Author: Zaminian Bedik

RUSSIA MUST DEVELOP RELATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN AS FUTURE LEADER IN REGION: RUSSIAN MP

Trend
Feb 6 2009
Azerbaijan

Russia must develop relations with Azerbaijan as the future leader in
the South Caucasus, Russian member of parliament and Deputy Chairman
of the State Duma Political Research Committee Sergey Markov said.

"I respect Azerbaijan. I have always supported Russia’s increasing
cooperation with the country as our two nations have traditionally been
close. We must develop relations with Azerbaijan as the future leader
in the South Caucasus," Markov said in an interview with Trend News.

Russia must have deeper strategic relations with Azerbaijan, he
asserted. For this purpose, Russia must install a military base in
the country. Azerbaijan should join the Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO), Markov added. The more Azerbaijan and Armenia
join similar organizations, the closer they will be to resolving the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, he said.

"Russia will invite Turkey to actively partake in these organizations
in the near future. We hope Azerbaijan will use this opportunity as
Turkey’s traditional ally," Markov said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict should be resolved through peaceful
political means, he said.

Markov said time is on Azerbaijan’s side as the country’s economic
growth far exceeds Armenia’s.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.

RUBIK KOCHARIAN APPOINTED VICE-CHAIRMAN OF ARMENIAN STATE REVENUES COMMITTEE

Noyan Tapan

Feb 5, 2009

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 5, NOYAN TAPAN. Under RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsian’s decision Rubik Kocharian was appointed Vice-Chairman of
the RA State Revenues Committee. Noyan Tapan was informed about it
by the RA government Information and Public Relations Department.

ALIYEV’S CONGRATULATION ON ARMENIAN ARMY DAY WAS THE ONLY PROGRESS, MELIK SHAHNAZARYAN CONSIDERS
Karen Ghazaryan

"Radiolur"
30.01.2009 18:09

After the meeting of the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Davos
the Co-Chairs again released an optimistic statement, expressing hope
that the parties will be able to bridge the remaining differences
in the nearest future to secure a peace agreement that is far better
for all parties than the status quo. To what extent is this optimism
real? The political views on the question are not univocal.

Political scientist Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan told a press conference
today that nothing new has happened and nothing new is expected.

Responding to the opinion that the fact of non-suspension of Armenia’s
voting right at PACE was closely connected with the Karabakh issue,
Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan said he would have no concerns even in case
Armenia was deprived of the voting right and added: "I don’t think
the Artsakh issue has anything to do here. They simply want that
there is no war in Artsakh, since they feed from the energy carriers
in that region."

Political scientist Sergey Shakaryants keeps to the same
opinion. According to him, the mandate of resolving the conflict
belongs to the Minsk Group Co-chairs and no other structure can get
involved in the settlement of the issue.

For Europe the recurrent meeting of Presidents and the optimistic
assessments were just a step that does not result in serious processes,
Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan stated. He noted also that there has been no
shift in the positions of Armenia, Artsakh or Azerbaijan. The only
progress that the political scientist notes is connected with the
17th anniversary of the Armenian Army which coincided with the day
of the Presidents’ meeting.

"According to my information, Aliyev congratulated our President on
Army Day, perhaps wishing to have a similar Army." There is no other
progress, and there could not be any, Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan said.

Analyst Sergey Shakaryants does not anticipate any rapprochement in
2009, either. "With their statement following the recurrent meeting
of the Presidents the Co-Chairs expressed hope that the parties will
be able to bridge the remaining differences in the nearest future
to secure a peace agreement. However, Sergey Shakaryants considers
reality is too far from their statements."

Noting that as usual US Co-Chair Matthew Bryza was the most active,
Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan added: "Perhaps that person was born an
optimist. We already know that it is impossible to hear the truth from
Bryza. Everywhere he says the things people want to hear from him."

Sergey Shakaryants has the same impression. Recalling that Bryza once
declared that Karabakh’s participation was very important to them,
Shakaryants noted: "I think it’s a lie."

According to Levon Melik-Shahnazaryan, Bryza’s style of work has other
reasons. The political scientist considers that Bryza is not sure
he will stay in the Minsk Group. Therefore, he tries to wrap up his
activity so as to be remembered with good words. As for the optimism
of the Co-Chairs, the speaker says their approach is natural. "This is
a good job, and they would like to keep it." He added, however, that
the Karabakh issue will never be solved at the bargaining table. "Our
demands are controversial, there are no edges of rapprochement,"
Melik-Shahnazaryan concluded.

TURKISH, ARMENIAN PRESIDENTS HOLD LANDMARK MEETING

The News International
Jan 30 2009
Pakistan

YEREVAN: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Armenian
President Serzh Sarkisian have held their first bilateral talks as they
seek to end decades of enmity, the Armenian presidency said on Friday.

"President Sarkisian and Prime Minister Erdogan considered their first
meeting as positive and charged the foreign ministers of both countries
to put additional efforts into normalising relations," it said.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic ties and their border has been
closed for more than a decade.

IN FEB 2009 WB TO CONSIDER POSSIBILITY OF LENDING ARMENIA $86.5MLN

ArmInfo
2009-01-29 18:43:00

ArmInfo. In Feb 2009 the Board of Directors of the World Bank will
consider the possibility of lending Armenia $86.5mln, reports the
press service of the WB Office in Armenia.

The Board will examine a SME support program worth $50mln, a road
construction program worth $25mln, $8mln for social projects, $2mln
for crediting of agricultural companies, $1.5mln for geo-thermal
energy development.

During a government meeting today Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran
Sargsyan instructed concerned bodies to speed up ratification of the
credit programs for receiving the loans as soon as possible.

To remind, in 2009-2012 the WB is planning to lend Armenia
$525mln. Since 1992 the WB has lent Armenia a total of $1.076bln.

AZERBAIJANI DEFENSE MINISTRY CONFIRMS DEATHS OF ARMENIAN SOLDIERS ON CONTACT LINE

Trend News Agency
Jan 27 2009
Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry confirmed the death of three
Armenian soldiers on the line of contact. Several Armenian soldiers
were wounded.

The Armenian armed forces began to move toward the Javahirli village
in the Agdam region of Azerbaijan to capture the positions of the
Azerbaijani army and strengthen their positions on Jan. 26 at 07.00,
Defense Ministry spokesman Eldar Sabiroglu told Trend News.

The battle lasted for one hour. The enemy retreated with three losses
and several wounded, Sabiroglu said.

The body of one Armenian soldier is presently near the line of
contact. The Armenian military took the rest of the bodies and
wounded. No casualties were reported on the Azerbaijani side.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian armed
forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992, including
the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts. Azerbaijan
and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The co-chairs of
the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are currently
holding the peace negotiations.

VASILI ISTRATOV: "REPLY TO AZERBAIJAN DOES NOT MEAN THAT RUSSIA HAS NEVER REACHED ARM DEAL WITH ARMENIA"

APA
Jan 27 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova-APA. "Reply of Russian Foreign Ministry to
the note of Azerbaijan concerns only the list of arms Azerbaijan
submitted", said Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasili Istratov,
APA reports.

"It was said in the reply that Russia did not sell arms and military
equipments of this classification to Armenia in 2008. Quoting Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, the Ambassador said Russia was working
with a number of countries, including Azerbaijan and Armenian in
the military-technical field. "The reply concerned only the list,
but it does not mean that Russia has never reached arm deal with
Armenia. The main issue is that the document is false".

The diplomat said he had no information about the number and supplying
date of the arms Russia gave to Armenia.

GARNIK ISAGHULIAN APPOINTED RA PRESIDENT’S PLENIPOTENTIARY IN RA NA

Noyan Tapan

Jan 27, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 27, NOYAN TAPAN. On January 27, RA President
Serzh Sargsyan signed decrees on relieving Garnik Isaghulian of the
post of RA President’s Adviser and appointing him RA President’s
Plenipotentiary in RA National Assembly. Noyan Tapan was informed
about it by RA President’s Press Office.

LEADER OF OPPOSITIONAL ‘REPUBLIC’ PARTY ARAM SARGSYAN: IF PACE FAILS TO DEPRIVE ARMENIAN DELEGATION OF VOTING RIGHT, IT WILL SHOW ITS INCONSISTENCY

ArmInfo
2009-01-26 16:23:00

ArmInfo. If the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE) fails to deprive the Armenian delegation of the voting right,
it will thereby show its inconsistency, Leader of the oppositional
"Republic" Party Aram Z.Sargsyan told ArmInfo correspondent, Monday.

According to him, if one considers the situation from the viewpoint
of Armenia’s implementation of PACE basic principles on protection of
citizens’ basic rights and liberties, no progress is being observed
in Armenia in this respect, and the provisions of earlier adopted PACE
Resolutions 1609 and 1620 are not being implemented. On the contrary,
after Dec 17, 2008 decision of PACE Monitoring Committee to deprive the
Armenian delegation of the voting right violence was committed against
the political prisoners at penitentiaries. "I come out for sanctions,
there is yet no progress in human rights defense and implementation
of PACE Resolutions 1609 and 1620",- Aram Z.Sargsyan said.

At the same time, he said that the upcoming session of PACE either
won’t punish the Armenian delegation at all, or the punishment will
be very mild.

Aram Z.Sargsyan connects the session decision with the Jan 28 meeting
of Armenian and Azeri Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham Aliyev
in Davos and Armenia’s willingness to gain the Karabakh conflict
settlement. Over 10 years in office Robert Kocharyan used up all
the time limit and Serzh Sargsyan has simply no time; to maintain
the power and evade PACE sanctions, he will be compliant enough",-
the oppositionist said.

Panorama.am
15:46 24/01/2009

DIRTY SPEECH FROM SOUP OPERAS DESTROY OUR SCHOOLS

The scenes from soup operas flood the life of our school children and
they try to bring them into life, tells schoolboy Hrach’s sister to
Panorama.am. Several days ago Hrach and his friends beat their
classmate trying to keep as close to their favorite soup opera. Later
the mother of the beaten boy called to their house and asked them to
keep their boy far from those films and encourage him to do lessons.

The boy’s mother says that `he has nothing to do, and he always wants
to go outside. The only way to keep him home is those soup operas,
which are interesting enough. THEY ARE OUR REALITY.’

Hrach’s sister is concerned with the issue, how those dirty scenes and
speech can be the reality.

Our investigation showed that the breaks in schools are devoted to the
discussions of the films. `It does not matter, girls and boys gather
together and start the discussions,’ tells one of the teachers.

For example, Hayk, who studies at school, says that though he is not
going to marry soon, but `I have understood that I should not marry a
strip dancer. How can I marry that b.?’

Another schoolboy Vahan tells that he just has to watch the films as
his uncle has a role there. `In the reality they are not like that, I
don’t agree that they show the reality,’ he says.

Vahan tells that though his uncle plays in the soup opera, his parents
don’t allow him to watch the film, and they encourage him to do his
lessons. But Vahan has his own TV set in his room, and he can watch
it, anyway.

The director of `Sebastatsi’ educational center Ashot Bleyan says that
all the garbage of the reality they show adding some coloring.

The reality is that Hrach and his relatives keep watching those soup
operas. The only member to be concerned with them is Ann, Hrach’s
sister.

I am seriously concerned whether the reality is as dirtier as they
show; whether they can decide people’s fate, to live or not, whether
the sons of our deputies are so dangerous, ready to kill anybody at
any time. Who is responsible to answer Ann’s questions?

Source: Panorama.am