Author: Harutyunian Christine

Trend, Azerbaijan
Jan 16 2009

Azerbaijan’s position in Nagorno-Karabakh conflict strengthened in
2008: Azerbaijani President
16.01.09 18:35

Azerbaijan’s position in settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
was more strengthened in 2008, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev said
at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers on results of the social and
economic development in 2008, AzerTag state news agency reported.

The President regarded the UN Resolution supporting Azerbaijan’s
position as political and diplomatic success of the country and the
Moscow Declaration signed by the Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents –
as continuation of this success. The President said that articles of
the Declaration fully reflect Azerbaijan’s positions and target to
solve the conflict in line with international law norms.

Army budget will be increased in 2009 and Azerbaijan’s military
expenses will make up $2.3 billion, the Head of the state
said. President Ilham Aliyev reminded the presidential elections while
speaking about important events in 2008 and said that results of the
elections testified the Azerbaijani people’s appreciating and
supporting policy of the current authorities.

The Azerbaijani President stressed importance of fulfilling all
planned work in 2009 and focusing on improvement of the Azerbaijani
people’s welfare.

–Boundary_(ID_j2bPAao1IBB+6Rnbaocltg)
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From: Sebouh Z Tashjian <[email protected]>
Subject: Azerbaijan’s policy towards Armenia changes only for the worse
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PanARMENIAN.Net

Azerbaijan’s policy towards Armenia changes only for the worse

Chief order of the authorities to put out Armenia armed to the teeth
and ready to attack peaceful Azerbaijan is brilliantly carried
out. The only trouble is that no one, including authors of the
information themselves, believes these old tales any more.
15.01.2009 GMT+04:00

For the past 20 years Azerbaijan’s policy towards Armenia and the
Armenian nation has been deteriorating so that it couldn’t be
worse. It was exactly at such state of affairs that we entered into
2009. After the Azerbaijani President’s New Year’s address saying `we
won’t give in, we will return, etc.’ there began to circulate another
story on Russia’s selling Armenia weapons with a total cost of USD800
million ¦

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The matter is dealt with rather seriously, on the
level of Foreign Ministries of the two countries. The interesting
point is that in the neighbouring country there are politicians who
even came to the point of declaring that Russia has sold the weapons
not to Armenia but to a third country. It is incomprehensible however
to whom so much artillery could be sold through Armenia: to Iran,
Turkey or¦ Georgia? Here rather an interesting conclusion can be
made: through Armenia Russia delivers armaments to Turkey, which, in
its turn, passes them to Baku. And all this in addition to the weapons
that Turkey delivers to Azerbaijan in the framework of bilateral
agreements. Let us admit that all this looks rather absurd even to the
Agitation and Propaganda Department of Baku. And there is absolutely
no doubt that these are propagandistic tricks. Chief order of the
authorities to put out Armenia armed to the teeth and ready to attack
peaceful Azerbaijan is carried out brilliantly. The only trouble is
that no one, including authors of the information themselves, believes
these old stories any more.

It is quite explicable why such information should have appeared in
the heat of the «gas war» between Russia and Ukraine as
a result of which Europe remained gasless. Azerbaijan is eager to
become monopolist-supplier of gas into Europe that is why it warns
beforehand: `We are willing but Armenia may hinder’. So, if Europe
needs Azerbaijani gas, it will have to «put Armenia in her
place». And the place that Baku leaves for Armenia following
Turkic tradition is quite clear ` it is either a dessert or
death. However, Baku forgets an important thing: monopoly in energy
supplies sooner or later begins to glitch. No one can guarantee that
with gas transited through Turkey, problems will not occur. They may
occur and might be even more serious than the Ukrainian bargain over
the price and transit conditions.

But let us revert to the delivery of the mythical armaments. The
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry is inclined to disagree with any negative
answer from the Russian side. `The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan
urges for extra explanation. Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy
Istratov conveyed Tuesday to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov the reply from the Russian Defense Ministry in response to
Azerbaijan’s inquiry about the alleged armament supply to Armenia from
the 102nd Russian military base in Gyumri. The reply did not satisfy
the Azerbaijani side and the Foreign Minister urges for more detailed
explanation of the fact,’ said Elhan Polukhov, Press attachй of
Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry, the Azeri press writes.

The Azerbaijani «Propaganda Ministry» seems to havconsidered everything
except for one important condition: there exist many international
agreements on armament. In the framework of the CFE (Conventional
Armed Forces in Europe) Treaty both Russia and Armenia are to inform
what, where and in what quantities they have. Any change in quantity
of this or that unit, or re-deployment must immediately be reported to
the OSCE headquarters in Vienna. Vienna has received no such
information, and at least on this account the transaction of USD800
million cannot be considered true. At any moment any of the CFE Treaty
signers can express desire to carry out inspection of treaty
fulfillment. So far no inspection has revealed violations. On the
contrary, the treaty is periodically violated by Azerbaijan which
actively purchases weapons from the Czech Republic and, particularly,
from the Ukraine ` armour equipment and long-range multiple launch
rocket systems `Smerch’. The information that Baku is actively
renewing its military equipment is a well-known fact in the UN, where
expert-countries annually deliver information on new transactions. But
here Azerbaijan contrives to ascribe everything to Armenia by
attributing its armament to Yerevan and misleading both its citizens
and viewers of news sites. There is no need to always respond to the
moves of the «Propaganda Ministry», since in this way
Armenia puts herself in the position of an excuse-maker. However, from
time to time it is necessary to show the successors of Dr. Goebbels
that sense of proportion is essential even when lying; though as the
Reich Minister liked to repeat `lie must be collosal to believe it’.

Karine Ter-Sahakyan
«PanARMENIAN.NetÂ&#xB B; analytical department

–Boundary_(ID_j2bPAao1IBB+6Rnbaocltg )–

System of government in Armenia should be changed, head of "Heritage"
faction believes

YEREV AN, JANUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Regardless of whether or not the
Armenian delegation will be deprived of voting rights in the PACE, the
system of government should be changed in Armenia in the political,
economic and social sense. The head of "Heritage" opposition faction of
the National Assembly Armen Martirosian expressed this opinion at the
De Facto Club on January 16. In his words, the authorities should put
their narrow personal interests aside and try "to take steps which will
bring about a real change for the better rather than will result in
similar situations".

In his opinion, the only positive step, which has so far been recorded
in the implementation of the PACE resolutions 1609 and 1620 on
activities of democratic institutions in Armenia, is the creation of
the fact-finding group on inquiry into March 1-2 events. As regards
implementation of the other requirements, such as the release of those
imprisoned for obviously political motivation, improvement of the
electoral process and ensuring press freedom, according to A.
Martirosian, there has been regression here.

A. Martirosian assured those present that no oppositionist "rejoices"
at the prospect of application of sanctions against Armenia by the
PACE. He said that it is obvious that the deprivation of the Armenian
delegation of voting rights will lead to the political isolation of our
country, while no country can overcome external challenges under such
conditions, all the more Armenia "with such resources and territory"
which will not be able to efficiently ensure its security, especially
taking into account the unsolved Nagorno Karabakh problem. Besides, it
is obvious that the weakening of Armenia’s position in PACE will result
in weakening of its positions in other international structures as well.

Javno.hr, Croatia
Jan 17 2009

Turkey Says Armenia Relations May Normalise In `09

The countries have also participated in three-way talks on normalising
relations.

Relations between Armenia and Turkey as well as Azerbaijan and Armenia
could be normalised this year, state-run news agency Anatolian on
Saturday reported Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan as saying.

"I can easily say we have never come this close to a plan regarding
the final normalisation of relations with Armenia," said Foreign
Minister Babacan in an interview with NTV late on Friday.

The step up in diplomacy comes as Armenia may be eyed as a transit
route for energy pipelines shipping oil and gas from the Caspian Sea
to Turkey’s Mediterranean coast, helping to make Turkey a key energy
hub.

"It’s not a dream, it’s a realistic estimate to see the normalisation
of relations between Azerbaijan and Armenia as well as Turkey and
Armenia," Babacan said.

Turkey closed its border with former Soviet Armenia in 1993 in a show
of solidarity with Azerbaijan, a Turkic-speaking ally which was
fighting Armenian-backed separatists over the territory of
Nagorno-Karabakh.

Nagorno-Karabakh’s ethnic Armenian population broke away from
Azerbaijan in a war as the Soviet Union fell apart.

Turkey showed a willingness to step up diplomatic efforts to normalise
relations between Ankara and Baku and Yerevan last year when President
Abdullah Gul visited the Armenian capital for a soccer match between
Turkey and Armenia.

The countries have also participated in three-way talks on normalising
relations.

Relations between the two have been strained by accusations Ottoman
Turks committed genocide by killing ethnic Armenians in World War One.

BAKU DISSATISFIED WITH RUSSIA’S RESPONSE "ON ARMAMENT DELIVERY" TO ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.01.2009 14:20 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan is dissatisfied
with Russia’s response on its free of charge armament delivery to the
amount of $800 million to Armenia and urges for extra explanation,
said Elkhan Polukhov, a spokesperson for the Azeri MFA.

Russian Ambassador to Azerbaijan Vasiliy Istratov conveyed Tuesday
to Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov the reply from the
Russian Defense Ministry to Azerbaijan’s inquiry about the alleged
armament supply from the Armenia-based 102nd Russian military base
in Gumri to Armenia.

The reply did not satisfy the Azerbaijani side and the Foreign Minister
urged for more detailed explanation, Polukhov said.

The Russian Defense Ministry refuted Wednesday Azeri media reports
about delivery of Russian armament to Armenia.

The reports are clearly untrue, said Alexander Drobyshevsky, a
spokesman for the Ministry, told The Echo of Moscow.

Earlier, the Armenian Defense Ministry also denied the reports that
Russia supplied Armenia with military hardware to the amount of
$800 million.

The reports are absolutely false, the RA Defense Minister’s spokesman,
colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Azeri ANS TV quoted Russian Defense Ministry’s spokesman Alexander
Petrunin as saying that "Russia delivered military hardware to Armenia
in the framework of a transnational agreement."

2ND PILGRIMAGE TO TURKISH-OCCUPIED MAGARAVANK TO TAKE PLACE ON MAY 10

Gibrahayer
January 7, 2009
Nicosia

The Office of The Armenian Representative in the Cyprus Parliament
Vartkes Mahdessian announced today that the 2nd pilgrimage to
the historic Armenian monastery of Sourp Magar situated in the
Turkish-occupied Kyrenia mountain range will take place on Sunday
May 10, 2009.

It is expected that more than 200 Armenian Cypriots will participate
in the pilgrimage – which before the Turkish invasion 34 years ago –
was an event on the calendar, usually accompanied by the traditional
Herissa.

It was the Representative’s Office two years ago that had organised
the first pilgrimage 32 years after the Turkish invasion, that was
attended by over 200 community members. The same event returns on
the community calendar in 2009.

It is destined to provide a bouquet of emotions to all those who will
attend and is destined to be a date that will be referred to by many
in years to come.

Hopefully the current negotiations for the solution of the Cyprus
problem will provide the circumstances that will enable members of our
community to freely and with no restrictions travel to Magaravank,
have the opportunity to work for its restoration and to be able to
pray and sing the Armenian sharagans, once again.

AZERI EXPERT SAYS ISRAEL TO GET AWAY WITH GAZA OFFENSIVE

Yeni Musavat
Jan 11 2009
Azerbaijan

An independent Azerbaijani analyst has said that Israel will not be
sued at international courts for its offensive in the Gaza Strip,
the opposition Yeni Musavat newspaper said on 11 January.

Asked if the Israeli leadership will be sued in international courts
for causing major civilian casualties and continued killings and for
ignoring calls of international organizations and influential states,
political analyst Vafa Quluzada said: "The point is about force… How
the weak ones may sue a strong one… Israel’s being sued even for the
sake of show is impossible. What court will deliver a fair verdict
on this issue? Courts of the most democratic countries now look at
who sues who."

The paper quoted Quluzada as saying that as a result of the war,
Arab-Israeli ties would become more strained and "Arabs’ terror
against Israel will strengthen".

As for the disregard of international calls by Israel, the political
analyst said that Tel-Aviv relied on the USA’s power.

"It is already known that Israel and the USA imagine themselves as one
state. Israel is the US outpost, like Armenia is Russia’s outpost. Jews
of Israel were subjected to major oppression in history. Jews are the
only nation subjected to genocide. They have always been persecuted
in the world for being Jews. Anti-Semitic moods are strong even
now. However, anti-Semitism has been outlawed, people are taken to
court for this. But different interests are ruling the world now,
that is why Israel is conducting a different policy having forgotten
its past," Quluzada told Yeni Musavat.

In an interview with the paper, the imam of the closed Abu Bakr mosque,
Qamat Suleymanov, also commented on Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.

"Naturally, I also condemn this aggression. The developments in Gaza
are barbarism. I demand that this massacre be stopped," Suleymanov
said.

Suleymanov was quoted as saying that following the developments in
Gaza, religious radicalism had increased in the country and "at this
moment there is great need for the Abu Bakr mosque’s operation".

Suleymanov noted that the mosque community had always opposed religious
radicalism.

The mosque, which is located in Baku’s Narimanov district, was closed
down after a terror attack on it in 2008. Although law-enforcers
regarded the case as temporary, the Narimanov district court ruled
that the mosque be closed down permanently.

ARMENIA’S CURRENT-ACCOUNT DEFICIT KEEPS SOARING OVER JANUARY-SEPTEMBER
by Venla Sipila

World Markets Research Markets
Global Insight
Jan 12 2009

According to latest balance of payments figures from the Armenian
National Statistical Service, the country’s current account registered
a deficit of some $932US million for January-September 2008, ARKA
News reports. This result marks a dramatic deterioration compared
with the shortfall of $348US million witnessed over the first three
quarters of 2007. As expected, the trade deficit remained in key
role as driver of the overall external gap. Indeed, the deficit
on goods trade in January-September amounted to $1US.8 billion,
up from some $1US.0 billion a year ago, while also the relatively
modest service trade deficit widened in annual comparison. Meanwhile,
the balance on the current transfers account registered a surplus
of $777US million, somewhat widening from the same period last year,
while also the income trade balance strengthened in annual comparison,
reaching $318US million.

Significance:As a percentage of GDP, the external deficit for the
first thee quarters of the year came in at 10.9%. While this ratio
is lower than the share of 12.6% in the first half, signalling some
positive developments in the third quarter, the comparison to a deficit
to GDP ratio of 5.7% in the same period last year is particularly
discouraging. The deep current-account shortfall and Armenia’s
dependence on foreign investment and transfer inflows for financing
it leave the country very vulnerable to external shocks. Considering
the current sharp global economic downturn and the tightness of
international liquidity, risks related to investment inflows and thus,
to financing the deep current-account gap, have recently increased,
and developments in the country’s external liquidity gap warrant
close monitoring at present. Thus, it remains as crucial as ever to
support Armenia’s attractiveness for foreign investment by improving
the operational environment by further reforms, notably in the fiscal
sector. On the other hand, relatively good reform progress so far has
secured unproblematic access to concessional loans, and thus, external
payments pressures are at present expected to remain manageable.

ARMENIA’S PLANE BYPASSES HEAD-ON CRASH

Azeri Press Agency
Jan 12 2009
Azerbaijan

Yerevan – APA. Plane owned by Armenia’s "Armavia" company survived
head-on crash. APA reports that the plane en route Sochi-Yerevan was
about to run into an oncoming plane en route Dubai-New York 70km far
from Tbilisi.

The plane owned by "Armavia" abruptly turned left. Due to the
pilots’ efforts the plane bypassed head-on crash. The fact is being
investigated.

ARMENIAN CAVE YIELDS ANCIENT HUMAN BRAIN
Excavations have produced roughly 6,000-year-old relics of a poorly
known culture existing near the dawn of civilization
By Bruce Bower
ScienceNews.org
Web edition : 12:59 pm

PHILADELPHIA – In a cave overlooking southeastern Armenia’s Arpa River,
just across the border from Iran, scientists have uncovered what may
be the oldest preserved human brain from an ancient society. The cave
also offers surprising new insights into the origins of modern
civilizations, such as evidence of a winemaking enterprise and an
array of culturally diverse pottery.
Excavations in and just outside of Areni-1 cave during 2007 and 2008
yielded an extensive array of Copper Age artifacts dating to between
6,200 and 5,900 years ago, reported Gregory Areshian of the University
of California, LosAngeles, January 11 at the annual meeting of the
Archaeological Institute of America. In eastern Europe and the Near
East, an area that encompasses much of southwest Asia, the Copper Age
ran from approximately 6,500 to 5,500 years ago.
The finds show that major cultural developments occurred during the
Copper Age in areas outside southern Iraq, which is traditionally
regarded as the cradle of civilization, Areshian noted. The new cave
discoveries move cultural activity in what’s now Armenia back by about
800 years.
`This is exciting work,’ comments Rana Ã-zbal of Bogazici University
in Istanbul, Turkey.
A basin two meters long installed inside the Armenian cave and
surrounded by large jars and20the scattered remains of grape husks and
seeds apparently belonged to a large-scale winemaking operation.
Researchers also found a trio of Copper Age human skulls, each buried
in a separate niche inside the three-chambered, 600-square-meter
cave. The skulls belonged to 12- to 14-year-old girls, according to
anatomical analyses conducted independently by three biological
anthropologists. Fractures identified on two skulls indicate that the
girls were killed by blows from a club of some sort, probably in a
ritual ceremony, Areshian suggested.
Remarkably, one skull contained a shriveled but well-preserved
brain. `This is the oldest known human brain from the Old World,’
Areshian said. The Old World comprises Europe, Asia, Africa and
surrounding islands.
Scientists now studying the brain have noted preserved blood vessels
on itssurface. Surviving red blood cells have been extracted from
those hardy vessels for analysis.
It’s unclear who frequented Areshi-1, where these people lived or how
big their settlements were. No trace of household activities has been
found in or outside the cave.
Whoever they were, these people participated in trade networks that
ran throughout the Near East, Areshian proposes. Copper Age pottery at
the site falls into four groups, only one of which represents a local
product. A group of painted ceramic items came from west-central
Iran. Some pots display a style typical of the Maikop culture from
southern Russia and southeastern Europe. Still other pieces were
characteristic of the Kura-Arax cult
ure that flourished just west of Maikop territory in Russia.
Radiocarbon dating of pottery and other Copper Age finds pushes back
the origins of the Maikop and Kura-Arax cultures by nearly 1,000
years, Areshian says.
Additional discoveries at Areni-1 include metal knives, seeds from
more than 30 types of fruit, remains of dozens of cereal species,
rope, cloth, straw, grass, reeds and dried grapes and prunes.
A hard, carbonate crust covering the Copper Age soil layers, along
with extreme dryness and stable temperatures inside the cave,
contributed to preservation of artifacts and, in particular, the young
girl’s brain.
Medieval ovens from the 12th to 14th centuries have also been
excavated at the cave’s entrance, underneath a rock shelter.
Areshian expects much more material to emerge from further excavations
at Areni-1 and from explorations of the many other caves bordering the
Arpa River. `One of these caves is much larger than Areni-1, covering
about an acre inside,’ he said.