Armenian defence minister denies giving away Karabakh to Azerbaijan

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
9 Dec 04

Text of Vaagn Ovakimyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan
Zhamanak on 9 December headlined “Let us reach the river then bare our
feet”

Recently the topic of the Karabakh talks has become the most urgent
problem in the domestic political life of Armenia. Defence Minister
Serzh Sarkisyan comments on this.

[Haykakan Zhamanak correspondent] Mr Sarkisyan, what is your attitude
towards the rumours about returning the territories?

[Serzh Sarkisyan] Rumours are spread from time to time that there is
even a signed document and that the territories have been
returned. There are three principles and we can settle the Karabakh
issue only based on them: the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh Republic] cannot
be part of Azerbaijan any longer, Karabakh should have a land border
with Armenia, and Karabakh should have strong security guarantees,
including guarantees that there will be no war.

[Correspondent] Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan assessed
negatively the policy conducted by the Armenian authorities since
1998. It becomes clear from his words that in this matter Armenia has
found itself in deadlock. What do think of this?

[Sarkisyan] Any person has the right to express his or her view. I
think we are not in deadlock. Rumours were also spread about the
surrender of Megri, which did not come true later. I assure you that
there was no problem of this kind and there could not be any. Today
there is no ground to speak about deadlock.

[Correspondent] Anyway, Ter-Petrosyan assessed the negotiating process
negatively. What can you say?

[Sarkisyan] You want me to express my view regarding Levon
Ter-Petrosyan. I would like to generalize and say that today Armenia
is not facing deadlock. Today, according to all the parameters,
Armenia is more developed than in 2001, 2002, 1993 or 1991. This is
evident, and it is their problem if someone does not want to see this.

[Correspondent] Do you not think that recently the Armenian political
authorities seem not to be able to come to an agreement regarding
important issues and to make decisions? For instance, concerning the
Electoral Code.

[Sarkisyan] This is the first time I have heard this view. There is
nothing like that. The vote on the Electoral Code is delayed because
it is necessary to submit a draft passed in the first reading to
international experts for checking so that tomorrow they do not say
that it does not correspond to international norms.

[Correspondent] What is your attitude towards the formation of the
opposition according to a new format, which promises to be a
pro-Western political force? It is supposed that its creation is
conditioned by the developments in Georgia and Ukraine.

[Sarkisyan] I do not think that a statement about orientation may
become a basis for assessments. Actions can cause assessments, let us
live and see. But who says that the pro-Western orientation is bad? I
see no problem here. I do not know why, but Abkhazia has been recently
removed from the list of pro-Western countries, the context is clear
in this case: do not bare your feet before reaching the river.

[Correspondent] Now that the National Assembly has endorsed the state
budget, are rumours about possible change in the government real?

[Sarkisyan] I am not aware of these rumours. I think it would be more
correct to ask the president of the republic and the prime minister
about this. I am not aware of any change.

Armenian defence minister justifies dispatch of troops to Iraq

Hayots Ashkarh, Yerevan
9 Dec 04

Excerpt from Vaan Vardanyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Hayots
Ashkarh on 9 December headlined “Armenia has no right to stay out of
this process”

An interview with Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.

[Hayots Ashkarh correspondent] Mr Sarkisyan, the Constitutional Court
has adopted a positive decision on sending troops to Iraq. When will
it be submitted to the National Assembly for ratification?

[Serzh Sarkisyan] It does not depend on me. There is a regulation
according to which the president of the country sends a bill to the
parliament for ratification. I think this will happen soon.

[Correspondent] Are you sure that the National Assembly will ratify
it?

[Sarkisyan] Nothing can be guaranteed. But I think that a great
majority in the parliament are people who stand for our national
interests and they will not make a negative decision.

[Correspondent] But Ukraine wants to withdraw its 1,500-strong
military contingent from Iraq, but it does not have money for
that. There is a similar mood in Britain as well. That is, some
countries seem to have changed their mind on sending troops to
Iraq. Is it correct that Armenia is going to send its military
contingent to Iraq?

[Sarkisyan] First, how do you know that they have changed their mind?
Second, at the time these countries sent troops to Iraq, the situation
was no better than today. That is, one should conclude that the
existing situation in Iraq is not the reason for this mood. In that
case we do not have the right to be guided by other countries’
interests.

[Passage omitted: Sarkisyan says how many countries and in what way
take part in Iraq’s restoration]

We have no right to be sidelined from this process.

[Correspondent] Is Kazakhstan’s military contingent in Iraq a
supporting force?

[Sarkisyan] Yes, it is. Just the same way as in our case. Today I
mentioned in the Constitutional Court that in case of joining the
relevant memorandum we shall mention reservations that should be
applied to our contingent. They are different. For instance, our
contingent may only take part in defence and humanitarian
actions. Moreover, we cannot take part in any actions together with
the Azerbaijani units.

[Correspondent] Moreover, our contingent may not be deployed in the
same place with the Azerbaijanis.

[Sarkisyan] Certainly. We have chosen in advance where our contingent
will be deployed in case of going to Iraq.

[Correspondent] There are opinions that if the contingent is
dispatched to Iraq, in this way Armenia will stress that it is
pro-Western, shrugging off Russia.

[Sarkisyan] This is not so. Those who think so are not aware of the
processes taking place in the world. They simply try to impose their
view on other people. If they learn the list of the countries that
help restoration of Iraq, they will see that Russia is among them as
well. Why do these people try to make any action look like
contradicting Russia or the USA? I am sure that such approaches will
not benefit our country.

[Correspondent] People worry that by this step we may put at risk our
Armenian community of Iraq.

[Sarkisyan] This is why we approach this problem very seriously. But I
can ask: if we do not send our contingent to Iraq, does it mean that
their attitude towards our community will be better? Everybody knows
that the first church blown up in Iraq was an Armenian one. That
happened when there was no word in Armenia about joining the
coalition. I simply see no connection, though different ways out are
possible. But I am absolutely sure that if Armenia does not join in
and stay out of this process, which involves 94 countries of the
world, it will be simply unclear.

ARARAT ZURABIAN: ARMENIA IS AN INDEPENDENT STATE AND WE DON’T ACCEPT
VASSAL RELATIONS

YEREVAN, December 9 (Noyan Tapan). “We will consistently work against
any violation of constitutional system and are ready to cooperate in
this issue with any political force,” Ararat Zurabian, Chairman of
Board of Armenian National Movement, declared during the 14 congress
of the party. In his speech he strictly criticized the ruling
administration. According to him, Robert Kocharian and the “political
forces serving him” for many times made victorious statements,
according to which they will achieve Nagorno Karabakh’s independence,
but these statements weren’t fulfilled. Ararat Zurabian declared that
signing the Istanbul charter, Robert Kocharian de facto recognized
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity. In the opinion of the Chairman of
ANM Board, another serious mistake of the president is forcing Nagorno
Karabakh out of the negotiation process, as a result of which the
problem transformed into a territorial argument between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. Ararat Zurabian called on to arrange cooperation with all
neighbours in the region. According to him, normalization of relations
with Turkey will play a very positive role in the economic development
of Armenia. As for the current level of Armenian-Russian relations,
Ararat Zurabian declared that at present these are interrelations
between “a servant and a master.” “When ANM held the power we tried to
equalize these relations but today again any Russian official of
medium rank may solve all issues necessary for him in Armenia.” To
recap, ANM isn’t against Russia, Zurabian emphasized that “Armenia is
an independent state and we don’t accept vassal relations.”

Armenian, Azeri foreign ministers discuss Karabakh settlement in Brussels

Arminfo
9 Dec 04

YEREVAN

Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan met his Azerbaijani
counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov within the framework of his visit to
Brussels to participate in the meeting of CEAP [Euro-Atlantic
Partnership Council] foreign ministers.

The agreement on the meeting was reached during the last
Oskanyan-Mammadyarov meeting in Sofia on 5 December, the press service
of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told Arminfo news agency. The meeting
was attended by the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group. During the
meeting, the ministers exchanged views on some issues that have arisen
at the present stage of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict settlement. The
sides are planning to resume the “Prague meetings” after discussing
this issues.

European Bank buys shares in Armenian bank

Public Television of Armenia, Yerevan
8 Dec 04

[Presenter] The European Bank [for Reconstruction and Development] has
allocated large funds to Armenia’s Ekonom Bank. However, the European
Bank for Reconstruction and Development [EBRD] will not intervene in
Armenia’s banking sector, as is the case with 45 banks in 23
countries. EBRD experts say that Armenia’s trade sector needs many
credits.

[Correspondent] The EBRD has paid 583m drams [1.219m dollars] for 25
per cent of Ekonom Bank shares plus one share. This is the first large
investment made by the EBRD in the Armenian banking system. This
amount allows the bank to join the Ekonom Bank board.

[Ashot Osipyan, Ekonom Bank chief executive officer] Naturally, as the
owner of the bank’s shares, the EBRD will join the board and take part
in strategic decision-making.

[Correspondent over archive footage] The finance and economy minister
[Vardan Khachatryan] said that after three years of talks, a positive
outcome has finally been achieved.

The Central Bank has already agreed to this. Currently, the securities
committee is preparing to issue the shares to the EBRD.

[Maria Luiza Chigonina, head of the EBRD credit department] It is the
EBRD’s principle not to interfere in the daily activities of other
banks. In order to remove some hurdles in the management of Ekonom
Bank, we will spend 500,000 euros.

[Passage omitted: Correspondent is talking about EBRD projects in
Azerbaijan and Georgia]

[Nikolay Hadjiyski, regional representative of the EBRD] We have
already drawn up, together with other banks of Armenia, three
directions for targeted credits to small and medium-sized businesses.

[Correspondent] The EBRD also has other projects worth 9m euros in
Armenia. The programmes embrace food processing, construction and
other areas.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Ex-ruling party blames authorities for Armenia’s “critical situation”

Arminfo
9 Dec 04

YEREVAN

Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh are in a critical situation today, the
24th session of the former ruling Armenian Pan-National Movement
[APNM] said in a resolution passed today.

Over the last few years, not only has Armenia lost its previous status
of an “island of democracy” in the South Caucasus, it is also
mentioned in international organizations and documents only in
connection with such notions as “occupied territories”, “ethnic
cleansing” and others which threaten Armenia with international
sanctions, the resolution said.

There is already talk about setting up a UN group to gather facts and
issue a legal decision on Armenia. The objective seems to lie in
resolving the issue of Armenia in line with the Yugoslav scenario.

Armenia is facing the threat of a hopeless war and meaningless
losses. The entire responsibility for all the aforesaid lies with the
incumbent administration, with the forces that comprise the
administration and with the opposition that carries the same ideology
and “feeds on it”, the authors of the document believe.

In their view, the way out of this pernicious situation is to topple
the incumbent regime in Armenia and establish a legitimate government
that would be political in essence [as reported] and would be capable
of making radical decisions; to restore constitutional order; to
return to a healthy society and ensure democracy. The APNM intends to
politically oppose the tricks of the incumbent regime and its
anti-national and anti-democratic steps which lead to the death of
Armenia and Nagornyy Karabakh.

Therefore, the APNM will continue to cooperate with all the
ideologically like-minded political organizations to return the
country to its natural development and security by legitimate means,
says the resolution.

US envoy welcomes resumption of Azeri-Armenian peace talks

Ekspress, Baku
9 Dec 04

Text of unattributed report by Azerbaijani newspaper Ekspress on 9
December headlined “The Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is creating
problems for the whole region” and subheaded “Reno Harnish supports
the negotiations”

“The USA applauds the resumption of the peace talks between Azerbaijan
and Armenia in Sofia,” the US ambassador to Azerbaijan, Reno Harnish,
has said.

The ambassador again noted official Washington’s support for a fair
solution to the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict through talks leading to a
stable and lasting peace.

“I do not see any other solution to the problem,” Harnish said. He
added that the Nagornyy Karabakh problem has created problems not only
for Azerbaijan, but also for the whole region.

“The threat of war is still there as long as this conflict is not
resolved. Therefore, the US government is using all its power to
achieve a peaceful and fair solution to the conflict,” he said.

Azeri customs impounds 1,500 wagons en route to Georgia

ANS TV, Baku
9 Dec 04

[Presenter Leyla Hasanova over archive footage] It is reported that
1,500 wagons en route from Azerbaijan to Georgia have been impounded
at the Boyuk Kasik railway station [northwestern Azerbaijan].

About 1,000 of them are transporting oil products, 300 grain and the
rest of them flour and fuel. A group of customs officers, who are
involved in inspecting the destination of the cargo from Azerbaijan to
Georgia [the cargo is said to be sent to Armenia], left for Batumi
yesterday evening. The investigation of this issue will continue for
three days.

[Passage omitted: ANS correspondent reiterates the same figures]

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Two CIS air defence exercises planned in 2005

Interfax-AVN military news agency web site
9 Dec 04

MOSCOW

The CIS Unified Air Defence System will hold two exercises in spring
and summer 2005, the Russian air force deputy commander-in-chief for
air defence, Lt-Gen Aytech Bizhev, said on Wednesday [9 December].

There will be exercises involving Russia, Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan in the middle of August at the
Ashuluk range in [Russia’s] Astrakhan Region, he said. Ukraine,
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan may attend as observers, he said.

Bizhev said that in April Tajikistan will host exercises in which the
destruction of terrorists in the air and on the ground will be
rehearsed and Russian bases in Kant, Kyrgyzstan, and Dushanbe,
Tajikistan, used.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU puts forward accords designed to make neighboring region a safer place

AP Worldstream
Dec 09, 2004

ROBERT WIELAARD

Eight months after absorbing 10 new members, the European Union on
Thursday endorsed tailor-made accords with seven neighbors that offer
far-reaching trade and cooperation benefits but _ crucially _ no
prospect of membership.

The “European Neighborhood” accords with Moldova, Ukraine, Morocco,
Tunisia, Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority are aimed at
making Europe more secure by bringing stability and prosperity to
volatile regions.

The Ukraine accord is to be implemented once it is clear a
presidential election to be rerun Dec. 26 are free and fair, putting
an end to the country’s political crisis, said EU External Affairs
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

She said she planned to visit Kiev after the vote to see “how we can
work together” to put Ukraine’s neighborhood accord into effect.

The EU plans to have “neighborhood” accords next year with Egypt,
Lebanon, Armenia, Azerbaij and Georgia.

Ferrero-Waldner told reporters the agreements will create “a ring of
friends around the borders of our enlarged EU” that took in Cyprus,
Malta and eight ex-communist East European nations on May 1.

She said the neighbors will qualify for easy access to the EU’s 450
million consumers, “the biggest single market in the world,” if they
bring their laws in line with EU rules and regulations.

In turn, the neighbors will get closer cooperation, more financial aid
and a chance to participate in EU education, research, environment,
energy, information and other programs.

The accords also contain a section in which the EU’s neighbors agree
to combat terrorism, illegal immigration, organized crime and commit
to the nonproliferation of weapons and mass destruction, good
governance, the rule of law and human rights.

“Each agreement has been tailor-made to match the needs and the
interests of the country concerned,” Ferrero-Waldner said.

“The further a partner is ready to go in taking steps to implement
common values, the further the EU will be ready to go in strengthening
our ties with them.”

The seven accords the EU cover the next three to five years and
exclude future membership.

Getting the seven deals has not been easy.

Ukraine has gone into a political crisis. The “neighborhood” accord
with Kiev puts the EU on a collision course with Russia which is ever
wary of Western European meddling in a region that Moscow considers
its sphere of influence.

The negotiations with Israel have been difficult. Israel can look
forward to better access to the EU market for its exports, but it had
to formally acknowledge that the EU has role to play in Mideast
peacemaking, together with the United States, the United Nations and
Russia.

The EU-Israel neighborhood agreement also means that “Israel clearly
acknowledges the role of the EU in the Quartet” that has written the
“road map” to a peace plan that is to lead to a Palestinian
state. Initially, the Israelis balked at references to the role of the
so-called Quartet of Mideast peacemakers.

Through the neighborhood agreement, Israel also acknowledges “the need
to take into account the viability of a future Palestinian state in
counter-terrorist activities,” said Ferrero-Waldner.

“Israel has never been willing to make such commitments in writing to
any other partner. The same applies to the commitments Israel has
entered into concerning” the nonproliferation of weapons of mass
destruction, she added.

She added Morocco, Tunisia, the Palestinian Authority and Jordan have
committed themselves to “far-reaching” economic and political reforms

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