Author: Antonian Lara

AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA SOLDIERS DIE DURING VIOLATION OF CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT

Trend News Agency
Jan 22 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 22 January / corr Trend E.Huseynli / As a result
of the Armenian armed forces in the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline
violating the ceasefire agreement on 21 January, a 19-year old
Azerbaijani soldier has been killed, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry
announced.

Afgan Agamammadov died from a gunshot injury during the violation
of ceasefire agreement in the direction of Chayli village of Terter
District.

Agamammadov was called to military service from Military Commissariat
of Sabirabad District, east of Azerbaijan, in April 2007.

As a result of the retaliation from the Azerbaijan Armed Forces, in
the direction of the Fizuli District of Azerbaijan, a soldier from
the Armenian Armed Forces was also killed, the Ministry said.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN CALLS BARACK OBAMA POLITICAL DILETTANTE

Azeri Press Agency
Jan 22 2008
Azerbaijan

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan claimed Democratic presidential
candidate Barack Obama , APA’s Turkey bureau reports

Erdogan stated that Obama’s promise on recognition of so-called
Armenian genocide cause damage to the relations of US-Turkey in the
meeting of Justice and Development party (AKP).

"The relations between Turkey and US will not be sacrificed to bad
campaigns of lobbies. He has got political dilettante problem for
this candidacy. We advice him to solve this problem," he said.

Obama answered the appeal of Armenian National Committee of America,
saying that if he is elected President he will recognize Armenian
genocide.

"If I was President, I would try to stop blockade of Armenia by Turkey
and Azerbaijan for the purpose of strengthening security of Armenia,"
he said.

LEVON TER-PETROSIAN: KOCHARIAN-SARGSIAN ADMINISTRATION WILL BE THROWN INTO HISTORY’S DUMP

Noyan Tapan
Jan 22, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. "Our struggle is entering a new
stage. We have reached a turning point, where words end and acts
start," Levon Ter-Petrosian, the first RA President, a candidate
for presidency, stated at the January 22 rally in Liberty Square
of Yerevan.

According to him, everything, which was to be said about the essence of
the current Armenian administration, the destructive prospects of its
reproduction, and the necessity to avoid it, has been already said. L.

Ter-Petrosian said that during three months he tried to prove that
Robert Kocharian’s and Serge Sargsian’s power is a "thief, robber,
anti-popular power," as a result of the criminal activity of which
Armenia has appeared in a difficult political, economic, and social
situation. According to the first President, he also tried to prove
that there is a real possibility of avoiding that sad prospect and
building a normal state, which is based on the real fact that the
current administration is a hateful power alien to the people, the
moral values of which have nothing in common with national psychology,
culture, real interests of Armenia, and even Artsakh.

According to L. Ter-Petrosian, the February 19 presidential elections
give the people a possibility of not only building country’s future
with their own hands, but also of healing the deep insult the
people experienced in 1998 and in 2003, when the victories of Karen
and Stepan Demirchians were extorted from the people. "Therefore,
February 19 will be not only my victory, but also the victory of
Karen Demirchian, Stepan Demirchian, and Vazgen Sargsian, and the
Kocharian-Sargsian administration will be thrown into the history’s
dump," L. Ter-Petrosian said.

Stepan Demirchian, the leader of the People’s Party of Armenia,
Aram Sargsian, the Chairman of the Hanrapetutiun (Republic) party,
and Nikol Pashinian, the leader of the Alternative public initiative,
also spoke at the rally. The latters said that the first President’s
meetings in the Armenian regions show that L. Ter-Petrosian is not
only opposition’s, but also people’s common candidate.

A procession along Yerevan’s central streets was announced after
the rally.

The procession was led by Levon Ter-Petrosian and its motto was
"We Will Win!"

AZERI SPOKESMAN SLAMS ARMENIAN DEFENCE MINISTER’S REMARKS

Azad Azarbaycan TV
Jan 21 2008
Azerbaijan

A threatening statement by Armenian Defence Minister Mikayel
Harutyunyan once again shows that official Yerevan is an aggressor
state. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman, Xazar Ibrahim, said
this while commenting on the Armenian defence minister’s statement that
they were able to occupy another 20 per cent of Azerbaijan’s territory.

[Ibrahim, speaking at news conference] This does not impact positively
on the [peace] talks. This should be regarded by the international
community and the [OSCE Minsk Group] co-chairs as an example of
Armenia’s unequivocal non-constructive position. Because this
is a statement supporting the policy of occupation which Armenia
has conducted so far. First, they show with this statement that,
yes, we occupied [Azerbaijani territories]. They again proved that
they are an aggressor state and the occupying country. Second, they
showed with this statement that they have not given up on this kind
of policy. This is a message for Azerbaijan and Azerbaijan accepts
this message. Azerbaijan has no fears in this regard. The situation
is quite different today. Today, Armenia is not in a position to make
such statements.

[At 1412 gmt 18 January, Novosti Armenia news agency quoted Mikayel
Harutyunyan as saying that Azerbaijan’s leaders "should think what will
happen if they lose another 20 per cent [of the country’s territory]
and have two more million refugees".]

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN RECEIVED THE HEAD OF THE OSCE/ODIHR MISSION

armradio.am
22.01.2008 14:26

President Robert Kocharyan today received the Head of the Observation
Mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights, Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens, President’s Press Office
reports.

Noting that the period is a very responsible one for the country,
the President attached great importance to the activity of the
observation mission.

"We are interested in holding elections corresponding to international
standards and we have tried to do," the President noted.

Mr. Kocharyan said he anticipates serious cooperation with the
observation mission, which must be targeted at holding good elections.

Ambassador Ahrens also expressed willingness to cooperate. He concisely
presented the work to be done by short-term and long-term missions.

Robert Kocharyan gave clarifications about the questions raised by
the Head of the OSCE/ODIHR Observation Mission.

EU ANNUAL REPORT TO INCLUDE NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM

AzerTag
Jan 21 2008
Azerbaijan

The issue concerning the peaceful solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict will be included in the EU report on Azerbaijan’s honoring
its obligations, Europa House Coordinator in Azerbaijan Ms. Ingrid
Angela Gossinger said.

The report will also highlight projects implemented last year by
Azerbaijan and EU, priority areas, democracy, laws, business and
investment climate improvement, fight against corruption, human rights,
energy and transport issues.

According Gossinger, European Neighborhood Policy Action Plan
(2007-2013) set out a set of priorities including strengthening the
democracy in the country, improving the business and business climate,
supporting balanced and sustainable economic development, furthering
converge of economic legislation and administrative practices,
strengthening EU-Azerbaijan energy bilateral cooperation and energy
and transport regional cooperation.

The third round of EU-Azerbaijan talks on the ENP Action Plan will
take place on February 4 during the visit of the EU troika, which is
to inaugurate EU Office in Azerbaijan.

VARDAN OSKANIAN MEETS WITH OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL AND NATO SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS IN TBILISI

Noyan Tapan
Jan 21, 2008

TBILISI, JANUARY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian,
who visited Tbilisi for taking part in the official inauguration
ceremony of Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili, during the
visit, met with Marc Brichambaut, the OSCE Secretary General,
and Robert Simmons, the Special Representative of NATO in the South
Caucasus. Noyan Tapan was informed about it by the RA Foreign Ministry
Press and Information Department.

Issues concerning the RA presidential elections, in particular,
the monitoring mission implemented by OSCE, were touched upon at
the meeting with the OSCE Secretary General. The interlocutors also
discussed the results of the last visit of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-chairs to the region.

V. Oskanian and the Special Representative of NATO discussed the
process of fulfilment of the Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership
Actions Plan (IPAP) and the prospects of elaboration of IPAP renewed
in the second half of the year. The sides positively estimated the
active political dialogue between Armenian and NATO high-ranking
officials in the recent period, R. Simmons also presented the issues
on the agenda of the NATO summit to be held in April in Bucharest
and NATO’s cooperation with its CIS regional partners.

SERBIA TO HOLD SECOND ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.01.2008 12:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Serbia is heading for a showdown next month between
a nationalist who leans towards Russia and a liberal favoring the
West following the first round of a presidential election.

Nationalist Tomislav Nikolic took 39.6 percent of the vote on Sunday
in a field of nine candidates, ahead of 35.5 percent for pro-Western
President Boris Tadic.

Analysts said the 61 percent turnout – the highest since the fall of
strongman Slobodan Milosevic in 2000 – showed how seriously people
took the vote on Serbia’s place in the world, and turnout could be
even higher in the February 3 run-off.

Both candidates oppose independence for the breakaway province of
Kosovo. But Nikolic is lukewarm towards EU membership and argues that
Serbia can steer a middle course between the 27-member bloc and Russia,
Reuters reports.

THE ELECTION CAMPAIGN IN STARTING IN ARMENIA

armradio.am
21.01.2008 13:38

The election campaign is officially starting in Armenia today. It
will continue through February 17, 24:00.

The voting will take place on February 19 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The
Central Electoral Commission (CEC) will ratify the preliminary
results and will officially announce those on Public Radio and Public
Television by 8p.m. on February 20th.

The final results of the elections will be publicized by February 26.

Stepan Demirchyan is sure that this time the Armenian opposition will
successfully deal with controlling task over election process

2008-01-18 19:05:00

ArmInfo. ‘Over the previous election the opposition took all possible
steps within the frames of the law and Constitution to protect the
gained votes. And if we did not reach success, not me but the whole
country failed’, – the leader of the opposition People’s Party of
Armenia stepan Demirchayn told journalists at "Pastarq" club today.

He also added that over the present electoral campaign the opposition,
in particular, Levon Ter-Petrosyan supported by the PPA, is again going
to act within the frames of the Constitution, but everything will be
done in a more organized way. ‘It is naive to think that this time the
Armenian authorities are going to conduct free and democratic election.
We should fight for that and succeed if we manage to raise masses. I am
sure that according to the results of the present election campaign
they will not manage to appoint a president via falsification of the
election results’, – Demirchyan said. He did not rule out the
possibility of cooperation with other candidates’ supporters in the
matter of controlling of the presidential election.