Author: Chmshkian Vicken

New Flats Will be Rendered

October 08, 2008

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department

Today, the NKR Prime Minister has signed a resolution on improving the
dwelling conditions of the NKR perished soldiers’ families and
inhabitants of the dormitory in 42, Tigran Mets street in Stepanakert.
By the resolution, 11 flats of newly constructed house in 9,
Azatamartikneri street and 21 flats of the newly constructed flats in
25, Tigran Mets street are passed to the management of the city
administration.
Stepanakert city administration was allowed to render flats to the
above mentioned families and citizens, in accordance with the order,
prescribed by the NKR legislation.
The NKR minister of economic development and mayor of Stepanakert
city administration were assigned with a task to realize the activities
on rendering flats in 10 days.

COURTING THE MULTICULTURAL VOTE IN LAVAL-LES-NLES
By Martin C. Barry

Laval News
October 9, 2008
Canada

Evereklian claims to have crucial support from many of those
constituents

Laval-les-Ã~Nles Conservative Agop Evereklian meets Mourelatos
supermarket owner Peter Mouleratos out campaigning in Chomedey
last week. Out campaigning on Melville Avenue in the heart of
Laval’s Chomedey district last week, Laval-les-Ã~Nles Conservative
candidate Agop Evereklian met residents of Armenian, Greek, Italian,
French, English and other origins. "What I like about this is that
I can communicate to my citizens in their language of choice," says
Evereklian, who is himself Armenian, but who is conversant in five
languages, and "manages" in two others.

Security on agenda In step with the Conservative Party’s agenda during
this election, Evereklian says, "One of the concerns I come across on
a daily basis is security, especially if you go to the western part of
Chomedey closer to Ste. Dorothée. Home invasions is one concern that
people have. Then lately in recent days we’ve been asked questions
about culture and about the juvenile criminal system."

In a riding that is among the most thoroughly multicultural anywhere in
Canada, Evereklian claims to have the crucial support of many of those
constituents. Earlier this week, in a bid to gain the support of Greek
voters, he was to release an important statement regarding his position
on the controversial FYROM/Macedonia recognition issue. Evereklian is
making as much as he can of the fact that he is a longtime resident of
Ste. Dorothée in the riding, and that his principal rival, Liberal
incumbent Raymonde Folco, lives on the other side of the Rivière
des Prairies in west end Montreal.

Lives in the riding "This is the difference," he says. "When you live
in the riding, even when you are just simply living, people can see
you, people can talk with you and be with you, and most of the time
when I’m out doing my personal business, I see citizens, constituents,
and we say hello, we exchange, and this is what I love about serving
the community … These are little moments that give me the courage
and the inspiration to go on and continue."

Perhaps more significantly, Evereklian says he has the support of
four former Laval-les-Ã~Nles Liberal riding association presidents
(Evereklian also served as president), who defected from the Liberal
ranks because of irreconciliable grievances against the party. In
all, as many as 650 former Laval-les-Ã~Nles Liberals now belong to
the local Conservative riding association, Evereklian claims. "This
is only the tip of the iceberg … I am receiving a lot of people in
my campaign office, citizens who claim to be Liberals, but they say
they need change and this time they are supporting our camp."

Recognition factor Stepping into the Mourelatos supermarket on Notre
Dame Boulevard, Evereklian is greeted warmly by its well-known owner,
Peter Mourelatos. "I’m a simple candidate," Evereklian says, noting
that he doesn’t have the fame and stature of an incumbent MP. "But
when I come to these places it’s amazing to see the number of people
who recognize me." From there, Evereklian is off for an interview
at a local multiethnic radio station, doing everything he can to
convince all the riding’s voters that he’s the right choice as
Laval-les-Ã~Nles’s next MP.

–Boundary_(ID_9Ub6ylqHO+R1TfVXgV1Dqg)–

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MUSEUM OF AMERICA ANNOUNCES MAJOR RESEARCH LIBRARY DONATION

armradio.am
09.10.2008 14:45

Two donors, who presently wish to remain anonymous, have gifted
the Armenian Genocide Museum of America (AGMA) with an exceptional
collection of books and other printed material focused on the Armenian
Genocide and its documentation.

The collection of several thousand rare and out-of-print books and
other documents is slated for transfer to the AGMA in time for the
opening of the museum in 2010. AGMA will include a complete facility
to support ongoing research at the museum.

The remarkable collection contains many valuable items including maps,
photographs, and other historical evidence reflecting acquisitions,
research, and exploration across numerous archives.

In making their gift to AGMA, the two donors stated: "Indeed, the
very raison d’être of this collection is that everyone needs to know
that there is a massive amount of documentation on what happened
to the Armenians. At the same time, there is also ample testimony
that they were able to overcome the attempt to annihilate them and
to recover from such unprecedented adversity. And, all this with a
great deal of help from the U.S.A. What better place to show this
than in Washington, DC?"

The donors hope that the gift will serve as an incentive for others
to contribute relevant works as well. Collection development is a
major objective of=2 0the AGMA library. Accepting the donation,
AGMA Trustee and Building and Operations Committee Chairman Van
Krikorian, said: "We are thrilled to receive this astounding gift of
an entire library of specialized publications concentrating on the
Armenian Genocide. The donors’ monumental achievement in creating
this collection and tremendous generosity in choosing the AGMA as
the home for the collection represent a true match made in heaven."

Krikorian went on to say: "This collection of works ranging in their
coverage from the mid-1800s to the present has personal meaning
for a variety of reasons. First, this specialized Armenian Genocide
collection is destined to constitute the foundation of the museum
library. Second, the donation of this entire pre-existing collection,
along with our own Assembly and ANI materials, and in light of the
help we are getting from the Near East Foundation and the Armenian
Genocide Museum in Yerevan, and others, immediately puts AGMA out
front in Washington for running the type of research center that we
plan and need to support the museum, its exhibits and activities. Our
donors have established a standard of sharing with this extraordinary
donation in the same community-minded spirit of Anoush Mathevosian,
Hirair Hovnanian, and the Kechejian family, which we hope others
will emulate."

The library donors are scientists with advanced degrees, one with
Armenian roots and the other with no such roots but with a20fervent
interest in human rights, peace, and social justice. The gift is being
made in memory of the parents of one of the scientists. They were from
the same small mountain village in the Kharpert region of Armenia. One
was a Genocide survivor; the other was a "gamavor" or volunteer from
America who served in the Armenian Legion or Legion d’Orient.

This special collection will significantly expand the holdings of
the Armenian National Institute (ANI), which has been serving as
the research facility of the AGMA. ANI is already the beneficiary
of the oral history project conducted by the Armenian Assembly of
America in the 1980s, which also sponsored in the 1990s, the first
comprehensive collection of 37,000 pages of U.S. documents from the
National Archives issued on microfiche with a 476-page guide to the
documents, both published by Chadwyck-Healey, Inc.

Over the years, ANI has also acquired important archival holdings
from around the world.

–Boundary_(ID_XA8BgpQ76G3uhjkcLkvXrg)–

SERGEY LAVROV: GEORGIA’S WITHDRAWAL FROM CIS WILL HAVE NO NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES

armradio.am
09.10.2008 15:22

Georgia’s withdrawal from the CIS will not harm the organization, the
Russian foreign minister said on Thursday, suggesting that Tbilisi’s
participation in the post-Soviet alliance had been malign in recent
years, RIA Novosti reported.

"Georgia’s membership of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS) in the past few years has been aimed at the erosion of the
Commonwealth, rather than its consolidation, so I cannot see any
negative consequences for our organization," Sergei Lavrov said after
a CIS foreign ministers’ meeting in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan.

Georgia notified the CIS executive committee of its desire to quit
the organization on August 18, 2008. The move came after a five-day
war with Russia over the Georgian breakaway republic of South Ossetia.

Its withdrawal will come into effect next August.

The CIS currently comprises Russia, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, Tajikistan and
Uzbekistan. Ukraine is a founding and participating country but
technically not a member state.

Turkmenistan holds associate status.

SEEING MAN THROUGH A MOUNTAIN – ARARAT BY FRANK WESTERMAN
John McCrystal

New Zealand Herald
s/article.cfm?c_id=1501119&objectid=10536237
3 :59AM Sunday Oct 05, 2008
New Zealand

Most of the ancient peoples of the world tell stories of a great flood,
a time when the known world was inundated in what seemed a great act
of cleansing by God (or the gods, depending on which civilisation is
telling the story). And many of these stories further contain reference
to a select group of human beings whose patriarch is tipped off by
the god/gods just before the yanking of the celestial chain, and who
manage to preserve themselves and breeding pairs of the more desirable
animals in order to re-stock creation once the waters have receded.

Dutch writer Frank Westerman grew up with the biblical story of Noah
and the flood, brought up under the strict doctrines of the Dutch
Reformed Church. And he nearly had first-hand experience of death by
water when, as a child, he was swept away by the portentously named
Ill River while crossing the riverbed, just as the control gates of
a dam upstream were opened.

Later in life, he lived for a time in sight of Mt Ararat (the supposed
resting-place of Noah’s Ark), and conceived a desire to climb it. The
precise reason for his quest was unclear, even to himself. Ararat
is a potent symbol of the Christian religion, the site of a covenant
between God and the elect that he will save them, and the place from
which Christianity supposes all humanity to have arisen, following
the delivery of Noah’s family from the Deluge. Westerman has, he
tells us, fallen away from religion since childhood. His faith in
reason has eclipsed his religious faith, although there is a sense,
as this superb travel memoir progresses, that he is still susceptible
to religion – to the answer it supplies to the nagging question as
to why he was spared from the waters of the Ill.

At the foot of Ararat, he meets a pair of Russian Ark-seekers, devout
believers in the Bible and its stories who are seeking traces of the
vessel on the mountain’s inhospitable slopes.

Initially inclined to be disparaging, Westerman recognises in this
mildly pitiable pair the same impulse that has brought him hither. He
may not be seeking the Ark, but he is conscious that, like them,
he is a seeker.

This book interweaves the many, many threads of Westerman’s monumental
research with the narrative of his attempt on the mountain’s
summit. He has collected some gems along the way – the story of the
19th century amateur archaeologist who was convinced he had found the
fossil skeleton of a human sinner drowned in the Deluge; the curious
imprecision of biblical exegesis that gives rise to the conviction
that Ararat is the Ark’s resting place anyway (the Bible actually
refers to "the mountains of Ararat", and Ararat is derived from the
Assyrian word for Armenia, which covered far more territory than it
does today); the dispute among geologists over whether the volcanic
Ararat is actually extinct or whether it last erupted in 1840; the
curious Dutch adventure sport of "mudwalking".

And Westerman’s own experiences in preparing to climb the mountain
have resonances in the mountain’s place in history and mythology:
it lies near the borders of Turkey, Iran and Armenia, and is of
strategic significance in a troubled part of the world. It is dear
to the hearts of Turks, Kurds, Armenians, Christians and Muslims
alike. It is bound to be a lightning rod for political trouble. And
Westerman’s difficulties with Turkish bureaucracy in obtaining a sport
visa to climb the mountain echo the various superstitious sanctions
that have forbidden summit assaults for much of its history.

This is a beautiful, extended essay. It is a writer of rare ability
indeed who can show you a portrait of man in the picture of a mountain.

CANDIDATE WITHDRAWS FROM RACE

A1+
[01:21 pm] 06 October, 2008

Republican Jora Sahabalian, ex mayor of Dilijan Town, head of the
Tavush State Department of Environmental Protection, withdrew from
the Mayor’s race on October 1, informed Chairman of Precinct 41
(seat in Ijevan) Smbat Gasparian.

Presently, two candidates run for the post – incumbent Mayor Armen
Santrosyan, head of the regional structure of the Republican Party
of Armenia (HHK), and non-partisan Ashot Hovhanisyan, Chairman of
"Dialnet" Company.

Local residents think that after Sahabalian’s withdrawal Santrosyan
has more chances to be relected to the post.

Georgiandaily, NY

Andrei Ilarionov ` Russia Prepared War with Georgia and It Was Started
by Russia
October 04, 2008

Former advisor of Vladimir Putin in economic issues Andrei Ilarionov
has opposed his former chief for two years already and openly
criticizes the Kremlin policy. Ilarionov showed his protest at the
very beginning of Russian aggression perpetrated on Georgia. He
introduced his opinions about Georgian-Russian war reasons to Katon
Institute Summer School listeners in Ukraine on September 4. His
viewpoints appeared to be interesting and we decided to present brief
variant of his opinions expressed in summer school.

A.I.: The most important thing is to find out the reason of starting
war in Georgia. This was larger scale war, where all kinds of sub
divisions took their part. In spite of the ceasefire agreement, war
continues on Georgian territories.

If the Kremlin aimed at protecting the people who wanted existence
independently, it had to recognize Chechnya. Chechen people have been
fighting for independent for 10 years and it has not stopped fight for
independence for 200 years. Moscow used tanks, hails, aviation,
artillery and chemical weapon against Chechnya. Chechen warriors were
killed exactly by chemical weapons.

Comparison of amount of damage in Chechnya and Tskhinvali is
impossible. 134 people died in war activities in South Ossetia. 80% of
them were fighters, the rest were peaceful civilians. It is obvious
that death of each person is tragedy, but we can not compare these
numbers to those dead in Chechnya. 200 thousand people died in
Chechnya from both sides.

Russian government has not recognized independence of Chechnya and
Kosovo. It has not recognized them even after Abkhazian and South
Ossetian recognition. It is obvious that Russian government has double
standard policy.

When Russia states that it acted in South Ossetia to protect its
citizens is at least unbelievable. 90% of South Ossetian population is
Russian citizens, but about 48 thousand Ossetian nationalities and 20
thousand Georgians lived in South Ossetia. Up to 10 thousand of
Ossetian citizens supported Georgian oriented Ossetian administration,
headed by Dmitri Sanakoev.

Sanakoev was one of the leaders of separatist movement in 90-ies
opposing Kokoity. He created administration where there were Ossetian
and Georgian villages.

Russia has to take more interest in Russian citizens living in
Turkmenistan, whose rights has been violated since period of Turkmen
bash’s government.

Announcements made by Russian government about its actions aiming to
protecting Russian citizens are hypocrisy that was used as reason of
starting war activities.

First number stated regarding ethnical cleansing was 1400, then it was
1600 and later 3000. The first announcement about genocide was made on
August 8, at 5 o’clock by Kokoity who was in Java, who was not in
Tskhinvali and who left the capital as soon as the war activities
started. Russian official propaganda stated that victims of genocide
were 1600. Russia continues the same today, in spite of the fact that
Putin who visited Vladikavkaz stated that there were several tens of
dead people. Special group of Russian office of general prosecutor
found out after one month work that 134 citizens were dead, 80% of
them were warriors, and others were peaceful citizens. According to
international law, genocide was proved only in three cases. Genocide
of Armenians, Genocide of Jews and genocide in Rwanda carried out in
1994. Genocide is discussed in Sudan, where more than half million
people died. Genocide was not discussed in other cases and it is
qualified as ethnical cleansing.

Even in case of Kosovo it is not said that it was genocide, in spite
of the fact that 30 thousand Albanians were killed and one million
left the territory of the state.

Destroying each other by Georgians and Abkhazians is considered to be
ethnical cleansing. 3 000 Abkhazians and 17 000 Georgians were killed
in 1992-93 war activities. After collapse of Soviet Union, Abkhazians
made up 17% of Abkhazian population, Georgians ` 52%. 250 thousand
Georgians left Abkhazian territory as a result to Abkhazian
events. Georgians now live only in Gali region of Abkhazia.

None of official versions of Georgian-Russian wars are close to truth.

I think that reasons of starting war between Russia and Georgia are
processes developed in Georgia in the last 4 years. A lot of reforms
were carried out in Georgia ` in economics among them. Georgia
developed as modern, European, democratic state. Responsible
government was formed in Georgia that is responsible for the
population. Work of state institutions became transparent.

I can not name state in the world that has developed in the shortest
period of time with so many reforms and in different fields so
successfully. Liberalization of Georgian economics made it possible
for the state to grow rapidly. Georgia imported electro energy to
Russia before August events. Nobody would believe 3-5 years ago that
Georgia, having energetic problems would import energy. Economic
wonder took place in Georgia.

Abkhazia and South Ossetia are Stalin enclaves economically,
especially South Ossetia. Population in South Ossetia has not been
working for the last 4 years and living on subsidies of Russian budget
that increases annually. Subsidies for South Ossetia made up 700
million USA dollars last year. If we divide this amount of money into
40 thousand residents of South Ossetia, we receive picture that Moscow
never financed any of its regions like South Ossetia. Moscow
practically decayed the local population by financing them; they have
become unused to working. Russian journalists, who visited Tskhinvali
together with Russian tanks, told how none of the masters were found
to fix the water pipeline problems. On the question why the local
population didn’t fix the pipeline, they responded: – do it
yourself. According to Putin’s command, additional 10 milliard Russian
Rubles were allocated for South Ossetia.

Big military base is being built in Java now. Russian tanks were
withdrawn to Java before August events. Russian military technique
supply has been gathered in South Ossetia for 4 years. Russian
propaganda used to say that Georgia was the most militarized state in
Caucasus. Let’s compare the numbers and we’ll perceive that this was
not so. South Ossetia, where there lived 40 thousand people, had 87
artillery equipments. Georgian military budget increased in 30 times
in the last 4 years: from 30 million USA dollars to almost 1
milliard. Georgia allocated 8% for military field in 2008. But budgets
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia were much higher than it was needed and
what is the most important, Abkhazia and South Ossetia were provided
by weapons by Russia. Only 6 from 1000 people in Georgia were military
servants, 60 in Abkhazia and 65 in South Ossetia, this means that both
of these regions had ten times more unit compared to Georgia. Georgia
had 4,6 artillery equipments on 100 000 men, Abkhazia-35, South
Ossetia ` 190. Georgia had 5 units of armored carriers on 100 000 men,
Abkhazia-75, South Ossetia ` 391.

Russia deployed big amount of military technique in South Ossetia and
Abkhazia in May and July. More than 1500 armored technique, artillery
equipment, tanks and different kinds of technique were taken to
Abkhazia. We don’t have information of GDP in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia, but we can approximately say that Abkhazia spent 50% of its
budget on military equipments, South Ossetia spent ` 60%. It is
obvious that Russia provided them with weapons free of charge.

We can say that there were Russian military bases before start of
military activities in Abkhazia and South Ossetia on August 7. Aim of
Russian government was to change Saakashvili’s government in
Georgia. Nobody even hid it in Russian government. War against Georgia
was prepared 4 years ago. After Georgia had solved Ajarian problems
painlessly, Moscow started to think about changing
Saakashvili. Russian energetic company’s heads were called to the
Kremlin in 2005 and the government told them to make problems in
providing Georgia with electro energy. They were rejected by the heads
of the companies and they started to act themselves. All oil pipelines
and electro lines leading to Georgia were exploded. Russian government
stated that it was done by terrorists. It was found out later that
terrorists used the same explosive materials used by Russian special
units.

Georgian special units detained Russian spies and they were extradited
to Russian government without noise. In spite of this Russian special
units didn’t stop working in Georgia but on the contrary, their works
were reinforced. Georgian special services detained 4 Russian agents
in 2006 and it was noisy ceremony of extraditing them to
Russia. Russia started economic blockade against
Georgia. Transportation, wine, `Borjomi’, blockade followed
this. Russia strengthens Abkhazia and South Ossetia in military
field. Russian diplomats don’t hide that war had to be started before
September in Georgia. Russia rehabilitated Ochamchire and
Sokhumi-Ochamchire 54 kilometers railway. Russia deployed 50 echelons
of military technique to Abkhazia.

There was impression that war had to be started from
Abkhazia. Georgian villages were fired on August 1. If Ossetians used
to stop firing after respond from Georgian side, this didn’t happen
this time. Ossetian side continued to fire with artillery
equipments. Ossetian information department didn’t hide on August 6
that there were Russian units in South Ossetian territory.

Russian defense minister assistant Nikolai Panko and head of
reconnaissance service visited Tskhinvali on August 3. They had
meeting with Kokoity. Kokoity moves to Java after their departure and
evacuation of the population starts on August 3. Russia started war
activities on August 3. 58th army is already mobilized near Georgian
border for this time and 9000 soldiers, 700 units of armored technique
are sent from Russian regions. Russian frontiers occupied Roki tunnel
on August 6. Russian information sources informed from August 3 that
war had started in South Ossetia, this was when war activities didn’t
took place.

Georgian side tried to negotiate with Ossetian side on August
7. Georgian reincarnation minister Temur Iakobashvili visits
Tskhinvali who has to meet with Kokoity together with Russian special
tasks ambassador Popov. Popov says that he was not able to be on the
meeting due to problems of car tyre. He is offered to change the tyre,
but he says that the extra tyre is also damaged. Iakobashvili meets
with peaceful forces commander in Tskhinvali Marat Kulakhmetov, who
offers to Georgian side to cease fire. Iakobashvili tells the proposal
of the general to President Mikheil Saakashvili on phone at
18:30. Saakashvili makes televised announcement at 19:00 that Georgian
side is interested in peace. He demanded and practically bagged to
reach ceasefire. He declared ceasefire partially, but Ossetian side
started to bomb Georgian village Tamarasheni and then other villages
at 22:10.

Russian journalists in Tskhinvali said that there practically wasn’t
Ossetian population in Tskhinvali. According to official information,
34 thousand people were evacuated before starting war
activities. After emerge of Russian defense ministry tank colonies,
Georgian government concluded that war was started by Russian
politicians.

Fights to three direction start after this. Tskhinvali assault,
skirmishes near java and Roki direction. Both sides had big losses. It
must be stressed that tanks that entered from Roki tunnel reached
Tskhinvali only on August 10. Russian troops occupy Kodori Gorge in
Abkhazia at the same time. Russian ships are near Georgian
coasts. Russian defense ministry had sub divisions mobilized in Zemo
Larsi and Georgian-Armenian border.

It is obvious that the war is not over and it continues. Russian
government has not refused to overthrow Georgian government. Russia
doesn’t hide that Georgian pro-Western choice is unacceptable to it. I
think that everything starts from now on. Russian government acted
like scoundrels, when they attack weak ones. Russia of course wouldn’t
attack NATO member Baltic States. Kiev’s strive to the West is also
unacceptable to Russia. Moscow didn’t like when Kiev supported Tbilisi
in August events.

Permanent link:
NG&sec_id=50200&info_id=243556

ARMENIA EXHIBITS QAJAR ARTWORKS

press tv
Fri, 03 Oct 2008 14:01:58 GMT

The National Gallery of Armenia is displaying Qajar artworks from
Iran in a two-week exhibition held in the capital city of Yerevan.

The event exhibits painting, calligraphies, carpets, outfits and
dishes dating back to the Qajar era (1781-1925).

Held in collaboration with the Iranian cultural office in Armenia, the
exhibition aims to introduce Iran’s rich arts and culture to Armenians.

Qajar art is best known for its distinctive style of portraiture,
which features the dynasty’s kings and members of the royal family.

Iran’s Contemporary Arts Museum and the National Gallery of Armenia
have cooperated on numerous cultural projects in the two countries.

YEREVAN CELEBRATES PERCH ZEYTUNTSIAN’S 70TH ANNIVERSARY

AZG Armenian Daily
04/10/2008

Culture

The National Academic Theatre after Sundukian starts its new
theatrical season on October 5 with a performance dedicated to the
70th anniversary of well-known prose-writer and playwright Perch
Zeytuntsian. The performance is based on the playwright’s drama
"Arshak II".

Perch Zeytuntsian’s anniversary has been also celebrated in other
cultural centers – National Library of Armenia and Dramatic Theatre
after H. Ghaplanian. On the occasion of the jubilee the theatre
performed Perch Zeytuntsian’s drama "Jesus from Nazareth and his
second disciple".

At the anniversary celebrations Chairmen of the Unions of Writers
and Journalists in Armenia Levon Ananian, Astghik Gevorgian, RA
Deputy Minister of Culture Davit Muradian, President of the Armenian
Theatrical Company Hakob Ghazanchian, General Director of Stanislavski
Theatre Aleksandre Grigorian and others welcomed the writer.

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian’s address has been published,
"Armenpress" reported.

PRESS AVAILABILITY BY DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE IN AZERBAIJAN
John D. Negroponte

US Department of State
October 2, 2008
DC

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Good afternoon. Thank you for coming.

I have come to Azerbaijan this week with a simple message: I am here to
reaffirm the United States’ commitment to strengthen relations between
our two countries – in a spirit of friendship. As Vice President Cheney
said when he came here a month ago, the United States has deep and
abiding interests in the well-being and security of Azerbaijan and
of its neighbors in the South Caucasus. We share important interests
and cooperate closely on a range of crucial issues.

The U.S. and Azerbaijan are partners in working for regional and
global stability. American and Azerbaijani soldiers stand side by
side in Iraq and Afghanistan. The contributions of Azerbaijan to
these security priorities are greatly appreciated by the American
government and the American people. The United States will continue
our security cooperation and assist the reform of Azerbaijan’s defense
establishment, including, under NATO’s Partnership for Peace.

We have long been partners in major strategic energy projects that
have built links between this region and Europe. Yesterday I had an
opportunity to visit the Sangachal Terminal, where I saw firsthand how
these Southern Corridor projects are strengthening energy security
in Europe and beyond. From the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline to
the South Caucasus Gas pipeline, our partnership is deepening as we
pursue the Turkey-Greece-Italy and Nabucco natural gas pipelines,
as well as expanded oil transit opportunities, thereby diversifying
energy supplies in European and global markets.

My visit comes just two weeks before Azerbaijan’s presidential
election. We recognize the Government of Azerbaijan’s commitment to
hold free and fair elections. October 15th represents an opportunity,
an important opportunity, for Azerbaijan to demonstrate its commitment
to democratic reform by holding an election that is assessed by
its own public and the international community to be free, fair
and transparent.

Two months ago we saw that conflicts in this region are anything but
frozen. Russia’s invasion of sovereign Georgia was unjustified. We call
on Russia to implement fully the ceasefire negotiated by President
Sarkozy of France. We and our European partners have made clear that
we support the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity
of Georgia, as well as Azerbaijan and Armenia.

In this new environment, now, more than ever, the United States
wants to help find a peaceful resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. As one of the three Minsk Group co-chairs, the United States
has worked for years to help resolve this situation. We are committed
to achieving a negotiated solution to the conflict that starts with
the principle of territorial integrity, and takes into account other
international principles. A resolution to the conflict will enhance
peace and stability in the region, and Azerbaijan’s security, as well.

Thank you very much, and I would be pleased to take a few questions.

QUESTION: My question is on Russia. Would the United States of
America be ready to provide security measures and provide security
for Azerbaijan as well as Ukraine if Russia shows new aggression?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: As I said in my statement, we believe
that the action in Georgia by Russia was unjustified, and we, together
with Europe and others in the international community, have rallied
behind Georgia. We have provided significant assistance to help Georgia
recover from the situation that was created by Russia’s invasion. And
we believe that Russia has paid a very significant international cost
for what it did in Georgia, and we would hope that as a result of that
they would think twice before trying to create similar circumstances
elsewhere.

QUESTION: My question is about the mass media and situation in
Azerbaijan, and the three opposition newspaper journalists are still
in prison. But the very fact of the imprisonment of the opposition
journalists; what do you think? Does it actually undermine the conduct
of truly democratic elections in Azerbaijan? Because as everybody
knows, there are no democratic elections unless the opposition
[inaudible].

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: As I said in my remarks, we certainly
see the 15th of October as an opportunity for the conduct of
elections that will be perceived by the people of Azerbaijan and
by the international community as fair and free. I would also say
that in the context of a country that only 17 years ago was ruled
by a communist party dictatorship, that there has been considerable
progress on the path towards democracy by this country. Now, also with
the recent prosperity of the past two years, there are opportunities
to improve the economic well-being of the Azerbaijani people, which
is also a positive development.

But there are issues, such as the one you mentioned, that we believe
need to be addressed, and these are the kinds of subjects that we
raise in the quarterly human rights dialogue that we have with the
government of Azerbaijan. We would hope that going forward there
would be more progress on these kinds of issues. I would certainly
agree with the thrust of your question – that this kind of detention
does put a blemish on the democratic activity here.

QUESTION: Do you think this is the right time for Azerbaijan and the
United States of America to begin cooperating militarily? And would
the U.S. be ready to assist Azerbaijan if Azerbaijan becomes a victim
of another Russian aggression, as in Georgia?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: As I said earlier, the United States
supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, of
Azerbaijan, and of Armenia. And certainly the kinds of activities
that we carry out in our relationship, our bilateral relationship,
are designed to both strengthen our partnership and help strengthen
the country of Azerbaijan.

As I said earlier, we value the cooperation we have in the security
area already, particularly in the matter of Azerbaijan troops that
are fighting side by side with other coalition forces in Iraq and
Afghanistan. In my discussions with both the President and with the
Foreign Minister, we did discuss the possibility of continued and
possibly increased cooperation and contribution by Azerbaijan to the
efforts in Afghanistan. We are certainly open to the possibility of
other forms of cooperation with Azerbaijan in the security sphere.

QUESTION: Actually everybody has been witnessing political activities
here in this region of the world after the Russian intrusion into
Georgian territory. So the question would be again, if the same
scenario happened here in Azerbaijan, if the Russian Federation
[inaudible] towards Azerbaijan. Is the United States of America ready
to stand together with Azerbaijan just in case of a military action?

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Look, let me answer it again because
several of you are coming back to this hypothetical question.

First of all, we would hope that this situation that you mentioned
would not arise. That would be my first answer.

Secondly, as you saw from our response and the European response to
the situation in Georgia, we did many things to show solidarity with
that country, including after events occurred a significant program
to help the reconstruction and the repair in that country.

But we have also in response to the situation that occurred in Georgia
taken steps to send a message of solidarity with other countries in
the region such as Azerbaijan. That was also the message that Vice
President Cheney delivered when he visited here recently.

Lastly I would say that we have in our dialogue with Russia taken the
position that the kind of activity they undertook in Georgia is not in
keeping with the principles and policies that we think are appropriate
to the 21st Century, and that going forward their behavior ought to
be one of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
independent states. We think that is the best way to advance good
international relations between all the countries concerned, and
is the best way also to fully realize the economic and political
potential of all of our countries.

I have time for one more question.

QUESTION: I’m actually interested in the Turkish-initiated Caucasus
[inaudible] proposal [inaudible].

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: I think first of all, I think
[inaudible]. Are you talking about with respect to Armenia or with
respect to —

QUESTION: [Inaudible].

DEPUTY SECRETARY NEGROPONTE: Right. I think that Turkey obviously
has an important role to play. I’ve particularly noticed, and have
noted the fact that they have reached out to Armenia recently, which
appears to us to be a positive development. But I think many different
actors have a role to play in this process.

Most importantly, as concerns Azerbaijan, I think the two countries of
Armenia and Azerbaijan have a key role to play in this situation. If
this is an example of where if the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict could
be resolved, then the full potential of Azerbaijan-Armenia relations
would have a better chance of being realized.

Lastly, I would say that the so-called Minsk Group also has an
important role to play in helping facilitate some kind of ultimate
solution and of course the United States is a member of that group and
we are prepared to play our part in facilitating a peaceful solution
to that situation.