Author: Badalian Vardan

EU COMMISSIONER STEFAN FULE SAYS DEMOLITION PROJECTS SHOULD BE TRANSPARENT

Turan
April 3, 2012

BAKU. April 3, 2012: Today, the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov and the EU Commissioner for Enlargement and
European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule discussed the bilateral
relations, regional issues, the situation around Syria and Iran,
the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict conflict, and human rights.

At a press conference after the meeting Fule noted the progress
in relations between the EU and Azerbaijan. Noting the high level
of cooperation in the energy sector, he pointed to the potential
development of relations within the frameworks of the “Eastern
Partnership” Program. Along with the Association Agreement, the parties
are working also on an agreement on modernization, which covers the
security area too.

“We decided to include in our agenda security issues too,” said Fule.

It was done with consideration of the role of Azerbaijan as a
non-permanent member of UN Security Council, as well as regional
threats, he said.

With regard to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, Fule said that the
EU is ready to support the measures of mutual trust. Without going
into details, he said that the EU measures are aimed at establishing
contacts between ordinary people, without which, conflict resolution is
impossible. Responding to the question asking to comment on the ideas
to replace France in the OSCE Minsk Group by the European Union, Fule
said that in the March statement, the EU foreign ministers expressed
support for the Minsk group and its substitution was not expected.

Speaking of the human rights issues, Fule reminded the commitments
of Azerbaijan and statements by the EU expressing concern with the
situation in this area. Fule said the Eurovision Song Contest would be
an opportunity to show the country not only from a cultural point of
view. Improvement works touch the issues affecting the property, and
the solution of these problems should be transparent, he said (Turan).

ED. NALBANDYAN: “ALL THOSE ATTEMPTS BY AZERBAIJAN DO NOT AIM TO SETTLE NK ISSUE”

04.04.12, 13:36

On April 4 Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandyan met
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland Erkki Tumioja. Press service
of Armenian MFA informs about this.

Minister Nalbandyan welcomed the guest and said: “Armenia rates
multilateral relations with Armenia and I am sure that this visit will
be another stimulus for two countries to expand and develop relations.”

Finnish MFA noted that he was happy to visit Yerevan and continue
dialogue for various spheres of cooperation.

Ministers Nalbandyan and Tumioja underlined with satisfaction that both
sides were eager to expand the cooperation and noted that political
will is needed for it.

Armenian and Finnish Ministers of Foreign Affairs referred to the
cooperation between Armenia and the EU and spoke about the programs
in this format. Reforms in Armenia, coming parliamentarian elections
were also on agenda.

Erkki Tumioja presented the electoral processes in Finland. Some
regional and international issues were also touched upon during the
meeting. Minister Nalbandyan presented the last developments of the
NK issue settlement process.

After the meeting two Ministers of Foreign Affairs held a joint
press-conference.

During the press conference Armenian MFA welcomed the journalists
and presented the results of the meeting with his Finnish counterpart.

After it he answered to the questions.

“Azerbaijani authorities try to make the foreign guests in Azerbaijan
speak about NK issue and underline the principle of the territorial
integrity. What do You think which is the aim of such attempts?”,
Edward Nalbandyan was asked.

“Unfortunately it is really so. Baku always tries to make blackmail
against the foreign officials and get unilateral formulations about
Nagorno Karabakh issue settlement.

It is obvious that such attempts will not be useful for the NK
issue settlement process. But one thing is obvious as well: nations’
self-identification is not only an international principle but also
is one of the main aims of the international society. This principle
exists in the base of the NK issue settlement which is presented by
the OSCE MG co-chairs with the other principles. All announcements
and decisions on the issue underline the importance of the nations’
self-identification and three Presidents have announced for many
times that Nagornoo Karabakh people must decide its destiny and its
future status.

All those attempts by Azerbaijan do not aim to settle NK issue but
they aim to cheat the international society. This is not useful for
the settlement process.

But we hope that the negotiations will be continued due to the
international society and three Presidents. We hope that a solution
will be found which will take into consideration the principles
of nations’ self-identifications, non-use of the force and the
territorial integrity”.

PEOPLE OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH MUST DECIDE THEIR DESTINY – ARMENIAN MFA

news.am
April 04, 2012 | 12:25

YEREVAN.- Official Baku is trying to blackmail the delegations visiting
Azerbaijan to make them voice one-sided wordings on the Karabakh issue,
Armenian MFA said.

“Such an approach cannot be useful for the peace process,” Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian said during a joint press conference with
his Finnish counterpart Erkki Tuomioja.

He stressed that the right to self-determination, which is one of the
fundamental rights of the international law fixed in the UN Charter
and the Helsinki Final Act, along with other principles, is the basis
of the OSCE Minsk Group proposals.

The principle is reflected in the statements adopted in Helsinki,
Athens, Almaty, Astana and Vilnius, he said adding that the Co-Chairs
of the Minsk Group repeatedly stated the Karabakh people should decide
their own destiny.

“Azerbaijan’s attempts are not aimed to resolve the conflict. They
are simply trying to throw dust in the eyes of their society,”
Nalbandian added.

He expressed hope that with the efforts of the international community
and the Minsk Group it would be possible to reach progress based on the
mediators’ proposals and fundamental principles of the international
law: non-use of force or threat of force, right to self-determination
and territorial integrity.

ARMENIAN FM SAYS THE RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION IS THE BASIS OF SETTLEMENT OF THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 4, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS: The right to self-determination is
the basis of settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Foreign
Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian said at a joint news conference
with his Finnish counterpart Erkki Tuomioja.

“Baku has always been trying to blackmail the delegations heading to
their country. It wants one-sided concessions in the NK issue but
it cannot be favorable for the settlement of the Karabakh issue,”
Nalbandian said.

He stressed that the attempts of Azerbaijan are aimed at casting dust
in the eyes of its people. The Armenian minister voiced hope that
with the efforts of the international community the negotiations
will continue and the proposals of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs
will be accepted.

ARMENIA OFFERS RUSSIA A SUBSTITUTE FOR AZERBAIJAN

epress.am
04.04.2012

Armenia is ready to provide its territory for the construction of a
Russian radar station, if Moscow and Baku don’t reach an agreement
on the Gabala Radar Station.

“If there is such an interest our area, we are ready to discuss the
matter,” Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said in an interview
with the Russian paper Kommersant.

According to him, the range of such a station could be even greater
than that of the Gabala Radar Station in Azerbaijan. “There might
even be advantages here since Armenia is a mountainous country. The
scope may be wider,” he said.

The radar station was built by the Soviet Union in the Qabala district
of the Azerbaijan SSR in 1985. It was an important element of the
missile defense system of the USSR and was intended to protect the
southern borders of the Soviet Union. The radar station has a range
of up to 6,000 kilometres and can pinpoint missile launches as far
as the Indian Ocean. The radar’s surveillance covers Iran, Turkey,
India, Iraq and all the nations in the Middle East. It can detect the
launch of missiles and track the whole trajectory to enable a ballistic
missile defense system to intercept an offensive strike. The Gabala
Radar Station is now operated by the Russian Aerospace Defence Forces.

SANCTIONS AGAINST IRAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT ARMENIA’S ECONOMY: ARMENIAN PM

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 4, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenia has a clear national doctrine
which describes all the risks and challenges. With respect of ensuring
national security Armenia must be ready for different scenarios in
connection with Iran, Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan stated
in an interview to Russian Kommersant paper asked whether Armenia is
ready to a closed border with Iran in case the latter be bombed.

The paper’s reporter was also interested what impact the military
solution of Iran’s issue may have on Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. “I
do not think the developments over Iran will have a direct impact on
Nagorno Karabakh. They will more affect the situation in Armenia. Iran
is one of our two neighbors we have relations with. We do not have
any relations with Azerbaijan and Turkey: only with Iran and Georgia,”
Tigran Sargsyan said.

In his words, the international sanctions against Iran impede the
development of economic relations with Armenia. “It does not stem
from our interests. They impede economy’s diversification, increase
geo-political risks for Armenia, decrease the investment attraction,”
the head of the executive power.

As to the results of the NK conflict settlement results, PM said
it depends on the anticipated result. “Such conflicts are not being
solved rapidly. First of all it is necessary to form a negotiation
platform and we have already acquired progress in that direction,”
the Armenian PM said.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE COMMEMORATION AT TIMES SQUARE (NEW YORK)

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 5, 2012
YEREVAN

NEW YORK, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Genocide Commemoration at Times
Square: “Turkey is Guilty of Genocide. Denying the Undeniable is a
Crime.” Begins at 2 p.m. at 43rd and Broadway NYC, reports Armenpress
citing The Armenian Weekly. Sponsored by the Knights and Daughters
of Vartan, Inc. Co-sponsored by the Armenian General Benevolent Union
(AGBU), Armenian Assembly of America, Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA), ADL-Ramgavars, and Armenian Council of America, with
the participation of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern), Prelacy of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern),
Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), Armenian Catholic
Eparchy for U.S. and Canada, Armenian Church Youth Organization of
America (ACYOA), Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), Armenian youth
organizations, and Armenian university and college clubs.

ARMBOOKEXPO TO EXHIBIT MORE 40 BOOKS ABOUT ARMENIA FROM ABOUT 40 COUNTRIES

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 5, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 5, ARMENPRESS. Publications about Armenia and Armenians
from more than forty will be presented at the ArmBookExpo international
exhibition. The event will open on the occasion of 500th anniversary
of the Armenian typography and Yerevan World Capital of Book. It will
open April 21 and last till 23.

Speaking to Armenpress, Minister of Culture Hasmik Poghosyan said
as of the moment literature from more than 40 countries have been
submitted but their number is growing. “Their number is so big we
can hardly work them out and place,” the minister said.

The exhibited books will be provided to Armenia’s National Library
where a unique collection of literature about Armenia and Armenians
will be created.

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DENIERS IN SLOVAKIA WILL BE SENTENCED UP TO 5 YEARS IN PRISON – SLOVAK SUPREME COURT CHAIRMAN

news.am
April 05, 2012 | 12:09

Wreathes were ceremoniously laid on Wednesday before the Armenian
Genocide cross-stone-monument erected at the heart of Bratislava,
the capital of Slovakia.

The wreathes were laid by Slovakia’s Supreme Court Chairman tefan
Harabin, Armenia’s Constitutional Court President Gagik Harutyunyan,
and others, the Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe informed
Armenian News-NEWS.am.

tefan Harabin stated that he places a huge importance to Slovakia’s
Law on Criminalizing Armenian Genocide’s Denial, and reaffirmed that
if any Turkish official–or anybody else–dare to deny in Slovakia
the fact of the Armenian Genocide, they will be immediately sentenced
to up to five years in prison.

In his turn, Gagik Harutyunyan briefly reflected on the
unprofessionally formulated provisions in the French Constitutional
Council’s decision, whereby the French bill on criminalizing the
denial of genocides was deemed unconstitutional.

Also, Harutyunyan expressed his deep gratitude to Slovakia, its people
and especially to tefan Harabin, for being the first EU country to
pass a law on criminalizing genocide denial.

EURANEST GAVE ITS OPINION ON ALIYEV’S SPEECH – ARMENIAN MP

Tert.am
05.04.12

Many of the European Parliament members attending the EuroNest summit
in Baku did not visit the city’s Shahid Park (cemetery of Azeri
fighters), thus expressing their opinion of President Ilham Aliyev’s
speech insulting the Armenians, says Artak Zakaryan, a member of the
Armenian delegation.

Speaking to Tert.am, the Armenian delegate said that many
parliamentarians joined the Armenian participant to decline the
invitations to a dinner party given on behalf of the Mili Majilis,
Azerbaijan’s chief lawmaking body. According to him, they criticized
the Azeri leader’s non-constructive and incorrect remarks.

“I drew very important conclusions for myself. Ilham Aliyev and
probably several representatives of the clan are alone with their
policies because the society, ordinary people, and the employees and
members of the same parliament we were talking to think absolutely
otherwiswe,” he said.

Zakaryan, who represents the ruling Republican Party faction in
Armenia’s National Assembly, noted that Aliyev’s speech was to the
detriment of his country as it left a negative impression on the
delegates.

Asked whether the delegation is going to meet President Serzh Sargsyan
to share its impressions, Zakaryan answered only that he is obliged
to report his party’s leader on the event regardless of whether or
not there will be a meeting.

As for more tangible outcomes, he said the EuroNest Social Committee
chairman is very satisfied with the overall results. “My report too,
was approved in Azerbaijan with a vote of 72 for, 1 against and 0
abstention. I consider it a big success as it contained very important
provisions,” he said.

Zakaryan added that he had also managed to prevent the passage of four
anti-Armenian proposals concerning territorial integrity, settlement
of conflicts and the internally displaced.