Author: Toganian Liana

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
July 12 2005

OSCE MG co-chairs in Baku

Baku, July 11, AssA-Irada
The OSCE Minsk Group (MG) co-chairs Bernard Fassier of France, Steven
Mann of the USA and Yuri Merzlyakov of Russia arrived in Baku on
Monday for a two-day visit.
The co-chairs met with Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and head of
the Azerbaijani community of Garabagh Nizami Bahmanov.
Bahmanov has told journalists that views were exchanged on some
details, including ensuring security of key roads, during the meeting
that lasted 80 minutes.
Bahmanov did not rule out that OSCE peacekeeping forces will be
involved in guarding the strategic Lachin corridor. The return of
residents of Lachin and Shusha districts home was discussed as well,
he said.
`It was decided that the Upper Garabagh conflict be settled stage by
stage. Armenian armed forces must be withdrawn from the occupied
regions of Azerbaijan and the people returned to their homes.’
The MG co-chairs will visit Yerevan on Wednesday and then Upper
Garabagh.*

Today, Azerbaijan
July 9 2005

Azerbaijan Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Lenmarker’s report has been
balanced enough”

09 July 2005 [09:16] – Today.Az

“Foreign ministry of Azerbaijan has familiarized with the report
drawn up by rapporteur on Nagorno Karabakh Goran Lenmarker in the
14th session of OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Washington”.

APA was informed by MFA Press and Information Office Tahir Tagizade
that, the Ministry considers Goran Lenmarker’s report to have been
balanced: “There are some serious opinions concerning the situation
on the conflict as well as weighty positions and suggestions on the
resolution of the conflict in the report. Azerbaijani side shares the
opinion stated in the report regarding denouncing disintegration and
separatism, importance of defending the rights of national minorities
in the frame of the territorial integrity of the state, basing
economical integration on the international norms and principles.
European values. The rapporteurs’ opinion that the separation of the
South Caucasus countries is unacceptable is of special importance”.

The official of MFA stated that the author of the report Goran
Lenmarker analyzing the matter of status gave preference to giving
autonomy to the population of Nagorno Karabakh region obviously.
“Azerbaijan shares this position. The report particularly stresses
that, the occupation of territories is unacceptable, and it is
necessary to liberate the occupied territories and sending the
internally displaced persons to their homes. The rapporteur pays
special attention to security matter and the restoration of
communication lines. The future will depend on the restoration of
successful peaceful relations, appearance of convenient atmosphere
for the status of the population of Nagorno Karabakh, cooperation
between Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of the region”.

According to Tahir Tagizade, the establishment of peace between the
communities in Nagorno Karabakh, bilateral relationships, integration
to Europe, development of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Armenia
will play an important role in the future life of the both states and
nations after the conflict. “Azerbaijan calls on to accelerate the
process of resolution of the conflict in the frame of territorial
integrity of states, on the international juridical norms and
principles, by peaceful way. The constructive suggestions put forward
by Azerbaijan and which are supported by prestigious international
organizations during the negations are unambiguous proof to this”.

Goran Lenmarker told the press that, he presented Azerbaijan as the
victim of occupation in his report. Lenmarker told that, “Armenia
should comprehend this fact and liberate all the occupied territories
and put an end to the occupation”. MFA official stressed that there
are three important nuances in Goran Lenmarker’s report.

Lenmarker stated that, international preventive forces should be
formed and these forces should hold monitoring and guarantee security
in Nagorno Karabakh and in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan.

Besides, Lenmarker acknowledged that, “the international community is
not ready for giving independence to different regions in the
territory and he stated the name of Nagorno Karabakh among them”.

T.Tagizade noted that fact concerning Azerbaijan’s readiness to give
Nagorno Karabakh the status of autonomy inside its borders in high
level and on the basis of European experience was particularly
stressed in report.

Goran Lenmarker said that Azerbaijan should act in such way for
Karabakh to feel the positive attitude towards itself. Azerbaijan
should assure the population of Nagorno Karabakh that their rights
will be defended by reliable and independent law system inside
Azerbaijan.

According to the rapporteur, the high level of autonomy requires a
great deal of finance and this will be hard for the state budget of
Azerbaijan.

URL:

A1plus

| 18:41:29 | 08-07-2005 | Social |

FIRST WINDMILL APPROVED

Today the RA Public Services Regulating Committee discussed issues about gas
and electricity. This time, however, no tariffs were touched upon.

Today the Committee allotted a license for constructing a Windmill electric
power station in the RA Lori region Chibukhlu area Pushkin mountain pass.
The head of the Committee Robert Nazaryan mentioned that the construction
will be the leader of the wind power and wished to allot more suchlike
licenses.

A1pplus

| 19:13:33 | 08-07-2005 | Social |

CHANGES EXPECTED IN THE GAS FIELD

The tariffs on gas will no be raised in Armenia. Not yet. «We have had no
such offer» announced the president of the company «ArmRusGasArd» Karen
Karapetyan. He said that despite the fact that Russia has informed about his
intention to raise the tariffs.

Today the Public Services Regulating Committee discussed and adopted a
document which will give new rights to «ArmRusGasArd» in the gas supplying
and control field. The document is called «Rules of Gas Supplying and
Consuming» (RGSC). That is, from now on only «ArmRusGasArd» is responsible
for gas supplying control.

As a result of an hour of discussions only the members of the Committee were
pleased. The representatives of the non-governmental organizations
representing the profits of the consumers, as well as the authorities of
«ArmRusGasArd» were displeased with the content of RGSC.

The head of «ArmRusGasArd» Karen Karapetyan mentioned that there are
provisions in RGSC which cannot be realized by «ArmRusGasArd», and in case
of realizing there will be supplementary expenses and difficulties, which
will harm the profits of the company.

As for the representatives of the profits of consumers, they insisted that
the adoption of RGSC must be postponed for a month so that they could clear
up the duties and responsibilities of the suppliers and consumers. They also
claimed that the document is worse than the temporary rules regulating since
2001.

By the way, the document must enter into vigor on 2006 January 1.

ARMENTEL PRESENTS ITS APOLOGIES TO ITS SUBSCRIBERS BECAUSE OF POOR
QUALITY OF CONNECTION

YEREVAN, JULY 7. ARMINFO. Since July 4 a high-skilled specialist is
working over the problem of errors in the network of mobile service of
the company ArmenTel. ARMINFO was informed in the press office of the
company ArmenTel.

According to the information, it is difficult to explain the worsening
of the quality of mobile service in Armenia provided by ArmenTel by
the estimation of general commercial indices, especially as no
technical errors have been detected. “We present our apologies once
more to our subscribers and the public. Be sure that we will make
every effort necessary professional experience and financial funds for
providing the high-quality operations of the GSM-network”, said in the
information of the company.

CONSUMER PRICES INCREASE BY 1.4% IN ARMENIA IN FIRST SIX MONTHS OF 2005

YEREVAN, JULY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. A 1.4% increase in consumer prices was
registered in Armenia in June on the previous month. At the same time,
prices of food commodities, including alcoholic drinks and tobacco,
fell by 2.1%, those of nonfood commodities – by 0.1%, whereas the
tatiffs of services rose by 0.4%. According to the RA National
Statistical Service, consumer prices increased by 1.4% in Armenia in
June on December of last year, including a 2% increase in food
commodity prices and a 1% increase in service tariffs and a 0.6%
decline in nonfood commodity prices. The index of commodity prices
made 99% in June, 2005, compared with the same month of last year,
those of food commodity prices (including alcoholic drinks and
tobacco), nonfood commodity prices and service tariffs – 98.8%, 98.9%
and 100.1% respectively. These indices for the period of January-June,
2005, on the same period of last year made 102.3%, 103.4%, 99.7% and
99.8% respectively.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
July 4 2005

SUMMER SCHOOL ON THE RESULTS OF THE ARMENIAN OPEN SOFTWARE
DEVELOPMENT CONTEST, TO BE HELD IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH REPUBLIC

YEREVAN, July 4. /ARKA/. Summer school on the results of the Armenian
open software development contest, will be held in Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic (NKR), Enterprise Incubator Foundation (EIF) President
Bagrat Yengibaryan stated abut it a press conference. In his words,
acceptance of applications from young specialists in the area of
software development for the participation in the contest, which will
take place in July-August 2005, began. By the results of the contest
the winners will have the chance to take a course in software
development in summer school in Karabakh. “We decided to give NKR
students a chance to participate in summer school, and plan to
attract experts from Karabakh”, he said. A.H. -0–

AZG Armenian Daily #121, 01/07/2005

Neighbors

AZERBAIJAN WARNS TURKEY: OPENING OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER WILL
INCREASE TENSION IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

On occasion of Turkish prime minister’s visit to, Azerbaijani president
Ilham Aliyev talked to CNN-Turk.

“I have no doubts that the Karabakh issue will come to solution. I
just want it to happen without bloodshed, in a peaceful way”, Aliyev
said. Contrary to his previous public speeches, this time the Azeri
president threatened Armenia not with weapon but with oil and his
country’s economic potential. “Armenia cannot rival us in terms
of economy. Azerbaijan’s budget exceeds that of Armenia fourfold,
and I have commanded the government to achieve tenfold superiority”,
he stated.

“Azerbaijan is ready to grant Karabakh’s Armenian community privileges
and guarantees for their security. I am sure that the conflict will
be settled in this context… The Armenian side understands that it
has no alternative but talks”, he said.

Aliyev also mentioned that processes going on in the world are not
playing into Armenia’s hands. Being part of Euro-Atlantic region,
Azerbaijan is establishing close relations with the European Union
and the USA, meanwhile Armenia has adopted another policy, it has
other allies, Aliyev said.

If Aliyev hints at Russia, then suffice it to say that he has visited
Russian president for 6 times since in office.

As regards to Aliyev playing a pro-European leader, he should
be reminded that the European structures are sending signals to
Azerbaijan to stop rubbing shoulders with Russia. It should be also
reminded that Aliyev successfully wrecked NATO’s Best Cooperative
Effort 2004, receiving Brussels and Washington’s criticism. Besides,
Azerbaijan’s envoy to NATO has been dubbed persona non grata recently
for unbecoming behavior.

Turkish prime minister and Azeri president are supposed to discuss
issues concerning Armenia including Nagorno Karabakh issue and
Armenia-Turkish border-gate opening. The Azeri authorities are fearful
that opening of Armenian-Turkish border “will increase tension in
South Caucasus”.

By Tatoul Hakobian

ENLARGED MEETING OF AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT AND TURKISH PRIME MINISTER
[June 30, 2005, 16:10:32]

Azer Tag, Azerbaijan
June 30 2005

After the one-on-one meeting of the President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev and visiting Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip
Erdogan talks were continued in the presence of the two countries’
delegations. Having greeted ones again Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and members of his delegation, President Ilham Aliyev noted
the importance of this visit, which, according to him, would make
new contributions to development of political, economic and cultural
cooperation between the two countries.

Described the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline as a symbol of
friendship and fraternity between Azerbaijan and Turkey, the President
noted the two countries’ joint efforts has turned the legend into
reality. “Azerbaijan-Turkey relationship has great history and
traditions, and I am happy these traditions are alive allowing us
to cope with all the problems we face,” he said. The Head of State
added in this connection, the regional projects would also help with
settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
and taking the chance, expressed his gratitude to the brotherly
country for the constant support in this issue.

Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan thanked the President
for the hospitality, noting they were feeling at home, and expressed
confidence the important future-oriented activities would be of
great benefit for both peoples. He said that in addition to the
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil and Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipelines,
which were of exceptional significance for Azerbaijan and Turkey,
the countries would also enhance their trade cooperation. Finally,
recalling the Heydar Aliyev’s “One nation, two states”, the Premier
said: “Turkey has always been side by side with Azerbaijan, and this
policy will be continued in the future.”

***

Afterwards, in the presence of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
and Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the parties have
exchanged views on ways of further enhancing the Azerbaijan -Turkey
cooperation.

RUSSIA PUSHING NATO, CSTO COOPERATION

RIA Novosti
28.06.2005

MOSCOW (RIA Novosti military commentator Viktor Litovkin). Few people
noted the unusually optimistic conclusion to NATO General Secretary
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer’s recent official visit to Moscow.

Why the optimism if, as the Moscow media wrote, Scheffer got nothing
good from Moscow? But the NATO head was satisfied with the positive
development of relations with Russia, which he described as mature
partnership.

The only justification for this optimism can be the assistance that
the Kremlin offered to NATO in Central Asia. This will be a genuine
partnership that calls for mature relations between NATO and the
Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), comprising Russia,
Belarus, Armenia, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.

In Moscow Scheffer was briefed on terrorist bases and increased
production of narcotics in Afghanistan, problems of concern to both
NATO and the CSTO. Coordinated efforts could make NATO’s operations
in the region much easier.

In addition, President Vladimir Putin offered Scheffer a pilot
project to train narcotics specialists for Afghanistan and Central
Asia. Russia and its partners have more experience and capabilities
in the area than NATO. In short, this is about a real contribution
to the war on terror and drugs in the region.

Scheffer promised to relay the Russian offer to NATO headquarters in
Brussels. If other partners agree, the bloc would join in this effort,
he said. Does this mean that the Russia-NATO partnership in the joint
war against terrorism has exceeded all expectations?

Some achievements have been made. Moscow has granted NATO transport
corridors to deliver troops and cargoes to bases in Central Asia
and Afghanistan for operations to stabilize the region, and has also
shared vital intelligence information on the situation in Afghanistan’s
provinces and paramilitary groups there.

This intelligence information continues to grow, in particular about
terrorist-training bases in Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan and
secret terrorist channels into Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.
The terrorists’ aims are to destabilize both the region and other
areas. The Kremlin also provided information about the production
and delivery of drugs from Afghanistan, although we have yet to see
any produced positive results.

“Terrorists are trained in Afghanistan and adjacent Pakistan by the
Taliban and teachers who train them for terrorist acts in Russia,”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said at a meeting with Scheffer. “Our
information shows that these people are periodically infiltrated into
the Ferghana Valley.”

But the leaders of NATO’s anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan
appear not to notice this. Is it because they focused their attention
on democratic elections in the provinces, thus neglecting the main
goal of the operation?

Russia-NATO cooperation includes regular meetings and political
consultations within the Russia-NATO Council, practical work of
joint anti-terrorism groups and combat compatibility, and even joint
command post exercises (CPX) on land and sea. The sides have also held
CPXs to check the effectiveness of air defense and theater missile
defense systems. Russian warships participated in NATO exercises in
the Mediterranean on combatting illegal migration and movement of
terrorists, drugs and weapons of mass destruction.

But careful analysis of these achievements shows that the situation is
not as positive as the NATO leadership tries to make out. Cooperation
programs alone cannot remove Moscow’s concerns on several key issues.

For example, Moscow is seriously worried over the presence of U.S.
tactical nuclear weapons at NATO bases in Europe. Robin Cook,
the former foreign secretary of Britain, and the former Pentagon
chief Robert McNamara wrote about this in the Financial Times the
other day. The U.S. has some 150 to 500 B61 nuclear free-fall bombs
in Europe.

“Against what terrorists can these weapons be used?” I asked Scheffer,
who at first said he did not know what weapons I meant. But then he
described them as political deterrents that would not be used against
anyone. Why then keep this relic of the Cold War in Europe, which
NATO prefers not to notice, as the answer of its general secretary
demonstrated?