Author: Andres-Papazian

IGOR MURADYAN: “NAGORNO KARABAKH ISSUE DOESN’T BELONG TO PRIORITY DIRECTIONS OF NATO ACTIVITIES”

Times.am

Dec 6 2010
Armenia

The most dangerous challenges of the world politics and the crisis of
world economics became the ground for the crisis in global security
system, which has been changed and audited for the last years.

Despite of all initiatives and announcements, two more important
institutes such as NATO and OSCE, now are in a deep crisis and Western
leaders try to cancel the collapse or to offer the reformation of
those systems. Igor Muradyan, the politician expressed such an opinion
while talking with the “Times.am-Armenian news” reporter.

According to the politician Russia wants to keep the stability in the
world security system as well, as Russia starts to be demanded from
the Western counterparts more and more, so it would like not to lose
its role in UN and OSCE.

“The great European “trio”, France, Germany and Russia now need to
form a new matrix in the global security system as the USA tries to
offer a new structure of security which is against the interests of
the most European and Asian countries,” Muradyan considers.

“Eurasian community couldn’t leave the recent problems without any
response. Among them are also the regional problems and the community
expressed its attitude by accepting the new doctrine of NATO. The
position in the doctrine is first addressed to Russia as usual and
this is the main geopolitical ground of discussing the regional
conflicts. The presence of this position in the doctrine has its
prologue and supposes certain process of discussing the issues and
accepting the decisions.

And at the same time if we want to clear up the meaning and the aims
of the positions on regional problems we must examine not only the text
which is already accepted but also the process of the discussions. One
can be absolutely sure NATO deals with such questions really very
carefully as it realizes which challenges there are now and which can
be in the future. Now not Europeans or Americans are interested in
solving these problems. So there is a fundamental fact: according to
the new Doctrine: Karabakh conflict as other regional issues doesn’t
belong to the priority direction of the alliance,” said Mr. Muradyan.

According to the politician the OSCE crisis is deeper and multilateral
then NATO crisis. “We can say OSCE doesn’t exist any more and all the
world giants including the USA, Europe and Russia aren’t interested in
existence the OSCE or would like to make serious reforms in the system.

If NATO has solidarity in certain issues of world politics, OSCE is
becoming a structure just for intrigues, announcements which touch
the interests of this or that country and all this in the negative
meaning. The OSCE and the UN have become obstacles for the USA to
accept the legitimate decisions on international level, which would
make American foreign policy more effective.

Europeans and Russians tried to revive OSCE before and to use it
for claiming on their positions in the international policy but now
Europe and Russia realize the passivity of this structure can become
dangerous for many directions of the policy. So OSCE isn’t able to
offer anything in solving regional issues and settling the conflicts,”
said the politician.

But Karabakh problem and other analogical problems will be examined
in the frame of the OSCE and NATO in Europe, and the latter will try
to do everything to escape the restarting of the military actions
and leaving the situation out of the control.

“Now OSCE and NATO have a problem to offer the sides of conflict to
continue the negotiations and the settlement process, at the same time
they realize all this negotiating process will be just an imitation.”

“Note Turkey is more ambitious country in the international area
and this makes the role of the OSCE and NATO lower in South Caucasus
conflicts and also in other regions. It is noticeable many countries
will act in the way not to disturb Turkish interests in that region,
including the question whether to restart the military actions or
to keep the stability. This became the result of long passivity of
Western community and Russian games with Turkey. All of this is also
explained by the crisis of global security system,” Igor Muradyan told
“Times.am-Armenian news” information agency.

From: A. Papazian

ICR HEAD OFFERS BAKU BLITZKRIEG IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH

news.am
Dec 6 2010
Armenia

A war is inevitable in Nagorno-Karabakh, Heydar Jamal, Chairman of
the Islamic Committee of Russia (ICR), stated in an interview with
Day.az, commenting on the OSCE Summit in Astana.

“The Summit shows the public at large, which is unaware and waiting for
miracles. A war is inevitable in the South Caucasus. And no mediators
are proposing any other game,” Jamal said.

According to him, the United States, without discrediting itself, is
“rubbing its hands” in expectation of war. “By observing in silence,
the U.S. is only leading all the side to the stalemate of general
confrontation. In its turn, Europe, for which such a scenario is
tantamount to death, cannot do anything. Its political potential is
small as never before,” Jamal said.

As regards prospects for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
in 2011, he said that “big politics has no right to waste time,
one more year, because the crisis is not over yet.”

“I think that Baku’s present-day policy may mean most serious
preparations for a conflict to resolve it with one blow, staking
the nation’s future. I am sure the international community will
be observing the conflict, without interfering. Our task is to do
everything quickly, without allowing the international imperialist
forces on Armenia’s side to interfere. The problem must be resolved
for the world to be faced with accomplished fact. It is inevitable,”
Jamal said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN GANGS LINKED TO FATAL SHOOTING
Posted by: Tony Spearman

My Fox Los Angeles

Dec 6 2010

Valley Glen – A dispute between Armenian gang members may have led
to an early morning shooting in a fast-food restaurant parking lot
on Victory Boulevard that caused the death of one man and injured
extremities of another, a police sergeant said.

Witnesses said shortly after 2 a.m. four men in separate cars screamed
at each other, Sgt. Michael Kammert said. The witnesses called police,
and when officers arrived they found one victim with a gunshot wound
to the chest and one victim with gunshot wounds to the right arm,
left leg and left foot, he said.

The victims were transported to Holy Cross Hospital where the man in
his 30s with the chest wound died, Kammert said. The other victim,
believed in his 20s, was treated for his wounds.

The suspects are described as two to four men who fled westbound on
Victory Boulevard in a blue sedan, he said.

As of 4:40 a.m. the parking lot was a crime scene, and was expected
to remain one for several more hours, Kammert said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES AGAINST DEMOCRACY

news.am
Dec 6 2010
Armenia

The activities of the Monitoring Commission on the March 1-2 2008
events are evidence that the authorities go on violating fundamental
human rights and act against democracy, Artsvik Minasyan, an MP of
the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D), stated
in Parliament, commenting on the report prepared by the Parliamentary
Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs.

“We have a report which cannot be described as anything but glossed
over,” he said.

“What has been done during this period? Nothing but a number of
technical points. The report contains mere formal answers to the
questions. Your monitoring and reforms are anti-democratic and
anti-social,” Minasyan said. “If you plans to implement the PACE
resolution this way, it should be noted that you will succeed in
doing the opposite – acting against democratic values. By and large,
respecting the Constitution has not become a tradition in our country.

Moreover, your actions show your disrespect for the fundamental law,”
he said.

The implementation of the parliamentary commission’s proposals
proves that “our country goes on violating elementary human rights
and follows the way opposite democracy.”

Minasyan proposed forming an independent commission to study the
situation after March 1-2 and offer the way out.

From: A. Papazian

TURKEY MAY CONTRIBUTE TO SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT, TURKISH EXPERT SAYS

news.am
Dec 6 2010
Armenia

Turkey could exert its influence to settle Nagorno-Karabakh, Hasan
Koni, an expert on Turkish foreign policy from Galatasaray University,
said, Today’s Zaman reports.

Turkish foreign policy is now designed in a way that is set to
compromise on a wide range of issues to achieve a breakthrough,
which could be true for the Cyprus problem, the Kurdish issue and
Nagorno-Karabakh.

He argued that the OSCE Minsk Group had been established to keep the
leaders of the two sides talking, using delaying tactics [to prevent
any outbreak of war]. “I have ‘wrestled with France’ as I was an
adviser to a [foreign minister] in the mid-1990s when the EU member
state worked assiduously to stop the peace process between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, through the use of the alleged Armenian genocide issue,”
he said. The primary goal of France, Koni said, is to block Turkey’s
route to Central Asian energy resources and prevent better ties with
Turkic countries.

Koni alleged that Russia has many military bases in Nagorno-Karabakh
that help it command an extensive area in the Caucasus region. The
country has also been a historical and long-established ally of
Armenia. Koni also said the Armenian lobby in the US makes this
country antagonistic to Turkey and Azerbaijan on the Armenian issue.

“These are the co-chairs of the Minsk Group. A complete ‘delaying’
tactic,” Koni said.

Drawing a pessimistic and bleak picture, Koni said as a member of
the OSCE Minsk Group there is less that Turkey can do because Turkey
is now in a position that allows it to step back with regard to many
issues that it is involved in to reach a deal rather than moving on
the offensive.

Talks over the status of Nagorno-Karabakh are very analogous to the
Middle East peace process between Israel and Palestine in terms of
the methods used to keep the sides talking. Russia is continually
rewarding Armenia to make it stay at the negotiating table and push
the Azerbaijani side to keep talking as a way to prevent Azerbaijan
from resuming the war against Armenia.

Azerbaijan, as a result, is trying to persuade the international
community that the conflict poses an imminent danger to security in
the region, including vulnerable energy routes, Koni said.

From: A. Papazian

FUTURE IS OPEN NGO TO IMPLEMENT CHARITY PROGRAMS FOR ORPHANS

news.am
Dec 6 2010
Armenia

The “Future is Open” educational NGO () has been implementing
educational projects for children from orphanages, special schools and
needy families for more than 6 years. During the last week of every
year, within the action “Santa Claus Visits Everybody”, we organize
New Year refreshments and visits for children from orphanages,
special schools and needy families living in Yerevan and regions.

In its press release, the organization particularly says:

“Christmas holidays are approaching, when we all gather with our
relatives and friends to celebrate the New Year, when children are
waiting for Santa’s gifts…

“But do you know there are children, whom Santa Claus doesn’t visit?

Children, who don’t know what is family warmth. Kids, for whom the
New Year has no miracles…

Do you want to help make the Christmas fairy tale a reality for these
children? Do you want to feel that somewhere there are children,
who had a miracle in their lives thanks to you? You too can help
these children. And together we can do everything.

“As every year, the process of the New Year actions will be implemented
transparently and be accessible for all supporters. A report will be
placed in our website () after the events.”

From: A. Papazian

THANK YOU FROM THE UTAH STATESMAN

The Statesman

Dec 6 2010
Utah

As the semester quickly comes to a close, and we look back at the news
and happenings of the past few months, we feel several organizations
deserve a few pats on the back for the work they have accomplished
over the last few months.

Aggie Shuttle is one organization that has heard our complaints and
is making a change. Aggie Shuttle is adding two new buses to bus
routes, during peak hours, due to a high demand of students during
these freezing winter months in Logan. Aggie Shuttle has listened
and understand that students experience these bus issues on a daily
basis and can recognize the problems better than someone who sits
behind a desk.

Transportation and parking is already difficult enough on campus
without the hassle of fighting a crowded bus on your way to class. By
adding these two buses during peak times, they are making our
transportation experience much more pleasant and enjoyable on campus.

Another big pat on the back goes to the Armenian Student
Association. This organization here on campus has been working on
more than 20 different humanitarian service projects for the community
and throughout the world.

Also, last summer, 12 of their members went to the Zatik Orphanage in
Armenia to do service along with several other service-oriented clubs
from schools all across the nation. The Armenia Student Association
is one organization that has not just sat along the sidelines but
has diligently worked hard to give something a little better to
individuals living in Armenia.

The Student Nutrition Access Center (SNAC), also has been working
hard to give students a better college experience as an on-campus
food pantry. The food comes to the pantry through donations and is
free for students with a student ID. We find it impressive that no
information regarding income is needed to receive food. If students
are hungry, they have the opportunity to be fed, for free. Thank you,
SNAC, for endeavoring to keep us students well-fed.

Facilities, also has been working hard this past semester. We have
complained about the construction around campus before, but we can
now enter the TSC, the patio looks great and we do appreciate all the
hard work you have done to keep our campus in tip-top shape. We may
be whiners at times, but we do recognize all the hard work you have
done for our campus.

To everyone who has been at work this semester bettering their school,
their communities both local and global, and even themselves – keep
working at it, it does make a difference.

From: A. Papazian

GEORGIAN COMPANY EXPECTS AZERBAIJAN TO PROVIDE CODE FOR CALLS TO NAGORNO KARABAKH
Trend E.Tariverdiyeva

Trend
Dec 6 2010
Azerbaijan

The Georgian SilkNet telephone company hopes Azerbaijan will provide
an area code for making international calls to Nagorno Karabakh,
the company reported.

Currently, the company’s branch in Gardabani notes that subscribers
should use Armenia’s +3744/9 code to make calls to Nagorno Karabakh.

SilkNet carries out international calls via the Deutsche Telecom,
Tata Communications Limited, OTE International Solutions SA, and LANK
Telecom operators, the company reported.

The use of the Armenian code is linked with contracts signed with
international operators.

“We hope that the Azerbaijani authorities will provide operators
with a code to make calls to Nagorno Karabakh, and this issue will
be corrected by operators,” the company said.

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 seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the United
States – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding
regions.

From: A. Papazian

SHAKARYAN DIDN’T EXCLUDE “ZURICH-2”

Panorama
Dec 6 2010
Armenia

The Turks are disappointed from Azerbaijan which is connected to
WikiLeaks discoveries, expert Artak Shakaryan told reporters today.

But according to him the Turkish side describes those events as
“domestic affairs” and hopes that they will be soon forgotten.

Expert said Turks link the normalization of Armenian-Turkish ties
with Armenian-Azerbaijani ties, but at the same time acknowledge that
Aliyev doesn’t want to normalize Armenian-Azerbaijani ties.

Shakaryan said Turkish Parliamentary elections in 2011 may have deep
impact on Armenian-Turkish ties.

Expert didn’t exclude that “Zurich-2” may happen – Armenian-Turkish
protocols may be recovered.

From: A. Papazian

TURKISH AUTHORITIES TO MAKE ANOTHER SHOW OF OPENING OF SURB GIRAGOS CHURCH, EXPERT SAYS

news.am
Dec 6 2010
Armenia

Turkish authorities will again make a show of the opening of Surb
Giragos church in Diyarbakir next year as they did in Surb Khach
(Saint Cross) Church on Akhtamar Island, on September 19, expert in
Turkic studies Artak Shakaryan told the reporters on December 6.

“Another show will be staged. The opening of the church will be
covered by the mainstream media, particularly due to the fact that
the holy place had turned into a gathering place for drug addicts
several years ago. Certainly, after reopening the church will become
a sacred music concert hall. However, the fact an Armenian church is
being repaired is positive,” he said.

Referring to the liturgy in Surb Khach Church, Shakaryan stressed
Armenia should have sent a group of 30-50 historians and analysts,
speaking fluent English to participate in Turkish TV programs and
present the Armenian side’s standpoints.

“Certainly, the presence of Armenian Prime Minister or Culture
Minister would have been unnecessary. However, if Turks organize a
show, Armenians should also attend it. If you are out of the game,
rules are against you,” Shakaryan emphasized.

From: A. Papazian