CONSTITUTIONAL REFERENDUM IN ARMENIA LIKELY TO BE HELD NOVEMBER 20
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 02:49
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The constitutional referendum in Armenia is likely
to be held on November 20, head of the Dashnaktsutyun faction (ARFD)
Levon Mkrtchian stated. In his words, the agreement was achieved
at the meeting of the coalition and Armenian President Robert
Kocharian. During the meeting the parties discussed some technical
details of the upcoming referendum.
According to leader of the Republican Party of Armenia Galust
Sahakian, the draft constitutional amendments were submitted to the
Venice Commission. The meeting participants also noted that possible
failure of the referendum is not considered. “Such things should not
be discussed. We should be resolute.
The matter concerns a Constitution that has no analogue in the CIS,”
Galust Sahakian said. In his words, the reviewed Constitution will
convey a positive impulse to the development of democracy and justice,
reported IA Regnum.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER MET NEWLY APPOINTED IRANIAN ATTACHE IN ARMENIA
Pan Armenian News
13.09.2005 08:59
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Secretary of the National Security Council
at the RA President, Defense Minster Serge Sargsyan received Iranian
Ambassador to RA Alireza Haqiqyan and newly appointed military attache,
Colonel Bijan Hamzeil Hashame. At the beginning of the meeting the
Ambassador conveyed to Serge Sargsyan the greetings of the Iranian
Security Council Secretary and Defense Minister and expressed hope
that the Armenian-Iranian joint programs will be successfully launched.

ARMENIAN LEADER UPBEAT ON WAR GAME WITH RUSSIA
Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
13 Sep 05
[Correspondent] The Armenian president and commander-in-chief,
Robert Kocharyan, has thanked servicemen involved in the joint
Armenian-Russian military exercises in an address he gave after the
war game.
[Kocharyan speaking in Russian with Armenian voice-over] I would like
to thank you for your services to the motherland. Brotherhood between
Armenia and Russia is continuing. This brotherhood is reflected in the
agreement thanks to which the Russian military base exists in Armenia
today and we conduct the joint exercises. The exercises are aimed at
ensuring our countries’ security. I thank all of you for your services.
[Video showed Kocharyan awarding servicemen at the Marshal Bagramyan
training ground]

KARABAKH ISSUE LIKELY TO BE DISCUSSED DURING TALVITIE’S VISIT TO BAKU
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 04:49
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ During his visit to Baku EU Special Representative
to the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie is scheduled to discuss the
forthcoming parliamentary election in Azerbaijan, Azeri Deputy FM
Mahmud Mamedkuliyev reported. “Besides, the Karabakh issue can be
also discussed,” Mamedkuliyev noted. To remind, Mr. Talvitie’s visit
to Baku started on September 12, the 525-th newspaper reported.

THIRD SITTING OF PACE SUBCOMMITTEE ON KARABAKH TO BE HELD DECEMBER 14
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 02:53
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The second sitting of the PACE Subcommittee on
Nagorno Karabakh was held in Paris Yesterday. Member of the Azeri
delegation to PACE and Subcommittee member Asim Mollazade informed
that the Minsk Group Russian and French Co-Chairs, Special Envoys of
the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents for Nagorno Karabakh as well
as EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Heikki Talvitie
addressed the sitting. According to Mollazade, a round table with
the participation of representatives of Russia and the CE will be
held during the PACE Fall Session. The third sitting of the PACE
Subcommittee on Karabakh is scheduled on December 14
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA AMBASSADOR TO UK TO COMBINE OFFICE IN IRELAND
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 04:24
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to the decree signed today by Armenian
President Robert Kocharian, RA Ambassador to the UK Vahe Gabrielian
will combine office in Ireland, RA President’s press center reported.

RA FM MET CE HIGH RANK OFFICIALS
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 03:15
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met in
Strasbourg with PACE Secretary General Bruno Haller, head of the Ago
Monitoring Group, Ambassador Roland Wegener and with the Ago Group in
full composition, RA MFA press center reported. During the meetings
the parties discussed the constitutional reform process and Armenia’s
meeting the commitments undertaken at the entry to the CE. Noting
the importance of the constitutional reform the representatives of
the Council of Europe voiced hope that the Armenian people realize
its significance for the future of the republic. Vartan Oskanian
familiarized the CE officials with the current stage of the Karabakh
conflict settlement. On the same day he met with the Portuguese
Ambassador to the CE.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT, RUSSIAN GOVERNOR DISCUSS TIES
Mediamax news agency
14 Sep 05
Yerevan, 14 September: The deepening of cooperation between the
subjects of the Russian Federation is a good base for the development
of Armenian-Russian interstate relations, Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan said at a meeting with St Petersburg Governor Valentina
Matviyenko today.
Robert Kocharyan and Valentina Matviyenko noted the importance of
more active business contacts and of an exchange of information,
the Armenian presidential press service told Mediamax.
The St Petersburg governor said they did not only want to restore
previous relations with the Armenian capital and outlined new spheres
of cooperation.
Valentina Matviyenko said that the sides could successfully cooperate
in the sphere of culture as St Petersburg is a major scientific
and cultural centre and Armenia has always been known for its great
scientific and cultural potential.

PORTUGUESE AMBASSADOR HANDED CREDENTIALS TO RA PRESIDENT
Pan Armenian News
14.09.2005 03:03
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Yesterday Portuguese Ambassador to Armenia
Manuel Marcelo Monteiro Curto (residence in Moscow) handed
his credentials to RA President Robert Kocharian, President’s
press office reported. Robert Kocharian stressed the necessity of
developing bilateral relations with Portugal within the framework of
the European policy. The RA leader pointed out to the historical ties
between Armenia and Portugal, the activities of the Gulbekian Fund
that implements numerous scientific programs. Noting the importance
of the Armenian-Portuguese ties the parties outlined the improvement
of legal basis as a priority for the cooperation.

SECURITY PACT CHIEF PRAISES RUSSIAN-ARMENIAN MILITARY TEAMWORK AFTER JOINT DRILL
RTR Russia TV, Moscow
14 Sep 05
[Presenter] A joint Russian-Armenian military exercise to rehearse
defensive combat skills as part of a combined force has passed in
Armenia [it reportedly began on 10 September and ended on the 13th].
The country’s president, Robert Kocharyan, and the secretary-general
of the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Nikolay Bordyuzha,
watched the exercise. This is how Bordyuzha commented on the results
of the drill.
[Bordyuzha] I reckon that this exercise went off successfully. What
matters is not the effect of explosions and gunfire that we see in
the field, but the rehearsal of coordination between units of the
Armenian and Russian armed forces.
[Presenter] The 10th joint drill involved over 1,000 service personnel
and about 300 items of military materiel, including four fighter jets
and six helicopters.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress