Author: Vasilian Manouk

AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENT: PRINCIPLE OF TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY IS SELECTED AS PRIORITY IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Trend
Jan 18 2010
Azerbaijan

The way to solve the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
has been identified. The principle of territorial integrity was chosen
as a priority. This formula can be crucial in resolving the conflict,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said speaking at the Cabinet of
Minister’s meeting on the results of socio-economic development in
2009, the AzTV state television channel broadcasted.

"Refugees and internally displaced persons should be returned to their
homeland, security measures should be applied and in the future, the
Armenian community of the Nagorno-Karabakh must live in conditions
of the high status of autonomy within the Azerbaijani state. That is
our position. Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity recognized by the
international community must be restored," Aliyev said.

ARMENIA NEEDS TO DEVELOP ITS CAPITAL MARKET

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.01.2010 15:09 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Development of capital market will enable Armenian
companies to access other funding sources, according to Valeriu Razlog,
Head of EBRD Yerevan RO.

Armenia needs to diversify its economy and enhance business atmosphere
to provide companies’ access to other funding sources, he told a
PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

"In that regard, we see great progress in Armenian economy," he said,
adding that the country is currently implementing legislative reforms
to increase its competitiveness on international market.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is an
international financial institution that supports projects in 29
countries from central Europe to central Asia. Investing primarily in
private sector clients whose needs cannot be fully met by the market,
the Bank promotes entrepreneurship and fosters transition towards
open and democratic market economies.

The EBRD is the major investor in Armenia. Its 2009, investments
totaled USD 150 million against of the USD 75 million in 2008. So far,
EBRD has invested over 335 million euro in the country’s economy for
implementation of over 70 projects.

THE ‘SMOKE’ THAT KILLED HRANT DINK

Asbarez
Jan 15th, 2010

BY ORHAN KEMAL CENGIZ
>From Today’s Zaman

The island is not an ordinary one; it is like a living organism. There
are many aspects of this island that deserve to be mentioned, but for
our story, the "smoke" is the most important one. There is black smoke
that is called the "monster"; it takes the lives of the islanders who
are not wanted by "the island" anymore. This "smoke" is not a person;
it is the dark side of the soul of the island.

Who killed Hrant Dink? Dink was killed by the "smoke" that encompassed
this country in 1915. This "smoke" is the dark side of this country,
and it was on duty during all the steps that led to the murder of
Dink. Dink knew this darkness very well; he knew the "smoke" was
following him. He could see it.

Everything started with a campaign against him. He once wrote an
article about the adopted child of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, Sabiha
Gokcen, whose name was given to an airport. Gokcen was the first woman
fighter pilot of Turkey. Dink said Gokcen was actually an Armenian
orphan who survived the massacres in 1915. This revelation by Dink
about the history of Turkey irritated the "smoke," which then decided
to push the button for his annihilation.

The long campaign leading to the assassination of Dink was launched
on the front pages of the Hurriyet newspaper. All of a sudden,
Dink’s comments about Gokcen became the headlines of Hurriyet, which
is published every day with the same motto, "Turkey belongs to the
Turks." After the Hurriyet publications, the General Staff made very
harsh statements about Dink’s comments.

After these publications, ultranationalist groups started to have
demonstrations in front of the office of Agos, chanting slogans and
holding placards that read "Love it or leave it," "Your hand will be
broken" and "One night we may come unannounced."

Meanwhile, threats against Dink were pouring in by mail and telephone.

As if all these were not enough, a criminal case was brought against
Dink on the grounds that he allegedly insulted "Turkishness" with one
of his articles. This case triggered another wave of attacks against
Dink. Dink was condemned at the end of the trial process.

The "smoke" was surrounding Dink from all angles. For the final move,
hit men made their preparations. Everyone in their district, Pelitli
in Trabzon, knew that these youngsters were going to kill Dink. We
now know that the gendarmerie, the police, everyone knew that there
was intensive preparation for the murder of Dink. They just turned
a blind eye, knowing that Dink’s murder was the wish of the "smoke."

The last move of the "smoke" came on Jan. 17, 2007. Dink was killed
in front of the office of his newspaper, Agos.

Dink was killed by the "smoke" that descended on this country in 1915.

Turkey, by turning a blind eye to the sins of Talat Pasha and his
friends, created this "smoke," the monster which was going to take
the lives of thousands and thousands of people during the republican
era of Turkey.

The "smoke" is the dark side of Turkey. The "smoke" is made up of
different ingredients. They are the gangs in the state, the media
that cover up the sins of the gangs and the judiciary, which refuses
to see the crimes of the state, the culture of denial and so on.

The "smoke" is the dark side of this country. The bright side took to
the streets during Dink’s funeral and chanted, "We are all Armenians."

The bright side is fighting against Ergenekon today. The bright
side will be on the streets on the third anniversary of Dink’s
assassination. The bright side and the "smoke" are two sides of this
country. The bright side has been mourning Dink. Dearest Hrant Dink,
rest in peace. We love you, and we will always remember you!

ARARATBANK CONSIDERING OFFER ON PROVISION OF LEASING AND FACTORING SERVICES

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.01.2010 16:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Final resolution on provision of leasing and
factoring services will be taken by Araratbank authorities by May 2010,
Araratbank executive director Ashot Osipyan said.

As he told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter today, at present the bank
offers two accompanying services: leasing and factoring – programs,
to be implemented jointly with European Bank of Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD). "Services’ implementation depends on market
situation. We’ll probably use this offer, sign a contract with our
partner and receive technical assistance for these two services,"
Ashot Osipyan said.

In this connection, Ashot Osipyan added that offer discussion is in
progress; Araratbank will be able to give a reply in May 2010.

Araratbank was established as a result of the reorganization of Haykap
Bank, operating on Armenian financial market since 1991.

The bank was reorganized into closed joint stock company in September,
2005 and functioning as an open joint stock company since August, 2007.

ARARATBANK is a member of the Union of the Banks of Armenia; it is a
partner of the Ministry of Finance and Economy of RA in the area of
management of the internal national debt.

As of 30.09.2009 total assets of the bank made up AMD29,042 million,
showing an increase of AMD 979,4 or 3,5% as compared with the previous
quarter.

Liabilities stood at AMD 21,295.9 million, with an increase of AMD
849.3 million or 4,2% when compared with the previous quarter.

Total equity as of 30.09.2009 was AMD 7,746.1 million having increased
by AMD 130,1 million or 1.71% as compared with the figures of the
previous quarter. Increase in the total equity of the Bank was due
to AMD 50,5 million growth in the revaluation reserve for available
for sale assets.

Profit figure for the third quarter was AMD 410,9 million vs. AMD
57,5 million of the previous quarter, resulting in a year to date
profit of AMD 454,1 million.

2009 MARKED WITH INTENSIFICATION OF PEACE TALKS ON KARABAKH, AZERBAIJANI FM

news.az
Jan 14 2010
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry Karabakh conflict should be solved only
within the framework of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and
state borders of Azerbaijan.

The Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Karabakh should be
solved only within the framework of the territorial integrity,
sovereignty and state borders of Azerbaijan recognized on the
international level.

This is a principal position of Azerbaijan in the Karabakh issue,
says an annual final news release of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry
received by results of 2009.

2009 was marked by intensification of efforts and peace negotiations
on the resolution of the Karabakh conflict, the document says. This
is proven by six meetings of the presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia
held within a year and numerous meetings of the foreign ministries
of the two countries conducted with participation of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs. Last year was also marked with the high attention
of the world community to the Karabakh conflict.

The world community understands that preservation of the current status
quo in the Karabakh issue is impossible and that this conflict will
soon be settled. A joint statement of the presidents of the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairing countries adopted in Italian city L’Aquila on July
10 where the G8 summit was held as well as a joint statement of the
Russian and France foreign ministers and the US Secretary of State
and the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Armenia are especially
stressed in this regard. This shows the serious attention to the need
for the soonest peaceful resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

"Azerbaijan’s position on the conflict settlement is clear. The
conflict must be settled only within the framework of the territorial
integrity, sovereignty and within the framework of the internationally
recognized borders of Azerbaijan. This position is based on the
principles and norms of international law, the UN Charter and the
Helsinki Final Act, as well as numerous international documents adopted
within the framework of the conflict settlement. The negotiations
aimed at the peaceful settlement of the conflict are to specify the
details proceeding from these principles", says an official statement
of the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry.

HOVHANNISYAN SAYS NEW ARENA FOR STRUGGLE OPENS

Yerkir
14.01.2010 16:12

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Even though the Constitutional Court ruled that the
Armenian-Turkish protocols are in line with the Armenian Constitution,
the ruling contains several positive elements, Vahan Hovhannisyan,
a member of the ARF Bureau and the leader of the ARF faction in
parliament, told a news conference on January 14.

CC ruling says that the subject of the protocols is the establishment
of relations between Armenia and Turkey and that all the other issues
derive from that subject, so they should be based on additional
agreements, he said.

He added that concerns regarding the Artsakh issue and the
Armenian-Azerbaijani settlement are now off the agenda as the CC ruling
provides that the protocols have nothing to do with third countries.

As for the recognition of the borders, Hovhannisyan said he was not
satisfied with the CC formulation that "the borders are not recognized
through protocols because under the Armenian law borders are defined
by international treaties."

"So the issue of the border remains open," Hovhannisyan said.

ALEXANDER MANASIAN: MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS IN BAKU SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS GENOCIDE OF PART OF ARMENIANS IN EASTERN TRANS-CAUCASUS

Noyan Tapan
Jan 13, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. According political scientist
Alexander Manasian, the massacres of Armenians committed 20 years
ago in Baku should be considered as a genocide of part of Armenians
in the Eastern Trans-Caucasus. As he mentioned at a January 13 press
conference, the Armenians of Azerbaijan with a number of nations took
part in the formation of the state of Azerbaijan. "Under the USSR
Azerbaijan was called "international Azerbaijan" in consideration
that it is not a national state but a republic consisting of various
Moslem nations and Armenians," A. Manasian said.

According to the political scientist, Armenian diplomacy has not
managed so far to realize the events of 1988-1900 as a genocide and
to present it to the international community as a continuation of the
Turkish policy of 1915. According to A. Manasian, the main initiators
and executors of Baku massacres were Azerbaijan’s Turks, and those who
risking their lives hid and saved many Armenians were representatives
of other nations, Talishes, Tats, Lezgis, etc. According to A.

Manasian, Azerbaijan’s Turks slaughtered their very people in Khojalu
to ascribe it to Armenians.

In his words, Gorbachov’s administration was much to blame for the
events of Baku as it did not order the troops to intervene in the
conflict up to the last moment. A. Manasian emphasized that USSR’s
President of that time Mikhail Gorbachov did not want a bloodshed
while the blood of Armenians was shed in Azerbaijan.

TURKEY DID NOT EXPECT A HIT BELOW THE BELT

Lragir.am
14/01/10

The visit of the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan to Russia,
accompanied by loud slogans on "truly strategic relationship of
partners", "set ambitious for the near future", "great cooperation"
and so on, startled the political world. It became clear that these two
countries have moved to the next phase of the "great game" and that
the results of such a large-scale cooperation cannot but seriously
affect many areas of the world’s major problems. Being in the centre
of the world community, Turkey started presenting initiatives more
often sometimes arousing nervousness of the world superpowers and
international relations. It is clear that the relations of this country
with the "problematic" Russia are to arouse much interest. Within the
Armenian society, each warming of the Russian and Turkish relations
arouses worry. Traditionally, we think (and it is grounded) that in
such cases the threat of deals on account of Armenia enhances. The
current moment is not an exception when the normalization of the
Armenian and Turkish relations in on the agenda.

Any interested person in Armenia understands that in Moscow
conversations on the Armenian issues could not lack. Moreover,
against the background of negotiations in Moscow, Russia was making dun
diplomatic gestures with Armenia too. The Russian minister of foreign
affairs arrived in Yerevan and the Armenian minister of Defense left
for Moscow.

That all this "boils in one politico-diplomatic pot" is evident. What
these two hard gestures and loud slogans mean is not known yet. We
turned to the expert of the Armenian Centre for National and
International studies (ACNIS) Manvel Sargsyan in connection with
this question.

Pompous diplomatic scenes in Moscow were quite expected. In particular,
the weave of diplomatic acts with Armenia is quite logic.

Despite the fact that the attention of the leaders of Russia and
Turkey was focused on global economic and energetic issues, the
Armenian topic had a central role in Moscow negotiations. It would be
naïve to believe that Turkey would initiate diplomacy with Russia in
such hurry just in the beginning of the year pursuing exceptionally
economic aims. This country is not in such a situation to ignore
political goals for the sake of economic gain. After the visit of
the Turkish premier to the U.S. in December of the last year and the
demarches made there in connection with a series of regional problems,
his current visit to Russia seems quite logic. Turkey needs Russia’s
help to enhance its positions in its relations with Western countries.

The confident policy of Turkey is perceived in West quite ambiguously,
says Manvel Sargsyan.

In answer to the question how the Turkish international problems
affect Armenia Manvel Sargsyan said, "Having decided to normalize its
relations with Armenia, Turkey just from the beginning of the process
faced a hard task. Turkey started operating a formula, linking the
process of the normalization of relations with the progress of the
settlement of the Karabakh problem which turned the Armenian-Turkish
relations in a complex international issue. The world superpowers
proposed to Turkey not to link these two issues. However, Turkey
decided to oppose to international positions presenting its stances
as an ultimatum. With such an approach, Turkey wanted to force
the international society to solve the Karabakh issue in favor of
Azerbaijan. Besides, in the same approach, Turkey saw the resource for
keeping the whole arsenal of measures of its traditional public policy.

However, time showed that in the world, few are ready to accept
Turkey such ambitions. There is much threat in such a policy of a
country which during the last decades keeps enhancing its potentials
pretending to an essential role in world issues. No one is going to
flirt with Turkey even in minor issues. Turkey feels this circumstance
with regards to the Armenian and Turkish relations but it still
hopes it will be able to convince leading powers to force Armenia
to make concessions. According to Sargsyan, Erdogan left for Moscow
to persuade the Russian government to support it in connection with
Armenian issues.

However, apparently, in Russia, they understand that not all the
deals behind Armenia’s back are useful. At least, the statement
of the Russian Prime Minister Putin during the press conference
held after the negotiations that "he does not consider reasonable
from the strategic and tactical point of view the linking of the
Karabakh issue with the Armenian and Turkish process" proves the
above-said. "The Turkish premier would have hardly imagined such a
"hit below the belt", noted Manvel Sargsyan.

In answer to the question how Putin’s position may affect the
perspective of the ratification of the Armenian and Turkish protocols,
Manvel Sargsyan said that the situation in Turkey became even more
difficult which does not mean that this country will yield. "This
only means that the international situation on the Armenian-Turkish
relations now has more clarity. It is possible that the straightness
of the Turkish policy will further increase the pressure of leading
powers on it. In this case, the international recognition of the
Armenian genocide may appear in the international use. For example –
it may appear in the U.S. Congress. In this case, Turkey will have
to choose between its current position and the situation with the new
threats posed by the intensification of the process of recognition of
the Genocide. But it is a matter for the future. Meanwhile, the more
Turkey turns to Russia for help, the more Russia’s role in our region
increases. How will be behaving the latter is difficult to predict",
said Manvel Sargsyan.

‘REFUGEES AND INTERNATIONAL LAW’ CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORK URGES AZERI AUTHORITIES TO COMPENSATE FOR THE DAMAGES CAUSED TO ARMENIA, NAGORNO-KARABAKH AND ARMENIANS OF AZERBAIJAN

ArmInfo
2010-01-12 17:05:00

ArmInfo. On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the genocide
committed by the Azeri authorities and criminal elements against the
Armenians of Baku, the "Refugees and International Law" civil society
network has appeared with an address to the authorities of Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh and the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group.

The address says: "Since 1988, availing itself of the connivance of
the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs and the unprincipled policy of the
Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh authorities, Azerbaijan has managed to
distort the essence of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem. As a result,
presently, the negotiating process condemns the Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenians for exercising natural right to defend themselves from
Azerbaijan’s military aggression instead of condemning Azerbaijan
for attempting to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh problem by force.

"We demand that during all negotiations and unofficial meetings
concerning the Nagorno-Karabakh problem representatives of the
Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh authorities appear with the following
position: the main cause of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is the
annexation of Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijani SSR in 1920-1921 and
the disciminatory and repressive policy of the Azeri authorities
with respect to the Armenian population of Nagorno-Karabakh in
the following years. This treatment forced the Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenians to proclaim their self-determination on Feb 20 1988. The
Azeri authorities responded with a genocide in Sumqayit and ethnic
cleansing all over Azerbaijani SSR. As a result, by Jan 19 1990
over half million of Armenians had been expelled from Azerbaijan
and had become refugees. In 1991 Azerbaijan unleashed a war against
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. Hundreds of thousands of Armenians and
Azeris were forced to leave their homes. Azerbaijan lost the war. The
aspiration of the Azeri authorities to solve the political problem of
Nagorno-Karabakh by force had tragic consequences: tens of thousands
of people were killed and over 1,200,000 people became refugees and
internally displaced persons."

"In this light, we urge the Armenians authorities to consider the
following facts: today, the Nagorno-Karabakh problem is no longer
just a matter of NKR’s international recognition; violence against
Armenians was applied not only in the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh (as
the Armenian FM says) but all over Azerbaijan; the Azeri authorities
must compensate for the damages caused to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh
and Armenians of Azerbaijan as a result of ethnic cleansing and war."

ARF: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES IN STALEMATE

news.am
Jan 11 2010
Armenia

"The Armenian authorities got into the Armenian-Turkish process,
but they are not the masters. The sooner they realize their mistakes
the easier they will avert the threats the nation is facing," Armen
Rustamyan, member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF),
stated at a rally today.

According to him, the authorities’ refusing the implement the
Armenian-Turkish protocols will be perceived as a bold step by the
people. Speaking of further struggle, he pointed out that the RA
Constitutional Court has a historic chance to prevent developments
posing threat to Armenia. "The entire process involving the protocols
was concealed from the public," Rustamyan said.

If the Constitutional Court invalidates the protocols as
unconstitutional or partially unconstitutional, the Armenian Government
will be able to revise the documents and introduce reservations that
will meet the Armenian people’s interests, Rustamyan said. Otherwise,
no efforts must be appeared to lobby against the ratification of the
protocols in the Armenian Parliament. He called for intensifying the
collection of signatures against the protocols, as the previously
collected 70,000 signatures are insufficient.