Author: Chalian Meline

AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS NOT MENTIONED IN MADRID PRINCIPLES

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
31.07.2009 18:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "All through the course of negotiations Madrid
principles could be viewed as a sign of progress, compared with other
documents on NKR conflict settlement. Still, it doesn’t mean there
are no negative sides to those principles," civil society development
committee chairman at RA Public Council, Candidate of Philosophical
Sciences Hovhannes Hovhannesyan said.

Among positive sides, Hovhannesyan noted, is that Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity is not mentioned in Madrid principles, as
Co-Chairs realized that the principle can’t be applied in conflict
settlement. He emphasized the positive fact of NKR status determination
via free will expression, through plebiscite or referendum. According
to Hovhannesyan, Azeri part presented distorted facts and off-the-point
comments while translating the document.

Madrid principles are unacceptable for Armenia, as the main burden of
concessions is loaded on Armenia’s shoulders. "Madrid principles do
not state NKR should yield the territories, still in my opinion, it
wasn’t Artsakh who occupied Azeri territories, but just the opposite,
Azerbaijan is still occupying NKR territories," Hovhannesyan noted.

SERBIAN PRESIDENT ENDED HIS VISIT TO ARMENIA
Nikos D. A. Arvanites

EMPortal – Economist Media Portal
.html
July 30 2009

In the closing of his two day visit to Armenia, President Boris
Tadic on July 29 met with Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Head
of Armenian Apostolic Church Karekin II. Serbian President visited
Armenia ogether with foreign and trade ministers, Vuk Jeremic and
Slobodan Milosavljevic, respectively.

In the closing of his two day visit to Armenia, President Boris Tadic
on July 29 met with Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Head of Armenian
Apostolic Church Karekin II.

Tadic and Sargsyan agreed that long-lasting solutions for regional
conflicts in the Caucasus and Balkans, such as Nagorno Karabakh and
Kosovo, can be sought only through talks, without the use of force
and in line with international law, according to the media.

During Tadic’s visit to Armenian’s spiritual center Ejmiatsin, Karekin
II underlined the warm and brotherly ties between Serbia and Armenia
and their peoples and expressed hope that the ties will strengthen
further after Tadic’s visit.

Karekin II also pointed to close ties between the Armenian Apostolic
Church and the Serbian Orthodox Church.

Tadic thanked his host for a warm reception and expressed admiration
for the Armenian culture and Christian values.Tadic added he hoped
ties between the two churches would further deepen, along with the
development of bilateral relations.

Tadic has departed from Armenia. On the first day of his visit,
the president met with his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan.

President of Serbia Boris Tadic during his official visit,
accompanied with the Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan
visited M. Mashtots Ancient Manuscript Institute-Matenadaran.

The top guest was presented about 170 manuscripts of 5-19
centuries. After getting acquainted with the manuscripts, he wrote
down his impressions in the Matenadaran memory-book.

Guide of Matenadaran Arpine Petrosyan said that the Serbian President
expressed great interest towards each manuscript, gave various
questions.

The top guest was donated an album with Armenian miniatures and on
his turn presented Matenadaran a book about Serbia.

He also laid a wreath today at a memorial dedicated to the Serb pilots
who died when an aeroplane crashed while carrying humanitarian aid to
victims of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia that claimed 25,000 lives
in the city of Spitak.

Tadic traveled to Armenia together with foreign and trade ministers,
Vuk Jeremic and Slobodan Milosavljevic, respectively.

Serbian FM Vuk Jeremic, pointed out that the two sides discussed
economic and cultural cooperation, as well as cooperation within
international organisations.

He said that the visit of the Serbian delegation, headed by Serbian
President Boris Tadic, to Yerevan is the best evidence that Serbia
is working on developing relations with Armenia.

Serbian Minister of Trade and Services Slobodan Milosavljevic, who
is also in the Serbian delegation, today met Armenian Minister of
Economy Nersess Yeritsian and discussed ways of improving economic
cooperation between their two countries.

Milosavljevic and Yeritsian discussed cooperation in the areas of
information technology, agriculture, the food industry, pharmacology
and tourism, as well as the possibility of working on joint projects
and organising business forums in the near future.

YEREVAN CAN TELL ANKARA’S IMITATIONAL STEPS FROM REAL PROCESS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
29.07.2009 15:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia and Turkey are in the situation which should
reach its logical termination within 2 months, Head of Eurointegration
social organization Karen Bekaryan told a news conference in Yerevan.

"The statement made by RA President Serzh Sargsyan at a joint news
conference with Serbian President in Yerevan, showed Armenia has
firmly described its position on Armenian-Turkish relations and can
tell Ankara’s imitational steps from real process," Armenian expert
emphasized.

In this context, Karen Bekaryan reminded about recent statement of
Turkey’s Minister for EU affairs and chief negotiator Egemen Bagis
on their readiness to mount a cross on dome of the church on Akhtamar
Island.

"This step will surely further Armenian-Turkish dialoged. Still,
I believe, Turkish diplomacy of mixing the background with real
actions will continue long enough," Karen Bekaryan noted.

Analyzing yesterday’s statement of RA President on Armenian-Turkish
negotiation process, the expert noted that presidential statements
confirmed the following: much as Yerevan welcomes Ankara’s steps,
Turkish part will not manage to replace agreements reached by
imitational background.

JEREMIC: SERBIA FOR BETTER RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

Radio Srbija
July 29 2009
Serbia

The official visit of Serbian President Boris Tadic to Armenia
has opened a new page in the bilateral relations, and proves the
interest of Serbia to strengthen the cooperation with that country
in all fields, stated Head of the Serbian Diplomacy Vuk Jeremic,
after the talks with his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandyan. As
communicated by the press service of the Armenian Ministry, Jeremic and
Nalbandyan have discussed several topics, including the cooperation
in the international organizations, economy and culture. According
to the Serbian minister, it is the continuation of a dialog started
in June, in Madrid, regarding the processes in the Caucasus and
Balkans. Jeremic invited his Armenian colleague to visit Belgrade. He
is accompanying Serbian President Boris Tadic, who is on a two-day
visit to that country.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS REPRESENTATIVE INVITES EX-FOREIGN MINISTER TO PUBLIC DEBATE ON KARABAKH CONFLICT

ArmInfo
2009-07-30 15:16:00

ArmInfo. Representative of the Armenian National Congress
David Shakhnazaryan has invited ex-foreign minister of Armenia
Vardan Oskanyan to a public debate on the topic of the Karabakh
conflict. D. Shakhnazaryan made such "challenge" to the ex-minister
at a press conference on Thursday.

The oppositionist is sure that the Armenian party is currently
yielding to Azerbaijan in the process of the Karabakh conflict’s
settlement. "Such situation originated by the fault of Robert
Kocharyan and Vardan Oskanyan who keep on doing their best to avoid
responsibility. I am ready to prove my words in the presence of
Oskanyan and invite him to a public debate", he said. As regards the
cooperation of the ANC and ARFD Party, Shakhnazaryan said: "ARFD is
not an opposition party. Despite its loud statements, this party has
its share of fault in what had happened in the negotiation process
over the last 11 years," he said.

SUPERPOWERS DON’T HAVE COMMON APPROACH TO KARABAKH PROBLEM

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
28.07.2009 23:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ex facte, Kosovo and Karabakh problems are alike
and recognition of Kosovo’s independence could be a precedent
for resolution of Karabakh conflict. But the point is that the
international community takes a political decision as regards any
conflict, according to Khosrov Harutyunyan, leader of the Christian
Democratic Union of Armenia.

"Even Russia could not prevent the West’s decision on Kosovo. As to
Karabakh, superpowers don’t have a common approach to this problem,"
he said.

NAIRIT EXPECTS TO START FUNCTIONING IN PERIOD OF AUGUST 15-TO EARLY SEPTEMBER

ARMENPRESS
July 28, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 28, ARMENPRESS: Nairit company dealing with the rubber
production is expecting to start its production in the period of
August 15 to early September.

Press secretary of the company Anush Harutyunyan told Armenpress that
currently construction-restoration works are going on in the factory
after which it will restart its activity. Currently the factory is
not giving product: the production has stopped after big fire caused
by the explosion May 14.

About 500 employees of the factory from the 3000 are in the
obligatory stoppage, the rest are working, being mainly involved in
the restoration works which costs 150,000 USD.

The factory, according to A. Harutyunyan, had stored product which
is being sold during the period of suspension of the activity of
the company.

As connected with the causes of explosion in the factory, Anush
Harutyunyan said that the investigation bodies are still continuing
dealing with the incident but nothing is being publicized yet.

IRAN’S READINESS TO SUPPLY NUCLEAR FUEL TO ARMENIA IS DANGEROUS SIGN FOR AZERBAIJAN: EXPERT

Today.Az
/54153.html
July 27 2009
Azerbaijan

Political expert Rasim Agayev spoke in an exclusive interview Day.Az.

Day.Az: To what degree Iran’s supply of nuclear fuel dangerous for
Azerbaijan?

Rasim Agayev: This is a very dangerous sign for Azerbaijan and
the region as a whole, although it was expected. There are clear
signs of militarization in the Greater Caucasus. Iran adjoins this
geopolitical region with arms race with its program of military
development. Armenia’s nuclear pretensions should have been predicted.

It is typical for Armenia and it does not conceal its military
ambitions. Hence, such a trend, given the aggressive course of
Armenia. Its ambitions and claims include acquiring military
capabilities that would put it in a unique position not only with
Azerbaijan but also with Turkey, where it could speak the language
of force.

Q: How can Iran’s supply of nuclear fuel to Armenia impact situation
in the region?

A: If such pretension is realized and Armenia which is linked to
Russia with military and strategic commitments, I am afraid that
the Caucasus will resemble the south-east Asia, which will be very
difficult to calm down and control.

The West turns a blind eye to such pretension by Armenia and it will
seriously change the situation. Quite different tasks will be set
before Azerbaijan. Azerbaijani diplomacy should exercise serious
control over this process, investigate and ring the bell.

I think it is high time to make proposals and policy initiatives
related to the demilitarization of the South Caucasus. The issue
is not that Armenia will have nuclear weapons, but the fact that
saturation of arms in this small region of the globe. The South
Caucasus is becoming a powder keg which is easy to blow up.

On the other hand the message could be viewed as a definite signal
from Iran to Azerbaijan in connection with the problems emerging in
relations between Baku and Tehran.

Q: Does IAEA exercise control over this issue?

A: IAEA should directly control the various nuclear programs of
Iran. I believe that we should involve the IAEA in this regard due
to the fact that Azerbaijan will build the nuclear power plant,
but in Armenia it is already there.

ARMAVIA STEWARDS PREVENT SUICIDE ATTEMPT ON BOARD

ArmInfo
2009-07-27 14:06:00

ArmInfo. A passenger of Armavia airline flying Novosibirsk-Yerevan on
July 25 made a suicide attempt slashing wrists and falling unconscious.

Armavia Press Secretary Nana Avetisova told ArmInfo there was a
doctor among the passengers who rendered first aid to the passenger
with help of the attentive stewards who timely noticed the incident
and took all the necessary measures in the extreme situation. The
plane landed timely and a group of physicians and the law-enforcement
representatives had already been at the airport, she said. Armavia
is making nearly 250 flights monthly to over 30 destinations.

SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL VALUES OF ARMENIAN-BASED AND DIASPORAN ARMENIAN YOUTH ARE SAME, DIASPORAN ARMENIAN PARTICIPANTS OF SUMMER SCHOOL THINK

Noyan Tapan
July 22, 2009

On July 20, the Armenian Young Women’s Association received the
Diasporan Armenian young participants of the Summer School program
organized by the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA). They discussed
with the guests and reporters the similarities and differences between
the Armenian youth living in Armenia and in Diaspora.

Opinions were expressed that the only difference between Armenians
and Disporan Armenians is the distance and the spiritual and cultural
values are the same.

"The Diasporan Armenians are more modest, devoted, patriotic, while
Armenian girls only think of having many clothes and sparkling
decorations," a participant of the discussion, Nvard said.

One of the guests expressed an opinion that Armenians living abroad
bear the influence of the culture and way of thinking of the country
where they live: "As people in their environment more listen and
speak English they will hardly completely feel the significance of
being an Armenian, it is the Armenian language that keeps awake the
realization of being an Armenian in each Armenian."

In response to the question of Chairman of the Armenian Young Women’s
Association Lilit Asatria of what the eight young participants of the
Summer School program revealed coming to Armenia, a resident of the
Utah state Sargis answered that in the course of time he lost interest
in Armenia, even did not want to say that he was an Armenian: "However
now I have changed a lot, I have realized that I would not like to be
a Mexican, a German or any other nationality, it is very good that I
am an Armenian." New York-based Elizabeth, coming to Armenia, began
thinking whether she is an Eastern or Western Armenian, and what kind
of contribution she will make in society as an Armenian.

During the discussion those present also tried to find out what should
be the basis of a stable family, love, respect, faith and whether
those present will marry representatives of another nationality or
Armenians living in different countries of the world. It turned out
that the primary thing for all of them was love.

In response to the question of why the participants consider themselves
to be Armenians, Sargis answered: "My father is a man who does not
like Armenians at all, and hates foreigners, that is why there has
been no contact with Armenians for many years. However I have always
considered myself to be an Armenian, as I have an Armenian surname,
culture and way of thinking." On the whole, the participants shared the
same opinion that Armenian is not the one who "crosses himself every
morning and eats dolma," for being an Armenian it is not important
to know Armenian and be a Christian.

Assembly Country Director for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Arpi
Vartanian wound up the discussion confessing that sometimes she feels
herself an inhabitant of Armenia, sometimes an American Armenian,
but before being a Diasporan Armenian or an inhabitant of Armenia
she thinks that we all are human beings.