Author: Baghdasarian Karlen

Expert: There can be more Armenian wine in Russian market

15:00, 20.08.2014

YEREVAN. – Armenian wine can strengthen its positions in the Russian
market, experts believe.

Vazgen Safaryan, chairman of the Union of Native Commodity Producers,
said Armenians failed to fill the gap in Russian market several years
ago.

“After a ban imposed on Georgian wine, Armenian winemakers failed to
fill this place in the Russian market. But now, for may have an
opportunity, given that Armenian wine is a good mid-price option,”
Safaryan said.

Armenia News – NEWS.am

From: Baghdasarian

US expert: Armenia ideally situated to benefit because Kremlin sanctions

23:20, 21.08.2014

Armenia is ideally situated to benefit from Russia’s ban on Western
foodstuffs, Chris Weafer, a founding partner at Moscow-based
Macro-Advisory consultancy, toldArmenia News – NEWS.am in an emailed
comment.

This is because the Kremlin would very much like to have the country
join the Eurasian Union rather than to drift closer to Europe.
Increasing economic ties via a higher volume of food imports is one
way to achieve that, he told. Russia is also expected to encourage
more imports from within the C.I.S. countries “so as to better
consolidate its economic and political relationships in its so-called
near abroad”, the expert added.

The same type of policy will be applied – or is already in progress –
to the states, with which Russian authorities want to build a closer
long-term relationship, including large emerging markets.

“We already know that imports are being sourced from Latin America as
part of the initiative,” the analyst told.

One of the rationales for that strategy is the fact that Russia will
not be able to move to self-sufficiency in food: moving to
self-sufficiency will take many years, at best.

“The industry has suffered a lack of investment and a loss of skilled
workers for more than two decades. It has structural and efficiency
problems which will not solved easily or quickly,” Weafer told.

That’s why Russia will try to reap the best possible advantage in
choosing its supply mix. There will also be room for more reliable
food sources from countries deemed to be part of Russia’s area of
special interest, e.g. the Eurasian Union countries, the exert added.

This does not mean that increasing local production is off the agenda.

“Longer term the government will use this crisis to try and boost
investment into the agriculture and food production sectors. President
Putin has been complaining for many years that Russia should be more
self-sufficient in key areas such as food and medicine consumption,”
the analyst remarked.

Longer term the government will use the recent crisis in trade
relations to try and boost investment into the agriculture and food
production sectors, he concluded.

From: Baghdasarian

AZERBAIJAN VIOLATES CEASEFIRE 48 TIMES ON LINE OF CONTACT WITH ARMENIA

12:35 22/08/2014 >> SOCIETY

“Azerbaijan violated the ceasefire over 48 times on the Line of
Contact with Armenia on August 17-22. Over 300 shots were fired at
Armenian frontline positions from weapons of different calibers,”
the Armenian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

“The frontline units of Armenian armed forces observed the ceasefire
and took retaliatory measures only in cases of extreme necessity.

“The ceasefire violations by Azerbaijan once again demonstrate that
the leadership of the Azerbaijani armed forces and the Defense Ministry
intentionally resorts to provocative actions so as to create artificial
tension on the Line of Contact with Armenia, or the border subdivisions
of the Azerbaijani army do not comply with the central command.

“Once again, the Armenian Defense Ministry urges the Azerbaijani side
to refrain from actions leading to the escalation of the situation
and to take active measures to stabilize the situation on the border,”
the statement said.

Source: Panorama.am

From: Baghdasarian

PROSPECTS OF REDESIGN OF AZERBAIJAN

Naira Hayrumyan, Political Commentator
Comments – 22 August 2014, 11:52

The commander of the NKR Defense Army Movses Hakobyan has made two
important statements. First, he underlined that the best peacekeeper
in Karabakh is the Armenian army. Second, he said that Azerbaijan
has started withdrawal of its army and tensions alleviated a few days
before, not after the meeting in Sochi.

Movses Hakobyan actually refutes everyone who claim that Putin has
succeeded dissuading Sargsyan and Aliyev from military actions. The
minister of Karabakh also responded to everyone who suggests deploying
Russian troops in Karabakh.

The meeting in Sochi was urgent. It was called to forestall a
meeting of presidents in Paris or New York during which allegedly
some proposals were to be made to Sargsyan and Aliyev. As Shevchenko,
an expert attached to the Kremlin, wrote after the tension in Karabakh
that Russia needed to demonstrate to Europe who defines the rules. And
he demonstrated but only one thing – that the Armenian side and
especially Karabakh do not obey Moscow’s orders and are conducting
a policy stemming from their own interests. The Kremlin’s attempt to
revive the Treaty of Gulistan failed.

Now the question whether the presidents will meet in Paris or New
York is actual. The U.S. ambassador to Armenia Heffern has called
for another meeting. What will be offered to Armenia? Judging by
the statements of the American co-chair Warlick, the return of the
territories around the Autonomous Region of Nagorno-Karabakh and
implementation of the principles of Madrid.

Will there be a new meeting under the aegis of the West? After all,
the minimum task has been fulfilled by the Armenian army – it prevented
Russian monopoly on the process of settlement. And the maximum task
will hardly be known to anyone.

It is obvious that the settlement of Karabakh issue is possible in the
context of major geopolitical transformations which are now maturing.

It is related to possible collapse of Syria and Iraq, creation of
Kurdistan and moving instability to the territory of Turkey. It will
result in revision of several international agreements.

The problems of Karabakh, Nakhijevan and West Armenia may be resolved
in the context of revision of international treaties and borders. And
meetings like Sochi are only statistics which prepare the appearance
of the key actors on the stage.

From: Baghdasarian

ZHOGHOVURD: ARMENIA’S DEFENSE MINISTRY ACTIVELY RECRUITING COMMANDERS

09:25 * 22.08.14

Azerbaijan’s recent armed attacks against Armenian border villages
have reportedly caused the Ministry of Defense to actively commit
itself to recruiting commanders.

The paper says that military registration and enlistment offices have
been actively sending notices to many over the past days. Citing its
sources, it claims that the Ministry has spent about 3 milllion Drams
(approx $7,500) to supply food to the participants of a commanders’
meeting. The money was reportedly spent on buying food for 600 people,
the costs per capita being 5,000 Drams ($12).

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

IRAQ TURNS DOWN OFFER TO SEND YAZIDIS TO NAGORNO-KARABAKH

World Bulletin, Turkey
Aug 21 2014

Iraq said that sending Yazidis to the occupied region of
Nagorno-Karabakh would be a breach of Azerbaijani territory.

World Bulletin / News Desk

The Iraqi government has rejected an offer from Armenia to send
fleeing Yazidis to the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh, saying
that doing so would be a breach of Azerbaijani territory.

Armenia’s Yazidi community leader Serj Sargyan wrote a letter to the
Iraqi government, requesting that Yazidis fleeing from violence by
rebels from the self-styled Islamic State be resettled in the area,
adding that Armenian officials in the occupied region were prepared
to accept them as guests.

However, a statement was quickly released by Azerbaijan saying that
such a move would be in breach of international law as Nagorno-Karabakh
is recognized as their territory and therefore no one can enter
without their permission.

Azerbaijan also warned against sending Yazidis to an area where
clashes are still strife, Dunya Bulteni reported.

Responding to Azerbaijan, Iraq said that while other countries are
free to offer a place of refuge for Iraqi citizens, the situation in
the north of the country is improving and that very soon the Iraqi
government will be able to protect its own citizens.

From: Baghdasarian

NO UNRESOLVED PROBLEMS IN RUSSIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Aug 21 2014

21 August 2014 – 12:18pm

Rasim Musabekov, a member of the Azerbaijani parliament, a political
analyst, reminded at a video conference on Russian-Azerbaijani
relations that there were no unresolved problems concerning the
borders, aqua resources, shelves or interests in the Caspian Sea
between the two states. He noted that the countries were cooperating in
the military industry, energy and humanitarian sectors. In his words,
Azerbaijan is the key country of the South Caucasus, being ahead
of Belarus in terms of population and economy. The Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict is one of the unsettled issues, he believes.

Denis Tyurin, the director of the SCO Business Club, emphasized that
the sustainable development of Russia depended on the Caucasus Region.

He said that friendship should be developed in the economic and
humanitarian positions. Joint projects, contacts of businessmen and
cultural figures should help resolve many conflicts. Restoration of
economic contacts between Azerbaijan and Armenia can play a positive
role.

Political analyst Rasim Agayev said that Nagorno-Karabakh was the only
burden on relations between Russia and Azerbaijan. He noted that the
trilateral meeting of the Russian, Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents
in Sochi was promising. The analyst hopes that Russia would continue
mediating in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process.

Lyudmila Shuvalova, the director of the Center for Socio-Conservative
Policy, noted that the role of relations with Azerbaijan was rising
for Russia. In her words, the system in Europe, Russia and post-Soviet
states was changing. The expert added that breaking economic ties
with the West were actualizing Eurasian integration.

Igor Didenko, a member of the International Union of Economists,
stated that anti-Russian and Russian sanctions were a good reason
to develop relations. He praised Azerbaijan for its amazing economic
progress in the last decade. Didenko pointed out that Azerbaijan had an
opportunity to expand food exports to Russia and strengthen relations.

From: Baghdasarian

LES TURCS FETENT LE 950EME ANNIVERSAIRE DE LA PRISE DE LA CAPITALE ARMENIENNE ANI

PATRIMOINE ARMENIEN EN PERIL

Ani, la capitale armenienne des Bagratides, la > tombait en 1064 entre les mains des Turcs Seldjoukides
sous la conduite d’Alp Arslan. Aujourd’hui, les Turcs fetent avec
faste cette prise d’Ani qui se solda par un vaste massacre de la
population armenienne et la destruction de nombreuses eglises, forts
ou oeuvres d’architecture. Ani dont le site est recense encore les
meilleures oeuvres du patrimoine armenien reste largement a l’abandon.

Quelques constructions, financees par l’Unesco et des fonds
internationaux ont permis la renovation grossière et sans respect
des normes d’alors, d’une petite partie de forts qui encerclaient
l’ancienne capitale armenienne, ville qui se trouve tout près de la
frontière armenienne. Pire, pour effacer toute trace de la memoire
armenienne, sur l’ensemble des panneaux ou affichages touristiques,
la reference a l’Armenie est tout simplement ecartee…

Krikor Amirzayan

mercredi 20 août 2014, Krikor Amirzayan (c)armenews.com

From: Baghdasarian

DAVUTOGLU LIKELY TO BE TURKEY’S NEXT PM: PRESIDENT GUL

10:00 â~@¢ 20.08.14

Turkey’s outgoing President Abdullah Gul has become the highest level
official who named Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as Turkey’s next
prime minister, Hurriyet Daily News reports.

“As far as it seems, our foreign minister Ahmet Bey will take over
(the prime ministry). You know that it’s me who took him to the
politics and to the state life. I had appointed him as an ambassador,”
Gul told the Ankara bureau chiefs of Turkish newspapers late Aug 19
on the sidelines of his last farewell reception.

President-elect Recep Tayyip Erdogan is yet to conclude his
consultations with his party officials before officially announcing
who will succeed him as the chairman and the prime minister. Gul’s
announcement came two days before the AKP convenes its Central
Executive Board to give the final decision on the issue.

Davutoglu was first appointed as the chief foreign policy advisor of
Gul in his short prime ministry in early 2003. He continued to serve
as advisor to both Erdogan and Gul until 2009 when he was appointed
as the foreign minister. Davutoglu was elected to the Parliament in
2011 elections.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: Baghdasarian

RUSSIA KEEPS ARMENIAN BUSINESSMAN AYRAPETYAN UNDER ARREST

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Aug 15 2014

15 August 2014 – 2:14pm

The Moscow City Court has left Armenian businessman Levon Ayrapetyan
under arrest, as originally decided by the Basmanny Court, ITAR-TASS
reports.

Ayrapetyan’s lawyers wanted their client released from the
investigative detention center for travel restrictions or a bail of
30 million rubles. Famous Russian cultural figures Mark Zakharov and
Alexander Shirvindt and the head of the Armenian Apostolic Church in
Russia vouched for the release of Ayrapetyan.

The suspect took part in video questioning from the Matrosskaya
Tishina Jail. He said that he was in bad health condition.

According to investigators Ayrapetyan has dual citizenship and owns
real estate in Monaco. Investigators suspect him of wasteful spending
and laundering of money.

From: Baghdasarian