Author: Andres-Papazian

HERITAGE: PM’S STATEMENT BODING ILL FOR RPA RIVALS UNACCEPTABLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
October 28, 2011 – 14:01 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Heritage opposition party’s parliamentary group
leader said Armenian Prime Minister’s statement, suggesting that
those who refuse to cooperate with the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) will be back to square one, is unacceptable.

According to Stepan Safaryan, the statement is simply a saying “those
who aren’t with us, are against us” upgraded into “those who aren’t
with us are not getting cushy positions.”

Earlier, Armenian Prime Minister commented on rumored conflict between
the ruling RPA and Prosperous Armenia party. “Those who cooperate with
us will only gain by it; those who refuse, will be back to square one,”
Tigran Sargsyan said.

The PM characterized RPA as the axis that the other coalition partners
spin around, the position that the party aims to develop further. “The
coalition memorandum signed in February consolidated the view above.

Coalition parties will unite around president Serzh Sargsyan, without
attempting to strengthen their own positions through their partners,”
the PM said.

“Rumor-mongers are grossly mistaken about our possibilities. Today, RPA
is the strongest political force in Armenia, capable of retaining and
strengthening its position. However, we’re always open to cooperation
with other political forces,” the Prime Minister noted.

According to PM spokesman Aram Ananyan, an attempt was made to distort
the meaning of PM’s statement, insinuating that it was addressed to
RPA coalition partners. As Ananyan noted earlier, “the statement was
meant for forces that use political struggle to pursue their personal
goals rather than promote the country’s development. The statement
does not refer to Prosperous Armenia, our coalition partner, which
renders the rumours to the opposite rather absurd.”

From: A. Papazian

THE CONVERSATION WITH THE TURKISH PRESIDENT WAS NOT A MEDIATING ATTEMPT, RUSSIAN MFA REPRESENTATIVE SAYS

armradio.am
28.10.2011 16:17

The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affair advices not to view the phone
conversation of the Armenian and Russian Presidents with their Turkish
counterpart as an attempt to mediate between Armenia and Turkey.

During the state visit of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to Russia,
the Presidents of Armenia and Russia called President Gul of Turkey
to extend condolences on the devastating earthquake that rocked the
country Sunday.

Asked whether it was attempt by Russia to act as mediator in the
process of normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey,
official representative of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Alexander Lukashevich noted that during the phone conversation
Presidents Medvedev and Sargsyan offered condolences on the devastating
natural disaster and offered their support to the Turkish nation in
the current difficult period.

“I would not view this in the context of mediation in the normalization
of relations between Armenia and Turkey.”

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA ATTACHES GREAT IMPORTANCE TO DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSPORT CORRIDORS: PRESIDENT

/ARKA/
October 28, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, October 28. / ARKA /. Armenia attaches great importance to the
development of transport corridors, particularly of railway corridors,
president Serzh Sargsyan said in a message to the participants of
the 55th meeting of the CIS Rail Transport Council, hosted by Yerevan.

“Armenia attaches great importance to railway transport. We call for
cooperation in the development of railway communication, because free
and constructive collaboration brings people together, promotes their
welfare,” Sargsyan’s message says, in part.

“Armenia is situated at the crossroads of major transport corridors
linking the north with south and east with west, and in this sense,
it has great transport development potential. Our geopolitical location
and our policy designed for this sector make us ambitious in planning
relevant projects and that is why we are pleased with the productive
performance of the South Caucasus Railways for further development
of the railway system of Armenia,” the message says.

The CIS Railway Transport Council was established in 1992 for
coordination of rail transport at the international level and to
develop operation principles.

Council members are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan,
Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine. Associate members are Bulgaria, Georgia, Latvia and Finland.

Lithuania and Estonia also take part in the Council’s work.

The International Confederation of Railways Trade Unions and Transport
Construction has the observer status in the Council. Armenian
Railways was handed over to the South Caucasus Railways on February
13, 2008 for 30-year concession management with a right to prolong
the management term for other 10 years.

From: A. Papazian

TAX BURDEN TO FALL ON ARMENIA’S SMBS – MP

Tert.am
28.10.11

It is obvious that the 2012 budget is to be a budget of elections
and legalization of election bribes, Styepa Safaryan, Chairman of
the Heritage parliamentary group told journalists Oct. 28, as he
responded to a question concerning the plans to increase budget
revenues by AMD 101bn due to taxes.

The plans to resolving different problems by “laughing and clinking
glasses” is evidence that the government I well aware it cannot
deceive the people in the pre-election year and had to make certain
steps. “May be, their aim was to address a message to potential
opponents or disobeying businessmen. The concern, however, is that
it is small and medium businesses that will suffer. They are not
only unprotected amid crises, but are also pressured. Even little
children understand that this tax burden will fall on small and medium
businesses,” Safaryan said. The Establishment is now exerting efforts
to “retain power and reproduce,” he said.

As to whether by “disobeying businessmen” he means Chairman of the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik Tsarukyan, Safaryan said that
this phrase may apply to him as well – but not only to him. “I do not
see any addressees now. Gargik Tsarukyan is not the main target now,
but the ones not beside the authorities,” the MP said.

As regards Armenian Premier Tigran Sargsyan’s statement that the forces
cooperating with the authorities will benefit, but the ones refusing to
will be left with nothing, Safaryan said that “he may have meant that
the ones that are not beside them are not beside the ‘feeding-trough’.”

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA BEATS AZERBAIJAN IN YOUTH CHESS OLYMPIAD 2.5:1.5

news.am
Oct 27 2011
Armenia

ANKARA. – In the sixth round of the World Youth Chess Olympiad in
Turkey Armenia~Rs National team won Azerbaijan~Rs team with a score
of 2.5:1.5 and defended its leading position.

Armen Martirosyan was the only one to win a match on the fourth board.

Karen Grigoryan, Hovhannes Gabuzyan and Tigran Harutyunyan ended
their matches in a draw.

From: A. Papazian

CAN TURKEY REALLY DO WITHOUT THE EUROPEAN CONNECTION?

news.az
Oct 27 2011
Azerbaijan

News.Az interviews Emiliano Alessandri, Transatlantic Fellow, the
German Marshall Fund of the United States.

How successful may Turkey be as an Islamic leader in the Middle
East region?

With its dynamic economy, democratizing and fast developing society,
and its Islamic culture, Turkey can be a source of inspiration for
Arab countries in transition in the Middle East. But the “Turkish
model” is still in the making – the approval of a new, fully civilian
Turkish Constitution will be a key test for this model to emerge – and
may be a confusing concept. What do we mean by Turkish model exactly?

Do we mean the “New Turkey” that emerged under the last three AKP
governments? Or do we mean the longer experience of managed democracy
and westernization under the Kemalist elites? And can we truly talk
about a Turkish model when one of Turkey’s greatest challenges – the
solution of the Kurdish question – remains so conspicuously unsolved?

>From a geopolitical standpoint, Turkey seems destined to become a
more prominent Middle Eastern actor. But Ankara will face no small
challenge, including competition with Iran and post-Mubarak Egypt
for regional leadership.

How would you comment on the view that EU membership is no longer a
priority for Turkey?

The EU is clearly not Ankara’s priority at the moment. To the extent
that this is a response to the EU’s own reluctance to move the
accession process forward this is understandable. Ankara has also the
unquestionably urgent need to deal with the various crises in its
southern neighbourhood. But on the view that fading interest in EU
membership is due to the increasingly fashionable view in Ankara that
“the New Turkey doesn’t need the EU anymore”, there is reason to pause:
can Turkey really do without the European connection? Is the Turkish
economy really so strong that it can do without the common European
market and the assurance of continuing foreign direct investment from
main European countries? Hasn’t Turkey historically always benefited
from its balancing act between integration with Europe and projection
in its eastern and southern neighbourhoods? The various projections
should be developed together and in a coherent way. There are a lot
of risks in developing one at the expense of the others.

What are the main problems and fears in European perceptions of Turkey?

Many Europeans have an anti-Muslim prejudice and bias. Xenophobic
and anti-Muslim parties in the EU have often presented Turkey as
the spokesperson of Muslim communities in Europe, or as the Trojan
horse for the Islamization of Europe. In Italy, the decision to ban
the construction of mosques in certain regions was presented by some
as a “victory against Turkey”. Many Europeans ignore the fact that
Turkey is a secular country with republican institutions. Turkey is
also seen as a poor society instead of a fast developing one. Many
fear an invasion of Turkish immigrants and don’t know that over the
years Turkey has become a country of immigration as well as emigration.

How serious is the current crisis between Turkey and Israel?

It is very serious and there is some truth in the view that nothing
will be the same anymore between the two countries. At the same time,
both countries realize that in the very unstable strategic environment
of the Middle East, there is no need for yet another crisis, let alone
a new conflict. Cooperation may be out of the question for some time,
but a process of rapprochement is in the interest of both. The sooner
the two parties realize this, the better.

How soon can Turkey and Armenia improve their relations and what does
this depend on?

The initiatives pursued in recent years have lost steam and
normalization of relations has not been attained. Aside from the
issue of the protocols to be ratified, the two countries should
start a dialogue based on a common view of their future, rather than
focused exclusively on their difficult past. Although Armenia has some
responsibility for the lack of progress, much will depend on Turkey’s
position. As a larger, dynamic country that prides itself on being
an “emerging power”, Turkey has to take the initiative again. The
fact that past efforts have not fully succeeded should not be used
as justification for inaction. Turkey will never be a “leader” if
it fails to solve long-standing problems that date back to its very
origins as a nation state after the fall of the Ottoman Empire”.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS PROPOSE CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES FOR KARABAKH SETTLEMENT

Interfax
Oct 26 2011
Russia

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group proposed a number of confidence
building measures between Azerbaijan and Armenia during their recent
visit to Baku, Yerevan, and Nagorno-Karabakh, the co-chairs said in
a statement published on the OSCE website.

“The Co-Chairs stressed to the sides the need to improve significantly
the atmosphere of negotiations, increase trust, and strengthen
implementation of the ceasefire to allow further progress toward
reaching a peaceful settlement,” the statement says.

“The sides agreed in principle on the draft mechanism to investigate
incidents along the front lines that the Co-Chairs proposed in April,
and which Presidents Aliyev, Sargsian, and Medvedev agreed to pursue
in their March joint statement in Sochi,” it says.

“To discuss the necessity of preparing the populations for a just,
lasting, and peaceful settlement,” the co-chairs also met with the
two countries’ religious leaders.

“On October 22, the Co-Chairs crossed the Line of Contact by foot for
the fourth time in the past fourteen months. This crossing highlighted
again that the Line is not a permanent barrier between neighboring
peoples, and demonstrated that military coordination is possible when
all the sides are willing,” it says.

The co-chairs also said they would return to the conflict area in
late November to continue their efforts “to pave the way for future
meetings between the sides,” it says.

From: A. Papazian

FOREIGN POLICY JOURNAL: SINCE DECLARING INDEPENDENCE IN 1991 ARTSAKH HAS ESTABLISHED ITSELF AS A FREE AND DEMOCRATIC STATE

Panorama
Oct 27 2011
Armenia

“The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has never been a territorial dispute
between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as Baku often tries to portray it
by abusing the text and interpretation of four relevant UN Security
Council resolutions of 1993. In reality, a legal essence of the
confrontation lays in the internationally recognized fundamental
principle of equality of peoples and the right to freedom and
self-determination,” says the American analytical online publication
Foreign Policy Journal in the article entitled “Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic: The First 20 Years of de-facto Independence.”

According to the article, the peaceful appeal of Nagorno-Karabakh to
the Soviet Government on reunification with Armenia, and declaration
of independence in 1991 set the example of a people’s attempt to enjoy
their right to self-determination, and to master their own destiny.

Azerbaijan responded with a large-scale military aggression against the
people of Nagorno-Karabakh, with the support of Afghan mujahideens and
other forces linked to various international terrorist organizations,
which also fought against ethnic Armenians.

Ultimately, Baku and its certain supporters failed to conquer Artsakh,
and had to ask for a cease-fire, which was co-signed by Azerbaijan,
Armenia and NKR in May, 1994. Later, the co-chairs to the OSCE
Minsk Group repeatedly evidenced the violation of the cease-fire by
Azerbaijan, it noted in the publication of Foreign Policy Journal. For
instance, Russia’s envoy to the Group from 1992 to 1996, Vladimir
Kazimirov has many times stated that revanchist Azerbaijan had always
been responsible for violating the UN resolutions and undermining
international peacemaking efforts.

The bottom-line is, writes the Foreign Policy Journal, that the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic’s independence has nothing to do with
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan – the legal predecessor
of the only independent Azerbaijani Republic of 1918-1920, which
never included Nagorno Karabakh. “For those who reject to accept
the regional realities and existence of the sovereign Artsakh, the
international community has repeatedly reaffirmed its vision of the
Karabakh settlement, which has to be based on the three main and equal
principles of the international law: right for self-determination of
peoples, territorial integrity of states, and non use and non threat
of use of force,” says the publication.

However, Artsakh survived and since declaring independence in 1991,
the NKR has established itself as a free and democratic state with
effective democratic governance, active civil society and developing
market economy, it is noted in the article. “Thus, during the last
decade, Artsakh, being deprived of international financial assistance
except for the annual humanitarian assistance by U.S. Congress, proved
to be able to restore from ruins its economy and infrastructure,”
says the Foreign Policy Journal at the end, adding that deepening of
the democratic values remains the essential task for the republic’s
authorities, which were elected through a voting monitored and assessed
by international observers as free, democratic and transparent.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA TO DELIVER 40 TONNES OF AID TO TURKEY

Panorama
Oct 27 2011
Armenia

Today Armenia has received official aid request from Turkey. Armenian
Ministry of Emergency Situations says Armenia will deliver 40 tonnes
of aid – tents, sleeping bags, blankets, beddings.

Further information about the time and place of the flight will
be reported.

From: A. Papazian

LHAM ALIYEV: OUR HOMELAND IS TURKEY

Panorama
Oct 27 2011
Armenia

“We implement this project in Turkey because Turkey is our homeland,”
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said about the Petkim Oil Refinery
which costs around USD 5 billion. The refinery will be put into
operation in Turkey in 2015.

Radio Liberty Azerbaijan quotes Ilham Aliyev as saying that for the
present Petkim is the largest investment project in Azerbaijan’s
history.

“So far, for 20 years, Azerbaijan had not implemented such an important
project requiring such financial resources,” Aliyev said.

Note that in 2008 the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR)
and the TURKAS Turkish company purchased 51 percent of the shares in
the oil and chemical plant belonging to the Petkim-Petrokimya Holding.

From: A. Papazian