IMPLEMENTATION OF MILLENNIUM CHALLENGES CORPORATION’S PROGRAM IN ARMENIA TO CONTRIBUTE TO REGIONS’ DEVELOPMENT
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
April 13 2006
Yerevan, April 13. /ARKA/. The implementation of the Millennium
Challenges Corporation’s program in Armenia will essentially
contribute to the development of the country’s regions and rural
poverty reduction, Speaker of the RA Parliament Artur Baghdasaryan
stated at his meeting with a US delegation, which includes Chairman
of the Foreign Allocations Subcommittee, Chamber of Representatives,
US Congress, Jim Colby and Head of the “Millennium Challenges”
corporation John Danilovich.
During the meeting, Speaker Baghdasaryan pointed out the importance
of the program in the following directions: regional development and
bridging the development gap between the capital and the regions,
democratic development and introduction of public control mechanisms.
Speaker Baghdasaryan expressed gratitude to the US Government for its
consistent assistance in the country’s democratization. “Armenia’s
economic and democratic development must be simultaneous,” Baghdasaryan
said.
The sides pointed out the importance of the program for Armenia’s
democratic development on the threshold of the 2007-2008 elections.
In their turn, Danilovich and Colby addressed democratic reforms
and economic development of Armenia. They pointed out the existence
of political will for the development of the reforms, ensuring of
political freedoms, rule of law and transparency in the implementation
of the program. They also pointed out the necessity of holding
elections in conformity with the international standards.
Danilovich re-affirmed the determination of the US Government and of
the Millennium Challenges Corporation to be guided by the fundamental
principles of Armenia’s involvement in the program.
The agreement on the allocation of $235.5mln to Armenia under the
Millennium Challenges Corporation program was signed in Washington,
USA, on March 27, 2006. The document was signed by RA Minister of
Finance and Economy Vardan Khachatryan and Head of the Millennium
Challenges Corporation John Danilovich.

CYPRUS-ARMENIA TO BOOST COOPERATION IN BANKING
Reporter, Greece
April 13 2006
15:34 – 13 April 2006 – The central banks of Cyprus and Armenia signed
Thursday a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to boost cooperation in
banking sector. The deal was co-signed by Christodoulos Christodoulou
and Tigran Sargsyan, governors of the Cypriot and Armenian banks.
An official statement said the document defines a general framework
of mutual cooperation and exchange of information between the
two supervisory authorities over supervision of cross- border
establishments and credit institutions.
In the field of banking supervision, the Central Bank of Cyprus has
signed MOU with more than 10 countries’ central banks, which have or
may have presence in Cyprus.
Moreover, negotiations are ongoing with another 10 overseas banking
supervisory authorities on the signing of similar documents, the
statement added.

MEDIATORS PRESS FOR ANOTHER ARMENIAN-AZERI SUMMIT ON KARABAKH
By Armen Dulian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
April 13 2006
The OSCE Minsk Group is trying to arrange another meeting of the
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in a last-ditch attempt to resolve
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict this year, its French co-chair Bernard
Fassier said on Thursday.
“It will be good if that meeting takes place in June or, if that is
not possible, in July,” he told a news conference after holding talks
with Armenian leaders in Yerevan.
Fassier, who held similar talks in Baku earlier this week, said
Presidents Robert Kocharian and Ilham Aliev would most likely meet
on the sidelines of a high-level international forum. The French,
Russian and U.S. mediators are already looking for opportunities to
again bring the two leaders face to face.
The most recent Armenian-Azerbaijani summit, held at the French chateau
of Rambouillet on February 10-11, failed to live up to unusually
high expectations fuelled by the mediators’ upbeat statements. Many
had hoped that Aliev and Kocharian will reach a framework agreement
on Karabakh.
According to Fassier, the Minsk Group co-chairs still hope to build on
major progress in Armenian-Azerbaijani peace talks that was apparently
made last year. He pointed to the ongoing flurry of diplomatic activity
involving the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers as well as
the envoys representing Moscow, Paris and Washington.
Fassier’s U.S. colleague, Steven Mann, is due in Baku and Yerevan
later this month. The co-chairs plan to meet in Moscow early next
month to discuss details of the possible fresh talks between Aliev
and Kocharian, the French diplomat said.

MEMBERS OF ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI MISSIONS IN PACE DISPROVE EACH OTHER
Regnum, Russia
April 13 2006
Deputy Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, head of the Armenian
mission to PACE Tigran Torosyan has denied a statement made by member
of the Azeri mission in PACE Ganira Pashayeva. Pashayeva said that
an attempt by Tigran Torosyan to propose Russian MP Vera Oskina
to deliver a report from the group of European Democrats “had been
averted.” According to Pashayeva, the head of the Armenian delegation
offered Oskina to make a report at debate on draft report be Boris
Tsilevich “Refugees and IDP population in Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia.”
Talking to a REGNUM correspondent, Tigran Torosyan called the
information absurd. “It goes about a speech on behalf of the
European Democrats Group. The list also includes Vera Oskina. I
proposed to Robert Walter that Oskina delivered a speech, but as
she was not present at the moment, it was decided that Walter would
make a report,” noted Torosyan. Meanwhile, Pashayeva said that the
Azerbaijani delegation urged that from the European Democrats Group a
representative of a more neutral state would speak. “Walter is known
for his unbiased position in South Caucasus,” she said.
Besides, Tigran Torosyan denied reports of the Trend news agency that
member of the Azerbaijani parliamentary mission in PACE Aidyn Mirzazade
“presented information on tragic pages of current Azerbaijan’s
history.” In particular, Mirzazade announced that “Armenia under
pretence of protection rights of Armenians living in the Azerbaijani
territory occupied proportion of the republic’s territories, and over
1 million people were expatriated only because of the fact they were
Azerbaijanis.” According to the agency, Mirzazade also pointed out
“numerous monuments of history and culture destroyed by Armenians,
who had no mercy even on the monuments to Azeri famous poets.” “There
was no such statement,” Tigran Torosyan claims.

ARMENIAN RECAPTURED IN GREAT BRITAIN WILL BE DEPORTED TO AZERBAIJAN
Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006
The issue of extradition Armenian citizen Karen Ovannisian from
Great Britain to Azerbaijan is discussed.(APA)
Attempts made by diplomatic channels to prevent it, according to
Hemlet Gasparyan, press secretary head of Foreign Affairs Ministry
Armenia, it did not give any result. “We tried in case of deportation
Ovannisian to be deported to Armenia, not to Azerbaijan. This matter
has not been solved yet.” It should be noted that government bodies of
Great Britain have made decision on deportation of Karen Ovannisian,
aged 16, who was born in Nagorno Garabagh region of Azerbaijan,
which is under occupation by Armenians at present.
Ovannisian could not confirm his right for law obtaining refuge, who
was migrated to London with his parents three years ago. Government
organs have presented an award to Ovannisian on his being deported
to Azerbaijan – a country where he was born, and he has been getting
allowance from the government since 2003. According to the award,
Karen Ovannisian will be deported through London- Moscow air line to
Russia and from there to Azerbaijan, Baku.

SOCIAL PROGRAM PLANNED AFTER BASE PULLOUT FROM AKHALKALAKI
Civil Georgia, Georgia
April 13 2006
Georgian Parliamentary Chair Nino Burjanadze said on April 13
that the authorities have a plan to employ the local population
of the predominately Armenian-populated town of Akhalkalaki, in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, which will be implemented simultaneously with
the withdrawal of Russian military base from there.
“The authorities have a precise plan about what to do to employ
the local residents currently working at the military base [in
Akhalkalaki]… The government is discussing concrete proposals,
according to which food processing enterprises will be opened in
Akhalkalaki that will create new jobs,” Burjanadze said at the April
13 parliamentary session dedicated to discussion on the March 31
Russian-Georgian agreement on the withdrawal of Russian military bases.
According to the agreement, the Akhalkalaki military base should be
pulled out before December 31, 2007.
“Although certain forces tried to use the local population to express
protest against the pullout of bases, the majority of the [Akhalkalaki]
population met Georgia’s national interests with understanding,”
Burjanadze said on April 13.

ROMANIAN FM: “I HOPE NK CONFLICT WILL BE RESOLVED IN 2006”
Today, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006
“I hope following few meetings between ministers of exterior of
Azerbaijan and Armenia within the framework of Prague process and
negotiations held in Warsaw and Kazan in 2005, as well as in Rambouait,
Nagorno Karabakh conflict will be resolved,” Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu,
Romanian FM and Chairman of Ministers Committee of EC stated on April
12 at Parliamentary Assembly of EC.
The letter was the response to questions raised by members of Azeri
parliament Ganira Pashayeva and Rafael Huseynov, Trend reports.
The letter says the following: “Heads of states shared their opinions
regarding unresolved conflicts at the third meeting in Warsaw.
Ministers Committee of EC has come to decision to pay special attention
to Nagorno Karabakh conflict. This position remains unchanged since
Azerbaijan and Armenia have joined EC.”
“Representatives of public pf the both countries, including members
of parliament, have their responsibilities in this respect. Use of
language of threats is not a path to a positive solution,” Romanian
Minister writes.
He opines that neither EC nor Ministers Committee is authorized to
interfere the negotiations on the conflict resolution, as this is
responsibility of OSCE’s Minsk Group. However, EC may provide some
assistance in development of cooperation between the two countries,
in particular, resolution 1690 approved by Ministers Committee in
September 2005, which states a number of such initiatives.
URL:

UNGURJANU: I HOPE NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL BE RESOLVED IN 2006
Author: R.Abdullayev
TREND Information, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006
“I hope following a few meetings between ministers of exterior of
Azerbaijan and Armenia within the framework of Prague process and
negotiations held in Warsaw and Kazan in 2005, as well as in Rambouait,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be resolved”, – Trendreports quoting the
written answer of Mihai-Razvan Ungurjanu, Romanian minister of exterior
and chairman of Ministers Committee of EC, delivered to members of
Azerbaijan delegation on April 12 at Parliamentary Assembly of EC.
The letter was the response to questions raised by members of Azeri
parliament Ganira Pashayeva and Rafael Huseynov.
The letter says the following: “Heads of states shared their opinions
regarding unresolved conflicts at the third meeting in Warsaw.
Ministers Committee of EC has come to decision to pay special attention
to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This position remains unchanged since
Azerbaijan and Armenia have joined EC”.
“Representatives of public pf the both countries, including members
of parliament, have their responsibilities in this respect. Use of
language of threats is not a path to a positive solution”,- Romanian
minister writes.
He opines that neither EC nor Ministers Committee is authorized to
interfere the negotiations on the conflict resolution, as this is
responsibility of OSCE’s Minsk Group. However, EC may provide some
assistance in development of cooperation between the two countries,
in particular, resolution 1690 approved by Ministers Committee in
September 2005, which states a number of such initiatives.

MINISTER SLAMS ARMENIA OVER ENVIRONMENT POLLUTION
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006
The Azeri Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyn Baghirov
said on Friday that Armenia’s actions hurting the environment in the
occupied Azeri land once again prove the true gist of its hostile
policy against Azerbaijan.
This includes felling of trees and pollution of water basins and rivers
going through the occupied territories. The ongoing preparation of
documents in several languages concerning the issue will be completed
soon. The data will be made public both in and outside the country,
the minister told a news conference Friday. The trees are felled in
the preserve located in the Zangilan district as well as in other
Armenia-occupied territories, for their further exports to Italy,
France, Greece and Iran.
The timber is used for various purposes, including furniture production
and shipbuilding. A prompt response center is operating under the Azeri
ecology ministry to track down the dire impact on the environment and
natural resources in the occupied areas. It has prepared two reports
and a plan of action to address the problem. The center has plenty
of materials at its disposal proving Armenia’s destructive influence
on these territories.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATO OFFICIAL, AZERI LEADERS MULL US-IRAN TENSION
AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
April 13 2006
The US-Iran tension, the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno) Garabagh
conflict and cooperation prospects are in focus of the ongoing visit
by a NATO official to Baku.
The representative of NATO Secretary General to South Caucasus
and Central Asia, Robert Simmons, said the alliance and Azerbaijan
are successfully collaborating. The first stage of the Individual
Partnership Plan is drawing to a close and implementation of the next
stage has been discussed with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov,
he said.
Simmons said NATO backs a peaceful settlement to the Garabagh dispute
and sees mutual efforts by the conflicting sides as pivotal to reach
peace. During the visit, the NATO official will also monitor the
country’s progress in fulfilling its commitments on the Partnership
Plan.