Author: Andres-Papazian

AZERBAIJANI TOP OFFICIAL: NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT MUST BE DISCUSSED AT UN DURING AZERBAIJAN’S ACTIVITY IN SECURITY COUNCIL

Trend
Dec 9 2011
Azerbaijan

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be discussed at the UN when
Azerbaijan starts its activity in the UN Security Council, the Head
of the Foreign Relations Department at the Azerbaijani Presidential
Administration Novruz Mammadov said.

“The issue of discussing the situation in Azerbaijani territories under
Armenian occupation has been included in the agenda of the UN General
Assembly,” Mammadov said in an interview with the official website
of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party. “Expressing a specific position
at any time, we will make every effort to discuss it. But I think
this will not be purposeful, if we do this in December 2011. In this
sense, I think that it would be better if we wait a bit. I believe
that it would be better if we raise the issue in the organization
when Azerbaijan launches its activity in the UN Security Council.”

Azerbaijan was elected a member of the UN Security Council for 2012
– 2013 in October 2011. About 155 countries supported Azerbaijan,
by assessing it as a worthy member of the independent, fair and
global community.

Regarding the opportunity of expecting any changes in the process of
the conflict settlement, Mammadov said that it is very difficult to
say anything concrete about this.

“The reason is that certain processes are expected to occur in
co-chairing countries next year. Europe and the world have some
problems, in particular, the financial crisis. Moreover, the Armenian
side is always looking for an excuse to delay the conflict settlement.

But I think that the international community and the OSCE are
responsible for this. How is it possible not to make any step forward
in connection with the conflict lasting over 20 years? This is wrong.

In this case, the OSCE also loses faith in itself.”

The 20th anniversary of the establishment of the OSCE Minsk Group
will be marked in 2012.

Mammadov said that the co-chairing countries must think that the
steps taken against small Armenia in connection with this issue do
not give any results.

“We must think about this,” he said. “I think that whatever processes
are available, we must see the intensity in the negotiations.”

Regarding the elections expected to be held in co-chairing countries
and Armenia next year and that some experts think that this factor
may create stagnation in the negotiation process, Mammadov said that
Armenia is always looking for an excuse to delay in the negotiation
process.

“One of the means of delaying the negotiation process is the
stagnation,” he said. “Therefore, I think that the Armenians may use
these excuses. But how much patience must Azerbaijan have when the
Armenians use these excuses? Sooner or later we will liberate our
land from occupation. We demonstrate great will for this and try to
resolve the conflict through negotiations.”

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 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 the 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.

Novruz Mammadov’statement can be also followed on his personal Twitter
page at / NovruzMammadov

From: A. Papazian

RAFAEL HUSEYNLI MISINFORMS HIS COMPATRIOTS ON SUCCESSES OF AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION TO PACE

Panorama
Dec 9 2011
Armenia

Azerbaijani media have spread next misinformation about alleged
adoption of a pro-Azerbaijani document in PACE.

Rafael Huseynli, Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Culture of
the Azerbaijani parliament, told Salamnews that the meeting of the
Sub-Committee on the Cultural Heritage of PACE Committee on Culture,
Science and Education discussed a document prepared by Azerbaijani
MPs, titled “The Necessity of International Control over Cultural
Monuments of European and Global Importance in the Occupied Azerbaijani
Lands.” According to him, “most subcommittee members supported that
idea and signed the declaration.”

However, PACE official site gives no information on adoption of such
a declaration which means that the declaration is unofficial and has
no force.

We will remind that in a bid to mislead the Azerbaijani society,
Azerbaijani MPs in PACE often make cunning tricks: they prepare a
“written declaration,” not an official document, signed by Azerbaijani
and Turkish MPs only, and later represent it as Azerbaijani diplomacy’s
“great win.” It is no mere chance that Rafael Huseynli does not name
the MPs who have supported the Azerbaijani declaration.

Moreover, “international control over cultural monuments” is not
possible, because even monuments included in UNESCO lists do not imply
control, management or sovereignty by some international institute,
that is such “declarations” do not influence the state conduct of
the subject to whom that statement concerns (in this case, Artsakh).

From: A. Papazian

STONE BUILDINGS CONSTRUCTED IN ARMENIA DURING SOVIET ERA VULNERABLE TO EARTHQUAKES – EXPERT

news.am
Dec 7 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN.- Stone buildings constructed in Armenia during Soviet era are
vulnerable to earthquakes, said expert in seismology Gurgen Namalyan.

Stone buildings were constructed in Armenia in 60s and the first
half of 70s. The buildings erected during the following years were
steadier and were less damaged during the 1988 earthquake.

The expert said that renovation of this building is senseless as
many of them were built for a certain period of time, for instance
50 years and have already exhausted their resources.

“In this case it is advisable to dismantle the old building and build
new ones,” he told journlaists on Wednesday.

Today, Armenia remembers victims of the devastating earthquake of
December 7, 1988.

From: A. Papazian

JAVAKHQ MAY BECOME A BRIDGE IN ARMENIAN-GEORGIAN RELATIONS

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 9, 2011
YEREVAN

A number of preliminary arrangements have been reached over the
solution of Javakhq issue, MP, chairman of the “Javakhq” Patriotic
Union Shirak Torosyan told the reporters today, stressing the agreement
between presidents of Armenia and Georgia on transparent borders,
joining of the North-South highway to Javakhq.

The MP said the highway joining Georgia’s capital Tbilisi with
Akhalkalak and Ninotsminda by the “Millennium Challenges” program
in Georgia gives a number of new opportunities to the local Armenian
population. “This highway, as it is known, will be joined to Armenia as
well. At the same time, an initial agreement has been achieved for the
construction of road sector to Ajaria thanks to which Armenia-Batumi
trip will be reduced by 150 kilometers,” he said adding that the
economic factor that will be the main basis for the solution of
Javakhq issue may become a factor that will solve the issue and raise
the Armenian-Georgian relations on a higher level.

“Javakhq may become a bridge in the Armenian-Georgian relations,”
Torosyan said, highly assessing the carried out work but stressing
that it is not enough for final success.

From: A. Papazian

NO ARMENIAN MANUSCRIPT SENT FOR RESTORATION ABROAD

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 9, 2011
YEREVAN

The restoration and preservation of ancient Armenian manuscripts –
the invaluable wealth of the Armenian people – are extremely important.

Armenpress news agency spoke with the Head of Restoration Department
of Matenadaran Gayane Eliazyan about the importance and difficulties
connected with the restoration process of the ancient manuscripts of
the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts.

– Mrs Eliazyan, how do you select the manuscripts, documents that
should be restored?

– It will be wrong to speak about concrete time in restoration
processes as manuscripts dating back to 5th century are being kept
in Matenadaran. Each manuscript is special and the selection is being
made with the united efforts of the staff. First the material is being
selected, brought to the department for restoration and preservation.

We highly rate the scientific restoration. In medieval times ignorant
people were restoring the works who were mainly concerned with the
preservation of the appearance and the issue was limited to it. Now the
issue is deeper and more serious. Preservation has become a serious and
deep science and it is necessary to know it, if not, the material will
be greatly harmed. Here it is necessary to follow the adopted rules.

– Are there relevant specialists in Armenia?

– We have a big privilege in this sphere – 52 years of experience,
though there is always a need of good specialists. The work we are
implementing is highly competitive though we do not have relevant
restoration school or university.

– What will you say about technical upgrading of Matenadaran?

– Previously the situation was rather sad, but fortunately, the
situation changed when the Government of Japan provided quite serious
devices to Matenadaran. Now though, there is a need of new ones. As
of the moment, we are going to sign agreements with a number of
well-known companies.

– Were there case when manuscripts have been sent abroad for
restoration?

– There were no such cases. We are always trying to do it with our
own forces as there are a number of institutions which very often do
not want to take responsibility. And besides, there was not a case
when we harmed it.

– How many manuscripts kept in Matenadaran need to be restored?

– Matenadaran is not only a museum, it is a scientific-research
institute. All the manuscripts here are being studied, sent to
reading halls, digitalized. So, we always have materials that need
to be restored or treated. Restoration is incessant process.

– How much time is it necessary to restore a manuscript?

– It is difficult to say. We have just finished restoration of
well-known Gospel of Melitene of 1057. Four specialists worked on it
for 3 years. It depends on material, degree of damage.

From: A. Papazian

SAUDI SHEIKH GETS FOREST; PUBLIC GETS DUPED!
Edik Baghdasaryan

HETQ
13:15, December 9, 2011

Yesterday, the RA government decided to allocate 147.51 hectares of
land belonging to the rural community of Artavaz to the company A&M
Rare Ltd. Much of the land in question is forested acreage in the
public trust.

The transfer came in the form of an open-ended, non-cost, leasing
arrangement and was proposed by Minister of Agriculture Sergo
Karapetyan.It is the Ministry of Agriculture that is mandated with
the protection and preservation of Armenia’s forests.

So what were the arguments used by Minister Karapetyan to justify the
land transfer to Saudi Arabian Sheikh Muhammed Musallami and Armenian
MP Gagik Abrahamyan. (The latter is the brother of Russian-Armenian
businessman Ara Abrahamyan).

Here’s the official justification:

“Due to the non-systematic logging as a consequence of the energy
crisis of the 1990s, the forests of Armenia were badly damaged. Much
of the forests have been degraded and are no longer able to reproduce.

In addition, the forests no longer carry out their environmental
functions (halting land erosion, water regulation, soil protection).

Erosion and soil loss has begun. Due to the energy crisis, the forests
and forested lands of Kotayk Marz have also suffered and are in need
of serious preservation. Thus, the preservation of these degraded
forests is a primary problem for the country.”

There’s also an interesting passage in the bill. Let’s quote a part
dealing with public participation.

“The public was never informed regarding the RA government’s
decision to allocate forested lands to A&M Rare Ltd. The public never
participated in the drafting of the bill or hearings regarding the
RA government’s decision to allocate forested lands to A&M Rare Ltd.”

In a word, this government couldn’t care less what the people think.

Dear members of the government, there are lands in the Ararat Valley,
in Lori and Tavoush, the forests of Syunik, which are also degraded.

Lake Sevan is turning into marshland…So why don’t you take all
these lands and hand them over to a few sheikhs and finish your
despicable mission.

After this, we will know whom to petition with our demands.

From: A. Papazian

‘I AM HIDING IN NAGORNY KARABAKH’ (VIDEO)

epress.am
12.09.2011

Perhaps the most interesting piece to emerge amid ongoing negotiations
over the disputed Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh is this video – though
now 4 years old but recently shared by ArtsakhNews.am.

The video is a music video of the song “Nagorny Karabakh” by
German post-industrial band Einsturzende Neubaute (“Collapsing New
Buildings”).

As noted in the Epress.am blog, listening to the song till the end,
you won’t hear a word about the principle of territorial integrity
or the right to people’s self-determination. The lyrics follow the
video below.

The town lies under mist I am up on my mountain in my black garden
squeezed in between the heavens in the enclave of my choice where I
am hiding in Nagorny Karabakh

Once deep forests mountain chains, maybe ice a brass-yellow sun
perpetrates a paradise my sys- or diastole and between them the
moment borne by the birds about their business here in the enclave
of my heart where I lose myself in Nagorny Karabakh

I climb down the mountain enter one or another valley flying flags
of every colour in Mount Karabakh

Two large black ravens devouring the plums in the tree I wonder if
the other city cares for me…

In the enclave of my choice where I am hiding in Nagorny Karabakh

Come and pay me a visit I have unlimited time and the view is most
lovely over the clouds and the town in Nagorny Karabakh Nagorny
Karabakh Nagorny Karabakh

From: A. Papazian

NO POSITIVE CHANGE IN TACKLING CORRUPTION IN ARMENIA IN 2011: WATCHDOG (UPDATED)

epress.am
12.09.2011

In 2003, the United Nations declared Dec. 9 as the International
Day on the Fight against Corruption. With this in mind, the Armenian
branch of the Transparency International Anti-Corruption Center issued
a statement today on the state of corruption in Armenia.

In 2011, the Government of Armenian continued to adopt legislative
and sub-legislative anti-corruption acts; in particular, the new Law
on Procurement or the Law on Public Service.

“Several other laws and decrees have been also adopted to implement the
requirements of the national Anti-Corruption Strategy and its 2009-2012
Action Plan, as well as to meet its international anti-corruption
obligations. Incidents of corruption were also disclosed. For example,
the Chamber of Control of the Republic of Armenia uncovered incidents
of corruption in different sectors. In 2011, law enforcement bodies
continued to regularly expose corruption crimes and arrest public
officials, in some cases, even high-ranking ones. The leaders of
several opposition parties continued to point to the huge scales of
corruption in the country.

“However, despite this, the perceptions of local and international
experts, as well as those of ordinary citizens, remained unchanged.

And, according to those perceptions, corruption in Armenia continues
to remain widespread and is systemic by nature. The results of studies
carried out by reputable international organizations, in particular,
the values of the Transparency International’s (TI) 2011 Corruption
Perception Index (CPI) and CPI ranking table, published on Dec. 1,
2011, also indicate this fact. From year to year, Armenia’s position
drops in this ranking table (this year it went down by 6 places),
letting it be bypassed by such countries, which only several years ago
were at much worse positions than Armenia. The results of a corruption
perception survey conducted by the Armenian Office of the Caucasus
Research Resources Centers (CRRC-Armenia) in 2010 and published this
year are also alarming. In particular, in 2010, 65% of the respondents
thought that corruption was the reality of our life. It should be
mentioned that this number gradually increased from year to year. In
2008, the same survey conducted by the same organization indicated
that only 51% of the respondents gave such answer, and in 2009, 59%,”
reads the Transparency International statement.

Summarizing the above, the corruption watchdog notes: “And because
2011 did not witness positive change in tackling corruption, we are
left only to fix the current dilemma in this area, which will make
our nation’s dream to have a prosperous, affluent and democratic
country even more unreachable.”

From: A. Papazian

PREMIERE ETAPE POUR LE TEXTE SUR LE GENOCIDE ARMENIEN
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 9 decembre 2011

La commission des Lois de l’Assemblee nationale francaise a adopte
mercredi une proposition de loi de Valerie Boyer (UMP) qui propose
de reprimer la contestation du genocide armenien perpetre par les
Turcs en 1894-1896 et 1915-1916.

Le texte, soutenu par une cinquantaine de deputes de la majorite,
prevoit une peine d’un an de prison et une amende de 45.000 euros en
cas de contestation du genocide armenien.

L’Assemblee nationale avait vote en octobre 2006, sous la precedente
legislature, une proposition de loi socialiste mais cinq ans plus tard,
en mai 2011, le Senat, alors majoritairement a droite, l’avait rejete.

Au Senat, où la gauche est desormais majoritaire, une proposition de
loi identique a ete deposee par le socialiste Philippe Kaltenbach le
22 novembre.

La commission des Lois de l’Assemblee, où la proposition de Valerie
Boyer a ete adoptee mercredi a l’unanimite moins deux voix, precise
que ce texte pourrait etre examine par les deputes en seance publique
a la fin decembre avant que le Parlement n’interrompe ses travaux
pour les fetes de fin d’annee.

La loi francaise du 29 janvier 2001 dispose que “la France reconnaît
publiquement le genocide armenien de 1915”. Le vote de cette loi
avait provoque de vives reactions d’Ankara.

Nicolas Sarkozy avait froisse la Turquie debut octobre en lui donnant
quelques mois pour reconnaître le genocide armenien de 1915, faute
de quoi la France pourrait legiferer pour sanctionner penalement le
negationnisme turc.

En visite d’Etat en Armenie, le president francais avait estime que
la reconnaissance par Ankara du massacre de 1,5 million d’Armeniens
par les Turcs serait un “geste de reconciliation”.

Dans ce cas, avait-il dit, la France s’en tiendrait a sa legislation
actuelle, qui reconnaît officiellement depuis janvier 2001, l’existence
de ce genocide.

Si la Turquie persiste a le nier, en revanche, “la France considererait
qu’elle devrait aller plus loin dans la modification de sa legislation
pour que le negationnisme soit condamne penalement”, avait-il ajoute.

La diaspora armenienne en France, forte de 500.000 personnes, est un
enjeu electoral avant l’election presidentielle de 2012.

Emile Picy

Par Reuters

From: A. Papazian

ELMAR MAMMADYAROV: IT IS IMPORTANT NOT ONLY TO CONTINUE THE NEGOTIATIONS, BUT ALSO THE INTENSIFICATION OF CONTACTS

APA
Dec 7 2011
Azerbaijan

Negotiations with Russia on the Gabala Radiolocation Station is
conducting quite intensively

Vilnius. Victoria Dementieva-APA. APA’s interview with the Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov:

– Mr. Minister, how the changing of co-chair of the OSCE Minsk can
effect dynamics of the negotiation process, and in generally can
it effect?

– It’s hard to say how will impact on the dynamics. This is a
traditional change, it is impossible to keep the same persons as
negotiators. French co-chairman quits after nearly seven years as
co-chair. Therefore, in this case, the question here is how they
represent the country?. In any case, three countries – Russia, U.S.,
France are permanent members of UN Security Council, responsible for
the maintenance of peace and security in the world, they are probably
the most important countries, which should promote peace and security
at the borders.

– Some experts say that the elections to be held in Azerbaijan
and Armenia in the next 2 years may have a negative impact on the
dynamics of negotiations to resolve the conflict. In your opinion,
there is a chance?

– For the sake of objectivness we must recognize that elections usually
draw their different approaches to, and not the brakes negotiations. In
the world there is a practice that elections do not affect the fact
that intensively promote the negotiation process. But this does not
preclude another question. You know, there are now initiatives to
strengthen confidence-building measures between the parties, the
communication between the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities,
whether in Karabakh, whether in Armenia or Azerbaijan.

Let visit, travel, socialize. Again, it is impossible to close the
country, it is impossible to take and”close.” Therefore, in this
case, I think it is important not only to continue the negotiations,
but also the intensification of contacts.

– Today in the OSCE Ministerial Council, Armenian Foreign Minister
stated that Azerbaijan impedes the mechanism of the investigation of
incidents of violation of the cease-fire on the frontline. How You
can comment on it?

– How can Azerbaijan impede, if a statement today, the heads of
delegations of the OSCE Minsk Group and the ministers of Azerbaijan
and Armenia say that we have agreed to make further efforts to work
out the details of these mechanisms? Statement has already been
accepted in Sochi at the presidential level that seeks to investigate
the incidents. Another thing is, we first need to clarify that the
mechanisms that such an incident. Because everything depends not only
on the foreign ministers, with all due respect to my colleague here
is very large military factor. Because it’s not the line of contact,
but a real “fontline”, the front, where people shoot, always go to the
shooting, dying people die, including the death of not only soldiers,
but from our side and the civilian population. Therefore, other than
a populist statement that can not name.

– In the near future is expected to sign an agreement to extend the
lease the Gabala radar station? When it we be signed?

– In accordance with the contract, the time to renew the lease as
long as there is, and talks are quite intensively. I do not know,
on what result we will, in principle, but negotiations with the
Russians conducting.

From: A. Papazian