Month: October 2008

AN INTERVIEW OF THE NKR PRESIDENT TO "AZAT ARTSAKH" NEWSPAPER

Azat Artsakh Daily
09 Oct 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Mr Sahakyan a year has passed after accepting the post of the NKR
President?

For what it was significant for You and for the republic?Have you
managed to realize everything foreseen this year? – Although a year is
a short period of time, but it has been rather full for our republic. I
want to emphasize especially, that the questions connected with safety
are considered first and foremost for us. The problem of continuous
increase of fighting ability of Defence Army has been always in the
in the focus of permanent attention. Our armed forces are able to
give any infringement a deserving counter-attack, testimony of which
was the effective stopping of the opponent’s armed attack on March
3-4. During last year a considerable progress has been fixed nearly
in all the spheres of the economy. By the results of the first term of
the current year, the NKR gross output has compiled 35.3 milliard drams
instead of the previous year’s 28.7 milliard drams, 8.1 per cent real
increase has been provided. By account of a soul, the gross output has
compiled 252.9 thousand drams, instead of the previous year’s 208.3
thousand drams. In comparison with the previous year’s same period
of time, in the first term of 2008 money incomes of the population
h ave increased by 22.4 per cent, the average monthly named salary –
20.2 per cent, real salary – 13.2 per cent. The average list amount of
employees in the economy has been considerably increased. Unprecedented
changes have taken place also in the volume and structure of the state
budget.The state budget of 2008 with its volumes exceeds the previous
year by more than 1.3 times. The sums directed to the agriculture,
forest and water economy in the state budget of 2008 exceed the index
of 2007 by about 3.8 times, in the sphere of social maintenance –
by about 1.5 times..

The difference in the sphere of education and science has compiled
27 per cent, in capital investments – 22 per cent, in the sphere of
culture – about 29 per cent. A number of programs having strategical
importance have started and are developing with all strength in
the republic. For example, restoration of reservoirs of Khachen and
Mataghis. Realization of such and other programs will give a chance
to irrigate some thousand hectares area of land , to product some
tens million kwt/h electricity.

"Artsakhfruit" enterprise has already begun to work, the complex of
mill and bread factory have restarted in the capital of the republic.At
the same time I find that there are still many tasks. In the structure
of NKR gross output I consider necessary providing of specific weight
especially on account of production of20agricultural and industrial
goodsAlmost in all the spheres serious works should be realized for
providing necessary rate of development.All this requires painstaking
and consistent work. – The process of formation of state budget of
2009 has already begun in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. What will be
its direction, which are the main primacies and perspectives of NKR
socio-economical development? – Now the first stage of budget process
is realized. The next year’s budget will obviously exceed the budget of
2008. Certainly, the budget of 2009 will also have underlined social
direction. The embraceable part of coming year’s expenses of state
budget were the expenses direcing to social sphere, particularly to
social insuarance and social maintenance. For the sphere of social
defence the sums foreseen in the state budget of 2009, with regard to
the budget of 2008, will exceed by 20 per cent.Wholly, assignments
to all the spheres will increase. Of course, all the spheres are
important, and in each sphere there are urgent questions. But at
present, for the development of our country agriculture, industry,
energetic sphere, education and science, construction have special
importance. Here rather important programs will be also realized. –
The obvious unbalanced character of development of the center and
regions is noticeable in the republic. What steps the NKR management
is about to take for abolishment of today=E 2s disproportion and
providing of even development of the capital and regions? – The future
of our country and its economy greatly depends on the development
of the republic’s regions, particularly country settlements. Taking
into consideration the pecularities of different territories and
today’s potential, works are realized by the state in the direction of
revelation of more optimal ways of villages’ development.For conducting
a new quality to the regions’ development it’s necessary to develop
substructures in villages, which will favour solution of many problems
having strategical important significance for our republic.Here
I’d like particularly to distinguish restoration of irrigation
system, providing of necessary village equipments, preparation and
qualification of cadres, restoration of information and means of
communication and organization of their unfailing work.Taking into
consideration the circumstance, that the development of our regions
is connected with agriculture, for the purpose of development of
this sphere in the circles of realizing arrangements reforms are
realized. For example, in the sphere of tax pedantism some changes
have taken place. The tax of land in 2007 for a hectare has compiled
12 thousand 200 drams, then from January 1st,2008 it is already
8000 drams. Solution of today’s problems in the spheres of culture,
education, health service and development of these spheres in re
gions are also in the focus of the state’s attention. Development of
irrigation system and solution of water problems in regions are urgent.

Speaking about development of regions I consider very important not
only the work of the state’s central links, but the activity of local
authorities. In our state governing system local authorities are
one of weak links, which is especially expressed in administrative
sphere. Those are problems which need time. But we are inflexible
and we’ll do all possible for providing stable development of our
regions. – One of urgent problems is improvement of demographic
situation in the republic, which has also important political
significance. NKR authorities touched upon the problem many times, but
the situation is not essentially changed, though 14 years have already
passed after establishment of ceasefire. – Progress of the state is
almost closely connected with stable demographic increase. In our case
demography has especial importance, as our greatest wealth is people
and its potential. Improvement of demographic situation is one of the
urgent problems of the republic. But I don’t share the viewpoint,
that the situation is not essentially changed in the sphere. On
the contrary, the situation has been radically changed. Demographic
situation in our country is rather stable. There is no leakage of
population.But more, number of population increases.At last period of
time, in economical and social spheres policy and complex arrangements
of the authorities have had positive influence upon demographical
some indexes.

So, during 8 months of 2008, in comparison with the previous year’s
same period of time a natural increase have increased by 111 persons,
mechanical – by 543. Owing to the well-known program realized by the
state in the country unprecedented increase of marriages have been
fixed.In the result of eight months of the current year it has compiled
2160, which is 4.6 times more than the marriages fixed in the same
period of time of the previous year. With all that, We must state, that
there are much tasks in this sphere.It’s necessary to be consistent
and to continue realization of complex programs,especially in regions
and countries. There are all conditions in our country for providing
stable demographic increase, and the authorities will do everything
to bring the demographic situation up to the dezired level. – The
most vulnerable stratum of our republic are the families of victims
of Karabakh war, invalids and the missing. What steps are taken in
the direction of improvement of this stratum’s social condition? –
Socially unprovided groups of population have been always in the focus
of the authorities’ attention. Serious works are realized for solution
of the latters’ social problems. On account of the state budget’s
mea ns treatment of the members of families of killed servicemen
and invalids is organized in sanatoria. Arrangements directed to the
improvement of vital conditions of families of invalids and victims
of the war are realized.Coming years we foresee to solve fully flat
problems of invalids and families of victims. I want to assure,
that henceforth, the state will do all the possible for alleviating
grief of invalids and families of killed azatamartiks and improving
their social conditions. – The events in Georgia have radically
changed army political situation in the South Caucasus. How will
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic construct its foreign political activity
in new condition? Will the NKR management’s position, strategy
bear changes in the process of Karabakh conflict settlement? – Army
political situation in the South Caucasus has been really changed,
and all this is taken into consideration in the process of conducting
our country’s foreign policy. But there are fundamental principles,
which will remain unchanging.These are steadiness and multidirections
of foreign policy, waylaying of karabakhian-azrbaijanian conflict
peace settlement, Artsakh’s participation in negotiating process. Our
approach to Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s future has remained
unchanging. Independence and safety of Artsakh are not liable to
speculations and bargainings.

THE NECESSITY OF CONDUCTING AN ACTIVE FOREIGN POLICY
Gevorg Haroutyunyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Oct 2008
Armenia

Interview with KIRO MANOYAN, person-in-charge for the "Hay Dat"
and Political Affairs Office of the ARFD Bureau

"Mr. Manoyan, how do you estimate the current state of the
Armenian-Turkish relations?"

"There are certain questionable points with regard to the
Armenian-Turkish relations. The thing is that Turkey either creates an
opportunity for information leakage or disseminates misinformation. And
unfortunately, the Armenian diplomacy doesn’t make an equivalent
response to that. Whereas, this fact gives way to new concerns both in
the political circles of Armenia and the foreign policy spheres which
have a consistent approach towards the recognition of the Genocide.

I think it is possible to demonstrate a more active and consistent
approach with regard to this issue and oppose and respond to
any misinformation or prevent it from penetrating into our public
perception. Moreover, society should receive additional information
about the current activities and developments."

"Anyway, is there an opportunity or necessity for normalizing the
relations with Turkey?"

"That the recent geopolitical developments have created favorable
conditions for establishing relations with Turkey is a fact. At the
same time, it is also a fact that Turkey is, for certain20goals and
reasons, interested in establishing relations with Armenia and somehow
revising the policy it conducted in relation to our country over the
past 18 years.

This first of all means that our country must be able to make maximum
use of this opportunity and unflinchingly implement the policy it has
adopted. And that means to open the border with Turkey and establish
diplomatic ties without any precondition.

In my opinion, there is such opportunity at present. It is left
to us to assume such a consistent posture that will enable us to
make an effective use of all the existing opportunities. The thing
is that Turkey wants to profit by the occasion and derive certain
benefits for itself. And it again reiterates the preconditions that
have always been and will always be unacceptable for Armenia. It is
at least as important for Turkey to have diplomatic ties and open
borders with Armenia as it is important for Armenia to have normal
relations with Turkey.

A lot depends on Armenia’s activities and posture. At the same time,
there are a lot of things depending on Turkey’s future activities. Even
now it is not clear what Turkey wants and what goals it pursues. Yes,
our neighbor attaches value to its interests and potentials. However,
it is difficult to insist that the ruling and influential forces in
Turkey evaluate their interests from this particular standpoint."

"Is it p ossible to insist that Turkey has been reviewing its foreign
policy orientations after August 7? Does complementary foreign policy
remain as expedient for Armenia as it was during the past 10 years?"

"It is really necessary to state that the short war in our region
changed a lot both in the South Caucasus and all over the world. Many
programs and initiatives that were improbable and impossible before
this war seem quite probable and feasible now. And just on the
contrary: a lot of things that were possible before the war have now
become impossible.

Clearly, there is some rivalry among certain geopolitical forces
in our region. However, it is necessary to state that the conflict
of interests among these forces does not derive from the interests
of Armenia. The thing is that our country will have less or no
opportunities in such circumstances and will have to continue
conducting the complementary policy it has adopted. Our country’s
complementary policy is that Armenia never seeks its interests in
the conflict among the other forces; it rather tries to combine and
coordinate the interests of those forces with its own ones.

Based on this principle, Armenia should deepen and extend the
relationship with Russia, its strategic ally, but at the same time,
it should also establish the same kind of deep and comprehensive
relations with the European Union. It should do this not only
as a country i ncluded in the EU ‘New Neighborhood’ program but
also as a state moving towards the European Union and the European
integration. Armenia should have such consistent and firm relations
with the United States and other influential states.

To achieve all this, Armenia should inevitably conduct a much more
active foreign policy."

To be continued

LAVROV’S ANNOUNCEMENTS AT LEAST ALARMING
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Oct 2008
Armenia

In response to the questions of the correspondent of "Hayots
Ashkharh" daily head of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the NKR
National Assembly Vahram Atanesyan touches upon the accentuations of
"Karabakh" in Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s interview
given to "Rosiyskaya Gazeta".

"To start with, the announcements made by Mr. Lavrov in that interview
don’t match with the one made earlier by RF Foreign Ministry, according
to which Karabakh conflict must be solved based on the principle of
respecting Karabakh people’s right to sovereignty, something that
seemed to reflect the approaches adopted by Minsk Group Co-Chairmen,
particularly Russia.

The conversation is firstly about the accentuation made by Mr. Lavrov
saying that Armenia’s opportunities are strictly limited in political,
geopolitical, and communicational terms. It is more alarming that the
RF Foreign Minister, in essence hints that the other conflicting party,
Azerbaijan has "great opportunities" for choice and alternatives,
which in my view is beyond diplomatic ethics.

Particularly if we consider the fact that Russia is OSCE Co-Chairman
country. In this circumstance emphasizing the "advantages" of one
conflicting party and the "limited opportunities" of the ot her is
far from being a neutral stance.

It is startling also because Sergey Lavrov made this accentuation
against the background of Turkey’s emphasized activeness in the region
and the latter’s affectations to raise its influence.

In fact the Russian Foreign Minister indirectly links the success of
the negotiation process with Turkey’s role, hinting that Turkey can
ensure communicational alternatives for Armenia, exit to the world,
of which Armenia was deprived during the Georgian-Ossetian conflict
and after it.

Maybe my concern is exaggerated, but at least for me Lavrov’s interview
was alarming."

"Did RF Foreign Minister say anything new about the main process of
the negotiations, or he simply repeated the famous reality, such as
the majority of the settlement principles is agreed, except certain
matters of concern, about which the two parties haven’t yet reached
an agreement."

"In general he didn’t say anything new. But as a representative of
a Co-Chairman country he gave a possibility to Azerbaijani party to
make revelations regarding proposals discussed.

Sergey Lavrov recorded that there are two-three issues not agreed
upon. One of them is the status of Lachin corridor, which was followed
by the revelation made by an Azerbaijani high-ranking official,
who said that the status of Nagorno Karabakh and Lachin corridor as
well as the distribution of the peace- keeping forces are not agreed
upon. Whereas not only should the parties maintain the confidentiality
of the negotiations, but also the mediators, and this fact is also
no less alarming.

Thus if we take into consideration Mr. Lavrov’s commentaries, Russia
has already discussed its stance on Karabakh, with Azerbaijan and
Turkey. This fact is also alarming. Moreover it seems the stances of
the "parties" and their actions are agreed upon.

Maybe they think if in the beginning of the past century Karabakh’s
legal-political status quo has been decided by the mediation of Russia
and Turkey, the same can happen today. Or if Russia has unilaterally
recognized the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, then they
must provide services for Turkey for the latter’s loyalty.

"At the expense of Karabakh?"

"I would like to abstain from similar formulations. Our stance,
the position of Karabakh party, and my own standpoint is that the
issue must be settled by mutual concessions. We don’t want unilateral
recognition, if it is going to make new demarcation lines. But we also
don’t agree to the idea that the existing demarcation lines must be
mitigated to the detriment of NKR’s sovereignty and the security of
Karabakh people.

The settlement of the conflict through mutual concessions must be based
on agreement reached by the direct dialogue between Nagorno Karabakh
and Azerbaijan. In my view the diplomatic efforts of the Co-Chairmen,
including Russia must be based on reducing the direct parties to the
conflict, Azerbaijan and Nagorno Karabakh to the same denominator,
which is – the conflict doesn’t have any other alternative except
peaceful settlement.

To be continued

WHAT DO THE POLITICAL FORCES DO?
Armen Tsaturyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Oct 2008
Armenia

The native political life has always been famous for the quantitative
growth and qualitative degradation of the parties. But the developments
that take place during this autumn, to be more precise – their
absence is nothing more than a process of the evaporation of the
political forces.

Usually in our reality politics becomes lively one year before the
regular state elections and that tendency is maintained at least six
months during the post election period.

In the past, the before mentioned cases were excluded only if Armenia
was at the risk of foreign political developments, which had impact
on our country.

But the present political autumn proves that even in case of similar
force-majeure situations the political life won’t liven up in our
reality.

Russian-Georgian conflict has just finished which gave rise to serious
geopolitical changes in the region. The world has appeared in the
clutches of a big crisis, which can very soon knock at the door of
our country.

Moreover there are lots of reasons to be engaged in politics, to
consolidate the positions and the influence of their own parties. The
elections of local self-governmental bodies are in process, where
the issue of winning is rather important for providing success in
the next parliamentary elections.

Besides that the country’s principal financial document, the state
budget of 2009 has been introduced to society. Ministry of Diaspora,
Public Council is in the process of formation, for the first time in
our history the President addressed the parliament and the people, etc.

We can continue to list the before mentioned events of political
significance. But what is the attitude of the political forces
towards them?

The representatives of coalition from time to time with evident
laziness make judgments about all this. But the pro-oppositional
parties united in the framework of Armenian Pan National Congress
gather once per month to abuse the authorities and to admire
Ter-Petrosyan’s linguistic abilities. Whereas if the abuses
regularly heard from Matenadaran’s platform is really senseless, it
is becoming very difficult to find any concrete political contents
in Ter-Petrosyan’s speeches.

As for all the other parties, they don’t show any signs of life.

It turns out that the several dozens of parties registered in Armenia
are no more political subjects. And but for the National Assembly,
where the pro-oppositional and the pro-governmental forces "ex officio"
have to say something regarding the matters of concern, then we can
presume that the political processes have stopped in our reality.

And but for the parliamentary investigation of March 1-2 developments
in the "emergency store" of the political aut umn or the obligatory
discussions of the bills submitted to the National Assembly, then the
existence of the parties represented in the country’s top legislative
body would fell under suspicion.

Strange but a fact, the impulses of livening up present day political
life are far not the products of the initiatives of the country’s
pro-oppositional parties or the quadrilateral coalition supporting
the authorities but only and only the actions taken by the ruling
executive power. And if that is true then our political-party system
doesn’t fulfill its functions. It is shabby and old in terms of
politics and contents.

Thus we can record that the autumn of 2008 is the beginning of a vacuum
in Armenia’s political life, which can very soon serve as a reason for
the appearance of new forces, because sacred place never remains empty.

THIS IS A REALITY

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Oct 2008
Armenia

According to VAHRAM ATANESYAN, Head of the Foreign Affairs Committee
of the NKR National Assembly, "It is desirable for the 1994 ceasefire
to become an agreement between the conflicting parties on the one
hand and the mediators on the other. By saying ‘parties’, I first of
all mean Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

Karabakh is a full party to the 1994 ceasefire agreement and bears
its share of responsibility. And responsibility also implies certain
rights.

After all, no one can deny that the Nagorno Karabakh Republic has
always been and continues to remain a factor in the South Caucasus. And
it will continue to remain in the same status in future as well. This
is a reality that cannot be circumvented from the point of view of
either the present-day developments or especially, the international
practice of conflict settlement."

ARMENIA’S BALANCED POSTURE

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Oct 2008
Armenia

"It was obvious that the Georgian President had a more hospitable and
generous attitude to our country’s President than to the President of
Azerbaijan. I am gratified to emphasize the fact that our country’s
posture on the Georgian-Ossetian conflict was noticed, recorded and
estimated in a proper manner.

Armenia’s balanced posture in this particular case was conditioned by
the interests of our country; however, the interests of our neighbor
and strategic ally were also taken into consideration. But we can’t
say the same about Azerbaijan.

Our country’s President also demonstrated political boldness in such a
delicate situation. Instead of speculating the exacerbated relations
between its neighbors and strategic allies, he tried to achieve the
peaceful solution of all the problems," KIRO MANOYAN finds.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TO RESTORE THE PICTURE OF MOUNT ARARAT ON THE LOGO

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Oct 2008
Armenia

Opening yesterday’s press conference with the topic on changing the
emblem of the Football Federation of Armenia, ROUBEN HAYRAPETYAN,
Head of the Football Federation, admitted that he had made a wrong
step, assumed the responsibility for that and made a public apology
to his compatriots.

"There has been an omission or lapse. I admit my mistake to the full
and correcting it, I apologize to our football society, all those
who disapproved of my step and were dissatisfied with it," Head of
the Football Association of Armenia announced. He also informed the
participants that they have announced a new contest for the emblem
of the Federation, and one of their requirements is presence of Mount
Ararat on the logo.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RALLY TO BE HELD NEAR THE MATENADARAN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Oct 2008
Armenia

Yesterday, the Administrative Court of Yerevan partially satisfied the
claim by which the pro-opposition activists argued the legality of the
decision of the Mayor’s Office (dated October 2) on rejecting their
request for holding a rally in the Northern Avenue on October 17. The
court offered the opposition to organize the rally in the neighborhood
of the Matenadaran but didn’t give them permission to hold a march.

Judge Artsroun Mirzoyan publicized the judgment on declaring the
decision of Gagik Baghdasaryan (authorized representative of the
Mayor’s Office) null and void and then prohibited the plaintiff
(Aram Sargsyan, Head of the "Republic" pro-opposition party) to hold
a rally in the Northern Avenue on the above-mentioned day, however,
allowed him to organize the event on the same day and at the same
hour near the Matenadaran.

ARMENIA, U.S. CONCLUDE FULL OPEN-SKIES AGREEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.10.2008 15:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The U.S. and Armenia concluded a full Open-Skies
agreement, the first aviation accord between the two countries,
announced the U.S. Secretary of Transportation.

"With this agreement, Armenia becomes the 94th U.S. Open-Skies
partner," Secretary Mary E. Peters said.

Open-Skies refers to a bilateral (and sometimes multilateral) Air
Transport Agreement which liberalizes the rules for international
aviation markets and minimizes government intervention – the provisions
apply to passenger, all-cargo and combination air transportation and
encompass both scheduled and charter services; or adjusts the regime
under which military and other state-based flights may be permitted.

ICG: TURKEY CAN AND MUST FACILITATE KARABAKH CONFLICT PEACEFUL RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
08.10.2008 15:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey can and must facilitate peaceful resolution
of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, International Crisis Group Caucasus
Project Director said.

"This country is interested in stability in the Caucasus. Contribution
to the peace process will strengthen Ankara’s position in the region
and help its EU bid," Lawrence Sheets said.

"The possible opening of the border with Armenia and resumption of
trade relations between the two states can push Yerevan to search
for new ways to resolve the Karabakh conflict. With such perspective,
Azerbaijan should not be too emotional about possible Armenian-Turkish
reconciliation. Instead, Baku should support the Turkish policy
vis-a-vis Armenia," he said, Day.az reports.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress