Normalization of relations with neighboring countries is also among the EU requirements, as well as protection of national minority rights.

Turkish president Ahmet Sezer has visited Azeri leader Heydar Aliyev being under checkup at military hospital "Gulhane" in Ankara, reported the administration of the Azeri president.

The investigation on 13 cases out of those aforementioned are already finished and 6 have been submitted to court.

As director general of the cascade M. Hakobian, the transfer will be completed by this September.

Due to a letter sent by official Baku to the UN Security Council stating on alleged breaking of the cease-fire regime by Armenia, Yerevan has released a response letter, denying these groundless accusations, Armenian foreign minister Vardan Oskanian said.

Armenia along with a number of CIS countrie will join the Near East Department from now on to be called Near East and Central Asian Department.

In a letter sent to their colleagues Senators Mitch McConnell and Paul Sarbanes underscored that since its independence from the Soviet Union, Armenia has pursued free-market reforms within a democratic framework.

"We are not inclined to underestimate real difficulties, however today it is necessary to take urgent steps to fulfill the commitments assumed: fully repeal of death penalty in Armenia and release political prisoners in Azerbaijan," the CE secretary general stated.

The Council of Europe Venetian Commission is ready to render expert assistance to the OSCE Minsk Group in determining the future status of Nagorno Karabakh, CE secretary general Walter Schwimmer stated.

The relations between Armenia and Turkey today are not so much conditioned by the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, as before, Vardan Oskanian stated.