Month: February 2015

HAYKAKAN ZHAMANAK: PASSPORT THROWN LIKE GARBAGE IN EX-POLICE HQ

09:07 * 12.02.15

Scores of passports have been found negligently thrown on the floor
of a former district police department in central Yerevan, reports
the paper.

The room, which was found littered with the archive passports,
reportedly has a broken window looking to the building’s yard, so the
passports, thrown open, are said to be visible even to the unaided eye.

The paper does not rule out the possibility that the passports in
question are kept there to be used as fake ID documents for election
rigging purposes. It stresses the need of clarifications by the police.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress

TURKISH PRIME MINISTER UNVEILS CONDITION FOR OPENING BORDER WITH ARMENIA

YEREVAN, February 13. / ARKA /. Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu
said his government would open the sealed border with Armenia, but
on condition that Armenia returns at least one of several regions,
surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh, to Azerbaijan, Novosti-Armenia reported
citing RIA Novosti.

“If Armenians withdrew from at least one district, the border could be
opened,” Davutoglu said at a meeting with the leaders of non-Muslim and
non-governmental organizations in Ankara, according to Haber Turk TV.

He added that Armenians living in Turkey are part of the country and
should not suffer because of the strained relations between Ankara
and Yerevan. “The Armenian Diaspora is not an enemy to us, it is our
Diaspora,” he said.

Turkey and Armenia have no diplomatic relations. Turkey closed
its border with Armenia in 1993 in a show of support for its ally,
Azerbaijan, which had a dispute with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh,
the ethnic Armenian enclave of Azerbaijan then.

There are several sensitive issues complicating the establishment of
normal relations between the two countries, particularly, Ankara’s
blatant support for Azerbaijan in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
resolution process and Turkey’s refusal to acknowledge the mass
killings of Armenians in the last years of the Ottoman Empire as
genocide. -0-

GAGIK TSARUKYAN: I AM TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE THROWN TO ME AND WILL BE FIGHTING TILL FINAL VICTORY

by Nana Martirosyan

Friday, February 13, 15:14

Leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik Tsarukyan in his
speech at the PAP Political Council ‘unveiled’ the real reasons of
President Serzh Sargsyan’s anger and criticism at him. The president
harshly criticized Tsarukyan at the February 12 meeting of the
Republican Party Council.

“I want to play hand and be honest. The reason of the known person’s
surge of emotions is my refusal to accept his numerous suggestions
implying assistance in retention of power and his government-for-life
through a constitutional referendum. I was offered many options of
cooperation – which were quite favorable for me – including the post of
the president after the constitutional reform, subject to my assistance
in his endeavors to retain power. I rejected that anti-national offer,
because a man who has brought the country to a social and economic
regress cannot have such ambitions. This is what made him violate all
the human and political norms. This is the reality,” Tsarukyan said.

As for his exclusion from the National Security Council, Tsarukyan
said he had not worked there de-facto for already 6 months and did
not leave officially just because Sargsyan asked him not to leave.

“Now, you are free to assess yesterday’s performance. As for RPA’s
initiative to deprive me of the deputy mandate, I’d like to say that
I care for the people’s confidence and I have that most important
mandate for me,” Tsarukyan said.

He believes that Sargsyan’s goal is to liquidate him as an obstacle
from his way towards lifetime government. “I am taking on his
challenges and will be fighting till final victory,” he said.

From: Baghdasarian

THOMAS DE WAAL: IF A CONFLICT DOES EVER BREAK OUT AGAIN, IT WILL BE A FULL-SCALE WAR BETWEEN THE STATES OF ARMENIA AND AZERBAIJAN

by Nana Martirosyan

Friday, February 13, 15:10

If a conflict does ever break out again, it will be a full-scale
war between the states of Armenia and Azerbaijan, an analyst of the
Carnegie Fund, Thomas de Waal, says in an article.

He also added that Armenians and Azerbaijanis have exchanged fire
across the so-called Line of Contact and made threatening noises. But
neither side has shown any willingness to push things back over
the brink.

“The basic arguments for avoiding war remain the same. It would do
catastrophic damage to everyone. The Armenian side got most of what
it wanted in 1994. Azerbaijan, the defeated side in the war of the
1990s, has a greater incentive to back to war to try to re-conquer
lands that constitute almost 14 per cent of its de jure territory,
but it would be a very risky enterprise. Given the mountainous
terrain and the Armenian defenses, an operation could easily fail,
costing potentially not just the lives of thousands of young men in
the minefields around Karabakh, but the survival of the ruling elite
itself. Far safer for Baku to rattle sabers than to fire real guns.

The Azerbaijani side is militarily far stronger than it was 10 years
ago and the ceasefire line is almost the only place where it has
leverage over the Armenians. Over the years, Azerbaijani officials
have rejected proposals to strengthen the ceasefire by, for example,
withdrawing snipers from the front line or instituting an incident
investigation mechanism–saying that would normalize the status quo
that is unacceptable.

For their part, the Armenians periodically like to demonstrate to
Baku, the world and their own public that they still have a powerful
military and can mount operations of their own.

This year, the signals are much more worrying. At the Munich Security
Conference, the OSCE issued its third alarmed statement in two weeks.

January is usually a quiet month on the ceasefire line but this time
12 dead and 18 wounded were recorded”, – Thomas de Waal concluded.

PROSPEROUS ARMENIA LEADER DEMANDS EARLY PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

February 13, 2015 13:49

Serzh Sargsyan and Gagik Tsarukyan

Photo: PAN Photo

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Leader of Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan
addressed a speech at the session of the political board of the PAP
responding to Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s speech delivered
yesterday.

Leader of PAP noted that he would discuss “single package of joint
steps” with the leaders of the Armenian National Congress (ANC)
and Heritage Levon Ter-Petrosyan and Raffi Hovhannisyan

In his speech, Gagik Tsarukyan called Serzh Sargsyan “this man”.

The PAP leader advanced a number of claims concerning foreign and
domestic policies and social-economic situation to the authorities
and President in person.

Commenting on his exclusion from the National Security Council, Gagik
Tsarukyan stated that he in fact didn’t work in the structure for
already 6 months and “didn’t leave the structure upon his (President’s
– Mediamax) personal request”.

“The situation formed from yesterday needs to be handled. I am sure
that complete change of the power through early presidential elections
is the only solution”, stated Gagik Tsarukyan.

– See more at:

“WAR”: TSARUKYAN VOWS SARGSYAN’S WORDS WILL TURN TO ACTION IN THE STREETS

POLITICS | 13.02.15 | 15:34

By SARA KHOJOYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

RELATED NEWS

Sargsyan lashes out at Tsarukyan, defends constitutional reform

Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader Gagik Tsarukyan says President
Serzh Sargsyan is “declaring war” by comments the president made
challenging Tsarukyan’s legitimacy as a political figure. Tsarukyan
says that he is an obstacle to Sargsyan’s ambition to “rule for life”
(through possible constitutional changes) and that Sargsyan will try
to remove him.

“That is his plan. Moving forward I must say that I accept the
challenge and I will fight till victory,” Tsarukyan said at the PAP
political council meeting, after he was called “evil” and a “pseudo
political phenomenon” by Sargsyan.

Not answering Sargsyan’s Thursday keynote speech directly, Tsarukyan
addressed the social-economic problems the country is facing, claiming
that there is only one solution for them.

“There has been a situation since yesterday which demands resolution.

I am sure that the only resolution is complete change of government
by means of early presidential elections.”

In order to achieve change of government and victory Tsarukyan urged
his team members to prepare for the fight.

“If the whole population takes to the streets, the government will
change. I now call for an all-Armenian mobilization with one goal by
all legal political methods – constant rallies, marches, protests,
unrest, to reach Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation – to get rid of the
rule of this evil.”

The PAP leader repeated his popular slogan once again “Our word is
a deed” and said that the biggest mission of his life now is the
task of removing the current ruling regime. “This government must be
dismissed immediately, and we must close this miserable and shameful
page of our history.”

Later on Friday the PAP leader will meet Armenian national Congress
(ANC) head Levon ter-Petrosyan and Heritage Party head Raffi
Hovannisian to discuss future actions.

HERITAGE RESPONSE: PRESIDENT’S ATTACK OF TSARUKYAN “INAPPROPRIATE”

POLITICS | 13.02.15 | 15:54

Photolure

GOHAR ABRAHAMYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

RELATED NEWS

Raising the Stakes: Sargsyan ushers in new political conditions by
tackling former coalition partner

The Deputy Chairman of Heritage Party, Armen Martirosyan, told
reporters Friday that President Serzh Sargsyan’s comments about
Prosperous Armenia Party leader Gagik Tsarukyan were inappropriate.

(See related articles.)

Martirosyan, standing in for party chair Raffi Hovannisian who was
called to a meeting with Tsarukyan, told media that the president’s
attack of Tsarukyan changed the process of political developments.

“Political processes have changed; they gain speed and Armenia’s
government might speed up, Armenia becoming a North Korea might speed
up, I do not know which direction we will choose. Discussions will show
what will happen,” Martirosyan said adding that on February 18 is “the
second anniversary of false presidential elections, and that day Raffi
Hovanissian will meet the reporters, on the occasion of the second
anniversary he will make a speech and answer questions completely.”

According to Martirosyan, it is difficult for him to say what made
Sargsyan speak as he did, but he thinks that the government gets
nervous only when the matter refers to “the preservation of their
rule”.

“Our government gets nervous in relation to neither foreign problems
nor internal affairs; we have never witnessed the government getting
nervous because of the country’s horrible social-economic state,
they do get nervous when it is about their rule,” Martirosyan said
adding that Sargsyan’s words were everything but politics.

LEADERS OF PROSPEROUS ARMENIA AND ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS MEET

16:29 13/02/2015 >> POLITICS

Prosperous Armenia Party chairman Gagik Tsarukyan and Armenia’s first
President, Armenian National Congress leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan met
today at the head office of Prosperous Armenia. Prosperous Armenia
MPs Naira Zohrabyan, Vartan Oskanian and Stepan Margaryan and ANC
MPs Aram Manukyan and Levon Zurabyan participated in the meeting,
the press service of Prosperous Armenia reports.

According to the press service, bilateral meetings take place within
the framework of the parliamentary trio to discuss the political
situation in the country following the recent statement of President
Serzh Sargsyan.

Gagik Tsarukyan will meet with Heritage Party leader Raffi Hovannisian
and party’s representatives today. Discussions in this format will
continue for a couple of days and subsequently the trio will announce
its future plans.

Related: Tsarukyan not concerned about upcoming tax checks – spokesman

Armenian President to hold meeting with National Security Council

ROBERT KOCHARYAN’S SHADOW IS BEHIND GAGIK TSARUKYAN AND THE KREMLIN’S SHADOW IS HANGING OVER KOCHARYAN

by David Stepanyan

Friday, February 13, 15:50

Robert Kocharyan’s shadow is behind Gagik Tsarukyan and the Kremlin’s
shadow is hanging over Kocharyan, filmmaker and public figure Tigran
Khzmalyan has told ArmInfo.

“Serzh Sargsyan, who has been trying to keep a foot in both worlds for
many years, feels that shadow and tries to enlist the West’s support.

Judging by the latest statements of European officials and ambassadors,
the West is obviously giving its preference to Sargsyan”, he says.

Khzmalyan thinks that the West has already approved the plans to
promote the cooperation with the post- Soviet countries, first of all,
with the countries involved in the Eastern Partnership. As a victim of
the Kremlin’s pressure, Armenia is also a part of these plans. This
explains the Western officials’ striving to intensively invite Serzh
Sargsyan to the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit in Riga.

He is convinced that the inter-oligarchic conflicts are behind the
whole clownery. He believes that the intensifying rigidity in the
inter-clan fight in Armenia is explained by the intention of the
Prosperous Armenia Party and the Armenian National Congress to use
the traditional wave of protest at the upcoming events commemorating
the 1 March 2008 tragedy to change the incumbent regime.

“Serzh Sargsyan is displeased with the fact that Gagik Tsarukyan
is an obstacle on the way of Sargsyan’s intentions to attach some
international legitimacy to his own regime due to the April 24 events.

In the meantime, Tsarukyan is backed by his masters. I think all the
latest statements should be considered in this light”, he says.

From: Baghdasarian

GAGIK TSARUKYAN: THE KEY SUBJECT OF SARGSYAN’S SPEECH WAS I RATHER THAN THE PEOPLE AND THEIR PROBLEMS

by Nana Martirosyan

Friday, February 13, 15:49

All I have done over the last years was aimed at discussing and
solving the problems of my people, the leader of Prosperous Armenia
Party Gagik Tsarukyan said at the party’s meeting on Friday.

“My only goal as a politician was to help my country and my people and
to consolidate the basic political forces. My goal has never been to
offend people or to sow discord and my position has not changed after
Mr. Sargsyan’s speech: we will continue to be tactful and will never
come to using slang in political debates. Mr. Sargsyan’s speech was
all about me.

He didn’t say a word about his people and their problems. Not a word
about ruined economy, shrinking investments and growing poverty. No
single explanation why business has become a state policy, why more
and more people are leaving the country each day, why tensions on our
borders are growing, why Turkey and Azerbaijan are getting pretty
brazen. That man didn’t say a word when Nazarbayev was humiliating
him. He preferred to stay in Baden-Baden when there were high tensions
on the border last Aug. That man was silent when there was panic about
depreciating AMD and when people were protesting after an outrageous
murder in Gyumri,” Tsarukyan said