Author: Kanayan Tamar

EUFOA: MANY MEPS FIND AZERBAIJAN’S BEHAVIOR INAPPROPRIATE

PanARMENIAN.Net
April 19, 2012

PanARMENIAN.Net – On April 18, 2012, the European Parliament (EP)
adopted two resolutions in the context of the negotiations for the
new Association Agreements with Armenia and with Azerbaijan.

European Friends of Armenia (EuFoA) hails that the EP prevailed its
core values for the Eastern Partnership, especially on a continued
democratisation and a balanced approach to the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict. The report is particularly supportive for Armenia but also
reminds of the remaining homework, EuFoA stresses.

“The reports are very supportive and they also contain some new
positive aspects for Armenia. The EP clearly acknowledges that Armenia
has become more European and calls for more EU assistance for this
process.” comments EuFoA Secretary General Dr Michael Kambeck.

On Nagorno Karabakh, the EP strongly supports ALL points of the Minsk
Group’s Madrid Principles as a package, including for the first time
explicitly “international security guarantees that would include
a genuine multinational peacekeeping operation in order to create
suitable conditions for the future legally-binding free expression
of will concerning the final status of Nagorno Karabakh”.

Referring to Nagorno Karabakh, MEP Dr Andrey Kovatchev, member of the
Europe-Armenia Advisory Council, said in the Plenary that “it can only
be resolved by peaceful means within the framework of international
law and in accordance with the principles agreed in the Minsk Group.

The stronger role of the EU in the region requires us to be cautious
and correct in our assessments so that we should not be like a ball in
a china shop, and instead of helping to achieve a mutually acceptable
solution to the conflict [we might] actually make it more difficult.”

On the same issue, Kambeck remarks that “the EP again fully supports
the OSCE Minsk Group efforts and defended this balanced position
against an unprecedented lobbying campaign from Azerbaijan. I am
glad that, once the MEPs looked into the issues more closely, they
recognised the traps. Many MEPs felt that this was very inappropriate.”

DANIL KHACHATUROV RUSSIA’S RICHEST ARMENIAN

TERT.AM
19.04.12

Forbes’ recent ranking has revealed that the owner and chief executive
of Rosgosstrakh insurance company, Danil Khachaturov, is the richest
Armenian businessman in Russia.

With an estimated fortune of $2 billion ($500 million more than last
year), he places 45th in the magazine’s ranking.

The list of the richest Russia based businessman includes four
other Armenians, with Samvel Karapetyan, the owner of Tashir group
of companies, being one of them. With a fortune of $1.6 billion,
he ranks the 63rd in the index.

VLADIMIR KAZIMIROV, ”MUTUAL CONCESSION PREVENTS ANY REVANCHIST MOODS”
Ruzan Ishkhanian

Wednesday, 18 April 2012 05:41

Recently, our Republic has been visited by famous Russian diplomat,
Ambassador Vladimir Kazimirov who, during the period of 1992-1996,
participated in the negotiations on the peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict, first, as head of the Russian mediation mission,
the Russian President’s Special Representative and later – as the
first Russian Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Currently, he is the Chairman of the RF Foreign Ministry’s Council
of Veterans.

——————————————————————————–

The diplomat met with NKR President Bako Sahakian and Parliament
Speaker Ashot Ghulian.

Following is our interview with him.

– Mr. Kazimirov, first thank you for the opportunity to make this
interview. I’d like you to be frank while answering our questions,
though it isn’t so easy for a diplomat. As our conversation is
taking place on the eve of the 18th anniversary of the cease-fire
establishment in the Azerbaijani-Karabakh war, so I’d ask you, first,
to note the main preconditions for signing the cease-fire agreement.

Were they really the UN resolutions?

– Surely, not. I represented Russia and, naturally, had to introduce
Russia’s position. In the establishment of the cease-fire, the
psychological factor was important, which should be considered in
the context of the early post-Soviet realities. Surely, there was
also a political factor – did the Karabakh-Azeri conflict really
help Russiato strengthen its position in the South Caucasus? On the
contrary, in the conditions of Russia’s weakening, the Western powers,
the most powerful of them being theUSA, tried to get involved in the
region. For their part, other Western powers tried to dictate to this
region and their prompter were, surely, the United States.Therefore,
the suspension of military operations was based on our interests,
it was necessary to somehow stop the mass bloodshed.

– We know your opinion on the establishment of the ceasefire,
according to which, the warring parties were equally interested in
it, because they were tired and were unable to continue the war. But,
this opinion is not accepted here, because the Karabakh party agreed
to cease the military operations, just meeting the mediators’ desire.

– I didn’t take seriously the hypothesis of occupying Baku, which
was noted during a meeting here.

– But the fact is, Mr. Kazimirov, that our army was moving forward
successfully.

– I agree, it cannot be said that the parties were equally interested
in the issue of the cease-fire. But, it cannot be either said that
one of the warring parties wanted to stop the war and the other
party, on the contrary, wanted to continue it. The situation was
changing. There came Suret Huseynov’s offensive operations phase,
which was not in favor of Armenians; that’s why President of Armenia
Levon Ter-Petrosian did not accept the proposal to stop the military
activities for 30 days, which had been offered to the parties earlier.

The then President of Azerbaijan A. Elchibey accepted the proposal,
but Chairman of the NKR State Defense Committee Robert Kocharian and
RA President Levon Ter-Petrosian simply didn’t answer. At the last
stage of the war, the situation was quite different – Armenians went
deep enough in the south. If the offensive operations of Armenians in
this direction would have finished successfully, then they could have
reached from the Arax to the Kura River and crossed the north-western
part ofAzerbaijan. And while Azeris initially delayed the termination
of the hostilities, ignoring all the resolutions of the UN Security
Council, as well as all the peace proposals, their behavior was
different at the last stage. To justify this, I’d like to recall an
episode. I sent the texts of the Bishkek Protocol first to Yerevan
and Stepanakert; RA Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan introduced two
changes, proposing to remove two sentences in different parts in the
text. Today, I cannot clearly say what kind of changes were made,
but in normal conditions it would have meant long debates – Azerbaijan
would have firmly opposed them, making its own proposals. But in this
case, they accepted these two changes without any discussion, which
is a rare phenomenon in the relations between the conflicting parties
and mediators. So, on May 9, the document was signed by Azerbaijani
Defense Minister Mamedov, on May 10 – by RA Defense Minister Serge
Sargsyan, and on May 11 – by Samvel Babayan in Karabakh. I want to
emphasize that the Azerbaijanis took the changes quite easily.

– Our leaders of that time testify that Azerbaijani President Heydar
Aliyev called Stepanakert to say that Baku was interested in the
cease-fire. We did not ask Baku to stop the hostilities.

– I cannot comment on which I don’t know well. I cannot do this,
because I have no exact information.

– And what can you say about the current stage of the negotiation
process?

– I would not like to talk about it, because I’ve been retired for
12 years and I must say that I am not informed of all the current
processes. I should also mention that during the recent visits of RF
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to Armenia and Baku, many issues related
to that period were discussed, in particular, those of cessation of the
hostilities and creation of the Minsk Group. Lavrov’s position is that
the main content of the UN Security Council resolution, that is the
cease-fire, is carried out. As for the territories, Lavrov said, and I
am also of this opinion, that they should be a subject to negotiations.

– They are historical Armenian lands and are fixed in the NKR Basic
Law. Sorry, Mr. Kazimirov, but I must say that after World War II
the South Kuril Islands, which had been historically owned by Japan,
passed to the Soviet Union, as the USSR had acquired them as a result
of the war. Does Russia intend to return them to the owner?

– Yes, it is a consequence of World War II.

– In our case, it refers to the historical Armenian lands liberated
as a result of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh war.

– I can’t accept such a position. I think that the fate of
Nagorno-Karabakh should be determined on the basis of people’s free
will. As for the territories around Karabakh, I think they should
be returned toAzerbaijan for the establishment of normal relations
between the parties. Russia, in the literal sense of the word, has
no interest in suppressing Armenians or Azerbaijanis. We want to have
friendly relations both with Armenians and Azerbaijanis.

– Why should Armenians be in the role of lands’ loser? You are well
aware of the fate of Western Armenia, the historical land, which
Turkey gained not as a result of a war. It was given to it just as
a gift by Russian Bolsheviks. You know this story well.

– We need to create modern values â~@~Kâ~@~Kand not to bring
laws and values from the distant past, as today’s life is much
more difficult. The humanity should be able to manage these
valuesâ~@~Kâ~@~K. I understand it in this way and the common sense
makes me judge so.

– But, the world history testifies that conflicts settlement is based
on the realities created as a result of a war.

– The conflict may generate new conflicts. I think Armenians don’t
want a new conflict. I would say that mutual concession prevails
over a victory, because it excludes any extremes and prevents any
revanchist moods.

– If we lived in the neighborhood with any European state, it would
be easier to come to an agreement. You are aware of all the massacres
committed by Azeris in the Armenian towns of Azerbaijan.

– Well, do you want another war?

– I want my people to live a peaceful and safe life, so that the
crimes committed against it are never repeated

– And I repeat that mutual concession is more reliable. I do not mean
unilateral concessions.

– I would like to draw your attention to another issue. It is known
that Azerbaijan managed to become a non-permanent member of the UN
Security Council thanks to the active support of Russia. Russia was
the first to vote ”for”; it was followed by the Latin-American, as
well as the Islamic Conference states, which are in close cooperation
with the Russian Federation. How would you comment on this?

– Yes, Russia voted ”for”. Russia behaves as it needs. And Russia
needs good relations with both Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is impossible
to impose a political course on Moscow; it is always guided by its own
interests. By the way, I express my own opinion on all the issues;
also, I should note that Russia could not vote against any former
Soviet Republic, which wants to become a non-permanent member of the
UN Security Council. But, I would refrain from any comments on Georgia.

– Finally, I’d ask you to note your visit’s goal.

– I frequently give lectures at the RA MFA Diplomatic School. The
listeners are interested in my vision of the Karabakh settlement. And
besides, they may invite me for the fact that I am sufficiently aware
of the conflict’s history, nuances, and so on. I should say that
there are so many distortions, falsifications, and wrong comments on
this conflict. Each time, on the eve of the cease-fire anniversary, I
make statements in newspapers and explain that no cease-fire agreement
was signed in Bishkek; the parliament leaders of all the conflicting
parties met there to support the cease-fire initiative. An appeal
for cease-fire was directed to the warring parties.

POLITICAL CONSULTATIONS HELD BETWEEN FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRIES OF ARMENIA AND GEORGIA

ARMENPRESS
APRIL 20, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, APRIL 20, ARMENPRESS: On April 20, political consultations
were held between Foreign Affairs Ministries of Armenia and Georgia.

>From the Armenian party the consultations were conducted by Deputy
Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, and from the Georgian party by
First Deputy Minister Nikoloz Vashakidze, Foreign Affairs Ministry’s
press service told Armenpress. During the consultations the parties
discussed issues of the Armenian-Georgian bilateral agenda.

The Armenian and Georgian diplomats referred to the opportunities and
prospects of cooperation between the two countries within international
institutions, as well as discussed a number of regional issues.

The parties expressed gratification on productivity of the periodical
contacts established between the foreign departments of the two
countries at different levels and stressed the importance of
maintenance and development of the current positive dynamics of
bilateral relations.

HRAYR BAZE “PEOPLE OF ARTSAKH HAVE BECOME REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ARMENIAN DIASPORA”
By Knar Babayan

Tuesday, 17 April 2012 14:54

Hrayr Baze Khacheryan, an Armenian photographer who lives in Canada,
first arrived in Karabakh in 1992. And since then he has visited
Artsakh on different programmes once a year. Recently during one
of his regular visits we held an interview with him on the changes
performed in Artsakh and on different issues.

– What changes have you observed during your annual visits to Artsakh
within these twenty years of Independence? How do you estimate the
development process from the past to the present state of Artsakh?

– I witnessed the whole process of improvements such as laying the
cracked roads with asphalt and the promotion of living conditions. I
feel life developing with positive steps towards future.

Unfortunately, today some part of Artsakh people are leaving abroad
in search of a job. Citizens of Artsakh become representatives of the
Armenian Diaspora and work to earn the living of their families. The
world advances towards globalization and many people leave their
countries because of the severe economic conditions. But it still is
not a reasonable cause for people to abandon their homes. The value of
“homeland” recedes into background. While living in a foreign country
they try to preserve the values of their native land. However, it is
impossible to get England, Russia or the USA to become Armenia.

One may continue eating his national dishes but in the course of
time the language changes and the further generation gradually gets
assimilated. Today Artsakh needs its people, especially the young and
advanced specialists, to stay and work for the sake of their welfare.

– What perspective do you predict in this sphere?

– I think it will be great for the young people of Artsakh to get
their higher education abroad but at least a few of them must return to
have their contribution in the promotion of Artsakh. Such cases have
already occurred, so the situation has been improving. The problem
is the slow rate of moving ahead, whereas a faster progress in the
situation could be possible. We have no time to waste.

– What importance do you attach to the assistance of the Diaspora to
Armenia and Karabakh?

– The financial support by the Diaspora is very important. On the
other hand the real wealth of our country is its intelligent and
talented young people who must certainly be involved in different
development programmes. Of course, we are not rich in oil like our
neighbor country but Artsakh can become a silicone valley, a medical
or an information technology centre. All of this can be implemented
both with the state assistance and on personal resources. There is
another important circumstance implying that no differentiation of
Armenians from the Diaspora, Armenia or from Artsakh should exist. We
are all representatives of the same nation and we must do our best
to ameliorate the situation in our country.

-And what contribution can the people of Artsakh have in the lives
of the Armenians of Diaspora?

– Artsakh people first of all can convey to the Armenians all over
the world their cultural values, introduce their traditions to them ,
show the nature and treat their national dishes. This will secure
the contact between Artsakh and Diaspora. And visitors to Artsakh
will see the routine of the local inhabitants, the way they live and
create for their homeland.

– What about your further plans on part of Artsakh?

It is two years I have conducted Master Classes for amateurs. On-line
classes follow the work with the group in person. The participants
upload their photos in Facebook, then we discuss them together,
I give them some advice and answer their questions. I am pleased
to convey my knowledge and experience to the younger generation,
as besides teaching them new techniques I keep “fresh” mind of a
teacher. While working we usually don’t think and consequently our work
proceeds in an automatic mode. I cherish the idea of opening a school
of photography in Shoushi and gathering a group of participants. I
have already marked the place, but for its reconstruction and for
importing new equipment a great amount of money is necessary. Now
I cannot afford that , thus I will continue my private classes in
Artsakh and Armenia until I find the sum needed for the school.

INTEGRATION INTO EURASIAN UNION NOT BEST CHOICE FOR ARMENIA: POLITICAL EXPERT

arminfo
Friday, April 20, 14:58

I do not think that integration into the future Eurasian Union is the
best choice for Armenia, for it would, inherently, mean a return to a
slightly modernized version of the Soviet Union, Richard Giragosian,
Director of the Center for Regional Studies, said in response to
ArmInfo’s question in a press conference, Friday.

He said that the prime minister and the president elected of Russia
Vladimir Putin raised the idea of the Eurasian Union in order to
reanimate the USSR to some extent. Giragosian recalled that it was
Putin that has repeatedly expressed regret for collapse of the Soviet
Union. “I do not think that it will be good for Armenia in that union
if it is created. I am happy with the fact that the Government of
Armenia demonstrated an exact stance on rapprochement with the EU
and has repeatedly declared that lately,” he said.

One should not forget of the current close cooperation of Moscow and
Yerevan, of course, Giragosian said. But it is time to realize that
Russia needs Armenia more than Armenia needs Russia. This interaction,
he said, must be equal and Moscow must be more respectful to its only
strategic ally in the South Caucasus.

ARMENIAN BUSINESS DELEGATION WILL HEAD TO GEORGIA

news.am
April 20, 2012 | 14:44

YEREVAN. – Armenia’s PM Tigran Sargsyan chaired regular session of
the Prime Ministerial Industrial Council.

Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan presented the activities carried
out along the lines of Armenia’s export-oriented industrial policy
strategy, the Government informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Armenia’s total volume of industry is expected to pass the
AMD-1-trillion (approx. US$ 2,550,163,488) threshold in 2012. Davtyan
noted that the Government continues to provide assistance to the
country’s production companies, and this policy will continue.

In terms of cooperation with international organizations, within the
framework of the export-oriented industrial policy strategy, Armenia
plans to attend a variety of international forums and exhibitions.

Specifically, a business delegation will head to Georgia on Friday,
where Armenia’s goods that are subject to export will be introduced.

NINE ANTI-ARMENIAN PROTESTERS DETAINED IN TURKEY

Hurriyet
April 18 2012
Turkey

>From online dispatches

Istanbul police detained nine people today over alleged links to an
anti-Armenian rally which took place in February, broadcaster NTV
reported on its website.

A rally planned to commemorate the victims of the Khojaly massacre
of 1992 degenerated into a racist, anti-Armenian demonstration on Feb.

26, prompting the authorities to launch a probe into the incident.

Police have detained nine people, two of whom are women, after being
identified as having carried racist banners that read “You are all
Armenians, you are all b…..s,” during the rally.

The suspects told the police that they were handed the banners by
people they did not know before the rally.

The police released the suspects after questioning them.

ARMENIA PUTS THE KIBOSH ON AZERBAIJANI FILM FESTIVAL
by Giorgi Lomsadze

EurasiaNet.org
April 17 2012
NY

Its films did not feature the graphic violence of Pazolini’s “Salo”
or the merciless satire of Sasha Baron Cohen’s “Borat.” The single
criticism of Armenia’s “Stop” film festival was that its films were
made in the enemy state, Azerbaijan. And, now, faced with a campaign
of threats and abuse, the organizers have called the festival off.

After being drubbed out of the northern city of Gyumri, the organizers
tried to show their collection of short, human-interest films in the
nearby city of Vanadzor, but called it a day after the intimidation
and threats of violence continued.

Political forces across party lines, several NGOs and media companies
issued a letter that warned organizers that there would be consequences
in Vanadzor, too, and that the festival organizers would bear the
responsibility.

A previous attempt to screen Azerbaijani films in Armenia also fell
through in 2010. The organizers said they will keep trying to promote
free thinking and help audiences on both sides of the 24-year-long
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan see through
the veil of propaganda.

TURKISH HEAD OF RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE COMMENTS ON HALKI THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL
By Areti Kotseli

Greek Reporter

April 17 2012

“I believe it doesn’t befit the grandiosity of the civilization
we built on this territory for Orthodox citizens to have to send
their children to Greece or for Armenian citizens to have to go to
Armenia to be educated as clergymen,” says Mehmet Gormez, head of
the Religious Affairs Directorate in his interview with the Turkish
newspaper Today’s Zaman.

Noting that he wouldn’t think it proper to base matters pertaining
to religion, religious education or human rights on the issue
of reciprocity, the spiritual leader added, “the issue of Halki
Theological School should be settled by also taking into consideration
the opinions of the minority representatives.”

Mehmet Gormez sharply criticized the extremist statements that Grand
Mufti Sheikh Abdulaziz Al al-Shaikh of Saudi Arabia recently made.

“Non-Muslim communities living in Muslim areas are entrusted to
Muslims, and no Muslim has the right nor the authority to betray
those entrusted to them,” declared the head of Religious Affairs
Directorate in his interview.

In the interview he gave to Today’s Zaman on April 14, Gormez stressed
that efforts should be made to eradicate firmly held hatred resulting
from Islamophobia and racism and condemned Great Mufti’s “fatwa –
a religious order – in March, saying that further church building
should be banned and existing Christian houses of worship should
be destroyed.”

“Saudi Arabia’s Grand Mufti reportedly called for the destruction of
all churches in the Gulf during a meeting with a delegation from the
Kuwait-based Society of the Revival of Islamic Heritage, in response
to a query about Shariah law concerning the construction of churches
in Muslim countries,” reports the article in the Turkish newspaper.

“Such a statement has nothing to do with Islam’s fundamental sources,
with the agreements the Prophet Muhammad signed with non-Muslim
groups,” explained Mehmet Gormez, adding that “such a statement is
unacceptable, completely lacking any validity in Islam, and could be
described as contrary to the fundamental principles of the Prophet.”

He also reminded everyone of Prophet Muhammad’s original words:
“Those who persecute non-Muslims living under the authority of Muslims
persecute me. And who persecutes me, persecutes Allah.”

According to Gormez, when a church, synagogue or any other place of
worship is subject to an act of wrongdoing, Muslims should feel as
uncomfortable as they do when confronted with racist remarks written
on the walls of mosques.

“This is just the responsibility our belief entrusts to us,”
he commented.

The head of the Religious Affairs Directorate complained that “extreme
interpretations of Islam have made themselves felt in the West, causing
Islam to be misunderstood,” in a call for “well-being of minorities.”