Month: February 2015

IGOR MURADYAN TURNS BACK MEDAL AWARDED BY KARABAKH PARLIAMENT

At a press conference today, political scientist Igor Muradyan turned
back the Mesrop Mashtots Medal awarded to him by the parliament of
Nagorno Karabakh in 2003.

“They may give that medal to someone else,” he said.

According to Muradyan, his decision has nothing to do with the Berdzor
events. “I returned the medal because I have never established any
relations with these authorities of Nagorno Karabakh. There are
many people who also failed to do it, but they live in a world of
hopes and illusions. I’ve never lived in a world of illusions,”
Igor Muradyan said.

Pre-Parliament organization earlier said that a procession of its
cars was attacked while en route from Armenia to Karabakh during a
rally under the slogan “100th anniversary without the regime”. Several
people were hospitalized, and cars were damaged.

The police of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic explained that policemen
did explanatory work, urging the organization to give up that
initiative as it caused social tension.

“The participants resorted to illegal actions provoking the situation.

The police took measures prescribed by law. Unfortunately, there were
injured persons, but their lives are out of danger,” the police said.

ANALYST: DECLARATION ON GENOCIDE CENTENNIAL ‘REALISTIC’ ONLY IF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS ARE CANCELED

GENOCIDE | 02.02.15 | 16:20

Ara Papyan

By GAYANE MKRTCHYAN
ArmeniaNow reporter

Political analyst Ara Papyan, who heads the Modus Vivendi center,
considers the Pan-Armenian Declaration on the 100th Anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide realistic only if the Armenian Parliament cancels
the Armenian-Turkish Protocols signed in Zurich, Switzerland, in 2009.

The 12-point declaration urges Turkey to “face their own history and
memory”, putting an end to the denial policy of the Armenian Genocide.

“[The declaration] expresses the united will of Armenia and the
Armenian people to achieve worldwide recognition of the Armenian
Genocide and the elimination of the consequences of the Genocide,
preparing to this end a file of legal claims as a point of departure
in the process of restoring individual, communal and pan-Armenian
rights and legitimate interests,” the document states.

Papyan thinks that the Pan-Armenian Declaration and the Zurich
Protocols contradict each other.

“If we theoretically admit that Turkey will ratify the protocols,
then these two documents will contradict each other, and in that case
it is unclear what policy should be applied, and if this declaration
is not simply formality but actually contains political context
and actually expresses positions, governments must make two steps –
by a special order the Armenian President must cancel the signature
of the Armenian representative under the Zurich Protocols, and the
Parliament must declare a Day of Fatherland on November 22,” he said.

By declaring Fatherland Day Armenia prevents Turkey from further
possibilities of invoking Armenia’s inaction and using it for not
accepting a lawsuit in the international court.

Ara Papyan sees as positive the fact that this Declaration in terms
of its demands and formation was a step forward, but not enough. He
highlights the part of the Declaration where the role and significance
of the Sevres Peace Treaty of 10 August 1920 and U.S. President
Woodrow Wilson’s Arbitral Award of 22 November 1920 in overcoming
the consequences of the Armenian Genocide are mentioned.

“This is the first instance when it is emphasized and valued by
the Armenian President personally. Now, if we convert this from the
diplomatic language into a simple one, by which, besides reference and
tribute, we also clarify some territorial demands, because especially
the Arbitrary Award speaks of territories, it states Armenia-Turkey
border,” he said.

From: Baghdasarian

HAKOB HAKOBYAN ARRESTED?

19:07 | February 2,2015 | Politics

Hakob Hakobyan, a former lawmaker of the Armenian National Assembly,
is said to have been arrested today. A criminal case has been filed
against him by investigative service of the Finance Ministry.

The ministry neither denied nor confirmed the information and promised
to provide additional information later in the day.