Author: Badalian Vardan

FORMER BUSH ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL MICHAEL RUBIN COMMENTS ON AZERBAIJANI-ISRAELI RELATIONS

Turan
April 2, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC. March 30, 2012: TURAN’s Washington, DC correspondent
Alakbar Raufoglu interviewed Michael Rubin, a resident scholar at
the American Enterprise Institute who worked as a Pentagon adviser
on Iran and Iraq during the first administration of George W. Bush:

According to the new article at the Foreign Policy, Israel has gained
access to airfields in Azerbaijan near Iran borders, which it could
use to make more feasible its attack on Iran. So, if these new reports
are correct, then “the United States now believes that Israel has been
granted access to air bases in Azerbaijan”- what does it mean? Why
Azerbaijan? Taking into consideration that Azerbaijan – which shares
a long border with Iran, is also threatened by Iran’s nukes.

First, it’s important to consider the source: The article was written
by Mark Perry who, like Seymour Hersh, has a habit of exaggerating.

But, Israel and Azerbaijan have long had strong relations for
practical reasons: They both faced invasion by hostile powers upon
their independence, and they continue to face neighbors who seek to
undermine their stability.

It is in Azerbaijan’s interests to cultivate relations with the
outside world if nothing else than to preserve its independence. This
is a common strategy among small states surrounded by much larger
countries. Kuwait, for example, has always maintained its freedom by
refusing to accept the dictates of Saudi Arabia, Iran, or Iraq. Qatar,
too, has maintained its independence by refusing to be either a Saudi
or Iranian puppet-even establishing informal relations with Israel.

In comparison, Armenia has allowed itself to become a virtual satellite
of Russia and Wikileaks documents also show how it has subordinated
itself to Iranian interests. It has lost much of its independence
and is distrusted in the West.

Ultimately, the only way for Azerbaijan to maintain the respect of
Iran is to be independent of it and if that requires maintaining strong
relations with Israel and the United States, as far as I’m concerned,
that’s great for Washington and good for Baku.

There are some reports in the Israel media claiming the US is leaking
this classified information in order to dissuade Israel. So why is the
US doing that? Is Israel does take advantage of Azerbaijani airfields,
what is that mean for the US?

The distrust between the United States and Israel has not been this low
since the Eisenhower administration in the 1950s. The Israelis suspect
that the Obama administration has reconciled itself to a nuclear Iran
and that if they forewarn the Americans of any military strike on
Iran, the White House will leak word and undercut the surprise upon
which the Israelis depend. The Obama administration, meanwhile, fears
that an Israeli strike will be a strategic disaster, and would raise
the price of oil in the run-up to the November elections. If Israel
were able to access the Azerbaijani airfields, Israel would be able
to strike deep into Iran with greater surprise and with less need
for refueling. If the Obama administration or the U.S. intelligence
community did leak word of secret Israel-Azerbaijan dealings, then
the purpose was to make it harder for Israel to act with surprise
and to increase Iranian pressure on Azerbaijan.

Regardless of their accuracy, such leaks are a betrayal of
U.S.-Azerbaijan trust and inexcusable.

Baku officials say the country will never allow use its territory
against Iran. Some believe that these whole is about arming Azerbaijan
for a looming “next war” with Armenia and providing them deterrence
against Iranian meddling with their internal affairs. Then it’s
about Israel improving its tactical capabilities vis-a-vis an Iranian
strike…

That may very well be a more plausible explanation. The Armenians
receive assistance from Iran, and so it would make sense if
Azerbaijan could access Israeli weaponry and training. Clearly,
neither Armenia nor Russia are sincere about ending the occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh. Turkey is occupied elsewhere, and so it makes
perfect sense for Azerbaijan to reach out to friends to right a wrong
that Azerbaijan has suffered for two decades (Turan).

EGYPT’S COPTIC CHRISTIAN CHURCH BOYCOTTS ISLAMIST-DOMINATED PANEL

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 2, 2012 – 21:33 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Egypt’s Coptic Orthodox church has decided to
boycott an Islamist-dominated panel charged with drafting the future
constitution, AFP reported citing the official MENA news agency.

The official MENA news agency reported that the decision was taken
unanimously by the 20 members of the Holy Synod to remove the two
church officials who sit on the committee.

The church “considers it inappropriate to continue to be represented
given the reservations of various political forces on how the
constitutional commission was composed,” the report said.

The commission comprises of 100 members selected by the parliament,
but is mainly made up of members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi
fundamentalists who also are the majority among lawmakers.

Several parties and secular figures in recent days have withdrawn from
the panel, saying their presence was used only as a collateral for the
Islamists to draft a basic law that reflects their political-religious
ideologies.

Al-Azhar, the key reference institution in Sunni Islam, also announced
its withdrawal, distancing its ideology of moderate Islam from that
of the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi fundamentalists.

The Copts or Egyptian Christians constitute six to 10 percent of the
country’s population of about 82 million. Their patriarch, Shenouda
III, an ardent defender of his community, died March 17 at age 88
and has not yet been replaced.

The church’s decision to boycott the panel comes after the Brotherhood
said Saturday it was nominating a candidate for the presidential
election on May 23, breaking its earlier promise of not contesting.

The decision to nominate the group’s deputy leader Khairat al-Shater
– a business tycoon and the group’s main financier — has sent shock
waves through political circles.

FOREIGN MINISTERS OF ARMENIA AND RUSSIA ISSUE A JOINT STATEMENT

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 2, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 2, ARMENPRESS: On the occasion of 20th anniversary
of establishment of Armenian-Russian diplomatic relations Foreign
Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian and his Russian counterpart
Sergey Lavrov issued a joint statement. Besides that, the ministers
officially canceled the stamps dedicated to 20th anniversary of the
diplomatic relations, according to Armenpress.

“The diplomatic relations between our countries were established
based on the centuries-long friendship of our two people,” said Edward
Nalbandian. The Minister emphasized this anniversary is signified by
positive results, and pointed out the high-level political dialogue.

He highlighted the productive work of the Intergovernmental Commission
on Economic Cooperation and Inter-Parliamentary Commission. The
relations between the regions of Russia and provinces of Armenia
are developing as well. The minister also pointed out the successful
cooperation in scientific and humanitarian spheres. “The potential of
our cooperation is laid in the huge judicial-contractual basis that
exists between us. About 200 agreements have been signed between the
two countries,” said Edward Nalbandian.

For his part, Sergey Lavrov said this anniversary signifies new
qualities of bilateral relations. He stressed that there is quite
an active political dialogue between the two parties, and the state
visits of the presidents of the two countries come to prove that. The
cooperation within international organizations was mentioned as well,
including in frame of the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe, BSEC.

SWISS PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE REFUSES TO LAUNCH CRIMINAL CASE AGAINST TURKISH MINISTER

news.am
April 02, 2012 | 19:52

The Prosecutor’s office in Zurich, Switzerland refused to launch a
criminal case against Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Egemen Bagis,
who denied the Armenian Genocide in Switzerland.

The statement issued by the Prosecutor’s Office said that Bagis had
made remarks concerning the 1915 events on January 30, 2012 which
has caused great fuss in the media, CNNTurk reports.

“During consultation with the Swiss MFA we found out that while
making that statement Bagis was protected by diplomatic immunity,”
the statement of Zurich’s Prosecutor’s Office said.

Earlier the Swiss MFA had announced that all the foreign diplomats
who had come to participate in the World Economic Forum in Davos had
diplomatic immunity. Depending on the circumstances the immunity could
be cancelled but the final decision must be made by the prosecutor’s
office.

Egemen Bagis said he can claim that the events of 1915 were not
genocide against Armenians even in a country where the denial is
criminalized.

JOHN A. HEFFERN: SHARED VALUES ARE THE BEDROCK OF TRUE PARTNERSHIP
Alisa Gevorgyan

“Radiolur”
02.04.2012 19:09

“Shared values are the bedrock of true partnership,” US Ambassador
to Armenia John A. Heffern said during the meeting with students on
the occasion of the 20th anniversary of establishment of diplomatic
relations between Armenia and the United States. “A shared humanity
bound us together after the earthquake over 20 years ago,” he added.

Twenty years ago, in February 1992, the united states opened its first
Embassy in four rooms up on the eights floor of Hrazdan Hotel. Tom
Price, the then US Ambassador to Armenia, remembers all too well the
number of floors in the hotel. Electricity problems at the time caused
him to get stuck in the elevator one day, convincing him to walk up
8 flights of stairs to the office every day. “Obviously, we are in
much better shape at Embassy Yerevan, these days,” John Heffern noted.

The Armenian-American relations have a history of 20 years. “Many
Americans, though, felt an emotional connection to Armenia several
years earlier, when the December 1988 Spitak earthquake brought
into American homes some heart-rending images of people in need,”
the Ambassador noted.

“Our relationship has come a long way since the embassy opened. The US
is trying to help Armenia in its transition from a command economy and
a closed political system in those early years to a more open system
that expands opportunities for all. Since Armenia’s independence,
the United States Government has invested two billion dollars in
assistance here. We help where we can in non-monetary ways to promote
regional peace and integration and to expand our partnership,” Mr.
Heffern said.

The Ambassador welcomed Armenia’s position of building its future upon
the foundation of European values. “America’s democratic experiment
these past 236 years has grown from ideas and values with strong
European roots – separation of power, checks and balances, freedom of
speech, press, and assembly, a constitutional system and a commitment
to the rule of law,” he added.

“These same values are the foundation upon which to build the
US-Armenia relationship over the next twenty years. If we can agree
that our relationship is based on a common commitment to these core
principles of democracy and free markets, then we have a real basis
for meaningful and productive cooperation,” the Ambassador stated.

LITHUANIA REGRETS KARABAKH CONFLICT WAS NOT SOLVED DURING ITS OSCE PRESIDENCY

NEWS.AM
April 02, 2012 | 16:48

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Audronius Ažubalis regrets that the
parties failed to achieve settlement of the Karabakh conflict during
his country’s presidency in the OSCE.

Talking to journalists in Baku, Ažubalis said official Vilnius will
spare no effort to assist the sides in reaching peaceful resolution
of the conflict, Azerbaijani Trend agency reports.

Lithuania took over OSCE presidency in 2011 to be replaced by Ireland
in 2012.

ARMENIA’S MONETARY BASE SLIPS 1.6 % TO AMD 562.9 BLN IN FEBRUARY

/ARKA/
APRIL 2, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, April 2. /ARKA/. Monetary base in Armenia slumped 1.6 % or 9.3
billion drams to 562.9 billion drams in February from a month earlier.

According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, cash outside
the country’s Central Bank amounted to over 359.8 billion drams in
late February against nearly 360.2 billion drams in late January.

Mandatory reserves in drams reached nearly 152.2 billion drams in
late February against 155.8 billion drams from a month earlier, and
in foreign currency – 43.8 billion drams against over 48.7 billion
drams from late January.

Net international reserves (without privatization funds) increased
by 2.1% to 417.9 billion drams in February from January.

Net domestic assets within the reported period accounted to 145 billion
drams against over 162.8 billion drams in late January. ($1 – 390.64
drams).

700,000 VOTES FOR GOVERNMENT
Arman Galoyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 15:08:04 – 02/04/2012

Interview with Movses Aristakesyan, economist, member of the Armenian
National Congress, member of the social and political initiative
“Power of people”,

According to the recent census, the population of Armenia decreased
while the number of voters increased in the voters’ register. Would
you please comment on this fact as an expert who worked in the National
Statistics Service?

Those who are in power have learnt by heart the quote by the famous
American writer and thinker Mark Twain: “There are three kinds of
lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Those who steal the votes
used the population census of 2011 to this end. Breaking the law, they
counted soldiers twice – first in the areas where they are registered,
second in the military units where they serve. In order to ensure
their victory, they also counted people who live outside the country.

According to the acting legislation, people who have been absent from
the country for more than six months should not be counted during the
census, while those who registered the citizens were instructed to
fill in data on people out of the country with a pencil. So, in the
result of this fraud the actual population of the country was said to
be 2,871,000, while the registered number of the population was said
to be 3,285,000 compared with 3 million people and 3,458,000 in 2001
respectively. In other words, it was stated that 173 thousand people
have left the country. This is a lie, a damned lie, even worse.

Do you think more people have left Armenia?

When rigging the data on the population, the falsifiers forget about
the official statements of their Prime Minister. In this regard, they
need to remember his worries relating to the demographic state of
the country which he voiced on December 4, 2011 during the economic
seminar of the Republican Party. According to him, we have an aging
population one of the reasons of which is the dropping birth rate.

According to Tigran Sargsyan, emigration of 1,200,000 people from
Armenia in the past 20 years also boosts the aging. Shall we believe
the Prime Minister or the State Statistics service? Taking into
account the official data published by Tigran Sargsyan, as well as
evaluations by independent experts on emigration, we can be sure
that the permanent population of the country does not exceed 2.5-2.6
million people, and the current population is over 2.3 million.

Consequently, the number of the permanent population of the country
in 2011 was exaggerated by 650-670 thousand. And this is the figure
to be referred to in the parliamentary elections.

Not all the citizens on the voters’ register vote?

Usually, 63-65% of the permanent population of the country has the
right to vote, and only 50% votes. Since work migration season has
started, and the election of 2012 will be held when hundreds of
thousands of people will be away, if more than 600 thousand people
vote, at least 700,000 votes will have been rigged in favor of the
government of bandits and oligarchs.

Do you think this mechanism of fraud is effective?

This mechanism was tried out in Hrazdan in the mayoral elections when
thousands of people, under the burden of election bribes, voted for
their election falsifiers instead of their relatives and friends who
are absent from the country. Not only the European officials but also
the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia believed the transparency and openness
of those elections.

So, had Mark twain seen this voters’ register, he would have said that
there are four types of lies, the worst being the Armenian elections.

SENOR HASRATYAN: AZERBAIJAN AGAIN SPREADS MISINFORMATION

Panorama.am
02/04/2012

“Azerbaijani media once again spread misinformation. NKR Defense Army
keeps observing ceasefire,” head of the NKR Defense Army press service
Senor Hasratyan told Panorama.am, commenting upon the Azerbaijani
media reports alleging that an Azerbaijani serviceman has been injured
by Armenian fire at the line of contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and
Azerbaijani armed forces on April 1.

ARMENIANS AND AZERBAIJANIS ACHIEVE GENTLEMEN AGREEMENT BEFORE EURONEST PA SECOND SESSION IN BAKU

arminfo
Monday, April 2, 15:46

On sidelines of the second session of the Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly in Baku, the Committee on Economic Integration, Legal
Approximation and Convergence with EU Policies discussed the
committee’s report, APA reports. During the discussion on the changes
to the report, Armenia’s proposal #8 and Azerbaijan proposal #12 were
removed from the document.

Head of the Armenian delegation to Euronest PA Vahan Hovhannisyan
said they are pleased with the perfect welcome in Baku.

He said gentlemen agreement was reached with Azerbaijani delegation
to Euronest PA beforehand to remove from the proposed changes to the
committee’s report the expressions damaging the common work. “We
withdrew our proposal #8 from the report. The Azerbaijani side
promised to withdraw proposal #44. We would like the contradicting
proposals not to be included into the report,” he said. Member of the
Azerbaijani delegation to Euronest PA Azer Karimli said Azerbaijan
withdraws proposal #12 from the report.

To recall that the second session of the Euronest Parliamentary
Assembly will be held next week in the building of the Parliament. The
Armenian delegation will include 10 deputies. The delegation of the
European Parliament will comprise 37 deputies who together with their
colleagues from the EPP member- states will discuss four reports on the
energy infrastructures, future of democracy and free and independent
mass media, trade agreements and cooperation between the governments
and civil societies in both EPP and EU member- states.