Month: May 2008

From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Legal, historical and cultural factors should be taken into account

PanARMENIAN.Net

Legal, historical and cultural factors should be taken
into account while resolving Karabakh problem
24.05.2008 18:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The international conference on the
20th anniversary of the Karabakh movement is called to
attract the attention of the international community
to legal settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
to reveal the obstacles in the process, the Speaker of
the NKR National Assembly said.

?The Karabakh movement aimed to prevent deportation of
the native Armenian population, to secure the right to
make choice and methods of establishing friendly
relations with all neighbors. So, the final decision
should be taken with account of legal, historical and
cultural factors,? Ashot Ghulyan said.

?The current slippage in the negotiation process and
the looming threat of deadlock speak about
misunderstanding,? he added, Novosti Armenia reports.

The conference brought together political scientists
and experts from Russia, U.S., a number of European
states, Armenia, Iran, Abkhazia, South Ossetia,
Transnistria and Nagorno Karabakh.

PanARMENIAN.Net

OSCE MG: Karabakh status in exchange for 5 regions
24.05.2008 18:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE Minsk Group feared frustration of talks and
end of the peaceful process, the MG French Co-chair Bernard Fassier
said.

-Fortunately, our fear was dispersed after meetings with the heads of
Armenia and Azerbaijan and officials from both sides. Presently, talks
are held on return of five regions forming the security belt around
Karabakh. After that, the OSCE proposes to determine Karabakh’s
status. Upon return of five regions, Karabakh is free to proceed to
status talks with Azerbaijan,- Amb. Fassier said, Bakililar.AZ
reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PanARMENIAN.Net

European structures try to avoid issues referring to
unrecognized republics
24.05.2008 18:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In their policy, European structures try to avoid
issues referring to unrecognized republics, which are situated within
the CoE borders, Armenian National Assembly Speaker said.

-Europe’s attitude is incorrect. The people living in unrecognized
states are victims of conflicts. Now, they are subjected to
discrimination on the part of European organizations, which often
forget that human rights protection is the main European value, no
matter whether people live in a recognized or unrecognized
state,-Tigran Torosian told the international conference dedicated to
the 20th anniversary of the Karabkah movement.

Cooperation between European structures and Karabakh would be useful,
according to him.

-Democratic standards have been developed for Kosovo and the condition
-first standards, then recognition- was reconsidered. However, in my
opinion meeting European standards is of utmost importance. Karabakh
is prepared to partner with Europe. So, we should be more resolute,-
Mr Torosian said.

For his part, NKR NA Speaker Ashot Ghulyan remarked that Karabakh
wishes to join a number of European and international conventions,
KarabakhOpen reports.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Does Georgia equally belong to all its citizens
regardless the nationality?

The Armenians from Georgia, who during centuries have
had their irreplaceable asset in the culture and
industry of the country, have done nothing to protect
own rights.
22.05.2008 GMT+04:00

After the declaration of independence of Georgia and a
short period of time when the head of the country was
the first President of Georgia Zviada Gamsakhurdia,
who in his term was the founder of the slogan "Georgia
– for Georgians", Tbilisi could not work out a clear
and a sequential strategy of the national policy. What
is at the moment being done by the administration of
Michael Sahakashvili is more like a game played with
the Armenian community, which will end after the
election.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ It is no secret that the Armenians
of Georgia always vote for the regime, regardless who
is being elected. Moreover, the Armenians, who are in
the Parliament, become the most fervent guides of the
politics of Michael Sahakashvili, and maybe, this is
exactly why the Deputy Van Baiburt is appointed the
advisor of the President, which, however, does not
have any positive effect on the condition of the
Armenians in Georgia, who more and more often come
across the Georgian unveiled chauvinism. This is
particularly reflected in the sphere of education,
where the teachers of the
Armenian schools, who do not speak Georgian, have no
right to work in high schools. The truth is though,
that in Javakh this law is not executed yet, but it is
only a matter of time. One more very serious problem
for Javakh is the return of Meskhet Turks. It should
be mentioned that the Georgian people call the
Meskhets Georgian, having adopted Islam.

"The return of the Meskhet Turks is fraught with
negative outcomes, first of all for those from
Tbilisi. I am sure now and I was sure 10 years ago
that the demand of the European Council about the
return of the Meskhs to Georgia will not bring to any
good. But unfortunately they will put pressure on us
in this matter," thinks the Georgian political
scientist Georgie Govsadze. The people of Javakh have
been preparing for the possible return of the Meskhs
for many years. According to the representative of the
Armenian community of Akhaltskha Lyudvig Petrosyan,
clashes were inevitable. However, the Georgian
authorities do not give permission yet for settling
the Meskhs in the regions of Samtskhe-Javakheti and
Kvemo-Kartli which are populated by the Armenian.
Kvemo-Kartli, by the way, is mostly populated by the
Azeri people, who are also against the return of the
Meskhs.

Meanwhile, on the opinion of Hrant Margaryan the
Armenian nation must use all the chances for the
recognition of the autonomy of Javakh in the
international level. "We support the fight of the
Armenian people in Javakh for the autonomy. The
response for our benevolence in this issue is the
silence of Tbilisi and the international community.
This is why it is the right time to start the fight
for self-determination with a new force," emphasized
Margaryan. This is not the first time we hear such
announcements, but they always remain purely
declarative. The silence of Georgia and Armenia in
this issue is understandable: Tbilisi thinks that it
will one day have the second Karabakh, Armenia does
not want to lose the only outlet to the world, which
passes through Georgia. Maybe this is how the
viewpoint of the Armenian authorities and the Church
regarding the appropriation of the Armenian churches
by the Georgian Orthodox Church may be explained. The
Armenian community in Georgia and in particular the
public organizations of Javakh blame Armenia for the
infringement of the rights of the Armenians in
Georgia. Maybe there is some truth in what they say.
However, there is such a notion as non-interference in
the home affairs of another country. This is the very
case. In this kind of situations both parties are to
blame. The Armenians from Georgia, who during
centuries have had their irreplaceable asset in the
culture and industry of the country, have done nothing
to protect own rights

We should have fought for "Norashen" and Khodjivank,
when the Georgian historian Bondo Arveladze started
publishing his books which stated that "not the
Georgians have appropriated the Armenian churches but
vise versa", or when the books of the history of
Georgia speak about the Armenians as if they would
speak of their worst enemy.

Coming back to the situation in Javakh, it should be
mentioned, that the Armenians of the region believe
that the Georgian authorities have secret schemes of
"rarefaction" of the Armenian region by the help of
assimilation or putting pressure on the Armenians.
However, President Saakashvili during his visit to
Javakh says that Georgia equally belongs to all its
citizens regardless the nationality.
«PanARMENIAN.Net» analytical department

POLITICAL SCIENTIST SERGEY MARKEDONOV: "IN CASE MILITARY ACTIONS IN NAGORNO KARABAKH ARE RENEWED IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR RUSSIA TO MAKE A CHOICE"

Today.Az
litics/45194.html
May 23 2008
Azerbaijan

Russia attempts to conduct diversified policy regarding Armenia
and Azerbaijan, consider Sergey Markedonov, chief of department of
problems of international relations under the Institute of Political
and Military Analysis.

"I think the choice has already been done. Azerbaijan is called the
strategic ally and Azerbaijan is strategic partner of Russia. The word
"ally" has a shade of greater closeness. By military and economic
parameters Russia is closer to Armenia", said the Russian political
scientist to journalists in Yerevan on May 23.

Markedonov noted that Azerbaijan and Russia also have common problems,
which are Daghestan border and Caspian problem, which can not be
settled without Azerbaijan.

According to him, "in case military actions in Nagorno Karabakh are
renewed, it will be difficult for Russia to decide".

"This will be a terrible situation, as Russia will need to make a
choice and I fear it will not be so correct. Of course, we would not
like to make a choice", said the political scientist.

At the same time, Markedonov noted that possibility of renewal
of military actions exists due to the active process of conflicts
unfreezing on the post-Soviet area, which is promoted by the situation
in Kosovo.
From: Baghdasarian

MONITORING OF AZERI AND NKR ARMED FORCES’ CONTACT LINE PASSED WITHOUT INCIDENTS

DeFacto Agency
May 23 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 22.05.08. DE FACTO. According to the agreement previously
achieved with the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic leadership, on May 22 the
OSCE mission held a planned monitoring of the Nagorno-Karabakh and
Azeri Armed Forces’ contact line in the vicinity of the Karakhanbeily
settlement.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the NKR MFA Press
Office, from the positions of the NKR Defense Army the observation
mission had been headed by Ambassador Andrzey Kasprzyk, Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chair-in-Office.

The monitoring passed according to the schedule. No cease-fire
violations were fixed.

MEETINGS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA IN STRASBOURG

National Assembly of RA
May 23 2008
Armenia

The President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
Mr Tigran Torosyan, being in Strasbourg within the framework of the
European Conference of Presidents of Parliaments, on May 22 met with
the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Mr Terry Davis.

Touching upon the events, which took place in Armenia at the beginning
of March, the NA President noted that they had a shocking influence on
all of us. From 1988 there have been numerous assemblies in Armenia,
but none of them had such outcome. The people’s discontent from
social situation could not be a reason for tragic events because
during the recent years it had been gradually improved, and from
January the pensions had been raised by 60%, the salaries had been
considerably increased.

The approach that the police applied force towards the peaceful
demonstrators was primitive. The shootings testify that there were not
only peaceful demonstrators, but also people armed with metallic rods
and "Molotov cocktails," grenades were used, shops were burgled and
destroyed up to a kilometer away from where the demonstrators were
assembled. The NA President highlighted the creation of the Ad-hoc
Committee of the National Assembly at the beginning of June, according
to the PACE 1609 resolution, and the studies to which should give
answers to other questions. The NA President said that in the National
Assembly a working group had already been set up in order to improve
the electoral process, as well as work was underway for the improvement
of the law On Radio and Television in order to define the procedure of
the election of the committee members of the national committee. It
was also noted that the draft law On Making Meetings, Assemblies,
Rallies and Demonstrations, which enjoyed the approval of the Venice
Commission, had been adopted in the first reading. And at the four-day
sittings in June the draft law would be adopted in the second reading,
being fully complied it with European standards. Touching upon the
PACE 1601 resolution, the NA President noted that the authorities
of the opposition had already been provided with the content of 21
clauses from 27 abovementioned. The 3-4 clauses would be created by the
amendment of the NA Rules of Procedure. Regarding the detained persons
the NA President noted that the following approach had been adopted:
everybody should be punished unreservedly, and nobody should be
persecuted for the expression of his/her political views or position.

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe Mr Terry Davis thanked
for the support and full information given to Ms Boer-Buquicchio
during her visit to Armenia. The CE Secretary General agreed that
those who committed grievous crime should be certainly punished, and
nobody should be persecuted for his/her political views. Mr Davis
welcomed the creation of the committee for the study of the March
events and at the same time noted that the committee could not become
the only responsible body regarding the disclosure of the reasons of
what happened. In particular, the investigation of the case by the
law enforcement bodies is very important, as well as disclosing the
reasons of the death of every victim and punishing those guilty. Mr
Davis also welcomed the other steps undertaken for the fulfillment
of the 1609 resolution.

Mr Tigran Torosyan also met with the President of the House of
Representatives of Cyprus Mr Marios Garoyian. The NA President
congratulated him on the occasion of his election to high post and
expressed confidence that the friendly and effective relations of
the two countries and parliaments had very good prospects of further
development. The NA President noted that besides the issues of
bilateral interest the Cyprus’ membership of the European Union had
opened new prospects for expanding cooperation. Moreover, that the
European integration is the priority of the foreign policy. In that
aspect, the study of the Cypriot experience was highlighted. Within the
framework of deepening the inter-parliamentary relations Mr Torosyan
invited his colleague from Cyprus to Armenia on an official visit.

The President of the House of Representatives of Cyprus Mr Marios
Garoyian expressed confidence that the constructive dialogue between
two countries would deepen. In his assessment, the two countries
have common concerns and interests. Mentioning about his Armenian
roots Mr Garoyian noted that they would assist to the development of
the relations.

At the meeting the sides also touched upon the cooperation in
international structures. The issue of the possibility of the
inter-party cooperation was also discussed. Accepting the invitation
of the NA President to visit Armenia Mr Garoyian noted that they would
gladly expect the President of the parliament of the friendly country.

During the meeting other issues of mutual interest were also discussed.

NKR PRESIDENT ANTICIPATES SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR KARABAKH SETTLEMENT FROM CONFERENCE’S PARTICIPANTS

DeFacto Agency
May 23 2008
Armenia

STEPANAKERT, 23.05.08. DE FACTO. The international conference entitled
"Karabakh Movement: Realities and Perspectives" devoted to the
movement’s 20th anniversary started in Stepanakert today.

The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President delivered welcoming address
to the conference’s participants. He mentioned peculiar significance
and urgency of the issues referring to the current process and
perspectives of settlement of the Karabakh conflict, as well as of
other ethno political conflicts on the post Soviet territory to be
discussed at the conference.

"The discussions of the issues under current complicated geopolitical
conditions should imply not just consideration of the real situation in
the process of settlement of conflicts, in part, the Nagorno-Karabakh
one. I believe the conference should elaborate specific theoretical
and practical recommendations for the Karabakh conflict settlement
taking into consideration current realties, as well as historical and
legal grounds for the establishment of NKR’s independent statehood,
modern tendencies of international law’s development", the NKR
President underscored.

Bako Sahakian expressed hope that during the process of constructive
exchange of opinion the conference’s participants would put forward
interesting ideas and initiatives. "The conference should find
its continuation in practical activity of the representatives of
corresponding state structures, scientific and expert communities, as
well as of all those, who are sincerely interested in the settlement
of the Karabakh conflict and establishment of stable and long-lasting
peace in our region", the NKR President stated.

The representatives of political, scientific and expert circles
from Russia, the U. S., Germany, Greece, Belgium, Iran and Armenia,
as well as those representing non-recognized republics of Abkhazia,
South Ossetia and Transnistria participate in the conference.

NKR PRESIDENT HELD MEETING WITH FOREIGN EXPERTS

DeFacto Agency
May 23 2008
Armenia

YEREVAN, 22.05.08. DE FACTO. On May 21 the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
President Bako Sahakian received Alexander Shaverdov, editor-in-chief
of the Military Diplomat international monthly, and Raisa Vardanian,
an expert of the International Academy for European Research.

According to the Central Department of Information under the NKR
President, in the course of the meeting the interlocutors discussed
current stage and perspectives of the Karabakh talks and a number
of issues referring to the Nagorno-Karabakh’s regional security and
internal life.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKEY & ARMENIA : PROMISE AMID DISCORD
Diba Nigar Göksel

Turquie Européenn
http://www.turquieeuropeenne. eu/article2788.html
May 23 2008
France

An inspiring conference on Turkey-Armenia relations was held in Yerevan
this past Tuesday. At the end of the event, which was organized by
the Yerevan-based Analytical Center on Globalization and Regional
Cooperation, and supported by the Eurasia Partnership Foundation and
USAID, a number of students among the audience took the microphone
kindly asking that their "elders" guide them in making a difference
in the relationship. Thirty young students were motivated to give me
their email addresses with hopes that I could link them with Turkish
counterparts upon my return to Istanbul.

The conference witnessed a clash of opinions between Amberin Zaman,
Turkey Correspondent of the Economist, and Chairman of the Liberal
Democrat Party in Turkey Cem Toker, about Turkey’s domestic trends. By
evening, the debate had made its way to the Armenian press under
the title "TURKISH POLITICIAN AND JOURNALIST HOLD A HEATED DEBATE" –
where the discussions were labeled "surprisingly frank." Armenians were
amazed to see Turks arguing with each other in Yerevan. "We imagine
Turkey as one very unified bloc – in fact not only unified within
its borders, but with the entire Turkic world," a young Armenian man
admitted hours after the conference.

Shaken concept of the Turk Despite deep and undenied differences,
there were certain points all conference discussants agreed upon :
only if a country has a strong democracy can ideas of reconciliation
spread and effect policy. Unless we challenge some of the common
wisdoms and obtain the knowledge necessary to form informed opinions,
we will be susceptible to the provocations of nationalist and populist
forces. In terms of bilateral relations, both the genocide resolutions
in third countries pursued by the Armenian diaspora and the policy of
keeping the Turkish border closed seems not to have served intended
purposes – perhaps they have backfired ; There is a lack of clarity
and a gap between declarations and practice on both sides.

It also seemed hopeful that the sides could move closer to a shared
view of history, as long as they set reasonable expectations. Whether
ultimately a plurality of ideas about history can be lived with or
whether a shared version needs to be achieved was left inconclusive.

As the end of the conference neared, one young man expressed the joy he
felt in having his conception of the Turk shaken through this event. He
was warned, with humor, that there are many different Turks just like
there are many different Armenians – naturally. The young Armenian,
like most others, had never met a Turk before, he was in his mid 20s.

Armenia’s turmoil Armenia is undergoing deep domestic turmoil,
especially heightened since March. There are close to 100 opposition
members jailed. Every public institution is internally divided in
terms of political camps. Political apathy has been replaced, among
many young and well-organized people, by a drive to shift political
dynamics through momentum. More people are questioning what they took
for granted or felt powerless in the face of. Economic hardships are
also instrumental in this restlessness. No matter what the result
of these particular crises, there is change in Armenian society and
the need to restore legitimacy will in some form or another effect
politics, eventually. Though very limited, there are already signs of
"fresh professionalism," as cautiously indicated in a recent article
by a well-known analyst, Richard Giragosian.

I was as proud of Turkey as I have ever been when I was able to respond
with a confident "no" to a young Armenian woman who asked if we would
be penalized when we returned to Turkey, for disagreeing with certain
policies, past and present. There are, to be sure, still limitations
on freedom of speech, but not like as it was in the past.

Sometimes it takes a trip eastward to appreciate how far Turkey has
traveled and the untapped potential it has for more influence. A pity
that Turkey is so consumed with its own internal conflicts.

Diba Nigar Göksel is a senior analyst at the European Stability
Initiative () and editor-in-chief of Turkish Policy
Quarterly (TPQ).

–Boundary_(ID_PO0qA6QLUHCP7Fwf74ZZpQ)–

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress