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| 20:52:40 | 16-09-2005 | Official |
BLOCKADE HINDERS ARMENIA
Today in New York during the high-level meetings in the UN Assembly General
60th session the RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan addressed the
Assembly.
He mentioned in his speech that one of the guarantees for stability and
security in the region is the peaceful settlement of regional conflicts, and
Armenia continues his attempts to find ways of peaceful settlement.
He said that the people of Nagorno Karabakh have made use of their right of
self-determination just like many other countries present and expressed
confidence that the peaceful co-existence of the countries in the region is
possible only in case of mutual respect, atmosphere of tolerance and will to
accept historical truth.
He also said that in the Southern Caucasus region special attention is paid
to the cooperation on the regional level, but unfortunately the blockade of
Armenia, as well as the absence of the wish to cooperate on the side of
several countries in the region hinder this.

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| 19:32:38 | 16-09-2005 | Politics |
HISTORICAL CHANCE FOR KARABAKH
`The EU defends the steps towards the development of the negotiation process
about the settlement of the Karabakh conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan’, announced the EU special representative to Southern Caucasus
Heikki Talvitie in Baku.
He mentioned that the settlement of the conflict is possible only by the
efforts of the parties underlining that `No one from abroad can solve the
problem’.
According to eh EU special representative, the Kazan meeting of Ilham Aliev
and Robert Kocharyan `gives us the possibility to mark that there is
historical chance for the Nagorno Karabakh conflict to be settled and it
must be made use of’.

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18:58:41 | 16-09-2005 | Politics |
FROM THE RETURN OF DEPOSITS TO FUNERALS
«The deposits must be returned with dignity», said Galoust Sahakyan
justifying the present idleness of the Government. And Viktor Dallakyan
considers it natural that the NA session did not start with the discussion
of the draft about the return of the deposits, but finished it with that of
the Law on «Funerals».
Member of the fraction «Democratic Deputy» Rafik Petrosyan speaking about
the draft on «Funerals» mentioned that the Church is not against crematoria
and that the process is optional. «By the wish of the relatives of the
dead», he commented.
And the Secretary of the Justice Bloc Viktor Dallakyan made an interesting
observation. Reading the Governmental conclusion about a draft presented by
the Orinats Yerkir and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation invited
attention on the fact that the draft presented by the majority is rejected
by the Government formed by the majority reasoning that the budget cannot
allot money for that purpose. «That is, they do not know what they want and
what they are doing», said the deputy.

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| 18:40:26 | 16-09-2005 | Politics |
PARLIAMENTARY BRIEFINGS ABOUT THE CONSTITUTION
The opposition is against the Constitutional reforms as the authorizations
of the President are reduced, and those who tend to the President’s chair
cannot resist the temptation of high authorizations.
«The authorities were able to resist to the temptation», said Galoust
Sahakyan during the Parliamentary briefings today. Asked the question if the
authorities were not able to resist to the temptation in 2003 when they did
not manage to preach the Constitutional reforms and to adopt them, Galoust
Sahakyan reminded that the referendum coincided with the Elections.
Member of the Orinats Yerkir party Mher Shahgeldyan announced that they find
the democratization of the country extremely important and everything mist
be done for that purpose, in this case a more democratic Constitution must
be adopted.
Leader of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Levon Lazarian finds that
the opposition must be able to give ground for their «No» and the
authorities for their «Yes».
Leader of the National Unity Artashes Geghamyan reminded the Constitution of
Turkey at the end of the 19th century written by Abdul Hamid which was
considered the best in Europe. Nevertheless, it was under that very
Constitution that 300 thousand Armenians were killed. The same can be said
under Stalin’s Constitution. «So, what is written on the paper is of no
importance, as under these authorities we cannot expect anything good».
And is it possible that the organization of the Constitutional Referendum be
postponed? Artashes Geghamyan said that everyone understands that today, in
an atmosphere of non-confidence of the authorities organizing a
Constitutional Referendum will mean to fail it. «It means that even they
understand that the authorities have exhausted themselves».
Viktor Dallakyan announced, «It is not that people aren’t ready for the
referendum, they themselves are not ready for democratic, free and fair
voting».

EU SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE ON SOUTH CAUCASUS APPRECIATES MEETINGS OF
ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS IN KAZAN
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16. ARMINFO. European Union Special Representative
for the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie appreciated the meeting of
Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, Robert Kocharyan and Ilham
Aliyev, in Kazan.
Speaking at a press conference in Baku, Thursday, Heikki Talvitie
thinks the conflicting parties should use this chance. European Union
attaches a great importance to the forthcoming elections in
Azerbaijan, Talvitie said promising to visit that country before and
after the elections. He welcomed the opposition-government dialogue
mediated by the OSCE. At the same time, he thinks the great interest
in the forthcoming elections must not neglect the Karabakh conflict.

Pan Armenian News
MINISTERS OF CULTURE OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN STATES SIT IN KYEV
16.09.2005 04:18
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The 5-th colloquium of the Ministers of Culture of the
South Caucasian states started today in Kyev within the framework of STAGE
project targeted at cultural exchange between Armenia, Azerbaijan and
Georgia and support of democratic processes. When delivering a speech at the
opening ceremony Maud de Boer Buquicchio, Deputy Secretary General of the
Council of Europe stated that the implementation of the project will
strengthen the cultural dialogue contributing to tolerance, mutual
understanding and stability in the South Caucasus. Upon completion of the
colloquium on September 18 a declaration will be adopted, IA Regnum
reported.

AZG Armenian Daily #167, 17/09/2005
Armenian Genocide
TURKEY VERY CAREFUL IN REPULSING WASHINGTON’S DECISION
The two resolutions on Armenian Genocide commemoration and acknowledgment of
the Ottoman Turkey’s role in it passed by the US International Relations
Committee of the House of Representatives last night presumed that Turkey
would fight back fiercely. The Turkish Zaman daily newspaper conditioned
endorsement of the two resolutions with “Turkey’s refusal of the March 1
motion to allow US troops to open a northern front before the Iraqi war”.
In the article titled “US House Takes Revenge of March 1 Motion by the
Armenian Draft”, Zaman quoted the International Relations Committee’s senior
co-chair Tom Lantos as saying that more US soldiers were lost in Iraq today
because the March 1 motion was not approved in the Turkish Parliament”.
According to another paper, Milliyet, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff who
submitted the draft “Commemoration Decision of the Armenian Genocide between
1915 and 1923” also spoke of the March 1 decision of the Turkish Parliament.
He spoke not to argue the resolutions on the Genocide but to reply to the
message sent to Chair House Judiciary Committee, Henry Hyde, saying that the
resolutions may damage Turkish-US relations. Milliyet writes that Schiff
underscored Turkey’s importance for the US and said: “The March 1 decision
of the Turkish Parliament did not result in spoiled Turkish-American
relations. Therefore the resolutions should not harm these relations”.
Hyde came to add to Schiff’s words saying: “I don’t believe that endorsement
of the resolutions will harm relations between the two states. Yet, denial
of the fact of genocide cannot be justified. In the meantime I want to point
out that Turkey is not responsible for that crime”.
The paper writes that the committee members occasionally mentioned of
Germany’s responsibility for the Holocaust and warned Turkey that filling
lawsuits against Turks who recognize Armenian Genocide (as in case of Orhan
Pamuk) will result in nothing good.
The absence of resistance in Turkey towards the resolutions of the House
International Relations Committee is a sign of watchfulness but not a sign
of impotence. Simply Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan is still on his
American visit and will return today, Sept. 17. It’s out of doubt that
Erdogan takes appropriate steps in this direction, and opposition will
follow once he is back in Ankara.
By Hakob Chakrian
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #167, 17/09/2005
Meeting
MARGARIAN-AHMADINEJAD MEETING IN NEW YORK
On the sidelines of 60th Session of the UN General Assembly Armenian Prime
Minister met yesterday President of Iran. According to sources close to the
RA government, PM Andranik Margarian told the Iranian President that Iran’s
balanced policy played a significant role in maintaining stability in the
South Caucasus and expressed hope that Tehran will continue this policy.
President Ahmud Ahmadinejad stated that Iran’s policy is to deepen
Armenian-Iranian relations. The sides emphasized the importance of
implementation of mutual economic projects.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZG Armenian Daily #167, 17/09/2005
Karabakh issue
MAMEDIAROV: WE ARE CLOSE TO A BREAKTHROUGH
In an interview to Associated Press in New York the Azerbaijani foreign
minister stated that in order to get Nagorno Karabakh conflict settled the
president of Armenia and Azerbaijan “must act as state figures but not as
politicians who go after national interests”. According to Mediamax agency,
minister Elmar Mamediarov said that the Kazan meeting prepared ground for
the negotiation process. “I would like to say that we are close to a
breakthrough but problems still persist”, he said.
On his part, Heikki Talvitie, EU Special Representative for the South
Caucasus, declared in Baku that “the Kazan meeting between Aliyev and
Kocharian allows to state that historic opportunity to resolve the Karabakh
conflict was created and it should be grasped”.

AZG Armenian Daily #167, 17/09/2005
Russia
ANTI-KARABAKHI STATEMENTS OF MOSCOW CAUSE ANTI-RUSSIAN ATTITUDE IN ARMENIA
AND KARABAKH
Pyotr Burdikin, temporary representative of Russia in Azerbaijan, advised
mass media of Baku not to pay serious attention to the conference held in
Moscow. He said that the delegations of internationally unacknowledged
states participated in the conference.
“Parallel CIS. Abkhazia, Transdniestria, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh
as Post Soviet Reality” conference was held in Moscow, on September 13-16.
It was organized by the state universities of the unrecognized republics and
Konstatin Zatulin, chairman of CIS Affairs Committee at RF State Duma,
Chairman of CIS Affairs Institute.
The Russian diplomat stated in Baku that the conference aimed at informing
the Russian political figures about the current situation in the
unacknowledged territories. “The attention paid to the conference in
Azerbaijan contributes to the PR of the arrangement. The conference has
nothing common with the unacknowledged republics,” Pyotr Burdikin said.
Various Russian officials have been making complex and offensive statements
about Karabakh and Armenia. Very often Yerevan paid no attention to them,
probably, taking into account the size of our country and other factors.
Recently, anti-Armenian statements became frequent in the Kremlin circles.
Few months ago, RF Foreign Ministry condemned the parliamentary elections in
Nagorno Karabakh that were much more independent and fair than the Russian
presidential elections.
The abovementioned anti-Armenian statements create anti-Russian attitude in
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh and make harm to the Russian-Armenian
relations. As a result, one may suppose that pro-American and Euro-Atlantic
influence will grow both in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. Unlikely our
strategic partner Russia, who merely “kills” Armenia for $1 million of debt,
the US renders more and more aid both to Armenia and NKR.
Russia managed to purchase a number of Armenian companies of strategic
importance against the debt amounting to $100 million. Yet, Moscow annulled
$ 4 billion of debt of Syria, which is no strategic partner for Russia.
Yerevan and Stepanakert should respond to the unfriendly actions of Moscow.
Certainly, we don’t mean diplomatic war. For example, Stepanakert refuse
participating in the conference organized by Zatulin, and in many others to
come.
Kremlin keeps stating that they recognize the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan, doesn’t accept NKR de facto leadership, but can’t help
supporting Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdniestria and obviously
interfering with the local elections and inner political processes.
The international community stated in many revues that NKR and Nagorno
Karabakh conflict greatly differ from the three others in the post Soviet
area. That’s why, taking into account this very factor, Stepanakert should
avoid participating in arrangements dedicated to these three unrecognized
republics. The international press has very frequently stated that
“secessionist regimes” rule Sukhumi, Tskhinvali and Tiraspole.
We should keep away from Abkhazia and Ossetia, especially for the sake of
Armenian-Georgian relations. Although Georgia isn’t considered our strategic
partner but taking into account the current situation, as well as
geographical position of our country, Tbilisi is of no less importance than
Moscow for us.
It’s worth mentioning that Stepanakert policy of keeping aside from Abkhazia
and South Ossetia is appreciated in Tbilisi. Georgia made no comments on the
latest elections of local self-governing bodies, as well as the
parliamentary elections in Nagorno Karabakh.
By Tatoul Hakobian