Author: Tavakalian Edgar

ALEXANDER KANANYAN: FULFILLMENT OF EVEN ONE PARAGRAPH OF MADRID PRINCIPLES IS DISASTROUS

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.01.2010 19:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ I do not preclude existence of framework agreement
on Karabakh conflict settlement, drawn up based on Madrid principles,
and signed by an authorized person. And agreement publication term
is a subsidiary issue, Armenian Choice party initiative group member
Alexander Kananyan believes.

As Alexander Kananyan told a news conference in Yerevan, he came to
this conclusion based on the precedent with Armenia-Turkey Protocols.

"First we were told that the initialed Armenia-Turkey road map was
only an amorphous document. Later, RA Foreign Minister stated that
all paragraphs of Armenia-Turkey protocols were finalized as early
as February 2009," he noted.

Alexander Kananyan emphasized that in the light of the above mentioned,
there are no guarantees framework agreement for Karabakh conflict
settlement hasn’t been created up till now. "The public has to
understand, fulfillment of even of paragraph of Madrid principles is
disastrous to NKR," he stressed.

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 as result of the
ethnic cleansing launched by Azerbaijan in the final years of the
Soviet Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 to 1994. Since
the ceasefire in 1994, most of Nagorno Karabakh and several regions
of Azerbaijan around it (the security zone) remain under the control
of Nagorno Karabakh defense army. Armenia and Azerbaijan have since
been holding peace talks mediated by the OSCE Minsk Group.

The Madrid document contains the proposals put forward by the OSCE
Minsk Group co-chairs on the basic principles of a settlement. The
document was presented to the Armenian and Azerbaijani representatives
at the OSCE summit in the Spanish capital in November 2007.

ECOLOGISTS AND DENO GOLD MINING CROSS SWORDS AGAIN

ArmInfo
2010-01-18 20:53:00

ArmInfo. "Environmental-Social Profile for Deno Gold Mining Company’s
Operation in Armenia" published article was presented in Yerevan on
Jan 18.

Head of the EcoLur NGO Inga Zarafyan pointed out that the situation
in the Syunik community has been hard since 2006. "We qualify it as
disastrous as there are tails so far, which are left open by the
company. The river Norashenik flows near the tails, and its banks
are fortified with those tails",- she said. According to her, the
contamination of the territory with heavy metals is of big danger
as the given community supplies greenery and dairy to the whole town
of Kapan.

Zarafyan stressed that specialists have repeatedly pointed out the
degree of danger of these food products due to the big content of toxic
substances in them. She also recalled that as a result of emergency
releases in 2006-2007, land and garden plots were contaminated in
the village of Syunik, the cattle died, children displayed strong
allergic reactions to the extent that their skin sloughed off their
hands. Shahumyan gold-polymetallic deposit being developed by DGM was
qualified as a highly dangerous zone: "the residents’ houses break
down of explosions. The developers have not practically left the upper
layer above the drifts despite to the exploitation rules, and the
land is caving in and making craters",- Zarafyan stressed. She added
that the main waste flow was closed after construction of Geghanush
tailing dump on the common lands on Geghanush community. However,
there is practically no buffer zone here, and those having land
plots near the tailing dump have been deprived of the opportunity
to receive incomes. Besides 19 ha private plots, the hazel-wood
growing on the slopes of the gorge filled with waste ceased bearing
fruit. "We suggest that the government of the republic should set
up a commission on monitoring the compliance of DGM activity with
environmental standards",- said Zarafyan.

The head of the Management and PR Department of Deno Gold Mining
and engineer of the company’s Ecological Department Hasmik Mkrtumyan
disagreed with the ecologists.

They were skeptical of the information that the contamination of
gardens in Syunik in 2006-2007 caused allergy among local children as
well as the reports that the tailing dump near the Geghanush community
is a source of harmful dust. They said that the dump could not damage
the hazel harvest in Geghanush.

The chairman of the Union of Greens of Armenia Hakop Sanasaryan
retorted that the damage caused to human health and environment by
heavy metals in tailing dumps has long been proved by international
experts. He said that in the Geghanush community he personally saw
culves and lambs dying a few days after birth or having serious health
problems. If this situation continues, the community may disappear
in the next few years. Sanasaryan said that in Armenia engineering
ecology is politicized. If the authorities go on neglecting this
situation, certain companies will continue gaining super profits by
damaging the environment.

To note, the "Environmental-Social Profile for Deno G®ld Mining
Company"s Operation in Armenia" article covers the outcomes of
the public informational monitoring of Deno G®ld Mining Company"s
operation conducted by "EcoLur" Informational NGO together with
CEE Bank Watch International Non-Governmental Organization and "For
Ensuring Ecological Safety and Developing Democracy" and "Khoustoup"
NGOs. The documentary bases for this article are as follows:
correspondence among NGOs, the Ministry of Nature Protection of RA,
Territorial State Environmental Inspection in Syunik, the Ministry
of Emergency State of RA, the Armenian Human Rights Defender, and the
results and recommendations submitted by "GEORISK" Scientific- Expert
Company, which worked for Deno G®ld Mining in Kapan, extracts from
the reports drawn up by the Center of Noospherical Studies of NAS RA
about soil pollution, food, water resources in Kapan and its adjacent
places, interviews with the locals, the results of the discussions
of Deno G®ld Mining Company’s operation at the working meeting on
environmental and social responsibility held by the European Bank for
Reconstruction and Development in London. The article is published by
"EcoLur" Informational NGO with the support of Global Greengrants Fund.

EXPECTING ANY QUICK SOLUTIONS OVER KARABAKH TALKS ILLOGICAL, ARP DEPUTY SAYS

Panorama.am
17:52 18/01/2010

No declaration will be signed during the upcoming trilateral
Sargsyan-Medvedev-Aliyev meeting in Moscow, ARP faction member Gagik
Minasyan told reporters today.

"Azerbaijan, actually, has become the center for regional instability.

This provides no basis for us to think that in the near future we
will have Azerbaijani society, ready to accept any offer to compromise.

Azerbaijan’s destructive policy leaves us no hope to think that we
are expected any advance here," the deputy said.

According to him, the Armenian President, who is in Moscow on a
working visit, first and foremost, is due to discuss issues over
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement with Russia’s Medvedev.

"To me, the two parties should know each other’s views since their
relations in fact are strategic," G. Minasyan said.

As the deputy said, we’d better holding talks than resuming war
activities, thus, we are facing a long path over the frozen conflict.

"Expecting any quick solutions is illogical," he highlighted.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/

Russia will not allow Turkey or any other state to get closer to
Karabakh conflict settlement

Apparently, Russia has decided to openly show in whose hands the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is. Moreover, in all
probability France and the United States have agreed to this.
15.01.2010 GMT+04:00

Following the fairly long New Year holidays in Armenia, the first
working week proved to be unusually eventful. And even if we do not
count the lively debates over the Armenian-Turkish Protocols, which,
by the way, have become a kind of `national sports’, only Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Yerevan on the background of the
Russian-Turkish negotiations can imply a lot.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Lavrov’s visit on the one hand was called to `calm’
Armenia on the part of the Karabakh conflict and on the other it was
to show Baku its place, as even in the new year the latter has not
ceased to swing a club and talk about the `return of her territories’.
It should be noted to the Russian Minister’s credit that he completed
his mission brilliantly, declaring that the fate of Nagorno-Karabakh
can never be decided without taking into account the opinion of its
own people. This statement of Lavrov’s provoked a storm in the
Azerbaijani media, which found nothing better than asking Russian
Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vladimir Dorokhin about his opinion on the
Minister’s statement. The answer was natural: `I can not comment on my
minister.’ The Foreign Ministry had also come to arrange another
meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan. It was no
coincidence that especially on that day the Turkish press reported on
a proposed Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting in Moscow in late January.
Apparently, Russia has decided to openly show in whose hands the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is. Moreover, in all
probability France and the United States have agreed to this. Position
of the West is reasonable: it has its own problems: crisis,
Afghanistan, Iran’s nuclear program, so there is neither time nor
energy for Karabakh.

The only thing worrying the Armenian side (and not without reason) is
Turkey’s attempts to interfere in the settlement process. But here,
for lack of imagination, once again comes forth the issue of
ratification of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols in the Turkish
Parliament. In Moscow, they made it clear for Prime Minister Erdogan
that the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and the Armenian-Turkish relations
are two big differences, as it is said in Odessa. Perhaps that was the
reason that the cheerful statements of Turkish officials about
brotherly Azerbaijan someway cooled down. Really, how long is it
possible to stand this situation, especially, as we have been
repeatedly writing, these are only unfounded words. Both Ankara and
Baku understand this. Nevertheless, they make statements which, by the
way, are more designed for Yerevan.

Seriously speaking, every party that one way or another is interested
in participating in the process of conflict regulation, has many
top-priority problems, whose solution, for example for Turkey and
Azerbaijan, is more important than Nagorno-Karabakh. Generally
speaking, this is good: the less attention Stepanakert absorbs, the
better. The conflict, if it can be called so, is in its lingering
phase, which may last indefinitely. Or, perhaps, not so long: it all
depends on the term of office of the Aliyev clan.

Ankara has a number of troubles: the Kurds, the Cyprus question,
national minorities, recognition of its own history of the Ottoman
times.

Baku too: national minorities, misbehavior of its ambassadors abroad,
the decline of oil production, unrealized gas pipelines (Nabucco,
White Stream), general atmosphere of the totalitarian regime.

Yerevan has its own problems, but they are not regional issues and
therefore are not that serious. Armenia has to deal with purely
internal conflicts, which by and large do not affect the overall state
of affairs.

Last of all, on 18 January President of Armenia goes to Moscow and on
20 January the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs arrive in the region. There
will be just another non-binding meeting between the Presidents, of
course if suddenly Aliyev does not start to play an offended child,
who has been deprived of a toy. So, nothing new should be expected.
And whether Aliyev will leave for Moscow or not, no longer means a
lot.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan

news.am, Armenia
Jan 15 2010

I have no business or shares: Armen Gevorgyan

16:44 / 01/15/2010`I have no business, stocks or shares in capital of
any organization,’ Armenian Vice Premier and Territorial
Administration Minister Armen Gevorgyan told the journalists.

Asked whether he is happy with his paycheck, Minister replied, `No, I
am not like each of us in here.’ Commenting on the fact that being a
member of ruling Republican Party team Gevorgyan did not follow the
lead of RA Premier and joined the party, Gevorgyan said, `I have been
holding office for 12 years and always shared judgments of Republican
Party. Within last two years I worked with this team and accept its
programs.’ He also ruled out his joining any other party of the
coalition.

According to oppositional press, Gevorgyan is sheltering construction
of elite buildings in the centre of Yerevan.

A.G.

The Armenian Committee
for the City of Glendale Complete Count Committee
Invites you to a

Community Briefing about the 2010 Census

Sunday, January 17th
1:00pm
St. Marys Church Hall
500 S. Central Ave., Glendale, CA

The 2010 US Census is quickly approaching and anyone living in the US
is required by law to complete it!

Come learn everything you need to know about the 2010 US Census.
Guest Speakers will include representatives from the Census Bureau
and the Glendale Complete Count Committee

Learn about job opportunities related to the 2010 US Census

Admission is FREE.
Refreshments will be served.
Census promotional items will be available
Questions? Call ANC-Glendale 818.243.3444

Committee Members Include:
Armenian Council of America, Armenian Cultural Foundation-Glendale,
Armenian National Committee-Glendale, Armenian Relief Society Sepan Chapter,
Armenian Rights Council of America, Armenian Youth
Federation-Glendale, St. Marys Apostolic Church

OSCE MG CO-CHAIRS TO ARRIVE IN YEREVAN JAN. 20

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.01.2010 17:59 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Co-Chairs of OSCE Minsk Group, Ambassadors Bernard
Fassier (France), Robert Bradtke (US) and Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia)
are planning a visit to Yerevan on January 20, Armenia’s Foreign
Ministry’s Spokesman Tigran Balayan told PanARMENIAN.Net.

During their visit, the mediators dealing with the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict will meet with RA President Serzh Sargsyan and Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian.

The Nagorno Karabakh conflict broke out in 1988 as result of the
ethnic cleansing Azerbaijan launched in the final years of the Soviet
Union. The Karabakh War was fought from 1991 to 1994.

Since the ceasefire in 1994, most of Nagorno Karabakh and several
regions of Azerbaijan around it (the security zone) remain under the
control of Nagorno Karabakh defense army.

Armenia and Azerbaijan have since been holding peace talks mediated
by the OSCE Minsk Group.

The OSCE Minsk Group was created in 1992 by the Conference on Security
and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE, now Organization for Security and
Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)) to encourage a peaceful, negotiated
resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The Helsinki Additional Meeting of the CSCE Council on 24 March 1992,
requested the Chairman-in-Office to convene as soon as possible
a conference on Nagorno Karabakh under the auspices of the CSCE
to provide an ongoing forum for negotiations towards a peaceful
settlement of the crisis on the basis of the principles, commitments
and provisions of the CSCE. The Conference is to take place in Minsk.

Although it has not to this date been possible to hold the conference,
the so-called Minsk Group spearheads the OSCE effort to find a
political solution to this conflict.

On 6 December 1994, the Budapest Summit decided to establish a
co-chairmanship for the process.

Implementing the Budapest decision, the Chairman-in-Office issued on
23 March 1995, the mandate for the Co-Chairmen of the Minsk Process.

The main objectives of the Minsk Process are as follows: Providing
an appropriate framework for conflict resolution in the way of
assuring the negotiation process supported by the Minsk Group;
Obtaining conclusion by the Parties of an agreement on the cessation
of the armed conflict in order to permit the convening of the Minsk
Conference; Promoting the peace process by deploying OSCE multinational
peacekeeping forces.

The Minsk Process can be considered to be successfully concluded if
the objectives referred to above are fully met.

The Minsk Group is headed by a Co-Chairmanship consisting of France,
Russia and the United States. Furthermore, the Minsk Group also
includes the following participating States: Belarus, Germany, Italy,
Portugal, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Turkey as well as Armenia
and Azerbaijan. Current Co-chairmen of the Minsk Group are: Ambassador
Bernard Fassier of France, Ambassador Yuri Merzlyakov of the Russian
Federation and Ambassador Robert Bradtke of the United States.

ON PRIME MINISTER’S INSTRUCTIONS, MINISTERS TO PRESENT EARTHSHAKER DEVELOPMENT ENSURING PROJECTS

NoyanTapan
Jan 14, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. At the December 14 sitting of
the Armenian government, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan gave two
instructions to all the ministers. By the first one, during January
discussions of the ministries’ annual reports, the ministers will have
to present at least three programs ensuring earthshaker development
and keep them under their direct control. "When we discuss the 2009
reports, you should have a clear idea of the directions to ensure
this progress in 2010. We should make it a theme controllable by the
public," T. Sargsyan said.

The second assignment of the prime minister is related to economic
growth indices. "When summarizing the 2009 results and hearing
your reports, we should place the main emphasis on the potential
accumulated and on the measures to be taken in 2010 to improve
economic growth indices, also on our reserves and the existing
obstacles whose elimination may ensure economic growth, as well as
on those projects whose implementation will lead to economic growth,"
the prime minister said.

TURKEY IS MORE ACTIVE THAN MINSK GROUP
Victoria Abrahamyan

A1Plus.am
15/01/10

Hanrapetutyun (Republic) Party Chairman Aram Sargsyan sees a linkage
between Armenian-Turkish relations and Karabakh conflict and claims
that the first is the logical consequence of the second.

He presented his stance on the issues during an interview with A1+.

-Mr. Sargsyan, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced in
Yerevan yesterday that the two processes are in no way linked and all
attempts to link these two issues are wrong. What’s your opinion of
Lavrov’s statement?

-First of all, let me note that Lavrov reiterated Russian Premier
Vladimir Putin’s words said two days ago. Russian authorities
would strange if they said the two issues were to be resolved in a
single package. On the other hand, both Putin and Lavrov state that
Russia has its key participation in the settlement of the two issues
under question. They also underline the role of Turkey which is very
dangerous in the sense that the OSCE Minsk group is in charge of the
Karabakh conflict resolution and no responsibility is laid on any
separate country. This is an ostrich policy. They seem to ignore the
interrelation of the two processes and their sequence.

Armenian-Turkish relations are already documented in the Protocols,
now they have come to the Karabakh conflict. Both Russia and Turkey
seek to see a document signed on the settlement, too.

– Russian Foreign Minister yesterday said that Russia expects a
serious breakthrough in the Karabakh issue in 2010. Do you think
it realistic?

-I am confident that all issues connected with Armenian-Turkish
relations will be settled after the Karabakh conflict is resolved.

Armenian-Turkish relations are resulted by the Karabakh conflict
but Armenian authorities lack required resources to sit at the same
negotiating table with Turkey. The authorities must first resolve the
Karabakh conflict. They started negotiations with Turkey as they faced
a problem of legitimacy and democracy inside Armenia. The decision
made Turkey get engaged in the negotiations more actively than the
Minsk group. History has shown that Armenia loses each time Russia
and Turkey better their relations and deepen partnership. Armenian
authorities are to blame for their short-sighted football policy.

Turkey’s engagement in the negotiations complicates the process of
the Karabakh conflict settlement. I don’t exclude that the USA and
Russia might take measures to suppress Turkey’s appetite without
paying attention to Armenian leadership. They will do it out of their
own interests.

– The Constitutional Court of Armenian approved of the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols finding them constitutional. But as
Republican Spokesman Edward Sharmazanov says the National Assembly is
not going to ratify the Protocols and waits for Turkey’s steps. What’s
there behind the latency?

– Armenia has become an unpredictable country and I don’t rule
out that the National Assembly might start discussing the Protocols
tomorrow. It depends on foreign developments.

– And what is the opposition going to do? You only speak of the
authorities’ mistakes. What is the Armenian National Congress going
to do? Is the Congress satisfied with the authorities’ policy?

– Surely not. I consider both Armenia and Karabakh to be my
homeland. We are sorry for each trivial defeat and we shall express
our sorrow by political events including rallies and mass meetings.

Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan has expressed a distinct
stance on the Karabakh issue. The Congress will admit a settlement
stemming from the interests of Karabakh people. If Karabakh people
are displeased with the settlement presented by Serzh Sargsyan we
shall undoubtedly back Karabakh people as we did in 1988.

– During the last really of the Armenian National Congress (HAK)
Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan said that the next rally
will be held on March 1, 2010. Doesn’t HAK foresee mass meetings by
March 1?

– Given the recent developments I see a need for an earlier
meeting. March 1 rally is fixed irrespective of all political
developments but I don’t exclude earlier rallies. Presidents Serzh
Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev are expected to meet in the near future
and I think we shall witness major events that will force people to
go to the street. I am sure that public activeness will give rise to
extraordinary presidential elections in Armenia.

– When do you anticipate extraordinary presidential elections
in Armenia?

– I cannot fix an exact date. The earlier, the better.

SERGEY LAVROV: RUSSIA IS READY TO SUPPORT ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS

NoyanTapan
Jan 14, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. RF Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s
visit to Armenia is the first visit of a high-ranking guest to Armenia
in the new year which is symbolic and corresponds to the high level
of relations between the two countries. RA Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian declared at the end of the RF and RA Foreign Ministers’
January 14 meeting in Yerevan. He informed the journalists that
the meeting with his Russian counterpart proceeded in conditions of
complete mutual understanding, it was "constructive and efficient."

The bilateral relations, a number of regional, international issues
were discussed at the meeting.

S. Lavrov also mentioned that his visit to Yerevan is his first
planned meeting abroad which is symbolic: Armenia is Russia’s strategic
partner, ally, and the two countries’ relations completely correspond
to these notions. Meanwhile he refuted the rumors that RF Foreign
Minister’s visit is connected with Turkish Prime Minister’s visit to
Moscow. The latter is not connected, either, with RA and RF Defence
Ministers’ meeting proceeding in Moscow.

The RF Foreign Minister added that it was recorded at his meeting
with the RA Foreign Minister that the EurAsEC Anti-crisis Fund is
already ready to work: the agreement on its creation was ratified
by seven states wishing to take part in it, including Armenia. The
process of military-technical cooperation was also discussed, which,
according to S. Lavrov, develops very successfully. The RF Foreign
Minister also expressed satisfaction with the opening of the Russian
language teaching and methodological center last month in Yerevan
within the framework of cooperation in the humanitarian sphere and
opening of a center for innovation technologies planned this month. It
was mentioned that Russia will provide assistance to Armenia in any
way possible in the issue of founding a diplomatic academy under the
RA Foreign Ministry.

The Russian side expressed gratitude to Armenia for supporting Russia’s
approaches in the issue of European Security Treaty. "We will continue
coordinating our actions in this issue," S. Lavrov said adding: "Issues
of regional security, including the Nagorno Karabakh settlement,
are on our agenda. We will provide active support in the issue of
looking for consent between Armenia and Azerbaijan, in particular,
in issues discussed within the framework of the meetings of the two
countries’ Presidents."

Issues regarding RA’s and RF’s relations with the European Union
and NATO were also discussed at the RA and RF Foreign Ministers’
Yerevan meeting.

In response to the question on the ratification process of
Armenian-Turkish protocols E. Nalbandian mentioned: "Just as the
international community I would not like, either, to have an impression
that Turkey deliberately delays the ratification process."

And Armenia, according to him, fulfills its commitments.

S. Lavrov, in his turn, emphasized that Russia is ready to assist the
Armenian-Turkish process through implementation of infrastructural
projects, and both Armenia and Turkey are interested in it. For
instance, it can be electricity supply, railway communication. S.

Lavrov also emphasized that Russia sees no connection between the
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and Nagorno Karabakh
settlement process: "Both processes deserve support but it is not
right to put forward artificial conditions," he said.