Author: Antonian Lara

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT LAYS A WREATH TO CROSS-STONE TO ARMENIAN GENOCIDE VICTIMS

ArmInfo
2009-11-09 15:21:00

ArmInfo. Over his state visit to Hungary President of Armenia Serzh
Sargsyan has laid a wreath to the cross-stone to Armenian genocide
victims in Budapest.

As ArmInfo correspondent reported from Budapest, the president of
Armenia also visited Heroes’ Square and laid a wreath to the memorial.

Serzh Sargsyan also met representatives of the Armenian Diaspora
of Hungary.

Today the president is also going to meet up with the speaker of the
Hungarian parliament Bella Katon.

FEATURE-FORGOTTEN LAND COULD DECIDE TURKEY-ARMENIA PEACE

Reuters
Crisis/idUSL3542048
Nov 6 2009
UK

AGDAM, Azerbaijan, Nov 6 (Reuters) – Brief snatches of colour —
a washing line, a passing car — break up the mass of rubble that
was Agdam.

A handful of Armenians live off scrap metal and pipes plundered from
the ruins of this Azeri town, razed in 1993 as Christian Armenian
forces in the mountain region of Nagorno-Karabakh fought to split
from Muslim Azerbaijan.

Largely forgotten by the outside world since, the remote territory
is now the centre of diplomatic attention because it could torpedo
a fragile peace deal between historic enemies Armenia and Turkey.

Diplomats and analysts say it is on the ghostly remains of Agdam
and other Azeri towns held by Armenian forces that stability in the
wider South Caucasus region — a key transit route for non-Arab oil
and gas to the West — depends.

International mediators and Turkey want the Armenians to return many
of their conquests to Azerbaijan. Turkey has said that its peace
agreement with Armenia cannot advance unless this happens.

The conquered territories run across seven Azeri districts in a
long strip of land connecting Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh, and the
Armenians are in no mood to give them up.

"It was free land," said Gena, an Armenian who grazes cows on a former
Azeri town now returning to nature. "This land was hard to conquer. To
give it back is easier, but unfair."

The war killed 30,000 people and displaced 1 million. A ceasefire was
agreed in 1994 and Nagorno-Karabakh declared itself independent. But
no country recognised it and the spectre of fresh conflict is never
far away.

"Nagorno-Karabakh was the first (Armenian) military victory in 2,000
years. It’s awfully hard psychologically to climb down from that,"
said Richard Giragosian, the American head of the Armenian Centre
for National and International Studies.

Diplomats say that under peace principles being negotiated by Armenia
and Azerbaijan, at least five of the districts would return, in
exchange for greater international legitimacy for Nagorno-Karabakh
and a future popular vote to decide its status.

A trio of U.S., French and Russian mediators say they are closer to
a deal than ever before.

But years of official secrecy surrounding the talks, and zero
Western engagement on the ground, has seen sentiments harden in
Nagorno-Karabakh. Its leaders are barred from direct participation
in the negotiations due to Azeri opposition.

"They (Azeris) should understand that this is all Armenian land,"
said Luda Airapetyan, a 59-year-old Armenian and former school
teacher in the Nagorno-Karabakh town of Shusha, 15 km (9 miles)
from the breakaway capital Stepanakert.

"We took those lands with blood and we must keep them."

Shusha is a shadow of the 19th century town once among the greatest
in the Caucasus. During the 1990s war, Azeris used its 700-metre
(2,290 ft) height advantage over Stepanakert to pound the Armenian
stronghold, before Shusha also fell.

SNIPERS, MINEFIELDS

For Shusha and the rest of Nagorno-Karabakh, the seven surrounding
districts represent a security guarantee against an Azeri attack,
and a vital land corridor to Armenia.

Nagorno-Karabakh survives almost totally on budget support from Armenia
and donations from the huge Armenian diaspora, but rejects trading its
"independence" for the prospect of sharing in Azerbaijan’s burgeoning
oil revenues.

Fifteen years of fragile peace has seen the seven Azeri regions
effectively absorbed into Nagorno-Karabakh proper, indistinguishable
on maps sold by the de facto foreign ministry.

"They can decide for us, of course," de facto Foreign Minister Georgy
Petrosyan said of the negotiations. "But all the proposed variants
are far removed from real life."

Turkey wants Armenia to give ground to Azerbaijan before Ankara
ratifies a deal to establish diplomatic ties and reopens its border
with Armenia, which was closed in solidarity with Ankara’s ally
Azerbaijan in 1993.

But with the Armenian opposition condemning the thaw with its
Turkish foe, analysts say concessions on Nagorno-Karabakh are even
more unpalatable for Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan, formerly the
wartime commander of the breakaway territory.

Instead, soldiers continue to die on the frontline, picked off by
snipers and hidden ordnance in a warren of trenches and minefields.

Observers estimate around 30 died in 2008, including up to 16 in one
clash in March, the worst in years.

"The status quo is better than what’s being offered," said Masis
Mayilian, director of the Foreign and Security Policy Council
think-tank in Stepanakert.

But to tread water is dangerous in the Caucasus, where a 16-year
stalemate in rebel South Ossetia broke down in war last year between
Russia and Georgia. Azerbaijan is increasing its army on the back of
oil revenues, and frequently threatens force.

"The war is not over yet," Azeri President Ilham Aliyev was quoted
as saying last month. "… we must be prepared at any minute to free
our lands from the occupiers."

The Armenian Centre’s Giragosian said war could come in 10 to 12
years if the situation does not improve and Baku assumes military
superiority.

"What worries me is not an official decision to go to war, but limited
skirmishes that spiral out of control," he said. (Editing by Michael
Stott and Richard Williams)

NATO FAVORS ARMENIAN-TURKISH DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS – ENVOY

Interfax
Nov 6 2009
Russia

NATO favors the establishment of Armenian-Turkish diplomatic relations
without preconditions, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative
for the South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons said.

Speaking with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan, Simmons
also said he hoped the Armenian and Turkish parliaments would ratify
protocols on the development of relations and the establishment of
diplomatic ties, which were signed recently, the Armenian presidential
press service told Interfax.

ARMENIA WOULD WELCOME REOPENING OF UPPER LARS CHECKPOINT

armradio.am
05.11.2009 11:12

The Georgian and Russian parties have been repeatedly making statements
about the negotiations on the possible reopening of the Upper Lars
– Kazbegi checkpoint. Asked to clarify whether the Armenian side
participates in the talks, Head of the Media Relations Department of
the Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tigran Balayan said:

"Armenia’s position on the issue is clear, and we have repeatedly
declared about it. Of course, we would welcome the agreement between
the Russian and Georgian parties to reopen the Upper Lars – Kazbegi
checkpoint."

IMF OKAYS THIRD TRANCHE OF $60 MLN STAND-BY LOAN FOR ARMENIA

Interfax
Nov 3 2009
Russia

The board of directors of the International Monetary Fund has approved
a third tranche of a stand-by arrangement for Armenia worth 37.72
million SDRs (about $69 million), the IMF’s Yerevan bureau said in
a press release.

The tranche was made available following a second review of the
implementation of the program. Taking the approved tranche into
account, the overall worth of IMF loans, provided to Armenia, will
reach 310.94 million SDRs, or about $479 million.

The IMF on March 6 2008 upheld a 28-month $540 million stand-by program
for Armenia. And it increased the sum to $822.7 million on June 22. The
IMF loan is intended for five years with a three-year grace period,
at a 1.56% annual interest on the first 270 million, 2.56% interest on
the following $135 million and 3.56% on the remaining part of the loan.

"The global crisis has continued to have a serious impact on the
Armenian economy," the IMF bureau in Yerevan said, citing Takatoshi
Kato, the IMF’s Deputy Managing Director and Acting Chair.

"While output appears to be stabilizing, the fall in remittances and
the collapse in the construction sector have caused a more severe
economic contraction and lower fiscal revenue than anticipated
in the first review. In light of continuing weak domestic demand,
the authorities will maintain fiscal easing this year, with external
resources taking up the revenue slack. As external conditions improve,
growth is expected to resume gradually in 2010," Kato said.

The IMF recommended that Armenia continue reforms, especially in the
tax and finance sectors.

NKR MFA INFORMATION DEPARTMENT CHIEF MARSEL PETROSIAN’S COMMENTARY ON THE ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN SABAH TURKISH NEWSPAPER

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2009-11-03 11:09
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

A Turkish popular proverb reads that a man going to the hell seeks for
a friend. Azerbaijan found this friend long ago – it’s Turkey, the core
of their relations being not the implementation of the principle of
"one nation, two states" or impartial and stable friendship, but their
hatred towards Armenians, in particular, their pathologic attempts
to undermine the international image of Nagorno Karabakh.

>From this viewpoint, the October 20 article by a certain Nazyl Hyldrjak
published in SABAH Turkish newspaper isn’t accidental at all.

According to the article, it appears that from the 11th century up to
the 1800s Karabakh was under the Turkish authority. Though the same
article emphasizes quite needlessly that "Tayip Erdogan has bright
memory", however, the Turkish newspaper’s memory is questionable.

Otherwise, they would remember that between the 11th century and the
1920s of the 20th century their predecessors were repeatedly defeated
in Karabakh and its approaches, and saving their lives, they cut and
ran without glancing back.

The fact that Azerbaijan has a great experience in distorting
and falsifying historical matters and events is well-known. So, to
console fraternal Azerbaijan, the Turkish SABAH, excelling its younger
brother, demonstrates a bright example of disseminating fabrications,
misinforming and misleading its multi-thousand readers. Probably,
the newspaper’s editorial staff is well aware of its readers’ being
ignorant of the historical events related to the region. So, they
can be inspired with any nonsense, such as the misinformation that
Karabakh was once part of the Ottoman Empire, and when it passed to
Russia, 95% of its population made the Turks.

SABAH newspaper’s hyperbolic imagination has no limits. Outbidding
the Azerbaijani mass media in this issue as well, the newspaper blames
Russia for allegedly expelling the Turkish population from Karabakh in
the past centuries, instead populating this territory with Armenians.

Fortunately, this newspaper doesn’t know from what planet the Armenians
have arrived in this region. If it knew, it would surely write about
this too. With a small dash of the pen, the newspaper trebles the
number of Azerbaijanis displaced as a result of the Karabakh war,
bringing it to 1,5 million. Moreover, it turns out that the ancient
manuscripts kept in the Shushi Museum were stolen by Armenians. The
newspaper considers it needles to note what alphabet the nomadic
tribes (now Azerbaijanis), which had no script of their own, used
while creating those manuscripts in the ancient period and what
they represent.

The newspaper also keeps silence about the Azerbaijanis’ atrocities
towards the peaceful Armenian population of Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad,
Maragha, and tens of other settlements. Instead, the newspaper
considered it to be its sacred duty to touch upon the events in
Khojalu, surely, exaggerating sufficiently the number of killed
and wounded and representing Armenians as monsters. Naturally,
we shouldn’t expect true information about the Karabakh events from
SABAH newspaper. Certainly, it will not state that Armenians provided
the civilian population of Khojalu with a special corridor for safely
leaving the scene of the military actions and that the tragic events
took place not in the territory of Khojalu, but at the approaches
to Aghdam – a territory controlled by the Azerbaijani armed forces,
specifically, by the hordes of the Azerbaijani National Front. How
could the Armenians guess that for the change of the leadership, the
National Front adventurers could open fire on their own compatriots
and kill the unarmed and helpless people? Maybe, the "hotheads"
of the Azerbaijani National Front had no alternative for coming to
power – they would, first, ascribe the incident to Armenians, then,
which is most important, will blame the authorities for their criminal
indifference about ensuring the security of the Azerbaijani civilian
population. Generally, the Azerbaijanis filled the Internet with false
propaganda of the so-called "Khojalu Genocide", its main organizer
being the State Heydar Aliyev Foundation, which, in particular,
for exaggerating the situation, used outright forgery and presented
the photos of disfigured corps in Kosovo as those of the Khojalu
tragedy victims.

SABAH newspaper seems to be infected with senile marasmus from the
Azerbaijani media, since they have similar symptoms. Otherwise,
it would have slightly cited Ayaz Mutalibov – the ex-president of
Azerbaijan and another hater of Armenians. However, the Azerbaijani
National Front leaders should be given credit for their calculations
with extremely high precision. The SABAH deliberately keeps deathly
silence about all this and instead, as if by chance, writes: "Maybe,
the Turkish Public Television should start showing a TV serial about
the occupation of Nagorno Karabakh and the pogroms in Khojalu?"

Surely, coming forth with a suggestion is not a sin. A sin is
distortion of the truth. I don’t think that SABAH newspaper can
ever remit its sins. But, it’s worth striving for this, at least,
for self-cleaning. And maybe, the Turkish Public Television should
start its TV serials with the events of 1915? Will SABAH newspaper
ever have the courage to come forth with such a suggestion?

As for Turkey’s position on Karabakh, the NKR takes it, to say the
least, with cool indifference.

NALBANDIAN CLAIMS NAGORNO-KARABAKH AND TURKISH-ARMENIAN RELATIONS ARE SEPARATE ISSUES

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Nov 2 2009

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian has stated that the
improvement of Turkey-Armenia relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue are completely separate processes. Rejecting Turkish calls
for concessions over the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Nalbandian said
that this would not be given in exchange for the recently signed
rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia.

Speaking in an interview in Yerevan, the Armenian foreign minister
stated that since the negotiations were over, both Yerevan and Ankara
were obliged to open the border and move to establish diplomatic
relations, as was agreed. "Why did we sign two protocols if we
are not going to ratify and implement them?" Nalbandian asked. He
continued, "I think the whole international community is waiting for
quick ratification and implementation and respect for the agreements
which are in the protocols…If one side will delay and create some
obstacles in the way of ratification and implementation, I think it
could bear all the responsibility for the negative consequences."

The rapprochement protocols, signed October 10, caused trouble between
Turkey and its ally Azerbaijan, which is embroiled in a conflict with
Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh. According to those familiar with the
situation, Turkey is hoping for at least some progress in the peace
negotiations over the region. The international mediators involved
in the conflict, the United States, Russia, and France, state that
progress is being made between Yerevan and Baku, but the chance of
an imminent solution is slim.

JAPANESE AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA HANDS OVER HIS CREDENTIALS TO THE ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

ARMENPRESS
Nov 2, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS: Japanese ambassador to Armenia
Masaharu Kohno (residence Moscow) handed over his credentials to the
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan.

Presidential press office told Armenpress that congratulating the
ambassador on assuming the office, the president said that Armenia
is interested in boosting Armenian-Japanese relations. Serzh Sargsyan
thanked the Japanese government for the support to Armenia.

"The grants, technical support and the privileged credits provided by
the Japanese government are of big importance for us. I particularly
highlight the program of upgrading of the Yerevan thermo power plant
which will give Armenia’s economy an opportunity to develop and will in
some extent smooth the social tension," the head of the country said.

President Sargsyan said that in development of bilateral economic
relations there is much to be done. In this respect the president
underscored the visit of the Armenian foreign minister to Tokyo,
noting that it will give an opportunity to continue the political
dialogue and discuss opportunities of boosting the cooperation in
different spheres. The parties agreed that the two countries have
great potential for economic cooperation which must be fully used.

The ambassador said that he will do his best for the further
development of bilateral relations. The interlocutors also exchanged
thoughts over the Armenia-Turkey relations.

PETER SEMNEBY: ‘URRENT SITUATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY CANNOT LAST FOREVER

ArmInfo
2009-11-02 12:59:00

ArmInfo. The current situation between Armenia and Turkey cannot
last forever, everyone have to adapt to normalization, open borders,
and so on, EU Special Representative for South Caucasus Peter Semneby
says in an interview with "Vremya Novostey".

"It’s necessary to consider how to protect and develop own interests in
region under new situation. The war in Georgia showed that proceeding
territorial conflicts bring great risks. This developing moved
Armenian- Turkish relations," he says.

When asked whether Russian influence in Caucasus fines down due to
normalization between Armenia and Turkey, Peter Semneby said so far
as Russia invests in Armenia’s infrastructure and builds railways it
can benefit only from open borders.

AGOS WEEKLY, Istanbul
Oct 25 2009

Agopyan family wins 60-year lawsuit

25 Ekim 2009

Fighting through legal channels for the return of their property in
Tarabya that was confiscated by the Treasury in 1949, the Agopyan
family won a legal battle that has been going on since 1991.

When 11 of the family’s 25 acres of land in Kirecburnu and Tarabya
were transferred to the Treasury during the cadastral surveys in 1949,
the land owner Marten Agopyan had filed a lawsuit. Then, while the
lawsuit was still in progress, the events of September 6-7, 1955 came
to pass and the family had to leave for the U.K.

After the death of Marten Agopyan, his son Bedros Agopyan restarted
the legal struggle. The court ruled for return of the land to the
Agopyan family in 2005. The Treasury filed a lawsuit for `annulment of
title deed’ against this decision, but the court rejected the
Treasury’s request on January 2008. The Treasury then appealed the
decision. During the course of the legal process, on June 18, 2008,
Bedros Agopyan passed away. Agopyan’s wife and daughters intervened in
the lawsuit after his death.

Agopyan family’s attorney Cafer Gül answered our questions regarding
the lawsuit.

In a news story in Agos newspaper dated January 11, 2008, we reported
that Bedros Mardiros Leon Agopyan had managed to take back 8,5 of 24
acres of land, winning the title deed annulment lawsuit filed by the
Treasury, and that the court had rejected the counter lawsuit of the
Treasury. How did the process go on after that date?

After we won the lawsuit, the Treasury demanded retrial on the grounds
that Agopyan’s father made a speech in Bucharest to provoke people
against the Ottomans before World War I. Considering that Marten
Agopyan never went to Bucharest and was a U.K citizen, the Sariyer
Civil Court of First Instance rejected the request for retrial. Then,
they applied to the Court of Appeals, but the decision of the Sariyer
Civil Court of First Instance was sustained. So, there was no reason
to renew trial. Now the Treasury has the right of correction of
decision, and we are waiting for that.

The land is gained back in part. What are your expectations for the rest?

We primarily deal with lost lands. We’ve managed to take 8,5 acres so
far, and there are 15,5 acres lost. We recovered them partially. There
are lands registered in the name of municipalities and individuals. We
are waiting for enactment of a new law regarding the return of
minority properties or compensation for lost ones. Otherwise, we will
resort to the ECtHR because the land cannot be recovered. We filed a
lawsuit in Civil Court, but we could not recover the land. Thus we
have come to the end of local legal channels, and we have to resort to
the ECtHR.

There are many buildings on the land. What will happen to them?

We applied for prevention of action on the land, but our request for
destruction was rejected. We won the lawsuits filed for compensation.
They paid partially, and there are ongoing trials. We collected part
of the payments.

Son of an Armenian family from Kayseri, Marten Agopyan established a
bank in the early 1900s in Istanbul, but went to Romania with his
family upon the British Consulate’s warning that `we cannot ensure
security of your life against Germans’ at the beginning of the First
World War in 1914. The family had returned to Istanbul after
non-Muslims were given the right of property as part of the foundation
of the Turkish Republic.