Author: Vardapetian Ophelia

Trend, Azerbaijan
Oct 24 2009

National resistance movement should be re-established in Azerbaijan: MP

Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct.24 / Trend News A.Huseynbala /

There is a serious need to re-establish the National Resistance
Movement (NRM) in connection with settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem, the Azerbaijani MP from opposition Panah Huseyn believes.

"Formerly, made attempts were to re-establish the NRM’s activities
initiated by former president Abulfaz Elchibey and currently there is
more favorable situation in the country for it," Huseyn told Trend
News on Oct.24.

In 1988-1991 the NRM operated in the country to restore the
independence of Azerbaijan.

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.

According to Huseyn, the movement that will help society to express
its protest against the actions on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, that
are contrary to Azerbaijan’s interests may be named in a different
way.

"Our aim is to organize social mobilization of political forces, NGOs,
prominent intellectuals, as well as veterans of the Karabakh war,
families of martyrs and representatives of the occupied lands," the MP
added.

According to Huseyn, the most acceptable option for achieving this
mobilization could be the restoration of the NRM. "In my opinion, this
function can be done by establishing the movement, like the Popular
Front. However, because of disagreements among the political forces,
the most acceptable option is to recreate the NRM," he added.

ARMENIAN-TURKISH RAPPROCHEMENT DEPENDS ON KARABAKH CONFLICT: POLITICAL EXPERT

Today.Az
/56864.html
Oct 23 2009
Azerbaijan

"I do not want to believe in cooling of relations between Azerbaijan
and Turkey," Doctor of Laws, Azerbaijani political expert Rustam
Mammadov said commenting on the situation after the signing of
Turkey-Armenia protocols in Zurich on Oct. 10.

"I understand the complexity of the situation for Turkey. The United
States and the EU put pressure on it. But this does not mean that
Ankara should give up. I think that Turkey should act in accordance
with its interests, which implies maintaining close relations with
Azerbaijan, which is the only true ally of Turkey in the world,"
Mammadov said.

"Turkey signed the protocols in Zurich only under pressure from third
countries. I even have the view that the United States and Russia have
agreed upon the processes that will occur in our region. Therefore,
if they force Turkey to open borders with Armenia, they will also
force Armenia to liberate the occupied Azerbaijani territories. If
Armenia refuses to do so, Yerevan will face fiasco in terms of the
global financial crisis," Mammadov said.

The expert said that ratification of the Turkey-Armenia protocols
in the Turkish parliament depends on intensification of negotiations
between Azerbaijan and Armenia.

The process of Armenian-Turkish rapprochement is directly dependent
on progress in the Karabakh conflict, he said.

PROFESSIONAL BANKING COMMUNITY OF ARMENIA DETERMINES ITS LEADERS

ArmInfo
2009-10-23 16:40:00

ArmInfo. Dignified competitors have been determined by the professional
banking community of Armenia. An interbank cross-check public opinion
poll among 60 top managers of 19 commercial banks of Armenia have
determined 8 leading banks in 12 nominations: ACBA-Credit Agricole
Bank, HSBC Bank Armenia, Ardshininvestbank, INECOBANK, Unibank,
Armeconombank, ArmSwissBank and Ameriabank.

To recall, the public opinion poll entitled "The Best Competitor"
is held by the financial-analytical service of the Agency of Rating
Marketing Information (ArmInfo) once every two years and reflects the
summarized assessment of the quality of activity of the banking market
participant-competitors by heads of the banks and their departments.

The public opinion poll has covered such spheres and segments of
banking as the level of management, corporate management, participation
in SME financing, large business crediting, activity in the market
of consumer and mortgage crediting, level of work in currency market,
activity in the sphere of card business, work in money transfer market,
as well as in the market of government securities and corporate debt;
the level of technological equipment of the competitiors was also
assessed.

The final indices of the poll, i.e. the averaged percentage points
for all nominations have demonstrated that the professional market
participants highly estimate the level of work of the top five banks,
namely: ACBA-Credit Agricole Bank (48,3% out of possible 100%),
Armeconombank (47,3%), Converse Bank (47,3%), Ardshininvestbank
(46,7%), and HSBC Bank Armenia (46,6%). The top ten also includes
Unibank, INECOBANK, ARARATBANK, VTB Bank (Armenia) and Ameriabank.

"The leaders of assumptions" by the level of management are a group
of three banks: ACBA-Credit Agricole (56,3%), Ameriabank (51,2%),
Armeconombank (51%) and HSBC Bank Armenia (50,5%).

In the nomination "the level of corporate management" HSBC Bank Armenia
(50%) is in the lead; ACBA- Credit Agricole (48,4%), Ameriabank
(45,5%), Armeconombank (43,9%) rank next.

By the level of participation in SME financing the biggest preference
has been given to ACBA-Credit Agricole (60,9%), INECOBANK (54,6%),
Armeconombank (52,3%) and Converse Bank (50,3%).

By the activity in large business crediting, Ardshininvestbank (58,8%)
is in the lead; HSBC Bank Armenia (54,8%), Ameriabank (54,7%), VTB Bank
(Armenia) (53,6%) rank next.

By the level of consumer crediting, the list is headed by INECOBANK
(60,2%), ACBA-Credit Agricole (53,2%) and Unibank (49,8%).

By the assessment of the activity level in the mortgage crediting
market, Unibank (55,1%), HSBC Bank Armenia (53,1%), Armeconombank
(47,1%), Converse Bank (46,5%) are in the lead.

By the activity in the currency market, Ardshininvestbank (53,3%),
Converse Bank (52,9%) and HSBC Bank Armenia (50,7%) are the leaders.

In the market of plastic cards the leaders are Armeconombank (57,3%),
ACBA-Credit Agricole (56,9%), Ardshininvestbank (52%), Converse Bank
(52%), and HSBC Bank Armenia (49,7%).

In the market of money transfers the traditional leader is Unibank
(60.3%); Anelik Bank (51,6%), Ardshininvestbank (49,3%) and
Armeconombank (47,3%) rank next.

The level of technological equipment of the banks is estimated by
the competitors as follows: HSBC Bank Armenia (45,5%), which has
been maintaining the first position since 2007; ACBA-Credit Agricole
(43,6%) and Converse Bank (41,8%) rank next.

By the activity in the government securities market ArmSwissBank
is in the lead (53,8%); Converse Bank (46,7%) and Ardshininvestbank
(46,7%), ARARATBANK (44,9%), HSBC Bank Armenia (43,8%) rank next.

In the new nomination "activity in the corporate debt market"
Ameriabank (42%) is in the lead; ArmSwissBank (39,8%), Converse Bank
(35,9%), Ardshininvestbank (34,8%) and ARARATBANK (34,8%) rank next.

To note, since 2005 (the moment of the first public opinion poll),
Armeconombank has maintained its leading position for plastic cards,
and INECOBANK – for consumer credits. Since 2007 HSBC Bank Armenia
has maintained its leading positions in two nominations – the level
of corporate management and technological equipment, and Unibank –
in the nomination of money transfers.

It is noteworthy that the subjective professional opinion of the
Armenian banking community reflected in the poll results, like in
the previous surveys, mostly reflects the real scene of the banks’
activity in certain spheres of banking with slight distortions.

ARMENIANS BEGIN TO MINE NEUTRAL TERRITORIES AROUND LINE OF CONTACT BETWEEN THE TROOPS

APA
Oct 22 2009
Azerbaijan

Baku. Rashad Suleymanov – APA. Armenian armed forces are strengthening
their positions throughout frontline in occupied Fuzuli and Khojavend
regions of Azerbaijan.

The Armenian forces have begun fortifications in the frontline from
October 20, reliable sources told APA. They are digging entrenchments
and fortifying the trench shelters. They are also mining the neutral
territories around the line of contact between the troops. The
Armenians have also begun movements toward the frontline in Fuzuli
region. Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and defense minister Seyran
Ohanian arrived in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan to see
positions in the line of contact between the troops.

Spokesman for the Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan Teymur Abdullayev
told APA that it doesn’t need to give attention to the actions of
Armenians in the line of contact. "We keep such issues under the
control. Azerbaijani Army is able to prevent any attack of enemy".

MATERIALS OF EXECUTORY PROCESS ON BJNI COMPANY HANDED TO COMPANY REPRESENTATIVES

Noyan Tapan
Oct 21, 2009

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 21, NOYAN TAPAN. The representatives of Bjni Mineral
Water Plant CJSC went on October 20 to the Kotayk regional unit
of the Service for Compulsory Enforcement of Court Decrees (CECD)
of the RA Ministry of Justice and received all materials of the
executory process 07-807/08 related to the company. Spokesperson for
CECD Service said that the copies of about 3,000 pages summarized in
7 volumes were handed to the company representatives.

According to the same source, until now the materials of the case
have been given to Bjni company representatives at their request,
in response to their letters, and CECD Service also informed them
in writing that it is ready to provide all the materials to them at
any moment. CECD Service considers Bjni representatives’ claims that
the Service declines to give the materials to them as an attempt to
politicize the case.

SCR DIRECTOR GENERAL: ONE OF THE PRIOR TASKS IS ARMENIA’S INTEGRATION INTO TRANSPORT CORRIDOR EUROPE- CAUCASUS-ASIA

ArmInfo
2009-10-21 15:02:00

ArmInfo. One of the prior tasks of the South Caucasus Railway (SCR)
is Armenia’s integration into transport corridor Europe-Caucasus-Asia,
including as a transit link, SCR Director General Shevket Shaydullin
said in a press conference on Wednesday when commenting on possible
consequences of opening the Armenian-Turkish border.

"President of Armenia has set the task of integration into transport
corridors. I have discussed this task also during my meeting
with the prime minister of Armenia. Joining Europe-Caucasus-Asia
transport corridor will open quite new opportunities of positioning
not only inside Armenia. We will start forming logistic chains
where international railway transit will be via Armenia," Shevket
Shaydullin said. In this respect, construction of the railway section
Fioletogo-Vanadzor will become another link in the action plan. The
project is ready and the company is searching for potential investors.

"This is a principal approach probably to opening of the border with
Azerbaijan as well," he said. As compared to regional railway routes
passing by Armenia, in particular Kars-Akhalkalaki railway, SCR will
offer a more favorable project with shorter distance and higher speed.

Fight for the position of the transit link must become prior for the
SCR and the government, Shevket Shaydullin said.

ARMENIA, CHINA DEVELOP COOPERATION

PanARMENIAN.Net
20.10.2009 17:43 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Armenia Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan met Tuesday
with China’s Ambassador to RA Hong Jiuyin.

Minister Ohanyan thanked Ambassador Jiuyin for the assistance Chinese
leadership rendered to Armenia in the framework of agreements signed
in 2006-2008.

"The cooperation between our countries is rapidly developing in all
fields," he said, reported the press office of RA Defense Ministry.

TURKISH PM CONSIDERS HIS STATEMENTS ON KARABAKH ISSUE A MATTER OF HONOR: AZERBAIJANI MP

Today
html
Oct 20 2009
Azerbaijan

"Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan considers own statements
that the protocols will not be ratified without progress in resolution
of the Nagorno-Karabakh problem a matter of honor and is ready to
bear responsibility for his words."

"The Turkish prime minister expressed this idea in his meeting with
the Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation," Azerbaijani MP Mubariz
Gurbanli told the official Web site of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party
(NAP) on Oct.20.

"Our delegation also held a meeting at the Committee on Foreign Policy,
where the Turkish side has expressed solidarity with Azerbaijan. It
was noted that the protocols may be returned after discussions in
the committee, without entering the parliament," Gurbanli added.

COMMON HISTORY, COMMON DESTINY AND COMMON FUTURE

Today’s Zaman
0-103-common-history-common-destiny-and-common-fut ure.html
Oct 19 2009
Turkey

With its "zero problems with neighbors" policy, Turkey’s efforts
inside the country and out are continuing at dazzling speed. I asked
a Justice and Development Party (AK Party) executive the reason why
the initiatives were introduced in such a rapid fashion with one
following the next. The executive responded, "I connect it to the
delay in overcoming the effects of the Cold War period."

Just 10 years ago, it was unimaginable for Syria and Turkey, which
were on the brink of war, to set sail toward "unlimited" friendship.

Iraq, which had become a nest of terrorism, was a country that was
far from being a friend. It is for this reason that during the US-led
invasion of Iraq, Turkey almost became a partner in crime. But by
rejecting the March 1 motion, Parliament duly represented the national
will. Now Turkey has reached a point where it is contemplating removing
restrictions against Iraq. Signing protocols with Armenia and agreeing
to open the border was previously unlikely to happen. But it has
happened. The process began not with the language of cold diplomacy
but with a warm conversation over sports. The establishment of a free
trade zone with Iran is another item that is on the agenda.

Bridges have already been built with Nakhchivan and Georgia, and
relations have improved to the highest level. However, my same friend
said, "There is more distance to be traveled en route to building
friendships with neighbors."

The AK Party executive, who linked the success of these initiatives to
the escape from "deep" structures left over from the Cold War, asked,
"Could these steps have been taken if a structure that generated chaos
to create an atmosphere fit for a coup continued its activities?" The
executive noted that Turkish officials would return a visit paid by
George Papandreou, who traveled to Turkey on his fifth day in office
after being elected prime minister of Greece. The Greek leader had
shared a peace-building award with Ä°smail Cem during his tenure as
foreign minister. The senior AK Party official also said that with
the closure of the crisis chapter with Bulgaria, relations between the
two countries will be significantly improved. Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutuoglu’s emphasis on "a common history, a common fate and a common
future" includes the message that Turkey will grow with its neighbors.

A friend of mine who is a foreign policy expert said the slogan
"A common history, a common fate and a common future" was crafted
deliberately. "For example, it’s no coincidence that there is no
reference to a common culture. We share a common culture with neighbors
with which we have a common history, but that kind of expression
would have been limiting. As for the reference to a common fate, it
encompasses everyone in the region. The emphasis on a common future
expresses that it would be easier to build a high-quality future if
it is done together. We can extend this partnership to our neighbors
that have a coast on the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. We are
evaluating every opportunity for peace and friendship, including
soccer and provocations," he added.

Asked what he meant by provocations, my friend went on to explain: "In
the first week of September 2007, Israeli jets used Turkish airspace
to attack a military building in Syria. This attempt, which could have
ruined relations with Turkey, had the complete opposite effect. The two
countries did not fall into that trap." Speaking of Israel, I asked,
"Why was the problem with Israel deepened when ‘zero problems with
neighbors’ initiatives were being launched one after the other?"

He said the exclusion of Israel from the Anatolian Eagle military
drill was a step toward solving the problem. Noting that they wanted
to help Israel face the Gaza massacre it carried out at the start of
the year, my friend said: "You are going to kill innocent people and
then act like nothing happened. Is there a more diplomatic way that
could have been used to explain that that era has now passed?"

AZERBAIJAN-ISRAEL COOPERATION AS COUNTERBALANCE TO ARMENIA-TURKEY RAPPROCHEMENT

Information-Analytic Agency NEWS.am
Oct 19 2009
Armenia

"The aggravation of the Turkish-Israeli relations is, to an extent,
a confrontation between the Islamic World and the Jewish state. It
is no secret that the incumbent Turkish authorities are pro-Islamic,
and, sooner or later, Turkey’s relations with Israel were to reach
the present state," the RA Parliament member Vardan Khachatryan
told NEWS.am.

According to him, the main reason for disagreements between Turkey and
Israel is the latter’s position on the Kurdish problem, particularly
its support for the formation of a Kurdish autonomy. In this context,
Khachatryan is sure that this factor certainly affected the bilateral
relations.

Simultaneously with aggravating its relations with Turkey, Israel
is developing relations with Azerbaijan. As to what effect it may
have on the Turkish-Azerbaijani strategic relations, Khachatryan
said: "Although I cannot make any forecasts, the Armenia-Turkey
normalization process would certainly cause problems between Turkey
and Azerbaijan. No doubts, Azerbaijan will revise its foreign policy.

As a result, official Baku will use cooperation with Israel as a
counterbalance to the Turkish-Armenian relations."