Author: Nadirian Emma

TRILATERAL MEETING IN SOCHI TO HELP KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.01.2010 11:06 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan, Ambassador
Sergey Kapinos said Kazakhstan’s chairmanship in the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe can serve as the impetus for
positive change in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement process.

"The decision of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office to pay a visit to
Transcaucasia testifies Kazakhstan’s interest in resolution of the
conflict," he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Ambassador Kapinos also noted that the impending meeting between the
Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Sochi can lead to
some progress.

The conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan broke out in
1988 as result of the ethnic cleansing the latter launched in the
final years of the Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from
1991 to 1994. Since the ceasefire in 1994, sealed by Armenia, Nagorno
Karabakh and Azerbaijan, most of Nagorno Karabakh and several regions
of Azerbaijan around it (the security zone) remain under the control
of NKR defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan are holding peace talks
mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group up till now.

With 56 States drawn from Europe, Central Asia and America, the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) is the
world’s largest regional security organization. It offers a forum for
political negotiations and decision-making in the fields of early
warning, conflict prevention, crisis management and post-conflict
rehabilitation, and puts the political will of the participating
States into practice through its unique network of field missions.

GEORGIA’S REMILITARIZATION MAY ESCALATE TENSIONS IN TRANSCAUCASUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
21.01.2010 18:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The ninth round of International Discussions on
Security and Stability in Transcaucasus is due in Geneva on January 28.

The discussion series were launched in October 2008 by the agreement
reached between Russian and French Presidents following the August
2008 South Ossetia war. Discussions will be conducted by two working
groups dealing with security and humanitarian issues.

The first group will focus its activities on drafting legally binding
documents on non-use of force. The agreements will be signed by
Georgia on the one hand and Abkhazia and South Ossetia on the other.

Much greater significance is attached to giving firm guarantees to
Sukhimi and Tskhivali, considering Tbilisi’s military rhetoric and
Georgian leadership’s incessant claims for restoring the country’s
territorial integrity at any cost.

"In the meantime, it is necessary to resolve Georgia’s remilitarization
problem which may exacerbate the atmosphere in Transcaucasus. All
responsible international players should realize the devastating
consequences of double standard policy in relation to Georgia. The
accelerated re-armament of the country may escalate new tensions,
posing new threats to neighboring states, particularly Abkahzia and
South Ossetia," Russian Foreign Ministry’s press service reported.

Participants in Geneva meeting are Republic of Abkhazia, Russian,
Federation, United States, Republic of South Ossetia, as well as
representatives from EU, United Nations and OSCE and Russian Deputy
FM/State Secretary Grigory Karasin.

The South Ossetian armed conflict broke out in August of 2008 between
Georgia on one side, and Russia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia on
the other.

On the night of 8 August 2008, Georgia launched a large-scale
military attack against South Ossetia, in an attempt to re-conquer
the territory. The following day Russia reacted by deploying combat
troops in South Ossetia and launching bombing raids deep into Georgia.

Russian and Ossetian soldiers clashed with Georgian soldiers in the
four-day Battle of Tskhinvali, the main battle of the war. On August
9th, Russian naval forces blockaded a part of the Georgian coast and
landed marines on the Abkhaz coast. Russian and Abkhaz forces opened
a second front by attacking the Kodori Gorge, held by Georgia. and
entered western parts of Georgia’s interior. After five days of heavy
fighting, the Georgian forces were routed, enabling the Russians
to enter uncontested Georgia and occupy the cities of Poti, Gori,
Senaki, and Zugdidi. After mediation by the French presidency of the
European Union, the parties reached a preliminary ceasefire agreement
on 12 August, signed by Georgia on 15 August in Tbilisi and by Russia
on 16 August in Moscow. On 12 August, President Medvedev had already
ordered a halt to Russian military operations, but fighting did not
stop immediately. After signing the ceasefire agreement, Russia pulled
most of its troops out of uncontested Georgia, but established buffer
zones around Abkhazia and South Ossetia and also created check-points
in Georgia’s interior, (Poti, Senaki, Perevi).

On 26 August 2008 Russia recognized the independence of South Ossetia
and Abkhazia. Russia completed its withdrawal from uncontested
Georgia on 8 October, but as of 2009 Russian forces remain stationed
in Abkhazia and South Ossetia under bilateral agreements with the
corresponding governments. However, according to a number of European
and US sources, Russia has not fully complied with the peace agreement
because Georgia lost control of some of its territories. A number
of incidents occurred in both conflict zones in the months after the
war ended. As of 2010, tensions between the belligerents remain high.

NALBANDIAN AND DAVUTOGLU HELD TELEPHONE CONVERSATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.01.2010 16:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ministers of foreign affairs of Armenia and Turkey
Edward Nalbandian and Ahmet Davutoglu held telephone conversations.

According to the Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Burak Ozugergin,
RA FM called the Turkish counterpart and expressed concern with the
statements of the Turkish Foreign Ministry about the decision of the
Armenian Constitutional Court on the Armenian-Turkish Protocols .

During the telephone conversation, Turkish foreign minister said that
"the decision of the Constitutional Court contains unacceptable
preconditions". According to Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey is faithful
to the spirit of the Protocols signed with Yerevan and expects the
similar approach from the Armenian side, CNNTurk reported.

RA foreign ministry neither confirmed nor denied the information
disseminated by Turkish media about the telephone conversation between
foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey.

Commenting on the decision of the Armenian Constitutional Court, the
Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the decision contains
preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and
spirit of the Protocols.

"The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these
Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach
cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed
allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence
to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same
allegiance from the Armenian Government," the Ministry said.

The protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of
Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

FAMILY LEFT HOMELESS
By Katie Davies

Newcastle Evening Chronicle
January 18, 2010 Monday
UK

A COUPLE and their children have been evicted and left destitute
after their appeal for asylum was refused.

Kamo and Nonna Manukyan have lived in Wallsend, North Tyneside,
for two years with their children, Lusi, 18, and Arsen, 19.

The Home Office want the Christian family-of-four to return to
Uzbekistan or to Armenia, where mum Nonna and her two children have
citizenship.

The family, formerly of Helmsley Drive, were forced to leave their
property in freezing temperatures this week after they received a
letter from their accommodation provider, Angel Group.

Angel Group wrote to the family stating that they were no longer
entitled to accommodation, as their application had been refused.

The Manukyans have since managed to find a place to stay but are
relying on charity and handouts from friends and neighbours.

Wallsend’s People’s Centre Walking With project are helping the family
as much as they can, as their only support – free food vouchers –
has been cut off.

Ian Ferguson, from the centre, said: "It’s grossly immoral what is
happening to this family.

"It’s as if the authorities are trying to starve these people out of
the country. "They have no means of obtaining any food."

The Manukyans are forced to live with their most treasured possessions
in bags in fear they could be put out at any time if charity donations
run out.

Mum Nonna has serious health problems and without shelter and support
her situation could deteriorate. Lusi, who scored top grades at
A-level and won places to study medicine at Newcastle and St Andrew’s
universities said: "I thought things may have changed in the New Year
but then this happens.

"The most annoying thing was that the letter arrived the day after
our deadline to move out."

The family risk being torn apart if they are deported.

While Nonna, Arsen and Lusi have Armenian citizenship, dad Kamo
does not.

He could be extradited to Uzbekistan, splitting the family in two.

Arsen, who is a star pupil on his art and design course at Newcastle
College, claims he will be jailed if sent to Armenia.

Military service is compulsory in the country and, since his 18th
birthday, Arsen has missed two call-ups.

The Home Office have rejected their appeal for an extension – stating
they should have been prepared to leave.

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "Our decision to refuse this family
asylum has been upheld throughout the full appeal process.

"Once a decision has been made we expect people to leave voluntarily."

HRANT DINK COMMEMORATION RALLY TO TAKE PLACE NEAR TURKISH EMBASSY IN BRITAIN

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.01.2010 21:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On Tuesday, January 19, a commemoration rally
dedicated to Editor-in-Chief of "Agos" Turkish-Armenian newspaper
Hrant Dink will take place near the Turkish Embassy of Britain. The
ralliers will hold placards reading, "Turkey Stand Face-to-face with
Your History".

Event organizer is Hrant Dink Society.

In addition, the British Parliament will hold an event on "What is
really going on in Turkey?".

Hrant Dink was assassinated on January 19, 2007 near his office
in Istanbul. Almost two years after his death, the murderers were
convicted. But new details are still being disclosed, particularly,
concerning Ergenekon terrorist organization’s complicity in the crime.

Dink’s murderer Ogun Samast (18) was recognized of full legal age at
the time of committing the crime. Court procedures revealed a third
person’s involvement in the affair. Following Dink’s murder, Noble
Prize laureate Orhan Pamuk left Turkey for fear of being subjected
to physical violence.

REPUBLICAN PARTY: RA CC DECISION CONCRETIZED THE SUBJECT OF ARMENIA-TURKEY PROTOCOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.01.2010 19:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Under the decision of RA Constitutional Court,
the object of Armenia-Turkey Protocols is the opening of bilateral
border and establishment of diplomatic ties, member of Republican
parliamentary group Gagik Minasyan said.

"The court’s conclusion put an end to internal political discussions
on Protocols conformability to Armenia’s national interests. RA
Constitutional Court ruled that the documents contain no preconditions
and cannot stipulate for the solution of other disputable issues
between Armenia and Turkey," he told a news conference in Yerevan.

At that, he noted that the decision reiterates RA President’s previous
statements over the documents.

The protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of
the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet
Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks
held through Swiss mediation.

The Republican Party of Armenia is a national conservative political
party in Armenia. It was the first political party in independent
Armenia to be founded (2 April 1990) and registered (14 May 1991). It
is the largest party of the centre-right in Armenia, and claims to have
140,000 members. The party controls most government bodies in Armenia.

At the 2003 parliamentary elections on May 25, the party received
23.5% of the popular vote, winning 31 out of 131 seats. At the last
parliamentary elections on May 12, 2007, the party received 33.91%
of the popular vote, winning 64 out of 131 seats. The former prime
minister, Andranik Markaryan, was the leader of the party. Current
President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, is the chairman of RPA board.

NKR PRESIDENT: "THE INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY OF ARTSAKH ARE NOT SUBJECT TO A BARGAIN"

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-01-18 14:37

President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) Bako Sahakian
received American Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke
and his party who had arrived in Stepanakert the same day.

According to the information of the Central Information Department of
the NKR President’s Office, a series of issues related to the current
stage and prospects of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement
were discussed at the meeting.

Bako Sahakian emphasized that the position of official Stepanakert on
establishing relations with Azerbaijan remained unchanged: the conflict
cannot be settled without a direct dialogue between Azerbaijan and
Artsakh. In this connection, the head of state noted the necessity of
Azerbaijan’s refusing of its unconstructive and militant rhetoric. The
President emphasized that the independence and security of Artsakh
were not subject to a bargain, and any attempt to ignore this made
the comprehensive settlement of the conflict impossible.

In his turn, Robert Bradtke stated that any option of forced settlement
of the conflict was absolutely unacceptable.

The process of establishing Armenian-Turkish relations was also
discussed at the meeting. Both parties noted that the Armenian-Turkish
and Azerbaijani-Karabakh relations were separate and unrelated
processes.

* * *

After the meeting with the head of state, the American mediator
informed the journalists that he had arrived in the region within the
preparation of a meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents
scheduled for that week and that he considered it important to learn
the positions of Nagorno Karabakh’s population and leadership.

"The United States is firmly focused on achieving progress in the
Karabakh conflict settlement process. I’d like to assure you that
in the new year the USA will use all its efforts that the Karabakh
people live a peaceful and prosperous life in the future", said
Robert Bradtke.

The American mediator noted that the leadership and people of Nagorno
Karabakh should know about the negotiations between the Armenian and
Azerbaijani Presidents.

"We provide corresponding information about the negotiations’ status
and the subject of discussions", said Robert Bradtke.

CREDIT PORTFOLIO OF AMERIABANK GROWS 68% IN 2009

Noyan Tapan
Jan 18, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 18, NOYAN TAPAN. Ameriabank’s credit portfolio
amounted to over 52 billion drams as of 31 December 2009, growing by
68% compared with the previous year. As of the same day, there were
no bad debts in the credit portfolio of the bank.

The press service of Ameriabank reports that in the reporting period
89% of the growth in the bank’s credit portfolio took place at the
expense of loans given to corporate customers. These loans increased
by 75% in 2009 and amounted to 44 billion drams or 84% of the credit
portfolio. Loans to natural persons grew by 35% last year.

DAVID BABAYAN: KARABAKH REMAINS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE CONFLICT SETTLEMENT PROCESS
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
18.01.2010 17:54

US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Robert Bradtke paid his second
visit to Nagorno Karabakh. Some analysts call attention to the fact
that the US Co-Chairs visited Artsakh alone, without his Russian and
French colleagues. Does this play any essential role in the Karabakh
settlement process?

Political scientist David Babayan is assured that, in general,
any of the co-chair countries is pursuing its own policy. However,
simultaneously they cooperate with each other. Therefore, according
to the political scientist, Robert Bradtke’s visit to Nagorno Karabakh
does not contain anything extraordinary.

"Such format is also acceptable. Any country is free to carry out
its own policy in different regions, and this should be viewed as a
normal phenomenon," he said.

Political scientist Sergey Shakaryants considers that Robert Bradtke’s
visit and statements that they have to keep the NKR authorities and
people informed of the process go in line with NKR President Bako
Sahakyan’s statement that the conflict cannot be solved without direct
talks between Stepanakert and Baku.

"Bradtke’s visit means that the Co-Chairs are at least trying to create
bases for the negotiations not to be restricted to Armenia-Azerbaijan
dialogue," the political scientist said.

"The visit once again proves that although Artsakh does not participate
in the talks directly, it remains an important factor in the process
of settlement of the conflict," David Babayan noted.

Ha’aretz , Israel
Jan 17 2010

Israel is engaging in gangster diplomacy

By Zvi Bar’el

Now we have also shown the Turks who we are, because when it comes to
the Jewish, Zionist honor of a nation that endured the Holocaust and
the Goldstone report, no one will make a movie about us – certainly
not the Turks – portraying us as war criminals. If Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan thinks he can reprimand us without a
reaction, we’ll show him and all the other countries of the world.

There’s no choice because they only understand force. Britain wants to
boycott Israeli goods? We’ll summon the British ambassador and have
him sit on a bed of nails. The United States handles the settlements
unfairly? We’ll point an unloaded gun at the American ambassador’s
head and pull the trigger, just to scare him. We’re not murderers.
We’re just trying to frighten, which, as is well known, creates
respect. Just ask the Godfather.

But if we’re going to put on a performance like this, it’s important
to do it in style because it gets ridiculous when directors sit on
high, uncomfortable chairs with their feet barely touching the ground
just to achieve a superior level. Instead of arranging a professional
humiliation room and ordering a low chair facing a real master with
elevator shoes or barstools, and maintaining a supply of ripped
national flags for each country (because who knows if tomorrow we’ll
have to humiliate the Swedish or Irish ambassador?), they threw
everything together at the last minute last week. Proper lighting is
an essential element of gangster diplomacy and not a job for amateurs.
Our deputy foreign minister merely gave us second-rate humiliation.
Advertisement

The other aspect of the affair is a matter of honor and morals. The
polished statement from the Foreign Ministry spokesman said that "the
statement by Prime Minister Erdogan comes in addition to the
anti-Turkish television program …. The State of Israel reserves its
full right to defend its citizens from missile and terrorist attacks
by Hamas and Hezbollah, and Turkey is the last one that can preach
morals to the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces." This
indictment featured three accusations: that Erdogan is cooperating
with Turkish television, that he is undermining Israel’s security, and
especially that he is jumping to the head of the line in preaching
morals instead of taking his place behind Europe and the United
States.

No one bothered to say that the Turkish television series, in which
actually the United States was attacked in the first episode, was
produced back in 2003 and made into a film in 2006. They only decided
to produce further episodes because of the project’s huge commercial
success. This time there was a mix of Mafia, Mossad, kidnapping of
children and Turkish heroism. The series was distributed by Star TV,
which is owned by Erdogan’s bitter rival, Aydin Dogan. So Erdogan is
innocent of the first accusation against him.

The two other accusations are much more serious. Turkey actually
supports Israel’s security. It buys unmanned aircraft from Israel to
fight terrorism perpetrated by the PKK, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party,
both in Turkey and Iraq. By using Israeli technology, Turkey knows
where to direct its bombing against the PKK, in which civilians are
also killed. Turkey is doing in Iraq what Israel does in Gaza. The
major question is who is more moral? The seller of the weapon who
knows whom it will be used against or the one who uses it?

If Israel had wanted to behave morally, it would have demanded, as the
United States has, that its technology not be used in a war against
civilians. Maybe it would have lost a $200 million deal, but it would
have won the right to say that Turkey is the last country that has the
right to accuse others. Does anyone really think Defense Minister Ehud
Barak will make a similar demand on the use of Israeli technology
during his visit to Turkey today?

If Israel had wanted to behave morally, it would have recognized the
Armenian genocide despite Turkish opposition, but it is afraid that
taking a moral stance on that issue would cost it dearly. If Israel
had wanted to behave morally, it would have lifted the siege on 1.5
million civilians in Gaza long ago – not for Erdogan, but for Israel
itself.

So morals are not the issue, but rather Turkey’s place in line among
those preaching morals. But because this is a case of two friendly
countries, and neither is so righteous, why should Turkey be the one
to be pushed to the end of the line in the contest over
self-righteousness?

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