Author: Chakrian Hovsep

Caspian pipeline seems to have defeated Nabucco

19:50 | 25/ 12/ 2007

MOSCOW. (Igor Tomberg for RIA Novosti) – The last few months of 2007
were good for Russia, which has been fighting this year to affirm its
leadership in the hydrocarbons market.

On December 20, Russia agreed with Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan to build
the Caspian gas pipeline across Russia. The agreement was signed
following the Kremlin talks between President Vladimir Putin and
Kazakhstan’s leader, Nursultan Nazarbayev.

During the Moscow visit by the Greek prime minister some time before
that, Russia and Greece signed an agreement to set up a company to
draft technical plans for the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline.

The Caspian pipeline agreement provides for modernizing the old Central
Asia-Center pipeline, running from Begdash in Turkmenistan to Beineu in
Kazakhstan, with an annual projected capacity of 10 billion cubic
meters of gas in 2009-2010.

During the second stage in 2010-2017, the partners will prolong the
pipeline to Aleksandrov Gai on the Russian-Kazakh border, with a
capacity of 20 billion cubic meters, which will increase the total
capacity of the pipeline to 30 billion.

Russian Industry and Energy Minister Viktor Khristenko said that the
Caspian pipeline would be built by 2010, with each side making
investments independently of others.

"The basic provision is that each partner shall build the part of the
pipeline assigned to it. Turkmenistan will build 300 km (186 miles) of
the pipeline and Kazakhstan, 1,500 km (932 miles). Russia’s part will
be the shortest, only a few dozen kilometers, but it should include a
junction," Khristenko said.

The estimated cost of the project is about $1 billion. The agreement
will be effective until 2028, but will automatically be prolonged for
12 months unless one of the parties notifies the others of its decision
to withdraw.

Although the new pipeline has been planned to have a capacity of 30
billion cubic meters a year, it will transport only 20 billion a year.
Also, the agreement does not include guarantees of obligatory gas
supplies to the pipeline. Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have pledged to
provide up to 10 billion cubic meters of gas each.

Experts say there are political and economic reasons for the decision.
Turkmenistan may want to diversify its gas transportation routes, or at
least maintain the ability to continue talks on the Western-backed
trans-Caspian pipeline bypassing Russia.

So far, Uzbekistan limited the transport of Turkmen gas to be able to
export more of its own gas through the Central Asia-Center pipeline.

This is probably why Turkmenistan’s President Gurbanguly
Berdymukhammedov said ahead of the December 20 signing ceremony that
his country would initiate a UN resolution to ensure the safety of
international energy routes. He also called the Uzbek leader, Islam
Karimov, to discuss the uninterrupted transit of hydrocarbons.

This can only be interpreted as Ashgabat’s signal to Moscow that the
progress of the Caspian pipeline project depends on guarantees that the
expanded Central Asia-Center pipeline will carry the additional volumes
of Turkmen, not Uzbek, gas. If Moscow makes the decision in favor of
Uzbekistan, the relevant UN resolution would encourage the construction
of the trans-Caspian pipeline.

Ashgabat knows that the expansion of the Central Asia-Center pipeline
is the most probable way to increase the export of Turkmen gas to
Russia. On the other hand, the Turkmen authorities also want to have a
westward pipeline that would not depend on Uzbekistan, which means that
it may eventually join the trans-Caspian project.

A more practical reason is that Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan cannot
produce enough gas for the new pipeline. The companies expected to
supply gas for it – Gazprom, KasMunaiGaz and TurkmenGaz – have not yet
signed additional agreements on adjusting their gas production to the
development of the Caspian pipeline.

"We expect the pipeline to be commissioned no later than the end of
2010," Khristenko said. In other words, this is one more project with
unrealistic deadlines.

The most likely suppliers of gas on the part of Turkmenistan are
Malaysian Petronas, British Burren Energy and Dragon Oil headquartered
in Dubai. Taken together, they can provide 5-6 billion cubic meters of
gas in 2010 for the Central Asia-Center pipeline, 8-9 billion in 2011,
and 2-3 billion cubic meters more than the pipeline’s capacity
beginning in 2012. This surplus gas is not a sufficient reason for
building a new Caspian pipeline, especially since the three companies
are expected to reduce production by 2017.

A new gas pipeline with a capacity of 30 billion cubic meters can be
built only if Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan develop new gas fields in the
Caspian region. Talks on the involvement of Russian companies, mainly
LUKoil and Gazprom, in gas exploration and production there are
underway, but it is still unrealistic to expect industrial gas
production there to start in 2010.

The joint development of the large Kurmangazy deposit in Kazakhstan
under a relevant agreement can begin only after 2010.

Moscow has strengthened its stance as a major gas supplier to Europe,
and therefore the Caspian project is interesting to it only as part of
a global strategy. It must ensure that gas from Central Asia passes
across Russia, and not through the alternative trans-Caspian pipeline
from Turkmenistan to Azerbaijan, which can be linked to the Nabucco
pipeline running through Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and
Austria.

Without that gas, Nabucco will be a stillborn child, as Andre Mernier,
Secretary General of the EU’s Energy Charter Secretariat, has said.

On the other hand, Russia has won this battle in the "gas pipeline war"
with Europe only by making concessions to Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan.
Turkmenistan has agreed to join the Caspian pipeline project only if
Russia raises the purchase price for Turkmen gas from $100 in 2007 to
$130 in the first half of 2008 and $150 in July-December.

Uzbekistan made public its increased price ambitions soon after Gazprom
signed the deal. However, it has been denied the price increase because
it is playing only a tiny part in the Caspian project so far.

Kazakhstan currently sells its gas at a higher price than Turkmenistan,
$165 per 1,000 cubic meters, but the purchase price and transit tariffs
for Kazakh gas might be increased.

It was said during the Kremlin meeting on December 20 that the tariff
for the transit of Turkmen and Uzbek gas across Kazakhstan should be
raised from $1.1 to $1.5-$1.85 per 1,000 cubic meters per 100 km (62
miles), and the purchase price for Kazakh gas should be increased to
$190 in 2008.

It is not clear whether the Kazakh delegation got what it wanted, but a
price increase is almost inevitable because Russia needs the Caspian
pipeline. Besides, it earns enough from Gazprom’s gas deliveries to
Europe and therefore can afford to pay more for the non-critical
amounts of Kazakh gas.

So far, Astana wants Moscow to pay more for oil transit. Kazakhstan has
agreed with Russia that it would supply oil for the
Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline. Nazarbayev also suggested that the
quota for the export of Kazakh oil through the Atyrau-Samara oil
pipeline should be increased from 10 million to 20 million metric tons
annually. Kazakhstan proposed expanding the capacity of the Caspian
Pipeline Consortium (CPC) to 67 million metric tons of oil, saying that
it would supply the required additional 17 million tons. The proposal
was accepted.

However, the signing of the agreement on the Caspian project and its
implementation do not mean that the "big Eurasian oil and gas war" is
over. A sharp rise in hydrocarbon prices is drawing the world’s
attention to the oil and gas reserves of the Central Asian states. The
regional countries will definitely use this chance to play on
contradictions among potential consumers.

Moscow has made the concession to its Central Asian partners also
because the Caspian pipeline project will strengthen economic
interaction between Russia and regional countries. At the same time,
the agreement to expand the capacity of the CPC was not a concession,
but a way to intertwine the interests of Russia and Kazakhstan.
Alternative fuel routes will again be used as a bargaining chip, but
they are becoming less of a threat to Russia’s transportation
interests.

Dr. Igor Tomberg, economist, senior research associate at the Energy
Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Institute of World
Economy and International Relations.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s and do not
necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

International Herald Tribune, France
Dec 26 2007

Turkey again hits Kurdish hide-outs in Iraq

The Associated PressPublished: December 26, 2007

ANKARA: Turkish warplanes hit eight suspected Kurdish rebel hide-outs
in northern Iraq on Wednesday, the third cross-border air assault in
10 days, Turkey’s military said.

The warplanes struck in an "effective pinpoint operation" targeting
eight caves and other hide-outs being used by the separatist rebels
of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK, the military said in a
statement on its Web site. No rebel deaths were immediately reported.

On Tuesday, Turkey’s military claimed that more than 200 Kurdish
rebel targets in northern Iraq had been hit since Dec. 16, killing
hundreds of rebels. The military also has confirmed that it sent
ground troops to hunt down the rebels on Dec. 18.

Inside Turkey, troops said they had killed six Kurdish rebels on
Wednesday, raising the rebel death toll from a two-day operation to
11. Two other rebels were captured, the military said.

The PKK has waged a war for autonomy in parts of Turkey for more than
two decades. The fighting has cost tens of thousands of lives.

The United States, the European Union and Turkey consider the PKK a
terrorist organization, but the United States in particular has been
concerned that Turkish operations affecting northern Iraq could
destabilize one of the war-torn country’s most stable areas.

In Iraq, Jabar Yawar, the deputy minister of the Kurdistan regional
government’s Peshmerga forces, said Turkish planes had carried out a
half-hour raid near the border, starting at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
"Because the areas were deserted, there were no civilians
casualties," he said.

The Turkish military said Tuesday that as many as 175 rebels had been
killed on Dec. 16 alone in "unprotected buildings" in the mountainous
areas in northern Iraq. The military said scores of rebels wounded in
the operations were taken to hospitals in Iraq’s northern cities.

Other hide-outs and antiaircraft weapons were struck in a
cross-border air assault on Saturday, followed by artillery fire from
inside Turkey.

Separately on Wednesday, the Kurdish regional Parliament in Iraq
voted to postpone by six months a debate on holding a referendum over
whether the city of Kirkuk will join the semiautonomous Kurdish
region in the north.

According to the Parliament’s deputy speaker, Kamal Karkuki, the
111-seat chamber decided unanimously to put off discussion on a
controversial section of the Iraqi Constitution – article 140 – that
calls for a census and referendum on Kirkuk’s status by the end of
this year.

"The Parliament voted today unanimously to postpone article 140 for
six months," Karkuki said.

There was no immediate comment from the Iraqi government in Baghdad,
but the referendum was widely expected to be delayed by months.

The Iraqi Constitution requires that a referendum on the future
status of the city be held by the end of 2007 to determine whether it
will remain under Baghdad’s control, become part of Kurdistan or gain
autonomy from both.

Kirkuk is an especially coveted city for both the Shiite-dominated
Iraqi government in Baghdad and the Kurdish one in the city of Irbil.

Much of Iraq’s vast oil wealth lies under the ground in the Kirkuk
region, as well as in the Shiite-controlled south. Kurds refer to
Kirkuk as the "Kurdish Jerusalem," and control of the area’s oil
resources and its cultural attachment to Kurdistan have been hotly
contested.

The city’s Arabs generally favor continued rule by Iraq’s central
government, while many Kurds want Kirkuk to join the Kurdish zone to
its north. The city’s minority Turkomen – ethnic Turks – have said
they prefer to stay under Baghdad’s control, but would lobby for
their own autonomous region if Kirkuk ends up being part of
Kurdistan. Kirkuk also has significant minorities of Christians,
Armenians and Assyrians.

The Constitution also calls for a census to be held in Kirkuk by the
end of 2007 to determine how many Arabs, Kurds and Turkomen reside in
the city.

Kurds dispute the results of censuses conducted under the late Iraqi
dictator, Saddam Hussein.

Tens of thousands of Kurds and non-Arabs fled Kirkuk in the 1980s and
1990s when Saddam’s government implemented its "Arabization" policy.
They were replaced by pro-government Arabs from the mainly Shiite
south, after Saddam accused the Kurds of siding with Iran in the
1980-1988 war with Tehran.

Watch group members killed
Four members of a local American-backed Awakening group in Diyala
Province were killed Wednesday when a house they were raiding
exploded, the police said, The New York Times reported from Baghdad.

The blast, in an area just north of Baquba, the provincial capital,
also wounded at least four people. It was one of several attacks this
month against the volunteer neighborhood watch groups and their
members, who are known also as Concerned Local Citizens. On Tuesday,
several members of an Awakening group were killed by a suicide truck
bomber near a checkpoint outside the Baiji oil refinery in northern
Iraq.

The Awakening groups are predominantly Sunni, and have grown to
number 72,000 volunteers in nearly 300 communities in Iraq. They have
been credited for reducing violence in some of the country’s most
violent areas even as many Iraqis – mainly Shiites, but also some
Sunnis – worry that the groups could destabilize Iraq because many of
them include former insurgents who still battle each other for power
and denounce the Shiite-led national government as an illegitimate
pawn of Iran.

Both American and Iraqi officials have said in recent weeks that the
groups eventually need to be disbanded so as not to compete with
Iraq’s army and the police. Under a proposal from the Americans, who
still pay most members about $300 a month to take part, some of the
Awakening groups would be integrated into the security forces while a
larger portion would get civilian jobs from the government or private
industry.

The details of the jobs program are still being worked out. Phil
Reeker, a spokesman for the American Embassy in Baghdad, said
Wednesday that the Americans and Iraq’s Ministry of Finance had each
contributed $155 million for the transition, which would include
vocational training at some of Iraq’s technical colleges.

"The logic behind the Concerned Local Citizens program, the Awakening
movements, was always to have them link up with government of Iraq,"
Reeker said. He added: "The nature of these linkages is what we’re
still working through."

At a joint news conference with Reeker in Baghdad, Major General
Kevin Bergner, the top American military spokesman in Baghdad, said
that the movements had grown very quickly and that Iraqis were still
learning how to trust former enemies.

"This is a period of transition and as we all know transitions take
time," he said. "They require confidence building and flexibility and
they require transparency and teamwork. The Concerned Local Citizens,
the government of Iraq and the coalition are all focusing on exactly
those issues."

He emphasized that the groups only began to spread across Iraq this
summer, taking on Al Qaeda in Mesopotamia, the homegrown Sunni
extremist group that American intelligence officials say is led by
foreigners.

Although some Awakening members have been involved in vigilante-style
violence and the government has become more vocal in its criticism of
the groups over the past week, Bergner called for a deeper
appreciation for what the groups had accomplished.

"This is perhaps one of the most important developments in 2007, the
commitment of Iraq citizens at the local level to step forward and
confront Al Qaeda and push them out of their communities," Bergner
said. "That is what this Awakening and Concerned Local Citizens –
that is what this whole discussion should start with and come back
to."

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 27 2007

THE FIVE WHO TRUST ONE ANOTHER

Shavarsh Kocharyan, Hrant Khachatryan, Arshak Sadoyan and Samvel
Shahinyan reasserted their decision to support Vazgen Manukyan in the
presidential election in a news conference on December 27. They said
it is determined by joint struggle, common approaches shaped during
this struggle. Vazgen Manukyan stated that they are for a national
democratic state and are ready and determined to pursue this path but
their success will depend on their ability to bring together the
society around their ideas. Vazgen Manukyan said the inner compulsion
of their team to have a normal state in future is the strongest and
it matches the expectations of the population.

Vazgen Manukyan said they do not have controversies with any other
candidate except for the government candidate regarding a free and
fair election. According to the leader of the National Democratic
Union, if people believe there is a force which leads the society
along a track, the government cannot have its resource of electoral
fraud work. `If people are dissatisfied, the resource will work, and
you cannot prevent it. In this sense I do not expect a free, fair and
transparent election. None of the previous elections has been such
but I believe that if people come together around ideas which
everyone bears inside, and are united, those methods will hardly
produce the same effect as before,’ Vazgen Manukyan says.

He says the government will naturally try to solve the problem in the
first round because in the second round it will become more
complicated. `It is clear what the government wants. If the
opposition comes together like in 1996, I am sure that the opposition
will win the first round. If it does not take place, each opposition
candidate will scribe off some votes from the government, and we will
run in the second round. In other words, either we come together to
win in the first stage, like in 1996, or we collaborate to guarantee
the results of the election and win the second round,’ says the
leader of the NDU.

The leader of the NDU says since the forces which support him and he
expect to win the first round, they are not considering the option of
supporting another candidate in the second round. According to Vazgen
Manukyan, victory is not sufficient, it is important that the new
government serve the society and not some group. `Therefore,
negotiations are ahead. And now it is time to see what each offers to
the society. We all five have confidence in one another that we
pursue the goals we are facing. We cannot speak for the others,
either we are mistaken or we misunderstand them, or they are not what
they appear to be, therefore I would not like to specify the
persons,’ Vazgen Manukyan says.

THIRD OPERATOR OF MOBILE PHONE COMMUNICATION IN ARMENIA TO BE KNOWN BY
JUNE 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 27, NOYAN TAPAN. The third opetator in Armenia’s
mobile phone communication market will be known by June of next year.
The RA minister of transport and communication Andranik Manukian stated
at the December 27 press conference that a tender commission has
alreday been created based on the government’s decision. He said that
this year the number of ArmenTel’s mobile communication subscribers has
reached 500 thousand, while that of VivaCell’s subscribers – a million.

In the words of the minister, the fact that the right of international
access for data transfer and Internet services was not made an
exclusive right has allowed to ensure the entrance of the second
Internet operator into the communication market, which has resulted in
a sharp fall of tariffs: the payment for a channel with a speed of 2
megabits has declined from 13,500 to 3,000 dollars.

A. Manukian said that 80% of analog stations have been digitalized,
while digitalization of the rest is in process. All villages with the
population of over 50 people have been provided with phone
communication. The phone communication of villages with over 800
residents have been digitalized.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Kosovo decision to be precedent for Transnistria
28.12.2007 14:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Kosovo resolution will be a
precedent for Transnistria, said Igor Smirnov the
President of Transnistria.

Transnistria has more grounds to be recognized as a
state, than Kosovo, according to him.

`The Transnistrian Moldavian Republic meets all
standards of an independent state. The Transnistrian
authorities will consistently put into practice the
outcomes of the referendum held September 17, 2006,
when the overwhelming majority voted for independence
and integration with Russia,’ Mr Smirnov said, RBK
reports.

CONSTRUCTION OF WEIRS IN SOME SETTLEMENTS AFFLICTED BY SRING FLOODS
FINISHES

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 28, NOYAN TAPAN. Spring floods of 2007 have caused a
serious damage to the Armenian agriculture. The RA minister of
agriculture Davit Lokian stated at the December 28 press conference
that the construction of weirs on the Arax River, in some settlements
of Gegharkunik marz and Martuni region and in the villages of Azat and
Vedi under the program on creation of weirs for prevention of flooding
of rivers has been almost completed. According to him, 2 bilion drams
(about 6.6 million USD) has been allocated from the state budget for
this purpose.

D. Lokian said that this work will continue in 2008 and finish in 2011.

WON’T ARONIAN HAVE PROBLEMS IN BAKU?

A1+
[12:34 pm] 24 December, 2007

In 2008 Azerbaijan will likely host a Grand-Prix tournament featuring
the best chess players of the world.

Armenian GM Levon Aronian will leave for Baku in case Azerbaijan
gains a right to hold the tournament in the country.

Azad Rahimov, the Minister of Sport and Youth Issues of Azerbaijan,
says Aronian will hardly hamper the tournament with his participation.

"During the World Wrestling Championship held in Baku in September,
2007, the whole world witnessed how civilized the country was. Even
Armenians confessed that they had had no problems in Baku, and the
tournament was really held on a high level.

By the way Azeri chess player Teimur Rajabov once more refuted the
statement published in the Azeri press according to which he had
allegedly named "Armenia Azerbaijan’s implacable foe." The Azeri
chess player said the reporter had simply changed his words.

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x118
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Friday, December 21, 2007

AGBU Southern California District Honors Yenovk Balikian at Sold-Out
Society Dinner

The fourth annual AGBU Society Dinner, which was held on October 13,
2007 in the Viennese Ballroom of the Huntington Ritz Carlton Hotel,
served not only as a fundraiser but also the occasion to honor Yenovk
Balikian for his six decades of distinguished service to AGBU, in
Lebanon and California.

Many of the guests were well-known leaders of the Californian
Armenian-American community. Also present were civic leaders of the
California State Senate and the Assembly, local government officials,
Armenian religious leaders, the Consul General of the Republic of
Armenia, and friends of the extended Balikian family.

A unique silent auction, as well as a champagne and hors d’oeuvres
reception, with live Armenian music, preceded the dinner.

Emcee Toros Yetenekian summarized the accomplishments of the AGBU
Southern California District Committee (SCDC), of which he is a member,
in the last four years. Stella Maloyan, Chairman of the Society Dinner
for the last four years, thanked the attendees and introduced the
Organizing Committee members.

Vahe Imasdounian, SCDC Chairman, gave an overview of fundraising
successes, in which he emphasized three of several accomplishments as
significant: last year’s opening of the AGBU Pasadena High School,
progress in the sports and youth programs, and revitalization of the
Pasadena Chapter’s overall activities.

Hon. Paul Krekorian, State Assemblyman representing Burbank and
surrounding areas, presented a biography of his colleague Hon. S. Joe
Simitian, state senator representing the Palo Alto district of Northern
California.

Taline Boyajian, daughter of honoree Yenovk Balikian, described her
father’s character, determination and drive, which are well known to
many Armenians. The audience then enjoyed a very informative video clip
depicting the honoree’s life and accomplishments.

Dr. Kevork Keshishian, former Central Board of Directors member and
staunch AGBU supporter, presented the honoree’s biography, beginning
with the days of his youth in Lebanon, moving on to his professional
career and, especially, his many accomplishments with AGBU. The speaker
emphasized that, without Balikian’s dedication, perseverance and
pursuit, the AGBU Pasadena High School would not have opened its doors.

Numerous congratulatory messages were read on this occasion, including
those from AGBU President Berge Setrakian and AGBU Council of Trustees
Member Nazar Nazarian. Setrakian referred to the honoree as "one of our
organization’s most long-serving and dedicated members" and cited his
accomplishments in the following words:
"Mr. Balikian’s professional accomplishments, as a civil engineer, are
sufficient by themselves to earn him a place in ‘Who’s Who’…However,
not satisfied with merely carving out a professional niche, Mr. Balikian
has distinguished himself in four other areas: (1) Armenian Youth
Association and Armenian General Benevolent Union; (2) Lebanese and
international sports; (3) Armenian secular and religious education; (4)
Lebanese community in Nigeria."

Yenovk Balikian, humbled by all the well-deserved accolades and praise,
thanked AGBU for the recognition and honor given to him.

Sinan Sinanian, member of AGBU Central Board of Directors, then
presented Balikian with the newly established AGBU "Boghos Nubar"
recognition medal. Balikian is the first recipient of this honor, which
is given to people who have given a lifetime of outstanding service to
AGBU.

The evening’s celebration came to a close with the benediction by
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Western Diocesan Primate. Prior to his
prayer, the Primate presented Mr. Balikian with the Sts. Sahag and
Mesrob medal, which was bestowed by His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme
Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City with an
annual budget of $36 million, AGBU preserves and promotes the Armenian
identity and heritage through educational, cultural and humanitarian
programs, annually touching the lives of some 400,000 Armenians on six
continents.

YEREVAN DOESN’T PUT PRESSURE ON WORLD PARLIAMENTS FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE FACT RECOGNITION

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Dec 19 2007

YEREVAN, December 19. /ARKA/. Yerevan doesn’t put pressure on world
parliaments for Armenian Genocide fact recognition, Armenian Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian said on Wednesday at National Assembly’s
hearings on Armenian-Turkish relations.

"What is going on in countries’ parliaments are their interior
matter. This is the matter of these countries’ citizens and lawmakers",
Oskanian said.

Denying Turkey’s allegation that Armenia triggers and promotes
discussions over the genocide in parliaments, the minister said that
Armenian authorities raise this issue in governments, not parliaments,
since the genocide fact recognition is on Armenian foreign policy’s
agenda.

"We don’t interfere in other countries’ interior affairs. But this
is the right of our compatriots living overseas, since they are
concerned about Armenia’s and the region’s problems. They think
the minimal contribution they can make to their country is to seek
the genocide fact recognition by other countries’ parliaments with
follow-up recognition by Turkey", Oskanian said.

He thinks the genocide fact admission by Turkey can change things in
the region, which will eventually improve Armenia-Turkey relations.

Armenian Genocide is the first genocide of 20th century.

Turkey denies accusations of killing 1 500 000 Armenians during
the World War I and reacts very painfully to criticism coming from
the West.

Uruguay, Russia, Lithuania, France, Lower House of Italian Parliament,
the majority of the U.S.A states, Greek, Cyprian, Argentine, Belgian
and Wales and Swiss parliaments as well as House of Communities
Canadian Parliament and Polish Seym have recognized the genocide
fact.

STATUS-QUO PRESERVING IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IS EXPEDIENT FOR THE AUTHORITIES OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN, AZERBAIJANI WRITER THINKS

2007-12-17 17:52:00

ArmInfo. Status-quo preserving in the matter of Karabakh settlement is
expedient for the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijani
writer Seymur Bayjan said. He arrived in Yerevan to take part in
an event ‘Azerbaijani Days’ held at Yerevan ‘Mkhitar Sebastatsi’
educational centre.

Asked by Arminfo correspondent if the event will promote establishing
relations, Seymur Beyjan replied: ‘Let my friends not take offence,
but I am very pessimistic in this matter. I have always said that
any thrown shell may destroy what was achieved, everything depends on
the authorities of both states’. He also added that earlier those who
visited Armenia were treated very radically, were insulted and called
betrayers. ‘But it was not so after an official visit of Azerbaijani
ambassador in Russia to Karabakh. That was a state order’, – he
added. He also said that status-quo preserving in Karabakh settlement
is expedient for the authorities of Armenia and Azerbaijan, since
they may manipulate with the problem in this way. ‘Did not you notice
that every time before the election shooting starts at the contact
line. The authorities frighten the people that war may start, that is
‘war will start if we leave’. When meeting representatives of both
states say about their desire to settle the conflict, but when they
return home they say quite the contrary’, – Beyjan concluded.