Author: Navasardian Karapet

24, Kyrgyzstan
Sept 12 2008

Kyrgyzstan delegates power to Armenia in CSTO Emergency Council

12/09-2008 13:39, Bishkek ` News Agency `24.kg’, By Jyldyzbek IBRALIEV

Kyrgyz Emergency Minister Kamchybek Tashiev officially delegated
chairmanship in the Emergency Council of the Collective Security
Treaty Organization to his Armenian colleague Mger Shahgeldyan in
Bishkek today.

The ceremony took place in the end of the first session of the CSTO
Emergency Council attended by Emergency Ministers of Armenia, Belarus,
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, that ran in
Bishkek these past two days.

The session resulted into establishing a system of collective response
to an emergency situation, a common data base creation and other
achievements.

The foreign delegates also plan to give a news conference in Bishkek
and meet with the Kyrgyzstan’s Premier Igor Chudinov. The meeting with
the president, previously scheduled, was canceled for an unknown
reason.

9/12/6062.html

United Press International
Sept 11 2008

Analysis: Azeri-Armenian relations

JOHN C.K. DALY
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11

Last month’s military conflict between Russia and Georgia over South
Ossetia has cast a harsh spotlight on Western assumptions about
exporting Azeri oil through neighboring Georgia and Turkey.

While the military confrontation focused Western media attention on
tensions between Russia and Georgia, Azerbaijan itself remains gripped
by a "frozen conflict" dating back to even before the 1991 collapse of
the Soviet Union. Azerbaijan’s clashes with Armenia over the enclaves
of Nagorno-Karabakh and Nakhchivan broke out in February 1988; by the
time a cease-fire was signed in May 1994 ending active hostilities,
thousands had been killed and wounded, while hundreds of thousands of
refugees were created on both sides and the Armenian armed forces were
left occupying swaths of Azeri territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh
and seven neighboring districts. The volatility of the situation was
instrumental in the eventual decisions of the Western consortium
members to build their proposed export pipeline for Azeri oil through
Georgia rather than utilize a shorter route transiting Armenia.

Now, however, there are some indications that there might yet again be
movement toward a resolution of the issue. On Wednesday, after meeting
with Turkish President Abdullah Gul, Azeri President Ilham Aliyev
expressed hope that the Nagorno-Karabakh issue eventually could be
settled. Gul’s comments had a strong economic undertone, as he told
reporters, "If we settle this conflict, which I hope we will manage to
do, all countries of the region will develop much faster."

A resolution of the disputes between Azerbaijan and Armenia could give
Western investors yet another export route for Caspian energy, an
issue of growing concern among Western investors because of Russia’s
increasing assertiveness in the region, combined with the fragility of
export routes through Georgia, as demonstrated by the recent
conflict. The prize is certainly tempting: The Caspian’s 143,244
square miles and attendant coastline are estimated to contain as much
as 250 billion barrels of recoverable oil, boosted by more than 200
billion barrels of potential reserves, quite aside from up to 328
trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas. From the outset
Washington’s policy has been to construct, if possible, multiple
export pipeline routes, bypassing both Russia and charter "axis of
evil" member Iran.

Because of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute, however, export routes to
Armenia were never considered as a viable option in 1994 after
then-Azeri President Geidar Aliyev signed the "Contract of the
Century" with Western energy concerns to develop Azerbaijan’s Caspian
Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli fields. Consequently, the first Western export
oil pipeline not under Russian control went westward through
Georgia. In 1999 Baku’s export options broadened with the opening of
the $600 million, 515 mile, 100,000-barrel-per-day Baku-Supsa
pipeline. Azerbaijan was finally able to free itself completely from
reliance on Russian export pipelines when, in May 2006, the $3.6
billion, 1,092-mile, million-barrel-per-day Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
pipeline opened.

The Armenians and Azeris sought to influence Washington’s decisions on
the region; political agitation by the Armenian-American lobby
resulted in the inclusion in 1992 of Section 907 in the U.S. Freedom
Support Act, which banned any direct U.S. aid to the Azerbaijani
government as punishment for its blockade of Armenia. It was only in
January 2002 that President George W. Bush waived the legislation as a
reward for Azeri support of the United States following the Sept. 11,
2001, terrorist attacks.

The Bush administration, in one of its first foreign policy
initiatives, attempted to break the diplomatic impasse between the two
Caucasian nations. In April 2001, even before the waiver of Section
907, Secretary of State Colin Powell’s first major foreign initiative
was to try to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute during a summit in
Key West, Fla., where he met with Azeri President Geidar Aliyev and
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan. But the meetings, which were held
by the Office for Security and Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group
co-chairs France, Russia and United States, proved fruitless.

There now seems to be a genuine chance for breaking the diplomatic
logjam, especially as Turkey and Armenia are slowly edging toward
restoring relations, as well, in the wake of last week’s "soccer
diplomacy," which saw Gul fly to Yerevan to attend a Turkish-Armenian
football match, where he held talks with Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan.

Gul is convinced that new opportunities have opened for settling the
Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. He pragmatically informed journalists that a
resolution of the issue could allow all countries of the region to get
involved in major energy transportation projects, noting, "If the mood
of cooperation prevails in the region over hostility, it will serve
the interests of all countries in the Caucasus." Ankara is certainly
thinking big; Turkish Minister for Energy and Natural Resources Hilmi
Guler, currently in Baku to attend a conference on "oil and gas
potential in Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan" organized in Azerbaijan,
held out optimism that one of the West’s most cherished projects, the
Nabucco pipeline to bring Azeri natural gas westward, would go
forward, telling reporters, "Turkey will definitely finalize the
Nabucco project."

Turkey is also pressing to resolve the Russian-Georgian dispute; on
Sept. 2 Gul telephoned Bush, whom he informed about Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s proposal for a Caucasus Stability Platform to
restore peace and stability to the region. Rather than unilaterally
pushing military aid to Georgia, Washington ought to listen closely to
Turkey’s diplomatic initiatives, especially if it wants to prevent any
further checkmates to its policies of developing Caspian energy
projects: The Kremlin is less likely to feel threatened by a friendly
soccer match than U.S. naval warships sailing in the Black Sea.

RUSSIAN ADVISOR CALLS FOR ECONOMIC UNION WITH TURKEY, SOME POST-SOVIET STATES

Today’s Zaman
Sept 12 2008
Turkey

Sergey A. Markov, an advisor to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin,
said Turkey should form an economic alliance with Russia and former
Soviet countries.

Attending an international security conference yesterday in Ä°stanbul
organized by a Turkish think tank, Markov told Today’s Zaman that he
is speaking to Turkish officials about the idea of starting such an
economic union.

"Turkey should join an economic union with Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan,
Uzbekistan, Moldova, Belarus, Armenia and Azerbaijan … and Georgia,
too. Who is Mikhail Saakashvili? He is not there to stay. He will go
like Hitler!" said Markov, a consultant with the Security Council for
the President of Russia and director of the Institute for Political
Studies in Moscow.

Markov said Russia has reservations because neither Turkey nor the
European Union condemned Georgian President Saakashvili or declared him
a "war criminal" following Georgia’s attack on autonomous South Ossetia
in early August, which resulted in a crushing Russian assault there.

He also warned that Turkey should not rely on the EU because it will
not accept Turkey as a full member. He said Turkey could still have
relations with the EU and continue to have its NATO role.

"We don’t want to have a conflict with NATO, and we like the EU. They
need our gas and we need their money," he said.

He also warned that Turkey should not rely on the EU because it will
not accept Turkey as a full member. He said Turkey could still have
relations with the EU and continue to have its NATO role.

"Let’s open our borders for trade. Only poor, angry and hungry
people want to fight. And the EU would never want to deal with them,"
he added.

On the other hand, he said, both the Russian and Turkish economies are
compatible and their "political cultures have similarities." He said
Turkey and Russia would complement each other in many areas. "We have
energy for Turkey’s needs. We have many construction opportunities for
Turkish firms. We need labor, and Turkey can provide it," he commented.

He also said that Turkey’s Caucasus initiative has a chance of success
if it includes Russia and excludes the United States. "The United
States is a dangerous power. The neocons in Washington are the main
threat to international stability."

He added that a comeback for the Cold War is an American desire,
not a Russian one, as some claim. "Russia now has billionaires,
not communists. We don’t want separation from the West."

Markov was participating in a panel discussion yesterday afternoon
titled "Geopolitics of Energy" at the Arı Movement’s 10th
International Security Conference.

–Boundary_(ID_OUhoKJ50S4caZ5N0q+gFlw )–

HAD WE NOT HOLD PROTEST MARCHES THEY WOULD NEVER UNDERSTAND US
Gevorg Harutyunyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
11 Sep 2008
Armenia

Interview with NA Deputy Speaker, member of ARFD Supreme Body Hrayr
Karapetyan

"Mr. Karapetyan in the first week of September Dashnaktsutyun held
two massive events: the demonstration on September 2 and the protest
march against the visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gyul to Yerevan
on September 6. Did these events show any good results?"

"As we have already announced the meeting of September 2 was devoted
to the 17th anniversary of Artsakh’s independence. That day over again
we reconfirmed our demands regarding Artsakh. We particularly took
into consideration the developments that took place in the region,
the de facto recognition of Abkhazia’s and South Osatia’s independence.

It was during that rally that we touched upon Gyul’s visit and called
our people to reconfirm our historic demands.

On September 6 ARFD Armenian Supreme Body organized protest marches on
the occasion of Gyul’s visit to Yerevan. Over again I must underscore
that we don’t have anything against establishing diplomatic relations
with Turkey. But the relations with Turkey shouldn’t harm our
state-national interests.

We should have used the chance of this visit to voice our problems,
because unlike the civilized world Turkey refutes the fact of Armenian

Genocide. Beside that they condition the establishment of diplomatic
relations with Armenia and the lifting of the blockade with our
relations with Azerbaijan. It is an unacceptable approach contradicting
all the international norms."

"Today some speculate an issue saying that the statements heard during
the demonstration contradict the demands of the coalition agreement
and are against the ruling power."

"All our demands derive from the interests of our national security.

These clauses are also enshrined in the coalition agreement. The
Republic of Armenia officially confirms that the world must recognize
NKR’s independence and confirms that Artsakh can’t be in Azerbaijan. As
for the issue of the world’s recognition of Armenian Genocide,
this issue has always been the priority of our foreign policy. All
the ridiculous statements saying that Dashnaktsutyun shouldn’t have
voiced those issues are illogical. All our steps derive from our
national interests.

In this respect the initiatives of the radical opposition are more
ridiculous. We really understand their attitude towards Dashnaktsutyun
and towards Turkey. It has not changed. We have already tasted their
anti-Dashnaktsutyun and pro-Turkish policy during the years of power
of Armenian Pan National movement.

But today it is really ridiculous that the activists of Armenian Pan
National movement didn’t attend the memorial of Genocide on April 24,
instead they continued their rallies against the ruling power. But on
the occasion of Gyul’s visit they postponed all the protest functions.

Had we not hold protest marches against Gyul’s visit, the world, even
our allies, and those civilized countries that have already recognized
the Genocide and even Gyul wouldn’t have understood us, because they
know that the Genocide has really happened. Even the Turks attended
the memorial of the Genocide and put flowers there. They went to the
museum of Genocide and were shocked by the terrible facts."

"What conclusions can we draw or what can we expect from Gyul’s visit
to Yerevan?"

"God willing this visit has good impact on Armenian Turkish relations.

But we accept that each similar meeting is a result of coulisses
negotiations. I’m very far from the idea that the two Presidents
discussed only the football match. I think there is a much more
profound diplomacy under it. I’m also sure our President conditioned
all his steps by our national interests.

Today our task is, not to allow Turkey to use this visit as a fact of
their being very civilized, in case when they haven’t yet recognized
Armenian Genocide. Until they do that they can’t consider themselves
the friend of Armenia, especially because they haven’t changed their
attitude towards Artsakh issue.

HAMMARBERG SATISFIED WITH ARMENIA’S PROGRESS TOWARDS ACCOMPLISHMENT OF PACE RESOLUTIONS

armradio.am
12.09.2008 12:22

During yesterday’s session of the Monitoring Committee of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) the Commissioner
of the Council of Europe for Human Rights Thomas Hammarberg presented
a report on Armenia’s accomplishment of PACE Resolutions 1609 and 1620.

According to the member of the Monitoring Committee, Chairman of the
National Assembly’s Standing Committee on European Integration Avet
Adonts, Hammarberg’s report lasted for 10 minutes, no long discussions
were launched. He presented the results of his visit and noted that
Armenia has registered progress with regard to meeting the commitments
of the Resolution, but more considerable progress is expected.

The monitoring Committee will return to the issue of accomplishment
of the requirements of PACE Resolutions during its October session.

HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE MEMORIAL GROVE NEARING COMPLETION AND SET TO DEBUT IN SPRING
Matt Rice

Sonoma State Star
Sept 10 2008
CA

SSU’s long awaited Holocaust and Genocide Memorial Grove is finally
nearing completion.

The Grove, with Associate Professor of Sculpture Jann Nunn’s
painstakingly detailed sculpture as its centerpiece, has been going
through planning and construction phases for nearly two years.

"Sometime in April," is the opening date Nunn anticipates.

The original date was set for Nov. 9 of this year, however that proved
unrealistic based on the huge scale of the project.

Consisting of two 40- foot lengths of former Union Pacific Railroads
tracks laid parallel to each other, set on angles to gradually
converge, the intent of the design is meant to create a metaphor of
coming together and leaving a past of dissention and hatred behind.

The tracks meet at the base of the cylindrical monument, which Nunn
and select students constructed of over five thousand pieces of
window louver glass that had to be individually joined and sealed
from the elements.

The glass is internally lit and sits atop an equally impressive black
marble base that tapers from a three foot diameter base into a two
foot diameter at the top of its one foot height.

Though beautiful on its own, the base carries a message possibly even
more so.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that
matter," is the quote that appears on the base. It is attributed to
Martin Luther King Jr.

Surprisingly, the project is relatively unknown to many SSU students,
despite the long development period and previous reporting.

"That’s interesting, I didn’t know that," replied Constance Bravos,
a Psychology major, when told about the Memorial Grove.

The Grove is meant to honor victims of all genocides in known history,
and will feature symbols unique to each one.

A favorite of Nunn’s is a spiral representing the Armenian genocide.

Also adding to the already meaningful properties of the project is
the entourage that will be present when it opens.

Nunn added that each group depicted in the memorial will have a
representative present.

This project is one that is unprecedented in SSU history, and it is
for the sculptor as well.

Though Nunn has had experience with permanent outdoor pieces, the
majority of her work has been on temporary pieces, including featured
work at the acclaimed Burning Man festival.

Learning has been a key part of the experience as well for the creator
of this noteworthy piece.

"[I] didn’t expect it to take as long as it didââ~B¬Â¦.[but it]
was a really positive experience all around," said Nunn.

She especially appreciates the fact that it affirms a core belief.

"You can realize anything you imagine but it takes dedication and
determination."

The completion of the project marks a long and concerted effort
between faculty in staff that will result in a unique new place.

"In conjunction with the Alumni Grove Brick Project, [the Memorial
Grove] will provide a serene and extraordinarily beautiful place for
students, staff, faculty and visitors to relax and contemplate at
the lakes’ edge," said John Champie, Facilities Operations Manager.

–Boundary_(ID_A7FYt2fRDRKvNbrcmVvlxw)–

WHERE TO HOLD THE RALLY?

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
10 Sep 2008
Armenia

On September 5, the activists of the Armenian Pan-National Movement
submitted notices to the Mayor’s Office of Yerevan on their intention
to hold mass public events in the neighborhood of the Matenadaran on
the 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 16th of September.

The Mayor’s Office prohibited them to hold a rally and a march in the
neighborhood of the Matenadaran on the 12th of September. The plans for
holding a rally on September the 15th were taken into consideration,
but the march was prohibited.

ARMENIA NOT TO RECOGNIZE GEORGIAN REBELS

AzerNews Weekly
Sept 10 2008
Azerbaijan

Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian has said his country could not
recognize the independence of Georgia`s rebellious regions of Abkhazia
and South Ossetia as long as the Armenia-Azerbaijan Upper (Nagorno)
Garabagh conflict remains unresolved.

"Armenia will not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia, as was the
case with Kosovo," Sarkisian told a meeting with representatives of
Armenian embassies and consulates operating abroad.

The Armenian leader said the recent Georgia-Russia conflict had
inflicted serious damage to all Caucasus states, including Armenia,
and stressed the need for establishing peace in the region.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed a decree on August 26
recognizing the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgia
said Russia`s move was contrary to international law. The world
community also labeled it as a policy of occupation. The decision
heightened tensions in the Caucasus region and put a further strain
on Moscow`s relations with the West.

The separatist regions have been recognized, so far, only by Russia and
Nicaragua, as well as Hamas and Hezbollah terror groups of Palestine.

LEVON ARONIAN DEFEATS FORMER WORLD CHAMPION VESELIN TOPALOV IN SEVENTH ROUND OF GRAND SLAM CHESS TOURNAMENT

Noyan Tapan

Se p 10, 2008

BILBAO, SEPTEMBER 10, NOYAN TAPAN. Six famous grand masters are
competing in the 21st category Grand Slam Chess Tournament in Bilbao
(Spain).

Armenian GM Levon Aronian beat the former world champion Veselin
Topalov of Bulgaria in the 7th round on September 9 and took third
place with 9 points.

Magnus Carlsen (Norway) was beaten by Vasily Ivanchuk (Ukraine),
while Temur Rajabov (Azerbaijan) drew with Viswanathan Anand (India).

Magnus Carlsen is in lead of the points table with 11 points. He is
followed by V. Topalov with 10 points. Ivanchuk has 8 points. V. Anand
and T. Rajabov earned 6 points each.

YEREVAN OPTIMISTIC OVER NORMALIZATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS AFTER GUL’S VISIT

Interfax
Sept 8 2008
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s initiative to invite his Turkish
counterpart Abdullah Gul to Yerevan was an historic event, Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian told journalists on Monday.

"The presidents by their actions passed the halfway mark to the
normalization of relations between the two countries. Diplomats should
pass the rest at the order of the presidents," Nalbandian said.

"The Armenian and Turkish presidents made a courageous and important
step. The initiative of the Armenian president to visit Gul to Yerevan
was an historic event. And the Turkish president by accepting this
invitation turned this into a joint initiative. The thing that the
presidents did is a good step to the normalization of our relations,"
the minister said.

The Turkish president visited Yerevan on September 6 at the invitation
of his Armenian counterpart. The two presidents attended a game
between their national soccer teams.

Armenia and Turkey have no diplomatic relations. The Armenian- Turkish
border was closed in 1993 at Armenia’s initiative. The 1915 events in
the Ottoman Empire remain a stumbling block in the relations between
the two countries. The 1915 Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Turkey,
which, according to various sources, killed more than 1.5 million
people, was recognized by a number of nations. Armenia is seeking
recognition from Turkey, but has so far failed in its efforts.

Ankara, for its part, demands that the Karabakh conflict be resolved
on the basis of Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.