Author: Basmajian Ani

Chinese, Turkish to climb Mount Agri
Sunday, February 25, 2007 – 22:59

A joint expedition of Chinese and Turkish mountaineers will attempt to
climb Mount Agri in eastern Turkey in order to draw attention to
global warming.

Better known to many as Mount Ararat, the snowy crested volcano is
thought to be the grounding region of Noah’s Ark.

This year, three Chinese mountaineers including Wang Shi and seven
members of Turkish Search and Rescue Association (AKUT) will attempt
to scale the peak in the hope of highlighting the changing climates
across the planet.

AKUT Chairman and a famous climber Nasuh Mahruki said that global
warming is a new issue that concerns the future of the world and
humanity, and it should be taken seriously.

Mount Agri is a formidable high mountain trekking peak. Rising to 5165
metres, it is situated in Eastern Anatolia and extends to the Iranian
border.

Source: Xinhua

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Russia to respond to US MDS radar station deployment in Caucasus

PanARMENIAN.Net

Russia to adequately respond to U.S. MDS radar station deployment in Caucasus
02.03.2007 14:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The possible deployment of American MDS (Missile
Defense System) radar station in the Caucasus will not harm Russia’s
defensive capacity, Commander-in-Chief of Russian Air Forces Vladimir
Mikhaylov stated commenting on American MDA (Missile Defense Agency)
head Henry Obering’s statement that `The U.S. would like to deploy a
radar station somewhere in Caucasus.’

`Let them deploy. After all, it’s their problem. Unfortunately they
are speaking about deploying American MDS components in such countries
like Ukraine and a number of other countries, including the CIS
countries. Russia has everything necessary to adequately respond to
those deployments,’ the General said.

In his opinion, Russian C-400 systems provide security, including in
the context of air- space defense. The Commander-in-Chief of Russian
Air Forces clarified that the range of C-400 zenith-missiles exceeds
400 kilometers and provides solutions for air-space defense tasks, RIA
`Novosti’ reports.

Arka News Agency, Armenia
March 2 2007

EU SUPPORTS OSCE MG’S EFFORTS

YEREVAN, March 2. /ARKA/. The European Union (EU) supports the OSCE
Minsk Group’s efforts toward the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, EU Special Representative in the South Caucasus Peter
Semneby stated at his meeting with RA Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan.
The Press and Public Relations Department, RA Government, reports
that during the meeting Peter Semneby expressed hope for success of
the negotiating process due to the efforts of all the negotiators.
The EU Special Representative in the South Caucasus has arrived for a
two-day visit to Yerevan today. P.T. -0–

Xinhua General News Service
March 3, 2007 Saturday 11:00 PM EST

Caucasus states say no proposal received on U.S. missile shield

Three Caucasus states said on Friday that they have received no
proposal from Washington on deploying U.S. missile defense systems in
the region, Russia’s ITAR-TASS news agency reported Friday.

The head of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Thursday
Washington could be interested in locating a radar in an unspecified
Caucasus state as part of the Missile Defence System it plans to
deploy in Central Europe.

The Azerbaijan Foreign Ministry said the country has not and will not
negotiate with the U.S. on deploying a missile defense system, or on
building a military base in Azerbaijan, which is against its
constitution.

Georgian Congress officials also denied receiving U.S. proposals on
the same issue, saying as a member state of the International
Anti-terror Coalition, Georgia will give good consideration to such
proposals if there are any.

For its part, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said it is cooperating
with Russia in the field of air defense, and is now a part of the
joint air defense system of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS).

FINANCIAL CRISIS IS EXPECTED IN PENSION SYSTEM OF ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Feb 28 2007

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. A financial crisis is expected in
the pension system of Armenia. Aghvan Vardanian, the RA Minister of
Labour and Social Issues stated about it at the February 28 discussion
of the draft "On RA State Demographic Policy Conception." In his words,
people born during the years of the Great Patriotic War retire on a
pension, whose number is, naturally, small. In the Minister’s words,
such a number of pensioners will remain till 2015, after what the
number of retiring people will strictly increase, provided by increase
of births fixed in 50-60s.

It was also mentioned that the population’s aging process, provided
by strict fall of the level of birthrate and prevailing emigration
activeness of the population at the working age, greatly quickened
during the post-Soviet years. In 2006 the specific weight of the
population at the pension age grew in Armenia 3.6% compared with 1990,
making 12.7%. Whereas, this index must not surpass 9% in the conditions
of normal demographic development.

MP: ARMENIA LOSES ONE OF ITS SECURITY GUARANTEES BY DRAGGING ITS FEET IN DUAL CITIZENSHIP BILL PASSAGE

Arka News Agency, Armenia
Feb 26 2007

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. Armenia lost one of its security
guarantees by dragging its feet in double citizenship bill passage,
Armen Rustamyan, chairman of National Assembly’s committee on foreign
relations, said Thursday at a press conference.

"Before 2007 dual citizenship was prohibited in the republic, and
this was an absurd thing, because the number of Armenians living
outside is twice greater than that living in Armenia", he said.

In his opinion, not a single country having large communities abroad
can afford such a wastefulness. In his words, 90% of such countries
have already instituted double citizenship right.

Rustamyan said that Armenia has neither gas nor oil and can relate
only on its intellectual resources, which can propel progress in
the country.

Armenian National Assembly approved dual citizenship bill at the
first reading last week.

"KOSOVO MODEL NOT SUITABLE FOR SOLVING NAGORNI GARABAGH PROBLEM"

Ïðaâî Âûaîða, Azerbaijan
Democratic Azerbaijan
Feb 26 2007

President, Ilham Aliyev, stated so during interview for German TV radio
channel "Deutsche Welle" In the course of recent official visit to
Federal Republic of Germany, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
Ilham Aliyev, gave interview for respectable TV and radio channel of
the country "Deutsche Welle" in Berlin.

Answering question concerning OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs’ support of
"Kosovo model" application for regulation Nagorni Garabgh conflict,
I. Aliyev stressed that this model can not be acceptable for our
state. "Every conflict has its history and ways of regulation. Today
there are different conflicts in the world, the part of which
was broken out by separatist regimes. For example, we know that
separatists do exist in Abkhazia, South Osetia, Nagorni Garabagh
and the Trans-Dniester Region. There is no international control,
monitoring or international participation on these territories. For
this very reason illegal drug trafficking, money-laundering, harboring
of terrorists occur there. Unlike mentioned regions international
control is established in Kosovo with international peacemaking
forces. We can’t say that Kosovo like other separatist regimes in
Nagorni Garabagh and post-soviet area is sore of Europe.

At the same time while regulating such conflicts territorial integrity
should be accepted as the basic principle. If this principle is
violated chain reaction will be inevitable", President stressed.

At the same time head of state underlined that Azerbaijan will never
consent to grant independence to Nagorni Garabagh. Accordingly to
him it is impossible to allow national minorities living on the
territory of any country to create their own state at the cost of
its territories.

I. Aliyev reminded that currently Azerbaijan’s economy surpasses
Armenian’s by factor of 7, thus it will be more reasonable if opponent
party, taking courage, will withdraw occupation forces from Nagorni
Garabagh. At the same time President emphasized that Azerbaijan is
ready to present very constructive way out. He proposed to grant
maximal autonomy within the frames of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan to Armenians living in occupied Azerbaijani territories,
providing security for all people living there.

Moreover, President focused on the issue of return of all people
displaced from native territories.

Asked if Azerbaijan is taking interests in being NATO member, I.

Aliyev informed that our country has been cooperating with NATO for
many years. "We are participating in different programs of this
structure and we hope that our partnership and cooperation will
go on. However participation of any international organization in
this structure should be mutually agreed. Both NATO and Azerbaijan
understand that our country is not ready for it today. That is why
we should continue mutual activity as partners and time will show
results of this partnership and cooperation", – I. Aliyev said.

–Boundary_(ID_mPeYOA+amqSB52WOlopQaA)–

YEREVAN, BAKU TO DISCUSS KARABAKH IN EUROPE IN MID-MARCH

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS General Newswire
February 26, 2007 Monday 2:14 PM MSK

Another meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers,
during which negotiations on the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict are
expected to continue, will be held in mid-March, the Armenian Foreign
Minister Vardan Oskanian said.

"Currently, international mediators are preparing our meeting with
the Azerbaijani counterpart, which is expected to be held in mid-March
in a European capital," Oskanian said at a press conference on Monday
in Yerevan.

He said the Karabakh talks are being held as usually.

For his part, the Poland’s Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga, who also
participated in the press conference, said that Warsaw was ready to
provide any assistance to the settlement of the problem of Nagorno-
Karabakh.

"It will help establish safety and develop cooperation both in the
South Caucasus region and worldwide," she said.

Moreover, Fotyga said that during her visit Armenia and Poland had
signed a cooperation memorandum, according to which Poland would
assist Armenia to integrate within the European institutions.

In particular, Fotyga said, Poland can provide assistance to Armenia
under the EU-Armenia individual partnership program.

A1+

`RA PARLIAMENT IS SUBJECTED TO TERROR’
[07:39 pm] 22 February, 2007

`RA Parliament appeared in television and radio blockade’, Viktor
Dallakyan announced today during the discussion of amendments to the
law on `NA statute.’ He shared Tigran Torosyan’s announcements and
concerns.

He finds the decision of the Constitutional Court (CC) inadmissible
according to which political minorities are deprived of the
possibility of television broadcasting.

By the way, Rafik Petrosyan, chairman of NA standing commission on
state-legal issues, also challenges the decision saying that by that
step the CC deprives both the Coalition and Opposition of `the
opportunity three-minutes challenge’.

Mr. Dallakyan viewed `O2′ and `Zinuj’ programs from the CC point of
view. Namely, he dwelt on `02′ which breaches human rights with no
regard to presumption of innocence and broadcasts suspects and cases
under investigation’.

Hovhannes Margaryan, deputy chairman of NA standing commission on
state–legal issues and member of the OYP, shared Viktor Dallakyan’s
opinion and announced that the RA parliament is subjected to
television terror.

By the way, a number of changes were introduced in the bill prior to
the second hearing and the co-authors were unaware of them.

The draft law was distributed only today and it wasn’t considered in
the commission on state-legal issues.

On the whole the presentees, claimed that the bill requires serious
consideration.

To note, only six MPs were present during the debate of the most
important draft law concerning the RA National Assembly.

Invitations to international organizations

ArmRadio.am
23.02.2007 11:50

February 23 Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia Tigran
Torosyan sent invitations to international organizations ` the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the OSCE
Parliamentary Assembly, the CIS Parliamentary Assembly, the European
Parliament ` to carry out observation mission at the parliamentary
elections due on May 12.