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08/24/2006
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1. Georgian Prime Minister Visits Javakhk
2. ARF Lebanon Continues Meetings in Opposition of Turkish Troop Deployment
3. Azerbaijan, Turkey to Fund Georgia Leg of Railway
4. Azerbaijan Considers Sending Mideast Peacekeeping Troops

1. Georgian Prime Minister Visits Javakhk

AKHALKALAK (Armenpress)–Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli Thursday
visited the largely Armenian-populated region of Javakhk in southern Georgia.
The A-INFO news agency reported that in Ninotsminda and Akhalkalak the prime
minister got acquainted with the construction projects carried out by the
funds
released from the state budget.
The prime minister said that the government is planning to construct new
buildings for three local schools, one which is an Armenian school.
Noghaideli also visited the Aspindza-Akhalkalak road construction site and
expressed hope that in October the construction will be finished.

2. ARF Lebanon Continues Meetings in Opposition of Turkish Troop Deployment

BEIRUT (Aztag)–The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Central Committee of
Lebanon continued meeting with members of the Lebanese foreign diplomatic
corps
to express the vehement opposition of the Armenian community to the proposed
deployment of Turkish troops as part of the United Nations mandated cease fire
resolution.
The delegation met with Patric Renault, representative of the European Union
in Lebanon as well as ambassadors of Jordan, Spain, Argentina.
The ARF appeal opposing the Turkish troop deployment has been sent to the
ambassadors of Belgium, Switzerland, the Vatican, the Netherlands, United Aram
Emirates and Congo. ARF representatives are expected to meet with other
ambassadors in the coming days.
The ARF appeal vehemently raises objections to the deployment of Turkish
troops in southern Lebanon, arguing that the presence of Turkish forces would
compromise the peace process since it would effectively impair the
principle of
impartiality of peacekeeping forces.
The appeal being presented to foreign diplomat also points out that Turkey
and
Israel have signed several military agreements, which would contribute to
jeopardize stability and the aims of the cease-fire resolution.
In advancing the same issue, an ARF delegation Saturday met with Lebanese
prime minister Fuad Siniora to express its opposition to a proposed deployment
of Turkish troops as part of a United Nations mandated peacekeeping force to
southern Lebanon.
Hovig Mkhitarian and parliament member Hagop Pakradouni were part of the
delegation, which initially applauded Siniora for his leadership and posturing
during the crisis and praised his decision to dispatch the Lebanese Army units
to the border with Israel.
The delegation went on to express the Armenian community’s collective
opposition to deploying Turkish troops on Lebanese soil, explaining that when
all Armenian religious leaders collectively are opposing this process, it
should signal a community-wide consensus on the issue.
It was emphasized that an agreement to deploy Turkish troops in Lebanon will
create across the board dissatisfaction and outrage within the community,
which
has continuously and historically supported the government.
Siniora informed the delegation that he was grappling with the reality that
there were not sufficient international forces available to fulfill the needs
of the international peacekeeping force, but stressed that he fully
comprehended the expressed position of the delegation.
The delegation emphasized that the deployment of forces to Lebanon, under any
circumstances would endanger Lebanon’s stability.
"We have continually worked toward bolstering Lebanon’s stability and
security. This Turkish issue will undoubtedly create instability in Lebanon,"
explained Pakradouni
The two ARF leaders met Tuesday with Lebanese defense minister Elias Mur, who
hosted the meeting at his residence.
The delegation praised the defense minister and the Lebanese army for their
resolute posturing during the Israeli attacks and expressed their condolences
for the soldiers who were killed as a result of the war.
The two sides also assessed the current security and defense issues of the
country, emphasizing the important role the Army will play in protecting the
borders and ensuring the national security of Lebanon.
The delegation also expressed its support for the United Nations cease-fire
resolution and conveyed the ARF’s vehement opposition to the proposed
participation of Turkey as part of the mandated peacekeeping force to be
deployed in southern Lebanon.
Mur told the delegation that he was very familiar with the ARF position and
the concerns that the Armenian community has regarding the deployment of
Turkish forces in Lebanon. He emphasized the need for popular Lebanese consent
for any troop deployment in the country.

3. Azerbaijan, Turkey to Fund Georgia Leg of Railway

BAKU (Armenpress)– Azerbaijan and Turkey will provide interest-free loans to
Georgia to finance the construction of the Georgian leg of the proposed
Kars-Akhalkalak-Baku railway, a high-level official at the Azeri
transportation
ministry Sadreddin Mamedov told Interfax-Azerbaijan news agency.
"We made this decision last week during a meeting of the three transpiration
ministers. Georgia asked for a long-term interest-free loan and Turkey and
Azerbaijan agreed," said Mamedov, adding, however, that it was premature to
discuss the exact amount of the loan.
The official added that Georgia accepted plans drawn by a Turkish firm
commissioned to design the railway.
The US House of Representatives voted last month to block US taxpayer funding
for an unnecessary and costly proposed railroad between Turkey and Georgia
that
would, if built, circumvent Armenia and, in the process, undermine the
economic
viability of the existing Caucasus railroad route through Armenia.
The amendment, spearheaded by Representatives Joe Crowley (D-NY), Ed Royce
(R-CA), and Brad Sherman (D-CA), and adopted as part of the Export-Import Bank
Reauthorization Act of 2006, prohibits the Export-Import Bank from providing
any assistance "to develop or promote any rail connections or railway-related
connections that traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and
Kars, Turkey, and that specifically exclude cities in Armenia." The measure
was
adopted unanimously by the House Financial Services Committee in June of this
year.
The Crowley Amendment is similar to the South Caucasus Integration and Open
Railroads Act of 2006. This measure was introduced in both the House
(H.R.3361), by Representative Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), and in the Senate (S
2461) by Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA). The House version has 85 cosponsors;
the
Senate version has been cosponsored by Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Paul
Sarbanes (D-MD). Both measures stress that US policy should oppose the "The
exclusion of Armenia from regional economic and commercial undertakings in the
South Caucasus," noting that such actions "undermine the United States policy
goal of promoting a stable and cooperative environment in the region."

4. Azerbaijan Considers Sending Mideast Peacekeeping Troops

BAKU (Day.az)–Azerbaijan is considering contributing to the international
peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said
Wednesday.
Mammadyarov said a final decision on whether to send peacekeepers with the UN
force to southern Lebanon would be made after the troops’ status and mandate
were firmly determined, the Associated Press reports.
"We must know for sure what the situation is like, with which mandate as well
as how and where Azeri peacekeepers will be deployed – only after that can a
decision be made," Mammadyarov told reporters.
European Union nations are trying to raise troops for the 15,000-strong
force,
but many nations have been reluctant to commit soldiers without safeguards to
ensure they don’t get sucked into new violence between Israel and Hezbollah
guerrillas.
The ex-Soviet, Caspian Sea nation has 150 troops serving in Iraq in
support of
the US-led coalition there. The troops mostly serve as sentries, on patrols
and
protecting a dam.
Mammadyarov also said some Azeri citizens remain in Lebanon, and that Baku
had
sent humanitarian aid there.
The statement came as President Ilham Aliyev hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah
II,
on his first official visit to the oil-rich nation.

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