RUSSIA ESTABLISHED DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA
PanARMENIAN.Net
09.09.2008 18:01 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia has officially established diplomatic
relations with Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"We exchanged notes on establishment of diplomatic relations,"
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a news conference after
talks with his counterparts Murat Dzhioyev (South Ossetia) and Sergei
Shamba (Abkhazia), Vesti reports.
PARTY DETERMINES ITS HUMAN RESOURCE POLICY ON ITS OWN
S. Haroutyunyan
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Sep 2008
Armenia
In response to the questions of the journalists, RPA Vice Chair GALOUST
SAHAKYAN presents his arguments on the decision of the RPA Executive
Body on the "inexpediency" of NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan’s remaining
in office.
"Each party determines its human resource policy, i.e. the role of
each political figure, on its own. In general, all kinds of similar
changes result from a political decision, and the party does not have
a negative attitude towards Tigran Torosyan."
"What arguments did the Executive Body bring during its session to
support the resignation of T. Torosyan?"
"This is within the competences of the Executive Session. I believe
it is one of the activities of the party, and there is no problem in
terms of making any argument and presenting it to the public."
"But this may arouse a question in the public as to what such decision
was conditioned by."
"There may be various occasions that may arouse questions in public,
but I repeat, each party determines its strategy on its own. Therefore,
I don’t think we should present the internal discussions of the party
to the public."
"How do you estimate Tigran Torosyan’s activities in the post of the
NA Speaker for so many yea rs?"
"Estimation is one thing, and the country’s functions and political
processes – quite different things. Naturally, we have many years’
experience of joint work, and I believe that it will certainly have its
continuation. That’s to say, being a political figure inside a party is
a role, and what is happening now is nothing more than a role casting."
"Can you remember a case when Tigran Torosyan failed to perform
his duties?"
"Tigran Torosyan is a political figure and not an employee of some
agency for us to decide everything based upon positive and negative
evaluations. Our decision has no bearing to Tigran Torosyan’s activity;
it is a political decision. The role of each political figure is
determined by his political team: if it is necessary to be here,
we’ll be here; should it be required to be elsewhere, we’ll be there."
"Do you expect Tigran Torosyan to hand in resignation himself? What
will happen if that doesn’t take place?"
"This is not a proper moment for us to be guided by expectations. The
party has undertaken a step, and I believe that decisions on the
further steps will again be made by our party."
"Isn’t the effectiveness of the NA activities the ‘index’
predetermining whether or not to remove the NA Speaker from office?"
"The a ctivities of the National Assembly should be evaluated by the
people. All in all, the Parliament has worked well during the recent
years in terms of legislative activities. I don’t think the party’s
decision should be stipulated by the personal features or activities
of Tigran Torosyan. Today the party sees me in the role of a Deputy;
tomorrow it may see me in the role of a village governor."
"If Tigran Torosyan doesn’t resign, will you dismiss him from the
party?"
"That will be decided in joint manner. I don’t think this is the
situation when we are required to discuss that option. There is no
problem of the kind at the moment. After all, let me say that it is
up to each family to handle its internal problems on its own."
From: "Katia M. Peltekian" <[email protected]>
Subject: La diplomatie du football, prelude a un degel turco-armenien ?
L’Express, France
5 Septembre 2008
La diplomatie du football, prélude à un dégel turco-arménien ?
Reuters
Un match de football prévu samedi au stade Hrazdan d’Erevan pourrait
symboliser un nouveau départ dans les relations entre Arméniens et
Turcs, dominées par un climat d’hostilité depuis près d’un siècle.
Abdullah Gül sera le premier président turc à se rendre en Arménie à
l’occasion de ce match comptant pour les éliminatoires de la Coupe du
monde de football 2010, auquel il assistera à l’invitation de son
homologue arménien.
Cette visite revêt un caractère hautement symbolique pour des pays qui
n’entretiennent pas de liens diplomatiques et dont les rapports sont
viciés par le massacre de centaines de milliers d’Arméniens sous
l’empire ottoman pendant la Première Guerre mondiale. Ankara rejette à
ce propos l’accusation de génocide.
S’ils parviennent ensuite à une normalisation diplomatique, il peut en
résulter un changement de taille pour la Turquie en tant que puissance
régionale, pour les livraisons de pétrole et de gaz de la mer
Caspienne ainsi que pour l’influence de l’Occident dans le
Sud-Caucase, ou la Russie a démontré sa force militaire le mois
dernier en Géorgie.
"La diplomatie du football deviendra une nouvelle expression dans le
lexique de la communauté internationale" si, après le match de samedi,
on constate un rapprochement bilatéral réel, a déclaré à Reuters
Vardan Oskanian, ex-ministre arménien des Affaires étrangères.
La Turquie n’a jamais ouvert d’ambassade en Arménie et, en 1993,
Ankara a fermé la frontière commune en signe de solidarité avec
l’Azerbaïdjan, son allié turcophone, qui dispute à l’Arménie le
contrôle de la région du Haut-Karabakh.
CORRIDOR ÉNERGÉTIQUE
L’envoi de troupes russes début août en Géorgie, ex-république
soviétique jouxtant l’Arménie et la Turquie, a persuadé nombre
d’observateurs qu’il était temps qu’Erevan et Ankara mettent leurs
divergences de côté.
Les oléoducs et gazoducs reliant la Caspienne au littoral turc de la
Méditerranée contournent l’Arménie par le nord en traversant la
Géorgie. L’intervention russe ayant mis en évidence la vulnérabilité
de cet itinéraire, l’Arménie pourrait fournir une voie de substitution
attrayante.
Les opérations militaires de Moscou, qui ont perturbé les pays voisins
et suscité des condamnations occidentales, incitent la Turquie à
briguer un rôle d’arbitre régional plus important. Mais cette ambition
est contrariée par son absence de liens formels avec l’Arménie.
"La crise de Géorgie a souligné l’importance des relations de bon
voisinage dans cette région, en particulier des relations
turco-arméniennes", note Olli Rehn, commissaire européen à
l’Elargissement.
En Turquie et en Arménie, tout le monde ne se réjouit pas de la visite
d’Abdullah Gül, qui comportera un entretien et un repas avec le
président Serj Sarksyan.
Le principal parti d’opposition turc l’a exhorté à ne pas se rendre en
Arménie. A Erevan, des militants nationalistes comptent se rendre à
l’aéroport ou il arrivera et au stade de football pour exiger
qu’Ankara reconnaisse les massacres de 1915 comme un génocide.
Les observateurs des deux pays espèrent que la visite du président
turc sera suivie de négociations sérieuses.
Pour Erevan, la réouverture d’une liaison ferroviaire turque avec
l’Arménie constituerait un premier pas. Pour Ankara, ce serait un
effort de modération de l’Arménie à son égard en ce qui concerne la
question du génocide et une initiative sur le Haut-Karabakh.
Version française Jean-Stéphane Brosse, Philippe Bas-Rabérin
Interfax, Russia
Sept 4 2008
CAUCASIAN CRISIS DOES NOT CHANGE BAKU ATTITUDE TO KARABAKH
The South Ossetian situation did not change the Azeri attitude to the
Karabakh conflict, Azeri Foreign Minister Elmar Mamedyarov told
Interfax on Thursday.
"The position of Azerbaijan is clear: as we have said before, the
Karabakh conflict with Armenia must be resolved as soon as possible on
the basis of international laws, territorial integrity, sovereignty
and inviolability of internationally recognized borders," he said.
"Thus, our position will not alter. We adhere to it," he said.
As for the Azeri attitude to the war in the Georgian-Ossetian conflict
zone, he said, "Azerbaijan favors the settlement of conflicts in line
with international laws and the soonest stabilization and peace in the
South Caucasus."
MEETING OF COLLECTIVE SECURITY BODY SILENT ON GEORGIA CONFLICT
by Grace Annan
World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
September 4, 2008
Armenia has hosted a brief meeting of the Collective Security Treaty
Organisation (ODKB) with moderate results. Comprising Armenia,
Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, the ODBK is
a military and security alliance of the CIS states. The participants
of the meeting signed 13 documents, mostly detailing the particulars
coordinating activities of the army, fire and emergency relief
agencies; other documents include anti-drug trafficking measures,
the formation of common information security system and the collective
plan for the realisation of the UN anti-terrorism strategy.
Significance:The comments of Armenia’s National Security Secretary
Artur Baghdasarian were notable primarily for the lack of reference to
the crisis in Georgia, a subject that was undoubtedly central to the
meeting discussions. In the absence of heads of states, no statements
could be reasonably expected with regard to recognition or otherwise of
Georgia’s breakaway republics, but ideas were exchanged about responses
to further potential military actions in the region. ODKB has gradually
acquired the role of an instrument for the preservation of its members’
governments, due to the agreement to render mutual assistance in case
of "popular disturbances", or electoral revolutions. Russia could
not receive such automatic support in case of its advancement into
Georgia, but has most likely worked to increase the capacities of the
organisation, which it would ideally see as a formidable alliance
bloc similar to NATO. Baghdasarian’s hint that "members agreed to
strengthen the role of the organisation in the resolution of regional
issues" suggest some progress on the matter.
AZERBAIJAN CONCERNED OVER CAUCASUS STABILITY AND COOPERATION PACT
PanARMENIAN.Net
04.09.2008 16:59 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan welcomes Turkey’s Caucasus Stability
and Cooperation Pact, the Azeri Foreign Minister said.
"However, Azerbaijan is concerned over some details. Our final
decision on joining the Pact will be announced after a discussion,"
Elmar Mammadyarov said.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan initiated the Caucasus
Stability and Cooperation Platform after Georgia’s intrusion into
South Ossetia.
The issue has been already considered in Yerevan with Turkish
presidential envoy Unal Cevikoz.
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said Yerevan is willing to discuss
the initiative.
THE WOKEN GIANT
by Robert Hodgson
Budapest Times
Sept 4 2008
Hungary
Russia’s aggression in Georgia may not be a new Cold War, but fears
of similar trouble in other "frozen" conflicts in post-USSR conflicts
are real.
Russia was isolated but defiant at the end of last week as the
diplomatic storm raged over its military intervention in Georgia and
its recognition last Tuesday of the independence of the breakaway
regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
Russia’s latest actions in the Caucasus have provoked censure
from NATO, the EU and, latterly the G7 group of industrialised
nations. Facing ostracism by the West, Russian president Dmitri
Medvedev asked his fellow members of the Shanghai Cooperation
Organisation (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan) for official support of Russia’s reaction to Georgian
"aggression".
He was rebuffed. "The presidents reaffirmed their commitment to the
principles of respect for historic and cultural traditions of every
country and efforts aimed at preserving the unity of a state and its
territorial integrity," ran the organisation’s statement.
With talk of a new Cold War last week, the past three weeks have
reminded us of the potential of small states in historical tinderboxes
like the Caucasus and the Balkans to catalyse conflict between
world powers.
Russian tanks rolled into Georgia on 7 August after the latter launched
an offensive in a failed attempt to retake control of the breakaway
region of South Ossetia. They have since proved reluctant to leave,
and the spectre of ethnic cleansing on Europe’s doorstep has been
raised for the first time since the 1990s.
South Ossetia declared independence in 1991, followed by Abkhazia in
1992, and both have been effectively autonomous since then. Russia’s
move last week was the first official recognition of the provinces’
self-proclaimed status. Previously only the de facto independent
republics of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan and Transdniestria in
Moldova had recognised the two breakaway Georgian regions in a quid
pro quo deal.
Now there are fears that these and other "frozen" post-USSR conflicts
could flare up in the wake of the Georgian crisis. There is particular
concern over the possibility of Russia intervening in Moldova and
the Ukraine. The latter’s pro-Western president Viktor Yushchenko has
said his country is hostage in a war waged by Russia against former
Soviet states.
"We are in a situation which marks a clear end to the relative and
growing calm in and around Europe since the collapse of the Soviet
Union," the British Foreign Minister David Milliband said on BBC
radio last Thursday morning. He was speaking after a trip to Ukraine,
seen as a provocation in Russia, where he assured Ukraine – whose
Eastern regions are largely pro-Russian – of the UK’s commitment to
supporting its democratic choices.
There has been talk of EU sanctions against Russia. Russian PM
Vladimir Putin warned that sanctions would hurt the EU more than they
hurt Russia. Although French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said
sanctions were still on the cards, such measures were looking less
likely by the end of the week. French President Nicolas Sarkozy –
whose country currently holds the rotating EU presidency – last week
called an emergency summit for 1 September in order to formulate a
unified EU position on the Georgian question.
Putin added to the frosty atmosphere last Thursday by accusing the
US of deliberately stirring up trouble in Georgia. In a defiant
interview with CNN last Thursday, the former president said that the
US had men on the ground in Georgia and encouraged the country to
attack South Ossetia for the benefit of one of the US presidential
candidates. Whitehouse spokesperson Dana Perino promptly dismissed
Putin’s claims as "irrational".
Hungary balances
Hungary last Wednesday joined the chorus of voices condemning
Russia’s recognition of the independence of the breakaway Georgian
provinces. Foreign Minister Kinga Göncz said in a statement: "Hungary
regrets Russia’s recognition of the independence of South Ossetia
and Abkhazia. The decision will not support stability in the region."
Göncz stressed that Hungary has from the start been committed to the
territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Caucasian republic. She
added that, despite the political tension, economic relations between
her country and Russia – which supplies over 80% of Hungary’s natural
gas – remain sound.
Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány has in recent years been
criticised in EU circles for his perceived pro-Russian stance. In
particular he favoured Russia’s Blue Stream oil pipeline over the
EU’s rival Nabucco project. It is hoped that the Nabucco pipeline
would increase energy security by lessening dependence on the EU’s
increasingly assertive eastern neighbour, by instead sourcing oil
from central Asia, the Caucasus or Iran.
–Boundary_(ID_l38ZQ0u8HO4F3oyLTyIlmg)–
THE FIRST PHONE CONVERSATION BETWEEN RUSSIAN AND AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT THE CRISIS AROUND ABKHAZIA AND SOUTH OSSETIA STARTED
Azerbaijan Business Center
Sept 4 2008
Azerbaijan
Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Yesterday for the first time after the crisis
around Abkhazia and South Ossetia started Russian President Dmitriy
Medvedev and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had a telephone
conversation.
The presidential press-service informed that on September 3 President
of Russia Dmitriy Medvedev called President of Azerbaijan Ilham
Aliyev. The countries’ heads expressed gratification with successful
development of Azerbaijan-Russia bilateral relations at different
levels, including the first official visit of Dmitriy Medvedev to
Azerbaijan. The presidents expressed confidence in strengthening the
bilateral relations in future. During the telephone conversation they
discussed international problems, the settlement of Armenia-Azerbaijan,
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and other matters of mutual interest as well.
TURKISH PRESIDENT IN ARMENIA TRIP
BBC NEWS
urope/7596768.stm
2008/09/03 17:58:27 GMT
The Turkish President, Abdullah Gul, is to attend a football match
in Armenia, his office says, signalling an apparent thaw in relations.
The Turkish and Armenian teams will face each other for the first
time in a World Cup qualifier on Saturday.
The two countries have no official ties and their shared border
remains closed.
Turkey has rejected Armenia’s campaign for the killings of some
1.5m of its citizens, by Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1917, to be
classified as genocide.
More than a dozen countries, various international bodies and many
Western historians have recognised the killings as genocide.
Turkey admits that many Armenians were killed but it denies any
genocide, saying the deaths were a part of World War I.
Climate of friendship
Mr Gul will become the first Turkish head of state to visit the
Armenian capital, Yerevan, when he attends the match with his
counterpart, Serge Sarkisian.
This visit is likely to be highly controversial in Turkey, says the
BBC’s Pam O’Toole.
The Armenian invitation has already sparked a major debate, with some
nationalists regarding the fact that the president was even considering
taking it up as a betrayal of the country’s national interests.
Some columnists have questioned why Mr Gul should visit a country
they refer to as Turkey’s enemy.
The main opposition party has said such a trip would be a major
deviation from state policy, while others see it as a valuable chance
to break the logjam in relations, our correspondent says.
A statement on President Gul’s website expressed hope that the trip
would provide an opportunity for the two countries to understand each
other better and create a new climate of friendship in the region.
Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties since Armenia became
independent from the Soviet Union in 1991.
Their common border has been closed since the war between Armenia and
Turkey’s ally, Azerbaijan, in the 1990s over the disputed territory
of Nagorno-Karabakh.
KOREAN AIR CARRIERS SAFEST IN THE WORLD, AUDIT FINDS
[email protected]
ChoSun
sun.com/w21data/html/news/200809/200809030015.html
Sept 3 2008
South Korea
Korea has received top marks for aviation safety seven years after
it was branded a loser in the category.
The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs on Tuesday
said in the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Program conducted by
the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), a UN agency,
for 190 member states, Korea tops the list of 108 countries that have
so far undergone the audit.
Korea got a safety standard compliance rating of 98.82 percent.
In the first evaluation conducted by ICAO in 2000, Korea ranked 53rd
with a safety standard compliance rating of 79.79 percent among 162
members. When the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration gave Korea a
category 2 rating in 2001, Korea was restricted in code sharing with
foreign carriers and banned from increasing flight routes to the
U.S., while U.S. soldiers and government officials were prohibited
from using Korean air carriers. Korea was given a category 1 rating
after a reassessment four months later.
ICAO assesses 190 member countries from 2005 to 2010 on 9,608 safety
standards in eight areas. Korea has achieved a compliance rating of
96.35 to 100 percent in each area.
"Until recently, the world’s top safety compliance rating was at
the 96 percent range and the world’s average was 57.77 percent,"
said Hong Soon-man, the head of Civil Aviation Safety Authority. "In
view of this, even after the ICAO’s assessment of all member states
is done by 2010, our international safety standard compliance record
will not easily be broken."
According to the interim results, Armenia ranked second with 96.32
percent and Canada third with 95.38 percent.