Author: Andres-Papazian

The Messenger, Georgia
July 16 2010

Turkey-Armenia negotiations on electricity export underway

By Messenger Staff Friday, July 16
Negotiations on exporting Armenia’s electro energy to Turkey are
underway, though no exact dates for this are known as yet. The
Armenian Minister of Energy and Natural Resources suggests that Turkey
has added political elements to the negotiations but they are
continuing.

In 2008 Armenia undertook to provide a certain amount of electro
energy to Turkey but the supply has not yet reached the agreed amount.

From: A. Papazian

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
July 16 2010

Turkish FM admits continued problems with Armenia

Friday, July 16, 2010
ANKARA ` Anatolia News Agency

Although Turkey has made great strides in eliminating problems with
its neighbors, outstanding issues remain with Armenia, Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet DavutoÄ?lu said Friday.

“It is obvious that the refusal of the friendly hand offered by Turkey
will mostly damage Armenia itself,” DavutoÄ?lu said in a written
statement responding to a parliamentary question submitted by the
opposition Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP.

“The protocols signed with Armenia formed the initial steps of a
normalization process which Turkey considers long-term. The
continuation of this process will definitely depend on how willing
Armenia is to solve problems,” he said.

DavutoÄ?lu said Turkey was attempting to boost its relations with all
its neighbors on the basis of mutual respect and good neighborly
relations. Turkey’s foreign minister said the solution to the current
political conflicts in the southern Caucasus was the main condition
for ensuring sustainable security and peace.

DavutoÄ?lu said another important condition for the establishment of a
comprehensive peace in the southern Caucasus was a solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

He said the Turkish government was of the opinion that the
normalization process between Turkey and Armenia would have an
affirmative impact on efforts to find a solution.

“We saw that negotiations carried out between the presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan gained momentum after the normalization
process, and the two presidents had nine talks,” DavutoÄ?lu said.

From: A. Papazian

United Press International UPI
July 16 2010

Iran, Armenia to split oil pipeline cost

YEREVAN, Armenia, July 16 (UPI) — The Armenian and Iranian
governments agreed to split the cost evenly for the construction of a
217-mile oil pipeline, the Armenian oil minister said.

Iran sits on some of the largest oil and gas deposits in the world.
Armenia would receive 70,000 barrels of oil through the proposed
Shahnazi-Zadeh pipeline.

Armen Movsisyan, the Armenian minister of oil and natural resources,
said his country agreed to split the cost of the pipeline with Iran,
Iran’s state-funded broadcaster Press TV reports.

The minister estimated that it would cost as much as $180 million to
build the 217-mile pipeline.

The development follows passage in Washington of unilateral sanctions
that target the Iranian energy sector.

The report from Press TV said construction on the oil pipeline was
expected later in 2010.

NATO in 2008 warned Armenia that it needed to take steps to increase
transparency in the energy sector to counter high energy costs.

Iran and Armenia announced plans last year to build a 70-mile natural
gas pipeline as well.

From: A. Papazian

news.az, Azerbaijan
July 16 2010

Foreigners not allowed to give made-up names to their children in Azerbaijan
Fri 16 July 2010 | 05:57 GMT Text size:

Azerbaijani authorities are going to set control over choice of names
for children, according to sources in National Academy of Science of
Azerbaijan.

‘This is done for a foreign citizen not to give a made-up name to his
child using the absence of the relevant legislative base in
Azerbaijan’, said director of the Institute of Information
Technologies Rasim Aliguliyev explaining the draft concept envisioning
creation of the State Information System on names and surnames
considered in the Academy.

Meanwhile, referring to national legislation, Aliquliyev said
foreigners must register a child in 30 days after the birth.

‘Then those foreigners may demand to register the newborn under the
fictions name, for example “777”. Therefore, the system we have
created envisions the request in the country from which any foreigner
has received a visa upon arrival in Azerbaijan for existence of such a
name. In case the country does not have such a name, the foreign will
be rejected in choosing such a name for a child’, the director of the
Institute said.

Speaking about the concept, Aliquliyev noted that this document
envisions that the traffic light e-system will be applied in giving a
name to a child. ‘For example, the database of names with `Green
light’ will include names the parents can give their newborns.

The `Yellow light’ will include names that are undesirable for
newborns, the director of the Institute said.

Aliquliyev noted that the `Red light’ of the database will include
names that will be prohibited for newborns. ‘Such names will include,
for example, Andronik, Zori Balayan. However, I would like to note
that this ban on these Armenian names will not refer to the
Azerbaijani citizens of Armenian ethnic. `Red light’ will also be
related to the names of the persons who played a negative role in the
history of Azerbaijan contrary to its culture and morality’, he noted.

Aliquliyev said international experience, in particular, the
experience of Germany, Estonia, Turkey, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,
Moldova was studied during the development of this concept.

He said the practical application of the concept will start from the
end of this year.

Interfax-Azerbaijan

From: A. Papazian

HULIQ.com, SC
July 16 2010

Nagorno-Karabakh deal near? Depends on who you ask

Submitted by Sandy Smith on 2010-07-16

As the foreign ministers of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) meet in the Kazakh capital of Almaty to
discuss regional security matters, the most interesting item on the
agenda has nothing to do with the meeting. Instead, it has to do with
the long-running dispute between Azerbaijan and Armenia over the
Nagorno-Karabakh region. The two countries may meet during the
conference to settle the issue. Or not.

Reports in the Turkish press say that the Armenian foreign minister,
Edward Nalbandian, will meet with his Turkish and Azerbaijani
counterparts in Almaty to discuss an Armenian withdrawal from the
Azeri provinces of Lachin and Kelbajar. However, a leading Armendian
news source says that no meetings between Nalbandian and Turkey’s
foreign minister, Ahmet Davuto?Ä?lu have been agreed upon during the
OSCE conference.

Turkey has been pressing to get Armenia and Azerbaijan to iron our
their dispute as a stepping stone to normalizing Armenian-Turkish
relations. The Armenians have resisted Turkish efffort to mediate on
the grounds that the Turks are unwilling to accommodate Armenian
concerns. In the particular instance, Lachin and Kelbajar provide the
only land conection between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, a majority
Armenian region within Azerbaijan that Armenia took control of in the
early 1990s.

Azerbaijan had objected to normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations
as long as the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute remains unsettled. Turkey has
since tied normalization to a settlement of the dispute as well.
Armenia is concerned that both countries would prefer a settlement
that does not take into account Armenia’s interest in the region’s
Armenian majority.

From: A. Papazian

news.az, Azerbaijan
July 16 2010

Azerbaijan not to join NATO soon, analyst
Fri 16 July 2010 | 06:43 GMT Text size:

Alexandros Petersen News.Az interviews Alexandros Petersen, senior
fellow at the Eurasia Centre at US think-tank the Atlantic Council.

Do you view Azerbaijan as a NATO member in the nearest perspective?

In the short-term, Azerbaijan will not be a NATO member for two
reasons: the Alliance is wary of extending full membership to the
South Caucasus countries due to concerns over conflicts in the region
and Russia’s reaction, and two, because it is not explicit Azerbaijani
policy to become a full NATO member. It would be a great
accomplishment for NATO and Azerbaijan if Azerbaijan eventually became
a member, but this will be down the road. In the meantime, Azerbaijan
should continue its NATO-related military and governance reforms.

The tensions on the front line of the Azerbaijani and Armenian armed
forces have grown. Does it show that the parties have exhausted the
negotiation potential and are currently prepared for war?

This is a particularly tense period, but we must not forget that the
Line of Contact is always simmering. There are frequent violent
incidents, because there are very few monitors and absolutely no
peacekeepers of any kind. This has been the situation for a decade and
a half, so I don’t think we can say that the potential for
negotiations has been exhausted. That said, we cannot become
complacent. Negotiations must make more progress towards conflict
resolution, or one of these violent incidents could explode into
large-scale conflict.

How do you assess US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s recent Baku
visit in terms of possible progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution?

Secretary Clinton’s visit was important in that it highlighted the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in the US and in the West more broadly. It
hopefully signals the beginning of more intense US engagement in
conflict resolution. We are in a difficult spot in terms of the
negotiations, so a diplomatic push from the US would be very welcome.
That said, it is Baku and Yerevan that have to work out conflict
resolution, with the support of the three Minsk Group co-chairs.

Is there a difference in the approaches between US and Russia on the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict resolution?

The difference in approaches could not be more stark. The US as a
foreign policy actor takes its role very seriously and tries to be as
impartial as possible, despite unhelpful interference from the US
Congress. Russia has hosted a number of high-level meetings as a
co-chair, but simultaneously arms and supports Armenian
diplomatically. Moscow’s role in the resolution process has so far
hindered progress, but the better bilateral relationship between the
US and Russia may well lead to a more productive attitude from the
Russian leadership.

W.W.
News.Az

From: A. Papazian

news.az, Azerbaijan
July 16 2010

Georgia was always a member of Europe, Saakashvili
Fri 16 July 2010 | 07:07 GMT Text size:

Mikheil Saakashvili Baroness Ashton on her side reiterated EU`s clear
support to Georgia and stressed the reforms carried out in the
country.

Catherine Ashton, the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and
Security Policy of the European Union visited Thursday the seaside
town of Batumi in Adjara Region.

Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili received the EU High
Representative. The face-to-face meeting behind the closed doors
lasted for two hours.

After the meeting, Mikheil Saakashvili and Catherine Ashton held a
joint press conference on Piazza Square in the centre of Batumi.
Georgian President said Georgia was always a member of Europe. He said
the county has done very much on its way to constructing an European
state, although much has been left to do and support by EU is
necessary for that.

The president spoke in details about Catherine Ashton`s first visit to
Georgia and the first round of EU-Georgia talks on the agreement on
Georgia’s associated membership to EU.

`This square is a symbol of contemporary Georgia, because right here
today we are launching talks on Georgia`s associated membership to EU,
which will be followed by Free Trade Agreement and visa -free regime.
Few years ago, this town was the most unpromising, the most criminal
on the Black Sea coast, but today it is the most fast-developing town.
This square is unfinished, the reforms are also unfinished. But the
construction started here on March 1 and this demonstrates that
Georgia is being constructed so rapidly. Georgia is not going to
Europe, it is already in Europe and it is returning to European
institutions`, the president said.

`The purpose of our reforms is to create the first European state in
teh Caucasian history. We have done so much and we need your
assistance to do much. We would like to walk this way with you.

`The symbol of Free Batumi is also hope for future free Sukhumi and
free Tskhinvali, hope for free Georgia based on principles of
liberty.`Our Freedom Today`, the words from our national anthem is the
main motive principle of me and all members of my government`, Mikheil
Saakashvili said.

`We have always had a strategic stability and prosperity and
development of democracy in our Eastern neighbourhood. The Eastern
Partnership to be established last year, has given new impetus to our
efforts to create the close possible links between EU and its Eastern
neighbours. Our relations with the South Caucasus in particular are
developing rapidly. To the point we will be now able to launch these
negotiations here today. And as you know, negotiations for association
agreements for Azerbaijan and Armenia will be launched tomorrow in
Baku and in Yerevan on Monday.

`I am confident that all these agreements will be ambitious and
forward-looking. And they will provide the framework for new
relationship based on political association and economic integration.
And I firmly believe, by strengthening these relationships between EU
and Georgia, we can contribute Georgia`s democratic development, help
to secure its long-term stability, build prosperity and eradicate
poverty. The ambitions, that I know you hold, are the core of your
work for this country.

`The negotiations will of course require the considerable efforts on
all sides. And this context the EU is committed to start negotiations
for a deep and comprehensive free trade area. Georgia is of course
ready for this. And to make that step, Georgia needs to make a
sufficient progress on its way to building democracy.

`We support Georgia`s territorial integrity and do not recognize
independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. We continuingly call on
Russia to fulfil the six-point cease-fire agreement. We of course
always support peaceful resolution of problems. We welcome the
Georgian government`s action plan towards the conflict regions. We
consider Georgia`s efforts to establish relationship with Europe very
important and we hope Georgia also will become EU`s reliable partner`,
Catherine Ashton said.

Rustavi2

From: A. Papazian

Aysor, Armenia
July 16 2010

Defense Ministry delegation leaving for Iran tomorrow

A delegation led by Armenian Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan will be
on two-day visit to Iran tomorrow at the invitation of the Iranian
Defense Minister.

During the visit, Armenian Defense Minister will negotiate with his
Iranian counterpart, will meet with Iranian military and political
leaders. Issues of mutual interest as well as regional, international
issues will be discussed during the meetings.

From: A. Papazian

Aysor, Armenia
July 16 2010

MFA: Issue of transfer of Lachin, Kelbajar was never discussed

Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan told `Haylur’ news program that
Mammadyarov’s statement about discussion of the issue of return of
Lachin and Kelbajar regions to Azerbaijan is an `obvious falsehood.’

Note that Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov declared that
the issue of return of Lachin and Kelbajar regions to Azerbaijan is
allegedly discussed with the Armenian side, that allegedly the issue
was also discussed at the Saint Petersburg meeting.

`It is an obvious falsehood. The Armenian side has never discussed the
issue of transfer of Lachin and Kelbajar to Azerbaijani administrative
control. That issue was not discussed, either, at the Presidents’
Saint Petersburg meeting,’ Foreign Minister declared.

From: A. Papazian

Azerbaijan Business Center
July 16 2010

On 15 September European Court to consider a lawsuit against Armenia
instituted by Azerbaijan citizens evicted from their native lands by
Armenian army

Baku, Fineko / abc.az. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) will
consider the complaint of Azerbaijani citizens who have been displaced
as a result of Armenian aggression against Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijan’s representative in the ECHR Chingiz Askerov has stated
that internally displaced persons from Lachin region of Azerbaijan
submitted a complaint against Armenia, and an open court hearing on
the occasion will be held on 15 September.

“Six IDPs from Azerbaijani region Lachin occupied by Armenians come
forward in the role of plaintiffs. The hearing will be held with
participation of the plaintiffs and representatives of the governments
of Azerbaijan and Armenia,” Askerov said.

Askerov himself will participate in the court on behalf of the
Azerbaijani government. Azerbaijan has attracted foreign lawyers.

“In practice of the European Court there have already been precedents
of consideration of such issues. A precedent here is a case concerning
Northern Cyprus. In my opinion, if the European Court takes an
objective decision, then, of course, it would be of great benefit,’
Askerov said.

In addition, on July 15 the Azerbaijani government filed an appeal to
the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights on the
decision in the case of Azerbaijani journalist Eynulla Fatullayev,
serving a sentence currently.

“The court’s decision on Fatullayev should come into force on 22 July
but this will not happen as Azerbaijan has already sent a complaint to
the ECHR Grand Chamber,’ Askerov said.

If after consideration of the complaint in the Grand Chamber, the
court decides to refuse, then the relevant decision will come into
force on the same day. Earlier the ECHR had decided to immediately
release the journalist and to pay him 25,000 euro of compensation.
Thus, the court found unreasonable the decision of courts of
Azerbaijan, which deprived the journalist of freedom under several
articles of the Criminal Code: the threat of terror, insulting the
Azerbaijani people, fomenting national discord and tax evasion. The
maximum term of imprisonment was 8.5 years, of which the journalist
had already served more than three years.

In general, Askerov emphasized, about 120 complaints regarding
Azerbaijan, are waiting their consideration in the ECHR.

From: A. Papazian