6% Opposed to Government – HAK “Dialog”
hetq
14:33, September 17, 2011
The results of a recent Hetq reader poll have been tabulated.
56% of 2,380 respondents said their position on the `dialog’ between
the opposition HAK and the government was a negative one. 31%
expressed a positive position on the now ended talks.
news.az, Azerbaijan
Sept 17 2011
Tehran cannot settle problems with Baku through foot-stamping and sabre-rattling
Sat 17 September 2011 04:32 GMT | 0:32 Local Time
News.Az reprints an article by Mohammad Shams from REALIRAN.net.
It’s probably no secret that neighbouring Iran has a specific policy
towards Azerbaijan and the South Caucasus and Caspian region as a
whole.
Iran is mostly annoyed about two points: the existence of the
independent Azerbaijan Republic, which strongly influences Iranian
Azerbaijanis, and the fact that, as the strongest state in the region,
Azerbaijan continues to improve its military and political, trade and
economic and energy transit potential, while turning into a serious
player and competitor on world markets.
For this reason, Tehran makes friends with Azerbaijan’s enemies,
following the principle “my enemy’s enemy is my friend”. There are
close and coordinated ties between Iran and aggressor Armenia which
occupied nearly 20% of Azerbaijani lands. Meanwhile, the Iranian side
is trying to justify support to aggressor Armenia by saying that
Azerbaijan is allegedly developing ties with Israel. But this argument
does not stand up to criticism since the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict
started first, in which Iran took an openly pro-Armenian position,
then came the USSR collapse, after which independent Azerbaijan
defined its foreign policy priorities and chose cooperation with
Israel rather than Iran, which carries out an equivocal and ambiguous
policy on the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.
The current rise of anti-Azerbaijani hysteria by the Iranian side was
marked with the historical “excursion” of the chief of the general
staff of the Iranian armed forces, S.H. Firouzabadi, who made
anti-Azerbaijani statements in an interview with Iranian media. He
made accusations, which were subsequently dismissed by the Iranian
Foreign Ministry, that Azerbaijan is allegedly suppressing Muslims,
and voiced the absurd idea that Azerbaijan is “Aran” and people here
are “Aranian, with Iranian blood in their veins”.
Other Iranian figures took their lead from Firouzabadi, who decided to
go deep into history instead of minding his military business. The
Iranian side has not quietened down for a long time and started the
Azerbaijani topic anew after a small interval.
For example, in his recent interview with the Iranian Seher TV
channel, the deputy general secretary of Hezbollah (actively sponsored
by Iran), Sheikh Taaim Kasem, “condemned the policy of the Azerbaijani
authorities on suppressing people”.
“The ban on the hijab [Islamic headscarf] is a violation of human
rights and it is inadmissible in any part of the world, which is why
Azerbaijani people have the right to declare it and fight for their
rights, while the authorities of this country, being people’s
representatives, have to fulfill their demands,’ Kasem said, while
obviously distorting facts and giving way to fancy, since any
religious suppression in Azerbaijan is out of the question. The
country has equally comfortable conditions for not only Muslims, who
constitute the greater part of the population, but also
representatives of other faiths.
Azerbaijan responded to all this with patience and restrained
statements from a number of officials and structures. This is despite
the fact that Iran is continuing comprehensive cooperation with
Armenia and practically sponsoring it, though it is aware of
Azerbaijan’s attitude to this assistance to the Armenian aggressor.
Against this background, the recent statements of Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that “Nothing can harm our brotherly relations
with Azerbaijan” sound insincere. The Iranian president said that Iran
supports Azerbaijan’s independence, Fars news agency reported.
According to Ahmadinejad, Iran is interested in developing ties with
Azerbaijan in border regions.
It is not surprising that the Iranian president mentioned the Iranian
regions bordering Azerbaijan, where Iranian armed forces are into the
second week of large-scale exercises. The Iranian president is
probably aware that the military exercises would not promote the
“development of relations with Azerbaijan in the border regions”.
In fact, Iranian actions pose a threat not only to Azerbaijan’s
security but also to the whole South Caucasus, especially its attempts
to hinder energy transit projects. The Iranian support for radical
groupings in Azerbaijan, provocative statements by Iranian
politicians, the recent statement of Hezbollah which threatened
Azerbaijan will all have a negative effect on Iranian-Azerbaijani
relations.
Instead of settling its internal problems, Iran is looking for those
responsible outside. The protests in Iran and even in Turkey and
Azerbaijan over the state of Lake Urmia in South Azerbaijan, which is
drying out, including through the fault of the Iranian authorities,
show that Tehran is trying to find culprits for this too. According to
the Iranian side, the actions of Azerbaijani protesters, who demand
that the lake which feeds them be saved, are backed by “external
forces”. It would be amusing to ask the Tehran authorities: has the
ecological disaster of Lake Urmia and adjacent areas been caused by
“external forces” as well?
Many experts and specialists believe that through dams on rivers
flowing into Urmia, Iran is seeking to dry up this lake, whose shores
are populated by a great many Iranian Azerbaijanis. There have also
been reports that Iran plans to tackle the problem by increasing the
water intake from the Araz River on the Azerbaijani border, directing
its water to the drying lake. However, specialists state that it won’t
settle the problem but further worsen the situation in the arid border
area and central regions of Azerbaijan where the irrigation system
uses Araz water to irrigate agricultural land. It is not enough that
Iran causes damage to Azerbaijanis living around Urmia, it also
intends to do the same to the central regions of the Azerbaijani
Republic.
A statement by US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta, who predicted
revolution in Iran, similar to the unrest in other Islamic countries,
added fuel to the fire.
According to Panetta, the world has seen that during the latest
elections in Iran, the same issues that caused revolutions in Arab
countries are raised in Iran. `I think that reform and revolution in
Iran are just a matter of time,’ the US defence secretary is reported
to have said.
Panetta stressed the need for a permanent analysis of the situation
and the adoption of measures to support the efforts of the Iranian
opposition. In addition, according to the US defence secretary, the
so-called “Arab spring” can easily spread to other non-Arab and even
non-Muslim states. He listed the main factors which he said have
served as a basis for the revolutions in the Middle Eastern countries,
under the influence of the mass media and young people who see no hope
of a better future. According to Panetta, the tipping point when
society demands profound changes has come not only for the Middle East
but also for Iran.
Commenting to 1news.az on the rise of anti-Azerbaijani sentiments in
Iran and their cause, political scientist Fikrat Sadikhov said that
the emotional outburst by the Iranian side against Azerbaijan started
long ago, but had increased recently. `A number of the military,
politicians and religious figures of Iran started to discuss and
condemn domestic issues in Azerbaijan, while making statements bearing
no relation to their professional sphere. Overall, some circles in
Iranian society show a painful attitude and jealousy towards
Azerbaijan as a country.
“Another reason for the current hysteria about Azerbaijan is the
internal political rise of South Azerbaijani youth, outraged at
Iranian policy on Azerbaijani people, living in South Azerbaijan, and
their problems,’ the political scientist said. `As soon as the
domestic political situation starts worsening, the authorities seek
ways abroad to distract people’s attention and accuse external forces.
They start accusing neighbouring Azerbaijan and search for reasons
anywhere but in their own erroneous policy towards the Iranian people.
There is no doubt that the events in the Arab world caused even more
suspicion in Iran towards its neighbours.
“Another no less significant reason for the current anti-Azerbaijani
statements is the EU initiative to mediate in talks on construction of
the Trans-Caspian gas pipeline from Azerbaijan and Central Asian
states to Europe. It has provoked a painful response in some Caspian
states, including Iran,’ he said.
“Despite all this, Azerbaijan is restrained in its reaction, aware
that Iran is a big state with which we maintain projects and
contracts. However, it should be born in mind that Azerbaijan’s
patience may be exhausted at any time and Tehran should think about
what it is getting, other than problems,’ Sadikhov said.
It should be noted in conclusion that along with the anti-Azerbaijani
propaganda, Iran is strengthening its military presence at the
Azerbaijani border, while simultaneously increasing the flow of drugs
from Iran to Azerbaijan. Through this deliberate policy to damage
Azerbaijani interests, Tehran is trying to exert pressure on Baku’s
position on energy transit routes from the region to Europe and
expansion of cooperation with the West. However, Iran itself is unable
to offer any more profitable and stable projects to Azerbaijan. For
this reason, Tehran’s attempts to force Azerbaijan to disavow its
foreign policy and economic interests at the whim of a group of
Iranian mullahs, who have a false idea of their right to decide what
other countries should do, seem ridiculous.
However, it should be born in mind that Azerbaijan has enough leverage
to create no less serious grounds for concern to Iran.
Is it worth spoiling neighbourly relations on the whim of radical elements?
This article was published in REALIRAN.net
Al-Sharq al-Awsat (The Middle East)
Sept 4 2011
Leading figure of Syrian Kurdish Yekiti Party: ‘Call for federalism,
separatism rumours spread by regime’
Abd-al-Basit Hammu tells Al-Sharq al-Awsat: ‘Transitional Council to
hold meeting in Cairo’
by Muhammad al-Qushayri
Abd-al-Basit Hammu, advisory member of the transitional council in
Syria and an official belonging to Kurdish opposition Yekiti Party in
Syria, has denied claims that the Kurds are calling for a federal and
separatist government in Syria similar to that in Iraq. He considered
this as a way of promoting the many rumours that the Syrian regime is
spreading for the purpose of instilling fear into the Syrian people,
by wielding the Kurdish, Christian, Assyrian, and Armenian minority
threats in particular.
Hammu, who is the first Syrian oppositionist to call for the overthrow
of Bashar al-Asad’s regime since he assumed power, told Al-Sharq
al-Awsat over the telephone that “the Kurdish position is clear and
known to the Syrian opposition. This position was discussed at the
most recent meetings held in a number of world capitals. It consists
in our inclusion within one Syrian framework in all the political,
social, and cultural fields and our possession of our own identity. It
also consists in changing the current constitution which is built on
racism, particularly with regard to the clause that declares all those
who live on an Arab land as Arabs, thus cancelling the identity of all
the coexisting minorities in Syria.”
The Yekiti Party official said that “the Kurds support the revolution.
Our participation in the revolution from the first week of its
eruption is tantamount to giving full support to the demands of the
Syrian youth who are demonstrating in all Syrian cities. As
oppositionists, we consider this revolution as the saviour that will
solve all the problems of the Syrian people. We thank God that the
children of Dar’a were the first to revolt. Had the Kurds been the
first to revolt, they would have been accused of being victims to
conspiracies, as was the case during the 2004 demonstrations when the
sons of the Kurdish people rose and destroyed some statues of Hafiz
al-Asad, leading to the killing and arrest of thousands of Kurds at
the time.”
Hammu said: “The solution is clear and all the Syrian oppositionists,
including Arabs, Kurds, and other minorities, see that the only demand
that will solve all our problems is democracy and all minorities
should have equal representation, thus preserving the rights and
duties of all the shades of the spectrum of the Syrian people. All the
sedition, separatism, and call for an independent rule being spread
around by Bashar al-Asad’s regime are a means for maintaining his
regime and his crimes against the sons of the people.” Regarding the
nonparticipation of some Kurdish political parties in the transitional
council and the revolution, Hammu said: “Nonparticipation does not
mean adopting a different position than that of active parties. All
Kurds and Arabs share the same stances. However, fear of the regime
makes some people hesitate to declare positions or participate. This
is a matter of which we are aware and that we understand.”
The official of the Yekiti Party, one of the largest anti-Syrian
regime Kurdish groups, considered that the participation of the
Armenians, the Assyrian Christians, and most recently the Druze is
equivalent to an official declaration of the revolution and an end of
the road for the current regime.
Regarding the Kurds’ view on the newly-formed transitional council,
Hammu indicated his support for this step. He said that “this council
must be supported by all the sons of the Syrian people at the current
stage and must enjoy support. However, there are some problems that
must be taken into consideration during the forthcoming stage with
regard to broadening the participation of all Syrian minorities and
allowing them to take part in decision-making.”
The advisory member of the Syrian transitional council indicated that
a meeting will be held in Cairo to discuss the developments of the
Syrian situation. He valued the Saudi role in supporting the Syrian
people that is represented in the speec h delivered by the custodian
of the two holy mosques. He said that this saves all Arab leaders and
gives weight and support to the Syrian revolution.
[translated from Arabic]
Panorama, Armenia
Sept 17 2011
`Erebuni-Yerevan 2793′ festive events to kick off from Square of France
In the sidelines of `Erebuni-Yerevan’ festive events, on the day of
Independence of Armenia – September 21 – festive procession will kick
off at 9:30 from the Square of France.
In the Square of Freedom a concert will start from 13:00; best and
favorite singers, orchestras, dancing groups will have performances.
The Municipality of Yerevan informs that Arto Tunjboyajian, EMPIRAY,
Dorains, Reincarnation, DJ Dell and others will have performance in
the concert.
All the communities in the capital city will host festive events and concerts.
Serzh Sargsyan receives Mark Horton and Guillermo Tolosa
18:00, 17 September, 2011
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 17, ARMENPRESS: President Serzh Sargsyan received
today newly appointed head of Armenian mission of International
Monetary Found (IMF) Mark Horton and permanent representative of IMF
in Armenia Guillermo Tolosa.
RA presidential press service told Armenpress that the head of the
republic discussed with newly-appointed head of IMF Armenian mission
the main directions of economic policy, the steps and prospects
directed toward development of Armenian economy.
Mark Horton presented to the RA head the process of IMF “Prolonging
Funding” and “Prolonging Loaning” three-year program and the results
of IMF Armenian mission. “Last time the mission was in Armenia in
March and I must say that at the moment the situation is quite
different compared to March. Prices were rising at that time very
speedily. Now I think that there is no such a need to speak about rise
of prices. You managed to respond quickly, the positive developments
of agriculture were added to it, and I congratulate you on that
occasion,” Mark Horton said.
Armenia to participate in session of `Euranest’ in Baku, if there are
security guarantees
20:58, 17 September, 2011
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 16, ARMENPRESS: The second plenary session of
“Euranest” parliamentary assembly will be held in Baku, capital of
Azerbaijan. Member of Armenian delegation at “Euranest” Naira
Zohrabyan told Armenpress that the session will be held April 2-5,
2012.
“The Armenian delegation does not see any problem in participation in
the works of the session in Baku, only the Azerbaijani authorities
must provide us security guarantees,” Mrs. Zohrabyan said.
According to her, next February the sessions of the committees on
education, science and social affairs of “Euranest” will be held in
Armenia.
To note, the first plenary session of “Euranest” was held September
14-16 in Strasburg. The document presented during the session had not
been adopted as a result of the veto applied by the Armenian
delegation.
South Caucasus Railways: Trains now derail more rarely than before
YEREVAN, September 17. /ARKA/. Marat Khakov, the first deputy of the
general director of South Caucasus Railways CJSC, speaking Saturday at
the scientific and technical council’s session focused on railway
traffic safety, said that trains are now derail more rarely than
before thanks to the measures taken to ensure safety to the railway
traffic.
However, he said, these measures should be improved constantly.
`Now we can speak about some stability,’ he said. `We can place on
record that the number of derailments and crashes on the railway. But
this is not enough – the end of this year is coming up, and we must
get a second wind.’
He urged the chiefs who gathered to discuss railway traffic safety to
make every effort to enhance the railway safety.
Participants of the meeting also discussed modernization of railway
infrastructure and the process of training specialists.
Traffic safety is one of the company’s key objectives. About 60% of
the 2010 investments were targeted for this purpose.
Armenian Railways was handed over to the South Caucasus Railways, a
subsidiary of Russian Railways, on February 13, 2008 for 30-year
concession management with a right to prolong the management term for
other 10 years.-0—
Armenian boxers get safety guarantee for Baku -hosted World Championships
September 17, 2011 – 15:22 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – On September 22 though October 10, Baku, Azerbaijan
will be hosting AIBA World Boxing Championships.
Armenian team, coached by Rafael Mehrabyan will be leaving for
Azerbaijani capital on September 21.
As Mehrabyan noted in a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter,
Azerbaijan guaranteed the boxers’ safety to Armenian Boxing
Federation.
`We’re leaving for Baku upon completion of a training session in
Abovyan. The team’s in a good physical shape and will perform to the
best of its abilities,’ the coach said.
Armenia’s line-up for Boxing Championships is as follows: Hovhannes
Danielyan (49 kg), Hovhannes Bochkov (56 kg), Vladimir Sarukhanyan (60
kg), Hrachik Javahyan (64 kg), Samvel Matevosyan (69 kg), Andranik
Hakobyan (75 kg), Artur Khachartyan (81 kg) and Armen Simonyan (91
kg).
Winners of 1-8 places at AIBA World Boxing Championships will qualify
for Olympics.
Nicolas Sarkozy to visit South Caucasus Oct 6-7
September 17, 2011 – 17:59 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net – On October 6-7, French President Nicolas Sarkozy
will pay a visit to South Caucus, with visits to Armenia, Georgia and
Azerbaijan on President’s agenda.
Cooperation perspectives with the South Caucasus states will be
discussed, Reuters reported.
SCPEC accuses Mokonat company of dumping and unreasonable price rise
YEREVAN, September 17. / ARKA /. Armenia’s State Commission for
Protection of Economic Competition (SCPEC) accused Mokonat company (it
controls 48.1% of instant coffee market) of dumping and unreasonable
price rise.
SCPEC press service said in a statement today that a monitoring of the
market revealed that this company sold instant coffer for a long time
at varying prices, and in some cases, coffee prices were unreasonably
overpriced. The SCPEC also found that Mokonat used dumping in an
effort to oust competitors from the market.
SCPEC had started administrative proceedings against Mokonat last May
25 after its monitoring found a set of abuses committed by the
company. The results of the proceedings will be announced by SCPEC on
September 19. Mokonat also brings to Armenia frozen fish, frozen meat
and rice. -0-