Author: Andres-Papazian

EVENTS IN TUNISIA AND EGYPT WILL TAKE PLACE IN ARMENIA, BUT WITHOUT SHOCKS, LEVON TER-PETROSIAN STATED

Mediamax
March 17 2011
Armenia

Yerevan, March 17. /Mediamax/. Ex-President of Armenia, Leader of
Armenian National Congress (ANC) Levon Ter-Petrosian said today that
“explosive atmosphere, which needs immediate discharge, has been
formed in the country”.

Mediamax reports that, speaking at ANC rally today, Levon Ter-Petrosian
stated that “it is already clear for everybody that no hopes should
be pinned to these authorities”, since they, according to him, cannot
renounce their policy of “plundering the country till the end” and
cannot solve economic and social problems.

“Taking this into account, it is obvious that it is time for
realization of radical changes, or, in other words, for final
dismantling of the bandocracy system”, ANC leader stated.

“I do not doubt that the events of Tunisia, Egypt and other countries
will reach Armenia as well and the power will finally obey the will
of the people”, Levon Ter-Petrosian stated.

“But I am also sure that as opposed to other countries, in Armenia
this will happen smoothly and without shocks. We, together with you,
have chosen this path and the authorities will have to accept the
rules of the game, dictated by us, namely – speak to us not in the
language of violent force, but from the positions of a political
partner”, the first President of Armenia stated.

According to him, “we do not have the task to artificially speed
up the events, since we are sure that the success of the struggle
depends on our patience, self-confidence, composure and discipline”.

“The authorities are the ones to hurry, since delay may become critical
both for them and for the country. What did the authorities gain, when
they did not react to our statement, made on the rally of March1? The
fact that today twice more people showed at the rally. One more rally
and the authorities will find the entire people against them”, ANC
Leader assured.

“Judging from certain signals, in particular from the latest three
speeches of Serzh Sargsian, the ruling regime, it seemed, understood
that it is impossible to constantly ignore the accumulated problems,
however this positive tendency should still be proved by real deeds”,
Levon Ter-Petrosian stated.

He offered the authorities to first of all immediately free the
political prisoners, provide the chance of holding rallies at the
Freedom Square, and give an official assurance that the murders of
March 1, 2008, will be solved.

“We are not maximalists, and we do not have the task to cinch the
authorities. These tasks can be easily solved. Let’s hope that at
the next rally, which will take place on April 8, we will not have
to speak to the authorities in the language of ultimatum”, Levon
Ter-Petrosian stated.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN THREATENS TO DOWN ARMENIAN FLIGHTS

Agence France Presse
March 16, 2011 Wednesday 2:16 PM GMT

Azerbaijan on Wednesday threatened to shoot down civilian planes flying
to disputed Nagorny Karabakh if the separatist Armenian authorities
who control the region reopen an airport there.

Azerbaijan considers Karabakh to be occupied by the Armenians, and
Baku’s state aviation agency said it has told the International Civil
Aviation Organisation (ICAO) that the region’s airspace was closed
and any flights would be unauthorised.

“According to the law on aviation, it is even possible to physically
destroy aeroplanes which are heading there,” said Arif Mammadov, the
director of Azerbaijan’s Civil Aviation Administration, in comments
to local media.

“We asked the ICAO to notify the opposing side in order to prevent
incidents,” he said.

The separatist Karabakh authorities have been rebuilding the airport
near their capital Stepanakert and plan to restart commercial flights
to Yerevan in May.

The airport has been closed since the outbreak of the Karabakh war in
the early 1990s, which saw ethnic Armenian forces backed by Yerevan
seize control over the region from Baku amid fighting that left an
estimated 30,000 dead.

An official at the separatist Karabakh presidential office said that
“criminal” threats would not stop the planned flights, which are set
to begin amid increasing tensions and exchanges of gunfire across
the ceasefire line which has divided the two sides since the end of
the war.

“We are determined to open the airport, no matter whom it vexes
in Azerbaijan,” the official, David Babaian, told the PanArmenian
news agency.

“Any slight attempt Azerbaijan might take will be fraught with
unpredictable repercussions for Azerbaijan itself,” he said.

Azerbaijan has threatened to use force to win back Karabakh if peace
talks do not yield satisfactory results, while Armenia has warned of
large-scale retaliation if Baku launches any military action.

From: A. Papazian

COMMEMORATING THE GREEK GENOCIDE

Gates of Vienna

March 16 2011

We’ve heard a lot lately about the “genocide” at Srebrenica in Bosnia,
thanks to the recent decision by the Canadian Government to ban Srdja
Trifkovic from Canada.

There’s another genocide – a real one – that the Islamic world and
most Western governments don’t want to talk about: the genocide
against Christians conducted by the Turks during and after the First
World War. There were actually three overlapping genocides involved –
against the Armenian minority in Turkey, against the Assyrians in what
is now mostly Iraq, and against the Greeks in Thrace and Asia Minor.

We just received this press release from the Hellenic League of
America about an upcoming commemoration of these genocides, which
will be held next month in New York:

Media Alert: 3rd Annual Greek Genocide Commemoration For Immediate
Release: March 16, 2011 Contact: Ioannis Fidanakis (973)-464-0211

Please join us, on April 6, 2011 at 12 noon, as we pay tribute to
the victims of the Greek, Armenian and Assyrian Genocides outside
the United Nations in Ralph Bunche Park in New York. This year’s
commemoration is organized and hosted by Panthracian Union of America
‘Orpheus’ and supported by the Hellenic League of America, HLA,
and will feature such guest speakers as two time New York Times
bestselling Author and Director of Jihad Watch.org, Robert Spencer;
Editor and Publisher of Atlas Shrugs and Executive Director of Freedom
Defense Initiative and Stop Islamization of America, Pamela Geller;
First Vice-President of the International Association of Genocide
Scholars, Professor Alex Hinton; President of the Federation of
Hellenic Societies of Greater New York, Elias Tsekerides and President
of the PanPontian Federation of USA and Canada, Dimitris Molohides.

Ralph Bunche Park is located on the northwest corner of 1st Ave and
42nd Street. For more information please contact former Panthracian
President and HLA Spokesman Ioannis Fidanakis.

RSVP on Facebook

Panthracian Union of America ‘Orpheus’ P.O. Box 3280 Steinway Station
Long Island City, NY 11103 Web Site

From: A. Papazian

PRESIDENT DENIES ARMENIAN SNIPER KILLED AZERI BOY

Mediamax
March 16 2011
Armenia

Yerevan, 16 March: Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan stated at the
meeting with OSCE Minsk Group Co-chairs today that the statements
of Azerbaijan, according to which an Armenian sniper has killed a
nine-year-old child, are an “absolute slander”.

Mediamax reports referring [to] the press service of the President
that Serzh Sargsyan confirmed the readiness of the Armenian side
to continue negotiations within the framework of the agreements,
reached at the recent trilateral meeting, given the mediation of the
Russian leader in Sochi [5 March]. It was noted that during the period
after the meeting the Armenian side has realized consistent steps for
informing the society on the reached agreements and for creating an
atmosphere of trust between the sides.

President also touched upon the provocations from the part of
Azerbaijan, which continue after Sochi meeting, including the killing
of an Armenian military, the destructive statements, in particular,
the spread misinformation, according to which a nine-year-old child
has died from the shot of an Armenian sniper.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that these accusations are an “absolute slander”,
since actions against civilian population, in particular, against
children, do not fit in the moral image of an Armenian soldier.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIA, TURKEY WORKING TOGETHER TO SOLVE CAUCASUS ISSUES – TURKISH PREMIER

Anadolu Agency
March 16 2011
Turkey

Moscow, 16 March: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on
Wednesday [16 March] said Turkey and Russia had engaged in close
cooperation to solve issues in the Caucasus.

“We are exerting with Russia joint efforts aimed at the economic
development of the region. We have also taken a step to launch an
initiative to bring together Russia, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia and
Georgia under a Caucasus cooperation council,” Erdogan told students
at the Moscow State Diplomacy Institute where he received an honorary
doctorate as part of his visit to Russia.

Erdogan said there were issues between countries in the region,
such ones between Azerbaijan and Armenia, as well as between Russia
and Georgia.

“And we have some setbacks with Armenia due to our border issues …

[Agency ellipsis] And the settlement of the Azerbaijan-Armenia problem
will also play a key role in the solution of issues between Turkey
and Armenia. And I hope issues between Russia and Georgia could also
be settled,” Erdogan said.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN THREATENS CIVILIAN AIRCRAFT IF NAGORNO-KARABAKH AIRPORT IS REOPENED
BYLINE: Matt Clements

Global Insight
March 16, 2011

Azerbaijan yesterday (15 March) threatened to shoot down civilian
planes flying to the separatist region of Nagorno-Karabakh if
an airport is reopened there as planned. Nagorno-Karabakh is a
disputed region located within Azerbaijan’s borders, but occupied by
ethnic Armenian separatist authorities (supported by the Armenian
administration) following the separatist conflict that was ended
by a ceasefire in 1994. Azerbaijan considers the region to be an
occupied part of its territory, and its State Aviation Authority
(SAA) informed the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)
that the region’s airspace was closed and any flights into it would be
unauthorised. In outlining the situation to local media, the Director
of Azerbaijan’s SAA Arif Mammadov stated that “according to the law
on aviation, it is possible to physically destroy aircraft that are
heading there”. The SAA also asked the ICAO to inform Armenia of the
situation in order to avoid any incidents.

The threat comes as the airport at Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh’s
administrative capital, is being rebuilt, having been closed since the
outbreak of conflict in the region in the early 1990s. The separatist
authorities have said that they are aiming to restart commercial
flights to the Armenian capital Yerevan in May, and warned against
any Azeri attempt to disrupt these flights. Azerbaijan currently
has a limited number of surface-to-air missile systems capable
of reaching airspace over Nagorno-Karabakh, although these could
potentially pose a threat to any civilian flights entering or leaving
the region via Armenia. Tensions between Armenia and Azerbaijan
remain high, as Azerbaijan continues to state its willingness to
re-take Nagorno-Karabakh by force and increases its defence spending
massively. There have also been several serious clashes along the
Nagorno-Karabakh boundary in recent months. Talks between the leaders
of both countries have continued, most recently on 5 March, although
progress has been limited (seeArmenia – Azerbaijan: 15 March 2011:).

Significance:Azerbaijan has made a number of threats regarding
Nagorno-Karabakh over recent years, many of which remain in the realm
of rhetoric and are designed to increase pressure on the separatists
and Armenia rather than illustrating an actual policy. As such,
the statements regarding civilian flights over Nagorno-Karabakh are
unlikely to be translated into action, at least over the short term
and not least because of its limited capability to undertake such
action. Nevertheless, should any efforts be made to intercept or shoot
down any civilian flights over the region, this would represent a
serious intensification of the situation, and would pose the risk of
retaliation and potential wider escalation into a conflict situation.

From: A. Papazian

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN: SETTLEMENT OF AZERBAIJAN-ARMENIAN CONFLICT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO SOLUTION OF TURKEY`S PROBLEM WITH ARMENIA

State Telegraph Agency of the Republic of Azerbaijan
March 16, 2011 Wednesday

Turkey is cooperating with Russia and this cooperation targets
development and progress of the whole region, Turkey`s prime minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan said while speaking at the Diplomatic Academy
as part of his visit to Russia.

Turkish premier emphasized that Turkey proposed to establish
a high-level strategic Cooperation Council which will include three
South Caucasus countries (Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia) plus Turkey
and Russia. This initiative, according to Erdogan, is very important.

Azerbaijan-Armenian, Russian-Georgian and Turkish-Armenian
relations are problematic in many respects. Today Turkey along
with Russia is actively involved in finding a peaceful solution
to the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict, since the settlement of
Azerbaijan-Armenian conflict will contribute to the solution of
Turkey`s problem with Armenia, said Turkish premier.

From: A. Papazian

TER-PETROSYAN’S SPEECH

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 22:42:32 – 17/03/2011

Speaking at a HAK rally on March 17, 2011, Levon Ter-Petrosyan
said that 15 demands of the rally on March 1 raised a number of
misunderstandings and statements that are based on an incorrect
perception of the requirements. Firstly, the period March 15 does not
affect all of 15 demands, but only the first – releasing political
prisoners, said Levon Ter-Petrosyan. He noted that the absence of the
name of Serge Sargsyan in the list of officials, whose resignation the
Congress demands does not mean that his question is removed from the
agenda. In addition, a statement is not an ultimatum, but a transition
plan for reforms and a proposal based on state and national interests.

Levon Ter-Petrosyan noted that there is an explosive situation in
Armenia that requires urgent solutions. It is obvious that one should
not pin their hopes with the government, which does not intend to
abandon its predatory policy, and is unable to deal with challenges.

“In other words, the time is ripe for a final dismantling of the
system of bandits,” said Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

He noted that the society recognizes this and is determined to achieve
its rights, but not at any price, but only by political means.

Perversity of the current system in Armenia is due to the lack
of legitimacy of the president and parliament. And illegitimate
authorities use violence to maintain power.

In contrast to the society, the government is not aware of the
seriousness of the moment. It would be naive to believe that the
government would so soon retreat under pressure by the people. Now
they have to show they are confident in themselves, said Levon
Ter-Petrosyan.

But the government must understand that compliance with the
requirements of the society is not a defeat, but honor. A different
attitude is just political ignorance, but in the current tense
situation – opportunism, if not a crime. Power should be more
interested in dialogue, because it is its duty by the Constitution to
be responsible for security and stability. But until now, the power
has understood this responsibility in a wrong way, trying to ensure
stability in the country through pressure on the opposition. There
are examples of the decays of much stronger dictatorships, however,
they prove that these methods cannot stop people.

I have no doubt that everything that happened in Egypt and Tunisia
will occur in Armenia and the government will obey the will of
the people. But I believe in Armenia, it will happen smoothly and
painlessly, says Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Authorities will be obliged
to accept our dictated rules of the game – talk to us from equal
political positions, rather than force. I am grateful to the people,
who sympathize with the policies of the Congress, which will lead
to ultimate victory, said Levon Ter-Petrosyan. This strategy was
based, as well, on the expectation that the power will not be able
to solve people’s problems, and it will certainly result in a wave
of discontent.

The wave will increase, and this movement has a completely new
quality. People do not come to support Levon Ter-Petrosyan, or
Congress, but to solve their own problems, being assured that the
dictatorship is not directed against the opposition, but all the
people. Therefore, we need not to rush, because the success of the
struggle depends only on our patience, composure and discipline.

The authorities need to rush, because the delay may be dangerous
not only for them but for the country. In response, ignoring the
requirements of the last meeting, they received a crowded rally.

Another rally, and the authorities will find the whole nation against
them. It is time to act – people cannot be fed by the speeches of
Prime Minister on the Armenian world, and tourist centers. Judging
by recent speeches by Serge Sargsyan, the regime realized that.

As a first step we expect to release political prisoners and to
identify the perpetrators of the March 1 events. I think this will
be enough to start a dialogue. We do not intend to drive the power
into the corner.

Let’s hope that at the next meeting to be held on April 8, we will
not have to speak the language of ultimatums.

From: A. Papazian

DEFENCE MINISTER: AZERBAIJAN EXPANDS ITS ACTIVITIES TO LIBERATE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

Trend Daily News
March 16, 2011 Wednesday 7:24 PM GMT +4
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani Defense Minister Colonel General Safar Abiyev met with
the Minister Defence of Ukraine Mikhail Ejel, who is on an official
visit to Azerbaijan, the Defense Ministry’s press service told Trend.

A ceremony of the welcoming the Ukrainian guest was conducted, the
anthems of both countries were voiced.

During the enlarged meeting, Abiyev welcomed the delegation headed
by Ejel, and said that the two countries have strategic relations at
all levels.

Abiyev said one of the main goals is to further develop this
partnership. During the meeting both ministers touched upon the
questions of military-technical cooperation. Attention was also paid
to the military-political situation in the region.

Abiyev said as a result of Armenian aggression, 20 percent of
Azerbaijani territory was occupied, one million Azerbaijanis lost their
homes. He said the activities of the OSCE Minsk Group to resolve the
conflict do not give concrete results. The resolutions of authoritative
international organizations regarding Armenia’s termination of its
occupation policy still remain unimplemented. The Minister said in
such a situation, Azerbaijan has no choice other than taking serious
and necessary measures to liberate the occupied territories.

“We are expanding our activities in this regard,” said Abiyev.

During the meeting, the ministers exchanged views on other issues.

From: A. Papazian

JAPAN QUAKE REVIVES FEARS OVER ARMENIA NUCLEAR PLANT

Agence France Presse
March 15, 2011 Tuesday 3:40 PM GMT

Earthquake-prone Armenia insisted Tuesday that its Soviet-era nuclear
power station was safe after environmentalists said the disaster in
Japan underscored the risk of catastrophe at home.

The Metsamor nuclear plant, only 30 kilometres (20 miles) from the
capital Yerevan and close to the border with Turkey, is located
in a seismic zone hit by a massive earthquake in 1988 that killed
25,000 people.

An official at the emergency situations ministry told a news conference
in the capital that the plant was built to withstand an earthquake
as powerful as the one that caused massive devastation in Japan.

“It was well understood in the Soviet Union that Armenia is located
in a seismically active zone,” said the official, Zaven Khlgatian.

“This is why all the special features of the country were taken into
consideration,” he said.

The European Union has in the past pleaded with Yerevan to shut down
the Metsamor reactor, citing safety concerns.

But the head of the Armenian State Committee on Nuclear Safety
Regulation, Ashot Martirosian, said the plant was not damaged by the
1988 quake and that safety had been significantly improved since then.

“Calculations show that the nuclear power plant is sufficienly robust
to withstand a similar quake,” Martirosian told AFP.

He said that the cooling system at the Armenian reactor was also
different from the one in Japan, ruling out an identical accident.

“A recurrence of the Japanese scenario is theoretically impossible
at our plant,” he said.

But local environmentalists expressed fears that another major quake
in Armenia could pose serious dangers.

“It is a fiction that the Armenian nuclear power plant can withstand
a nine-point earthquake or an even stronger one,” Hakob Sanasarian,
the head of the Greens’ Union, told AFP.

“I have seen no scientific justifications for such statements. So
the plant represents a real threat,” he said.

“Questions asked by Armenian ecologists about the plant’s condition
and its safety remain unanswered,” said Inga Zafarian, leader of the
environmental group Ecolur.

“One cannot say unequivocally and with confidence that our plant is
safe and that it can withstand strong quakes,” she said.

The plant was closed for five years after the 1988 quake until energy
shortages caused the authorities to reopen it, despite objections
from Europe and the United States.

Concerned over the reactor’s high-risk location and ageing facilities,
the European Union in 2004 offered to provide 100 million euros
(139 million dollars) in compensatory aid if Yerevan agreed to shut
it down permanently.

But instead the authorities are planning to start building a new
reactor unit at Metsamor that will extend its life further.

Armenia insists that the landlocked and resource-poor country, which
relies on the power station for around 40 percent of its electricity
needs, has no alternative.

Suffering from an economic blockade imposed by neighbours Turkey
and Azerbaijan over its support for ethnic Armenian separatists in
the conflict over the breakaway region of Nagorny Karabakh, Armenia
also uses the plant to generate much-needed revenues from electricity
exports.

But environmentalists have called on the government to drop the plan
for a new reactor, saying that the risk of a nuclear accident so
close to the capital is too high.

From: A. Papazian