Author: Andres-Papazian

PRESS RELEASE
U.S. Embassy Yerevan, Armenia
1 American Avenue
Yerevan 0082, Armenia
Contact: Charles Lobdell, [email protected]
Tel: (374 10) 49-46-97

U.S. Embassy Open House

Foreign Assistance Presentations

As part of our outreach efforts to Americans interested in Armenia, the
U.S. Embassy in Yerevan will host a bi-weekly presentation of its
foreign assistance programs this summer. The presentations will be open
to all visiting U.S. citizens and will be held at the Embassy in
Yerevan. If you are curious what types of foreign assistance Armenia is
receiving, or how the assistance programs are improving Armenia, you are
invited to attend one of the sessions listed below. The presentations
will be given on the following dates and times:

August 19, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

September 2, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

September 16, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.

To register, please send the names of all the persons who wish to attend
to [email protected]. To prevent any problems, all
registration requests must be received at least 24 hours before the
presentation.

All presentations will be given at the U.S. Embassy, located at 1
American Avenue, Yerevan, Armenia. We ask that you arrive at the
Embassy 15 minutes before the scheduled start time to pass through
security. You must bring your U.S. passport to gain entry to the
Embassy.

This email is UNCLASSIFIED.

From: A. Papazian

UNPRECEDENTED ACTION: SENATORS BLOCK AMBASSADORS TO AZERBAIJAN AND TURKEY
By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier

Tert.am
12:43 11.08.10

In a major embarrassment for the Obama Administration, Senators
took an unprecedented action last week, blocking the President’s
ambassadorial nominees for both Azerbaijan and Turkey!

The Administration showed a total lack of experience and poor judgment
by ignoring warnings that Matthew Bryza and Francis Ricciardone,
the nominees for Baku and Ankara, would meet strong opposition in
the Senate.

The White House, State Department, and the Chairman of the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee had agreed in advance to rush the two
nominees through the confirmation process, before the Senate went
into recess until mid-September. Bryza was so confident of assuming
his post in Baku in early August that he had even made arrangements
to have his house in Washington rented!

Contrary to published reports, the Armenian-American community did
not oppose Bryza’s nomination because of self-serving concerns. The
larger question raised by the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) was whether Bryza could represent U.S. interests in Azerbaijan
in an objective manner. The nominee’s rough sailing in the Foreign
Relations Committee was due to numerous allegations of conflict of
interest involving both him and his Turkish-born wife’s employer,
The Hudson Institute. The Bryzas were criticized for being “too cozy”
with Azeri and Turkish officials, having received gifts from them on
the occasion of their Istanbul wedding.

Matt Bryza’s evasive and unsatisfactory answers to Senators’ questions
during his confirmation hearing prompted Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA)
to ask Committee Chairman Sen. Kerry to postpone his confirmation
until mid-September. Meanwhile, U.S. officials and others would have
ample opportunity to fully review all issues raised during the Senate
hearing. Should Senators judge that the allegations against Bryza are
not serious enough to merit rejection, he could then be confirmed as
the next Ambassador to Azerbaijan. However, if evidence of wrongdoing
exists, it would be far better that it surfaces now rather than after
he is posted to Baku, sparing the Obama Administration from scandalous
disclosures and embarrassment.

On the other hand, Francis Ricciardone, the nominee for Turkey,
seemed to be a perfect choice on paper. He is a 32-year veteran of
the Foreign Service who served as deputy ambassador in Afghanistan,
as well as the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, and is fluent in Turkish.

Unfortunately, Ricciardone carries a major liability that the Obama
Administration unwisely ignored. There were loud complaints from
neoconservatives that during his tenure as Ambassador to Egypt, from
2005 to 2008, Ricciardone had failed to support Bush Administration’s
flawed efforts to promote democracy and human rights in that country.

When neoconservatives realized that the Administration was turning
a deaf ear to their objections, they sought to block his nomination.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) placed “a hold” on Ricciardone, after
his confirmation by the Foreign Relations Committee, effectively
blocking his approval by the full Senate.

Foreign Policy magazine reported that Ricciardone’s critics believe
“his strong personality and often blunt speaking style are the wrong
mix for the current task at hand — and that he has a tendency to
get too close to his foreign interlocutors.” The magazine also quoted
Danielle Pletka, Vice President of the American Enterprise Institute,
as stating: “Now is not the time for us to have an ambassador in
Ankara who is more interested in serving the interests of the local
autocrats and less interested in serving the interests of his own
administration.”

Blocking the confirmation of the Ambassadors to Azerbaijan and Turkey
has attracted considerable attention in Washington, Baku, and Ankara.

Major American, Azeri, and Turkish newspapers accused the
Armenian-American community and the ANCA of undermining Bryza’s
nomination. The Washington-based influential “Politico” journal
reported that Bryza had ran into “opposition from the Armenian National
Committee of America, a lobbying group.” The AzerNews Weekly blamed
Bryza’s problems on “the Armenian Diaspora,” and Hurriyet, one of
Turkey’s largest newspapers, reported that Bryza’s nomination was
postponed “in response to pressure from Armenian lobby groups.”

According to some press reports, the Obama Administration may not be
willing to use its political capital to save either nominee. Lincoln
Mitchell, an expert on the South Caucasus at Columbia University,
told RFE that he does not believe the Administration is going to fight
Senators from its own party to save Bryza. A similar assessment was
made in Foreign Policy magazine by an aide to a Republican Senator
about the Administration’s unwillingness to rescue Ricciardone.

The prolonged absence of U.S. Ambassadors from Baku and Ankara comes
at a time of heightened tension in the relations between these two
capitals and Washington. Given the Obama Administration’s multiple
domestic and international crises on the eve of crucial elections in
November, it is doubtful if it could afford to vigorously pursue the
confirmation of its ambassadorial nominees for Azerbaijan and Turkey!

From: A. Papazian

MOSCOW DECIDED TO REMIND THE WEST ABOUT WHO THE BOSS IS IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS
Yekaterina Poghosyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 3, 2010

Extension of stay of the Russian military base in Armenia may deliver
a serious blow to the international image of Armenia as an independent
state and affect its relations with Iran.

By signing with Yerevan a protocol providing for extension of stay of
the Russian military base in Armenia for another 49 years, Moscow will
finally establish hegemony in the South Caucasus. The disseminated
information on possible amendments to the treaty on Russian military
base, which, according to the protocol, shall exercise the functions
of protecting the interests of Russia and together with the Armenian
armed forces provide security of the country, has generated a lot of
comments about the deepening Armenian-Russian strategic partnership
and the age-old friendship between the peoples.

Of course, one cannot argue that in the view of the Armenian society
Russia, graphically speaking, acts as an ~Selder brother~T, who
is willing to defend the Armenian state in the event of potential
aggression from Azerbaijan or Turkey. But if you study the situation
more deeply and beyond the background ~SArmenian-Russian centuries-old
friendship~T, you will notice that Moscow is trying to kill two birds
with one stone.

The recent report in the Russian press about Russia~Rs intention to
sell two divisions of anti-missile system S-300 PMU-2 Favorit to Baku,
raises doubts among the Armenians about the sincerity of Russia. On
the one hand, Moscow arms Azerbaijan, on the other hand proposes to
extend the stay of her military bases in Armenia in order to prevent
military aggression by Azerbaijan. Russia~Rs double play in the region
is not a novelty. Keeping a certain balance in relations with Armenia
and Azerbaijan has always been one of the main peculiarities of the
regional policy of Moscow.

Regardless of whether the information on a possible contract between
Moscow and Baku with the total amount of $300 million to be signed
during the September visit of President Dmitry Medvedev to Azerbaijan
is reliable or not, the Armenian government and society long ago
ought to have learnt the lesson that ~Sthere are no eternal allies,
but there are eternal interests.~T Unfortunately, under the present
circumstances security guarantees of Russia are irreplaceable for
Armenia. But before signing the document on the presence of Russian
bases in Armenia, the Armenian leadership had better express concern
about her ally~Rs conduct in relation to CSTO and insist on stopping
the arming of Azerbaijan. Besides, we should not forget another
truth: it is just business, nothing personal. The arms trade has
always been the primary means of replenishment of the Russian, and
before it that of the Soviet budget. Let us recall that the USSR sold
weapons to rather doubtful regimes in the Arab world and in Africa.

Many people in Armenia understand that Moscow~Rs desire to reinforce
the military presence in Armenia especially now is not so much
a genuine aspiration to ensure the safety and protection of the
~Sstrategic ally~T, but it is intended to prevent unfavorable to Russia
scenarios that may arise along with the growing tension over Iran.

While Western players are trying to decide how to pass from words to
deeds and strike a blow to Iran, our strategic partner expands her
military presence in the South Caucasus and hastens to remind the
West about who the boss is in the region.

Among other things, extension of stay of the Russian military base
in Armenia may deliver a serious blow to the international image of
Armenia as an independent state and affect its relations with Iran,
which, although remaining silent, may sharply respond to the rapidly
expanding military presence of Moscow. However, it would be useful
to remind that the independence of former Soviet republics of South
Caucasus is a very vague understanding. We can say that Armenia is as
~Sindependent~T from Russia as Georgia is from the West, or Azerbaijan
is from Turkey and oil.

From: A. Papazian

SECOND LEBANON WAR NOT FAR OFF

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 6, 2010

The Middle East could once again turn into a burning region, where
no agreements remain valid for a term of more than 10-15 years.

The Middle East is restless, as usual. By all signs, the second Lebanon
war could break out at any moment. Moreover, the initiator will be
the Lebanese side, pushed for settling accounts with Israel, Turkey
and Syria. It’s no news that since its independence on November 22,
1943 Lebanon has not had its independent governing body, and the recent
incident on the Lebanese-Israeli border can serve as proof of it.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) confirmed
the information about crossfire between the Lebanese and Israeli
sides along the Blue Line. Acting Force Commander of UNIFIL Santi
Bonfanti urged the fighting parties to exercise maximum restraint
to prevent further sharpening of the situation. He even flew to the
zone of armed conflict by helicopter. The “Blue Helmets” increased
patrolling in their duty area, and peacekeepers were sent to the zone
of the incident… Unfortunately, Lebanon now serves as a bargaining
chip in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Lasting internal political
instability, threat of a civil war and frequent terrorist acts get the
country involved in numerous clashes between Israel and Palestine, or
to be more precise – between Israel and the Arab world, especially its
most radical wing, the Hezbollah. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, the current
leader of this pro-Iranian grouping, apparently prepares to strike
Israel in case of an attack on Iran by the U.S. and Israel. That is,
the Middle East could once again become a burning region, where no
agreements remain valid for a period of more than 10-15 years. And
in this regard it is appropriate to recall the words of the late
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Dayan: “The only peaceful negotiations
are those in which we settle the lands and build and again settle,
and from time to time we fight.”

Last year the U.S. spent about $400 million to purchase weapons for
the Lebanese Army, despite numerous objections from Israel. France
sends advanced anti-tank missiles to the Lebanese army. And this fact
cannot but disturb Jerusalem. In fact, the U.S. increases the amount
of weapons in the Middle East, as Russia does in the Caucasus. The
two superpowers pursue the same aim – to gain a foothold in their
positions. As for the “civilian population”, its interests are either
considered as a last resort or not considered at all.

With that, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern about
the exchange of fire between the Lebanese army and the Israeli Defense
Forces on the Blue Line – the de facto border – near the village of
`Adaysah. He called the incident the most serious challenge since
the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1701.

Resolution 1701 was approved on August 11, 2006, and put an end
to the ongoing war in the Lebanese territory between Israel and
Hezbollah. It stresses The resolution provides for the security of
the Lebanese-Israeli border, the withdrawal of Israeli armed forces
from the Lebanese territory and expansion of the UN presence there.

The Commander of UN peacekeeping force in Southern Lebanon stated that
both Lebanon and Israel have recognized the UN authority to define
the international boundary line between them. Jordanian Prime Minister
Samir Al-Rifai declared his country had actively participated in the
process of reconciliation of Lebanon and Israel in the midst of the
incident on the Lebanese-Israeli border. “On the instruction of King
Abdullah we used all diplomatic means to convince the parties that
intensification of the conflict in this difficult period is pointless,”
said the head of the Jordanian government.

Nevertheless, the region is again slipping into the Second Lebanon
War and the responsibility for its initiation lies on the U.S. and
various NGOs, such as the International Crisis Group (ICG), which
is exclusively engaged in provoking conflicts around the world,
especially in the Middle East, the Balkans and the Caucasus.

From: A. Papazian

DANGEROUS MYTHS OF THE PAST
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN News

Treaty of Sèvres was never ratified by any of the parties, including
Armenia.

Treaty of Sèvres was signed on August 10, 1920, becoming over time
one of the most persistent Armenian myths. Speaking about the treaty,
nearly everyone mentions the provisions according to which Western
Armenia was to be granted independence, but for some reason no one
speaks about the inefficiency of this treaty. By the way, it is exactly
what should have been spoken about first, so that not to have misled
the people, majority of whom still believe that they have certain
rights over historic Armenia by the provisions of Sevres.

August 10, 2010PanARMENIAN.Net – Treaty of Sèvres was never ratified by
any of the parties, including Armenia. And it turns out that Armenians
once again flatter themselves with illusions about certain rights
they have under this agreement. It goes without saying that Western
Armenia is a land belonging to the Armenians. However, relying on its
return according to some documents signed 90 years ago can prove to
be a dangerous delusion. Generally, believing in the return of any
territory undermines the spirit of the nation and leads to a defeat,
a situation we openly observed with the example of the national
liberation war in Artsakh. If the Armenians at least for a moment
and at least in their minds withdraw from the liberated territories,
they will frustrate the whole world, which now calls for the “return
of 7, 5 or at least 2 regions”.

Let’s go back in history. Treaty of Sèvres was signed between the
Allies that won the World War I and the Ottoman Empire. On behalf of
the Republic of Armenia the treaty was signed by Avetis Aharonian, but
the survival war with Turkey made it impossible to ratify the treaty.

Under the Articles 88-93 of the Sevres Peace Treaty, Turkey recognized
Armenia as a “free and independent state.” Turkey and Armenia agreed
to submit to the arbitration of the President of the United States
of America the question of the frontier to be fixed between Turkey
and Armenia in the Vilayets of Erzerum, Trebizond, Van and Bitlis,
and to accept his decision thereupon, as well as any stipulations he
might prescribe as to access for Armenia to the sea. In aggregate the
area of Armenia was estimated 110 thousand km2, and the First Republic
of Armenia – over 150 thousand km2, both with outlet to the Black Sea.

But it was no deal. The arbitral award of Woodrow Wilson remained a
wishful thinking, since the U.S. Senate refused to ratify it. The
Senate also refused to take the mandate for Armenia, while the UK
was given the mandate for Palestine, and France – the mandate for
Lebanon (the Ottoman Empire territory within the present borders of
Syria and Lebanon). The Armenian-Turkish border was defined by the
Treaty of Kars on October 13, 1921, signed and ratified by the Turkish
Republic and the Soviet republics of Transcaucasia. No one denounced
the Kars Treaty, and the collapse of the USSR has absolutely nothing
to do with it. The view expressed in this article may be disputed,
but international law clearly defines which agreements are valid and
which are not.

Let us only remind that the defining contract between the Allies and
Turkey was the Lausanne Peace Treaty of 1923, which recognized the
new Turkish Government, with Mustafa Kemal Ataturk at the head. In
this connection there can be recalled the well-known story of the
Balfour Declaration on Palestine, thanks to which the Jews eventually
proclaimed the State of Israel. As Lloyd George writes in his “War
Memoirs”, when in 1916 the British army faced a deficit of cordite
(smokeless powder), they were advised to turn to brilliant chemist,
professor of Manchester University, Chaim Weizmann, who later became
the first president of Israel, and died in 1952. Weizmann solved
the problem. “When our difficulties were overcome thanks to the
brilliance of Dr. Weizmann, I said to him: “You have done a great
service to the state and I would ask the Prime Minister to present
you to His Majesty to express our gratitude to you.” Weizmann said,
“I do not want anything for myself, but I would like you to do
something for my people,” wrote Lloyd George, the Prime Minister
of Great Britain in 1918. That “something” was the opportunity for
repatriation of the Jews to Palestine. However, no one then thought
that the Balfour Declaration would become a reason for one of the
longest and unresolved conflicts in the Middle East up to this day…

From: A. Papazian

DISABLED ALEXAN BAYANDURYAN GOT OVER ARARAT MOUNTAIN
Hasmik Dilanyan

“Radiolur”
11.08.2010 15:48

In the Artsakh war disabled Alexan Bayanduryan three years long has
dreamed about reaching the top of the Ararat Mountain. On August 4, at
8 o’clock in the morning, his dream has become true. He has devoted
his victory to his dead comrades in Artsakh war. He is the only
disabled man to get over the 5165 meters height by one leg. Today,
he shared his impressions with the journalists.

“Till the 4200 meters height there was no difficulty, everything
began afterwards. The pressure was high, the slope was a lot, and it
was too hard to pass through the stones,” he told.

The expedition has begun rising on August 2 and has reached the point
on August 4.

Alexan Bayanduryan regrets that he couldn’t see Armenia from the top,
as it was hazy.

About 150 representatives of different nations on the top were
surprised about Alexan’s victory. It is not the only slope to be got
over by him. From 1997 each year he climbs to the top of Aragats.

He told that Ararat will not be his last mountain to get over. He
plans to climb to the top of Everest Mountain.

From: A. Papazian

“MEETING WITH ARMENIA” PROJECT STARTS ON AUGUST 12
Liana Yeghiazaryan

Radiolur
11.08.2010 14:26

On August 12 the project “Meeting with Armenia” will start in Armenia.

It will last four days. In the frame of the project the well known
actors from Armenian- Russian mutual films will arrive Armenia. The new
achievements and problems of the Armenian and Russian film productions
will be discussed during the project. New films and photo exhibition
devoted to the victory in Patriotic Great War will be presented.

The photo exhibition will be based on the photos of the airplanes that
have won in the war and the ones that have been destroyed in the war.

The delegation is planning to visit Sergey Parajanov’s museum, be in
Echmiatsin and Gyumri.

From: A. Papazian

JAPAN DONATED 28 FIREFIGHTING VEHICLES TO ARMENIA
Sona Hakobyan

“Radiolur”
11.08.2010 12:56

On February 10, 2009 a contract has been signed between the Armenian
and Japan governments about donation of 28 firefighting vehicles to
the fire brigades in Yerevan. The completely new vehicles are already
in Yerevan. Japanese experts have come to Yerevan to instruct 135
rescuer- firemen how to apply the new vehicles, and show what tools
and opportunities it has.

Today, the solemn donation ceremony of the vehicles took place in
the Republic Square of Armenia. A number of officials took part in
this ceremony, namely, the Minister of the Territorial Administration
Armen Gevorgyan, the Secretary of the National Security Council Arthur
Baghdasaryan, and the Ministers of Health and Emergency Situations.

“I am sure that these firefighting vehicles will arrive the place of
fire, as soon as the alarm will sound to carry out the appropriate
rescuing activities to guarantee the security of the people. Japan
has suffered from natural calamities not less. I hope our experience
in management of disasters will be of great use for Armenia,” the
deputy ambassador of Japan Manabu Miyagava told.

From: A. Papazian

ARMY BUILDING RELATED ISSUES WERE DISCUSSED

armradio.am
11.08.2010 12:10

On 10 August President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan met
head of the General Staff of the Republic of Armenia’s Armed forces
colonel-general Yuri Khachaturov.

Issues related to army building and cooperation between the two
Armenian states in this sphere were discussed during the meeting.

Artsakh Republic defense minister Movses Hakobyan partook at the
meeting.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIA IS NOT A TRAITOR! WHY DON’T YOU BLAME ALSO ISRAEL AND US FOR SELLING WEAPONS TO AZERBAIJAN?

Tert.am
16:06 11.08.10

The balance of armed forces of Armenia and Azerbaijan was broken far
long ago, as unlike Armenia Azerbaijan is injecting huge sums into
its military sector, MP Vardanyan told a press conference today,
as he referred to an alleged deal recently much-spoken-about.

If completed it will see Russia sell C-300 anti-missile defense
systems to Azerbaijan.

According to Mr Khachatryan that system will replenish Azerbaijan’s
defense capabilities. But still it is not a big advantage.

At the same time he mentioned that it is difficult to say what effects
it can have as far as the deal is not confirmed.

Besides Mr Khachatryan noted that he does not think that by selling
C-300s to Azerbaijan Russia is arming the aggressor as Armenia also
has such systems in its arsenal.

“I do not think it is encouragement of the aggressor [country],”
said he, adding it is inadmissible to consider Moscow as traitor
simply for selling those weapons to Baku because if Armenians treat
Russia as traitor they must much in the same treat also Israel or US
traitor too as they sell weapons to Azerbaijan as well.

“I do not think that this criticism is a way leading to anywhere,”
he noted, adding that Russia’s opinion over the issue should also
be heard.

From: A. Papazian