Author: Nalbandian Albert

NA DEPUTY SAID TURKEY AND AZERBAIJAN ADOPTED SAME POLICY

Panorama.am
14/05/2010

Turkey and Azerbaijan both have adopted the same policy, making the
international community to give a resolution to Artsakh conflict under
their interests. Armenia should acknowledge it, Zaruhi Postanjyan of
"Heritage" Party told at news conference.

According to her Turkey has a beneficial disposition which has been
much contributed by Armenia due to its policy particularly when
Armenian-Turkish protocols were signed.

"Turkey is long to become a ruling state in the region, wants to
become a mediator and does everything for it," the deputy said.

MEMBERS OF THE NA FACTIONS MEET WITH THE PACE PRESIDENT

parliament.am
May 14 2010
Armenia

On May 13 the PACE President Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu met with the members of
the Republican Party of Armenia faction of the National Assembly Davit
Harutyunyan, Artak Zakaryan, the members of the Prosperous Armenia
faction Aram Safaryan, Naira Zohrabyan and the members of the Country
of Law Artsruni Aghajanyan, Ishkhan Khachatryan and Gagik Baghdasaryan.

Welcoming the guest Davit Harutyunyan expressed hope that his visit
would promote the deepening and rapprochement of cooperation between
the National Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe.

Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu thanked for the warm reception noting that he
as President of the Assembly emphasizes the deepening of relations
between the member states and is ready to show objective and balanced
approach towards everybody.

At Mr. CavuÅ~_oglu’s request the representatives of the coalition
factions expressed their positions on the fulfillment of the undertaken
obligations, on the procedure of the legislative reforms and on the
works being done in disclosing those guilty in March 1 events.

The member of the Prosperous Armenia Party faction considered
unacceptable the idea of creating an ad-hoc sub-committee in PACE for
the settlement of the Karabakh problem, as first, the Minsk Group is
involved in it, then CavuÅ~_oglu, who is the founder of the ruling
party, which adopted Turkey’s subjective and pro-Azerbaijani position,
cannot be unbiased. Touching upon the issue of the freedom of the mass
media Mrs. Zohrabyan said in particular that in summer the competition
of the frequencies will be announced and in case of winning in the
competition A1+ will have opportunity to re-start its works on the air.

The Secretary of the Country of Law faction Artsruni Aghajanyan highly
assessed Mr. CavuÅ~_oglu’s activities and expressed his conviction
that the European integration of Armenia and Turkey is only possible
by mutual trust and support. He said that the idea of creating a
sub-committee on NK issue is also unacceptable for his party and they
see the solution of the issue only within the framework of the Minsk
Group. He called on the Turkish diplomat to remain PACE President
but not representative of Turkey.

The member of the RPA faction Artak Zakaryan noted that Armenia was
taking consecutive steps in the sphere of the protection of human
rights and freedoms, taking into account the experience of the European
countries and expressed hope that our country was ready from now on
to make closer the relations with PACE. Regarding the creation of a
sub-committee for the settlement of the NK problem Mr. Zakaryan called
on the Turkish diplomat to abstain that initiative, and the negative
influence of which will be bigger, than its harm, and only the Minsk
format of the settlement of the problem is acceptable for Armenia.

The Secretary of the Prosperous Armenia faction Aram Safaryan noticed
that Turkey’s position of not ratifying the protocols directed to
the settlement of the relations between Armenia and Turkey at any
price since 1992 has not been changed, and it is continuing the
pro-Azerbaijani policy of the settlement of the Karabakh problem. He
ensured that Turkey would have more influence in the region, if it
adopted unbiased position.

The representative of the RPA faction Davit Harutyunyan said that
in autumn the edited version of the Electoral Code would be ready,
after which it would be sent to the Venice Commission for getting
a conclusion. In his opinion, it should be adopted at least a year
before the elections. The speaker also presented the procedure of
the police and juridical reforms. Touching upon the works of the
parliamentary ad-hoc committee inquiring the March 1 events Mr.

Harutyunyan noticed that the committee did its best within the
framework of its authorities but there is a lot to do for revealing
the guilty, and the investigating bodies continue to carry out the
pre-examination.

Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu ensured that he had always been for the
normalization of the relations between Armenia and Turkey, whereas
in the press sometimes disinformation is spread confirming the
opposite. He, as PACE President, has always shown unbiased and balanced
approach to Armenia and Azerbaijan in the concerning issues. Regarding
the idea of creating a sub-committee that issue has been on the agenda
before being him in the presidency and only the bureau will decide
to leave that issue on the agenda or not.

On the same day the Head of the NA Heritage faction Styopa Safaryan,
Armen Martirosyan, Larisa Alaverdyan, Anahit Bakhshyan and Zaruhi
Postanjyan met with the PACE President Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu.

Informing about his meetings and highlighting the opposition’s role in
the development of democracy, the PACE President Mevlut CavuÅ~_oglu
said that he had visited Armenia to discuss issues on Armenia’s
undertaken fulfillments. According to him, there are problems in
Armenia, which need to be reformed. In that respect he indicated the
importance of the improvement of the RA Electoral Code, police and
judicial-legal systems, the issues on the plurality, etc.

Welcoming the guest the Head of the NA Heritage faction Styopa Safaryan
noticed that the faction accepted with regret the circumstance that the
previously planned official visit of the PACE President was replaced
by the working visit, which was conditioned by the wish of not sharing
the Armenian nation’s April tragedy. Styopa Safaryan noticed that
irrespective of the circumstance Turkey accepted the fact of the
Armenian Genocide, the PACE President could merely share as a human
the sorrow of the Armenian nation for the innocent victims. Styopa
Safaryan handed the message of the Heritage faction to the PACE
President in connection with the issue.

The members of the Heritage faction also touched upon issues on the
settlement of the Armenian-Turkish relations and the NKR problem. They
noticed that respecting any opinion they consider unacceptable such
announcements of the PACE President which are inclined to the fact of
the Armenian Genocide and it is also announced that the Republic of
Armenia subjected to aggression the Republic of Azerbaijan and some
of their territories are under its control. It was also noted that
the faction considered unacceptable the creation of the sub-committee
in the CoE, which should be involved by the settlement of the NKR
problem, according to the information, and the PACE President Mevlut
CavuÅ~_oglu expressed wish to lead it.

Touching upon the issues raised by the Heritage faction the PACE
President noticed that the initiative of creating the sub-committee
is not his and it was on the PACE agenda before he was elected in
the post of the PACE President.

Referring to the issue of the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations the PACE President noticed that he was for the immediate
opening of the borders and called on the parliaments of the two
countries to ratify the protocols.

GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN: THE IMPORTANCE OF MEDVEDEV’S VISIT TO TURKEY SHOULD NOT BE OVERESTIMATED
Lilit Muradyn

"Radiolur"
13.05.2010 18:00

"I would not overestimate the importance of Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev’s visit to Turkey," President of the "Noravank" Foundation
Gagik Harutyunyan told a press conference today. "The visit was aimed
at improving the trade-economic relations between the two countries,
he added.

According to Gagik Harutyunyan, the Armenian side has always been
sensitive to the Russian-Turkish relations. "We should not forget,
however, that these relations were established still in the 18th
century. Russia has launched about 12 wars against Turkey ever since.

Finally, Russia is the country that has always been defending Armenia’s
interests," he said.

As for the talks about Turkey’s involvement in the Karabakh settlement
process as a Minsk Group co-chair country, Gagik Harutyunyan says it
does not proceed from the interests of the superpowers.

"I think this is nothing more than a wish, the superpowers – Russia,
US and France – do not dream to see Turkey as a Minsk Group co-chair,"
he stated.

Speaking about the process of normalization of the Armenian-Turkish
relations, the political scientists said "the process has not stopped,
but its first stage is over." According to him, the second stage will
start sooner or later. "Some steps are being taken in that direction,"
he added.

AZERBAIJANI MINISTER SAYS COOPERATION BETWEEN ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN IMPOSSIBLE IN NEAR FUTURE

Yerkir
13.05.2010 12:51
Yerevan

Cooperation between Armenia and Azerbaijan is impossible unless
the Nagorno Karabakh conflict is resolved, Azerbaijani Minister of
Agriculture Ismet Abbasov told reporters on the sidelines of UN (FAO)
Regional Conference for Europe and Central Asia, which kicked off in
Marriott hotel, Yerevan, Armenia, on May 13.

The Minister said that despite the popular discontent in Azerbaijan,
his presence at the current event is importance, since the next
conference will be held in Baku in 2012.

Abbasov said that the "poverty in his country has reduced by 4 times
and now makes 10-11% of the population."

At the journalists’ request, the Azerbaijani Minister told that he was
born in Yerevan and went to school here. "I last visited Armenia in
December 1987. I missed Armenia during these years. With permission of
President Ilham Aliyev, I visited Vardenis where my relatives used to
live for many years. I think the photographs I took will be a great
surprise for them," Abbasov said in Armenian.

ARMENIA REFUSES TO ACCEPT MADRID PRINCIPLES FOR KARABAKH PEACE PROCESS – AZERI OFFICIAL

Interfax
May 12 2010
Russia

The Azeri authorities have accused Armenia of refusing to say directly
whether or not it accepts the updated Madrid principles aimed at
settling the conflict over Nagorno- Karabakh.

"We are surprised by the Armenian side’s decision to ignore nine
meetings at the level of presidents that have been held since 2007,
when the Madrid proposals were presented. The updated Madrid document
based on the visions and approaches of the sides in the conflict
have already been prepared and submitted to the sides," Azeri Foreign
Ministry spokesman Elkhan Polukhov told Interfax.

Polukhov dismissed remarks of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian, who accused Azerbaijan of continuing to "distort the
essence of the talks", as "another insinuation".

Nalbandian said at a Council of Europe ministerial session in
Strasbourg that "Azerbaijan continues distorting the reasons and
consequences of both the conflict and the negotiations, and uses
every opportunity to threaten to use force."

"Evidently, the aim of Armenia’s insinuations is to avoid giving a
direct answer to the question whether or not it accepts the updated
Madrid document," the Azeri official said.

The authorities in Baku have said more than once that they accept
the updated Madrid principles with certain exceptions, Polukhov said.

Azerbaijan would not accept this document if it found a lot of
exceptions, he said.

‘ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION IS NOT AN EASY PROCESS’: DMITRY MEDVEDEV

Tert.am
17:04 12.05.10

Moscow keeps a close eye on the Armenia-Turkey normalization and backs
it, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said at a joint press conference
with his Turkish answer Abdullah Gul following a meeting in Ankara.

"We are following the developments pertaining to this issue. The
process gained an impetus in Zurich by signing of the Protocols. We
are in favor of the process to continue. That is not an easy process.

I hope that the parties will eventually reach the necessary agreement.

We do back this process and will use available opportunities till
the end," local Turkish daily Hurriyet quoted Medvedev as saying.

Asked about the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, Medvedev said: "The Karabakh
issue is not the only one in the Caucasus. Some comforting steps have
recently been taken for the settlement of the conflict.

Discussions over the issue continue."

Abdullah Gul, in turn, said that "they agreed on unifying their
efforts for the resolution of the regional issues."

A. HARUTYUNYAN, "THE FASTENED ANNOUNCEMENTS MUST BE CLEANED BY PEOPLE WHO HAVE FASTENED THEM"

ARMENPRESS
MAY 12, 2010
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, MAY 12, ARMENPRESS: Numerous announcements are fastened on
columns, walls and passages in different parts of Yerevan, while
announcements are allowed to fasten only in the sites licensed by
the heads of the administrative units.

Yerevan municipality press service told Armenpress that the relevant
divisions of the administrative units and other juridical entities
on whose property the announcements are fastened implement control
over placing announcements in non-intended places. And the oversight
is implemented by the Exterior Design and Advertisement Department
of the Yerevan Municipality.

"The fastened announcements must be cleaned by the people who have
fastened them, as well as by NGOs and political organizations," A.

Harutyunyan, head of the Exterior Design and Advertisement Department
of the Yerevan Municipality, told Armenpress noting that as those
structures almost do not fulfill their commitments, the cleaning
works are implemented by trade unions and by employees of the relevant
division of the administrative unit.

CPJ CALLS FOR ERNEST VARDANIAN’S IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Lragir.am
13/05/2010

New York, May 12, 2010. The Committee to Protect Journalists issued
the following statement today after authorities in the unrecognized
Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic released an alleged confession
by independent journalist Ernest Vardanian, who has been imprisoned
since April 7 on trumped-up treason charges.

"We are deeply concerned about the wellbeing of our colleague Ernest
Vardanian and call on Transdniester authorities to free him at once,"
said CPJ Europe and Central Asia Program Coordinator Nina Ognianova .

"The farcical footage aired on the local state television proves
nothing else but the pressure to which this journalist has been
subjected for over a month now. We call on Moldovan authorities
and the international community to step up their efforts towards
Vardanian’s release."

MEDVEDEV: RF HOPES ARMENIAN-TURKISH TIES WILL RECOVER

Panorama.am
12/05/2010

Russia hopes Armenia and Turkey will recover their ties, Russia’s
Dmitry Medvedev declared after his meeting with his Abdullah Gul of
Turkey, "Interfax" reported.

"I hope that finally the sides will be able to reach necessary
decisions and to recover ties," Medvedev stated.

He underscored that "it will contribute to stability in our region,
to active development economic ties, and as its aftermath it will
contribute to improvement of living standards."

RF President pointed Russia hailed the process and is ready to watch
its further development using "those possibilities that RF has got."

"But the final decision is to be made by the sides," Russia’s
Medvedev said.

DECÈS DE RICHARD DIRAN KLOIAN
par Stephane

armenews
mardi11 mai 2010
USA

C’est avec une grande tristesse que l’equipe des NAM vous informe de
la mort de Richard Diran Kloian de Richmond en Californie.

Richard etait le directeur du Centre de Ressource du Genocide armenien.

Il a compile l’ensemble des articles de la presse americaine consacres
au genocide armenien dans un livre " The Armenian Genocide : News
Accounts from the American Press : 1915-1922 ".