Author: Andres-Papazian

Azerbaijan dismisses WikiLeaks documents about Aliyev’s remarks as ‘untrue’

16:54 – 30.11.10

In a statement released today Azerbaijan’s presidential administration
has dismissed the secret documents unveiled by WikiLeaks’ website, as
well as the comments and remarks ascribed to Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev as “untrue” and “groundless,” Azerbaijani news website
APA reports.

“These materials contain some views concerning Azerbaijani President’s
meeting with the US senior officials. In connection with this we state
that the views being claimed to belong to President of Azerbaijan
Republic Ilham Aliyev are not true and are groundless,” reads the
statement.

Further it says that those materials are open provocations meant to
damage Azerbaijan’s relations with neighboring countries.

“These materials are open provocation aiming to damage Azerbaijan’s
relations with the neighboring states, cause distrust among the heads
of states. President’s lexicon does not contain slang expressions,
sharp and emotional assessments posted on the website,” reads the
statement.

Azerbaijan Republic has never interfered in the domestic policy of the
neighboring states and has always pursued transparent policy serving
to maintain and develop friendly neighboring relations. In his
meetings and speeches Azerbaijani president has openly expressed views
arising from the national interests. The country’s foreign policy has
always been independent, firm, logical and frank.”

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Kardashian sisters want out of debit-card deal

15:51 – 30.11.10

The Kardashian sisters are seeking to cut ties with a venture that
sold prepaid debit cards under their name after coming under attack
for the card’s high fees. The card, which launched three weeks ago,
was aimed at young adults, the same group that watches the sisters’
hit cable TV show “Keeping Up With the Kardashians”, reports the
Associated Press.

An attorney for the sisters sent a letter Monday to parties affiliated
with the card asking them to immediately stop using the names and
images of the three sisters.

The notice came after Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal
warned on Friday that he would investigate the program to see if it
violated state laws to protect consumers. He called the card’s fees
“predatory.”

The Kardashians – Kim, Khloe and Kourtney – launched the card on Nov.
10, with much fanfare. The “Kardashian Kard” includes a picture of the
trio on one side, and the sisters said at the time of the launch they
were “excited … to create their very own financial product.”

But almost immediately the Kardashians came under attack by consumer
advocates for attaching their names to a card with fees that far
surpassed other prepaid debit cards on the market.

“The Kardashians have worked extremely long and hard to create a
positive public persona that appeals to everyone, particularly young
adults,” says the letter from Dennis Roach, legal counsel of Dash
Dolls LLC, which represents the three sisters. “Unfortunately, the
negative spotlight turned on the Kardashians.”

Just to buy the card and use it costs $59.95 for six months, or $99.95
for 12 months. That does not include any money on the card. The person
buying the card must add money onto it.

The initial feels were just the start. After those six or 12 months
are up, it costs $7.95 a month to keep using the card. Users have to
pay $1.50 to withdraw cash from an ATM, and $1 to check their balance.
Talking to a customer representative on the phone costs $1.50 for each
call, and canceling the card costs $6.

Losing the card results in a charge of $9.95. If the loss is reported
within two days, then losses are limited to $50. But if the loss or
theft is not reported, and the issuer believes the user knew it was
lost or stolen, then losses could be as high as $500, according to the
terms and conditions on the Kardashian Kard website.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Will Unemployed Deno Gold Workers be Forced Down Uranium Mines?

hetq
[ 2010/11/30 | 12:40 ]
ecology marzes

Local NGOs from Kapan expressed their serious anxiety with regard to
the intentions of Deno Gold Mining Company to proceed to open-cast
development of the Shahumyan gold-polymetallic mine.

`We deeply fear that the project to be immediately rejected by the
government, can be already agreed to by the Ministry of Energy and
Natural Resources,’ This is the thought expressed by Kapan-based `For
Esuring Ecological Safety and Developing Democracy’ NGO representative
Artur Ghazaryan during an interview with Ecolur. He outlined that a
part of Shahumyan mine is located in the territory of Kapan, Shahumyan
Region.

`Open cast development means explosions which will cover the town with
dust containing the whole range of toxic elements. Even rhenium and
zinc are sufficient to imagine what we are going to breathe. We can
already see what’s going on in Kajaran where dust emanting from
explosions at Kajaran mine developed by Zangezour Copper and
Molybdenum Combine covers the city,’ Ghazaryan said.

Open cast development project will lead to serious social problems.
According to the corporate plan, production will increase by several
times at open cast development and mine reserves will get exhausted in
five or six years. This means the company will quickly get its profit
and close down, while nearly 1000 employees currently employed at the
company will become unemployed.

Artur Ghazaryan doesn’t rule out that government may also have
concealed intentions.

`For example, after several years, to employ workers inuranium mines
which the government intends to develop in Syunik thus leaving people
without any other opportunity to earn their living,’ he said

Artur Ghazaryan also said about 50,000 trees are supposed to be cut
down in the project territory. These are orchards owned by Shahumyan
region residents who are currently evicted.

`EcoLur’ Informational NGO

From: A. Papazian

WikiLeaks:Aliyev believes Iran can do something against them

Aysor.am
Monday,November 29, 2010

In the documents of the US State Department published by the
`WikiLeaks’ still appear new disgraceful expressions left behind the
political veil and interpretations made by the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.

President Aliyev stated to the Ambassador that the USG and
international community’s policy towards Iran has “failed,” that Iran
is “confident, comfortable, and unconstrained,” that he “does not
understand USG policy on Iran” and, consequently, Azerbaijan’s policy
must be to “minimize potential risks” to Azerbaijan. Aliyev also said
that Iranian President Ahmadinejad has affirmed that he has “burned
his bridges” on the nuclear issue and warned Aliyev directly that Iran
will “attack from where it is attacked.” President Aliyev believes it
is “always possible Iran will do something against us.” President
Aliyev’s foreign policy advisor and the Foreign Minister have voiced
similar concerns; the Foreign Minister has again told the Ambassador
that Iran is planning various scenarios in response to heightened
tensions or military action, which the GOAJ believes will include a
provocation against Azerbaijani interests on the Caspian, where the
international legal framework remains unclear. A recent
anti-Azerbaijani editorial which appeared in the Iranian newspaper
Jomhouri Eslami (reported incorrectly in the Azerbaijani press as
having been written by Supreme Leader Khamenei) appears to be driving
much of the GOAJ’s concerns. In sum, the GOAJ at the most senior
levels has communicated to us in stark terms their concern about the
implications for Azerbaijani security of the current situation in
Iran, and their desire to better understand USG policy to address it –
and its implications. This will impact our ability to work with the
GOAJ on a range of issues; we need to address their concern.

From: A. Papazian

WikiLeaks: ‘Aliyev calls Erdogan’s foreign policy a ‘naivety’

Aysor.am
Monday,November 29, 2010

In the documents of the US State Department published by the
`WikiLeaks’ still appear new disgraceful expressions left behind the
political veil and interpretations made by the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.

Unprompted by U/S Burns, Aliyev spelled out the reasons Azerbaijan
decided to sell gas to Russia last year, noting that “”Moscow had
asked” and offered a good price for gas that was surplus anyway. But
the real reason, Aliyev confided, was that the sale illustrated to
“our Turkish friends” that they will not be allowed to create a gas
distribution hub. “Aliyev made clear his distaste for the Erdogan
government in Turkey, underscoring the “naivete” of their foreign
policy and the failure of their initiatives, including the loss of
support for Turkey among traditional international friends because of
Ankara,s hostility to Israel. He noted that in his view, there had
never been any merit to the notion of a “moderate Islamist” government
in Turkey, and that Erdogan,s insistence on promoting Hamas and Gaza)
when other Arab countries were notably silent on these issues) had
brought Turkey no benefits.

From: A. Papazian

‘Aliyev calls Erdogan’s foreign policy a ‘naivety’

Aysor.am
Monday,November 29, 2010

In the documents of the US State Department published by the
`WikiLeaks’ still appear new disgraceful expressions left behind the
political veil and interpretations made by the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.

Unprompted by U/S Burns, Aliyev spelled out the reasons Azerbaijan
decided to sell gas to Russia last year, noting that “”Moscow had
asked” and offered a good price for gas that was surplus anyway. But
the real reason, Aliyev confided, was that the sale illustrated to
“our Turkish friends” that they will not be allowed to create a gas
distribution hub. “Aliyev made clear his distaste for the Erdogan
government in Turkey, underscoring the “naivete” of their foreign
policy and the failure of their initiatives, including the loss of
support for Turkey among traditional international friends because of
Ankara,s hostility to Israel. He noted that in his view, there had
never been any merit to the notion of a “moderate Islamist” government
in Turkey, and that Erdogan,s insistence on promoting Hamas and Gaza)
when other Arab countries were notably silent on these issues) had
brought Turkey no benefits.

From: A. Papazian

WikiLeaks: `Aliyev told that elections in Iran were falsified’

Aysor.am
Monday,November 29, 2010

In the documents of the US State Department published by the
`WikiLeaks’ still appear new disgraceful expressions left behind the
political veil and interpretations made by the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.

The President added that Azerbaijan will not reciprocate on the
liberalization of the visa regime with Iran. He also noted that
Azerbaijan is planning to create a TV channel in Persian that will
broadcast into Iran. He said that he did not understand why the
Supreme Religious Leader chose Ahmadinejad over former President
Moussavi. He joked that perhaps it was too dangerous to have two
ethnic Azeris at the head of the Iranian state. He said that the
election fraud was outrageous, with Ahmadinejad winning in
Azeri-dominated Tabriz and Moussavi winning in Tehran, where it was
harder to falsify the vote. He viewed the situation as very tense
within Iran and believed it could erupt at any time.

From: A. Papazian

WikiLeaks. `For Aliyev Iran is a provocator’

Aysor.am
Monday,November 29, 2010

In the documents of the US State Department published by the
`WikiLeaks’ still appear new disgraceful expressions left behind the
political veil and interpretations made by the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.

Aliyev said that Iranian provocations in Azerbaijan were on the rise.
He specifically cited not only the financing of radical Islamic groups
and Hezbollah terrorists, but also: the Iranian financing of violent
Ashura ceremonies in Nakhchivan, the organization of demonstrations in
front of the Azeri consulates in Tabriz and Istanbul, a violent
religious procession recently in Baku, the use of the President’s
photo alongside the Star of David on the Azeri-language Seher TV
broadcast into Azerbaijan, and conflict in the Caspian.

From: A. Papazian

WikiLeaks:Aliev:Many officials don’t recognize Medvedev as leader

Aysor.am
Monday,November 29, 2010

In the documents of the US State Department published by the
`WikiLeaks’ still appear new disgraceful expressions left behind the
political veil and interpretations made by the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.

Aliyev said that he considers Medvedev “a modern, new-generation
intellectual,” surrounded by people whom he does not control. He said
that he has personally witnessed Medvedev taking decisions that then
required further approval before they were implemented, referring
specifically to a border demarcation agreement that he had agreed with
Medvedev only to have it stymied by “others,” presumably in the prime
ministerial office. He added, “Many high-ranking officials don’t
recognize (Medvedev) as a leader.” He said that there are signs of a
strong confrontation between the teams of the two men, although not
yet between Putin and Medvedev personally. “We have a saying in Azeri,
‘Two heads cannot be boiled in one pot'” (crude street slang
suggesting that two leaders are spoiling for a fight).

From: A. Papazian

WikiLeaks: `Aliyev supported Iran’s economic isolation

Aysor.am
Monday,November 29, 2010

‘In the documents of the US State Department published by the
`WikiLeaks’ still appear new disgraceful expressions left behind the
political veil and interpretations made by the Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliev.

On Iran, President Aliyev said he supported economic isolation and
believed it could be effective if enforced by a broad coalition. He
complained about Iranian security provocations. On a proposed
battalion-sized Afghanistan contribution, Aliyev said that he would
support sending a team to Georgia to observe the training being
provided by EUCOM to Georgian troops headed for Afghanistan. On energy
cooperation, President Aliyev said that if the Turks demonstrate
“constructive behavior” this year that a gas transit deal can happen.
Finally, on the jailed youth activists, though he made no firm
commitments regarding their release, he said, “I think (a pardon or
amnesty) can be done. I had no intention to hurt anyone.”

From: A. Papazian