Author: Tashjian Arbi

ARMENIAN CONSULATE IN BATUMI TO OPEN NEXT YEAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.09.2006 13:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Consulate will be established in
Batumi next year. Armenia’s Ambassador to Georgia Hrach Silvanyan and
Adjarian government chairman Levan Varshalomidze discussed the issue
recently. The Armenian diplomat said this move will prove development
of relations between the two states.

In Silvanyan’s words, the Armenian and Georgian Foreign Ministries
consider the issue in a positive aspect.

Azerbaijan protests independence parade in breakaway region

ANS TV, Baku
2 Sep 06

[Presenter] A holiday was marked today on the Azerbaijani land
occupied by Armenians. The separatists of Nagornyy Karabakh celebrated
the 15th anniversary of the occupation and of the republic that they
had set up there. Baku believes that this is nothing more than an
attempt to wreck the talks.

[Correspondent] Armenians have marked the 15th anniversary of the
separatist regime set up in Nagornyy Karabakh. They even held a
military parade. [Video showed Russian TV footage]

Members of the separatist regimes of [Moldova’s] Dniester, [Georgia’s]
South Ossetia and Abkhazia also arrived in Xankandi [Stepanakert].

[Passage omitted: more details of the celebrations]

TV channels of Russia, which has undertaken a role within the OSCE
Minsk Group to mediate a settlement to the Karabakh conflict, have
demonstrated support for the self-styled regime. Russia TV’s "Vesti"
news programme presented the self-proclaimed republic as an
independent entity, separate from Azerbaijan. Have a look, this is
what they showed – Nagornyy Karabakh as an independent entity and
Arkadiy Gukasyan as its president.

A reporter of the news programme, Marina Aleksandrova, sees nothing
wrong in this.

[Russian journalist by telephone] There are Abkhazia and Dniester. We
usually present these two entities exactly the same way as Nagornyy
Karabakh. These are similar conflicts.

[Passage omitted: more about Russia TV channels’ reports on Karabakh]

[Correspondent] There should also be measures in place to prevent
international structures from questioning Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity.

[Akif Nagi, head of the Karabakh Liberation Organization] The USA’s
first ambassador to Armenia has recently sent a message congratulating
them on their independence. This shows this country’s attitude. These
people are government officials, and the authorities should not keep
aloof as though they have nothing to do with the issue. [Passage
omitted: reiteration of similar ideas]

[Corespondent] The head of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry’s
Information and Press Department, Tahir Tagizada, believes that
celebrations like these in the occupied region of Nagornyy Karabakh
have a negative impact on the negotiations. Both the separatist regime
and Armenia and international organizations should understand that
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity cannot be a subject of talks and
that Baku will never cede even an inch of its land.

Tagizada also said that a letter by Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan to the leadership of the self-styled republic demonstrating
support had once again shown that Yerevan was not interested in
constructive negotiations.

Afat Telmanqizi, ANS.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenia Not Going to Sent Peacekeepers to Lebanon
01.09.2006 14:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Presently Armenia is not going to sent peacekeepers
in the Lebanon-Israel conflict zone, RA President’s Spokesman Victor
Soghomonyan said. `Armenia is not going to sent a peacekeeping
contingent to the conflict zone; moreover the U.N. has not determined
the mandate of the peacekeeping forces yet,’ he
underscored. Soghomonyan also said that taking into account the small
number the Armenian peacekeepers, they cannot play a decisive role in
the conflict settlement.

`At that same time when considering the possibility of sending
peacekeepers to the conflict zone the republic leadership cannot
overlook the interests of the Armenian community of
Lebanon. Involvement of Armenian peacekeepers in any opposition can
cause problems for the Armenians living in Lebanon,’ the RA
President’s Spokesman said, reported newsarmenia.ru.

Today, Azerbaijan
Sept 1 2006

British Ambassador: "Azerbaijan has right to liberate its
territories"

01 September 2006 [23:11] – Today.Az

Defense Minister, Col.Gen. Safar Abiyev received British Ambassador
to Azerbaijan Laurie Bristow.

Touching on the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, Minister Abiyev stressed
that the conflict has not been solved because of Armenia’s
destructive policy, APA reports.

"Armenia does not comply with the four UN Security Council
Resolutions. On the other hand, the world community does not exert
any pressure on Armenia to pull out the troops from Azerbaijani
lands. Azerbaijan will never consent to the occupied of its
territories, and we will liberate our lands by all means, including
military way," Mr.Abiyev underlined.

Ambassadors Bristow said Azerbaijan has the right to liberate its
lands.

"However, Azerbaijan should pursue a balanced policy regarding this.
I arrived at a conclusion after my three-year experience in the South
Caucasus that Armenian society has been influenced by external
forces. Turkey is one the NATO key states. Azerbaijan has a strong
economic base, and all spheres are developing. What will happen to
Armenia after 10-15 years? The unfairness against Azerbaijan should
be ended as soon as possible," Mr.Bristow underlined.

Minister Abiyev today also received Belarus ambassador to Azerbaijan
Nikolay Patskevich, Greek ambassadorTemistokles Demidis, former
military attaché of Greek Armed Forces in Azerbaijan, brigade general
Ioannis Solias anda new military attaché, Colonel Seoharis Militiades
Kollatos.

URL:

SONG CONTEST
Aram Abrahamian

Aravot.am
31 Aug 06

The ministry of culture was right publishing the texts of five drafts
of anthem, which have passed the contest. Unfortunately, the public
doesn’t have an opportunity to judge the music of those drafts: 5
drafts of anthem must be often sounded on radio and TV, which isn’t
done yet. I’m sure the anthem is 60% music and 40% words, because it
is often produced without the text. Besides, music is more powerful
emotionally, than the word is.

Speaking about the published texts I want to stress the following
fact: Ararat B/ I guess whose pseudonym it is/, Vahagn Davtian and
Liudvig Durian are skilful poets who are worth to become the authors
of the national anthem of Armenia. But those respectful poets will
admit that they aren’t like Charents.

So if the public discusses the texts, it will be meaningless to
compete with Charent’s "Es im anush Hayasatani". This masterpiece is
also profitable that there will be no need to read it by heart. The
text written by the official of the ministry for Aram Khachatrian’s
music is non professional and skilful.

The ministry suggests introducing to other texts written for Aram
Khachatrian’s music on _www.mrcuyt.am_ () site. But
they are worse than the produces examples. It is impossible to compose
any high quality verse for the already composed music.

Aram Khachatrian’s music is impressive. The composer has used the
tunes of medieval "sharakan" /church songs/, which doesn’t only show
the composer’s talent but patriotism, too.

The selection of anthem isn’t a song festival. This is a political
action, however Khachatrian’s music is talented it symbolizes the past
epoch, refused ideology. So it shouldn’t display only musical approach
here. As for me "Mer Hayrenik" or anthems composed by T. Mansurian’s,
E. Erznkian’s, E. Hovhannisian or R. Amirkhanian are equally
adoptable. Let Khachatrian’s music remain as the history.

BANK OF ARMENIA RAISES ANNUAL REPO RATE TO 4.5%

RIA Novosti, Russia
Aug. 31, 2006

YEREVAN, August 31 (RIA Novosti) – Armenia’s central bank said Thursday
it will raise its annual refinancing rate (REPO) by .25 percentage
points to 4.5%, starting September 1.

In January 2006, the Bank of Armenia adopted a new inflation regulation
policy – targeting – to curb inflation by changing interest rates,
including the key REPO rate.

Armenia has experienced strong economic growth since 1995, and
inflation has been almost nonexistent for the past several years,
standing at 0.6% in 2005.

ITALIAN MUSLIM LEADER URGES DEBATE ON ANTI-SEMITISM VS. ANTI-ISRAELI VIEWS

Corriere della Sera website, Milan
25 Aug 06

Text of interview with Union of Islamic Communities and Organizations
in Italy (UCOII) spokesman Roberto Hamza Piccardo by ‘V. Pic.’, in
Rome, date not given, entitled "Spokesman Piccardo: ‘I am not signing:
It is not an unrepeatable event, ask the Armenians’", published by
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera website on 25 August; first
paragraph is the newspaper’s own introduction:

Rome: But will the UCOII [Union of Islamic Communities and
Organizations in Italy] sign [Interior] Minister [Giuliano] Amato’s
Charter of Values that specifies the uniqueness and non-repeatability
of the Holocaust? Roberto Hamza Piccardo, spokesman of the UCOII,
is uncertain. And he gives a hint of a bitter smile: "You would have
to ask the Armenians that. Maybe they think differently."

[Corriere della Sera] So?

[Piccardo] So one cannot take Nazism as a watershed.

[Corriere della Sera] Why?

[Piccardo] Because the Holocaust is not unique or non-repeatable. I
wish it were. Mankind, unfortunately, has stained itself with appalling
tragedies throughout its history. Ever since Cain killed his brother
Abel. There was the extermination of the Apaches, that of the American
Indian populations, of the black people. "Of the 20 million who died
in Russia during World War II, 18 million died of hunger, because the
Germans were requisitioning food to send to the labour camps. What does
it mean to sign that this never happened and will never happen again?

[Corriere della Sera] You would not sign?

[Piccardo] I, Hamza Piccardo, no. Unless… [ellipsis as published]

[Corriere della Sera] Unless what?

[Piccardo] Unless it were not just a hope. But it would mean thinking
that mankind has understood. Instead, that is not the case.

[Corriere della Sera] Would you sign a charter against anti-Semitism?

[Piccardo] Yes, but then we would have to debate.

[Corriere della Sera] About what?

[Piccardo] Whether those who criticize the state of Israel, as we
have done, albeit in a wrong way, are also anti-Semitic. We are not
angry with the Jews, unless one wants to say that the state of Israel
represents all the Jews.

And that is not the case.

[Corriere della Sera] They say you are among those who want to erase
it from the map.

[Piccardo] I would like it to be a democratic state. Where
Jews, Muslims, Palestinians, atheists can live. Without religious
characteristics. Instead, it is in the hands of a military lobby that
draws its strength from war.

[Corriere della Sera] The Jewish Community Union did not propose your
expulsion. Do you appreciate that?

[Piccardo] We are touched.

[Corriere della Sera] The mayor of Colle Val d’Elsa declared yesterday
that if you are expelled from the Council, the construction of the
biggest Islamic centre in Italy is at risk.

[Piccardo] They caught him by surprise.

[Corriere della Sera] The Shi’is are also asking to join the Council.

[Piccardo] Of course, why not? Given that among the members there are
also those who, up until a short time ago, busied themselves only
with bridge. But why is the Muslim community not allowed to elect
its own representatives? Even those who are not from our association
would vote for UCOII. For that reason we make people afraid. And for
that reason they attack us.

GEORGIAN PAPER EXAMINES RAILWAY PROJECT, SAYS CONSTRUCTION TO BEGIN IN 2007

Rezonansi, Tbilisi
26 Aug 06

The construction of the Kars-Akhalkalaki railway will begin in
September 2007. Azerbaijan and Turkey will give Georgia a 220m-dollar
long-term credit for the construction work.

The restoration of the Akhalkalaki-Kars railway, which has been delayed
for years, has become a more prominent issue recently. Turkey has
been raising the issue of rebuilding the railway with the Georgian
government for decades now , but it has taken on a new character
given Georgia’s more active foreign policy.

The main reason for the delay was a lack of funds. Although putting
the Kars-Akhalkalaki railway into operation is in Washington’s
geostrategic interests, the Armenian diaspora in the United States
set the US Senate against the railway project. They believe that the
restored railway line will bring about Armenia’s complete isolation
from the surrounding world.

Senators Rick Santorum and Robert Menendez even submitted a draft to
the US Senate prohibiting US investment in the construction of any
railway in the South Caucasus that bypassed Armenian territory.

At a recent meeting of representatives of the three countries –
Azerbaijan, Turkey and Georgia – it was decided that Georgia would be
given a long-term loan for the construction of the railway. "Georgia
demanded a long-term interest-free loan and Azerbaijan and Turkey
agreed," Sadreddin Mamedov, head of the Azerbaijani Transport Ministry
Transport Policy and Economy Department, noted.

Some experts have said that Georgia was holding back on the project
because of fears that the level of freight passing through its ports
in Batumi and Poti would decrease. However, specialists believe that
this fear is groundless, as it will be mainly dry cargoes transported
along the new route, not oil and oil products.

"It is important to start the project. The more railway
networks connect us with our neighbours the better. The main
thing is to have these regions of Georgia firmly linked to the
centre. Samtskhe-Javakheti [province predominantly populated by
ethnic Armenians] is a politically unstable region, as the Russian
military base there [in Akhalkalaki] is a hornet’s nest of separatism,"
political analyst Soso Tsintsadze said. [Passage omitted]

Around 39 km of the Kars-Akhalkalaki section will be constructed on
Georgian territory and 70 km on the Turkish side of the border. The
project is divided into two phases. One track will be built initially,
while construction of a second track will begin once the railway
is in operation and regular freight services begin. The project
also includes the reconstruction of the Akhalkalaki-Tbilisi railway
section. [Passage omitted]

According to experts, if the project is implemented, both countries –
Turkey and Georgia – will benefit in their own way. Georgia’s economic
and political position will be a lot more stable and the government
is already counting the millions that will come to the budget from
the railway. As for Turkey, it will fulfil its old dream and will
be linked to the Russian market by the shortest and a far more
advantageous route. Turkey will also be able to establish contacts
with Central Asia via this route.

Today, Azerbaijan
Aug. 25, 2006

Mark Katz: "Either the Karabakh conflict will be resolved, or it will
get worse for both side"

25 August 2006 [17:00] – Today.Az

"The Azeri-Armenian dispute will not go on as it has. Either it will
be resolved, or it will get worse for both side.

"It seems to me, though, that the two parties cannot come to an
agreement because each sees itself as being on the defensive,
and that compromise with the other could spell disaster," Mark
N. Katz, Professor of Government and Politics Department of Public
and International Affairs Department of George Mason University,
told APA in an exclusive interview.

He thinks that international organizations have been ineffective in
finding a peaceful solution because they can only succeed at this if
both sides want one.

"Their real aim, it seems to me, is not to find a peaceful solution
but to help prevent a renewed outbreak of fighting," he said.

He thinks that Russian, who has great influence on Armenian, is not
interested in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

"Russia does have great influence in Armenia-but only so long as
the Karabakh conflict persists. If the conflict was ever resolved
peacefully and this contributed to the normalization of relations
between Armenia and Turkey, Armenia would have much less need of
Russia. Fearing this, Moscow does not want to see the Karabakh
conflict resolved."

He thinks that Russian support for Azerbaijan is unreal.

"Russia supports Armenia, not Azerbaijan. But Azerbaijan cannot afford
to have relations that are too unfriendly with neighboring Russia. The
U.S. government is more sympathetic toward the Azeri position, but
American domestic politics will not allow Washington to pressure
Armenia to reach a settlement. Thus, neither the U.S. nor Russia
is really pushing for a peace settlement, though neither wants to
see renewed fighting either. Azerbaijan’s balancing between Russia
and the U.S., though, goes beyond the Karabakh issue. The U.S. has
been a much more useful partner than Russia for Azerbaijan on the
oil pipeline issue. Neither the US nor Russia is pushing for a quick
settlement to the conflict, though for different reasons. In my view,
though, both should do so. For if the conflict is not resolved,
fighting could break out again. And while it may be easy to start
such a fight, ending it will probably not be so easy."

He thinks that Azerbaijan’s diplomatic initiative is required for
the settlement.

"Azerbaijan’s newfound wealth, I believe, allows it the opportunity
to launch its own diplomatic initiative for resolving the conflict.

Baku could, for example, offer Armenia aid and investment in exchange
for a withdrawal. I realize that many Azeris might be offended by
this suggestion. But since it is unlikely that Armenia can be forced
to withdraw, it will have to be induced. And Azerbaijan may have the
means to do so," he insists.

He also said that Armenia’s "victory" over Azerbaijan has indeed cost
it heavily in terms of international isolation and lack of development.

"And as long as a peace settlement is not reached, it will continue
to pay these costs-and perhaps even greater ones. What stops
Armenia from pulling its troops back is that Armenians have bitter
memories about Turks. Unfortunately, Armenians equate the Turks and
the Azeris. Armenians feel strongly that it would be a confession
of wrongdoing to withdraw from Azeri territory, which would be an
acknowledgement that their occupation of it was wrong. What this
means, unfortunately, is that the resolution of the Azeri-Armenian
dispute is inextricably intertwined with the troubled Turkish-Armenian
relationship."

"Russia does not really want to see the conflict resolved for fear
of losing what influence it has in the South Caucasus. Nor does
Iran want to see the conflict resolved for fear that a peaceful,
prosperous Azerbaijan will motivate them to secede. Turkey could
help Azerbaijan considerably by increasing its efforts to normalize
relations with Armenia. This would also be in Turkey’s interest,
since it would improve its prospects for joining the EU."

His view is that Armenia has paid, and continues to pay, very heavy
costs for its "victory" over Azerbaijan. It is willing to pay these
costs, though, because it fears that withdrawal from Azeri territory
will be the first step toward the destruction of Armenia. What is
needed, then, is a peace accord that encourages Armenia that it will
be able to live in peace with its neighbors- the Azeris and the Turks.

He thinks a peace agreement should entail:

Karabakh: Armenian forces withdraw and replaced by a UN force like
in Kosovo.

Small Corridor between Armenia and Karabakh: Armenian withdrawal and
replacement by UN force that permits access both between Armenia and
Karabakh, and between Azeri territories separated by the corridor.

Other Azeri occupied territory: Armenian withdrawal and return to
Azerbaijan.

UN-administered Property Settlement Commission: Azeris and Armenians
who lost property in earlier Azeri-Armenian conflict must either
receive it back or be adequately compensated for it.

He also said that the conflict will not last long at this rate.

"I strongly believe that the Azeri-Armenian dispute will not go
on as it has. Either it will be resolved, or it will get worse for
both sides."

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"ARDARUTIUN" ELECTS GRIGOR HAROUTIUNIAN AS FACTION SECRETARY AND
DECIDES TO RECALL ITS SIGNATURE FROM DRAFT AMENDMENTS TO ELECTORAL CODE

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. The "Ardarutiun" (Justice) faction
of the National Assembly will recall its signature from the draft
amendments to the Electoral Code jointly authored by the NA group
and factions. A decision was made on it at the August 25 sitting. As
Stepan Demirchian, the faction head, the Chairman of the People’s
Party of Armenia informed the Noyan Tapan correspondent, the mentioned
decision is provided by not accepting the party’s preservations, among
which the proposal on forming the Parliament by 100% proportional
electoral order is attached special importance. Grigor Haroutiunian,
the PPA Board Secretary was also unanimously elected the faction
secretary at the sitting. The secretary’s post has been vacant since
early August when former secretary of the faction, non-partizan
Victor Dallakian left the party according to his own application,
becoming an independent deputy. 13 deputies will be members of the
party from now on. Responding the "NT" question, S.Demirchian stated
that there was no other application on leaving the party. To recap,
according to romour being circulated, another non-partizan deputy,
Tatul Manaserian, has a similar intention. He, like V.Dallakian,
may join the "Bargavach Hayastan" (Prospering Armenia) newly created
party in future. The "Ardarutiun" head assured that the party intends
to actively work at the autumn session to start in September. He
also expressed his disagreement with some estimations made in the
address of the opposition’s passiveness, mentioning that the faction,
including the PPA, has always publicly stated its position concerning
process taking place in the country and issues of public sonority. As
for the PPA coming programs, S.Demirchian mentioned that the party
actively prepares for its regular congress to be convened in November.