Author: Babajanian Karo

PACE PRESIDENT ENCOURAGES PURSUIT OF NEGOTIATIONS WITHIN THE MINSK GROUP TO RESOLVE THE CONFLICT OVER NAGORNO-KARABAKH

ARMINFO
Thursday, May 30, 14:07

Following a visit to Baku, the President of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe (PACE) made a statement calling for reinforced
co-operation between Azerbaijan and the Council of Europe, with a
view to preparing for the forthcoming Azerbaijani chairmanship of
the Council’s Committee of Ministers, beginning in May 2014.

“Since its independence and accession to the Council of Europe,
Azerbaijan has undergone significant changes that pave the way for
building a prosperous society based on European values and focusing
on European and transatlantic partnership” he declared.

He added “I welcome the country’s progress in honouring the commitments
and obligations it entered into upon its accession, and in particular
the fact that Azerbaijan has signed and ratified all of the Council
of Europe conventions which it undertook to adhere to, with but one
exception. I also note the advances made in reforming the judiciary
and combating corruption”.

“However, some important reforms are not yet complete, and I call on
the authorities to implement all of the Assembly’s recommendations
set out in Resolution 1917 (2013) on the honouring of obligations and
commitments by Azerbaijan. Full respect for fundamental freedoms,
in particular freedom of expression, assembly and association, is
essential, and the legislation and regulations, as well as their
application in practice, must be fully consistent with Council of
Europe standards.”

On this subject, the PACE President encouraged the authorities to
implement more effective co- operation with the Venice Commission
by seeking its advice from the outset of the legislative process. He
urged them to take full account of the Commission’s recommendations.

The PACE President also pointed out that the presidential elections,
to be held this year, will be a key test for the country’s democratic
institutions and called for full respect of European standards
in electoral matters, so that the elections could take place in a
pluralistic environment and with free and open political debate.

On the issue of alleged political prisoners, the PACE President
recalled the Assembly’s position rejecting selective justice and
politically motivated prosecutions in all countries. He called on the
authorities to implement the PACE resolutions on this question, notably
Resolution 1917 (2013) on the honouring of obligations and commitments
by Azerbaijan. “The charges brought against Ilgar Mammadov have raised
serious concerns in all European and international organisations,
and I hope that the Azerbaijani courts will decide the case in a
completely independent and impartial manner and in full compliance
with the European Convention on Human Rights”, said the PACE President.

He recalled the importance attached by PACE to Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity and encouraged the pursuit of the negotiations
taking place within the Minsk Group to resolve the conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh. “On their accession to the Council of Europe,
Armenia and Azerbaijan undertook to find a peaceful solution to this
conflict. Our Assembly is ready to do everything it can, through
parliamentary diplomacy, to facilitate dialogue and establish a
climate of trust between the two delegations.”

ALEXANDER ZINKER: STRENGTHENING ITS BASES IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS, RUSSIA WILL KEEP RESHAPING THE PRO-WESTERN POLICY OF GEORGIA AND AZERBAIJAN

ArmInfo’s interview with Dr. Alexander Zinker, Director of the
Institute of Eastern European and CIS countries (Israel), ex-member of
the Knesset.

by David Stepanyan

Thursday, May 30, 13:46

Do you see any upward trends in the US and European influence in the
South Caucasus? Would you forecast the most effective direction of
Armenia’s integration vector?

Historically, the Caucasus has been interesting to big actors in the
region, and the fight for the influence in the region gathered pace
following the collapse of the Soviet Union. The USA and its NATO
allies began ousting Russia from the region after the U.S. Congress
announced the Caucasus an area of vital interests of the United States
in 1997. In fact, a conflict of political and economic interests
of the countries in the region and outside it – Russia, USA, EU,
Turkey, Iran and other countries and military and economic alliances –
emerged in early 21st century. However, the EU policy in the region has
intensified amid the sluggish policy of the USA in the South Caucasus.

As part of the Eastern Partnership Project, all the three countries
in the region are conducting active bilateral negotiations with the
EU for the Association Agreement, which will come to replace the
agreements of partnership and cooperation that were signed yet in
1996. The new agreements cover a broader spectrum of issues and will
become a new legal basis for the relations of the South Caucasus
states and Brussels. I think the Armenia-EU expanding cooperation
may become an effective direction of Armenia’s integration vector.

However, this issue must be studied without fanatics. Armenia is not
likely to join EU. I am not sure that it is necessary. Consequently,
if Armenia’s full integration into Europe is difficult to achieve, one
should admit that geographic, economic and, finally, political-legal
objectives point at the Eurasian direction.

NATO influences Georgia and Azerbaijan by means of Turkey. Armenia
is a member of the CSTO, while Georgia is striving for NATO. Does it
mean that Russia keeps its influence in the South Caucasus by means
of Armenia and the balance of forces is shifting in NATO’s favor?

The influence of Russia in the South Caucasus is decreasing. Guided
by the post-empire admissions however Russia is resolute to remain
the key foreign player in the South Caucasus in the short-term and
mid-term outlook. Watching the Caucasus as an area of its influence,
Russia is keen to see a NATO less active and more restrained in the
region. Extension of the NATO area in the South Caucasus by Georgia
and Azerbaijan joining the alliance, which will not happen in the near
future, as well as with deployment of the military contingent and the
elements of the military infrastructure of the USA and NATO in the
territory of the region would deteriorate the situation in the Caucasus
direction for Russia. This problem has become more relevant after
the USA and Turkey agreed on deployment of the elements of the NATO
antiballistic missile defense in the territory of Turkey. To support
the relative balance of forces in the region, Moscow has strengthened
its military base in Gyumri bordering to Turkey. This may be assessed
like an attempt of creation of a counterstand for security of Russia
and the southern borders and for the western containment. It is very
much possible that Russia may use its 102-nd military base in Gyumri to
take preventive measures in case if Turkey launches military actions
as NATO’s ally. For its part, having the only front in the conflict
with Azerbaijan, Armenia will use the 102-nd military base and its
joining the CSTO anti-missile defense system as a constraining factor
and a trump card against Baku, which keeps strengthening its military
potential. In this context, one can expect Moscow to keep fighting
for the regional influence through strengthening of the military and
technical potential of its bases in the South Caucasus, trying in
such a way to reshape the pro-Western policy of Georgia and Azerbaijan.

Azerbaijani Mass Media have reported that Azerbaijan has terminated all
the negotiations with Russia for purchase of new weapons and military
hardware. Over the last 5 years, Azerbaijan has acquired weapons for
1.7 billion from Russia. Simultaneously, the Azerbaijani media reported
on ‘an unexpected softening of terms of the sale of weapons for the
South Caucasus countries by the European producers.’ Will Israel
take advantage of the situation and boost export to Azerbaijan?

Today Israel delivers military equipment to Azerbaijan in rather a high
volume. For this reason, I don’t think that the sudden softening of
the weapon sale conditions for the South Caucasus states will affect
the volumes of the current and future contracts with Azerbaijan. One
needs to realize that business is first, and all the rest problems
of the regional influence come after it. Azerbaijan owns big funds,
and Israel produces high quality military equipment. In this context,
I should also say that Baku purchases limited volume of arms from the
USA due to opposition by representatives of the pro-Armenian members
of US Congress. Azerbaijan’s weapon purchases from Russia are also
limited because of the latter’s alliance with Armenia. There is no
such problem with Israel.

Armenia demands the world community to recognize the fact of the
Genocide of Armenia in Ottoman Turkey. Do you think that this policy
of Armenia pursues the right goals or it needs any corrections or
alterations?

Armenia has been fairly demanding from the world community to recognize
the fact of the Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Turkey during the World
War I. I should confess that the fight for the historical memory
of that tragedy bears fruit. I hope very much that Israel will also
join the states that have already recognized the fact of the Armenian
Genocide. So, Armenia has been acting correctly from the strategic
point of view. As for the tactical steps, it has to think about a
little correction of its attitude towardsTurkey and try to use the
Israeli principle of relations with the Palestinians. If we rephrase
this principle for the Armenian-Turkish relations, it may be voiced
as follows: to develop trade and economic relations with Turkey,
as if there is no problem of the Genocide recognition and harshly
demand Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide, as if there are no
business relations with Turkey. To be honest, there is one problem
here: it takes two to tango.

Recent air attacks of the Israeli air forces on the territory of
Syria aimed to prevent arms delivery, by official data. What goals
did that operation really pursue? How much does the replacement of
predictable Bashar Assad’s regime by the decentralized rebels meet
Israel’s interests?

Tel-Aviv does not interfere with the conflict in Syria because of many
reasons. First, if Syrian opposition topples Bashar Assad’s regime,
it will hardly become a friend of Israel. At the beginning of the
Syrian conflict, Israel thought that it is impossible to topple Assad,
and it is better for Jerusalem if he remains in the power.

However, for the last year we have come to the conclusion that
Assad is doomed, but we are not going to support the rebels and
go on conducting the wait-and-see policy. Both Assad’s victory
and that of the rebels, which may possibly want to attack Israel,
are bad scenarios of ending of the Syrian conflict for Israel. It is
clear today that Israel will not let modern weapons to fall into the
hands of such terrorist organizations like “Hizballah”. As for the
recent air attack of the territory of Syria by Israel’s air forces,
I should confess that they were really made first of all not to allow
modern weapons to occur into the hands of Hizballah. Moreover, by its
attack Israel warned all the parties to the Syrian conflict that the
attempts of using or transferring chemical weapons to terrorists may
lead to another big tragedy, which nobody wants.

Tel Aviv perceives Moscow’s decision to deliver S-300 air defense
missiles to Syria as a threat, as it may lose its air domination and
refuse neutrality in the Syrian conflict. The Israeli prime minister
personally tried to persuade the Russian president not to deliver
S-300 to Syria. How will that problem be settled?

Syria’s air defense is considered one of the best in the world
also thanks to Russia. As regards the contract for delivery of S-300
missiles, it was signed yet in 2010, but was suspended. Experts in the
USA and Israel say that possible sale of S-300 to Syria will not only
strengthen Assad, but also trigger a new stage in the fight of Russia
and USA for influence in the region. In this situation, it is Israel
that seeks stability trying not to allow the conflict to expand and the
Islamic radicals in Syria and Lebanon to get armed. Under pressure of
Tehran, President of Syria Assad had already ordered the army not to
impede actions of the militants on the border with Israel against the
Jewish country. In addition, the religious leader of Iran Ayatollah
Khomeini is known to have charged Commander of the Qods Force General
Soleimani to ‘tackle Israel’ and supervise the situation in Syria. In
this situation of the Syrian crisis, great hopes are pinned with the
expected international conference that will involve representatives
of the Syrian authorities and opposition. The event is initiated
by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov. Zinker thinks that the only obstacle to the conference
is that it is very difficult to make the conflicting parties sit at a
negotiating table. The Syrian leadership has agreed to negotiate, while
the United Opposition has set a precondition to its participation in
the negotiations in Geneva i.e. the opposition demands resignation of
president Assad. Nevertheless, in the light of all the latest events,
I hope that the political methods of managing the Syrian crisis are
not run out. It is high time for the leading superpowers to display a
more serious attitude towards possible consequences of a large-scale
conflict in the Middle East.

RUSSIA LOST RADAR STATION OVER BAKU’S “PRACTICAL” POLICIES – EXPERT

May 30, 2013 – 12:43 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The editor-in-chief of the National Defense magazine
Igor Korotchenko confirmed reports of the Russian military equipment
supply to Armenia, ANS PRESS said.

Commenting on the information about the delivery of Tornado G multiple
launch rocket systems and Iskander M missile systems to Armenia, the
military expert noted that upgrading of the military units and supply
of modern equipment is planned.

“Strategic partnership with Armenia is of special importance to
Russia,” the expert said, dismissing a possible Azeri response.

“Russia won’t forget losing a radar station located in Azerbaijani
territory over a rental fee row because of Baku’s “practical”
policies,” the expert said.

PRINCE CHARLES VISITS THE MOTHER SEE OF HOLY ETCHMIADZIN

14:34 30.05.2013

Prince Charles, who has arrived in Armenia at the invitation of the
“Yerevan, my Love” charity fund, visited the Mother See of Holy
Etchmiadzin today.

In the Mother Cathedral the Prince of Wales was welcomed by
His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of
All Armenians. His Holiness presented the historic mission of the
Armenian Church in the life of the Armenian people and its important
role in the maintenance of the national identity and restoration
of independent statehood. The Catholicos touched upon inter-church
relations, particularly the cooperation between the Armenian and
Anglican Churches.

The Catholicos of All Armenians and Prince Charles visited the museum
of the Mother Cathedral, where the Prince familiarized himself with
the religious and cultural values of the Armenian Church.

His Holiness Karekin II briefed the Prince of Wales on the activity
of the Mother See of Etchmiadzin.

Also, the Prince visited the Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Library in
Etchmiadzin, the Khor Virap Monastry, St. Geghardavank and St.

Hripsime Church.

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472 USA
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
May 28, 2013

ATP Completes 39th Season of Tree Planting in Armenia

YEREVAN–Armenia Tree Project (ATP) has recently completed its 39th season
of planting. Nearly 44,000 trees were planted this spring throughout
Armenia, including decorative and fruit trees and more than 10,000
reforestation seedlings in the Lori region. This brings the total number of
trees planted and rejuvenated by ATP to 4,268,516 since 1994.

ATP’s Community Tree Planting (CTP) program revitalizes urban and rural
territories by partnering with residents to plant at parks, public
institutions, and other sites in Armenia and Artsakh.

Plantings were organized this spring in 111 sites, 20 of which are new for
ATP. The sites recently greened include museum grounds, schoolyards,
hospitals, military bases, churches, and orphanages. The first planting of
the season was at Haghartsin, where 150 thuya (arbor vitae) evergreens were
added to the green space around the monastery.

ATP also planted 2,144 trees in Artsakh, mainly in the liberated territories
of Martuni and Hadrut at the military bases and the town of Berdzor. “It is
of special importance for us to organize tree plantings in these strategic
territories of Artsakh,” explains CTP program manager Arthur Harutyunyan.

Special plantings were undertaken at the Paros Lighthouse Foundation center
in Ptghunk, the Evangelical church in Pyunik, Kharberd Orphanage, Gavar
University, and several boarding schools.

Public tree planting days were also organized to celebrate Earth Day with
partner organizations and volunteers. At the first event conducted with the
United Nations and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, more than 300 trees were
planted in the Avan community of Yerevan together with several ambassadors
and members of the international diplomatic community. Another Earth Day
planting was organized at Jrahovit School with the United States Embassy
staff and members of the Armenian Volunteers Corps.

“The list of ATP partners is growing every year. Two more companies
operating in Armenia sponsored plantings in local communities, which
included an opportunity for employees to plant trees along with members of
the local community,” added Harutyunyan.

Mentor Graphics joined ATP to plant 300 trees around St. Astvatsatsin Church
in Shahumyan Village, and another 150 trees were planted by LTXC Credence at
the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. In total, 28,125 trees were planted by
ATP’s CTP program this spring.

ATP’s SEEDS program planted 14,973 seedlings on a 5 hectare territory in the
community of Koghes, located in the Lori region of northern Armenia. The
newly planted forest is comprised of pine, ash, mountain ash, wild apple,
and pear trees. The SEEDS program, or “Social, Economic, and Environmental
Development for Sustainability,” was launched in 2011 to enable ATP to build
capacity in its reforestation programs while improving results through new
methods of program delivery.

ATP’s mission is to assist the Armenian people in using trees to improve
their standard of living and protect the environment, guided by the desire
to promote self-sufficiency, aid those with the fewest resources first, and
conserve the indigenous ecosystem. ATP’s three major programs are tree
planting, environmental education, and sustainable development initiatives.
For more information, please visit the website

APA, Azerbaijan
May 27 2013

French parliamentarians pay illegal visit to Azerbaijan’s occupied territories
[ 27 May 2013 17:29 ]

Baku. Anakhanum Hidayatova – APA. A group of members of the French
National Assembly has paid an illegal visit to the occupied Nagorno
Karabakh region of Azerbaijan.

APA reports quoting Armenian media that `foreign minister’ of the
so-called regime Karen Mirzoyan received chairman of France-Armenia
parliamentary friendship group Francois Rochebloine and French
senators Henri de Raincourt and Bernard Saugey. They discussed the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict and the activity of the
France-Arsakh Friendship Circle established in the National Assembly
of France.

US Official News
May 26, 2013 Sunday

Washington: Bill Summary & Status 113th Congress (2013 – 2014) H.RES.227

Washington

The Library of Congress, The Government of USA has issued the
following Bill Summary & Status:
H.RES.227

Latest Title: Calling on the President to work toward equitable,
constructive, stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based
upon the Republic of Turkey’s full acknowledgment of the facts and
ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and
comprehensive international resolution of this crime against humanity.

Sponsor: Rep Valadao, David G. [CA-21] (introduced 5/20/2013) Cosponsors (18)

Latest Major Action: 5/20/2013 Referred to House committee. Status:
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Tempo, The Philippines
May 28 2013

National Day of Armenia today

Posted by Online on May 28th, 2013

Today is the National Day of Armenia which commemorates the
declaration of Armenia’s independence by the Armenian National Council
in 1918. Also known as First Republic Day, National Day provides an
opportunity for Armenians to take pride in this first breath of life
of an independent Armenian state.

National Day is celebrated with parades, fireworks, and hoisting of
the flag at the Presidential Palace in Yerevan, the country’s capital.
The streets are decorated with red, blue, and orange, the National Day
colors.

Situated on the southeastern edge of Europe, Armenia is a mountainous,
landlocked country bordered to the west by Turkey, to the north by
Georgia, to the east by Azerbaijan, and to the south by Iran and the
Nakhchivan exclave of Azerbaijan. Armenia is a member of numerous
international organizations, including the United Nations, the Council
of Europe, the Asian Development Bank, the Commonwealth of Independent
States, the World Trade Organization, and the Organization of the
Black Sea Economic Cooperation. It is a member of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) military alliance and also
participates in North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Partnership for
Peace (PfP) program. In 2011, the country was negotiating with the
European Union to become an associate member. European integration is
regarded by the Armenian government as a priority in its foreign
policy.

We congratulate the people and government of Armenia led by Their
Excellencies, President Serzh Sargsyan, Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan, Foreign Affairs Minister Edward Nalbandian, and Justice
Minister Hrayr Tovmasian, and its Consulate in the Philippines led by
Consul Jose M. Periquet Jr. on the occasion of its National Day.
CONGRATULATIONS AND MABUHAY!

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
May 27 2013

CSTO foreign ministers discuss Nagorno-Karabakh, Iran, Syria

27 May 2013 – 1:25pm

Bishkek is hosting the CSTO Council of Foreign Ministers. They
developed a plan for consultations for foreign policy, security,
defenses for the second half of 2013 and first half of 2014, RIA
Novosti reports.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that they discussed
Nagorno-Karabakh, Iranian nuclear program, Syrian crisis and the
situation in Afghanistan.

The CSTO sees only peaceful solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and emphasized the role of the OSCE MG, UN Charter and the Helsinki
Accords in settling the conflict. Use of force is unacceptable.

Lavrov met Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and discussed
stability of South Caucasus.

Foreign ministers see no military solutions to the Iranian nuclear
problem. Instability of the Middle East and North Africa on the
background of confrontation may cause unpredictable repercussions. The
CSTO members note the right of each state for peaceful nuclear
developments under monitoring of the IAEA.

Concerning the Syrian crisis, the foreign ministers say that it should
be overcome by the population itself. They want the violence in Syria
to be stopped and negotiations between the government and opposition
to start. The CSTO is opposed to terrorism, violence against the
population, militarization of conflict.

The ministers expressed support of the Russian-US conference on Syria.

Lavrov added that they discussed mechanisms to enforce security and
peacekeeping efforts of the Collective Rapid Reaction Forces.

The Important Is Everyone Is Armenian And Speaks Armenian:
Syrian-Armenian Family Will Settle Down In Armenia

Despite gas, electricity price and other increases, the Armenian
family of Djapaghdjuryan emigrated from Syria is going to settle down
in Armenia. Yerevan residents are already interested in the small
lahmajoon shop the family runs here.

The father of the family, Grigor Djapaghdjuryan says that it is
difficult both in Armenia and in the Diaspora. He adds that if the gas
price goes up, they will have to increase the lahmajoon price too.
Grigor thanks Armenians for their support in their business.

The mother of the family, Salbi, says they are tired of investing in
the Diaspora. They don’t think about the fact that they left their
three snack bars and their house in Syria. According to her, it is
more secure in Armenia and as their son Kaytsak says, the important is
that everyone is Armenian and speaks Armenian.

Kaytsak has many goals: he wants to develop their business, adding new
types of lahmajoon and become a cook in his homeland. His sister,
Meghrik, teaches geography and Arab in Yerevan Nar-Dos School for
Syrian-Armenian students.

Karine Ionesyan
16:13 27/05/2013
Story from Lragir.am News: