Author: Zaminian Bedik

MONITORING CONDUCTED IN ARMENIA AND TURKEY SIMULTANEOUSLY
ARMEN TSATOURYAN

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
19 Dec 2008
Armenia

The decision on suspending the Armenian delegation’s right to vote,
adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on
December 17, is the beginning of the process of subordinating the
democracy issues to the European Union and the entire West.

At first sight associated with course of the implementation of PACE
Resolutions # 1609 and 1620 on the March 1 developments in Armenia,
the "yellow card" shown to our country is not going to turn into a
"red" one in the PACE winter session to be held on January 26.

Moreover, we believe that the authors of this warning do not simply
pursue a goal of controlling the course of the implementation of the
two PACE resolutions.

The "yellow card" shown to our country certainly has different
political motives. And from the point of view of such motives, it is
becoming clear why the European officials so suddenly remembered about
the investigation of the March 1 developments, an issue they kept in a
"half-frozen" state for several months continuously.

If we view the issue against the background of the developments in our
country, we will immediately see where the heart of the matter lies.

Moreover, the serious developments expected in the Karabakh peace
process have become a matter of20concern not only for the Armenian but
also for the Azerbaijani authorities, which are facing more serious
problems in comparison with us.

The "yellow card" shown to the Armenian authorities on December 17
is one of the loops of the long chain of steps aimed at integrating
our country to the Euro-Atlantic area. Following the Russian-Georgian
war and the subsequent developments, the EU member states and the US
have made the issue of unknotting the century-old Armenian-Turkish
entangled string their primary task in the South Caucasus.

And the current plans of conducting monitoring in Armenia and Turkey
simultaneously lie behind such calculations. Along with raffling the
"perestroyka" that started in Turkey by a shake of the "magic stick",
the principal issues which will enable Armenia to quickly integrate to
the Euro-Atlantic area through the formation of a new balance between
the authorities and the opposition are being speedily brought out
from the archives of our country.

The pro-opposition camp and its leader who formed a united block in
Armenia prior to the 2008 presidential elections are the only real
political force whose political revival can create a favorable internal
balance to the authorities and the political forces supporting it,
so as to adopt a more moderate and neutral stance on the regulation
of the Armenian-Turkish relations.

Therefore, it is not accidental that along with the unprecedentedly
acute campaign starring in Turkey, its neighboring state Armenia is
also being subjected to a monitoring regime.

The coordinated nature of the international and internal political
responses accompanying the process of collecting signatures below
the petition "Armenians Forgive Us" testifies to the pro-Armenian
orientation of the "perestroyka". The representatives of the
pro-Western Turkish intelligentsia, the political circles of a number
of European countries, the western press and even the moderately
Islamic authorities are making haste for taking their part in
the Turkish "perestroyka". However, the process cannot be full
if Armenia, the country on the other side of the border, does not
start the "re-evaluation of values" with the purpose of undermining
the authorities by way of threatening with sanctions and making the
pro-opposition camp (which adheres to Western values) active.

That first of all concerns the force structures and the judicial system
which laid obstacles on the path of achieving a shift of Government
through the planned operations of March 1.

Prior to the PACE winter session scheduled for January 26, Armenia is
becoming faced with the compulsion of concealing the results of the
inquests and the proceedings and ignoring the crimes committed. As
a result, the state government system and first of the judiciary may
lose their value in the eyes of the people.

Moreover, this may also lead the above-mentioned systems to lose
their trust in the higher bodies of government, because during
the past months they were doing a job whose products are now being
"thrown into water".

Strengthening the positions of this pro-opposition force (whose leader
immediately sends the crowd home after making his "prophecy"), it is
possible to create relevant conditions and atmosphere for doing the
same with regard to the Armenian-Turkish relations.

Thus, the task of strengthening its "fifth column" in Armenia required
that the country be involved in developments similar to the "March 1",
supporting the opposition not only in organizing but also concealing
such acts. Hereafter, it will be quite easy to involve the country in
a new "March 1" and adopt Resolutions # 1609 and 1620 and this will
continue till the moment when the country "democratized" through such
methods becomes fully "receptive".

Ottawa Citizen, Canada
December 20, 2008 Saturday
Final Edition

Aronian binds up Ivanchuk

by Deen Hergott, Citizen Special

There are two major events running this week — the Pearl Spring
double round-robin in Nanjing, China, and the FIDE Grand Prix event in
Elista, Kalmykia. The Elista event has been somewhat marred by the
withdrawal of several top players as a result of FIDE’s change in
regulations for the Grand Prix, but it remains a very strong field
nonetheless.

Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan is the early leader in
Elista with 2.5/3. In Nanjing, the competitors enter the second half
of their event with a three-way tie for first: GMs Bu Xiangzhi of
China, Levon Aronian of Armenia, and Veselin Topalov of Bulgaria have
3 out of 5 points each.

Aronian-Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine): Maroczy Bind

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Nc2!?

Allowing an early …Nxd4 tends to provide Black with an easier
time. Black is slightly cramped and as such tends to benefit from some
exchanges.

7…Bg7 8.Be2 Nd7 9.Bd2 a5 10.0-0 Nc5 11.Qc1!

Multi-purpose. Clears the d1-square for a rook, prepares B/d2-h6, and
guards the sensitive b2-square along the long diagonal. Ivanchuk’s
reaction is a bit extreme, and probably not that good, as it leaves
Black’s K-side permanently compromised.

11…h5?! 12.Rd1 Bd7 13.Ne1!?

A bit mysterious, but White is likely just making room for his Q-side
to untangle. With the g5-square weakened, White’s knight may have a
future heading that way.

13…Nd4 14.Bf1 0-0 15.Bg5 Bc6 16.Nd5 Re8 17.f3

Simple and strong, bolstering the centre. The duo of pawns on c4 and
e4 define the "bind" aspect of the Maroczy Bind. White can profit from
his extra manoeuvring space to slowly build up his position behind the
lines.

17…b5!? 18.Be3 Nce6?!

This is too clumsy, and 18…e5!?, staking out some influence in the
centre, is probably a better call. Even if White can manage B/e3xd4
and win a pawn, Black will always have some counterchances on the dark
squares, and his pieces will remain more active than in the game.

19.Qd2 bxc4 20.Bxc4 Rb8 21.Kh1 Nb5 22.Rac1 Nc5?! 23.b4!

A well-timed punch. Black’s forces get into a real mess now.

23…axb4 24.Nxb4 Qb6

Very awkward, but 24…Bd7 25.Bxc5 and 24…Ba8 25.Bxc5 dxc5 26.Bxf7+!
win on the spot, the latter due to 26…Kxf7 27.Qf4+.

25.Ned3 Na3 26.Bb3! Ba8

Black cannot avoid losing material, but it is shocking how quickly his
position completely collapses.

27.Nxc5 dxc5 28.Bxc5 Qa5 29.Qf4 e6 30.Rd7 Rf8 31.Rxf7!

Even better than winning the Exchange on f8; this destroys the King’s
pawn shelter as well. A powerful game by Armenia’s No. 1.

31…Rxf7 32.Qxb8+ Kh7 33.Bxe6 Black Resigns.

PanARMENIAN.Net

NKR President, RA FM discuss Karabakh conflict
20.12.2008 14:18 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ NKR President Bako Sahakyan met Friday with
Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian to discuss cooperation
between the Foreign Ministries of the two Armenian states and the
current stage and prospects of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement process, Central Information Department of the Office of
the NKR President told PanARMENIAN.Net.

NKR Foreign Minister Georgy Petrossyan also attended the meeting.

TURKISH PM SLAMS INTERNET APOLOGY TO ARMENIA

EuroNews France
December 19, 2008 Friday

The Turkish Prime Minister Reccep Tayyip Erdogan has criticised a
public apology by some 200 Turkish intellectuals for the killing of
ethnic Armenians during World War One. An internet campaign has been
gathering signatures from Turks wanting to offer a personal apology. It
has angered the prime minister. "I don’t accept the campaign that
they have started and I don’t support it," Erdogan said. "I cannot
be part of it. I have not committed a crime. Why should I apologise?"

Turkey and Armenia have been working re-establish diplomatic
ties. Turkish President, Abdullah Gul, recently went to Armenia
in a bid to end 100 years of hostility. The internet campaign does
not use the term genocide, vehemently denied by the Turks. It uses
massacre instead. But nationalists still say it is an act of national
betrayal. Recognition in the West of the term genocide, in relation
to around 1.5 million deaths in Armenia between 1915 and 1917, caused
uproar in Turkey. It does officially accept that many Armenians were
killed during the waning years of the Ottoman empire, but strongly
denies genocide. Eleven thousand people have so far signed the online
petition.

PREMIER: SOCIAL PROGRAMS TO SUPPORT PAYING CAPACITY OF ARMENIAN POPULATION

ARKA
Dec 16, 2008

YEREVAN, December 16. /ARKA/. 2009 state budget social programs will
support the paying capacity of Armenian population, Armenian Premier
Tigran Sargsyan said in answering the questions received through the
hotline of "Golos Armeniyi" newspaper.

Social expenditures are to increase next year, he said.

"We also intend to raise the volume of lending to small and medium
business. We hope that we will be able to attract about $250mln and
use it for these purposes," the Premier said.

He added that the answer to the question on population’s paying
capacity is given also in his program speech before the National
Assembly that is posted on the government website.

The report is published in a number of newspapers and provides a
comprehensive approach to the problem. In particular, it reveals
the risks and threats that may occur in Armenia and the ways to
overcome them.

"I recommend everybody to get acquainted with this document," the
Premier said.

KHAZAR IBRAHIM: "THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS IS PROTRACTED BY ARMENIA"

Today.Az
olitics/49563.html
Dec 15 2008
Azerbaijan

Regnum news agency has recently published a news "Ancient city of
Tigranakert in Nagorno Karabakh is declared a reserve".

In particular, according to the material, the so-called "Tigranakert",
which was allegedly revealed by Armenian archaeologists, got a status
of the reserve. According to the material, this was reported during
the discussion of the draft state budget of the so-called "NKR".

The material also says that it was decided to allocate 35 mln drams
from the state budget of "NKR" of 2009 for continuation of works in
the city.

Day.Az has applied for comments to spokesman for Azerbaijani Foreign
Ministry Khazar Ibrahim.

"Such actions from the side of Armenia contradict to the norms and
principles of international law, the commitments, assumed by the states
in the framework of international organizations, as well as documents,
Armenia is a party to.

This is not the first time that Armenia tries either to ruin the
cultural monuments of Azerbaijan or rename ancient Azerbaijani cities
and memorials in the occupied lands or conduct any other actions,
contradicting to the aforementioned commitments of the Armenian side.

On the other hand, these actions do not promote the negotiation process
and have the most negative impact on it. The negotiation process is
protracted by Armenia", said Ibrahim.

ACADEMICIAN PARIS HERUNI DIES

Noyan Tapan

Dec 11, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. The prominent scientist, member of a
number of academies and international societies, Academician of the RA
National Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor
Paris Heruni died at the age of 74 on December 5. He founded several
new scientific directions, which have been recognized in the world
and are now used in developed countries. Paris Heruni also conducted
serious studies in other fields: he discovered the Karahunj ancient
observatory and wrote "The Armenians and Ancient Armenia" monography
which was published in Armenian, English and Russian.

TURKISH TZUGTZWANG
Vardan Grigoryan

Hayots Ashkharh Daily
11 Dec 2008
Armenia

Ankara to be unmasked

The Armenian and Turkish intellectuals’ recent statements over
the recognition of the Armenian Genocide bring the official Ankara
face-to-face with serious problems.

The official circles of Turkey seemed to be accustomed to the
situation of constantly opposing the official Yerevan’s appeals
of starting a dialogue and restoring the relationship without
preconditions. And every time, they invented new and new fantastic
preconditions for Armenia. Now, however, neither the Turkish nor the
Armenian intellectuals have advanced any concrete issue of interstate
importance so as to give Ankara the opportunity of "bargaining".

On the contrary, both parties have put the emphasis on the Armenian
Genocide, an irrefutable fact that has separated the two peoples from
each other.

Moreover, the Turkish intellectuals have already recognized the fact;
they have apologized to the Armenians and called on our people to join
them. As to the representatives of the Armenian intelligentsia, they
have addressed their demand to Turkish President Abdullah Gul, one of
the vanguards striving for the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations.

Of course, we may have no hopes and illusions as far as Gul is
concerned, because expressing the official stance of his country
A. Gul will either tr y to act from the vulnerable positions of those
denying the Armenian Genocide or will just have to remain silent. In
both cases, the Turkish leader will be "down in the dumps" because
he is used to adorning himself with the laurels of the champion of
"friendship" and "dialogue".

Moreover, unlike Armenia and the Armenian society which are unanimous
in their assessments of the fact of the Armenian Genocide, the
Turkish society has found itself entangled in internal discontent and
debates. The nationalistic circles condemn the bold step undertaken
by intellectuals like Baksyn Oran, whereas the official Ankara still
remains silent. Because to speak would mean to equalize oneself with
Devlet Bahcheli and the "grey wolves", and to remain silent would
mean to arouse doubts among the latter.

But the time passes and the inauguration of the US President
and the winter session of Congress are drawing near. Naturally,
instead of starting idle talks about the friendly relations between
the Armenians and the Turks, they expect the Turkish President to
undertake concrete steps towards lifting the blockade of Armenia and
establishing diplomatic ties with our country.

Whereas the Armenian side has no reason for making haste, therefore
it isn’t going to agree with the preconditions proposed by Turkey.

Therefore, during his upcoming visit to Israel, Abdullah Gul will
try to receive20the support of the Jewish lobby of the United States
so as to suspend the process of the recognition of the Armenian
Genocide. Calculated to talk President-elect Barrack Obama out of his
intentions, such plans are undoubtedly conditioned by the expectations
from Ram Emmanuel, candidate for the Head of the Presidential staff,
and other figures representing the Jewish lobby.

We believe that an increased number of appeals and declarations
demanding that Turkey recognize the Armenian Genocide may be
strictly important for the present moment. It’s time the Armenian
intellectuals of the Diaspora addressed such Declarations to Turkey and
the pro-Armenian figures of Europe, United States and Russia. During
the upcoming months, it will be necessary to put the Turkish leaders
under a propaganda pressure, so as they will not be able to even
think about applying their primitive propaganda tools against Armenia.

Furthermore, while writing such appeals or declarations, it is
necessary to forget about the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border or
the establishment of diplomatic ties without any preconditions. These
are issues to be tackled only by the diplomats of the given countries,
because whenever being transferred to the political domain, such
issues are obviously speculated by Turkey. It is necessary to hit
the target that can make Turkey vulnerable and force the country to
change its current hostile policy in relation to Armenia.

In the course of the upcoming months, it will be necessary to
raise the issue of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide on
international arenas and in the pages of the press. And after all,
the American President is required to keep the promise he gave the
American-Armenians and start a process of collecting appeals and
declarations and organize rallies and marches.

The Turkish leaders should direct their persistent attempts of
pretending a dialogue against the official Ankara and mount a strong
wave of protest with a demand of recognizing the Armenian Genocide.

ARMENIAN REPRESENTATIVE IN EXPERT GROUP AGAINST TRAFFICKING

Panorama.am
19:12 12/12/2008

A representative from Armenia has been elected to become a member of
struggle against trafficking expert group to implement the convention
of European Council. On December 8-10 the first session of the expert
group has been conducted, reported the public relations department
of the Foreign Ministry. The objective of the group is to assess the
implementation of the convention, and to make some recommendations
for the improvement of the policy.

According to the source, Gyulnara Shahinyan’s candidature, the speaker
of the UN on modern types of slavery and the supervisor of "AMKOR"
NGO on struggle against trafficking, has been applied and she has
been selected to be a member of the group. The group includes the
representatives of Bulgaria, Malta, Cyprus, Croatia, Moldova, Norway,
France, Slovakia, Denmark, Portugal, Albania and Romania.

ARMENIA EXPECTING $6.8 MLN FROM MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE BY MARCH 2009

ARKA
Dec 11, 2008

YEREVAN, December 11. /ARKA/. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
plans to allot over $6.8mln for its programs in Armenia in Q1 2009,
the RA Government’s press service said on Wednesday.

Under the contract signed on March 27, 2006, MCC is to assign
$235.65mln within five years for the irrigated agriculture and road
reconstruction programs in Armenia, with $108mln being allocated for
restoration of the country’s irrigation systems.

During their latest meeting chaired by RA Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan, the Board of Millennium Challenge Account Armenia (MCCA)
approved the tenth tranche. The lion’s share of the funds will be
allocated for the irrigated agriculture and rural road reconstruction
programs, as well as for monitoring, assessment and control of the
program.

According to MCCA Executive General Ara Hovsepyan, program
expenditures will total $9.1mln, with the expenditures on the rural
road reconstruction program likely to reach $11.6mln by the end-Q4
2008. Total expenditures are expected to exceed $28mln by end-December.

With the 24.5km long highway in southwest Armenia almost built,
$60.3mln worth reconstruction of 273km roads has been launched. MCCA
plans to sum up the projects on construction of six water mains,
seven gravity canals and 18 pump stations by end-2008 in order to
launch construction in 2009.