Author: Andres-Papazian

MOST PEOPLE IN ARMENIA ‘INTERESTED IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT’

news.az
July 22 2010
Azerbaijan

‘Probably, most people in Armenia are interested in the settlement
of the conflict.

But there are some politicians coming from Karabakh who want Nagorno
Karabakh to remain the unrecognized “republic”‘, said Alexey Kuznetsov,
doctor of economic sciences, head of the Center of European Studies
at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations of the
Russian Academy of Science.

According to the political scientist, they do not even need
recognition.

‘They merely need such an object. The matter is that they understand
that even if Nagorno Karabakh is separated from Azerbaijan, it will
not exist as a separate state but will be united with Armenia. This
is inevitable. Karabakh politicians are also not interested in it.

Therefore, today they are satisfied with the status that we have’.

As for the possible solution of the conflict through war, the political
scientist said:

‘In fact, I am against any war. Certainly, world history knows the
examples when such conflicts were settled through hostilities.

However, war can always have unpredictable implications. Let’s imagine
that Azerbaijan will start war and even have success, that is, it
will return a part of lands.

Later the war will be suspended under pressure of external powers. And
what then? Again there will be a deadlock. A part of lands remains
under Armenia’s control. The negotiation process will not be
successful, which means it will take another 15-20 years to start
negotiations on the return of the rest of lands. This will be a step
back. The conflict has already been lasting for 20 years and today
it is necessary to do everything to come to an agreement peacefully’.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA ‘CANNOT DEVELOP’ WITHOUT TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN

news.az
July 22 2010
Azerbaijan

Novruz Mammadov Armenia will eventually have to return the body of
an Azerbaijani soldier killed in a clash on the contact line, a top
Azerbaijani official has said.

In the same way, Armenia will have to acknowledge that it cannot
develop without Azerbaijan and Turkey, Novruz Mammadov, head of the
foreign relations department at the Presidential Administration,
told reporters on Wednesday

By refusing to return the Azerbaijani soldier’s body, Armenia is
contravening international humanitarian law, Mammadov said.

Warrant Officer Mubariz Ibrahimov was killed in an incident on 18-19
June on the contact line separating Armenian and Azerbaijani troops.

Four soldiers of the Karabakh forces also died in the clash.

“Unfortunately, the Armenians have shown their nature, thereby,
running counter to international organizations and international
humanitarian laws and rules. But I think that by doing so they are
discrediting themselves and this issue must be settled sooner or
later. Serious steps are being taken in this direction and we are
continuing work with the relevant structures,” Trend news agency
reported Novruz Mammadov as saying.

“The return of the body of the Azerbaijani soldier is part of
the process of settling the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno-Karbakh. The Armenians are too sure of themselves in this
whole process, like people who are not subject to these laws. But
the Armenian leadership and Armenian people should know that in this
process they are now calling into question the very existence of
this country and this people in future. They can be 100% sure that
they won’t achieve anything this way. International organizations and
circles should take a more serious, firmer position on this issue,”
Mammadov said.

He was confident that a settlement would be found to the Karabakh
conflict.

“In fact, the Armenian leadership is hostage to the issue of
the Karabakh conflict settlement. If the conflict is settled, the
corridor and communications between Azerbaijan and its territory of
Nakhchivan can open at any time. There should be no doubt about this,”
Mammadov said.

“Armenia needs this corridor more than we do. The Armenian leadership
and Armenian nation have created a great obstacle to their development,
cutting off paths to development for a long time. Armenia cannot
develop in the region without Turkey and Azerbaijan. They think about
it but cannot risk taking this step,” the head of department said.

As for the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign ministers
in Almaty at the weekend, Novruz Mammadov said the meeting had failed
to produce the desired result.

“But I think the process has not been stopped. Now all circles of
the international community, the co-chairs [of the OSCE Minsk Group
mediators], presidents and ministers are taking joint steps. The
Armenian side will have to respond sooner or later. The Armenian
side often takes such steps to protract time but the world community,
international community and the co-chairing states must demand that
Armenia take definite action. Armenia has no other way out.

“A response must be made to the Madrid principles [proposed by the
OSCE as a basis for talks] and we are waiting for this,” Mammadov said.

From: A. Papazian

FRENCH EMBASSY: FASSIER HOLDS CO-CHAIR’S MISSION

Panorama
July 22 2010
Armenia

OSCE Minsk Group co-chair on Karabakh issue Bernard Fassier continues
his mission as French co-chair, French Embassy to Armenia press
service told Panorama.am. Our reporter has been told information on
changes of the co-chair will be surely reported.

It’s worth reminding that it was rumored recently that French co-chair
Bernard Fassier was going to quit his position.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA AWAITS FOR TURKEY’S WILL, SAYS PRESIDENT SARGSYAN

Aysor
July 22 2010
Armenia

Yerevan is waiting for Ankara to show its will in process of
normalisation of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

“Today the world is calling for Turkey to demonstrate the power of
choosing and to ratify the signed [Armenia-Turkey] documents [on
normalisation of relations between the two countries], while Turks
do not appear to have been heard this and are calling for us to show
the will,” said Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan at the meeting
with representatives of “Together” Movement of young activists and
representatives of Diaspora.

“We have already shown our will. We never ignore the hand of friendship
that is being offered; but when there is no hand in real, then we
do not pay an attention to it. Actually, we’ve done everything that
depended on us and now we are waiting for Turks to show their will,”
said President Sargsyan.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT SAYS WAITS FOR BAKU’S RESPONSE

Aysor
July 22 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan has declared that is expecting a
response of Azerbaijani authorities to the proposals delivered in St.

Petersburg in relation to the settlement to the Karabakh conflict.

“There were delivered newest proposals made on the basis of the Madrid
Document in St, Petersburg. Azerbaijan must answer whether he is
accepting those proposals or not. We consider the document provides a
platform for continuation of negotiations. So, let’s see what answer
Azerbaijan will offer. If Azerbaijan says is accepting the document
delivered by the OSCE Minsk Group [Co-Chairs], then the talks will be
continued. If no – then, I think, there will be chosen other ways,”
said Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan at the meeting with young
activists of “Together” Movement.

Armenian President also reminded that the statement of representatives
of the chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, which was made
in Alma-Ata, reads that the Karabakh conflict must be settled on the
basis of three principles of the international law: principle of the
territorial integrity, the right to self-determination, and non-use
of force.

“We say the conflict must be settled by making mutual concessions.

Nothing else is acceptable,” added President Sargsyan.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN DISMISSES ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S CHALLENGE

news.az
July 22 2010
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry Baku has dismissed remarks from the
Armenian president on proposals that should form the basis of talks
on the Karabakh peace conflict.

Serzh Sargsyan said yesterday that Armenia was ready to use proposals
put forward in St Petersburg as a basis for talks on a Karabakh
peace settlement and that it was now Azerbaijan’s turn to make its
position clear.

The proposals were made at a meeting in St Petersburg in June between
the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, mediated by Russian President
Dmitriy Medvedev, in June.

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov said today
that the meeting in St Petersburg had involved only one Minsk Group
co-chairing state – Russia – so the proposals made there could
not be considered an initiative of the OSCE Minsk Group mediators,
1 news.az reported.

“The format of the negotiating process on the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict envisages proposals agreed by all the three
co-chairing countries – Russia, the USA and France,” Polukhov said.

“Russia made a working proposal in St Petersburg which does not
influence the Madrid principles proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group. The
format of the current negotiating process was confirmed in Athens
in the statement of the foreign ministers of the OSCE Minsk group
co-chairing states, then in Canada in a joint statement of the
presidents of the United States, Russia and France on the sidelines
of the G8 summit,” Polukhov said

The ministry noted again that it is continuing the negotiating process
to find a resolution to the Karabakh conflict on the basis of these
statements which were made at the highest level by the countries
co-chairing the OSCE Minsk Group, 1 news.az reported.

The Armenian president’s comments on the St Petersburg proposals echo
earlier statements by Azerbaijan that the negotiations would continue
once Armenia had accepted as a basis for negotiations the updated
Madrid principles, put forward by the OSCE Minsk Group mediators. The
difference between the updated Madrid principles and St Petersburg
proposals has not been made public.

From: A. Papazian

HOLOCAUST CENTRE FAMILY RECEIVE RARE TRIPLE HONOUR

This is Nottingham

July 22 2010

A FAMILY who founded the UK’s first Holocaust memorial centre in
Notts are to receive a rare triple honour.

Marina Smith and sons James and Stephen will receive honorary degrees
from Nottingham Trent University.

Fifteen years ago, the family created the Holocaust Centre in Laxton,
which has since welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors. Stephen,
who is now executive director of the Shoah Foundation – founded by
Hollywood director Steven Spielberg in Los Angeles -is unable to
attend today’s graduation ceremony but Mrs Smith and James will be
at the Royal Concert Hall to receive honorary Doctor of Letters awards.

Most of the visitors to the Holocaust Centre, where the peaceful
setting of the north Notts village is ideal for reflection in the
memorial garden, are schoolchildren.

There they have the opportunity to meet a survivor of the Holocaust,
several of whom live in Notts, learn about their experiences and
reflect on the lessons this history holds for the future.

The centre is home to The Journey, the country’s first Holocaust
exhibition aimed at primary school pupils, which follows the story
of a fictional Jewish child, Leo Stein.

Much of the award-winning exhibition focuses on the Kindertransport,
the rescue mission which brought 10,000 young refugees from Nazi
Germany and occupied territories to the UK without their parents
in 1938-39.

Also based at the centre is the Aegis Trust, a genocide prevention
organisation, founded by the Smiths in 2000.

Dr James Smith, chairman of the Holocaust Centre, said: “We’re thrilled
to be sharing this award, which celebrates not only the work of the
Holocaust Centre and Aegis Trust but also the strong ties we have with
Nottingham, Nottingham Trent University and the whole local community.

“It recognises, too, that the creation of the Holocaust Centre was
a family effort. We could not have done this without each other,
without the generosity of our supporters, nor without the family
of survivors who give of themselves and their experiences to help
educate a new generation about the dangers of prejudice and ideas
that can divide a society.”

It was during a family holiday to Israel in 1981 that the brothers
first recognised that Christianity began in the country but had become
far removed from its Jewish origins. Ten years later, a day at Yad
Vashem, Israel’s official memorial, convinced them that British people
needed to confront the reality of the Holocaust.

They envisaged an exhibition, which would occupy a few rooms of the
farmhouse used by their parents as a small Christian conference centre.

What evolved was Britain’s first dedicated memorial and education
centre to focus on the history and consequences of the persecution and
murder of six million Jews by the Nazi regime in the Second World War.

As well as commemorating the victims, the centre sets out to educate
the younger generation about the Holocaust and more recent atrocities
in Armenia, Cambodia and Rwanda.

The Aegis Trust has strong links with Nottingham Trent University,
through its thriving student branch. Former members recently opened
The Charity Shop in Goosegate, Nottingham, to support Aegis’ work.

From: A. Papazian

GOVERNMENT DISCHARGED VIOLINIST FROM MANDATORY MILITARY SERVICE

Panorama
July 22 2010
Armenia

Armenian Government adopted a decision Thursday to discharge violinist
Vahe Stepani Rostomyan from mandatory military service. Government’s
press service reported: “taking into consideration violinist Vahe
Stepanyan’s exclusive musical abilities and his promising future,
the fact of being honored different international first rate awards,
as well as intermediation of famous musicians, the Government made
a decision to discharge him from mandatory military service.”

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT TO PROVIDE $109 THOUSAND FOR KYRGYZSTAN

Panorama
July 22 2010
Armenia

The government decided at today’s sitting to allocate humanitarian
aid of 40 mln. AMD (about $109 thousand) to Kyrgyzstan. Earlier
Kyrgyzstan had addressed the CIS member states over financial support
and, according to Finance Minister Tigran Davtyan, Armenia responded
as far as it could afford.

Over 200 were killed, and a great many houses were destroyed in the
clashes in Kyrgyzstan.

Note that Armenia also provided for Haiti and Tajikistan $100 thousand
each over earthquake relief.

From: A. Papazian

AMERICAN AZERIS PRESS FOR AMBASSADOR’S CONFIRMATION

Hurriyet
July 22 2010
Turkey

American Azeris have urged the Senate to quickly confirm the new
ambassador to Azerbaijan, the Azeri Press Agency, APA’s, Washington
correspondent reported Thursday.

The confirmation of U.S. President Barack Obama nominee Matthew Bryza
for the post of U.S. ambassador to Baku was scheduled for Thursday
morning. The U.S. Azerbaijani Network, USAN, called on its members
to write to senators to encourage them to confirm Matthew Bryza. “We
support the nomination and want to see the post of U.S. Ambassador to
Azerbaijan filled as soon as possible,” the letters said, according
to APA.

Bryza has a diplomatic career of over 20 years. He coordinated U.S.

energy policy in the Black and Caspian Sea regions and represented
the United States for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe, or OSCE’s, Minsk Group talks on a resolution of Azerbaijan’s
22-year conflict with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh.

The post has been vacant since July 2009 when the previous incumbent,
Anne Derse, completed her term.

From: A. Papazian