Month: November 2009

ARMENIA-TURKEY RECONCILIATION IN U.S. INTERESTS

news.am
Nov 18 2009
Armenia

If the protocols between Turkey and Armenia can both bring Armenia
closer to the West and closer to a political solution to resolving
Nagorno-Karabakh, I would support that," U.S Congressman Michael
E. McMahon told Azerbaijani Trend News agency, adding that the issues’
settlement is in U.S. and Russia’s interests.

The conflicts resolution "has serious implications for global energy
security," the source reads.

The Congressman underlined that Washington is interested in the prompt
resolution of these issues.

RA MINISTER OF LABOR AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS RESIGNED

news.am
Nov 18 2009
Armenia

RA Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Gevorg Petrosyan handed in his
resignation papers. Khachik Galstyan, press secretary of Prosperous
Party of Armenia (PPA) leader Gagik Tsarukyan confirmed information
for NEWS.am.

Gevorg Petrosyan assumed ministerial post intended for PPA, coalition
member.

The official reason for resignation is Minister’s health problems,
which is weird. NEWS.am was the first to inform about impending
removal of Petrosyan. However, later, PPA faction secretary Aram
Safaryan told the agency reporters that the information is untrue.

ARS DELEGATION VISITS KARABAKH FOR HEALTH, EDUCATION COOPERATION TALKS

Asbarez Staff
Nov 18th, 2009

ARS "Soseh" Kindergarteners in Stepanakert.

STEPANAKERT-An Armenian Relief Society delegation traveled to the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic early this month where they met with
Karabakh’s Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Science for
talks on the status of 11 ARS Kindergartens in the republic.

The delegation, which met with Prime Minister Arayik Harutiunian and
Minister Vladik Khachatrian on November 5, included ARS Chairperson
Vicky Marashlian, ARS Executive Director Jirair Beujekian, ARS Artsakh
Chairperson Margarita Taranian and ARF Artsakh Central Committee
Representative, Davit Ishkhanian.

The delegation discussed with the two officials the possibility of
securing the necessary means for allowing the 11 "Soseh" kindergartens
to continue functioning and serving to their communities. The meeting
also covered the need for increased involvement of women in the social
sphere of the Republic, and the ARS expectations to that end.

The two ministers were also briefed on the various ARS educational,
health and humanitarian programs presently being implemented in
Artsakh.

Later in the day, Marashlian, Beujekian and Taranian met with Karabakh
Health Minister Gevorg Gevorgian to discuss a recent shipment from
the ARS of hospital beds to the Health Ministry, as well as future
programs planned by the ARS.

Gevorgian expressed his appreciation for the ARS’s efforts to
coordinate its activities with the Ministry. The ARS representatives
reiterated the organization’s commitment to ongoing cooperation with
the Ministry.

On November 6, the ARS delegation attended the opening ceremony of a
recently renovated building at the Hadrut region’s Taghlar village
ARS "Soseh" Kindergarten. In use for almost a decade, construction
work on the building began late this summer. The kindergarten has 65
pupils divided into three age groups.

Hadrut’s governor, present at the opening ceremony, pledged to soon
begin renovation of the ARS kindergarten in the village of Togh.

RULING PARTIES CLASH IN YEREVAN CITY COUNCIL

Asbarez Staff
Nov 18th, 2009

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)-Representatives of Armenia’s two largest governing
parties clashed in the Yerevan municipal assembly on Wednesday in a
dispute that could undermine their hitherto close relationship.

Members of the city council representing the Prosperous Armenia Party
threatened to relinquish their mandates after its majority controlled
by President Serzh Sarkisian’s Republican Party pushed through a
legal amendment significantly easing quorum requirements.

Sessions of the 65-member Council of Elders, elected on May 31, have
until now had to be attended by at least 33 members in order to be
considered valid. The amendment to the council statutes proposed by
Yerevan’s Republican Mayor Gagik Beglarian lowered that threshold
to 17.

The Prosperous Armenia faction in the council strongly protested
against the move. "If we have 65 elected councilors and 50 of them
usually attend sessions, then what’s the problem?" its leader Arman
Vartanian said. He said the Republican majority may be trying to
"reduce the role of the Council of Elders" and warned that his faction
may boycott assembly sessions.

Beglarian, who chairs those sessions, dismissed the objections,
saying that the amendment stems from a law regulating the council’s
activities and cutting short the debate. "We didn’t decide to hold
a debate, did we?" he said.

"Mr. Mayor, we are not satisfied by the explanation," replied
Vartanian. "That’s your problem," shot back Beglarian.

"All this reminds me of the Communist system," the Prosperous Armenia
representative told RFE/RL after the ensuing vote. "A one-party
autocratic system. If you have no forum where you can express yourself,
then there is no place for a minority faction in such a structure."

Prosperous Armenia holds 17 seats in the legislature, compared with
35 seats controlled by the Republicans. The remaining 13 seats were
allotted to the opposition Armenian National Congress as a result of
the disputed municipal elections held on May 31. The Congress refused
to take up the mandates in protest against what it called massive
vote rigging.

The mayoral race was also marred by several violent clashes between
Republican and Prosperous Armenia activists in various parts of the
Armenian capital. Both parties played down those incidents, saying
that they will continue to share power on the national level.

Today
Nov 18 2009
Azerbaijan

RETURN OF OCCUPIED TERRITORIES TO AZERBAIJAN WILL NOT COMPENSATE FOR MORAL AND GEOPOLITICAL DAMAGE FROM 20-YEAR OCCUPATION: RUSSIAN PHILOSOPHER

Day.Az interview with renowned Russian philosopher of Azerbaijani
origin, public figure and ideologist of a political Islam Heydar Jamal.

Day.Az: Signing of Turkey-Armenia protocols on establishment of
diplomatic relations was one of the most significant events that
have recently happened in our region. Attitude to them is ambiguous
both within Turkey and Armenia, and Azerbaijan. Do you think the
protocols will harm Azerbaijan or bring a benefit in terms of a
further resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

Heydar Jamal: The signing of the protocols violated the traditional
balance of power around Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. Traditionally
there were two allies – Armenia-Iran and Azerbaijan-Turkey. Moscow
was further strengthening the Iranian-Armenian bloc not spoiling
relations with Baku and Ankara, but on the contrary, actively using
its relationship with them for its pragmatic interests.

Now this well-established model is collapsing. Ankara’s stance has
become incoherent. On this backdrop, ambiguity of Moscow’s behavior
is increasing. Azerbaijan now is in a new situation in which Armenia,
Iran and Russia play against Azerbaijan with Turkey’s eroded position
and slippery selfish western approach to the solution of the Karabakh
issue. Under these conditions, challenge for Azerbaijan’s national
security increases dramatically.

Q: Many foreign experts have recently expressed confidence that the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be resolved soon. Similar optimistic
projections were made also over the past few years. Is there a feeling
that it will be really solved this time?

A: It is well known what kind of "scenario" Armenia seeks to achieve.

The "scenario" implies return of seven occupied regions to Azerbaijan
including Karabakh and granting the widest possible autonomy to
Karabakh under nominal sovereignty of Azerbaijan with a right to a
free traffic of people and goods between Karabakh and Armenia. In
other words, Azerbaijan would not be able to limit or even control
mass entrance and exits of Armenians in Karabakh.

Since Karabakh will nominally be an administrative part of Azerbaijan,
it would be equivalent to right of Armenians to unlimited and
uncontrolled entry into Azerbaijan without a corresponding right of
the Karabakh Azerbaijanis to travel to Armenia.

There is another aspect in addition to apparent provocation of
such a "solution". Simply return of occupied territories without
any conditions is unacceptable for Azerbaijan, because it does not
compensate for the moral and geopolitical damage from the 20-year
occupation and offers no guarantee for peace in the future.

Q: Prior to signing of the protocols President Serzh Sargsyan went
on to Pan-Armenian tour to persuade the diaspora that his intentions
are appropriate. Though the Diaspora strongly opposed the protocols,
Sargsyan signed them. A few days later he went to Moscow to ask money
from the Armenian Diaspora in Russia. As a person who lives in Moscow,
can you say what was the reaction of Armenians and Azerbaijanis to
the ongoing events? Could Sargsyan achieve his goal or friendship
with the Diaspora was spoiled?

A: Armenian Diaspora not only in Russia but also in France and the
U.S. were opposed to rapprochement with Turkey. In addition, there
is a very powerful opposition to Sargsyan at home. All this together
can lead to the fall Sargsyan’s regime under certain conditions.

It should be noted that development of Turkish-Armenian relations also
contributes to Iran-Turkey rapproachement which is obviously contrary
to the U.S.-Israeli interests in the region. So, today it is quite
possible that Americans will begin to actively support anti-Sargsyan
forces in Armenia.

TURKEY WANTS TO CHANGE KARABAKH STATUS QUO

news.az
Nov 18 2009
Azerbaijan

Ahmet Davutoglu Turkey will do its utmost to resolve the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh, Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu has said.

He was talking to MPs about a wide range of foreign policy issues at
a budget and appropriations committee meeting in the Grand National
Assembly on Tuesday, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported.

Davutoglu told the committee, "Turkey will never be reconciled with
the occupation of Azerbaijani lands and will spare no effort to
resolve the conflict."

Turkey signed the protocols with Armenia because it wants to normalize
relations and settle the Karabakh problem, Davutoglu said. By signing
the protocols "Yerevan has recognized the present borders of Turkey
and does not have any territorial claims on us".

On the Karabakh conflict, Davutoglu said, "The status quo has remained
unchanged for 17 years… Babies who were one year old in Karabakh
and Lachin in 1993 are now turning 18. How long will these poor people
live far from their native lands?

"Turkey cannot be reconciled with this situation and is seeking changes
in the status quo on the Karabakh issue. Turkey could have kept Armenia
in isolation for many years. What would we have achieved by doing
so? Today, international attention is focused on this problem. The
OSCE’s Minsk Group would have calmly carried on as they were, visiting
the regional countries, but the problem would have remained unsettled,
but now we are demanding that they resolve the Karabakh issue. The
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents have had seven meetings this year."

WB SAYS POVERTY RATE IN ARMENIA ALMOST DOUBLES

news.az
Nov 18 2009
Azerbaijan

Poverty rate in Armenia has risen 2.8% in the second quarter of 2009
over the same period of 2008 from 25.6% to 28.4%, WB’s chief economist
in the sphere of social maintenance Liri Ersado told a presentation of
WB’s preliminary research: "Armenia: poverty and social implications
of the world economic crisis".

According to him, the crisis has temporarily hampered the stable
development of Armenia of the recent nine years and the processes of
preventing poverty. According to the expert, the concerns are not
about the growth in poverty but also about the missed opportunity
of preventing poverty from influencing a fourth part of the Armenian
population.

According to Ersado, the misery level in Armenia has almost doubled
from 3.6% in the second quarter of 2008 to 6.9% in the second quarter
of 2009.

ILHAM ALIYEV: AZERBAIJANI LAND WILL BE LIBERATED

news.az
Nov 18 2009
Azerbaijan

Ilham Aliyev Azerbaijan is hopeful of success in talks to resolve
the Karabakh conflict, although Armenia is using delaying tactics,
President Ilham Aliyev has said.

He was speaking at the official opening on Tuesday of a nine-storey
residential building in Baku’s Binaqadi District. The building
will house 369 families displaced from their homes by the Armenian
occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and its surrounding districts.

"I am sure that we will attain our desired goal but I want it to
happen as soon as possible," the president said. "I have worked and
will continue working in this regard."

He said Azerbaijan adheres to the policy of settling the conflict
through negotiations.

"We will continue our pressure on Armenia in political, economic and
all other forms and we should do our utmost to attain our desired
goal. We want to restore justice," Aliyev said.

The president said that Azerbaijan has no territorial claims on
other countries though present-day Armenia was established on ancient
Azerbaijani land, in particular the Irevan khanate and Zangezur.

Addressing the internally displaced people, Aliyev said that they
would live temporarily in the new houses and once the conflict in
Nagorno-Karabakh is settled they will be able to return to their
native homes which will be rebuilt.

"Once the Azerbaijani lands are liberated, we will build new houses,
new cities and create new infrastructure on these lands," the president
said. He also said that the authorities pay considerable attention to
the problems of refugees and IDPs and have assigned $2bn to improve
their living conditions.

The president said that Armenia is fully dependent on foreign
financial assistance, as its economy continues to weaken, while the
economic situation in Azerbaijan is improving and "this gap will grow
further" with the passage of time. At the same time, Aliyev said, the
Azerbaijani authorities pay considerable attention to strengthening
military potential.

"We are in a negotiating process, but we should be ready to liberate
our lands by force at any time," the head of state said. He described
Armenia’s continuing aggression against Azerbaijan as "an unbearable
situation" and "the greatest injustice and crude violation of human
rights".

"Yet the world community is indifferent to this. Though international
organizations have adopted the relevant resolutions, they are not
executed. In such conditions, these resolutions are senseless.

Unfortunately, the norms of international law are crudely violated
in the world and, as a result, Azerbaijani lands remain occupied for
many years," the president said.

"We try to settle the issue peacefully, as we do not want war. But
negotiations are ineffective," he said. Seven to eight rounds of
negotiations on resolution of the conflict are held every year but
with no special result.

"There is progress but we are not able to attain the final solution
to the issue. Today Armenia takes positions that contradict all
international norms, while the world community does not put pressure
on them," Aliyev said. In similar cases elsewhere, when one country
occupies another, political and military intervention is observed,
he said.

"Yet our case is different for some well-known reasons. As a result of
the activity of the Armenian lobby, the world community does not treat
the Armenian occupation very seriously. Therefore, we should hold a
thorough analysis of the current situation and make some changes to
our plan of action for the coming years. We see that we can rely only
on ourselves," the head of state said. He said that for this purpose
Azerbaijan continues to increase its economic and military strength.

"I do not doubt that Azerbaijani lands will be liberated. The main
issue is whether it will be done peacefully or by force."

The president said that the conflict settlement has been drawn out
for a long time, while Azerbaijan cannot wait for ever. Speaking
of definite achievements in the negotiation process, he said that
the withdrawal of Armenian troops from all seven districts around
Nagorno-Karabakh and the return of Azerbaijanis to Karabakh itself
are being discussed.

"This gives us hope and an additional stimulus for participation in
the negotiations. We think that there is hope. But at the same time
we see the Armenian side choosing tactics to delay the settlement,"
Aliyev said. He said that this gives Yerevan time to settle Armenians
in the occupied lands, but this will be difficult as Armenian
citizens are leaving the country for a variety of reasons and the
real population is just 1.7 million. The president thinks that this
trend will weaken the contact line between Armenian and Azerbaijani
troops in the conflict area.

EMMANUEL KARAGIANNIS: A GESTURE, EVEN A SYMBOLIC ONE, FROM YEREVAN IS PROBABLY NECESSARY BEFORE TREATY RATIFICATION

APA
Nov 18 2009
Azerbaijan

"Ankara cannot afford a further deterioration in the Turkish-Azeri
relations"

Profile. Emmanuel Karagiannis is Assistant Professor of post-Soviet
Studies, University of Macedonia at Thessaloniki, Greece. He also
teaches at the Joint War College of Hellenic Armed Forces, and the
Hellenic National Defense College, Greece. His latest book, Energy
and Security in the Caucasus, was also published by Routledge

– The US president Barak Obama just met with his Russian counterpart
Dmitri Medvedev discussing cooperation in security sphere. How would
you describe the current level of cooperation between two countries?

– There are increased indications that the U.S. and Russia have reached
a gentlemen’s agreement over NATO enlargement and the Iranian nuclear
program. Bearing in mind that the Obama administration desperately
needs Russia’s help in Iran, NATO enlargement in the former USSR is
not a priority issue for Washington anymore. Also, there has been a
policy shift in the Russian approach towards Tehran; the Kremlin is
distancing itself from Ahmadinejad’s nuclear ambitions.

– What would be the role of Azerbaijan in that cooperation?

– It is a question of time before the debate about the antimissile
shield returns to the spotlight. Azerbaijan can become a very important
link between Washington and Moscow since Baku enjoyed good relations
with both sides, while the country is located at the crossroads of
Europe and the Middle East. Although it is too soon to tell, Putin’s
offer to use the Russian-operated radar can be discussed again.

– The other tension in US-Russian relations is situation in South
Caucasus, particularly in Georgia. What are the risks of new tensions
in these conflict areas?

– The Georgian-Russian relations will remain tense, but another war
soon is unlikely because the two countries have too much to lose. Yet,
skirmishes along the ceasefire line can happen from time to time.

-How would you estimate the current development in the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process?

– It won’t be easy for the Armenian government to do concessions over
Nagorno-Karabakh. The unconditional support of the Armenian Diaspora
for the Karabakh Armenians is major obstacle for the settlement of
the conflict in the near future. From the Armenian point of view,
security guarantees must be part of a settlement deal.

– US doubts that without progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
solution, the Turkish-Armenian protocols will be ratified by the
Turkish Parliament, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon
said to press conference in Ankara on Friday. What do you think about
this statement?

– A gesture, even a symbolic one, from Yerevan is probably
necessary before treaty ratification. Ankara cannot afford a further
deterioration in the Turkish-Azeri relations. Yet, Baku should be
more pragmatic regarding relations with Turkey; Azeri and Turkish
interests do not necessarily coincide in the Transcaucasus.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT: WITH TIME ARMENIA NOT TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT CONTACT LINE

Azerbaijan Business Center
Nov 18 2009

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Ilham Aliyev, the President of Azerbaijan, does
not doubt of settlement of Nagorno Garabagh conflict between Armenia
and Azerbaijan in favor of the latter.

Yesterday President Aliyev claimed that he personally did not doubt
that Azerbaijani lands would be released from the aggressor.

"The main issue is in what way it will be done – peaceful or military.

Our territories were occupied following foreign support. Today
Azerbaijan is a powerful state and situation with occupation can be
removed either in a peaceful or military way. We cannot drag out more
this process," he said.

He also voiced discontent with lack of real process of conflict
settlement negotiations launched in 1992 under the aegis of the OSCE
Minsk Group.

"We consider that a hope still remains, but together with that we see
that the Armenian side has selected tactics of time dragging out. But
dragging out of time gives them nothing. The Armenian population
has reduced and really 1.7 million people live there. With time they
will hardly be able to protect contact line as capacities and power
of Azerbaijan increase and demographic situation improves. Number of
our population has already reached 9 million people and in 5-6 years
it will be equal to 10 million people. Today our economy surpasses
7-fold the Armenian one and in the next few years is going to surpass
probably 13-15 fold. Armenia is isolated from all regional projects.

One can say that its borders are closed with all the neighbors
excepting one. In such situation existence of this country itself is
under question. Truth is also in fact that Armenia cannot exist at
its own expense. If some countries and some financial institutions
had not given this year financial aid to Armenia, it would have gone
to rack and ruin," the President said.

In his view, abyss between Armenia and Azerbaijan is going to increase
further.

"Analyzing all these factors, we still choose a way of negotiations.

We will continue exerting pressure in both political, economic,
and all other forms. We should do so to obtain the desired. We want
restoration of truth and justice.

We don’t set our bag for lands of other country, although today’s
Armenia was created on truly Azerbaijani lands. We protect principle
of territorial integrity of countries. I am sure that we will obtain
the desired. But I want it will happen faster. I work and will work
for that," President Aliyev said.