Author: Emil Lazarian

STATE’S BURNS URGES 56-NATION GROUP TO HELP END FROZEN CONFLICTS

Student Operated Press, FL

Dec 6 2006

Washington — A senior U.S. diplomat has urged the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to play a larger role in
ending "frozen" regional conflicts, but also warned the 56-nation
group that some members seek to undermine their shared commitment to
democratic values.

"The path to reform of the OSCE lies through action on the real
challenges of our time," R. Nicholas Burns, under secretary of state
for political affairs, said December 4 in Brussels, Belgium.

Addressing the organization’s 14th annual ministerial council, Burns
said the United States believes the OSCE has the ability to find
lasting settlements to the so-called frozen conflicts in southeast
Europe, where many ethnic minorities fought for independent enclaves
during and after the breakup of the Soviet Union.

Burns visited Brussels as part of a three-nation trip. He traveled
next to Paris for talks on the Iran nuclear issue, and was scheduled
then to travel to India. (See related article.)

The OSCE is the world’s largest regional security organization, with
56 participating states from Europe, Central Asia and North America.

It is active in early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management
and post-conflict rehabilitation. The OSCE’s Office for Democratic
Institutions and Human Rights observes elections and monitors human
rights.

Since its Cold War-era founding, the OSCE has played a significant
role in helping to "rebuild communities based on a model of tolerance
and respect for others," Burns said.

"Unfortunately, recent years have seen efforts to degrade these
principles by some signatories," Burns warned. "The very commitments
that are the bedrock of our shared values are increasingly brought
into question."

Burns said there are "too many examples of backsliding by some OSCE
states," particularly Belarus. Examples include using administrative
rules to keep candidates off ballots; denying access to public media
for opposition parties; restricting freedom of assembly and detaining
human-rights defenders; harassing nongovernmental organizations;
intimidating and attacking journalists; and using criminal court
systems to silence critics and limit freedom of expression.

"We should emerge from this ministerial [council] rededicated to
enlisting OSCE to affect positive change," Burns said.

The United States over the past year has offered numerous ideas aimed
at reinvigorating the OSCE’s core missions, he said.

~U In Georgia, the OSCE should expand its activities in South Ossetia
and press authorities in that breakaway region to take demilitarizing
steps matching those taken by the government of Georgia. OSCE should
increase the number of monitors with access to the entire region,
including the Roki Tunnel, currently controlled by South Ossetian
separatists and a Russian peacekeeping force. Burns invited Russia to
"play a major role in the search for confidence and peaceful resolution
of these frozen conflicts. (See related article.)

~U On Nagorno-Karabakh, Burns thanked Russia and France – co-chairs
of the Minsk Group – for working with the leaders of Azerbaijan
and Armenia to develop "a reasoned approach which promises to lead
to a negotiated settlement." Burns urged OSCE to call on leaders
to implement a peaceful settlement based on those discussions and
agreements. (See related article.)

~U In Moldova, the United States has called for an immediate
resumption of talks on the region of Transnistria. The OSCE should
support Moldova’s unilateral disarmament steps and demand similar
reductions from the Transnistrian side, he said. The United States
continues to call for a resumption of Russian military withdrawal.

(See related article.)

~U The United States also has proposed strengthening the OSCE’s
Personal Representatives on Tolerance, and has called for an OSCE
conference on anti-Semitism in 2007.

~U The United States and other OSCE members have pushed for OSCE
involvement in fighting the sexual exploitation of children.

~U Russia and the United States have proposed that the OSCE embrace
a concept for fighting terrorism through public-private partnership.

(See related article.)

~U The OSCE mission in Kosovo should be given a clear mandate to
continue to support the transformation of Kosovo, Burns said. He added
that OSCE should contribute wherever possible in the implementation
of a future-status settlement for Kosovo, expected to be proposed by
the United Nations following Serbian elections in January 2007. (See
related article.)

The full text of Burns’ remarks is available on the U.S. Mission to
the OSCE Web site.

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs,
U.S. Department of State. Web site: )

dex.php?id=3263

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER IS NOT ENTHUSIASTIC ON NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROCESS

Regnum, Russia
Dec 6 2006

Discussion of question of status by the whole Nagorno Karabakh
population is possible at a certain stage of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement process, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov said speaking at a session of the OSCE ministers’
council in Brussels. "Being guided by democratic standards, legal
norms and human rights, we believe that the process of determining
the status will be carried out on the basis of equality with direct
and equal participation of the region’s population, which includes
two communities, Azerbaijani and Armenian ones, so the Azerbaijani
population should return under safe conditions to the paces of their
original living in Nagorno Karabakh region," he said.

"After that opening of communications for mutual use by the parties
in both directions, restoration of the relations between the two
communities and normal life in the region, of cooperation between
the communities in humanitarian sphere, implementation of special
educational and tolerance programs, establishment of trust between
the people and the nations will follow," the minister stressed.

Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani foreign minister said that "despite
intensified activity shown this year by OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs,
OSCE chair-in-office and the parties in the conflict, we have not
come to a final decision yet." At that Elmar Mammadyarov noted that he
was not enthusiastic on the whole settlement process, Day.Az informs.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

SYSTEM OF A DOWN HELPS DOCUMENT 1915 ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN "SCREAMERS," OPENING DEC. 8

Starpulse.com, CT
Dec 6 2006

Imagine if your life, your very being, was threatened each day simply
because of the color of your hair, your skin or where you lived. Yet
genocide, the deliberate and systematic extermination of a national,
racial or cultural group goes on outside our very windows every day.

It would seem unfathomable that such mass murder could happen in the
21st century, yet far too many still get away with it.

The evils and ugliness of genocide have long been reported in the
world press to great indifference. The message is significant but its
communication is stodgy. Today’s world demands relevance, attention
to detail and delivered in a way that is both understandable and
connected. Nowadays, music delivers the message.

The vastly popular, hugely influential, 16 million selling, Grammy
Award winning band System Of A Down have lent their voice, music, and
support to a ground-breaking new film called "Screamers." Directed
by the award-winning humanitarian filmmaker Carla Garapedian,
"Screamers" is an internationally produced documentary that covers
the history of modern-day genocide and genocide denial, beginning
with the Armenian Genocide in 1915, and how the world’s inactions
lead to other massacres. "Screamers", which recently won the Audience
Award at the AFI Film Festival, is distributed by Maya Releasing and
opens in Los Angeles and Orange County on December 8th at the Mann
Marketplace in Glendale, the Mann Chinese 6 in Hollywood, the Mann
Criterion in Santa Monica and AMC’s The Block in Orange.

System Of A Down have always worked to spread the message about
official Armenian Genocide Recognition within the U.S. and other
countries where they have yet to formally acknowledge that it took
place. (Most incredibly, a lot of the band’s fans in their teens and
twenties have learned about genocide not through school or the media
but directly through the band’s music, actions and statements.) The
band felt compelled to work with this unique project that hauntingly
illustrates how the denial of those crimes lead to more genocides of
the 20th Century – from the Holocaust to Cambodia, Bosnia, Rwanda…and
all the way to present-day Darfur.

In the film, there are personal stories of genocide survivors,
policy critics and whistleblowers – the "screamers" as they have
become known. When it comes to genocide, America’s interest has
always been to stay neutral, no matter how wide-scale the carnage,
with successive Presidents conspiring to turn a blind eye to genocides
as they are happening. After the Holocaust, we may say ‘never again’
— but we don’t mean it.

Using SOAD’s music as the backdrop to historical footage and current
accounts from genocide survivors – including lead singer Serj Tankian’s
grandfather, one of the few remaining eyewitnesses of the genocide in
Turkey, "Screamers" presents some of the great questions of our time:
Can we stop genocide? Do we really mean ‘never again’?

And how can we take action to prevent atrocities of this magnitude
from happening in the future?

"Screamers" is directed by Carla Garapedian, conceived by Peter
McAlevey and Carla Garapedian and produced by Nick de Grunwald,
Tim Swain, Carla Garapedian and Peter McAlevey. The film features
System Of A Down vocalist Serj Tankian, guitarist Daron Malakian,
bassist Shavo Odadjian and drummer John Dolmayan.

Interesting highlights of "Screamers":

*It’s a documentary about genocide.

*Though the emphasis is on the Armenian genocide, the same thing is
going on now in Darfur.

* It features the uber popular System Of A Down.

* The band members are all of Armenian descent.

*A lot of their music and concert footage appear in the film.

* Heretofore ignorant, a lot of their fans in their teens and twenties
have learned about genocide directly through the band’s music and
statements.

* Movie features newly named Nobel Prize winner for literature
Orhan Pamuk.

* France sought to calm an uproar in Turkey and the EU after its
Parliament voted that’s it’s a crime for anyone to deny the massacres
of Armenians in Turkey were anything but genocide.

* Filmmaker Carla Garapedian was a high profile journalist. She was
the first American to anchor the BBC News.

6/12/05/system_of_a_down_helps_document_1915_arm_8

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

UST’S GENOCIDE INTERVENTION NETWORK CHAPTER RECEIVES GRANT

UST Bulletin Today, MN
University of St. Thomas, Minnesota USA
Dec 6 2006

The St. Thomas chapter of the Genocide Intervention Network has
received a $5,000 grant from the Minneapolis Foundation. The funds
will help support the chapter’s spring-semester work in education
about genocide, particularly about the situation in Darfur, Sudan.

GI-Net plans to bring three major speakers this spring about genocides
of the 20th century: Armenia in 1915, the Holocaust, and Rwanda
in 1994.

The chapter also will organize and sponsor a mini-conference in
February for students, faculty and community leaders from throughout
the Twin Cities to work collaboratively for genocide education,
divestment of funds from businesses supporting the Sudanese government,
and advocacy for nonviolent resolution to the genocide in Darfur.

The Genocide Intervention Network is a national organization that
envisions a world in which the international community is willing and
able to protect civilians from genocide and mass atrocities. GI-Net
has more than 600 chapters around the world; members educate their
communities, advocate for action by their elected officials, and
raise funds directly for civilian protection and human security.

Learn more about the national Genocide Intervention Network. To learn
about the St. Thomas chapter, contact Sarah Hogan, student president,
or Dr. Ellen Kennedy, faculty adviser.

0649/Wednesday/Genocide12_6_06.cfm

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

RUSSIAN COMPANIES ARE INTERESTED IN ENERGY MARKET OF KARABAKH

Lragir, Armenia
Dec 6 2006

We have learned that the representatives of some Russian companies
have visited Karabakh to study the local energy sector. The minister
of territorial management and development of infrastructures Armo
Tsatryan told the Karabakh Open that there are Russian companies
which are conducting a survey of the energy sector of Karabakh to
make investments in small water power plants, because the Karabakh
party is interested in negotiating over this.

"But there have been no definite proposals from any company and there
are no arrangements," said the minister. According to the minister,
after the privatization of the Distribution Networks of Armenia last
year the companies initiated a visit to Karabakh, and during the
recent visit besides the territories they also conducted a survey
of Artsakhenergo.

It is notable that at the moment Azerbaijan is making efforts to
reject the Russian gas and seek for alternative sources. Will the
Russian companies appear in Karabakh? After all, the energy generated
in Karabakh can be sold in Iran.

AZERBAIJAN SPOILS RELATIONS WITH IRAN DUE TO ISRAEL – ARMENIAN PAPER
by Sarkis Gevorkyan’s

Hayots Ashkhar, Armenia
Nov 22 2006

"Azerbaijan is changing its tactics"

The panic, started in Azerbaijan after the impressive victory of the
Democrats in the US Congress, has been recently replaced by searches
for ways to cooperate with the US Jewish lobby with the help of Israel.

Azerbaijan has been working with US Republicans which ruled in the
White House and the Congress through the powerful American oil lobby.

But once Republicans have been replaced by Democrats in the US
Congress, and in 2008 the same may happen in the White House, they
speak in Azerbaijan about the necessity of a rapprochement with Israel.

These suggestions are undoubtedly based on an intention to cooperate
with the US Jewish lobby and via the latter with the Democratic Party.

The weakening of positions of the Republicans means that Azerbaijan
can no longer rely on the US oil lobby.

Moreover, [Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev worries about the
fact that Harry Reid has become the leader of the new Democratic
majority in the Senate, and Nancy Pelosi is to be elected the speaker
of the House of Representatives as both have serious links with the
Armenian lobby of the USA. In addition, traditionally the Democrats
have a negative attitude towards dictatorial states which trample on
democracy, in this case, towards Azerbaijan as well.

Thus, who can close mouth of those influential officials connected
with the Armenian lobby, if not the Jewish lobby of the USA?

For this reason, on 20 November [film] show started in Baku which
demonstrate "centuries-long friendship" with Israel, which have
already caused confusion in Azerbaijan and in the Azerbaijani-Iranian
relations. The official part of the show started on 20 November
but the unofficial one started when a provoking article insulting
the Prophet was published in Baku-based Sanat newspaper. The article
angered the spiritual people both in Azerbaijan and Iran. Iran’s Sahar
TV channel called on the Muslims of Azerbaijan to organize a rally to
protect Islamic values. At the same time, young Iranians held rallies
outside the Azerbaijani embassy in Teheran. Actually, it is clear
to both parties that the reason for all these is "the Israeli show"
[festival of Israeli films] that started in Azerbaijan.

[Passage omitted: festival of Israeli films was opened in Baku on
20 November]

It is no secret that Israel has serious economic reasons to expand
its relations with Azerbaijan since in the future Israel wants to get
Azerbaijani oil via the Baku-Ceyhan oil pipeline in order to lessen its
dependence on the Arab world. Thus, the parties have mutual interest
and certain scope of expectations which may be extended in future.

But all these actions of Baku cause serious doubt because of three
following reasons:

1. One should not forget that the US Jewish lobby, which undoubtedly
has a serious role in financing the Democratic Party and affects its
policy, does not have strict positions in the matter of supporting
the American-Turkish relations. Whereas the problem of recognition
of the Armenian genocide but not Azerbaijan and its president will
be the main target of the Armenian lobby activity.

2. Iran treats negatively Baku’s demonstrative love game towards
Israel, and the Azerbaijani president is creating a new problem for
himself by trying to interfere in the political power of the USA with
the help of the Jewish lobby.

3. No powerful lobby even the Jewish can unreservedly affect the US
foreign policy, especially the growing political role of the Democrats,
and the prospect of them to come to power assumes formation of a new
foreign policy conception of the USA, the principles and priorities
of which will not be changed with the help of lobbying.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NOBEL WINNER PAMUK PESSIMISTIC ABOUT EU-TURKEY RELATIONS
By Louise Nordstrom, Associated Press Writer

The Associated Press
December 6, 2006 Wednesday 1:37 PM GMT

Nobel literature laureate Orhan Pamuk said Wednesday he felt "sad"
about the current state of relations between the European Union and
his native Turkey.

Pamuk, who receives his $1.4 million award in Stockholm on Sunday,
was pessimistic about EU-Turkey relations, strained last week by the
EU executive’s proposal to partially suspend membership talks because
of Ankara’s refusal to open trade with Cyprus.

"It’s a subject that makes me sad these days," said Pamuk, whose life
and works illustrate the struggle to find a balance between East and
West. "And that’s the most critical comment I can make these days."

The 54-year-old writer said Turkish membership in the EU would make
the 25-nation bloc more multicultural "and it’s good for Turkish
democracy."

"It would set an example that there is no clash between civilizations,
but harmony," Pamuk said. "But in the last two years, this enthusiasm
is fading away."

Pamuk, author of novels such as "Snow" and "My Name is Red," was tried
in his homeland after a group of ultra-nationalist lawyers accused
him of "insulting Turkishness" for telling a Swiss newspaper that
"30,000 Kurds and 1 million Armenians were killed in these lands,
and nobody but me dares to talk about it."

The charges against Pamuk were dropped in January.

On Wednesday, he avoided the Armenian issue, which is one of the most
divisive and emotional in Turkey. Those who classify the killings as
genocide are often accused of treason.

"It’s an intense question. I don’t want to go into it in the last
three minutes," Pamuk said near the end of a news conference at a
Stockholm publishing house.

In pronouncing the Istanbul-born writer the winner of its prestigious
prize in October, the Swedish Academy said Pamuk "in the quest for
the melancholic soul of his native city has discovered new symbols
for the clash and interlacing of cultures."

The announcement drew a mixed reaction in his homeland. Turkish
nationalists professed shame at the selection of a man who speaks of
the oppression of Armenians and Kurds, while many writers called it
a historic moment for their rich literary tradition.

Pamuk said the Nobel Prize might have changed his financial situation
winners usually see a sharp spike in book sales but he would not let
it affect his work.

"I have made it my business so that it doesn’t change my life. I will
remain devoted to writing fiction 10 hours each day," he said.

Pamuk said the point of literature was "the pleasure of seeing the
inner depth of being in this world."

He will receive his honor from Sweden’s King Carl XVI Gustaf at
Sunday’s Nobel Prize ceremony, which is followed by a banquet at
Stockholm’s City Hall.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRODUCTION OF CHENICAL INDUSTRY DECLINES BY 20.3% IN JANUARY-OCTOBER 2006 ON SAME PERIOD OF LAST YEAR

Noyan Tapan
Dec 06 2006

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. In January-October 2006, the
production of Armenia’s chemical industry declined by 20.3% on the
same period of last year and made 11 bln 458 mln drams (about 27 mln
USD). According to the RA National Statistical Service, in the first
ten months of this year, the production of rubber and plastic items
made 2 bln 955.2 mln drams, growing by 13.5%. In January-October 2006,
production of lacquers and paints grew by 27.5%, of plastic items – by
15%, of pharmaceutical goods – by 5.4%, while production of synthetic
rubber and caustic soda declined by 44.1% and 45.4% respectively on
the same months of last year.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIA REFUSES TO WITHDRAW FROM OCCUPIED LANDS
by Nurani

Source: Ekho (Baku) December 1, 2006, EV
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 6, 2006 Wednesday

"Armenian refugees from Azerbaijan" are playing their part in the
PR campaign

A VIEW FROM BAKU: ARMENIA IS NOT GOING TO WITHDRAW ITS TROOPS FROM
AZERBAIJANI LANDS; Official Baku is convinced it is no use waiting
for Armenia to let go of the occupied lands.

The Prague Process intensifying, official Yerevan keeps making
statements implying that there is no use waiting for any concessions
from Armenia. The accord on the return to Azerbaijan of territories
controlled by the Karabakh army is unlikely, Defense Minister Serj
Sarkisjan told journalists in Yerevan. (Along with everything else,
Sarkisjan is regarded as President Robert Kocharjan’s potential
successor.) Sarkisjan said, however, that he had no information on
existence of accords on the return of the lands. Commenting on the
possibility that Armenia could also agree to return Kjalbajar to
Azerbaijan in the negotiations, Sarkisjan said that he had never
spoken of specific territories and that he did not want to discuss
the matter now. In other words, Armenia will never withdraw from the
occupied territories if it can help it. And since nobody seems to be
prepared to put Armenia under pressure over it, expediency of future
talks is at least questionable.

There is one other nuance to be mentioned as well. The so-called "civil
network" specializing in "promotion of Armenian refugees’ interests"
drew attention to itself in Yerevan practically simultaneously
with Sarkisjan’s statement. Its activists released a statement to
remind the negotiating parties that stability and lasting peace were
impossible without putting on the agenda the issue of "deportation of
Armenian refugees from the Soviet Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan". That
"Nakhichevan" is not mentioned as a part of "Soviet Azerbaijan"
is symbolic. Armenia aspires for these lands too.

Even more thought-provoking is the phrase that "it should be
clear to everyone that Armenian refugees would never return to
any Azerbaijan-controlled territory where their very lives will be
forfeit. Anti-Armenian bias in Azerbaijan is worsening. We maintain
that Armenian refugees have the right to move to the former Agdam and
Fizuli, Kashatag (Lachin – editorial office) and Karvachar (Kjalbajar –
editorial office), to all territories that are known as the security
zone. It is the Armenian authorities’ duty to help them."

Activists promise to forward to the "parliament" of the self-proclaimed
"Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh" a new draft law on citizenship. The
document will grant Nagorno-Karabakh citizenship to all Azerbaijani
Armenians.

Official Yerevan hasn’t supported the "civil initiative" so far. On
the other hand, initiatives like that never appear without an
encouraging nod from the authorities, particularly initiatives put
forth by self-proclaimed "political technologists". Firstly, all this
screaming on "promotion of Armenian refugees’ rights" is but a PR
trick, an excuse to refuse to withdraw the troops from the Azerbaijani
territories. Secondly, papers of "citizens of Nagorno-Karabakh" that
will be issued to all Armenians are but an element of preparations
for a referendum the political establishment of both countries is
actively discussing these days. The lack of official support is not
the reason for taking the "initiative" lightly.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

NON-COMBAT LOSSES; … ARE SUBSTANTIAL
R. Orujev

Source: Ekho (Baku), December 1, 2006, EV
Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 6, 2006 Wednesday

SITUATION IN THE AREAS WHERE AZERBAIJANI AND ARMENIAN TROOPS FACE
EACH OTHER REMAINS TRICKY; Update on the situation in the areas where
Azerbaijani and Armenian regular armies face each other.

Another episode of the cease-fire regime violation is reported.

Azerbaijani positions came under automatic rifle fire from the
territory of the settlement of Bash Gervend in the Agdam district
occupied by the Armenians. It began at approximately 2315 hours on
November 29. No information on casualties is available.

It is common knowledge that violations of this kind occur regularly,
at least once a week.

Ramiz Melikov of the Press Service of the Defense Ministry told Ekho
that the Armenians kept violating the cease-fire regime. "I do not
see any improvement from past years," Melikov said.

According to Melikov, the Defense Ministry is not counting loss of
life in provocations engineered by the Armenians. "We do not reveal
this information," he said. "As for the losses, they are quite frequent
on both sides."

"Some tranquility in areas in question always follows the coming of
cold," independent military expert Uzeir Jafarov told this newspaper.

"By late December, however, we will probably see mass violations of
the cease-fire regime. It happens every year. Generally speaking,
the situation there is not any better than it was these last 3-5 years.

Skirmishes continue all along the front. They are sometimes mass,
sometimes episodic… They usually happen when replacement of the
troops is carried out. Young soldiers right from boot camp want to
see how their weapons work. With commanders’ permission of course. It
is usually true of sharpshooters. I’m under the impression that the
Armenian side will try to escalate tension now that the latest round
of the Karabakh talks is over. The cease-fire regime will be frequently
violated now."

"Our Organization of Retired Officers monitor the state of affairs
with Azerbaijani losses when the cease-fire regime is in effect,"
Jafarov said. "We draw our conclusions from what is published in
the media and what our comrades-in-arms tell us. The Armed Forces
of Azerbaijan lost 50 servicemen this year. Discounting the wounded
and those who triggered landmines. Most men were lost to Armenian
sharpshooters. The 2005 figures were more or less similar. We’ve been
compiling this information since 1994. The Defense Ministry classified
these figures, but I’m telling you right here and now that we lost
several thousands men. They are the so-called non-combat losses."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress