Author: Khondkarian Raffi

ARMINFO News Agency, Armenia
 Friday
 Yerevan and Athens are looking for ways to deepen economic cooperation
Yerevan October 27
Mariana Mkrtchyan. In Athens, the first meeting of the special working
group of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Greece was
held.
As the press service of the Armenian Foreign Ministry told ArmInfo,
Shahen Avagyan, Secretary General of the RA Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, headed the group from the Armenian side, and Yannis
Amanatidis, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs headed the Greek
side. The Ambassador of Armenia to Greece Fadey Charchoghlyan also
participated in the meeting.
On the agenda of the meeting is discussion of ways to stimulate
economic relations between the two countries. The two sides,
expressing satisfaction with the existing level of political
relations, stressed the need to use all the potential for bringing to
the same level the economic interaction.
Amanatidis stressed that Greece is consistent in the issue of
promoting bilateral relations with Armenia through active cooperation
in all areas of mutual interest. He expressed hope that this special
group will help define promising areas for the development of trade
and economic relations.
Avagyan noted the value of the existing strong regulatory framework in
the economic sphere between the two countries and presented possible
directions for the development of the Armenian-Greek economic
relations, including the involvement of Greek companies in the work of
the Free Economic Zone opening in Armenia; activation of cooperation
of Greece with the Eurasian Economic Union, through Yerevan; use of
opportunities, within the framework of Armenia-EU cooperation
("Horizon 2020", GSP +, COSME).
The meeting also touched upon a wide range of issues, including the
participation of Greek companies in the business forum held in the
fields of the Francophonie summit in Yerevan in 2018, the holding of
the Armenian-Greek business forum, the organization and holding of the
next meeting of the Armenian-Greek intergovernmental commission on
economy, industry and technology.

Turan Information Agency, Azerbaijani Opposition
 Tuesday
Elimination of All-Russian Azerbaijani Congress in Russia Unfriendly
Step Towards Azerbaijan - MFA
Baku / 19.09.17 / Turan: Elimination of the All-Russian Azerbaijani
Congress (ARAC) in Russia is an unfriendly step towards Azerbaijan.
This was stated by the official representative of the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Hikmet Hajiyev, commenting on the
decision of the Appeals Board of the Supreme Court of Russia to
approve the first instance court's verdict on the liquidation of ARAC.
"In general, we regard the decision to eliminate ARAC, which played an
important role in the development of humanitarian relations between
Azerbaijan and Russia, as an unfriendly step from the political point
of view, which severely impacts the development of the strategic
partnership of the two countries at a high level," Hajiyev said to the
state news agency AzerTaj.
The reasons for such an unfriendly decision of the Russian Federation
on the liquidation of ARAC are not clear. Moreover, Russia is one of
the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, and this status
requires demonstration of a balanced approach towards the sides of the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict. "At the time when an unfair approach to
the representatives of the Azerbaijani community living in Russia is
being applied with the elimination of ARAC, the Russian Union of
Armenians is fully supported and continues its activities," Hajiyev
continued.
In general, the Russian Federation's policy regarding the liquidation
of ARAC is surprising and causes serious questions and deep regret,
Hajiyev summarized. -06D--

Azarbaycan, Azerbaijan
Sept 9 2017
Baku warns USA of repercussions if criticism continues
Obama-era stereotypes still exist in the USA
[Armenian News note: the below is translated from Azeri]
Over the past few days Azerbaijan has faced a new smear campaign,
which was launched by some Western forces and which may cast shadow on
the prospects of US-Azerbaijani relations.
Baku under attack
On 4 September, The Washington Post and The Guardian published two
sponsored articles, signalling a new wave of attacks [on Baku] and
setting in motion a giant discreditation machine, which also involves
"the fifth column". There were no doubts that Azerbaijan has once
again become the target of criticism from various international
organisations and the official representatives of several states.
On 7 September, US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in
a statement that the jailed head of Turan news agency, Mehman Aliyev,
should be released. Then pro-Armenian Senator Richard [Dick] Durbin
proposed amendments to the fiscal year 2018 State And Foreign
Operations appropriations bill, envisaging sanctions against
Azerbaijani officials. David Kramer and other critics on staff
remaining from the Obama administration have started a campaign for
the implementation of sanctions.
Thus, it can be seen that Soros-linked circles and the Armenian lobby,
which always target Azerbaijan, took the opportunity to try and spoil
the US-Azerbaijani relationship and strategic partnership.
Trump vowed non-interference
We have to admit that that after Donald Trump was elected US president
there were hopes that the problems that emerged between the two
countries during the Obama administration would be solved.
[Passage omitted: Presidents Trump and Aliyev had a telephone
conversation after Trump's election; President Aliyev was invited to
the 2017 nuclear security summit; President Trump congratulated Aliyev
on Azerbaijan's Independence Day]
On the other hand, Mr Trump said repeatedly that unlike in previous
years, the USA would not build its foreign policy on the principles of
interference into other countries' domestic affairs and would not try
to control them. That made one think that the US president has set an
objective to develop equitable and mutually beneficial relationships
with other countries. This policy could be a good start to reverse
negative trends and the cold spell that happened in US-Azerbaijan
relations during President Barack Obama's tenure and to develop an
effective and equitable cooperation and strategic partnership between
the two countries.
But the latest events have shown that official Washington has not yet
removed the Obama-era stereotypes and various lobbying groups' serious
levers to influence state policy. Forces maintain important positions
within the State Department, Congress and other important executive
and legislative institutions and are interfering in independent
countries' domestic affairs and instructing the USA's partners to
review their policy under the pretext of "democracy" and "human
rights", which runs counter to Mr Trump's strategic line.
These forces believe that Azerbaijan should not have a statehood and
national interests and that it should not cross the limits they set.
This is a completely wrong way of thinking. Azerbaijan has already
proved that, as an independent state, it alone defines its internal
and foreign policy and international relations, and it does not need
any advice from foreign power centres or forces. Maybe that is why
some circles in the USA think that Azerbaijan "does not accept" the
West and its values. That is why some Western media, including The
Washington Post, which is considered to be the State Department's
mouthpiece, publish fake reports about Azerbaijan that contradict the
concept of partnership and go beyond [media] ethics, and that is why
the Human Rights Watch, Freedom House and other organisations of this
kind are used to exert pressure [on Baku].
Baku tolerates criticism
For many years Azerbaijan has tolerated such accusations, doing
everything possible to prevent these unjust attacks from casting a
shadow on the strategic partnership, mutually beneficial bilateral and
multilateral ties. On the one hand, Azerbaijan has shown its
commitment to its strategic choice, duties and obligations. On the
other hand, it has shown that, as an independent state, it is eager to
build relations with all global political powers on the basis of equal
cooperation and will never take any step that could put its national
interests at risk. Within this context, the sincerity of Azerbaijan's
attitude to the USA and the European Union could be considered as
exemplary. The reality is that official Baku has not yet given up this
choice and is trying to develop its strategic partnership with the
European Union and the USA despite pressure from different power
centres and some regional states.
... but may have had enough
But can official Baku review its partnership policy towards the West
and take appropriate steps if the anti-Azerbaijani forces and lobby
interests prevail in the USA and if the Magnitsky Act, which was
imposed on Russia, is applied to Azerbaijan? What could be these
steps?
According to experts, experience shows that although official Baku is
quite sincere in its relationship with its partners, it has never
tolerated a policy of pressure and dominance. From this point of view,
it seems quite possible that the Azerbaijani government may take
appropriate steps to end its strategic partnership with the West.
As it was said, Azerbaijan's partnership with the West concerns and
irritates some regional states. But remaining committed to a
multi-vector and balanced policy, official Baku has endured pressure,
and maintained and developed its strategic partnership with the US and
the European Union. Sanctions and similarly incorrect actions may
force Azerbaijan to review its foreign policy and make a one-sided
choice. That would be a serious loss for the USA and Western states
that have serious interests in the region.
It is known that Azerbaijani peacekeepers were part of the
peacekeeping missions in Kosovo in 1999-2008 and Iraq in 2003-08.
Azerbaijani soldiers joined the peacekeeping mission in Afghanistan in
2002 and continue to perform their duties well. Azerbaijan is
supporting Nato troops in Afghanistan by opening its air space and
allowing [Nato] to use its air transport infrastructure. But
Azerbaijan may stop its military and geostrategic cooperation with the
West, cease participation in anti-terror operations and peacekeeping
mission and refuse any logistical support to Nato troops in
Afghanistan.
Those who authorised this fresh campaign against Azerbaijan naively
believe that it will help them protect "the 5th column" and their
"friends" [in Azerbaijan]. For many years, Azerbaijan has tried to
turn a blind eye to anti-national elements such as [journalists]
Khadija Ismayil, Mehman Aliyev, Emin Milli as well as to the
arbitrariness of Western NGOs and media networks and tolerated them
although it was quite clear that they were fulfilling a certain
mission. However, when the activities of this network started shaking
the foundations of the state, it became necessary to take preventive
measures and the necessary steps were taken. The West's new "demarche"
can become a serious basis for further actions.
Of course, the list of what actions may be taken is long and not
limited to those mentioned above. But is that necessary? What good
will it do the West to exert pressure on and alienate Azerbaijan?
Azerbaijan is loyal to its relationship with the USA and the West and
wants these relations to deepen further. One would like to hope that
the Trump administration will not repeat the mistakes of the Obama-era
and will not let the Soros-backed network and the Armenian lobby to
gain ground and spoil its ties with Baku. In this case, neither absurd
steps like sanctions nor retaliatory steps will be necessary.