Author: Madatian Greg

WILL TURKEY ABANDON NATO?
By Zeyno Baran

The Wall Street Journal
29.08.2008 12:50

Will Turkey side with the United States, its NATO ally, and let more
U.S. military ships into the Black Sea to assist Georgia? Or will it
choose Russia?

A Turkish refusal would seriously impair American efforts to support
the beleaguered Caucasus republic. Ever since Turkey joined NATO in
1952, it has hoped to never have to make a choice between the alliance
and its Russian neighbor to the North. Yet that is precisely the
decision before Ankara. If Turkey does not allow the ships through,
it will essentially be taking Russia`s side.

Whether in government or in the military, Turkish officials have
for several years been expressing concern about U.S. intentions to
"enter" the Black Sea. Even at the height of the Cold War, the Black
Sea remained peaceful due to the fact that Turkey and Russia had
clearly defined spheres of influence.

But littoral countries Romania and Bulgaria have since joined NATO,
and Ukraine and Georgia have drawn closer to the Euro-Atlantic
alliance. Ankara has expressed nervousness about a potential Russian
reaction.

The Turkish mantra goes something like this: "the U.S. wants to expand
NATO into the Black Sea — and as in Iraq, this will create a mess
in our neighborhood, leaving us to deal with the consequences once
America eventually pulls out. After all, if Russia is agitated,20it
won`t be the Americans that will have to deal with them."

Nonetheless, Ankara sided with fellow NATO members in telling Georgia
and Ukraine that they would be invited to join the alliance — albeit
without any time frame. But now that Russia has waged war in part over
this decision, the Turks will have to pick sides. Deputy chief of the
Russian general staff Anatoly Nogoivtsyn already warned Turkey that
Russia will hold Turkey responsible if the U.S. ships do not leave
the Black Sea. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will travel to Ankara
on Monday to make clear that Russia means it.

Russia is Turkey`s largest trading partner, mostly because of Turkey`s
dependence on Russian gas. More important, the two countries share what
some call the post-imperial stress syndrome: that is, an inability
to see former provinces as fellow independent states, and ultimately
a wish to recreate old agreements on spheres of influence. When
Mr. Putin gave a speech in Munich last year challenging the U.S.-led
world order, Turks cheered. The Turkish military even posted it on
its Web site. President Abdullah Gul recently suggested that "a new
world order should emerge."

Turkey joined Russia at the height of its war on Georgia in suggesting
a five-party "Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform." In other
words, they want to keep the U.S. and the EU at arm`s length. Both
Russia and Turkey consider Georgia`s American-educated p resident,
Mikheil Saakashvili, to be crazy enough to unleash the next world
war. In that view Turkey is not so far from the positions of France
or Germany — but even these two countries did not suggest that the
Georgians sign up to a new regional arrangement co-chaired by Russia
while the Kremlin`s air force was bombing Georgian cities.

Two other neighbors — Azerbaijan and Armenia — are watching the
Turkish-Russian partnership with concern. Azeris remember how the Turks
— their ethnic and religious brethren — left them to be annexed by
the Soviets in the 1920s. Armenians already fear their giant neighbor,
who they consider to have committed genocide against them. Neither
wants to have to rely on Iran (once again) as a counterbalance to
Russia. Oh, and of course, Iran had its own sphere-of-influence
arrangements with the Soviets as well.

Though Turkey and Iran are historic competitors, Turkey has broken with
NATO countries recently by hosting President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad on a
working visit. As the rest of NATO was preoccupied with the Russian
aggression in Georgia, Turkey legitimized the Iranian leader amidst
chants in Istanbul of "death to Israel, death to America."

A few days later, Turkey played host to Sudan`s Omar al-Bashir, who is
accused of genocide by the rest of NATO — but not by Russia or Iran,
or by the Muslim-majority countries who usually claim to care so much
about Muslim lives.

W here is Turkey headed? Turkish officials say they are using their
trust-based relations with various sides to act as a mediator between
various parties in the region: the U.S. and Iran; Israel and Syria;
Pakistan and Afghanistan, etc. It may be so. But as more American
ships steam toward the Black Sea, a time for choosing has arrived.

SERZH SARGSYAN: ATTEMPTS TO RESIST WITH ARMED FORCES IN A STRUGGLE FOR RIGHT OF SELF-DETERMINATION ARE FRAUGHT WITH SERIOUS MILITARY AND GEOPOLITICAL CONSEQUENCES

Noyan Tapan

Au g 25, 2008

YEREVAN, AUGUST 25, NOYAN TAPAN. An interview of Armenian President
Serzh Sargsyan was published in the August 23 issue of Der Standard
daily. Below is the full text of the interview.

Question: "Be a friend with Russia and do not become a close friend
with the West," wasn’t it a lesson that Moscow taught the South
Caucasian countries by invading Georgia?

Answer: If we look at Armenia’s history, we will see that friendship
with Russia has never been a compulsory measure for Armenia. Needless
to say that one never makes friends, let alone – keeps friends by
force. I wouldn’t like to speak for other countries, but at least
Armenia is extremely open, sincere and consistent in its relations with
Russia. Moreover, I can tell you that our strategic partnership with
Russia has never prevented us from establishing normal and efficient
cooperation with other countries in the region and outside it and
with international organizations. This is evident from out joint
programs with the EU and NATO and dynamically developing relations
with European countries, the U.S. and Iran.

Q: It is not for the first time that Armenia perceives a serious
impact of a Russian-Georgian crisis. What would you advise your
Georgian partners concerning their relations with Russia?

A: To give advice is an ungrateful task. In recent years the pivot
of our policy has been that in our extremely sensitive region, small
states must do their best in order to reduce rather than strain the
possible contradictions between superpowers. It is quite easy to
derive short-term benefits from contradictions that regularly arise
in each region between great powers. It is much more difficult but
also much more useful to try to cooperate sincerely in a field of
common interests. Taking into account all the challenges we have to
face, it is senseless to create new dividing lines and artificial
ideological camps.

Q: An important Russian miliary base is stationed in Armenia. Does
Armenia benefit from Russia’s hegemony in the South Caucasus?

A: Like any other state, Armenia benefits from sovereignty. In our era,
this sovereignty also includes participation in efficient international
and regional systems of security. In this respect Armenia has made
a decision to join the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The
fundamental document of this organization envisages that an attack
on one of the member states means an attack on all of them. I think
that today military bases are a symbol of efficient cooperation rather
than hegemony.

Q: What conclusions can be made from the invasion of Georgia – for
another "frozen conflict", the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

A: The tragic events in South Ossetia showed that in the South
Caucasus, attemps to resist with armed forces in a struggle for the
right of self-determination are fraught with serious military and
geopolitical consequences. The recent developments clearly demonstrated
the real danger of an arms race, unfounded increases in the military
budget and bellicose statements in the South Caucasus. At the same time
these developments proved that a free will of the people struggling
for its self-determination should form the basis of settlement of such
conflicts and the solutions should be based on such a will because
the opposite approaches will inevitably result in ethnic cleansing
and violation of international humanitarian law. These events once
again releaved the importance of efficient operation of the regional
infrastructures, highways, transport nodes and pipelines, as well
as ensuring their altrenativeness and formation of most extensive
networks.

Q: In fact, Turkey has never responded to Armenia’s proposal to
establish diplomatic relations without preconditions. Now you even
invite the Turkish president to Armenia. What makes you assume that
the leadership of Turkey is more open for dialog?

A: Today we are ready to establish relations with Turkey without
preconditions. In general, Armenia has always been faithful to the
political course it announced. Today there is a situation in our
relations, from which no one benefits, quite the opposite, many
suffer. I am sure that there is no sense in and necessity for being
constant adversaries, it is evident that the problem of regulating our
relations has matured and this step will be mutually beneficial both
for the Armenian and Turkish societies. If you remember, Turkish Prime
Minister Erdogan said months ago that in this period the doors are open
for a new dialog. I am sure that if there is a desire, we can have such
a dialog, and a visit of President Gul to Armenia will strengthen these
positive tendencies. A few days ago my Turkish counterpart stated that
Turkey has no enemies in the region. I am convinced that a practical
stipulation of this statement will be tangible steps on regulation
of the relations and these steps may give real results. We may have
various problems but we will not be able to solve them if we do not
speak to each other at a level appropriate for civilized states and
if there are no proper political relations between our countries.

ST. GREGORY WELCOMES NEW REVEREND
By Jason Sibert

Granite City Press Record
/articles/2008/08/25/news/sj2tn20080823-0824gcj-pa stor.ii1.txt
Aug 25 2008
IL

The Rev. Stephan Baljian starts ministerial career

The first time the Rev. Stephan Baljian stepped into St. Gregory
Armenian Apostolic Church in Granite City, the church evoked feelings
of beauty and community.

"When you see the church sanctuary, the facility, because it’s so new,
and so well built, and on such a beautiful parcel of land, it really
is an impressive experience, the first time you see it," Baljian
said. "I was very impressed, but it was not just the building. In
knowing how small this community (Armenian) is, that’s what struck
me, in knowing how hard they had to work, and how great of job that
they’ve done. This is about the nicest Armenian church that I’ve seen
in this country, and I’ve been all around the East Coast."

Baljian officially started as pastor at St. Gregory four weeks
ago. Ordained in February, he delivered his first sermon as a guest
priest in April. After his ordination, Baljian travelled around
the country to Atlanta, St. Louis, Cleveland, Springfield, Mass.,
and Niagara Falls, N.Y., preaching in front of small congregations
that have no regular priest."It’s wonderful, we haven’t had a regular
pastor in about two years," said St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church
Head of Publicity and Member Susan Spataro. "We’re just so blessed
to have him."

When asked about the most difficult facet of being a new pastor in
a new community, Baljian talked about moving to a new state, as he
hails from the state of Massachusetts.

"When you come to a new community, there’s things you need to learn,"
he said. "It’s a strange balance. People understand you’re new and
learning. At the same time, when you start, you’re suppose to be the
pastor, the father and the leader, all of those things. Several times,
I’ve had to make calls to people I’ve never met. You have to say ‘Hi,
how are you?’ and make it like you’ve known who I am all along, and
I’m your priest. It’s a challenge for me. It’s human nature, when you
don’t know somebody, you stay back a little bit. In this profession,
you have to be very straightforward and very open."

While taking the reins and leading a church for the first time creates
challenges for a new priest, it also provides experiences which create
fond memories.

"You do realize it will never happen again," Baljian said. "You’ll
never have that feeling of your first church again. You’ll never have
this fresh outlook and all of these fresh ideas."

The congregation impressed the new priest with their work ethic and
ability to welcome a newcomer.

"This is a very hard-working congregation," he said. "They’re a very
welcoming group of people, and they’re like one big family."

The ancient Armenian State Church, where the Armenian Apostolic Church
traces its roots, started in 301 A.D. when the country, located in
Eurasia between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea, adopted Christianity
as its state religion, according to Web sites.

"As an Armenian community, in some ways they’re very isolated from
the other Armenian communities in the country," Baljian said. "Back
in New England, you had all of the communities within an hour of each
other. It was easy to have a cultural exchange. Here, we’re small
and we’re isolated. The closest Armenian community to the St. Louis
Metro Area is Chicago. It’s difficult, and I think that it’s forced
this congregation to think outside the box, to come up with new and
fresh ideas and to boldly implement steps to keep this community and
this parish strong. It’s really commendable."

When asked what the congregation achieved to keep the church strong,
Baljian mentioned its meager beginning over 50 years ago.

"They had a very small church facility, but a very vibrant and active
parish," he said. "Even when the older generation passed on, the second
generation, and now the third generation, have taken over the reigns
of the church, carried on a lot of the traditions and a lot of the
everyday work that goes into making this parish a success. They were
able 30 years ago to purchase this land, build a cultural hall to make
that a sustainable source of income, and 12 years ago, they were able
to build this church facility. It’s a testament to their strength."

The current St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church, located at 1014
West Pontoon Road in Granite City, replaced the former church
on Maple Ave. in 1997. The church uses the St. Gregory Armenian
Community Center, located south of the current church, as a function
hall. Various community groups and organizations rent it for meetings
and functions. In addition, it’s also used for reunions, political
functions, parties and wedding receptions. Twice a week, on Wednesday
and Thursday, the church sponsors bingo, which Baljian said receives
a great deal of support for the community.

Not willing to dwell on past accomplishments, the new priest feels the
church has the potential to continue to make an impact, even though
the ethnic flavored congregation swims against the tide of the now
large and popular mega-churches.

"I see a lot of potential in this community," he said. "It’s not the
type of potential spread out amongst myriads of people. It’s not
that kind of church. It never has been, and more likely than not,
it never will be. But that’s OK because you don’t have a diffusion of
responsibility. When you have a mega congregation with 15,000 people,
90 percent of the people feel like a number and the other 10 percent
feel like they’re doing everything or doing too much. Here there is a
nice balance of responsibility. They really step up and work hard. The
biggest amount of potential, and one of the biggest challenges the
church faces, is handing down that sense of responsibility to the
next generation."

When asked what the Armenian faith offers to those not familiar with
its tradition, Baljian talked of the church’s ancient roots.

"We go way back, right up there with the Roman Catholic Church and the
Byzantine Orthodox Church," he said. "We’re just as old and just as
valuable a tradition. Our liturgy is very inspiring, very beautiful,
it’s mostly chanted. We have a rich tradition, but we don’t go too
overboard. Our tradition doesn’t go out of Rome or Constantinople,
the imperial cities with the patriach or the emperor and all of the
pomp and circumstance. We were a much more quiet and more monastically
run society. Out of that, sprang a very balanced church. A balance
of beauty and inspiration but with a sober asceticism to it."

Baljian said younger people are growing up in a society "which is
increasingly more secular." He also said the importance of "faith,
church and community life is eroding away."

"I’m not talking about just religious community, but community life
in general," he said. "I think that will be the biggest challenge is
getting across the importance of why we are here, what we’re doing
and why we continue to do it."

Baljian, 29, hopes his age will help him reach young people.

"I don’t think I’m your average 20-something person. I’ve been
through a different experience than your average American kid has,"
he said. "I try to encourage them as much as I can. I think they
appreciate it when they realize I’m not too far ahead and I’m kind
of the same age. I look at it this way, people have a lot to learn
from me, and I have just as much to learn from them."

Being a priest runs in the family, as Baljian’s father, Antranig
Baljian, also served as an Armenian Apostolic Church Priest. He spent
a portions of his childhood and youth adult life in Springfield,
Mass., and Boston, Mass. Baljian graduated from the University of
Massachusetts in Amherst in 2001 with a music degree in theory and
composition. The priest doesn’t see much which separates his musical
and religious interests.

"Music was a great love for me, and it still is," he said. "Growing
up in the church, in the choir and serving the liturgy, music for
me, a big part of that had to do with church. It wasn’t like I was
rocking out on my guitar or anything, that was where my love of music
really flourished. My whole family is musical: my sister, my mother
and father, we all love to sing and dance. As my faith grew, I began
to examine where I was called to serve in the church, and before I
knew it, I realized I was a protege of my father. I knew so much of
what he knew, and I really had that same inclination to do what he
did. I realized I could be in the ministry and pursue my active love
of music as well."

Classical music fans will become acquainted with Baljian’s musical
talents shortly, as he’ll join the St. Louis Symphony Chorus this
fall. In the past, he’s performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra,
the Tanglewood Festival Chorus and the Newton Choral Society.

Baljian attended the Theological Seminary of the Great House of
Cilicia, Antelias in Beirut, Lebanon, for two years, leaving in
2003. He graduated from St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary in
Crestwood, NY., in 2006 with a Master’s Degree in divinity. Baljian
then served as his father’s assistant at a church in Watertown,
Mass. When asked about becoming educated in the ways of the priesthood
through his father, Stephan said the influence of his father’s ministry
runs strong, but that he also wants to carve out a style of his own.

"Like any good son, you take a good look at your dad and you say
‘I’m going to do things different,’" Stephan said. "And then there
are certain things, when you look at dad, and you look at his strong
points, you say ‘I’d like to be just like him.’"

Baljian said both he and his wife Alice are looking forward to spending
time in Granite City.

ARMENIAN EXTERNAL RESERVES FALL OVER H1
by Venla Sipila

World Markets research centre
Global Insight
August 25, 2008

Armenia’s international reserves continued to decrease over the second
quarter of 2008, after reducing by 3.4% over January-March. Indeed,
latest figures from the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) show that
the country’s gross international reserves over the first half of
this year decreased by 4.9%, ARKA News reports. Over June alone,
Armenia’s external gross reserves fell by $31US.5 million. This
development brought the level of CBA’s gross international reserves
down to $1US.578 billion by the end of June. Specifically, Armenia’s
convertible foreign-currency assets stood at $1US.563 billion, falling
by 5.2% during the first half. Conversely, Armenia’s Special Drawing
Rights (SDRs) at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) amounted to
$15US million, rising by over 50% over January-June. The CBA does
not hold any gold reserves.

Significance:Armenia’s international reserves have considerably
increased over recent years, boosted by strong inflows of workers’
remittances and investment, and import coverage at present stands
comfortably above the critical level of three months. Against this
background, the fall in reserves over the first half is not yet very
alarming. Indeed, Global Insight expects import coverage to weaken
somewhat over 2008, while still providing adequate means for paying for
imports and for any possible currency stabilisation needs in the case
of external shocks. However, this should not mask the fact that rapidly
rising imports at present are exerting strong weakening pressure
on Armenia’s trade balance and, further, on its overall external
payments position, at the same time as its export earnings potential
remains poor. Indeed, Armenia’s wide current-account deficit signals
continued external vulnerability, especially given Armenia’s reliance
on remittances and private transfers for covering the external gap.

Emirates Business 24/7, United Arab Emirates
Aug 23 2008

BP fighting West’s energy cold war in the Caucasus

By Frank Kane on Saturday, August 23, 2008

If all goes according to BP’s plan, crude will soon flow again through
the Baku-Tiblisi-Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline, one of the most important
geostrategic energy routes in the world. But it is unlikely that will
be an end to the concerns that have dogged the British oil giant in
the Caucasus, where its long-running confrontation with Russia has
assumed all the dimensions of an energy cold war.

Last week, at the Azerbaijani oil terminal of Sangachal, 45km along
the Caspian coast from the capital, Baku, oil was flowing, but in much
reduced quantity, and ` from BP’s point of view ` in the wrong
direction. A suspected terrorist attack on the BTC in eastern Turkey,
and Russia’s military action against Georgia, meant that most of the
limited amount of crude that was being shipped was going exactly where
BP did not want it to go ` through the northern pipeline (NREP) that
crosses the Azeri-Russian border before ending up at the Black Sea
port of Novorossiysk.

That meant another victory in the Caucasus for the Russians, and a
defeat for the West in the modern equivalent of the nineteenth century
"Great Game" ` the struggle for control of the potentially enormous
reserves of Azerbaijan, which dominates oil-production in the
Caspian. The stakes are high. BP ` backed by European countries
fearful of Russian control of their energy supplies ` wants to
safeguard oil and gas flows from the Caspian region, and keep it out
of Russian hands. Azerbaijan, the former Soviet republic, which on
independence in 1991 found itself sitting on some of the most
significant but strategically problematic oil reserves on the planet,
wants to use the revenue for much-needed modernisation and economic
development.

Azerbaijan has ambitions to join the club of sovereign wealth fund
(SWF) countries like the UAE and Singapore, but finds itself in a
delicate situation ` caught between the energy imperialism of its
former Soviet "comrades" and the ambitions of Iran to the south. It
will require delicate diplomatic choreography by the Azeris, who are
acutely mindful of the fate of their neighbour, Georgia, invaded and
occupied by Russian troops.

Oil has been a blessing , and a curse, to the region for
millennia. Caspian oil was exported to central Asian and Europe
throughout modern history and according to some analysts, by 1900
Azerbaijan accounted for more than half of the world’s trade in crude
oil.

Nazi Germany was aware of the potential difference Caspian oil would
make to its war machine, and Hitler’s armies were on their way to Baku
before they were halted at Stalingrad in 1942. The Soviets plundered
the region’s oil reserves using obsolete technology and with no
thought for the environmental consequences, leaving the Baku region
with an ecological problem the Azeri government is still trying to
deal with. Great swathes of land outside the city are heavily
polluted, with ancient "nodding donkey" platforms doting the landscape
of abandoned facilities.

After independence, the Azeri government opened up the country to
foreign investment, and Western oil companies brought in modern
technology that could exploit huge reserves untouched by the Russians,
out in the open sea. It is from this era that BP’s involvement began,
principally with the Azer-Chirag-Gunashli field in the Caspian, which
provides most of the crude that now comes ashore at
Sangachal. Azerbaijan is in the top 20 countries ranked according to
oil reserves.

BP was aware, however, that it faced a massive logistical problem in
shipping this crude out of the region. Already in 2002 there were
concerns that Russia had a commanding grip on supplies in the region,
despite the pipeline that went west from Baku to the Georgian Black
Sea port of Suspa. (Supposedly safe from Russian interference, the
reliability of Georgia as a supply route was exposed a couple of weeks
ago as BP watched Russian warplanes dropping bombs near the Suspa
pipeline. The Suspa route (WREP) was suspended on August 12.) BP, as
lead and managing member of a consortium that included the Azeri
government-owned oil company Socar, as well as some of the biggest
corporate names in the international oil industry, saw the solution in
a pipeline that avoided the Black Sea and went straight for the
Turkish Mediterranean port of Ceyhan, and the BTC concept was born in
2002. Four years later, at a cost of $4 billion (Dh14.7bn) to BP, the
first crude flowed through the new 1,750km "East-West Pipeline", as BP
proudly presented it.

The pipeline’s route was determined as much by political and strategic
considerations as environmental concerns. It skirted Armenia ` which
had fought a three-year war with Azerbaijan in the early 1990s ` and
had to be buried beneath towns and culturally-sensitive areas,
especially in eastern Turkey.

When on August 5 a fire broke out at one of the pumping stations along
this section of the pipeline, it was suspected that separatist Kurds
were responsible, and the line was closed immediately for
repair. However, it seems almost certain it would have halted a week
later anyway, as Russian tanks came within striking distance of the
BTC and planes dropped bombs dangerously nearby. The fragility of BP’s
grand strategy to bypass Russian influence in the region appeared to
have been exposed.

BP officials in the company’s Baku office last week could give no firm
date for the resumption of supplies, but more recent reports from the
United States said BP hoped to resume shipping from the terminal at
Ceyhan next week, once the Turkish partner in the consortium had
finished testing the repaired facilities and assuming there were "no
further problems". Presumably these include possible fractures to the
still-fragile ceasefire between Russia and Georgia. It cannot come a
day too soon for Azerbaijan.

The 850,000 barrels per day that pass through the pipeline represent
the country’s biggest source of revenue, worth more than $1bn a day at
the current (relatively low) price of $119 per barrel. The World Bank
estimates that Azerbaijan could amass a sovereign wealth fund of about
$250bn out of the revenue from BTC, propelling the country into the
SWF big league. The state investment company Sofaz is estimated to
have $3.34bn in reserves from energy revenue.

For a country still struggling with the legacy of Soviet neglect, this
would represent a dramatic change in fortunes. Azerbaijan has topped
the world league tables for growth in gross domestic product for the
past couple of years, with 20 per cent-plus rates of growth, making
the booming economies of China and India seem sluggish in
comparison. However, all of this is due to oil revenue, and Azerbaijan
faces serious challenges if it is to harness this growth for long-term
development.

A recent report by ratings agency Moody’s highlighted the "vibrant
oil-driven growth" and the healthy state of public finances, but also
pointed to high inflation (perhaps more than 20 per cent), a
relatively undiversified economy, a rudimentary banking system,
untested socio-economic systems and few managerial cadres. It also
pointed to the culture of corruption endemic in the country.

The Azeri government led by President Ilham Aliyev "faces the
difficulties of sheltering the economy from its current over-exposure
to potential external shocks, whether they come in the form of lower
energy prices, currency fluctuations, or even geopolitical problems,"
says Moody’s. In particular, Azerbaijan will have to cope with "Dutch
disease", the phenomenon that has blighted energy-dependent economies,
forcing up inflation and straining investment in infrastructure and
diversification. Deeper economic ties with the Gulf could also help
Azerbaijan face these challenges, but ` after a flurry of trade
missions and talks about free-trade agreements with the UAE a couple
of years ago ` commercial opportunities with the region seem limited
to high-profile advertising for Dubai property in the Azeri
media. Azerbaijan seems to be looking firmly west, rather than
south. For BP, there is much at risk in the Caspian. The company’s
long-running confrontation with its Russian partners in TNK is coming
to some kind of denouement, with the decision by the head of BP’s
Russian business, Robert Dudley, to quit Moscow. Despite BP’s stated
commitment to carry on in Russia, there appears to be little hope of
normal business being resumed between BP and Russia in the near
future, if ever.

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ARMENIAN NGOs OF JAVAKHK CONSIDER FORMATION OF FEDERAL STATE AS ONLY WAY TO SOLVE ETHNIC PROBLEMS IN GEORGIA

Noyan Tapan

Au g 20, 2008

AKHALKALAKI, AUGUST 20, ARMENIANS TODAY – NOYAN TAPAN. The Council
of Armenian Non-Governmental Organizations of Samtskhe-Javakheti
and Kvemo Kartli made a declaration on August 19, stating that in
order to resolve the ethnic conflicts in an objective, just and legal
manner, Georgia should have a federal state structure, composed of
territorial units and a central government. Below is the full text
of the declaration submitted by A-Info agency:

"Now that the military operations have stopped and the repositioning
of military forces in the country is slowly retuning to the status
quo ante of August 6;

When the conflicting parties and the international community are
searching for ways out of the current situation and in order to
re-establish the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty;

It is clear, that the main victim of attempts to resolve inter-ethnic
issues through military operations is the peaceful population, without
any positive movements on the political front, on the contrary,
with complicated political consequences;

We, the public representatives of the Armenian population of
Samtskhe-Javakheti and Kvemo Kartli, concerned with re-establishing
peace and stability in our country, assert that:

a) In order to re-establish Georgia’s territorial integrity and
sovereignty and, as a guarantee to the country’s stability and
democratic development to resolve the ethnic conflicts in an objective,
just and legal manner, Georgia should have a federal state structure,
composed of territorial units and a central government;

b) Under the federal system of state structure, the central authorities
of Georgia will retain all the powers provided by the subsections of
the first section of Article 3 of the Constitution of Georgia;

c) The basis for the creation of the territorial units should be
the needs for preserving and advancing the ethnic identity of the
nationalities comprising Georgia’s population; d) Samtskhe-Javakheti
— with its current boundaries and with the neighboring mainly
Armenian-populated areas of the Kvemo Kartli region — should have
the status of a territorial unit comprising the Georgian federal
state, with broad self-governing rights, including the right to free
elections by the population for all local self-governing bodies and
jurisdiction over cultural, educational and socio-economic policies,
as well as the spheres of public order, local self-government and
environmental protection in Samtskhe-Javakheti;

e) Guarantees should be provided through the constitution, that
the Armenian language will be a regional official language in
Samtskhe-Javakheti, in addition to the official state language;

f) The representation of Samtskhe-Javakheti in the legislative,
executive and judicial branches of government of Georgia should be
constitutionally guaranteed.

It is about time, that the political elite of Georgia acknowledge,
once and for all, that:

The way to the development and strengthening of the state is through
its formation on the basis prescribed above;

In order to re-establish the integrity of the country the law-abiding
citizens should be sufficiently appreciated, their concerns and
reasonable demands should be heard, and they should be provided with
at least as much jurisdiction as is being promised to those who have
raised arms against the state;

The country’s integration into Euro-Atlantic structures first of all
requires complete adoption and application of European values and the
complete and immediate realization of obligations — including those
regarding the full protection of national minorities — undertaken
vis a vis European institutions.

We are aware that this declaration will not be received
unequivocally. There will be efforts to misconstrue or misuse
it. But we, as citizens concerned with Georgia’s destiny, could not
refrain from repeating the truth, which we have been proclaiming
for years. We are guided solely by the the interests of Georgia and
Samtskhe-Javakheti, which is a component unit of the country.

This is what the memory of those who fell during the last clashes
requires; this is what the right of return of those hundreds of
thousands of the recently displaced people requires; this is what
the future of Georgia requires."

PRESIDENT OF THE NAGORNO KARABAGH REPUBLIC VISITED MARTAKERT REGION

Azat Artsakh Daily
18 Aug 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

On 16 August President of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic Bako Sahakyan
visited Martakert region. The first place the President visited was
the Khachen water reservoir. Bako Sahakyan was satisfied with the
course of reconstruction activities carried out in the reservoir
and reiterated the role of the Khachen water reservoir in economic
development of the republic.

In the village of Nor Maragha the President met the villagers and
representatives of the local self government bodies and discussed
situation in the community. The Head of the State noted that some
problems the village faces, in particular the issue of drinking water
supply, would be solved in the nearest future. The next place the
President visited was the village of Vaghouhas. There Bako Sahakyan
met people and representatives of local self government bodies of
Vaghouhas and nearby villages of Haroutyunagomer and Khnkavan and
discussed the state of affairs in these communities.

President Sahakyan mentioned that in some projects to be carried
out in the village of Vaghouhas, such as the construction of a
secondary school for 250 pupils, would be included in the 2009 state
budget. The President underlined the importance of making initiatives
from the communities and using local potential, which is according
to the Head of the State the one of the key guarantees of success.
President Sahakyan visited also the sources of the Trghe River and got
acquainted with activities to change the river bed towards the Sarsang
water reservoir. The President underlined strategic importance of this
project, which will allow having new irrigated lands and construct
several hydroelectric stations. Premier Ara Haroutyunayn and other
officials accompanied the President during the visit.

RIA Oreanda, Russia
Aug 13 2008

Dmitry Medvedev and Serzh Sargsyan Had Conversation

Moscow. ">OREANDA-NEWS . August 13, 2008. On his personal behalf and
on behalf of the entire Armenian people, Mr Sargsyan expressed his
condolences at the tragic events in South Ossetia and the mass deaths
of people. He also expressed readiness to provide humanitarian aid to
the affected population.

The two Presidents spoke their support for taking all necessary
measures to ensure that these events do not happen again and to
normalize the situation in the region as rapidly as possible.

The conversation took place at Armenias initiative.

Arthur Ayvazyan Recieves Gold Olympic medal

Panorama.am
12:56 15/08/2008

Armenian sportsman Arthur Ayvazyan, representing Ukraine, won gold
Olympic medal in shooting. He was the well-aimed at shooting from 50
metres distance.

Ayvazyan had 702.1 points in the final and became Olympic
Champion. Metew Ammons, American sportsman, (701.7 points) was in
the second place and a sportsman from Australia Warren Potten (700.5
points) won bronze medal.

ANGRY SWEDE THROWS DOWN MEDAL, QUITS
By Douglas Hamilton

Reuters
Thursday August 14 2008

BEIJING, Aug 14 (Reuters) – Swedish wrestler Ara Abrahamian threw
down his 84kg greco-roman bronze medal in protest on Thursday after
his shot at Olympic wrestling gold was ended by a decision denounced
by the Swedish coach as "politics".

Abrahamian took the bronze from around his neck during the medal
ceremony, stepped from the podium and dropped it in the middle of
the wrestling ring then walked off.

The Swedish wrestler had to be restrained by team mates earlier as a
row erupted with judges over the decision in a semi-final bout at the
Chinese Agricultural University Gym with Andrea Minguzzi of Italy,
who went on the take gold.

Abrhamian, who won silver at the Athens 2004 Games, shouted at the
referee and judges then went over to their row of chairs to speak to
them up close.

He angrily threw off the restraining arm of a team official then
turned and left.

Swedish fans booed loudly as the judges filed out of the
arena. Abrahamian said nothing to waiting reporters but whacked an
aluminium barricade with his fist as he left the hall.

"It’s all politics," said Swedish wrestling coach Leo Myllari.

Myllari did not say if he intended to lodge a formal protest over the
decision by referee Jean-Marc Petoud of Switzerland, judge Lee Ronald
Mackay of Canada, and mat chairman Guillermo Orestes Molina of Cuba.

Other favourites went out in the semi-finals or earlier.

Athens 96kg gold medallist Karam Gaber of Egypt failed to make it to
the quarter-finals. Aleksey Mishin of Russia, who took Athens gold in
the 84kg class, was beaten by Minguzzi. Ramaz Nozazde of Georgia, who
took silver in Athens, succumbed to Marek Svec of the Czech Republic,
still fighting at age 35. Svec then lost to Russia’s European champion
Aslanbek Kushtov, who caught him with a spectacular fall.

In the heavyweight 120kg class, Armenia’s Yuri Patrikeev and Dremiel
Byers of the United States, both favoured as finalists, failed to
go through.