Karabakh must be involved in conflict settlement – Armenian minister

Mediamax news agency
28 Apr 06

Yerevan, 28 April: The only reason why Nagornyy Karabakh is not
participating in the negotiating process is Azerbaijan’s refusal to
hold a dialogue with Karabakh, Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanyan said at Artsakh [Karabakh] State University in Stepanakert
today.

He said that Nagornyy Karabakh will definitely be involved in the
talks after an agreement is reached on the main principles of the
settlement.

“If Azerbaijan speaks out against Karabakh’s involvement in the talks
again, then Armenia will not be responsible for the future fate of the
settlement process,” Oskanyan said.

ARMENIA IN MOST FAVORABLE STATE AS TO CONFORMITY TO MAASTRICHT CRITERIA

Yerevan, April 28. ArmInfo. Armenia is in the most favorable state as
to conformity to Maastricht Treaty criteria. The treaty, which came
into force in 1993, determines the fiscal convergence criteria and
single currency for EU member-states. Armenian Central Bank Chairman,
Tigran Sargsyan, stated in his report at the International Conference
“Caucasus 2005,” Friday. The event organizer is Caucasus Media
Institute (CMI).

According to Tigran Sargsyan, Armenia is in the low inflation zone due
to an effective monetary policy, international organizations
say. Moreover, unlike Azerbaijan and Georgia, the Armenian CB has
toughened its policy in the period of heavy pressure by political
circles and economic entities demanding stable foreign exchange rate
and not low inflation. Armenia displayed a strong political will
starting inflation targeting in 2006, T. Sargsyan believes. It
required introduction of necessary monetary policy instruments. Both
Azerbaijan and Georgia need at least 3 years to start targeting
inflation, Tigran Sargsyan said.

As regards the monetary policy of Georgia, T. Sargsyan thinks that one
can expect serious problems with inflation and the macroeconomic
situation, on the whole, within the coming years. The National Bank of
Georgia may face such problems for lack of relevant instruments of
effective monetary policy. In addition, state budget deficit
management remains a real problem as in 2005 the Georgian Government
resolved to stop budget deficit financing at the expense of the
internal debt and had to curtail the market of government treasury
bonds. It may aggravate the monetary policy problems in
future. “Monetary authorities can not manage the instruments
effectively without the secondary market,” T. Sargsyan said.

Regarding Azerbaijan, due to the high level of dollarization and the
existing monetary policy, it will evidently occur in the most
vulnerable position within the coming 5 years, T. Sargsyan
said. “Curbing of the US dollar will inevitably result in an inflation
pressure on economy and, in fact, on a long-term interest rate. The
Azerbaijani Government prefers fighting inflation by administrative
measures that lead to accumulation of inflationary potential and to
future marcoeconomic problems,” Tigran Sargsyan said.

In his words, only Armenia could successfully establish an effective
market of long-term internal acknowledgement of debt. Now, Armenia is
the only country in the South Caucasus to place long-term bonds for 15
years and at an interest below 10 percent. “Our neighbors will fail to
do the same as they operate in quite a different direction curtailing
the activity in the sphere only because of ineffective previous
years,” he said.

Development of financial sector and increase in the financial
mediation remains one of the major problems of the South Caucasian
states. These indicators are rather low in all the three states,
Tigran Sargsyan said. Thus, bank assets-GDP ratio in all these states
are below 20%, which hampers the effective monetary policy and has
quite an unfavorable impact on the long-term interest rate. All the
three states lack institutions regulating collective investment
schemes i.e. they lack corporation securities market. Insurance
markets are in embryo. The pension reform to enhance accumulation of
financial resources is underway only in Armenia, and the
implementation rates are not satisfactory, he said.

Nevertheless, given the investment attraction policy of the three
states, the harmony of their indicators with Maastricht Criteria
within the coming years will much depend on their macroeconomic and
monetary policy in conditions of an intensive influx of capital.

“DON’T USE THE PAST AS A BLOCKADE FOR THE FUTURE”

(The exclusive interview of the President of Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe (PACE), Rene van der Linden, to Armenian
Mediamax news agency, April 2006)

– What are your expectations from the parliamentary elections to be
held in Armenia next year?

– Our Rapporteurs will visit Armenia this year and they will prepare a
report. I expect that we will have a debate in the Parliamentary
Assembly on this report next January. And then we will see what’s the
situation, what has been done, what are the shortcomings, and we will
urge the Armenian government to take their commitments and implement
them.

– Despite numerous efforts and funding provided by the international
community for the development of the regional cooperation in the South
Caucasus, little has been achieved. Do you think such cooperation is
possible before the resolution of existing conflicts?

– It remains always difficult to solve conflicts. But when I visited
the region it was clear that on both sides there was desire to settle
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

I am sure that in terms of young people it’s necessary to solve this
problem. To my mind there are a lot of people outside Armenia who are
pushing the Armenian government and the opposition in a certain
way. And it’s my conviction that the future for the young people in
Armenia is much more important than the feelings of Armenians outside
Armenia. And for that reason, it’s necessary to solve this problem and
we will do our utmost in creating conditions, the right
environment. It must be helpful in creating a climate of peaceful
solution.

– Do you still believe that it is possible to resolve the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict in 2006?

– I would hope so. The international community is willing to help, but
it is difficult to solve problems if the political will
lacks. Especially it’s also important that political parties,
government, opposition create climate in the whole country, in both
countries, which makes it possible for the people to accept the
solution. If you are exploiting the situation for your own electoral
advantage and if you are using this to try to get more votes in your
own country, you can’t solve this problem. You also need a climate
which makes it possible also for all recipients to accept the final
agreement on this conflict.

– What do you think about the possibility of a new war between
Azerbaijan and Armenia?

– If that could be possible, it’s impossible to have members of the
CoE which try to solve conflicts by using military force. In this
case, we have to discuss the membership of the countries in the
Council of Europe. It’s really unacceptable that any member of the CoE
shows that it’s trying to use military force to solve a conflict
between two members of the Council of Europe.

– What’s your opinion about bellicose statements frequently made by
Azerbaijani officials?

– They have to be aware that if they finally use military force, to my
mind, it’s over – the membership in CoE is over. They have to
decide. But I am sure nobody will accept this way of behavior.

– Energy security is becoming an important issue on the international
agenda. Can the Council of Europe play some role in it, especially
when it concerns relations of Russia and post-Soviet states?

– Of course, energy is one of the key issues for each economy. And
there are a lot of members of the Council of Europe, who are highly
dependent of imported energy from other countries. We are now thinking
in the CoE, how to deal with the situation. We are not an economic
organization and we don’t deal with economic issues. But as far as
energy could be an issue in the frame of stability, peace and
prosperity, it could be an element of political settlement.

– The closed border between Armenia and Turkey remains one of the most
difficult issues in the region. Don’t you think the Council of Europe
could play some role to help improve the Turkish-Armenian relations?

– The fact that both countries are members of the Council of Europe
creates an opportunity that members of Armenian and Turkish
parliaments can meet each other, come together and address the
problems from both sides. To my mind, if you live in a region and you
don’t have real open contacts, trade-economic relations, personal,
cultural relations, tourism, then you don’t serve your country for the
future. It’s impossible to build a sustainable future in the region
where you are isolated from your neighbors. So, I am sure, I said this
also when I was in Armenia, that it’s in the great interest of Armenia
to look forward and not to use the past as a blockade for the future,
and to try to find peaceful solutions.

Of course, if you want to find a solution, you will find it. But you
can never find a solution that gives you 100%. There is always a
compromise. The other side also has its arguments, and if you stick to
your arguments, to your feelings only, and you don’t try to find a
solution and take into account also the other’s position, it will be
very difficult to find a sustainable, peaceful solution, necessary to
build a prosperous future.

– Armenian officials have repeatedly expressed readiness to establish
relations and open the border with Turkey without any preconditions.

– Yes, but you know this problem has two sides. You know that if you
want to have an open border you must be sure that you have also
created conditions for open, transparent relations, also human and
personal relations, because trade and economic relations are based on
relations between human beings.

“I EXPECT BETTER DEMOCRACY IN ARMENIA”
(The exclusive interview of Council of Europe Secretary General Terry
Davis to Armenian Mediamax news agency, April 2006)

– Are you following the Nagorno Karabakh peace talks?

– Of course, I take close interest in what is happening over the
problem of Nagorno Karabakh. Whenever I meet foreign ministers of
Armenia or Azerbaijan I discuss it with them. I regret that it’s
taking such a long time to settle this issue because I am sure that
it’s in the interest of the people in Armenia and Azerbaijan and
especially people in Nagorno Karabakh for this issue to be settled.

– Do you think regional cooperation in the South Caucasus is possible
before the resolution of existing conflicts?

– Well, unfortunately there are many conflicts in the South Caucasus
and I regret all of them – the conflicts in Abkhazia, South Ossetia
and Nagorno Karabakh. My view is that cooperation is always
possible, but there is a limit to how much cooperation you may have
when you have these very serious conflicts.

– Do you think the Council of Europe could play a more active role in
the Nagorno Karabakh peace process?

– Of course, the OSCE Minsk Group plays a leading role. I truly wish
luck to Russian, American and French co-chairs with this difficult
work that they are trying to do. It’s in the interest not only of
the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan, but in the interest of the
people everywhere in the world. But the OSCE is leading on it, not
the Council of Europe.

And, what I am always trying to do in both Armenia and Azerbaijan is
to persuade people that there are men and women in the other country
who also suffer, who have very similar feelings. And anything that can
get this across, the people in both Armenia and Azerbaijan, I think is
bound to help to the resolution of this conflict. And that’s what I am
interested to encourage. But in the end of the day the responsibility
to resolve the conflict is with the Armenians and the Azerbaijanis.

– Do you think it’s still possible to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict this year?

– I don’t know. I think you will have to ask the foreign ministers or
perhaps, even more important, the Presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan. They are the people who have the responsibility talking
to each other. How optimistic or pessimistic they are, I don’t know.

– Can the process of European integration secure a stronger motive for
compromise for Armenia and Azerbaijan?

– To my mind, the biggest motive for compromise should be the welfare
of the people of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

– Do you see any big problems in relations between Armenia and the
Council of Europe?

– Well, I don’t see any problems. Sometimes, I am surprised that we
are constantly searching for problems. Of course, there are some
things in Armenia that we would like to see changed. We certainly
encourage Armenia to do all sorts of things to catch up with the
rest of Europe. From time to time we have to say to our friends in
Armenia that we are still waiting for you to do this or that which
you promised to do. That’s intended to be helpful. So, I don’t see
any big problems between the Council of Europe and Armenia.

I think Armenia is making a contribution to European discussions on
the whole, but I must tell you frankly – I believe Armenia could make
a bigger contribution, and the reason Armenia does not make as bigger
contributions as I would like is because you do have this problem with
Nagorno Karabakh. And as soon as you get that settled, it is going to
affect the contribution made by Armenia and Azerbaijan to the rest of
Europe. I think you could make a very valuable contribution – from
particular point of view, the Armenian point of view – based on the
history, traditions and culture of the Armenian people.

– What steps may the Council of Europe take regarding the destruction
of Armenian monuments in Azerbaijani territory of Nakhichevan?

– We are trying to organize a fact finding mission to visit not only
the places you have mentioned but other places too, where there are
allegations about memorials or monuments or religious things having
been damaged. It does not matter whether these are Armenian or
Azerbaijani. As civilized people, we should be concerned about
anybody’s memorials or monuments being damaged. So, the important
thing is to get people to work together on this. The fact finding
mission, we hope, will have Armenians and Azerbaijanis working
together to find a better way to improve general cooperation for the
people to realize that we all have to respect each other’s believes,
each other’s culture and to protect other peoples’ religious
believes and culture.

– The closed border between Armenia and Turkey remains one of the most
complicated problems in the region. Don’t you think the Council of
Europe could play a role in improving the Turkish-Armenian
relations?

– This is really a very important issue. But it is peripheral, it is
only edge. The important thing is to deal with the central problem,
and we all know what the central problem is. It is the future of
Nagorno Karabakh. So, let’s get that settled, let’s go to the heart
of the problem, not doing things around it.

– Will the Council of Europe observe parliamentary elections in
Armenia next year?

– I will expect the CoE to be invited to observe the elections in
Armenia. The Council of Europe has been invited and has observed
recent elections in Armenia. And I shall be surprised if the CoE is
not invited next year.

What do I expect from them? What I expect of better elections that
have been held before. I expect real progress to be made in making
sure that these elections are free and fair elections. Everyone has
opportunity to be a candidate and not to be harassed, to have no
suppression, to have freedom of expression, freedom to explain one’s
point of view, to try to persuade other people to vote for your point
of view. In other words, what I expect is a better democracy in
Armenia.

Today, Azerbaijan
April 29 2006

Samed Seyidov: “Lord Russell-Johnston to visit South Caucasus”

29 April 2006 [20:56] – Today.Az

Position of the Council of Europe on Nagorno Karabakh conflict is
evident – full recognition of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity as
it was mentioned in resolution 1416, adopted during the January 2005
session, said the head of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation in
CE, MP Samed Seyidov.

“The resolution clearly states that Nagorno Karabakh is an
inseparable part of Azerbaijan. PACE position towards the problem is
clear and distinct,” he told Trend.

Speaking about PACE summer session, Seyidov told that special
attention will be paid to the Azerbaijani delegation mandate in that
organization.

“Results of May 13 2006 rerun parliamentary elections and November
2005 elections will be discussed i.e. results of both elections will
be discussed separately,” he said.

Another important moment of the PACE future session in Strasbourg
will be the next meeting of the PACE ad-hoc committee on Nagorno
Karabakh. “British diplomat, Lord Russell-Johnston is conducting a
serious work in that direction and he will soon visit the region,”
Seyidov assured, adding that Russell will visit Azerbaijan, Armenia
and occupied Azerbaijani lands.

Seyidov did not exclude possibility of meeting between Azerbaijani
and Armenian MPs in Strasbourg as it might be possible within the
frames of the PACE ad-hoc committee work.

“It is very important for us. We have to redefine our positions on
Nagorno Karabakh. Putting the special emphasis on the fact that
international organizations are supporting Baku in that matter,”
Seyidov concluded.

URL:

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
April 29 2006

PRESIDENT OF AZERBAIJAN MEETS US SECRETARY OF DEFENSE
[April 29, 2006, 15:45:14]

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev on 28 April met with Secretary
of Defense of the United States of America Donald Rumsfeld in
Washington.

The Secretary of Defense highly estimated visit of the Azerbaijani
President to USA, stressing its importance for development of
bilateral relations. Reminding his visits to Azerbaijan in different
times, Mr. Rumsfeld said he is pleased with cooperation in the
military sphere, and appreciated Azerbaijan’s participation in
anti-terror coalition.

The cooperation between two countries in numerous fields, including
in the field of energy, develops and enhances, President of
Azerbaijan said.

Donald Rumsfeld highly valued participation of Azerbaijan in ensuring
safety in different world countries, emphasizing its active
cooperation in the frame of NATO Individual Activity Program.

In the meeting, also focused were issues of current status of
negotiations on the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
regional cooperation and other questions of mutual interest.

National Assembly of RA, Armenia
April 29 2006

Knowledge of European Legislation and Exchange of Experience To Speed
Up the Process of Euro Integration

On April 28 Hranush Hakobyan, Chairwoman of the NA Standing Committee
on Science, Education, Culture and Youth received Jûrgen Binder,
TACIS programme councilor, lawyer. The latter informed that the
TACIS has started to fulfill a new programme from March, the goal of
which is to familiarize the citizens of Armenia, especially the youth
with the European legislation, which will more promote Armenia’s Euro
integration. Mr. Binder expressed a hope that the Armenian Parliament
as a legislative body, will politically assist to their initiative
for ensuring the continuity of the programme.

Mrs. Hakobyan, Committee Chairwoman expressed readiness to assist
that important programme, proposing Mr. Binder to discuss the issue
in the committee, organize roundtables, lectures and after informing
about it, having young specialists and active students, prepare
specialists for European legislation. As Mrs. Hakobyan assessed, the
propaganda of European political culture and introduction to its
legislation will further specify our future steps towards Euro
integration.

Both sides decided to present concrete proposals in connection with
the ways of the parliament’s assistance at the next meeting.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Azeri Press Agency, Azerbaijan
April 29 2006

Samad Seyidov: `Information on existence of secret prisons in
Azerbaijan is absurd’

[ 29 Apr. 2006 17:08 ]

`Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe (PACE) will discuss not
only results of May elections, but also entire November elections in
June session. This discussion is of importance and necessity to US,’
head Azerbaijani delegation to PACE Samad Seyidov told journalists
(APA).

Mr. Seyidov said that during June session it is also necessary to
organize gathering of Azerbaijani and Armenian members of PACE
sub-commission on Nagorno Garabagh.
`We should convince them that what Azerbaijan’s stance is and how our
stance is supported by international organizations’.
Mr. Seyidov also touched on possibility of amnesty act before June
session.
`We are dealing with all problems concerning human rights. As for
concrete steps, we can consider it’.
Seyidov said that information that there are secret prisons in
Azerbaijan is groundless.
`We have referred the report on this issue to Council of Europe.
Information on existence of secret prisons in Azerbaijan is absurd’.
/APA/

The New Anatolian, Turkey
April 29 2006

Armenian lobby blasts Bush over refusal to say ‘genocide’

The Armenian diaspora in the U.S. is criticizing President W. Bush
for not using the term “genocide” during his speech Monday to
commemorate the controversial events of 1915.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) accused Bush of not
keeping his promises to Armenians on April 24, the date they claim as
the commemoration of the genocide claims, in a written statement
Thursday.

“Despite the request of more than 200 U.S. Congress members for Bush
to morally clarify the issue through his statement on April 24, the
president didn’t keep his promise and declined to define the event as
the Armenian ‘genocide’,” ANCA said.

The Armenian Assembly of America (AAA), another prominent Armenian
association in the U.S., also criticized his statements, saying,
“We’re deeply disappointed because the act which aimed at
annihilating Armenians wasn’t described as ‘genocide.'”

More than 20 Congress members participated in a ceremony to
commemorate the Armenian claims of genocide held at the Congress on
Thursday and the participants accused Turkey of “denial.”

During his annual speech to mark April 24, following both his own
practice and that of past presidents, Bush didn’t use the term
“genocide,” but said instead, “Today we’re remembering one of the
horrible tragedies of the 20th century.” Describing the controversial
events as a “tragedy” for all humanity and one “that we and the world
must never forget,” Bush said, “We mourn this terrible chapter in
history and recognize that it remains a source of pain for people in
Armenia and for all those who believe in freedom, tolerance, and the
dignity and value of every human life. It’s a credit to the human
spirit and the generations of Armenians who live in Armenia, the U.S.
and around the globe that they’ve overcome this suffering and proudly
preserved their centuries-old culture, traditions, and religion.”

Bush also called on Turks and Armenians to forge a dialogue in order
to normalize their relations.

The Armenian diaspora accuses the Ottoman Empire of deliberately
massacring up to 1.5 million Armenians between 1915 and 1919. Turkey
stresses that these figures are inflated and says that far fewer
Armenians died, due to civil unrest under the conditions of World War
I and the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey also claims that
during the ethnic conflict, thousands of Turks were also killed by
Armenian militants.

Ankara and Yerevan are at odds over the Armenian claims of genocide.
To break the deadlock, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
last year suggested the establishment of a committee of Turkish and
Armenian historians to study the claims, in a letter sent to Armenian
President Robert Kocharian. But Kocharian refused Erdogan’s proposal,
saying that the two countries must first establish diplomatic
relations and that committees could be formed only within the process
of normalization of relations.

Assyrian International News Agency
April 29 2006

Threats Force Cancellation of Assyrian Genocide Conference in Holland

(AINA) — A conference on the 1915-1918 Turkish genocide of
Assyrians, Greeks and Armenians was cancelled because of threats
received by the speakers. The conference, scheduled for April 27, was
organized by Foundation Assyria Netherlands and the Jewish St.
Synagogue in the city of Enschede.

In the last 10 days numerous anonymous threats were received by the
conference. Mr. Z. Alsan, a Turkish national, was to speak on why
Turkey denied the Genocide. Dr. H. Hirschfeld, from the Centrum for
Information en Documentation Israel, was to speak on why the Jewish
genocide has been recognized. Prof. Johannes Houwink ten Cate, of the
university in Amsterdam, was to speak on the nature and recognition
of genocide. Dr. M. Beth Arsan, an Assyrian from Holland, was to
speak on why the Assyrians want recognition of the genocide.

Citing the threats, the organizers cancelled the conference after all
four speakers withdrew their participation. Mr. Aslan received the
most threats. He has spoken on the genocide on previous occasions,
but this time the threats were so numerous and intense he was forced
to cancel his appearance. Some of the threats came directly from
Turkey.

The conference was largely financed by the Provincial Parliament
Overijssel, which desired to stimulate the debate between Assyrians
and Turks on this issue.