Author: Jabejian Elizabeth

AZERBAIJAN SURPRISED AT ACCUSATION OF AGGRAVATING REGIONAL SITUATION

news.az, Azerbaijan
Jan 15 2010

Collective Security Treaty Organization Azerbaijan’s embassy in Moscow
has expressed surprise at criticism from the Collective Security
Treaty Organization of remarks by its ambassador.

"The reaction of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO)
to the statement by the Azerbaijani ambassador to Russia, Polad
Bulbuloglu, is surprising," the Azerbaijani embassy in Moscow said
in a statement.

Ambassador Bulbuloglu said on 29 December that "it’s time to
liberate the occupied lands of Azerbaijan. If Azerbaijan launches
war, no one will have the right to interfere, since Azerbaijan will
be fighting in its own territory for the liberation of its lands on
the basis of UN resolutions." In response the CSTO said, "Such an
approach leads to an aggravation of the regional situation, and runs
counter to the efforts of the OSCE Minsk Group in the context of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan presidential negotiations."

The Azerbaijani embassy’s statement said: "It is surprising that
the CSTO Secretariat, the main duty of which according to its
own statute is to coordinate military construction in order to
defend member countries, should comment on the statement by the
ambassador of Azerbaijan, which is not a CSTO member and has never
encroached on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of its member
states.The ambassador’s remarks contained a call, not for war, which
was a distortion by the Secretariat, but for the liberation of the
territory of the Azerbaijan Republic, occupied as the result of a war
of aggression, which has been recognized internationally, including
by the CSTO members with the exception of the Republic of Armenia."

The embassy stressed once again Azerbaijan’s commitment to a solution
to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict through the work of the OSCE Minsk
Group and based on international law and within the territorial
integrity of Azerbaijan. The embassy said that this is in line with
the CSTO’s support for cooperation with non-member countries and
intergovernmental security organizations. "The organization assists
the forming of fair and democratic order based on the principles of
international law," the embassy said.

The embassy said Azerbaijan had built reliable partnership relations
with many countries, including some CSTO members.

Taking into consideration the key circumstances, the embassy considers
the CSTO Secretariat’s press release as highly inappropriate,
the statement said. The press release exceeds the authority of the
Secretariat and constitutes an attempt to interfere in Azerbaijan’s
internal affairs.

The embassy hopes that the CSTO Secretariat will in future take a
more responsible attitude to such statements.

The Collective Security Treaty Organization was established in 1992
by Russia, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

APA

NOT ACCIDENTALLY IS BAKU CALLED CITY OF 3 POGROMS

Aysor
Jan 14 2010
Armenia

It’s not accidental that Baku is called City of 3 pogroms as 20
years ago on January 13-19 in 1990 the massacres of Armenians were
being realized there in Baku. Larisa Alaverdyan, the secretary of the
Heritage fraction of National Assembly spoke about the Baku pogroms,
its consequences, legal and political estimations, as well as about
the steps that Armenian is tend to undertake. The deputy is sure
that the Armenian society even the active part of it is not enough
informed about the pogroms of Baku which speaks about fruitless
passive situation.

According to L. Alaverdyan this passivism is not only the fault of the
governmental and political bodies but also the public organizations
and especially the journalists who "can provide the society with
much more information". The deputy thinks it is dangerous that for
many years the information about the 1990’s events taken place in
Baku has not been introduced duly. Today, according to her, when we
try to recall the 1990s especially for regarding the memory of the
victims the society can think that this was a unique case, while this
type of events were being realized in 1905 – 1907, in 1918 and also
during the Soviet times till 1988 – 1992 and it’s not casual that
Baku is called a city of massacres.

Making a historical review the deputy assured that since 1905 it were
the Caucasian Tatars who realized violence against the Armenians. They
at once accepted the ideology of Pan Turkism and became the one who
realized that ideology.

"It’s not accidental that the events taken place at the end of the
century are called the continuation of the same Turkish genocide
realized against the Armenians, because it is the same ideology,
the same policy, the same aims and the same people who realize it", –
stressed L. Alaverdyan and added that the Karabakh conflict started
because of this "years lasting obvious discrimination and violence
against the Armenians in Azerbaijan, the people protested and wished
to join Armenia."

Instead, L. Alaverdyan says, in 1988 on February 21 the Armenians
were massacred by the Azerbaijanis. Regardless this fact, "Azerbaijan
cynically falsified both the events and the facts and the issues
concerning Karabakh."

L. Alaverdyan is sure that Armenia and the international society should
recollect the facts taken place in Baku in 1990 and in Azerbaijan
during different periods of its history and recognize them as
genocide. For this there are enough facts.

"It is also provable that whatever took place in1990 is a genocide
and corresponds with the international term Genocide, and today as
well Azerbaijan’s policy corresponds that term", – the speaker said.

"If a country that has realized genocide is not punished and is
not accepting its fault it means only one thing, that our region is
endangered", – said L. Alaverdyan concluding the interview.

RONALD BARSAMIAN APPOINTED TO BIG FRESNO FAIR BOARD

NoyanTapan
Jan 14, 2010

FRESNO, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. California Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger has appointed Ronald Barsamian, 56, to the Big
Fresno Fair Board.

Barsamian has served as managing partner for Barsamian and Moody
Professional Corporation since 1992. Previously, he was partner
for Finkle and Barsamian Law Firm from 1985 to 1992 and assistant
general counsel for Western Growers Association from 1978 to 1985,
Asbarez reported.

ACCORDING TO CC OFFICIAL, ACCEPTING PROVISION ON RECOGNIZING BORDER BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY IS GROSS MISTAKE OF ARMENIAN DIPLOMACY

NoyanTapan
Jan 14, 2010

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. The international law does not
permit to make reservations in bilateral agreements as it is senseless
and absurd. Vladmir Vardanian, the Head of Constitutional Court’s
Department of International Agreements, stated at a January 14 press
conference. In his words, before signing an agreement, when making
up the text, the sides should coordinate all points with one another.

After signing, as V. Vardanian emphasized, making a reservation on any
point is useless as unless the other side accepts that reservation
it will not have a legal force. "If our CC made reservations on
Armenian-Turkish protocols, Turkey would ask why earlier we had not
voiced the provisions inadmissible for us," V. Vardanian mentioned.

According to his observation, Armenian diplomacy made a gross mistake
by accepting the provision on recognizing the factual border between
Armenia and Turkey. According to V. Vardanian, there were many cases
in international practice when no point on recognizing the border
was included in such protocols.

V. Vardanian also said that currently NA does not need to make
a reservation as complicating the process artificially is not in
Armenia’s interests. He also declared that CC’s decision mentions
that RA is obliged to support the international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide, and CC’s decision is compulsory for all RA state
bodies and officials.

ERDOGAN GIVES INTERVIEW TO SABAH ANSWERING PUTIN’S STATEMENT

Panorama.am
13:54 15/01/2010

Turkish Sabah newspaper published interview with Turkey’s PM
Rejep Tayip Erdogan after his Moscow visit. Sabah reporter asked
the PM about Armenian-Turkish ties and Russia’s Putin’s statement
that interdependence of Armenian-Turkish ties and Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict should extend the final resolution. Even if we are long to
deal those issues separately, they are directly linked with each
other, Turkey’s PM declared. He said Armenian-Turkish border was
closed because of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. "Armenia’s good will
should be displayed in vacating occupied territories.

Only after liberation of those 7 lands positive advancement will
be recorded. It’s clear for what will follow that action. We have
borders. We’ve made some risks already. We’ve launched Yerevan-Istanbul
flights.

We’ve opened air border, but land border is another thing. Many
Armenians having no Turkish citizenships live in Turkey today. Russia
should take the initiative. I’ve talked with Medvedev and Putin. In the
frameworks of Minsk Group Russia has number one influence upon Armenia,
then the USA and France. If Russia cooperates, the results won’t be
late. But if Russia is weak getting results will be more difficult."

BEELINE EXPANDED 3G COMMUNICATION IN ARMENIA’S LARGE CITIES

news.am
Jan 14 2010
Armenia

ArmenTel CJSC (Beeline trademark), subsidiary of Russian VimpelCom
in Armenia expended its 3G communication via Armenia’s large cities,
company’s press service informed NEWS.am.

3G network is provided in Gyumri, Vanadzor, Etchmiadzin and Abovyan
cities. Besides, dozens of points of sales opened in Armenia, and 3G
network capacity doubled. New base stations appeared in the regions
where Yerevan subscribers actively use cellular.

"As the need arises, our company will further increase its 3G
capacity in Yerevan and the cities where it is technically possible,
simultaneously expanding its geography in other regions of Armenia.

Thus, by 2010 end we plan to triple the total number of 3G base
stations," ArmenTel General Manager Igor Klimko said.

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH HOPES ORTHODOX CHURCH IN NAGORNY KARABAKH WILL PROMOTE PEACE IN REGION

Interfax
Jan 14 2010
Russia

Moscow, January 14, Interfax – The Moscow Patriarchate said it does
not consider itself authorized to evaluate the status of Nagorny
Karabakh and favor peaceful settlement of conflicts.

"The Russian Orthodox Church has always been sad about the Karabakh
conflict and made efforts to find and propose to politicians ways
of settling it in a peaceful way together with Azerbaijani Muslims
and Armenian Christians," Hieromonk Philipp (Ryabykh), deputy head
of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for External Church Relations,
told Interfax-Religion on Thursday.

Father Philipp said the Nagorny Karabakh community, which wants
to come under the spiritual care of the Russian Orthodox Church,
currently has some 600 members. In summer 2009, a Moscow Patriarchate
parish was registered in Stepanakert, and a land site was allotted
for church construction.

The development of the Nagorny Karabakh parish "has always been
regarded by the Russian Orthodox Church as a means of bringing another
peace factor on the long-suffering land of Nagorny Karabakh, not as
a means of taking anyone’s side," Father Philipp said.

"The Russian Church believes that its presence in Armenia, Azerbaijan,
and Nagorny Karabakh will promote prompt peaceful settlement in this
region," he said.

"This is our view of the tasks of the Russian church in Nagorny
Karabakh," the priest said.

ARMENIA’S PRESIDENT EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO HIS HAITIAN COUNTERPART

armradio.am
15.01.2010 14:07

President Serzh Sargsyan sent a telegram of condolence to the President
of Haiti, Rene Garcia Preval, on the occasion of the devastating
earthquake in that country that resulted in huge destructions and
numerous human losses.

President Sargsyan noted that "Armenia is ready to render assistance
to the casualties."

RUSSIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT MAY POSITIVELY AFFECT NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM: TURKISH DEPUTY FM

Trend
Jan 11 2010
Azerbaijan

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Adviser on Eurasia
Geybulla Geybullayev believes the Russia-Turkey rapprochement may
positively affect the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

"Even if the Russia-Turkey rapprochement will not solve the
Nagorno-Karabakh problem at all, it may positively affect it,"
Geybullayev told Trend News over the telephone.

Jan. 12, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will visit Moscow
upon his Russian Counterpart Vladimir Putin’s invitation. During his
visit, Erdogan will mull further development of the Turkey-Russia
relations, particularly energy and economic issues discussed during
Putin’s Ankara visit held in August 2009, and the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict.

According to Geybullayev, the Turkey-Russia rapprochement in economic
sphere will lead to dialogue.

"If the Turkey-Russia Economic dialogue gets success, then it may
resolve several political problems, as well as realize peace and
stability platform in the Caucasus," he added.

Though Turkey has always kept the Karabakh issue in its foreign policy
agenda, it failed to solve the problem, he added.

He said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be the main topic of the
Erdogan-Putin meeting.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.

Diplomatic relations between Armenia and Turkey have been broken due
to Armenia’s claims of an alleged genocide, and its occupation of
Azerbaijani lands. The border between them has been broken since 1993.

CYPRUS GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED ARMENIAN LANGUAGE CLASSES BEGIN IN NICOSIA

Gibrahayer
Jan 10

Alexander-Michael Hadjilyra – Armenian language classes began this
Monday, 11 January 2009, at Ayios Demetrios Elementary school in
Nicosia, following a suggestion made last September at the Ministry
of Education and Culture for the teaching of this minority language
of Cyprus. The group comprises of about 15 people, most of which
are Greek-Cypriots married with Armenian-Cypriots. We are very
pleased to have Mrs Tonia Aradjian as our teacher, who has had years
of experience with teaching Armenian to odarakhos students at the
Melkonian Educational Institute. I would like to take this opportunity
to thank not only the Ministry, but also the Armenian Representative
Vartkes Mahdessian and Nareg’s Headmistress Vera Tahmazian for making
these lessons a reality, and to remind you all that it’s not (yet)
too late for new registrations!