Author: Kharatian Ani

JAGLAND CONGRATULATED

s-lrahos15504.html
12:45:40 – 12/10/2009

Following the agreement between Armenia and Turkey, Thorbjørn Jagland,
Secretary General of the Council of Europe, made the following
statement:

‘I congratulate the Governments of Armenia and Turkey on the agreement
to restore diplomatic relations and re-open the frontier between the
two countries. This is a historic step, which should bring about a
lasting reconciliation between the two countries and reinforce the
stability of the South Caucasus region as a whole. I would like to
pay tribute to the Swiss government – as well as the European Union,
Russia, France and the United States – for their crucial role in
negotiations that led to this event. No-one doubts that the full
implementation of the yesterday’s agreements will require time and
sustained commitment from both parties. The Council of Europe is
ready to help in this process, within its fields of expertise, and
in full co-operation with the governments of Armenia and Turkey.’

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN SEES NO SERIOUS REASONS TO REJECT GUL’S INVITATION
Alisa Gevorgyan

"Radiolur"
12.10.2009 13:50

"If no extraordinary events take place within the coming two days,
I will leave for Turkey to support my favorite team – the national
football team of Armenia," President Serzh Sargsyan told reporters at
"Zvartnots" airport before his departure for Moscow.

The President reminded that the protocols signed with Turkey include no
preconditions. "We have never spoken about preconditions with anyone.

The question refers to the existence of necessary conditions. I attach
importance to the principle of reciprocity in the relations. President
Gul came to Armenia last year, and I see no reasons to reject his
invitation," President Sargsyan said.

"It’s strange to me that our public gets to know about the statements
of the Turkish Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister from Azeri
media, where the authors distort the content of the statements,"
President Sargsyan said, commenting on Erdogan and Davutoglu’s
statements.

"According to him, these statements are primarily meant for internal
audience of Azerbaijan. Otherwise, it seem strange to my why they have
signed the protocols if they are not going to ratify them. Maybe they
thought that we would not demonstrate enough will and would retreat.

It’s possible. However, in any event,=2 0today the ball is on the
Turkish field, and we have enough patience to wait for the development
of events," Serzh Sargsyan noted.

‘A STEP BACKWARD’: TURKISH OPPOSITION CRITICIZES ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

Tert.am
12.10.09

Turkish opposition parties have criticized the protocols signed between
Turkey and Armenia on Saturday to establish diplomatic relations by
describing the move as a "step backward" in Turkish foreign policy,
reports Turkish daily Today’s Zaman.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Chair Onur Oymen
told Today’s Zaman that the protocols signed in Zurich is evidence
that Turkey has taken a step back in its fundamental foreign policy
regarding Armenia for the past 17 years.

Indicating that a process of normalization with Armenia can only take
place if Armenia withdraws from "Azerbaijani territory," Oymen argued
that Turkey had made unilateral concessions with the agreement. "There
will be great pressure in Turkey following these signatures because
the protocol texts include articles about Turkey opening its border
and establishing diplomatic ties, but there is not even the slightest
sign that Armenia will withdraw from the territories it invaded. There
is not the slightest reference to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute,"
Oymen said.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli said the day
the agreement was signed was a "black day." He said protocols signed
with Armenia were not based on reciprocity and that they were not
equal and balanced.

IN THE SIDELINES OF ARMENIA-NATO INDIVIDUAL PARTNERSHIP ACTION PLAN PROGRAM THE REGULAR NATO WEEK WILL BE HELD OCTOBER 12-16 IN ARMENIA

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 12, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 12, ARMENPRESS: In the sidelines of Armenia-NATO
Individual Partnership Action Plan Program the regular NATO week will
be held October 12-16 in Armenia during which the representatives
of the Alliance will visit Yerevan, meetings will be organized,
international conference, photo-exhibition, Yerevan-Pristine space
bridge will be conducted.

Armenian Foreign Ministry’s Media and Information Department told
Armenpress that this is one of the important events this year within
the framework of Armenia IPAP and its goal is to present to the
public the main directions of Armenia-NATO cooperation, the present
description of the activity of the alliance, its content.

During the NATO week "New Strategic Concept of NATO" international
conference is being held today in Yerevan, October 13 in the library
of Yerevan State University a photo exhibition dedicated to Armenian
peacekeepers will be held, on the same day lectures on Armenia-NATO
cooperation will be conducted, October 14 Yerevan-Pristine space bridge
will be held, October 15 in NATO information center films about ISAF
will be shown and a video-conference with a NATO official will be held.

SIGNING OF PROTOCOLS BETWEEN ARMENIA AND TURKEY IN ZURICH: OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE

Tert.am
13:18 10.10.09

A ceremony to mark the signing of the Protocols between the Republic
of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey will take place today in Zurich,
says an official press release from the Swiss Federal Department of
Foreign Affairs.

Armenia’s Foreign Minister, Edward Nalbandian, and Turkey’s Foreign
Minister, Ahmet Davutoglu, will sign the Protocols in the presence
of Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey.

The signing ceremony will also be attended by US Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton, the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov,
the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, the Slovenian Foreign
Minister and Chair of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of
Europe Samuel Zbogar, and the Secretary-General of the Council of
the European Union Javier Solana.

The signing is the culmination of a mediation process on the part of
Switzerland initiated at the request of the parties.

At the request of the two parties, Switzerland has acted as mediator
in the process to normalize bilateral relations between Armenia and
Turkey for over a year.

On August 31, 2009, the two parties agreed to launch internal political
consultations culminating in the signing of the two Protocols. In
agreement with the parties, Switzerland will host the ceremony today,
October 10, 2009, in Zurich.

SWITZERLAND CONFIRMS TURKEY AND ARMENIA TO SIGN ACCORDS

Europe News
/news/article_1506156.php/Switzerland-confirms-Tur key-and-Armenia-to-sign-accords
Oct 9, 2009, 19:46 GMT

Geneva – Turkey and Armenia will sign a set of protocols in Zurich on
Saturday that will lead towards the renewal of diplomatic relations
between the two countries that have endured years of hostility.

The deal, negotiated by the Swiss, was announced six weeks ago. The
confirmation that the signing event would go ahead came in late Friday
from Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edouard Nalbandian and Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu will sign the two protocols in the presence
of Swiss Foreign Minister Micheline Calmy-Rey at an event Saturday
afternoon.

Also attending the ceremony will be United States Secretary of State
Hillary Rodham Clinton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and
French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner.

Samuel Zbogar, the Slovenian foreign minister and the chairman of
the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, will be present
along with the European Union’s foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

Ankara and Yerevan broke off relations in 1993 when Turkey closed
its border with Armenia after it invaded the Azerbaijan territory
of Nagorno-Karabakh.

But the animosity goes backs decades further to what Armenia alleges
was the genocide of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians under the
Ottoman Turks during World War I, a charge Ankara denies.

The protocols to be signed call for the renewal of diplomatic ties,
the opening of the common border and the establishment of a historical
commission to investigate the events during World War I.

The agreements would then have to be passed by the two countries’
parliaments.

Switzerland said it acted ‘as mediator in the process to normalize
bilateral relations between Armenia and Turkey for over a year.’

AZERBAIJAN’S PRESIDENT LEAVES FOR MOLDOVA

APA
08 Oct 2009 14:49

Baku – APA. Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev left for Chisinau on
October 8, APA reports.

Prime Minister Artur Rasizadeh, head of Presidential Administration
Ramiz Mehdiyev and Baku Mayor Hajibala Abutalibov saw the President
off at Heydar Aliyev Airport.

The aim of the visit is to attend the meeting of CIS Heads of States
Council.

Today Azerbaijani President will meet with his Armenian counterpart
Serzh Sargsyan and have talks on the settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.

LIVERPOOL STAR FERNANDO TORRES WITHDRAWS EARLY FROM SPAIN TRAINING SESSION
Paul Madden, Goal.com

Goal.com
08-Oct-2009 2:31:28 AM

His removal from the evening session is said to be a precautionary
measure…

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup: Fernando Torres of Spain left dejected
after losing against USA(PA)

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres had to withdraw early from Spain’s
training session this evening after complaining of discomfort in
his groin.

The national team’s medical staff have said that the injury is not
serious and the decision for his early departure from the session
was purely precautionary, according to Spanish publication AS.

Coach Vicente del Bosque is already without the services of Torres’
strike partner David Villa, who withdrew from the squad after suffering
a hamstring injury in Valencia’s 1-0 win over Racing Santander at
the weekend.

Fenerbahce striker Daniel Guiza is also a doubt for the game with
fluid in his knee so Del Bosque will hope to have Torres fit for
selection as La Furia Roja aim to end European Qualifying Group Five
with a 100 per cent record.

Spain have already qualified for next summer’s World Cup in
South Africa as group leaders and face trips away to Armenia and
second-placed Bosnia in their remaining fixtures.

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will be keen to have his prized asset
return safely to Merseyside after international duty. Torres has been
in electrifying form for the Reds so far this season, scoring eight
goals in just seven Premier League games.

FIFA DISQUALIFIES TURKISH TEAM HEAD COACH FATIH TERIM

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.10.2009 17:01 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ FIFA disqualified Turkish Team head coach Fatih
Terim for one match, citing the coach’s unsportsmanlike behavior
during the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In a match against RA Team due October 14 in Bursa, Terim can return
to his place in technical zone.

CIS ANTI-MONOPOLY POLICY INTERSTATE COUNCIL JUBILEE SITTING GETS UNDER WAY

Panorama.am
12:19 07/10/2009

CIS Anti-Monopoly Policy Interstate Council Jubilee 30th Sitting
launched its work Wednesday. The sitting is due until October 8.

Chairman of the Armenian State Committee for Economic Competition
Protection Ashot Shahnazaryan highlighted the very fact the sitting
of economic importance is held in Armenia. "Time states new demands
and approaches, which appear to be urgent not only in the competitive
branch but for the whole society. This is proved by the fact that
representatives of over 14 states are here today," A. Shahnazaryan
said.

According to him, for the recetnt 15 years multilateral cooperation
with the CIS member states has been a priority for our country’s
domestic and foreign policies. As Shahnazaryan stated, a cooperation
of the kind includes all the spheres of CIS activity and special
attention is paid to the activity of anti-monopoly bodies.