Author: Chmshkian Vicken

PREMIER: COMMERCIAL BANKS OF ARMENIA ABLE TO MANAGE RISKS

ARKA
Dec 29, 2008

YEREVAN, December 29. /ARKA/. Armenian commercial banks know how
to manage risks, the country’s Premier Tigran Sargsyan said in his
interview to a number of news agencies.

When the risk background strengthens, negative expectations of real
sector enterprises make heads of commercial banks conduct more balanced
and cautious policy, the Premier said. This policy is justified: they
have no right to follow a risky policy in the world crisis conditions,
the Premier said in answering the question of ARKA agency on interest
rates of commercial banks.

The Premier stressed that a state following a competent macroeconomic
policy should manage the risks competently.

"This means that pro-active government policy will reduce the risks in
the country, and if we reduce the risks, commercial banks can reduce
interest rates," the head of the government said.

CONFERENCE ON THE KARABAKH ISSUE IN BERLIN

Lragir.am
14:58:17 – 25/12/2008

A few days ago a conference on "Options of settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict from the Azerbaijani viewpoint" was organized
at the office of Conrad Adenauer Foundation in Berlin.

Elhan Nuriyev, director of the Center of Strategic Sciences under the
Azerbaijani President and Johannes Rau, member of the International
Security Forum under the German Military Academy were invited to
make speeches.

The NKR Permanent Representative to Germany Gayane Apinyan and the
Ambassador of Azerbaijan to Germany Parviz Shahbazov also took part
in the conference, held by Peter Hefele, senior officer of the Conrad
Adenauer Foundation.

The Azerbaijani representative developed his speech in the
context of the Azerbaijani territorial integrity and threat of
the Karabakh conflict settlement by force. In response, officer of
the German International Institute on Security Issues Uwe Halbach
and representative of the Union of the Christian-Democratic and
Christian-Social Parties in the Council of Europe Rayner Dornzaifer
noted that they treated the Azerbaijani territorial integrity with
understanding; however the existing new realities and facts should
be taken into account in solving the conflict. Uwe Halbach added that
the demand of territorial integrity is not absolute and sometimes not
realistic, exemplifying Georgia. Rayner Dornzaifer advised Azerbaijan
to learn a lesson from the history of Germany that, according to
him, after The World War II had to accept the existing reality, thus
guaranteeing peace and security in Europe. He expressed confidence
that in case of refusing the territorial integrity, Azerbaijan will
contribute to the peaceful settlement of the conflict and together
with Armenia will be given great assistance from the Council of Europe
for liquidating the consequences of the conflict.

In response to Nuriev’s threatening to solve the Karabakh issue by
use of force, Gayane Apinyan in her turn reminded how many people from
both sides sacrificed during the previous war and in what unfavorable
conditions the people of Nagorno-Karabakh managed to uphold their
natural right to liberty.

"Today, in spite of Azerbaijan’s furious armament, Nagorno-Karabakh,
due to its high state orderliness, is incomparably stronger and is
ready to defend its independence", she said.

Gayane Apinyan advised Azerbaijan’s representatives to give up
revanchist aspirations and respect the right of the people of
Nagorno-Karabakh to independent existence.

AZERBAIJAN DECIDED NOT TO INTERFERE INTO ARMENIA-TURKEY RELATIONS?

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2008 18:03 GMT+04:00

Turkey will itself decide whether to normalize relations with
Armenia or not. Azerbaijan will never meddle with the affairs of
other sovereign states, said a spokesman for the Azeri Ministry of
Foreign Affairs.

"Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minsiter Recep Tayyip Erdogan
have already condemned the apology campaign," Khazar Ibrahim said,
Bakililar.az reports.

Over 20 thousand of Turkish intellectuals, authors, journalists,
scientists and musicians have already signed the apology petition which
reads, "My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and
the denial of the Great Calamity that befell the Ottoman Armenians
in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with
the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them."

Today’s Zaman , Turkey
Dec 20 2008

"Joint committee" of historians on Armenian debate

Debates about genocide claims would be routine agenda items of April
every year. With the "apology" campaign launched by a group of
intellectuals, we have made an early start this year. There is now
complete confusion.

The president, the prime minister, intellectuals, columnists,
ambassadors and political party leaders are all involved in the
debate. For some, this campaign is a sign of democracy and free
thinking in Turkey. For others, it is clear treason.

The early start of this debate is actually a good development. Indeed,
this year’s picture in Washington is different. In April, Barack
Obama, who promised to recognize the genocide during his election
campaign, will be residing in the White House. Moreover, the Democrats
dominate both houses of Congress. This debate may serve as an occasion
for us to start to think about what possible measures we can take
against the passage of a genocide bill, which was prevented by the US
administration at the last moment last year.

But, there is another point that these discussions have revealed. As
is known, the most progressive proposal made by Turkey against the
genocide claims until now was to suggest that a joint historical
committee should be established to investigate these claims. Three
years ago, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to
then-Armenian President Robert Kocharyan, officially proposing the
establishment of a joint commission to investigate into the
developments and incidents of 1915. Erdogan’s historic letter stressed
that "Turkish and Armenian peoples, which have shared a common history
and neighbouring geography in a sensitive region, have lived together
peacefully for many years, but have disagreements and different
assessments about a certain part of their common history." In other
words, the problem was that Turks and Armenians have different views
about the incidents of 1915. In order to eliminate this difference,
historians from both countries would come together and find out what
really happened in 1915.

This proposal was not only supported by the government or the ruling
Justice and Development Party (AK Party). Holding a special session to
discuss the genocide claims on April 13, 2005, Parliament issued a
unanimously adopted declaration. Supportive of this historical
committee proposal, this declaration suggested, "The proposal for
setting up a joint committee of historians from Turkey and Armenia
should be taken into consideration."

However, the "apology" campaign, which has gathered support from many
respected intellectuals, and the reactions to it have shown that there
are disagreements not only between Turks and Armenians, but also among
Turks concerning the incidents of 1915. There are distinguished
figures both in the supporters and opponents of this campaign. If we
have a sneak preview of more than 10,000 supporters: Ali Bayramoglu,
Ihsan Dagi, Cengiz Candar, Atilla Eralp, Enis Batur, Omer Laciner,
Omer Marda, Leyla Ipekci, Huseyin Hatemi, Oral Calislar, Hasan Cemal
and the list goes on. So many people cannot be just labelled as
traitors or terrorists and ignored. A number of columnists who
criticize the campaign’s wording or timing refrain from being
disrespectful towards these people.

Moreover, the difference of opinion is not limited to
intellectuals. There is also a big difference between President Gul’s
perspective of the campaign and that of Prime Minister
Erdogan. Retired Ambassador Temel Iskit supports the campaign while
retired ambassadors Sukru Elekdag and Korkmaz Haktanir have signed a
counter declaration.

When people start to personally label each other as traitors,
terrorists, enemies of freedom or fascists, this leads to a dangerous
division. The apology petition may be criticized for many respects. We
may say that it fails to mention the attacks conducted by Armenians
against Turkey in the past or that it does not touch on the Armenian
atrocities in Nagorno-Karabakh or Hocali or that it ignored the part
Western countries played in pitting Armenians and Turks against each
other or that in the same period, millions of Turks were expelled from
the Caucasus or the Balkans or that the thawing of ice that started
with the initiative of two presidents will be risked. But, it is
dubious whether these will help us eliminate confusion of the mind or
change others’ perceptions about it.

In my opinion, the best way to solve both problems is to immediately
establish the joint committee of historians that was approved by
Parliament. Halil Inalcik, Sukru Hanioglu, Ilber Ortayli and other
respected Turkish historians will join this committee to which
distinguished historians of the world will be invited. Another call is
made to the Armenian side, but even if they do not send historians to
the committee, the committee will start to work and produce a report
whose credibility cannot be disputed by anyone. This move will not
only evidence our sincerity and courage in the international arena,
but also prevent this heartrending and dangerous division among
ourselves.

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION TO SET UP YOUTH COUNCIL

Interfax
Dec 17 2008
Russia

Youth organizations that are members of the opposition Armenian
National Congress have announced plans to establish a youth council.

"This step has been prompted by the need to restore democracy and
constitutional order in Armenia," the congress’ member-parties said
in a statement.

"The council is open to youth, public and political forces, as well
as individuals in Armenia and its diaspora," they said.

The statement was signed by the Armenian Nationwide Movement, the
National Party of Armenia, the Republic Party, the Democratic Path
party, the Liberal Party of Armenia, the Alternative sociopolitical
initiative, the Special Regiment and Now youth initiatives, and the
Young Conservatives public organization.

The Armenian National Congress, which is led by the country’s ex-
president Levon Ter-Petrosian, was set up in August 2008. It includes
18 parties and more than a dozen pro-opposition public and youth
organizations.

ARMENIAN OCCUPANTS REFUTE INFORMATION ABOUT WOUNDING OF AZERBAIJANI ARMY SOLDIERS

Today.Az
cs/49679.html
Dec 19 2008
Azerbaijan

The representative of Armenian occupants, dislocated in Nagorno
Karabakh, Senor Asratyan refuted information about wounding of two
servicemen of Azerbaijani army in the Agdam direction.

He called this as "disinformation" and assured that the Armenian side
"observe the ceasefire regime".

It should be noted that as earlier reported two soldiers of Azerbaijani
army, residents of Balaken region Baydarov Revan Islam oghlu and
Baydarov Elvin Telman oghlu were wounded by in the result of ceasefire
violation by Armenians in the direction of the Tezekend village of
Aghdam. They are placed in military hospital.

AMERIABANK INTENDS TO JOIN INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS OF SME CREDITING IN 2009

ArmInfo
2008-12-16 14:08:00

ArmInfo. AMERIABANK plans to join programs of international financial
structures on financing small and medium-size enterprises (SME)
in 2009.

Artak Hanesyan, Chairman of Directorate-General Director, told ArmInfo
the programs of EBRD, IFC and German KfW are in question. ;We are
currently negotiating with some of these organizations and have
already reached the stage of coordination of crediting conditions
as well as studying financial indicators of the bank’, A. Hanesyan
said. By preliminary data, the first agreements will be made in the
first quarter of 2009, he said.

A. Hanesyan said the bank’s credits have sharply increased over the
current year and the upward trends will continue also next year. At
present the credit portfolio of AMERIABANK is nearly 28 billion drams
and will increased to 30 billion drams by the end of the year. He
underlined that the bank’s interest rates are close to average
market rates.

The strategic partner of Ameriabank is TroikaDialog, one of the
biggest Russian investment banks. TDA Holdings LTD representing the
shareholders of the leading investment company in Russia – Troika
Dialog, became the majority shareholder of AMERIABANK CJSC (96.15%)
in Sept 2007. The bank is engaged in investment banking and provides
a full spectrum of traditional banking services. The number of the
bank’s shareholders as of 1 October 2008 totaled 8, in particular,
3 legal entities (99.87% aggregate share) and 5 individuals (0.13%
aggregate share). The bank has been cooperating with Swiss Atlantic
Forfaitierungs AG since January 2008.

GENERAL VELI KUCUK: "PKK IS NOT KURDISH, BUT ARMENIAN PROBLEM"

Azeri Press Agency
Dec 15 2008
Azerbaijan

Istanbul – APA. Addressing the trial on "Ergenekon" in Turkey, retired
General, member of World Azerbaijanis Congress Veli Kucuk said the
criminal case and arrests had been prepared by the order of the US,
APA reports quoting Haberturk.

Veli Kucuk said though investigation on "Ergenekon" had started before
the establishment of Justice and Development Party (AKP), the operation
began after Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s meeting with George Bush in the
White House on November 5, 2007. He said the secret witnesses giving
testimony against him were members of such terrorist organizations
as PKK, Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front and Hezbollah
and refuted the accusations. General said he had led the troops in
border regions for a long time and underlined that he had defended
the friendship of Turks and Kurds.

"I said PKK did not represent Kurds, eastern problem of Turkey was
actually Armenian problem. Of course, some did not like it and that’s
why I am here," he said.

Veli Kucuk’s speech consisted of 101 pages. General’s lawyer is his
daughter Zeyneb.

Obama and the Genocide Task Force
Humanitarian Imperialism
By BINOY KAMPMARK

Weekend Edition
December 12 / 14, 2008
html

Along with the optimism that has accompanied the Obama election emerges
a potentially new picture on humanitarian interventions. What will an
Obama administration do with Darfur, or instances where genocide will
occur? Might he resort to what has been termed humanitarian
imperialism?

A report by the Genocide Prevention Task Force convened by the U.S.
Institute of Peace, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American
Academy of Diplomacy has a few ideas of its own. It was released this
week by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and Defense
Secretary William Cohen. `Preventing genocide is an achievable goal.’
There are discernable `signs and symptoms, and viable options to
prevent it at every turn if we are committed and prepared.’

The Task force report makes various recommendations. Given that both
co-chairs were key players in the Clinton administration, their
influence is hard to ignore. The creation of a high level agency to
identify the problems of genocide with seismic urgency is suggested.
Increased resources are advocated. There is a recommendation for the
new secretary of state to launch an international initiative enlisting
an entire cadre of networks and nations to prevent mass atrocity and
genocide.
Then there is that option of last resort, military intervention.

The task force’s report pairs well with the interventionist rhetoric
Obama has, at times, articulated. His foreign policy advisers ` Susan
E. Rice and Tony Lake ` are old hands from the dark days of the Rwanda
genocide, where semantic gymnastics trumped humanitarian
considerations. In 1994, a gutsy, far-sighted General Dallaire
commanded less weight than State Department memos questioning whether
genocide was even taking place.

Then come those interminable problems with the mechanics of
intervention. Given the intractable presence of the UN Security
Council, the obstacles with allowing intervention will remain serious
ones. The authors think that the U.S. will front with that customary,
messianic tone of leadership ` take the first measures to avert
catastrophe, and others will follow. But ironically, that message
seems oddly (or perhaps not?) close to that of the Bush administration
` invade a country first and the skeptics will follow. The rhetorical
frameworks may differ, but the practical results may be much the same.
When in doubt, build an offensive coalition.

Readers of this report won’t forget that the authors were themselves
part of an administration that orchestrated an ostensibly humanitarian
intervention outside the UN framework in 1999. Then, it was Kosovo and
the issue of preventing ethnic cleansing. To this day, if there is an
identifiable doctrine from the Clinton years, it is one that targets
genocide and humanitarian catastrophe where it is in the national
interest to prevent it. International jurists have subsequently tried
to justify the doctrine, though it remains infuriatingly vague and
inconsistent.

Given the battering the UN and international law received during the
Bush years, the panaceas of the task force are encumbered by problems.
The UN, it would seem, will continue remaining the bête noire of
American foreign policy, whether one is a Bush unilateralist or Obama
internationalist. The former loathes it for being the progenitor of
fictitious international laws and obligations; the latter dislikes it
for being lethargic and indifferent to protecting existing
international laws.

With the US mired in conflicts it has struggled to control in the last
seven years, driven by a unilateralist rationale that commentators now
find hard to justify, the priorities given to genocide prevention may
yet again be minimized. But this will all depend on what formula the
new administration will embrace. While Obama will need to take this
report seriously, he must be fully aware that the US risks being
tarnished with the charge of imperialism (albeit of a different sort)
yet again.

Binoy Kampmark was a Commonwealth Scholar at Selwyn College, University
of College. Email: [email protected]

BAGRAT ESTUKYAN: TURKEY MAY RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WITHIN NEXT 10 YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.12.2008 15:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey may recognize the Armenian Genocide within
next 10 years, the editor of the Armenian sector of Agos newspaper
said.

"The world is changing. Turkey is aspired to join the European
family. Besides, economic trends in both Turkey and Armenia demand
reconciliation. Turkey needs a free economic market and it will try
to come to a common ground with neighboring Armenia," Bagrat Estukyan
told a news conference in Yerevan today.

Acknowledging the Genocide, Turkey will, however, urge Armenia to
renounce any territorial claims, according to him.

"It’s not an easy task for Turkey to confess of perpetrating the
Genocide but it’s inevitable, since the Armenian Genocide is a
historical fact. All know what befell Armenians in the Ottoman Empire
but Ankara is still engaged in self-delusion," he said.