Azartac news agency, Baku, in Russian
15 Sep 06
AZERI OFFICIAL SAYS UPCOMING UN DEBATE ON KARABAKH CONFLICT
“BRILLIANT VICTORY”
An Azerbaijani presidential aide has said that the inclusion of the
Nagornyy Karabakh problem on the agenda of the 61st session of the UN
General Assembly is a victory for Azerbaijan’s foreign policy.
In an interview with the state-run Azartac news agency on 15
September, the head of the foreign relations department at the
Azerbaijani presidential administration, Novruz Mammadov, said: “The
inclusion of the issue on the agenda of the UN General Assembly is a
crucial event, a brilliant victory and success of Azerbaijan’s
foreign policy. This should be recognized.”
Mammadov said that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev raised the
issue at the Kiev summit of the GUAM (Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan
and Moldova alliance) countries on 22-23 May 2006.
At its plenary session on 13 September, the UN General Assembly took
a decision to include the issue of frozen conflicts on the territory
of the former Soviet Union on the agenda of its 61st session. The
proposal was put forward by the GUAM.
Mammadov also praised the USA and Britain for supporting the position
of the GUAM during the voting for the issue, as Armenia and the
countries supporting it tried to vote down the proposal.
Mammadov thinks that this will allow the countries in the world to
closely familiarize themselves with the situation in the states with
frozen conflicts. He said that the security in the South Caucasus was
of great importance not only for the region, but also for Europe and
the entire world.

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
September 15, 2006 Friday 0
No ethnic hate behind cafe fight – Saratov police
VOLSK /Saratov region/, September 15
Police in Russia’s Saratov region ruled out ethnic hate as the prime
motive behind the fight in the town of Volsk between local residents
and ethnic Armenians in which one person was fatally stabbed.
“The incident occurred in a Volsk cafe in the evening on September
10,” regional police spokesman Alexei Yegorov told Itar-Tass on
Friday. “Three local residents came up to a table where Armenian
construction workers were taking a meal. A row flared up which
escalated into a knife fight. The injured were taken to hospital,
where one of them, a local resident, died. The other brawlers
escaped,” Yegorov said.
“We see no connection between the incident and ethnic hate. Local
residents have always had friendly relations with representatives of
other nationalities. It was a domestic incident,” he underlined.
Representatives of ethnic communities living in the Saratov region
share this view. “At present, a conference of district heads,
mayors, law-enforcement officials and leaders of the ethnic
communities is taking place in Saratov,” the spokesman went on to
say.
“A joint statement to the residents of the province is in the works;
it will underline that the incident has nothing to do with ethnic
hate and is of domestic nature,” he noted.
A criminal case was opened over the fatal fight. The participants in
the brawl have been put on the wanted list. A more precise evaluation
of what has happened will be made after they have been caught,
investigators said.

The Independent (London)
September 15, 2006 Friday
BOYD TONKIN;
BOOKS A Week in Books
What do you call a state that puts a writer on trial because of
remarks made by a character in a novel, on a charge that carries a
three-year sentence, and then schedules the hearing for a few days
before her first baby is due? A likely candidate for swift progress
towards entry to the European Union? Probably not. Yet, in Turkey,
the surface story seldom tells the entire truth.
Elif Shafak, who will face a court in Istanbul on 21 September to
answer a case of “insulting Turkish identity” under the notorious
Article 301, knows that better then anyone. Her fiction (The Gaze and
The Flea Palace are published here by Marion Boyars) sets out with
passion, wit and courage to break down every Turkish monolith. It
tells tales within tales, shows layers under layers, to reveal a past
and present full of fractures that let the daylight in and banish the
shadows that narrow minds. Fair-haired, fashionably-dressed, raised
in Spain and France and with a university post in Arizona, Shafak
nonetheless rescues old Ottoman traditions and Sufi beliefs from the
disdainful condescension of Ataturk’s secular state. I heard her
speak, compellingly, about her work in London this summer. Any
country should be saluting such a writer, not menacing a mother-to-be
with a prison stretch for thought-crimes.
Armies of her admirers in Turkey share that opinion. Yet the recent
spate of prosecutions under Article 301 – about 60 in the past year
or so, most famously against Orhan Pamuk – is being driven by
right-wing secular nationalists who dread the dilution of “pure”
Turkishness into a European super-state. Sounds familiar? As Shafak
says, many lands now host culture-wars between hopeful openness and
xenophobia.
So every foreign pundit who howls that such cases should scupper
Turkey’s EU accession talks does the diehards’job for them. They fear
European influence, and the cosmopolitanism that an author such as
Shafak brings. Another point that needs endless iteration in today’s
nervy climate is that these artistic persecutions have nothing
whatever to do with any official “Islamist” agenda. Exactly the
contrary: Shafak has shown plenty of sympathetic interest in the
rising appeal of the headscarf and the mosque for educated Turks of
her (thirtysomething) generation. She carefully calls the
pro-European government of Recep Tayyip Erdogan a “Muslim democratic”
regime, not an Islamist one. Like it or not, judicial independence
(and competing powers) fuels this war against the written word.
The deeper truth is that Turkey is a political nation at war with
itself. Shafak likens it to “a tapestry of clashing and coexisting
forces”, where “the government and the state are not one and the
same”. Last autumn, a conference on Armenian history in Istanbul was
initally banned by the justice minister (it later went ahead) but
welcomed by the foreign minister. And it is, of course, the
still-open wound of the Armenians’ terrible fate as the Ottoman
empire broke apart that has led to Shafak’s day in court next week.
In her new novel The Bastard of Istanbul (originally written in
English – another “insult” in nationalist eyes), an Armenian figure
whose grandparents died in the massacres regrets having “been
brainwashed to deny the genocide” of 1915. Invoke the G-word with
reference to the mass death of Armenians, and every warning light in
the Turkish “deep state” will glow a wrathful red. The outcome is a
Satanic Verses-style furore in which fictional creatures stand
accused of a secular blasphemy. Shafak drily points out that: “As
much as I believe in their vivacity, my Armenian characters cannot go
to court to be tried under Article 301.” So she must, with – I hope –
the support of every reader and writer who cherishes the freedom she
upholds.

Lider TV, Baku, in Azeri
15 Sep 06
AZERBAIJAN TO ALLOCATE 220M-DOLLAR LOAN FOR RAILWAY BUILDING IN
GEORGIA
[Presenter] The Kars-Akhalkalaki-Baku railway, which causes Armenia’s
concern, may be put into operation soon. The sides are doing their
best for the implementation of the project, Georgian ambassador to
Azerbaijan Zurab Gumberidze has told Lider TV in an exclusive
interview. He said that Azerbaijan will finance part of the
construction of the main line passing through Georgia.
[Gumberidze speaking from his office in Georgian with Azeri
voice-over] Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey attach great importance to
this project. Azerbaijan is interested in a rapid operation of the
railway. Azerbaijan and Georgia have already discussed all parameters
of a credit agreement. Under the document, Azerbaijan will allocate a
220m-dollar interest-free loan for the construction of the main
railway line going through Georgia. A total of 192 km of the railway
line passing though Georgia needs restoration and 29 km needs
reconstruction. Azerbaijan has always supported Georgia. This project
once again shows friendly and fraternal relations between the states.

ITAR-TASS News Agency, Russia
September 15, 2006 Friday 09:03 AM EST
Russian prosecutors looking for true causes of ethnic conflicts
The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office will generalize the
information about ethnic conflicts to see their true causes, Deputy
Prosecutor General Alexander Buksman told reporters, answering their
questions about the incident in the town of Volsky, Saratov region.
“At present, the Prosecutor General’s Office is generalizing the
information about such events, in order to find out the true causes
that lead to such situations,” Buksman said.
The incident occurred in a Volsky cafe in the evening on September
10. Three local residents came up to a table where Armenian
construction workers were taking a meal. A row flared up which
escalated into a knife fight. The injured were taken to hospital,
where one of them, a local resident, died. The other brawlers
escaped.
Regional law-enforcement bodies see no connection between the
incident and ethnic hate, regional police spokesman Alexei Yegorov
told Itar-Tass on Friday.
“We see no connection between the incident and ethnic hate. Local
residents have always had friendly relations with representatives of
other nationalities. It was a domestic incident,” he underlined.
A criminal case was opened over the fatal fight. The participants in
the brawl have been put on the wanted list. A more precise evaluation
of what has happened will be made after they have been caught,
investigators said.
In late August, two persons were killed and another four were
seriously injured in a mass fight in the Karelian town of Kondopoga.
Prosecutors opened criminal proceedings over the murder of two or
more persons and hooliganism committed by a group of persons.
Six people were detained on suspicion of involvement and one was put
on the wanted list.
Another criminal case was opened over the mass fight near the Chaika
restaurant. On Thursday, Karelian prosecutors brought charges against
Sergei Mozgalyov, 33, the main instigator of the restaurant fight. He
was charged under several counts, including bodily harm with the use
of weapons, and hooliganism-motivated violence.

Quest Economics Database
CIRCA (Cambridge International Reference on Current Affairs) People
In Power
September 15, 2006 Friday
ARMENIA
Full name: The Republic of Armenia : Capital: Yerevan
Current constitution: July 1995, with amendments in 2005.
Head of state: The head of state is a president, directly elected by
universal adult suffrage. Robert Kocharian, hitherto prime minister,
became acting president on the resignation on 3 February 1998, of the
president since independence, Levon Ter-Petrossian. Kocharian went on
to win elections held in March and was sworn into office on 9 April
1998. The president’s term of office is five years, renewable once
only.
Legislature: The legislature is unicameral. The sole chamber, the
National Assembly (Azgayin Joghov), has 131 members, directly elected
for a four-year term.
Executive: The president appoints the prime minister, and the other
members of the cabinet as proposed by the prime minister. The prime
minister is head of government, and directs and co-ordinates its
work.
Most recent elections:
– Presidential: 19 February and 5 March 2003.
– Legislative: 25 May 2003.
Political makeup of government: The president is not a member of any
party, although when first elected in 1998 he was backed by the
Pan-Armenian National Movement (PANM), and defeated former communist
leader Karen Demirchian of the People’s Party of Armenia (PPA). After
the 2003 legislative elections pro-presidential parties dominated the
National Assembly, and the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), which
had led the previous administration, became the largest party with 35
members, although there were an equal number of independents.
Andranik Markarian of the RPA, prime minister since May 2000, formed
a new RPA-led government on 11 June 2003 in which the majority of the
members of the previous government retained their posts. One of the
RPA’s two junior coalition paartners, the Law-Based State (Orinats
Yerkir) party (LBS) withdrew from the government in May 2006. Its two
remaining ministers resigned from the party, but one of them, the
minister of education and science, was replaced on 17 May by a member
of the other coalition party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation –
Dashnaktsutyun (ARF-D). The minister of culture was replaced on 22
May.
Head of State
Robert Kocharian : President
Cabinet
Andranik Markarian (RPA): Prime Minister
Hovik Abrahamian (RPA): Minister for Co-ordinating Territorial
Administration and Production Infrastructures
Vardan Oskanian (ind): Foreign Affairs
David Lokian (ARF-D): Agriculture
Aghvan Vardanian (ARF-D): Labour and Social Security
Karen Chshmaritian (RPA): Trade and Economic Development
David Harutunian (RPA): Justice
Levon Mkrtchian (ARF-D): Education and Science
Serge Sarkissian : Defence
Vardan Ayvazian (RPA): Ecology
Norair Davidian (ARF-D): Health
Asmik Pogosian : Culture and Youth Affairs
Andranik Manukian (RPA): Transport and Communications
Vartan Khachatrian (RPA): Finance and Economy
Aram Harutunian : Urban Development
Armen Movsisian (RPA): Energy
Manuk Topuzian : Head of the Government Executive
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

The Associated Press
September 15, 2006 Friday 7:55 PM GMT
Deadly fight raises fears of ethnic violence in Russia
By STEVE GUTTERMAN, Associated Press Writer
Fighting involving ethnic Armenians and others in a Volga River town
left one person dead and at least three injured this week, officials
and news reports said Friday, fueling fears of a rise of ethnic
violence across Russia.
The violence came about a week after clashes and rioting targeting
Chechens in the northern town of Kondopoga left two people dead and
underlined the potentially explosive tension between ethnic Russians
and often darker-skinned people from the Caucasus and Central Asia,
in some cases migrants.
One ethnic Russian man was killed and three were injured in a brawl
with ethnic Armenians at a cafe in the town of Volsk early Sunday,
said Alexei Yegorov, police spokesman in the Saratov region, where
the town is located.
Yegorov said the fight was not motivated by ethnic bias, but Ekho
Moskvy radio reported that it was followed Monday by an attack on
ethnic Armenian students at a technical college in the town that left
one student with a knife wound.
Yegorov denied the attack took place and also denied what Ekho Moskvy
reported was further ethnic tension early Friday in the town some 700
kilometers (450 miles) southeast of Moscow. He said two ethnic
Armenians had fled the town following Sunday’s fight and were being
sought by police.
Ekho Moskvy said that in addition to the three Russians injured in
the cafe fight, one ethnic Armenian was also injured. It said the man
who was killed was a 25-year-old former paratrooper who had served in
the conflict in Chechnya.
While authorities sought to downplay the ethnic element in the
violence, it has raised fears that similar rampages could spread to
other Russian cities where increasingly aggressive nationalist groups
bristle at people from Russia’s Caucasus provinces and neighboring
ex-Soviet nations.
Russia has seen a marked rise in xenophobia and racist attacks in
recent years and rights groups say authorities do little or nothing
to combat xenophobia, often treating hate crimes as hooliganism.
Asked about the violence in Volsk, Deputy Prosecutor General
Alexander Buksman said his office is gathering information about such
incidents around the country to try to determine whether there is a
common cause, the RIA-Novosti news agency reported.
Dozens of nationalists demonstrated Thursday in Moscow, demanding
tighter controls over migrants from the Caucasus living in university
dormitories and the cancellation of provisions encouraging students
from other ex-Soviet nations to study in Russia.
About 150 were detained and some were fined for minor infractions,
the Interfax news agency quoted Moscow police spokesman Yevgeny
Gildyev as saying, but several dozen were allowed to hold a rally a
soft approach by the Russian authorities who usually move quickly to
disperse unsanctioned demonstrations.
The pro-tolerance group SOVA said 11 young people were sentenced in
the western city of Belgorod this week to prison terms ranging from 1
1/2 to 5 years for attacking a Roma family with knives and metal
rods, seriously injuring two people.
SOVA said it was just the fourth time that a Russian court has ruled
that defendants organized and participated in an extremist
organization. Court officials in Belgorod could not immediately be
reached for comment.

Mediamax news agency, Yerevan, in English
14 Sep 06
US MEDIATOR DETAILS CURRENT STATE OF NAGORNYY KARABAKH TALKS –
ARMENIAN AGENCY
The US mediator of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict has said that it is
still possible to resolve the conflict in 2006, although neither
Azerbaijan, nor Armenia have agreed on the set of basic principles
proposed by the international mediators. The mediators seek to build
trust between the sides in the conflict in order to make progress on
issues such as the return of the occupied territories to Azerbaijan
or a self-determination vote in Nagornyy Karabakh , the US
co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group, Matthew Bryza, told Armenia’s
Mediamax news agency. He also said that Armenia’s account with the
Millennium Challenge Corporation may be closed if the 2007
parliamentary election is “deeply problematic”. The following is the
text of Matthew Bryza’s exclusive interview with Mediamax in English;
subheadings have been inserted editorially:
[Correspondent] Is the existing “window of opportunities” to resolve
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict this year still open, or it is going to
shut down very soon?
[Bryza] As the election campaign approaches in Armenia, the window of
opportunities will begin to narrow, but it is definitely open right
now. There is a lot of room now for creativity on the both sides, and
we see this by the example of the Azerbaijani sponsored resolution in
the United Nations regarding the joint efforts to address the
problems created by fires.
Basic principles of settlement
[Correspondent] Are you going to discuss some new ideas or elements
with the sides to make the settlement possible?
[Bryza] The co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group have proposed a set of
basic principles and we are still waiting to hear what the presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan will have to say. It is really up to the
presidents themselves as to whether they would like to change those
basic principles.
[Correspondent] After the Kocharian-Aliyev meeting in Bucharest in
early June the Armenian side is constantly urging Azerbaijan to
return to the proposal that is on the negotiation table. Does it mean
that one of the sides has refused the previously agreed principles?
[Bryza] It is clear to every observer that neither side agrees to the
basic principles. If they did, both sides would stand up, or one side
would stand up and say – “we fully accept these basic principles”.
Nobody is saying that. Some people are saying – “we have problems
with the principles”, some people say – “well, in principle we accept
them, but we have a few minor changes”. Nobody is saying – we accept
them.
[Correspondent] One of the main principles is related to holding a
referendum in Nagorno Karabakh. Do you believe that Azerbaijan is
really ready to accept the idea of a referendum?
[Bryza] I think they are sincere about pursuing the concept of what
they don’t just call a “referendum vote”. I mean in the document,
containing the basic principles, phrasing is the following –
“referendum vote/population vote”. So, the Azerbaijani side is saying
that it is talking not about a referendum vote, but a population
vote. And this is because of the Constitution of Azerbaijan, which
requires that if there is referendum, then all citizens of Azerbaijan
must participate in it.
I guess, maybe the Armenian side really doesn’t want to see that sort
of a vote that covers the entire population of Azerbaijan. So we have
to find a clever way to devise the voting process that addresses the
interests of both Azerbaijan and Armenia.
[Correspondent] But it seems that the Armenian side doesn’t believe
that Azerbaijan is sincere in its readiness to hold a referendum and
that’s why the Armenians decide to keep the Kalbacar region as a
“deposit”.
[Bryza] You identified properly one of the key questions. Yes, the
Azerbaijani side would like to make sure that all seven territories
are returned. It is hard for me to predict how quickly or whether
that particular question could be fixed. My job as the OSCE Minsk
Group co-chair is to be creative and optimistic and always looking
for a way forward. If I believed that the process was hopeless I
wouldn’t be wasting my time.
[Bryza] I think that the issue of when Kalbacar will be returned
depends on how quickly the two sides will begin building trust in
each other. I don’t know when this will happen, but the whole essence
of the confidence building measures we are talking about now with
regard to the fires is to begin building that very trust.
When a climate is created in which some degree of trust is
reestablished, it will be absolutely realistic to talk about the
return of Kalbacar to Azerbaijan in return for other elements like
the referendum vote/population vote or guarantees on Lachin corridor
that Armenia seeks.
Destruction of monuments
[Correspondent] This March in Yerevan you called a “tragedy” the
destruction of an ancient Armenian cemetery in Nakhichevan,
Azerbaijan. Don’t you think that absence of a strong and consolidated
international reaction towards such barbaric actions seriously
hinders the confidence building between the sides?
[Bryza] The destruction of those thumb stones was truly a tragedy.
But I think that proper channel to address such cases is not the
United States government, or the OSCE Minsk Group. The proper channel
in such cases is UNESCO. So we would like to see Armenia and
Azerbaijan with regard to its claims of cultural heritage being
violated, appeal to the proper channel, which is UNESCO. And we would
be very supportive in that process.
Speaking about the problem in a broader context, we need to make sure
that the rhetoric coming out from the region is completely free of
hatred and threats to use force, because there is simply no military
solution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict now and it won’t be in ten,
fifteen, thirty or fifty years.
[Correspondent] If there is no progress achieved this year, how do
the mediators plan to work in 2007, which is an election year in
Armenia?
[Bryza] The mediators issued a statement this summer saying that the
OSCE Minsk Group will reconsider how active the mediators would be
depending upon the response they received from the presidents. So far
we haven’t received the formal response. So if we go to the election
period and the parties say that they would like the mediators to
continue their efforts, then of course we will continue.
Bryza surprised by Nagorno Karabakh “constructive stance”
[Correspondent] You have visited Nagorno Karabakh for the first time
recently. What are your impressions?
[Bryza] It is hard to have an accurate impression about the Nagorno
Karabakh before you go there. It is a breath-taking beautiful and
gorgeous place.
The thing that didn’t surprise me was the attitude of people and the
leadership of Nagorno Karabakh with their deep pride and the sense of
having arrived at what they deeply believe will be a final position.
I was pleasantly surprised by their sober and constructive stance,
their willingness to talk and to think together with us how to move
the peace process. I felt myself very comfortable and welcomed there
and it was a nice feeling.
[Correspondent] Do you think it is correct to compare the Nagorno
Karabakh with other frozen conflicts?
[Bryza] I believe that each conflict is a unique. We categorically
reject any notion that there is a universal precedent that could be
set in Kosovo, or anywhere else. Each conflict has its unique
elements and Nagorno Karabakh is definitely different.
[Correspondent] How do you access the cooperation between the
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk group?
[Bryza] Although I am new in the Minsk Group, but I can already say
that the level of the cooperation is among the highest that I’ve
experienced in my nearly 20 years in diplomacy. Even if we had begun
the process of discussion from different prospective, based upon our
governments’ views, we have been able to come up with a shared
position so far every time.
Armenia’s energy problems
[Correspondent] Earlier this year you and U.S. Assistant Secretary of
State Daniel Fried indicated the interest of the United States
towards the issues of providing Armenia’s energy security. In
particular, Daniel Fried said that Armenia’s desire to have a new
nuclear power station will be examined in Washington. Did you already
have some discussions regarding this topic? And do you believe that
Armenia might have some involvement in the Trans-Caspian pipeline
project?
[Bryza] Armenia indeed finds itself in a difficult geographic
position when it comes to energy. We have talked a bit in Washington
about the ambitions expressed by Armenia to develop a new nuclear
power plant. That is something we don’t oppose and we certainly want
to help Armenia to find investors and the right technologies. And it
would be great if the power generated by this plant will be exported,
especially to Georgia and, after the resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, also to other countries of the region.
With regard to the pipelines, our ambition and our hope is to have
some sort of a link of a gas pipeline from Azerbaijan to Armenia.
Such a link will demonstrate that the serious conflict is over. That
is definitely something we would like to see.
[Correspondent] You often meet Turkish officials. Do you discuss the
issue of Turkish-Armenian relations with them and do you see any
opportunities to mark some progress?
[Bryza] I always discuss Turkish-Armenian relations with my
counterparts in Ankara.Yes, I see some room for improvement. There is
a set of proposals on the table for these committees to begin talks –
one about the history and the horrors of 1915 and one to talk about
the practical diplomatic and economic cooperation. United States
would really like to see both of those committees begin functioning –
to address both historical and moral questions as well as the
practical issues of diplomacy and commerce.
[Correspondent] Do you mean that the second committee might be formed
on the intergovernmental level?
[Bryza] Yes, that’s right, the intergovernmental committee. The first
one could be broader – involving historians, philosophers, academics,
etc.
US aid and Armenian election
[Correspondent] Armenia will be having parliamentary elections in
2007. Earlier this year there were talks that the Millennium
Challenge Compact might be suspended if the elections fail to meet
the international standards. Does this mean that for this time the
U.S. is not going to accept the outcome of the elections if they are
not free and fair?
[Bryza] Democratic reform is on the top of our agenda not only with
Armenia, but also with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Russia and
Central Asia. I can’t predict what will happen in Armenia, but we are
working hard through our Embassy in Yerevan with the Armenian
government and the civil society to do whatever we can to ensure that
the upcoming elections will be as free and fair as possible.
I am not going to make any threats about the Millennium Challenge
Account, but the reality is that we don’t decide who is in and out of
the program. There are indicators provided by the World Bank and by
the Freedom House, and it is theoretically possible that if the
elections are deeply problematic, those indicators will change and
Armenia could no longer meet the criteria of Millennium Challenge
Account and in such a case we will be obligated to suspend the
program. But it’s not a threat on my part, I am just stating a fact.
Our goal is to do everything we can with Armenia to avoid any chance
of that happening.

Turkish Daily News
September 15, 2006 Friday
THE FIRES OF OPPORTUNITY?
The long-lasting Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict is easily one of the
most protracted in Eurasia. Years of various intense mediations, most
prominently by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE), have so far produced a flurry of shuttle diplomacy
with very little real impact on the ground. Most recently, however,
there have been some signs that things may change. These are due to
an unlikely reason and come through an unlikely agency. On Sept. 8,
the United Nations passed a resolution “On the Situation in the
Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan” to address the environmental
damage caused by fires raging throughout the Azerbaijani territories
under Armenian military control. Thus after repeated appeals by the
Azerbaijani authorities the United Nations formally recognized the
gravity of the situation and emphasized the “urgent need to suppress
the fires.”
To pass this resolution, Azerbaijan negotiated with Armenia; the
document notes the “readiness of the sides to cooperate.” Even if
brought about by the unfortunate case of an environmental disaster,
this is an opportunity for the two sides to work together in
addressing an urgent real issue at hand. This might prove a useful
experience in the future. Armenia’s military control over large
portions of the internationally-recognized territory of Azerbaijan is
clearly not sustainable, in the first place for Armenia itself.
Therefore, should some progress on peace talks be achieved, military
withdrawal and repatriation of Azerbaijan’s numerous displaced
communities, currently exiled as a result of the occupation, would
require some form of cooperation between the parties. Finding a way
to put out the fires together may be a good start.
Moreover, if Armenia is serious about its professed desire to join
regional cooperation projects, overwhelmingly centered around
Azerbaijan, it needs to practice some practical cooperative
techniques with its neighbors — an opportunity so far overshadowed
by Armenia’s predominantly confrontational view of the neighborhood.
As for the Armenian separatists based on the occupied territories,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region, taking a more responsible
approach towards preserving the environment, which they control
jointly with Armenia proper, can make the offer of “highest degree of
self-rule” stipulated by Azerbaijan a more feasible possibility.
Furthermore, successful cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan
can lay a basis for addressing the formidable future challenge of
post-conflict rehabilitation and reconstruction.
These are of course just opportunities. After all, the United Nations
had already passed a number of resolutions in 1993 and 1994 calling
for withdrawal of Armenian troops and return of refugees, only to be
completely ignored for over a decade. This too, incidentally, can
change if the sides actually take the first cooperative step.
It is often said that, emerging in 1980s, the Armenia-Azerbaijan
conflict had been a contributing factor in shaking the foundations of
the former Soviet Union. In its current unresolved state the conflict
remains a major threat to peace and stability, precluding the people
of the South Caucasus from fully realizing the potential of their
region. Perhaps in jointly implementing the provisions of the latest
U.N. resolution, both Armenia and Azerbaijan can demonstrate a
leadership model much needed in the area.
Most importantly and urgently, though, the fires must be suppressed
— this is the most pressing issue on the ground. The rest comes
after and hopefully as a result of that.
*Elin Suleymanov is Azerbaijan’s consul general in Los Angeles
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Electronics Weekly
September 13, 2006
WiFi plastic rabbit can forecast the weather
A nine inch high plastic rabbit (pictured right) with WiFi
connectivity could become the next high-tech craze in a long line of
gizmos from the dancing flowers to the Tamagotchi.
Manufactured by three year-old French company Violet, backed by the
French bank BNP Paribas, the rabbit, called Nabaztag (which is the
Armenian word for rabbit) can repeat your mobile phone messages, read
emails, recount weather forecasts, alert you to news items, relay
traffic news and act as a verbal aide memoire.
It also changes colour, sings, flashes and waggles its ears.
Nabaztag costs ?80.