Author: Torgomian Varazdat

IRAN LOOKING FOR NEW PARTNERS INSTEAD OF RUSSIA?

PanARMENIAN.Net
18.11.2009 19:34 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Fawning before Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei could learn from the Turkish leader balancing his alliances,
British The Guardian writes. According to the newspaper, until
recently, the leadership of the Islamic Republic put their claims
to Russia aside but because of recent manifestations of "disloyalty"
from Russia, the Iranian regime has not only "stopped shying of public
criticism addressed to Kremlin, but engaged to search of new partners
to substituted the Russian.

"The possibility of new sanctions makes the task of finding a reliable
ally particularly relevant, which became more realistic after
Tehran’s refusal to cooperate with the U.S. on the nuclear issue,
" The Guardian writes.

The intensified diplomatic ties between Tehran and Ankara prompt
that Khamenei found understanding in Turkey, whose influence in the
Middle East and throughout the Muslim world is growing, " stated in
the article.

However, reorientation towards Turkey, according to The Guardian,
presents a number of hazards. In particular, this touches the
construction of the Bushehr NPP: Ankara is not able to finish it,
only Russia can do it.

In addition, the Iranian media have recently published information
that in late October, Tehran has concluded a "secret gas deal" with
Turkey on extremely favorable terms.

TURKEY EXPECTS ARMENIA TO RELEASE OCCUPIED AZERI LANDS – AMBASSADOR

news.az
Nov 17 2009
Azerbaijan

Hulusi Kilic The opening of the Turkish-Armenian border is impossible
unless Armenia releases the occupied lands of Azerbaijan, Turkish
ambassador in Baku Hulusi Kilic said.

"Turkey has taken necessary steps reaching the midway. Now it is
Armenia’s turn to make steps", Kilic said Tuesday commenting on the
ratification of the Turkish-Armenian accords on establishing diplomatic
relations between Ankara and Yerevan and opening of borders in the
Turkish parliament.

"Turkey has set its provisions on opening borders with Armenia. This
is the de-occupation of Azerbaijani lands", he said.

The ambassador also noted that Turkey intends to facilitate visa regime
and even lift it with Azerbaijan in the future, the ambassador said.

"This is normal. In the future we should take actions for the citizens
of our countries to be able to travel with identity cards", Kilic
told reporters in Baku Tuesday.

He said from 2007 the Azeri citizens have been able to stay in Turkey
without visas within a month.

"But this time Azerbaijani citizens will be able to stay in Turkey
without visa within three months. Also Turkish citizens will be able
to stay in Azerbaijan without a visa within three months", Kilic said.

"This document will be signed between the Foreign Ministries of
Azerbaijan and Turkey by the end of the year", the Turkish ambassador
in Baku said.

ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN RECEIVED SWEDISH AMBASSADOR

news.am
Nov 17 2009
Armenia

November 17, 2009 National Security Council Secretary Arthur
Baghdasaryan received Swedish Ambassador to Armenia Hans Gunnar Adén.

The officials discussed Armenia-Sweden bilateral cooperation issues,
National Security Council press service informed NEWS.am.

Artur Baghdasaryan attached significance to mutual cooperation
development both in bilateral format and within the framework of
international organizations.

The diplomats also touched upon cooperation between Armenia and
international structures. Arthur Baghdasaryan signified the signing of
the association agreement with EU in the context of further Armenia-EU
relations enhancement.

The officials exchanged views on regional issues, particularly
Armenia-Turkey relations and NKR conflict resolution.

PETER SEMNEBY: I HOPE THE IMPROVEMENTS OBSERVED IN THE SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO KARABAKH CONFLICT WILL CONTINUE

APA
Nov 16 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Viktoria Dementieva – APA. "I hope the improvements observed
in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict will continue. Much
has been achieved up to now. The sides are close to each other and
it can not be lost," special representative of the European Union for
the South Caucasus Peter Semneby told journalists in Baku, APA reports.

Avoiding assessment of the present stage of the negotiations,
Peter Semneby said he does not want to comment on the essence of the
process of negotiations in the sensitive moment when the presidents
are expected to hold the next meeting.

"The fact that the presidents and foreign ministers continue meeting
is in itself a positive sign," he said.

Touching on the normalization of Armenia-Turkey relations, Semneby
said the European Union assesses this process positively.

"We want to see this region as the one with open borders, where people
can travel easily. Commercial relations will bring the countries
of the region closer. The present situation in the Caucasus is not
normal at all – Armenia-Turkey, Armenia-Azerbaijan and Georgia-Russia
borders are closed. There should be a beginning. Much enough has been
achieved in this complex process of negotiations. We hope that serious
improvements will be made in the other open issues, including Nagorno
Karabakh conflict," he said.

Peter Semneby underlined that at the meeting with Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov they discussed Nagorno Karabakh conflict,
court judgment on bloggers Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizadeh.

CIS STATES COMMISSION WILL DISCUSS THE FORMATION OF A CALCULATION SYSTEM OF CITIZENS WHO ARE INELIGIBLE FOR ENTRANCE TO OTHER COUNTRIES

ARMENPRESS
YEREVAN
NOVEMBER 12, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 12, ARMENPRESS: The prospects of forming a
calculation system of citizens who are ineligible for entrance to
other countries will be discussed at the session of CIS States’
Joint Commission for fighting against illegal migration, which will
be held November 12-13 in Minsk.

Press service of CIS Executive Committee told Armenpress that issues
on statistical calculations of Commonwealth countries in the sphere of
migration and establishment of a calculation system of those citizens,
whose entrance right is limited temporarily, are involved in the
agenda of the commission session.

The commission-members will discuss the proposals on the system
of mutual cooperation of eligible bodies of CIS states on the
identification of foreign citizens arrested for not presenting
identification documents and individuals without citizenship, an
official from the press service said.

ARMENIA SHOULD NOT FOCUS ON KARABAKH STATUS QUO: EU REPRESENTATIVE

Trend
Nov 10 2009
Azerbaijan

Armenia is not interested in maintaining the status quo in Karabakh.

The country cannot stay forever in limbo, EU Special Representative
for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby said in an interview with the
Kommersant newspaper.

"It is good that the process of the Armenian-Turkish talks withdrew
from a standstill," he said. "Opening the Turkey-Armenia border may
be the first step to overcoming the abnormal situation where three
of the longest borders in the region are closed – Armenia-Turkey,
Armenia-Azerbaijan and Russia-Georgia."

According to the official, getting Armenian relations back on
track with neighboring countries is necessary for normal regional
development. Semneby said Armenian-Turkish ties have reached a
threshold and a breakthrough is pending. The ratification process
will be hard for a Turkish-Armenian agreement, but it is in both
countries’ interests.

"I am sure that in the long term it is in the interests of Azerbaijan,
because Azerbaijan is also interested in open borders in the region,"
he said. "The August war showed that the South Caucasus countries are
vulnerable and this vulnerability can be removed only by resolving
these issues. I am confident that the Armenian leadership thinks so
and the status quo in Karabakh is not in the interests of Armenia. It
cannot stay in limbo forever."

According to Semneby, efforts must be placed in the Caucasus to
achieve these objectives.

"And this requires the activity of third parties, such as the EU or
Russia. I hope that together we can ensure dialogue," he said.

TIGRAN SARGSIAN RECEIVES KONSUELO VIDAL COMPLETING HER DIPLOMATIC MISSION IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
Nov 11, 2009

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 11, NOYAN TAPAN. RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsian,
on November 11, receiving UN Permanent Coordinator Konsuelo Vidal
completing her diplomatic mission in Armenia specially emphasized
the importance of the work K. Vidal did in Armenia during the four
years of her mission. The Prime Minister considered pivotal not only
the work done by all UN agencies but also Permanent Coordinator’s
personal contribution and expressed gratitude for it.

In response, K. Vidal assured that she will stay Armenia’s friend. She
gave assurance that the next Permanent Coordinator will continue the
good traditions of cooperation and will raise the contacts between
the RA government and UN to a new level.

SENATOR JOHN MCCAIN PUBLICLY RECOGNIZES THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmInfo
2009-11-12 18:22:00

ArmInfo. The Republican Party’s 2008 Presidential nominee, Arizona
Senator John McCain, has publicly and properly recognized the Armenian
Genocide, breaking with his longstanding silence on this human rights
issue and, in the process, dramatically underscoring the post-election
retreat by his campaign opponent, President Barack Obama, from his
high-profile pledge to properly condemn and commemorate this crime,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"I believe that genocide was committed against the Armenian people,
and I think there is ample documentation of that," Sen. McCain told
the Voice of America Georgian language service in an interview focusing
on the Caucasus as well as Armenia-Turkey relations.

ARMENIA-TURKEY RAILWAY NETWORK MAY BE LAUNCHED IN COUPLE OF DAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
11.11.2009 16:29 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia-Turkey railway network may be launched
in couple of days following relevant political decision, Transport
Minister Gurgen Sargsyan told a news conference in Yerevan. "Railway
communication between Armenia and Turkey may be re-established in a
couple of days in case there are relevant political decisions over
Armenian-Turkish rapprochement," he said.

At that he noted that the country’s railways system has always been
in good order, and frontier zone is ready for exploitation. Besides
he said the quality of communication may be enhanced in case of
attracting investments.

With regard to highways, Sargsyan referred to ADB-funded program
aimed at highway reconstruction, particularly in the direction of
Markara village. "Ministry has several programs in that direction,
which will be launched in 2010," Sargsyan said.

ANCA LAUNCHES "COUNTDOWN TO ERDOGAN" CALLING ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO HONOR HIS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE PLEDGE

armradio.am
09.11.2009 13:13

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) today unveiled
"Countdown to Erdogan" – a month-long campaign of grassroots activism
aimed at encouraging the U.S. Congress, the media, and – ultimately
– the White House to put America on the right side of the Armenian
Genocide.

Starting on Monday, November 9th, the ANCA website –
– will launch a new action item every day,
ranging from on-line activism and call-in days to social networking,
coalition-building, community outreach, and hands-on activities – all
aimed at educating and inspiring President Obama, on December 7th,
to tell Prime Minister Erdogan, to his face, that America stands
for a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide. Each
week will also include at least one action item geared to end the
ongoing genocide in Darfur, as part of the ANCA’s broader commitment
to fostering U.S leadership in ending the cycle of genocide.

The first week of the campaign will address the U.S. Senate, the
second the U.S. House, followed by the media on the third week, and
then a final push in the final seven days directly to the White House.

President Obama is set to meet with President Erdogan on December 7th.

"As we all know far too well, when President Obama met this April
in Ankara with Prime Minister Erdogan, he got it wrong, breaking
his clearly and repeatedly stated promise to recognize the Armenian
Genocide," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, in a letter
to campaign participants. "Even worse, in the weeks that followed,
he compounded his broken pledge by joining with Turkey in pressuring
Armenia, a landlocked and blockaded country, into accepting a
historical "commission" that calls into question this very crime
against humanity. This time, on American soil, President Obama has
a chance to make it right – to honor his pledge and be, as he stated
during the campaign, the President the American people deserve."

The "Countdown to Erdogan" campaign launch coincides with recent
statements by Prime Minister Erdogan denying both the Armenian
and Darfur genocides. In recent remarks, he asserted that "It’s
not possible for a Muslim to commit genocide." His statements came
in response to international pressure on Turkey to arrest Sudanese
dictator Omar al-Bashir during a scheduled visit, later postponed,
to Ankara. "We are comfortable [with the visit of al-Bashir],"
explained Erdogan.