Author: Frangulian Shushan

IN THE FIRST HALF YEAR OF 2007 ACBA-CREDIT AGRICOLE BANK BECOMES THE LEADER IN GRANTING CREDIT GUARANTEE FACILITIES UNDER SMEDNC PROGRAM

arminfo
2007-08-23 08:53:00

Within the framework of the credit guarantee facility (CGF) program
of the Fund ‘Small and Medium Entrepreneurship Development National
Center of Armenia’, the ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank became the leader
in the first half year of 2007, having granted CGFs to 23 entities.

SMEDNC told ArmInfo correspondent that in the first half year
of 2007 the Fund granted a total of 54 CGFs worth 218.9 mln
AMD. The participants of the CGF program are commercial banks
of Armenia. Particularly, within the period under review, 15
entities obtained CGFs through Anelik Bank, 7 entities – through
Ardshininvestbank, 5 entities – through Unibank, 4 entities –
through Inecobank.

The source reports that in Jan-June 2007, the most active region
of Armenia to obtain CGFs under the this program was Lori – 54.346
mln AMD. Gegharkunik region ranks next – 36.713 mln AMD, the third
place is held by Armavir region – 25.988 mln AMD, the fourth one –
by Vayots Dzor region – 25.284 mln AMD. The top five is closed by
Shirak region – 23.4 mln AMD. The lion’s share of granted CGFs was
in the production sector – 129.047 mln AMD, sphere of services –
51.073 mln AMD, and trade – 38.850 mln AMD.

According to the source, since 2004 till 2007, under the SMEDNC
program a total of 204 entities obtained CGFs worth 784.2 mln AMD,
with 1445.4 mln AMD credit portfolio being secured.

To note, the Fund SMEDNC was established in 2002. It is the first
national structure which is empowered to contribute to development
of small and medium entrepreneurship of Armenia at a state level.

JEWISH GROUP IN US REVERSES STAND, CALLS ARMENIAN MASSACRE ‘GENOCIDE’
Jay Lindsay

AP Worldstream
Published: Aug 22, 2007

The Jewish group Anti-Defamation League reversed itself and called
a World War I-era massacre of Armenians a genocide, a change that
comes days after the ADL fired a regional director for taking the
same stance.

ADL director Abraham Foxman’s statement that the killings of Armenians
by Muslim Turks "were indeed tantamount to genocide" came after weeks
of controversy in which critics questioned whether an organization
dedicated to remembering Holocaust victims could remain credible
without acknowledging the Armenian killings as genocide.

The New York-based organization had called the deaths of up 1.5
million Armenians at the hands of Muslim Turks between 1915 and 1923
an atrocity, but stopped short of saying it was genocide _ a planned
extermination of the Christian Armenian minority.

Last week, the town of Watertown, home to a large Armenian population,
withdrew from the ADL’s "No Place for Hate" anti-bigotry program
because of the organization’s refusal to call the massacres
genocide. The ADL also fired New England regional director Andrew
Tarsy after he said he agreed the killings were genocide.

The towns of Acton and Newton were among those considering whether
to break ties with the ADL, and several Jewish organizations, led by
the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, signed a
letter urging the ADL to acknowledge the killings as genocide.

In a statement Tuesday, Foxman said he consulted with historians and
his friend, Holocaust survivor Elie Weisel, after the controversy
began and became convinced genocide had occurred.

In an interview, Foxman said the letter from the Jewish groups revealed
divisions Jews cannot afford to have at a time of increased threats
to them around the world.

"This is not a time for us to be squabbling about historical fact
or non-fact," he said. "That’s what really shocked me into saying,
you know what, I’ve got to find a way to bring us together."

But Foxman said his group would not support a pending Congressional
resolution that calls the massacre a genocide, saying it was
"a counterproductive diversion and will not foster reconciliation
between Turks and Armenians."

Foxman would not comment on whether Tarsy would be rehired.

Nurten Ural, president of the Assembly of Turkish American
Associations, said she was disappointed by the ADL’s decision. Turks
and Armenians both suffered during the war, and calling it genocide
by the Turks is like being accused of a crime you did not commit,
she said.

Ural said many historians do not believe a genocide occurred, and
said if the Congressional resolution passes it would damage relations
with Turkey, which is valued in the West as a friend of Israel in
the hostile Middle East and a bulwark against radical Islam.

"This is not a political issue, this is an historical issue, it
should be left to the historians," Ural said. "The U.S. needs Turkey,
Turkey needs the U.S. in many, many ways. It would be really bad for
both countries."

The controversy began in July after Newton resident David Boyajian
wrote a local Watertown paper about the ADL’s stance and urged
the community’s No Place for Hate program to sever ties with the
ADL. During a meeting on the subject in Watertown last week, Tarsy
was booed by the overflow crowd. Later in the week, he changed his
stance and said he strongly disagreed with the national organization.

James Russell, professor of Armenian studies at Harvard University,
said evidence of the Armenian genocide is overwhelming, including
eyewitness accounts and copious documentation. He said the word
"genocide" was invented in the 1940s by an attorney trying to come
up with a legal term to describe what had happened to the Armenians.

"The word was invented to describe what had happened to the Armenians
in the first place," he said. "If there’s any ambiguity there, then
the Declaration of Independence might as well be considered a British
royalist document."

State Rep. Rachel Kaprielian, an Armenian and Watertown resident,
said she was "relieved and heartened and glad" about the ADL’s
decision. But asked if Watertown would re-establish its connection
to the ADL, Kaprielian said, "The dust has to settle on this."

Kaprielian criticized the ADL for failing to support the Congressional
resolution, which she said just repeats what the ADL acknowledged
Tuesday.

She said the group was letting geopolitical concerns take precedence
over its core commitment to human rights.

Dikran Kaligian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee Eastern
U.S., while welcoming Foxman’s new stance, said he is not going far
enough and called on him to support the Congressional resolution.

"What we’re looking for is what the regional ADL is looking for, and
that is Congressional affirmation of Armenian genocide," he said. "We
welcome this first step and hope he’ll go the rest of the way."

Foxman said the ADL does not just fight for equal rights, but also
works to protect the Jewish community. Members of the Jewish minority
in Turkey flew to the U.S. to ask the ADL to remain neutral on the
genocide question, and Foxman had honored the request. But he said
with the Armenian issue "tearing the community apart" he had to take
a stand in the interest of unity.

"It’s the balancing of moral points of view," he said. "It’s not one
above the other, but sometimes you have to make a decision."

KHACHIYAN WINS IN AGOURA HILLS
By Jack Peters, International Master

Los Angeles Times
August 5, 2007

CHESS

Position No. 5962: White to play and win. >>From the game Magnus
Carlsen-Alexander Onischuk, Biel 2007.

Solution to Position No. 5961: Black wins with 1 Bh3+! 2 Qxh3 Rf6+
3 Ke1 Qf2+! 4 Kd2 Rd6+ 5 Kc3 Qc5+ 6 Kb2 Qb4+ 7 Ka2 Qxa4+ 8 Kb2 Qb4+
9 Ka2 Rb6, mating. If 2 Ke1, then 2… Qg1+ 3 Kd2 Rd6+ 3 Bd3 Qxh2+
will win White’s Queen.

Grandmaster Melikset Khachiyan of North Hollywood won the 12th Pacific
Coast Open, held two weekends ago in Agoura Hills, with an impressive
5-1 score. Although Khachiyan lost to GM Lars Bo Hansen (Denmark)
in the fifth round, he rebounded to beat former state champion IM
Andranik Matikozyan in his last game. Earlier, Khachiyan defeated GM
Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Philippines).

Next at 4 1/2 -1 1/2 were Antonio, Hansen, GM Suat Atalik (Turkey)
and state champion IM Enrico Sevillano. Harutyun Akopian earned the
best under-2400 prize at 4-2. The 42-player Open section boasted five
GMs and four IMs.

Other sections were won by Barry Lazarus, 5 1/2 – 1/2 in under-2100;
Jim Y. Chao, 5 1/2 – 1/2 in under-1900; Leonel Campoy and Alfred Ong,
each 5-1 in under-1700; Shirolly Anand, John Cachay, Howard Horwitz
and Dennis Neymit, each 5-1 in under-1500; Giovanni Catalenello and
Antonio Malapira, each 5-1 in under-1200; and David Alday, under-800.

A total of 209 players participated in the Continental Chess
Assn. event, the largest open so far this year on the West Coast.

National News

The 85,000-member U.S. Chess Federation conducted an election for
four spots on its seven-person Executive Board. Any of the 39,883
USCF members over age 16 were eligible to vote, and 4,574 (about 11%)
cast ballots. Former women’s world champion Susan Polgar (New York),
Randy Bauer (Indiana) and Paul Truong (New York) won four-year
terms, while Jim Berry (Oklahoma) will serve for two years. They
join incumbents Bill Goichberg (New York), Randy Hough (Alhambra)
and Joel Channing (Florida). The Executive Board sets policy. The
USCF’s office in Crossville, Tenn., handles the daily business of
the non-profit organization.

Local news

Jim Bullock will run an outdoors scholastic tournament August 11 at
Bolsa Chica State Beach. Advance registration is required. Call him at
(714) 848-4377.

The Santa Monica Bay Chess Club begins a four-round tournament at 7
p.m. Monday in St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church, 11555 National Blvd. in
Los Angeles. Call Pete Savino at (310) 827-2789 for more information.

Today’s games

GM Varuzhan Akobian (U.S.)-GM Kevin Spraggett (Canada), Continental
Americas Championship, Cali, Colombia 2007: 1 d4 f5 The Dutch
Defense. 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Bg5 d5 4 Bxf6 exf6 5 e3 This system tries
to bottle up the Bishop at c8 and show the superiority of White’s
Knight. Be6 6 Qf3 Nc6 7 Bb5 Qd6 8 Nge2 0-0-0 Worth a thought is 8…

a6 9 Ba4 0-0-0, preparing…Nc6-a5-c4. 9 a3 Kb8 10 Na4 Ne7 No better
is 10… b6?! 11 c4. 11 Nc5 Bc8 The knight belongs here, en route to c4
or e4. 12 g3 h5 13 h4 Stifling Black on the Kingside. Black’s position
is purely defensive. g6 14 b4 Bh6 15 c3 Ka8 16 a4 a6 If he remains
passive, White will open a file by a4-a5, Bb5-d3 and b4-b5-b6. 17 Bd3
Rhe8 18 Kd2 Ka7 19 a5 Permanently squelching …b7-b6. c6 20 Nf4 Rh8
21 Kc2 Rdg8 22 Qe2 Re8 23 Rab1 Rh7 24 Rb2 Planning 25 Rhb1 and the
sacrificial breakthrough 26 b5 cxb5 27 Bxb5.

g5!? In free fall, any change of direction is welcome. 25 Nxh5 Reh8
26 Rhb1!! If he merely extricates the Knight by 26 hxg5 fxg5 27 g4
Bf8 28 Rbb1 Rh6 29 Ng3 fxg4 or 29 gxf5 Nxf5, Black might survive.

Akobian spent 17 of his remaining 42 minutes to conclude, correctly,
that he should abandon the Knight. Bf8 27 b5 cxb5 Spraggett, a former
Candidate, continually finds the toughest defense but cannot escape.

Both 27… Rxh5 28 bxa6 bxa6 29 Rb7+ Bxb7 30 Rxb7+ Ka8 31 Bxf5! and
27… axb5 28 Bxb5 Rxh5 29 Ba6! lead to mate. 28 Bxb5 axb5 29 Rxb5
Ng8 30 Rb6 Qc7 31 Qb5 Preparing 32 a6. Not 31 a6? Qxb6. Bxc5 32 dxc5
f4 Other finishes include 32… Rxh5 33 a6 bxa6 34 Ra1 and 32… Qd7
33 c6 bxc6 34 Ra6+! Bxa6 35 Qb8 mate. 33 a6 Even stronger is 33 Ra1!

Bd7 34 a6. Bf5+ 34 Kc1 Bxb1 35 Rxb7+ Another way is 35 axb7 Qxb7 36
Qxb1, followed by taking Black’s Queen. Qxb7 36 axb7 Rxb7 37 Qa5+
Kb8 38 Qd8+ Ka7 39 c6 Rb5 40 Qd7+ Kb6 41 c7 Ne7 42 Qxe7?! White’s only
significant error, although he retains a winning position. Easier is
42 Qd8 Kb7 43 Qxh8 Kxc7 44 Qg7. Be4 Threatening perpetual check at
b1 and b2. 43 exf4 Clearing e3 for the King’s flight. Rb1+ 44 Kd2 Ra8
45 c8N+! This game has everything! Rxc8 Black cannot stand 45… Kc6
46 Qd6+ Kb7 47 Qd7+ Kb8 48 Ne7. 46 Qxf6+ Kb5 47 Qg7 Ka6 48 fxg5 If
White avoids traps, his pawns will advance decisively. Rb2+ 49 Ke3
Rc2 50 Nf6 In the excitement, Black never found time to eliminate the
"trapped" Knight. R8xc3+ 51 Kd4 Rc4+ 52 Ke5 Rxf2 53 Qg8 Rf5+ 54 Kd6
Kb5 55 Qb8+ Ka4 56 Qb2 Rc2 57 Qb6 Rc4 58 g4 Rf3 59 h5 Rb4 60 Qa6+
Kb3 61 h6 Bd3 62 Qa8 Rb6+ 63 Ke5 Simpler than 63 Kxd5 Be4+. Rf1 64
h7 Re1+ 65 Kf4 Rb4+ 66 Kg3 Re3+ 67 Kf2 Rh3 68 Qxd5+ Ka4 Or 68… Bc4
69 Qg2. 69 Kg2 Rxh7, and Black resigns. White wins with 70 Qxd3 or
70 Qa2+, but not 70 Nxh7?? Be4+.

GM Melikset Khachiyan (U.S.A.)-GM Rogelio Antonio Jr. (Philippines),
Pacific Coast Open, Agoura Hills 2007: 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4
Nxe4 Bf5 The main line of the Caro-Kann Defense. 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6
7 Nf3 Nd7 8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 e6 Some prefer 10…Qc7. 11
Bf4 Qa5+ 12 Bd2 Bb4 Or 12…Qc7. 13 c3 Be7 14 c4 Qa6 Playable, but
14…Qc7 is more popular and more solid. The alternative 14…Bb4 15
Ne4 favors White slightly. 15 0-0 Ngf6 16 a4 Varying from the usual 16
Rfe1 0-0 17 Nf5, when 17…Rfe8 defends. 0-0?! Khachiyan recommends
16…c5. 17 b4! Thwarting …c6-c5 and threatening to trap the Queen
by 18 a5. Qb6 18 Rfe1 Inviting 18…Bxb4?? 19 a5. Rad8 Once again,
18…Qc7 is safer. 19 Nf5 exf5? The critical variation begins 19…Rfe8
20 Nxe7+ Rxe7 21 Bf4. Black cannot get away with 21…Nxh5?? because
22 Bd6 Ree8 23 a5 Qa6 24 Bc7! sets up 25 b5, winning the Queen. But
Black can survive 21…Qxb4! 22 Reb1 (not 22 Bc7? Nc5!) Qa5 23 Qa3
Ree8 24 Rxb7 Qa6, as the pawn at h5 will fall.

20 Rxe7 Ne4 White refutes 20…Nxh5? cleverly by 21 c5! Qc7 22 Qxf5
Nhf6 23 Bxh6! gxh6 24 Qxf6. 21 c5! Qc7 22 d5!? Powerful, but Khachiyan
regretted rejecting 22 Nh4. He analyzed 22…Ne5 23 Qxe4!

Qxe7 24 Nxf5 Qe6 but missed that 25 Re1! Rfe8 (worse is 25…Nc4 26
Qg4 Qf6 27 Bxh6) 26 Qf4 Qd5 27 Bc3 wins material, as 27…Nc4 loses
to 29 Qg4. a5 Also 22…cxd5 23 Qxd5 and 22…Ndxc5 23 Qxe4! are very
uncomfortable for Black. 23 d6 Qc8 24 Nd4! axb4 25 Bxb4 Ndxc5 26 Bxc5
Nxc5 27 Qxf5 Qxf5 28 Nxf5 Ra8 Black cannot exchange White’s active
pieces. After 28…Rfe8 29 Rae1 Kf8 30 a5, White threatens 31 Nxg7.

29 Rc1! Welcoming 29…Nxa4 30 Rxb7 c5 31 Rc4. Ra5 White refutes
29…b6 by 30 Rc4! Rxa4 31 Rxa4 Nxa4 32 d7 Nc5 33 Nd4. 30 Re5! Nb3
31 Rxa5 Nxa5 32 Rc5! Efficiently maneuvering his Rook to g3. Nb3 33
Rc3 Na5 34 Rg3 c5 35 Nxg7 Kh7 36 d7 Rd8 37 Ne8 Kh8 38 Nf6 c4 39 Kf1?!

Quicker is 39 Rg8+ Rxg8 40 Nxg8 Nc6 41 Nxh6, when 41…Kg7 42 Nf5+
Kf6 loses to 43 h6! Kg6 44 Ne7+, while 41…c3 permits 42 Nxf7+ Kg7
43 Ne5! c2 44 Nd3. Nc6 40 Rg4 c3 41 Ke2 Ne5 42 Rg8+! Rxg8 43 Nxg8
Nxd7 44 Nxh6 Kg7 45 Nf5+ Kf6 46 Nd6 Nc5 47 a5 Threatening 48 Nxb7!

Nxb7 49 a6. Nb3 48 Kd3 Nxa5 49 Kxc3 White’s pawns are unstoppable. b6
50 g4 Nc6 51 f4 Kg7 52 Kd3 Nd8 53 Ke4 Ne6 54 g5 Nf8 55 f5 Nd7 56 f6+
Not fearing 56…Nxf6 57 gxf6+ Kxf6, as 58 h6 Kg6 59 Nf5 b5 60 Kd5
leaves Black helpless. Kg8 57 Kf5 Nf8 58 Nxf7! Kxf7 59 g6+ Kg8 60 h6
Nd7 61 h7+ Kh8 62 Ke6, Black Resigns.

OFFICE OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER PAUL KREKORIAN
Adrin Nazarian, Chief of Staff
620 N. Brand Blvd. Suite 403
Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 240-6330
(818) 240-4632 fax
[email protected]

Statement by Assemblymember Paul Krekorian In Response to
Anti-Defamation League’s Announcement on the Armenian Genocide

Assemblymember Paul Krekorian (D-Burbank) issued the following statement
in response to the Anti-Defamation League’s August 21, 2007 announcement
regarding the Armenian Genocide:

"For almost a century, the Anti-Defamation League has been one of our
nation’s leading champions of tolerance and civil rights. The ADL has
always been a leader in our ongoing collective struggle against bigotry,
hatred and extremism. This strong history of fighting for justice and
truth, though, has made the ADL’s consistent and vocal opposition to
recognition of the Armenian Genocide in recent years that much more
disconcerting and disappointing.

"I am very pleased that the ADL has now publicly declared, at long last,
that the deliberate and systematic massacre of Armenians at the hands of
Turkey beginning in 1915 was ‘tantamount to genocide.’ All people who
care about truth and historical accuracy will welcome and appreciate the
ADL’s statement that respected historians have already reached clear
consensus in recognizing the Turkish atrocities against the Armenian
people as genocide. In making this announcement, the ADL has added its
considerable influence and outstanding reputation to the cause of those
who demand appropriate recognition of the Genocide and justice for its
victims and survivors.

"I heartily commend the membership and leadership of the ADL for
bringing about this very positive and welcomed change of perspective. I
urge the ADL now to take the next step and join with those of us who
strongly support the pending Congressional resolution clearly stating
that what happened to the Armenian people was genocide."

ARMENIA TO RELY ON STORED GAS FOR 6 DAYS

Panorama.am
17:28 20/08/2007

No gas will be supplied from Russia to Armenia for six days since
August 20, HayRusgasard Press Secretary Shushan Sardaryan told
Panorama.am. The press secretary said the reconstruction works
implemented on North Caucasus and Transcaucasia gas pipeline are the
reason. The supply of gas to Georgia has also been suspended.

However, the press secretary assured the suspension of gas "will
not affect the customers" since they will get gas from Abovian gas
storehouses.

Sardaryan also said interruptions of gas in several communities of
Yerevan have nothing to do with the suspension of gas supplied to
the republic. "They are our scheduled activities, which will continue
until August 23," she announced.

TWO MEMBERS OF REPUBLICAN COUNCIL CLASH

Lragir
Aug 17 2007
Armenia

The Haykakan Zhamanak Daily reported the head of the Center community
of Yerevan Gagik Beglaryan and Member of Parliament Ashot Aghababyan
and their supporters had a fight yesterday evening. There was no
shooting but there were injuries. Ashot Aghababyan also got injuries.

By the way, both are members of the Republican council.

This is not the first case Ashot Aghababyan gets beaten. According
to the media, General Seiran Saroyan beat the member of parliament.

It should also be noted that another member of the Republican council,
the president of the Football Federation of Armenia, has recently
criticized Ashot Aghababyan publicly for the poor state of the
Hrazdan Stadium.

These incidents show that the "old" and "new" groups inside the
Republican Party, nevertheless, clash.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT EXPRESSES CONDOLENCES ON JIRAYR HOVNANIAN DEATH

ARKA News Agency
Aug 17 2007
Armenia

YEREVAN, August 17. /ARKA/. Armenian President Robert Kocharyan sent
Friday condolences to the Hovnanians, family of U.S. entrepreneurs and
benefactors, on death of Jirayr Hovnanian, chairman of Trustees Council
of Armenian Assembly of America, presidential press office reports.

The president expressed appreciation of Hovnanian’s activities in
Armenia and outside.

Armenian Assembly of America is one of the most influential
organizations of Armenian community in the United States.

REPUBLICANS EYE VICTORY IN PRESIDENTIAL RACE
By Hovannes Shoghikian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug 15 2007

A senior member of the ruling party has put beyond all doubt the
victory of their candidate in next year’s presidential elections.

Talking to reporters on Wednesday MP Galust Sahakian of the Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK) said everyone "should put up with the thought
that the Republicans will have their crucial role in the upcoming
presidential election and will have their candidate elected president."

"All other issues can be solved in the political field through
cooperation," he added vaguely.

Sahakian described as ‘finicality’ the ongoing consultations among
opposition leaders and predicted that their efforts to agree on a
single candidate would end in nothing.

The HHK member gives the opposition leaders a chance to put up some
struggle only if they manage to use effectively the quarter of the
popular vote that they received during last May’s parliamentary
elections.

"It is accepted in Armenia that if someone is a party leader, he can
be a presidential candidate. There is no such thing," Sahakian said,
adding that the opposition cannot expect to receive any significant
popular support under the given "political condition."

Sahakian admitted that he feels ‘very bad’ when opposition forces
speculate on the name of Armenia’s first president Levon Ter-Petrosian
ahead of the presidential election, but added: "Of course, if Levon
Ter-Petrosian is nominated, our strategy will change a little, but
the result will be the same."

SOMETIMES IT DOESN’T PAY FOR AMERICA TO ‘DO SOMETHING’
Leon Hadar, Washington Correspondent

The Business Times Singapore
August 14, 2007 Tuesday

MUSLIMS and non-Muslims fight over territory for years, resulting
in thousands of casualties and hundreds of thousands of refugees as
negotiations mediated by foreign governments have failed to resolve
the conflict.

But guess what? No American pundit has been calling on Washington to
‘do something’.

And why not? Because it’s not the the Israelis and the Palestinians
fighting over the West Bank; it’s the Armenians and Azeris clashing
over Nagorno-Karabakh.

You probably know about what is happening in the West Bank. After
all, you are being bombarded with front page news reports about every
encounter between Jews and Arabs in the Wild West Bank. And pundits on
the 24/7 news shows warn that unless Washington does this or that to
end the Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed – revive the ‘peace process’,
send a envoy to the Middle East, convene a peace conference – we
will witness a major war in the Middle East, and who knows, World
War III? Oil embargoes? The end of the world as we know it?

But Nagorno-Karabakh? To make a long story short, the territory has
been a source of dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan since the
beginning of the 20th century. The two nations Armenia and Azerbaijan
fought a war for its control in the final years of the Soviet Union.

Since the end of the war in 1994, most of Nagorno-Karabakh remains
under Armenia while the parties have been holding a series of talks.

There is no doubt that the American and other governments and
international organisations would welcome a resolution of the conflict,
and have indeed been trying to help the Azeris and the Armenians to
settle their differences. In fact, Washington has also been trying to
resolve the conflict between the Greeks and the Turks over Cyprus –
and bring an end to the Turkish occupation of the northern part of
the island – for the last 30 years with little success.

And in all likelihood, we are going to learn to live with these and
other similar conflicts – ranging from Kashmir and the civil war in
Sri Lanka to bloody disputes that are ravaging sub-Saharan Africa –
for many years to come. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict – which,
like the disputes over Nagorno-Karabakh, Cyprus and Kashmir, involves
ethnic-religious communities fighting over a territory – has become
an obsession for the members of Washington’s elite. It reflects their
inability to disassociate themselves from an issue that ceased to be
central to US national interest although outside players, including
the Israel and the oil lobbies, to continue to press it to the top
of the US agenda as a way of extracting American support for their
respective clients. So like the Energiser Bunny, the US-led ‘peace
process’ keeps going, and going.

Indeed, US President George W Bush announced recently that he was
planning to convene an international conference to help restart
Israeli-Palestinian talks.

But if anything, it is American preoccupation with the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict – motivated by the commitment to Israel
and the need to appease the Arab oil-producing states – that has helped
ignite anti-Americanism, including terrorism, in the Middle East.

By creating expectations that it could indeed ‘make peace’ in the
Middle East, Washington has created expectations that cannot be
fulfilled for the simple reason that the sides to the conflict are
not ready to make the compromises necessary to reach an agreement.

Hence America’s failure to get the Israelis and the Palestinians to
make peace ends up producing an anti-American backlash, which in turn
creates even more pressure on Washington to ‘do something’.

It is time for Washington to consider embracing a certain benign
neglect when it comes to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, not
different from the one its employs in dealing with Nagorno-Karabakh
and other conflicts.

It should be ready, if necessary, to work with other international
players to facilitate a resolution of the conflict – but only if
and when the sides are ready to make concession with regard to core
issues like the fate of the Jewish settlements, the Arab refugees
and Jerusalem.

And even in that (unlikely) case, Washington should refrain from making
long-term and costly security and economic commitments either side.

It would not be surprising if this kind of US ‘constructive
disengagement’ from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could actually
create incentives for the Israelis and Palestinians to achieve real
peace. And if they fail do that, they are going to be the ones –
not unlike the Azeris and the Armenians – who would end up paying
the price for their historic blunders.

PanARMENIAN.Net

UN to discuss CIS `frozen conflicts’ in September
10.08.2007 17:05 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Frozen conflicts in the GUAM area and their
implications for international peace, security and development will be
discussed at the 62nd session of the UN General Assembly.

The Secretary General of GUAM, Valery Chachashvili, said the issue of
presenting the draft resolution on protracted conflicts in the GUAM
area to the consideration of the UN General Assembly may be discussed
early in September. The next meeting of the national coordinators of
the `Organization for Democracy and Economic’ was scheduled for this
date.

The draft resolution on frozen conflicts in the GUAM area was devised
and included in the agenda of the UN General Assembly at the end of
2006. The item was later withdrawn from the agenda by GUAM
representatives themselves.

GUAM was formed by post-Soviet countries in 1997. In 2006, at the
first summit of the organization in Kiev, the decision to announce
GUAM as an international organization with a new name of `Organization
for Democracy and Economic Development – GUAM’ was made, Trend
reports.