Local Wars Cannot Drag On Endlessly And May Result In Extensive Mili

LOCAL WARS CANNOT DRAG ON ENDLESSLY AND MAY RESULT IN EXTENSIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS EMBRACING ENTIRE REGIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2008 GMT+04:00

The search of alternative energy supplies and recession may lead to
radical changes in the world political map, including emergence of new
super-states. As a matter of fact, they have already appeared; they are
China and India, and both the USA and RF will have to reckon with them.

The current year marked the beginning of establishing new world
principles and new geopolitical lines that used to seem quite unlikely
till recently. Europe, as well as the rest of the world were in static
position after the World War II, the result of which was the borders
outlined in Potsdam and finally fixed at Helsinki summit in 1975.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Architects of the present world structure, USSR, USA
and Great Britain, most likely were in no doubt about the stability
of the arbitrarily fixed borders between states, that was why the
principle of territorial integrity was silently accepted by dominant
states, where old conflicts were still smoldering. The world powers,
however, could not have foreseen one nuance – the collapse of the USSR
and emergence of new "independent" republics that quickly became UNO
members in order to consolidate the administrative-territorial borders
of the former Union. However, even the UNO membership could not guard
certain republics against ethnic conflicts and the world against the
approaching perestroika. It is quite natural that the Balkans should
remain the hottest spot, where the conflict among Balkan nations
arose still at the times of the Ottoman Empire. Neither the First
nor the Second World War was able to reconcile the Bosnians, Serbs,
Croats and Albanians. From this point of view the totalitarian regime
was unique in radically wiping out separatist views. It worked in
the USSR and it worked in Yugoslavia. The 21st century, however,
did not bring peace; moreover, it completed the list of conflict
zones with Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and the Pacific states. The
most interesting point here is that in any spot of the world where
the American forces appear with the alleged aim to solve conflicts,
the latter hastily grow even deeper. Of course, struggle against
terrorism and illegal narco-business, possession of oil supplies in
the Middle East are very important but, for some reason, the result
is always the same: collapse of the country, crisis in just another
marionette country, and, consequently, a rapidly growing gap between
developing and backward countries.

Russia’s methods are almost identical with those of the USA. In an
attempt to return the whole Caucasus, Russia revoked the two Chechen
wars, as well as the Georgian-Abkhazian war in 1991 and played a
reprehensible role in the primary stage of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, helping the Azerbaijani Emergency Platoon to conduct the
operation "Ring", the result of which was the cleansing of Armenians
from lowland Karabakh.

However, sooner or later all these conflicts have an effect on the
world powers themselves. And who knows what bred the world crisis? The
means used up by both Russia and the USA on arms and support of puppet
regimes could not but affect the world economy.

Recurring to the Helsinki Act, we should note that in essence its
signing served as a bomb in a delayed action, as it is impossible to
adopt two mutually exclusive principles or give preference to either
of them. The right of nations cannot be secondary, but the problem of
territorial integrity is very often disputed, especially since mother
countries cannot simply eliminate the empire complex and neither
can they imagine part of "their" territory torn away. The danger is
that local wars cannot drag on endlessly and may result in extensive
military operations embracing entire regions, like it is now in the
Middle East or in Central Asia. In 80s there was defined a certain
"arch of instability", which comprised Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey, Iran,
Afghanistan, the republics of Central Asia, Pakistan, India – actually
half of the Islamic World. It should also be noted that world oil and
gas reserves are all concentrated on this ‘arch’ and it is exactly
through it that opium from Afghanistan goes to other countries.

The search of alternative energy supplies and recession may lead to
radical changes in the world political map, including emergence of new
super-states. As a matter of fact, they have already appeared; they are
China and India, which both the USA and RF will have to reckon with.

Armenian Apology Campaign Organizers Threatened

ARMENIAN APOLOGY CAMPAIGN ORGANIZERS THREATENED

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.12.2008 16:44 GMT+04:00

Turkish nationalistic forces create tension in the country by
threatening to use force against the Turkish intellectuals who signed
the Armenian Genocide apology petition, independent French journalist
Jean Eckian told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Nevertheless, initiators of the campaign believe that the Turkish
government is capable to overcome the crisis.

Mr. Eckian reminded that many Turkish intellectuals are still
persecuted for statements referring to the Armenian Genocide.

Mehmed Ali Varis, assistant to publisher Ragip Zakaroglu, was
imprisoned for "insulting Turkishness" because he was unable to pay
a $15000 fee.

Over 20 thousand Turkish intellectuals, authors, journalists,
scientists and musicians have already signed the online petition which
reads, "My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and
the denial of the Great Calamity that befell the Ottoman Armenians
in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with
the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers. I apologize to them."

Turkish Apology Campaign Proved That Public Fear Wanes

TURKISH APOLOGY CAMPAIGN PROVED THAT PUBLIC FEAR WANES

PanARMENIAN.Net
22.12.2008 13:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The apology campaign launched by Turkish
intellectuals can be welcomed, with some reservations, according to
an Armenian professor.

"First, the number of signatories is too small to speak of public
support to the initiative. Second, the authors of the petition did
not use term Genocide. Nevertheless, it was the initial step which
can cause a chain reaction," said Ruben Safrastyan, director of the
institute of oriental studies at the RA academy of sciences.

At that, he emphasized that the Turkish public is not afraid of the
authorities as it was several years ago.

Armenia: Former Official Goes on Trial

New York Times, NY
Dec 20 2008

Armenia: Former Official Goes on Trial

By REUTERS
Published: December 19, 2008

A former Armenian foreign minister and six other opposition figures
went on trial in the capital, Yerevan, on Friday on charges of seeking
to overthrow the government during protests in March. Ten people died
when protests against the results of presidential elections turned
violent. The opposition says that the trial of the former foreign
minister, Alexander Arzumanyan, and his co-defendants is politically
motivated and that the government has done little to investigate
allegations of police culpability.

Holiday Raids In Food Markets

HOLIDAY RAIDS IN FOOD MARKETS

Panorama.am
16:33 16/12/2008

In these pre-Christmas days the officers of Ministry of Agriculture
of Armenia will hold raids in food markets, said Grisha Baghyan of
the Ministry of Agriculture to Panorama.am.

According to the experts in these days the risk of purchasing home
made unlicensed food is high enough. This type of food is not safe
for the customers’ health.

The delicious and most popular dish that Armenians like to prepare
especially for the New Year holiday is ham of pork which is imported
from Brazil and Canada. Alexander Alexanyan of the Ministry of
Agriculture said to Panorama.am that local cattle-breeding firms also
purchase ham of pork.

Turkish politician: Keep quiet about 1915

United Press International
Dec 13 2008

Turkish politician: Keep quiet about 1915

ANKARA, Turkey, Dec. 12 (UPI) — A top Turkish official warns that
other countries could harm relations between Turkey and Armenia by
focusing on the 1915 killing of Armenians in Turkey.

Koksal Toptan, the speaker of the Turkish parliament, told Hurriyet in
an interview, that parliamentary resolutions calling the 1915 killings
"genocide" are problematic for the two nations.

"Politicians and parliaments cannot judge history," Toptan said.

Armenia and Turkey have not had diplomatic relations since Armenia
became independent of the Soviet Union in 1991. But President Abdullah
Gul visited Yerevan in September.

Toptan said he was concerned about President-elect Barack Obama’s
victory and his nomination of Hillary Clinton as U.S. secretary of
state, since both have supported Armenian groups in the United States.

The Turkish government denies that large numbers of Armenians were
deliberately killed in 1915. The word genocide was coined by Raphael
Lemkin, a Polish-Jewish lawyer, who cited the killings as one of his
inspirations.

ANKARA: Turkish President’s EU Adviser Reacts To Latest EU Progress

TURKISH PRESIDENT’S EU ADVISER REACTS TO LATEST EU PROGRESS REPORT ON TURKEY

Vatan
Nov 30 2008
Turkey

On 30 November 2008 Istanbul Vatan Online in Turkish publishes a
3-500 word interview with Damla Gurel, President Abdullah Gul’s
EU adviser and former Republican People’s Party, CHP, deputy. In
the interview entitled "I Do Not Know Why Gul Has Chosen Me" and
conducted by Sanem Altan, Gurel comments on her duties, her career,
the recent EU Progress Report, the implementation of the EU reforms,
and the accession negotiations.

Noting that she is much honoured to be working with President Gul,
Gurel also mentions that she has a very professional relationship
with Hayrunnisa Gul [President Abdullah Gul’s spouse]. Gurel also
refers to her disagreements with CHP Chairman Deniz Baykal.

Asserting that she disagrees that the latest EU Progress Report
criticizes the government and praises President Gul, Gurel says:
"The report has merely stated facts. The economic cooperation in
the Caucasus for the sake of regional peace as well as the visits to
Armenia and Azerbaijan have been viewed positively."

Asked whether a person other than the foreign minister should be
appointed chief negotiator, Gurel draws attention to the fact that the
person who will serve as chief negotiator should have communication
abilities, should be technically equipped, and should be politically
influential. Given these facts, there is no doubt that Ali Babacan
is the right person for the job, but there are two basic problems,
says Gurel, adding: "The ties between Turkey and the EU should no
longer be viewed as a foreign policy issue. As of now this should be
viewed as our goal. Secondly, Turkey’s foreign policy agenda is very
busy. It is very broad. It is very difficult and tiresome to be in
charge of both fields. Therefore I believe that it is appropriate to
separate these two posts."

Asserting that the latest Progress Report puts emphasis on the slow
down in the reforms, Gurel explains that Turkey has recently focused
on its domestic affairs, while the EU has been trying to resolve its
problems stemming from expansion. Noting that it is impossible to open
certain chapters due to certain problems, Gurel explains that Turkey
should primarily adapt its laws to the EU acquis. The trade law and the
union law are waiting, Gurel says and adds: "You cannot open chapters
if the relevant laws are not enacted. You cannot enact these laws at
one because it is necessary to ensure the agreement of sectors that
will be affected by the enactment of these laws. It is necessary to
do this together with the society. The road map is clear. There are
27 laws that have been or that will be taken to the National Assembly."

Noting that she does not expect any progress in the reforms due
to the local elections that will be held in March, Gurel stresses
if appropriate action is not taken, the EU process may take many
years. It is true that change also has a price, but we will be able
to make a leap only by preparing a national programme and by calming
domestic politics, says Gurel and adds: "If we want, we are able to
enact laws without any delay. Let us reach tough decisions. We have
focused on domestic politics. We are a democratic, secular, Muslim, and
social state. This is not an easy country. I understand the problems,
but do I accept them? No I do not. Let us put forth our will and our
demands. We are already at the table and therefore we can do whatever
we want. We should not be offended by everything. We should ignore what
the EU says. Do we want certain reforms? This is what really counts."

Exhibition For Women

EXHIBITION FOR WOMEN

Panorama.am
20:33 10/12/2008

"EXPO BEAUTY 2008" fifth international exhibition is devoted to
women. It is a sort of habit to organize the exhibition on the
threshold of New Year holidays for every woman to be beautiful and
unique, says Suren Nazinyan, the chief director of LOGOS EXPO Center
during the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

More than 40 participants have applied to present their talent and
products to our women. Note that every year LOGOS EXPO Center conducts
10-12 exhibition, in particular "Armenia Expo", "Education and Career",
"Health and pharmacy", etc.

The Struggle Continues

THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES

Azat Artsakh Daily
09 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR

>From yesterday morning the taxi drivers are standing in front of the
government building with their cars.

The demands of the demonstrators haven’t changed: to annul the
decision on the improvement of the sphere, taken earlier by the
government. The taxi drivers demand to pay confirmed taxes in every
three or six months.

The taxi drivers also demand to annul the obligation of using yellow
state numbers, as well as mitigate the 10 years limitation linked
with the cars’ production date.

Armenian Peacemakers In Kosovo Rotated

ARMENIAN PEACEMAKERS IN KOSOVO ROTATED

ArmInfo
2008-12-08 11:46:00

ArmInfo. A group of Armenian peacemakers was ceremonially sent to
Kosovo from Yerevan Capital Regiment Monday. It is the second rotation
of Armenian peacemakers in Kosovo. Earlier Armenia was represented
in Kosovo by a platoon. To recall, Armenia has been participating in
the peacemaking mission in Kosovo since 12 Feb 2004 as part of the
Greek battalion in the town of Urosevac. The groups are rotated once
is 6 months. Armenian peacemakers on the mission in Kosovo arrived
in Yerevan Sunday on 7 December.