Armenian And Azeri Conflict

[elle]

Azeri Minister of Defence: Chance of war is close to 100% with Armenia

Baku threatens war with Armenia

 

by Aris Ghazinyan

 

The moderate course of the meeting of the Council of CIS Defense Ministers in Kazakhstan on Tuesday was broken by a sensational revelation by the Azeri defense chief Safar Abiyev that “as long as Azerbaijani territory is occupied by Armenia, the chance of war is close to 100 percent.”

 

The sharp boost of bellicose statements by official Baku has been clearly felt since the beginning of this autumn when on September 7 President Aliyev stated that “for the purpose of restoring control over the whole territory of the republic, Azerbaijan is ready to resort to any measures, including application of force.”

 

Three days later Abiyev’s claimed: “War is underway and the enemy starts to shoot at our positions.” He repeated the words of President Aliyev that only for military needs official Baku spends a sum comparable to the whole budget of Armenia.

 

Deputy Speaker of the Armenian parliament Vahan Hovhannisyan, who is a senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), responded to the MOD’s statement saying that in military operations in the early 1990s, Azerbaijan’s military budget exceeded the financial possibilities of the defending Armenian population, however this superiority did not play a decisive role.

 

The peculiarity of the latest statement of the Azeri minister is the very format of such a statement. The Commonwealth of Independent States is not a militarized bloc, however at the table of discussions there were also heads of defense departments of post-Soviet countries that are part of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Five of the six members of this military-strategic alliance, namely Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus, are connected between themselves by alternating borders and only Armenia is in land isolation.

 

However, in accordance with the fundamental principles of the CSTO “any member country can expect help from the collective quick-reaction forces of the CSTO in the event of a threat to its security.” Thus, Abiyev’s statement is associated with a gauntlet thrown before the foundations of the CSTO and currently the Armenian political establishment expects a corresponding reaction from this military-strategic alliance.

 

Nevertheless, while the CSTO is pondering over the advisability of accepting the Azeri gauntlet, Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan stated on November 29: “The armed forces of Armenia are always ready to defend the country’s borders and the Azerbaijani side must consider that if it chooses a military way of solving the issue, it will have to solve more complicated problems than it solves now.”

 

However, it is in the recent time that aggressive statements of Baku officials are “backed up” with unprecedented powerful information support. Practically on a daily basis Azerbaijani news agencies report about growing tensions on the contact line, which create an atmosphere of the need for retaliating. In particular, in the past few months the Day Az agency has been replete with daily reports about killed and wounded Azeri officers and soldiers.

 

Now few doubt that Baku is developing schemes of establishing its control over the territories of the former Azerbaijani SSR. Despite numerous statements about the possibility of renewed hostilities “in order to recover occupied lands”, there are no reasons to assume that Azerbaijan is planning a large-scale counter-offensive along the whole frontline. Apart from other things, a large-scale war will create a threat to the functioning of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline that lies close to the security zone and whose operation fills the military budget of Azerbaijan. It is evident that in the event of a new war, Armenian defense forces may as well permit themselves to deliver target strikers against the oil pipeline, or as Kocharyan said, “take a decision that the military situation will require.” It is beyond doubt that Azeri authorities realize well such a prospect.

 

A blitz local operation that Azerbaijan is likely to be preparing for is quite a different thing. Such a scheme implies waging an active war on a small area with a huge loss of human lives. It is a situation that Baku is ready for to a certain degree. The “big war in a small area” scenario fraught with a seeming transformation into large-scale military operations is oriented to intervention of the international community, in particular the United Nations. Official Baku has repeatedly tried to shift the discussion of the Artsax problem from the OSCE to the UN format with a prospect of redeployment of an international peacekeeping contingent on the frontline, including along the whole perimeter of the Armenian-Azeri state border. According to one of the schemes being developed in Baku, Nagorno-Artsax will be thus cut off from Armenia by the “blue helmets” and the occupation regime of the UN. However, a well-considered military provocation in the form of a small war is needed for that, for which Azerbaijan is likely to be preparing for.

 

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?con...va&aid=7496

 

 

[Ashot]

Russia calls on Yerevan and Baku to restore the status quo

 

Russia has called on Baku and Yerevan not to allow escalation of clashes in Nagorno Artsax, saysthe statement of the Information and Press Department of RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

“We in Moscow were troubled to learn about military clashes at the northern part of the contact line with application of heavy artillery. The most important now is not to allow it to grow into military actions and stretch to other parts of the connect line,” the documents reads.

 

In this connection the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia calls on the parties to concentrate all efforts on the soon restoration of the status quo.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

OSCE concerned about the cease-fire violation

 

The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, expressed serious concern today about military activity on the Line of Contact in the conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference on the morning of 4 March, in particular over reports of casualties including fatalities.

 

"I call on the parties to exercise maximum restraint, and observe the terms of the cease-fire," the Minister said. "At this critical juncture in the negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the Nagorno-Artsax conflict, any action leading to a destabilization of the Line of Contact can only have a negative impact on the overall situation. I urge the parties to avoid actions that could lead to further unnecessary loss of life."

 

The Chairman-in-Office, recalling his trip last week to the region, added that in his talks with the leadership in both Armenia and Azerbaijan he had underlined the importance of maintaining stability in the region and of efforts towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

 

"My Personal Representative on the Conflict dealt with by the OSCE Minsk Conference, Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk, is in the region at the moment and has been in close contact with the parties," the Minister said.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

 

 

[Ashot]

Co-Chairs propose organizing the first meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan

 

20.03.2008 12:05

 

"The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Yuri Merzlyakov for the Russian Federation, and Bernard Fassier for France, as well as Mike Carpenter, Advisor to U.S. Co-Chair Matt Bryza) met with the Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vartan Oskanian in Vienna on the 14th of March and with the Azerbaijani Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmar Mammadyarov in Paris on the 15th of March.

 

After these meetings the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs recall that, as reiterated before the vote on the "Resolution on the Situation in the Occupied Territories of Azerbaijan" at the UN General Assembly, France, the Russian Federation and the United States support the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan and therefore do not recognize the independence of Nagorno-Artsax, while holding that the future status of Nagorno-Artsax is a matter of negotiations between the parties.

 

The Co-Chairs remain convinced that any peaceful and equitable settlement of the conflict will require unavoidable compromises among the parties. They underline the urgent need to resume the negotiations after the pause due to the presidential election in Armenia. In that respect, they note with satisfaction the affirmation of both Foreign Ministers of the need to continue the discussions between the sides.

 

The Co-Chairs proposed to the Foreign Ministers to organize the first meeting between the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan as soon as possible. The Co-Chairs express their sincere hope that this meeting, accepted in principle by the two sides, will take place and lead to the resumption of negotiations for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Artsax conflict on the basis of the Document on the Basic principles for the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Artsax conflict, presented to the sides on November 29, 2007 in Madrid before the opening of the OSCE Ministerial Council.

 

Finally, at a time when serious clashes resulting in the loss of life have occurred along the Line of Contact, the Co-Chairs urge both sides to refrain from unilateral and maximalist actions on the ground, at the negotiating table, as well as in their public rhetoric, and to fully and strictly comply with their obligations relating to the cease-fire."

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Robert Kocharyan: We have no format for talks better than the Minsk Group

 

20.03.2008 16:04

 

"We have no format for the negotiation process better than the Minsk Group, but it does not mean that we will necessarily stick to that format if Azerbaijan does not accept it," RA President Robert Kocharyan told a press conference today. "If they dont want to negotiate, let's not negotiate. We have always been ready for talks and we think that it is the only way to resolve the issue. If they don't want, please, but at the same time if they do not negotiate they must think how they see the future and who will carry responsibility for the possible steps. My impression is a bit different: the recognition of Kosovo's independence raised a big wave of anxiety, and they are trying to take certain steps to take the further initiative and somehow counterbalance the possible application of that precedent," Robert Kocharyan clarified.

 

According to President Kocharyan, Artsax has greater and more grounded rights to be independent than Kosovo: Nagorno Artsax's independence was proclaimed in September, 1992, the referendum was held in December, the Nagorno Artsax Republic has all state institutions and defends its independence and territorial integrity itself. "From this perspective Artsax's rights are more advantageous, and this negotiation process is more necessary to Azerbaijan that us. If they continue in the same style, our next step should be recognition of Artsax's independence and signing of a correspondent document with NKR on reciprocal support, organization of common defense and other issues. In any event, these would be my future steps."

 

By forcing the passage of the resolution on Nagorno Artsax in the UN General Assembly on March 14, Azerbaijan made an attempt to counterbalance the Kosovo precedent, pretending that the precedent does not apply to Artsax. "There is the independence of Kosovo, the process of recognition of this independence which is quite understandable and is not conceived by all states in the same way. However, feeling that danger and seeing that these conflicts are rather alike and it's very hard to find the right qualification of a "precedent or no precedent," they are trying to counterbalance it with such a resolution. However, their counterbalance was not correct and far more states did not support them. There are both a political pretext here and an attempt to solve the issue in a military way," RA President noted.

 

According to him, the violation of the cease-fire, the passage of the resolution in the UN and the attempts to dissolve the Minsk Group are targeted at checking the level of strength of the Armenian side. "I have no doubt that if they were confident Armenia and Artsax were weakened, Azerbaijan would make an attempt to succeed," Robert Kocharyan noted.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Russia considers the Minsk Group to be the most effective format for Artsax settlement

 

Russia is stable in its position and considers that the current negotiation process on the Nagorno Artsax conflict settlement, i.e. the OSCE Minsk Group is the most acceptable and effective, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin told a press conference in Yerevan today, summing up the results of his visit to Armenia March 18-20.

 

Mr. Karasin noted that Russia is anxious about the events that took place the line of contact between the Armed Forces of Nagorno Artsax and Azerbaijan and expect that the possible meeting of the leaders of the two countries will help to reduce the tension in the region.

 

RF Deputy Foreign Minister, State Secretary Grigory Karasin noted that a broad framework of Armenian-Russian relations was discussed during the meetings with RA President Robert Kocharyan, President-Elect, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan and Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian. Reference was made to the schedule of bilateral political contacts envisaged for 2008, including the forthcoming visit of RA President-Elect Serge Sargsyan to the Russian Federation.

 

Other issues of bilateral interest were discussed, including the foreign policy of Armenia and the domestic political situation.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Bryza: The date and place of the next meeting of the Presidents remains unclear

22.03.2008 12:42

 

The issue of the date and place of the next meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia remains unclear, the US Co-Chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza told Trend News.

 

According to unofficial information, the meeting of the Presidents of Azerbaijan and Armenia regarding peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Artsax conflict may take place at the beginning of April in Bucharest within the NATO summit. Yerevan and Baku highlighted their preparedness to re-establish the negotiations process which was suspended as a result of presidential elections in Armenia in February.

 

The U.S. Co-Chairman said that the President of Armenia, Robert Kocharyan, who completes his presidential term will not participate in the NATO Bucharest summit, and the newly elected President of Armenia, Serge Sargsyan, will come to the presidential oath no earlier than 9 April, Bryza said, adding that it remains unclear when the next meeting of the leaders of the two countries will take place.

 

The U.S. politician considers that the fair and sustainable settlement of the Nagorno-Artsax conflict remains as one of the key issues of the US-Azerbaijan partnership. “The United States and Azerbaijan are satisfied with the deep friendship and strong strategic partnership. The high-ranking officials of Azerbaijan clearly made aware Washington that they intend to, in every possible way, strengthen and intensify our close relations in a wide diapason of issues of mutual interest,” said the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, Matthew Bryza.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Matthew Bryza: What is on the table is a fair and balanced compromise

25.03.2008 12:45

 

Commenting on the recent criticism of the Minsk Group by Azerbaijan, the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza declared in an interview with the Armenian Reporter that he “does not think that any of the people that are out there criticizing the Minsk Group proposals are aware of what is really in the proposal.”

 

“What is on the table is a fair and balanced compromise that includes elements that are attractive to Azerbaijan, an interpretation of which was cited in the UN GA resolution, but there are also many elements that are very attractive to Armenia that were not cited in that resolution,” Matthew Bryza said.

 

Speaking about the possibility of the meeting between RA President-Elect and the President of Azerbaijan on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Bucharest, the American mediator said he could not mention the exact time. “The calendar is a bit complicated in that President-elect Sargsyan will not be inaugurated until April 9, and the summit in Romania is from April 2 to 4. So Prime Minister Sargsyan will not yet be the President. There is a protocol problem, which could lead to a delay, but it is up to them if they get together there. And if they don’t, they would be able to meet shortly thereafter. In terms of agenda, it is clear now that the President-Elect of Armenia is in favor of continuing on the basis of the proposal on the table as it was presented at the OSCE ministerial meeting in Madrid last November,” Matthew Bryza said.

 

If Armenia recognizes Nagorno Artsax, “that will be something that is very seriously undermining the peace process,” Matthew Bryza said, commenting on the talks in Armenia that it should recognize the independence of the Nagorno Artsax Republic after the recent non-constructive actions of Azerbaijan.

 

“I think any move that prejudges the outcome of the negotiations that are underway and that are achieving some real results in terms of moving closer to finalizing the basic principles would be unhelpful. And we looked at the UN GA resolution of Azerbaijan in that very light: that it was a one-sided resolution that did not reflect the fair and balanced nature of the proposal on the table. Similarly, if the Armenian side were to move unilaterally and prejudge the outcome of the negotiations by recognizing Nagorno Artsax, that would be something that is very seriously undermining the peace process,” the US diplomat noted.

 

“I think that would be a highly asymmetric response to Azerbaijan’s move at the UN GA and potentially a highly destabilizing move. It would mean to decide that this is the end of the negotiating process and we have unilaterally declared that the conflict is resolved in this way,” Bryza said.

 

Commenting on the possibility that some of US assistance programs may be suspended because of the events in Armenia, the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group said “since positive steps have been taken in terms of the lifting of the state of emergency in Armenia, there is no need for us to take negative steps on our side.”

 

“I hope very much that lifting of the state of emergency moves tensions in Armenia to a new phase, in which freedoms and democratic momentum in Armenia are restored and we get back on track with all of the items on our important agenda,” Matthe Bryza said.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Bul-Buloglu: I cannot imagine how the Co-Chairs will visit Baku again

25.03.2008 17:38

 

Baku will use all chances for peaceful settlement of Nagorno Artsax conflict, Polad Bul-Buloglu, the Azerbaijani Ambassador in the Russian Federation, stated in his interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta newspaper.

 

“Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev noted in his statements that in the world stakes have been made on force recently. Force will be a decisive factor in solution of most disputable issues. I would like to note that Azerbaijan will use chances to settle the conflict through peaceful ways. We do not want bloodshed from both sides,” he stated.

 

Bul-Buloglu touched upon the voting on the UN General Assembly resolution introduced by Azerbaijan. “Voting against the resolution, the Co-chairs created a very complex situation. I cannot imagine how they visit Azerbaijan again. The key principle of intermediation, neutrality was violated. How could such representatives act as mediators?”

 

Speaking about the negotiations on the Artsax settlement, the Ambassador said he supports the attraction of Eastern European countries to the process. According to Bul-Buloglu, there is need to intensify the potential of other member-countries of OSCE Minsk Group.

 

“Of course, nothing will come out without Russia. Certainly, nothing comes out in the world without the United States. I think, however, that we can involve fresh players. Why we should not involve Eastern European countries, like Romania and Poland?” he stated.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Azeri opposition party to protest in front of US< French and Russian Embassies

29.03.2008 14:08

 

Next week the Azerbaijani “Muasir Musavat” opposition party will hold acts of protest in front of the Embassies of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries – Russia, France and the United States.

 

Leader of the Party Hafiz Haciyev told Trend News that the action is aimed at demanding the termination of the Minsk Group activity, since the Co-Chair countries voted against the Resolution on the “Situation in the occupied territories of Azerbaijan” introduced to the UN General Assembly.

 

“The protest will be conducted even if the rally is not authorized by the executive bodies of Baku,” Hajiyev said.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[AVO]

Shouldn't opposition be opposing the government? They couldn't come up with a opposition that had different views from the ruling one? I feel sorry for them.

[Ashot]

Zeyno Baran: Azerbaijan is worried that Kosovo may be used as a precedent

01.04.2008 13:35

 

Director of the Center for Eurasian Policy and Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute Zeyno Baran declared in an interview with Mediamax that “Baku’s sharp criticism of the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, especially the US, is a strategic step to reinforce the support of Azerbaijan’s position in the world.”

 

Zeyno Barak expressed the opinion that the adoption of the Resolution on Nagorno Artsax in the UN General Assembly “was a response to the proclamation of Kosovo’s independence and the broad support it received in the West.”

 

“Baku is worried that Kosovo can be used as a precedent, and Georgia shares this anxiety. Thus, this Resolution can be viewed as an attempt to prevent such development of events. Moreover, taking into consideration the fact that Russia is using the issue of the Kosovo precedent in the context of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, I think that Baku and Tbilisi wished to get convinced that Kosovo would be viewed as a unique case, and see how Russia would vote,” Zeyno Baran said.

 

“There is growing concern in Azerbaijan that the West is unfair towards it because of it’s being a Muslim country. Azeris see how resolutely the US defends the territorial integrity of Georgia and do not see a similar attitude towards them. Certainly, taking into consideration the fact that the United States is a Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group, the US Administration cannot have a different stance on the Artsax issue. Unfortunately, it’s hard for an ordinary Azerbaijani to understand or accept this difference. Many Azeris feel that they are an important ally of the US in the fields of energy security, fighting terrorism and other issues, but they do not get much in response. At the same time, the Azeri Government and most of the society understand the importance of partnership with the US and will not allow that Resolution to harm Baku’s relations with Washington,” Director of the Center for Eurasian Policy and Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute said.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

 

Note: Now they are playing the "oh that's because we are muslim" game... This is getting more interesting yet more hillarious!!!

[Ashot]

Zeyno Baran: Serge Sargsyan is a well-known leader in the West

01.04.2008 15:52

 

Director of the Center for Eurasian Policy and Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute Zeyno Baran declared in an interview with Mediamax that “she has seen no statement that would indicate that the US Government officially supports Levon Ter-Petrosyan.”

 

“The fair negative attitude of the West was directed against the use of force, the restrictions on media and other measures undertaken by the authorities in power. I’m sure the reaction of the West was directed towards defending the peaceful democratic maturity of Armenia and must not be viewed as actions for or against concrete persons,” Zeyno Baran said.

 

The Director of the Center for Eurasian Policy and Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute said “that Mr. Sargsyan is a well-known leader in the West, especially Washington.”

 

“He is known as a politician, who sincerely believes in Armenia’s complementary foreign policy and has implemented it. I see no reasons that would make him change it. Naturally, such policy derives from the national interests of Armenia,” the American analyst said.

 

Commenting on the forthcoming participation of RA President-Elect in the NATO summit in Bucharest 2-4 April, Zeyno Baran said: “I think the Western leaders are waiting for the meeting with him. Those who already know him will meet with him in his new status and will continue working with Armenia on core issues, particularly the Artsax conflict settlement. Under the conditions when Georgia and Ukraine are resolutely struggling for NATO’s Membership Action Plan, and Azerbaijan demonstrates obvious interest in the possible membership, it would be interesting for NATO to learn from Mr. Sargsyan about Armenia’s long-term intentions.”

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Azerbaijan accuses the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries of violating the principle of neutrality

02.04.2008 14:49

 

By voting against the resolution of the UN General Assembly "On situation in the occupied lands of Azerbaijan," the OSCE co-chair countries have violated the principle of neutrality, said Azerbaijan's Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov.

 

"The assurance of the Co-Chairs that voting against the adoption of the document, they tried to be unbiased does not correspond to reality," he told reporters on Tuesday.

 

The Deputy Minister also noted that the request of official Baku regarding the replacement of OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs is a kind of warning.

 

"The Co-Chairs should take a lesson from this message. We are satisfied with the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group. However, the recent steps, cause our resentment. We consider that the potential of the Minsk Group has not been exhausted and the Co-Chairs have monopolized the peace talks," Azimov noted.

 

He said the provision of territorial integrity of Azerbaijan occupied an important place among proposals, put forward four years ago.

 

"If not so, official Baku would have rejected the talks. Azerbaijan will not accept the loss of a part of its lands and will ensure its territorial integrity by any means," the Deputy Foreign Minister said.

 

He also touched upon the possible future of the Lachin corridor. Noting that the corridor is important both for Azerbaijan and Armenia, Azimov noted that official Baku proposes the possible use of the corridor by both parties provided that it remains part of Azerbaijan. He said that the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs are aware of it and this issue may become a subject of discussions in the further talks.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

 

Note: Oh now they are warning the world powers - how nice! I shall live to see the response of the OSCE to this statement... these fools should be put into their places "JAILS IN MEXICO" - "So the mexicans can make pinyadas out of them"

Edited April 2, 2008 by Ashot

[Ashot]

Sergey Lavrov: The document on basis principles is a good basis for continuing the talks

02.04.2008 15:38

 

Speaking at a State Duma sitting, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared that the document on the basic principles of the Artsax conflict resolution adopted by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs in November “will serve as a good basis for continuing the negotiations between Armenia and Azerbaijan.”

 

Lavrov underlined that “the negotiations on Nagorno Artsax have never stopped and will continue.”

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Serge Sargsyan met with the Minsk Group Co-Chairs

03.04.2008 14:04

 

RA President-Elect, Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan who left for Bucharest (Romania) this morning to participate in the Summit of the North-Atlantic Treaty Organization, met with the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs.

 

Armenpress correspondent reported from Bucharest that before the meeting with the Prime Minister the US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group Matthew Bryza said this is their first meeting with Serge Sargsyan as President-Elect and is aimed at exchanging views on the negotiation process.

 

Turning to the question that Azerbaijan has applied to the OSCE to get clarifications about the procedure of dissolving the Minsk Group, Bryza noted he has repeatedly commented on the matter and noted that the negotiation process continues.

 

Yesterday the Co-Chairs met with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.

 

Publci Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Co-Chairs' meeting with Azeri Presidnet held in a tense atmosphere

03.04.2008 12:12

 

The meeting of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev was held in a tense atmosphere, Novruz Mammadov, the Head of International Relations Department of Azerbaijani Presidential Administration said to TrendNews.

 

“During the talks Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev brought to the notice of the Co-Chairs the tough and irreconcilable position on the solution of the Nagorno-Artsax conflict,” said Mammadov.

 

Mammadov also said that Azerbaijani President demanded OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs to explain the position of the countries they represent regarding the Nagorno-Artsax conflict which was introduced to the UN General Assembly by Azerbaijan. On their part, the co-chairs stated that they supported the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan.

 

Today the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs will make an official statement regarding their positions.

 

Publci Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

The latest steps of Azerbaijan oblige Armenia to be more resolute

04.04.2008 17:24

 

It’s obvious that recently Azerbaijan was trying to use the internal political situation in Armenia to influence the negotiation process on the Artsax conflict settlement, which obligates the Armenian side to be more resolute on questions of principle, RA President Robert Kocharyan told reporters today.

 

The President underlined that any possibility of change or compromise in our position is excluded. “Just the opposite, in such cases it is necessary to respond from the position of resolute approaches.”

 

According to Robert Kocharyan’s assessment, the paces of Armenia’s stability and further development should become the best guarantee of ensuring a strong position in the Artsax issue.

 

The President did not rule out the possibility of recognition of the Nagorno Artsax Republic by Armenia. “I think the latest steps of Azerbaijan simply oblige Armenia to undertake decisive actions, while these actions should be decided by the New President and Government.”

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Kiro Manoyan: Azerbaijan has “passed all bounds”

 

08.04.2008 16:20

 

Azerbaijan has “passed all bounds” with its aspiration to bring the negotiations out of the OSCE framework, Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro Manoyan told a press conference today. He noted that it would be good to take the step in the direction of recognition of Nagorno Artsax and signing a military agreement with it right now.

 

According to Kiro Manoyan, Armenia has practically recognized Nagorno Artsax. It’s not the first year that interstate agreements have been functioning, Armenia provides loans to Artsax, etc. He noted that “it’s time to show Azerbaijan” that in case it continues the efforts to bring the negotiation process out of the OSCE Minsk Group format Armenia can take harsher steps, and then Azerbaijan will have to negotiate directly with Nagorno Artsax. He expressed confidence that during Serge Sargsyan’s presidency Armenia will not yield its positions on the Artsax issue.

 

As for possibility of including H. Res. 106 in the agenda of the US House of Representatives, Kiro Manoyan noted that the issue has always been on the agenda and the lobbyists are simply waiting for a more proper opportunity to bring the resolution for a vote. According to him, taking into consideration the principled position of Democratic candidates on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the Congressmen may possibly return to the discussion of the question.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Galust Sahakyan: The Artsax issue must be solved in a peaceful way and in the framework of the OSCE MG

 

12.04.2008 14:38

 

The Nagorno Artsax issue must be solved in a peaceful way and in the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. There is no change in Armenia’s position: the principles important for Armenia will be reflected in statement of the National Assembly on Nagorno Artsax issue, MP, Vice-President of the Republican Party pf Armenia Galust Sahakyan told a press conference today. According to the MP, the attempts of the Azerbaijani side to hinder the negotiation process, take it out of the Minsk Group framework once again underscored the necessity to reinforce the security of Nagorno Artsax.

 

The NA statement is addressed to the President and the Government, suggesting to establish such contractual relations with Artsax that will reestablish and make it clear for the international community and Azerbaijan that the issue of NKR security is a priority. “The document does not change Armenia’s principles, it simply resists the challenges Armenia faces,” the Deputy noted, urging to refrain from disputing the Nagorno Artsax issue.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Aratta-Kingdom]

defacto.am

 

http://www.defacto.am/index.php?OP=104884901

 

 

COMMENTARIES OF THE NKR MFA INFORMATION AND ANALYTICAL DEPARTMENT ON THE MASS MEDIA QUESTIONS ABOUT THE AZERBAIJANI PARTY’S SPECULATIONS ON THE “KURD SUBJECT” IN THE CONTEXT OF THE AZERBAIJANI-Artsax CONFLICT

 

 

Question: Lately, it has become popular in Azerbaijan to look for the Kurd Labor Party (KLP) militants in the NKR. Recently, Nizami Bahmanov has joined the supporters of conducting an “antiterrorist operation” against the KLP militants allegedly available in the NKR. What are these modern tendencies in Azerbaijan’s policy aimed at?

Commentary: Due to the ethnic origin of the governing clan in Baku, the “Kurd subjects” is one of the most sensible domestic policy topics in modern Azerbaijan. The matter is not only in the fact that representatives of the mentioned ethnic group occupy many high-level key posts in Azerbaijan, but also in the role of the “Nakhichevan clan” ancestor, former head of the AzSSR KGB Heydar Aliyev in creating and training Turkey’s number one enemy - the Kurd Labor Party (KLP). Researchers refer the Turkish leadership’s traditional cool terms with late Aliyev-senior just to this circumstance. During his visit to Baku in January 2003, former leader of the ruling Party of Justice and Development in Turkey Radjep Erdogan stated that sections of the Kurd Labor Party operated in Azerbaijan, screened by cultural events. R. Erdogan’s statement caused such a violent reaction in Azerbaijan that the then Minister of National Security of the country Namik Abbasov had to make an official refutation. It is notable that Namik Abbasov did not exclude that there might be such persons in Azerbaijan supporting the KLP and rendering financial assistance to it, but their activity, as Mr. Abbasov assured, was “under the control of the Azerbaijani law enforcement bodies”.

In this context, the immediate reaction of the Azerbaijani party to the misinformation published in the Turkish press, as well as the following attempts of its officials to get rid of the “Kurd problem” in Azerbaijan and to transfer the focus of attention to the NKR are not accidental. Meanwhile, according to the Azerbaijani mass media, former Armenian villages of the Northern Artsax were actively populated with Kurds during the recent years.

Question: What aims does Baku pursue, spreading such insinuations?

Commentary: If we set aside the peculiarity of the “Kurd subject”, then the matter is in Azerbaijan’s regular use of its favorite propagandistic tactics of “tracing” urgent issues of international policy and transferring them to the Artsax conflict. Thus, in different periods, depending on the political situation, the Azerbaijani party stated that the Artsax movement “was inspired by the western secret services for undermining the communist system and brotherhood of nations”; later, it noted that the Artsax Armenians’ demand was initiated by the “imperial ambitions of the Kremlin authorities, who had declared war on sovereign Azerbaijan”. In the framework of their informational-propagandistic war, the Azerbaijani authorities and the structures, funded by them, stated on the existence of Al-Qaida camps and a series of radical Islamic organizations, laboratories for producing nuclear weapons, and nuclear waste burial in the NKR. The Azerbaijani parliamentary delegation at PACE distributed even a document on the Armenian party’s use of nuclear weapons during the military activities in 1991-1994.

Depending on the international political situation, different ways of resolving the Artsax conflict were discussed in Azerbaijan, which, having the same content, were different in their form. They noted the necessity of holding a large-scale “passport regime checkup”, intensifying the Azeri OMON operations, conducting anti-terroristic operations in Nagorno Artsax, realizing pointed bombing of the “terroristic infrastructure”, carrying out humanitarian intervention “for saving the Artsax Armenians from terrorists”, initiating military-police operations for “restoring law and order in Nagorno Artsax”, implementing corresponding “operations on forcing for peace with Azerbaijan”, etc.

So, the tradition of presenting itself as a victim of “local demonstration of the international evil” is not new for Azerbaijan. It fully corresponds to the tactics of solving the Artsax problem with cat’s paw, which Azerbaijan actively fulfills in the context of its European, American, and Russian policy.

However, if previously similar statements were made on an official level, currently, realizing their absurdity, official Baku suggests Nizami Bahmanov for developing such topics. And it’s a pity that Azerbaijan makes use of Nizami Bahmanov in its provocative actions contradicting not only the letter and spirit of the Azerbaijani-Artsax conflict settlement process, but also the common sense.

[Ashot]

Condoleezza Rice: The Artsax issue can be solved if there is political will

 

16.04.2008 14:39

 

“I am very much of the view that the Nagorno-Artsax issue is one that could be resolved, and actually, with just a little bit of will, could be resolved relatively quickly,” US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said after the meeting of the Turkish-American group in Washington.

 

“We have been close several times within the Minsk process, where we have the cooperation of several countries including Russia, the European Union, the United States. It is just going to take taking a couple of difficult decisions and getting an agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia on Nagorno-Artsax,” the Secretary of State declared.

 

“It needs to be done. I have made the case to both the Armenian Government and to the Azeri Government that they are falling behind the rest of the region because they will not resolve this conflict between them. And frankly, there is plenty of, if you wish to use the word blame, to go around on both sides. This could be done if there’s political will and it ought to – it ought to be done,” Rice concluded.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

OSCE Mission registered no cases of ceasefire violation

 

16.04.2008 15:09

 

According to an earlier agreement with the authorities of the Nagorno Artsax Republic, on April 15 the OSCE Mission carried out monitoring of the line of contact between the Armed Forces of Nagorno Artsax and Azerbaijan to the north of Takish settlement in Martakert region.

 

The NKR Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that from the positions of NKR Defense Army the monitoring was carried out by the Coordinator of the OSCE Office, Colonel Imre Palatinus (Hungary), Field Assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Irzhe Aberlen (Czech Republic) and Zhaslin Nurtazin (Kazakhstan).

 

The monitoring was conducted in compliance with a preset schedule, no braches of the ceasefire were registered.

 

From the Karbakhi side the monitoring group was accompanied by representatives of the NKR Ministries of Defense and Foreign Affairs.

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

Terry Davis: Parties to the conflict are close to an agreement

 

16.04.2008 16:56

 

Secretary General of the Council of Europe Terry Davis declared that the parties of the Artsax conflict are close to reaching an agreement.

 

“I met with the Foreign Ministers of the two countries and held discussions with them. I have the impression that the parties are close to coming to an agreement. I think we can hope that an agreement will be reached in the near future,” Terry Davis said during today’s press conference.

 

The Secretary General of the Council of Europe expressed regret for the protraction of the process of settlement of the Artsax conflict. “For a long time the OSCE Minsk Group has been trying to find a solution to the conflict. But we must agree that it is impossible to force the parties to the conflict to accept the ways of solution proposed by the OSCE Minsk Group. The Minsk Group can only play the role of a mediator,” Davis said.

 

Mr. Davis expressed confidence that the peaceful resolution of the conflict first of all corresponds to the interests of the residents of the region. The CoE Secretary General added that “the militaristic spirit has calmed down in the region, which will help to reach peace.”

 

Public Radio of Armenia

[Ashot]

The Armenia Fund Accomplishes a Number of School Furnishing Projects

 

16.04.2008 17:38

 

The Armenia Fund accomplished several furnishing projects during the month of March including the Parakar Art school, school N10 in Abovian, Kotaik region, schools N 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in Artik, Shirak region, secondary school in Kndzoresk, Siunik region and School N78 in Yerevan. All these projects have been initiated and financed through contributions from the Armenia Fund’s French Affiliate.

 

The Art School after Hovik Edgaryan located in the village of Parakar with a population of 7000 was renovated in 2007 with funds from the Armenia Fund French Affiliate. The furnishing project at a total cost of 13,758,549 AMD includes items such as chairs, tables, sofas, hangers, mirrors, drawers, desks, two looms, an oven and a shaping machine for producing ceramic items and a computer. The project is named in memory of the late Loussintac and Sahak Tchopourian.

 

Around 200 students from Parakar and nearby villages of Tairov, Merdzavan, Ajgek, Baghramyan, Norakert, Ptghunk, Arevashat, Musaler attend different classes at the school. Piano, brass band, dancing, painting, tapestry, pottery and carpet-making classes have classrooms of their own. With facilities for ceramics and carpet-making classes available now, the school administration has started registering pupils who want to enroll on it.

 

The instructor of the painting class Liparit Shahinyan said they now have 26 children attending the class instead of the 12 they had earlier this year, as they now have 12 easels instead of 6 and more tables and chairs in the classroom. “There was always much interest in painting and pottery classes, but we did not have enough facilities for all those who wanted to join us. We are grateful to the Armenia Fund and our donors for their timely assistance and the stimulus the new environment provides. It is not only pupils who enjoy the new painting tools, it is us, the teachers, who are inspired to do better,” said the instructor. Anahit and Anush have been attending the painting classes for 2.5 years now. They said they always enjoyed them but with the new furnished room and tables of their own they enjoy the classes better. Anahit, 13, is quite certain about her future profession and is seriously planning to become a fashion designer.

 

Two years ago a class for brass band opened at school. Today it has 10 students and a nice display of a dozen instruments – trumpet, clarinet, trombone, baritone, and viola –on the wall in the classroom. The instruments lay idle in the Parakar secondary school where they belonged in and were passed over to the art school so that the brass band class could use it. With the support of the local municipality they were repaired and now make an impressive collection of Soviet era brass instruments.

 

Principal of the school Almast Svajyan was greatly excited when showing around the school that was no longer just a nicely renovated and an orderly place which could do with new and more pieces of furniture earlier this year.

 

Appropriate maintenance is felt in every corner of the building. Although the school was renovated only seven months ago, it is not without the efforts of Ms. Svajyan and her team that the building is kept in good repair; a lot is currently being considered and done to add to it. The curtains obtained by the school management for the concert hall are a perfect match with the chairs. “We are all so pleased with the new interior; it’s an incredible change. We really appreciate the efficiency with which acquisition of the furniture was organized. And we know that not every school in Armenia enjoys the conditions we do today. Many thanks to the Armenia Fund and our friends in France for the school we have,” said Ms Svajyan.

 

Fittings such as pictures, small rugs and other decorations are part of the principal’s plans. According to her due to the Armenia Fund renovation and furnishing projects the school has now four job openings – one for an administrative assistant and three for support staff. On April 6 the school hosted the festival of sport dances in which groups from Yerevan, Gyumri, Vanadzor, Sisian and Echmiadsin participated.

 

Within the Armenia Fund upcoming project banisters will be built along the stairs and a fence put up around the building so as to provide safety for school children and prevent the flowers and grass from being trampled.

 

Similarly eight classrooms for a donation of 3,688,300 AMD drams were furnished in N10 School in Abovian city. The school received tables, chairs, blackboards and hangers. The classrooms were sponsored through the French-Armenian Association for Friendship, Normandy Association for Armenian Solidarity and in memory of late Mihran, Nvart Hatsagortsian.and their son Jirair.

 

The municipality of Vaulx en Velin in France with a total cost of 5,510,000 AMD drams funded five classrooms in schools number 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 in Artik, Shirak region. It is planned that the municipality will go ahead with the full furnishing of these schools.

 

School 78 located in the center of Yerevan received new furniture with a total cost of 4,283,200 AMD drams. It includes desks, chairs, tables, bookshelves, blackboards, as well as hangers.

 

The secondary school in Kndzoresk, another beneficiary of the Armenia Fund project, received sport facilities with donation from Michel Tchaloyan. The project was implemented in memory of Melik and Jirair Melik Mardirossian.

 

The Armenia Fund Executive Director Vahe Aghabegians welcomed the successful accomplishment of the projects. “By giving our young generation modern schools with appropriately furnished classrooms we make yet another step towards a better life for them. We want them to choose to stay and study in their home communities and truly enjoy their learning. The Armenia Fund is doing its best to support the government in its attempts to provide schools to the standard and thus solve the most basic problem existent in the country’s educational system today,” says Mr. Aghabegians.

 

Public Radio of Armenia