Month: September 2013

PERHAPS KREMLIN GOT RID OF BUGBEAR

James Hakobyan
Comments – Friday, 13 September 2013, 15:23

In Bishkek the summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organization kicked off.

The member states and observers attended it. The presidents of its
member states Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and
Tajikistan met in Bishkek. The heads of Iran, Mongolia and Afghanistan
have joined them. The secretaries general of Eurasian Union, CSTO,
as well as the executive secretary of CIS, the UN deputy secretary
general and the representatives of Pakistan and India will also
participate in the summit. One of the key issues on the agenda is
Syria. It would be ingenuous to think that the summit will consider
Armenia’s wish as well. The wish to get an observer status in SCO,
not the wish to join the Customs Union is meant. A few days ago the
prime minister of Armenia told the prime minister of China. The prime
minister of China noted that Beijing will discuss the issue with the
SCO member states two or three days before the summit in Bishkek. This
is, perhaps, one of the best opportunities to discuss the issue of
Armenia, at least informally, if certainly Putin has not forgotten
about Armenia. Someone in Armenia should make a precautionary call
and make a reminder because the world powers are too busy now with
other things, and they may not remember for several more years that
Armenia has expressed such a wish. Interestingly, Armenia first told
about this wish to Beijing, at least publicly. Meanwhile, it would be
logical to tell first the “strategic partner” which is an SCO member
too. Perhaps, Yerevan thought that Beijing could be jealous. So why
can’t Russia be jealous that Yerevan first applies to Beijing. It is
not ruled out that this request is an Armenian-Russian agreement. In
other words, on September 3 Armenia may have discussed the issue
with Putin who proposed asking China first. The point is that China
and Russia are SCO leaders. If Armenia turned to Russia first, and
Moscow were unable to refuse, it would be the “hostage” of the issue of
granting Armenia an SCO observer status. If China refused, that would
indicate Moscow’s weakness and ceding to China, it might have to reach
agreements on some other issues, reaching a compromise with Beijing.

Certainly, Moscow will not have to make a compromise with Beijing
for the sake of Armenia. Therefore, the Kremlin advised Yerevan to
talk to Beijing first, getting rid of a bugbear, especially that it
got what it wanted.

From: Baghdasarian

EU NOT TO RULE OUT ‘BOTH … AND’ OPTION – ARMENIAN MP

13:43 13.09.13

A senior lawmaker of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) says
he doesn’t think the EU is likely to oppose to Armenia’s European
integration efforts in the wake of President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement
expressing the country’s willingness to the Eurasian Customs Union.

“We do not have an official response from Europe; at meetings with
European officials they treat the decision in quite a normal way,”
Galust Sahakyan, the leader of the RPA faction in parliament, told
a news conference on Friday.

Asked whether the official Europe can rule out the “both … and”
format, the Republican MP said he doesn’t find such an option
possible. “That will never be ruled out,” he answered.

“Never think the European institutions do not have problems with us.

It isn’t that we have a big interest. I think Europe has a bias,”
he added.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS PACE PLENARY SESSION THIS FALL

September 13, 2013 | 07:36

YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is expected to deliver
a speech during the PACE plenary session this fall, member of the
Armenian delegation to PACE Naira Zohrabyan said.

By the end of Armenia’s six-month presidency of the Committee of
Ministers of the Council of Europe, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
will sum up the presidency, Naira Zohrabyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“President Sargsyan will address PACE delegates on October 2. Key
issues related to the Karabakh peace process will be raised not only
by Azerbaijan, but other European MPs. The delegates will not miss
an opportunity to ask president about his visit to Moscow and the
decision to join the Customs Union,” she added.

As to the recent statements made by European officials, Zohrabyan
said they must be unbiased in their assessments.

“If they try to voice artificially strong-worded assessments, I will
consider them as impartial as the positive assessment of the recent
elections connected with the fact that they had certain expectations
from Armenia ahead of the Vilnius summit,” MP concluded.

From: A. Papazian

SWEDISH FM’S STATEMENT IS NOT EU’S OFFICIAL POSITION – ARMENIAN RULING PARTY MP

September 13, 2013 | 01:12

YEREVAN. – Separate views, with respect to the ratification of the
Armenia-EU Association Agreement, are expressed in Armenia, and such
views are expressed in western countries, too.

Ruling Republican Party of Armenia National Assembly Faction leader
Galust Sahakyan told the aforesaid to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He commented on the recent statements that were made by Sweden’s
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt.

“Sweden and Poland have begun the process, but all 28 EU member
countries have their own views. So, we continue to work with the EU,
whereas separate views cannot be considered the official position of
the European Union,” Sahakyan said.

To note, Carl Bildt had written on his Twitter account that the
initialing of the abovementioned agreement is removed from the agenda.

This was a reaction to the fact that following the talks that were held
on September 3 in Moscow between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh
Sargsyan and Vladimir Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans
to join the Customs Union and subsequently engage in the formation
of the Eurasian Economic Union.

ORINATS YERKIR: NO ONE IN ARMENIA IS AGAINST CUSTOMS UNION

September 13, 2013 | 12:20

YEREVAN. – There is no one in Armenia who is against Armenia’s
accession to the Customs Union.

The coalition government’s junior partner, Orinats Yerkir (Rule of
Law) Party National Assembly (RLP NA) Faction leader Heghine Bisharyan
stated the abovementioned during an NA briefing on Friday.

“In reality, even those people, who are formally against membership
in the Customs Union, welcome this deep down inside,” Bisharyan said.

She added that everyone in Armenia has relatives who work in Russia,
and all of them want for the two countries to have good relations.

As per Bisharyan, it is only natural that Armenia chooses its
strategic partner.

“We all want for the Armenians living in Russia to feel secure,”
the RLP MP concluded.

To note, following the talks that were held on September 3 in Moscow
between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir
Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs
Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian
Economic Union.

DECISION TO JOIN CUSTOMS UNION SHOCKED BOTH ARMENIA AND EUROPE – ANC

September 13, 2013 | 13:57

YEREVAN. – Serzh Sargsyan’s decision to make Armenia become a member
in the Customs Union shocked not solely Armenia and Europe, but also
the ruling Republican Party RPA) members, who were making contradictory
comments on this matter.

Opposition Armenian National Congress (ANC) bloc National Assembly
Faction Secretary Aram Manukyan stated the aforesaid on Friday.

“The RPA likewise was not well informed about Sargsyan’s visit to
Moscow. After returning from Moscow, Serzh Sargsyan should have at
least give explanations, but, instead, he was receiving ambassadors,”
the opposition MP said.

Manukyan also stressed that, at present, no political power-including
the RPA-is informed about what the document on accession to the
Customs Union assumes.

To note, following the talks that were held on September 3 in Moscow
between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir
Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs
Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian
Economic Union.

CUSTOMS UNION ACCESSION WILL NOT UNDERMINE KARABAKH’S STATEHOOD AND SOVEREIGNTY – ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT LEADER

September 13, 2013 | 14:59

YEREVAN. – The views, according to which accession to the Customs
Union will undermine the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK)
conflict, are unfounded.

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan told the above-said
to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Regardless of all this, one thing is clear: The security and the
economic development of the Republic of Armenia are a priority and the
most important for us. And they are closely linked to the security of
Artsakh [i.e., Nagorno-Karabakh] and the settlement of the NK conflict.

“Membership in the Customs Union should be regarded as the most
important fundamental step in this framework. Hence, the opinions and
the views, according to which membership in the Customs Union will
undermine the settlement of the NK conflict, [and] the statehood and
sovereignty of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, are unfounded, to put
it mildly,” Abrahamyan stated in particular.

To note, following the talks that were held on September 3 in Moscow
between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir
Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs
Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian
Economic Union.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN INTELLECTUALS COMMENT ON PRESIDENT’S DECISION TO JOIN CUSTOMS UNION

12:54 13.09.13

Tert.am interviewed Art Director of the Katrin folk dance group
Gagik Ginosyan, literary critic and translator Artyom Harutyunyan
and People’s Artist of Armenia Yervand Manaryan.

All of them made their comments on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s
decision on accession to the Customs Union.

Gagik Ginosyan believes that Armenia lost its sovereignty as soon
as the Armenian president signed an agreement on a military alliance
with Russia and 49-year-long presence of the Russian military base.

Serzh Sargsyan was elected Armenia’s president for five year, “but
who is going to be responsible for the rest forty-four years?” ask
Ginosyan.

The lack of Armenian identity has been the gravest threat under
all the three presidents. It was the case during the First Republic
as well, with people displaying pro-Russian, pro-European and even
pro-Turkish sentiments.

“The greatest tragedy is that political leaders are not devoted to
pro-Armenian orientation. And such phenomena as the Customs Union
will continue to be Armenia’s minor and major defeats as long as we
do not have our own orientation. But lack of pro-Armenian orientation
is a real defeat for us. I believe it was the reason why we lost our
nationhood in 1918,” Ginosyan said.

Asked if it is being done for Nagorno-Karabakh’s security, he said:
“I do not think there is any problem with Nagorno-Karabakh. We do not
know if the agreement on Armenia’s accession to the Customs Union
has any room for Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh]. But I think it was a
much less serious omission than signing the agreement on 49-year-long
Russian military presence in Armenia.”

With respect to the first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s
statement that unexpected decisions are a cause of the Armenian
people’s “mourning,” Ginosyan said that ordinary people do not care
about the development as they do not view them as solutions to their
problems.

“If it blocked the way to their political games, they may be in
mourning themselves. Indeed, it is mourning to have a president who
states that national ideology is a complicated category. This is even
more than treachery,” he said.

As regards Armenian intellectuals’ silence on the Customs Union,
Ginosyan said that “some intellectuals are reluctant to voice their
opinion, while others are not even asked to do so.”

Talking to Tert.am, Artyom Harutyunyan believes that Armenia has no
alternative. “We are surrounded by hostile nations and must first of
all think of preservation of our nation. And Europe will not help us.

We have no other close ally beside Russia. We must be grateful for
being admitted to the Eurasian family,” he said.

Harutyunyan quoted Wounds of Armenia, a historical novel by Khachatur
Abovyan, saying, “Blessed be the moment Russians put their blessed
foot on the Armenian soil.”

“European nations are of no strategic benefit to us. They may supply
weapons to us or say a word, but Russians are guarding our borders.

And our wise President Serzh Sargsyan made the right decision.”

People’s Artist of Armenia Yervand Manaryan, without analyzing
Armenia’s decision, said, “They are serious state issues. I do not
think that people’s opinion is of any value.”

With respect to intellectuals’ silence on the matter, he said:
“Ask them. I am the only intellectual that never keeps silence. I
wait because I think there are professionals.”

According to him, the choice between the Customs Union and the European
Union (EU) is an economic issue. “We do not know many aspects. Even
the president’s inner circle does not know some things.

I cannot dare make serious comments on the matter,” Manaryan said.

As regards statements on Armenia’s lost sovereignty, he said: “I do
not know what I am losing. May be I am really losing something. They
will never say. But what can we say about what we know nothing about?”

RUSSIA DOES NOT FORGIVE ARMENIA’S DEBT

Russia has no intention of forgiving $500 million loan it gave to
Armenia in 2009, according to ‘Haykakan Zhamanak’.

The daily says the Armenian government hoped that after the
announcement of Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union, the
Russian side would forgive that debt as ‘a manifestation of good will’.

Armenia received the $500 million loan following long and tough
negotiations with Russia. The loan was provided on tough terms –
at an annual interest rate of 4%. It is considered one of Armenia’s
heaviest debt burdens.

From: A. Papazian

ABOUT 60 % OF THE WORK FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NORTH-SOUTH TRANSPORT CORRIDOR WILL BE COMPLETED BEFORE THE END OF THIS YEAR

YEREVAN, September 13. /ARKA/. Some 60 % of the work for the
construction of North-South transport corridor across Armenia will be
completed before the end of this year, transport and communications
minister Gagik Beglaryan said at a government session today. According
to him, about 500 meters of road is being concreted a day in both
directions.

“Currently, the work is underway on Yerevan- Ararat and
Yerevan-Ashtarak sections. The project is being implemented by Spanish
Corsan Corvian Construccion.

The Armenian government approved this program as well as a $500-million
financial agreement with Asian Development Bank on January 14,
2010. The goal of the project is to upgrade Armenia’s main corridor
road as part of a broader thrust to improve connectivity, and boost
trade, growth and livelihood opportunities in the Caucasus and Central
Asia sub-regions. Funds are being released by the Asian Development
Bank periodically through a multitranche financing facility. The
transport corridor will stretch from the southern Armenian town of
Meghri, on the border with Iran, to Bavra in the north on the border
with Georgia. The North-South transport corridor will enable Armenia to
mitigate the effects of the blockade imposed by Azerbaijan and Turkey.

The North -South transport corridor project was initiated
by Russia and Iran. Armenia and Iran have also agreed at
the highest level to consider the possibility of laying a
railway link between the two countries that will become
part of the transport corridor. -0- – See more at: