.

BAGHDASARIAN EMPHASIZES NECESSITY OF CONSISTENT INTEGRATION OF RA INTO NATO AND EUROPEAN STRUCTURES
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. The “Rose Roth” third regular seminar
of the NATO Parlaimentary Assembly organized by the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly jointly with the RA National Assembly started its work
in Yerevan on October 6. Issues concerning problems of regional
security, prospects of development of mutual relations among the NATO
and South Caucasian countries are on the agenda of the seminar. The
heads of the National Assembly, members of the Government of Armenia,
representatives of the NATO PA, the OSCE, OSCE PA, the European Union,
Ambassadors of foreign states accredited in Yerevan are among the
event participants. Representatives of Turkey and Azerbaijan also
participate in the seminar.
In the opening speech addressed the seminar participants and guests,
Artur Baghdasarian, the Speaker of the National Assembly mentioned
that democracy is a precondition for securing regional development
and establishing stability. According to him, this is the basis which
can support settlement of conflicts present in the South Caucasus:
“We all should have courage in this region to sit at a negotiations’
table with our neighbours, and in that sense, the NATO PA and its
events are of great role,” Artur Baghdasarian stated. He mentioned
the necessity of deepening democratic reforms, consistent integration
of Armenia into the NATO and European structures.
Vartan Oskanian, the RA Foreign Minister pointed out spheres of
Armenia’s cooperation with NATO. According to him, those are not
only issues of regional stability and security but the anti-terrorism
struggle, control on limitation of armaments, issues of trafficking
as well. The second sphere are reforms in the defence structure,
particularly, strengthening of civic control towards the army. He
emphasized the importance of widening Armenia’s participation in
peace-keeping actions as well. The Minister attached great importance
to deepening of bilateral relations between Armenia and Greece in
the defence sphere and the RA and USA in the security sphere. He
also attached importance to the cooperation with Russia within the
framework of the Collective Security Treaty.
Simon Lunn, the NATO PA Secretary General appreciated the cooperation
of the NATO PA and Armenia: “We move in right direction.” According
to him, the seminar being held in Yerevan is the indicator of NATO
interests towards countries in transitional period.

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
KOCHARIAN PRESENTS CURRENT STAGE AND PROSPECTS OF SETTLEMENT OF NK CONFLICT TO LENMARKER
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. On October 6, RA President Robert
Kocharian received Goran Lenmarker, the Special Representative on
Nagorno Karabakh Issues of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Chairman
who arrived in Armenia to participate in a seminar of the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly to take place in Yerevan.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA President’s Press Office the
interlocuters exchanged opinions concerning the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly Chairman’s Special Representative’s report dedicated to
Nagorno Karabakh.
The President of the republic touched upon the widening cooperation
with the OSCE attaching importance to the interparliamentary
cooperation in that context.

OSCE MG ONLY STRUCTURE DEALING WITH KARABAKH SETTLEMENT
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. The OSCE Minsk Group remains the only
structure dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, RA Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan told reporters. According to him, the OSCE
MG is the only internationally recognized legal structure dealing
with the settlement. Oskianyan said that Azerbaijan can raise the
issue at various forums and try to get some resolutions adopted,
which is its right. “However, it is obvious that the Nagorno-Karabakh
is only possible to settle within the OSCE Minsk Group,” the Minister
said. According to him, no discussions, statements, resolutions can
replace real negotiations held within the OSCE MG. P.T. -0–

KOCHARIAN SINGLES OUT SPHERE OF HIGH TECHNOLOGIES AS IMPORTANT DIRECTION OF ARMENIA’S COOPERATION WITH INDIA
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. Bharion Singh
Sekhavat, Indian Vice-President, who arrived in Armenia on an
official visit emphasized the high level of political relations
between the 2 countries at the October 6 meeting with RA President
Robert Kocharian. India’s Vice-President remembered Robert Kocharian’s
official visit to India paid in 2003 with warmth.
RA President considered Indian Vice-President’s visit to Armenia as
an important step aimed at developing the bilateral relations.
Mentioning the centuries-old interrelations between Armenian and Indian
peoples, affinity of the languages and cultures, the sides noted that
they left their noticeable trace on the peoples and cultures of the
2 countries.
According to RA President’s Press Service, the interlocutors emphasized
rather efficient cooperation of the 2 countries at international
instances with pleasure.
In the opinion of the interlocutors, the economic contacts between
Armenia and India don’t completely reflect the existing possibilities.
RA President singled out the sphere of high technologies as an
important direction of cooperation. India succeeded in this sphere
and Armenia announced the development of this sphere as its priority.
“We expect concrete steps that will enable to form a wider field for
cooperation,” Robert Kocharian said.
It was mentioned that there are already examples of successful activity
of Indian business circles in Armenia. Indian businessmen have made
investments in the sphere of Armenian mining, diamond cutting and
gold procession, India has rendered great assistance to Armenia in
the issue of agricultural reequipment.
The two countries expressed readiness to continue cooperation in
the spheres of science, education as well. It was mentioned that
many Indian youths study in Armenia at present. “Our goal is to turn
Armenia into a center of intellectual services and education,” Robert
Kocharian stressed.
The interlocutors also attached importance to the role of the Indian
Armenian community in the development of the Armenian-Indian relations
mentioning that the community members have completely integrated to
country’s life.

1ST TIME CBA TO PUBLISH INDEXES OF ECONOMIC ACTIVITY, BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT, CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN DECEMBER 2005
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia will publish
the indexes of economic activity, business environment and consumer
confidence in December 2005 for the first time, Chairman of the
Armenian Parliament Tigran Sargsyan said at the RA National Assembly.
He reported that these three indexes are supposed to reflect social
impulses. “They will allow to form stable expectations, and we believe
that within this conditions, the fluctuations of AMD exchange rate
will more smooth and the more stable financial environment will be
formed”, Sargsyan said.
Publication of the indexes is one of the initiatives of the CBA aimed
at development of Armenia’s financial system. The CBA conducted a
survey among 734 households and 361 organizations to compose indexes
of economic activity, business environment and consumer confidence.
The publication n of these indexes will be quarterly at first, and
it will be monthly in future. A.A. -0–

HOVHANNISIAN: “ONE MORE CHANCE TO CONNECT STRUGGLE AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM WITH NK CONFLICT WAS MISSED”
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. “In summer the world was shocked by
London terrorist acts. The voice of Armenia and Armenians wasn’t heard
in the noise of condemnation,” this was mentioned in the open address
of Raffi Hovhannisian, founder and head of the Armenian Center for
National and International Studies, Chairman of the Zharangutiun
(Heritage) party, first RA Foreign Minister, publicized on the
occasion of organization’s 11th anniversary. While, according to him,
“the inability of the Armenian leaders to voice our decisive word on
the anti-terrorist front, to emphasize our worthy role leaves the
country out of the procees of world development depreciating the
value and meaning of our victims.”
In R.Hovhannisian’s opinion, the authorities missed one more
opportunity to connect the general struggle against terrorism with
the Artsakh conflict in the best way. “It’s time to remind to the
civilized society that an Artsakh soldier fighting some years ago
for his freedom also ran across with Afghan mojaheds, with hired
pilots bombing peaceful towns. The hypocritical officials and obliging
diplomacy displayed spinelessness being unable to present the captive
foreign hirelings and documents confiscated from them to the world
as a weighty proof of our great contribution to struggle against the
international terrorism.”
“Then while they were telling tales about their own adherence to
principles, they weren’t able to widely voice the fact that ill-famed
terrorist Shamil Basayev defended the positions of our enemy in Shushi
in the Karabakh-Azeri war, then he organized a slaughter of hundreds of
peaceful people in Russia. As a result the Artsakh struggle for human
rights and freedom that formerly enjoyed world support became only
a territorial problem discussed by several international officials,”
Raffi Hovhannisian declared.

LENMARKER: “EU’S IDEOLOGY IS OPEN BORDERS”
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Artur Baghdasarian, RA NA Speaker,
and Goran Lenmarker, OSCE PA Special Representative on Nagorno Karabakh
issue, attached importance to peaceful settlement of conflicts and
extension of democracy in the South Caucasian region at the October
5 meeting mentioning that it will enable the regional countries to
develop with a prospect of integration to the large European family.
RA NA Speaker informed his interlocutor about the process of
constitutional reforms taking place in Armenia, after the successful
end of which the other laws will be also reformed and will be brought
in correspondence with the European standards. Both of them attached
importance to the integration of the whole society to the process of
constitutional reforms.
In connection with the current stage of Nagorno Karabakh peaceful
settlement Goran Lenmarker mentioned that the report on this issue
made by him in Washington was entitled “Golden Chance” and it is very
symbolic as he really considers that a golden chance is created for
both Azerbaijan and Armenia for overcoming the conflict and achieving
progress. Artur Baghdasarian noted that Armenia has always hold the
position of peaceful settlement of the conflict and expressed hope
that the problem will get a peaceful and fair solution.
Issues concerning establishment of Armenian-Swedish interparliamentary
contacts were also discussed at the meeting.
As Noyan Tapan was informed by RA NA Public Relations Department,
the same day the delegation led by Goran Lenmarker met with the
members of OSCE PA Armenian delegation at the NA.
Vahan Hovhannisian, head of OSCE PA Armenian delegation, NA
Vice-Speaker, noted that Lenmarker’s report on Nagorno Karabakh
issue made at OSCE PA Washington session provoked serious interest in
Armenian and Azeri societies and it was noticeable that report’s brave
proposals corresponding to the changes of time on the one hand were
attractive an on the other hand gave rise to additional caution, which
can be considered a high estimation for the report. As a result of the
propaganda the report had rather a positive reaction in the Armenian
society. All the political forces in Armenia realize the necessity of
bilateral concessions in the issue of final solution of the Karabakh
problem. It’s difficult to find a political force ready for mutual
concessions in Azerbaijan, so, in Vahan Hovhannisian’s affirmation,
searching for such a political force within the framework of OSCE
PA can bring positive results. NA Vice-Speaker highly estimated the
direct negotiations held between Armenian and Azeri delegations in
Brussels, a well as the meeting of the delegations and OSCE Minsk Group
representatives in Washington on Lenmarker’s initiative. An opinion
was expressed that the work in this direction must be continual.
Vahan Hovhannisian suggested that taking as a basis Goran Lenmarker’s
studies, an ad hoc working group be created. The working group will
be headed by Goran Lenmarker and will involve Armenian and Azeri
sides, as well as OSCE PA Deputies well-aware of the conflict. The
group will work at a joint resolution. He suggested that the issue
about coming to agreement on creating a joint resolution be discussed
with participation of the 2 delegations on the eve of Vienna summit,
which can be considered the first coordinated step by EU new neighbors.
Lenmarker was pleased to accept Vahan Hovhannisian’s proposals and
noted that this golden chance must be taken by the parliamentarians.
As regards Turkey-EU relations, in Goran Lenmarker’s estimation,
Turkey-EU negotiations will be positive for Armenia, too. And in
connection with Armenia’s blockade by Turkey Lenmarker gave assurance
that Turkey must open the borders, as European Union’s ideology is
open borders.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

5TH INTERNATIONAL SPECIALIZED EXHIBITION “HEALTHCARE AND PHARMACY EXPO 2005” TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN ON OCTOBER 19-21, 2005
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, October 6. /ARKA/. The 5th international specialized
exhibition “Healthcare and Pharmacy EXPO 2005” will be held at
the RA National Healthcare Institute in Yerevan on October 19-21,
press-service of LOGOS EXPO Centre reported ARKA News Agency. This
exhibition is dedicated to new achievements in pharmacy, laboratory
equipment, diagnostics and medical technologies. The goal of this
exhibition is presentation of these new achievements to doctors and
specialists of Armenia. The exhibition will be held according to the
following thematic parts: prophylactic medicine, clinical medicine,
stomatology, pharmacy, diagnostics, motherhood and childhood, medical
equipment and hygiene.
According to press-release, the exhibition will be held within IV
National Scientific-Medical Congress “Health of a Man”, which will
discuss a wide range of issues related to healthcare and pharmacy.
Participation in this exhibition will allow over 500 specialists
to improve their professional level, exchange experience and gain
new knowledge.
This exhibition is organized by LOGOS EXPO Centre Company and is
supported by the RA Ministry of Healthcare. A.A. -0–

HEAD OF TURKISH DELEGATION IN PACE: DISCUSSION OF A FRAME DOCUMENT ON DOESN’T IMPLY ANY LIABILITIES BY TURKEY TO ARMENIA
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 6 2005
YEREVAN, October 5. /ARKA/. Discussion of a frame document on
(membership of Turkey in the EU -ARKA) doesn’t imply any liabilities
by Turkey to Armenia, the Head of Turkish delegation in PACE Murad
Merjan stated in his interview to TREND. In his words, Turkey is also
willing to establish relations with its neighbors, but on some terms.
“To open the Turkish -Armenian border it’s necessary that official
Yerevan established normal relations with its neighbors, and refuses
from territorial claims”, he said, noting that “if it doesn’t happen,
then one cannot expect normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations”.
According to him, Turkey is the first Turk and Islamic state, which
began negotiations with the EU on its membership in it. “I hope that
in the end of the discussions Turkey will become a full member of
the EU. This process is important for the whole world”, he said. A.H.