Month: February 2012

RUMORS OF ROBERT KOCHARIAN’S RETURN ARE NOT UNFOUNDED: RUSSIAN PAPER ON DEVELOPMENTS IN ARMENIA

epress.am
02.20.2012

The ruling Republican Party of Armenia is concerned about tomorrow,
writes Russian daily Nezavisimaya Gazeta today, noting that talk of
second president Robert Kocharian’s [pictured] possible return to
politics have resumed once again.

“Indirect evidence of this can be considered the former foreign affairs
minister, head of Civilitas Foundation Vartan Oskanian’s membership in
the Prosperous Armenia Party, which, along with the Republican Party of
Armenia, is still part of the ruling coalition. It was Kocharian who
initiated the creation of the Prosperous Armenia Party, and as said
among experts, with this, he ensured political support. Recently,
tension between the Republicans and the ‘Prosperous’ was evident,
because of rumors that Kocharian has lost confidence in the main party
in power. And the rumors, it appears, are not unfounded. Oskanian is
considered ‘Kocharian’s guy.’ It’s no coincidence that Republican Party
leaders were extremely irritated toward Oskanian’s first statement in
the new party [when he signaled his intent to join the party], that
he hasn’t yet managed to join the ‘Prosperous’ and yet he’s already
outlining a plan. The question is whose [plan]?” writes the daily.

From: Baghdasarian

ON ANNIVERSARY OF 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, ACTIVISTS DISTRIBUTED ‘BRIBES’ IN YEREVAN

epress.am
02.20.2012

On Anniversary of 2008 Presidential Election, Activists Distributed
‘Bribes’ in Yerevan Armenian National Congress (HAK) activists on
Sunday recalled the Feb.

19, 2008 presidential election by marching through the streets
of Yerevan and distributing “banknotes,” drawing attention to the
practice of buying votes.

The banknotes were replicas of the 5,000 Armenian dram note; however,
Armenian poet Hovhannes Tumanyan’s image was replaced with the image
of a bearded Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan. According to the young
activists, they wanted to show that the presidential election 4 years
ago was rigged and that even today, votes can be bought (referring to
the Feb. 12 mayoral elections in Hrazdan in which residents claimed
5,000 drams were handed out to those who voted).

Image (above) used with permission and retrieved from Sevak
Kirakosyan’s Facebook page

“Many passers-by were humored; there were people who considered 5,000
to be too little, while others refused to sell their vote. Armenia
can no longer have another fraudulent election; this is already an
issue of our existence, our independence, and this time we have to
be responsible for our vote at all costs,” said one of the young
activists, Areg Gevorgyan, speaking to Epress.am and referring to
the upcoming parliamentary election.

GERMANY AND KARABAKH ISSUE
Igor Muradyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 10:58:21 – 20/02/2012

The press informed that the German Bundestag working group on
foreign policies has issued a position paper entitled “20 years of
conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh: a new impulse for a peaceful conflict
resolution”. It may be fraud, or partial fraud, however, if bundestag
is related to this text, it could be evaluated as 60 years of pedantry
and harmfulness of the German foreign policy.

In terms of meaning and content, neither Turkey nor Azerbaijan has
made a statement whose interests this libel protects. The Armenian
ambassador to Germany has to find out the motivation and personal
interest of the authors of this filthy initiative. The ambassador of
Armenia to Berlin will have nothing to do in that country unless it
clarifies this issue.

In the past 20 years Armenia has not explained to Germany that it
supported and covered up Turkey in the time of perpetration of the
Genocide. In 1997 the Armenian scientific society tried to shed a
light on this issue, which led to the counteraction of the Armenian
government. Problems do not occur out of nowhere, they are built
in favorable conditions and in the result of inaction of possible
opponents. By the way, there is no such information in the website
of Bundestag. The Armenian foreign ministry has not responded to this.

The Azerbaijanis may invent anything, this nation is totally marred.

The official politics of Germany does not match these statements,
and perhaps it is time to display the position of Germany on the
Karabakh issue. Germany does not have a clearly laid out policy on
the Karabakh issue, and after several attempts of activity in the
South Caucasus the Germans have understood that it is not time for
political activity in the region.

If we speak about the strategy of Germany on the “big diagonal”,
in other words, the railway of Baghdad, it is hardly useful for
Germany to harm the interests of Armenia, on the contrary. In fact,
Germany may have interests in the Caspian gas.

However, the position paper of the parliamentary working group of
small importance must be given a relevant evaluation and halt. For
the time being, it would be better to find out who the members of this
notorious working group and everything related to it. It is enough to
pretend that we deal with the civilized West marred with hypocrisy,
racism and saving themselves by way of sacrificing others.

POTENTIAL WAR WILL BE LAST ONE FOR AZERBAIJAN, NEXT IN TURN FOR ARMENIA – RUSSIAN ANALYST

news.am
February 20, 2012 | 12:18

YEREVAN. – During the international conference, which was held
last week in Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) capital, Stepanakert,
and devoted to the 20th anniversary of NKR’s declaration, the German
delegate had noted that those who imposed a blockade against Armenia
and Karabakh came to understand that the people of NKR and Armenia
seem to have adapted to the blockade and are able to develop under
such conditions, the ruling coalition’s Republican Party of Armenia
Parliamentary (RPA) Faction Secretary Gagik Melikyan said during a
press conference on Monday.

According to Melikyan, the German delegate had also highlighted that if
the people of Armenia and Karabakh were able to develop and live under
these conditions, a new format needs to be designed, and Azerbaijan
and Turkey must understand that the blockade process has failed.

As per Gagik Melikyan, the delegates from Greece and Germany, and some
delegates from Russia had delivered very impressive presentations
during the conference. Turkey was invited to the event, but it had
not sent any delegate.

RPA MP, however, informed that the presentation by the Russian
analyst Kolerov was not to his liking. The reason for this was that,
according to Melikyan, Kolerov had put himself in the place of Russian
authorities and attempted to dictate his view on all discussants.

Also, Kolerov had made a war prediction and noted that a potential war
would be the last one for Azerbaijan, but the next in turn for Armenia.

IRAN, ARMENIA SHARE INTERESTS IN REGIONAL ISSUES: 20-YEAR-OLD HISTORY OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS
Armen Israyelyan

Panorama.am
20/02/2012

In these days the 33rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution is
celebrated in Iran. The Islamic Revolution began on January 8, 1978
by a large manifestation of protest of students During the whole year
the manifestations of protest held by different stata of the society
were over on February 11, 1979, headed by the founder of the Islamic
Republic of Iran Emam Khomeinia announcing the destruction of the
shahs` government and the establishment of the Islamic system.

The strategy of foreign policy of Iran was changed considerably after
the Islamic Revolution. According to the newly admitted constitution,
the execution of general provisions of foreign policy was dedicated
to the president of the Republic and the Ministry of Foreign affairs,
directed by the Supreme Leader of Iran and the Supreme commander of
AF. The principle ” No West, no East”, as well as the landmark to leave
in peace with neighbours and to conduct a policy of good neighbouring
relations were included in the agenda of foreign policy of the country
in order to exclude the presence of superpowers in the country.

In September 1991, after the crumbling of the Soviet Union, when the
independence of the Republic of Armenia was proclaimed. Iran was the
first country that officially declared the independence of Armenia
on December 26, of the same year.

On February 9, 1992, Raffi Hovhannisyan, the Armenian minister of
foreign affairs and Ali Aqbar Velayati, the minister of foreign
affairs of Iran sign in Tehran a declaration for establishing
diplomatic relations.

On February 28, 1992, Ali Aqbar Velayati, the minister of foreign
affairs of IRI makes his first official visit to Yerevan. The purpose
of the visit was to make some consulations about international and
regional problems and the Iranian deligation announces its readiness
about the regulation of the antagonism of Nagorno Karabakh to assume
its negotiating mission, as a result of which on March 16, 1992,
a document is farmed and published, which refers to the antagonism
of Karabagh, assumption of negotiating mission of IKI Velayati
makes an offer where he witnessed that Iran is ready to appear with
negotiating mission for studying the possible ways of regulation of
Karabagh antagonism.

On May 6, 1992, a delegation headed by the president of RA Levon
Ter-Petrosyan arrives in Tehran on invitation of the IRI president
Hashemi Rafsanjani. The sides negotiated about the antagonism of
Nagorno Karabakh among other questions. On May 8, 1992 the RA president
L. Ter-Petrosyan , the attorney of the president of Azerbaijan
Yaghub Mamedov, as well as the president of the negotiator country
Iran H. Rafsanjani, signed a common declaration on the regulatio
of the opposition of NK. After he high level mutual visits between
two countries, the sides decide to open embassies in each other `
s countries. In April 1992, the IRI embassy is opened in Yerevan and
in December the RA embassy is opened in Tehran. Vahan Bayburdyan is
appointed the attorney of the affairs of RA in Tehran and mutually
Bahman Ghasemi is the attorney of the affairs of IRI in Yerevan.

In 1994, the Armenian- Iranian relations are raised to the level
of ambassadors and Hamid Reza Niqqar Esfahani is appointed the
ambassador , who is then replaced by Mohammad Farhad Qoleyni and
Alireza Haghighia. Actually Ali Saghaian is the IRI ambassador in RA.

Vahan Bayburdyan, who was formerly the RA attorney becomes the first
ambassador of the third Republic of Armenia in Iran. During the
following years the last is replaced by Gegham Gharibjanyan and Karen
Nazaryan. Actually Grigor Araqelyan is the RA ambassador in Tehran.

In order to develop the economic – commercial relations between
Iran and Armenia a bridge is being built on the river Araks after
the exploitation of which Iran becomes a transit way for Armenia
to the transmission of loads to the countries of Persian Gulf. The
transmissions of loads are increased for 3-4 times.

More than 200 Armenian- Iranian enterprises started working actively
in Armenia. Thanks to the economic interaction, Iran holds the first
place in the exterior commerce of Armenia. A branch establishment
of the Iranian bank ” Mellat” is opened in Yerevan. The aerial
communication between two countries was realized by the Iranian
companies ” Aria Tour”, “Caspian” and ” Armenian air roads”.

On 1995, corresponding agreements are made about the Iranian-Armenian
gasmain, the high volt line of transmission line, the building of
the common hydroelectric power station on the river Araks.

On 25-27 December, 2007, a delegation headed by the second Armenian
president Robert Kocharyan visited Iran for four days and had meetings
with the IRI Supreme leader Ali Khamenei, president seyyed Mohammad
Khatami, minister of foreign affairs Qamal Kharazi and minister of
defense Ali Shamkhani.

On September 8-9, 2004, the IRI president seyyed Mohammad Khatami
makes a return official visit to Armenia. In the frames of the visit
to Armenia, M. Khatami visited also he monument of the Armenian
genocide to pay respect to the innocent martyrs that are victims of
the genocide.

Generally, the mutual visits executed in the level of presidents
certified the dynamic development of bilateral relations. On July5 ,
2006, the president R. Kocharyan made a labour visit to Iran, where
he meets the newly elected president of IRI Mahmud Ahmadinejad.

On March 19, 2007, the official ceremony of the opening of the
gasmain is held in participation of the RA and IRI presidents, and
by the end of 2008, the building of the second part of the Iran-
Armenia gasmain is finished.

In October 2007, the IRI president Mahmud Ahmadinejad arrives
in Armenia for a two days` visit. During the visit in Yerevan a
memorandum of mutual understanding between Iran and Armenia is signed,
the sides appear with a common declaration. The president of Iran is
granted with a nomination of an honourable doctor of the Yerevan State
University. On April 13, 2009, the Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan
`s official visit to Tehran revived the Armenian-Iranian relations.

During it the president of Armenia had meetings with the IRI Supreme
leader seyyed Ali Khamenei, president Mahmud Ahmadinejad, president
of Mejlis Ali Larijani and the Secretary of the Supreme Council of
National Security S. Jalili.

The RA president specially mentioned that Iran had proved many times
that is a confident friend having a pivotal importance for Armenia. In
Serzh Sargsyan`s words Armenia has always felt the support of Iran
and in the years of blockade the emergent products were imported to
Armenia by the territory of Iran.

The president Serzh Sargsyan`s next labour visit to Iran took place on
March 27, 2011. During the meeting the presidents of two countries gave
importance especially to the successfully developing interaction in
energetics, transport, culture and some other domains , they reverted
also to the project of the building of the Iran -Armenia railway. In
the frames of his visit to Tehran Serzh Sargsyan took part also in
the celebrations organized for the holiday of Novruz.

In December 2011, the IRI president Mahmud Ahmadinejad makes a return
visit to Armenia. In the frames of the visit agreements concerning
the increase of the volumes of commerce circulation, development of
substructures, economy, energetics, transport, industry and domains
of investment were signed.

Afterwards, the presidents of Armenia and Iran appeared with a common
declaration expressing contentment for high level relations between the
Republic of Armenia and the Islamic Republic of Iran. The relations
are based on the friendship of many centuries of the nations. The
presidents reaffirmed their decisiveness to continue developing the
bilateral friendly mutually profitable relations.

On February 9, 2012 was the 20th anniversary of the establishment of
diplomatic relations of Iran and Armenia. The political, economic and
cultural relations of two countries develop year by year, including
new programs.

Now, in the working agenda of the governments of two countries are
the projects of building of the passageway Iran- Armenian, railroad,
oil-pipeline, the electric power stations on the river Araks that will
be built with the help of the loan provided by the Asian development
bank, about the realization of which corresponding agreements were
signed and now the preparatory works of the realization of the above
mentioned projects are done. Iran and Armenia collaborate actively
also in international organizations , the points of views of two
countries about the problems of region coincide. During the meetings
of the presidents of Armenia and Iran the point of view, according
to which all the countries, including Iran, have the right of using
nuclear energy peacefully, is underlined.

Let us mention, that Iran , the first negotiator country involved
in the regulation of the antagonism of NK, has conducted and
conducts a balanced policy which is appreciated greatly by the
Armenian government. It must be mentioned, that the role of the
Armenian community in Iran, that was given exclusive rights and
opportunities after the Islamic revolution in Iran, is on the basis
of the development of the relations of Iran and Armenia. The Armenian
churches and historical monuments are conserved and restored by the
direct support of the government of Iran. According to the constitution
of the country the Armenian community in Iran is represented also in
the IRI Mejlis by its two representatives.

Studying the past and present of the political relations of Armenia
with its direct neighbour and friend Iran , particularly analyzing the
20 year` s history of diplomatic relations of Armenia and Iran , we can
state that both countries have the power to continue developing their
political, economic and cultural relations during the next decades.

From: Baghdasarian

GAGIK MELIKYAN: WE HAVE TO BREAK TIES BETWEEN BUSINESS AND POLITICS

Panorama.am
20/02/2012

We have to break the ties between business and politics, Secretary
of RPA parliamentary faction Gagik Melikyan told reporters in Yerevan.

“RPA has repeatedly said that we have to break the ties between
business and politics. There will be no businessmen on our party
lists. And running for parliament by majority system is their
constitutional right. No one is going to violate the constitutional
right of our citizens. RPA will support those who will enjoy people’s
support. Let no one dare to play on people’s will,” said Melikyan.

HANS-JOCHEN SCHMIDT : ONE SHOULD NOT MILK A COW OUT COMPLETELY, BECAUSE ONE DAY IT WILL GIVE NO MILK AT ALL

ArmInfo
February 20, 13:23

ArmInfo News Agency’s Interview with German Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary to Armenia Hans-Jochen Schmidt

Mr. Ambassador, what investments in Armenia are expected from Germany
in 2012?

I suppose the companies, which made investments over the past few
years, will continue investing in 2012 as well. I mean, first and
foremost, the Zangezur Copper Molybdenum Plant (ZCMP), in which
the German company Cronimet Mining has seriously invested. In
addition, the company has also invested in production of lead-acid
storage batteries in Yerevan, which was launched two years ago. The
high-quality product of the company is not only meant for the Armenian
market, but is also exported to Georgia. Certainly, we would like it
to appear in the Azerbaijani market as well, but it is practically
impossible for certain reasons. Both enterprises will by all means
receive additional investments.

Trade in our economic relations is at a quite high level, and
this concerns the spheres of medicine, pharmacy, energy, as
well as technologies of production of such beverages as Jermuk,
Alexandropol, Pepsi, i.e. the beverages of the companies that use
German technologies. Armenia is interested in development of food
industry and food export. And Germany may become a good partner
in that.

Via some banks we also provide loans for agricultural projects on
preferential terms. The German Development Bank KfW, which is engaged
in German-Armenian financial cooperation, funds the projects in the
sphere of housing construction. The German ProCredit Bank operates
in the financial sector, though not so successfully as in Georgia.

Therefore, we’d like the Bank to expand its activity in Armenia
as well.

The investment of the German capital in ZCMP is a vivid example of
effective cooperation in one of the cornerstone spheres of Armenian
economy – ore mining industry. Being a large taxpayer in Armenia,
Cronimet Mining is not only developing mines, but is also implementing
numerous social and educational programs in Syunik region, and the most
important thing is that the company realizes the obligation to observe
the environmental standards. For instance, the German Government’s
interest in protection of the environment is demonstrated by the fact
that Germany is ready to provide Armenia with a preferential loan
worth 40 mln EUR for development of alternative power engineering. In
addition, the German Agency for International Development GIZ
(Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit) has worked
out a program on protection of Armenia’s forest resources. At present
the German Development Bank KfW has expressed willingness to provide
a 6 mln EUR loan for the reserves, including for those in Syunik,
and we are waiting for the reply of the governor of Syunik region.

However, the residents of Kajaran are discontent with the fact that
they will have to leave the village because of the plant’s activity.

They have applied to you to organize a meeting with the head of the
company Gunter Pilarsky …

No meeting has been held so far. The company is extremely interested
in ensuring good relations with the villagers and in settlement of all
problems for the mutual benefit. Thus, in 2006, when the company was
privatized, Pilarsky personally told the residents of Kajaran that
the activity of the German company would not harm a single resident
of Kajaran.

Within the next 20 years no prospecting work will be carried out in
this territory, and the decision on extension of mines is meant for
the future. It was reported then that the company would ensure the
re-settlement of the residents in other places. Today many people use
these territories for construction of country houses, but the company
does not want the territories to be used by people who settle there
to use the territories for speculative purposes and to exert pressure
on the enterprise.

There is a well-known German proverb: “One should not milk a cow out
completely, because one day it will give no milk at all”. To tell
the truth, the criticism of environmental organizations against the
plant seems a bit strange to me. During my meetings in Syunik region,
I made sure that the company has a quite good reputation. The local
organizations and the residents spoke well about it and pointed out
the importance of the company’s programs. The company, which is the
largest taxpayer in Armenia and the largest employer in Syunik, can
be an example in terms of implementation of social programs. Today the
company has about 3,000 employees. The average salary of employees in
Syunik is 147 thsd AMD, and the company monthly pays about 248 thsd
AMD to its employees. The company’s employees often undergo medical
examination, and the company pays for their operations in Germany’s
hospitals if necessary.

Let’s pass to another important topic. As known, on January 23 the
French Senate adopted a bill criminalizing the denial of genocides. Do
you think that the German Bundestag may also adopt a similar bill?

In 2005 the German Bundestag adopted a resolution on the mass murders
in 1915 and before that. I think that from the point of view of
analysis and assessment of those events, this resolution unambiguously
formulates the injustice committed then. The topic of the genocide is
one of the most discussed topics in Germany. This issue is seriously
debated on. The film “Aghet” (Catastrophe) dedicated to this topic,
which was shown on the first TV channel of Germany is evidence of it,
and, in my opinion, the film gives a good analysis of the injustice
towards Armenians, as well as towards Greeks and Assyrians, as I have
learned here. There is also a German book telling about the Armenian
Genocide in 1915-1916. The author of the book is the well-known German
writer Wolfgang Hurst. The book sums up all the materials of the
political archive of the German Foreign Ministry regarding the events.

Both the film and the book mention the role of German military advisors
in Turkey of those days. For instance, I consider the statement of
the-then German Reichschancellor about the alliance of Germany and
Turkey to be politically unacceptable. He said that our only goal is
to hold Turkey beside us till the end of the war, no matter whether
Armenians would die or not. In the meantime, I do not think Bundestag
will initiate a bill criminalizing the genocide denial, like in the
case of Holocaust.

From: Baghdasarian

A. AYVAZYAN: NOT A SINGLE ARMENIAN MONUMENT IS LEFT IN AZERBAIJAN

Aysor.am
Monday,February 20

Merited figure of the RA culture, expert in Armenian and Nakhijevan
studies Argam Ayvazyan is author of more than 200 scientific
publications about Nakhijevan and an author of more than 30 works.

“Recently the indifference has become common both in Armenia and in
Diaspora. The Soviet Armenian scientific mind didn’t refer to the
case and wrote no article about it when Nakhijevan became parted from
Armenia during the Russian – Turkish war. Nakhijevan was separated
from Armenia in all the spheres,” A. Ayvazyan noted.

The specialist in monument studies till now examines the historical
and cultural monuments of Nakhijevan by his own means. “There is no
monument left in Nakhijevan due to that indifference. If we have no
way to stop it in Nakhijevan, we could at least publish the materials
we had,” he said.

MODERN CANCER TREATMENT CENTER WILL BE OPENED IN ARMENIA: PREMIER

/ARKA/
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, February 20. /ARKA/. A modern cancer treatment center will be
opened in Armenia, prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said Saturday during
a meeting with the activists of the Republican Party in Ashtarak,
the administrative center of Aragatsotn province.

“Cancer treatment is now quite expensive, and to make it more
accessible the government intends to build a modern cancer center in
Armenia”, he said.

The prime minister said the project will be implemented with the
support of the government of Belgium.

In 2010 November an agreement was signed with the Belgian company
IBA Molecular to acquire a proton accelerator Cyclone 18/18, worth
$5 million.

The construction is expected to kick off in early 2012. The total cost
of the program is $30 million. The cyclotron radionuclide accelerator
will be used for producing isotopes as part of the project worked out
by Yerevan Institute of Physics, for early diagnosis and treatment
of cancer. According to the health ministry, 30,000 people suffer
from cancer and their number grows by 3 percent every year.

“Oncological and cardiovascular diseases cause 90% of deaths,” said
the premier.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

THE STATE WILL CONTINUE TO ACTIVELY SUBSIDIZE AGRICULTURE: PREMIER

/ARKA/
February 20, 2011
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, February 20. /ARKA/. The government will continue to actively
subsidize the agriculture, prime minister Tigran Sargsyan said Saturday
during a meeting with activists of the Republican Party in Ashtarak,
the administrative center of Aragatsotn province.

“Over the past two years, the agriculture has become one of the most
important areas for the government and we have already prepared new
programs for its development, said Sargsyan.

In particular, he said Armenia will import more elite crop seeds from
Russia to distribute them to farmers, wishing to grow elite seeds.

The prime minister said this program will continue and the government
will meet the total demand for seeds which is about 30,000 tons.