Author: Topchian Jane

FOREIGN MINISTRY: ARMENIA PROUD OF ITS PEACEKEEPERS IN KOSOVO

ARKA
Oct 14, 2009

YEREVAN, October 14. /ARKA/. Armenia is proud of its peacekeepers
in Kosovo, Armenian Foreign Minster Edward Nalbandyan said in his
address to participants of Yerevan-Pristina video bridge.

"I’d like to assure our peacekeepers that the country appreciates
very much their service. All of us are proud of our peacekeepers,
whose mission is aimed at strengthening international security and
enhancing Armenia’s image," the press office of Armenian Foreign
Ministry quoted Nalbandyan.

The minister stressed the importance of the TV-bridge and thanked
the United States and Greece for their support in staging the video
discussion.

"President Sargsyan has repeatedly said that Armenia is ready to
continue its honorable peacekeeping mission along with the world
community and contribute to the efforts to safeguard international
security."

Armenian peacekeepers serve their duty in Greek battalion in Kosovo.

Their mission started on February 12, 2004.

The Armenian company is deployed in Uroshevats, southern Kosovo.

In 2008, the number of Armenian blue berets in Kosovo was enlarged
to 70.

Armenian Foreign Ministry is regularly staging video bridges between
Yerevan and Pristina, giving the Armenian servicemen a chance to
communicate with their families.

GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN SAYS ARMENIA HAS RESOURCES TO GIVE RELEVANT RESPONSE TO AZERBAIJAN IN INFORMATION WAR

ARMENPRESS
OCTOBER 13, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 13, ARMENPRESS: Information war has come to the
front line of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, the director of the
"Noravank" scientific-educational foundation Gagik Harutyunyan said
today at a press conference.

According to him, Armenia’s "rival" in this field has all the existing
ammunition and Armenia only last year started actively operating in
information war and giving relevant response to Azerbaijan.

"Our actions in information war became part of state policy thanks to
which in the latest period we do not stay back from Azerbaijan. We must
all act at our best in the context of one goal," G. Harutyunyan said.

He said Armenia has serious potential in the information sphere,
almost in all the Armenian communities there are Armenian mass media
which must serve for national interests. "Armenia must not be limited
with what it has and find other means to fill its information field
with resources," Harutyunyan said.

He said that Turkey seriously helps Azerbaijan in the information
war with resources, ideas and even in this case Armenia is not
staying back.

"IT’S TIME TO BE STRONG IN THE DIPLOMATIC STRAGGLE WITH TURKEY"

Aysor.am
Tuesday, October 13

Today on the meeting with the journalists the head of the Armenian
Center for Strategic and National Research, analyst Richard Giragosyan
expressed his opinion saying that the parliament of the Armenian
"should link the ratification of the Armenian – Turkish protocols
with the activities of the Turkish Parliament".

"If they delay we will do the same thing, if they start playing games,
we’ll do the same", – mentioned Richard Giragosyan and added that there
are a lot of expectations from the signed Armenian – Turkish protocols.

"It’s time to be strong in the diplomatic straggle with Turkey", –
mentioned R. Giragosyan and said that Armenia should correct its
diplomatic strategy as Turkey as usually conducts the diplomacy
of threatening.

SUSI KENTIKIAN: I’M HAPPY ABOUT HAVING THREE BELTS AND GLADLY LOOKING FORWARD TO NEW CHALLENGES

PanARMENIAN.Net
12.10.2009 17:39 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The "Killer Queen" Susi Kentikian (25-0, 16 KOs),
considered by many to be the pound-for-pound best in women’s boxing,
had her first appearance in Rostock. In eagerly awaited battle she
defended her WBA and WIBF flyweight world titles against unbeaten
WIBF light flyweight world champion Julia Sahin (20-0, 2 KOs) who
returned to the ring after a year of inactivity.

Susi Kentikian successfully retained their world titles, overcoming
strong challenges from Julia Sahin.

Says Susi Kentikian, "It was a very hard fight with ten rounds at full
power and there was no rest, just many punches and always movement. I
threw a lot of punches and Julia was always covering up. I followed
my game plan and did what we worked on. I’m happy about having three
belts and gladly looking forward to new challenges."

"It was a difficult fight and at the beginning Susi was punching too
much when Julia was covering up. From the fourth round on, she boxed
more and clearly outboxed Julia," trainer Magomed Schaburow noted,
fightnews.com reported.

ALIYEV NOT GOING TO INTERFERE WITH ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROCESS

Tert.am
13:56 10.10.09

Azerbaijan’s position on the establishment of Armenian-Turkish
relations is the following: Baku is not interfering with relations
that are being established or may be established between other
countries. As reported by AzerTAj Azerbaijani information agency,
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev stated this in his interview to
Azerbaijani TV.

At the same time, Aliyev said that the Armenian-Turkish border will be
opened after Nagorno-Karabakh issue is settled. "If Armenian-Turkish
relations are established before the settlement of Nagorno-Karabakh
issue, Armenia’s position in the negotiation process may become
even more strict. Armenia will try to present it as their political
and diplomatic success and, probably, will take an even tougher and
unacceptable position in the negotiation process," Aliyev said.

FRENCH RESISTANCE: DID THE ‘ARMY OF CRIME’ DIE FOR FRANCE?
by Ian Birchall

Socialistworker.co.uk
http://www.sociali stworker.co.uk/art.php?id=19181
6.30pm Tuesday 6 October 2009

The French Resistance is often presented as a national liberation
struggle. Both Communists and the followers of right wing General de
Gaulle saw it as a nationalist movement against German occupation. It
is only relatively recently that historians have written about the
non-French fighters.

So Robert Guédiguian’s new film Army of Crime is to be welcomed. It
tells the story of a Resistance group headed by Missak Manouchian. It
consisted of east European Jews who had escaped Hitler, and
anti-fascists from Spain and Italy.

Manouchian’s parents had perished in the Armenian genocide.

The film is a powerful depiction of their struggle. Guédiguian shows
that the resisters were not bloodthirsty fanatics but ordinary people,
much happier singing, reading or making love than engaging in armed
struggle.

Once, they refuse to plant a bomb in a brothel because they are
unwilling to kill innocent young women.

Army of Crime gives an honest portrayal of this time. Perhaps it can
help us understand why people in Iraq and Afghanistan fight against
an army of occupation.

But it also leaves unanswered questions. The film opens with the names
of 23 members of the group executed in 1944 – we are told that each
"died for France".

But did they? As the film makes very clear, a big chunk of France was
very happy to support the Nazis against the "Jews and Bolsheviks". Much
of the upper and middle classes collaborated, actively or passively.

The French state machine worked closely with the occupying army.

Sickening

Thousands of Jews taken to the Drancy concentration camp were rounded
up by the French police without any German assistance. A German
official in the film admits they need the French police to track
resisters because they know the terrain.

We see the sickening hypocrisy of a policeman ly.

The French Stalinist doggerel poet Louis Aragon wrote a tribute to
Manouchian’s group which claimed "twenty-three shouted France as they
died". This seems unlikely.

The last letters of 16 of the group, written just hours before their
death, have been preserved (see the Marxists Internet Archive via
tinyurl.com/manouchian).

They are a moving testimony to the courage of their authors, but very
few mention France. Manouchian and his comrades died for freedom –
for a better world where people could pursue their aspirations without
meeting repression.

Here is another bitter irony. Early in the film Manouchian tells
his wife their sacrifices mean that their daughter will never see
war. France was liberated from the Germans, but the old imperialist
ruling class returned.

For two decades after 1945 France waged bitter colonial wars in which
Vietnamese and Algerians were treated with the same brutality that
the Nazis had used against French resisters.

There are also questions about the methods of Manouchian’s group. A
favourite device was to ask a German soldier in the street for a light,
then shoot him. This led to reprisals – 10 or 20 resisters executed
for each soldier killed.

But the Communist-led Resistance, under instructions from Russia,
carried on, hoping repression would provoke resistance.

Nobody will mourn the assassinated German general. But most victims
were young working class conscripts.

There were revolutionary socialists in France who argued that the
Resistance should fraternise, not gun down. For them, "the terrorist
act creates a barrier between French workers and German soldiers,
but no victory is possible without unity between them". But that is
another film, one which remains to be made.

RUSSIA TO BACK SERBIA IN UN KOSOVO HEARINGS – LAVROV

RIA Novosti
Oct 5, 2009

MOSCOW, October 5 (RIA Novosti) – Russia will support Serbia’s case
in UN court hearings on the legitimacy of Kosovo’s declaration of
independence, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Monday.

A total of 62 countries, including major Western powers, have
recognized the independence of Serbia’s ethnic-Albanian-dominated
province, which was declared in February 2008. The rest of the world,
including Russia, China and India, considers Kosovo to be part
of Serbia.

"We will insist that international law and UN Security Council
decisions be respected and any unilateral decisions running counter
to the UN Charter and OSCE principles be avoided," Lavrov said after
talks in Moscow with his Serbian counterpart, Vuk Jeremic.

Serbia brought the case to the UN’s Hague-based International Court
of Justice for an advisory opinion on Kosovo’s unilaterally declared
independence.

The hearings will begin on December 1 and will involve the five
permanent Security Council members – Russia and China on Serbia’s side
and the United States, Britain and France supporting Kosovo. Other
countries have filed written statements on the case.

Kosovo, Serbia’s historic heartland, was administered by the United
Nations after the Kosovo war and the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

In August 2008, Russia recognized Georgia’s breakaway republics
Abkhazia and South Ossetia following a brief war with the ex-Soviet
Caucasus state triggered by its offensive against Ossetia. The move was
seen by many as influenced by Western nations’ recognition of Kosovo.

ALEX YENIKOMSHYAN : ARMENIA AND TURKEY AREN’T READY FOR RELATIONS
Natasha Harutyunyan

shuyan/
2009/10/05 | 18:06

Member of the "Miatsum" National Initiative Responds to Hetq Questions
Re: Protocols

My evaluation of recent developments in Armenian-Turkish relations
is negative for a few very clear reasons.

It has been stressed that in the protocols, that really have the
content of a treaty, there exists al the preconditions that Turkey
has sought over the years regarding normalization of relations with
Armenia or the opening of borders. There are three such preconditions:
issue of the Genocide, recognition of current borders and Artsakh. It
appears that Armenia must make major concessions for all three.

Exactly what points in the protocols do you see such preconditions?

Where it talks about the opening of the border it clearly states that
the two countries recognize their mutual borders, based on bilateral
and international agreements. Here, everything is clear.

Of course, regarding the Genocide, the actual term "genocide" is not
noted. But the main focus of the historical sub-committee will be the
Genocide. It is not important that the word "genocide" is not stated.

Just the fact that this point exists signifies that the two parties,
voluntarily or involuntarily, agree that the Genocide is a topic of
debate. This is rejected as a matter of principle by Armenians. When
the Armenian side accepts this, it is a slap in the face to the
Armenian people.

This will put a halt to all those processes that have taken place all
these years internationally for the recognition of the genocide. Such
lobbying overseas is essential given that, in the end, it might
pressure Turkey in recognizing the Genocide.

The most crucial is the Artsakh matter. Is the matter of Artsakh
raised in the so-called protocols or not? The point in the document
which states that the two countries agree to recognize the territorial
integrity of other nations clearly refers to Artsakh and Azerbaijan.

In addition, if the party representing Armenia believes that it can
come to an agreement with Turkey without raising the issue of Artsakh,
it is sadly mistaken.

Turkey, which has entered this process, and the international powers
that be (which are not only sponsoring but directing this process);
see little strategic importance in the opening of the Turkish-Armenian
border if it isn’t linked to the Armenia-Azerbaijan stalemate. Thus,
whether or not it is literally written in the protocols or not,
it essentially exists.

Let us for a moment assume that the borders have opened, that the
protocols are put into practice, but that the Artsakh conflict isn’t
yet resolved as a result of Armenia-Azerbaijan diplomatic relations.

In that case, we will be faced with a reality where, as a result of
the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations, the influence of
Turkey in the region, especially in Armenia, will be greatly expanded.

And we will wind up in a process where negotiations with Azerbaijan
will continue but Armenia will find itself in a new set of
circumstances.

In other words, up until the opening of the Armenian-Turkish border we
had negotiations with Azerbaijan in one set of conditions and later,
we will be in another situation where the influence of Turkey,
Azerbaijan’s ally, will grow with all the consequences of that
growth. Thus, it’s totally ludicrous to state that the Artsakh issue
and relations with Turkey are not linked together.

Naturally, given these conditions, a nation that has been subjected
to genocide and lost its homeland cannot foster normal relations with
the government that represents the nation that perpetuated that crime
and still refuses to accept what it has done.

In the set of relations between those two peoples, Armenians will
always be in an inferior situation psychologically. And a people
belittled cannot come out victorious in future relations.

Furthermore, as long as Turkey refuses to recognize the Genocide it
means that it is always able to repeat what it has done. Given such
conditions, the crafting of relations poses dangers for Armenia.

After the publication of the protocols many political forces expressed
their opposition and some are continuing to organize public actions
against their possible signing. President Sargsyan also called a
meeting of the country’s political leaders and forces. Do you believe
that any of this will have an impact on the authorities in terms of
their signing the document or not?

Everything shows that all this has not and will not have an impact
on the decision of the authorities. This doesn’t mean however that
such actions aren’t warranted.

On the contrary, such protest actions must be continuous. The protocols
will be signed around October 10-11. But later there’s the issue of
parliamentary ratification.

Given today’s situation, we can have no illusions but that the
Armenian parliament will ratify the protocols. Here we come back to
the Artsakh issue since for Turkey and the West the issue of Artsakh
is directly linked.

They openly state that their parliament will not ratify and that the
protocols will not be enacted until Armenian forces pull out of the
liberated territories.

Here lies the crux of the matter. If we are able to put a halt to
the defeatist and concessionary solution of the Karabakh Issue that
is being forced on Armenia, then I believe that the two projects
will fail simultaneously. That is to say that if they don’t get the
solution to the Artsakh conflict that they demand then the protocols
will not be enacted either.

If this is the case, then naturally Turkey will not reopen the
border. And many believe that an open border is in our favor.

It is my opinion that Armenia and Turkey aren’t ready for relations
today; and it is not only because of the existence of those
preconditions.

Even if those preconditions didn’t exist, it is not in Armenia’s best
interests to foster relations with Turkey today.

Regardless of the preconditions, Armenia today is sadly in an
unfavorable situation in all sectors – economic, social, morally,
demographically, etc.

In every sense of the word, Armenia finds itself in a weakened position
and there’s a huge difference in the populations of Armenia and Turkey.

One is a huge nation; the other quite tiny. And if we enter into
relations with Turkey today, we do so from a position of defeat from
the outset.

The case would be different if Armenia was in a healthy position for
relations with Turkey.

Given today’s situation we are destined to experience setback and
defeat; even without the preconditions.

Thus, I believe that when they expect economic growth as a result of
the opening of the border this isn’t merely an illusion but outright
fraud.

They were saying that for the past six years we have witnessed
double-digit economic growth. And this took place with closed
borders. What economic calamity are they now referring to when they
claim that we can’t experience growth without open borders with Turkey?

If we were able to in the past we can do the same now. Of course
we realize that the double-digit growth of the past didn’t go to
improving the welfare of the common people but merely lined the
pockets of a narrow class at the top.

Now, these same oligarchs wish to expand their financial possibilities
via the opening of the border. Thus, the border opening will change
little for the country and the bulk of its populace.

There will be changes for that narrow class at the top and they
will certainly gain from any border opening. Their imports will grow
cheaper but the prices paid by the people will remain the same.

President’s all-Armenian tour – a bold step
03.10.2009 18:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenian President’s all-Armenian tour is a bold
step. That’s a kind of special approach to Diaspora, said ALCATEL
former General Director and President Serzh Churuk after RA President
Serzh Sargsyan’s meeting with Europe’s Armenian community
representatives in Paris.
`That’s a right approach since Armenia and Diaspora think in different
ways,’ Churuk noted. Yerevan and Ankara will reach consensus, he said,
but to achieve that, it is necessary to conduct talks with
Turkey. `That’s in both countries’ interests. It is necessary to make
compromise and create cooperation groundwork acceptable to both
Armenia and Turkey,’ ALCATEL ex-President said.

ARMENIA ASPIRES TO ESTABLISH GOOD-NEIGHBORLY RELATIONS WITH ALL NEIGHBOR STATES

armradio.am
01.10.2009 14:14

Today the Armenian National Assembly is holding parliamentary hearings
on the Armenian-Turkish relations. Speaking on the Parliament floor,
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian said such discussions provided
an opportunity to listen to various opinions on Armenian-Turkish
relations, to understand the public comprehension of certain issues.

"Ever since independence Armenia has been ready to normalize
relations with Turkey without preconditions. Now we are realizing this
aspiration. The relations between Armenia and Turkey go beyond the
circles of bilateral political relations and include issues affected
by historical, moral-psychological and other factors."

Turning to the pre-signed protocols, Edward Nalbandian said: "Are there
any preconditions? No, and once again no. Do we question the fact of
the Armenian Genocide, do we prevent the international recognition
of the Armenian Genocide? No, and once again no. Is there any tie
between the pre-signed documents and the negotiations on the Karabakh
conflict settlement? No, and once again no."

"The Armenian President has declared many times that Armenia dos not
discuss the issue of whether there has been an Armenian Genocide or
not. It does not question the fact of Genocide and the importance of
its international recognition. As Foreign Minister, I have declared

about it in Istanbul in November 2008 in presence of more than a
hundred journalists," the Minister said.

As regards the link between the protocols and the Karabakh issue,
the Foreign Minister said: "The pre-signed protocols include no
mention of any precondition, moreover, a precondition related to the
Karabakh settlement."

The issue of Armenian-Turkish relations is a complex of psychological,
social, legal, economic and political issues. Therefore, its settlement
cannot be easy. Armenia aspires to establish good-neighborly relations
with all neighbor states," the Minister stated.