Author: Ekmekjian Janet

EP BACKS 100M EURO ALLOCATION TO ARMENIA

news.am
Nov 25 2009
Armenia

European Parliament supported the allocation of macro-financial
assistance to Armenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Georgia. The relevant
decisions were approved by European Parliament at the Strasburg
session.

MPs approved 4 reports on allotting 100m Euro assistance to Armenia
(65m Euro — credit, 35m Euro — grant), 200m Euro to Serbia (credit),
100m Euro assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina (credit) and 46m Euro –
to Georgia (grant).

The corresponding decisions on coming into effect were supported by
the EU Council.

KARABAKH CONFLICT ISSUES

The Messenger
Nov 25 2009
Georgia

Polish political analyst on Caucasus issues Maciej Falkowski has stated
that recently an intensification of efforts to resolve the Karabalkh
conflict and Russian and Turkish diplomacy in this area have been
observed. However it is premature to talk about some breakthrough in
this process.

Falkowski thinks that in the near future a document regulating certain
aspects of the conflict might appear, but not a complex solution
because the parties are not ready for one. The analyst thinks that
the Armenian elite is not ready to accept the return of the occupied
territories to Azerbaijan. They see this suggestion as treason and
believe it could lead to a coup d’etat.

The Polish analyst thinks that despite some coordination between
Turkish and Russian attempts to ensure the opening of the border
between Turkey and Armenia and Russia’s position as a guarantor of
peace in Karabakh, the two states still do not trust each other. There
is no Turkish-Russian tandem, thinks Falkowski, because Russia does
not want Turkey to play the decisive role in conflict resolution.

The analyst thinks that this conflict will not be resolved soon
because there are conflicts of interest between Russia and the
USA in the region and neither wants to retreat. He suggests two
possible solutions to it. The first is Azerbaijan regaining the
Armenian-occupied territories, including Karabakh, by force, an option
he considers unlikely as Azerbaijan is afraid of Russia’s reaction.

The second is one of the big states in the region deciding to
resolve the conflict unilaterally, but Falkowski thinks this is
also unrealistic.

Falkowski suggests that attempts to resolve the conflict are being
hampered by the distrust of the Armenian and Azeri people, and neither
of the Governments of these countries wants to ignore this mistrust.

The leaderships of both countries need the Karabkh conflict to keep
their people under control, to serve their private interests, as
they can justify banning demonstrations or arresting people by the
threat of war in Karabakh. When there were opposition rallies in
Yerevan the Armenian side started shooting in the Karabakh region,
thus showing the opposition and people that there was a threat of
further fighting and therefore the rallies should stop.

Falkowski gives the pessimistic prognosis that there are no prospects
for the resolution of the Karabakh conflict at all at the present time.

SERZH SARGSYAN AND EDUARDO EURNEKIAN DISCUSS PLANS FOR THE FUTURE

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.11.2009 17:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received
a well-known Argentinean businessman of Armenian origin Eduardo
Eurnekian , press office of RA President reports.

Mr. Eurnekian dwelled on investment programs implemented in the
country and plans for the future. He stressed that, difficulties
caused by the global economic crisis have not affected the programs
related to Armenian economy. .

Serzh Sargsyan attached importance to completion of a new Zvartnots
Airport complex, and stressed that starting from 2011 it will enable
to serve about 3 million passengers a year.

The RA president attached particular importance to Eduardo Eurnekian’s
efforts aimed at developing farmer’s and food processing markets in
the country. Armenia encourages innovation and introduction of fresh
ideas in agriculture, he said.

U.S. EXERTS PRESSURE ON AZERBAIJAN: NOVRUZ MAMMADOV

news.am
Nov 24 2009
Armenia

Azerbaijan will hold its ground on Karabakh issue right to the end and
there is no point in exerting pressure on official Baku in any format,"
Chief of international relations department of Azerbaijani Presidential
Administration Novruz Mammadov stated at the international conference
"Security obstacles in the South Caucasus: Realities and Prospects for
Regional Cooperation" organized by the Center for Strategic Studies
under Azerbaijani President.

According to Azadlig, Azerbaijan does not get any assistance from U.S.,
quite the contrary, "continuously faces criticism by West for human
rights and other issues," Mammadov said. Speaking of the Armenia-Turkey
Protocols on the normalization of bilateral relations, he noted that
"western diplomats often say they are short of time and opportunity to
discuss various issues, however all of a sudden they got together in
Zurich for border opening and the Protocols were signed at top level."

Referring to verdict against two Azerbaijani bloggers, Mammadov
underlined: "Western, and U.S. press in particularly display greater
interest in the matter, that in NKR issue. "The official actually
esteemed it as a pressure on Azerbaijan, the source reports. Mammadov
called western diplomats to simmer down in the issues connected with
Azerbaijan. According to him, "Azerbaijan can play a mediator’s role
between the East and West, Islamic and Christian worlds." In addition,
the official emphasized that "as a result of BBC poll conducted
in Arabian states, 8 out of 10 respondents express hatred towards
the U.S. and this country should take a though over the matters,"
Mammadov concluded.

ARMECONOMBANK INVESTS USD 7 MILLION IN EBRD CO-FINANCING PROGRAM

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.11.2009 16:50 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armeconombank has already invested USD 7 million in
EBRD (European Bank of Reconstruction and Development) Co-financing
Program, the bank’s press service reported.

Within EBRD Co-financing Program framework, Armeconombank continues
active long – and medium-term financing of trade and manufacturing
projects, offering USD 400 000 -1.2 million credits with up to 5 years’
maturity period, at the interest rate of 12%.

MEMBER OF ARF DASHNAKSUTYUN BUREAU THINKS BAKU STARTED SPEAKING TO YEREVAN IN THE LANGUAGE OF ULTIMATUM

ArmInfo
2009-11-24 16:19:00

ArmInfo. Baku has started speaking to Yerevan in the language of
ultimatum, which is proved by the latest statement of Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev, Head of ARFD parliamentary faction, member
of ARFD Bureau Vahan Hovhannisyan said at today’s press-conference
at Artsakh club, Tuesday.

The MP is convinced that Aliyev’s militant statement is not a simple
statement by Azerbaijan. "One should take this statement seriously,
this is an ultimatum",- Hovhannisyan said. He thinks that after such
statement of Aliyev, President Sargsyan shouldn’t have gone to Munich.

As regards official Yerevan’s statement that if the negotiations are
suspended, Armenia will recognize the independence of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Hovhannisyan said that the problems will not solved by recognition
of the NKR.

"Recognition of the NKR is partial settlement of the problem, the
most important thing is to return Karabakh to the negotiation table",-
Hovhannisyan said.

OPERA SINGER VANNO TADEO TO PERFORM IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.11.2009 15:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Renowned tenor Vanno Tadeo (Vahram Tadevosyan)
will present a concert program in Armenia.

"My visit is dedicated to 140th anniversary of Armenian composer
Komitas and 18th independence anniversary. I aim to present the wealth
of Armenian classical music to my compatriots and will do my best to
contribute to the development of Armenian culture," Vahram Tadevosyan
said at November 23 news conference.

According to the singer, the first concert has already been held
in Vanadzor. The second one is planned after enthusiastic welcome
offered by local audience.

Concerts in Gyumri and Yerevan (November 28 and December 14), followed
by master classes, are on the tenor’s agenda. The first part of the
concert will feature foreign composers’ works. The second part is
dedicated to Komitas’ compositions.

In 1996 Vanno Tadeo was invited to Barcelona, and, with the assistance
of the Catolicos of All Armenians Garegin I, participated in F. Vinias
International Tournament, where he was awarded with diploma and Verdi
Prize. For the last 8 years Vanno Tadeo lived in Spain, performing
on major European stages.

CAN’T BUILD COUNTRY ON FEAR, SAYS PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN

Today’s Zaman
Nov 23 2009
Turkey

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that his party has
no fear of pushing forward with its democratization reform agenda to
solve the Kurdish question, saying that those looking to spread fears
of disintegration and division were in reality trying to obstruct
democratization.

Speaking at a party caucus in Ankara’s Kızılcahaman on Saturday,
Erdogan said cowardliness would not help Turkey deal with its age-old
problems. He asked: "If Orhan Gazi was afraid, would Bursa have been
established? If Fatih was afraid, would Ä°stanbul have been?" and
said his party would go on with its democratization push without fear.

"You can’t build a country on fear. You can’t build a future on fear.

You can’t build democracy on fear," he said. The prime minister said
they saw their fight for democracy not as a problem of the Justice
and Development Party (AK Party), but a problem of the country.

Erdogan said that in the past, the Turkish nation has seen as many
glories as times when the nation and the country have been in danger.

Stating that the integrity and unity of the Turkish nation have been
tested many times throughout history, he said the Turkish nation has
always succeeded in moving forward and burying past traumas. Even
though the Turkish nation has been able to look optimistically into
the future, some are using past grievances as an instrument of fear,
Erdogan said. "There are those who are making efforts to create a
new society of fear. When history is not enough, they create virtual
fears and imaginary threats."

He said in the AK Party’s seven years in power, he has seen this many
times. "No matter what long-standing issue we tried to tackle, they put
up obstacles in front of us. We said we want to get in the European
Union, they said our national identity is in danger. We said Cyprus,
they said ‘our national interests are under threat’. We said we want
zero problems with our neighbors, they said [Turkey’s foreign policy]
axis is shifting. We said Armenia, they said Sevres. … And now,
we say the process of national unity and brotherhood [referring to
the democratic initiative], they say it is treason, they say it is
separation. The same politics, the same attitude and I am sorry to
say this but they are displaying the same cowardly approach."

He also talked about the recent discussions on alleged illegal
wiretappings of the offices of judiciary members. "Those who are trying
to make this look like it is linked to the government are acting on ill
will, they are trying to influence the public and create confusion,"
he said.

He said the wiretappings had nothing to do with the government. "And
neither could this [link] ever happen." He said the wiretapping
scandal was now in hands of the judiciary and would be sorted out
in the legal process. He said, "We see wiretapping without legal
permission as disrespect for a person, whoever that person might be."

TITAL JNDOYAN APPOINTED MEMBER OF RA CONTROL CHAMBER BOARD

NOYAN TAPAN
NOVEMBER 20, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 20, NOYAN TAPAN. Under RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s
November 18 decree Tital Jndoyan was appointed a member of the RA
Control Chamber Board for six years. Noyan Tapan was informed about
it by RA President’s Press Office.

STATE OF KARABAKH CONFLICT SHOWS CRISIS OF WORLD DIPLOMACY – NOVRUZ MAMMADOV

news.az
Nov 20 2009
Azerbaijan

Diplomacy and policy in the contemporary world is going through crisis,
Novruz Mammadov, chief of international department at Azerbaijan’s
presidential administration, told an international conference on
security in the South Caucasus in Baku Friday.

"I think crisis is observed today in diplomacy and policy judging
from the state of the Karabakh conflict settlement", Mammadov said.

He recalled that in 1992 the US Congress adopted amendment 907 to
the Act on Support of Freedom restricting direct state assistance
to Azerbaijan.

"In the result, aggressor Armenia, received over 2.5 bn US assistance,
while the victim Azerbaijan was deprived of that help. Though everyone
knew who suffered more", Mammadov said.

"I have an impression that the West adheres to the position of
providing comprehensive assistance to Armenia, the reasons are not
specified, but it occurs like that", he said.

The official said Azerbaijan is a post-Soviet country that is closely
cooperating with the West.

"But one event drew our particular attention. In October in Zurich
the Foreign Ministers of six leading states found time to spend
several hours to attain signing of protocols between Turkey and
Armenia for opening borders. Is it more important than our conflict",
Mammadov said.

He noted that the representatives of those countries have never
gathered in this format or voiced their position.

"Those representatives of the West who came there said the settlement
proceeds well. What is the use of soothing the world community? Our
president after the next meeting with the Armenian counterpart says
the talks were ineffective, while someone in the West says the conflict
settlement is nearing its close and a progress is attained", he said.

Mammadov noted that Azerbaijan has initially declared a course of
building a jural democratic secular state. "Though there are problems,
but who does not have problems?", he said.

Mammadov complained that after verdict was passed on two young
activists "western press wrote more about it than it does about the
Karabakh conflict. Who needs that?"

He noted that there is no second more important state like Azerbaijan
in the region and the country contributes to a dialogue between the
East and West, which is also in West’s interests.

"But today justice is being defeated in the international relations",
Mammadov said.

He noted that two parties to the conflict cannot be equally right and
said Russia and the United States have differences on most political
issues though they have the same position on the Karabakh conflict.

"This is the only question on which Russia and the United States
fully agree. But Azerbaijan is a strong state capable of settling
all its problems and I do hope that in the future our partners in
the East, West, North and South will adhere to a more just position",
Mammadov said.