Author: Vanyan Gary

NO INCIDENT OCCURRED DURING OSCE MONITORING ON ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI CONTACT LINE

Trend
Nov 25 2009
Azerbaijan

Monitoring was held on the contact line between Armenian and
Azerbaijani armed forces on Nov.25, after a mandate by the special
envoy of the OSCE chairman. The monitoring near the Yusifjanli village
in Azerbaijan’s Agdam region region proceeded without incident on
Nov.25, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry reported.

The monitoring was held on the Azerbaijani side by OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Personal Representative field assistants Pieter
Ki and Vladimir Chountulov

The monitoring was held on the opposite side, which the
international community recognizes as Azerbaijani territory, by OSCE
Chairman-in-Office Personal Representative Andrzej Kasprzyk’s field
assistants Imre Palatinus, Irji Aberli and Jaslan Nurtazin.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan
lost all of Nagorno-Karabakh except for Shusha and Khojali in December
1991. In 1992-93, Armenian armed forces occupied Shusha, Khojali and 7
districts surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh. Azerbaijan and Armenia signed
a ceasefire in 1994. The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia,
France, and the U.S. – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

The OSCE regularly holds monitoring on troop’s contact line to secure
ceasefire.

KARABAKH TENSION ESCALATES WITH YEREVAN THREAT OF RECOGNITION

Today’s Zaman
Nov 25 2009
Turkey

Armenia has said it could recognize the breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh
region as an independent state if Azerbaijan carries out its threat of
military action to take back the mountain territory, raising tensions
in the long-drawn-out conflict following the latest round of talks
between leaders of the two countries.

"It should be noted that Armenia so far has not recognized the
independence of Nagorno-Karabakh for one reason — so that it would
not become an obstacle to peaceful negotiations," Armenian President
Serzh Sarksyan’s spokesman Samvel Farmanyan said in a statement on
Monday. "If peaceful negotiations break down and military action
begins, then nothing stands in the way of Armenia recognizing the
independence of Nagorno-Karabakh."

Sarksyan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev had talks on Sunday in
Munich on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, followed by statements from
mediators that the two leaders achieved progress. "Some important
progress has been reached," French mediator Bernard Fassier told
reporters after the talks. "At the same time we have identified some
difficulties."

There was speculation in the Turkish media that there was a
breakthrough during Sunday’s talks, with Armenia agreeing to withdraw
from regions adjacent to Nagorno-Karabakh. But Farmanyan dismissed the
reports on Monday, saying, "Such a question is not being discussed."

Fassier said he and his co-mediators from the United States and Russia
would start preparing the next meeting without specifying when it
might take place. "We hope for additional progress in the following
weeks and beginning of next year."

Tensions over the Armenian-populated region, which broke away from
Azerbaijan with Armenian backing in the early 1990s, are rising as
Armenia pursues a historic thaw with Azerbaijan’s ally Turkey to the
anger of oil-producing Azerbaijan. In comments broadcast on Saturday,
Aliyev warned that Azeri patience was running thin and that without a
breakthrough soon, Azeri troops were ready to take back the territory
by force.

Fighting in Nagorno-Karabakh erupted as the Soviet Union headed
towards its 1991collapse. Some 30,000 people died and more than 1
million were displaced before a ceasefire in 1994. Ethnic Armenian
forces took control of the territory of 100,000 people and seven
surrounding Azeri districts, including a land corridor to Armenia.

With no peace deal, soldiers on the frontline continue to be picked
off by landmines and snipers. No state has recognized Nagorno-Karabakh
as independent.

Turkey signed two protocols in October to normalize its ties with
Armenia, severed in 1993 due to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, but
wants progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict before taking any
further steps to restore relations with Armenia.

In Russia, President Dmitry Medvedev was expected on Tuesday to urge
Aliyev for a peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute.

Aliyev was in Ulyanovsk, Russia, on Tuesday to attend a ceremony
for naming the city square after former Azerbaijani President Haydar
Aliyev and meet Medvedev for talks on energy cooperation and regional
issues. Russia backs the Nagorno-Karabakh solution efforts and the
Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.

ITALY WELCOMED SIGNING OF PROTOCOLS, HOPES WILL BE RATIFIED SOON, SAYS FOREIGN MINISTER

Tert
Nov 24 2009
Armenia

RA Minister of Foreign Affairs Edward Nalbandian left for Italy on
November 23 for a brief business visit.

In Rome, Nalbandian met with his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini,
informs the RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs press and information
department.

Discussed during the talks were different dimensons of Armenia-European
Union cooperation, the steps to be taken to promote bilateral
cooperation within the frames of the European Neighbourhood Policy
and Eastern Partnership Program.

Frattini welcomed and expressed Italy’s support of the steps taken to
establish Armenia-Turkey relations. In this regard, he stated that
Italy enthusiastically welcomed the signing of the Armenian-Turkish
Protocols and expressed hope that they will be ratified soon, which
will provide the opportunity to open the Armenia-Turkey border.

The ministers placed importance on the signing of a Memorandum of
Mutual Understanding, emphasizing that its application will promote
activation of political dialogue.

Nalbandian and Frattini discussed the opportunity to simplify the
procedure of getting entry visas between Armenia and the European
Union, noting that it will promote contact between the Armenian public
and the European community.

The parties stated with satisfaction that there is an adequate
legal-contractual field for broadening trade-economic cooperation
and tendency to stimulate economic ties, as Italian investments in
Armenia substantially increased in 2009.

At the request of his Italian colleague, Nalbandian presented
the latest developments in the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and the results of Sunday’s meeting between the Armenian
and Azerbaijani presidents in Munich.

Gratefully accepting the Armenian foreign minister’s invitation,
the Italian foreign minister assured him that he will visit Armenia
in the first half of 2010.

Before the meeting, the ministers signed the Memorandum of Mutual
Understanding on High-Level Political Consultations between the foreign
ministries of the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Italy and
the Agreement on Economic Cooperation between the governments of the
Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Italy.

AZERBAIJANI AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS TO DISCUSS ENERGY AND SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT

APA
Nov 23 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Victoria Dementyeva – APA. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will discuss further expansion
of energy cooperation between the two countries and regulation of
Nagorno Karabakh conflict at the meeting in Ulyanovsk on November 24.

APA reports quoting "RIA Novosty" that a source in Kremlin informed
about it.

"Further expansion of mutual relations in energy is on the agenda of
the bilateral cooperation", says the source.

Representative of the Kremlin reminded the agreement on the export
of Azeri gas to Russia signed on October 14. Under the agreement,
Gazprom will be able to buy 500 million cubic meters of gas from
Azerbaijan a year from January 1, 2010.

Besides, the presidents will exchange views on actual problems the
world and the region are concerned about.

"Regulation of Nagorno Karabakh conflict will also be in the focus
of attention during the meeting", says the source.

MAMMADYAROV TALKED TO DAVUTOGLU

news.am
Nov 23 2009
Armenia

November 23, 2009 Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov had
a telephone conversation with his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu,
Turkish Anadolu agency reports.

Mammadyarov informed Davutoglu of Nov. 22 Sargsyan-Aliyev meeting in
Munich adding the next meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani foreign
ministers will be held in Athens.

Turkish FM invited his Azerbaijani counterpart to pay a visit to
Ankara.

TURKEY MAY LOSE AZERBAIJAN

news.az
Nov 23 2009
Azerbaijan

Ali Hasanov The Turkish authorities may lose Azerbaijan if they open
borders with Armenia as this contradicts to Azerbaijan’s interests.

"Azerbaijan has never taken steps contradicting to Turkey’s interests
and we want Turkey not to take any steps against Azerbaijan’s
interests, too. Otherwise, Turkey will lose Azerbaijan", Ali Hasanov,
chief of department at Azerbaijan’s presidential administration, told
a sitting of the Azerbaijani and Turkish Diaspora representatives in
Germany on Saturday.

He said Azerbaijan is not against the opening of all borders in the
region but it may happen only after Armenian troops withdraw from
Azerbaijani lands.

He considers Turkey will not gain too much after opening borders with
Armenia but the authorities (Hasanov stressed the word ‘authorities’,
not the ‘Turkish state’ or ‘the people’) taking this decision will
lose Azerbaijan.

"The opening of the Armenian-Turkish border will not establish peace
in the South Caucasus. This step cannot ensure Turkey’s interests
in the South Caucasus. All borders should open for this purpose",
Hasanov considers.

He noted that anyone who attempts to interfere with the good neighbor
relations between Azerbaijan and Turkey will harm himself. "So,
tet’s safeguard these relations", Hasanov said.

ARMENIAN, TURKISH SPEAKERS DUE TO HAVE FIRST BILATERAL MEETING IN MOSCOW

Panorama.am
17:21 23/11/2009

Politics

The Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly Hovik Abrahamyan is in
Moscow now to attend the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization.

"Like during all plenary sessions, the Armenian Speaker may have
bilateral meetings, including meeting with the Turkish Parliament
Speaker," NA press secretary Nairi Petrosyan told Panorama.am.

Referring to the frame of issues to be discussed at the meeting of
the Armenian and Turkish Speakers, N. Patrosyan said: "Taking into
consideration this is to be their first bilateral meeting, a wide
frame of issues is due to be discussed."

Hovik Abrahamyan is due to return to Armenia November 26.

PRESS RELEASE
Catholicosate of Cilicia
Communication and Information Department
Contact: V.Rev.Fr.Krikor Chiftjian, Communications Director
Tel: (04) 410001, 410003
Fax: (04) 419724
E- mail: [email protected]
Web:

PO Box 70 317
Antelias-Lebanon

HIS HOLINESS ARAM I SENDS A LETTER OF CONDOLENCE TO
THE HOLY SYNOD OF THE SERBIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

On 16 November 2009, His Holiness Aram I sent a letter of condolence to the
Synod of the Serbian Orthodox Church, expressing his sorrow at the passing
of late Head of the Church, Patriarch Pavle, who had been hospitalized since
2007.

In his message, Catholicos Aram I said that the late Patriarch steadfastly
repeated his message of peace even under the most difficult times in the
country and that he will pray for the departed Patriarch Pavle from the
Cathedral in Antelias.

##
The Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia is one of the two Catholicosates of
the Armenian Orthodox Church. For detailed information about the Ecumenical
activities of the Cilician Catholicosate, you may refer to the web page of
the Catholicosate, The Cilician
Catholicosate, the administrative center of the church is located in
Antelias, Lebanon.

2010 State Budget not effective for solving problems in comprehensive schools
21.11.2009 13:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Heritage faction MP Anahit Bakhshyan has expressed
her concerns over 2010 State Budget which envisages only 10% increase
in high school teachers’ salary, instead of the 20% as prescribed by
law.

In her statement, MP characterized the budget as a document capable of
meeting the needs of comprehensive school. She also noted that loans
in education sphere are not used effectively.

State government bodies, according to Bakhshyan, submit draft budget
without considering National Assembly-adopted legal norms. `That’s to
say, laws passed by parliament are not implemented,’ she stressed.

news.az, Azerbaijan
Nov 21 2009

Azeri MP: Armenia misleads world community
Sat 21 November 2009 | 08:28 GMT Text size:

Siyavush Novruzov "The Armenian leadership tries to mislead the world
community by all means", MP Siyavush Novruzov told reporters.

The Turkish and Russian officials said the agenda of talks with
Armenia contains the issue of Nagorno Karabakh and liberation of the
occupied lands. The opening of the Armenian-Turkish borders depends on
the settlement of these issues.

Novruzov voiced confidence that the Turkish parliament will not ratify
the Armenian-Turkish protocols without liberation of the Azerbaijani
regions.

1 news.az