Author: Toneyan Mark

NATO, RUSSIA SHOULD DISCUSS CAUCASUS CRISIS

PanARMENIAN.Net
19.12.2008 18:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia and NATO must resume their dialogue starting
with discussions on the causes of the August conflict between Georgia
and Russia over South Ossetia, Russia’s foreign minister said on
Friday.

NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer had and informal lunch on
Friday with Russia’s envoy to the military alliance, Dmitry Rogozin,
as the two sides start to normalize relations after almost all
cooperation was halted in the wake of the conflict in the Caucasus
and Russia’s recognition of the disputed Georgian republics of South
Ossetia and Abkhazia.

"Now that our NATO colleagues say it is feasible to restore relations,
we will be insisting that this restoration will begin with a discussion
of the causes of the Caucasus crisis, which our NATO partners avoided
in August," Sergei Lavrov said.

"It was by no accident that during Russia’s suppression of Georgia’s
aggression on South Ossetia, Russia urged to hold a session of the
Russia-NATO Council, to consider the situation," he added.

But he said the proposed session was not held "because one of NATO
members categorically refused the proposal," without specifying
which one.

In response to NATO’s decision to halt cooperation, Russia froze
a number of programs, including the Partnership for Peace program,
halted cooperation with NATO’s Moscow office and called off the NATO
chief’s visit to Moscow. Russia also canceled all joint-NATO naval
training, including NATO visits to Russian ports.

Russia did not halt work with NATO in regard to arms control,
cooperation in airspace, and the war in Afghanistan, RIA Novosti
reports.

TURKISH ARMY AGAINST ARMENIAN APOLOGY

United Press International
Dec 19 2008

ANKARA, Turkey, Dec. 19 (UPI) — An Internet campaign aimed at offering
a public apology to Armenian residents was not an appropriate move,
the Turkish army said Friday.

Turkish Brigadier General Metin Gurak said at a briefing Friday that
the online movement coordinated by nearly 200 academics, journalists
and writers in Turkey was ill-advised and could have significant
consequences, Hurriyet reported.

"We don’t think this is right. It is wrong and will create harmful
consequences," the army official said.

The apology movement had been based on an Armenian claim that up
to 1.5 million Armenians were killed in 1915 during a civil war in
eastern Anatolia.

Turkish officials have denied such figures, claiming the clash
resulted in the deaths of 300,000 Armenians and nearly as many
Turkish nationals.

Republican People’s Party deputy Canan Aritman has also lashed out
at the campaign’s organizers, calling them traitors to their country,
Today’s Zaman reported.

"The false scientists signing it should apologize to Turkey,"
Aritman said.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER: AS AN INITIATOR OF THE WAR, AZERBAIJAN CARRIES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE CONSEQUENCES

Lragir.am
Dec 16, 2008

NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossian’s answers to questions by
the media – At the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Helsinki,
4 and 5 December, the Azerbaijani delegation circulated a document,
summarizing its viewpoints on the principles of the Nagorno Karabakh
conflict settlement. What is Stepanakert’s position with respect to
those principles?

The attempts of the Azerbaijani party to impose on the mediators
and the world community in general, using different international
forums, its own vision of both the conflict between Nagorno Karabakh
and Azerbaijan, and the ways of its settlement are not a novelty. In
the framework of this policy, Baku resorts to different techniques,
in particular, presents itself as a victim of its own aggression
launched against the people of NKR and uses slogans for European
values and democracy as a cover for its goals.

Meanwhile, the latest statements by the Azerbaijani leadership, in
particular, the peculiar interpretation of provisions of the Moscow
Declaration by Ilham Aliyev, i.e. the political settlement of the
conflict does not exclude use of force, as well as the above-mentioned
Azerbaijani principles of conflict settlement demonstrate all the
hypocrisy of the Azerbaijani diplomacy and thwart all the efforts of
the international community to find ways of peaceful=2 0resolution
of the conflict. Moreover, this kind of actions by Azerbaijan show
not only disrespect for the international mediators` work, but also
create an impression of Azerbaijan as an improper partner, which is
ready to denounce a previous agreement the very next day.

– Have there been any changes in the position of official Baku towards
the settlement of the conflict between Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan
since 1988?

~ At all stages of the conflict development, Azerbaijan has been and
continues to be the main bearer of the idea of military resolution
of the conflict. Counting on power turned into ethnic pogroms and
expulsion of Armenians from Sumgait, Baku, Kirovabad and other parts of
the former Azerbaijani SSR, which was followed by operation "Koltso"
(Ring) on deportation of the population of Armenian villages of the
Shahoumian, Hadrout and Shoushi regions of Nagorno Karabakh. During the
military phase of the conflict, Baku time and again moved away from
restrictions and termination of hostilities, frustrated cease-fire
agreements, was the first and repeated violator of the four UN
Security Council Resolutions on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, and
did not comprehensively and promptly fulfill a single requirement of
the resolutions. After the cease-fire, the leadership of Azerbaijan
has been actively and in quantity purchasing offensive weapons, thus
promoting arms race, as well as continues threatening the Nagorno
Karaba kh Republic with resumption of hostilities.

The readiness to risk regional peace, a basic precondition for
social-economic development and realization of international investment
projects, makes the policy of official Baku a serious threat not
only to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, but also to regional peace
and security.

– Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of the intention to impose a fait accompli
based solution.

~ The current status quo is the result of aggression and consequent
hostilities of Azerbaijan against NKR and its people. As an
initiator of the war, Azerbaijan carries full responsibility for the
consequences. The existing status quo is the minimum that allowed
guaranteeing the security and independence of NKR and its people
under Azerbaijani aggression. The policy of the NKR authorities is
directed to maintaining peace and guaranteeing the irreversibility
of the process of establishment of long-time stability in the
region. Changing the status quo, as we see it, will inevitably lead
to destabilization of the situation and escalation of tensions with
a possible resumption of hostilities.

During the years of Soviet rule, the leadership of the Azerbaijani SSR,
including "national leader" Heydar Aliyev, was trying to make Nagorno
Karabakh not self-sufficient and dependent on Baku, first of all with
their attempts to change the demographic composition of the population.

This was also the case while drawing the borders of the former Na gorno
Karabakh autonomous region. Today, they are trying to return Nagorno
Karabakh into the past. However these attempts are doomed to failure.

– Has the Nagorno Karabakh party received the "technical document",
which according to the information, provided by the French Co-chair
of the OSCE Minsk Group, was presented to the parties in Helsinki in
the framework of the OSCE Ministerial Council?

~ The Nagorno Karabakh authorities have not received this document yet;
however as a party to the conflict, acknowledged as such in accordance
with OSCE basic documents on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, we expect
to get it soon from the Minsk Group Co-chairs.

MOSCOW TO HOST A CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDE

PanARMENIAN.Net
16.12.2008 18:13 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Moscow-based Russian-Armenian Association jointly
with Just World Institute will hold an international conference titled
"The phenomenon of genocide: its causes and ways of prevention" on
December 17, reported Yerkramas, the news paper of Armenians of Russia.

The conference is dated to the 60 th anniversary of Convention on the
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. It will bring
together politicians and experts from the CIS and Europe, who will
discuss the following issues: genocide as a gravest international
crime and its legal classification as a crime against humanity;
theArmenian Genocide as an international crime of extermination of a
nation; legal and political responsibility of states and individuals
involved in the organization and perpetration of genocide; UN measures
for prevention of genocide.

"Lack of an adequate assessment of the first genocide of the 20
th century – barbarous extermination of the Armenian nation by the
Ottoman Turkey – led to other crimes against humanity," said Yuri
Navoyan, president of the Russian-Armenian Association.

AZG Armenian Daily #232, 13/12/2008

Karabakh conflict

MATTHEW BRYZA: "RELATIONS BETWEEN ALIYEV AND SARGSIAN ARE BETTER, THAN
THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ALIYEV AND KOCHARIAN"

Usually the change of administration in Washington means the change of
the leadership of State Department, including the State Secretary and
his entourage. The talk is about the replacement of political
diplomats, carrying out foreign policy, but as a rule, it does not
touch career diplomats, Turan was told in the exclusive interview by
the Assistant of the U.S. State Secretary Matthew Bryza responding the
question if he will continue the work on settlement the Karabakh
conflict in the new U.S. administration.

"I am a career diplomat, and I hope to remain on my post, I would like
to bring to end, and to see the signing of the peace agreement," Bryza
said. He admitted that the question on his staying on the post of the
OSCE Minsk Group co-chair will be solved by the new leadership of
State Department, and situation will be clarified in the end of
January. Concerning the talks on settlement of Karabakh conflict,
Bryza noted positive mood of the countries.

"I do not think that president Aliyev wants war," Bryza said
commenting on complaints of Armenian President that Moscow Declaration
does not rule out use of the force for the solution to the
conflict. He considers there is a good dialogue between the presidents
of the two states, and they trust each other. Bryza said that
relations between Aliyev and Sargsian are better, than the relations
between Aliyev and Kocharian, and it is evident. Concerning the often
and mutually exclusive interpretation of his statements by Armenian
and Azerbaijani journalists, Bryza said that he always tries to be as
honest as possible. The principles of settlement, which are being
discussed at present, are the combination of territorial integrity and
self-determination, and the sides should decide themselves how to
solve it, Bryza said. "It is a pity that sometimes journalists try to
use what meets their expectations and interests. The truth is that
when you see one thing, you should not close your eyes to another
thing. Journalists must be professionals and must understand it. The
information should be built on the understating of the question’s
essence, instead of making it of phrases, which you like more," Bryza
said.

ANS TV, Azerbaijan
Dec 12 2008

Azeri official says conflict with Armenia should be resolved

An Azerbaijani official has said that the ongoing conflict with
neighbouring Armenia over Nagornyy Karabakh should be resolved, but
this does not mean forgetting tragedies of the past.

In remarks shown by the private TV station ANS on 10 December,
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry spokesman Xazar Ibrahim said: "Naturally,
Xocali, Susa [towns in Karabakh] and our martyrs have not been
forgotten and can never be forgotten. We have no right to do so. The
point is that we should resolve the conflict. We have no right to
leave the conflict unresolved."

The spokesman added that "after the conflict is resolved, after
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity is restored, we should preserve
peace and stability in the region". Ibrahim said that Azerbaijan and
Armenia could establish ties after this, stressing that neighbours
cannot avoid each other.

Commenting on French mediator Bernard Fassier’s remarks on a precise
schedule of the conflict settlement, according to which a peace
agreement should be drafted by late 2009, Ibrahim said: "In any case,
we would like the co-chairs [of the OSCE Minsk Group] to take steps on
their part for the implementation of the noted theses and therefore,
they should send appropriate messages to Armenia. Azerbaijan is ready
for the resolution and we have taken steps on our own part. If the
point is about any schedule, I again note that we have stated that the
conflict should be resolved stage-by-stage within the framework of
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity."

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION ACTIVIST DENIES BEING INSTRUCTED BY BRITISH OFFICIAL
by Kristine Khanumyan

Haykakan Zhamanak
Dec 9 2008
Armenia

"An ordinary visit – with extraordinary consequences"

The deputy head of the British embassy in Armenia visited Zhirayr
Seyfilyan, a Karabakh war veteran and a member of the Miatsum national
initiative, at the end of November, and talked to him tete-a-tete
for about an hour.

It is unknown what the Seyfilyan and deputy ambassador talked about
during the meeting. Seyfilyan said only that this was a regular meeting
with a person who carries out a diplomatic mission in Armenia and that
from time to time he receives staff members of other embassies. In
general, Seyfilyan said the British deputy ambassador asked about the
general situation and about the existing problems, which he believes
is a regular practice. Another member of the Miatsum initiative,
Zaruhi Postanjyan [MP of the opposition Heritage Party] also told
us that similar meetings between staff members of various embassies
and Armenian public figures are held often, and this one can also be
considered a regular meeting.

It is noteworthy that the visit of the British deputy ambassador, his
entrance to the building and his departure were photographed minute
after minute and published as a sensation peppered with comments in
a pro-[President] Serzh Sargsyan] newspaper [the Hayots Ashkharh
pro-government daily]. Moreover, it was implied that the British
official tries to destabilize Armenia’s political life with Seyfilyan’s
help. The fact that after the meeting Seyfilyan went directly to the
Yerablur Pantheon [in central Yerevan] and went on a hunger strike
there – demanding not to cede a piece of land [to Azerbaijan], is
described as an attempt "to destabilize the country". Seyfilyan said
this does not correspond to reality. "What can I say? Do embassy
employees have a right to contact people who deal with politics in
Armenia or not?" Seyfilyan asked us about this yesterday [8 December],
adding that he believes there is a direct link between the denial of
his recent application for citizenship and this story.

On the day when the picture of the British deputy ambassador entering
the building of the Miatsum was published, the government once again
turned down Seyfilyan’s application for Armenian citizenship. "It
is not accidental that the report was published on the same day – I
believe that they are preparing grounds (for not granting citizenship
– author). I do not know to what extent they will succeed in this,
I do not know, but this is my impression," Seyfilyan said, adding
that he is going to call a news conference regarding the issue and
introduce all the details.

P.S. We applied to the British embassy in Armenia yesterday [8
December] to get clarifications about what happened and comments
regarding it. They told us that the ambassador is out of the city,
and they will most probably provide comments today.

ARMENIA PM TIGRAN SARGSYAN OFF TO GEORGIA

armradio.am
09.12.2008 10:45

The government delegation headed by Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
left for the capital of Georgia, Tbilisi on December 9 for a one-day
working visit.

The delegation comprises the Minister of Finance of Armenia Tigran
Davtyan, Minister of Economy Nerses Yeritsyan, Minister of Energy
and Natural Resources Armen Movsisyan, Minister of Diaspora Hranush
Hakobyan, the Head of Government’s Staff David Sargsyan, President of
the State Incomes Committee adjunct to RA Government Gagik Khachatryan,
First Deputy Minister of Transport and Communication Hrant Beglaryan,
Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan, Deputy Minister of
Agriculture Levon Rukhkyan, Deputy Minister of Culture Gagik Gyurjyan,
Armenian Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Georgia Hrach
Silvanyan, Member of Parliament Vladimir Badalyan, other officials.

Within the framework of the visit the delegation will participate
in the seventh sitting of the Armenian-Georgian Intergovernmental
Commission on Economic Cooperation. The Prime Minister of Armenia
will have meetings with the President of Georgia Mikhail Saakashvili
and Prime Minister Grigol Mgalobashvili. Tigran Sargsyan will visit
the Armenian Embassy in Georgia and the Armenian St. Nshan Church.

TRIBUTE OF RESPECT WAS PAID TO COMMEMORATION OF EARTHQUAKE VICTIMS

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
December 08, 2008

On December 7, the Artsakh people paid a tribute of respect to the
commemoration of the great earthquake victims of Spitak. Thousands
of citizens, representatives of state and public structures visited
the memorial complex of Stepanakert. Wreaths were put at the monument
dedicated to the earthquake victims erected in the memorial complex
by the NKR President B.Sahakyan, the Prime Minister A.Haroutyunyan,
officials of executive, legislative, judicial and military authorities.

Liturgy was chanted in Artsakh churches in completion of the great
earthquake’s 20th year.

GORAN LENNMARKER: "THE BORDER BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY WILL SOON OPEN"

Today.Az
tics/49433.html
Dec 5 2008
Azerbaijan

"2008 was a good year in the sense of the resolution of the Karabakh
conflict. I have often recalled the so-called golden opportunity,
and after today’s meeting it seems to me that the work on the basic
principles will complete next spring and them it will be possible to
work at the agreement. But everything certainly depends on the will
of the parties", said special rapporteur of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly on South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh Goran Lennmarker in
the interval of the session of the Foreign ministers of the OSCE
member-states.

"There are moments that can be settled and there are still differences
but I believe that the sides can resolve them. I have today met with
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan. My message to him was that the process
must proceed and complete as soon as possible. Certainly, this is
difficult, but it seems to me that today it is time to decide, though
it may be a difficult decision as it is related to your country. Today
the resolution of the Karabakh conflict is important, as your region
is not stable.

Commenting on the Turkish mediation in the conflict, Lennmarker noted
that this is a good initiative and it is good not only for Azerbaijan
but also for Armenia. Lennmarker voiced hope that the border between
Armenia and Turkey will open soon.

Lennmarker also noted that the financial crisis is observed in the
world and this certainly affects the Caucasus: "In this situation
the region must unite and be friends. It is one of those European
experiences, which could be useful for you".

Lennmarker also announced that he plans to visit the region in
February.