Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

STUDY DATA FROM YEREVAN STATE UNIVERSITY UPDATE KNOWLEDGE OF SOLUTION CHEMISTRY

Science Letter
February 16, 2010

According to recent research from Yerevan, Armenia, "Aqueous
solutions of DNA in the presence of dipropylsulfoxide (DPSO) and of
dibutylsulfoxide (DBSO) have been studied using UV-vis spectroscopy
and density measurements."

"It has been shown that significant thermal denaturation of DNA
occurs when DPSO or DBSO are present. The results obtained were
compared with those obtained previously with dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)
and diethylsulfoxide (DESO)," wrote M.G. Aznauryan and colleagues,
Yerevan State University (see also Solution Chemistry).

The researchers concluded: "It is suggested that the lowering of
the transition enthalpy with increasing length of the carbon chain
of the dialkylsulfoxides is due to significance contribution from
hydrophobic interactions."

Aznauryan and colleagues published their study in the Journal of
Solution Chemistry (Properties of DNA plus Dipropylsulfoxide or
Dibutylsulfoxide plus Water Ternary Solutions. Journal of Solution
Chemistry, 2010;39(1):43-50).

For additional information, contact S.A. Markarian, Yerevan State
University, Dept. of Chem, A Manukyan 1, Yerevan 0025, Armenia.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Solution Chemistry is:
Springer, Plenum Publishers, 233 Spring St., New York, NY 10013, USA.

JOSEPH SHAGAL: NONE OF ISRAELI SENIOR OFFICIALS WANTED TO MEET ARMENIAN PM

Today
Feb 17 2010
Azerbaijan

Interview with President of Israel-Azerbaijan International Association
and former member of the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) Joseph Shagal.

What is your assessment of the current state of bilateral ties between
Israel and Azerbaijan?

In this sense, Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman’s visit to Azerbaijan
was very significant. Israeli President Shimon Peres made a trip
to Azerbaijan in late 2009 and FM in early 2010. Thus, we can see
improvement in relations between the two countries. I think that our
relations are very good.

After Lieberman’s visit, we can say the relations are constructive.

The sides have achieved a number of principle agreements which will
be developed.

During his Azerbaijan visit, Israeli Foreign Minister noted a need to
force the process of lifting visa regime for diplomatic persons. In
your opinion, how far has this process advanced?

I believe that this process is quite constructive. Both sides have
come to agreement that this is worth doing. This is a small, but very
important step. This is the first step to introduce visa-free regime.

Of course, this will not happen in one day. I mean abolition of visas
for Israeli and Azerbaijani citizens. This process is on the right
track at the moment. I think a decision on this matter would be taken
by the end of this year.

The Armenian media reports suggest Armenia is very jealous of
Azerbaijan-Israel rapprochement. In your opinion, what is the reason
for this jealousy?

There are two reasons – Azerbaijan-Israel rapprochement which boosts
positions of both countries. Naturally, Armenia, being in confrontation
with Azerbaijan, cannot welcome it. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan’s visit to Israel was canceled recently due to illness of the
Prime Minister. This is the official version. In fact, I think that
the visit was canceled for another reason. The visit was canceled as
none of the senior political leaders in Israel expressed desire to
meet him. So, it made no sense to pay the visit.

Actually, Israel favors normal, friendly relations with all countries
that are positive towards Israel. Unfortunately, we have seen nothing
positive towards Israel from Armenia so far.

Moreover, given that Israel is building relations with Azerbaijan while
Iran supports Armenia, Israel cannot but worry about it. Iran supports
Armenia promoting position of the latter in the Armenian-Azerbaijani
conflict. All these factors suggest that the Armenian side will never
be satisfied with strengthening of relations between Azerbaijan and
Israel. Armenia has failed to drive a wedge between our countries
and will fail to do so.

Kazakhstan has reiterated on many occasions that it is ready to assist
in resolving the Karabakh conflict. In your views, what assistance
can Kazakhstan provide?

Very serious players have worked to solve the Karabakh conflict. That
the conflict remains unresolved thus far indicates that all attempts
to come to some agreement have failed. In my view, it is always
ineffective to solve such conflicts through mediators. Actual results
are achieved through direct negotiations without any intermediaries.

Therefore, the conflict remains unresolved for many years.

There are no positive results in this respect. I do not think that
Kazakhstan’s appearance may bring about any fundamental changes
for the better. In my opinion, Azerbaijan and Armenia should agree
explicitly, without any intermediaries, start a direct dialogue,
clarify their goals, objectives, requirements to address this issue.

The presence of intermediaries only delays the process of negotiations
and leads nowhere.

What are your comments on Armenian President’s Chattam House speech?

Do you think his speech undermined whole process of Nagorno-Karabakh
negotiations?

In the context of Armenian-Turkish dialogue and refusal to sign
the protocols, if the process of the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement
would run in parallel with the Karabakh conflict settlement, it would
have benefited all … The Turkish side argued that it will not seek
rapprochement with Armenia otherwise.

I think that the Armenian-Turkish rapprochement has been suspended
with the problem of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict still hanging
in the air.

TAXI DRIVERS PROTEST NEW PROPOSED LEGISLATION, RALLY IN GYUMRI

Tert.am
15:02 ~U 17.02.10

At 12 pm tomorrow, near Gyumri’s Mother Armenia memorial complex,
Shirak marz’s independent taxi drivers (those who are self-employed,
who are not employed by a taxi company) will be holding a rally,
in which Vanadzor’s taxi drivers will also be participating.

During a January 18 demonstration in which taxi drivers were protesting
RA legislation aimed at placing restirctions on the 824 independent
taxi drivers in Shirak marz (province), organizers gathered signatures
for an appeal directed at RA legistlators, executive bodies and local
authorities in Gyumri.

Responding to the appeal, the head of the Control Service of the
President of the Republic of Armenia, Hovhannes Hovsepyan, had
presented proposals to the taxi drivers to review the legislation –
the taxi drivers, however, responded by organizing tomorrow’s protest
in Gyumri.

‘ABOVE ALL, THE ISSUE’S SOLUTION IS IN INVOLVED SIDES’ HANDS’

Aysor
Feb 16 2010
Armenia

"There is a cautious optimism about the further development of the
process of negotiations on the settlement to the Karabakh conflict,"
said OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Kazakhstan’s Secretary of State and
Foreign Minister Kanat Saudabayev at today’s press conference in
Yerevan, which was held jointly with Armenia’s Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian after bilateral meeting.

Kanat Saudabayev said Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev knows
the conflict’s roots very well, and was involved in the process of
settlement visiting the region in 1991. Kazakhstan is ready to make its
additional efforts, standing from the platform of those results, which
were already reached by all parties, said OSCE Chairman-in-Office.

"We certainly are going to give an impetus to the Karabakh talks,
but at the same time we believe that above all things, the issue’s
solution is in hands of the involved sides. All the other parties
of the process are just assistants. These parts sincerely wish for
the peaceful settlement to the conflict and are going to make their
efforts to help to solve the issue, which causes irreparable damage
to the people, involved in this situation," said Kanat Saudabayev
pointing that the process of settlement should go with stability and
security of the South Caucasus countries.

KAZAKHSTAN PROPOSES ‘BROKER’ SERVICES IN ARMENIAN-AZERBAIJANI CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Azerbaijan Business Center
Feb 16 2010

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Kazakh leader Nursultan Nazarbayev suggested
his Azerbaijani counterpart Ilham Aliyev the package of measures on
settlement of Nagorno Garabagh conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Roman Vasilenko, the chairman of the International Information
Committee of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan, says
that the proposals were handed over to the Azerbaijani President
by Kanat Saudabayev, the OSCE chairman-in-office and minister for
foreign affairs of Kazakhstan who has visited Azerbaijan recently.

"Kazakhstan comes forward an ‘honest broker’ and unprejudiced
mediator. We back OSCE peacemaking efforts and support OSCE Minsk
Group mediators. Kazakhstan’s approach towards the issue of conflict
settlement is from realistic angle. Our challenge is to keep outlined
positive dynamics of the negotiation process," Vasilenko claimed.

As the OSCE chairman-in-office, Saudabayev is traveling now the South
Caucasus states for the purpose of settlement of conflict situation
in the region. Yesterday in Baku he was received by President Ilham
Aliyev, Milli Majlis speaker Ogtay Asadov and foreign minister Elmar
Mammadyarov.

Today Saudabayev is to hold negotiations in Yerevan with Armenian
leader Serzh Sargsyan.

AZERBAIJANI MP: SERZH SARGSYAN’S ACTIONS ARE INCONSISTENT WITH HIS STATUS
Z. Ahmadov

Today
1720.html
Feb 16 2010
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani MP says Armenian president’s statement that his country
would never give Karabakh to Azerbaijan will bring no political
dividends to Yerevan.

"Recent statements by the Armenian President do not meet the standards
of diplomatic etiquette. He speaks as head of an organization, not
as the president of Armenia. Therefore, his words cannot be taken
seriously," MP Azay Guliyev said.

"Serzh Sargsyan’s actions are inconsistent with his status. Armenian
president’s statement that his country would never give Karabakh to
Azerbaijan will not bring any political dividends to Yerevan. Let
him know that Azerbaijan will never reconcile with the loss of part
of its territory," MP said.

"Armenia enjoys very low credibility in the world, because everyone
knows this country as an occupier. In light of recent events and
visits, the British prime minister very well demonstrated the level
of Armenia’s image, refusing to meet with Serzh Sargsyan, who was on
an official visit to the United Kingdom," MP added.

"Apart from this, Serzh Sargsyan was given very cold reception in
the London airport. This once again shows that those in Europe do not
want to talk a man whose words do not go beyond the "street" level,"
MP noted.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER INTRODUCED THE KARABAKH SETTLEMENT PROCESS IN LEBANON

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-02-16 10:48

Within his three-day visit to Lebanon, Foreign Minister of the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic Georgy Petrossian had a series of meetings.

On February 11, the NKR Foreign Minister participated in the liturgy
dedicated to the Vardanants Holiday, which was held in the patron
saint monastery of Antilias. Then, he made a speech for the Lebanon
Armenians participating in the festive event held in the hall of the
Patriarch’s Chamber, as well as in the official dinner organized on
behalf of Cilician Great Home Catholicos Aram I.

Georgy Petrossian introduced detailed information on the Karabakh
conflict settlement process. Ministers of Armenian origin, Deputies,
leaders of political parties, representatives of the Armenian
community, confessors, Armenia’s Ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Qocharyan,
and others participated in the events.

On February 12 and 13, the NKR Foreign Minister had separate
meetings with Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church Nerses Petros
XIX, Chairman of the Middle East Evangelic Churches Union Mkrtich
Karagyozyan, representatives of the Artsakh Union, Armenian political
parties and mass media and answered their numerous questions.

Within the visit, Georgy Petrossian visited also the families of
the soldiers-liberators deceased in Artsakh, laid a wreath at the
Memorial Complex commemorating the Armenian Genocide victims, which
is situated in the yard of the patron saint Antilias Catholicate.

MARTIROS SARYAN’S 130TH ANNIVERSARY TO BE MARKED IN MOSCOW

Aysor
Feb 15 2010
Armenia

The house-museum of Armenian painter Martiros Saryan on the 130th
anniversary of the painter is organizing a series of events, informed
Sofyan Saryan the fund keeper of the museum in the interview with
Aysor.am.

As S. Saryan informed the birthday of the Armenian prominent painter
is on February 28, and on that day in the house-museum of the painter
will be opened an exhibition of photographs. Those are the paintings
from archives which have been worked out by the "Mush-art" studio.

"On the same day in the Moscow Tretyakov gallery will be opened the
exhibition of Saryan’s works", – S. Saryan informed and added that
on the exhibition will be presented the works that are in Tretiakov
museum.

According to S. Saryan, with the support of the RA Culture Ministry,
the exhibition of the painter’s works will be opened on June titled,
"The symbol of the Life tree in Saryan’s works". Around 40 works by
Martiros Saryan will be presented on the exhibition.

NKR PRESIDENT HAD MEETINGS IN PYATIGORSK

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
2010-02-15 15:23

On February 13, President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
(Artsakh Republic) Bako Sahakyan arrived in the city of Pyatigorsk,
administrative center of the North Caucasus Federal Region of the
Russian Federation.

According to the Central Information Department of the Office of the
NKR President, on the same day the Head of the State met leaders and
representatives of business circles of the Armenian community of the
Stavrapol region.

A wide range of issues related to strengthening and deepening relations
between the Motherland and the Diaspora were discussed at the meeting.

Then the President attended the celebrations of Candlemas Day, which
took place at the St.Sargis church of the Pyatigorsk city.

On February 14, Bako Sahakyan met in the city of Pyatigorsk with the
representatives of the Armenian communities of the South of Russia.

During the meeting the Head of the State introduced the current
situation in Artsakh, socio-economic development of the republic, as
well as the current stage and prospects of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh
conflict settlement. Special attention was paid to issues related to
the development of the Motherland-Diaspora relations. Bako Sahakyan
underlined that the deepening of these ties is important both for
strengthening the independent Armenian statehood and for consolidating
the Diaspora and preserving its national identity.

Within this context, the President noted the importance of widening
the cooperation with Armenian communities of the North Caucasus Federal
Region of the Russian Federation, particularly those of the Stavropol
Region, qualifying them as promising.

At the end of the meeting, Bako Sahakyan answered the numerous
questions of those present.

ARMENIA-AZERBAIJAN CONFLICT WILL BE POLITICAL DEFEAT FOR RUSSIA: NIKOLAI SVANIDZE

Tert.am
13:53 ~U 12.02.10

If there is a conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, it will be
a political defeat for Russia no matter how it ends, said Nikolai
Svanidze, popular TV and radio host and member of the Russian Public
chamber, reports News.az.

He said that the emotional degree is rising and only a few years are
left for the peaceful resolution of the conflict. Further, Russia
needs to show increased activity in this region.

"I think it’s impossible to settle the issue peacefully at once. The
parties’ positions are polar and it is impossible to meet one and
another at the same time. We need a continuous dialogue, this must
be achieved…

"I repeat once again that if there is a conflict between Azerbaijan
and Armenia, this will be a political defeat for Russia no matter
how it ends."