Author: Kanayan Tamar

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT MEETS FRANCOIS HOLLANDE

Tuesday,
October
01

During his working visit to Paris, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
met with his French counterpart Francois Hollande. Serzh Sargsyan
thanked the French president for his warm reception, noting that he
was glad to visit friendly France again, the press service of Armenian
president said.

The president of Armenia said with satisfaction that the historically
close ties of the two countries, Armenian-French interstate relations
have continued to develop over the past twenty years, reaching the
highest level.

In the words of S. Sargsyan, the two coutries managed to achieve
such a quality thanks to the political dialog at the highest level,
mutual visits of presidents, close interparliamentray cooperation,
cultural, educational, and scientific ties as well as contacts of
responsible officials in various directions.

The Armenian president underlined the presence of quite a few
French companies in the Armenian market, attaching importance to the
development of decentralized cooperation.

During the meeting Serzh Sargsyan thanked Francois Hollande for
continuing efforts of France on the peaceful settlement of the
Karabakh conflict. Both presidents stressed once again that there
is no alternative to the peaceful solution of the problem within the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. According to Serzh Sargsyan, Armenia
attaches special importance to the French president’s involvement in
the process.

The interlocutors discussed in detail the prospects of Armenia’s
cooperation with the European Union. They stressed the necessity to
make efforts for keeping up the pace and quality of cooperation and
continuing reforms in Armenia. In this connection S. Sargsyan again
confirmed Armenia’s readiness to fulfill its obligations. President
Hollande assured him that France – as Armenia’s friend, one of the
leading member states of the EU and a big international player – will
continue assisting with promotion of the European agenda of Armenia.

The Armenian president once again expressed his gratitude to France
for recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

In conclusion, Serzh Sargsyan affirmed his invitation to the French
president to pay a state visit to Armenia.

TODAY, 20:09

Aysor.am

CHARLES AZNAVOUR TO ARRIVE IN ISRAEL FOR ONE-OFF PERFORMANCE

October 1, 2013 – 19:15 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Singer, songwriter, actor and poet Charles Aznavour
will arrive in Israel in November for a one-off performance in Tel
Aviv, it was announced Monday, October 1 after his management and
Helicon Records signed a deal, The Jerusalem Post said.

Aznavour, a popular French singer of Armenian descent who is also
known for his public activism and diplomacy, will perform at Tel
Aviv’s Nokia Arena on November 23.

Aznavour will dedicate his trip to promoting the peace process and
increasing public support for it.

Shahnour Vaghenag Aznavourian better known by his stage name Charles
Aznavour (born 22 May 1924) is a French-Armenian singer, songwriter,
actor, public activist and diplomat. Besides being one of France’s
most popular and enduring singers, he is also one of the best-known
singers in the world. Aznavour is known for his unique tenor. He has
appeared in more than sixty movies, composed about a thousand songs
(including at least 150 in English, 100 in Italian, 70 in Spanish,
and 50 in German), and sold well over 100 million records.

In 1998, Aznavour was named Entertainer of the Century by CNN and
users of Time Online from around the globe. He was recognized as the
century’s outstanding performer, with nearly 18% of the total vote,
edging out Elvis Presley and Bob Dylan.[7] He has sung for presidents,
popes and royalty, as well as at humanitarian events, and is the
founder of the charitable organization Aznavour for Armenia along
with his long-time friend impresario Levon Sayan.

In 2009, he was appointed ambassador of Armenia to Switzerland, as well
as Armenia’s permanent delegate to the United Nations at Geneva.[8]
He started his new Aznavour en Toute Intimite tour in 2011.

ARMENIA – AZERBAIJAN: STRONGER INTERNATIONAL ENGAGEMENT NEEDED TO PREVENT DEADLY CONFLICT

Eurasia Review
Oct 1 2013

By Eurasia Review

October 1, 2013

Stronger international engagement is needed to help prevent the deadly
conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan from escalating gravely at a
time of internal political tensions in both, claims the International
Crisis Group.

In its latest briefing, Armenia and Azerbaijan: A Season of Risks, the
International Crisis Group examines possible scenarios for a conflict
that could explode at any time. Since peace talks broke down in 2011
over Nagorno-Karabakh – the Azerbaijan enclave seized and occupied by
Armenian forces in the fighting that accompanied the break-up of the
Soviet Union – arms purchases and war rhetoric have gained momentum on
both sides. In this tense situation, exacerbated by domestic political
competition, the greatest danger is an accidental war.

Since 2011, both sides have vastly augmented their military budgets
and developed detailed war contingency plans. There is a real risk
that miscalculations, brinkmanship or the increasingly frequent
skirmishes in geographically widespread front-line areas could lead
to an outbreak of full-scale fighting, pulling in some or all of the
regional powers: Russia, Turkey and Iran.

The coming months pose special challenges, as both countries deal
with internal political tensions. In Armenia, opposition groups are
planning an autumn of protest. In Azerbaijan, the government fears
disorder after the presidential elections – virtually certain to be
won by the authoritarian incumbent – in October. Both sides’ domestic
pressures could limit their efforts to re-invigorate the mediation
process or enter direct negotiations.

Vigilance from international actors, especially the mediators of the
Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – namely
Russia, the U.S. and France, the co-chairs of its “Minsk Group” –
as well as the EU, is needed to prevent an escalation. They should
highlight the risks of miscalculation and the huge costs for both sides
of any return to open hostilities. Russia, as an influential player
in this conflict, should work more decisively towards an agreement
and cease supplying arms to both sides.

A crisis hotline should be re-established between Yerevan and Baku
to lessen chances of a military escalation.

“Unrest at home might tempt leaders to deflect attention by raising
military tensions or to embark on risky attempts to capitalise on
their adversary’s troubles”, says Lawrence Scott Sheets, Crisis
Group’s South Caucasus Project Director. “Both sides are given to
provocative gestures”.

“The immediate effort required of mediators and other supporters
of a peace process is modest, yet urgent”, says Paul Quinn-Judge,
Crisis Group’s Europe and Central Asia Program Director. “They need to
start talking about the risks of Baku’s and Yerevan’s ‘in-your-face’
approach. Then, both countries need to be brought back to the table
before someone decides the time has come to use their expensive
new weapons”.

ARMENIA TURNS TO THE EAST

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Oct 1 2013

1 October 2013 – 1:37pm

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The foreign policy of Armenia has been turned exclusively to the
West in recent years. Among the five states of Central Asia, Armenia
has embassies only in Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Meanwhile, in the
Benelux, Armenia has embassies both in Belgium and the Netherlands.

In the context of providing a more balanced policy between the West
and the East, the statement by President Serge Sargsyan addressed the
leaders of the CSTO on supporting Armenia in the question of becoming
an observer in the SCO is interesting. The status of an observer in
the SCO will enable Armenia to develop economic relations with an
organization which is focused on economic cooperation. Potentially
Armenia is interested not only in the Russian market, but also the
Chinese. Yerevan is unlikely to be a member of the SCO someday,
but the status of an observer in the organization brings it toward
the East. The step would be accepted positively by China and Iran,
which has the status of an observer.

Analyzing the results of the Sochi summit in the CSTO, some experts
draw the conclusion that Armenia stays aside from the discussion of
improvement of the Tajik-Afghan border. The conclusions can be called
hasty. The experts believe that relations with the CSTO and the CIS
are important only from the point of view of the Armenian-Russian
relations. It is not so. When the NATO forces will be withdrawn
from Afghanistan, the threat for Central Asia will grow and it will
influence Armenia.

First of all, the South Caucasus and Central Asia are two
geopolitically connected regions. If radical Islam penetrates to the
countries of Central Asia, there is a danger of its penetration to the
region of the South Caucasus. Along with terrorism, it requires many
various parameters. including the fact that Afghan militants can come
to the zone of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Secondly, all countries
of Central Asia have Armenian Diasporas. In Uzbekistan the Diaspora
is large, in Kyrgyzstan it is small, but it doesn’t mean the problem
of security of the Armenians is not acute for Yerevan. The situation
which would be similar to the situation over Syrian compatriots should
be prevented. The CSTO has political, military, economic opportunities
for this, which could be used by Armenia and its allies someday.

Some Armenian media report that the sending of troops to Central Asia
by Armenia is absolutely impossible. However, Armenia sent its troops
to Afghanistan and Iraq. It can send them to the region of Central
Asia, if it is necessary because security interests of the countries
have much more common with interests of Yerevan than interests of
Afghanistan and Iraq.

AZERBAIJAN ARRESTS DOZENS OF ALIYEV OPPONENTS AHEAD OF POLLS: RIGHTS GROUP

October 1, 2013 – 17:31 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Azerbaijan has arrested dozens of President Ilham
Aliyev’s opponents in a pre-election crackdown that has more than
doubled the number of political prisoners in the former Soviet
republic, a rights watchdog said on Tuesday, October 1, according
to Reuters.

The Azerbaijan-based Human Rights Club said 142 journalists, religious
activists and human rights defenders were now being held in prison on
political grounds, a week before an October 9 presidential election
that Aliyev is expected to win.

That compares with 60 prisoners the group said were being held on
political grounds in January in Azerbaijan, an oil-producing country
of around 9 million people.

“The authorities seem intent on silencing all voices of criticism
and dissent in the run-up to the election,” said Rasul Jafarov,
the group’s chairman.

It said Aliyev had been emboldened to crack down on opponents since
the defeat of a resolution in January by the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe that was intended to put pressure on Azerbaijan
over human rights.

“Members of PACE must take action to address their failure to hold
the Azerbaijani government accountable for these serious violations
… by calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners in
the country,” said Human Rights Club Advocacy Director Rebecca Vincent.

Azerbaijan, a mainly Muslim country in the South Caucasus, dismisses
accusations of human rights abuses and says its citizens enjoy full
democratic freedoms.

The group added to concerns voiced by the Organisation for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Reporters Without Borders, who
on Monday condemned the imprisonment of prominent Azeri journalist
and human rights activist Khilal Mamedov.

He is serving a five-year jail sentence on charges of treason, drug
possession and “fomenting national strife”.

Mamedov, editor-in-chief of a newspaper in Azerbaijan’s southern
ethnic-Talysh region, was arrested in June 2012. His lawyers have
called the case against him “absurd”.

Rights groups accuse Aliyev, in power since his father Heydar’s death
in 2003, of curbing dissent and freedom of speech in Azerbaijan,
which is criss-crossed by oil and natural gas pipelines and exports
fuel to Europe.

Azerbaijan’s strategic location between Turkey, Russia and Iran and
its role as a transit route for U.S. troops to reach Afghanistan have
cushioned it from Western criticism, rights activists say.

AZERBAIJAN: ARMENIA FOREIGN MINISTER’S WORDS “PEAK OF SHAMELESSNESS”

Interfax, Russia
Sept 30 2013

BAKU. Sept 30

Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has branded a statement by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edvard Nalbandian that Azerbaijan poses a threat to
regional security as “the peak of shamelessness.”

“Armenia continues to violate international law in trying to delude
public opinion. By his contradictory speech, the Armenian minister
again demonstrated the helplessness of Armenia,” Azeri Foreign Ministry
spokesman Elman Abdullayev told a briefing on Monday.

Abdullayev cited UN Security Council resolutions as saying it is the
ongoing Armenian occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azeri
areas that threatens regional security.

“The Armenian minister of foreign affairs must not forget that
resolutions issued by the UN Security Council prove yet again that
Nagorno-Karabakh and the seven neighboring districts are Azeri
territory and qualify Armenia as an invader. Nalbandian’s statement
that Azerbaijan poses a threat to regional security is the peak of
shamelessness. Naturally Azerbaijan has to build up its military
potential as part of our territory is under foreign occupation,”
the spokesman said.

“It must come home to official Yerevan that Azerbaijan is making use
of all its resources to liberate its lands because it is the duty of
the state to defend to rights of Azeri citizens. The Armenian minister
of foreign affairs is so helpless that he tries to distort the text
of the resolutions of the UN Security Council,” Abdullayev said.

He dismissed Nalbandian’s allegation that a statement by Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev that Yerevan had been an Azeri city in the
distant past represented a territorial claim. “It doesn’t mean a
territorial claim, it’s a historical fact,” Abdullayev said. “Just
go through archives and it will become clear immediately that Yerevan
was historically an Azeri city,” he said.

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NATO: NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT DESERVES MUCH MORE INTERNATIONAL ATTENTION THAN IT GETS

Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 1 2013

Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.1 / Trend, S.Ahmadova/

Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict deserves much more
international attention than it gets. Special Representative of
NATO’s Secretary General for South Caucasus and Central Asia, James
Appathurai made this statement commenting on the recent report
“Armenia and Azerbaijan: A Season of Risks” of the International
Crisis Group on his Facebook page.

“This issue deserves much more international attention than it gets,
and more support to find a resolution,” he said.

According to Appathurai, the effects if this conflict “unfreezes”
would be felt far beyond the region.

It should be noted that the International Crisis Group has recently
published a report regarding the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.The report says that confrontation, low-intensity but
volatile, between Armenia and Azerbaijan has entered a period of
heightened sensitivity.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan.

Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since
1992, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven 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 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.

STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON JEN PSAKI HOLDS STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR NEWS BRIEFING

CQ Transcriptions
September 30, 2013 Monday

EVENT DATE: September 30, 2013
TYPE: NEWS BRIEFING
LOCATION: WASHINGTON, D.C.

SPEAKER: STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESPERSON JEN PSAKI

[parts omitted]

QUESTION: Jen, in New York, Wendy Sherman met with Armenian and
Azerbaijani officials. Do you have anything on that? Or did I miss
that?

PSAKI: No, you didn’t miss it. Under Secretary of State Wendy
Sherman had many meetings last week on the margins of the U.N. General
Assembly. She had a very packed, busy schedule. This included separate
meetings, both on September 27th, with Azerbaijani Foreign Minister
Elmar Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

Azerbaijan and Armenia are valued partners of the United States with
whom we have worked for many years. Under Secretary Sherman discussed
bilateral issues and reviewed efforts to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict through the OSDE-MNTS (ph) group process with both foreign
ministers.

Thanks, everyone.

END

REMITTANCES TO ARMENIA DROP – NEWSPAPER

October 01, 2013 | 08:52

YEREVAN. – The volume individual remittances to Armenia from abroad
has reduced in August of this year, as compared to July, 168 Zham
daily reports.

“In line with the data published by the CB [i.e., the Central Bank of
Armenia], $197,270,000 were transferred [to Armenia] in August, instead
of $203,685,000 in July, in the case when the volume of remittances
was growing in July-August, over the course of the past few years.

“[But] at the same time, a certain increase is recorded per annum
in August 2013, as compared to August 2012; the remittances have
increased by 8 percent,” 168 Zham writes.

BRITISH MP SAYS AZERBAIJAN’S OCCUPIED LANDS SHOULD BE RETURNED

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Oct 1 2013

1 October 2013, 19:37 (GMT+05:00)
By Sara Rajabova

The member of the Great Britain Parliament, MP for Harrow East,
Bob Blackman, said that all the Armenian occupied lands should be
returned to Azerbaijan.

“In a region of South Caucasus not known for its diversity and
tolerance, Azerbaijan stands out in completely different position
because of its encouragement of all religious faiths and ethnic
minorities. This is a time in which Christians are under pressure in
Egypt, while radical Islam is on the rise in Syria and much of the
Middle East and North Africa,” Blackmann said replying to a survey
from The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS)

According to Blackman, despite the occupation by Armenia, a Christian
country, of nearly 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territories, Azerbaijan’s
Christian and Jewish minorities are flourishing.

“And the country is staunchly secular in its outlook. This is
something that should be recognised and applauded. What is more, the
international community should do more to make sure that international
law is upheld and Azerbaijan’s lands are returned to it. Azerbaijan has
clearly demonstrated that all religions are not only just tolerated
but also encouraged, and therefore the occupied lands can safely be
returned to Azerbaijani control. Azerbaijan is a tolerant country
and all occupied lands should be returned to it,” Blackman said.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus
neighbor that had caused a lengthy war in the early 1990s.

The UN Security Council has adopted four resolutions on Armenia’s
withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been
enforced to this day.