Author: Chalian Meline

IRAN REACHING GEORGIAN BLACK SEA PORTS VIA ARMENIA

The Messenger
Jan 19 2010
Georgia

Armenia and the Asian Development Bank have signed an agreement which
specifies that in 2010-2017 the bank will allot a loan for constructing
motorways connecting Armenia with the Georgian Black sea ports of
Poti and Batumi. USD 120 million will be used for this purpose in 2010.

Armenia’s Transport and Communication Minister Gurgen Sarkisian has
confirmed that the Asian Development Bank will allot USD 500 million.

Iran’s Ambassador to Armenia highlighted that Iran is interested in
constructing this motorway and Iranian banks will also participate in
financing the construction. The initial cost of the project is USD 962
million. The project plan has been prepared by German-Austrian Company
ILF following a feasibility study undertaken by the PADECO company.

The distance between Yerevan and Batumi by road is presently around
700 kilometres. After the construction of the new motorway it will
be only 450 kilometres.

"WE LOSE IN CASE OF FREEZING THE PROCESS"

Aysor
Jan 18 2010
Armenia

Today on the meeting with the journalists the RA ex-Prime Minister,
member of ANC Hrant Bagratyan said that there is no need to bother
and the Constitutional Court was to announce that the protocols
correspond with the constitution: "I do not see any fact worthy to
be commented on."

According to him Turkey has not yet decided the border opening issue,
but thinks that today the score is 1:0 in Turkey’s favor.

"We have made serious steps. We do not discuss whether they are right
or wrong. But if that step doesn’t bring to any result and the process
is freezing and neither Turkey ratifies nor us then we lose. In the
Ukrainian Rada the Genocide issue is already frozen", – H. Bagratyan
announced, and added that it is correct to wait for the Turkish
ratification, – "We shouldn’t make the Turkish feel impudent. But they
see that that there neither force nor any concept in front of them."

According to H. Bagratyan after the signing of the documents the rating
of the Erdogan’s government increased with 7% and the authorities of
the Armenian authorities decreased.

"If this economic situation will go on then in 3 – 4 years we will
be asking for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict settlement that
Azerbaijan suggests and we refuse today", – announced H. Bagratyan.

According to the speaker Azerbaijan is buying rockets from Israel by
which he can hit Yerevan and "if the war starts it will not start in
Karabakh but in Yerevan."

ARMENIAN LEADERSHIP’S APPROACHES IN OVERCOMING ECONOMIC CRISIS BELONG TO OPPOSITION: BAGRATYAN

Tert.am
16:05 ~U 18.01.10

The Armenian leadership’s ideas on overcoming the global economic
crisis, in actual fact, belong to the opposition, said Armenian
National Congress representative and former prime minister Hrant
Bagratyan at a press conference today. Three proposals, in particular –
the creation of a pan-Armenian bank, construction of an Iran-Armenia
pipeline, and the building of a new nuclear power plant – are nothing
new: they have been heard since 1992.

In particular, the idea of creating a pan-Armenian bank came about
in May 1992.

As for the creation of an Iran-Armenia gas pipeline, Bagratyan stated
that an agreement had been signed at one time, though the actual
process of beginning construction began with the advent of a new
government. The former prime minister also noted that he had signed
an agreement on creating a new nuclear power plant in 1998.

"But those issues cannot raise the country’s economy, since there
are more important issues," concluded Bagratyan.

LINCOLN MITCHELL: HARD DIPLOMATIC WORK IS REQUIRED TO RESOLVE SUCH CONFLICTS AS THE ONE IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

Today
59656.html
Jan 18 2010
Azerbaijan

Interview with assistant professor in the practice of international
politics at Columbia University’s School of International and Public
Affairs, Lincoln Mitchell.

As you know, region of south Caucasus is a region of frozen conflicts,
which seriously damage the security of the whole region. Now,
considering other issues, such as Afghanistan and Iraq, how important
it is for the US to have its presence felt in the South Caucasus
region?

It’s very important for the US to have its presence felt in the
region. And it’s not easy, nor it can be done lightly. It can’t be
done by flying every now and then or by issuing a few statements. Real
hard diplomatic work is required to resolve or to be constructively
involved into the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict or
Abkhazia, South Osetia.

It is not a priority, compared to Afghanistan or Iran, and as of late –
the earthquake in Haiti, which may not seem like a big deal if you’re
sitting in Baku, but is enormously important for the US. So in that
regard, while this is not really a top shelf priority, it still can,
and should get attention. Perhaps, not on a daily basis from president
Obama, or state secretary Clinton, but for the people working around
them and underneath them. The US needs to have its presence there
not in a sense that Â"we need to have an army thereÂ", but in a sense
that USA is interested and involved in resolving these problems.

Russia is considered one of the major players in the SC region,
and so is Turkey. Again, with other problems to deal with, it seems
like US began to lose its power in the South Caucasus region. Do you
believe it is so?

I would also say, that China is an important power in the region too.

You know, globally, one of the impacts of the first 8 years in
this decade was that the US has less ability to be present, and to
have influence in far away places. Part of this is true, due to the
fact that other countries that are strong, and wealthy, and taking
European Union as an example – it can play a positive role. I am not
sure however that Russia’s role in Georgia is not a positive one,
unfortunately. Part of it is due to the economic meltdown in the late
2008, from which the world hasn’t fully recovered yet. And part of
it goes to the disastrous US policy in Iraq. I wouldn’t write the
United States off from the region, it still can have its presence felt.

Policy makers in Washington understand that right now.

What are the chances, in your opinion, of the SC countries (such as
Azerbaijan, and Georgia) to join NATO?

In the short run, the chances are not very good. But that’s also a
reflection of where NATO is right now. Azerbaijan and Georgia simply
don’t have enough votes right now. A bigger picture question is
Â"should Azerbaijan and Georgia, or one of them eventually join NATOÂ".

It is the view of NATO and also of the USA, that if the country wants
to join NATO (which is very clear in Georgia’s case), then it should.

As for the long run, I think it’s a strong possibility, if that’s
what countries want to do, and if both countries can substantially
strengthen their democracy domestically.

The frozen conflicts in both countries are problems, but not unsolvable
problems. In other words, progress can be made, and NATO can lead
Georgia or Azerbaijan half way. But I don’t think it’s going to happen
anytime soon. Both Georgia and Azerbaijan are hindered by bigger
picture politics within NATO, over which Azerbaijan and Georgia have
no control.

There are obvious tensions between US and Iran about this infamous
nuclear program. And it seems like Iran doesn’t react to the
sanctions. What in your opinion are options for the US to deal with
this problem? Is there a possibility for a military way of regulation?

The Obama administration, in my view, and you can see this very clearly
with Iran differs from its predecessor in a very important way. The
Bush administration was very interested in bluster and talking big. The
Obama administration is less interested in talking, and more interested
in getting things done. President Obama and his team have resisted
weighing in on issues such as Iran’s domestic political turmoil. They
know, that it will only strengthen the Ahmadinejad regime. Frankly,
I think the administration in Washington is too smart to be pulled
into taking any military action. I think they are pursuing a quieter
course, the one that will be more successful.

This issue with Iran is very serious for the United States, and not
really serious for anyone else. Iran doesn’t want to be in a position,
where the US will let Israel handle the problem, because it won’t work
out very well for Iran. But Iran is also facing a domestic political
crisis. In my view, the best US can do, is quietly watch the current
Iran regime collapse by itself, and then pick up the pieces. It won’t
be a 6 month process, I would say it might take from 3 to 5 years.

TIGRAN SARGSYAN’S CONGRATULATIONS TO "RA PRIME MINISTER CUP" PARTICIPANTS AND WINNERS

gov.am
Jan 18 2010
Armenia

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan was in attendance of RA Prime
Minister Cup’s final game in the framework of "Brain Ring"
intellectual marathon, contested by the teams of connoisseurs of
government agencies. The finance ministry team won the contest,
closely followed by those representing the ministries of economy,
agriculture and State property management department by the government
respectively. In his congratulatory remarks, the Prime Minister said
in particular: "In the first place, I would like to congratulate the
winners and wish them every success in future.

I feel this intellectual contest should inspire the whole staff of
the Ministry of Finance forward to new achievements as your work is
intellectual in itself. This is an indication to our society that
your ministry is prepared to defy new challenges ahead: we will always
have such intellectuals as will find the best possible solutions amid
emergency situations when non-standard approaches and quick thinking
is needed and, of course, we are enthusiastic about this."

The Prime Minister has stressed the need for engrafting an intellectual
bias upon the government and mentioned that "in this respect,
the government may become the leader of a broader intellectual
drive." Tigran Sargsyan assured that the competition will be held
annually, with the contests to be covered by Armenia TV.

Nalbandian, Bradtke discuss Karabakh process
16.01.2010 14:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met with
US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassador Robert Bradtke and US
Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch to discuss the latest
developments in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process, RA
MFA press office reported.

The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 by the Conference on Security
and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE, now Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)) to encourage a peaceful, negotiated
resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The Helsinki Additional Meeting of the CSCE Council on 24 March 1992,
requested the Chairman-in-Office to convene as soon as possible a
conference on Nagorno Karabakh under the auspices of the CSCE to
provide an ongoing forum for negotiations towards a peaceful
settlement of the crisis on the basis of the principles, commitments
and provisions of the CSCE. The Conference is to take place in Minsk.
Although it has not to this date been possible to hold the conference,
the so-called Minsk Group spearheads the OSCE effort to find a
political solution to this conflict.

OnDecember 6 , 1994, the Budapest Summit decided to establish a
co-chairmanship for the process.

Implementing the Budapest decision, the Chairman-in-Office issued on
23 March 1995, the mandate for the Co-Chairmen of the Minsk Process.

The main objectives of the Minsk Process are as follows: Providing an
appropriate framework for conflict resolution in the way of assuring
the negotiation process supported by the Minsk Group; Obtaining
conclusion by the Parties of an agreement on the cessation of the
armed conflict in order to permit the convening of the Minsk
Conference; Promoting the peace process by deploying OSCE
multinational peacekeeping forces.

The Minsk Process can be considered to be successfully concluded if
the objectives referred to above are fully met.

The Minsk Group is headed by a Co-Chairmanship consisting of France,
Russia and the United States. Furthermore, the Minsk Group also
includes the following participating States: Belarus, Germany, Italy,
Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Turkey as well as Armenia
and Azerbaijan. Current Co-chairmen of the Minsk Group are: Ambassador
Bernard Fassier of France, Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov of the Russian
Federation and Ambassador Robert Bradtke of the United States.

MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS DUE IN ARMENIA NEXT WEEK

armradio.am
15.01.2010 17:44

The Minsk Group Co-chairs will arrive in Armenia on January 20 within
the framework of a regional visit, Acting Spokesman of the Ministry
of Foreign affairs of Armenia, Tigran Balayan told "Radiolur."

Russian Co-Chairs Yurri Merzlyakov had told Trend News earlier that
the mediators would visit Armenia and Azerbaijan in January.

ANATOLY SERDYUKOV: COOPERATION BETWEEN RUSSIA AND ARMENIA IN MILITARY SPHERE IS OF STRATEGIC NATURE

NoyanTapan
Jan 14, 2010

MOSCOW, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Issues related to military and
military-technical cooperation of Armenia and Russia, regional
security, and education of Armenian servicemen at Russian military
educational institutions were discussed at the January 13 working
meeting of Defense Ministers of Armenia and Russia Seyran Ohanian
and Anatoly Serdyukov in Moscow.

According to the Information and PR Department of the RA Ministry
of Defense, when speaking about bilateral relations in the military
sphere, A. Serdyukov said that "the cooperation between Russia and
Armenia in this sphere is of a strategic nature".

ARF TO CONTINUE ACTIVITIES AGAINST ARMENO-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.01.2010 15:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The verdict of Armenian Constitutional Court over the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols enables and forces Armenia to act further in
accordance with the decision, Vahan Hovhannisyan , ARF (Dashnaktsutyun)
parliamentary group leader told a press conference in Yerevan.

He stressed, that Protocols’ articles on the establishment of
diplomatic relations and opening of Armenia-Turkey border need to be
clarified by the Constitutional Court. "For the development of further
relations between the two countries new agreements should be signed and
pass all relevant procedures in the country," Vahan Hovhannisyan said.

He is not satisfied with the explanation of the Armenian Constitutional
Court, he said, although appreciates that the court accepted all the
arguments presented ARFD . "We have sufficient pre-requisites for
further work in this direction," Hovannisyan said.

Protocols on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations have
been signed on October 10, 2009 in Zurich by the foreign ministers
of Armenia and Turkey, Edward Nalbandian and Ahmet Davutoglu in the
presence of the foreign ministers of France, the United States, Russia
and Switzerland after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss
mediation since 2007. According to the Protocols, diplomatic relations
should be established between the two countries and the mutual border,
closed by Turkey since 1993, should be opened. On January 12, 2010
Armenian Constitutional Court acknowledged the constituency of the
Protocols.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARFD) is one of the oldest
Armenian political parties, founded in 1890 in Tiflis by Christapor
Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian. Between 1918-1920
Dashnaktsutyun was the ruling party in the Republic of Armenia. As
a result of the Soviet invasion Dashnak government suspended its
activities. During the Soviet terror a great number of Dashnak
officers were executed, some emigrated. In 1988, the party returned
to Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh. At present, ARF Dashnaktsutyun has
offices in many countries wourlwide. In 1994, the party’s activities
in Armenia was banned by the President Levon Ter-Petrossian’s decree,
several members were arrested. In 1998, a decree was repealed by the
newly-elected President Robert Kocharyan. To date, the party belongs
to the opposition. The party’s program remains unchanged: creation
of a united, free and independent Armenia within the boundaries
established by the Treaty of Sèvres in 1920.

‘WHETHER AZERBAIJAN LIKES IT OR NOT, KARABAKH IS INDEPENDENT REPUBLIC’: SHARMAZANOV

Tert.am
15:51 ~U 15.01.10

Progress is evident recently in the issue of the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, said Republican Party of Armenia press
spokesperson, MP Edward Sharmazanov during a press conference today.

As proof of his statement, the parliamentarian pointed to the nine
meetings held between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
recently.

Sharmazanov also turned his attention to the possible signing of an
agreement during the upcoming meeting in Moscow between the presidents
of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia.

"Such an agreement cannot be signed without [addressing] the issue
of the Karabakh people’s situation," he said.

However, the ruling party spokesperson also noted that he doesn’t
really see the possibility of signing an agreement in the near future.

"Whether Azerbaijan likes it or not, Karabakh is an independent
republic. Karabakh cannot be in a worse situation than it is now,"
concluded Sharmazanov.