Author: Jalatian Sonya

AzerTag, Azerbaijan
Feb 14 2009

MILLI MAJLIS SPEAKER MEETS OSCE PA`S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE ON
NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

Baku, February 14 (AzerTAc). Speaker of Azerbaijan Parliament (Milli
Majlis) Ogtay Asadov met Friday with OSCE PA`s Special Representative
on Nagorno-Karabakh conflict Goran Lennmarker.
Asadov praised the fact that international organizations paid more
attention to the South Caucasus following the events of August 2008 in
the region.
He noted that delay in settlement of conflicts is a threat to not only
the South Caucasus, but Europe itself. â??So, such conflicts
must find their soonest solution,â?? he added.
Asadov also underlined that the right to self-determination of nations
living in Nagorno-Karabakh could only be realized on the basis of
Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity.
He pointed out that resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute would
contribute to Azerbaijan`s rapid integration into Europe.
Goran Lennmarker, in turn, expressed his satisfaction with being in
Azerbaijan again.
According to him, the international community`s increasing its
attention to the South Caucasus will have positive impact on
settlement of existing conflicts in the region.
The sides also discussed other issues of mutual interest.

IRAN NEGATIVE ABOUT TURKISH ACTIVITIES IN THE REGION

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.02.2009 20:28 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The thaw in Armenian-Turkish relations is undoubtedly
a positive move for both countries, an Armenian expert said.

For Armenia, it’s alternative communications. For Ankara, it’s
a tool to influence Yerevan’s political decisions. Witnessing
the developments, Iran will itself put forward various stability
platforms," Eduard Abrahamyan, expert at Mitq analytical center,
told PanARMENIAN.Net.

Ankara’s determination to interfere into the Karabakh process is one
of Tehran’s concerns, according to him.

"If Turkey takes up Karabakh, not only Armenia but also Iran will
lose. Surrender of the territories adjacent to Iran will cause extra
ethnic-political conflicts for Iran. It’s not a secret that Iran
experiences problems with Azeris and that the Karabakh regions near
Araks River constitute a natural obstacle for Azeri consolidation,"
Abrahamyan said, adding that Iranian religious and political elite
eyes Turkey as major military, political and religious rival.

"It’s not surprising that Tehran will give a hostile reception to
any Turkish regional initiative," he said.

"We should also keep in mind that the Armenian-Turkish reconciliation
would be welcomed by Tbilisi. It’s obvious, that obtaining alternative
economic routes, the Armenian leadership will not change its policy
toward Georgia," Abrahamyan concluded.

ARMENIA EXPECTS A RESPONSE

A1+
[05:41 pm] 10 February, 2009

Serzh Sargsyan met today the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special
Representative on Nagorno-Karabakh Goran Lenmarker.

During the meeting the sides discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh peace
process, the Turkish-Armenian political dialogue, military-political
developments in the South Caucasus, as well as issues relating to
the European Union’s "Eastern Cooperation".

Serzh Sargsyan attached importance to the role of the OSCE in the
peace process and stressed the importance of the OSCE Minsk Group’s
efforts aimed at settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

The interlocutors also underscored that the events of August 2008
show once again that it is inadmissible to solve conflicts through
military operations.

Sargsyan stressed once more that Armenia expects a response from
international organizations regarding the unprecedented military
buildup and war declarations of certain countries.

The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special Representative praised
the talks on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement and welcomed
Serzh Sargsyan’s initiative to discuss the issue with political
party leaders.

Goran Lenmarker welcomed the Armenian authorities’ efforts aimed at
regulation of Turkish-Armenian relations.

During the meeting the sides also touched upon the "Eastern
Cooperation" initiative. Serzh Sargsyan attached importance to
Armenia’s participation and underlined the component of regional
cooperation.

CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force to be established

11939

MOSCOW, FEBRUARY 6, NOYAN TAPAN. Collective Security Treaty
Organization (CSTO) Collective Security Council special sitting took
place on February 4 in Moscow and was conducted by the President of
Armenia presiding over at CSTO, Serzh Sargsyan. Heads of CSTO states
discussed and signed a decision to establish CSTO Collective Rapid
Reaction Force. Presenting the decision S. Sargsyan classed it as an
important step aimed at "strengthening organization’s military
component."

The decision was made due to the necessity to strengthen member
countries’ collective security and to further raise its potential, as
well as to repulse with joint participation in case of a military
aggression and to resist other challenges. The CSTO Secretary General
and Organization’s united headquarters were instructed in three months
to work out and present to the regulations bodies a package of
normative legal acts proceeding from the decision of establishment of
Collective Rapid Reaction Force. According to the signed decision, a
decision on using CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force is made by
Organization’s Collective Security Council by the principle of
consensus. Another point stipulates that the armed forces acting as
part of CSTO Collective Rapid Reaction Force provided by the member
countries before getting down to the mission reserved for them are in
the exclusive competence of the given countries, in the places of their
permanent dislocation.

A decision on the place and time of holding Organization’s next sitting
was made at the special sitting: it will take place in 2009 June in
Moscow. Organization’s 2009 budget was also established at the sitting.

At the Collective Security Council special sitting Nikolay Bordyuzha
was reaffirmed on CSTO Secretary General’s post.

According to the report of the RA President’s Press Office, the same
day CSTO countries’ heads took part in the Eurasian Economic Community
Interstate Council’s special sitting, where issues of establishing a
joint Anti-crisis Fund and High Technologies Center were discussed.

Delegation headed by Goran Lenmarker to arrive in Armenia Monday

armradio.am
07.02.2009 12:55

The delegation headed by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Special
Representative on Nagorno-Karabakh Goran Lenmarker will arrive in
Armenia on February 9 for a two-day visit.

At the National Assembly the delegation will be received by Speaker
Hovik Abrahamyan. Members of the Armenian delegation to the OSCE, and
the NA Standing Committee on Foreign Relations will be present at the
meeting.

Within the framework of the visit the delegation will meet RA Foreign
Minister Edward Nalbandian, opposition leaders.

On February 10 the delegation headed by Goran Lenmarker will be hosted
by President Serzh Sargsyan.

Today.Az, Azerbaijan
Feb 7 2009

Armenian expert: "The first examination for the CSTO fast response
forces might become Armenia’s defense when hostilities in the Karabakh
conflict area are resumed"

07 February 2009 [11:35] – Today.Az

"The first examination for the CSTO fast response forces, if they are
created in time, might become Armenia’s defense in case hostilities in
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict area", said expert on South Caucasus
problems Viktor Yakubyan.

He said Armenia "is interested in the real militarization of CSTO as
earlier the organization was more engaged with bureaucratic activity:
Armenia, which is currently presiding over CSTO, is interested in the
soonest creation of fast response forces, of which country’s president
Serzh Sargsyan declared in Moscow", noted the expert.

"The fact that the Armenian President stressed the need for the
soonest creation of joint armed forces of CSTO, proves that he is
concerned with the situation in the Karabakh conflict and really the
situation on the front line is alarming and the fire exchange at the
front has become common", continued Yakubyan.

At the same time, the expert noted that creation of the fast response
forces is a response to NATO’s unwillingness to take the "post-Soviet
defense bloc" seriously".

"The North Atlantic alliance has almost ignored numerous appeals of
the CSTO leadership on cooperation. The decision to establish fast
response forces is the statement of CSTO readiness to open competition
with NATO in the post-Soviet area. In this contest Azerbaijan and
Moldova’s accession would be a real breakthrough for CSTO, though it
is difficult to reckon on it now.

On the other hand, the North Atlantic alliance will try to undermine
the influence of the new military and political union (before the
decision to create the fast response forces CSTO was a political
bloc). Armenia is the most vulnerable point in the CSTO responsibility
area. Once secretary general of the organization Nikolai Bordyuzha
said in open that CSTO will not interfere with the Karabakh conflict
in case it is resumed. But what if Armenia interferes with the
conflict? The CSTO members do not and will not have a consolidated
position in this issue", concluded Viktor Yakubyan.

/Regnum/

URL:

NKR President meets OSCE CEO Personal Representative

armradio.am
07.02.2009 12:40

On 6 February NKR President Bako Sahakyan met the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej Kasprzyk, Central
Information Department of the Office of the NKR President reported.

Issues related to the recent developments in the region and to the
settlement of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement process were
discussed at the meeting.

VALLEY SUN ALL-STAR ANI BEZIRDZHYAN: CV ALL-STAR HAS A PASSION FOR WORDS
By Ruth Longoria

Crescenta Valley Sun
2009/02/06/sports/cyo-allstarani0206.txt
Feb 6 2009
CA

A passion for crafting words sets this CV All Star apart from her
classmates. Ani Bezirdzhyan, a junior at Clark Magnet High School,
recently won the Los Angeles County Poetry Out Loud National County
Competition and will compete in the statewide competition in March.

Bezirdzhyan’s creative writing and poetry teacher at the high school,
Maral Guarino, said the youth is "an amazing poet and individual."

"From the first moment I heard her recite a poem, I knew she had a
passion for poetry that mesmerized everyone," Guarino said, adding,
"Her words come from an intuitive understanding of the world; this is
quite rare for someone her age. Her words are magical and she weaves
them together as a skilled artist uses shades, tones and perspective."

Guarino has high praise for a student she calls "compassionate and
conscientious."

"[Bezirdzhyan’s] positive attitude and willingness to listen, learn
and grow are admirable. With many things to be proud of, Ani is still
a humble and unassuming young lady," Guarino said. advertisement

Bezirdzhyan is the daughter of Marine Gadzhan and Robert Bezirdzhyan of
Glendale. She has a sister, Hasmik, 21, a student at Brooks Institute
for Photography in Santa Barbara, and a brother, Alex, 8, a third-grade
student at Horace Mann Elementary School in Glendale.

Bezirdzhyan said she developed a love of the written word as a small
child, watching her older sister deeply entranced by a book or writing
in a journal. "Every time I’d open her journal I’d be amazed at the
poetry," she said, adding sheepishly that she really wasn’t supposed
to read her older sister’s journal.

The younger sister began writing her own poems while in the sixth
grade. She also loves a variety of authors, including the works of
Edgar Alan Poe and Wilfred Owens.

"I really don’t have a favorite author," she said, adding, "Every
author has their own amazing poem that awakens you to the wonders of
the world."

In addition to her enchanting way with words and delightful demeanor,
Bezirdzhyan enjoys the art of dance, which she has studied and
performed since the age of 5. She began learning Armenian folk dances
and for the past six years has charmed crowds with her passion for
Latin ballroom dancing.

She also likes learning and is proud of her academic achievements. This
past semester she earned a 4.0 grade point average and has a cumulative
GPA of 3.85.

After high school, Bezirdzhyan will attend a four-year university,
possibly majoring in English. She plans to someday write a book
of poetry.

YEREVAN FOR INTL RECOGNITION OF RIGHT OF KARABAKH PEOPLE TO SELF-DETERMINATION

Interfax
Feb 2 2009
Russia

Armenia should attain the international recognition of the right
to self-determination of the breakaway republic of Nagorno-Karabakh,
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said at a meeting with representative
of the Armenian diaspora in Zurich.

"Armenia’s position on the Karabakh settlement is clear and
unambiguous: we should attain the international recognition of the
right of Nagorno-Karabakh people to self-determination. We do not
set another task for use," the Armenian presidential press service
quoted Sargsyan as saying on Monday.

"Stories that some people try to tell that we can under some pressure
or proceeding from some goals make unilateral concessions in the
Karabakh settlement have nothing to do with the reality. We cannot
sacrifice our national goal for the sake of background tasks," the
Armenian president said.

Speaking about the Armenian-Turkish settlement, Sargsyan said that
Davos saw meetings with the Turkish prime minister and the foreign
minister. "I think that the establishment of civilized and natural
relations between the two countries corresponds to our interests,"
he said.

However, "the establishment of relations with Turkey does not mean to
forget genocide," he said. Yerevan wants to "establish diplomatic
relations without preconditions, to open borders and create an
intergovernmental commission and then discuss any other question in
relations between the two states and people," he said.

OVER 575,800 CONSUMERS SWITCH TO ARMENIA’S GAS NETWORK ON FEB 1

ARKA
Feb 4, 2009

YEREVAN, February 4. /ARKA/. As of February 1, some 575,844 consumers
joined Armenia’s gas network, Armenian gas supplier ArmRosGasProm’s
press service reports.

In January, gas consumers increased by 1,889. As of January 1, 2009,
some 573,955 gas consumers were recorded in Armenia.

In 2008, natural gas output reached 2.254bln cubic meters against 2.054
cubic meters in 2007 – 9.74% year-on-year rise. Armenia saw 11.2%
year-on-year rise in gas consumption (over 2.078bln cubic meters in
2008, compared to around 1.869bln cubic meters in the previous year).

Monopolist in Armenia’s gas supply market, ArmRosGasProm CJSC was
established in 1997. Gazprom OJCS and the RA Ministry of Energy used
to hold 45% of the company’s shares each, with Itera Oil and Gas
Company owning 10% of ArmRosGasProm.

After implementing two of the three planned stages of its investment
program (and buying extra shares of ArmRosGasProm in 2006 and 2008)
Gazprom became 75.55% shareholder of the company, with Itera now
holding 4.44% of ArmRosGasProm’s shares.