Author: Hovhannisian John

SABINA FREIZER: AZERBAIJAN SHOULD NOT BE PROUD OF ITS MILITARY BUDGET

De Facto
Oct 29, 2008

YEREVAN, 29.10.08. DE FACTO. Azerbaijan should not be proud of its
military budget, since Armenia is also developing economically and
can increase its military expenses. Sabina Freizer, Director of
the International Crisis Group Caucasian Project, stated it at an
interview with the Voice of America, Hayastani Hanrapetutyun reports.

"A decisive stage is starting in Karabakh talks. Tension increases
in the region, and Russia is trying to prompt leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan to a peace agreement to restore its authority. No one wishes
to create a third hotbed of confrontation in Caucasus. Everyone thinks
of a peaceful settlement. Unless current favorable situation is used
Prague process can be completely held up. It will be very difficult
to resume it.

So, the efforts of all parties are required", Sabina Freizer noted.

As for Armenian-Turkish relations, the expert has positively estimated
Turkish President’s visit to Yerevan. "The establishment of relations
between Turkey and Armenia is not only useful for these countries,
but also for the whole region", Freizer stated and added that the
rapprochement should be appreciated, especially, in the context of
the Karabakh conflict. According to Freizer, Turkey can be a useful
mediator in the process.

HENCEFORTH ARMEN HAROUTIUNIAN TO TAKE PERSONAL ACTIVE PART IN WORK OF NA AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON EVENTS OCCURRED ON 1-2 MARCH

Noyan Tapan
Oct 29, 2008

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 29, NOYAN TAPAN. Henceforth RA Ombudsman Armen
Haroutiunian to take a personal active part in the work of the NA
Ad-hoc Committee on the Events Occurred on 1-2 March 2008. Saying this
in his interview to journalists on October 29 at NA, A. Haroutiunian
explained that the cooperation is already significant, as some members
of the committee have adopted a more active position and raise issues
they did not raise formerly, "proceeding from the political state
of affairs."

The candidature of professor Vahe Stepanian, the head of RA
Ombudsman’s staff, a Doctor of Legal Sciences, the former RA Minister
of Justice will be nominated by the RA Ombudsman in the fact-finding
group created for the purpose of studying the March 1-2 events in
Yerevan. A. Haroutiunian said that the choice of his representative
in the fact-finding group was a serious issue, as the other sides
will present their experts, and he was to present a person, who has
authority in jurisprudence, has never been involved in political
processes, as a person is acceptable for both the authorities and
the opposition, and has certain resource of confidence.

ARMENIA TREE PROJECT
65 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
Tel: (617) 926-TREE
Email: [email protected]
Web:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2008

Armenia Tree Project Mourns the Loss of Harry T. Mangurian, Jr.

Successful Entrepreneur Was A Committed Friend, Advisor, and Benefactor of
Armenia’s People and Environment

By Jason Sohigian

FT. LAUDERDALE, FL–"Harry Mangurian’s keen business sense, creative mind,
and sense of humor provided me and our staff with even greater vigor and
inspiration to persevere in our work to create a healthier environment and
sustainable future for the people of Armenia," stated Armenia Tree Project
Executive Director Jeff Masarjian when he heard about the passing of Harry
T. Mangurian, Jr.

Born in Rochester, NY, Mr. Mangurian died in Ft. Lauderdale on October 19 at
age 82 after an eight-month battle with leukemia. Among his many
accomplishments, he turned a family furniture business into a nationwide
success, went on to become a prominent thoroughbred horse breeder in
Florida, and was the sole owner of the Boston Celtics for several years.

His father opened an Oriental rug business in 1925 in Rochester, which later
became a furniture store. The flagship Mangurian’s Inc. was opened in the
1940s, and Mr. Mangurian took over the business in the 1960s and transformed
it into a successful national chain that eventually included more than a
dozen stores.

Mr. Mangurian immersed himself in the business world and moved to Ft.
Lauderdale. He owned Drexel Investments, through which he built and sold
thousands of condominiums in south Florida in the 1970s and 1980s. In the
early 1970s, Mr. Mangurian became involved in breeding thoroughbred horses
and bought a 310-acre horse farm in Ocala, which he expanded to an
1,100-acre farm where he bred many top stallions. He led all breeders in
North America in 1998 through 2002 in earnings and races won.

In 1978, Mr. Mangurian traded the Buffalo Braves for the Boston Celtics, and
he was the sole owner of the team from 1980 through 1983. He was
instrumental in the signing of legends such as Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and
Robert Parish, and under his ownership the Boston Celtics won the NBA
Championship in 1981.

"Harry was a solid owner. He was one who was a good, solid businessman. He
really helped bring the championship back to Boston back in 1981," stated
Celtics vice president of media services Jeff Twiss in an obituary in the
Boston Globe. "With his leadership, guidance, and working with Red Auerbach,
he helped raise our franchise up to that championship level."

Mr. Mangurian was a World War II veteran who served in the Navy in the
Pacific theater from 1943-1946, and he was involved in a number of
philanthropic causes. His initial contribution of $1 million to the National
Thoroughbred Racing Association "New York Heroes Fund" following the
September 11 attacks inspired others to contribute in excess of $6 million.

Mr. Mangurian has donated $5 million to the Michael and Diane Bienes Cancer
Center at Holy Cross Hospital in Ft. Lauderdale to establish the Dorothy
Mangurian Comprehensive Women’s Center and the Harry T. Mangurian, Jr.
Surgical Oncology Department.

He became closely involved with Armenia Tree Project in recent years,
helping the organization expand its fundraising capacity among
Armenian-Americans in support of its poverty reduction and tree planting
programs, and he has donated more than $1.2 million to ATP in recent years.

"We were very sad to learn of Harry’s passing. Harry first learned of ATP
from a mailing we sent out in 2005. He became interested in our work and
especially in helping us develop better strategies for fundraising to
support our program," recounted Jeff Masarjian. "Harry became a friend and a
mentor to me, and we would speak every week about ATP’s challenges and
successes in Armenia, and he would advise me on how to make the organization
more financially sustainable."

"We listened and learned because we knew he had been so successful in the
business and sporting worlds. We also hoped others would follow his example
and recognize the importance of our work in improving the lives of the many
impoverished families living in rural Armenia today, who are benefiting from
their participation in ATP’s programs," added Masarjian.

In 2006, Mr. Mangurian funded a research project to identify as many
Armenian households as possible in the US. "We added thousands of new names
to our database, and used the information to send two very unique mail
appeals that doubled our donor base within one year," noted Masarjian.

"Last fall we launched ‘Harry’s Challenge,’ in which he offered to match
every gift we received up to $500,000. This generated enormous enthusiasm
and we were able to exceed the challenge and raise more money that year than
any other in our history," he added. "Harry was much more than a benefactor
to ATP. He really believed in our work, and in helping the less fortunate
families in Armenia through our programs."

"He was really a very simple guy, very uncomplicated and he was successful
at it. If there ever was a guy without an ego, it was Harry Mangurian,"
stated long-time advisor and friend Gordon W. Latz of Ft. Lauderdale. "Life
has been very good to him. He’s done so many wonderful things and helped so
many people. Everything was done because he wanted to help people."

Mr. Mangurian is survived by his wife Dorothy, daughters Terry Skuse and
Tracy Jenkins, brother Pierce Mangurian and sister Ann Hanessian, four
grandsons, and two great-grandchildren. Armenia Tree Project is planting a
forest of 150,000 trees this fall in memory of Harry T. Mangurian, Jr. in
Jrashen Village in the Lori region of Armenia.

KOUCHNER: EU FAILED TO PAY PROPER ATTENTION TO CAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
28.10.2008 17:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said the
European Union failed to pay proper attention to the Caucasus.

"During the past ten year, and even more, we did not pay proper
attention to the region," he said after the Russia-EU ministerial
meeting in Saint Petersburg.

For his part, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that Russia
will endorse any effort "to prevent aggression," RIA Novosti reports.

Georgian armed forces attacked South Ossetia on August 8 morning. As
a countermeasure, Russia sent troops to the peacekeepers deployed
in the region and carried out an operation which was followed by
recognition of South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.

INTERVIEW WITH TANER AKCAM
David Stepanyan

ArmInfo News Agency
2008-10-27 14:20:00

Taner Akcam was born in the settlement of Olcek, province of Ardahan,
Turkey, in 1953. He studied economics at the Middle East Technical
University in Ankara, and graduated in 1976. Later that year, while
a graduate student at the same department, he received a nine-year
prison sentence for his involvement in producing a student journal
that focused on the treatment of Turkey’s Kurdish minority. In March
1977, he escaped from Ankara Maximum Security prison. In 1978, he was
granted political asylum in Germany. In August 1988 Akcam began work
as a research scientist at the Hamburg Foundation for the Advancement
of Research and Culture. He received his PhD from the University
of Hanover with a dissertation titled, Turkish Nationalism and the
Armenian Genocide: On the Background of the Military Tribunals in
Istanbul between 1919 and 1922. Akcam’s initial research topic was
the history of political violence and torture in late Ottoman and
early Republican Turkey. Since 1990, however, he has focused his
attention on Turkish nationalism and the Armenian Genocide, with
eleven books and numerous articles to his credit. Akcam was Visiting
Associate Professor of History at the University of Minnesota, United
States before joining Clark University’s Strassler Family Center for
Holocaust and Genocide Studies. In his recent book, Â"A shameful act:
The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish responsibilityÂ",
Akcam, basing upon Turkish sources, studies the role of the Ottoman
government in the Genocide and the question of the responsibility of
Turkey for the murder of 1, 5 million Armenians.

Mr. Akcam, in your book "A Shameful Act: the Armenian Genocide and The
Question of Turkish Responsibility" you highlighted questions that
are problematic both for Armenia and Turkey. The book has aroused
a vivid interest in Armenia. Do you plan to release another book to
feature the same range of subjects?

I am not sure what you mean with "questions that are problematic both
for Armenia and Turkey". As an historian, my primary job is to reveal
as honestly as possibly what are concealed or distorted historical
events, done so often at the behest of political powers. I really
don’t care who considers my revelation "problematic". As long as I am
honest and my arguments are based on facts the rest is not my problem.

I have recently published another book in Turkey and the title is
"The Armenian Issue is Resolved: Policies towards Armenians During
the War Years, Based on Ottoman Documents" The central thesis of
the book is that the available Ottoman governments documents in
the Ottoman Archive in Istanbul clearly show us that the Union and
Progress party developed and implemented plans during the World War
I which deliberately targeted the total destruction of the Armenian
people. By doing so, I refute the commonly accepted thesis by the
public and the academic world, that Ottoman archival materials in
Istanbul contradict the German, American, Austrian and other foreign
archival records and that their respective contents present different
information. As I showed in my book this perception is wrong and
there is in fact no contradiction between the materials found in the
Ottoman archives with that in Western archives. The various archives
contain information that is supportive and complementary to one
another and explain the same historical phenomenon from different
perspectives. The main target of the Ottoman Government at the time
was to eradicate the Christian population from Anatolia and available
Ottoman documents from Ottoman archives show this to us.

Do you have plans to visit Armenia (both in near or distant future),
particularly the Armenian Genocide Institute-Museum?

If I get an invitation why not!

In Armenia exists an opinion, that the refusal of Turkey to recognize
Genocide is explained not by possible territorial claims from Armenia –
the Genocide, if recognized by Turkey, will be a matter to a massive
revision of Turkish history, which may lead the country to a split,
similar to that of the USSR. Do you share that point of view? What
are your comments on that?

I don’t think that the reason for the denial of the Genocide by Turkish
state is the fear of Armenian territorial claims. To claim territories
from Turkey, as a form of compensation, might have a symbolic or moral
dimension for some Armenians and some Armenian political parties but
it cannot be taken seriously. The Armenian Genocide was an act of the
Ottoman government against its own citizens and Turkey today does not
occupy any territory which can be legally claimed to belong present
day Armenia. There is no "territorial problem" between Turkey and
Armenia. Today, the Turkish state and some nationalistic Armenian
organizations purposely use the "territorial claims" argument as a
tactic to avoid coming to a resolution.

The argument that if Turkey acknowledges historic wrong doings it
could cause the "split" or "demise" of Turkey is a very stupid one,
if you allow me to be so blunt. If you follow this logic, it says
that confronting history is a very negative and dangerous thing to do
because it could create a threat to national security. This sort of
argument can only be raised by dictators or totalitarian regimes. Of
course, if Turkey honestly faces its history and comes to terms
with historic wrong doings it necessitates a very strong revision of
history; but why should this lead to a split of the country? Just the
opposite, confronting history with honestly, acknowledging historic
wrong doings is the "abc" of every democracy. Any society which
endeavors to establish democratic structure and processes and which
purports to respect human rights can only do this successfully if it
engages in an honest accounting with it past.

There are two main factors, which influence the Turkish State’s
attitude. I would describe these factors as Material and Moral. The
most common argument we have heard is that if Turkey were to
acknowledge the Genocide they would have to pay restitution. Even
though the argument regarding restitution provides some tangible form
of reconciling the loss of individual properties and wealth and this
could obviously impact the Turkish state, I don’t thing that this
is the cause for Turkish fear. You could always agree on a specified
amount of money to rectify the losses of the past. I think there is
another deep seated reason for denial which I would define as the moral
aspect of the problem. This is related to the fact that some of the
founders of the Turkish state were the very same members of the party
who organized the Genocide. As is the case in every nation state, we,
the people of Turkey, have glorified these persons as our founding
fathers, as heroes. Having done that you can see how psychologically
it is very difficult to turn around and call these same individuals
murderers or thieves; if you do that you question the very existence
of the state and its identity. It is very self-destructive to bring
up this topic. Because of this, for there to be any chance of success
of reconciling with its past, Turkey must develop a new democratic
identity. I believe that the European Union offers this opportunity,
this chance, for Turkey to develop a new democratic identity.

The official attitude of Ankara about Genocide is widely known. Does
it correspond to the position of Turkish intellectuals and scientific
society?

Since you teach in the USA, please tell your view of the position of
American historians and publicists on that.

I can say with confidence that the position of the Turkish government
is quite different from that shared by the Turkish intelligentsia. I
would like the world to know that there is an important segment
of intellectual and enlightened people in the media and our
larger universities who want an open and frank discussion about
our history. In Turkey today, the organization of conferences by
historians and the publication of books that openly criticize the
state’s position have become quite commonplace. I believe that these
changes which are being experienced on a civilian level will effect
the state’s position too.

The arrival of Mr. Abdullah Gul, the President of Turkey, to Yerevan,
has been a landmark to establish the so-called "soccer diplomacy". Is
it (the diplomacy) able to become a factor of a considerable
improvement of relations between the two countries – especially
regarding Genocide and complicated relations of Armenia and Azerbaijan?

First of all, I’d like to congratulate the leaders of both countries
for taking these courageous steps. Extraordinary times require
extraordinary leadership. I believe that this is the beginning of a
period towards resolution of our problems. The speed at which this
period progresses is directly related to the courage of the opposing
sides. The soccer match created an opportunity but I see the Ergenekon
arrests in Turkey and Russia’s interference with Georgia as factors
that will move the process along. The Turkish political circles who
fed on hostility towards Armenians, the same circles who by the way
are primarily responsible for the death of Hrant Dink, have taken
a serious hit. The Ergenekon arrests took the pressure off the
Turkish state. Meanwhile Russian-Georgian relations have rendered
the continuation of mutual hostility by both sides as meaningless
and counterproductive.

A number of Armenian and Russian political scientists and experts
consider the initiative to establish the "Caucasian Platform",
proposed by Mr. Rejep Tayip Erdogan, to be inspired by the USA. If
you agree with that, what are the reasons for such a concern of the
official Washington?

Whether it originated from Washington or Moscow, will somebody please
explain to me why the normalization and development of relations
between states in the region is a bad thing? In the end, Caucasia
is the common land of Georgians, Azeris, Armenians, Turks and other
people from that region.

Can you explain to me what the harm is in developing a sense of
brotherhood, a good neighbor policy if you will? Since we, Armenians,
Georgians, Azeris, Turks and others, are committed to living in the
region it would make sense to develop a platform based upon mutual
respect. Whether it comes out of Moscow or Washington, I say "Bravo"
to whoever wants to support such a platform.

Barack Obama has declared his will to officially recognize the Armenian
Genocide, in case of his possible victory. Will his statements share
the fate of the promises of previous candidates?

Perhaps. Obama, like those who went before him, may forget the promise
he made. I would hope that he doesn’t forget because it would put
an end to this torturous relationship that Armenians and Turks have
endured.

Nevertheless, I don’t view Obama’s use of the word "genocide"
as working like some kind of charm, or being the source of a huge
resolution of the matter. Reagan had accepted and used the term also. I
think Turks and Armenians need to see that there is something rather
shameful in expecting a third party to solve a problem that originates
with us and needs to be resolved between us. We own the problem. We
need to resolve it and we can.

Even if the United States recognizes Genocide, may we expect the
recognition by Turkey? If you think this possibility is definitely
excluded, which are the reasons for that?

If USA were to officially acknowledge the Genocide, it would result
in a hardening of Turkey’s position in the short run but eventually
relations would relax. Besides recognizing that countries like the
US and Israel have accepted that the genocide took place, Turkey
would begin to see that insisting on a traditional policy of denial
wasn’t getting them anywhere. Recognizing that there weren’t any other
positions to insist on or defend in the international arena it might
push Turkey to confront its issues head on with Armenia. I believe
that the political aspects of this problem are going to be resolved
between the Turkish and Armenian states.

Each country should immediately initiate mutual diplomatic relations,
without pre-condition. The problem associated with how to acknowledge
our past should be left to time and should be discussed and debated
openly in a democratic manner. We need to see that the actual
resolution of the problem is going to occur during the course of each
society’s open and healthy debate over it. In support of this process
each side could establish different commissions also.

Thank you.

–Boundary_(ID_7OYTgEPvY3EDMcaNxdUPGw)–

RASIM AGHAYEV: "IF SERZH SARGSYAN AGREES TO RETURN THE OCCUPIED LANDS TO AZERBAIJAN, RUSSIA WILL HAVE TO ENSURE HIS SECURITY"

Today.Az
28 October 2008 [14:14]

Day.Az interview with famous political scientist Rasim Aghayev.

– A terror act occurred in the parliament of Armenia nine years ago
on October 27 of 1999 and it caused death to Armenian Prime Minister
Vazgen Sargsyan, speaker Karen Demirchyan and several other political
figures of this country. Do you think today there is a possibility
of a terrorist act against the leading politicians of this country?

– As is knownб several political figures, political scientists and
journalists of Armenia blamed the working Karabakh clan, represented by
previous and working presidents of Armenia Robert Kocharyan and Serzh
Sargsyan of organization of the terror act in the Armenian parliament.

In other words, considering that the powers of this country are the
organizers of a terror act in the Armenian parliament, it may seem
that new terror acts against the leadership of Armenia are out of
the question as there is no one to commit these acts. But this is an
unfounded outlook, for since the moment of its consolidation as an
ethnic-political powers Armenians have taken terror as a method of
political pressure on their opponents before anyone else did.

And therefore, the one that once used terror as way to attain the
desired political result will become a victim of terror sooner of
later. Therefore, there is no guarantee that those who committed the
terror act in the Armenian parliament will not fall victims of other
Armenian terrorists.

– Which steps of the working powers of Armenia may provoke a terror
act from the side of other powers in this country?

– First of all, I think Serzh Sargsyan will not take the steps, which
may provoke the wide Armenian public to take radical measures against
him. He is aware that if he agrees to return the occupied lands of
Azerbaijan in exchange for the agreement of our country to put off the
status of Nagorno Karabakh, may be enough for the Armenian circles,
having a historical inclination for terror, to terminate the working
president.

– But isn’t the working president of Armenia able to attain guarantees
of personal security from the side of the leading world countries
before he launches possible steps aimed at the establishment of peace,
stability and good neighbor relations in the South Caucasus region,
as a goal for which the leading countries of the world strive so much
according to official statements?

– Practice shows that super states do not care much about those,
who served to them at a certain stage after they fulfill the due
work. Therefore, you are right to say that it is vitally important
for Serzh Sargsyan to attain guarantees of his own security in case he
agrees to promote establishment of peace, stability and good neighbor
relations in the South Caucasus region.

Moreover, he, as well as Robert Kocharyan, are casual figures in
politics and they can be easily replaced. This is how they differ
from Levon Ter-Petrosyan. So, it can be said that if Serzh Sargsyan
agrees to return the occupied lands to Azerbaijan, Russia will have
to ensure his security.

– What should Azerbaijan do to encourage the Armenian President for
return of the occupied lands of our country?

– Azerbaijan is holding a balanced, competent and effective external
policy.

Azerbaijan must further continue the policy of Armenia’s isolation
from all regional projects and agree with the Georgian leadership on
blocking the communication corridor between this country and Armenia.

We must also agree with the Turkish government to avert any
speculations about possible opening of the Armenian-Turkish border
before Armenia liberates the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, we must persuade the leaderships of the leading countries
of Europe, Russia and the United States that peace and stability in
the South Caucasus are impossible without the fair resolution of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. Only these steps
can make the Armenian leadership to realize the current balance of
powers in the region and take real steps to establish peace and good
neighbor relations in our region.

–Boundary_(ID_huT4XK6hIF9Gohsep+OqgA)–

22 PEOPLE GRANTED PARDON IN NAGORNO KARABAKH

armradio.am
23.10.2008 16:30

On 23 October President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
signed a decree on the results of consideration of pardon applications,
Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR President
informed.

According to the presidential decree, 22 people were granted
pardon. Six convicts were granted partial pardon.

Pardon applications of 58 convicts were turned down due to the nature
and gravity of the crimes committed.

CSC WIND SYMPHONY, COMMUNITY BAND CONCERT HIGHLIGHT OF CSC’S HOMECOMING
Genell Rothleutner

KCSR
10/21/2008 06:51 PM
NE

CHADRON – The fall’s first performance of Chadron State College’s music
groups will be Friday, Oct. 24, when the CSC Wind Symphony and Chadron
Community Symphonic Band combine for a concert in Memorial Hall. The
event begins at 7:30 p.m. and is open to the public free of charge.

The wind symphony, directed by Adam Lambert, features 45 students
who were chosen during auditions at the beginning of the academic year.

A number of classical pieces will be performed during the concert.

The wind symphony plans to perform "Shenandoah," arranged by Frank
Ticheli, "Armenian Dances" by Alfred Reed, "Fanfare and Flourishes"
by James Curnow, "Prelude and Fugue in Bb" by J.S. Bach, and "Radetzky
March" by Johann Strauss.

"The group is the strongest it’s ever been and the program for this
upcoming concert is outstanding," Lambert said.

The community band, under the direction of Michael Stephens, has 24
members who have diverse backgrounds and occupations.

One of the pieces scheduled to be performed by the community band is
Claude T. Smith’s "Emperata Overture." Smith was a music educator in
Nebraska and Missouri four decades ago.

Other numbers to be performed by the group include the spiritual
compilation "Deep River Suite," the "Cantique and Faranade," and the
"Colonel Bogey March" from the 1957 movie "Bridge on the River Kwai."

The two bands are expecting a big crowd for the concert, not only
because audiences of each group will be there, but also because
finalists of CSC’s homecoming royalty competition will be announced
prior to its conclusion. The 51 candidates vying for king or queen,
and their guests, have been directed to attend.

"We are excited about sharing this concert with the Community Symphonic
Band and the homecoming royalty festivities," Lambert said. "It will
be a very exciting night."

Story courtesy of Justin Haag, Chadron State College

AZERBAIJAN STEPS UP "ANTI-ARMENIAN PROPAGANDA"
by Vardan Grigoryan

Hayots Ashkharh
Oct 8 2008
Armenia

After the Russian-Georgian armed conflict, the Azerbaijani government,
which has temporarily lost its foreign policy reference marks and
propaganda, has recovered and shifted to a coordinated offensive again.

By immediately responding to the situation at all "fronts", Azerbaijan
started to apply a strategy of pushing the countries interested
in the region to put pressure on Armenia on the issue of Nagornyy
Karabakh. If it is not difficult to expect that in the example of
Turkey, the latest expression of which was President Abdullah Gul’s
saying that the opening of the [Turkish-Armenian] border depends on the
settlement of the Karabakh conflict. This statement was made in New
York. Meanwhile, Baku’s first steps for having a deal with Russia on
this issue has failed because of the excessive appetite of Azerbaijan.

Irrespective of this, as Baku’s reaction to a recent statement by
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has shown, they [Azerbaijan]
still have the hope that they will succeed in using the existing
situation in the region to extort concessions from Armenia on all
disputed issues in the negotiations.

The logic which the head of the foreign relations department of the
Azerbaijani presidential executive staff, Novruz Mammadov, mentioned
while responding to Lavrov’s words, is based on the hypothesis that
after the Russian-Georgian war only Armenia has to make concessions
to open communications bypassing Georgia, which are needed by Russia.

A question arises: Is it possible to open the same communications
without Armenia’s consent? The Baku propagandists say that the talk is
not about consent but about a wish, because Armenia’s communications
and its economic situation have considerably deteriorated after the
Russian-Georgian armed conflict.

It is painful that the same idea was mentioned in the recent statement
by the Russian foreign minister. Lavrov said in particular that as a
result of the August events the problems with the supply of Armenian
goods through Georgia show "the urgency and the absolute necessity
of a quick settlement" of the Karabakh conflict.

Meanwhile, basic economic calculations show that Azerbaijan has
incurred at least twice as bigger losses due to the August events, as
a result of which oil supplies to both the Georgian Qulevi terminal
on the coast of the Black Sea and the operation of the Baku-Ceyhan
[oil pipeline] stopped. So in its current PR company to settle the
Karabakh issue in a speedy way and at the expense of Armenia only,
Azerbaijan in fact uses Russia’s interest in the opening of the
Armenian-Turkish border and in breaking the isolation of the Russian
military base in [the Armenian town of] Gyumri – trying to "furnish"
it with tales about Armenia’s grave economic situation.

The false report announced by the head of the Patriotic Union of
Azerbaijani Cossacks, V. Mereshkin, that as though Armenians lay
claim to Russian territories, in particular, to the city of Armavir
in Krasnodar Territory, are attempts to use "the Russian playing
card". Such false reports were disseminated by Baku also in the 1990s
and even in the beginning of the 20th century.

[Passage omitted: reiteration of Azerbaijan’s attempts to use the
Russian factor.]

Another target of the anti-Armenian propaganda is Israel, where a
book by a well-known Azerbaijani history-builder, Rovsan Mustafayev,
was published about the "genocide" of mountain Jews by Armenians in
1918. At issue is the misrepresentation of the well-known military
campaign by the Baku Commune [a Bolshevik government which ruled Baku
in 1918] in order to prevent the massacre of Armenians and Russians
by Turkish and Tatar officers in Quba and Samaxi [towns in Azerbaijan].

It is clear that the Jewish people, which preserved the memory of
the Holocaust, is extremely sensitive to such topics. Therefore,
the Armenian side and, first of all, our scientists and the Armenian
community of Jerusalem should publish corresponding articles in
the Israeli press and show with facts that in reality Turks and
Azerbaijanis massacred Jews after conquering Baku on 15 September 1918.

Thus, unlike the Armenian PR campaign, which has recently been focused
on searching for schemes for expanding peace and cooperation in the
region, Azerbaijan persistently continues spreading anti-Armenian
calumny. These are aimed at pitting Armenia against all its neighbours,
friends and even neutral countries.

DMITRI MEDVEDEV: "I DO HOPE THAT THE MEETING OF THE THREE PRESIDENTS WILL BE HELD IN RUSSIA SOON"

Today.Az
21 October 2008 [16:18]
Azerbaijan

"The Karabakh issue may be settled on the basis of the compromises
and by way of talks", said President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan at a
joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Dmitri Medvedev
in Yerevan Tuesday.

"Karabakh is associated with the world "tender" for me. There is a
problem, which we must settle", said Sargsyan.

"Armenia is ready to continue talks on the basis of Madrid principles",
said the Armenian President adding that this document is available
in the Internet as "it has been registered by the co-chairs of the
OSCE Minsk Group in the depositary of a definite organization".

At the same time the head of the Armenian state added that "there is
nothing secret about it".

"This is a basis will allows to recognize the right of the "Nagorno
Karabakh" people for self-determination and several other principal
moments", said Sargsyan.

In turn, Medvedev agreed with Sargsyan and said that the August events
in the Caucasus showed that any complex issue must be settled based
on international principles and by way of talks.

"There is nothing more effective, than it and this is one of the main
lessons drawn from the August crisis in the region", said Medvedev.

He noted that "the level of agreements attained by now is a complicated
issue"

"I hope that we are now at the advanced stage, anyway both sides are
ready to search a solution", said the Russian President.

He noted that this issue had been discussed with his Armenian
counterpart in details.

"I will not comment on some moments just because these are negotiation
moments and this is their value", said he voicing hope that in the
near future the three presidents will meet to continue discussion of
this topic.

"I hope this meeting will be held in Russia", said Medvedev.