Author: Chakhmakhchian Vatche

STRUGGLE FOR THE ABKHAZIAN BRIDGEHEAD

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
26.05.2009 GMT+04:00

All the events of the past 15-20 years convince the world community
that the term ‘failed state’ is quite applicable to Georgia.

Until recently Turkey used to be the only country in the region,
with which Georgia held more or less normal relations, not counting
Azerbaijan. But the latest demarche of the Georgian Foreign Ministry
showed that actually Official Tbilisi cannot live in harmony with
her neighbors. First Georgia strained relations Armenia, then Iran,
and now Turkey. It is possible that tomorrow Azerbaijan may replenish
this range of "bad neighbors". Thus far Saakashvili vows fidelity to
"brother Ilham", but no one knows how long he will be able to keep
it. It’s quite understandable that the Georgian President’s steps are
all directed against Russia, but consequently they are also directed
against the Russian-Turkish alliance.

But let us analyze everything in order. Tbilisi requires that
the Turkish arm of Italian clothing retailer Benetton observe the
Georgian law. "We are not against the activities of any commercial
firm on the occupied territories, if it complies with the Georgian
law on occupied territories," Grigol Vashadze, the Georgian foreign
minister, told journalists on May 25, "But let them register in
Georgia and obtain a Georgian tax identification code, pay taxes and
act under our permission. If any company does not want it and wants
to carry out its activities through violations, it will entail legal,
commercial and other consequences." Moreover, Ambassador of Turkey
to Georgia Ertan Tezgor was required to give official explanations
in connection with the intention of the Turkish representation of
Benetton to launch work in Abkhaz capital Sokhumi.

On the same day the Georgian Foreign Ministry declares it is ready
to start consultations with the Russian side about opening the Zemo
Larsi checkpoint on the Georgian-Russian border.

On May 25 the Embassy of Switzerland in Georgia, representing the
interests of RF, voices Moscow’s proposal of opening the Zemo Larsi
border crossing point that was closed by Russian side without notice
two years ago. "Proceeding from interests of the Georgian and Russian
nations, we are ready to consider this issue," said Shota Gvineria,
official representative of the Georgian MFA.

Turkey and Russia have extensive plans concerning Georgia. If Turkey
prioritizes economic expansion followed by political subordination,
Russia gives superiority to political pressure on the present
administration of Tbilisi and the retention of her presence in the
Caucasus. And Abkhazia is most suitable for it. For the Black Sea
fleet it is an opportunity to have a second base besides Sevastopol,
for a better control over the water area, where American men-of-war
sometimes enter. Turkey has her own reasons – almost one million
strong Abkhazian community lives there, negatively disposed to the
Georgians, and therefore any undertaking of the Turkish government
against Georgia will be supported and assisted with all might.

Alas, under such distribution of real forces in the Caucasus, Tbilisi
has very little chances to remain independent and build democracy
"in the Georgian style". Sukhumi, and in the near future also Batumi
may mark the beginning of the final division of Georgia into several
still autonomous regions, which will simply join stronger and more
stable states. As far as we can see, there are only two countries
that can in fact change the political map of the Caucasus region;
they are Russia and, no matter how sad it may be for Armenia,
Turkey. By the way, it’s not so bad for Armenia that Georgia is
looking forward to make friends with her. Mikhail Saakashvili is now
ready for any alliance, only to be able to keep power and not to lose
another part of the country. The thing is that under every President
of post-Soviet period Georgia has been only losing territories,
acquiring instead nothing but, inconsequential statements about the
support from the USA and the European Union, as well as the exercises
of NATO which, in a wider sense, were necessary only to the alliance
in order to demonstrate its independence from Russia. In a word,
everyone is contented: Turkey obtains a valuable economic partner;
Russia acquires a long-term outlook for presence in the Caucasus;
Abkhazia gets protection from all sides. As usual, Saakashvili ends up
losing, simply because he so unskillfully used his territories. Thus,
all the events of the past 15-20 years convince the world community
that the term ‘failed state’ is quite applicable to Georgia.

SHOWCASE: THE GHOSTS OF ARMENIA
Celina Fang

New York Times
May 28 2009

The shadow of a train runs along the Baghdad Railway, used by the
Turkish government to deport thousands of Armenians in 1915. In the
window, there is a figure of a traveler, the photographer herself:
Kathryn Cook. The image, among the first in her photo essay, "Memory
of Trees," conveys the sense of a personal journey into a historically
resonant landscape.

Ms. Cook’s project takes the viewer through a series of sites
associated with what Armenians insist was a genocide under Ottoman
rule in Turkey during World War I: villages in Turkey that were
forcibly emptied by the Ottoman army, the churches and abbeys in
Jerusalem to which the refugees fled. One photograph shows children
playing in a courtyard in Bitlis, a town that was once predominantly
Armenian. The children’s movements are blurred, ghostlike. Many photos
emphasize the emotional tonality of the story rather than documenting
specific events. A view of a ruined castle in an area that was once
an Armenian kingdom conveys a feeling of loss; the tall grasses and
crumbling walls evoking a neglected cemetery.

Ms. Cook has said that "Memory of Trees" focuses on the ways in
which the denial of history manifests itself visually. (The Turkish
government has long disputed that a genocide occurred.) She submitted
this piece and another on the Rwandan genocide to the 16th annual
World Press Photo Joop Swart Masterclass. As one of 12 participants
selected from 179 candidates, Ms. Cook has been invited to produce
a photo essay on "Touch," the theme of this year’s program.

Ms. Cook, 29, is from Albuquerque, N.M. She attended the University
of Colorado at Boulder, was a freelancer at The Miami Herald and then
moved to Guatemala. She worked for The Associated Press in Panama from
2003 to 2005. She is now based in Rome. In 2007, she was selected by
Photo District News as one of 30 emerging photographers to watch. In
2008, she won Magnum Photo’s Inge Morath Award.

Santiago Lyon, director of photography at The Associated Press and one
of the judges for the Masterclass, says Ms. Cook’s work "is sensitive,
it’s thoughtful, it makes use of atmosphere and texture."

"And her framing is interesting," he added, "she doesn’t do that in
a conventional way."

Ms. Cook is pregnant. She has wrestled with the question of being a
woman in the field of photojournalism.

"It’s an issue that isn’t really discussed a lot, but for women it’s a
huge decision — being pregnant and working and taking time out," she
said. She is looking forward to working on this year’s assigned theme.

"’Touch’ is particularly wonderful because I’m going to try to make it
a personal project and reflect on my slow change into motherhood. I’m
still developing the project but I think it will be about reconnecting
with family."

CONFLICT SCIENTIST: SEEING THE DIM PROSPECTS OF ESTABLISHING RELATIONS WITH THE EUROPEAN UNION, THE LEADERSHIP OF TURKEY HAS DECIDED NOT TO LOSE AZERBAIJAN

Today.Az
tics/52634.html
May 27 2009
Azerbaijan

Interview Day.Az with Arif Yunusov, chief of Department of conflict
science of the Institute of Conflict Peace and Democracy

– How do you assess the outcome of Turkish FM’s visit to Azerbaijan?

– His visit to Azerbaijan once again revealed the change in Turkey’s
position on opening of borders with Armenia and establishing the
Turkish-Armenian relations. For example, if a couple of months ago
this topic was very relevant and some media even specified the date
of opening of the Turkish-Armenian border, now we hear opposite
statements.

It proves that Turkey was not able to improve its relations with
the EU for the sake of which it has made the issue of improvement of
Turkish-Armenian relations urgent. In late April, France and Germany
made it clear that there is no place for Turkey in the foreseeable
future. After that, the tone of statements by official Ankara has
changed as regards the EU and the prospects of establishing relations
with Armenia.

Seeing the dim prospects of establishing relations with the European
Union, the leadership of Turkey has decided not to lose Azerbaijan,
and therefore the rhetoric of official representatives of Ankara
on the issue of relations with our country and the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict has visibly stiffened.

– And what does the statement of the Turkish FM "let Armenia not act
in an artistic manner" mean?

– Apparently, it was a reaction to the recent statement by the
President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan who said that Turkey can not be
a mediator in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement and that it
would be good if Turkey distances from the process of resolving this
conflict, if it really wants its early settlement.

– Do you agree with the statement of Sabina Freizer, Caucasus project
manager of the International Crisis Group that if the border between
Turkey and Armenia opens, it would allow Turkey to play a different
role in resolving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict?

– I would not simplify the issue and reduce the improvement
of the Turkish-Armenian relations only to the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. This is a significant geopolitical issue. In
particular, the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border would sharply
reduce the influence of Russia in our region and result in the real
intervention of the Turkish goods into the Armenian market.

Even now, in conditions of formally closed borders between Turkey
and Armenia, the trade turnover between these countries is about $
500 million a year. In addition, the opening of Turkish-Armenian
relations would lead to a change in the outlook of Armenians, who
are living with stereotypes about Turkey and Turks.

Naturally, all this would lead to an increase in the influence of
Turkey in Armenia and throughout our region. And in this connection I
think is not accidental that one of the parties, actively opposing the
opening of the Turkish-Armenian border, are the Armenian nationalists
from the party Dashnaktsutyun, who are aware of the threat of such
developments to their personal interests.

KHALIDI TO GIVE ILLUSTRATED TALK ON ARMENIANS IN INDIA AT NAASR

halidi-to-give-illustrated-talk-on-armenians-in-in dia-at-naasr/
May 27, 2009

Dr. Omar Khalidi of the Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture
at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) will give an
illustrated lecture entitled "Three Centuries of Armenian Heritage
in India" on Thurs., June 4, at 8 p.m., at the National Association
for Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR) Center in Belmont, Mass.

Though Armenians were in India from early times, their presence in
India is well-documented from the 16th century, after the establishment
of the important mercantile community in New Julfa in Persia. The
community grew in size and importance in the 17th and 18th centuries,
with many Armenians rising to positions of prominence.

Khalidi’s lecture will give an overview of India’s Armenian
diaspora-its churches, cemeteries, and related art-in such locations
as Kolkata (Calcutta), Bombay, Delhi, Agra, Surat, Hyderabad, Madras,
Dhaka (in modern Bangladesh), and elsewhere.

Khalidi has a Ph.D. in Islamic studies from the University of
Wales. Born and raised in Hyderabad, he is the author of several books
and articles on art and architecture and Indian politics and history,
including "Approaches to Mosque Design in North America" and Muslims
in Indian Economy. He was invited by the Armenian church in Calcutta
for its 300th anniversary celebration in November 2008.

This lecture is the second talk given in memory of Arshag Merguerian
(1926-2005), an architect and active member and friend of NAASR for
nearly 50 years. The expenses for the lecture will be covered by
funds contributed to NAASR in Merguerian’s memory.

Admission to the event is free (donations appreciated). The NAASR
Center is located on 395 Concord Ave. in Belmont, opposite the First
Armenian Church and next to the U.S. post office. Parking is available
around the building and in adjacent areas.

ACCORDING TO ARMEN RUSTAMIAN, SOME STILL CONSIDER ELECTIONS BUSINESS IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
May 26, 2009
Yerevan

Elections already becoming annual in Armenia call forth more questions
than answers. To all appearances, Yerevan Council of Elders elections
scheduled for May 31 will not be an exception, either. ARFD Supreme
Body representative, RA NA deputy Armen Rustamian said at the May 26
meeting with journalists.

He said that Dashnaktsutiun has already received reports on some
violations. In particular, according to rumors, all term servicemen
being Yerevan residents are promised a leave provided that they should
vote for the respective list. Voter buying is also spoken about,
at that, various sums are mentioned. According to A. Rustamian, some
consider elections a business in Armenia and try to gain as much money
as possible in that process. It is not accidental that brawls start
before any election when those financing elections try to find out
why they received less votes than envisaged for the funds they spent.

A. Rustamian said that like in previous elections, no disputes between
competitor parties’ candidates take place. While Yerevan government
system need to be changed, and the way of passing from the old to new
could have been the main subject of dispute between forces running
for the elections.

According to A. Rustamian, before elections Dashnaktsutiun has
always called for fighting violations with joint forces, even has
proposed establishing a united headquarters on informing about
falsifications. However, it is difficult to come to an agreement
on some issues between Armenia’s political forces, and this time
Dashnaktsutiun will try to solve the issue on its own: ARFD will
have 2-3 representatives, a commission member and proxies, in all 439
Yerevan polling stations. ARFD is going to involve its resources from
the whole country for that purpose.

RA OMBUDSMAN SAYS EUROPEAN COURT PRACTICE ESSENTIAL FOR ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
25.05.2009 23:31 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian citizens should have access to the
information they may need, Ombudsman Armen Harutyunyan said.

"To protect human rights, tolerance and respect are
essential. Unfortunately, these norms are not observed in Armenia,"
he said adding that the unprecedented experience of the European
Court should be applied.

KAZAKHSTAN AGREES ON ARMENIA’S PARTICIPATION IN TRILATERAL PROJECT ON URANIUM PROCESSING

ArmInfo
2009-05-23 14:49:00

ArmInfo. Kazakhstan has agreed on Armenia’s participation in
a trilateral project (Russia-Kazakhstan-Armenia) on uranium
processing. As Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sarkisyan told
journalists, it has become known during the meeting of the Heads
of Governments of CIS countries in Astana on May 22. To note,
the International Uranium Enrichment Center has been organized in
Angarsk (Irkutsk region) on the basis of FSUE Angarsk electrolysis
chemical plant by Russia and Kazakhstan in 2007. The constituent
documents on creation of the Center have been signed in October,
2006 by Tekhsnabexport Russian OJSC Kazatomprom" NAC. The plant,
engaged in enrichment of the gun fuel, has been removed from the list
of strategic enterprises, so, there are no legal obstacles on its
basis for beginning of the work of the International Center. Launch
of enriching capacities within the frames of Ð~KÐ~J has been scheduled
for 2013.

Anadolu Agency, Turkey
May 23 2009

Turkish foreign minister to go to Azerbaijan after Syria conference

Damascus, 23 May: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said [on]
Saturday [23 May] he was set to proceed to Baku, Azerbaijan, after
participating in a meeting of the foreign ministers of the
Organization of the Islamic Conference in Syrian capital.

Davutoglu said he would travel to Baku along with his Azerbaijani
counterpart (?Elmar Mehmedov) after the two day event in Damascus.

Davutoglu is expected to discuss with Azerbaijani officials the Upper
Karabakh problem, natural gas prices and Turkish-Azerbaijani
relations.

CENTRAL BANK OF ARMENIA PERMITS BTA BANK CJSC TO JOIN MONEY GRAM PAYMENT SYSTEM

ARKA
May 22, 2009

YEREVAN, May 22. /ARKA/. The Central Bank of Armenia permitted BTA
Bank CJSC to join MONEY GRAM international payment system.

According to the CBA press-service the decision was made during the
sitting of the CBA Board presided over by CBA Chairman Artur Javadyan
on Friday.

BTA Bank CJSC is a strategic partner of one of Kazakhstan’s biggest
banks – BTA Bank JSC which holds 49% of shares in the authorized
capital of BTA Bank.

The other shareholders of the banks are company ZRL (31.1%) and
Kazakh-Armenian company MOBILEX (16.2%).

Currently the bank implements transfers through Faster, Migom and
CONTACT payment systems.

AZERBAIJAN URGES MINSK GROUP TO PUT PRESSURE ON ARMENIA OVER KARABAKH

Interfax
May 21 2009
Russia

If Armenian occupation continues, the possibility that the Karabakh
conflict may be settled in a military way will grow in the future,
Azeri Defense Minister Safar Abiyev told Commander of the U.S. European
Command, Army General John Craddock.

While speaking about the regional military-political situation,
Abiyev said that Armenia’s continuing occupation was aggravating
tensions in the region, undermining the peaceful settlement without
the use of force, the Azeri Defense Ministry said in a statement
on Thursday. Europe and the countries, co-chairing the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group, must influence
Armenia more strongly, Abiyev was quoted as saying.

Military cooperation between the United States and Azerbaijan was
effective, Abiyev also said.

Craddock in turn said it was important to do away with the current
tensions in the region, and commended Azerbaijan’s contribution to the
international security system. He also praised the Azeri peacekeepers’
performance in Iraq, Kosovo and Afghanistan.