Author: Tambiyan Samvel

ERDOGAN: TURKEY, ARMENIA TO SIGN DEAL ON OCTOBER 10

armradio.am
28.09.2009 13:38

The Turkish Prime Minister says Turkey and Armenia will sign a deal
to establish diplomatic ties on Oct. 10.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday that the
deal would be signed by the countries’ Foreign Ministers, but it
must be approved by the countries’ parliaments before taking effect,
AP reports.

The deal also foresees the reopening of the Turkish-Armenian border.

The Turkish and Armenian soccer teams will meet in an Oct. 14 World
Cup qualifier.

Today.Az

Status-quo is inadmissible in Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict:
U.S. Secretary of State

26 September 2009 [13:37] – Today.Az

The U.S. administration believes status-quo unacceptable in the
Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, U.S. Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton said at a meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov.

The new U.S. administration has reiterated its support in the speedy
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Clinton said at a meeting
with Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan, the Foreign Ministry said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can be resolved only within the
framework of the sovereignty, territorial integrity and
internationally recognized borders of Azerbaijan, Mammadyarov said.

The Clinton-Mammadyarov meeting took place as part of the UN General
Assembly in New York.

The parties also debated the issues of bilateral and regional
cooperation.

Turkish Daily News

ErdoÄ?an plans a ‘new move’ within the AKP

Sunday, September 27, 2009

GÃ-KSEL BOZKURT

ANKARA Daily News Parliament Bureau

In its upcoming general congress, the ruling AKP plans to make radical
changes to its decision-making cadre. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an is expected to give a boost to Deputy Prime Minister
and his close workmate Bülent Arınç, former
Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan, former education minister
Hüseyin �elik and Education Minister Nimet
�ubukçu

The ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, will hold its third
general congress on Oct. 3 in Ankara. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
ErdoÄ?an plans to go to the general elections in 2011 with a new
makeup after shaping the party’s new organizational structure in the
congress.

ErdoÄ?an, only candidate

The AKP, established on Aug. 14, 2001, will hold its third general
congress in the sports hall of the Ankara Water and Sewerage
Administration, or ASKÄ°. ErdoÄ?an will attend the party
congress as the single candidate for the party
leadership. ErdoÄ?an is also expected to make important
structural change in his party’s 50-member Central Executive Board, or
MKYK. ErdoÄ?an will shape the party’s administrative structure,
which will carry the party to the 2011 general elections, in the
congress. Currently hosting 11 female members, ErdoÄ?an’s
efforts will also include furthering the role of women and youth in
the MKYK structure.

Sources say, ErdoÄ?an will maintain the seats for female members
in the MKYK, while intending to include some other names. Among these
names are Education Minister Nimet �ubukçu, State
Minister Selma Kavaf who works as Chairwoman of AKP’s Women Branch and
AKP Malatya deputy Ã-znur Ã?alık, according to
sources.

Past legends reappear in the scene

ErdoÄ?an is also expected to include Deputy Prime Minister and
his close workmate Bülent Arınç in the
MKYK. Former Parliament Speaker Köksal Toptan, former Education
Minister Hüseyin �elik and former Labor and Social
Security Mi
urat BaÅ?esgioÄ?lu also remain among other potential
candidates for MKYK membership.

Ã?elik, whose name stood out as political adviser in the AKP’s
Kurdish move, is expected to be appointed as the deputy leader in
charged of the political and legal affairs of the party.

Emphasis on Kurdish move

The party’s Kurdish move will be another important agenda topic of the
congress. ErdoÄ?an is expected to review the party’s eight-year
ruling period and the developments so far. ErdoÄ?an will also
give important messages on the Kurdish and Armenian move, making a
last call to the opposition for their contribution to both
initiatives.

DTP continues with Türk

Another party summoning a congress is the pro-Kurdish Democratic
Society Party, or DTP. The DTP will gather for a general congress on
Oct. 4, in which the DTP leader Ahmet Türk is considered to be
re-elected as the party leader. A mini survey of the party showed
DTP’s Emine Ayna will assume the post of co-chair, together with
Türk. Some deputies in the party think her radical statements
on various issues could harm the AKP’s Kurdish move, but the general
sentiment in the party is still that a replacement of Ayna with
another name would be surprising.

MHP goes to congress

The opposition Nationalist Movement Party, or MHP, will convene its
general congress on Oct. 8. No challenging rival is expected to appear
in the congress to compete with MHP’s current leader, Devlet
Bahçeli. The only candidate considered relatively strong and
likely to challenge Bahçeli, is former public works minister
Koray Aydın. But, Aydın is not expected to run his
candidacy in the congress, according to many MHP deputies.

Crucial period for parties outside Parliament

The upcoming period will also be important for political parties
outside the Parliament. The Democrat Party, or DP, which elected old
politician Hüsamettin Cindoruk as its new leader, also prepares
itself for the party congress. Cindoruk made his way to politics again
in a bid to unite the center right.
is expected that another center-right Motherland Party, or ANAP, will
also hold its congress and take a decision to unite with the DP. Both
parties plan to hold their congresses at the end of October or the
beginning of November.

Two new parties on the way

Former Democratic Left Party, or DSP, deputy Mustafa
Sarıgül, who left the party, meanwhile, is planning to
establish a new party called the `Turkey Change Party.’ He plans to
join the electoral race in 2011 general elections.

Those who left the DSP after the death of DSP’s founder, leader
Bülent Ecevit, and those disappointed with the current
leadership of Masum Türker, also plan to establish a new
party. Emrehan Halıcı and Recai Birgün are
expected to take part in the planned party, also supported by Ecevit’s
wife RahÅ?an.

The Protocols Fall Outside the National Assembly’s Purview

tocols-fall-outside-the-national-assembly%e2%80%99 s-purview/
By Contributor on Sep 25th, 2009

The National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia is not authorized to
discuss and vote on, much less ratify the protocols between the
Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey on establishing
diplomatic relations and developing bi-lateral ties.

The said protocols fall outside the authority of the National
Assembly. The current Constitution of the Republic of Armenia is clear
on this point. According the Article 81, clause 2 of the Constitution,
`international treaties’ – only `treaties’ – are subject to
ratification by the National Assembly. The article does not provide
for the ratification of any other international document, including
protocols. The protocols are an arrangement, but not a treaty. Any
activity or process in the National Assembly having to do with the
aforementioned protocols would be anti-constitutional.

CONFERENCE AGAINST DENIALS IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

armradio.am
24.09.2009 17:16

The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD),
in association with the Centre Communautaire Laic Juif (Jewish Laic
Community Centre) and IBUKA Memoire & Justice (Ibuka Memory and Justice
Association), will hold a conference entitled Denial and Democracy
in Europe on October 6, 2009 in the European Parliament, Brussels.

The conference will be held under the aegis of Mr Elmar Brok (Christian
Democrat, Germany), in light of the adoption of the Framework Decision
against Racism and Xenophobia by the European Council in December 2008.

Article 1 of the Framework Decision prohibits genocide denial in the
EU. It is now a requirement that EU Member States incorporate the
provisions of this Framework Decision into their national legislations
by 2010.

The conference will be an occasion for political leaders, historians,
experts, human rights workers, philosophers and others to exchange
their views and their concerns regarding the state of genocide denial
in Europe.

Specifically, the speakers will explore critical questions for Europe
arising from increased genocide denial within the EU as well as the
potential benefits or drawbacks of the Framework Decision.

The increase in genocide denial is evidenced by comments such as those
of the president of Iran regarding the Holocaust. More recently,
the Republic of Turkey has incorporate d provisions into a recent
agreement with the Republic of Armenia that call for the establishment
of a committee of experts to revisit and review the actuality of the
Armenian Genocide.

Among others, the experts to take the floor on October 6 include Mr
Ralph Giordano, a Jewish journalist and essayist who survived to the
Nazi regime, Professor Yves Ternon, one of the main French historian
specialized on the 20th century genocides, Professor Mihran Dabag,
founder and director of Institute for Diaspora and Genocide Studies in
Bochum (Germany) or Mr Marcel Kabanda, the chairperson of Ibuka France

ARMENIAN BOTANISTS ANGERED OVER "JRVEZH PINE GROVE" TRANSFER

2009/09 /23 | 15:48

The decision of the RoA government to sell off the Crimean pine grove
now located in the Jrvezh Park has provoked the ire of the Armenian
Botanist Society (ABS).

The ABS has dispatched letters to RoA National Assembly President
Hovik Abrahamyan, RoA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan and Minister
of the Environment Aram Harutyunyan, protesting the confiscation
of some 20 hectares of the grove and allocating the site to the
community of Voghjraberd. The ABS claims that a host of Academy of
Science academicians and PhD. degree holders and candidates support
the protest.

The pine grove was planted some 30 years ago and is an oasis of green
the year-round which elps clean the air around Yerevan.

The government’s recent decision seems to contradict the fact that
the grove is part of a forest park set aside by the Ministry of the
Environment and thus national property.

The ABS calls the government’s attention to this fact, arguing that
the recent decision is a violation of the Environment Ministry’s
jurisdiction of the grove.

"We wish to express our disagreement with the decision that will
hand over this unique pine grove, the result of years of hard work
and tender care, to the community of Voghjraberd. We strongly urge
you to review the decision which, in our estimation, is unwise."

AZERBAIJANI FOUND 12 ARMENIAN DEPUTIES IN THEIR PARLIAMENT

Panorama.am
17:34 23/09/2009

A story called "Hidden Armenians’ problem in Azerbaijan" is published
by Azerbaijani "Yeni Cag" informative-analytical agency.

It has been surprise for Azeri to reveal that "yet elder Heidar Aliev
talked about 30 thousand Armenians living in Baku, and that many of
them work in state institutions and rule offices of great importance.

Hence, we’ve taken the initiative to investigate what state positions
those "hidden Armenians" have assumed.

According to our trustworthy sources, high ranking officials in
Azerbaijan’s Government having Armenian roots work. To tell more,
excluding National Security Ministry, Armenians are found in all other
ministries, which is a serious threat for our nation. According to
our calculations there are 12 Armenian deputies in mejlis but if we
calculate those who have Armenians spouses then the figure is tripled,"
the author of the story tells.

The "tolerance" of Azerbaijan’s society is expressed with the brightest
colors in his conclusions which the reporter concludes at the end. "You
would ask why to investigate and reveal that? Today strange things
happen in Azerbaijan and the authorities give such responses that
you think whether Armenians have nothing to do with it?"

To conclude Azerbaijani suffer strengthening of fall paranoia searching
and investigating for "Armenian traps" in all world cataclysms,
which is going to be under our consistent control.

AZERBAIJAN SAYS BORDERS WITH ARMENIA TO OPEN AFTER OCCUPIED LANDS VACATED

Azad Azarbaycan TV
sept 21 2009

[Presenter] Baku has reacted strongly to Ankara’s statement that the
improvement of relations between Turkey and Armenia may lead to the
opening of borders between Azerbaijan and the occupier country. Foreign
Ministry spokesman Elxan Poluxov has said that Azerbaijan can open
its borders with Armenia only at its own will and in exchange for
certain conditions.

[Correspondent] Baku states that the Armenian-Azerbaijani borders
can be opened only under Azerbaijan’s decision and that this is the
country’s internal affair. This can be discussed only after Armenian
troops vacate the occupied territories.

[Poluxov] The opening of the borders on the contact line can
undoubtedly happen under Azerbaijan’s decision in the first place. This
decision and our position, as you know, is that this can only be taken
as the first step after Armenian military units withdraw from five
occupied districts [around Nagornyy Karabakh] and after the terms
are set for the withdrawal of military units from the remaining
two districts.

[Correspondent] Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said earlier
that the [possible] opening of the Turkish-Armenian border may lead
to the normalization of [Armenia’s] relations with Azerbaijan and in
the long run to the opening of borders with Azerbaijan as well.

Elxan Poluxov also said that while Azerbaijan is putting forward
constructive proposals, Yerevan is only spreading aggression. As
to Armenia’s refusal to accept Karabakh as a precondition, and the
absence of a provision in the protocol [on the normalization of
Armenian-Turkish relations] on Karabakh despite the fact that Turkey
has not given up on Nagornyy Karabakh, the protocol is still under
discussion.

[Poluxov] It is not a final document, as of today, the signing of the
protocol has not been suggested. Political consultations are under
way on the protocol in both countries. But today, I will say it again,
we are based on the position taken by Turkey.

ARMENIAN SWEETS SOLD IN AZERBAIJAN

Tert
Sept 23 2009
Armenia

The State Committee on Standardization, Metrology and Patents of
the Republic of Azerbaijan conducted product quality checks in the
district of Masalin, reports Azerbaijan news site 1news.az.

During the standard check, products labelled in Armenian were
uncovered. "Thus, during the checks in the storehouse belonging to
Adam Yagubov, dried fruit, sweets and dessert prepared by Armenian
company Sevan were found," mentioned the announcement.

LILIT MKRTCHYAN WILL REPRESENT ARMENIA AT NANJING 2009 – 2010 2ND FIDE WOMEN GRAND PRIX

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.09.2009 15:35 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian chess player Lilit Lazarian will represent
Armenia at 2nd FIDE Women Grand Prix to take place in Nanjing, China
from September, 27, 2009 to October, 10, 2009.

12 top chess players will participate in the tournament: Xue, Zhao
(China, 2544), Ju, Wenjun (China, 2443), Dzagnidze, Nana (Georgia,
2536), Sebag Marie (France, 2531), Yuhua, Xu (China, 2485), Chen, Zhu
(Quatar, 2473), Mrktchyan, Lilit (Armenia, 2467), Yang, Shen (China,
2453), Batkhuyag, Munguntuul (Mongolia, 2412), Kovanova, Baira (Russia,
2406), Fierro, Martha (Equador, 2394), Yildiz, Betul (Turkey, 2217).

The Grand Prix will be a series of six tournaments held over two years
(2009-2010) in leading world cities.

The timing of evaluating and contracting host city offers will be very
important particularly at the start of the series. Offers to host
and contract three tournaments over the next six years (i.e. three
cycles – for 2009/10, 2011/2 and 2013/4) will be given preference.

18 top world players will be selected to compete in these
tournaments. Each player agrees and will contract to participate in
exactly 4 of these tournaments. Players must rank their preference
of tournaments once the final list of host cities is announced and
the dates are allocated to each host city.