The Journal of Turkish Weekly
2005-02-01 21:03:28

Azerbaijan Celebrates Diplomatic Victory, But What Next For Karabakh?

Fariz Ismailzade

For the last several days, Azerbaijani politicians and the general public
have been celebrating a diplomatic victory. After several hours of intense
and heated debate on January 25, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe adopted a resolution on the Karabakh conflict. The resolution,
initially prepared by the British parliamentarian Terry David and later
concluded by his colleague David Atkinson, was approved by a vote of 123 in
favor and seven against (Turan News Agency, January 26).

The resolution contains a description of the Karabakh conflict as well as
recommendations for the warring sides. While the authors of the document
urge Azerbaijani authorities to enter a dialogue with the Armenian community
of Karabakh, something that Yerevan has desired for a long time, two
specific phrases have generated severe criticism from the Armenian side. The
document states, “Considerable parts of Azerbaijan’s territory are still
occupied by the Armenian forces and separatist forces are still in control
of the Nagorno-Karabakh region.” It also pointed out that the military
activities between 1988 and 1994 led to large-scale ethnic expulsions and
the creation of mono-ethnic areas that “resemble the terrible concept of
ethnic cleansing.” The Armenian delegation immediately objected to the words
“occupied” and “separatist forces” and proposed an amendment urging the
European lawmakers to substitute the words “separatist forces” with
“supporters of democracy.” The motion failed.

Both Azerbaijani and Armenian politicians rushed to label the adoption of
the resolution as a diplomatic victory for Azerbaijan. Vahan Hovannisian,
deputy speaker of the Armenian parliament and a leading member of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutiun, described the resolution
as the direct consequence of the failure of the Armenian side to prevent
Azerbaijan’s efforts to induce international organizations to exert pressure
on Armenia over the Karabakh conflict (RFE/RL Newsline, January 31). Regnum
Agency quoted another Armenian politician, Aram Sarkisian, head of the
Democratic Party of Armenia and member of the parliamentary “Justice”
faction, as saying, “It will be difficult to move away from this terminology
[‘separatist forces’]” (Regnum, January 29). Sarkisian added, “Major players
— the U.S., Europe, and Russia, recognize Nagorno-Karabakh only as part of
Azerbaijan.”

Gultakin Hajiyeva, a member of the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation to
the Council of Europe, told an interviewer, “Both sides have seriously
prepared for the debates in advance” (Space TV, January 31). Hajiyeva also
stressed that major Armenian Diaspora organizations in Europe have lobbied
hard to persuade European lawmakers to veto the bill. Indeed, on December
23, 2004, the Brussels-based European Armenian Federation issued a press
release ringing the alarm bells over the draft resolution. The release
declared, “The Atkinson report is the report for Azerbaijan” and “called
upon the European citizens and organizations to intervene with their
representative in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.”

Atkinson himself refuted all accusation that the report is biased,
reportedly telling the BBC’s Russian service, “The Council of Europe, just
like other international organizations cannot admit the independence of
Nagorno-Karabakh. Therefore, the principle of the “rights of nations for
self-determination” cannot be applied in the case of Karabakh” (Turan,
January 27).

Speaking at the PACE session, Atkinson also drew attention to the plight of
internally displaced persons, who are still denied the right to return to
their homes. “I was the [PACE] assembly’s first rapporteur on the refugee
situation, when my report described the temporary shelters in both Armenia
and Azerbaijan, [including] dilapidated railway cars outside [the Armenian
capital of] Yerevan, and appalling tent cities outside [the Azerbaijani
capital of] Baku, housing hundreds of thousands of displaced families,”
Atkinson said. “Since then, a time-bomb generation of young refugees has
grown up, as in Palestine, with nothing much to lose” (RFE/RL, January 25).

The PACE resolution comes as part of a series of diplomatic offensives that
the Azerbaijani side has launched lately. Prior to this decision, the UN
Security Council agreed to start discussion of an Azerbaijan-sponsored bill
on the illegal settlement of the occupied territories by Armenian families.
The Security Council decided to postpone its debate after the OSCE agreed to
send a fact-finding mission to the conflict zone. Furthermore, local media
have reported Iranian President Mohammad Khatami re-affirming his country’s
commitment to Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, while U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State Elizabeth Jones told the Moscow Times, “It is in Russia’s
interest for these areas — whether it is Transnistria, Abkhazia, South
Ossetia, or Nagorno-Karabakh — to be stable, for corruption to end there,
for criminal secessionists who rule there to be removed” (January 14).

While the Azerbaijani side celebrates its victory and the Armenian side
continues to oppose the document, some independent analysts are wondering
what would be the consequences of the PACE resolution. While noting its
importance for the negotiating stance of Azerbaijan, the analysts come to
the conclusion that the resolution will face the same fate as that of past
UN General Assembly resolutions on the conflict, namely existing on paper
only. Elkhan Mehtiyev, director of the Baku-based Center for Conflict
Resolution, summed it up neatly: “No resolution returns lands,” meaning that
adopting a resolution would not automatically return the occupied
territories to Baku (Yeni Musavat, January 31).

Source: EURASIA DAILY MONITOR, Volume 2 Issue 22 (February 01, 2005).

2005-02-01 21:03:28

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

PRESS RELEASE
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Armenia
Contact: Information Desk
Tel: (374-1) 52-35-31
Email: [email protected]
Web:

Minister Oskanian Comments on the Death of Georgian Prime Minister Zhvania

Question: Your visit to Georgia, scheduled to take place on 3-4 February,
was cancelled due to the sudden death of Prime Minister Zhvania. What was
your reaction to this shocking news?

Answer: We learned about Zourab Zhvania¹s death while en route, by car, to
Tbilisi. This news came as a complete shock, especially since I was
scheduled to meet with him that very evening.

The loss is immense. Our cooperation with Prime Minister Zhvania has had a
long and memorable history. Zourab Zhvania was an accomplished and capable
politician, remarkable for his in-depth knowledge of regional realities and
his keen understanding of the potential for future developments. He was an
enthusiastic supporter of strengthening of Armenian-Georgian relations, as
well as regional cooperation in general. Throughout his career, he had
proven himself as a serious, responsible and reliable colleague.

At this difficult moment, I would like to extend my deepest condolences to
the family of the late Prime Minister Zhvania and to the people and the
government of Georgia.

Armenian ruling coalition urges opposition to cooperate on constitutional
reform

Arminfo
3 Feb 05

YEREVAN

Armenia’s ruling political coalition has called on the opposition to
work together in reforming the country’s constitution, says a
statement by the Armenian ruling political coalition which includes
three parties: the Republican Party of Armenia, the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun and the Orinats Yerkir
[Law-Governed Country] Party.

“Remaining faithful to the spirit of parliamentary cooperation, we
regret that the coalition’s call for joint work on the constitutional
reform did not receive a positive response from the opposition. We
believe that it is necessary to ensure broader cooperation in the
development and adoption of constitutional reforms, and confirm the
coalition’s readiness for this cooperation.

“We welcome the intention of the Justice and National Unity factions
to join the work on constitutional changes and highlight the
importance of cooperation in putting forward suggestions to that
end. We believe that the suggestions made by the two factions deserve
being discussed and think that in order to clarify positions on the
suggestions put forward by Justice, National Unity and others, it is
important to conduct public and political discussions and carry out
work in relevant standing commissions of the National Assembly
[parliament] and at the plenary session.

“We call on the authors of the suggestions to contribute to this
process, during which final positions will be developed both regarding
the proposed reform of state administration, the judiciary and local
governments and other parts of the constitution,” the coalition says
in the statement.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Armenian president receives members of ruling political coalition

A1+ web site
2 Feb 05

Armenian President Robert Kocharyan met members of the board of the
[ruling] political coalition today. During the meeting, the sides
discussed issues concerning the spring session of the National
Assembly [parliament].

It must be remembered that constitutional reforms will be discussed in
the presence of political forces in the National Assembly
tomorrow. This was a key issue at the meeting today.

The presidential press service has not reported other details of the
meeting.

Turkish premier, French Assembly Speaker discuss EU, Cyprus, Armenian issue

Anatolia news agency
3 Feb 05

ANKARA

President of the French National Assembly Jean Louis Debre met Turkish
Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday [3 February].

Debre asked Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the
implementation of reforms which Turkey fulfilled in the EU process as
well as Cyprus and Armenian issues, said sources.

Erdogan told Debre that France and Turkey share common values like
democracy, freedom, human rights and supremacy of law. Noting that
Turkey tries to effectively implement the reforms it made in the EU
process, Erdogan said Turkey’s EU membership will further improve the
relations between Turkey and France. “It will also contribute to
economic relations,” he added. Erdogan said Armenian genocide claims
should be left to historians. “If their historians have claims, our
historians have claims too. They shall study Ottoman archives.”
Erdogan added Turkey does not have any problems with its Armenian
citizens. “Armenians should also open their archives,” he added.

ARMENIA RENDERS HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE TO SRI-LANKA

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3. ARMINFO. Armenia’s humanitarian assistance to
Sri-Lanka suffered from tsunami has already been supplied, Adviser of
the Head of the Armenian Governmental Emergency Situations Department
Nikolay Grigoryan informs ARMINFO.

He says that the humanitarian cargo weighting over 5.6 tons, including
3.5 tons of blankets, medicines, was supplied at Feb 1-2
night. Besides, Armenia will finance purchase of several mobile
generators.

Official: NATO to help Azerbaijan strengthen its defense

AP Worldstream
Feb 03, 2005

AIDA SULTANOVA

NATO is helping Azerbaijan to strengthen its defense, to stabilize in
the volatile Caucasus region and to ensure a safe route for the
Caspian energy exports, a top alliance official said Thursday.

Patrick Hardouin, deputy secretary-general for NATO, said the alliance
is engaged in “helping Azerbaijan to have a better management
structure and institution of its defense” and added that it offers
similar expertise to other countries in the volatile region.

“Our goal is to achieve stability and peace … in the whole region,”
Hardouin said at a news conference in Baku.

He said the alliance wants to “ensure a better and secure environment”
that would consist of strong states with the rule of law and free
market economy.

“In the case of the Caucasian states, we also want a safe route for
energy,” Hardouin said.

Azerbaijan, an oil-rich nation on the Caspian Sea that borders Russia
in the Caucasus Mountains region, has sought to cultivate relations
with the United States and other Western nations to balance Moscow’s
influence.

The U.S. administration sees the Caspian region as key to reducing
dependence on Middle East oil, and it has strongly backed a US$3.6
billion (Aâ=82¬2.8 billion) pipeline that will pump Caspian Sea oil
from Azerbaijan through neighboring Georgia to Turkey’s Mediterranean
coast for export to Western markets.

Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who visited Azerbaijan on
Wednesday, said Moscow had no complaints to Azerbaijan’s efforts to
forge closer ties with NATO.

Hardouin said that NATO wasn’t seeking a role in international efforts
to mediate the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh _ a largely ethnic
Armenian enclave in Azerbaijan that has been controlled by ethnic
Armenian forces for more thana decade.

Azerbaijan and Armenia fought a six-year war that killed some 30,000
people and drove a million from their homes, before ending in a shaky
cease fire in 1994.

KARS TREATY WAS CONCLUDED WITH GROSS VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL LAW:
ARMENIAN MP

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 3. ARMINFO. The issue of recognizing or not
recognizing the Kars Treaty is not on Armenia’s foreign political
agenda, says ARFD MP Levon Lazarian commenting on the Turkish media
reports saying that Armenia’s FM has acknowledged this treaty.

“I don’t think that Vardan Oskanyan has ever spoken about Armenia’s
acknowledging the Kars Treaty. This must be some misinformation,” says
Lazarian. He notes that the treaty was signed with gross violations
of the international law as it was imposed by the Turkish-Russian
Moscow Treaty stipulating that all the South Caucasian republics
should later sign similar treaties with Turkey. “In fact the Kars
Treaty was imposed on Armenia and nobody asked its opinion,” says
Lazarian.

To remind, under the Kars Treaty 1921 the Soviet Russia gave Turkey
part of historical Armenian provinces with the towns of Kars, Ardagan,
Igdir and Bitlis.

YEREVAN PRESS CLUB WEEKLY NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 28 – FEBRUARY 3, 2005

HIGHLIGHTS:

STATEMENT OF YEREVAN PRESS CLUB, JOURNALISTS UNION OF ARMENIA, INTERNEWS
ARMENIA PUBLIC ORGANIZATION AND COMMITTEE TO PROTECT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

JUBILEE “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

FINE ON “HAYRENIK TV” CAUSES INDIGNATION

IN WHOSE WAY ARE THE NEWSPAPER STALLS?

COMMERCIALS ARE WATCHED, BUT ARE PERCEIVED TO BE IRRITATING

STATEMENT OF YEREVAN PRESS CLUB, JOURNALISTS UNION OF ARMENIA, INTERNEWS
ARMENIA PUBLIC ORGANIZATION AND COMMITTEE TO PROTECT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

By a decree of the RA President of January 20, 2005 a competition was
announced to fill in the vacancies in the Council of Public Television and
Radio Company of Armenia. February 1 was the deadline for the application
submission. We did not make a statement during the application process not
to interfere with it. Presently we think it necessary to reinstate our
stance on the mechanism of broadcasting regulatory bodies formation.

We state that the RA Law “On Television and Radio” and the practice of its
implementation, in particular the present competition, does not correspond
to Armenia’s commitment to the Council of Europe about the transformation of
state broadcasting into public and to international standards.

Amendments to the Law “On Television and Radio”, adopted on December 3,
2003, according to which the vacancies in the Council of Public TV and Radio
Company (as well as in the National Commission on Television and Radio) are
filled by a competition, are allegedly stemming from the CoE experts’
recommendations. Yet, even at that time, having compared the proposals of
the experts and the amendments made, we noted that the latter ones do not in
any way comply with the essence and purpose of the recommendations to ensure
the greatest transparency of regulatory bodies formation. In particular, the
Law does not stipulate the procedure for forming the competition commission,
leaving it completely at the discretion of the President of the republic. If
previously the head of the state directly appointed the members of the
Council, he now appoints them out of the winners determined by the
commission he had formed.

We qualify the amendments to the Law and the competition announced basing on
them to be an imitation of democratic procedures and will keep insisting on
the need for real reforms.

Yerevan Press Club
Journalists Union of Armenia
Internews Armenia public organization
Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression
February 3, 2005

JUBILEE “PRESS CLUB” SHOW

On January 31 on the evening air of the Second Armenian TV Channel the
tenth, jubilee program of “Press Club” cycle was issued. The cycle is
organized by Yerevan Press Club under a homonymous project, supported by the
OSI Network Media Program.

The subject for the discussion by heads and representatives of the leading
Armenian media was the press response to Resolution 1416 (2005) of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe “Conflict over
Nagorno-Karabakh dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference”. The document was
adopted at the PACE session of January 25 basing on the report on
Mountainous Karabagh, prepared by PACE rapporteur David Atkinson. As the
program participants predicted, Karabagh conflict will remain at the focus
of Armenian media attention this week, too, particularly in the context of
the visit of international fact-finding mission to the territories,
controlled by Armenian forces. The two other central subjects for media, as
the “Press Club” participants supposed, can be the possible return of
opposition factions to the Parliament as well as the circumstances of arrest
of an Armenian MP in United Arab Emirates.

FINE ON “HAYRENIK TV” CAUSES INDIGNATION

The decision of the National Commission on Television and Radio of January
18 to penalize “Hayrenik TV” for rebroadcasting the programs of French
“Mezzo” channel and unauthorized demonstration of films (see details in YPC
Weekly Newsletter, January 14-20, 2005) caused much response in the press.
(“Hayrenik TV”, broadcasting since 2001, is the only channel in Armenia
intended for children and essentially non-commercial. The owner of the TV
company is a well-known entrepreneur Hrant Vardanian, the President of
“Grand Holding” company.)

“Ayb-Feh” weekly (January 21-27, 2005) was surprised that the NCTR Chairman
Grigor Amalian “has just noticed” “Mezzo” on the air of “Hayrenik TV”, while
the rebroadcasts are made for the third year already. “During the broadcast
licensing competition in 2002 the same Amalian, answering a journalist’s
question, said confidently, that “Hayrenik” had no problems to rebroadcast
“Mezzo””,”Ayb-Feh” reminds and stresses that “Hayrenik” continues the
rebroadcasts of the French channel to this day.

“Iravunk” newspaper (January 25-27, 2005) referring to “certain sources”
supposed that the “strictness” of NCTR Chairman is not totally without
context, “since he is somewhat related to film licensing and the license for
demonstration of one film costs over 100 USD, which is quite a burden for
the children TV channel”, which is “Hayrenik TV”.

In its issue of January 29 “Azg” daily reported the response of the head of
the National Commission to article “Who Does the NCTR Head Grigor Amalian
Fight With and What For?” published by the daily on January 28. Grigor
Amalian reminded the newspaper of the biblical commandment “Thou Shalt Not
Steal”.

This response gave rise to new comments. On February 1 “Novoye Vremya”
newspaper in an editorial comment to the article by Arman Vaneskeghian, the
press-secretary of “Grand Holding”, asked: “How proper is it to punish
“Hayrenik TV” for “Mezzo”, considering our not very rich cultural life
(…). What is on the other side of balance? Is the Commission as consistent
and strict to other Armenian channels where there is a plenty of shallow
films and programs – are they all licensed, is all this production acquired
legally and demonstrated or re-broadcast by international rules? Has no one
“stolen” anything? Besides, there are ten commandments, and “thou shalt not
steal” is only one of them. There are also others, say, the worldly
commandment “thou shalt make no damage…” Make no damage to thousands of
lovers of serious musical programs that can hardly be found on any other
channel.” In the article itself the press-secretary of “Grand Holding”
notes: “I was sure that French “Mezzo” channel itself demanded the National
Commission on Television and Radio to stop its unauthorized rebroadcasts.
(…) Imagine the surprise when it turned out that the French had nothing to
do with this and had made no protest.” Arman Vaneskeghian also reminded that
“Grand Holding” allocated to “Hayrenik TV” “almost two million USD
throughout its existence, spent to create quality and non-violent programs,
the goal of which is the education of future generation”.

“Haikakan Zhamanak” daily (February 1, 2005) voiced a number of questions
too: “Is NCTR monitoring all other TV companies to determine violations of
the law, is the duration of lotteries, commercials corresponds to the limits
stipulated by the law, is the volume of the self-produced programs compliant
with the legal provisions, is..? In response it these questions Amalian
always says that the technical capacities of the Commission are restricted
and it is impossible to be checking everything thoroughly.”

The opinion of the newspapers above is shared by “Golos Armenii” newspaper
(February 1, 2005): “The problem of “Mezzo” did not escape the attention of
NCTR. But, say, the lottery advertising, often exceeding the time limits
stipulated by the law, does not worry the Commission. Other, much more
outrageous and scandalous facts of incompliance of some Armenian channels
with not simply some clauses of the law, but to it in general, can be
quoted. And of course, examples of the passive behavior of Commission in
terms of revealing such offences can be quoted as well.”

“Aravot” daily (February 2, 2005) thinks it is difficult to determine who is
right in the conflict of NCTR and “Hayrenik TV” and advises the owner of the
latter to file a suit with the court. At the same time the newspaper
expresses its amazement at the fact that “Hayrenik TV” has more supporters
than “A1+” and “Noyan Tapan” had when deprived of air by the same
Commission: “Currently the National Commission on Television and Radio is
accused of lack of state thinking even by those media who used to stand for
it might and main.” Besides, in the opinion of “Aravot”, “the extreme
indignation due to penalizing “Hayrenik TV” is also explained by the fact
that no one in Armenia expect NCTR to pass a decision, corresponding to the
law”. This is why, the newspaper stresses, also in the case of “Hayrenik”
many people refuse to see it as a purely legal problem: “They are trying to
find other reasons for such unusual actions of NCTR – such as backstage
fight against the owner of “Hayrenik” TV company, etc. And frankly speaking,
this version seems to be the closest to reality.”

IN WHOSE WAY ARE THE NEWSPAPER STALLS?

Lately from Yerevan streets newspaper stalls started to disappear. There are
serious fears that the trend is becoming steady, and will thus restrict the
access of the citizens to information. This problem was raised by the
Chairman of “Armenian Press” Association of Editors-Publishers Vardan
Aloyan.

In the permanent section “HotLine” of “Golos Armenii” newspaper on February
1 Vardan Aloyan addressed its guest, Yerevan Mayor Yervand Zakharian with
the following question: “There is an impression that the municipality has
recently announced a war to newspaper stalls. The stalls by “Tashir”
Department Store and Arabkir market have already been demolished. The other
day with no prior notification the specialized newspaper stall of
“Komsomolskaya Pravda” at the crossroads of Terian and Isahakain was
demolished, the demolition of “Haymamul” newspaper stall at the beginning of
Mashtots avenue is a questions of a couple of days. Apparently, the
municipality is unable to suppress the wish of our oligarchs to gain these
nice pieces of Yerevan land. But then why doesn’t the city administration
provide other places on equally animated routes to move the stalls there?
Because every newspaper stall demolished is another attack on media
accessibility for people.”

“This issue is presently on the agenda of city authorities. Within the
coming three months the issue of newspaper stalls will be re-considered for
an appropriate decision to be made. The newspaper stalls will be retained,
and so will be their main purpose – the sale of newspapers and magazines”,
the head of the Yerevan administration assured.

It should be noted that still back in 2001 the media heads demanded that the
government stop the privatization of “Haymamul” Press Dissemination Agency.
The protest was caused in particular by the governmental resolution of
November 15, 2001 on the privatization of over 300 newspaper stalls owned by
“Haymamul”. The privilege here was given to the newspaper vendors
themselves. One of the mandatory terms of the privatization was retaining
the direct function of the newspaper stalls during five years (even in the
case of a change of owner). In the opinion of media and experts, this term
was not sufficient to guarantee that the sale of the publications will not
reduce. The latest events come to confirm the validity of journalistic
fears.

The “list” of the newspaper stalls that disappeared from Yerevan streets
mentioned above has now increased by another one: in the morning of January
25 a stall located in the vicinity of Medical University went on fire.
Whether this was arson, as the newspaper vendor Samvel Gasparian maintains,
is for the investigation to determine. Meanwhile the residents of Yerevan
have lost another opportunity to buy newspapers at one of the animated
places of the capital.

COMMERCIALS ARE WATCHED, BUT ARE PERCEIVED TO BE IRRITATING

Internews Armenia public organization has published the findings of the TV
audience survey in three major cities of Armenia – Yerevan, Gyumri and
Vanadzor. The research was administered by US “InterMedia” organization in
December 2004 by interviewing 500 respondents aged over 15 in each of the
cities above.

According to the survey findings, the TV ownership rates among the
respondents were highest in Vanadzor and Yerevan – 97% for each city. 87% of
respondents in Yerevan, 77% in Gyumri, 70% in Vanadzor watch TV every day.
Most respondents in all three cities had seen advertisements on TV
“yesterday” (72% – in Yerevan), yet the attributes most commonly applied to
TV advertisements are “irritating” and “boring”. The highest number of
available channels is in Yerevan: 61% respondents can receive at least 14 TV
channels. The opportunities in Gyumri and Vanadzor are somewhat restricted:
the majority of the respondents can receive less than 14 TV channels.

In all three cities peak TV viewing times are between 20.00 and 23.00.
Respondents under 30, in all three cities, tend to watch in higher numbers
in the afternoon, from 14.00 until 17.00 or 18.00 and respondents over 30 –
from the morning until about 13.00, except in Gyumri. In all three cities
the respondents, particularly those, aged under 30, consider the
entertainment programs to be the most important for them. This opinion is
shared by 80% in Vanadzor, 66% – in Yerevan, 47% – in Gyumri.

The audience survey for specific TV channels showed that Gyumri viewers
commonly characterize the local “Tsayg” and “Shant” as “independent” and
“objective”. 44% of respondents in Vanadzor qualified the local “Lori” TV
company as “amateurish”, and 41% thought it was “engaging”. Another Vanadzor
TV company “Interkap” was most frequently named “trustworthy” or “engaging”.

In the opinion of respondents in all three cities, the First Channel of the
Public Television of Armenia is one of the two TV channels for news
coverage. The other leaders, the news programs of which are most popular,
are “Armenia” in Yerevan, “Shant” in Gyumri and ORT (Russia) in Vanadzor.

By the survey findings, the PTA First Channel is the most popular station in
Gyumri and Vanadzor and rates a close second to “Armenia” in Yerevan.
Throughout the week the programs of PTA First Channel are watched by 86.8%
of audience in Yerevan, 82.8% – in Gyumri and 93.3% – in Vanadzor. Other top
stations in terms of weekly reach are “Armenia” and RTR (Russia) in Yerevan,
“Shant” and Second Armenian TV Channel in Gyumri, ORT and Second Armenian TV
Channel in Vanadzor.

When reprinting or using the information above, reference to the Yerevan
Press Club is required.

You are welcome to send any comment and feedback about the Newsletter to:
[email protected]

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this mailing list, please send a message to: [email protected]

Editor of YPC Newsletter – Elina POGHOSBEKIAN
____________________________________________
Yerevan Press Club
9B, Ghazar Parpetsi str.
375007, Yerevan, Armenia
Tel.: (+ 374 1) 53 00 67; 53 35 41; 53 76 62
Fax: (+374 1) 53 56 61
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site:

Russia offers Azerbaijan military bloc for Karabakh conflict solution – paper

Yeni Musavat, Baku
3 Feb 05

Text of political department report by Azerbaijani newspaper Yeni
Musavat on 3 February headlined “Ilham Aliyev is visiting Moscow
again” and subheaded “Putin will discuss with him Azerbaijan’s joining
the Collective Security Treaty”

[Azerbaijani President] Ilham Aliyev is expected to pay a two-day
visit to Moscow on 15-16 February, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey
Lavrov said yesterday. Aliyev’s visit to the Russian capital is said
to be related to the opening of the days of Azerbaijan in
Moscow. Agreement was reached last year that the days of Russia would
be held in Azerbaijan and then the days of Azerbaijan would take place
in Russia.

However, the real reason for Aliyev’s another visit to Moscow is not
culture. According to a diplomatic source, Putin has invited him to
Moscow to discuss more serious political issues and, in particular,
Azerbaijan’s joining the Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CST). It was the focal point of Lavrov’s talks in Baku yesterday. The
issue of Azerbaijan’s joining the CST was discussed with Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov and later with President Aliyev. Informed
sources said that the Kremlin considers Azerbaijan’s CST membership in
the context of a settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict. In
other words, Russia intends to give its consent to the settlement of
the conflict only in case Azerbaijan agrees to join the military bloc
and have Russian military bases on its territory.

Putin put the issue of Azerbaijan’s joining the CST on the agenda back
in February last year during Ilham Aliyev’s visit to Moscow. Russia’s
influential Kommersant daily has recently claimed that Aliyev has
promised Putin that Azerbaijan will join the CST. But the Kremlin is
concerned that he has not done anything in this direction and has not
specified his position over the past year.

At the same time, Aliyev believes that he first needs to strengthen
his power inside the country in order to decide on such an important
issue as Azerbaijan’s joining the CST. But Moscow seems to be
concerned that Aliyev will renege on his promise and is therefore
increases pressure on him. If Aliyev agrees to Azerbaijan’s joining
the Russian-dominated military bloc, he will deal a serious blow to
the interests of the West. In turn, the West will never be reconciled
with that situation. On the other hand, Aliyev should fulfil its
commitments to Russia, which played a major role in his accession to
power. Only in this case Russia will be prepared to defend his power.

In order to avoid Moscow’s pressure for joining the CST, Azerbaijan
has been saying that it is impossible to be in the same military bloc
with Armenia. But at a traditional annual news conference in December
last year Putin said that Azerbaijan may find a common language with
Armenia if it joins the CST. By saying that Putin dropped a hint that
the resolution of the Karabakh problem may be possible after
Azerbaijan joins the CST, thus staying in the area of Russia’s
military and political influence. Putin is expected to discuss the
issue more specifically in a meeting with Aliyev and try to obtain his
answer.