GEORGIA RESUMED ELECTRICITY SUPPLIES FROM ARMENIA

Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 05:45

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Georgia has resumed electric power supplies from
Armenia at a daily rate of 40 MW, reported the Ministry of Fuel and
Energy of Georgia. At that regions will consume all electric power
received from Armenia, Utro.ru reported. It should be reminded that
export of electric energy from Armenia to Georgia was suspended due to
the fall of the dollar exchange rate. Due to that price of 2.5 cents
for 1kWh electric energy did not fit the Armenian party any more. At
the same time the Georgian party did not wish to buy electricity from
Armenia at a higher price.

A. GUL: WE SERIOUSLY WARN COUNTRIES ACCUSING TURKEY IN COMMITTING GENOCIDE

Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 04:32

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ “The struggle against Armenian statements is a
priority task of the Government foreign policy. Working out a new
strategy is most important to us,” the Turkish Foreign Minister
Abdullah Gul stated, Turkish media reported. “We have made a
historical proposal to Armenia – the PM sent a letter to Armenian
President Robert Kocharian, officially presenting the proposals of
the Turkish party over the disputable issue. Our evaluation of the
response letter of April 26 was positive. The availability of common
approaches in these 2 letters for dialogue is still being studied,”
he remarked. Turning to countries that have recognized the Armenian
Genocide, the Turkish FM said, “We seriously warn countries, whose
parliaments accuse Turkey and the Turkish people in committing a
genocide. No one is entitled to accuse the Turkish people based on
distortion of historical facts and political profit.” As reported
by the Azg Daily, touching upon the Armenian-Turkish relations,
Gul underscored the Armenian party is fully responsible for their
unsettled state. “I want to specially accentuate that our Government is
not against normalization of relations with Armenia. On the contrary,
it will promote establishment of stability in the region and creation
of atmosphere of cooperation. We work for gradual establishment of
normal relations. Our dialogue with Armenia will continue with task
of this kind to overcome absence of mutual confidence between the
two countries,” he summed up, Regnum news agency reported.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERIS OF SWEDEN PROTEST AGAINST OPENING ARMENIAN CONSULATE IN TABRIZ

Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 04:27

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeris residing in Sweden will organize a protest
action in front of the Iranian Embassy in that country. The picket
will be held as protest against Iran’s decision to open Consulate of
Armenia in Tabriz, reported APA Azeri agency. The action will support
the one the Congress of World Azerbaijanis (CWA) is to hold in front
of the Iranian Embassy in Azerbaijan on the same occasion. A message
notifying about the action, in which some 30 persons will take part,
is already sent to the Stockholm Administration. It should be noted
that a few days ago head of the Baku Office CWA Siyavush Mustavayev
said that a picket will be organized in front of the Iranian Embassy
in Azerbaijan as protest against the permission of the Government of
Iran to open Armenia’s Consulate in Tabriz.

OSKANIAN CALLED ADOPTION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION BY BUNDESTAG TURNING POINT

Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 03:31

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia positively evaluates the German Bundestag
passing the Armenian Genocide Resolution, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian said. In his words, it is a very important step on the
way of international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. It spite
the resolution language does not include the term «genocide,» as the
Bundestag does not consider itself competent to estimate the events
taken place in 1915, however the word «genocide» is included in the
descriptive part of the document and the term «massacre of Armenians»
is used in the part of the decision, the Armenian FM remarked. Taking
into account the circumstance that Germany has avoided discussion
of the issue for many years and rather tended to silence or denial,
the Bundestag Resolution is a turning point. Specifically, Germany
recognizes its complicity to events in 1915 and urges Turkey to put off
with its past. As noted by V. Oskanian, the Bundestag Resolution is
another step to inclusion of Armenian issues in the agenda of talks
on Turkey’s accession to the EU, reported the Press Service of the
Armenian Foreign Ministry.

–Boundary_(ID_1HKUogULPMKqrWTax0uSKA)–

MEMORANDUM OF SOUTH CAUCASUS PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY SIGNED IN GEORGIA

Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 02:49

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Memorandum of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
South Caucasus was signed in the Georgian Parliament June 16. Georgian
Speaker Nino Burjanadze, Vice-Speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran
Torosyan and Azeri Milli Mejlis MP, one of the leading figures of
Eni Azerbaijan ruling party Siyavush Novruzov participated in the
signing ceremony, reported Novosti Gruzia (News Georgia). At a joint
briefing held upon the completion of the signing of the document, Nino
Burjanadze underscored the importance of the event. “This step became
possible based on the experience of the Baltic Interparliamentary
Assembly,” Burjanadze said. The Georgian Speaker remarked that “Azeri
and Armenian politicians could overcome the differences and barriers
to realize goals referring to European integration and accession to
the NATO from a joint position.” As all participants of the briefing
states, the South Caucasian states together can make more successful
steps to develop their countries and the region as a whole. Speaking of
the problems available in the region, including conflict settlement,
the briefing participants said they were sure it was possible to
overcome them. At that it was noted that the meeting participants
expect notable outcomes from the work of the South Caucasus PA by
2007. As it was mentioned at the briefing, the South Caucasus PA
should become a serious guarantor of stability in the region.

NATO SEC. GEN. APPRECIATES COOPERATION WITH ARMENIA

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 09:21

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian met
with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels, reported
the Press Service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry. Having appreciated
the cooperation in Armenia in diverse aspects, Mr. Scheffer said he
was sure that the Individual Partnership Action Plan will provide new
opportunities for further cooperation. As the instance of the NATO
Sec. Gen. V. Oskanian acquainted him with the prospects of settlement
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as well as presented issues relating
to regional developments and security. Today the Armenian FM met with
European Union External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, passing the package of preliminary
proposals of the Armenian party on the EU-Armenian Program of Actions
within the EU Wider Europe: New Neighbors Program. In the course
of the meeting the parties discussed opportunities of EU-Armenia
cooperation within the EU New Neighborhood policy. Besides, the
parties touched upon issues of relations of Armenia with neighboring
countries and the Nagorno Karabakh settlement. Within the framework
of the visit to Brussels V. Oskanian met with EU Council Secretary
General, EU Commissioner for Foreign Policy and Security Javier
Solana. The parties discussed the process of settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, prospects of regional cooperation, including the
problem of opening the Armenian-Turkish border, regional economic and
transport initiatives under the aegis of the EU, as well as questions
referring to the working out of the Armenia-EU Program of Actions
within the EU New Neighborhood Policy. A wide range of issues was
also discussed in the course of a meeting the Armenian FM had with
European Commission External Relations Deputy Director-General Michael
Leigh. The interlocutors specifically exchanged views over the working
out of the Armenia-EU Program of Actions within the EU New Neighborhood
Policy and common European processes. June 17 V. Oskanian will leave
for Paris, where he will meet with Azeri FM Elmar Mamedyarov.

GOVERNMENT BENDS TO PROTESTS AND AGREES TO LEAVE INTACT SHIKAHOGH RESERVE

Armenpress

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS: Bending to the daily mounting protest of
ecologists and public at large against its plans to build a highway
in the southern part of Armenia through the middle of the old growth
Mtnadzor (Dark Canyon) forest, which occupies about half of the
Shikahogh nature reserve, one of only three pristine reserves in the
country, the government has backpedaled on its intention and formed
a task force to examine the feasibility of an alternative route that
will connect Armenian Meghri with Kapan and provide a safe road to
neighboring Iran.

Armenian communication and transport minister Andranik Margarian
revealed today that he handed the alternative plan yesterday to
president Kocharian.

He said the task force was told to present the feasibility scheme
to the government in a week. The alternative route is said to be 7
km longer than the previously designed one and will run across a 155
meters higher mountain pass. Manukian said it will be 6.6 meters wide
allowing the traffic to move at 50-60 km speed.

Ecologists say Armenia, which historically had forest cover of 40-45
percent, is today at perilous risk of becoming completely deforested.

Current estimates place forest cover at around eight percent, and at
current rates of cutting, the last of the forests could be gone in
as little as 20 years. The Shikahogh reserve, established in 1958,
is home to innumerable rare and endangered plant and animal species,
including up to 12 leopards, whose habitats would be gravely threatened
by the road’s construction.

S. SARGSYAN LEAVING FOR MOSCOW

Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 04:15

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Co-Chairs of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental
Economic Commission, Armenian Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan and
Russian Minister of Transport Igor Levitin will meet in Moscow,
reported Armenian MOD Press Secretary colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan. In
the course of the meeting June 21 the parties will discuss matters of
securing the operation of Armenian enterprises, conveyed to Russia,
as well as other questions of bilateral interest. June 22 the Armenian
delegation will participate in the meeting of CSTO Defense Ministers
and the Committee of Security Council Secretaries. June 23 the Armenian
delegation headed by President Robert Kocharian is scheduled to take
part in the session of the Collective Security Council, after which
Serge Sargsyan will take part in the session of the CIS Council of
Defense Ministers in Dushanbe.

INDONESIA AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA PRESENTED CREDENTIALS TO KOCHARIAN

Pan Armenian News
17.06.2005 04:02

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today newly appointed Indonesian Ambassador to
Armenia Alexander Laturiu (residence in Kiev) presented credentials
to Armenian President Robert Kocharian, reported the Press Service
of the Armenian leader. R. Kocharian said he was satisfied with the
active cooperation between the two countries within international
organizations. Speaking of expansion of Armenian-Indonesian relations
the interlocutors mentioned the forming of a proper legal and treaty
framework as a priority task. Within the context of development of
business ties the importance of exchange of information and activation
of contacts was underscored. R. Kocharian wished Indonesia good luck
in eliminating the consequences of the tsunami that shook the country
a few months ago.

SOUTH CAUCASIAN PARLIAMENTS TO ESTABLISH PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY

Armenpress

TBILISI, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS: Nino Burjanadze, the speaker of Georgian
parliament, Armenian deputy parliament speaker Tigran Torosian and
Siyavush Novruzov, a parliament member from Azerbaijan’s ruling
Yeni Azerbaijan party signed yesterday in Tbilisi a memorandum on
establishment of a parliamentary assembly of the South Caucasus
countries.

Speaking to journalists afterwards, Nino Burjanadze said that despite
the existing problems between Armenia and Azerbaijan, politicians
of these countries sat side by side to discuss their differences in
various issues.

She also stressed the importance of this initiative saying it would
promote regional stability and solution of a range of complicated
problems.

She said the assembly would help the three nations to come up with a
single position on their cooperation with European organizations. “We
are determined to demonstrate to all that the South Caucasus has great
prospects despite its problems and unresolved conflicts,” she said.