Author: Karagyozian Lena

TURKISH PREMIER HOPES FOR HISTORIANS

news.am
Nov 5 2009
Armenia

Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently expressed hope for the
Armenian-Turkish disagreements to be settled as a result of studies by
historians and other scholars, while the bilateral relations develop,
reported Anadolu Agency.

The Turkish Premier meant the intergovernmental commission to be set
up to study historical facts and archives. The commission, which is
to be formed under the Armenian-Turkish protocols, will study the
events in Ottoman Turkey, which are regarded as genocide by numerous
historians and other scholars.

The Turkish Premier also pointed out the Armenian-Turkish presidential
meeting in Bursa, Turkey, on October 14. He regards it as "positive
dynamics."

Addressing the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the Turkish Premier expressed
hope that it will be settled by means of a dialogue. He pointed out
that turkey has always considered Azerbaijan’s interests as its own.

Recep Erdogan also spoke of problems of terrorism. He stated Turkey
has nothing in common with terrorism and murders of innocent people.

The Turkish authorities will not allow terrorist activities in Turkey.

Turkey must open a new page in its history, which would be prerequisite
for a dialogue, harmony and integration instead of enmity and
aggression.

The Turkish Government’s democratic initiatives are actually a
multi-aspect process of national unification. According to Erdogan,
the aim of democratic initiatives is not only to eradicate terrorism,
but also establish friendly relations between people and ensure the
country’s prosperity.

SWITZERLAND CONSIDERS DIALOGUE MAJOR TOOL TO PREVENT CONFLICTS: AMBASSADOR

Trend
Nov 3 2009
Azerbaijan

Switzerland always adhered to the need to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict peacefully, Swiss Ambassador to Azerbaijan Alain Guidetti
told media Nov. 3.

"Switzerland considers the establishment of a dialogue as one of the
major tools for preventing conflicts," Guidetti said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in
December 1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha,
Khojali and seven districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE
Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. — are currently holding
peace negotiations.

GERMAN AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA DID NOT EXCLUDE THE PARTICIPATION OF THE GERMAN ORGANIZATIONS IN CONSTRUCTION OF "NORTH-SOUTH" HIGHWAY AND THE IRAN-ARMENIA RAILWAY

ARMENPRESS
Nov 4, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Transport and Communication
Minister Gurgen Sargsyan received today newly appointed German
ambassador to Armenia Hans-Yochen Schmidt.

Press secretary of the Transport and Communication Ministry told
Armenpress that the minister presented to the ambassador the functions
of the ministry and the implemented programs. They particularly
highlighted construction of "North-South" highway and the Iran-Armenia
railway as well as the programs of restoration of the rural roads
implemented by the Asian Development Bank and World Bank.

G. Sargsyan said that for the first round of the construction of
"North-South" highway the Asian Development Bank will provide 60
million AMD. Soon a project tender for the first round will be
announced after which in 3-4 months an international tender of a
construction company will be announced. The construction works of
the road are expected to kick off in April-May of the next year.

The ambassador noted that Germany has great experience in construction
of roads and did not exclude the participation of the German
organizations in these two projects.

TEHRAN READY FOR NEW TALKS WITH IAEA

PanARMENIAN.Net
02.11.2009 22:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Iran announced its readiness for new talks with IAEA
on the nuclear program, Ali Ashgar Soltani, permanent representative
of Iran to IAEA said. According to him, Tehran demands "fundamental
changes" in the draft agreement on beneficiation of Iran’s uranium
abroad.

He added that the time for talks should be determined by the leadership
of the atomic agency. Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov proposed to convene a meeting of the "six international
mediators" on Iran, Russia media report.

The statement of ARFD-Movement 88 NKR Parliamentary Faction Leader
unlikely to gain legal force
31.10.2009 16:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `Until NKR status issue is resolved, concessions are
out of question in NKR conflict settlement process,’ RA Republican
Party MP Karen Avagyan stated.

Commenting on the statement of ARFD-Movement 88 NKR Parliamentary
Faction Leader Armen Sargsyan on imposing legal charges on those
questioning NKR’s territorial integrity, Karen Avagyan noted the
statement is unlikely to gain legal force.

Regardless of whether the statement will be accepted as a law, NKR
conflict settlement negotiations will continue within OSCE MG
frameworks, Karen Avagyan concluded.

RUSSIA’S ROLE IN KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION TO BE DISCUSSED IN MOSCOW

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2009 12:49 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia’s role in the Karabakh conflict resolution
will be discussed in Moscow on the initiative of International Alert
and Center of Strategic Research of Religions and Policy of Modern
World.

International Alert’s Projects Director for the Eurasia Program
Dessislava Roussanova, Russian First Channel anchorman Maxim
Shevchenko, deputy director of the Institute of Political and Military
Analysis Sergei Markedov will be the guest speakers.

Chairman of Islamic Commiitee Heydar Jemal, director of Institute
of Social Systems Sergei Kurghinyan, director of RIA Novosti CIS
and Baltic states division Alan Kasayev, representatives of leading
Russian, Armenian and Azerbaijani media will be also attending.

MEMBERS OF THE ANC-PAC MET WITH CONGRESSMAN THADDEUS MCCOTTER

PanARMENIAN.Net
31.10.2009 13:00 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Members of the Armenian National Committee –
Political Action Committee (ANC-PAC) met with Congressman Thaddeus
McCotter in Los Angeles, California to discuss foreign policy issues
important to the Armenian American community.

The centerpiece of the discussion was the Turkish-Armenian protocols,
Armenian Genocide recognition and President Obama’s failure to honor
the memories of the victims of the Genocide.

"Despite campaign promises to officially recognize the Genocide,
the Administration has failed to deliver on its commitment," said
McCotter. "Further, this Administration has worked with Turkey in
pressuring Armenia into accepting an allegedly neutral historical
commission to determine the facts surrounding the Armenian Genocide.

Importantly, the United States should never support efforts to question
the veracity of the Armenian Genocide, a crime that U.S.

diplomats risked their lives to document."

"Turkey must end its blockade of Armenia without imposing preconditions
and end its genocide denial campaign," continued McCotter. "To
demonstrate its good intentions, Turkey should refrain from issuing
official statements which attempt to link the settlement of the
Azerbaijan/Nagorno Karabakh conflict to diplomatic normalization
with Armenia."

Rep. McCotter has been a strong supporter and vocal on Armenian
issues. He has been a Member of the Armenian Caucus since his election
to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2002. He is currently a
co-sponsor of H. Res 252- Affirmation of the U.S. Record on the
Armenian Genocide Resolution.

ARMENIA, NETHERLANDS WILLING TO DEEPEN RELATIONS IN ALL DIRECTIONS

armradio.am
30.10.2009 12:12

The newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Pieter
Jan Langenberg, presented his credentials to President Serzh Sargsyan.

President Sargsyan congratulated the Ambassador on assuming office
and said that Armenia was interested in deepening its relations with
the Netherlands in all directions.

The President rated highly the support rendered to Armenia ever since
independence and emphasized the successfully developing cooperation
between the two countries within the framework of the Dutch Group of
the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

The parties pointed to the EU Eastern Partnership Program as an
important process targeted at the also deepening of relations not
only in bilateral, but also multilateral format.

At the request of Ambassador Langenberg, President Serzh Sargsyan
presented Armenia’s approaches on the negotiations on the Karabakh
conflict settlement and the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

LIVNI: WE MUST PREVENT THE GOLDSTONE REPORT FROM REACHING THE SECURITY COUNCIL

PIC
30/10/2009 – 01:02 PM

MOSCOW, (PIC)– The Israeli opposition leader, Tzipi Livni, said that
the Israeli government was disappointed that Russia voted in favour
of the Goldstone Report at the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva.

She added that it was not important now to discuss the reasons behind
voting in favour of the report but what is important is to prevent the
report being discussed further and any resolutions being issued by the
UN Security Council or the International Criminal Court in this regard.

The Russian news agency, Ria Novosti reported on Friday that Livni
made these comments during an interview with the Moscow-based Russian
newspaper "kommersant".

Novosti added that Livni was on a short visit to Russia and that
her discussions with Russian officials covered the Goldstone Report,
the Iranian issue and the Middle East peace process.

BARDAWIL: ABBAS BOWS TO ZIO-AMERICAN DICTATES

PIC
29/10/2009 – 10:19 AM

GAZA, (PIC)– Hamas leader and MP Dr. Salah Al-Bardawil has accused
Mahmoud Abbas, whose term in office as PA chief had expired last
January, of bowing to Zio-American pressures and of being incapable
of taking independent decisions.

Bardawil, in a press statement on Wednesday, said that Abbas carries
out all American and Israeli dictates in return for financial and
political promises.

For his part, Dr. Aziz Duwaik, the speaker of the Palestinian
legislative council, has described Abbas’s election decision as a
nail in the coffin of the reconciliation and unity.

He said, in a press statement on Wednesday, that the situation in
the West Bank was worsening due to the continued Abbas’s militias
campaigns against Hamas supporters.

In a related development, Abbas’s militias kidnapped six Hamas
supporters in the West Bank over the past couple of days in the
districts of Nablus, Qalqilia, Al-Khalil and Ramallah.