Month: November 2009

Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting starts in Munich

NEWS.am

15:53 / 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.’
From: Baghdasarian

Pressure for progress at talks on rebel Karabakh
Sun Nov 22, 2009 6:32am EST

* Turkey wants progress before opening border with Armenia

* Azeri leader warns of last chance talks, possible force

* Nagorno-Karabakh heart of Caucasus energy transit region

By Anna Holzer

MUNICH, Germany, Nov 22 (Reuters) – The presidents of Azerbaijan and
Armenia met for talks on Sunday on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, with
Azeri ally Turkey pressing for progress before sealing a historic
rapprochement with Armenia.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev has raised the stakes, warning the
meeting in Germany will be "decisive" and that Azerbaijan’s military
is ready to take back the mountain territory by force.

Aliyev and Armenia’s Serzh Sarksyan met at the French Consul General’s
residence in Munich, their sixth encounter this year.

In comments broadcast on Saturday, Aliyev warned Azeri patience was
running out, a statement analysts say reflects rising tension over the
prospect of Turkey opening its border with Armenia, which
oil-producing Azerbaijan vehemently opposes.

"If that meeting ends without result, then our hopes in negotiations
will be exhausted and then we are left with no other option," Aliyev
said. "We have the full right to liberate our land by military means."

Backed by Christian Armenia, ethnic Armenians in Nagorno-Karabakh
threw off rule by Muslim Azerbaijan in fighting that erupted as the
Soviet Union headed towards its 1991 collapse. Some 30,000 people died
before a ceasefire in 1994.

The territory of 100,000 people wants recognition as an independent
state, but 15 years of mediation have failed to produce a peace deal.
Sporadic exchanges of fire continue to threaten war in a key oil and
gas transit region to the West.

LEVERAGE

A bid by Turkey and Armenia to bury a century of hostility stemming
from the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks has thrust the
Caucasus conflict back into the diplomatic spotlight.

Ankara and Yerevan have signed accords to establish diplomatic ties
and open their border, which Turkey closed in 1993 in solidarity with
Azerbaijan during the war.

The deal carries huge significance for Turkey’s diplomatic clout in
the strategic Caucasus region, for its bid to join the European Union,
and for landlocked Armenia’s crippled economy.

But Azerbaijan has reacted angrily, fearing it will lose leverage over
Armenia in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Stung by the backlash and facing touch talks over Azeri gas supplies,
Ankara says it wants progress on Nagorno-Karabakh before it ratifies
the Armenia deal. Armenia rejects the link.

Azerbaijan, courted by Europe to supply the planned Nabucco gas
pipeline, often threatens force to take back the region.

U.S., Russian and French mediators say they are making progress in
intensified talks, but Western diplomats say neither side appears
ready to commit to painful concessions.

The principles of a deal would see ethnic Armenian forces give back
most of seven Azeri districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh that they
captured during the war. The rebel territory would be granted greater
international legitimacy before a popular vote in the future to decide
its final status.

(Writing by Matt Robinson; editing by Michael Roddy)
(([email protected]; +995 32 999 370))

Azeri president threatens Armenia

Story from BBC NEWS:
europe/8372747.stm

Published: 2009/11/22 05:47:26 GMT

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev has warned he is ready to use force to
wrest control of a disputed enclave from Armenia if last-ditch peace
talks fail.

He said talks starting on Sunday in Munich were the final hope of
settling the Nagorno Karabakh issue peacefully.

A fragile ceasefire has been in place in the region since it was the
scene of a brutal war between the two countries in the 1990s.

Both nations lay claim to the enclave, currently under Armenian control.

In comments broadcast on Azeri TV on Saturday, President Aliyev said
that if the Munich talks failed to reach agreement he would be "left
with no other option".

"We have the full right to liberate our land by military means," he said.

Western diplomats attending the talks, the latest in a round of
internationally mediated meetings on the dispute, have said they hope
the situation will not reach that point.

Some 30,000 people died in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, which
erupted after the mountainous region declared independence in 1991.

The region and seven surrounding Azeri district have been under
Armenian control since the Russian-brokered ceasefire in 1994.

Azerbaijan has never ruled out military action to take back the land
and has spent billions on dollars on building up its military.

The BBC’s Tom Esslemont, in the South Caucuses region, says Mr Aliyev
is using stronger language than ever before because the talks come at
a critical time.

The meeting will be the first since Armenia and Turkey – an ally of
Azerbaijan – normalised diplomatic relations after a century of
hostility.

That move has left Azerbaijan feeling isolated, says our correspondent.

Posted: Nov. 22, 2009
Iyer trio’s new ‘Historicity’ draws from eclectic sources

BY MARK STRYKER
FREE PRESS MUSIC CRITIC

There’s no single answer to the question of what’s happening in jazz
right now, but "Historicity" by the kinetic trio led by pianist Vijay
Iyer represents one reasonable place to start (*** out of four stars,
ACT).

A lot of ideas that have been floating around jazz for the past decade
find a compelling distillation here. Rhythmically the music deals in
odd meters and dense textures anchored in souped-up funk, hip-hop and
idioms from Africa, India and Latin America. Individual voices pursue
aggressively independent paths. Prickly improvisations eschew standard
forms without abandoning discipline or historical references. The
repertoire makes a post-modern statement, too, in its heady range,
from a vamp-based take on Bernstein’s "Somewhere," to overlooked jazz
compositions by mavericks Andrew Hill and Julius Hemphill, to pieces
by Stevie Wonder and M.I.A.
What is especially captivating is how Iyer, bassist Stephan Crump and
drummer Marcus Gilmore phrase as one, even when tracking different
rhythmic orbits around the pulse. On the title track, a puzzle-box
composition by Iyer, the players suggest unstable atoms. Iyer’s
discursive rumbling ricochets off the drums and vice versa. Crump’s
bass sometimes hooks up with one or the other of his colleagues or
sets its own course. The feedback loop continually refreshes itself.
Hill’s "Smoke Stack" is a standout, as Iyer’s slippery lines and dark
harmonies wink at the composer while also revealing Iyer’s liquid
fluidity and formidable technique; his virtuosity is matched by Crump
and Gilmore. Weaknesses? Well, Iyer’s music is more interesting
rhythmically than it is harmonically and melodically, and his
improvisations can stall in a kind of gray, generic wash. But the
trio’s tug of inevitability often pulls you back into the vortex.
Bobby Hutcherson’s "Wise One" takes its title from a lyrical John
Coltrane composition, but it could also apply to the veteran
vibraphonist himself, who paces his improvisations beautifully on this
Coltrane tribute (***, Kind of Blue). The direct simplicity with which
Hutcherson phrases the tender melody of "Dear Lord," adding just a few
well-placed ornaments and hesitations and then improvising lovely
counterpoint beneath guitarist Anthony Wilson, is a lesson in
extracting maximum emotion with minimum fuss.
The tone is reflective, with ballads like "Nancy," "All or Nothing at
All" and McCoy Tyner’s "Aisha" casting a longer shadow than extended
modal incantations like "Spiritual." The quintet — including pianist
Joe Gilman, bassist Glenn Richman and the fiery, underrated West Coast
drummer Eddie Marshall — plays well, but I wish the self-effacing
Hutcherson kept more of the solo space for himself. His focused
improvisations merge gorgeous melody, sophisticated harmonic
imagination, swing and a singing sound.
Given the East Coast bias in jazz, the Chicago drummer Dana Hall would
surely have a far greater reputation if he lived in New York. "Into
the Light," a dynamic album showcasing the 40-year-old Hall’s
distinctive skills as a drummer, composer and bandleader (***,
Origin), should raise some eyebrows. The language is contemporary
post-bop, and Hall favors a tough-minded, interactive approach,
explosively breaking up the time without mortgaging an ounce of swing
or groove.
Hall manages to create his own distinctive sound world within a
familiar idiom. Most of his compositions have strong melodic or
rhythmic hooks and harmonies meaty enough to promote inspired
improvisation. Moreover, the chemistry of this particular quintet —
with Terrell Stafford on trumpet, Tim Warfield Jr. on tenor and
soprano sax, Bruce Barth on piano and electric piano and
Detroit-reared Rodney Whitaker on bass — strikes a creative spark
that doesn’t always happen in the studio.
Then there’s Hall’s ear for texture, dynamics, color and
storytelling. "Jabali," a fast burnout, takes off from a
melodic-rhythmic call that nods at Herbie Hancock and leads to
furious, freely conceived solos over a swinging pulse. Hall shadows
each soloist, sparring and supporting, and when his own turn comes, he
lets everything go.
Detroit-born violist Kim Kashkashian has always been drawn to music of
brooding emotions, atmospheric mystery and the yearning gestures of
folk song.
Her latest ECM recording "Neharót" is saturated with these sounds
(****). Written for Kashkashian by the Israeli composer Betty Olivero,
"Neharót Neharót" ("Rivers Rivers" in Hebrew) explores war, grief and
mourning. The music — scored for viola, percussion, accordion, tape
and two string ensembles — folds songs of the Middle East into a deep
meditation that gathers remarkable force when, shortly after nine
minutes, the solo viola is joined by a wail of taped female voices.
Kashkashian’s eloquence underscores the music’s tragedy but also its
cathartic prayer for humanity. The other works, by the Armenian
composer and frequent Kashkashian collaborator Tigran Mansurian and
the Israeli Eitan Steinberg, explore a similarly spiritual
aesthetic. If you have any soul at all, this CD will reach it.

Contact MARK STRYKER: 313-222-6459 or
[email protected] pbcs.dll/article?AID=3D/20091122/ENT04/911220345/1 035/ENT/Iyer-trios-new-Historicity-draws-from-ecle ctic-sources&template=3Dfullarticle

Azerbaijani, Armenian presidents to discuss Karabakh issue in Munich

BAKU/EREVAN, November 22 (RIA Novosti) – Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan and his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev will meet in
Munich on Sunday in order to discuss the Karabakh settlement.

The presidents will meet for the sixth time since the start of the
year. Their previous meeting took place on October 8, during the CIS
summit in Chisinau.

The Madrid Document, which contains the basic principles of the
Karabakh settlement, is expected to be the main focus of the
negotiations.

Armenian Foreign Minister said on Thursday Baku had refused to discuss
the Madrid principles for almost a year.

Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov said on Thursday Baku
is expecting "honest and detailed discussions" during the presidents’
meeting. He said Erevan has to change its position concerning the
Karabakh issue, adding there has so far been no good progress in
talks.

Nagorny Karabakh, a region in Azerbaijan with a largely Armenian
population, has been a source of conflict between the former Soviet
republics since the late 1980s. The mountainous province has its own
government and is de facto independent.

The war between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the mountainous enclave in
1988-1994 left an estimated 35,000 people dead. Sporadic violence on
the border has continued ever since.

The Madrid principles, put forward in November 2007, stipulate that
the occupied Armenian territories surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic should be brought back under Azerbaijan’s control. They also
envisage a future referendum of self-determination in Karabakh.

The conflict is mediated by the Minsk Group of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe, comprising the U.S., Russia and
France.

Turkey and Armenia signed on October 10 historic accords restoring
diplomatic relations and opening borders between the two countries.
Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for
Muslim ally Azerbaijan, following the conflict over Nagorny Karabakh
between the two ex-Soviet republics.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkish Mustafa denying Armenian Genocide apologized

Source: Panorama.am
13:02 21/11/2009

The drama over Turkish Mustafa Dogan denying Armenian Genocide in one
of French lyceums is continuing. Dogan was suspended from school
because denying Armenian Genocide. Later he was assigned to write a
report about Armenian Genocide but Dogan’s parents and Turkish
community voiced against it. Dogan’s history teacher asked a question
about the events of 1915 and the `Armenian genocide’ in a written
exam. Having previously argued with the teacher over the issue, the
Turkish student became angry and wrote, `Even if it did happen, they
deserved it.’ Following the emergence of the events, members of the
Armenian Diaspora in France urged immediate passage of a draft bill
pending in the Senate that would make it a crime to deny the alleged
genocide. Currently Turkish Mustafa Dogan apologized for his
statement, most probably, he was afraid of being forever suspended
from school.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Hmayak Hovhannisyan – Armenia’s Republican Party is Looking More Like
the Communist Party of Old

[ 2009/11/18 | 15:39 ]

In today’s press conference, Hmayak Hovhannisyan, President of the
Union of Political Analysts, also referred to RoA Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan’s recent entry into the ranks of the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia, stating that the move shouldn’t come as a surprise.

`It was to be expected, give that the Republicans are the ruling party
both in Armenia and Russia. The two are essentially one party that
more and more resembles the Communist Party in that the ruling
apparatus is growing by leaps and bounds,’ Mr. Hovhannisyan argued.

`Just as in the past, when one couldn’t get a top position without
membership in the Communist Party, we are getting to the point in
Armenia when either a top official must feel vulnerable or else become
a member in the Republican Party to defend that position,’ he went on
to say.

Mr. Hovhannisyan also argued that PM Sargyan’s move was also designed
to thwart the pans of some former individuals to re-enter active
politics. `I am referring to the Kocharyan cadres and the people
around the former president who are attempting to weaken the position
of the current prime minister and take over the post.’

He added however that such a move would not solidify the position of
PM Sargsyan and offered the example of former National Assembly
president Tigran Torosyan, who was summarily sacked from the job, even
though he was a longstanding member of the Republican Party.

Turkish mass media: The technical work was completed with regard to
the Lachin corridor linking Armenia to Karabakh

2009-11-22 09:44:00

ArmInfo. "Turkey has said it is hopeful that Armenia and Azerbaijan
will make progress toward resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
facilitating an imminent normalization of relations between regional
foes Ankara and Yerevan.

"The technical work was completed with regard to the corridors linking
Armenia to Karabakh. We are informed of the progress [regarding the
negotiations]," a senior Turkish diplomat told the Hurriyet Daily News
& Economic Review.

The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham
Aliyev, are expected to meet Sunday at the French consulate in Munich,
Germany. It will be the eighth presidential meeting since Turkey and
Armenia began reconciliatory talks.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols Oct. 10 but have not yet
initiated ratification of them at either parliament. Turkey submitted
the protocols to its Parliament, but Armenia is still trying to pass
them through the constitutional court. "I do not think that one could
press Turkey at this moment when Armenia has still not submitted them
to parliament," the senior diplomat said.

"There are important developments," the senior diplomat said, adding
that a technical delegation had completed an exploration of the Lachin
Corridor, a mountain pass within the official borders of Azerbaijan
that is the shortest route connecting Armenia with Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Its status and how to provide its security are important matters to
be solved."

Davutoglu held a telephone conversation with his Azerbaijani
counterpart Elmar Mammadyarov last week and was informed about the
talks. The co-chairmen of the OSCE’s Minsk Group held meetings last
week in Yerevan and Baku. Mammadyarov is expected to pay a visit to
Ankara next month.

The three things Turkey expects are the withdrawal of Armenian troops
from the seven regions surrounding the Nagorno-Karabakh province and
the return of the Azerbaijani people who were expelled from their
homeland; clearer definition of the status of the corridor and how its
security would be assured; and, lastly, the reaching of an interim
agreement.

For Turkish diplomats, there are no additional obstacles before the
two parties being able to shake hands in the near future. "Talking
about deadlines is not always productive, but everyone is aware of the
need to accelerate the process," another Turkish diplomat said.

"Who knows, maybe Armenia’s borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan will be
opened simultaneously," the diplomat added.

According to Davutoglu, simultaneous rapprochement between Turkey and
Armenia and Armenia and Azerbaijan would be the best formula for
reaching a comprehensive settlement in the southern Caucasus.

On the threshold of the Munich meeting Ilham Aliyev voiced regular
portion of the militaristic bravado regarding Armenia

2009-11-22 09:40:00

ArmInfo. ‘In several days my regular meeting with president of Armenia
will take place. We go to this meeting with our own programme. The
meeting should play a resolute role in the negotiating process, since
several meetings took place this year but gave no result’, – President
of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said.

‘If this meeting as well gives no result, in that case our hopes on
the talks will be exhausted. And if our hope is exhausted, we shall
have no other way. We must be ready for that’, – aliyev said.

It is already for many times that Aliyev sings his old song about the
force of the Azerbaijani army which is ready any time to return the
‘occupied territories’ by means of force, and it turns out that the
international norms recognize such a right of Azerbaijan.

He also said that Nagornyy Karabakh will never be independent as
Azerbaijan will not agree to that. By the way it is already for 18
years that Nagornyy Karabakh Republic gained its independence, and it
does not care about the fact that Azerbaijan does not want to
recognize its independence.

‘Our compromise is resolving of the conflict in a peaceful way, that’s
all’, – he said and added their tolerance has exhausted, Armenia has
to take actions but not Azerbaijan.

The Azerbaijani delegation headed by its ‘father’ is leaving to Munich
with such a mood to meet President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan tomorrow.
In this context it is worthy to recall Armenian Deputy Foreign
Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan’s words, voiced several days ago ‘that it
has become a norm that before the meeting of the presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan the Azerbaijani party makes statements which are
directed to prevention of expectations from the possible progress in
these meetings’.

According to Turkish mass media, foreign ministers of Armenia and
Turkey will meet in Athens

2009-11-22 09:39:00

ArmInfo. Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Armenian
counterpart Edward Nalbandian are also expected to meet in Athens,
Greece, on the sidelines of the ministerial meeting of the
Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, which
will be held on 1-2 December, Turkish Hurriyet Daily News says.

To note, in all probability Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandyan and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov will
also meet in athens, though over the yesterday’s press-conference in
Yerevan Armenian foreign minister said there is no specific
arrangement regarding the matter.