Author: Hovhannisian John

IF TURKEY DOES NOT RATIFY ARMENIA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS, ARMENIA HAS NO UNILATERAL OBLIGATION TO DO SO, EDWARD SHARMAZANOV SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Nov 6, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. IF the Foreign Relations Committee
of the Turkish parliament does not release a positive recommendation
about the Armenia-Turkey protocols by December 7, the Turkish prime
minister will not be given a cordial welcome in Washington, moreover,
he will not be received at all. Sposkesman for the Republican Party of
Armenia (RPA) Edward Sharmazanov made this statement at the November
6 press conference. In his words, the fact that U.S. has always
welcomed RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s policy full of initiative
and has repeatedly said that Armenian-Turkish normalization should
proceed without any preconditions gives an occasion to think so.

"To establish relations with Turkey at any price is not our goal," E.

Sharmazanov said. According to him, in the 21st century, it is
necessary and appropriate for any European country to have open
borders. "Let Turkey decide whether it corresponds to the standards
of a European state or not," RPA’s spokesman noted. He said that
if Turkey does not ratify the protocols, Armenia has no unilateral
obligation to do so.

Speaking about the Karabakh conflict, E. Sharmazanov said he does
not see its resolution in the near future because the problem is
very complex. "The issue of status is the most important one. The
Azerbaijanis should put the idea of Karabakh’s being part of Azerbaijan
out of their heads," he declared. E. Sharmazanov also advised the
Turks to think about the fact that they have occupied 37% of the
territory of Cyprus, and only after that to demand some territories
for Azerbaijan from Armenia.

ARMENIA TO BENEFIT FROM UPPER LARS CHECKPOINT

news.am
nov 6 2009
Armenia

The opening of the Upper Lars checkpoint depends in Russia’s consent
to lift, or at least mitigates, the embargo on Georgian products,
Shirak Torosyan, the Head of the Javakhk Union and member of the RA
Parliament, told NEWS.am.

He stressed that Armenia is the first to get economic benefits from
the opening of the checkpoint, as it is the only road connecting
Armenia with Russia. "Moreover, almost simultaneous opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border and the Upper Lars checkpoint ill create
transit competition in the region, which, in turn, cause a fall
in cargo transportation prices both in Georgia and in Turkey,"
Torosyan said.

The Armenian, Russian and Georgian Foreign Offices confirmed a
trilateral meeting in Yerevan, which discussed the opening of the
Upper Lars checkpoint, with Armenia acting as mediator. A source at
the Georgian Foreign Office pointed out that Georgia will open the
checkpoint provided Russia removed the embargo on Georgian products.

In its turn, the Russian Foreign Office refutes Georgia’s
preconditions. The Armenian Foreign Office welcomed the possibility
of a compromise.

The land border between Russia and Georgia was closed in 2006 after
Russian officers were arrested in Tbilisi on a charge of espionage.

Russia imposed an embargo on Georgian products and closed the Upper
Lars checkpoint pleading the construction of a new terminal. Late last
year, Moscow informed the Georgian Foreign Office that the construction
had been completed and the terminal designed to serve 400 vehicles
daily opened. The Georgian side, however, demanded negotiations in
Geneva, through Swiss mediation, which proved unacceptable to Moscow.

NATO SUPPORTS ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION

Interfax
Nov 5 2009
Russia

NATO supports Armenia-Turkey normalization, Special Representative of
the NATO Secretary General for the South Caucasus Robert Simmons said.

He also confirmed NATO support for the OSCE Minsk Group settling the
Karabakh conflict.

Simmons met with Armenian National Security Council Secretary Artur
Bagdasarian in Yerevan on Thursday.

The sides stressed the importance of opening a crisis management
center in Armenia, border security and more profound cooperation in
the suppression of terrorism and organized crime.

YEREVAN TO HOST ARMPRODEXPO NOV. 10-13

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.11.2009 15:21 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armprodexpo international exhibition will be held
in Yerevan from November 10 to 13. Processing enterprises, local and
foreign trade organizations, advertising agents and media will be
participating, reported the press office of Agribusiness Development
Center.

The purpose of the exhibition is to present Armenian products and
intensify agro-industrial output.

The event was initiated by RA Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of
Foreign Affairs, Yerevan city administration, Chamber of Commerce
and Agribusiness Development Center CJSC.

FOREIGN MINISTRY OF NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC SENT AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CHIEF EDITOR OF BERLINER ZEITUNG NEWSPAPER

ARMENPRESS
Nov 6, 2009

STEPANAKERT, NOVEMBER 6, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Ministry of Nagorno
Karabakh Republic sent an open letter to the chief editor of Berliner
Zeitung newspaper.

"Unfortunately, we should state that having overcome thousand
kilometers, journalist Tobias Asmuth presented a superficial and
distorted article to the readers of the newspaper, without inquiring
the causes and essence of the Karabakh issue. Similarly, the author
could easily write a number of analogous articles, staying at home
and using various sites. However, if freedom of speech and press is
equivalent to a sin against truth for the Berliner Zeitung, then it
is quite a different matter," the open letter says.

According to NKR Foreign Ministry’s press service, having personally
visited the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, Berliner Zeitung newspaper’s
correspondent, if even desired, couldn’t but notice that the people
who had experienced terrible hardships, destructions, and grief in
an unequal struggle had, however, managed to realize its right to
self-determination, heroically stand all the calamities of the war,
restore its state infrastructure, and implement radical reforms for
establishing a state corresponding to the European standards.

"After the World War II, the Germans dreamed for an integrated state
and lived with this idea tens of years. We don’t think that the German
nation’s aspiration can be questioned by any other nation.

Exactly 20 years ago, the Berlin separating wall was destroyed in just
a few days by the will of the great powers, and the Germans not only
reunited, but also gained full-fledged independence, on the occasion
of which we congratulate this distinctive and gifted nation of the
Old World. Nagorno Karabakh gained its independence, having, first of
all, neutralized the Azerbaijani aggression, defending the lives of
children, women, and old people. Just that’s why nobody can question
the will and right of Nagorno Karabakh’s people to independence. In
other words, nobody brought the independence and right to free life to
Nagorno Karabakh on a tray. And if today’s population of our Republic
makes only 140 thousand, then it is also a vivid demonstration of
Azerbaijan’s evident anti-Armenian policy; otherwise, over a million
and a half of Karabakhi Armenians and their descendants would not be
citizens of other states today. So, like Germans in the recent past,
today we are also striving for our sovereignty.

The Germans have, for many years, cherished as relics the stones
and fragments of the once separating Berlin Wall. The situation is
totally different in Nagorno Karabakh. Here, the shrines are the
marble tombstones of soldiers perished at the Karabakh War for the
independence of their homeland. The correspondent of your newspaper
could not but notice that," the letter says.

QUAKE HITS IRAN AND AZERBAIJAN

Aysor
Nov 4 2009
Armenia

The quake measuring 7 on the Richter scale hit Iran, Aysor’s
correspondent learned from National Service of Seismic Protection
of Armenia.

Iranian media said there were no reports of deaths in the quake,
which hit Bandar Abbas 850 miles south of the capital. Forty-four of
the 269 injured were taken to hospital and electricity was restored.

A moderate earthquake measuring 3 on the Richter scale hit Azerbaijani
region south of Shemakha Tuesday evening. No deaths and damage were
reported.

There were no any quakes in Armenia, National Service of Seismic
Protection of Armenia said.

ROBERT SIMMONS TO HOLD MEETINGS IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
03.11.2009 17:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Special Representative of NATO Secretary General in
the South Caucasus and Central Asia Robert Simmons will hold meetings
in Yerevan on November 5-6.

Robert Simmons will meet with Armenian President Serzh Sargsian,
Speaker of the parliament Hovik Abramyan, Secretary of the National
Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Edward Nalbandian, Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, Minister of
Emergency Situations Mher Shahgeldyan, reported Information Center
on NATO in Armenia

THE UNION OF ARMENIAN WRITERS HAS A NEW PUBLISHING HOUSE

Aysor
Nov 3 2009
Armenia

Today in the Union of Armenian Writers was opened a new publishing
house after Levon Zaven Syurmelyan. Armenian General Benevolent Union
(AGBU) has covered the expenses of the publishing house, which has
provided the fund from the means of Levon Zaven Syurmelyan.

On the opening ceremony of the publishing house the president of
the Armenian Union of Writers Levon Ananyan, Perch Serdakyan the
President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, writers and guests
were present.

The publishing house belongs to the Union of the Armenian writers
where the books of its members can be published as well as other
valuable literature.

"First of all the books of the members of the Union that are under
the governmental order will be published", – said Vahagn Mughnetsyan
the director of the new publishing house and informed the journalists
that the publishing house has been filled with the needed personnel
and machines and is ready to publish books this year already.

UAW president Levon Ananyan attached importance to the fact of the
UAW having its own publishing house and mentioned that still they
have a lot to do.

"We have many projects; to enlarge the publishing house and the
publishing institution", – mentioned the president of the Union of
the Armenian Writers and added that there are some areas next the UAW
publishing house which will later belong to one union of different
institutions like typing house, publishing center and editorials of
daily newspapers.

Besides all these events Levon Ananyan touched upon the project of
opening a bookstore in the UAW publishing house which as L. Ananyan
mentioned is their biggest dream.

JOURNALIST ON TRIAL SURE OF VICTORY

news.am
Nov 3 2009
Armenia

Editor-in-Chief of the Haykakan Zhamanak ( Armenian Times) newspaper
Nikol Pashinyan, who is running for Parliament in election district
#10, has sent a message from the remand center Yerevan Kentron. In
his message he stated his decision to run for Parliament "for law
ands justice, for the people’s law to form their power…"

In his message Pashinyan writes that he made this step "in memory of
the innocent victims of March 1, 2008, for the political prisoners,
for all the citizens whose rights are violated and dignity is destroyed
by the lawlessness reigning in the country…"

Pashinyan expresses his gratitude to the Republic Party, its Political
Council and the Council member Suren Surenyants, "for considering it
possible to defend their principles and values by nominating me."

Pashinyan expressed hope that "the opposition forces that do not form
part of the Armenian National Congress will take a clear position in
the forthcoming elections as well" by supporting him as he believes
in victory not only in the January 10 elections, but also "in our
struggle for the Constitution, law and democracy."

ANKARA CRITICISED ON PRESS FREEDOM
Fabrice Randoux

Europolitics information society
November 2, 2009

A "balanced report." That was the reaction of Egemen Bagis, the Turkish
minister for EU relations, to the European Commission’s annual report
on Turkey, published on 14 October. The Commission denounced attacks
on the freedom for the press and unions, children’s rights and sexual
equality.

It showed particular concern over the large fines (over a billion
euro) imposed on the private Dogan Yayin Holding (DYH) media group
for unpaid taxes. "If a tax fine is worth the annual turnover of a
company it’s quite a strong sanction and it may not only be a tax
sanction but it seems like a political sanction," said Olli Rehn, the
commissioner for enlargement. "There are too many provisions in the
penal code that could be used to restrict free expression," he added.

The Commission also lamented "little progress" in terms of political
and constitutional reforms, the fights against corruption, free supply
of services and company law.

REPORT "SOFT" ON CYPRUS

On relations with Cyprus, the report notes the absence of progress
on the opening of Turkish ports and airports since 2006. The EU had
decided to freeze eight of the 33 chapters of negotiations (see box)
as a result of Ankara’s refusal to do this. But the Commission did
not recommend new sanctions, limiting itself to declaring it "urgent
that Turkey fulfil its obligations".

The EU executive is clearly keen not to disrupt delicate talks,
initiated in September 2008 and overseen by the United Nations,
intended to result in a unified Cyprus. The division of the island
since 1974 is an "anachronism," in the eyes of Rehn, "20 years after
the end of the Berlin Wall".

ARMENIA AND KURDISH RIGHTS

The report, however, commends the normalisation of relations between
Armenia and Turkey, two rival countries with a shared bloody history,
which signed a historic accord in Switzerland, on 10 October, sealing
their reconciliation. It also applauds the Turkish government for
opening a "wide public debate" on the Kurdish question, adding that
it was "crucial" that it is "followed by concrete measures" to help
the minority in the South-West of the country. The Commission also
approved of the launch of a Kurdish television channel.

The Commission said it was also pleased with the signing of an
intergovernmental agreement for the Nabucco gas pipeline which,
from 2014, will link the gas fields of Central Asia to Europe,
bypassing Russia. It said this was a contribution to gas security,
which would benefit "Turkey as much as the EU".

The remaining negotiations with Ankara seem to be in firm stalemate
with a lack of motivation on both sides. Since the start of the year,
only one chapter has been opened, that on taxation.

Status of accession talks

Eleven chapters opened: Science and research, business and industrial
policy, statistics, financial monitoring, trans-European networks,
consumer protection and health, company law, intellectual property
rights, information society and media, free movement of capital
and taxation.

One chapter provisionally closed: Science and research

Eight chapters suspended: Free movement of goods, right to
establishment and supply of services, financial services, agriculture
and rural development, fisheries, transport, customs union, external
relations.

Chapters blocked by France: Economic and monetary policy, regional
policy and policy for the structural instruments of coordination,
agriculture and rural development, financial and budgetary provisions,
institutional questions.

Chapters blocked by Cyprus: Energy, education and culture