RUSSIA’S MILITARY PULLS OUT WITH NO FUSS

Kommersant, Russia
May 4 2006

Pulling out Russia’s military of Akhalkalaki base, Georgia, commenced
yesterday, May 3, 2006. Despite the general agitation, the Armenian
locals didn’t step in to oppose the withdrawal.

The military of Russia and the authorities of Georgia were getting
ready for withdrawal of defense weapons and equipment from the 62nd
military base in Akhalkalaki as if it were some comprehensive military
operation. The locals of Akhalkalaki, predominately the Armenians,
staged rallies past week claiming the withdrawal would mean the loss
of jobs for them. A few feared the threat of the Turkish expansion
might increase once Russia’s soldiers leave the region.

A special police squad of Georgian Interior Ministry arrived in
Akhalkalaki at night to Wednesday to break up the crowd should it
attempt to block the base and oppose the withdrawal. But the rally
gathered just a few dozens of locals. The protesters independently
decided to disperse, as the machinery slated for withdrawal on May 3,
left the base at 4:00 a.m. The Armenians also said they wouldn’t hold
rallies on the day of mourning – an Armenian airliner crashed into
the Black Sea May 3.

TURKEY WARNS FRANCE OVER BILL ON SO-CALLED ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Hurriyet, Turkey
May 4 2006

France was warned by Turkey on Wednesday that bilateral ties could
suffer if the French Parliament adopts a bill that would criminalize
any denial that Armenians massacred during World War I were victims
of genocide.”In our meetings (with French officials), we stress that
adoption of the bill could lead to irreparable damage in long-standing
Turkish-French ties and that this should not be allowed,” Foreign
Ministry spokesman Namik Tan told a news conference here.

Tan said Ankara is doing everything it can to block the bill, adding
that the French government is doing the same.

The bill, expected to be voted on later this month, provides for one
year’s imprisonment and a $57,000 fine for denying Armenians were
victims of genocide, Turkish press reports said.

If adopted, it will follow a 2001 French decision that infuriated
Turkey by acknowledging that the mass killings in the dying days of
the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide.

Armenians claim up to 1.5 million of their kin were slaughtered in
orchestrated killings between 1915 and 1917 by Turks, as the Ottoman
Empire was falling apart.

Turkey categorically rejects the claims, saying 300,000 Armenians
and at least as many Turks died in civil strife.

ISLAMIC CONFERENCE COUNTRIES INTEND TO SUSPEND RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

ArmRadio.am
05.05.2006 14:53

“Islamic Conference countries intend to suspend relations with
Armenia, Freign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mamedyarov said, Azeri
media report.

According to him, in June Foreign Ministers of the Organization of
Islamic Conference countries will hold a sitting in Baku, during which
it expected to adopt a statement on complete suspension of relations
with Armenia as an “aggressor country.”

“The text of the statement is already being worked out,” the Azeri
diplomat said.

To remind, Armenia is in no way related to this organization, and
suspension of relations with us is a complete nonsense. It needs to
be mentioned also that Azerbaijan had already raised the question in
the past, but the Islamic Republic of Iran protested against this.

BUSH, ALIYEV PRAISE OUTCOME OF TALKS

AzerNews Weekly, Azerbaijan
May 4 2006

US and Azeri leaders George Bush and Ilham Aliyev praised the outcome
of their meeting at the White House on Friday, saying they concur on
a number of key issues, including Iran and global energy security.

The United States reaffirmed that Azerbaijan is its important and
strategic partner in the region. “We highly appreciate Azerbaijan’s
involvement in the anti-terror coalition,” Bush said following
a 45-minute meeting with Aliyev. Bush expressed his appreciation
to Aliyev for the support in the Iraq war and for help in achieving
“what we all want, which is energy security.” He said the country had a
“very important role to play” in meeting the world’s energy needs.

Bush described Azerbaijan as “a modern Muslim country that is able
to provide for its citizens and understands that democracy is the
wave of the future.” The two presidents also discussed the crisis
over Iran’s nuclear program. Bush said the sides agreed that the
problem must be resolved through diplomatic channels. “Obviously we
talked about Iran and I assured the president of my desire to solve
this problem diplomatically and peacefully.” Bush said, however,
that options were still open to settle the issue, including the use
of force, but he did not elaborate. Aliyev, speaking in English, said
Azerbaijan’s stance coincides with that of Washington on all issues.

“Just like the US, Baku supports a peaceful settlement of the Upper
(Nagorno) Garabagh conflict [with Armenia] and other problems, as well
as the establishment of peace in the region. “We have agreed on the
need to expand and strengthen the strategic cooperation between our
countries.” Aliyev spoke highly of the US support in the development
of Azerbaijan’s energy resources. “We appreciate the US leadership’s
support in strengthening regional security, i.e. establishing a
reliable transport infrastructure enabling to take the entire bulk
of Caspian oil and gas to world markets.” The Azeri leader told a
news briefing after the talks that the military cooperation between
U.S. and Azerbaijan is “profound and firm”. Both countries intend to
continue cooperating in this field, he said.

Asked if he took on any commitments during his meeting with Bush,
President Aliyev said he “did not come to Washington to do that”. “I
came as a full-fledged partner and a friend,” he said. Stance on Iran
President Aliyev made it clear that Azerbaijani territory could not be
used for a possible US attack on neighboring Iran. “Azerbaijan and Iran
have signed an agreement banning the use of each other’s territories
for third country attacks. We try to honor all the agreements we have
reached,” Aliyev said addressing the Council on Foreign Relations as
he opened his visit to the U.S. last Wednesday.

Some experts said earlier the Bush administration was likely to
focus on efforts to draw Azerbaijan into an international coalition
against Iran over what the West describes as Tehran’s ambition to
develop a nuclear weapon. The president issued a harsh response to
a question concerning US-Iran tensions, saying his country would
not be used by those trying to engage in confrontation. “Azerbaijan
is not a suitable venue for the realization of such objectives.” A
representative of the International Crisis Group, an organization
engaged in conflict prevention worldwide, said it is beyond doubt that
one of the reasons President Aliyev had been invited to the White
House had to do with Iran’s nuclear ambitions. The project director
on South Caucasus, Sabine Frasier, said that if the US is trying to
gain long-term Azeri support for its policy on Iran and the entire
region, the best alternative would be for Washington to ensure a
peaceful settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. “So long as
the conflict remains unresolved, Azerbaijan will not be interested in
spoiling its developing relations with Iran. And the other way round,
if Azerbaijan decides to use military action in Upper Garabagh, which
is located near Iran’s border in the north, this could compromise US
energy and security interests and lead to a halt of foreign investment
in the Azerbaijani economy. “The US should be interested in conflict
resolution, as the territory hosting the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil
export pipeline, as well as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum gas pipeline,
both considered an important element of Western energy security, is 30
miles away from the conflict zone,” Frasier said. While commenting on
the visit outcomes, the head of the international relations department
of the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration, Novruz Mammadov,
said the visit had opened up a new page in the history of bilateral
relations. Mammadov told state-owned Azerbaijan television that the
negotiations would have a soothing impact on bilateral relations
because the visit has helped elevate all spheres of cooperation
to a completely new strategic level. Now Azerbaijan, as a regional
leader, will demonstrate its role and significance in the developments
unfolding in Eurasia, Mammadov added.

SHUSHI, SAN DIEGO AND ETHNOGRAPHY

Lragir.am
5 May 06

Shushi is not ignored by the Armenia Fund, we simply have to have a
clear perception, Naira Melkumyan, Executive Director of the Fund,
said May 5. While we will be trying to perceive, there will remain
nothing in Shushi that can be perceived, for the town is ruined, and
the population is quickly dropping instead of growing. Nevertheless,
it is interesting to know what needs to be perceived. It turns out
that there is little to perceive.

“Shushi is not the case when we must implement separate programs
there. A long-term policy, an urbanist program must be worked out,
because Shushi is a town, it does not have agricultural potential,
and we need to find peculiar solutions there. There are cities,
such as San Diego, for instance, if I am not mistaken, which have
ethnographic elements,” says Naira Melkumyan. She says they have
been seeking for such interesting solutions for over two years,
and Diasporan specialists on urban development have been involved.

“We must carry out a complex policy. A policy which is not developing
a town or a district but it drags the entire region, if I can say
so. I think the development of Shushi also needs the support of
private business,” says the executive director of Armenia Fund.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

A1+ DEPENDS ON AUTHORITIES

Lragir.am
5 May 06

Jean Louis Laurent, CoE Political Director, speaking about the benefits
of Armenia’s membership to the CoE and fulfilment of undertaken
commitments, he noticed that Armenia has freedom of speech problems,
particularly, in the areas of regulatory agencies and licensing. Jean
Louis Laurent specified that he meant the question of the TV company
A1+, and emphasized the importance of commitment of the authorities
to prevention of political interventions of regulatory agencies.

NOT TO REACH STRASBOURG TRIBUNAL

Lragir.am
5 May 06

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis finds that
the revised Constitution of Armenia “opens a new era in key areas
of political life of Armenia. It will help the country to progress
on its path towards modern democracy.” What progress can there be
without a test? “2007 will see another crucial test for democracy in
Armenia. The forthcoming legislative elections should be free and fair
in order to bring the necessary legitimacy to the National Assembly.”

Jean Louis Laurent, Political Director of the Council of Europe,
who arrived in Yerevan to participate in the conference “Council of
Europe and Armenia: 5 Years of Membership”, told how an Armenian
official regretted that there is not a decision of the Strasbourg
Court of Human Rights on Armenia yet, adding that such a decision
would become a milestone on the path towards democratic reforms. He
stated, however, that there is no need to wait for court rulings,
and preventive measures can be taken.

INFLATION IS DETERMINED BY THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE

Lragir.am
5 May 06

The president of the Central Bank of Armenia told the reporter of
Lragir.am May 5 that sustaining a 3 percent inflation projected for
2006 is quite realistic. “Our estimations show that it is realistic
to sustain a 3 percent inflation determined by monetary factors by
the end of this year. Especially that the growth of the price of
gas was softer than it had been expected,” said Tigran Sargsyan. He
mentioned that the rate of inflation will greatly depend on the state
of agriculture, the rate of growth in this sector.

“For the fluctuations of the price of agricultural products has an
essential effect on the level of prices, and it will determine the
rate of inflation this year,” said Tigran Sargsyan.

GHUKASYAN AND BERNARD FASSIER DID NOT MEET

Lragir.am
5 May 06

President of Nagorno Karabakh Republic Arkady Ghukasyan was not able to
meet with the French co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Bernard Fassier,
who visited Yerevan on May 3 and May 4. He arrived in the region to
introduce the findings of the May 2 consultation of the Mink Group
co-chairs in Moscow to the conflict sides. They failed to inform the
president of Karabakh, although Arkady Ghukasyan said Fassier was
likely to meet with him, and expressed this likelihood through his
representatives. “Fassier’s representatives contacted me. Fassier
wanted to meet with me too, but since I could not, I arrived in
Yerevan yesterday. He asked me to arrive in the morning to meet with
him. Since I was told late, I would not reach there in the morning,
and later it was impossible to meet because he was going to leave in
the afternoon. Our meeting failed, though my representatives discussed
certain questions with his representatives,” said NKR President Arkady
Ghukasyan on May 5.

He reasserted that he cannot see a near prospect of resolution of the
problem. Arkady Ghukasyan says from time to time he gets information
on settlement of the issue in July, but it is only information.

“You know that it is the continuation of the same year 2006.

Nothing should be denied. God willing, we will soon reach the
compromise that all the sides need, but no one can say whether it will
be in July, August or February,” says Arkady Ghukasyan. He thinks that
the process is complicated and has many sides, the sides have different
standpoints which are difficult to combine, thinks Arkady Ghukasyan.

THERE WILL NOT BE A SUBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF ONE COUNTRY

Lragir.am
5 May 06

Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan declined to comment on the causes of
crash of A320 of Armavia Airlines May 5. He advised the news reporters
to wait for the official statement. “To prevent allegations, this is
a case when a wrong version would cause a psychological shock in our
fellow countrymen, the relatives and friends of the victims. Let us
wait some more days to draw the right conclusion, because there can
be superficial suppositions, but a technical examination may show
that the real causes were different.

This is a very subtle issue,” said the prime minister of Armenia.

He said it is not necessary to involve the Georgian side in the
investigation yet. The prime minister thinks that the materials
provided by the Georgian dispatchers is enough. “In other words,
their direct engagement in the investigation, it is the problem of two
states. We needed those documents, 95 percent of all that process,
we have, the Georgian side has provided, and we are grateful to the
Georgian government. I think if such necessity arises in the future,
our Attorney General will take that step, but first it is necessary
to examine the materials at hand, alanyze, and take the next step if
there is necessity,” says Andranik Margaryan.

The prime minister emphasizes that both the Russian and Georgian sides
respond effectively to all the requests of Armenia. Andranik Margaryan
says there is a satisfactory level of cooperation and good will to
find out the cause of the accident. The prime minister reminds about
the French too, who are also interested in finding out the real cause
of the disaster. “They are interested in displaying the advantages
or safety of their airplane, therefore there will be an objective
assessment, not merely a subjective assessment of a sinle country,”
stated Andranik Margaryan.