Author: Jilavian Emma

AZERBAIJANI MPS WANT NAGORNO KARABAKH REPORT

Trend
Nov 26 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani MPs want the foreign minister to issue a report on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"Parties in parliament should be informed about the situation, as well
as talks on the settlement of the conflict," said Great Establishment
Party Chairman Fazail Mustafa said at a parliamentary session.

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.

Mustafa said closed hearings should be held on the talks with
parliament and the foreign minister and deputy foreign minister.

"To resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in accordance with
Azerbaijan’s interests, we should establish an even closer relationship
with Russia," Unified Popular Front Party Chairman Gudrat Hasanguliyev
said.

He added that Azerbaijan could join the Collective Security Treaty
to settle the conflict.

"I think that in this way we would have the ability to influence
Armenia’s position via Russia. If necessary, we could agree to place
Russian’s military bases in Azerbaijan," he said

"There is no need to submit to parliament a report on talks to resolve
Nagorno-Karabakh, " said MP, Deputy Executive Secretary of the ruling
New Azerbaijan Party Mubariz Gurbanli. "The president has constantly
voiced the position of our state on the highest level."

He added that parliament should only consider the adoption of a law
related to the occupied territories.

"Passing this law, we would have restrictions on international
organizations’ and companies’ visitng Nagorno-Karabakh," Gurbanli said.

ARMENIAN HATIS DEFEATED TURKISH BESIKTAS

news.am
Nov 27 2009
Armenia

Defeated by Armenian Hatis women’s basketball team, the coach of
Turkish Besiktas Aziz Akkaya stated about his resignation, Turkish
Yenisafak reports. The head coach said: "It is shameful to lose to
a team, that participates in EuroCup first time."

NEWS.am notes that Turkish people are still in aftershock by Besiktas
failure.

After the three rounds, Armenian Hatis has 5 points and is leading
group F. Hatis will face Greek Athinaikos in the next round in Yerevan
on Dec. 3.

LAST-DITCH TALKS TRY TO PREVENT AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIA CONFLICT
by Marcus Papadopoulos

Tribune Magazine
26/last-ditch-talks-try-to-prevent-azerbaijan-arme nia-conflict/
Nov 27 2009
UK

Peace talks were held last week between the leaders of Azerbaijan
and Armenia in the hope of preventing an outbreak of hostilities in
one of Europe’s frozen conflicts – that of Nagorno-Karabakh.

President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan and his Armenian counterpart Sergh
Sarkisian met in Munich to try and find a solution to the unresolved
dispute over the region.

The talks were billed as a last-ditch attempt to defuse tension in
this part of the south Caucasus and maintain a Russian-mediated peace
deal signed last year between Baku and Yerevan.

However, even before the talks had commenced, alarms were raised as a
result of President Aliyev’s war-like talk. The Azeri leader warned:
"If the meeting ends without result, then our hopes in negotiations
will be exhausted and then we are left with no other option. We should
be prepared for that. Work on building up our army over the last few
years has been undertaken for a purpose."

Yet despite Mr Aliyev’s threat to take back Nagorno-Karabakh by force,
mediators reported after the talks that "significant progress" had been
made. French mediator Bernard Fassier of the Organisation for Security
and Co-operation in Europe said: "Some important progress has been
reached." However, he warned that "difficulties" had been "identified".

Following the conclusion of the meeting, the Azeri and Armenian
presidents left without talking to reporters.

The mediators in these peace talks – Russia, the United States and
the OSCE – are now planning another meeting. As yet, there are no
details of when this might take place.

Turkey, which has some influence in the south Caucasus and enjoys close
relations with Azerbaijan, said that peace could never be achieved
in the region until "Azerbaijan’s occupied territories are liberated.".

Demonstrating just how high emotions run over the issue of
Nagorno-Karabakh, the day after the peace talks had ended, the
spokesman for Armenian President Sarkisian said that, in the event
of military force being used by Azerbaijan against the breakaway
region, Armenia would recognise its independence. "Armenia cannot
stay indifferent to the fate of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh. We
are responsible for the security of the people of Nagorno-Karabakh."

The conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh began in the dying years of the
Soviet Union following a declaration of independence from Azerbaijan
by the Armenian majority in the region in 1988.

Full-scale fighting between Armenia and Azerbaijan ensued and only
ended after a Russian brokered-peace agreement in 1994 .

U.S. GOVERNMENT DONATES USD 70 THOUSAND TO RA POLICE FOR COMBATING ILLEGAL MIGRATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
27.11.2009 17:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On November 27, 2009, the U.S. Government boosted
the efforts of the Armenian police to combat illegal migration
through the donation of computer equipment and two vehicles, worth a
total of about $70,000. The donation ceremony was attended by Deputy
Chief of Mission Joseph Pennington on behalf of the U.S. Embassy and,
on behalf of the Government of Armenia, by Deputy Chief of Police,
lieutenant-general Hovhannes Hunanyan. "Since Armenia’s gaining
independence, we have been collaborating with US Embassy in Armenia.

United States is the first country we started cooperation with,"
Hovhannes Hunanyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

Handing vehicle keys to Police Deputy Chief, United States Vice
Ambassador said, "Such donation is a sign of US Administration’s
trust in Armenia’s Police. I would like to emphasize that our efforts
are also directed at combating trafficking, illegal drug circulation
and terrorism."

The donated equipment is only part of the U.S. Government’s
comprehensive law enforcement assistance program in the Republic
of Armenia. Earlier, the U.S. Embassy funded the renovation of the
Police Induction Center in Kanaker and assisted in Anti-Trafficking
in Persons Unit of the Police with computer equipment and a vehicle.

GREEK SOPRANO ARDA MANDIKIAN PASSED AWAY

AZG DAILY
28-11-2009

Culture

The Greek soprano Arda Mandikian, who has died aged 85, was a powerful
presence on stage or concert platform, appearing to be much taller
than she really was. Her face was not only beautiful but awe-inspiring,
like an ancient statue, with a noble nose that seemed to start in the
depths of her forehead. Of Armenian Greek stock, she was born in what
was historically Smyrna, now Izmir, on Turkey’s Aegean coast.

Arda studied at the Athens Conservatory with Elvira de Hidalgo and
Alexandra Trianti. Two English friends, James Matthews and Alan
Collingridge, brought her to London in 1948. The following year she
sang at Morley college, Lambeth, and later recorded, for HMV, half a
dozen Delphic hymns that had been discovered in 1893. They dated back
to the first century, were etched in stone and miraculously contained
vocal notation. The hymns brought her into contact with the composer
Egon Wellesz, who taught at Oxford University and was an expert in
Byzantine music.

Also at Oxford, Jack Westrup, a professor of music, heard her and
engaged her to sing Dido in Berlioz’s epic opera The Trojans, which
was staged for the first time in its entirety by the Oxford University
opera club, directed by Westrup in 1950.

The following year she took the title role in a comic opera by
Wellesz called Incognita, and in 1952 returned to The Trojans for
a recording under the baton of Hermann Scherchen, released three
years later. She sounds every inch the tragic Carthaginian queen,
and her singing in Dido’s death scene has surely never been eclipsed,
even by Janet Baker. She then sang the Sorceress in a 1953 recording
of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas – a Gramophone review finding her
"sufficiently spiteful" – with Kirsten Flagstad as Dido.

Arda’s first three roles at the Royal Opera House came in successive
months: as one of the nieces in Britten’s Peter Grimes in November
1953; as Musetta in Puccini’s La Bohème that December; and in the
title role of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Le Coq d’Or in January 1954. She also
sang Handel at Sadler’s Wells, and Britten composed the part of the
ghost Miss Jessel for her in his The Turn of the Screw (1954, with
a recording the following year). With his understanding of voices,
he wrote a part that sounds like Arda, whoever sings it.

She specialised in French song. I recall in particular an outstanding
account of Berlioz’s Les Nuits d’Ete at the Wigmore Hall, London.

Although her voice was at its best in slow music, she managed to
shine in the quicksilver brilliance of Britten’s Les Illuminations.

She was an outspoken critic of the Greek junta of 1967-1974, and
for that reason her career was hampered. Offers from abroad were
turned down since she feared that if she left Greece, she might not
be allowed to return, and would not then be able to look after her
ailing mother and her stepfather.

After the generals had gone, Arda went regularly to London until
a recent deterioration in her health. From 1974 for eight years
she acted as assistant director of the new opera centre in Athens,
working with her great friend Christos Lambrakis.

A good friend, she was warm and sympathetic – a dab hand at cooking
a moussaka. She was extremely sensitive, which made sitting with her
in an audience hazardous. A death on stage would induce loud sobs,
a cinematic shoot-out would cause her to keel over as if she herself
had been shot, and after a performance of Schubert’s Winterreise by
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau she took to her bed almost paralysed with
melancholy for two whole days. There were strong relationships in
her life, but no marriages.

Arda Mandikian, born 1 September 1924; died 8 November 2009,
guardian.co.uk reported.

ARMENIA ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO RELATIONS WITH JAPAN

PanARMENIAN.Net
26.11.2009 12:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Currently in Japan on a formal visit, Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian met with the Speaker of the Japanese
House of Representatives, Mr. Takahiro Yokomichi.

"Armenia attaches importance to development of multilateral relations
with Japan," Minister Nalbandian said. "An Armenian-Japanese friendship
group has been already formed in the Armenian parliament and we are
hopeful that a similar group will be formed in Japan’s parliament
as well."

Mr. Yokomichi, for his part, welcomed Yerevan’s efforts for
normalization of relations with Turkey and voiced hope that
Armenian-Turkish reconciliation will help resolution of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict, RA MFA press office reported.

TURKEY HAS ROLE TO PLAY
By George S. Hishmeh
[email protected]

Gulf News
y-has-role-to-play-1.532314
Nov 25 2009
UAE

Erdogan’s condemnation of Israeli strikes on Gaza has helped to usher
in a new spirit of Turkish cooperation with neighbouring countries

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.Image Credit: APA new
bright star seems to have risen above the Arab world, heralding new
relationships that could benefit the region as a whole.

The Arab change of heart towards Turkey, the successor of the dreaded
Ottoman Empire, a colonial regime that ruled the Arab world for
centuries and collapsed about 90 years ago, came when the moderate
Islamist Justice and Development Party was elected five years ago. And
for the first time in nearly 100 years, Turkish troops descended
on Lebanon as part of a UN peacekeeping force following Israel’s
occupation of the Shiite-dominated South Lebanon.

But what has impressed Arabs recently has been Turkey’s protests
against Israeli policies, especially its brutal assault on Gaza last
December, which left about 1,400 Palestinians dead and, in the opinion
of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict’s
Goldstone Report, amounted to war crimes. In the aftermath, Turkey
cancelled joint air force exercises and there have been unconfirmed
reports that Turkey may stop buying Israeli arms.

Turkey’s new focus on its neighbours is also believed to be a
reaction to the lackadaisical attitude of the European Union, which
has yet to act on Turkey’s 10-year-old application for membership
in the 27-member organisation. This is over and above US President
Barack Obama’s symbolic gesture in visiting Turkey in April, which
is believed to have underlined Turkey’s geostrategic importance,
emphasising the country’s role as a bridge between East and West and
acknowledging its mediation in the Arab-Israeli conflict.

"For all the country’s wounded pride, Turkish officials and analysts
insist Turkey has no intention of abandoning the West," reported The
New York Times earlier this month. "Rather than reorienting Turkish
foreign policy toward the East, Egemen Bagis, Turkey’s minister
for European Union affairs, argued in an interview that the recent
outreach to its neighbours including the opening of its border with
Syria, the signing of a historic agreement with Armenia to establish
normal diplomatic relations and the engagement of Iran was helping
Turkey become a more effective interlocutor for its Western allies."

Benefit

Whether or not this is the case, the Arab world certainly stands to
benefit from improved ties with Turkey.

Dr Clovis Maksoud, a former Arab League ambassador and director of the
Centre for the Global South at the American University in Washington,
believes that the "improved relations between Arabs and others are
determined by those who constitute either an actual or potential
deterrence for Israel’s intransigence and impunity concerning
Palestinian rights."

He adds, "This is particularly true when the Arab deterrent to Israeli
aggression is relatively dysfunctional in view of the peace treaties,
especially between Egypt and Israel. The broad perception becomes
that Turkey in some form is taking the task of filling a deficit
in Arab deterrence. This does not mean that Israel is breaking some
of its strategic alliances, however, it is diminishing dramatically
developments of these alliances."

There is no doubt that the ability of Arab governments to influence
Western governments is virtually nil, as evidenced in the case of the
Obama administration, which to date has been impervious to Arab, and
particularly Palestinian pleas to proceed with the peace negotiations.

More to the point, the refusal of the Obama administration to challenge
the rightist government of Israel has been bewildering. Is this a
result of US timidity or, as optimists continue to believe, does
Obama have something up his sleeve that will be revealed in due course?

Either way, the current impasse has given Turkey, under the able
leadership of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President
Abdullah Gul, who once lived and worked in Saudi Arabia, a golden
opportunity to develop strong ties with its Arab neighbours.

More developments are expected when the Turkish leader visits
Washington for talks with Obama next month.

WAR IS NOT AN ALTERNATIVE: FASSIER

news.am
Nov 23 2009
Armenia

After Nov. 22 meeting of Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents in Munich,
OSCE Co-Chairs met the journalists, where they esteemed the recent
statement by Azeri President Ilham Aliyev, that there will be use of
force unless progress in talks is noted.

According to the RFE/RL, French Co-Chair Bernard Fassier stated:
"War is not an alternative in any case. We have repeatedly told the
presidents baldly and clearly that our governments in Moscow, Paris
and Washington hold the view that the war is not an alternative,
as it does not provide for solution to the problem."

Russian Co-Chair Yuri Merzlyakov also commented on the issue, saying
that any statement can be conditioned by internal political situation.

"We informed the presidents that at the current critical stage of
negotiations it is better to avoid voicing accusations, particularly
those on the solution by military means," Merzlyakov underlined,
expressing hope that the sides will take into account the view of
co-chairing states.

In the course of the sixth meeting this year, the Presidents discussed
the most topical unsettled issues. The progress on certain matters
was achieved as a result of 4-hour meeting, meanwhile having a set
unresolved. The Presidents instructed foreign ministers to continue
cooperation with Co-Chairs on the matters. The next step is a meeting
of Armenian and Azerbaijani Foreign Ministers scheduled for December
1-2. For the first time the Foreign Ministers will meet after the
Presidents’ meeting.

PSYCHOLOGIST: "TURK REMAINS A TURK"

Aysor
Nov 23 2009
Armenia

If the Turkish living in Europe can’t be enduring, then it shouldn’t
be expected from the Turkish living in their own country, said Davit
Jamalyan the military psychologist commenting on the story connected
with Mustafa Dogan, a schoolboy in France.

The mentioned above schoolboy had denied the fact of the Armenian
Genocide saying that, "If they have realized Genocide to Armenians
it means that they deserved it."

The directorate of the school as a punishment had given a homework
to the schoolboy to write about the Armenian Genocide threatening
that will exclude him from the school. At first Mustafa had refused
to do the task by the encouragement of a Turkish NGO in France but
then has apologized in a written form.

D. Jamalyan thinks that though the pupil has done this step by force
however the obligation against the Turkish living in Europe is very
important for seeding a tolerance in this issue.

According to the speaker, living out of their country the Turkish
preserve not only their traditions, but also the stereotypes which
do not change with the time.

"The Turk is a Turk in his country or in Europe", – mentioned the
psychologist.

ARMENIA MAY RECOGNIZE NKR

Lragir.am
17:09:27 – 23/11/2009

The clarification of the press speaker of the Armenian president
Samvel Farmanyan to the ARMENPRESS agency

The Azerbaijani president, a day before the meeting in Munich, made
his regular aggressive statement, in fact threatening by war. What
will Armenia do if the tension connected with the NKR issue increases?

We have had opportunities to note that such statements are made for
home audience, at the same time they do not create favorable atmosphere
for the settlement of the issue. The statements of the Azerbaijani
president once again prove the Azerbaijani non-constructive behavior.

The increase of tension about the NKR issue of course is the most
disgusting solution. It will be such one for Armenia, NKR and the
whole region. But the Republic of Armenia cannot be indifferent
in connection with the destiny of the Karabakh people. The Armenian
president and many high-ranking officials have repeatedly stated we are
responsible for the Karabakh security. There are traditional versions
for such cases, for example, Armenia may recognize the independence of
Nagorno-Karabakh with all its consequences. There are other versions,
and I am sure Armenia will use one of them. We have to note that
Armenia has not yet recognized the Karabakh independence so far just
in order not to hinder the peace negotiations. And if they are ruined,
Armenia will not have any other obstacle to recognize Karabakh.

But the present situation is that the negotiation is continuing.

Armenia has always stated it does not see any alternative to the
peace settlement of the issue.

After the meeting in Munich, the Azerbaijani press spread information
that during the meeting the question that Armenians are to free
the Kelbadjar region by the end of this year was discussed which
will enable Turkey to ratify the Armenian and Turkish protocols
and Azerbaijan to soften its positions in the context of the
Nagorno-Karabakh issue. Is it true?

We are already used to this situation, when after any regular meeting
between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents, "too aware" sources
dwell on discussions and arrangements which in reality do not exist.

This is pure misinformation and does not have anything in common with
the reality. Such a question is not discussed, thus there cannot be
such an arrangement. We have repeatedly stated that the axis of the
Karabakh negotiations is the status of Nagorno-Karabakh. All the rest
is derivative.