Author: Andres-Papazian

ANKARA TO BAKU: ARMENIAN-TURKISH BORDER TO REMAIN CLOSED

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Mustafa Tekmen, Governor of Ardahan province, Turkey, assured
Azerbaijan that the Armenian-Turkish border will not be reopened. No
relevant work is under way in Turkey, and relations with Azerbaijan
are of importance for Turkey, 1news.az reports, referring to Tekmen.

Debates over whether the Armenian-Turkish border will be reopened
on the threshold of NATO maneuvers, to be held on the Kotayk region,
Armenia, on September 11-17, have taken place for months.

Despite official Ankara’s statements (Turkish FM, Turkish Ambassador
to Azerbaijan), Turkish diplomatic sources are sure that the border
will be reopened during the maneuvers. Three Turkish representatives
are expected to take part in the maneuvers.

From: A. Papazian

WEST TO PUNISH AZERI FM?

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Azeri FM Elmar Mammadyarov is going to run into trouble, the
Azerbaijan-based Poligon news website reports, referring to western
mass media.

A leak says that during his recent visit to Washington Minister
Mammadyarov held meetings with representatives of a number of western
companies, who hinted they are expecting official Baku to make concrete
steps to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The same source reports that Minister Mammadyarov promised to do it.

However, the posture the Azeri official adopted following the Saint
Petersburg meeting makes the western companies conclude that the
promise was not kept.

So they decided to punish Mammadyarov. Western mass media will soon
publish sensational article discrediting the Azeri FM.

Referring to the Government’s website, Poligon writes that some local
media outlets are rumored to cooperate with western companies.

According to some information, the Azeri authorities have begun
“brainwashing” some journalists suspected of being in touch with
western companies. In conclusion, forming the information into a
mosaic, Poligon speculates the Madrid Principles are most likely
being taken out of circulation.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIANS MEET IN SOCHI

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Representatives of the RA Embassy and of the Armenian community in
Sochi, Russia, held a meeting in the resort town.

The Yerkramas newspaper reports that political figures and businessmen
participated in the meeting. “Armenian-Russian relations are at a
high level now,” RA Ambassador to Armenia Oleg Yesayan said.

From: A. Papazian

UKRAINIAN CREW RELEASED ON BAIL

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

The court of Poti (Georgia) released on bail 11 Ukrainians detained
for illegal entry to the territory of Abkhazia, said Spokesman for
Ukrainian foreign ministry Alexander Dikusarov, Ukrainian Komsomolskaya
Pravda reported.

On July 29, the consul in Batumi met with the Ukrainian sailors and on
the same day Ukrainians were accused of illegal stay in the territory
of Abkhazia in June 2010, he added.

According to him, presently the Akkord dry cargo carrier is in the
water area of Poti port’s military base with 11 Ukrainians aboard.

As NEWS.am reported previously, on July 29, Georgia’s coast
guard detained Ukrainian Akkord dry cargo. The cargo coming from
Rostov-on-Don carried grain intended for Armenia. The ship was dragged
to the port of Poti. On July 30, a consignment of grain intended for
Armenia was released.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA 2ND ON INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT GROWTH AMONG CIS STATES

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

According to CIS Interstate Statistical Committee, Armenia is the
second among CIS states on the industrial output growth (12.3%)
in the first H1 of 2010.

The highest growth rate was registered in Kyrgyzstan – 41.8%, which
accounts for the operation of Kumtor gold mine, cisstat.com website
reports.

Ukraine and Tajikistan share the 3rd place (12%). The industrial
production increased by 11% in Kazakhstan, 10.2%-Russia, 8%-Uzbekistan,
6.6%-Moldova and 3.5%-Azerbaijan.

The CIS average indicator increased by 10% as compared to the same
period last year. No statistical data on Turkmenistan is available.

From: A. Papazian

GEORGIAN SOCIETY VIEWS ARMENIANS AS THREAT, ARMENIAN EXPERT SAYS

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Georgian Deputy FM Alexander Nalbandov’s statements on Armenian
churches are the result of Georgia’s being nervous of national
minorities, Director o the Institute of Caucasus Alexander Iskandaryan
told reporters on August 3.

“His statements have nothing in common with knowledge of history. They
are of more political nature,” Iskandaryan said. Such statements
are regular and may sound strange. However, they are the result of
nervous attitude toward national minorities, particularly Armenians,
the expert said.

“National minorities have always played a key role in building up
Georgian statehood, which caused Georgia to develop certain complexes,”
the expert said.

Two substantial national minorities are currently residing in
Georgia: Armenians and Azerbaijanis. The latter are scattered about
the country, whereas the former have a well organized structure,
political representation, clearly formulated interests. All this puts
the Georgian authorities and public on their guard, the expert said.

“The Georgian society views Armenians as a threat,” Iskandaryan
concluded.

From: A. Papazian

MOUNTAINS OBSTACLE TO ANTI-ARMENIAN PROJECT

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

The protocols on acceleration of Baku-Tbilisi-Kars project’s
implementation (bypassing Armenia) were signed after the meeting of the
Turkish, Azerbaijani and Georgian Transport Ministers, Ziya Mamedov,
Azeri transport minister told a press conference, 1 news.az reported.

According to him, Azerbaijani and Georgian sides agreed to carry out
50% of the work each. “We have almost completed all the activities
and will possibly finish the project by 2011 end,” he noted, adding
that the completion terms might extend to 2012.

In his turn Turkish Minister Binali Yildirim stated that the Turkish
side had carried out 34% of the construction works, stressing that
the main problem is laying of 4-meter route passing through mountains.

From: A. Papazian

POLITICAL CATASTROPHE FOR AZERBAIJAN

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

Azerbaijan seems to be “permanently dissatisfied,” Director of Caucasus
Institute Alexander Iskandaryan told reporters on August 3.

“The balance of regional forces has changed, the situation has changed
as well and this makes Azerbaijan shiver. They are told ‘forget
about Karabakh and let’s discuss the surrounding territories’. It
is a catastrophe for Azerbaijan,” he said, adding that Azerbaijan is
simply scared.

Speaking of Russia’s intention to sell two batteries of S-300PMU2
Favorit air-defense system to Azerbaijan and Kremlin’s role in the
region on the whole, Iskandaryan stated that Moscow is playing on
both sides. “When people speak about S-300 I wonder if we purchase
arms from Paraguay. There is regional balance, and Russia is acting
so as not to upset it. In dealing with Azerbaijan, Russia takes
into account Armenia and vice versa. Russia’s policy in the South
Caucasus involves both Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is common practice,”
the expert stated. Iskandaryan stressed that the information on a
Russian-Azerbaijani deal has not been confirmed yet.

“Relevant international agencies should be informed of such deals. I
think that most likely no decision has yet been made, though a possible
sale has been discussed for a long time,” he stated.

NEWS.am reminds the readers that, Russia will supply two batteries
of S-300PMU2 Favorit air-defense system to Azerbaijan, Vedomosti.ru
reports, referring to sources in the Russian defense industry. It was
noted that the supply of the air-defense system is unlikely to change
the balance of forces between Armenia and Azerbaijan, as neither has
modern striking aviation or ballistic missiles the S-300PMU2 Favorit
systems are intended for. Baku must be securing itself against any
aggravation of the Iran-related situation.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO DISCUSS RESTORATION OF SURB GEVORG CHURCH IN TBILISI

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

On August 5, the delegation headed by Armenian Deputy Culture Minister
Arev Samuelyan will leave for Tbilisi to discuss further activities
on restoration of the Armenian Surb Gevorg church (Saint Gevorg of
Mughni), RA ministry of culture informed NEWS.am.

Yesterday Georgian National Agency for Preservation of Cultural
Heritage informed the Armenian Ministry of the conduction of
preliminary research aimed at elaboration of the restoration project.

The project is developed by an experienced architect Shalva Melikidze,
agency’s acting director general Zurab Simonishvili said. Presently
geological and engineering conditions of the foundation are being
studied.

The Armenian side says the Georgian government intends to allocate 50,
000 lari (about $27,000) for the restoration of the church.

Surb Gevorg church built in 1356 in Tbilisi collapsed on November
9, 2009.

From: A. Papazian

GREEKS’ CLAIM MAY PROVE JUDICIAL PRECEDENT FOR ARMENIANS

news.am
Aug 3 2010
Armenia

The Cypriot Greeks’ legal action is well-founded, as it contains
the legal term “loss of accommodation right,” which is a term of
international law, the specialist in Turkic studies Artak Shakaryan
told a press conference on August 3. According to him, the term means
that a state that captured another country’s territory must pay for
using the territory.

As to whether the claim may be satisfied, he said that the Greek lobby
in rather strong in the United States, and the Greeks hope to win.

Besides demanding compensations, they want the issue to remain
on the international agenda and seek legal ways of settling it,
Shakaryan said.

Last year the Greeks demanded U.S. $1,000bn, whereas they demand only
U.S. $170bn now. In this context the expert said that case law has
great power in the U.S. judicial system. “Even if they get U.S.

$160,000 compensation, it may serve as a precedent for laying claims
to U.S. $1,000bn. It is not the money, but logic, that is important,”
the expert said. He added that the U.S. judicial system has not had
such a precedent. Therefore by reducing the amount the Greeks may be
trying to facilitate the establishment of a judicial precedent.

Cypriot Greeks residing in the U.S. lodged a claim. They demand U.S.

$170bn for the occupation of Cyprus.

From: A. Papazian