Month: October 2008

AZERBAIJAN, TURKEY GOING TO SPLIT GEORGIA INTO AUTONOMIES?

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2008 14:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ According to some Turkish and Azeri sources, Baku
and Ankara intend to increase pressure on Georgia for "federalization"
of the country.

Turkey and Azerbaijan are going to urge Tbilisi to restore Ajaria’s
de facto autonomy, to grant a special status to the Azeri minority
of Kvemo-Kartli and repatriate Turks-Meskhetians to Georgia.

Ajarian autonomy has been actually abolished by Saakashvili’s
government in 2004. Pursuing a tough policy of "georgification",
Tbilisi forces Ajars to register as Georgian Muslims. Turks-Meskhetians
are urged to restore "their Georgian surnames."

Azeri media quoted a source in the Foreign Ministry as saying that
Baku launches the procedure of granting Azerbaijani citizenship to the
residents of Georgia’s Kvemo-Kartli (Borchaly). The source said that
upon completion of the procedure, Azerbaijan will demand a status of
autonomy for the region and in case of Georgia’s rejection will send
troops there, RBC-daily reports.

Meanwhile, Milliyet Turkish daily quoted a Turkish MFA official who,
on condition of anonymity, spoke of ‘guarantees of Turkic population
in Georgia.’ Creation of a federation is the only way to maintain
Georgia’s territorial integrity, according to him.

GUL: STABILIZED CAUCASUS COULD BE GATE BETWEEN EAST AND WEST

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2008 14:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Stability in the volatile Caucasus would create
conditions for economic cooperation and enhance ties between the East
and the West, Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul said.

"That is why Turkey is pursuing active diplomacy to resolve the
crisis in the region. Turkey proposed a Caucasus Cooperation and
Stability Platform following a brief war between Georgia and Russia
over the Russian-backed breakaway region of South Ossetia. The proposed
platform will include Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Armenia,
with which Turkey has no formal ties," he said.

"If you have stability in the Caucasus, and added to that if you have
trust and confidence, then you have the right climate for economic
cooperation," Gul said.

He noted that the region is also of key importance in terms of energy
resources and safe transportation of energy from the East to the West.

"That transportation goes through Turkey. That is why we are working
to achieve an atmosphere of dialogue, so there is the right climate to
resolve the problems. Instability in the Caucasus would be a sort of
wall between the East and West; if you have stability in the region,
it could be a gate," he said in an interview with Newsweek magazine.

LENNMARKER TO DISCUSS KARABAKH PROCESS DURING A VISIT TO RUSSIA, TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2008 15:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s rapporteur on
South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh, Mr. Goran Lennmarker is arriving
in Moscow today to discuss the conflicts in Nagorno Karabakh and
South Ossetia.

A new guideline should be found for resolution of conflicts in Nagorno
Karabakh and South Ossetia, the OSCE PA rapporteur said.

He also informed that he will pay a visit to Turley to hold talks
on the Karabakh process. "I am particularly interested in Turkey’s
mediation between Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as in its Caucasus
Platform," Mr Lennmarker said, the Azeri Press Agency reports.

MCCAIN: IT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY TO RECOGNIZE 1915 TRAGIC EVENTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2008 16:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The McCain-Palin campaign issued a letter to the
Armenian-American community. In the letter, Senator John McCain
(R-AZ) wrote that he is "grateful for all of the contributions
that Armenian-Americans have made to our wonderful country,"
and that he "greatly value[s] the opportunity to stand with the
Armenian-American community," the Armenian Assembly of America
(Assembly) told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Regarding U..S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, the statement
refrains from referring to the events of 1915-1923 as genocide, and
instead employs a dictionary definition. McCain said, "It is fair to
say that one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the brutal
murder of as many as one and a half million Armenians under the rule
of the Ottoman Empire, has also been one of the most neglected. The
suffering endured by the Armenian people during that period represented
the prologue to what has come to be known as humanity’s bloodiest
century." He added that "It is our responsibility to recognize those
tragic events and to ensure that our world never experiences the
impact of the bloody conflicts that so filled the 20th century."

McCain also thanked Armenia for her "support of coalition operations
in Iraq and NATO peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo."

EUROPE WITHOUT BORDERS WILL HELP SOONEST RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2008 16:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The activities of European NGOs aim to cooperation
and formation of Wider Europe, Director General of the Citizens Media
Centre Bennohaus, Germany, Dr Joachim Musholt told a PanARMENIAN.Net
reporter.

"Youth4Media program which will be represented in Armenia next week
brings together 16 states, mostly Eastern European ones. Our goal is
to engage Armenia, a country with ancient and rich culture, into the
European family. Europe without borders will help soonest resolution
of conflicts in the Caucasus and Balkans," he said.

NALBANDIAN TO DEPART FOR BISHKEK TO ATTEND CIS FOREIGN MINISTERS COUNCIL MEETING

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2008 18:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian FM Edward Nalbandian will depart for
Bishkek to attend a meeting of the Council of CIS Foreign Ministers
due on October 8-9, the RA MFA press office told PanARMENIAN.Net.

The Ministers will focus on improvement of CIS activities and
cooperation between the members of the Commonwealth. The agenda
includes over 20 urgent issues, specifically security and migration,
says a statement posted on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website

T. SARGSYAN SENDS MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO HIS KYRGYZ COUNTERPART ON EARTHQUAKE WHICH HIT KYRGYZSTAN

ARMENPRESS
Oct 7, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
sent a message of condolences to his Kyrgyz counterpart Igor Chudinov
connected with the earthquake which hit Kyrgyzstan.

The public relations department of Armenian government told Armenpress
that in his message the Armenian prime minister particularly says,
"Dear Igor Vitalyevich, On behalf of the Armenian government and
personally me accept deep condolences on the earthquake which hit
Kyrgyzstan and caused death of tens of people.

Please convey our deep condolences and sympathies to the relatives
of victims".

MEMBERS OF SWISS-ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY GROUP TO VISIT ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
Oct 7, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Members of the Switzerland-Armenia
parliamentary group of the Federal Assembly of Switzerland headed by
Kristin Egerzeg-Obrist will arrive in Armenia October 8.

Public relations department of the National Assembly told Armenpress
that on October 8 they are expected to meet with the Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan.

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamian will receive the
delegation in the NA. In the parliament the guests will also meet
with the members of the Armenia-Switzerland friendship group headed
by Ara Babloyan.

On October 9 the delegation will meet with the Armenian deputy
foreign minister Gegham Gharibjanian, deputy economy minister Ara
Petrosian. The delegation will also visit Armenian-Swiss specialized
school. On the same day the delegation will visit Tsitsernakaberd
and pay tribute to the memory of the victims of Armenian Genocide.

On October 10 the members of the delegation will be in the Karabakh’s
representation in Armenia. On the same day they will meet with the
Armenian vice prime minister Armen Gevorgian.

The delegation will also meet with the representatives of the
opposition. They will give a press conference in the NA.

On October 11 His Holiness Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II
will receive the delegation in Etchmiadzin.

On October 12 the delegation will visit Shirak province. On the next
day they will leave Yerevan.

ARMENIAN NA SPEAKER RECEIVES DELEGATION FROM CZECH PARLIAMENT

ARMENPRESS
Oct 7, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Hovik Abrahamian received today delegation of constitutional and legal
affairs commission of the Czech parliament headed by the chairman of
Chamber of Members of Parliament Yan Kasal. Public relations department
of the National Assembly told Armenpress that at the meeting present
was deputy speaker of the Armenian NA Hrayr Karapetian.

Greeting the guests Hovik Abrahamian underscored the development of
friendly relations with Czech Republic, referring to the opportunities
of development of trade-economic, scientific-cultural ties.

Hovik Abrahamian also expressed assurance that the visit of the
delegation will promote the further development of relations between
the two parliaments.

Yan Kasal said that he is also for the development of relations between
Armenia and Czech Republic. Taking into consideration that in 2009
Czechia assumes the chairmanship of the EU for six months, Y. Kasal
said that everything possible will be done for the further development
of relations with EU. For the development of inter-parliamentary
relations he conveyed to the NA speaker the invitation of the chairman
of the Czech parliament to pay an official visit to Prague.

Accepting the invitation, the NA speaker assured that all the
agreements will be brought to life and everything possible will be
done for effective cooperation.

With the request of Kasal, Hovik Abrahamian presented his approaches
towards developments in the South Caucasus and particularly over the
situation created after the Georgian-Ossetian conflict. It was noted
that Armenia has always been for the peaceful regulation of conflicts
and being ancient-long neighbors with Georgia and strategic partner
of Russia Armenia has adopted a right position.

Hovik Abrahamian reminded that being in a blockade Armenia’s only
way to connect with the world is Georgia.

During the meeting the sides also referred to the Karabakh conflict
regulation issue, and other issues on mutual interest.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SENDS MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCES TO KYRGYZ COUNTERPART IN CONNECTION WITH EARTHQUAKE IN KYRGYZSTAN

ARMENPRESS
Oct 7, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 7, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
sent a message of condolences to his Kyrgyz counterpart Kurmanbek
Bakiyev in connection with the earthquake which hit Kyrgyzstan.

Presidential press service said that the president expressed true
condolences on his and on behalf of the Armenian people to the Kyrgyz
people, relatives and friends of the victims.