OSCE CHAIRMAN TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA
Azerbaijan News Service
Sept 1 2005
OSCE Chairman, Slovenian foreign Minister Dimitri Rupel will arrive
in Baki on September 6, and leave for Armenia from there to receive
information on results of negotiations between Azeri and Armenian
presidents-Ilham Aliev and Robert Kocharyan, held in Kazan, Russia.
He will meet with Robert Kocharyan and Ilham Aliev during the visit.
“Mister Rupel in his meetings in Baki with Azeri officials will also
discuss the upcoming parliamentary elections in Azerbaijan.” said OSCE
Chairman Office to “Radio Freedom”. Urdur Gunnarsdottir, spokesman
for OSCE Democratic Institutions and Human Rights Bureau said that
the Organization hopes its recommendations given after the previous
elections in Azerbaijan would be satisfied. “OSCE will observe these
elections attentively.”, said the OSCE spokesman. He called the Azeri
Government to receive the recommendation on using election finger ink
while voting. Urdur Gurnarsdottir said that many countries use ink,
and the main reason is to increase people’s belief towards election
process and prevent from repeated voting.

ARMENIAN PREMIER CONGRATULATES TEACHERS, STUDENTS ON NEW ACADEMIC YEAR
ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2005
YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
congratulated Armenia’s teachers and students on Day of Knowledge and
on a new academic year. The press and public relations department,
RA Government, reports that in his congratulatory message the RA
Premier said that this day obliges everybody to seek best knowledge,
perfection of physical and intellectual abilities, to be worthy
citizens of future Armenia, who will consolidate out nationhood. “I
am sure that the Government-implemented educational reforms, daily
work and effort of our respected teachers, who are committed to their
important missions, will make future achievement more appreciable,”
Margaryan said in his message. P.T.

SERGEY MARKEDONOV: KARABAKH IS A REAL SIDE OF CONFLICT
ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2005
MOSCOW, September1. /ARKA/. Karabakh is a real side of the conflict
regardless of whether Azerbaijan admits this or not, ARKA News
Agency’s correspondent reports from Moscow quoting Sergey Markedonov,
Chief of Political and Military Analysis Institute’s Department for
International Relations, as saying at his meeting with journalists.
“This fact admission absolutely doesn’t mean that Baku must recognize
Karabakh as a subject of international law or automatically give
up Karabakh”, Markedonov said. In his opinion, the key problem in
Karabakh conflict settlement is to restore the sides’ trust toward
each other, and neither Russia nor Turkey and OSCE Minsk Group can
do it. Markedonov thinks some contacts are needed between the two
conflicting sides as well as discussion of some new models, because
today package and stage-by-stage scheme of the conflict settlement
collided “as two sheep on a bridge” and no move is seen. The Russian
expert is bilateral activity should be more intensive the sides
should stop waiting a miracle from the Minsk Group. The Group can
work out any plans, but if these plans are not accepted they will
produce little effect, Markedonov said. In his opinion, both sides
should make some move to give the start to this conflict settlement.
“Maybe third, fifth, twenty fifth way should be found, as present
schemes are uncompromising”, the political analyst said. In his words,
compromise means mutual concessions but not “the demand to accept my
truth”. “This is dictatorship, not compromise”, he said.
Speaking about possibility of some new initiatives, Markedonov said
clear Caucasian strategy is needed for that, but it is still missing.
“There is no acknowledgement of the idea that either Armenia or
Azerbaijan needs Russia”, Markedonov said. In his words, Armenia is
traditional ally to Russia and in Azerbaijan, pro-Russian sentiments
are strong and the country has common borders with Russia and Russia
interested in normal relations wit Azerbaijan. Taking into account the
fact that there are powerful Armenian and Azerbaijani communities in
Russia, the country can establish contacts between the two communities’
representatives. This experience can be applied also to Armenian-Azeri
relations in South Caucasus. He sees the problem in “the very narrow
corridor of the U.S. Russia and OSCE Minsk Group proposals. “We
understand that neither package nor stage-by-stage package is perfect
and it is very difficult to propose something new. But the problem is
need attention”, Markedonnov said. “I’d like to put special emphasis on
Diaspora. This is a very rich resource regarding all aspects. Taking
into consideration Armenian and Azerbaijani offshore communities’
political and financial influence on these countries, this can be used
as resource for not formal reconciliation”, Markedonov said. M.V. -0–

THE RA NA SPEAKER CONGRATULATES THE NKR AUTHORITIES ON THE OCCASION OF THE 14TH ANNIVERSARY OF NKR INDEPENDENCE
ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2005
YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. The RA NA Speaker Arthur Baghdasaryan
sent his congratulations to NKR President Arkadi Ghuklasyan, NKR NA
Speaker Ashot Gulyan, and NKR Prime Minister Anushavan Danielyan on
the occasion of the 14th anniversary of NKR independence. According
to the RA NA, in his message to NKR President Bahgdasaryan notes in
particular “the past years proved that the people of Artsakh could
not only resist war and hardships, but also to establish their stable
statehood. I bow my head to the memory of all martyrs of Artsakh
liberation war and wish you peace and democracy”.
in his message to NKR NA Speaker Bahgdasaryan notes “people of Artsakh
by the liberating war deserved the right to worthy life, and during
peace years they proved their adherence to democratic values, and
today it continues building its statehood, in the course of which the
role of the NKR NA as a legislative body called to ensure legislative
basis for the development and progress is very high”.
On September 2, 1991 the authoritative representatives of
Nagorno-Karabakh autonomous region and Shahumyan region proclaimed
establishment of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). A.H. -0–

THE RA NA APPROVES THE PROJECT OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS IN THE SECOND READING
ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2005
YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. The RA NA approved in the second
reading the project of constitutional reforms from the coalition
by 98 votes “for” and one “abstained”. As the Chairman of Standing
Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs Mher
Shahgeldyan stated, the authors of the project took into consideration
the majority of the suggestions offered by the United Labor Party,
“National Deputy” deputy group and some independent deputies. He also
added that the editorial notes will be considered during the interval
between the second and third readings. According to him, adoption of
constitutional reforms will not solve the existing problems, however
the package of constitutional reforms makes serious legal basis
for it. He emphasized that the project is a “step forward compared
with the acting Constitution and previous projects of constitutional
reforms’. At that,Shahgeldyan reminded about the positive evaluation
of the project by the USA and such international organizations as PACE,
OSCE and EU.
To note, on August 29 a special session of the RA NA on the project
of the constitutional reforms (ARKA – project of ruling coalition)
began in the second reading. The opposition parliamentary powers
represented by the National Unity party and Justice bloc, boycotted
the parliamentary sessions from Feb 2004, and participated in the
discussions, however, in connection with neglect of their suggestions
they refused to participate in voting. A.H.-0–

RA PRESIDENT ROBERT KOCHARYAN RECEIVES MEMBERS OF CREW OF “KILIKIA” VESSEL
ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2005
YEREVAN, September1. /ARKA/. RA President Robert Kocharyan received
members of the crew of “Kilikia” vessel, which is the other day
finished the 2nd stage of the sailing, AR Presidential Press-Service
reports. The sailors presented the flag they sailed with to the RA
President and received another flag from the President, which they
will take to their future sailing. The sailors also presented the RA
President their signed photograph.
Kocharyan discussed with the crew members the issues of the 3rd
final stage of their sailing, as well as the issue of transporting
the vessel to Armenia. He pointed to the necessity to construct a
special berth in Lake Sevan and promised to help with this issue.
AYAS, the club of naval researches, has constructed a copy of
Armenian Kilikian trade sailing ship of 13th century, which started
a cruise following mediaeval routs around Europe through Black
Sea, Mediterranean and Atlantic Ocean. The vessel was constructed
in accordance with mediaeval manuscripts and epitomes with using
mediaeval technologies. In 2004, Kilikia entered 23 ports in 12
countries of Europe and Asia. The first stage of the expedition was
completed in the 2004 fall in Venice. On May 9, 2005, the ship put
to sea again. A.A. -0–

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT ENDORSES BILL ON CHANGES IN CONSTITUTION
ITAR-TASS, Russia
Sept 1 2005
YEREVAN, September 1 (Itar-Tass) – Armenian parliament has endorsed
a bill on changes in the Constitution that will be put up for voting
on a national referendum.
The constitutional amendments have been necessitated by the obligations
that Yerevan took while joining the Council of Europe and their
objective is to balance off the powers delegated to various branches
of state power.
The bill on constitutional changes received the approval of a number
of European institutions, including the Council of Europe’s Venice
Commission.
Tigran Torossian, the deputy-speaker of Armenian parliament said
the draft envisions radical changes in the procedure of parliament’s
dissolution and forming of the cabinet of ministers.
It also lifts the ban on dual citizenship, something that members of
Armenian communities in many countries of the world have long been
waiting for.
“We ourselves need these constitutional changes in the first place,”
President Robert Kocharian said in a televised interview Wednesday.
In May 2003, the authorities put up a bill on constitutional changes
on a referendum held along with parliamentary election, but voters
did not support it then.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NEW BUILDING OF VAZGEN SARGSIAN MILITARY INSTITUTE OPENED
Yerkir
01.09.2005 13:42
YEREVAN (YERKIR) – President Robert Kocharian attended on Thursday
the ceremony of initiating the new building of the Vazgen Sargsian
Military Institute in Yerevan. Ranked by Defense Minister Serzh
Sargsian, Deputy Defense Minister Artur Aghabekian and the commanders
of the Institute, Kocharian toured the new building that is to house
the Institute’s Department of Infantry.
More than 1,000 cadets currently study in the two — Infantry and
Artillery — departments of the Institute. However, this academic
year only, 300 new cadets have been enrolled.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

INJURED MAKAAY TO MISS ARMENIA GAME
FoxSports.com
Sept 1 2005
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) – Netherlands forward Roy Makaay will
miss his team’s World Cup qualifier against Armenia with a knee injury.
Makaay, who injured his right knee in practice on Wednesday, has
headed to Munich for treatment.
Netherlands coach Marco van Basten will decide on Sunday evening if
the Bayern Munich striker is fit to play against Andorra in Eindhoven
on Sept 7.
The final 19-player roster for Saturday’s game against Armenia in
Yerevan was to be announced later Thursday.
The Netherlands leads European Group 1 with 22 points from eight games,
one point ahead of the Czech Republic. Armenia and Andorra are bottom
of the group with four points from nine games.

GAREGIN II CONGRATULATES STUDENTS, TEACHERS ON NEW ACADEMIC YEAR
ARKA News Agency
Sept 1 2005
YEREVAN, September 1. /ARKA/. Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II
congratulated Armenia’s teachers and students on a new academic year.
In his congratulatory message Garegin II said that on the occasion
of the 1600th anniversary of the Armenian alphabet, which is to be
celebrated in Armenia this year, the new academic year acquires a
special sense. Garegin II snet his blessings to teachers and students
and wished them success in the new academic year. P.T.