Armenia, Azerbaijan `Close To Karabakh Deal'

[Gavur]

Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers to meet in Moscow

Azeri, Armenian foreign ministers to meet in Moscow


Baku, August 8, AssA-Irada

Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and
Vardan Oskanian are scheduled to meet in Moscow on August 23 for the
next round oftalks on the Upper Garabagh conflict settlement.

Mammadyarov has told journalists that some details will be discussed
and the issues to be agreed upon will be raised at the upcoming
meeting of the two countries' presidents in Kazan.

The ministers will report to their heads of state after the Moscow
meeting, he added.*

[Gavur]

Ra President Met Osce Mg Co-chairs

RA PRESIDENT MET OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS


15.07.2005 05:14

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Today Armenian President Robert Kocharian met with Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia), Steven Mann (US) and Bernard Fassier (France), RA President's press center reported. Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk was also present at the meeting. The interlocutors discussed the current stage of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement. The mediators informed Robert Kocharian of the consultative meetings held in Baku and Stepanakert.

[Gavur]

Osce Mg: Conflicting Parties Ready For Compromise

OSCE MG: CONFLICTING PARTIES READY FOR COMPROMISE


15.07.2005 09:20

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Considerable progress has been fixed in the Karabakh Conflict settlement lately, OSCE Minsk Group US Co-Chair Steven Mann stated during today’s press conference in Yerevan. At the same time he noted that though the Co-Chairs do not measure the efficiency of the negotiations, the ongoing discussions can serve as the coefficient of the common talks and as the basis for the final resolution. “We can achieve results via negotiations only but we cannot foresee them”, he noted. Meanwhile Russian Co-Chair stated that “present results would not have been achieved but for the readiness of both parties to make concessions. When asked about Turkey’s position in the conflict the Russian Co-Chair said that “Turkey is not just involved in the process but has a strong impact on it.”

[Gavur]

Meeting Of Ministers Of Culture

MEETING OF MINISTERS OF CULTURE OF SOUTH CAUCASIAN COUNTRIES TO TAKE
PLACE IN KIEV ON SEPTEMBER 15-16

YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, NOYAN TAPAN. On September 15-16, Ministers of
Culture of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia will discuss issues
concerning the cultural cooperation in Kiev, the capital of the
Ukraine. According to the Press Service of the Council of Europe,
the event is to be held within the framework of the program of the
Council of Europe on cultural exchange among countries of the region,
cooperation in the sphere of culture and strengthening of democracy.

[Gavur]

Azerbaijan Carries Elections In Karabakh And Neighboring Territories

AZG Armenian Daily #144, 17/08/2005

AZERBAIJAN CARRIES ELECTIONS IN KARABAKH AND NEIGHBORING TERRITORIES

Armenians of Neighboring Territories 'Deprived' of Constitutional right

The Central Electoral Committee of Azerbaijan (CEC) took a decision a
couple of days ago to reopen the "122 electoral district of Khanqendi"
and to appoint CEC members there. The CEC has addressed a message
to the "electorate" of Khanqendi electoral district (along with
numerous Armenian towns and regions, Baku authorities changed the
name of Stepanakert into Khanqendi 15 years ago) informing that they
have created "all necessary conditions for free, just elections to
realize the rights of Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan".

"As a result of creation of a secessionist regime in Azeri territories
that Armenia has occupied, the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan have
turned into a plaything in the hands of the aggressor. Along with
their constitutional rights, they are deprived of their electoral
right. The CEC calls for the Armenian citizens of Azerbaijan to help
put an end to the secessionist regime to secure their constitutional
rights", the message reads.

It is Mazahir Panahov, the head of the CEC, who has turned into
a plaything in Ilham Aliyev's hands in this case. This populist
statement of Baku authorities targets the international community and
attempts to show that Azerbaijan is ready to guarantee the safety of
the Armenians. But only three days ago, President Aliyev held forth
in Sumgait, the site of first Armenian pogroms, threatening to settle
the Karabakh conflict by means of arms. Is the West ready to believe
Baku's statements when only a few months ago Armenian servicemen were
refused entrance visas to Azerbaijan thus failing NATO exercises in
Baku? Or, is that possible to believe Baku's assurances when the latter
makes a hero of a murderer who axed down his Armenian counterpart in
Budapest? US ambassador to Armenia John Evans gave the best description
to the anti-Armenian hysteria in Baku, "Everybody understands that
Karabakh cannot be returned to Azerbaijan as that would be a disaster".

Azerbaijan seems to have settled the issue of organizing elections
in territories that are out of Baku's control. Mediamx agency quoted
Mazahir Panahov as saying that the electorate of "Khanqendi electoral
district" can take part in the elections through the Internet. To make
the Azeri nonsense complete, it must be noted that Ilham Aliyev's
Yeni Azerbaijan Party has put up no candidates in Stepanakert. In
the regions of Martuni, Shushi and Fizuli Yeni Azerbaijan represents
Elman Mamedov.

The CEC of Azerbaijan has formed electoral districts in
Karabakh-controlled territories, ad exemplum previous years. But
contrary to the residents of Stepanakert, Shushi and Martuni, the
population of, say, Zangelan, Qelbajar and Ghubatlu, mostly survivors
of Armenian pogroms, are not granted the privilege of realizing their
constitutional right in the "free and just" elections of November 6.

By Tatoul Hakobian

[Gavur]

Azeri envoy protests at US congressmen's initiative for more aid to Karabakh

Azeri envoy protests at US congressmen's initiative for more aid to Karabakh

Azartac news agency, Baku
19 Aug 05

The Azerbaijani ambassador in Washington, Hafiz Pasayev, has appealed
to the US Congress in protest after Congressmen Frank Pallone and Joe
Knollenberg sent a letter to US President George W. Bush, demanding
more assistance to the breakaway Azerbaijani region of Nagornyy
Karabakh, the Azerbaijani state news agency Azartac has reported.

Pasayev recalled that Nagornyy Karabakh is recognized as part of
Azerbaijan and called on the USA to take political or economic steps
against the separatist region in the interests of Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani ambassador also called on the US congressmen to respect
Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and warned that any support for
the Pallone-Knollenberg initiative would deal a blow to the Nagornyy
Karabakh peace talks between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

[Gavur]

"They Can Neither Seduce us nor Scare us with their Oil"

PRESS RELEASE

20-08-2005


Foreign Minister Oskanian, on the Nagorno Karabakh Negotiations, on the Eve
of Kazan:
"They Can Neither Seduce us nor Scare us with their Oil"


Prior to the presidents' meeting in Kazan, Azerbaijan's assessments of the
Nagorno Karabakh resolution process have become more frequent. Specifically,
Azerbaijani officials of varying capacities, have made statements on
different occasions, alleging that the essence of the Prague Process is a
stage-by-stage solution, and that time works in their favor, and that
international public opinion is moving in their direction. On the other
hand, they also say that the negotiations are not productive and that "we
must be prepared for everything," most probably having in mind a military
solution to the conflict, since Azerbaijan's military budget has increased
by one-third. What are your interpretations of these statements?

As a rule, each time Azerbaijan does not achieve what it wants, they either
badmouth the Minsk Group, or express dissatisfaction or disaffection with
the negotiations process, thus creating new political backdrop for the next
stage of the negotiating process. That's what they're trying to do now.

As for the Azerbaijani characterization of the Prague Process, here too,
they are talking not about what is, but about what they would like to see.
It is clear to everyone, including the Azerbaijanis, that Karabakh's
self-determination is the key issue, which must find expression in the right
of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to decide its own future. The remainder -
doing away with the consequences of the conflict, the issue of territories,
return of refugees, etc. - will follow. Of course, the package solution of
the conflict may be implemented in stages; in this regard, we are prepared
to demonstrate flexibility.

As for the time factor, I will repeat that which we all know: time works to
no one's advantage, because as a result of the unresolved conflict,
Azerbaijan, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh all suffer. On the other hand, an
Azerbaijani military budget that is bloated by oil dollars, doesn't change
anything. First, they can neither seduce nor, worse, scare us with their
oil. Armenia always has the ability to militarily counter any Azerbaijani
military budget. In fact, the advantage that Armenians have over Azerbaijan
is not in military expenditures or arms, but in the justness of the cause.
Armenians believe that the Nagorno Karabakh cause is just, and in case of
war, they will be fighting for their own homes and land. This is not what
the Azerbaijanis did or would do.

It would be better for Azerbaijan to compete not militarily, but engage in
healthy economic and political competition. And in those realms, today,
Azerbaijan is far from challenging Armenia or even Nagorno Karabakh.

As for the position of the international community, they are assessing the
situation more realistically, and are reckoning with reality and fact. The
international trend regarding conflicts -- East Timor, developments around
Kosovo, the Sudan Agreement -- all these developments demonstrate that the
international community today is leaning towards greater respect for the
right of peoples to self-determination.-0-

[Gavur]

Karabakh Cannot Get Sidetracked

KARABAKH CANNOT GET SIDETRACKED



STEPANAKERT, 23.08.05. The Central Electoral Committee of Nagorno Karabakh called the appeal of the Azerbaijani CEC to the people of Karabakh on the eve of parliamentary elections a violent intervention in the inner affairs of sovereign Artsakh. A statement by NKR CEC reads, `Azerbaijan is empowered neither with legal nor especially with moral right to call on the Artsakhi people to take part in elections in the republic. The people of Nagorno Karabakh realizes its electoral right in accordance with the constitution of NKR, exclusively within the frontiers of its own state, which secures its social and civil rights.

The official Baku, which organized and carried out mass killings and eviction of hundreds of thousands Armenians in former Soviet Azerbaijan and provoked large-scale war against NKR and its people, now tries to play a protector of the rights of people of Nagorno Karabakh. Such a stance is even more impudent when considered the neglect to basic rights of Artsakhi people, including the right of self-determination, the seizure of a considerable part of NKR territory, the everlasting blockade of NKR and the creation of atmosphere of intolerance against Armenians. Azerbaijan, which violates the constitutional rights and liberties of its own citizens, cannot guarantee security for the elementary rights of life and dignity of NKR citizens. This proves that the people of Karabakh has chosen right and irreversible path of independent development.

The people of Karabakh has its own state that declared its independence on 6 January of 1992 in accordance with a national referendum held earlier. The population of Nagorno Karabakh, whose civil rights are documented in the constitution of NKR and are pronouncedly protected, is actively involved in the inner political life of the republic, in strengthening and further development of civil and state institutions, including the National Assembly of NKR. During the years of independence Nagorno Karabakh has organized 3 presidential, 4 parliamentary and 3 elections to local governance bodies. International observers found all of them transparent, free and just`.

The statement calls on Azerbaijan at the same time to refrain from groundless statements that mislead the world community and to direct its efforts to a constructive dialogue aiming to establish stability in the region and to achieve peaceful coexistence of the two people.

The head of CEC of NKR, Sergey Nasibian, told daily Azg on occasion of the statement that this step of Azerbaijan is directed to the inner audience, as the neighboring state is perhaps anxious about the forthcoming elections on November 6. Azerbaijan has carried many elections in the course of a decade-long confrontation but this was the first time it employs such tactics. This, perhaps, speaks well of the authorities` fears as regards inner instability of the country.

By Kim Gabrielian

AZG Armenian Daily

[Gavur]

Fm Oskanian To Participate In Moscow Meeting Of Cis Foreign Ministers

FM OSKANIAN TO PARTICIPATE IN MOSCOW MEETING OF CIS FOREIGN MINISTERS



ÅÐÅÂÀÍ, 23.08.05. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian will participate in the meeting of the CIS Foreign Ministers Council opening on August 23 in Moscow.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Minister Oskanian is to meet with his Azeri counterpart on August 24. OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will also attend the meeting.

Yerkir
2005-08-23 10:57:00

[Gavur]

Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan discussing Karabakh settlement

Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan discussing Karabakh settlement



24.08.2005, 13.38




MOSCOW, August 24 (Itar-Tass) - The foreign ministers of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan met in here on Wednesday to discuss ways of settling the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

"The settlement requires active work," Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov said, adding that there is an opportunity now "to arrive at a common denominator regarding this problem."

His Armenian counterpart Vartan Oskanyan said the self-determination of Nagorno Karabakh is the priority in settling the conflict, which should manifest itself in the right of its population to take care of their fate on their own.

The remaining issues such as the elimination of the consequences of the conflict, the territorial problem and the return of refugees stem from this priority and will follow it, he noted.

Meanwhile, the Russian Foreign Ministry expressed Moscow's position, which implies "close interaction with the partners in the OSCE Minsk group /the United States, Russia and France/, the mediator in settlement the conflict, and energetic assistance to the peoples of Azerbaijan and Armenia toward the soonest finding of a solution."

Co-chairman of the Minsk group for Russia Yuri Merzlyakov underlined that Russia "has a clear position on this issue."

"We believe that one should not impose his solution of the problem on the parties to the conflict; they should arrive at it independently, without outside interference," Merzlyakov said.

"If a mutually acceptable accord is reached, we'll be able to guarantee. it. The settlement should be such as to make all the parties involved feel safer, the balance of forces that historically developed in the region should not be upset, while the region itself should not become an arena of rivalry," he said.