Author: Nahapetian Samvel

WAYNE MARY: ARMENIA HAS ARMY, AZERBAIJAN ONLY HAS ARMED FORCES
By Petros Keshishian

AZG Armenian Daily
02/12/2006

Nagorno Karabakh conflict can have no military settlement, US foreign
policy and military expert Wayne Mary stated in a speech delivered
at John Hopkins University in Washington. "The military option of
Nagorno Karabakh regulation has been openly discussed in Azerbaijan
recently. But in that case Azerbaijan cannot succeed. Nagorno Karabakh
is an impregnable fortress in itself that is even more reinforced
by the Armenian military detachments. Even the US army will face
difficulties in attacking it," Mary said. In expert’s words, this is
a dominating opinion in the Pentagon.

"The Armenian detachments leave the enemy behind in respect to their
battle-worthiness. It’s no secret that the Armenians have an army
whereas Azerbaijan has only armed forces. In case of a new war,
Azerbaijan will be forced to lean on its human resources whereas
Armenia can count on the superiority of its weaponry," Mary said adding
that in case of a new stage of hostilities it will suffice for Armenia
to only defend Karabakh but Azerbaijan will have to occupy its whole
territory, which is impossible in fact. She pointed out that by using
war rhetoric Baku poses danger to OSCE Minsk Group’s commitment not
allow another bloodshed.

"For the regulation of Karabakh issue the Armenian side has to get
Karabakh and control Lachin corridor.

The other territories surrounding Nagorno Karabakh that serve as
buffer zone should be handed over to Azerbaijan," Wayne Mary stated.

ARGENTINA RECOGNIZED THE FACT OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE
By Aghavni Harutiunian

AZG Armenian Daily
02/12/2006

On November 29 the Parliament of Argentina recognized the fact of
the Armenian Genocide, thus Argentina become the second Southern
American state after Uruguay to mark the crime of the Ottoman Turkey
in the beginning of the 20-th century as Genocide. 173 deputies of
the Argentinean Parliament voted for the corresponding law and 2
abstained from voting.

According to the law, April 24, the day of memory of the Armenian
Genocide victims, is a non-working day for the Armenian employees
and the Armenian students of Argentina. Uruguay was the first of
the Southern American States to recognize the deed of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915 – making a condemnatory declaration in 1965, April
20, and adopting a law in 2004, March 26. The National Congress of
Argentina officially condemned the Genocide on April 23, 1985. Since
then the policy of the Foreign Ministry of Uruguay has been assisted
the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian
Genocide. Another declaration by the Senate of Argentina was made on
August 20, 2003, expressing condolences in connection with the 88-th
anniversary of the Genocide.

Anatolian Times, Turkey
Dec 1 2006

Pope Visits Ayasofya Museum In Istanbul

ISTANBUL – Pope Benedict XVI, who is actually in Turkey upon
invitation of Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer, visited Ayasofya
Museum (Hagia Sophia) in Istanbul today.

Dr. Haluk Dursun, the Curator of Ayasofya Museum, briefed the pontiff
on Ayasofya, the remains of the Second Ayasofya (Hagia Sophia)
Church, and the artifacts dating back to the Ottoman era.

Dursun also informed Pope Benedict XVI about the architectural
features and history of the museum.

At the museum, Pope Benedict XVI chatted with Lokman Ayva, a MP from
the ruling Justice & Development Party (AKP), and gave the pontiff a
letter about the problems of the disabled.

The pope told Ayva, "the God wants all of us to be brothers, and help
each other. We are praying for them."

Signing the Museum Protocol Register, Pope Benedict XVI wrote, "we
come across with monotheism within differences. The God should
illuminate us and help us find the path of love and peace."

-POPE IN SULTANAHMET MOSQUE-

Pope Benedict XVI later visited Sultanahmet Mosque (Blue Mosque).
During the visit, Istanbul Mufti Mustafa Cagrici said that this visit
has opened a significant door, and there should be further
initiatives.

"The messages you gave when you arrived in Turkey, your remarks
appreciating Turkish society, and your messages that Islam is a
religion of peace and based on reason and knowledge have been
welcomed by our people," Cagrici noted.

"As religious personalities, we will do everything in our power to
contribute to world peace. We have been appreciating your ideas and
decisive position on agonies, pains and ethic crises in the world,"
he stated.

Cagrici said, "we hope and we are sure that these positive steps will
continue. We will try to fulfil our responsibilities to ensure world
peace, and happiness of the mankind."

"Your visit will give a new dimension to relations among religions,"
he added.

Then, Cagrici briefed the pope on the history of the mosque.

Pope Benedict XVI also visited Sourp Asdvadzadzin (Virgin Mary)
Church in Kumkapi, and was welcomed by Mesrob II, the Patriarch of
Armenians in Turkey.

ARKA News Agency, Armenia
Nov 30 2006

GAS SPHERE NOT CORNERSTONE OF ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

YEREVAN, November 30. /ARKA/. Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan does not single out the gas sphere as the cornerstone of
the Armenian-Russian strategic partnership.
"The definition of bilateral relations as strategic partnership
testifies to a most high level of relations in almost all spheres,"
Margaryan stated in his interview to the Russian "Komersant"
newspaper.
According to him, the bilateral strategic partnership is based on
close cooperation in the political, military, economic, technical and
humanitarian spheres, common view of global development, a high level
of coordination in the international arena and observation of
national interests.
"I would not like to single out the gas sphere as the cornerstone of
our strategic partnership. Gas is only one sphere of our energy
cooperation," Margaryan said.
"We are effectively cooperating in the sphere of atomic, thermal and
hydro energy. Russia has its own reason for raising gas prices. At
the same time, our strategic partnership must be secured against the
current political and economic situation and proceed from the logic
of long-term cooperation," Margaryan said.
As to whether the Iran-Armenia gas main will be place under Gasprom’s
control and how soon, Margaryan pointed out that the construction has
not yet been completed.
"Armenia and Iran have for a long time been successfully cooperating
in the energy sphere, and the Iran-Armenia gas main is one of the key
bilateral energy projects. It is under construction, and the first
section, Meghri-Kajaran, will shortly be opened," Margaryan said.
P.T. -0–

Agency WPS
DEFENSE and SECURITY (Russia)
December 1, 2006 Friday

"THE COMMONWEALTH WILL INEVITABLY SPLIT INTO TWO PARTS"

by Alexander Dugin

POLITICAL SCIENTIST ALEXANDER DUGIN: THE COMMONWEALTH WILL GIVE WAY
TO TWO NEW ALLIANCES; Political scientist Dugin believes that the
Commonwealth is on the verge of collapse.

The Commonwealth is rapidly approaching the worst crisis in its
history. To all appearances, it is not a single alliance anymore.
There are two of them in it. There are two factions within the
Commonwealth nowadays, and their views on the CIS future and their
own objectives are diametrically opposite. These factions coexist for
the time being, but this state of affairs cannot last. The moment of
disintegration of the Commonwealth into two alliances is getting
closer.

One of the future alliances may be branded as Eurasian. It will
comprise the states that maintain friendly relations with Russia and
that are determined to advance rapprochement of sisterly nations.
They are Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and
Armenia. Essentially, all of that comprises the nucleus of a future
strategic world power, Eurasian Union, and perhaps even of the
Eurasian Confederation afterwards. Remaining sovereign and fortifying
national self-identities, these countries have opted for unity and
integration. They view the Commonwealth itself as an instrument of
rapprochement and reunification.

The other faction consists of GUAM or an alliance of Georgia,
Ukraine, Azerbaijan, and Moldova. Their agenda is wholly different.
These countries aspire for integration into the European Union but
the lack of enthusiasm on the part of the latter compels them to
entertain the hope of joining NATO. The Americans actively encourage
and feed these hopes, since they themselves need their military bases
as close to the Russian borders as possible – and the sooner the
better. These countries regard the CIS as an instrument of divorce
and want to part company with Russia and Eurasian states for the sake
of integration with the West. Not all of these countries are equally
industrious about it. It is Saakashvili and Yushchenko (presidents of
Georgia and Ukraine) who are undeniable GUAM leaders nowadays while
Voronin and Aliyev (Moldova and Azerbaijan) are less sure of the
expediency of disintegration of the Commonwealth. Uzbekistan’s
withdrawal from GUAM only reinforced their fears that what they are
doing is correct. In fact, Moldova and Azerbaijan are afraid of
finding themselves in nationalist Romania and kremalist Turkey
instead of prosperous Europe.

It may be added here that unlike Eurasian countries, all GUAM member
states are facing problems with separatist regions. Georgia has to
deal with runaway Abkhazia and South Ossetia. In Ukraine, the Crimean
crisis is fomenting and the matter of federalization of eastern
regions is rising. Moldova has to deal with the Trans-Dniester
region, the province that aspires for membership in the Russian
Federation. Azerbaijan has Nagorno-Karabakh, the territory that is
its territory only in theory.

What’s the conclusion then? The CIS member states standing with
Russia are free of territorial problems and problems with runaway
provinces. Territorial problems haunt precisely the CIS countries
that are anti-Russian and that aspire for NATO membership. Here is
the First Law of the post-Soviet zone then. Whoever is with Russia is
fine and dandy. Whoever is against it may lose some of their
territories. Because Russia is the guarantor of post-Soviet
countries’ territorial integrity.

Trying to consolidate sovereign post-Soviet states, Putin is careful
to take into account their domestic democratic models and preserve
their national features in the common strategic zone. This is what
enlightened Putin’s imperialism is about.

Policy of enlightened imperialism has only one weak spot – domestic
nationalism that nullifies all enlightened and legitimate nature of
sanctions against, say, Saakashvili, that transforms the sanctions
into persecution of Georgians by ethnic principle.

Source: Trud, November 29, 2006, p. 3

NEXT OFFICIAL MEETING OF CIS LEADERS SCHEDULED IN DUSHANBE

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.11.2006 17:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The next summit of CIS heads of state will be
held in Dushanbe, Belarus FM Sergey Martynov reported. In his words,
unofficial meeting of CIS leaders is one of new forms of work, which
is just put in practice and will continue in the future. CIS leaders
will have an unofficial meeting in St. Petersburg next June. Martynov
also noted that the Minsk Summit on November 28, according to unanimous
evaluation of its participants, was not only timely, but also useful:
decisions principally important for the future of the CIS in many
fields were made at the summit, reports the Belarus Embassy in Russia.

FARUK LOGOGLU: "INACTION IN NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT FAVOURS NEITHER ARMENIA, NOR AZERBAIJAN"

Today, Azerbaijan
Nov 28 2006

"Inaction is observed in settlement of Nagorno Karabagh conflict. It
causes anxiety, constraint and Nagorno Karabakh conflict waits for
its settlement for many years," said former Turkey ambassador to Baku
and Washington, Faruk Logoglu.

"The problem does not diminish, but rise up. Minsk group co-chairing
countries need to bring new dynamism to the case. I think inaction
favors neither Armenia, nor Azerbaijan. Both the sides consider the
problem finished. I do not think so. Both UN Security Council and
OSCE do not doubt it," he told the APA Turkish bureau.

"According to Azerbaijani view point Azerbaijani economy is damaged
by occupied territories and refugees. The unsettled conflict is
contrary to the interests of both sides. UNO Security Council has four
resolutions for liberating Azerbaijani territories. The international
pressure is necessary to implement the resolutions. But the great
countries did not exert pressure on Armenia. No sanction documents
were adopted after these resolutions. That is why Armenia continues
invasion of Azeri lands," Logoglu said.

He thinks that Minsk Group is not active enough in the settlement of
the conflict.

"Minsk Group was not active enough in settlement of the conflict;
the main obstacle is Armenia’s position. Armenia will not change its
position until the pressure on Yerevan is not increased," he said.

Faruk Logoglu said that Turkey tried to take active part in OSCE
Minsk Group.

"Turkey only confided to the information after US, France and Russia’s
initiative in the OSCE. But Turkey’s initiative was not acceptable,"
he said.

The diplomat said that Azerbaijan and Turkey share the same view
points towards many issues.

"Azerbaijan and Turkey should always keep Nagorno Karabakh conflict
on the agenda and act together. The claims on so-called Armenian
Genocide will be on the agenda after the elections in the USA. Both
countries need to support each other in these processes," he said.

"I love Azeri nation. I am sure that Azerbaijan will use its resources
for welfare of its nation. I am sure that Nagorno Karabakh conflict
will be solved according to the rights if Azeri people," he said.

URL:

Panorama.am

14:00 24/11/06

CHAIRMAN OF AFF TO BE ELECTED TOMORROW

Fifth election assembly of the Armenian Football
Federation (AFF) will be held tomorrow. The assembly
will elect a new chairman of AFF.

Araik Manukyan, AFF press secretary, told Panorama.am
that legal entities, clubs and organizations, which
are members of AFF, may nominate a chairman. Only one
candidate has been nominated until today – the present
chairman of AFF Ruben Hairapetyan. It is very likely
that Hairapetyan will be re-elected. /Panorama.am/

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
November 22, 2006 Wednesday

Aliyev ready to meet Kocharyan in Minsk over Karabakh

Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev has agreed to meet his Armenian
counterpart Robert Kocharyan for searching for ways to settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, an Azerbaijani official told Itar-Tass on
Wednesday evening.

Earlier in the day, Armenia consented to hold a meeting between the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan as part of the CIS summit to
take place in Minsk on November 28, said Yuri Merzlyakov, Russian
co-chairman of the Minsk Group for Nagorno-Karabakh.

The meeting of the presidents’ mediators yielded results, the Russian
ambassador said on Wednesday before his departure to Baku.

In 2006 this will be the third meeting between the presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia. The previous talks took place in France and
Romania.

“It is necessary to receive Azerbaijani President Ilkham Aliyev’s
approval” although earlier the Azerbaijani foreign minister “made a
corresponding statement to this effect”, the Russian ambassador
said.

The Russian co-chairman said U.S. ambassador Matthew Bryza’s absence
is conditioned by the fact that the co-chairmen “agreed to divide
their obligations. These days the American colleague is to meet
Nagorno-Karabakh leader Arkady Gukasyan, who is currently in the
United States.”

Merzlyakov believes, “In general, the year is rather optimistic for
us. If we manage to do this, we have good prospects in 2007.”

French co-chairman Bernard Fassier said he is hopeful that the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan “will succeed in bringing
closer their positions on certain difficult issues.”

Recently military rhetoric has become “more subdued” and it has not
prevented the 2006 key task – to organise a meeting between the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. “Military rhetoric impedes the
negotiating process on the Karabakh settlement whether such
statements are made on the eve of important meetings,” the Russian
co-chairman stressed.

“The co-chairman have a common position – the war is not a real
possibility to solve the conflict,” Fassier added.

KOCHARIAN VISITS GREEK CYPRUS TO BOOST SUPPORT FOR GENOCIDE CLAIMS

The New Anatolian, Turkey
Nov 23 2006

Armenian President Robert Kocharian yesterday began a four-day
visit to Greek Cyprus, where he will participate in an inauguration
ceremony for a monument commemorating the victims of the so-called
Armenian genocide.

During the visit, the Armenian president will hold talks with
Greek Cypriot administration leader Tassos Papadopoulos and other
high-ranking Greek Cypriot officials to boost bilateral ties. The
visit is likely to draw Turkish criticism since Ankara is at odds with
Yerevan over the country’s campaign for recognition of the Armenian
genocide claims and has no diplomatic ties with the country, while
Turkey doesn’t also recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was formed on the island
in response to a Greek coup aimed at enosis, or political union with
Greece, along with Greek attacks on the island’s Turkish population.

According to the Armenian Mediamax news agency, besides attending the
inauguration ceremony of the Armenian "genocide" monument in Larnaka,
Kocharian will also meet representatives of Armenian associations.

The Armenian source stated that the inauguration of the monument
aims at expressing Greek Cypriot support for those who survived the
so-called Armenian genocide.

Co-chairs tight-lipped on possible Kocharian-Aliyev meeting

No announcement has been made about a possible meeting of the
presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan after Tuesday’s visit by the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE9) Minsk
Group co-chairmen to Yerevan.

The delegates from Russia and France, Yuri Merzlyakov and Bernard
Fassier, met on Tuesday with Kocharian and Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian.

In a recent interview with U.S-based Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
(RFE/RL) Vartan Oskanian said that during their visit to the region,
the co-chairs will propose a meeting of the two presidents on the
sidelines of next Tuesday’s summit of the Commonwealth of Independent
States (CIS).

The co-chairs left Yerevan for Baku. Analysts have expressed the
opinion that a possible meeting may be announced after the co-chairs’
meeting with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

Last week Robert Kocharian said, "Unfortunately, despite the ongoing
active negotiations, there are few grounds for optimism."