Author: Khondkarian Raffi

OSCE MINSK GROUP ISSUES STATEMENT

Noyan Tapan
Dec 1, 2009

ATHENS, 1 DECEMBER, NOYAN TAPAN. The Heads of Delegation of the OSCE
Minsk Group, Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov,
Foreign Minister of France Bernard Kouchner, and Deputy Secretary of
State of the United States James Steinberg, released the following
statement today:

"The Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries,
Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Foreign
Minister of France Bernard Kouchner, and Deputy Secretary of State of
the United States James Steinberg met in Athens on December 1 with
the Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Foreign
Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian.

The five Heads of Delegation recalled the commitments in the November
2008 Moscow Declaration and the December 2008 Helsinki OSCE Ministerial
Statement. They noted the positive dynamic in the talks, demonstrated
through six meetings this year between the Presidents of Armenia
and Azerbaijan. They agreed that the increasing frequency of these
meetings has significantly contributed to an enhanced dialogue between
the parties and forward movement toward finalizing the Basic Principles
for the Peaceful Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, proposed
in Madrid on November 29, 2007.

Foreign Ministers Lavrov and Kouchner and Deputy Secretary Steinberg
reiterated the commitment of their countries, as expressed in the Joint
Statement on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at the L’Aquila Summit of
the Eight on July 10, issued by their three Presidents, to support the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as they complete work on the Basic
Principles and urged that the parties complete this work as soon as
possible. They stressed that agreement on the Basic Principles would
provide the framework for a comprehensive settlement to promote a
future of peace, stability, and prosperity for the entire region.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan reported on progress
during the course of this year in achieving common understandings on
points of the Basic Principles. They stated the willingness of their
countries to complete work on the Basic Principles, as stipulated by
the Presidents of the Co-Chair countries at L’Aquila. The Ministers
reaffirmed their commitment to work intensively to resolve the
remaining issues, to reach an agreement based, in particular, upon
the principles of the Helsinki Final Act of Non-Use of Force or
Threat of Force, Territorial Integrity, and the Equal Rights and
Self-Determination of Peoples."

POSSIBILITY OF ACCEPTING KARABAKH STATEMENT DISCUSSED IN ATHENS

Tert.am
11:13 ~U 01.12.09

RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian left for Athens
yesterday with the aim of participating in the 17th OSCE Ministerial
Council meeting taking place in the Greek capital from December 1-2,
reports the Republic of Armenia Foreign Ministry press and information
department.

Nalbandian first met with OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs Yuri Merzlyakov,
Bernard Fassier, and Robert Bradtke, as well as Personal Representative
of Chair-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk.

Afterwards, the meeting between Nalbandian and Azerbaijan’s Minister
of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov organized by the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs took place over a business lunch.

Discussed during the meeting was the possibility of approving the
statement of the OSCE foreign ministers’ 17th council related to the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

On the same day, Nalbandian had a meeting with Goran Lenmarker,
OSCE Parliamentary Assembly special rapporteur on the issue of
Nagorno-Karabakh, with whom he discussed the latest developments in
the negotiations on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

SECRETARY GENERAL OF THE "INTERNATIONAL ELECTRO-COMMUNICATION UNION" TO ARRIVE IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
NOVEMBER 30, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 30, ARMENPRESS: According to initial agreement,
Secretary General of the "International Electro-Communication Union"
will arrive in Armenia, Armenian Transport and Communication Minister
Gurgen Sargsyan said after the meeting of heads of the "International
Electro-Communication Union" member states in Minsk, noting that the
visit will have a positive impact on the further development of the
communication sphere and in Armenia’s integration into international
communication system.

In Minsk the session of the general council of cooperation of
the CIS countries in communication sphere took place with the
participation of ministers. G. Sargsyan said that issues on spreading
and re-distribution of radio frequencies, as well as a number of
issues on digitalization of television have been discussed.

"These issues are very close in CIS countries and are almost in the
same round. During the meeting a number of proposals and ways of
solution have been forwarded," Sargsyan said.

As to Armenia’s participation in the works of would-be created "High
Technology Center" within the framework of EurAsEC, the minister
said that it is also very important for exchange of experience,
integration of our relevant establishments into the center.

ARMENIAN WEIGHT-LIFTING TEAM IS IN THE 4TH PLACE

Aysor
Nov 30 2009
Armenia

Armenia team took the fourth place in the weight-lifting championship.

Our team received 3 golden, 4 silver and 5 bronze (all together 12)
medals. Only 7 sportsmen were presenting the male and female teams
of Armenia in the Southern Korea in Goyang city.

Better results were recorded by the teams of China, Kazakhstan and
Korea. The Chinese had 39 medals and were out of competition, the
Kazakh sportsmen received equal amount of medals with Armenians,
but had more gold medals than us. And the Koreans have 6 golden,
3 silver and 5 bronze medals.

The Armenian team left out such teams as the Russian, Polish,
Byelorussian, Ukrainian, Turkish teams. The Azerbaijani team was only
the 12th receiving 1 silver medal.

Aysor, Armenia
Nov 28 2009

Vladimir Putin hails the 12th Congress of Republican Party

For about 2000 delegates have gathered today at the Yerevan Sport and
Concert Hall to participate in the 12th Congress of Republican Party
of Armenia. The Congress opened traditionally by Archbishop Navasard
Kchoyan’s prayer.

Congress’s agenda and schedule have been approved, 11 people were
elected as members of the Returning Board, and 5 more as secretaries.
The Congress will focus on some changes in rules, and will vote for
executive body and chairman as well as will vote for Control
Commission members.

The Republican Party’s chairman, Serge Sargsyan, spoke to Congress and
welcomed representatives of the United Russia Party and
representatives of the European Democrat Party.

Member of the Political Council of the United Russia Party, Artur
Chilingarov, welcomed the participants on behalf of party’s leader
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, and praised Armenian-Russian
close friendship in years. Artur Chilingarov said close cooperation
between the two countries is very important especially those in
economy and social sphere.

THE SESSION OF THE EURASEC INTER-STATE COUNCIL TO BE CONDUCTED TODAY IN MINSK

ARMENPRESS
Nov 27, 2009

MINSK, NOVEMBER 27, ARMENPRESS; The session of the EurAsEC
Inter-State Council will be conducted today in Minsk on the level of
presidents. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is also participating
in the event.

During the session it is expected to approve joint customs fee of
the Customs Union to be set up within the framework of the EurAsEC
which will be applied from January 1, 2010. The heads of states are
planning to adopt an agreement on the customs codex of the Customs
Union which will enter into force from July 1, 2010.

Members of EurAsEC are Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,
Tajikistan. Armenia, Moldova and Ukraine have status of observers.

REGIONAL CENTER FOR CRISIS MANAGEMENT TO BE ESTABLISHED IN YEREVAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 16:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A meeting of inter-department working group on
November 27 chaired by the secretary of the National Security Council
(NSC) of Armenia Arthur Baghdasaryan decided to develop a national
concept of civil defense in accordance with the RA National Security
strategy and Armenia – NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan (IPAP).

The concept will be presented to the National Security Council until
May 2010.

The Secretary of the National Security Council, emphasizing the
importance of the concept, particularly said the adoption of the
concept is important for further implementation of reforms in the
field of civil protection.

Regional Center for Crisis Management will be established in Yerevan
with branches in regions, press office of the National Security
Council of Armenia reported.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT APPOINTS JUDGE TO DEAL WITH RA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.11.2009 18:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Judge Vladimir Hovhannisyan was charged with the task
to study the Armenian-Turkish protocols and submit his conclusion on
the documents’ compliance with the RA Constitution to Constitutional
Court (CC) Chairman within 15 days, CC Spokesman Hovhannes Papikyan
told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Thereafter, the court will convene a session to appoint a hearing
date and elect a judge rapporteur.

"16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE" CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN YEREVAN

armradio.am
25.11.2009 16:52

A campaign "16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence" aiming to
increase public awareness on gender-based violence was launched today
in Yerevan.

The campaign is carried out jointly by Armenian authorities, the UN
Resident Coordinator a.i., UNFPA, UNDP, UNDPI, UNHCR, as well as by
civil society organizations and media.

Ms. Lala Ghazaryan, the Head of family, women and children issues
department within the Armenian Ministry of Labor and Social Issues
presented the current challenges and results achieved by the government
in the field of combating gender based violence. Also, the message
of the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon, on the International Day
for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was read out to the
audience. "In every country, women and girls continue to be plagued
by violence, causing tremendous suffering. Such violence undermines
development, generates instability, and makes peace that much harder
to achieve. We must demand accountability for the violations, and
take concrete steps to end impunity. We must listen to and support
the survivors." UN Secreatary-General, Ban Ki Moon.

Ms. Jina Sargizova, UNFPA National coordinator of "Combating Gender
Based Violence in the South Caucasus" project and "16 Days" campaign in
Armenia talked about various activities, such as press conferences,
public hearings, public service announcements broadcasting, film
screenings, roundtable discussions with participation of refugees,
rural women and local government representatives, youth and journalists
in Yerevan and throughout Armenia. UNFPA is organizing these activities
together with governmental and non-governmental partners.

The planned activities focus on cultural and national aspects of
violence against women, including domestic violence, trafficking and
HIV/AIDS twin pandemics, men’s participation and role in combating
gender-based violence and the importance of the youth involvement.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence is an international
campaign that runs from November 25, the International Day for the
Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, International
Human Rights Day and symbolically links gender violence and human
rights issues.

This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including
December 1, World AIDS Day, December 2, International Day for the
Abolition of Slavery and December 6, the anniversary of the 1989
"Montreal Massacre".

TURKISH POLITICAL SCIENTIST SAYS ARMENIANS WILL LEAVE AZERBAIJAN’S LANDS

news.az
Nov 25 2009
Azerbaijan

Arif Keskin "Negotiations on Karabakh will be effective if pressure
is imposed on Armenia.

In this sense, yesterday’s meeting of President Ilham Aliyev with
Russian leader Dmitri Medveyev and the upcoming meeting of Turkish
Premier Erdogan and US President Barack Obama will be important",
said Arif Keskin, analyst of the Turkish Center of International Ties
and Strategic Analysis and professor of the 21st century University.

According to the political scientist, Turkey should use all
opportunities to attain progress in the Karabakh issue at the upcoming
meeting between Erdogan and Obama.

"Erdogan should explain to Obama that stability in the Caucasus is
impossible without progress in the Karabakh issue. If Erdogan is
able to bind the processes of border opening with Armenia, return
of a part of the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, I think it will be
an appropriate variant. Everyone including Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Turkey would benefit. But time will show whether Armenians are ready
to such developments. Azerbaijan is important for Turkey and I think
Ankara will not risk its relations with Baku and by results of the
Washington meetings we will witness certain progress. If Moscow,
Washington and Brussels impose pressure on Armenia in this issue,
by the beginning of 2010 we will witness the opening of borders and
withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied lands of Azerbaijan",
he said.

"Ilham Aliyev’s statement before the Munich meeting must make western
leaders think over their further policy in the region. If West and
Russia really want peace and do not want instability in the region,
they should persuade Armenia that continued occupation of Azerbaijani
lands will cause harm to it", Keskin said.