Author: Alex Nanijanian

PROSECUTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE OF ARMENIA COMPLETE INVESTIGATION ON CASE
OF BANDIT QUARREL
YEREVAN, APRIL 15. ARMINFO. Prosecutor General’s Office of Armenia has
completed the investigation on the case of a bandit quarrel near
Yerevan HPP.
The case was transferred to the Court of the First Instance of Yerevan
communities of Center Nork-Marsah. The judge Mnatsakan Martirosyan to
chair the trial. The trial is expected to start in late April.
To remind, the quarrel happened at the HPP on February 4 at about
22:00 p.m. As a result, one person was killed, several were wounded,
9 were arrested, and 3 are wanted by the police. 7 units of weapons
and ammunitions were confiscated. The Police says that the reason of
the crime was a banal disagreement of two young people whose names are
not mentioned within the interests of the investigation.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF ARMENIA TO PUBLISH COLLECTIONS OF DOCUMENTS ON
THE OCCASION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’S 90TH ANNIVERSARY
YEREVAN, MARCH 29, NOYAN TAPAN. On the occasion of the 90th
anniversary of Armenian Genocide the National Archives of Armenia
(NAA) prepares for publication collections entitled “Tragedy of
Armenian Genocide with the Eyes of Eye-Witnesses” and “Losses
Sustained by Armenians during the Slaughter in the Ottoman Turkey.”
Noyan Tapan was informed about this by Amatuni Virabian, Director of
NAA. The first collection contains 188 documents representing the
chronology and the number of the victims of the slaughter committed by
Young Turks in Bitlis and Erzrum, as well as the names of the
Armenians who forcibly adopted Islam. And the second collection
contains about 500 documents. According to A.Virabian, it’s planned to
publish another collection, in which the names of the Genocide victims
will be mentioned. He said that such work has been done only in Spyurk
by now. According to A.Virabian, the documents on Genocide kept in the
Armenian Archives have always been open. But the NAA Director is
surprised that no foreign researcher has applied to the archives for
studying these documents by now. However, a letter was received from
Turkey lately, in which the addressee asked to send him the copies of
the documents regarding Genocide. Today 3 mln files – nearly 300 mln
documents, are kept in the NAA. About 12 thousand registered documents
concern the Genocide.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Over 400 complaints filed with Armenian ombudsman in two months
Arminfo
14 Mar 05
YEREVAN
Armenian ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan received over 400 complaints in
two months of this year, among them 239 in writing, the press service
of the Armenian ombudsman’s office has told Arminfo.
Over this period, 110 complaints were received from the rural part of
the country, including 94 in writing. A total of 78 complaints were
accepted and 59 rejected, while in 15 cases applicants were consulted
on ways and methods of protecting human rights. Twelve complaints were
forwarded for consideration to relevant agencies with the consent of
the complainants.
[Passage omitted: minor details]
Most of the complaints concerned the work of local governments and
courts – 31 and 30 complaints respectively. A significant number of
complaints had to do with the work of the ministry of labour and
social security and the police, as 26 complaints concerned either of
these areas. Eighteen complaints concerned the prosecutor’s office, 13
the state committee for the registration of immovable property, 11 the
Ministry of Education, 10 the defence and justice ministries.
Only one person complained about the government.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

European Neighbourhood Policy: Armenia
Reference: IP/05/237 Date: 02/03/2005
IP/05/237
Brussels, 2 March 2005
European Neighbourhood Policy: Armenia
The European Commission is recommending a significant intensification of
relations with Armenia, through the development of an Action Plan under the
European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP). This recommendation is based on the
Commission’s Country Report published today, which provides a comprehensive
overview of the political and economic situation in Armenia and the state of
its bilateral relations with the European Union. The ENP goes beyond the
existing Partnership and Co operation Agreement to offer the prospect of an
increasingly close relationship with the EU, involving a significant degree
of economic integration and a deepening of political cooperation. It is now
for the Council of Ministers to decide the next steps.
Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy,
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, commented `The European Neighbourhood Policy gives
us an opportunity to take relations with Armenia up a gear. I very much hope
that the Council will give the go ahead to negotiate an Action Plan, so that
we can work out a joint agenda for action in the coming years. Progress in
our relationship will reflect the efforts and success of the country
itself.’
In June 2004, Armenia (together with Azerbaijan and Georgia) was included in
the European Neighbourhood Policy, at its request and following a
recommendation made by the European Commission. The Commission was invited
to report on progress made by each country with regard to political and
economic reforms. Today, the Commission provides an assessment of
bilateral relations between the EU and Armenia, reflecting progress under
the existing Partnership and Co-operation Agreement and describing the
current situation in areas of particular interest for the ENP partnership:
the development of political institutions based on the values – democracy,
the rule of law, human rights – enshrined in the Agreement; regional
stability and co-operation in justice and home affairs; and economic and
social reforms that will create new opportunities for development and
modernisation, for further liberalisation of trade and for gradual
participation in the Internal Market.
Key objectives for the Action Plan should include:
Strengthening the rule of law, of democratic structures and pluralism (e.g.
the reform of electoral legislation in line with Council of Europe (CoE) and
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) recommendations
and the holding of democratic elections; constitutional reform taking into
account CoE recommendations; reform of local self-government);
Strengthening respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, especially
regarding freedom of expression and freedom of assembly;
Improvements in the business climate as well as public sector modernisation
Further efforts to tackle corruption and fraud
Reform of tax and customs administrations and legislation
Progress in poverty reduction
Progress on sustainable development and environmental protection
The decommissioning of the Medzamor Nuclear Power Plant
Progress towards conflict resolution and enhanced regional cooperation.
Prudent macroeconomic policies need to be maintained to support effective
implementation of an Action Plan.
For more information on the European Neighbourhood Policy:

The Times (London)
January 12, 2005, Wednesday
The long war against ‘the Infidel’ left a lasting mark on European
culture
by Michael Binyon
THE great clash of civilisations at the battle of Lepanto in 1571
captured the imagination of Europe, inspiring artists and writers for
decades afterwards. The Ottoman Turks had begun the war the previous
year, to drive and the Venetians from the eastern Mediterranean by
invading their outpost of Cyprus. More than a century after the fall
of Byzantium, Christendom was again facing defeat by its mortal
enemy.
Europe rallied to the Venetian cause. Spanish and Italian galleys
sailed for Cyprus, under the command of Don John of Austria,
half-brother of Philip II of Spain and a swashbuckling military
adventurer. To Christian Europe, the rampaging Turks seemed
invincible.
The two fleets met at Lepanto, off the coast of Greece. It took Don
John just four hours to annihilate the Turkish fleet, capturing 117
galleys and thousands of men -a brilliant victory, though one which
in the long run could not halt the Ottomans.
Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese celebrated the victory in extravagant
paintings.
Even in distant England, Lepanto was hailed as a triumph. Shakespeare
was 7 when the battle took place, and, 33 years later, the Bard made
the Venetian defence of Cyprus the setting for one of his greatest
tragedies. As Othello dies, he reminds the audience of Christendom’s
titanic struggle: “Set you down this;/ And say besides, that in
Aleppo once,/ Where a malignant and a turban’d Turk/ Beat a Venetian
and traduced the state,/ I took by the throat the circumcised dog/
And smote him, thus.”
The clash with the Muslim enemy was a common theme in Shakespeare’s
time. Henry V, courting Kate, asks her whether they should not have a
son “that shall go to Constantinople and take the Turk by the beard”.
In France, 50 years later, Racine set one of his tragedies, Bajazet,
in the court of sultan Amurat, who captured Babylon in 1638.
But warfare did not stop merchants trading, travellers exploring and
emissaries negotiating. By the 17th century French and Engish traders
had established footholds in Istanbul, along with the ubiquitous
Venetians and Genoese. Working largely through Jewish and Armenian
“dragomans” (interpreters), they exploited the trade concessions
forced upon the sultans by the need for bullion, which had flooded
Europe from South America.
The Europeans settled for co-existence. Five centuries earlier the
Muslims were seen as the greatest challenge to Christendom, and
successive Popes launched crusades. In the long run, all failed. But
while these scarred the European psyche with suspicion of the Muslim
infidel, the Ottomans were regarded differently.
Religious zeal played less of a role than commercial and political
rivalry.
Byzantium had fallen. But trade went on.
And so it had for centuries. Even as the Ottomans closed in on
Byzantium throughout the 15th century, the diminishing city-state had
made alliances and deals. The Ottomans conquered a swath of territory
that brought them up against the Slavs and the Venetians. Serbia had
been beaten at the battle of Kosovo in 1389, a date that has echoed
down its history. Periodically the Venetians and the Habsburgs raised
the battle cry against the Turks, but the clashing empires worked out
a modus vivendi. For years the French kings enjoyed an entente with
Istanbul and even while the Turks were conquering Crete, French
merchants bought carpets, spices and brocades and sold wool, clocks
and luxury goods.
Ordinary Europeans had little contact, however. The big sea power,
Portugal, clashed with Turkish forces at the entrance to the Red Sea.
But Europe was by now looking farther afield -to America, Africa,
India and China. Suleyman the Magnificent tried to conquer all the
Mediterranean, but after the heroic resistance of Malta, defended by
the Knights of St John during the long siege in 1565, made no further
forays westwards.
In the Balkans, Ottoman power reached a high point at the second
siege of Vienna, in 1683. But already the empire was decaying from
within. By the 19th century the “Sick Man of Europe” was desperately
trying to modernise its creaking empire. And by the end of the First
World War it was over.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Turkey and the hypocrisies of Europe
By Fred Halliday
Open Democracy, UK
Dec 16 2004
Fred Halliday dissects four underlying arguments against Turkey’s
admission to the European Union – and finds them all wanting.
The European Union is attempting to create common European
institutions and policy: a worthy and desirable project, if a pale
reflection of the original, liberal-internationalist aims of the
1950s. It has agreed two momentous decisions in 2004: the inclusion
of ten new member-states, and the foundation of its legal identity
embodied in a new constitution. Now, at a summit in Brussels on 16-17
December 2004, it faces a third: whether to open negotiations with
Turkey that will lead to that country’s membership of the European
Union.
There are, however, few sights so undignified as that of European
states in a condition of moral indignation, and the unseemly debate
over this major strategic issue has not just divided but shamed many
Europeans. While some states – led by the United Kingdom and Spain –
wish to proceed with serious negotiations with Turkey, and others
take a more ambiguous or even hostile stance, the argument reveals
more about the European “community” than about the Turkey it has been
preparing to judge.
Europe’s moral foundations
A rhetorical device favoured by opponents of Turkish entry is to
affirm the “Christian” (or “Judaeo-Christian”) foundations of Europe.
The former French president, Giscard d’Estaing; the current Italian
prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi; the European Union commissioner
for the internal market, Fritz Bolkestein; leaders of the opposition
CDU in Germany, Angela Merkel and Edmund Stoiber – are just some of
those who invoke this alleged religious-historic identity.
The argument ignores three basic realities. First, the cultural,
political and linguistic origins of European lie in Greece and Rome,
and long predate Christianity (the word “democracy” is found nowhere
in the Bible). Moreover, Christianity and Judaism are in their origin
not European at all, but – itself a testament to 2,000 years of
interaction – religions that originated and have long flourished in
the middle east.
Second, Muslim empires – and in particular the Ottoman, precursor of
the Turks – have a record of historic tolerance of Jews and other
minorities that (while open to considerable criticism) is far
superior to that of Christian Europe. Indeed, the permanent Jewish
population of around 50,000 in modern Turkey, descendants of those
expelled by Christian Spain in 1492, is testimony to one of the best
records of toleration of Jews of any country.
Third, the contemporary culture of Europe is not in any meaningful
sense Christian; it is, rather, secular in tone and content if not
actually hostile to religion.
The prominent European political figures cited above may concede
these points, but then shift the argument to the defence of certain
basic European principles like equality between men and women. Yet
here, no one examining the record of the Vatican, for example – from
its 1968 encyclical Humanae Vitae to the letter to Catholic bishops
on 1 August 2004 and its catastrophic policy on contraception and
Aids – can believe that this variant of Christianity is compatible
with core modern, human, values.
History’s shadow
Many opponents of Turkish entry to the European Union question
whether Turkey (or Islam) is part of Europe. The truth is that in
terms of its cultural and religious presence Islam has been integral
to Europe for over 1,000 years – including 800 years in Spain and at
least 600 years in the Balkans and Russia.
What is true of religion is equally so for power politics: the
Ottoman empire was a component of the European great-power system,
variously allied with Britain and France (against Russia in the
Crimean war of 1853-56) and with Germany (against Britain and France
in the first world war).
Even more important, in the past century Europe has been unable to
insulate itself from the process of politics in Turkey itself. Turkey
played the key role in detonating the explosion of 1914 – one that
destroyed the old European order and led to the European civil war of
1914-1991 from which we are just emerging. Its precedent lay in a
fundamental event of modern European and middle-eastern history, the
Young Turk revolution of 1908. This event led to the Balkan wars of
1911-1913, from which emerged the radical Serbian nationalism that
killed Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo in June 1914.
This is a reminder that the modern politics of Europe are
inextricably shaped not by the fantasies of Brussels – capital of a
country that has pioneered a radical form of ethnic-political
separatism – but by the condition of the middle east. There are many
illustrations of the point: the impact of the Algerian war on France
in the late 1950s, of Afghanistan on the Soviet Union in the 1980s,
and of Morocco on Spain in the 1920s and again on 11 March 2003.
Whether or not the EU opens the way to Turkish membership, intimate
bonds tie Europe to events in its neighbouring region.
Does Turkey qualify?
The discussion of Turkish membership of the European Union is
dominated by the legal and constitutional requirements Turkey is
expected to meet in order to qualify. Where these reflect progress in
implementing the rule of law, ending torture, ensuring the rights of
women, and creating a reasonable federal solution to the Kurdish
question, then – as the Turkish writer Soli Özel has written – many
Turks welcome the changes.
The Turkish state’s deficiencies over human rights and the rule of
law explain its civil society’s enthusiasm about Europe. This civil
society wants to accelerate a democratic process in the country.
Europe should help it – but Europe (witness Berlusconi’s great escape
from corruption charges and the illegalities of party funding in
France) has little moral authority to lecture the world about
political standards.
Indeed, it could be said that in key respects Turkey is too European,
in that it shares with France a rigid and (for human rights)
lamentable concept of state secularism. The French proclaim
themselves defenders of secularism as if their 1905 legislation had
patented the idea, but forget that clothing bans (as in the country’s
new law forbidding the wearing of religious apparel in schools) are
valid under international law only if they relate directly to
national security – certainly not the case over the hijab. There is
only one consistent, universalist and secular position on the wearing
of religious headwear – for Muslims, Catholic nuns, or Orthodox
Jewish haredim alike: to be against it, but to defend the right to
wear it.
The argument over whether Turkey qualifies for the European Union
often spills over into other important areas: Cyprus and the Armenian
genocide.
The Cyprus question remains unresolved but to hold Turkey of all
countries responsible for the current impasse is grotesque. Turkey is
certainly responsible for abuses in the years after the island’s
independence in 1960, but its main agonies lie in the conflict and
partition of 1974, when Greek Cypriot nationalists helped by Athens
organised an illegal coup that provoked a Turkish invasion. It is
that intransigent and manipulative Greek nationalism which in early
2004 blocked a reasonable settlement proposed, after lengthy
negotiations, by Kofi Annan. The Turks are right to say that the
United Nations, not the European Union, must find a solution to
Cyprus.
The issue of the Armenian genocide is one that Turkish nationalism
has refused to acknowledge. The best way to proceed in resolving it
is not through inter-state confrontation but to work with those
Turkish historians and writers who are prepared to recognise what
happened on developing a common, and documented, account of the
events of 1915.
A focus on the genocide serves, moreover, to absolve Europe
(including Russia and Turkey itself) from a comparably grave injury
to the Armenians – their confinement in the aftermath of 1918 to a
landlocked mini-state around Yerevan. In any case, Europe cannot
easily make official recognition of the Armenian genocide a condition
of Turkish entry without exposing its own hypocrisy: Germany’s record
in Namibia in 1904 and Europe in the 1940s, Italy’s in Libya after
1911, Belgium’s in the Congo in the 1900s, Spain’s in the Americas
and Portugal’s in Africa after 1500, are sufficient evidence.
A modicum of post-imperial self-criticism – including the Turks as
inheritors of the Ottoman empire – is in order here. This would
encompass two further issues that are currently less discussed than
Cyprus or Armenia: Kurdish rights in Turkey, and Turkey’s role in the
Kurdish areas of northern Iraq.
A question of culture
All sides in the debate over Turkey and the European Union seem to
want to invoke a fixed – “essential” or “true” – version of European
culture to which Turks, and Muslim immigrants in general, should
adhere. Proponents of Turkish entry see this culture as open and
cosmopolitan; opponents see it (or its Leitkultur (“leading
culture”), as espoused by the CDU) as incompatible with Islam.
The argument that every society and political system needs a
Leitkultur is not in itself invalid, and most people in Turkey would
agree with its presupposition. What is in question is how this
Leitkultur is defined. European culture is no more frozen in time
than are Europe’s external frontiers; rather, it is a set of
possibilities that modern society and politics can define. All
cultures (including Muslim ones) can be open or closed, and all can
and do change.
European arrogance over Turkey is a definite barrier to the deeper
opening that the 17 December decision should register. This is
evident too in the comprehensive ignorance of Turkey among many of
Europe’s politicians, commentators and intellectuals. How many
pontificating voices know the basic facts of Ottoman and Turkish
history, including repeated violations inflicted by the country’s
Christian neighbours over the last three centuries, culminating in
the attempted subjugation of the country by Britain, France and Italy
after the first world war? How many know the tiles of Iznik, the
films of Yilmaz Güney and Handan Ipekci, the poems of Nazim Hikmet
and Orhan Veli Kanik, the novels of Yasar Kemal and Orhan Pamuk – or
even the joys of Imam Bayildi? Such historical and knowledge might
teach a lot about politics also.
In short, Europe’s decision over Turkey – and the wider issues of
coexistence, multiculturalism and different values it signifies – is
not for Turkish citizens and Turkish immigrants to learn German or
English (which they or their children will anyway) but for Europeans
to learn Turkish – and perhaps eat köfte at least once a week. The
more Turks and Europeans mix and mingle, the more the truths of their
shared past, present, and future will emerge.
–Boundary_(ID_ZAhjc4qUOpNtgt6kXzkL7g)–
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

EU’s Barroso asks Turkey to go extra mile on Cyprus
BRUSSELS, Dec 16 (Reuters) – European Commission President Jose
Manuel Barroso urged Turkey on Thursday to “go the extra mile” to
convince sceptical Europeans it is ready to open EU membership talks,
including by recognising Cyprus.
He said he expected EU leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday and
Friday to give the green light for starting such talks but stressed
that Ankara had work to do.
“The challenge for Turkey is to win the hearts and minds of those
European citizens who are open to, but not yet fully convinced of,
Turkey’s European destiny,” Barroso told a news conference hours
before the start of a decisive EU summit.
“I believe Turkey must sooner rather than later break new ground. It
must go the extra mile,” he said.
“Cyprus will be sitting at the negotiating table when EU membership
talks begin for Turkey. So the question for Turkey is: what kind
of message does it send when you do not recognise all the members
sitting at the table of the club you want to join?”
Ankara has so far refused to recognise Cyprus directly or indirectly,
arguing it is an issue for the United Nations.
Asked whether the EU would press for Turkey to recognise a genocide
of Armenians early in the last century, Barroso said there were no
plans to add new hurdles to Ankara’s bid to open EU entry talks.
“We can’t introduce new political conditions. it wouldn’t be fair to
do that… That was not one of them, so neither today nor tomorrow
are we going to come up with new political provisos,” he said.
But he stressed that the topic was not taboo but rather one that
would be dealt with in the future: “The issue raised and possibly
many others must be the subject of open and frank dialogue.”
Barroso said Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi planned to raise
his concerns about some of the Commission’s suggestions for how to
change the EU’s Stability and Growth Pact on budget discipline but
that no decisions were expected.
12/16/04 07:29 ET
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

MEDI PROGRAM AIMED TO CREATE FAVOURABLE ATMOSPHERE FOR MICRO AND SMALL
ENTERPRISES IN ARMENIA
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11. ARMINFO. The USAID financed Micro Enterprises
Development Initiative project is aimed to create a favourable
atmosphere for micro and small enterprises in Armenia, the director of
the Crimson Capital consulting company Michael Gold said during
today’s workshop on micro and small enterprises financing.
He says that Armenia has all necessary mechanisms for micro and small
enterprises financing. The Armenian banks Anelik, Converse and INECO
are already providing loans to such companies. Usually such loans are
issued for short period and in any industry. Gold says that Armenia’s
Central Bank has pledged to help the banks providing such credits.
Today’s workshop is aimed to introduce the best experience in
crediting through best credit risk assessment mechanisms. It is
expected to promote cooperation between bankers and businessmen and to
contribute to the further development of business in Armenia.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian defence minister pleased with army’s combat readiness
Golos Armenii, Yerevan
9 Dec 04
Armenian Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan has said that he is pleased
with the current level of the army’s combat readiness, although there
are many problems that should be settled. In a hotline with the
readers of Golos Armenii newspaper, Sarkisyan said that all experts
assess the state of the Armenian army as normal. The defence minister
also pointed out that the number of personnel in the army is very
high, which is quite a heavy burden for the country. Armenia is
taking measures to set up a professional army, although it is
connected with great expenses, he said. He also said that the decision
to send a military contingent to Iraq was correct and denied that
Armenia will sign a an unfavourable peace agreement with
Azerbaijan. The following is an excerpt from Lana Mshetsyan, Tigran
Mirzoyan and David Arutyunyan report by Armenian newspaper Golos
Armenii on 9 December headlined “For a great number of young men to
serve in the army is a holy duty”. Subheadings have been inserted
editorially:
Hotline with Defence Minister Serzh Sarkisyan.
Superpowers must find a common language
[Ashot Yesayan, teacher] Observers are talking about the weakening of
the influence of the Russian factor in Georgia, Ajaria and Ukraine. In
this connection, to what extent are we continuing to rely on the
Russian factor, especially in the peaceful settlement of the Karabakh
conflict and the stability and security of the whole region?
[Serzh Sarkisyan] Hundreds of circumstances affect the settlement of
the Karabakh issue. In this context, any changes may affect it
positively, as well as negatively. We do not want the region to be
crossed by separating lines. Nor do we want the countries of our
region to talk to each other from the position of force. It is
desirable for us that the superpowers find a common language with each
other and do not divide spheres of influence. Only then, will there
favourable conditions for Armenia. We have never tried to join various
military and political alliances to the detriment of Russia as our
neighbours do. We have always said that we are conducting an Armenian
national policy, and our cooperation with NATO is never to the
detriment of cooperation with Russia. Unfortunately, not everybody
accepts the policy of complementarity.
[Passage omitted: Sarkisyan said that young men who earlier avoided
military service may pay a certain sum and avoid criminal
accountability. The National Assembly adopted this law in order to
allow those who left the country and did not do their military service
to return to Armenia. Sarkisyan said that there is no corruption in
the Defence Ministry]
[Norayr Avakyan, sociologist] Azerbaijan is doing its best to prevent
Armenian servicemen from participating in NATO programmes. What do you
think is the reason for such an uncompromising and unacceptable
attitude from our neighbours?
[Sarkisyan] I would not say so. In any case, Azerbaijan is not doing
that openly. But Azerbaijan wants Armenia to be defeated wherever
possible. If for instance our country does not cooperate with NATO and
the USA and their attitude towards Armenia changes, Azerbaijan likes
that. Another thing is when events are held on their territory. In
that case, they are really doing everything possible not to let the
Armenian party participate in them. There are many reasons for
this. One of them is that Azerbaijan lost the war and naturally, the
authorities should do something to justify themselves before their
people. For this reason, even an ordinary trip to Azerbaijan by a
journalist of Armenian descent causes problems.
[Karen Avakyan, teacher] There are rumours in the Azerbaijani press
about the possible extradition of Ramil Safarov [Azerbaijani officer
charged with killing an Armenian officer in Budapest] to
Azerbaijan. Is that possible?
[Sarkisyan] I cannot speak on behalf of the Hungarian authorities and
guarantee that Safarov will not be extradited to Azerbaijan, though
there is no agreement on extradition between Hungary and
Azerbaijan. In any case, the Armenian authorities are doing everything
possible to ensure an impartial trial and get the criminal to be
punished appropriately.
[Marina Saakyan, musician] Are you going to run in the next
presidential elections?
[Sarkisyan] It is too early to speak about this. Of course, I
understand people’s interest, but I have not even thought about it
yet.
Pleased with the army’s combat readiness
[Areg Meliksetyan, student] How do you assess the combat readiness of
the Armenian army at present?
[Sarkisyan] The defence minister cannot objectively reply to this
question. However, I should say that there are several parametres for
determining the combat readiness of an army in the world. These are
exercises where troops learn to fight, and inspectors assess their
condition and inspect real hostilities. Today all experts assess the
state of our army state as normal. I think this is the highest mark. A
group of inspectors under the president of Armenia always inspects
military units. Both the Armenian president and I familiarize
ourselves with their results. Their estimations are normal. Certainly,
there are shortcomings as well. I am always greatly interested in
familiarizing myself with these papers: individual officers and units
are assessed there. Such information is very useful when making
decisions on personnel policy. There is one more factor. Our small
platoon is in Kosovo, it is taking part in peacekeeping operations
there and we get excellent comments on its work. One more unit took
part in the NATO exercises in Yerevan last year – and again we had a
positive response. Together with the Russians, we are also taking part
in the bilateral and multilateral exercises where we are also highly
rated. In any case, I am pleased with the current level of the combat
effectiveness of our army, although there are many problems that
should be settled.
Big army “heavy burden”
[Ashot Saakyan, builder] Is the military and political leadership of
our country considering measures to overcome the negative consequences
of the social and economic situation of the early 1990s, which can
seriously affect the fighting efficiency of the armed forces? First of
all, I mean the fall in the birth rate, and as a result, the permanent
fall in the number of conscripts, as well as the sharp fall in the
level of conscripts’ educational and physical training.
[Sarkisyan] Certainly, this problem worries us a lot. It is difficult
to raise the birth rate and literacy in a short period of time. But
these problems are beyond the army’s responsibility. I should say that
at present, the number of personnel in the army is very high for peace
time and this is quite a heavy burden for our people (let the people
and army forgive me). If we settle relations with our neighbours, the
number of personnel in the army will definitely be reduced by three or
four times. In that case, we shall have a chance to choose and the
army will be replenished only with educated soldiers and officers. In
any case, we will still keep the existing number of personnel in the
army and the level of fighting efficiency for a long period of
time. This problem cannot be settled tomorrow or during the next
conscription campaign. At the same time, we are taking specific
measures. First, we are trying to settle the education problems of
soldiers and officers in the army by organizing different short-term
and long-term courses. We also have military units with so-called
schools where soldiers can get secondary education. But our main
resource are those who serve in the army under contract. A
professional army is the shortest way to settle this problem. But
today Armenia cannot have a professional army as it is connected with
very large expenses. For this reason, we are creating contract units,
i.e. some elements of a professional army, and trying to keep up our
fighting efficiency. Today we have many units of the sort, especially
in the border regions. There is such a unit in Yerevan – a
peacekeeping battalion. At present, 3,500 women are serving in the
army under contract. Civilians also work in the army wherever
possible. This allows us to settle the social problems of the
population on the one hand and purely military problems on the other.
In parallel, we are working with the Education Ministry and Sports
Committee to restore the patriotic and physical training system. The
main vector of the problem should be directed towards schools. I would
like to mention specially our joint work with the Health
Ministry. This is the first time that we have started medical
examinations of young men below the age of conscription. In 2004, we
started work to satisfy the health needs of servicemen’s family
members (including active military service soldiers).
[Svetlana Yagubyan, pensioner] What is your attitude towards the
activity of the Armenian Pan-National Movement [APNM] and the rumours
about [Armenian ex-President] Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s return to big-time
politics?
[Sarkisyan] I do not think the APNM has become very active. The former
ruling party is always active. As for the rumours about the return of
the first president to politics, they mean just what they mean. He has
answered this question himself.
[Passage omitted: Sarkisyan thinks that it is high time to set up an
effective centre in Armenia that could coordinate the actions of all
the components of the national security system, including the army,
collect and analyze information]
Armenian military contingent in Iraq
[Manuk Yesayan, chemist] Several months have passed since the signing
of a memorandum with Americans on sending an Armenian contingent to
Iraq. Today the problem is finally being solved. Despite the protests
of society and the request of the Iraqi Armenians, you still think
that sending an Armenian contingent to Iraq is a justified necessity?
[Sarkisyan] Yes, I think we have to do it. Even if we sustain losses
if our contingent is sent to Iraq, they will be less than if we keep
out of these processes. Moreover, people who will go there will be
volunteers. They will sign a contract and will be paid well. We have
never intended to send there active service soldiers. We do not have
such plans in the future either. Servicemen under contract, drivers,
doctors and sappers will be send to Iraq. Second, I would like to say
that we have not reached any agreement either with the Americans,
Poles or somebody else to send our military contingent to Iraq. Third,
UN resolution No 1546 of 8 June 2004 places emphasis on continuing the
world community’s support for the transitional processes taking place
in Iraq whose main goal is to establish stability and security in the
region. Different countries are taking part in stabilization in Iraq
in different ways.
[Passage omitted: Other details]
Taking into account that there is an Armenian diaspora, spiritual and
culture centres in Iraq and they have traditionally friendly relations
with the people of Iraq, Armenia refrained from participating in the
hostilities within the coalition forces, trying to prevent possible
negative consequences for the Armenian community of Iraq. Instead,
Armenia chose not a military, but a humanitarian option for
participating in the problems of Iraq.
The number of accidents in the army is falling
[Ara Saakyan, philologist] According to statistics, the number of
accidents in the army has fallen. Each of such accidents is not only a
tragedy for an individual family, but also undermines the authority of
the army and creates unwillingness to serve in it.
[Sarkisyan] I absolutely agree. Indeed, the number of such accidents
is falling from year to year, but they still happen. This year 36
active military service soldiers died or were killed. I have to say
that this figure is several times lower than several years ago. I am
sure that the number of such incidents will fall in the
future. Although no explanations, references and objective
circumstances can lessen the sorrow of parents who have lost their
son. But this does not mean that we are pleased with these figures. We
have been working and are continuing to work in this direction. I
would like to say that we conduct public opinion polls from time to
time and there is a big number of young men who consider military
service to be their holy duty. It is these people that our army relies
on.
[Samvel Rustamyan, biologist] What can you say about Azerbaijan’s
permanent threats to settle the Karabakh conflict in a military way?
How real are these threats and is our army ready to repel them?
[Sarkisyan] Our army is ready to defend our independence and the
borders of our country. As for Azerbaijan, we can understand their
arrogance as they are trying to calm down their people in this
way. What else are they to do? I have never ruled out that Azerbaijan
might resume the hostilities, but I do not see any threat of war in
the near future.
[Passage omitted: Sarkisyan is talking about privileges for war
veterans. He said that in 2005, the pensions of war veterans will
increase by 20 per cent. Sarkisyan also said that Turkey must
recognize the Armenian genocide]
No defeat in Karabakh talks
[David Amirkhanyan, musician] Defeat in the negotiating process on the
Karabakh issue settlement and the signing of an unfavourable agreement
with Baku – these subjects are being touched upon more actively
again. What is going on?
[Sarkisyan] There is some similarity between today’s situation and
what was happening in 1992. I do not quite understand this fuss. I am
always ready to listen to fair criticism, but what is this
Schadenfreude for? There are no grounds for this. In 1992, they were
screaming that Karabakh has been sold or lost, but everybody saw for
himself that this was not true. Today I do not see real facts
testifying to our possible defeat in the negotiating process. All talk
about documents that have allegedly been signed is wide of the mark. I
can say with certainty that no document will be signed beyond the
three principles announced by the president of Armenia – Karabakh
cannot be part of Azerbaijan, Karabakh must have a full land link with
Armenia (not a “path” as many ill-wishers say) and Karabakh must have
serious security guarantees, including the guarantee that the war will
not resume.
[Passage omitted: Possible instability in the country may affect the
army’s fighting efficiency]
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Karabakh leader drums up Armenian community’s support in USA
Artsakh State TV, Stepanakert
22 Nov 04
The NKR Nagornyy Karabakh Republic president, Arkadiy Gukasyan,
arrived in California on 19 November.
The Armenian community of California expressed its readiness to
take an active part in the forthcoming telethon and strengthen
its support for Nagornyy Karabakh. During a meeting with a group
of Armenian businessmen and philanthropists in the town of New Port
Beach in the (?Orange county) with the participation of Levon and Zara
Gukasyan, Ralf and Sabi Tufenkyan, and Hakob and Maria Shirvanyan,
the participants stated that they would contribute to the telethon.
Almost everybody stated that the current activity of the Armenian
diaspora reflected the growing trust in the NKR president and the
course of democratization and economic reforms that are under way in
Nagornyy Karabakh.
The same was stated during all the meetings of the NKR president in
California and particularly during a meeting with the Knight council
of the Armenian General Benevolent Union AGBU and its Californian
branch. Head of the AGBU’s California branch Vahe Imastunyan
underlined the importance of the NKR president’s visit to the USA
and strengthening of ties between the Armenian diaspora in the USA
and Artsakh Nagornyy Karabakh . Arkadiy Gukasyan in turn thanked the
participants for their sincere readiness to assist Nagornyy Karabakh
and noted that there were all the necessary conditions to complete this
year financing of the North-South highway and start to carry out other
projects for the development of Artsakh. The president underlined that
active participation of the diaspora in the telethon would demonstrate
to the world that the Armenian community is not indifferent to the
fate of Artsakh. This, according to the NKR president, will also have
political consequences.
In California, the NKR president also met local journalists and
discussed with them the socio-economic development of the NKR, as
well as peace talks to settle the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict.
Artsakh won the war because Armenia and the diaspora backed it. I
am confident that joining our efforts, we will succeed also in the
economic battle, President Gukasyan said. Touching upon the settlement
of the conflict, the NKR president said that the NKR could not be
subordinate to Azerbaijan in any way. Arkadiy Gukasyan said that the
goal of the NKR authorities was legal recognition of Nagornyy Karabakh.
He gave a negative assessment of the move of the Baku authorities to
put the issue of the so-called occupies territories on the UN agenda
and described efforts to that end as provocation. Gukasyan said that
these moves of Baku aggravated the whole of the peace process. He
also noted that the issues of territories and refugees had emerged
due to Azerbaijan’s military aggression against Nagornyy Karabakh
and consequently were the result of an armed conflict, whereas the
core issue in the settlement was the status of Nagornyy Karabakh.
While Azerbaijan ignores the issue of Nagornyy Karabakh’s status,
discussing other issues which are the results of the conflict becomes
senseless, Gukasyan said.
On 21 November, the NKR president participated in the Sunday service
at the St Karapet church in Hollywood. The service was carried out
by the head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, who is also in the USA.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress