Author: Babajanian Karo

KARABAKH IS MOSTLY FORGOTTEN CONFLICT OUTSIDE CAUCASUS – ECONOMIST

Tert.am
11:07 29.10.11

Twenty years later now Nagorno-Karabakh is often called a “frozen
conflict” but for most people outside the Caucasus it is more of a
forgotten one, writes The Economist in an article.

Further, is says that no Azeris remain in Nagorno-Karabakh. Towns
like Aghdam, which were Azeri-dominated before the war but that lie
outside the old autonomous region, are in ruins.

“But there has been some reconstruction in areas within the pre-war
borders. Equally importantly, Nagorno-Karabakh’s 140,000 Armenians
have built a small but functioning state,” writes the publication.

Peace talks have ground on for years, but a breakthrough is never
made. Nagorno-Karabakh’s Armenians want recognition for their breakaway
state, but Azerbaijan is unwilling to grant anything more than
autonomy. Azeri refugees also want to return to their homes, it adds.

Further, it says that the conflict impedes economic development and
regional co-operation in the south Caucasus. But Westerners forget
it at their peril.

“In 2005 the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline opened to pump Azerbaijani
oil to a terminal in Turkey to lessen dependence on pipelines through
Russia. The pipeline runs close to the line where Nagorno-Karabakh’s
soldiers confront those of Azerbaijan. In the event of a new conflict
it could be cut by rocket fire within hours.”

GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT ARMENIA NEXT YEAR

armradio.am
29.10.2011 12:03

On October 28 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a
meeting with his German counterpart Guido Westerweller.

Greeting Edward Nalbandian, the German Foreign Minister congratulated
him on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of Armenia~Rs independence,
noting that the Armenian-German relations have greatly developed in
that period.

Minister Nalbandian said, in turn: ~SArmenia attaches great importance
to the further deepening and reinforcement of cooperation with Germany,
and an evidence of this is the bilateral cooperation in most different
spheres and implementation of a number of joint programs.~T

Edward Nalbandian and Guido Westerweller discussed a wide range of
issues on bilateral agenda: organization of reciprocal high-level
visits, promotion of economic cooperation, Armenia-EU relations,
international and regional issues.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Germany referred to the efforts
of the European Union to resist the financial crisis, the developments
in the Middle East. They exchanged views on issues of reinforcement
of security and stability in the region.

The Ministers dwelt on Armenia-EU relations, the negotiations on the
Association Agreement, facilitation of the visa regime and creation
of a free and comprehensive free trade zone.

Minister Nalbandian briefed his German counterpart on the latest
developments in the process of settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

Guido Westerweller expressed his support for the peace process within
the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, underscoring that there was
no alternative to peaceful settlement.

The German Foreign Minister said Germany supports the efforts towards
establishment of normal relations between Armenia and Turkey.

Guido Westerweller accepted Edward Nalbandian~Rs invitation to visit
Armenia, an agreement was reached to organize the visit in the first
half of next year.

The Armenian Foreign Minister left Berlin for Paris, where he is
expected to make a speech at the 36th General Assembly of UNESCO.

BENOIT XVI RENOUVELLE L’ESPRIT D’ASSISE
Stephane ©armenews.com

armenews.com
samedi 29 octobre 2011

REVUE DE PRESSE

Benoît XVI n’est pas un habitue des cris du c~ur. Pourtant, jeudi
27 octobre en fin d’après-midi, devant la basilique Saint-Francois,
a Assise, c’est par un tel cri, audible par tous qu’il a decide de
clore le ” pèlerinage de la verite, pèlerinage de la paix ” voulu
par lui, vingt-cinq ans après la première Journee d’Assise. Ce cri
avait deja ete celui de Jean-Paul II il y a un quart de siècle.

En fin de matinee, a la basilique Sainte-Marie-des-Anges, c’est par
une lectio magistralis que Benoît XVI avait choisi d’expliciter le
sens de son invitation, avec un maître mot : ” purification “. Il
avait scande ses trois parties, la première marquee par une veritable
repentance, elle aussi peu habituelle dans la bouche de ce pape,
pour les violences commises par les chretiens.

Puis, analysant les racines du terrorisme tout autant que de l’absence
de Dieu, le pape avait explique pourquoi cette purification est
la seule issue possible, tant face a la perversion religieuse
terroriste que face a l'” anti-religion ” : il nous faut ” purifier
continuellement la religion des chretiens a partir de son centre
interieur, afin que, malgre la faiblesse de l’homme, elle soit vraiment
un instrument de paix dans le monde “. Il s’est ensuite attache a
expliquer, longuement, son choix d’ouvrir la rencontre aux agnostiques.

Puis, analysant les racines du terrorisme tout autant que de l’absence
de Dieu, le pape avait explique pourquoi cette purification est
la seule issue possible, tant face a la perversion religieuse
terroriste que face a l'” anti-religion ” : il nous faut ” purifier
continuellement la religion des chretiens a partir de son centre
interieur, afin que, malgre la faiblesse de l’homme, elle soit vraiment
un instrument de paix dans le monde “. Il s’est ensuite attache a
expliquer, longuement, son choix d’ouvrir la rencontre aux agnostiques.

176 delegations de traditions non chretiennes Puissance invitante,
Benoît XVI n’aura cesse, durant cette journee, de serrer des mains,
celles des nombreuses delegations presentes : 176 delegues de
traditions religieuses non chretiennes et non juives (en 1986, ils
n’etaient que 28), dont 67 bouddhistes de onze pays, 48 musulmans
(ils n’etaient que onze en 1986). Sans oublier, une dizaine de
representants juifs et, evidemment, 31 delegations d’Eglises,
communautes ecclesiales et organisations chretiennes mondiales.

Tous avaient l’air un peu perdus, foulant le sol marbre de la
basilique Sainte Marie des Anges, leurs turbans, kippas, et calottes
se melant. Chose etonnante, chacun avait le sourire, manifestant le
bonheur d’etre la.

C’est en minibus, assis a l’avant a droite, que Benoît XVI s’est
rendu a 10 heures, de la gare d’Assise, terminus du convoi ferroviaire
special venu du Vatican, a la basilique Sainte Marie des Anges. Dans
le ch~ur, face a la Portioncule, la petite chapelle où est mort
saint Francois le 3 octobre 1226, comme sur l’estrade, aucun signe
religieux distinctif. Benoît XVI est modestement assis, au meme titre
que ses invites, sur un simple fauteuil de plexiglas.

Onze interventions positives Les interventions se sont succede,
au nombre de onze, toutes pacifiques en ce terrain mine qu’est
le dialogue interreligieux. Dementant tout autant la theorie du ”
choc des civilisations ” que l’ultra liberalisme du ” supermarche
des religions “, les representants orthodoxe, anglican, armenien,
protestant, juif, yoruba, bouddhiste, musulman et agnostique ont joue
une partition deliberement pacifique et positive.

La seule femme, Julia Kristeva, non croyante declaree, a appele a un
” humanisme feministe “, et a passer de ” l’ère du soupcon ” a celle
du ” pari “. Peu avant, le Nigerian Wande Abimbola, representant des
Yorubas, avait entonne un hymne traditionnel, inusite sous ces voûtes.

Le respect de la creation, des droits humains, le sens du pardon et
du respect, l’attention aux plus pauvres, sont declines par tous,
en un arc-en-ciel de valeurs communes.

Benoît XVI, attentif, assis entre le patriarche Bartolomeos et le
rabbin David Rosen, ecoute et relit les textes prononces. Sans doute
aurait-il souhaite entamer le dialogue avec les intervenants, mais
la règle qu’il a lui-meme fixee a tous l’interdit.

Temps de silence À 13 heures, les participants se sont retires au
refectoire du couvent, pour une legère collation, sans vin, en signe
de jeûne. Ensuite, le ” grand silence “, voulu par le pape pour
couper court aux critiques l’accusant de syncretisme, s’est empare
du couvent. Chacun, dans la cellule qui lui a ete attribuee, a prie,
reflechi ou fait simplement silence. Pour la paix.

En milieu d’après-midi, le pèlerinage, debute tôt le matin en train
au chevet de la basilique saint-Pierre, s’est poursuivi, en minibus,
vers la basilique superieure Saint-Francois. À 16 h 30, toujours sur
une estrade depouillee, mais en plein air, quatorze representants
(orthodoxe, lutherien, sikh, baptiste, musulman, taoïste, bouddhiste,
shinto, agnostique), ont renouvele, très sobrement, leur ” engagement
pour la paix “.

Celui-ci, au soir tombant, a pris la forme d’un petit luminaire, a la
fois fragile et eclairant, a l’image de cette journee. En deux mots,
le pape en a alors livre la cle : ” À travers ce pèlerinage unique,
ce dialogue fraternel, nous ne sommes pas separes. ”

Sobriete Puis est venu le moment presque intime : Benoît XVI,
accompagne des chefs de delegation s’est rendu dans la crypte de la
basilique pour une ” visite en silence ” au tombeau de Francois. Les
uns a côte des autres. À 18 h 30, le train, qu’on hesitera a appeler
” pontifical ” ou ” interreligieux “, devait repartir pour le Vatican,
avec a son bord, ses ” pèlerins pour la paix “.

Cet evenement peu commun aura ete a l’image du monde : si,
physiquement, les foules en ont ete absentes, les symboles et les
mots ont porte loin, bien au-dela de l’horizon catholique, grâce
aux reseaux connectes. Les precautions souhaitees, a juste titre,
par les gardiens des dogmes, ont pris les formes d’une sobriete toute
franciscaine, en forme de signaux : cheminer, partager, faire silence
ensemble, mais aussi s’ecouter.Le tout non pas a Rome, mais a Assise,
bien eloignee du protocole pontifical.

Qui d’autre que le pape, aujourd’hui, pouvait prendre un tel risque ?

De tout cela, le ” Poverello ” a pu etre fier.

Frederic Mounier (a Assise)

ARMENIA SENDING AID TO TURKEY

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Oct 28 2011

An Armenian air plane carrying 111 tents, 4,345 blankets and 474
mattresses for victims of last week’s devastating earthquake in Van
landed in the eastern province of Erzurum on Oct. 28.

The dispatch of Armenia’s assistance was delayed because the plane,
which had been originally expected to arrive on the night of Oct. 27,
had to wait for Turkey to issue flight clearance.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan offered Abdullah Gul assistance
and condolences immediately after the quake on Oct. 23.

Planes carrying aid from the United Arab Emirates, Algeria and Russia
also landed in Erzurum on Oct. 28. Planes from Qatar, Sweden, the
United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Denmark carrying humanitarian aid
were expected to land in Erzurum later on Oct. 28 as well as Oct. 29.

k HDN

EU member states have offered 4,575 tents, a statement from the
Delegation of the European Union said Oct. 28. Of the 4,575 tents,
Austria has offered 32 tents (maximum-size); Belgium 400 (family-size);
Denmark 100 (seven-person); Estonia 329 (family-size); France 490
(family-size); Germany 500 (family-size); Luxembourg 360 (family-size);
Ireland 624, (family-size); Romania 100 (family-size); Slovakia 10
(various sizes); Slovenia two (20-person), Spain 329 (family-size);
Sweden 155 (with heating system) and the U.K. with 1,144 (family-size).

Friday, October 28, 2011

EU STANDS FOR PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF REGIONAL CONFLICTS

news.az, Azerbaijan
Oct 28 2011

Azerbaijan’s election as nonpermanent member of the UN Security
Vouncil is a big diplomatic victory of official Baku.

The statement came from EU special envoy on South Caucasus Philippe
Lefort.

He was speaking during the meeting with Milli Majlis speaker Oqtay
Asadov.

He said that EU attaches great importance to development of relations
with the South Caucasus and watches the processes in the region.

“We appreciate Azerbaijan’s contribution to energy security of Europe
and we are well aware of our role in the region. In this sense, the
European Union is interested in the fair peaceful resolution of the
conflicts in the region”, Lefort said.

In turn, Asadov noted that unsettled Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
over Nagorno Karabakh contains threat to security of Europe.

RF NOT TRY TO MEDIATE ARMENIAN-TURKISH SETTLEMENT – LUKASHEVICH

ITAR-TASS, Russia
October 27, 2011 Thursday 07:29 PM EST

Russia is not trying to mediate the settlement of Armenian-Turkish
relations, Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said
on Thursday.

Answering a question if it is possible to consider the telephone
conversation between Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan and their Turkish colleague an attempt to
mediate the normalisation of Armenian-Turkish relations, Lukashevich
said, “As I know Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan phoned their
Turkish colleague to express condolences on the devastating earthquake
that hit the country and convey their support. I wouldn’t interpret
these words as the readiness to mediate in the normalisation of
relations.”

Armenian-Turkish protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations
and on the principles of bilateral relations between the two countries
were signed on October 12 in Zurich, Switzerland, by the Armenian and
Turkish foreign ministers in the presence of the foreign ministers
of Russia and France, Sergei Lavrov and Bernard Kouchner, as ell as
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

MOSCOW DOES NOT MEDIATE ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION – RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY

Interfax, Russia
Oct 27 2011

Russia does not mediate normalization between Armenia and Turkey,
Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said on Thursday.

He was asked whether the recent joint telephone call of the Russian
and Armenian presidents to the Turkish leader was proof of Moscow’s
assistance to the Armenia-Turkey normalization.

“As far as I know, the telephone call of Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh
Sargsyan aimed to present condolences [over the Turkish quake],”
he said.

“I would not say it is a mediation of some kind,” he remarked.

ARMENIAN OFF-PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION LAUNCHED ‘VELVET REVOLUTION’

news.am, Armenia
Oct 28 2011

YEREVAN. – Oppositional Armenian National Congress (ANC) rejects any
dialogue with authorities and starts velvet revolution, ANC coordinator
Levon Zurabyan stated on Friday.

“Our October permanent rallies that lasted for eight days ended the
process, when authorities start to take steps towards strengthening
democratic values under the pressure of the nation. Now time has
come, when authorities run out of all the administrative resources,
release dissidents and demonstrate democratic initiatives. A smooth
transition to democracy is most beneficial for a society that
chooses a new government without blood and for the government as
well, which leaves politics with dignity. We have to try it. Besides,
authorities offered to discuss the issue of snap elections. However,
we have to accept that the ruling regime failed all the attempts of
democratic dialogue,” Zurabyan said.

ANC launches ‘velvet revolution’ and the goal is the mobilization of
the nation. ANC will demand unconditional resignation of the incumbent
President Serzh Sargsyan, the coordinator added.

___

Armenian opposition rally to end with march on Yerevan streets

October 28, 2011 | 20:01

YEREVAN. – The rally of oppositional Armenian National Congress will
end with a march in Yerevan downtown, the editor of Haykakan Zhamanak
(Armenian Times) paper Nikol Pashinyan informed the rally participants
on Friday.

“Let us all walk together and heat up the whole city with our slogans,”
announced Pashinyan.

The participants of the march will return to Freedom Square and the
demonstration will come to the end.

_____

Armenian opposition to follow disclosure of crimes against state

October 28, 2011 | 20:19

YEREVAN. – Armenia would have faced other situation if not October 27,
1999 [when terrorists shot speaker of the parliament, PM and several
MPs in the parliament] and March 1, 2008 tragedies [when ten people
were killed during the rallies in Yerevan downtown] and migration, said
the leader of oppositional Armenian People’s Party Stepan Demirchyan
at the rally and added that October 27 attack consequences are not
overcome till now.

“We will follow that October 27 [1999] and other crimes against state
were disclosed. We need authority to achieve it,” Demirchyan said.

“Our state will have no perspective of development unless people
are out of politics and power. The only way is to struggle, despite
obstacles.”

_____

Armenian opposition rally ended

October 28, 2011 | 21:45

YEREVAN. – Another rally organized by oppositional Armenian National
Congress (ANC) came to an end on Friday in Yerevan downtown. ANC’s
next rally will be on November 25. During that rally the opposition
will announce its further plans.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION TO SEEK ‘SOLID’ PRESENCE IN PARLIAMENT TO IMPEACH SARGSYAN
By Suren Musayelyan

ArmeniaNow
28.10.11 | 19:42

Snap elections failing, the Armenian National Congress (ANC) will
seek to secure a “solid” presence in the National Assembly in next
year’s polls to launch a legal impeachment process against President
Serzh Sargsyan, ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan said on Friday.

Speaking before several thousand supporters in Yerevan’s central
Liberty Square, the ex-president said that his opposition alliance
was still very much committed to making every effort to force the
authorities to hold early elections, but stressed that regardless of
the turn of events they should also be ready to deal seriously with
“mechanical” issues of organizing fair elections.

“Domestic political struggle in Armenia is entering a pre-election
stage,” said Ter-Petrosyan. “If we fail to get Serzh Sargsyan to resign
in the time to come – and nothing can be ruled out in politics – then
the ANC will seek to secure such a solid presence in the National
Assembly that would enable it alone or with other allies to raise
the issue of impeaching Serzh Sargsyan.”

Under the Constitution of Armenia (Article 57), a resolution to remove
the president from office can be passed by the National Assembly by
a two-thirds majority vote of the total number of deputies, based on
a relevant conclusion of the Constitutional Court sought before that
by at least a majority of the deputies.

Almost all speakers at the rally referred to the example of toppled
Arab regimes, in particular of Ben Ali in Tunisia, Hosni Mubarak in
Egypt and the latest violent death of Libya’s longtime ruler Colonel
Muammar Gaddafi. Yet, they stopped short of explicitly calling for
a violent overthrow of authorities.

Hundreds of opposition supporters took part in a more than weeklong
sitting strike in Liberty Square beginning September 30. The opposition
then said it would consider staging more “nonstop” protests unless
their demands for early elections were met soon.

At the latest rally Ter-Petrosyan, however, stopped short of calling
for immediate large-scale protests. Instead the opposition marched
through central streets of Yerevan.

The ANC scheduled its next rally for November 25 when, Ter-Petrosyan
said, it will specify its further mode of action.

Nonstop protests staged by Ter-Petrosyan supporters in the wake of
the disputed February 2008 presidential election resulted in violent
clashes with law-enforcement in which ten people were killed. The
crackdown led to Armenia’s deepest political crisis since independence.

HAYPOST MARATHON. A POST OFFICE REOPENED IN AYNTAP

arminfo
Friday, October 28, 17:20

The final stage of “Haypost Marathon 2011” is in its active phase.

Almost every day official reopening of one postal office takes place.

On October 27 official reopening of the post office in Ayntap village
(Ararat region) took place.

Deputy Head of Ayntap community, management of “Haypost” CJSC as well
as the local residents partook in the ceremony.

Head of “Haypost” CJSC Commercial department Narine Seferyan mentioned
that 10 of 50 envisaged post offices are already reopened.

On behalf of the Head of Ayntap community Karen Sargsyan a letter of
gratitude was transferred to the acting CEO of “Haypost” CJSC Hayk
Avagyan for completing the renovation excellently.

The post office in Ayntap is completely renovated in compliance with
branding guidelines. It is equivalent to the ones in the capital city
with the same level of services.

“Haypost Trust Management” pays particular attention to the appropriate
presence of “Haypost” in marzes as well as to development of postal
and additional services.

Working standards, as well as infrastructure in the post office
in Tsaghkadzor are changed and renewed. New computers with modern
software are installed, and the cable system is renewed.

New infrastructures and the online network will allow providing more
rapid and efficient postal, financial and commercial services to the
local residents.

“Haypost Trust Management” intends to develop the traditional postal
services, to import more modern courier and financial services making
Haypost the leading postal operator in the region.

Internet services, facsimile connection, copying and printing services
will be offered in addition to the traditional postal services.

By “Haypost Marathon 2011” Program it is envisaged to reopen 50 postal
offices not only in Yerevan, but also in marzes in Armenia.

According to the “Haypost Marathon 2011” Program it is envisaged
to reopen 50 postal offices not only in Yerevan, but also in marzes
in Armenia.

By the Program of Haypost Trust Management it is planned to increase
the number of renovated post offices up to 250 for the next 5 years,
and to augment the services-including commercial ones- specific to
nowadays postal operators.