Month: September 2013

GAGIK HARUTYUNYAN: ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT IS A PIECE OF PAPER THAT MEANS NOTHING AT WAR

15:43 05/09/2013 ” TOPIC OF THE DAY

The U.S. and its allies fail to win in Syria because Bashar al-Assad
and the Syrian government enjoy public confidence, director of Noravank
Foundation Gagik Harutyunyan told reporters.

According to some calculations, only 20 percent of Syrian rebels are
Syrian citizens, and the rest are mercenaries, including those from
Azerbaijan and Turkey, he said.

“The Syrian war is the first multi-polar war, with the United States
and its allies on one side and Russia, China and Iran on the other,”
Harutyunyan said.

Commenting on the Armenia-EU Association Agreement, the speaker said,
“Syria, Egypt, Lebanon and Libya had Association Agreement. But it
is a piece of paper that means nothing at war.”

The Noravank Foundation’s director attached importance to relations
with Russia. “Armenia can be a model for the great European system,
combining the principles of both the European Union and the Customs
Union,” he said.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIAN NAVY BAND TO HOLD CONCERTS IN YEREVAN (PHOTOS)

SEPTEMBER 5, 15:37

Armenian Navy Band will perform on September 21, 22 and 23, at Mezzo
club of Armenia’s capital city Yerevan.

The avant-garde folk-jazz band is led by renowned Armenian avant-garde
musician, songwriter and numerous instrument player Arto Tuncboyaciyan,
who has won a Grammy Award for “Best New Age Album.”

To note, aside from the Armenian Navy Band founder Arto Tuncboyaciyan,
its other members likewise are distinguished musicians.

One of the leading musicians is Armen Usunts, who is the founder and
head of Time Report ethno-jazz-rock band and is considered the best
saxophone player; he also heads the Armenian State Jazz Orchestra.

Vahagn Hayrapetyan is the best jazz keyboardist, one of the best pupils
of the great American pianist Barry Harris, who had given numerous
concerts in America, Russia, and in the East. He has recorded two
albums with American musicians and released them in the US.

Arman Jalalyan is the region’s only drummer who has the official
status of Yamaha Artist.

Bassist Vardan Arakelyan is one of the best musicians in his specialty
in Armenia.

Duduk player Vardan Grigoryan is a student of world-renowned Armenian
musician and composer, duduk master Djivan Gasparyan, and he performs
with numerous Western musicians.

Norayr Kartashyan is a musician that performs on folk wind
instruments. His works can be heard in the soundtrack of Ararat,
the acclaimed movie by Canadian-Armenian filmmaker Atom Egoyan.

ANALYST: EVERY COUNTRY SHOULD PROTECT ITS INTERESTS ITSELF

16:24 05/09/2013 ” POLITICS

Entry into the Customs Union is in the interests of security in Armenia
and Artsakh, which is the most important thing for us, chairman of
the Union of Political Scientists of Armenia Hmayak Hovhannisyan
told reporters.

“It is impossible to diversify the means of ensuring national
security. It means that if Armenia does not intend to withdraw from
the CSTO, then it cannot move towards the European Union,” he noted.

Political scientist Alexander Manasyan, for his part, said that every
country should protect its interests itself and not look who will
protect its interests.

According to him, both Europe and Russia wish to make Armenia an apple
of discord. “We should announce that we are a field of complementarity
and dialogue, not an apple of discord.”

Source: Panorama.am

POLITICAL ANALYST: ARMENIA IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR RUSSIA, THAN FOR EU

September 05, 2013 | 15:08

YEREVAN. – Armenia is more important for Russia, than the EU, political
analyst Alexander Manasyan said.

“Armenia is vitally important for Russia, while Europe will be ok
without us. In this contest, Armenia is interested in giving priority
to Russia. This is the most logical answer if we are asking what we
can get,” Manasyan said.

Armenia must not forget the past events when Nakhchivan and Karabakh
were given to Azerbaijan at the beginning of 20th century.

“It was done by Russia, and everyone remembers it. But, we must act in
terms of political pragmatism. Europe, in its relations with Armenia,
is not displaying European-style tolerance asking to choose between
‘us’ and ‘them’,” he said.

Manastan noted it is the way EU is building relations with Russia,
and this will negatively affect Armenia.

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ANALYST: ARMENIANS PREFER RUSSIA OVER EU

SOCIETY | 05.09.13 | 16:22

Photolure

By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

A well-known sociologist of Armenia concludes that if a referendum were
held on joining the Customs Union (as announced by President Serzh
Sargsyan Tuesday), the majority of citizens would have definitely
voted for it, because, he says, decades of studies and surveys show
that the people of Armenia support deepening relations with Russia.

Director of Sociometer Sociological Center Aharon Adibekyan told the
press on Thursday that the center has been carrying out studies since
the 1990s to establish which country or political union Armenia should
cooperate with and Russia has always held the top position on the list.

“It has never dropped below 40 percent, never exceeded 55 percent. The
European Union always came second, followed by Iran and the United
States. In terms of remittances, last year out of the total $1.7
billion $1.47 billion came from Russia, which makes 85.6 percent.

Every sixth or seventh family lives off the money sent from Russia,”
he says, adding that between 1988 and 2011, 34 percent of general
$16.5 billion investment in Armenia was by Russia, which makes 42.5
percent of direct investment, while the share of those 12 countries
of the European Union which made tangible investment in Armenia is
only 20 percent in general and 25 percent in direct investments. The
USA’s share is 3 percent.

“If the European Union wants to see Armenia as its friend, it has to
found a business with us, so that we can understand that partnership,
but the issue remains in the political domain. They say come and
befriend us, then we will try to help you, meanwhile Russia, as our
ally historically, has been fulfilling that mission,” says Adibekyan,
adding that there are 1.5 million Armenians officially residing
in Russia and it is only natural that President Vladimir Putin is
interested in attracting those votes to support him.

However, Adibekyan says that Russia, as opposed to Europe, is a
technologically less developed country, if we put aside the strategic
and space fields, hence cooperating with it will make Armenia lag
behind technologically and will only be able to sell its products
in Russia.

According to him, speaking in chess terminology, this is a mutual
political “zugzwang”, meaning when both parties take steps because
the situation on the game board is such that other steps might lead
to bitter defeat.

RUSSIA THREATENED ARMENIA WITH DOMESTIC PROBLEMS – DAVID SHAHNAZARYAN

15:55 05.09.13

“Sovereignty in exchange for security” is the designation David
Shahnazaryan, an ex-member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC),
offered as he commented on Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s decision
to join the Customs Union.

According to him, the decision was made only recently, under Russia’s
“tremendous pressure.” Shahnazaryan is sure that Russia informed
Armenia of Azerbaijan’s new threats to unleash war.

“I would like to remind you that Russia recently supplied offensive
weapons to Azerbaijan and stressed its strategic relations with
Azerbaijan. They promised and threatened to worsen the domestic
situation in Armenia,” he said.

With respect to the reasons for pressure on Armenia now, Shahnazaryan
said that the European Partnership Summit is nearing, and Armenia is
expected to initial an association agreement with the European Union.

“Secondly, the entire West has riveted its attention on Syria.

Thirdly, Russia had to make a serious step toward EU programs. What
are the consequences of Armenia’s signing an agreement with the
Customs Union? In this case, Moscow will decide Armenia’s foreign
policy almost one hundred percent. Years ago the then President Robert
Kocharyan and the then FM Vartan Oskanian had Nagorno-Karabakh pull
out of the talks. And now after Armenia joins the Customs Union, it
will coordinate all its steps with Russia,” Shahnazarov said. This
will have its impact on Armenian-Turkish relations and pose a threat
to Armenian-Georgian relations.

Armenia’s Constitution rules out full membership in the Customs Union.

“The rules of the Customs Union envisage the formation of a
supranational body. The member-states for a common customs area, and
the body decides the customs policy and regulates trade with third
countries. Joining the Customs Union will result in Armenia losing its
sovereignty, which is ruled out by our Constitution. No constitutional
amendment can legalize Armenia’s membership,” Shahnazaryan said.

According to him, the only way to resolve the problem is civil
society’s struggle to prevent Armenia from signing an agreement with
the Customs Union. “It runs counter to the interests of our people,
state and Nagorno-Karabakh. It is not all over. We still have much
time and everything may change,” Shahnazaryan said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

I HATE RUSSIA

The higher the level of Armenian-Russian relations, the lower the
Russian sentiment in Armenia. This ratio peaked when Serzh Sargsyan
announced in Moscow about his wish to enhance the relations and join
the Customs Union.

Moscow hardly cares how Russia treats its colonies but Moscow should
also understand that there is a critical level which easily breaks
the empire. And in Armenia this level is already reaching its high.

Practically nobody, not even the ruling party has approved Serzh
Sargsyan’s decision. Moreover, many people admitted that the decision
was made under powerful pressure rather than in line with the interests
of the Armenian state. And there is a clear attitude to those who
make pressure.

In Armenia nobody goes chanting “I hate Russia” or “Down with Russia”,
there are calls to say no to USSR, Putin go away, Serzh go away.

However, even Samvel Alexanyan does not force his women to call for
friendship with Russia. Everyone knows what Russia is.

Vladimir Putin with his neo-Soviet imperial policy has been able to
achieve the psychological collapse of the 300-year-old empire. Peoples
who felt being more equal a part of empire than ever (under the
“elder brother”) understood that they are just a colony deprived of
rights which can be blackmailed and coerced.

Putin’s cynical imperialism gave birth in the former colonies the
national dignity, and they started breaking off the empire.

In fact, refusal of the Association Agreement with the EU may help
Armenia to break off the first, raising the issue of national dignity
and sovereignty.

Naira Hayrumyan 16:44 05/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ARMENIA ON ONE OF THE WORST POSITIONS BY CUSTOMS ADMINISTERING IN THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS REPORT 2013-2014

by Arthur Yernjakyan

ARMINFO
Thursday, September 5, 17:27

Armenia occupies one of the worst positions by customs reforms in The
Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014 of the World Economic Forum.

Customs Administering is one of the weakest points of the country,
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said in the government, Thursday,
commenting on the given report.

Armenia has improved its position in The Global Competitiveness Report
2013-2014 by the World Economic Forum moving up 3 positions to the
79th position out of 148 countries by the GCI -Global Competitiveness
Index. However, Armenia took the 123rd position by the burden of
customs procedures. The prime minister outlined also other weak points:
quality of management schools (120th position), country capacity
to retain talent (121st position), exports as a percentage of GDP
(130th position).

The prime minister outlined some strong points revealed by the report:
procedures to start business, hiring and firing practices, transparency
of government policy making, strength of investor protection, the
role of government administration (10-34 positions).

In the CIS, Armenia is ahead of Moldova (89th position – down 2
points) and Kyrghyzstan (127th position – down 6 points). The other
countries in the CIS and Georgia are ahead of Armenia by the national
competitiveness index. Thus, Azerbaijan was 39th , Kazakhstan – 50th,
Russia – 64th, Ukraine – 84th, and Georgia – 72nd.

The Global Competitiveness Report 2013-2014assesses the competitiveness
landscape of 148 economies, providing insight into the drivers of
their productivity and prosperity. The Report series remains the most
comprehensive assessment of national competitiveness worldwide.

KAZAKHASTAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST: IT WILL BE HARD FOR ARMENIA TO TRADE WITH KAZAKHSTAN WITHIN CUSTOMS UNION
by Ashot Safaryan

ARMINFO
Thursday, September 5, 17:23

Armenia’s Custom Union membership is quite doubtful. The latest
statement of the Armenian president might pursue just political goals,
says Rasul Zhumali, a Kazakh political scientist, total.kz reported.

Zhumali thinks Armenia will face many challenges in implementing
such plans.

Trade turnover of Kazakhstan and Armenia remains modest, though
a Caucasian country would be interested in import of oil, gas and
metals of Kazakhstan and Russia. However, export of raw materials is
possible just hypothetically, the political scientist said.

“Armenia is in a certain economic semi-blockade. It has rather tense
relations with Turkey and Azerbaijan. Apparently, Sargsyan would like
to get out of that blockade. His statement bears little relation to
economic and customs procedures. The country has no common borders
with the other members of the Customs Union, which may impede the
process. How will they be transporting goods via the territories of
third countries? Implementation of that idea remains doubtful.

Actually, Sargsyan wanted to favor Vladimir Putin, who tries to
increase the number of the Union’s member by means of carrot and
stick,” Zhumali says.

According to him, the power in Armenia belongs to the parliament
rather than the president. Influence of public-sector organizations
is growing in Armenia and they are opposing the decision to join the
Customs Union.

“That country is now quite closely cooperating with the European
Union. It is absolutely unclear how Armenia is going to sit on two
chairs at once,” Rasul Zhumali says.

On September 3 in Moscow, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan confirmed
Armenia’s intention to join the Customs Union and the process of the
formation of the Eurasian Union. Vladimir Putin supported Sargsyan’s
decision and promised to contribute to Yerevan’s accession to the
Customs Union in every possible way.

The Customs Union has been created within the Eurasian economic space
for trade and economic integration of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia
on the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

GEOGRAPHY WAS THE MAJOR DETERMINING FACTOR IN ARMENIA’S DECISION TO JOIN THE CUSTOMS UNION

18:07 05.09.2013

Anna Nazaryan
“Radiolur”

Geography was the major determining factor in Armenia’s decision to
join the Customs Union, considers political scientist Levon Shirinyan.

There remaining factors are subjective, he said.

“Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union made clarifications in
the country’s foreign policy course, and this should neither rejoice
the pro-Russians, nor sadden the pro-Europeans,” he said.

According to him, it’s necessary to think about the results. He
believes that the move could lead to decreased gas tariffs.

“Armenia should continue its complementary policy, and Europe should
show understanding of this,” Levon Shirinyan said.

Many fear that the decision to join the Customs Union could harm
Armenia’s sovereignty. “If we have a good political leadership,
our sovereignty will not suffer, as it was the case with Belarus and
Kazakhstan,” he said.

Political scientist Ruben Mehrabyan considers that the step was a
fatal mistake and insists that it was a serious blow to Armenia’s
reputation and international standing.

Nevertheless, he says that the EU astern Partnership Program does
not envisage a security component, which has made Armenia shake
Russia’s hand.

From: A. Papazian