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RIA Novosti, Russia
June 30, 2004

FEDERATION COUNCIL TO DISCUSS CFE TREATY RATIFICATION ON JULY 7

MOSCOW, June 30 (RIA Novosti) – The Russian parliament’s upper
chamber will discuss the issue of the CFE (Conventional Forces In
Europe) Treaty ratification at a plenary session on July 7, said
Mikhail Margelov, chairman of the International Committee of the
Federation Council.

“Our committee will consider the document on July 5, and we will
recommend the chamber to ratify it”, he said.

The senator reminded that the Treaty provided for introduction of a
strict national and territorial restraints system specifying the
ceiling for ground armaments and equipment deployment and outlining
exact time and quantitative frames of the ceiling alteration not to
undermine the regional stability.

“It removes the threat of accumulating the potentials for large-scale
offensive operations and, in fact, neutralizes the possibility of
heavy materiel’s dangerous concentrations along Russia’s borders”,
said Mr. Margelov.

At the same time, he stressed that the Treaty ratification enables
Russia to retain its military presence in Armenia and the Ukraine.

“For Russia, the CFE Treaty ratification is very important, because
the new states’ accession to NATO changes the European military and
strategic configuration”, believes the chairman of the profile
committee. According to him, the CFE Treaty is a fundamental document
determining Russia-NATO relations.

Mr. Margelov reminded that after Russia ratify the Treaty the same
should be done by parliaments of the parties to the Treaty. “Their
decision as to the ratification will show how much they want stable
security architecture”, he emphasized.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian party leader slams president for non-attendance at NATO summit

Mediamax news agency
30 Jun 04

YEREVAN

The leader of the Armenian Liberal Progressive Party, Oganes
Oganesyan, today criticized [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan’s
decision not to take part in the NATO summit in Istanbul.

Speaking at the National Press Club today, Oganesyan said that the
president’s refusal to take part in the NATO summit could negatively
affect Armenia’s integration into the Euro-Atlantic structures.

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan refused to take part in the NATO
summit in Istanbul because of the absence of diplomatic relations
between Armenia and Turkey. The Armenian delegation in Istanbul was
headed by Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan.

Oganes Oganesyan said that Armenia should strive to join
NATO. According to him, already in five years Georgia, Azerbaijan and
Uzbekistan can become full members of the North Atlantic Alliance.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ArmenPress
June 29 2004

COMMISSION SELECTS TWO BIDS FOR PRIVATIZATION OF ZANGEZOUR SMELTER

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS: An inter-agency commission, set up
to handle the privatization of Zangezour smelter, has examined today
privatization bids, received from potential buyers, Armenian trade
and economic development ministry said, adding that two of proposed
bids met all requirements set by the government. The ministry said it
will consider both and has demanded additional information from both
companies to submitted within ten days. Both selected companies say
they are ready to pay $25 million in advance before starting takeover
talks.
Plans for privatization of the plant were announced by the
government last March and were officially presented to over 40
potential buyers at a special conference held in London late March.
The government expects to net at least $450 million in cash and
investment commitments from the sale of Armenia’s largest copper and
molybdenum mines. A prospective buyer will be expected to pay $100
million for the Kajaran plant’s shares and pledge to invest more than
$350 million in modernizing its obsolete technological lines.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Bulgaria, Armenia decide to boost bilateral trade, contacts

BTA web site, Sofia
29 Jun 04

Sofia, 29 June: The last year and a half has witnessed a breakthrough
in Bulgarian-Armenian trade, the two countries’ National Assembly
chairmen, Ognyan Gerdzhikov of Bulgaria and Artur Baghdasaryan, found
when they conferred here Tuesday [29 June].

“The bilateral political dialogue has experienced a tangible
invigoration in recent years, after lagging behind for a certain
period,” Gerdzhikov said, noting that his guest is the first Armenian
head of parliament to pay an official visit to Bulgaria.

Trade and economic relations topped the agenda of the meeting. “I
declared Bulgaria’s readiness to serve as Armenia’s gateway to
Europe,” Gerdzhikov added. The sides discussed bilateral cooperation
in transport, the prospects to regional cooperation and contacts in
culture, education and science.

Baghdasaryan said that he has agreed with his host to assist the
promotion of cooperation between regions in the two
countries. “Wednesday’s signing of a twinning agreement between
Plovdiv and Gyumri will be the first step in this direction,” he
added.

It was agreed to include members of the business community in the
delegation that will accompany Gerdzhikov on his visit to Armenia
early next year and to organize an economic forum in Armenia to help
the promotion of bilateral economic cooperation.

The two heads of parliament agreed to assist the establishment of a
Bulgarian culture centre in Yerevan and of an Armenian culture centre
in Sofia.

The Armenian MPs are paying a four-day official visit. Later on
Tuesday, they will confer with ranking members of the Foreign Policy,
Defence and Security Committee. The delegation is scheduled to meet
President Georgi Purvanov and Prime Minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

OSCE Office holds anti-trafficking training in Armenia

Source:OSCE

YEREVAN, 29 June 2004 – A three-day training session on human trafficking
started today in Yerevan for experts and interviewers from two local
non-governmental organizations that are carrying out a survey on trafficking
in Armenia. The training is organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and
funded by the US State Department.

The training session will concentrate on best practices in research on
trafficking in human beings and will also include a session on the
methodology of a train-the-trainers component. The two local NGOs conducting
the survey are the Armenian Sociological Association and the Armenian Relief
Society.

“There is disturbing anecdotal evidence that Armenia is both a country of
origin and transit for trafficked human beings, but there is no actual data
about the scope of the problem,” said Blanka Hancilova, the OSCE Office’s
Democratization Officer.

“The objective of the NGO survey, which is the most comprehensive one so far
conducted in Armenia, is to close this gap. The information gained will be
shared with the Armenian authorities, civil society and international
organizations and should serve as a basis for policy decisions on the
issue,” she said.

As part of its anti-trafficking strategy, the OSCE Office has supported the
development of a National Plan of Action for the prevention of trafficking
in persons and organized several seminars on the issue.

At present a team of national experts is working on analyzing gaps in the
existing legal framework, with special emphasis on victim and witness
protection. An international expert from the Italian Prosecutor’s Office
will join the team in September to share international best practices in
dealing effectively with trafficking, corruption and organized crime.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Daily News
June 29 2004

Turkey seeks catalyst role in Azeri-Armenian conflict

Foreign Minister Gul holds talks with Armenian and Azeri counterparts
on the sidelines of the NATO summit and discusses Cyprus steps with
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw

ANKARA – Turkish Daily News
Turkey seeks to become a catalyst between Azerbaijan and Armenia in
an effort to resolve the dispute over the Nagorno-Karabakh region,
Turkish officials said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on Monday morning met his
Armenian counterpart, Vartan Oskanian, on the sidelines of the NATO
summit in Istanbul. Oskanian said that Yerevan was serious in its
determination to improve relations with Turkey, while Gul noted that
Turkey had the will to reciprocate.

Both ministers agreed that due to the public’s sensitivity in both
countries, it would take time to achieve this objective. Gul cited
the example of Cyprus, noting that they had first laid a foundation
that had paved the way for negotiations and relations.

NATO has been discussing a project for launching a Caucasus Stability
Pact, but the continued tension between Azerbaijan and Armenia is a
significant obstacle to the plan.

Gul was scheduled to hold a trilateral meeting with his Armenian and
Azerbaijani counterparts, Oskanian and Elmar Memmedyarov, later in
the day.

Turkey had severed its ties with Armenia and says normalization in
relations depends upon Armenia’s withdrawing its forces in
Nagorno-Karabakh, an enclave in Azeri territory under Armenian
occupation for the last decade. Other conditions for normalized ties
include Yerevan putting an end to its support for Armenian diaspora
efforts to secure international recognition of an alleged genocide of
Armenians at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire.

A Turkish official said that Armenia had no objection to developing
relations but noted that it had posed no objections during other
international meetings, later reneging on its pledges.

In this afternoon’s meeting, Oskanian was expected to broach the
issue of stability in the general Caucasus although the raising of
the topic would not be welcomed by the Armenian people.

Turkish officials said that all three ministers would express their
willingness to meet regularly on a trilateral basis in addition to
meetings at international summits.

Turkey and Armenia do not enjoy diplomatic relations. A Turkish
official close to the talks said, “Only the results and indirect
consequences of the problems between the two countries are of any
interest to us.” The Turkish official also declined to specify how
Turkey would act as a catalyst in relations between Azerbaijan and
Armenia.

Another topic during the meetings is expected to be the replacement
of private charter flights between Turkey and Armenia with scheduled
flights.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Head of Armenian reporters’ union accuses authorities of controlling media

Mediamax news agency
29 Jun 04

YEREVAN

The chairman of the Gyumri-based Asparez journalists’ club, Levon
Barsegyan, has accused the Armenian authorities of violating freedom
of speech and of the desire to control the media.

Addressing a seminar organized by the Yerevan Press Club and the
Friedrich Naumann Fund in Yerevan today, Levon Barsegyan said that
“Armenian TV companies have the right to criticize the work of the
country’s legislative and executive branches but not the president of
the country”.

According to him, at present Armenia seriously lacks independent
media, like A1+ which was deprived of the right to broadcast two years
ago. At the same time, Barsegyan noted that “the major part of
Armenia’s mass media is controlled by the president’s administration”.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri ombudsman asks for “lenient punishment” for jailed Karabakh activists

Turan news agency
29 Jun 04

BAKU

Ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova has appealed to the Prosecutor-General’s
Office in connection with the protest staged by members of the
Karabakh Liberation Organization [KLO] outside Hotel Europe on 21
June.

She said in the appeal that the picket was not an act of hooliganism,
but a protest against Armenian servicemen’s arrival in Baku. Many
members of the KLO fought in Karabakh, lost their relatives and
friends, and suffered a severe psychological shock.

In this connection, the ombudsman asked the prosecutor-general to take
into account the mitigating circumstances and regard the deeds of the
detainees under articles stipulating lenient punishment.

Six members of the KLO have been arrested and criminal proceedings
have been instituted against them on charges of hooliganism and
violation of public order. They are accused of attempting to disrupt a
NATO conference at Hotel Europe.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenia expresses interest in post-conflict Iraqi operations role

Mediamax news agency
29 Jun 04

YEREVAN

Armenia is ready to play an active role in the post-conflict
humanitarian operations in Iraq, Deputy Foreign Minister Ruben
Shugaryan announced in Yerevan today.

Mediamax news agency quoted the diplomat as explaining Yerevan’s
position both by the presence of 30,000 Armenians in Iraq and
Armenia’s state interests.

Talks on the dispatch of Armenian military doctors, drivers and
sappers to Iraq by and large have now been completed and at present
they are discussing the logistics, the Armenian deputy foreign
minister said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AzerTag, Azerbaijan State Info Agency
June 29 2004

ADDRESS BY H.E. MR. ILHAM ALIYEV, PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
AZERBAIJAN EAPC SUMMIT MEETING IN ISTANBUL
[June 29, 2004, 17:06:15]

Mr. Secretary General,

Distinguished colleagues,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to participate at the Summit, which I believe will
have strong impact on development of the Alliance.

I congratulate the new NATO members whose efforts to meet criteria of
membership have led to its logical results. I am sure that the
biggest ever enlargement of NATO will contribute further to expanding
the boundaries of peace, security and freedom to the whole
Euro-Atlantic area.

Since 1994 Azerbaijan is actively participating in “Partnership for
Peace” Program. Our bilateral relations with NATO are developing very
successfully.

Participation in the Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP)
initiative marks an important milestone in Azerbaijan’s partnership
with NATO and will significantly contribute to the development of our
security policy. Azerbaijan’s policy aimed at integration with
European and Euro-Atlantic structures, conducted for more than 10
years will continue. We are sure that this integration will bring
more security to our region and prosperity to our people, Azerbaijan
has already proved, not only by statements, but by practical steps
that it is a reliable partner. We expressed our political will and
readiness to contribute to the cause of common security joining
NATO’s peace support operations. Today our peacekeepers together with
troops from NATO and Partner Nations contribute to stability and
security in different parts of the world.

Azerbaijan was one of the first countries that joined anti-terror
coalition after the September 11th attacks on the United States.
Today, our country effectively contributes to the global fight
against terrorism.

Suffered itself from Armenian terrorism – more than 2 thousands
people were killed in 32 terrorist acts – we know that only by joint
efforts of the whole international community we can effectively
combat this evil.

Continuing for more than 10 years occupation by Armenia of 20% of the
territory of Azerbaijan is one of the biggest threats to peace and
security in our region. As a result of Armenian aggression and ethnic
cleansing more than 1 million Azerbaijanis became refugees and
internally displaced persons, Nagorny Karabakh and 7 other regions of
Azerbaijan are under occupation. Territorial integrity of our country
is violated. Armenia continues to ignore 4 United Nation’s
resolutions, which demanded unconditional withdrawal of Armenian
troops from occupied territories.

Peaceful negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan held for more
than 10 years do not have any results. Azerbaijan will not compromise
on its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

Nagorny Karabakh is a lawless, uncontrolled zone, which is a constant
threat to security and stability in the South Caucasus.

We hope that outcomes of this Summit will extend our capabilities to
provide more security and stability in Euro-Atlantic area and its
neighborhoods,

Thank you.