Author: Nalbandian Albert

ARMENIA TRYING ‘TO PROVOKE TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN’

news.az
March 15 2010
Azerbaijan

Rasim Musabeyov Political scientist Rasim Musabeyov has commented on
the established complex situation in the relations between the South
Caucasus countries.

‘There are several factors that taken together have led to the
deterioration in relations between Turkey and the western world.

Following the signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocols and the
complexities in the process, the interests of several European
countries have coincided and the countries raise the "genocide"
issue in their parliaments in order to make clear their opposition
to Turkey’s EU membership. In this way, they are trying to provoke
Ankara into taking some harsh counter measures which will create new
obstacles to Turkey’s EU accession,’ Musabeyov said.

‘Armenians across the world and official Yerevan are another reason for
the worsening of the situation around Turkey and the South Caucasus,
as they are mobilizing their efforts to put mass pressure on Ankara
via the world community. Yerevan has reached deadlock because of the
updated Madrid principles. The Armenian authorities cannot agree to
these updated principles as [President] Sargsyan and his team may lose
their seats in the country’s leadership, but they do not dare to reject
the Madrid principles either. Therefore, they are doing everything
to provoke Turkey and Azerbaijan to some extraordinary steps in order
to justify their rejection of the Armenian-Turkish protocols and the
updated Madrid principles,’ the political scientist said.

‘The US and Israeli attempts to put pressure on Ankara and bargain
on the strategic and geopolitical issues concerning Washington and
Tel Aviv are another cause of tensions over Turkey and the South
Caucasus, including in the resolution of the Karabakh conflict. I
think the West should not be playing like that with Turkey, which is
in fact indifferent to where and how many times the countries raise
the issue of the Armenian "genocide". On the contrary, by such steps
the West is merely allowing Turkey to justify its harsh actions in
international politics. The West will lose more from this game both
in the Islamic world, where Turkey is almost a key factor, and in the
geopolitical issues that are vitally important for the United States,
Europe and Israel,’ Musabeyov said.

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PRESS RELEASE

Monday, March 15, 2010

St. Gregory the Great Order Bestowed Upon AGBU Central Board of
Directors Member Vahe Gabrache

Rome – Vahe Gabrache, member of AGBU’s Central Board of Directors and
vice president of AGBU Swiss Corporation, was honored as Knight of
St. Gregory the Great order by His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope of the
Roman Catholic Church, in recognition of his longtime devoted service
to the Catholic Church, as member of the Holy Cross parish of the
Armenian Catholic Church in Paris. The award was presented by His
Beatitude Nerses Bedros XIX, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian
Catholic Church, on Sunday, February 28, following mass at the
Armenian Catholic Convent.

The Order of St. Gregory the Great, which is named after Pope Gregory
XVI who instituted it in 1831, is the second highest medal presently
awarded by the Vatican.

A native of Lebanon, France and Switzerland, Mr. Gabrache is the CEO
of Cofinor SA, as well as the owner of Société Gabrache SA, a hotel
and real estate company. He is also a controller for the Genevese
Liberal Party of Pregny-Chambésy. Coming from a long tradition of AGBU
benefactors, Mr. Gabrache was one of the founders of the AGBU Swiss
Chapter in 1986. For over 20 years, he has been the president of the
Armenian Union of Switzerland. Moreover, he presides over various
Armenian foundations in Switzerland.

Two other prominent Armenians from France, Bedros Terzian and Vahe
Jazmadarian, both of whom are members of the "Hayastan" All-Armenian
Fund’s Board of Trustees, received the same award. The former is
chairman of the Fund’s French affiliate, while the latter is president
of Armenian Business Forum and an Honor Member of AGBU. Starting from
his youthful years spent in his birthplace, Cairo, Mr. Jazmadarian
became a devoted member of AGBU HMEM-Nubar Athletic Club in Cairo and,
later on, treasurer of AGBU District Committee of France.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Armenia to Italy,
Ruben Karapetian, Armenian Catholic bishops and priests were among the
distinguished guests from various countries who attended the awards
ceremony.

Established in 1906, AGBU () is the world’s largest
non-profit Armenian organization. Headquartered in New York City, AGBU
preserves and promotes the Armenian identity and heritage through
educational, cultural and humanitarian program, annually touching the
lives of some 400,000 Armenians around the world.

For more information about AGBU and its worldwide programs, please
visit

NO THREAT OF INSTABILITY IN ARMENIA: KAPINOS

Tert.am
16:37 ~U 15.03.10

That Armenia may hold early elections is a possibility, but presently
the situation in the country is stable, said head of OSCE Yerevan
Office, Ambassador Sergey Kapinos of the Russian Federation, at a
press conference today, referring to statements by the opposition
who intend to hold early elections in autumn.

"I personally do not foresee such a situation which could lead to
early elections," he said.

At the same time, Kapinos mentioned that the financial crisis has
seriously affected both Armenia and its citizens, adding that obviously
there is a serious problem in Armenia’s economy.

"It turned out that [Armenia’s] economy is not that modern and
dynamic," said Kapinos. In his words, all these factors bring about
social tension.

Interfax, Russia
March 11 2010

U.S. RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE HARMFUL FOR KARABAKH PROCESS

The U.S. Congress committee resolution on the Armenian genocide in the
Ottoman Empire is harmful for the Karabakh settlement process, Azeri
Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said on Thursday.

"If the congressmen discuss events that took place a century ago, they
should also evaluate the 20-year-old Khojaly genocide. I do not
believe that such actions can contribute to peace and stability in the
South Caucasus," he said.

"Armenia occupied 20% of Azerbaijani lands, which resulted in one
million refugees and displaced persons. This is the largest threat to
regional security," the minister said.

"We think that the Congress should consider not only the historical
aspect but also the current situation in the context of South
Caucasian peace and stability," he said.

Azerbaijan and Armenia Should Not Trust Russia: Former Russian
Oligarch Berezovsky

15:47 – 13.03.10

Former Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky told RFE/RL’s Azerbaijani
Service that Armenia and Azerbaijan should not look to Moscow to help
solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Berezovsky, who lives in self-imposed exile in Britain, said Russia
will always impede efforts to resolve the conflict.

"It is in Russia’s interest to make the conflict even more complicated
in order to divide and conquer," he said.

Berezovsky said Russia’s current leaders are neither experienced nor
adequately educated. He said their primary interest is to exploit the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to make money.

Berezovsky, 64, added that the strategic interests of post-Soviet
countries and Russia diverge. He said nobody will help the post-Soviet
Eurasian states stand up to Russia’s expansion and domination so they
must rely on their own efforts.

Berezovsky said Western countries are mainly concerned with their own
short-term interests. He said for that reason people in the former
Soviet republics should be politically active and ready to fight for
their freedoms every day.

Tert.am

tourism organizations represent Armenia at International Exhibition
ITB Berlin 2010

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, NOYAN TAPAN. 12 tourism organizations represent
Armenia at the International Exhibition ITB Berlin 2010 being held in
Berlin on March 10-14. Visitors showed much interest in Armenia’s
pavilion.

The RA MFA Press and Information Department reported that on the
opening day, Armenian Ambassador to Germany Armen Martirosian visited
the Armenian pavilion and met representatives of Armenian tourism
companies. He offered the embassy’s assistance for establishment of
ties with German tourism organizations.

OSCE MINSK GROUP CO-CHAIRS SCHEDULE VISIT TO REGION

APA
March 11 2010
Azerbaijan

Baku. Lachin Sultanova – APA. The OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs will visit
the region later in March and earlier in April, said Spokesman for
the Russian Foreign Ministry Andrei Nesterenko at a press conference
on Thursday, APA reports.

He said the mediators would visit Baku, Yerevan and Nagorno Karabakh
to make positions closer.

The diplomat said Moscow positively valued the process of negotiations
concerning the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. "We are normally evaluating
the process of negotiations. The main principles of the settlement
were submitted to the conflict parties two months ago and now they
discuss working proposals of the co-chairs entitled as a "new version
of Madrid principles". The mediators are learning reaction of the
sides to these proposals".

WE ARE NOT AFRAID TO WAR: RA PRESIDENT

news.am
March 11 2010
Armenia

RA President Serzh Sargsyan granted an interview to French Le Figaro
in the frames of his visit to France. NEWS.am posts the full text.

Q.: Why Armenia-Turkey reconciliation process reached a stalemate?

A.: We have a complex history of relations. Within last 95 years Turkey
negates the fact of Genocide committed by Ottoman Empire in 1915. When
I invited Turkish President to Yerevan for a football match between
the national teams, my point was to establish relations between our
states without preconditions. During the Protocols’ signing in October,
2009 on relations’ normalization it was decided to ratify them within a
reasonable period and without preconditions. We declared that Armenia
will ratify the Protocols once Turkish Parliament does so. However,
Turkey keeps on setting forth preconditions to ratify them having
the major term Karabakh conflict.

Q.: What can Armenia do to assist the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
settlement?

A.: We will do our utmost. Azerbaijan seeks to give an impression that
Armenia and Karabakh are not interested in resolution, which is not
the case. We have to end the blockade, which is an obstruction. This
is not the case with Azerbaijan: it relies on natural resources and
petrodollars to buy arms and settle the issue by force. They don’t
conceal their intentions.

Q.: Are you afraid of war?

A.: War is unwelcome in any case, but we are not afraid to war, if
there is no alternative. Nonetheless, we our stance is the following –
conflict should be settled peacefully based on mutual compromise.

Q.: How can blockade with Turkey be removed?

A.: The problems should be solved with Turks. It in unacceptable to
have closed borders in 21st century and preconditions laid down.

Primarily, relations should be established, then to dialogue over
other issues. Both Turkey and Armenian strive to enhance relations
with Europe and be in one European community value system. This expels
any military operations. World community should speak up on the matter.

Q.: Do you doubt about possibility of reconciliation with Turkey?

A.: Many do. And not in Armenia alone. My initiative on relations’
normalization entailed numerous debates of Armenians around the globe.

And with protraction of the process supporters thin out.

Q.: Do you still believe in normalization?

A.: I have a great aspiration to establish normal relations, but the
recent statements by Turkey made me believe that it will not ratify
the Protocols in the near future. We have warned that if Turkey trades
reconciliation process on other purposes, we will take adequate steps.

In this case we will withdraw our signature from the Protocols.

Q.: U.S. Administration declared of its intention to block the Armenian
Genocide resolution in the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs,
adopted by the Committee. Can you comment on this?

A.: Certainly, we sincerely wish to have both U.S. Congress, Turkey and
other states to recognize Armenian Genocide. But the U.S. Congress and
State Department making decisions will hardly take into consideration
our opinion or wishes.

TURKEY RECALLS ENVOY TO SWEDEN OVER ARMENIA VOTE
Ibon Villelabeitia

Reuters
March 11 2010

Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:26pm ESTANKARA (Reuters) – Turkey recalled its
ambassador to Sweden on Thursday and canceled an upcoming summit
between the countries after the Swedish parliament branded the World
War One killing of Armenians by Ottoman forces genocide.

The move comes only a week after Ankara called home its ambassador
to the United States because a U.S. congressional committee approved
a similar resolution.

European Union member Sweden has been one of the strongest supporters
of Ankara’s bid to join the bloc, while the United States is generally
considered a strong western ally of the NATO-member Turkey.

The issue of the Armenian massacres is deeply sensitive in Turkey,
which accepts that many Christian Armenians were killed by Ottoman
Turks but vehemently denies that up to 1.5 million died and that it
amounted to genocide — a term employed by many Western historians
and some foreign parliaments.

"We strongly condemn this resolution, which is made for political
calculations," Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in a
statement, referring to the Swedish parliament vote.

"It does not correspond to the close friendship of our two nations. We
are recalling our ambassador for consultations," Erdogan said, adding
that he was cancelling a Turkey-Sweden summit scheduled for March 17.

The Swedish resolution passed by an extremely narrow margin, with 131
parliamentarians voting in favor and 130 against. Another 88 members
of parliament were absent.

The measure was opposed by Sweden’s center-right coalition government,
but three of their parliamentarians voted in favor of the motion,
helping the opposition get it through.

"DRASTIC EFFECTS"

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt said in a blog post that the
vote could complicate efforts between Turkey and Armenia to normalize
relations after a century of hostility.

The countries agreed last year to establish diplomatic ties and open
their border if their parliaments approved peace accords, but the
votes have not taken place and the governments have accused each
other of trying to rewrite the texts.

"The decision also doesn’t help the debate in Turkey, which has become
all the more open and tolerant as it moves closer to the European
Union and resulting democratic reform," Bildt said.

Zergun Koruturk, Turkey’s ambassador to Sweden, told Swedish television
programme Aktuellt that the vote would have "drastic effects" on
bilateral relations which were unlikely to be overcome in a short time.

"I am very disappointed," Koruturk said. "Unfortunately,
parliamentarians were thinking that they were rather historians than
parliamentarians, and it’s very, very unfortunate."

A Turkish government source, however, told Reuters that Koruturk
would probably return to Sweden soon.

"We know the Swedish government has been very active in trying to
stop this resolution," the source said.

Turkey has signaled that its ambassador to the United States will not
return until the fate of the non-binding congressional resolution,
which also passed by a razor-thin margin, is clear.

The administration of President Barack Obama has vowed to stop the
resolution from going further in Congress in a bid to limit the
diplomatic fallout. Turkey is crucial to U.S. interests in Iraq,
Iran, Afghanistan and the Middle East.

POLICY OF ARMENIAN CREDIT COMPANIES DESERVES POSITIVE MENTIONS

ArmInfo
11.03.2010

ArmInfo. The policy and activity of the Armenian credit organizations
in the financial market of Armenia deserve positive mentions, said Vahe
Vardanyan, Head of the Department for Financial Policy and Financial
Stability of the Central Bank of Armenia (CBA), at the first annual
meeting of the Association of credit organizations. "It is noteworthy
that last year the credit organizations of Armenia managed to ensure
growth in the main financial indices. In particular, the organizations
increased the assets by 15%, having secured a summary profit of 2.6
bln AMD", – stressed the CB representative. According to him, this
demonstrates high-quality management and risk management system in
credit organizations.

At present there are a total of 28 credit organizations in the
financial market of Armenia. Such a big number of players in this
market shows that the services of credit companies are in big demand,
and their activity is carried out according to the principle of
replenishing the banking proposal in certain sectors of economy. This
leads to acceleration of development of both banks and non-banking
micro-finance, mortgage, leasing and other organizations, as well as
to creation of healthy competition in the market.

To note, the Association of credit organizations of Armenia was
registered by the Central bank of Armenia in December 2008. The
member founders of the Association are 6 credit organizations out of
the 28 in operation, namely: UCO FINCA, New Horizon, GFC – General
Financial Credit Company, SEF International, Farm Credit Armenia and
AREGAK. At the end of 2009, the share of these organizations made up
40% of the total amount of assets of all credit organizations, over
43% of the credit portfolio, and over 42% of their total capital. The
Association contributes to development of the financial-credit system
of Armenia by means of effective and complete implementation of the
potential of credit organizations. The key task of the Association
is to represent the interests of its members in the CBA, governmental
and non-governmental bodies.