Month: October 2008

HOVIK ABRAHAMIAN READY TO ASSIST NA AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON EVENTS OCCURRED ON 1-2 MARCH

Noyan Tapan
Oct 29, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. The goal of the October 29 meeting
of RA NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamian with the NA Ad-hoc Committee on
the Events Occurred on 1-2 March 2008 was to be informed about the
work done during the four months of committee’s activity, obstacles,
and possible assistance.

Committee Chairman, RPA faction Secretary Samvel Nikoyan informed
the NA Speaker that all technical issues have been solved so far with
the assistance of both former NA Speaker Tigran Torosian and current
NA Speaker.

However, he expressed discontent that the committee is mercilessly
criticized from all sides."

S. Nikoyan said that the committee has separated study of the events of
March 1 morning and those occurred near the Embassy of France. There
are all proper documents on the morning events, and the committee
is ready to present its conclusion. However, in connection with the
creation of the fact-finding group and taking into consideration the
fact that new circumstances can come up the committee preferred to
refrain from presenting its conclusion for the present.

S. Nikoyan said that currently the main task of the committee is to
study the death circumstances of the 10 victims. However, according
to him, no complete information was given by law enforcement bodies
in response to all their questions. Working groups have been created
in the committee at present to study the circumstances of death of
each victim, and the committee is also ready to listen to witnesses
for that purpose.

It was also mentioned that though the committee is not empowered
to invite former high-ranking officials, nevertheless it expects
to receive explanations from the first and second RA Presidents,
opposition leaders, high-ranking officials.

H. Abrahamian assured that he is ready to assist the committee within
his powers. He also said that he had talked to the Chief of the RA
Police, and the latter expressed readiness to meet with the committee
and to provide all materials interesting them.

MAIL.RU PLAYING A SMEARY GAME WITH AZERBAIJAN

Today.Az
Oct 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenian officials of one of the biggest Internet portals of Russia
MAIL.RU, staking on the good neighbor relations between Russia and
Azerbaijan, decided to play a smeary game with our country.

This is a game, where the main rule is the complete non-observance
of moral, ethical and other norms, peculiar of normal people.

This pro-Armenian site (it is impossible to call MAIL.RU otherwise)
is again deliberately distorting information about Azerbaijan,
challenging the territorial integrity of our country.

Yesterday, Day.Az posted a material, according to which MAIL.RU,
providing information about services on cheap calls throughout the
world, fixed Nagorno Karabakh as part of Armenia, thus separating it
from Azerbaijan de-facto in the section on tariffs.

Day.Az called on all the readers, not indifferent to our country, to
write a letter of protest to the aforementioned company. The readers
launched a campaign on sending the letters with protests. And in the
evening we discovered that the mistake on the website was corrected.

Yet, to the great regret and disappointment, today the Day.Az officials
found out that a link on "Armenia Artsakh" has appeared on the website
in place of the "Armenia-Nagorno Karabakh" link.

Yesterday Day.Az received a letter from the adviser of the embassy
of Azerbaijan to Russia B.Zeynalov which read that after getting
the information about the mistake on the MAIL.RU internet portal,
the embassy of Azerbaijan to Russia sent the due appeal addressed to
the director of the portal Oleg Ilichev.

Moreover, the embassy official contacted with the company and held
a detailed explanatory work.

He stressed the illegality of distortion of information about
Azerbaijan within its internally recognized borders and demanded to
be further attentive to the information, posted on the portal.

As is seen, this interference was not effective and MAIL.RU again
fixed Karabakh as part of Armenia, calling it Artsakh.

We call on the Azerbaijani embassy to Russia to interfere with this
issue and react sharply on the unprecedented respect of the MAIL.RU
portal towards our country.

The situation has reached the point of marasmus, when Armenian
officials of the Russian company deliberately cause differences in
the good neighbor relations between Russia and Azerbaijan.

We call on both the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Communication
and Information Technologies of Azerbaijan to send an official letter
of protest to MAIL.RU, threatening to the said pro-Armenian company
to completely close its access in Azerbaijan.

We will continue closely watching the developments.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH OFFICIALS LEAVE FOR USA TO PRESENT ANKARA’S STANCE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmInfo
2008-10-29 12:28:00

ArmInfo. Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan sent two foreign policy
officials to meet the advisors of both U.S. presidential candidates
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain in the United States,
Hurriyet daily reported on Tuesday.

Ahmet Davutoglu, chief foreign policy advisor to Erdogan and Suat
Kiniklioglu, deputy chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of
the Turkish parliament would convey Turkey’s stance on a number of
crucial issues, including PKK terrorism, the Armenian genocide, Cyprus
and other regional problems, to the advisors of both candidates. The
officials are also expected to reiterate Turkey’s desire to continue
cooperation against the terror organization, PKK, and reaffirm
that their country looks favorably on the territorial integrity of
Iraq. Davutoglu and Kinikoglu would also seek U.S. support to Turkey’s
proposal for the "Caucasus Cooperation Platform".

Turkey would also urge the U.S. presidential candidates to listen to
Turkish views on the Armenian genocide, aside from focusing solely
on the Armenian claims.

AZERBAIJAN’S STALLED ARMY REFORM

International Crisis Group
=5751&l=1&m=1
Oct 29 2008
Belgium

Baku/Tbilisi/Brussels, 29 October 2008: Reform of Azerbaijan’s
controversial army is stalling for lack of political will.

Azerbaijan: Defence Sector Management and Reform, the latest
policy briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines the
difficulties the country faces in upgrading its military. Oil wealth
has been poured into a defence budget that has increased more than
ten-fold in five years, raising concerns President Ilham Aliyev might
eventually choose war with Armenia to recover Nagorno-Karabakh. But
reforms could also make the army more accountable, less corrupt and
a contributor to democratisation.

Unwillingness to take tough decisions, including how far to cooperate
with and accept advice from NATO while balancing relations with
Russia and Iran, has led to stalemate in efforts to reduce widespread
inefficiency, corruption and mistreatment in the army. For now at
least, the delicate military balance with Armenia probably still holds.

"Defence sector reform should be an integral part of an overall
democratic process, said Lawrence Sheets, Crisis Group Caucasus
Project Director. "If Azerbaijan is committed to thorough reform of the
military, it will need to change substantially in many other areas of
government and society as well. But parliament has failed to oversee
military expenditure and has no authority to summon power ministers,
including the defence minister, to report on their activities".

A modern and efficient army, even if subject to democratic, civilian
control, is not unproblematic while the loss of Nagorno-Karabakh
remains deeply resented. But ability to hold leaders to account for
expenditures and policy priorities at least has the potential to make
the system more responsible and predictable.

Azerbaijan needs to improve dissemination of defence information and
expand awareness about its increased military spending. NATO, which is
helping with its military reform, should facilitate dialogue between
the militaries of both Azerbaijan and Armenia. The international
community, including the EU, U.S. and Russia should push the parties
harder to resolve their conflict peacefully.

"It makes sense both for Azerbaijan to pursue the kind of deep reforms
of structures, laws and procedures necessary to build a truly excellent
military and for NATO and other democratic states to provide a degree
of assistance", said Sabine Freizer, Crisis Group Europe Program
Director. "However, the fundamental need is for all who profess an
interest in stability in these areas to give more priority to ensuring
that it is diplomacy, not war that provides the answer to the still
dangerous Nagorno-Karabakh conflict".

Contacts: Andrew Stroehlein (Brussels) +32 (0) 2 541 1635 Kimberly
Abbott (Washington) +1 202 785 1601 To contact Crisis Group media
please click here *Read the full Crisis Group report on our website:

ARMENIA, SERBIA DEPUTY FMS MEET IN YEREVAN

armradio.am
30.10.2008 11:21

On October 29 the Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, Arman Kirakosyan
received the Deputy Foreign Minister if Serbia Zoran Vujic.

During the meeting the interlocutors discussed a broad framework of
issues related to bilateral cooperation, opportunities of collaboration
within international organizations.

Zoran Vujic presented the main directions of Serbia’s foreign policy
and his assessment of the situation in the Balkans.

At the request of the guest, Arman Kirakosyan presented the priorities
of Armenia’s foreign policy and the experience of cooperation with
international structures.

The interlocutors turned to issues connected with resolution of
conflicts.

CELLIST NAREK HAKHNAZARYAN: A SEASONED PHENOM

Washington Post
article/2008/10/28/AR2008102803213.html
Oct 29 2008

Narek Hakhnazaryan, a phenomenal Armenian cellist who first appeared
here in 2006 as the winner of the Johansen International Competition,
just turned 20 years old. His recital Monday at the Kennedy Center’s
Terrace Theater, presented by the Young Concert Artists of Washington,
was packed, and the audience giddy. Watching talent of this age on
this level is always a thrill.

Gangly and self-conscious, Hakhnazaryan actually appears even younger,
but his way with the instrument is that of a seasoned professional.

He produces a powerful and colorful sound in all registers, nails
every big shift and flashes all the virtuoso’s tricks (flying staccato,
artificial harmonics, jete, etc.) with insolent ease.

Even if Hakhnazaryan has nothing left to learn technically, there
are aspects of his playing that should improve still further with
experience. He sometimes suspends the motion of his bow when stretching
a musical phrase — intuitively right but instrumentally wrong, since
the sound is drained rather than sustained. Intonation with piano is
a different animal than when playing solo or with other strings.

Musically, he clearly came into his own when playing Armenian and
Russian works, with looser body language, creative ideas and often a
smile of contentment. If he can attain that same level of involvement
and understanding with music from all eras and cultures, he should
have a stellar career.

Pianist Noreen Polera was a graceful and imaginative partner, though
sometimes too reticent in the Schumann and Beethoven works on the
program.

RASIM AGHAYEV: "IF SERZH SARGSYAN AGREES TO RETURN THE OCCUPIED LANDS TO AZERBAIJAN, RUSSIA WILL HAVE TO ENSURE HIS SECURITY"

Today.az
politics/48558.html
Oct 28 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with famous political scientist Rasim Aghayev.

– A terror act occurred in the parliament of Armenia nine years ago
on October 27 of 1999 and it caused death to Armenian Prime Minister
Vazgen Sargsyan, speaker Karen Demirchyan and several other political
figures of this country. Do you think today there is a possibility
of a terrorist act against the leading politicians of this country?

– As is knownб several political figures, political scientists and
journalists of Armenia blamed the working Karabakh clan, represented by
previous and working presidents of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and Serzh
Sargsyan of organization of the terror act in the Armenian parliament.

In other words, considering that the powers of this country are the
organizers of a terror act in the Armenian parliament, it may seem
that new terror acts against the leadership of Armenia are out of
the question as there is no one to commit these acts. But this is an
unfounded outlook, for since the moment of its consolidation as an
ethnic-political powers Armenians have taken terror as a method of
political pressure on their opponents before anyone else did.

And therefore, the one that once used terror as way to attain the
desired political result will become a victim of terror sooner of
later. Therefore, there is no guarantee that those who committed the
terror act in the Armenian parliament will not fall victims of other
Armenian terrorists.

– Which steps of the working powers of Armenia may provoke a terror
act from the side of other powers in this country?

– First of all, I think Serzh Sargsyan will not take the steps, which
may provoke the wide Armenian public to take radical measures against
him. He is aware that if he agrees to return the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan in exchange for the agreement of our country to put off the
status of Nagorno Karabakh, may be enough for the Armenian circles,
having a historical inclination for terror, to terminate the working
president.

– But isn’t the working president of Armenia able to attain guarantees
of personal security from the side of the leading world countries
before he launches possible steps aimed at the establishment of peace,
stability and good neighbor relations in the South Caucasus region,
as a goal for which the leading countries of the world strive so much
according to official statements?

– Practice shows that super states do not care much about those,
who served to them at a certain stage after they fulfill the due
work. Therefore, you are right to say that it is vitally important
for Serzh Sargsyan to attain guarantees of his own security in case he
agrees to promote establishment of peace, stability and good neighbor
relations in the South Caucasus region.

Moreover, he, as well as Robert Kocharyan, are casual figures in
politics and they can be easily replaced. This is how they differ
from Levon Ter-Petrosyan. So, it can be said that if Serzh Sargsyan
agrees to return the occupied lands to Azerbaijan, Russia will have
to ensure his security.

– What should Azerbaijan do to encourage the Armenian President for
return of the occupied lands of our country?

– Azerbaijan is holding a balanced, competent and effective external
policy. Azerbaijan must further continue the policy of Armenia’s
isolation from all regional projects and agree with the Georgian
leadership on blocking the communication corridor between this country
and Armenia.

We must also agree with the Turkish government to avert any
speculations about possible opening of the Armenian-Turkish border
before Armenia liberates the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, we must persuade the leaderships of the leading countries
of Europe, Russia and the United States that peace and stability in
the South Caucasus are impossible without the fair resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. Only these steps
can make the Armenian leadership to realize the current balance of
powers in the region and take real steps to establish peace and good
neighbor relations in our region.

–Boundary_(ID_Swnb0supWuqKjygNsfq6lg)–

MOSCOW TO HOST KARABAKH TALKS IN BID FOR PEACEMAKER ROLE

Agence France Presse
Oct 29 2008

MOSCOW (AFP) — The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it will host the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks on the disputed Nagorny
Karabakh region, playing peacemaker in the Caucasus after its war
with Georgia.

"On November 2, 2008, in Moscow… a meeting will take place between
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian… on the regulation of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict,"
a Kremlin statement said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan confirmed that the meeting would be held,
but presidential officials in both countries declined to comment
further. The Kremlin said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev would
host the meeting.

Medvedev visited Armenia last week in a fresh push to end the
long-simmering conflict over Nagorny Karabakh, an enclave of Azerbaijan
with a largely ethnic Armenian population that broke free of Baku’s
control in the early 1990s.

Sarkisian said at the meeting that he was ready for talks with Baku
on the basis of principles worked out at negotiations in Madrid last
year, meaning that the people of Nagorny Karabakh gain the right
to self-determination.

Analysts say Moscow is keen to boost its influence in the South
Caucasus after Russia’s brief war with US-allied Georgia in August
raised tensions throughout the region.

The August war, which began when Georgia attacked its own breakaway
enclave of South Ossetia, raised fears of similar violence in Nagorny
Karabakh.

"Russia must repair its image in the Caucasus," said Alexei Malashenko,
a political analyst with the Moscow Carnegie Centre. "The important
thing for Russia is that it is seen to take the initiative."

But Malashenko said a quick resolution of the conflict would require
concessions "at Armenia’s cost" — an unlikely scenario considering
that Yerevan is Moscow’s "strategic partner" in the Caucasus.

Azerbaijani political analyst Vafa Guluzade predicted that the Moscow
meeting would yield little result, as Baku had nothing to gain.

"Russia is looking to restore its influence in Azerbaijan,"
he said. "That’s why negotiations under a format of
Azerbaijan-Russia-Armenia will bring nothing good."

But analysts said that if Moscow decided to push Armenia toward
compromise, Russia could strengthen its position in the Caucasus.

Moscow is vying for influence with Washington in Azerbaijan, a key
energy exporter that ships oil and gas through Western-backed pipelines
through Georgia and Turkey, bypassing Russia.

"Russia is looking to strengthen its influence in the Caucasus… and
if it manages to convince Armenia to compromise on Karabakh, Azerbaijan
could in exchange export its oil and gas via Russian territory to
Europe," Armenian political analyst Stepan Grigorian said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan remain in a tense stand-off over Karabakh,
which ethnic Armenian forces seized in the early 1990s in a war that
killed nearly 30,000 people and forced another million on both sides
to flee their homes.

A ceasefire was signed between the two former Soviet republics in
1994 but the dispute remains unresolved after years of negotiations,
and shootings between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the region
are common.

CONFERENCE DEVOTED TO ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS

"Noravank" Foundation
30 October 2008

On October 28 in "Noravank" Foundation was held a conference on
"Armenian-Turkish relations" participated by guests and foundation
co-workers. The conference was organized on the occasion of Fethiye
Chetn’s republication of the book "Grandmother." The book was first
published in 2006 (translated by the "Noravank" Foundation expert,
senior lecturer of Yerevan State University’s Department of Turkology,
PhD Ruben Melkonyan). The conference was honored by the participation
of Fethiye Chetin and the brother of "Akos" newspaper’s chief editor
Hrant Dink – Yervand Dink.

The Foundation Director G.Harutyunyan briefly represented how the
idea of the book came true, than Ruben Melkonyan introduced the
honorable guest Fethiye Chatin. The latter one mentioned that she
was very surprised to find out that her grandmother, Hranush, was
an Armenian, which made her make a tour into the past and find the
world-spread relatives. In the end Fethiye Chetin, who is a lawyer
by profession and at the same time the lawyer of Hrant Dink’s family,
took the pen and wrote this exciting story.

She also mentioned about great changes in Turkey. According to her in
her country are discussed such problems which nobody deared to voice
in the past, there are also braked taboos, in particular – Armenian
ones. The author of the book thinks that hostility between Armenian
and Turkish nations is conditioned by their not knowing each other.

By the end of the meeting the conference participants asked a lot
of questions to the author of the book which witnesses about the
subject’s up-to-datedness and great interest to it.

326 ORGANIZATIONS ENGAGED IN PASSENGER TRANSPORTATION BY TAXI RECEIVE LICENCES IN NINE MONTHS OF 2008

Noyan Tapan
Oct 29, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. In the first nine months of 2008, the
Transport Inspection of the RA Ministry of Transport and Communication
drew up 751 reports about administrative violations, with 8 million
577 thousand drams being transferred to the RA state budget.

Thanks to control of the calculation and settlement of
payments for advertisements near state motorways, the amount of
advertisement-related payments to the RA state budget considerably
increased. 35 mln 38.6 thousand drams was transferred to the state
budget in 2007, while the same index made 53 mln 23.56 thousand drams
in th first nine months of 2008.

149,330 vehicles underwent compulsory technical examination at 31
checkup stations in Armenia, as a result of which 373 mln 325 thousand
drams was transferred to the state budget. Environmental protection
payments made 447 mln 990 thousand drams.

326 organizations engaged in passenger transportation by taxi and
35 orgaizations engaged in regular passenger transportaion received
licences in the first nine months of 2008.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress