Author: Tigranian Ani

"TODAY AZERBAIJAN IS NOT READY FOR EITHER PEACE OR WAR": INTERVIEW WITH HAYK DEMOYAN

Regnum, Russia
Sept 30 2006

Hayk Demoyan – candidate of historical sciences, expert, author of
numerous works on Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azeri relationsREGNUM:
After the well-known statement of the OSCE MG co-chairs, the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process has got into a stalemate. Whom does
this situation benefit more and what can we expect from the possible
future meetings of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents and
FMs?The present situation is the logical result of what is called
a negotiating process. Despite all efforts and proposals, the sides
remain diametrically opposite on the key issue – the status of Nagorno
Karabakh. What is status? Status is what Nagorno Karabakh has today,
and it would be naïve to hope that Nagorno Karabakh will agree to any
proposal or referendum that may reduce the existing status, that is,
the independent existence of Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

In this light, I would like to advise not to keep the public opinion
in Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh under the pressure of the concept
of unsettled conflict. For Nagorno Karabakh Armenians, who suffered
aggression on the part of Azerbaijan, the problem has been solved quite
acceptably. One should not keep society under the strain of negative
information flows. The problem of the Azerbaijani side is that they
reject any scenario proposed and get very nervous about the concepts
of "compromise" and "mutual concessions." Unfortunately, they have
not realized yet – or they don’t want to – that talks with NKR is
the only acceptable way to peace. Under no pretext or temptation,
will the Armenian side renounce what it has gained through losses
and sufferings. It will not agree to pass this road again.

It is very hard yet to say what exactly the co-chairs will put on the
negotiating table. However, it is obvious that 2006 is already gone
for any agreement. Today, Azerbaijan has little room for maneuver,
and its only tactics are to blame the Armenian side for wrecking the
negotiating process. However, everybody knows that the key reason of
failures, so far, has been exactly the "whims" of Baku.

REGNUM: They in Azerbaijan keep making bellicose statements, like
"the Armenians are afraid of war," "We will liberate our lands by
any means" and so on. What are they after?

First, the situation when, on the one hand, the sides are negotiating
peace, and, on the other, Baku keeps making revengeful militarist
statements is beyond any logic. Obviously, in their fit of revenge,
the Azeri authorities forget that war is something very bad and it
is bad for the Azeri people too. Second, it seems that the Azeri
authorities are convincing themselves that they have already won a
virtual victory over the Armenians and, then, are surprised to see
that it is not so in reality.

To keep showing off bravado before cameras in hope that the opposite
side will be horrified with their empty talk is something the weak
do. In fact, we all know about bullying, malnutrition, unsanitary
conditions and corruption in the Azerbaijani army – and about the
huge peace-time human casualties they are sustaining – allegedly
because of the Armenians.

The conclusion is obvious: today, Azerbaijan is not ready for
either peace or war. So, the Azerbaijani leaders’ statements that
"Azerbaijan’s patience has limits" and "Azerbaijan will use any –
even military – means" to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh problem are
just irresponsible groundless words – something meant for certain
sections of the Azerbaijani society and easily accepted by them. At
the same time, there are many people in Azerbaijan who perfectly
know what military capacities their country actually has and realize
what consequences a new war by the Azerbaijani leaders may have
for Azerbaijan.

REGNUM: Armenia and Azerbaijan very seldom agree on anything
in the negotiating process. What do they hope for and what role
does the information war have at the current stage?Azerbaijan has
managed to overcome a bit the initially pro-Armenian position in the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. Today, it poses as a victim of the
Armenian aggression but it forgets that it got into such a situation
because of its own aggression against the peaceful population of
Nagorno Karabakh. It is not a secret that for Azerbaijan the only
acceptable solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is "Nagorno
Karabakh without Armenians."All their promises of autonomy – even
the highest possible one – are just empty talk with Oriental accent
for the poorly aware international audience. The war of 1991-1993 has
shown Azerbaijan’s resolution to expel Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians from
their historical land by any means, while Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians
have proved their resolution to die for their land.

Azerbaijan’s current policy – particularly, to present Armenians as
an enemy and to officially support anti-Armenian propaganda – proves
that the Azerbaijani side has not changed its initial position on
the Nagorno-Karabakh problem.

Whether Azerbaijan likes it or not, Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is
a fully-fledged state and, if somebody does not like it, let him
continue calling NKR "so-called." This changes nothing at all. This
is just self-complacency. Azerbaijan’s provisos that "the status of
Nagorno-Karabakh cannot be determined under continuing occupation and
ethnic cleansing" is just a political slyness. The Armenian side has a
big experience of work with the Azeri "peacemakers" and knows well that
any one-sided concession is just the beginning of new – and probably
bigger – ones. They in Baku must put up with the fact that Azeri
territory is no longer 86,600 sq km, as it was in the Soviet times,
and that in the West Azerbaijan will border on two Armenians states,
who are ready to rebuff any military adventures and aggressive plans.

REGNUM: Recently the Azerbaijani press reported that the Heydar
Aliyev Foundation and Azerbaijani MPs are going to appeal to the
Hague War Crimes Court against the Armenian and NKR leaders. How
are they going to succeed in the matter?If I were in their shoes,
I would not do it as there are plenty of counter-facts. Azerbaijan’s
propaganda machine is searching for new refined ways to compromise
Armenia and its leaders. They don’t notice the log in their own eye:
in fact, the Azeri leaders are the best candidates for appearing in
the Hague for answering the following charges: 1. For unleashing a
cruel war against the peaceful population of Nagorno-Karabakh and
borderline regions of Armenia,

2. For blocking roads and transport arteries for humanitarian
cargoes, particularly, for the regions ridden by earthquake in
1988,3. For applying internationally prohibited arms against peaceful
civilians,4. For using the tactics of "human wave" during the war –
tactics that consumed lots of young and untrained Azeri recruits
as cannon fodder,5. For recruiting thousands of international
terrorists and hirelings against the national-liberation movement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians, 6. For enrolling hundreds of criminals
into war against peaceful Armenian population,

7. For applying air-raids against peaceful settlements and for using
pellet air bombs,8. For barbarously destroying lots of Armenian
historical-cultural monuments in Azerbaijan and Nakhichevan.This
is not the full list of what Azerbaijan has done. The "Azerbaijani
dossier" for the Hague may be easily complied from neutral sources and
international observers’ reports about Azerbaijan’s criminal aggression
against the peaceful population of Nagorno Karabakh.Ilham Aliyev’s
statement that Armenia will never be match to Azerbaijan economically
is an element of the psychological attack Azerbaijan used both during
and after the war. Such statements are just for calming themselves
down. Aliyev perfectly understands that Azerbaijan will never get
everything and at once.When alleging that Armenia is isolated from
all international projects and that almost half of its population
is starving, the Azeri authorities forget that, in terms of economic
and human potential, Azerbaijan is much weaker than Armenia, NKR and
Diaspora taken together and that, if they synchronize and mobilize
their resources, they will be by far stronger than Azerbaijan. The
Azeri authorities should better think about their own people.REGNUM:
There is a view that Azerbaijan will not benefit from the return of
territories. Is it true?

If, hypothetically, Azerbaijan gets 2-3 districts around NKR, it is
hard to imagine that people will go back there. Most of the people
who lived there before have either emigrated from Azerbaijan or have
well integrated into the Absheron social-economic infrastructure.

The factor of time in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process is not just
threats that "in due time we will become rich and strong and will
get back our lands." One should not forget that much has changed in
the conflict zone and in the psychology of people in the past years.

There is a whole generation of youths who have no idea about their
neighbors and regard them only as enemies. Those people have no
memories about peaceful co-existence and good neighbor cooperation.

This point is never considered in the abstract rhetoric of conflicts
resolution, but it should be considered – as hasty decisions and
pressure by third sides can spur up new dangerous developments in
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone.

As regards the concept of restoration of territorial integrity as
opposed to the self-determination of already self-determined nations,
it already sounds like anachronism and is fraught with new calamities
and ruined lives.

In fact, they in the West perfectly understand that the post-Soviet
"metropolises" will never get back their ethnic autonomies, but
they consider it a movais tone to talk about it. The new parade of
independences – Eritrea, East Timor, self-determined Montenegro and the
Kosovo process – can only add to the arguments for the independence of
the former Soviet autonomies. The independence of NKR was proclaimed
on the basis of the international law and in line with the Soviet
legislation. In this light, the last initiative of GUAM is certainly
a challenge but its outcome is pre-determined. Azerbaijan believes it
to be a diplomatic success, but it is just a small temporary tactical
advantage which is good for propaganda only and will give the country
no dividends at all. Let’s not forget that the 4 UN resolutions on
Nagorno Karabakh – the documents Azerbaijan has failed to peruse but
keeps referring to – were ignored by its own self.

–Boundary_(ID_7ZqiKdsYJIDPLT+eQ+x0gA)–

DUFF: TURKEY MUST NOW STRENGTHEN ITS EFFORTS TO ADAPT TO EU STANDARDS

ABHaber, Belgium
EU-Turkey News Network
Sept 27 2006

Andrew Duff, (UK, Lib Dem MEP) and a vice president of the EP
delegation for relations with Turkey reacted to today’s vote:

"The European Parliament has taken two steps forwards and one step
back in its approach towards the controversial issue of Turkish
EU membership.

It is good news that MEPs have dropped their demand that Turkey
recognises Ottoman ‘genocide’ against the Armenians as a precondition
of accession.

And the Parliament is right to maintain its overall support for the
modernisation of Turkey along European lines.

It is a pity, however, that we have missed our chance to add value to
the search for a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem. The
EU still needs to fulfil its commitment to ending the isolation of
the Turkish Cypriot community.

Many MEPs are ignorant of the geo-political importance of embracing
Turkey fully within the European family. Despite its many current
difficulties, Turkey should be encouraged to continue developing a
European brand of Islam which will help to unite East and West. And
without Turkey the European Union will hardly succeed in building a
serious common foreign, security and defence policy.

Turkey must now strengthen its efforts to adapt to EU standards,
especially with respect to freedom of expression.

Le Figaro, France
27 septembre 2006

Chirac invite Devedjian en Arménie

Élysée. Jacques Chirac effectue, de vendredi à dimanche, une visite
en Arménie, le premier voyage d’un président français dans cette
ancienne République de l’URSS, indépendante depuis 1991. Parmi les
parlementaires invités figure Patrick Devedjian, d’origine arménienne
et opposant farouche à l’entrée de la Turquie dans l’Union
européenne.

PanARMENIAN.Net

RA Defense Minister to Depart for Greece October 2
29.09.2006 15:55 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ October 2 the delegation led by
Secretary of the Security Council at the RA President,
Defense Minister Serge Sargsyan will depart for Greece
on a working visit, RA Defense Minister’s Spokesman,
colonel Seyran Shahsuvaryan told PanARMENIAN.Net.
During the scheduled meeting with Evangelos Meimarakis
a number of issues referring to the Armenian-Greek
military cooperation will be discussed. The delegation
will take part in the opening ceremony of Defendory
2006 exhibition and attend the Greek military academy.
Besides, the delegation members will meet with the
Armenian community and Greek media. The delegation
will return to Yerevan October 5.

Milliyet, Turkey
Sept 28 2006

Turkish newspaper article raps EU progress report

Just take a look at the articles being imposed under the title
"Acceleration of the reform process" in the European Parliament’s
advisory Turkey Report. It looks like a "surrender agreement" signed
after Turkey has lost some war. Minority rights, Armenian, Greek and
Cypriot requests, measures to neutralize the TSK [Turkish Armed
Forces] are among the list of demands, both its own and those of its
friends, that the EU is putting to us.

It is as if we only have one more step to take before we can join the
EU and all we have to do is accept these requests. Yet the exact
opposite is true. In one respect they are closing all entrances to
us. They never get bored with taking new measures. Is there no brave
soul in this country who will stand up to this attitude and say:
"Take this report and stick it on a shelf then draw up a more
considered one"?

Agency WPS
What the Papers Say Part B (Russia)
September 28, 2006 Thursday

RUSSIAN OFFICERS ARRESTED IN GEORGIA;
Moscow condemns it as a provocation

by Viktor Volodin

Official Tbilisi foments a new scandal in Russian-Georgian relations;
The Georgian patrol police laid siege to the territory surrounding
the headquarters of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus yesterday
– all of a sudden, and without so much as a warning. They demanded to
see two Russian officers who they said were wanted for questioning.

The Georgian patrol police laid siege to the territory surrounding
the headquarters of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus yesterday
– all of a sudden, and without so much as a warning. The police began
checking the ID of everyone leaving the building. They demanded to
see two Russian officers who they said were wanted for questioning at
the Interior Ministry of Georgia.

The authorities came up with an explanation soon that they had
exposed "a conspiracy" of the Russian military.

Arrest of four Russian officers by the Georgian police became public
knowledge in the evening. Embassy of the Russian Federation asked for
an explanation and Georgian secret services promptly obliged by going
public. Interior Minister Vano Merabishvili called a press conference
to announce that the Department of Counter-Intelligence had detained
four officers of the GRU (army intelligence) of the Russian General
Staff and 12 Georgians recruited by the GRU.

Merabishvili called Colonel Alexander Savva of the GRU, arrested in
Tbilisi earlier, the chief of the spy ring. Three other officers were
detained – Lieutenant Colonel Dmitri Kazantsev in Tbilisi and Colonel
Alexander Zavgorodtsev and Major Alexander Barantsev in Batumi. "We
want Konstantin Pugachin, who has taken refuge at the headquarters of
the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus in Tbilisi," the minister
said. "The network exposed in Georgia was run by Anatoly Ivanovich
Sinitsyn who is currently in Yerevan, Armenia." Georgian security
structures threaten to leave the headquarters under siege until
Pugachin is turned over to them.

"Special operation to uproot the network continues," Merabishvili
announced and proceeded to identify four "collaborators" by names.
All four men were arrested for "compilation of sensitive information"
and "planning of provocations." "We’ve kept them under surveillance
for a long time and compiled heaps of materials. These people
displayed interest in military objects, defense capacity of the
country, programs of integration into NATO, energy security issues,
parties of the opposition and non-governmental organizations, Defense
Ministry’s procurement plans, and ports," Merabishvili said.
Well-informed sources in the republican Interior Ministry had said
even before the press conference that the Russian officers were
suspected of clandestine arms deals.

There is no need to "push" the Russian troops out of Georgia with the
help of dubious counter-intelligence actions. Under the
Russian-Georgian accords, the Russian military will leave Georgia in
2008. The headquarters of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus will
be closed as well. Russian Chief of the General Staff General of the
Army Yuri Baluyevsky branded the arrests made in Georgia "lawlessness
on the part of Defense Minister Irakly Okruashvili and his inner
circle." "The Russian Foreign Ministry and we are taking steps to
resolve the crisis," Baluyevsky said.

A diplomatic note from the Russian Embassy, delivered to the Georgian
Foreign Ministry, condemns the actions of the Georgian security
structures as a provocation and blames Georgia. "The Embassy and the
command of the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus appealed to the
Georgian Foreign Ministry, Interior Ministry, and Defense Ministry to
be told the arrested officers’ whereabouts – with nothing to show for
it. The Embassy insists on an immediate release of the four officers
of the Russian Army and removal of cordons around the headquarters of
the Russian Army Group in the Caucasus," the protest note stated.

Russian Foreign Ministry regards the steps taken by Tbilisi as "a
confirmation of the anti-Russian policy off the Georgian
administration." Grigori Karasin, State Secretary and Deputy Foreign
Minister, protested to Georgian Ambassador Irakly Chubinishvili.
Mikhail Grishankov, Senior Deputy Chairman of the Security Committee
of the Duma, harbors doubts concerning the charges of espionage
pressed against the Russian officers. "What espionage are they
talking about. Whatever is to be known about Georgia is long since
known. The GRU is not interested in Georgia," Grishankov said.
(Before election to the Duma, Grishankov was a senior officer of the
Chelyabinsk Regional Directorate of the Federal Security Service.)

Source: Vremya Novostei, September 28, 2006, p. 1

Translated by A. Ignatkin

EP PASSES REPORT ON TURKEY

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Sept 27 2006

The report said that Turkey had slowed the pace of putting in place
reforms required for the country’s accession to the European Union.

Guncelleme: 16:52 TSÝ 27 Eylul 2006 CarþambaSTRASBOURG – The European
Parliament on Wednesday approved a report criticising Turkey for not
doing enough to meet the membership criteria of the European Union.

After a lengthy debate, 429 EP deputies voted in favour of adopting the
non-binding report prepared by Dutch parliamentarian Camiel Eurlings,
while 71 voted against. A further 125 parliamentarians abstained.

The report calls on Ankara to increase the pace of reforms especially
those dealing with freedom of expression, religious rights, minority
rights, women’s rights, labour unions, cultural rights and independence
of the jurdiciary.

Turkey was also called on to open its ports and airports to Greek
Cypriot ships and planes, with the report saying that Turkey’s
recognition of all EU countries including Greek Cypriot administration
is a compulsory part of EU negotiation process.

Earlier Wednesday, the EP voted to withdraw a requirement for Turkey
to accept allegations that the Ottoman Empire committed an act of
genocide against its Armenian citizens during World War One as a
pre-condition for membership of the European Union.

Most of the EP’s Socialist, Liberal and Green deputies voted in favour
of an amendment to a report on Turkey’s progress in meeting the EU’s
membership criteria removing the making it a condition of Turkey’s
accession that it recognise the so-called genocide. The motion was
carried by 320 votes in favour to 282.

–Boundary_(ID_vJ53zxL/imA2DYpd1NgPYg)–

PARLIAMENTARY GROUP TAKES STEPS TO COMBAT ELECTION FRAUD

Panorama.am
15:14 25/09/06

"Supreme Council" parliamentary group has disseminated a statement
telling about its pre-election initiatives. The group, headed by Ruben
Torosyan, denounced both the opposition and the authorities saying,
"the opposition is busy with insignificant issues." The statement
tells about steps taken by Supreme Council to contribute to elections.

Particularly, the group has submitted a case in the first instance
court with a charge against "idleness of the president." The statement
says that the constitutional order was violated in the country with
Defense Minister Serzh Sargsyan joining the Armenian Republican
Party (HHK). HHK’s activities must be banned, the initiators think,
and that should have been done by the Armenian president. However,
the latter failed to do so, the statement says.

The group has also applied to the Central Electoral Committee pointing
out that Armenian Revolutionary Federation has failed to register
with the State Registry before 2003 elections.

As another initiative, Supreme Council applied to the Russian Embassy
to Armenia saying that the Chairman of the Union of Armenians in Russia
"sets an example of violating the Armenian law to the foreigners."

The group also sent a notification to the general prosecutor’s
office saying the office has failed to issue decisions on seven
member of Central Electoral Committee who have reportedly violated
the Election Law.

The initiators also address to the ambassadors accredited in Armenia
and heads of international organizations urging them to sign a
memorandum "on respect of the Armenian legislation during the upcoming
elections." Torosyan and other initiators think that "some of them
and the observers of respective countries have violated the Armenian
legislations during the last elections and the Referendum having an
immediate impact on the results."

AZERBAIJANI MUSICIAN REFUSES TO TAKE PART IN CONCERT OF CAUCASIAN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA HELD AT EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HEADQUARTERS

Noyan Tapan News Agency, Armenia
Sept 22 2006

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. The first concert of Caucasian
Chamber Orchestra was held on September 19 at the European Parliament
headquarters. Works by Armenian, Azerbaijani and Georgian composers
were performed at the concert. The orchestra was founded and is headed
by German conductor and pianist Uwe Berkemer.

According to RA Foreign Ministry Press and Information Department,
the initiative was supported by the EU-South Caucasus delegation of
the European Parliament headed by Marie Anne Isler Beguin. It was
planned that the orchestra should consist of Armenian, Georgian,
Azerbaijani musicians and musicians of North Caucasian peoples who
will present music as symbol of peace in the Caucasus.

The concert participants were surprised at the absence of the
Azerbaijani musician who refused to take part in the concert.

Speaking at the end of the concert, Uwe Berkmer pointing to the vacant
chair on the stage noted that it symbolizes Azerbaijan’s absence from
this peaceful initiative and attempt to unite peoples with the help
of culture.

STATEMENT ADOPTED IN THE RESULT OF THE ARMENIA-DIASPORA THIRD CONFERENCE

Pablic Radio of Armenia
Sept 23 2006

A statement was adopted in the result of the Armenia-Diaspora Third
Conference. MFA Press Service informs that the statement says, in
particular, "Armenia-Diaspora Third Conference, which took place on
the eve of a historical event – 15th Anniversary of the Armenian
independence, reiterates our resolve and determination to promote
in every possible way the strengthening of Armenian Statehood, as a
vital precondition for the resolution of all problems faced by all
Armenians and for our continuous advancement.

The Third Conference takes note that in recent times, Armenia-Diaspora
relations and cooperation have been developing harmoniously, with
reciprocal trust and respect, and a solid base has been established
for future expansion and strengthening.

We have a common history, shared objectives and problems, priorities
which pertain to all Armenians and as well as those which are
particular to specific communities, and only through combined efforts,
through the consolidation of our human and material resources, will
we be able to resolve existing problems.

The Republic of Armenia, as a state, assumes with all its capacity
and power, the responsibility to provide the necessary conditions
for every Armenian to participate in state-building, and in Armenia’s
strengthening and development processes.

The Conference reaffirms that our national identity is indivisibly
linked with Christianity, and that the mission of the Armenian Church
in the spiritual and ethical life of the Armenian people, as well
as in the expansion and deepening of Armenia-Diaspora relations,
is momentous and significant.

The Conference approves the Rural Poverty Eradication Program and
appeals to all structures, organizations and to all our people as
a whole to actively participate in the planning, organization and
implementation of the Program.

In our modern history, the greatest achievement of our people has been
the liberation of Artsakh, which is the expression of our people’s
unwavering resolve to defend our historic rights. The liberation
of Artsakh has become the clear evidence of our unity, solidarity
and commitment.

We reiterate our total responsibility and complete support for the
right of the people of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic to live in
freedom and to exercise their right of self-determination.

After Armenia regained independence, the Armenian Diaspora found
itself in a new situation and throughout the period when serious and
risky challenges confronted the newly independent Armenian state,
demonstrated unprecedented material, political and moral support to
our country.

Concurrently, the issues faced by the Diaspora remain mostly the
same. These are preservation and continuity of national identity,
traditions and culture in the various host countries, in different
religious and ethno-cultural conditions. Toward that end the Republic
of Armenia lends its total support to Diaspora.

The Conference reaffirms its resolve to attain international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide in all countries. The Conference
welcomes and expresses its gratitude to all the just-thinking friends
of the Armenian people, whose efforts testify the growing feeling
of responsibility on the part of the international community for the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

We are confident that principles of democracy, human rights and
liberty are the priorities for a properly functioning state and
social structures.

Our fundamental values are peace, friendship and mutually beneficial
cooperation among peoples, the right of individuals and peoples to
live in liberty and exercise freedom of speech and faith.

We are resolved and determined to protect our national rights and
interests in the 21st century, to enforce peace and unity, to solve
our problems, to fulfill our dreams together in the name of our people,
for the safe and secure development and advancement of our homeland."