PACE President Starts Tour of S Caucasus
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 19 2005
President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) Rene van Der Linden started his tour of the South Caucasus
region in Armenia on Thursday.
Linden will hold official and informal meetings in Yerevan to discuss
the political situation in Armenia and this country’s commitments to
the Council of Europe.
The PACE President, who will then leave for Tbilisi, is due in
Baku on August 21. He will meet with President Ilham Aliyev, Prime
Minister Artur Rasizada, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and
representatives of the Azeri delegation at PACE. Linden will also
meet with representatives of human rights organizations.

Official Calls on Opposition to Seek Support from People
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 19 2005
The fact that well-known opposition representatives have nominated
their candidacies from Baku is not accidental, says deputy chairman
of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party.
“This is due not of their ‘social base’ but the fact that most
representatives from international organizations are likely to
observe the November parliamentary elections in the capital city,”
deputy chairman of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party, MP Ali Ahmadov has
said. “The opposition candidates hope for the support of international
organizations rather than voters.”
Ahmadov said that such a position of the opposition is completely
erroneous and harmful. “The individuals, who love their motherland and
people, should try to get support of their people, but not foreign
forces and international organizations. I think the incident around
Ruslan Bashirli should teach them a lesson”.
The Yeni Fikir youth movement chairman Bashirli is charged with
plotting with Armenian intelligence to stage a coup in Azerbaijan.

3 Azeri Soldiers Face Criminal Charges
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 19 2005
Three Azerbaijani soldiers accused of high treason and forging ties
with Armenian servicemen while serving at a military unit in Terter
District, northwest Azerbaijan, will be held criminally accountable,
military prosecutor Khanlar Valiyev told a news conference on Thursday.
Valiyev said that Ruslan Bakirov, Hikmat Taghiyev and Khayal Abdullayev
forged relations with Armenian military men and voluntarily entered
the territory controlled by Armenian forces. While in the so-called
‘captivity’, they informed Armenia of the number of weaponry units
and ammunition at their military unit and disclosed some confidential
information.
Earlier reports said that the three soldiers were taken captive
by Armenia on February 15 after loosing their way and accidentally
passing to the Armenian side of the frontline.

PACE President Tours South Caucasus
Civil Georgia, Georgia
Aug 19 2005
The President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE), René van der Linden, will arrive in Georgia on August 20 from
the Armenian capital of Yerevan as a part of his South Caucasian
tour. After visiting Georgia the PACE President will also travel
to Azerbaijan.
According to the PACE press release, Linden will hold talks with
Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli, Deputy Parliamentary Speaker Mikheil
Machavariani as well as representatives of the parliamentary opposition
and civil society.
The constitutional situation, the independence of the judiciary,
freedom of expression and association and the media will be discussed
during his visit.
–Boundary_(ID_NvJk/dKzaKpzDMGaxFGqeg)–

Political Analyst Expects No Results from Azeri, Armenian Presidents’ Meeting
Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Aug 19 2005
A political scholar sees no grounds for expecting positive results
from the upcoming meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents in
Kazan, Russia.
“The meeting will not be any more important than the previous ones,”
analyst Rasim Musabayov told AssA-Irada.
Musabayov said the previous meeting of the two presidents held in
Key West, USA yielded no results despite its high level.
“I believe the chances for results at Kazan meeting are 50-50. It
may be fruitful or fruitless. The previous experience shows that the
sides tend to take final steps backward instead of forward when they
reach the decisive point. Therefore, I can’t say ahead of time that
the meeting will be beneficial,” he said.
Musabayov said the current positions of the conflicting sides are
contradictory, as Azerbaijan calls for withdrawal of Armenian forces
from the occupied territories, while Armenia – determination of the
Nagorno Karabakh status.
“From this viewpoint, the positions of the sides are not getting any
closer. If a compromise alternative is found, the issue can be moved
forward from the current deadlock,” Musabayov said.
As for the liberation of seven occupied districts around Karabakh,
the analyst said freeing them simultaneously will be difficult.
“Liberation of the occupied regions based on the ‘5+1+1’ formula
seems real,” he said.
The formula envisions freeing five Azeri regions from under Armenian
occupation first, followed by signing of a peace accord and liberation
of the other two regions.
Musabayov went on to say that the general situation with the Karabakh
conflict has changed in favor of Azerbaijan over the recent period.
Russia’s positions in the South Caucasus are weakening, this
country’s military bases are being withdrawn from Georgia, while
Armenia is losing communication links with Russia, which is in favor
of Azerbaijan, he said. Armenia is concerned over this, said Musabayov.
“Russia, which is the eternal ally of Armenia, understands too that
it will lose its positions in the Caucasus by prolonging the conflict
resolution.”
Musabayov said that another factor stipulating Azerbaijan’s prevalent
position is that the country’s financial potential is increasing.
Whereas military spending of Armenia makes up $200 million per year,
the figure is $300 million in Azerbaijan.
The political analyst pointed out that Azerbaijan’s potential will
allow spending $500 million for the military in 2006 and bringing
the figure to $1 billion in two years.
Armenia would have to commit its entire budget for defense in order
to withstand competition, which is impossible, he said.
“Armenians therefore think they should take a step today rather than
be forced to accept peace in a few years. These are the factors giving
a positive impetus to peace. But it is difficult to say whether this
will be enough for Armenia to give up its persistence,” he added.

ECONOMIC PROGRAM OF “DASHNAKTSUTYUN” APPROVED BY TWO MINISTRIES IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, AUGUST 17. ARMINFO. ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau has elaborated
an economic program aiming security of growth of export from Armenia,
Adviser for Economic Affairs of ARFD Bureau Ara Nranyamn informs
ARMINFO.
Growth of exports is the only opportunity to considerably and
comparatively rapidly increase GDP in Armenia, as the possibilities
of the internal market are exhausted, Nranyan thinks. He says
that Dashnaktsutyun has sent the draft with specific proposals on
increase of exports to all the competent bodies and party offices
of the country, including opposition ones. The document has already
received high assessment of the Ministry for trade and Economic
Development, Ministry of Energy and Customs Service. He says the
elaborated proposals do not provide for quotation or other limitation
of imported production. Nranyan promised to submit the draft to the
public consideration in September 2005.

AZERI FM: PARTIES TO KARABAKH CONFLICT YET FAR FROM AGREEMENT
YEREVAN, AUGUST 17. ARMINFO. If the Azeri and Armenian FMs reach some
agreements on the Karabakh conflict settlement the presidents will
use this basis for decreeing the start of work on specific documents,
Trend news agency reports Elmar Mamedyarov as saying.
No specific documents are being drafted now. The parties are yet
far from this approach. Commenting on the coming Moscow meeting of
the Azeri and Armenian FMs Mamedyarov says that the Prague process
will be continued. The FMs will try to come to agreement on certain
elements. The presidents will be informed of the results and will
elaborate on them.
Mamedyarov says that Azerbaijan and Armenia are still at variance over
7-9 elements. The details are confidential. It is early yet to speak
about these elements as the talks are still underway. Those who are
informed of the conflict know what elements are meant, says Mamedyarov.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJAN ASPIRES TO RESOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT IN PEACE WAY
BAKU, AUGUST 17. ARMINFO. The greatest problem in Azerbaijan is the
Armenia- Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict and remaining of the
territories under occupation, Azeri President Ilham Aliev said during
his speech at the Tuesday solemn ceremony dedicated to presentation
of battle flags to the military units of the state frontier service
We aspire to resolve the question in peace way, by negotiations.
International organizations pay more and more attention to this
problem. Fair voice of Azerbaijan is heard and the decisions adopted
by world organizations reflect the justice. And along with all these,
along with the diplomatic, political successes, the problem cannot find
its resolution. Therefore, we cannot reconcile with this situation. We
shall and further make efforts to settle the problem by negotiations,
peacefully, by political means, to liberate the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan from the aggressive forces, and then refugees return to
their homelands. We shall do our utmost for this, Aliev said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT RECEIVES NEWLY APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE OF UN DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
YEREVAN, AUGUST 17. ARMINFO. Newly appointed UNDP Permanent
Representative and Coordinator Consuella Vidal handed over the
credentials of UN Secretary General to Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan today.
The presidential press-service informs ARMINFO that in the course
of the meeting, Robert Kocharyan pointed out the importance of the
UN programs implemented in Armenia, at the same time expressing hope
for further effective bilateral cooperation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURK CHARGED WITH CONTRABAND OF ARMENIAN BOOKS OF CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL VALUE RELEASED
YEREVAN, AUGUST 17. ARMINFO. Minor Court of Yerevan Malatia-Sebastia
communities sentences the Turkish scientist Ektan Turklmaz to two years
of conditional imprisonement without further control and confiscation
of property for export of books of cultural and historical value
from Armenia.
The Turkish scientist was released directly from the court hall. The
confiscated computer, CD, mobile phone will be returned to him and
88 Armenian books purchased by the scientist will be transferred to
the country.