LEVON TER-PETROSYAN: ARMENIA CANNOT BECOME ECONOMICALLY POWERFUL WITHOUT THE RESOLUTION OF THE NK CONFLICT
Jan Soykok
Journal of Turkish weekly
Aug. 21, 2006
Jan SOYKOK (JTW)- “Armenia cannot become economically powerful
without the resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh (Garabagh) conflict,”
said former Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, news agencies
report. Former President Ter-Petrosyan voiced this statement in a
closed meeting with the Cabinet before resigning from his post in
1998. The record of this closed meeting has recently been published
in the Armenian pro-opposition media outlets.
Commenting on the reasons why he resigned from the president post in
1998, Ter-Petrosyan said Azerbaijan and Turkey are the most natural
and suitable economic partners for Armenia.
“Regrettably, due to the known reasons, it is impossible to use the
potential of economic cooperation between Armenia and Turkey. On the
other hand, Armenia remained uninvolved in the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan
main export oil pipeline due to the conflict. No matter who rules
Armenia, he will fail to ensure normal economic development of the
country as long as the Nagorno Karabakh conflict remains unresolved.
It will be impossible to solve the existing public and economic
problems without solving the conflict. The closed borders with
Azerbaijan and Turkey, no railway access to the environment leads to
increasing transport expenses, reduces Armenian’s export opportunities
and looses interest in foreign investors to invest capital in our
country” the ex-president underlined.
Similarly Dr. Nilgun Gulcan told the JTW that Armenia is the only
country who cannot benefit from the regional integrations: “Turkey,
Georgia and Azerbaijan all are in close economic co-operation.
Azerbaijain’s economy has growth dramatically. Georgia has enjoyed
the integrated economies. The BTC pipeline and other coming projects
nourishes all three economies. Turkey is a big economy with 75 million
population. It is the 17th biggest economy in the world and Armenia
has no access to this great economy while Georgians and Azerbaijanis
export and import to the Turkish economy. Both countries have not
benefited from Turkish economy’s size till now. But now they have more
financial sources and tools. The trade between these three countries
will increase radically in coming years. Armenia is an exceptional
country in the region and Armenia should not accuse other countries
for its poor economic performance. If you have problems with all of
your neighbors, it means that something is wrong with your policies”.
Former President Ter-Petrosyan voiced this statement in a closed
meeting with the Cabinet before resigning from his post in 1998. The
record of this closed meeting has recently been published in the
Armenian pro-opposition media outlets.
Ter-Petrosyan also said during the active military operations,
the volume of Armenia’s economy decreased twice, and if the Nagorno
Karabagh conflict is not resolved, the economic development tempo
might fall even stop once and for all.
In the emergency meeting, the ex-president also stressed that Armenians
won the battle not the war, and the international community will not
tolerate the long-term status quo in Nagorno Karabagh.

WILL ARMENIA MOVE TOWARDS THE WEST?
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug. 21, 2006
The Russian media has been speculating on a possible Armenian drift
away from Moscow. Long the Kremlin’s staunchest ally in the Caucasus,
a rift between the two countries would rewrite the books on post-Soviet
geopolitics in the region. “It seems that Moscow has already received
from Armenia what it wanted, and has lost all interest in it,” the
Russian newspaper Izvestia writes in an article entitled “Strategic
apathy with predictable consequences.”
The article accuses the current Armenian administration of nepotism
and corruption, claiming that Armenia has become a country where
kinships mean all, and people from Yerevan and Karabakh occupy the most
influential positions. President Kocharian, the article speculates,
is trying to break off from Russia in a bid to maintain his power.
As evidence, author points to Kocharian’s conspicuous absence from
the last CIS summit; he was down with a cold, the administration
said. Word is that he had been spotted going for a dip in the chilly
waters of Sevani Lake at the time-doubtfully a curative measure. Nor
did US State Department official Matt Bryza’s Yerevan stopover, a visit
not exactly trumpeted by the Kocharian administration, serve to shore
up Moscow’s trust in its traditional ally. According to the paper,
Bryza worked out a deal with Yerevan authorities on the placement of
two American radio-locating stations.
If Russia does indeed see its influence wane with Kocharian, it may be
out of the game in Yerevan for a while. The Kremlin has not previously
seen fit to cultivate relations with any opposition parties.
“Someone has asserted earlier that there is no need to work with
the opposition in CIS countries; we should only focus on ruling
administration. Whether it is true or not, such an approach led to
the failure of relations with Georgia and later with Ukraine. And now
it is Armenia’s turn. Americans do not refrain from working with the
opposition, and as we can see from Georgia’s example they have won,”
the paper writes.
Talk like this could be making it to print with a mind to influencing
the election campaigning already underway in Armenia. Armenia
has parliamentary elections coming up in 2007, and presidential
elections in 2008. Kocharian is now finishing out his second term
and his constitutionally prohibited from running again, leaving the
opposition favored by some analysts to pull out a victory.
The Armenian president apparently “tried to correct his blunder”
of sitting out the CIS summit by meeting Putin in Sochi. Here,
Kocharian met with near-taunts from the Russian president, who
expressed his pleasure that ‘Azerbaijan days’ are celebrated in
Russia. Putin characterized this statement as a positive contribution
to Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict settlement, but Kocharian did not
exactly see things the same way.
Georgian analysts and politicians are of varied opinions. MP Van
Bayburt thinks there will be no substantial change in Russian-Armenian
relations in the next two or three years. The Yerevan administration,
he says, has long practice in walking a delicate tightrope between
Russia and the West.
Political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze, however, highlights Russia’s
purchase, en masse, of the industrial infrastructure in Armenia. This
rubs the wrong way for many citizens there, who look at the Russian
investment as sheer aggression. In response to that antagonism,
perceived or real, Armenian foreign policy crafters are increasingly
on the look-out for Western hands to shake. Sakvarelidze thinks that
Moscow has difficulty in conducting itself as an equal with countries
that, realistically, depend on Russia, painting the picture of a
suzerain lording over a vassal. The Kremlin likes to see ‘partners’
on their knees, he says, to leave the other party no option but a
vulnerable embrace of Russia and its interests. “With this kind
of politics, eventually everybody will lose-including Russia,”
Sakvarelidze warns.
Strong Armenian diasporas, who exert disproportionate control on
politics in Yerevan, are also pushing the administration into a
Western orientation. The first president of independent Armenia, Levon
Ter-Petrossian, clearly gravitated towards the West. Many think that
his eventual resignation was brought about by the pro-Russian lobby in
the country. Perhaps rumblings in the Russian media are a sign that the
Kremlin is once again dusting off its playbook of preventive measures.

TRADE TURNOVER BETWEEN GEORGIA AND ARMENIA INCREASING
By M. Alkhazashvili
The Messenger, Georgia
Aug. 21, 2006
Trade turnover between Armenia and Georgia has increased by USD 8
million in the first five months of 2006 over the same period of 2005.
The total value of trade currently stands at USD 35 million.
Georgia’s Ambassador to Armenia, HE Revaz Gachechiladze, stated
that of this sum, Armenian exports to Georgia were valued at USD
21.2 million. Armenia has been sending north electricity, cement,
eggs, coffee and cigarettes amongst other goods. Georgia’s exports to
Armenia, including fertilizers, medicaments, oil products, wine and
sugar made up USD 14.2 million. Ambassador Gacherchiladze pointed
out that the 2005 trade total was USD 57.7 million, an increase of
USD 15.4 million over the 2004 total. If the pace of trade continues
throughout the remainder of 2006, the two countries could see another
significant increase in trade turnover this year.

MULTI-ETHNIC MATCHES SPURNED
By Nune Hakhverdian in Yerevan
Institute for War and Peace Reporting, UK
Aug. 21, 2006
Marrying a foreigner in Armenia, especially an African, can cause
raised eyebrows.
Michael, Anna and their two sons.
Murtada, Naira and their son. Photos by Piruza Khalapyan.
Armenia is a practically mono-ethnic state, with very few instances
of mixed marriages, which makes those who do make inter-racial matches
stand out all the more.
“I bring up my children in the spirit of Christianity and I tell them
that all people are equal, regardless of the colour of their skin
and their faith,” said Anna, who lives in Yerevan with her Nigerian
husband Michael and their two small sons Joseph and James.
The two dark-skinned boys do suffer racial abuse in their kindergarten
or on public transport. “I just get furious when they call my children
‘negroes’,” she said.
“I don’t feel comfortable in Yerevan,” added Michael, who despite
owning his own business, an Internet cafe, wants to take his family
away from Armenia to a more multi-racial society.
Despite living in Armenia for nine years, Michael has not integrated
well and speaks only a few phrases of Armenian.
Michael and Anna’s was the first marriage officially registered
between an African and an Armenian, more than ten years ago and it
is still a very rare case in Armenia.
Ethnographer Hranush Kharatian, who heads the Armenian government’s
department on national minorities and religious issues, notes that
Armenians comprise 97.8 per cent of the population and that they have
little experience of interacting with other nationalities.
She also said that an ancient tradition of self-preservation and
of fostering national identity in the face of adversity had served
Armenia well but carried with it suspicion towards foreigners who
wanted to marry ethnic Armenians, both in Armenia itself and in the
worldwide diaspora.
Yet this attitude, she said, is prevalent in a society, which suffers
from huge migration problems.
“I think foreigners in Armenia will definitely encounter problems,”
Kharatian went on. “Our state does not have an active immigration
policy, there is no discussion of attracting new workers or stimulating
population growth. We don’t have gaps in our workforce, on the contrary
we don’t have enough jobs.
“A person who has an unusual appearance or whose skin is a different
colour tries to lead the life of an ordinary citizen, but the extra
attention he gets from society makes his life public property.”
According to official statistics, in the 18 months between January
2005 and the end of June 2006, there were 864 marriages between
Armenians and foreigners out of a total of 20,000 unions overall.
“I think any of our women who marry blacks are our enemies,” said
a middle-aged man with higher education questioned by IWPR on the
street in Yerevan. “Armenian blood should not be mix with the blood
of blacks. If you marry a foreigner then he should at least be white.”
His view was typical of many ordinary Armenians asked to comment on
the issue.
Murtada came to Armenia from Sudan nine years ago as a tourist and
married an Armenian named Naira. They live in Yerevan and Murtada,
who trained as an economist, works as a driver.
“I’m not concerned by the extra attention that gets paid to us, but
I worry about Murtada,” his wife told IWPR. “He is a very sensitive
person and he can be insulted by a sideways glance.”
“I can’t hide the colour of my husband’s skin,” she went on, expressing
hope that their son Bashir, who speaks Armenian like a native will
not suffer from the same problems as his father.
Mira, who is Korean, moved from Moscow to Armenia with her Armenian
husband Ashot. She said that the two of them, both artists, had
encountered few problems and had had more trouble in Georgia, where
they also lived for several years.
Ashot acknowledged that it was easier for his wife, an Asian, to fit
into Armenia than for an African to do so. But he said he was worried
by the country’s intolerance towards foreigners. “The more developed
a country is the better it treats its foreigners. Poorly developed
countries put obstacles in the way of foreigners,” he said.
“We need time to live together so that Armenians get used to the idea
that black-skinned people can adapt to our way of life, speak Armenian
and live like Armenians,” said Vladimir Mikaelian, a psychologist.
He argued that Armenian ignorance about foreigners stemmed from lack
of historical experience rather than sheer prejudice. “We know the
customs of Arabs, Turks and Persians,” he said. “And we get our ideas
about black people from the media and ascribe to them traits which
we learn about second-hand.”
Mikaelian also mentioned a good example of racial prejudice being
overcome: the popular black television performer Hrant Hovsepian,
known as Blond, who has an adoptive Armenia mother.
“If Armenia wants to develop then it ought to understand that, one way
or another, foreigners will keep on coming here,” said Elza Guchinova,
who is herself an ethnic Kalmyk and is doing comparative research
on the mono-ethnic societies of Armenia and Japan. “[Urban centres]
all over the world are ethnically diverse and it’s impossible to stop
this process.”
Nune Hakhverdian is a reporter for 168 Hours newspaper.

ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES THANKED FOR SHELTERING REFUGEES FROM LEBANON
ITAR-TASS, Russia
Aug. 21, 2006
YEREVAN, August 21 (Itar-Tass) — United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) Antonio Guterres thanked the Armenian government
for the effort to give shelter to refugees from Lebanon who had to
leave the country because of Israel’s recent military operations.
This applies to Lebanese of the Armenian and non-Armenian origin and
to citizens of other countries, Guterres said upon the conclusion of
the talks at the Armenian Foreign Ministry.
Guterres said cooperation with the Armenian government in assisting
refugees from Azerbaijan is excellent. He said the office of the
UNHCR is interested in peaceful solution of the Karabakh conflict.
Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan said Yerevan is satisfied
with the level of cooperation with the office of the UNHCR, which
gives vast assistance in integration of refugees and solution of
their problems.
Gagik Yeganyan, the chief of Armenia’s migration agency, said some
300,000 refugees from Azerbaijan stay in Armenia. Eighty percent of
them received Armenian citizenship. Yeganyan said the overwhelming
majority of refugees had been accommodated, specifically in hostels,
boarding houses and hotels.

POLICY OF COMPROMISES WILL NEVER BRING ABOUT SETTLEMENT OF KARABAKH CONFLICT: RAUF RAJABOV’S INTERVIEW TO REGNUM
Regnum, Russia
Aug. 21, 2006
Rauf Rajabov is expert in conflictology, Head of World, Democracy
and Culture Research Analytical Center (Azerbaijan)
REGNUM: Mr. Rajabov, to what extent Azerbaijani and Armenian political
establishment should be involved in search and coordination of
compromises in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict?
Political elites of the two countries should occupy themselves
with settlement of the Karabakh conflict instead of searching for
concessions or compromises. One should agree, no matter how difficult
it is, that everyone has a right to choose. Moreover, the two Karabakh
communities do. So, let us give them this right, and we shall help
them in applying this right. The policy of compromises will never
bring about solving of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. It is solving
but not settlement should be the basic and strategic direction of
the negotiation process.
The policy of compromises envisages, first, positional bargaining,
which has been prevailing in the negotiation process, second,
concessions, which means giving up or giving in one’s position. And
this means a loss already. Third, it is lack of stable system of
regional security.
REGNUM: And what does in this case the policy of solving the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict presume?
Firstly, it is direct cooperation of the parties in the conflict.
Secondly, these are mutually beneficial and mutually acceptable
conditions of a political agreement. Third, the abovementioned
conditions will allow the conflicting parties to establish together
a long-term national and regional security system. It is high time
for the two sides to change the strategy of the negotiation process
completely.
An attempt to settle the Karabakh conflict on the basis of compromises
in reality turns into a positional bargaining of the conflicting
parties. For instance, one side (Armenia) proposes territory in
exchange for status, the other one (Azerbaijan) communications in
exchange for territories. Meanwhile, the situation of bargaining
and the situation of searching for a mutually admissible compromise
are two different things. In the first case, each party is trying
to outbid the opponent without changing anything in its position; in
the second case, a rapprochement is envisaged and search for a common
denominator in order to get things moving. Today, an imitation game
and open bargaining are prevailing in the negotiation process. And
there is no readiness for the true cooperation. The sides have too
different positions in understanding what can and should be the subject
of compromise. Armenia after achieving a temporary military success in
the Karabakh war has been trying to establish an asymmetrical formula
of the compromise, which will be deriving from the relations between
the victorious and the losing parties. Henceforth, Yerevan expects
from Azerbaijan not just compromises, but recognizing the outcome
of the war. We are witness to willingness to put the negotiation
process in direct dependence on the fact of military success instead
of searching for real compromises. Azerbaijan has the same position,
the difference is in this case demonstration of future successes,
particularly military ones, is taking place. In other words, in one
case search for real compromises is hindered by nostalgia for past
successes, in the other one it is confidence in future successes.
REGNUM: Do you think that major aims of the conflict settlement
should be establishment of security system and development of regional
cooperation?
As Azerbaijan’s security after the conflict is over does not stir
questions, let us focus on Armenia. Its main aim is not only security
of the Armenian Diaspora in Karabakh, as it could seem at first
sight. Armenia is surrounded by the countries with which it has
significant problems. The only exception is, probably, Iran, but
if the situation around it changes completely, Russia will be the
only guarantor. They understand that withdrawing from Armenia will
mean losing North Caucasus in future. The policy of isolating the
partner in negotiations cannot be treated as a pragmatic one for a
long-term perspective. It can be true for a short-term perspective,
yes, but this is an element of positional bargaining. Possible
Armenia’s participation in regional projects will be effective only
in terms of establishing long-term relations that take into account
interests of both sides. Such step would demonstrate that a new stage
is starting in the negotiation process, it is cooperation aimed at
settling the conflict. On the other side, it is harmful and dangerous
to manipulate by the occupied Azerbaijani territories and present
claims for Nakhichevan.
The subject of carrying out a referendum should not be left
untouched. Miracles happen. As early as in 1923, three years after
the first Karabakh war, the Karabakh population voted for the right
to remain within Azerbaijan. However, the matter is that miracles
are result of human effort and deeds.
If in conditions of the current stand-off the referendum is held in
the whole territory of Azerbaijan, it is easy to predict a negative
outcome for Yerevan. If Karabakh Armenians and Azerbaijanis is held
within Nagorno Karabakh, the result will be negative for Baku.
REGNUM: And what if by the time of the referendum Azerbaijan settles
its relations with Armenia?
It is very important. But the following thing is more important.
Irrespective of their nationality, Karabakh people should be sure
that Azerbaijan needs them not for satisfying its ambitions, but
for establishing civil society in the country and the region on the
whole. Unfortunately, the process of forming political, economic and
scientific elites of the two Nagorno Karabakh communities because
of known reasons has been passing isolated from each other. Though,
the Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno Karabakh should
build bridges of trust as soon as today. And they should start from
people’s diplomacy, which, as history has repeatedly shown, is a
pledge of future serious successes.

PRESIDENT OF ARMENIA RECEIVES FAMOUS US BUSINESSMAN
Armenpress
Aug 23 2006
YEREVAN, AUGUST 23, ARMENPRESS: Armenian President Robert Kocharian
met today with the US famous businessman, president of “Huntsman”
corporation John Huntsman and the delegation headed by him.
Presidential press service informed Armenpress that Huntsman has
arrived in Armenia with serious programs which will be carried out
in education and health spheres. The president welcomed the ideas
of the businessman and said “Everything which is being done by John
Huntsman is done with love, devotion and belief.”
The US businessman wants to establish a modern oncology center
in Armenia. The president said that he is ready to support the
implementation of the program which he described as interesting
and prospective.
During the meeting the Kocharian also expressed assurance that the
effective cooperation established with the businessman will continue
in future and his ideas will be brought to life.
The interlocutors also referred to the Armenian-USA relations and with
the request of the guest the president also talked about the economic
situation in Armenia, its priorities and development prospects.

‘ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF CONSTANTINOPLE IS DISTRUSTFUL OF THEIR COMPATRIOTS IN ARMENIA’
By Hakob Chakrian
AZG Armenian Daily
24/08/2006
Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople States in a Turkish Paper
It seems that Armenian Patriarch of Constantinople, Mesrop II Mutafian,
is getting into the habit of ascribing his own opinion to the Armenian
community and making grim conclusions and prognosis in Turkish printed
media. Still in mid-June when Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II
was getting ready for Istanbul visit, he suggested Turkish papers that
“the Armenian community of Constantinople thinks that the Supreme
Patriarch does not know the proper place for his statements,” thus
trying to forecast “possible unrest during his visit” and to let the
world know about the Armenian community’s “concern.”
Patriarch Mutafian’s gloomy forecast did not though hit the
target. According to Armenian press of Istanbul, the community not
only warmly welcomed His Holiness and enjoyed his presence but also
was surprised at Mesrop Mutafian’s conclusion that “some fears in
the community came true.” The Armenian community strongly criticized
Patriarch Mutafian “for casting shadow on the Catholicos’s visit”
and emphasized: “When His Holiness was still in Istanbul, in his
interview with Hurriyet Patriarch Mutafian showed that he can hardly
follow a logic worthy a religious leader.”
It was the interview with Sefa Kaplan published on June 28 in Hurriyet
that Patriarch Mutafian provided “clarification” to the Catholicos’s
press conference.
In August 6 issue of Hurriyet answering the question of the same
correspondent, the Patriarch made public his attitude to his
compatriots in Armenia not forgetting to speak for the whole community.
Asked by Kaplan “what kind of relations do you have with your
compatriots in Armenia? Do they turn to you with requests?”, Patriarch
Mutafian answers: “Two-three years ago they used to turn to us for
money. Seeing that they were in desperate need we would help them
paying for their ticket to Armenia.
Then we saw that they return to Istanbul from Samsun or Trapizon but do
not return to Armenia. That’s why we decided not to fund anymore. But
the church still remains a meeting place for the latter. On Sundays
Surp Astvatsatsin church is full of Armenians speaking Eastern
Armenian. The Ethiopians and Africa-born Armenians also come. So when
preaching you may think that people do not understand you.”
Asked “what’s the education level of those people”, the Patriarch says:
“Almost all of them are university graduates but they found no jobs
at home. There are even doctors among them who attend patients at
home but earn more than in Armenia.”
Answering a question about the relations between the Turks and
the Armenians of Armenia, Patriarch Mutafian says: “Relations are
rather good. I think if there were exchange programs of students,
intellectuals, artists and media representatives, Turkey-Armenia
relations would improve.”
The most exciting in the interview were perhaps the last two
questions. The correspondent asked: “Are there cases when the Armenian
residents turn to you complaining of bad treatment?”, to which the
Patriarch answers: “As far as I know, they get along very well,
and there were even marriages with the Turks.”
Asked “if the local Armenian community is worried because of the
Armenian residents”, the Patriarch says: “Unfortunately, there is
more distrust than worry towards them. The local community is slow
to trust those people for unknown reasons. There is a firm opinion
in the community that they are ‘untrustworthy and do not keep their
word’. This is an inglorious phenomenon.”
Firstly, it should be said that not all job seekers in Turkey are
university graduates. The Patriarch simply lies fanning the fires of
those who want to see Armenia ruined. As to the community, if they
really consider their compatriots in Armenia untrustworthy, then it
goes against the Patriarch’s words that the Armenians get along with
the Turks and even marry them.
If Patriarch Mutafian ascribes distrust to the Armenian community,
then he carelessly sticks a label of untrustworthy on the Turks who
trust the Armenian residents to the extent of marrying them. In this
case the Armenian community of Constantinople takes the stance of
distrust to Turks because of its Patriarch’s wishful thinking.
It’s obvious that in order to “get well along with the Armenians”
the Turks have to be at least equally bad, therefore the Patriarch’s
suspicion towards his countryman should refer to Turks as well. We
can only remind him the inscription that Lraber, the patriarchy’s
newspaper, carries: “The Lord examines the righteous, but the wicked
and those who love violence his soul hates.”

A PRESENT FROM ARMENIAN FILMMAKER FOR MARTIAL ARTS FANS
By Hakob Tsulikian
AZG Armenian Daily
24/08/2006
The name of Ara Paiaya, martial arts filmmaker of Armenian origin
from Aberdeen, Scotland, was made known to us by The Armenian Mirror
Spectator’s July 29 issue.
Having extracted the news from The Aberdeen Evening News, the weekly
informs that Ara’s “Death List” will be shown at the city’s Belmont
Picturehouse cinema this month. Starring are such legendary Kung Fu
masters as Robert Tai and Jackie Chan’s producer Bey Logan.
The 28 years old filmmaker who has been living in Aberdeen for 25
years now graduated from Gordon University and is an IT manager. He
also stars in the movie that was shot in London, Spain, Honk Kong
and Taiwan.

FLAG OF KRASNODAR TO BE ERECTED ON MOUNT ARARAT
AZG Armenian Daily
24/08/2006
A group of climbers from, Russia, headed by Vardan Vardanian has
made its way to the biblical Mount Ararat, the shrine of the Armenian
people. According to Yerkramas newspaper, the members of the group,
climbers from “Everest” club in Krasnodar – businessmen, CEOs, artists,
photographers – have already arrived in Iran from where they will
cross the Turkish border and begin climbing. On the halfway the
Russian climbers will meet foreign climbers to conquer the mount
together. The group dedicates the climb to the Days of Armenia in
Russia. In Vardanian’s words, they will erect the flag of Krasnodar
on the Mount Ararat.