Author: Jagharian Tania

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reportedly criticized his predecessor for attending a football match between Turkish and Armenian national teams in 2008, which was then dubbed “football diplomacy” between Turkey and Armenia, reports. 

Speaking to a group of nationally respected historians at the presidential palace in Ankara on Thursday during a meeting to discuss the 1915 killings of Armenians, President Erdogan this time targeted former president Abdullah Gül for visiting Yerevan to attend a soccer match several years ago, becoming the first Turkish president to set foot in Armenia since the ex-Soviet nation gained independence in 1991

According to Erdogan, Gül’s visit played into the hands of Armenians and failed to yield any substantial result on the diplomatic front, a historian who attended the meeting told the media.

Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan invited Gül to watch a World Cup qualifying match between the Turkish and Armenian national teams in Yerevan in September 2008. Gül’s landmark visit to Yerevan paved the way for a diplomatic breakthrough for both countries, which have no diplomatic relations even though Turkey was among the first countries to recognize Armenia’s independence.

Following Gül’s visit, both countries embarked upon a number of diplomatic meetings mediated by Switzerland, resulting in the Zurich protocols to normalize ties between Turkey and Armenia. The protocols were signed in Zurich on Oct. 10, 2009 with the aim of establishing diplomatic relations and opening the two countries’ land border.

The process for reconciliation between the two countries has been deadlocked since then.

The co-pilot of the Germanwings plane which crashed in the French Alps in March may have practised a rapid descent on a previous flight, a report by French investigators has said, the BBC reports.

The report said Andreas Lubitz repeatedly set the plane into an unauthorised descent earlier that day.

Lubitz is suspected of deliberately crashing the Airbus 320, killing all 150 people on board.

The plane had been flying from Barcelona to Duesseldorf on 24 March.

The descent occurred on the plane’s outbound flight from Duesseldorf to Barcelona on the same day, the report said.

The co-pilot is known to have suffered depression in the past.

Last month German prosecutors revealed that Lubitz had researched suicide methods and the security of cockpit doors.

Voice recorder findings suggest he locked the pilot out of the cockpit on the doomed flight.

news.az, Azerbaijan
May 22 2010

‘Armenia avoids serious steps towards peaceful settlement of Karabakh conflict’
Sat 22 May 2010 | 07:31 GMT Text size:

Asim Mollazade ‘At present a document, designed by the Minsk Group, is
not accepted by Armenia.

Turkey has made it clear that it would not sacrifice its national
interests for the sake of America and open borders with Armenia until
the Armenian forces withdraw from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan.

And to this day it holds its position’, said chairman of the Party of
Democratic Reforms, deputy Asim Mollazade.

‘This proves that in a democratic country like the United States, the
corresponding lobby organization of the ethnic diaspora, especially
such a politically active diaspora as the Armenian, succeed in
damaging the public interest of the United States, the national
security interests of this country. In my view, the essence of this
the problem lies precisely in this.

And this is Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani politicians were concerned
about such support for Armenian separatists in the United States at a
time when nearly a million of Azerbaijani refugees and IDPs cannot
return to their homes, occupied by Armenians’, he said.

The deputy also noted that Armenia avoids serious steps towards a
peaceful settlement of the conflict.

‘As you know, at present a document, designed by the Minsk Group, is
not accepted by Armenia. Meanwhile, Azerbaijan accepts these
proposals, putting forward its own compromises and demonstrating a
positive attitude. But I would like to repeat that Armenia avoids
making serious steps towards a peaceful settlement of the conflict. We
therefore expect international organizations and states to hold
policies calling Armenia to peace and compromise. We expect it both
from the United States and from Russia and France.

Also, I would like to note that Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will
play a great role in this, as it was his initiative to hold meetings
of the presidents at the official level and sign the Moscow
Declaration. Therefore, I believe that the destructive position of
Armenia does not only harms the image of the president of Russia, but
also the heads of other countries, and Co-Chairs.

In my view, the other co-chairs of the Minsk Group should take serious
steps in this direction and finally contribute to the economic and
democratic development of the region. We – the people of Azerbaijan
and Azerbaijani society – expect these steps from both the co-chairs
and international organizations’.

1 news.az

news.az, Azerbaijan
May 22 2010

‘Armenia will lose in case of war’
Sat 22 May 2010 | 05:29 GMT Text size:

Azerbaijani Defense Ministry ‘Armenian Army has losses three times
more than our army during the ceasefire, spokesman for Azerbaijani
Defense Ministry said.

But the leadership of the Armenian Army always tries to hide these
reports,’ spokesman for Azerbaijani Defense Ministry,
Lieutenant-Colonel Eldar Sabiroglu said at the press conference on the
line of contact in Terter.

Eldar Sabiroglu underlined that Azerbaijani Army is always ready for war.

‘The current situation of our Armed Forces gives ground to say that
the army is capable of fulfilling the task under any circumstances,’
he said.

Eldar Sabiroglu also commented on the recent military exercises
conducted by the Armenian Armed Forces.

‘By bringing several tanks, guns to the firing point the enemy tries
to create an appearance. We also conduct military exercises, but our
aim is not to show something, but to increase the combat skills of our
army. Despite their exercises, their losses in March 2008 in this
direction demonstrated the combat skills of their army,’ he said.

Sabiroglu said the country’s economy enabled us to supply the
Azerbaijani Army with modern arms. `It makes Armenia, double-standard
international organizations, as well as the countries with
pro-Armenian positions anxious. We are purchasing arms at our own
expense, but Armenians receive it as endowment.

Everybody understands that Armenian army’s situation is hopeless. The
Armenian army is drowning in bribery. The parents give a bribe to the
commanders that their children don’t die of hunger. The soldiers are
eating at home. If the war is launched, the Karabakh issue will be
solved in a couple of minutes. Armenia will be defeated in a short
time’.

Sabiroglu said military schools of the country were developed and some
foreign countries sent their citizens to Azerbaijan to get military
education. ‘The citizens of two countries are already getting
education in the Azerbaijani military schools’.

APA

ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS AT U.S. CHAMPIONSHIP

Panorama.am
15:27 21/05/2010

Sport

Armenian GM Varuzhan Akobian lost his set with Hess at St Louis, USA,
7th round and occupied 12th horizontal. Varuzhan Akobian scored 3,5
points. Melikset Khachiyan managed to defeat Benjamin and scoring 3
points gained 17th horizontal. Another Armenian chess player Levon
Altunyan also had a successful round defeating Shanklandi and scored
2,5 points – 19th horizontal.

It’s worth reminding that the leaders of the tournament are Nakamura,
Shulman, kamsky, Onischuk.

Robson Hess-Varuzhan Akobian 1:0 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5
dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 h6 7.

Nxf6+ Nxf6 8. Be3 Bd6 9. Bd3 b6 10. Ne5 O-O 11. Qf3 Nd5 12. c4 Bxe5
13. dxe5 Nxe3 14. Qxe3 Bb7 15. O-O-O Qe7 16. Rhg1 Rad8 17. g4 f6 18.

exf6 Qxf6 19. g5 hxg5 20. Rxg5 Rf7 21. Rg6 Qf4 22. Rxe6 Qxe3+ 23. Rxe3
Rfd7 24. Kc2 Rd6 25. Kc3 Rf8 26. Rde1 Bc6 27. R1e2 Rff6 28. Re7
Rf3 29. R2e3 Rxe3 30. fxe3 Bd7 31. c5 bxc5 32. Re5 Rh6 33. Rxc5 c6
34. Ra5 Rxh2 35. Rxa7 Be6 36. a4 Rh1 37. Re7 1:0: Melikset Khachiyan-
Benjamin 1:0 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 Ng4
6. O-O d6 7. exd6 Bxd6 8. Re1+ Kf8 9. Nbd2 Nge5 10. h3 Bf5 11. Bb3
Qd7 12. Ne4 Re8 13.

Bf4 Bb4 14. Nxe5 Nxe5 15. Bd2 Bxd2 16. Qxd2 Bxh3 17. f4 Ng6 18. gxh3
Qxh3 19. Qb4+ Re7 20. Nf2 Qd7 21. Rad1 Qc8 22. Qxd4 1:0: Samuel
Shankland – Levon Altunyan 0:1 1. d4 d5 2. c4 dxc4 3. e3 Be6 4. Nf3
Nf6 5. Nc3 h6 6. Ne5 c5 7. Qa4+ Nbd7 8. dxc5 Qc7 9. Nxc4 Qxc5 10. Na5
Qb6 11. Be2 g6 12. Qb5 Bg7 13.

Nxb7 Rb8 14. Na5 Qc7 15. Qa4 O-O 16. Nb3 Bxb3 17. axb3 Nc5 18. Qc4
Rxb3 19. O-O Rfb8 20. Na4 Nfd7 21. Rd1 R3b4 22. Qc2 Rc8 23. Bd2 Rxa4
24. Rxa4 Nxa4 25. Qxa4 Bxb2 26. Qh4 Nf6 27. Qxh6 Qc2 28. f3 Nd5 29. e4
Bg7 30. Qh3 Bd4+ 31. Kf1 Ne3+ 32. Bxe3 Bxe3 33. Qd7 e6 34. Qd3 Qc5 35.

Qb5 Qxb5 36. Bxb5 Rc2 37. Be2 a5 38. Ra1 Bd4 39. Bd1 Rd2 0:1:

ARMENIAN MINISTER OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION TO PAY A VISIT TO IRAN

Aysor
May 20 2010
Armenia

Armenian delegation with Minister of Science and Education Armen
Ashotian on the head will pay an official visit to Iran from May 21
to 26, Ministry spokesperson said.

The Armenian delegation to Iran includes officials from the Ministry
of Science and Education, Ministry of Diaspora, and representatives
of the National Science Academy of Armenia and some colleges.

It’s expected that there will be held meetings with Iranian Minister
of Science, Studies and Technologies and with Minister of Science and
Education. Within the framework of the visit the Armenian delegation
will attend the State University in Tehran, the Polytechnic Institute
of Amir Kyabib, and the Islamic University of Azad.

Included in the program are visits to one of the Armenian schools
of the Iranian capital, the Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
in Tehran, the Armenian Embassy in Iran and centers of the Armenian
Communities.

TURKEY HAS "NEW GOOD PROPOSAL" IN ARMENIA TIES, OFFICIAL SAYS

WorldBulletin.Net
May 20 2010
Turkey

Kiniklioglu said that "there is something new on the table. I can
not go into details."

Chairman of the Turkey-U.S. Inter-parliamentary Friendship Group and
deputy chairman of Foreign Relations of the Justice and Development
(AK) Party, Suat Kiniklioglu, said Wednesday Turkey and Armenia agreed
to be "silent for some time" and to "evaluate what was on the table".

Speaking at a think-tank organization in Washington, D.C., Kiniklioglu
said that "there is something new on the table. I can not go into
details but there is quite a good proposal on Turkey-Armenia relations
and it is up to the Armenians to accept or reject this".

Normalization of Turkish-Armenian relations is a matter of time. I am
for the normalization of our relations with Armenia. The normalization
will take place with the political will of the Turks and Armenians,
Kiniklioglu stressed.

Touching on the nuclear swap agreement signed by Turkey, Brazil and
Iran, Kiniklioglu said that Turkey was disappointed with the reaction
of the United States and western world after the agreement was signed.

"I think that the agreement signed in Tehran is worth giving a chance,"
Kiniklioglu said.

There is a lack of confidence among the actors involved in Iran’s
nuclear process. The agreement was a crucial step, Kiniklioglu noted.

Many in the U.S. think Turkey as being naive and not sure about Iran’s
intentions. Turkey is not naive but very realistic and wants to spend
her time to find a diplomatic solution to the problem by utilizing
her time, energy and diplomatic corps, Kiniklioglu also said.

NKR PRESIDENT AND FORMER OSCE SPECIAL ENVOY IN THE CAUCASUS MEET

ArmInfo
2010-05-20 10:44:00

ArmInfo. On 19 May President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
received Maurice Bonnot, former OSCE special envoy in the Caucasus,
representative of the French office of the Institute of Democracy and
Cooperation, who arrived in Artsakh as an observer to the parliamentary
elections.

As Central Information Department of the NKR presidential office told
ArmInfo, issues related to the May 23 National Assembly elections as
well as domestic and foreign policy of the republic were discussed
during the meeting. The importance of foreign observers’ participation
in the elections that enhances a good opportunity for exchanging
experience with different countries and continuous improvement of
the electoral system in our republic was mutually noted.

FIRST TOURIST GUIDE-BOOK ABOUT ARMENIA AND NAGORNO-KARABAKH IN ITALIAN PRESENTED

/ARKA/
May 19, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, May 19, /ARKA/. The first tourist guide-book about Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh in the Italian language was presented Tuesday in
Yerevan. It was compiled by Nadia Pasqual, an expert from Travelmark
marketing company with the support of Armenian National Competitiveness
Fund and Nagorno-Karabakh Tourism Department.

Nadia Pasqual said the Armenian people have interesting
historical-cultural traditions which should be promoted at Italy’s
tourist market. According to her, many Italian tourists would like to
visit Nagorno-Karabakh and Armenia and they need relating information
and in this sense the guide-book is a serious contribution.

According to her, the guide-book is actually the first source of
information about Armenia’s and Nagorno-Karabakh’s culture, history
and tourist sites in Italian.

She said Azerbaijani ambassador to Italy protested the publication
of the guide-book, but he was told to first read it. The 350-page
guide-book presents the history, culture and religion of Armenia and
Nagorno-Karabakh.