Author: Kajoyan Gevork

CLOSER TO WAR THAN PEACE?: OSCE MG MARKS TWENTY YEARS OF UNFRUITFUL NEGOTIATION PROCESS OVER NAGORNO KARABAKH
By Aris Ghazinyan

ArmeniaNow
23.03.12 | 15:30

Photo: OSCE/Frane Maroevic

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, French Co-chair Jacques Faure,
alongside Robert Bradtke of the United States, Bernard Fassier of
France, and Igor Popov of the Russian Federation, during the 18th
OSCE Ministerial Council, Vilnius, 6 December 2011.

March 24 marks twenty years since the OSCE Minsk Group was
established. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union this
international structure was set out to resolve something that the
Kremlin had failed to do over the three preceding years – stop the war
in Nagorno Karabakh and reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict.

American Co-Chair of OSCE MG Robert Bradtke admitted in this reference,
when recently summing up the activities of this organization over
the past two decades, that no tangible progress has been made.

Indeed, twenty years later the conflict remains unresolved, even the
fact that active hostilities were suspended in May of 1994, is the
merit of CIS Inter-parliamentary Assembly, rather that the Minsk Group.

The international community viewed the Karabakh issue the same way
the Kremlin leadership had before them.

If in 1988-1991 soviet Moscow was stating the inadmissibility of
soviet republics’ border repartition, since 1992 the same has been
repeatedly stated by the United Nations (UN), this time in reference to
the impossibility of changing the borders of the UN member-countries.

There is no principal difference between the two approaches. That’s
one major reason why the conflict remains unresolved up until now.

On March 2, 1992 – three weeks before MG was established – Armenia
and Azerbaijan joined the UN within the borders of their respective
soviet republics. As a result, the new political realities in the
region – declaration of Nagorno Karabakh Republic and its referendum
of independence – were ignored not only by the soviet, but also the
international community.

This was in Baku’s interests as the international recognition of the
Azerbaijani Republic within its soviet borders enabled, and still does,
the Azeri leadership to present any form of Armenian confrontation as
“Armenian separatism”. The same was true during the soviet regime.

The United Nations refused to take direct participation in the
settlement process and entrusted the peacemaking negotiation mission
on the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), by
which the Minsk Group was created and has been functioning until today.

Despite the fact that today the concept of Minsk Group is associated
with the three co-chairs – Russia, France and the USA, it hasn’t
always been like that. Various countries have been its members:
Czech Republic, Belarus, Sweden and Italy, Germany and Turkey…

The institute of three permanent co-chairs finally took shape in 1997,
but it was a very difficult process.

The same year, MG co-chairs proposed two options of settlement, both
of which provided for Nagorno Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. These
options were accepted by Baku, but rejected by Stepanakert (Nagorno
Karabakh).

Yerevan’s position was dual: firs president Levon Ter-Petrosyan
accepted the suggested options, but the Armenian community, including
political parties and the majority of the cabinet, were categorically
against them; the situation led to the crisis of power and resignation
of the first president.

In the following year of 1998, MG suggested a new option – the
so-called “Common House”, stipulating horizontal relations to be
established between Baku and Stepanakert, meaning that Azerbaijan
and Nagorno Karabakh would remain separate countries, but part of
the same confederation. This time it was Baku’s turn to say “No”.

In 2007, the mediators suggested the fourth option of settlement,
the Madrid Principles.

As opposed to the preceding ones, this document did not specify Nagorno
Karabakh’s political status and insisted on the withdrawal of the
Defense Army of Nagorno Karabakh from the five regions around former
Autonomous Region of Nagorno Karabakh (ARNK), return of refugees and
displaced people, rehabilitation of communications, and only after that
(during 15-20 years) holding a referendum to determine the political
status of Nagorno Karabakh.

This document, or the amended variants of it, is still on the
negotiation table.

Official Yerevan recognizes the Madrid Principles, but with certain
reservations – the referendum must be held within former ARNK, meaning
by native Armenian population, which as of the start of the conflict
made 80 percent of the total population in that region. Hence, from
Yerevan’s perspective, Nagorno Karabakh’s future status is obvious.

Baku speaks against the reservations and wants unconditional
recognition of all the territories as part of Azerbaijan.

As a result, two decades after OSCE MG’s establishment, the negotiation
process is still far from being resolved. Moreover, today more than
before, opinions are voiced on the possible resumption of active
hostilities.

HYDE PARK IN MASHTOTS PARK
Levon Margaryan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:51:36 – 21/03/2012

The issue of Mashtots Park is getting more and more dramatic and
comprehensive in the life of Armenia. Comprehensive because besides the
core issue the park has brought up a great number of other issues not
all of which have been answered. Moreover, the park has become part of
everyday life. The recent roundtable of the Police, public discussions,
online discussions, consideration of the park issue in the election
process are evidence that the park is part of the Armenian cosmos.

In the recent discussions related to the park the ethnographer Aghasi
Tadevosyan said the park could become Hyde Park. Tadevosyan did not
mean landscaping or plants. He meant the speaker corner which is a
free rostrum for those people who want to say something, express a
thought, make a statement. It is one of the greatest achievements
of the political traditions because a rostrum has been created where
one can freely express oneself, from a brilliant political speech to
an adventurous statement. This is a peculiar link between the public
and politics.

The situation relating to Mashtots Park has changed now. The legal,
architectural, ecological aspects of the issue retain their importance,
these are the targets of the civil action. However, new meanings
emerge outside or alongside with the action which allow suggesting
a Hyde Park in Mashtots park.

Recently there have been a number of discussions in the park. A lot
of activists – Ara Nedolyan, Marine Petrosyan, Aghasi Tadevosyan,
Edgar Vardanyan, Tigran Khzmalyan, Violet Grigoryan – made speeches
in the park. There were indirect discussions in the park, on the run.

Certainly, in Armenia the audience-stage formality has not been
eliminated, and openness of discussions is not fully ensured yet.

Nevertheless, once you have a text and want to express yourself,
you can go to the park, ask the activists for a microphone and speak.

Later it will be possible to hold presentations of books, exhibitions,
direct discussions in the park. Why the park and not the activists
of the park? Because the park itself is an actor of the process,
with or without activists, with or without boutiques.

Analyzing the French cultural revolutions, Jean Baudrillard noted
that the revolution had success when it expressed its “tongue” in
the street. It is not just a matter of demonstrations, actions but
also public discussions, art performance, graffiti. The street itself
supposes equal relations. Moreover, the street does not suppose stage
and rostrum. In this case, they are only elementary norms regulating
the dialogue. The street becomes a participant of the process.

Note that in the period of political walks North Avenue tended to act
as a similar stage. Then interest in the stage faded away, and the
stage became a place of ready questions and answers with a specific
partisan content.

Mashtots Park has acquired a number of meanings most of which are
outside the main strategy of the action. This area is becoming
an alternative to formal culture. Certainly, live discussions are
something new and there are a number of shortcomings related to the
new language. The phenomenon itself is evidence that Mashtots Park
is Hyde Park or something similar.

The question is whether the park will retain its functions after the
final solution of the problems. In other words, if these boutiques are
removed, and plants are planted there, will it still remain a place
for public discussions? I think this is one of the most important
methodological issues because the most lasting and modernizing
achievement is the public rostrum.

In any case, even if the boutiques are dismantled, and the park loses
its function of a rostrum for public discussions, the experience will
be reported as a best practice for further actions.

The government is being shortsighted. And though it sounds like a
paradox, the park will remain a public area as long as the boutiques
are there and will have the chance to produce new quality texts with
which the government will not be able to compete. This is the new
wave of arts, literary, philosophical meanings born in the park and
the street which the government may not understand. As to the legal
and rational aspect of the issue, the government can control the
situation by way of its levers and resources.

On the other hand, were the government flexible and farsighted enough,
it would realize that the presence of such a civil rostrum would enable
the government to get fresh ideas to include them in its policies. It
would result in the multi-channel communication and dialogue among
the civil society, the street, everyday life and chambers of political
representation, which is so necessary in Armenia.

UN MINISTERE TURC LANCE UNE INVESTIGATION CONTRE UN LIVRE CONTROVERSE
Stephane

armenews.com
vendredi 23 mars 2012

Le ministre turc de l’Education nationale Omer Dincer a dit que
son Ministère a lance une investigation contre un livre controverse
distribue par la direction de l’education aux lycees du district de
Kartal d’Istanbul, qui comprend des insultes contre des armeniens,
aussi bien que quelques auteurs et journalistes turcs.

” Oui, le livre contient [des propos] racistes. J’ai publie des
instructions pour interrompre la distribution [du livre] et examiner
les personnes responsables de leur distribution ” a dit le Ministre
Dincer le 9 mars.

M.Dincer a ajoute qu’il s’est senti ennuye après la lecture du livre
et a reconnu qu’il contenait des commentaires racistes.

Diffuse par Yunus Zeyrek, le livre intitule ” Bu dosyayi Kaldiriyorum
: Ermeni Meselesi ” ( Fermant ce fichier : la Question armenienne “)
definit les armeniens comme ” deshonorants et deloyaux ” et diffame

TIGRAN SARKISSIAN : LE BUSINESS DEVRAIT ETRE SEPARE DE TOUTE ACTIVITE POLITIQUE
Laetitia

armenews.com
vendredi 23 mars 2012

” Les autorites armeniennes devraient separees le business de
l’activite politique, alors que dans les faits une douzaine d’hommes
d’affaires lies au gouvernement sont candidats au parlement “,
a affirme le Premier Ministre Tigran Sarkisian mercredi 21 mars 2012.

Les individus riches, tous bientôt parlementaires, sont la majorite
des candidats du Parti Republicain (au pouvoir) dans 33 des 41
circonscriptions electorales a mandat unique.

Sarkisian a nie toute contradiction entre l’engagement de ces gens dans
la campagne electorale et sa declaration en novembre : ” le business
doit etre clairement separe de l’Etat “. Il a affirme que ces gens-la
sont des candidats individuels et non pas soutenus par des partis.

” Nous respectons nos affirmations “, a annonce le Premier ministre
aux journalistes. ” Les hommes d’affaires n’arriveront jamais dans
le parlement par le biais de la liste du Parti republicain. ” Alors
qu’on lui a demande d’expliquer pourquoi les entrepreneurs armeniens
sont toujours interesses a avoir des postes au parlement, voire meme
de rôles ministeriels, Tigran Sarkisian a dit : ” Quand les gens
comprendront que faire du business est plus rentable s’ils ne sont pas
des ministres ou des deputes, alors ils resisteront a la tentation “.

Environ deux douzaines d’hommes d’affaire lies au Parti Republicain
ont ete elus et siègent dans l’actuel parlement.

UK EMBASSY HOLDS CONSULTATIONS WITH ARMENIA’S OPPOSITION FORCES? – NEWSPAPER

news.am
March 23, 2012 | 09:35

YEREVAN. – The British Embassy in Armenia is in active consultations
with all of the country’s opposition forces, and it wishes to bring
them together at a roundtable, Iravunk daily writes, referring to a
well-informed source.

“The objective [is] to form, after the [National Assembly]
elections, a united coalition, this time in the parliament, [and]
with the participation of all opposition [members]. According to
the same source, there are contacts in this direction also with some
representatives of the pro-government camp,” Iravunk writes.

LOST AND FOUND IN ARMENIA SCREENED IN LOS ANGELES

armradio.am
23.03.2012 11:39

Lost and Found in Armenia, a new film directed by the award winning
Gor Kirakosian, produced by Valerie McCaffrey and Maral Djerejian
(of Red Tie Films) was first screened in Los Angeles for the cast,
crew and local community members.

Lost and Found in Armenia is the first American production to shoot
in Armenia. The story portrays the comedic adventures of an American
tourist, played by Jamie Kennedy, who experiences a turn of events
and finds himself in a small village in Armenia. In that village he
meets a beautiful Armenian girl, played by Angela Sarafyan who guides
him throughout his travels.

The film is the first of its kind, exemplifying the bond of
culture that exists between the United States and Armenia as well as
highlighting Hollywood’s desire to engage its large Armenian-American
population.

Blessed by an Armenian priest on the first day of shooting, Lost and
Found is a bilingual film which brings light to not only Armenian
language but culture through the lens of Hollywood.

The screening involved a diverse audience as well as prominent members
of the Armenian community in Los Angeles, including the Consul General
of the Republic of Armenia.

The film has been sent to the Cannes Festival. In April it will become
clear whether it will be included in the list of films to participate
in the festival. Before that the authors are negotiating with American
cinemas to ensure the entry of the film to the American cinema world.

EU TO REPLACE FRANCE IN OSCE MG?

11:21 . 23/03

The Foreign Relations Committee of the European Parliament today
adopted a document on Armenia in which, among other provisions, it
was proposed to replace France with the European Union in the OSCE
Minsk Group. The document was adopted with an advantage of one vote
during voting.

It is noteworthy that the committee’s French members were not present
at the session, who, naturally, were busy with the incidents in
Toulouse on these days. The document, which hasn’t still been published
completely, must still be put to vote in April in the plenary session
of the European Parliament. Press Secretary of RA foreign ministry
Tigran Balayan refused to give any comments on this document. Head of
Armenian National Assembly Standing Committee on European Integration
Naira Zohrabyan said she doesn’t think that even if the document is
adopted it will become a guideline for the executive leadership of
the EU.

In any case, despite the calming words, such a change must already be
much worrying for all our negotiators with the EU, be it parliament
or government.

IT IS BETTER TO BE INDEPENDENT JOURNALIST THAN MP – ARMENIAN JOURNALIST – NEWSPAPER

news.am
March 22, 2012 | 09:20

YEREVAN. – The Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun daily interviewed Armenian
journalist and television personality, Petros Ghazaryan. Below is an
excerpt from the interview.

The [ruling coalition’s Prosperous Armenia Party] PAP’s proportional
[election] list [for the forthcoming parliamentary election] was made
public, but your name was not included. How will you comment on this?

When I announced that I wished to go to the parliament, I was assuming
that I could combine [it with] journalism. But getting acquainted with
the processes from the inside, such combination seemed incompatible
for me. Either I had to be a full[-time] MP, or remain a journalist.

And I suggested [PAP leader] Mr. [Gagik] Tsarukyan not to include me
in the proportional [election] list.

What will you do in the future?

I will remain an independent journalist. We are preparing for the new
[television] season, and we will attempt to present to the viewers
the entire political spectrum, so our citizens can make the right
choice as much as possible.

VILLAGERS ARE INCORRECT – ARMENIA’S AGRICULTURE MINISTER

news.am
March 22, 2012 | 11:30

YEREVAN. – During the Armenian Government’s session on Thursday, PM
Tigran Sargsyan inquired from Agriculture Minister Sergo Karapetyan
as to the quality of the imported veterinary medicines. The PM
specifically noted that the villagers of the Armavir Region were
complaining about the effectiveness of these medicines.

Karapetyan replied that the villagers were not presenting the matter
correctly, since he has not received any complaints in the past two
years, and there are no epidemics.

Sargsyan, however, advised to send the vaccines for inspections,
one or two times, to make sure.

NORWAY’S ARMENIANS BACK MASHTOTS PARK ACTIVISTS

PanARMENIAN.Net
March 22, 2012 – 12:08 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Armenians in Norway addressed an open letter to
activists advocating for protection of Mashtots Park voicing their
support to their activities.

The letter says they are concerned over the issue of Mashtots Park
and Teghut forests and keep an eye on further developments.

“We consider using the public area in favor of private interests to
be unacceptable and illegal. We are well aware of the violations with
regard to construction in the park, and condemn the unlawful actions
of the police,” the letter says.