Nagorno Karabakh: Sul Filo Dell’equilibrio Instabile

NAGORNO KARABAKH: SUL FILO DELL’EQUILIBRIO INSTABILE

Termometro Politico, Italia
27 giugno 2013

Un conflitto derubricato

Il ponte dell’inimicizia che si estende tra Armenia ed Azerbaijan
porta il nome di Nagorno-Karabakh: una regione di appena undicimila
chilometri quadrati, abitata da meno di centocinquantamila persone,
di etnia prevalentemente armena.

Era il 1992 quando ad Helsinki il Segretario dell’Organizzazione per la
Sicurezza e la Cooperazione in Europa (che da questo momento chiameremo
semplicemente OSCE) inseriva tra le note dell’agenda internazionale
una Conferenza, da tenersi (solo presumibilmente) a Minsk, in merito
all’affaire del Nagorno. Al cd. Gruppo di Minsk, la cui Presidenza
è attualmente condivisa da tre Paesi, sono invitati a partecipare
Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bielorussia, Cecoslovacchia, Federazione Russa,
Francia, Germania, Italia, Stati Uniti, Svezia, Turchia e – in qualita
di parte interessata – anche i rappresentanti del Nagorno-Karabakh.

Ã~I di pochi giorni fa il meeting di Enniskillen (cittadina
dell’Irlanda del Nord), a seguito del quale i copresidenti del Gruppo
di Minsk hanno comunicato di continuare a credere con fermezza nella
strategia che il working group ha elaborato negli ultimi quattro anni,
in vista di una definitiva risoluzione del conflitto, che assumera
concretezza solo quando la popolazione sara capace di mettere in
disparte passati rancori.

In verita, la sensazione irritante con cui parte dell’opinione pubblica
ha accolto la neutralita delle dichiarazioni divulgate dalle agenzie di
stampa potrebbe trovare la sua raison d’être nell’ambiguo approccio
europeo alle problematiche dell’area caucasica. Ancora oggi non è
affatto semplice parlare di un conflitto che sull’ultimo scorcio degli
anni Ottanta si è abbattuto su una modesta porzione dell’Eurasia:
erano gli anni in cui la polveriera balcanica minacciava un’esplosione
imminente e l’intervento prioritario della comunita internazionale a
fronte dei molteplici crimini di guerra e di una sistematica pulizia
etnica ha lasciato cadere nell’oblio il conflitto armeno-azero.

Solamente nel 1992 l’Osce si preoccupava di comprendeva la reale
portata delle ostilita e – scostando quella discreta cortina di
silenzio – si proponeva di avviare i negoziati di pace, ricorrendo
all’arte mutevole della mediazione internazionale. Correva ancora
l’anno 1992, quando il Nagorno-Karabakh proclamava ufficialmente
la nascita della nuova Repubblica, sebbene il (proprio) Parlamento
ne avesse dichiarato l’indipendenza gia quattro anni prima. Così,
ricominciava il conflitto ancora una volta dimenticato.

In un ormai distante 1994, i rappresentanti dei due Paesi firmavano
in Kirghizistan un cessate il fuoco, che non è bastato a rendere
giustizia alle oltre trentamila vittime e a quasi un milione di
sfollati.

La moderata esposizione dell’impegno internazionale

Anche adesso che lo status quo appare la forma capovolta del progresso,
non si è registrata alcuna evoluzione: succede che le frequenti
schermaglie costringano l’esercito armeno a schierarsi a difesa dei
confini della regione e della fascia di sicurezza circostante e,
ad aggravare un prospetto di per sé poco confortante, continua
una guerra tra cecchini che ogni anno aumenta il numero dei caduti,
anche tra i civili.

A dispregio delle trattative di pace, i dati della spesa militare
sfoggiano una potenziale aggressivita abilmente mimetizzata da una
caotica diplomazia, e lasciano presagire che il conflitto non è
affatto congelato, bensì dinamico e carico di tensione. Mettere
un punto alle ostilita non sembra un obiettivo raggiungibile nel
medio termine: l’Armenia invoca logiche culturali e sociologiche
che motiverebbero come il Nagorno-Karabakh sia parte integrante
dell’identita nazionale; viceversa, l’Azerbaijan antepone ragioni di
orgoglio nazionale.

La storia del Caucaso ricorda che i conflitti dell’era post-sovietica
patiscono le conseguenze dei giochi di potere intrapresi dalle potenze
concorrenti e, se è vero che niente è lasciato al caso, è semplice
intuire perché, specialmente dal 2010, l’Azerbaijan si sia avvalso
dell’assistenza militare prestata dalla Turchia, mentre Mosca sia il
principale alleato dell’Armenia.

Anche l’Iran, nei giorni appena trascorsi, ha rinnovato il proprio
impegno verso una composizione del contenzioso del Nagorno-Karabakh,
palesando una sensibilita di vecchia data che lega la Repubblica
Islamica alle vicissitudini della limitrofa Armenia, un’isola etnica
nel cuore della regione turco-tatara.

(Per continuare la lettura cliccate su “2â~@³)

http://www.termometropolitico.it/55869_nagorno-karabakh-sul-filo-dellequilibrio-instabile.html

Baku: Armenia Pushes Azerbaijan To Build Military Muscle

BAKU: ARMENIA PUSHES AZERBAIJAN TO BUILD MILITARY MUSCLE

Interfax, Russia
June 27 2013

The aggressive policy of the Armenian authorities has created a
confrontation, which jeopardizes the security of the entire region,
the Azeri Foreign Ministry said.

“Azerbaijan is strengthening its military potential in order to
keep its people safe. Armenia creates tensions in the region with
its aggression and occupies Azeri lands, which is why Azerbaijan
has to mount its defensive capabilities,” ministry spokesman Elman
Abdullayev told Interfax, responding to Armenian Defense Minister
Seyran Ohanian’s statement on militarization of Azerbaijan.

The opinion of Ohanian that “Armenia is the guarantor of physical
safety of Karabakh” is groundless, he said. “Armenia is not the
guarantor of physical safety of Karabakh: it has occupied the Karabakh
region of Azerbaijan. How can one occupy somebody else’s land, create
cruel ethnic cleansings and banish local residents while calling
oneself the guarantor of physical safety?” the diplomat wondered.

Azerbaijan simply has to strengthen one’s defensive capacities under
these circumstances, he said. “The Azeri Armed Forces have been
developed into one of the strongest and best trained high-tech armies
of the region,” the ministry spokesman said.

Te mk

Explanations Requested: Russian Arms Export To Azerbaijan…

EXPLANATIONS REQUESTED: RUSSIAN ARMS EXPORT TO AZERBAIJAN…

WPS Agency, Russia
June 27, 2013 Thursday

Source: Izvestia (Moscow issue), No 115, June 27, 2013, p. 7 by Tigran
Oganesjan, Konstantin Volkov

RUSSIAN ARMS EXPORT TO AZERBAIJAN PREDICTABLY DISTURBED AND UPSET
ARMENIA; Armenia is objecting to Russian arms export to Azerbaijan.

Russian arms export to Azerbaijan upset official Yerevan. Armenia
fears that it might tip regional parity in Azerbaijan’s favor.

Nagorno-Karabakh conflict makes Azerbaijan and Armenia particularly
sensitive to even smallest changes in the regional situation. No
wonder Yerevan is disturbed by the ongoing Russian-Azerbaijani
military-technical cooperation.

“The Azerbaijanis are getting weapons from Russia. We know it for
a fact,” said Armenian Defense Ministry Press Secretary Artsrun
Ovannisjan. “The military parade in Baku on June 26 is proof.”

According to some estimates, the military hardware package worth $1
billion includes tanks, mobile artillery guns, volley-fire rocket
launchers, and other weapons.

“We intend to ask the Russian authorities… to explain their
motives,” said Korjun Naapetjan of the Armenian parliament’s Defense
and Security Committee.

Apart from that, Armenia means to bring up the matter of Russian arms
export to Azerbaijan at the meeting of chairmen of parliamentary
committees on defense and security of the CIS Collective Security
Treaty Organization in Minsk, Belarus, and at the meeting of the
Defense and Security Committee of the CIS CSTO Parliamentary Assembly
in Yerevan come October.

“We want to know what convinced the Russians to sell military hardware
to Azerbaijan,” said Naapetjan. “Was it purely commercial interest…

or some other considerations perhaps?”

Ara Papjan, the head of Modus Vivendi center and ex-ambassador to
Canada, said that mere enquiries would be inadequate. Papjan suggested
a formal protest to the Russian Federation. “It’s wrong… for
Armenia’s strategic partner to be selling military hardware to
Azerbaijan,” he said.

Armenia cannot help thinking that Russian military hardware wielded by
the Azerbaijani regular army might tip regional parity in Baku’s favor.

The Armenians refer to the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in
Europe which sets weapons quotas for signatories. They claim that the
Azerbaijanis already have 600 tanks instead of the 220 permitted them
by the CFE.

“An intermediary in the Karabakh conflict… Russia is sending
100 brand-new tanks to Azerbaijan, a warring side that has already
exceeded its conventional arms quota,” said Alexander Arzumanjan,
lawmaker and former foreign minister.

Russian political scientists refuse to entertain the idea that
arms export to Azerbaijan will have any noticeable effect on the
Russian-Armenian relations.

“Russia and Armenia are members of the CIS CSTO… and Azerbaijan is
not,” said Institute of CIS Countries Directorate Konstantin Zatulin.

“What the Armenians are making all this noise about… comes down
to banal commerce. Russia might renege on the contract of course but
Azerbaijan will find military hardware it needs elsewhere and get it
all the same.”

Zatulin continued, “Besides, Armenia is getting its share of Russian
military hardware too. S-300 complexes for example are weapons more
formidable than whatever Russia sells to Baku.”

[Translated from Russian]

Iran Cleric Says Rebel Karabakh Belongs To Azerbaijan, Islam

IRAN CLERIC SAYS REBEL KARABAKH BELONGS TO AZERBAIJAN, ISLAM

Iranian Students News Agency ISNA, Iran
June 27 2013

Tabriz, 27 June: [The Iranian] Supreme Leader’s representative in East
Azarbayjan Province has said that [Azerbaijan’s breakaway republic
of Nagornyy] Karabakh is a part of Azerbaijani and Muslim lands.

At a meeting with religious organizations of the Karabakh region
of Azerbaijan, Supreme Leader [Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamene’i]’s
representative in the East Azarbayjan Province, Ayatollah Mohsen
Mojtahed-Shabestari, said that Karabakh, like Palestine, belongs to
Islam and the occupation of it is doomed. He added: We treat Karabakh
the same as we treat the occupation of oppressed Palestinian territory.

He said: We recognize the occupation of these clearly Muslim lands as
a disgraceful act, because we believe that Karabakh clearly belongs
to Islam and is Azerbaijani land.

Ayatollah Mojtahed-Shabestari continued: We recognize the occupiers of
Karabakh as ruthless usurpers, and Iran follows the rule of protecting
the oppressed from the oppressors.

He said that the occupation of Karabakh and Susa [Shusha]
was unfortunate for the Muslim people of Iran, particularly for
Azerbaijanis [presumably Iranian Azarbayjanis]. He added: Iran has
always supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and condemned
the Armenian occupation.

The representative of Valey-e Faqih [Iran’s Leader Seyyed Ali
Khamene’i] in the province said that Iran has always supported the
fighters of Karabakh and even though Iran has economic relations with
Armenia, this does not mean that it backs the occupation of Karabakh
by any means; these are just economic relations and Iran has always
objected to the issue of the occupation of Karabakh.

He added: Iran has economic relations with all countries except the
fake Zionist regime and the political and economic assistance which
the Islamic Republic of Iran provides to the Republic of Azerbaijan
is undeniable.

He said: We expect the officials of Azerbaijan to appreciate these
contributions.

The Friday prayer leader of Tabriz said that Iran is ready to resolve
the Karabakh conflict and added: Iran is fully ready to participate
in the mediation of the Karabakh conflict based on a just peace
[resolution].

He said that the return of the territory of Karabakh to Azerbaijan
is Iran’s official position and the Islamic Republic of is ready to
give further assistance to Muslims of Karabakh.

[Translated from Persian]

And-And Vs. Either-Or: Armenia Says EU Free Trade Area, Customs Unio

AND-AND VS. EITHER-OR: ARMENIA SAYS EU FREE TRADE AREA, CUSTOMS UNION NOT A DILEMMA YET

ANALYSIS | 28.06.13 | 11:59

By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent

Armenia does not yet aim to join the European Union, the matter
concerns only a Free Trade Area with the EU, said Armenia’s Deputy
Minister of Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan on Thursday. He also
added that Armenia does not aspire to become a member of the Customs
Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan either.

The question ‘and-and’ or ‘either-or’ has become central to Armenia,
and Yerevan clearly prefers equidistant cooperation with Russia and
Europe for now. However, more frequently statements are heard from the
West about the need to make a choice along the ‘either-or’ lines. This
was, in particular, said during the visit of Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan to Poland by president of this country Bronislaw Komorowski.

The Polish leader said that “it is impossible to operate simultaneously
on two different economic squares.”

While visiting Armenia at the beginning of this year Georgia’s Prime
Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili said in one of media interviews that he
good-naturedly envied the ability of Armenia to follow the path to
the West while also maintaining good relations with Russia. But it
can hardly be regarded as Sargsyan’s political know-how or a sign of
wise caution. Rather, it is a necessitated strategy, a sign of weak
positions and lack of determination.

In December 2011, when plans for signing an agreement on the
establishment of a Free Trade Area between Armenia and the EU were
announced, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, while attending
a minor forum in St. Petersburg, unexpectedly signed an agreement
on Armenia’s joining the CIS free trade zone. It caused a strong
reaction in Armenia. After that, it became clear that Moscow will
do everything possible to torpedo agreements between post-Soviet
countries and the EU.

Azerbaijan and Belarus have already been left out of the EU Eastern
Partnership process. Moldova recently announced that the negotiations
on the Association Agreement with the EU had been completed and it
only remained to sign it. But Russia currently inspires protests in
Moldova over Transdniestria and Gagauzia, where ideas about joining
the Eurasian Union are being voiced more articulately now.

There is also an ambiguous situation in Ukraine, which has nearly
completed preparations for the Association. The Ukrainian opposition
which has ties with Russia has once again blocked the work of the
local parliament, which means that Ukraine may not be able to adopt
the last required documents by the November deadline.

So far only Georgia has expressed an unequivocal position as this
is the only country among the six originally engaged for Eastern
Partnership where a referendum on the choice of the foreign-policy
course was held. The Georgian people spoke in favor of EU and NATO
memberships. And recently this position was also confirmed by Georgia’s
prime minister.

And Armenia in this situation may prove a decisive player that, using
soccer terminology, will manage to score a goal. The question is for
which side Armenia will play. If Russia manages to force Armenia to
abandon its European course, the whole Eastern Partnership may break
down. And conversely, Armenia’s firmness may lead to agreements being
signed in November.

The Gallup International Association’s Armenian affiliate recently
conducted an opinion poll according to which 61 percent of respondents
in Armenia spoke in favor of deeper ties with Russia. The same
organization conducted a similar survey in 2011 showing the level of
support for ties with Russia at 75 percent. And in 2009, according
to surveys, more than 90 percent of respondents in Armenia were
pro-Russian. This means that in Armenia fewer and fewer people see
their future in the revived Soviet Union, which Russian President
Vladimir Putin is trying to make a reality.

"Judicial System Was Raped Again"

“JUDICIAL SYSTEM WAS RAPED AGAIN”

05:31 PM | TODAY | POLITICS

Military doctor Vahe Avetyan was killed in Yerevan a year ago.

On June 17, 2012, Avetyan was brutally beaten at the Harsnakar
restaurant owned by Ruben Hayrapetyan, President of the Armenian
Football Federation, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia, by
Hayrapetyan’s bodyguards. The young doctor and father of two children,
died on June 28 without coming to himself.

“Vahe Avetyan” initiative group today issued a statement announcing
about the establishment of a tribunal of public justice.

Garegin Chookaszian, a member of the initiative group, says by delaying
the trial the ruling regime aimed to divert public attention from
the tragic incident and once again conceal the crime. “In the passed
eight months we became convinced that the fundamental principle of
the judicial system was raped again,” he said.

Armenia’s ex-Ombudsman Larisa Alaverdyan, another member of the group,
says one of the gravest crimes was committed in June, 2012. “It
was encroachment against an army officer; a military doctor. It
was a heavy social, moral and legal blow. This is unforgivable. I
disagree with the authorities’ statement that we should wait for a
legal assessment,” she said.

The ex-ombudsman says she has the impression that they are attempting
to conceal Avetyan’s murder the way Azerbaijan is concealing the
pogroms in Sumgait.

http://www.a1plus.am/en/politics/2013/06/28/vahe-avetyan

Armenia established diplomatic relations with Uganda and Mauritius

Armenia established diplomatic relations with Uganda and Mauritius

15:05, 29 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. On June 28 the permanent representatives
of Armenia and Uganda in the UN Karen Nazaryan and Richard Nduhura
signed a joint announcement of establishing diplomatic relations
between the two countries.

The press, information and public relations department of the Foreign
Affairs Ministry of the Republic of Armenia informed “Armenpress” the
ceremony of signing was held in New York – in the diplomatic
representation of Uganda.

A document on establishing bilateral relations between Armenia and
Mauritius was signed in the permanent representation of Armenia in New
York on the same day.

While signing the joint statement on diplomatic relations the RA
Ambassador Karen Nazaryan and the Ambassador of Mauritius Milan
Mitarbhan expressed their willingness to fortify the relations between
the two states.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/724493/armenia-established-diplomatic-relations-with-uganda-and-mauritius.html

NKR Pres visits Stepanakert Memorial Complex on the Day of MIA

NKR President visits Stepanakert Memorial Complex on the Day of
Missing in Action

14:31 29.06.2013
Nagorno-Karabakh

On 29 June Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan in connection with
the Day of perished for Motherland and missing in action visited
Stepanakert Memorial Complex and laid a wreath on the monument of
missing in action freedom fighters.

Head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, National Assembly speaker Ashot
Ghoulyan, prime-minister Ara Haroutyunyan, and other officials partook
at the event, Central Information Department of the Office of the NKR
President reported.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2013/06/29/nkr-president-visits-stepanakert-memorial-complex-on-the-day-of-missing-in-action/

Armenian army officer has triplets

Armenian army officer has triplets

June 29, 2013 | 00:04

YEREVAN. – An Armenian army officer has triplets; two girls (Meri and
Silva) and one boy (Henrikh).

Aviation Institute officer-instructor Armine Karapetyan came with her
babies to take part in Friday’s Aviation Day celebrations.

The happy mom approached Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan to thank him.
Karapetyan had delivered her babies owing to the financial means MOD
had allocated.

`We petitioned to the minister for assistance; he understood and
helped. We cannot find words to express our thanks,’ Karapetyan told
news reporters.

At the end of the celebrations, Ohanyan and the happy family were
photographed together. What is more, Armine Karapetyan placed her baby
son to the minister’s arms and said: `He is a future soldier.’

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

Armenian tombstones found in Istanbul’s Taksim Square

Armenian tombstones found in Istanbul’s Taksim Square

11:26, 29 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 29, ARMENPRESS. Armenian graves have been found in
Istanbul’s Taksim Square at the course of the construction
activities. As reports “Armenpress” citing Turkish Demokrathaber.net,
the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Ã-mer Ã=87elik and
opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) deputy Sezgin Tanrikulu
stated this.

Among other things the Minister of Culture and Tourism of Turkey Ã-mer
Ã=87elik noted that 16 tombstones and walls of historic monuments
dating back to the 19th century have been found at the course of the
construction works. Experts from the Archaeology Museum of Turkey
arrived at the square, after the tombstones were found.

From 28 May 2013, protests raised against the plans of replacing
Taksim Gezi Park with a reconstruction of the historic Taksim Military
Barracks (demolished in 1940), with the possibility of housing a
shopping mall. The protests developed into riots when a group
occupying the park was attacked by police. The subjects of the
protests have since broadened beyond the development of Taksim Gezi
Park, developing into wider anti-government demonstrations. The
protests have also spread to other cities in Turkey, and protests have
been seen in other countries with significant Turkish communities. In
31 May 2013, police suppressed the protesters with tear gas, arrested
at least 60 people and injured hundreds. The police action received
wide attention online. Protesters organized and gathered on İstiklal
Avenue, reaching thousands on the night of 31 May. 5 men died in the
clashes between the Police and the protestors, more than 7500 people
were injured and 5 thousand – arrested.

http://armenpress.am/eng/news/724451/armenian-tombstones-found-in-istanbuls-taksim-square.html