Author: Andres-Papazian

TV BOSSES PROBE CLAIM THAT EUROVISION COUNTRIES ARE OFFERING BRIBES IN EXCHANGE FOR VOTES

Executive claims that Azerbaijan and four other countries have been
using underhand tactics to win votes Allegations made that Azerbaijani
delegate offered ‘enough money to live for a year’ in exchange for
high scores

By STEVE NOLAN

PUBLISHED: 06:47, 13 September 2013 | UPDATED: 12:16, 13 September 2013

An investigation has been launched into claims that several countries
have bought votes in the Eurovision Song Contest.

An executive from an unnamed country’s delegation, who had been
contacted by several rival countries seeking to strike deals for high
points, has made the claims in a Swedish newspaper this week.

The executive, who worked on this year’s contest in Malmo, Sweden,
accused 2011 winners Azerbaijan of offering him ‘enough money to live
for a year’ if they could arrange high jury points.

Foul play? An executive from an unnamed Eurovision Song Contest
country has claimed that Azerbaijan is one of several countries
offering bribes for country’s votes. Azerbaijan entrant in 2013 Farid
Mammadov is pictured

It is also claimed that members of the Azerbaijani delegation handed
out free mobile phone SIM cards to Lithuanian students and paid them
to vote.

Speaking in Swedish newspaper Skanska Dagbladet, the source claims
to have been contacted by a member of the Macedonian team hoping to
strike a vote swap deal at the semi-final stage.

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The source claims to have been offered ‘enough money to live for a
year’ over a coffee meeting with an Azerbaijani delegate in return
for high jury points.

According to the Daily Mirror, the executive added that there are
at least three other countries who have attempted to strike similar
deals behind the scenes.

Controversy: The source made allegations against Azerbaijan, whose
2011 winning act are pictured, left. UK entrant Bonnie Tyler, right,
also claims to have overheard Russians asking other countries where
were the votes that they paid for

UK entrant Bonnie Tyler, who came 19th out of 26 finalists in the
competition back in May, also told a French newspaper that she
overheard Russians asking why they didn’t get votes that they had
paid for the morning after the contest.

Sietse Bakker, Eurovision Song Contest Event Supervisor, told the
Mirror that the European Broadcasting Union is now investigating.

He said: ‘We have a very clear policy on such speculations.

‘First of all, we always look into the story. And if we would find
actual proof that the rules have been breached, we will impose firm
sanctions and do everything we can to avoid it in the future.’

The newspaper added that Eurovision experts fear that even though an
investigation into corruption has been promised, no real action will
be taken.

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From: A. Papazian

GEORGIAN STATE MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN INTEGRATION MEETS ARMENIAN FM

Civil Georgia, Georgia
Sept 13 2013

Civil Georgia, Tbilisi / 13 Sep.’13 / 15:01

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Georgian State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration,
Alexi Petriashvili, who is in Yerevan for a third Informal Eastern
Partnership Dialogue, met Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
on September 12.

“The [Armenian Foreign] Minister spoke about the Armenian leadership’s
willingness to join the [Russian-led] Customs Union and he reviewed the
processes related to this issue,” Petriashvili said after the meeting.

“I want to note, that Armenia’s willingness to join the Customs
Union and the fact that Georgia will be the part of the deep and
comprehensive free trade area [DCFTA] in frames of the Association
Agreement with the EU, cannot impede bilateral relations between
Armenia and Georgia,” he added.

The Armenian Foreign Ministry said in a press release that upcoming
Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius was discussed, as well as
bilateral relations.

“Both sides expressed their satisfaction and underlined that relations
between Armenia and Georgia today are on high level in political,
economic and humanitarian areas. The common willingness to continue
efforts for expanding and deepening beneficial cooperation was
reaffirmed,” the Armenian Foreign Ministry said.

Yerevan hosts on September 13 the third Informal Eastern Partnership
Dialogue. Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood
Policy Å tefan Fule also participates in the meeting, which brings
together ministers and senior officials from the Eastern Partnership
countries – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine.

Speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg this week, Fule
said Customs Union membership “is not compatible” with EU’s deep and
comprehensive free trade area because of “legal impossibilities”.

“It may certainly be possible for members of the Eastern Partnership
to increase their cooperation with the Customs Union, perhaps
as observers; and participation in a DCFTA is of course fully
compatible with our partners’ existing free trade agreements with
other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) states,” he said.

He also said that development of the Russian-initiated Eurasian
Economic Union project “must respect our partners’ sovereign
decisions.”

He said that any threats and pressure exercised by Russia on the
Eastern Partnership countries “are unacceptable”.

“This applies to all forms of pressure, including: the possible misuse
of energy pricing; artificial trade obstacles such as import bans of
dubious WTO compatibility and cumbersome customs procedures; military
cooperation and security guarantees; and the instrumentalisation of
protracted conflicts,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

MARTIN SIEFF ON RESOLUTION OF THE KARABAKH CONFLICT

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 13 2013

13 September 2013 – 1:01pm

Interview by Anna Demchenko exclusively to Vestnik Kavkaza

The leading analyst of The Globalist, Martin Sieff, told Vestnik
Kavkaza about chances for settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,
considering appointment of James Warlick the co-chairman of the Minsk
Group of the OSCE from the U.S.

– Obama has praised Warlick, saying that “his recent appointment is an
important sign of the United States’ strong and unequivocal commitment
to assisting the parties to achieve a peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.” Why was he appointed as the US co-chairman
at the OSCE? What in his personality and background indicates that
he will find a way out of the current situation with the negotiations?

– Mr. Warlick is an extremely experienced figure and his whole track
record has been in the area of constructive negotiations. This is
extremely important. The U.S, if under President George W. Bush and
even when Hillary Clinton was Secretary of State, have an unfortunate
track record of imposing its own dictats on the organization for
security and cooperation in Europe (the OSCE). The most striking
example of this came at the OSCE summit in Kazakhstan, Astana, in
December 2010, almost three years ago, when then-Secretary of State
Hilary Clinton simply refused to take on board or cooperate with a
Russian-crafted initiative. That would have put more resources behind
OSCE efforts to combat transnational crime across Eurasia, Clinton’s
position was that the OSCE should be primarily an organization to
promote democracy in American terms across Eurasia and it should not
become a more active player on the issue of transnational crime. This
was a very unfortunate position. And it was not negotiated. It was
a dictat of Secretary Clinton. However, now we have John Kerry as U.S.

Secretary of State. And he has sent very different signals to Moscow,
Beijing and other capitals in the world. John Kerry was a professional
diplomat and a very successful one in the U.S. Foreign Service decades
before he became a U.S. senator. He sat in the senate with distinction
for more than a quarter of a century. And he’s brought those qualities
of a team player, the qualities of a diplomat, the qualities of a
figure who regards experience as important, who regards diplomacy
as important, who regards it important to listen to what the other
parties have to say, and try to negotiate agreements that will fit
their concerns as well. This is also behind his clear recommendation
and choice of Mr. Warlick to co-chair the OSCE. And this has very
positive implications for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and for other
disputed issues in the Caucasus.

– In what ways do you expect the USA to optimise efforts aimed at a
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement?

– Such issues can only be peacefully resolved when the United States
and Russia, together, line up their appropriate sides and supporters
and work constructively together, even when there is no guarantee of
full success, because the issues involved are so far-reaching and the
differences between, for example, Armenia and Azerbaijan positions
on Nagorno-Karabakh are so great. But when the U.S. and Russia work
constructively together, good things happen. Mr. Warlick’s appointment
is a strong indication that President Obama and Secretary of State
Kerry want good things to happen in result of Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict and in improving the effectiveness of the OSCE and in
improving U.S. and Russian cooperation in the OSCE.

– What can be expected from the visit of Warlick to Baku, Armenia
and Nagorno-Karabakh?

– I think there are further implications of this, and that is that
when Mr.Warlick flies to Baku; he will certainly be giving messages
of U.S. reassurance and support to the government of Azerbaijan,
President Aliyev. The U.S. has very good influence there and wants to
keep influence in Baku, but he will also bring another message, which
is that Baku must negotiate constructively with Armenia and the United
States expects it to; and the United States wants to work with Russia
for a peaceful resolution of this issue. Now the Azerbaijani response
to this will be very important, because while they can be securing
U.S. support, they also have to realize that they do live in the region
and that these issues in the long run need to be peacefully reconciled
and solved to the greater good and satisfaction of everyone concerned.

From: A. Papazian

HUNDREDS OF IRANIAN ARMENIAN ATHLETES COMPETE IN TEHRAN

Press TV, Iran
Sept 13 2013

Tehran is hosting the 45th round of Iranian Armenian games at Ararat
sports complex. Almost 900 Iranian Armenian athletes are taking part
in the ten-day event. Competitions are held in nine fields among them
football, basketball, tennis, table tennis, swimming, chess, track and
field, and rock climbing. This year, one team from Armenia is taking
part in the event. In the last world Armenian games, the first place
went to Armenia while Iranian Armenians stood second. Aside from
being a sports event these games provide an opportunity for Iranian
Armenian families to spend time together in joy and happiness.

Watch video at

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIA DOES NOT FORGIVE ARMENIA’S DEBT

Russia has no intention of forgiving $500 million loan it gave to
Armenia in 2009, according to ‘Haykakan Zhamanak’.

The daily says the Armenian government hoped that after the
announcement of Armenia’s decision to join the Customs Union, the
Russian side would forgive that debt as ‘a manifestation of good will’.

Armenia received the $500 million loan following long and tough
negotiations with Russia. The loan was provided on tough terms –
at an annual interest rate of 4%. It is considered one of Armenia’s
heaviest debt burdens.

From: A. Papazian

CUSTOMS UNION ACCESSION WILL NOT UNDERMINE KARABAKH’S STATEHOOD AND SOVEREIGNTY – ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT LEADER

September 13, 2013 | 14:59

YEREVAN. – The views, according to which accession to the Customs
Union will undermine the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh (NK)
conflict, are unfounded.

Armenian National Assembly Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan told the above-said
to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“Regardless of all this, one thing is clear: The security and the
economic development of the Republic of Armenia are a priority and the
most important for us. And they are closely linked to the security of
Artsakh [i.e., Nagorno-Karabakh] and the settlement of the NK conflict.

“Membership in the Customs Union should be regarded as the most
important fundamental step in this framework. Hence, the opinions and
the views, according to which membership in the Customs Union will
undermine the settlement of the NK conflict, [and] the statehood and
sovereignty of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, are unfounded, to put
it mildly,” Abrahamyan stated in particular.

To note, following the talks that were held on September 3 in Moscow
between Armenian and Russian Presidents Serzh Sargsyan and Vladimir
Putin, Sargsyan had announced that Armenia plans to join the Customs
Union and subsequently engage in the formation of the Eurasian
Economic Union.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT TO ADDRESS PACE PLENARY SESSION THIS FALL

September 13, 2013 | 07:36

YEREVAN. – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan is expected to deliver
a speech during the PACE plenary session this fall, member of the
Armenian delegation to PACE Naira Zohrabyan said.

By the end of Armenia’s six-month presidency of the Committee of
Ministers of the Council of Europe, Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian
will sum up the presidency, Naira Zohrabyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

“President Sargsyan will address PACE delegates on October 2. Key
issues related to the Karabakh peace process will be raised not only
by Azerbaijan, but other European MPs. The delegates will not miss
an opportunity to ask president about his visit to Moscow and the
decision to join the Customs Union,” she added.

As to the recent statements made by European officials, Zohrabyan
said they must be unbiased in their assessments.

“If they try to voice artificially strong-worded assessments, I will
consider them as impartial as the positive assessment of the recent
elections connected with the fact that they had certain expectations
from Armenia ahead of the Vilnius summit,” MP concluded.

From: A. Papazian

MEPS URGE RUSSIA TO RESPECT EASTERN PARTNERSHIP COUNTRIES’ RIGHT TO CHOOSE TIES WITH EU

13:44 13.09.2013
European Parliament, Russia

Russia must respect the right of the EU’s eastern neighbours to choose
whether to enter into association agreements with the EU, say MEPs
in a resolution passed on Thursday. For example, Russia must refrain
from exerting pressure, such as its recent trade sanctions against
Ukraine and Moldova and threats to Armenia, to dissuade them from
signing or initialling deals with the EU at this November’s Eastern
Partnership summit in Vilnius, adds the text.

MEPs deplore the unacceptable pressure that Russia has been putting
on EU Eastern Partnership countries as the Vilnius Eastern Partnership
Summit approaches. They call on it to respect the independent states’
sovereignty and not to intervene in their internal affairs, as required
by international law. Eastern Partnership countries have a right to
“build relations with partners of their choice”, they add.

The resolution firmly rejects the idea that the EU’s and Russia’s
relations with Eastern Partnership countries can be treated as a
“zero-sum game”. Instead of using the region’s frozen conflicts in
its geopolitical and economic interests, Russia should cooperate
and contribute constructively to the region’s economic and political
stability, adds the text.

MEPs also encourage the Eastern partnership countries to pursue
preparations for the Vilnius Eastern Partnership Summit and “not
succumb to pressure” from Russia. They reaffirm their strongest support
for initialling or signing the agreements at the Vilnius Summit with
those Eastern Partnership countries “which are ready and willing to
do so”.

The EU must take responsibility for defending the Eastern Partnership
countries that have been exposed to Russia’s “open, alarming and
escalating” pressures, say MEPs. They ask the European Commission and
the Council to come forward with “concrete and effective measures”
to support the partner countries in their European aspirations and
choices.

From: A. Papazian

BAHGDASARYAN EXPLAINS EU OFFICIAL WHY DECISION OF JOINING CU WAS TAKEN

15:25 13/09/2013 ” Politics

While taking the decision of joining the Customs Union the national
interest of Armenia has been considered. National Security Council
Secretary Arthur Baghdasaryan has told to EU Deputy Secretary General
for Political Affairs Helga Schmid.

According to the press service of the National Security Council
Arthur Baghdasaryan has attached importance to the continuation of
the dialogue with the EU and has noted that Armenia highly praises the
implementation and still ongoing reforms in Armenia by support of EU,
and from now on expects continuing cooperation in all key spheres.

From: A. Papazian

INFO AVAILABILITY RESEARCH: WEBSITES OF STATE BODIES IN ARMENIA MONITORED FOR TRANSPARENCY

HUMAN RIGHTS | 13.09.13 | 09:25

Photolure

By Gohar Abrahamyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

A monitoring of official websites has revealed that the highest
availability of information is ensured by the websites of the Ministry
of Territorial Administration, the Syunik province, as well as the
National Assembly and the Prosecutor-General’s Office. The least
information is available on the official websites of the National
Commission on Television and Radio and the Nuclear Safety Regulatory
Committee.

The Committee to Protect Freedom of Expression (CPFE), which has
conducted the monitoring of websites since 2010, this year conducted
the survey from May 1 to August 15. During this period, using 152
criteria, of which 131 relate to the contents and 21 are technical,
it examined a total of 51 websites.

CPFE Chairman Ashot Melikyan said at a meeting with media on Thursday
that the 51 sites had been divided into three conventional groups, of
which 34 were the sites of ministries and departments, 10 of regional
administrations, and the third group was a general group in which
the websites of state institutions like the president, the National
Assembly, the government, the Constitutional Court, the Prosecutor’s
Office, the Ombudsman and the Yerevan City Hall are included.

“Of the 51, 32 have improved this year compared to the performance
in previous years, but there are still many flaws, which shows that
state bodies are not yet ready for presenting information of public
importance to the public in full,” said Melikyan.

According to the media expert, like it was last year the Ministry of
Territorial Administration remains the leader among the ministries and
departments: improving its showing by 15 percent it has now reached
a 83-percent transparency level.

“The second best institution, the State Migration Service, has
registered the biggest progress, improving by 23 percent. It has
outdone the Ministry of Justice, which is ranked third,” said Melikyan,
adding that the three leaders are followed by a group of institutions
that have managed to pass the 50-percent mark. While this is a pretty
good result, Melikyan says there are still few such websites.

In the bottom of the rating table where websites mainly failed to
reach even a 30-percent transparency level, i.e. posting less than a
third of expected information, the worst performers are the National
Commission on Television and Radio and the State Nuclear Safety
Regulatory Committee.

Melikyan says that eight of the ten regional administration’s
websites have improved, but the performance of the Shirak Regional
Administration’s website has declined and the Lori Regional
Administration’s website has remained almost at the same level. The
Syunik region’s official website still remains the leader.

In the last group, according to the monitoring results, all websites
have improved their work as compared to 2012. Remarkable is progress by
the Yerevan Municipality’s website that has improved by 17 percent,
reaching the level of 54 percent. The best in this group are the
websites of the National Assembly and the Prosecutor’s Office, which
crossed the 50-percent level still last year.

Melikyan said that the data are still considered preliminary, since,
according to their methodology, hereon begins the stage of cooperation
when websites are improved following discussions between state body
representatives and freedom of expression committee experts.

“We do this work not to name and shame, but to make state bodies
feel responsible to the public and publish the information that
is of importance to the public,” said Melikyan, adding that
since 2011 Armenia has been a member of the International Open
Government Partnership initiative where one of the obligations is the
standardization of the contents of state websites. Therefore, he said,
the research may be useful also for the state bodies themselves.

CPFE lawyer Olga Safaryan said that by law state bodies must disclose
information that is of interest to the public.

“Since 2003 Armenia has had a law on freedom of information. Our
monitoring is based on the Armenian legislation, the law requires that
websites be transparent, we just want the law to work in the country,”
said Safaryan.

From: A. Papazian