Author: Andres-Papazian

MAXIM SHEVCHENKO: U.S. HAS MORE INFLUENCE IN CAUCASUS THAN RUSSIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 9, 2010 – 11:51 AMT 06:51 GMT

Russia will have to resign itself with pressure on Iran or reject
to apply the UN Security Council’s sanctions, according to Maxim
Shevchenko, Russian journalist and political analyst.

“We have tied our hands. The visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton to the South Caucasus proves that the U.S. has more influence
in Caucasus than Russia. Certainly, Madame Clinton is not going to
report on her secret talks with the countries’ leaders to Lavrov,”
to told Echo of Moscow radio station.

“U.S. ruling of Karabakh conflict may have a deplorable impact on
Azerbaijan and Armenia but can be very favorable for Washington for
isolation of Iran and further attack on this country,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

CLINTON’S REGIONAL VISIT WAS A YELLOW CARD FOR TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
July 9, 2010 – 14:27 AMT 09:27 GMT

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s regional visit was a
yellow card for Turkey, according to Hayk Babukhanyan, chairman of
Constitutional Right Union.

“Turkey understood that it can’t kill two birds with one stone,
aspiring both after leadership in the Islamic world and EU membership,”
he told journalists in Yerevan.

“Clinton’s visit to the Armenian Genocide Memorial was a clear message
to Ankara,” Babukhanyan said.

Asked about possibility of resumption of hostilities in Karabakh,
he said unexpected war can’t be ruled out but is unlikely.

“The conflict will remain frozen, as the only way is war, which is
not beneficial either to Azerbaijan or international actors,” he added.

Babukhanyan predicted change of power in Turkey and Georgia, after what
transit of energy resources and railways will be put into operation
throughout the region.

From: A. Papazian

THE IMPRESSION IS THAT ARMEN HARUTYUNYAN IS THE DEFENDER OF ONLY OPPOSITION’S RIGHTS: SHARMAZANOV

Tert.am
09.07.10

Armenia’s ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan is not a human rights
defender but rather the defender of opposition’s rights, MP from
the Republican Party of Armenia Eduard Sharmazanov told Tert.am,
referring to Ombudsman’s recent report that mainly focused on the
right of freedom of speech in Armenia.

“I have previously had a chance to get familiar with Ombudsman’s
reports, and the impression has always been that that man is only the
defender of opposition’s rights rather than human rights defender. But
after the recent report it turned out that it becomes a regular habit
[for him] to prepare one-sided reports that defend the rights of
opposition, which I think will not contribute to the democratization
of our country,” said Sharmazanov, adding that Armen Harutyunyan had
better prepare comprehensive reports instead of the one-sided ones.

“If we speak about what is bad, then they should also point to what
is good,” noted Sharmazanov.

Asked whether or not there are problems in Armenia related to
restrictions on freedom of speech, he said: “We do agree that there
are such problems. The administration of [Armenia’s President] Serzh
Sargsyan differs [from previous ones] in the sense that it does not
hide problems, but while speaking about problems, progress should
also be spoken about.”

From: A. Papazian

RETURNING OF LACHIN AND KELBAJAR REGIONS WILL BE DISCUSSED NEXT WEEK: MAMMADYAROV

Tert.am
09.07.10

The Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers will discuss the
returning Lachin and Kelbajar regions of Azerbaijan at the first stage
under the OSCE Foreign Ministers council to be held in Almaty, Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists today, reported by APA.

“The meeting will be held July 16 or 17. The OSCE Co-Chairs have not
presented us the specific dates yet,” he added.

Mammadyarov said the negotiations continue with the Armenian side on
the basis of the updated Madrid Principles.

“We have repeatedly discussed some of these principles in the past six
years and now it makes no sense to get back to them,” said Mammadyarov.

At a meeting of Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents Ilham Aliyev and
Serzh Sargsyan in January in Sochi, the OSCE Minsk Group presented
the parties an updated version of the Madrid document.

“Historically the Lachin and Kelbajar regions have never been part
of Nagorno-Karabakh. Today, the matter is the return of these two
regions,” Mammadyarov said, adding that the return of the remaining
five regions have already been resolved and will be no longer
discussed.

From: A. Papazian

THOUSANDS OF FAMILIES IN VAN READY TO HOST ARMENIANS ON SEPTEMBER 19

Tert.am
09.07.10

Four thousand families in Van, Eastern Turkey, have expressed
willingness to host those Armenians who will on September 19 arrive
in Van to participate in a liturgy ceremony to be served in newly
renovated Surb Khach (Holy Cross) Church on Akhtamar Island in
Lake Van.

According to Turkish media the campaign is organized by local daily
Van Times.

Aziz Aykach, Chief Editor of Van Times, said their initiative
is backed both by district administration of Van and by local
organizations. Saying that their aim is to host 5,000 Armenians due
in Van on that very day, Aykach underlined that the initiative has
kicked up interest among the citizens of Van.

“Many people express willingness to host Armenians. But we do not
accept every application. We find out which houses are comfortable
for hosting Armenian tourists. Currently we are ready to host 2000
Armenians,” said Aykach.

“The aim of this campaign is to meet again with old-time neighbors
and sooth some current disagreements. We want to bury the past events
in the history. The Armenians can easily come to our state.”

Earlier Aziz Aykach had said that Van Times, which is currently
published in four languages – Turkish, Kurdish, Persian and English
– will on the occasion of the liturgy service on September 19 be
published also in Armenian.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIA ACTIVELY SUPPORTS THE RESOLUTION OF KARABAKH CONFLICT: SERGEY LAVROV

Tert.am
09.07.10

Russia tries to actively support the settlement of separate conflicts
in CIS region, mainly the Transnistrian and Karabakh conflicts,
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with
Russian-language Mir TV channel.

According to the official website of Russia’s Foreign Ministry,
the parties have come a long way over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

“Recently, in the framework of an economic forum held in Saint
Petersburg Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had his 6th meeting with
his Armenian and Azerbaijani counterparts when additional tasks were
set,” said Lavrov.

“We hope to meet with Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s foreign ministers
in the framework of an unofficial event of the OSCE foreign ministers
to be held in mid July in Almaty. By saying we I mean Russia, US and
France as OSCE Minsk Group member states.”

From: A. Papazian

BANANTS TWICE BEATEN BY ANORTOSIS

Tert.am
09.07.10

On July 8 Armenian football team Banants played with Anortosis (Cyprus)
in Yerevan’s Hanrapetakan (Republican) stadium with the guests beating
Banants at a 0:1 score.

This was the second qualifier match in the first stage that will pave
the way for the winner to the European League.

The only goal was scored by Vincent Laban at the 37th minute.

Chances Banants would qualify for next stage were actually small
even before this match. But given this defeat they already became
impossible.

Thus in this way Banants during the two meetings yielded to Anortosis
at a 0:4 score.

From: A. Papazian

TALKS OVER NAGORNO KARABAKH ARE AT A MOST IMPORTANT STAGE: ROBERT BRADTKE

Tert.am
09.07.10

The most difficult task set upon the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs is
to organize frequent meetings between the presidents of Azerbaijan
and Armenia, OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke said in an interview
with BBC’s Azerbaijani service.

Further he compared the negotiation process with a bicycle ‘you will
fall if you stop.’

“It is necessary not to focus on the hindrances at the current stage
of talks, the parties should try to look into the future. In this
issue it is necessary to raise the role of leaders of the OSCE Minsk
Group states. The growing role is proven by the recent statement in
Canada and the recent visit of the Secretary of State. Mrs. Clinton
voiced a great thought during the visit saying ‘sometimes last steps
to peace turn to be most difficult ones’, Bradtke said asked whether
“US has developed a new approach to the Karabakh conflict”?

Bradtke noted that the conflict settlement must be based on Helsinki
principles.

“They agree on six elements, twice presented by presidents Obama,
Sarkozy and Medvedev. This is the temporary and final status of Nagorno
Karabakh, return of occupied lands, the corridor communicating Armenia
and Karabakh, return of refugees and IDPs and provision of peace.”

He also said that these elements must become part of the settlement.

“At the current stage the co-chairs need to coordinate these elements
with the Helsinki principles, then reflect them in a framework
agreement and then build the final talks on settlement on this basis.

We are currently at the most important stage of the process,”
Bradtke said.

In his words the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia demonstrate
political will to reach peace: “The main issue is the organization of
the frequent meetings of presidents. This is a difficult issue for us.

Each of the presidents says he wants peace and the opposite side does
not want it.”

Comparing the presidents, the US co-chair added that they are not
similar: ‘Their styles and approaches are different. But I am confident
that both presidents adhere to search of ways of peaceful settlement
of the conflict.’

Later, Bradtke stressed the threat posed by the situation: ‘This is
not a frozen conflict. People are still dying on the front line.’

From: A. Papazian

L’ACNIS TIENT UN ATELIER DE PLANIFICATION DE SCENARIOS
Stephane

armenews
vendredi9 juillet 2010
ARMENIE

Le Centre Armenien pour des Etudes Nationales et Internationales
(ACNIS) a convoque un atelier special sur les possibles scenarios
d’aujourd’hui, avec des presentations par l’analyste Sargis Harutiunian
et le directeur de l’ACNIS Richard Giragossian. L’atelier a offert
” un nouveau concept innovateur de planification strategique et de
formulation de politique liee aux etudes sur la securite regionale
et base sur plusieurs scenarios differents. ”

L’atelier s’est concentre sur deux secteurs : (1) preparation de
la crise et gestion, qui a inclus une analyse des tendances a long
terme, et sur echelle mondiale et regionale, visant a construire des
previsions de crises avant qu’elles n’arrivent ; et (2) planification
de scenario, qui a consiste en utilisation du concept innovateur de
projection de scenarios et de formulation de politique bases sur ”
des evaluations situationnelles et des dynamiques et la prediction
de tendances dans les sphères de la politique, de l’information,
du militaire et energetique. ”

Harutiunian et Giragosian ont explique que ” ce nouvel exercice
analytique consiste en cinq mesures clefs : contrôle, analyse,
evaluation, prediction et recommandations. ” Giragosian a ajoute que
le modèle emploie aussi une technique connue comme ” l’analyse SWOT,
ce qui signifie des Forces, des Faiblesses, des Occasions et des
Menaces, ou SWOT. ”

Les orateurs ont aussi detaille ” comment ce modèle analytique peut
etre applique a l’etude et la preparation pour plusieurs crises
differentes, incluant une ouverture possible de la frontière avec la
Turquie, l’escalade possible d’attaques des azeris contre le Karabakh,
le danger de guerre en Iran, ou des changements en Azerbaïdjan. ”

From: A. Papazian

CONFERENCE DE PRESSE DU HEROS DE LA GUERRE DU HK ARCADY TER-TADEVOSSIAN
Stephane

armenews
vendredi9 juillet 2010
ARMENIE

Azg, Hayastani Hanrapetoutioun, Haykakan Jamanak et Aravot couvrent
la conference de presse du heros de la guerre du HK, le general en
retraire Arcady Ter-Tadevossian, qui a accuse la partie armenienne
d’etre responsable de l’incident survenu le 18 juin sur la ligne de
contact. Ce sont des soldats sans experience qui ont surveille la
frontière, tandis que les commandants auraient dû etre plus vigilants.

La mort de 5 personnes est, selon lui, une faute d’inattention des
commandants. Cet incident doit servir de lecon a la partie armenienne.

Toutefois, le comportement des soldats armeniens près du village
Tchaylou ne reflète pas l’image des forces armees armeniennes. Les
forces armees de l’Azerbaïdjan ont un avantage quantitatif par
rapport a celles de l’Armenie, mais la quantite ne signifie pas la
qualite. Au sein des forces armees azerbaïdjanaises les representants
des minorites nationales qui ne souhaiteront pas se battre pour
l’Azerbaïdjan ni pour le clan Aliev sont nombreux. Le general en
retraite n’exclut pas la reprise des operations militaires et estime
que dans un premier temps l’Azerbaïdjan aura un avantage vis-a-vis de
l’Armenie grâce a ses moyens techniques et financiers, mais la partie
armenienne l’emportera grâce au facteur humain. La partie armenienne
sera capable de non seulement faire reculer l’ennemi, mais aussi de
mener des operations au-dela de sa frontière. La partie armenienne
connaît les points faibles de l’Azerbaïdjan qui sont les pipe-lines
et les gazoducs et en cas d’operations militaires les fera sauter
en premier lieu. Seulement 15% du petrole azerbaïdjanais appartient
a l’Azerbaïdjan-meme, le reste appartenant a la Grande Bretagne. Or
cette dernière ne permettra jamais a l’Azerbaïdjan de mettre en danger
cette richesse. Commentant la declaration des Presidents des pays
mediateurs du Groupe de Minsk, le general en retraite l’a qualifie
de ” defaite de la diplomatie armenienne “. ” Je n’ai jamais lu une
declaration aussi negative pour l’Armenie “, a-t-il lance, ajoutant que
le retour des territoires ” liberes ” sera le debut de la defaite de
l’Armenie. D’après lui, la visite de Mme Clinton a un seul objectif,
a savoir mettre en ~uvre ladite declaration.

Ambassade de France en Armenie

Service de presse

From: A. Papazian