Author: Kafian Jirair

ARMY LINKS BORDER OPENING WITH KARABAKH

Hurriyet
April 30 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – Chief of Staff says borders with Armenia should be opened
after Armenia’s withdrawal from occupied Azerbaijani territories. He
also criticizes speculations of specific requests from the US about
Afghanistan and Iraq, and says, ‘The US did not put forward any
specific request’

Armenia’s borders should be opened simultaneously with the withdrawal
of Armenian forces from occupied Azeri territories, Chief of Staff
Gen. Ä°lker BaÅ~_bug said in a press conference yesterday, revealing
the military’s views for the first time.

He also said the United States did not make any specific requests
from Ankara on Afghanistan or Iraq, but added that Turkey might
increase its troop levels in Afghanistan provided that it maintains
the same mission.

Responding to questions from the press on the possibility of opening
the borders with Armenia, BaÅ~_bug recalled Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan’s statements that opening of the borders will be done
simultaneously with the withdrawal of Armenian force from occupied
Azerbaijani territory. "We share this view," said BaÅ~_bug.

Turkey’s grandeur BaÅ~_bug said the meeting he had with National
Security Adviser James Jones, during U.S. President Barack Obama’s
visit to Turkey in early April was followed with talks with the
U.S. chief of staff last Saturday. He criticized speculations that U.S
officials are coming to Turkey for specific requests and said: "Maybe
we are not aware of Turkey’s grandeur. Turkey is being approached
because there is a willingness to know what Turkey thinks and how
Turkey evaluates developments."

With special emphasis on the fact that there had been an exchange
of views between both officials, BaÅ~_bug said, "The U.S. did not
put forward any specific requests as far as withdrawal of its forces
from Iraq."

BaÅ~_bug pointed out that the responsibility fell upon the Iraqi
central government, as well as the northern Iraqi administration
to fight the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party, or PKK. "The local
administration’s active involvement in the elimination of the PKK is
imperative. We must have concrete results this year," he said. BaÅ~_bug
said Turkey grasped a historic opportunity this year to finish off
the PKK.

On Afghanistan, BaÅ~_bug said Turkey might increase its troop presence
in Afghanistan when it will again assume the command of NATO forces in
Kabul. Explaining that Turkey currently has 800 infantry soldiers based
in Kabul as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance
Force, or ISAF, BaÅ~_bug said that it will be Turkey’s turn to assume
the command of NATO forces in Kabul, which includes French and Italian
troops. But as Italy and France are planning to move their forces to
the south and east, there will be a vacuum. Although there will be a
request to other alliance members to fill the vacuum, BaÅ~_bug said
Turkey might as well picture an increase in its troop level. BaÅ~_bug
said the Turkish contingent could be boosted after discussions with
the bloc, but did not elaborate on numbers.

He said Turkish soldiers did not and would not take part in security
operations against Islamic insurgents or drug traffickers. "Our
mission will be strictly the same: to ensure security in Kabul and
its environs," the general said.

Turkey, Syria drill BaÅ~_bug also dismissed Israel’s reaction
to a joint drill involving Turkish and Syrian soldiers. Israeli
Defense Minister Ehud Barak called this week’s exercise a worrisome
development. BaÅ~_bug said he was "not concerned by Israel’s reaction,"
and Turkey wasn’t seeking any other country’s consent.

The drill, the first-ever between Turkey and Syria, ends Wednesday and
marks improvement in once strained ties between both countries. Turkey
has long been Israel’s closest ally in the Muslim world, but their
ties deteriorated during the Gaza war over casualties among Palestinian
civilians. Their military links have remained intact.

The historical Nagorno-Karabakh conflict The issue of Nagorno-Karabakh
goes back to the conflict from February 1988 to May 1994, in the
small ethnic enclave in southwestern Azerbaijan, between local ethnic
Armenians backed by Yerevan against the state of Azerbaijan. Both
countries were formerly part of the Soviet Union. Ethnic violence
broke out within the statelet after the autonomous parliament voted
for Nagorno-Karabakh to be reunited with Armenia in 1988. Full-scale
fighting erupted in the late winter of 1992. In the spring of 1993,
Armenian forces captured regions outside the enclave itself, and by
the end of the war in 1994, the Armenians were in full control of
most of the enclave and also held and currently control approximately
9 percent of Azerbaijan’s territory outside the area.

COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: EU HR JAVIER SOLANA MET ILHAM ALIYEV
by Emanuele G.

Girodivite.it
-of-the-European-Union-EU,11856.html
April 30 2009
Italy

Javier SOLANA, European Union High Representative for the Common
Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), had a meeting today with President
Ilham ALIYEV of Azerbaijan.

At the meeting they discussed the latest developments in Azerbaijan,
regional issues and EU-Azerbaijan relations, in particular the
forthcoming Eastern Partnership and Southern Corridor summits to take
place in Prague on 7 and 8 May 2009.

Mr SOLANA and Mr ALIYEV stressed the importance of reinforcing ties
between the EU and Azerbaijan. The Eastern Partnership initiative will
be an excellent means of contributing to the stability and prosperity
of Azerbaijan and the region as a whole.

They also discussed the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement. Mr SOLANA strongly
supported all the diplomatic efforts led by the "Minsk Group" for a
peaceful resolution of this conflict.

Energy was another important issue on the agenda. Mr SOLANA agreed
with Mr ALIYEV that energy security was one of the big challenges
facing us. He encouraged President ALIYEV to continue working closely
with the EU.

The EU encourages Azerbaijan to make further progress with political
reforms, in particular freedom of the media and human right issues.

RA GOVERNMENT TAKES ACTION TO PREVENT SWINE FLU PENETRATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2009 13:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian government is taking all possible
measures to prevent penetration of swine flu into the republic,
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said.

For his part, Healthcare Minister Harutyun Kushkyan, said
that essential measures are being taken in Zvartnots and Gyumri
Airports. "Counter epidemic measures will also be taken in planes,"
he said.

The Minister said Armenia will purchase thermovision cameras that
will be installed in airports within 2 or 3 days.

Head of Armenian committee on state income said import Gagik
Khachatryan said import of gods from Mexico has been already banned.

Agriculture Minister Aramais Grigoryan offered to limit import of
poultry in the republic. "The cargo entering the republic is being
disinfected at checkpoints," he said.

NA AD-HOC COMMITTEE ON EVENTS OCCURRED ON 1 MARCH MEETS WITH THREE CITIZENS RECEIVING INJURIES

NOYAN TAPAN
APRIL 29, 2009
YEREVAN

The NA Ad-hoc Committee on Events Occurred on 1-2 March in Yerevan
invited to its April 28 meeting three citizens who received injuries
in the vicinity of Grigor Lusavorich street and Mashtots Avenue on
March 1.

According to Committee’s preliminary data, all three were injured
by the Cheryomukha – 7 special means used by law enforcement
bodies. However, two of them, Vazgen Haroutiunian and Suren
Hovhannisian, stated that they do not know yet by what arms they
were injured, as medical conclusions only mention that they received
splinter injuries from fire-arms.

Ararat region resident V. Haroutiunian, who served at a training
company of Avan police troops in the period when the events happened,
was injured in his knee and was operated on. He testified that a
small group of people in masks behind them fired with luminous bullets.

Resident of Gyumri S. Hovhannisian was going from the Ayrarat fair
to the scene of action, where he was injured in his head. He said
that before being injured he felt a smell, which, in the opinion of
committee members, is evidence that nevertheless, the cause of injury
was Cheryomukha.

The third citizen, resident of Khor Virap (Ararat region) Khachik
Davtian was among the rally participants. He was injured in his shin by
Cheryomukha and according to the medical conclusion, received a grave
injury dangerous for his life and was operated on. K. Davtian said
that before the operation he saw at least 15-20 injured or perished,
witnessed a citizen’s death from an injury in his head. At the same
time he refuted the fact of presence of a jaw on the crossroad,
which was depicted in the video material on those events.

Khachatur Davtian also said that before he had recovered, with a
plaster on his leg, some people took him to Prosecutor General’s Office
and "with threats and bad language" tried to make him write that a
certain resident of Ararat with the nickname "Marzpet" organized his
participation in rallies, whom K. Davtian does not know, thus he did
not give such evidence.

BANK VTB (ARMENIA) TO CONTINUE FINANCING TEKHUT PROJECT

ArmInfo
2009-04-29 19:01:00

Tekhut project is underway and we will shortly appear with good news
for the Armenian market, Director General-Chairman of the Board of
Directors of Bank VTB (Armenia) Valery Hovsyannikov said during a
press-conference today.

Considering the change of the situation on the raw materials market,
the bank has revised its economy on Tekhut project. "Now that the raw
materials prices have stopped falling, we are completing re-assessment
of this project. This project is being closely controlled of the
Armenian and Russian goverments,"

To remind, $275mln credit agreement on the investment project of
Armenian Copper Programme to organize mining activities at Tekhut
copper-molybdenum deposit was signed May 27 2008. The bank has been
considering the decision to finance this project for 1.5 years.

According to Vallex Group, at the initial stage the factory will
produce 32,000 tons of copper concentrate and 900 tons of molybdenum
concentrate.

Tekhut deposit has 450mln tons of copper-molybdenum ore, 1.6mln tons
of copper and 99,000 tons of molybdenum.

TORSARKISSIAN TELLS NOW: MARCH 14 ARMENIANS WILL BOYCOTT ELECTIONS IF KOUYOUMJIAN DOES NOT WITHDRAW

NowLebanon
April 28 2009
Lebanon

Future MP Serge Torsarkissian, who is running for the Armenian Catholic
seat in the Beirut I district, said in an interview with NOW Lebanon on
Tuesday that the March 14 alliance’s Armenian forces would boycott the
upcoming parliamentary elections if Richard Kouyoumjian remained the
Lebanese Forces’ candidate for the Armenian Catholic seat in Beirut I.

If the Lebanese Forces did not respond, then the Armenian Tashnaq
party’s candidate, who is allied with the opposition would win the
Beirut I seat, the MP said.

"The LF announced its candidate without consulting the other allies in
March 14," Torsarkissian said, adding that he would still run in the
elections, but would separate from the alliance and run independently
if Kouyoumjian remained his competition in the race.

YURI MERZLYAKOV: "THERE IS A FAVORABLE CONDITION TO FACILITATE THE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT"

APA
April 27 2009
Azerbaijan

Yerevan – APA. "There is a favorable condition to facilitate the
settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict and all the parties realize
it," Russian co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group Yuri Merzlyakov said in
Yerevan, APA reports.

"The co-chairs’ visits to the region at least twice a month,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Armenia, visits of
Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents to Russia on April 18 and April
23 – all this shows that the opportunities to facilitate the process
of settlement are being considered," he said.

PanARMENIAN.Net

NY Governor and Mayor issued proclamations on Armenian Genocide
26.04.2009 01:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ New York Governor David A. Paterson and Mayor
Michael Bloomberg issued proclamations acknowledging Armenian
Genocide, Yonkers Tribune reports.

New York Governor David A. Paterson issued a Proclamation for the
Empire State to join in with the entire community to commemorate the
94th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide (1915-1923), the first
genocide of the 20th Century. Governor Bloomberg also issued a
proclamation acknowledging the Armenian Genocide. In the City of New
York proclamation, Mayor Bloomberg states, `The first victims of the
Genocide were the religious, political and intellectual leaders of the
Constantinople’s community who were arrested and murdered on April 24,
1915.’

In the New York State proclamation, the Governor states, `Whereas, a
deliberate effort to destroy people on a massive scale, the Armenian
Genocide led academics to use the term genocide and it is believed
that, had the Armenian Genocide been stopped through diplomatic or
interventionist means, the resulting precedent for peace could have
prevented the Holocaust that befell the Jewish people.’

Russian Mayor Walks Into Chess Master’s Trap

The New York Times
April 27, 2009

By ELLEN BARRY

SOCHI, Russia – For all the intrigue that had surrounded the mayoral
elections in Sochi, Acting Mayor Anatoly N. Pakhomov managed to avoid
confronting his critics – or even acknowledging their existence ‘
until Friday, when he was outfoxed by a grandmaster.

Mr. Pakhomov, who has the support of the Kremlin, appeared to sail to
victory in Sunday’s election and would lead the city during the 2014
Winter Olympics here. With little time left in the campaign, he
attended a ceremony on Friday in a village near Sochi commemorating
the Armenian genocide during World War I, a crucial gesture to the
city’s large Armenian population. He delivered a short address that
was respectful, if a bit wooden, and then stepped back to polite
clapping, making room for a row of schoolgirls to recite verses that
they had memorized.

But an animated gray-haired man had edged his way alongside the
podium, and then he stepped onto it, sending whispers through the
crowd. It was Garry Kasparov, the former world chess champion, who was
in Sochi promoting the campaign of Mr. Pakhomov’s archrival, Boris
Y. Nemtsov.

Mr. Kasparov, born to an Armenian mother, had been sitting quietly,
signing autographs, for nearly two hours. He was mobbed by admirers,
men in their 40s and 50s who had loved him since childhood. When an
organizer for Mr. Pakhomov’s United Russia Party tried to get
Mr. Kasparov removed from the premises, saying his presence amounted
to political campaigning, the head of the village’s administration
glowered and snapped, `He is my idol!’

Mr. Kasparov’s remarks began innocently enough. He made an offhand
mention of Mr. Nemtsov, so subtle that it was easy to miss. Then he
began to sling arrows at Moscow, saying Soviet Russia had supported
Turkey at the time of the massacres.

Mr. Pakhomov, standing behind him on the podium, looked as if he had
eaten a lemon.

Two minutes and 33 seconds into Mr. Kasparov’s speech, a local
official stepped forward and said his time was up. Mr. Kasparov turned
to the crowd with an incredulous look.

`What’s happening?’ he said loudly. `I cannot speak? Maybe it’s better
to be silent?’

They shouted `No!’ and erupted into applause. He went on, at leisure,
to criticize the rise of racist violence in Russia, saying that
`genocide doesn’t just appear out of nowhere, and to put it mildly the
government is doing very little to stop this debauch of nationalism.’
He said Moscow had prevented generations of Armenians from connecting
with their roots, and then he went further.

`The authorities are the source of problems,’ he said. `The K.G.B. was
behind the Armenian pogroms in Baku. The K.G.B. set nations against
each other. We should never give in to these provocations.’ He
finished up – `I love you, and we are one family’ – and the crowd
applauded long and hard.

In the audience, Vartyan S. Mardirosyan, a lawyer, was chuckling
delightedly at the spectacle. He said the authorities in Sochi had
cracked down so hard on dissent that it reminded him of Soviet times,
when people were too afraid to express their political opinions
outside their own kitchens. The ceremony had been an `undeclared
competition,’ said Mr. Mardirosyan, 68, with Mr. Kasparov both the
underdog and the undisputed winner.

He began walking home, a broad smile plastered on his face.

`He didn’t just play chess,’ Mr. Mardirosyan said. `That was a
checkmate.’

world/europe/27kasparov.html?_r=1&ref=global-h ome

Journal of Turkish Weekly
April 24 2009

Azerbaijani Politicians Offer Jointly Struggle So-called "armenian
Genocide"

Friday, 24 April 2009

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 24 /Trend News, A.Huseyinbala/

Azerbaijani NGOs and media should jointly struggle against the so
called "Armenian genocide", politicians said.

"We should propaganda this the whole year in order to prove
groundlessness of Armenians’ claims to the so called genocide," the
Eurasian International Research Institute Chairman Kamala Pashayeva
said at an arrangement in the Ataturk Centre.

Every year on April 24 Armenians mark anniversary of the so-called
"genocide", falsifying historical facts, making baseless claims
against Ankara. In 2006, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
proposed to Armenian President to create a joint commission. However,
the Armenian side did not accept the proposal saying that it did not
have a doubt on interpretation of the event.

"Armenians are trying to recognize the so called "Armenian genocide"
by the world community owing to their combined diasporas abroad daily
and monthly. We must take the same route. We cannot make the
government responsible for this. A strong state needs people’s
support," Pashayeva said.

"Turkey insists on investigation the genocide on the basis of
historical documents, but Armenians denied the offer. There are not
documents proving Armenians’ claims to genocide," a member of the New
Azerbaijan Party Political Council Aydin Mirzazade said.

"In 1915, there were lived only 1 million Armenians in the Ottoman
Empire. However, now Armenians say that 1.5 million Armenians were
killed there. Armenians are the first nation in history that forged
such an event," he said.

Mirzazade offered to implement serious agitation among youth in
Azerbaijan in order to prove falsity of Armenians’ claims to genocide.

"April 24 is the day of Armenian lie," Azerbaijani deputy Ganira
Pashayeva said. "Everybody knows the true history of Armenians’
propaganda against Turks. Even those countries which recognize
"Armenian genocide" know that this is a lie," the deputy said.

Now the main issue is to prevent Armenians’ claims to
genocide. Armenians’ target is not only Turkey, but the whole Turkic
world. The propaganda against Armenians must be our common
mission. This is must be a struggle of each Turk," she added.

There are much more Turks in the world than Armenians, but Armenians
succeeded to advance their claims thanks to their combined
activity. We must work together in order to inform the world community
about the falsity of the event. "Our young generation must know that
this claim is directed against them. We must struggle against
Armenians through Internet as well," Pashayeva said.

Do you have any feedback? Contact our journalist at: [email protected]

Friday, 24 April 2009
Trend News Agency