Author: Kalantarian Kevo

NATO’S CHICAGO SUMMIT: WHY ARMENIA MISSED THE PARTY
by Giorgi Lomsadze

EurasiaNet.org

May 22 2012
NY

Azerbaijan made the trip to the May 20-21 Euro-Atlantic defense
pow-wow in Chicago, and Georgia all but rode a rocket there. But
Armenia stayed home.

And not because — to borrow the dating excuse of an earlier generation
of Americans — it needed to wash its hair.

Armenia is Russia’s economic and military protege in the Caucasus,
and some Armenian wonks believe that President Serzh Sargsyan was a
no-show in Chicago as a courtesy move to the Kremlin.

But Yerevan says that the real turn-off for Sargsyan was
the gathering’s reiteration of the alliance’s commitment to the
territorial integrity of nations. In plain words and as far as Armenia
is concerned, this means it should let Azerbaijan take back Sargsyan’s
native land of breakaway Nagorno Karabakh.

“We remain committed in our support of the territorial integrity,
independence, and sovereignty of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and
Republic of Moldova,” the 28-member bloc said. The declaration
does not mention the right of self-determination which Armenia
advocates in the Karabakh conflict resolution talks. The right
to self-determination and the right to territorial integrity —
contradictory though at times they may seem — are both principles
that guide the internationally-mediated discussions.

“Apart from harming the Karabakh peace talks, this may pose a threat
to the precarious stability in the South Caucasus,” Armenian Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian said in reference to the statement.

Baku, predictably, praised the declaration and chastised Yerevan.

Armenia’s position toward the declaration is “non-constructive” and
misplaced, said Azerbaijani presidential spokesperson Elman Abdulayev.

For its part, Georgia, the main NATO enthusiast in the Caucasus,
did not get (at least publicly) any particular news about the fate
of its membership application.

As Georgia continues with its efforts to get into NATO shape, President
Mikheil Saakashvili said that at the next summit (penciled in for 2014)
“it will be just very hard to explain why Georgia does not get accepted
into NATO.”

BAKU REGRETS NATO DOES NOT WANT TO COMPEL ARMENIA TOWARD PEACE WITH AZERBAIJAN

Interfax
May 21 2012
Russia

Azerbaijan hopes for cooperation with all the organizations, among
them NATO, in the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, head of the
Azeri presidential administration’s public and political affairs
department Ali Hasanov told a Monday press conference in Baku.

“We have always been cooperating with NATO in the provision of peace
and security cooperation in the South Caucasus and the peace settlement
of Karabakh and other regional conflicts in that context,” he said.

Yet, NATO does not have a will for active participation in the solution
of the Karabakh problem and the cleanup of aftereffects of the war
in Georgia at present; instead, it offers the parties to the conflict
to do that, Hasanov said.

“Naturally, we expect a lot from the OSCE, NATO and, especially,
from European organizations, which have enough power and authority to
implement resolutions of the UN Security Council. If NATO has a will,
it may force Armenia to fulfill the four resolutions,” he said.

There is no tangible progress in the Karabakh settlement so far,
because Armenia sticks to a non-constructive position and does not want
to free the Azeri lands, he said. In addition, the Armenian community
and affiliated organizations and figures lead an anti-Azeri campaign
in the context of Eurovision 2012 in Baku.

The settlement of conflicts in the South Caucasus implies cooperation
rather than confrontation between the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) and NATO, Hasanov said. “We thought that our
membership in the Non-Aligned Movement and separation from both blocs
(the CSTO and NATO) met the national interests. However, a policy is
not a Koran dogma and no one can guarantee that it will never change.

The course may be changed if the people of Azerbaijan and forces
determining it make the decision,” Hasanov said.

OFFICIAL: ICBC MEMBERS TO BE INCREASED

IRNA

Gorgan, Golestan Prov., May 22, IRNA – Head of Iran-Russia Joint
Chamber of Commerce Assadollah Asgarowladi said on Tuesday the
International Council of Business Cooperation (ICBC) of the Caspian
Sea littoral states is to be increased from five to nine members.

He told reporters before the start of the ICBC 13th Meeting in Gorgan,
‘Armenia, Kirgizstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are willing to be
members of ICBC to join Iran, Russia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and
Kazakhstan.’

The International Council of Business Cooperation of the Caspian Sea
littoral states was established by chambers of commerce of Russia,
Kazakhstan and Iran in 1996.

The five-day meeting of ICBC member states started on Tuesday in
Gorgan to explore Iranian northern provinces’ economic potentials
for the member countries investors.

BORDYUZHA’S STATEMENT – SIGNAL TO AZERBAIJAN, EXPERT SAYS

tert.am
22.05.12

CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha stated at yesterday’s
Yerevan-Astana-Kiev-Chisinau space bridge that the CSTO will assist
Armenia in case of possible encroachments by Azerbaijan.

Commenting on the statement, political analyst Hrant Melik-Shahnazaryan
said the statement is a clear signal to Azerbaijan that comes to show
that Armenia is under the limelight of the CSTO member countries.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the expert said the CSTO’s intention
to conduct military drills in Armenia in fall proves it, though the
analyst complained that till now the CSTO was rather passive.

“I negatively assess the CSTO stance till now and I think that it
should have expressed a more decisive decision before the situation
sharpened so much. Nevertheless, what happened yesterday and what is
expected [the drills] is open and obvious signal to Azerbaijan and
should be positively assessed,” Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

Nikolay Bordyuzha stated that being a full member of the CSTO Armenia
will get corresponding assistance from the organization in case
of necessity.

ARMENIA AND RUSSIA DISCUSS PERSPECTIVES OF MILITARY COOPERATION (PHOTO)

May 22, 2012 | 18:04

YEREVAN. – The Russian delegation of defense and security committee
of Federal Assembly held a number of meetings in Armenia’s Defense
Ministry on Tuesday.

The delegation was received by Minister Seyran Ohanyan and Chief of
Staff of the Armenian Armed Forcesz, Colonel-General Yuri Khachaturov,
the MOD informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The sides discussed the issues related to legal framework of
cooperation in the field of defense, issues on military units of
Russia’s base in Armenian Gyumri city and others.

‘COMPLEMENTARY’ MANEUVER: ARMENIA TRYING TO GET SECURITY FROM RUSSIA, WHILE ECONOMICALLY INTEGRATING WITH EUROPE
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
23.05.12 | 15:03

The conflict between Russia and the West is apparently becoming the
main dividing line in the domestic politics of Armenia. The split along
this line occurs both within the opposition and pro-government forces.

Aram Sargsyan, the leader of the Hanrapetutyun party, who was number
three on the proportional list of the opposition Armenian National
Congress (ANC), gave up his mandate in parliament and announced its
departure from the ANC. As it turned out later, the main disagreement
with the ANC was around the relations between Armenia and Russia.

In an interview with RFE/RL’s Armenian Service Sargsyan said that
only pro-Russian forces now remain within the ANC. “I consider
myself a citizen of Armenia. I see the future of my country linked to
Western standards. I do not see anything we can learn from Russia,”
said Sargsyan.

Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, the leader of the Liberal Party of Armenia
that also left the ANC, is also known to be an advocate of Armenia’s
pro-Western orientation.

Experts believe that the ruling coalition in Armenia is also being
formed in accordance with the attitudes of political forces towards
Russia and the West. Immediately after the May 6 parliamentary
elections President Serzh Sargsyan left for Moscow where he attended
the summits of the CIS and the Russia-dominated Collective Security
Treaty Organization (CSTO). However, he stopped short of making
statements about the intention of Armenia to join the Eurasian Union,
an emerging reintegration alliance proposed by Russian President
Vladimir Putin. Moreover, Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
simultaneously published an article in one of Russia’s leading
periodicals, arguing that while joining the Eurasian Union would give
Armenia some benefit, a qualitative change for the nation’s economy
was only possible with European integration.

And on April 27, before the elections in Armenia, the Russian
Rossiyskaya Gazeta published an interview with the leader of the
Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik Tsarukyan. In that interview
Tsarukyan clearly pronounced in favor of the Putin idea of the
Eurasian Union. “We have already stated that we are ready to work
actively towards the dissemination of the idea of a Eurasian Union.

The evidence of this is the international forum “The Role of NGOs
in the formation of a Eurasian Union” that we are holding in Yerevan
these days jointly with the Russian Eurasian Cooperation Development
Fund,” he said then.

The fact that while in Moscow President Sargsyan was not received by
President Putin was also evaluated by experts as the sign of Russia’s
discontent with the results of the Armenian elections that gave a
landslide victory to Sargsyan’s Republican Party. In fact, in the
May 6 elections Moscow supported the PAP and the second president of
Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, who is believed to stand behind the PAP.

Moreover, according to media reports, Kocharyan is in Moscow these
days. It is not clear whether his current visit to Moscow is connected
to politics or his business interests.

However, not everything is as straightforward as it might seem at first
glance. Unlike Georgia, which sharply terminated its relationship
with Russia and made a turn towards the West, Armenia is trying to
get security guarantees as part of its relations with Russia and
within the CSTO, while relying on the European direction for economic
integration. It is not yet clear whether such a “complementary”
maneuver will work, but it is now patently clear that Armenia does
not want to mix economy and security.

ARMENIAN BUSINESSMEN START IMPORTING CARPETS FROM AZERBAIJAN

ARMINFO
Wednesday, May 23, 15:08

Armenian businessmen seem to find another way of getting profit from
importing carpets from Azerbaijan. According to the information placed
at the official web site of the State Revenues Committee under the
Armenian government, in 2011 29,9 sq/m of Azerbaijani carpets were
imported to Armenia with a customs cost $8,5 thsd.

Although Armenia is considered to be a country with old carpet making
traditions and Armenian ancient carpets are exhibited in the best
museums of the world, Armenian businessmen think it is better and
more profitable to import carpets from abroad than to revive carpet
weaving custom.

As a result of absolute absence of the state approach to this important
branch, in 2011 Armenia imported carpets not only from Azerbaijan,
but also from Afghanistan, Poland, Belgium and other countries. The
total of 72,4 thsd sq/m of carpet were imported to Armenia in 2010
and 69,5 thsd sq/m in 2011, whereas only 1,4 thsd sq/m of Armenian
carpets were exported chiefly to the USA.

Meanwhile, Azerbaijanis have successfully “captured” this branch and
hold exhibitions of “Azerbaijani” carpets in all over the world. The
authorities of this country have been doing everything possible to turn
the carpet weaving into an Azerbaijani brand. As for the government
of Armenia, they seem to think that the carpet weaving business is
a rather troublesome matter. For this reason, they decided to do
business which is more profitable and brings taxes. As a result of
such activity, in the near future we will be able to see singular
samples of Armenian carpets only in foreign museums. It is more
profitable to sell than produce, is not it?.

“ARMENIAN NEW NAMES ” FESTIVAL IS BECOMING ATTRACTIVE FOR MANY COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD

ARMENPRESS
23 May, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 23, ARMENPRESS: “Armenian New Names” young performers 2nd
International Festival is scheduled to be held during May 29 -June
1. 18 year old 40 talented young musicians from Armenia, Georgia,
France, Russia, Malta, Uzbekistan, and Korea will participate in the
contest. The head of the project Silva Mekinyan had a briefing with
the journalists, Armenpress reports. The interlocutor noted that the
participants will come forth with the orchestral and solo performances.

” Many of them are experienced in the world’s most famous stages,
they are laureates of international and national competitions, and
festivals; enjoy scholarship in the various funds” the interlocutor
noted.

The interlocutor was pleased by the fact that about a dozen more
participants came up in the frame of the festival this year. The
geography of the participants also varies.

The performances will be accompanied by the Armenian State Philharmonic
and Armenian Chamber Orchestra. The participants will be enabled the
chance to visit the most important cultural centers of the capital
Yerevan, aimed at the presenting the foreign artists Armenia and the
Armenian culture.

The Festival will be held under the auspices of First Lady Rita
Sargsyan.

IN MEMORIAM: ISABEL TORIGIAN BEDROSIAN, 90, ACTIVE COMMUNITY MEMBER AND DEVOTED WIFE AND MOTHER

Published: Wednesday May 23, 2012

New York – Isabel Torigian Bedrosian died on May 16, 2012 at
NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City, where she had been
hospitalized for pneumonia.

Born in Watervliet, New York on July 1, 1921, Isabel was the youngest
of four children born to Aghavni (nee Postoian) Torigian and Hayrabed
Torigian.

After graduating from Watervliet High School, where she was fashion
editor of the school’s newspaper, Isabel worked for the department
store Montgomery Ward as a typist.

On May 4, 1941, she married Alvin (Askanaz Der) Bedrosian of Troy,
New York and the couple moved to Port au Peck, New Jersey where they
both worked at Fort Monmouth – Isabel as a secretary and Alvin as an
engineer in the US Army Strategic Research and Development Laboratory.

After the birth of their daughter, Karen, in 1946 and son, Robert,
in 1949, the family moved to Long Branch, New Jersey where they lived
until 1954.

Upon Alvin’s appointment as Liason Officer for the US Army’s
Scientific Liaison Office at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the family moved to Belmont,
Massachusetts. There, Isabel worked part-time as a secretary for the
head of the Nutrition Department at MIT and served as den mother for
her son’s cub scout group.

After Alvin retired in 1975, he and Isabel moved back to Long Branch,
New Jersey, where Isabel joined the Armenian Relief Society, was
secretary of the Parish Council of St. Stepanos Church in Elberon
and was voted Mother of the Year by the church.

Both Alvin and Isabel were members of the Armenian Studies Advisory
Council, established in 1977 by the Trustees of Columbia University,
which raised the funds required to establish a Chair of Armenian
Studies in the (then) Department of Middle East Languages and
Cultures. Several years later, their son, Robert, received his PhD
from this program.

Isabel was pre-deceased by her husband Alvin in 1985 and for the next
15 years she managed a book company, Sources of the Armenian Tradition,
which published English translations of Classical Armenian historical
texts translated by her son, Robert.

In 2000 Isabel was diagnosed with dementia and eagerly participated in
various cognitive remediation programs and arts/therapeutic programs
available for people with dementia and their caregivers, living
the last 10 years of her life with her daughter, Karen. Despite
the increasing limitations imposed by her condition, Isabel never
stopped trying and was eager to please and to show her appreciation
and affection for those who helped her, which made her beloved by all.

Isabel was a model mother and friend whose life was a gift she
shared so generously and whose example and love will sustain those
she left behind. She is survived by her grateful children, Karen
Bedrosian-Richardson and Robert G. Bedrosian.

Funeral services will be held at St. Peter Armenian Apostolic Church
in Watervliet, New York (100 Troy-Schenectady Road) on May 30 at 1 PM.

THERE’S A REASON NATO DECLARATION STIPULATES FOR ARMENIA’S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY – EXPERT

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 23, 2012 – 12:18 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – A declaration adopted at Chicago-hosted NATO summit
included a clause on regional conflicts in post-Soviet space, with
Alliance members urging conflicting parties to respect settlement
negotiation format, a visiting researcher at the Center for Strategic
and International Studies (CSIS), Washington told PanARMENIAN.Net

As Sergei Markedonov noted, the declaration also calls to refrain
from steps undermining regional and international safety.

“In short, the summit confirmed that alteration in status-quo is
impossible without considering position of the other side. “NATO
declaration confirms the Alliance’s support for territorial integrity
of Georgia, Moldova, Azerbaijan and Armenia. It’s not by chance that
Armenia was included into the list. The republic doesn’t include
unrecognized formations or separatist centers, still it’s involved in
the struggle with Azerbaijan over Nagorno Karabakh,” the expert said,

According to the expert, at the same time, the official Baku never
ruled out the possibility of a retaliation to gain control over
Nagorno Karabakh-adjacent regions.

“NATO reaction is understandable in this context: such an approach
can’t be implemented on the territory of Armenia. However, NATO
declaration suggests no mechanism of peacemaking efforts, with the
issue not included on the Alliance agenda. Chicago summit backed the
OSCE Minsk Group as a Karabakh settlement format. Yet, Alliance is not
planning to urge change in status quo or suggest any special ideas,
for complete lack of any at present,” Markedonov stressed.