Month: November 2009

OSCE MINSK GROUP WARNS AZERBAIJAN AGAINST MAKING BELLICOSE STATEMENTS – SOURCE

news.az
Nov 23 2009
Azerbaijan

OSCE’s MG co-chairs on the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict
urged Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev to abstain from making
bellicose statements by results of the meeting with Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan in Munich.

"While speaking to reporters upon completion of the meeting, the
co-chairs have called on President Ilham Aliyev to abstain from
bellicose statements", a source close to the negotiation process in
Munich told Interfax Sunday. Interfax does not have confirmation of
this information by official sources.

COOPERATION WITH INDIA – AMONG ARMENIA’S FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.11.2009 19:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Ambassador to India Ara Hakobyan presented
his credentials to the President of India Pratibhe Patil. During the
meeting the Armenian diplomat conveyed greetings of the President Serzh
Sargsyan, and stressed that the development of cooperation with India
is a priority for Armenia’s foreign policy. According to Ara Hakobyan,
visits of high-level delegations would help to develop political,
economic and cultural ties between Armenia and India.

The president of India mentioned that the official Delhi attaches great
importance to deepening the relations with Armenia. Pratibha Patil
expressed hope that the newly appointed Ambassador of Armenia will
contribute to the further development of Armenian-Indian cooperation,
press office of the RA MFA reports.

ANKARA’S CONDUCT MAKES KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROCESS UNPREDICTABLE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.11.2009 18:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moscow has recently hosted a conference on "Prospects
of New Security Structure in Europe: Russia and NATO". The event
organized by Just World Institute and German Friedrich Ebert Foundation
was attended by Head of Russian-Armenian Cooperation NGO Yuri Navoyan.

Discussion focused on new security structure in Europe, Russia and
NATO’s role, European Security Treaty, as well as pre-electoral
situation in Ukraine in terms of Russia’s security, drug trafficking
threats from Afghanistan and SCO’s role in ensuring regional security.

Touching on security in Caucuses, Navoyan dwelled on Armenian-Turkish
relations and Karabakh settlement process. Particularly, he pointed out
that certain clauses in RA-Turkish Protocols and Turkey’s attempts to
coerce Armenia into concessions complicate Karabakh settlement process.

At the current stage of international relations, Russia and West are
seeking to demonstrate their joint result in resolving one of the
region’s most complicated problems, Navoyan finds. Such situation,
according to him, may lead to inadequate decisions and pressures,
creating new challenges.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA IS EXPECTED TO WITHDRAW ITS FORCES FROM KELBAJAR

news.az
Nov 23 2009
Azerbaijan

Kelbajar – Armenia is expected to withdraw its forces from Kelbajar,
one of 7 occupied regions around Nagorno Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

Armenian side said at the meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents in Munich that it could leave Kelbajar by the end of the
year, APA reports quoting Turkey’s Haberler.com.

The goal is to moderate the Azerbaijan’s position and to create
a basis for ratification of the Turkish-Armenian protocols at the
Turkish parliament.

Haberler.com quoted the sources at the Russian foreign ministry.

"Turkey closed borders with Armenia immediately after the occupation
of Kelbajar region of Azerbaijan by the Armenian forces in 1993. Today
most important condition for the re-opening of borders is withdrawal
from Kelbajar".

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RA FOREIGN MINISTRY MAKES POSITIVE ASSESSMENTS ON MUNICH MEETING

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.11.2009 21:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian and Azeri Presidents’ meeting in Munich
helped preserve positive tendencies, FM Edward Nalbandyan told
journalists in Rome. "I can’t say everything went smooth, but there
was certain progress," Mr. Nalbandyan said.

With regard to Azerbaijani side’s recent statements, Armenian FM said
Armenia’s assessments made after Presidents’ meeting were in harmony
with OSCE MG Co-Chairs’ statements, that’s to say they ‘correspond
to reality’.

CO-CHAIRS REGISTER PROGRESS IN MUNICH NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
YEREVAN

"A very important progress has been registered in the negotiations,"
OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs stated after the November 22 negotiations
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents in Munich. "At the
same time we disclosed a certain difficulty," French co-chair Bernard
Fassier said.

The negotiations between the parties took place in the residence of
the French consul general in Munich and lasted for about four hours,
which according to Fassier "shows how long and deep the negotiations
were between first of all the two presidents and then between them
and OSCE Minsk Group mediators" Noting that the Munich negotiations
were the sixth during this year, B. Fassier considered that fact an
unprecedented one in the whole history of these negotiations, adding
that it witnesses the dynamics and seriousness of the negotiations.

"Today’s meeting was particularly long-lasting as thorough, very
constructive negotiations took place between the two presidents about
all the elements over which there is no agreement yet," he said.

"These discussions gave the presidents an opportunity to determine
the right elements of the progress. Today’s negotiations gave an
opportunity to also determine those difficult issues which have not
been solved yet," B. Fassier said.

According to him, the two presidents assigned the mediators to solve
those difficult issues.

At the same time in response to the question about the most
important issue over which a progress has been registered, Fassier
said that they have arrangement not to publicize the details of the
negotiations. "It must be done by the presidents, but we agreed that
in today’s negotiations an important progress has been registered."

At the meeting with the reporters the co-chairs also referred to
the recent statement of Ilham Aliyev that in case of not registering
progress in the negotiations the issue will be regulated in a military
way. "War cannot be an alternative in any case. We have told the
presidents in a strong and clear way that in Moscow, Paris and
Washington, our governments are of the opinion that war is not an
alternative as it cannot ensure a solution," Fassier said.

Russian co-chair Yuri Merzlyakov noted that this or that statement
may be agreed with the circumstances of inner-political life. "We have
told the presidents that during this sensitive period of negotiations,
it would be better to avoid voicing extreme accusations against each
other especially about the possibility of military solution," he said,
expressing hope that the parties will take into consideration this
position of the co-chairing countries.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS RELEASE STATEMENT ON THE RESULTS OF THE MEETING OF THE ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
MUNICH

MUNICH, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS: The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group,
Ambassadors Yury Merzlyakov of Russia, Bernard Fassier of France,
and Robert Bradtke of the United States, released statement relating
to the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents.

"During this meeting, the sixth such meeting this year, the two
presidents engaged in a detailed and in-depth discussion of the most
important unresolved points in the Co-Chairs’ proposals. The talks,
which lasted almost four hours, were constructive. In some areas,
progress was made. At the same time, some issues still remain open,"
says the statement.

According to it, the Presidents instructed their foreign ministers to
continue working with the Co-Chairs on these matters. As a next step,
the Co-Chairs are organizing a working session with the two ministers
in advance of the OSCE Ministerial Council, which will take place
December 1-2 in Athens.

KAZBEGI-UPPER LARS CHECKPOINT MAY OPEN

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.11.2009 20:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "There are prospects for opening Kazbegi-Upper Lars
checkpoint," said Russian Deputy FM/State Secretary Grigory Karasin
in an interview with "Ogonok" Russian magazine. According to him,
discussions held in Yerevan will continue.

Georgia’s Christian-Democratic Party leader Giorgy Targamadze announced
earlier that Georgian-Russian talks over opening the checkpoint are
mediated by Switzerland and Armenia, but the process will last till
the end of year. Delivery of transit freight via this checkpoint is
much safer, Georgian activist finds.

The issue of possible opening of Upper Lars checkpoint was discussed
in Georgian National Security Council’s (NSC) November 13 session
attended by President Mikheil Saakashvili, Government members and
pro-opposition party representatives. Summing up meeting results, NSC
Secretary Eka Tkelashvili said that positive outcome of talks "Will be
to our neighbor’s (Armenia’s) benefit and not create security threats."

TIGRAN SARGSYAN PARTICIPATES IN THE "FRUITFUL ARMENIA" FIFTH CONFERENCE

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan participated today in the "Fruitful Armenia" fifth conference
in the "Marriott Armenia" hotel complex.

Governmental press service told Armenpress that greeting the
participants of the event and considering the conference very important
and symbolizing, the head of the Armenian government noted that
"Our fifth meeting witnesses that "Fruitful Armenia" conferences are
effective. The circumstance, that the fifth meeting is dedicated to
talented young people, who have what to say, is quite symbolizing.

We highly underscore the innovative ideas in the agriculture which
our young people are taking forward taking into consideration the
international experience as well. We are ready to support, assist
you in this work as we need fresh ideas."

The conference will be conducted from November 23-24.

ARMENIAN AND AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTERS TASKED TO CONTINUE WORKING TOWARD PEACEFUL REGULATION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT BASED ONMADRID PRINCIPLES

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 23, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
met November 22 in Munich with his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham
Aliyev. This was the sixth meeting between the two presidents conducted
for the discussion of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict regulation issue
this year.

Presidential press service told Armenpress that the meeting started in
an extended format with the participation of the foreign ministers
of the two countries, OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and personal
representative of the OSCE Acting chairperson. Afterward the two
presidents continued the negotiations face-to-face after which again
an extended discussion took place.

The discussion over peaceful and comprehensive regulation of Karabakh
conflict lasted for four hours. The foreign ministers of the two
countries were assigned to continue the activity with the support
of the co-chairs toward peaceful settlement of the conflict based on
Madrid principles.

At a briefing after the meeting the co-chairs assessed the meeting as
constructive and pointed out that Karabakh conflict has no military
solution and there is no alternative to the negotiations process.