Author: Talalian Arpi

MUBARIZ AKHMEDOGLU: "AZERBAIJAN AND GEORGIA SHOULD DISCUSS THE THREAT POSED BY THE NORTH CAUCASUS"

Today.Az
06 February 2008

Azerbaijan and Georgia should discuss the problem of threat posed by
the North Caucasus.

The due announcement was made by Mubariz Akhmedoglu, head of the center
for political innovations and technologies, at a press conference on
political results of January, Day.Az reports,

The political scientist noted that announcements from North Caucasus
resemble somewhat of a military chronicle and it is clear that Russia
is not able to regulate processes in North Caucasus and Russian
strategy in this region is not correct.

He said no one is aware of the military and ideological potential of
this region.

The political scientist considers that any destabilization in the
region will affect the South Caucasus and all actions can pass to
the territories of the South Caucasus countries.

"Armenians by the order from the United States do everything possible
to destroy North Caucasus, while Russia does not want to understand
it. When we speak about it Russia thinks that such anti-Armenian
announcements from Azerbaijan are natural", he said.

Development and deepening of relations with NATO promotes conducting of
more flexible security policy

2008-02-01 20:03:00

Mariam Levina, ArmInfo, January 30, 2008 .

Interview of Head of RA Mission to NATO Samvel Lazarian with ArmInfo
Agency

How do you assess Armenia’s cooperation with NATO in 2007?

One can say for sure that the relations between Armenia and NATO in
2007 rose to a new qualitative level. Fulfillment of the Individual
Partnership Action Plan [IPAP] was first assessed at the beginning of
2007; and the results of assessment were discussed at NATO session on 4
April in which Armenia took part in the format 26+1. Armenian Prime
Minister Serzh Sarkisyan visited NATO headquarters and that was the
first visit of the Armenian premier in the history of Armenia-NATO
relations. Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan, Defence Minister
Mikhael Harutyunyan, commander of General Headquarters Seyran Ohanyan
and a group of Armenian parliamentarians also visited NATO.
Representatives of different ministries and departments took part in
sessions of various committees, that deal with transport,
communications, civil population protection, medicine and science
issues. A week of NATO
was held in Armenia in March. Armenia took an active part in the Second
Security Forum held in June. A seminar on the topic of fighting
terrorism was held in Yerevan in July. Special representative of NATO
secretary general Robert Simmons paid working visits to Armenia, over
which he met President Robert Kocharyan, Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisyan, speaker of the parliament Tigran Torosyan, foreign and
defence ministers and took part in the sitting of the IPAP. As you see
that was a very active year in our relations.

What level is the political dialogue with the Alliance at? Can we tell
of the achievements in this context in 2007?

Armenia achieved much in developing political dialogue with NATO in
2007. Armenia and NATO leaderships have discussed not only bilateral
cooperation and the situation in the South Caucasus, but also other
security-related issues. Particularly, the parties discussed the
problems of further fulfillment of the Treaty on Conventional Armed
Forces in Europe, deployment of American anti-missile system in Europe,
the future status of Kosovo, and extension of NATO.

What stage is implementation of the Individual Partnership Action Plan
with NATO at?

Actually, Armenia has successfully completed the two-year cycle of the
Individual Partnership Action Plan with NATO. Afterwards, we will
discuss together the document prepared by NATO experts in Brussels.
Many goals included in the Plan have been achieved or will be achieved
shortly. We strictly followed the schedule of the Plan. Now, we need to
coordinate isolated parts of the document in order to set new goals and
establish the next cycle of their fulfillment.

What events, including NATO exercises, have been scheduled for 2008 and
is participation of Armenia’s representatives envisaged in them?

The Armenian delegation took part in the annual Planning Symposium in
Oberammergau (Germany) on January 23-24. The issues of different
formats of partnership with NATO were
discussed at the Symposium. An informal meeting of NATO countries’
defense ministers will be held in Vilnius on February 7 with
participation of the states, contributing to the peacekeeping
operation in Kosovo. However, the greatest event is, of course, meeting
of NATO heads of state and governments in Bucharest scheduled for April
2-4, 2008. Within the frames of the Summit, NATO members will meet the
Euro- Atlantic partners on April 3. In 2008, we schedule to hold the
second week of NATO in Armenia. Preparatory work over two seminars on
the topics "Fights Against Cyber- Terrorism" and "Energy Security" is
underway". In April, we shall participate in the exercises on
management of crisis situations CMX 08: these exercises are headed by
NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. A big event will be held
in Armenia in 2008 in the sphere of military cooperation: exercises
"Longbow/Lancer 08" will be held within the frames of the Partnership
for Peace programme.

How do you assess activity of NATO Special Representative to Caucasus
and Central Asia as regards deepening of Armenia’s relations with this
structure?

From the very beginning of his appointment in 2004, Robert Simmons
actively contributed to development of multilateral relations between
the Alliance and Armenia. He visited Yerevan already 8 times over the
last years, and his every visit was an additional stimulus for
extension of our relations. I hold regular consultations with Robert
Simmons on a wide circle of issues. In Brussels, we keep in daily touch
with his colleagues from the International Secretariat. The recent
appointment of the new communication officer Z. Rybatsky (he started
taking up his duties in September, 2007) much facilities the problem of
coordination in situ.

How much, in general, Armenia strives for deepening the relations with
the Alliance, taking into account the fact that joining this
organization is not the goal of Armenia, as RA president used to say?

The president, stemming from the national interests of ensuring
security to the state, adopts a decision regarding Armenia’s joining
any organization. At the same time, there are very wide opportunities
of partnership with NATO: it may be in the political dialogue, military
reforms, crisis situations, science and parliamentary cooperation.
Development and deepening of relations with NATO promotes conducting of
more flexible security policy, upgrading of our armed forces and
strengthening of the structure engaged in emergency situations.
Importance of our relations with NATO is reflected in National Security
Strategy and in Military Doctrine.

Will possible entering of other South Caucasian countries,
particularly, Georgia, NATO reflect the relations of Armenia with the
Alliance? If yes, how?

Only Georgia, of all our direct neighbours, actively strives for the
membership in NATO .This is Georgia’s sovereign right. NATO Summit in
Bucharest will probably discuss the issue of presenting the Membership
Actions Plan to Georgia, and it is not ruled out that a positive
decision will be made. It is necessary for us to be ready to the
situation when our northern neighbour, with which we have only friendly
relations, will become NATO member in time. We should use this new
situation for strengthening of our security, including further
development of relations with NATO.

Is involvement of NATO in Karabakh conflict settlement, in particular,
in the monitoring of preserving the cease-fire regime, possible? Did
Armenia apply with proposal to organize such a monitoring? If no, then
why?

NATO has not been not directly involved in the Karabakh conflict
settlement process and it has no such intention: NATO Secretary General
Jaap de Hoop Scheffer multiply told about it. For its part, Armenia did
not apply the Alliance with such a request. The negotiation process on
Karabakh conflict settlement is held within the frames of OSCE Minsk
Group. Deployment of any peacekeeping forces in the region of Nagorno
Karabakh conflict is possible only after reaching a political agreement
and by consent of the all the conflict parties.

Does Armenia’s partnership with Iran emerge in our relations with NATO?

This issue has never emerged in our relations with NATO. The Alliance
has always highly appreciated Armenia’s policy and aspiration to
support and develop normal relations with all the countries in the
region.

Armenia is a member of CSTO and actively cooperates within the frames
of this organization. At the same time, Armenia develops the relations
with NATO. Does cooperation within the frames of one organization
hinder Armenia to develop relations with another one?

There has been no problem in this sense. We hope that there will be no
problem in the future either. Our membership in the CSTO and
partnership with NATO are the components of our foreign policy of
complementarity and Armenian security policy.

TWENTY ARMENIAN CHESS PLAYERS TO PARTAKE IN THE MOSCOW OPEN 08

armradio.am
01.02.2008 11:34

Twenty Armenian chess players left for Moscow today to participate
in the Moscow Open 2008 to be held February 2-10.

The Armenian sportsmen will play in Groups A and B. Grand Masters
Vladimir Hakobyan, Karen Asryan, Artashes Minasyan, Elina Danielyan
and Zaven Andreasyan will play in Group A.

OPPOSITION FORCES WILL UNITE IN SECOND TOUR OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS, OYP VICE-CHAIRWOMAN STATES

Noyan Tapan
Jan 30, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. In the possible second tour of the RA
presidential elections the opposition forces will unite without fail.

Heghine Bisharian, the OYP Vice-Chairwoman, the head of the preelection
headquarters of Artur Baghdasarian, a candidate for presidency,
stated at the January 30 press conference adding that she appreciates
the idea of unification and not the circumstance "around whom the
unification will happen." In her words, the citizens are not ready to
take part in the elections, as many pressures are exerted upon them,
bribes are offered.

According to her, candidate for presidency Serge Sargsian uses all
state resources for his election campaign. In H. Bisharian’s words,
"all officials, from the head of the condominium to prefecture
employees go from one apartment to another, register people and offer
them bribes." She stated that she will publicize the names of those
giving bribes soon.

Besides, in her words, the authorities have started "total attacks"
on A. Baghdasarian’s preelection headquarters. H. Bisharian also said
that some TV companies have refused to cover the election campaign
of the OYP candidate.

And those covering it, in her opinion, are not so unbiassed. All
this, in H. Bisharian’s words, is evidence that the "authorities are
intimidated. "If they are so strong and are sure of themselves, they
should not permit themselves such things," the OYP Vice-Chairwoman
said.

TURKISH ULTRANATIONALIST GANG DISPLAYS THE REALITIES
Ilnur Cevik

The New Anatolian
Jan 30 2008
Turkey

Turkish ultranationalists including ex-military people were caught
while plotting to kill Kurdish politicians and Orhan Pamuk. We warned
about these gangs the years ago and people laughed… But we really
can’t laugh today.

Last week police netted an ultranationalist gang which called itself
Ergenekon. The gang included several conservative personalities
including some journalists who have made a habit of displaying us
as targets.

The gang also included ex-military officials and lawyers who have
been very vocal in their anti-Kurdish stance in Turkey.

The gang reportedly was preparing to murder prominent Kurds of Turkey
and Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk hoping that such incidents would create
havoc in Turkey and lead to a military coup in 2009.

In late 2004 we had written a banner headline in The New Anatolian
saying Turkish nationalists were being armed against the Kurds in
Turkey. We said ultranationalist gangs were being established. At
the time Ilnur Cevik was accused by conservative writers of trying
to create sensation. Taha Akyol of Milliyet said Ilnur Cevik was
writing nonsense.

Unfortunate for Turkey that time has proven us right.

Ultranationalist gangs have been set up and their targets are not just
our Kurds or those who try to promote Turkish-Kurdish friendship and
brotherhood but also Armenians as we saw in the murder of journalist
Hrant Dink.

What is sad is that there is a connection between retired military
officials and these ultranationalist hotheads.

Chief of Staff General Yasar Buyukanit has reacted to these reports
by saying there are attempts to display the Turkish Armed Forces
like a crime organization. He said whoever is involved in a crime
will face justice.

Yes, of course no one should try to put the blame on the Armed
Forces. But it is a fact that there seems to be some elements in the
Armed Forces who are inclined to commit crimes and try to get away
with it by using the good name of the forces as a shield.

Isn’t it a fact that a civilian court sentenced two non-commissioned
officers to massive prison sentences for their involvement against
a Kurdish activist in Semdinli but that under military pressure the
case was switched to a military court upon appeal and the two are
now free? We do not judge whether the two were innocent or not but
we do want to draw attention to the image this has created for Turkey
among international circles.

So when gangs and military links are mentioned of course people will
have question marks in their minds.

It is up to the military to keep its name clean by setting good
examples.

We remember well how military coups were staged in Turkey don’t we?

DINK’S ASSASSINATION IS THE RESULT OF THE "DANGEROUS THINKING" IN TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.01.2008 GMT+04:00

Though Hrant Dink was assassinated firstly because of his political
views, namely regarding the Armenian Genocide, his ethnical belonging
was of no less significance in his assassination.

It’s already been a year since the day of the assassination of the
editor-in-chief of "Agos", yet its details are still unclear. Dink
was killed by Turkey, which is the successor of the Ottoman Empire
with all its intolerance towards "the infidels". Taner Akcam, who
left for the USA in 1971 for some political motives, puts the blame
for Dink’s murder on "the submerged state".

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ "The submerged state" is an underground organization
and a part of the security services and officials, who are strictly
against the democratization of Turkey. "Dink’s assassination is the
result of the "dangerous thinking" in Turkey," said Akcam.

Indeed, "dangerous thinking" is widely spread in Turkey, no matter
how hard the Turks deny this fact in front of the whole world. This
is also inherited from the Ottoman Empire, and is expressed not only
through assassinations and persecutions of those having different way
of thinking, but also in "made up" right of dictating its conditions
to the entire world. And the most surprising and unpleasant thing is
that the world sometimes gives up to it, and the case with blackmailing
the US is a good example of the above mentioned. When in 2003 Turkey
didn’t allow the U.S. troops to Iraq through its territory, America
didn’t complain and didn’t say a word about the "national interests
and security of the soldiers." Four years have passed since then;
Resolution 106 about the Armenian Genocide committed in the Ottoman
Empire has been presented to the House of Representatives. And what
happened, was that Turkey immediately started to threaten the security
of the troops in Iraq, the very troops that were not allowed through
its territory in 2003. The interesting thing is that the Resolution
itself was proposed to the House of Representatives in two weeks
after Hrant Dink’s assassination.

Meanwhile the police department in Istanbul fighting against
terrorism arrested 50 people, among which there is the member of the
Parliament of Azerbaijan, the retired general Vali Kicik, "Aksam"
contributor Guler Komurcu, lawyer Kemal Kerinciz and contributor of
press-association of Turkish Orthodox Church Sevgi Erenerol. They were
arrested for being involved in the assassination of the editor-in-chief
of "Agos" Hrant Dink, in armed attack on the judges, and in attempt
on the lives of the monks in Trabzon and Izmir.

At present the arrested are being interrogated by the police. It is not
known yet whether or not accusations are brought against them. One of
the leaders of the ruling parties the Justice and Development Dengir
Mir Mehmed Firat announced that the police have held a significant
operation.

Turkey demonstrates "commitment" to Dink’s case to the world community
and first of all to Europe.

Parliamentary Commission has been established, lawyers speak out
against the police; in other words everything is as it should be in
democratic countries.

However, Turkey is omitting one important circumstance: Istanbul is
not the entire Turkey; moreover, it is not Turkey at all. "There are
two Turkeys: European, situated on Taksim Square, which has about
50 thousand people, or may be a little more, and the other part of
Turkey, consisting of 70 million people, who really practice Islam
and consider themselves the followers of the Ottoman Empire. So one
shouldn’t speak seriously of European values in Turkey," thinks the
political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan.

The trial proceeding on the assassin (assassins) of Hrant Dink will be
followed by harsh verdict, after which in the eyes of Europe Turkey
will look a "normal" country. But the trouble is that in Europe,
unlike the USA, the value of the Turkish democracy is quite clear,
and the article 301 of the Turkish Criminal Code assures this in the
best way possible.

Though Hrant Dink was assassinated firstly because of his political
views, namely regarding the Armenian Genocide, his ethnical belonging
was of no less significance in his assassination. Orhan Pamuk, Taner
Akcam and many others proved to be luckier than Dink; they left the
country. Hrant Dink in his last interview which was held two days
before his assassination, said: "If I give up and leave the country,
it will be a disgrace to everybody. My ancestry lived in this country,
my roots are in this country and I have the right to die in the
country I was born in."

In answer to the question whether it is bad being Armenian in
Turkey, he answered: "If one holds his tongue, he is unlikely to
have problems. But for me it was even difficult at school to sing
in the school choir about how proud I am to be Turkish. Of course
there are things to be proud of in our country, but still I am not
Turkish. The representatives like to refer to the fact that there
are many children’s orphanages and Armenian schools in the country.

However, they prefer to keep silent about the fact that many of the
schoolchildren are fired for being involved in political life…"

TURKEY’S NEW TOP JUDGE IN EUROPE: 301 MUST BE AMENDED

The New Anatolian
Jan 24 2008
Turkey

Prof. Dr. Ayse Isil Karakas, the newly elected Turkish judge of the
European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), said Wednesday that Article
301 of the Turkish Penal Code restricts freedom of expression and
must be amended.

Article 301 of the penal code makes it a crime to insult Turkish
identity.

In an interview after being elected as an ECHR judge, Dr. Karakas said
"as European Union (EU) reports indicate, there are problems related
to the implementation of Article 301."

"When Article 301 was first legislated, authorities said that its
implementation should be observed. The implementation did not yield
desired results. There are lots of cases filed under Article 301. As a
jurist, I believe that Article 301 must be amended," Dr. Karakas noted.

Justice Minister Mehmet Ali Sahin has already announced the governm
ent wikll present an amendment to the parliam ent "soon" that will
soften the law which makes denigrating Turkish identity, or insulting
the country’s institutions, a crime punishable by up to three years
in prison.

The European Union has said it does not fit within the bloc’s standards
of free speech, and has been one of the stumbling blocks to Turkish
accession since talks began in 2005.

Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk was among the highest profile
Turks snared by the law, when he commented on the mass killings of
Armenians by Turks in the early 20th century.

The headscarf issue

Asked about the headscarf ban at universities and government plan
to lift the restrictions Prof. Karakas said "currently, I cannot
elaborate on this issue. The ECHR already published a ruling on the
matter. New cases will be debated based on the ECHR’s opinion."

"Every country in the ECHR system has an obligation to adapt its
domestic laws to those of Europe. As Turkey adjusts its laws, the
number of cases filed against it will drop," Dr. Karakas stressed.

Asked about the reasons why Turkey is one of the European countries
that is the target of complaints and law suits, Prof. Karakas
stressed that the problem in Turkey is often caused because of the
interpretation of domestic laws.

In reference to the individual freedoms and sovereignty right of
the state, Dr. Karakas said she has been working on the issue for
several years.

"The laws related to human rights in Europe are different than
international laws and limit the sovereignty rights of the state. The
sovereignty of the state were restricted as the freedom and rights
of individuals expanded after the 1950s," Prof. Karakas stressed.

Prof. Karakas said she is extremely pleased and honored to have been
elected as judge to the ECHR. "This is one of the highest positions
that a legal expert can work at," she stressed. Prof. Karakas said
that she was not surprised for having been elected as an ECHR judge as
she believes she carried the qualifications required by that position.

Prof. Karakas is Turkey’s first woman judge to serve at the ECHR. She
will live in Strasbourg during her tenure as an ECHR judge. She is
presently a professor of law at Galatasaray University.

UK AMBASSADOR SAID GOODBYE TO CATHOLICOS

Panorama.am
20:48 24/01/2008

Today the supreme patriarch of all Armenians Garegin II received
Anthony Kantory Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

According to Mother Cathedral St Echmiadzin, the Catholicos expressed
his delight to get acquainted with the Ambassador and wished him all
the best.

Kantory mentioned that he was sure he should miss Armenia and St
Echmiadzin.

MINISTER EXPECTS FOREIGN INVESTMENT GROWTH

Noyan Tapan
Jan 23, 2008

YEREVAN, JANUARY 23, NOYAN TAPAN. By the programs on development
of Armenia’s information technologies, tourism, chemical and mining
industries, the RA ministry of trade and economic development expects
a growth of investments in these sectors, the RA minister of trade
and economic development Nerses Yeritsian said at the January 23
press conference.

According to him, foreign investments amounted to over 600 million
dollars in 2007. The foreign investments increased by 58% in nine
months of 2007 on the same period of 2006. During this period, the
largest investments were made by Russia (175.9 million USD), Lebanon
(134 million USD), Argentina (24.9 million USD), the U.S. (21.3
million USD) and Germany (20.4 million USD). Considerable foreign
investments were made in the communication sector (VivaCell and
ArmenTel companies), air transport (Armenia International Airports),
mining industry and metallurgy (ArmenAl and the Zangezur Copper and
Molybdenum Enterprise), gas and electricity supply (ArmRusgazprom,
the Electric Networks of Armenia).

The minister informed those present that a pilot program has been
launched with the aim of encouraging investments in the IT sector. In
particular, a program on distant interactive education at schools is
being implemented in Syunik marz, with the participation of Microsoft
that started operating in Armenia in 2007. A network has been set up
between one of the best schools of Kapan and the schools of 5 border
villages. The program’s results will become evident in 4-6 weeks, while
the experience gained will be used throughout Armenia in 1-2 years.

In the words of N. Yeritsian, the creation of Gyumri technopark
will be a program aimed at developing a science-based economy. This
program with state participation is envisaged by the RA state budget,
and agreements on joint creation of the techopark have been reached
with the State Engineering University of Armenia, the Armenian State
University of Economics, the American University of Armenia, private
companies and NGOs. Finnish and Dutch technoparks have given their
preliminary agreement on assisting with Gyumri technopark’s program.

IF HE HAD MUCH MONEY

A1+
22 January, 2008

All presidential candidates will have the opportunity to speak on the
Public TV free of charge started from 23 January. The chairman of the
"National Conciliation" party, presidential candidate Aram Harutyunyan
complained of this decision, considering that he as a power lacking
financial means lost an opportunity to present himself to the public.

"Although they organize programs and press conferences, I do not
understand what technical problems prompted the CEC to make such
decision".

To our question whether equal conditions were established for all
candidates or not, Aram Harutyunyan answered, that some candidates
had launched the campaign before the official date. He noted that
the more the candidates had chances to speak on various TV channels,
the better for them.

"Some representatives of mass media offered to broadcast me to show
my ranking higher. Many people give money for it".