Author: Felekian Ara

SERZH SARGSYAN PREPARING TO SURRENDER OCCUPIED LANDS

news.az
Jan 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Serzh Sargsyan "Azerbaijanis are leaving us behind and we are not so
strong as they are."

The Nagorno Karabakh community is concerned with possible surrender
of the "liberated" lands, the Zhamanak newspaper reads. According
to the newspaper, "NKR" suspects that Serzh Sargsyan is preparing to
surrender the "liberated" lands.

According to sources of the newspaper, the Karabakh population is torn
apart with disappointment and extremist sentiments. The disappointed
people have started to quit Karabakh.

Meanwhile, the "NKR" powers have started to give interviews saying they
fully trust Serzh Sargsyan. Meanwhile, the same Karabakhi officials
curse Sargsyan in a closer surrounding.

The newspaper reports with reference to reliable sources that the
so-called "NKR President" Bako Saakyan ,met with general Manwel
Sargsyan, Serzh Sargsyan with Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan and Arkady
Ter-Tadevosyan with the high military command of "NKR" earlier.

Meanwhile, the meetings were not so pleasant for Serzh Sargsyan.

During his recent visit to karabakh, Sargsyan promised to the "NKR"
authorities and the high military command that he would do everything
possible to bring Karabakh back to the negotiation table and said
nothing about the return of lands. Yet before the New Year, Commandos
Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan came to Karabakh and discussed the issue of
the liberated lands with officers, according to Zhamanak.

According to sources, this caused resentment among the officers who
reminded that Sargsyan promised a different thing. Being caught in
an awkward state, Commandos returned to Yerevan. Sargsyan-Commandos
and Sargsyan-Manwel Grigoryan meetings were held on this background.

During the meetings Sargsyan told both generals: "I will not accept
these adventures, war is an alternative to nonsurrender of lands,
Azerbaijanis are leaving us behind and we are not so strong as they
are", and so on. Moreover, Sargsyan started blackmailing generals
saying they have allegedly left him alone in the Karabakh issue and
despite they say that "the lands should not be surrendered", they do
not want to launch war.

For the first time, Sargsyan did not reject his preparations to
surrender the lands and used the language of blackmail. It seems that
these statements by Sargsyan have forced the "NKR" defense minister to
convene the field commanders and order them to state their preparations
for war in every conversation, the newspaper concludes.

FIKRET SADIKHOV: ARMENIA WILL NEVER SURRENDER TERRITORIES

Aysor
Jan 14 2010
Armenia

Azerbaijan’s analyst Fikret Sadikhov in his interview with Day.Az
Agency said Armenia would never surrender lands for the sake of
opening the border [with Turkey].

When asked whether Armenia’s Constitutional Court’s positive decision
on Armenian-Turkish protocols means Armenia may surrender part
of lands in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, Fikret Sadikhov said:
"I don’t think so. Frankly, Turkey hasn’t set any conditions."

He pointed all those statements on ‘interests on Azerbaijan’, ‘acts to
surrender lands to Azerbaijan’ and so on by Turkey’s Prime Minister
Erdogan and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davut oglu were made after the
ceremony of signing the protocols in Zurich. These statements were
made after ‘Turkey faced tensions with Azerbaijan’, he said.

Despite statements by Erdogan in Washington were positive, "these
statements remain by word of mouth only. Armenian-Turkish protocols
have no any word about interests of Azerbaijan," he said.

"If this process and word of mouth statements on interests of
Azerbaijan continue without changes, we will meet the same situation
like in Zurich during the protocols’ signing," said Fikret Sadikhov.

POSITIVE RESULT MIGHT BE REACHED IN KARABAKH NEGOTIATIONS IN 2010, EXPERT
Akper Hasanov

news.az
Jan 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Zurab Todua News.Az interviews Zurab Todua, political scientist and
expert on the post-Soviet problems (Moscow, Russia).

What do you think of the report of the influential private US research
company Stratfor whose analysts say Russia may revive as one of the
leading superpowers in 2010?

I believe Stratfor analysts are too optimistic in assessing the
prospects of Russia’s revical as a leading superpower. To return
this status, Russia needs to several many problems in economy,
as well as domestic and foreign policy. Meanwhile, the specialists
of this campaign were right in defining the main tendency: Russia
is on the way to revival as one of the leading superpowers. Its
strong economic growth that stood even the world financial crisis
has continued for more than 10 years. Crisis remained unnoticed
for a greater part of the population. It was just virtual for most
people. The comprehensive growth in Russia’s strength will further
continue which, certainly, does not lift the task of settling sharp
current and long-term problems.

Can it be so that this Stratfor report is just a part of the
information warfare between Russia and US in the post-Soviet area?

It would be too easy to perceive the report of this organization just
as part of the information warfare which means disinformation for
"soothing" the opponent or other goals. I think the officials of this
organizations care about their reputation. Many other possibilities
exist for disinformation. By the way, everyone in the Internet can
find reports of the company and compare them with the real events
and draw conclusions.

"This year Russia will eliminate the main part of what has been left
from the influence of the West and Turkey in Ukraine, Kazakhstan,
Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan and try to lay basis for the creation
of a political union on a greater part of the post-Soviet area",
the report says. Is it possible to speak about possible revival of
the USSR?

No man of sense in Russia would seriously discuss the issue of possible
revival of the USSR because nobody needs it here. The Soviet Union has
many positive and negative sides (but this is a separate topic). Yet
the form of distribution of resources and material welfares existing
in the Soviet Union was irrational even for Russia.

I remember it well on the example of Moldova and Georgia where I had
to stay in the Soviet era.

The living conditions in the more remote regions of these republics
were much higher than in Russian depths. This gap former in the
60’s-70’s when the concept of priority development of the USSR national
suburbs was implemented. The Stratfor report speaks not of the USSR
revival but of a creation of a certain political unit which is not
the same. I think sooner or later Russia will become a center of a
new political-economic unit in the post-Soviet area and most former
USSR republics and, probably, other states would find it profitable
to join it. This may be an analogue of the European Union.

Yet it will require more time than Stratfor analysts suppose. Much
will depend on the result of the struggle for Ukraine between Russia
and the West.

To what extent are the US and Russian capacities of influencing the
situation in the world and the South Caucasus region comparable?

The comparison of US and Russian capacities to influence the situation
in the world is not at issue. No one even China is yet able to compete
the United States. Yet Russia’s capacities are quite significant to
raise influence in the near abroad including in the South Caucasus.

This was obvious during the five-day war in South Ossetia, the
military defeat of Saakashvili’s regime and the following recognition
of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. The United States and
the West showed a passive reaction to these events. There is a tendency
of weakening of the US position in the post-Soviet area though it is
not so obvious so far. However, the United States are seriously stuck
in Iraq and Afghanistan for long. It would be interesting to recall
the statements of some "analysts" and "experts" who predicted that
the war in Iraq will last for several weeks and the coalition losses
will not exceed 100 people (yes, there have been such forecasts!). The
hopes that after the United States settle their problems in Iraq and
Afghanistan (who would predict how much time would it take?) Washington
"will raise attention to the South Caucasus" are hardly justified. In
the 90s the United States were on the peak of their might and nothing
distracted their attention. Did it have any significant impact on the
Karabakh conflict settlement? The weakening of the military, political
and economic strength of the United States is an obvious tendency. It
causes concerns among the really serious experts and analysts which is
proven by the article of Andrew Krepenevich "Weakening of fundamental
of US strength".

And the last question: what do you think of the Russian-Azerbaijani
cooperation in 2010?

The relations between Russia and Azerbaijan are positive. Despite
the problems and some differences in the interests, Moscow and Baku
demonstrate enviable pragmatism and patience in building them. This
is especially obvious on the background of the policy held by Georgian
in relation to Russia. If there are no unforeseen failures and delays
in 2010, we can hope for the completion of Minsk Group’s work at the
basic principles of the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. Under
preservation of the previous approaches of the sides and dynamics of
the negotiation process, it would be possible to further count on the
coordination of the basic principles of resolution and development
of the text of a peace agreement on their basis. It is important
to preserve everything that has already been prepared, maintain the
gained speed and then it would be possible to reach a positive result
in negotiations on Karabakh in 2010.

RUSSIAN POLITICAL EXPERT: ARMENIA WILL HAVE TO WITHDRAW FROM AZERBAIJAN’S OCCUPIED TERRITORIES
R. Mehdiyev

Today
59292.html
Jan 12 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Alexei Malashenko, expert at the Carnegie Center
Moscow Branch and renowned political expert.

Turkish PM Erdogan is going to trip to Moscow. In your opinion,
do Russia and Turkey share certain common views regarding the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and opening of the Armenia-Turkey border?

I see no common views in this matter between Moscow and Ankara.

Probably, Moscow comes to understand that Ankara will gradually act as
Russia’s rival in South Caucasus, not enemy, but rival. Because Ankara
is very active, it is able to talk with Russia and bargain with it.

For example, Turkey’s relations with Abkhazia are not so bad with
which Moscow is pleased, but for the time being.

So, I think that talks in the Kremlin will be more than diplomatic.

Most likely, they will be success. But I believe that Russia will
have a very serious competitor in the South Caucasus. It will be very
difficult for Russia to pursue its own policy at a time of difficult
relationship with Georgia and two dependent or independent Abkhazia
and South Ossetia while Ankara is very active.

As to the borders and Armenia-Turkey relations, these are own business
of Armenia and Turkey. In my view, it will have no serious impact
on Russia. The another thing is that the opening of the borders
and improving Armenia-Turkey relations will reduce Russia’s role in
resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict since Turkey is a very strong
player with both economic and political leverages.

So, it is very difficult to predict what will Erdogan and Russian
leaders will speak to each other. Moreover, Turkey is good at
interpreting all negotiations in its favor and defend its own opinion.

Today Moscow faces a very big problem – how to behave. So, talks
claiming that the Karabakh conflict will be solved during the
visit will remain juts talks. No steps will be taken to reverse
the situation.

In your view, will the parliaments of both countries ratify the
Armenian-Turkish protocols?

The current authorities of the two states will do everything to get
the protocols ratified. As the situation in the Armenian parliament
is not easy one, any option can take place. I think that it will be
easier for Turkey. It will pass this decision sooner or later.

How do you comment on Turkey’s demands that Armenia must withdraw
from at least five of the seven occupied regions surrounding
Nagorno-Karabakh before the protocols with Armenia are ratified?

I think Armenia will have to withdraw from these regions in any case.

This is the only thing that can be achieved in this regard. Because
the return of Nagorno-Karabakh is out of the question. But liberating
these surrounding regions are unambiguous. Most likely, they will
not be liberated easily. There will be some bargain in this issue, too.

Turkey’s position is strong in this respect. The question is what
price Armenians will offer for this.

In your opinion, to what extent Armenia is likely to agree to return
control of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region back to
Azerbaijan?

There is no need to speak about distant future. We simply need to pay
attention to other conflicts. For example, in the Middle East. This
is perpetual conflict. It is unclear what will happen to Cyprus not
to mention Abkhazia and South Ossetia. That is, there is some new
problem which will be eternal.

I think that Nagorno Karabakh will be the very eternal problem
unless quite fantastic disasters will happen such as the fact that
all Armenians will leave California and France, or the Caspian Sea
will approach Karabakh. All this is possible, so I think that the
controversial situation around Nagorno-Karabakh will never end. In any
case, one will never recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent,
while others will never recognize it as part of Azerbaijan. Again,
this is not only the local situation. This qualitatively new situation
in international relations, which has seen no final solution so far.

CBA: "MARALIK" NEW ACBA -CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK SUBSIDIARY REGISTERED

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.01.2010 19:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "Maralik" new ACBA -CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK subsidiary
was registered.

The new subsidiary was registered in accordance with CBA President
Artur Javadyan’s resolution of December 30, 2009, CBA press service
reported.

ACBA -CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK CJSC was founded in 1996 within the
framework of the European Union’s TACIS program by the model of
European cooperative banks.

License N70 of the Central Bank of the Republic of Armenia issued on
29 March1996.

Initially, activity of the bank was targeted to financing rural
economies of Armenia. Since 1999 the bank has started providing
loans to small and medium enterprises, since 2001 – consumer loans
and since 2003 – education loans.

ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK CJSC is the member of SWIFT system,
the principle member of the international VISA payment system, the
shareholder of "ArCa" CJSC and the member of "ArCa" payment system.

At present the bank provides varied universal banking services:
opening and service of banking accounts, funds transfer, issuance of
personal check books, currency exchange, issuance of bank guarantees,
documentary credits, trade, agricultural, collateral, mortgage,
consumer loans, as well as loans for education, repairs and heating,
issuance and service of VISA international plastic cards and domestic
ArCA, reception of household running costs, system management via
ACBA ON-Line.

In September 2006 the French Credit Agricole Banking Group purchased
28% shares of the Agricultural Cooperative Bank of Armenia [ACBA Bank],
and the ACBA Bank was renamed to ACBA Credit Agricole Bank.

"ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK" CJSC received a Principle Membership
License and a Merchant Acquiring License from the Visa International
Service Association.

ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK CJSC ACBA is the member of the Confederation
Internationale du Credit Agricole (International Confederation for
Agricultural Credit – CICA), the member of the Union of Banks of
Armenia (UBA).

The bank has 36 branches (including the Head office): 6 – in Yerevan,
the rest in the 10 marzes of Armenia.

IRANIAN COMEDIAN TAKES ROLE ON FUNNY IN FARSI

CBC.ca
Jan 11 2010
Canada

Maz Jobrani, an Iranian-born comic who has been part of the Axis of
Evil comedy troupe and TV shows such as Knights of Prosperity and
Better Off Ted, will star in the new family sitcom Funny in Farsi.

The ABC comedy is based on the acclaimed comic memoir by Firoozeh
Dumas about her family’s move from Iran to California in the 1970s.

Jobrani will play the father, Mohammed Sayed Kazem Jazeyeri, an oil
company engineer in love with American ways who never quite learns
proper English.

Marjan Nehsat, also an Iranian-born actor, will play the mother,
who finds it harder to assimilate.

Jobrani has appeared on The Colbert Report and Comedy Central.

The jovial uncle in Funny in Farsi will be played by Armenian-American
Hrach Titizian, who also has an ongoing role as the president’s
assistant on 24.

The comedy is directed and produced by Barry Sonnenfeld, who is also
executive producer of Pushing Daisies. The book was adapted by Jeffrey
Hodes and Nastaran Dibai.

American network ABC has approved a pilot, but has yet to assign an
air date to the comedy about a Muslim family.

CBC’s Little Mosque on the Prairie was the first North American comedy
to centre on Muslim characters.

ARF SHOWS THE WAY

Lragir.am
12/01/10

On January 11, during the ARF organized rally, the representative
of the ARF Supreme body Armen Rustamyan said that the sooner the
government realizes the consequences of failures, the sooner the
Armenian people will be freed from challenges. He said that Turkey has
all the levers to influence the situation while Armenia lost all its
opportunities. Rustamyan said that the aim of their rally is to focus
the attention of the government and the members of the Constitutional
Court on the possibilities enabling Armenia stop the process.

Rustamyan wonders that in case there is no precondition in the
protocols, and their aim is not the recognition of the Turkish
borders, which the reason is why the Armenian government does
not disperse all doubts making reservations. Rustamyan says the
National Assembly which is to ratify the protocols, has the right to
make reservations. According to the ARF member, if the CC declares
the protocols corresponding to the Armenian Constitution, the ARF
parliamentary members will vote against them at the National Assembly.

SERZH SARGSYAN IS RESPONSIBLE

A1Plus.am
12/01/10

ARF representatives are silently awaiting the decision of the
Constitutional Court with signs reading "No concessions to Turkey",
"CC, refute the anti-constitutional Protocols" without any screams
and are more active when it comes to the issue of the Turkey-Armenia
Protocols.

"Why should I believe in the CC when it hasn’t met anybody’s
expectations to date? I think that we must demand Serzh Sargsyan’s
resignation. He is the one responsible for all this and any reasonable
person knows that. The rest are doing what he says and that is my
personal opinion. I don’t understand Serzh Sargsyan’s policies. If he
is not thinking about the fate of the nation, he doesn’t deserve to be
the leader of this nation," ARF representative Susanna Poghosyan told
"A1+" today.

Although protester Aramayis Melikyan doesn’t trust the CC, he hasn’t
lost all hope either. "I hope, but am not certain. The entire nation
demanded not to sign the Protocols, but the authorities ignored
the people’s demand. I don’t think the CC will make a decision that
differs from that of the authorities."

Dashnak Margarita Petrosyan hopes that the CC will realize the
importance of its decision. "I simply believe that the remorse of
the CC members will awaken at the last minute. After all, this is an
issue of the fate of an entire nation."

If the CC doesn’t recognizes the Turkey-Armenia Protocols as
anti-constitutional either, according to protester Boris Lazarian,
it will mean that the CC has also joined the RA authorities’ plan of
removing Armenians from Armenia.

U.S.-based Vardges Hakobyan traveled to Yerevan today to take part in
today’s protest near the CC. "I am not against the establishment of
relations with Turkey, but our neighbor Turkey must recognize the
atrocities committed in 1915. Does this mean that we must forget
Western Armenia or the massacres of one and a half million Armenians?

There can be no such thing. Turkey should learn from Germany, which
recognized the Jewish Holocaust. Turkey should recognize the Armenian
Genocide and after that, we can talk about development of relations.

Our authorities must take into account that if they are signing
something, they have no right not to deprive us Diaspora Armenians of
our rights. The person who is responsible for this is Serzh Sargsyan.

The Foreign Minister can’t do anything without him. We want the
administration to change. Let them accept their flaws and leave."

‘CUSTOMARY FRAUDULENT ELECTIONS,’ SAYS HERITAGE PARTY MEMBER ARMEN MARTIROSYAN

Tert.am
17:48 ~U 11.01.10

"I consider yesterday’s elections in No. 10 electoral district to be
the customary manifestation of fraudulent elections. The electoral
system, formed in the mid-90s, is preserved until today and the public
and the opposition forces can overcome that falsified system with
joint efforts," said Heritage Party board chair Armen Martirosyan to
Tert.am, referring to the National Assembly supplementary elections
which took place in central Yerevan on January 10.

Martirosyan also turned his attention to the low voter turnout, saying
that it indicates the public’s distrust toward the electoral system.

Referring to the victory by the National Unity party candidate,
Martirosyan noted that he finds it difficult to praise the victory.

"They were fraudulent elections," said the Heritage Party board chair.

news.am, Armenia
Jan 9 2010

Memorial complex opened in Karabakhi village

15:55 / 01/09/2010Memorial complex dedicated to the soldiers killed in
Karabakh was opened in Zardakhach village of Martakert region
(Nagorno-Karabakh).

Except for 5 portraits of soldiers, the names of those killed during
World War II are carved on the plate.

Authorities’ representatives, defense army, local government and
Zardakhach village citizens, as well as guests from Armenia and Russia
took attended the event. The monument was sanctified by Armenian
Apostolic Church Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan.

Zardakhach natives Georgy Gasparyan, Gurgen Gasparyan (RF citizen),
Arkdiy Mirzoyan were the initiators of the memorial construction. The
funds were also contributed by local citizens and Armenians from
abroad.

A.G.