The Journal of Turkish Weekly
Armenia Defies US over Relations with Iran

Source:IWPR

Armenia, Iran Strengthen Ties

Yerevan defies Washington by strengthening strategic relationship with
Tehran.

By Karine Ter-Saakian in Yerevan (CRS No. 275, 24-Feb-05)

A visit this month to Iran by Armenia’s defence minister, Serzh Sarkisian,
has underlined the important strategic relationship between the two
countries.

Overland trade may be decreasing between the two neighbours, but at the same
time more substantial economic relationships based on investment projects
are emerging.

Referring to a series of agreements, in particular one for a new gas
pipeline linking Iran with Armenia, Sarkisian said, “the presidents of the
two countries have laid the foundations for a new phase of economic
cooperation, and we must now make every effort to see that the agreements
which have been reached are implemented as soon as possible.”

Only a few years ago, Iran was Armenia’s most important trading partner. The
relationship between the Islamic republic and the Christian state blossomed
after the end of the Soviet Union, imports of goods from with Iran helped
Armenia survive the economic collapse caused by the closure of its borders
with Azerbaijan and Turkey as a result of the Nagorny Karabakh war.

Iranian goods such as cheap consumer goods and household items are on sale
in shops and markets all over Armenia – and they are still cheaper than
their competitors.. Thirty-five Iranian firms have offices in Armenia.

Yet by 2003, Iran’s share of the Armenian import market had shrunk to five
per cent. Although the figures have improved since then and trade between
the two countries was worth 90 million dollars last year, Iranian goods
continue to be squeezed out of the market by Russian, Ukrainian and Turkish
products.

This is due in large part to the falling costs of trade via Georgia, the
route by which goods arrive from Turkey and the former Soviet Union. On
February 22, Armenian transport minister Andranik Manukian said he hoped a
new sea route would open up between the Georgian port of Poti and Russia,
and that trade tariffs with Turkey would be reduced.

Trade with Iran will receive a boost from plans to build the Kajaran tunnel,
which will slice through the mountains near the Iranian-Armenian border and
cut the road to Yerevan by 80 km.

But the main growth area appears to be in longer-term projects rather than
trade. Yerevan and Tehran have signed a number of important deals in the
energy sector, including plans to build a series of hydroelectric stations
along the river Araxes that runs between the two countries, and there are
solar and wind power projects in the offing.

“Energy is the driving force in Armenian-Iranian relations,” Armenian
president Robert Kocharian has said. “Other areas will follow behind it.”

Most important of all is a pipeline which will bring Iranian gas to Armenia.
Construction started last year and the first stage should be completed by
2007. The 140 km pipeline will cost up to 220 million dollars. According to
energy minister Armen Movsisian, “This is a way for Armenia to diversify its
energy supply routes.”

The Russian government – a long-term ally of Armenia – is supporting the
Iranian gas project, as President Vladimir Putin announced a few days ago in
discussions with the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council
Hasan Ruhani. And on a visit to Yerevan last week, Russian foreign minister
Sergei Lavrov said, “Russia would like to see the development of the energy,
transport and other infrastructure in the region.”

The Russian gas giant Gazprom which currently supplies gas to Armenia has
been more cautious about supporting what amounts to a rival project. Gazprom’s
deputy chairman Alexander Ryazanov said recently he thought the Russian firm
should participate in the Iran-Armenia project.

The growing economic ties with Iran come at a political cost to Armenia’s
relations with the United States, which is increasingly hostile to Tehran.

Last year, outgoing US ambassador John Ordway said firmly that, “Washington
is against any investment in construction of the Iran-Armenia pipeline
taking place on the territory of Iran, or coming out of Iran. Washington is
seriously concerned about Iran’s support of terrorism and her attempts to
obtain weapons of mass destruction, and is therefore opposed to investment
in the energy sector in that country.”

Political analyst Stepan Grigorian predicts that joint projects with Iran
will not develop further, because of the pressure from the United States,
Armenia’s biggest bilateral donor government.

“Although the US understands that at the moment Armenia does not have any
other way of ensuring its energy security, it cannot be pleased by Yerevan’s
desire to develop its ties with Iran, one of the ‘Axis of Evil’ countries.
This is why the Iranian-Armenian projects have no future,” said Grigorian.

There is a sense that Armenia’s sheer proximity to Iran leaves it vulnerable
should there be any deterioration in US-Iranian relations.

“US military action against Iran would directly threaten Armenia’s
security,” warned independent political analyst Levon Melik-Shakhnazarian.
“There is little doubt that there will be military action, and this means
that Armenia may be the first to feel the effects.”

Armenian politicians say they are confident they can balance this difficult
relationship.

Levon Mkrtchian, head of the parliamentary group of the nationalist
pro-presidential party Dashnaktsutiun, told IWPR, “Iran is our closest
neighbour and partner, and the stronger our ties, the more successfully our
cooperation in all areas will develop.

“As far as relations between Iran and the US are concerned, Armenia’s aim –
as everyone knows – is to build a foreign policy which complements the
policies of other countries, and it is trying to work with all the countries
in the region as far as is possible.”

Defence minister Sarkisian sounded a similar note, saying, “We very much
hope there will not be any military action, and that in the region, this
time right next door to us, there won’t be new zones of tension.

“That is dangerous because any tension, and particularly military action,
could act as a detonator. Let’s hope that US-Iranian relations improve and
that existing problems are resolved peacefully.”

Karine Ter-Saakian is a correspondent with the Respublika Armenii newspaper
in Yerevan.

Source: IWPR, 24 February 2005

Copyright © 2005 Journal of Turkish Weekly

Transeuro Energy Begins Prep Work on Armavir Prospect in Armenia
Interfax Information Services, B.V.
Friday, February 25, 2005

The Canadian corporation Transeuro Energy (formerly Indusmin Energy) has
started preparation work to explore for oil and gas at a licensed block in
the Armavir region of Armenia, Andranik Agabalian, head of the fuel and
energy resource department at the Armenian Energy Ministry, told Interfax.

He said that when the weather improves the corporation will start to carry
out field work to decide on a location for a first well. Agabalian said that
Transeuro Energy has concentrated its efforts on searching for natural gas,
given the industrial structure in Armenia, which does not have any oil
refining capacity, but which has a developed gas transportation system. As a
result, gas production for industrial use is more promising than oil
production, he said.

Agabalian said that the company has promised to invest at least $10.5
million in prospecting for oil and gas in Armavir region. The company will
continue where the U.S.-registered Armenian-American Exploration Company
(AAEC) left off in the late 1990s. AAEC drilled a 3,524-meter exploration
well 30-km north of Yerevan, but did not discover any hydrocarbons there.
The company spent $28 million on drilling and seismic exploration.

Agabalian said that in March this year an agreement is to be signed with
Transeuro Energy to carry out exploration work at another block – in the
northeast of Armenia, covering the Tavush and Lori regions.

Armenian territory is split up into six license blocks. Transeuro Energy
chose the block in the northeast based on its own research and forecasts.

Indusmin Energy was renamed Transeuro Energy in fall 2004. The company
opened an office in Armenia a little later.

AZG Armenian Daily #035,
26/02/2005

Nagorno Karabakh

THE WAY ‘THOUSANDS OF KHOJALU VICTIMS’ SPRING UP

According to 1926 Population Census Khojalu Was a Purely Armenian Village
with 888 Residents

In its yesterday’s issue daily Azg wrote about the Khojalu tragedy that
claimed lives of 613 Azeris and 34 Armenians. Florance David from Channel 5
TV of France was among the first foreign journalists to visit the places of
hostilities. The editor-in-chief of daily Azg, Hakob Avetikian, recalls that
Florance David came to Azg publishing house at 11 p.m. in early March of
1992 accompanied by 2 guys from Armenian Revolutionary Party. She needed a
satellite phone to send correspondence to the French TV.

“Understanding the importance of the moment we allowed her to use this rare
connection (only daily Azg and the office of Armenian Assembly of America
had satellite line on those days). Florance spoke to her editor first. What
she told him was published in our newspaper at that time”, Avetikian said.

“Referring to Florance’s conversation with her editor, daily Azg wrote in an
article titled ‘The Way ‘Thousands of Khojalu Victims’ Spring Up’ in March
of 1992: ‘On Iranian Red Crescent’s initiative, Armenians and Azeris
exchanged corpses on March 1 as they previously arranged. There were
hundreds of dead bodies on the field. Suddenly an Azeri helicopter with
Azeri and foreign journalists aboard appeared in the air, and they began
taking pictures of the exchange process from above. The Turkish TV and press
used the pictures and videotapes next day to present ‘the massacre of
‘thousands’ of Azeris killed during Armenians’ seizure of Khojalu’. That was
a prize misinformation”.

Avetikian recalls that Florance went on live broadcast after talking to her
editor and began broadcasting things that did not match her previous talk
with the editor. “She did not know I knew French. Noticing the difference we
published not Florance’s live speech but her conversation with the editor”,
he said.

Few days later a LDP French branch member, Levon Kebabjian, called daily Azg
that a legal action was launched against the paper for distorting Florance
David’s correspondence. But the action was shortly after stopped.

Avetikian thinks the reason for that was Ayaz Mutalibov’s statement in
Moscow that the Armenian opened a corridor for the Azeris to leave Khojalu.

Azerbaijan’s trend of labeling the Khojalu tragedy a “genocide committed by
Armenians” continues today. An American congressman from Indiana, Den
Barton, known for his pro-Turkish stance appealed to the Congress few days
ago to “recognize Khojalu tragedy as genocide”. “Khojalu was a small town
before the February of 1992. There is no such town any more. The word
‘Khojalu’ has turned today into sorrow and a symbol of cruelty for every
Azeri. Backed by the Russian air force, Armenians not only took the town
over but also completely ruined it. Armenians brutally executed 613 people”,
Barton said.

Davit Babayan, political analyst from Stepanakert, says that the elimination
was the work of Azeri forces who feigned genocide to remove attention from
the pogroms of Armenian population in Baku and Sumgait. “The killed Azeris
were in a position looking towards Aghdam. That means that the fusillade
came from Aghdam’s direction. Mutalibov himself confessed that Armenians
provided a corridor for the civilians”, Babayan says.

Referring to the Soviet population census of 1926, Babayan noted that
Khojalu was a purely Armenian village at that time with 888 Armenian
residents. The first 2 Azeri families settled in Khojalu only in 60s. Few
years later an Azeri Khojalu springs up by the Armenian one. In 1977 the
Armenian Khojalu was not mentioned and in 1989 census showed that Khojalu
was a purely Azeri settlement with 1661 population.

By Tatoul Hakobian

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

USINFO.STATE.GOV
25 February 2005
United States Funds Rocket Fuel Disposal Project in Armenia
Project will neutralize rocket fuel component, produce fertilizer byproduct
Washington — The United States will contribute over $1 million toward a
project of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to
eliminate rocket fuel component stocks in Armenia, according to the U.S.
Embassy in Yerevan.
These rocket fuel components, known as melange, are often kept in inadequate
containers that present considerable environmental risk in addition to the
inherent security risk, the U.S. Embassy said. These types of stocks are
found in other states of the former Soviet Union, as well as in Armenia.
The OSCE said that in response to a request from Armenia in April 2004 for
technical and financial support for the recycling of 872 tons of melange,
the OSCE Office in Yerevan arranged for international experts to advise on
the environmentally sound recycling of the chemicals.
The method of neutralizing the melange chosen by the OSCE will result in the
added positive byproduct of a liquid fertilizer for use by Armenia’s
farmers.
The U.S. Embassy said the United States is the primary source of funds for
this project, accounting for nearly 75 percent of the budget. Other
countries such as Germany, Finland and Canada have also contributed —
particularly to the project’s crucial initial phases, which were completed
in 2004.
On February 22, a memorandum of understanding on the elimination of the
rocket-fuel-component stocks was signed by Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, the
head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, and Serzh Sargssian, the minister of
defense of Armenia and secretary of the National Security Council.
“The Office will continue to support this important activity, which aims to
improve both the environment and the security of the Armenian population,”
said Ambassador Pryakhin.
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: )

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone 212.319.6383 x.118
Fax 212.319.6507
Email [email protected]
Website

Friday, February 25, 2005

US AMBASSADOR JOHN EVANS JOINS ARMENIAN CHURCH AND ORGANIZATION
REPRESENTATIVES AT SPECIAL EVENT AT AGBU CENTRAL OFFICE IN NEW YORK

New York, NY – On February 11th, 2005, a special dinner reception in
honor of United States Ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, was hosted
by AGBU President Berge Setrakian along with representatives of major
New York-area Armenian organizations at AGBU Central Office in
Manhattan. Over 40 people attended the Friday night event, which
allowed the newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to familiarize himself
with the tri-state’s Armenian institutions, and the important role
they play within the Armenian Diaspora.

After welcoming the audience, Mr. Setrakian thanked the Ambassador for
all his efforts to strengthen the bridges between the United States
and Armenia. He further pledged AGBU’s commitment to continue working
through the various U.S. agencies such as the USAID, for the benefit
of Armenia. He then introduced the representatives of the various
organizations present and participating in the dinner reception.

Ambassador Evans thanked AGBU for the opportunity created for him to
be present at the dinner and briefly outlined the three goals that
compose current U.S. policy in Armenia, “…For economic growth they
[people in the south Caucasus] need stability, that is why we are
working very hard with the foreign ministries of Armenia and
Azerbaijan to bring about a lasting solution [to Karabakh]…that’s
our first goal. Our second big goal is to build the economy of
Armenia, and to build it in a broad-based and sustainable way so that
not only the very wealthy oligarchs in Armenia are profiting but so
there is a good economic life for the bulk of the people. A third
important goal of our policy, is to foster genuine democratic
institutions. Now I’ve only been in Armenia for six months, but I want
to report to you that I think the country is headed in the right
direction in many, many ways.”

Ambassador Evans also thanked AGBU for its continuing leadership role
in the Diaspora and Armenia, “I think you should be very proud of what
you have done as AGBU, we see the signs of that, they are visible
everywhere, in Yerevan and outside Yerevan. You have done wonderful
things and you continue to do wonderful things and we are very proud
of you also, and we’re proud of our association with you.”

Honored guests for the evening, included the Ambassador’s wife and
daughter, USAID’s Armenia Director, Robin Phillips, U.S. State
Department representatives, Aaron Sherinian and Eugenia Sidereas,
Ambassador Arman Kirakossian of the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
in Washington, D.C., Ambassador Armen Martirosyan of the Permanent
Mission of Armenia to the United Nations, Moses Abelian, Secretary of
the Administrative and Budgetary committee of the United Nations, AGBU
Vice-President Nazar Nazarian, AGBU Secretary Joseph Basralian, AGBU
Board Member Carol Aslanian, AGBU Board Member Michael Ansour, Van
Krikorian, Board Member of the Armenian Assembly of America, and
Kenneth V. Hachikian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee.

Church representatives in attendance were, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
of the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America (East),
Most Reverend Manuel Batakian of the Apostolic Exarchate for Armenian
Catholics, and Andy Torigian, Executive Director of the Armenian
Missionary Association of America. Archbishop Khajag Barsamian of the
Armenian Apostolic Church (Eastern Diocese) being out of town was not
able to attend.

Representatives from the following Armenian organizations were also
present: Armenia Fund USA, Birthright Armenia, Constantinople Armenian
Relief Society, Fund for Armenian Relief, Near East Foundation, and
Tekeyan Cultural Association and AGBU Young Professionals of Greater
New York.

AGBU is the largest non-profit Armenian organization in the world and
serves over 400,000 Armenians annually. For more information on AGBU
and its programs in Armenia and elsewhere, please visit

AZG Armenian Daily #035,
26/02/2005

Social

BEING DISABLED IS NOT A DISEASE BUT A SOCIAL STATUS

25-year-old Zaruhi Batoyan is a third-year student at the Yerevan State
University and is the editor of Arevatsakhik magazine. She is a first group
disabled and is sure that one should trust his abilities in order to be
successful in life. Zaruhi entered University 7 years later after her she
finished school. She has been working at the Bridge of Hope NGO since 1997
now and took the post of Arevatsakhik magazine editor in 1999. “To be
competitive we need higher education but besides our wish we need the state’s
backing. Though we are granted possibility of free education, those disabled
of first and second groups have to produce documents from doctors allowing
them to get certain kind of specialty. But no one has the right to decide
for me what profession to choose”, Zaruhi says.

Arevatsakhik publishes articles on the rights of the disabled. The magazine
also writes from time to time about disabled peoples’ achievements in
different spheres. “We want to prove to everyone that disablement is not a
disease but a social status. It is not necessary to run as fast as everybody
does or see and speak as others in order to live a full life”, she says.
Zaruhi also plays roles at the Bridge of Hope theatre and performed key
roles few times. There are 115 thousand disabled in Armenian today. The head
of Bridge of Hope NGO thinks that the first priority is to employ the
disabled. “We need such a legislative field that will encourage employers
take on disabled people most of whom today are unemployed. Besides, the
state institutions are not adjusted for the needs of the disabled”, the head
of NGO, Susanna Tadevosian, notes. The NGO organizes seminars occasionally
to raise public’s awareness as regards disabled people. Disabled people lead
the seminars themselves.

By Arevik Badalian

AZG Armenian Daily #035,
26/02/2005

Exhibition

‘I DIDN’T THINK OF THE SIN WHEN PAINTING’

The theme of Adam and Eve has been widely used by artists of every times and
every nation. The exhibition entitled “Adam and Eve” opened in the “Bacchus”
art gallery aimed to represent the story of the first human beings from
quite a different viewpoint. Adam and Eve are represented in a unique way,
embodying eternal love or treason. 40 Armenian artists exhibited 85 pieces.
The majority of these pieces is created recently, especially for the
exhibition. Noushik Mikaelian, deputy director of “Bacchus ” art gallery,
stated that Adam and Eve committed the first sin, influencing the
development of the humanity. But one shouldn’t forget that they were the
first human beings of the world and were quite unaware of the norms of
morality. “Today, there are so many sins that we decided to concentrate at
Adam and Eve again and tried to begin everything again,” Noushik Mikaelian
said. The exhibition hall was decorated with apples. The initiators of the
exhibition said that they wanted to create a small paradise in the
exhibition hall and see who will again be tempted and try the fruit of
wisdom. One of the visitors couldn’t stand the temptation and tasted the
apple, but this time without Eve. Samvel Movsisian depicted Adam and Eve on
the same layer. “They can’t be separated,” the painter said. While Zaruhi
Manucharian represented the story of Adam and Eve as a love story. “When
painting, I didn’t think of the sin. Their love is more important,” she
said.

By Arevik Badalian

PanArmenian News
Feb 25 2005

AZERBAIJAN’S AMBASSADOR TO IRAN CRITICIZED OSCE MINSK GROUP
ACTIVITIES

25.02.2005 15:30

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “During 13 years the OSCE Minsk Group has been
doing nothing but misleading Azerbaijanis”, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador
to Iran Abbas Ali Hasanov stated in Tehran. “We are ready to
cooperate with this group but the Co-Chairs submit proposals that are
not admissible”, Hasanov noted, The Ambassador stated that Azerbaijan
intends to return the territories “occupied by Armenia”. Presently we
do not have any political contacts with Yerevan and the only
condition for their establishment is the liberation of the seized
Azeri territories”, he stressed.

PanArmenian News
Feb 25 2005

TURKISH AND US DIPLOMATS DISCUSSED KARABAKH PROBLEM IN WASHINGTON

25.02.2005 14:52

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Within the dialogue on strategic issues Turkey and
the US agreed on formation of “forum of discussions” on Russia, South
Caucasus and Central Asia. Head of the Turkish Foreign Ministry
department on Russia, Caucasus and Central Asia Halil Akinchi met
with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian
Affairs Laura Kennedy. The parties discussed the situation in
Georgia, Russia and South Caucasus and also the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict and the Armenian-Turkish relations. The discussions
aimed at establishment of joint interests as well as cooperation in
the field of political and economic reforms. The dialogue is to be
continued in Ankara.

ARKA News Agency
Feb 25 2005

OSCE and CE expertly group to visit Armenia on March 3-4

It is early to engage in pre-election campaign – Armenian PM

Presentation of official website of Economic Court of the Republic of
Armenia held in Yerevan

RA Prime Minister receives charge d’Affaires of Syria to Armenia

70th anniversary of prominent Karabakh publicist and public activist
Zori Balayan’s birth celebrated in Stepanakert

Armenian PM: rumors on near resignation of Government exploited by
some semi-pro-Government and pro-Government streams

*********************************************************************

OSCE AND CE EXPERTLY GROUP TO VISIT ARMENIA ON MARCH 3-4

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. Joint group of experts from OSCE and
the Council of Europe will visit Armenia on March 3-4 to study the
issues of constitutional and electoral reforms, as Dmirti Rupel
Slovenian Foreign Minister said when meeting Arthur Baghdasryan,
Armenian Speaker while on his official visit to Austria. As Armenian
Parliament Public department told ARKA, Rupel gave high estimation to
Armenian Parliament’s role in implementation of Armenia’s commitments
to PACE and expressed hope that constitutional and election reforms
will be held as per European standards. Baghdasaryan ain his turn
said that Armenia attaches importance to integration into European
structures, the solution of the Karabakh conflict within frames of
the OSCE Minsk Group as it studied the issue well. It was mentioned
that the region enjoys peaces for ten years and Armenia sees the
solution of the conflict thru peaceful settlements. He also stressed
OSCE’s role in establishing peace and regional cooperation in South
Caucasus. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

IT IS EARLY TO ENGAGE IN PRE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN – ARMENIAN PM

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. It is early `to roll up one’s sleeves’
and to engage in pre-election campaign, as Armenian PM Andranik
Margarian said to Armenian Public TV. In his words, `we have two
years until elections to the National Assembly and three until the
presidential elections. Launching pre-election campaign now will
hinder not only normal development of the country, but the solution
of challenges that Armenia is facing’. `I mean regional problems, and
hindering economic and political development of the country’, he
stated. At that he said that opposition’s behaviour is quite normal,
adding that the party headed by him (Republican Party of Armenia –
ARKA) have no intentio to promote extraordinary presidential or
parliamentary elections. Margarian stressed that `everything must
took place in its time’, and the Armenian President and the National
Assembly must have opportunity to solve the issues until the next
regular elections. `The life is already is complex and we should not
make it even more complicated, inventing new problems for us’, PM
considers. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

PRESENTATION OF OFFICIAL WEBSITE OF ECONOMIC COURT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
ARMENIA HELD IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, February 23. /ARKA/. Presentation of official website of
Economic Court of the Republic of Armenia () was
held in Yerevan today. As Davit Harutyunyan, Armenian Justice
Minister said, the most important factor of the final establishing of
judiciary in the developing countries is its transparency and using
of high technologies must not be neglected here. At that in his
words, similar transparency could not be secured only by creation of
internet center and the Armenian Government suggest this year to make
a number of legislative steps for securing transparency of the legal
proceedings process. `We need just that transparency that would allow
the sides to better understand their activity and the judges to get
more correct impression what will promote the making of the judiciary
`, he stressed.
The web-based information center of the Economic Court of Armenia was
created within frames of Transparency of Judiciary System of Armenia
program with the assistance of EU European Initiative for Democracy
and Human Rights (the total cost of the grant EUR 44 thou.). One of
the main tasks of the program implemented by Youth for Achievements
NGO is expanding of partnership between state, public sectors thru
free provision of necessary information, its transparency and
availability. The main purpose of the web-based internet resource is
free provision of information about the judiciary system,
particularly the Economic Court, and to enhance the efficiency and
quality of the information exchange between the public and the
Economic Court.
The main menu of Armenian, Russian and English version of the
web-site contain 14 chapters including data on the Economic Court of
the republic of Armenia, activity procedure, court appeal order,
cassation compliant and appeal, information on legal proceedings,
sales of debtors property, news, international relations, feedback,
links etc. T.M. -0–

*********************************************************************

RA PRIME MINISTER RECEIVES CHARGE D’AFFAIRES OF SYRIA TO ARMENIA

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. RA Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan
today received Charge d’Affaires of Syria to Armenia Hasan al-Raslan,
who accomplishes his diplomatic mission to Armenia. As the Public
Relations Department of RA Government told ARKA agency, the RA Prime
Minister highly appreciated the work of Hasan al-Raslan for the
development of Armenian-Syrian relations. Margaryan hopes that the
visit of Syrian Premier Naji al-Utri to Armenia will impart new
impetus to bilateral relations.
During the meeting, the participants emphasized the satisfactory
level of bilateral cooperation, in particular, in areas of
agriculture, science and education, culture. Margaryan and Raslan
also noted the importance of recurring sessions of Armenian-Syrian
Intergovernmental Commission. The Armenian PM expressed confidence in
the fact that the execution of decisions, adopted on 3rd session of
the Commission in Yerevan in 2004, will contribute to further
development of bilateral relations in various fields. L.V.–0–

*********************************************************************

70TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROMINENT KARABAKH PUBLICIST AND PUBLIC ACTIVIST
ZORI BALAYAN’S BIRTH CELEBRATED IN STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, February 25. /ARKA/. 70th anniversary of prominent
Karabakh publicist and public activist Zori Balayan’s birth was
celebrated in Stepanakert. Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s President
Arkadi Ghukasyan, Members of the NKR Parliament and Government and
representatives of the community were present at the party dedicated
to the event.
The jubilee spoke about current world problems in his speech. He paid
attention to globalization and its possible impact on the region.
Speaking on Karabakh conflict settlement, Balayan pointed out oil
factor.
Speaking on Karabakh national liberation movement, he said nobody
must think human toll was vain and nobody must doubt that `we did
achieve the goal’. M.V. -0–

*********************************************************************

ARMENIAN PM: RUMORS ON NEAR RESIGNATION OF GOVERNMENT EXPLOITED BY
SOME SEMI-PRO-GOVERNMENT AND PRO-GOVERNMENT STREAMS

YEREVAN, February 25. /ARKA/. The rumors of near resignation of the
Government are exploited by semi-pro-Government and pro-Government
streams, as Armenian Pm Andranik Margarian said in his interview to
the Armenian Publci TV. In his opinion, the opposition wishes to
change the power, but the purposes put forward by it one or two years
ago -President’s resignation, holding of extraordinary elections are
groundless. Therefore, in PM’s words, it is necessary to input in the
government `the worm of doubt’, the fanciful power change scenario,
where naturally the PM and Government members have their own role. At
that he stressed that this may not be implemented, adding that the
changes into the Government’s staff are always possible, however they
will not be related to demands put forward or similar reasons. T.M.
-0–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress