Author: Torgomian Varazdat

Al-Arabiya.net, UAE
October 13, 2009 Tuesday

Armenian national anthem booed by Turkish fans

Turkish fans loudly booed Armenia’s national anthem at the start of a
World Cup qualifier here Wednesday attended by Armenian President
Serzh Sarkisian.

Turkish fans loudly booed Armenia’s national anthem at the start of a
World Cup qualifier here Wednesday attended by Armenian President
Serzh Sarkisian.

The jeering also followed the presentation of the Armenian team,
despite appeals from loudspeakers for respect and hospitality.
Sarkisian was watching the game with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in
a show of unity between the two long-estranged neighbors, just days
after they signed deals to overcome a bloody history and normalize
relations. The two presidents shook hands to applause in the
tightly-policed stadium — a scene unthinkable only a few years ago
after a century of rancor rooted in the World War One killings of
Armenians.

Turkey and Armenia have been estranged since World War I when,
Armenians say, 1.5 million of their kin were killed by their Ottoman
rulers in what was a genocide, a label Turkey fiercely rejects.

"We are not writing history. We are making history," Gul said in talks
between the two delegations before the match.

Local fans waved thousands of red-and-white Turkish flags across the
stadium, chanting "Turkey, Turkey", while a small group of Armenians
waved their country’s flag in one corner.

Gul became the first Turkish leader to visit Yerevan last year for the
first leg of what has been called "soccer diplomacy" and the two
countries signed a landmark peace accord on Saturday.

The Turkish national anthem and players were similarly booed in
Yerevan during Gul’s visit Sept. 2008.

Challenges

The agreement, still facing challenges, could help stabilize the south
Caucasus with its vulnerable energy corridor and ease poverty-stricken
Armenia’s geographical isolation.

But it is deeply resisted by nationalists in both countries as well as
by Turkey’s close ally and oil and gas producer Azerbaijan. Turkish
and Armenian parliaments must approve it.

Turkey was leading 2-0 at half-time, but the outcome however was of no
significance as both Armenia and Turkey are already out of the running
for the 2010 World Cup finals.

However unprecedented security for the match underlined how much was
at stake. Neither side wants to give ammunition to opponents of
Armenian-Turkish normalization.

The match at the 18,600-capacity stadium was by invitation only, with
many of the guests police academy students. Some 1,500 police were on
duty.

Special forces marksmen monitored the crowd from the roof of the
stadium, scanning the stands with binoculars.
There were scuffles outside the stadium between police and a group of
Turkish supporters without tickets, prompting the police to spray them
with pepper gas.

Thorny issues

The game in Bursa, a former Ottoman imperial city, gave the presidents
a chance to discuss thorny unresolved issues, including lands disputed
by Azerbaijan and Armenia and popular opinion polarized by genocide
accusations.

Sarksyan is under intense pressure from nationalists at home and
influential diaspora Armenians not to deal with Ankara until it
acknowledges genocide.

"We are doing a good thing. We are taking steps that we believe are
right," state-run Anatolian news agency reported Sarksyan as saying in
talks between the delegations.

Endorsement of the agreement could ease Armenia’s economic plight and
strengthen Turkey’s European Union membership bid.
Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has said the protocols will be submitted
to parliament next week, but many observers are skeptical there will
be approval before progress on disputed territories, including
Nagorno-Karabakh, to satisfy Azerbaijan.
Turkey cut ties and shut its border with Armenia in 1993 over an
uprising in Karabakh by ethnic Armenians who also seized a swathe of
Azeri land around the territory.

Fighting ended in Karabakh with a ceasefire in 1994 after 30,000 were
killed. Talks are under way over a final settlement.

Interfax, Russia
Oct 10 2009

Armenia disliked mention of Karabakh in Turkey’s draft statement – sources

ZURIEVAN Oct 10

The draft statement of Turkey that was supposed to follow the signing
of Armenian-Turkish protocols in Zurich contained a phrase about
Nagorno Karabakh, the Armenian media reported Saturday evening quoting
diplomatic sources.

They said that in this context the Armenian side expressed its protest
and after talks with Armenian representatives U.S. Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton received an amended text of the statement.

U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reports in Zurich that
U.S. diplomats are helping the sides reach agreement on the statement
that should be announced at the ceremony.

Clinton held talks with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian
and Turkish officials to settle the differences, the Armenian media
said.

Unconfirmed reports say the Armenian side is holding intensive
consultations to make its point clear. It is possible that the
Armenian delegation will come up with an announcement.

ml

Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 10 2009

Armenia must withdraw from pressure of international Armenian lobby:
Turkish prime minister

Armenia must withdraw from the pressure of the international Armenian
lobby, Prime Minister of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Oct. 10,
answering questions of journalists of CNN Turk TV channel.

The Prime Minister also said that he would never agree to infringe the
interests and rights of Azerbaijan.

"In my speech at the Azerbaijani Parliament, I said openly that the
interests of Azerbaijan are important for us," he said.
Turkey and Armenia will sign a protocol on normalization of the
relations in the Swiss city of Zurich on Oct. 10.

Political consultations will be completed within six weeks, and
following that two protocols will be signed and submitted to the two
countries’ parliaments for approval, the Turkish Foreign Ministry
reported on August 31 when an agreement was reached on protocol.

However, at present Turkey does not plan to open the borders with
Armenia, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davudoglu said earlier.
Armenian-Turkish ties have been severed since 1993 after Armenia’s
occupation of Azerbaijani territories.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.
Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. – are
currently holding the peace negotiations

BLOOD BANK TO BE CREATED IN NKR

News.am
19:14 / 10/16/2009

Specialists of the RA Institute of Hematology and Hemotransfusion
held an open day in the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR). The Armenian
specialists plan to introduce their NKR colleagues to current problems
and modern methods in the field of hematology.

At his meeting with the Armenian specialists, NKR Minister of Health
Armen Khachatryan pointed out the necessity for relevant government
programs in the NKR. The participants also pointed out the need
for creating a blood bank. The Armenian specialists expressed their
willingness to assist with training and consultations.

IMF PROVIDES 100M AID TO ARMENIA, 46M – TO GEORGIA

News.am
12:14 / 10/17/2009

The European Commission extends the macro-financial assistance of
~@100m to Armenia and ~@46 m for Georgia, EU press release reads
October 16.

The Commission proposed to the Council to provide macro-financial
assistance (MFA) to Armenia in the form of a loan of up to ~@65
million and a grant of up to ~@35m. The assistance will be provided
in two installments, tentatively in the first and fourth quarter
of 2010. The assistance will support the adjustment program agreed
between Armenia and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help
the country through the global crisis.

The global economic crisis started affecting Armenia in the last
quarter of 2008. As the country’s economic activity and external
situation deteriorated, Armenia agreed, in March 2009, a USD
540m Stand-By Arrangement program with the IMF. In the light of a
substantial worsening of the economic conditions, the IMF decided in
June 2009 to approve an increase of its resources by about USD 250m.

Armenia’s GDP is foreseen to decrease by 15.6% in 2009, the budget
deficit to reach 7.5% of GDP and the current account deficit to reach
13.7% of GDP. A slow recovery is expected in 2010. Other international
donors like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank support
Armenia’s economic adjustment effort along with other bilateral donors,
the paper says.

The Commission also proposed ~@46m in grants to Georgia, also under
the European Union’s MFA program. The grant would be provided in two
installments, tentatively in the fourth quarter of 2009 and first
half of 2010. In the case of Georgia, the assistance is part of an
EU package of up to ~@500m to support Georgia’s economic recovery
in the aftermath of the conflict with Russia, and will support the
adjustment program agreed with the IMF.

According to EU, the military conflict with Russia and the impact of
the global crisis have severely affected the economic situation in
Georgia, which had previously enjoyed a strong growth performance. The
real GDP is expected to decline by 4% in 2009, about the same as the
EU average.

ANTI-TERRORIST OPERATIONS IN TURKEY

News.am
19:12 / 10/15/2009

Twenty-two people were arrested in Turkey on suspicion of cooperation
with terrorist organization Al-Qaeda as a result of anti-terrorist
operation in 8 provinces. The arrests were made in Van and Erzurum
(cities of Turkey), Turkish Hurriyet daily reports.

The search of offices and houses was conducted, as a result illegal
weapons, computers, documents and disks indicating the training of
detained in the Al-Qaeda camps were confiscated.

The investigation is in progress, Anatolia news agency reports,
referring to the Van Chief of Police.

Anti-terrorist operations were held in Bursa, Sakarya, Batman and
Hatay.

A SYRIA-TURKEY-IRAN TRIANGLE IN THE MAKING

National
October 14. 2009 8:37PM UAE

Syrian-Turkish relations are rapidly evolving on all fronts, noted the
pan-Arab daily Al Quds al Arabi in its main leader. The two parties
have signed an agreement to establish a free trade zone and to waive
entry visas for the citizens of both states.

"Syria has started to look northwards to break out of its isolation
in the Arab world, which had been imposed on it by Saudi Arabia and
Egypt at a time when many differences arose over Lebanon."

At the same time, Turkey has about-faced eastwards and started to
embrace its Ottoman legacy after its efforts to join the EU proved
to be fruitless.

It is not yet clear how this Syrian-Turkish entente will influence
the region’s alliances. Countries like Egypt, for instance, are quite
"embarrassed" by Turkey’s dynamism. Syria itself thinks Turkey would
become a serious challenger if it gains full access to the Arab region
by championing all its major causes, especially Palestine’s.

Now, adding Iran to the equation, a Damascus-Ankara-Tehran
triangle would appear to be edging its way to replace the older
Damascus-Cairo-Riyadh bloc which has governed the region for over
30 years.

THE ARMENIANS OF GEORGIA: A NEW FLASHPOINT IN THE CAUCASUS?

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Thursday, 15 October 2009

As Turkey and Armenia prepare to open their mutual border and begin a
thaw in their relationship, there are fears that a recent spat between
Tbilisi and Yerevan could heighten regional tensions once again.

In early September, Armenia’s President Serzh Sarkisian set out plans
to improve the situation of Georgia’s ethnic Armenians. He called
for the preservation of Armenian national monuments in Georgia,
registering the Armenian Apostolic Church and – most importantly –
recognising Armenian as an official language in Georgia.

The series of measures followed a visit by Georgian President Mikheil
Saakashvili to Yerevan in June, when Georgia’s Armenians formally
called on President Sarkisian to raise their demands – for greater
cultural and political rights – with President Saakashvili (RFE/RL,
June 18). Not wishing to antagonise a vital ally when the ‘Turkish
thaw’ still seemed distant, President Sarkisian quietly ignored the
demands. Indeed, he actually praised the Georgian leader for his
efforts at improving the social and economic welfare of Javakheti,
a region mostly populated by ethnic Armenians in southern Georgia
(RFE/RL, June 25).

The package of measures which President Sarkisian proposed in September
therefore came as something of a surprise to Tbilisi. Georgian
officials reacted with scorn – State Minister for Reintegration Temur
Iakobashvili remarked that he was "very glad that Armenian language
is the only state language in Armenia", but that it would not be
adopted in Georgia (Georgia Times, September 3).

Analysts have linked the timing of the move to the Turkish thaw. The
imminent opening of the Turkish-Armenian border (if both parliaments
ratify the move, which is still not certain) means that Georgia’s
position as Armenia’s only easy transport corridor to the West is
at risk. With the option of moving goods west through Turkey, rather
than north-west to Georgia across the Black Sea, Tbilisi’s vital role
as an economic lifeline for Yerevan will be lost.

This increases Armenia’s bargaining position regarding Georgia,
and particularly the Armenians of Javakheti. The issue has been a
matter of contention for years between the two sides. The Javakheti
Armenians complain that their cultural and political rights are
being ignored by Tbilisi, and frequently appeal to Yerevan for
aid. Unwilling to irritate Georgia, Armenia has so far been muted in
its response. Tbilisi, for its part, fears that any movements towards
‘autonomy’ could turn Javakheti into another Abkhazia or South Ossetia
– a rebel region outside the control of the central government. The
Georgian government is fully aware that it rules over a fractured
patchwork of different ethnic groups, all of which could – in theory –
revolt against Tbilisi’s control.

The Abkhazia/South Ossetia parallel is instructive for another
reason. Georgia, perhaps understandably, sees the hand of Russia
behind every call for autonomy in Javakheti. A large Russian military
base was located in the region until 2007, and Armenia is Russia’s
strongest ally in the South Caucasus. Both factors created suspicion
that Russia is using its regional influence to stir up opposition to
Georgian rule in Javakheti.

There have been numerous protests against Georgia’s rule in
Javakheti. In April 2005, several thousand Armenians protested
against the planned closure of the Russian military base (Central
Asia-Caucasus Analyst, April 6 2005). The base, a Soviet legacy,
brought much-needed employment and economic assistance to the region.

Is Moscow behind protests against Georgian rule? It should not be ruled
out. Georgia has sometimes arrested local Armenian activists, accusing
them of stirring up separatism on behalf of foreign powers, presumably
Russia, although these could also be trumped-up charges. Georgia can
also dismiss demands to improve the social and economic conditions
in the region, by claiming that every complaint and ‘.

It is unclear whether the government in Yerevan would attempt to
provoke Georgia on Russia’s behalf. Armenia now needs as many friends
as possible, especially whilst its cold war with Azerbaijan continues,
and will not actively provoke Georgia. Georgian territory remains
the shortest route to Russia, particularly for vital gas pipelines,
which will still be needed for years, until Armenia’s energy needs
can be met by Turkey and Iran.

The real explanation behind Armenia’s criticisms of Georgia is
domestic. With the Armenian diaspora increasingly coming to view
President Sarkisian as a ‘traitor’ for his rapprochement with Turkey,
he urgently needs to shore up his credentials as an Armenian patriot.

What better way to do so than to issue a low-risk criticism of
Georgia? The package of measures he proposed does not contain
recommendations for improving the region’s economic situation, its
most urgent priority. The measures are cultural – church, history,
and language, all important signifiers of Armenian identity. Javakheti
is viewed by Armenian nationalists as part of ‘Greater Armenia’,
which they believe should be united in a single state, so being seen
to support Armenian identity there acts as ‘compensation’ for peace
with Turkey.

Nonetheless, the issue of Javakheti remains tense. It will only become
more important for Armenian identity as the historical animosity
towards Turkey begins to fade. It could become a lightning rod for
Armenian nationalists, provoking a counter-reaction from Georgia,
and creating a new flashpoint in the Caucasus.

By Alexander Jackson Caucasus Update No. 50, October 12, 2009 Caucasian
Review of International Affairs ()

AZERI PARTY URGES FOR TEMPORARY WITHDRAWAL OF AZERI AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.10.2009 18:22 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ National-Socialist Party of Azerbaijan issued an
address to Azeri Parliament suggesting to hold discussions over
RA-Turkish protocols concluded and temporarily withdraw Azeri
Ambassador to Turkey, revising Azerbaijan’s participation in
international projects involving Ankara.

"Opening of border with Armenia before Azeri lands’ liberation will
spell Ankara’s stabbing Azerbaijan in the back," Party Leader Rovshan
Guseinov stated. " Official Baku has to prevent Turkish authorities’
traitorous steps, which contradict Azerbaijan’s interests," he said,
noting that Turkish authorities are negotiating with opposition to
gain their agreement for RA-Turkey Protocols’ ratification.

According to Guseinov, Protocols’ conclusion was disadvantageous to
either Azerbaijan or Armenia, who lost Russia as its ally. Turkey
was the only one to gain, Radio Svoboda cited him as saying.

OPEN AIR MUSEUM TO BE ORGANIZED IN TSITSERNAKABERD BY 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENOCIDE

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
13.10.2009 16:26 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In a meeting with "Galust Gyulbenkyan" foundation
delegates, Diaspora Minister Hranush Hakobyan introduced the current
programs implemented in collaboration with NAS Institute Literature,
Art and History.

Minister also informed guests about plans of organizing an open
air museum in Tsitsernakaberd. The exhibition, to be held by 100th
anniversary of Genocide, will display Genocide monument miniatures
from all over the world.

Head of delegation Martin Yesayan, Armenian community leader in
Ireland and Great Britain, highly appreciated Ministry’s role in
strengthening Armenia-Diaspora ties.