Author: Tigranian Ani

OMBUDSMAN’S VISITS IN THE U.S.

LRAGIR.AM
17:39:12 – 20/04/2009

On March 28, the Armenian human rights defender Armen Harutunyan left
for the U.S. to take part in a program organized by the U.S. state
department. In the framework of his visit the defender met with
his American counterparts, as well as with experts in the field of
human rights.

The defender had a series of meetings with the representatives of
the U.S. state department, as well as with representatives of a
number of non-governmental organizations such as Human Rights Watch,
American Civil Liberties Union, etc.; the Office of the Human rights
defender reports.

LIFELINE FOR KARS JUST ACROSS THE BORDER

Hurriyet
April 20 2009
Turkey

KARS – If trade is life, one could easily say the province of
Kars in the northeast of the country is slowly losing its will to
survive. While Turkey shut its border with Armenia as reparations
to that country, the declining living standards, bankrupt economy
and migration has left the people of Kars thinking they are the ones
being punished.

Since the closure of the border with Armenia in 1993, an act of
solidarity with Azerbaijan, the city’s economic development was
arrested just when it was so close to taking off. The collapse of the
Soviet Union had opened many opportunities for the city that borders
both Armenia and Georgia, that it believed it was destined to be the
gateway to the Caucasus and to Central Asia beyond.

Whomever one talks to in the city, an overwhelming desire to see
the border with Armenia reopened is often followed with a cautious,
"but." Once the hospitable people of this city start opening up though,
the "but" becomes less intense.

Locals want the border to be opened but their desire for the promised
economic advantages are tempered by the possibility of them being
accused of being "Armenian lackeys" because of the perception towards
Armenians and nationalist pressure that has built up over the years.

FELINE FOR KARS JUST ACROSS THE BORDER
Kars Kafkas University Department of Economics president, Professor
Mehmet Dikkaya, said ethnic divisions also played a part in the way
people addressed the issue. "There are four main ethnic groups in
the province. There are Kurds, Azerbaijanis, Karapalpaks and Turks,"
he said, Karapalpaks being a Turkic group with close ethnic links to
the Kazakhs of Central Asia.

"We can say that Azerbaijanis and Karakalpaks are against any border
opening while Kurds and Turks welcome the move," Dikkaya said.

He said the province was in dire straits in terms of its economic
situation. "Kars has no trade potential. Of the 80,000 who live in
the city, half have green cards," he said. Green cards provide free
healthcare for the poor.

The only sector that keeps more or less creeping along is the
traditional sector of animal husbandry, he said, with the industry
based on dairy products.

"Its organized industrial zone is dormant. If the border is opened,
Kars will become a center on a trade route and its production sector
will pick up. The province shares 325 kilometers of border with Armenia
and has two border gates. Average annual loss of trade in $700 million
since 1993. If the border opens, Turkish exports will increase by
$400 million. If only 20 percent of this passes through Kars, this
region will be a paradise," said Dikkaya. He said Turkish goods were
widely consumed in Armenia. "According to a recent study of ours,
Armenia purchases $100 million worth of Turkish goods a year and all
of it go via Georgia and Iran. We have also learned that there is no
disapproval of Turkish goods there," he said.

Petition The former mayor of the city, Naif Alibeyoglu, who lost
in the March 29 local elections after switching allegiances from
the ruling Justice and Development Party, or AKP, to the opposition
Republican People’s Party, or CHP, said he had collected a petition
for the opening of the border during his term in office. "I collected
50,000 signatures in a city with a population of 80,000. The economic
life of Kars has been suspended since 1993. As a municipality, we
can’t even collect taxes from the locals."

He said opening the border was the first step after which all bilateral
problems between Armenia and Turkey would be resolved with subsequent
steps. The prejudice Armenians feel toward Turks dies once they
visit Kars, he said. "They told us they thought we were monsters. My
granfather’s grandfather was killed by Armenians. There is no reason
to keep bitter memories alive. Dialogue solves everything. Let’s open
the border and start trading.

The real trade embargo is on Kars, not Armenia, says Kars Chamber of
Commerce and Industry Chairman Ali Guvensoy, noting that airplanes
from Armenia frequently land in Istanbul, Antalya and other regions.

"Turkish goods reach Armenia via Iran and Georgia and are sold more
expensively. If there is an embargo, it is on Kars," he said. In
explaining the industrial decline of the province, Guvensoy
said the foundations of 44 factories were laid but only 23 were
completed. "Nowadays, only 18 of them are operational and all 18 are
focused on dairy products. There are a meat plant and a cement factory
but after they were privatized, many workers were laid off. They will
soon privatize the sugar factory," he said.

The region’s economy is now centered on public servants, said Guvensoy,
and added that most locals had begun to pack up and leave in order
to make a living elsewhere.

Still, he said, peace had to be established before the border was
opened, adding, "We want access to Armenia but we need to make
sacrifices and Armenia needs to withdraw from Nagorna-Karabakh."

Guvensoy gave the neighboring province of Igdir and its border gate
Nahchivan as an example to what trade could accomplish. "Trade there
is booming. If the border is opened, ours will too."

Zeki Yagci, a jewelry salesman for the last decade, wants the border
to be opened. "Opening the border will attract investment and create
opportunities for local businessmen. There is no commerce to speak
of in our city. Igdir used to be a district of Kars. Now it is a
separate province and ahead of us. Why? Because there is cross-border
trade there," he said.

Businessman Ozfer Kocal said the local economy thrived when the border
with Armenia was open before 1993. "Closed borders help no one. If
there is an embargo on Armenia, it should encompass everyone. There
are flights to Yerevan from everywhere. There is trade from Trabzon
and Hopa. This embargo is a way of punishing Kars," he said. Kocal
also admitted that a certain environment was needed before the border
could be opened. "Nagorno-Karabakh, genocide claims and demand for
land. If Armenia forgoes these, the doors should be opened," he said.

Shoe-shiner Hasan Perincek sees the economic collapse first hand
everyday, he said. "We definitely want the border to open. Here,
the state is nowhere to be seen. Animal husbandry is the only way
people earn a living. Let Armenia and Azerbaijan settle their own
differences. The city is constantly shrinking because of all the
economic hardship. The city will soon be empty. There are ‘for sale’
signs everywhere. It seems like the city itself is for sale," he said.

Calls for caution Shopkeeper Seyhan Karadeniz also wants the border
to open. "There is no economy here. Winters are long and living is
hard. If the border is opened, business will boom," he said. The
fact that Armenians could go to Istanbul by plane while they couldn’t
cross the border to Kars was a shame.

However, he also said the border could not be opened before the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue was resolved.

Ahmet Sarar, who has been involved in textiles for the past 40 years,
said the city was bankrupt but also noted that the historical animosity
between Turks and Armenians could prove uncomfortable if the border
was opened. "I have my doubts. If the border is opened, the rich
there will purchase land here and their demands will increase. If the
Armenians over here behaved, those across the border won’t," he said.

The head of Kars’ Association for Supporting Contemporary Living,
or CYDD, Vedat Akcaiz, who is also a journalist, said during his
visit to Armenia he had realized that the prejudices there could be
ended easily.

"There, the elderly welcomed me and my associates as ‘Kardas’
[brother]. Unfortunately, the young are very prejudicial. A dialogue
needs to be established as soon as possible," he said.

"There is serious trade between Trabzon and Armenia. What kind of
embargo is this? And furthermore, what is important for us is the
regional Turkic republics beyond Armenia. We don’t want to be the end
of a one-way street. We want to be the gateway to the east," he said.

The opening of the border was just one part of a complicated matter,
noted Akcaiz, adding that the public needed to be ready for what
took place.

"If an Armenian comes here and something untoward happened, everything
could get even worse. There is that kind of potential here which should
not be ignored. We cannot ignore Azerbaijan, the Nagorno-Bkarabakh
issue and Armenia’s demands. If the border is opened before these
problems are resolved, there will be chaos," he said.

RICHARD HOVHANNISYAN HOPES THE AUTHORITIES KNOW WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DEMAND FROM TURKEY
Hasmik Dilanyan

"Radiolur"
20.04.2009 13:33

"I hope our authorities clearly know what they are going to demand
from Turkey against the normalization of relations," Professor of the
California University Richard Hovhannisyan said during a scientific
conference in Yerevan dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Adana
Massacres. In his opinion, the more access Armenia has to the outer
world, the better.

The attention of the society has been recently focused on the further
relations between Armenia and Turkey, especially the opening of
the border.

Historians, political scientists, economists have been trying to
analyze what the opening of the border will give us, and how our
relations with the neighbor country will develop.

"We know that the Turkish side is very experienced, very adroit and
flexible. We should always be cautious and I do hope that our state
has a clear program, which sets our demands," Richard Hovhannisyan
stated. The most important is to have a clear and planned approach,
he added.

"We know that Turks are very flexible and will use the policy of
‘we are in dialogue, don’t disturb the process,’ which we should be
cautious of, Richard Hovhannisyan said.

DZIDZERNAGAPERT TO HOST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ADANA MASSACRE

1597_4/18/2009_1
Friday, April 17, 2009

YEREVAN–The Dzidzernagapert Genocide Museum-Institute will organize
an international conference on April 20-21, 2009, dedicated to the
centennial anniversary of the Armenian massacres in Adana district
of the Ottoman Empire.

An estimated 30,000 Armenians in the province were reported killed in
events that coincided with the April 1909 counter-revolution stages
by supporters of Sultan Abdul Hamid II who had been forced to restore
the Ottoman Constitution as a result of the 1908 Young Turk revolution.

Historians from Armenia, Italy, Hungary, Austria, France, USA
and Sweden who specialize in and around the fields of Genocide
and crimes against humanity will participate in the conference,
presenting papers exploring the many facets of the issue, including
the events and motives that led to the spring massacres, as well as
the international response to the atrocities.

ARMENIA SAYS DEAL WITH TURKEY COULD BE REACHED SOON
Hasmik Lazarian

Reuters UK
April 16 2009

* Armenia says deal on ties possible "in near future"

* Azerbaijan opposed without progress on Nagorno-Karabakh

* Turkey says it favours "comprehensive solution"

Armenia said on Thursday it was close to establishing diplomatic
relations with Turkey after a century of hostility, but Turkish ally
Azerbaijan stressed its opposition.

High-level talks between Ankara and Yerevan began last year and
expectations have been rising of a deal that could include Turkey
opening its border with Armenia. Turkey hopes a deal on Armenia will
improve its chances of joining the European Union.

"The negotiations are ongoing and progress has been registered," Edward
Nalbandian, the Armenian foreign minister, told reporters during a
Black Sea economic conference attended by his Turkish counterpart
Ali Babacan.

"We think we can really get close and resolve this question in the
near future."

Turkey closed its border with Armenia in 1993 in support of its
traditional Muslim ally Azerbaijan, which was fighting Armenian-backed
separatists in the breakaway mountain region of Nagorno-Karabakh.

Turkey and Armenia trace their own dispute to the First World War
killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks, which Armenia describes as
genocide.

But diplomats say Turkish concern over the potential backlash in
Azerbaijan could yet delay the deal.

OIL AND GAS

Azerbaijan, a supplier of oil and gas to Europe, insists any deal
between Turkey and Armenia can only follow concessions from Armenia on
Nagorno-Karabakh, where a fragile ceasefire holds but a peace accord
has never been signed.

Speaking to reporters on his plane to Yerevan, Babacan said: "We want
a comprehensive solution and full normalisation. We want a solution
based on a wide perspective."

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said this month the deadlock
over Nagorno-Karabakh should be resolved before any deal is struck
between Turkey and Armenia.

Western diplomats are concerned that Azerbaijan, in retaliation for the
border reopening, might be unwilling to sell its gas in future through
Turkey to Europe, and instead send most of it to Russia for re-export.

"Our position is the following — the establishment of relations
between Armenia and Turkey can be connected only with the resolving of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict," Azeri deputy Foreign Minister Mahmud
Mammad-Guliev said in Yerevan.

Azeri President Ilham Aliyev was in Moscow on Thursday, three weeks
after Azeri state energy firm Socar signed a memorandum with Russian
gas export monopoly Gazprom about starting talks on Russia buying
Azeri gas for export to Europe from 2010.

Both the EU and U.S. President Barack Obama, during a visit
to Turkey last week, have urged Turkey to normalise ties with
Armenia.

AZERBAIJAN AND TURKISH PARLIAMENT DEPUTIES AGAINST OPENING OF THE TURKEY-ARMENIA BORDER

Azerbaijan Business Center
April 16 2009

Today at the end of a special roundtable session held in Baku, a
group of deputies representing Azerbaijan and Turkish Parliaments
has not supported opening of the Turkey-Armenia border.

"The recent intensification of Turkey-Armenia talks, expansion of
speculation around the issues of arranging diplomatic relations
and opening of borders seriously concern us and the two countries’
communities," said participants of the one-day forum entitled "Turkey
and Azerbaijan: Common Interests and Problems".

"As a protest, our countries’ community expressed its single
position. Participants of the forum consider it’s expedient to have
single positions concerning Karabakh and Northern Cyprus matters
against recognizing so-called "Armenian Genocide", the fight against
Kurdistan Work Party (PKK)," the statement says.

At the same time authors of the paper blame forces causing harm
to common interests of the Turkic world. The summary says about
necessity of permanent consultations between the official bodies,
politic parties and NGOs of the two countries on Azerbaijan and
Turkish topical problems.

At the one-day forum in Baku, Turkey was represented by members of the
Parliament Shukru Alekdag, Yilmaz Atesh, Shain Mengu from Republican
People’s Party, Atilla Gaya, Turan Chirkin from the National Movement
Party as well as Deputy Secretary General of the National Movement
Party Bulent Didinmaz and researcher Muhammad Azeri.

Azerbaijan was represented by five parliamentary parties, which have
organized the meeting: "Ana Veten", "Great Arrangement", Azerbaijan
Single Popular Front, "Adalat" ("Justice"), "Civil Solidarity" as
well as deputies from Ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP), oppositional
party "Musavat" ("Equality") and several non-party members of the
Azerbaijani Parliament.

"CONSTRUCTION AND RENOVATION EXPO-2009" SIXTH INTERNATIONAL SPECIALIZED EXHIBITION TO BE HELD APRIL 17-20 IN YEREVAN

ArmenPress
April 16 2009
Armenia

"Construction and Renovation EXPO-2009" sixth international specialized
exhibition will be held April 17-20 in the Yerevan "Home Depot" fair of
construction materials. More than 70 local and foreign construction,
investor, consultation, project, design and other companies which
have leading positions in the market will take part in it.

Participation of foreign leading construction organizations is also
intended which will create necessary prerequisites for the increase
of international investments in Armenia.

An official from the exhibition organizer "Logos" Expo center company
told Armenpress that the main aim of the exhibition is to present
construction materials, efficient technologies of types of products
and constructions, leading equipment intended for their production,
technical and architectural solutions, interior and exterior design
as well as the investment opportunities in the sphere of construction
complex.

It will contribute to the consolidation of business relations between
the participating companies, increase their authority, develop the
business and will give a necessary information on the construction
market. Within the frameworks of the exhibition presentations and
roundtables will also be organized.

The "Construction and Renovation EXPO-2009" aims at searching
new markets of realization and partners, involvement of foreign
investments in Armenia and presentation of the economic potential
of the state. The exhibition will also have thematic divisions –
"Construction technologies, materials, means of transportation",
"Wooden and metal collections", "Energy-thermo-water supply systems",
"Security systems", "Ceramics and stone", "Decoration of walls and
ceilings, world of light", "Covers and isolators", "Real estate and
projecting", etc.

Armenian Economy, Foreign Ministries, Yerevan municipality, Unions of
Armenian manufacturers and businessmen, constructors, architects as
well as the Armenian Development Agency are the official sponsors of
"Construction and renovation EXPO-2009".

VARTANYAN OFFERS WINE WITH EUROPEAN FLAIR
By Dan Radil

Bellingham Herald
/story/871858.html
April 14 2009

Washington winemakers come from all walks of life: retired engineers,
former dot-comers, and those who are simply influenced by a rich
history of family tradition.

For Margarita Vartanyan, owner and winemaker at Vartanyan Estate
Winery, the inspiration came from her husband Eugene’s family, who
has practiced winemaking for generations in their native Armenia. The
Vartanyans moved to the Bellingham area in 2002 and bought land to
begin their own vineyard and winemaking operations. Margarita opened
the business to the public last year, and has a full flight of current
releases available for purchase at the tasting room.

Her wines have a decidedly European flair, with a subtle emphasis on
fruit flavors along with several qualities that make them extremely
food-friendly.

Her 2006 Merlot ($14), for example, displays a nice savoriness, while
the 2005 Chardonnay ($24) is complex and flavorful, with touches of
apple, pear and toasty oak. Either wine should pair nicely with pork,
duck, or even a salmon entrée.

Also notable is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon ($16), which is drinking
beautifully with hints of dark fruit flavors, supple tannins, and a
whisper of smoke on the finish. The 2006 Syrah ($26) also features
some nice dark berry on the palate, but the finish is soft and silky,
leaving an impression of both full-body and elegance.

Finally, the 2005 Trilogia ($30) is a must-try blend of three red
varietals. The 60-percent pinot noir base really shines through, with
gentle strawberry flavors and nice acidity, while cabernet franc and
merlot provide the wine with added depth and structure.

The tasting room is at 1628 Huntley Road, a mile north of Mount Baker
Highway off of Noon Road, and is open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday
through Sunday. For more information, see

Dan Radil is a wine enthusiast who lives in Bellingham. Reach him
at

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT VISITS IRAN TO BOOST BILATERAL TIES
by Grace Annan

World Markets Research Centre
Global Insight
April 14, 2009

Yesterday, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan started his official
two-day visit to Iran. The president aims to boost economic and
diplomatic ties between the two countries; to this end, he will meet
the most senior political figures in Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah
Khomeini, President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, the speaker of the parliament
Ali Larijani and the secretary of the Supreme National Security
Council Saeed Jalili.

Significance:Ties between neighbouring countries Armenia and Iran are
strong; in November last year, officials of the two countries signed
ten agreements on more co-operation in the areas of politics, economics
and security. As for the latter, Sargsyan hopes for greater support by
Iranian officials in the fight against Azerbaijan over Nagorno-Karabakh
and spill-over effects of the Russo-Georgian diplomatic and military
stalemate. Infrastructure will feature highly on the agenda during
Sargsyan’s visit; earlier this month, Armenian and Iranian government
representatives signed a deal to construct a 470-km long railway
worth $1US.2 billion to link the border areas–of which most (410
kilometres) will be in Armenia–in the coming five years. Further,
the two administrations are aiming to boost energy ties; the two
sides signed an agreement to this end in December 2008; the Armenian
government started to construct a pipeline worth $240US million to
import from the Tabriz oil refinery in Iran in late March 2009.

MARCH 1ST EVENTS WILL NOT REPEAT

Yerkir
10.04.2009 18:04

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Serzh Sargsyan marked his first year in office
on April 9. He spoke about this in his April 10 news conference,
answering to 60 questions that ranged from financial crisis to the
Armenian football team’s unsuccessful performance.

He said that the crisis would not stop any projects.

Speaking on the Armenian-Turkish relations, Sargsyan reiterated that
Armenia is for relations without preconditions, including the Armenian
genocide and the Karabakh conflict. "The ball is in Turkey’s field
now," he said. He added that the international community witnessed
that Armenia was ready to establish relations without preconditions
and that neither the Armenian genocide nor the Karabakh conflict were
discussed during the Armenian-Turkish talks. As for the opening of
the Armenian-Turkish border, the president said that when attending
the next football game in Turkey he would either cross an open border
or be very close to it.

Speaking on the Yerevan election, he called on all the forces to be
ready for it and not be hostile. He said that the 1 March events will
not repeat.