Author: Kajoyan Gevork

AS MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR FRANCE WILL NOT SELL WEAPONS TO CONFLICTING PARTIES: AMBASSADOR

17:44 11.07.2014

Lena Badeyan
Public Radio of Armenia

“The Madrid Principles are the most important document targeted at
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict,” French Ambassador
to Armenia Henry Reynaud told reporters in Yerevan on the eve of the
Bastille Day.

The Ambassador said one of the most important principles is the
non-use of force or the threat of force. Therefore, he noted that “it’s
unacceptable for France to sell weapons to the conflicting parties.”

Mr. Reynaud refrained from commenting on how the sale of Russian
weapons to Azerbaijan could affect the conflict settlement process.

“I’m not authorized to comment on Armenian-Russian relations,” he said.

The Ambassador said he hopes the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan
will accept French President Francois Hollande’s invitation to meet
in Paris, despite the statement of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
that they are waiting for “concreteness.”

As for France’s concrete proposal, it is as follows: “It is necessary
to accelerate the negotiation process with a final target of
establishing a stable and reliable peace.”

As a proponent of criminalization of the Genocide denial, France
will support Switzerland in appealing the European Court of Human
Rights decision on Dogu Perincek case,” Ambassador Reynaud said. He
hopes that the positive verdict of the Court will contribute to the
adoption of a law criminalizing the Genocide denial in France

THE FORMATION OF THE EURASIAN ECONOMIC UNION IS A POLITICAL PROCESS AND WILL HAVE ITS POLITICAL CONSEQUENCES

Friday, 11 July 2014 09:54

Kazakh Foreign Minister Yerlan Idrisov has recently stated the
new date for Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic Union –
according to the Interfax-Kazakhstan news source, the signing of the
corresponding agreement is likely to take place in October, at the
regular meeting of the EEU states’ leaders in Minsk.

Let’s recall that at the July 1 meeting with senior diplomats and
Ambassadors Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed hope that
Armenia would soon become a full member of the organization. At the
same time, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharian informed that
the Eurasian Economic Commission had sent the agreement on Armenia’s
accession to the sides for national coordination.

What does the noted statement by the Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan
suppose? According to representative of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Artsakh
Central Committee David Ishkhanian, the matter is not so much in the
time as in the logic of the processes. After Astana, it was already
possible to predict that Armenia’s membership in the Eurasian Economic
Union would not become a reality within a short period of time.

Following the political developments and general processes, one
could affirm that there were still serious obstacles in the way of
accession. And in this regard, the Kazakh Foreign Minister’s statement
should be viewed as a diplomatic move – it was madedirectly by the
Foreign Minister of that country, but was indirectly the expression
of the common opinion of three states – RF, Kazakhstan, and Belarus.

In this case, a straight word would be better, considers the
political figure, being convinced that the serious obstacle is
the Karabakh conflict. “By the way, this process is very similar
to that of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the
Zurich Protocols aimed at this. After the preliminary signing, when
it seemed that the process had started, the Dashnaktsutyun pointed to
Turkey’s three preconditions, one of which was the Karabakh issue. We
are witnessing a very similar process – I mean the policy of Armenia’s
gradual isolation and pushing aside. Anyway, I’m not hopeful that the
issue of Armenia’s full participation will be ultimately resolved at
the October summit.

At the enlarged session of the Eurasian Supreme Economic Council taken
place on May 29 in Astana, the Kazakh President read out Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev’s letter. The reaction by leader of the RA
National Assembly Dashnaktsutyun faction Armen Rustamian in this
regard is familiar to the public – in response to this, the Armenian
side had to read out the letter of the NKR President. Is an unrealized
diplomatic possibility meant?

According to our interlocutor, this response, as well as the statement
of the ARFD Artsakh Central Committee issued immediately after Astana
should be highlighted. Thus, the main focus of the Party should be
noted – the necessity of concluding a political and military alliance
between Armenia and Artsakh, as well as Armenia’s assumption of the
legal status of guarantee of the security of Artsakh. It was stressed
that Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s tough condition sounded
in Astana regarding Armenia’s membership in the EEU had caused certain
concern to the Armenian political circles. The statement ends with
the following paragraph: .

Our statement was not accidental, noted Mr. Ishkhanian, finally, all
the vectors are aimed at the Karabakh conflict. In this context, the
ARFD’s emphases, both internal and external, are important. According
to him, Armenia’s diplomatic corps and authorities realize very well
all this and manage the process. Merely preventive measures for the
events development are needed.

Artashes Geghamian, head of the Armenian delegation, which has
recently participated in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly session in
Baku, suggested the three parties to the Karabakh conflict – Armenia,
Azerbaijan, and Nagorno Karabakh – to join the Eurasian Economic Union,
due to which the Karabakh conflict settlement can be expected.

According to Mr. Ishkhanian, one cannot think that it was a
pro-Armenian step. An adequate response to this was given by the Party
member, Aghvan Vardanian. The response of the head of the Central
Information Department of the Artsakh Republic President’s Office is
well-known, which does not significantly differ from the Party’s view.

According to David Ishkhanian, Artashes Geghamian’s view is likely to
be a personal view. And even if it is official, allow me to disagree
with it, noted out interlocutor, adding that at least at this stage,
let’s be severely suspicious about Armenia’s and Azerbaijan’s
membership in the Eurasian Economic Union.

We drew the attention of the head of the ARFD Artsakh branch to the
statement by the CSTO Secretary General, Nikolai Bordyuzha, reported
by the Russian information sources on June 27 – the fusion of the
CSTO and the Eurasian Economic Union is a wrong step.

The political figure believes that the publication of the view
isn’t accidental at all. Naturally, it is the official view of the
Russian side, which was also predictable. In due time, some political
scientists and experts tried to view the process of forming the
Eurasian Economic Union purely in the economic area, limiting the
political direction, reminded Mr. Ishkhanian. Nikolai Bordyuzha’s
statement testifies once again that the creation of the EEU is a
political process and will have its political consequences. “Noting as
a sample the NATO and European Union, the Secretary General considers
the security issue a priority, or gives the supremacy to the CSTO as
a military-political alliance, with the corresponding consequences”,
our interlocutor stressed. “Finally, he separated the significant
part from the secondary one, and the secondary is the European
Economic Union. Let’s also take into account that Bordyuzha, surely,
deliberately opened the brackets, because that is the reality”, Mr.

Ishkhanian noted.

The party figure considers that the CSTO Secretary General gave a
direction of the so-called road map, which is accessible to all the
sections of the society. He didn’t even voice it as a signal and
stated it directly.

A keynote role in the EEU is played by a state, which is entrusted
with an important mission by the Islamic world – Kazakhstan, with the
help of which Azerbaijan is advancing its position. What conclusion
can be made from this?

The comment by the representative of the ARFD Artsakh Central
Committee was as follows: have the 100-year goals and strategy
of the Islamic states, in particular, Turkey and Turkish-speaking
nations really changed? Naturally, not. Only the times and tactical
approaches have changed. And if the strategy hasn’t changed, so all
this was predictable. Generally, it is absurd to forget historical
events. The study of the events taken place in the 1920s of the past
century clearly explains today’s situation and points out the trends
of further political developments.

Ruzan ISHKHANIAN

YEREVAN, STEPANAKERT DISCUSS JOINT PROJECTS

13:44 11/07/2014 ” SOCIETY

On July 10, Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan received a
delegation of Yerevan Municipality led by Mayor Taron Margaryan.

The meeting focused on expansion of relations between the two Armenian
capitals.

According to President Sahakyan, cooperation with Yerevan and its
administrative districts has a positive impact on the development of
capital Stepanakert and Artsakh on the whole.

The meeting participants also discussed the implementation of several
joint programs including the construction of Freedom Fighters Park
in Stepanakert.

NKR Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Aghabekyan, Mayor of Stepanakert
Suren Grigoryan and other officials attended the meeting, the press
service of the Artsakh Republic President reports.

Source: Panorama.am

BAKU CALLS FOR COMPLETE LIBERATION OF OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
July 10 2014

10 July 2014, 15:17 (GMT+05:00)

By Sara Rajabova

The return of seven occupied regions should be considered as only one
stage of a complete restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

“Azerbaijan’s position is clear. It calls for a complete liberation
of its occupied territories,” Azerbaijani Deputy Prime Minister and
Deputy Chairman and Executive Secretary of the ruling New Azerbaijan
Party, Ali Ahmadov said on July 9.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus
neighbor which led to a brutal war in the early 1990s.

Ahmadov quoted the Azerbaijani president as saying that Azerbaijan’s
territorial integrity would never be a subject of discussion, adding
that dealing with the problem is possible only within the framework
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

“I think that regardless of any kind of dealings with the problem,
a full and final settlement of the conflict ensures the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan. The return of seven occupied regions should
be considered as only one of the stages of restoring territorial
integrity of the country,” Ahmadov said.

The precarious cease-fire between Azerbaijan and Armenia was made in
1994 after a lengthy war that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis.

The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions urging Armenia
to withdraw immediately from the Azerbaijani regions, but they have
not been enforced to this day.

Peace talks mediated by Russia, France and the U.S. have produced no
results so far.

ALI AHMADOV: WE CAN ACCEPT THE RETURN OF SEVEN REGIONS AS A STAGE TO ENSURE AZERBAIJAN’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

Azeri-Press news agency (APA)
July 9, 2014 Wednesday

Deputy Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party, Deputy Prime Minister Ali
Ahmadov commented on the statement of the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan
Richard Morningstar on the return of seven regions adjacent to
Nagorno Karabakh.

Ahmadov told journalist that we want the withdrawal of Armenian
troops from the occupied territories. Recalling the president’s
words, he noted that Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity can never
be negotiable: “Certainly, the issue can be approached only within
the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Restoration of territorial
integrity may result in different conceptual approaches. Some offer
to solve it stage-by-stage, some submit as a package. Azerbaijan has
repeatedly stated its position on this issue. As for the return of
seven regions, we can accept it as a stage to ensure the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan”.

FRESNO STATE RECEIVES DONATIONS

Reedley Exponent
July 10 2014

Published: Wednesday, July 9, 2014 3:01 PM PDT

Fresno State’s agricultural program recently received generous
donations amounting to $200,000 each from alumnus Dr. Harry B.

Moordigian Jr. and from global agribusiness leader Olam Spices and
Vegetable Ingredients.

Fresno State President Joseph I. Castro announced the two gifts at
the June 13 groundbreaking ceremony for the Jordan Research Center,
which will be a 30,000-square-foot facility to foster collaboration
among students and faculty in agricultural sciences and technology,
engineering and science and mathematics.

The center will be part of the Jordan College of Agricultural Sciences
and Technology.

Moordigian, a retired dentist, has supported his alma mater since
the 1970s when he joined the Bulldog Foundation. His contributions
have included support for the Armenian Studies Department. In 2007,
he established an endowment in honor of his parents, Harry and Nevart
Moordigian – it supports deserving students in the Department of
Viticulture and Enology. He continues to grow the scholarship, which
now stands at nearly $250,000.

Olam SVI, based in Fresno, is a top global supplier of dehydrated onion
and garlic, spices, capsicums, tomatoes and specialty vegetables. The
company sells to more than 70 countries.

The Moordigian gift will be used for the new center’s microbiology
laboratory, where research will be conducted on microorganisms in
food processing and wine production.

The Olam SVI gift will be used to enrich the sensory evaluation,
tasting and prep laboratory inside the new Jordan Research Center.

The center is scheduled to open in the fall of 2015.

NKR DEFENSE MINISTRY PUBLISHES PHOTOS PROVING AZERBAIJAN’S ACT OF SABOTAGE

July 10, 2014 | 21:07

STEPANAKERT. – The Defense Ministry of Nagorno-Karabakh has
published photos proving that Azerbaijanis tried to make an
intelligence-diversionary infiltration attempt.

“Since Azerbaijani media dismisses reports on detention of several
members of the Azerbaijani intelligence-diversionary team, we consider
it necessary to present several photos as an evidence,” the Ministry
said in a statement.

It was also reported that Azerbaijani serviceman Goliyev Khashbaze
Jalaloglu was held in captivity.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN: IT IS DIFFICULT FOR TURKEY TO LOOK AT ITS OWN PEOPLE IN THE EYE AND SAY: ‘WE’VE BEEN LYING TO YOU FOR 99 YEARS’

by Tatevik Shahunyan

ARMINFO
Thursday, July 10, 14:12

Turkey is to blame for the failure to advance in the normalization of
ties with Armenia because the government of Recep Erdogan demands
“impossible” pre- conditions, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian says in an interview with Buenos Aires Herald.

“Our president attempted to normalize relations between our two
countries. We agreed on two protocols to normalize our relations,
including the establishment of diplomatic relations. Unfortunately,
after the signing ceremony – which took place in Zurich in October,
2009 – the Turkish Parliament hasn’t been able to ratify and implement
agreements and Turkey is now coming up with new pre-conditions,”
he says.

When speaking of the significance of international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, Nalbandian says, “It was the first genocide of the
20th century. And unfortunately, the fact that it was not recognized
by the international community at the time made it possible for other
genocides to take place. So we feel a responsibility as a people
who suffered the first genocide in the 20th century not to allow new
crimes against humanity in the future.”

Regarding Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the scale of the killings,
the Foreign Minister said that “it has less to do with the reparations
that the Turkish state would have to pay to Armenian families (of
victims), than with the fact that it is difficult to look at your
own people in the eye and say: ‘we’ve been lying to you for 99 years’.”

Armenians around the world will commemorate the 100th anniversary of
the Armenian Genocide next year and Nalbandian says he is confident
“that many countries in the world will express their solidarity to
the Armenian people.”

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITS ARMENIA SQUARE IN MONTEVIDEO

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

Thursday,July 10

[images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR6pK0lk8sSbPGc5jvnQ-IsklOBJIvojC_L6IYtDDV9jkcH_GH7]

As part of his state visit to Uruguay, Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan on July 9 visited Armenia Square in Montevideo. At the
Khachkar set up near the square, he honored the memory of the victims
of the 1915 Armenian Genocide, according to the presidential press
service.

On the first day of his visit to Uruguay, S. Sargsyan also visited
Conaprole Company specializing in dairy food production. The president
was familiarized with the company’s production capacities and
products, 70% of which are exported to many countries.

LEVON ARONIAN ABOUT HIS ROAD TO SUCCESS, HIS LOVE FOR BOXING, THE WORLD CUP AND DANCING CLASSES

15:29 10.07.2014

Glendale, Levon Aronian

The number two chess player in the world, Levon Aronian, shared his
desire to increase chess’ status in the United States, his road to
success and his take on the 2014 FIFA World Cup at a Monday night
event with fans in Glendale, the Glendale News-Press reports.

The meet-and-greet was part of a 10-day visit the Armenian chess
“Grandmaster” had planned in the Los Angeles area, during which he
will teach chess at the Glendale Hilton Hotel.

“If all of the countries in the world learn to play chess, we will
have a better future,” he said before a crowd of 75 at the Adult
Recreation Center, adding later that he is especially passionate
about increasing chess’ significance in the United States.

In Armenia, chess is a favored sport and is integrated into the
education system. Aronian, who started playing at 9 years old and
is considered a celebrity in his home country, said the low cost of
the game has made it so popular in Armenia, a country of roughly 3
million people that has faced numerous economic challenges.

Aronian has taught chess in Armenia, but the five-day camp organized
by Metropolitan Chess and the American Chess Academy will be his
first time teaching American students.

The winner of the 2005 Chess World Cup is known for his tricky playing
style, which he attributed to the “wizards of the game” who influenced
him when he was growing up.

“They start slowly, but at a moment they add the spice. That’s what
I try to do,” he said.

Although chess is a popular sport in Armenia — led by Aronian, the
country’s team won gold in the 2006, 2008 and 2012 Chess Olympics —
Aronian said he was still bullied as a child.

But chess taught him to persevere.

“You finish the game and then starts the next one,” he said. “I always
stood up for myself after being beaten up.”

The childhood bullying also inspired him to learn to box, he said. In
addition to being a fan of boxing, he is also a soccer lover. He said
he’s been following the World Cup, and although his favorite team in
general is England, he has been rooting for Argentina.

Aronian has also been trying to learn to dance for the past eight
years — he enjoys the tango — but he still stumbles. His girlfriend,
Arianne Caoili, who is a “Woman International Master” chess player,
has been on the Australian version of “Dancing with the Stars.”

“Maybe one day I’ll succeed in moving my body parts at the same time
in different directions,” he said.

For Aronian, reaching a goal requires extreme confidence and
dedication.

“I think you need to strive. You need to be completely taken by your
goal,” he said. “If you don’t put your soul, your entire world into
something that you do, you’re not going to reach greatness.”