Author: Boshkezenian Garik

ON THE WAY TO WORLD WAR TWO VICTORY 65TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVITIES

Wednesday, 25 November 2009

Today the State Commission on Organization of Great Patriotic War
Victory 65th Anniversary Celebrations called its first session,
presided at by commission chairman, Republic of Armenia Prime Minister
Tigran Sargsyan.

"The festivities dedicated to the 65th anniversary of the victory had
in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 provide a unique opportunity to
pay tribute to those participants of World War Two who are still with
us, as well as to those who gave their lives for the glorious victory."

The meeting discussed the possibility of Armenia’s participation
in the CIS Heads of Government meeting-approved jubilee actions and
adopted a national program of festive events.

In conclusion, corresponding assignments were issued to the heads of
concerned State agencies.

HISTORY OF ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES OF THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF RUSSIA TO BE STUDIED

Noyan Tapan
27.11.2009

YEREVAN: On November 27, RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan
received RA Consul General to the Southern District of Russia,
Ararat Gomtsyan.

According to the press release of the RA Ministry of Diaspora,
during the meeting the sides discussed issues concerning the Armenian
community in the district. The Minister proposed to create a group
of expert scientists that would study and integrate the history of
the Armenian community.

The interlocutors also discussed the possibility of creating a film
about the Armenian communities in Krasnodar, Rostov and Sochi, as
well as the issue of ensuring the active participation of Armenian
children of the community in the Southern District of Russia in the
"Come Home" project.

The Consul General expressed willingness to create necessary working
conditions at the Armenian Consulate in Rostov to provide the employees
commissioned from the RA Ministry of Diaspora with the opportunity
to conduct long-term studies on the Armenian community and analyses
of the issues concerning the district.

STATEMENT OF THE NKR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY: AZERBAIJAN OPENLY GAINING TIME TO CHANGE MILITARY AND POLITICAL BALANCE IN THE REGION

ArmInfo
2009-11-26 18:38:00

ArmInfo. The National Assembly of the Nagorny Karabakh Republic adopted
a statement in connection with the latest developments related to
the Nagorno-Karabakh issue on November 25.

The statement in particular says that the latest developments of
the Karabakh settlement have proved the non-constructiveness of
Azerbaijan. The authors of the statement affirm that Azerbaijan is
just prolonging time expressing its complaints with international
mediation to start a new war against Artsakh. Under these conditions,
the Artsakh parliament assesses the statements of the Azerbaijani
high-ranking officials as an expression of hopeless negotiating party
which is full of dangers for peace settlement. The NKR government has
repeatedly urged international organizations about the Azerbaijani
aggressive foreign policy. All this is accompanied by regular breaches
of the cease-fire on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan.

With this statement, the NKR parliament focuses the attention of
the OSCE Minsk group, mediator countries’ parliaments, OSCE and
CoE on these dangerous developments. Azerbaijan makes continuous
efforts to distort the essence of the Karabakh conflict and the
negotiations casting doubt on the efficiency of all the efforts by the
international community to establish peace and security in the region.
The NKR parliament proposes the NKR foreign ministry to release this
statement at the forthcoming OSCE Ministers’ council session in Athens.

AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT HEED THE MEDIATORS’ ADMONITIONS

ArmInfo
2009-11-26 18:24:00

ArmInfo. Azerbaijan does not heed the calls of the mediators on the
Karabakh settlement to refrain from militaristic statements.

The regular example of strong stomach was demonstrated by Azerbaijan’s
Defense Minister Safar Abiyev on November 25. Defense Minister of
Poland Bogdan Klich visited Azerbaijan within the frames of a regional
visit. ‘The tearful-threatening statements to Armenia have become the
high spot at the meeting of the Polish minister with his Azerbaijani
counterpart. The Azerbaijani mass media present a list of claims,
which have already drawn the mouth. This is, surely, ‘occupation’,
as a result of which ‘over 1 million of people were expelled from
their native lands’. To note, Abiyev does not indicate the national
identity of refugees. Actually, about 700,000 refugees out of those
he indicated are Azerbaijanis, another half million are Armenians
expelled from Azerbaijan. Having complained of ineffectiveness of
negotiations held under mediation of OSCE MG, the minister came to the
conclusion that ‘use of a military way by Azerbaijan for liberation
of its lands will become inevitable in such a situation’.

By the way, as regards the Munich meeting of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani presidents, the parties expressed satisfaction, none the
less. Apparently, the defense minister of Azerbaijan receives the
latest news with some delay. In view of this, to recall, the regular
militaristic statement by Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, which
preceded the two presidents’ meeting, caused a negative response,
by mediators as well, who called on the parties to refrain from
such statements.

PROMOTION OF IRAN-ARMENIA CONSULATE TIES DISCUSSED AT JOINT MEETING

IRNA, Islamic Republic News Agency
Nov 25 2009
Iran

25 November, Tehran: Ways of promoting consulate ties between
Iran and Armenia were discussed in a joint meeting here on Tuesday
[24 November].

The sixth joint consulate meeting of Iran and Armenia started its
work here on Tuesday.

According to the Foreign Ministry Media Department, issues like
passport, visa, student affairs, legal and social problems and protocol
issues are among agenda.

Issues like more facilities for visa, less tariff of visa for visitors
of both countries, promotion of economic and academic relations,
increasing cooperation in the fields of law, exchanging convicted
persons, fight against drugs, bilateral police cooperation, and
developing border cooperation were among issues discussed on the
first day of the meeting.

The two sides are to sign a memorandum of understanding at the end
of the meeting.

UN GA POSTPONES DISCUSSION OF DOCUMENT ON AZERBAIJAN’S OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Trend
Nov 24 2009
Azerbaijan

The discussion of the draft resolution "The situation in the occupied
territories of Azerbaijan" at the United Nations’ General Assembly has
been postponed, UN Information Center told Trend News correspondent
in Washington DC.

The discussions on the resolution, which numbers 18 on UN GA’s
preliminary agenda, were originally scheduled for Dec 3, 2009.

The UN Information office couldn’t exactly explain the reasons of
delay, only saying that this decision is more likely related to the
negotiation process.

Another draft resolution on "Protracted conflicts in the GUAM area and
their implications for international peace, security and development",
which was to be discussed on Dec. 3, was also postponed.

The UN Information office said new date for discussion will be
announced.

They don’t exclude that both resolution projects can be left for 65th
UN General Assembly session.

"It depends on member-countries," the UN Information office said.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS OUSTS AZERBAIJAN-SUBMITTED RESOLUTION

news.am
Nov 24 2009
Armenia

The UN General Assembly has postponed the discussion of the resolution
on situation on Azerbaijan’s occupied territories introduced by
Azerbaijan. Referring to the UN Information Center, Trend News reported
that the reason for the postponement hаs not yet been stated, but
"it is most likely connected with the negotiation process."

The discussion was initially scheduled for December 3, 2009. The
UN General Assembly was to discuss a draft resolution on protracted
conflicts in GUAM territory and their consequences for international
peace, security and development. The new dates for discussions will
soon be announced. The discussions may be postponed until the 65th
session of the UN General Assembly. The member-states will make
a decision.

ARMENIA THREATENS AZERBAIJAN WITH KARABAKH RECOGNITION

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 24 2009
Turkey

Armenia threatened to recognize the Azerbaijani enclave of
Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state if Baku takes military action
to reclaim the territory.

"Armenia so far has not recognized the independence of Karabakh
for only one reason – so that it does not become an obstacle in the
process of peace negotiations," Armenian Presidential Spokesman Samvel
Farmanian said in a statement. "If peace talks fail and military
actions begin, nothing will prevent Armenia from recognizing the
independence of Karabakh," he said.

Tensions over the disputed region have risen after Armenia and close
Azerbaijani ally Turkey signed an historic deal to establish diplomatic
ties and re-open their border.

On Saturday, Azerbaijani news agencies quoted President Ilham Aliyev
as saying that Baku has the right to retake Nagorno-Karabakh by force
if ongoing peace talks fail to produce any results.

Aliyev met with his Armenian counterpart Serge Sarkisian in Germany
on Sunday for the sixth round of talks this year on resolving the
conflict.

International mediators said in a statement after the talks that
"progress was made" but that "some issues still remain open."

Backed by Yerevan, ethnic Armenian forces seized control of
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan in
the early 1990s, in a war that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are spread across a cease-fire line in
and around Nagorno-Karabakh, often facing each other at close range,
and shootings are common.

Azerbaijani media reported Monday that an Azerbaijani civilian
had been shot dead by Armenian forces near the de facto border with
Nagorno-Karabakh over the weekend, but the rebel region’s armed forces
denied the reports.

AZERBAIJANI CIVILIAN KILLED NEAR REBEL KARABAKH: REPORTS

Agence France Presse
Nov 23 2009
France

An Azerbaijani civilian has been killed by Armenian forces near the
disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh, Azerbaijani media reported Monday.

ANS television and the Azeri Press Agency reported that the
41-year-old man was killed on Sunday after Armenian forces opened
fire on Azerbaijani positions in the Goranboy region on the de facto
border with Karabakh.

Officials with Azerbaijan’s defence ministry could not be reached to
confirm the reports.

Backed by Yerevan, ethnic Armenian forces seized control of Nagorny
Karabakh and seven surrounding districts from Azerbaijan in the early
1990s, in a war that claimed an estimated 30,000 lives.

Armenian and Azerbaijani forces are spread across a ceasefire line in
and around Nagorny Karabakh, often facing each other at close range,
and shootings are common.

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev met with his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sarkisian in Germany on Sunday for the sixth round of talks
this year on resolving the conflict.

The two former Soviet republics have cut direct economic and transport
links and failed to negotiate a settlement on the region’s status.

IRAN DECIDED TO BECOME MORE OPEN FOR REGION

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.11.2009 19:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran has decided to relieve visa regime with all its
neighbors including Armenia, Sevak Sarukhanyan, expert at "Noravank"
research centre, told PanARMENIAN.Net. Pointing out advantages
for both countries, expert said that obtaining RA visa could take
tourists no more than 20 minutes. Since both Armenians and Iranians
visit each other’s countries quite frequently, simplified visa regime
will relieve ordinary citizens from additional burden, expert said,
adding that "Iran has probably decided to be more open for the region."

Tehran is hosting the six joint session of Armenian and Iranian
Foreign Ministries’ Consulate Department Chiefs. Discussion focuses
on relaxation of visa regime between two states.