Month: February 2012

NO WINNERS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT – NATO REP

Tert.am
14.02.12

There can be no winners in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Mr James
Appathurai, NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the
Caucasus and Central Asia, stated in an interview with Armenia’s
Public TV.

He noted that the OSCE Minsk Group is the only format to deal with
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. The 28 NATO member-states are
supportive of the OSCE Minsk Group processes.

The NATO members are unanimous that there cannot be winners in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Appathurai said.

All the sides will suffer political, military and economic losses.

Negotiations are the only way to progress, he added.

Mr Appathurai recalled his recent meeting with President of Azerbaijan
Ilham Aliyev, who re-affirmed his readiness to settle the conflict
through negotiations. President Aliyev did not propose any format
rather than the OSCE Minsk Group.

With respect to the possibility of the South Caucasus states joining
NATO, Mr Appathurai said that the NATO members made a decision on
Georgia in Bucharest. Georgia will joint NATO. However, neither Armenia
nor Azerbaijan shows interest. NATO is not looking for new members,
nor does it object to admitting new states, Appathurai said.

The Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Program is evidence of the
cooperating parties’ intentions. A final version of the program has
been approved, and relevant work is in progress, Appathurai said.

PAKISTANI PRESIDENT: “ISLAMABAD WILL SUPPORT AZERBAIJAN IN NAGORNO KARABAKH ISSUE”
By Aris Ghazinyan

ArmeniaNow
14.02.12 | 12:10

Photo:

The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Irish Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore

OSCE Chairman Eamon Gilmore, who is also Deputy Premier and Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Ireland, presented a report at the UN
Security Council (SC) on February 9 in New York, stressing his pursuit
of “long-term settlement of protracted conflicts in Transnistria,
Abkhazia, South Ossetia and Nagorno Karabakh”.

Addressing the Karabakh issue, Gilmore spoke highly of the work of
OSCE Minsk Group (MG). “We welcome the efforts of OSCE Minsk Group for
the settlement of the Karabakh conflict and expect close cooperation
with the co-chairs during this year”.

After Gilmore’s speech, ambassador Agshin Mehdiyev, Permanent
Representative of Azerbaijan (Non-Permanent member of UN SC) to
UN, urged OSCE to deal with the issue more actively and recognize
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity.

The same day official Islamabad criticized the low efficiency of
American, Russian and French diplomats (MG co-chairs) and spoke for
the necessity of involving also other countries in the OSCE MG.

Pakistani ambassador to Azerbaijan Inayatullah Kakar stated: “OSCE
Minsk Group has been working over the issue for a long time, but
that work has not been productive. One of the reasons, I believe,
is double standards. I think, in order to raise the work efficiency
of Minsk Group, it should be expanded to include also other states.”

Pakistan is a country that has never recognized the independence of
the Republic of Armenia.

In this connection the ambassador said: “As you know Pakistan is the
only country that has not recognized Armenia as a state. Pakistan
has always recognized, and always will, Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity. In the Nagorno Karabakh issue Azerbaijan can always rely
on Pakistan’s support, just like Azerbaijan is supporting Pakistan
in the Kashmir issue.”

Yet Benazir Bhutto during her premiership talked about Pakistan’s
readiness to get engaged in the Karabakh conflict settlement.

It was during her second term as a premier (1993-1996) that Taliban
brigades were formed in Azerbaijan, which fought against the Defense
Army of Nagorno Karabakh and declared jihad to all Armenians.

Pakistan’s current president Asif Ali Zardari is the bearer of Bhutto
clan’s pan-Islamic course and the spouse of Benazir Bhutto who was
assassinated in a bombing in December, 2007.

Recently Ali Zardari stated: “The relations between Pakistan and
Azerbaijan are based on common historical, cultural and religious
grounds. Islamabad will always support Azerbaijan in the Nagorno
Karabakh issue.”

Pakistan is the second country after Turkey to have recognized
Azerbaijan’s independence in 1991. It is Azerbaijan’s most important
military partner, along with Turkey.

Azeri officers are currently undergoing training in Pakistan. Further,
the Pakistani diplomatic academy offers education courses in Azeri
diplomacy.

From: Baghdasarian

PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MEETS NATO SECRETARY GENERAL’S SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE JAMES APPATHURAI

armradio.am
14.02.2012 11:00

President Serzh Sargsyan received today NATO Secretary General’s
Special Representative for the South Caucasus and Central Asia James
Appathurai.

The parties hailed our country’s relations with NATO in all areas
and deepening cooperation.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that from the viewpoint of cooperation
development, 2011 was a rather efficient year and underscored that
active political contacts have been maintained, Armenia has expanded
its participation in the International Security Forces in Afghanistan,
and Armenia-NATO Individual Partnership Action Plan for 2011-2013
has been adopted.

The NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the South
Caucasus and Central Asia James Appathurai expressed gratitude to
Serzh Sargsyan and in his person to the Armed Forces of Armenia and
the people of Armenia for the excellent service of the Armenian troops
in Afghanistan and said that the Armenian nation can be proud of them.

At the meeting, the parties spoke also about regional challenges and
recent developments in the NK peace process.

From: Baghdasarian

TURKISH COURT ACQUITS SUSPECT OVER DINK MURDER CASE

armradio.am
14.02.2012 13:33

The Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court has acquitted Coskun Igci,
one of 19 defendants in the murder case of Hrant Dink, the founder
and former editor-in-chief of the Armenian-Turkish Agos weekly who
was assassinated in 2007 in front of his office in Istanbul, after
forgetting to include him in the final verdict in January.

Igci, who allegedly called on Yasin Hayal to buy a gun with which to
shoot Dink, was accidentally left out of the final verdict and the
judge issued a ruling separately for him on Monday.

On Sept. 19, 2011, the prosecution recommended his acquittal on the
grounds that there was no substantial evidence to suggest he took
part in the crime.

Igci’s lawyer said at the court on Monday that his client has no
ties to the murder except for being the uncle of Hayal, one of the
main suspects.

Igci said at the court that he had informed gendarmerie intelligence
officers in Trabzon that a plan to assassinate Dink was in place four
months prior to the murder.

“I am not guilty. The people I reported about were tried in Trabzon and
they were punished because they neglected their duties. Those people
are Col. Ali Oz, Capt. Metin Yıldız, non-commissioned officer Orhan
Å~^imÅ~_ek and Sgt. Veysel Å~^ahin,” he said.

When a judge at the court asked Igci if he had been in contact with
those four people, Igci replied that he had contacted Simsek and Sahin,
Turkish media report.

From: Baghdasarian

ARAM ABRAHAMYAN ON HRAZDAN ELECTIONS AND BRIBING VOTERS PAST AND PRESENT

epress.am
02.14.2012

Chief editor of local daily Aram Abrahamyan (pictured) in his column
today turned his attention to the mayoral elections held in the
northern Armenian town of Hrazdan on Feb. 12:

“The mayoral elections in Hrazdan revealed the model that the ruling
authorities have selected to ensure their victory in the upcoming
parliamentary elections. There won’t be ballot stuffing or outbursts
at the polling stations – the ruling parties will avoid all types of
unpleasant incidents as much as possible. Shutting off the electricity
in polling stations was simply ‘retro’: a tribute to the tradition of
the 90s; an insignificant move, the effectiveness of which is equal
to zero – something similar, I believe, won’t happen again. Instead
of all this, according to the plan, playing a decisive role will be
bribing voters, which, it’s true, has been in practice since 1995,
but this time it will be on a grand scale. I think there is fertile
soil for the practical application of this, because the prevailing
sentiment in our society is ‘it’s all the same, this country won’t
sort itself out.’ And if this is so, then what difference whether
it’s them or them, at least we’ll earn a penny or two.

“To say that there is absolutely no basis for such a sentiment would
be an exaggeration. Of course [opposition candidate] Sasun Mikaelyan
is more charismatic and has demonstrated far greater service to the
homeland than drab, not-particularly-conspicuous official [Republican
Party of Armenia candidate] Aram Danielyan. But if Mr. Mikaelyan
even swears that he didn’t use administrative levers and didn’t
hand out any bribes to become a member of parliament [1999-2008],
I, for example, won’t believe him. Former government officials,
for some reason, are sure or assure you that they achieved power as
a result of the people’s fervent love for them, and the people have
just as much of a fervent hatred now for the current authorities and
vote for them only when bribed. It seems to me, this is a delusion –
there is equal and profound indifference toward everyone. If love for
the opposition candidate was so irresistible, they wouldn’t vote for
his opponent for [a mere] 5,000 drams. Is it worth being surprised
that your opponent does that which you did at one time?

“One more point: when a minister calls a citizen before him on the
street a ‘bum,’ when an unlettered and impudent lawmaker calls his
colleague an animal, we protest it. The same reaction is called
for when Sasun Mikaelyan’s supporters on Facebook call those (in
their opinion, thousands of) people who accepted bribes ‘brutes’ and
‘hookers’ – especially, let me repeat, since the team that put this
into practice is today’s uncompromising opposition and complains of
bribing voters.”

ANC: ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE DEFRAUDED PUBLIC VOTE AGAIN

arminfo
Tuesday, February 14, 12:49

Elections of the community heads at 39 communities in Armenia on
February 12 2012 were fraud and violated Article 66.4 of the Electoral
Code of Armenia, reads the statement by the oppositional Armenian
National Congress.

“In line with the law, the member of the commission responsible for
the ballot-box allows the ballot-paper to be sealed and put into the
ballot-box only after he has verified if the identity certificate
of a voter lacks the seal confirming his participation in the given
elections. On the elections on February 12 the regional electoral
commissions violated that guide and did not send seals to the district
polling stations. In fact, the district electoral commission violated
the law and paved the way to voting fraud,” the statement says.

Representatives of Sasun Mikaelyan, the candidate to the post of
Hrazdan Mayor, registered that fact yet on February 11 sessions at the
electoral commissions. Mikaelyan appealed to the Administrative Court
but his claim was rejected. The Court motivated the rejections with
the transitional provisions in the Electoral Code. In the meantime,
the transitional provisions do not affect the requirements of Article
66.4, which are imperatives.

“Thus, the Armenian authorities have committed another thievery and
defrauded the public vote despite their promises to conduct free and
legal elections. In addition, they once again demonstrated that they
are not ready to respect the provisions of the Electoral Code they had
adopted. The Armenian National Congress demands declaring the elections
invalid at all the 39 communities and punishing the ballot-riggers
from the CEC and the regional electoral commissions,” the ANC states.

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS TO CONVEY NEW INFORMATION NOT ON 17 FEBRUARY BUT 1 MARCH

arminfo
Tuesday, February 14, 14:28

On 1 March Armenian National Congress will convey new information
which the community is interested in, the leader of the Armenian
Pan-National Movement, Aram Manukyan, told ArmInfo correspondent.

“On 1 March Armenian National Congress will pay the tribute to the
memory the victims died as a result of clash between the Armenian
authorities and opposition. Undoubtedly, we have accumulated many
unexpressed ideas, which we are going to tell the people at the rally”,
Manukyan said.

He also added that the rally of the Congress was delayed because of
bad weather and heavy frost expected on 17 February (8 degrees of
frost), and it will be more expedient to hold it on 1 March.

To note, the last rally of the ANC was held on 25 November.

From: A. Papazian

IF ALIYEV OFFERS ELECTION BRIBES
HAKOB BADALYAN

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 12:00:15 – 14/02/2012

Mesrop Harutiunyan, the head of information and campaign of the
election office of Sasun Mikaelyan nominated for the mayor of Hrazdan
Town, has announced that if Ilham Aliyev offers 100 dollars in the
presidential elections, he will be elected president of Armenia.

Mesropyan used this metaphor to describe the vicious power of election
bribes, and the low, almost zero level of voters in Armenia.

One can understand Mesropyan’s fury, as well as the fury of people
who are fighting for free, fair elections, democracy and civil
rights and freedoms, and have to go through social, psychological,
physical hardship, clash with the resistance of the government, and
the election bribes in the face of the citizens accepting them with
delight, which make this resistance stronger.

But is the solution of the problem in metaphoric descriptions or
“nominating” Ilham Aliyev for president of Armenia? Hardly so. If a
citizen accepts money or in-kind assistance to make a decision on
his or her vote, it does not mean that the citizen does not do it
consciously. It means that the citizen does not believe in any other
option. One can fly into a fury, stamp his feet, call the citizens
Turks, but it is not a solution. The solution will be found as soon
as it is clear that the citizen has a choice and the citizen chooses
the bribe because the opposition does not appreciate the opposition
in terms of the prospects of their life.

Perhaps, it is worthwhile for the opposition to inquire why the
citizens appreciate it so low. It is very easy to call the citizens
Turks, venal, Aliyev’s witnesses, and what not. It is easy to blame
the citizens for political inefficiency and issue a row of metaphoric
attributes after every election. It is difficult to admit that the
election bribes are the assessment of the opposition by the citizens.

In fact, it is a bad criterion but if the citizens use this criterion,
the problem is the opposition because it is the responsibility of
the political opposition to improve the election criteria.

If some people think that the citizens accepting 5000 drams and
voting for the Republican Party know the value of the state less
or there is no difference between the Republican Party and Aliyev,
they are mistaken about this mindset in particular and the tactics
in relations with the citizens.

Before the presidential elections in 2008, Sasun Mikaelyan was a
Republican and supported Serzh Sargsyan, became member of parliament
on the Republican ticket. However, by 2008 Armenia did not seem to
be a democratic country and the government was not more tolerant than
now. However, Sasun Mikaelyan was on the side of the government till
2008 and joined the opposition only after Ter-Petrosyan’s return.

Why was Mikaelyan on the side of the Republican Party and the
government until 2008? He did not support the opposition and fair
elections. The parliamentary election in 2007 when the Republicans
gained absolute majority was the period of blossoming election bribes.

At that time, Sasun Mikaelyan was not with the Impeachment Bloc, the
People’s Party of Armenia, he was with the Republican Party. Perhaps
because he did not know the value of democracy then or did not
understand the vice of the election bribes or simply did not believe
the opposition could achieve these things.

In what way did Mikaelyan in 2008 differ from the voters of Hrazdan
in 2012? In fact, in no way. Only at that time the election bribe he
offered was bigger – property and seat in parliament.

But will it occur to anyone to say that if it were needed to cooperate
with Aliyev, Mikaelyan would? Will it occur to anyone to doubt
Mikaelyan’s patriotism?

So why do they doubt the patriotism of other citizens who, unlike
Sasun, continue to support the government and cannot find in the
opposition what Sasun Mikaelyan found in the opposition in 2008,
as well as many more other people who used to support the government.

To defeat this vice it is necessary to try to identify the causes and
set to eliminate them, forgetting about the emotional assessments. It
will thus be possible to change the criteria and landmarks for the
citizens, as they changed for most activists in February 2008.

From: A. Papazian

ZHOGHOVURD: VARTAN OSKANIAN TO BE ON PROSPEROUS ARMENIA TICKET

Tert.am
14.02.12

The newspaper’s sources close to the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP)
say that Armenia’s former FM, Head of the Civilitas Foundation Vartan
Oskanian will be among the first five candidates on the Prosperous
Armenia Party (PAP) ticket.

According to the sources, he is even ready to resign as head of
the Civilitas Foundation. Despite serious financial problems, the
foundation is most unlikely to be dissolved. Mr Oskanian may announce
his de jure resignation today, on Tuesday.

From: A. Papazian

REPUBLICAN MP: NO BUSINESSMEN WILL BE ON RPA’S TICKET, BUT BUSINESSMEN CAN RUN FOR SINGLE- MANDATE SEATS

arminfo
Tuesday, February 14, 14:27

There will be no big business on the Republican Party’s ticket,
but they can run for the single-mandate seats, Mkrtich Minasyan,
Republican parliamentarian, told media, Tuesday.

“Both President Serzh Sargsyan and Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan had
repeatedly touched upon such intention of the RPA. Republicans think
that everyone should do his work. So, let businessmen do business and
develop economy,” Minasyan said. He said that businessmen having big
turnovers can run for the single-mandate seats or on other parties’
tickets. As for small businessmen, “whose sons have just one shop”,
they can run both on the party tickets and for the single-mandate
seats, Minasyan said.

As for the necessity of amending the Electoral Code of Armenia, the
Republican parliamentarian said relevant hearings will be held in the
parliament on Wednesday. He said that the mixed electoral system is
the best for Armenia considering that the country’s parliament is a
single- house.