Author: Badalian Vardan

CAUCASUS ALLIANCE TO FURTHER OPENING OF ARMENIA’S BORDERS WITH NEIGHBORS

ARKA
Sep 3, 2008

YEREVAN, September 3. /ARKA/. Turkey’s initiative to establish
an alliance in the Caucasus can help open Armenia’s borders with
neighbors, said Hayk Demoyan, director of the Armenian Genocide
Museum-Institute.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Ergogan proposed on August 11
establishing the so-called Stability and Cooperation Platform, which
would comprise Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and the
United States.

"The Caucasus alliance will guarantee open borders and free trade
turnover," Demoyan told Novosti-Armenia.

He stressed the vital importance of the issue for Armenia’s future,
taking into account the recent conflict in the region. Demoyan said
he recalled vividly Turkish ex-President Suleiman Demirel’s attempt
to establish a similar alliance in the region some eight years ago.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan will meet with his Russian
counterpart Sergey Lavrov to discuss the initiative.

CAN ARMENIANS AND TURKS BE ON FRIENDLY TERMS?

A1+
[01:43 pm] 03 September, 2008

Today the main theme of discussions in Armenia’s political circles
is Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul’s upcoming visit to Armenia. A1+
tried to know our fellow-citizens opinion on Gul’s arrival.

"Turks have always been our enemies. They always hated us and felt
disgust towards Armenians. What is the use of inviting them to
Armenia today? Do we really need them?" said 69-year-old Knarik. Her
grandfather was murdered by Turks in 1915.

In the main, old-age people agree with Grandma Knarik saying that
Turkey will never be on good terms with Armenia.

"Turks are fraudulent people. No matter how much our president tries
to reconcile the sides his efforts will surely fail doing harm to
Armenia," said 62-year-old Vardan.

Unlike elderly people youth welcome the authorities’ step. "They simply
want to better the tense bilateral relations," said 24-year-old Hasmik
who wants to live in peace.

"Surely we should forget neither the Genocide nor its perpetrators. And
yet, we shouldn’t allow our countries to speculate the matter for
their good. Armenia and Turkey had better solve their problems with
joint efforts," said 20-year-old Hayk.

18-year-old Alina says her friends from Iran write to her every day
and scold for the invitation. "They say they don’t live in Armenia
because of the Turks."

37-year-old Vigen doubts that Armenia and Turkey can ever reconcile.

"They instill hatred in Turkish children towards Armenians still in
cradles. How can Turks love us?" wondered 37-year-old Vigen.

"The youth of the 21st century are against wars. We are ready to
conciliate with Turks. We do believe that Turkish youth will agree
with us," said 19-year-old Laura.

CURIOSITY DOUBLES

A1+
[07:36 pm] 01 September, 2008

Yerevan’s Hrazdan sports ground is supposed to be overcrowded on
September 6. Over 55 thousand football fans will arrive in Armenia
to watch the upcoming Armenia-Turkey football match.

Tickets for the forthcoming 2010 World Cup qualifier are comparatively
more expensive. Generally, people pay 1500-5000 drams to watch a match
in Yerevan with the participation of local teams but a ticket for the
forthcoming event costs 3000-10000 drams. As for European standards
this is a symbolic sum but there are few solvent people in Armenia. Not
everyone can afford a ticket at such a price in Armenia. Nevertheless,
the tickets are of great demand as Turkey’s team doesn’t arrive in
Yerevan every day.

Tickets costing 7000-10000 are said to be sold out.

According to the FIFA regulations the host part is to place 5% of
tickets at the guest’s disposal. The Armenian Football Federation
has foreseen at least 2500 for Turkish fans but they will not arrive
in Yerevan.

Thousands of Turks wished to come to see the match but departing from
security norms the Turkish side decided not to allow their arrival.

Naturally, Armenian fans will not have the opportunity to leave for
Turkey next year.

Recently there have been a series of clashes at international matches
with the participation of Turk fans. Therefore, the sides fear lest
these skirmishes should repeat.

Europe is also interested in this match.

Representatives of various European Mass Media have been accredited
to enlighten the match.

Many expect to see Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul in Yerevan but at
present there is no clear information of his possible arrival.

Even bookmakers have set stakes on Gul’s arrival. The index for
arrival is 1.60, and that for refusal – 2.10.

LEARNING TO LIVE TOGETHER

Panorama.am
17:58 27/08/2008

Nearly 80 invalid children from most vulnerable families are now in
"Learning to live together" summer camp organized in Kapan, the center
of Syunik region.

The camp lasts only 10 days and is organized in frames of OSCE
programs department of Syunik. The main goal of the summer camp is
encouragement of child’s self-confidence, independence. Besides, the
camp tends to create equal opportunities for all vulnerable groups
and ensure their integrity.

"This camp is a kind of continuation to the last year’s cooperation
with UNESCO," the OSCE program system manager Gagik Chilingaryan
says. "Now we have a serious business sponsor -"Dino Gold Mining"
company. This will certainly promote the creation of bounds between
business community and local residents. Such kinds of relations
can serve as strong grounds for economic and social development,"
Chilingaryan added.

Note that Kapan summer camp has interactive study program which has
already helped 8-13 year-old children develop capacity building
abilities: now they can find, analyze and solve differenet kinds
of problems. Moreover, at the end of the program the children will
update small charts for their own communities; the best projects will
be carried out with financial support of "Dino Gold".

FOOTBALL: NANTES SACK DER ZAKARIAN AND HIS ASSISTANT

Agence France Presse
August 26, 2008 Tuesday 5:02 PM GMT

French first division side Nantes have sacked coach Michel Der
Zakarian and his assistant Patrice Gentil, according to a club
spokesman Tuesday.

Nantes are anchored in the second-bottom slot after a bad start to
their league campaign, losing twice and drawing once.

Armenian Der Zakarian, 45, is a former Nantes player. He has been in
charge of the club since 2006.

AZERBAIJAN REITERATES SUPPORT FOR GEORGIA’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

Turan news agency
Aug 25 2008
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan has reiterated its support for Georgia’s territorial
integrity and said that the conflict with this country’s separatist
regions should be resolved on the basis of international law.

"The conflicts in the South Caucasus, including the Karabakh conflict,
should be resolved in keeping with the norms of international law,
and within the framework of the territorial integrity [of states],"
the Foreign Ministry spokesman, Xazar Ibrahim, told reporters on 25
August, the Turan news agency said.

Asked if Azerbaijan was going to seek foreign military aid following
the Russian invasion of Georgia, Ibrahim said that this was not on
the government’s agenda. He added that every state should rely on
its own military might, Turan reported.

The Foreign Ministry spokesman was also quoted as saying that
Azerbaijan was going to hold security consultations with the USA
later this year.

BBCM Note: Such consultations are routine. They are held twice a year.

JUNIORS TO TEST THE WATERS BEFORE CRUCIAL GAME

Turkish Daily News
Aug 20 2008
Turkey

Two weeks before an eagerly anticipated football match between Armenia
and Turkey, the junior teams from the two countries with troubled
relations are set to take to the pitch tonight, in what some consider
a test of whether sports and politics can really be separated.

Turkey is set to play in Armenia in a World Cup qualifying round
game Sept. 6, which will be the first time that the two countries’
national football teams play at the highest level. Doubts were
expressed late last year when the two countries were drawn to play
each other, but politicians from both countries and national team
members gave assurances that the game would go ahead. Å~^enes Erzik
was one of the first names to play down the tension. A former chairman
of the Turkish Football Federation, and the vice president of European
football’s governing body, UEFA, Erzik drew attention to the fact that
both countries were already playing football against one another at
youth levels.

Mahmut Ozgener, who was elected as the new chairman of the federation
yesterday succeeding the late Hasan Dogan, agreed with Erzik, recalling
past occasions where no problems were experienced.

"Our U-19 team played a tournament in Armenia in May, and now the
U-21 team is heading there," said Ozgener. "Football is a global game,
you should go anywhere to play. So, we will go to Armenia to play."

The Armenia game on Sept. 6 will be Ozgener’s first important game
as the federation chairman, but he is not making a big deal of it.

"Just because our relations with Armenia are not good, it is not right
to talk about other things before a football game," said Ozgener. "The
tension may be high but at the end we are going there to play ball."

Armenian President Serj Sarkisyan also played his part to reduce
the pressure before the game, as he sent an invitation to Turkish
President Abdullah Gul in mid-July to watch the game together.

The Armenian press hailed the president’s invitation, calling it
an early goal, and saying Armenia took the first step, and now the
decision was up to Turkey. Gul has yet to issue a response, but it is
a near certain that the game will be a stage where Armenian-Turkish
relations will be tested, albeit on a smaller scale.

Meanwhile, the Turkish national team plays its last friendly fixture
before the Armenian game against Chile tonight in Kocaeli.

Coach Fatih Terim said Chile is a serious contender on the South
American stage.

"Chile is playing for the World Cup currently," said Terim. "It is now
ahead of Brazil in the qualifying group, which is something for us."

The game at the Kocaeli Ataturk Stadium kicks off at 9:00 p.m, while
the Armenia-Turkey U21 game starts at 7:00 p.m.

–Boundary_(ID_9cEnYplMBQ+lWoI2uTcZ4g)–

IRAN, ARMENIA DISCUSSED BILATERAL TIES

Moj News Agency
August 19, 2008 Tuesday
Iran

At the meeting the two sides reviewed bilateral ties, as well as the
Caucasus region`s recent developments. Referring to the depth and
wide span of the bilateral ties, Sheikh Attar emphasized that the two
countries` relations are still in need of further development. The
Armenian side, for his part, announced of Yerevan`s determination to
expand the level of its cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran
in various fields. "Iran`s role in the region is quite significant and
your country enjoys a unique geographical status," he added. 2008/08/19

Panorama.am

18:41 15/08/2008

EXTRAORDINARY MUSIC: JAZZ & ROCK ENSEMBLE

On 19 August Armenian-French jazz-rock concert is to take place in
Yerevan with the participation of guitarist Marcello Cordova, pianist
Wensan Buig, percussion instruments Ando Parseghyan and Armenian
musician guitarist Boris Andreasyan, said Boris Andreasyan in a press
conference.

`The concert is separated into several parts. Jazz and rock will be
presented ensemble, which is an extraordinary thing,’ he said.

The musicians said that they have had two experimental meetings but
they have felt they understand each other though they do have a
language problem.

Source: Panorama.am

KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT IS A SECONDARY TYPE OF ACTIVITY FOR MATTHEW BRYZA, ARMENIAN POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

arminfo
2008-08-15 11:46:00

ArmInfo. Karabakh conflict settlement is a secondary type of
activity for the American co-chair of the OSCE MG Matthew Bryza,
Armenian political expert Levon Melik-Shakhnazaryan told ArmInfo
correspondent. ‘The main direction of Bryza’s activity is to supervise
oil and gas pipelines running from region to region; and the main task
is to do everything for the pipelines to bypass Russia’, – he said.

At the same the political expert did not rule out that in his priority
activity Bryza might gain serious success, but in the inter-ethnic
American co-chair "failed" and one cannot say he is a serious expert.

‘I have repeatedly said that M. Bryza acts as cowboy that throws a
lasso. If he succeeds, it is good. If he didn’t, he will pretend
like not throwing it at all. Geopolitical power of the state he
represents at OSCE MG gives him confidence in it. M.Bryza is not a
serious politician and apparently it seems to him that if he states
something in Baku, they in Yerevan will not know about it and vice
versa’, L. Melik-Shakhnazaryan said. To recall, earlier M. Bryza
stated that the residents of Nagorny Karabakh will decide if the
country will be transferred under jurisdiction of Azerbaijan or it
will get independence. Karabakh residents will determine their will
at a referendum, he told media. Later Bryza refuted his statement.