Author: Tumanian Talar

NO NEED TO OPEN THE CLOSED PAGE
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
10 Dec 08
Armenia

Responding to the invitation of one of the discussion clubs of
Yerevan at the end of November, Vahram Atanesyan, Head of the Foreign
Affairs Committee of the NKR National Assembly, categorically refuted
the false stereotype disseminated by the Armenian Pan-National
Movement. The radical activists persisted in its statements that
before 1998, Karabakh participated in the Minsk Group process as a
"full party", but then Robert Kocharyan came to power and coarsely
ruled out Karabakh’s participation in the process. And he immediately
appeared in the focus of the "criticism" of the propaganda machine.

At our request, VAHRAM ATANESYAN touches upon the issue under
discussion.

"Frankly speaking, the news release of ‘A1+’ agency led me to the
belief that Mr. Manvel Sargsyan was just trying to remind about his
existence after quitting politics. But judging by the comments of
lragir.am Web site, I think that he was the author of everything and
is probably trying to solve some other problem.

Yes, I did conduct a press conference in Yerevan on the 21st
of November, and in response to the question concerning ‘Nagorno
Karabakh’s non-participation’, I said that in 1994-98, Karabakh hadn’t
been a full party to the talks; therefore, nobody could have ruled out"
its participation in the process.

In 1992, the OSCE Minsk Group started its mission, and Nagorno
Karabakh’s participation in the settlement process was determined by
the following formulation: ‘NKR-approved and other representatives’. As
to the subsequent consultations, discussions and negotiations, they
were necessarily participated by the so-called Head of the Azerbaijani
community of Nagorno Karabakh. That person was Nizami Bahmanov who
is already dead.

Therefore, if Mr. M. Sargsyan desires to see the representatives of the
Azerbaijani community sitting next to the NKR-approved representative
around the table once again, that’s just impossible. He has to wait
for a long time, until Azerbaijan decides who will represent the
‘Azerbaijani community of Karabakh’. This question has become a
trouble for Azerbaijan, and they are unable to find a way out.

I just regret that a politician and political scientist like Manvel
Sargsyan does not realize that what is being done currently is just
an attempt to bring closer the ‘representatives of the Armenian and
Azerbaijani communities’ of Nagorno Karabakh, so as they can discuss
certain problems. And Nagorno Karabakh, as an accomplished state,
finds this unacceptable. Nagorno Karabakh can and must participate in
the talks based on the principles of equality of rights and mutual
recognition of competences. That’s a long way which, we hope, will
not be insurmountable for us.

If Mr. M. Margaryan has forgotten that in 1994-97, the principal
talks were conducted abroad, on the level of Zhirayr Liparityan,
Chief Advisor to the RA President and Vafa Guluzade, Advisor to the
Azeri President on Foreign Policy issues, that’s his problem. That
time too, negotiations were held between L. Ter-Petrosyan and late
Azeri President H. Aliev. They periodically met within the frameworks
of both CIS summits and other international forums.

If the NKR had participated in the negotiation process as a full
party, it would have categorically opposed the settlement option
L. Ter-Petrosyan wanted to push forward in 1997. By the way, during
the years when ‘NKR’s participation in the talks was ruled out’,
M. Sargsyan was the Advisor to the President on Foreign Policy
Issues. If anything of the kind really happened, then he also has
his share of guilt."

"Did M. Sargsyan ever express his view during his tenure? Did he ever
protest against the ‘awkward’ policy of the Armenian party?"

"In general, the fact that the Foreign Policy Advisor of any country’s
President may have a permanent residence in the capital city of some
other country is something nonsensicall. Manvel Sargsyan officiated
in Yerevan; he visited Stepanakert for a day or a day and a half but
he never complained that the Nagorno Karabakh was being pushed away
from the negotiation process. Today, I am simply unable to understand
which of my statements diminishes the role of the Nagorno Karabakh
Republic as an independent subject, something M. Sargsyan and his
yes-men are trying to claim.

On the contrary, the NKR can and must participate in the talks based on
the principle of equal rights and mutual recognition of competences. I
emphasize the fact of the NKR’s being a legal subject. Our objective
is this and not the task of conducting talks with the representative of
the "Azerbaijani community of Nagorno Karabakh". We can have a dialogue
with the Azeri authorities based on the principle of equal rights;
but this certainly doesn’t mean that Azerbaijan has to immediately
recognize the independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

No, we are conflicting parties on equal bases and should negotiate
with each other based on the principles of equal rights. As to the
outcome of the talks, nobody can predetermine it. But no divergence of
opinions is possible with regard to the fact that those negotiations
should have no precondition.

And today, the principal factor impeding the negotiation process is
that Azerbaijan does not recognize Karabakh as a legal subject.

And if it seems to some people that Azerbaijan has ever recognized NKR
as a legal subject, I will say that this does not correspond to the
reality; otherwise, th e conflict would have been settled long ago."

"Don’t your opponents play into the hands of Azerbaijan by constantly
repeating false statements that it is Armenia that impedes Karabakh’s
participation in the negotiation process?"

"That’s a very dangerous tendency. Especially in a situation when an
attempt is being made to conduct the talks on the ‘inter-community
level’. That’s to say, we are speaking about an accomplished state,
and they are trying to push us to enter into a debate with the Azeri
community with which we have nothing to negotiate. After all, the
plans to return the settlement process to the course which failed in
1998 after L. Ter-Petrosyan’s resignation is already in the past. That
page is closed, and there’s no need to re-open it any more. This is
what poses threat.

To admit the fact that we had recognized Karabakh as a full party to
the talks before that would mean that we bear responsibility for the
phase settlement which is no longer effective. Because, a negotiating
party is not just a claimant; it also assumes responsibility; whereas
we do not bear any responsibility for a process which existed before
1997. Neither do we bear any responsibility for the current stage of
the talks because we do not participate in the negotiation process
at present.

However, there is a vast difference between what was proposed
in 19 97 and what we have on the table at present. These are
completely different starting points. Today, the discussions go
around the possibilities of exercising the NKR people’s right to
self-determination, a principle that didn’t exist in 1997. Not seeing
or pretending not to see this means not to be interested in the
settlement methodology which implies the possibility of exercising
the right to self-determination."

ARTSAKH NGOs DEMAND FROM SERGE SARGSYAN NOT TO FALSIFY THE REALITY

Lragir.am
11:35:52 – 10/12/2008

The national liberation war for the liberation of Artsakh ended in
the victory of Armenians 14 years ago. Thanks to this victory, the
Armenian soldiers reached the northeastern border of the Armenian
Homeland. This war was waged first of all for the liberation of the
sacred land of the Armenian Homeland.

Erasing the illegal, artificial and unviable borders of the autonomous
region of Nagorno-Karabakh imposed on the Armenian people, the NKR
Constitution adopted by the Referendum in 2006 set down the sovereign
borders of the Armenian land liberated at the cost of blood of the
best sons of our people.

This war was not just a war for the liberation of the native
land but also a fair retribution of the Genocide perpetrated by
Azerbaijan in answer to the political claims of the Armenians of
Artsakh. Establishing the results of the victory, the Armenian
people showed to the world that such ambitions will never go
unpunished. Overlooking the results of the victory of the Armenian
people in the spheres of ideology or politics is not only profanation
of the eternal contribution of the heroes killed at war but also
violates the memory of the Armenians slaughtered in Sumgait, Baku,
Gandzak (Kirovabad) and other cities and villages of Azerbaijan,
encouraging new military aggression by Azerbaijan against the
Armenian state.

There can be no trifles in such issues. The daily display of the map
of the autonomous region of Nagorno-Karabakh, which does not exist
since the proclamation of NKR, on the Public and other TV channels
of Armenia deeply insults not only the viewers of Armenia and NKR but
also the Diaspora. It has an especially negative political effect now,
in a deciding phase of the talks for the settlement of the conflict
when we all hope the Armenian diplomacy struggles to protect the
interests of the Armenian people.

We demand that the image of the autonomous region of Nagorno-Karabakh
be removed from the weather forecast maps and replaced by the map
of Armenia and NKR. We are convinced that in the shortest possible
time all the necessary measures will be taken to change the existing
situation.

The Club of Young Political Scientists of Artsakh Hayrenyats Pashtpan
NGO of the Union of Veterans of Artsakh ARF Dashnaktsutyun Artsakh
youth union The youth wing of the Democratic Party of Artsakh The
youth wing of the Azat Hayrenik Party Vachagan Barepasht NGO Haiki
Serund NGO Alfa Omega NGO Zepyur NGO

TURKEY TO AVOID TROUBLES

Panorama.am
18:11 10/12/2008

"The authorities of Turkey acknowledge that closed border with
Armenia is not normal and that it has only political significance
which is directed to Azerbaijan. Turkey wants Azerbaijan to see that
having a closed border with Armenia the relations with this country
are broken," says Bagrat Estukyan, "Akos" daily, editor of Armenian
section, during a press conference.

Regarding the small amount of football fans who arrived in Armenia to
be present at the football game of Armenia-Turkey, he said that they
were not prohibited by the law. According to him they just wanted to
avoid troubles.

He mentioned that even those who arrived in Armenia were not
football fans but the representatives of NGO-s who were willing to
set communication with local Armenians.

"PRIOR TO THE AUCTION OF SOULS" NOVEL TO BE PRESENTED AT AGMI

armradio.am
09.12.2008 15:10

On December 10, the presentation of the cartoon style "Prior to the
Auction of Souls" novel by Tigran Mangasaryan will take place in the
Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute’s hall named after Komitas. The
book is written on the basis of the eyewitness of Armenian genocide
Aurora Mardiganyan’s memoirs titled as "Ravished Armenia," which was
first published in 1918 in New York in English.

In one of the first documentary memoirs of the eyewitness of Armenian
genocide, the author, survivor of the Genocide Arshaluys (Aurora)
Mardiganyan from Chmshkatsag gave a detailed account of the terrible
experiences she endured during the genocide.

In 1918 in California, at "Metro Goldwin Mayer" studio, director
Oscar Apfel made a silent film "Auction of Souls," which actually
became the first genocide movie, based on Aurora Mardiganyan’s memoirs.

The premiere of the "Auction of Souls" was held on February 16, 1919,
in Plaza Hotel, New York under the auspices of Oliver Harriman and
George Vanderbilt, members of American Committee for Armenian and
Syrian Relief.

Tigran Mangasaryan’s graphical novel was published in connection of
the 90th anniversary of the shooting of "Auction of Souls.

MATTHEW BRYZA: "USE ANY NAME YOU LIKE – EITHER KHANKENDI OR STEPANAKERT"

Today.Az
ws/politics/49429.html
Dec 4 2008
Azerbaijan

"I can not say whether any progress has been attained at the meeting,
but I feel that there is a progress", said OSCE Minsk Group co-chair of
USA Matthew Bryza at the session of the Foreign Ministers of the OSCE
member-states, commenting on yesterday’s and today’s talks on Karabakh.

Bryza also noted that "there is a start of trust" between the
Presidents.

Answering the question, whi name to use – Khankendi or Stepanakert,
Bryza answered: "Use the name, which you like – Khankendi or
Stepanakert".

WEST TRIES TO SEIZE INITIATIVE
Vardan Grigoryan

Azat Artsakh Daily
05 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Having begun in Helsinki yesterday, the Council Session of the Foreign
Ministers of the OSCE member states turned into the successive
discussion devoted to the implementation of the strategy program
aimed at speeding up the efforts towards achieving the settlement of
the Karabakh peace talks.

Following the Russian-Georgian war and the presidential elections
in Azerbaijan, the OSCE has sharply increased its activeness, with
the aim of making 2009 a year dedicated to the settlement of the
Karabakh conflict.

The optimistic statements made by Finnish Foreign Minister and OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Alexander Stroub testify to the fact the OSCE is
preparing to undertake the initiative of speeding up the settlement
process by filling the obscure clauses of the Moscow Declaration with
concrete and clear contents.

Whereas the Moscow Declaration reflects Russia’s political concerns
over extending its influence in the region.

Judging by all, in the global maneuvers around the South Caucasus, the
West has already chosen the tactics of gradually extorting concessions
from Moscow by way of using economic pressures against it and resuming
the Russia-NATO dialogue. And this is first of all evidenced by the
undisguised attempts of keeping Moldova off the mutual concessions
elaborated by Russia, speeding up the process of signing a framework
agreement on the Madrid Principles and at the same time delaying
the solution of the issue of deploying peace-keeping forces on the
borders of Karabakh.

In the meantime, on December 3, the European Union officially
introduced to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and
Ukraine the European Committee’s proposal on "Eastern Partnership". The
document envisages economic cooperation, without considering the
issue of the EU membership.

Thus, on the eve of the session of the Ministers of the OSCE member
states, the activeness of the West and the obvious cautiousness of
Russia again became apparent. This time, however, the "peculiarity
of the moment" was that unlike the proposals submitted in 2000-2001
(during the Key West discussions, the previous stage of the Karabakh
settlement process), the Madrid Principles had been discussed so
much that the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group will not have any
difficulty inventing some resolution envisaging mutual concessions.

A question arises as to whether this means that the conflict
is really close to its settlement and whether such settlement
is really inevitable. We believe not, because the existing
international-political consensus over the principles discussed does
not mean consensus over the possibility of conflict settlement. It
is at this point that the mutual cooperation tactics of the
mediators comes to be replaced by the cl ear-cut and undisguised
strategic confrontation. One of its manifestations is the process of
strengthening the CIS Collective Security Treaty and changing it into
a peace-keeping structure

This means that Russia is not going entrust anyone with the task
of carrying out a peace-keeping mission on the borders of Karabakh,
and upon necessity, it is ready to give clear-cut security guarantees
to Armenia, one of the state parties to the CIS Collective Security
Treaty. This also means that Azerbaijan relies on delays and the
prospect of getting rid of Moscow with the help of the Western
pressures and Turkish interventions.

In such conditions, it is becoming clear why the European human rights
defenders have again recalled the issue of the investigation of the
March 1-2 incidents. And it is also becoming clear why the Russian
experts express pessimism over the prospect of settling the Karabakh
conflict in the nearest future.

And after all, it is becoming clear why A. Stoub’s prediction on
the probability of signing a declaration on the Karabakh issue in
Helsinki was replaced by the ready-made and uncertain statements of
the Russian and French foreign Ministers and the US Deputy Secretary
of State. The only important clause of the document is the appeal to
the parties for ruling out the possibility of the military settlement
of the Karabakh conflict and "reiterating their willingness to achieve
the settlement o f the conflict through peaceful methods".

As seen from the Foreign Ministers’ successive appeal addressed to
the conflicting parties on December the 4th, the Co-Chairs have no
intention to take joint responsibility for the implementation of the
Madrid Principles.

RA PRIME MINISTER TIGRAN SARGSYAN RECEIVED A DELEGATION FROM THE EUROPEAN BANK FOR RECONSTRUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

on_centre_8/official_news_en.php?&date=1228334 400
Thursday, 4th of December, 2008

RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received a delegation from the
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development consisting of head
of the EBRD Yerevan Office Michael Weinstein, a number of country
directors, Board members from the European Investment Bank and the
European Community.

Greeting the guests, the Prime Minister expressed conviction that
this visit will boost the cooperation between his government and
the Bank. According to Tigran Sargsyan, while some problems were
encountered during the implementation of a number of EBRD projects
in Armenia, nevertheless significant work has been carried out over
the recent years to strengthen and raise the quality of the ongoing
cooperation. Here, he highlighted the strengthening of interaction
with the private sector. With reference to cooperation priorities, the
head of government stressed the need for broader assistance available
to mall and medium-size enterprises, infrastructure development
(especially in the field of power engineering and road building),
the backing of the efforts for establishing free economic zones
by Zvartnotz Airport and in Gyumri town and expanding the domestic
capital market.

The EBRD Board members were briefed on Armenia’s current economic
status and the 2009 program of action, the possibilities for our
country to meet the threats coming from the global financial and
economic crisis. Tigran Sargsyan noted that the government allows
for Armenia’s competitive assets when developing and implementing the
government’s anti-crisis action plan, looks up ways for demonstrating
our country’s stability and the set of advantages offered to foreign
investors

The delegation members voiced their views on those issues raised during
the discussion and presented the Bank’s vision of its anti-crisis
strategy.

The parties also spoke about Armenia’s relations with the neighboring
States. In particular, the Prime Minister stated Armenia’s interest
in having stable and predictable neighbors and, in this context,
welcomed Turkey’s drive for contracting EU membership as the reforms
needed on this way will help this country assume more predictability
and stability. Tigran Sargsyan expressed hope that relations between
Armenia and Turkey will improve insofar as this process advances. The
Prime Minister further advised that our country maintains good
relationship with Iran and will try to keep them abreast with the
current level. Concerning the settlement of the Karabakh conflict,
the head of the Armenian government said to be hopeful that it will
be resolved through peaceful talks.

DIRECTOR OF YEREVANPROJECT CJSC: NEW FLYOVER IN CITY CENTER TO REDUCE TRAFFIC LOAD ALMOST 4 TIMES

ArmInfo
2008-12-03 17:35:00

ArmInfo. The new flyover in the city center will reduce the
traffic load almost 4 times, Gurgen Musheghyan, director of CJSC
Yerevanproject, told media Wednesday at the opening ceremony of
the flyover.

He said that over the last years the traffic load in the
central streets in Yerevan have been about 4 times higher than
envisaged. Thanks to the new flyover, the trip from the north to the
south of the city will decrease threefold. He underlined that part
of the River of Getar running along the city center is now running
under the ground, which will make it cleaner, G.

Musheghyan said. He highlighted that construction was completed
within the shortest period of time, within a year, but the design
work was carried out with due accuracy reckoning with the relief and
height discontinuity.

"STOP VANDALISM" ARMENIAN YOUNG PEOPLE AT AMBASSADOR OF GEORGIA

Panorama.am
19:24 03/12/2008

While the Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobyan was talking in a
press conference about the destruction of Armenian monuments in
Georgia and saying that Georgia is a relative country for Armenia,
hence "an uncareful step can damage those relations", the students
of 12 universities of Armenia and the representatives of NGO-s were
making a protest against "Georgian vandalism" in front of the UN
office in Yerevan.

The Representative of the UN office in Armenia Consuelo Vidal met
the young demonstrators and took the written document they had and
promise to present it to the UNESCO office. The next step was protest
in front of the Embassy of Georgia. The Ambassador met the young
people and promised to talk about their problems and demands with
their authorities.

RA FM TO PARTICIPATE IN SITTING OF COUNCIL OF OSCE FMS

ARKA
Dec 1, 2008

YEREVAN, 02.12.08. DE FACTO. RA FM Edward Nalbandian’s three-day
visit to Helsinki will be held on December 3-5. The head of RA MFA
will participate in a sitting of OSCE FMs.

According to the information DE FACTO received at the RA MFA Press
Office, Edward Nalbandian’s meeting with the OSCE Secretary General
Marc Perrin de Brichambaut will be held within the frames of the visit.