Author: Vorskanian Yeghisabet

‘NO SUBSTANTIAL OBSTACLES TO NORMALIZATION’

Turkish Daily News
Oct 30 2008
Turkey

There are no substantial obstacles to the normalization of
Turkish-Armenian relations, Armenia’s foreign minister told BBC
Turkey yesterday.

"I cannot say everybody is happy that we are making peace with
Turkey. But as leaders of the two countries, we are ready to make
exceptional decisions," Edward Nalbandian said, referring to the hard
line Armenian diaspora’s negative stance on dialogue with Turkey.

"The diaspora consists of two-thirds of the Armenian population,
therefore we can not ignore their opinion. However, we possess the
necessary courage to overcome this problem," he added.

Asked whether the search for normalization in Armenian-Azerbaijani
relations would go hand in hand with normalization efforts in
Turkish-Armenian ties, Nalbandian said they would not.

"The meeting between the three ministers was (Turkish foreign minister)
Mr. Babacan’s idea," he said, referring to the meeting between the
Turkish, Azerbaijani and Armenian foreign ministers in New York last
month, "He launched the idea in order to discuss Turkey’s proposal
for a Caucasus Platform and we discussed solely that."

No alternatives to the Minsk process

"We are considering our problems with Azerbaijan in the context of
the Minsk process. It is an effective structure supported by the
international community. And we have no intention nor the need to
reinvent the wheel," noted Nalbandian.

"I do not see a connection between the Nagorno-Karabakh negotiations
and the Turkish-Armenian dialogue," he said, adding that he was very
optimistic toward the normalization process.

DM SEYRAN OHANYAN LEAVING FOR KOSOVO

armradio.am
29.10.2008 10:32

The delegation headed by the Defense Minister of Armenia Seyran Ohanyan
is leaving for Kosovo today for a two-day working visit. Within the
framework of the visit Minister Ohanyan will meet Armenian servicemen,
who are carrying out a peacekeeping mission within the Greek division
of the coalition forces.

Press Secretary of the Ministry of Defense Seyran Shahsuvaryan
informed that the Minister will have a meeting with the command of
the Greek division and the Commander of the International Kosovo
Force Giuseppe Gay.

MOSCOW TO HOST KARABAKH TALKS IN BID FOR PEACEMAKER ROLE

Agence France Presse
Oct 29 2008

MOSCOW (AFP) — The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it will host the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan for talks on the disputed Nagorny
Karabakh region, playing peacemaker in the Caucasus after its war
with Georgia.

"On November 2, 2008, in Moscow… a meeting will take place between
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian… on the regulation of the Nagorny Karabakh conflict,"
a Kremlin statement said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan confirmed that the meeting would be held,
but presidential officials in both countries declined to comment
further. The Kremlin said Russian President Dmitry Medvedev would
host the meeting.

Medvedev visited Armenia last week in a fresh push to end the
long-simmering conflict over Nagorny Karabakh, an enclave of Azerbaijan
with a largely ethnic Armenian population that broke free of Baku’s
control in the early 1990s.

Sarkisian said at the meeting that he was ready for talks with Baku
on the basis of principles worked out at negotiations in Madrid last
year, meaning that the people of Nagorny Karabakh gain the right
to self-determination.

Analysts say Moscow is keen to boost its influence in the South
Caucasus after Russia’s brief war with US-allied Georgia in August
raised tensions throughout the region.

The August war, which began when Georgia attacked its own breakaway
enclave of South Ossetia, raised fears of similar violence in Nagorny
Karabakh.

"Russia must repair its image in the Caucasus," said Alexei Malashenko,
a political analyst with the Moscow Carnegie Centre. "The important
thing for Russia is that it is seen to take the initiative."

But Malashenko said a quick resolution of the conflict would require
concessions "at Armenia’s cost" — an unlikely scenario considering
that Yerevan is Moscow’s "strategic partner" in the Caucasus.

Azerbaijani political analyst Vafa Guluzade predicted that the Moscow
meeting would yield little result, as Baku had nothing to gain.

"Russia is looking to restore its influence in Azerbaijan,"
he said. "That’s why negotiations under a format of
Azerbaijan-Russia-Armenia will bring nothing good."

But analysts said that if Moscow decided to push Armenia toward
compromise, Russia could strengthen its position in the Caucasus.

Moscow is vying for influence with Washington in Azerbaijan, a key
energy exporter that ships oil and gas through Western-backed pipelines
through Georgia and Turkey, bypassing Russia.

"Russia is looking to strengthen its influence in the Caucasus… and
if it manages to convince Armenia to compromise on Karabakh, Azerbaijan
could in exchange export its oil and gas via Russian territory to
Europe," Armenian political analyst Stepan Grigorian said.

Armenia and Azerbaijan remain in a tense stand-off over Karabakh,
which ethnic Armenian forces seized in the early 1990s in a war that
killed nearly 30,000 people and forced another million on both sides
to flee their homes.

A ceasefire was signed between the two former Soviet republics in
1994 but the dispute remains unresolved after years of negotiations,
and shootings between Armenian and Azerbaijani forces in the region
are common.

WHAT EFFECT WILL THE MEETING BETWEEN ARMENIAN, AZERBAIJANI AND RUSSIAN PRESIDENTS HAVE?
Karine Ter-Sahakyan

PanARMENIAN.Net
23.10.2008 GMT+04:00

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has always been a format of rivalry
between Russia and the United States.

Russian President Dmitri Medvedev’s Yerevan statement on his intention
to invite the Armenian and Azerbaijani Presidents to Moscow for the
regulation of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was not an unexpected
move. After the August events it became clear to everyone in the Region
that Russia would not content itself with Â"compelling Georgia to
peaceÂ"; there would also be other steps directed to the consolidation
of cracked Russian positions in the South Caucasus.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ That Russian positions cracked in the Region is
quite a fact, and the regional states will hardly seek repetition of
the Georgian scenario. Especially at the time of financial-economic
crisis the policy of twisting arms, which, by the way, neither
bypassed Russia, cannot lead us to a silent consent with the Russian
viewpoint. However strange it may sound, Armenia found itself in a more
advantageous position than Georgia or Azerbaijan. It has neither oil,
nor passage to the Black Sea, but it has a great desire to settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict with minimal losses. Now we shall not dwell
on the fact that doing it behind the back of Nagorno Karabakh is not
ethical at all. That’s not the point. Yerevan has simply received a
certain impulse and a little freedom of manipulation in the painful
issue. Now the future of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic and that of
Armenia itself depend on how Armenia will make use of the situation,
and Yerevan cannot but realize the real value of the moment.

The Region is changing rapidly, and quite soon we shall have to
deal with a fairly new South Caucasus. It presupposes new relations
too: Russia-South Caucasus, USA-South Caucasus, and Turkey-South
Caucasus. As for the Karabakh conflict, it has always been a format of
rivalry between Russia and the United States. This rivalry has always
existed, but it has become more intense now, and the latest events are
the proof of it: the Washington meeting of Armenian Prime-Minister
Tigran Sargsyan with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, the
one-day visit of US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried, and
before it – visit of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. However,
Russia faces a serious problem after the Â"five-day warÂ": its image
has been thoroughly destroyed in the eyes of the world community, and
now Russia has to prove that militant solution of the South Ossetian
and Abkhazian conflict was just an exception and that the Russian
Federation is potent enough to solve its problems in some other ways
too, i.e. through negotiations. "The events of August 2008 have created
a new platform for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Azerbaijan will never
become a completely pro-western country, like Georgia is. Moreover,
the latter has been disvalued as an oil and gas transit country and
the world powers have given a fresh look at Armenia, whose ‘football
diplomacy’ produced the desired effect. Turkey had started developing
its Caucasus stability and cooperation pact still in spring of the
current year and the five-day war in South Ossetia just pushed Ankara
to action. Thus, the Turkish initiative has not only played its role
in the Armenian-Azerbaijani relations, but it has also changed the
whole situation in the region," considers political analyst Sergey
Minasyan. Minasyan also notes Russia’s Â"strangeÂ" intention to speed
up the Nagorno-Karabakh process. "Presently Russia is imitating the
Ramboullet and Bucharest scenarios. However, for the conflicting
sides maintenance of the status quo and assistance from the U.S. and
EU is more preferable. I am not sure that speeding up the process is
in Russia’s interests," Minasyan says.

According to Head of the Russian Duma Defence Committee Viktor
Zavarzin, the intended meeting between Armenian, Azerbaijani and
Russian Presidents will convey a new impulse to the Karabakh talks
and will help to ease the stress in the Region. "Resolution of the
conflict is possible only on the negotiation level with observation of
international norms, and it should satisfy all the interested parties,"
Zavarzin concluded.

One point, however, remains incomprehensible – how is it possible to
satisfy all the interested parties of the conflict?

–Boundary_(ID_5QuUC0jQuxBofHH9fMNnfQ)- –

US OFFICIAL HAILS ARMENIAN, TURKISH EFFORTS TO BUILD TIES

Mediamax
Oct 17 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 17 October: US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried
stated in Yerevan today that "we have never been as close as today
to constructive developments in Armenian-Turkish relations".

Mediamax reports that, speaking at a briefing in Yerevan today, the
US diplomat welcomed the decision of the Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, who invited his Turkish counterpart to Yerevan in early
September, and the consent of the latter to visit the capital city
of Armenia.

US Assistant Secretary of State expressed hope for normalization
of Armenian-Turkish relations, which, according to him, will also
contribute to the settlement of Karabakh conflict.

Daniel Fried arrived in Yerevan this morning and held meetings with
the President and the Prime Minister of Armenia, the leaders of
oppositional Armenian National Congress. Tomorrow, he will leave
Yerevan for Tbilisi.

GEORGIAN OFFICIAL DOWNBEAT ABOUT RUSSIAN ROLE AS MEDIATOR IN KARABAKH TALKS

Imedi TV
Oct 21 2008
Georgia

[Presenter] Georgian Deputy Foreign Minister [Grigol Vashadze]
has reacted to the official meetings held in Yerevan [between the
Russian and Armenian presidents]. Grigol Vashadze said that the
Russian president’s initiative to mediate between the sides [in the
settlement of the Nagornyy Karabakh conflict between Armenia and
Azerbaijan] resembles an attempt to get on a train, which has already
departed. Here is what Vashadze said.

[Vashadze] This statement by the president of the Russian Federation
resembles an attempt to hop on a train, which has already departed,
because Turkish-mediated talks between the sides are already under way.

I would like to say one thing to our Armenian and Azerbaijani friends:
God save them from Russia’s mediation role.

GENERAL CHEMISTRY: RESEARCH RESULTS FROM R.D. KHACHIKYAN AND CO-AUTHORS UPDATE KNOWLEDGE OF GENERAL CHEMISTRY

Science Letter
October 14, 2008

"The example of vinylpyridinium salts to establish for the first
time the possibility of nucleophilic addition to the vinyl group in
quaternary ammonium salts, which provides evidence against the concept
that such reactions involve d orbitals. The nucleophilic addition
reaction was accomplished with triphenylphosphine and pyridine,"
researchers in Yerevan, Armenia report (see also General Chemistry).

"In the latter case, the suggested reaction scheme was confirmed by
the observation of the Wittig reaction under the action of carbon
dioxide and the Stevens reaggangement involving the double bond of the
pyridinium ring and migrating 2-phosphonioethyl group. Procedures for
preparing the starting vinylpyridinium salts," wrote R.D. Khachikyan
and colleagues.

The researchers concluded: "Reaction schemes were siggested."

Khachikyan and colleagues published their study in Russian Journal of
General Chemistry (Features of the reaction of 2,3-dihalopropanoic
acids with pyridines and nucleophilic addition to N-vinylpyridinium
salts. Russian Journal of General Chemistry, 2008;78(7):1452-1457).

For additional information, contact R.D. Khachikyan, National Academy
Science Armenia, Institute Organ Chemical, Ul Zakhariya Kanakertsi
167-A, Yerevan 375091, Armenia.

KARABAKH DELEGATION IN BRUSSELS TO PARTICIPATE IN DISCUSSIONS

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2008-10-15 11:13
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic

Officials from the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh will visit Brussels
this week at the invitation of AGBU Europe, the European branch of
an international organization of the Armenian Diaspora. NKR Deputy
Foreign Minister Eduard Atanesyan and Head of Information Department
of the NKR president’s staff David Babayan will take part in a round
table to discuss the situation in and around Karabakh and EU policy
concerning the territory.

They will also attend other events and meetings in Brussels.

The round table and associated events aim to establish a dialogue in
the EU foreign-policy community over the future of Nagorno-Karabakh
that involves individuals from Nagorno-Karabakh itself.

EU COMMISSIONER SAYS OUTCOME OF EU TALKS DEPENDS ON TURKEY

Anatolia News Agency
Oct 3 2008
Turkey

Paris, 3 October: A European commissioner expressed thought on Friday
[3 October] that Turkey’s European Union (EU) accession negotiations
depended on the country itself.

Olli Rehn, the European commissioner for enlargement, said that
the rhythm and outcome of Turkey’s EU full membership negotiations
depended on Turkey.

The rhythm and outcome of entry talks was closely related with Turkey’s
fulfilling required reforms, Rehn said in a conference in the French
capital of Paris.

In the conference, Rehn thanked France, holding the rotating presidency
of the union, for its efforts to keep the regular momentum of full
membership negotiations with Turkey.

Rehn referred to Turkey’s strategic and diplomatic role, and said
that Turkey, with an overwhelmingly Muslim population, democratic and
secular model and diplomacy, was a significant actor in its region
and an important element of stability.

The commissioner referred to Turkey’s role as a mediator in
Israeli-Palestine and Israeli-Syrian disputes and Caucasus crisis,
and its new policy towards Armenia.

Rehn said those policies of Turkey reaffirmed its key role in the
region and its relations with the EU.

The commissioner also said that Turkey was sending troops to peace
operations of Europe, and contributing to EU’s fight against terrorism,
drug and human trafficking.

Turkey was actively contributing to security of EU citizens, he said.

Rehn drew attention to Turkey’s economic potential, and said Turkey
was offering significant trade perspectives before companies in EU
member states.

The commissioner also said that Turkey had a key role in ensuring the
security of energy routes towards the EU, and verifying those routes.

Turkey became an EU candidate country in December 1999. The union
launched accession talks with Turkey on 3 October 2005.

"NO PIECE OF LAND TO THE ENEMY"

A1+
[07:09 pm] 14 October, 2008

Back in 1992-1993 when Serzh Sargsyan was the RA Defense Minister,
he had made a statement according to which the liberators of Artsakh
knew that there would come a day when they would have to give up the
liberated territories for the Nagorno-Karabakh status. However, head
of the NA Committee on Defense and Armed Forces Arthur Aghabekian,
who was one of the liberators of the Nagorno-Karabakh territories,
refused to comment today on the statement made by Serzh Sargsyan.

Aghabekian told "A1+" that there was neither a commander nor soldier
that thought about that back then. According to Aghabekian, when the
liberation process began in 1993, every commander set forth the issue
to protect the people from bombings and create a buffer zone.

"I believe that there is not one official who can sit in his office
and think about how much land and to whom it must be handed over. The
Armenian people must decide what to give up."

As long as the people of Nagorno-Karabakh are not speaking out,
Aghabekian advises perceiving the news about the handing over of
lands as simply rumors.

In the end, Aghabekian simply said: "No piece of land to the enemy." If
Serzh Sargsyan dares to make a decision on Nagorno-Karabakh, Aghabekian
promised on behalf of his party that the Dashnaktsutiun will take
action before the decision is made.