Pan Armenian News
ZATULIN: BORDERS ONCE DRAWN BY SOMEONE NOT ETERNAL
15.09.2005 04:28
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday Simultaneous CUS: Abkhazia, Transdniestria,
South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh as post-soviet space realities conference
opened in Moscow. As stated by CIS Institute Director, Russian State Duma
Deputy, member of State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs and Relations with
Compatriots Constantine Zatulin, who is one of organizers of the event, the
conference was being arranged for some half a year. Its main goal was to
acquaint wide public with the life in unrecognized states. `We want to hear
opinions of political scientists, experts, public figures of those states,’
he stated. `By the way, on the eve of the conference it seems to me that
Georgia and Azerbaijan started panic over the conference held, following
someone’s example. In my opinion, Georgia got totally afraid that we are
going to form a simultaneous CUS. In the reality `simultaneous CUS’, which
underlies the conference title, only reflects our notion of the happening,
i.e. simultaneous Commonwealth of Unrecognized States, CUS in short [the
acronym CUS in Russian is the same as CIS – Commonwealth of Independent
States – translator’s note]. No one was going to recognize the commonwealth
as a formal structure in the course of the conference. There is no
commonwealth of the kind, however it is available due to the fact of these
formations being thrown away from the legal political life and legitimate
international relations. As of the signing of any documents, nothing of the
kind will take place and it was not provided for initially,’ Zatulin added.
`The Soviet Union has collapsed and then why we should believe that borders
once drawn by someone, e.g. providing for presence of Nagorno Karabakh in
Azerbaijan or Abkhazia as part of Georgia, are something eternal, not
subject to any correction due to the events taking place?.. Besides, we do
not make any political decisions at the conference. Even if we did, I think
that impartial consideration of the issue, an attempt to present an
alternative viewpoint is very important. As of the nervous response of
Azerbaijan to the fact of organization of the conference, I regret the
reaction was that of the kind,’ the Russian MP stated, reported the Echo
Baku newspaper.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Agence France Presse — English
September 14, 2005 Wednesday 12:36 PM GMT
New opposition arrest in alleged Azerbaijani anti-government plot
BAKU
Azerbaijani authorities Wednesday detained a third leader of an
opposition youth group allegedly involved in anti-government
activities, raising tensions in the run-up to parliamentary polls, an
opposition spokesman said.
Ramin Tagiyev, a leader of the Yeni Fikir (New Idea) youth protest
movement, was arrested Wednesday, just two days after the arrest and
subsequent hospitalization of Yeni Fikir’s Said Nuri.
“I think they’re trying to take out the whole executive committee of
the organization,” said Murad Gasanly, a spokesman for the Azadlyq
opposition block with which Yeni Fikir is affiliated.
Prosecutors were not available for comment Wednesday afternoon.
This week’s arrests followed the August detention of the group’s
leader, Ruslan Bashirli, who was implicated in an alleged plot to
overthrow the government in a Ukraine-style popular uprising at
parliamentary elections in November.
The Azeri authorities have claimed that Yeni Fikir took its
instructions from a prominent US democracy pressure group — the
National Democratic Institute — and has been funded by Azerbaijan’s
arch-rival Armenia.
Nuri, another of the group’s leaders, was hospitalized on Tuesday
with what appeared to be liver problems. His condition was still
unclear on Wednesday.
The arrests were also condemned by Ali Kerimli, leader of the
National Front, one of the main parties in the Azadlyq opposition
bloc.
“I strongly condemn these arrests. … The authorities fear that if
the group is not destroyed before the elections it could mobilize the
youth to become politically active,” Kerimli said.
Yeni Fikir participated in a demonstration by some 20,000
anti-government protestors in the capital Baku on Saturday to mark
the official start of election campaigning.
The last national vote in the mostly Muslim republic, the 2003
presidential elections in which Ilham Aliyev took over as president
from his father Heydar Aliyev, ended in two days of rioting and
hundreds of arrests.

AZG Armenian Daily #165, 15/09/2005
Russia
SCENARIO OF RESCUING ARMENIAN PILOTS HELPS TO RESCUE RUSSIAN SAILORS
“The Russian foreign minister applied to me with a letter a month ago and a
half ago, asking to help in the case of the Russian sailors imprisoned in
Nigeria, using my international ties,” Ara Abrahamian, chairman of the World
Congress of Armenians, sated in the interview to Azg.
As you know, the Nigerian authorities arrested and imprisoned the crew of
the African “Pride” ship, accusing them of oil smuggling. 15 members of the
crew are Russian citizens. The inquiry opened against them lasts for two
years already.
Ara Abrahamian, Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO, said that the process he
participated in lasted three months. They created a separate group that
worked in three main directions. At first, they spared no efforts to secure
good living conditions for the sailors, to improve their health and safety
in the Nigerian prison. Soon, the sailors were transferred to a separate
place, where there was a drug store. Ara Abrahamian’s working group also
established relations with the leadership of the prison.
Besides, some of the families of the sailors were rendered financial aid.
Secondly, the working group directed their efforts to achieve positive
results in the court procedure. Ara Abrahamian said that the lawyers hired
for the Russian sailors didn’t defend them properly, so they decided to
change them and hire a new lawyer. He said they hired a local Nigerian
lawyer who proved to be a good one.
At present, the sailors are staying at the Russian Embassy to Nigeria. Ara
Abrahamian’s assistant is staying with them.
Thirdly, Ara Abrahamian’s working group began cooperation negotiations with
the Nigerian authorities. Ara Abrahamian and Nigerian President achieved
certain agreements on cooperation.
In general, the strategy was the same that was elaborated and applied when
rescuing the 6 Armenia pilots from the Equatorial Guinea. Ara Abrahamian
said that the current stage of the works was implemented with the direct
cooperation of Sergey Lavrov, Russian foreign minister.
“I believe that the sailors will return to their motherland till December,
“Ara Abrahamian assured.
The Russian press highly evaluated the efforts of Ara Abrahamian in rescuing
the Russian Sailors.
Having witnessed the results of Ara Abrahamian’s successful negotiations in
the case of the six Armenian pilots, we hope that soon the Russian sailors
will return to their families.
By Aghavni Harutyunian

QUALITY OF ARMENTEL’S CELLULAR COMMUNICATION SERVICE TO BE IMPROVED ON
SEPT 15
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14. ARMINFO. Due to modernized equipment of
ArmenTel company, the quality of mobile communication will be improved
starting from September 15, Minister of Transport and Communication of
Armenia Andranik Margaryan said at the Parliament.
He said the quality of mobile communication in Armenia does not meet
any standards. The quality of ArmenTel’s cellular services have
worsened after the second mobile communication operator Viva Cell
entered the cellular market. In this connection, the minister noted
that ArmenTel was fined for $350,000 for low quality cellular
communication. Besides, ArmenTel applied to the Ministry for doubling
the tariff of fixed local calls. The Ministry is to consider the
application and response to it within 45 days. If the Minister
reject’s the application, ArmenTel has a right to prolong its monopoly
license till 2012 (instead of the present 2010).

Pan Armenian News
KARABAKH CONFLICT HAS NEGATIVE IMPACT ON ARMENIA-RUSSIA TRADE RELATIONS
15.09.2005 04:57
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within the framework of Armenia EXPO 2005 forum the
official opening of Armenian-Russian Cooperation 2005 business meeting took
place September 15. As President of the Union of Industrialists,
Entrepreneurs (Employers) of Armenia Arsen Ghazaryan stated in the course of
the opening ceremony, the business forum will be composed of 2 parts:
official opening and 2 round tables. In his words, in the course of the
forum issues referring to restoration of previous contacts between Armenia
and Russia will be discussed. As A. Ghazaryan noted, the Armenian-Russian
economic cooperation experiences some cooling at present due to blockade of
the Armenian borders and frequently passive behavior of entrepreneurs
themselves. However, the Armenian export to Russia has increased and the
total commodity turnover between the two countries increased 20-25% past
year, he noted. In his words the indicators will be maintained in 2005 and
2006 and increased if possible. In his words head of the Armenian MFA
Department of CIS Countries Vardan Hakobyan said that the MFA will make
every effort to provide for normal functioning of business relations between
the two countries. In the opinion of many Russian regional representatives,
absence of direct communications and the Nagorno Karabakh conflict have a
negative impact on the Armenian-Russian trade relations. As First Secretary
of the Russian Embassy in Armenia Andrey Mokrousov stated, the Embassy makes
every effort to develop cooperation of Russian and Armenian regions, and the
holding of events like the Cooperation 2005 business meeting contributes to
it. It the course of her speech Deputy Chairman of the Committee on
Enterprise Promotion of Moscow District Lyudmila Molchanova indicated
disturbance of economic ties between Moscow and Armenia, conditioned by the
NK conflict not settled state, non-functioning of the Abkhazian part of the
railway and the transport blockade of Armenia among other causes. In her
words a Moscow governmental delegation will arrive in Armenia soon. It
should be noted that individual business meetings will be held within
Cooperation 2005 and business contracts will be signed resulting from these.

Pan Armenian News
GOOD COOPERATION PROSPECT OBSERVED IN RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN RELATIONS
15.09.2005 02:44
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Saint Petersburg Governor Valentina Matvienko visited
Russian-Armenian (Slavonic) State University in Yerevan September 14. It
should be noted that Matvienko had arrived in Yerevan yesterday to take part
in events marking the St. Petersburg Days within the Year of Russia in
Armenia. After Ms. Matvienko’s meeting with students and professors of the
University, RAU rector Armen Darbinyan handed her Grigor Narekatsi’s Book of
Mournful Motets, specially produced to mark the 1000th anniversary of the
edition. University students had prepared a cultural program in honor of the
Saint Petersburg Governor. Addressing those present V. Matvienko pointed out
the role of President Kocharian in securing high rate of economic growth. `A
good prospect for cooperation is observed in the Russian-Armenian relations,
specifically in banking and industry. The commodity turnover between St.
Petersburg and Yerevan has increased 15% thus making $9 million,’ she
stated. In her words there are over 100 enterprises with Russian capital in
Armenia. At the same time businessmen making part of the delegation hold
negotiations with their Armenian colleagues over development of cooperation
and forming of joint ventures, the Saint Petersburg Governor said. It should
be noted that during the years of V. Matvienko’s tenure St. Petersburg
budget increased from $2.5 billion to $5 billion, reported IA Regnum.

Pan Armenian News
CSTO TO COOPERATE WITH NATO
15.09.2005 05:58
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Defense Minister Sergey Ivanov stated September 14
that according to an arrangement first contacts between the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which comprises Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, and the NATO will take place.
In the course of an unofficial meeting in Berlin the Russian MOD head had
with his counterparts representing NATO member states S. Ivanov noted that
before the end of the year a meeting of CSTO top officials with their NATO
colleagues will be held in Brussels. `Someone might dislike the CSTO or an
individual member state of the Treaty, however any action against drug
trafficking from Afghanistan is impossible without CSTO member states,’ S.
Ivanov stated, adding that Russia has presented a number of proposals,
including closer cooperation between the NATO and CSTO member states,
reported Interfax.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN AMBASSADOR TO USA: ECONOMIC FREEDOM IN ARMENIA
HIGHEST IN LIST OF TRANSITIONAL STATES
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14. ARMINFO. Armenian Ambassador to the USA Tatul
Margaryan met with Head of the Overseas Private Investment
Corporation, an independent US Government agency, Ross Connelly,
Tuesday. The press-service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told
ARMINFO, during the meeting, the Ambassador stated that due to the
reforms by the Armenian Government, the country is in the lead of the
group of the transitional states as to economic freedom. The economic
field of Armenia is favorable for foreign investments, the Ambassador
said.
In his turn, Ross Connelly expressed readiness on behalf of OPIC to
stimulate investments of American businessmen in the economy of
Armenia, as well as the cooperation to upgrade the awareness of
American businessmen of the programs OPIC implements in Armenia. The
largest of the programs is financing of the Marriott-Armenia repairs.
According to the economic freedom rating prepared by the US Heritage
Fund, Armenia ranks the first in the CIS, and in the 44th place among
155 countries in the world.

PROPOSALS OF INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP (ICG) CONTAIN
ELEMENTS UNACCEPTABLE FOR KARABAKH: NKR FOREIGN MINISTER
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 14. ARMINFO. The proposals of the International
Crisis Group (ICG) contain elements unacceptable for Karabakh, NKR
Foreign Minister Arman Melikyan said at the NKR Parliament, Tuesday.
ITG proposes withdrawal of Armenia’s troops from the territories
under its control, security of the return of refugees, and
determination of Nagorny Karabakh’s status in 10-15 years etc..
In particular, the conflict is presented as confrontation of Armenia
and Azerbaijan. However, the minister thinks there are some positive
moments in the document. Thus, ICG displays understanding to the
sovereignty of Nagorny Karabakh and the international recognition of
NKR. Arman Melikyan says the NKR Foreign Ministry will response to
the report shortly.

MEETING WITH A. MELIKIAN

Azat Artsakh Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]
15 Sept 05
X-Sender: Asbed Bedrossian
X-Listprocessor-Version: 8.1 — ListProcessor(tm) by CREN
On September 14 the foreign minister of NKR Arman Melikian met with
the delegation of the International Crisis Group NGO headed by Alain
Deletroz at the permanent representation of NKR in Armenia. Mr.
Deletrose presented the work of the organization, pointing out that
their purpose is to assist to resolution of international disputes and
prevention of wars. ICG prepared a report on the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict entitled `Nagorno Karabakh: Local Conflict Monitoring’.
According to Mr. Deletrose, the purpose of the report is to help the
Armenian and Azerbaijani parties, as well as the mediators to reach an
acceptable resolution through talks. Mr. Melikian pointed to the
importance of involvement of the international community in the
maintenance of lasting peace in the region. He stated that the a
resolution of the conflict may be reached if all the involved parties
are reasonable and practical to recognize that the main conflict sides
are Nagorno Karabakh Republic and the Republic of Azerbaijan; any
attempt to present the conflict as a territorial dispute can be
perceived as an intentional distortion of the reality. At the end of
the talk the head of the ICG delegation extended the report to the
foreign minister of NKR, to be published on September 14. Mr. Melikian
thanked the representatives of ICG, assuring that Stepanakert will get
acquainted with the principles of the report.
AA.
15-09-2005