Author: Chalian Meline

BAKU ANGRY AT MICROSOFT FOR ‘RECOGNIZING’ KARABAKH

Asbarez
icrosoft-for-%e2%80%98recognizing%e2%80%99-karabak h/
Aug 6, 2009

BAKU (APA)-Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry demanded an explanation
from Microsoft Corporation for categorizing Nagorno-Karabakh as
an independent state on its portal MSN.com, the APA news services
reported Wednesday.

The site’s search listings for the weather in Nagorno-Karabakh
does not include "Azerbaijan" as the country of location; rather
the territory exists on its own. MSN.com, however, places the word
"disputed" in parentheses after Nagorno-Karabakh’s name, but also used
the Azerbaijani name for Karabakh’s capital. (Khankendi; Karabakh’s
government uses the Armenian Stepanakert – ed).

Baku has tasked its embassy in the United States to seek an explanation
from Seattle-based Microsoft, the APA report said

GEORGIAN SIDE LEFT ARMENIA WITHOUT ANSWERS

Aysor.am
Friday,August 07, 2009

The competent bodies of Georgia have not given any answer to the RA
Government and the Ministry of Agriculture concerning the prevention
of exported potatoes to Georgia. As the Deputy Minister of Agriculture
of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Samvel Galstyan told to Aysor.am the
talks to Georgian side didn’t bring to any result and the boarders
kept being closed.

During the last 5 years in Armenia had produced around 539 thousand
tones of potato each year, and last year 648 thousand tones of potato,
which makes around 35 thousand hectares.

The Deputy Minister reminded that this year till the end of March
the boarder with Georgia was opened, but on April because of non
official information that potato pests are found there they closed
the opportunity of importing the potato into the Georgian republic.

In 2008 From the Gegharquniq region 3500 tones of potatoes have been
exported, while this year before closing the boarder have been exported
1500 tones of potatoes.

OFFICIALS SAY BRAZIK TO MAKE INVESTMENTS IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION IN ARMENIA

Panorama.am
19:00 05/08/2009

Minister of Transport and Communication Gurgen Sargsyan received today
Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brazil Mrs. Marcela
Nikodemos, ministry press speaker Susanna Tonoyan reports.

According to the source Mrs. Ambassador has been thoroughly introduced
to the ministry structure and implementing activities.

Minister Sargsyan has particularly emphasized "North-south" railways
and "North-south" highway reconstruction projects. It was said that
donor organizations’ meeting is going to be conducted in October on
the issue of the highway construction.

Mrs. Ambassador noted that though the mutual cooperation is well
directed there are many activities to be implemented. According to
Ambassador Brazil is well experienced in the road construction, hence,
it is probably that Brazil will also make investments in "North-south"
highway construction.

NKR PROBLEM SHOULD BE RESOLVED BY ARMENIAN NATION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
06.08.2009 15:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Trying settle NKR conflict by following old methods
and returning to 1990s’ agenda would be a rude mistake. Current
situation is completely different, RA Politologists Union Chairman
Hamayak Hovhannesyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

When questioned by reporters on his idea of NKR conflict
settlement, Hamayak Hovhannesyan replied that NKR should prove
its independence in the ability to resolve its own issues. As
for conflict settlement, the politologist emphasized, this
is a problem to be resolved by the whole Armenian nation

POLITICIANS AND MPS OF AZERBAIJAN MAKE DIFFERENT SUGGESTIONS ON WAYS OF SOLVING NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend
Aug 4 2009
Azerbaijan

Politicians and MPs of Azerbaijan made different suggestions on the
ways of solving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The chairman of opposition Unified Azerbaijan Popular Front Party, MP
Gudrat Hasanguliyev, said that fair solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict through peaceful talks does not exist.

"No fact of occupation in the world found a fair solution in a
peaceful manner. Azerbaijan must itself liberate seven regions
around Nagorno-Karabakh, and then resume the negotiations. And
politicians should prepare nation for this," Hasanguliyev said at the
scientific-theoretical conference on "The role and tasks of political
parties and NGOs in solving the Karabakh conflict".

The MP said that the opposition parties, which undertook obligations
before the Council of Europe to resolve the conflict peacefully,
should abandon their signature.

"The reasons why they do not do it are clear. They think if they
withdraw signature, West will refuse cooperation," said Hasanguliyev.

Making a speech at the conference, chairman of opposition Adalat
Party, MP Ilyas Ismaylov said he did not see anything improper in
undertaking such an obligation. "Application of a peaceful path to
resolving conflicts is an international principle. But if the conflict
is able to be settled through refusal from signature, then I will do
it first," said Ismaylov.

Chairman of opposition Democratic Party Sardar Jalaloglu said that
the solution of the conflict must be made in a legal plane.

"Resolution of the conflict should be moved from political into legal
arena. International mediators do not participate permanently in any
of conflicts existing in the world. Mediators deal with only those
that delay the conflict, ensuring the interests of their countries,"
he said.

He stated that the government and opposition should take a unified
position on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Chairman of opposition Democratic Reforms Party, MP Asim Mollazade,
said that the facts of military crimes committed by Armenia
against Azerbaijan must be presented to the attention of the world
community. "Unfortunately, the world community is not completely aware
of these facts. Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should not be used by any
parties for their own purposes. This kind of national question should
not be used for public campaigns of political parties in the debate
with other parties," Mollazade said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

TURKISH MAN ASSAULTED FOR MISSIONARY ACTIVITIES: REPORT

Agence France Presse
August 4, 2009 Tuesday 8:16 AM GMT

A 24-year-old street seller assaulted a man on grounds he was
proselytizing Christianity, holding a knife to his throat in downtown
Istanbul before surrendering to police, newspapers reported Tuesday.

The incident, the latest in a string of religiously-motivated attacks
in Turkey in recent years, happened Monday on a busy avenue in
Istanbul’s Kadikoy district, before the eyes of dozens of passers-by.

The assailant — identified as 24-year-old pirate CD vendor Yasin
Karasu — wrapped a Turkish flag around the head of Ismail Aydin,
35, put a knife to his throat and shouted "This is Turkey, you cannot
distribute Bibles here," the Haberturk newspaper said.

The stand-off lasted for 20 minutes before the police persuaded the
assailant to surrender, according to the Sabah daily.

Karasu later told the police he was angry with Aydin for converting
to Christianity and engaging in missionary activities, Sabah said,
while the Vatan daily suggested the assailant was mentally disturbed.

Proselytizing is generally viewed with suspicion in Turkey, whose
population is predominantly Muslim, with tiny Greek Othodox, Catholic,
Armenian and Jewish communities, concentrated in Istanbul.

An Italian Roman Catholic priest was shot dead in 2006 and three
Protestants — a German missionary and two Turkish converts — had
their throats slit in 2007.

Two Catholic priests have been stabbed and several churches have
reported harrassment and threats.

The incidents have fuelled fears of rising nationalism and hostility
against non-Muslims in Turkey, which is seeking to join the European
Union.

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.