Month: August 2008

AZERBAIJAN THINKS THE US COULD START THE WAR WITH IRAN WITHIN THREE DAYS

Azerbaijan Business Center
Aug 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The conference of the Center of Politic
Innovations and Technologies devoted to the Situation around
Regulation of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Occurred after Russia
Recognized the Independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia was held
today in Baku. During the conference it was touched a question of
possibly supposed military actions between the US and Iran.

The Center’s Head Mubariz Ahmadoglu said the US might attack Iran in
the nearest future.

"The US is the first country that could invade a sovereign country
with no suitable decision made by the UN. Now it is discussed the
beginning of the war between the US and Iran to be prepared by
the first country. Let’s suggest that within three days (before
the Islamic Ramazan Holiday) the US would start military actions
in Iran. One exclusion is possible: that might occur in case the
situation around South Ossetia and Abkhazia has not spoiled the US
plans," M.Ahmadoglu said.

The Ramazan celebrations will start on September 1.

AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT THINK ARMENIA WOULD RECOGNIZE THE INDEPENDENCE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH BASED ON THE EXAMPLE WITH SOUTH OSSETIA AND ABKHAZIA

Azerbaijan Business Center
Aug 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. The conference of the Center of Politic
Innovations and Technologies devoted to the Situation around Regulation
of Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict Occurred after Russia Recognized the
Independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia was held today in Baku.

The Center’s Head Mubariz Ahmadoglu said as we watched the situation
around South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Armenians want to show that the
solution of South Ossetia and Abkhazia fully depends on them, but
that is not true.

"Armenians would like to create a similar model for Nagorno-Karabakh,
but against the background of South Ossetia and Abkhazia they will not
declare the independence of Karabakh. The key country for solution of
the -Karabakh conflict is Turkey. Armenia needs either to restore the
direct relations with Russia that is possible only through Azerbaijan
provided that Nagorno-Karabakh returns, or to open the borders with
Turkey that also requires to return the occupied lands as Turkey
would demand that first of all," M.Ahmadoglu said.

AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH BELIEVES RUSSIA NOT TO RECOGNIZE INDEPENDENCE OF SEPARATIST REGION

Trend News Agency
Aug 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 28 August/ TrendNews, corr I. Alizade/ The
Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh believes that Russia is
not likely to recognize independence of separatist structure in
Nagorno-Karabakh.

"Official Moscow can not recognize independence of Nagorno-Karabakh
separatists on government level and no Russian non-governmental
organizations will support them," Nizami Bahmanov, head of Azerbaijani
Community said to TrendNews.

On 26 August, Russia recognized independence of break-away Abkhazia and
South Ossetia regions of Georgia. The non-governmental organizations
of Armenia have appealed the government to recognize independence
of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijan’s lands including
Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding seven regions. The occupation began
in 1988. Azerbaijan lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and
Khojali, in December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied
Shusha, Khojali and Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In
1994, Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which
time the active hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk
Group ( Russia, France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful,
but fruitless negotiations.

Bahmanov said Azerbaijan can be compared with neither with Armenia nor
Georgia. Azerbaijan has certain weight in the region and Azerbaijan’s
relations with Russia are only developing thanks to the balanced
foreign policy of president.

" Russia can not take the same steps toward Azerbaijan as in case
of Georgia. Armenians want to take advantage of situation around
Abkhazia and South Ossetia. If they appeal Russia, their appeal will
be rejected unambiguously. The conflicts in Georgia and problems in
Nagorno-Karabakh are not similar. There is fact of occupation involved
and Armenia occupied Azerbaijan’s lands during Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict," Bahmanov said.

Head of the Community also stated that all steps taken by Armenia
concerning Nagorno-Karabakh contradicts international principles. If
Armenia recognizes independence of Nagorno-Karabakh separatists,
it will not yield any results, he said.

The Azerbaijani Community of Nagorno-Karabakh does not need to appeal
parliaments of other states to recognize Armenia as an occupier,
he said.

"Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the focus of attention of world community
and UN, Council of Europe and OSCE have passed resolutions and
decisions on this issue and have recognized Armenia as occupier. Their
decisions must be fulfilled and we must demand it as well," Bahmanov
said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

YURI SHEDRIN: "AZERBAIJAN IS, UNDOUBTEDLY, RUSSIA’S MAIN PARTNER IN THE REGION"

Today.Az
siness/47254.html
Aug 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Yuri Shedrin, head of Russia’s trade
representation in Azerbaijan.

– Do you think the situation, established in Georgian-Russian
relations, will influence Russia’s economic presence in the South
Caucasus? Will the Russian side focus on the trade and economic
cooperation with Azerbaijan and Armenia? If yes, in which spheres
will it concentrate this cooperation?

– The trade representation can not analyze the political situation in
the world. As regards Russia’s presence in the South Caucasus region,
Azerbaijan is, undoubtedly, its main partner with its trade turnover
exceeding this trade indicator with Georgia and Armenia by 1.4 times
altogether. I consider it unfounded to worsen our bilateral trade and
economic relations for the further perspective. Moreover, I hope for
significant progress in mutually profitable investment cooperation.

– How did the July visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to
Azerbaijan influence the development of economic relations between
Russia and Azerbaijan? Have you noticed any progress as regards the
unsettled issues?

– First I all, I would like to note that Azerbaijan was one of
the first foreign countries, which President of Russia Medvedev
visited. This proves the external political priorities of our country.

The process and results of the visit were covered by the mass media
in details. Therefore, without boring you with details, I would
like to state with confidence that the talks on the high level,
conducted in friendly and constructive environment, signing of a
joint declaration on friendship and strategic partnership, as well
as a number of other bilateral documents will be a new stimulus for
the Russian-Azerbaijani cooperation, including in trade and economic
sector. It is not by accident that the official Russian delegation
included the minister of energy, heads of federal departments of the
economic bloc and such big companies, as Lukoil, Gazprom, Transneft,
Russian railroads, Vneshtorgbank, heads of frontier subjects of Russia.

I suppose that in the near future we will witness implementation
of joint and regional projects in the sphere of energy, industry,
transport and others. This, as well as indicators of the trade turnover
between our countries in the first half of this year ($1,042 bln),
allow to propose the execution of the task, set by Medvedev for
hitting the 2 bln limit in mutual trade by the end of the year.

– What can you say about the coordination of the document on mutual
protection and encouragement of investments and can it be possibly
signed during the next session of the intergovernmental commission
on economic cooperation between Russia and Azerbaijan? Russian mass
media have spread information that the reason of the failure to agree
was Russia’s demand of more privileged conditions of support of its
investments. Is it true?

– Unfortunately, there have been no significant progress at the talks
on the draft intergovernmental agreement on encouragement and mutual
protection of investments. The main cause is again the differences
between the parties on the order and terms of effectiveness of the
said document. I consider the thoughts about any other demands of the
Russian side on this issue to be false. Naturally, we would like this
agreement to be signed by the end of this year, which would allow
bringing our investment cooperation to quite a new level.

– Have the terms and site for conduction of the next session of the
commission been defined yet?

– I hope that the next 12th session of the intergovernmental commission
will be held in Q3 of this year in Baku, as fixed in the protocol
of the next session of the commission. The final decision on this
issue will be passed by the commission co-chairs, including Russian
Energy Minister Shmatko and first deputy Premier of Azerbaijan Eyubov,
who are maintaining a constructive dialogue.

– What do you think are the most urgent aspects of bilateral relations,
to be discussed at the session?

– As a rule, during the sessions the commission discusses a wide
range of issues of our cooperation in the economic, scientific and
technical and humanitarian spheres. The recent 11th session of the
commission, which considered about 30 different issues, was not an
exception. Their implementation is under constant control of the
national secretariats of the commission and, certainly, the trade
representation, in the framework of its powers. I suppose that in
the conceptual plan, the next session will primarily consider issues
of implementation of well-known agreements, attained during the July
visit of Russian President to Baku.

It is planning to ratify the corrected measures to the program of a
long-term economic cooperation for period until 2010, hear reports
of the heads of the joint work group, created for assessment of
the technical state of a bridge via the Samur river. Certainly, the
sides will also discuss execution of agreements in different economic
spheres, in the sphere of regional and frontier cooperation, as well
as humanitarian sector. I hope that serious attention will be paid
to the further development of the contract basis of the bilateral
cooperation and other measures, aimed to create favorable conditions
for the interaction of the business circles of the two countries.

– Which steps are taken to intensify the operation of control
checkpoints at the Russian-Azerbaijani border?

– The question is urgent enough, as a car checkpoint on the
Russian-Azerbaijani border is too narrow for conducting of the growing
volumes of mutual cargo and passenger transportations. The motor bridge
via the Samur river is in a disastrous state. In line with the decision
of the commission, a joint commission was created in February of this
year to examine its technical state and develop due decisions. The
members of the commission, led by deputy Foreign Ministries of Russia
and Azerbaijan, visited the spot in May of this year and they will
soon present their recommendations. It is important that during the
visit of Russian President Medvedev to Baku the customs services
of Russia and Azerbaijan signed an agreement on cooperation in the
sphere of combat with customs crimes. I hope that while fulfilling
the resolutions of the 11th session of the commission, the frontier
and customs services will take all measures for improvement of the
operation of border checkpoints with participation of the Transport
Ministers of both countries.

– Are Russian officials or business circle representatives expected
to visit Azerbaijan?

– A delegation of Astrakhan, led by chairman of the government
Markelov, intends to visit Azerbaijan soon. In turn, the organizers
of the Azerbaijan-Turkmen conference on problems of economy, energy
and ecology, to be held in Baku in early September of this year,
have invited the concerned Russian business circles, including those,
representing the Caspian littoral subjects of Russia, to attend the
conference. The number of mutual contacts in the framework of business
partnership is endless.

– Are there any preliminary agreements regarding spheres of cooperation
between Azerbaijan and Astrakhan? Do you know which Russian companies
will attend the conference, organized by Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan?

– First of all, during the visit it is planning to discuss the
implementation of an intergovernmental agreement on trade and
economic, scientific and technical and cultural cooperation, signed
in 2004. The development of bilateral partner relations in the sphere
of shipbuilding, marine and air transportations, trade, restoration
of biological resources of the Caspian Sea, education, science and
culture is an urgent question. Representatives of 11 leading Russian
companies, engaged in exploration, production and transportation of
Caspian hydrocarbons, have been invited to attend the the conference,
organized by Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan.

– How is the problem of deficit of stable communication between
Azerbaijan and Russia’s regions (for example, absence of a ferry and
direct air communication between Astrakhan and Baku) settled?

– There is no special deficit of transport communication between
Russian regions and Azerbaijan. They are connected with numerous
railway, motor and aviation routes. For example, the Nalchik-Baku
air transportations will start operating soon. I suppose that during
Markelov’s visit to Azerbaijan, the sides will reach an agreement
on opening of a direct air flight between Astrakhan and Baku and
organization of ferry transportations between the ports of Baku and
Olya (Astrakhan).

IRAN TO EXPORT GAS TO ARMENIA BY OCT. 1ST

Tehran Times
Aug 28 2008
Iran

TEHRAN — Due to latest negotiations, Iran will start gas exports to
Armenia by Oct. 1st, head of the gas export operation office of the
National Iranian Gas Company (NIOC) said here on Wednesday.

"Last week Iran and Armenia held talks and studied the problems of
Iranian gas transfer to Armenia. During this negotiations Yerevan
declared its readiness to receive Iranian gas and export its
electricity to Iran," Rasoul Salmani added, PIN reported.

"Iran plans to annually export some 1.1 billion cubic meters of gas
to Armenia. In the first phase Iran will export less volume to Armenia
but will increase the export volume gradually," he explained.

"Iran will annually import 3.3 billion kw/h of electricity from
Armenia," Rasuli stated while adding that Armenia has not yet decided
about the export volume in the first phase.

The 100km Iranian section runs from Tabriz to the Iran-Armenia
border. The Armenian section runs from Meghri region to Sardarian.

Iran is expected to supply all of Armenia’s gas needs within the next
two years. The total outlay for the pipeline is about $28.2 million

PUBLIC ASSOCIATIONS OF AZERBAIJAN RELEASE STATEMENT REGARDING RECOGNITION OF SEPARATIST FORMATIONS "ABKHAZIA" AND "SOUTH OSSETIA" BY RUSSIA

Today.Az
/47251.html
Aug 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Public associations of Azerbaijan have released a statement regarding
recognition of separatist formations "Abkhazia" and "South Ossetia"
by Russia.

The statement fixes resentment and deep concern over the information
about recognition of independence of separatist formations "Abkhazia"
and "South Ossetia" by Russia, which occurred after the Georgian
population was expelled from these territories and after Russia’s
open military aggression against sovereign Georgia.

The public associations of Azerbaijan regarded this step of Russian
powers as a culmination of the consistently executed plan on
annexation of a part of the territories of the former USSR states,
which refused to fall under the Russian dictatorship and chose the
way of independence and integration to the democratic world society.

"The Russian powers explain their actions with the erosion of the
international law, which was a a result of events in the Balkans, but
we all have been witnesses that Russia has initiated and maintained
the separatist conflicts along the whole perimeter of its borders
since the very moment of USSR collapse.

By recognition of independence of separatist Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, the Russian government has caused a great damage, primarily,
to its deceived people, who, instead of hard work and real state
reforms, are offered the receipts of success, taken from these dark
times, when happiness of some people were built on the enslavement
of others", says the statement.

According to it, after the events in Georgia none of the former USSR
states will feel safe near a country, openly declaring the intentions
to give bloody lessons to those of us, who have disobeyed the Kremlin.

"But the most tragic thing is that by its actions Russia has set the
world to a verge of a new cold war, which will exhaust the planet,
taking in the resources of the world countries, which are critical
for settling the growing problems of the global development".

The public associations of Azerbaijan called on the Russian government
to stop aggression against sovereign Georgia and to disavow the
destructive imperialistic ambitions on enslaving its neighbors and
to take steps to restore such eternal values as hard creative labor
and cooperation between people and nations in the country.

They also called on the governments of the democratic countries and
goodwill persons throughout the world, to support Georgia’s struggle
for its sovereignty.

"We call on the Azerbaijani government to provide necessary support
to Georgia in this hard moment. We also call on the Azerbaijani
government not to yield to blackmail and threats from the side of the
imperialistic circles of Russia and to continue developing the economic
and political cooperation with the democratic world society. We
would like to draw attention of the Azerbaijani government to the
fact that Russia’s attempt to annex Georgia’s lands makes Russia’s
participation, as a neutral arbiter, in the peacekeeping process on
the Karabakh conflict impossible".

The public associations also called on the Azerbaijani civil society to
provide possible information support to Georgia’s resistance to Russian
aggression and take an active part in the collection of financial
means for the Georgian civilians, who fell victims of this aggression.

"We believe that the era of imperialistic wars and annexations has
passed, giving place to the goodwill mutually profitable cooperation,
which will help settle the problems between people and countries
without a lie or violence".

The statement was undersigned by 31 representatives of the public
associations of Azerbaijan.

ARMENIA PRESIDENT HOPES FOR IMPROVEMENT OF RELATIONS WITH TURKEY

ARKA
Aug 28, 2008

YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. Armenian President Serge Sargsyan
reiterated invitation to his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul for
FIFA qualifier between Armenian and Turkish nationals in Yerevan.

In an interview with Radical Newspaper, Sargsyan said that he attaches
great importance to Gul’s visit, especially taking into account the
lack of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the closed
border, RIA Novosti reports.

Asked whether he believes that closed talks with Turkey can produce
effect, said "he wouldn’t welcome them, if didn’t hope".

Sargsyan said that recent developments give grounds for thinking that
the two nations’ leaders are preparing important decisions.

"These will be uneasy decisions, and they won’t get full approval in
Armenia and Turkey. But I think that good decisions will be supported
by the majority in both countries", the Armenian president said.

He said he doesn’t view Armenian Genocide recognition by Ankara as
necessary condition for establishing diplomatic ties between the
two countries.

The Turkish president is still thinking over the invitation.

He said he hasn’t made final decision yet.

"We are considering the matter – whether this visit will be useful
or not", Gul said in his interview to Turkish NTV TV Company.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RING INVOLVED IN COUNTERFEIT PLASTIC CARD TRANSACTIONS DETECTED IN ARMENIA

ARKA
Aug 28, 2008

YEREVAN, August 28. /ARKA/. Armenia’s National Security Service
detained an international criminal ring involving three Romanians and
a Latvian, the Press Center of the National Security Council reported.

In August the group cashed about 263,000 U.S. dollars with counterfeit
plastic cards through ATMs of branches of VTB (Armenia), Anelik,
Unibank and Conversbank in Yerevan and the regions of Armenia, the
Press Center reported.

The National Security Service found 160 counterfeit plastic cards,
a lot of foreign currency and Armenian Drams in hotel rooms of the
group members, says the report. Counterfeit transactions were effected
through bank accounts of clients of Barclays British bank.

According to the report, efforts are made, together with the Interpol
and other international organizations, to completely detect the
criminal activities of the group. Most probably the group ran also
in a number of foreign countries, the report says.

THE WORLD IS NO MORE UNI-POLAR
Gevorg Harutyunyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
28 Aug 2008
Armenia

Political Scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan touched upon the
geopolitical changes after Russia’s recognition of the independence
of Abkhazia and South Osatia.

By building his commentaries on the exclusive bases of giving peaceful
settlement to Artsakh issue, the political scientist considered it
not very consistent that by now Yerevan didn’t follow Russia’s example.

"It is the territory of CIS, our region, it is not Indonesia or
Eastern Europe. The developments take place in South Caucasus, and
the destinies of South Osatia, Abkhasia and Artsakh are similar. The
world is not to blame for the fact that Artsakh issue is observed as an
outlying conflict. It is a consequence of the bad diplomacy of Armenia
and Nagorno Karabakh." This is how the speaker clarified his stance.

Levon Melik Shahnazaryan reminded that Artsakh is the first in the
territory of the Soviet Union to announce about its decision to
choose the direction of sovereignty and the only one that managed to
defend itself from aggression. "Today Artsakh is undoubtedly the most
democratic state in the region and, unlike Abkhazia and South Osatia
it has proved, that it is able to maintain its independence. Thus
our foreign policy needs very serious corrections, especially because
Azerbaijan is our opponent, which is able to represent his importance
to the world. In the created situation I expect more decisive and
serious steps.

The political scientist considered it necessary for Armenia and
Azerbaijan to sign inter-state agreements, recording the fact
of cooperation in the military, political, social and economic
spheres. After this Armenia must recognize the independence of Artsakh,
and call all the other states to follow its example.

To avoid the accusations of pursuing double standard policy we must
respond to the appeal of the President of the Russian Federation to
recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Osatia. "These two
states have all the legal grounds to be independent. And, by the way,
more than Kosovo. If we don’t do so we will lose our chance to blame
any other country that will refuse to recognize the independence of
Artsakh, based on its interests," the speaker added.

Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan underscored the possibility of certain
negotiations, as a result of which Armenia will recognize the
independence of South Osatia and Abkhazia and the Russian Federation
will recognize the independence of Artsakh. "The recognized country is
protected by the international law. It is a guarantee of security. And
Artsakh can get this guarantee if we manage to hold the negotiations
with right diplomacy.

And our relations with Georgia will never be bad in case Georgia
doesn’t announce a war against20Armenia. But it will be the beginning
of Georgia’s end. Turkey can also recognize the independence of
Abkhazia, because they consider this territory one of its states,"
the political scientist said.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY WELCOMES

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
28 Aug 2008
Armenia

The NKR Foreign Minister yesterday made a statement welcoming the
recognition of the independence of South Osetia and Abkhazia. The
statement runs as follows, "The Nagorno Karabakh Republic welcomes the
recognition of the state independence of South Osetia and Abkhazia. It
is in full compliance with the fundamental principles of the nations’
right to self-determination and international law, principles that
are enshrined in the fundamental documents and legal acts of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the United
Nations and other international organizations.

We have warned many times that the threats of using force, the
excessive increase of the military potential and the aspiration of
solving problems in one’s own favor by the use of arms are fraught
with humanitarian disasters.

We strongly hope that all the forces interested in establishing
peace in the region will draw relevant conclusions from the recent
developments in South Caucasus and undertake practical steps towards
solving the existing problems exclusively by peaceful methods and
re-establishing peace in the region."