Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

‘ABOVE ALL, THE ISSUE’S SOLUTION IS IN INVOLVED SIDES’ HANDS’

Aysor
Feb 16 2010
Armenia

"There is a cautious optimism about the further development of the
process of negotiations on the settlement to the Karabakh conflict,"
said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State and
Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev at today’s press conference in
Yerevan, which was held jointly with Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian after bilateral meeting.

Kanat Saudabayev said Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev knows
the conflict’s roots very well, and was involved in the process of
settlement visiting the region in 1991. Kazakhstan is ready to make its
additional efforts, standing from the platform of those results, which
were already reached by all parties, said OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

"We certainly are going to give an impetus to the Karabakh talks,
but at the same time we believe that above all things, the issue’s
solution is in hands of the involved sides. All the other parties
of the process are just assistants. These parts sincerely wish for
the peaceful settlement to the conflict and are going to make their
efforts to help to solve the issue, which causes irreparable damage
to the people, involved in this situation," said Kanat Saudabayev
pointing that the process of settlement should go with stability and
security of the South Caucasus countries.

KAZAKHSTAN PROPOSES ‘BROKER’ SERVICES IN ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Azerbaijan Business Center
Feb 16 2010

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev suggested
his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev the package of measures on
settlement of Nagorno Garabagh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Roman Vasilenko, the chairman of the International Information
Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, says
that the proposals were handed over to the Azerbaijani President
by Kanat Saudabayev, the OSCE chairman-in-office and minister for
foreign affairs of Kazakhstan who has visited Azerbaijan recently.

"Kazakhstan comes forward an ‘honest broker’ and unprejudiced
mediator. We back OSCE peacemaking efforts and support OSCE Minsk
Group mediators. Kazakhstan’s approach towards the issue of conflict
settlement is from realistic angle. Our challenge is to keep outlined
positive dynamics of the negotiation process," Vasilenko claimed.

As the OSCE chairman-in-office, Saudabayev is traveling now the South
Caucasus states for the purpose of settlement of conflict situation
in the region. Yesterday in Baku he was received by President Ilham
Aliyev, Milli Majlis speaker Ogtay Asadov and foreign minister Elmar
Mammadyarov.

Today Saudabayev is to hold negotiations in Yerevan with Armenian
leader Serzh Sargsyan.

AZERBAIJANI MP: SERZH SARGSYAN’S ACTIONS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH HIS STATUS
Z. Ahmadov

Today
1720.html
Feb 16 2010
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani MP says Armenian president’s statement that his country
would never give Karabakh to Azerbaijan will bring no political
dividends to Yerevan.

"Recent statements by the Armenian President do not meet the standards
of diplomatic etiquette. He speaks as head of an organization, not
as the president of Armenia. Therefore, his words cannot be taken
seriously," MP Azay Guliyev said.

"Serzh Sargsyan’s actions are inconsistent with his status. Armenian
president’s statement that his country would never give Karabakh to
Azerbaijan will not bring any political dividends to Yerevan. Let
him know that Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the loss of part
of its territory," MP said.

"Armenia enjoys very low credibility in the world, because everyone
knows this country as an occupier. In light of recent events and
visits, the British prime minister very well demonstrated the level
of Armenia’s image, refusing to meet with Serzh Sargsyan, who was on
an official visit to the United Kingdom," MP added.

"Apart from this, Serzh Sargsyan was given very cold reception in
the London airport. This once again shows that those in Europe do not
want to talk a man whose words do not go beyond the "street" level,"
MP noted.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER INTRODUCED THE KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROCESS IN LEBANON

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-02-16 10:48

Within his three-day visit to Lebanon, Foreign Minister of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic Georgy Petrossian had a series of meetings.

On February 11, the NKR Foreign Minister participated in the liturgy
dedicated to the Vardanants Holiday, which was held in the patron
saint monastery of Antilias. Then, he made a speech for the Lebanon
Armenians participating in the festive event held in the hall of the
Patriarch’s Chamber, as well as in the official dinner organized on
behalf of Cilician Great Home Catholicos Aram I.

Georgy Petrossian introduced detailed information on the Karabakh
conflict settlement process. Ministers of Armenian origin, Deputies,
leaders of political parties, representatives of the Armenian
community, confessors, Armenia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Qocharyan,
and others participated in the events.

On February 12 and 13, the NKR Foreign Minister had separate
meetings with Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church Nerses Petros
XIX, Chairman of the Middle East Evangelic Churches Union Mkrtich
Karagyozyan, representatives of the Artsakh Union, Armenian political
parties and mass media and answered their numerous questions.

Within the visit, Georgy Petrossian visited also the families of
the soldiers-liberators deceased in Artsakh, laid a wreath at the
Memorial Complex commemorating the Armenian Genocide victims, which
is situated in the yard of the patron saint Antilias Catholicate.

MARTIROS SARYAN’S 130TH ANNIVERSARY TO BE MARKED IN MOSCOW

Aysor
Feb 15 2010
Armenia

The house-museum of Armenian painter Martiros Saryan on the 130th
anniversary of the painter is organizing a series of events, informed
Sofyan Saryan the fund keeper of the museum in the interview with
Aysor.am.

As S. Saryan informed the birthday of the Armenian prominent painter
is on February 28, and on that day in the house-museum of the painter
will be opened an exhibition of photographs. Those are the paintings
from archives which have been worked out by the "Mush-art" studio.

"On the same day in the Moscow Tretyakov gallery will be opened the
exhibition of Saryan’s works", – S. Saryan informed and added that
on the exhibition will be presented the works that are in Tretiakov
museum.

According to S. Saryan, with the support of the RA Culture Ministry,
the exhibition of the painter’s works will be opened on June titled,
"The symbol of the Life tree in Saryan’s works". Around 40 works by
Martiros Saryan will be presented on the exhibition.

NKR PRESIDENT HAD MEETINGS IN PYATIGORSK

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-02-15 15:23

On February 13, President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
(Artsakh Republic) Bako Sahakyan arrived in the city of Pyatigorsk,
administrative center of the North Caucasus Federal Region of the
Russian Federation.

According to the Central Information Department of the Office of the
NKR President, on the same day the Head of the State met leaders and
representatives of business circles of the Armenian community of the
Stavrapol region.

A wide range of issues related to strengthening and deepening relations
between the Motherland and the Diaspora were discussed at the meeting.

Then the President attended the celebrations of Candlemas Day, which
took place at the St.Sargis church of the Pyatigorsk city.

On February 14, Bako Sahakyan met in the city of Pyatigorsk with the
representatives of the Armenian communities of the South of Russia.

During the meeting the Head of the State introduced the current
situation in Artsakh, socio-economic development of the republic, as
well as the current stage and prospects of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict settlement. Special attention was paid to issues related to
the development of the Motherland-Diaspora relations. Bako Sahakyan
underlined that the deepening of these ties is important both for
strengthening the independent Armenian statehood and for consolidating
the Diaspora and preserving its national identity.

Within this context, the President noted the importance of widening
the cooperation with Armenian communities of the North Caucasus Federal
Region of the Russian Federation, particularly those of the Stavropol
Region, qualifying them as promising.

At the end of the meeting, Bako Sahakyan answered the numerous
questions of those present.

ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT WILL BE POLITICAL DEFEAT FOR RUSSIA: NIKOLAI SVANIDZE

Tert.am
13:53 ~U 12.02.10

If there is a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it will be
a political defeat for Russia no matter how it ends, said Nikolai
Svanidze, popular TV and radio host and member of the Russian Public
chamber, reports News.az.

He said that the emotional degree is rising and only a few years are
left for the peaceful resolution of the conflict. Further, Russia
needs to show increased activity in this region.

"I think it’s impossible to settle the issue peacefully at once. The
parties’ positions are polar and it is impossible to meet one and
another at the same time. We need a continuous dialogue, this must
be achieved…

"I repeat once again that if there is a conflict between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, this will be a political defeat for Russia no matter
how it ends."

SOONER ARMENIA DECLARES THAT TURKEY FAILED PROTOCOLS RATIFICATION, THE BETTER: MANOYAN

Tert.am
16:24 ~U 12.02.10

If there’s no progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh issue, Turkey will not
ratify the Armenia-Turkey Protocols in a timely manner, said Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun, or ARF-D) Armenian Cause
("Hay Dat") and Political Affairs Bureau Director Giro Manoyan today.

According to him, recent developments prove once again that Armenia
must state soon that Turkey is failing the ratification process
of the Protocols. In Manoyan’s words, the later Armenia makes this
statement, the more difficult it will be for the country to get out
of this process.

"I cannot understand the president’s statement by which Turkey is
again given another date [for ratification]. It’s possible that
Turkey will initiate another trick and will declare on April 22 that
the Protocols are in the stage of ratification. It is necessary
that Armenia declares that the process has failed due to Turkey’s
preconditions," said Manoyan.

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation, according to the director,
has already started collecting signatures in Armenia and all over
the world against the ratification of the Protocols.

Manoyan also said that his party cannot accept the Protocols without
preconditions, assured that ARF-D could persuade many members of
parliament to side with them in this issue.

He also considered it unlikely that Armenia’s parliament would ratify
the Protocols before Turkey.

HERITAGE VOWS TO PROTEST

12/heritage
04:27 pm | February 12, 2010

Politics

The Heritage Party is going to stage a protest action in front of
the National Assembly on the day the long-disputed Armenian-Turkish
Protocols are put on the NA agenda.

The party got indignant after President Serzh Sargsyan announced in
London two days ago that he is going to forward the Protocols to the
National Assembly for further ratification.

"The Armenian-Turkish Protocols are inadmissible as they conflict with
the interests of Armenia and Artsakh, carry hazardous preconditions
and hence must be rejected both by the National Assembly and by the
people," said the Heritage.

Only if Turkey seeks to establish diplomatic relations with Armenia
without preconditions and open the border, shall we speak of a
possibility of having friendly relations and mutual trust between
the two countries.

The acting authorities must realize that any decision against the
will of the Armenian people is doomed to failure.

Heritage announces that on the day the National Assembly starts
considering the Protocols, the Party will raise its protest against
and disapproval of the documents in front of the parliament building.

We urge Armenian citizens and political forces to join our rally
against those anti-Armenian documents. On that day, the Armenian people
and political parties representing their interests must prove their
unbreakable willpower to protect their dignity, rights and sovereignty.

3RD ROUND OF AEROFLOT OPEN CHESS TOURNAMENT FINISHED

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.02.2010 13:54 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Aeroflot Open chess tournament is underway in
Moscow. On February 11, the parties of the 3rd were played. Among
the Armenian chess players, the best result was shown by Kotanjyan,
who plays in A2 tournament and comes 12th with 2 points.

David Petrosyan comes 15th with 2 points in the same tournament group.

The results of Armenian chess players in A1 tournament: Arman Pashikyan
is the 16th (2 points), Grant Melkumyan – 31st (2 points), Gabriel
Sargsyan – 38th (1.5 points), Zaven Andreasyan – 58th (1 point). 80
players are involved in the tournament.

Results of Armenian chess players in the 3rd round:

Tournament A1

Arman Pashikyan – Sergei Grigoryants (Russia) 0,5: 0,5 Gabriel Sargsyan
– Anton Shomoev (Russia) 0,5: 0,5 Grant Melkoumyan – Evgeny Bareev
(Russia) 0,5: 0,5 Zaven Andreasyan – Jan Nepomniachti (Russia) 0:1

Tournament A2

David Petrosyan – Nguyen Anh Dung (Vietnam) 0,5:0,5 Tigran Kotanjyan –
Alex Kyslynsky 1:0.

The Aeroflot Open is an annual open chess tournament played in Moscow
and sponsored by the airline Aeroflot. It was established in 2002 and
quickly grew to be the strongest open tournament. The first edition
counted around 80 grandmasters, while in the second edition already 150
grandmasters participated. The tournament is played using the Swiss
system and the winner is invited to the Dortmund chess tournament
held later in the same year, a tradition begun in 2003. In recent
years there has also been a B and C-class tournament.