Author: Yeghisabet Arthur

Public TV, Armenia
Oct 17 2007

NKR endorses economic growth plan

[Presenter] The Nagornyy Karabakh national assembly [parliament]
unanimously approved today [17 October] the new cabinet’s programme.
Prime minister Ara Harutyunyan underscored that it is necessary to
continue the socio-economic policies by applying more effective
methods. Harutyunyan said that while the hardships of transitional
economy have been overcome in general, social conditions and low
incomes pose a serious threat to stable development of the country
and establishment of a civil society.

[Karabakh prime minister Ara Harutyunyan, addressing parliament
session] This programme will result in the following main indicators
in 2008-12: a real GDP growth of 14-15 per cent annually; annual
increase of investments by more than 30 per cent. A 14-15 per cent
annual growth will enable [Karabakh] to get into the group of
countries with mid-level income in 2012.

Foreign Minister Oskanian’s meetings in United Arab Emirates

armradio.am
19.10.2007 17:10

On October 19, in the United Arab Emirates on the occasion of the Taste
of Armenia Cultural Week, Minister Oskanian met with Crown Prince
Sheikh Saud Bin Saqr Al Qasimi, of Ras Al Khaimah Emirate and signed
the Join Declaration on Cooperation between the Emirate of Ras Al
Khaimah and Armenia, citing specifically the need to advance the
cooperation in energy, mining industry, transport and
telecommunications, as well as in the tourism spheres.

The Minister and the Crown Prince discussed cooperation in economic
spheres and discussed some regional issues. The Minister also met with
Dr. Khater Massad, principal advisor to the Crown Prince, and head of
RAKEEN Development and Al Hamra Real Estate, principal sponsor of the
Armenia Week.

The previous day, in Abu Dhabi, Minister Oskanian was received by Dr
Anwar Gargash, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs
of the UAE. They held an extensive discussion on regional matters of
economic and political interest, as well as the sectors of possible
cooperation between the United Arab Emirates and Armenia.

Eu rasia Insight:
AZERBAIJAN MAY BE INVOLVED IN TURKISH OPERATIONS IN IRAQ – PAPER
10/18/07
A EurasiaNet Partner Post from BBC Monitoring

Excerpt from report by Elgun Araz in Azerbaijani newspaper Gun Sahar
on 17 October headlined "Baku’s support for Turkey in the fight
against the PKK"

The Turkish government has asked the parliament to sanction its
military operations against the PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party]
terrorist organization in northern Iraq.

[Passage omitted: the Turkish parliament will presumably support the appeal]

Meanwhile, reports are being circulated that Azerbaijan will also
support Turkey’s antiterrorist operation. According to reports we have
received from an informed source in Turkey, Baku and Ankara are now
considering the participation in military operations of a special
mountain-infantry regiment located in Naxcivan.

We should recall that this military regiment has high combat readiness
and is able to carry out military operations in very difficult
circumstances.

The source did not clarify which side had come up with this
initiative. However, it added that this would be an important
incentive for the two fraternal countries’ current and future
relations. The source added that Azerbaijani servicemen are already
participating in military operations in areas where it is difficult to
conduct them – like Kosovo and Afghanistan. Support for Turkey, a
close ally of Azerbaijan, should not come as a surprise.

We think that this kind of support for Turkey from Baku may have a
positive influence on the further rapprochement between the two
fraternal countries and on opportunities to get military support from
Turkey, especially in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict.

Source: Gun, Baku, in Azeri 17 Oct 07 p 2

U. S. Department of State
Daily Briefing
10/17/2007

QUESTION: Can I have a reaction to the vote in Turkish parliament?
MR. CASEY: Well, I think the President addressed that, in
part. Understand that this vote has taken place. I would note that
many Turkish officials, including senior leadership, have indicated
that this vote does not mean that action will be taken. We certainly
continue to urge Turkish authorities to exercise restraint in terms of
their response to what is a common problem of PKK terrorism in
Northern Iraq. We do not want to see any unilateral military steps
taken, because we don’t believe that that will solve the problem. In
fact, we believe it will make it harder to ultimately deal with the
threats and challenges posed.
We’ll certainly continue to talk with the Turkish Government and with
Turkish officials, as we move forward in the days ahead. I would note,
as well as the President did, that Iraqi Vice President Al-Hashimi has
been and I believe continues to be in Turkey to have discussions with
Turkish officials on this issue. That’s important because again the
real way to resolve this is through dialogue between the Turks and the
Iraqis and in development of a collective and common approach to this
problem. And it is a problem not only for the Turks, but it is a
problem, an acknowledged problem by the Iraqis and certainly it’s a
concern for us, too, because we do consider the PKK a terrorist
organization.
QUESTION: Can you give an update on specific diplomatic activities,
specific calls? Has the Secretary made any calls?
MR. CASEY: Well, there are a few things that are out there. The
Secretary, as you know, is on travel and she’s not made any additional
calls to Turkish officials on this issue. I do know that our
Ambassador Ross Wilson has been actively engaged with authorities
there in Ankara. Nick Burns remains in contact with the Turkish
Ambassador as well as other officials. And certainly I know Ambassador
Fried — Dan Fried, our Assistant Secretary for European Affairs — is
also continuing his engagement.
Although, same officials as well have been working on a related issue,
which is to talk to staff members and members of Congress about our
concerns and our continued opposition to the resolution that recently
passed the committee in the House. We want to make clear to members of
Congress that this resolution is one that is not going to serve the
purposes of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation. It’s not going to serve
U.S. national interests and, in fact, stands a good risk of harming
our bilateral relations with a country that is a friend and ally and
is vital to our military’s efforts in Iraq and elsewhere.
I’m pleased to note and we’re pleased to note over the last 24 hours
that there have been a number of members of Congress who have now come
out and publicly stated that they’ve changed their view and will no
longer be supporting this resolution. Certainly, we would hope that
trend would continue. And again, we’re committed to doing what we can
to work with members of Congress to see that this resolution’s
ultimately defeated.

U.S. TERMS TURKEY AS IMPORTANT FRIEND, ALLY

People’s Daily Online, China
Source:Xinhua
Oct 16 2007

The United States said Monday that Turkey has been its good friend
and ally and hopes to continue to work with Turkey despite the
present problems.

"Turkey and the United States have been good friends and NATO allies
for a long time," State Department deputy spokesman Tom Casey said
at a briefing.

Despite the problems that have occurred, "we believe it’s important
and believe we will continue to be able to work together as friends
and allies," Casey said.

The United States has urged Turkey to show restraint and not engage
in cross-border military action against the separatist Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK). However, The Turkish government has sought its
parliament’s authorization to do so.

Moreover, Turkey has been furious over a resolution by the House
Foreign Affairs Committee branding the killings of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks between 1915 and 1917 a "genocide."

Turkey has condemned the "genocide" bill and recalled its ambassador
to Washington back to Turkey for consultation over the matter, a sign
of exasperated US-Turkey tension over the issue.

QUALITY – FIRST OF ALL
Norayr Hovsepian

Azat Artsakh Tert
Oct 16 2007
Nagorno Karabakh Republic

On October 12th, an unexpected visit of the NKR President B.Sahakian
took aback the workers of some building sites of the capital and the
organizations carrying out construction. The purpose of the visit was
one – to familiarize with a course and problems of construction on a
place, quality of carried out works. The members of the Government led
by the Prime Minister A.Haroutyunian, representatives of mass-media
were accompanying the President. After the discussions, the Minister
of Urban Palnning A.Mamounts had a brief talk with journalists. He
assured, that in accordance with the remarks of the president,
urgent steps would be taken in direction of doing away with observed
shortcomings. By his assurance, there were corresponding structures
supervising the quality of constructions.

The assignment of the President would simply become additional
stimulus, that works carried out in this direction became more severe.

A.R.F. Youth Organization of Canada
A.R.F "Armen Karo" Student Association
ARMENIAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF CANADA
3401 Rue Olivar-Asselin Montréal, Québec H4J 1L5
Tél: 514-331-6548 =95 Fax: 514-334-6853 =95 Email:
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Maria Keusseyan 514 -816-9652
Talar Mirzayan 514-887-2490

October 14 octobre, 2007

Armenian Youth participate in Global Conference on Prevention of Genocide

Montreal, QC, Canada – Representatives of the A.R.F. Youth Organization of
Canada, Armen Karo Student Association and Armenian National Committee of
Canada took part in the Global Conference on the Prevention of Genocide
organized by the McGill Faculty of Law and Centre for Human Rights and Legal
Pluralism on October 11-13 in Montreal.

The conference analyzed various genocides to sensitize participants to early
warning signs so that the public may alert the international community to
take preventive action, as is the case today in Ethiopia.

Chair of the organizing committee, Payam Akhavan S.J.D., opened the
Conference Thursday night stating that "the 20th century has been described
as the Century of Genocide. It opened in 1915 with the mass-killing of
almost 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire".

Two Armenian representatives were selected from about 300 applicants to
participate in the Young Leaders Forum that took place in the days leading
up to the Conference.

The representatives of the Armenian Youth Organization and the National
Committee of Canada reached a common understanding with the organizers of
the conference. A petition was prepared in support of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution currently before the United States Congress. It included such
signatories as Professor Frank Chalk, Payam Akhavan, Dr.Yehuda Bauer, the
Honourable Irwin Cotler, Senator Roméo Dallaire, Professor Gregory Stanton,
and Penny Echenberg, who founded the conference.

"Yes, our participation added to the greater community’s arsenal but today
the Armenian Youth walk away from the Conference ever more aware of the
urgency with which we have to respond and be present to remind the
international community of our history and our resolve to seek justice" said
Nanor Nicolian, president of the A.R.F. Youth Organization.

At the end of this Conference, the Young Leaders declared that they would
"promote recognition and empathy, justice and accountability." The Youth
Organization and Student Association of Canada will stand firm to remind
them as well as other participants of their commitment to solidarity.

TURKEY COULD PARALYZE CRITICAL SUPPLY LINES TO IRAQ

World Tribune
Oct 15 2007

WASHINGTON – The Bush administration is concerned that Turkey could
block vital U.S. supply routes to Iraq.

Seventy percent of the fuel and air shipments to the U.S. military
in Iraq are currently routed through Turkey.

Officials said the Defense Department and U.S. military believe
Ankara could retaliate to a U.S. House resolution that blamed Turkey
for the killing of 1.5 million Armenians in World War I. They said
Ankara could block weapons and supplies to the U.S. military in Iraq.

"I think we all recognize there were mass murders 95 years ago, 1915,"
Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. "The problem that we have is
that this is clearly a very sensitive subject for one of our closest
allies, and an ally that is incredibly important to the United States
in terms of our operations in Iraq."

Gates said 70 percent of the U.S. air cargo to Iraq flies through
Turkey. He said 70 percent of the fuel requirements of the
U.S. military in Iraq also moves through neighboring Turkey.

Officials said Turkey also serves as the route for new U.S. armored
vehicles to Iraq. They cited the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected,
or MRAP, vehicles, designed to withstand improvised explosive devices.

"For those who are concerned that we get as many of these Mine
Resistant Ambush Protected heavy vehicles into Iraq as possible,
95 percent of those vehicles today are being flown into Iraq through
Turkey," Gates said on Oct. 12.

Another concern was that Turkey would limit the U.S. use of the
Incirlik air force base near Iraq. The United States has sought to
expand its use of Incirlik, now reserved for training and logistics
missions.

KURDS: ARMENIANS WIN, WE PAY THE PRICE
By Falah Mustafa Bakir

Washington Post
/needtoknow/2007/10/kurds_armenians_win_we_pay_the .html
Oct 15 2007

Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan is asking his country’s parliament this
week to unanimously approve a "mobilization" against the Kurdistan
Worker’s Party (PKK), an action that he and other Turkish leaders
have signaled could include a Turkish military attack on the Kurdistan
Region of Iraq. Such an attack would represent the gravest challenge
to Iraq since our liberation from Saddam Hussein in 2003 and would
jeopardize, perhaps fatally, the success of the American mission
in Iraq.

The Kurdistan Region is Iraq’s safest and most secure. But we may
soon pay a heavy price for the actions of the PKK in Turkey, and for
a House Foreign Affairs Committee vote about Armenia in the U.S. –
neither of which have anything to do with the Kurds of Iraq or the
Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG.)

The KRG seeks no conflict with Turkey. Quite the opposite: the KRG
considers friendly relations with Turkey its top priority. We consider
the Turkish people as close friends and neighbors with whom we have
much in common. Turkish trade and investment has been instrumental to
our region’s economic growth. We are interested in pursuing stronger
ties through direct dialogue with Ankara on any and all issues of
common interest. Any problems or disagreements should be solved
through diplomacy and dialogue, not threats of military force.

We condemn the killing of innocent people and we do not believe that
violence ever solves problems. The KRG has supported U.S. mediation
efforts with Iraq and Turkey about the PKK, and has encouraged efforts
toward a comprehensive political solution to the problem of the PKK,
which cannot be solved solely through military means.

The KRG does not and will not support the de-stabilization of Turkey
or any of our neighbors. We respect and practice the principle of
noninterference in the affairs of others, and expect the same in
return. In that context, the Iranian intimidation and shelling of
villages and towns along our eastern border must also stop. As with
Turkey, we seek no confrontation with Iran. Since 1991, we have
proven to Turkey, Iran and all of Iraq’s neighbors that the Kurds
are a stabilizing factor in Iraq and the Middle East.

The stakes could not be higher for Iraq, and for the peace and
prosperity of the Kurdistan Region, which has proven itself the
model and gateway for a new Iraq. The Kurds are America’s most
loyal and trusted allies in pursuit of an independent, democratic and
federal Iraq. The current crisis on our borders comes at an especially
inopportune and sensitive time with regard to on-going efforts in Iraq
toward national reconciliation. This is very much a work in progress,
but there is progress.

There is an emerging consensus among Iraqi politicians about
federalism, which is Iraq’s constitutionally mandated form of
government. KRG President Masoud Barzani has called for a conference
in Erbil among Iraq’s political leaders to discuss how to implement
a federal system of governance in our country. The diversity of Iraqi
society is a source of strength, not division. Federalism has worked
around the world – in the United States, the United Arab Emirates,
and in many other countries. It should be seen as the solution,
rather than the problem, for the deep governance challenges in Iraq.

Federalism is not "partition," as some have misrepresented it. We
appreciate those in the U.S. Senate who understand and have recognized
the reality of a federal Iraq through an amendment to the U.S. Defense
Authorization bill.

Some neighboring countries see the shadow of independence falling
across all that we do in the Kurdistan Region. When the Iraqi
constitution was drafted four years ago, the Kurdistan Region’s
leadership made a firm decision to remain part of Iraq. Despite the
national tragedy that has befallen much of the rest of Iraq, we remain
committed to that course of action today. We believe today that our
future is best secured by becoming an active participant in a federal,
democratic and secular Iraq.

Falah Mustafa Bakir is the Head of the Department of Foreign Relations,
with Ministerial rank, in the Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq.

Karabakh Open
Oct 11 2007

Grisha Hairapetyan was charged with major financial misappropriation

We have already reported the arrest of the former representative of
the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Central Committee, ex-CEO of the bread factory
and mill of Stepanakert a few days ago.
The press service of the NKR Office of Prosecutor General informed
that Grisha Hairapetyan was charged with financial misappropriation.
A few months ago another ex-director of the bread factory of
Stepanakert Ararat Hairiyan had been arrested who is still behind the
bars.
We have learned from the press service that the investigation is
underway, and charges may be brought against more people.