Month: October 2008

ALEXANDER ISKANDARYAN: OLD SOUTH CAUCASUS VANISHED AFTER FIVE-DAY WAR

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2008 18:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to
Armenia was unusual, because it was a visit to a new South Caucasus,
an Armenian political scientist said.

"The old South Caucasus vanished after five-day war. Presently,
Russia and other states should interact with the region which entered
a new stage of development. Medvedev’s visit was an attempt to sound
the situation. I think that the Armenian-Russian relations should be
further built in the context of recent Georgian events," director of
Caucasus Institute, political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan said,
adding that Armenia values relations with Russia, U.S. and Georgia.

Touching on the regional conflicts, he noted that the tendency of
"non-resolution of conflicts" prevailed in the region during the past
17 years. "I do not have optimistic expectations, despite officials’
statements," he said.

"The Moscow-Washington rivalry has become more vivid. Armenia has to
take it for granted," Iskandaryan resumed.

TURKISH MINISTER EXPECTS OBJECTIVE EU PROGRESS REPORT ON TURKEY

Anatolia news agency
Oct 21 2008
Turkey

Ankara, 21 October: The Turkish foreign minister expressed his
expectation for an objective and fair progress report on Tuesday
[21 October].

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that he expected that
the European Commission would prepare an objective and fair progress
report on Turkey.

The commission is to make public the report on Turkey’s progress on
the road to European Union (EU) membership in November.

"This year’s report should objectively and fairly show where Turkey
is, what it is doing and what it has to do," Babacan told the private
NTV channel.

Babacan said Turkey would make reforms according to its own schedule
and priorities.

Also, Babacan said that Turkey would maintain its busy diplomacy
traffic with Armenia and told the private channel that he might meet
his Armenian counterpart in a meeting of the foreign ministers of
Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) countries in Tirana, Albania.

Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul paid one-day visit to the Armenian
capital of Yerevan to watch a 2010 World Cup qualifier between Turkish
and Armenian national soccer teams on 6 September 2008.

Gul met his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan during this visit.

GEORGIAN OFFICIAL DOWNBEAT ABOUT RUSSIAN ROLE AS MEDIATOR IN KARABAKH TALKS

Imedi TV
Oct 21 2008
Georgia

[Presenter] Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister [Grigol Vashadze]
has reacted to the official meetings held in Yerevan [between the
Russian and Armenian presidents]. Grigol Vashadze said that the
Russian president’s initiative to mediate between the sides [in the
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan] resembles an attempt to get on a train, which has already
departed. Here is what Vashadze said.

[Vashadze] This statement by the president of the Russian Federation
resembles an attempt to hop on a train, which has already departed,
because Turkish-mediated talks between the sides are already under way.

I would like to say one thing to our Armenian and Azerbaijani friends:
God save them from Russia’s mediation role.

ZATULIN: KARABAKH RESOLUTION PACKAGE ENVISAGING NKR RECOGNITION AND RETURN OF 7 REGIONS DEVELOPED LONG AGO

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2008 19:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The situation in the Caucasus has considerably
changed. Russia has broken relations with Georgia, one of the five
states of the region, Konstantin Zatulin, Russian Duma member and
director of Institute of CIS Studies said during Yerevan-Moscow TV
space bridge.

"We understand that with the hope to resolve the Karabakh problem in
favor of Yerevan, the Armenian authorities used to strain Karabakh’s
aspiration to develop relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia,"
he said, adding that Russia wants to see both Armenia and Azerbaijan
mitigate positions on the issue in order to avoid the Georgian
scenario," he said.

"The situation at the contact line between the Karabakh and Azeri
armed forces tensed during the war in South Ossetia," he said.

"At that I should mention that a resolution package envisaging NKR
recognition and return of 7 regions was developed long ago. The most
important thing to do now is to prevent any kind of violence in the
region and interference of third states, which want to re-open the
wounds," the Russian politician said.

THOMAS HAMMARBERG GREETS ORDER OF ARMENIAN PRESIDENT ON CREATING FACT FINDING GROUP

ARMENPRESS
Oct 23, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS: "I welcome the decision to set up
an expert fact-finding group to undertake an independent, impartial,
credible and transparent investigation into the 1-2 March events in
Yerevan. It is essential that a true and factual description of what
actually happened is established. If this can be done it will also
benefit future work to protect human rights in Armenia," Council
of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg said,
assessing with the request of Armenpress the order of the Armenian
President on creation of a fact finding group.

"I hope that those who are invited to nominate the expert members
will make suggestions which will give the group the highest possible
professionalism and moral standing. When such an expert group is
established, I would be happy to facilitate international advisory
support if this is wanted by its members. I also welcome the fact
that the expert group will be able to work without external pressure
and publicity during its elaborations and that its final report will
be made public," the commissioner noted.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN-IRANIAN RELATIONS DISCUSSED

ARMENPRESS
Oct 23, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Assembly Speaker
Hovik Abrahamian received today Iranian ambassador to Armenia Seyid
Ali Saghayan.

Public relations department of the NA told Armenpress that during the
meeting Hovik Abrahamian highly underscored the cooperation between
the two friendly countries and the economic ties which are expanding
from year to year.

The NA speaker asked to convey his greetings and good-wishes to the
chairman of the Iranian Mili Mejlis (parliament) and the invited
the group of members of Armenian friendship group of the Iranian
parliament to visit Armenia, expressing assurance that mutual visits
and warm relations between the parliamentarians will also promote
the development of relations between the two countries.

The Iranian ambassador conveyed his and the greetings of the Iranian
parliament speaker Ali Larijani and the invitation to pay official
visit to Iran. According to him, the relations between the two
parliaments greatly promote the consolidation of ties between the
two countries.

Hovik Abrahamian highly underscored the neutral and balanced position
of Iran over Nagorno Karabakh and underscoring the development of
cooperation with Iran in all the economic spheres referred to the
importance of bringing to life the programs in the energy system.

Expressing gratitude for the invitation, H. Abrahamian said that he
will plan to pay a visit to Tehran in 2009.

During the meeting the sides also discussed other issues as well.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SIGNS ORDER ON APPROVING CREATION OF FACT FINDING GROUP

ARMENPRESS
Oct 23, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 23, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
signed an order on October 23 on approving the creation of fact
finding group and rule of organization of the latter’s activity.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that the order enters into
force from the next day of the official publication.

NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ANKARA AND YEREVAN WILL CONTINUE "NOISELESSLY"

AZG Armenian Daily
23/10/2008

Armenia-Turkey

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan announced in an interview to
Turkish NTV channel that negotiations between Ankara and Yerevan
would continue "noiselessly".

"The diplomatic relations with Armenia started last year. Turkish
President Abdullah Gul’s visit to Yerevan transformed it into
political dialogue. But as both societies are sensitive about it,
we will continue the talks noiselessly", he said.

To the question, if a meeting of the two Foreign Ministers is
anticipated in the framework of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation’s
session in Tirana, Babacan answered that in case of Armenian Foreign
Minister’s participation in the session, they don’t exclude the
meeting of the two Foreign Ministers, "Armenpress" reported.

ARMENIANS FOR OBAMA MEETS WITH DEMOCRATIC VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE SENATOR JOE BIDEN

AZG Armenian Daily
23/10/2008

Armenian-Americans

Armenians for Obama Chairman, Areen Ibranossian, met October 16 with
Senator Joe Biden during a fundraiser at the Pacific Design Center
in the heart of Los Angeles.

During the course of the meeting, Ibranossian discussed with the
Senator numerous issues relating to Armenian-Americans as well as
the work being done by Armenians for Obama.

"It was an honor and a pleasure to meet Senator Biden. During our
conversation I thanked the Senator for his long standing support
of Armenian Genocide recognition and especially his leadership in
ensuring military aid parity for Armenia and Azerbaijan," stated
Ibranossian. "Senator Biden’s deep understanding of foreign affairs
and his commitment to truth and justice were on display as we spoke
and I was inspired by his passion and energy," continued Ibranossian.

Senator Biden also thanked Armenians for Obama for its hard work and
dedication to electing Senator Obama the next President of the United
States. "After outlining the work that Armenians for Obama has been
doing, Senator Biden expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation for
the community’s support and encouraged Armenians for Obama to continue
to educate and mobilize voters over the course of these last 19 days,"
commented Ibranossian.

Senator Biden also commented that in an Obama-Biden administration,
openness and honesty would prevail regarding U.S. policy on the
Armenian Genocide.

Armenians for Obama is a nationwide voter registration, education, and
mobilization effort dedicated to electing Barack Obama President. Based
in Los Angeles, and with chapters and affiliates across the nation,
Armenians for Obama will harness the energy and enthusiasm for Barack
Obama ‘s candidacy to ensure record high Armenian American turnout
in critical battleground states.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS FREEDOM IN ARMENIA DECREASED

AZG Armenian Daily
23/10/2008

Statistics

Press freedom in Armenia has decreased markedly over the past year,
an international media rights group said on Wednesday, pointing to a
temporary ban on independent news reporting imposed by the Armenian
Government in March, Azatutyun reported. The Paris-based Reporters
Without Borders (RSF) put Armenia in 102nd place in its latest World
Press Freedom Index covering 173 nations. Armenia ranked 77th in the
previous RSF survey released a year ago.

RSF found an even shaper deterioration of the situation with media
freedom in neighboring Georgia which the United States and the
European Union regard as the most democratic and liberal of the
three South Caucasus states. Georgia, which went through a state of
emergency in November 2007 and a brief war with Russia last August,
slipped 54 places to 120th in the survey. Azerbaijan fared even worse,
falling from 139th to 150th spot in the rankings.