Author: Kanayan Tamar

EUROPEAN COURT TO REVIEW CASE OF 4 ARMENIA DIPLOMATS DISMISSED AFTER MAR. 1, 2008

epress.am
12.16.2011

An application submitted by four diplomats dismissed from their posts
after the events following the 2008 presidential elections in Armenia
will be reviewed by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Recall, Armenia’s foreign minister at the time, Vartan Oskanian, sacked
head of the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) press department
Vladimir Karapetyan, head of the MFA’s NATO division Marta Ayvazyan,
European department advisor Arakel Semirjyan and head of the US and
Canada division Karine Afrikyan.

On this occasion, Epress.am spoke with one of the applicants, writer,
publicist Arakel Semirjyan, who also happens to be the nephew of
opposition Armenian National Congress leader and defeated candidate
in the 2008 presidential election Levon Ter-Petrossian.

“It was time for the European Court to examine our application. There
hasn’t been a precedent in which this many diplomats appeal for the
reason that they were dismissed from their jobs. It’s a case with
no precedent and that’s why it’s in the European Court’s center of
attention,” he said.

Semirjyan said the absurdity in their sacking lies in the fact that
they didn’t make a political statement. After the 2008 presidential
election, the diplomats disseminated a statement in which they urged
the parties to be rational, and called upon the Armenian authorities
to take steps to carry out all the proposals and observations on
electoral fraud raised by international organizations, which the
constitution obliges them to do so.

“Our request, to fulfill their constitutional obligation, was viewed
as a crime,” he said, adding that though they didn’t make a political
statement and were punished, there were people who made political
statements at the time and weren’t punished.

In particular, Semirjyan noted that diplomat Gegham Gharibjanyan
expressed his support for Serzh Sargsyan and for the Republican Party
of Armenia; however, he wasn’t dismissed from his post.

“Ruben Hakobyan [currently, vice chair of the opposition Heritage
Party], who at the time was [Armenia’s] consul in St. Petersburg
and was still a Dashnak [Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF-D)
member], he too expressed his support for the current authorities –
at the time the coalition, of which ARF-D was a part. Those statements
were made in Feb. 2008,” he stressed.

Famous French chansonnier of Armenian descent Charles Aznavour, who is
currently Armenia’s ambassador to Switzerland, Semirjyan added, also
criticized the authorities; however, he hasn’t been held responsible.

AZERBAIJAN TO ACQUIRE 60 UAVS BY END OF 2012

PanARMENIAN.Net
December 17, 2011 – 11:44 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Upon the order of the Azerbaijani Ministry of
Defense Industry 60 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) “Aerostar” and
“Orbiter-2M” will join the country’s armed forces by the end of 2012.

Azerbaijani Minister of Defense Industry Yavar Jamalov said the works
are underway, APA reports.

“Aerostar” and “Orbiter-2M” drones are produced by Azad SYSTEMS.

ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI CONFLICT SETTLEMENT A PUBLIC, OPEN AND NON-VIOLENT PROCESS

news.az
Dec 16 2011
Azerbaijan

News.Az interviews Georgi Vanyan, chairman of the Armenia-based
Caucasus Centre for Peacekeeping Initiatives.

Georgi, you are implementing an interesting peacekeeping project
in Telaki village where all initiatives and events of Azerbaijan,
Armenia and Georgia are being held. What can you say about the project
of creation of the peacekeeping center in the Azerbaijani village of
Tekali in Georgian territory bordering on the three countries of the
South Caucasus?

During the recent visit in Germany, I have presented this project to
the community in Berlin and I do hope that the conference participants
from both Azerbaijan and Germany will pass their projects in Tekali in
the nearest future. All the same, we are searching means to establish a
permanent summer camping at the junction of the borders of the three
South Caucasus states.

If I am not mistaken, you attended the meeting of the Azerbaijani and
Armenian communities of Nagorno Karabakh in Berlin. How did you receive
the invitation and which side did you represent in that meeting?

Yes, I have taken part in that meeting. The co-organizer of the meeting
was German nongovernmental organization Eurocaucasia with which we have
been cooperating for already a few years. I was representing the Tekali
project. Usually during the discussions and interviews I often have
to speak of terms and formulations. Your questions has given me one
more ground. In our sad reality-the public dialogue fully copies the
state diplomatic activity. Only personal airplanes for participants,
carpets on the asphalt and military orchestras are left.

If the matter is about the meeting of people, not empowered by the
law to hold negotiations, how can they ‘represent any party’? Can
anyone represent any party at the meeting attended by analysts, public
figures, students, journalists, even if there were two deputies of
the Azerbaijani parliament among them?

To my mind, civil dialogue is not a dialogue of the parties, it is a
dialogue of the people who are interested in the parties to put all
possible efforts to resolve the conflict. This dialogue is held on
par and inside the community for promotion of ideas about the need to
solve the conflict. There are no parties in civil peacekeeping. There
are peacekeepers and those who stand on their way. There is even no
confrontation out there. This is a single process of overcoming.

The Minsk Group co-chairs and international mediators have again
intensified and spoke about the new cycle of promotion of the peaceful
negotiation process on the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. It is
noted that Azerbaijan and Armenia have allegedly coordinated almost
all the major disputable issues on the future definition of the
status of Nagorno Karabakh and it is now left to withdraw Armenian
armed forces from Azerbaijani lands?

I find it difficult to speak about the processes which I suppose are
imitational. Is it the intensification of imitations? Probably, it is.

Is it the withdrawal of troops? Everything is possible but this is
not linked to the conflict settlement. The conflict settlement is a
public, open and non-violent process. This is a process of agreement.

Is the style and ideology of the Minsk Group’s activity close to this?

What will bring the soonest resolution of the Karabakh conflict to
Armenia and Armenian people, to your mind?

Possible establishment of independent statehood.

Then why did the representatives of the Armenian community of Nagorno
Karabakh refuse to arrive to the meeting in Berlin over which the
Armenian mass media wrote about the failure of the meeting. Is it
true and did not meeting really have practical use for establishing
a dialogue on the resolution of the Karabakh conflict?

It is a failure for the people who did not attend the meeting and did
not use the opportunity to communicate and exchange views. For them
who came, the meeting took place and was of practical use. This was a
rare opportunity to communicate with a big audience of German experts,
dealing with our problem, this was a rare chance of communicating
students who bind their research activity to our region.

I am sure that no person who undertook the mission of public activity
can yield to political speculations. There is always an option for
discussion and for this it is just necessary to overcome the fear.

Who of the representatives of the Azerbaijani communities of Karabakh
did you meet? Could you outline any plans or joint projects with the
Azerbaijani side at the meeting in Berlin?

All participants from Azerbaijan were represented in the program of
the conference and we held interesting dialogues. The film “Open
the border!” at the university audience was shown next day. It is
interesting that during my speech I said that my film is about our
hopelessness and apathy. After the demonstration, the participants
disagreed with my assessment. The Berlin audience, who are quite
well aware of the political realities of the conflict, saw hope
and optimism in this film which consists of monologues about the
possibility of peace.

This opinion of the concerned spectator was a big discovery to me,
a unique opportunity which I received thanks to Eurocaucasia, the
projects that differ with their openness, opportunity to community
with a possibly wider circle of people, who work and live in Germany.

OUR CONDITIONS ON ARMENIA KNOWN TO EVERYONE – TURKISH ENVOY

news.az
Dec 16 2011
Azerbaijan

Karabakh conflict is our common problem.

The statement came from Turkish Ambassador in Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic
at a press conference, Gun.Az reports.

Kilic noted that Turkey is ready to normalize relations with Armenia.

“Our current conditions are known to everyone. The occupied territories
of Azerbaijan should be liberated. After that, we can view Zurich
protocols”.

The envoy stressed that releasing occupied territories might be useful
to Armenia and this country then can also benefit from opportunities
of this region.

According to Kilic, Turkey has faced pressures over this issue in
2011 but Turkey doesn’t intend to give up.

AMBASSADOR: TURKEY TO ALWAYS SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN’S POSITION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Trend
Dec 16 2011
Azerbaijan

Turkey will always support Azerbaijan’s position in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement because we support justice,
Turkish Ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic said at a press
conference in Baku today.

He said that Turkey is ready to open borders with Armenia, but it is
necessary to fulfill conditions.

“If these conditions are not fulfilled, the relations are out of the
question,” Kilic said.

Ankara said that it will not open the borders with Armenia until the
latter liberates Azerbaijani occupied territories.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

AZERBAIJANI COMMUNITY OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH SAYS MEDIATION NEEDED FOR DIALOGUE WITH ARMENIANS

Trend
Dec 16 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh calls on the international
organizations to mediate a meeting with Armenian community, Azerbaijani
community’s member, MP Rovshan Rzayev told Trend today.

“We use all opportunities in this direction,” Rzayev said. “We need
bigger support so that these people would attend a meeting.”

He noted that the communities should make a contribution to settle
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict using potential of past relations,
the older generation and positive people.

Both communities of Nagorno-Karabakh are scheduled to meet in late
January – early in February in Moscow, Rzayev stated. The communities
were to meet in late November, but later postponed due to elections
in Russia.

At the same time a meeting of representatives of both communities was
planned to be held in Berlin on Nov. 28, but Armenian representatives
refused from participation in the dialogue.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

HISTORY BOOKS TO EXCLUDE DISCRIMINATION

Hurriyet
Dec 16 2011
Turkey

Some Turkish history books ‘inculcate enmity in children,’ Erol Dora
says. DHA photo

Education Minister Omer Dincer has promised to alter clauses in
Turkish history books that are antagonistic toward Armenians and
Syriac Christians, according to Erol Dora, a deputy of Syriac origin
from the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP).

Dora met Dincer on Dec. 12 to request the alteration of the clauses
in question. Dincer showed close interest in the subject, Dora
said, adding that he had told the minister that the clauses against
Armenians and Syriacs in school history books ran counter to the
European declarations on children’s and human rights, as well as
United Nations resolutions.

“It is not only Syriacs and Armenians but also Turkish families,
Kurds and the whole country that need to react to these books, which
inculcate enmity in our children. This is exceedingly important for
a peaceable future,” Dora recently told the Hurriyet Daily News.

Dora also outlined the consequences of failing to remove the language
from the books. “Unless the ministry takes decisive steps soon,
legal action will be pursued against Turkey. The Syriac diaspora has
developed into a lobby, and there is severe backlash against Turkey,”
Dora said.

Clauses involving hostility toward Armenians and Syriacs appeared
relatively recently, said Dora, adding that he had not encountered
history books that denigrated Syriacs and Armenians until his
graduation from school in Turkey in 1973.

“Clauses denigrating Syriacs and Armenians entered books 12 years ago.

Turkey also changed its history books to propagate its own official
theses of history because of lessons in history books that are taught
in Armenian diaspora schools,” a minority school administrator told
the Daily News on condition of anonymity.

The Turkish school books state that the tragic events of 1915 were
committed by the Armenians and that the Armenians and Syriacs initiated
revolts and stabbed the Turkish military in the back, he said.

“In the past, as minority schools, we had to accept everything imposed
upon us, but now we can intervene. Teachers skip those pages in history
books, and we can speak to any teacher who does not comply with the
rules. Despite the absence of an official directive, the Education
Ministry now recognizes this right,” he said.

TURKISH ECONOMY MINISTER SAYS BILL WILL SERIOUSLY HARM FRANCE

Anadolu Agency
Dec 16 2011
Turkey

Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan has said that a draft law
criminalizing rejection of Armenian allegations pertaining to the
incidents of 1915 would seriously harm France.

Caglayan, who is currently in Geneva, told AA correspondent on Friday
that the bill was brought up in France ahead of presidential election
set to be held in 2012.

It was a tactic by French President Nicolas Sarkozy to impress French
public opinion, he said.

Caglayan said Turkish people in Turkey and who were living abroad would
assume a negative attitude against French products because of the bill,
stating that therefore France would be affected negatively by it.

A French parliamentary commission adopted a resolution on Armenian
allegations regarding the incidents of 1915 last week. The resolution
will be voted at the general assembly on December 19.

The resolution envisages “one-year prison term and 45,000 Euro fine
for those who deny genocide recognized by French laws.”

The French Parliament ratified a resolution saying that “France
recognizes the Armenian genocide of 1915” on January 29, 2011.

ARMENIAN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS GROWS WITH HELP FROM THE EU-FUNDED BUSINESS ADVISORY SERVICES

TendersInfo.com
December 15, 2011 Thursday

A 5 million contribution from the European Union is helping the EBRD
s Business Advisory Services (BAS) to deliver business advice and
consultancy services to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises
(MSMEs) in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Such businesses are the main drivers of economic growth and job
creation. The EBRD s BAS, launched in 1995, assists individual
enterprises to engage with local consultants on specific projects with
a rapid payback. Additionally, BAS carries out market development
activities to develop the capacity of MSMEs and local business
advisory providers.

In Armenia, the BAS Programme brings best business standards and
improves MSME management skills such as planning, production, quality
control and marketing, thereby making them more competitive and able
to attract external financing.

One of the beneficiaries is SUNFOOD LLC, an importer and wholesaler
of ready-made and semi-cooked food products, hygiene and household
products, located in Kotayk province. BAS Armenia has assisted the
company to implement an automated corporate management information
system (CIS), and to develop a website. The CIS is customised to
Armenian legislative requirements and helps the company to find
solutions management, financial and tax accounting, production and
warehouse operations.

SUNFOOD LLC also produces napkins and liquid soaps from imported
ingredients.

The company is opening a supermarket in Yerevan s Charbakh area,
where scan-coded cash counter sales are interconnected with the
corporate information system. A BAS consultant installed the system
in the company s office. System users were trained, data entry was
facilitated and consultancy was provided in such areas as trouble
shooting. The consultant also developed a web site for the company.

The project was supported by BAS and the company co-shared the
project cost. The project has contributed to SUNFOOD LLC becoming more
efficient in managing generated income and expenditures, effectively
controlling accounting and operational issues and facilitating
reporting processes across its operations.

EUROPEAN BANK TO FUND MODERNIZATION OF ARMENIAN CHECKPOINTS

Mediamax
Dec 15 2011
Armenia

Yerevan, 15 November: The European Investment Bank (EIB) will finance
the modernization programme of three Armenian northern checkpoints –
Bagratashen, Gogavan and Bavr.

This was stated at the meeting of Secretary of Armenian National
Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan with the delegation of EIB experts
headed by Georgia Kutsiani, the press service of Armenian National
Security Service informed Mediamax.

Artur Baghdasaryan said that three vital stages of the programme
have been implemented this year – drafting of technical tasks and
necessary construction works.

According to him, an international tender for the implementation
of construction works will be announced in early 2012, as a result
of which the selected organization will carry out the works for the
technical equipment of three checkpoints in line with modern standards
of EU “Yellow Book”.