Author: Karagyozian Lena

GEORGIAN-RUSSIAN CONFLICT IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN KARABAKH ONE: LEADER OF ARMENIAN UNITED COMMUNIST PARTY

ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Oct 24 2006

At a press-conference, Tuesday, Chairman of the United Communist Party
of Armenia Yuri Manoukyan said that in the heat of the Georgian-Russian
conflict, Armenia found itself in a more dangerous condition than
during the Karabakh war.

According to him, Armenians should be "quiet and far-sighted", as in
case of the Russian-Armenian relations’ aggravation, the problems
between the governments of the two countries will affect not only
energy and gas supply. "We shouldn’t forget that 37% of Armenian
citizens live on money transfers from their relatives working in
Russia. If we start conflicting with Russia, hundreds of thousands of
Armenian citizens will be deported to Armenia and we’ll be unable to
provide them with job", Manoukyan stressed. He also noted that Armenia
has made a big mistake to cross out the centuries-old friendship with
Russia in an instant. Armenia cooperates with Russia in the political
and military spheres and simply has no right to step aside, he said.

Manoukyan didn’t exclude Armenia’s possible mediation in the settlement
of the Georgian-Russian conflict. Adding that the deportation of
Georgian citizens from Russia and distortion of Georgian’s image
by Russian mass media are the result of the Georgian authorities’
short-sighted policy, Manoukyan pointed out that the Georgian
government should realize that only Georgian people suffer from
this conflict.

ARMEN BAYBURDIAN AND AMBASSADOR OF SWEDEN DISCUSS POSSIBILITIES OF ACTIVIZING INVESTMENTS

Noyan Tapan
Oct 25 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Hans Gunnar Aden, the Ambassador
of Sweden (residence in Stockholm) gave on October 23 copies of his
credentials to Armen Bayburdian, the RA Deputy Minister of Foreign
Affairs. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign Ministry’s Press
and Information Department, welcoming the Ambassador, A.Bayburdian
wished success to the newly appointed Ambassador in the affair of
implementation of the most important mission. During the meeting the
sides touched upon Armenia’s participation in the EU New Neighbourhood
Policy, the present level of the Armenian-Swedish relations as well
as the two countries’ participation in international structures. The
interlocuters discussed already existing contacts of Armenian-Swedish
businessmen and possibilities of activization of investments.

LES ARMENIENS N’ONT QUE TROP ATTENDU: PATRICK DEVEDJIAN

Le Monde, France
20 octobre 2006 vendredi

Reconnaissance du genocide : la Turquie doit suivre l’exemple allemand

Michel Wieviorka fait une interpretation très selective du debat
actuel sur la question du genocide armenien.

Dans la tribune qu’il a publiee dans ces colonnes " Les deputes contre
l’histoire " (Le Monde du 17 octobre), plusieurs points meritent
d’etre contestes :

1. Il declare que je me suis mis d’accord avec M. Hollande " pour
faire voter une loi rendant passible de prison quiconque nie le
genocide armenien ". Or j’ai depose un amendement faisant echapper
aux poursuites les travaux a caractère scolaire, universitaire et
scientifique. Malheureusement, pas un seul depute de gauche n’a vote
cet amendement, qui n’a ete rejete que de trois voix. Il n’y a donc
pas " accord " avec M. Hollande.

2. Bernard Lewis a ete condamne en 1995 par le tribunal de grande
instance de Paris (dans une affaire où, comme avocat, je representais
les demandeurs), non pas pour avoir simplement " recuse l’usage du
terme genocide ", mais pour avoir deforme la plus elementaire realite
en affirmant que le genocide armenien etait " la version armenienne
de l’histoire ". Le tribunal a observe que de très nombreux pays,
de très nombreuses organisations internationales, de très nombreux
historiens en avaient affirme la realite.

3. M. Wieviorka ecrit que les associations armeniennes ont pour but de
" demander de reconnaître les torts historiques d’une autre nation,
d’un autre Etat, et ici la comparaison avec la question juive perd
tout son sens ". Je pense que c’est le contraire : l’Allemagne a
reconnu la Shoah, Willy Brandt s’est mis a genoux a Auschwitz.

Aujourd’hui encore, la Turquie honore comme un heros l’organisateur
du genocide armenien, Talaat, dont les cendres lui ont ete remises
par Adolf Hitler.

Les Armeniens ont ete extermines pendant la première guerre mondiale,
alors que la France et la Turquie etaient en conflit. Ils ont notamment
ete accuses d’etre les agents de la France, qui s’etait engagee a
les proteger. Les associations armeniennes aimeraient que la Turquie
traite la question armenienne comme, après 1945, l’Allemagne a traite
la question juive.

4. Les manifestations negationnistes repetees que la France a connues
depuis quelques mois ne sont pas simplement " l’importation sur
notre sol du differend turco-armenien ". Elles sont organisees avec
le soutien des autorites turques et constituent un risque de trouble
grave en meme temps qu’un defi a la loi francaise.

5. M. Wieviorka recommande aux Armeniens de prendre patience en raison
du debat interne a la Turquie : je lui rappelle qu’ils sont patients
depuis plus de quatre-vingt-dix ans et que l’actuel gouvernement
turc a fait modifier le code penal pour poursuivre ceux qui affirment
l’existence du genocide armenien.

Patrick Devedjian Depute des Hauts-de-Seine (UMP)

–Boundary_(ID_sFrIp3Q0EyKdfkcICvHdQg)–

MARXIST LEADER HELPS ARMENIAN DIPLOMATIC BRAINS

Panorama.am
14:44 20/10/06

Davit Hakobyan, chairman of Armenian Marxist Party, thinks it is
his duty to help the "diplomatic brains" of Armenia. Hakobyan thinks
Armenian diplomats have to seriously talk to Zatulin and people like
him. Earlier reports say that Konstantin Zatulin, deputy of Russian
State Duma, said Armenia should support Russia in Russian-Georgian
conflict. Hakobyan thinks this statement of Zatulin is a "political
blackmail."

Hakobyan believes Russia should have clearer disposition to Azeri
Turks, Osman Turks, European and American if she wants Armenia to have
clear-cut pro-Russian disposition. The Marxist also believes Russia
should recognize Nagorno Karabakh as international subject. Hakobyan
urges foreign policy makers to fully engage in diplomatic art so that
Armenia is not presented on the diplomatic altar of big superpowers as
"a chicken gift" once again. /Panorama.am/

Adoption of the bill by the French Parliament reinforces Armenia’s security
(Analysis)

20.10.2006 16:40
Armen Manvelyan
"Radiolur"

As it was expected, the adoption of the law penalizing the
denial of the Armenian Genocide in the French Parliament brought
forward controversial comments and even criticism. No one had the
slightest doubt that it would be discussed by Turkish h media and
society. Criticism came also from the bureaucratic system of the
European Union, which is not surprising, either. The latter consider
issues proceeding from political interests of their structure,
rather than from the perspective of revelation of the historic truth
and correct assessment of events. Yet, it is understandable that
adoption of such a law will seriously hamper the process of EU-Turkey
talks, and it will disturb them more than a similar law adopted by
the European Parliament. Nevertheless, turning to the core of the
question, let’s try to discuss it from the standpoint of Armenia’s
interests in order to understand what it will give us. It’s not a
secret that the Republic of Armenia and the unrecognized Nagorno
Karabakh Republic are surrounded with the hostility of Turkey and
Azerbaijan, and this is the reality we cannot escape. The situation
was created in the first half of the past century in the result of the
genocide perpetrated by Turks, when the Armenian people was deprived of
the right to live on its historic land. As it is known the reason of
such policy was the national aspiration of Turks who wished to unite
all Turkic nations and move to Central Asia and Siberia to conquer
all the lands inhabited by Turkish-speaking peoples. A considerable
part of the Armenian nation fell victim of these political ambitions
called Panturkism. Although 90 years have passed after these events,
Turkish ambitions and priorities have not changed, and unfortunately,
today we cannot say we are safe from attacks and aggression of this
kind. One of the reasons is that up to now the Armenian Genocide has
not been condemned by the international community and has not been
acknowledged by Turkey. No one will refute the danger of reoccurrence
of an uncondemned crime. Therefore, we can say that the step of the
French Parliament was the first attempt to prevent any possible future
anti-Armenian crimes of Turkey and Turks in general. Anyway, the time
will come to answer for everything. It is clear that the activity of
the French Parliament is not enough, decisions of the whole Europe and
especially the US Congress are necessary here. To put it different,
French legislators promote the rise of Armenia’s security level in
the region. And it is from this very perspective that the adoption
of the bill penalizing the Armenian Genocide is to be considered.

GETTING READY FOR THE MATCH WITH AZERBAIJAN

A1+
[07:14 pm] 20 October, 2006

On October 21 the Armenian football junior team will leave for Cyprus
where the group phase of the qualifying round of the European junior
football championship will take place on October 27-November 2.

Armenia is included in the seventh group with Hungary, Cyprus and
Azerbaijan.

The first opponents of the Armenians will be the Azeris. The match
will take place on October 27. The second match will take place on
October 29 against Cyprus. The last game will be against Hungary,
on November 1.

WESTERN ARMENIANS TO ELECT THEIR NATIONAL ASSEMBLY

Armenpress
Oct 20 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 20, ARMENPRESS: About thirty prominent Armenian
intellectuals have come out today with an initiative to create a body
that will represent the heirs of Armenians who escaped the genocide of
Armenians in the historical Western Armenia in the Ottoman Turkey. The
signatories propose to establish a National Assembly, a National
Council and committees.

The initiating committee had sent messages to all heirs of Armenians
who escaped the genocide to seek their accord and based on the feedback
has decided to call a meeting in Paris on December 9-10. The group’s
statement says the meeting will elect an ad hoc National Council with
its committees which will organize and steer elections of deputies
to the National Assembly in all countries where heirs of the genocide
live. This National Assembly is supposed to elect the National Council
of Western Armenians.

The idea behind this initiative, according to the statement, is to
work out and carry out such all-Armenian projects which will promote
strengthening of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, consolidation of free
democracy and defense of Armenians’ interests globally.

Another goal is to negotiate with Turkish authorities and other
stakeholders to attain the recognition of Armenian genocide, its
condemnation and press for compensations for the property of Western
Armenians and to ensure unobstructed return of the heirs to Western
Armenia where their ancestors lived.

THE INDEPENDENT: TURKISH ‘PRIZE SLIPPING AWAY’ FROM EU

The New Anatolian
Oct 18 2006

Turkey is a "prize slipping away" from the hands of the European
Union because of the deadlock over the Cyprus issue and the French
Parliament’s passage of the Armenian bill, warned British daily The
Independent yesterday.

The newspaper, in its leading editorial on Tuesday, said, "Turkey’s
bid to enter the EU received a double blow last week. First came the
parking of talks on Ankara’s membership after objections by Greece and
[Greek] Cyprus.

And then there was the vote by the French Assembly to outlaw the
denial of the Armenian ‘genocide’." The paper added that EU foreign
ministers met on Monday with their Turkish counterpart to repair some
of the damage.

Stressing that the real diplomatic crunch will come next month when a
report is due from the EU’s enlargement minister on Turkey’s progress
in implementing reforms since membership talks began a year ago, The
Independent stated that if the report criticizes Ankara’s refusal to
open Turkish ports to Greek Cypriot ships and planes, as expected, EU
leaders at their next summit may decide to freeze entry negotiations
entirely. "Once frozen, they would be very hard to re-start," the
newspaper warned.

Citing the presence of a general pessimism about the EU enlargement
process, The Independent commented that the remarks by European
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso over the weekend are
a reflection of the pessimism about Turkey’s chances to join the
25-nation bloc. The newspaper stated that although previous statements
had indicated that Turkey’s membership talks could last 15 years,
Barroso in his latest remarks predicted that the process would take
20 years.

Concerning the French Parliament’s passage of a bill introducing
prison terms and fines to those who question the Armenian genocide
claims, the newspaper commented that although French President Jacques
Chirac apologized to Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan over the incident and
said the French government is opposed to the law, the newspaper said,
"However, together with this move the damage has already been done."

Underlining that the French Parliament’s decision served the interests
of nationalist circles in Turkey who oppose the country’s membership
in the Union, the newspaper also stated that Turkish supporters of
EU membership are having a hard time defending the self-sacrifices
for accession.

Describing Turkey as a "prize slipping away," the daily said,
"Whereas the membership of this Muslim country would be an ideological
success for Europe. In this way, values like human rights, freedom
of _expression and a liberal economy will be strengthened in a land
bordering the Middle East.

However, in case of failure to continue political relations between
Turkey and Europe, none of those will materialize."

AZERBAIJANI ARMY MOST POWERFUL IN CAUCASUS, ALIYEV THINKS
By Aghavni Harutyunian

AZG Armenian Daily
19/10/2006

Aliyev Either Does Not Know the State of Azeri Army of Caucasus’s
Geography

Azerbaijani army is the most powerful in the Caucasus today. Aliyev
junior’s flatulency have strangely reached a level that permits himself
to make such statements from Al Jazeera’s air forgetting how corrupted
the Azeri army is and military capacity of the other Caucasian states.

Besides praising his own army, Ilham Aliyev told Al Jazeera that the
Prague Process is the final stage of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
and if "Armenia’s destructive policy aborts this stage then there
will be no possibility to continue the negotiations."

Meanwhile, Aliyev junior understands this stage as a link in
step-by-step regulation – "withdrawal of Armenian occupation forces
from Azerbaijani territories, discussion of Nagorno Karabakh’s status
and of strengthening its security system and peacekeeping activities."

Day.az agency quoted president Aliyev as saying that if there is
are no negotiations, then Azerbaijan will change its strategy and
tactics and will discuss other options. Interestingly, the recent
talks about the impossibility of a new war forced Aliyev to state
that the military option is Azerbaijan’s last resort.

Applying unique political and economic "logic", Aliyev concludes
that Armenia has condemned itself to isolation "by carrying out an
aggressive policy towards its neighbors." "In terms of diplomacy,
Armenia is a losing country," the Azeri leader says and adds that
Armenia can be of no interest to foreigners. This view of Aliyev is
totally grounded in his oil pipeline. Ilham Aliyev rounds of saying
that neither the Diaspora nor the foreign diplomats can help Armenia.

As to Iranian-Armenian relations, Azerbaijan shows concern about them.

NEXT YEAR AZERI ECONOMY WILL BE TEN TIMES BIGGER THAN ARMENIAN ONE: AZERI PRESIDENT

ARMINFO News Agency
October 17, 2006 Tuesday

"We are making active efforts to resolve the Karabakh conflict by peace
but, at the same time, we are getting increasingly convinced that,
without serious military, political, diplomatic an economic levers,
it will be hard to put an end to the occupation of our lands," Azeri
President Ilham Aliyev says in an Oct 15 interview to Al Jazeera
TV channel.

"By involving the UN General Assembly, the CE, the Organization of
the Islamic Conference and other international organizations in the
Karabakh peace process, we are trying to use all chances for peaceful
resolution. At the same time, we are stregthening our country,
economy and defense. Today, our economy is 6 times bigger than that
of Armenia, next year, it will be 10 times bigger. Naturally this will
give us increasingly favorable conditions for resolving the problem,"
says Aliyev. "In economy Armenia is not rival to us. In military
Azerbaijan has the strongest army in the Caucasus and continues to
strengthen it due to yearly growing military allocations," says Aliev.

"When all our energy and economic projects are launched, we will
become a strong state, and Armenia will not be able to rival with us.

So, they must understand that their policy may have fatal consequences
for them and that the population of Karabakh and Armenia may face a
serious danger unless the Karabakh conflict is resolved by peace,"
says Aliev.

He blames Armenia for regularly wrecking the peace talks. He says
that the present format of the talks is the Prague Process – stage
by stage scenario: "withdrawal of Armenian troops from the occupied
territories, discussion of the status of Karabakh and enhancement of
security." "In fact, this is the final stage and if it is wrecked,
there will be no more chance for further talks. But if the talks
are stopped, we will not just sit by and wait for something. We
are either in the negotiating process our outside it. And if we are
outside, we will give up all our obligations, change our strategy
and consider other solutions," says Aliyev. He notes that Azerbaijan
will not obligatorily start military operation at once, it will be
the last step, but before it the country will use its huge economic,
financial and human potential for achieving its goal.

"Simply, they in Armenia must understand that the process is developing
to our advantage, and they cannot rival with us. So, for the sake of
the safety of the Armenian population of Karabakh and for the sake
of the safety of the population of Armenia, they must voluntarily
withdraw their troops from our occupied territories," says Aliyev.