Author: Badalian Vardan

UN’S BAN SAYS NATURAL RESOURCES OF CYPRUS BELONG TO BOTH COMMUNITIES

Today’s Zaman
Sept 27 2011
Turkey

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
had talks in New York on Tuesday.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has confirmed during a meeting with
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that natural resources of
Cyprus island belong to both Turkish and Greek Cypriot communities,
a view Turkey voiced in the past few months as a response to unilateral
offshore drilling by Greek Cypriots in eastern Mediterranean.

Ban and Davutoglu had talks in New York on Tuesday where two leaders
discussed a variety of developments in the region, including recent
developments in eastern Mediterranean.

Turkey is using its navy and air force to escort a ship conducting
oil and gas exploration off Cyprus in the latest development in
a disagreement over the ownership of the disputed island nation’s
natural resources.

Cyprus is divided into a Greek Cypriot south and a Turkish Cypriot
north. The southern administration began exploratory drilling for
oil and gas last week, prompting strong protests from Turkey, which
doesn’t recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.

In response, Turkey signed an oil and gas exploration deal with the
Turkish Cypriots and sent a Turkish research ship to the Mediterranean
to start exploration. Turkish Cyprus is only recognized by Turkey.

“We will try all channels of peace, but we will also protect our
country’s interests until the end,” Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan of Turkey said on Tuesday at an unrelated ceremony to mark
the delivery of the first Turkish-made corvette warship to the navy.

The Turkish research ship, Koca Piri Reis, began its exploration on
Monday, but Turkish and Turkish Cypriots officials refused to reveal
the ship’s exact location then.

Greek Cyprus licensed US-based Noble Energy Inc. to search for
oil and gas near recently discovered Israeli offshore fields that
contain more than 450 billion cubic meters (15.9 trillion cubic feet)
of natural gas. Greek Cyprus is exploring areas, around 115 miles
(185 kilometers) off Cyprus, near where Israel discovered gas.

Turkey says any natural resources found offshore should belong to
both communities.

State-run Anatolia news agency reported on Tuesday that diplomatic
sources said Davutoglu briefed Ban on progress on peace talks
between Cypriots to reunify the long divided island and developments
surrounding the eastern Mediterranean. Ban also told Davutoglu that
he will convene both Cypriot leaders in October in New York.

Ban and Davutoglu also exchanged views on Somalia, Libya, Syria,
recent developments over Cyprus and UN’s flotilla report.

Diplomatic sources said UN Secretary General thanked Davutoglu for
Turkey’s contribution to aid campaign to Somalia, while Turkish foreign
minister briefed Ban on Turkey’s effort to eradicate poverty in the
Horn of Africa.

Ban also stressed during the meeting that Turkey is a leading country
in Libya and both officials exchanged views on the latest developments
in Syria and Libya.

Officials also discussed UN’s flotilla report and Davutoglu reportedly
reiterated Turkey’s position on the report.

FM: NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION MUST START WITH WITHDRAWAL OF ARMENIAN ARMED FORCES FROM OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Trend
Sept 27 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is confident that the conflict resolution must start with
the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied territories
of Nagorno Karabakh, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan
Elmar Mamedyarov said in his speech during the UN General Assembly
on Tuesday.

“Azerbaijan is confident that the conflict resolution must start
with the withdrawal of Armenian armed forces from the occupied
territories within the fixed time-table and follow by the restoration
of communications, return of refugees and internally displaced persons
and creation of conditions for peaceful coexistence of Azerbaijanis
and Armenians in the Nagorno Karabakh region within the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan,” Mamedyarov said.

According to Mamedyarov, this step-by-step approach, which has been
proposed by the mediators and supported by the international community,
except, unfortunately, the leadership of Armenia, can bring durable
peace, stability and predictability to the region.

Mamedyarov welcomed the adoption at the sixty-fifth session of the
General Assembly a resolution on s trengthening the role of mediation
in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and
resolution. “In this document, the General Assembly r eiterated that
all Member States should strictly adhere to their obligations as laid
down in the UN Charter and r eaffirmed, inter alia, the commitment
to respect the sovereignty, territorial integrity and political
independence of all States.

Azerbaijan looks forward to the relevant guidance for more effective
mediation, as it was indicated in the resolution, and we are ready
to actively contribute to its elaboration,” said Mamedyarov .

“Unfortunately, we have to admit that not all States approach
responsibly to their international obligations and comply with
the generally accepted norms and principles of international law,”
minister added.

“For almost two decades we have been facing the flagrant violation of
the UN Charter and other documents of international law by the Republic
of Armenia, which perpetrated aggression against the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of the Republic of Azerbaijan,” the minister
underscored. “As a result of this aggression, almost 20 percent of
the territory of Azerbaijan continues to remain under occupation and
about 1 million Azerbaijani refugees and internally displaced persons
are unable to return to their homes.”

Mamedyarov noted that in 1993, the United Nations Security Council
adopted four resolutions, which demanded the immediate, complete and
unconditional withdrawal of Armenian forces from all the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan and reaffirmed the sovereignty, territorial
integrity and inviolability of the internationally recognized borders
of Azerbaijan. The same appeals were made also by other international
organizations. “Unfortunately, Armenia continues to ignore the calls
of the international community.”

According to Mamedyarov, what is even more worrisome is that, instead
of preparing its people for peace, prosperous and stable future in
friendship and cooperation with neighboring countries, the leadership
of Armenia continues to publicly incite the future generations to
new wars, violence and aggression and propagate by all means the
dangerous ideas of animosity and hatred towards not only Azerbaijan,
but also other peoples of the region.

Mamedyarov said illegal activities in the occupied territories of
Azerbaijan , including i mplantation of ethnic Armenian settlers
as well as destruction and appropriation of historical and cultural
heritage, represent another source of serious concern. “Such activities
serve to further consolidation of the current status quo of the
occupation, securing the results of ethnic cleansing and colonization
of the seized lands, as well as seriously hamper the perspectives of
the conflict resolution,” Mamedyarov said. “Earlier in this hall we
have witnessed a very aggressive and unconstructive statement of the
President of Armenia. He openly confirmed this destructive policy
of Armenia.”

The Field Assessment Mission (FAM), conducted by the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs last October to the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,
stated, inter alia, that the status quo of the occupation is
unacceptable and urged Armenia to put an end to its illegal practices
in these territories, he said.

“As a country suffering from the occupation of its territories
and the forcible displacement of hundreds of thousands of its
citizens, Azerbaijan is the most interested party in the earliest
negotiated settlement of the conflict. Our position is well known
to the international community and is based on strict adherence to
the norms and principles of international law, according to which
the acquisition of territory by force is inadmissible and must be
rejected resolutely and unconditionally”-said Mamedyarov in his speech.

According to Mamedyarov, it is absolutely illogical when the leadership
of Armenia, who has implemented the total ethnic cleansing of not only
the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, but also its own territory
from their Azerbaijani population, is trying to apply the principle
of self-determination. It is obvious that one cannot expel peoples
from their homes on ethnic ground and, at the same time, speak about
self-determination on the same ground for those remained.

“Azerbaijan recognizes that the right of peoples to self-determination
can be implemented only and only at all times in conformity with
the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and with the relevant
norms of international law, including those relating to territorial
integrity of States, as it is enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act,”
Mamedyarov added.

Azerbaijan still maintains its interest, motivation and patience in
this very hard and sensitive process of negotiations, he said. “We
believe that the international community will convince the Armenian
side to respect the generally accepted norms and principles of
international law and cease abusing the right of Azerbaijanis to live
within their own territory, including the Nagorno Karabakh region. In
return, we are ready to guarantee the highest level of self-rule for
this region within the Republic of Azerbaijan,” he added.

AZERBAIJANI FM: ARMENIA’S POSITION DOOMS TALKS TO FAILURE

Trend
Sept 27 2011
Azerbaijan

Armenia’s political leadership’s unreadiness to liberate Azerbaijan’s
occupied territories peacefully and inability to demonstrate the
will doomed the talks to failure, Deputy Foreign Minister Khalaf
Khalafov said during the reception of the delegation headed by the
California Senate Environmental Quality Committee chairman, Senator
Joseph Simitian in Baku.

Deputy Minister considered the continuation of Armenia’s aggressive
policy as a major obstacle to restoring peace and stability in the
region He said that the results of aggression are not accepted by
the world community, the foreign ministry said on Tuesday.

By providing the comprehensive information about the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, Khalafov said that Armenia usually voices the territorial
claims to neighboring countries. Armenia’s aggressive policy
contributes to its isolation from the regional projects.

Azerbaijan and the U.S. have the strategic partnership, he said.

Khalafov said that the efforts are made to intensify cooperation with
the State of California in all areas. The important projects are
implemented in the South Caucasus and the Caspian Sea basin within
the initiative and direct participation of Azerbaijan, Khalafov said.

He stressed that Azerbaijan and the U.S. continue cooperating on
global and regional issues.

They successfully cooperate in the fight against international
terrorism.

WE HOPE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL BE SETTLED ON THE BASIS OF NORMS AND PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

Today
Sept 27 2011
Azerbaijan

We hope that the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh conflict will
be settled peacefully and on the basis of the norms and principles
of international law, the visiting California`s State Senator Joe
Simitian stated.

The Senator stressed importance of the Californian legislators`
visit to Azerbaijan. He said during the visit they had held several
fruitful meetings. “We intend to get to know your country better,”
Simitian added.

“INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT” BOOK PRESENTED IN BUDAPEST

Today
Sept 27 2011
Azerbaijan

Presentation of the book “International law and the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict” by ambassador of Azerbaijan to Moldova Namig Aliyev was
held at the embassy of Azerbaijan to Hungary.

The book has been published in Tbilisi in the Russian and English
languages.

The author gives comprehensive scientific materials on a number
of legal problems of the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, proving groundlessness of the Armenian territorial claims
to Azerbaijan.

At the presentation also was speaking ambassador of Azerbaijan to
Hungary Vilayet Guliyev, deputy head of the Committee on International
Relations of the Parliament of Hungary Marton Dendesi, the Hungarian
diplomat Endre Erdos, Moldova`s ambassador to Hungary Alexander
Codreanu and others.

ARMENIA MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN FIVE YEARS – FORMER US AMBASSADOR

news.am
Sept 27 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenia marked significant progress during the five years
of my absence from the country, said former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans at “20 years of Independence in Armenia and the region”
discussion held in Yerevan on Tuesday.

Evans said that progress mainly affected the capital, whereas there
is no tangible progress in regions.

“Maybe five years is not so long for all-round progress but in many
areas there are obvious improvements,” he added.

Referring to suspension of Millennium Challenges program in Armenia,
he said that reason was the inappropriate behavior of officials,
as well as the impact events of March 1, 2008.

DIALOGUE NOT EFFECTIVE SOLUTION FOR SITUATION IN ARMENIA – OPPOSITION

news.am
Sept 27 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – The dialogue between Armenian authorities and opposition
Armenian National Congress (ANC) ceased to be a solution for the
situation in Armenia. However, resuming should not be excluded, ANC
coordinator Levon Zurabyan said at a press conference on Tuesday. The
dialogue is of less importance currently.

“If a tool is out of use you can still keep it, but also use other
influential tools,” the coordinator stated and did not exclude that
the dialogue may resume after September. “We want to pass to democracy
in a civilized way, within political processes.”

In response to the report what the reasonable concession by the
authorities is and that it may not necessarily be snap elections,
Zuabyan stated that authorities may offer some other interesting plan
if available, proving that they really work toward democratization.

Opposition-authorities dialogue was suspended in August based on ANC
activist, political prisoner Tigran Arakelyan. ANC claimed for his
release to resume the talks.

AZERBAIJAN HAS TO SATISFY EXPECTATIONS OF EITHER TURKEY OR ISRAEL – ARFD

news.am
Sept 27 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – In external relations with Israel and Turkey, Azerbaijan
will have to choose one direction or the other, Giro Manoyan, head of
central Hay Dat (Armenian Cause) office, member of ARF Dashnaktsutyun
said at a press conference on Tuesday.

He mentioned that despite the deterioration of Turkish-Israeli
relations, ties between Israel and Azerbaijan remain active in recent
years. In particular Israeli President Shimon Peres visited Baku not
so long ago.

“Sooner or later Azerbaijan will be faced with a choice and Baku,
I believe, will satisfy the expectations of Turkey rather than Israel.

Especially given that Azerbaijan has already announced an intention to
vote for the recognition of Palestine’s independence. Along with all
this, the idea of partnership with Israel is not rejected publicly,”
said Manoyan. Interestingly, Israel does not object this ambiguity,
he said.

According to him, in the near future Azerbaijan will adopt a less
aggressive stance in the UN because of nomination as a candidate for
non-permanent Security Council member.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S SPEECH AT UN APPEARS IN TURKISH NTV

Panorama
Sept 27 2011
Armenia

Turkish “NTV” has referred to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s
speech delivered in the UN General Assembly. The news site of the
Turkish television posted a story titled with President Sargsyan’s
direct speech which stresses that anti-Armenian propaganda splits
the region.

1. Anti-Armenian policies of Turkey and Azerbaijan split the region
and obstruct the integration processes in South Caucasus.

2. Turkey ignores what is important for the normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations. Though the international community offered
support to the process, Turkey wasn’t committed to do it. While
the normalization of the relations could turn South Caucasus into a
dynamic and developed region.

ARMENIA JOINS PARIS PRINCIPLES FOR CHILD PROTECTION

VestnikKavkaza.net
Sept 27 2011

Armenia has joined the Paris principles for the protection of children
from illegal recruitment or exploitation by armed forces, Armenia
Today reports.

Angola, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica and San Marino approved
the principles at a session of the UN General Assembly on September 26.

This means that the number of states supporting the Paris principles
increased from 95 to 100. The UNICEF said that over half of UN members
have joined.

The Paris principles were approved in February 2007.