Author: Hambardsumian Paul

AZERBAIJANI LEADER WELCOMES KAZAKH ROLE ON KARABAKH

news.az
Feb 16 2010
Azerbaijan

Ilham Aliyev receives Kanat Saudabayev Azerbaijani President Ilham
Aliyev received the OSCE chairman-in-office, Kazakh Foreign Minister
Kanat Saudabayev, yesterday.

Aliyev described Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE as a landmark
event, according to state news agency AzerTAj.

He expressed confidence that Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in 2010
would bring positive change and make a significant contribution to
strengthening security in Europe.

He was sure that Kazakhstan would take an active part in resolution of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and hoped that 2010 would see serious
progress in a settlement. He said that strong political will was
important for the establishment of peace in the Caucasus.

Kanat Saudabayev thanked Aliyev for Azerbaijan’s support for Kazakhstan
as OSCE chair. He briefed President Aliyev on his meetings in Baku.

Saudabayev said that resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
would be a priority for Kazakhstan’s chairmanship of the OSCE. He
said Kazakhstan was going to kick-start all parties’ efforts to solve
the conflict.

Saudabayev presented to Ilham Aliyev proposals from Kazakh President
Nursultan Nazarbayev on ways to settle the conflict, Kazakhstan Today
news agency reported, citing the interstate broadcasting company Mir.

Earlier in the day, Saudabayev held talks with Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, after which the ministers gave a joint
press conference.

Saudabayev described his talks with Mammadyarov as very constructive.

He said that the purpose of his visit to the region was to discuss
the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

He said that Kazakhstan hoped 2010 would be a decisive year for
settlement of the conflict.

He also said that in 1991 Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev had
been involved in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement process.

President Nazarbayev maintains his interest in the conflict,
Saudabayev said.

The Azerbaijani foreign minister told the press conference that Baku
accepted "in general" the updated basic principles of a Karabakh
settlement.

"We consider the updated basic principles proposed by the OSCE Minsk
Group in Athens to be acceptable", Mammadyarov told the briefing,
according to Interfax-Azerbaijan.

This does not mean, however, that Azerbaijan agrees with all the
points set out in the basic principles.

"Our position is that that the updated principles are accepted in
general, but there are elements that do not suit us and require
coordination and the continuation of negotiations," Mammadyarov said.

BAKO SAHAKYAN: DEVELOPMENT OF ANY DOCUMENT ON KARABAKH SETTLEMENT IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT PARTICIPATION OF NKR

ArmInfo
2010-02-16 14:06:00

ArmInfo. Development and discussion of any document on the Karabakh
settlement is impossible without participation of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic, NKR President Bako Sahakyan said in Yerevan after the meeting
with OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan Kanat
Saudabayev. According to him, it is natural that OSCE MG cochairman
present no official document to the Karabakh party since the latter
does not take part in the negotiation process. "However, it does not
mean that we are not acquainted with the content of one or another
document. We are also acquainted with the provisions of the updated
document. However, we think that development and further discussion of
any document, as well as achievement of any consent on the documents
is impossible without participation of the NKR.

GPM GOLD PLANS INCREASE OF PRODUCTION VOLUMES

ArmInfo
2010-02-16 14:42:00

"GeoProMining Gold" LLC is the biggest gold producing company
in Armenia. The Company is a part of Group GeoProMining Group
International Company, and owns country’s gold production main assets-
Sotk gold mine and Ararat gold recovery plant. The GeoProMining Gold
LLC announced his ambitious plans on development and modernization
of production processes. ArmInfo reporter interviewed the General
Director of the Company about the Company’s achievements in past year
and plans of the near future.

Mr. Vetik, your Company resumed production processes in 2008, what
is the dynamics of growth, how much gold was produced last year and
what is the prognosis of production volumes for the current year.

During two months of 2008 the Company produced 135 893 gram of gold
(4369 ounces). In the first month after the plant was restarted
(December of 2008) the Company mined 21 473 ton ore, in December – 30
410 ton, in January of 2009 mining volumes increased up to 31 285 ton,
and in February – 38 000 ton. During the whole 2009 GPM Gold mined
476 200 ton ore and processed 4486 067 ton (difference is because of
remainder ore). As a result, the Company produced 944 369 gram of gold
in 2009, which form 30 362 troy ounces. Presently the Company mines
and processes on average 35 000-40 000 ton of ore monthly. In 2009 the
dynamics of growth is obvious – average monthly growth has formed 10%.

This result is achieved both, through installment of new machinery,
which contributed to mine operation efficiency growth, as well as
through regular increase of production capacities.

Could you tell about gold production plans in 2010.

2010 budget plan suggests mining and processing of 575 850 ton of
ore and gold production of 1 ton 190 kg (38 234 ounces). It is also
planned to carry out stripping works of 14 million 940 thousand ton
of ore. Mining and transportation volumes will be held the same as
in 2009 (500 000 ton ore), the main increase shall be reached at the
expense of stripping works.

During the current year, the Company will change its strategic plans
at Sotk mine. The mine will be reconstructed, which will include
underground mining. Regardless of the fact that Sotk mine comprises
high-grade ore, it is a complex ore – stripping coefficient is high,
the ore is hard and a multi-step processing system is required,
which entails considerable investments, technological and structural
changes. In the first place, we are interested in increasing of the
volumes of the received metals. If antimony content is high in the ore,
it negatively influences gold extraction.

What steps are you going to takе for plant modernization?

We have commissioned specialized companies research of Sotk mine,
in order to finally understand what type of technology must be used
for gold extraction. Sotk mine ore types are different, and in that
relation metal extraction technologies must be complex. Eg.

Australians have a patented process â~@~^Albion". Possibly, with its
help we will be able to reach effective extraction. In the near future
the researches on technological options will be finalized. The next
step will be project design preparation, for which it will be necessary
to attract funds. In 2010 Sotk mine will be technically re-equipped,
which will provide a possibility to considerably increase mining
volumes. Capital investments will be made also at Ararat plant.

In the medium-term perspective we expect, that realization of our
investment programs will provide a possibility to raise mining and
processing volumes of ore, in the coming several years, from 45 000
ton to more than 100 000 ton monthly.

Growth, most likely, is connected with modernization plans of Ararat
plant?

Undoubtedly, we plan not only reconstruction, but also partial
construction of a new processing plant in 2012. Presently GeoProMining
is conducting negotiations with planning organizations on construction
and reconstruction of the existing plant. New concentration
technologies will be installed at the plant – the best gold ore
concentration technologies, which nowadays exist in the world. What
about exact terms of realization of the project, it will take about
two years. It consists of several phases. Project design involves also
the issue of land allottment for construction of a new plant, which,
I think will take some time. State institutions are also interested in
realization of the project, which will increase production efficiency
and will raise social-economic conditions of the region.

What countries is the valuable metal exported to?

Final product of the Company – Dore, alloy of gold and silver is
exported to a Canadian refinement plant for receiving of a final
product.

Artur Yerinjakyan, ArmInfo, 16.02.2010

EX DEPUTY DEFENSE MINISTER OF ARMENIA: IN THIS COUNTRY ONLY I WAS CRAZY TO DEFY THE ORDER

ArmInfo
2010-02-16 17:52:00

ArmInfo. Chairman of the Board of the Yerkrapah Volunteers’ Union,
Former Deputy Minister of Defense of Armenia, Lieut. Gen. Manvel
Grigoryan says that he refused to fulfill the order of the second
President Robert Kocharyan during the events of Mar 2008.

"Kocharyan was summoning me for three days but I was refusing to go.

Those who fulfilled the order were servicemen who were obliged to
fulfill it. In this country only I was crazy to defy the order,"
Grigoryan said during a press-conference.

When asked why he did not interfere in the events, Grigoryan said:
"Yerevan is not Fizuli for me. If I appeared, it would be bad for all."

To remind, during the Mar 2008 events Deputy DM Manvel Grigoryan
signed in his resignation. During one of the opposition rallies Ex
President Levon Ter-Petrossyan said that two deputy DMs had joined
the opposition. One of them was Grigoryan. However, his organization
stayed aloof during the events.

OSCE CHAIRMAN DEBATES NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT WITH POLITICAL PARTIES IN BAKU

Today
2.html
Feb 15 2010
Azerbaijan

OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State and
Foreign Minister, Kanat Saudabayev met with representatives of the
Azerbaijani political parties today.

Saudabayev, who is on an official visit to Azerbaijan, noted the
high level of development of the country which is, according to him,
involves a successful continuation of Heydar Aliyev’s policy by
President Ilham Aliyev.

The country loses hope of assistance from the international
organizations in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Leader
of the Democratic Reforms Party of Azerbaijan Asim Mollazade at the
meeting with Saudabayev.

"We are dissatisfied with the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group,
which now creates the conditions to simulate the negotiation process,
and inconclusive," he said," As a result, Azerbaijan lost the hope
that the international organizations can help us resolve the conflict
peacefully."

He also pointed out Kazakhstan’s activity in this direction, referring
to the personal initiative of the peaceful settlement of the conflict,
which was made by Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"We look to Kazakhstan’s legal nihilism," he added.

According to him, the presidency of Kazakhstan in OSCE brings hope
to Azerbaijan for resolving the conflict.

Yerevan Report, Armenia
Feb 10 2010

Pres. Sarkisian Received By Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Feb 11th, 2010 |

YEREVAN (Newsarmenia.ru), February 11 ‘The president of Armenia Serge
Sarkisian and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Head of State of the
United Kingdom, discussed the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations.

President Sarkisian was received by Her Majesty on Thursday during his
working visit to the UK.

At the meeting, apart from normalizing Armenian-Turkish relations, the
prospects of the development of Armenian-British bilateral relations
and issues concerning European integration of Armenia were also
discussed.

Translated from Russian by Yerevan Report
kisian-received-queen-elizabeth/

ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL GREETS A SURPRISED TURKISH DELEGATION IN SWEDEN

Tert.am
11:35 ~U 12.02.10

A Turkish parliamentary delegation, while on a working visit to Sweden,
was taken aback upon learning that a bill on recognizing the Armenian
Genocide will soon be placed on the Swedish parliament agenda.

According to Turkish daily Milliyet, Turkish journalists in Stockholm
have directed their questions on the matter to Murad Merjan, head of
the Turkish delegation and head of Turkey’s parliamentary foreign
affairs committee. Surprised by the news, Merjan told them that it
wasn’t true.

But later, Merjan was corrected by his Swedish counterpart who said
that the "resolution would be discussed in the [Swedish] parliament
within a month’s time, at the latest."

Sweden’s ruling Social-Democratic Party had three months ago made
a decision at a convention condemning the Genocide of Armenians and
Assyrians in Ottoman Turkey.

AZERBAIJAN USES INSTITUTE OF OMBUDSMAN FOR ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA

PanARMENIAN.Net
10.02.2010 12:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azerbaijan uses its institute of Ombudsman for
anti-Armenian propaganda in international structures and as information
war tool against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

"Azerbaijani Ombudsman’s attempts to expel NKR human rights defender
from the European Ombudsman Institute have failed. The EOI ignored
Baku’s statements as inconsistent with human rights," Armenian
Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan told a news conference on Wednesday.

"We need to consolidate our society to resist challenges," he said.

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT URGES RAPPROCHEMENT WITH TURKEY

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 10 2010

Armenian President Serge Sarkisian said Tuesday that it was time for
progress in the Turkey-Armenia rapprochement and the establishment
of a stable region for future generations, in a plea to his Turkish
counterpart Abdullah Gul.

As his plane made its way through the Turkish air space en route to
England, Sarkisian told Russian news agency Itar-Tass that foreign
mediation in efforts to normalize relations between the two countries
was useful, noting however that it should not be overplayed.

"The leaders of the two countries are playing a very significant role
in promoting the atmosphere of mutual understanding among peoples of
Turkey and Armenia, and overcoming the cliches in the relations of
the two countries," said Sarkisian.

Sarkisian said his and his counterpart Gul’s faith and principled
stance would lead to success in the rapprochement process.

"Otherwise, hostile rhetoric and actions along with opposition to
the process may emerge. We need to realize that passing of time will
not make the process easier but on the contrary will make it more
difficult. As of now, we have carried the bilateral talks to a level
where normalized relations between the two countries, and a normalized
common future looks more vivid," said Sarkisian.

Turkey and Armenia have had no diplomatic ties or economic relations
since Turkey closed its border with Armenia due to a border dispute
in the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan in 1992. After lengthy
Swiss-mediated talks Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols in
October 2009, in order to normalize relations,

Under the protocol, Turkey and Armenia reconfirmed their commitment,
in their bilateral and international relations, to respect and ensure
respect for the principles of "equality, sovereignty, non-intervention
in internal affairs of other states, territorial integrity and
inviolability of frontiers."

The protocol on development of bilateral relations aims to facilitate
the development of relations between Turkey and Armenia in all fields
and the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border two months after the
protocol goes into effect.

Both Turkey and Armenian governments initiated the internal
ratification process.

The Turkish government sent the protocols to Parliament, as approval
is required in order for them to take effect. The Turkish government
says it will not open the border unless Armenia ends its occupation
of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Recently the Armenian Constitutional Court approved the protocols,
however, the tone of the court’s reasoned verdict drew criticism from
Turkey and Turkish officials voiced their uneasiness at various levels.

Wednesday, 10 February 2010 Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review

‘US WILL RECOGNIZE GENOCIDE AFTER RENOUNCING BUSH’S STRATEGY’

Aysor
Feb 9 2010
Armenia

The U.S. Congress won’t adopt any Armenian Genocide resolution,
said at the press conference leader of the Heritage Party of Armenia
Stepan Safarian.

The Armenia-Turkey border’s opening makes great geo-political sense for
the U.S., and President Barack Obama didn’t abandon the traditional
for his predecessor tactics of putting the wind up Turkey, according
to politician.

"The White House appears to have thought that Russian and Iranian
influence in the region will decrease after the border opens," said
Safarian. "However, White House’s these tactics may lead to process’s
failure as Turkey calls into being deadlock condition making Washington
abandon considering Armenian Genocide resolution."

"Turkey says if the United States recognizes the 1915 Genocide,
then it will mean the end of the Armenia-Turkey relations. That is
why the U.S. cannot renounce Armenia-Turkey relations and abandon
its strategic projects," said Stepan Safarian.

In Stepan Safarian’s opinion, the United States may recognize Armenian
Genocide only after renouncing the political strategy of Bush.