Author: Andres-Papazian

Richard Giragosian: The EU will shortly offer Armenia a new
cooperation document containing of 7 clauses

Interview of the head of Centre for Regional studies, Richard
Giragosian, with Arminfo news agency

by Marianna Lazarian

Saturday, October 5, 15:05

Mr Giragosian, what do you think about the two integration unions
which Armenia wants to join? What are their positive and negative
sides? What will Armenia loserefusing the Association Agreement?

As for the Customs Union, I can say that the positive element of
Armenia’s joining the Customs Union is that it will enhance the
Armenian-Russian partnership, prove once again Russia’s trust in
Armenia and will strengthen Armenia’s positions within the frames of
the CIS. At the same time, it enhances relations with Kazakhstan and
Belarus. However, despite Armenia’s hopes linked with the Customs
Union, all the positive sides of this integration process are not
clear yet. If we touch on the economic sector, Armenia will have
losses chiefly regarding the trade tariffs and prices in general.
Armenia could have an opportunity of interfering the bigger market.
Moreover, for the last two years export of the Armenian production to
the European market exceeded twofold its export to the countries of
the Customs Union. And finally, the Customs Union offer Armenia
nothing new, that is to say, old rules which protect interests of
Armenian oligarchs and weaken economic reforms, will go on
functioning. Moreover, thanks to such actions, no big European
investments will be made in Armenia any more. This just an economic
side of the situation. The way how Armenia adopted a decision to join
the Customs Union also weakens the country, as from now, the EU takes
Armenia as an unreliable partner for the European countries.

Can we suppose that the EU will reduce the number of programmes being
fulfilled in Armenia?

Since Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union, the European Union
has already adopted a decision to reduce some programmes. All the
funds that had to be directed to the Armenian government for
fulfillment of the DCFRA agreement, were stopped. I mean several
million EUR. This is a great financial loss for our government. And if
in future the EU decides to deliver funds to Armenia, they will be
delivered not to the government but civil society.

The ruling party of Armenia says that the decision to join the Customs
Union is stemming from the national security of the country. How much
is such a statement grounded, especially if we take into account the
fact that Russia sells weapon to Azerbaijan, and one of the members of
the Customs Union, Kazakhstan, demands to immediately close the border
to Nagornyy Karabakh?

I do not agree to the viewpoint that Armenia is joining the Customs
Union stemming from the national security problems. First of all,
DCFTA agreement as well as the Association Agreement have never
contained the points linked with security. Moreover, these agreements
have never been presented as a challenge or threat to the
Armenian-Russian relations.

Armenia’s joining the Customs Union against the background of the fact
that Russia is Azerbaijan’s number one partner on weapon delivery, and
Kazakhstan protects territorial integrity of Azerbaijan, is evidence
of weakness of Yerevan’s positions. The given steps are evidence of
availability of deeper problems, and demonstrate absence of equality
in the relations between Armenia and Russia, that is to say, Moscow
shows no respect to Yerevan. Armenia’s decision to join the Customs
Union is directed against Ukraine. In this case, Armenia is just a
victim. Actually, these steps were directed against Ukraine but not
Armenia. The key purpose of the given decision was to force Armenia
say “no” to the EU , but not “yes” to the Customs Union”.

Many experts say about a dramatic changing of the political course of
Armenia. However, this sudden changing took place in Moscow, first of
all, and then in Yerevan, that is to say, the Russian policy changed
first, the expert said.

This was the reason, why Russia was not against Armenia’s negotiations
with the EU for 3,5 years, and official Moscow has drawn a line just
recently.

What can we expect from the Vilnius `Eastern partnership’ summit? Will
the door of Europe be finally closed for Armenia, or new cooperation
conception will be drawn out?

I predict only one thing for Armenia at the Vilnius Summit –
disgrace: it was really disgraceful on Armenia’s part to surrender to
Russia so easily. It was a strategic mistake and a lost opportunity.
However, at present we are going to prepare new legal aspects for
cooperation with the EU. Just for this reason, despite disappointment,
the EU said about its readiness to continue cooperation. Armenia and
the European Union will create a new legal aspect for partnership. The
new document will consist of 6 or 7 clauses, with priority to be given
to mobility or simplicity of visa regime, education and
sector-specific cooperation – that is, the financing will be continued
but will be directed to specific sectors. The other points will
concern the efforts to fight corruption, to ensure the rule of law and
to protect human rights. But I still doubt that the document will be
ready by the EaP Summit in Vilnius. Unfortunately, the Armenian
authorities do not realize that the context of their partnership with
the EU has been seriously changed and that the new format will focus
on the weakest aspects of the Association Agreement – corruption, rule
of law and human rights. For this reason, the Armenian authorities
will face new higher requirements and closer control. Now that the
ruling regime has betrayed the EU, it will turn its eyes towards the
opposition.

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols are still on the agenda of the
parliaments of Armenia and Turkey. Can we say about staring of a new
process between these two countries?

At present, the given issue is regarding Turkey but not Armenia
which did everything possible depending on it for normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations. Now everybody are waiting for the actions
from Turkey, Turkey is responsible for that. Incidentally,
Washington’s, Brussels’s and Moscow’s viewpoint on the issue
coincides. They agree that Turkey left the process and it itself can
decide when to return to it. However, I think that that the
Armenian-Turkish Protocols are already dead and will never come back.
But, at present we have another process, when they are trying to
attract the points which were involved in the Protocols without the
protocol format. And this new strategy is about opening of the border
and establishment of diplomatic relations. This is one of the issues,
where I protect the position of the authorities of Armenia by 100%.
Just thanks to this issue Armenia has managed to enhance its strategic
significance and deepen diplomatic relations.

Can we suppose that by 2015, the 100th anniversary of the Armenian
genocide, Turkey will again return to the Protocols for creation of
illusion of improvement of relations?

Turkey will come back to normalizing of relations with Armenia till
2015. The genocide issue is a bigger problem for Turkey than for
Armenia. It is linked with the moral pressure imposed upon the
official Ankara. We should expect that Turkey will come back to
normalizing of relations with Armenia over the coming years.
Azerbaijan has become the biggest victim of normalization of the
Armenian-Turkish relations, as its relations with official Ankara were
damaged. “Turkey is disappointed by the fact that Azerbaijan puts veto
upon all the initiatives in its regional policy. Turkey was wrong as
it underrated the role of Azerbaijan. Moreover, Russia made use of
the temporary worsening of the Azerbaijani-Turkish relations and
improved its relations with Baku. We see that Turkey is not the
biggest military partner of Azerbaijan any more, as Russia has
occupied this position. Armenia should not like the look of it.

What do you think about an intention to make Constitutional reforms?
What is the truepurpose of their making? Is not it Serzh Sargsyan’s
attempt to secure his power?

It is still early to speak about it as then reforms have not been
offered yet. However, I think that they are not an attempt to prolong
Sargsyan’s power. I think it will not work because of the two reasons.
First, it is for the first time over the entire history of Armenia
that the fight started within the ruling party. Secondly, Sargsyan is
the last representative of the Karabakh elite in the power. At
present, we are ay the transition stage and the next head of state
will be younger and will have absolutely different political views. I
don’t think that in the created situation the current system will
function in future as well.

What will civil displeasure in the republic result in against the
background of overall price hike? Can we expect social revolt in the
republic?

Civil activism and interest in political processes are growing in
Armenia. One of the key reasons of it is the situation when almost 1/3
of the population are below the poverty line, while the oligarchs are
getting richer and richer, with no echanism available to control their
insatiable appetites. As a result, the people regard them as traitors
and the biggest threat for the country.

Thank you, for an interesting interview.

From: A. Papazian

COMPROMISE AND THE HISTORICAL REALITY

Friday, 04 October 2013 17:11

Ignoring the history, Azerbaijan is inventing its own one

The October 2 speech of Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan at the PACE
plenary session in Strasbourg caused certain interest in the expert
community. Both in his speech and answers to the questions of the PACE
members, the Armenian leader distinctly presented the stance of the
Armenian leadership on key issues of both the domestic and foreign
policy. Surely, he also touched upon the Karabakh settlement process
under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Surely, it isn’t the first time that Armenia’s stance on this vital
issue is voiced. In Strasbourg, Serzh Sargsyan reconfirmed the
commitment of the Armenian party to the three principles proposed by
the MG co-chairmen as the basis for the issue’s solution – the right
of nations to self-determination, territorial integrity, and non-use
of force or threat of force.

As we know, the international mediators consider them as a single
whole of the three equal principles, without belittling or praising
any of them. It is unlike Azerbaijan, which keeps asserting the
primacy of the principle of territorial integrity, in the framework of
which, as it believes, the conflict should be resolved. The Armenian
President also drew the attention of the European MPs to this
fact,explicitly emphasizing that the conflict should be resolved,
basing on mutual compromises and the simultaneous use of the tree
principles.

It should be noted that the issue of mutual compromises was repeatedly
touched upon in Serzh Sargsyan’s speech. The head of state expressed
confidence that the Nagorno Karabakh conflict can be resolved only via
compromises. Despite the objective severity in the President’s words
when speaking about the aggressive policy of Azerbaijan and the
possible consequences of a new war initiated by it, Serzh Sargsyan’s
speech can be boldly called an appeal for peace. The matter is whether
this appeal will be heard by the current leadership of Azerbaijan,
which has its own, distinct from the sober, understanding of
compromises.

As expected, they didn’t hear. Moreover, the Azerbaijani MFA assessed
as… territorial claims against the neighboring states the
President’s words-warnings that `if Azerbaijan starts military
activities, Armenia will defend Nagorno Karabakh within its
possibilities’. `Threatening Azerbaijan, Serzh Sargsyan is threatening
the entire region’, stated the Azerbaijani MFA. Surely, without
noticing the funny side of its own situation, because it is well known
that it is Azerbaijan that has threatened with the resumption of war
for years and doesn’t stop the arms race, `forgetting’ the noted
security of the entire region.

But, let’s recall the compromises, for which the Armenian President
and the international mediators call. Undoubtedly, they are possible
under a real and sober assessment of the existing situation and real
readiness for finding a peaceful solution at the negotiation table, at
which all the three parties have equal rights. To date, Azerbaijan is
lacking both of them. Otherwise, Baku wouldn’t voice new statements on
an inevitable war, wouldn’t again bring up to date the non-perspective
and unreal issue of a `dialogue between the Armenian and Azerbaijani
communities of Nagorno Karabakh’. It is well aware that there neither
was nor is an Armenian community of Nagorno Karabakh, and there is the
Armenian people of Nagorno Karabakh as the bearer of statehood both in
the period of the Soviet autonomy and the present independent
NagornoKarabakhRepublic.

Can we expect for a compromise, if the ruling regime of
Azerbaijan, ignoring the facts of history – both the ancient and
modern – continues raising ungrounded claims for
Nagorno-Karabakh?Azerbaijan realizes fully that history isn’t an
additional, but it is even an important actor in the Karabakh
settlement process. That’s why, despite the admitted scientific
history, it is creating «its own» and invented history to form the
so-called evidence base for proving its possession of Artsakh.

Time running is inexorable. Over twenty years have passed
since the NKR proclamation day, and it is also a history, which cannot
be turned back and cannot undergo any inspection. This is a reality,
which Azerbaijan and the mediators in the settlement process should
recognize and admit. Nagorno Karabakh has gained independence, which
is the result of its objective historical development. And today, we
need only that the international community legally validates this
reality. The international recognition of the NKR will let remove the
threat of a new war in the region and will create corresponding
conditions for peaceful coexistence of all the entities of the South
Caucasus. And a compromise solution will be the discussion by Baku and
Stepanakert, as equal partners, of the prospects of cooperation on a
wide range of problems accumulated greatly during the conflict
`thanks’ toAzerbaijan.

Leonid MARTIROSSIAN
Editor-in-Chief of Azat Artsakh newspaper

From: A. Papazian

Top QC: time to recognize Karabakh as independent state

October 4, 2013 – 19:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – An international conference Artsakh Liberation
Struggle: From Gulistan Till Our Days kicked off in Stepanakert.

The event, held in the framework of the Karabakh national liberation
struggle 25th anniversary hosted acclaimed scientists from Arsakh,
Armenia, Russia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Belgium,
Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon among other countries.

As Karabakh President Bako Sahakyan stated in his address, the
Armenian nation’s aspiration for an independent life and the
restoration of national statehood is one of the lengthiest national
liberation movements in world’s history, with regaining sovereign and
powerful national statehood, ensuring its continuous development as an
inalterable supreme strategic goal.

Dwelling on the current stage of state building, the President noted
that there’s no return to the past, with Artsakh’s independence and
safety not to be to be bargained.

A human rights barrister, top QC Geoffrey Robertson, in turn, noted
that the international legislation is developing a clause stipulating
for bypassing of the territorial integrity principle where a crime
against humanity was perpetrated.

As he noted, the international law provides a right for secession when
the nation’s fundamental rights are violated. `It’s time to recognize
Nagorno Karabakh as an independent state,’ he stressed.

According to the Artsakh Foreign Minister’s adviser Arsen
Melik-Shahnazarov, in Soviet period, the communist historiography
falsified the role of the Gulistan Treaty in the history of the
Armenian nation – as an importan stage on the way to liberation of the
Eastern Armenia from colonial rule of Persia. It was this treaty that
stipulated for the transfer of a number of Armenian territories from
Persia to Russia, which had a clearly positive effect in preservation
of the people’s safety as well as their political and economic
development.

From: A. Papazian

LES DEFENSEURS DE SAMVEL ALEXANIAN SERONT ASSURES D’UN EMPLOI AU ” PAG CHOUGA ” (MARCHE COUVERT) D’EREVAN

ARMENIE-ECONOMIE

Les travaux du ” Pag chouga ” (Marche couvert) d’Erevan se terminent.

Selon le journal ” Jamanag “, le nouveau bâtiment commercial renove
ouvrira ses protes dans quelques jours. Les futurs salaries auraient
deja visite les installations et se seraient declares satisfaits
selon Levon Khatchatrian le coordinateur des travaux. Selon ce
dernier, l’ouverture du ” Pag chouga ” assurera de 600 a 700 emplois
supplementaires. Selon ” Jamanag ” ” tous ceux qui defendaient les
interets du millionnaire Samvel Alexanian, proprietaire du ” Pag
chouga ” seront assures d’un emploi “. Rappelons que la destruction
de l’ancien ” Pag chouga ” a l’architecture si originale, en plein
centre d’Erevan et la construction de ce nouveau bâtiment a donne
lieu a de nombreuses manifestations d’Erevannais mecontents contre
la mainmise de ces lieux par l’oligarque, depute et multimillionnaire
Samvel Alexanian.

Krikor Amirzayan

samedi 5 octobre 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

WRITER TO BE TRIED ON CHARGES OF INSULTING TURKISH PRIME MINISTER

21:57 * 04.10.13

An Istanbul prosecutor has demanded the imprisonment of writer Emrah
Serbes for from 10 months to 12 years, on accusations of insulting
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan, Istanbul Governor Huseyin Avni
Mutlu and Interior Minister Muammer Guler, The Hurriyet Daily News
reports.

Serbes had made a pun in a TV show by changing the prime minister’s
middle name “Tayyip” to “Tazyik,” a word meaning pressurized water
in reference to the police’s excessive use of water cannons and tear
gas against protesters during the most recent May Day.

The Istanbul 18th Criminal Court of Peace approved the indictment
and commenced proceedings in the case, the report said.

The investigation was launched after an anonymous e-mail was received
by the Prime Ministry’s Communication Center (BÝMER). The email
alleged that Serbes’ words should be considered a crime under the
law forbidding “insulting civil servants.”

Serbes said he had attended the May Day protests as a responsible
citizen and as a writer.

A total of 14 tons of water mixed with tear gas was used during
the police crackdown on demonstrators on May Day in Istanbul, daily
Radikal published May 26, citing a lawyer who discovered the figure
by using the freedom of information act.

Hundreds were injured in clashes between police and protesters during
May Day celebrations, inflamed by a ban on entering the symbolic
Taksim Square.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

RIMA DEMIRCHYAN HAS DISCLOSED THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN KOCHARYAN AND JHANGIRYAN AND THE WIVES OF OCTOBER 27 VICTIMS

October 4 2013

She considers Robert Kocharyan’s explanation absurd that if Karen
Serobich did not get up and speak, he would not be killed The wife
of Yuri Bakhshyan, Anahit Bakhshyan, when in the interview with
“Aravot” was interpreting some sentences from Robert Kocharyan’s
testimony, exposed an episode committed during that period with some
of the details. She told us what meeting was held in May 7, 2000 at
the Presidential between the wives of October 27 victims and Gagik
Jhangiryan and Robert Kocharyan, and what hard conversation was held.

During the meeting, Robert Kocharyan was flooded with questions,
especially by Karen Demirchyan’s wife, Mrs. Rima Demirchyan. In the
interview with “Aravot”, this time, Ms. Demirchyan revealed as to what
was talked about with Robert Kocharyan, and what “absurd” explanation
was provided by the latter regarding murdering of Karen Demirchyan.

“After October 27, we met once with him. In the general silence,
I spoke with him very sharply. Gagik Jhangiryan was there, at that
time he was the RA Attorney General, also his security staff and
us. He tried to explain that if Karen Serobich did not speak, did not
get up, he would not be killed. The wound on the leg was accidental;
the rest was the result of his improper behavior. Of course, it is
beyond rationality. Karen Serobich could not, he was not the type
of man to get under the table or the chair like MPs. But shooting
… such an explanation is absurd, because the orbit distinctly shows
in the picture that they fired on him, it was not enough, there was
a control shot. Why do you have to make a control shot on the dead,
this is the other brother. I tend to think that this explanation
was an absurd one. The main target over there was Karen Serobich,
therefore they come to NA, therefore they had left this left the
option that he was shot accidentally. For a long time this version
was still in force, but there is no accidental. They got in just for
him to shoot. Because they could shoot Vazgen in some other place, but
shooting Karen Demirchyan was not explained in any way. It was prepared
to say that it is an accidental. It did not work. When they wrapped up,
the prosecutor asked Kocharyan as to how finally to formulate this act,
he said, well, a coup, and so on. I said, no, it was not a coup. Coup?

The gun was left with the murderer, and Kocharyan had met him alone.

He could have shot Kocharian too, isn’t it? It is not happen. If he
had destroyed all three branches, that would be a real coup. I said,
no, it was not a coup, it was a political murder. ” During that
meeting, Robert Kocharyan also said that let Karen Demirchyan have
body guards. Mrs. Demirchyan commented, “What shall the guard do at
that moment? Vazgen had. Should Karen Serobich have, he was thinking
that presiding a session at the legislative body, National Assembly,
in the presence of armed people, is beyond ethic rules, beyond the
law. He would never let it happen. And Vazgen had also let his body
guards out. It’s another matter that the building was not protected.

What the right did the outsiders, accidental people from the street
have to pass the gates and enter the building? Did they have the
right to? Random dregs. It was not, let’s say, they were some kind of
officials, dregs, who freely passed and entered the hall. Was it to
happen? It was a very delicate and organized work.” Ms. Demirchyan has
no doubts that Nairi Hunanyan’s murdering weapons were entered into
the Parliament House in advance. “How could they pass them through
so many people? So, either the guards were their supporters or the
weapons were not passed through into the building like that, they
was passed before. As to who has organized it, it is difficult to say.

It’s difficult, because there are such issues, including the
geopolitical redistribution. External forces also played a role here,
but it was done by the hands of Armenians. This is the most painful
part.” Rima Demirchyan confirmed the testimony of Anahit Bakhshyan
that Gagik Jhangiryan had said, my hands are tied, they do not let
me work. “He has said the same to us. But why are they tied up? Let
him function. This case cannot stay unrevealed, it is disclosed.”

Hripsime JEBEJYAN

Read more at:

From: A. Papazian

OMBUDSMAN OF SO-CALLED NAGORNO KARABAKH REPUBLIC EXPELLED FROM INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AFTER AZERBAIJANI OMBUDSMAN’S REPRESENTATIVE Objected

APA, Azerbaijan
Oct 4 2013

[ 04 October 2013 19:08 ]
Human Rights Commissioner’s Office: The European Ombudsman Institute
disrespected the norms of the international law

Baku – APA. Austria hosted the anniversary conference on “The
independence of Ombudsmen in Europe” dedicated to the 15 anniversary
of the European Ombudsman Institute (EOI). Chief of the department of
legal education, scientific-analytical, information and international
relations of the Office of Azerbaijan’s Commissioner for Human Rights
(Ombudsman) Zaur Aliyev also attended the event.

The Ombudsman’s Office told APA that the conference was attended
by ombudsmen of European countries, representatives of human rights
institutions, as well as the Council of Europe and the European Union
Commissioner for Human Rights, local and foreign universities, media
outlets and international experts.

Addressing the event, Aliyev gave detailed information about the
activity of Azerbaijan’s ombudsman institution. As a part of the
conference, president and vice-presidents of the European Ombudsman
Institute and members of Board of Directors were elected. Aliyev was
elected as a member of the election commission.

Following the speech of Yuri Hayrapetyan, who introduced himself as an
ombudsman of the “independent Nagorno Karabakh Republic”, Zaur Aliyev
strongly objected to the participation and speech of the ombudsman
of the so-called republic. He stressed that it is contrary to the
international legal norms, because such a state doesn’t exist and
this territory is an integral part and historical land of Azerbaijan.

Aliyev said Nagorno Karabakh is a part of Azerbaijan, but has been
occupied by Armenia. It was noted that the fact of occupation has
been affirmed by the UN, Council of Europe and a number of other
international organizations, the UN Security Council and General
Assembly passed resolutions, Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe made recommendation and resolution with this regard.

It was said that Nagorno Karabakh is not recognized by any state or
international organization as a state, even Armenia has not recognized
it as an independent state. The conference participants were told that
taking this into account that person’s participation in this event,
membership of the European Ombudsman Institute is groundless and runs
contrary to the international law.

It was noted that being an international non-governmental organization
the European Ombudsman Institute disrespected the norms of the
international law, admitting that person to the organization invited
him to the event and offered opportunities for him to make a speech.

Following Aliyev’s speech Hayrapetyan was expelled from the meeting.

From: A. Papazian

HERITAGE PARTY CONDEMNS POLITICAL PERSECUTION OF ITS MEMBER

18:19 ~U 04.10.13

Spokesman for Heritage party Hovsep Khurshudyan made a statement
condemning his fellow-member Zaruhi Postnjyan’s “political
persecution.”

“Defending Zaruhi Postanjyan’s right to freedom of speech, we condemn
the authorities-launched persecution campaign against her, which
is unacceptable.

“Instead of giving diplomatic lessons (of which they may be unaware),
the authorities must be grateful for the fact that at least someone
reminds them of their responsibility. And if they want to divest
Mrs Postanjyan of the right to questions, they are thus fueling the
public’s doubts about the authorities’ disposition to gambling, on the
basis of media reports. The steps against Mrs Postanjyan, accompanied
by insults have actually caused more problems than her own question.

“The point is that the actions forcing thousands of Armenian citizens
to lose hope and emigrate – the rigged elections, numerous violations
of human rights, Armenian-Turkish protocols, which are a blow on
our national interests – are the result of a special approach to
gambling at the expense of the state sovereignty, Constitution and
the country’s citizens.”

“The Heritage party will continue its consistent struggle for the
protection of human rights and national interests in the Republic of
Armenia, legitimate elections and government officials’ accountability
to the public.”

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

EU HOPES FOR CONCLUSION OF VISA FACILITATION AND READMISSION AGREEMENT WITH ARMENIA IN VILNIUS – STEFAN FULE

October 04, 2013 | 15:54

EU hopes to celebrate progress on the mobility agendas including
conclusion of visa facilitation and readmission agreement with Armenia,
Stefan Fule said.

European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy
addressed the fifth meeting of the Eastern Partnership Civil Society
Forum that is held in Chisinau on October 4-5.

Speaking about the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit, EU Commissioner
pointed to the points the EU hopes to celebrate in Vilnius.

“Signing of an AA/DCFTA with Ukraine; initialling of AAs/DCFTAs
respectively with Moldova and Georgia; good progress on the mobility
agendas including conclusion of Visa Facilitation and Readmission
Agreements with Armenia and Azerbaijan; and tangible results of
cooperation across key sectors, notably in the transport and education
fields,” he said.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

SERZH SARGSYAN’S SPEECH ENABLED BY FRANCOIS HOLLANDE

Interview with Gaidz Minassian, expert, French Center of Strategic
Studies

Serzh Sargsyan announced at the PACE that we are ready to sign the
EU Association Agreement and dismissed assumptions on Russian pressure.

Do you think the signing of another document is possible in November?

The speech of the president at the Council of Europe was, first of all,
an attempt to tell that Armenia cannot be a tool in the hands of the
Europeans and Russians. Second, it showed that Armenia has no problems
with the European Union and Russia. It showed that the problem is
between Moscow and Brussels, especially those EU member states whose
relations with Russia are complicated, namely the Baltic States,
Poland and Sweden. However, France and Germany see no controversies
between the Customs Union and the Association Agreement.

Therefore, Armenia should indicate that since all the countries are WTO
members, there is no need to seek for controversies. And as you see,
the speech was brought into being after the meeting with the French
president Francois Hollande because Hollande definitely followed
Armenia’s words and will definitely try to persuade other EU member
states that Armenia has the right posture and it is necessary to
encourage and enable Armenia to sign the Association Agreement and
join the Customs Union.

Is the both option still valid?

It certainly is since we do not know what the Customs Union will
be, it is still valid because we don’t know how Ukraine, Georgia,
Moldova will act which are ready to sign the Association Agreement
but Azerbaijan and Belarus are not. This is the reality but Armenia
does not want to challenge the Russians.

Fule announced that they have lost confidence in Armenia.

There is a confidence issue because the negotiations were based on
European standards but Armenia relies and focuses on Berlin and Paris.

If these two agree with Armenia, the problem must occur inside the
European Union, not Armenia. In other words, the focus is on the
priorities of two states, France and Germany because first these states
are powerful and have good relations with Russia, they are developed
states, besides Russia is a Minsk Group co-chair. On the other hand,
we have a community in France which has an important role in that
country. However, there is a confidence issue, especially regarding
the European leaders but the European leaders have to keep integrity,
especially once Germany and France make all the European states
follow this way. How will Europe treat Russia, a little strictly or
moderately? This is the issue.

On the whole, how would you describe Serzh Sargsyan’s speech?

One should take into account that the speech of the Armenian president
followed and was enabled by his meeting with Francois Hollande.

Besides, the president of Armenia cannot just admit there was pressure
because he is the president of a sovereign state, and he cannot
speak about pressure because that would mean that Armenia is under
the Russian influence. Third, the Europeans want peace, stability,
a good climate in the South Caucasus. And this speech is evidence
that Azerbaijan is the disturbance of the region because we agree
with all the documents but Azerbaijan is reluctant to sign them.

Do you mean Armenia neither won, nor lost the negotiations?

Yes, it neither won, neither lost, it is a waiting period, it depends
on what France and Germany will say. It will be something else if the
president of France or the German chancellor or another key official
states that Armenia may sign the Association Agreement with the EU
and be a Customs Union member. But we need to know what France will
say and who should speak, whether the French government agrees with
Armenia’s position and what the position of France is. If they assume
that there is no controversy, then we have no problem with Russia,
otherwise there is an issue.

The issue is between Moscow and Brussels.

France cannot conduct an anti-Armenian policy and, basically, bilateral
relations are always productive. However, fear must be eventually
removed from our bodies and souls, it must be overcome. Our enemies
want to keep this fear to keep us under their control, to intimidate
Armenians, not to let them think freely. This is the historical issue.

Siranuysh Papyan 13:40 04/10/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

From: A. Papazian