Author: Andres-Papazian

Hovhannes Tamamyan Has Been Set Free

The ex-head of the General Criminal Intelligence Department of the
Police Hovhannes Tamamyan has been set free. Aysor.am learned this
from his advocate Artavazd Parsadanyan. The decision on his release
was made on December 20. He informed that a few days ago he had filed
a motion for his early release. The punishment was reduced by ¼.

The Court of Center and Nork Marash Districts had convicted Tamamyan
and sentenced for four years and deprived him of the right to hold
public and local self-government offices and certain positions in
organizations for 2 years. The beginning of service of his sentence
began on 24 March 2011.

Photo by Photolure
17:03 21/12/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

From: A. Papazian

Republicans May Be Aware of Seriousness of Issue

Country – Friday, 20 December 2013, 22:37

Member of Parliament Zaruhi Postanjyan of Heritage Party announced
that the RPA has thwarted the voting to the agreement on the sale of
shares of ARG to Russia. The leadership of the National Assembly were
unable to bring the Republican members of parliament. He said it might
mean that the Republicans are aware that the problem is serious and
they retreat. Postanjyan called the Republicans not to return on
Monday. She asked those having a holiday in Dubai or elsewhere to stay
there and not to show up at the voting.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIE-METEO
La neige et le gel rendent dangereuses de nombreuses routes en Arménie

Avec la neige tomée en abondance ces derniers jours et la chute des
températures, de nombreux axes routiers de l’Arménie restent dangereux
voir impraticables. Mais le 21 décembre, à 9h30 selon un communiqué du
ministère arménien des Transports, l’ensemble des principaux axes
routiers étaient ouverts à la circulation après leur déneigement sur
divers points des routes. Mais le ministère précisait que sur certains
passages des plaques de glaces rendaient certains passages dangereux
pour les automobilistes, notamment à Achotsk, Sissian, Goris,
Achtarak, Kodayk, Katcharan, Vayk ainsi que la route entre Vanatsor et
Dilidjan et le col de Sélim. Le ministère des Transports qui déléguait
nombreuses équipes pour le déneigement sur ces points, recommandait
également aux automobilistes d’éviter la route reliant les villages de
Ttou tchour à Navour entre 17 heures et 7 heures du matin.

Krikor Amirzayan

dimanche 22 décembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

How CSTO Is Going To Fight Armenian Society

CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Borduzha has stated that threat N 1 to
the member states is fruit and flower revolutions. According to him,
such revolutions are enabled by `shaped or prepared progress of the
society in the sphere of democratic rights or lack of sufficient
firmness of the government’.

`The means of implementation is pressure on the government which loses
morale and control over the situation. The result is complete or
partial disorganization of the state, replacement of the government
with loyal regimes and establishment of foreign control on the
country.’

Borduzha said the moving force of such revolutions is the youth, and
the condition is `infrastructures in the form of a number of NGOs
financed from abroad’. During the CSTO round table the experts pointed
out several means of fight against such models of change of
government, such as:

– Establishment of a CSTO coordinating bureau on information security,
anti-campaign tools including supporters of Eurasian integration;

– Proposal on a new ideological project based on conservative values;

– Establishment of own NGOs, without fearing that their position may
differ from the official position;

– Development of legislative mechanisms for the protection of the
information space of six countries and fight on foreign
information-psychological pressure.

16:21 21/12/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

From: A. Papazian

Hraparak: Former Health Minister’s son appointed Deputy Minister

10:44 21/12/2013 » DAILY PRESS

Hraparak daily learnt yesterday that Arman Babloyan, the son of
chairman of the Armenian National Assembly’s Standing Committee on
Healthcare, Maternity and Childhood Issues Ara Babloyan, has been
appointed Deputy Health Minister. Arman Babloyan heads Arabkir Medical
Center.

`It is obvious that the official’s son was picked for the position not
because he is skilled and smart, but rather thanks to his father’s
connections,’ the newspaper says.

Source: Panorama.am

From: A. Papazian

2013 was tense year, says ARF-D rep.

12:57 – 21.12.13

In an interview with Tert.am, Lilit Galstyan, a former lawmaker of the
opposition Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaksutyun
(ARF-D),described the outgoing year as a tense and difficult period
which saw public, political and moral losses. The politician said that
the biggest loss for the Armenian opposition was the dispersion of its
political capital and the inability to be united.

The year 2013 is nearing its end. What losses and achievements do you
think we had, if any at all?

I find it difficult to see any achievements. It was a hard and tense
year with political, public and moral losses, a period doomed to the
defeat inertia. And also with the losses of very dear and close
people. In our lost and indistinct world, any achievement – if there
was at all – is difficult to value given the atmosphere of despair,
hopelessness and widespread cynicism. The concerts by Tigran Hamasyan,
Sergey Khachatryan and Narek Hakhnazaryan, a few publications and a
couple of cultural events are probably the small oases of oxygen that
have inspired a little hope.

The opposition records losses every year. What makes this year unique?

For the opposition, I think, the biggest loss is the short-sighted
behavior the dispersed its political capital and the new wave of
despair that it instilled in the people by its inability or
unwillingness to be united.

The Russian President has announced a plan of giving $15 billion to
Ukraine through a share purchase. Meanwhile they bought 20%
ofHayrusgazard’s shares from us. Don’t you think it’s because they
keep struggling, whereas we don’t?

We sell ourselves for a very cheap price, selflessly and without any
dignity at all. It is in the course of years that we reached this
miserability, with our awkward and illiterate domestic and foreign
policies. We all are guilty and worthy of this. Nobody is going to
build the country instead of us; we proved unable to appreciate and
value the independence.

Ms Galstyan, the debate over the ratification of the international
agreements between Armenia and Russia made clear that the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic may not be considered a Gazprom shareholder.
Armenia does not have a right to make any changes in the agreement;
that implies uncertainty for Karabakh. Does that mean Gazprom is to
decide Karabakh’s natural gas supply issue? Don’t you think Karabakh’s
energy security is left to Gazprom’s good will?

But does the Customs Union format clearly outline any security or
economic guarantees for Artsakh [Nagorno-Karabakh]? Of course, not.
Our choice is that of a joker in the pack. We have a 49-year security
treaty with Russia, concluded three years ago. How many times a day is
the ceasefire violated? Where is our military ally? How many
statements have we heard?

With Armenia losing its energy independence as a result of gas
capitulation agreements, it doesn’t at all make any sense to speak
about Artsakh.

From: A. Papazian

Why National Assembly Postponed Voting

Postponing of the vote to the Armenian-Russian gas agreement gave a
surprise. People are trying to figure out, guess or analyze why the
voting was postponed.

Some optimists think that the Republicans could not vote for an
agreement that humiliates our dignity and infringes on our
independence and sovereignty. That would have been perfect. However,
taking the desirable for the real hardly ever leads one anywhere.
Usually, the consequences are aggravated instead of producing results.

The Republicans do have a chance to convince the society that it is
the real, not the desirable, and there is a line that they will not
cross because they are capable of moral feelings and physiological
experience.

However, considering the precedents, more earthly reasons of
postponement come to one’s mind. The lack of information does not
allow insisting on one particular reason. The reason could be one of
the following:

– The Republicans may have expected that non-governmental parties
would vote, and there is no need for general mobilization. But it
became clear that non-governmental forces may boycott the vote – the
PAP parliamentary group stated to do so – and there would not be
quorum. The Republicans decided not to run the risk and not to
generate undesirable public enthusiasm through an unnecessary scandal.

– The postponement of the voting may intend to sell themselves up to
Russia, to demonstrate to Moscow that ratification is complicated and
risky so the conditions should be softened, and there should be the
smallest benefit for Armenia as well. In fact, such opposition between
the executive and parliament is a handy tool in countries with a
healthy political system that ensures flexibility of state policy. In
countries with a stable and deep political tradition this `game’ is
spontaneous rather than by an organized and elaborated scenario.
Traditions in those countries form their government with at least
minimum checks and balances.

Armenia is not one of these countries but they may have to use this
tactics one day. Of course, Russia may not believe because it knows
better who is who in the Armenian parliament. However, when a
situation occurs when there is nothing to lose or give away, they just
run the risk.

In this regard, the process of discussion was interesting itself. Some
sharp inquiries were made by Republicans. Some of them criticized bad
provisions evidencing the dangerous essence of the agreement.

– This circumstance though prompts another possible reason of
postponement of the voting – a demarche against the government. The
government de jure negotiated the gas agreement. De facto there are
doubts that anyone from Armenia has ever negotiated, and more probably
the agreement was drafted in Gazprom and forwarded to Armenia.
However, Tigran Sargsyan’s government is de jure responsible.

There is an interesting circumstance. Serzh Sargsyan had stated that
the government must resign unless it achieves a 7% economic growth.
This year the growth will hardly be 4%. Everyone was expecting the
resignation of the government, so do the wings of the government which
have aspirations to the executive. Recently, however, Serzh Sargsyan
has stated that the annual economic results will be summed up in
February and March. In other words, he will not dismiss the government
by then.

In this situation, the Armenian-Russian gas agreement is a convenient
opportunity for a vote of no confidence to the government. Notably,
not only the non-governmental but also some Republicans are up for
revealing the content of the agreement. Interestingly, Speaker Hobik
Abrahamyan refrained from the heated debate. While it would not be
nice of him to criticize the agreement, praising it would mean
defending the government that is de jure responsible.

It is possible that the risk of sabotage against the government has
forced Serzh Sargsyan to postpone the voting to manage the risk and
not to have to revise his intention to keep the government will
February-March of the next year.

– There may be another reason for postponement. For example, the
majority was hungry and tired of the discussion, and they were afraid
of forgetting altogether how they had been told to vote and thwarting
something. At least, this option should not be ruled out while looking
into intrigues considering the mental potential of many people in the
majority.
Hakob Badalyan
13:17 21/12/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

From: A. Papazian

TURQUIE
Scandale de corruption en Turquie : deux fils de ministres inculpés

ISTANBUL, 21 déc 2013 (AFP) – Les fils des ministres turcs de
l’Intérieur et de l’Economie ont été inculpés et placés en détention
préventive tôt samedi par des juges d’Istanbul dans le cadre d’un
scandale de corruption qui agite la Turquie et éclabousse le Premier
ministre, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, ont rapporté les chaînes de
télévision.

Le directeur général d’une grande banque publique, Halkbank, figure
également parmi les personnalités inculpées pour corruption active,
fraude, trafic illicite d’or et malversations, précisent les chaînes
d’information NTV et CNN-Türk. C’est la première fois qu’un scandale
de cette ampleur touche l’entourage direct de M. Erdogan qui dirige la
Turquie depuis 2002 à la tête d’un gouvernement islamo-conservateur.

Les juges ont aussi décidé d’inculper et d’incacérer un homme
d’affaires irano-azéri, Reza Zerrab, soupçonné d’être au centre d’un
vaste trafic illégal d’or vers l’Iran, sous embargo international. En
revanche le fils du ministre de l’Environnement, lui-aussi interpellé
mardi par la police lors d’un vaste coup de filet avec environ 80
personnes, a été relaché dans la nuit de vendredi à samedi après avoir
été interrogé pendant plusieurs heures par des procureurs et des
juges.

Sérieusement fragilisé par cette affaire qui survient à quatre mois
des élections municipales, le pouvoir a poursuivi vendredi sa vague de
purges dans la police en sanctionnant 17 nouveaux hauts gradés.

M. Erdogan reproche à la cinquantaine d’officiers démis de leurs
fonctions depuis mardi des `abus de pouvoir`, en l’occurrence de ne
pas avoir informé les autorités politiques de l’enquête les visant.
Comme il l’avait fait lors de la fronde antigouvernementale qui a
secoué son pays en juin, le Premier ministre a brandi la théorie du
complot et accusé un `Etat dans l’Etat` d’être à l’origine de cette
`sale opération` destinée à le salir.

samedi 21 décembre 2013,
Ara ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

COMMUNIQUÉ DU MAFP
Un gros Dogulasse…

Ou quand la liberté d’opinion se heurte au mur de la honte Condamné en
mars 2007 par la justice suisse pour discrimination raciale, Dogu
Perinçek peut se réjouir : Le 17 décembre 2013, la CEDH (Cour
Européenne des Droits de l’Homme), devant laquelle il avait exercé un
recours, lui permet désormais de nier le génocide des Arméniens en
toute impunité au nom de la « liberté d’expression ».

On peut s’étonner que le président du syndicat des travailleurs turcs,
se prétendant de gauche, puisse se compromettre avec les nationalistes
de la pire espèce, alors que la société civile turque remet en cause
un mensonge d’État.

Entre un prétendu mensonge international avancé par un syndicaliste en
mal de reconnaissance et la souffrance des vivants devenus les
tombeaux de leurs ancêtres, ceux qui prétendent juger au nom des
Droits de l’Homme auront tranché dans le vif, à défaut de rendre
justice à la mémoire des martyrs de l’horreur génocidaire.

Alors qu’en déplacement à Erevan, sans aller à les qualifier de
génocide, Ahmed Davutoglu, ministre des affaires étrangères turc, a
reconnu « inhumaines » les déportations des Arméniens organisées en
1915 par le gouvernement des Jeunes Turcs dans l’Empire ottoman, une
institution européenne, dite des Droits de l’Homme, amplifie la voix
du négationniste.

Est-ce une coïncidence ?

Pour les juges de Strasbourg, le négationnisme s’arrête aux portes de
l’Holocauste. À l’insulte faite aux descendants des victimes de 1915,
ils se rendent complices d’une gradation des mémoires avec l’alibi
d’une faute de preuves. S’il y a faute, ce serait plutôt de jugement.

Ces juges pouvaient-ils ignorer que le juriste Raphaël Lemkin avait
conçu la notion de génocide, en se basant notamment sur les minutes du
procès de Soghomon Tehlirian, jugé par le Tribunal de première
instance de Berlin les 2 et 3 juin 1921 pour l’assassinat de Talaat
Pacha. Ce procès révéla le vrai visage de la victime et Tehlirian fut
acquitté.

À croire que, pour les juges de la CEDH, l’évidence ne suffit plus.

Arkantz

samedi 21 décembre 2013,
Ara ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

PHILATELIE ARMENIENNE
La Poste arménienne a honoré l’Arménie qui a pris la présidence du
Conseil de l’Europe durant six mois en 2013

La Poste arménienne a honoré le 25 novembre par un timbre-poste la
Président de l’Arménie au Comité des ministres du Conseil de l’Europe
à Strasbourg. Le timbre-poste émis en 40 000 exemplaires, d’une valeur
de 380 drams représente le drapeau arménien devant le btiment du
Conseil de l’Europe. A l’issue du 147e Comité des Ministres du Conseil
de Ministres le 16 mai dernier à Strasbourg, l’Arménie a pris la
Présidence du Comité des Ministres du Conseil de l’Europe qui dispose
de 47 pays membres. L’Arménie qui assuma cette présidence jusqu’en
novembre. L’Arménie qui est devenue membre du Conseil de l’Europe le
25 janvier 2001, prenait ainsi la présidence du ce Conseil des
Ministres pour la première fois de son histoire.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 21 décembre 2013,
Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian