Author: Andres-Papazian

THE NKR CHANCES ARE INCREASING
Leonid Martirosyan

Azat Artsakh Daily,
26 July 2010
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

A new situation is emerging in the negotiation process “International
law doesn’t prohibit proclamation of independence” – this was the
July 22, 2010 verdict of the UN International Court in Hague, which,
on the initiative of Belgrade, investigated that day the validity of
Kosovo’s proclamation of independence from Serbia in 2008.

And though this resolution is of recommendation character and has no
binding force, surely, it will have political and legal consequences
for the ongoing process of the modern world building. Surely, we are
interested in the resolution of the Hague Court, first of all, in
the context of the Karabakh conflict settlement. As it is known, in
the negotiation process on the determination of the future political
status of Nagorno Karabakh, the international mediators proposed
three fundamental principles of international law, two of which are
the right to self-determination and the principle of territorial
integrity. At the first look, these two principles seem to sharply
contradict each other, even to be incompatible. But, this is only at
the first look. This false opinion was considerably promoted by the
rough and uncompromising position of official Baku, which, having
no grounds in its claims for Nagorno Karabakh, staked exclusively
on the principle of territorial integrity, making it a dogma. In
fact, these two principles have quite different appliance spheres,
moreover, Nagorno Karabakh, as it was repeatedly proved, has nothing
common with the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. However, we
can state that the dispute between the right to self-determination
and the principle of territorial integrity was resolved in Hague
for the first principle. And this is quite logical, as, if we can
say so, the “status” of right is higher than that of principle,
especially that in this specific case, it is the right of a nation
to determine its own fate via its free will. Having recognized as
valid Kosovo’s proclamation of independence, applying the right of
nations to self-determination, the UN International Court in Hague,
actually, expressed its respect for popular will. The recognition
of Kosovo’s independence by the International Court has, actually,
become a legal precedent. The present-day history has the facts
of recognition of the independence of Eritrea from Ethiopia and
of Eastern Timor from Indonesia, but in these cases, the acts of
secession were approved by the mother countries. The uniqueness of the
Kosovo precedent is that the proclamation of Kosovo’s independence
and its recognition by already tens of countries, and now by the
Hague Court, took place despite the opinion and will of Serbia. By
the way, at the hearings in Hague, the USA official representative
stated openly that international law “neither prohibits proclamation
of independence nor requires permission for this”. These words can be
fully addressed to the Azerbaijani President who continues stubbornly
asserting that nobody can grant any status to Nagorno Karabakh without
Azerbaijan’s consent. As we see, the world is changing. The process
of the new world building is still underway, and appearance of new
independent states at the world political map isn’t excluded. But,
let’s not be hopeful for this, and especially be in euphoria. Yes,
the world is changing, but nobody has repealed the notorious dual
standards and political expediency yet. As for Kosovo, it had fewer
rights to state independence, as compared with Nagorno Karabakh. In
accordance with one of the criteria of international law, a nation
can gain its self-determination in the territory of its historical
residence, which is out of any doubt in case of Nagorno Karabakh, but
the Kosovo people gained their self-determination in the territory,
which they hadn’t possessed historically. However, just due to the
political expediency, they have got open and powerful support by the
western states, and later – their recognition of the independence of
the region of Kosovo. It is really so, but the Kosovo precedent will,
surely, play an important role in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement and will strengthen the negotiation positions of the
NKR. A new situation is emerging, and the Karabakh party has gained
an additional and strong trump for defending its right to independent
statehood, and, consequently, its vital interests. We have more than
enough legal grounds for confirming the juridical perfection of our
steps towards our independence, and as the international community,
presented by the Hague Court, has given the priority to the right to
self-determination, so the chances of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic for
achieving its international recognition are considerably increasing. We
should only convince the international mediators that building the
modern world on the anachronistic principle “what is permissible for
Jupiter is not permissible for bull” is unacceptable and even amoral…

From: A. Papazian

VIEWPOINT
Sergey MELKUMIAN

Azat Artsakh Daily,
26 July 2010
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

THE ARMENIAN DIPLOMACY SHOULD INTENSIFY ITS EFFORTS ON THE KARABAKH
ISSUE Recently, the Turkish-Azeri provocative and arrogant
statements on the Karabakh issue, especially on the fate of the
Armenian liberated territories, have intensified. Unfortunately,
some European statesmen and organizations, having even no distant idea
of the Karabakh history, also make groundless and pro-Azerbaijani
statements on the NKR population having its declared independence
and an about 20-year model state. As the statements have become
more frequent, and the population of the liberated territories has
no clear idea of the constantly stated territorial concessions, so
the situation becomes extremely tense and uneasy. In this context,
the Armenian diplomacy should be more active in responding to the
anti-Armenian instigations and arrogant and groundless statements.

In particular: The Azerbaijani groundless statements that “the
Azerbaijani territories occupied by Armenia must be returned” are
absolutely unacceptable. I think Aliyev, who has fancied himself as a
sultan, is also aware that the Karabakh Army has liberated Armenian
territories having thousands-year history and that the Azeris must
return to us the occupied Shahumian region (the Gyulistan province
of historical Artsakh), the Getashen-Martunashen sub-region and
the plain sections of the Martakert and Martuni regions. We should
intelligibly explain to the European diplomats and statesmen that
the whole territory of the present-day NKR and the noted territories
occupied by Azerbaijan are inseparable parts of Armenia. And the
population of the Republic called Azerbaijan, which was artificially
created only in 1918, is the predecessor of Turks-Azeris, having
nothing common with Artsakh and having appeared in the eastern
parts of the Kura-Arax valley only after the 13th-14th centuries.
Unacceptable is also the proposal to return the Azerbaijani refugees
to the liberated Armenian territories, after which Nagorno Karabakh
will be given an interim status and then, its further fate will be
defined via a referendum. And doesn’t Mr. Aliyev think that in this
case, about 500 thousand of Armenians, who were brutally deported by
the Turks-Azeris, should return to their places of residence – Baku,
Gandzak, Sumgait, and other settlements of present-day Azerbaijan? As
for the status and referendum, the European community should be
reminded once again that the NKR has possessed its own status
and referendum-based independence for a long time. The Europeans
should know that the 160 thousand of Azerbaijanis residing in Armenia
during the Soviet period, who wished to move to Azerbaijan, were given
corresponding vehicles and reimbursement for their houses and property,
while the 500 thousand of Armenians, who had lived in the territory of
present-day Azerbaijan for centuries, were subjected to Genocide, with
the use of methods, especially in Baku, Sumgait, and Gandzak (Gyanja),
similar to those used in 1915 towards the Armenians in Turkey. In
1918-1920, the Azeri-Turks subjected the 43-thousand population of
Shushi to Genocide, burnt and destroyed this wonderful Armenian town.
The Armenians, who lived in Azerbaijan and were later deported from
there, were fully deprived of their property, the total cost of which,
according to approximate calculations, made $6,5-7,0 million. I wonder
why our diplomats don’t put forward these demands. I think the NKR
involvement into the active negotiation process is the decisive factor
for the NKR international recognition and solution of the Karabakh
issue. Surely, the Republic of Armenia is the guarantee of the NKR
security, but the demands and position of the Karabakh party should be
presented at the international legal level by the NKR representative.

The NKR should be the party directly negotiating with Azerbaijan
over the liberated, as well as occupied-by-Azerbaijan territories.
As for Azerbaijan’s claims for returning the liberated territories,
the Turks-Azeris clearly realize that voluntary surrender of these
territories, which make a constituent part of Nagorno Karabakh, would
mean to lose Artsakh forever. No nation in the world has voluntarily
surrendered to the enemy its own lands liberated at the cost of blood.

The abovementioned facts and demands are, surely, known to Aliyev’s
clan, which sets the Azerbaijani people against Armenians, however,
they must be brought to the notice of the European statesmen making
anti-Armenian statements, without knowing the historical truth.

Chairman of Artsakh-Armenia Party Doctor of Geography Professor

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT WAS ON A WORKING VISIT

Azat Artsakh Daily,
26 July 2010
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

>From 24 to 25 July President Bako Sahakyan was on a working visit
in the Martakert and Shahoumyan regions of the republic. In the
Martakert region Bako Sahakyan visited hydropower stations of
Madaghis, Sarsang, Trghe-1 and Trghe-2, which is currently under
construction, and inspected activities carried out there. In field
headquarter allocated in the vicinities of the Haterk village the
Head of the State convoked a consultation dedicated to the issues
of developing energy sphere of the republic. Head of the department
of industrial infrastructures under the Cabinet of Ministers Karlen
Petrosyan and director-general of the “Artsakh-HEK” company Vahram
Beglaryan delivered corresponding reports. The President rated high
the energetic sphere considering it among the strategic directions
of the country’s development and underlined the importance of cadre
training as the guarantor securing the progress of the field.

On the same day the President visited the northern part of the
Karabagh-Azerbaijan borderline. The supreme commander-in-chief of
the Artsakh Republic armed forces rated high the importance of the
northern segment in protecting the country’s borders and underlined
that the authorities would continue do everything possible to
maintain the efficiency of the Defense Army. The Head of the State
handed in valuable gifts to a number of officers and soldiers.
On 25 July President Bako Sahakyan visited the Shahoumyan region
and inspected construction activities carried out in the Karvachar
regional center. Bako Sahakyan noted that it is necessary elaborate
a new house building program in the Karvachar regional center, which
would give a positive impetus to the development of the town. In
this context the President especially underlined the necessity of
maintaining high quality of the carried out activities noting that
this issue would be under his immediate control. On the same day the
Head of the State visited the basin of lakes Great and Minor Al and
got introduced with a number of projects elaborated there.

Thereupon in the Tsar village Bako Sahakyan met representatives of
the community, after which visited the Republican pedigree cattle
station located there. The President noted that the development of the
Shahoumyan region is of a strategic importance. Within this context
Bako Sahakyan rated high the importance of developing agriculture,
especially stock breeding, taking into consideration the enormous
potential of the region in this sphere. Artsakh Republic premier
Ara Haroutyuntyan and other officials accompanied the President during
the visits.

From: A. Papazian

MANIFESTATION ECOLOGISTE A EREVAN
Gari

armenews
vendredi30 juillet 2010

Une vingtaine de militants ecologistes se sont heurtes aux forces de
l’ordre le mercredi 28 juillet a Erevan alors qu’ils manifestaient
devant le siège d’une filiale locale d’une banque russe qui contribue
au financement d’un projet minier controverse dan,s le nord de
l’Armenie. Les policiers ont fait usage de la force contre les
manifestants alors que ceux-ci bloquaient l’entree de la banque VTB-
Armenia, en en interdisant l’accès ou la sortie. L’un des manifestants,
le leader du Parti vert armenien Armen Dovlatian, a ete blesse durant
ces violences.

Les associations armeniennes de defense de l’environnement et d’autres
organisations non gouvernementales ont bataille des annees durant
contre le projet de la compagnie minière Programme armenien du cuivre
(ACP) visant a exploiter un vaste gisement de cuivre et de molybdène
dans la region de Lori, au nord-ouest de l’Armenie. La mine de Teghut
renfermerait 1.6 million de tonnes de cuivre et quelque 100,000
tonnes de molybdène. Le projet, s’il est mis en ~uvre, provoquerait
la destruction de quelque 357 hectares d’une foret particulièrement
riche, et necessiterait l’abattage de 128 000 arbres. Les detracteurs
du projet mettent en garde contre une nouvelle atteinte a la couverture
forestière armenienne, qui s’est reduite comme peau de chagrin depuis
le debut des annees 1990.

ACP a reconnu que le prix a payer de son projet pour l’environnement
armenien etait particulièrement lourd, mais le groupe a mis en
balance les 1400 emplois nouveaux qu’il serait en mesure de creer dans
une zone economiquement sinistree. Le groupe base au Liechtenstein
s’est par ailleurs engage a construire des ecoles et a developper
les infrastructures de la region si son projet est mis en ~uvre. Le
projet a de fait ete approuve par le gouvernement amenien en 2007,
mais sa mise en chantier a dû etre differee en raison de la crise
economique et financière mondiale qui a frappe de plein fouet le
secteur minier armenien, avec la chute brutale des cours mondiaux
des metaux non ferreux dont l’Armenie est exportatrice. La crise,
qui avait durement touche aussi la Russie, a contraint la banque
russe VTB a reporter le versement de son credit de 300 millions de
dollars qui doit financer le projet d’ACP, qui a besoin de ce pret
pour lancer le chanter de Teghut.

La manifestation devant le siege de la banque VTB-Armenia a Erevan
intervenait a la suite de la diffusion d’informations selon lesquelles
la banque russe serait disposee a debloquer le versement avant la fin
de l’annee. La manifestation a ete dispersee sans que les manifestants,
qui demandaient que la banque renonce a financer un ” projet illegal
“, aient pu plaider leur cause devant les responsables de la banque,
qui ont refuse de les rencontrer.

From: A. Papazian

THE NKR MFA LIBRARY IS SUPPLEMENTED WITH THE BOOK ‘ARTSAKH’

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-07-30 12:30

The scientific library of the NKR MFA has received as a gift the
Russian version of the book ‘Artsakh’ by bishop Makar Barkhudaryants
published in Science publishing office in St. Petersburg.

The edition was prepared by Bella and Vahe Grigorians, the translator
from the Armenian language is Nelson Alexanian. All the nuances and
author’s terminology are preserved within the translation.

First, the book was published in Armenian in 1895 in Baku. It is of
exceptional historical and source study significance. Historian,
ethnographer, teacher, religious figure, native of Artsakh Makar
Barkhudariants provided corresponding information on the natural
resources, flora, fauna, and demography of the region, described its
historical monuments, collected and decoded the inscriptions on the
gravestones, church- and monastery walls. The book was repeatedly
used in scientific researches, served as a guide-book in further
descriptions of Artsakh, and has been a unique work so far providing
a full idea of the material and spiritual culture of the region.

The Russian translation of the book is dedicated to the memory of
the soldiers and civilians deceased for the freedom and independence
of Karabakh-Artsakh.

The translation of the book, which is intended for local history
specialists, historians, theologians, statesmen, and common readers,
allowed to increase the number of people wishing to get true
information on Artsakh. The book is distributed in authoritative
scientific institutions and libraries in St. Petersburg and Moscow.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE TO MONITOR THE CONTACT LINE AUGUST 3

armradio.am
30.07.2010 15:57

On August 3, in accordance with the earlier achieved agreement with
the NKR authorities the OSCE mission is going to conduct Á regular
monitoring of the line of contact of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijani
Armed Forces in the eastern direction of Talish settlement of Martakert
region, NKR.

>From the NKR Defense Army positions, the monitoring will be held by
Coordinator of the OSCE Office, Lieutenant-Colonel Imre Palatinus
(Hungary) and Field Assistant of the Personal Representative of the
OSCE Chairman-in-Office Hristo Hristov (Bulgaria).

>From the opposite side, the monitoring will be realized by Field
Assistants of Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office
Lieutenant-Colonel Antal Herdich (Hungary) and William Pryor (Great
Britain).

>From the Karabakhi party, the monitoring mission will be accompanied
by representatives of the NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry
of Defense.

From: A. Papazian

78% OF ARMENIAN BUSINESS PEOPLE TRAVEL FOR BUSINESS AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR, ACCORDING TO A SURVEY BY BMI

armradio.am
30.07.2010 16:13

Around 78% of Armenian business people travel at least once a year for
business purposes, according to the findings of an online and offline
survey conducted by bmi with over 100 private and public business
entities in Armenia. Despite the current economic conditions, 51%
of those surveyed affirmed that they did not reduce business travel
this year.

Armenians love to travel. While 90% of those surveyed go on holidays
at least once a year, 55% admit they try to combine their business
travel with holidays whenever they get the chance. 76% of those
surveyed would even trade their business class ticket for an economy
seat if this means additional days spent holidaying. This is not
surprising when new experiences (61%) and new acquaintances (39%)
are rated the best features of business travel by those surveyed.

Moreover, 47% of those surveyed would like to have more free time
during their business trips.

From: A. Papazian

PERSPECTIVES OF DEVELOPMENT OF STATE-DIASPORA COOPERATION DISCUSSED IN YEREVAN
Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”
30.07.2010 15:02

What is necessary do for Armenia-Diaspora cooperation to serve here
strategic issues: preservation of the Armenian national identity,
mobilization of the Armenian potential and repatriation? The
questions were discussed during today’s roundtable discussion on “The
perspectives of development of State-Diaspora cooperation organized
by the Armenian Ministry of Diaspora.

Armenia and Diaspora are united on issues of Karabakh settlement,
genocide recognition and religion. However, Minister of Diaspora
Hranush Hakobyan is trying to make it clear through Diaspora structures
how it is possible to cooperate for more than 7 million Armenians
established in 100 countries of the world to be aware of what needs
to be done. Is it necessary to have an all-Diaspora body or coordinate
the cooperation through Internet?

Armenian Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan addressed Ministry’s
plans for the future. She said that Ministry of Diaspora prioritizes
problems of Diaspora Armenian youth.

Mrs. Hakobyan said that assimilation is one of the major problems
in the age of globalization. “Therefore we need to do our utmost to
strengthen the ties of Diaspora Armenian youth with the Homeland,
to keep their identity, to prevent their assimilation,” she said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S PARLIAMENT SPEAKER EXPRESSES HIS CONCERNS IN A LETTER TO NATO PA PRESIDENT

armradio.am
29.07.2010 18:24

Speaker of the National assembly of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan sent
a letter to NATO Parliamentary Assembly President John Tanner. The
letter reads:

“Dear Mr. Tanner,

I am addressing you in regard to a possible report on the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue to be prepared for the discussion at the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly. To be frank, I am surprised that such a step
might have been taken without proper consultations with members of
the Armenian Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.

As is known, currently the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process runs
under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs representing
USA, France and Russia. It is our strong conviction that given the
confidentiality, specificity and delicacy of the negotiations, the
initiatives held in formats other than the Minsk Group co-chairmanship,
even with a good intent, include a great danger of jeopardizing the
negotiation process and undermining the mediation efforts. Therefore,
any initiative on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict resolution requires
prior consultations with the Co-Chair States of the Minsk Group,
having in view that the USA and France are both NATO members.

The attempts of Azerbaijan to raise the Nagorno-Karabakh issue within
different international formats are aimed at advertising Azerbaijan’s
own perception of the conflict resolution with disregard of the
entirety of principles proclaimed by the Co-Chairs as the basis for
the conflict resolution. It is worth mentioning that the Co-Chair
countries voted against the resolution proposed by Azerbaijan at
the UN General Assembly session in March 2008, by stating that the
“resolution selectively propagates only some of the principles [of
the conflict resolution] excluding others.”

Just a few days ago, exactly on July 17, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs
of France Bernard Kouchner, and Deputy Secretary of State of the
United States of America James Steinberg issued a statement where they
reconfirmed the principles and elements of the conflict resolution
stated by the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group’s Co-Chair countries
at the G8 Summit convened on June 26, 2010 in Muskoka. They once
again stressed the point that the mentioned principles and elements
have been conceived as an integrated whole and that any attempt to
give preferences over other principles would make it impossible to
achieve a balanced solution.

With due respect to an authoritative organization like the NATO
Parliamentary Assembly, we consider it our duty to remind that
in non-distant past a NATO PA report on Nagorno-Karabakh provoked
selective references, unsubstantiated interpretations, and wrong
speculations. I believe that the report in no way has contributed to
the creation of a favorable environment for the settlement process. I
do not see any reason why this new initiative may yield a different
result. It was due to the clear understanding of the sensitivity
of the issue that Secretary General Rasmussen and other NATO high
ranking officials voiced their strong support for the efforts of the
OSCE Minsk Group on different occasions and stressed that NATO did
not have direct involvement in the issue nor did not play a role of
its own in the mediation process.

Based on these concerns, Honorable Mr. President, I would like to
strongly advise and suggest that the NATO Parliamentary Assembly
refrains from addressing the issue on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. ”

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN-AMERICANS FILE LAWSUIT IN US AGAINST TURKISH BANKS

Armradio.am
30.07.2010 11:54

Armenian-Americans have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against the
Turkish government and two major Turkish banks for damages dating
back nearly a century.

Attorneys say heirs of Armenians killed and driven out of Turkey in
1915 are entitled to billions of dollars for property seized from
their ancestors. They are seeking class-action status for the case
filed Thursday.

Attorneys say the case is the first Armenian lawsuit directly naming
the Turkish government as a defendant. Also named are the Central
Bank of Turkey and T.C., Ziraat Bankasi. E-mails to both banks were
not immediately returned.

The lawsuit says the property taken includes businesses, bank deposits
and vast amounts of land. Lawyers say some priceless artifacts seized
are now on display in Turkish museums.

From: A. Papazian