News about Artsakh

[Catharsis]

Re: News about Artsakh

But only Turkey signed the Kars Treaty, Armenia did not,
doesn't that make the document null or void?

True the Treaty of Kars is not valid because it was never signed by independent Republic of Armenia. The above map was 'modified' and made into a legal international document through the Treaty of Sèvres (August 10, 1920) that stipulated that President Woodrow Wilson is allotted to fix the borders of Armenia (signed today - November 22, 1920 - 89 years ago) which came into existence one the document was signed and sealed with the presidential Great Seal of the United States of America.

[ninetoyadome]

Re: News about Artsakh

Armenia will recognize the independence of Nagorno Karabakh, President’s Spokesman says
23.11.2009 18:18
“The growth of tension around the Karabakh conflict would certainly be the most unwanted outcome. It will be the most undesirable development for Nagorno Karabakh, Armenia and the whole region. But the Republic of Armenia cannot stay indifferent to the fate of the people of Nagorno Karabakh. That is why the President of Armenia and other officials have declared on different occasions that we are responsible for the security of the people of Nagorno Karabakh,” Armenia President’s Spokesman Samvel Farmanyan said in response to the recent bellicose statement of the Azerbaijani President.

In case of the above-mentioned developments there are accepted practices in the world. “Let’s suppose that the Republic of Armenia recognizes the independence of Nagorno Karabakh with all the ensuing consequences. Secondly, the Republic of Armenia might sign a cooperation agreement with the Nagorno Karabakh Republic. There are options, and I’m confident that Armenia will use those options separately or altogether. It should be noted that Armenia has not recognized the independence of Nagorno Karabakh only not to hinder the peace talks. Should the peace talks suspend and military actions start, nothing will prevent Armenia from recognizing the independence of Nagorno Karabakh,” Samvel Farmanyan said.

“Armenia has always declared it sees no alternative to peaceful settlement. Armenia does believe that it is possible to reach the peaceful and comprehensive resolution of the issue through peace talks,” Farmnanyan said.

The Spokesman refuted the information disseminated by Azeri media that during the Munich meeting the parties have talked about withdrawal form Kelbajar region by yearend, which would allow Turkey to ratify the Armenian Turkish protocols and make Azerbaijan soften its position on the Karabakh settlement.”

“In Armenia we have already got used to the fact that following every meeting between the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan, well-informed forces inform about non-existent discussions and agreements. It’s a simple misinformation and has nothing to do with reality. The question is out of discussion. Therefore, there such an agreement is impossible. It has been repeatedly stated that the issue of the status of Karabakh lies at the core of the talks. Other issues are secondary,” Samvel Farmanyan concluded.

http://www.armradio.am/news/?part=pol&id=16229

[Haykakan]

Re: News about Artsakh

PRESIDENTS OF ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN MET IN MUNICH

armradio.am
23.11.2009 13:16

The Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan Serzh Sargsyan and Ilham
Aliyev met in Munich on November 22. The Munich meeting was the six
this year within the framework of the process of negotiations on the
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.

The Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group, Yuri Merzlyakov (Russia),
Bernard Fassier (France) and Robert Bradtke (USA), the Personal
Representative of the OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Andrzej Kasprzyk, as
well as the Foreign Ministers of the two countries, Edward Nalbandian
and Elmar Mammadyarov participated in the meeting. The talks later
continued face-to face.

During the meeting at the French Consulate that lasted about four
hours the parties continued the discussion of issues related to the
peaceful and comprehensive settlement of the Karabakh conflict.

The Presidents instructed their foreign ministers to continue working
with the Co-Chairs on these matters. As a next step, the Co-Chairs are
organizing a working session with the two ministers in advance of the
OSCE Ministerial Council, which will take place December 1-2 in Athens.

The Co-Chairs assessed the meeting as constructive and emphasized
that there was no military solution to the Karabakh issue and there
was no alternative to the negotiations.

[Lernakan]

Re: News about Artsakh

PRIME MINISTER ARA HARUTIUNIAN SPEAKS OF KARABAKH'S GROWING ECONOMY, AND OPPOSES RETREAT ON NATIONAL ISSUES

Ara Harutiunian discusses policy and politics

by Emil Sanamyan

STEPANAKERT, NAGORNO-KARABAKH - Prime Minister Ara Harutiunian and other Nagorno-Karabakh officials arrived in the United States this week ahead of the annual Thanksgiving telethon organized by the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund. On November 5, Washington editor Emil Sanamyan spoke with Mr. Harutiunian in his office in Stepanakert. A translation of that conversation follows. (Mr. Harutiunian's bio appears at the end of this interview.)

Emil Sanamyan: Mr. Prime Minister, earlier this week you made a number of statements rejecting the territorial concessions envisioned under what is known as the Madrid proposal for a Karabakh settlement, unveiled by France, Russia, and the United States in July. At the time the NKR Foreign Ministry broadly criticized the proposal, but your comments were more specific. Could you elaborate on NKR's position with regard to that proposal?

Ara Harutiunian: The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic has not been formally presented with the Madrid proposal. We have seen the statement and media commentary, but as long as we are not formally presented with a proposal, we cannot officially accept or reject it.

That said, we have a position repeatedly articulated by our president and other officials, a position that the international community needs to appreciate.

First, the people of Artsakh have already exercised their right to self-determination.

Second, in a popular referendum, we adopted our constitution, which specifies that Artsakh's territory is its present-day territory comprising 11,400 sq km (4,400 sq mi), and it is not the territory of the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast.

Of course, we support the negotiation process and understand that negotiations imply mutual compromises. But in the end, the negotiations can produce results only when Artsakh authorities become involved. Without our full participation, there will be no results.

Protocols

ES: Another issue generating a lot of debate is the terms of the Armenia-Turkey protocols signed on October 10. The Armenian government has invested a lot of effort into that diplomatic initiative and there has also been a lot of criticism of the protocols both in Armenia and the diaspora. What is your view of that process?

AH: Generally we would welcome any step that contributes to Armenia's economic development. But such a step should not come with preconditions or disregard our national dignity and identity.

The future of our country depends on economic development. Armenians are business savvy, and if they don't have opportunities in the homeland, they will find them elsewhere; emigration leads to demographic problems.

It is obvious that a Turkey-Armenia border opening would create new opportunities for development. Those who argue that [Turkish imports] would damage our economy are not correct. The same argument, after all, could be made against countries we have open borders with, Georgia and Iran. But that is not the case, and reflects a backward-looking policy.

Border opening with Turkey is important economically, but once again it should come without preconditions, without historical revisionism, and without a link to Artsakh negotiations.

If any one of these conditions is not met, we will be opposed and will find the signing of these documents to be senseless. But as far as I know, the president of the Republic of Armenia, in all his statements, has ruled out any compromises on these issues.

I would stress once again that a solution to the Artsakh issue depends on Artsakh itself. Any deals reached contrary to the will of Artsakh people will remain on paper.

You will recall this is what happened when former Armenian President Levon Ter-Petrosian agreed to the return of Kelbajar [after its capture in April 1993]. Those efforts were in vain. Moreover, our army was able to liberate Tigranakert, Kovsakan, and other areas [later in 1993].

Confident about security

ES: As prime minister you deal mostly with economic issues, but economics and security are quite interconnected. Azerbaijan is continuing to arm itself and has repeatedly expressed aggressive intentions. But there is little Armenian criticism of this militarization and there is virtually no criticism of countries selling weapons to Azerbaijan. Why not?

AH: We of course do not welcome Azerbaijan's policy that allocates so much money for its armed forces and weapons purchases, but there is also little we can do to influence this process.

Instead, we do what we can to make Azerbaijan think twice before launching hostilities. We have an efficient defense system that is not limited to today's standing army. Every citizen of Artsakh is a [reservist] soldier and will defend his motherland the way we did in the early 1990s.

Additionally, it is important to note that, say, the price of a modern tank is in millions of dollars, while antitank weapons cost only several thousand. We are not preparing for an aggression; we are preparing for defense [so our costs are lower]. However, we also have serious counterattack capabilities.

Each year, we implement large-scale programs aimed at increasing capabilities of our army, and strengthening our defense perimeter.

Azerbaijan can make the calculations and knows that the Artsakh Army will remain a guarantor of regional peace and stability for a long time. We have made it clear that a new war would be very damaging for Azerbaijan not just in human and financial terms, but also through loss of territory.

We are confident about our capabilities and ready to confront any aggressor.

Growing the diaspora-homeland link

ES: Earlier today I visited the Artsakh History Museum where a guide showed me a picture of your older brother who was killed in the war. This subject of war of course remains very close to everyone in Artsakh.

But for many others, including in the diaspora, the war has become a relatively distant memory and the sense of danger to Artsakh, to Armenians, has largely passed. Why is Artsakh still important?

AH: It must be harder to maintain the attachment to your motherland when you live far from it rather than when you live here. From far you miss it, but nostalgia alone can be exhausted over the years.

To preserve this attachment to Armenia, to Artsakh, we encourage diaspora Armenians to visit the motherland more often. Once you visit and experience Artsakh, you will fall in love with Artsakh, live Artsakh. Our policy now is to promote such visits.

In part for this purpose, we are now constructing an airport, improving roads, improving the access to our historical and cultural monuments. Excavations are underway at Tigranakert, which has a significant meaning for the whole Armenian people. Works are also underway at Amaras, Dadivank, and in Shushi. There are more and better hotels, restaurants, and transportation in Artsakh than ever before.

The more our compatriots visit Artsakh, the stronger the connections become. We understand that time can have an effect. But even from far away, you do not stop loving your family or your motherland.

ES: What are your priorities for the Armenia Fund Telethon on November 26?

AH: This year, donations made to the Fund will help development of Shushi. Projects there include reconstruction of the former Shushi girls' school, which will house NKR's Ministry of Culture. It is also planned to move the local branch of [Armenia's] Agriculture University to Shushi.

We already began work to relocate NKR's Supreme Court and other judicial entities to Shushi. We hope to see these projects completed in the next five to seven years.

Preparing for the 2010 elections

ES: Last weekend the Free Motherland party had its congress and elected you as its leader. What is the history and political plans of this party?

AH: The Free Motherland party was established in January 2005 and I was one of its founders. We participated in 2005 parliamentary elections, and at the time came in second.

We also took part in the [2007] presidential elections and supported the current president, Bako Sahakian. The main theses of our party's program were reflected in the election program of President Sahakian.

Today, our party has the biggest faction in the National Assembly, holding 12 of 33 seats. We are now preparing for parliamentary elections due next year and will have a new election program. Should we win, we will present our program to the president and after receiving his approval we will implement it.

ES: Is the president a member of your party?

AH: No.

ES: Are you already the main ruling party?

AH: No. In the last presidential elections, four parties including Free Motherland, Artsakh Democratic Party, ARF (Dashnaktsutiun), and Movement 88 supported the president. Today they all are represented in parliament and are part of government.

ES: How does President Sahakian's administration differ from former president Arkady Ghukasian's in 1997-2007? Are there significant differences, or is it the continuation of the past administration?

AH: Of course the differences are significant. The [incumbent] president has his own election program, working style, team, and ideas for development. Of course all this is reflected in the country's economic indexes and demographic changes. Today Artsakh's economy is growing at a good pace in spite of the world economic crisis.

ES: Is that a result of the president's efforts and foreign investments?

AH: Yes, investments, economic policy, and implementation of anti-corruption programs have all resulted in those indexes, and we are working for this dynamic of development surely to continue.

ES: Thank you.

Editor's note: The Reporter extends its gratitude to Aram Avetisyan from the NKR Office in the United States for his assistance with translation.

http://www.noravank.am/en/?page=analitics&nid=2163

Ara Harutiunian, 35, became the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic's sixth prime minister, having been appointed to the post in September 2007 by President Bako Sahakian.

Since October 2009, Mr. Harutiunian also returned to the post of chair of the Azat Hairenik (Free Motherland) political party, which has the largest bloc in Karabakh's National Assembly and is currently a favorite in next year's parliamentary elections.

Prior to his appointment as prime minister, from 2005 to 2007 Mr. Harutiunian was leader of Azat Hairenik party, a member of parliament, and chair of the parliament's budget committee.

Before entering politics, Mr. Harutiunian worked with ArmAgroBank, heading its Askeran (1997-99) and Stepanakert (1999-2004) branches. From 1995 to 1997, he was an aide to the NKR minister of economy and finance.

Mr. Harutiunian studied at Armenia's Economics Institute and the Artsakh State University, where he earned undergraduate (1996) and master's degrees in economics (1998).

Mr. Harutiunian is a veteran of the Karabakh war, having joined the NKR Self Defense forces in 1992. He is married and has two children.

[Armanen]

Re: News about Artsakh

Thanks for posting that Lernakan! And it's good to see you back here!

[Catharsis]

Re: News about Artsakh

Good interview by PM Harutiunian on the eve of the Munich meeting between Sargsyan and Aliyev. Thanks for posting it Lernakan.

[Lernakan]

Re: News about Artsakh

Thanks for posting that Lernakan! And it's good to see you back here!

Thanks enker it has been a while since the last time I posted on a forum

Hopefully this way we will stay in touch more often btw. I'll write you an e-mail soon to discuss some things.

[ninetoyadome]

Re: News about Artsakh

some good news

NEWS BRIEFS
ARMENIA: US CONGRESS APPROVES $50 MILLION IN AID TO YEREVAN AND KARABAKH
12/11/09

The US House of Representatives and Senate on December 9 approved a proposal to provide $41 million to Armenia and $8 million to the ethnic Armenian-dominated breakaway Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, Armenian news sources reported.

The Asbarez Post newspaper said that the final number is a reconciled version of the House’s more generous offer of almost $60 million and the Senate’s proposed $30 million package, which did not include aid for Karabakh and was a 39-percent decrease from 2008. Aram Hamparian, director of the Armenian National Committee of America, a Diaspora group, said that the aid package to Armenia is down to "nearly half of what was appropriated two years ago," Asbarez reported on December 11.

Posted December 11, 2009 © Eurasianet

http://www.eurasianet.org

ofcourse azerbaijan is upset and there going to protest

[Anoush]

Re: News about Artsakh

I agree, and I will be waiting to for more information to be made public before I form a opinion. From what I do know, I don't think Serj will be making any radical concessions to baku at worst it will be the madrid priciples with some modifications (hopefully pro Armenia ones). If somehow it is worse than madrid I wouldn't be suprised to see Serj and crew be removed from power somehow, even if Moscow is against this, I think the anti-Serj momentum would be too much.

Armanen, please enlighten me, what does the Madrid principles consist of?

[Armanen]

Re: News about Artsakh

Armanen, please enlighten me, what does the Madrid principles consist of?

Based on what the Armenian media has reported, it includes returning some of the liberated territory around NKR proper to azerbaijan, Lachin will stay to provide a corridor to Armenia, the resettlement of all displaced persons from Karabakh, both Armenian and azeri, then hold a referendum after 15 years to either rejoin Armenia, azerbaijan or stay independent.

It's not the idle situation but if official Yerevan and Stepanakert can be assured somehow (this is the sticking point) that baku will not attack Artsakh under any circumstances then this is a fairly good deal.

Again, it should be noted that non of this is official.