Author: Badalian Vardan

US, FRENCH AND RUSSIAN HEADS SPEAK FOR STATUS QUO IN GARABAGH CONFLICT, CHIDING AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS

Azerbaijan Business Center
June 19 2012

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Within the framework of the G20 summit in the
Mexican town of Los Cabos the presidents of the United States,
France and Russia passed an appeal to the leaders of Azerbaijan
and Armenia on the occasion of Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over
Nagorno Garabagh conflict. This appeal, to put it mildly, is not
embodiment of the hopes of the peoples involved in the conflict –
they were suggested to continue to suffer.

“We regret that the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan failed to
take decisive steps to which our countries have called on them in a
joint statement issued May 26, 2011 in Deauville,” says the appeal
of the presidents of the co-chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group
on Garabagh conflict.

MG co-chair countries’ heads urged the presidents of Armenia and
Azerbaijan to fulfill the commitments to accelerate the harmonization
of the basic principles of the Garabagh conflict, covered by the
statement from 23 January 2012 made in Sochi; refrain from using
military force to resolve the conflict and use fully MG co-chairs’
mediation assistance.

“The use of military force will not lead to settlement of the conflict,
but only prolong the suffering and misery, to which peoples who
live in this region are exposed. Only peaceful settlement through
negotiations would find a way out of this situation and ensure the
supply for the future and prosperity of the region,” the co-chair
countries’ joint statement says.

Yesterday, deputy prime minister Ali Hasanov urged these countries
to determine finally their attitude towards the conflict and take
effective steps to resolve it. Instead, the co-chairs have proposed
only the preservation of the notorious Status Quo.

ANCIENT SIGHT ARMENIAN HILL HAS BEEN RUINED IN TURKEY

In the region of Kzltebe of the province of Mardin in Turkey “Armenian
Hill” ancient sight has been ruined. A new high-rise building is
expected to be built on its site.

According to the Turkish Radical, archeologist Mezih Bashgelen,who
had managed to take secret photos of the site got anxious about the
destruction of such a remarkable sight. The archeologist sent the
letter with photos of the hill to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

“The photos were taken secretly. Everything was terribly destroyed.

>From their dug land old earthen comes out. The Ministry should
undertake rapid steps,” Bashgelen noted.

Armenian Hill which also carries the name Telaermen has gained its
name from the nearby Armenian village.

“Without appropriate exploration and scientific investigation and
documentation it is very lamentable to ruin such an important hill.

Telermen Hill of Kzltep should be taken under protection with no
delay and illegal interference should be prevented”, he mentioned.

ARMENIA ATTENDING AT BSEC SUMMIT IN ISTANBUL

Hurriyet
June 22 2012
Turkey

Sevil KucukkoÅ[email protected]

Armenia will participate in the 20th Anniversary Summit of the
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) in Istanbul
at deputy foreign minister level, despite Armenian President Serj
Sarkisian being invited to the gathering, the Daily News has learned.

The June 26 summit will be co-chaired by Serbia and Turkey, the two
consecutive Chairmanships-in-Office of BSEC in 2012.

The governments of BSEC member states, observers and sectoral dialogue
partners, as well as several international and regional organizations
have been invited to the summit.

Azerbaijan President Ä°lham Aliyev, Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili, Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti, and Russian Deputy
Prime Minister Olga Golodets, are among the participants.

In parallel with the summit, several side events such as
parliamentarian forums, academic and NGO forums, and business forums
are planned.

‘HOLLANDE SPRING’ IN TURKISH-EU RELATIONS

Hurriyet
June 22 2012
Turkey

FM Davutoðlu hails a thaw in Turkey-EU ties as the bloc pledges to
ease Turks’ visa procedures while Ankara ends sanctions against France

Turkey has ended sanctions against France thanks to newly elected
French President Francois Hollande’s positive approach toward Turkey
in a restoration of ties that had deteriorated under the rule of
ex-French leader Nicholas Sarkozy.

The decision to end eight measures – mostly military – was given by
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan after his meeting with Hollande
in Brazil late June 20, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoðlu said.

“Yesterday’s meeting [between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan
and Hollande] is a new beginning,” Davutoðlu said in a televised
interview yesterday. “Sanctions will drop from the agenda thanks to
this new stance adopted by France.”

Turkey closed its airspace and territorial waters to the French
army and reduced military ties late last December in reaction to
French Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee’s approval of a law
criminalizing the denial of the alleged Armenian genocide. Hollande,
who had met Turkish President Abdullah Gul in Chicago during the
NATO summit, held a meeting with Erdoðan in Rio de Janeiro on the
sidelines of another international summit.

New chapter

The two leaders agreed to open “a new chapter” in relations, according
to reports. Erdoðan said there had been no official state visit
to Turkey by a French president in the last 20 years, and Hollande
replied that his future trip to Turkey would be a great privilege.

Davutoðlu said he would make an official visit to Paris on July 5.

“After these talks, this stagnation in bilateral ties will hopefully
be over.” One of the main expectations from France is the removal of
French blockage of five EU accession negotiation chapters. Diplomatic
sources are optimistic that Paris will lift its blockage as the French
Socialist Party is not against Turkish accession to the EU. The
normalization of ties between Turkey and France will also help the
two countries’ cooperation in the international scene, particularly
with the crisis in Syria. Davutoðlu said he would participate in the
Friends of the Syrian People group meeting to be held in Paris July 6.

Coming from Mexico, where Erdoðan held important meetings with the
U.S. and Russian presidents, Davutoðlu said Moscow also shared the
international community’s concerns regarding Syria. “There is no
question that Russia admits that [Syrian President] Bashar al-Assad
committed grave mistakes. We share the same opinions, but we differ
on the methodology,” he said. “Moscow is against foreign intervention,
so are we.”

In response to Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz, who said
Turkey was a superpower and Israel needed to come to terms with Turkey,
Davutoðlu said it was a clear indication of the rise of Turkey as
the regional power.

TURKEY DISCONTINUE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE SANCTIONS ON FRANCE

National Turk
June 21 2012

Turkey announced it will discontinue sanctions on France over bill
criminalizing denial of the events of 1915 as genocide after former
French President Sarkozy’s attempted to pass it.

Istanbul / NationalTurk – Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and new
French President Francois Hollande agreed to turn new page after
Sarkozy-era deterioration in relations, especially after Turkey had
applied a series of sanctions on France following the French Senate’s
approval last December of a bill criminalizing the denial of so-called
Armenian genocide claims for the events of 1915.

France’s Constitutional Court- France’s top constitutional court – then
overturned the Armenian Genocide bill, preventing it from becoming law
and Sarkozy faced defeat in the French presidential elections earlier
this year. Sarkozy was replaced by Francois Hollande, despite trying
hard to gain the Armenian vote in France.

Turkish-French relations deteriorated under Hollande’s predecessor
Nicolas Sarkozy(an) was in power, who angered Turkey when he tried
his luck at the upcoming elections with a bill to criminalise denial
of the events of 1915.

Turkey to drop sanctions on France over Armenia

The move to lift the sanctions on France was based on Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s orders, Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu
declared during an interview on Turkish Tv.

Turkey praised the positive attitude adopted by the new French
president Hollande toward relations with Ankara administration,
stating that sanctions imposed on France would no longer be applied.

Newly elected French President Francois Hollande promised to open a
“new page” in Turkey-France relations, which hit a low over French
objections to Turkey’s bid to join the EU and controversial legislation
alteration in France seeking to criminalize denying the Armenian
genocide on French soil.

Erdogan Holland Meeting in Brazil opens a new page in Turkey France
Relations

On Wednesday, Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdogan met with his French
counterpart Hollande on the sidelines of a UN meeting in Brazil,
when the two leaders agreed to turn a “new page” in Turkish French
relations.

‘ We can see that Mr. President Francois Hollande has the will to
work through issues,’ FM Davutoglu expressed, defining the future of
Hollande’s presidency in France as a new page in bilateral relations
between Turkey and France.

Turkey France Relations to be restored after Erdogan Hollande meeting

Turkey had recalled its ambassador to Paris and put an end to all
bilateral and international cooperation on political basis with France,
including projects running under the European Union. Military contracts
were also canceled and ports were closed to French Navy ships.

Tayyip Erdogan also invited Francois Hollande to make the first
official visit to Turkey by a French president for 20 years, and
received a positive response from him.

LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST TURKISH GOVERNMENT FOR EXAM QUESTION ON ‘TRAITOR-ARMENIANS’

NEWS.AM
June 22, 2012 | 00:04

A Turkish professor Serdar Kaya filed lawsuit against the Turkish
Ministry of Education for the question describing Armenians and Greeks
as traitors of Turkey.

The question was included in the exam test intended for the eighth
grade at Turkish schools. The professor informed Turkish Taraf
newspaper that his daughter answered such a question during her exams.

“Such question is simply a crime. My daughter answered positively on
the question about ‘traitor-Armenians’, which means, the xenophobia
has been embedded in her as well,” stressed Kaya.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the exams on social sciences
on June 9 and intended for the eighth grade of the Turkish public
schools included questions describing Armenians and Greeks as traitors.

US EX-AMBASSADORS TO ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN CLAIM RUSSIA INTERESTED IN NEITHER WAR NOR PEACE IN KARABAKH

news.am
June 21, 2012 | 15:26

WASHINGTON. – The Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International
Studies in Washington held on Wednesday debates on Averting Conflict
in the Caucasus: Is Russia a partner or a Spoiler? which brought
forward great interest among diplomats and U.S. administration,
faculty and students.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Evans and former Ambassador
to Azerbaijan Richard Kauzlarich were the rapporteurs. The debates
led to two main conclusions, including (i) the United States will
consider Russia on the South Caucasus and (ii) will not take acute
measures to irritate Moscow, Turan agency reports.

At the same time if Armenia and Azerbaijan want to escape war, they
should run dialogue, secure transparency, get nations prepared for
peace and reinforce democracy in their countries.

“Those countries which lack freedom of media and opposition, are
impossible to bring to peace due to the OSCE Minsk Group mechanisms,”
Evans said.

Both ambassadors believe that ‘tone and expressions’ should be changed
in the talks. The sides should once and for all refuse the idea of
100 percent victory. Otherwise the region will be involved in a more
devastating war.

“Moscow is interested in neither war nor peace in the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue,” the two diplomats believe.

According to Kauzlarich, Russia fears for the regional peace to put
an end to Moscow’s influence and removal from the region, hence,
Kremlin cares not for peace but an imitation of peace process.

In his turn, Evans said that Moscow is concerned about the possibility
of war, which will damage its interests. At the same time, Russia
considers necessary to continue talks and bring closer Armenian-Turkish
ties. Besides, weakening Moscow’s ambitions may influence positively
on achieving peace. Anyway, peace will be problematic to achieve
unless societies inside are not free.

SERZH SARGSYAN CONVENES CONSULTATION ON JUDICIAL SYSTEM

ARMENPRESS
21 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS: President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan
convened today a consultation on issues and reforms of the
judicial system. Chairman of the Constitutional Court of Armenia
Gagik Harutyunyan, Prosecutor General of Armenia Aghvan Hovsepyan,
Director of the National Security Service Gorik Hakobyan, Chief of
Police Vladimir Gasparyan, Chief Judge of Armenia’s Court of Appeals
Arman Mkrtumyan, Justice Minister of Armenia Hrayr Tovmasyan, Military
Prosecutor Gevorg Kostanyan, Chairman of the Criminal Chamber of the
Cassation Court Davit Avetisyan and Armenian Chamber of Advocates
Chairman Ruben Sahakyan participated in the consultation, president’s
press service told Armenpress. The President of Armenia said that as
previously, the reforms process of the judicial system will be in the
focus of his attention, and he personally will participate in all
stages of its implementation. Serzh Sargsyan stressed that all the
participants of the consultation and the employees of the systems
they head should realize that the reform is not only the matter of
the judicial system, but an issue of making the works of all state
structures in compliance with up-to-date requirements. In the scope
of the agenda issues the participants of the consultation presented
their viewpoints, considerations and proposals on the draft programme
of judicial reforms. After making relevant amendments and changes
in the programme on the basis of these proposals and considerations,
Judicial Reforms Programme for 2012-2016 will be confirmed with the
decree of the president. Among the main goals of Serzh Sargsyan’s
programme, the issue of ensuring the full independence of the judicial
power was stressed. Wrapping up the consultation, Serzh Sargsyan gave
relevant assignments on a number of issues.

TURKEY TO DROP SANCTIONS ON FRANCE OVER ARMENIA
by Naharnet Newsdesk

Naharnet

June 21 2012
Lebanon

Turkey on Thursday praised the positive attitude adopted by the new
French president toward relations with Ankara, saying that sanctions
imposed on Paris would no longer be implemented.

“Sanctions will drop from the agenda thanks to this new stance
adopted by France,” Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in a
televised interview, adding that he would be visiting Paris next month.

New French President Francois Hollande promised to open a “new page”
in relations, which hit a low over French objections to Turkey’s bid
to join the European Union and controversial legislation in France
seeking to make it a crime to deny the Armenian genocide.

Turkish-French relations deteriorated under Hollande’s predecessor
Nicolas Sarkozy, who angered Ankara when he pushed ahead with a bill
to criminalize denial of the Armenian genocide in 1915.

After the contentious bill passed in the National Assembly in December
Turkey retaliated by suspending military and political cooperation
with Paris.

But France’s top constitutional court struck down the bill in February,
saying it violated freedom of expression, in a ruling welcomed by
Ankara. Sarkozy vowed to launch new legislation but was defeated at
the polls first.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their forebears were killed in
a 1915-16 genocide by Turkey’s former Ottoman Empire. Turkey says
500,000 died and ascribes the toll to fighting and starvation during
World War I.

During the interview, Davutoglu said he soon would pay an official
visit to Paris for talks with French officials.

“After the talks on July 5, this stagnation in bilateral ties will
hopefully be over,” he added.

A Turkish foreign ministry diplomat told Agence France Presse that
whether sanctions against France would be dropped would depend on
the upcoming meeting.

Davutoglu will stay an extra day in Paris where he will participate
in the third “Friends of Syria” meeting on July 6, noted the diplomat
speaking on condition of anonymity.

Turkey and France have the strength to overcome problems in their
bilateral relationship, said Davutoglu.

“We have a clear attitude. The Turkish republic respects all nations
if it is respected by all,” he said. “But if it is disrespected,
it takes necessary steps in return to protect its nation’s honor and
national interests.”

On Wednesday, Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with
Hollande on the sidelines of a U.N. meeting in Brazil, when the two
leaders agreed to turn a “new page” in relations, the Anatolia news
agency reported.

Erdogan also invited Hollande to make the first official visit to
Turkey by a French president for 20 years, and received a positive
response, Anatolia said.

BRIBE-FORMED PARLIAMENT, GOVERNMENT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH DIGNITY – OPPOSITION REP

tert.am
21.06.12

Dignity can neither be bought nor sold, and the parliament formed
due to election bribes, as well as the government formed by this
parliament, has nothing in common with dignity, Armen Martirosyan,
a Heritage party member, told journalists on Thursday.

He is highly critical of the government program for 2012-2017.

To substantiate his statement, Martirosyan quoted “one beautiful
phrase” from the government program: “the government program is
based on the idea that it is the government’s duty to create the
best conditions for a life of dignity and creative activities for
its citizens.”

The government attaches importance to the development of Armenia’s
mining industry and, on the other hand, of tourism. “But it is
impossible to develop the mining industry and tourism at the same
time. Tourists want to spend their holidays in a clean environment,
they do not come to breathe in the air full of heavy metals,”
Martirosyan said.

He believes that this government is unable to implement institutional
reforms. Also, the government must promise to create hundreds of
thousands of jobs, not only 100,000, because they must consider
emigration.

Road construction is at the bottom of the “agricultural section” of
the government program. However, poor roads are one of the factors
conducive to emigration from Armenia’s rural areas.

The ruling authorities’ “cynicism” is in that the ruling Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA) is always “well aware” of any problems raised
by the opposition.

Martirosyan will be happy if his forecasts about the government program
prove false. However, the past five years have shown he has been right.