Author: Jalatian Sonya

REPRESENTATIVE OF ARMENIA INCLUDED IN MONITORING BODY OF CONVENTION ON FIGHTING AGAINST TRAFFICKING

ARMENPRESS
Dec 9, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 9, ARMENPRESS: For the oversight of the
implementation of Convention on fighting against human trafficking
a new group of experts (GRETA) has been set up. The committee of the
countries for the Convention which called sessions December 5 and 8 in
Strasbourg has selected 13 people who will work in GRETA from January
2009 with 4 year term. Among them is Gyulnara Shahinian representing
Armenia. The group also includes representatives of Bulgaria, Malta,
Cyprus, Croatia, Moldova, Norway, France, Slovakia, Denmark, Portugal,
Albania and Romania.

An official from the Council of Europe told Armenpress that GRETA
will use similar methodology as Council of Europe Oversight Bodies,
will publicize reports which will assess the events included in the
Convention on Fighting Against Human Trafficking. The Convention which
entered into force February 1, 2008 has been signed by 19 states and is
aimed at preventing the crime, protect victims and prosecute criminals.

ORATORY AND POLITICAL DECISIONS ARE DIFFERENT
Gevorg Haroutyunyan

Azat Artsakh Daily
06 Dec 08
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh [NKR]

Interview with HRAYR KARAPETYAN, Vice Speaker of the National Assembly

"Mr. Karapetyan, how do you estimate the statement made by the
Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group in Helsinki?"

"I don’t think the Helsinki statement contains any extraordinary
clauses. Anyway, they didn’t say anything we hadn’t heard before.

Neither did they take any action we hadn’t been aware of. What
the Russian, French and American Foreign Ministers did was just
the reiteration of the clauses enshrined in the trilateral Moscow
Declaration.

I was more surprised by the contradictory statements made by American
Co-Chair Matthew Bryza. Unfortunately, this is not the first case,
and in this respect, Bryza may be considered a record holder as a
politician and diplomat.

He is reported to have first appealed to the parties to start the
settlement of the Artsakh issue with the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan and then rejected his own proposal. I think as a responsible
politician and diplomat representing a superpower he should have a
more serious attitude to his obligations.

Unfortunately, the fact that this particular figure lacks seriousness
is not something new to us. With regard to the Armenian-Turkish
relations, Mr.

Bryza again represented his desires as some thing real. Our President
did, of course, make a real step by taking advantage of the football
match between the Armenian and Turkish representative teams and
inviting the Turkish President to Armenia, but the official Ankara
has not made any political or diplomatic response so far.

Moreover, what is happening now is just the contrary, because we more
often hear different responsible Turkish officials make statements
directly reiterating the traditional approaches of that country.

Unfortunately, Turkey has not made any positive step in its
relationship with Armenia. Whereas it is obvious that the country
uses advocacy tools, and deliberately represents Mr. Gul’s visit
to Armenia as an attemet of establishing warmer relations with our
country. And by doing this, it making an attempt to hamper the process
of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide."

"In its plenary session, the ARFD Bureau made a decision that the
mutual concessions with regard to the Karabakh settlement process be
adequately, proportionally and simultaneously involved in the system
of package settlement. Can this be considered as a denial of one
of the Helsinki statements or do the basic principles of conflict
settlement need to be specified during the upcoming months?"

"Oratory and political decisions and actions are different things. The
decision of the ARFD Bureau naturally expresses the approaches
and principles of Dashnaktsutyun. Our party doesn’t have essential
arguments to the settlement principles declared by President Serge
Sargsyan.

I believe, not only Dashnaktsutyun but also any other political
force guiding itself by national interests cannot disagree with
the principles according to which Nagorno Karabakh cannot form part
of Azerbaijan in any status. The NKR should receive international
security guarantees and have a land border with Armenia.

Of course, the political negotiations are based on mutual concessions,
and we all should realize this. We are also required to realize the
fact that we do not want a war. We have held victory in a war imposed
on us, and we are trying to fix that victory in a relevant document.

Our enemy too, is naturally trying to extort something. Although one
of the negotiating parties is periodically making bellicose statements
pursuing propaganda goals, all the settlement principles are enshrined
in the official documents. If one of the parties violates that
principle tomorrow (we also know which party it is), it will find
itself in a strictly unfavorable and dangerous situation.

For us, this is an ace which we must be able to use for our
propaganda. And we must never cease that propaganda, at least for
an instant."

ARMENIANS MARK 20 YEARS SINCE DEVASTATING QUAKE

Agence France Presse
Dec 7 2008

GYUMRI, Armenia (AFP) — Armenians on Sunday marked the 20th
anniversary of a devastating earthquake that left 25,000 people dead,
as many survivors still waited for new homes after years of promises.

President Serzh Sarkisian joined the head of Armenia’s Apostolic
Church, Catholicos Karekin II, for commemorations of the Spitak
earthquake held in one of the worst-hit cities, Gyumri.

At 11:41 am (0741 GMT) Armenians across the country observed a moment
of silence on the exact time the quake struck 20 years earlier.

Unveiling a sculpture in Gyumri depicting victims of the earthquake,
Sarkisian thanked the international community for aid and support
given to the then-Soviet republic after the disaster.

"Twenty years ago, all peoples rallied to our side, despite the
Cold War, ideological differences and different political views,"
Sarkisian said. "From the first days, our people felt like the whole
world was with us."

But a few kilometres (miles) away from the ceremonies, in a settlement
of small metal shacks, survivors were still waiting for the new homes
they were promised after the earthquake.

"We are hoping that the government will fulfil its promises and in
the next two years we will finally receive a new apartment," said
Suzana Gyoletsian, 40, whose family, along with dozens of others in
the settlement, still live in one-room metal cabins provided in the
weeks after the quake.

Nearly 7,000 families remain homeless after their houses and apartment
buildings were destroyed in the quake, despite repeated government
promises to build them new homes.

Gyoletsian and her husband raised two sons in the tiny cabin, which
has neither gas for heating nor running water. Their only income is
a small government pension of about 100 dollars (79 euros) per month.

Armenia’s government announced plans last month to spend 252 million
dollars (199 million euros) for reconstruction efforts starting next
year, aimed at finally rehousing all those who lost their homes in
the quake by 2013.

"I believe, and I will ensure, that in the next few years there will
not be one family in the affected area without a roof over their
heads, despite the global financial crisis," Sarkisian said at the
ceremony Sunday.

Gyoletsian, who after the quake spent six hours in the rubble of her
apartment building waiting to be rescued, is hoping that this time
the government help will finally come through.

"This has been a very difficult time. We have had to overcome a lot
of obstacles, but we haven’t lost hope," she said.

The 7.0 magnitude quake struck Armenia on December 7, 1988 with its
epicentre near the town of Spitak, in the mountainous northwest of
the country.

Spitak, a town of about 4,000 people, was completely destroyed and
nearby Gyumri was heavily damaged. In total, about 25,000 people were
killed, more than 140,000 were injured and more than half a million
lost their homes.

Experts blamed shoddy construction and the failure of emergency
services for much of the death and destruction. In some cases, it
took up to three days for rescuers to reach affected areas.

In the aftermath of the quake, the Soviet government vowed a massive
reconstruction effort to rebuild within two years, but plans stalled
when Armenia gained its independence in 1991.

Subsequent Armenian governments have struggled to find funds to
rebuild as Armenia’s economy collapsed after independence and it was
hit by economic embargoes from neighbours Azerbaijan and Turkey over
Yerevan’s support for separatists in Azerbaijan’s breakaway region
of Nagorny Karabakh.

In a statement Sunday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev paid tribute
to the earthquake victims and thanked Armenians for remembering the
aid Russian had provided.

"We bow our heads before the memory of the thousands of victims of this
natural disaster. We remember with deep respect and gratitude today
the courage of the rescuers who answered the call for help." he said.

"In this hour of difficulty Russia quickly extended a helping hand to
Armenia, made its contribution to the rescue operation and recovery
work. It is cause for gratitude that the memory of this is carefully
preserved by the Armenian people."

MATTHEW BRYZA TO GATHER AZERBAIJAN AND ARMENIA
Shamkhal Abilov

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 5 2008
Turkey

On December 2, OSCE Minsk Group’s US co-chair Matthew Bryza talk to
Trend News agency that, "the focus of discussion in Helsinki will be
the effort if OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries, Azerbaijan and
Armenia to finalize the basic principles, which define a framework
for a comprehensive settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict."

Following this on December 3, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar
Mammadyarov and Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandyan met in
Helsinki, Finland, on the basis of the Madrid principles. OSCE Minsk
Group co-chairs Matthew Bryza (U.S.), Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia) and
Bernard Fassier (France) also attended the meeting.

The co-chairs first met with Armenian minister and later Azeri minister
joined them.

The parties stressed importance of preserving the positive spirit,
formed in the result of constructive meetings of the presidents
of Armenia and Azerbaijan, held in June in Saint-Petersburg and in
November in Moscow.

The meeting was held behind close door and no any information was
released to media after the meeting.

TURKEY CONTINUES TO SET CONDITIONS FOR NORMALIZATION OF RELATIONS WITH ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
04.12.2008 19:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Turkish-Armenian border can be opened only after
Armenia "restores Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity," Turkish Trade
Minister said.

"We are open to developing relations with Armenia, to open borders,
and to develop trade," Kursad Tuzmen said during an Azeri-Turkish
business forum in Baku on Thursday.

"We do not oppose developing trade relations, which will have a
positive influence on the development of the whole region. However,
prior to this Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity should be restored,"
he added, Hurriyet reports.

MINISTRY OF DIASPORA TO DEAL WITH ISSUES RELATED TO PRESERVATION OF ARMENIAN HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL MONUMENTS ABROAD

Noyan Tapan

Dec 3, 2008

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. By February 2009, the Armenian
government will approve the concept of working with the Diaspora,
the RA Minister of Diaspora Hranush Hakobian stated at the December
3 sitting of the National Assembly when responding to a question
of the member of "ARF" fcation Bagrat Sargsyan. Accoridng to her,
the preliminary version of the concept was discussed with the prime
minister and submitted to all the parties.

As regards the preservation of Armenian historical and cultural
monuments abroad, H. Hakobian said that the ministry deals with such
issues in case of availability of an application of the Armenian
community of the given country. She said that the day before she met
with the head of the Georgian diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
and discussed the problems related to Armenian churches in Tbilisi,
in particular, Surb Norashen Church. In her words, these problems will
be soon discussed in Tbilisi with the participation of the Armenian
prime minister.

DENNIS SAMMUT ON KARABAKH CONFLICT: THOSE WHO SAY THAT TIME IS ‘ON OUR SIDE’ ARE FOOLS

PanARMENIAN.Net
01.12.2008 14:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Nagorno Karabakh conflict has been too long
already, and this is not good for anybody, according to a British
expert.

"Those who say that time is on our side are fools. Every day that
passes is a day lost for everyone because people on both sides of
the conflict divide are suffering," Mr. Dennis Sammut, the Chair
of the Executive Steering Committee of the Consortium Initiative,
said in an interview with PanARMENIAN.Net.

"So I hope that we can see progress soon and all who are involved
in this process somehow should engage with this with more energy and
more urgency," he said.

HOPE PREVAILS ON ARMENIAN BORDER

Today’s Zaman
Nov 26 2008
Turkey

Abandoned since the border closed in 1993, the Akhurian train station
in the province of Gumri once served as a transit point for goods
traveling between Armenia and Turkey.

Armenian citizens are growing increasingly hopeful that a long-awaited
opening of the country’s border with Turkey will occur in their
lifetimes, easing the economic difficulties that this closure and
the cutting off of ties between their country and Turkey have caused.

Hasmik Petrosyan is a 59-year-old Armenian primary school teacher
living in the village of Shirakavan, which borders Turkey’s Kars
province. With hospitality similar to her Turkish neighbors, she
explains what life is like in her village as she invited a group of
mostly Turkish visitors to her humble home filled with her warmth.

"The economy is very bad here. There is no water to drink, no water for
agriculture. The village has no gas. There is no infrastructure. Before
1993, the situation was much better."

She’s referring to the severed diplomatic ties between Armenia and
Turkey, which closed its border in 1993 in protest of the Armenian
occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh in Azerbaijan. The closure of the border
has devastated the Armenian economy because the country is dependent
on other countries for energy supplies and most raw materials.

As the only breadwinner at home, Petrosyan earns about $200; her
bedridden husband gets $60 in pension a month. Her grown son and
daughter cannot find work. But there is hope in her striking green eyes
that things are going to get better, and her gloomy expression changes
to a wide smile when she says, "We will smile when the border opens."

Even in Yerevan, there are homes without gas and running water behind
the brightness of Western-style shops and brand names lining some of
the main streets of the capital. Petrosyan represents most Armenians,
who believe that the economy will get better once the border is opened
as Turkey and Armenia give positive signs that relations will improve.

In Ä°stanbul on Monday, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
described the ongoing talks as "very positive and sincere." Before
a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, he said that by
normalization, he meant the opening of the border and the restoration
of diplomatic relations.

"Armenia is ready to establish bilateral relations without any
preconditions, and we are expecting the same from the Turkish side,"
Nalbandian said. "This is not a favor. It is in the interest of Turkey
to open the border, and this is in the interest of Armenia."

Land routes through Georgia and Iran are inadequate or unreliable
for landlocked Armenia, which is forced to pay higher transit costs
because of the closed border with Turkey, as 25 percent of Armenia’s
imports are from Turkey. Even though the Turkish province of Kars is
20 kilometers away, it takes at least 14 hours for a truck to reach
Armenia through Georgia, increasing the costs for Armenia by at least
20 percent.

"It will mean economic activity for both sides and greater access to
markets," said Richard Giragosian, an independent analyst who moved
from the United States to Armenia about two years ago.

The trade volume between the two countries is $65 million even with
closed borders. For Turkey, opening the border will be more important
politically than economically.

"Turkey is an important energy hub, and it can expand that significance
as a regional transit hub if the border is opened. It is also in line
with Turkey’s policies to engage in good relations with its neighbors,"
Giragosian said, adding that an open border would also benefit the
Kurdish dominated regions economically.

Armenia has mines and rock and some construction materials for
export. It mostly buys textiles and agricultural products from Turkey.

Armenian economy has improved following the 1994 cease-fire in
Nagorno-Karabakh. New sectors, such as precious stone processing and
jewelry making, information and communication technology and tourism
have begun to supplement more traditional sectors such as agriculture.

Giragosian said the World Bank predicts an optimistic 10 percent rise
in the gross domestic product (GDP), assuming that opening the border
with Azerbaijan will follow, but several economists predict a more
realistic 3 percent to 4 percent increase.

Similar to other newly independent states of the former Soviet Union,
Armenia is struggling to make the transition from communism to a
market economy. Its old Soviet trading partners are gone, and Russian
investors have taken their place.

Professor Tatoul Manasserian from Yerevan State University said
dependence on Russia is a threat for Armenia.

"Take out Russia, you don’t have any foreign direct investment,"
he said. "Dependency is a growing threat to Armenia. An open border
will lower risks for other investors."

He also said the Armenian government needs to create an environment
favorable for investors because opening the border will be a shock
to the Armenian system in which oligarchs are established to exploit.

"Many of the oligarchs are in the parliament. In the ruling Republican
Party, there may be 10 deputies who are not oligarchs," Manasserian
said.

There may be more forces in Armenia who would oppose opening the
border with Turkey.

Giragosian explained that in addition to the oligarchs, there are
nationalists, the Armenian diaspora, who press for the Turkish
recognition of the Armenian genocide, and the Armenian military,
which used the closed borders to exaggerate the defense spending by
depicting Turkey as a threat.

Then why is the Armenian government ready to open the border when
there are influential forces for the continuation of the status quo?

Giragosian said it’s because public opinion is in favor of opening the
border. Moreover, a Dashnak party (Armenian Revolutionary Federation
or Dashnaktsutyun), currently a governing coalition member known for
its nationalist stance, did not oppose the government’s rapprochement
with Turkey.

Manasserian is hopeful that Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan and
Prime Minister Tigran Sarksyan can prepare the country for change
because they are more flexible compared with former leaders.

"The most important thing is that Turkey and Armenia are talking to
each other, have direct relations. Their talks are not mediated by
others," he added.

Serzh Sarksyan will visit Turkey in October 2009 to watch a game
between the national soccer teams of the two countries, reciprocating
a similar visit by Turkish President Abdullah Gul in September.

Turkish-Armenian relations have gained momentum after a regional crisis
erupted following a Georgian military offensive in its Russian-backed
breakaway region of South Ossetia. Ankara came up with a proposal to
prevent future disputes. The Turkish government promoted an initiative
called the Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform, supported by
visits to Moscow, Tbilisi and Baku. Armenia also backed the idea.

Observers agree that the Caucasus stability initiative made Turkey
directly engage with Armenia. The two sides have been secretly
negotiating for the past two years.

–Boundary_(ID_MrRBSIMXjLlELT5JmnHMxA)–

FREEDOM FIGHTERS GO ON HUNGER-STRIKE AGAIN

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
27 Nov 08
Armenia

A number of participants of the Artsakh war yesterday organized
a hunger strike in Yerablur. Their principal demands, posted on
the wall of Sourb Vardanants church, contained statements saying,
"Recognize Artsakh as an Inseparable Part of Armenia", "We Demand
That No Concessions be Made".

KARABAKH REFERENDUM MUST BE IN YERABLUR

A1+
[05:44 pm] 27 November, 2008

"I sent my only child to the liberation war in Artsakh. Give me my son
back and then give the lands to Azerbaijan," said mother of deceased
liberation soldier Mrs. Parandzem during a round-table discussion at
the "Miatsum" women’s initiative.

The round-table discussion was aimed at finding solutions to preserve
the liberated lands and relocate the people. Among participants
were intellectuals, as well as representatives of NGOs and political
parties.

Member of "Miatsum" Grizelda Ghazaryan said that today many people
don’t even know where Karabakh is, what the defense system is and
its significance in terms of liberated lands. That is why they are
organizing trips to different cities and Marzes of Armenia to raise
public awareness of the developments in Karabakh. But every time the
members face police intimidation.

During the discussion, participants also expressed their concerns
about RA foreign policy.

As far as the issue of self-determination and liberated lands is
concerned, the women believe that the people of Artsakh play a decisive
role. However, according to member of the political council of the
People’s Party of Armenia Ruzan Khachatryan, protests are only held
in Armenia and not in NKR. The people of Karabakh were supposed to be
the ones standing up for their rights and demanding the authorities
to come to terms with them," underlined Khachatryan.

Nanor Sefilyan, wife of squadron commander of Shushi Jirair Sefilyan,
proposed to take action. According to Nanor Sefilyan, the people
of Karabakh are active and all they need is somebody to organize
the protest. Former head of the governmental commission for ethnic
minorities Hranush Kharatyan made a statement to express lack of
confidence in the OSCE Minsk Group, as well as the active political
parties not taking any concrete steps for the conflict settlement.

"The OSCE must conduct a referendum in Yerablur. They lie when they
say that there has to be discussion with the people before signing
the treaty," said Kharatyan.

Co-chair of the Armenian committee of the "Helsinki Civil Assembly"
Natalia Martirosyan proposed to continue the marches, even with a
small group of women.