Author: Felekian Ara

DAVID L. PHILLIPS: USING THE NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM AS POLITICAL TOOL HAS DONE ENOUGH HARM
T. Teymur

Today
771.html
Feb 3 2010
Azerbaijan

Interview with American expert, visiting scholar of Columbia
University, David Phillips.

The date of April 24th which is a "genocide" day for Armenians is
coming closer. Many believe there will be some activeness coming from
Turkey, concerning the protocol ratification. What, in your opinion,
may be happening on this date, or close to it?

The Protocols represent a bilateral agreement between Turkey and
Armenia. There is no linkage to Nagorno Karabakh. This was expressed
by Prime Minister Erdogan to President Obama when they met last April.

It was widely perceived last year that Turkey was heralding its
signing of the protocols to effect international recognition of the
Armenian genocide. I don’t think anyone will be interested in that
happening again.

The Constitutional Court of Armenia accepted the Ankara-Yerevan
protocols, but with some reservations. Turkey claims that the protocols
must proceed the way they first were presented. Now, how do you
assess the decision of Armenian court to change the protocols? Do
you believe that such course of events can actually damage the whole
ratification process?

Only opponents of the Protocols have identified differences between
the Constitutional Court’s decision and the text, as far as I am
aware. Even those perceived differences are not significant overall.

The United States joined with others in hailing the Court’s decision
as a necessary and positive step toward ratification. Inaction has
already been damaging and will ultimately undermine the historic
opportunity represented by the Protocols.

Media reports say the meeting of Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian
presidents in Sochi were positive. What, in your opinion, should be
expected next on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict issue?

It is important that both sides continue to meet at a high level and
work sincerely towards resolution. This impasse has gone on for too
long. Displaced Azeris should be able to return to their homes in the
provinces surrounding Karabakh and the international community should
do its part to create conditions of security and support rehabilitation
of communities affected by conflict. Continuing to use the issue as
a political tool has done enough harm. Constraints imposed on contact
and cooperation between civil society representatives also undermines
confidence building and progress.

There’s an expert opinion in Yerevan that the Armenian government is
not only not interested in actually doing something to resolve the
Karabakh conflict with Azerbaijan, but is also unable to do it. How
can you comment on that? How true is it?

This perception is incorrect. The Armenian government has stated
both publicly and privately that they are willing and able to
solve the problem. Since the status quo isn’t in their interest,
there’s no reason to think otherwise. The United States is highly
motivated to make progress. It is working through the Minsk Group and
bilaterally with concerned government to resolve issues concerning
Nagorno-Karabakh. The Obama Administration has made clear its
commitment to multilateralism. The cooperation of other countries,
especially Russia, is essential.

DIRECTOR OF US NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT INCREASES RISK OF RENEWED CONFLICT OVER NAGORNY KARABAKH

ArmInfo
2010-02-04 10:36:00

ArmInfo. "Fighting could flare between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the
disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh," the U.S. intelligence official
touches upon Nagorno-Karabakh conflict during the open Hearing on
"Current and Projected Threats to the United States" on February 2.

Thus, Director of National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair told the US
Senate Select Committee on Intelligence that although there has been
progress in the past year toward Turkey-Armenia rapprochement, this
has affected the delicate relationship between Armenia and Azerbaijan,
and increases the risk of a renewed conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
he said.

HERITAGE PARTY PREPARING RESPONSE TO BABUKHANYAN’S RHETORIC

Tert.am
12:50 ~U 03.02.10

The Heritage Party considers Hayk Babukhanyan’s proposal as a regular
work issue which must be resolved within a work context, said Heritage
Party secretary Larisa Alaverdyan, referring to Constitutional Rights
Union (CRU) party leader Hayk Babukhanyan’s recent statements that
the National Statistical Service should look into the Heritage
Party’s activities.

Alaverdyan informed Tert.am today that the Heritage Party is preparing
a response to Babukhanyan’s comments, adding that she is happy that
in Armenia, political parties "feel so free that they can make such
statements."

REGENERATION OF FISH POPULATIONS REQUIRES 4 YEARS IN LAKE SEVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.02.2010 14:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At least 4 years are required for regeneration
of fish populations in Lake Sevan, Boris Gabrielyan, Director
of Institute of Hydrology and Ichthyology of NAS RA told a press
conference in Yerevan.

According to him, the Institute submitted the Ministry of Nature
Protection and the Commission on Lake Sevan, the suggestion to ban
fishing in the lake for the next 4 years. In this regard, he stressed
that the regeneration of different populations require different
time, particularly for whitefish – 4 years, for trout – up to 8
years. The entire fauna of the lake is on the brink of extinction,
the expert said.

According to Karen Chenterechyan, Head of bio-resources management
department at the Ministry of Nature Protection, the Armenian
government in 2010 allocated AMD 60 million against AMD 72 million
in 2009 for the purchase of fingerlings from local companies that
produce fish.

In turn, deputy director of the Institute of Hydro-ecology and
Ichthyology of RA NAS, Evelyna Ghukasyan added that the results of
research indicate that, since 2004 the population of crayfish in the
lake is declining annually.

TURKISH DIPLOMAT WILL EXPRESS DISSATISFACTION WITH YEREVAN IN WASHINGTON AND BERN

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.02.2010 18:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ To prevent Armenia-Turkey rapprochement process
disruption, Ankara intends to send diplomats to US and Switzerland. As
NTV Turkish news channel reported citing diplomatic sources, the
diplomat will present Ankara’s concerns over RA Constitutional Court’s
ruling on rapprochement Protocols, urging US and Swiss authorities
to undertake steps to prevent process disruption.

Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs continues working at legal
document, expressing Ankara’s concerns over RA CC ruling. The document
is to be addressed to Armenia, US, Russia, France and Switzerland.

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of
Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
said that "the decision contains preconditions and restrictive
provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols."

"The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these
Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach
cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed
allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence
to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same
allegiance from the Armenian Government," the Ministry said.

‘INSTEAD OF TALKING NONSENSE, TURKEY SHOULD RATIFY PROTOCOLS’: SHARMAZANOV

Tert.am
16:19 ~U 02.02.10

"The policy by Turkey’s political elite of calling a third party to its
defense when it comes to Armenia resulted in the usual fiasco," said
Republican Party of Armenia press spokesperson MP Edward Sharmazanov
to Tert.am, responding to U.S. Deputy State Secretary Philip Gordon’s
statement that Armenia and Turkey must move forward in the process
of ratifying the Protocols and that that process mustn’t be connected
with any other process.

Sharmazanov said with his statement, Philip Gordon once again confirmed
the U.S.’s official position that the Armenia-Turkey rapprochement
shouldn’t be tied with the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"After all this, Turkey must know that instead of talking nonsense,
they should ratify the Protocols," added the MP.

RESTORE THE IRRIGATION CULTURE

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
February 01, 2010

This year we will have 8 thousand irrigated areas in Artsakh. In
Askeran till the end of the year about 5thousand hectares will be
irrigated. 13 irrigation channels flow through the territory of the
region. Previous year we had an irrigation opportunity for about 3
thousand hectares.

The Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan expected to receive the answer
to the question "Why the villagers are indifferent to the irrigation
opportunity?" from participants of the conference, which took place
on January 30.

For example, 300 hectares of Astkhashen lands are possible to be
irrigated, but no water for irrigation is used. The community head
Artur Grigoryan gave his own explanation; a part of these lands lies
in the high zone and needs no irrigation.

Specialists don’t agree with this explanation. The entire reason is
that a villager has forgotten the irrigation culture of land use.

In Badara as well there is a problem of both valid water usage
and additional work. The head of the Government demanded written
suggestions.

On the ground of the heads of communities’ reports specialists of
water industry department were given recommendations. But the heads
of communities were made demands by the Premier: first of all to
bring the notice of the state policy to a villager.

"State investments in a village will be only in economic programmes,
the rest problems communities must settle themselves, by own strength,
and for this purpose it is necessary to work hard and to create incomes
and the water gives such an opportunity,"- the Prime Minister said.

The Minister of Agriculture Armo Tsatryan told the heads of communities
about agricultural programmes in the forthcoming two years. One of
these programmes regards stock-raising, already initiated in Khanapat
in live farming, which is under construction in the territory of
former milk processing factory.

The same day the Prime Minister visited the garden of individual
farmer Alexander Shahramanyan, whose experience will be somehow useful
to others.

Ara Haroutyunyan had also visited the club of Khanapat, which was
repaired at the expense of state means. The issues of the villagers’
leisure organization were discussed with the community head. In
Askeran, the Prime Minister together with the Director of Artsakh
Investment Fund were in the two buildings being constructed within
the limits of hypothecary crediting programme, familiarized with
living conditions.

ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT SETS TO WORK

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.02.2010 12:45 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian National Assembly opened its spring
session on February 1. The four-day agenda includes discussion of
99 items, including ratification of 15 international agreements,
a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent reported from the scene.

Armenian-Turkish protocols are not on the agenda.

Abduallah Gul highly appreciates Russia’s contribution to Karabakh
settlement process
30.01.2010 17:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russian Dmitry Medvedev had a telephone conversation
with his Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul. The conversation took place
by the initiative of the Turkish side.

The parties discussed Russian-Turkish cooperation in international
affairs and current trends in trade-economic cooperation. They also
exchanged views over the situation in Transcaucasus. Turkish President
highly appreciated Russia’s role in the international efforts towards
resolving Karabakh conflict .
Expressing satisfaction with the joint activities in the Black Sea
region, the Presidents also touched upon issues concerning European
common security, including Russia’s initiative on elaborating a
relevant treaty.

Both leaders agreed that a key event in bilateral relations could be
Russian President’s upcoming visit to Turkey, the Kremlin’s press
service reported.

News.am

Bulgaria should hasten European structures in Nabucco implementation: Erdogan
17:00 / 01/30/2010

As EU member Bulgaria should hurry the European structures to be more
active in Nabucco project implementation, Turkish Hurriyet quotes
Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

In the course of joint press conference with his Bulgarian counterpart
Boiko Borisov Turkish Prime Minister stated: `Bulgaria and Turkey are
the countries that should continue to adhere to implementation of
Nabucco project’, adding that both countries’ authorities realize
significance of the project from European energy security viewpoint.

`The project implementation should be hurried and Bulgaria, as Nabucco
member should hasten European structures to be more active in this
process. I personally asked Mr. Borisov to assist and he promised to
make every effort on the matter,’ Erdogan outlined.

In his recent interview with Bloomberg, Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev said that there are many issues in Nabucco project
implementation, that should be addressed for a while.

According to him, a number of states join his pontential rival –
Russian South Stream project, creating uncertainty.

S.T.