Author: Torosian Aram

VARDAN KHACHATRIAN: TIME OF EXCLUSIVE RESPONSIBILITY COMES FOR ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Jan 13, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian-Turkish protocols
cast a doubt on the issue of deprivation of the Armenian people of
its homeland. RA National Assembly deputy Vardan Khachatrian expressed
such an opinion at a January 13 press conference. According to him, for
almost a century the Armenian Diaspora lived with a wish of returning
to its native land which saved the Diaspora from assimilation. And
these protocols, according to him, make this danger possible.

According to V. Khachatrian, proceeding from Armenian people’s
interests a detailed discussion should take place at the parliament.

And he will call for making such reservations that will permit to
continue the struggle in the issue of restoring the justice. According
to him, confirmation of the protocols without those reservations
is inadmissible.

Speaking about the foreign challenges the deputy said that a time of
exclusive responsibility comes for Armenia, and the utmost should be
done to avoid the main dangers.

V. Khachatrian also mentioned that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tajjip
Erdogan with his visit to Russia will make an attempt to influence
the settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict through Moscow. In his
words, Russia also carries out a delicate diplomacy with Azerbaijan.

Moscow’s further policy under the circumstances, especially to Armenia,
is unpredictable.

TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN LOSE IN BATTLEFIELD, BUT RECOUP IN DIPLOMATIC ARENA, SAYS ANALYST

Tert.am
16:03 ~U 14.01.10

The Turkish prime minister’s visit to Moscow and the Russian foreign
minister’s to Yerevan are connected, said political analyst Stepan
Grigoryan, while speaking to journalists today.

In Grigoryan’s opinion, those visits have only to do with the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. "Turkey’s prime minister spoke only of
Karabakh in Moscow. Sergey Lavrov in Yerevan is speaking only of
the Karabakh issue," said the analyst, nothing that Turkey has a
good politico-historical memory. He emphasized that "during a time
of crisis, Turkey always resolved its issues in the South Caucasus
through Russia."

"Turkey and Azerbaijan always lost to the Armenians in the battlefield,
then resolved their matters in the diplomatic arena [that is to say,
they recover their losses]. But through whom? Through Russia," stated
Grigoryan, adding that currently an attempt is made to apply that
same mechanism.

In Grigoryan’s words, Turkey, who states that, much like Azerbaijan,
it can do many things for Russia, instead is requesting only one thing:
to pressure Armenia on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh.

"I have great respect for Russia, but I want to warn [you], there is
no alternative for Russia to resolve its issues in the South Caucasus
using the Armenian people’s lands," emphasized Grigoryan, who also
appealed to Russia to resolve energy issues, based on the entirety
of its own territory.

ARFD REPRESENTATIVES EXPECT CC TO STAND HIGHER THAN ORDERS OF AUTHORITIES AND TO ACT WITHIN LAW

Noyan Tapan
Jan 12, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. A picket was organized in the January
12 morning in front of the RA Constitutional Court building on the
initiative of ARFD, Zharangutiun (Heritage), Nor Zhamanakner (New
Times) and a number of other parties not accepting the Armenian-Turkish
protocols. Over 100 participants of the action carried placards "No
to Turkey’s Conditions!", "No Concession to Turks!" demanding that
CC invalidate the Armenian-Turkish protocols.

ARFD Bureau member Vahan Hovhannisian in his interview to journalists
said that CC is obliged to act within the law standing higher than
the orders of the authorities.

RA NA ARFD faction member Artsvik Minasian did not exclude that
the action will be continual and the people will wait until CC
makes a proper decision. "CC has all possibilities to invalidate
these protocols even if partly or, which is the minimum, to make
reservations," A. Minasian said. According to him, pressures are
always exerted on the judicial bodies "from above" but the problem
is to what extent CC members will be able to resist those pressures.

NA Zharangutiun faction member Zaruhi Postanjian publicized the
statement of Zharangutiun’s youth structure and Teghut protecting
group addressed to CC. The statement, in particular, read: "We
have not forgotten your traitorous policy since mid-90-s but today
we unanimously declare: we are united and will no longer tolerate
your policy. Don’t dare legalize the "results of darkness," the
Armenian-Turkish protocols. There can be no extents or reservations
in the issue of recognizing these documents anti-national and
anti-constitutional."

Some incidents happened between policemen and protesters during
the action. They started after the law enforcers demanded removing
from the pavement the table the protesters had brought to organize a
signature collection. Though the table was not removed the policemen
made those gathered leave the pavement and move to the street.

ARA SIMONYAN WON PARLIAMENTARY BY-ELECTIONS

news.am
Jan 11 2010
Armenia

Vote count of by-elections to RA Parliament in the 10th district of
Yerevan finished.

According to preliminary data of RA Central Electoral Commission,
National Unity MP Ara Simonyan won the race getting 7.622 votes.

Oppositional Armenian National Congress representative, the Haykakan
Zhamanak daily Chief Editor Nikol Pashinyan gained 5.023 votes,
whereas Marxist Party Leader David Hakobyan — 299.

24.3% of voters took part in the elections, that is 13 566 out of
55 851.

A total of 438 ballots were recognized invalid.

A1+ RESUMES MOBILE BROADCASTING

A1+
11/01/10

After the holidays A1+ resumes its mobile transmission.

Sending an SMS you will be able to watch A1+’s daily news on your
mobile phones.

A1+’s video reports are available 24 hours and updated at 2:00 p.m.,
6:00 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Whether you’re an "ArmenTel" or "VivaCell" subscriber, send the 111
code to the 1618 number and you will receive a link that downloads
the latest news of the day.

By sending an SMS, you will have a chance to watch our updates anywhere
and anytime.

The service charge is 180 AMD for an SMS, VAT included.

For technical issues please contact at 010-52-32-18 or 099-55-50-87

GEORGY GARANYAN DIES AT 76

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.01.2010 15:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Prominent jazzman, People’s Artist of Russia Georgy
Garanyan died in Krasnodar at the age of 76 on Monday morning, Nelli
Zakirova, the widow of the celebrated jazzman, told Itar-Tass.

Maestro Vladimir Spivakov, Artistic director of the world famous
Virtuozy Moskvy orchestra, said it was a great honour to him that
Georgy Garanyan had recently worked a great deal with his orchestra
and enjoyed it, Spivakov told Itar-Tass by telephone Monday. "There
was a spirit of mutual deep respect between Maestro Garanyan and the
orchestra’s musicians, and we were deeply attached to him as a person,"
Vladimir Spivakov said.

"Georgy Garanyan’s death is great loss both to the world of music
and people because he was a handsome, clever, good-natured person who
attracted people," Spivakov said. "I am confident that Georgy Garanyan
will always live in memories of all those who knew him and listened to
his music as a person of great heart and tremendous musical talent,"
Spivakov said.

Georgy Garanyan was a People’s Artist of Russia, a laureate of state
awards of the Russian Federation, a laureate of international jazz
festivals, he was Chief conductor of Oleg Lundstrem Jazz Orchestra.

Garanyan represented the first post-war generation of masters of
Russian jazz. In 1958 Garanyan’s saxophone first sounded in Oleg
Lundstrem’s orchestra and later, in 1966 in a concert jazz orchestra
of Soviet radio.

In the mid-1960s modern jazz compositions made Garanyan popular. In
1973 he was invited to work for the Melody music recording company,
which was an important landmark in his career. Garanyan founded a
modern jazz ensemble named after the Melody giant. It was a star pop
group remembered in all corners of Russia to the present day. The
famous jazz band accompanied singers, recorded dance music and jazz
compositions.

In 1991 Garanyan’s dream came true. He founded the Moscow Big Band
in which the most talented professional jazzmen performed. Experts
and general public praised the Big Band for its unique sound and
excellent music arrangements made by its founder and artistic director.

ARF DASHNAKTSUTYUN TO RALLY IN YEREVAN AGAINST RATIFICATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

ArmInfo
2010-01-11 12:07:00

ArmInfo. ARF Dashnaktsutyun will start a rally in Stepan Shahumyan
Square in the city center today on 4:30pm local time against
ratification of the Armenian-Turkish Protocols, the ARFD Bureau
told ArmInfo.

The participants in the rally will go in a procession up to the
Constitutional Court, which will discuss the Protocols on January 12.

The participants will make speeches in front of the Court and will
hand their statement over to the CC Chairman Gagik Haroutiunyan.

Fourteen parties will participate in the rally. The rally was
preliminary scheduled in front of the Moscow Cinema, but the Yerevan
Municipality proposed the ARFD to rally in Shahumyan Square not to
hinder the New Year holidays events.

Armenia and Turkey signed the "Protocol on the establishment
of diplomatic relations" and the "Protocol on the development of
bilateral relations" in Zurich on October 10. Afterwards, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry submitted the protocols to the Foreign Relations
Committee of the Turkish Parliament. The final resolution was to be
made before December 7, but wasn’t. To come into effect the protocols
must be submitted to the respective Parliaments for the ratification
on each side.

Armenian National Congress: Year 2010 will be the year of our victory

2010-01-08 17:31:00

ArmInfo. Armenian National Congress (ANC) is sure that the year 2010
will be the year of their victory. "ANC has no intention to limit
itself with moral victories, it is going to act," said Aram Manukyan,
Chairman of the Armenian Pan-National Movement, at the ANC rally in
Yerevan on January 8 2010.

He said that voting for Nikol Pashinyan the residents of the electoral
district 10 will vote not for a person, but for the freedom of speech,
release of political prisoners and punishment of those guilty in the
incidents of March 11-2 2008.

For his part, Hmayak Hovhannissyan, the political expert who withdrew
his candidature in favor of N. Pashinyan, the editor of Haykakan
Zhamanak Daily, said that voting for Pashinyan the people will protect
the honor and dignity of those killed on March 1-2 2008, which was
dishonored by the notorious parliamentary ad hoc committee headed by
Samvel Nikoyan. Hovhannissyan compared the activities of the incumbent
authorities with the terror of Stalin’s epoch.

In addition, ANC Coordinator Levon Zurabyan said that ANC will lead
the people to the victory despite the counteractions by the incumbent
authorities. "We do not hope that the election scheduled for January
10 will be fair and free. With every falsified election the
authorities are becoming weaker and we are becoming stronger," he
said. He is sure that opposition movement will finally gain victory.
For his part, Stepan Demirchyan, Leader of the People’s Party of
Armenia, called on the participants in the rally to vote for Pashinyan
"to say no to the murders of March 1 and to the unfair power regime in
the country".

The ANC rally is timed to the additional parliamentary elections in
the election district No10 scheduled for January 10. Nikol Pashinyan,
the oppositionist, the editor of Haykakan Zhamanak Daily, who is
currently in custody, advanced his candidature at the elections.
Pashinyan is charged with Articles 316.1 and 225.1 of the Armenian
Criminal Code (organizing mass public disturbances, using force
against a representative of the state and violating the law regarding
the staging of public events). Pashinyan had been wanted for over a
year and emerged from the underground after the president announced
amnesty. The deputy mandate of the above election district proved
vacant after the former parliamentarian Khachatur Sukiasyan was
deprived of his mandate for complicity in the incidents of March 2008
in Yerevan.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
Jan 7 2010

German minister notes Turkey’s " significant position and role" in Middle East

Ankara, 7 January: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that
newly-appointed German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle and he
agreed that the Cyprus issue should not obstruct Turkey-EU relations
and that the strategic dialogue mechanism between Turkish and German
foreign ministries should be put into practice as soon as possible.

Davutoglu met with German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister
Westerwelle, who is currently in Ankara on a formal visit.

He said at a joint news conference following the meeting that they
decided to form a mechanism of consultation and cooperation, and that
they agreed to put into practice the strategic dialogue mechanism
between Turkish and German foreign ministries.

Davutoglu said that they were planning to open Turkish-German University soon.

Referring to Turkey-Germany economic and commercial relations,
Davutoglu said, "There are about 4,000 German companies operating in
Turkey. After the recent increase in amount of natural gas purchased
from Russia, Germany became the second biggest commercial partner of
Turkey behind Russia."

Davutoglu told reporters, "Turkey-EU relations topped agenda of our
meeting. I thanked Mr Westerwelle for extending support to Turkey’s EU
process. We also welcomed that he once again underlined the principle
of ‘pacta sund servanda’ (Latin for "agreements must be kept").
Germany is one of founder and leading countries of the EU.
Undoubtedly, Germany has a strategic perspective about Turkey-the EU
relations. This perspective will have positive impacts on future
international positions of Turkey, Germany and the EU."

"I informed Mr Westerwelle on the Cyprus issue in detail. We agreed
that the Cyprus issue should not obstruct Turkey-the EU relations. We
also exchanged views on what can be done to ensure a fair and lasting
peace in Cyprus under the United Nations parameters," Davutoglu said.

"The regional developments, Afghanistan, the Middle East peace
process, Iran’s nuclear programme, efforts to normalize Turkey-Armenia
relations and the Upper Karabakh dispute were also high on agenda of
the meeting," he said.

Upon a question about an incident in Norway against a Turkish family,
Davutoglu told reporters, "We are profoundly sorry that one of our
citizens lost her life in Norway. It is our duty to protect rights of
all our citizens. This is also an issue of human rights. We officially
called on Norwegian authorities to launch an investigation into the
incident. Also, the Norwegian embassy in Ankara was given a diplomatic
note."

A 63-year-old woman died in Norway while waiting for an ambulance.
When Dondu Tulum had a cardiac attack, his son Fedai Ucarli called for
an ambulance. After paramedics were late, he made another call and
yelled at officers. Police came to Turkish family’s house and beat
Ucarli, his wife and his brother-in-law. The old woman died at home in
lack of medical assistance.

German foreign minister said on Thursday that problems in Near East
could be solved by Turkey’s significant position and role.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and German Vice-Chancellor
and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle held a press conference in
Ankara after having a meeting.

Westerwelle said Germany had a "great interest" on improvement of
Turkish-German relations and Turkey’s adhesion to the EU.

Nearly 3,000,000 people of Turkish origin has been living in Germany
and 4,000,000 Germans visit Turkey every year, he said.

Turkey had a key role on the international platform and it had a
important position in solution of problems in problematic regions, he
said.

German minister said Davutoglu and he agreed to boost strategic
dialogue between the two countries.

"Let me state categorically that what has been agreed between the EU
and Turkey is still valid. This German government will honour these
undertakings. You have my word on that," Westerwelle said.

Westerwelle said they expected Turkey to continue its reform process
and Germany supported this process within the scope of Europe’s
interest.

German Foreign Minister Westerwelle will keep holding talks with
Turkish authorities in Ankara on Thursday [7 January].

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that the tragedy in Gaza
should come to an end as soon as possible.

Davutoglu met with German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister
Westerwelle, who is currently in Ankara on a formal visit. He said at
a joint news conference following the meeting, "Some circles are
talking about a slowdown in Turkey’s EU membership process. Actually,
one reason for this slowdown is the conjuncture which unfairly holds
Turkey responsible for the Cyprus issue – a totally irrelevant issue
from Turkey’s EU process – and which enables the Greek Cypriot
administration to use Turkey-the EU relations for its own purposes.
Another reason is that the Turkey-the EU relations, unfortunately,
become a part of domestic political agenda of the EU-member countries
from time to time. But, we are determined. We will further intensify
our cooperation ties with all EU member states including Germany."

Upon a question about the developments in the Middle East, Davutoglu
told reporters, "We consider the issue a matter of human rights beyond
its aspects of security and stability. Both the Turkish public opinion
and the government are quite sensitive about what has happened in Gaza
from the very beginning. The tragedy in Gaza should come to an end as
soon as possible. This is our duty for the humanity."

"It is unacceptable that 1,500,000 people are living in a
totally-isolated environment. It is just like a ghetto. I held talks
with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Ali Abu-al-Ghayt after some
problems emerged during passage of a relief convoy. The Egyptian
government gave a positive response to Turkey initiatives. In the end,
the convoy arrived in Gaza and began distributing aid to Gazan
people," Davutoglu said.

Russia, Georgia resume direct air communication
08.01.2010 14:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Russia and Georgia have reopened air traffic with
the first direct passenger flight between the two countries since a
war in 2008. The Georgian Airways flight took off from the Georgian
capital Tbilisi and landed in Moscow two hours later.

Boeing 737 flights are scheduled for January 8, 9 and 10. Georgian
Airways said all the tickets were sold out for Friday, BBC reported.

Moscow-Tbilisi direct flights were cancelled in 2006 after the strain
on relations between the two countries, then restored in 2008 and
again abolished after the August conflict in 2008.

The 2008 South Ossetia War, also known as the Russia-Georgia War, was
an armed conflict in August 2008 between Georgia on one side, and the
Russian Federation together with Ossetians and Abkhazians on the
other.

The 1991 – 1992 South Ossetia War between Georgians and Ossetians had
left most of South Ossetia under de-facto control of a Russian-backed
internationally unrecognized regional government. Some ethnic
Georgian-inhabited parts of South Ossetia remained under the control
of Georgia. A similar situation existed in Abkhazia after the War in
Abkhazia (1992-1993). Already-increasing tensions escalated during the
summer months of 2008.

During the night of 7 to 8 August 2008, Georgia launched a large-scale
military attack against South Ossetia, in an attempt to reconquer the
territory. The following day, Russia reacted by deploying combat
troops in South Ossetia and launching bombing raids into uncontested
Georgian territory. Russian and Ossetian troops clashed with Georgians
in the three-day Battle of Tskhinvali, the largest battle of the war.
Russian naval forces blocked Georgia’s coast and landed ground forces
and paratroopers on the Georgian coast. On 9 August Russian and
Abkhazian forces opened a second front by attacking the Kodori Gorge,
held by Georgia, and entered western parts of Georgia’s interior.
After five days of heavy fighting, the Georgian forces were ejected
from South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Russian troops entered uncontested
Georgia, occupying the cities of Poti and Gori among others.

After mediation by the French of the EU, the parties reached a
preliminary ceasefire agreement on 12 August, signed by Georgia on 15
August in Tbilisi and by Russia on 16 August in Moscow. On 12 August,
President Medvedev had already ordered a halt to Russian military
operations in Georgia, but fighting did not stop immediately. After
the signing of the ceasefire Russia pulled most of its troops out of
uncontested Georgia. However, Russia created buffer zones, around
Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and check-points in Georgia’s interior
(Poti, Senaki, Perevi).

On 26 August 2008 Russia recognized the independence of South Osetia
and Abkhazia. Russia completed its withdrawal from uncontested Georgia
on 8 October, but as of 2009 Russian troops remain stationed in
Abkhazia and South Ossetia under bilateral agreements with the
corresponding governments. However, according to a number of sources,
Russia has not fully complied with the peace agreement because Georgia
lost control over some of the territories.

A number of incidents occurred in both conflict zones in the months
after the war ended. As of 2009 tensions between the belligerents
remain high.