Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

ZAHID ORUC: "IT IS INCORRECT TO REGARD DECISION ABOUT IRAQ AS PART OF AZERBAIJAN’S POLICY OF OVERALL REJECTION OF INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING MISSION"

Today.Az
olitics/48888.html
Nov 11 2008
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Zahid Oruc, deputy of Milli Medjlis, member of
the standing parliamentary commission on security and defense.

– On Monday the parliamentary commission on issues of defense and
security discussed prospects of complete withdrawal of Azerbaijani
peacekeepers from Iraq and recommended to Milli Medjlis to settle
this issue. What is it related to?

– I would like to note that on May 7 of 2003, under the
decision of the head of Azerbaijan, the armed forces of our
country joined an international coalition on conduction of the
peacekeeping activity. They served in Iraq on the basis of the due
UN resolution. The term of this service for the armed forces of
Azerbaijan was defined by five years. This year the mandate of this
peaceekeping mission expired. Thus, the withdrawal of peacekeeping
forces is only a technical issue and it would be incorrect to explain
this resolution with political motives.

The President has sent the due appeal to the parliament and it was
considered by our commission that decided to raise this issue at the
plenary session of the parliament.

– How do you assess the service of Azerbaijani peacekeepers in Iraq
through the past five years?

– I think measures Azerbaijan undertook through the past period for
consolidation of security in the world and our active position of
peacekeeping activity were highly evaluated by both the command of
international coalition and the countries, joining this coalition.

Our contingent, comprising 151 people, fulfilled a very responsible
function, mostly envisioning provision of security of electric stations
and water reservoirs in Iraq.

But, as I have already noted, the term of their activity has expired
and our forces are being completely withdrawn.

– The session of the commission was held just a few hours ago and
even now the statements of different observers which say that the
decision of Azerbaijan has a definite political ground are posted in
the Internet. At the same time, these observers mention relations
of Azerbaijan with NATO, Russia, the recent news in the Karabakh
settlement and the recent overall situation in the Caucasus. What do
you think of it?

– I consider it incorrect to regard this issue as a result of some
misunderstanding in our relations with the West and the United
States. The term of the mandate has completed, Azerbaijan’s position
was clarified and I think there are no problems here.

Moreover, it is unfounded to bind this decision to the recent events
in the Caucasus, Russia’s new role in the resolution of regional
conflicts, like some do in their analysis. This decision can not be
regarded as a rejection of cooperation with international coalition and
no new tendencies in the US-Azerbaijani relations should be looked for.

Moreover, I want to remind that other states, including Poland and
neighbor Kazakhstan also made a decision about the withdrawal of
peacekeepers due to the completion of the term of service. Even
such country, as Great Britain, which plays an active role in the
coalition, has repeatedly stated the need to withdraw British troops
from Iraq. I would like to remind that newly elected US President
Barack Obama also stated the intention to withdraw US troops in 16
months following his election.

– Will Azerbaijan’s participation in the peacekeeping mission in
Afghanistan change from now on?

– No. On the contrary, Azerbaijan has recently doubled its contingent
in Afghanistan, clearly stating the need to further cooperate with
the international coalition. This decision was balanced and careful
enough. The issue was discussed in the parliament. The participation of
our armed forces in maintenance of peace and security in Afghanistan
had a favorable influence on the international image of Azerbaijan
and I would not regard the decision about Iraq as part of Azerbaijan’s
policy of rejection of international contingent.

Monks brawl before religious ceremony
Story Highlights
Greek Orthodox and Armenian monks punch and kick each other

Police called to break up fight at Church of the Holy Sepulcher in
Jerusalem

The site is believed to be where Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection
occurred

LD/meast/11/09/israel.brawling.monks/index.html

B y Shira Medding
CNN
JERUSALEM (CNN) — An unusual sight greeted Jerusalem police as they
entered one of Christianity’s holiest sites Sunday morning: dozens of
monks punching and kicking each other in a massive brawl. Monks from
the Greek Orthodox and Armenian denominations were preparing for a
ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City when a
disagreement led to a full-fledged fistfight. The fight began when
Armenian clergy were holding a procession to commemorate the finding
of the cross believed to have been used in the crucifixion of Jesus,
according to The Associated Press. The Greek members of the clergy
wanted one of their monks present, the AP reported, for fear that the
procession would undermine their claim to an ancient structure built
on what is believed to be the tomb of Jesus. The two sides could not
agree, and when the Armenians tried to begin the procession, the Greek
monks stepped in and the fighting began, the AP reported. "We were
keeping resistance so that the procession could not pass through …
and establish a right that they don’t have," a young Greek Orthodox
monk with a cut next to his left eye told the AP. Many among the
dozens of monks came away with cuts and bruises, said police spokesman
Mickey Rosenfeld.

Officers were called to the scene to break up the brawl. They detained
two monks, one from each denomination, Rosenfeld said. The Church of
the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem is thought to be built on the site of
Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Rivalries between the different
sects that share control of the church often lead to tensions

Owner of ‘Armavia’: Armenia needs non-standard economic leader who
would reduce taxes

2008-11-08 13:13:00

ArmInfo. Reduction of the ‘air tax’ will make it more efficient, owner
of the national air carrier "Armavia" Mikhail Bagdasarov told
journalists. He said the present high ‘air tax’ does not allow to open
flights in such direction, important for Armenia, as Tbilisi and
Stepanakert.

‘We have recently talked on this topic to the Finance Minister of
Armenia, and I spoke out against inclusion of the ‘air tax’ in the
ticket cost at the rate of the previous 10,000 drams. If this happens,
no one will then remember about the government’s decision, but everyone
will say that ‘Armavia’ tickets became more expensive’, M. Bagdasarov
said. The topicality of the issue worsens by the fact that a
possibility of opening of flights to Tbilisi and Stepanakert opens.
‘Presently, it is unprofitable to fly there as the ticket cost will
make up $40 – 50 and the ‘air tax’ – $35′, M. Bagdasarov said. He
thinks that reduction of taxes twice will essentially enhance the
efficiency of its collection, as possible stealage will considerable
reduce. ‘We agree for the ‘air tax’ to be included in the ticket cost
but at the rate of 3-5 thousand drams at least. If this amount is
included in the ticket cost, it will be more difficult to hide it
further’ , – M. Bagdasarov emphasized.

As he said, to carry out the indicated actions, Armenia needs an
economic leader who would be able to make a non-standard decision on
tax reduction in a non-standard situation.

ALEXANDER ISKANDARYAN: MOSCOW WAS MOST INTERESTED IN SIGNING THE TRILATERAL DECLARATION
Alisa Gevorgyan

"Radiolur"
05.11.2008 16:42

Moscow had more motives or signing the declaration between the
Presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia than Yerevan, Baku or
Stepanakert: perhaps, the document refers to the Russian-Georgian
conflict rather than the Karabakh issue, political scientist Alexander
Iskandaryan told a press conference today.

Not attaching much importance to the document, the political scientist
does not attempt to undermine its real value, either. "Nothing bad is
written in it, but I don not think that there is something that gives
way to consider that a real change has taken place. The situation in
the region has changed after the Russian-Georgian conflict. In fact,
Russia’s relations with Georgia are frozen. In this situation the
renewal of relations with Armenia and Azerbaijan was predictable."

According to the political scientist, Medvedev’s visit to Baku and
Yerevan can be viewed in this context. "When you deal with Armenia and
Azerbaijan, you cannot but speak about the Karabakh issue," Alexander
Iskandaryan said, adding that it was the main motive for the birth of
the Moscow Declaration. The second motive was the wish of Moscow to
improve its international rating after the Russian-Georgian conflict.

Political scientist Alexander Iskandaryan is not very optimistic about
UA President-elect Barack Obama’s pledge to recognize the Armenian
Genocide. According to him, pre-election rhetoric and post-election
policy are completely different things.

Alexander Iskandaryan underlined that the American Armenian community
is consolidated unlike other communities and demonstrates a common
approach during the elections. Deriving from this logic, Barack
Obama’s statements on recognition of the Armenian Genocide could be
part of his pre-election strategy.

According to Alexander Iskandaryan’s assessment, there will hardly
be sharp changes in the foreign policy of the US.

SDHP CHAIRWOMAN HOPES THAT NEWLY ELECTED U.S. PRESIDENT WILL RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

Noyan Tapan

Nov 5, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 5, NOYAN TAPAN. In the letter of congratulations
addressed to U.S. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to RA
Marie Yovanovitch on the occasion of election of the 44th President of
U.S., Lyudmila Haroutiunian, the Chairwoman of the Social-Democratic
Party of Armenia (SDHP), expressed the hope that "President Obama,
according to his preelection promises, will recognize the Armenian
Genocide by restoring historic justice that way and once more proving
his and U.S.’ devotion to global values."

The SDHP Chairwoman also expressed confidence that the newly elected
U.S. President will do his best to establish peace and stability in
the world and, in particular, in complicated regions.

THE MOST IMPORTANT CHALLENGE FACING US

1024speech.html
Nov 6, 2008

A speech by Vartan Oskanian delivered in Toronto and Los Angeles.

Dear Friends,

This is my first public appearance since I left the office of foreign
minister.

As I was gathering my thoughts about what to say, I realized that
we’ve come a long long way these 17 years.

If I was still in office, I would tell you about Armenia’s successes
and challenges. Today, as a private citizen, I am going to do the
same. But the reason I wanted to be a private citizen, is to be more
outspoken about and to work for all that still needs to be done. I
believe that my responsibility, our responsibility together, to
Armenia and its future is the same whether one is in government or not.

My commitment to Armenia and its future did not begin when I became
foreign minister. It will not cease now that I am no longer foreign
minister.

I have been here since the inception and I’ve seen the ups and
downs. I served as foreign minister since the beginning of President
Robert Kocharian’s term. I served as deputy minister and first deputy
minister under President Levon Ter Petrossian. In other words, I have
served not a man, but a people and a country. Just as it is not in
my nature to follow blindly, it is also not in my nature to be in
bitter opposition. I believe in carrying out the responsibilities I
have undertaken. I believe I have done so these 10 years, sometimes
before the TV cameras but more often behind the scenes.

My responsibility now is to speak and act honestly and openly. That
is both commitment and responsibility.

The Civilitas Foundation which I have created believes in the concept
of a citizen’s responsibility to society. We, in Armenia and the
Diaspora, professionals, committed Armenians of all generations,
across the world, together, make up Armenian society. Around the world,
we have attained a level of professionalism, integration and wealth
that our grandparents could never have imagined and that obligates
us to give back to our community – here and in Armenia.

But you already know that. Your organizations, by its existence,
understand the inextricable links between Armenia and Diaspora.

I have often spoken of the Armenia – Diaspora interdependence. I
don’t think it is any longer a question as to whether one needs the
other. I think the only question is how one can build on and benefit
from the capacities of the other.

All of us in our consciousness, in our minds, in our dreams, we
imagine our own Armenia, and we strive to reach it. But in order to
see the real Armenia, to perceive it correctly, I think we must find
the right correlation, the right balance between our expectations of
Armenia and Armenia’s capacity.

It is not easy to build a state. It’s true that one can have
expectations, but they must also be realistic expectations.

Let’s look at what we have. We have built a state that is stable, and
advancing economically. Today, if we compare Armenia to other similar
countries, we see that despite our limited potential, despite the
war, despite the blockade – and in fact we even forget about these
sometimes – we are competitive with our neighbors.

The situation in our region today is changing very quickly. The
challenges are not the same today as they were 10 years ago, five
years ago, or even one or two years ago. And they are many. The
Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline is operational and prospects are improving
for the construction of the Trans-Caspian pipeline. These will
seriously enhance Azerbaijan’s influence and leverage over Europe and
the US. Those countries in our region facing self-determination issues
have united and created a common front. The punitive posturing towards
Iran, our strategically important neighbor, is growing. The likelihood
of the creation of divisive lines in our region is also increasing,
and nothing demonstrated that better than the conflict, in August,
between Russia and Georgia. Finally, the Turkey-Azerbaijan relationship
is becoming deeper and broader, with Turkey more openly and overtly
assisting Azerbaijan militarily, politically and economically. Every
day, we see new manifestations of Turkey’s state policy of denial and
non-recognition of the Genocide. Add to that their hesitation to make
the only move that will have any meaningful impact on the region –
opening borders – and you can see that our foreign policy challenges
are serious.

Actually, I believe that many of these will be with us in some form
or another, for a long time. Our neighborhood is not going to change.

But our domestic challenges – these are the ones that are in our
hands to fix, once and for all.

Many of our domestic problems are economic. The hopes of Armenia’s
aspiring young men and women rest on a fair, open, economic
system. This means respecting civil liberties, believing in democracy,
actually allowing a rule of law. Only then can will the individual
citizen be unafraid to risk and venture, and only then will we harness
the energy of our society – economically and politically.

Only then will be able to create jobs so that they see their future
in Armenia, and they see Armenia’s future in themselves.

Only then will we manage to eradicate poverty so that all our people
begin to believe that living in a country that is ours is better than
living in someone else’s empire.

Only then will we succeed in identifying corruption as the evil that
limits options, suffocates innovation, restricts enterprise and slams
the door on opportunity

Only then will we do away with nepotism so that it is what you know
not who you know that counts.

Only then will our government institutions be more effective because
the law makes each citizen powerful, and it is not the powerful who
make their own laws.

In other words, the stories of today’s rising generation must be
stories of prospects and convictions and successes, not stories of
frustration, discontent and disillusionment.

But we will not be able to tackle today’s ills if we do not heal
our political environment and change the psycho-social and moral
environment in which we live.

Our elections were not the cause of the damage to our spirit. They were
the consequence of our inability to bring civility to our society,
to bring civil society to our political stage, and to transform
our political arena into a competition of ideas and programs, not a
battleground for defending power and wealth/resources.

This failure is not just Armenia’s but also the Diaspora’s. The
challenge then is also not just for Armenia, but for Karabakh and
the Diaspora, too.

In this, as in all things, we are together. There is no Armenia without
Diaspora, no Karabakh without Armenia, there are no divisions. We
all belong to one nation, have one identity, one past.

The most important challenge facing all of us is our young people’s
issue of identity. You in the Diaspora think this is just a Diaspora
worry. But it is not. This is as real a question for those who are
growing up today in Armenia and Karabakh. To what do they link
their identity? To a divided and injured society? To apathy and
hopelessness? To endless cycles of poverty?

To third world villages? To homelessness and earthquake? To the
mentality of a warrior — victorious but always under siege? To the
economy of a petty merchant?

Or to an Armenia that has a knowledge-based economy, where education
is valuable for the windows that it opens, where villagers like
villagers everywhere feel protected? To an Armenia with an economic
and political independence that is secure, to a prosperous Armenia,
to an Armenia that is fair and just.

Our young people – in Yerevan and here in Diaspora, too – want to
believe in Armenia. But that Armenia must be the Armenia of their
imagination, the one they have heard about from their grandfathers,
the Armenia their parents have dreamt about. If we can’t give this
generation that Armenia, then in the years to come, we will lose them
to other dreams.

But if we can? If Armenia, the Diaspora and Karabakh join hands and
use our know-how and our dedication, see what miracles we will work.

The 21st century – the century of social and professional networks,
of globalization and of knowledge-based economies – is a century that
will see new countries and new diasporas. Our diaspora was created
by the forces of history. Ironically, so was our country.

Now we cannot leave them to the forces of history again.

It is that diaspora and that country that will define us as a nation
in the 21st century. We must write that definition ourselves.

CBA LEAVES REFINANCING RATE UNCHANGED – AT 7.75%

Noyan Tapan

Nov 4, 2008

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 4, NOYAN TAPAN. At the November 4 sitting, the
Board of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA) left the refinancing rate
unchanged, fixing it at 7.75%.

According to the CBA PR Service, 0.7% inflation was recorded in October
on September 2008, as a result of which the 12-month inflation declined
by 2.7 percentage points to 8.6%.

The CBA Board stated that in the third quarter of 2008, the
developments in the external and domestic environments were mainly in
line with the assessments given at the previous sitting on the issue
of rates. In October, the inflationary pressures from the external
environment were affected by the decline of global demand and continued
to weaken, being expressed in further fall of international non-food
commodity prices. The recent months’ tendency of external inflationary
pressures to weaken have become apparent, although not fully, in the
domestic market of Armenia.

Taking into account the considerable fluctuations of prices in
commodity markets under conditions of the international financial
crisis, the duration of the crisis and the uncertainty of time needed
to overcome its consequences, as well as the slow process of inflation
specification in the domestic market, the CBA Board considers it
expedient to keep the refinancing rate at the same level.

Russia Today, Russia
Nov 2 2008

Armenia and Azerbaijan agree to talks on disputed land

Caucasus adversaries Armenia and Azerbaijan have signed an agreement
to try to resolve their dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh. At talks in
Moscow on Sunday both sides agreed to seek a peaceful solution to the
row over the breakaway region.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arranged the talks during a visit to
Armenia in October.

He said the aim was to `work towards stabilization of the situation in
the South Caucasus and the establishment of stability and security in
the region on the base of principles of international law and relevant
decisions and documents.

The President added that stabilization would create `favourable
conditions for economic development and cooperation in the region. A
Peaceful settlement should be accompanied by legally binding
international guarantees of all its aspects and stages," Medvedev
said.

Nagorno-Karabakh was part of the Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan in the
USSR, mostly populated by Armenians.

In 1991 the region unilaterally declared independence, sparking a war
between Armenia and Azerbaijan that killed around 30,000 people and
created a million refugees.

Since the ceasefire in 1994, most of Nagorno-Karabakh remains under
joint Armenian and Nagorno-Karabakh military control.

Armenia remains committed to the region’s independence, while
Azerbaijan says its territorial integrity must be respected.

32788

Armenian Public TV
Oct 27 2008

Armenian leader, EU envoy discuss ties, Karabakh

[Presenter-read report over video of the meeting] President [Serzh]
Sargsyan will go on an official visit to Brussels in the future. The
forthcoming visit, according to EU Special Representative for the
South Caucasus Peter Semneby, will provide an opportunity to assess
Armenia’s relations with the European Union and outline the general
agenda of cooperation.

President Sargsyan told the European diplomat that our country
attaches importance to expanding relations with the European Union and
expects the European Union’s support and assistance on this
path. Speaking about the settlement of the Karabakh issue, Serzh
Sargsyan said that the Armenian side, taking the Madrid principles as
a basis, recognizes the OSCE Minsk Group as a format, and the co-chair
countries of the OSCE Minsk Group as the mediators.

Speaking about regional developments, Semneby talked of the European
Union’s preparedness to provide every support to the process of
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. He also highly evaluated
the establishment of the fact-finding group for the 1 March events
[post-election disturbances] and inclusion of both parliamentary
opposition and opposition not represented in the parliament in the
work of the group.

Semneby today also met Parliament Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan, Secretary
of the National Security Council Artur Baghdasaryan and
Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepyan.

[translated]

VivaCell-MTS and USAID/CAPS jointly sponsoring Armenian Monuments
Awareness Project

2008-11-01 11:13:00

ArmInfo. VivaCell – MTS announced the opening ceremony of the project
aimed at raising awareness of one of Armenia’s historical – cultural
masterpieces – Zvartnots Cathedral Friday. The long-term program being
implemented jointly with the Ministry of Culture, USAID/CAPS and
Armenian Monuments Awareness

Project is aimed at raising awareness of Armenia’s historical, cultural
and natural monuments. Under the project, information panels,
directional signs and companion booklets were put at five sites of the
project: Garni, Historic Giumri, Zvartnots Cathedral, Khor
Virap/Artashat, and Noravank/Noravank Nature Area. These cultural
treasures are pillars of the Armenian history and doors to its future,
and acknowledging this VivaCell-MTS was adamant at supporting the
promotion of these historical-cultural sites and developing more
information about the cultural and historical heritage and
communicating it to the society. The Armenian Monuments Awareness
Project created and installed multilingual information panels,
directional signs and markers in the territory of the Cathedral, which
in turn will encourage the development of tourism. Information panels,
directional signs and markers were installed to serve as guides for
tourists, who visit Zvartnots. The print guides provide comprehensive
information by presenting both the historical and cultural aspects of
the monument. Reaching beyond products and services VivaCell-MTS always
extends hand to any effort towards endorsing Armenia’s presence and
image.

Protection of cultural values and culture is a common duty, this is the
principle the projects organizes are guided with.