Month: October 2008

RA MFA REFUTED REPORTS THAT TURKISH PROPOSAL ON KARABAKH "IS ON THE TABLE"

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2008 17:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs refuted
Azeri media reports that "Turkey’s proposal on resolution of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict is on the table."

"The talks are continued on the basis of OSCE Minsk Group’s Madrid
proposals," Tigran Balayan, head of the RA MFA media relations
division, told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to Azeri media, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, Elmar
Mammadyarov, said Turkey submitted an interesting proposal on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict peaceful resolution. The proposal ‘is
already on the bargaining table’, according to him.

"During our trilateral meeting we found the initiative interesting and
constructive and capable to bring stability and peace to the region,"
Mammadyarov said.

ARMENIA BEING TEMPTED INTO NABUCCO IN EXCHANGE FOR MORE FLEXIBLE POSITION ON KARABAKH?

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2008 18:04 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Economics may hold the key to breaking the stalemate
in the Nagorno Karabakh peace process. Turkish and Azerbaijani
officials reportedly are seriously mulling the possibility of Armenian
participation in the long-planned Nabucco pipeline project as part
of a comprehensive Karabakh peace pact, EurasiaNet reports.

Turkey is leading efforts to energize the Karabakh peace
process. Turkish, Armenian and Azerbaijani officials met in New
York on September 26 to discuss the Karabakh issue and other security
matters. That meeting kindled hopes that a settlement could be achieved
by the end of 2008.

Although details of the recent discussions have been scarce, some
experts believe that the three sides have probed a possible bargain
under which Armenia would become part of the Nabucco pipeline plans,
in return for a greater degree of flexibility concerning Yerevan’s
position on Karabakh.

Yerevan’s willingness to modify its long-standing demand for Karabakh
independence would appear to be the key as to whether this latest
push for Karabakh peace can be successful. Azerbaijani officials seem
willing to work with Armenia on the Nabucco project, if Yerevan shows
sufficient flexibility on Karabakh. "Of course, Azerbaijan has set
political conditionality related to the Karabakh conflict on this
[Nabucco] issue," Elhan Shahinoglu, the director of the Baku-based
Atlas center for political research, said.

Turkish analyst Sinan Ogan, the chair of the Ankara-based TURKSAM
think tank, said that the topic of Armenia’s participation in the
Nabucco project came up during US Vice President Dick Cheney’s recent,
controversial visit to Baku. "There are serious plans to involve
Armenia in this project. Turkey and Azerbaijan were against this
idea at first, but now Armenia’s participation seems realistic,"
Ogan said in comments broadcast September 19 on Voice of America radio.

Initial indicators are that the three sides did not make significant
headway on the Karabakh issue during the September 26 meeting in
New York. On September 28, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan flatly
admitted that ‘there are no concrete results yet," according to a
report distributed by the RIA-Novosti news agency.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul also revealed that there has not yet
been any movement on the matter of Turkey ending its economic embargo
against Armenia. The AzerTaj news agency reported Gul as telling a
Turkish diaspora group on September 28 that "no talks over the border
[re-]opening with Armenia are possible before Armenia’s liberation
of Azerbaijani occupied territories."

While the notion of linking a potential Armenian role in Nabucco to the
Karabakh peace process has not been raised publicly, Gul came close
to making a public admission on September 10 during a diplomatic
trip to Baku. "No doubt that the fast liberation of the occupied
[Azerbaijani] territories would be an important step and it would
encourage very efficient economic cooperation in the region. Pipelines
and transport communications would cover the entire Caucasus region,"
Gul said in Baku.

Shahinoglu, the Baku political analyst, believes the peace process
is now at a delicate stage. Any potential breakthrough will likely
require the United States and Russia – two of the three co-chairs
of the OSCE Minsk Group – to set aside their present differences and
engage in diplomatic cooperation, Shahinoglu suggested.

"Obviously, there is a completely new dynamic surrounding the evolution
of talks on the Karabakh conflict, creating unique opportunities for a
breakthrough," Shahinoglu said. "However, this dynamic could [possibly]
result in resumption of the war, if the great powers – first and
foremost Russia and United States – continue to differ fundamentally
on their approach to the future of South Caucasus region."

Shahinoglu added that the Kremlin was not especially interested in
seeing the Turkish initiative concerning Karabakh succeed. He reasoned
that the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and the settlement
of the Karabakh question, as well as Yerevan’s potential involvement
in Nabucco, would all do considerable harm to Russia’s geopolitical
interests in the Caucasus.

TURKEY’S REPRESENTATIVE TO PACE CALLED ON EU TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO SOUTH CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.10.2008 18:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Birgen Keles, Turkey’s representative to the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), called on the
European Union to give thorough consideration to the South Caucasus
developments.

"The ongoing conflict in the South Caucasus shows that the European
Union is slow in announcing its position on the issue," Keles said
during a meeting on the consequences of the armed conflict between
Georgia and Russia.

Several European countries depend on Russia’s energy resources,
according to her.

"Other ways must be found to transport energy resources so as to
prevent Europe’s energy dependence on Russia. In this respect,
Georgia is an important country for EU and Turkey," said Keles.

She made a special mention of the Turkey-initiated Caucasus Stability
and Cooperation Platform, Trend Azeri news agency reports.

LEGENDARY TENNIS PLAYER D. NALBANDIAN IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
Oct 2, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Legendary Argentinean-Armenian
tennis player, the best Argentinean tennis player, one of the leading
representatives of international tennis Davit Nalbandian arrived in
Armenia late at night October 1.

This is the first visit of the multiple prizewinner of international
tournaments Davit Nalbandian to his historical homeland. He will
spend 3 days in Armenia. The visit is paid at the invitation of
the head of the Armenian Tennis Federation, a member of parliament
Harutyun Pambukian and well known Argentinean- Armenian businessman
Eduardo Ernekian.

H. Pambukian told Armenpress that the federation plans to cooperate
with D. Nalbandian as well as with other Armenian tennis players for
promoting the development of tennis in Armenia.

D. Nalbandian will have show-games as well as conduct tennis classes
in Armenia.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

KAREKIN II BLESSES HRANUSH HAKOBIAN ON THE OCCASION OF ASSUMING POST OF DIASPORA MINISTER

ARMENPRESS
Oct 2, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Diaspora Minister Hranush
Hakobian visited Holy See of St. Etchmiadzin and met with His Holiness
Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II.

Press service of the ministry told Armenpress that Karekin II blessed
H. Hakobian on the occasion of assuming the honorable and responsible
post. Hranush Hakobian presented to the Catholicos the Armenia-Diaspora
partnership development concept which was highly approved.

The archbishops also presented a number of suggestions and expressed
readiness to closely cooperate with the ministry.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVES CHAIRMAN OF LATVIAN CONSTITUTIONAL COURT

ARMENPRESS
Oct 2, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
received today the chairman of the Latvian Constitutional Court
Gunara Kutris.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that underscoring the close
cooperation between the constitutional courts of the two countries,
President Sargsyan said that such contacts are useful and give birth
to new ideas and initiatives.

Serzh Sargsyan also referred to Armenian-Latvian relations in general,
saying that they are developing successfully. He said that in New York
he met with Latvian President Valdis Zatlers and discussed directions
of partnership.

The chairman of the Latvian Constitutional Court on his turn considered
the mutual visits the best way of exchange of experience.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SERZH SARGSYAN RECEIVES GOVERNOR OF ROSTOV PROVINCE

ARMENPRESS
Oct 2, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
received today governor of the Russian province of Rostov Vladimir
Chubin.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that during the meeting
the interlocutors underscored the deepening of relations of the
two countries on the level of separate administrative territories
and pointed out that it creates a good basis for consolidation of
inter-state relations.

The sides also pointed out the role of the big Armenian community
which is a peculiar bridge between the two sides.

CONFERENCE OF BSEC MEMBER COUNTRIES OPENS IN KRASNODAR PROVINCE

ARMENPRESS
Oct 2, 2008

KRASNODAR, OCTOBER 2, ARMENPRESS: The international conference of
member countries of Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization
started its works today in Krasnodar province, Russia, press service
of provincial department of complex development of resort centers
and tourism reported.

"The participants of the council will discuss the issues of
development of resort and tourist complexes in Krasnodar province and
in participating countries, the potential and investment opportunities
of resort towns, as well as modern approach towards preparation of
staff for the tourist branch," the press service reported.

Twelve states are the members of BSEC including Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Greece, Georgia, Moldova, Russia, Romaine,
Serbia, Turkey and Ukraine.

"THE EVENTS OF MARCH 1 PROBABLY TOOK PLACE IN TEXAS"

A1+
[09:01 pm] 02 October, 2008

After hearing the revelations during the last session of the
parliamentary committee investigating the events of March 1, "Heritage"
faction member Vardan Khachatrian got the impression that the murders
of March 1 didn’t take place in Yerevan, but in Texas when a herd
was on the move and some animals got killed on the way.

According to Khachatrian, the committee’s activities are turning into a
fiasco. Vardan Khachatrian underlines that the goal of the committee’s
activity is to defend the authorities and make sure that the opposition
is to blame. In reality, some questions remain unanswered. For
example: Who gave the commands to shoot the people? Who permitted
the operations? Why did they get rid of the evidence and why were
they dumping people’s items in the garbage trucks with shovels? Why
didn’t they take the fingerprints found on the weapons? As a matter
of fact, Vardan Khachatrian is still shocked by the commentaries of
the authorities on the fingerprints. They claim that since they don’t
have enough information on the fingerprints, they can’t accept them
as evidence and that is why they are not important.

"This goes to show that we haven’t progressed since the 19th
century," said Vardan Khachatrian hesitantly. "Heritage" deputy
Vardan Khachatrian informed that the party deputies will take part
in gathering the facts, yet it is unclear as to who will join the
group. Khachatrian also said that the party wants to conduct an
investigation of their own as well.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE COMMISSION DEMANDS URGENT SOLUTION
Karine Asatryan

A1+
[08:03 pm] 02 October, 2008

The PACE Monitoring Commission considered today the issue concerning
the revelation of the reasons for the March 1 murders as essentially
unsolved and stressed the importance of the urgent creation of an
independent expert group, according to Armenian delegation member
Armen Rustamyan.

Rustamyan added that the other issue requiring an urgent solution
concerns the arrests based on police testimonies. Based on the
statement, arrests must be proof-based. Rustamyan also said that
the Commission believed that it would be better to find a political
solution to articles 300 and 225 of the Criminal Code [embezzlement
of power and riots] and proposes amnesty or an inactment.

"The statement is more of a consultative nature," told "A1+"
Mr. Rustamyan and noted that it can also be considered as an interim
evaluation of the work that Armenia has completed regarding the
resolutions.

The hearing on the issue concerning Armenia’s fulfillment of the
requirements stated in the 1609 and 1620 resolutions is scheduled
for the PACE winter session in January 2009.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress