Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

Trend, Azerbaijan
Nov 28 2009

Azerbaijani parliamentarians believe Armenia to retreat from its
non-constructive position
28.11.2009 15:00
Azerbaijan, Baku, Nov. 28 / Trend News K. Zarbaliyeva /

Azerbaijani parliamentarians believe that Armenia will retreat from
its non-constructive position on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"The negotiation process will force Armenia to abandon its
non-constructive position. Sooner or later, Armenia must release the
occupied Azerbaijani lands and recognize the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. It will happen soon," New Azerbaijan Party Political
Council member, MP Aydin Mirzazade told Trend News on Saturday.

The process of negotiations on the Karabakh settlement was once again
intensified.The Azerbaijani and Armenian Presidents, foreign ministers
of both countries have recently met several times.

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.

Mirzazade said that current situation in the country will force the
Armenian leadership to withdraw from its positions.

"Armenian unconstructive position harms itself. The population left
the country. Its economy is not growing. The independence is under
doubt. The crisis promoted to reduce its budget from 3 to 2 billion
for the last three years. The real situation will force Armenia to
make this objective action," MP said.

The agreement on solving the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict will be
concluded till late May 2010, Azerbaijani Former Prime Minister, Panah
Huseynov, told Trend News.

"Azerbaijan wil face serious tests till May. They are also connected
with the adoption of protocols in the Turkish parliament. But,
whatever decision is made, the country will not yield its positions.
The Azerbaijani society must be intensified at the same time," MP
said.

Turkish and Armenian foreign ministers Ahmet Davutoglu and Edward
Nalbandian signed the Ankara-Yerevan protocols in Zurich Oct. 10.

These protocols have not been ratified by the parliaments of both sides yet.

QUALITY VS. QUANTITY: RA DEFENSE MINISTER

news.am
Nov 27 2009
Armenia

Combat capability of Armenian army provides balance with Azerbaijani
armed forces, having quality vs. quantity, RA Defense Minister Seyran
Ohanyan told Armenian H2 TV channel.

According to him, Azerbaijani President’s statements are not of great
concern to Armenian side, as they contain much politics induced by
domestic situation and foreign policy of the country.

Presently, RA Defense Minister esteems military efficiency of Armenian
armed forces as high, underlining that these are no mere words, as
representatives of numerous international organizations mention this
as well. The results of various researches also show the high level
of Armenian army’s efficiency.

CIVIL DEFENSE CONCEPT TO BE ELABORATED IN ARMENIA

news.am
Nov 27 2009
Armenia

A civil defense concept will be elaborated in Armenia in conformity
with the national security strategy of Armenia and the Armenia-NATO
individual partnership program.

Gayane Gasparyan, Spokeswoman of the Secretary of the RA National
Security, told NEWS.am that at its November 27 sitting chaired by RA
National Security Secretary Artur Baghdasaryan the interagency work
group decided to submit the concept to the National Security Council
of Armenia for approval next May.

Artur Baghdasaryan pointed out the importance of forming a modern
civil defense system for ensuring Armenia’s national security. He
underlined the practical importance of approving the concept for
the strategic reforms in the Armenian civil defense system and for
meeting the new challenges.

Approving the concept implies an appraisal of the current civil defense
situation in Armenia, forming a civil defense system in conformity
with international standards, expanding the emergency management
system’s potential.

A regional emergency management center will be established in Yerevan,
with regional divisions to be formed later.

JAPAN APPRECIATES THE PROCESS OF ARMENIA-TURKEY NORMALIZATION

armradio.am
26.11.2009 12:12

While in Tokyo, Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian had a
meeting with his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada. At the meeting,
the two Ministers discussed a wide range of issues, including the
bilateral relations and international issues of mutual interest.

Both sides emphasized the importance of enhancing political dialogue
and economic relations between Japan and Armenia, through identifying
and encouraging mutually beneficial initiatives in various areas of
cooperation. To this end, both sides decided to hold regular bilateral
consultations between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries in
order to discuss a wide range of issues, including bilateral relations
and all aspects of other international issues of common interest.

The parties also referred to the importance of enhancing cooperation
between the two Parliaments of the two countries.

Both sides underlined the importance of contacts between the business
circles of the two countries including reciprocal visits in order
to facilitate trade and investments between the two countries and
expressed expectations that the business relations would be further
strengthened. The Armenian side appreciated the activities of Japanese
companies in Armenia and welcomes the expansion of their presence.

The interlocutors shared the view that the strengthening of people-to-
people and cultural exchange between the two countries is an important
factor in fostering mutual understanding and decided to enhance
cooperation in the field of science and education.

The Armenian side expressed its gratitude for the Official Development
Assistance (ODA) consistently provided by Japan for the economic
development of Armenia including the Japanese ODA loan of "Yerevan
Combined Cycle Co-generation Power Plant", and Grant Assistance for
Underpriviledged Farmers and the Project for Improvement of Fire
Fighting Equipment in Yerevan City, expressed its expectation for
the continuation of this cooperation.

The sides exchanged their views on the efforts to settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the OSCE Minsk Group process and
expressed support for the peaceful solution of the conflict based
on the principles and norms of the international law, including the
principles of Non-Use of force, Self-Determination of Peoples and
Territorial Integrity.

The Foreign Ministers of Armenia and Japan exchanged their views of
Armenian-Turkish normalization process. The Japanese side welcomed
the efforts aimed at normalization of the relations between Armenia
and Turkey shown in signing of Armenian- Turkish protocols in Zurich
on October 10, 2009, and underlines the importance of ratification
and implementation of the reached agreements which would lead to the
peace and stability in the region.

Both sides expressed their expectations for close cooperation at
UN bodies and international organizations by maintaining balanced
approach for the sake of enduring security, lasting peace and common
prosperity in Europe and the Asia-Pacific Region. Both sides further
expressed their determination to work together actively for an early
realization of the United Nations Security Council reform, including
the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership. In
this connection, the Armenian side reiterated its strong support for
Japan’s permanent membership of the Security Council., and in return
the Japanese side expressed its deep appreciation for the support.

OSCE MINSK GROUP IMITATES TALKS: AZERBAIJANI DELEGATION DEPUTY HEAD IN PACE

Trend
Nov 25 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani delegation deputy head in PACE accuses OSCE Minsk Group
of imitating talks to solve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

"Minsk Group has been operating for 15 years. It has failed
to contribute in solving the conflict within this period. It was
busy with making tourist visits to the region. By exerting constant
pressure on Azerbaijan, the international community insists on the
need to solve the conflict within Minsk Group. But Azerbaijan can
not hope for solving the conflict within Minsk Group," Azerbaijani
delegation deputy head in PACE, MP Gultekin Hajibayli told media today.

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.

"Today, the power but not the law rules the world. From this point
of view, ways of solving the conflict are connected with powerful
Azerbaijani state, army and economy, our diplomacy and solidarity of
our people.

We face now and will face with the international organizations’
pressure.

We must be strong to resist this pressure," MP said.

AZERI PRESIDENT SAYS MUNICH TALKS LAST CHANCE TO SETTLE KARABAKH PEACEFULLY

ANS TV
Nov 21 2009
Azerbaijan

If the next meeting with the Armenian president does not yield a
result, Azerbaijan may try to regain its Armenian-occupied territories
militarily, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said.

Aliyev said the meeting scheduled to take place in Munich on 22
November might be crucial in the settlement of the long-standing
conflict over the Nagornyy Karabakh region.

"This meeting has to play a crucial role in the negotiations," private
ANS TV showed Aliyev in the western district of Goranboy addressing
a group of displaced people from Nagornyy Karabakh on 20 November.

"Several meetings have been held this year, and none of them was
fruitful. If this meeting, too, does not yield any results, then
we will lose hope in the negotiations. And if we lose hope in the
negotiations, we will have no other choice, and we have to be ready
for that.

"The work done in the field of army building over the past years has a
definite goal, naturally. We are spending billions to strengthen our
army, purchase new weapons, equipment, to reinforce our positions on
the contact line. We are doing this because we have never ruled out
this option. We have the full right to liberate our lands militarily.

International legal norms also recognize this right.

"Simply, we want this issue to be settled peacefully, and we do not
want war. But if Armenia thinks that we will be holding talks for
ever, it is mistaken. If we see that Armenia is simply dragging time
and it wants to make it an eternal problem through talks, then an
end will be put to the negotiations," Aliyev said.

The president said that Armenia was no match for Azerbaijan in terms
of economic development and army building and ruled out any economic
cooperation with Armenia until the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict is
resolved.

"How can there be any cooperation? One country has occupied another
country’s land, left people homeless and has carried out a policy
of ethnic cleansing, and then they say you should cooperate. This is
out of the question," he said.

Aliyev also said that some international organizations might think
that freezing the settlement of the conflict was better than war.

"Some international organizations may think that let the situation
continue as it is, what is important is that there is no war, some
even do not care about what conditions our people have been living
in, and that has been going on not for a year or a couple of years
but for almost 20 years. But how can one tolerate that. Some think
it had better stay in this frozen state than there is war. We cannot
be satisfied with this status quo," the Azerbaijani president said.

"NO BREAKING IS SUPPOSED DURING FORTHCOMING MONTHS"

Panorama.am
18:15 24/11/2009

No breaking advancement is foresight over the conflict of
Nagorno-Karabakh in the forthcoming months. "It’s quite understandable
from the chairmen’s statements, who declared they have much to do. If
they say a month or two, we should keep in mind at least a year," ARF
Armenian Cause Office director Giro Manoyan told. He said co-chairs’
statements separately were better made than their joint statement.

"They wanted to give soonest response to Aliev’s threats and said
serious advancement is made, though their official statement was more
careful," ARF representative said.

GREEK CYPRUS CHURCH SUES TURKEY OVER WORSHIP IN NORTH

Hurriyet Daily News
Nov 23 2009
Turkey

Greek Cyprus’ Orthodox Church said it has sued Turkey for allegedly
preventing worship at religious sites in Turkish Cyprus.

Church lawyer Simos Angelides said Monday the lawsuit with the European
Court of Human Rights concerns 520 churches, monasteries, chapels and
cemeteries. He said the court’s past rulings hold Turkey responsible
for Turkish Cyprus because it maintains 35,000 troops there.

Angelides said Orthodox Christian faithful could not worship at those
sites because they were either derelict or have been converted to
mosques, army barracks, stables or nightclubs.

Cyprus was split into a Turkish Cypriot north and a Greek Cypriot
south in 1974. The island joined the European Union in 2004, but only
Greek Cypriots enjoy the benefits of membership.

Reconciliation talks between Turkish Cypriot President Mehmet Ali
Talat and his Greek Cypriot counterpart Dimitris Christofias were
launched last year by the United Nations. Talks under Alexander Downer,
the former Australian foreign minister, who is the U.N. envoy to
negotiations, have made significant progress in a number of areas.

However, momentum has slowed as a looming election due to be in held
in the Turkish territory next April overshadows the meeting. Turkish
voters are deeply disillusioned with the south’s unequal position. The
Turkish Cypriot leader since 2005, Talat favors reunification and
membership of the EU for the whole island but his rivals disagree
with him.

CONSTITUTIONAL COURT TO CONSIDER ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS

Yerkir
23.11.2009 14:09

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Armenia-Turkey protocols have been submitted to
Armenia’s Constitutional. The ratification date should be announced
within next 20 days at the plenary session.

If failed to reach an agreement, the procedure will be prolonged for
another 10 days. Within a month the Constitutional Court should make
a decision on the matter, according to which either the Protocols
will be returned, or their constitutionality will be verified.

NAGORNO-KARABAKH DEFENSE MINISTRY RESPONDS TO DISINFORMATION FROM AZERBAIJAN

Tert
Nov 23 2009
Armenia

Ceasefire violations occurred on a number of sections of the
Nagorno-Karabakh-Azerbaijan contact line from November 21-23, according
to a release circulated by the Nagorno-Karabakh Ministry of Defense
press service. As per the ministry’s statement, Azerbaijan opened
fire in the direction of Nagorno-Karabakh military posts located in
Horadiz, Chkhrl, Ashaghy Adburahmanl, Lyala-Ilagli, Shkhlar, Bash
Karvend, Levonarkh, Talish and Tap-Karakoyunlu.

"It’s interesting that after all this, the Azerbaijani propaganda
machine, as per usual, circulated information today that allegedly,
as a result of the ceasefire, an Azerbaijani citizen was wounded
because of open fire from the Armenian side. This was contrived by
the Azerbaijani propaganda machine, which doesn’t correspond to the
truth," reads the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Ministry press release.