Month: December 2008

ARONYAN LEADS SUPERTOURNAMENT

Panorama.am
17:23 12/12/2008

The Chess Supertournament of the Grand Masters launched in
China. Golden medalist of World Chess Olympiad Levon Aronyan takes
part in this tournament of Grand Masters.

According to the web site of the tournament, today Levon Aronyan
– Vassili Ivanchuk game finished by the victory of Armenian chess
player. Currently Chinese and Armenian chess players share the first
horizontal of the tournament.

Armenian chess player Sergey Movsisyan who presents Slovakia in the
tournament defeated Peter Svedler, and Vesselin Topalov – Boo Iantszi
game finished in draw.

FAO – 21% OF ARMENIANS SUFFER MALNUTRITION

Panorama.am
17:09 12/12/2008

In 2003-2005 21% of Armenian people suffered malnutrition, is
written in "Need for Food in World" report 2008 of the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. According to the
report in 1990-1992 1.6 million people or 46% in Armenia suffered
malnutrition, in 1995-1997 – 1.1 million or 24% and in 2003-2005 –
0.6 million or 21%.

Regarding our neighbor country Azerbaijan the image of the figures
is as following – 1990-1992 – 2 million people (27%), 1995-1997 –
2.1 million (27%), 2003-2005 – 1 million (12%).

According to the report today 963 million people of the world suffer
from starvation. 26% of people don’t manage to feed their families
as needed.

NOBODY WILL BE FIRED FROM "SOUTH-CAUCASUS RAILROADS"

Panorama.am
17:10 12/12/2008

Today the Minister of Transport and Communication Gurgen Sargsyan
received the new appointed director of "South-Caucasus Railroads"
Shevket Shaidulin and the Vice President of "Russian Railroads"
company Georgi Karnilov. The Minister said that taking into account
the experience and skills of the new director, the company’s activities
will be well improved.

G. Sargsyan informed the representatives of the company that a
subdivision is to be established in the Ministry to monitor and
supervise the implementation of investment activities. G. Karnilov
said that though crisis has had its impact on "Russian Railroads",
"South-Caucasus Railroads" would not suffer from that as all the
investment programs would be implemented and no shortenings were
planned.

ARMENIAN-CAPTURED AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER RAFIG HASANOV SENDS LETTER TO HIS FAMILY

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Kamala Guliyeva-APA. The representatives of the International
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) met with the soldier of Azerbaijan
Army Rafig Rahman Hasanov captured by Armenian servicemen on October
8 this year, press officer of the ICRC representation in Azerbaijan
Gulnara Guliyeva told APA.

During the meeting took place on December 9, Rafig Hasanov’s health
state and detention condition was monitored and his letter to the
family was received. Guliyeva said the letter was not delivered to
the soldier’s family yet.

Rafig Hasanov did not write a letter to his family at the meeting on
November 21, since ICRC representative knowing Azeri did not attend
the meeting with Hasanov.

Soldier of Azerbaijani Defense Ministry’s military unit, Hasanov
Rafig Rahman, 19, was captured by Armenian servicemen on the line of
contact in Gazakh region on October 8, 2008.

AZERBAIJANI SOLDIER IN ARMENIAN CAPTIVITY WANTS TO RETURN HOME

Today.Az
Dec 12 2008
Azerbaijan

18:25

The contents of Armenian-captured Azerbaijani soldier Rafig Hasanov’s
letter have been publicized.

Parents of captive told APA Karabakh bureau that the letter was written
in Russian. Hasanov wrote: "My best regards to my father, sister,
brothers, their wives, uncles and all residents of the settlement! Do
not worry about me! I thought much and decided to return back to my
motherland and my mother. Wait a little. We will meet soon", said in
a letter.

The captive’s mother has also sent a letter to her son.

"Rafig, I am waiting for you impatiently. Today is your birthday. We
congratulate you on your birthday and wait for your arrival", the
letter records.

Representative of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
wrote on behalf of the captive, because Hasanov cannot write or
read. Representatives of ICRC Office in Armenia visited Hasanov twice
this week.

15:41

On December 9 representatives of the International Committee of the
Red Cross held a meeting with Azerbaijani soldier Rafig Hasanov,
held in Armenian captivity, said spokesman for ICRC Azerbaijan office
Gulnaz Guliyeva.

She said the soldier wrote a letter home.

"During the meeting the representatives of the committed checked the
detainment conditions of the soldier. The letter he wrote will be
delivered to his parents", noted Guliyeva.

Soldier of N military unit of the Defense ministry of Azerbaijan Rafig
Hasanov (born in 1989) was captured by Armenians on the contact line
in the direction of the Gazakh region on October 8 of this year.

AZERBAIJANI PARLIAMENT ANNOUNCES REASONS OF FOR NOT ADOPTING LAW ON ALTERNATIVE SERVICE

Trend News Agency
Dec 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec 12/ Trend News, I. Alizade/ The Azerbaijani
parliament has announced reasons for not adopting Law on Alternative
Service.

"Some Azerbaijani officials and military leadership believes that
adoption of Law on Alternative Service can weaken military power
of the country. In fact, the key reason for not adopting Law is
that Azerbaijan is at war with Armenia," Safa Mirzayev, chief of
administration of the Azerbaijani parliament, said to reporters.

Azerbaijan undertook several commitments to the Council of Europe when
it was admitted to the organization in 2001. One of these commitments
is adopting Law on Alternative Service. Azerbaijan has fulfilled
the other commitments. The draft Law on Alternative Service has
been developed and the Council of Europe has expressed its attitude
towards it.

Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory – Nagorno-Karabakh
and seven surrounding regions. The occupation began in 1988. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful, but fruitless
negotiations.

"Alternative service pursues totally different aim and it does not
mean avoiding military service. True military service must depend on
an alternative one," parliament official said.

Mirzayev said there is a political decision to adopt the Law and
Azerbaijan will fulfil this commitment. He said the Council of Europe
has already expressed his attitude to Azerbaijan’s draft Law.

"The main point is to make Azerbaijani laws consistent with the
European standards. The opinion of the Council of Europe included
valuable recommendations and we have taken all of them into
account. The Council of Europe is determining procedures. We think
those choosing alternative service should have sound reasons to do
this. The Council of Europe proposes us to define these reasons,"
Mirzayev added.

BAKU ANALYZES RESULTS OF AZERBAIJANI, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS’ HELSINKI MEETING

Trend
Dec 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec. 12/ Trend News, I. Alizade/ The official Baku
is analyzing results of the Helsinki meeting of the Azerbaijani and
Armenian foreign ministers on the resolution o the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and discussions held in the annual meeting of the OSCE
foreign ministers.

"We will reveal our position after analysis ends," Novruz Mammadov,
chief of International Relations Department of the Presidential Office,
said to reporters.

Azerbaijani and Armenian Foreign Ministers Elmar Mammadyarov and Edward
Nalbandyan met within the framework of the OSCE foreign ministers’
meeting held in Helsinki in early Dec. The talks were later attended by
the foreign ministers of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries. The
meeting ended with a joint declaration.

Mammadov said Azerbaijan does not have any information about Russia’s
impeding adoption of resolution on Nagorno-Karabakh at the end of
the OSCE Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Helsinki.

"I have read about it in media reports. But I can not say that this is
Russia’s official position. Everything will become clear after Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov issues a statement on this matter. I don’t
think Russia will take a stance contradicting Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity," Mammadov added.

Mammadov said Russia needs most of all resolution of the conflict
within Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, international law and
principles. He said Russia, Turkey, the European Union and the United
States became more interested in resolution of the conflict in a fair
way and in line with Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity after recent
developments in the South Caucasus.

Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijan’s territory – Nagorno-Karabakh
and seven surrounding regions. The occupation began in 1988. Azerbaijan
lost the Nagorno-Karabakh, except of Shusha and Khojali, in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian Armed Forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and
Nagorno-Karabakh’s seven surrounding regions. In 1994, Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement at which time the active
hostilities ended. The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group ( Russia,
France, and the US) are currently holding peaceful, but fruitless
negotiations.

ZIYAFAT ASGAROV: "WHAT IS THE USE OF MINSK GROUP, IF WE WILL OURSELVES REACH AN UNDERSTANDING WITH ARMENIA?"

APA
12 Dec 2008 14:48

Baku. Elnur Mammadli – APA. "There are no effective results within
the period OSCE Minsk Group has existed. They always say we should
ourselves reach an understanding with Armenia, they can only give
proposals. What is the use of Minsk Group, if we will ourselves reach
an understanding with Armenia?" Vice-Speaker of Azerbaijani Parliament
Ziyafat Asgarov told journalists, APA reports. He said the current
format of the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict should not
be refused.

"I think there is no need to refuse Minsk Group format, we should
work with this group. But we should lay down conditions before the
Minsk Group, so that their activity has concrete results. If Armenia
does not release the occupied territories, ignores the UN resolutions,
Minsk Group should have its say," he said.

OSCE MISSION TO GEORGIA AWARDS ETHNIC ARMENIAN STUDENTS AFTER EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

The FINANCIAL
Dec 12 2008
Georgia

The FINANCIAL — Sixteen ethnic Armenian students from the Javakheti
region of Georgia received certificates today on completion of a
student exchange programme, organized by OSCE Mission, the Education
Ministry and the Union of Youth Centres.

Teenagers from the Akhalkalaki and Ninotsminda districts of Javakheti,
a region mainly populated by ethnic Armenians, spent three months
living with Georgian host families and studying in schools of the
Khelvachauri district of Adjara.

"The results of the project have been excellent; the children have not
only learned the Georgian language and culture, but have also created
true friendship bonds with their Georgian host families and peers,"
said Lola Ansede, the OSCE Mission to Georgia’s Democratization
Officer.

"We hope to continue running the project for a couple of more years
and then hand it over to the Education Ministry."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIANS RALLY OUTSIDE GEORGIAN PARLIAMENT

The Messenger
Dec 12 2008
Georgia

A group of Armenians living in Georgia has carried out its threat
and held a rally in front of Parliament, Akhali Taoba writes. The
Coordination Council had planned the protest rally a few days before
Tigran Sarkisian the Prime Minister of Armenia visited Georgia
on December 10. There are some rumours that the organizers of the
rally had wanted to attract the Armenian Government’s attention, but
others suggest that Russian Special Services were the instigators of
the rally.

The rally didn’t pass without incident. There was a clash between
protestors and representatives of the political party For Georgia’s
Future. Participants of the rally also abused ethnic Armenian member
of the Georgian Parliament Van Baiburt. Some also say that he is an
instigator the rally. The Georgian Patriarchate has released a special
statement stating that the problems the protestors had gathered to
complain about should be settled by negotiation.

According to information released several forces are involved in an
attempt to aggravate a conflict between Georgia and Armenia in the
near future.