Month: September 2013

ARCHBISHOP ATESHIAN VISITS HIS HOMETOWN IN TURKEY

, Turkey
Sept 12 2013

His Eminence expressed hope at Silvan becoming a place of “love and
brotherhood” where faiths live together

His Eminence Archbishop Aram Ateshian, General Vicar of the Armenian
Patriarch, paid his first official visit on Wednesday to his hometown,
Silvan, in the southeast province of Diyarbakir.

“I came back happy to Silvan, which I left in a state of sadness at
the age of five,” Ateshian said.

Greeted with flowers upon his arrival at the town, Ateshian visited
Silvan District Governor Berkand Sonmezay and Mayor Fadil Erdede.

“Armenians and Turks once lived in harmony in these lands,” Ateshian
said. “Now, there are steps towards bringing back that atmosphere.

“We’ve come here to strengthen love and brotherhood.”

Protecting historic assets

Ateshian visited historical places in Silvan, including Hassuni Caves
6 km east of the district, which date back to the Middle Ages.

“There were eight Armenian churches around Silvan, but most have
vanished. We must protect historical venues and raise awareness on
their preservation. The historical buildings and statues in Silvan
must be promoted throughout the world,” Ateshian said.

As a good example, Hassuni Caves have come under state protection as
part of a tourism project, Ateshian said, adding that the scope of
such projects must be broadened to encompass all places of historical
value in Silvan.

Aslan Bakir, Ateshian’s nephew and operator of a leisure center at
Hassuni Caves, hosted a dinner event in honor of his uncle.

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRMAN: ALL SIDES’ POLITICAL WILL REQUIRED FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend, Azerbaijan
Sept 12 2013

Newly appointed U.S. co-chairman of OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick
stated in Yerevan today that the political will and mutual concessions
from all sides are required for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Mediamax reported.

During the meeting with journalists, the U.S. diplomat said the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is impossible without
public understanding that the settlement of the issue is in the
interests of future generations.

“The principles of the Helsinki Final Act – non-use of force and
threats, the right to self-determination and territorial integrity
continue to guide us in this process,” he stressed. “If we want to
succeed, there must be concessions from all sides.”

The U.S. diplomat said that he visited the region for the first time
and wants to hear the views of all parties and get acquainted with
the general atmosphere.

The diplomat said that he did not have new proposals for the parties.

“As the U.S co-chairman, I assure you that we are ready to continue
working with Russia, France and the international community to resolve
the issue,” Warlick added.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since
1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding
districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia, France and the U.S. are
currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

FM: ARMENIA’S UNCONSTRUCTIVE STANCE HINDERS PROGRESS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH TALKS

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 12 2013

12 September 2013, 14:22 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova

The persistent unconstructive position of Armenia in the talks on
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, disrespect for international law,
failure to comply with the decisions and resolutions of international
organizations, simultaneous provocative steps fueling tension in the
region, and illegal activities in the occupied Azerbaijani territories
hinder reaching a positive result in the negotiations, Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov has said.

In his remarks to the local press, Mammadyarov said although the
negotiations mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group have not yielded specific
results, an unequivocal opinion has shaped up in the international
community that the solution to the conflict should begin with a
withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan and return of refugees and internally displaced persons
to their native land. Further, by means of joint confidence-building
activities and cooperation between the parties to the conflict,
the severe consequences of the occupation should be eliminated,
the minister said.

“Azerbaijan, along with the negotiations conducted within the framework
of the OSCE Minsk Group, has achieved the adoption of documents
on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by authoritative international
organizations, led by NATO, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
(OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement. Armenia should draw a conclusion
from the principled position of international organizations, which
unites an absolute majority of the international community, reconsider
its position and act in accordance with the position of the world
community,” Mammadyarov said.

According to him, review of the current state of negotiations, being
held with the mediation of the Minsk Group, shows that a more focused
and fair approach is needed.

“Numerous decisions and resolutions passed in past years, including
the documents of the last Cairo summit of the Non-Aligned Movement and
the OIC, have already defined the frames of the conflict settlement,
the legal basis and its key elements. These documents, which are relied
upon by the international community, are grounds for more purposeful
activity of the OSCE Minsk Group. Only as a result of these actions
can the environment of cooperation and coexistence be formed.

Unfortunately, the fact that Yerevan impedes a meeting of
representatives of the two communities has a negative impact on the
creation of trust between the communities and the overall resolution
of the conflict,” Mammadyarov said.

The minister pointed out that Azerbaijan’s position is clear.

“We support a peaceful solution to the conflict and are interested in
the development of the entire region. Azerbaijan is ready to direct
its high economic potential to the development of the whole region.

Withdrawal of the invading country’s troops from the occupied
territories could create the conditions for Armenia, due to which it
can take advantage of the great economic potential of Azerbaijan, and
at the same time, conditions for the creation of a real program for the
development of the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan, including
the attraction of real investment. We recognize the Armenians living
in the Nagorno-Karabakh region as our citizens and want them to live
in good conditions. However, the presence of the Armenian armed forces
in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan is the main obstacle for
this. Armenia should realize that its rescue depends on the soonest
resolution of the conflict and the normalization of relations with
neighboring countries, particularly Azerbaijan,” Mammadyarov said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early
1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed
forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions. The UN Security Council’s four resolutions on Armenian
pullout have not been enforced to this day.

Peace talks, mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. through the OSCE
Minsk Group, are underway on the basis of a peace outline proposed
by the Minsk Group co-chairs and dubbed the Madrid Principles. The
negotiations have been largely fruitless so far.

U.S. MEDIATOR CALLS FOR POLITICAL WILL FOR NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Sept 12 2013

12 September 2013, 18:26 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova

The political will and mutual concessions from all sides are required
for the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, new U.S. co-chair
of OSCE Minsk Group James Warlick said in Yerevan on September 12,
Armenian media reported.

During the meeting with journalists, the U.S. diplomat said the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is impossible without
public understanding that the settlement of the problem is in the
interests of future generations.

“The principles of the Helsinki Final Act – non-use of force and
threats, the right to self-determination and territorial integrity
continue to guide us in this process,” he stressed. “If we want to
succeed, there must be concessions from all sides.”

The U.S. diplomat said that he visited the region for the first time
and wants to hear the views of all parties and get acquainted with
the general atmosphere.

The diplomat said that he did not have new proposals for the parties.

“As the U.S. co-chairman, I assure you that we are ready to continue
working with Russia, France and the international community to resolve
the issue,” Warlick added.

During the visit to Armenia, Warlick met with Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan and Foreign Minister and the sides discussed the current
stage and prospects of the negotiation process on settlement on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the early
1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian armed
forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions.

Armenian media reported that Warlick will participate in the regular
monitoring, which will be conducted on the contact line of the Armenian
and Azerbaijani armed forces by the OSCE mission on September 13.

On September 10, during the visit to Azerbaijan, Warlick called for
joint efforts of Azerbaijan, Armenia and the regional states and said
it’s time to put an end to hatred and suffering.

He noted it’s time for all sides involved to work together on the
basis of the Helsinki Final Act.

Warlick is paying his first visit to the South Caucasus region to
meet with the leaders of Azerbaijan, Armenia and also travel to
Nagorno-Karabakh.

The U.S. co-chair expects meetings with his counterparts from the
OSCE Minsk Group to discuss all the details of the peace process.

According to Warlick, the meeting with the Russian and French co-chairs
will take place soon in New York on the sidelines of the 67th session
of the UN General Assembly.

On September 9, the Azerbaijani President and Defense Minister received
the Minsk Group co-chair.

During his meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Warlick handed over
US President Barack Obama’s letter to the Azerbaijani President.

Obama noted in the letter that it is time to restore peace in the
region.

Warlick was appointed as the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair in August.

In December, Robert Bradtke completed his term as the U.S. Minsk
Group co-chair. Ian Kelly was named as the U.S. co-chair on an interim
basis on December 21, 2012, pending the appointment of a new permanent
co-chair.

The U.S., along with Russia and France, has long been working to broker
a solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the Minsk Group,
but their efforts have been largely fruitless so far.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RACHEL DENBER RESPONDS TO BAKU?S CRITICISM ON HRW REPORT

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijan
September 11, 2013 Wednesday

Rachel Denber, Human Rights Watch’s Deputy Director of the Europe
and Central Asia Division, who specializes in countries of the
former Soviet Union, commented on Azeri government’s reaction to the
organization’s newly released report on the civil society crackdown
ahead of the election in the country.

Baku blames the New-York-based watchdog in “bias and prejudice”
accusing it of “aiding Azerbaijan’s enemies, while acting under the
influence of Armenian lobby”.

“It is surprising and disappointing that the Azerbaijani government
sees criticism in such a dire, existential framework. When Azerbaijan
improves its human rights record that’s to the benefit of everyone,
including the government itself. In what way is that aiding its
enemies?” Ms. Denber said in an interview with TURAN’ Washington
DC correspondent.

“Our report was on a crackdown on fundamental rights–freedom of
expression, association, and assembly–that’s been under way for the
past 18 months. It’s a crackdown that started well over a year ago
but intensified as the election drew nearer,” she argued.

When asked how should the country improve its human rights record now,
she said, first step would be for the government to acknowledge that
many of the activists whose cases were very carefully detailed in
our report were arrested on flimsy grounds and to release them.

“That would send a very strong, positive signal.”

Then the government “should show that it is serious about investigating
attacks and threats against investigative journalists who have done
hard-hitting reporting, whose cases are documented in our report,”
she added.

Alakbar Raufoglu Washington, DC

From: A. Papazian

NEW NAMES WILL BE ADDED TO THE `BLACK LIST` OF FOREIGN MINISTRY

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijan
September 11, 2013 Wednesday

Official Baku examines the information about the visit to
Nagorno-Karabakh of a group of Danish MPs and journalists. If case of
confirmation of these reports, measures wil be taken against offenders.

According to the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Elman Abdullayev,
Azerbaijani embassy in the UK (is responsible for the affairs
of Denmark) were given the necessary instructions. Few days ago,
the Armenian media reported that a delegation of Danish MPs and
journalists arrived in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Earlier, the authorities of Azerbaijan issued a list of 315 people
who visited Karabakh without obtaining the consent of the authorities
of Azerbaijan, and were declared “undesirable persons”. -16D04-

LISKA WANTS TO BE MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT

Country – Tuesday, 10 September 2013, 10:37

The Hraparak Daily reported that on Saturday, Liska, the notorious
governor of Syunik, left for Goris to celebrate the release of his son
and bodyguard from prison. Liska is said to be negotiating with Member
of Parliament Haik Grigoryan, his son’s teacher of English, to resign
from parliament. He wants to run for parliament in constituency 37,
the Hraparak informs.

From: Baghdasarian

ARMENIA WILL BENEFIT ECONOMICALLY FROM JOINING CUSTOMS UNION: EXPERTS SAY

YEREVAN, September 11. / ARKA /. Armenia will benefit economically from
joining the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, concluded
a team of Armenian experts who studied this issue for several months.

Presenting the findings of their study to a news conference today, a
team member, Aram Safarian, who is head of an NGO called Integration
and Development, said the study was initiated by the Eurasian
Development Bank ‘to clarify the prospects and possibilities of
the Eurasian integration.’ Ashot Tavadyan, the leader of the team,
said President Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to join the Customs Union
was not a surprise to experts.

“Back in 2011, heads of CIS countries signed in Russian St. Petersburg
the agreement on free trade zone, which Armenian parliament ratified
unanimously in 2012 September. President Sargsyan’s announcement was
a logical continuation of this process,” Tavadyan said.

According to him, the accession agreement includes issues of economic
security and cover key areas such as energy and transport and provides
for unprecedented investments in the Armenian economy which will
boost its employment.

“The transport component (of the agreement) implies a $470
million investment in upgrading Armenia’s railways. This is a
direct investment. For us it is very important to have additional
communication facilities. The EU would not do it, given its strained
relations with Iran,” said Tavadyan.

According to him, the Eurasian Development Bank has already pledged
to invest about $100 million in Armenia, which will increase the
economic expansion rate by 0.4 %.

The second most important component, he said, is energy; namely,
continued operation of the Armenian nuclear power plant and
construction of a new facility to replace it, as well as ‘automatic’
reduction in gas prices by 30 % (from $270 to about 1$80 per one
thousand cubic meters) after Armenia’s formal accession to the Customs
Union. He said the price cut is expected to increase the GDP by about
1 %. In addition, the membership will also secure Armenia lower prices
of oil products.

“The third component is production: more precisely, resumption
of Nairit chemical plant and construction of an oil pipeline,”
Tavadyan said.

There is also the fourth component that will contribute a 0.25 percent
increase to economic growth- it is migration.

“Russia will ease procedures for Armenian labor migrants, eliminate
administrative obstacles which will result in increased money
remittances to Armenia,” he said.

He argued that Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union will translate
in a short-term perspective into a 4 percent GDP growth.

Speaking about absence of common borders with a Customs Union member
country, Tavadyan noted this will be offset by cheaper energy products.

“From the economic point of view, we are winning. Life will improve
and become safer with increasing GDP,” said Tavadyan.

He then added that the membership will not affect Armenia’s exports
to EU because they are mainly raw materials.

Speaking of the prospects of European economic integration, Tavadyan
said that it promises Armenia 2.3 % rise in GDP in the long term,
without considering the risks.

These risks are problems with Turkey, excessive dependence on raw
materials and corruption. “But corruption is the problem that we must
ourselves address it.” The most serious risk in his opinion, given
Armenia’s European integration, would be Russia-imposed restrictions
that would zero out all growth forecasts,’ he said. -0- – See more at:

ERATIC MANAGEMENT STYLE INCITES TENSIONS AT AKHTALA MINING COMPANY

Larisa Paremuzyan

10:40, September 11, 2013

The debts at the Akhtala Mountain Enrichment Combinat, a mining
company in Armenia’s northern Lori Province, continue to grow.

It has racked up $1 million in debt owed to Aparazh Ltd., the company
that does the drilling in the Shamlough copper mine.

Wholly owned by Metal Prince Ltd., Akhtala MEC processes copper ore
from the Shamlough mine.

But debts are the only issue facing the company.

Processing equipment at Akhtala MEC is said to be in a state of
disrepair and it seems that management has no plans to make the needed
investment in new technology.

Rumor has it that Chief Engineer Gagik Shahnazaryan filed a petition
to resign on September 5. In a telephone conversation with Hetq,
Shahnazaryan said he was still on official vacation, noting that he
had grown displeased with the way the company was being managed.

He and other officials point to the incompetent human resources
policies of Executive Director Madeline Tashjian as the cause of the
trouble. She took over the reins of Metal Prince, after her husband
Serob Der-Boghosian was found guilty in November 2011 of “having sex
with minors against their will”.

At the end of June, Tashjian fired Deputy Director Orbeli Tarminyan
without giving any reason. She then replaced him with Armen Naghdalyan,
who was running the Shamlough mine. But the company’s fortunes didn’t
improved.

In August, Tashjian dismissed Tarminyan and appointed a Serb, Nedelko
Goulich, as Deputy Director at Akhtala MEC.

Goulich was known to be a specialist on the production side of things
and workers hoped he could turn things around at the company.

He never got the chance to prove his worth.

On September 5, Madeline Tashjian showed up at a management meeting
in the company of two young men. She introduced one of them, Artyom
Abgaryan, as her new assistant.

She then dropped another bombshell by introducing the other man,
Levon Sargsyan, as the company’s new Deputy Director.

It was at this meeting that Chief Engineer Gagik Shahnazaryan got up
and declared that he would be leaving Akhtala MEC.

Photo: Madeline Tashjian, Serob Der-Boghossian

STATE DEPARTMENT SLAMS BAKU FOR BLOCKING U.S. DELEGATION VISIT

September 11, 2013 – 11:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The visit by a U.S. delegation to Azerbaijan has
been postponed until after the country’s Oct 9 presidential election.

According to RFE/RL, a spokesperson for the U.S. embassy in Baku said
the visit, which was to have been led by Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State Thomas Melia, was postponed at the request of the Azerbaijani
government.

The delegation had been expected in Baku from the Georgian capital,
Tbilisi, on Sept 9 to observe preparations for the presidential poll.

In Tbilisi, Melia’s delegation met with officials to discuss
preparations for Georgia’s Oct 27 presidential election. The U.S.

embassy in Baku expressed regret and added that the embassy continues
to monitor the pre-election environment in Azerbaijan and to encourage
a free and fair electoral process.

Using unusually direct and decidedly undiplomatic language, the U.S.

Department of State has sharply criticized Baku for the surprise move.

In a sign that the State Department may be edging away from
its flawed practice of artificial even-handedness in public
statements about Armenia and Azerbaijan, U.S. diplomats have begun
specifically “laundry-listing” Baku’s many democratic shortcomings and
corruption-based problems, the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) said.

The State Department issued the following statement: “The U.S. regrets
that the government of Azerbaijan has objected to the composition of
a U.S. delegation that was to make an official pre-election visit to
Azerbaijan. As a result, the visit will not take place. The Azerbaijani
government’s actions raise questions about the environment leading
up to the Oct 9 presidential election. We call on the government of
Azerbaijan to ensure a free and fair electoral process that reflects
the will of the people. We urge Azerbaijani authorities to respect
the freedoms of assembly, association, and speech as well as the rule
of law and due process before, during, and after the presidential
contest. We also urge the authorities to facilitate the important
work of domestic as well as international election monitors.”

From: Baghdasarian