The Athens proposals: Armenia faces a difficult choice
| Analysis / Armenia |
Azerbaijan’s minister of foreign affairs has found generally acceptable the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs’ new version of the principles for the settlement of the Karabakh conflict, proposed last December in Greece. This is the first occasion since 1997 that Baku has found the mediators’ proposal acceptable.
Now, it is Armenia’s turn and it will be difficult for Armenia to say "Yes" to the version that took shape first in Krakow in July 2009, then in Athens at the end of 2009 and then in Sochi on January 25, 2010, because in contrast to the 2007 Madrid proposals, not only is the right of the people of Nagorno Karabakh to self-determination very vague, but in terms of removing the consequences of the conflict, Azerbaijan is at an advantage.
Since 1997, Azerbaijan has either rejected or withheld consent to all settlement proposals; it also rejected the Madrid document presented in 2007. And now, over the course of a mere two years, the mediators have presented proposals which are acceptable to Azerbaijan and unacceptable for Armenia. Refusing the mediators’ proposal comes at a price. And what is very important is who does the rejecting, and on what basis. Especially since proposals are the outcome of a negotiations process, the negotiating sides are equally responsible for the contents of a proposal.
A Guide to Civil Society Activities
Saturday, 06 February 2010 11:53 |
Bringing NGOs and Donors Closer Together The Civilitas Foundation has initiated a program called A Guide to Non-Governmental Organizations. The program has several objectives, including creating a mechanism for potential donors to identify possible CSO partners. According to different sources, there are 3,000 to 5,000 CSOs operating in Armenia. Yet, it is possible to find accurate and updated information for only a fraction. With the objective of closing this gap, Civilitas has sent a questionnaire to several hundred active Armenian CSOs. Approximately 100 have responded and will be included in a website devoted specifically to CSO activity. Those CSOs who wish to be included in can submit their information. The website will offer general information about CSOs: the name of the CSO and its director; the organization’s contact information; the type of work they do; the main areas of operation and descriptions of specific projects. The CSO guide will be updated by participant CSOs themselves. |
Discussions in Gyumri and Vanadzor
Tuesday, 02 March 2010 09:15 |
On February 11, the Civilitas Foundation presented its annual report “Armenia 2009: Promise and Reality” in Gyumri. As during the launch of the report in Yerevan, discussion revolved around Armenia’s foreign and domestic, regional and economic issues. Participating in the discussion were Levon Barseghyan, president of Gyumri’s Asbarez Journalist Club, Gala TV talk show host Derenik Malkhasyan and Shirak Center president Vahan Tumasyan. The discussion was moderated by Civilitas analyst, journalist Tatul Hakobyan. The event opened with a discussion of Gyumri’s socioeconomic issues, after which the issues of free speech, democracy and human rights were discussed, namely by Levon Barseghyan and Derenik Malkhasyan. Gyumri is the only city in Armenia that has a long history of free broadcast media that has opposed established rule. Thanks to Gala TV, unbiased reporting is more available in Gyumri. However, even though Gyumri’s public is more informed, from a human rights and socioeconomic standpoint their issues are as many and equal to those of other cities. |
Our previous question was: "Do you believe that free elections (one where even an incumbent can be defeated) can change a country?" Opinions were mostly divided. Of those who answered the question, 53% thought that such elections could bring positive change to the country; 43% thought they could not. Around 4% did not have an answer. |
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Sharistan Melkonian is a director at the Armenian Volunteer Corps (AVC), a non-profit that helps skilled Armenian Diasporans come to Armenia to work and live, while at the same time, helping them transition from one society into another by facilitating their placements into schools, non-profit organizations, churches, and the business sector. |
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Vartan Oskanian's interview with Gala TV in the city of Gyumri regarding Armenia-Turkey relations, Nagorno Karabakh, and Armenia's economy.
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The aim of the project is to further dialogue and debate and to raise awareness in the Turkish and Armenian societies about the goals and limitations of the neighbor by translating and making public pertinent articles from Turkish and Armenian press.
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