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AZERI LEADER SLAMS TURKEY AS GAS ROUTE TO EUROPE

Reuters
10.16.09, 01:25 PM EDT

MOSCOW, Oct 16 (Reuters) – Azerbaijan’s president Ilham Aliyev said
late on Friday that his country is considering other gas routes to
Europe as Turkey’s terms have become ‘unacceptable’, Interfax news
agency quoted him as saying.

The statement follows sharp criticism from Aliyev over the
rapprochement between long-term ally Turkey and its neighbour Armenia,
with whom it has a two-decade land dispute.

‘We’ve run out of options and the current offers cannot be accepted,’
he told a government meeting in Baku.

(Reporting by Amie Ferris-Rotman, editing by Dmitry Zhdannikov)
Keywords: AZERBAIJAN/TURKEY GAS

FRANK PALLONE AND MARK KIRK SHARE THE CONCERN REGARDING HISTORICAL COMMISSION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.10.2009 12:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On the eve of the signing of the Turkey-Armenia
protocols, Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Frank Pallone and
Mark Kirk were joined by lead Armenian Genocide Resolution sponsors
Adam Schiff and George Radanovich in expressing concerns about a
provision in the agreements that the Turkish government is already
using to call into question the truth of the Armenian Genocide.

"As leaders of the Armenia Caucus in the House of Representatives,
we share the concern of the Armenian American community regarding
the possibility of creating a historical commission to review the
events of 1915 to 1923. This is a thoroughly discredited idea,"
noted the legislators in joint statement. "Turkey cannot be allowed
to re-invent this tragic part of its history as a price for normal
relations with Armenia. To do so means acquiescence in a charade that
demeans the memory of so many victims."

The statement went on to urge the Obama Administration to include the
Armenian American community in the Turkey-Armenia negotiation efforts.

"As Secretary of State Clinton and other senior officials work to
maintain stability in the region, we urge them to take advantage
of the knowledge and expertise of the Armenian American community,
which maintains strong ties to Armenia and is an invaluable source
of information and counsel," stated the legislators.

U.S. Department of Justice records show that Clinton, National
Security Advisor Jones, and other administration officials have spoken
repeatedly with Turkey’s paid foreign agents, former House Speaker
Dennis Hastert and former House Minority leader Dick Gephardt, but have
not agreed to meet with ANCA representatives despite repeated requests.

The Congressional Caucus leaders also cited the stark difference "in
economic, military, and diplomatic power between Turkey and Armenia,"
and urged the administration to "work to ensure that our diplomatic
efforts serve to end the Turkish blockade of Armenia, without Turkish
bullying of our Armenian ally into unwarranted concessions or a
whitewash of one of history’s true horrors.", reported Asbarez.com.

MOSCOW SINCERELY WELCOMES SIGNING OF RA-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.10.2009 10:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On October 10, Zurich hosted an important
international event – signing of Protocols on the establishment of
diplomatic ties and development of bilateral cooperation between
Armenia and Turkey, RF MFA official representative Andrey Nesterenko
told a briefing in Russian Foreign Ministry. Moscow, he said,
sincerely welcomes the fact, considering Russia’s friendly ties with
both Armenia and Turkey.

"We are convinced that the contents of Protocols reiterates
both countries’ firm determination to meet their share of
responsibility. It’s notable that no step envisaged therein can be
interpreted as harmful to a third party. The re-establishment of ties
between two neighboring states will lead to active trade economic
contacts, positively affecting social-economic situation in Armenia
and Turkey."

We welcome Armenian and Turkish partners’ pragmatic and practical
joint work towards settling complicated issues.

Protocol signing is the first step towards normalization of
ties. Parties are required to ratify documents as soon as possible and
start their practical implementation, RF MFA official representative
stressed

VARDAN MINASYAN: I CONGRATULATE TURKISH TEAM ON THEIR VICTORY

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.10.2009 17:58 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ After the end of Turkey -Armenia qualifying match,
terminated in Turkey’s 0:2 victory, head coach of Armenian football
team Vardan Minasyan expressed his regret over Turkish team’s not
making it to WC 2010 finals.

"I congratulate Turkish team their on victory. It’s a pity the team
did not make it to the finals. We knew the team to be a strong one
and had another change to make sure," Minasyan said.

As for the attitude of Turkish fans, Minasyan noted that such pressure
was expected. "Turkish team was the one to hold the initiative;
still I believe match results are fair," Minasyan noted, making
special emphasis on Turkish hospitality.

CAUCASUS TO BE VIEWED AS SINGLE UNITY

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.10.2009 20:19 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish President Abdullah Gul has stressed the
importance of making Caucasus a cooperation zone.

Everybody is exerting efforts to carry Turkish-Armenian relations to
an unreturnable process, Turkish President said during a reception
in honor of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan after the soccer game
between national teams of the two countries in the northwestern
province of Bursa on Wednesday.

Gul said that they recorded an important development in Turkey-Armenia
relations in the last two years.

When recalled of the problems in the region, Turkish President said
that it was necessary to consider Caucasus as a whole, and he stressed
the importance of cooperation.

Commenting on Nagorno Karabakh issue, he said that the issue was
taken up on the highest level, adding that situation was different
from what it was 2 years ago, World Bulletin reports.

CITY HALL: ONLY ACCIDENTAL-RISK TREES FELLED

Aysor.am
Friday, October 16

Urban Tree care service regularly practices tree surgery and removal
in Yerevan-city. The report says that 810 scarred, dry or accidental
trees are gradually being felled while for about 4500 trees have been
updated this year.

Head of Yerevan Municipality Department of Environment Avet Martirosyan
said at press-conference: "There are trees which really bloom;
however they don’t have strong roots and can be gone with the wind
and injure people."

"The trees without strong roots or those dry ones must be lopped
or felled; however, those places should be newly planted," briefed
Yerevan’s Mayor Gagik Beglaryan.

Avet Martirosyan told journalists that skilled specialists work every
day and everywhere, even in late evenings.

When asked about illegal cutting in Yerevan released by some media
outlets (Aravot, Chorrord Ishkhanutyun) Avet Martirosyan said that
the cutting is in under control and is strictly a legal process.

There were only 8 incidents of illegal cutting over last five months,
and the violators fined, added Avet Martirosyan.

VAHAN HOVHANNISIAN SLAMS ARMENIAN DELEGATION’S BEHAVIOR AT ZURICH

Yerkir
14.10.2009 17:59

The leader of the Republican Party faction in parliament has said
that they would wait until Turkey ratifies the protocols, and only
then Armenia would ratify them.

When asked to comment on this statement, ARF Bureau member Vahan
Hovhannisyan told a news conference today: "If Turkey wanted to make
a statement in Zurich, the Armenian delegation had to let them do so
and make their own statement and not go for an option that neither
side should make a statement."

He said that the Armenian delegation chose to keep silent because
they were afraid that the entire process would stall, which would
mean Turkey had hostile goals.

"The same is right for the Armenian parliament. If we have our own
position, it is not important what Turkey would decide. In terms of
tactics, I understand my Republican colleagues: they wish to somehow
offset the mistake that was made in Zurich," Hovhannisyan said.

Speaking of the municipality’s decision not to allow the ARF’s rally
scheduled for October 16, Hovhannisyan said that the decision is
not well-grounded.

He also commented on the Heritage party’s decision to demand President
Sargsyan’s resignation, saying that the two parties have united efforts
only in one area – the Armenian-Turkish relations. Other than that,
each party has its own agenda, Hovhannisyan said.

SERZH SARGSYAN LEAVES FOR TURKEY

mvel-farmanyan
03:13 pm | October 14, 2009

"President Serzh Sargsyan is leaving for Turkish Bursa today
on the invitation Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul to watch the
Turkey-Armenia qualifying match," says Samvel Farmanian, Spokesman
for the RA President.

"The Armenian delegation is comprised of Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian, Deputy Foreign Ministers Arman Kirakosian and Shavarsh
Kocahrian and other top officials. Scores of Armenian journalists
accompany the Armenian delegation.

In Bursa, Serzh Sargsyan will first see Armenian footballers to cheer
them up before the match.

Presidents of the two countries will have a tete-a-tete meeting today
to be followed by a meeting in an extended format. Later in the day
a reception will be held in honor of the Armenian President.

The Armenian delegation corpse will be back to Armenia after the match.

This is Serzh Sargsyan’s first visit to Turkey.

TURKEY BACKTRACKS AGAIN, RESTATES PRECONDITIONS FOR LIFTING OF ARMENIA BLOCKADE

4/turkey-backtracks-again-restates-preconditions-f or-lifting-of-armenia-blockade/
October 14, 2009

WASHINGTON-Less than 24 hours after the signing of the controversial
Turkey-Armenia protocols, Turkey’s top leaders outlined their
preconditions to the opening of the Turkey-Armenia border, connecting
the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict to Ankara’s willingness
to lift its illegal blockade of Armenia, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America (ANCA).

"Once again, Turkey’s leaders have made it abundantly clear, most
recently in their public pledge to keep their blockade in place until
Azerbaijan agrees to its lifting, that the protocols represent simply
another vehicle for them to impose pressure on Yerevan and secure
concessions from the Armenian people," said ANCA executive director
Aram Hamparian. "The Obama Administration, rather than continuing
to lean on Armenia to accept agreements that threaten her security
and cast doubt on the Armenian Genocide, should call out Turkey for
its cynical and transparent manipulation of the protocols process to
advance its anti-Armenian policies."

According to the Wall Street Journal and hundreds of similar reports,
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told members of his ruling
Justice and Development Party on Sunday that "as long as Armenia has
not withdrawn from Azerbaijani territory that it is occupying, Turkey
cannot have a positive attitude on this subject [border opening]."

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) reported that Erdogan had
assured Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev that "further progress
in the Karabagh peace process will be a determining factor in the
consideration by the Turkish Parliament of the Turkish-Armenian
agreements." RFE/RL also reported that a Turkish Embassy press
statement was even more explicit: "As our country’s prime minister
repeatedly stated in his earlier statements, the opening of the
Turkish-Armenian border will be impossible as long as the occupied
Azerbaijani territories are not liberated. … The opening of the
border is quite a lengthy process… This process must run parallel to
the process of resolving the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict and liberating
the occupied Azerbaijani territories."

The ANCA joined with Armenians around the world in opposing the
Turkey-Armenia protocols, citing, among other reservations, Turkey’s
efforts to use the document to tilt the Karabagh negotiations in
favor of Azerbaijan, as well as to establish a "historical commission"
that would question the historical truth of the Armenian Genocide.

Upon the signing of the document, ANCA chairman Ken Hachikian
commented, "President Obama, rather than honoring his pledge to
recognize the Armenian Genocide, went in exactly the opposite
direction, applying the full force of our nation’s diplomacy to
twist the arm of a landlocked and blockaded Armenia-a nation still
struggling with the brutal legacy of its near-destruction-into
accepting a dangerous set of protocols that call into question this
very crime against humanity."

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian is set to travel to Turkey on
Oct. 14 to attend a soccer match between the two countries.

The agenda will reportedly include discussion of the protocols
ratification process.

BURSA PREPARING TO HOST TURKEY-ARMENIA MATCH

armradio.am
14.10.2009 17:54

Bursa is to host the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying second-leg match
between Turkey and Armenia tonight, a match which is likely to be
a turning point for bilateral relations between the two countries
but one holding little prospect of excitement in terms of soccer as
both teams have already lost their chances to qualify for the World
Cup tournament.

The match, which will start at 9 p.m. (11 p.m. Yerevan time), will
be attended by Armenian and Turkish Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and
Abdullah Gul.

The Bursa Governor’s Office and Police Department have implemented
heightened security measures in the city to prevent incidents that
could possibly erupt during the match. Although it was previously
announced that displaying anything other than national flags or
banners won’t be allowed in the stadium, the Bursa Governor’s
Office yesterday lifted a ban on bringing Azerbaijani flags to
the stadium. Any incidents of hooliganism will not be tolerated,
and offenders will be removed from the stadium. Nearly 3,000 police
officers will be on duty in the stadium, Today’s Zaman reports.