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TURKISH-ARMENIAN RECONCILIATION COMMISSION (TARC) STATEMENT
FEBRUARY 11. The Turkish Armenian Reconciliation
Commission (TARC) requested that the International Center for
Transitional Justice facilitate an independent legal study on the
applicability of the 1948 Genocide Convention to events which
occurred during the early twentieth century. On February 4, 2003, the
International Center for Transitional Justice provided an analysis on
the subject. TARC members will meet soon and resume their work for
reconciliation.
ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION MEETS ARMENIAN DIASPORA OF
STAVROPOL
FEBRUARY 11. A delegation of the Armenian Parliament headed by Armenian Parliamentary Speaker Armen Khachatryan met the heads of the executive and legislative powers of the region and the representatives of the local Armenian Diaspora at the Kislovodsk Administration. The delegation participated in the session of the heads of the parliament of the "Caucasian Four" states.
The editorship of the newspaper of the Armenians of the South of
Russia "Yerkramas" told ARMINFO that Armen Khachatryan gave a high
assessment of the famous resort, emphasizing the good fraternal
relations between the peoples residing in Kislovodsk. Khachatryan
also pointed out a possibility for a closer cooperation between
Armenia and Stavropol. After exchanging souvenirs, the Armenian
delegation visited the city Armenian church and made a sightseeing
tour of the city.
WE HAD NO ALTERNATIVE WAY THEN
FEBRUARY 11. The 15th anniversary of the beginning of the Karabakh National Liberation Movement is approaching. What is the opinion of the Movement's activities in this connection? ARMINFO's correspondent interviews several of them. Boris Aroushanyan, the deputy minister of development of industrial infrastructures and town development of Karabakh: "We had no alterative way then, otherwise the sad fate of Nakhichevan would have overtaken us, and the Armenians would have been expelled from Karabakh. Of course, there were tactical slips, we could have avoided different mistakes and losses. But the most important is that we chose the right strategy. And the collective solution to all problems allowed bringing the mistakes to the minimum. We adhered this principle both in the period of the 'Krunk' committee's activity and when it was replaced by he Board of Directors including in it the heads of the large enterprises of the region and activists." Maksim Mirzoyan, NKR MP, the member of the Parliamentary Standing Foreign Relations Commission: "In Soviet times, Baku attacked the Armenians of Karabakh in different directions: the Armenian geographic names were changed into Azeri toponymy, with the demographic developments having been directed to the course favorable for Azeris under the pretence of an 'international policy' inside Karabakh. It is not known what else would have been applied against us, if we did not make relevant steps timely." Pavel Najaryan, Director of the Stepanakert plant of building materials: "It was on Feb 12, 1998 that an outburst happened in our self-consciousness, which determined all our further acts. Of course, not everything was smooth, there were mistakes. The public had not been prepared enough for the ongoing events and for those expected in future. So we acted learning by our mistakes. But the important is that on those historical days we believed in the possible achievement of our goal, and succeeded in realizing our centuries-long aspirations by combined efforts. The secret of our success was in the consolidation." Vasili Atajanyan, Director of the Stepanakert shoes factory: "Those years we were very devoted to our goal and won due to consolidation and unity. I consider a great achievement the fact that everything was in conformity with the Law and the world-recognized international norms." Zhanna Galstyan, Adviser of the NKR President: "We will reach the victory in the issue of the final settlement of the Karabakh problem, and those of economic and social spheres in any way. It will require the people the maximum activity, for it to be the owner of the situation. Everyone should considers himself the only who forges victory."
Ernest Hayrapetyan, Director of the Stepanakert furniture-making
factory: "It is not accidentally that the idea of the 'struggle to
the very end' aroused just in that period, as the desire and will due
freedom and worthy life were too strong. And the more we were
pressured the stronger we were becoming. The role of the Board of
Directors directing the movement toward the most optimal way was
great in the organization of the Karabakh Liberation Movement."
CHECHEN CONFLICT MUST BE RESOLVED ON BASIS OF RUSSIA'S
TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, WHILE KARABAKH CONFLICT MUST BE BASED
ON THE PARTIES' ACCORD, SAYS FRENCH PRESIDENT
FEBRUARY 11. ARMINFO-TURAN. Chechen conflict must be resolved on the basis of Russia's territorial integrity and respect for human rights, French President Jacques Chirac said yesterday at a joint press conference with Vladimir Putin after the talks between the two presidents. President Chirac said that the two presidents have also discussed the Karabakh conflict, which must be settled on the basis of consent of both Armenia and Azerbaijan. Jacques Chirac said positions of Paris and Moscow to this issue coincide. It should be noted that French President did not mention principle of territorial integrity in the context of the Karabakh conflict. Vladimir Putin also did not mention Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Azerbaijan is concerned about this fact, because coincidence of positions of Russia and France means unity of opinion of two co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.
Commenting on Jacques Chirac's statement, Vafa Guluzade, former
Azerbaijan State Secretary for Foreign Policy, said "double
standards" are unacceptable. He said as OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,
both Russia and France must bear in mind that Baku will never accept
option of the Karabakh conflict settlement violating Azerbaijan's
territorial integrity.
2000 TRANSPARENT BALLOT-BOXES DELIVERED TO "ARMENIA" INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT
Head of the OSCE Yerevan Mission, Ambassador Roy Reeve said that ballot-boxes will be given to the corresponding territorial electoral commissions just today to use them during the February 19 Presidential Election. The Norwegian and German governments, the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID) and the Swiss Agency of Cooperation Development financed the delivery of the ballot-boxes and their placing at all republican electoral districts. Roy Reeve said that such transparent boxes capable of holding 2000 ballot papers each, were used, in particular, during the recent elections in Slovakia. He refused to say the cost of both the project and each box separately, but, at the same time, he refuted the information spread by some national mass media that the project allegedly cost $20 mln. The solemn ceremony of the symbolic delivery of a transparent ballot-box by Ambassador Roy Reeve to CEC Deputy Chairman Hamlet Abrahamyan was held at the "Armenia" International Airport today. Roy Reeve said that he hopes that the use of these boxes during the Presidential Election will become another symbol of Armenia's democratization.- HEADLINES OF 11 FEBRUARY
60-66% OF TOTAL NUMBER OF ELECTORS IN ARMENIA LIKELY TO PARTICIPATE
IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: ARMENIAN SOCIOLOGIST
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FEBRUARY 11. 2OOO transparent ballot-boxes of the
Dutch production were delivered to the "Armenia" International
Airport today. The ballot-boxes are supposed to be used during the
Armenian Presidential and Parliamentary Elections. The delivery of
boxes was made in coordination with the Memorandum on Mutual
Understanding concluded between the Armenian Central Electoral
Commission (CEC) and the OSCE Yerevan Office.
