ARMENIAN PRESIDENT DISMISSES BORDER TROOPS CHIEF
Mediamax News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
Yerevan, 11 October: Armenian President Robert Kocharyan has dismissed
Col Vyacheslav Voskanyan from the post of the commander of the Border
Guard Troops of the National Security Service, the presidential press
service has told Mediamax news agency.
Nothing is reported about the appointment of a new commander.
ARMENIAN DM AWARDS MEDALS TO ARMENIAN PEACE-MAKERS
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. RA Minister of Defense Serge Sargsyan
has awarded medals and diplomas to a number of Armenian servicemen
that carried out a peace-making mission in Iraq for successful
accomplishment of their task. In Iraq you upheld the honor of our
armed forces thereby contributing to our Homeland’s reputation,”
the Minister said. According to him, Armenia, which is seeking
integration into the European family, cannot be indifferent to the
problems facing it. “We cannot be indifferent to their problems just
as they cannot be indifferent to our problems. This is the reason
why we carry out peace-making missions in Kosovo and in Iraq,”
the Minister said. According to Sargsyan, Armenia carries out these
missions in the interests of its partners. It means that the partners
will act in Armenia’s interests as well. Sargsyan pointed out that
besides Armenia’s efficient army, “our partners” contribute to the
11-year-long relative peace in the region. “It is not a secret,”
the Minister said.
FIRST 5 VOLUMES OF SERIES “MATENAGIRK HAYOTS” COME OUT
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The presentation of
the first five volumes of the series “Matenagirk Hayots” (“Manuscript
Armenian”) took place on October 3 at the American University of
Armenia (AUA). “Matenagirk” is an unprecedented manual in the history
of Armenology that envisages to publish the examination texts of the
whole medieval Armenian literature with the use of scientific and
technical achievements of the 21st century.
The first two volumes of the manuscript series, in which the literature
of the 5th century is summarized, were presented in 2003.
Now another three volumes that represent a summary of the 6th and
7th centuries and contain 148 works by more than 50 authors have
been published.
The speakers were unanimous in the opinion that a really monumental
work elevating Armenology to a new qualitative level has been done.
“The Digital Library” of Armenian literature that was created under
the direction of Meruzhan Karapetian and received in 2001 an award
of the RA President forms the work’s basis.
“This is the most valuable work financed by the Gyulbekian Fund in
Armenia,” Professor Paruyr Muradian noted. The publication costs were
covered by the Catholicosate of the Great Cilician House.
Alexan Hakobian, editor-in-chief of the volumes on the 6th and 7th
centuries, presented the principles of the group’s work, which allow
to come as close as possible to the original texts of the manuscripts,
most of which were preserved in the form of late centuries’ copies
with numerous distortions during their copying.
“Thanks to this work the Armenologists all over the world received
an instrument meeting the requirements of time,” Michael Stone,
Professor of Jerusalem University, said.
The computer version of the work has voluminous glossaries that
provide researchers with unprecedented opportunities.
Ashot Melkonian, Director of the Institute of History of the RA
Academy of Sciences, and Harutyun Armenian, President of the AUA,
expressed their concern about the possibility to continue this most
important work.
T. TOROSIAN: ONLY OSCE MG TO BE ENGAGED IN NK SETTLEMENT
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The autumn session
of PACE was held on October 3-7 in Strasbourg. It was the first time
since 2004 January that no issue immediately concerning Armenia was
on the agenda of the session. Tigran Torosian, head of the Armenian
delegation in the Assembly, RA NA Vice-Speaker, reported this at the
October 11 press conference.
According to speaker’s prognostication, such issues will emerge in
2006. In particular, the report of the commission on Nagorno Karabakh
issue created within the framework of the Assembly will be heard at
the January session.
Three meetings were held with participation of the Armenian party
on the days of the session. In particular, the Armenian delegation
in PACE met with Roland Wegener, head of the Ago Group. The subject
was the process of constitutional amendments in Armenia. According to
T.Torosian, Wegener expressed hope in connection with the successful
process of referendum on constitutional amendments and regret in
connection with the repulsive position of the opposition in this issue.
The third meeting was held on the initiative of Rene van der Linden,
PACE Chairman, with participation of heads of Armenian, Georgian and
Azerbaijani delegations. The high-ranking official asked about the
process of constitutional amendments in Armenia and also expressed
his assistance.
The third meeting was held within the framework of Assembly’s ad hoc
commission on Nagorno Karabakh issue with participation of Russel
Jonston, commission’s Chairman, and Armenian and Azeri delegates
included in the commission. The subject of the discussion was the
future fate of the commission. T.Torosian didn’t exclude that the
commission will be given additional authorities in the future for the
fulfilment of the clauses of the resolution on NKR conflict adopted
at the PACE 2005 January session. At the same time, he once more
reaffirmed that the processes of Nagorno Karabakh settlement will
develop within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group and PACE will
provide the necessary atmosphere within the framework of its mandate
in order to make the future solutions admissible.
CHESS TOURNAMENT
Laura Grigorian
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Oct 10 2005
The international chess tournament in Artsakh with famous players and
grand masters is going on. Though October 7 was a day-off, some of the
grand masters played friendly games with chess fans. In Stepanakert
they had meetings at Artsakh State University, Chess Center, one of
the military units of the NKR Defense Army and the Children’s Chess
School. They had meetings in Shushi, too. The grand masters Dreyev and
Sokolov simultaneously played 20 games with the pupils of the school
(Each played 10 games). At the military unit Levon Aronyan played
10 games, Karen Asrian played 12 games in Shushi, and at the Chess
Center Victor Bologan played 10 games simultaneously. At Artsakh State
University GM Vasily Ivanchuk played 10 games with the chess fans
of the university. The games with Arkady Tovmassian and the head of
the department of physical education Michael Baghdassarian ended in
a draw. The vice rector of Artsakh State University Stepan Dadayan
gave a souvenir to V. Ivanchuk. The grand master told Azat Artsakh:
“I am in Karabakh for the first time but I am fascinated by these
wonderful highlands, as well as the people living here. Armenian
people are very hospitable and kind. I liked to be in Armenia, and
now I like Karabakh even more. My impressions from the tournament are
very bright and interesting. It is good that the people in Armenia
and Karabakh love chess. I wish there were more similar tournaments
and a larger number of famous players took part in them. I wish all
the best to the people of Karabakh, willpower to overcome economic
difficulties.” After 5 tours Ashot Anastasian is leading Group A (17th
category) with 4 points, and Sergey Grigorian (Russia) and Ervin Lami
(the Netherlands) are leading Group B (11th category) with 4 points.
WILL AMERICA WAGE A WAR AGAINST IRAN?
Azat Artsakh, Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
Oct 10 2005
The question is worrying the international community for Iran is
one of the largest exporters of oil which is getting more and more
expensive on the international markets. In case U.S. wages military
actions against Iran, the price for oil may mount to an unpredictable
level, ruining economies, even those of developed countries. However,
not everyone is worried about the growth of prices caused by war
against fundamentalist Iran. For instance, Russia, Azerbaijan and
other oil exporting countries will only benefit from this. But this
circumstance does not necessarily mean that the Baku authorities are
for applying force against their southern neighbor. On the contrary,
the president of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliev does every possible thing to
protect his country’s territory in case U.S. wages war against Iran.
And this is not accidental for besides the risk of the counterattack
of Iran there is also the inflow of refugees from South (Iranian)
Azerbaijan. Yerevan does not want war in Iran either, for in that case
the implementation of the Iranian-Armenian economic programs, including
the gas pipeline so necessary to Armenia, would be at stake. However,
the abovementioned circumstances do not worry the Americans much. A
fundamentalist country like Iran which considers the U.S. its enemy,
would never allow Washington to create a geopolitical and economic
situation which would perfectly fit into the policy of the White House
to eliminate all the obstacles on the way of establishing control on
the Near East, rich in oil resources.
There are two ways of achieving this: either by overthrowing the
power of mullahs through peaceful means, i.e. destabilization of the
situation in the country, or repeating the scenario of Iraq. The
first variant became difficult to realize due to the victory
of conservative Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi in the recent presidential
election in Iran. Consequently, the option of dealing a blow to Iran
comes forward. But the second variant is not easy either because it
first of all requires the endorsement of Europe and the countries
of the region, as well as the UN Council for Security. Without the
consent of the latter it will be difficult for Washington to attack
Iran. Consequently, the Americans should start preparing the Council
for Security. In order to persuade the international community of the
rightness of applying violence against Iran in the future there needs
to be a threat coming from this Islamic country, which will worry the
world. Possession of nuclear weapon could be such a threat. Thus,
it is possible to accuse Iran of attempts to create nuclear weapon
under the guise of the civilian nuclear program. However, at the UN
Council for Security Russia and China also have definitive votes and
are not happy with the hegemonic policies of the United States. Even
if the possibility of nuclear weapon of Iran really threatens the
humanity, Russia and China will hardly vote for the interests of the
U.S., pursuing their own hegemonic aspirations. By the way, there
was a similar situation on the eve of the war in Iraq. Therefore the
Americans neglected the UN Council for Security and dealt a blow to
Iraq, not even waiting for the approval of this organization.
However, times have changed. The policy of Bush in Iraq is criticized
in the U.S. as well, and Washington cannot neglect the UN Council for
Security, especially after the resolutions adopted during the 60th
session of the UN General Assembly. Consequently, it will take the
Americans long-lasting preparations with the adversaries of fundamental
measures against Iran. They chose the European Union and MAGATE as
instruments for exercising pressure on the international community. So
far the European Union, namely Great Britain, France and Germany, have
been negotiating with official Tehran for Iran’s nuclear programs. At
first the dialogue between the government of Iran and the European
“trio” seemed to be constructive. However, the analysts who were more
attentive had a different opinion. They thought that the European
“trio” would sooner or later bring the talks to failure, blaming Tehran
for this, for the goal of the European Union was to stop Iran’s nuclear
programs. There appeared a convenient occasion. It was the election of
conservative Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi. This reason was supported by his
speech at the UN World Summit. The message of the president of Iran
was not accepted similarly by everyone. The U.S. and the countries of
the European Union, as it could be expected, criticized the speech
of Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
said the president of Iran practically gave no reply to the concerns
of the international community about what Iran was doing in the past
15 years. In addition to this, Condoleezza Rice pointed out that the
international community shared the opinion that there is serious reason
for concern about Iran’s nuclear programs. She said Iran should be
prevented from getting technologies which might potentially lead to
creating nuclear weapon. The U.S. Secretary of State assured that at
some point the issue of Iran’s nuclear programs would be discussed
at the UN Council for Security, especially if Iran continues to
be reluctant to prove that it does not intend to develop a nuclear
weapon program under the guise of the civil nuclear program. On his
part the foreign minister of France said what he heard on that day
convinced him of the urgency of extending the Iranian issue to the
UN Council for Security. The press secretary of the British foreign
ministry expressed a similar opinion. According to him, the speech
of the Iranian president let everyone understand that he was not
going to implement the agreements signed by Iran. In the meantime,
at the 60th session of the UN General Assembly Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi
literally took an oath that Iran had no intentions to create nuclear
weapon. “Iran is an Islamic country, and Islam does not believe in
nuclear weapon,” he said. At the same time he emphasized that Iran has
an indivisible right to produce nuclear power, calling the policy of
the West towards his country as “nuclear apartheid”. The arguments of
the U.S. and the European Union that it is not necessary to produce
nuclear fuel for developing a nuclear program for generating energy,
for it can be successfully imported, Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi said
civilian use of nuclear fuel without creating a full nuclear cycle
is a pointless undertaking. And what he said was true. In fact,
Iran has a strategic nuclear program. The country plans to build
dozens of atomic power stations and produce nuclear energy by new
technologies. Therefore, Iran needs to have a complete cycle of
nuclear fuel enrichment. Otherwise, along with possessing tremendous
technological capacities, Iran is going to depend on countries,
producing nuclear fuel. However, considering the Iraqi experience,
the leaders of Iran are well-aware that if the U.S.
intends to accuse someone of something, it is pointless to try to
prove one’s innocence. Evidently, the reason for the hard words
of Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi should be looked for in New York. At the
same time, as it should have been expected, two great countries,
Russia and China, acted against extending the issue of Iran to the
UN Council for Security by the Board of MAGATE. Russia is especially
enthusiastic about defending Iran’s nuclear programs. It is easy
to understand Moscow because Russia itself is building a nuclear
power station in Iran and has a lot of opportunities to sign other
agreements with Iran. Therefore, stopping Iran’s nuclear programs
would mean economic losses for Russia. In the meantime, everything
said above is just diplomatic steps made by the West, Russia and Iran
in reference to Iran’s nuclear programs. We think Iran is considering
creating nuclear weapon to stop blackmail and threats in its address.
In Tehran they are convinced that if Pakistan and India already
possess nuclear weapons, let alone the enemy of Iran, Israel which
possesses over 450 nuclear warheads, Iran also has the right to have
nuclear weapon for the sake of its security. Otherwise even Azerbaijan
will be made to threaten its southern neighbor. As to the statements
of the Iranian leaders that Islam forbids possessing nuclear power,
soon they will insist that Iran will never be the first to use nuclear
weapon, for Islam forbids application of nuclear weapon. That is to
say, Iran will have no problem with the requirements of Islam. It is
also interesting that the speech of the president was not approved
by everyone in Iran. The former deputy of the mejlis, the member of
the reformist political party Mosharekyat, Ali Mazuri stated that
the nuclear undertaking set forward by Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi in New
York does not contain practical proposals. He thinks that general
calls and unreal slogans will not help solve arguments on Iran’s
nuclear programs. As an example of the non-practical proposals of
Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi the reformist cited the idea of setting up a UN
commission on disarmament in the Near East. The famous Iranian analyst
Ali Horram is also critical about Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi. He described
some of the proposals of the president as “projectionist”. However,
we think that these controversies are rather struggle for power in
Iran than real attitudes towards the nuclear program. Anyway, the
speech of Mahmud Ahmadi-Nedjadi at the 60th session of the UN General
Assembly produced a new situation around the “Iranian case”. And it
is not excluded that the policy of the West on Iran will become more
ardent, essentially changing the relations within the region. This
situation will not pass by Armenia and Azerbaijan though military
actions against Iran in the foreseeable future are hardly possible.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
REPORT OF ICG ENVISAGES POSSIBILITY OF GIVING NK OPPORTUNITY TO SEPARATE FROM AZERBAIJAN
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
BRUSSELS, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The International Crisis Group
published its second report on October 11. The report contains an
opinion that Nagorno Karabakh should be given an opportunity to choose
its status by a referendum, including both unification with Azerbaijan
and separation from it.
According to the proposals presented in the report, the final
status of Nagorno Karabakh should be decided at the referendum on
self-determination to be held after the return of displaced Azeris to
those parts of Nagorno Karabakh where they previously constituted the
majority and after an international conference establishes that Nagorno
Karabakh meets the international criteria for acquiring statehood,
including the proper protection of the rights of minorities.
Such an assessment will be made for the first time 5 years after the
signing of the peace agreement. The referendum will be held with
the participation of only Karabakh Armenians and Azeris and under
terms determined during negotiations chaired by OSCE and based on the
principle that the referendum results will be recognized by all sides.
BILL ON LOBBYIST ACTIVITY TO BE DISCUSSED TUESDAY IN YEREVAN
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. Bill on Lobbyist Activity is to be
discussed Tuesday in UN Yerevan Office. According to UNDP Armenian
Office, the aim of the discussion is to consider disputable issues
related to the bill through dialogue with state organizations and NGOs
as well as with interested persons. According to the press release,
the interaction between lobbyist activity and corruption mechanisms
will be discussed among other issues.
The discussion initiators are Justice and Trade Ministries, Peace
Coalition member countries, UN Development Program and UNIFEM women’s
development fund.
The press release says the bill has been worked out by Armenian
Government with UNDP support as part of Armenian poverty-elimination
and anti-corruption strategic programs.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
YOUNG ARMENIAN MUSICIANS TO HAVE CONCERTS IN MOSCOW
ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. Young Armenian musicians will have
concerts in Moscow, President of the Russian “New Names” Interregional
Charitable Foundation Iveta Voronova told journalists.
The relevant agreement was achieved during performances of young
musicians from RF in Armenia within the year of Russia in Armenia.
She reported that dates and technical issues of these concerts are
negotiated now. Professor of the Moscow Conservatory were included
in the delegation of these foundation, and they held master-classes
at musical institutions of Yerevan. Violinist Vladimir Ivanov said
that “there is some inexhaustible source of talents both in Russian
and Armenia. Many of them go abroad, but the generation of talents
continuously emerges”.
“New Names” Foundation was established in 1989 within the Russian
Foundation “Culture”, and is supported by the RF President and the RF
Government. The goals of this organization are search of new talents,
their support and assistance to their professional growth. This
organization closely cooperates with the similar organization in
Armenia, which was founded in 1990.
BERKTAY: THERE ARE FORCES IN TURKEY WHICH ARE AGAINST EU MEMBERSHIP
Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Oct 11 2005
YEREVAN, OCTOBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. There are retired
generals, extreme nationalist parties and mass media in Turkey which
are against the country’s membership to the European Union. Halil
Berktay, Professor of the History Department of the Sabanci University,
who was a participant of the NATO “Rose Roth” seminar which took
place in Yerevan, stated about this during an interview to journalists.
According to the Turk Professor, such people are too glad when
European officials speak against Turkey’s membership to the EU. “They
hope that the European Union may make a great political mistake and
demand that Turkey’s recognition of the Armenian Genocide becomes a
direct precondition for negotiations,” Berktay mentioned. According
to him, this will give an opportunity to reaction forces to say that
Europe changes rulls of the game and present such demandes to Turkey
which weren’t presented to any other country placed an order with
membership to the Union. As a result, according to Halil Berktay,
Turkey will be isolated, and an opportunity will be created for a
revenge of natioanlist forces.
“I don’t know what the final diplomatic solution of the Armenian cause
will be but it’s an important index for development of democracy for
Turkey,” the Turk historian stated. According to him, the Armenian
cause in reality is a radically Turkish cause. “The main issue is that
the Turkish society examins this issue without any outer pressure or
inner censorship,” Berktay mentioned. According to him, the Armenian
cause will just disappear in conditions of a complete democracy and
freedom in discussion of the issue in Turkey.
According to Berktay, there are very powerful inner forces in Turkey
which strike for democracy for the country really change into an
open society. Those forces particularly demand a complete freedom in
studying the Armenian cause. Mentioning that many steps have already
been taken in his country on the way to democracy, Berktay expressed
a hope that this process will be irreversible.
In his speech at the NATO seminar on the theme “Security in South
Caucasus,” Halil Berktay stated that events taken place in Ottaman
Turkey in 1915 may be qualified only as a genocide. The Turk
Profeesor, which is famous for his veiwpoint on the Armenian cause
which differs from the Government’s position, was the main organizer
of the conference on the Armenian cause held in Istanbul in September.