US Congressmen signing letter to Obama on Armenian-Turkish relations

US Congressmen signing letter to Barack Obama on Armenian-Turkish
relations
19.07.2009 00:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ At the bipartisan initiative of Reps. Frank Pallone,
Jr. (D.-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.), the co-chairs of the House
Armenian Caucus, and Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.) and George
Radanovich (R.-Calif.), members of Congress are being asked to sign a
letter to President Barack Obama on Armenia-Turkey relations, the
armenian reporter reports.

Referring to the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey
and the Armenian Genocide, the letter calls on President Obama "to
separate the issues of normalization and genocide recognition."

The authors of the letter note that the State Department on April 22
released a statement welcoming the announcement of Armenia and Turkey
that they had agreed on a roadmap toward the normalization of
relations. Two days later, on April 24, instead of recognizing the
Armenian Genocide, the president opted to focus on the road map.

The authors note that Armenia has remained committed to the roadmap,
but Turkey has chosen to "undermine U.S. policy that normalization
take place without preconditions." They conclude that Turkey, "in an
effort to block U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, agreed to a
roadmap it did not intend to uphold."

Members of Congress who sign the letter will be asking the president
to proceed with recognizing the Genocide as he promised, and
separately continuing to urge Turkey to proceed with normalization of
relations with Armenia.

Pilot Error May Have Caused Iran Plane Crash – Armenian Official

PILOT ERROR MAY HAVE CAUSED IRAN PLANE CRASH – ARMENIAN OFFICIAL

RIA Novosti
16:5217/07/2009

YEREVAN, July 17 (RIA Novosti) – The crash of an Iranian Tu-154
passenger plane on Wednesday could have been caused by a pilot error,
an Armenian civil aviation official said on Friday.

The Russian-made Tupolev plane owned by Caspian Airlines was en
route from Tehran to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, when it crashed
soon after takeoff on a farm in the Qazvin province, killing all 168
people on board.

Dmitry Adbashyan, president of Armenia’s National Aviation Association,
said that even though witness accounts indicate that the plane had
one or two engines on fire before it hit the ground, it could still
fly with the remaining third engine.

He drew parallels with a similar accident involving the Tu-154 in
Krasnoyarsk, eastern Siberia, in the 1980s, when the pilot detected
flames in one engine but mistakenly switched off another engine and
started fire extinguishing procedures, resulting in a crash that
could have been avoided.

At the same time, the official did not dismiss other possible causes
of the Wednesday crash, including an unexpected sand storm or even
an act of terrorism.

Rescuers at the crash site have recovered the three "black boxes"
belonging to the aircraft. The flight recorders were badly damaged
but could help investigators to identify the cause of the accident.

Iranian authorities said on Thursday the crashed Tu-154M was built in
1987, bought by Iran in 1998, and had an overhaul certificate valid
until 2010.

Ardshininvestbank Decreases Commission Fees For Money Transfers To C

ARDSHININVESTBANK DECREASES COMMISSION FEES FOR MONEY TRANSFERS TO CIS COUNTRIES VIA CONTACT SYSTEM FROM 3% TO 2%

ArmInfo
2009-07-17 16:06:00

ArmInfo. Ardshininvestbank has decreased commission fees for money
transfers to CIS countries via Contact international settlement-payment
system from 3% to 2%, Ardshininvestbank ress- service told ArmInfo.

According to the source, Ardshininvestbank will shortly start carrying
out transfers under RIA international payment system.

At present, the bank carries out money transfers under 6 international
payment systems: IntelExpress, Contact, Money Gram, Migom and Bystraya
Pochta, as well as via Russian Promsvyazbank, Sotsgorbank, Forabank
and Sberbank. According to the bank’s data, in I qt 2009 the total
volume of Ardshininvestbank private transfers increased by 16% to
$61.5 mln. The volume of private transfers is expected to amount to
$180 mln by the end of 2009.

To recall, from December 2008 till February 2009 Ardshininvestbank
held an action for active clients of Contact system with provision
of prizes. The Contact system operates in 86 countries of the world,
the total number of service points is 30 thsd.

West Not To Permit Of Any War In The Region

WEST NOT TO PERMIT OF ANY WAR IN THE REGION

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
16.07.2009 13:37 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ No extraordinary developments are expected
of upcoming meeting between Armenian and Azeri Presidents, said
Sergey Mikheev, Vice President of Russian Centre for Political
Technologies. Moscow, according to him, simply allows parties to meet
together and discuss ways of solution, but it cannot impose anything
on them.

"Azerbaijan and Armenia are sovereign countries just like Russia and
United States. None of us is allowed to force regional countries into
signing peace agreement or threaten them with sanctions. Such approach
is unfeasible and unserious. Parties themselves should reach agreement;
we can only support them in their efforts," Russian expert noted,
adding that the West will not permit of any war in the region after
declaring of its intention to launch Nabucco project.

To the question whether Azerbaijan will express desire to restore its
territorial integrity through military operations, Mikheev answered,
"We know that Azerbaijan is getting armed by purchasing arms from
United States, Russia, Israel and other countries, but its not a
way out of the situation. Parties had better conduct talks instead
of waging war which may complicate the geopolitical situation in
the region. So, neither Russia nor the West will permit of any war
here. That’s why, I see no alternative to negotiations," he stressed.

Yerevan Should Not Sign Any Document, Reasoning From Considerations

YEREVAN SHOULD NOT SIGN ANY DOCUMENT, REASONING FROM CONSIDERATIONS OF PHYSICAL EXISTENCE OF ARMENIA AND NKR
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.07.2009 GMT+04:00

Armenia, that has no control over Stepanakert, in the eyes of the
world community loses the moral right to conduct negotiations, and
the political competence as a negotiating party is reduced to zero.

The promulgation of much discussed Madrid principles at long last
occurred. Actually no one doubts that they are going to be unacceptable
for Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia. However, some provisions of the
framework agreement, which may be signed already this year, cause
real concern and even fear. Before we try to explain what threat
signing of the agreement can pose to the existence of NKR and Armenia,
let us take as an axiom the following fact: Armenia should not sign
any document, reasoning from considerations of safety and physical
existence of not only Armenia, but also NKR. However, let us analyze
the key points one by one.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The first danger, naturally, proceeds from the fact
that it is "necessary to return" the territories, which actually make
up the safety zone in military-strategic respect. The actual border
between NKR and Azerbaijan lies precisely on the boundary of these
regions, including defense installations. And if we are forced to
hand over those five regions, these installations will go under the
control of the Azerbaijani army and the latter will easily execute
the blitzkrieg it has so long been speaking about. Moreover, Nagorno
Karabakh will no longer be able to form a similar defense system –
Stepanakert will neither be allowed, nor will she have relevant
resources. Though, Madrid principles also very indefinably suggest
the necessity of overland communication with Armenia, it is so unreal
that it is not even worth dwelling on. The so-called corridor will
be immediately populated with Azeris, and it will be possible only
to dream of a safe road from Armenia to NKR.

The second danger consists in the return of the internally displaced
people and refugees to places of permanent inhabitancy. About 40-50
thousand Azeris and 120 thousand Armenians lived in the NKR before
1988. But as soon as return mechanisms are introduced, the ratio
immediately changes. There is a probe-tested method of changing the
demographic setting: criminals are set free with the obligation to
live where the authorities will settle them. It happened so in Cyprus
in 1975, when Turkey let out from prisons about 25 thousand criminals,
populating them in the northern occupied part of the island. It was
also the case with Baku, when the released criminals were sent to raid
and kill Armenians in 1988. Thus, it is exactly what awaits Nagorno
Karabakh. Moreover, the ephemeral promise of "free will" will lead
exactly to the result so much desired by Azerbaijan: Armenians will
be a minority in NKR.

Besides, the principles also imply quartering of international
peacemakers in the conflict zone. How peacemakers "maintain peace"
we know quite well from the Balkan experience.

In subtotal, situation is as follows: Stepanakert upsets all the
efforts of the world and European communities, thus bringing the
Karabakh party into complete isolation and drawing in this orbit also
Armenia, which under appropriate agitation of a number of oppositional
forces will divide the society into conformist-traitors and moderate
patriots, who join hands with radicals. Such a distribution puts
Armenia into a weaker position both in the world arena and in the
framework of the negotiation process. Armenia, that has no control
over Stepanakert, in the eyes of the world community loses the moral
right to conduct negotiations, and the political competence as a
negotiating party is reduced to zero. Moreover, the military security
guarantee of the Artsakh people from the political-legal point of
view becomes an extremely problematic task for Armenia. However, it
is also possible to spit on the opinion of the world community and it
is exactly what will be done at the last moment. Then the positions of
Baku that consecutively conducts clear, bright and simple policy as a
guarantor of stable policy and a party that knows how to patiently and
"peacefully" solve any problem will arouse sympathies in the immoral
Europe and Russia.

In case Armenia signs any peace agreement on the Madrid principles,
about which we have only very rough ideas and which may prove to be
consonant to Aliyev’s statement, and in case Stepanakert refuses
to satisfy their conditions, a political-legal situation will
arise under which Baku will have full authority to launch military
operations and to "force to peace", while Armenia, on the contrary,
being obliged by a previously-signed document, will not have a right
to introduce troops into NKR as a guarantor of safety, on the basis
that Stepanakert refuses to recognize the peace signed by Armenia,
who used to be her delegate in negotiations.

Armenia should not sign any agreements, which do not clearly define the
procedure of determination of the NKR status on conditions advantageous
both for Armenia and NKR, which must be carried out simultaneously
with the withdrawal of the Armenian troops from some liberated
territories. As for some certain lands, Baku had better forget about
them for good. Spectral agreements concerning a referendum to be
conducted in 5 or 10 years’ time should never be signed by Armenia. We
know from history the price of the obligation signed in its time by
the Ottoman Empire under the pressure of conqueror Europe or Russia,
according to which there were to be conducted constitutional reforms
for Christians and for Armenians, in particular. The experience
gained from history and the signed international legal documents
concerning Armenians throughout history, testify that we should not
make any kind of concessions in any of provisions. Wars occur for
the very purpose to put full-stops on the problems not resolved by
diplomats. After 1994 we have the right to require the recognition
of the independent status of NKR in exchange for some territories,
the loss of which does not present any strategic danger…

BAKU: Russian, Armenian, Azerbaijani Presidents To Meet In Moscow On

RUSSIAN, ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI PRESIDENTS TO MEET IN MOSCOW ON JULY 18

Today.Az
30.html
July 15 2009
Azerbaijan

The presidents of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan will discuss the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement on July 18, RIA Novosti quoted Russian
President’s Aid Sergey Prikhodko as saying.

"Such a meeting will take place, obviously, in the Kremlin on 18
July… We do not plan to sign any papers and do not have such an aim,"
Prihodko said.

Russia believes that the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
is possible in the predictable future, he said.

"The main thing is to bring together the positions of the two parties,"
said Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation.

He stressed that Russia’s efforts to resolve the conflict have received
support not only by Armenia and Azerbaijan, but also a number of
other countries, including the United States and France.

http://www.today.az/news/politics/538

BAKU: Peace Talks With Armenia `Slow`: FM

PEACE TALKS WITH ARMENIA `SLOW`: FM

AzerNews Weekly
July 15 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said talks on settling
the long-standing conflict with Armenia are proceeding "very slowly."

"I would very much like to say that these talks [negotiations on
Upper Garabagh conflict settlement] are ongoing, at least, at medium
speed, but I have to admit that this is not the case," Mammadyarov
told an international conference devoted to the 90th anniversary of
Azerbaijan`s diplomatic service last week.

According to Mammadyarov, though considerable advances have been
achieved in the peace process since the Prague process was launched
five years ago, challenges remain in bringing closer the positions
of Baku and Yerevan. "But the main thing is that talks are moving
forward."

Mammadyarov emphasized that Baku`s position on the Garabagh conflict
remains unchanged.

"The Armenian armed forces must withdraw from the territories they
occupy, the lands must be freed, the displaced persons are to return
to their homes, after which the issue of Upper Garabagh`s status is
to be considered."

Extraordinary Consultations At The President’s Office

EXTRAORDINARY CONSULTATIONS AT THE PRESIDENT’S OFFICE

armradio.am
15.07.2009 18:25

President Serzh Sargsyan convened extraordinary consultations today
connected with the crash of the Iranian Tu-154 plane en route to
Armenia.

Heads of the General Directorate of the Civil Aviation and the National
Security Council presented the details of the crash.

As a result of the consultations it was decided to establish a
government commission headed by Deputy-Prime Minister, Minister of
Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan.

European Integration Issues Discussed In Armenia

EUROPEAN INTEGRATION ISSUES DISCUSSED IN ARMENIA

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
14.07.2009 11:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ An international conference on European integration
process opened in Yerevan today. The participants discussed new
challenges in the light of latest regional developments.

The conference is held in collaboration with European Friends of
Armenia NGO, British Council, Migration Agency at the RA Ministry of
Transport and Communications and some other organizations.

265 Pardoned Individuals Released From Armenian Prisons

265 PARDONED INDIVIDUALS RELEASED FROM ARMENIAN PRISONS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.07.2009 21:08 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Under parliament’s decision on granting amnesty,
256 detainees were released from penitentiary institutions, RA Justice
Ministry’s press service reports.

The maximum number of detainees, around 60 people, were released
from Erebuni penitentiary and minimum number, 1 individual – from
"Yerevan-Kentron" penitentiary.

Among released detainees, there are 5 women and 3 minors.