Author: Andres-Papazian

news.am, Armenia
June 26 2010

Hostilities unlikely to resume, Armenian MP says

June 26, 2010 | 14:16

Azerbaijan will continue provocations on the contact line between the
Azerbaijani and Nagorno-Karabakh armed forces, but they will sooner or
later be condemned by the international community, Gagik Melikyan, an
MP of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), told journalists.

According to him, Azerbaijan’s provocation on the night of June 19 was
condemned by Moscow and Washington as well. On this other hand, he
pointed out that the international community should not show such
reserved reactions to Azerbaijan’s provocations. Rather, international
reactions have a particular `target.’ `The international community’s
reserved reaction to Azerbaijan’s actions only exacerbates the
situation in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone,’ he said.

Commenting on the Armenian-Russian-Azerbaijani presidential meeting in
Saint Petersburg, Russia, Melikyan expressed confidence that its
results were in favor of the Armenian side. `The Petersburg proposals
place emphasis on people’s right to self-determination and non-use of
force,’ he said. The Petersburg proposals hardly provide for the
deployment of Russian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh, and hostilities are
unlikely to resume, as Azerbaijan is well aware it will suffer a
complete defeat. `Even after the last provocation Azerbaijan was
convinced that the Armenian solder is ready to defend him homeland and
people by sacrificing his life,’ Melikyan said.

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
June 26 2010

US. State Dep: Secretary Clinton to Travel to Yerevan

U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton plans to travel to Yerevan,
Assistant Secretary Philip J. Crowley said. Ms. Clinton plans as well
to pay visits to Kyiv, Krakow, Baku and Tbilisi.

According to the source, H. Clinton will hold meetings in Armenia,
Georgia and Azerbaijan with government officials and civil society
leaders to discuss bilateral issues, as well as issues related to
regional peace and stability.

Before arriving in South Caucasus, U.S. Secretary of State will visit
Kyiv and Krakow.

It’s worth reminding that earlier Latvia’s PM announced about
Clinton’s South Caucasian visit when talking to `The Washington Post’.

From: A. Papazian

Panorama, Armenia
June 26 2010

CIS `Delphic games’ get under way in Armenia

Armenia hosts CIS 6th open youth `Delphic Games’ which will last until July 2.

Heads of CIS Governments signed treaty on holding CIS `Delphic Games’.
According to the agreement the games are held in CIS member states,
and this year, first time ever, Armenia is authorized to host `Delphic
Games’.

About 550 people from 14 countries will attend the games. Russia sends
the largest delegation, besides delegations from Georgia, Latvia,
Estonia and India will as well attend the games.

The organizers of the games are Armenia’s national Delphic committee
and State Philharmonic. Armenia presents two age groups ` 10-15 and
16-21 in 19 categories ` piano, violin, saxophone, academic song, folk
song, folk dance, etc.

An international jury is authorized to define the winners.
The historical timeframe of the Pythian Games starts 582 BCE, when the
administration of the Games was handed over to the Delphic
Amphiktyonia, a council of the twelve Greek tribes, to end the Holy
War in the past. Since then they did not take place every eight years
as in the past, but every four years, one year prior to the Olympic
Games, presumably end-August.
In the beginning only musical contests were held in the Pythian Games
then extended by singing to guitar performances. These retained great
importance as also in the other big Festivals, although with the new
rearrangement of the Pythian even the gymnastic competitions and the
chariot racing and horse riding found its introduction to the games.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian police officer is accused of making and sale of forged documents

2010-06-26 14:23:00

ArmInfo. An officer of the Armenian Police Passport and Visa
Department of Zvartnots Yerevan airport division S.Mkrtumyan has been
accused of making and sale of forged documents for receipt of entry
visas, Special Investigation Service told ArmInfo. According to the
message, the preliminary investigation has revealed that Mkrtumyan
together with a computer specialist S. Melkonyan prepared certificates
on factitious blanks to the name of different citizens from 2006 to
2009 for the latters to be able to submit them to foreign embassies in
Armenia for visa receiving.

A charge has been brought against Mkrtumyan and Melkonyan according to
p. 2 of Art.325 of Armenia’s Criminal Code (forgery, sale and use of
documents performed by a group of persons by previous
concert).Investigation on the case is underway.

From: A. Papazian

“Bridge Artsakh-2010” Second Economic Forum in Nagorno Karabakh

2010-06-26 14:18:00

ArmInfo. The Second Economic Forum “Bridge Artsakh-2010” started its
work in Stepanakert on June 26. As ArmInfo special correspondent in
Stepanakert reports, NKR President Bako Sahakyan and President of the
Union of Manufacturers and Businessmen (Employers) of Armenia Arsen
Ghazaryan addressed the participants in the Forum with words of
welcome. Minister of Economic Development of the NKR Karen Yesayan
delivered a keynote speech on a topic “Economic Potential of Artsakh”.
Businessmen, heads of the NKR and Armenian governmental structures, as
well as representatives of the Armenian Diaspora take part in the
Forum.

Sectional lessons on the topics: “Role of the unions of businessmen in
development of the region’s economy”, “Role of modern financial
institutions in economy development”, “Prospects of development of
transport communications as a background of Artsakh economic growth”,
“Innovation technologies in modern construction”, “Prospects of stable
development of the agroindustrial complex” have been scheduled within
the frames of the Forum. The works in the sections will be headed by
Chairman of Armenian Central Bank Artur Javadyan, NKR Finance Minister
Spartak Tevosyan, rector of the Armenian State Economic University
Yuri Suvaryan, rector of Artsakh State University Stepan Dadayan,
president of the Union of Builders of Armenia and others.

Trade-industrial exhibition ARTSAKH-EXPO-2010 will be organized in the
frames of the Bridge Artsakh-2010 Forum from June 26-27. The key
purpose of the Forum is acquaintance with business and political
circles of Armenia and other states, as well as with the
social-economic potential of Nagorno Karabakh. The Forum is organized
under the high patronage of Bako Sahakyan, President of Nagorno
Karabakh. Organizers of the Forum are Union of Manufacturers and
Employers of Armenia and Center of International Integration “Master”.

From: A. Papazian

24 hours left to the opening of CIS Delphic Games in Armenia

2010-06-26 14:26:00

ArmInfo. 24 hours are left to the opening of the CIS Delphic Games in
Armenia. This year the event is dedicated to the 65th anniversary of
the Victory in the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Minister of
Culture of Armenia Hasmik Poghossyan says that almost 350 youths from
12 countries will contend in 17 nominations: piano, violin, saxophone,
academic, folk and pop singing, academic and folk dance, circus,
photography, fine arts, web-design, pantomime, TV journalism, fashion,
DJ and acting. The jury will comprise almost 70 outstanding cultural
workers from 10 countries. An international scientific-practical
conference will take place in the framework of the games with over 500
people to take part in it. The games will involve school-children from
all over Armenia. Almost 1,000 youths from the regions will be able to
attend the closing ceremony. The best contestants will be brought
together into a team for giving concerts all over the CIS.

Armenia will also host consultations on the conduct of the 1st Delphic
Games of the Council of Europe and the 3rd World Delphic Games. The
organizers are the Ministry of Culture of Armenia, the International
Delphic Committee and the CIS Humanitarian Cooperation Foundation.
Armenia has already taken part in the Delphic Games and has won 136
gold, 8 silver and 12 bronze medals.

From: A. Papazian

On the Possibility of War in Karabakh

asbarez
Thursday, June 24th, 2010

BY ARA PAPIAN

I agree with the opinion expressed many times that, when it comes to
Nagorno-Karabakh (Artsakh), the policies which Ilham Aliyev follows
are based largely on domestic factors. Ilham, as his father, belongs
to that school of politicians for which only power is sacrosanct,
bringing about possibilities of pocketing immense sums with such
status. Accordingly, it is from this perspective that one must examine
the possibility of Aliev unleashing war on the Artsakh front.

Any war comprises of serious and unpredictable consequences for the
authorities in power. Ilham Aliyev, I believe, has not forgotten that
power has changed hands in Azerbaijan as a result of military defeat
in Artsakh. Does Aliyev currently have any guarantees of bringing the
Armenian side to its knees through a war? I am convinced that that is
not the case. What is more, the probability that Azerbaijan would have
more territorial losses in a war is much greater.

Let us also try to understand at what cost Azerbaijan would gain a
hypothetical victory over Artsakh. If we go so far as to imagine the
impossible, say, that the Azerbaijani armed forces manage to destroy
the Armenian army (something which cannot occur with regards to an
army entrenched in defensive positions) and get rid of all the
Armenians of Artsakh (it is a reality that this war is not just
between two armies, but also between two peoples), what would be the
situation in Azerbaijan then? Adding to the tens of thousands of those
killed in the war, Azerbaijan would find itself at the edge of utter
economic collapse.

As a state, Azerbaijan survives today solely due to the export of oil
and natural gas. It is through their sale that Azerbaijan arms itself
now and regu – larly swaggers against Artsakh and Armenia. That is, oil
wells, oil and gas pipelines and other such infrastruc – ture are
objects of strategic importance and consequently legitimate targets.
Is it not evident that, at the very first hours of the war, there
shall remain but smoking metal scrap where they used to be?

It is also important to emphasise that Azerbaijan cannot carry out
similar counter-measures, as the Armenian economy, even with all its
shortcomings, is incomparably less vulnerable, since we do not have
two or three structures whose destruction would result in the
cessation of our exports, and thus 90% of our actual income.

Besides which, Aliyev has to answer not just to his own people, but to
all the foreign companies that have made immense investments in this
sphere and of which many have not yet broken even. What does Aliyev
need a war for? The Emir of Baku is quite content by himself, milking
the mineral wealth of an entire country and keeping the majority of
the people of that country, the legal owners of the vast wealth of
that country, in extreme poverty. Aliyev uses fanatic anti-Armenianism
in order to sustain his stolen power and to maintain his stolen
wealth.

Aliyev is a straight-up thief – those who rob power are robbers still
– and so his heart is always in straits. Consequentially, although I
find war highly improbable, it still cannot be completely ruled out.
In tense situations, wars may also arise by themselves. However, as a
planned political move, I believe that Aliyev would go for such an
adventure (there would be no other word for it) in one case alone,
that is, when Aliyev’s own standing in Azerbaijan be so weakened, that
it would be difficult to ensure the possibility for Aliyev to yet
again acquire power through cheating and falsifications. That is to
say, one must view all political developments of the Emirate of Baku
through the perspective of maintaining the Aliyevs’ wealth and
position. When war remains the sole path for Ilham Aliyev to maintain
his hold on power, he will go for it.

However, as there is almost no real opposition currently in
Azerbaijan, I do not think that the Emir feels directly threatened by
anyone. Ilham Aliyev is not himself interested in either the victory
or even the defeat of the Azerbaijani army today. People are
unforgiving towards defeated emirs in the Orient; at the same time,
nothing is as dangerous for a tyrant of the Orient as the soldiers and
general of a victorious army.

From: A. Papazian

U.S., French, Russian leaders issue joint statement on Nagorno-Karabakh

MUSKOKA (CANADA), June 26 (RIA Novosti)

The presidents of Russia, the United States and France on Saturday
issued a joint statement during the G8 summit in Canada on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Dimity Medvedev, Barack Obama and Nicholas Sarkozy called on the
leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan to accelerate work on the main
principles of settlement of the conflict in order to begin drafting a
peace agreement.

The three leaders are co-chairs of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe Minsk Group, which mediates the conflict.

The presidents instructed mediators to continue to provide active
assistance to Armenia and Azerbaijan in overcoming differences in
preparation for a joint meeting at the informal OSCE ministerial forum
in Almaty.

The conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh, a
predominantly ethnic Armenian region, first erupted in 1988, when the
region claimed independence from Azerbaijan to join Armenia.

Over 30,000 people are estimated to have died on both sides between
1988 and 1994, when a ceasefire was agreed. Nagorny Karabakh has
remained in Armenian control and tensions between Azerbaijan and
Armenia have persisted.

On May, the region elected a 33-seat parliament with a voter turnout
of almost 68%. Azerbaijani officials called the elections “illegal,”
saying they could seriously harm peace efforts.

From: A. Papazian

Obama, Medvedev, Sarkozy want Karabakh Basic Principles
by Emil Sanamyan

ç39E242-8163-11DF-BCEC0003FF3452C2
Published: Saturday June 26, 2010

Obama and Medvedev had burgers in Arlington, VA on June 24. Pete Souza
/ White House Photo

Washington – Leaders of France, Russia and the United States – the
three countries that have led the Karabakh mediation efforts since
1997 – renewed their commitment to finding a peaceful solution to the
Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict.

The June 26 statement, coming during the ongoing G8 meeting in Canada,
comes about a year after Nicolas Sarkozy, Dmitry Medvedev and Barack
Obama issued a similar statement at last year’s G8 summit then held in
Italy.

The three presidents made no reference to a recently deadly raid by
Azerbaijani forces on a forward Armenian position that left four
Armenian soldiers dead and another four wounded.

At the same time it “welcomed the recognition by both sides that a
lasting settlement must be based upon the Helsinki Principles” which
include both commitments to territorial integrity and
self-determination.

The statement also noted that the parties’ “recognition” that the
settlement would be based on “elements” of the basic principles listed
by the three presidents last year, indicating that the parties had
agreed to some but not all of these parties.

The statement as issued by the White House Office of the Press
Secretary follows:

G8 Summit: Joint Statement On The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict by Dmitry
Medvedev, President Of The Russian Federation, Barack Obama, President
Of The United States Of America, and Nicolas Sarkozy, President Of The
French Republic

Muskoka, 26 June 2010

We, the Presidents of the OSCE Minsk Group’s Co-Chair countries,
France, the Russian Federation, and the United States of America,
reaffirm our commitment to support the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan as they finalize the Basic Principles for the peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

We welcome as a significant step the recognition by both sides that a
lasting settlement must be based upon the Helsinki Principles and the
elements that we proposed in connection with our statement at the
L’Aquila Summit of the Eight on July 10, 2009, relating to:

the return of the occupied territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh,

interim status for Nagorno-Karabakh guaranteeing security and self-governance,

a corridor linking Armenia to Nagorno-Karabakh;

final status of Nagorno-Karabakh to be determined in the future by a
legally-binding expression of will,

the right of all internally-displaced persons and refugees to return, and

international security guarantees, including a peacekeeping operation.

Now the Presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan need to take the next
step and complete the work on the Basic Principles to enable the
drafting of a peace agreement to begin. We instruct our Ministers and
Co-Chairs to work intensively to assist the two sides to overcome
their differences in preparation for a joint meeting in Almaty on the
margins of OSCE Informal Ministerial.

From: A. Papazian

Le Progrès , France
25 Juin 2010

Une famille arménienne obligée de fuir son pays

publié le 25.06.2010 04h00

Le couple Mirgyan et leur petit garçon se cachent. Ils sont passibles
d’une reconduction immédiate à la frontière. Citoyens, associations,
syndicats et partis politiques se mobilisent

La famille Mirgyan est arrivée en France, fin mars 2008. Illégalement.
Elle a payé un passeur, en Arménie, 15 000 euros, sans connaître sa
destination finale. Pourquoi l’exil ? Christine Chevalier,
porte-parole du collectif de défenses des demandeurs d’asile et sans
papiers de Haute-Loire, raconte leur histoire : « Discriminés à cause
de leur origine azéri (Azebaïdjan, NDLR), M. Mirgyan et sa famille
sont rackettés par la mafia russe. Lui s’engage lors de la campagne
présidentielle au côté du candidat qui promet de lutter contre la
corruption et les mafias. Il est tabassé, arrêté arbitrairement,
emprisonné, hospitalisé suite à des sévices. Sa boutique est saccagée.
Il participe aux manifestations de contestation des résultats de la
Présidentielle de février 2008. Convoqué par la police, il doit se
cacher. Le 14 mars 2008, quatre personnes, dont deux policiers en
tenue, viennent à son domicile. Mme Mirgyan est seule avec son enfant
d’un mois. On lui arrache son bébé des bras, puis elle est violée par
un policier. Dix jours après, la famille fuit l’Arménie. Après leur
départ, leur famille proche est persécutée. Un oncle est régulièrement
visité par la police. Et en novembre 2008, le frère de M. Mirgyan est
assassiné. » Pour Christine Chevalier, revenir sur ces faits est
difficile. L’émotion est tangible.

Dans la salle, des individus, des représentants de syndicats,
d’associations, restent silencieux. Pour eux, l’heure est grave. Ils
ne comprennent pas la décision de l’Office français pour la protection
des réfugiés et apatrides (Ofpra) de refuser la demande d’asile, «
deux fois. Malgré un dossier médical, et l’avis d’un médecin-conseil,
la Cour nationale du droit d’asile (CNDA) a également rendu une
réponse négative. » Un espoir a vu le jour quand « le temps de l’étude
du dossier santé, la préfecture a accordé un document de séjour
provisoire avec le droit au travail ». Dans ce laps de temps, l’homme
et la femme trouvent un emploi. « M. Mirgyan décroche même un CDI. Ce
ne sont pas des réfugiés économiques, ils vivent avec leur argent,
celui qu’ils ont gagné avant. Il était staffeur et commerçant, elle
était juriste et esthéticienne. Ils avaient une vie, ils n’ont pas
fait le choix de l’exil pour le plaisir, mais parce que leur vie était
réellement en danger. » Mais ils ne peuvent en faire la preuve. «
L’Arménie n’est pas une démocratie. Même le Conseil de l’Europe
préconise l’enclenchement d’un plan de réformes claires pour
consolider le processus démocratique. » En attendant, le couple et
leur petit garçon de deux ans et demi se cachent. « Entre retour forcé
en Arménie et suicide, leur choix est fait. Ils le disent et ils le
feront. » Pour éviter le pire et leur permettre de « vivre en paix »,
le collectif demande que leur dossier soit réexaminé. « Nous ne
laisserons pas faire, nous sommes déjà mobilisés. »

Séverine Fabre

From: A. Papazian