Author: Nalchajian Markos

TURKEY-ARMENIA TALKS ON NORMALIZING RELATIONS
By Cihan News Agency

Zaman, Turkey
May 31 2006

The Turkish Foreign Ministry confirmed on Wednesday that it has been
holding talks with neighboring Armenia despite the latter’s inflexible
attitude to normalize their frosty relations.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told a weekly press
conference in Ankara that Turkey wished to build the kind of relations
which should exist between two neighboring countries.

Tan announced that the Turkish and Armenian foreign ministries had
held three rounds of talks at the level of deputy under-secretary.

“The preparations for a fourth round are underway.”

The Foreign Ministry Spokesman underlined that the success of the
talks depended on Armenia which should adopt a more flexible and
constructive approach and should act in accord with international
law in order to overcome bilateral and regional problems.

For further information please visit

EVERYONE, FIRST OF ALL ARMENIA, WILL BENEFIT FROM TURKEY’S ACCESSION TO EU

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.06.2006 GMT+04:00

Henry Cuny: Interview

Year 2006 is announced that of Armenia in France. Both countries are
bound with long-standing friendly relations, promoted to a notable
extent by the Armenian community, which is one of the largest in
Europe. France along with the US and Russia actively participates
in settlement of the Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group
framework. French Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to
Armenia Henry Cuny told PanARMENIAN.Net about the current state of
the Armenian-French relations.

France is a co-chair of the talks over peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The co-chairs say that in 2006 it is
possible to get things moving. What is your opinion, is a breakthrough
possible in settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?

Along with US and Russia France is a co-chair country of the OSCE
Minsk Group for settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. After
the Rambouillet meeting along with the US and Russian partners
France increased contacts between Yerevan and Baku to arrange a new
meeting of the two Presidents, scheduled in early June. This is why
representatives of MFA of third countries visited Yerevan and Baku
along with the co-chairs. Along with Washington and Moscow, we hope
for decisive progress and the two Presidents will have to complete the
work of the mediators, done within latest two years. The moment is
very favorable for a settlement now, taking into account that there
are no elections either in Armenia or Azerbaijan and we will hardly
have a chance soon.

In case an agreement is reached, we will provide wide political
support and the necessary financial assistance to both parties of
the conflict within a shortest possible period.

There is a rather large Armenian community in France.

What role does it play in the public and political life of your
country?

The example of the Armenian community of France is notable, as the
French having Armenian origins are fully integrated into all fields of
the French society – politics, professional activities, education,
economy. The only characteristic that distinguishes them and is
quite understandable is their attachment to the fatherland of their
ancestors. This is one of the causes explaining France’s interest
towards Armenia and development of relations between our countries.

What is France’s attitude towards Turkey’s accession to the EU?

France supports Turkey’s candidacy for accession to the EU. Turkey
approaching European norms will have an undisputed stabilizing effect
in the region as a whole. Everyone will benefit from it, first of
all Armenia.

The EU is a club with clear, detailed rules, which are compulsory
for everyone without exceptions. Democracy, freedom of expression of
opinions, beliefs, including religious ones, human rights, including
national minority rights, lifting blockades of borders, liberalization
of economy, establishment of normal relations with neighbors are the
core of that club.

What is your assessment of the current level of the Armenian-French
political relations and their prospective development in the light
of Armenia’s participation in the European Neighborhood Policy in
particular and European integration in general?

Each country should be free in expressing its will.

Approaching European standards for closer cooperation is determined
by the programs by means of which it takes place. The European
Neighborhood Policy, EU-Armenia Action Plan aim at promoting this
cooperation, but this can by no means take place against the will. As
of the bilateral cooperation, France actively participates in such
priority cooperation fields as education. I must specially note that
the largest French university outside France is situated in Armenia. We
also cooperate in tourism and health.

How do Armenian-French economic relations develop at present, taking
into account the opening of an Air France representation and direct
Yerevan-Paris flights?

The arrival of Air France in the Armenian land was a result of large
French industrial groups like Pernod-Ricard and Castel entering the
Armenian market and they have settled down in Armenia long ago. SAUR,
VEOLIA, engaged in water supplies, ALCATEL telecommunication company,
AREVA enterprise specializing in storage of nuclear waste of the
Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant joined them. Peugeot, Renault и
Nissan cars, Michelin firm tires have strong positions at the Armenian
market, medicines of French pharmaceutical firms are sold.

Demonstrations against establishment of monuments to Armenian Genocide
victims were held in some French towns lately. Do you consider these
as common phenomena or not?

While one of Turkish TV channels showed Ararat film on the events in
1915 with the consent of 71% of the audience, demonstrations denying
the Armenian Genocide were held in France. These demonstrations are
not in line with the evolution of the Turkish mentality.

These phenomena are not only unacceptable, but also anachronistic.

Year 2006 is announced that of Armenia in France.

Could you tell about the events planned on the occasion?

The Year of Armenia in France will be held in over 30 cities, where
numerous cultural events will be held.

Christian Armenia exhibition will open in Louvre, exposition on 12
Armenian capitals will be in Conciergerie. Ancient Armenian manuscripts
will be exhibited at the National Library of France. Concerts will
be held in Opera Garnier, Châtelet, other towns.

Young Armenian gifted persons will arrive in France.

We also plan to receive one thousand Armenian schoolchildren, who
speak French. The prologue will take place in September-October 2006.

–Boundary_(ID_vw5EKaVZdGlD9eCoEry/rA)–

200 NEEDY PERSONS RECEIVE FREE FOOD EVERY DAY FROM HRAZDAN CHARITABLE CANTEEN SPONSORED BY AGBU AND MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ECHMIADZIN

Noyan Tapan
May 31 2006

HRAZDAN, MAY 31, NOYAN TAPAN. A charitable canteen sponsored by the
Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) has been functioning in
Hrazdan for a year.

It opened on the initiative and with the assistance of the Mother
See of Holy Echmiadzin. According to the canteen’s director Vazgen
Hovhannisian, about 200 needy persons, mainly refugees, single
pensioners, disabled persons and vulnerable families receive free food
there once a day, except Sundays. Their list is approved by Hrazdan
mayor’s office, the head of the local social security department and
chairmen of condominiums, while the food menu – by the sponsor. “This
care for the needy is a continuous one,” the canteen director assured.

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05/31/2006
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1) Azerbaijan Flattens Sacred Armenian Site
2) Armenia and Turkey Hold Secret Talks
3) Parliament Postpones Election of New Leadership
4) Kocharian-Aliyev Meeting to Take Place in Bucharest
5) Oil Reaches Turkey through BTC Pipeline
6) Another Armenian Reportedly Killed In Moscow

1) Azerbaijan Flattens Sacred Armenian Site

(The Independent)–Fears that Azerbaijan has systematically destroyed hundreds
of 500 year old Christian artifacts have exploded into a diplomatic row, after
members of European Parliament were barred from inspecting an ancient Armenian
burial site.
The predominantly Muslim country’s government has been accused of “flagrant
vandalism” similar to the Taliban’s demolition of the Bamiyan Buddhas in
Afghanistan.
The claims center on the fate of rare “khatchkars,” stone crosses carved with
intricate floral designs, at the burial ground of Julfa in the Nakhichevan
region of Azerbaijan, an enclave separated from the rest of the country by
Armenia.
The works–some of the most important examples of Armenian heritage–are said
to have been smashed with sledgehammers last December as the site was
concreted
over.
The Azeri Government, which denies the claims, is now at the center of a row
with MEPs, some of whom it accused of a “biased and hysterical approach.” Its
ambassador to the EU also says the European Parliament has ignored damage to
Muslim sites in Armenia. Azerbaijan has refused to allow a delegation of Euro
MPs permission to visit the 1,500 year old Julfa cemetery during their trip to
the region last month.
Most of original 10,000 khatchkars, most of which date from the 15th and 16th
century, were destroyed by the early 20th century, leaving probably fewer than
3,000 by the late 1970s.
According to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (Icomos), the
Azeri Government removed 800 khatchkars in 1998. Though the destruction was
halted following protests from UNESCO, it resumed four years later. By January
2003 “the 1,500 year old cemetery had completely been flattened,” Icomos says.
Witnesses, quoted in the Armenian press, say the final round of vandalism was
unleashed in December last year by Azeri soldiers wielding sledgehammers.
The president of Icomos, Michael Petzet, said: “Now that all traces of this
highly important historic site seem to have been extinguished all we can do is
mourn the loss and protest against this totally senseless destruction.”
Some MEPs believe that, boosted by its oil revenues, Azerbaijan is
adopting an
increasingly assertive stance in the region. Charles Tannock, Conservative
Foreign Affairs Spokesman in the European parliament, argued: “This is very
similar to the Buddha statues destroyed by the Taliban. They have concreted
the
area over and turned it into a military camp. If they have nothing to hide
then
we should be allowed to inspect the terrain.”
When MEPs passed a critical resolution in February, Azerbaijan’s Foreign
Minister, Elmar Mamedyarov, made a formal protest. Then, when the parliament’s
delegation for relations with Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia, asked to
combine a mission to Armenia with a visit to the Julfa archaeological site,
their request was refused.
The Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly hopes to visit the site and
its
Secretary General has offered to set up an expert group to examine cultural
sites in Azerbaijan and Armenia. MEPs insist that the authorities in
Azerbaijan
should open their doors if they have nothing to hide.
Hannes Swoboda, an Austrian socialist MEP and member of the committee barred
from examining the site, said he hopes a visit can be arranged in the autumn.
He added: “If they do not allow us to go, we have a clear hint that something
bad has happened. If something is hidden we want to ask why. It can only be
because some of the allegations are true.”
And he warned: “One of the major elements of any country that wants to come
close to Europe is that the cultural heritage of neighbors is respected.”

2) Armenia and Turkey Hold Secret Talks

(PanArmenian)–Secret talks between Turkey and Armenia, launched after Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrote a letter to Armenian President
Robert
Kocharian, have failed to make any headway coming out of their third round.
A part of the third session of secret talks was held on the sidelines of the
Turkey-European Union meeting in Vienna, Austria last March.
The Turkish side proposed the establishment of two committees to
simultaneously hold talks on political issues and the Armenian genocide.
In response, Armenia rejected the preconditions set by Turkey. It underlined
that scholars can debate the issue in conferences. Nevertheless Armenia did
request the revival of political talks between the two countries.
Following Yerevan’s objection to the establishment of the two committees,
Ankara is now preparing for the fourth round of secret talks.
The New Anatolian reported that Ankara will exert an effort to solve its
problems with Yerevan.

3) Parliament Postpones Election of New Leadership

YEREVAN (Armenpress/RFE/RL)–An emergency parliament session convened
Wednesday
to elect a new Parliament Speaker and heads of two committees, vacated
following the resignation of former Parliament Speaker Arthur Baghdasarian and
the pullout of his Orinats Yerkir party from the governing coalition, decided
to put off the elections until June 1.
Deputy Parliament Speaker Tigran Torosian–widely expected to replace
Baghdasarian–said to journalists that it was his decision to postpone the
election. He said under the parliament statutes it is the person who chairs
emergency session who decides the order in which issues on the agenda are
considered.
Torosian, who is affiliated with Prime Minister Andranik Markarian’s
Republican Party (HHK), did not deny that he is Baghdasarian’s most likely
successor. He said he will consider his new job as “yet another duty.”
On Monday, Baghdasarian formally ceased to perform his duties, reaffirming
his
decision to step down.
“In accordance with the National Assembly statutes, I am relinquishing the
duties of National Assembly chairman,” he told reporters in the halls of
Parliament.
Baghdasarian refused to answer any questions, saying that he wants to
“leave in peace.”

4) Kocharian-Aliyev Meeting to Take Place in Bucharest

(Combined Sources)–A spokesman for President Robert Kocharian said that the
Armenian leader and his Azeri counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, will meet on the
sidelines of a summit of Black Sea nations which is scheduled to take place in
Romania’s capital Bucharest on June 5.
The French, Russian, and American mediators have expressed hopes for
advancements in Karabagh conflict settlement following talks in Romania.
Diplomats from the foreign ministries of the Minsk Group co-chairing states,
as well as co-chairs themselves visited Baku and Yerevan in late May, setting
up the latest meeting between the two presidents.

5) Oil Reaches Turkey through BTC Pipeline

ANKARA (UPI)–Azeri oil began flowing through the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC)
oil
pipeline and reached Ceyhan, Turkey, over the weekend.
Oil reached the Turkish Mediterranean port on Saturday, according to the
Azertag news agency Sunday.
The BTC pipeline is designed to take Azeri and Kazakh oil through Georgia and
Turkey to international markets.
The $4 billion, 1,000 mile pipeline is aimed at reducing Western
dependence on
the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. The pipeline, which runs
from Azerbaijan via Georgia to Turkey, avoids Russia.
Construction of the pipeline began six years ago.

6) Another Armenian Reportedly Killed In Moscow

(AFP)–A Russian man of Armenian origin has been stabbed to death by a
group of
young people on a train in a Moscow suburb, Moscow Echo radio quoted a lawyer
as saying Tuesday.
Simon Tsaturian, who represents the family of another ethnic Armenian killed
in Moscow last month, said the stabbing of Artur Sardarian, 19, took place on
May 25 and cited witnesses as saying the attackers were chanting “Glory to
Russia!”
The attackers then stopped the train by setting off an alarm and escaped,
Tsaturian said.
Moscow police said the incident was being investigated and the Armenian Union
of Russia confirmed the murder had taken place.

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ARMENIANS PROTEST AGAINST WITHDRAWAL OF RUSSIAN TROOPS FROM GEORGIA

Channel One TV, Moscow
30 May 06

[Presenter] Many believe that Russia’s presence in the Caucasus is the
best guarantee against interethnic conflicts. Several hundred people
in Yerevan today staged an action of protest against the withdrawal
of Russian troops from the Akhalkalaki base in the Georgian region
of Samtskhe-Javakheti, where quite a few Armenians live. According
to those taking part in the rally, experience shows that as soon as
Russians leave a place, Armenians leave it too.

Instances of clashes between Armenians and Meskhetian Turks
who are arriving in the region have become more frequent in
Samtskhe-Javakheti. Under an agreement reached between Moscow and
Tbilisi, the Russian servicemen will be withdrawn from the Akhalkalaki
base by the end of next year.

[Aram Karapetyan, leader of the Armenian New Times party] I think
our aim now is just to raise the issue and make it clear that serious
changes may take place in Javakheti after the Russian base moves out.

Very serious destabilizing factors may appear there because it will
be very difficult to talk about any stabilization after the base is
pulled out.

Azerbaijan offers to sell gas to Europe
By Stefan Wagstyl, East Europe Editor, in Baku

FT
May 27 2006 03:00

Azerbaijan has offered to help Europe meet its long-term energy needs
and reduce its dependence on Russia by putting itself forward as a
potential source of natural gas.

Ilham Aliyev, president of the energy-rich Caspian nation, told the FT
Azerbaijan was ready to focus on mainland Europe as a potential future
market when planning new gas projects.

“Until last year we considered Turkey and Georgia as the only markets
for Azerbaijan’s gas,” said Mr Aliyev. “The situation has changed
now. We see that demand from Europe for additional gas becomes more
viable and we need to evaluate that.

“For us this is a new situation . . . But if there’s demand from
Europe we will consider it. To do that we need to review our
production and investment programme.”

Mr Aliyev’s offer comes amid widespread concern in the European Union
about energy security and calls for diversification. The search for
alternative gas sources has intensified since the contract dispute
between Russia and Ukraine last winter prompted a brief break in
supplies to some EU states.

Mr Aliyev said new gas developments would take time. Oil industry
executives in Baku agree, saying the country’s first big new gas
project was just nearing completion – the Shah Deniz offshore field
and the associated South Caucasus Pipeline (SCP) to Georgia and
Turkey.

Big potential new gas sources – if proved viable – would probably not
come on stream before 2015 – following the planned development of a
second stage of Shah Deniz.

Other potential sources – notably pipelines under the Caspian bringing
gas from Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan – could take similarly long to
develop.

Mr Aliyev said Azerbaijan was ready to play a transit role for both
gas and oil. His confidence stems from the near completion of two big
pipelines – the SCP, which will start transporting gas in the autumn,
and the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) oil pipeline from Azerbaijan to
Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, which is due to ship its first oil
soon. Mr Aliyev says proudly: “The pipelines are the biggest energy
projects in the world . . . This unique infrastructure integrates the
Caspian and the Mediterranean.”

Mr Aliyev ran Socar, the Azerbaijan state oil company, before
succeeding his late father, Heydar, as president. Heydar Aliyev, a KGB
boss and Communist party official in Soviet times, established an
authoritarian government that he controlled until his death in
2003. Ilham Aliyev took power in presidential elections that
international observers condemned as flawed.

The government ran into more criticism last year when the ruling party
won parliamentary elections by a landslide amid complaints of fraud
and harassment from opposition parties.

Mr Aliyev rejects suggestions his country is undemocratic and accuses
the foreign media of painting a false picture.

“I don’t say we have a perfect society,” he said. “Of course not. It
is not possible for a country to have the same level of democracy as
you have in western Europe. It’s not possible in 15 years . . . But
we have many achievements.”

Mr Aliyev argues rapid economic development – fuelled by energy export
revenues – will lead to a strong democracy.

Opposition politicians and human rights activists say this may not
happen if the wealthy business people around the president monopolise
money and power, as has happened in other energy-rich states. They
want the US and the EU to increase pressure on Mr Aliyev for
democratic reforms.

But Mr Aliyev thinks western leaders worried about oil and gas
supplies will be unwilling to destabilise Azerbaijan at a time of
rising tensions between the west and neighbouring Iran, which is home
to more than 20m ethnic Azeris.

There is also concern about Azerbaijan’s long-running dispute with
Armenia over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
May 26 2006

Azerbaijani President agrees to meet his Armenian counterpart in
Bucharest

[ 26 May 2006 13:07 ]

The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs while on a visit to Baku proposed
organizing a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents in
Bucharest, Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists.

He said that the Azerbaijani side has accepted this proposal and the
rest depends on Yerevan’s position (APA).
Commenting on the arrival of diplomats from the OSCE Minsk Group FMs
to the region together with the co-chairs, Mammadyarov appraised the
raising of the negotiating process to a high format.
`These three countries as permanent members of the UN Security
Council support peaceful solution of the Nagorno Garabagh conflict,’
the Minister said.
Mammadyarov called the talks in Baku very effective, `We expressed
our stance and the diplomats understood our position very well.’ He
noted that the discussed issues were not new proposals but new
opinions and ideas.
`These opinions were uttered in various forms, we can agree or
disagree to some of them uttered in the final variant. However, there
is a style in diplomacy-you should reach a compromise,’ Mammadyarov
said.
Commenting on the co-chairs’ calling `the parties to the conflict
should prepare their peoples to peace not to a war’, the Minister
said that official Baku also supports peace, `However, Azerbaijan’s
lands are under occupation, we have about a million of refugees and
IDPs. These lands should be liberated sooner or later.’
While commenting on proposals on holding a referendum in Nagorno
Garabagh like in Montenegro, Mammadyarov stressed that the situations
are quite different in Azerbaijan and Montenegro.
`Montenegrins and Serbians are living together there. So, our
position is that only Armenian community can hold it after Garabagh’s
status is solved. Returning of Azerbaijanis displaced from there
should be provided and they should participate in the process in
Nagorno Garabagh. The Referendum can be held in the framework of
Azerbaijan’s Constitution,’ the Minister underlined.
Mammadyarov declined to rule out that after achieving a status
Nagorno Garabagh will have a Constitution and reminded that
Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic has a Constitution too.
`Autonomous republics in Russia have their own Constitutions too,’
Azerbaijani Minister noted./APA/

YOUNG ARMENIAN SAMBISTS WIN 5 MEDALS AT EUROPE CHAMPIONSHIP

Noyan Tapan
May 24 2006

SALONIKA, MAY 24, NOYAN TAPAN. The representatives of Armenia
successfully performed at the Europe Youth Championship of Sambo
Wrestling held in the Greek city of Salonika. 5 out of 18 members
of the Armenian national team received medals. Artur Vardanian from
Gyumri (57 kg weight category) became Europe champion and received
a gold medal. Artyom Gevorgian (52 kg) and Hakob Arakelian (81 kg)
from Yerevan took 2nd places in their weight categories and received
silver medals. Lilit Poghosian (64 kg) who performed in the ladies’
competition also received a silver medal. Artavazd Minasian from Gyumri
(48 kg) was given a bronze medal.

OSCE MONITORING IN AZERI-ARMENIAN FRONTAL LINE HELD WITHOUT CAUSALITIES
Author: E.Javadova

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
May 23 2006

The OSCE monitoring held in the contact lime of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani armed forces near Kuropatkino village of Khojavand District
on Tuesday held without causalities, Ilgar Verdiyev, the spokesman
for the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced.

Andjey Casprzyk, the special envoy of the OSCE chairman-in-office,
and his field assistants Peter Key will hold monitoring in the
Azerbaijani side of the frontline.

Imre Palatinus, Harry Eronen and Yuri Aberle, the special envoy’s
field assistants, are in charge of monitoring in the Armenian side
of the contact line.

GAS CONSUMPTION DECLINES IN ENERGY SECTOR AND INDUSTRY

Noyan Tapan
May 22 2006

YEREVAN, MAY 22, NOYAN TAPAN. In the first quarter of 2006, 508.7 mln
cubic meters of natural gas was sold in Armenia, or by 22.72 mln cubic
meters less than in the same period of last year. The gas consumption
by the population grew by 39.43 mln c.m. on the first quarter of 2005,
while gas consumption in the energy sector and industry declined by
66.38 mln c.m. and 11.56 mln c.m.

Director General of ArmRusgazprom company Karen Karapetian
stated this at the May 22 round table at the Clib of Economic
Journalists. According to him, the gas payment collection for last
year made up 105% or 26.2 bln drams (about 59 mln USD), with 10.4 bln
drams of this sum being transferred to the state budget, and 5.8 bln
drams – allocated for operational costs. 8.7 bln drams was invested
in the system last year: for extension of the distribution network,
increasing the number of users, etc. Approximately the same amount
will be invested this year. It was noted that over the last three
years, about 60 mln USD has been invested in ArmRusgazprom’s system.