Author: Chmshkian Vicken

MIATSUM INITIATIVE NOT PERMITTED TO HOLD EVENTS ON NAGORNO KARABAKH PROBLEM

Noyan Tapan

Nov 19, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 19, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 14 and 18, the town
authorities of Echmiadzin and Armavir prohibited the members of
the Miatsum (Joining) national initiative to hold open seminars
on the subject of Nagorno Karabakh conflict at town’s houses of
culture. Initiative members, NA deputy Zaruhi Postanjian, former
freedom-fighter Zhirayr Sefilian, and Alex Kananian reported at the
November 19 press conference. According to Z.

Postanjian, after Echmiadzin Mayor’s Office violating the agreement
reached in advance refused to provide a hall to them she applied to
NA Speaker Hovik Abrahamian.

Z. Postanjian said that H. Abrahamian talked to RA President Serzh
Sargsyan, after which rang up to the deputy and said that Miatsum
should not organize such events, as they are "part of the political
project" of first President Levon Ter-Petrosian. When Z. Postanjian
objected mentioning that their events are not political, but national,
the NA Speaker said: "You are not aware yourself that you implement
a project."

According to the deputy, they came across obstacles in Armavir as
well: town’s Police surrounded the house of culture and prohibited
the town residents to enter the house. "As a result we organized a
march in town streets voicing "Artsakh!," "Miatsum!," "Those Ceding
Land are Traitors!."

400 people were to take part in our event in the hall, while the number
of the march participants reached 4 thousand," Z. Postanjian said.

PRIME MINISTER OF ARMENIA VISITS BEATEN-UP JOURNALIST EDIK BAGHDASARYAN

ArmInfo
2008-11-18 16:10:00

ArmInfo. Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargsyan has visited Edik
Baghdasaryan, Head of ‘Hetq’ (‘Step’) portal and Association of
Investigator-Journalists of Armenia, St. Grigor Lusavorich Medical
Center Tuesday. E. Baghdasaryan was attacked on 17 November, the
governmental press-service told ArmInfo.

The premier condemned the incident and talked to the journalists who
visited E. Baghdasaryan. Tigran Sargsyan expressed confidence that
guilty will be exposed shortly. The premier came out for creating
atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect in public. In this
connection, a government-media-public dialogue should advise right
decisions, he said. The same day, Helsinki Civil Assembly Office in
Vanadzor condemned the attack on Edik Baghdasaryan.

The Assembly in particular declared that the attack on E. Baghdasaryan
was another evidence of the fact that journalists and human rights
defenders of principle have become a target in Armenia. All the
similar attacks have remained unexposed which testifies to conscious
idleness of the authorities that aim to liquidate the last "islands"
of protection of human rights and freedoms through impunity
and atmosphere of fear, the Assembly declared. The journalist
was attacked when approaching his car parked near his office in
Buzand Street. Baghdasaryan tried to shelter in the entrance of the
neighboring building, however three attackers caught him up, cruelly
beat and escaped. The journalist got head injuries and was taken to
the Reanimation Department of ‘Grigor Lusavorich’ Medical Center.

ArmInfo correspondent was informed in the Medical Center that
Baghdasaryan was moved to the Department of Neurosurgery. ‘Hetq’
portal office told ArmInfo that E. Baghdasaryan’s health state is
satisfactory at present.

However, physicians say the journalist needs at least 5-days of care
at hospital for he had second-degree brain concussion and traumas.

RA NA SPEAKER MEETS WITH CHAIRMEN OF RF STATE DUMA AND FEDERATION ASSEMBLY IN MOSCOW

Noyan Tapan

Nov 18, 2008

MOSCOW, NOVEMBER 18, NOYAN TAPAN. On November 17, RA National Assembly
Speaker Hovik Abrahamian, who was in RF on an official visit, met
with Chairman of RF State Duma Boris Gryzlov. The State Duma Chairman
greeting the Armenian delegation recorded with satisfaction that the
warm relations between the two countries formed historically become
stronger and stronger.

He expressed the hope that henceforth the interparliamentary relations
of the two countries will develop for even more attaching importance
to cooperation between the two countries in the legislative sphere.

H. Abrahamian, in his turn, highly evaluated Russia’s role in the
work done in the direction of solving the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
attaching importance to the latest meeting of the Presidents of
Armenia and Azerbaijan organized with the mediation and efforts of
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow and according to the
signed document, the readiness to solve the problem peacefully.

According to the report provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA NA
Speaker’s Spokesperson, issues related to relaunching of the
enterprises belonging to Russia by the Property for Debt agreement,
organization of proper events to prevent persecutions and murders
of citizens of Armenia on ethnic ground in Russia, increasing the
commodity circulation between the two countries, work done to reduce
the influence of the world financial crisis, expansion of regional
cooperation, and coordinated work of the parliaments at international
structures were discussed during the meeting.

At the end of the meeting they signed a Memorandum, which attached
importance to further development of traditional friendship and
cooperation betwen the two countries and peoples, more efficient
control by the parliament over the fulfillment of the agreements
and contracts signed, consistent work of the interparliamentary
commission, exchange of experience of parliamentary structures,
efficient cooperation within the framework of international events.

The same day the RA NA Speaker met with Chairman of RF Federation
Assembly Sergei Mironov.

During the meeting the interlocutors touched upon regional cooperation,
increasing the commodity circulation volume between the two countries,
Nagorno Karabakh settlement, development of interparliamentary
contacts, events to be organized on December 7 in Gyumri on the
occasion of the 20th anniversary of Spitak earthquake.

H. Abrahamian said that more than 10 years have passed since the
signing of the interparliamentary agreement, and as many geopolitical
and economic changes have happened in the world, a necessity of new
approaches and clarifications has emerged. S. Mironov accepted the
proposal to sign a new agreement.

The same day H. Abrahamian received CSTO Secretary General Sergei
Bordyuzha at the Embassy of Armenia in Russia and had a tete-a-tete
talk with him.

The delegation led by the RA National Assembly Speaker returned to
Yerevan on November 18.

INTER-PARLIAMENTARY COOPERATION MEMORENDUM SIGNED BETWEEN ARMENIA AND RUSSIA

Panorama.am
21:12 17/11/2008

The Chairman of National Assembly of Armenia Hovik Abrahamyan had a
meeting with his Russian counterpart Boris Grizlov. During the meeting
H. Abrahamyan mentioned that Russia has a significant role to play in
the regulation of NKR conflict. B. Grizlov said that Armenia and Russia
have always had co-agreed policy in international parliamentarian
organizations. "We always work together," announced B. Grizlov.

In the frames of Abrahamyan’s working visit to Moscow a memorandum
is signed between the two Parliaments.

Note that today Armenian delegation will be hosted by the President
of Federative Council of Russian Federation.

THE CO-CHAIRMEN TO VISIT STEPANAKERT

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
14 Nov 08
Armenia

During their visit to the region the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmen
will visit Nagorno Karabakh.

As we were informed from the NKR representation in RA the term is not
clarified yet but the visit to Stepanakert is already planned. Today
the Co-Chairmen will arrive in Yerevan from Baku.

MOSCOW DECLARATION FACILITATES KARABAKH SETTLEMENT – U.S. DIPLOMAT

Interfax
Nov 14 2008
Russia

BAKU. Nov 13 (Interfax) – The Moscow Declaration signed by Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Russia helps settle the Karabakh problem, said Matthew
Bryza, the U.S. co-chairman of the Minsk Group, brokering the
settlement. Bryza told reporters in Baku on Thursday that Russia
had played a positive role [in settling the conflict], while the
declaration signed on November 1 in Moscow facilitates the Minsk
Group’s activities.

The co-chairmen handed their proposals to the conflicting parties in
Madrid a year ago and now they must be coordinated, he said.

Regarding the basic principles, they are balanced and, hopefully,
the territories will be returned to Azerbaijan, so refugees could
return to their homes, Bryza said.

A corridor could be formed between Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh as part
of the settlement, and peacekeepers could be deployed in this zone,
he said. The issue of a future vote on the status of Nagorno-Karabakh
will depend on an agreement between the Azeri and Armenian presidents,
he said. Bryza noted, that a level of trust and respect exists between
the two presidents.

The U.S. diplomat also welcomed Turkey’s growing role in ensuring
peace and stability in the South Caucasus. Turkey is a very important
country and a NATO ally, and it must play a significant role in the
Caucasus. This is happening now, he said.

38TH CHESS OLYMPIAD TO OPEN IN DRESDEN
By Robert Huntington

Associated Press

en/main.htm
Saturday November 15 2008

DRESDEN, Germany (AP) – The highly rated Russian team led by former
world champion Vladimir Kramnik will enter the 38th Chess Olympiad
in Dresden as the clear favorite, but one American grandmaster says
the U.S. is fielding its strongest ever team.

The 13-day tournament starting Thursday includes 154 teams in the
open division often referred to as the men’s division although it
includes a few women and 116 in a separate women’s division.

Ukraine is ranked second behind Russia in the open division, with China
third, Azerbaijan fourth and Hungary fifth. The next five teams are,
in order, Bulgaria, France, Israel, Armenia, and the United States.

Yet some believe the U.S.’s No. 10 ranking is misleading and the open
division team almost identical to the one that took the bronze behind
Armenia and China at the last Olympiad, in Turin, Italy, in 2006 is
actually much stronger.

American grandmaster Yasser Seirawan called the U.S. open team "the
strongest team that America has ever fielded."

While he did not favor them for a medal, Seirawan said that first board
Gata Kamsky of Brooklyn, New York, and second board 20-year-old Hikaru
Nakamura of White Plains, New York, "are brimming with confidence
and are dangerous players who ca n beat anyone on a given day."

American grandmaster Larry Christiansen said the "Americans are
underrated in general compared to the Europeans. If they avoid jet lag,
they can finish in the top five."

The Russian team is led by former world champion Kramnik and is the
highest-rated team ever to participate in an Olympiad.

Seirawan predicted that Russia would win the Olympiad, with Armenia
and Azerbaijan taking silver and bronze.

On the women’s side, Russia is also seeded first, and Ukraine and
China are tied for second and third place.

A number of changes have been introduced for this Olympiad. The number
of rounds has been reduced from 14 to 11; the number of reserves on
each team has been reduced from two to one; and it will be scored by
match points instead of game points.

The World Chess Federation will also hold its annual congress during
the Olympiad.

FAKE DRAM BILL TO BE COMPENSATED MONTHS LATER

A1+
[01:50 pm] 13 November, 2008

Anahit, 53, was given a fake 1000 dram bill in one of the stores in
Yerevan, but Anahit recognized it hours later.

"I felt that the quality of the dram is different and that there was no
"spiral"," says Anahit.

She doesn’t remember which store gave her a fake dram because she had
done shopping in a couple of stores. Was Anahit getting ready to show
the fake dram to police?

"It’s not my fault. I’m not the one who falsified it. Will they give
me my 1000 drams if I take it to the police?"

The press service of the Central Bank replied to "A1+" that no
state body compensates the woman for the fake dram. According to the
press service of the Central Bank, the bank is preparing new defense
mechanisms against the printing of fake drams. Citizens may check
the transparent images, holograms, colors and lines. Treasurers with
ultraviolet light or microscopes may also check the nominal value
and the small letters on the dram.

ACCORDING TO ANDRANIK TEVANIAN, EVEN IF ONE VILLAGE IS CEDED TO AZERBAIJAN KARABAKH WILL GO TO RUIN

Noyan Tapan

Nov 12, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, NOYAN TAPAN. "The political forces, who expect a
quick solution to the Nagorno Karabakh settlement, will be disappointed
deeply," Andranik Tevanian, the Director of the Politeconomia Institute
of Political Studies, stated at the November 12 press conference. He
affirmed that the active stage of the negotiations over the Nagorno
Karabakh settlement has finished, and the negotiations will not be
resumed by the end of the year.

The RA authorities, according to A. Tevanian, are inclined to delay
the real settlement to the conflict thinking that if former President
Robert Kocharian managed to delay the issue for 10 years, they will
also manage to.

According to A. Tevanian, before signing Moscow declaration
Armenia’s pro-governmental press and "court intellectuals" studied
society and prepared them for it by saying that "we do not need the
liberated territories, we need peace." According to the political
scientist, they wanted to convince society that ceding the above
mentioned territories is a necessary step. "However, when Ilham
Aliyev stated that besides those territories he also wants Karabakh,
they gave up the idea of ceding the territories and ran to Karabakh
for exercises to show that we have a battle-worthy army," Andranik
Tevanian mentioned. The political scientist stated that even if one
village is ceded to Azerbaijan, Karabakh will go to ruin.

According to A. Tevanian, it causes bewilderment that on the one
hand, the Armenians declare that they have a mighty army and on
the other hand, they are glad that allegedly the necessity to solve
the Nagorno Karabakh problem peacefully has been stipulated by the
Declaration. Indeed, as the political scientist emphasized, there
is no expression "not to use force" in the Declaration: it is just
mentioned that the sides should solve the problem politically. And
besides, as the political scientist affirmed, a country having a
mighty and non-corrupted army should not be afraid of a war.

TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER TO VISIT AZERBAIJAN

Trend News Agency
Nov 12 2008
Azerbaijan

Turkey, Ankara, 12 November / TrendNews corr. T.Aliyev / On 12 November
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said at a news conference that
he will visit Azerbaijan soon.

The Turkish diplomat has not yet determined an exact time of the visit.

The conflicts in South Caucasus damage important transport and
energy projects of the region, Turkish Foreign Minister Babacan
said. Turkey’s peace attempts target to settle conflicts in South
Caucasus. Turkey is interested in solution of the Georgian-Russian,
Armenian-Azerbaijani and Armenian-Turkish conflicts, he stressed.

The Caucasus Stability & Cooperation Platform, which Turkey offers,
coincides with policy of the European Union (EU) in the region,
the Turkish Foreign Minister said.

Babacan said that Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan will
also visit Turkey.

"There is no need to wait for the Turkey-Armenia match, which will be
held in October 2009, to hold a meeting between Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish President Abdullah Gul. The Presidents
can meet within next months," Babacan said.