Month: November 2009

HOOVHANNES GOHARYAN’S TEAM BECOMES CHAMPION IN BELARUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.11.2009 20:07 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ BATE has secured champion’s title ahead of time. In
the 25th round, the team made draw with Torpedo and now has 12 points’
advantage over Dinamo Mn which ranks as the second team in tournament
list. BATE forward Hovhannes Goharyan did not take part in match vs.

Torpedo because of high temperature, football club’s official Web
site reports.

4 BATE sportsmen, including goal-keeper Alexander Gutor, half-back
Pavel Nekhaychik and forwards Maxim Skavysh and Hovhanes Goharyan
have been invited to participate in trainings for European Cup.

KURDISH ISSUE A BURDEN TURKEY CAN NO LONGER BEAR, SAYS PM

Today’s Zaman
Nov 2 2009
Turkey

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and CHP leader Deniz Baykal had
a brief conversation during Republic Day ceremonies.

Turkey can no longer carry the weight of the Kurdish question,
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an address to the nation
televised on Saturday night.

Speaking about the government’s Kurdish initiative, which seeks to
extend more democratic rights to Kurds in order to end separatist
violence, the prime minister admonished the terrorist Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK) and its sympathizers. "We can never have anything
to do with those who see terror as a legitimate means, who target
the lives of our innocent people to this end. We condemn terrorism
as strongly as we have from our first day [in office]," Erdogan said.

His comments come less than two weeks after massive crowds of
pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) supporters welcomed a group
of PKK members returning to Turkey in an atmosphere of festivity. The
celebrations held by PKK supporters angered many segments of Turkish
society.

The prime minister also touched on Ergenekon, a clandestine
gang charged with plotting to overthrow the government that is
believed to be responsible for many illegal operations carried out
behind-the-scenes by state departments led by some of the group’s
members. He said his government’s primary target was to eliminate what
he called "shady power centers." "We want everyone in this country
to trust and have confidence in the state. … We want for there to
no longer be any shady powers that draw curtains in front of the will
of the nation, that seize the will of the nation," he said.

Erdogan noted that there have always been groups seeking to create
conflict within the nation by exploiting political, religious or
ethnic differences between various communities. "However, the people
of this country have not given up on each other even in the darkest,
most painful and difficult of times. … We want anger to subside,
all resentment to be forgotten," he continued.

The prime minister also called on civil society to contribute to the
solution of the Kurdish question. "As the government, we have taken
a step, and we will continue to travel down this path no matter what
the cost. However, for the success of this process, everyone should do
their part. The politicians of this country and its opinion leaders and
civil society leaders will all fulfill their reasonability," he noted.

He also warned against attempts to provoke sensitivities and use the
process for political ends. "Unfortunately, there are those who are
undermining this process with their actions, their attitude and their
words. … There are those who are turning this into a show. I call
on everyone to act with common sense."

The prime minister said future generations will help Turkey forget
about its losses. "We have established 63 new universities, 41 of them
state universities and 22 private schools. Our country has a total of
139 universities, including 94 state and 45 private universities. We
believe that these new generations will turn Turkey’s years ahead
into years of gain," Erdogan said.

He also briefly discussed Turkey’s foreign policy and the recent
rapprochement with Armenia. "Official protocols were signed on Oct. 10
aimed at the normalization of relations with Armenia. We want the
Karabakh question between Armenia and Azerbaijan to be overcome through
dialogue. Unfortunately, both in our country and inside Azerbaijan,
there are those who exploit this issue in an unjust fashion. We have
no disagreement with Azerbaijan; this can never be.

It is impossible for us to allow anything that might damage
Azerbaijan’s interests to happen," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE ECONOMIST: ANKARA BEGAN TO RECONSIDER ITS ANTAGONISM TO THE ARAB WORLD

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.11.2009 20:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Frustrated by the uncertainty in Europe, Turkey began
to reconsider its antagonism to the Arab world. After the collapse
of the Ottoman Empire, the Turkish Republic drew his eyes to the
West and, in particular, to the United States. Such developments are
quite logical, bearing in mind the strength of the Turkish economy,
the revival of the Islamic element after frustration associated with
the intransigence of the West regarding Turkey’s membership in the EU,
The Economist wrote.

Since 2002, Turkey is guided by new foreign policy that uses "soft
power of trade, along with historic ties" to establish stability
outside of Turkey. "Such a shift would have been impossible without
dramatic changes in Turkey. The Arab world welcomes the "return" of
Turkey to the policy of moderate counterweight to Iran, and in light
of the fact that it can become a gateway to Europe, " the article says.

The author emphasizes that the Turkish officials, however, argue
that Ankara’s interest in the Islamic world does not mean a cooled
relations with the West. Turkey serves as a useful bridge instead,
a regional force for peace quite compatible with Islamic elements.

"Ankara’s Western allies have nothing against it, but everything
could change if Turkey’s hopes to join the EU evaporate or if Turkey
is viewed as a weapon to put pressure on Iran, " the observer of The
Economist wrote.

"Turkey had to pay for this policy a price, and this price was
the deteriorated relations with Israel after Erdogan had publicly
expressed his dissatisfaction with Tel Aviv’s actions in the Gaza
Strip. In any case, officials of the Turkish government stated that
they have no intention to suspend relations with Israel. Israel has
even suggested to Turkey the protected from the lobby in the U.S.

Congress. The latter intended to punish Turkey for questioning the
fact of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire. Turkish officials say
they do not intend to break relations with Israel, and believe they
may be a useful interlocutor with the Jewish state," the article says.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NALBANDYAN MET JAPANESE AMBASSADOR

news.am
Nov 2 2009
Armenia

November 2, 2009 RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan and
newly-appointed Japanese Ambassador to Armenia Masaharo Kono
(residence-Moscow) discussed Armenia-Turkey relations and recent
developments in Nagorno-Karabakh negotiation process.

Masaharo Kono presented his credentials to Edward Nalbandyan, RA
Foreign Office press service informed NEWS.am. Nalbandyan made a
point of the multifaceted relations’ development with Japan, while the
Ambassador stated he will do his utmost for the further enhancement
of bilateral relations.

Nalbandyan thanked Kono for Japan’s support in Armenian economy
advancement since its independence. The officials also exchanged
views on Armenia-Turkey relations.

ARAM SAFARYAN: THE ISSUE OF NKR RECOGNITION BY ARMENIA NOT MATURED YET

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.11.2009 20:17 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Recognition of the Nagorno Karabakh’s independence
by Armenia, without agreeing with the OSCE Minsk Group, may fail
the negotiation process, Aram Safaryan, secretary of the "Prosperous
Armenia" parliamentary faction told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to Aram Safaryan, the party members have not yet discussed
this issue and he can say nothing officially. "But, in my opinion,
the recognition of Nagorno Karabakh’s independence by Armenia
unilaterally is impractical because the issue has not matured yet,"
Aram Safaryan said.

SCHRODER: ‘EU DOES NOT APPRECIATE TURKEY’S ROLE’

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 2 2009
Turkey

Turkey has been promised membership to the European Union and the bloc
should keep this promise, former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder
said Monday at a conference organized by private construction company
Simpas.

Schroder was the first foreign former leader to talk on the theme of
"leadership for sustainable success" at the conference, which was held
to celebrate the company’s 35th anniversary. Former U.S. President
Bill Clinton was scheduled to speak after Schroder.

Schroder said he regretted that the EU does not appreciate Turkey’s
role in helping to solve regional conflicts. He called for the
continuation of reforms in Turkey and for patience in the country’s
EU membership bid.

Europe can survive the challenges of globalization only if it pursues
a common internal market policy and external enlargement process,
said Schroder. Europe should be the third pole in the world, he
said, adding, "We will only succeed if the EU continues its internal
integration policy and its external enlargement, by building bridges
to Arab countries through Turkey’s accession process."

Schroder said the negotiations with Turkey serve only one purpose:
full membership. The principle of pacta sunt servanda, which that
translates into English as "promises must be kept," is important,
Schroder said. "No one should and can ignore this principle," he added.

According to the former chancellor, Turkey has been promised membership
and this promise needs to be kept. "Turkey’s accession will bring
considerable benefits to Europe," he said. "Over the decades, Turkey
has been a reliable partner for Germany and Europe."

"The vital importance of Turkey’s accession is that Turkey serves as
a model for other Muslim countries in our European neighborhood,"
he said, adding that a democratic Turkey is proof that there is no
contradiction between the Islamic faith and enlightened society.

Schroder said Turkey is aware of its function as bridge. He also
praised Turkey’s policy on Cyprus and said it had won international
respect.

After referring to the Turkey-Armenia normalization process, Schroder
said Turkey plays a major role in helping find solutions to conflicts
in European neighborhoods. "I regret that this is not sufficiently
appreciated in the EU," he said.

Schroder said Turkey’s role in energy security will also be vital,
especially in the Nabucco and South Stream projects. As an adviser
to Russian gas monopoly, Gazprom, he was careful to mention these
two projects compete with each other.

Nabucco aims to bring Caspian gas to Europe via Turkey to reduce
European dependence to Russia; South Stream, a project spearheaded
by Russia, aims to provide an alternative route to Europeans in order
to bypass the Ukrainian route, which has proven to be problematic in
the past.

At the end of his speech, Schroder said Turkey’s accession to the EU
has been a long and difficult process that requires patience and the
continuation of reforms.

In response to a question, Schroder said he has great respect for
the Turkish leadership and that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
had surprised many European leaders by showing how serious he was
in undertaking reforms. "Some European leaders were not expecting
that Turkish leadership and Prime Minister Erdogan would succeed in
internal reforms," he said.

Schroder said the policy of the new government in Berlin would not
change dramatically. "The new government will learn that Turkey’s
accession to the EU is not only important for Turkey but also very,
very important for the EU as well."

YEREVAN TO HOST OPENING OF PUBLISHING HOUSE AFTER LEVON Z. SURMELIAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.11.2009 20:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On November 3, Yerevan will host the opening of
Levon Suremelian Publishing House under the Writers’ Union of Armenia.

Publishing house named after the writer with Armenian decent was
founded by Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) in cooperation
with Writers’ Union of Armenia.

Opening ceremony will be attended by AGBU Chairman Perch Sedrakyan
and Head of Writers’ Union Levon Ananyan.

BERNARD FASSIER: AS OUR VISIT TO THE REGION IS GOING TO BE VERY SHORT I CANNOT SAY WHETHER OR NOT WE’LL GO TO KARABAKH

APA
Nov 2 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva – APA. OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will
visit the region this week.

APA reports quoting the Panarmenian that French co-chair Bernard
Fassier found it difficult to say whether they will visit Nagorno
Karabakh or not.

"We plan to visit Yerevan and Baku. As this is going to be a very
short visit I cannot say whether or not we’ll go to Karabakh," he said.

The co-chairs will discuss with Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents the
basic principles on the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIAN LEADERSHIP SEEKS FOR INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION OF NKR

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.11.2009 20:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Armenia’s recognition of NKR independence
should not be an end in itself. since authorities seek for full
recognition of Artsakh," RPA faction secretary Edward Sharmazanov
told a PanARMENAIN.Net reporter.

Touching on Heritage-proposed bill on Armenia’s recognition of
NKR, he considered the step untimely. Besides, he added, Karabakh
settlement issue is within Minsk Group’s competences, and if Armenia
unilaterally recognizes NKR’s independence, that will impede the
peaceful settlement process.

With regard to international community’s possible reaction, RPA
faction secretary expressed conviction that world would treat Artsakh
as a state like South Ossetia and Abkhazia although the latter have
already been recognized by Russia as independent republics. "As much as
Karabakh peace process is concerned, we have managed to have nations’
self-determination right fixed in Madrid document. That will make
it possible to enshrine the principle both de facto and de jure in
future," Sharmazanov noted.

INCIDENT OCCURS IN ROUNDTABLE ON NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT IN MOSCOW

APA
Nov 2 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. An incident occurred at the roundtable
on the theme "Nagorno Karabakh conflict: creating conditions for the
establishment of peace, Russia’s role" held in the editorial office
of the Izvestia newspaper in Moscow.

Chairman of Russia’s Islamic Committee Heydar Jamal, who attended
the meeting, told APA that the incident was connected with the
participation of the representative of the separatist regime.

"We demanded that he should participate in the event as an individual,
not as the representative of Nagorno Karabakh. But as his speech
was not participation in the discussion, but a political statement,
he was immediately removed from the roundtable," he said.

Heydar Jamal said there were more Armenians than Azerbaijanis in
the discussions and added that Rasim Musabayov and Evez Hasanov
represented Azerbaijan.

"Though I was invited to the roundtable as the chairman of Russia’s
Islamic Committee, I can be considered the person, who represented
Azerbaijan, as I supported Azerbaijan’s position in Nagorno Karabakh
issue," he said.

Heydar Jamal considers that Nagorno Karabakh conflict would have been
impossible, if Russia had not supported Armenia.

"Taking into account these two moments, we had an opportunity to
express our position. The injustice of the Armenian experts caused
negative climate, atmosphere of nonprofessional analysis at the event.

As usual, main issues were not discussed. Little time was allotted for
speeches, but the Armenians spoke more, as more Armenians attended
the roundtable and they did not obey the regulations. I told the
participants that the countries around the South Caucasus – Iran,
Turkey, Russia, Europe are not interested in the settlement of the
conflict, as they use the current situation for their interests.

Russia does not want the conflict to end without its participation,
because always, in the Soviet times, anti-Azerbaijan lobby that united
around Beria demonstrated solidarity with the national interests
of Armenians. Russia played the anti-Azerbaijan role in the Soviet
times and in the post-Soviet history. Russia is interested in the
protraction of the conflict. Earlier, there was Azerbaijan-Turkey unity
against Armenia and Iran. Now, due to the new format of Armenia-Turkey
relations, Azerbaijan has been ringed by Iran, Armenia, distancing
Turkey and Moscow that supports Yerevan-Tehran line. The role of the
West is also obscure, in fact Azerbaijan remains in the strategic
isolation," he said.