Author: Kalashian Nyrie

ECRANAS SPOKESMAN IS ASKED TO LEAVE BAKU FOR "NKR" VISA IN HIS PASSPORT

APA
July 21 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku.Mehman Suleymanov – APA. Spokesman for Lithuanian Ecranas club
Gedas Sarochka’s interview to apasport.az

– Today your team meets with Baku in return match within the second
qualifying of the Champions League. But you are not in Baku, but
at home…

-Yes. I am in Vilnius. I was asked to leave Baku.

– Recently you visited the occupied territories of Azerbaijan,
Khankendi. Did the problem arise from that?

– Yes, I have a visa in my passport tat I was in Nagorno
Karabakh. Therefore I faced with a problem in Baku. We were invited
there month-two ago. We attended the journalists’ tournament there.

– You probably know that Armenians declared non-recognized "Nagorno
Karabakh Republic" in the Azerbaijan’s territories. Didn’t you expect
that you will face with a problem in Baku in this case?

-I didn’t expect that the problem would be so serious. I came to Baku
and received hotel accommodations together with my team. But then I
needed to leave Baku. The person who came to hotel informed me that I
couldn’t stay in Baku for that visa in my passport. I returned home. I
didn’t face with any pressure. They only told me that I should leave
Baku for that visa. They informed me about the situation between
Azerbaijan Armenia, Nagorno Karabakh and said that I can return to
Baku after changing the passport. It was late. I can’t change the
passport and return to Baku in a short time. Today is a return game
between Baku and Ecranas.

-Didn’t they see that visa in your passport during the registration
in Baku airport?

-I think, no. They didn’t pay attention in that time, but then found
out it and asked me to leave. I regret for this story. I came to Baku
as a representative of the visitor team, as a friend and it was a
business travel at last. But it happened… I regret that I couldn’t
see beautiful Baku.

-How the return ticket and visa issue were solved?

– I had round-trip ticket for this Friday. They gave me a ticket for
another date and I had free ticket to return home.

-Do you regret for that?

– This is a life. The Armenians say that Nagorno Karabakh is their land
and you say that it is yours. I don’t want to speak about that and to
interfere in the political issues. In any case you know truth better.

Sunday’s Zaman, Turkey
July 19 2009

Turkish-Azerbaijani relations get back on track

Turkish-Azerbaijani relations, which became unstable as a result of
Turkey’s initiative to improve its relations with Armenia, have calmed
down.

The publicity surrounding Turkish-Armenian rapprochement, begun when
Turkish President Abdullah Gül visited Armenia to watch a
soccer match between the two countries’ national teams, severely
damaged Turkish-Azerbaijani relations. Some circles both in Turkey and
in Azerbaijan claimed that the Turkish government’s move was a
betrayal of Turkish-Azerbaijani friendship, demanding that an
explanation be given to the Azerbaijani public.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an and several other
officials have repeatedly stated that diplomatic negotiations should
be transparent in order for the public to remain informed, but that
this was not the case, making it impossible for the public to be kept
up to date about the state of negotiations. Uninformed about
developments, the image of Turkey was sullied in Azerbaijan. This was
a new challenge for Turkey, one it had not faced before and for which
it was largely unprepared. Turkish-Armenian negotiations came into
sharp focus in Azerbaijan, putting Turkish-Azerbaijani relations in
crisis, as some observers preferred to label it.

For almost two decades, heavily obsessed with Armenian enmity,
nationalism raged through the country and captivated its media. It
whipped up Azerbaijani animosity among some circles against Turkish
nationals in the country and abroad. To defame the Turkish government,
anti-Justice and Development Party (AK Party) forces worked
assiduously to revive Azerbaijani nationalism. Prime Minister
ErdoÄ?an harshly criticized six Azerbaijani deputies who visited
Turkey to express their concerns over the Turkish government’s move
with respect to normalization with Armenia. They became towering
figures in escalating tensions between the two countries. The prime
minister rejected claims that Turkey’s foreign policy contradicts
Azerbaijan’s national interests.

ErdoÄ?an paid an important visit to the Azerbaijani capital of
Baku on May 13 to speak at the Azerbaijani parliament and alleviate
tension between the two countries. His speech stirred intense public
pleasure with Turkey, finally putting to an end a short-lived crisis
between Azerbaijan and Turkey. Marking a thaw in relations between
Turkey with Azerbaijan, the prime minister’s address to Azerbaijani
deputies re-cemented their friendship. The Turkish government made a
successful decision to inform the Azerbaijani public about the ongoing
developments.

Still, Turkey’s Armenian policy still remains controversial among the
Azerbaijani public. Rumors circulate saying Armenian President Serzh
Sarksyan’s visit to Turkey will mark a lasting opening of the
borders. Speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, Ä°sa Gambar, a former
presidential candidate and the head of the biggest opposition party in
Azerbaijan, Müsavat, said: "Turkey should consult with
Azerbaijan if it aims to open the borders as this issue is very
sensitive in Azerbaijan. Turkey and Azerbaijan should jointly decide
on the issue. I said many times that Turkish-Azerbaijani relations are
far more important than the borders’ state of being open or closed."
Noting that normalization in relations with Armenia would deteriorate
relations with Azerbaijan, Gambar asked: "Turkey wants to have zero
problems with its neighbors, but will eroding relations with
Azerbaijan be a successful ‘zero problems with neighbors’ policy? I do
not believe the borders will open
unless there is a development in Turkish-Azerbaijani relations."
Lamenting weakened relations, Gambar stated that there is huge
potential and that the two countries may cooperate in the economic,
political, cultural, educational and health spheres, all of which are
not at desired levels.

Leila Alieva, president of the Center for National and International
Studies, told Sunday’s Zaman: "The border issue has a political and
economic meaning. Politically, closed borders are the only support
extended to Azerbaijan in the conflict. It is a reminder to Armenia
that if it does not respect the borders of her neighbors, it will have
direct consequences, like the absence of economic relations with
powerful and rich neighbors." Commenting on the economic aspect of the
border closure, she said: "The economic level is partly maintained
because Armenia continued to receive large sums of aid from the US and
Europe as well as through trade with Russia and Iran. Due to these
political and security aspects, I do not think that the media
exaggerated the issue.’ According to Alieva, the probability of the
border opening in October is "quite high."

Sunday’s Zaman asked Araz Aslanlı, director of the Caucasus
International Relations and Strategic Research Center (QAFSAM), about
Turkish-Azerbaijani relations. Aslanlı said he does not believe
the borders will open unless the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is
solved. "It is not correct to blame only the media for the escalation
of the crisis, though there were low-level, provocative articles. I
believe the behavior of officials contributed to the problem. Turkey
and Azerbaijan enjoy special relations that no other countries
do. Therefore, it is unthinkable for relations to further worsen," he
said.

Zeynal Memmedli, a media expert and the former director of the Media
Council in Azerbaijan, told Sunday’s Zaman that Turkish-Azerbaijani
relations worsened because the two societies do not know each other
well. "I am amazed by the fact that there are cultural centers of
Germany, the US and France in Baku, but there is not a single Turkish
cultural foundation. Turkey has to work more to promote itself," said
Memmedli. "Some media groups in Azerbaijan are directed by certain
forces, and journalists are not reflecting public opinion. They do not
even understand that anything bad about Turkey is bad for Azerbaijan,
too. The media is not a professional and independent one, and thus
articles are sometimes provocative and mislead the public."

Turkish-Azerbaijani relations have experienced their worst crisis in
the post-Cold War period, leading to high anti-Turkish sentiments
among the Azerbaijani public due to Turkey’s initiative to normalize
relations with Armenia. Turkey’s attempts, reiterating at every
instance that it will not take any step that does not coincide with
Azerbaijan’s national interests, have fallen short of appeasing the
Azerbaijani public, as Turkey continues to pursue relations with
Armenia.

19 July 2009, Sunday
MAHÄ°R ZEYNALOV Ä°STANBUL

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
July 18 2009

Azerbaijan-Russia gas deal mainly attributable to Russia’s defense
policy against European Union: German expert

18 July 2009 [11:36] – Today.Az

Alexander Rahr, expert at the German Council on Foreign Relations,
spoke in an exclusive interview with Day.Az.

Day.Az: There is an opinion that the gas deal signed between
Azerbaijan and Russia could not prevent Azerbaijan from participating
in Nabucco, because Russia itself may become a party to the project
…

Alexander Rahr: I think that we live at a time where issues of energy
supply and energy security are dealt with lightning speed and
prematurely. I think that the deal between Azerbaijan and Russia is
mainly related to the defensive policy of Russia against the European
Union. Russia is somehow losing its influence in Central Asia and
therefore it aims to prevent the construction of Nabucco.

Russia creates certain facts for itself in the energy field and some
barriers to Europeans who are moving towards the Caspian Sea bypassing
Russia. I would describe it this way because for Russia this
transaction is very valuable and no one knows what will be the price a
few months later given the fact that what problems Turkmenistan
faced. The similar problems may appear with Azerbaijan over time. I
think that Russia now acts in a very adult way and consciously to
prevent the growing influence of Western energy companies, especially
Western policy on the Caspian coast.

Q: Dou you think Russia and the United States will decide to jointly
use the Gabala Radar?

A: I don’t have information in this respect. This idea is certainly
worth to think about more. Such decisions are not made quickly. The
very idea, of course, is good and which is not so much connected with
the radar, but with Russia’s attempt to prove to Americans that
control over Iran can be done together. I do not exclude also that a
similar radar could be deployed somewhere in southern Russia or
Central Asia.

Q: Is it worth to expect the Moscow meeting between Azerbaijani and
Armenia presidents to mark any progress and agreements on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

A: The negotiations have been held for a long time. Frankly, I do not
see yet any dramatic shifts in one direction or another.

Q: Do you see a military solution of the conflict?

A: From Armenia’s viewpoint, I do not see any targets for military
action and this is the same case with Azerbaijan. We need to wait and
see development of world politics and impact of NATO in the region. I
do not think that this problem will be solved by military means.

/Day.Az/

URL:

ARMENIAN CENTRE GETS $916,000 IN GRANTS FOR RENOS, UPGRADES

St. Catharines Standard
eDisplay.aspx?e=1659434
July 16 2009
Canada

The Armenian Community Centre in St. Catharines will receive more
than $458,000 each from the federal and provincial governments.

The government funding is through the Recreational Infrastructure
Canada program in Ontario and Recreation Ontario.

In a joint federal and provincial announcement made at the centre’s
Martindale Road site today, centre organizes said the money will go
to a new gym, play area and other upgrades.

The centre itself is paying the balance of the $1.375 million project
through sources such as fundraising and a mortgage.

If all goes well, the work could be complete by 2011.

DIGG, YOUTUBE DROPPING SUPPORT FOR AGING INTERNET EXPLORER 6 BROWSER

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.07.2009 15:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Hot on the trail of social link aggregator Digg,
YouTube may be dropping support for the aging Internet Explorer 6
browser. While there is no official date – there isn’t any official
comment at all actually – users who still have to work with IE 6 are
getting a message suggesting they should update to a modern browser.

"We will be phasing out support for your browser soon. Please upgrade
to one of these modern browsers," the notice IE 6 users are getting
says. For YouTube modern browsers means Google Chrome (coincidently
or not, the first option), Internet Explorer 8 and Firefox 3.5.

As a side note, YouTube was already pushing Google Chrome as an
alternative asking users to "try YouTube in a new web browser" so now
Internet Explorer 6 users will be getting two links to download Chrome
on the same page very close to each other actually, Softpedia reports.

According to gs.statcounter.com statistical website, 13,7% of users
operate with Internet Explorer 6 in Armenia.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN’S CONDOLENCES ON CRASH OF TEHERAN-YEREVAN FLIGHT

Wedne sday, 15 July 2009

Dear Compatriots,

With a feeling of profound grief, I learned of the crash of Teheran –
Yerevan air flight which took away many human lives.

While deeply mourning over this terrible loss, we must have the
fortitude to withstand it together.

I express my sympathy and deep condolences to the families and close
relatives of the victims. Please be assured that we share in your
grief and will do everything to alleviate your pain.

Vartanian faces preliminary hearing Sept. 1

The Fresno Bee
Wednesday, July 15, 2009

By Pablo Lopez

Lawyers for Fresno businessman Krikor "Kirk" Vartanian, who is facing
assault and domestic-violence charges, will have more than six weeks
to investigate the case before his preliminary hearing, a judge ruled
Wednesday.

Fresno County Superior Court Judge Arlan Harrell also ordered
prosecutors to turn over any evidence against Vartanian to his
attorneys, Daniel Bacon and David Balakian. Specifically, defense
lawyers want to view photographs of any injuries suffered by the
alleged victim — Vartanian’s wife, Natasha.

Harrell scheduled a Sept. 1 hearing to set a date for Vartanian’s
preliminary hearing. The preliminary hearing will be held to determine
whether there is enough evidence to try Vartanian on five felony
charges stemming from an alleged attack on his wife June 26.

After Wednesday’s hearing, Vartanian and his lawyers said they won’t
discuss the case until after their investigation is completed.

Vartanian, 40, was arrested while he was in the midst of revitalizing
the Granite Park development in central Fresno.

He spent nearly two weeks in jail before he posted $155,000 bail on
the felony charges. To be released and to resolve a warrant for his
arrest in Nevada, he also had to set up payment plan on $241,000 he
owes to two Nevada casinos.

Fresno police say Vartanian and a woman argued over a $135,000 watch
in a northeast Fresno home on June 26. He slapped her, threatened her
with a large kitchen knife, sat on her, and tried to suffocate her
with a pillow, police said.

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MADRID PRINCIPLES CONFIRM UNRESERVED DEFEAT OF ARMENIAN DIPLOMACY, IDHR STATES

NOYAN TAPAN
JULY 15, 2009
YEREVAN

The Institute for Democracy and Human Rights thinks that Madrid
principles on the Artsakh problem settlement confirm the unreserved
defeat of the Armenian diplomacy. Considering inadmissible the call of
the U.S., Russian and French Presidents in the July 10 joint statement
on quickly reaching a final agreement in connection with them, IDHR
considers more revolting the Armenian authorities’ defeatist and
unreasonable position on this occasion.

According to the IDHR, RA Foreign Minister E. Nalbandian’s July 11
statement confirms that the RA authorities are shamelessly ready to
yield Armenian state interests, the RA and NKR peoples’ rights for
safe life and development.

"We think in a similar circumstance that, to overcome the situation
with dignity, the RA authorities must state at least at the RA
President’s level that our state and people do not accept the
stated principles. It must be also unequivocally demanded that the
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh is recognized a full and equal member
of the negotiations. It is inadmissable to sit at the negotiations
table on the occasion of the Artsakh problem, without satisfying
these conditions. The Armenian party has all the preconditions for
the victory from both legal and historic-cultural and military
viewpoints. And the compromises and defeats in the political
negotiations are provided only by diplomates’ and elite’s political
flabbinees and weakness," is stated in the IDHR July 14 statement.

If the present authorities of Armenia can not realize and carry out
the interests and fundamental rights of the state and the people,
then, according to the IDHR, they must quickly leave their positions
or must be removed from them. Moreover, it must be carried out at the
level of the RA President or government, but not the Foreign Minister.

The IDHR expresses its assistance to all those forces who expressed
resoluteness for keeping all the territories confirmed by the
Constitution of the Republic of Artsakh, recognition of the state
status of Artsakh or uniting with Armenia and are ready in this
direction. The IDHR also calls the authorities of the Republic of
Artsakh to express a principal position and reject Madrid principles
and exert pressure on the RA authorities on that occasion.

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT ILHAM ALIYEV MEETS BRITISH PRIME MINISTER GORDON BROWN

APA
July 13 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku – APA. Within the framework of his visit to Great Britain,
President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev had a meeting with British Prime
Minister Gordon Brown.

APA reports quoting AzerTAG State Agency that the British Prime
Minister congratulated the Azerbaijani President for the economic
successes achieved in the country. He noted that the cooperation with
Azerbaijan was successfully developing in various spheres, including
energy field.

Touching upon Azerbaijan’s participation in an anti-terror coalition,
Gordon Brown stated that Great Britain highly assessed Azerbaijan’s
activity in this direction.

Mr. Brown also congratulated President Aliyev for successes achieved
in the field of democracy and positively estimated the expansion of
relations between Azerbaijan and the European Union. He emphasized
that Great Britain would support Azerbaijan in different fields in
the international arena henceforth: "We are committed to expending the
relations with Azerbaijan in political, economic and other spheres".

President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev noted that relations with Great
Britain in political, economic and other spheres were successfully
developing. Energy field is one of the most important directions
of the mutual relations. Cooperation between Azerbaijan and BP has
dynamically been developing for long years. There are good perspectives
for further development of other fields.

President Aliyev spoke about the successes achieved in economic field,
including energy and non-oil sector. According to him, Azerbaijan has
been integrating into the European family at an accelerated pace and
added that the cooperation between Azerbaijan and the European Union
stepped into a new stage from this point of view.

Touching upon the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh,
Ilham Aliyev stated that Armenia’s continuous aggression against
Azerbaijan created great obstacle to the regional development. The
head of state underlined that Azerbaijan actively participated in the
anti-terror coalition and made contributions to the maintenance of
regional and international security. The President also shared his
views on Azerbaijan’s role in the energy security of Europe.

The meeting also exchanged views on bilateral, regional and
international issues.

After the meeting, a MoU was signed between State Oil Company of
Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR) and BP Company of Great Britain. The
document was signed by SOCAR President Rovnag Abdullayev and Chief
Executive of BP Exploration & Production Andy Inglis.

JAMES STEINBERGE: "ARMENIAN-TURKISH RECONCILIATION PROCESS TO ADVANCE IRRESPECTIVE OF ANY OTHER PROCESS"

Noyan Tapan
July 13, 2009

YEREVAN, JULY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The United States of America has
always said that the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation process must
advance irrespecetive of any other process, independently. U.S. Deputy
Secretary of State James Steiberge mentioned it at the press conference
held at the end of the July 10 meeting with President of Armenia
Serge Sargsian in Yerevan. "We are sure that the parties will move in
that direction as well, as it is driven by both parties’ interets to
advance in that direction, we will encourage that the process advances
independently, of course, we will welcome the parallel progress in
the Nagorno Karabakh settlement," he said.

In the high-ranking official’s words, the U.S. appreciates efforts
of Armenia to advance in the process having a historic meaning and
welcomes the steps which were taken to open a new chapter in the
history of the region.

Steiberge mentioned that there is a considerable progress in the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement within the framework of the OSCE
Minsk Group: "We impatiently wait for further steps in that direction,
particularly for the coming meeting of the Presidents of Armenia and
Aerbaijan in Moscow."

The American delegation, before coming to Yerevan, met with
President Aliyev in Baku: "Both parties have great desire to find
a joint solution based on Madrid principles, statement of the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairpersons and three Chairmen of the co-chairing
countries to fix a progress at Moscow meeting. We feel that there
is resoluteness to continue the progress, there is a constructive
approach," J. Steinberge said.

The American diplomate also welcame the Armenian authorities’
statement on the irreversible character of the process of deepening
the democratic reforms in Armenia. The U.S. also welcomes the Armenian
authorities’ decision to announce amnesty and encourages to countinue
that process. The U.S. is ready to assist the process of deepening
the democratic reforms, economic development of Armenia, realizing
that challenges of the time make the state of developing countries
like Armenia especially difficult.

Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian in his turn mentioned
that the United States, as one of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing
countries, has serious contribution in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement. "We welcome the constructive efforts of the U.S. and
other co-chairing countries in the process of outcome of this pivotal
problem," he said. He mentioned that it was mentioned at the meeting
with the RA President that Armenia will continue making efforts
in the direction of peaceful settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict, based on self-determination of nations, the territorial
integrity and principles of non-use of force or non-use of threat of
force. It was mentioned relating to the Armenian-Turkish relations
that Armenia is ready to regulate relations and open the borders
without any preconditions: "We wait for practical steps by Turkey,"
E. Nalbandian said.

It was fixed at the meeting that the Armenian-American relations passed
an important way of development but there is a serious potential and
bilateral readiness for widening them, and "we shall take practical
steps in that direction," the Minister said. Different spheres of
the agenda on the Armenian-American relations, this is the political
dialogue, economic cooperation, programs of the United States of
America on assisting development of Armenia and their widening,
were touched upon during the meeting.

The Armenian Foreign Minister appreciated the OSCE Minsk Group U.S.,
French and Russian Chairpersons’ statement addressed to the co-chairing
countries, it is an additional assistance to the parties to make the
positions closer.

In his words, it is important that "what has been spoken about by
Armenia for a long time is unequivocally said here: the Karabakh status
must be defined by expression of the Karabakh people’s will which
must have a legal obliging power. It is important that uninterrupted
land communication between Armenia and Karabakh is spoken about,
it is important that security guarantees are spoken about. Those are
the important elements about which Armenia many times stated as the
most important basis for the Nagorno Karabakh problem settlement,"
Edward Nalbandian said.