Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

AN UNWELCOME WELCOME
By Yehuda Lankri

Ha’aretz
March 18 2008
Israel

Maariv recently wrote about "disappointment in the Foreign Ministry"
concerning the new U.S. ambassador to Israel, James Cunningham,
whose appointment is described by Israeli "diplomatic sources" as
a weak and strange choice of "a diplomatic bureaucrat" who lacks
understanding of, and diplomatic background in, the Middle East.

Both in form and essence, the reservations of the sources in Jerusalem
are curious and even obnoxious. The statements do not further the
relationship between the U.S. and Israel, and they tarnish the
diplomatic protocol concerning the appointment of ambassadors.

It is doubtful whether any "official sources" would welcome an
intended Israeli ambassador by challenging his or her suitability or
professional ability. One might also suppose that there are countries
where a responsible newspaper would not squander away a substantial
part of its pages on lowly and rude gossip by foreign ministry
bureaucrats about a guest ambassador.

Besides Turkey, which some 10 years ago vetoed the appointment
of the leading historian Ehud Toledano on the grounds that he was
pro-Armenian, no country is known to have treated an intended Israeli
ambassador with such an embarrassing and slighting attitude. And all
this is happening to the intended ambassador of the friend and ally
to which Israel owes so much.

During my service in the United Nations, I knew Cunningham in his
capacity both as deputy ambassador and as the acting ambassador of
the U.S. delegation to the UN. He showed himself to be an excellent,
professional and decisive diplomat, very much exposed to the
complexities of the Middle East. The UN delegation heads, along with
the representatives of the permanent members of the Security Council,
treated him with respect.

The second intifada had placed Israel in some difficult situations
before the Security Council. Cunningham made considerable efforts
to follow his superiors’ instructions and bail out their friend,
Israel, either by using the U.S. veto or making sure Israel escaped
with minimal damage. In extreme situations, when in its fight against
terror Israel extracted an unusually high cost of Palestinian lives,
Cunningham might well have suggested during closed talks that Israel
restrain itself when exercising force. But he scarcely did so, and
he should not be viewed as holding strict views on Israel.

The Israeli reality often causes its American ally considerable
difficulties in the Security Council. They are therefore permitted to
occasionally signal to us that not all of Israel’s actions are worthy
of praise. In its efforts to shield Israel in the Security Council,
the U.S. has become the absolute record holder in using its veto
powers. All other permanent members use this privilege rarely. One
is safe to assume that the U.S. would have preferred to minimize this
record as much as it can.

Presumably, Cunningham’s defamers were offended by his matter-of-fact
and unemotional demeanor, which leaves little room for chumminess.

But he does not suffer from an exaggerated sense of self-importance,
he is not overly dramatic and he will not make the mistake of thinking
– or allowing his fellow countrymen to think – that his diplomatic
work is unprecedented and that he himself is the beginning and end
of the saga of U.S. ambassadors to Israel.

The writer is a former Israeli ambassador to France and the UN.

KARABAKH LIBERATION ORGANIZATION HOLDS PROTEST ACTION OUTSIDE EMBASSIES OF OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIR COUNTRIES IN BAKU

Azeri Press Agency
March 18 2008
Azerbaijan

Baku. Ramil Mammadli-APA. Karabakh Liberation Organization (KLA)
held a protest action outside the embassies of the OSCE Minsk Group
co-chair countries in Baku, which voted against the resolution on
the situation in the occupied Azerbaijani territories in UN General
Assembly. The Organization’s Press Service told APA that bunches of
yellow flowers bound with black ribbon and letters had been given to
the embassies of the US, Russia and France. The letter says that these
countries had voted against the resolution on the situation in the
occupied Azerbaijani territories adopted in the UN General Assembly
and this caused serious concern. The letter regards this step of the
co-chair countries as disrespect to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity
and support to Armenia’s aggressive intentions.

"The countries you represent have no right to continue co-chairmanship
of Minsk Group, as they demonstrated biased position.

We demand these countries to stop co-chairmanship in Minsk Group
and say that we will use various means of pressure for this," the
letter says.

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
March 17, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

ANCA WELCOMES U.S. VOTE AGAINST BIASED AZERBAIJANI U.N. RESOLUTION

— Three OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs Oppose Measure

WASHINGTON, DC – The United States, which serves along with the
Russian Federation and France as Co-chairs of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Minsk Group charged with
leading talks toward a Nagorno Karabagh settlement, voted last week
against the passage of a biased and destructive United Nations
General Assembly resolution offered by Azerbaijan, reported the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"We welcome the vote of the United States against Azerbaijan’s
biased and destructive attempt to undermine the OSCE peace
process," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Rather
than sincerely committing to the path of peace, Baku’s most recent
round of venue-shopping sadly is aimed at undercutting the ongoing
negotiations – as they have done through their escalating threats
of renewed war and their recent attacks on Nagorno Karabagh – and,
domestically, at distracting pre-presidential election public
attention away from the growing popular discontent with President
Aliyev’s increasingly corrupt and undemocratic government."

The non-binding U.N. resolution, introduced by Azerbaijan on
February 20th and taken up by the General Assembly on March 14th,
demanded the "immediate, complete and unconditional withdrawal of
all Armenian forces from all the occupied territories of the
Republic of Azerbaijan." Despite concerns expressed by the OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs that the resolution could undermine the
ongoing peace process, Azerbaijan persisted in pushing the measure
to a vote, which it won with 39 in favor, 7 against, and 100
abstentions. Those voting against the resolution were: Angola,
Armenia, France, India, Russian Federation, United States, and
Vanuatu.

Following passage of the resolution, Armenian Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian characterized the Azerbaijani effort as
hypocritical: "On the one hand, in an effort to misinform member
states, the resolution included a paragraph that supports the OSCE
Minsk Process, while on the other hand, Azerbaijan blatantly
ignored the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs position. The co-chair
countries had made clear they would not support the resolution and
in fact voted against the resolution," noted the Minister.

In response to press inquiries, the U.S. Embassy in Azerbaijan’s
Public Affairs officer, Jonathan Henick, noted that, "The most
efficient structure to resolve the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is the
OSCE Minsk Group."

The U.N. resolution comes in the wake of several months of
increasingly vocal threats of renewed war by Azerbaijani President
Ilham Aliyev, followed up by recent attacks by Azerbaijani forces
against defensive positions in the Mardakert Region of Nagorno
Karabagh. Congressional Armenian Caucus Cochairs Frank Pallone (D-
NJ) and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) joined last month with more than 50
of their House colleagues in condemning Baku’s war rhetoric, and,
following the Mardakert assaults, asserted that: "As the Co-Chairs
of the Armenian Caucus, we are deeply disturbed by the preventable
loss of life along the Line of Contact between Nagorno-Karabakh and
Azerbaijan that took place on March 4th… It is troubling that
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has acted on his history of
warmongering rhetoric."

To send a free ANCA WebFax to Members of Congress regarding
Armenian American concerns regarding Nagorno Karabagh, visit:
d=11070181&type=CO

To read the complete text of the Azerbaijani resolution, visit:
mbol=A/62/L.42&Lang=E

For U.N. press coverage of the resolution, visit:
693.doc.htm

#####

BAKU RELIES ON MUSLIM STATES AND TRIES TO IMPART KARABAKH ISSUE WITH RELIGIOUS CONTEXT

KarabakhOpen
17-03-2008 10:19:11

"Although the UN General Assembly passed the resolution on
Nagorno-Karabakh, and it is already said to be Azerbaijan’s victory,
the given document is but the diplomatic fiasco of Azerbaijan,"
said the political scientist Davit Babayan in an interview with
Karabakh-Open.com, commenting on the consequences of the passage of
the resolution for the Karabakh settlement.

"The matter is the process itself and details rather than the final
result. The process itself, as well as its details are vivid evidence
to it.

Before the voting a number of influential international organizations,
such as the OSCE Minsk Group, had stated that the resolution does
not reflect what the co-chairs and the conflict sides have been
working on so far, it is one-sided and highly selective of the basic
issues of settlement of the conflict. It selected only what interests
Azerbaijan. The resolution is one-sided and lacks balance and is not
timely. It was unexpected for everyone.

The vote also revealed the attitude of the international community
to this.

Only 39 countries voted for the resolution. The majority of these
states (80 percent) are Muslim. The United States, Russia, France,
Armenia, India, Angola and Vanuatu voted against. One hundred states,
including China, Great Britain, Germany, Brazil, abstained. The
other countries did not participate in the vote. It turns out that
of 192 members of the General Assembly only 20 percent voted for the
resolution. None of the permanent members of the Council of Security,
the chief UN organ, voted for the resolution. Of the 10 non-permanent
members of the Council of Security only two countries, Libya and
Indonesia voted for the resolution, which is 20 percent. Even of
the Turkish-speaking countries which count 7 only three voted for
the resolution, that is less than half. It is clear that thereby the
international community displayed its attitude towards this issue,"
said the political scientist.

"It is clear that thereby Azerbaijan simply undermines the hazy
chance to move toward progress in settling the Nagorno-Karabakh
issue. Azerbaijan is also making efforts to involve the UN in the
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which is not acceptable
for the sides of the conflict and the mediators which are, apart
from all, permanent members of the UN Council for Security. Moreover,
official Baku has started a dangerous game. It relies on the Muslim
countries and is thereby trying to impart the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict with a religious context. Of the 36 Muslim countries of the
world 33 or 91 percent voted for the resolution. Such a development
contradicts is not in the interests of the main geopolitical actors,"
said Davit Babayan.

In this light, the political scientist thinks that the passage of
this resolution is in the interests of Nagorno-Karabakh. "Firstly,
the resolution is recommendations and is not binding. Secondly,
the actions of Azerbaijan "recommend" the international community,
especially the main geopolitical actors, to draw conclusions regarding
this state and the level of its predictability and reliability,"
the political scientist emphasized.

YASAR DEMIRBULAG: TURKISH-AZERI JOINT OPERATION IN KARABAKH IMPOSSIBLE

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.03.2008 13:47 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish-Azerbaijani joint operation in Nagorno
Karabakh is impossible, said retired Lieutenant General Yasar
Demirbulag, former chief of Air Forces intelligence office.

He said he heard such purposes at times, when he served as a military
adviser in Azerbaijan. "Then they asked for Turkish helicopters
to evacuate the peaceful population from Kelbajar. I said it was
impossible.

War is not a baby game. Azerbaijan should strengthen its anti-aircraft
defense in current situation. This issue needs a serious approach if
Nagorno Karabakh anti-aircraft system is a part of the CIS Collective
Anti-Aircraft System," he said.

"Expectations from OSCE and UN are credulity. I have never seen any
examples in history. If Azerbaijan wants to own Karabakh, it should
use armed forces. It is necessary to build strong army. The ground
attacks are not enough and air forces should be used with maximum
effect. The regular army must be strengthened," Demirbulag said,
the Azeri Press Agency reports.

Easter already! Blame it on the bishops

Independent.co.uk Web
By David Randall
Sunday, 16 March 2008

Annoyed that Easter is so early this year? Family life complicated by
school and religious holidays being separated? Today, we name and shame
the men responsible. Step forward Aristakes of Armenia, Protogenes of
Sardica, Spyridion of Trimythous, and Eusebius of Caesarea. It was
they, and several hundred other bishops, who decided at a meeting 1,683
years ago how we should lead our leisure lives today.

The Council of Nicea in AD325, to which all the leading clerics of the
Christian world were invited, had been called by the Roman Emperor
Constantine, and it had three main results: 1) the Nicene Creed (the
first unified Christian doctrine); 2) providing an early and
convincing-sounding Christian event for Dan Brown to misrepresent in
The Da Vinci Code; and 3) determining when Easter falls.

Before Nicea, this was tied to the Jewish feast of Passover. After it,
the day was set as the first Sunday after the full moon following the
vernal (spring) equinox. This latter event, something of a movable
feast in those days, is now fixed on 21 March. Thus, the earliest that
Easter Sunday can be is 22 March, the latest, 25 April. This year’s
date of 23 March is the earliest since 1913, and none of us will see
its like again, the next such occurence being in 2160.

Of course, things could be simpler, as the Easter Act, passed by
Parliament as long ago as 1928, tried to ensure. This said that Easter
should fall on the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April.
However, since this also required the agreement of the churches, it has
never come into force. Time, maybe, for another Council of Nicea.

Press Release
EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
for Justice and Democracy
Avenue de la Renaissance 10
B-1000 Bruxelles
Tel/ Fax: +32 2 732 70 27/26
Website :Eafjd

March 14, 2008

THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT INDICATES CRISIS AGENDA FOR ARMENIA

The MEPs adopted a critical but concurrent urgent resolution
concerning the crisis in Armenia

Strasburg – France – The European Parliament adopted an urgent
resolution yesterday on the situation which prevails in Armenia since
the State of emergency was instituted after the presidential
elections of February 19th, 2008.

By this resolution, the European Parliament `expresses its concern at
recent developments that have taken place in Armenia, with the
violent police crackdown on opposition demonstrations’. The
Parliament `calls for a prompt, thorough, transparent, independent
and impartial investigation of the events’ and `calls on the Council
and the Commission to offer EU assistance to the Armenian authorities
for such an investigation’.

The Commissioner Louis Michel intervened on behalf of the European
Commission and answered Parliament’s requests by giving Armenia EU
assistance in the field of police and judiciary cooperation.
Referring to the European Neighbourhood Policy, the Commissioner
qualified the balance of Armenia as being `more and more positive’.
He also added that a third of the European cooperation budget granted
to Armenia is dedicated to reform its judicial system.

In an obvious show of appeasement, the resolution also calls on the
Armenian authorities to `lift the State of emergency, mitigated by a
presidential decree on 10 March 2008′ and `take all measures
necessary to ensure the return to normality’. The European Parliament
also supports the EU special representatives and OSCE in their
efforts to `facilitate dialogue between the political forces and to
investigate the possibilities to resolve the political crisis in
Armenia’.

An amendment which was tabled by the EPP group (European Popular
Party- Christian Democrats) and adopted in plenary session by the
whole of the MEPs mentioned the difficult situation in the South
Caucasus because of the blockade imposed by Turkey, which `threatens
Armenia’s economy and the regional stability’. Moreover, referring to
the recent attacks led by Azerbaijan thanks to the internal disrupted
situation in Armenia, the resolution regrets the loss of life during
the attacks and `calls on all sides to return to the negotiation
table’.

`We welcome the European Parliament’s fair and balanced reaction
regarding the regrettable developments which occurred in Armenia.
This resolution proves that Europe has the sincere will to help
Armenia to overcome its current difficulties, and we think that, by
its repercussions in Armenia, it will be useful to reach the
objective’, declared Hilda Tchoboian, the chairperson of the European
Armenian Federation.

`After 70 years of totalitarian regime, Armenia has been developing a
system of democracy for only 17 years. We are convinced that these
deplorable events must be seen in this context: a normal growth
crisis of this young Republic’s evolution towards a State of Law. The
authorities and the opposition have to draw the right conclusions
from this crisis in order to work for a progressive and reinforced
democratisation’, concluded Hilda Tchoboian.

SECURITY FORCES ARREST RUNAWAY PARLIAMENT MEMBER

ARMENPRESS
March 13, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, ARMENPRESS: Armenian National Security Service
(NSS) arrested a parliament member Sasoon Mikaelian, who was wanted
by law-enforcement agencies for ‘organization of mass unrest combined
with killings and calls for the overthrow of the constitutional order."

The NSS said the fugitive lawmaker was arrested on March 12.

Sasoon Mikaelian was lifted of his immunity by fellow lawmakers
last week allowing prosecutors to formally accuse him of plotting
coup d’etat.

The NSS said Sassoon Mikaelian said he wanted his lawyer to be present
at his interrogation.

AMENDMENTS MADE IN RA PRESIDENT’S MARCH 1 DECREE ON DECLARING STATE OF EMERGENCY

Noyan Tapan
March 13, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 13, NOYAN TAPAN. By the March 13 decree of the RA
President, since March 14 Subpoint 5 of Point 4 of the March 1,
2008 decree of the RA President on "Declaring a state of emergency"
is recognized as repealed. The above-mentioned subpoint defined
"prohibition of implementation of political agitation through
leaflets or in other ways without the permission of corresponding
state bodies." And Subpoint 4 of the same point is formed in the
following wording:

"4. Making public or spreading obviously false information on state
and home political issues or information distabilizing the situation
or calls for participation in events, which are not announced properly
(are illegal), as well as similar information or calls."

It should be mentioned that Subpoint 4 of Point 4 of the decree
defined before that "the proclaimings concerning state and home
political issues can be implemented exclusively within the limits of
official information."

It should also be mentioned that Subpoints 6 and 7 of Point 4 of the
March 1 decree on "State of Emergency" were recognized as repealed
by the March 10 decree of the RA President. The above-mentioned
subpoints defined:

6) A temporary stopping of the activities of non-governmental
organizations and parties hindering the elimination of the
circumstances considered as basis for declaring a state of emergency,

7) Banishment of people not living in the territory, which has broken
the legal regime of the state of emergency, at their own expenses and
in case of not having means, at the expense of the state budget of
the Republic of Armenia on condition of indemnity of the made expenses.

The following subpoints of Point 4 of the March 1 decree of "State
of Emergency" are still in force:

1) prohibition of implementation of meetings, rallies, demonstrations,
marches and other mass measures,

2) prohibition of strikes and other measures stopping or checking
the activities of organizations,

3) in case of necessity, implementation of examination and restriction
of move of transport means and people by law enforcement bodies.

ARE KARABAKH SKIRMISHES MEANT TO DRAW ATTENTION FROM YEREVAN?
By Fariz Ismailzade

Eurasia Daily Monitor
le_id=2372874
March 3 2008
DC

Azerbaijanis increasingly see the recent wave of cease-fire violations
in Karabakh as an attempt by Yerevan to divert attention from
the domestic turmoil that has erupted since Armenia’s February 19
presidential election. Reportedly, four soldiers from the Azerbaijani
side and eight from the Armenian side have died as a result of the
worst cease-fire violations in a decade. Although both sides have
pledged to observe an agreement on the cease-fire, shootings continue
to occur, and reports from March 10 indicate that one more soldier
from each side has died.

Both the U.S. State Department and the current chairman of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Finnish
Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, have expressed deep concerns about
this unusual outbreak of cease-fire violations. The Armenian and
Azerbaijani sides blame each other for starting the fight. Armenian
Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanian told a press conference that "We
condemn the acts of the Azerbaijani army, which wanted to utilize
the right moment, capture some territories" (Armeninfo, March 4.)
Azerbaijani officials have reacted in a similar manner. "The leadership
of Armenia is utilizing provocations in order to distract attention
from its domestic problems," said Ali Hasanov, the chief of the
political department in the President’s Office.

Anar Mammadkhanov and Asim Mollazadeh, members of Azerbaijan’s
parliament, as well as political scientists Rasim Musabeyov, Alimammad
Nuriyev, Akif Nagi, and Mubariz Ahmadoglu all put the blame on Armenian
President Robert Kocharian and Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian, who
won the disputed vote. "Kocharian and Sarkisian, who have butchered
their own people in the streets of Yerevan, badly needed a provocation
on the front line," said Mammadkhanov (Day.az, March 4.)

While Azerbaijanis are convinced that the cease-fire violation was
linked to the bloodshed, political chaos, and turmoil in post-election
Armenia, many now wonder what the implications will be.

In a March 6 interview with ANS Radio, Eldar Sabiroglu,
the press secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Azerbaijan,
rhetorically asked, "What were the soldiers from Armenia doing in
Nagorno-Karabakh?" Political scientist Vugar Seidov, in an op-ed for
Day.az on March 6, continued the similar theme, stating, "The fact
that Kocharian created a provocation in the front line in order to
divert attention from domestic affairs proves that Armenia is directly
involved in the conflict."

The situation presents a very dangerous precedent. Although cease-fire
violations are a regular occurrence along the front line in Karabakh,
most of the incidents in the past were minor and not linked to
political events in a particular country. This latest case, however,
shows that the stability in the Caucasus is very fragile and how the
domestic developments and needs of a particular country can shake
the seemingly solid balance of power in the front line.

Azerbaijanis blame the international community for once again applying
double standards toward both the incident and the overall election
situation in Armenia. The soft criticism from the OSCE, Council of
Europe, and U.S. Department of State to the brutal crackdown against
the peaceful protestors in Yerevan – the official death toll is eight
persons – has shocked Baku. A well-known diplomat, who preferred to
speak to Jamestown on the condition of anonymity says, "Just imagine
the reaction if something like that happens in Azerbaijan. What
would happen if our police brought out tanks, shot eight people, and
introduced emergency rule, including open official censorship?! The
West’s sudden warm attitude toward pro-Russian former warlord Sarkisian
is surprising. Many in Azerbaijan have already made up their minds
that the only reason why Armenia’s authorities are being treated
so mildly is the Armenians’ ethnicity and religion. This strongly
undermines any credibility of the OSCE and Western observers in case
of future criticisms of Azerbaijan. Moreover, this plays directly
into Moscow’s hands, where talk about the West’s insincerity is at
the top of Kremlin’s talking points. Ironically, Azerbaijan did not
support Moscow’s effort, by the way endorsed by Yerevan, to end OSCE
election and democracy monitoring in the region."

There are also analysts who believe that the cease-fire violation
was caused by broader geopolitical games unfolding in the Caucasus.

Independent political analysts Ilgar Mammadov told Day.az on March
6 that the "cease-fire violation has allowed Moscow to scare off
the potential consumers of the Azeri and Turkmen gas." Previously
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev traveled to Hungary and expressed
Azerbaijan’s interest in joining the Nabucco gas pipeline project,
which is designed to deliver Caspian gas to European markets. Gudrat
Hassanguliyev, a member of the Azerbaijani parliament, went even
further in his thinking regarding the cease-fire violation, by
informing journalists that "it was an attempt by Moscow to show to
the participants of the NATO Rose-Roth seminar in Baku who is in
charge of security issues in the region."

Observers may never know if Russia was directly involved into
this cease-fire violation or not. But the double-standards from
the West and the clear provocation from Yerevan are increasingly
pushing Azerbaijanis more and more toward a military solution to the
long-running conflict.