Author: Kanayan Tamar

L’UGA ARDZIV S’ENVOLE VERS LA FINALE DE LA COUPE DE PROVENCE
Krikor Amirzayan

armenews.com
samedi 9 juin 2012

Mercredi 6 juin, le stade Sevan le l’Entente UGA Ardziv de Beaumont
(Marseille 12e) etait envahi par près de 1 500 spectateurs, venus
assister a la demi-finale de la Coupe de Provence opposant l’UGA
Ardziv (DH) contre l’A.S. La Cayolle (CFA). Les supporters de l’equipe
phare de la communaute armenienne, presidee par Philippe Cazarian et
entraînee par Eric Berberian avaient repondu en grand nombre. Chants
armeniens avant le match, tricolores armeniens, odeurs de khorovadz
(brochettes), ambiance ” 100 % haygagan ” (100 % armenien), l’Armenie
s’etait une nouvelle fois invitee au stade Sevan. Le site officiel du
club () gere par Arnaud Berberian avait appele les
supporters des Aigles (traduction armenienne d’Ardziv) a venir
nombreux au stade Sevan pour soutenir leur club vers la finale.

Pour cette demi-finale de la Coupe de Provence, l’UGA Ardziv se
presentait avec l’equipe : Blanchon – Tepelian, Gossot, Arman Birgin,
Galvan – Cardillo, Fubiani, Tonco – Franceschi – Heidelberger (cap),
Sevag Odemis. Entres en jeu : Frenzlian, Mika Agobian, Hayko Birgin.

Les Armeniens surpuissants dominent. Sevag Odemis, l’un des meilleurs
joueurs de l’UGA Ardziv, ouvre le score dès la 15e minute. Le stade
Sevan exulte. A la 84e, Heidelberger double le score. L’UGA Ardziv
s’envole vers la victoire (2-0). Ci-dessous les commentaires d’Arnaud
Berberian sur le site officiel du club armenien. ” Le debut de
rencontre est a l’avantage des armeniens : ils developpent leur
traditionnel jeu court, leche, vers l’avant. Les joueurs de La Cayolle
sont regroupes dans leur camp et ne parviennent pas a se montrer
dangereux. Sur une touche longue, Sevag Odemis, très en jambe, se
demarque et ouvre le score de la tete (1-0). Le Stade Sevan, plein a
craquer, hurle son plaisir ! Par la suite, l’UGA accroît sa domination
et se procure plusieurs occasions pour tenter de doubler la mise, sans
succès. Accules, les joueurs de La Cayolle se montrent très agressifs
au milieu de terrain mais sortent peu a peu la tete de l’eau. En
seconde periode, le scenario s’inverse. Genes par le pressing et
l’agressivite des visiteurs, l’UGA ne parvient pas a deployer son jeu
et procède par longs ballons. Le premier quart d’heure est largement a
l’avantage de La Cayolle, mais Blanchon et sa defense, imperiaux,
veillent…. Le match va par la suite se reequilibrer. L’UGA va
reprendre la mainmise sur la rencontre, et se procure plusieurs
occasions.

En toute fin de partie, Hayko Birgin sème la zizanie dans la surface
adverse, le ballon traîne et c’est Ludo “El Fenomeno” Heidelberger, le
capitaine, qui vient doubler la mise de près (2-0) ! L’ensemble de
l’equipe accourt vers la tribune centrale du Stade Sevan, qui chavire
de bonheur, dans un vacarme assourdissant….. Un enorme bravo a toute
l’equipe et a l’ensemble du staff qui ~uvre avec passion pour ce club,
qui ne sera jamais comme les autres…. ”

Dimanche 10 juin, les proteges de l’entraîneur Eric Berberian seront
en finale de la Coupe de Provence, opposes a l’US Marignane (CFA) a
Châteauneuf les Martigues. Vingt-neuf ans après sa finale (1973) face
a l’Olympique de Marseille, l’UGA Ardziv est une nouvelle fois parvenu
en finale de la Coupe de Provence. Avec un seul mot d’ordre : gagner !

AZERBAIJAN’S DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER: “THE STATEMENTS OF THE OSCE MINSK GROUP ARE NOTHING BUT EMPTY WORDS”

MilAz.info
June 8 2012
Azerbaijan

“If Armenia doesn’t change its position, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces
will liberate the lands any time”

“Provocative attempts by the Armenians in the frontline show that
they are in fear. There is a proverb. The dog barks from fear. It is
like it”, Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee on
Refugees and IDPs Ali Hasanov told journalists, APA reports.

He called the recent incidents in the contact line of Azerbaijani and
Armenian troops as a provocation: “I consider the incidents as nothing
but a provocation. I consider that the visit of the US Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton doesn’t satisfy the countries patronizing
Armenia and they participate in these incidents. The Armenians show
their real face”.

Hasanov condemned strongly the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group: “The
co-chair countries have been inviting both countries to refrain from
war for 20 years. But they don’t take measures. It is easy to make
a statement. What steps do the countries issuing this statement and
participators take? What works do they conduct to solve this problem?

If we approach so, their statements are nothing but empty words. The
Azerbaijani president has repeatedly announced that Azerbaijan would
never accept this unjust situation. If Armenia doesn’t change its
position, the Azerbaijani Armed Forces will liberate the lands any
time. This statement is in force today too. What Sargsyan raves,
it is his business. We consider that Russia, which keeps in hand the
key to this problem, will demonstrate its objective attitude”.

ARMENIA: LOOKING FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Today’s Zaman

June 6 2012
Turkey

While Georgia is presently the most progressive country in the South
Caucasus, it would seem Armenia is increasingly signaling the intention
to strengthen democratic values.

This has been demonstrated by intensified efforts in terms of its
Euro-Atlantic integration processes and recent parliamentary elections
which, while far from perfect, represented a step in the right
direction. Today the political landscape is more vibrant, with active
dialogue between the leadership and opposition — a rare occurrence
in the South Caucasus. However, the 2013 presidential elections will
be the real test for Yerevan’s adherence to international standards.

In a speech by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan during a visit to
Brussels earlier this week, he stated that Armenia is taking steps
to democratize and bring about fundamental change in the country,
including building a middle class — not an easy task given the average
annual income is only some $3,000. Armenia remains an extremely poor
country, still shadowed by its Soviet past, including the ongoing
negative role played by oligarchs in business and politics. With two
closed borders (Turkey and Azerbaijan) as a result of its war with
Azerbaijan over the Azerbaijani province of Nagorno-Karabakh in the
early 1990s, Armenia has been left reliant on Iran and Georgia as
trade corridors. In 2008 during the Russia-Georgia war, trade through
Georgia was stopped. And while Yerevan has a special relationship
with Tehran, with international sanctions and pressure increasing
on Iran because of its nuclear program, Yerevan is increasingly in a
difficult situation. According to the prime minister, the sanctions on
Iran are challenging Armenia’s potential for economic growth, which
they are unhappy about. The optimal solution remains the opening
of the Turkish-Armenian border. However, following the failure of
efforts at rapprochement in 2011, principally as a result of Turkey
linking it to progress on the Karabakh conflict, the issue has become
frozen indefinitely.

According to the prime minister, Armenia has “cautiously” chosen
a European development path and views the EU’s Eastern Partnership
Policy as a vital tool for driving the reform process and closing
the gap between values and aspirations. Three Armenian parties are
now members of the European People’s Party (EPP), and according to
EU officials, Armenia is making good progress in the negotiations for
an association agreement with talks on a deep and comprehensive free
trade area (DCFTA) to kick off shortly.

Steps are being taken to reduce the country’s widespread corruption.

There is now an interactive state budget, all public procurement
deals are accessible online, and cabinet agendas are publicized and
broadcast. When I asked him whether Armenia had drawn on the experience
of Georgia, which has been so successful in eradicating corruption
that the World Bank wrote a book about it, he said he considers
Georgia’s approach to be too “revolutionary” and not sustainable —
although there are very few facts to support this.

Armenia is aiming for a longer-term “evolutionary” approach.

Sargsyan reported that relations with the US have “never been better,”
with mutual confidence so high that there are no political issues
where agreement cannot be reached.

Yerevan continues to have very close political, economic and
security ties with Moscow, which it sees as essential for its
security. Yet Sargsyan stated this should complement its closer ties
with Euro-Atlantic structures. In 2011 Yerevan entered a free trade
agreement with the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States
(CIS), and Sargsyan did not see why Armenia could not have excellent
security relations with Russia, while at the same time deepening ties
with NATO.

Lastly, Sargsyan underlined that the only way the South Caucasus could
reach its potential would be for all states to work toward a common
platform of values. He pointed the finger of blame at Azerbaijan and
Turkey, citing Turkey’s negative approach to the Karabakh conflict
and backtracking on rapprochement, and Azerbaijan’s hostile language
over Karabakh. However, Armenia also needs to take its share of the
blame — first because the ongoing occupation of Azerbaijani lands
has been recognized in various international reports, including from
the European Parliament, as contributing to regional instability.

Moreover, I would argue that Armenia’s close military ties with
Russia also help maintain regional instability. Russia has planned
substantial military exercises in September, taking place under
the auspices of “Caucasus-2012.” These exercises are supposed
to demonstrate the preparedness of Russian troops for internal
as well as international challenges and will be held in Russia,
the occupied territories of Georgia (South Ossetia and Abkhazia)
and Armenia. They closely resemble the maneuvers Russia held prior
to the 2008 Russian-Georgian War, threaten the security of the whole
region and are far from constructive.

MARTIROSYAN V DAVIS MOVED TO DONAIRE V MATHEBULA BILL
Phil D. Jay

World Boxing News

June 8 2012

Vanes Martirosyan will now fight Ryan Davis at the Home Depot Center
in Carson on July 7th after the contest was pushed back from the
original date of June 16th at the Sun Bowl in Texas.

26 year-old Martirosyan was due to participate in an eliminator for
the WBC light-middleweight title against Erislandy Lara in the summer,
but turned down the fight as the Glendale fighter wanted a guarantee
to fight title hold Saul Alvarez next.

The unbeaten Armenian-born fighter will now meet Davis, 33, on the
undercard of Nonito Donaire and Jeffrey Mathebula’s super-bantamweight
unification contest and is happy with the switch closer to where he
resides.

“I talked to Top Rank to make sure it was official,” Martirosyan’s
uncle and manager Serge told The Glendale New-Press. “Hopefully we
will get a good crowd. Vanes is glad it’s in L.A. It’s in his
hometown.”

“It will be good to come back home and give my fans thanks for their
support,” Vanes added. “It’s better than going to Texas.

“I probably won’t even stay at the hotel. I will stay home and it’s
always good to be home.”

‘GLOWING LIGHT’ OVER ISRAEL TEST-FIRED RUSSIA MISSILE

Christian Broadcasting Network

June 8 2012

JERUSALEM, Israel — Israelis weren’t the only ones who saw a “glowing
light” in the sky Thursday night. Lebanon, Turkey, Cyprus, Armenia
and Jordan also spotted it.

Late Thursday evening, Israelis countrywide flooded police hotlines
to report an unusual spiraling light leaving a trail in the night sky.

A short time later, Novosti, the Russian News agency, quoted a Defense
Ministry statement saying it had successfully test fired a ballistic
missile at 9:39 p.m. Moscow time.

Dr. Yigal Pat-El, chairman of the Israeli Astronomical Association,
told YNet the missile probably “spun out of control.”

“It most likely spun out of control and its remnants and the fuel
was what people saw,” Pat-El said. “It reached a height of 200-300
kilometers (between 124 and 186 miles) and that’s why it was seen
from so many locations.”

According to Russian military sources, the new generation of
Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missiles is designed to counter
the anti-ballistic missile defense shield the U.S. is deploying in
countries such as Poland.

BAKU ACCUSES YEREVAN OF ESCALATING TENSIONS IN KARABAKH CONFLICT ZONE

Interfax
June 7 2012
Russia

Armed incidents, which happened this week along the Azeri-Armenian
contact line and caused casualties, were another provocation of
Armenia, Azeri Vice Prime Minister, Chairman of the State Committee on
Refugees and Displaced Persons Ali Hasanov said on Thursday.

“Actions taken during and after the regional visit of U.S. Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton are a provocation, which may be done by the
order of their sponsors,” he said.

The Azeri Defense Ministry said that five Azeri soldiers died in
stopping an infiltration of an Armenian reconnaissance and sabotage
group through the contact line on June 4.

US STATE SECRETARY CONCLUDES REGIONAL VISIT WITH WARNING AGAINST “DISASTROUS WAR” BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN
by Lilit Gevorgyan

Global Insight
June 7, 2012

US State Secretary Hillary Clinton’s shuttle diplomatic mission
to the three South Caucasus ended with an alarming warning of the
“disastrous consequences” of a potential Armenian-Azerbaijani war.

Overshadowed Agenda of Peace

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was greeted by news of deadly
clashes on the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan on 4 June as
she landed in the Armenian capital Yerevan as part of her three-day
tour of the region. Her diplomatic trip was to deliver US foreign
policy priorities regarding the three South Caucasian republics and
to reiterate the region’s strategic importance, given its proximity to
Iran and Syria. Clinton’s trip was also a reminder of the shortcomings
in economic policies and democratic developments in the respective
countries in Washington’s opinion.

Clinton’s visit had a bad start. Her first stop in Armenia came with
news from the Armenian defence ministry that three of its soldiers
were killed and dozens, including several civilians, were hospitalised
after Armenian forces had repelled a group of Azerbaijani commandos
who had staged an incursion in the north-eastern Tavush region of
Armenia bordering Azerbaijan. The civilians were reportedly shot while
working in the farmlands near the border. Local media outlets showed
top Armenian military officials and international monitors visiting
Tavush region, but the Azerbaijan defence ministry denied that any
clashes had taken place.

The news broke as Clinton was preparing for a press conference together
with her Armenian counterpart Eduard Nalbandyan. Asked about the
border incident, Clinton stated, “while I had only just learned of
these incidents, I am very concerned about the danger of escalation
of tensions and the senseless deaths of young soldiers and innocent
civilians. The use of force will not resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, and therefore force must not be used… I assured the
president that I would make these points in Baku when I am there the
day after tomorrow.” The US, Russia and France lead the Minsk Group,
an Organisation for Security and Cooperation in European (OSCE) body
in charge of the peace process over the status of the mainly Armenian
Nagorno-Karabakh region, which declared its independence from Soviet
Azerbaijan over 20 years ago. The ensuing war between Azerbaijan and
Armenian forces led to 30,000 deaths. With OSCE mediation an armistice
was signed in 1994, but there are no international peacekeepers
deployed, which makes peace rather precarious. Concluding her remarks
on the NK Clinton stated, “the United States believes that a peace
settlement must be based upon Helsinki principles, the non-use of
force or the threat of force, territorial integrity, and the equal
rights and self-determination of peoples.” It is an important message
that reflects all basic principles of international law to be used
in finalising NK’s status. These are different from the traditional
Western emphasis on the principle on territorial integrity often
used in relation to Georgia’s problems with its breakaway entities
of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Aside from the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Clinton welcomed the progress
made during May’s parliamentary elections but urged Armenia to use the
opportunity extended by next year’s presidential vote to streamline
the democratic process. Improvement of the business environment was
another call, although these important issues slipped off the radar
due to the border tensions.

Strategic Partnership with Georgia

The traditionally friendly rhetoric in Georgian-US relations was
also reflected in Clinton’s message to Georgian president Mikhail
Saakashvili during her visit on 5 June. She reiterated the US support
for Georgia’s territorial integrity and called for Russian troops’
withdrawal from Abkhazia and South Ossetia, although these calls
are not likely to be heeded in Moscow. On a more interesting note,
Clinton urged the Georgian government to centre its attention on
conducting free and fair parliamentary elections in October and not be
concerned with the upcoming Kavkaz 2012 Russian-led military exercise
in the North Caucasus. Saakashvili had branded the military drill as a
provocation by Russia ahead of October’s vote to intimidate Georgian
voters and potentially start a new war. Clinton tried to quell these
concerns, adding that, “Yes, there will be military manoeuvres but
the really important events in the fall will occur inside Georgia and
the people of Georgia cast their votes… It is Georgia’s elections
and that will speak louder than any military exercise.”

Strong Message in Baku

Clinton was careful to spend as much time in Azerbaijan as she spent
in Armenia. Her trip came with reports from the Armenian defence
ministry that a second border incursion had taken place in roughly
the same area. Armenia stated that up to 20 Azeri military had tried
to attack the village of Voskepar in Armenia’s Tavush province, but
the counterattack left five of them dead. In a separate incident one
Armenian soldier was killed, this time on the Line of Contact between
Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan blamed Armenia for staging
an incursion and stated that four of its soldiers had been killed. As
expected, Clinton stated once again that onlya peaceful resolution
will be an acceptable way of solving this conflict and warned that
the escalation of violence will be very dangerous.

Azerbaijan’s failing human rights record was another issue on the
agenda. Prior to Clinton’s visit the Azeri authorities had released
a youth political activist, but the message from the US was that
Azerbaijan has to do far more than that. Human rights groups say
that there are dozens of political prisoners in Azerbaijan, including
prominent opposition parties figures and journalists. The question is
if the US has the determination to induce a significant improvement
in human rights in Azerbaijan. By now the Azerbaijani government
led by President Ilham Aliyev has learned that it is very rare for
the US to take action other than statements calling for improvement
of the political environment. The energy-rich country is gearing up
for a presidential election in 2013 which the incumbent is set to win
unchallenged. Aliyev inherited his office from his father in 2003 and
since then has removed the constitutional limits on presidential terms.

Outlook and Implications

Clinton’s message was not going to be uniform as all three countries
are at different levels of political and economic development. Armenia
and Georgia are more advanced in their Western integration, with both
countries currently in talks with the EU on a Deep and Comprehensive
Free Trade Agreement and Association Agreement. Both have improved
their election processes, although they are still far from fully
meeting Western standards. Azerbaijan on the other hand appears to
have embarked on a political path similar to the largely authoritarian
regimes in Central Asia, with no genuine political opposition present
in the parliament or indeed in mainstream politics. Economically, all
three countries have different state of affairs, with again Armenia
and Georgia as non-energy states having less economic growth while
Azerbaijan, thanks to its energy sector, is enjoying much more robust
growth figures. In terms of the business environment and economic
policies there is a wide gap between all three of them with Georgia at
one end of the spectrum with its successful reforms while Azerbaijan
trails behind with widespread corruption and oligarchic structure of
the economy.

Security, and the potential for another war, remains deeply worrying,
especially considering that not the Line of Contact but the border
between Armenia and Azerbaijan has been violated. Armenia is part of
the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) led by Russia, while
Azerbaijan is not. Any serious and sustained attack on Armenia would
involve the CSTO as well. The question remains whether the military
rearmament of Azerbaijan which topped USD10 billion in the past five
years, five times more than Armenia’s, will actually be used to force
thede factoindependent region under Baku’s control. For a long time
there was an understanding that given the vested economic interests
of Azerbaijan, and particularly the ruling elite, a new war would
jeopardise their interests, but the continuing militaristic rhetoric
and frequent clashes on the border may make the situation unmanageable.

AZERBAIJAN CYNICALLY VIOLATES HUMANITARIAN PRINCIPLES AFFIRMED IN GENEVA CONVENTIONS: VAHAN DILANYAN

ARMENPRESS
June 8, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS: In an article entitled “The Air: A
Troubled Caucasus”, political scientist Vahan Dilanyan has referred
to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Vahan Dilanyan is an analyst of
political and security issues. He is serving as the Chairman of the
Political Developments Research Center NGO, Yerevan, Armenia. Here
we present the full text of the article:

“While Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was on her way to South
Caucasus perhaps troubled by growing intensity around Iran, the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict has proven to be more explosive and hazardous.

Hours before Clinton’s arrival to Yerevan, on the night of June 4th
Azerbaijani armed forces (violating the ceasefire signed in 1994)
crossed the borderline nearby the villages Chinari and Berdavan of
Tavush region of Republic of Armenia and killed 3 Armenian soldiers.

On the next day the second wave of the Azeri sabotage was repelled
by the Armenian side, and 5 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed.

“While I had only just learned of these incidents, I am very concerned
about the danger of escalation of tensions and the senseless deaths
of young soldiers and innocent civilians,” said Clinton, according
to a State Department transcript.

Azerbaijan continues firing into direction of Armenian positions. On
June 5th, Azerbaijani side continuously fired from DShK heavy machine
guns several Tavush Region villages (Movses, Nerqin Karmir Aghbyur
and Aygepar). Azerbaijan continues threatening the peaceful lives of
the peasants of Tavush region.

Often the kindergartens are targeted by Azerbaijani fire. In the
kindergarten of Chinari village defilade was set for the children,
and the music plays loud when there is shootings from Azerbaijani
side in order the children not to be frightened.

The firing hasn’t stopped for the past three months. Azerbaijani
troops have also opened fire at the medical personnel vehicles which
were carrying the symbol of International Red Cross.

The abovementioned indicates that Azerbaijan cynically violates the
humanitarian principles, affirmed in the Geneva Conventions while
blatantly breaking the ceasefire regime.

By doing so Azerbaijan hurts the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group
Co-Chairs to settle the conflict via peaceful negotiations, and
contradicts the principles established in the documents of L’Aquila
in 2009, Muskoka in 2010, Deauville in 2011 and Sochi in 2012,
which outlined elements of a framework for a comprehensive peace
settlement based on the Helsinki Final Act principle of refraining
from the threat or use of force.

However, the Co-chairmanship is very selective in condemning such
actions of Azerbaijan or refrains from doing so. For example, on April
27th they “urged all sides to respect the 1994 ceasefire and to abstain
from retaliatory measures that would lead to further escalation.”

Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan has repeatedly called upon the
international community to prevent the further bloodshed including the
casualties within the peaceful population. However, the international
community was generally silent on these matters, which in its turn,
has made the Azerbaijani leadership more “obscene”.

Instead, the leaders of some countries continue to highlight the
importance of the Azerbaijani oil resources. During the “Oil and
Gas of Caspian” conference which is being held in Baku nowadays,
Gunther Oettinger, EU Commissioner on energy, emphasized that “EU
sees Azerbaijan as a key partner in South Caucasus”.

Meanwhile, in an address, David Cameron, the British prime minister,
has indicated that Azerbaijan is in the heart of the region, the energy
resources of which will play a crucial role in the world economy in
the near future. According to him, “Azerbaijan plays a significant
role in using its resources for the common good”.

However, the real picture is different, apart from the fact that
Azerbaijani energy resources are non-renewable. Following the launch
of BTC (Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan) pipeline, Azerbaijan has dramatically
increased its military expenditure.

According to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute,
Azerbaijan made the largest increase in military spending worldwide in
2011, 88% in real terms, amidst increasing fears of renewed conflict
in the region.

The international community seems to have turned a “blind eye” on the
fact that Azerbaijan has exceeded all the possible caps on conventional
arms. As a proof, Azerbaijan has declared the possession of 250
military aircrafts, while the convention allows only for 100 units.

The reality is, Azerbaijan spends its energy resources not for the
“common good” but for “common evil” and the illusory self-confidence
of Azerbaijan, strengthened by increased military expenditure, may
in fact turn Azerbaijan into another “Georgia” in the region.

In this case, Azerbaijan falls short of becoming “a key partner for
Europe”, not only because of its incompatibility of values to that
European democratic values system (the EU has qualified all elections
of Azerbaijan as authoritarian while the NKR elections were reported
as democratic and the recent parliamentary elections of Armenia as a
significant step towards democratic development) but also it may turn
into a danger for the security system of Europe by its war rhetoric
and militant posture.

It is no secret that in nowadays intertwined world, any war in any part
of the globe may overshadow the security systems of many countries. The
possible war in South Caucasus will shatter the Euro-Atlantic strategy
of energy diversification.

It is worthwhile mentioning that Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan and Baku-Supsa
pipelines were blocked during the Russian-Georgian August war.

>From this perspective, the Martakert region of Nagorno-Karabakh is
aroud 50 km away from the BTC pipeline, and in the case of a possible
confrontation, this line could become vulnerable as well.

The international community should act decisively: remaining idle
will not prevent the conflict from escalation and adequate measures
are to be taken in order to hamper the aggressive stance of Baku.

To this end, Azerbaijan should be forced to sign an agreement on
non-use of force.

Now that the elections are over in Armenia, public attention has
turned largely from inner problems to external issues. The recent
Azerbaijani sabotage attacks have put the society on high alert which
could explode any minute.”

ABDULLAH GUL IS CONFIDENT THAT ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI RELATIONS WILL COME RIGHT

ARMENPRESS
8 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 8, ARMENPRESS: Political circles of Turkey continue
to use the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for raising their
international authority. Armenpress reports citing Turkish
Anadolu agency that Turkish President Abdullah Gul spoke about
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and the necessity of establishing
stability in Caucasus.

President of Turkey overestimating his own abilities declared that
Turkey makes great efforts for establishing stability in the region
but not all efforts are visible.

“There will be peace in Caucasus: we work hard for it. You know about
some part of them, about another part you are not aware” said Gul
continuing Turkish policy which became traditional.

Closing his eye on Azerbaijani aggression Gul expressed his hope that
“the sides will finally forget the past cases and will look at the
future together”.

AZERBAIJAN MAY RESUME WAR IN 2014 – EXPERT

tert.am
08.06.12

Director of the Regional Studies Center Richard Giragosuyan is
concerned that Azerbaijan may resume the war with Armenia as early
as in 2014.

As he told reporters on Friday, the 20th anniversary of the Ceasefire
Accord might mark the symbolic end of the deal. He said Azerbaijan
is inclined to resort to war once it sees no progress in the peace
process over Nagorno-Karabakh.

Another key factor, according to him, is that the country is running
out of its oil resources but has enough time in the coming couple of
years to acquire military equipment.

The expert noted further that the 2014 Winter Olympics increase
Azerbaijan’s chances given that the hosting country, Russia, will
focus more attention on the sporting events rather than regional
peace in that period.

As for the Azerbaijani forces recent borderline clashes that amounted
to a violation of the Ceasefire Accord, claiming the lives of five
Armenian soldiers, Giragosyan said they are targeted against the
West, not just Armenia. According to him, Azerbaijan wanted to incite
Armenia to violence in an attempt to raise what he called the level
of its domestic legitimacy.

The expert noted that Azerbaijan is not yet ready for war despite all
its efforts to prove that it is strengthening its military potential.

Giragosyan believes that unlike Azerbaijan, Armenia is ready to
protect its territories. According to him, the only sphere which needs
further perfection in the country is national security which has to be
“active and professional”.