Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

SINAN OGAN: THE FRAME OF TURKEY’S REGIONAL SECURITY EFFORTS IN THE CAUCASUS COOPERATION AND STABILITY PLATFORM

Regnum
Dec 11 2009
Russia

Five-day war that occurred in August 2008 radically changed to
security conception in South Caucasus. After August war, post-USSR
that was changed to regional balance in South Caucasus, Abhazia and
South Ossetia that are two of the frozen problems in the region were
resolved differently with their independence and the map of the energy
lines in the region has been opened to discussion. One of the region’s
two major power in which Turkey did not remain silent in the face of
these developments that occurred and immediately after the war, Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited to countries in the region. He
was brought up "Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform" proposal.

The opinion "Platform" was not originally a new one. Suleyman Demirel
who was the president of Turkish Republic firstly mention about this
opinion. Demirel were influenced from Southeastern Europe Stability
Pact (SESP) which is established in Sarajevo in the July 30,1999
for Balkans which has significant similarities with Caucasus. In
approximately six months after the establishment of SESP, in the
January 15,2000 posed as an idea that Caucasus Stability Pact (CSP)
planned towards from west to east on both sides of Black sea (Balkans
and Caucasus) for maintaining the Southeast Europe’s security.

However, all the world’s attention directed to the Balkans at that
time and this platform that envisaged for the Caucasus did not have
enough support so that it could not put into practice. Developments in
the meantime period has shown that such a platform is essential not
only in the Balkans but also in the South Caucasus in the same time
South Caucasus and even Middle East. Nevertheless, both Caucasus and
Middle East got late for establishing such a platform. In that this
proposal that raised in the wake of a war would have been interesting
in the beginning; however, passing the normal life had become much
more difficult.

It is understood that the Prime Minister Erdogan himself negotiated
with the President of the Russian Federation Dmitri Medvedev and
Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili and they discussed with the
proposal which has no possibility to carry out. Because that region
appeared a new balance in post- war period. Such a platform in each
country looks their own perception and each country has a different
South Caucasus security perception. As we look at the angle of the
Russian Federation, it is seen that Russia supports this proposal.

However, Russian’s expectation from this platform does not seem to
overlap with Georgia’s expectation.Russia defends to include both
Abhazia and South Ossetia in this platform.

Whereas Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan featured the territorial
integrity principle of th countries at the framework of this platform.

On the other hand, post-war region, Russia who is leadership in the
South Caucasus play important advantages compared to other competitors
who enter into the this platform really does not want to restrict
itself is considered.

Georgia is essentially eager to ensure the territorial integrity
within the framework.Furthermore, Georgia proposed by Turkey and not
think of getting in to the United States does not consider to its
own interest that the most important ally, US stay out this platform.

Georgia has not satisfied from Turkey’s neutralization during the war.

Conversely, Russian Federation President Dmitri Medvedev thanks for
Turkey’s neutralization stance to Erdogan. Whereas Georgia stated to
regard EU mediator instead of Turkey in post-war period.

Azerbaijan and Armenia has different expectations at the framework
of this platform and these expectation easily satisfied, at least it
does not seem possible to be solved in the short term.

"Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform" through proposal has
passed more than a year over the time. When we look at study which is
done through the proposal, Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform
(CSCP) can be seen at the technician level meeting of the first fives
in Helsinki.

To the first meeting of CSCP’s technicians’ level meeting within
the frame of the 16th Session of the Council of Ministers of The
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Deputy
Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ambassador Unal Ceviköz)
from Turkey, and deputy secretaries of state from Russia, Georgia,
Armenia and Azerbaijan attended. It has been working on a draft
document at the meeting and this document is planned to include the
principle,objective and mechanism of CSCP. However, after this meeting,
the issue of CSCP could not be shown a remarkable improvement.

By all means, establishing and materializing a multilateral
organization in a problematic geography such as Caucasia doesn’t seem
to be easy. However, there are many reasons including the proposal
that had come from Turkey so that this led to frown on this proposal
for some regions and this proposal was not appropriated by the West.

The one reason of the proposal that could not develop "Caucasus
Stability and Cooperation Platform" has come from Turkey. Platform
proposal infrastructure hurriedly not preparing to be applied to work
in the post-war.The countries who have interests and the countries of
the regions have different expectations which are the most important
deadlock. Of course, we should indicate one year is too short a time
for such a difficult geography that tries to establish a stability
platform.

Even while Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization which is
almost 20-year history was not be able to pass activity, the proposal
"Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform" will immediately put
into practice and it has a deep history in the region that should not
expect solutions to the problems. So do the problems of the region
have waited whether for the patience? How has to need the system in
order to prevent frozen problems by returning hot conflicts and solve
the current problems? Sure, the real issue that is considered is this.

Today, as we look at the region, we see that a new process started
to these regions. The change power in US, who think Barack Obama may
be what changes unlike the Bush administration’s Greater Middle East
Project, such as escaping from an obsession over a more realistic
policy in the period of power in the region?

First, we should express that after the attack September 11, US invaked
to Afghanistan and/but US is fighting terrorism there but it left the
task and it is eager to oust Saddam Hussein that was like the mission
of US. All of them caused the US to be found in the Iraqi quagmire.

U.S. invaked to Iraq within the framework of the Great Middle East
Project but this situation caused Iraq produce terror swamp.Moreover,
any return to the U.S. invasion of Iraq would not be the factor that
was obvious.Today, U.S. global domination continues to have returned
to Afghanistan again.

U.S. foreign policy has shifted to the center of gravity from the
Middle East to South Asia.With this new understanding of the changing
is elected as the new favorite places of Islamic world, the region
Afghanistan-Pakistan,by another name is South Asia region.we have
been shifted to see that our new perception "South Asia Project" is
geopolitical division of the Islamic center, the center of gravity
of the center from the classical Middle East to the South Asia.

Global Power placed to South Asia or Afghanistan obtain unlike to Iraq:

1. Superpower of the future, China has opportunity to make pressure
as neighbor to China.

2. It has opportunity to pressure as neighbor with another country
of the future, India

3. It is neighbor with one nuclear power of the Islam world, Pakistan
and even Pakistan became a part of the Afghan process in the future,
it appears as control over nuclear power is provided.

4. Iran will be completed to be surrounded.

Central Asia and thus the study of establishing control over the
fields of Russia’s interests are importantly won away.

Of course, these results can be reproduced so we have sufficiency
with this right now.

However, as we look at the history, ,i should not be forgotten that
Afghanistan’s nearly a "graveyard of Empires" function.

Today, while western countries unlike from Iraq to Afghanistan is
rapidly decreasing to coalition forces for support due to public
pressure still as distinct from Iraq to Afghanistan, for the first
time neighboring countries’ coalition forces fight to terrorism in
Afghanistan, they have to be albeit partially successful. Since terror
that could not be defeated in Afghanistan can threaten to get into the
ranging geography from Azerbaijan to Turkey and through the Pakistan,
India’s Kashmir region, China’s Xinjiang region, Central Asia.

Napoleon stated "Policy of states are their own geography" that is
important reality. There are necessary to helpful and supportive
regions to be successful in the South Asia geography. These regions
are Black Sea-Caucasus-Central Asia line. Firstly, it must ensure
the security of this line.

In our opinion, Black Sea-Caucasus line guvenligin saglanması yeni
dönemde bölgesel "Caucasus Stability and Cooperation Platform"
gibi bölgesel kapsamı giriÅ~_imler yerine ikili ve cok taraflı
baglantısÄ&#xB1 ;z giriÅ~_imler daha etkili olacaktır. In this framework
Turkey’s application "zero policy with neighbors" can examine as
a successful example. It is hardly difficult to seem that region
countries and the countries who have interest in the region bring
together a common platform.Moreover, the problems in Caucasus have deep
and historical issues and it is not easy to solve that process. In
this reason, the solution of problems addressed more quickly and
efficiently will result to establish regional corporate relations
a part of the energy that will be spent on improving and developing
bilateral relations.

Sinan Ogan — Turkish Centre for International Relations and Strategic
Analysis- TURKSAM Chairman

Permanent news address:

GURGEN KHANJYAN SECOND TIME RECEIVED THE PRIZE OF AUW

Aysor
Dec 25 2009
Armenia

This year the annual prize of Armenian Union of Writers has been
given to the prose writer Gurgen Khanjyan for the collection of
stories called "Letters in course".

As Gurgen Khanjyan mentioned in the phone talk with Aysor.am he has
worked for many years and thinks he deserved the prize.

"I am not that much amazed, but it is pleasant. Now I am working on
a novel, the plays always disturb me from aside. It would be better
if the plays left me alone at least for a half year, for me to end
the novel", – Gurgen Khanjyan mentioned.

G. Khanjyan mentioned also that it is the first case in the Armenian
Union of Writers that the same prize is going to the same person,
as he had already received the prize of presidency in the nomination
of Dramaturgy.

"This year that tradition was broken maybe it is due to the youth,
who at last managed to explain that the book is more important than the
prize, and it doesn’t matter whether he has received it or not before.

The prize should go to the best book. If someone is writing a good
book each year so he should every year receive a prize", – the prose
writer emphasized and expressed his special gratitude to the architect
Narek Sargsyan under whose patronage the collection of the stories
has been published.

TIGRAN SARGSYAN HOPEFUL UPPER LARS CHECK-POINT TO OPEN IN SPRING 2010

NOYAN TAPAN
DECEMBER 25, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenian Prime Minister Tigran
Sargsyan is hopeful that the Upper Lars check-point will open in the
spring of 2010. He said during the December 25 press conference that
in this case the cargo transportation by trucks will resume and more
favorable conditions will form for economic entities.

The prime minister said that in 2009 commodity turnover by rail grew
by 15% as compared to 2008, which was first of all due to the closure
of the Upper Lars road.

LIE AND OPTIMISM OF ILHAM HEYDAROVICH
By David Stepanyan

ArmInfo
2009-12-25 13:28:00

ArmInfo. After such a significant event for Azerbaijan like celebration
of the birthday of the regular ruler of the Aliyevs regime, its worthy
representative in the face of Ilham Aliyev, probably under the effect
of wine, has forgotten a little some obvious circumstances and facts
of the past and present of the Karabakh conflict. The regular display
of his absence of mind was the statement made in an interview with
the Russian TV channel ‘Vesti’.

‘Unfortunately, our hopes for 2009 have not become true in the volume
which we hoped on’, – he said. Then the Azerbaijani governor, as
always, made Armenia responsible for all his delusive hopes and said
that ‘our hopes that we shall manage to settle the Karabakh conflict
in 2009 or at least to agree on the basic principles fell short of
expectations not because of us.’ Then he added that it was fixed in the
joint Maindorf Declaration of the presidents of Armenia, Azerbaijan
and Russian Federation about the ways of the conflict settlement
that it should be resolved on the basis of principles and norms of
international law. Then according to his logic, Aliyev-junior, though
he has recently become 48, said that the above mentioned principles and
norms of the international law result at 4 resolutions of UN Security
Council, ‘which demand immediate removal of the Armenian occupation
troops from the territory of Azerbaijan.’Then paltering with truth
a little, he said that ‘restoration of territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan is the main goal of his life’.

Aliyev said that despite the unclear unwillingness of the Karabakh
residents to come back under his monarchy, striving to live in the
republic, he continues remaining an optimist and has certain hopes
to snatch control of the NKR in the coming 2010. Ilham Heydarovich
has traditionally connected his optimism with ‘his elder brother
or sister’, as you like, in the person of Turkey. ‘The topic of the
Karabakh settlement has become one of the key ones on the international
agenda. It has become clear to many people, which probably did not
fully understand it, that they will not manage to resolve other
regional conflicts without settlement of the Armenian-Azerbaijani
one’, – the father of the Azerbaijani people said. Finally, Aliyev
traditionally said that ‘Azerbaijan will not let the Karabakh process
to be frozen ones and forever’. Understanding very well the real
motives of the desire of the whole life of the Azerbaijani leader
to restore the mythic territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, let us
nevertheless mention several facts which may dispel his optimism and
indecent appetite. The first and most important fact which causes
no doubt is falsity of the Azerbaijani version about the reasons of
the Karabakh conflict. The conflict started not in 1991 in Nagornyy
Karabakh ‘as a result of aggression’, as Azerbaijan’s propaganda
machine says, but on 28 February 1988 in Azerbaijani Sumgait as a
result massacre of the Armenian civilian population implemented by
Azerbaijani mob. Just the Sumgait tragedy was the beginning of the
bloody conflict at the post-Soviet territory, the conflict which took
the life of thousands people from both sides.

There are thousands of proofs of Azerbaijan’s propaganda. We will
bring just the latest ones. Within a day the Azerbaijani Media managed
to report about the woman killed on the contract-line of the NKR and
Azerbaijani armed forces on December 20 the following: at first the
woman was reported to be killed by the "Armenian" soldier. Then it
turned out that it was the Azerbaijani soldier that shot the woman
dead. Afterwards, that "Armenian" woman by some miracle turned into
Azerbaijani. All this "miracle" news reports were accompanied with
the photo of a Georgian woman killed in August 2008 in South Ossetia.

Azerbaijani media took such a work-style long ago. Just over the
last few months, they at least thrice used false photo materials to
show "aggression of the Armenian party." Azerbaijani anti-Armenian
propaganda tries everything. Earlier in August they posted the photo
of a Georgian soldier killed in August 2008 as a "proof" of the human
loss on the Karabakh party allegedly after attack by the NKR defense
army units on the Azerbaijani position.

The Azeri propaganda, thanks to ability of Aliyev who constantly
complains of uncompromising attitude of Armenians, has been sending
forth a cry about the mythical "Khojalu genocide." As a proof of the
"genocide" Aliyev regime henchmen shot a "truthful" documentary about
the Karabakh conflict using the photos of the killed residents of
Kosovo downloaded from a Canadian website as the picture of alleged
"victims of the Armenian aggression." The Nagorny Karabakh Republic
Foreign Minister easily revealed that shady undertaking. Earlier that
fabrication accompanied with tragic comments was posted on the website
of Heydar Aliyev Fund headed by the reigning wife Mahriban Aliyeva.

There is too much lie and the bright family name of the Aliyevs is
mentioned for too many times in these comments not to link them.

In this context, we have to say that in the passing year 2009 like
in all the previous years since the beginning of the Azerbaijani
aggression, the major instrument of Azerbaijani negotiators
during the meetings with the mediators were lie, falsifications and
misinformation. Since Aliyev has no intention to change his methods of
"telling the truth" about the Karabakh conflict and at the same time
is optimistic about settlement of the conflict in 2010, the Armenian
party must at least take similar steps with regard to Azerbaijan.

Especially, there are too many proofs of the barbarism of the
Azerbaijani gangsters especially released from jails against
Armenians. These are real proofs and not photos of the neighbor
Georgians killed during the war with Ossetia. The key proof of the
false stance of Aliyev is the elementary monarchy, specifically,
the dynastic regime of the Aliyevs in the "democratic" Azerbaijan
"integrating" with the West. What makes that regime still stay up
is the petroleum in the natural resources in Azerbaijan. The world
community is ready to close eyes on the faults of any country able to
"offer something" even if that "offers" are accompanied with lie,
falsification of history and lack of elementary human consciousness.

TURKEY APPOINTS AMBASSADOR TO U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.12.2009 12:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Namık Tan was named Turkey’s new Ambassador to
Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Namık Tan replaced Nabi
Å~^ensoy, the former Turkish ambassador to Washington.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced the assignment, which will
come into effect after being published in the Official Gazette.

BEST ARMENIAN SAMBO WRESTLERS ANNOUNCED

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.12.2009 12:33 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The Armenian Sambo Federation has announced the
best Armenian sambo wrestlers, coaches and referees.

Best sambo wrestlers are:

1. Vachik Vardanyan (bronze winner of European Championship, silver
winner of World Championship.
2. Ashot Danilelyan ( bronze winner of World Cup and World
championship)
3. Zhanna Vardanyan (bronze winner of European Championship)

Best coaches are:
1. Samvel Avdalyan
2. Ernest Mirzoyan
3. Gurgen Sevoyan

Best referees are:
1. Eduard Aslanyan
2. Vovik Khojayan
3. Gohar Gevorgyan

SOUTH CAUCASUS RAILWAY NOT TO REVISE PRICING POLICY NEXT YEAR

ARKA
Dec 24, 2009

YEREVAN, December 24, /ARKA/. The South Caucasus Railways (SCR) company
CEO Shevket Shaidulin said today the company does not plan to revise
its pricing policy next year, but said some rate changes will be made
in compliance with railway policies of former Soviet republics with
regard to domestic and international cargo transportation.

He said the main focus next year will be the domestic and international
cargo transportation. He also said the company has announced New Year
discounts to attract more customers. He complained of protracted
10- day New Year holidays, granted by the government, saying the
company’s operation will be complicated until January 11 as many
organizations will not be working until then. This is why, he said,
the South Caucasus Railways company has announced special discounts
that will be effective from December 31 to January 10 next year. He
said the company will offer a 22% discount also for passenger travels.

In 2007 the Armenian government called tenders for a 30-year
concession to modernize and operate Armenian Railways. An Indian
RITES and Russian Railways qualified to bid, but the Indian company
withdrew. The Russian Railways was the only bidder and has set up
South Caucasian Railway as a subsidiary to run the Armenian Railway.

The concession agreement was concluded for 30 years, with a right of
extension for another 20 years after the first 20 years of operation.

LEVON MALKHASYAN – EMBODIMENT OF YEREVAN AND JAZZ

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.12.2009 19:27 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ President Serzh Sargsyan has congratulated Armenian
jazzman Levon Malkhasyan on his 65th jubilee.

In his address, President particularly says, "You devoted 45 years of
your life to jazz, enriching Yerevan, a town you love most. And you
became the embodiment of both Yerevan and jazz. As such, I congratulate
you and wish you new achivements. "

ARMENIAN POWER PRODUCTION DOWN BY 7 PERCENT

ARKA
Dec 23, 2009

YEREVAN, December 23, /ARKA/. Armenian power generating facilities
produced this year 5.680 billion KWH electricity, by 7% less than in
2008, energy and mineral resources minister Armen Movsisyan said today.

Speaking at a news conference he said the entire generated electricity
was sold. He explained the decline by the fact that mining, cement
and chemical enterprises, major power consumers, had to halt their
operations at the beginning of the year.

According to the minister, hydropower pants accounted this year for 2
billion KWh electricity. He said power generated by small hydropower
plants rose to 335 million KWH from 259 million KWh last year.

Thermal power plants produced 1.1 billion KWH electricity, down from
1.,8 billion last year.

GEORGIAN AZERBAIJANIS ASK BARACK OBAMA TO VETO CONGRESS’ DECISION

Today
58451.html
Dec 23 2009
Azerbaijan

The Congress of Georgian Azerbaijanis has sent a letter to the US
President Barrack Obama asking him to veto the Congress’ decision to
allocate $8 million to the Nagorno-Karabakh separatists.

The letter says: "We are deeply concerned with the US Congress`
plans to give the financial assistance to the separatist regime. And
we regard this not a humanitarian, but a moral support to separatism
and the aggressors who occupied the Azerbaijani lands."

"If one insists that it is the humanitarian aid then it raises a
question: If the United States of America recognizes Azerbaijan`s
territorial integrity, then the financial assistance allocated to
the Nagorno-Karabakh, an integral part of Azerbaijan, would have to
be part of the funding given to Azerbaijan."