Author: Andres-Papazian

HAYASTAN ALL-ARMENIAN FUND CONTINUES TO RAISE WORLDWIDE SUPPORT FOR SYRIAN-ARMENIAN COMMUNITY

14:43 27.06.2013
Hayastan All-Armenian Fund, Syrian Armenians

The Hayastan All-Armenian Fund continues to help alleviate the plight
of Syrian-Armenians by rallying worldwide support. A significant part
of the financial assistance for this purpose has been made possible by
the fund’s affiliates across the globe, as well as through designated
donations from several benefactors and organizations.

The fund’s French, German, US Western Region, Argentinean, Brazilian,
Lebanese, and Swedish affiliates, in particular, have raised support
for Syrian-Armenians within the framework of Telethon 2012, and
subsequently transferred the donations to a special bank account
established by the fund.

Armenia-based and diaspora benefactors and organizations that have
contributed to the cause include Hirair Hovnanian, Ara Abrahamyan,
Petak LLC, HayRusGasArd CJSC, the Galustanian Raffi Charitable Center,
Judges of the Republic of Armenia, RA NAS Institute of History,
Banants Football Club, Kara-Murza State Musical College of Gyumri,
Turvand LLC, and others.

The fund has used the contributions to implement a range of healthcare,
educational, and social-assistance projects. As of June 2013,
the fund has provided the following amounts in assistance to the
Syrian-Armenian community:

One hundred thousand euros raised by the French affiliate, 12,000
euros from the German affiliate, and US 100,000 dollars from the
Lebanese affiliate have been used essentially to pay the salaries of
teachers at Aleppo’s Armenian schools.

Contributions from the Brazilian, Argentinean, and Swedish affiliates
have been used to cover the tuitions of 110 Syrian-Armenian students
attending various colleges and universities in Armenia; to pay
for the heart surgeries of six Syrian-Armenian individuals; and to
cover the cost of funerals for three others. The amount of 10,000
dollars raised by the US Western Region affiliate has been donated
to Yerevan’s KilikianSchool, which has opened its doors to children
from Syrian-Armenian refugee families.

As for contributions made by industrialists Hirair Hovnanian and Ara
Abrahamyan, they have been used to pay for refugee flights between
Aleppo and Yerevan.

From: A. Papazian

SECRETARIES OF CSTO NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCILS TO MEET IN ARMENIA’S CAPITAL

15:25 ~U 27.06.13

On Thursday, in Yerevan, Secretary of the National Security Council
of Armenia Artur Baghdasaryan and Secretary General of the Collective
Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) Nikolay Bordyuzha signed a protocol
on the CSTO Secretary General’s visit to Armenia.

An enlarged meeting attended by representatives of relevant government
agencies was held as well.

Nikolay Bordyuzha expressed his satisfaction with the work of the
interagency commission as part of the Politically Secure Guidelines
on the CSTO Military Component forum.

“We discussed issues related to the implementation of previous
programs. All the measures envisage the ensuring of the security of
Armenia as a CSTO member-state and creation of a security system in
the Caucasus,” Bordyuzha said.

“We have planned a number of events, particularly an informal meeting
of the national security secretaries, which will discuss the tendencies
in the Caucasus,” he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

AMERICAN MEDIA NOT TELLING TRUTH ABOUT SYRIA: KISSINGER

June 27, 2013 – 09:45 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger
says the American media are not telling the truth about the current
situation in Syria, according to Press TV.

“In the American press it’s described as a conflict between democracy
and a dictator- and the dictator is killing his own people, and
we’ve got to punish him. But that’s not what’s going on,” he said
during a speech at the Ford School of Public Policy at the University
of Michigan.

“It is now a civil war between sectarian groups,” Kissinger added.

Kissinger’s remarks come as the United States has been criticized
for fomenting sectarian discord in Syria and the broader Middle
East by interfering in the nations’ internal affairs and backing
up insurgencies.

Elsewhere in his remarks Kissinger said “the outcome I would prefer
to see” in Syria was a broken-up and balkanized country with “more
or less autonomous regions.”

U.S. President Barack Obama has authorized sending weapons to
foreign-backed militants in Syria, further escalating the conflict in
the Arab country. The White House earlier accused the Syrian government
of using chemical weapons against the militants, an allegation denied
by Damascus.

From: A. Papazian

DEAD SOLDIER’S MOTHER THREATENS TO EXHUME SON’S BODY, PLACE IN FRONT OF FOREIGN EMBASSIES

14:53 ~U 27.06.13

The mothers of soldiers that died in Armenia’s army held a regular
protest in front of Armenia’s government.

They approached Armenia’s Minister of Justice Hrair Tovmasyan and
demanded identification of the real causes of their sons’ death.

One of the women said she is ready to exhume her son’s body and place
it in front of foreign embassies in Armenia.

“You must convey my words to the defense minister. I will dig up my
son’s body and place it in front of foreign embassies. I do not have
any hopes in this country any longer!”

“Why do not they want to punish those guilty? Why do not they detect
the cases? How long do I have to wait? My son was killed three years
ago, and they have been giving me the runaround since. Why do not
they punish the investigators?” she was crying out in the minister’s
presence.

“I can assure you that a murder cannot be concealed in our country,”
the minister said in response.

However, the minister’s words made the women even angrier.

“Aren’t you ashamed of saying such things? What kind of country is
this?” they cried out.

After the minister left, the women turned to the policemen, saying:

“We are not going to devour the minister. I only want my son’s
murderers to be punished!” one of the women said.

From: A. Papazian

WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT SALE OF WEAPONS TO AZERBAIJAN – ARMENIAN DEPUTY FM

June 27, 2013 | 12:54

YEREVAN. – Armenia is concerned about Russia’s sale of weapons to
Azerbaijan, but this does not mean the military balance is breached.

Armenia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan noted the
aforesaid during a briefing with news reporters on Thursday.

In his words, Armenia likewise receives arms from Russia.

As for Azerbaijan’s bellicose statements, Kocharyan said:

“This is stated by a country which is ‘crying’ every day after having
been defeated [in the Nagorno-Karabakh War]. All this is aimed at
the domestic audience because keeping the image of an external enemy
alive nourishes the hereditary authoritarian regime [in Azerbaijan].”

In Shavarsh Kocharyan’s words, the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs do not
want for the delicate ceasefire to retransform into military actions.

Azerbaijan, however, wants to be rid of the format of settling the
conflict by way of the co-chairs.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

From: A. Papazian

HRAPARAK: ANOTHER FOUR GOVERNORS MAY SHARE S. KHACHATRIAN’S FATE

Thursday,
June 27

President Serzh Sargsyan returned from Poland yesterday and has no
intention to hold a sitting of the Executive Body of the Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK) in the coming days, ‘Hraparak’ writes.

“The reason is that HHK enjoys a pre-vacation relaxation, the party
veterans say. They believe that a sitting of the Executive Body may
be held next week, even though one can doubt it because nonworking
days start from next Thursday in connection with Constitution Day
and Vardavar festival.

So impatient persons will have to wait until the most important issue
for HHK i.e. the fates of governors is discussed. The fact is that
another four governors may share the fate of Syunik regional governor
Suren Khachatrian (nicknamed Liska) because the “results” of checks
in their provinces have become an object for study of investigatory
agencies,” the paper writes.

TODAY, 10:46

Aysor.am

From: A. Papazian

POLICE DEALING WITH ISSUE OF CHIEF ARCHITECT OF YEREVAN

Upon the claim presented by Transparency International to the office
of the general prosecutor, Yerevan police are preparing materials on
Narek Sargsyan’s involvement in the construction of Yerevan center and
destruction of cultural and historical monuments, abuse of official
position.

Recall Narek Sargsyan has been Chief architect of Yerevan from
1999-2004, and 2011-up to now. The construction of Yerevan center was
launched during his office which involved also the company belonging to
him called “Narek Sargsyan architectural studio”. This studio projected
also a hotel in Abovyan Street for the construction of which a number
of buildings, national monuments, are subject to destruction.

We should note that back in 2005, general prosecutor’s office revealed
facts of destruction of monuments, but no one has been held responsible
so far, while the Crime Code of the Republic of Armenia provides for
responsibility for destruction of cultural and historical monuments.

In the period of 2008-2011, Narek Sargsyan, being Chief architect of
Yerevan and vice-minister of urban planning, used his position and got
involved in the planning activities of a number of buildings. He is
doing the same now again in the office of Chief architect of Yerevan.

Chief architect of Yerevan is a public servant, who, according to
the law, shall not be personally engaged in business.

There are reasonable suspicions on possible sponsorship and abuse of
official position by Narek Sargsyan.

Transparency International 11:31 27/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

From: A. Papazian

COUNTRY SELLING WEAPONS TO AZERBAIJAN PROMOTES ‘COLD WAR’ IN THE REGION – MP

14:45 ~U 26.06.13

Each country selling weapons to Azerbaijan must understand that it
promotes the situation similar to a ‘cold war’ in the region as
a result of which more ammunition appears in the region, MP from
Heritage party Tevan Poghosyan said, speaking to Tert.am.

“On the other hand we must realize that Russia is a country which is
being guided by its own interests and has decided to sell weapons to
Azerbaijan, and we must be guided by our interests to be able to work
out a corresponding policy for defending our interests,” he said.

Speaking today in Yerevan CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bordyuzha
stated in Yerevan that Russia sells weapons to Azerbaijan as it is
a business.

“Russia pursues one goal, it wants the region to be its and it will
give weapons to Azerbaijan again, thus the latter will depend on
Russia,” Poghosyan said.

The MP said he agrees with the explanations voiced by Russian experts
that if Russia did not sell weapons to Azerbaijan, the latter would
have acquired it from a third country.

From: A. Papazian

FIGHT FOR RESOURCES GOING ON IN ARMENIA – OPPOSITION PARTY REP

14:46 ~U 26.06.13

Heritage party Vice-Chairman Armen Martirosyan believes that the
violations revealed in Armenia’s government system are evidence
that the system is a complete failure, and a fight for resources is
going on.

“This means the government system has expired, the country’s resources
are depleting and the ruling circles are fighting for control over
resources,” he said.

With respect to the noise over the violations revealed by the Control
Chamber, he said it was, to an extent, a show.

“If they had a small wish to deal with the problems, we would see
serious steps,” Martirosyan said. According to him, if Armenia’s
political opposition headed the Control Chamber, it would launch a
process of reforming the government system.

With respect to the 2012 budget report, Martirosyan said that it proved
“good traditions” in Armenia’s government system – the budget remains
a means of enrichment for Armenia’s authorities.

“The government system really needs radical reforms. What is going on
is evidence that Armenia, as a state, is at a very low level,” he said.

With respect to Armenia’s Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, Martirosyan
said: “This premier seems to be the best option for the president.

Releasing the premier means releasing the executives of all the other
branches. I do not think the probability of his relieving of the post
is high.”

Armenian News – Tert.am

From: A. Papazian

SERZH SARGSYAN: MILITARY DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY – AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE SECURITY AND STABILITY IN THE ENTIRE AREA OF THE CSTO’S RESPONSIBILITY

ARMINFO
Wednesday, June 26, 13:04

Systematic development and improvement of the CSTO’s military component
will, undoubtedly, help ensuring stability and security in the area
of the Organization’s responsibility and upgrading its authority
in the international security system, says the welcoming speech of
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan addressed at the participants in
the Second Strategic Political Forum “Political and Security Landmarks
for Formation of CSTO’s Military Component.”

“Systematic and complex implementation of the decisions of the CSTO
Collective Security Council will allow improving mechanisms of timely
detention and prevention new challenges and threats of the 21st
century. The given decisions rely on the system analysis of relevant
problems of security and sustainable development of the commonwealth
of the CSTO member-states and predetermines the major landmarks of the
development of our collective security. In this light, I am sure that
the Second Strategic Political Forum of leading specialists of the
CSTO member-states and our respectful partners will allow realizing
the practical importance of implementing the above decisions and
developing scientific approaches to their implementation,” the
president says in his address.

The president welcomes the fact that Armenia along with its CSTO
allies has become an acknowledged academic space for exchange of
creative ideas regarding modernization of the Organization in line
with the logic of its purposeful transformation into an up-to-date
multi-functional international system of collective security of a
new quality.

“Combined work of highly-qualified scientists of our countries reflects
CSTO’s aspiration to be the first in the search for the most effective
ways of peace and security guarantees in the Eurasian space.

We think that a military development strategy is an opportunity
to achieve security and stability in the entire area of the CSTO’s
responsibility,” the president’s address reads.

The Second Strategic Political Forum “Political and Security Landmarks
for Formation of CSTO’s Military Component” kicked off in Yerevan on
June 26. Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan, Secretary of the NAtional
Security Council Arthur Baghdasaryan, CSTO Secretary General Nikolay
Bodyuzha welcomed the participants in the event.

The keynote speakers at the forum are Defense Minister Seyran Ohanyan,
CSTO Secretary General Nikolay Bodyuzha, and Deputy Minister of
Foreign Affairs Shavarsh Kocharyan. The forum will over on June 27.

The event organizers are the Institute of National and International
Studies of the Armenian Defense Ministry, CSTO Secretariat, and CSTO
Institute autonomous non-commercial organization.

From: A. Papazian