Month: February 2012

International conference on Karabakh’s declaration anniversary wraps
up in Stepanakert

NEWS.AM
February 18, 2012 | 17:04

STEPANAKERT. – The international conference, entitled `20th
Anniversary of [Nagorno-Karabakh Republic] NKR Independence: Realities
and Prospects,’ being held in NKR capital, Stepanakert, and devoted to
the 20th anniversary of NKR’s declaration, came to a close on
Saturday.

Summarizing the results of the event, NKR National Assembly (NA)
Speaker Ashot Ghulyan noted that the conference was held in a warm and
constructive atmosphere. He also extended a special thanks to the
participating foreign analysts.

`Even though different schools and directions of thought were
presented, everything was wonderful. The conference was able to
present the first assessment of NKR’s 20-year independence, and
optimistic views were expressed for the future decades,’ Ashot Ghulyan
said.

To note, the conference discussants will also pay visits to the
Gandzasar Monastery and the excavation site of the ancient city of
Tigranakert.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, the two-day conference
brought together political scientists and representatives of political
organizations from Armenia and NKR, and analysts from Great Britain,
Greece, and the Netherlands. An Armenian NA delegation, led by NA
Deputy Speaker Eduard Sharmazanov, attended the event, too. The
discussants examined the legal bases for NKR’s declaration, and its
historical and political components.

The conference was organized by NKR State Commission for the
Organization and Coordination of the 20th Anniversary Celebrations for
the Declaration of NKR’s Independence, with the participation of the
Center for the Constitutional Law of Armenia and the Political Science
Association of Armenia. And Armenian News-NEWS.am was the information
partner of the event.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

Google: `I love Armenians’ Translated as `I love Turkey’

by Armenian Weekly
February 18, 2012

A screenshot of Google’s translation of ‘I love Armenians’
BOSTON, Mass. (A.W.) – Google’s online translation service
(translate.google.com) is translating `yes sirum em hayerin’ (I love
Armenians) to `I love Turkey.’

The mistranslation was pointed out to us by Lebanese Armenian activist
Serouj Baghdassarian. The Armenian Weekly has verified it.

One IT expert we contacted said, `The mistranslation not only
constitutes a breach of professionalism, but suggests the possibility
of malice. I wonder how many other phrases are translated in a similar
manner.’ He added, `Google must immediately rectify this problem and
provide an explanation.’

Heritage member: lifetime prisoners deemed social outcasts in Armenia

February 18, 2012 – 16:05 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Today Yerevan hosted a presentation ceremony of a
book written by a lifetime sentenced prisoner.

`Proceeds from the sales of the book will be directed to relief fund
of children with cancer,’ chairwoman of the foundation protecting
rights of lifetime prisonersZara Mejlumyan said.

Over 170 pieces out of 500 were sold during and after the presentation.

`Even if a person is locked, but he has a wish to improve himself, he
must be given the chance, since not all prisoners are alike,’ Zara
Mejlumyan cited words of the author Mher Yenokyan

`Prisoners serving life sentences are perceived as social outcasts,’
Heritage opposition party member Larisa Alaverdyan said.

From: Baghdasarian

Police booths to be replaced by rented areas

14:32 – 18.02.12

The police are going to start negotiations for replacing police booths
with rented areas close to the population.

The deputy chief of the Armenian Police, Arthur Osikyan, told Tert.am
that the negotiations will begin by June, adding that such reforms are
necessitated by financial circumstances.

According to Osikyan, only capital Yerevan needs more than 40 such
booths that entail extremely high costs for the police.

The decision was taken as a temporary measure, according to a concept
adopted by the Police in December 2011.

Osikyan noted that EU funding programs are needed to provide a final
solution to the problem. He said further that they have already
submitted a report to the Government, elaborating on the expected
costs.

Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

Vazgen Manukyan: It is simply absurd to discuss the status of Karabakh

arminfo
Saturday, February 18, 16:38

“It is simply absurd to discuss the status of Karabakh. How can some
states made a decision to transfer another independent state to the
serfdom of the third state? I have not heard of such a precedent in
the world history over the past 100 years”, Chairman of the Armenian
Public Council Vazgen Manukyan said at the international conference
“The 20th Anniversary of the NKR: Realities and Perspectives” in
Stepanakert.

“This state can decide only via a referendum whether to join some
state or not. An independent state cannot be included in another state
without its own consent, regardless of who will sign the relevant
document – Armenia, Georgia, France, the United States, or some other
state. We should realize it and consolidate Karabakh’s independence”,
he said. At the same time, he pointed out that the NKR should conclude
a mutual assistance agreement with Armenia, but should be a real
subject of independence. “The Karabakh war was waged on us, and we won
the war. 20 years have passed since then, and today we have a state
with 20-year old independence”, said Vazgen Manukyan, who was a member
of the Karabakh Committee and ex-premier of Armenia.

Masis Mailyan: Karabakh peace process may shortly relegate to the sidelines

arminfo
Saturday, February 18, 16:25

The Karabakh peace process will most likely relegate to the sidelines
in the near future, Chairman of the Nagorno-Karabakh Public Council
for Security and Foreign Policy, Masis Mailyan, said at the
international conference “The 20th Anniversary of the NKR: Realities
and Perspectives” in Stepanakert.

The formal explanation of that is the election period: in 2012-2013
elections will be held in both the OSCE Minsk Group co-chair countries
and in the conflicting countries, i.e. in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia
and Azerbaijan. “In fact, the problem is not the elections, but a
number of other factors, for instance, the reluctance to change the
status quo, which has tough internal and external parameters; the
out-of-date approaches used in the Karabakh peace process, the
distorted negotiation format, and other factors”, he said.

At the same time, Mailyan thinks that the military perspective of the
situation can be hindered by international recognition of the NKR’s
independence. “Maintaining peace in the region will remain an urgent
task until official Baku is ready to recognize the fundamental rights
of the NKR citizens and the NKR’s right to exist”, he said. It is
necessary to launch the “second track” of the peacemaking process,
i.e. to start the work over international recognition of the NKR.
The experience has shown that the international recognition of the new
states is the most effective mechanism to ensure long-term stability
in the conflict zones”, he said.

The expert believes that the tension escalation in Syria and the
possible armed aggression against neighboring Iran will change the
external parameters of the current status quo and will play a
destabilizing role in the region. “In this context, the NKR and
Armenia should be ready to respond to new challenges and should have a
thoroughly worked out plan to neutralize the possible external
threats”, Mailyan said.

Masis Mailyan: It is necessary to revise the philosophy of Karabakh
peace process

arminfo
Saturday, February 18, 16:25

To achieve real progress in the Karabakh peace process, the mediators
should take into account the new precedents in international relations
and the new international legal realities, Chairman of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Public Council for Security and Foreign Policy, Masis
Mailyan, said at the international conference “The 20th Anniversary of
the NKR: Realities and Perspectives” in Stepanakert.

He pointed out the necessity to revise the philosophy of the
Azarbaijani-Karabakh conflict resolution. “The OSCE Minsk Group
co-chair countries and the negotiating parties have not refused the
Madrid proposals yet. These principles were once again mentioned in
the joint statement of the heads of delegations of the OSCE MG
co-chair countries and the foreign ministers of Azerbaijan and
Armenia, made at the OSCE Ministerial Council in Vilnius on 6 Dec
2011.

“The necessity to revise the philosophy of the Karabakh peace process
was repeatedly stressed over the past few years”, he said. He added
that after the June meeting in Kazan, the number of supporters of new
methodology of the conflict settlement has been growing. Mailyan hopes
that the concerned centers will effectively use the deceleration of
the peace process to work out new principles and approaches.

“If the Minsk Group fails to revise its view of the peace process, it
will have to yield the mediator’s role to others”, Mailyan said. He
thinks that official Baku is guided by the formula “Either peace on
Azerbaijan’s terms or war”. The expert pointed out that the continuous
sniper war and Azerbaijan’s reluctance to create an international
mechanism to monitor and control the ceasefire regime are the
derivatives of the specified Azerbaijani formula. Mailyan believes
that the calls of the UN Secretary General, the OSCE Chairperson-
in-Office and other international organizations to withdraw the
snipers from the contact line can be heard only in case Azerbaijan
gives up its policy of military blackmail or its military diplomacy.

“Armenia and the NKR have already expressed their willingness to
withdraw the snipers, but they cannot do that unilaterally.
Azerbaijan is still violating the ceasefire regime and heating up the
tension”, he said. “As a result of purposeful work, the Azeri
leadership should see what negative political consequences its orders
to kill in ceasefire conditions may have for official Baku. “For
instance, each shot by Azerbaijan should contribute to international
recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic”, the expert said.

From: Baghdasarian

Yerkrapah Board chairman calls Armenian President brother-in-arms

February 18, 2012 – 16:40 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Yerkrapah Volunteer Union will back its
brother-in-arms President Serzh Sargsyan, Board chairman Manvel
Grigoryan said during the 9th meeting of Yerkrapah.

Asked if it stipulates endorsing ruling Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) headed by President Sargsyan during forthcoming parliamentary
elections Mr. Grigoryan answered, `There has not been voiced a
statement on backing RPA. President is our comrade-in-arms and we will
support him.’

In this context, he noted that Serzh Sargsyan was Defense Minister
during national-liberation movement in Karabakh, and Yerkrapah
fulfilled his orders, stressing Serzh Sargsyan’s presence at Union’s
meeting as President of Armenia and not RPA leader.

Mr. Grigoryan further ruled out the possibility of another convention
aimed at announcing Yerkrapah’s support for any political forces on
the threshold of parliamentary race.

Today, February 18 Yerevan hosted the 9th meeting of Yerkrapah
Volunteer Union during which Manvel Grigoryan was reelected to the
post of Board chairman.

A statement was also approved confirming Union’s support for Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan in foreign and domestic policy issues.

Yerkrapah Volunteer Union was established in 1993. It currently
comprises over 10 thousand members, most of them being veterans of
Karabakh war.

Armenian MPs visit Defense Army units in Nagorno-Karabakh

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 18:07

STEPANAKERT. – Armenian National Assembly delegation headed by the
Deputy Speaker Edward Sharmazanov visited one of the units of the
Defense Army of Nagorno-Karabakh on Saturday

The delegation participated in the international scientific conference
devoted to the 20th anniversary of Independence of Nagorno-Karabakh,
parliament press service informs Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The delegation members met with the officials and servicemen of the
unit and visited frontline.

From: A. Papazian

Ruling coalition party MP demands back his application to give up
parliamentary seat

news.am
February 18, 2012 | 17:50

YEREVAN. – The dismissed member of ruling coalition’s Orinats Yerkir
Party, MP Gagik Baghdasaryan demands back his application on giving up
the seat. He demanded it back from the National Assembly Speaker,
Baghdasaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He stressed that he wanted to leave the party quietly. However, he
decided to defend himself without declining the mandate after he has
been discredited by Orinats Yerkir.

He also added that has no intention to be a member of another party
but he can help parliamentary opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun and
Heritage parties.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress