Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

LEVON ARONIAN WINS IN LINARES TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan
Mar 13 2006

LINARES, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Representative of Armenia Levon Aronian
had a perfect success in the chess super tournament held in the city
of Linares, Spain. The 23 years old grand master left all the rivals
behind and took the 1st place. In the 14th round held in 2 circles with
the 8 strongest chess players’ participation, L.Aronian got 8.5 points
leaving behind such famous rivals as world champion Vesselin Topalov
(Bulgaria), Temur Rajabov (Azerbaijan), Peter Leko (Hungary), Vasili
Ivanchuk (Ukraine), Peter Svidler (Russia), Ethien Bakro (France),
Francisco Valekho (Spain) are. When Levon Aronian won the world cup
late the last year, many specialists mentioned that he has a great
potential and may reach new and new successes in future. After that
he performed a deserving game in the city of Wejk ann Zee, Holland,
and now won the most authoritative world tournament in a perfect style.

ARMENIA JOINED EUROPEAN CONVENTION ON WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.03.2006 00:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ March 13 Armenia officially signed the European
Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural
Habitats (Bern Convention), reports the Press Service of the Armenian
MFA. Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe (CE)
Christian Ter-Stepanyan signed the Convention on the Armenian party,
CE Deputy Secretary General Maud de Boer-Buquicchio signed it from
the EU part.

Armenia became the 46th CE member to sign the Bern Convention. Besides
CE member states, Morocco, Senegal, Tunisia, Burkina Faso, as well
as the European community signed the convention. The Convention aims
at controlling wildlife preservation, especially in case of threat
of disappearing.

Regnum, Russia
Oct 15 2005

Azerbaijani authorities prepared a special cell in prison for Rasul
Guliyev

Azerbaijani Prosecutor General Zakir Garalov commenting on a comeback
of a presidential candidate, the Democratic Party leader Rasul
Guliyev living in exile now said: `The reforms in the penitentiary
system of Azerbaijan have continued successfully, and conditions in
prisons in the country have been brought into line with the European
standards. We have assigned a special cell in Bailovsky jail that
meets all the standards required.’

`We have searched for Guliyev for several years, and the decision of
the court will be executed. I declare resolutely, that the opposition
has embarked on political speculations claiming that Guliyev is
supported by the US government. None of the states support Guliyev,’
continued Garalov. He also added that Azerbaijan is an independent
state, and its law enforcement agencies fulfill their duties by
themselves.

By the way, Garalov reminded, that on October 10, 2000 Sabail
District Court put Guliyev on wanted list and issued a warrant on his
arrest. Commenting on the plans of the opposition to stage a
ceremonial welcome for Guliyev in the airport, the prosecutor noted,
`the airport is a strategic object that is guarded particularly.’

In his opinion, `Ali Kerimli and Isa Gambar prepared a trap for
Guliyev, but they would be trapped in it by themselves.’ According to
Garalov, leaders of the National Front Party and `Musavat’ want to
use the comeback of Guliyev to destabilize the political situation.
`There is a direct evident they have carried out an unsuccessful
election campaign,’ believes the prosecutor. However, he thinks, the
plans of the opposition would not be put into practice, because the
law enforcement agencies would continue to secure social and
political stability in the region, and the elections would be held in
a fully democratic situation.

`Rasul Guliyev misappropriated the state money at sum of $110
million. In nine years he in collaboration with pro-Armenian forces
carried out subversive activities against th Azerbaijani state,’
Garalov said. He also promised that in case of an arrest all
Guliyev’s rights would be secured. Garalov also rejected a common
opinion that in case of an arrest Guliyev would be treated as a
political prisoner. `He cannot be considered as a political prisoner,
because he committed an economical crime,’ the prosecutor concluded.

ARMENIA AND RUSSIA DID THEIR BEST FOR KAVKAZ-POTI TRAIN-FERRY FUNCTIONING

Pan Armenian
14.10.2005 00:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “Armenia is a participant of the North-South
corridor and we devoted much time to develop the transport corridor,
specifically its Iranian party, which is not used enough in my
opinion,” stated Co-Chair of the Armenian-Russian Inter-Governmental
Commission for Economic Cooperation, Russian Minister of Transport
Igor Levitin during a briefing in Yerevan today. The Commission meeting
discussed various transport directions that may pass through Armenia,
but avoid doing it “due to political considerations,” he reported. “Not
using these directions is not right in my opinion. We discussed it
as well,” he reported.

As of resumption of communication via the Abkhaz part of the Georgian
railway, Levitin noted an act on examination of the Abkhaz segment
with participation of Russia, Georgia and Abkhazia will be signed
in October. The sitting of the Russian-Georgian Inter-Governmental
Commission will be held in Tbilisi next week, he reported. “A goal of
our visit to Tbilisi is to provide for Georgian party confirming its
agreement to restore traffic through the Abkhaz part,” he stated. In
Levitin’s words, some 2 years may be necessary for restoration of
the part of the railway and Russia, Georgia and Armenia still have
“strength and means to restore it.”

Touching upon the question of Kavkaz-Poti train ferry passage and
answering a question on prospects of its development, Mr. Levitin
stated, “the Ministries of Transport of Russia and Armenia should
form conditions for attraction of rolling stock and additional load
for transit transportation.”

“Up to now that states have done everything for the functioning of
the passage. It should be done by the business, thus not everything
depends on Armenia and Russia,” he explained. Georgia is a participants
of this transport direction, he also remarked. “We have questions on
the tariffs to be discussed in Georgia,” however, the states have done
their best for the functioning of the passage and it’s the business’
turn, Levitin concluded.

ARMENIA CONCERNED OVER AZERBAIJAN’S INCREASING MILITARY POWER

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Oct 13 2005

Baku, October 12, AssA-Irada
Azerbaijan’s recent warnings of war and its decisiveness to continue
building military power ‘serve the election campaigns’ and the
country’s stance on the Upper Garabagh problem will be clear in two
months, Armenian minister for defense has claimed.

“Azerbaijan’s ruling New Azerbaijan Party is likely to win in the
upcoming parliamentary elections”, Serzh Sarkisian told a news
conference on Tuesday.

Asked whether the ruling party’s victory is possible through
falsifications, Sarkisian said ‘it is impossible to win elections by
falsifying them, but if it happens, international organizations will
express their attitude on this’.

Commenting on possible tensions in Upper Garabagh during the November
polls, the Armenian official said the situation is ‘quite tranquil
and tensions are not likely to mount in the conflict zone’.

Deputy foreign minister Araz Azimov has dismissed the statement, saying
that strengthening military power is an internal affair of Azerbaijan
and that Armenian officials are not entitled to making any statements
expressing objection over this. “The development of Azerbaijan is based
on its national resources and capabilities. The steps being taken by
the government, which is working to develop the country, at improving
the armed forces, are natural. The country has ensured its security.”

Azimov noted that all the processes ongoing in Azerbaijan ‘should be
viewed within its sovereignty’.

The deputy foreign minister added that the mentioned statements by
Armenian officials will not affect the negotiating process on the
conflict settlement.*

ARMENIA CANNOT STAY INDIFFERENT TO EUROPE’S PROBLEMS: ARMENIA’S DM

ARMINFO News Agency
October 11, 2005

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11. ARMINFO. As a country seeking to integrate into
Europe Armenia cannot stay indifferent to its problems just like
Europe cannot be indifferent to ours, Armenia’s Defence Minister Serzh
Sargsyan said while awarding the first group of Armenia peacekeepers
in Iraq today.

Sargsyan thanked the peacekeepers for successfully fulfilling their
hard mission. “By your effective actions you have raised the prestige
of our Fatherland,” he said.

Concerning the Karabakh conflict Sargsyan said that during the Karabakh
war the Armenian army asserted Karabakh’s right to be independent
and secure and now by its high fighting capacity it should ensure the
peaceful resolution of the conflict. Now the situation is much like
early 90 – inspired by oil profits Azerbaijan is beginning to sing
the old song about getting Karabakh back but in early 90 we already
proved that this is a myth, Sargsyan said noting that his words are
well-grounded – “our ground is our army, its effective troops, you
and your service on our borders and within international missions.”

PRESENT MAYORS RE-ELECTED

A1+
| 14:14:23 | 10-10-2005 | Politics |

Main struggle was for the posts of aldermen

The elections of the Abovyan mayor were held peacefully and without
any violations, as the only candidate was the present mayor Karapet
Israyelyan.

As for the villages, there too the only candidates for the posts of
mayors were the present officials.

The main struggle in Abovyan was among the 39 candidates for the posts
of aldermen. Although there were no grave violations recorded by the
Central Electoral Committee, there were some slight violations.

13 578 of the 39 567 electors have participated in the elections. By
preliminary data, Karapet Israyelyan has been re-elected with 12
518 votes.

In Ptgni Araqel Virabyan has been elected with 587 votes, and in
Balahovit – Kamo Grigoryan with 1 467 votes.

In Verin Ptgni Gevorg Pogosyan has been elected with 406 votes,
in Arinj – Gagik Sargsyan with 2 844 votes, in Dzoraghbyur – Arayik
Muqayelyan with 1020 votes, and in Mayakovski – Vahagn Barsegyan with
all the 1050 votes.

OPPOSITION RALLY DISPERSED IN BAKU

Pan Armenian
10.10.2005 12:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Azeri police prevented a rally initiated
by Azadlyg opposition bloc in Baku. The National Front Party of
Azerbaijan, Musavat Party and the Democratic Party serving on the
bloc intended to hold a rally on Sunday and urge free and fair
parliamentary election on November 6. The oppositionists were going
to deliver speeches simultaneously in three parts of the city. However
several hours before the beginning of the action police dispersed the
ralliers. The chief police department was reported to have detained
28 participants of the unauthorized rally, Russian media say.

HOVANNISIAN SAYS TURKEY’S EU TALKS ‘IN ARMENIA’S INTERESTS’
By Anna Saghabalian

Armenialiberty.org, Armenia
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Oct 5 2005

Raffi Hovannisian, a prominent opposition politician, welcomed on
Wednesday the launch of membership talks between Turkey and the
European Union, saying that they could pave the way for Armenia’s
eventual accession to the affluent Western bloc.

Hovannisian, who served as independent Armenia’s first foreign
minister in 1992, chided the authorities in Yerevan for their less
than enthusiastic reaction to what promises to be a lengthy negotiation
process that got underway on Monday.

“It must be stated clearly and loudly that Turkey’s aspiration to join
the European Union correspondents to the political interests of the
Republic of Armenia,” he said in a speech at the Armenian Center for
National and International Studies, a think-tank which he founded 11
years ago. “It can be predicted that even in the best-case scenario
Turkey may become an EU member only together with Armenia.

Turkey will also have to undergo serious and irreversible reforms.”

The administration of President Robert Kocharian believes that the EU
should admit Turkey only if the latter opens its border with Armenia
and recognizes as genocide the 1915 mass killings of Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire. Armenian leaders have repeatedly urged the EU’s
governments and executive Commission to include the two issues on the
agenda of the accession talks. In a statement on Tuesday, the Armenian
Foreign Ministry expressed hope that Ankara will now be more interested
in normalizing relations with Yerevan and admitting to the genocide.

Armenian Diaspora organizations in Europe and France in particular
take a harder line, saying that Turkey is not prepared for even being
considered for EU membership. Scuttling Turkish entry into the union
is now a key goal of their activities.

However, some political groups in Armenia believe that the prospect
of Turkey joining the EU could benefit their small landlocked country
and lessen the perceived Turkish threat to its security.

Hovannisian appeared to agree with them, saying that the accession
process makes Armenia’s future membership in the EU more realistic
and represents a chance for Turkish-Armenian rapprochement. “Enmity
can and should turn into partnership,” he said.

In his speech, Hovannisian also attacked the Kocharian administration’s
domestic policies which he said have resulted in “unbridled and
worsening corruption, legalized arbitrary practices and persisting
poverty.” He reaffirmed his Zharangutyun (Heritage) party’s rejection
of constitutional changes that will be put to a national referendum
on November 27.

“[Sweeping constitutional reform] can be put into practice only by a
government that received a popular vote of confidence in a free and
fair election,” he said. “Constitutional reforms [sought by Kocharian]
remind of an unsuccessful attempt to hastily hide cracks in an old
and decayed structure.”

Speaking to reporters separately, Hovannisian said Zharangutyun has
yet to decide whether to campaign against the passage of the draft
amendments jointly with other major opposition parties that are also
against the reform. He said the decision will be made after talks
with his opposition allies.

Armenia’s largest opposition alliance, Artarutyun, and eight other
opposition groups plan to conduct a joint “no” campaign ahead of the
November vote.

TURKEY CLOSER TO DECADES-OLD EU DREAM, BUT NO ONE’S CELEBRATING
By Suzan Fraser

The Associated Press
10/04/05 08:42 EDT

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) – There were no street parties, no firework
displays. When Turkey took a huge step toward fulfilling its
decades-old dream of membership in the European Union by opening
accession talks Tuesday, no one was in the mood to celebrate.

The negotiations were meant to be a straightforward affair – all 25
EU members had agreed in December to beginning talks with Ankara on
Oct. 3. Instead, they opened only after EU ministers held painful
crisis talks Sunday and Monday in Luxembourg, and nearly foundered
as Austria insisted that Turkey be offered a lesser partnership as
an alternative to full membership. Turkey refused and said it would
prefer to walk out.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the agreement to launch
talks with predominantly Muslim Turkey as a victory over prejudice
in the mainly Christian bloc.

“We stood firm and got results,” Erdogan said. “Common sense prevailed
over prejudice. From time to time there were moments when they made
us lose our tempers, when we were made to feel really tired, when we
went through difficult moments.”

It is not unusual for Turks to take to the streets for spontaneous
street parties to celebrate sporting victories or major milestones.

Hundreds celebrated in Ankara in December when EU leaders set Oct. 3
as the date for starting entry talks.

But there were no celebrations to mark the start of the talks.

“I am not anti-EU, I want EU membership,” said Seher Besyaprak, a
24-year-old employee at an Ankara pharmaceutical company. “But Europe
has never been fair to us. We are always having to make concessions,
concessions, concessions.”

There were numerous hurdles in the final days leading up to Oct. 3.

Several countries pushed Turkey to recognize EU-member Cyprus, and
the European Parliament called on Turkey to recognize the killing of
Armenians by Ottoman Turks at the beginning of the 20th century as
genocide – further angering Turks who thought they had an agreement.

“Turkey is starting full membership talks. But it is clear that this
is not taking place in a festival atmosphere,” columnist Semih Idiz
wrote in Milliyet newspaper. “This step is unfortunately being taken
in a brokenhearted atmosphere.”

Deniz Baykal, the leader of the main opposition Republican People’s
Party, criticized the terms. He complained Turkey was treated
differently than other countries that had joined – including being
given no guarantees of joining after 10 years of talks.

“The EU approach toward Turkey is different from its approach to the
25 other members,” Baykal said. “This is cause for concern.”

Those concerns were also heard on the streets of Istanbul.

“They’re not tolerant of us,” said Ozlem Aydin, 34, who works at
a store selling Italian designer clothes in a wealthy Istanbul
neighborhood. “We can be crushed. We’ll be insulted. They’ll look
down on us. It can be bad for us.”

But Sukru Ozdemir, 50, a street vendor selling sesame-seed rolls,
said “we’re going to better days. It will be good for us. We’ve been
waiting for this.”

Turkey’s ardent striving for EU membership is the legacy of Mustafa
Kemal Ataturk, who founded the secular and modern Turkish republic
from the ashes of the Islamic Ottoman empire 82 years ago – and set
Turkey’s course toward the West. Turkey has been trying to join what
started out as the Common Market since 1963.

“We passed the most important phase on the way to reaching our 40-year
goal and the founding principles of our republic,” Erdogan said.

No one expected Europe to greet Turkey – a predominantly Muslim and
largely poor country of 70 million – with open arms. But last-minute
hurdles disheartened even the strongest EU supporters.

There were efforts “to prevent membership and make Turkey accept
several heavy conditions,” said Sami Kohen, a foreign affairs analyst
for Milliyet.

Newspapers and the stock market were upbeat. The Istanbul benchmark
stock market index, the IMKB-100, rose 2.9 percent Monday, reaching
a record 34,300 point after news of a breakthrough in Luxembourg.

Radikal newspaper printed the headlines “Happy ending: Turkey-EU at the
negotiation table,” and “The journey has begun.” Hurriyet newspaper’s
headlines read “Hello Europe,” and “Turkey’s 42-year-old EU dream
is coming true.” Ulkede Ozgur Gundem, a newspaper that supports more
rights for Kurds, said: “The EU door has opened.”

Associated Press writer Benjamin Harvey in Istanbul contributed to
this report.