Author: Antonian Lara

Armenian president opens the brackets in the story of contradictions to
his political opponent in the person of the first Armenian president

2008-02-16 21:57:00

ArmInfo. Today Armenian President Robert Kocharyan told why active
participants in the Karabakh war have found themselves in different
camps. In an interview with several local TV channels the president
explained this by the fact of giving up their principles regarding
certain political motives. ‘And even when it seemed to everybody that
everything was done in a fully-fledged spirit, that was not so. When I
was president of Karabakh, we seemed to have excellent relations with
the authorities of Armenia and the existing disagreements were not a
topic for public discussion, as unity of the authorities was a very
important condition’, – Robert Kocharyan emphasized and added in
particular that these disagreements were regarding the Dashnaks party.
‘There was a serious conflict in Armenia, people were arrested, the
party was closed, but in Karabakh we continued an active cooperation.
We thought that for the success of the Karabakh movement and for
ensuring security we had to ensure cooperation with all the political
forces. But they were trying to involve me these problems, but I
resisted and it caused certain tension in our relations’, – he
emphasized.

Robert Kocharyan also added that there were significant differences in
the approaches of the Karabakh conflict settlement. ‘We thought that
Armenian authorities easily agreed to the idea top autonomy of Karabakh
within Azerbaijan. They said they agreed to any suggestion within the
frame of which Karabakh and Azerbaijan will come to consent. This was
weakening our positions much since we got an impression that Armenia is
not behind Karabakh in this matter either. This was fortifying the
world community’s pressure upon us so that to break us in this issue.
The biggest disagreement which led to very serious conflict – are our
approaches to the strategy and tactic of the battle actions. They were
absolutely different approaches. We thought that security zone had to
be created around Karabakh, but Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s viewpoint
differed. The first big conflict between us arose in 1993, two months
later after liberation of Kelbajar’. Saying that it is for the first
time that he tells this story, Robert Kocharyan said that a meeting
took place in Goris, on 12 June and the first Armenian president and
several members of Security Council were present at the meeting. Robert
Kocharyan and Foreign Minister Arkadiy Gukasyan were present at the
meeting from the Karabakh party. Yerevan demanded to return Kelbajar at
the meeting. Various reasons were presented, the main of which was
strong pressing of the world community and the fact that Ter-Petrosyan
promised them to return. ‘We had a very hard talk, so hard that it
seemed impossible to restore the relations in future. We refused, and
in two day on 14 June Levon Ter-Petrosyan arrived in Karabakh by
helicopter and the talk continued this time with the speaker of the NKR
parliament Georgiy Petrosyan. The same pressure, the same threats.

They said if we di not return the territories now Armenia will fail. By
the way, this talk led to Georgiy Petrosyan’s resignation. We agreed so
that not to damage our relations once and forever, and I said that
returning may happen we have two months to fortify our positions along
the entire line so that in future Kelbajar not to become a source of a
new threat for the defence of Karabakh. The following day I invited a
narrow circle of people for consultation and together with the military
leadership we adopted a decision to start the Agdam operation. That
time Karabakh was fired from all the sides and had losses every day. We
understood that if security zone is not created, nobody will remain in
Karabakh. Such a decision was dictated by the military situation. The
fire units in Agdam were neutralized in July and we started controlling
the territory. Soon everybody forgot about Kelbajar and a new story
started – this time with Agdam. Security Council gathered in Yerevan
and adopted a decision according to which it was inadmissible to occupy
new territories by the Defence Army of Nagornyy Karabakh. The decision
was delivered to us by helicopter. But we did not sign it and said it
is not worthy even of the fuel spend for its delivery. That was a very
serious conflict. Then we liberated Fizuli, Kubatlu, etc. And all those
steps were accompanied by the similar reaction of Yerevan’, – Kocharyan
said.

The president also said he was not going to tell this and hoped to tell
the story in his memories several years later. ‘Moreover, if we did not
implement this strategy in Karabakh, there would never be cease-fire.
Just such a strategy led to cease-fire and forced Azerbaijan to it. I
should also say that if we were united in our approaches and there was
no pressure upon us, our positions would be more favourable. To be
honest, we did not have a goal to occupy territories. That time we had
one goal – to ensure security of Nagornyy Karabakh. We had to
neutralize threat. If we froze the situation, I do not doubt we would
lose Karabakh and today we would a status of the country that lost and
Levon Ter-Petrosyan would the president of the country that lost. And
the soldier-liberators beside him would be the "Erkrapahs" of the
country that lost. Psychology of the people would be broken. Nobody in
Azerbaijan says with proud that he a veteran of the Karabakh war, as
they lost’, – Kocharyan said and added that he does not think the
former leadership of Armenia did not want Karabakh to reach success.
But they were not bold, and did not really assessed the situation.
‘When they phoned me and said: "What are you doing? We shall lose
Armenia>, I replied: "We stand firm at the battle field and you have to
stand firm at the diplomatic field’.

PanARMENIAN.Net/

Vahram Atanesyan: let’s wait for Kosovo independence
15.02.2008 15:48 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ `International mediators have numerously stated that
Kosovo is a unique phenomenon and recognition of its independence
can’t be a precedent,’ said Vahram Atanesyan, chairman of the NKR
parliamentary committee on external relations.

`Azerbaijani President’s concerns over a menacing tendency of
legitimization of self-proclaimed republics testify that the context
of the Azeri-Karabakhi conflict resolution is pregnant with unpleasant
surprises for Azerbaijan,’ he said.

`Let us wait for the day when Kosovo becomes independence. I think
that Serbia and Russia have enough power to correct the U.S. and EU
positions on the delicate issue,’ Atanesyan resumed, Karabakh-Open
reports.

A1+

WHILE WAITING FOR SERGE SARGSYAN
[02:40 pm] 16 February, 2008

more images 48-year-old Abovyan citizen David
Asatryan has been impatiently waiting for this day for
the last three weeks. Today the RA presidential
candidate, the Leader of the `Republican Party of
Armenia’ Serge Sargsyan will visit Abovyan. David
wants to hand over his letter to the candidiate.

`I have three children and we live on 24 000 drams
allowance. In my letter I ask the Prime Minister to
return my deposit or to give me a trade center for
rent. I will work and pay taxes properly. I do not
want money, I am not a beggar, I just need a job’,
said David to `A1+’. The residents of the first and
the third hostels, belonging to `Shintrest’ firm, also
want to see the Prime Minister, since the buildings
are not safe to live in. `We want to hand over a
letter to him. Maybe he will save us from ruins. We
have appealed to many instances, but not one wants to
help us, they just give us sin promises. We hope that
the Prime Minister will hear us and will land a
helping hand’.

In fact, the courtyard of Abovyan Municipality
promises to be crowded. People have come not to get
acquainted with the pre-election program of the
candidate but to raise their problems.

By the way, directors of Abovyan schools have demanded
the teachers to come and be present at the meeting.
Directors of Abovyan hospitals and policlinics are
stricter, than the directors of the schools. They have
demanded the doctors and the nurses to be present at
the candidate’s meeting; otherwise they will be
released from the posts. Moreover, Serge Sargsyan’s
partner Gagik Tsarukyan, is the honorable citizen of
Abovyan town, and he can even compulsively bring
thousands of people in this region.

Our sources from the `Republican Party of Armenia’
mentioned that they already celebrated the victory of
their candidate. They are confirmed that their
candidate will win in the first round. The upcoming
events will show what their confidence depends on.

Azat Artsakh Tert, Nagorno Karabakh Republic
Feb 15 2008

Commentaries of the NKR MFA Information and Analytical Department…

Question: Lately, it has become popular in Azerbaijan to look for
the Kurd Labor Party (KLP) militants in the NKR. Recently, Nizami
Bahmanov has joined the supporters of conducting an "antiterrorist
operation" against the KLP militants allegedly available in the NKR.
What are these modern tendencies in Azerbaijan’s policy aimed at?
Commentary: Due to the ethnic origin of the governing clan in
Baku, the "Kurd subjects" is one of the most sensible domestic policy
topics in modern Azerbaijan. The matter is not only in the fact that
representatives of the mentioned ethnic group occupy many high-level
key posts in Azerbaijan, but also in the role of the "Nakhichevan
clan" ancestor, former head of the AzSSR KGB Heydar Aliyev in
creating and training Turkey’s number one enemy – the Kurd Labor
Party (KLP). Researchers refer the Turkish leadership’s traditional
cool terms with late Aliyev-senior just to this circumstance. During
his visit to Baku in January 2003, former leader of the ruling Party
of Justice and Development in Turkey Radjep Erdogan stated that
sections of the Kurd Labor Party operated in Azerbaijan, screened by
cultural events. R. Erdogan’s statement caused such a violent
reaction in Azerbaijan that the then Minister of National Security of
the country Namik Abbasov had to make an official refutation. It is
notable that Namik Abbasov did not exclude that there might be such
persons in Azerbaijan supporting the KLP and rendering financial
assistance to it, but their activity, as Mr. Abbasov assured, was
"under the control of the Azerbaijani law enforcement bodies".
In this context, the immediate reaction of the Azerbaijani party
to the misinformation published in the Turkish press, as well as the
following attempts of its officials to get rid of the "Kurd problem"
in Azerbaijan and to transfer the focus of attention to the NKR are
not accidental. Meanwhile, according to the Azerbaijani mass media,
former Armenian villages of the Northern Karabakh were actively
populated with Kurds during the recent years.
Question: What aims does Baku pursue, spreading such
insinuations?
Commentary: If we set aside the peculiarity of the "Kurd
subject", then the matter is in Azerbaijan’s regular use of its
favorite propagandistic tactics of "tracing" urgent issues of
international policy and transferring them to the Karabakh conflict.
Thus, in different periods, depending on the political situation, the
Azerbaijani party stated that the Karabakh movement "was inspired by
the western secret services for undermining the communist system and
brotherhood of nations"; later, it noted that the Karabakh Armenians’
demand was initiated by the "imperial ambitions of the Kremlin
authorities, who had declared war on sovereign Azerbaijan". In the
framework of their informational-propagandistic war, the Azerbaijani
authorities and the structures, funded by them, stated on the
existence of Al-Qaida camps and a series of radical Islamic
organizations, laboratories for producing nuclear weapons, and
nuclear waste burial in the NKR. The Azerbaijani parliamentary
delegation at PACE distributed even a document on the Armenian
party’s use of nuclear weapons during the military activities in
1991-1994.
Depending on the international political situation, different
ways of resolving the Karabakh conflict were discussed in Azerbaijan,
which, having the same content, were different in their form. They
noted the necessity of holding a large-scale "passport regime
checkup", intensifying the Azeri OMON operations, conducting
anti-terroristic operations in Nagorno Karabakh, realizing pointed
bombing of the "terroristic infrastructure", carrying out
humanitarian intervention "for saving the Karabakh Armenians from
terrorists", initiating military-police operations for "restoring law
and order in Nagorno Karabakh", implementing corresponding
"operations on forcing for peace with Azerbaijan", etc.
So, the tradition of presenting itself as a victim of "local
demonstration of the international evil" is not new for Azerbaijan.
It fully corresponds to the tactics of solving the Karabakh problem
with cat’s paw, which Azerbaijan actively fulfills in the context of
its European, American, and Russian policy.
However, if previously similar statements were made on an
official level, currently, realizing their absurdity, official Baku
suggests Nizami Bahmanov for developing such topics. And it’s a pity
that Azerbaijan makes use of Nizami Bahmanov in its provocative
actions contradicting not only the letter and spirit of the
Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement process, but also the common
sense.

NKR NA deputy, "Through Baku’s fault the Karabakhi movement acquired
open confrontation character"

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic National Assembly deputy Maksim
Mirzoyan considers that February 12, 1988 is a starting point of the
modern stage of the Karabakhi national liberation movement.
"Namely events of this day predetermined the holding of the
historical session, which marked the success of the Movement in
general and the achievement of the long-expected freedom", the deputy
supposes.
According to Maksim Mirzoyan, "February 12 became an apogee in
the hidden confrontation between Baku’s wish to annihilate Karabakh
and Karabakh’s dream to be unyoked from Azerbaijan. The emotions,
which had been suppressed till then, were given vent to".
All the following events, according to the deputy, logically led
to the historical session of the NKAO Council of National Deputies
(February 20, 1988), which predetermined Nagorno Karabakh’s
self-determination.
"Through Baku’s fault the Karabakhi movement acquired open
confrontation character that soon developed into a long and bloody
armed confrontation. However, the fate itself was on the side of the
fare and final decision of the Karabakhi people, who, at the cost of
unprecedented heroism and firmness, were able to avert the threat of
their physical annihilation and be firm in realizing their original
right to self-determination in accordance with the fundamental
international norms", Maksim Mirzoyan noted.

INTER CHURCH COUNCIL ASSUMES ROLE OF A MEDIATOR

Newindpress
ewsItems.asp?ID=IER20080212211743&Page=R&T itle=Kerala&Topic=0
Feb 13 2008
India

NEDUMBASERRY: The Inter-Church Council had begun its efforts to settle
down the church dispute at Malankara, said Mosool (Turkey) Diocese
Archbishop Mar Gregorios Semon Saleeba at the Kochi airport on Monday.

Archbishop Saleeba who was leading a ten-member pilgrim to attend the
76th Dokorono festival of Patriarch Elias-III, who was interred in
Manjinikkara Dayara, arrived here as the representative of Patriarch
Ignatios Zaka-I. The pilgrims included the relatives of the deceased
Patriach Elias-III.

Armenian Aram-I who was entrusted by ICC to mediate the dispute
between Jacobite and Orthodox Churches, held a three-day discussion
with Patriarch of Antioch Zaka-I, the spiritual leader of Jacobite
Church, in Damascus last week, told Archbishop Saleeba.

The ICC aimed at solving the issue amicably and permanently. The ICC
wanted the Churches in Malankara should always witness the Christian
doctrines. Patriarh Aram-I will visit Kerala positively in April. He
will mainly discuss the issue with the leadership of Orthodox Church.

Aram-I will also find time to hold discussion with both the factions
separately and he will try to discuss with both the factions together.

The Archbishop Saleeb and pilgrims were received by the faithful led by
Manjinikkara Dayara Auxiliary Metropolitan Gregorios Mar Athanasios,
Church spokesperson Fr Varghese Kallappara and Almadeepam editor C
Y Varghese.

ARA ABRAHAMIAN WISHES SERGE SARGSIAN TO BE ELECTED RA PRESIDENT

Noyan Tapan
Feb 13, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. Today Armenia plays an important
role in the issue of preservation of Armenian identity in the
Diaspora, and the Diaspora has great expectations that the forthcoming
presidential elections will be peaceful, transparent, within the law,
and the public will trust the elections results. Ara Abrahamian, the
Chairman of the Union of Armenians in Russia and the World Armenian
Congress, said on February 13, during the meeting with the members
of the presidium of the RA National Academy of Sciences.

Though A. Abrahamian being a RF citizen will not take part in the
Armenian elections, he has his precise position: highly evaluating
the professionalism and merits of all RA presidential candidates,
nevertheless he wishes the RA Prime Minister, RPA candidate Serge
Sargsian to be elected RA President. According to him, this position is
especially based on experience of nearly 10-year consistent, efficient
cooperation of Serge Sargsian with the RF authorities, his immediate
great contribution to development of Armenian-Russian interstate
relations, which is of much importance for 2.5m Armenians living in
Russia. A. Abrahamian also said that both the Union of Armenians in
Russia and personally he cannot support a RA presidential candidate,
who "imagines development of Armenian-Russian relations in other
directions." "Serge Sargsian’s policy is very clear, very exact," he
stated at the same time adding that the Armenians of Russia have much
expectations from the new Armenian President no matter who is elected.

A. Abrahamian said that many of over 300 thousand RA citizens residing
in RF have applied to the Union to find out the latter’s position on
the RA presidential elections. The Union’s Board discussing the issue
at its sitting held lately decided to apply to RA citizens living in
Russia with an appeal to vote with their conscience.

By the way, it should be mentioned that according to the amendments
made to the Electoral Code last year, no polling stations will function
in foreign states during RA state elections and only citizens being
in RA territory will use the right of voting on the voting day.

A. Abrahamian also expressed an opinion that when reading Armenian
press one forms the impression that Armenia is getting ready for not
elections but a bad event full of uncertainty, which "does no good
to the Armenian people."

According to him, the political forces should also realize that life
will go on after the elections.

The Chairman of the Union of Armenians in Russia and the World
Armenian Congress also touched upon the problem of Armenia’s economic
development. In his words, judging by the indices, a positive shift
can be recorded, but in comparison with other countries "we lag behind
very much." "We, Armenians, can do much more by using the potential
of the Diaspora and our foreign friends," A. Abrahamian said.

CLEVELAND MUSEUM PRESENTS MUSIC OF ARMENIA

HULIQ

Feb 11 2008
NC

The Cleveland Museum of Art’s (CMA) acclaimed VIVA! & Gala Around Town
announces the second performance in its special Music of Central Asia
and the Near East mini-series. The Shoghaken Ensemble will perform at
7:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 16 at the Cleveland Museum of Natural
History (CMNH).

Founded by Gevorg Dabaghyan in 1991, The Shoghaken Ensemble has become
one of the preeminent traditional music ensembles in Armenia.

Dedicated to rediscovering and continuing Armenia’s extraordinary
folk music tradition, the group presents music from a broad
geographical and historical span using traditional instruments
and song styles. The ensemble has performed extensively in Europe,
Armenia and throughout the former Soviet Union. Shoghaken features
Armenia’s top instrumentalists, singers and dancers. When cellist
Yo-Yo Ma invited this Armenian musical group to participate in the
Smithsonian Festival in Washington D.C., thousands of Americans were
captivated by the diversity and passion of Armenian music.

Armenian folk music is one of the world’s richest musical traditions,
burgeoning with an extraordinary array of melodies and genres. Since
the 1880s, ethnographers and musicologists, most famously the Armenian
priest Komitas, have traveled to remote villages and towns in Anatolia
and the Caucasus collecting Armenian songs and dances.

Currently there are over 30,000 catalogued in various archives,
each with rhythms and modes characteristic of both broad Near Eastern
influence and particular rituals and dialects not seen or heard beyond
the next mountain pass.

Shoghaken’s performance will feature popular dances and troubadour
(ashugh) melodies interspersed with more unusual emigrant- and
work-songs, medieval epic verse, mournful wedding dances (a peculiarly
Armenian oxymoron) and exquisite lullabies (numbering in the hundreds
and renowned for their haunting lyricism).

Today, Azerbaijan
Feb 8 2008

Iranian Ambassador to Russia: "Iran is for the peaceful resolution of
Nagorno-Garabagh conflict"

08 February 2008 [18:28] – Today.Az

Official Tehran is for the peaceful resolution of Nagorno Garabagh
conflict.

The due statement was made by Iranian ambassador extraordinary and
plenipotentiary to Russia Golemreza Ansari at a press conference in
Moscow on February 8.

According to the ambassador, Iran maintains friendly relations both
with Azerbaijan and Armenia. This fact may be used for
intensification of a political dialog", Ansari considers.

The ambassador noted that Iran’s strategy is to have good neighbor
relations with surrounding countries. In this connection, Tehran
comes to a conclusion that Nagorno Garabagh problem can be settled
only peacefully.

The ambassador highly evaluated Iran’s relations with both Azerbaijan
and Armenia.

URL:

Balkan Travellers, Bulgaria
Feb 8 2008

Toursits Increased In Armenia, Family Vacation Affordable

07 February 2008 | 510 thousand tourists visited Armenia last year,
which is with 33% higher compared to 2006. The country’s long
history, mountains and rich Christian culture attract more and more
visitors each year.

According to Mekhak Apresyan, the head of tourism department at the
national Ministry of Trade and Economic development, previously there
was a shortage of hotels in the country. Today there are
approximately 70 accomodation places, nearly half of which are in
Yerevan.

According to Apresyan, Armenia is well presented in the international
tourism and travel market, which has its positive impact on its
development.

Apresyan noted that the conditions for ecotourism in Armenia are more
than sufficient, but much remains to be done, until the country
becomes a developed tourist destination.

ead/article/343

"PROCREDIT" – 22ND BANK OF ARMENIA
By Ara Martirosian

AZG Armenian Daily
07/02/2008

On February 5, German "Procredit" bank started its activities in
Armenia and it became the 22nd functioning bank of Armenia. The
Executive Director of the bank Bertold Herzfeld and Deputy Director
Ashot Abrahamian spoke about the banks group "Procredit" during the
press conference held in "Congress" hotel.

Bertold Herzfeld mentioned that the bank function in 21 countries of
the world and is socially responsible for small business and common
citizens. The shareholders of Armenian "Procredit" are "Procredit"
bank – 66,6 percent, KfW – 16,6 percent and "Eurobank" – 16,6 percent.

Ashot Abrahamian said that the bank will open it 6 branches at the
end of the year – 4 in Yerevan and 2 – in provinces.

The bank will accept deposits from everybody. It will give credits
to small and medium businesses. They will start also crediting of
agriculture during the year.

Chairman of Central Bank Tigran Sargsian welcomed the opening of
"Procredit" bank in Armenia and assured that it will contribute
to financial mediation development and will bring to Armenia new
culture. It will also contribute to the competition in banking system.