Month: December 2008

PRESIDENT RECEIVES MORE CONGRATULATORY CABLES

Emirates News Agency
December 3, 2008 Wednesday 6:15 PM EST

WAM Abu Dhabi, Dec 03rd, 2008 (WAM): President His Highness Sheikh
Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan received today more cables sent by world
leaders congratulating him on the occasion of the 37th Anniversary
of the UAE National Day.

The cables were from King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Italian President
Giorgio Napolitano, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and President
of the Republic of Guyana Bharat Jagdeo.

THE CIS COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION UPS THE LEVEL OF INTERACTION
by Vladimir Vasiliev

WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 3, 2008 Wednesday
Russia

THE CIS COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION BACKED THE
RUSSIAN INITIATIVE OF A NEW SYSTEM OF WARNING AND DEALING WITH
MILITARY-POLITICAL THREATS; Russia’s allies in the CIS Collective
Security Treaty Organization support the idea of a new system of
warning and dealing with military-political threats.

Russia’s partners in the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
supported the initiative of a new system of warning and dealing with
military-political threats.

According to Secretary General Nikolai Bordyuzha, the latest meeting
of the Council of Ministers of the CIS Collective Security Treaty
Organization (Armenia, Belarus, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and
Uzbekistan) in the Armenian capital of Yerevan agreed to draw a new
comprehensive document on European security. Development of a common
antiaircraft defense system was suggested at the meeting as well.

Victor Zavarzin, Chairman of the Defense Committee of the Duma,
commented that the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
was promoting political and military integration had already
elevated integration between member states to a new level. "We are
already at the level of consultations over problems of strategic
security, nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction and missile
ethnologies," he said. "Also importantly, we agree on global matters
like reorganization of the global and European security architecture
and rearrangement of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization
itself."

"The establishment of a directorate of new challenges and threats in
the Secretariat of the Organization became a major milestone," Zavarzin
continued. "As for practical steps, we plan to form an international
army group in the Central Asian region, develop united military
systems for antiaircraft defense, troops control, communications,
and information gathering. Where military-technical cooperation is
concerned, the agreement on its basic principles finally came into
force. Members of the CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization are
now permitted to buy military hardware from each other at a discount."

COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION TO HOLD MILITARY SPECIALIST CONFERENCES
by Denis Telmanov, Karine Ter-Saakian

WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 3, 2008 Wednesday
Russia

COMMON TRAINING PLANS FOR CIS COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY ORGANIZATION;
CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization defense ministers gathered
in Armenia on November 28. The ministers approved a list of joint
events in operations and combat training for 2010-14, and set out
the basic objectives in this area.

CIS Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) defense ministers
have met for the first time since the Trans-Caucasus conflict. The
meeting was held in Yerevan, Armenia, on November 28. The ministers
approved a list of joint events in operations and combat training
for 2010-14, and set out the basic objectives in this area.

Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced that the Border
maneuvers – CSTO joint command-staff exercises – will be hosted
by each CSTO country in turn, every two years. This year’s Border
exercises were held between March and August, first in Moscow, then
at a training range near Yerevan.

CSTO Press Secretary Vitali Strugovets told us that the CSTO has
decided to hold a series of conferences with various specialists. These
will include field officers (unit commanders, air targeting
specialists, firepower specialists) and staff officers. These events
should confirm a common approach to military training and fine-tune
coordination of joint efforts in the staff and in the field.

Serdyukov said: "Joint operations and combat training is one of the
main fields of activity for CSTO member states. The Border exercises
will alternate with events held on a bilateral basis. I believe this
will offer a real opportunity to improve combat readiness of our
armed forces and reinforce the CSTO’s collective security system."

CSTO Secretary-General Nikolai Bordyuzha told a press conference
that CSTO member states have expressed support for Russia’s proposal
regarding a new European security treaty.

"THE AIR FORCE WILL PLAY THE DETERMINING ROLE IN PROVISION OF MILITARY SECURITY OF RUSSIA"
Nikolai Poroskov

WPS Agency
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 3, 2008 Wednesday
Russia

COMMANDER OF THE RUSSIAN AIR FORCE SPOKE ABOUT THE PLANNED CHANGES
IN THE TROOPS; So far, the "new look" of the Russian Armed Forces
is very vague. Which changes are prepared for the Air Force that has
already included the frontline and the army aviation, the long-range
and military transport aviation, air defense aviation, air defense
missile troops and electronic reconnaissance troops? Military observer
of Vremya Novostey, Nikolai Poroskov, addressed these and other
questions to Air Force Commander, Colonel General Alexander Zelin.

So far, the "new look" of the Russian Armed Forces is very vague. Which
changes are prepared for the Air Force that has already included
the frontline and the army aviation, the long-range and military
transport aviation, air defense aviation, air defense missile troops
and electronic reconnaissance troops? Military observer of Vremya
Novostey, Nikolai Poroskov, addressed these and other questions to
Air Force Commander, Colonel General Alexander Zelin.

Question: What is the role of the Air Force in implementating the
concept of airspace defense of Russia approved by President Dmitry
Medvedev?

Zelin: The airspace defense system of a state should be built under the
general supervision of the general Staff. However, direct supervision
of the entire practical work on its formation, commanding of troops
and forces should be done by the Air Force commander. The subsystem
of reconnaissance and warning about airspace attack and subsystem
of suppression of airspace attack means of foreign countries will
be formed from the units and formations of aviation and air defense
units of the Air Force and missile space units that are within the
Space Forces now.

Question: What is your vision of the prospects of the Air Force proper?

Zelin: They are outlined in the plan for the buildup of the Air Force
until 2016. The main thing is rearmament with new and modernized
armament and military hardware and development of infrastructure. We
plan to increase the operational capabilities for deterrence of
possible aggression in potentially hazardous direction on account of
preserving of potential of the airborne nuclear deterrence means and
increase of the quantity of military units of permanent readiness.

Question: What is the united air defense system of the CIS like?

Zelin: Today, the united air defense system includes the air defense
forces of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan,
Uzbekistan and Ukraine. We conduct joint air defense combat duty
together with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan
and interact with the forces on duty of Ukraine.

The united air defense system of the CIS includes working systems of
control and mutual exchange of information about air situation, joint
air defense combat duty, joint operational and combat training. We are
accomplishing re-equipment of control posts with new automation systems
and their technological interfacing. According to an order of the
coordinating committee for air defense issues, research institutions
of the Russian Defense Ministry together with industrial enterprises
develop a unique set of means for the automation of command posts
and staffs.

Question: What is prepared for the troops of the special-purpose
command that guard the sky above Moscow and the central industrial
region of Russia?

Zelin: Practically all supreme bodies of state power and military
command and a significant part of industrial and research potential
of the country is concentrated in the zone of responsibility of the
special-purpose command. The first regiment armed with newest air
defense missile systems S-400 was put on combat duty in August of
2007. In the near future, a few other air defense missile regiments
will be armed with these systems. We will modernize the S-300P
currently in service.

Question: The threat of terrorist acts with use of aircraft
remains. Which corrections are made in the algorithm of actions of
the special-purpose command because of this?

Zelin: I have already spoken about the missile systems. Electronic
reconnaissance troops are armed with radars of new types and automated
interaction with the Federal Aero Navigation Service will be organized
for better control of the air situation. Already in the near future
all combat units of the special-purpose command will be transferred
to the category of units of permanent readiness.

Question: Flights of long-range aviation for patrolling above the
Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific oceans and Black Sea were restarted in
August of 2007. Will their geography be broadened?

Zelin: More than 150 air patrolling sorties were already performed. The
quantity of flights of strategic airplanes of long-range aviation in
the areas of active seafaring, fishing and commercial activities of
our country will be increased in accordance with resolution of the
President of Russia. We are considering flights of strategic airplanes
to the Indian Ocean with interaction with the Navy.

Question: Unfortunately, changing the generations of aircraft is going
on very slowly in our country. Nevertheless, what is your vision of
the future airplanes?

Zelin: The future aviation system of long-range aviation (PAK DA) will
be able to fulfill tasks in a conventional and in a nuclear war and
to use a broad range of strike and defensive kinds of armament. Along
with this, it will have high survivability in flight, autonomy of
combat use and high combat readiness. The planned combat efficiency
of PAK DA will exceed that of American counterpart airplane B-1B.

The future multifunctional fighter will embody super agility, high
intelligence of onboard systems, circular information field, low
signature, all-aspect ability to attack targets in close-in air combat,
multi-channel use of weapons, ability of simultaneous attacking of
air targets and ground objects with precision-guided weapons, powerful
onboard defense system, high combat efficiency and flight safety.

We develop light military transport airplane of the next generation,
IL-112V. In comparison to its predecessor, it will possess broadened
capabilities regarding transportation and landing of light models of
armament and military hardware, improved fuel efficiency and lower
costs of the life cycle. We are also working on development of future
medium military transport airplane. From the conceptual standpoint
the new properties of such airplane will include inter-regional
delivery of armament and military hardware between theaters of
combat operations, transportation of future models of armament and
military hardware on the basis of combat infantry vehicle BMP-3 and
combat airborne vehicle BMD-3, reduction of time of cargoes delivery,
compliance with the international level of fuel efficiency and use 80%
of the airfield network of Russia.

For improving combat capabilities, first of all, survivability,
mobility and application we do research and development related to
round-the-clock all-weather versions of combat helicopters Mi-28N
and Ka-52.

We develop new helicopters for various purposes: jammers, air command
posts, aerial tankers, reconnaissance helicopters for combat engineers
and chemical troops, search and rescue helicopters etc. Much attention
has been paid lately to development of multipurpose helicopters of
light class with a cargo capacity of approximately 1,000 kg. This
will be the base for creation of special-purpose helicopters in the
interests of various branches of Armed Forces: training, electronic
reconnaissance, medical etc. As an example I can mention training
helicopters ANSATU and Ka-60U.

In the future we plan to buy more than 60 helicopters Mi-8 MTV5,
Mi-28N and Ka-52. Between 2011 and 2015, it is planned to supply more
than 100 new helicopters Mi-28N, Ka-52 and Mi8 of new modifications
to the troops. Helicopter regiments armed with new helicopters will
become the basis of the airmobile reserves of special-purpose units
and mountain brigades.

Broad use of unmanned aerial systems will be one of the general lines
of development of aviation of the future.

AZERI, ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTERS MEET IN HELSINKI

Turan News Agency
Dec 3 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku, 3 December: The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia met
the co-chairmen of the OSCE Minsk Group – Matthew Bryza (US), Bernard
Fassier (France), and Yuriy Merzlyakov (Russia) – in Helsinki today.

The meeting started in the [Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard]
Nalbandyan – co-chairmen format. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov joined the meeting 20 minutes later.

No statements were made after the meeting ended.

INCUMBENT, FORMER PRESIDENTS OPEN NEW ROAD IN ARMENIAN CAPITAL

Mediamax
Dec 3 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 3 October: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and former
President Robert Kocharyan took part in the opening of a new expressway
called Getar in Yerevan today.

A total of 8.4bn drams [about 28m dollars] were allocated for the
construction of the expressway from the state budget, Yerevan mayor
Yervand Zakharyan said at the opening ceremony.

The 2.5-km-long multi-level traffic hub allows unhampered traffic on
10 key streets of the city and substantially shortens the way from
one edge of Yerevan to the other.

PAN-ARMENIAN TELETHON RAISES 35M DOLLARS

Armenian Public TV
Nov 28 2008
Armenia

It said that the 11th pan-Armenian annual telethon showed
"unprecedented results despite the global financial crisis".

The telethon was held in Los Angeles on 27 November at the initiative
of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund and its motto was "My home, Armenia",
the TV said. It added that the money raised during this and other
fund-raising events will be used for development projects in Armenia
and Azerbaijan’s breakaway region of Nagornyy Karabakh.

The TV station added that a Pan-European telethon held in France in
November 2008 raised 1.2bn euros. An Armenian businessman from Russia,
Samvel Karapetyan, has announced an about 15m-dollar donation which
will go to the construction of a hospital in Stepanakert (Xankandi),
the capital of Nagornyy Karabakh, the TV station said.

It also quoted the separatist Nagornyy Karabakh president, Bako
Sahakyan, who attended the telethon in Los Angeles, as saying:
"We once again receive an opportunity to say aloud to the world that
Artsakh [Karabakh] was, is and will always be Armenian, and that we
are ready to defend the country of our ancestors and do everything
for this country to be more developed and more accessible for the
Armenian people from day to day."

WRITERS RISK BACKLASH WITH APOLOGY FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
Robert Tait

The Guardian
Monday December 8 2008

Academics and writers in Turkey have risked a fierce official backlash
by issuing a public apology for the alleged genocide suffered by
Armenians at the hands of Ottoman forces during the first world war.

Breaking one of Turkish society’s biggest taboos, the apology comes
in an open letter that invites Turks to sign an online petition
supporting its sentiments.

It reads: "My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to
and the denial of the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians
were subjected to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share,
I empathise with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I
apologise to them."

The contents expose its authors – three scholars, Ahmet Insel,
Baskin Oran and Cengiz Aktar, and a journalist, Ali Bayramoglu –
to the wrath of the Turkish state, which has prosecuted writers,
including the Nobel prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk, for supporting
Armenian genocide claims.

Turkey rejects the assertion of many historians and Armenia’s
government that up to 1.5 million Armenians died in a wave of
expulsions that amounted to state-sanctioned genocide. Officials
claim the death toll was much lower and that most of the victims
died from disease. They also say many Turks were killed by Armenians,
who have long been accused of allying themselves with enemy Russian
forces against the Ottoman empire.

The letter has triggered a furious response from ultranationalists, who
have labelled it a "betrayal" and an "insult to the Turkish nation".

However, Aktar, a professor of EU studies at Istanbul’s University of
Bahcesehir, said Turks needed to apologise for being unable to discuss
the issue because of official policy, which has long repressed open
debate on the Armenians’ fate.

"Today many people in Turkey, with all good intentions, think that
nothing happened to the Armenians," he told the newspaper Vatan. "The
official history says that this incident happened through secondary,
not very important, and even mutual massacres. They push the idea
that it was an ordinary incident explainable by the conditions of
the first world war.

Unfortunately, the facts are very different."

He added: "This is a voice coming from the individual’s
conscience. Those who want to apologise can apologise, and those who
do not should not."

The letter coincides with a tentative rapprochement between Turkey
and Armenia.

In September, the Turkish president, Abdullah Gul, attended a football
match between the two countries, at the invitation of his Armenian
counterpart, Serge Sarkisian.

But further talks aimed at restoring ties have become bogged down
partly because of Armenian reluctance to accept a Turkish demand for
a joint commission to investigate the genocide claims.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA ACCUSES AZERBAIJAN OF "IGNORING" MOSCOW DECLARATION ON KARABAKH

Mediamax
Dec 3 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 3 December: The Armenian side believes that the distorted
comments on the Moscow declaration voiced in Azerbaijan and the
attempts to ignore its provisions hinder the efficiency of the
negotiation process and its progress.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandyan said this at a meeting
with the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly rapporteur on Karabakh, Goran
Lennmarker, the head of the media relations department of the Armenian
Foreign Ministry’s press service, Tigran Balayan, has told a special
correspondent of the Mediamax news agency in Helsinki.

Nalbandyan also said that Armenia attaches importance to parliamentary
diplomacy, considering it an efficient format for overcoming discords.

ACTS OF GEORGIAN CLERGY STIR PROTEST IN ARMENIA

AssA-Irada
December 3, 2008 Wednesday
Azerbaijn

Over 2,000 Armenian students have staged an action of protest in
Yerevan on Wednesday to voice objection to the abuse of Armenian
churches in Georgia. The protesters, gathered outside the UN office
in Yerevan, demanded that the illegal actions of Georgian spiritual
leaders against Armenian churches be stopped. The protesters
then proceeded to the Georgian Embassy and handed in a letter to
Ambassador Revaz Gachechelidze. The letter demanded that the action
of the Georgian clergy be stopped and an assessment be given to the
developments. To recap, Armenian sources reported that gravestones of
two Armenian benefactors in the Sacred Norashen Church in Tbilisi were
desecrated on the initiative of Georgian priest Tariel Sikinchelashvili
on 16 November.