Author: Nahapetian Zhanna

NO DISCUSSION ON LIBERATED TERRITORIES ISSUE?

A1+
[08:26 pm] 23 October, 2008

"The issues discussed during the meeting with the Russian Defense
Minister related only to bilateral cooperation, as well as
military-technical issues within the framework of the CSTO," told
"A1+" today RA Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan.

Let us recall that Armenian and Russian Defense Ministers Seyran
Ohanyan and Anatoli Serdiukov met on October 3 and according to the
presses, Serdiukov brought with him the maps of liberated territories
and discussed the issue concerning the dislocation of Armenian forces
from those territories and the allocation of other forces.

"There has been no discussion on any issue relating to the territories
or Nagorno-Karabakh," clarified today Seyran Ohanyan.

As far as the rumors going around about the establishment of a new
Russian military base in Ijevan are concerned, Ohanyan replied:

"The discussions on the military bases regard the complete functioning
of the existing military bases; in other words, in war or peace, they
must be able to solve the issues through mobilization and corresponding
resources. There has been no discussion on allocation because they
have their site for allocation," told "A1+" Seyran Ohanyan.

AWAC PRESENTS: DR. MICHAEL PAPAZIAN

KSKA
sents-dr-michael-papazian/
Thu, October 23, 2008
AK

Armenian author, scholar and philosophy professor, Dr. Michael
Papazian speaks on "The Enduring Legacy of Armenian Genocide." Nine
decades later the hostility remains and Dr. Papazian says now is
the time for Turks and Armenians to reconcile. "The excessive and
destructive nationalism found both among Armenians and Turks has
severely distorted and corrupted their souls and it has inflicted
damage upon their cultures and civilizations." To overcome ghosts of
the past, Papazian says Armenia and Turkey must transform nationalism
into a moderate and noble form of patriotism.

RECORDED: October 17, 2008 at the Hilton Anchorage

AIRED ON KSKA: October 23, 2008 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

SPEAKER:

Michael Papazian, Chair, Department of Religion and Philosophy at
Berry College

ARMENIAN, RUSSIAN LEADERS PRAISE "STRATEGIC" RELATIONSHIP

Mediamax
Oct 21 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 21 October: Strategic relations with Russia have never become
an obstacle for Armenia to develop relations and cooperate with other
countries, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated in Yerevan today.

Mediamax reports that Serzh Sargsyan said this, speaking at a joint
news conference with Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev.

"One can not find friends by force, let alone keep them. Openness
and transparency are the characteristic of our relations, and we
believe that the strength of our friendship is particularly in mutual
confidence," Serzh Sargsyan stated. The Armenian president described as
"very good" today’s level of Armenian-Russian relations.

In his turn, Russian President Dmitriy Medvedev stated that
Armenian-Russian relations "are backed by the centuries-old friendship
of the two peoples".

"The opening of the "Square of Russia", which took place in Yerevan
today, evidences the fact that our relations are backed not by
pragmatic, international or even internal interests, but by a
centuries-old friendship. This is the most valuable point in our
relations, and we should preserve it forever," the Russian president
summed up.

SUPPORT OUR FRIENDS FROM CALIFORNIA IN THE HOUSE

Armenian Reporter
=1F6BF3B2-3FF3-752C-24F67A24E8854A08
October 21, 2008
Armenia

The Armenian Reporter and USAPAC endorse candidates for the U.S. House
of Representatives from California.

Almost all of the members of California’s congressional delegation
are responsive to Armenian-American concerns. Several members of
Congress from California have taken a leadership role in addressing
issues that matter strongly to Armenian-American voters.

This is not surprising. Representing a state that is home to
the largest concentration of Armenian-Americans, they have many
opportunities to meet Armenian-Americans and become familiar with their
concerns. In fact, two members of the California delegation, Anna Eshoo
and Jackie Speier, are themselves Armenian-American. Many California
members of Congress have Armenian-Americans on their staff. And,
of course, they seek the votes, the campaign contributions, and the
volunteer help of California-Armenians.

While the responsiveness of the California delegation is not
surprising, it should not be taken for granted. Our community has
become increasingly involved – and assertive – in the political
process, and Armenian-Americans have taken years to cultivate
relationships with elected officials.

The Armenian Reporter and the U.S.-Armenia Public Affairs Committee
(USAPAC) jointly urge Armenian-Americans to support our friends in
the California delegation. In two cases, we urge Armenian-Americans
to oppose members who have opposed or withdrawn their support of House
Resolution 106, which affirms the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide.

In our endorsements, as always we have given special consideration
to members of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Affairs. We have
considered candidates’ interest in and support of Armenian-American
issues, including co-sponsorship and support of H. Res. 106. We have
also noted where members signed a letter to the secretary of state,
urging her to condemn Azerbaijan’s threats of war against Armenia
and Karabakh. (See the print version of this editorial in pdf form.)

â~H~Z3. Dan Lungren. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Mr. Lungren co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

4. No endorsement. We thank retiring Representative John Doolittle
for his support.

â~H~Z5. Doris Matsui, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z6. Lynn Woolsey, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, she voted for H. Res. 106 in committee.

â~H~Z7. George Miller, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z8. Support Nancy Pelosi Ms. Pelosi is a member of the House Caucus
on Armenian Affairs and co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As Speaker of the
House, Ms. Pelosi has been a true friend of the Armenian-American
community. For her strong support of the Genocide resolution a
year ago, she endured harsh criticism from the many establishment
figures who had agreed to be mouthpieces of the Turkish lobby. We
are particularly grateful to her.

â~H~Z9. Barbara Lee, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z10. Ellen Tauscher, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z11. Gerald McNerney. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Mr. McNerney co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z12. Support Jackie Speier An Armenian-American who was elected
earlier this year to complete the term of the late Rep. Tom Lantos,
Ms. Speier is a strong advocate of issues of concern to the
Armenian-American community. Her position is consistent with the
leadership role she took as a member of the California Senate and,
earlier, of the California State Assembly. Ms. Speier is a member of
the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs and co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z13. Pete Stark, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z14. Support Anna Eshoo An Armenian-American, Ms. Eshoo has long
been a strong advocate of issues of concern to the Armenian-American
community. Ms. Eshoo is a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs and co-sponsored H. Res. 106. She signed a letter to Secretary
Rice about Azerbaijani threats.

â~H~Z15. Michael Honda, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106. He signed a letter to Secretary
Rice about Azerbaijani threats.

â~H~Z16. Zoe Lofgren, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z17. Sam Farr. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Mr. Farr co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z18. Dennis Cardoza, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106. He signed a letter to Secretary
Rice about Azerbaijani threats.

â~H~Z19. Support George Radanovich Mr. Radanovich is a vocal member
of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs and was one of four original
co-sponsors of H. Res. 106. He signed a letter to Secretary Rice
about Azerbaijani threats. Rep. Radanovich has also helped initiate
a congressional letter in support of additional U.S. assistance to
Armenia in the wake of Georgia crisis.

â~H~Z20. Support Jim Costa.

Mr. Costa is a vocal member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs
and co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, Mr. Costa voted for H. Res. 106 in committee. He signed
a letter to Secretary Rice about Azerbaijani threats. As a member of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Costa voted for H. Res. 106
in committee. He signed a letter to Secretary Rice about Azerbaijani
threats.

â~H~Z21. Devin Nunes, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z22. Kevin McCarthy. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Mr. McCarthy co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z23. Lois Capps, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z24. Elton Gallegly, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As a member of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, however, he voted for the resolution in
committee. He also signed a letter to Secretary Rice about Azerbaijani
threats.

â~H~Z25. Buck McKeon, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106. Mr. McKeon signed a letter to Secretary
Rice about Azerbaijani threats.

â~H~Z26. David Dreier, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z27. Support Brad Sherman Mr. Sherman is a vocal member of the
House Caucus on Armenian Affairs and co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As
a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Sherman
worked actively for the H. Res. 106 passage in committee and voted
for it. He signed a letter to Secretary Rice about Azerbaijani
threats. Mr. Sherman is passionate advocate for U.S. aid to Armenia,
most recently in the wake of Georgia crisis, and support for Karabakh’s
right of self-determination.

â~H~Z28. Support Howard Berman Mr. Berman is a member of the House
Caucus on Armenian Affairs and co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As a member of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Berman voted for H. Res. 106
in committee. Mr. Berman now chairs the committee.

â~H~Z29. Support Adam Schiff Mr. Schiff is a vocal member of the House
Caucus on Armenian Affairs and is one of the original co-sponsors of
H. Res. 106. He signed a letter to Secretary Rice about Azerbaijani
threats. A passionate advocate for Armenian issues, Mr. Schiff is a
member of the key Foreign Operations Subcommittee and earlier this
year crossed party lines to vote to zero out U.S. military aid to
Azerbaijan.

â~H~Z30. Henry Waxman, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z31. Xavier Becerra, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z32. Hilda Solis, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z33. Diane Watson, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As a member of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, Ms. Watson voted for H. Res. 106 in committee. She
signed a letter to Secretary Rice about Azerbaijani threats.

â~H~Z34. Lucille Roybal-Allard, a member of the House Caucus on
Armenian Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z35. Maxine Waters. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Ms. Waters co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

O36. Oppose Jane Harman, Ms. Harman, who co-sponsored H. Res. 106,
publicly and privately worked against the adoption of the resolution.

â~H~Z37. Laura Richardson. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Ms. Richardson co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z38. Grace Napolitano, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106. She signed a letter to Secretary
Rice about Azerbaijani threats.

â~H~Z39. Linda Sanchez, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As a member of the House Foreign
Affairs Committee, Ms. Sanchez voted for H. Res. 106 in committee.

â~H~Z40. Support Edward Royce Mr. Royce is a vocal member of the House
Caucus on Armenian Affairs and co-sponsored H. Res. 106. As a member of
the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr. Royce voted for H. Res. 106 in
committee. He has spoken out frequently in support of Armenian issues.

41. No endorsement.?

â~H~Z42. Gary Miller, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z43. Joe Baca, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z44. Ken Calvert, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z45. Mary Bono Mack. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Ms. Bono Mack co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z46. Dana Rohrabacher. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Mr. Rohrabacher co-sponsored H. Res. 106 and as a member of the House
Foreign Affairs Committee, voted for H. Res. 106 in committee.

â~H~Z47. Loretta Sanchez, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z48. John Campbell. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Mr. Campbell co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z49. Darrell Issa, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian
Affairs, co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z50. Brian Bilbray. Though not a member of the Armenian Caucus,
Mr. Bilbray co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

â~H~Z51. Bob Filner, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

52. No endorsement?. We thank retiring Representative Duncan Hunter
for his support.

â~H~Z53. Susan Davis, a member of the House Caucus on Armenian Affairs,
co-sponsored H. Res. 106.

–Boundary_(ID_vpnGMFKdfi1errbYjACRAA)–

WHEN THE OLD MEETS THE NEW
Louis Sahagun

Express Buzz
Oct 3, 2008
India

Every seven years since AD 301, priests have trekked to the ancient
Cathedral of Etchmiadzin in Armenia to retrieve freshly brewed muron
–a sweet-scented holy oil stirred with what is said to be the tip
of the lance driven through Jesus’ side — and carry it back to their
respective dioceses.Prepared in a massive silver caldron, the mixture
of herbs, flower extracts, spices, wine and pure olive oil is derived
from an original batch mixed at the Armenian Church’s founding 1,707
years ago.

It is replenished every seven years by pouring old into new,
continuing a mysterious connection between distant generations.The
priests traditionally have traveled home with their portions in jars
cradled in their arms, because muron is supposed to be handled only
by ordained clergy.

That all changed late in September when ancient tradition met with a
21st-century obstacle put in place since the last trip for the holy
oil: As a liquid, muron cannot be taken aboard commercial airliners,
according to airport security rules.

"We were very worried — in the old days, we carried the muron in
our hands," said His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, primate
of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America,
which is based in Burbank, Calif.

"I would never have given away that privilege, but we had no
option." Derderian bundled up his six containers in layers of cloth
and then packed them snugly into three suitcases.

Airport baggage handlers took it from there.

"I was confident that nothing would happen to it,"he said. "You do
your best, and then trust in God." Derderian’s containers arrived
safely after a 20-hour flight.

A genial man with a black beard, Derderian declared mission
accomplished October 7 when priests from churches across Southern
California gathered around a massive oak table in his office.

Their 7-ounce portions of the amber- hued oil were presented on a
silver tray: 15 small glass jars with white screw-cap lids, each one
marked with a label written in English and Armenian: "Holy Muron.

September 28, 2008. Holy Etchmiadzin." After prayers and solemn hymns,
the clergy, clad in black robes, stood and formed a line.

Fist-sized silver crosses — some studded with precious stones —
dangled from silver chains around their necks. They approached the
table, in turn, with heads bowed and kissed the jars that Derderian
placed in their hands.

A few minutes later, they were heading back to their churches,
where the oil would be transferred into dove-shaped sterling silver
containers symbolising the Holy Spirit.

Over the next seven years, the muron will be used — a few drops
at a time — primarily for christenings in Armenian churches the
world over. "Armenians everywhere are bound by muron," said Zaven
Arzoumanian, a theologian with the Western Diocese.

"It receives special powers from relics used in its preparation. The
gifts of the Holy Spirit come from it in church ceremonies.

"That is why," he added with a smile, "our people have always said,
My child must be muronised. " Muron’s origins date to the founding
of the Armenian Church, which was established in the early fourth
century by St Gregory the Illuminator, patron saint of Armenians.

He established the Cathedral of Etchmiadzin, one of the world’s
oldest cathedrals.

St Gregory is said to have blended the first muron there as a unifying
religious symbol of forgiveness and peace, and as a medicine for
healing.

Over the centuries, church leaders say, muron helped sustain a people
decimated and dispersed by war, conquest and genocide.

This muron season, more than 70,000 people braved drenching rains
to watch His Holiness Karekin II, supreme patriarch and catholicos
of Armenians worldwide, lead a procession from the Cathedral of
Etchmiadzin to an outdoor altar where the mixture had been steam-heated
for 40 days and nights.

The ceremony culminated with a pitcher of fresh muron being combined
with the old in a gigantic engraved silver caldron and stirred with an
assortment of religious relics: a cross believed to contain a fragment
of the wooden cross on which Jesus was crucified; a foot-long iron tip
of the lance believed to have pierced Jesus’ side, and a life-size
gold-plated ‘Right Arm of St Gregory the Illuminator’ said to be
embedded with a fragment taken from St. Gregory’s grave.

When clergy bring back muron to their home churches, its arrival
process, as Arzoumanian described it, is "a beautiful tiding for our
communities." The interplay between past and present continues when
churches hold special ceremonies in which urns of water are anointed
with a small drop of muron.

Congregants are invited to scoop up samples to take home or to drink
then and there.

"It’s important to be a part of the muron process," Derderian said. "It
really takes you back in time."

BREAKING NEWS – MEDVEDEV HITS OUT AT US

Straits Times
Oct 21, 2008
Singapore

YEREVAN – RUSSIAN President Dmitry Medvedev on Tuesday hit out at the
ill-effects of US financial policies and said the era of US economic
dominance was over.

‘The era of domination by one economy and by one currency has been
relegated to the past for good,’ Mr Medvedev said on a visit to the
Armenian capital Yerevan.

Mr Medvedev went on to praise Russia’s actions to prop up its currency
and support the banking sector from the effects of the global financial
crisis, in which Russian stock markets have taken a battering.

Measures taken by Russia, such as support for the ruble and credit
provided to banks, have been ‘sufficient,’ Mr Medvedev said, adding,
‘This does not mean we will rest there.’

As part of Russian stabilisation measures, authorities on Monday
provided the equivalent of 10.9 billion euros (S$21.45 billion) in
credit to more than 80 banks to support their operations, one senior
official said.

In a move welcomed by the more liberal wing of Russia’s leadership,
authorities on Tuesday announced the release from jail of a deputy
finance minister, Sergei Storchak, who had spent 11 months behind
bars on embezzlement charges.

The charges against Mr Storchak were widely seen as a politically
motivated attack by hardliners against his boss, Finance Minister
Alexei Kudrin.

Russia’s stock markets have lost two-thirds of their value since
posting record highs in May, while the real estate market has suffered
contagion from the US subprime crisis.

Russia’s dollar-denominated RTS stock market was up 2.8 per cent close
to the close of trading on Tuesday, while the ruble-denominated MICEX
was up 3.84 per cent.

RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN THE SPHERE OF THE FOREIGN POLICY OF THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENIA IN 1998-2008?
by Armen Badalyan

Azg
Oct 8 2008
Armenia

To pave the way for moral recognition, the Armenian government will
have to appeal to foreign intelligentsia, whereas legal recognition
would require parliaments’ approval. If aiming for legal recognition,
Armenia should draw up a list of successors to the victims of the
genocide, Badalyan suggests.

Badalyan says that every type of recognition has its own goal and
one cannot expect economic compensation from moral recognition.

He regretted the Armenian government never made it clear what kind
of recognition it is after. It is not clear either what officials
the Foreign Ministry has assigned to deal with this issue and how
much money has been allocated.

He downplayed the idea that Turkey will give up its eastern territories
which Armenia considers itself entitled to, describing such return
as "unfeasible", although the idea itself is wide-spread among the
Armenian public, according to him. He says that Turkey fears that
Armenia will demand the return of these territories, if the genocide
is recognized, because one of Turkey’s preconditions to establishing
diplomatic relations with Armenia is the recognition of its territorial
integrity. Badalyan said that while considering the issue whether
Armenia is a legal successor to the previously existing republic,
one should take into consideration the fact that Armenia proclaimed
its independence from the USSR as a new independent state and not as
legal successor of the previous republic, as Georgia, Baltic States
and Azerbaijan did.

Even though Armenia has not recognized Turkish border by now, it has
not explained its legal precession either, he said. A reason behind
this could be the absence of talks with Turkey on the matter from
1998 to 2008, he added.

Badalyan pointed out that negotiations over the Karabakh conflict
do not keep Azerbaijan from discussing this issue to its benefit in
different international entities, while Armenia has not spelled out
its position on territories currently under its control, especially
with regard to the "the historically Armenian district of Karvachar".

Badalyan concluded that in 1998-2008 the Armenian government did not
make enough for the "real settlement" of the issue of the Armenian
genocide. He said that removing the symbol of the Mount Ararat from
the uniform of the Armenian national football team during the match
between the Armenian and Turkish teams showed that the recognition
of the genocide was not a priority in Armenia’s foreign policy "cheap
political trick".

AZERBAIJAN SHOULD CREATE STRONG LOBBY IN US: AZERBAIJANI BUSINESSMAN
[email protected]

Trend News Agency
20.10.08 15:29
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan, Baku, 20 October/ TrendNews, corr J. Babayeva/ The
Azerbaijani businessman living in US Paul Murad says Azerbaijan needs
to create strong lobby in the United States.

"The Azerbaijani diaspora in America is newly established and has
just begun to demonstrate its role to the American community," Muras
said at a press conference.

The Armenians, who have lived in America for many years, are very
active in the business sector. Armenians make up majority in Glendale
city of California. Many US politicians reckon with Armenians,"
Murad said.

The political relations between US and Azerbaijan have developed on
a very high level.

"Mutual relations are formed on three levels in the US – high level
political, social sphere and business level. Azerbaijan’s Embassy in
US and Consulate in Los Angeles are very active in this regard. I
try to make efforts with the consul in Los Angeles Elin Suleymanov
to increase the knowledge about Azerbaijan in state of Nevada where
I live," Murad said.

FORMER RA PRIME MINISTER CONSIDERS INADEQUATE RUSSIA’S RESPONSE TO
GEORGIA IN AUGUST WAR

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 16, NOYAN TAPAN. The August events in the Caucasus
gave nothing good either to Georgia or to Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Therefore launching military operations in the Tskhinvali region should
not be welcomed. Both aggression against Tskhinvali and the inadequate
response were inadmissible. The conclusion is that the result was bad
for everybody and it is impossible to solve anything through military
operations in the Caucasus. By the way, even without Tskhinvali it was
clear that it is this way historically. Wars in the Caucasus have never
given a victory to anyone. This was the evaluation former RA Prime
Minister Hrant Bagratian gave to the August war of Russia and Georgia
at the online press conference organized by the Caucasus Journalists
Network.

Estimating recognition of Abkhazia’s and Ossetia’s independence by
Russia, the former Prime Minister said that it met Russia’s
geopolitical goals, therefore it is normal from Russian point of view.
On the other hand, it shows that Georgia should have seriously attended
to Abkhazians and Ossetians, respected human rights, nations’
self-determination right and tried to find a solution within the
framework of territorial integrity. Unfortunately, it failed for this
or that reason.

According to H. Bagratian, there are no much changes in Armenia’s
position to Georgia after the August events. "One thing is clear that
Armenian-Georgian economic cooperation will decrease a little after
August, as at the worst, the land way to Russia is firmly closed. As to
estimation of relations between Russia and Abkhazia, to put it in the
diplomatic language, the fact of Russian-Abkhazian sea communication is
an "agreement to disagreement," he stated.

Answering the question about the guarantees that Russia will not be
able to involve Armenia in the conflict against Georgia, H. Bagratian
said that "knowing Armenians I can say that we as if genetically bear
the code of friendship with the Georgians. At that, I do not conceal
that we like to tell various anecdotes about each other. I suppose that
the Russians also understand these niceties. And I exclude for all
these three peoples, Armenians, Georgians, Russians the possibility of
provocations for the purpose of aggravating Armenian-Georgian
relations." He also refuted the rumors that "during the latest events
Russian bomber pilots took off from the territory of Armenia,"
mentioning that according to his data, nothing of the kind had happened.

In H. Bagratian’s opinion, Georgia’s geopolitical position plays "the
most immediate role" in Armenian-Georgian relations. He considers that
Georgian-Armenian relations in the region can be considered as model
ones. "Georgia is one of our four neighbors and the only Christian
state among them. Our two peoples during two thousand years practically
did not make any serious claims regarding territory to each other," the
former Prime Minister noted.

LEBANON: TORN BETWEEN WAR & PEACE!
Harry Hagopian

nt/view/8599/1/
Thursday, 16 October 2008

It was not so very long ago that the majority of the Lebanese people
celebrated joyfully the brokering of the Doha Agreement that promised
to put an end to the interminable chapters of political and physical
violence.

One of the more unusual ways in which they tasted this hopeful sense
of coming together was the introduction by Häagen Daz of the ‘Doha
Agreement Ice Cream Cone’. For just LL 10,400, the Lebanese could buy
a cone that was the result of a joint venture between the American ice
cream giant in Lebanon and Qatar Airways. The promotion was expected to
last so long as the mood in the country remained one of reconciliation
– or at least until the politicians "started fighting again."

However, I did not see those cones being sold at any of the outlets
when I visited Beirut recently. Did I not look hard enough, or was
it likely due to the fact that reconciliation had weakened as a
marketable currency in the country?

Over the past three months, much has happened in Lebanon. The Lebanese
got a new president at long last, and a national unity cabinet was put
together that also amended the previous electoral law of 1960. Mind
you, it did not grant Lebanese expatriates the right to vote in the
next parliamentary elect ions, nor did it lower the voting age from
21 to 18 although the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child defines
anyone over 18 as an adult.

Moreover, Presidents Assad and Suleiman also importantly agreed – at
least in principle – to establish formal diplomatic relations, with
Damascus and Beirut opening embassies in their respective countries
for the first time in 64 years since independence from French mandate.

But in addition to those developments relating to the Doha Agreement,
and even though ice cream cones are not easy to find in the market,
there are a few hopeful efforts at reconciliation underway, all the
way from the national all-factions dialogue under the aegis of the
president, to the parallel efforts aimed at bridging the yawning
gaps between bickering Christian political parties to the one-on-one
meetings of bellicose political leaders such as those of Al-Mustaqbal
and Hizbullah.

Yet, whilst all those sanguine efforts are trying to contribute toward
the stabilisation of the country, tensions remain quite dangerously
high. There are murderous attacks and inter-confessional spurts of
violence occurring for instance across the northern town of Tripoli
that is largely a Sunni bastion. An oft-quoted example is the recurrent
violence between the Baal Mohsen district (that is pro-opposition)
and Bab al Tabbaneh neighbourhood (that is pro-majority). There
have also been bloody attacks against Lebanese soldiers as well a s
civilians on buses or in streets. Those examples exacerbate the fears
of many Lebanese that darker clouds could easily re-appear on the
horizon again After all, Tripoli is geographically close to Syria,
and some pundits harbour the suspicion that an unsettled Tripoli
could be used by Syria as justification to extend its influence over
Lebanon or even send its army back into the country. Indeed, it is
no mere detail that the highest-ranking Salafi Authority in Lebanon,
Dai al-Islam Shahhal, warned against an incursion by the Syrian Army
into north Lebanon saying it would open "the gates of hell and lead
to what is similar to Iraq and its misery."

Meanwhile, in the midst of this ominous rumble of developments,
the issue of the arms in possession of Hizbullah is also casting a
dark shadow over any genuine reconciliation. Given that one man’s
meat is another’s poison, literally half the Lebanese population
consider that Hizbullah should disarm with its weapons coming under
the control of the Lebanese army. The other half believes that they
should stay with Hizbullah and its Shi’i Amal allies since they would
be used in resisting Israeli aggression and occupation. And the major –
though not exclusive – justification for resistance by those factions
insisting on keeping their arms is that Israel detains the Shaba’a
Farms as well as the Lebanese part of the village of Ghajar (with
recent reports th at Israel might return it to Lebanon next month)
and Kfar Shouba hills that were meant to be returned to Lebanon –
either directly or through an initial UN trusteeship – also in
accordance with UNSC Resolution 1701.

But what are those Shaba’a Farms anyway?

The tiny sliver of lush land 25 square kilometres across is located
at the junction of southeast Lebanon, southwest Syria and northern
Israel. Israel seized those Farms from Syria in 1967 when it occupied
the nearby Golan Heights. Ever since then, those Farms have been
caught in a tug-of-war over ownership. Lebanon claims them, with the
backing of Damascus, while Israel insists they are part of Syria.

The confusion over the borders actually dates back to 1923 when Britain
and France, who held the mandates of the League of Nations over the
territories now comprising Israel, Lebanon and Syria, failed to outline
their borders clearly. Lebanon has accused Israel of refusing to return
the Farms in order to benefit from the bountiful natural resources of
the region, particularly its water resources. According to officials,
the Farms hold 23 natural water sources and also strategic or military
importance due to their altitude.

When UNSC Resolution 1701 brought an end to the 33-day war between
Israel and Hizbullah in the summer of 2006, it called upon the UN
secretary-general to propose a border demarcation for those Farms. The
UN ruled that the withdr awal from Lebanon was complete and that the
Farms were Syrian.

Nevertheless, in March 2008, the Lebanese geographer Issam Khalifeh
published a book full of documents claiming the Farms were indeed
Lebanese, including a 1946 deal in which Damascus recognised Lebanon’s
sovereignty over the territory. Attached to the report was a map
with 48 border markers, but Syria has refused to let this paperwork
be sent to the UN, perhaps because it did not wish to go down road
of recognition and delineation of an international border.

All these are issues that are clearly weighing upon the Lebanese
mindset, and in the process retarding any progress from a state of
brittle uncertainty to one of relative stability. However, what is
also clear to me is that the major objective of all the parties above
all else are the parliamentary elections of spring of 2009 that might
well decide which parties enjoy the majority of votes – and therefore
of seats and of power.

So whilst there is a government in place for running day-to-day
affairs, everyone understands that the political focus today revolves
truly around those elections.

But here is another hitch! In some sense, it is almost predictable
what percentages, districts and seats the Sunni, Shi’i and Druze
candidates would get in the parliamentary elections next year. The
real guesstimate is the future number of Christian seats that will be
obtained by the different Christian20coalitions since their future is
very much in play now – particularly given their divisions in an almost
irredeemable – roughly 50:50 – ratio. Only last week, the Maronite
patriarch, HE Cardinal Nasrallah Sfeir, expressed the hope that
Christians would respond to the initiatives of the Maronite League and
"would sit together because other sects have achieved reconciliation",
adding that "agreement among all the Lebanese is impossible."

A straw poll conducted by Now Lebanon explored the reason hampering
inter-Christian reconciliation. The results revealed that 38% thought
it was due to electoral interests and the requirements of electoral
mobilisation, whilst 14% thought that it was due to a lack of serious
efforts to respond favourably to reconciliation endeavours, and a
large percentage of 49% attributed it to lingering personal feuds
among Christian leaders.

Those polls notwithstanding, I am convinced that the Lebanese
Christians could play a central role in the forthcoming elections
and that in the process would also hold the balance of power between
the other political parties so they could then perhaps advance those
community demands that have been ignored for long. Broadly put, there
are now two competing Christian camps. On one side, Samir Geagea’s
Lebanese Forces and Amin Gemayel’s Phalanges are still struggling for
an end of Syrian influence and attempting to mobilise support for the
need20to restore a fully sovereign Lebanese state. They would claim to
pursue this strategic choice by pressing Hizbullah to disarm and also
by setting up an international tribunal charged with investigating
Rafiq Hariri’s murder. On the other side of the Christian political
divide, General Michel Aoun’s Free Patriotic Movement has challenged
the inert political system as a whole and broken its isolation by
forging a controversial "understanding" with Hizbullah and by allying
himself indirectly with the Marada leader Suleiman Franjieh.

The divisions between the two Christian camps are fundamental and
stretch back decades in some instances. Today, the leadership of this
community is at stake. General Michel Aoun wants to be that undisputed
leader, which is why he is attacking the other leaders relentlessly,
undermining the role of the Maronite patriarch and even sniping at the
president. However, his position is becoming increasingly untenable. He
is gradually losing the support of key allies in the form of the
Metn leader Michel Murr and of the Armenian Tashnaq party, and as
a consequence is trying to compensate his losses in Mount Lebanon
by winning over some areas in the South (that he visited recently),
as well as in Ba’albek and Hermel.

A third option to this bipolar configuration still remains
unclear. What are President Michel Suleiman’s own plans? In his
inaugural speech, he emphasised demands=2 0and concerns that are
significant to the Christian community in Lebanon.

Other than rejecting the naturalisation of the Palestinians and
facilitating the return of the displaced, he highlighted administrative
reform, decentralisation, empowering the presidency and ensuring
better Christian representation in high-ranking civil positions. If
he were to field his own parliamentary list, or support such a list,
it would weaken Aoun considerably and lead toward the re-formation of
the Christian camp. In fact, with his stewardship of intra-Christian
reconciliation, the President holds a few cards and his influence
could grow considerably and make significant differences in the
forthcoming elections.

In fact, what is remarkable to me is that Christians and Muslims
are seemingly reconciling more easily in Lebanon than the Christians
themselves – a fact that not only underlines the virile tussle for
power and control, but also that their continued bickering would
run the risk of leading even further to their gradual erosion. After
all, the political landscape keeps changing with the almost cyclical
re-balancing of outside powers that are playing the Lebanese card of
pitting the Lebanese against each other. In fact, the recent difficult
hopes for conciliatory moves between the Lebanese Forces and Marada
can only benefit the whole country politically even thought there is
a lot of bloody history between both sides.

I am being cautiously optimistic that20things will not change too
dramatically in the country this side of the 2009 parliamentary
spring elections. Barring any major eruptions of terror and mayhem,
and with the parties using their networks to consolidate their own
positions, I would argue that Syria is also waiting for the results
of the 2009 parliamentary elections to see what leverage it will have
internally. While internationally, it is also awaiting the results
of the US presidential elections, as it knows that the US alone can
determine Syria’s position as a regional player, its role in Lebanon,
the advancement of its negotiations with Israel, and of course,
its position vis-a-vis the international tribunal. I also suspect
that Syria will probably make no concrete moves for now on diplomatic
relations, and on most sensitive issues, including border demarcation,
the Shaba’a Farms and Lebanese detainees. But one key concern for
me is the fact that Iran might still prove to be the wild card that
would interfere and upset the political applecart.

Ever since 11 November 2006, when a number of ministers resigned from
the cabinet, Lebanon has witnessed assassinations, demonstrations,
sit-ins, internal and external threats, a temporary military takeover
of west Beirut, exacerbated tensions in the north of the country,
attempts at re-enforcing the mechanisms of government and many
internecine feuds that have been followed by attempts at dialogue
and reconcil iation. So what is all this doing to the whole country?

Lebanon is simply being weakened in major dribs and minor drabs,
cleaving parts of the country from each other whereby different
politicians claim to work for the one nation but pledge their
allegiances to their own factions.

Confessionalism, always a Lebanese misfortune, is increasingly
overwhelming the political apparatuses, and in the process widening
the chasm between different politicians and the ordinary people and
altering facts on the ground. My constant dread is that a combination
of internal divergences and external threats would lead to new rounds
of bloody fighting.

After all, has this not happened before? It often saddens me that
Lebanese politicians are so gifted in splitting hair and believing in
the absolute truths of their own arguments let alone those of their
regional or international supporters that they act as clan leaders
rather than global politicians and in so doing turn deaf ears to
a vox populi that aspires for peace, coexistence and harmony in the
country. A divisive blend of religious myopia, political self-interest
and nefarious outside interferences from all sides are together rending
the country apart and stymieing the creative gifts of a people that
talks about the oneness of Lebanon but ends up shaking that oneness
at the seams. Does anyone pause to think of the whole picture?

Last week, following an agreement between Al-Moustaqbal and20Hizbullah
parties, the Lebanese have taken down the provocative posters. This
is a move in the right direction, but will it augment the chances for
peace? Or is it simply that the Lebanese sagas will continue until
such time as there is a comprehensive Middle East peace settlement? Has
Lebanon lost all control over its own geopolitics and is now a fallible
pawn on the chessboard of international politics? The Arab World
(no matter how one defines this amorphous term) is too divided in
its interests to buttress up Lebanon, and the West is too greedy to
care much about it either. So this small country is paying the price
of international politics and local power plays.

Given such realities on the ground, is it surprising that the song
Khalas (Enough) by the Lebanese musician and singer Nicholas Sa’adeh
Nakhleh has become a chart-topper? After all, ordinary people are
saying khalas, and I suspect they will also rally round his next
song Unity once it comes out since it too will speak volubly to the
majority of Lebanese instincts.

Torn between war and peace for so long, will Lebanon finally find
peace?

More to the point, will it be allowed to find it?

Dr Harry Hagopian International Lawyer & Political Analyst London – UK

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