Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

BAKU INTENDS TO RAISE GAS RATES FOR TURKEY

PanARMENIAN.Net
07.05.2009 13:15 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkish administration currently carries on
negotiations with Azerbaijani side on possible rise in prices for
Azerbaijani gas, Turkey’s energy minister Taner Yildiz stated.

According to him, representatives of the general directorate of the
Turkish BOTAS corporation are in Baku in connection with possible
raise of prices for Azerbaijani gas. "We also project to have a
meeting with Azerbaijani side in Prague," the minister said adding,
that he hopes to find solution to the problem, Turkish media reported.

Earlier, Baku announced, that will raise the gas rates if the
Armenia-Turkish border is opened.

ARTSVIK MINASYAN DOES NOT BELIEVE IN SURVEY RESULTS
Lena Badeyan

"Radiolur"
07.05.2009 17:07

Artsvik Minasyan, the first number of ARF candidate list, does not
believe in polls held before elections. There no independent sociology
in Armenia, Artsvik Minasyan told a press conference today. According
to him, Dashnaktsutyun already has the results of its own polls,
which constitute "a serious bid for victory."

Artsvik Minasyan informed today that Dashnaktsutyin is going to apply
new methods during the election campaign. However, the brackets were
not opened.

He noted only that ARF interns to implement the program "from home
to home, during which Artsvik Minasyan is going to personally visit
the citizens.

As for the withdrawal from the coalition, the ARF representative
stated that Dashnaktsutyun’s had disagreements not only related to
foreign policy.

"In reality, we have always had disagreements with other members of
the coalition. However, those have not been as serious as to finally
split the bonds. The problems were connected with democracy, social
justice, fair elections, etc.

CHARLES AZNAVOUR APPOINTED AS RA AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE

PanARMENIAN.Net
06.05.2009 16:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On May 4, RA President Serzh Sargsyan signed a
decree on appointing Charles Aznavour as RA permanent representative
to UN Headquarters and other international organizations in Geneva

On May 5, the President signed a decree on appointing Charles Aznavour
as RA Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary in Switzerland
(residence: Geneva)," RA President’s Press Service reports.

IN KARABAKH ROAD MAP IS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY

NKR Government Information and
Public Relations Department
May 06, 2009

In Gyumry the NKR Prime Minister Ara Haroutyunyan answered the
journalists’ questions on the process of negotiation around the
Artsakh conflict, those concerning the foreign policy carried out by
the Armenian authorities and the Armenian-Turkish relations.

– What is the attitude of the NKR authorities towards the foreign
policy carried out by Armenia and aren’t they troubled by the lately
signed Armenian-Turkish agreement?

– Today’s negotiations satisfy the people of Artsakh and do not cause
any trouble. Citizens of Artsakh are confident that no settlement
on the status of Artsakh without our participation is possible. We
welcome any opportunity of cooperation, which will promote the economic
growth of Armenia and Artsakh must not be an obstacle on the way of
Armenia’s economic development. But we are also convinced that the
authorities of Armenia will never carry a resolution contrary to the
will of Artsakh people.

– What viewpoint on the present negotiation process round the
settlement of Karabakh conflict does the Prime Minister have?

– On part of Artsakh no concrete agreement is reached. In case of
making any concrete proposal the people of Artsakh will express their
point of view. The standpoint of Artsakh people is clear for everybody:
they must live in their free and independent Homeland.

HEAD OF CENTER OF POLITICAL INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGIES: RUSSIA TREATS POSSIBLE OPENING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER NEGATIVELY

Today.Az
tics/52087.html
May 6 2009
Azerbaijan

The game around the opening of Turkish-Armenian border was launched
by neither turkey nor Armenia, said head of the Center for Political
Innovation and Technology Mubariz Ahmedoglu at a press conference
Wednesday.

"This is a game of the United States. Washington has long sought to
do so, but could not make a decisive step in this direction. Now the
United States, where the Armenian lobby is controlled entirely by
the White House, is ready to make their plans come true", he said.

On the other hand, he said members of the Nurchular movement are also
for the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border.

"Through the recent years, no official representative of Turkey dpaid
a visit to Armenia. Only university professor Ishik Bulent Aras and
Turkish writer Adnan Oktar, who are ideologists of the Nurchular
movement visited Yerevan. Speaking in Armenia, Oktar loudly declared
that the process of settling the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict can not and
should not be an obstacle to the warming of relations between Ankara
and Yerevan, and that the Turkish-Armenian border should be opened,
regardless of whether the Karabakh problem is solved or not", said
M. Ahmedoglu.

According to political scientist, Russia is negative about the possible
opening of the Turkish-Armenian border.

MEDAL OF HONOUR TO GREAT BENEFACTOR

A1+
02:38 pm | May 04, 2009 | Official

His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All
Armenians, bestowed Karine Sargsyan with the Saint Gregory the
Illuminator Medal of Honor for her untiring work over the years
towards assisting the Armenian Church.

In 2008, Mrs. Sargsyan, along with London-Armenian benefactor Armen
Sargsyan, undertook the construction of St. Vardan and St. John the
Baptist baptismal chapel on the grounds of the Holy Etchmiadzin See.

The Catholicos thanked Mrs. Sargsyan for applying all her professional
skills and abilities for the sake of the Armenian Church, its
construction and prosperity.

PanARMENIAN.Net

Ilham Aliev sends a special envoy to Ankara
02.05.2009 15:23 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Azeri President Ilham Aliev is sending a special
envoy to Ankara to relieve the current tension between Ankara and
Baku. As reported by Hurriyet Daily News Turkish newspaper, Azeri
President explained that he is attempting to restore ties with Ankara,
expressing hopes about their future discussions over Armenian-Turkish
ties.

During the NATO Council Session in Brussels, Tacan Ildem, Turkish
Ambassador in Netherlands, said that Ankara keeps Baku informed about
talks with Yerevan. In response, the Azeri President said, `Informing
and consulting are absolutely different things’.

INTERNATIONAL LAW SHOULD BECOME BASIS FOR RESOLVING NAGORNO-KARABAKH PROBLEM – ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

Interfax
April 27 2009
Russia

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan told the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen
for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict that this conflict can be resolved
on the basis of the international law.

"The Armenian president told the meeting that the solution of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is within the OSCE Minsk Group, based on
peaceful talks and basic principles of the international law," the
Armenian president’s press service told Interfax on Monday.

The sides discussed the current stage of the settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as well as the organization issues of the
upcoming meeting between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan,
it said.

TURKEY URGES OBJECTIVE EVALUATION OF JOINT HISTORY WITH ARMENIA

Hurriyet
April 29 2009
Turkey

ANKARA – Turkey and Armenia’s joint history should be evaluated with
"an objective and scientific approach," the Turkish National Security
Council, or MGK, said after a meeting held Tuesday.

"The joint history of the Turkish and Armenian nations should be
evaluated with an objective and scientific approach that is supported
by undisputable proofs and documents and is free of all pre-conceived
notions," the MGK said in a statement issued after the meeting.

The MGK discussed Turkey’s possible additional contributions to the
International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

The MGK said that issues pertaining to Turkey’s security were discussed
and a will to continue the fight against terror under the framework
of democracy and the rule of law was emphasized.

"We have evaluated our relations with Iraq and discussed in detail
the fight against terrorist incidents stemming from north of Iraq,"
the MGK said. "The issue of Turkey’s energy needs was discussed from
political, strategic and diplomatic perspectives. We welcome with
pleasure the early elections that took place in the Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus in a peaceful atmosphere."

TURKEY REJECTS "IMMATERIAL ALLEGATIONS OF ARMENIA"

PanARMENIAN.Net
30.04.2009 00:46 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said "Turkey
would reject the immaterial (Armenian) allegations noting that the
analysis of the shared history of Turkey and Armenia could only
be made with unbiased and impartial scientific evidence," Today’s
Zaman reports.

Babacan who addressed the General Assembly of the Turkish Parliament
Wednesday said, "regardless of origin of these allegations, we will
continue to stand by the historic truth."

Babacan said "U.S. President Barrack Obama’s statement on the occasion
of the Armenian Remembrance Day on April 24 was a result of domestic
political concerns noting that certain expressions and comments
regarding the events of 1915 was unacceptable for Turkey."

"One of the shortcomings of Obama’s statement was that it ignored
the fact that hundreds of thousands Turks lost their lives during
the events of 1915," said Babacan.

"If the motive behind Obama’s statement was to state a prejudgment
on the joint history committee foreseen to be formed by Turkey and
Armenia, Turkish Foreign Ministry have announced on April 25 that
Turkey would not accept this, and explained it in detail to the
U.S. Ambassador who was invited to our Ministry," said Babacan.

Babacan said he also expressed Turkey’s discomfort to U.S. Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton over the phone and made it clear that the
joint commission foreseen to be formed between the two countries
could only depend on undisputed evidence and documents.