Author: Basmajian Ani

PETER SEMNEBY: AZERBAIJANIS’ SELF-CONFIDENCE CAN BE CONDITIONED BY ENERGY BOOM

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 17 2006

“All of the three South Caucasus states move in different directions,”
EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby stated.

In his words, Georgia heads for the European Union and the West
in general.

“Armenia is still under the influence of the atmosphere caused by
the isolation and its consequences. Azerbaijan adheres to rather
balanced policy towards its partners and neighbours. The increased
self-confidence of Azerbaijanis can be conditioned by the energy boom,”
Mr. Semneby said.

Touching on the “frozen conflicts” in the South Caucasus, the EU
special representative said the European Union supposes that these
conflicts can be settled through creation of atmosphere of trust
between the communities, majorities and minorities in the region.

Mr. Semneby also added that the escalation cannot be ruled out until
the conflicts are settled.

When commenting on the possibility of deploying EU and NATO
peacekeepers in the region, the EU special representative said, “I am
not empowered to speak on behalf of NATO. As for the European Union,
it’s possible. However it will be one of many possibilities.

Everything depends on the will of the parties.”

SENIOR OFFICIALS OF OSCE MG CO-CHAIRING COUNTRIES TO ASSEMBLE IN BAKU
Author: R.Abdullayev

TREND, Azerbaijan
May 17 2006

On 24 May the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Vladimir Karasin will
pay a visit to Azerbaijan, the Russian Foreign Ministry told Trend.

The two-day visit will focus on the situation with the resolution of
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Along with Karasin, the Director of the French Foreign Institute for
political issues, Stanislav D’Labule and US Assistant Secretary of
State, Daniel Fried.

They will be accompanied by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Russian
Ambassador Yuriy Merzlyakov, French Ambassador Bernard Fassie and US
Ambassador Steven Mann.

Earlier Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian announced that the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will visit Armenia on 25-26 May.

IT IS ENVISAGED TO OPERATE UPON 8 CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS THIS YEAR IN ARMENIA WITHIN FRAMEWORK OF WORLD VISION’S PROGRAM OF CHILDREN’S PROTECTION

Noyan Tapan
May 17 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 17, NOYAN TAPAN. It is envisaged to operate upon 8
children with special needs this year within the framework of the World
Vision charity organization’s Children’s Protection program. Marina
Hovhannisian, Head of the program, informed about it at the May
17 official reception organized for the purpose of getting funds
necessary for the operation and treatment. She mentioned that about
26 thousand dollars is necessary for these operations.

According to M.Hovhannisian, the program has been implemented since
2002 with the resources received from Great Britain. 9 children with
serious facial and bearing-moving problems were operated on during
that year, another 4 were operated on in 2005 and 3 will be operated
on during the coming month. A videotape presenting the stage preceding
the operation of children with special needs was shown during the
event under the title “Giving Heartly You Give the World”, after which
pupils of Foundation after Spivakov came up with a musical performance.

GREEK PRESIDENT WARNS TURKEY TO RESPECT KURDISH RIGHTS

Agence France Presse — English
May 17, 2006 Wednesday 3:43 PM GMT

Greek President Carolos Papoulia warned Turkey on Wednesday that it
must respect human rights, notably those of the Kurds, if it wants
closer ties with the European Union.

“I don’t think that Turkey will be able to have closer ties with the
EU by violating fundamental rights; this is true for the Kurds but
not them alone,” he said in a speech at the European Parliament.

“These are problems that are the responsibility of the Turkish
government,” he said, adding that the EU has “laid out a framework
of principles within which Turkey must operate.”

Turkey was accepted in October as a candidate to join the EU but
no guarantee was given that it will be made a member once it has
undertaken reform to bring into line with the bloc, a process likely
to take more than a decade.

The EU has long pressed Ankara to grant equal cultural freedoms to its
large Kurdish minority — estimated at about 12 million people — as
well as smaller, non-Muslim communities of Greeks, Armenians and Jews.

FOR A FRENCH PHOTOGRAPHER ARMENIA IS DISCOVERY

ArmRadio.am
17.05.2006 15:25

For young French photographer Stefan Hoareau Armenia is a
discovery. Stefan Hoareau visited Armenia due to Marine Petrosyan’s
film titled “Armenia in four seasons of the year. The photographer,
who cooperates with the famous ” Elite,” “Ford” and other Fashion
Agencies, decided to come and take pictures of Armenia in four seasons
of the years.

“I’ve decided to come again and live in Armenia for one year. Then
I’ll be able to know this country better and make new discoveries
for myself,” the French photographer said in his talk with “Radiolur”
correspondent.

“I am delighted with the warm attitude and reception of Armenians. You
can become friendly and kind immediately after getting acquainted,
a thing that is not common for the French,” the photographer said.

OPPOSITION IS NOT A ROOM THAT CAN BE LOCKED UP

Lragir.am
16 May 06

During the hours that followed the resignation of Speaker Arthur
Baghdasaryan, the attitude of the opposition towards his announcement
to become opposition was negative. Now Arthur Baghdasaryan is not
met with slings and arrows, at least. Grigor Harutiunyan from the
Ardarutiun Alliance, reminding about controversies between Robert
Kocharyan and Arthur Baghdasaryan, states that the opposition is not a
room, where they can accept or turn out whoever they want, or lock the
door with a key. People are considered pro-governmental or opposition
judging by their political activities. People assess this or that
political force. “We may cooperate with Orinats Yerkir on certain
issues.” Another member of Ardarutiun Tatul Manaseryan informs that
the parliamentary opposition will not participate in the election of
the new speaker of the National Assembly. “The opposition can see no
point in nominating a speaker, because everything had been decided in
couloirs. In other words, there is no need to act as a fool. We need to
prepare for the processes more seriously.” The opposition is not likely
to idle, especially that “a formally pro-governmental force is coming
to join the opposition which is going to be rather diverse.” Tatul
Manaseryan thinks that the processes underway inside the coalition
show, on the one hand, that their defiant bearing is no more effective.

“Unhealthy processes cannot last long. There is going to be a crash
somewhere. This is the beginning of the end.” On the other, hand,
they show that this defiance still has some way to go. “I cannot tell,
however, where they will reach,” said Tatul Manaseryan.

Republican Rafik Petrosyan thinks that the reason for Arthur
Baghdasaryan’s resignation was his interview with the German
newspaper. The speaker of the National Assembly told the reporter of
this newspaper that Russia cannot be an obstacle on the way of Armenia
to NATO and Europe. “Under Article 55 of the Constitution of Armenia
the country’s foreign policy is led by the president.” It should be
noted that Arthur Baghdasaryan had expressed an opinion which he
had expressed several times long before this interview, including
in Russia. Rafik Petrosyan insists that the speaker of the National
Assembly should not have stated that Russia cannot obstruct. “They
do not speak with great powers in such a language. This should
have been done more mildly, diplomatically.” In other words, Rafik
Petrosyan agrees with Arthur Baghdasaryan, simply he disapproves the
way of expressing one’s own opinion. There is nothing else to do but
wait for the resignation of Rafik Petrosyan. By the way, he thinks
there were other points on which Arthur Baghdasaryan and Robert
Kocharyan disagreed. In the meantime, the Republicans were against
the resignation of Arthur Baghdasaryan. Not because they take care
of the Orinats Yerkir. Simply the “burden of the Republicans thus
becomes heavier.”

IT IS POSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND RATS ABANDONING THE SHIP

Lragir.am
16 May 06

On May 16 oppositionist Grigor Harutiunyan and pro-governmental Rafik
Petrosyan debated the reason and consequences of secession of the
Orinats Yerkir Party from the coalition.

Of course, deviations during the debate prevailed over the topic.

Grigor Harutiunyan once again announced that “the Karabakh clan led
by Robert Kocharyan, which has absolutely nothing to do with the
people of Karabakh, and mostly includes Armenians, tampered votes,
plundered the state property,” etc. Rafik Petrosyan, naturally,
disagreed, “We created the coalition to build Armenia.”

With regard to the problems the Orinats Yerkir Party is facing
Doctor Rafik Petrosyan stated that “it is possible to understand
the rats abandoning the ship. They pursue their interests, they
want to remain in power. The National Assembly is a roof; they want
to be protected.” As one who received a high mark for one’s own
invention, Grigor Harutiunyan reacted immediately, “It means that
I am right. There is a clan system in Armenia, and it is the clan
that determines politics, not the political forces.” In other words,
the businessmen became members of Orinats Yerkir formally to enter
the National Assembly. Exactly like Rafik Petrosyan’s son.

“After becoming member of Orinats Yerkir in 2003 my son has not had
any relations with the party.” Probably, in the nearest future he
will secede from the Orinats Yerkir Party if he has not seceded yet,
the son of Rafik Petrosyan; thereby the father secures the son. In the
nearest future it will become clear where Rafik Petrosyan’s son will
appear, and the father is against accession of those members of the
Orinats Yerkir Party who left the party, like rats abandon the ship,
to the Republican.

The speakers admit that the phenomenon of rats abandoning the ship
is typical of the Armenian reality, and all the political parties,
which have lost or have not lost power, are facing it. Moreover,
Rafik Petrosyan assures that the political parties Bargavach Hayastan
and Miavorum Hanun Hayastani are attempting at winning over the
Republicans. “Nobody has left yet,” says Rafik Petrosyan.

ARMENIAN AND GREEK CYPRIOT LOBBIES UNITED AGAINST TURKEY

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
May 14 2006

WASHINGTON – Armenian and Greek Cypriot lobbies in Washington have
launched a joint campaign against the selling of 50 SLAM-ER smart
missiles to Turkey, NTV channel said.

Four MPs including Michael Bilirakis, Carolyn Maloney, Frank Pallone
and George Radanovich sent a letter to the US Congress, asking senior
officials to revise the selling of the missiles to Turkey. They
claimed that the selling of missiles would allow Turkey to threaten
Armenia and would break the arm balance in Cyprus.

The US Department of Defense has been seeking permission from the US
Congress to sell 50 SLAM-ER smart missiles to Turkey.

The SLAM-ER air-to-ground missiles will be attached to Turkey’s
F-16 warplanes.

The statement from the US Department of Defense said in late April
that the $162 million purchase offer from Turkey had been accepted.

The Boeing Company will produce the missiles and the payment will be
meet through military sale credits to Turkey.

The sale will be finalized within upcoming day if Congress does
not raise any objections. It is expected that Congress will ratify
the sale.

TREND Info, Azerbaijan
May 13 2006

Anne Derse: The US examine the possible operations on drawing
feasibility study for Trans-Caspian pipeline

Source: «Trend»
Author: A.Mamedov

13.05.2006

US Government “examine the possible operations on drawing feasibility
study for Trans-Caspian pipeline” and are going to promote
Azeri-Kazakh intergovernmental agreement on transportation of Kazakh
oil though Azerbaijan, reportedly said Anne Derse, nominated by
President George W Bush to the post of US Ambassador to Azerbaijan.

Diplomat said development of Caspian resources and their supply to
the world’s markets is one of the priority-driven issues of US
Government in the region.

Speaking of prospects of relieving matters around Nagorno-Karabakh,
Ms Derse said Washington hoped for mutual agreement between
Presidents Aliyev and Kocharyan in the shortest time. “We are
currently observing a significant stage of conversations, – US
official said. – This year, a window opens for achieving some
agreement through conversations… It would be a tragedy to return to
violence”.

Ms Derse said, quoting, “US relations with Azerbaijan have a
promising future but will only reach their full potential if
Azerbaijan strengthens its commitment to democracy and the rule of
law”. “Azerbaijan is an important partner to the US in a
strategically significant region that grows even more important in a
view of our political and economic interests”, – Ms Derse, said,
ITAR-TASS reports.

7DAYS, United Arab Emirates
May 14 2006

Armenian genocide threat

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatened France with trade
sanctions if it adopts a bill making it illegal to deny that the
1915-1917 massacre of Armenians in Turkey was genocide, a Turkish
newspaper said yesterday.

`Patience has its limits. We do not have hatred (towards France) but
we will impose our sanctions,’ the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet quoted
Erdogan as saying at a summit of Muslim countries on the Indonesian
island of Bali.

French lawmakers were due to consider on Thursday a bill from the
opposition Socialists which would make anyone denying the existence
of the Armenian genocide liable to a five-year jail term and $57,000
fine.

French MPs should be `particularly sensitive’ to the issue of
possible sanctions since France is the number one investor in Turkey,
Erdogan said.