Author: Ekmekjian Janet

OSCE to send monitoring mission to Upper Garabagh

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 16 2004

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe will send a
monitoring mission to Upper Garabagh to check reports from Baku about
Armenia’s establishing settlements in the area, Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists in London.

“The main thing is to define the format of this mission and the
date of arrival. We would like it to begin as soon as possible,”
Mammadyarov said.

An agreement to organize a monitoring mission was reached with Armenia
during talks between the Armenian and Azeri foreign ministers in
Sofia and Brussels earlier this month, he said.

The co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group directly engaged in settling the
Upper Garabagh problem should join the monitoring mission, he said.
Mammadyarov urged Armenia to assume a constructive position in the
talks. “On the one hand, we are in talks, but on the other Armenia
is building illegal settlements in the occupied territories. If this
continues, serious negotiations are out of the question,” he said.
Mammadyarov welcomed the agreement with Armenia to continue the
negotiating process.

Azeri leader vows not to give up Karabakh, calls for “constructive”
opposition

ANS TV, Baku
13 Dec 04

Excerpt from report by Azerbaijani TV station ANS on 13 December

[Presenter] ANS’s special correspondent in London Ali Ahmadov is on
the line. He will give us the details about the [Azerbaijani]
president’s visit to Great Britain. Here you are, Ali.

[Ali Ahmadov, by phone] Good evening, Leyla. As you said before,
President Ilham Aliyev had his first meeting today with the Queen’s
representative [a member of the House of Lords], Baroness
Seccombe. That was just a brief meeting.

[Passage omitted: reported details of meeting with the British defence
secretary]

At a meeting [with Secretary of State for Defence Geoff Hoon] they
discussed the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict as well. President Ilham
Aliyev told the British defence secretary about the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict and the consequences of it not being resolved. They exchanged
views on the ways of settling it.

The president’s meeting at Chatham House [the UK Royal Institute of
International Affairs], which ended a few minutes ago, was the most
interesting one today. Influential politicians use this organization
to exchange views. The president spoke about Azerbaijan and, in
particular, about Nagornyy Karabakh. Then the participants [in the
meeting] asked the president questions. The president said that the
main problem for Azerbaijan is the issue of Nagornyy Karabakh, 20 per
cent of which are under occupation. There are about 1m of refugees and
they live in appalling conditions.

The most interesting fact was that the Armenian ambassador to Britain
asked the president about a settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh
conflict. It was a rather aggressive question. The president was asked
whether Azerbaijan intends to attack Nagornyy Karabakh. The president
strongly reacted to this. He said that Armenia is an aggressor state
and that it’s position in talks with Azerbaijan is not
constructive. This makes the talks fruitless. Azerbaijan does not want
to continue the talks just for the sake of them. Azerbaijan might stop
the talks if it sees that they yield no results. The president said if
the point is the liberation of lands, then the Armenians might check
the Soviet encyclopedia as many areas in Armenia have Azeri
placenames, but Azerbaijan lays no claims to any of them.

As for the liberation of lands, the president said if the talks with
Armenia yield no results and if Armenia refuses to vacate the lands
following the talks, Azerbaijan would, itself, liberate the
lands. Vacate our lands, otherwise we will do this ourselves, end of
quote.

The president clarified another issue as well. Commenting on the
freight transported to Georgia via Azerbaijan and the freight checks,
he said that when it joined the TRACECA [Transport Corridor
Europe-Caucasus-Asia] corridor, Azerbaijan set a condition that the
freight transported through Azerbaijan should never go to
Armenia. However, according to recent reports, the cargo has recently
been sent to Armenia via Georgia. The freight needed to be checked
thoroughly after Azerbaijan received this information. The cargo
mainly comes from Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan.

The president said that as long as the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is
not resolved, not a gram of freight transported via Azerbaijan will go
to Armenia and that all the cargo and it’s final destination will be
checked.

Moreover, the president was asked about his internal policy,
specifically about democratic processes in Azerbaijan and his attitude
to the opposition. He said that the country needs a new opposition
force. He said the opposition should be more constructive and that the
existing opposition is destructive and cannot engage in constructive
negotiations with the authorities.

[Presenter] Thank you very much, Ali.

A1 Plus | 16:02:26 | 14-12-2004 | Social |

INDEPENDENT WHEN NO LONGER BEATEN

‘Joining the citizens concerned with the future of the country ‘New
Armenia’ Bloc keeps focus on the problems alarming society’, Eleonora
Manandyan, head of the `New Armenia’ social organization said at a
conference held today.

The probable forming of a new opposition bloc has widely been discussed
in the pres recently, and the pro-Western orientation is declared to be
the ideological base of it.

According to Eleonora Manandyan, the powers in opposition must first be
guided by settlement of numerous problems of the people and elaboration
of potential ways for establishment of statehood.

‘Horde sentiments now prevail in our country. We didn’t become
independent by declaring independence. There will be democracy in our
country only when we are no longer beaten during the elections’,
Eleonora Manandyan says.

‘We call upon political powers in Opposition to become mighty and to
stay away from obliged decisions to follow our national interests and
consolidation of statehood’, `New Armenia’ member Seda Arzumanyan says.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Dec 14 2004

Armenian opposition says Ukraine developments may occur in their
country

Media in a number of foreign countries have published numerous
reports saying that the current developments in the Ukraine may take
place in Armenia as well.
Commenting on these statements made by Armenian opposition
representatives in their interviews to `Voice of Armenia’ newspaper
and a resolution released by the Armenian National Movement last
week, Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian confirmed that there
are forces in the country trying to create a vision and convey to
foreign countries that such developments may also take place in
Armenia.
The mentioned resolution, adopted in conclusion of the Armenian
National Movement 14th congress, admits that Armenia has lost in the
Upper Garabagh settlement issue. The document says: `As a result of
Armenia’s unsuccessful diplomacy, the country has been left out of
regional projects. This creates a possibility of a war that may wipe
Armenia and Upper Garabagh off the map’.
Chairman of Armenia’s Liberal Progress Party Ovannes Ovanessian told
local press last week that this country has fallen into a predicament
and faces pressure from foreign countries with regard to the Upper
Garabagh problem.
He did not rule out that surprises are in store for Armenia from the
international community. A pro-Western political bloc therefore needs
to be set up in Armenia to prevent this, Ovanessian added.*

Le Monde, France
lundi 13 Décembre 2004

Paris demande à Ankara de reconnaître le génocide arménien

En marge d’une réunion des chefs de la diplomatie européenne
consacrée à la préparation du sommet européen sur l’ouverture des
négociations de la Turquie à l’Union européenne, le ministre des
affaires étrangères, Michel Barnier, a demandé à la Turquie de “faire
son devoir de mémoire”. Le président Jacques Chirac, invité du
journal de 20 heures de TF1 mercredi, s’exprimera sur l’éventualité
de l’ouverture des négociations.
La France demandera à la Turquie de reconnaître le “génocide”
arménien pendant ses négociations d’adhésion à l’Union européenne, a
déclaré lundi 13 décembre le ministre des affaires étrangères
français, Michel Barnier. Cette demande, qui ne constitue pas une
condition à l’ouverture de négociations, a provoqué une fin de
non-recevoir de la part des autorités turques, qui démentent que la
mort de nombreux Arméniens en 1915 constitue un génocide.

“La France posera cette question”, a dit Michel Barnier en marge
d’une réunion des chefs de la diplomatie européenne consacrée à la
préparation du sommet européen. “Je pense qu’un grand pays comme la
Turquie doit faire son devoir de mémoire”, a-t-il ajouté. Il a dit
avoir “évoqué la demande que fera la France, au cours de la
négociation, d’une reconnaissance de la tragédie du début du siècle
qui a touché plusieurs centaines de milliers d’Arméniens”, a ajouté
le ministre français. “Si, comme je le crois, le projet européen
depuis plus de 50 ans est fondé sur la réconciliation, réconciliation
entre nous – et la France et l’Allemagne ont fondé ce projet sur
cette idée-là – et puis réconciliation avec soi-même, alors je pense
que la Turquie devra, le moment venu, faire le travail de mémoire, de
réconciliation avec sa propre histoire et reconnaître cette
tragédie”, a ajouté M. Barnier.

REFUS D’ANKARA

Prié de dire s’il croyait que la Turquie allait changer changer sa
position, il a répondu : “Ce qui est nouveau, c’est que la Turquie
veut maintenant entrer dans l’Union.” Mais, comme en 2001,
lorsqu’elle avait durement réagi à la reconnaissance du génocide
arménien en suspendant l’achat de matériel militaire français ainsi
que les visites officielles en France, la Turquie ne paraît pas près
d’accepter cette demande. “Notre position est bien connue”, a déclaré
un porte-parole du ministère des affaires étrangères turc. “Nous ne
reconnaissons aucun soi-disant génocide et nous ne le reconnaîtrons
jamais”, a-t-il ajouté.

De son côté, la République de Chypre a demandé à ce que la Turquie
manifeste sa volonté de normaliser ses relations avec Nicosie avant
le sommet européen de mars 2005. Cette normalisation, a expliqué le
ministre des affaires étrangères chypriote, George Iacovou, doit
passer par l’élargissement par Ankara aux dix nouveaux pays de
l’Union européenne de l’accord d’union douanière qui lie la Turquie
et l’UE. “Nous n’avons pas demandé une reconnaissance définie sur le
plan international, mais une normalisation des relations en général
et en particulier dans le domaine bilatéral”, a-t-il ajouté.

Réunis à Bruxelles et en proie à de fortes dissensions sur le dossier
turc, les chefs de la diplomatie des Vingt-Cinq ont entamé lundi leur
débat sur l’opportunité d’ouvrir les pourparlers d’adhésion avec
Ankara, prélude à la décision que doit prendre en fin de semaine le
sommet européen.

Azerbaijan wants more British support in Karabakh issue – aide

ANS TV, Baku
11 Dec 04

[Presenter] The country’s main Karabakh problem will be in the focus
of attention during Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s official
visit to London, which starts tomorrow. Official Baku intends to gain
political support from the visit, the head of the international
relations department of the Azerbaijani presidential administration,
Novruz Mammadov, has told us.

[Correspondent over video of Mammadov in his office] President
Aliyev’s meetings in London will focus on the Nagornyy Karabakh
problem and the expansion of economic relations between Azerbaijan and
Britain.

[Passage omitted: reported details]

Taking into consideration mainly the level of relations between the
two countries, the president will stress during the visit that
Azerbaijan also needs more support for the settlement of numerous
issues in the political sphere.

[Mammadov] In exchange for the relations we have, we expect the
British government to give us more support in the Karabakh settlement
and to be more active in this sphere.

[Correspondent] During his meetings in parliament, the president will
express official Baku’s stance on various visits by British MPs,
especially Baroness Cox, to Azerbaijan’s occupied region of Nagornyy
Karabakh. He will also touch on Britain’s neutral position on the
situation in Azerbaijan’s occupied lands discussed at the UN General
Assembly.

This is not the first time that we have seen such an attitude, Mr
Mammadov said. As for relations between the OSCE and the UN, numerous
countries of the world have been taking such a stance, he noted [as
heard]. We already know this, he said.

[Mammadov] We are surprised at this simply because that this position
is not fair. Today this does not help issues to develop in a positive
direction and solve problems in line with international legal
norms. However, these states express their positions in this
way. Azerbaijan expresses its position on the subject not only during
such meetings. The Azerbaijani president has expressed this position
in various ways in Azerbaijan. They also know this. We simply describe
this as double standards sometimes. And we are actually right to do
so.

[Passage omitted: more about the schedule of the president’s visit]

Aytan Safarova and Elxan Huseynov for ANS.

ANKARA AND YEREVAN ECONOMIC INTERESTS CAN SHOVE BACK KARABAKH PROBLEM

PanArmenian News
Dec 7 2004

07.12.2004 15:10

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The analytical section of Gazetasng.ru draws
attention to the coincidence of the Brussels making a decision to
accelerate the beginning of the talks on accession of Turkey to
the European Union and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit
to Ankara. As reported by Gazetasng.ru, some Turkish media again
started speaking about a possible settlement of the Armenian-Azeri
relations, as well as establishment of Turkish-Armenian diplomatic
relations. In the opinion of the Internet edition, “there are implicit
signs that Ankara does not intend to publicly and unambiguously
support Azerbaijan in the Karabakh issue.” In the opinion of the
article author, Turkey is not against Armenia having the foreign
trade transit via the railway from Gumri to Ankara, Istanbul and to
the Balkans either. “There are reasons for supposing that long-term
economic interests of Moscow, Ankara and Yerevan will allow to shove
back the Nagorno Karabakh problem.” As noted by the Turkish media,
Ankara perceives that Turkey’s obstinacy and e.g. a direct or indirect
participation in the events in the North Caucasus can entail Russia
(and even Armenia) supporting the Kurdish rebels, who operate exactly
in the Turkish sector of Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan trunk. As supposed by
Kerimoghlu Turkish historian, “Turkey has its interests in the region,
however she does not wish to quarrel with Russia and its allies in the
same region. Turkey bewares that while she is sorting out relationships
with Moscow and Yerevan, Americans will establish their hegemony in
the Transcaucasia and the Caspian (as they have done in the North of
Iraq that Turkey has aspired for a long time). It should be reminded
that the Azeri-Turkish relations are not always unclouded, and the
anti-Turkish moods are not that rare among the Russian-language Azeri
intelligence and other strata of the society.

GUL CHARACTERIZES UNACCEPTABLE FORMULA ADOPTED BY SLOVAKIA’S PARLIAMENT

Azg/arm
7 Dec 04

According to Anatolu semi-official news agency, Abdullah Gul,
Turkish foreign affairs minister, considered unacceptable the formula
on recognizing the Armenian Genocide adopted at the parliament of
Slovakia. The Foreign Ministry of Turkey has issued a condemnation of
the Slovak Parliament, which had officially recognized the Armenian
Genocide. A statement released late on Thursday by the Foreign Ministry
reads: “The Slovak Parliament decided to accept some tragic events
of 1915 as “genocide”. The statement asserts that Turkey regrets and
condemns the Slovak decision. “It is unacceptable and we will take
all the relevant measures,” foreign minister Gul said.

Its worth reminding that the Parliament of Slovakia characterized the
massacre of 1,5 million Armenians in 1915 by the term “genocide.” Gul
said that the parliamentary opposition caused the adoption of such
a formula, while the government of Slovakia doesn’t support it.

RIA Novosti, Russia
Dec 2 2004

ARMENIA AND IRAN DEVELOP ENERGY COOPERATION

YEREVAN, December 2 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia is interested in
strengthening its relations with Iran, Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan said at a meeting with an Iranian delegation led by Iranian
Energy Minister Habibollah Bitaraf.

The Armenian president’s press service said the construction of a gas
pipeline and high voltage power lines marked the beginning of
Armenian-Iranian business relations, which entail discussions about
other potential programs. “We are ready to do everything possible to
support the current level of cooperation,” Mr. Kocharyan said.

Mr. Bitaraf said the construction of the Iranian section of the gas
pipeline would begin in the next two months and that Iran would
increase the amount of electricity supplied to Armenia to 1,000 MW
after the construction of a third high-voltage power line.

Iran is also interested in cooperating with Armenia on hydroelectric
plants and alternative energy sources such as wind power plants and
the commissioning of the fifth generator at the Razdan thermal plant.

The construction of the Kadzharan tunnel, Iranian fuel exports to
Armenia and the potential for Armenia to use Iranian equipment in
power plant construction were also discussed.

The Iranian delegation is visiting Armenia for the start of
construction of the Armenia section of the Iran-Armenia gas pipeline,
the commissioning of the Agarak-Shinuair high voltage power line and
the signing of an agreement on another power line.

On May 13, Iran and Armenia signed an agreement on the Iran-Armenia
pipeline in Yerevan. According to the agreement, the pipeline will be
completed by January 1, 2007 and 36 billion cubic meters of gas will
be imported to Armenia over the next 20 years. Armenia will import
1.1 billion cubic meters of gas a year in exchange for supplying Iran
with electricity. The pipeline will also carry Turkmen gas through
Iran to Armenia.

Construction of the Armenian section of the pipeline began on
November 30, the same day the Agarak-Shinuair power line was
commissioned.

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA
PRESS AND INFORMATION DEPARTMENT
375010 Telephone: +3741. 544041 ext 202
Fax: +3741. .562543
Email: [email protected]:

PRESS RELEASE
26 November 2004

Participation of Armenian delegation as an observer at the 10th
International Summit of Francophone

At the 10th International Summit of the Organization of Francophone, held in
Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, on November 26th, 2004, the Republic of Armenia
was granted observer status.

In his testimonial speech for this occasion, Armenian Foreign Minister
Oskanian noted that this decision will strengthen Armenia’s compliance with
the values and principals of the Francophone Organization and its abilities
to address the challenges of the modern world.

The Summit, titled “In the name of sustainable development,” developed a
ten-year Action plan and adopted the Summit Declaration. Leaders and
foreign ministers from more than 50 countries have attended.

The next chairmanship has been transferred to Romania, where the next summit
will be held in 2006.