Category: News

AZERI OFFICIAL SAYS ARMENIAN PULL-OUT FROM SEVEN DISTRICTS ON AGENDA
Turan news agency
13 Jan 05
BAKU
Armenia has acquired an interest in resolving the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict and this gives us hope that the negotiations will produce
some results, Azerbaijani Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov told a
news conference in Baku today when commenting on the results of the 11
November meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in
Prague.
Azimov said the negotiations were “objective”, however, there are
“very many” differences and the situation remains “difficult”.
Pointing to Armenia’s growing interest in resolving the conflict,
Azimov said he was cautiously optimistic that the negotiations would
produce concrete results. The Armenian side wants to resolve the
conflict. Armenia has to take a more active part in NATO programmes,
the European Union is getting ever nearer, international public
opinion is changing in favour of Azerbaijan and one of the examples of
that is the report by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe (PACE) rapporteur on Karabakh, David Atkinson.
(Passage omitted: Reported details)
Azimov described as “speculation” the reports that Armenia’s pullout
from three of Azerbaijani districts was discussed in the
negotiations. He said that as part of “the Prague process” the sides
were discussing the liberation of all seven districts outside Nagornyy
Karabakh in the first stage.
At the same time, Azimov said that in 1998, Azerbaijan had suggested
that five districts be vacated in the first stage in the name of the
TRACECA project. In the spring and summer of 2002, Azerbaijan raised
this issue again. In both cases, the European Union supported the
idea, but it was rejected by the Armenians.
Azimov also dismissed the Armenian side’s speculation about a Key West
agreement. He said the sides had signed only one written document so
far – a joint statement by (former Azerbaijani and Armenian
presidents) Heydar Aliyev and Levon Ter-Petrosyan in Strasbourg on 10
October 1997. The sides were close to reaching an agreement in 1999 as
well, but the Armenian side rejected it, Azimov said.

RUSSIA WILLING TO WORK WITH NEW UKRAINIAN LEADERS – DEFENCE MINISTER
Interfax-AVN military news agency web site, Moscow
13 Jan 05
Washington, 13 January: Russian Defence Minister Sergey Ivanov has
said Russia was willing to work with the new Ukrainian leadership.
“There were many statements made in the course of the election
campaign and the three rounds of the election, but the election is now
over. Ukraine remains in the same place geographically as before the
election, and it is time for normal work for Ukraine and Russia,”
Ivanov told a news conference in Washington.
“We are well aware of Mr (President-elect Viktor) Yushchenko’s
statement to the effect that he would like to pay his first official
visit in his new capacity to Moscow,” the minister said.
Answering a question on prospects in Russian-Armenian relations,
Ivanov said: “We will not push Armenia in any direction. It is a
sovereign state, and Armenia will decide itself in what direction it
should develop.”
The defence minister also noted the dynamic development of
Russian-Turkish relations.
“I cannot see any major problems in relations with that country except
for double standards in the fight against terrorism,” he
said. According to the minister, Turkey is top of the league in terms
of numbers of its nationals killed in Chechnya as members of rebel
gangs. There have been several dozen of these, Ivanov added.

AZERI RULING PARTY OFFICIAL UPBEAT AHEAD OF EUROPEAN BODY’S KARABAKH DEBATE
Trend news agency
13 Jan 05
BAKU
“The reflection of Azerbaijani realities in PACE rapporteur David
Atkinson’s report will make useless any Armenian propaganda based on
lies. The European deputies defending European values will support
Azerbaijan’s fair cause,” the deputy executive secretary of the ruling
New Azerbaijan Party, Mubariz Qurbanli, has told Trend.
Qurbanli said there were reports that Armenian MPs were seriously
preparing for the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe (PACE). However, this is unlikely to make any impact
on Atkinson’s report.
“At a time when the Armenian occupation of a fifth of Azerbaijani
territory and the deportation of more than 1m refugees and internally
displaced persons from their homes are recognized facts, all the
Armenian lies will not be very convincing. On the other hand, I hope
that during the discussion of the report, the members of the
Azerbaijani delegation will be able to give a due response to Armenian
propaganda based on lies,” Qurbanli said.

KHACHQARS AND CHURCHES OF QARVATCHAR
beginning in previous issue
Azg/arm
14 Jan 05
Yeghish Markosian knows all ins and outs of Qarvatchar and the place
of every ruined church and of centuries-old khachqars (cross-stone).
“This was an Armenian land, not a Turkish. Turks do not have churches
and khachqars. Let me take you to tens of villages and show you each
church and khachqar. Some 150 years ago it was the land of Armenians
and will stay as such”, uncle Yeghish tells in hoarse voice.
A khachqar at the town’s historic museum dating back to 916 AD withan
inscription in middle Armenian used to be presented to the visitors of
the museum before 1993, when Karabakh forces took control over
Qarvatchar, as an “Albanian khachqar”.
There are dozens of churches and monasteries in Qarvatchar (lying in
ruins or semi-ruined) one of which, Dadivanq, is a pearl of medieval
Armenian architecture. This church of 13 century is being
reconstructed today.
Qarvatchar in the structure of Red Kurdistan
The nomadic Kurds and the Caucasian Tatars settled down in the region
of Qarvatchar in 19th century. It was the time when they adjusted the
name of Qarvatchar to their language, calling it Qyarvajar then
Qelbajar or Qyalbajar.
Anania Shirakatsi, Armenian scholar of 7th century, in his “Geography
Guide” mentions of Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) as the 10th province of
Great Hayq that had 12 regions and the 2d region was Vaykuniq with
Tsar as center. Movses Kakhankatvatsi also mentions Vaykuniq. Later on
this stony region was renamed into Tsar, Upper Khachen and eventually
Qarvatchar or Qaravatchar (stone seller).
In 1920, when the two-years-old state of Azerbaijan became Soviet,
Qarvatchar was forcibly conjoined with Azerbaijan. The Red Kurdistan
was formed in 1923 and the region of Qarvatchar with thousands of
Kurds and Azeris united with the newly formed administrative unit. The
Red Kurdistan dissolved in 1930, and Qarvatchar (Qyalbajar) with 1936
square kilometers became one of 60 Azeri regions. The Kurds of
Qyalbajar numbering few thousands assimilated with the Azeris.
Azeri historiography considers the khachqars and churches of
Qarvatchar and Nagorno Karabakh to be Albanian.
By Tatoul Hakobian in Qarvatchar

VARTAN OSKANIAN: DETAILS STYMIE NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT RESOLUTION
Azg/arm
14 Jan 05
Vartan Oskanian, RA foreign minister, discussed his Prague meeting
with his Azeri counterpart.
Oskanian stated that the resumption of the negotiations after some
break was a positive step and some progress had been fixed. The
Ministers cleared out that there is similarity in comprehension of
some issues, but only in deep issues. “When you go into details, it
turns out that the common points are not that close to discuss them in
details,” RA foreign minister said.
In response to the question put by daily Azg whether they discussed
the probability of solving the Nagorno Karabakh issue through
referendums in two countries, Oskanian said: “Spare me of answering
this question. All the questions connected with Karabakh are being
discussed thoroughly. We will see in future how these issues will
develop. A rather complicated process is expected, but we expect some
prospects.”
Two foreign Ministers agreed to be careful in making statements not to
hinder the settlement of the issue. The negotiation process has
entered a more serious stage and one should be more cautious.
Oskanian didn’t specify about the details of the negotiations for this
very reason. He stated that it is early to speak of the probability of
applying any of the step-by-step versions. That period has passed
already and the general principles are being discussed now.
Though the general circle of the issues exists already but it was
obvious that “before going into details, we should consolidate those
issues.”
As for the aspects and events of the last year, Oskanian emphasized
the importance of imparting the economic element to the country’s
foreign policy and the processes of the integration into Europe.
Oskanian stated that “in the aspect of multilateral diplomacy Armenia
was rather active and widely involved in the international and
regional processes and deepened its relations with its traditional
friends in 2004. The intensive diplomacy will continue in 2005, as
well.
As for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the last year yielded
good results. Argentina, Uruguay, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Canada
joined the countries that recognized the Armenian genocide. As for the
European Parliament, it made its stance over the Armenian Genocide
more concrete, demanding from Turkey to recognize the crime committed
against the Armenians and to open the borders with Armenia. This year,
when Armenia is going to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide, it’s the most appropriate time to raise this issue
in the international instances again, as today this issue is still
actual for many countries of the world.

CONCERT CONDUCTED BY BRITISH MAESTRO TO BE HELD IN YEREVAN
YEREVAN, JANUARY 13. ARMINFO. A concert of Armenian Philharmonic
Orchestra, headed by British Conductor Paul MacAlindin, will be held
at the concert hall after Aram Khachaturian in Yerevan on Jan 14.
Paul MacAlindin has arrived in Armenia by the invitation of the
British Council in Armenia and Armenian Philharmonic
Orchestra. According to MacAlindin, the staff of the Armenian
Philharmonic Orchestra is notable for talented musicians.

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 13 2005
Parliament speaker criticizes OSCE MG activity

The Milli Majlis (parliament) speaker Murtuz Alasgarov has criticized
the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group in a Wednesday meeting with a
group of advisers to US senators and congressmen visiting Baku
through the Marshall Foundation. Alasgarov expressed a hope that the
United States, as a co-chair of the Minsk Group, will step up its
activity to settle the Upper Garabagh conflict soon.
The US delegates met with opposition leaders at the ISR Plaza Hotel
on the same day. The present-day socio-political situation in
Azerbaijan was discussed and views exchanged on taking the needed
steps to hold democratic parliament elections in the country this
year.
The visitors assured that they will inform the US Congress of the
opposition leaders’ proposals.*

Assa-Irada, Azerbaijan
Jan 13 2005
US Congress to hold forum on Upper Garabagh conflict

The US Congress will hold a two-day forum on the Upper Garabagh
conflict in February as part of the US Senate’s forthcoming
discussions on the South Caucasus conflicts.
The event will be organized by the American Turkish Assembly jointly
with the America-Turkey friendship group represented at the US
Congress.*

KARABAKH LEADER APPROVES NEW GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE
Arminfo, Yerevan
13 Jan 05
Stepanakert 13 January: The new structure of the Nagornyy Karabakh
government has been approved. The president of the Nagornyy Karabakh
Republic (NKR), Arkadiy Gukasyan, yesterday signed a decree approving
the new structure of the NKR government. According to the decree, the
structure of the government includes:
1. Ministry of Health;
2. Ministry of Justice;
3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
4. Ministry of Agriculture;
5. Minister – head of the government administration;
6. Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports;
7. Ministry of Defence;
8. Ministry of Social Security;
9. Ministry of Territorial Administration and Development of Production
Infrastructure;
10. Ministry of Town Planning;
11. Ministry of Finances and Economy.

AZERI OFFICIAL POINTS TO “SERIOUS DIFFERENCES” WITH ARMENIA OVER KARABAKH
Trend news agency
13 Jan 05
BAKU
“The negotiations to resolve the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict between
Azerbaijan and Armenia are progressing very slowly. The situation is
very difficult. I can’t say that concrete results have been achieved,
but I hope they will be achieved,” Trend has quoted Azerbaijani Deputy
Foreign Minister Araz Azimov as telling a news conference at the
Foreign Ministry today.
The news conference was devoted to the results of the 11 January
meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers in Prague.
Azimov said there were very many differences in the sides’
positions. He added that some interest on the part of Armenia to step
up the process of negotiations was in evidence of late. In Azimov’s
view, this interest could have something to do with Armenia’s desire
to gain time or with Yerevan’s genuine intention to resolve the
Karabakh problem.
The diplomat stressed that Azerbaijan was still in favour of a
negotiated solution to the problem based on international principles,
including respect for the country’s territorial integrity. However,
the deputy minister said the restoration of Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity would not mean an immediate solution to all problems. There
is also a problem of peaceful co-existence between the Azerbaijani and
Armenian communities of Nagornyy Karabakh in the future.
Touching on the issue of compromises, Azimov said Azerbaijan was ready
to reopen communications with Armenia provided the latter vacates the
occupied territories. He said the sides were sharing their views on
some issues, but pointed to serious differences on others.
Azimov believes that the next round of the negotiations will be held
in late February.
He also denied reports that an agreement had been reached to conduct a
referendum in Nagornyy Karabakh and to hand it over for administration
(as published).
From: Baghdasarian