Month: October 2008

A PERFORMANCE TITLED `PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN AZERBAIJAN’

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

NKR Foreign Minister’s Advisor Ara Puluzyan’s comment on the
pre-election situation in Azerbaijan `Every time elections in
Azerbaijan resemble a performance. In addition, everything looks
extremely false, as the basic thing – democratic process, without which
fair elections are impossible – misses. Even Saddam Hussein, before the
USA attacking Iran, organized `elections’ in his country and as a
result polled 90% of votes. However, that did not help him. Azerbaijan
is also doomed to defeat in this sense: it successively moves to the
dictatorship. It is dangerous to see only what is happening on the
stage titled `Presidential elections in Azerbaijan’. It is rather
important to examine what is going on behind the scenes. Pluralism of
opinions does not exist in Azerbaijan and the main oppositional
parties’ refusal to participate in the elections is a striking
illustration of this. What condition the poor opposition has been
driven to that it boycotts the elections from the very beginning,
without entering into a struggle?! This means that it is completely
deprived of any opportunity to express its own opinion and that it does
not want to be satisfied only with an episodic role in this
performance. Being a person, dealing with th
e problems of Iran,
where presidential elections are also going to be held in summer, I
would like to mention that the situation in this country is
incomparably better. Here we can see struggle of opinions, there are no
persons beyond the criticism, there are mechanisms, the use of which
averts the coming of dictatorship. Unfortunately, similar mechanisms do
not exist in Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, some European structures,
which do not want to notice the anti-democratic processes in
Azerbaijan, and do not show similar attitude to the analogous problems
in Azerbaijan and, for example, in Iran, Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh,
obviously connive at the aggravation of the situation. The use of
double standards, Euro structures’ flirting with the Azeri authorities,
the recognition of the election results in any state of affairs, do not
stimulate the development of the civil society in this country. By the
way, in the NKR, in spite of its non-recognition by the international
community, the elections are held more transparently and
democratically, which is testified, at least, by the parties’ active
participation. An alternative and an opportunity of a choice exist in
our republic, unlike our `recognized’ neighbors. Democratic
institutions should function in a normal country. And democracy is not
merely elections; it is a complex and multilateral process, which is
achieved only by successive and purposeful steps. Agai
nst the
background of a complete absence of any signs of democracy, a `game’ of
elections looks unconvincing, absurd and dangerous for the Azeri nation
as well’.

PanARMENIAN.Net

U.S. searching for State Department officials who incited Georgia to
aggression against South Ossetia
04.10.2008 15:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A new front has opened between Georgia and Russia,
now over which side was the aggressor whose military activities early
last month ignited the lopsided five-day war. At issue is new
intelligence, inconclusive on its own, that nonetheless paints a more
complicated picture of the critical last hours before war broke out,

According to the publication, Georgia has released intercepted
telephone calls purporting to show that part of a Russian armored
regiment crossed into South Ossetia nearly a full day before Georgia’s
attack on the capital, Tshkinvali, late on Aug. 7.

The intercepts circulated last week among intelligence agencies in the
United States and Europe, part of a Georgian government effort to
persuade the West and opposition voices at home that Georgia was under
invasion and attacked defensively. Georgia argues that as a tiny and
vulnerable nation allied with the West, it deserves extensive military
and political support.

The back and forth over who started the war is already an issue in the
American presidential race, with Governor Sarah Palin of Alaska, the
Republican vice presidential candidate, contending that Russia’s
incursion into Georgia was "unprovoked," while others argue that
Georgia’s shelling of Tshkinvali was provocation. Georgia claims that
its main evidence – two of several calls secretly recorded by its
intelligence service on Aug. 7 and 8 – shows that Russian tanks and
fighting vehicles were already passing through the Roki Tunnel linking
Russia to South Ossetia before dawn on Aug. 7.

By Russian accounts, the war began at 11:30 that night, when President
Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia ordered an attack on Russian positions
in Tshkinvali. Russian combat units crossed the border into South
Ossetia only later, Russia has said.

General Lieutenant Nikolai Uvarov of Russia, a former United Nations
military attach?, who served as a Defense Ministry spokesman during
the war, insisted that Georgia’s attack surprised Russia and that its
leaders scrambled to respond while Russian peacekeeping forces were
under fire. He said President Dmitri Medvedev had been on a cruise on
the Volga River. Putin was at the Olympics in Beijing.

"The minister of defense, by the way, was on vacation in the Black Sea
somewhere," he said. "We never expected them to launch an attack."

Matthew Bryza, the deputy assistant secretary of state who coordinates
diplomacy in the Caucasus, said the contents of the recorded
conversations were consistent with what Georgians appeared to believe
on Aug. 7, in the final hours before the war, when a brief cease-fire
collapsed.

"During the height of all of these developments, when I was on the
phone with senior Georgian officials, they sure sounded completely
convinced that Russian armored vehicles had entered the Roki Tunnel,
and exited the Roki Tunnel, before and during the cease-fire," he
said. "I said, under instructions, that we urge you not to engage
these Russians directly."

By the night of Aug. 7, he said, he spoke with Eka Tkeshelashvili,
Georgia’s foreign minister, shortly before President Saakashvili
issued his order to attack, The International Herald Tribune reports.

Meanwhile, according European media reports, certain intercepts prove
that some high-ranking American officials were inciting the Georgian
leadership to aggression against South Ossetia. An investigation
initiated by the U.S. Congress is underway, the reports say.
From: Baghdasarian

PRODUCTIVE AND POSITIVE

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
04 Oct 2008
Armenia

American side estimates the meeting between Armenian President Serge
Sargsyan and the US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice as productive
and positive, especially in terms of the discussion of bilateral and
regional topics. Spokesman to the State Secretariat Shon McCormack
estimated Armenian ` Turkish ` Azerbaijani trilateral meeting in New
York as a positive step. `We must estimate the discussions on the
topics of US-Armenia bilateral relations, Armenian-Turkish relations,
and Yerevan-Ankara-Baku trilateral touches, which took place in New
York, between Armenian President Serge Sargsyan and US Secretary of
State Condoleeza Rice as productive and positive. In general
Armenian-American relations develop steadily, on good grounds.

Armenia -Turkey- Azerbaijan trilateral meeting is a positive step
tended to the settlement of the issues faced by Caucasus,’ Shon
McCormack said.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Armenian, Russian Defense Ministers discuss bilateral military cooperation
04.10.2008 13:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan of Armenia and
Anatoly Serdyukov of Russia met Saturday to discuss bilateral military
cooperation, the RF Defense Minister’s spokesman, col. Alexei
Kuznetsov said.

"Today, Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov, who is on a
working visit Armenia, met his Armenian counterpart to discuss issues
referring to bilateral military cooperation," he said, Russian media
reports.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Nalbandian: EP important link between Armenia and European family
04.10.2008 17:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met
Friday with delegation of the European Parliament lead by Pawel
Bartlomiej Piskorski, member of the European Parliament’s Group of the
Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe to discuss the
Armenia-EU cooperation and ENP Action Plan implementation as well as
the recent developments in the region, the RA MFA press office told
PanARMENIAN.Net.

By the guests’ request, Minister Nalbandian also briefed on the
current stage of the Nagorno Karabakh settlement talks.

SERZH SARGSYAN: THE CHURCH HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SUPPORT FOR OUR PEOPLE

armradio.am
03.10.2008 13:41

President Serzh Sargsyan today hosted the Catholicos of All Armenians
Garegin II, members of the Episcopate of the Armenian Apostolic Church
and secular members of the Supreme Religious Council.

Addressing senior clergymen, Serzh Sargsyan said: "I’m glad to welcome
you at the President’s Office just a few days after the blessing of the
Holy Muron." According to the President, that ceremony most correctly
symbolized the idea of unity and collectiveness, the dprotective role
of the church for people.

Accoridng to the President, under the conditions of lack of statehood
for a thousand years, the church has always been a support for our
people and has guided us to the 21st century. "As a state, we have
a duty to return to the church for it to strengthen and lead our
people forward," Serzh Sargsyan said and noted that the state is
always ready to support the church.

The Catholicos welcomed the constant attention of the state towards
the issues of the church. He assessed as encouraging and inspiring
the attitude the Armenian Church and the Dioceses get during every
visit of the President. His Holiness Garegin II noted that the church
backs all the programs of the President, which are targeted at the
progress and development of the country.

The interlocutors attached importance20to the establishment of the
Ministry of Diaspora, which will provide an opportunity to address
the Diaspora issues more seriously.

President Sargsyan gave clarifications regarding the recent events,
particularly the Georgian-Ossetian and Armenian-Turkish relations.

CIS IPA SECRETARY GERNERAL VISITS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

armradio.am
03.10.2008 16:04

On October 3 Chairman of the National Assembly of Armenia Hovik
Abrahamyan received the Secretary General of the CIS Interparliamentary
Assembly (IPA) Mikhail Krotov.

During the meeting Mr. Krotov conveyed to NA Speaker the
congratulations of the President of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly
Sergey Mironov and the President of the CSTO Interparliamentary
Assembly Boris Gryzlov on the occasion of his election to the post
of President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia.

The parties attached importance to the role of the CIS
Interparliamentary Assembly over post-Soviet area. NA Speaker Hovik
Abrahamyan underlined that Armenia has been one of the founding members
of the CIS IPA and actively works in the organization. Mr. Abrahamyan
expressed willingness to continue actively participating in the works
of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly, contribute to the raise of
its role as an important and significant organization.

Reference was made to issues on the agenda of the 31st plenary session
of the CIS IPA to be held in Saint Petersburg November 24-25. Hovik
Abrahamyan assured the National Assembly delegation will participate
in the sitting.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING TO BE SIGNED BETWEEN OSCE OFFICE AND THE MINISTRY OF SPORT

armradio.am
03.10.2008 16:35

A memorandum of understanding between the OSCE Office in Yerevan and
the Armenian Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs will be signed on
Tuesday, 7 October in the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

The memorandum outlines the main areas of co-operation meant to empower
youth in the regions and to strengthen the democratic governance of
the managerial boards of the regional youth centers. It envisages
exchange of international experience and development of publicity
and productivity of the centres’ operation.

The Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan Ambassador Sergey Kapinos
and Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Armen Grigoryan will sign
the memorandum.

Representatives of regional youth centres will participate in the
event and will receive the package of OSCE publications as a first
step in establishing "OSCE corners" within their respective centres
in the regions.

ICRC, STATE COMMISSION ON PRISONERS OF WAR SIGN A FRAMEWORK AGREEMENT

armradio.am
03.10.2008 16:39

Today, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the
State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons of
the Republic of Armenia signed a framework agreement to help clarify
the fate of thousands of people who went missing in relation to the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The agreement was signed by Seyran Ohanyan,
Minister of Defence of the Republic of Armenia and President of the
State Commission, and James Reynolds, Head of the ICRC delegation
in Armenia.

The Framework Agreement on the Collection and Centralized Management
of Ante-Mortem Data on Missing Persons in Relation to the Nagorno
Karabakh Conflict will enable the collection of detailed data on
the missing persons from their families. The data collection will
be done by volunteers of the Armenian Red Cross National Society,
after they complete a special training.

The collected information – which includes photos and details of
physical characteristics of the missing person, personal effects and
clothing they may have been wearing at the time of disappearance –
will be then handed over to the authorities to assist with future
identifications. A similar agreement was already signed with the
State Commission on Prisoners of War, Hostages and Missing Persons
of the Republic of Azerbaijan on 14 April 2008, and is expected to
be signed20soon with the commission functioning in Nagorny Karabakh.

"The signature of the agreement is an important step, although it is
a means to an end rather than an end itself", says James Reynolds,
Head of ICRC delegation in Armenia. "More than 4000 families are
still waiting for news about their relatives missing in relation to
the Nagorny Karabakh conflict and expect the parties to do much more".

The ICRC has long supported the authorities in ascertaining the fate
of people who went missing during the conflict. Over the past years,
the ICRC has strongly encouraged Armenia and Azerbaijan, as well
as Nagorny Karabakh, to take action to gather information about the
fate of persons still unaccounted for, as well as supporting their
families. In addition, ICRC works with the Armenian authorities to
create a piece of national legislation protecting rights of missing
persons and their families.

ARMEN ASHOTYAN’S CONGRATULATION ON TEACHER’S DAY

armradio.am
03.10.2008 17:00

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Science,
Education, Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs Armen Ashotyan issued
a congratulatory message on the occasion of the Teacher’s Day. The
message states:

"Dear teachers,

On behalf of the Standing Committee on Science, Education,
Culture, Sport and Youth Affairs and myself, I render the warmest
congratulations and good wishes on the occasion of the Teacher’s Day.

Continuing the best national traditions in the field of education,
with your everyday honest and hard work you bring your deserving
contribution to the shaping of the future citizens of our state.

Schooling has been the firm basis of our existence in all times. With
the bright ideas of Mashtots, the Armenian teacher has passed through
trials of centuries, has enjoyed the joy of invention of letters,
has felt proud for the restoration of independence.

Teacher is not just a profession, but a high and responsible
mission. The hard and responsible mission of educating and bringing
up the younger generation is entrusted to you.

We are assured that Armenia should strengthen, and you, dear friends,
will continue participating in this responsible and sacred work of
supporting our state and statehood.

Full of that belief, I wish all of you good health, firm will in your
work and happiness20in your personal life."