Author: Jidarian Alex

APA, Azerbaijan
March 26 2010

Elmar Mammadyarov: `It will be possible to start working on great
peace agreement if Armenia clarifies its position’ ` EXCLUSIVE

[ 26 Mar 2010 14:58 ]

Moscow. Roman Agayev ` APA. Within the framework of his participation
at the meeting of the CIS Council of Foreign Ministers in Moscow,
Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov had meetings with his
Russian and Ukrainian counterparts, APA’s correspondent in Moscow
reports.

Current state of solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict was basically
in the focus of attention at the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister
Sergey Lavrov. `We agreed to continue works towards bringing the
sides’ positions closer. Next week, the co-chairs will visit Armenia
for this purpose. The co-chairs have put forward their proposals on
the basis of updated Madrid principles. Azerbaijan has accepted these
proposals in general. But Armenia makes different statements regarding
the proposals. Sometimes Armenia agrees, but sometimes disagrees. It
will be possible to start working on great peace agreement if Armenia
clarifies its position’.

Answering the question `May it cause breaking off negotiations if
Armenia agrees with proposals first and disagrees later for some
reasons’, Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan Elmar Mammadyarov stated that
such threat has always existed.

Mammadyarov also noted hat his meeting with Armenian foreign minister
was not planned in Moscow.

ARMENIAN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS TO BE EXPORTED TO UAE

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.03.2010 18:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian Ambassador to United Arab Emirates Vahagn
Melikyan met with the UAE minister of environment and water Rashid
Ahmad Bin Fahd , press office of RA Foreign Ministry reported.

Officials discussed prospects of cooperation in agriculture, in
particular, the possibility of exportng the Armenian agricultural
products to UAE.

KAZIMIROV: BAKU THREATENING TO USE FORCE THROUGHOUT YEARS

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.03.2010 14:56 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In an interview with Euronews on March 20, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan called on Azerbaijan to sign an agreement
on non-use of force.

"This would inspire confidence of Azerbaijan’s willingness to resolve
the Karabakh conflict peacefully. However, Azerbaijan refused," former
Co-chair of the OSCE Minsk Group (1992-1996), Ambassador Vladimir
Kazimirov said in "What to apply: force or reason" peace of opinion
published in Nezavisimaya Gazeta.

"Azerbaijan’s profound distrust is conditioned by the fear that
Armenians will not leave the seized territories or will start imposing
conditions. Anyway, Armenian troops will not be withdrawn unless they
can exchange the security area for other guarantees for Karabakh.

Azerbaijan has been threatening to use force throughout years. It can’t
renounce this policy, as this would mean to confess purposelessness
of its huge defense expenses. Baku’s agreement to Mr.

Sargsyan’s proposal would pave a way for Ankara to ratify protocols
on normalization of relations with Armenia," he said.

He also emphasized that Baku’s aspiration to resume hostilities lead
to devaluation of UN Security Council’s resolutions on Karabakh so
that it ceased to issue any.

ARF DISSATISFIED WITH ARMENIAN GOVERNMENT, BUT DOES NOT REQUIRE ITS RESIGNATION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.03.2010 17:32 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia’ current socio-economic situation will be
discussed at the upcoming conference of the Socialist International
on March 25 and 26 in Yerevan, Armen Rustamyan , representative of
the Supreme Body of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun told a news conference,
jointly held with the vice-president of Socialist International Mary
Titizian in Yerevan.

According Rustmyan, anti-crisis program of the government has failed.

"The government significantly deviated from the social prerogatives,
reflected in the memorandum of the ruling coalition. The government
currently faces the crisis of economic management, since more problems
arise than we solve," he said.

According to Mr. Rustamyan, Armenia’ executive body is not specifying
the size of the consumer basket to avoid from stating the unemployment
level in the country.

Answering a question whether ARF demands the resignation of the
government, Rustamyan noted that "it is impossible to demand the
resignation of the government, but a vote of no confidence can be
declared. However, faction did not make such a decision".

SERZH SARGSYAN: ARMENIAN-TURKISH NORMALIZATION SHOULD NOT BE LINKED TO GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

armradio.am
23.03.2010 12:12

On an official visit to Syria President of the Republic of Armenia,
Serzh Sargsyan, gave an interview to the Syrian Al-Watan newspaper.

The President spoke about the Armenian-Syrian relations, the process
of Armenian-Turkish normalization and the Karabakh settlement.

Asked what influence the passage of the Armenian Genocide bill
by the US Congress could have on the process of normalization of
the Armenian-Turkish relations, President Sargsyan said: "The bill
considered at the US Congress is an internal affair of that country,
which we do not interfere with.

We did not make the recognition of the Armenian Genocide a precondition
for the establishment of Armenian Turkish relations, since we stand
for improvement of relations with Turkey without any preconditions. I
do not think the attempts to tie the process to the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide by other countries are correct.

One thing is obvious to me – the longer it takes to normalize our
relations, the more countries will adopt such resolutions."

Speaking about the economic implications of the closed border,
Serzh Sargsyan said the cost of the closed border was greater on the
political level. "Blockade is one of the methods of use of force,"
he stated.

As for the settlement of the Karabakh issue based on mutual
concessions, President Sargsyan said: "For resolution of any
conflict it is necessary to look for the solution in the causes,
not the implications. The people of Nagorno Karabakh tried to solve
the decades-long injustice in a legal way, but it faced violence. A
security zone was formed around Nagorno Karabakh to ensure its
security, which we neither settle, nor use. When the people of
Nagorno Karabakh get a real opportunity to implement its right to
self-determination and when practical mechanisms of security and
development are created, the return of these territories to Azerbaijan
may be viewed as a concession from the Armenian side, of course in
case the corridor linking Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh is kept.

I have been repeatedly declaring about this. However, when we say
mutual concessions, we must first of all understand that the idea
of mutuality is the most pivotal here. One should understand that
unilateral concessions only deepen the existing dangers and threats,"
Serzh Sargsyan said.

TURKISH POLITICIAN: ONE WILL HAVE TO HOLD OVER APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION 252

ArmInfo
2010-03-23 13:00:00

ArmInfo. I don’t think the pro-Armenian Resolution 252 will be approved
by US Congress, leader of the Liberal-Democratic party of Turkey Cem
Toker told journalists today in Yerevan.

As he said, there are too many obstacles for that, as well as too much
interest, geopolitics and policy around this problem. Moreover, the
politician is sure that approval of the Resolution by the Congress will
not contribute to the process of settlement of the Armenian-Turkish
relations. Toker emphasized that there is much pressure on Turkey
today as regards recognition of the Genocide and the Armenian-Turkish
relations, in view of which it is too difficult to adduce arguments in
favour of continuation of the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement. Moreover,
the politician said all this harms the not the Turkish but the Armenian
party first of all.

On March 4 2010 the House Committee on Foreign Affairs affirmed House
Resolution 252, or the non- binding Armenian Genocide Resolution, that
calls upon the President to recognize the death of 1.5 million ethnic
Armenians as genocide in his annual remembrance on April 24. The
committee split 23 yes votes to 22 no votes. For final adoption,
the resolution requires approval by the House of Representatives. No
approval by the Senate or the President is required. Earlier Turkish
Parliament addressed a letter to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs
saying that affirmation of the Resolution may impede the Armenian-
Turkish normalization.

HEAD OF HELSINKI COMMITTEE ARMENIA OPPOSES DESTRUCTION OF MOSCOW CINEMA OPEN-AIR HALL FOR CONSTRUCTION OF CHURCH

ArmInfo
2010-03-22 17:45:00

ArmInfo. Head of the Helsinki Committee Armenia has come out
against destruction of the Moscow Cinema Open-Air Hall in Yerevan
for construction of a church similar to Surb Poghos- Petros Church
destroyed in the Soviet period of time. Earlier on Feb 25 the
Government adopted a decision to provide the given territory to the
Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin for construction of the above church.

"It is just a shame to build a church in the place of another facility
hereby repeating the mistake of the Soviet past," he said at Friday
Debate Club on Monday. He sharply criticized the decision that removed
the Open Hall from the list of the protected state monuments. "I am
surprised. Instead of filling the list, they remove objects from it.

That list is a naught," Ishkhanyan said. He condemned also the
viewpoint of the Armenian Apostolic Church demanding the given. "This
means that communists may demand the building of the National Assembly
of Armenia. I call on everyone to sign the petition against destruction
of the Cinema Moscow Open Air Hall," he said.

The decision to destroy the hall has received wide public response.

Over 60 public figures have urged Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan to
cancel the Government’s decision. Hayas organization from Australia
is collecting signatures in support of the hall. Over 5,000 people
have already stood up for the facility. President of the Union of
Architects of Armenia Mkrtich Minassyan says that the Government did
not consult with experts when adopting the decision.

8th British Film Festival in Armenia Kicks Off on Monday

12:17 – 20.03.10

The 8th British Film Festival kicks off on Monday, March 22 in Charles
Aznavour Square in front of Cinema Moscow in central Yerevan. The
opening ceremony is set to begin at 5 pm followed by a screening of
"The Duchess" (by invitation only) at theRed Hall in Cinema Moscow.
The same film will be available to the public at 8 pm on the same day.
The 8 pm screening will be in English with Russian subtitles.

Tickets can be purchased at Cinema Moscow; the money collected from
ticket sales this year will go to the Yerevan State Institute of
Theatre and Cinematography for the purchase and maintenance of
equipment.

This year’s festival includes 6 films shown over 5 days (March 22-26)
with screenings at 6 pm in original English-language only and at 8 pm
in English with Armenian or Russian subtitles.

One of the films in this year’s line-up, `Blood Sunday,’ about the
infamous day in history where British soldiers shot dead 13 unarmed
civilians taking part in a civil rights march in Northern Ireland, is
followed by a Q &A with co-producer Dan Mullan.

For more details, visit this year’s festival website at

Tert.am

RUSSIAN ANALYST: U.S. HOUSE COMMITTEE’S DECISION IS A SIGNAL FOR TURKEY

Today
March 19 2010
Azerbaijan

Day.Az interview with Director for Communications of the all-Russia
Center for Public Opinion Research, historian and Doctor of Psychology
Olga Kamenchuk.

What is your assessment of the move by the U.S. Congress House
Committee on Foreign Relations to adopt the resolution recognizing
the so-called "Armenian genocide?"

Armenia long sought to have various countries to recognize the
"genocide". Admittedly, they succeeded in some countries. But
everything is increasingly difficult in the U.S. The whole process runs
very hard in the country. One can not link this issue with the way in
which relationship runs between the strategic allies like Washington
and Ankara. The U.S. understands that it is very difficult to implement
various projects in the Middle East without Turkey’s support.

Therefore, the possible adoption of a final decision on the "genocide"
will complicate the relations between Ankara and Washington. It must
be borne in mind that, on one hand, the Armenian lobby has significant
pressure on the U.S. government, on the other hand, Barack Obama once
openly supported the project of "genocide" in the past.

However, here it is worth noting that the decision in the United
States is made not by one person. The vote in Congress and the Senate
is made in a batch mode. Thus, if a senator or congressman once voted
in favor of a project, it does not mean that he would support it in
the future. So, the question is still open.

This decision by the Committee of Congress may be a kind of signal
by Americans for Turks, since the U.S. is very careful in making such
decisions. The final decision on the "genocide" would be a very serious
step for Washington, because in this case it would endanger Americans’
position in Turkey.

In your opinion, will the Congress adopt this resolution finally?

Sooner or later this issue will continue to emerge at various levels
of government and parliament in the United States. Much will depend
on what shape relations between Turkey and the U.S. will take. The
relations between the two countries have not been unequivocal lately.

We can recall attitude of Ankara and Washington on the Kurdish issue
in Iraq. Disagreements cooled their relations, but later the question
seemed to be resolved. I do not exclude that issue of "genocide"
will be resolved in favor of Armenians in the United States in
distant future.

Do you think, facing a choice between adoption of the resolution
and relations with Turkey, the U.S. preferred the first one harming
political, economic and also military ties with Turkey?

Americans can sometimes do irrelevant things in respect of different
states. It puts much on stake without thinking not worrying about the
consequences. Let’s recall the history of missile defense in Eastern
Europe. The U.S. desire to deploy radar in the Czech Republic and
Poland posed very big problems.

However, all of a sudden the U.S. wanted to deploy these radars
in other countries. Of course, allies are very important for the
U.S. and Turkey is the key state in the region. Islamic factor and
military cooperation are also involved here. However, they can afford
sophisticated solutions to complex issues. There is much influence
exerted on the U.S. government. It is hard to do this, but the country
is under pressure from all sides. So, the resolution can be adopted
in distant future.

It is possible that Moscow benefited from this situation most of all
boosting relations with Turkey who is offended at the U.S. …

I think the main point is not cooperation with the United States or
Russia. The situation is much more complicated. Final and serious
quarrel are beneficial neither to Washington nor Ankara. Both Turkey
and Russia are aware of importance of bilateral cooperation. Possibly,
Turkey will begin a rapprochement with Russia as an exemplary measure,
in order to spite the United States. The U.S. will be nervous about
it, because it wants Ankara to remain in its area of influence.

However, I do not think that this will lead to fundamental change in
the balance of forces in the region.

As a doctor of psychology, can you explain the reasons why recognition
of "Armenian Genocide" is so important to the neighboring country? Is
this recognition really part of the recognition of national identity,
or this is a fixed idea of individuals in the government?

In any ethnic conflict some painful aspects later become a symbol of
the nation, then pass on generations until they are solved. Speaking
of conflict science as part of psychology, I can say that discussions
over such problems are always painful, but it is very necessary to
eventually solve the problem.

The question of "genocide" is very important for a country like
Armenia, but in this case, it is often politicized and used by
politicians.

H. Hamidov

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RUSSIA INTERESTED IN RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BY US

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.03.2010 13:30 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The US is between two fires – the influential
Armenian lobby and Turkey, according to a Russian expert.

"Each President of the United States pledges to recognize the Armenian
Genocide but none has done this so far," said Alexander Sotnichenko,
senior expert at Saint Petersburg Center of Modern Middle East
Studies. "Americans always resort to the Genocide issue in Turkey
tries to disregard their interests."

"Russia is interested in recognition of the Armenian Genocide by
Washington, as this would signify a crack in US-Turkish relations.

Meanwhile, Turkey can exert a strong political leverage on the US.

Being a NATO member state, it hosts a US military base in Incirlik.

Besides, it’s the only NATO member state bordering on Iran and Syria.

Turkey is an extremely important strategic partner the US and the
regular Armenian Genocide resolution is nothing but a tool of pressure
on Ankara," he said.

The Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res. 106) was submitted to the
House of Representatives by Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), on
January 30, 2007, during the 110th United States Congress. It was
a non-binding resolution calling upon the US President to ensure
that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human
rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States
record relating to the Armenian Genocide, and for other purposes. Upon
its introduction it was referred to United States House Committee
on Foreign Affairs where it passed a 27-21 vote and was sent back
for a full house vote. On October 26, 2007, in a letter addressed
to the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, four key sponsors of the bill,
requested a debate on the bill in full House to be postponed.

Another resolution affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian
Genocide (H.Res.252) was formally introduced in the U.S. House of
Representatives by Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-CA), George Radanovich
(R.-CA), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D.-NJ), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill) in 2009.

It currently has 137 co-sponsors.