Author: Andres-Papazian

LEVON TER-PETROSYAN, ESTONIAN AMBASSADOR DISCUSS DOMESTIC POLITICAL SITUATION IN ARMENIA

news.am
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

On December 7, Armenian first President, Leader of oppositional
Armenian National Congress (ANC) Levon Ter-Petrosyan met with Estonian
Ambassdor to Armenia Thomas Luk.

The officials discussed domestic political situation in Armenia,
restoration of democracy, release of political prisoners, as well as
freedom of speech and authorization of demonstrations.

The sides also touched upon Armenia-Turkey relations and prospects
for the Karabakh conflict resolution.

ANC representative Avetis Avagyan also attended the meeting.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA, AZERBAIJAN GET TIME-OUT AT OSCE SUMMIT, HERITAGE REP STATES

news.am
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

Armenia and Azerbaijan got a time-out at the OSCE Summit in Astana
because of global disagreements between the superpowers, Chairman
of the Heritage parliamentary faction Styepa Safaryan stated in
Parliament.

He pointed out a step forward in implementing the Madrid principles
and points of the L’Aquila agreement.

According to Safaryan, the principles are against the Armenian side’s
interests, as they grant Nagorno-Karabakh an enclave status, with
Azerbaijan to allow its status to be determined in the future. “The
international community’s next step will be forcing Yerevan into
signing and implementing these principles with Baku,” Safaryan said.

From: A. Papazian

THE PEOPLES’ RIGHT TO SELF DETERMINATION

news.am
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

Statements by Russian President Dmitry Medvedev at the OSCE summit
in Astana, precluding the possibility of a military solution to the
Karabakh conflict, and similar statements of Secretary of State,
Hillary Clinton and Prime Minister of France, who stressed the need
to resolve the problem on the three principles of the Helsinki,
once again, proved that the OSCE Minsk Group is not sharing Baku’s
approach on Karabakh problem, said the Secretary of the Republican
Party Sharmazanov from the podium of Armenian parliament.

According to him, these statements by co-chairing countries at the
OSCE summit in Astana neutralized vague definitions that have found
a place in the final declaration of the NATO summit in Lisbon.

“Moreover, in a declaration adopted in Astana summit on
Nagorno-Karabakh for the first time a reference to the UN Charter
is made, in which the principle of the peoples’ right to self
determination is fundamental”, – said Sharmazanov. In addition, he
said, President Serzh Sargsyan’s presentation at the Astana summit
clearly showed that there is no alternative to the independence of
Nagorno Karabakh.

From: A. Papazian

“ORINATS ERKIR”: SERZH SARGSYAN PUZZLED BAKU

news.am
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

OSCE summit in Astana, showed that Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev
dose not have the support of the international community, expressed
the head of “Orinats Erkir” faction Aegina Bisharyan the from the
podium of Armenian Parliament .

However, the words of President Serzh Sargsyan expressed at the summit,
that Azerbaijan has no moral, political or legal rights to Nagorno
Karabakh will be ground for much speculation in Baku, she stressed.

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT DISCUSSES NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IN BRUSSELS

Trend
Dec 7 2010
Azerbaijan

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev discussed the issue of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict at the EU – Russia summit in Brussels,
Russia-24 TV channel reported.

“Today we discussed the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and issues
of common security in the region,” Medvedev said at a news conference
in Brussels.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the United
States – are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of Nagorno Karabakh and the surrounding
regions.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA TO DISPATCH MORE PEACE-MAKERS TO AFGHANISTAN

news.am
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

The RA Ministry of Defense plans to dispatch another five Armenian
peace-makers to Afghanistan next year.

NEWS.am reminds readers that Head of the Armenian delegation to NATO
Samvel Lazarian held a meeting Dec. 3 with NATO Deputy Secretary
General Claudio Bisogniero. Mr. Bisogniero expressed hope more Armenian
peace-makers will be involved in operations in Afghanistan.

At present, 40 Armenian peace-makers form part of the international
forces.

Under a new agreement, officers will be dispatched to Afghanistan
to re-equip the Afghan army, Commander of the first Armenian group
Arkady Tonoyan told RFE/Radio Liberty.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S SPEECH AT OSCE SUMMIT A DIPLOMATIC VICTORY

news.am
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

Armenian President’s speech at the OSCE Summit in Astana was an
obvious diplomatic victory,” MP from Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) Gagik Melikyan told a press conference on December 7.

“We got what we expected from Astana Summit. Sargsyan’s speech at the
OSCE Minsk Group was crucial, stressing the following: “In the case
of Azerbaijani military aggression Armenia will have no alternative,
but to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an independent state.”

“If Azerbaijan fanatically follows its warmongering logic, Armenia
will have no alternative but to immediately recognize Karabakh’s
independence. Another focal point at the summit was it unanimously
stressed the equality of all the three basic principles for the
conflict resolution. All the parties in Astana unanimously emphasized
a military solution to the Karabakh conflict should be ruled out. “So,
four out of five parties to the negotiation process, particularly OSCE
Minsk Group Co-Chairs countries and Armenia, show a common approach
to the conflict resolution, whereas Azerbaijan speaks against it.

However, the latter will finally concur on the international
community,” the MP noted.

In conclusion, the parliamentarian stressed if Azerbaijan resorts to
hostilities, Armenia will have to do what is acceptable for it. “In
this case Armenia will be free in its actions and nobody can order
it how to act. All necessary measures will be taken to ensure the
security of Nagorno-Karabakh, leading to Azerbaijan’s defeat,” the
MP emphasized.

As NEWS.am reported previously, OSCE Summit was held in Astana,
Kazakhstan on December 1-2.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN POLICE CHIEF PUBLICLY SAYS ABOUT HIS “PHYSICAL DISGUST” TO GAYS

Interfax
Dec 7 2010
Russia

Yerevan, December 7, Interfax – Group of Armenian homosexuals
dissatisfied with the country’s police chief Alek Sarkisyan statements
in their address published an open letter.

The Armenian police head in a recent interview said that he experience
physical disgust to homosexuals.

Representatives of sexual minorities in their letter published in
Armenian paper Graparak said that Sarkisyan with his statements
violated human rights at the state level.

Addressing high ranking officials, who feel disgust to gays, authors
say they “are well-informed about their sexual adventures” and soon
“interesting videos” will be posted at certain social websites.

From: A. Papazian

ISSUE OF LEGAL AGREEMENT WITH NAGORNO-KARABAKH ON ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT’S AGENDA

news.am
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

The Armenian Parliament has discussed, in the first reading, draft
amendments to the RA Law on International Agreements. The amendments
provide for the possibility of concluding official agreements with
unrecognized national entities and ratification of agreements by the
RA National Assembly.

RA Deputy FM Shavarsh Kocharyan pointed out that the document can be
applied not only to Nagorno-Karabakh, but also to other unrecognized
national entities. Responding to a question raised by Stepan Safaryan,
Chairman of the Heritage parliamentary faction, namely, “Would it not
be better to recognize Nagorno-Karabakh instead of adopting a special
law on agreements with unrecognized national unities?” Sh. Kocharyan
stressed that recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh is a permanent issue
on Armenia’s foreign policy agenda. The right time must come for that.

The Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Relations, RA Parliament,
ARF Board member Armen Rustamyan underlined the importance of the
draft, as Armenia de facto recognized Nagorno-Karabakh. “It is
now time to legalize everything,” Rustamyan said. He stressed that
the draft can be considered an interim step on the way to official
recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh by Armenia. Moreover, the document
gives Nagorno-Karabakh status of national entity equal to that of
Armenia, he said.

From: A. Papazian

NA VICE SPEAKER SAMVEL NIKOYAN CONDUCTS THE NEXT OPEN LESSON

National Assembly
Dec 7 2010
Armenia

On December 7 within the framework of the Open Doors of the National
Assembly the NA Vice Speaker Samvel Nikoyan hosted a group of senior
classes of the schools of Yerevan Kanaker-Zeytun administrative
community and conducted the next open lesson. Mr Nikoyan introduced
the structure of the legislative body, the order of the parliament’s
formation, the procedure of the laws’ adoption, then answered in
detail the numerous questions of the participants of the meeting.

A warm and sincere dialogue was held, and the NA Speaker gave
exhaustive answers to the questions.

From: A. Papazian