JOINT ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN MILITARY EXERCISE TO BE HELD IN ARMENIA IN SEPTEMBER

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 05:39

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Joint Armenian-Russian military exercise will be
held in Armenia in early September, stated Chief of the General Staff
of the Armed Forces of Armenia, colonel general Mikayel Harutyunyan,
reported Regnum news agency. In his words, serious preparation to the
holding of the exercise has already commenced. The Armenian military
spoke in favor of the holding of the exercise at a very high level,
as it strengthens the defense potential and combat efficiency of units
of the Armed Forces. The Armenian-Russian exercise is held annually.

ARMENIAN DEFENSE MINISTER MET WITH MOSCOW DEPUTY MAYOR

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 03:42

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Secretary of the National Security Council at the
Armenian President, Co-Chair of the Armenian-Russian Intergovernmental
Commission for Economic Cooperation, Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan
met with Moscow First Vice-Mayor Vladimir Resin, reported Ministry of
Defense (MOD) Press Secretary, colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan. In the
course of the meeting Resin noted positive changes in Armenia. He
emphasized that seeing the country’s continuous development pleases
him. At the instance of the guest S. Sargsyan presented the current
process of works over the building of the MOD new building. Russian
Ambassador to Armenia Nikolay Pavlov and Yerevan Mayor Yervand
Zakharyan also participated in the meeting.

BRITISH-ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY GROUP DEMANDS THAT UK RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 03:35

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The British-Armenian multi-partisan parliamentary
group organized an international conference at the House of Lords
yesterday, reported the Press Service of the Foreign Ministry of
Armenia. Armenian FM Vartan Oskanian was invited as the main speaker at
it. Head of the Armenian-British Friendship Group baroness Caroline
Cox and Armenian Ambassador to UK Vahe Gabriyelyan addressed the
opening of the conference. Senior Aide of the Canadian Prime Minister
Sarkis Assadourian, head of the Armenian-French Friendship Group
of the French Parliament Francois Rochebloine, Executive Director
of Beth Shalom Holocaust Commemoration Foundation James Smith
also addressed the meeting. V. Oskanian made the key report. The
conference subject was the issue of genocide, which is considered
as a threat to the humanity today as well, genocide prevention by
the international community, unacceptability of the Turkish policy
of denial of the Armenian Genocide. The issue of acknowledgement of
the Armenian Genocide was discussed within the context of Turkey’s
accession to the EU. At that it was noted that before it Ankara
has to recognize the Armenian Genocide and normalize relations
with Yerevan. V. Oskanian drew the attention of those present to
the contradiction between the statements and actions of the Turkish
Government, which on the one hand tries to come out as a proponent of
the truce, while on the other criminalizes the term «genocide», bans
public discussion of the issue in the country and event demands that
the British Government revise histories of Genocide witnesses diplomat
James Brice and historian Arnold Toynbee. Nevertheless, not seeing an
alternative to the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation, V. Oskanian said
Armenia is ready to normalize the Armenian-Turkish relations without
preconditions. British politicians and public figures, foreign guests,
diplomats and representative of British and foreign media were present
at the event. The latest event of this level was organized in 2000 due
to the 85th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. After the conference
a dinner was organized in honor of V. Oskanian. In the latter half of
the day the British-Armenian Group addressed the British Government
a demand supported by 3 thousand signatures to recognize the Armenian
Genocide and promote Armenian-Turkish reconciliation. Yesterday a joint
liturgy of the Armenian Apostolic and Anglican Churches marked the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. V. Oskanian, V. Gabriyelyan,
baroness Cox, founder of the British-Armenian Parliamentary Group
duke Shanon, abbot Rice and other were present at the liturgy. The
same evening V. Oskanian left London for Brussels, where he will
present Armenia’s Action Plan to the EU and the North Atlantic Council.

–Boundary_(ID_3iq6BAP4Lr09cSxOvQTmWA)–

AZERI INTERNAL FORCES INTEND TO KEEP PUBLIC ORDER IN KARABAKH

Pan Armenian News
16.06.2005 05:13

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijani leaders are concerned over cases of
breaking the cease-fire in the Karabakh conflict zone becoming more
frequent, stated Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Azerbaijan,
lieutenant general Zakir Hasanov at a meeting with journalists in
Moscow. The delegation of Internal Forces of Azerbaijan, headed
by him, is in Moscow on an official visit on the invitation of the
Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. «International organizations,
including the UN, deal with the problem,» the Azeri military said. He
also added that after the Karabakh problem is solved via political
means, Azeri Internal Forces will keep public order there.

–Boundary_(ID_ZKRSFKiW5+tGxgLuanqiIg)–

Aliyev, Putin discuss Garabagh conflict

AzerNews
16 June 05

Presidents of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and of Russia Vladimir Putin
met in St. Petersburg, the second largest city of Russia, on Tuesday.

The two discussed the recent steps at settling the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict over Upper Garabagh and Russia’s position on the issue, along
with regional and international issues. The details of the meeting,
held within the 9th International Economic Forum, are not disclosed.

Addressing the event, President Aliyev said investments in Azerbaijan’s
economy have made up $24 billion over the past 10 years.

The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is expected to grow 18% this year,
the highest growth in the region, according to the International
Monetary Fund estimates.

The average economic growth from 1996 till 2004 exceeded 10%, the
President said.

“GDP doubled in this period. We are currently at a stage of rapid
economic growth.”

Touching upon the socio-economic development of the regions, Aliyev
said 217,000 jobs opened in Azerbaijan in recent years and poverty went
down by 9%. With regard to economic projects ensuring the country’s
international integration, the President said that 400 companies
operate in Azerbaijan with Russian capital.

“Russia and Azerbaijan possess the needed potential for the development
of economic ties.”

Aliyev added that Russo-Azeri relations will continue as part of
strategic partnership and that he supports fostering a new stage in
cooperation between the two countries.

The participants are also expected to discuss economic policy, future
investments, inventions, cutting-edge technologies, infrastructure
changes, and prospects for developing mineral resources and raw
materials. Roundtables and exhibitions will be held and attended
by officials and businessmen from some 50 countries as well as
representatives of international financial institutions.

The 90-member Azerbaijani delegation, led by President Ilham Aliyev,
includes businesspeople engaged in production, construction,
agriculture, chemistry and finance, and government dignitaries.

A Russo-Azeri business forum and an exhibition of Azerbaijani goods
will be held within the 3-day forum.

ARF Youth organization to participate in Istanbul meeting of IUSY

16.06.2005 13:46

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – Member organizations from Georgia, Azerbaijan,
Turkey, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia and other countries have been
invited to take part in the Black Sea Area cooperation meeting of the
International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY) to be held on 16-19 June,
in Istanbul, Turkey.

The Armenian Youth Federation delegation consists of four members –
Karen Mnatsakanyan and Zinavor Meghryan (Armenia), Talline Tachdjian
(France) and Khatchik Mouradian (Lebanon).

The slogan of the meeting is “We are all minorities”. During three-day
sittings, further topics will be discussed: “Minorities in Europe”,
“International agreements on minorities”, “Minority policies in the
past”, “Minority policies in Europe,” etc.

The International Union of Socialist Youth is a fraternal organization
of the Socialist International. Its members are 143 socialist,
social-democratic, labor youth and student unions from 100 countries.

The Armenian Youth Federation (The Youth Organization of
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun) is a full member of the IUSY.

Armenians’ Union in Russia marks 5th anniversary

16.06.2005, 14.03

MOSCOW, June 16 (Itar-Tass) – The Armenians’ Union in Russia observes
its fifth anniversary this Thursday. The union absorbed several hundred
small national organizations that exerted efforts to preserve national
Armenian culture in Russia.

Ara Abramyan, the president of the Armenians’ Union in Russia,
told a news conference at Itar-Tass, “A new stage set in in the
life of Armenians in Russia from the moment the All-Russian national
public organization of Armenians formed, the stage linked with the
consolidation of the age-old national traditions.”

Abramyan said, “The union faces a difficult task of promoting the
integration of hundreds of thousands of Armenians who came from
Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia into the linguistic, social, economic
and cultural medium of Russia.”

“We also aim for the further consolidation of relations between Russia
and Armenia,” Abramyan said.

The highlight of the celebration will be a concert of the Armenian
song and dance ensemble at the International House of Music in Moscow
on Thursday evening.

ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN MASS MEDIA COUNCIL HOLDS CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY IN YEREVAN

YEREVAN, June 15. /ARKA/. The Armenian-Russian Mass Media Council
(ARMC) has held its constituent assembly in Yerevan. The ARMC has
been formed on the initiative of the Russian REGNUM News Agency and
the Armenian “Iravunk” (Right) newspaper. Among the ARMC founders are
also the ARKA News Agency, AR TV channel, Armenian-Russian Business
Journal, “Argunety y Facty v Armenii” (Arguments and Facts in Armenia)
newspaper, and the representative office of the Interstate TV &
Radio Company “Mir”.

During the meeting the founders elected ARMC co-chairmen –
Editor-in-Chief of the Caucasian Chief Editorial Office, REGNUM
News Agency, Armenika Kiviryan and Chairman of the Editorial Board,
“Iravunk” newspaper, Hayk Babukhanyan. He reported that Speaker of
the RA Parliament Artur Baghdasaryan and RA Premier Andranik Margaryan
were informed of the ARMC foundation.

Babukhanyan read the ARMC founders a welcoming message of the managers
of the RIA “Novosty” News Agency, who expressed confidence that the
ARMC’s foundation and activities will contribute to the development
of Armenian-Russian strategic partnership. Executive Director of the
REGNUM News Agency Boris Sorkin expressed his hope for the ARMC’s
effective activities. In his welcoming message he expressed readiness
for all possible support to the ARMC’s initiatives and projects.

The ARMC members discussed a number of issues related to their
status, dissemination of information on the ARMC’s activities,
enlargement of the number of ARMC’s members. The meeting participants
advanced the initiative of holding the First Congress of Armenian
and Russian mass media on the occasion of Year of Russia in Armenia,
as well as an international conference themed “Mass media coverage
of Armenian-Russian relations and problems in the North and South
Caucasus.” The ARMC founder decided to specify their proposals and
ways of putting them into practice until the ARMC’s next meeting in
Yerevan on July 6. P.T. -0–

Azerbaijan’s breakaway region denies cease-fire violation reports

ITAR-TASS news agency, Moscow
15 Jun 05

Yerevan, 15 June: Officials in Stepanakert have denied statements
by official Baku about cease-fire violations in the zone of the
Karabakh conflict.

“This is a deliberate piece of misinformation which pursues purely
propagandist aims,” the spokesman for the defence ministry of the
unrecognized Nagornyy Karabakh republic (NKR), Senor Asratyan, said
in a telephone conversation with ITAR-TASS from Stepanakert.

“The Azerbaijani side wants to aggravate the situation around Nagornyy
Karabakh in the run-up to the parliamentary elections in the NKR to
be held on Sunday [19 June],” Asratyan said.

The Azerbaijani deputy interior minister and commander-in-chief of
the country’s Interior Ministry troops, Lt Gen Zakir Hasanov, who is
on a visit to Moscow, today spoke about cease-fire violations on the
contact line between the [Armenian and Azerbaijani] troops.

The Azerbaijani leadership is concerned about repeated cease-fire
violations, he said.

“International organizations, including the United Nations, are
dealing with this problem,” he said.

Azeri deputy minister says Russia’s Caucasus combat experience “valuable”

Interfax news agency
16 Jun 05

Moscow, 15 June: The Azerbaijani deputy interior minister and
commander-in-chief of the country’s Interior Ministry troops,
Lt-Gen Zakir Hasanov, has described as valuable the combat experience
gained by the Russian Internal Troops in the North Caucasus and other
“hot beds”.

“We are also interested in an exchange of experience in the sphere of
combat training of troops,” Hasanov told journalists after a meeting
with his counterpart, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Interior
Ministry’s Internal Troops, Col-Gen Nikolay Rogozhkin, in Moscow on
15 June.

Touching on the situation in Nagornyy Karabakh, Gen Hasanov said
that “almost the entire world recognizes Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity”.

“Our internal troops will carry out their tasks in Nagornyy Karabakh
fully once the issue is solved by political means,” the general said.

He underlined that the internal troops were preparing for performing
the tasks during the parliamentary elections due in November.