Month: September 2008

TDN: GUL PREPARING TO GO TO YEREVAN WITH HOPES OF BREAKTHROUGH IN FROZEN RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.09.2008 19:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish President Abdullah Gul is preparing to go
to Yerevan with hopes of a breakthrough in frozen relations with
Armenia. The two countries have no official diplomatic ties, and
whether the visit will open the way to a normalization of relations,
depends on how the Turkish President is received in Yerevan, Barcin
Yinanc writes in her article in the Turkish Daily News.

"Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation to watch the football
game on Saturday was a gesture of good-will, rather than part of
a careful strategy, in the eyes of Turkish officials. However,
making a cost-benefit analysis of whether to go or not, is based on
strategic interests rather than good-will alone, as far as Ankara is
concerned. "Saying no would mean that Turkey is closed to dialogue. It
would create the image that it cannot even tolerate an initiative
based on a humanitarian framework like football," said a high-level
Turkish official. The Turkish government also believes that Armenia
wants to improve its relations with Turkey and seeks progress in
secret direct-talks, initiated after Sargsyan’s election as president
last April.

The recent tension in the Caucasus is an additional reason for
Gul’s likely acceptance of the invitation. The fact that Russia has
increased its area of maneuverability in the region has prompted
Turkey to propose a new regional mechanism; the Caucasian Stability
and Co-operation Pact. With this initiative, Turkey believes that it
assumes a role on an equal standing with Russia, which has become more
and more assertive in the region. The absence of dialogue with Armenia
would have dealt a serious blow to the credibility and efficiency of
the initiative.

But more importantly, the visit, if it takes place, might bring
a significant change in Turkey’s policy of isolating Armenia. The
Turkish decision-makers seem to have come to the conclusion that
isolating Armenia through exclusion from multi-regional co-operation
schemes, like the energy corridors, has pushed Armenia into the hands
of the Russians. In the recent course of events Turkey is keen to
avoid polarization, with Russia and Armenia on one side, Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Georgia on the other.

The talks between the two presidents might change the course of
relations between the two countries. If Gul goes to Yerevan, no
doubt he will not just talk about the performance of the players
during the game. Certainly he will first talk about Turkey’s regional
initiative. Next on the agenda will be the future of direct talks. The
two might then also talk about the issue of Nargorno Karabakh

"The visit to Yerevan should not be perceived as a change in our
policy towards Nagorno Karabakh or Azerbaijan," said a Turkish
official. Although Azerbaijan is not happy about the visit, it has
nevertheless never told the Turkish side not to go, according to the
same official," the article says.

AZERI YOUTH AGAISNT GUL’S VISIT

AZG Armenian Daily
04/09/2008

Armenia-Azerbaijan-Turkey

The World Congress of Azeri Youth protests against the Visit of
Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Yerevan, Armenia.

According to the official statement of the organization, the possible
visit will seriously affect the relations between Azerbaijan and
Turkey. "The Government of Turkey shall stand back from a number
of steps, taken under the pressure of certain foreign states and
the Armenian Lobby, and assume a principal position," says the
organization’s message.

"STABILITY OF CAUCASUS IS IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNTRIES OF THE REGION"

AZG Armenian Daily
04/09/2008

Regional

"The stability and security of Caucasus is of vital importance to all
countries of the region", said Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babajan
in a press conference after the negotiations in Istanbul with the
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

"The situation in Caucasus was one of the main topics of our talks. It
is necessary to contribute to guaranteeing of stability and security
in the region. It is a matter of vital importance to all the countries
in the region", mentioned Babajan

The Turkish Minister reaffirmed Ankara’s position on Georgia-South
Ossetia conflict. "The principals of Georgian territorial integrity
and sovereignty are fundamental to us. The available problems should be
solved in the framework of the international law. Armed confrontation
should not be allowed", announced Babajan adding that Lavrov and
he have also discussed the issue of creation of a "Stability and
cooperation platform in Caucasus".

GUL AND SARKISSIAN HAVE MUCH TO TALK ABOUT

A1+
[06:48 pm] 03 September, 2008

On September 3 Serzh Sarkissian received Unal Chevikyoz, the special
envoy of the President of Turkey Abdullah Gul.

The parties spoke of President Abdullah Gul’s forthcoming visit to
Armenia to watch the football match to be held between the national
teams of Armenia and Turkey on September 6. Assessing the visit of the
special envoy of the neighbouring country as positive, Serzh Sarkissian
said it provides an opportunity to speak about the normalization of
bilateral relations, exchange views on regional developments and
problems. According to the Armenian President, the events in the
Caucasus that worry the whole world require great responsibility and
pose serious problems and tasks.

The interlocutors discussed Turkey’s initiative of forming a
Stability and Cooperation Platform in the Caucasus. Noting that
Turkey’s President has undertaken a hard but important task,
President Sarkissian said he stands for speaking and discussing any
issue. "Armenia has always welcomed all the efforts targeted at the
reinforcement of trust in the region, deepening stability, security
and cooperation," the President underlined.

OSTRICH’S POLICY IS NOT HELPFUL

A1+
[07:59 pm] 03 September, 2008

There was a moment when the Armenian leadership tried to follow
an ostrich’s policy. When the situation tensed in the region our
authorities were enjoying their holiday in Beijing," representative
of the Armenian National Congress Levon Zurabian said to A1+.

During yesterday’s Medvedev-Sarkissian meeting it became known that
Armenia is to express its stance on the recent tragic events in South
Ossetia in two days.

"Obviously, we cannot avoid sharing our stance under the given
situation. Somehow, the current situation is determined by the
indecision and inflexibility evinced at the first phase of the
conflict."

The situation was to be controlled, negotiations were to be conducted
with the conflicting sides and a solution acceptable for Armenia was
to be found in good time," notes Mr. Zurabian.

Zurabian says it is difficult to maintain good relations with Russia
and the West at a time although it would be the best solution.

"Naturally, Russia poses certain demands to its allies. Unfortunately,
it is too difficult to say how Armenia should behave under the given
situation as much depends on Russia’s demands. We do not possess
enough information to draw conclusions.

Apparently, the Armenian delegates are in a plight and they need to
adopt a flexible policy to come out of this painful situation".

Asked shouldn’t Armenia seize the opportunity and raise the issue
of the recognition of NKR independence by the Russian Federation,
Levon Zurabian said: "Such issues should be viewed only in case one
faces a real opportunity. Anyway, Armenia should somehow remind about
Karabakh otherwise the country will remain behind the times and new
developments."

Our three neighbouring unrecognized countries have been collaborating
for many years. The Nagorno Karabakh Republic was also proposed
partnership in the given format but the latter refused. Would the
Russian Federation recognise the NKR independence if Karabakh joined
in the format?

Levon Zurabian said in this context: "I don’t think Russia is ready
to recognise Karabakh’s independence today even if Karabakh joined
in the format. Today, Russia has problems with Georgia and wouldn’t
like to come into conflict with Azerbaijan. Therefore, I don’t think
Karabakh has made a fatal mistake in this case."

With regard to Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Armenia Levon
Zurabian said: At first sight the visit may sound as a PR-action for
the two sides. "Let’s hope for the best."

AVETIK ISAHAKIAN ELECTED DIRECTOR OF LITERATURE INSTITUTE

A1+
[03:45 pm] 03 September, 2008

During today’s sitting the presidency of the National academy of
Sciences of the Republic of Armenia elected the Directors of the Art
and Literature Institutes, reports the Press Service of the National
Academy of Sciences.

Honored Art Worker, PhD, Professor Ararat Aghasyan was unanimously
reelected the Director of the Institute of Art.

Doctor of Philology, Professor Avetik (Avik) Isahakyan was also
unanimously reelected Director of the Institute of Literature after
Mher Abeghyan.

H. DEMOYAN: WE HAVE NO TIME

Panorama.am
16:41 03/09/2008

"Present Turkey will not recognize Armenian Genocide. There are
too many obstacles for it now, because Turkish society experiences
a real dangerous process of memorizing and reviewing of its history
and national identity," the director of Museum Institute of Genocide
Hayk Demoyan said at the press conference.

"They made the problem of genocide a wrong and low quality measure of
self-opposition which now terrifies Turkey from the inside." Demoyan
added.

"Turkey doesn’t care much for material or territorial losses:
the matter is more about moral-psychological decrease coming after
reviewing their history," the speaker said.

As for the creation of Armenian and Turkish historian’s joint
committee, Demoyan said Armenia was always in favor of such
arrangements, "but Turkish specialists should have the courage to
accept the facts that were proved in the result of extensive and
detailed surveys," he added.

"It is out of suspicion, that not only Armenians and Turks have
investigated the Genocide issues, but many foreign specialists as
well. If Turkish historians want to start the case from the very
beginning, sorry, we have no time," Demoyan said.

Mr. Demoyan also spoke about Turkish initiative of creation of
Stability and Security Platform in Caucasus and said that this could
open great opportunities for Armenia. First of all, the alliance
would have positive effect on the opening of Armenia-Turkey roads.

According to Demoyan, the Caucasus Platform of Stability and Security
is of vital significance for Armenia despite the fact that "Turkey’s
initiative on this is a bit untimely."

LAKE SEVAN PROBLEM: WHAT WILL WE DRINK TOMORROW?

Panorama.am
18:28 03/09/2008

Lake Sevan is a regional strategic reserve of fresh water. "We must
take into consideration the fact that the whole world is facing the
problem of lack of fresh water. Therefore, we should maintain our
own reserves with great common sense," chief lecturer of the Chair
of Ecology and Ethnocultural Tourism of Armenian Russian (Slavonic)
University and the co-author of the main plan of Sevan National Park
Gagik Sukhudyan said at the press-conference.

According to Sukhudyan, the impediment of the heightening of lake’s
water level is threatening its ecological system first. "The oil,
that black liquid has blinded everybody. The fresh water is a real
value, and we had enough of it for the country, but it suddenly
turned out that the water level of Sevan was to be decreased," the
specialist added.

According to G.Sukhudyan, on account of water level decrease people
save territories and cities and even develop the industry. The
specialist claims artificial decrease of Sevan’s water level will
spoil the whole reserve of fresh water.

"In many Eastern the countries fresh water is more expensive than
petrol or diesel. We are facing the problem of lack of fresh water,
but we can avoid it, in case we improve our mistakes," Sukhudyan added.

Note that according to Sughudyan, National Assembly’s decision
on doubling of Sevan’s water level decrease has no scientific
investigation grounds.

PRESIDENT: THE EVENTS IN SOUTH OSSETIA WILL BRING EVERYBODY ROUND

Panorama.am
19:04 03/09/2008

President Serzh Sargsyan received the secretaries of security councils
of the CSTO member countries that have arrived in Yerevan for the
proceeding of CSTO session.

This year Armenia assumes chairmanship of CSTO. President Sargsyan
said that during its presidency in CSTO Armenia will do its best to
improve the effectiveness of the Organization’s functioning.

President also spoke about recent events in South Ossetia and said
that inter-ethnic conflicts cannot be solved through military actions
or arms race. In his opinion, South Ossetia conflict should bring
to senses all the countries of the region and make them avoid using
military sanctions for solving their territorial disputes.

"AZD PRODUCTION" RETURNED FROM CILICIA

Panorama.am
19:05 03/09/2008

"Azd Production" has returned from historical land of Cilicia where
it was shooting a promised film about Cilician Armenia, the founder,
producer and director of "Azd Production" Hayk Haroutyunyan told
Panorama.am.

The film which lasts 180 minutes will be ready in three months and
will represent the history, towns and fortresses of Cilicia.

According to Mr. Haroutyunyan this film can be successfully utilized in
our country’s foreign policy, as it will make a good PR for Armenia’s
reputation as a whole.

"Turkey is hindering the Armenian origins of Cilicia, but this film
will clear out everything," haroutyunyan added.

Note that "Azd Production" was founded in 1997 and has produced more
than 50 films. It has been producing more historical films in recent
three years.