Author: Frangulian Shushan

"THE MOMENT HAS MATURED"

10/02/12/tigran-sargsyan
06:15 pm | February 12, 2010

Politics

Public discussions on "Armenian-Turkish Relations and Border
Regionalism" organized by the American Commerce Chamber in Armenia
(AmCham), Turkish Economic Policy Research Institute (TEPAV) and US
Embassy in Armenia took place in Yerevan today.

"Armenia’s authorities demonstrate political will to overcome the
stereotypes posed between Armenia and Turkey," said Armenian Prime
Minister Tigran Sargsyan.

The Armenian PM says the normalization of relations must be considered
from three different angles. "Firstly, we should look at what the
authorities have to do. Secondly, we should take into consideration
how our societies perceive the current situation and how they see
the future of the Armenian-Turkish relations. And finally, we should
consider how the international community reacts to the normalisation
of the Armenian-Turkish relations nd how the atmosphere in the region
will change as a result of reconcilation."

"Armenia has taken all the necessary steps on the political level. I
think you will agree with me that the moment has matured for the two
presidents to display political will, ratify the protocols and open
the borders," said the Armenian premier.

Tigran Sargsyan thinks neighbouring countries shouldn’t have closed
borders in the 21st century.

In her speech, U.S. Ambassador noted that the USA supports
Armenian-Turkish peace deal and is hopeful that the protocols will
be ratified by the two parliaments.

"Though the countries will face some difficulties at first period,
the opening of borders will boost the economies of the two countries,
said U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch.

The Ambassador underlined that the border opening will help Armenia’s
wellbeing. No country must depend on one corridor. The border opening
will eliminate isolation, reduce economic and transport expenses,
strengthen competition, raise the quality of Armenian goods and open
new markets for Armenia. The border opening is also important for
Armenia on the way of European Union Integration.

CHATHAM HOUSE EXPERT: SERZH SARGSYAN’S SPEECH WAS SURPRISING TO ME
T. Teymur Today.Az

Today
61425.html
Feb 12 2010
Azerbaijan

Speaking of Armenian President’s speech at the Chatham House British
Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House expert,
professorial Fellow in International Relations at Oxford University S.

Neil MacFarlane said that the speech itself will not influence the
Armenian-Turkish negotiations.

According MacFarlane, Sargsyan’s speech will not have any effect on
the negotiations on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as well.

"The tone of the speech was somewhat surprising for me, but, regarding
Karabakh, both sides have accompanied efforts to find a solution
with strong statements of their interests and preferences. Both
presidents have a difficult time balancing the need to negotiate
against the expectations of domestic constituencies, many of whom
resist compromise," MacFarlane said.

"Regarding Turkey, again I don’t think this speech changes much. We
all knew ratification would be hard. Normalization without conditions
would be difficult for Turkey. Conditions concerning Karabakh would
be difficult for Armenia. And neither side appears willing to accept
significant domestic political risk on the issue of normalization.

This speech doesn’t change that," he pointed out.

ONLY EFFECTIVE JUDICIARY CAN END THREATS AGAINST AGOS NEWSPAPER

BIA Net
Feb 12 2010
Turkey

Armenian Agos newspaper was threatened frequently before and after
the murder of editor-in-chief Hrant Dink. Now the newspaper’s website
has been hacked. Lawyer Cetin criticized that the judiciary lacks
efficiency for crimes committed via the internet.

Bawer Cakır – Erhan Ustundag Istanbul – BÄ°A News Center12 February
2010, Friday RELATED NEWS Armenian Agos Newspaper’s Website Hacked
Most of the threats aimed at Agos newspaper founder Hrant Dink prior
to his assassination in 2007 were not legally sanctioned. Fethiye
Cetin, joint attorney of the weekly newspaper publishing in Turkish
and Armenian, pointed out the internet is a medium very difficult to
control and said that threats via the internet have increased despite
a number of positive court decisions. Most recently, a hacker forced
access to the website of Agos and posted a photograph of Dink murderer
suspect Ogun Samast.

Cetin indicated that subsequent to the murder of Dink, the approach
of the main stream media has changed. "Racist groups in particular
publish hate speeches and organize racist attacks via the internet",
Cetin stated.

Problematic approach of the judiciary The Turkish Criminal Code
(TCK) orders prison sentence for entering the IT system illegally
and obstructing its operation.

In lawyer Cetin’s opinion, the recent incident related to the Agos
website comprises a number of additional crimes, namely inciting
the public to hatred and hostility, praising crimes and criminals,
threat and insult.

The text posted on the website included sentences like "You either
like it or you leave". It furthermore voices threats concerning
similar murders in the future.

According to Cetin, the perception of crime is the reason for the
inefficiency of the judiciary. "Immediate action can be taken for a
number of crimes. However, there is no mindset to oppose crimes that
really obstruct our lives and that sabotage our common future".

Positive decisions Dink had received several threats prior to the
murder, none of which was sanctioned. After the murder, newspaper
lawyers received threats via the internet in particular but their
applications related to the threats were not considered.

After the murder on the other hand, the courts issued decisions
with intimidating potential in four different cases. The Å~^iÅ~_li
(Istanbul) 2nd Magistrate Criminal Court sentenced Kenan Celepoglu to
a monetary fine of 8,000 Turkish Lira (TL) because he sent e-mails to
the newspaper which contained insults, threats and racism. The court
could identify Celepoglu upon the lawyers’ application regarding
messages sent by an unknown person.

On 28 May 2009, the Å~^iÅ~_li 1st Criminal Court of First Instance
handed down a three years and three months prison sentence to Muhammet
Karayı because he had threatened the newspaper staff and Armenian
people by e-mail on 25 January 2007.

Zafer Filiz received a three years prison sentence from the Å~^iÅ~_li
9th Criminal Court of First Instance on 20 March 2008 by reason of
threatening the newspaper twelve days after the murder of Hrant Dink.

The same court sentenced 19-year-old Rıdvan Dogan to two years
imprisonment on the grounds of threats sent to the newspaper subsequent
to the murder; the court decided to suspend the sentence.

JAMALYAN: NAKHIJEVAN WAS A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR THE EUROPEAN ELITE

Aysor
Feb 11 2010
Armenia

"I can imagine how philological depressed is Aliev now, after hearing
about the invitation. But it is a fact that especially during the
last period the reputation of Aliev’s regime has definitely been
destructed. It is not accepted as a stronghold of democracy and by
this way the Armenian President stressed one more time the destructive
condition of the Azerbaijani side", – said the military psychologist
Davit Jamalyan commenting on the statement made by the RA president
in London yesterday.

The thing is that yesterday during his speech in London Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan mentioned that he is ready to invite the
Azeri president to be present at the possible opening of the Armenian –
Turkish border.

Davit Jalalyan also touched upon a very important point of the RA
President’s speech.

"Very often we hear that the world doesn’t accept the historical
justice, as if the elite of the West is unjust, but in reality for
presenting our trail to the world we have to speak by the language
comprehensive for the world. And it was this exactly that our
President did yesterday stressing the problem of ethnic cleansing of
the Armenians in Nakhijevan", – stressed the military Psychologist.

According to the speaker the European elite is not familiar to the
roots of our conflicts.

"It was for the first time that we spoke about other Armenian
territories. Nakhijevan was an example of a territory which was
submitted to ethnic cleansing by the Azeri. And it served an example
for the Artsakh issue", – Davit Jamalyan said.

ARMENIA CUTS OIL-PRODUCT IMPORTS 14% IN 2009

Interfax
Feb 8 2010
Russia

Oil product imports into Armenia in 2009 were down 14% from 2008 at
344,510 tonnes, the country’s annual customs service report said.

Armenia imported product with customs value of $237,930, versus
$373,740 in 2008 (down 36.4%).

Musher Elchyan, deputy director of Armenia’s biggest oil trader
Flash, told Interfax that a drop in oil-product use last year was
prompted by the impact of the world economic crisis. In particular,
the drop in fuel usage was largely due to a drop in construction. Many
oil- trading companies serve the construction sector, including
road-building companies.

The more significant decrease in imports in monetary terms as opposed
to physical volume was prompted by oil-product prices slumping in 2009,
Elchyan said

Armenia does not have its own oil refining capacity and so consumes
only imported fuel.

BAKO SAHAKIAN HOSTS DIRECTOR OF ARMENIA’S "SAVE THE CHILDREN"

Aysor
Feb 9 2010
Armenia

On February 9, President of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic Bako
Sahakian hosted Irina Saghoyan, Director of the "Save the Children"
Organisation in Armenia.

President Bako Sahakian and Irina Saghoyan discussed a range of
items including issues of organization’s activities in Artsakh and
the further cooperation between the foundation and the NKR government.

Mr. Sahakian said is interested the organisation to develop its
programs and campaigns to promote important issues for children
the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a spokesperson for the Presidential
Administration reported.

RA PRESIDENT LEFT FOR LONDON

news.am
Feb 9 2010
Armenia

February 9, at 9:30 a.m. Yerevan time RA President Serzh Sargsyan
left for London. Presidential plane will land at London Heathrow
Airport. Armenian delegation comprises Catholicos of All Armenians
His Holiness Karekin II, RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and
Yerevan Mayor Gagik Beglaryan, NEWS.am correspondent reports.

The delegation will stay at Dorchester Hotel, whereas the journalists
– at Kensington Close. On the first day of the visit, Armenian
delegation will visit Tate Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
to attend the opening ceremony of the exhibition dedicated to the
renowned Armenia-born American painter Arshile Gorky. Thereafter,
Serzh Sargsyan will have dinner with Board of Trustees of the museum.

Private meetings are scheduled as well.

Within the framework of the visit RA President will meet Her Majesty
the Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in
Buckingham Palace, Prince Charles, as well as British Secretary of
State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs David Miliband.

At Windsor Castle, Sargsyan will attend the gala concert and banquet
that gives a start to "Yerevan-My Love" project (aiming at the
restoration of 4 buildings of historic-architectural significance and
cultural value in Yerevan) initiated by Prince Charles and former
RA Premier Armen Sargsyan. RA President will also meet with local
Diaspora representatives.

February 10, RA President will deliver a speech at London Royal
Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House). He will touch
upon regional security issues, current stage of Armenia-Turkey
reconciliation, as well as Karabakh peace process.

RA President intends to grant an interview to Al Jazeera TV in London.

February 11, Armenian delegation will return to Yerevan.

AZERBAIJAN DRAWN ALONGSIDE ARMENIA, GEORGIA IN EUROVISION SEMIS

news.az
Feb 8 2010
Azerbaijan

Eurovision 2010 Azerbaijan will take part in the second semi-final
of the international music contest.

The draw for the semi-finals was made in Oslo yesterday, according
to the Eurovision website,

The first semi-final to be held on 25 May involves Serbia, Finland,
Russia, Greece, Slovakia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Moldova,
Malta, Portugal, Macedonia, Latvia, Belarus, Belgium, Poland, Albania
and Estonia.

Azerbaijan will take part in the second semi-final on 27 May. The
second semi-final will also involve Switzerland, Lithuania, Georgia,
Turkey, Ireland, Slovenia, Sweden, Ukraine, Netherlands, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Denmark, Cyprus, Romania, Israel and Armenia.

Azerbaijan is still selecting its representative in Eurovision. A
decision will be made by 1 March.

Norway, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and France are guaranteed
places in the final.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/

Does England engage in game in South Caucasus?

Most likely Ankara will ratify Protocols to prevent adoption of the
Resolution on the Armenian Genocide in the U.S. Congress.
05.02.2010 GMT+04:00

The process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations has
entered, so to speak, homestretch, the most interesting fact being
Armenia’s (for the first time) more advantageous situation in
comparison with Turkey. In this regard, the visit of U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State James Steinberg to Yerevan was a landmark event
that almost clashed with the arrival of first Deputy Prime Minister
Igor Shuvalov. U.S. and Russia have obviously decided not to interfere
with each other in forcing Turkey to ratify the Protocols, meanwhile
clearly adhering to their own interests.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In this confrontation Armenia can acquire some
political dividends, without openly taking anyone’s side. But UK’s
engagement in the process was somewhat unexpected. The invitation
extended to the Armenian President for delivering a speech at Chatham
House is very serious, especially taking into account the fact that
Serzh Sargsyan is to speak of the Armenian-Turkish relations there.
Apparently, in 2010 Britain is really determined to intensify its
policy in the region, and the Armenian-Turkish process is almost a
unique opportunity. Britain supports Turkey’s integration into Europe
and is well aware that Ankara’s path to Europe lies through Armenia.
Thus, we have a very interesting configuration: USA and UK with EU
against Russia. By the way, history is aware of such confrontation. It
was during the Crimean War of 1854-1855, when Russia was defeated. And
though the USA was not involved then, key players were almost the
same. Also the Armenian issue was rather sharp then, ending with the
Berlin Treaty of 1861, which led to pogroms and massacres in the
Ottoman Empire.

It should be noted that for a long time Turkey had not experienced
such pressure from the world powers. Statements about the importance
of a `bridge between East and West’ are gradually yielding to
pragmatism: how important the role of Turkey is in this new,
`post-American’ world, as Fareed Zakaria calls it. The fine
geo-strategic position, which Turkey has always used to its advantage
winkling out the maximum benefit possible, could one day turn to be
`inconvenient’ for border states and interested countries. The thing
is the excessive ambitions of the country, pressing towards the
establishment of the Great Turan, which we have already explored in
our earlier analyses.

In all of this `chess game’ Azerbaijan is hardly noticeable. The
position of Baku should be viewed in the light of American military
intelligence, which has already warned Azerbaijan against the
impendent war which, even if starts, will end in a defeat for
Azerbaijan.

Russia, as always, is doing its best not to yield `a single inch’ in
the vitally important for her region, realizing perfectly well that
return is impossible. Moscow now has to put forth every effort in the
`catch-up’ game with the U.S., trying to enlist the support of Yerevan
and not that of Baku, which has nothing but oil and gas.

Reverting to the beginning, let us repeat that London’s claim for the
role of another player in the region is rather serious. Britain has
always been experienced in Eastern issues, especially if it comes to
the British influence that somewhat declined after the World War II,
or rather after Winston Churchill’s defeat in the parliamentary
elections of 1945.

In short, the closer April 24 is, the higher the rates are. Turkey’s
position is rather complicated, as she may be left with only one ally
against ratification of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols, namely
Azerbaijan, an unreliable ally, ready for blackmail and betrayal. The
case of the Azeri gas tariff should have served as a lesson to Ankara.
And maybe it did, who knows? Everything will be settled or unsettled
by April. Most likely Ankara will ratify the Protocols to prevent
adoption of the Resolution on the Armenian Genocide in the U.S.
Congress.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan

Turkey’s FM Davutoglu sends message to Yerevan

Panorama.am
14:57 06/02/2010

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoglu forecasted hot developments in the region
of the Middle East in an interview with Hurriyet Daily he had on plane
as leaving for the Security Conference due in Munich, Germany.

Israel’s PM Netanyahu announced Israel is ready for talks with Syria
providing there is a mediator. Turkish FM recalled that France has
rejected mediation and noted Turkey to be the `only mediator’.

Davutoglu also told Hurriyet he had met with Armenia’s FM Edward
Nalbandian in London and presented Ankara’s concerns over the process.

According to the source, Davutoglu slammed the Armenian party over
Court ruling. Turkish FM reminded April 24 is close and sent a
"message" to Yerevan: `Providing we demonstrate a good will, the
current hindrances will vanish.’