Author: Andres-Papazian

ARMENIAN OFFICER HUMILIATING SOLDIERS SENTENCED TO 3 YEARS IN JAIL

news.am
Dec 10 2010
Armenia

“A hero” of scandalous YouTube video Sasun Galstyan, the officer who
humiliated and abused Armenian soldiers is sentenced to 3 years’
imprisonment. He was found guilty under Article 375, part 1of the
Armenian Criminal Code (abuse of power).

As NEWS.am reported earlier, being drunk Major Sasun Galstyan
humiliated and beat soldiers – sergeant Garik Harutunyan and private
Bakur Yeghikyan. The soldier harassment video was posted on YouTube.

From: A. Papazian

MEDVEDEV DEEMS 2010 SUCCESSFUL FOR CIS

RIA Novosti
December 10
MOSCOW

The outgoing year of 2010 was successful for the post-soviet
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Russian President Dmitry
Medvedev said on Friday.

The CIS is a loose association of former Soviet republics. It consists
of Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova,
Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Georgia
pulled out of the organization in 2009.

“The year was good as we reached agreement on free trade zones.

Documents will be signed in the near future,” Medvedev said following
the results of the CIS summit held in Moscow on Friday. The papers
are set to be signed December 20.

Economic cooperation between the CIS members did not bear any
significant results in 2010, Medvedev admitted, but humanitarian and
cultural cooperation is “set very well.”

“The issues of common history and cultural counteraction unite us
very well.”

From: A. Papazian

“POLITICAL PRISONERS BECAME A BURDEN FOR AUTHORITIES”

A1Plus.am
10 Dec 2010

Former political prisoner Petros Makeyan says it is disgraceful for
Armenia to celebrate Human Rights Day with nine political prisoners.

Human rights protection is on the lowest level in Armenia, especially
after the events of February 2008. We have all gone through that hell.

We should blame for that mess not only the regime but also ourselves,
for we have endured these authorities for years.

What can an ordinary Armenian do to protect his rights in Armenia?

And what are we doing today? Hundreds of thousands of people have
gone to the street as their patience has run out.

For the first time the Armenian National Congress has called for
the release of political prisoners. Do you think that the political
prisoners are being released under the press of international community
or Armenian opposition?

First of all, their release is determined by the activization of
public. If everything went normal in Armenia, international forces
would not pressurize our authorities. The international community
is also to blame for the situation in Armenia. They view all
post-Soviet nations as second-class peoples. Armenians should force
the international community to cooperate with legitimate authorities
formed in the result of free and fair elections.

Do you share the opinion that all political prisoners will be freed by
the yearend with the exception of Sasun Mikaelyan and Nikol Pashinyan?

Nothing is excluded though I do not think that they will be released
before 2011. The authorities have no other choice than to release the
political prisoners who have become a burden on their shoulders. The
authorities want to get rid of the burden.

Do you think that Pashinyan and Mikaelyan pose a danger for the
authorities?

I think that the authorities simply want to settle accounts with them
for the harm done to them.

From: A. Papazian

MANVEL TAKEN PRISONER BY AZERBAIJANI SECRET SERVICE

A1Plus.am
10 Dec 2010

The parents of Manvel Saribekyan, who was brutally killed in an
Azerbaijani prison, think Manvel did not appear in Azerbaijan
accidentally. They believe that Manvel was taken prisoner by the
Azerbaijani reconnoitres.

“I do not believe the official version that Manvel lost his way in
search of lost cattle, and crossed the border inadvertently. Manvel
knew the territory well enough not to get lost in the fog. Manvel
was still 13 when he fetched wood from the neighbourhood to heat the
house,” Manvel’s mother Siranush Balyan told A1+.

Her husband Mamikon Saribekyan confirmed her words and added that
all villagers knew the section of the border and could hardly get
lost because of weather.

Siranush Balyan learnt about Manvel’s disappearance from her
neighbours. The whole village went in search of Manvel on the same day.

The parents say Manvel was not a sheperd but a worker and received
AMD 5000 a day.

“On that day, Manvel had breakfast at 9 in the morning and left the
house. In the evening when Manvel returned home, one of our neighbours
asked him to go after the cattle. The stray animal belonged to our
neighbours,” said Siranush Balyan.

The parents say on the third day they were told that Manvel was in
Azerbaijan and had already made an announcement on the Intrenet.

“I couldn’t recognise Manvel’s voice on the video. He seemed to have
been injected and forced to make the statement,” said Manvel’s mother.

The parents have not received the results of the forensic examination.

The investigation of the criminal case has been tasked to the RA
National Security Service.

The reasons for the death are being clarified, RA NSS Spokesman
Artsvik Baghramyan told A1+.

On September 11, resident of the Armenian village Ttu Jur Manvel
Saribekyan lost his way and was taken prisoner by the Azerbaijani
forces. After a few days, a video interview was demonstrated on one
of Azerbaijani TV channels in which Saribekyan said that was directed
to Azerbaijan with the aim of committing a terrorist act. After a
few months of captivity, Saribekyan was found hung in an Azeri prison.

From: A. Papazian

HERITAGE-ARF-CONGRESS

Lragir.am
10 Dec 2010

If the opposition and the society want to have success, it is
important that the Heritage, the Armenian National Congress and the
Dashnaktsutyun and “especially the society find edges of cooperation”,
said the head of the Heritage party Raffi Hovhannisyan on December 10.

“Otherwise, we will not have any political crucial result”, he added.

According to him, “the old forces and a few new forces” will appear
in the parliament. He did not go into details, saying that though the
“I do not know” answer is not fashionable in Armenia, I am saying I
do not know”.

According to Raffi Hovhannisyan, next year the processes will be more
active entering into the electoral logic.

From: A. Papazian

WHEN A CLEAN SLATE STARTS

Lragir.am
10 Dec 2010

During today’s parliamentary briefings the main topic was the
resignation of Yerevan Mayor and the dismissal of the Minister of
Justice. ARF Dashnaktsutyun faction secretary Artyusha Shahbazyan
said that issues are solved through bestial way like in jungles.

Artsvik Minasyan says that there is no politics in what happened. As
for the Minister of Justice, Minasyan said he is a rare polite person
and a good specialist. As for the opinions that Serge Sargsyan is
trying to start with a clean slate, Artsvik Minasyan says “there is
no ground to think about a clean slate. A clean slate starts from
elections and continues up to the next election”.

From: A. Papazian

BARBARISM IN KAPAN

Lragir.am
10 Dec 2010

Kapan residents are concerned with a possible open exploitation of
Shahumyan polymetallic mine (1 km far from Kapan).

Representative of Ecological security and promotion of democracy NGO
Artur Ghazaryan notes that the Shahumyan polymetallic ore mine has
always been exploited in closed way, but Dino Gold Mining paid to
the residents of Shahumyan and bought their property.

Now the company is going to exploit the mine in open way. The project
is at the Ministry of Energy and Natural resources. According to
Artur Ghazaryan, not considering this issue, Kapan already has many
environmental issues, now another one is added.

He says those working in mines have many diseases, now the open
exploitation of the mine will cause illnesses among ordinary residents
of Kapan and adjacent territories too. Besides, there are 50.000
trees in Shahumyan.

Before the approval of the project by the government, according to
Artur Ghazaryan, they are already going to cut off 50.000 trees but
the reason is incomprehensible since the project has not been approved.

Artur Ghazaryan calls on the government to take steps to prevent the
open exploitation of the mine, but he doubts the Minister of Energy and
Natural resources will respond, because he has been in Kapan recently
and held secret talks. Artur Ghazaryan says that the power, instead
of preventing, collaborates with the company because he says no matter
how powerful a company is it could never do such barbarism alone.

From: A. Papazian

BAKO SAHAKYAN. WE SHALL NEVER GIVE UP THE PATH WE HAVE EMBARKED ON

Noyan Tapan
10.12.2010

Congratulatory Address of Artsakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan
in Connection with the Day of NKR State Independence Referendum
and Constitution

Dear compatriots,

The December 10 twin holiday is among the most important and symbolic
events for the independent Artsakh statehood. On this very day of
1991 and 2006 our people being the supreme sovereignty bearer of the
state formed by their own volition, through referenda expressed their
will and resoluteness to see Artsakh free, independent, and steadily
strengthening country.

These crucial referenda have formed the philosophy of our statehood
based on democracy, strong social system, the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora
trinity and, of course, freedom and independence. These exclusive
ideas and values are permanent and unchangeable for us. We shall
never give up the path we have embarked on. I am confident that the
international community will undoubtedly recognize the independence of
Artsakh as the birth and existence of our country entirely correspond
to the norms and basic principles of the international law.

On behalf of the Artsakh Republic authorities and myself I congratulate
our whole nation on this significant holiday and wish peace, robust
health, happiness and all the best.

From: A. Papazian

NORTH-SOUTH TRANSPORT CORRIDOR TO HELP BOOST ARMENIAN-KAZAKH TRADE

/ARKA/
December 10, 2010
YEREVAN

About 70 Kazakh and Armenian business people are taking part in an
Armenian-Kazakh business forum hosted by Armenian capital Yerevan. The
forum is a joint initiative of Kazakhstan’s government, the Union
of Armenian Businessmen and Industrialists and Armenian ministry
of agriculture.

Speaking to local journalists, Kazakhstan’s ambassador to Armenia,
Ayimdos Bozjigitov, said the direct Armenian-Kazakh trade is not
large- about $9 million a year because of absence of transport
communications. In this context he emphasized the importance of
North-South transport corridor Armenia is building towards Iran. He
said when it is built Kazakhstan may trade with Armenia through
Turkmenistan and Iran and boost bilateral ties.

He said the businessmen from both countries have gathered in Yerevan
to try to find new ways to use the potential of their countries.

“In the first place we shall discuss Kazakhstan’s government
program designed to stimulate industrial and innovation progress
and investments, including the issue of attraction of Armenian
investments. We know that Armenia has a strong scientific and technical
basis,’ he said, adding that Armenian-Kazakh cooperation may develop
in oil and gas sector, metallurgy, energy and agriculture.

According to Armenian government data, Armenian-Kazakh trade in
Jan.-Oct. 2010 grew by a factor of 2.3 year-on-year to $9.6 million.

Armenian exports to Kazakhstan grew by 27.4% to $2.5 million and
the volume of imports grew by 3.3 times to $7.1 million. ($1- 359.93
Drams).

From: A. Papazian

A CONFERENCE ON GENOCIDE WITH PARTICIPATION OF 20 COUNTRIES

Aysor.am
Friday,December 10, 2010

On December 14 – 15 in Yerevan will be held a conference titled
“Genocide as a crime, its prevention, condemnation and liquidation
of the consequences,” the MFA reported.

The Conference which is dedicated to the UN convention on prevention
and sentence of the crime of Genocide will be attended by many
scientists from 20 countries, among them such famous authorities as Eve
Ternon, Leandro Despui, Israel Charni, William Shabas, Taner Aqcham,
Tessa Hoffman, Frank Chok and many others.

The international conference will kick off by the speech of the
president of the Armenian Republic and the opening speech of the
Armenian Foreign Minister Edwar Nalbandian. The Scientists will visit
Tsitsernakaberd and will plant a fir tree in the Memory park.

The Conference will end on December 15 by the closing speech of
Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian.

From: A. Papazian