Author: Topchian Jane

TURKEY SAYS NORMALIZATION TALKS WITH ARMENIA ARE UNDERWAY

Hurriyet
June 24 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – The talks aimed at the normalization of relations between
Ankara and Yerevan continue at various levels, a Turkish foreign
ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, ruling out recent reports
suggesting the suspension of the agreed road map with Armenia.

"We are discussing all issues with Armenia, and what is important
is principles we set," Anatolian Agency quoted spokesperson Burak
Ozugergin as telling a press conference in the Turkish capital
of Ankara.

Ozugergin said there was also an ongoing process between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, and both processes were affecting each other.

Turkey and Armenia agreed in April on a "road map" deal for U.S.-backed
talks that could lead to the normalization of ties and the opening
of their border, which Ankara closed in a show of support to Baku in
1993 after Armenian occupation of Azeri territories in the disputed
Nagorno-Karabakh region.

Turkish officials, however, have said Turkey will not open its border
with Armenia before the neighboring country ends its occupation of
Nagorno-Karabakh, reassuring Azeri leaders that Ankara’s efforts to
reconcile with Yerevan would not undermine the country’s interests.

Recent media reports questioned further progress in talks between
Turkey and Armenia. Even EU South Caucasus envoy Peter Semneby said
in an interview published last week Turkey has taken a "tactical step
backwards" on normalizing relations with Armenia because of fierce
domestic reaction to the move.

Ozugergin said the road map would be made public when the conditions
are suitable, adding he had already said that the two countries have
agreed on some principles.

He said Turkey was supporting a solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute through peaceful means, and a positive course of the process
would contribute to peace and stability in the Caucasus.

The spokesman also said Turkey would support any positive development
or step in the Minsk process.

"Settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem will restore stability
in the region, and make it sustainable," Ozugergin said.

Ozugergin also said Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu might
meet foreign ministers of other countries, including his Armenian
counterpart Eduard Nalbandian, on the Greek island of Corfu during
an informal meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe, or OSCE, this weekend.

TURKEY, AZERBAIJAN REAFFIRM COMMITMENT TO ALLIANCE

Today’s Zaman
June 23 2009
Turkey

The foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and Turkey met in Istanbul on
Sunday evening for an unofficial meeting, during which they reaffirmed
the neighboring countries’ understanding of "one nation, two states."

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his Azerbaijani
counterpart, Elmar Mammadyarov, were together for a one-and-a-half-hour
dinner at a restaurant as the latter stopped in Istanbul before
returning to Baku after a visit to Japan.

"We have reviewed all developments in the region with the understanding
of ‘one nation, two states,’ as we have always done. We have together
discussed the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the
recent period, the other developments in the region and, in addition,
the developments in our bilateral relations, which are proceeding
extremely well. This was not an officially planned meeting," Davutoglu
was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency as the two responded
to questions from reporters following the dinner.

After decades of hostility, Turkey and Armenia announced in April a
"roadmap" for re-establishing diplomatic relations and opening their
shared border. But Ankara’s ally Azerbaijan said Armenia should first
leave Nagorno-Karabakh, a mostly ethnic Armenian enclave that broke
away after fighting a bloody war with Azerbaijan in the 1990s and
claims independence. Turkey then offered support for the Azerbaijani
position, complicating further progress in talks with Armenia.

Davutoglu was reminded of remarks by his Armenian counterpart, Edward
Nalbandian, who had said Yerevan expects Ankara to take new steps
for the normalization of bilateral ties and was asked to elaborate
on those possible steps.

"I have always said, ‘Steps are steps that should be taken
mutually.’ As Turkey, our eventual goal is maintaining permanent
stability, peace and welfare in the region. This doesn’t take place via
unilateral steps. All parties should take steps with goodwill. Turkey
has shown in the past that it will take steps with goodwill toward
the entire region. But permanent peace can be maintained in case of
mutually taking these steps. Indeed, we have dealt with these issues,"
Davutoglu replied.

Mammadyarov, who described his meeting with Davutoglu as "very
important and good," was asked about the current phase of negotiations
between Baku and Yerevan.

Mammadyarov said negotiations were still under way and that his
country expected Yerevan to end its occupation of Azerbaijani land
at the end of these negotiations.

ARMENTEL IMPROVES CLIENT SERVICE QUALITY BY OPENING NEW SERVICE CENTERS

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
23.06.2009 19:02 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ ArmenTel announced the opening of two more sale
and service offices in Yerevan. New offices meet the highest Beeline
standards.

"Technical equipment level and increase in sales and service offices
dictate new standards to us," Igor Klimko, ArmenTel Director General
said at the opening ceremony.

Full spectrum of services, excluding reconnection of disconnected
numbers will be provided at a new office on Abovyan Street. Other
Beeline offices provide the full range of Beeline services.

Since the beginning of 2009, 9 Beeline sale and service offices
were opened in Yeghvard, Nor Hatchn, Sevan. Jermuk, Vardenis and
Tsakhkadzor. Currently around 60 Beeline sale and service offices
are operating in Armenia.

NATURAL GAS SUPPLY TO ARMENIA RESTORED

NOYAN TAPAN
22.06.2009

Natural gas supply to Armenia was restored on June 21 from 13:15. It
had been temporarily stopped due to the junction work of the newly
built Ghazakh-Saguramo sector with 1000 mm diameter and 3.6 km long
in the territory of Georgia.

CSTO IS NOT REALLY DEALING WITH THE KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT: ARMENIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST

Today.Az
ics/53283.html
June 22 2009
Azerbaijan

There are no grounds to expect sharp changes in the format of the
Karabakh conflict either in the soonest or the middle term perspective,
said Armenian political scientist, director of the Caucasus Alexander
Iskandaryan.

Asked whether CSTO is planning to participate in the resolution of the
Karabakh conflict, he said this organization does not deal with the
resolution of the Karabakh conflict, this is a competence of the OSCE.

Also, the political scientist spoke of the decision of the US
corporation "Millennium Challenges" to cut financial aid to Armenia,
he said the corporation did not stop financial aid to Armenia.

"Suspension of one of its program is undoubtedly connected with the
problems in the democratic development of the country after March
1. The March 1 events had an extremely negative influence on the
image of Armenia. Time and serious efforts are needed to correct this
effect. Strictly speaking, this program was frozen two long ago and
declared only now. The amount is not too significant, about USD 70
mln, but this step of the corporation was painfully accepted in the
country", said he.

GOMIDAS INSTITUTE
Gomidas Institute
42 Blythe Rd.
London W14 0HA
United Kigdom
Tel: 00 (44) (20) 7603 7242
Email: info:gomidas.org
Web:

GOMIDAS INSTITUTE TAKES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE DEBATE TO ANKARA

Compiled by Roland Mnatsakanyan (Gomidas Institute, London)
21 June 2009

On October 12, 2005, Lord Archer of Sandwell QC, Lord Biffen and Lord
Avebury organised a meeting in Westminster for British
parliamentarians to respond to a petition sent to members of the
British Houses of Parliament by the Turkish Grand National Assembly
(TGNA) contesting the veracity of the 1916 British Parliamentary Blue
Book, The Treatment of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire 1915-16.

According to the TGNA, the 1916 Blue Book was a wartime fabrication
which harmed Turkish interests during World War I and continues to do
so today. The central thesis of the Blue Book was the argument that
starting in 1915 Armenians were subject to a policy of mass
annihilation in the Ottoman Empire. The petition claimed that the Blue
Book was the source of allegations that the massacres and deaths of
Armenians during the forced deportations of 1915-16 constituted a
genocide, which the petition said was untrue. The petition asserted
that: (1) the 1916 report had no supporting documentation; (2) the
report was contrived in essence; and (3) the main compiler and editor
of the report admitted that the Blue Book was simply a propaganda tool
fabricated against Ottoman Turkey and its German ally.

The petition insisted that the core of the Blue Book was a set of
eyewitness accounts which were unreliable, and that the work was
composed in such a way as to conceal the flawed character of these key
reports. It maintained that withholding the names of some informants
and locations, supposedly to safeguard sources still in the Ottoman
Empire, was in reality, to conceal the weaknesses of the reports
themselves.

However, a group of British MPs concluded from their own knowledge of
the Blue Book and many contemporaneous accounts by eyewitnesses which
have since been published, as well as a detailed report from the
Gomidas Institute, that:

1. the Blue Book was compiled from first-hand testimonies which were
scrupulously reported by the distinguished editor, Arnold Toynbee;
2. the supporting documentation has been readily accessible, a point
overlooked in the letter from the TGNA;
3. Arnold Toynbee did not say that the Blue Book was flawed as claimed
by the petition;
4. the petition wrongly asserted that the War Propaganda Bureau was
the sole source for all information regarding the situation in the
Ottoman Empire – there were hundreds of neutral consular officials and
missionaries;
5. the reports by neutrals have been reinforced and corroborated by
other United States and German consular reports, now in the public
domain, and by numerous accounts in the diaries and letters of
survivors;
6. the sources of the 150 eyewitness accounts published in the Blue
Book were not discovered recently in a War Propaganda Bureau document
as claimed by the TGNA, but have been known and published for many years.

British MPs judged that the TGNA was not properly informed about the
Blue Book. Consequently, on 27 January 2006, 33 MPs responded to the
TGNA petition with a letter to the Speaker of the TGNA Bülent Arinç,
inviting members of the TGNA to a face to face meeting with their
British colleagues to discuss the Blue Book. Since there was no
response to that letter a second email communication was sent on 1
September 2006 to all individual members of the TGNA, inviting them to
a face to face meeting. Again there was no response.

The British MPs finally concluded that most TBMM members were not
aware of the actual content of the 1916 Blue Book, nor the archival
trail associated with it. In order to facilitate better understanding
and reflection, it was suggested that the Gomidas Institute should
undertake the Turkish translation of their uncensored edition of the
Blue Book, which was replete with discussion and full archival
references. The Gomidas Institute was able to undertake such a major
project with the help of the AGBU so that a whole new Turkish
readership-not just members of the TGNA-could appraise the Blue Book
issue in an informed and balanced manner.

The Turkish edition of the Blue Book will be released in Ankara by
Lord Avebury and Ara Sarafian this Friday, 26 June 2009. The event is
sponsored by the Turkish Human Rights Association (Ankara) and the
Freedom of Thought Association. For more information please contact
[email protected]

ENGLISH: James Bryce and Arnold Toynbee, The Treatment of Armenians in
the Ottoman Empire, 1915-1916: Documents Presented to Viscount Grey of
Fallodon by Viscount Bryce [Uncensored Edition], edited and with an
introduction by Ara Sarafian

TURKISH: James Bryce and Arnold Toynbee, Osmanlý Ýmparatorluðu’nda
Ermenilere Yapýlan Muamele, 1915-1916 Vikont Bryce’ýn Fallodon Vikontu
Grey’e Sunduðu Belgeler [Sansürsüz Basým], Gomidas Institute: London
and Istanbul, 2009, 654 pp. Yayýna hazýrlayan Ara Sarafian. Özel önsöz
Lord Avebury.

SYRIA’S ASSAD TALKS NAGORNO-KARABAKH

Middle East Times
June 18 2009

YEREVAN, Armenia, June 18 (UPI) — Syrian President Bashar Assad
expressed hope for a quick resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
and for improved relations with Armenia.

Assad met in the capital Yerevan with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan
to discuss bolstering economic and foreign relations, the officials
Syrian Arab News Agency reports.

Assad also expressed hope that outstanding issues of Nagorno-Karabakh
would be resolved quickly so the region could move forward without
further obstacles.

"I listened to President Sargsyan’s viewpoint on the critical issue
of Karabakh, expressing hope this matter won’t be permanent crisis,"
he said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan fought a bitter military battle over
Nagorno-Karabakh in the early 1990s, and the regional fallout from
disputes over the territory remains tense despite a 1994 cease-fire.

Assad’s meeting follows a diplomatic push by Damascus to expand its
regional relations. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem met last
week with Sargsyan to discuss political solutions to regional issues
facing both countries.

Sargsyan said regional challenges facing both countries were similar,
pledging continued negotiations between both parties.

"There is complete understanding on the issues discussed and we agreed
to continue meetings and discussions on highest levels," he said.

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

Press and Information Department
of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Armenia
Tel. + 37410 544041. ext. 202
Fax. + 37410 565601
e-mail: [email protected]
web:

Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian meets Foreign Minister
of Estonia Urmas Paet

On June 11, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian had a
meeting with Foreign Minister of Estonia Urmas Paet who is in Yerevan
on an official visit.

Welcoming the Estonian Foreign Minister and his delegation Minister
Nalbandian expressed satisfaction with the dynamically developing
bilateral relations and stressed that Armenia is interested in the
deepening and strengthening of mutually beneficial relations with
Estonia.

Urmas Paet, in his turn, highly appreciated the friendly relationship
established between the two countries and mentioned that Estonia is
intended to take essential steps towards the development of
comprehensive partnership with Armenia in different areas.

In the course of the negotiations the Ministers attached importance to
the effective cooperation between the two Foreign Ministries, as well
as agreed to hold the next political consultations in Yerevan this
autumn. Minister Nalbandian thanked for the support of Estonia in the
process of creation of Armenian Diplomatic school.

Touching upon the steps undertaken towards the promotion of economic
relations Ministers Nalbandian and Paet stressed with satisfaction
that the Armenian-Estonian business forum to be opened today in
Yerevan will create new opportunities for partnership between the
Armenian and Estonian businessmen.

Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Estonia had a discussion on the
possibilities of mutual facilitation of visa regime, issues concerning
the improvement of legal field.

The two had detailed discussions on the process of cooperation of
Armenia with the European Union and the steps taken in that direction
as well as issues concerning the EU Eastern Partnership program.

During the meeting they also touched upon several international and
regional issues.

The meeting was followed by a joint press conference of Armenian
Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas
Paet.

GOVERNMENT OF ARMENIA INTENDS TO ACTIVATE CAPITAL MARKET THROUGH LEGISLATIVE CHANGES

ArmInfo
2009-06-11 17:33:00

ArmInfo.Today, the parliament of Armenia passed the second and
final reading of alterations and amendments to the Laws ‘On VAT’ and
‘Profit Tax’.

As deputy Finance Minister of Armenia Suren Karayan said, the primary
goal of introduced bill is stimulation of turnover the companies’
securities in the capital market. Moreover, it is expected that
the companies will carry out their activity transparently with the
elements of corporate management.

The bill somewhat regulates the expression ‘the right for free
circulation of securities’, which has been replaced by the expression
‘shares belonging to the public’. Another peculiarity of the bill
concerns 20 and more percent of shares in the companies’ authorized
capitals. So, if 20 and more percent of shares of one or another
company are in ownership of one or another person and these shares
are registered at the Stock Exchange, where they can be acquired
and sold, this company receives tax remissions. In particular, it is
envisaged that these remissions will make up 50% on the value added
tax, though provided that the annual profit of a company will not
exceed 300 mln drams. Moreover, the number of shareholders of these
companies should make up 100 and more people. These companies also
get serious remissions on the value added tax. So, the government
intends to activate a system of corporate management, that will lead
to the capital market development. In general, the matter concerns
three conditions – number of shares, shares belonging to the public,
and a number of shareholders. Some VAT and profit tax remissions
are received by the companies in which 20 and more percent of shares
will belong to the state. All these conditions should be secured in
the Central Depositary and Stock Exchange which are controlled by
the United Swedish Exchange. Both structures will have to provide
a corresponding information to the tax agencies to avoid possible
infractions. Nevertheless, the tax agencies, during their work,
are enabled to hold inspections in one or another companies for
verification of the data available.

RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY RATIFIES PROTOCOL SIGNED BETWEEN RA AND GREEK DEFENCE MINISTRIES

Noyan Tapan
June 11, 2009

YEREVAN, JUNE 11, NOYAN TAPAN. On June 10, the RA National Assembly
ratified the protocol Between RA Defence Ministry and Republic of
Greece National Defence Ministry On Study of RA Armed Forces Staff at
Military Educational Institutions and Educational Centers of Republic
of Greece signed on November 10, 2008 in Athens.

According to the main reporter, RA Deputy Defence Minister Ara
Nazarian, the protocol establishes the order and conditions of giving
seats at military-educational institutions of Greece to RA armed
forces staff, order and conditions of study. According to the protocol,
in particular, Greece commits itself to cover all financial expenses
connected with Armenian officers’ study at its military-educational
institutions and Armenia is to cover only international transport
and insurance expenses.