Armenian president unruffled by construction of Georgian-Turkish railway

Arminfo
11 Apr 05

YEREVAN

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan does not regard the construction
of the Kars-Akhalkalaki [Turkey-Georgia] railway as a problem.

Asked about the railway during a meeting with students of Yerevan
State University’s economics department, the president expressed the
opinion that even after its construction, the existing Kars-Gyumri
railway will be competitive.

At the same time, the president said that the more transport routes
the region has, the wider is the possibility of competition.

He noted that he does not see a problem in the construction of this
railway, but at the same time, he expressed his doubt about the
implementation of this project.

He noted that since the sum of money spent on its construction should
be recouped, this will lead to a hike in the price of cargo
transportation by this railway.

“We should take it easy, especially as we are not in a position to
stop it,” Robert Kocharyan said.

Armenian leader against disunity with Karabakh

Arminfo
11 Apr 05

YEREVAN

“We will all win if we really consider Karabakh to be an integral part
of Armenia,” Armenian President Robert Kocharyan today told a meeting
with students and teachers of Yerevan State University’s economics
department in reply to questions about Armenian citizens’ negative
attitude towards the Karabakh Armenians and especially towards
officials of Karabakh origin, and about the Karabakh Armenians’ bad
attitude towards servicemen from Armenia.

Answering the first part of the question, Kocharyan said he had the
impression that the problem was getting softer.

“As for the attitude of the Karabakh Armenians towards servicemen from
Armenia, there is no such problem in Karabakh at all,” the president
said. He added that even some anecdotes have emerged on this issue
recently, which shows that the problem is getting softer.

“As regards our officials of Karabakh origin, [Defence Minister] Serzh
Sarkisyan is half Karabakh and half Zangezur Armenian. Apart from the
president, Karabakh Armenians are not particularly represented in
government structures,” he said.

Kocharyan said one should not forget about the existence of the
Karabakh problem, adding that he considered himself to be an Armenian
citizen to the same extent.

“I have never separated myself from Armenia. And I was the author of
the 1 April 1989 decision on unification [with Armenia],” Kocharyan
said.

As for the issue of attitudes to people from “other territories”, this
issue exists in other countries as well, he said.

Turkish official condemns German bill on Armenian allegations

Anatolia news agency, Ankara
12 Apr 05

BERLIN

Parliamentary Commission for Adjustment to the European Union (EU)
Chairman Yasar Yakis said on Monday [11 April] that the Armenian bill
submitted by German union parties (CDU/CSU) to federal German
parliament was full of misinformation. The Turkish parliamentary
delegation, including members of the Commission for Adjustment to the
EU and the Turkey-EU Joint Parliamentary Commission met Greens
Parliamentary Group Foreign Policy Spokesperson Fritz Kuhn.

Speaking after the meeting Yakis said the bill which the CDU/CSU
presented to federal German parliament on Armenians and the bill about
the excessive force used by Turkish police on individuals were
discussed at the meeting. Yakis said that there is not one single
sentence which does not contain wrong information in the bill
presented by CDU/CSU on Armenian demands and allegations, noting: “We
expressed our concern that Turkish-German relations can be damaged in
case the mistakes are included in the bill. We told them that this
bill was not beneficial either to CDU, Turkish-German relations or
Turkish-Armenian relations, but on the contrary, it would be very
harmful.”

Yakis said Kuhn told him that they were also preparing a bill on
Armenian issue and he offered cooperation in preparation of this
bill. “This cooperation does not mean ‘listen to us alone. Listen also
to us. We will not stand on the archives of only the Ottomans. We can
present you with the documents from German archives as well. You may
also take documents from the Armenian side. Then, write whatever you
will.”

Yakis said he told Kuhn that the problem of excessive use of force by
police was also seen in other countries, and noted: “I also told Kuhn
that the country should be accused if the government fails to carry
out necessary procedures on the police.” Yakis said Kuhn told him that
such scenes should not often be seen in a country which is a candidate
to the EU. Yakis said: “We also discussed what kind of cooperation
could be made between Turkey and Germany for Turkey’s progress on the
way to become an EU member. As you know, Greens expend the most
powerful and stable support to Turkey’s EU membership.”

The Turkish parliamentary delegation will meet representatives of
various parties and Turkish community during their visit till
Thursday.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Russian premier, Armenian speaker discusses relations

Arminfo
12 Apr 05

YEREVAN

The Russian prime minister and the speaker of the National Assembly of
Armenia have discussed important aspects of Russian-Armenian relations
in Moscow, the press service of the Russian government reports.

During the meeting, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and the
speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan,
discussed relations in the trade-economic and international spheres.

Armenian, Russian speakers stress need to step up cooperation

Arminfo, Yerevan
12 Apr 05

MOSCOW

The speaker of the Armenian National Assembly, Artur Bagdasaryan, met
the speaker of the Russian State Duma, Boris Gryzlov, in Moscow today.

Gryzlov noted the need for closer economic cooperation. The Duma
speaker stressed the need to pay attention to cooperation in the
sphere of education and increasing the number of students from Armenia
in Russian universities.

Bagdasaryan spoke about the need to pay attention to the work of the
five enterprises handed over to Russia in return for the debt,
especially to making the work of these enterprises more effective. The
Armenian speaker expressed his desire to speed up the work of
interparliamentary commissions and cooperation in the sphere of
science and education.

After the meeting, the speakers of the two countries’ parliaments will
visit a photo exhibition dedicated to 90th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide in Ottoman Turkey at the Russian State Duma.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian deputy defence minister names principles of military reform

Mediamax news agency
12 Apr 05

YEREVAN

The leadership of the Armenian armed forces is planning to set up by
2015 an army “that will meet the requirements of the 21st century,
confront new challenges and wholly ensure the military security of the
state”, Armenian Deputy Defence Minister Lt-Gen Artur Agabekyan said
in his address to a seminar dedicated to work on the Individual
Partnership Action Plan [IPAP] between Armenia and NATO in Yerevan
today.

Agabekyan said that Armenia’s military leadership intends to study and
analyse foreign experience in the sphere of military reforms, their
results and consequences.

The Armenian deputy defence minister named the four main principles
that the Defence Ministry will use as a guide in the process of
reforms:

– The realistic nature of the reform;

– The gradual character of the reform;

– Flexibility and deep analysis;

– Democracy.

Azerbaijan News Service
April 2 2005

OSCE CHAIRMAN IN OFFICE CALLS ARMENIAN REGIME OF QARABAQ TO JOIN
PEACE TALKS

Dmitriy Rupel, OSCE chairman-in-office and foreign minister of
Slovenia met with Elmar Mammadyarov, Azerbaijani FA minister on April
2 within his visit to Baku. In the briefing after the meeting, he
affirmed giving statement during his visit to Yerevan on joining of
Armenian community of Qarabaq the talks on Armenian-Azerbaijan Daqliq
Qarabaq conflict. I have no authority to change format of the talks
said Dmitriy Rupel, OSCE chairman-in-office and added Armenian media
distorted some of his opinions. I met with representatives of
Armenian community of Daqliq Qarabaq. And recently talked with
Azerbaijani community. We have to listen to different ideas,
opinions. And continue talks in this way. I can neither change nor
make corrections to the format of peace talks process. The sides
should come to an agreement. I won’t speak about the sources you
cited. This is a problem, a conflict. I advise you not to believe
these sources. Dmiriy Rupel said he heard new interesting ideas from
Elmar Mammadyarov regarding settlement of the conflict and these
ideas need to be discussed with Vardan Oskanyan, Armenian FA
minister. OSCE chairman also spoke about repeated cease-fire breaches
in Azerbaijan Armenian front line during last weeks. Regarding the
release of three Azerbaijani soldiers held in Armenian captive since
February 15, OSCE chairman assured they would be released soon, as he
was told in Yerevan. Another question that Dmitriy Rupel touched was
upcoming parliament elections. He said OSCE is interested in
democratic elections. OSCE wants the elections to be held
democratically and free. But as a FA minister of Slovenia, I can say
there is a powerful government and weak opposition in Azerbaijan. In
my country, their powers are equal. I think we may contribute these
two sides by balancing their activity. Elmar Mammadyarov, Azerbaijani
FA minister didn’t exclude participation of representatives of
Armenian community of Daqliq Qarabaq and said Azerbaijani commu8nity
of Daqliq Qarabaq and OSCE experts should join the talks. But it
should be after official Baku holds negotiations with Armenia. After
his meeting in Foreign Affairs Ministry, Dmitry Rumpel was received
by president in his office. Armenian-Azerbaijan Daqliq Qarabaq
conflict creates a great danger to regional cooperation, stability
and peace. Position of Azerbaijan on the settlement of the conflict
is based on international law norms. Territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan must be restored, ID people must return to their houses.
Our demands are just those approved in international law norms said
president Ilham Aliyev. Stressing speedy development of integration
process in Europe, president Ilham Aliyev said future progress of
Azerbaijan is connected with close cooperation with European and
Euro-Atlantic organizations. Expressing his satisfaction with meeting
with the President OSCE chairman said the main issue they are
concerned about is Daqliq Qarabaq problem. Elections and democratic
development issues are at the center of attention of OSCE as well.

CODES OF K-TELECOM TO BE 093 AND 094

YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. From May 1 ArmenTel will begin to use new
codes for the entry of the second operator of mobile service –
K-Telecom to the market.

As Press Secretary of the company ArmenTel Hasmik Chutilian informed
ARMINFO, the code of Yerevan will be changed – 10 against present 1,
and for the call to a subscriber of K-Telecom – 093 and 094. The codes
of the populated areas of Armenia will also be changed – figure of two
is added to presently acting codes. For example, the code for town of
Abovian will be 222 against present 22, Armavir – 237 against 37, and
so on. Towns of Gyumri, Vanadzor and all the populated areas of the
Lori region are an exception.

SDU LEADER LOST HIS OFFICES AND BLAMED “EMPIRE OF EVIL”

YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. “As a result of authorities’ large-scale
attack upon Self-Determination Union (SDU) party, we have lost central
offices in Yerevan, Gyumri and Vanadzor”, says party’s leader Paruyr
Hayrikyan organizing today a procession to the building of former
editorial-office of “Ankakhutyun” (Independence) weekly today.

Hayrikyan says that “the authorities changed the office of the USSR
first independent printing body into a desert”. In his opinion,
“various agents and spies of foreign countries” wage a war against
SDU. He added that after Movses Gorgissyan’s death some of his party
associates “amicably deserted from SDU and appealed Armenia’s
republican party to the arena”. Hayrikyan tried to assured journalists
that “some of them have became SSC agents”.

To remind, SDU was deprived of the building of editorial-office of
“Ankakhutyun” weekly and some of party’s offices in 2003 for
non-payment of taxes.

PHOTO-EXHIBITION “CULTURAL GENOCIDE” OPENS IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 12. ARMINFO. A photo-exhibition “Cultural Genocide” has
opened in Yerevan today on the initiative of the Students Council of
the Historical Faculty of YSU and the Youth Wing of ARFD party.

A member of the Youth Wing of ARFD Tadevos Charchyan says that the
photos show the cultural values of Western Armenia, which suffered
changes due to many wars. The photos tell about the destroyed temples,
castles, historical Armenians towns of Van, Kars, Bagrevan and
Mush. Cultural genocide is a too dangerous phenomenon as it leads to
annihilation of the whole history, national culture. The young
generation of Armenia should know and transfer the spiritual values of
the past to other generations, he says.

The photos are provided by RAA. The photo-exhibition was to be held
also in the regions and at many higher educational establishments of
Armenia.