Author: Karakhanian Suren

Turkey’s Stance on Armenia Has Not Changed: Ahmet Davutoglu

14:26 – 22.05.10

Turkey continues to believe in the normalization of relations with
Armenian-Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said at a
conference, reported by Turkish daily Today’s Zaman.

Davutoglu also said that now the relations between the two countries
are not the same as they used to be two or three years ago, as there
are already signed documents on the table.

"We continue to believe in the normalization of the relations. There
is no change in our policy in that direction. It [the normalization]
will be implemented. But if the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict and the
issue pertaining to the return of the Azerbaijani territories are
resolved parallel to that [the Armenia-Turkey normalization], it would
create an opportunity to securing complete peace in the region," said
Davutoglu.

Tert.am

Armenia’s Parliament Speaker sends a letter to EP President

armradio.am
22.05.2010 09:25

Armenian Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan has reacted to the
European Parliament report on the South Caucasus by sending a letter
to its President Jerzy Buzek.

Hovik Abrahamyan said in the letter that some points of the `The EU
strategy for the South Caucasus’ give way to anxiety.

`Four of the points of the resolution related to the Karabakh conflict
contradict the process of peaceful settlement of the issue, the
positions of the OSCE and the European Union expressed in a joint
statement on Nagorno Karabakh adopted in Athens in December 2009, as
well as the resolutions of the European Parliament adopted ever since
1998. They are not in line with the Madrid Principles, the Moscow
Declaration and the L’Aquila Statement the resolution refers to.

The author of the resolution, Bulgarian MEP Evgeny Kirilov has never
addressed the Nagorno Karabakh issue and has not visited the region
when preparing the report. He has not even consulted with the MEP
representing France, a co-chair country of the OSCE Minsk Group. Such
approach harms the image of the European Parliament and exerts a
negative influence on the process of settlement of the Karabakh
issue," the letter reads.

Noting that Armenia attaches importance to the cooperation with the
European Parliament, the Speaker voices hope that `with unbiased and
balanced approaches the EP will contribute to the reinforcement of
regional security and stability.’

BULGARIAN MEPS URGE EU TO BE PROACTIVE IN SOUTH CAUCASUS

Novinite.com
May 20 2010
Bulgaria

The European Parliament has approved a report of a Bulgarian MEP
urging the EU craft a strategy for the critically important South
Caucasus region.

The report of the Bulgarian Socialist MEP, Evgeni Kirilov, stresses the
need for the Union to be proactive with respect to the stabilization
and encouraging the development of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia,
the three South Caucasus states.

"The main goal of the EU in the South Caucasus should be to help
Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia became stable democratic states
that can have good neighborly relations with one another, and be
integrated with the EU policies," Kirilov declared before the vote on
his report entitled "The Need for a Strategy in the South Caucasus,"
which was adopted with an overwhelming majority by the EP on Thursday.

"The South Caucasus is not only a region bordering the EU (i.e.

Bulgaria and Romania through the Black Sea), but also a region
of enormous strategic importance with respect to our economic and
security policies because of its increasingly crucial role as an
energy, transport and communications corridor connecting the Caspian
Region and Central Asia with Europe," declared Kirilov.

He expressed his hope that the most recent initiative of the EU for
the region, the Eastern Partnership, will contribute substantially
the integration of the three South Caucasus states with the EU, and
mentioned that the realization of the Nabucco gas transit pipeline
project necessitated deeper EU presence in the region.

"Yet, these ambitious policies of the EU will be hard to realize
because of the shadow cast by the unresolved conflicts in Georgia and
Nagorny Karabakh. The conflict in Georgia in 2008 made the EU realize
that it has to play a more active role in the region. This conclusion
is even more valid for the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh between
Armenia and Azerbaijan where EU’s absence is felt very strongly,"
the Bulgarian Socialist MEP underscored.

Kirilov stressed the issues of the hundreds of thousands of displaced
persons in the region which burdened the development of the three
states there, and were a serious humanitarian problem.

"The EU has the means and the expertise to contribute to the creation
of a tolerant atmosphere in the Southern Caucasus," he said.

The report of the Socialist MEP was supported strongly by his Bulgarian
colleague from the European People’s Party, Andrey Kovachev, who is
the Chair of the Bulgarian delegation within the EPP-EP group.

"I welcome wholeheartedly the report of Mr. Kirilov which stresses the
need for a more active EU role in the South Caucasus, a region whose
positive development is in the interest not only for the neighboring
Black Sea region – for which, unfortunately, the EU does not have a
clear strategy as well – but also for the entire EU," Kovachev stated
during the EP debates.

He expressed his concern over the delay of the ratification of the
protocols singed last October between Turkey and Armenia, and urged
the EU to use its experience from the Balkans and Georgia in order
to help settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The Lisbon Treaty has provided the EU with a framework for becoming
a truly global actor. An example in that direction would be the
participation of the EU as a member in the OSCE Minsk Group, while at
present only the individual member states participate in the group,"
Kovachev said referring to the Minsk Group set by the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe set up in 1992 in order to
help for the settling of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

TURKISH-ARMENIAN COOPERATION DEEPENING TO HAPPEN AT THE COST OF TURKISH-AMERICAN RELATIONS
Ashot Safaryan

ArmInfo
2010-05-19 09:10:00

Interview of Director of Akunq Analytical Research Center Ruben
Hakobyan with ArmInfo News Agency

Mr. Hakobyan, what are the real backgrounds of the current
American-Turkish rapprochement?

It has become clear during the last two years, in view of activation
of negotiations on construction of Nabucco project, that Russia’s
steps, aimed at implementation of projects alternative to Nabucco, will
entail certain rapprochement with Ankara and Baku. Moscow succeeded to
find common ground with the indicated tandem in some sense and brake
Nabucco, since its construction has already been placed in doubt. The
initial enthusiasm related to Nabucco designing volatilized in no time
and thanks in no small part to Moscow’s efforts. Rapprochement between
Russia and Turkey on the one hand, and between Russia and Azerbaijan
on the other hand, has become a reality, since geopolitical processes
in our region and in the world, in general, are currently based on
economic relations.

Does it happen primarily due to torpedoing of Nabucco?

Not only. Russia has a problem of increasing and preserving its
presence in the South Caucasus. It is very sensitive to this region.

Consequently, it is very important for Moscow to keep its influence
on the countries of the region.

Can the rapprochement between Moscow and Ankara pose a threat for
Armenia?

The Armenia-Turkey rapprochement process in general was not the
Armenian authorities’ initiative despite the latters’ claims. There
can be no initiative without a clear programme and development
prospect. Suspension of the Protocol ratification process in the
Armenian parliament was a result of pressure. What did suspension
give to Armenia? Nothing at all, while it enabled Ankara to manoeuvre.

Yerevan actually allows the Turkish party to return to the process
when it wishes. The West hurried to welcome Armenia’s readiness
to remain in the normalization process just after freezing of the
Protocols ratification process by the Armenian parliament. "This
"welcome" meant that they have expectations from Armenia hidden in
the statements about Yerevan’s constructive stance, unlike Turkey.

Actually, it is easier for these powers to deal with amenable Yerevan
than stubborn Ankara. Therein lays the pressure on Armenia.

If Armenia wanted to achieve some independence in negotiations with
Turkey, it had to advance a requirement on fixing specific reasonable
terms for ratification of the Protocols, and upon expiry of the
terms, Armenia had to leave the process via recalling its signature
under the Protocols, if Turkey did not ratify them. In this case,
Yerevan would actually become invulnerable. However, the country’s
authorities did not take such a step because they either did not
realize its expediency or actually stood back under the first pressure.

Do Turkey’s own gambling rules available lead to rapprochement
with Russia?

Yes, I think so. Turkey wants to show that America is not the only
ally, and there will always be an alternative to it, if necessary. In
general, Turkey has always succeeded to play between the East and
West. Of course, it is also connected with the geographic situation,
however, it is mainly conditioned by the flexible diplomatic game.

Deepening of the Turkish-Russian cooperation will currently happen
just due to the Turkish-American relations.

Can Moscow give a carte blanch to Ankara for interference in the
Karabakh settlement?

Interference by Turkey may happen in two ways: either Turkey becomes
OSCE MG cochairman or it actively works with one of the cochairmen
and moves on its stance assisted by the latter. Ankara’s attempts to
become OSCE MG formal mediator will not succeed, as I hope that the
Armenian authorities realize the whole danger of this prospect. Turkey
actually remains the most active participant in the settlement process,
first of all because of the Armenian- Turkish Protocols. I have always
held to the opinion that Turkey needed the process itself but not its
result. Ankara expects to become more active in the region through the
normalization process, it tries to realize its geopolitical ambitions,
and it succeeds to some extent. I think that Russia will take into
account Turkey’s stance in settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

All of us remember the Turkish prime Minister Erdogan’s words saying
there are no preconditions in the Protocols, however, according to
one of the provisions, they should promote establishment of peace
and stability in the region, that requires solution of the Karabakh
problem. Reading of a diplomatic document requires certain skills,
which, unfortunately, the Armenian authorities often lack, that is
proved by Zurich Protocols. I agree that the Turkish prime minister’s
words are absurd and demagogical to some extent, however, the lines
of the Protocols allow him to substantiate this demagogy. Therefore,
any diplomatic document must be precise and not admit various readings.

Foreign Minister of Iran Manouchehr Mottaki has recently suggested to
hold a trilateral meeting of the Armenian, Azerbaijani and Iranian
foreign ministers. Does this fact fit the frames of competition
between Iran and Turkey?

Of course, competition between the indicated regional players is
one of the primary reasons for the proposal by Iran. On the other
hand, those wishing to become active in the region, start offering
their services in settlement of the Karabakh conflict. Perhaps,
their intentions are good, but unfortunately, the Nagorno Karabakh
problem has become s subject for different speculations and a means
for withdrawal of dividends. However, I think that, first, the proposal
by Iran is somewhat late. Second, the existing format of the mediators
is self-sufficient and they do not hurry to include someone else.

FUTURE OF ARTSAKH IS CONDITIONED BY SUPREMACY OF LAW
Nune Hayrapetyan

Azat Artsakh Newspaper
19 May, 2010
Nagorno Karabakh Republic [NKR]

The next meeting of ADP in Artsakh State University On May 17th
representatives of Artsakh Democratic Party undertook a meeting with
the students and the professorial stuff of Artsakh State University.

Performing with welcome speech, the leader of the party, speaker
of NA Ashot Ghoulyan attached importance to the role of coming
elections, considering it as serious political event. According to
Ashot Ghoulyan, tomorrow’s well-off day is conditioned first of all
by supremacy of law. Before it, representatives of the party, during
20 days were making the round of the settlements of the republic,
during each meeting getting acquainted more closely with the most
important problems exciting the electors. A.Ghoulyan represented
briefly the works realized in the parliament of the fourth convening
in 2005-2010. "If we can’t estimate correctly our activity of the
past years, so in coming years we’ll have entangled situation,- he
said.- We may consider sufficient the activity of the parliament of
the fourth convening in all directions. During this period of time
more than 400 laws had been adopted, among which the most important
achievement was adoption of the Constitution". During the meeting the
leader of the party pointed also at the omissions, problems, about
which numerous meetings with electors let speak loudly. In the row of
problems A.Ghoulyan distinguished also too much centralized system of
state governing, suggesting of strengthening of local self-governing
bodies and enlarging of their commissions.

Programs having a relation to tax legislation, acting crediting
programs and social problems are also involved in the program main
theses of ADP. By information of the leader of the party, orders of
70 international observers have been already placed, a part of them
assisted also in the previous elections. According to A.Ghoulyan,
by our active participation in the elections we should prove all the
observers existing of democratic institutions in the republic.

NEW GOVERNOR OF SHIRAK REGION APPOINTED

Aysor
May 20 2010
Armenia

Armenia’s government approved Thursday an appointment of Ashot
Gizirian as a Governor of Shirak Region of Armenia. By Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan’s decree, signed on May 19, Ashot Gizirian
was released from the post of the Chief of the Criminal Executive
Department of Armenia’s Ministry of Justice.

Ashot Gizirian’s appointment followed the resignation of the former
Shirak Governor Mrs Lida Naniyan, who had stepped down earlier.

US ARMENIANS SEEK TO STOP AWARD FOR DAVUTOGLU

Hurriyet
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.c om/n.php?n=us-armenians-seek-to-stop-award-for-dav utoglu-2010-05-20
May 20 2010
Turkey

The largest U.S. Armenian group is trying to keep a leading Washington,
D.C., think tank from honoring the Turkish foreign minister with
an award due to what they call Turkey’s "aggressive denial of the
Armenian genocide."

In a statement Wednesday, the Armenian National Committee of America
expressed its displeasure with the Woodrow Wilson International Center
for Scholars’ plans to give Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu
its Woodrow Wilson Award for Public Service.

Davutoglu is scheduled to receive the award, named after the 28th U.S.

president, in Turkey on June 17, the Anatolia news agency reported
when the center announced its decision in March, saying that he "had
catalyzed the development of Turkey’s foreign relations, elevating
its position in international discussions" since becoming foreign
minister in May 2009.

"Through an ANCA action alert, Armenian-American and other
anti-genocide activists are expressing profound anger and
disappointment over the Woodrow Wilson Center’s plans to travel to
Turkey to bestow the award on Davutoglu," ANCA said in its statement.

The organization said the activists had sent letters to members of
the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, urging them to look
into the center’s "controversial" decision.

The Woodrow Wilson Center receives one-third of its annual funding
from Congress, according to ANCA. "Senators and representatives are
being encouraged to formally investigate this matter and to share
their concerns on this deeply troubling development directly with
the leadership of the Woodrow Wilson Center," its statement said.

The letter being sent to members of the U.S. Congress reads, in part:
"This award dishonors President Wilson’s vision of justice for the
Armenian nation. Mr. Davutoglu represents a government that, in its
aggressive denial of the Armenian genocide and ongoing obstruction of
justice for the Armenian nation, makes a mockery of the Wilson Center
and its founding commitment to fostering scholarship ‘commemorating
the ideals and concerns of Woodrow Wilson.’"

ANCA has spearheaded U.S. Armenian efforts urging President Barack
Obama and the U.S. Congress to recognize World War I-era Armenian
deaths in the Ottoman Empire as "genocide," a term Obama has declined
to use since taking office in January 2009. Two resolutions calling
for such recognition are currently pending in Congress.

ASHOT DANIELYAN WINS COMBAT SAMBO CHAMPION TITLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 17, 2010 – 11:37 AMT 06:37 GMT

Six Armenian sambo wrestlers won medals at the European Championships.

Ashot Danielyan (w.c. 74kg) won the combat sambo champion title.

Vachik Vardanyan (w.c. 68kg) won silver and Artak Tsatinyan (w.c.

90kg) won bronze on May 16, RA Sambo Federation press office told
PanARMENIAN.Net

Earlier, Ruzanna Sargsyan (w.c. 48kg), Tigran Kirakosyan (w.c. 52kg)
and Vahan Vardanyan (w.c. 57kg) won bronze medals.

Today’s Zaman
May 16 2010

PM ErdoÄ?an to tackle visas, price of gas and Nagorno-Karabakh
on visit to Baku

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an’s visit to Baku, scheduled
for today, could bring about positive results in several areas,
including a natural gas price agreement and a visa deal, but analysts
believe no developments will take place over the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute.

Although ErdoÄ?an’s planned visit could spawn a new era in
relations between the two nations, no new developments or proposals on
the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute are expected to take place. Speaking in
an interview with Sunday’s Zaman, Elnur Soltanov, an expert from the
Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy, said he believes Turkey will reiterate
its position on Nagorno-Karabakh and that Azerbaijani will likely
express its satisfaction.

ErdoÄ?an’s last visit took place almost exactly one year ago, on
May 13, a time of growing anger both within the Azerbaijani government
and among the public over Turkey’s move to reconcile with Armenia, a
move that was also to include the possible opening of their border,
closed since 1993 in a sign of solidarity with Azerbaijan following
Armenia’s invasion and subsequent occupation of Azerbaijan’s
Nagorno-Karabakh territory. Opening the border is considered a blow to
Azerbaijani-led economic sanctions against Armenia over its occupation
of some 20 percent of its territory. Azerbaijan deliberately seeks to
orchestrate regional energy and cooperation projects in a way that
bypasses Armenia and thus deprives the small and poor country
economically. The policy has produced few results so far.

Azerbaijani-Turkish relations rest on the solid base of deep
historical and cultural roots. Being strategic partners, Azerbaijan
and Turkey pursue their national interests without disregarding each
other’s problems.

Azerbaijan believes Turkey’s inclusion of finding a solution to the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem as a catalyst in making progress on the
protocols is the most valuable step for Azerbaijan. This view was
absent when Turkey started the reconciliation process and became more
conspicuous after Azerbaijan expressed its disapproval. Azerbaijanis
regard the speech ErdoÄ?an gave before Azerbaijan’s parliament a year
ago as a plainly worded agreement and an unbreakable pledge to his
`brethren’ in the South Caucasus. He said Turkey would never open its
border with Armenia unless there were a notable breakthrough in the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

Evaluating the prime minister’s visit to Baku as a symbolic victory
over Armenian efforts to proclaim April 24 a memorial day
commemorating Armenians killed during World War I, Soltanov says the
heaviest repercussions of this were avoided, ones which could have the
potential to worsen relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey. Because
they were avoided, a sense of optimism is generating new momentum in
Turkey and Azerbaijan to resolve some issues of mutual benefit prior
to this window of opportunity starting to gradually close as next the
April 24 approaches, he says.

Recalling Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Turkey and
negotiations over a gas deal, Soltanov said that because there is
little to talk about concerning the South Stream, which is seen as the
main alternative to Nabucco, Turkey and Azerbaijan have avoided facing
an additional hurdle in any possible gas deal between them. `There
will definitely be positive statements regarding Nabucco,’ Soltanov
said. However, the analyst thinks this will have no benefit for the
Nabucco deal because the fate of the project is not determined by
Azerbaijani-Turkish cooperation alone.

Speaking to Sunday’s Zaman, Elman Nasirov, the deputy director of the
Center of Geostrategic Investigation within the Academy of Public
Administration under the Presidency of the Republic of Azerbaijan,
said ErdoÄ?an’s visit to Baku will likely be remembered for the natural
gas deal and visa agreement between Azerbaijan and Turkey. The expert
said lifting visa requirements was delayed because of technical
problems on the Azerbaijani side and that it is very likely that these
problems will be solved during this visit.

Speaking about the visa imbroglio between Azerbaijan and Turkey,
Soltanov said if Azerbaijan and Turkey are `one nation in two states,’
then this brotherhood should not lag behind in terms of cooperation.
`One nation in two states may sound hollow in light of how Turks and
Russians, definitely two separate nations, seem to be in a much better
position both regarding mutual trust and concrete mutually beneficial
deals,’ the expert noted. He expects Russian-Turkish deals to create
extra pressure on the part of Turkey and Azerbaijan to move forward
and to show that they are capable of doing at least as much regarding
cooperation. In other words, a visa deal between Azerbaijan and Turkey
is very likely to be struck.

Prime Minister ErdoÄ?an and Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan had a
historic bilateral meeting in Washington on the sidelines of a nuclear
summit in April to seek ways to rescue the protocols. Azerbaijan was
not invited to the summit, which further deteriorated Azerbaijan’s
relations with the Obama administration. ErdoÄ?an is also expected to
brief Azerbaijani President Ä°lham Aliyev about his meeting with
Sarksyan.

Considering the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Nasirov said that it is
obvious the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute will take center stage at
discussions to be held during ErdoÄ?an’s visit. Turkish-Russian
multidimensional cooperation will certainly generate interdependence
between the two countries. `The key to solving the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem is in the hands of Russia and Turkey. Being part of this
cooperation which protects the interests of Azerbaijan on all
platforms could make a solution to the dispute more likely,’ Nasirov
said.

16 May 2010, Sunday
LAMIYA ADILGIZI BAKU

news.az, Azerbaijan
May 15 2010

We have always extended hand of friendship to Armenians-consul
Sat 15 May 2010 | 08:39 GMT Text size:

The newly appointed Consul General of Azerbaijan in Istanbul spoke of
the conditions under which Turkey will open borders with Armenia.

"Azerbaijan supports peaceful solution to the Karabakh problem, but
this does not mean that we will reconcile with the occupation of our
lands. We must not forget Karabakh, we must get it back ", said
Azerbaijani consul general in Istanbul Hasan Zeynalov.

According to Turkishny, he made the statement at a press conference in
Igdir.

According to him, Azerbaijan will be able to achieve this goal only
with Turkey.

"We have always extended a hand of friendship to Armenians, but in
response to our kind steps they committed the Khojaly genocide. We
must inform the world of the truth about the Khojaly genocide. We,
Turks, have been always good to all nations, it comes from our
humanity, but our evil-wishers have always abused our kindness’, he
said.

"At the moment Turkey accounts for 100,000 Armenian citizens residing
there illegally, they in turn support another 500,000 of their
impoverished countrymen in Armenia with their earnings," he said.

According to him, b y insisting on opening the borders with Turkey,
the Armenians put the purpose to cast shadow on the fraternal
relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey.

"Of course, in the future I do not rule the opening of tje
Armenian-Turkish and the Azerbaijani-Armenian border. But this will
happen only when Armenia ceases to make territorial claims to Turkey
and withdraws from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. In the current
situation, the opening of borders does not meet the interests of
either Azerbaijan or Turkey. By insisting on opening the borders with
Turkey, Armenians aim to cast a shadow on the fraternal relations
between Azerbaijan and Turkey. But the Turkish leaders have repeatedly
stated that the borders will not open without the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict", said the Azerbaijani diplomat.

1news.az