5 PACE REPRESENTATIVES TO VISIT BAKU ON APRIL 25-26- IGOR IVANOVSKI
Author: R. Abdullayev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 10 2006
5 representatives from 5 different committees of the Parliamentary
Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) will visit Baku on April
25-26, regarding the re-run parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.
This information was first released by the representative of the PACE
bureau on Progress and Assembly permanent commission, Igor Ivanovski
during his speech at the spring session of PACE, the Trend reporter
reports from Strasbourg.
He has also suggested an idea of organizing a meeting of Azerbaijani
and Armenian MPs and discussions to revise the number of PACE committee
members on Nagorno-Karabakh.

AZERBAIJANI DM SAFAR ABIYEV RECEIVED SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF NATO SECRETARY GENERAL ROBERT SIMMONS
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 10 2006
Today Defense Minister of Azerbaijan, general- colonel Safar Abiyev
has received Robert Simmons, special representative of NATO Secretary
General on Caucasus and Central Asia, Defense ministry press service
has told APA.
Mr. Abiyev has stated in a meeting that Azerbaijan cooperates actively
with NATO, fulfills obligations on Individual Partnership Activity Plan
(IPAP). Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict’s not being settled prevents
successful development of Azerbaijan-NATO relations: “Armenia
does not meet international law norms. International Community
should impact on Azerbaijan in this issue. If the conflict is not
solved in a peaceful way, Azerbaijan will restore its territorial
integrity itself.” Mr.Simmons in his turn has pointed out that
perspectives of NATO-Azerbaijan are great, implementation of IPAP
will give impetus to Azerbaijan to strengthen its defense capacity:
“As concerns Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict NATO support peaceful way
of the conflict solution.”

ISSUE OF REFUGEES IN SOUTH CAUCASUS TO BE DISCUSSED AT PACE SESSION
DeFacto Agency, Armenia
April 10 2006
Relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union will
be the principal subject of the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of
Europe (PACE) spring session that is to be held in Strasbourg current
April 10-13.
Debates on Memorandum of Mutual Understanding between the two European
organizations will be conducted in the course of the session,
PanARMENIAN.Net reports. The Council of Europe Secretary General
Terry Davis and Chairman of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs
Committee Elmar Brock will participate in the discussions.
The reports on the role of a native language in school education,
refugees and displaced persons in Azerbaijan, Armenia and Georgia,
struggle against corruption in the Council of Europe’s member states
will be discussed at the session.
As for the issue of refugees and displaced persons in Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Georgia, it will be discussed on the ground of the PACE
Committee on Migration’s Report presented February 6, 2006 by a
representative of Latvia Boris Kilevich.
The report runs, in part, that non-settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict results in difficulties referring to the refugees’
situation and hampers the countries’ development in the economic and
social-political sphere, the CE Communications’ Directorate reports.

THE NEXT MEETING OF THE SINGLE PARTY OF PEOPLE’S FRONT OF AZERBAIJAN TOOK PLACE
Author: J. Shahverdiyev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 10 2006
The next meeting of the Single Party of People `s Front (SPPF) of
Azerbaijan took place. The issue of future visit of the head of state
to US has been discussed at the meeting, Trend reports.
MPs have highly evaluated this visit, emphasizing the importance
of Azerbaijani- American relations development and strengthening
of the strategic partnership. It was stated that US have to stop
aiding Armenia within the frames of Millennium Call program and
other humanitarian projects, as Armenia still did not free the
occupied Azerbaijani territories on the basis of 4 UN Security
council resolutions.
Recent events in Iraq were also discussed at the meeting. It was
noted that dislocation of the coalition troops in Iraq pushes it more
and more to civil war. MPs argued that during his visit Azerbaijani
president should raise the matter of Azerbaijanis living in Iran in
case of military campaign against that state.

“JERMAGHBYUR” GEOTHERMAL POWER PLANT EXPECTED TO BE PUT INTO OPERATION IN ARMENIA IN 2008-2009
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 10 2006
Yerevan. April 10. /ARKA/. The “Jermaghbyur” geothermal power plant is
expected to be put into operation in Armenia in 2008-2009, “America”
CJSC reports.
Low-potential sources of geothermal power were founded in Garni, Arzni,
Jermuk, Ankavan and Sisian. The geothermal power can be utilized
for heat-supply, heating of hothouses, residential buildings and
industrial enterprises.
“Ameria” CJSC was contracted by World Bank Energy Invest PIU
to develop a detailed feasibility study for the construction of
“Jermaghbyur” geothermal power plant in Syunik Marz of the Republic of
Armenia. The study was carried out in the scope of the process aimed
at diversifying energy resources in Armenia and achieving a higher
level of independence from the importing energy sources. The document,
elaborated by Ameria consultants, proved the strategic importance
and effectiveness of utilizing geothermal energy in Armenia, as well
as the investment attractiveness of the overall project. Geothermal
energy is considered as an effective resource for heat supply and
generation of electric power. Today geothermal plants with the
total heat production capacity of 12000 MW operate in more than 30
countries. The geothermal plants generate also electric power with
the total capacity of 8000 MW. The share of geothermal energy in the
world installed capacities is 0.4%.
“Jemaghbyur” station, which will be commissioned in 2008-2009, is
a unique project. It does not have any analogues in the region and
will positively differ from the majority of other energy generation
capacities, especially in its renewability of resources, independence
of importing energy sources, as well as in the minimal environmental
impact.
The feasibility study of the project has indicated that the station
based on 6 direct wells with the depth of up to 2.5 km each can have
a capacity up to 25 MW and generate up to 195 mln KW/hour electric
power a year.
Ameria is a group of professional services companies registered in
Armenia with the objective to provide a comprehensive package of
professional advisory and assurance services. Ameria specializes
in four major areas of professional activities: management advisory
services; assurance and advisory services; legal advisory services;
investment banking. Established in 1998, the company has become
a leader in the Armenian market of advisory services bringing an
international reach and local touch to complex issues rising in more
than 30 industry sectors.

ARMENIAN FM, SECRETARY OF RF SECURITY COUNCIL DISCUSS PROSPECTS OF ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN RELATIONS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 10 2006
YEREVAN, April 10. /ARKA/. At their meeting in Moscow, RA Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanyan and Secretary of the RF Security Council
Igor Ivanov discussed the current state of Armenian-Russian relations
and prospects for their development. The sides discussed issues of
regional and international stability and security. A meeting with
Russian Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov was held
at the RA Embassy in Moscow as well. Minister Oskanyan also held a
meeting with Russia-based Armenian businessmen. During the meeting,
the RA Foreign Minister appreciated their interest and confidence
in Armenia’s economic progress. Expressing Armenia’s gratitude for
the programs implemented in Armenia, pointing out the necessity of
regulating this process.
Presenting a program of rural development in Armenia, Minister Oskanyan
reported that it will be one of the most important issues on the
agenda of the 3rd conference Armenia-Diaspora, on September 18-19,
2006. In their turn, the businessmen expressed their willingness
for participating in the discussions and implementation of specific
programs.
Minister Oskanyan made a report “Cooperation and Security in the South
Caucasus” at the Moscow-based Carnegy Center. The audience included
representatives of Russia’s governmental and political circles,
research institutes and higher schools, diplomatic missions in Moscow,
Russian and foreign mass media.
The RA Foreign Minister also held a meeting with students of Moscow
State Institute of International Relations. On April 7 morning
Minister Oskanyan held a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov.

NATO FOR THE PEACEFUL RESOLUTION OF THE NK CONFLICT- ROBERT SIMONS
Author: S. Agayeva
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 10 2006
NATO supports the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
the NATO general secretary `s representative on South Caucasus and
Central Asia, Robert Simons told journalists in Baku on April 10,
Trend reports.
Simons has met a number of officials within the frames of his visit
to Azerbaijan and discussed the further perspectives of cooperation
between NATO and Azerbaijan.
During his meeting with the Defense minister, Safar Abiyev Simons has
discussed problems of reforming the Azerbaijan army. He confirmed
that the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is one of the vital questions to
be discussed during his visit.
Simons confirmed that NATO supports only peaceful resolution of
the conflict.

FIRST VICE-SPEAKER MEETS NATO REP ON SOUTH CAUCASUS AND CENTRAL ASIA
Author: J. Shahverdiyev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 10 2006
The first vice-speaker of Milli Mejlis, head of the Azerbaijani
parliamentary assembly in NATO, Ziyafet Askerov met with the
representative of the NATO general secretary on South Caucasus and
Central Asia, Robert Simons, the parliament press-release told Trend.
Askerov told that after signing the Partnership for peace program
in 1994 relations between Azerbaijan and NATO are developing
dynamically. Azerbaijan is interested in cooperation with the
alliance. It actively participates in the anti-terrorism struggle
and its soldiers participate in the peacekeeping missions in Kosovo,
Iraq and Afghanistan.
He also mentioned the Armenian- Azerbaijani conflict. Stressing that
the aggressive policy of Armenia is dangerous not only for Azerbaijan
but for the region in general.
Simons in his turn expressed his interest in developing relations
with Azerbaijan and noted that NATO is watching over the democratic
progress in the country.

SISTEMA TELECOM EYEING CIS ACQUISITIONS
RosBusinessConsulting, Russia
April 10 2006
RBC, 10.04.2006, Yerevan 15:53:15.Sistema Telecom (a Sistema
Corporation subsidiary) is interested in buying telecom assets in
the CIS, including Armenia’s ArmenTel, ARMINFO quoted Sistema’s PR
Director Anna Boyko as saying when asked about Sistema’s prospective
purchase of a 90-percent stake in the Armenian operator from Greece’s
OTE. At the same time she stressed it was still premature to talk of
any specific plans regarding ArmenTel.
OTE management recently issued an official statement about their
intention to sell the stake in the Armenian telecom. Analysts assess
the deal to be worth at least $350m.

CHANGE OF CURRENT FORMAT OF MEDIATORIAL MISSION ON SETTLEMENT OF NK CONFLICT IS INEXPEDIENT – RENE VAN DER LINDEN
Author: R.Abdullayev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 10 2006
“Both Azerbaijan and Armenia are members of the Council of Europe (ÑÅ)
and we are interested in advancement of the negotiations on settlement
of the Nagonorno-Katrabakh conflict between the countries,” Rene Van
der Linden, the President of PACE, stated at a news conference on
opening of the PACE spring session on Monday, the correspondent of
Trend in Strasbourg reports.
Linden noted there was no progress during the last meeting of the
Azerbaijani-Armenian presidents (Rambue, France -‘Trend’ ).
“Nevertheless, in our opinion the sides must come to the peaceful
solution of the problem in the final,” he stressed.
Besides, Linden said it was wrong to change the current format of the
mediatorial mission. “We will wait for completion of the negotiations
through the mediation of the OSCE Minsk Group,” he underlined. The
President of PACE said that replace of the mediatorial format of the
OSCE Minsk Group to the CE format was inexpedient.
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