Author: Chakrian Hovsep

AZERBAIJANI OMBUDSMAN APPLIES TO INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS COMMITTEE TO ASSIST WITH RELEASING CAPTIVE MILITARY MEN

TREND
May 13 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani ombudsman has applied to head of the International Red
Cross Committee in Azerbaijan to assist with releasing sergeant of
the Azerbaijani army who was taken captive by Armenian army on May 10.

Azerbaijani Armed Forces sergeant Anar Hajiyev was taken hostage in
Fuzuli contact line on May 10. Hajiyev, who was called up for military
service from Goranboy, has been taken hostage in unknown conditions.

In her appeal to Ton Vandenhov, Azerbaijani ombudsman said she hopes
the sergeant will be released with the help of the International Red
Cross Committee, the Ombudsman Administration told Trend News.

Suleymanova asked to assist with providing condition in which Hajiyev’s
dignity will not be hurt, to exercise control over Hajiyev’s condition
with the help of regional representatives and assist with his soonest
release.

"The public is concerned with Azerbaijani military men and civilians’
becoming Armenian captives frequently," she said.

ARMENIAN BANKING SYSTEM SECURED ON CAPITAL, ABLE TO WITHSTAND CRISIS – IMF

/ARKA/
May 11, 2009
YEREVAN

The banking system of Armenia is well supplied with capital and is
able to with stand the crisis, said IMF Mission Chief for Armenia
Mark Lewis at presentation of a report "Economic Perspectives of the
Region: Caucasus and Central Asia".

He noted the world crisis mainly had impact on the non-financial
sector of Armenia, specifically on the real sector of economy and
had little impact on the financial sector.

Lewis stated the influence of the first wave of crisis on the
financial sector of Armenia was little as the involvement of the
country’s banking system in the world financial and credit markets
was rather insignificant.

At the same time he stated the banking system of Armenia is well
supplied with capital even by world standards and is able to withstand
world crises.

The expert stressed it would be naïve to think the financial system
of Armenia will be untouched amid the crisis as it has an impact on
the quality of the credit portfolio in all countries.

In her turn, IMF Deputy Director for East Europe and Central Asia
Ratna Sahay stated the Central Bank and Government of Armenia carry
out a very discreet policy, thanks to which Armenian banks do not
have to borrow from foreign banks which is the main reason for crisis
development in a number of countries.

Currently 22 banks and 391 branches operate in Armenia.

According to the preliminary data of ARKA News Agency, on March 31,
2009, the aggregate assets of Armenian banks exceeded 1,141.5bln AMD,
with total capital being 243.8bln AMD and liabilities 897.7bln AMD.

According to the Central Bank of Armenia aggregate credits issued
by Armenian banks to residents amounted 642.8bln AMD, increasing by
19.9bln AMD or 3.1% during the first quarter. At the same time credit
investments and notes payable increased by 18.8bln AMD or 2.6% up to
750.3bln AMD. ($1 – 372.47AMD).

OSCE CALLS ON YEREVAN AND BAKU TO ADHERE TO CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.05.2009 17:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Greek Foreign Minister and OSCE
Chairsperson-in-Office Dora Bakoyannis has today expressed hope that
the parties to NKR conflict should make further progress towards a
peaceful settlement, and urged them to fully implement the provisions
of the ceasefire, including withdrawal of snipers from the front
lines. The Greek FM also welcomed Armenian and Azeri Presidents’
constructive dialogue during the May 7 Summit in Prague,

"I fully support the efforts of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, as well
as of my Personal Representative, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, to
encourage a peaceful and negotiated resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, on the basis of the Madrid Document," she emphasized.

Mrs. Bakoyanis also said that although the important ceasefire
that was signed 15 years ago, the situation on the ground remains
extremely volatile. "Confidence-building measures are necessary,
and I urge the parties to respect all provisions of the ceasefire,
as well as the proposals of the Co-Chairs at the 2008 Helsinki OSCE
Ministerial Conference to withdraw snipers from the front lines,"
Dora Bakoyannis said.

WPS Agency, Russia
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
May 6, 2009 Wednesday

ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN WILL PARTICIPATE IN EXERCISE;
Moldova alone will abstain, persuaded by Russia

Mikhail Zygar

AZERBAIJAN AND EVEN ARMENIA (A CIS COLLECTIVE SECURITY TREATY
ORGANIZATION MEMBER) WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ALLIANCE’S EXERCISE IN
GEORGIA OVER RUSSIA’S PROTESTATIONS; The Alliance is determined to run
a military exercise in Georgia.

The meeting of the Russian-NATO Council, the first since last autumn,
took place in Brussels. Russian Representative to NATO Dmitry Rogozin
made a ritualistic statement on the necessity to cancel the NATO
exercise in Georgia scheduled for later this month. The Alliance
traditionally dismissed the idea. It was probably the only tricky
moment in the entire meeting.

"I like it that the meeting will take place. It does not mean,
however, that all of a sudden we agree with each other on absolutely
everything. We have interests that do not necessarily jibe," NATO
Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said. Sources from NATO HQ
meanwhile proclaimed Brussels ready for a restoration of relations
with Russia interrupted after the war in Georgia. They warned,
however, that restoration of relations did not mean that the subjects
of Georgia as well as those of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were off the
agenda for good.

Since the first meeting was essentially ritualistic, discourse over
the legend of the forthcoming Cooperative Longbow’09/Cooperative
Lancer’09 became the main intrigue of the whole event. Rogozin brought
the matter up, as promised. (Russia had demanded cancellation of the
exercise a week ago. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had denied the
plans to participate even in the observer’s capacity and advised other
countries to follow suit). Scheffer announced that cancelling the
exercise was out of the question and once again reiterated that it was
not aimed at Russia.

What aggravates Russia is that the future exercise is not to be
restricted to NATO members alone. Even some countries of the
Commonwealth are supposed to participate in the exercise – namely
Moldova, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. Kazakhstan refused to participate in
the NATO exercise last week, Moldova on April 29.

CIS countries’ intention to participate in the exercise upset the Duma
which found this intention on the part of Armenia particularly
disturbing. Armenia is a member of the CIS Collective Security Treaty
Organization. Some commentators assumed that Yerevan would follow in
the wake of Astana (Kazakhstan) and change its mind concerning
participation. President of Armenia, Serj Sargsjan, visited Moscow and
met with President Dmitry Medvedev last week but neither national
leader would so much as mention the forthcoming exercise. Deputy
Secretary General of NATO Claudio Bisogniero visited Yerevan last
Tuesday. Sargsjan assured the visitor that integration in Europe
remained the high priority of Armenia’s foreign policy and cooperation
with NATO its crucial element. Sargsjan actually called cooperation
with the Alliance within the framework of the Partnership for Peace
NATO’s Program an element of Armenian national security.

Source: Kommersant, April 30, 2009, p. 8

State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
May 7, 2009 Thursday

DIPLOMAT MAGAZINE PUBLISHES ARTICLE BY AZERI AMBASSADOR TO UK

Baku 7 May

An article entitled The History Of Democracy by Azerbaijan`s
ambassador to the United Kingdom Fakhraddin Gurbanov has been
published in the London-based Diplomat magazine.

The article says the first democratic republic in the Muslim world was
established in Azerbaijan.

It also features problems which Azerbaijan faced after it regained
independence.

The article says after national leader Heydar Aliyev came to power, a
process of sustainable development started in Azerbaijan.

According to the article, the role of Azerbaijan has increased in
ensuring energy supply for Europe.

Thanks to the Azerbaijani leadership`s well-balanced foreign policy,
the country`s relations with both Western and Eastern countries expand
day-by-day. Azerbaijan is a member of several international
organizations and actively participates in their work, according to
the article.

It also goes on to say that Azerbaijan is one of the world`s fastest
growing economies.

The article also touches upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh, saying the dispute can be settled on the basis of
Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity.

Shant TV, Armenia
May 7 2009

Armenian TV journalist attacked in capital

[Presenter-read report over video of Mnatsakanyan on the scene of the
incident, in hospital] Journalist and commentator of the Shant TV
company Nver Mnatsakanyan was attacked late in the evening yesterday
[6 May] at about 2400 [local time, 1900 gmt]. Mnatsakanyan, who was
going home after the "Herankar" [Perspective] programme ended, was
attacked by two able-bodied men near the entrance [of the building]
and beaten.

Fortunately, neighbours went outside due to the stir and the criminals
ran away. Doctors, who arrived on the scene of the incident, provided
first aid to the journalist and transported him to hospital. A medical
examination showed that the journalist received light bodily
injuries. The incident was reported to the Mashtots Department of
Police [in the centre of Armenia’s capital Yerevan].

A forensic medical examination has been assigned and investigation is
under way. The Shant TV company refrains from comments at present
taking into account the circumstance that an investigation is under
way.

Medals, orders and honorary titles of NKR on the occasion of May 9

armradio.am
09.05.2009 16:42

On 8 May in connection with the 17th anniversary of the Victory Day,
the Day of the NKR Defense Army, the Day of Liberation of Shoushi NKR
President Bako Sahakyan signed several decrees, Central Information
Department of the Office of the NKR President reported.

For exclusive services, courage and valor shown during the organization
of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic defense Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan was
awarded with the highest title of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the
`Hero of Artsakh’ and the Golden Eagle Order.

For exclusive courage and valor shown during the defense of the
Motherland NKR prime-minister Ara Haroutyunyan was awarded with The
Battle Cross Order of the second degree.

For personal bravery shown during the defence of the Motherland 117
individuals, 29 of them posthumously were awarded with the Medal `For
Courage’.

For successful performance of combat missions, raising combat readiness
of the forces as well as courage shown while defending state borders
498 individuals, 18 of them posthumously were awarded with the Medal
`For Service in Battle’.

For personal bravery shown during the battles for the liberation of
Shoushi 56 individuals, 6 of them posthumously were awarded with the
Medal `For Liberation of Shoushi’.

For active participation in realizing projects of the All-Armenian Fund
`Hayastan’ in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Migirdic Migirdician,
chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Canada (Toronto) was awarded
with the `Vachagan Barepasht’ medal.

For active participation in realizing projects of the All-Armenian Fund
`Hayastan’ in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic the Medal of Gratitude was
awarded to:

Ara Agishyan, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund USA (Western
region);
Sarkis Armenyan, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Lebanon;
Bedros Terzian, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund France;
Armineh Carapeti, chairwoman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Great
Britain;
Avedis Kizirian, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund
Switzerland;
Razmik Haroutyunyan, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Austria;
Vahe Jazmadarian, member (France) of the control committee of the
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund;
Jorge Mirekyan, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Argentine;
Gilbert Momdjian, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Germany;
Ochin Mosditchian, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Brazil;
Artranik Sirinyan, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund Canada
(Montreal);
Archbishop Aghan Baliozian, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund
Australia;
Noebar Sepojan Sipaan, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund
Netherlands;
Michel Tancrez, representative of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund France
in the Nagorno Karabagh Republic;
Raffi Festekjian, chairman of the Hayastan All Armenian Fund USA
(Eastern Region).

CSTO’S RAPID-REACTION FORCE TO HOLD EXERCISES IN LATE SUMMER

RIA Novosti
14:34 | 07/ 05/ 2009

MOSCOW, May 7 (RIA Novosti) – The joint rapid-reaction forces of
a post-Soviet regional security bloc will hold military exercises
in August-September in Kazakhstan, a Russian first deputy foreign
minister announced on Thursday.

Andrei Denisov said the development of the Collective Security Treaty
Organization’s rapid-reaction force was a topic of discussion at
an ongoing meeting of CSTO deputy foreign, defense, and economics
ministers at the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), which comprises
Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Uzbekistan and
Tajikistan, agreed in early February to set up the rapid-reaction
force.

President Dmitry Medvedev earlier said that the force should be
well-organized and equipped to counter a variety of threats.

The Russian president also said the CSTO was open for cooperation
with the United States in the fight against terrorism in Central Asia.

The rapid-reaction force, which Medvedev has said "will be just as
good as comparable NATO forces," will be used to repulse military
aggression, conduct anti-terrorist operations, fight transnational
crime and drug trafficking, and neutralize the effects of natural
disasters.

Moscow has stressed that collective forces will not interfere in the
domestic conflicts of the bloc’s member countries.

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN MAKE PROGRESS ON KARABAKH – MEDIATOR

NASDAQ
May 7 2009

PRAGUE (AFP)–The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan made "important
and significant progress" in talks on the disputed Nagorno Karabakh
region on Thursday, international mediators said.

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian and his Azerbaijani counterpart
Ilham Aliyev met for talks ahead of the European Union’s Eastern
Partnership summit in Prague, under supervision from the Minsk Group
of international mediators.

"There is an important and significant progress, some parts of the
negotiations were basically agreed on," Matthew Bryza, U.S. deputy
assistant secretary of state and co-chairman of the group, told
reporters.

"They had a constructive discussion, they were able in finding basic
principles to reduce their differences (…) they generally agreed
on the basic ideas that they came here to discuss today," he added.

Bernard Fassier, the group’s French co-chairman, said the negotiators
had to " finalize the details" with foreign ministers ahead of the
next meeting.

That is expected to take place on the fringes of a business forum in
St. Petersburg in early June.

"We have a huge work ahead in the coming days and weeks," he added.

Backed by Armenia, ethnic Armenian separatists seized control of
Nagorno Karabakh in the early 1990s in a war that killed nearly 30,000
people and forced two million to flee their homes.

A ceasefire was signed between the two former Soviet republics in
1994 but the dispute remains unresolved.

Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Armenia
Tel. + 37410 544041. ext. 202
Fax. + 37410 565601
e-mail: [email protected]
web:

Foreign Minister of Armenia visits Washington

Foreign Minister of Armenia has a meeting with his American counterpart

On May 5, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian who was in
Washington on a working visit met with US Secretary of State Hilary
Clinton.

State Secretary Clinton welcomed Foreign Minister of Armenia and
stated that the USA is interested in strengthening and development of
comprehensive relations with Armenia and President Obama’s
administration is resolute to expand cooperation between the two
countries.

Minister Nalbandian thanked for the invitation to visit Washington and
emphasized that Armenia attaches importance to further strengthening
its relations with the United States, will pursue development and
deepening of friendly partnership and expansion of cooperation with
the USA.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and America discussed wide range of
issues regarding different areas of bilateral cooperation,
possibilities of development and expansion of economic partnership,
touched upon the session of the Armenian-American intergovernmental
commission to be held in May in Yerevan, discussed a number of
regional and international issues.

The two discussed the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations. State Secretary Hilary Clinton classed as historic the
April 22 Statement of Foreign Ministries of Armenia and Turkey. She
reaffirmed the position of the United States to continue providing
complete assistance to normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

The latest developments in Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) peace process
were also discussed at the meeting. They touched upon the forthcoming
meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. Secretary
Clinton emphasized the necessity of peaceful resolution of the Artsakh
issue and said that as a country Co-Chairing in the OSCE Minsk Group
the United States will continue its full support to reaching of an
agreement between the conflict sides and to problem’s solution, which
by her definition will create new opportunities for development, as
well as strengthening of stability and security in the South Caucasus
region.

Minister Nalbandian presented to State Secretary Clinton the process
of reforms implemented in Armenia and the steps undertaken towards
that direction.

Edward Nalbandian invited Hilary Clinton to visit Armenia.

The same day the Foreign Minister of Armenia met with General James
Jones, the US President’s National Security Advisor at the White
House. Armenian Foreign Minister and US President Advisor discussed
different issues of the Armenian-American cooperation, establishment
of regional security. General Jones highly assessed the participation
of Armenia in peacekeeping actions and in that context its important
contribution in the issue of providing international security. They
had a detailed talk on the process of normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations and possibilities of settlement of the
Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) issue. General Jones expressed support
towards the steps undertaken by the leadership of Armenia aimed at the
normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. The two also
discussed the ways to strengthen the Armenian-American partnership.

During the meeting with Howard Berman, Chairman of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
presented the main directions and priorities of Armenia’s foreign
policy. The two touched upon issues concerning stability and security
in the South Caucasus region.

On May 4, Foreign Minister of Armenia visited the US Congress where he
met with Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on the Armenian issues
Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk and members of the group Congressmen Anna
Eshoo, Steve Rothman and Scott Garett.

The Armenian Foreign Minister thanked the Congressmen for their
pro-Armenian activity of many years and highly appreciated the
activities of Congressional Caucus on the Armenian issues and the role
of the group members in enhancement of the Armenian-American
relations.

At the request of Congressmen Minister Nalbandian presented recent
development in the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations and steps to be undertaken towards the establishment of
normal relations between the two neighbouring countries. In this
context Congressmen expressed support to the steps undertaken by the
leadership of Armenia to normalization of relations with Turkey.

At the meeting they touched upon the negotiation process on Artsakh
(Nagorno Karabakh) issue and its perspectives.

Edward Nalbandian also had a meeting with Daniel Fried, US Assistant
Secretary of State during which the ways of development of
Armenian-American relations were discussed.

In the course of the meeting with Rodney Bent, Acting Chief Executive
Officer of the Millenium Challenge Corporation Edward Nalbandian
discussed issues related to continuation of programs implemented by
Corporation in Armenia.

In Washington in Armenian Embassy Edward Nalbandain had a working
consultations with diplomats of the Armenian Embassy to the USA and
the Armenian Permanent Representation at the UN. During the
consultations main issues of the Armenian Foreign policy were
discussed and the appropriate instructions were given.

In the capital of the USA the Armenian Foreign Minister also had a
meeting with representatives of the American Armenian community.

On May 5, concluding his visit to Washington Edward Nalbandian left
for Prague where he will participate in the Eastern Partnership Summit
as a member of the delegation led by the RA President.