Author: Madatian Greg

FOREIGN POLICY OF NKR IS BASED ON MULTI-VECTOR PRINCIPLE

KarabakhOpen
18-03-2008 11:05:15

The representatives of Nagorno-Karabakh did not participate in the
Russian Duma hearings on the situation in unrecognized states.

"NKR pursues a little different foreign political line, based on
the multi-vector principle. One of the main components of this is
the existence of big Armenian, including Karabakh Diaspora in the
main geopolitical centers. In the years of independence Karabakh has
equally established balanced relations with those powers, which is
a considerable achievement.

As to the absence of the NKR representatives in the Russian Duma
hearings, nobody from Karabakh had received an invitation," said
Davit Babayan, the head of the General Information Department of the
NKR president administration in an interview with Karabakh-Open.com.

What is the stance of NKR on the issue of joining the "union of
unrecognized states" (Abkhazia, Ossetia, Transdnyestr)? Why did not
the representative of NKR take part in the Russian Duma hearings?

"I can state only my personal opinion on this issue: there can be no
full and viable union when the sides do not have even common borders,"
said the chair of the NKR National Assembly Committee of Foreign
Affairs Vahram Atanesyan. "As to the second question, the Russian
Duma discussed the situation in those regions on the request of the
parliaments of Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Transdnyestr. Naturally, we
were not invited to the Russian Duma. The talks on Karabakh continue
and we are hopeful that in the end the parties will reach agreement
in the context outlined by the mediators."

ROBERT KOCHARIAN AND HAROUT SASSOUNIAN DISCUSS PROCESS OF PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED IN ARMENIA WITH ASSISTANCE OF LINCY FOUNDATION

Noyan Tapan
March 18, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Robert Kocharian, the President of the
Republic of Armenia, received Harout Sassounian, the Deputy Chairman
of the Lincy Foundation and the Chairman of the U.S. United Armenian
Fund, on March 18. The interlocutors discussed the process of the
programs being implemented in Armenia with the financial assistance
of the Lincy Foundation.

According to the information provided to Noyan Tapan by the RA
President’s Press Office, Robert Kocharian and Harout Sassounian
exchanged ideas concerning the post-election developments of
Armenia, the relations with the Diaspora and a number of problems
the Diasporan-Armenians are interested in.

HIKMET HAJIZADE: "WE SHOULD REJECT NOT THE MEDIATION OF THE MINSK GROUP BUT THE CURRENT "PEACEFUL" PLAN"

Today
s/43791.html
March 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az has interviewed famous political scientist Hikmet Hajizade.

-Mr.Hikmet, how would you comment on the adoption of the resolution,
which recognizes territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, by the UN
General Assembly?

-I appreciate this UN resolution- the idea to appeal to the world
community bypassing the Minsk Group is right. We should not bound
Karabakh’s fate to the sympathies of superstates. While superstates
impose Realpolitik around-each for its own selfish ends- we have the
only ally left-the global moral values and international law. We have
a right to appeal for such support to the UN countries.

The resolution is important and may be of use to us, though the Minsk
Group countries did not support it. The appeal for support to the UN
is especially right following the events in Kosovo and international
law in this sphere.

And whatever is said, we have a right to ask whether we will be
treated the same way as well, for the sake of pumping our oil and
other actions without fearing the threat of war.

-Do you consider it necessary for Azerbaijan to reject the OSCE Minsk
Group mediation after the resolution of the General Assembly was
not supported by Russia, the United States and France, co-chairing
this group?

-Dissatisfaction with the activity of the Minsk Group is evident in
our country and it can be understood. However, it should be taken
into account that anyway the peaceful negotiations require influential
mediators and if we reject the mediation and demand creation of another
group (it should also be influential) we will see in the result that
we will have none to select the mediators among.

The new group (even if created under the United Nations) will again
include representatives of the West and Russia. So, there is no
alternative to the Minsk Group and it will be replaced with another
"Minsk group".

-What does Azerbaijan expects from the OSCE Minsk Group?

-Azerbaijan expects that the OSCE Minsk Group would clarify its
position, basing on the international law and UN charter, which
(whatever separatists say) fix that the territorial integrity of
countries is a priority against the right of ethnic minorities for
separation. Azerbaijan also expects the Minsk Group to recognize
occupation of our lands by Armenia.

However, the Minsk Group does not demonstrate such an unambiguous
position and we have a right to protest and appeal to the world
community for political and moral support.

-Why don’t OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs agree with the said resolution
and Azerbaijan’s actions?

-Both Russia and US officials explain their position as follows: we
have voted against the resolution, as today "a differing document
which includes the right of Karabakh Armenians for referendum to
define their status, is on the negotiation table".

This regulation is disastrous for Azerbaijan. I do not know how it
was included into the discussed draft peaceful agreement and it is
obviously a delayed-time bomb, no matter how obscure it is.

Today we can so far say that our "referendum" is not the same
"referendum", spoken of by Armenians and that "it may occur only in
10 years", while this is a fatal mistake-this is a cruelty of such
documents and such obscure regulations, fixed in contracts in "small
print". The said regulation of the contract gains power round by round,
encouraged by sponsors of peaceful negotiations and one day we might
be caught in a deadlock asked "what are you discontented with if you
have agreed to all this long before?"

Now it is necessary to stop this creeping annexation. I can’t find
any other word for the said stage of negotiations on Karabakh. We
should reject not the mediation of the Minsk Group, but the current
"peaceful" plan.

We should refuse to discuss this plan and express will to start
everything anew.

The cause can be the recent behavior of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairing countries in the UN and their loss of our distrust.

So, I would repeat that we should reject not the mediation of the
Minsk Group but the "peaceful" plan, which we have a right to treat
with suspicion.

MOVING FORWARD IN ARMENIA BY SERZH SARGSYAN AND ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN

Washington Post
article/2008/03/16/AR2008031602128.html
March 17 2008

Moving Forward In Armenia

Armenia’s reputation as a stable, democratic country in a troubled
region has taken a battering recently. Although international
observers gave an overall positive rating to the conduct of last
month’s presidential election, opposition forces took to the streets,
seeking to overturn the people’s will. Riots and armed demonstrations
left more than 100 injured. Tragically, seven protesters and one
police officer died.

Public faith in our economy and political institutions has been
undermined. Simply put, we had a competitive election. Dragging this
crisis on, literally through the streets, only hurts Armenia. For
almost a decade — since then-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan resigned —
our country has avoided civil uproars and armed violence, allowing for
a period of internationally recognized democratic and socioeconomic
progress.

But after he lost his bid to reclaim the presidency in February,
Ter-Petrosyan resorted to a dangerous and profoundly undemocratic
form of populism. He radicalized a part of the opposition and guided
it into a standoff with the state, which led to the March 1 riots
in which armed demonstrators confronted police. It was clear to
all moderate political forces — pro-government or supporters of
the opposition — that declaring a state of emergency was the only
possible option to protect our citizens. We have until Thursday,
when the state of emergency is lifted, to find political solutions
and ensure that Armenia does not slide back into chaos.

The two of us were competitors in the presidential election. But we
are united in our desire to end the current crisis and put Armenia
back on track. Cooperation is the way forward.

The political alliance we have created, between the president-elect
and the Rule of Law Party, is an effort to do things democratically
and through compromise. Between us, we represent 70 percent of the
votes of the Armenian people. This is a serious and solid mandate. On
this basis, we will pursue ambitious but realistic reforms that will
strengthen our democracy and our nation’s socioeconomic progress. In
this moment of crisis, we have agreed to assume responsibility for
joint governance.

This form of government has not been imposed upon Armenia; we have
chosen it as the best way forward. This new, grand coalition will
guarantee that the people’s will is reflected.

We insist, however, that continued progress is possible only through
dialogue and reform. Violence has no place in democracy. Therefore,
we ask those who are still promoting instability on the streets
to join us in political dialogue and to help us guide our country
toward prosperity.

Armenia faces a series of external challenges that we hope to
address. First among them is the long-standing conflict over who
should control the Nagorno-Karabakh region between our country and
Azerbaijan; second is the normalization of relations with Turkey.

Only a government with wide popular support, not one created through
street violence, can successfully resolve these problems. We will also
continue to ask the international community to recognize the Armenian
genocide, though this issue should not prevent us from moving forward.

We do not assume that all of our country’s ills will be solved through
a coalition government. And we will certainly address the expectations
of the several thousands of voters who are dissatisfied; we must do
so to build consensus. But we must also recognize the expectations
of the many more thousands of voters who chose the government that
is in power. We will do our utmost to restore public trust in the
electoral process and to unite the nation again.

Our priority is to run a transparent government and have a clear
agenda, which we will announce. We will fight corruption head-on. We
are confident that with the world’s help, reason and responsibility
will regain the upper hand in Armenia. We have no time to waste —
there is a lot of work to do. Despite recent events, our country is
still moving forward. The international community has everything to
gain through supporting a stable, transparent and elected government
in Armenia.

Serzh Sargsyan, prime minister of Armenia, is chairman of the
Republican Party. He is the country’s president-elect. Arthur
Baghdasaryan, a former speaker of Armenia’s parliament, represented the
opposition Orinats Yekir (Rule of Law) Party in the February election;
he placed third.

OIL PRODUCT PRICES GREW IN ARMENIA ON MARCH 16

arminfo
2008-03-17 17:12:00

ArmInfo. Retail prices of oil products grew by 2,5- 6,2% in Armenia
on March 16.

At filling stations "Super AI 98" gasoline grew in price from 400
AMD to 410 AMD per liter, "Premium AI 95" – from 370 AMD to 380 AMD,
"Regular AI 91" – from 340 AMD to 350 AMD. Diesel fuel grew in price
from 320 AMD to 340 AMD per liter.

Deputy Director of Flesh, the largest oil trading company in Armenia,
Mushegh Elchyan, told ArmInfo correspondent that the price increase
in Armenia was caused by the growth in international prices of oil
products. He noted that the world prices have been growing for two
months, and Armenia has no more possibility to resist this process.

Since the beginning of 2008 oil product prices have increased in
Armenia for the first time. Elchyan noted that the world price of
gasoline increased to $887 per ton, and diesel fuel – to $1012.

Interfax News Agency, Russia
March 15 2008

Armenia views UN resolution on N. Karabakh as threat to negotiations

YEREVAN

The results of the voting on a UN General Assembly resolution on
Nagorno-Karabakh are a clear reflection of the international
community’s stance on the issue, the Armenian Foreign Ministry said
in a commentary on Saturday.

"The resolution proposed by Azerbaijan was supported by only 39
countries from GUAM and the Organization of the Islamic conference.
The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, which are the U.S., France, and
Russia, and also Armenia and a number of other countries voted
against the resolution, and more than 150 countries either abstained
or did not take part in the voting at all," it said.

"I hope the results of the voting will serve as the international
community’s signal to Azerbaijan," Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan
Oskanian said. "An overwhelming majority of UN countries rejected a
unilateral approach on this issue," he said.

"By rejecting Azerbaijan’s resolution, the international community
showed that it supports the document on the negotiating table, which
makes it possible to converge the seemingly contradictory principles
of people’s right to self-determination and the territorial integrity
of states. This document enables Armenia and Azerbaijan to move the
negotiating process ahead," he said.

Oskanian qualified the resolution as hypocritical. "On the one hand,
the document proposed by Baku is aimed at misinforming the
international community, and on the other, the resolution contains a
provision in support for the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, who had
clearly stated their disagreement with the proposed document the day
before and voted against it," he said.

"It is a question of whether Azerbaijan will continue to undermine
the peace process or will sit at the negotiating table," Oskanian
said.

Oskanian once again reaffirmed Armenian President-elect Serzh
Sargsyan’s willingness to meet with Azeri President Ilham Aliyev,
given the latter’s and the OSCE Minsk Group’s consent.

"Such an opportunity does exist," Oskanian said.

It was reported earlier that the delegates to the 62nd UN General
Assembly session passed an Azerbaijan-proposed resolution on the
situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan by 39 votes, with
seven votes against and 100 abstentions on Friday.

The resolution expresses concern that the armed conflict in and
around the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan has "continued to
endanger international peace and security" and negatively affected
the humanitarian situation in the South Caucasus countries.

"LAW ENFORCEMENT BODIES SHOULD BE GUIDED BY THE LAW"

AZG Armenian Daily 1
5/03/2008

Post-election

President’s Spokesperson Victor Soghomonian, in answer to the question
if EU statement on arrests in Armenia can be perceived as pressure on
law enforcement bodies, mentioned, "Law enforcement bodies in their
activities should be guided by the law and be free of any pressure
including foreign one".

"The arrested people are not simply opposition representatives;
they are people who are charged with criminal offence. None of the
European countries’ citizens refuses to accept responsibility for
breaking the law even if they are involved in politics", mentioned
the President’s Spokesperson, according to Armenpress agency.

KOCHARIAN: SITUATION IN YEREVAN STABILIZING

PanARMENIAN.Net
13.03.2008 18:10 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President Robert Kocharian met Thursday
with Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr Thomas
Hammarberg to discuss the post-election situation in the republic,
the RA leader’s press office reported.

"Unfortunately we failed to avoid undesirable course of events and
the authorities had to take action.

However, the situation is stabilizing and the emergency rule’s
limitations have been moderated twice," the RA President said.

The parties noted the importance of soonest normalization of the
internal political situation.

LACK OF RESPECT
by Valeriy Markaryan and Artsrun Kostandyan

Azg
March 12 2008
Armenia

It has been forgotten that in any case we live in a democratic country
with supremacy of law. This happened due to the political tension
of the recent months turning into obvious hysteria, as well as due
to the state of emergency imposed because of well-known events. At
least this is written in the Constitution which is considered the
supreme law of a state.

Some people will smile when the issue of supremacy of law is
mentioned. We believe that this lack of trust has grounds, but
nevertheless the present serious political crisis should not be used
for political revenge on the part of the authorities, it should be
used for strengthening supremacy of law in practice.

Making laws more specific and specific application of laws can be
both the most efficient way out of the political crisis and the only
way for the country to take the democratic route.

It is known that the state of emergency means temporary restrictions
for society in the sphere of freedom of speech and other political
freedoms. However, these restrictions should strictly comply with
laws. [Passage omitted: reiteration]

It is known that a number of media outlets have refused to work under
the state of emergency conditions as a sign of protest. It is known
that the authorities did not officially stop the activity of any
media outlet and introduced some restrictions only.

It is also known that websites of some media outlets cannot be
accessed. Why? Either the activity of these websites stopped on the
orders of managers of these media outlets or the authorities.

We have not seen any reports saying that the activity of websites
stopped by the media outlets themselves. We also did not hear that
this was done by the authorities. [Passage omitted on assumptions
about the reasons of this situation]

Many people these days lost the opportunity to access at least one
international website [youtube.com]. An Armenian media outlet has
posted numerous reports on this website; there are also reports
there posted by individuals. Now this website is inaccessible for
the audience from Armenia.

Why? What is more interesting – which law or decree was used as the
basis for stopping access to the website?

It is clear that this was not the management of the website who did
it. They might not even known Armenia’s location on a map.

It is also clear that this was done with the help of some Armenian
internet providers.

It is only unclear what are the legal basis for such a restriction.

If a foreign website in fact violates legal restrictions during the
state of emergency, instead of illegal actions it would have been more
lawful to apply to the authorities of a corresponding country with a
request to suspend the activity of the website. One can act the other
way round as well – inform a visitor about the restrictions and the
grounds of this decision when he/she visits an undesirable website.

We believe that Armenia should not resemble countries where such
illegal restrictions in the internet become a norm.

Behaviour of some internet providers is surprising. If these
restrictions were imposed just by one phone call from the above, then
one can only be upset for the existence of such companies. If this
has been done in line with the law, is a report about this made public?

Let’s hope that this alarm will focus the attention of the authorities
on this disgraceful phenomenon and will help to quickly regulate it.

When our edition was being sent to the printing house, youtube.com
website was already accessible. Fortunately.

"NO VICTIMS RECORDED IN LIBERTY SQUARE DURING MARCH 1 COLLISION," RA PROSECUTOR GENERAL’S OFFICE MAKES ASSERTIONS

Noyan Tapan
March 12, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 12, NOYAN TAPAN. No victims were recorded during the
collision between the police and demonstrators in Liberty square
on March 1 morning, and the claims circulating about an opposite
version do not correspond to reality. This statement was made by the
RA Prosecutor General’s Office on March 1.

According to the statement, the rumour about the murder of a child by
policemen is among false rumours, which "was put into circulation by
a woman, who taking shoes of a child out of garbage, has convulsively
cried that those are the shoes of the child, who died in Liberty
square, aiming at disposing the demonstrators gathered in the vicinity
of the Embassy of France to disorders." The aspersions spread by that
woman instigated to disorders and acts of violence towards policemen.

It is also mentioned that sms messages are currently being spread
among population about alleged 58 victims. As a result of the
taken measures, people spreading such misinformation have been
discovered. David Ayvazian, an inhabitant of Yerevan, is among them,
who being examined in the status of a witness confessed that he has
spread false information and has repented for the made wrong step.

The RA Prosecutor General’s Office declares that "the number of people,
who died during the mass disorders, which took place on March 1 and 2,
has not increased: 8 people have died, one of whom is a collaborator
of the police."

In general, according to the prosecutor’s office, 180 policemen and
48 citizens received body injuries on those days.