Month: November 2009

ARMENIA WILL RECOGNIZE NAGORNY KARABAKH IF MILITARY ACTIONS RESUMED

ArmInfo
2009-11-23 16:23:00

ArmInfo. "The statements by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev were
another evidence of Azerbaijan’s destructive stance," says Samvel
Farmanyan, President Serzh Sargsyan’s Spokesman, in an interview
with Armenpress.

He said such statements are for Azerbaijani public. Nevertheless such
statements do not create favorable atmosphere for the negotiation
process. Farmanyan believes that aggravating tension around settlement
of the Karabakh conflict is not desirable of course. "This will be
an undesirable fact for Nagorny Karabakh, Armenia and the region,"
he says. S. Farmanyan says that Armenia cannot stay indifferent to
the fate of the Karabakh people. Therefore, the president of Armenia
and other Armenian officials have repeatedly declared that Armenia
is responsible for security of the NKR.

The presidential spokesman highlights that there are quite practicable
measures in the world in case of such developments: supposing, Armenia
may recognize independence of the NKR with all the consequences
stemming from that. Second, the Republic of Armenia may sign an
agreement of mutual aid with the NKR.

"There are many ways and I am sure that Armenia will get advantage of
these ways at once or gradually," Samvel Farmanyan said. He believes
that Armenia has not yet recognized the NKR just not to prevent
peaceful settlement of the conflict. "If the peaceful talks are broken,
and military actions are resumed, nothing will hold Armenia from
recognizing independence of the NKR," the presidential spokesman says.

YEREVAN TO HOST ROUNDTABLE ON TOPIC "CSTO AS A STABILITY AND SECURITY FACTOR IN THE CAUCASUS" ON NOVEMBER 24

ArmInfo
2009-11-23 14:44:00

ArmInfo. Yerevan will host a Roundtable on the topic "CSTO as a
Stability and Security Factor in the Caucasus" on November 24. CSTO
Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha, Secretary of the National Security
Council of Armenia Arthur Baghdasaryan, political and other experts,
representatives of political research institutes and analytical centers
of Armenia, CSTO Institute, representatives of the OSCE, EU, NATO
and other international organizations will participate in the meeting.

CSTO International Public Center of Information and Support in Armenia
reports the participants in the meeting will discuss forecasts and
assessments of development of the military and political situation in
the Caucasus, as well as prospects of improvement of the collective
security system in the region in general and the opportunities to
protect national interests of Armenia.

"The Roundtable is initiated by the public structures of Armenia and
Russia, and the CSTO Institute. This is what I believe a positive
moment of interest by state bodies and civil societies in the activity
of the CSTO," Nikolay Bordyuzha said before his arrival in Yerevan.

Regular information exchange between the state structures, political
centers and public organizations on assessment of the situation
and prediction of further developments is an important element
of coordinated information policy of the CSTO which was earlier
highlighted by the CSTO leaders, N. Bordyuzha said. It is especially
important and still relevant for the South Caucasus where situation
is strongly impacted by external forces, N. Bordyuzha said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MINISTER NALBANDIAN VISITS ITALY

armradio.am
23.11.2009 10:44

The Foreign Minister of Armenia, Edward Nalbandian arrived in Italy
today on a short working visit, Press and information Department of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

In Rome Minister Nalbandian is scheduled to meet his Italian
counterpart Franco Frattini and the Chairman of the Foreign Relations
Committee of the Senate, ex-Prime Minister of Italy, Lamberto Dini.

Edward Nalbandian will give a lecture on Armenia’s foreign policy at
the Italian Senate.

LET’S DEFEND ST GEVORG CHURCH OF MUGNETSI

Panorama.am
17:11 23/11/2009 " Society

"The activities of Armenian Culture Ministry and Apostolic Church
taken to protect Armenian churches of Georgia are assessed poorly,
not so effective which don’t meet the demands of the time. They
don’t correspond to those problems that our historical monuments
meet, otherwise we would not have to wait 20 years for a definite
status awarded to our churches adopting "law on religion"," Alexander
Ohanyan, the president of Armenian cooperation center to Georgia told
Panorama.am. Regarding to the collapse on 19 November of Armenian
domed St Gevorg of Mugnetsi in Tbilisi built in 1356, the president
of the center told that they have applied to the Georgian Minister of
Culture but they have not received any observation yet as the minister
is absent from the city. He says they don’t know "what the fate of
the collapsed church will be." It might be that they reconstruct it
as it’s located in a residential district. "It’s one of those five
churches which are in a rather disputable field: it’s being discussed
whether they are Armenian or Georgia. It’s under the authorization
of Georgian Ministry of Culture. Yesterday we witnessed an action of
state body against Armenian historical and cultural monuments," the
president said adding that until a definite decisions is made neither
of the churches will be standing. Panorama.am has been seriously
concerned about the collapse of Armenian churches in Georgian territory
(it’s worth reminding that the first collapsed church was St Virgin
of Shamkhoretsots in 1989) submitted a request to Armenian Culture
Ministry. We have requested the ministry and recommended to apply
to the Georgian side to transfer the collapsed church into Armenian
territory and to reconstruct here. Our request remained unanswered
as the deputy ministry was out of office then. Panorama.am applied
to Mother See Holy Etcmiatsin but the result did not differ as much
as the responsible figure to answer our request was absent and the
one we talked to, said such issue has not been discussed as long as
he was informed. It’s worth reminding that yesterday Mother See of
Holy Etcmiadsin hold a council to discuss the issue of collapsing
Armenian Church of Mugnetsi in Georgia. Armenian Apostolic Church
called on Georgian authorities to grant Armenian diocese status of
judicial person, to return Armenian churches back to Armenian diocese
of Georgia and to protect Armenian holly lands.

ARMENIA WILL RECOGNIZE THE INDEPENDENCE OF NAGORNO KARABAKH, PRESIDENT’S SPOKESMAN SAYS

armradio.am
23.11.2009 18:18

"The growth of tension around the Karabakh conflict would certainly be
the most unwanted outcome. It will be the most undesirable development
for Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia and the whole region. But the Republic of
Armenia cannot stay indifferent to the fate of the people of Nagorno
Karabakh. That is why the President of Armenia and other officials
have declared on different occasions that we are responsible for
the security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh," Armenia President’s
Spokesman Samvel Farmanyan said in response to the recent bellicose
statement of the Azerbaijani President.

In case of the above-mentioned developments there are accepted
practices in the world. "Let’s suppose that the Republic of Armenia
recognizes the independence of Nagorno Karabakh with all the
ensuing consequences. Secondly, the Republic of Armenia might sign
a cooperation agreement with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. There
are options, and I’m confident that Armenia will use those options
separately or altogether. It should be noted that Armenia has not
recognized the independence of Nagorno Karabakh only not to hinder
the peace talks. Should the peace talks suspend and military actions
start, nothing will prevent Armenia from recognizing the independence
of Nagorno Karabakh," Samvel Farmanyan said.

"Armenia has always declared it sees no alternative to peaceful
settlement. Armenia does believe that it is possible to reach the
peaceful and comprehensive resolution of the issue through peace
talks," Farmnanyan said.

The Spokesman refuted the information disseminated by Azeri media that
during the Munich meeting the parties have talked about withdrawal
form Kelbajar region by yearend, which would allow Turkey to ratify
the Armenian Turkish protocols and make Azerbaijan soften its position
on the Karabakh settlement."

"In Armenia we have already got used to the fact that following
every meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan,
well-informed forces inform about non-existent discussions and
agreements. It’s a simple misinformation and has nothing to do with
reality. The question is out of discussion. Therefore, there such
an agreement is impossible. It has been repeatedly stated that the
issue of the status of Karabakh lies at the core of the talks. Other
issues are secondary," Samvel Farmanyan concluded.

ABDULAH GUL: ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER WILL SOON BE OPENED

armradio.am
23.11.2009 18:25

Asked by Italian "La Stampa" when the citizens of Armenia and Turkey
will be able to pass the border, Turkish President Abdulah Gul said:
"That obstacle will be soon resolved. Of course we’ll need some
"technical" period as the document should pass a discussion stage
in the parliaments of both countries. Then we are going to appoint
Ambassadors and the land border will be opened. It’s long since the
air border is open," Gul told Italian paper.

Gul declared his country is serious to continue its strategy of
having no problems with neighbors. "If the status of democracy rises
in the country, all taboos disappear," said Gul in view of Armenian
and Kurdish conflicts. Regarding the ties with Armenia, Abdulah Gul
said: "If we speak generally, the world is changing and Turkey is
changing also."

NATO offering carrot to ex-Soviet states – analyst

MOSCOW, November 17 (RIA Novosti)

20:1717/11/2009

The creation of a Ukrainian-Polish-Lithuanian peacekeeping brigade is
an attempt by the West to woo former post-Soviet countries while not
formally admitting them to NATO, a Russian analyst said Tuesday.

The Ukrainian, Polish and Lithuanian defense ministers on Monday
signed a letter stating their plans to form a joint peacekeeping
brigade, LitPolUkrBrig.

Fyodor Lukyanov, editor-in-chief of Russia in Global Affairs magazine,
said "the Europeans and Americans do not want to alienate Ukraine,
Georgia and other countries, and they are looking for options intended
to symbolize engagement" now that the issue of their admission to NATO
has been frozen.

Polish Deputy Defense Minister Stanislaw Komorowski annouced the
creation of a joint brigade at the seventh Informal High-Level
NATO-Ukraine consultations with the participation of defense ministers
and other senior officials from Ukraine and NATO countries.

"We have signed a letter spelling out our plans to form a
Ukrainian-Polish-Lithuanian brigade. Lithuanian Defense Minister Rasa
Jukneviciene, Polish Defense Minister Stanislaw Komarowski and I have
signed it," Ukraine’s acting defense minister, Valeriy Ivaschenko,
told the media in Brussels.

Media reports said other countries were free to join the trilateral agreement.

"It is a kind of military analogue of Eastern Partnership in the trade
and economic sphere," Lukyanov said. "This brigade is an attempt to
show, ‘we cannot admit you to NATO, but we remember you.’"

"Such organizations tie the Ukrainian elite even closer to all sorts
of Euro-Atlantic structures," he said.

Ukraine has been pursuing NATO membership since pro-Western Yushchenko
was inaugurated in January 2005.

Ukraine and Georgia’s NATO bids were strongly backed by the
administration of U.S. President George W. Bush, but were turned down
due to pressure from Germany and France at a 2008 NATO summit in
Bucharest.

However, NATO has stated that the two countries will join at an
unspecified date in the future.

Both countries have also been included in the alliance’s Partnership
for Peace program, aimed at allowing "partner countries to build up an
individual relationship with NATO, choosing their own priorities for
cooperation."

Spiritual loss is irreversible

Noyan Tapan
19.11.2009
"Sincerity is man’s most precious belonging."

"Glory is often not an indicator of human value."

"One can be a genius writer, composer, mathematician and untalented. A
person can have no capabilities in an area of science and art, but be
a genius."

"Know that I have twice the greetings to a person who greets me from
the bottom of his heart."

"Until recent times, a common ideal that has dominated the world view
of our intellectuals are the ideas of a free Homeland and national
independence."

"Material losses are always returned, but the spiritual loss is irreversible."

"A person can be very educated and know little and he can know a lot,
but be uncultured."

Vahan Teryan

CIS countries could scrap dollar in several years – Kudrin

20:4020/11/2009

YALTA, November 20 (RIA Novosti) – CIS countries could drop the U.S.
dollar in financial settlements and start using their national
currencies within the next few years, the Russian finance minister
said on Friday.

Alexei Kudrin, who is also a Russian deputy prime minister, said the
CIS heads of government had endorsed a plan to phase out the U.S.
dollar.

He said initially national currencies, primarily the ruble, would be
used alongside the dollar.

He added that national currencies were already being used "on some
positions."

Munich, Nov 22: Crucial meeting?

NEWS.am
13:42 / 11/22/2009

The next round of talks between Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents,
Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev, has begun at the Consulate of France
in Munich, Germany. The talks are being held through the mediation of
the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs, Robert Bradtke (USA), Yuri Merzlyakov
(Russia) and Bernard Fassier (France).

The Azeri leader made strongly worded statements on the threshold of
the meeting. Specifically, he stated that the Munich meeting must play
a decisive role in the negotiation process. If the meeting fails to
produce any results, `we will abandon any hope for the negotiations,’
Aliyev said, without ruling out a settlement of the conflict by force.
In that case `we have not any other way out. We must be ready for
that,’ Aliyev said. He stressed that Azerbaijan has full right `to
liberate its lands.’

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian earlier stated Azerbaijan had
for a long time refused to negotiate the Madrid principles and even to
accept the existence of the document. Only recently did official Baku
agree to sit down at the negotiating table.

The expert Armen Gevorgyan accounts for Ilham Aliyev’s aggressive
statements by official Baku’s attempts to `break’ the OSCE Minsk
Group, which is acting as mediator, and facilitate Turkey’s more
active involvement in the process.

The sides are conducting negotiations through the OSCE MG’s mediation
to work out and consolidate the fundamental principles of settling the
conflict. They are outlined in a document known as Madrid principles.
In November 2007, the OSCE MG Co-Chairs submitted the fundamental
principles to the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders. The contents of
the document were kept secret. The document provides for the return of
territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan, an interim
status of Nagorno-Karabakh, guarantees of security and
self-government, an open corridor to connect Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh, determination of a final status of Nagorno-Karabakh
in the future through the expression of a legally binding will, as
well as for the right of all the internally displaced persons to
return to their places of residence, international security guarantees
and peace-keeping operation. The document was revised in Krakow, but
has not yet been submitted to the sides.