Author: nina hovnanian

FOREIGN MINISTRY: AZERBAIJAN CONSIDERS MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS’ JOINT PROPOSALS ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Trend
Dec 8 2011
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan is reviewing the proposals of all of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chairs to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry spokesman Elman Abdullayev told Trend on Thursday, commenting
on the co-chair countries’ joint statement issued in Vilnius.

“The position of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries to resolve
the conflict is extremely important – all of three co-chair countries,
but not one of them,” he said.

On the occasion of the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Vilnius,
the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries
(Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Secretary
of State of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Minister for
European Affairs of France Jean Leonetti) and the Foreign Minister of
Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward
Nalbandian reaffirmed the importance of reaching a peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, the organization’s website reported.

Abdullayev said the conflict is possible to be resolved in this format.

The “Updated Madrid Principles” are an official document presented
to the conflict parties by these three co-chair countries.

“We accept them as the latest official proposal made on behalf of
three co-chair countries, but not one of them,” Abdullayev said.

He said the joint statement in Vilnius was also made by the co-chair
countries.

At the 2011 Kazan meeting, Russia made proposals to resolve the
conflict, which were not accepted by Azerbaijan. However, Armenia
insisted on considering the proposals as a basis for further
negotiation.

Armenia with its aggressive position after the presidents’ Kazan
meeting, had no reason to do it, since the proposals must be submitted
by all three co-chairs, Abdullayev said.

He said the last statement issued in Vilnius has in common with
previous statements from the ministerial and heads of co-chair
countries, which confirms the inadmissibility of the existing
status quo.

The joint statement issued by OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries
and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict parties, calls for continuing the
negotiating process to resolve the conflict within the MG.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994.

The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTER: THERE IS A PROPOSAL OF THE RUSSIAN SIDE TO CONTINUE MEETINGS IN THE TRILATERAL FORMAT

APA
Dec 6 2011
Azerbaijan

“There is proposal of the Russian side to continue the meetings in
the trilateral format”

Vilnius. Viktoria Dementyeva – APA. “If we reach any progress from
the meeting which lasts about 20 years, we can call that meeting
successful, unfortunately, Azerbaijani territories still remain under
Armenian occupation and people living in the those territories were
ethnically cleansed, that is no longer live there”, – Azerbaijani
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov told journalists the 18th Meeting
of the OSCE Ministerial Council in Vilnius.

“In the last seven years we are negotiating with particular intensity,
as it was launched so-called Prague process. In this context, the
negotiations came to more specific results, obtained the name of
Madrid principles. The last version was co-chair countries in the
OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Athens in December 2009, “he said.

Azerbaijani FM Elmar Mammadyarov said that on certain issues could
not find a definitive point of contact, but in general the principle
of creating a good basis for moving forward and conclude the main
peace agreement.

He noted that Azerbaijan proposes to move to the next step and begin
work on the main peace agreement. “That is a “skeleton” is created
and now we must build up” meat”, – he said.

FM said that work on the agreement will not take much time, as
the conflict itself is a very multi-faceted and very complex. It
is necessary to determine the confidence-building measures to take
into account the factor of hostilities, the return of internally
displaced persons, to solve financial problems. “Realizing this,
we believe that you should not just stay on the principles and the
need to begin work on an agreement”, – he said.

Commenting on the possibility of another meeting between Presidents of
Azerbaijan and Armenia, the Minister said that it is difficult to make
proposals to the presidents, in addition, they have their own agenda.

“Meeting of the presidents even if not help to close the parties’
position, but to understand each other”, – he said.

“The conflict must be resolved. Build a wall between the parties is
not possible, already had one wall that divided Berlin. We must seek
common point with neighbors. And in this case an absolute anachronism
is the occupation of about 20% of Azerbaijani territory with a
totally unacceptable practice of ethnic cleansing. If we say that
we live in Eurasia, where the thriving democracy, human rights and
the rule of law, it is difficult to somehow justify the occupation
of the territories. By no any means can justify the fact that it was
20-30 years ago”, – he said.

Elmar Mammadyarov said that there are proposals from the Russian
side to continue the meetings on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. “Since
2009, the Russian side initiated the continuation of consultations
in trilateral meeting of Presidents of Azerbaijan, Armenia and Russia.

For two years these consultations have continued intensively.

Unfortunately, the last meeting in Kazan has not successfully completed
in negotiations”, – he said.

The Minister expressed that today in the speeches of ministers within
the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council, it was noted that it is
necessary to get progress in the negotiation process. In a statement
made by the heads of delegations of the co-chairs also noted the
inadmissibility of preserving the “status quo” and the need for a
progress in negotiations, Azerbaijani Foreign Minster said.

AZERI MP ACCUSES IRAN OF MASTERMINDING ATTACK ON WRITER

Lider TV
Nov 21 2011
Azerbaijan

An Azerbaijani MP has accused Iran of masterminding the attack on
writer Rafiq Tagi, who was a critic of the Iranian government and
Islam, in Baku on 19 November.

Speaking on Azerbaijani-Iranian relations in privately-owned Lider
TV’s “Sada+” programme on 21 November, MP Qudrat Hasanquliyev said:
“As a person who used to be an investigator, with full responsibility,
I can say that religious extremist groups linked to Iran or Iran’s
agents, terrorists in Azerbaijan stood behind this crime [attack on
Rafiq Tagi].”

Hasanquliyev said in his interview that Iran did not want secular
Muslim countries around its borders and that it “wants to create the
line of security around itself”.

“And when they do not succeed, they get angry and sometimes resort
to terror,” he added.

Qudrat Hasanquliyev accused Iran of financing the leadership of
the Islamic Party of Azerbaijan and preparing them for “provocative
activities”. He described the training of Azerbaijani youth in Qom
“as extremist”, saying that this was one of the methods to “export
the mullah regime into Azerbaijan”.

Hasanquliyev noted that some “imperialist mullahs” openly state that
they want to build the mullah regime in Azerbaijan.

“We know that the Iranian mullahs who are ruling Iran are far from
Islam,” Hasanquliyev said. He also slammed Iran’s close ties with
Armenia.

Speaking to “Sada+” programme, the director of the Political
Innovation and Technology Centre, Mubariz Ahmadoglu, shared his views
on anti-Azerbaijani propaganda in Iran.

“They have started strong propaganda activities among local residents
to draw a curtain between the Azerbaijanis there [Iran] and in the
Azerbaijani Republic”. He said that “Iran fears that Azerbaijan’s
growing success in political arena might make the country attractive
to millions of Azerbaijanis living in Iran.”

The video, which lasted 25 minutes and 53 seconds, was added to the
video-sharing website YouTube on 21 November by user “munteziri”.

Commenting on the video on 26 November, user “turkesgeri” said that
“Iran is filling the head of Azerbaijani nation with propaganda”.

User “Nijat Baku” responded to the video on 26 November and said that
“it is definite that one day Iran will turn into ruins”.

User “AnarMusayev” left a comment on the same day saying that “these
are all Israeli games… the government would not be able to remain
in power unless they answered Israeli interests”.

User “Istiqlaltv” comment said on 26 November: “Down with the Persian
regime”.

[translated from Azeri]

RESULTS OF THE ELECTIONS SHOWED THE DEMAND FOR VLADIMIR PUTIN’S EXPERIENCE, ARMENIAN PRESIDENT SAYS

Mediamax
Dec 6 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sent a
congratulatory message to Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on the victory of “Edinaya Russia”
ruling party at the RF State Duma elections.

The message addressed to Dmitri Medvedev particularly reads:

“The victory in the elections once more showed the support of the
friendly Russian people towards your politics aimed at cementing
statehood and law order, ensuring social and economic development,
setting a new quality of life for the state’s citizens and
strengthening Russia’s positions and authority in the international
arena. I am sure the results of the elections will help further
enhance the level of strategic and allied partnership between
Armenia and Russia, expand and strengthen century-long friendly and
good-neighborly relations”.

Serzh Sargsyan noted in his message to Russian Prime Minister Vladimir
Putin that the results of the elections showed the demand for his
experience in ensuring stable social and economic development,
state and economic modernization and further enhancing Russia’s
international authority.

“Armenia hails your attitude towards Armenians and Armenian-Russian
friendship. I am convinced we will further strengthen Armenia-Russian
allied and strategic partnership for the benefit of our peoples as
well as stability and security in South Caucasus”, the message reads.

HEADS OF DELEGATION OF MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR COUNTRIES AND FMS OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN RELEASE JOINT STATEMENT

news.am
Dec 6 2011
Armenia

VILNIUS. – The heads of delegation of Minsk Group Co-Chair countries
and FMs of Armenia and Azerbaijan released a joint statement on
Tuesday. The release, which is posted on osce.org, specifically reads:

“On the occasion of the OSCE Ministerial Council Meeting in Vilnius,
the Heads of Delegation of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries
(Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergei Lavrov, Secretary
of State of the United States Hillary Rodham Clinton, and Minister for
European Affairs of France Jean Leonetti) and the Foreign Minister of
Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov and Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward
Nalbandian reaffirmed the importance of reaching a peaceful settlement
of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Recalling the November 2008 Moscow Declaration, as well as their
countries’ statements at the OSCE Ministerial Council meetings in
Helsinki (2008) and Athens (2009) and at the OSCE Summit in Astana
(2010), the five Heads of Delegation agreed on the need to continue
the negotiating process in the format of the OSCE Minsk Group and to
improve the climate for making progress towards a peaceful settlement.

As one of the steps in this direction, they agreed that further
efforts should be made to work on the details of the mechanism to
investigate ceasefire violations, which resulted from the joint
statement of Presidents Aliyev, Sargsian, and Medvedev at the March
2011 Sochi summit.

Noting the May 2011 statement of their Presidents at Deauville, which
urged Armenia and Azerbaijan to finalize the Basic Principles for
the Peaceful Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict, the Heads
of Delegation of the Minsk Group Co-Chair Countries expressed regret
that the parties have been unable to take this decisive step. The three
Heads of Delegation reiterated that there can be no military solution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and that the United Nations Charter,
the Principles of the Helsinki Final Act, and the elements outlined in
the joint statements of their Presidents at L’Aquila in July 2009 and
Muskoka in June 2010 offer the way for all sides to move beyond the
unacceptable status quo to reach a peaceful settlement. In light of
the intensive negotiations conducted since the 2007 OSCE Ministerial
Council in Madrid, including at the highest level, the three Heads
of Delegation urged the parties to give further careful consideration
to the proposals that the Co-Chair countries have provided to them.

The Ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia expressed their appreciation
for the efforts of the Co-Chair countries, including the personal
engagement of Presidents Medvedev, Obama, and Sarkozy, in assisting
their countries to reach a framework for a comprehensive peace
settlement. They informed the Heads of Delegation of the Co-Chair
countries that their Presidents are ready to meet again jointly in
the near future under the auspices of the Co-Chair countries to
continue their direct dialogue, building upon recent experience,
on how to bring peace, stability, and prosperity to their peoples.”

TURKEY’S CONCERNS ABOUT ARMENIA’S NUCLEAR PLANT ARE BASELESS – INTERNATIONAL EXPERT

news.am
Dec 6 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenian Nuclear Power Plant is in proper condition,
chairman of Presidential Council on Nuclear Energy Safety, German
expert Adolf Birkhofer stated during a press conference on Tuesday.

Reflecting on the concerns by Armenia’s neighbors, including Turkey,
Azerbaijan and Georgia, Birkhofer said such concerns do not correspond
to the reality. “Armenia is the sole country where the country’s
president takes part in safety discussions, [and] is well informed
of the Plant’s safety,” the German expert noted.

In Adolf Birkhofer’s words, if a nuclear power plant has highly
qualified engineers, if its management and control are well founded,
the given plant is safe and reliable. And as per Birkhofer, Armenia’s
nuclear power plant meets those requirements.

BAKO SAHAKYAN MET A GROUP OF ARGENTINEAN DEPUTIES

Aysor.am
Tuesday,December 06

On 1 December President of the Artsakh Republic Bako Sahakyan visited
the Argentinean parliament and met first deputy speaker of the Chamber
of Deputies Oskar Aguad, chairman of the standing commission on foreign
affairs of the chamber Alfredo Atanasof and a group of deputies.

A wide range of issues related to internal and foreign policy of
Artsakh, development of bilateral relations and the settlement of
the Azerbaijani-Karabagh conflict were discussed during the meeting.

According to President Sahakyan Argentine is a friendly state for the
Armenian people and Artsakh is interested in developing and deepening
cooperation with it in different spheres. The Head of the State
expressed gratitude to Argentine for recognizing the 1915 Armenian
genocide, adding that it became a serious political and moral victory
for the civilized world.

Touching upon the Azerbaijani-Karabagh relations, Bako Sahakyan
noted that the main reason of impasse in the conflict settlement
is the destructive policy of Azerbaijan qualifying it a variation
of terrorism.

The Argentinean parliamentarians considered important the meeting
with the NKR President, underlining their awareness of the state
building process in Artsakh in particular rating high achievements
our republic has registered in building democratic and civil society.

Both sides noted the necessity of developing bilateral ties and
carrying out concrete projects in this direction.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary of the Republic of Armenia in Argentine, Uruguay
and Chile Vladimir Karmirshalyan, head of the central information
department of the office of the Artsakh Republic President David
Babayan partook at the meetings, the Press Office of the Artsakh
Republic President reports.

ARMENIAN, FRENCH SECURITY OFFICIALS AGREE TO DEVELOP COLLABORATION

Tert.am
07.12.11

As part of his working visit to France, the secretary of the National
Security Council, Artur Baghdasaryan, met French Secretary General
for National Defence Francis Delon.

According to a press release by the NSC, both officials agreed to
develop collaboration in security and defense sectors.

Baghdasaryan also had a meeting with Minister of Transport and
Environmental Protection Petrik Devejyan to discuss a broad framework
of issues related to the further development and deepening of
Armenian-French relations.

A meeting with Anne Marie Decotte, the director of an agency
responsible for French educational institutions abroad, focused on
promoting further collaboration in the education sector. The parties
also discussed possibilities of opening a French lyceum in Armenia.

They both agreed that the establishment of French educational
institutions in the country would play a key role in the development
of an education system meeting international standards.

BETTER MOBILITY BETWEEN THE EU AND ARMENIA: A CONFERENCE FACILITATES DIALOGUE ON MOBILITY PARTNERSHIPS

armradio.am
07.12.2011 11:24

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia, the European Commission
(EC) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) convened
today a high-level conference on the Mobility Partnerships with the
European Union. The conference aimed at addressing the implementation
of such partnerships with the Eastern Partner countries and the launch
of the EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership signed in October 2011.

During the event detailed information was provided to the Armenian
Government institutions and civil society about Mobility Partnerships,
which are an important tool of the EU’s Global Approach to Migration
and Mobility. Representatives of the Moldovan and Georgian Governments,
and IOM Missions in Moldova and Georgia presented best practices
and lessons learnt from the implementation of similar Mobility
Partnerships in Moldova and Georgia respectively. The conference
also involved the representatives of Armenia, EU Member States and
the European Commission in an active discussion on the expectations
and perspectives for Armenia and the EU after the recently signed
EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership.

Mr. Zohrab Mnatsakanian, Deputy Foreign Minister of Armenia, welcomed
the initiative of the conference as an instrumental convention for
discussing the practical sides of implementation of the MP.

IOM Regional Director for Eastern and South-Eastern Europe and Central
Asia, Ms. Renate Held appreciated the opportunity for IOM to assist
in implementation of the EU’s Mobility Partnerships in ENP region and
reconfirmed IOM’s readiness to continue this technical assistance
with regard to migration management reforms in Armenia, including
all migration-related aspects of the cooperation with the EU.

Mr. Onno Simons, Acting Head of the EU Delegation to Armenia said
that the launch of the Mobility Partnership with Armenia confirms
the EU’s commitment to continue actively cooperating on the issue of
well-managed and secure mobility. The EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership
Declaration was signed in Luxembourg on 27 October 2011. Ten EU Member
States (Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy,
the Netherlands, Poland, Romania and Sweden) are participating. The
Mobility Partnership is expected to enhance Armenia’s ability to manage
migration and inform, integrate and protect migrants and returnees,
as well as boost Armenia’s capacity to curb irregular migration and
human trafficking. The Joint Declaration identifies four areas for
increased dialogue and cooperation under the headings of: (a) mobility,
legal migration and integration; (b) migration and development;
(c) fight against irregular immigration and trafficking in human
beings, readmission, security of identity and travel documents,
border management; and (d) asylum and international protection.

Mobility partnerships are flexible and non-legally binding frameworks
for well-managed movements of people between the EU and a third
country. Their goal is to ensure, through dialogue and practical
cooperation, that there is a responsible and joint management of
migratory flows that protect the interests of the Union, of its
partners and of the migrants themselves. They are part of the process
of implementing the global approach to migration developed by the EU
over the last few years.

NOUVEAU POSTE POUR L’ANCIEN MAIRE D’EREVAN
Laetitia

armenews.com
mercredi 7 decembre 2011

L’ancien maire d’Erevan, Karen Karapetian, a ete nomme premier
vice-president de l’une des plus importantes des banques commerciales
de Russie detenues par le conglomerat energetique Gazprom.

La Gazprombank basee a Moscou a annonce la nouvelle lors d’une courte
declaration sur son site Web au cours du week-end. La societe n’a
donne aucune indication sur cette nomination qui est survenue un peu
plus d’un mois après la demission inattendue de Karapetian au poste
de maire a Erevan.

Un porte-parole de la compagnie nationale de distribution de gaz, ARG,
principalement detenue par Gazprom, a confirme l’information mardi.

Karapetian a dirige la societe avant d’etre elu maire par le
gouvernement.

En annoncant sa demission surprise le 28 Octobre, Karapetian a annonce
qu’il demissionnait pour des raisons personnelles.

Les demissions et les licenciements de plusieurs autres hauts
fonctionnaires armeniens, notamment le president du parlement Hovik
Abrahamian, se sont porduits après le depart de Karapetian.

Les observateurs politiques ont lie ces changements de personnel avec
les elections legislatives prevues en mai prochain. Certains d’entre
eux ont specule que le president Serge Sarkissian est soucieux d’eviter
une eventuelle contestation de son predecesseur Robert Kotcharian.