Author: Andres-Papazian

One must always be ready for a trick from Baku
Azerbaijan has calculated that if Turkey is chairman of the General
Assembly of the UN, the resolution can be easily passed.

In the UN happened what was to happen: reluctant to look more
ridiculous in the eyes of the world community, Azerbaijan called back
her notorious resolution. Hardly can she have done it voluntarily,
because of the current geopolitical realities. To Ilham Aliyev’s
credit it must be said that he endured rather long, but finally
realized that he, his oil and gas will not outweigh the common sense
and energy projects of multinational companies, although it often
happens the other way round.

September 10, 2010PanARMENIAN.Net – The latest visit of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs to the region is already a sign that Baku’s position
in the settlement of the conflict is rather shaky, and no one is any
more caught at the endless mentions of a military solution or the
already boring talks about the return of Azerbaijani refugees. Despite
the fact that the co-chairs were, as always, diplomatic in their
expressions, visiting Stepanakert through the contact line of NKR
Defense Army and Azerbaijani Armed Forces can also be considered
symbolic. If you distinguish all the gibberish from the Azerbaijani
side, it becomes clear that the mediators simply wanted to make sure
from which side and how the ceasefire regime is violated. Moreover,
both the OSCE Minsk Group and EU Special Representative for the South
Caucasus, Peter Semneby emphasized several times that all the refugees
are meant, including Armenians deported from Azerbaijan and from
Nagorno Karabakh.

But these are already details. The most important thing is that
Yerevan hastened to term withdrawal of the resolution as `victory of
Armenian diplomacy’. But it must be admitted that this is just a
temporary success, which, if not developed, will remain only a
`success’ and will give Baku a handle to introduce new resolutions.
But Baku has already missed her chance. Azerbaijan has calculated that
if Turkey is chairman of the General Assembly of the UN, the
resolution can be easily passed with her help, especially since the
project is supported by the countries of the Organization of Islamic
Conference (OIC), and, with some reservations, by the League of Arab
States (LAS). Things are much more complicated with LAS, because the
Arab world does not stand new Turkic-speaking and Iranian-speaking
organizations and therefore it would be naïve to speak of the
unconditional support to Azerbaijan, for example, by Egypt. Under the
current circumstances, the LAS would rather support Armenia, because
Yerevan poses no threat to Islam from the Arabic point of view.
President Mubarak, who in due time banned extremist groups like the
Muslim Brotherhood, did a good turn to Egypt and to the Arab world in
general. Saudi Arabia and the smaller emirates do not play an
essential role in the Middle East game and therefore it is right for
the LAS to be guided by the opinion of the OSCE Minsk Group. On a
large scale, even the Islamic countries do not need much to support
Azerbaijan, since most of them do not even know the place of
Azerbaijan on the map and that of Nagorno-Karabakh, all themore. All
this, however, does not mean that Armenia can relax until September
2011. One must always be ready for a trick from Baku, and if she
failed in the UN, she’ll try to carry the resolution to the OSCE, or
at worst to NATO. All these options are so hollow, that they are not
even worth discussing. Nevertheless, it is necessary to always be
ready. International community very easily changes its priorities, and
if the interests of today require the support of one of the
conflicting parties, tomorrow everything may change upside down. We
must be prepared especially for that.

In any case the fact that the resolution was withdrawn is a positive
occurrence. Very little is left to wait; after the parliamentary
elections of November 7 Baku will not feel like dealing with Karabakh,
because opposition is getting stronger in Azerbaijan and the power of
the Aliyev clan is not strong enough not to be overthrown. Dispersal
of the opposition (and it is inevitable), bloody as always, will once
again prove that Azerbaijan has no place in the list of democratic
states. Quite like Turkey, but that is a separate topic.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan

From: A. Papazian

Another `Project of the Century’ by Aliyev-Saakashvili
The project AGRI will not work until the USA supports it.

Presidents of Georgia and Azerbaijan, following in the footsteps of
their predecessors Heydar Aliyev and Eduard Shevardnadze, once again
initiated a `project of the century’, this time a gas one. At the Baku
meeting the Presidents together with the Leader of Romania Traian
Basescu signed an agreement on the new energy project
Azerbaijan-Georgia-Romania Interconnector (AGRI) for transportation of
Azerbaijani liquefied gas to Europe.

September 17, 2010PanARMENIAN.Net – This project is certainly
political, since the economic component of the project would be more
than problematic. According to Stratfor, in terms of technology and
logistics, this project is very ambitious, but if we speak the truth
it is simply unrealistic. `The estimated cost of the project could
range from two billion to five billion dollars, which is simply an
unmanageable amount for these countries. Another aspect is location.
The pipeline, which is to transport the Azerbaijani gas to Georgia,
will be passing by Abkhazia and the restless Georgian republic, which
is practically under Russian control. Russian troops are based there,
and Russia, if she wishes, may well cause damage to the objects,’
experts say.

However, the matter, as it is always the case in the Caucasus, is
purely political. Georgia and Romania have problems with Russia,
Azerbaijan has problems with Armenia, so the pipeline, if it is ever
implemented, will put first Armenia, and then also Russia into a very
awkward situation. And if we also add to this the `discontent’ of
Azerbaijan about the Russian military base in Gyumri, it becomes clear
what is hidden behind the agreement of AGRI. However, the project is
not approved by Turkey, which wants to use the Azeri gas herself in
her projects. In essence, Baku, Tbilisi and recently also Bucharest
have been trying to show their `independence’ especially in regard to
energy. But the situation is not that easy; the project will not work
until the USA supports it. But, the thing is, that she is not in a
situation to waste money on unprofitable projects. Unprofitable from
the point of view of Washington, of course. This project is neither
supported by Russia, who recently declared about her terminating the
negotiations over the pipeline Samsun-Ceyhan. Moscow believes that the
pipeline Burgas-Alexandroupolis is more attractive, at least because
there has already been done rather much work and construction can be
launched this year.

But all of this, let us repeat, is directed against Armenia, Russia
and to some extent, also Iran. Azerbaijan, Georgia and Romania somehow
forget that the possession of convenient transit and energy cannot put
the country among the powers. In order to achieve this, these
countries have to do something completely different. However,
possessed by megalomania and trying to be `independent’, Saakashvili
and Aliyev do not notice or do not want to take into account the
interests of the powers, for instance, in the Caspian region. This is
one of the reasons why the project cannot be implemented.

Meanwhile, Georgia has been successfully doing her part of the job
directed to the isolation of Armenia, trying to cajole Azerbaijan and
carry out another abstract project – establishment of the
Azerbaijani-Georgian confederation. The last thing Georgia did towards
realization of this project was just another closing of the Upper Lars
checkpoint. Informed circles report that Tbilisi, in this way showed
her protest against the fact that Armenia had voted against the
Georgian resolution in the UN. And the second reason – Georgia closed
the Upper Lars at the request of Turkey, which wants to exclude
Armenian grapes from the Russian market. Behavior of Georgia clearly
fits into the frames defined by the Georgian Foreign Ministry: Armenia
has always voted against Georgia in international bodies, so we’ll
give an adequate response.

Here are our neighbors, Christians, and what to speak of Muslim Turks,
who are no longer one nation – two states, but already one nation –
six states?

Karine Ter-Sahakyan / PanARMENIAN News

From: A. Papazian

Problems of IDP at the spotlight of the Armenian government

armradio.am
18.09.2010 12:51

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received Walter Kalin, the Special
Representative of the UN Secretary General on the Human Rights of
Internally Displaced Persons.

The Prime Minister expressed gratitude to Walter Kalin for his
activity, emphasizing the importance of assistance of the
corresponding UN structures to the solution of the problems of the
internally displaced persons in Armenia.

Tigran Sargsyan noted that the issues of the IDP are at the spotlight
of the Armenian government. In that context he attached special
importance to providing them with shelter and job.

During the meeting the interlocutors dwelt on the conference of donor
organizations to be organized at the beginning of 2011.

From: A. Papazian

President Serzh Sargsyan presented the Academician Victor
Hambardzumian International Prize

armradio.am
18.09.2010 11:50

át an extraordinary meeting of the National Academy of Armenia,
attended by celebrated scientists from different countries, President
Serzh Sargsyan presented the eminent Swiss astrophysicist Michel Mayor
and members of his scientific team Garik Israelian and Nuno Santos
with the Academician Victor Hambardzumian International Prize,
Presidnet’s Press Office reported.

The Prize was established by the April 16, 2009 decree of the
President of Armenia with the purpose of commemorating the name of the
great astrophysicist and to foster the development of his scientific
legacy. The Fund of the Prize, which is awarded biennially for
prominent scientific achievements in astrophysics and adjoining
fields, is 500,000 USD.

Congratulating the awardees the President of Armenia said,

“I am happy that our Prize has found its first deserving laureates. I
cordially congratulate them on this success and wish new scientific
achievements. With this Prize, dear awardees, we not only recognize
your achievements but also endeavor to bring wide public recognition
to the discoveries which are of universal significance.”

According to Serzh Sargsyan, the Prize named after Victor
Hambardzumian should foster science development and be worthy of the
great talent and memory of the Armenian scientist. He assured that in
perspective the Prize would become a great impetus for the development
of astronomy in Armenia and science in general.

From: A. Papazian

Ankara’s latest promise: The Sourb Khach cross will be restored in 1.5 month

15:25 – 18.09.10

Aram Ateshyan, Vicar of the Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church
in Constantinople, will serve on Sunday a liturgy at Sourb Khach
Church (Saint Cross) on Akhtamar Island, Lake Van, and eastern Turkey.

Armenians in Turkey, Armenia and across the world are now in great
disappointment after Turkish authorities backtracked on their promises
to have the cross on Sourb Khach restored before September 17, i.e.
the day of the long-awaited and much-trumped one-off mass that is
expected to bring thousands of believers to Akhtamar Island that day.

Now, just a day before the mass, Ankara is making a last effort to
save its show from ultimate failure.

According to Turkish media, Van’s Governor Myunil Karaloglu said the
cross will be restored one and a half month after the mass as he
visited the church to check whether or not it was ready for the mass.

Saying that the church is fully ready for the ceremony, Mr Karaloglu
noted that Van’s hotels are already full of guests. According to him,
some 3,500 tourists are expected to attend the ritual.

Earlier some 6,000 visitors were reportedly expected.

A cross previously kept at the Van museum has been transported to
Akhtamar Island, but it is unknown where in the church will the cross
be placed until it is re-installed, if ever.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Malatya film festival organizers refrained from using Armenian brand

September 18, 2010 – 14:30 AMT 09:30 GMT
PanARMENIAN.Net –

Organizers of an international film festival to be held in Malatya,
Turkey, from November 26 to December 2, decided that the prize to be
handed to the winners will be named Crystal Apricot, instead of Golden
Apricot planned earlier, Cihan news agency reported.

Milliyet newspaper said in mid August that Golden Apricot festival
will feature 100 films, with 10 000 euro for the best film and 3 000
euro for the best director, best actor and best actress respectively.
The article mentioned in conclusion that `Golden Apricot festival is
also held in Yerevan.’

Meanwhile, the center of Golden Apricot International Film Festival
said that GAIFF, hosted by Yerevan annually, has nothing to do with
the festival to be held in Malatya.

`We can take Turkey to court for using our brand,’ the center said in
a statement.

From: A. Papazian

Former political prisoner Myasnik Malkhasyan believes in opposition’s victory

13:40 – 18.09.10

There is no alternative to the fight opposition Armenian National
Congress (HAK) has launched, former MP and political prisoner Myasnik
Malkhasyan told Tert.am.

“There is no alternative to the fight,” said Mr Malkhasyan, who was
also participating in the rally, held by the HAK near Matenadaran in
downtown Yerevan.

In his words, the opposition should continue its struggle.

“The president said everything, that is how things will unfold,” said
he, meaning HAK leader and former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan who
delivered a broadly critical speech at the rally.

Mr Malkhasyan said he beloved that HAK’s struggle will bear fruit and
reach its objective.

“We must struggle with the HAK up to the end. We must struggle as long
as justice, legality and constitutional rule are resumed in the
country,” noted he.

Myasnik Malkhasyan was one of the 4 Armenian MPs of this parliament
who sided with opposition led by Levon Ter-Petrosyan in the 2008
presidential elections. He was also one of the first oppositionists
arrested on charges of attempts on “usurpatain of state power and
organization of mass disorders in the country” after the Central
Elections Commission deprived him of his parliamentary seat.

He was released on 19 June 2009 after Armenia’s President Serzh
Sargsyan granted amnesty to political prisoners.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Van Times published also in Armenian

13:10 – 18.09.10

Local Turkish newspaper Van Times, currently published in four
languages (Turkish, Kurdish, Persian and English), is now being
published also in Armenian ahead of the September 19 mass to be served
in Sourb Khach (Saint Cross) Church on Akhtamar Island in Lake Van,
eastern Turkey.

According to Turkish news agency Dogan, the Armenian version of the
daily has been prepared by the stuff of the Istanbul-based bilingual
weekly Agos.

“Van Times asked us to prepare the newspaper’s Armenian version, and
we started to work. We prepared the first issue, which has already
been published. The first issue focuses on Yashar Kemal’s memoires on
Akhtamar. And our editor Bagrat Estukyan’s comments will be published
in tomorrow’s edition. Information about Armenian momasteris in Van
will also be published,” Managing Editor of Agos Aris Nalci told
Dogan.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Turkey should redouble efforts to hold all involved in Dink’s killing
accountable: Human Rights Watch

12:37 – 18.09.10

Turkish authorities should redouble their efforts to bring to justice
all those involved in the killing of Hrant Dink, Human Rights Watch
said in a statement, following a ruling on September 14, 2010, of the
European Court of Human Rights.

The court ruled that Turkey should have, but failed to, take steps to
protect Dink, the prominent Armenian-Turkish journalist, and failed to
conduct an effective investigation into his murder in January 2007.
The European Court ordered the government to pay his family 105,000
in damages.

A murder trial of the alleged gunman and 19 other defendants in the
case has been ongoing for three years. But the European Court ruled
that Turkish administrative and judicial authorities have blocked
investigations into whether members of the Istanbul and Trabzon police
and gendarmerie were also implicated in the killing.

“The European Court’s damning verdict should not be the end of efforts
to deliver justice for Hrant Dink’s murder,” said Emma Sinclair-Webb,
Turkey researcher at Human Rights Watch. “Turkey now has an
unambiguous duty to reopen the investigation and cast the net wider
than those currently on trial. Both legal obligations and justice
require addressing state negligence and possible collusion in the
killing.”

Only days before Dink was murdered, his lawyers had applied to the
European Court of Human Rights, contending that his freedom of
expression and right to a fair trial had been violated after he was
convicted of allegedly “insulting Turkishness.” Following his murder,
lawyers acting for his family lodged four more separate applications
to the European Court, contending that the Turkish authorities had
failed to protect Dink’s life and to conduct an effective
investigation into his murder. The European Court decided to consider
all the applications together.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Armenia won’t have gas 2 more days

12:14 – 18.09.10

Russian gas supplies to Armenia have not been resumed yet and will not
be resumed for two more days due to preventive maintenance works,
Press Secretary of ArmRosGazProm CJSC Shushan Sardaryan told Tert.am.

Earlier Gasprom Export LLC had informed the Armenian and Georgian side
that the gas supplies to Armenia through Northern
Caucasus-Transcaucasia pipeline would be suspended from September
15-17.

ArmRosGazProm had earlier told Tert.am that this temporary suspension
of gas supplies will not bring about any changes in the consumption
market, and the consumers will be supplied with gas from the
underground gas store located in the town of Abovyan located 15 km
northeast of capital Yerevan.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian