AZERI SOLDIER IN ARMENIAN CAPTIVITY DOESN’T WANT TO RETURN
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 17:28 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri draftee Rafik Rahman ogly Hasanov who yielded
himself prisoner to the Armenian side said he doesn’t want to return
to the homeland.
He told Armenian TV channels that he suffered humiliation when serving
in the Azeri army. He said that he is treated well in Armenia and
that he is not going to return to Azerbaijan.
RUSSIA-GEORGIA TALKS FAIL
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 17:32 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian and Georgian peace negotiators have moved
forward on easing tensions but fallen short of an accord that would
establish an international observer for Georgia’s breakaway provinces,
participants in the talks said Thursday, the AP reports.
The two sides have been discussing how to prevent shootings and other
clashes that have been an obstacle to restoring stability since the
August war that uprooted more than 160,000 people, officials said.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried said progress was made
toward an agreement on how to deal with and avoid the sometimes deadly
clashes but: "I regret that we did not achieve this agreement."
Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said the negotiators
had engaged in a free exchange of views.
"Today at times, the discussions were very heated, which is actually
natural since the political views … are very different," Karasin
said. "The Russian troops in stay in the region to ensure security
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia."
The next meeting of the Geneva peace talks will take place on
Feb. 17-18, said EU representative Pierre Morel.
NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING NKR INCREASES
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 18:03 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In 2008, tourists from dozens of countries visited
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
According to the data provided by the NKR MFA Consular Service,
most of them are the citizens of the USA, France, Canada, Russia,
Iran and Great Britain. As compared with 2007, the number of tourists
increased approximately by 15%. The geography of the visitors to the
NKR keeps on expanding. Tourists from Pakistan, Singapore and Somali
visited Nagorno Karabakh for the first time this year.
Besides ethnic Armenians, people of various nationalities, in
particular the youth, visit the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. The most
visited places are the historical-architectural monuments and monastic
complexes: Amaras (4-19c.), Dadivank (4-13c.), Gandzasar (13c.), etc.
In 2008, about 70 journalists from 25 countries and a dozen of film
crews visited Nagorno Karabakh to prepare reportages on various
spheres of life of the NKR.
NATO, RUSSIA SHOULD DISCUSS CAUCASUS CRISIS
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 18:13 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia and NATO must resume their dialogue starting
with discussions on the causes of the August conflict between Georgia
and Russia over South Ossetia, Russia’s foreign minister said on
Friday.
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer had and informal lunch on
Friday with Russia’s envoy to the military alliance, Dmitry Rogozin,
as the two sides start to normalize relations after almost all
cooperation was halted in the wake of the conflict in the Caucasus
and Russia’s recognition of the disputed Georgian republics of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia.
"Now that our NATO colleagues say it is feasible to restore relations,
we will be insisting that this restoration will begin with a discussion
of the causes of the Caucasus crisis, which our NATO partners avoided
in August," Sergei Lavrov said.
"It was by no accident that during Russia’s suppression of Georgia’s
aggression on South Ossetia, Russia urged to hold a session of the
Russia-NATO Council, to consider the situation," he added.
But he said the proposed session was not held "because one of NATO
members categorically refused the proposal," without specifying
which one.
In response to NATO’s decision to halt cooperation, Russia froze
a number of programs, including the Partnership for Peace program,
halted cooperation with NATO’s Moscow office and called off the NATO
chief’s visit to Moscow. Russia also canceled all joint-NATO naval
training, including NATO visits to Russian ports.
Russia did not halt work with NATO in regard to arms control,
cooperation in airspace, and the war in Afghanistan, RIA Novosti
reports.
NKR AUTHORITIES TO PRESENT RA FM THEIR VISION FOR KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 18:15 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has
departed for the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
As a source in the NKR MFA told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, the
Armenian Minister is scheduled to meet with President Bako Sahakyan
and Foreign Ministry officials to discuss the recent developments.
The NKR authorities will their vision for the Karabakh conflict
resolution.
ASSEMBLY: IRREVERSIBLE TREND HAS COMMENCED IN TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 18:39 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An irreversible trend has commenced in Turkey,
said Executive Director of the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).
"Over 12,000 people in Turkey want history to be recorded truthfully,
having already signed the internet-based petition apologizing for
what they call the ‘Great Catastrophe’ that befell the Armenians of
Ottoman Turkey in 1915. This public apology is a first step in that
direction and will inevitably lead to Turkey coming to grips with
its genocidal past," Bryan Ardouny said.
"This process was encouraged in 2003 by the International Center
for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), which concluded that "the Events
[of 1915], viewed collectively, can thus be said to include all of
the elements of the crime of genocide as defined in the Convention."
Noting the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama and Vice
President-elect Joseph Biden next month and Obama’s statement from
October which read, "Joe Biden and I believe that the Armenian Genocide
is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but
rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body
of historical evidence," Ardouny said, "They are both on record as
supporting Turkey’s reconciliation with its past, and affirmation
of the Armenian Genocide. Coupled with Obama’s recent selection
of Senator Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, the Obama-Biden
Administration has an opportunity to clearly affirm the Armenian
Genocide and, at the same time, help Turkey reverse its policy of
denial. It will also send a message that the U.S. will no longer
shelter Turkey from criticism if it continues to persecute leading
intellectuals by invoking Article 301 of its Penal Code."
Some 14 thousand people have already signed the online public apology
for the Armenian Genocide.
TURKS ARE GATHERING SIGNATURES, WHILE ARMENIANS ARE SILENT
Karine Ter-Sahakyan
PanARMENIAN.Net
18.12.2008 GMT+04:00
A campaign against the signatories is started by Azerbaijan, which
has been intensively counteracting Turkey in the latter’s attempt to
normalize relations with Armenia on its way into the EU.
In the afternoon of December 18 the number of collected signatures
under the petition "Armenians, we apologize" reached 13315. The fact
itself was quite predictable and there are more than enough reasons
for it. No matter how hard Official Ankara tries to assure that Turkey
is a country of freedom of speech and expression, blocking of YouTube
and other websites proves the contrary. The strange point is that the
Turkish authorities waited 2 days after which Prime-Minister Erdogan
finally voiced his Â"disapprovalÂ" of the initiative.
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ However, the point is not the Turks who are
absolutely free to do what they like: to apologize, to repent,
to open the Turkish-Armenian border. Most important is the
position of Armenians but it has not yet been distinctly voiced by
anyone. Logically, we must say "We are certainly thankful to you,
but the thing is that you never uttered the keyword ‘genocide’,
therefore your apologies are not worth a pin." But we don’t do
it. Moreover, we are almost touched by the courageous move of Â"manly
Turkish brethrenÂ". To all appearances, we have to remind what really
happened. In 1915, shortly before the massacre and deportation the
Young Turks likewise flattered Armenians and vowed everlasting
friendship. History has a peculiarity to repeat itself, and not
necessarily will it be in the form of a farce for the second time. It
should also be remembered that in 1915 it was only Germany that was on
Turkey’s side but for some reason its role in the Â"solutionÂ" of the
Armenian issue is forgotten. Now Turkey is backed up also by Azerbaijan
and by almost all the Muslims except the Arabs and Iranians. Hence,
Armenia has a matter to think over. It is not out of place to mention
that the campaign against the signatories is headed up by Azerbaijan,
which has been intensively counteracting Turkey in the latter’s attempt
to normalize relations with Armenia on its way into the EU. Azerbaijan
herself doesn’t need membership in the EU, while it is favourable for
Turkey. It turns out that Armenia hinders them both as it has always
been in history. Unlike Ankara, opposition parties in Baku can make
statements only with the authorities’ permission that is why it makes
absolutely no difference who voices the official viewpoint. According
to Chairman of "Muasir Musavat" party Hafiz Hajiyev, "Turkey should
break off negotiations with Armenia, as it proceeds from her own
interests." But here Hajiyev acts sneakily; in fact it proceeds from
Baku’s interests. Turkey can live on without Â"sisterÂ" Azerbaijan,
while Azerbaijan without Turkey can hardly survive… There is also
Georgia, but it is too unreliable for allied relations, and as for
the Islamic countries, they will simply not interfere.
Against this background silence of the Armenian side depresses
greatly. It reminds of the book story about Grigor Zohrab, who
on the night of April 24 assured that nothing bad awaited the
Armenians. "Yesterday I was playing backgammon with Talat Pasha. If
there was something, he would have warned me…," he said. Even if the
story is made-up it sounds too credible. It was exactly this naivety,
to say no more, that resulted in the massacre and may still bring to
more painful consequences for Armenia. We may simply become a reserve
in the South Caucasus. Of course, this is the worst scenario that
may materialize but we are doing nothing against it realization.
And lastly, member of the Republican People’s Party of Turkey (CHP)
Canan Aritman made a statement in connection with the current campaign
"Armenians, we apologize". She said a commission should be formed to
investigate the nationality of President Abdullah Gul. "It is a fact
that Gul’s mother is of Armenian origin. His Uncle Ahmed Satoglu
mentioned it himself. Nationality of a person makes no difference
to me. We respect people irrespective of their nationality. But a
president must uphold the interests and honour of the country. Under
the current state of events the Turkish President should have
declared to the whole world that Turkey did not commit Â"genocideÂ"
of Armenians. But Gul did not do it," Aritman stated.
By the way, Abdul Hamid’s mother used to be an Armenian too, and the
Young Turks were Jews who converted to Islam (Donme). But they were
and will always remain Turks who hate the Armenians just because
the latter exist. It is a fact and both Armenians and the Armenian
authorities have to reckon with it.
–Boundary_(ID_ss4KjisMBa/OuLqrZ10F+Q)–
T. SARGSIAN STRESSES THE IMPORTANCE OF COOPERATION WITH RUSSIAN "SITRONICS" COMPANY
ARMENPRESS
Dec 19, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsian received today the head of Russian "Sitronics" company
Sergey Aslanian, deputy head Sergey Urezchenko and the authorized
representative of the company in Armenia Armen Khachatrian.
Governmental press service told Armenpress that the sides discussed
issues connected with the further development of the cooperation
in the IT sphere. Head of the "Sitronics" company Sergey Aslanian
presented the activity of the largest IT company, its participation
in the Russian federal purposed programs, the international relations
and representativeness in CIS, Central and Eastern European and in
a number of other countries as well as the upcoming initiatives and
programs in the Armenian IT sphere.
The head "Sitronics" particularly spoke about the opportunity to
establish a free economic zone of scientific-research type within
the territory of "Mars" company which was passed to Russia according
to "Property for Debt" agreement. The initiative is one of the
recommendations voiced at the tenth session of the Armenian-Russian
inter-governmental economic cooperation commission.
Sergey Aslanian also referred to the establishment of a venture
investment fund in Armenia with the participation of "Sitronics"
company, and noted that the company is ready to present its program
of cooperation in that issue within a short period of time.
The prime minister stressed the importance of cooperation with
"Sitronics" company and expressed confidence that the cooperation in
the Armenian IT sphere will be mutually beneficial and effective.
"ARMRUSGASPROM" GENERAL DIRECTOR RECEIVES REPRESENTATIVES OF FOREIGN NEWS AGENCIES
ARMENPRESS
Dec 19, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: General director of "Armrusgasprom"
Karen Karapetian met today with the group of representatives of
foreign news agencies who arrived in Armenia on the occasion of 90th
anniversary of "Armenpress" news agency – deputy editor-in-chief
of ITAR-TASS Aleksey Berezhkov, first deputy general director of
Belarus’ "BELTA" news agency Igor Lutski, deputy general director of
"Ukrinform" Anatoli Mikhailov, general director of "MOLDPRES" news
agency Valeru Renita as well as executive director of Armenpress news
agency Hrayr Zoryan.
Press secretary of "Armrusgasprom" Shushan Sardarian told Armenpress
that speaking about the role and importance of mass media,
K. Karapetian noted that in information field business programs
must have unbiased and specialized support, the existing information
resources must be used for spreading progressive methods and types
of energy management as well as for ensuring participation of the
public in the discussion of energy security issues.
"Armrusgasprom" is permanently cooperating with mass media and is
ready to ensure publicity of the information about the company and
transparency of its activity.
K. Karapetian presented the results of the activity of the company
and financial-economic indexes, the carried out and would-be carried
out investment programs, strategic goals, noting that the company is
always undertaking steps for increasing its financial attractiveness
and recognizability abroad.
He expressed hope that the literate usage of the existing opportunities
and competitive advantages will create unique opportunities for
"Armrusgasprom" for further dynamic development on the basis of which
the company may take a stable leading position in the energy sphere
of the region.
During the conversation the general director also answered a number
of questions of the guests.
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT PARTICIPATES IN NON-OFFICIAL SUMMIT OF HEADS OF CSTO COUNTRIES
ARMENPRESS
Dec 19, 2008
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 19, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
left today for Kazakhstan at the invitation of his Turkmen counterpart
Nursultan Nazarbayev to participate in the non-official summit of
the heads of CSTO countries.
Presidential press service told Armenpress that before the start of
the summit Armenian president had a short meeting with Nursultan
Nazarbayev. During the meeting the two sides highly assessed the
current level of Armenian-Kazakh relations and noted that there are
pleased with the level of political dialogue between the two states.
The presidents also pointed out the role of the Armenian community
towards consolidation of Armenian-Kazakh friendly ties.
Serzh Sargsyan and Nursultan Nazarbayev underscored the further
development of economic partnership, noting that new ways of transport
communication will promote and give impetus to the increase of the
volume of trade turnover.
Afterwards the non-official summit of heads of states kicked off
the agenda of which included the prospects of regulation of CSTO
and partnership within the frameworks of the organization, world
financial-economic crisis as well as integration processes in the
CIS region.
President of Armenia, chairman of the council of heads of the CSTO
states Serzh Sargsyan greeted the conduction of non-official summit
noting that the discussed issues have great importance for the Republic
of Armenia. The participants of the summit agreed that the contacts
in such format give good opportunity for viewing the issues of the
agenda from different viewpoints and discuss a wide range of issues.