Monday, June 5, 2017 Karabakh Army Chief Expects More Truce Violations . Hovannes Movsisian Nagorno-Karabakh - General Levon Mnatsakanian, commander of the Karabakh Armenian army, addresses military personnel, 10Dec2016. Azerbaijan will likely ratchet up tensions along "the line of contact" around Nagorno-Karabakh in the months ahead, the commander of Karabakh's Armenian-backed army claimed over the weekend. "Azerbaijan will certainly do everything keep up tensions on the frontline," Lieutenant General Levon Mnatsakanian told reporters in Stepanakert. "It will increasingly seek to inflict damage on us, while we will do everything to respond accordingly and, if need be, if we find it expedient, deal a final blow." Mnatsakanian said that in the past several months truce violations around Karabakh have been much less serious than they were last year, which saw heavy fighting between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in April known as "the four-day war." Over the past year the Karabakh Armenian army has reinforced its frontline positions with new defense fortifications, more weapons as well as special equipment such as night-vision surveillance devices. The latter helped it fight back in late February two Azerbaijani commando raids that left at least five Azerbaijani soldiers dead. In Mnatsakanian's words, Azerbaijani special forces have not attempted more such incursions since then. "As regards gunshots fired from various weapons, they have decreased sharply since 2016," added the general. Truce violations on the Karabakh frontlines have periodically intensified this year. In the most recent escalation, Azerbaijani forces fired guided missiles at an air-defense system of Karabakh's Defense Army on May 16. The latter retaliated with mortar fire targeting Azerbaijani military facilities. The U.S., Russian and French mediators co-heading the OSCE Minsk Group condemned the "significant violations of the ceasefire." In a May 18 statement, they urged the parties to "take all necessary measures to prevent any further escalation in the conflict zone." A senior official in Stepanakert insisted on Friday that continuing armed incidents are unlikely to escalate into a full-scale war. Ombudsman Deplores Prison Health Care In Armenia . Ruzanna Stepanian Armenia - An ambulances leaves a prison hospital in Yerevan 6Mar2017. People serving prison sentences in Armenia often lack access to adequate health services and have to turn to their cellmates for medical assistance, the country's human rights ombudsman said on Monday. Arman Tatoyan drew this conclusion in a special report based on interviews that were conducted by representatives of his office as well as civic activists in various Armenian prisons last year. The report paints a grim picture of prison healthcare with concrete examples of unnamed inmates who claimed to have lacked proper treatment and medication for their illnesses and disabilities. One of them, a visually impaired person, is said to have been discharged from a prison hospital in Yerevan and sent back to jail despite being able to move around unaided. According to the report, another prisoner underwent only X-ray screening when he was hospitalized after suffering a broken leg. He subsequently relied on cellmates, rather than doctors or other prison staff, to meet his basic needs. "These practices are unacceptable," says the report. It also says that convicts in need of medical aid are not always transferred to prison or civilian hospitals in violation of European conventions and norms adopted by Armenia. It also cites cases of sick prisoners not being provided with necessary medicines. According to Tatoyan, law-enforcement authorities blame this on a lack of public funding for medical care in the penitentiary system. The ombudsman dismissed this explanation. Almost 3,900 persons served prison sentences or were under pre-trial arrest in Armenia as of September 2015, up from around 3,000 in 2005. According to the Council of Europe's Annual Penal Statistics (SPACE) released in March, 38 inmates died in Armenian prisons in 2014. Activists monitoring prison conditions in the country say such deaths primarily result from a lack of adequate and quick medical aid. Sarkisian Confronted By Protesters In Yerevan . Narine Ghalechian Armenia -- President Serzh Sarkisian speaks to protest#rs in Yerevan, 5June, 2017. President Serzh Sarkisian was confronted on Monday by about a dozen angry people dispossessed by a government-backed private construction company that demolished their homes in Yerevan years ago. The protesters are former residents of an old neighborhood in the city center that was due to be redeveloped by the now bankrupt company, Glendale Hills. The latter signed in 2007 contracts with over 100 owners of local houses who agreed to cede their land and properties in return for its formal pledge to give them new homes in apartment buildings which were due to be constructed in the area. The redeveloped project was never implemented. Around half of those families have still not received apartments or financial compensation. Some of those people gathered outside Sarkisian's residence early in the morning in the hope of speaking to the president and asking him to intervene. They waited for more than two hours before the presidential motorcade emerged from the secluded compound and stopped just outside it. "Mr. President, we have been homeless for ten years," one woman told Sarkisian after he got out of his limousine and approached the small crowd. "We have been badly mistreated, just like street dogs." "Mr. President, I had personally appealed to you," complained another woman. "You said you will see to it that my problem is urgently solved. We have still not received an answer." "Is it you who brought the journalists here?" replied a visibly irritated Sarkisian. "Why are they hindering us?" "They are not," retorted one of the women. "Alright, [officials] will come and look into the matter in the next two days," the president said before leaving the scene. The protesters argue that the Armenian government was a party to their 2007 contracts with Glendale Hills and must therefore help make sure that they are implemented. As one of them put it: "If the company is now liquidated, it means that the state must address the issue." Either they must pay us or give us apartments." Some displaced residents fear that they will only be offered rundown apartments in the city outskirts in breach of the developer's contractual obligations. Hundreds of Yerevan families were displaced in the 2000s during a massive redevelopment of parts of the city center. Many of them were forced out of their mostly old homes after refusing financial compensation which they believe was set well below the market value of their properties because of government corruption. Some appealed to the European Court of Human Rights after having their lawsuits against the government rejected by Armenian courts. The Strasbourg-based court has ordered the Armenian authorities to pay additional compensations to dozens of such families. Press Review (Saturday, June 3) "Hayots Ashkhar" is critical of a report by the International Crisis Group which claims that Armenia and Azerbaijan are closer to a renewed war for Nagorno-Karabakh than ever before. The paper notes that the report comes ahead of international mediators' fresh visit to the conflict zone and "seems to be somewhat depreciating" their efforts to step up the difficult search for a compromise peace formula. "Zhamanak" says that Armenian politics is increasingly dominated by the question of what President Serzh Sarkisian will do after completing his second and final term in office in April next year. The paper complains that it has overshadowed other important issues. "The only issue on the political agenda in Armenia is government infighting and its likely outcome," it says. "The public has become a mere spectator in this process." "168 Zham" notes that official photographs of Sarkisian's meetings held with some government ministers in recent weeks exposed books in the Armenian and foreign languages that seem to have been demonstratively placed on the presidential desk. In a written response to the paper, Sarkisian said: "The books on my desk are both gifts from various individuals and books which I read or re-read when I have time. By being surrounded by books in my office, I feel protected and insured by the power of books and knowledge. As regards my literary preferences, I am currently re-reading Niall Ferguson's `Politics' and Helmut Schoeck's `Envy' as well as works of [Armenian poet] Yeghishe Charents." "Hraparak" looks at structural changes within the Armenian government that are mandated by the country's amended constitution. The paper says that as part of those changes Armenia's police and National Security Service (NSS) may be merged into a single ministry of internal affairs. Alternatively, it says, the police may be merged with the Ministry of Emergency Situations. There are already rumors that the national police chief, Vladimir Gasparian, might be sacked as a result, according to the paper. (Artur Papian) Reprinted on ANN/Armenian News with permission from RFE/RL Copyright (c) 2017 Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, Inc. 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org
Month: June 2017
U.S. Warning to Armenia: Ahead of Developments
Lragir, Armenia
June 4 2017
U.S. Warning to Armenia: Ahead of Developments
- Politics – , 18:04
The U.S. President Donald Trump has congratulated the Georgian prime minister on the Independence Day.“Since independence, Georgia has emerged as a democratic leader and a contributor to global security,” the letter runs.“In a region that faces insecurity and outside pressure, Georgia has shown courage and determination in charting its own future. We will continue to support that choice, as Georgian independence and democracy remain an inspiration to the world. The United States also remains steadfast in supporting Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders,” Donald Trump states in the letter. There was a time when Armenia was a democratic leader or “island” in the region. In addition, this opinion was expressed in the first years following the independence of Armenia, during the war. Armenia and Artsakh won the war despite a lot of hardship because their fight was for democracy, sovereignty and human rights, in line with the development of the civilization, which was an important achievement of international security in our region. It was the victory of the new and progressive against the regressive and anti-human system and was therefore possible and legitimate. In those years Georgia was in chaos and anarchy and sovereignty and democracy were out of discussion. Georgia was losing everything. Years went by, Armenia lost everything that was the result of the heroism and faith in the future. After the victory the country was surrendered to the military oligarchy, then the criminal oligarchy. In domestic life, gradually nothing was left of freedom, human rights and civilization. The constitutional order was destroyed, and most importantly, people’s faith and motivation was destroyed, which is the basis of all progress. Currently Armenia has appeared on the anti-civilization camp while Georgia has leaped to escape tis system. Georgia has thus appeared in the side which is building the new world order with the ensuing preferences in security and economy. And on the contrary, Armenia has appeared on the side which is going to be the “object” for the creation of the new world order with the ensuing consequences. Armenia is already experiencing the consequences in the sphere of economy and security. Trump’s letter to Georgia should be a warning for Armenia which has been pushed back by external pressure and chosen a system which is outside international security and sovereignty.
Armenian Genocide: Monash Council (Australia) could debate events from a century ago in Ottoman Empire
Herald Sun, Australia
June 5 2017
UPDATE: MONASH Council is distancing itself from the furore that has erupted over several councillors looking at plans to discuss officially recognising the controversial Armenian genocide with the Mayor saying their actions were “regrettable’.’
The Monash Leader reported that councillors Josh Fergeus and Theo Zographos wanted to debate the issue.
But Mayor Rebecca Paterson said she was disappointed they had raised events which happened 100 years ago.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Should the council debate the issue? Tell us below
“Of course, this is not a matter for Monash Council or for any other local council,’’ she said.
“Focusing on issues like this sends all the wrong messages to the Monash and wider Victorian community, especially when it relates to issues which have absolutely nothing to do with our responsibilities as a local council.’’
Many readers said it was not the role of the council to discuss whether or not there had been a genocide.
“I have spoken to a majority of my colleagues and we feel this is an inappropriate matter for consideration in our council chamber,’’ Cr Paterson said.
“We neither support nor oppose recognition of these events as a genocide. None of us are experts in such matters. It is not relevant to anything which Monash Council is responsible for.
“But most unfortunately, it seeks to pit one part of our multicultural community against other parts.
“This matter may be appropriate to be debated in the Australian Parliament, but it is not appropriate for the council chamber. It is regrettable that their actions are impacting on our community and the way in which Monash Council is viewed.”
The council looked set to debate the issue at a recent meeting, but the motion was withdrawn just before the agenda was finalised.
However, Cr Josh Fergeus said the debate “remains a live issue” for the council that will require “detailed consultations” with the community.
The term Armenian genocide refers to events from 1915 to 1923 between the Ottoman Empire and Armenian and Greek subjects.
The empire’s successor, the government of Turkey, rejects the use of the term genocide, saying the number of deaths is inflated.
But Monash Ratepayers acting president Chan Cheah said the council should drop the genocide debate because it happened a century ago on the other side of the world.
And the Australian Turkish Advocacy Alliance wrote to councillors on Friday morning (May 26) imploring them not to support any motion that gives recognition to the atrocities as a genocide.
The alliance’s secretary Baris Atayman said such a move would cause “division, hate and racial disharmony” in Monash.
“This is a divisive move that is in direct contrast with the multicultural values we affirm as sacred in Australia,” Mr Atayman said.
“Local councils in our country are not the platforms for delivering judgments over history or making up Australia’s foreign policy.”
The Australian Government does not recognise the events as a genocide.
Dr Cheah said council resources should not be wasted on the issue.
“I know a lot of the councillors are in political parties, so if they want to pursue such agendas, they should do it on their own instead of using council resources,” he said.
“There are a lot of planning issues going on they should be spending their time on, rather than pursuing individual, politically exciting issues.”
Cr Fergeus said the council had been having internal discussions about the issue and he had been approached by members of the Greek and Armenian communities in Monash.
Cr Fergeus admitted the “vast majority” of people in Monash would not benefit from the council recognising the genocide but said the symbolic gesture would be important to local Greeks and Armenians.
Cr Theo Zographos said he wanted to discuss the issue in a civil and fair way.
“I look forward to having the opportunity to do that over the coming months in relation to the Armenian, Assyrian and Greek communities,’’ he said.
“They have played a large role in making our city what it is today. We need to honour those lives lost along with those who are survivors and their ancestors among our community today.”
Cr Zographos said discussions would not come at a cost to ratepayers.
Armenia And Ancient Egypt
AllinNet
June 4 2017
It appears that Armenians might be the only survived nation tradition, mythology and language of which kept the significance and meanings of forgotten Sumer, Mesopotamia and Egypt cultures.
Hardly preserved, scarred fragments of the ancient Armenian culture can serve as a bridge to understanding the historical experience and values of the said cultures.
In the culture of Ancient Egypt we can find quite a few fragments and traces of the once influential Armenian presence. As Robac wrote: “Around 3600 BC people of a different physical type appeared in Egypt: more squat, broad-leaved and more heavy-weight in appearance.
They were possibly Armenoids who came in small groups from Syria and Palestine. Most likely, they were ones who brought metalworking skills with them, because after 3600 static agricultural communities began to develop.”
It was with their help the reign of the first pharaohs began, the very first of which was Mina (Man, Menes, Minas). The Egyptian Copts still use “Ara”, which means father, lord, as a way of respectful addressing.
“Heiress of the throne, beneficent, the embodiment of beauty, the sweetness of love, Lady of North and South, beloved of Aten in flesh, the first wife of the pharaoh, beloved master of both lands, great in love and forever living Nefertiti…”
Neferneferuaten Nefertiti was born in 1370 BC, but Egyptologists still are unable to come to a final conclusion on where and in what family she was born.
Many believed that the very name of the queen conceals the secret of her origin. From Egyptian Nefertiti is translated as “arrival of the beauty”, which might mean she came to Egypt from another region. Parents raised her in the traditions of the monotheistic Aryan religion which worships the sun as the only deity.
Nefertiti was probably sent by her father to Egypt as a gift to Pharaoh Amenhotep IV in the “House of Ornaments” (harem) and became one of hundreds of foreign princesses brought to give birth sons of the lord.
Armenia MFA: Lack of international community’s proper reaction to Lapshin’s extradition to Azerbaijan has inspired Baku
news.am, Armenia
June 5 2017
Armenia MFA: Lack of international community’s proper reaction to Lapshin’s extradition to Azerbaijan has inspired Baku
13:45, 05.06.2017
The lack of international community’s proper reaction to blogger Alexander Lapshin’s arrest and subsequent extradition to Azerbaijan has inspired Baku.
Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia, Tigran Balayan, wrote about the aforementioned on his Twitter account.
He noted this reflecting on the statement by Maja Kocijančič, Spokesperson for the European Union External Action Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, regarding “the reported abduction and illegal detention of Azerbaijani nationals residing in Georgia.”
“The lack of proper reaction by international community on Lapshin’s arrest & extradition to Azerbaijan inspired Baku,” Balayan tweeted and posted Kocijančič’s statement.
Turkish FM tells his German counterpart Incirlik is close for German
news.am, Armenia
June 5 2017
Turkish FM tells his German counterpart Incirlik is close for German
19:30, 05.06.2017
After the meeting with German FM Sigmar Gabriel, who is on an official visit to Ankara, his Turkish counterpart Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu stated that Turkey doesn’t consider it appropriate to allow the German deputies to visit the troops stationed at German Incirlik military base.
In particular, Çavuşoğlu stated that currently the German deputies can only visit the servicemen of Konya air base.
“If Germany takes friendly steps in the future, the German deputies will be allowed to visit Incirlik base,” he noted.
Germany to withdraw Bundeswehr deployment from Turkish Incirlik airbase
news.am, Armenia
June 5 2017
Germany to withdraw Bundeswehr deployment from Turkish Incirlik airbase
17:55, 05.06.2017
The last attempt to settle the conflict between Berlin and Ankara around the right of the lawmakers to visit the strategic Incirlik air base failed, DW reported.
Berlin has no choice but to withdraw the Bundeswehr deployment from the strategic base, said Germany's foreign minister, Sigmar Gabriel.
Authorities have considered several countries for the relocation of the troops, including Jordan.
"I regret that, but Turkey must understand that for domestic political reasons, we must transfer German soldiers out of Incirlik … In this situation, the Bundestag will ask the government to find another location for the German soldiers in Incirlik," German FM said following the meeting with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday.
What’s the Possibility of New War and What’s the Format?
Lragir, Armenia
June 4 2017
What's the Possibility of New War and What's the Format?
- Comments – , 00:15
The political leadership in Azerbaijan is trying to differentiate the impression of possibility of a new war with Armenia. The Americans continue to claim that Ilham Aliyev is not inclined for a war while his entourage prefers using large-scale military actions. Washington does not believe in this much and judging by the information about Azerbaijan, they have concluded that the present-day Azerbaijan is not determined enough. Who in Azerbaijan’s political elite might initiate a new war? Such initiatives in Azerbaijan are ruled out to a significant extent, if not fully. Azerbaijan is governed from the outside, and this is taken into account in the political circles of the West and Iran. Iran’s warning was made with consideration of intrigues in Turkey and partly in Russia. Currently Turkey, as before, is not interested in a big war in the Caucasus. It concerns Russia too. The two countries are interested in maintaining the military situation in the region but not in a big war. Many Armenian military officers do not have a substantial understanding of the war threat and continue to hope for Russia’s assistance including in terms of weapons supplies. Nonetheless, Russia’s actions are discussed by officers. Russia’s cynical behavior is becoming hostile and is not limited to large-scale supplies of weapons to Azerbaijan. Armenia has not been able to raise this issue before the Russians, nor internationally. What are the causes of such outrageous attitude to Armenia? First, the Armenian leadership was unable to restore the opinion of the Armenian public towards such cynical attitude by Russia. However, this is not the cause of the situation Armenia is in. Since independence Armenia has had a superficial attitude towards its own sovereignty, technically failing to conduct an equal policy on different big states and political and security blocs. As a result, the country depends heavily on Russia and has not been serious about NATO, the global security system. Currently the West is not interested in a war but there comes a time when the West may put forth the issue of failure of Russia’s regional policy, especially in terms of military conflicts. Azerbaijan understands this very well and is ready for the military adventure, a demonstrative action for a military strike on Armenia. Azerbaijan is aware that the Western community, NATO will not take serious action to intervene in the war in the South Caucasus unless Turkey takes part in it. Formerly NATO was intended to prevent the defeat of one of the Caucasian countries. Currently the setting is different, and Armenia must lose. This is not NATO’s strategic goal but such results would be the most favorable one for the alliance. For the time being NATO is trying to involve Armenia and Azerbaijan in its political and security programs, enabling them to increase the defense capability of their armed forces. The political component is important to the Caucasian countries, which supposes integration with NATO organizations. The participation of Armenia and Azerbaijan is titular for the time being, and the two countries do not express interest in close cooperation with NATO. It should be noted that Azerbaijan is currently better off than Armenia. Azerbaijan is Turkey’s vassal, in fact, which does not worry the West. On the contrary, it leads to the understanding that Azerbaijan is in close partnership with it. Besides, Azerbaijan has close relations with Georgia without being dependent on Russia. Armenia does not have freedom of relations with Georgia and cannot normalize its relations with Turkey. This leads to the perception that Armenia is not a sovereign state. Hence, Azerbaijan remains under Turkey’s strong influence and its interests are in contradiction to the Euro-Atlantic community, as well as have not been agreed with the interests of Russia. Turkey has to take into account the positions of Russia and Iran and is in heavy dependence on the United States and NATO. However, Turkey does not initiate the start of military actions and prefers strengthening its influence in the South Caucasus. Turkey needs to deal with a series of political and security issues in the Near East but has no idea of how to resolve those issues. It would be highly dangerous to add these to the problems relating to the South Caucasus. Turkey’s involvement in regional issues would lead to NATO’s involvement in the Black Sea-Caucasus but with a different format. Neither Russia, nor Turkey agree to this. Russia and Turkey are not interested in a big war but they would like to impose not big wars on the countries of the region. A local war is the destiny of the South Caucasus.
The Scenarios of the Next War
Lragir, Armenia
June 3 2017
The Scenarios of the Next War
- Comments – , 02:04
The French ambassador in Armenia has announced that the status quo in the area of the Karaback conflict can no longer be maintained. France has recently repeated this several times, including at the Hollande – Serzh Sargsyan meeting. If the status quo cannot be maintained, there are two ways of changing it – negotiations and war. Currently no negotiations are going on, Armenia has put forth preconditions for their continuation to which Azerbaijan does not agree – the status of Artsakh and the investigation mechanisms. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan have made their points which are absolute opposites. So, the war is left and in this case there are a lot of circumstances and questions relating to the domestic affairs of the sides and foreign affairs. The domestic situation in Armenia does not suppose a war. At best, it is a threat which is usually needed at important havens of domestic developments. Currently a similar haven is there where the issue of the government is being solved for a few months. Serzh Sargsyan brings a “security concept” for his upcoming plans. There is a different problem in Azerbaijan where the economic and political situation is flammable which they still can handle. Many say the only way out of this situation for the ruling regime is the war, which is true. On the other hand, however, solving problems through a war is too big a risk because it may produce a quite different effect depending on the outcome of the war. To avoid such risks the side that will start the war, in this case Azerbaijan, must have fast and clear external guarantees, at least from one Minsk Group co-chair that the war can be stopped at the right time and in the right place. Last April Azerbaijan obviously had such guarantees. In addition, Armenia’s behavior was one of those guarantees through Russia. By that time, the war had been matured through enough factors and most of them were eliminated in the result of the military actions in April but part of them still persists and some more new circumstances are there too. The other issue is the interests of a great power. The Minsk Group remains the only platform where the United States, Europe and Russia have a more or less agreed policy and positions. However, recently the relations between the United States and Europe, namely Germany and France on one side and Russia on the other side have become complicated. Is this the condition for the resumption of war? Russia’s stance and behavior is essential in the Karabakh issue and the general situation in the area of the conflict, and the issue of resuming the military actions depends much on this. Can Russia or the other co-chairs of the Minsk Group give Azerbaijan guarantees for the outcome of the war independently from each other? Although, is it possible that new clashes are provoked at the border which will change the status quo on the one hand and enable the solution of a series of domestic and foreign issues on the other hand? In fact, is a fully controlled war possible when only one of the co-chairs is in the game. The change of the status quo does not mean only change of the line of contact or territories. Moreover, the change of the status quo on the Armenian side is perceived in the form of territorial concessions by Azerbaijan. The international recognition of Artsakh is also a change of status quo. For example, a scenario is possible when the Armenian side takes Azerbaijani territories under control, and then these territories are exchanged for some agreement with Azerbaijan. Recently Azerbaijan has been trying to cause escalation at the border, as well as over the internet, the Armenian side announces that the situation at the border is calm, at the same time blocking the daily flow of information. This expresses the attitude of the sides, and at the same time the uncertainty of the situation and even expectations. The war ends with agreement between the sides, as the saying in the movie is. Armenia and Azerbaijan are far from this “level”.
Aliyev Changes Staff: What’s Happening in Azerbaijan?
Lragir, Armenia
June 2 2017
Aliyev Changes Staff: What's Happening in Azerbaijan?
- Comments – 02 June 2017, 21:25
The Azerbaijani president Ilham Aliyev has suddenly changed his staff and 6 assistants. Fuad Aleskerov has been appointed as assistant for military affairs and law enforcement agencies. Aliyev’s nervousness is evidence to his stalemate due to his policy and geopolitical developments. Azerbaijan’s central bank has declared default, Azerbaijan has appeared amid a scandal in OSCE where an investigation is underway into the case of bribing PACE members by Azerbaijani officials. Besides, Azerbaijan has appeared amid another scandal. The Georgian president has called to investigate the abduction of the Azerbaijani journalist in Georgia and illegal border crossing. Georgians are protesting against the actions of the Azerbaijani special services. The so-called Peace Platform has failed which Azerbaijan tried to conceal its destructive stance in the talks on Karabakh. The OSCE Minsk Group has bluntly blamed Azerbaijan for ceasefire breaches. The foreign ministry of Armenia has called for applying sanctions on Azerbaijan. Aliyev is worried and is taking incomprehensible steps. The Armenian military say the Azerbaijani army is inventing targets, hitting them and then reporting hitting Armenian positions. Yesterday the International Crisis Group published a report on the Karabakh settlement which highlights the dissatisfaction of Azerbaijan with Aliyev’s policy. It is said that some circles in Azerbaijan demand implementation of the militaristic “triumphant” intentions Aliyev has been speaking about for many years. There is an opinion that Aliyev has hardly been able to suppress pressure.