Author: Karabekian Emil

SWITZERLAND APPRISES AZERBAIJAN OF TURKEY-ARMENIA TALKS HELD UNDER HIS COUNTRY’S MEDIATION

APA Azerbaijan
May 18 2009

Baku. Lachin sultanova – APA. Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov received State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Switzerland
Michael Ambuhl, Foreign Ministry’s press service told APA.

Michael Ambuhl noted that the main goal of his visit to Azerbaijan
was to conduct political consultations between the two countries. The
guest expressed his confidence that the consolations creating favorable
conditions for comprehensive discussions of bilateral, regional and
global issues of primary significance would serve for further expansion
of cooperation in all fields between Azerbaijan and Switzerland. Elmar
Mammadyarov in return stated that Azerbaijan attached great importance
to the development of cooperation with Switzerland and stressed the
significance of consultations between the foreign ministries of both
countries in further deepening of bilateral ties. Michael Ambuhl
also apprised Mammadyarov of negotiation process between Turkey
and Armenia under his country’s mediation. The Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister provided information about the negotiation process on solution
to Nagorno Karabakh conflict and Azerbaijan’s position regarding the
regulation of the problem: "The latest developments showed that it was
impossible to achieve progress in maintenance of stability and security
in the region without taking Azerbaijan’s position into consideration
and without solution to Nagorno Karabakh conflict". The meeting also
exchanged views on other bilateral, regional and international issues.

Eurovision Organizational Committee led by Baku and removed Armenian
monument from Armenia’s video reel
16.05.2009 18:03 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Ministry of Foreign Affaires of Armenia called on to
return the monument, which is a pattern of the Armenian cultural
heritage.
Azerbaijan, yielding no opportunity of anti-Armenian propaganda and
sometimes carrying to the point of absurdity, distinguished during the
Eurovision-2009 pop music contest. This time the Azeri part did not
like the image of the monument We and our Mountains pictured in the
video reel, beforehand the performance of Inga and Anush Arshakyan,
who represented Armenia in the contest.
Baku officially required from the Eurovision committee, Russia’s
foreign ministry and the First Channel to remove the image of Armenian
monument `We and our Mountains’ from the video reel, stating that `the
monument is located in Nagorno Karabakh, and Nagorno Karabakh is
Azerbaijan’s territory’. Organizers of the contest fulfilled that
requirement and removed the image of the monument from the video reel.
As Diana Mnatsakanyan, advisor to chief executive of Armenian Public
Television, told to a PanARMENIAN.Net, in this connection the ministry
of foreign affairs of Armenia addressed to Russia’s foreign ministry a
letter, calling on the organizational committee of Eurovision-2009 to
return the monument. The work of the Armenian sculptor Sargis
Baghdasaryan, who was a national artist of the Armenian SSR, is a
vivid pattern of the Armenian cultural heritage

SOLEMN CEREMONY OF LAYING FOUNDATION OF MATENADARAN NEW ANNEX TAKES PLACE IN YEREVAN

Noyan Tapan
May 14, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. A solemn ceremony of laying the
foundation of a new scientific annex of Mesrop Mashtots Institute
of Ancient Manuscripts, Matenadaran took place on May 14 in
Yerevan. Benefactor Sergey Hambartsumian, the Chairman of Board of
Directors of the Monarch Moscow concern, laid a manuscript to the
foundation being evidence of foundation laying. RA President Serzh
Sargsyan took part in the solemn event coinciding with the 50th
anniversary of Matenadaran’s turning into a scientific-research center.

Matenadaran Director Hrachya Tamazian said that inventors of Armenian
alphabet Mesrop Mashtots and Catholicos Sahak Partev are considered
the founders of Matenadaran (collection of ancient manuscripts):
there is evidence that Matenadaran already existed in the 5th century,
under Etchmiadzin Catholicosate.

Catholicos of All Armenians Karekin II made a speech and blessing. The
Patriarch mentioned that Matenadaran has become Armenia’s symbol long
ago, and manuscripts kept there have not only scientific-cultural
value, but are also relics. Matenadaran with its mission and
significance is part of all-Armenian culture, it is recognized
in international scientific and cultural circles. Catholicos of
All Armenians thanked country’s leadership for constant attention
to Matenadaran, as well thanked benefactor Sergey Hambartsumian,
building’s chief architect Artur Meschian and builders.

Moscow investment construction company does the construction work
of the new building at the expense of funds of 10m dollars allocated
by Sergey Hambartsumian in advance. The construction is done in the
territory of 12.1 thousand sq.m. and according to Matenadaran Director,
is done very actively.

New building’s idea is not new: the first project was worked out as far
back as in 1987-88 at the Armproject Institute, at the architectural
studio of Artur Meschian. The construction was launched as early as
in 1988, but was stopped due to the earthquake of the same year. A
new project task was created in 2007 that became the continuation
of the former project. The project envisages to allot rooms for a
book storehouse, archives, internal and two other reading rooms, a
reconstruction and modelling department, a room for research officers,
a computer department, a multi-functional hall with 240 seats for
spectators, laboratories, an Armenological center, a publishing house
and a printing house, as well as a photo laboratory.

ERDOGAN: BORDERS WILL NOT OPEN UNTIL THE OCCUPATION ENDS

ANS
13.05.2009 15:19

Azerbaijani President and Turkish Prime Minister has held a joint
press conference.

"Borders will not open until the occupation ends," Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan said during a joint press conference
with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

"I’m pleased to be here in Azerbaijan. We discussed bilateral
relations between the two countries. We have always been standing
side by side and this meeting will serve the best response to those
who seeks to sow discord on our relations. This is the top priority
issue at talks. The principle of one nation and two states lies in
the very foundation of our relations. We approach the Daqliq Qarabaq
issues as sensitively as Azerbaijan does. We won’t accept the false
opinions released earlier on this issue. Because, it is the issue of
cause and reason. Borders were closed as a result of occupation of
Azerbaijani territories and therefore they will not be opened until
the occupation ends. The Minsk Group, the US, France, Russia should
step up the discussions and concrete results ought to be reached. I
believe President Aliyev on this issue. Moreover, we also discussed
the energy issues." Turkish Prime Minister said.

GEORGIA REFUSES TO OPEN TRANSPORT CORRIDOR ‘UPPER LARS’ FOR ARMENIA

ArmInfo
2009-05-13 14:21:00

ArmInfo. Georgia refuses to open the transport corridor ‘Upper Lars’
linking it with Russia, Rosbalt agency reported.

The corridor was closed for repair in July 2006. Nevertheless,
the repaired road is still closed for lack of diplomatic relations
between Georgia and Russia.

ARFD DEPUTY: FAIR ELECTIONS ARE NEEDED TO RESTORE DAMAGED SOCIAL SOLIDARITY IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
May 13, 2009

YEREVAN, MAY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. The holding of Yerevan Council of Elders
elections is a good possibility for solving the problem of Armenian
authorities’ legitimacy. RA National Assembly ARFD faction member
Lilit Galstian stated at the May 13 press conference. In her words,
the social solidarity damaged after the last presidential elections
need to be restored in Armenia.

According to L. Galstian, ARFD has always voiced importance of
holding fair election. She considers that the May 31 Council of Elders
elections are of exclusive political significance, as capital city’s
authorities are formed in the country. Summing up the ten days of the
election campaign, L. Galstian said that this election is also being
held with a signature peculiar to Armenia: voter buying, use of all
possible resources, etc.

ALEX GRIG – LEADING COMPANY ON BUTTER MARKET

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.05.2009 17:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The State Committee on Protection of Economic
Competition has recongnized Alex Grig as leading company on butter
market; Marnik company’s name was removed from business organizaion’s
list, Committe Chair Ashot Shahnazaryan said today during the
Session. Besides, the Committee studied butter and sunflower oil
markets’ structure and submitted the results of interested companies
represented on the market.

According to Mr. Shahnazaryan, there were 23 enterprises operating in
the sphere in 2008, with 14 engaged in product import and 7 engaged
in production. In the meantime, the total amount of butter produced
in the given period made up 211.4 tons.

In 2008, Alex Grig was recognized as top company in terms of product
realization (47,58% ) whereas Marnik lost its predomoniant role
(with realization volume of 11.91%).

The Committee’s monitoring in the sphere of oil butter market revealed
that national currency devaluation caused some entrapreneurs to
increase oil prices at different interest rates depending on currency
exchange rate on the given day. According to Mr. Shahnazaryan, oil
prices recorded a 10-12% growth from March 3 to 5.

In the session of "Internet Techologies Centre", Alex Grig was also
recognized as monopolist in "am" Internet domain.

CCAF FRANCE: ARMENIA TURKEY DECLARATION IS UNACCEPTABLE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.05.2009 19:38 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The member associations of the CCAF (Co-ordination
Council of Armenian Organizations of France) express their deep concern
about the joint statement of the foreign affairs ministers of Armenia,
Turkey and Switzerland, as a matter of form, rather belatedly, in
the evening of April 22.

"With deep reservation and skepticism, we notice the extreme eagerness,
which governed the drafting of this statement, and its lack of
transparency. The vague nature of the so-called ‘base agreement’
and the constant pressure put on the Armenian government leave no
other choice but to reject any agreement which would disregard the
fundamental rights of the Armenian people throughout the world"
says the statement.

Authors of the document state, that it is not possible to accept
the joint statement of Turkey, Armenia, and Switzerland of April 22,
2009 for the following reasons:

"The date of the statement, two days before the remembrance of the
Armenian Genocide, is inappropriate, to say the least : on April 24,
every year, Armenians commemorate all over the world the genocide
which the Young Turks perpetrated on the helpless civilian Armenian
populations of the Ottoman Empire.

The eagerness of the declaration casts doubt on the dangerous
and unacceptable concessions that Armenia will be forced to make
at the debit of the national security of the Republic of Armenia,
particularly concerning the Karabagh self-determination recognition
process. The government of Armenia has been put under the strong
pressure of superpowers seeking their own interest’s satisfaction.

By the present, we formally declare our stance to the politicians
and remind them, that together with other Armenian communities of
the Diaspora, the citizens of Armenia and Karabagh, we will reject
unequivocally any agreement, which might jeopardize the fundamental
rights of the Armenian nation" says the document.

VUC JEREMIC INVITED EDWARD NALBANDIAN TO BELGRADE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.05.2009 12:52 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 119th meeting of Council of Europe Committee of
Ministers has held on May 2 in Madrid. RA Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian participated in the meeting.

RA Foreign Minister met his Slovenian, Lithuanian, Swiss, Portuguese,
Hungarian and Serbian colleagues in Madrid.

According to RA MFA report, Edward Nalbandian and Serbian Foreign
Minister Vuc Jeremic focused on development of bilateral relations.

Nalbandian and Jeremic dwelled on collaboration development in
international organizations. Nalbandian briefed his Serbian colleague
on the process on Armenian-Turkish ties normalization and NKR conflict
settlement negotiations.

Vuc Jeremic expressed his thanks for Armenia’s position in Kosovo
issue, briefed Edward Nalbandian on the process of Kosovo investigation
at International court and invited him to visit Belgrade.

ARMENIA IS ALONE CONTRADICTING TURKEY-AZERBAIJAN TANDEM, ARMENIAN POLITICAL EXPERT THINKS

ArmInfo
2009-05-12 18:14:00

Armenia has remained alone in contradicting Turkey-Azerbaijan tandem,
Armenian political expert, Director of Analytical Study Centre Ruben
Hakopyan told journalists today.

He is concerned about the process of talks on normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations. ‘It is very much dangerous that the foreign
policy course of Armenia is not scheduled. It is situational unlike the
Turkish-Azerbaijani tandem. Unfortunately the negotiating process says
of nothing good at this stage’, – Hakopyan said. He also added that the
negotiating process was followed by the pre-conditions from the very
beginning. But the Karabakh conflict cannot remain beyond the process.

‘Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan’s statement that until Armenia does
not leave "the occupied" territories, the Armenian-Turkish border
will not be opened, is evidence of the fact that Turkey does not
watch the process of normalization of relations with Armenia without
settlement of the Karabakh conflict within the frames of interests
of the tandem’, – the political expert said. He thinks that opening
of the Armenian-Turkish border and establishing of the diplomatic
relations also threatens worsening of Armenia’s relations with Russia
and Iran. He thinks that in that case thanks to Armenia Turkey will
be given an opportunity of playing the leading part in the region at
the expense of Russia and Iran.