Author: Andres-Papazian

NEW ARMENIAN PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON APRIL 9 OR 10 – SCULPTOR

March 13, 2013 | 12:30

YEREVAN. – If Armenia’s authorities do not wish for the people and the
state to separate from one another once and for all, they must resign,
sculptor Vigen Avetis said during a press conference on Wednesday.

In his words, no one believes in the current government any longer.

“It needs to be understood that the phase of bribing voters is passe.

The National Assembly should be dissolved, and as soon as possible,
[and] a new parliament should be elected within one month. The
authorities must come to understand that the people have begun
demanding the protection of their rights,” the sculptor maintained.

At the same time, however, he noted that President Serzh Sargsyan
should not permit the paralyzing of state-run organizations.

In addition, Vigen Avetis welcomed opposition Heritage Party leader,
former FM Raffi Hovannisian’s-who is declared runner-up to the winner,
incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan, as a result of the presidential
election that was conducted on February 18, but who claims to be the
real winner in the vote and who declared a hunger strike on March
10 at capital city Yerevan’s Liberty Square-decision to go on a
hunger strike.

The sculptor also noted that new parliamentary elections will be
announced in Armenia on April 9 or 10.

From: A. Papazian

ONCE THERE WAS DEMOCRACY IN KARABAKH

Samvel Avanesyan
12:49 13/03/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

At one of Raffi Hovannisian’s rallies, Member of the Parliament of
Nagorno-Karabakh Vahan Badasyan, ARF, delivered a speech welcoming
on behalf of the Karabakh opposition the participants of the rally
and adding that the elections in Karabakh were staged too.

After this speech which was almost unheeded in Armenia unexpected
confusion started in Karabakh. Vice-prime minister of Karabakh,
Artur Aghabekyan, ARF, spoke on Artsakh television, saying that
such speeches are a threat to the Karabakh security, and Vahan is
playing with fire. Then Igor Muradyan asked how an average speech
in the rally could be a threat to security. After this in Hadrut,
(Vahan Badasyan, Artur Aghabekyan and Igor Muradyan are from Hadrut)
a meeting of Artsakh war veterans was called in the course of which
Badasyan was advised not to interfere in the home political processes
in Armenia and think about the Karabakh security.

Yesterday, MP Badasyan and the leader of Karabakh opposition General
Vitali Balasanyan decided to call a meeting with voters in Martuni.

But people were afraid to attend it and only 8-10 people were present
at the meeting. The reason for not attending the meeting was that
“Vahan and Vitali want to take Armenian rallies to Karabakh”. In
order not to stir up trouble, the tax service was advised to check
Vahan Badasyan’s business who runs an agribusiness farming the land
protected by blood.

This disgrace in Karabakh is not a sign of strengthening of government
but its crisis at its culmination. Once there was democracy in
Karabakh, and ARF, the opposition, worked very well in the parliament.

No one in Karabakh was afraid to express disagreement, to propose
something new, and the opposition, especially a field battalion head
and combat general, were not accused of exposing the security.

Something has changed in Karabakh, and many people just feel
uncomfortable to talk about this disgrace which is now going on there.

National unity has gradually turned into a gray lawn, cutting all
the flowers and berries and leaving only the grass.

Security that can be shaken by a single speech at Freedom Square is
worthless. This means security is not well-built. And there is no
need to defame democratic Karabakh with witch hunt. Because when
people start to look for enemies, everyone will realize that fear
has become their main guide.

From: A. Papazian

LE BRESIL EST INTERESSE A ELARGIR LA COOPERATION AVEC L’ARMENIE

Le Bresil est interesse a elargir la cooperation avec l’Armenie,a
declare le vice-ministre des Affaires etrangères Vera Machado lors
d’une rencontre avec le ministre armenien des Affaires etrangères
Edouard Nalbandian a Erevan.

Vera Machado a dit qu’elle est venue en Armenie pour une visite
de travail afin de rechercher les moyens d’elargir la cooperation
armeno-bresilienne.

Le ministre Nalbandian a note a son tour que l’Armenie attache une
grande importance au developpement des relations bilaterales avec le
Bresil et s’est dit confiant que les deux pays peuvent travailler
ensemble pour faire un meilleur usage de leur capacite d’expansion
de la cooperation.

Selon lui, afin d’intensifier les relations bilaterales, les
deux parties doivent tout d’abord renforcer leur cadre juridique,
approfondir la cooperation economique et commerciale, et renforcer la
cooperation entre les deux pays dans les organisations internationales.

Au cours de la reunion, ils ont discute egalement un certain nombre
de questions regionales et internationales.

mercredi 13 mars 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

LES ARMENIENS DE CALIFORNIE PROTESTENT CONTRE LA RECEPTION PAR LE SENAT AMERICAIN D’UNE DELEGATION AZERIE DE LA COMPAGNIE SOCAR

Les Armeniens de Californie ont proteste contre la visite officielle
des dirigeants de la societe petrolière azerie Socar au Senat
americain. Sur son site Facebook, le bureau ” Hay Tad ” (Cause
armenienne) des Etats-Unis proteste contre la politique agressive
raciste et anti-armenienne de l’Azerbaïdjan en demandant que Bakou
mette un terme a son agressivite. Plusieurs centaines d’Armeniens
ont manifeste contre la reception de la delegation azerie au Senat,
parmi les manifestants, des elus de l’Assemblee du Californie, Katcho
Atchadjian et Artin Nazarian et Scott Wilk. En signe de solidarite
a la revendication des Armeniens, le senateur Leland Yi a quitte la
seance du senat lors de la reception de la delegation azerie alors
que le senateur de Californie, Bob Hoff evoquait son recent voyage
a Bakou et le potentiel economique de l’Azerbaïdjan.

Krikor Amirzayan

mercredi 13 mars 2013, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA 80TH IN THE INDEX OF RETIREMENT SECURITY OF ITS CITIZENS

10:36 12.03.2013

Armenia ranks 80th worldwide in the retirement security of its
citizens, according to a new annual index compiled by Natixis Global
Asset Management (NGAM).

Russia ranks 70th, Georgia is 89th, Turkey is 59th, Azerbaijan is
93rd, Iran is 86th. Norway tops the ranking followed by Switzerland
and Luxembourg. The top ten includes also Sweden, Austria, Finland,
Netherlands, Denmar, Germany and France.

The Natixis Global Retirement Index gauges how well retired citizens
live in 150 nations, based on measures of health, material well-being,
finances and other factors.

CoreData Research, a London-based financial research firm, captured
data from a variety of sources, calculated a mean score in each
category and combined the category scores for a final overall ranking
of 150 nations. The categories, and the subjects they comprise, are:

– Health: Per-capita health spending, life expectancy, the availability
of physicians and hospital beds per 1,000 citizens, and the level
of noninsured health spending. (Sources: World Bank’s Development
Indicators, 2012; World Health Organization)

– Material well-being: Per-capita income, income inequality and
unemployment. (Source: World Bank)

– Finances: Old-age dependency (the ratio of retirees to workers),
inflation, interest rates, taxation level and bank nonperforming
loans. (Sources: World Bank, United Nations)

– Quality of life: The level of happiness and satisfaction of citizens,
as well as the quality of the climate and environment. (Sources:
Gallup World Poll 2012; Environmental Performance Index 2012).

From: A. Papazian

PARALLELS OF INDEPENDENCE MOVEMENTS: ARTSAKH AND UNITED STATES

Posted by Contributor on March 12, 2013 in Opinion

By Armen Sahakyan

Already this year we have seen Barack Obama inaugurated as U.S.

president on Martin Luther King, Jr.~Rs birthday and the European Union
declare 2013 as the Year of the Citizen. Both of these celebrate
democracy and liberty. A third event, less noted but important in its
own way, is the celebration by the people of the Nagorno Karabagh
Republic (Artsakh) of the 25th anniversary of their liberation
movement, which led to the freedom they enjoy today.

Twenty-five years ago, the brave men and women of Artsakh decided to
fix Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin~Rs arbitrary and illegal decision to
sever Artsakh from Armenia, and to rejoin with the Republic of
Armenia. Following the existing Soviet Constitution and all
appropriate laws, the Nagorno Karabagh Autonomous Oblast held a
referendum, in which over 90 percent of the people voted in favor of
reunification with Armenia. It was an extremely rare example of a
human rights movement and a brave step toward freedom within the
Soviet Union. The West enthusiastically backed the struggle of the
people of Artsakh for self-determination and self-governance. After
all, this was the driving principle for the American, French, Haitian,
and other revolutions that took place in the last three centuries. Why
should Artsakh be any different?

Today, Artsakh serves as an oasis of democracy in the South Caucasus
region. It holds regular and free elections, greatly praised by
international observers and organizations. The economy of the country
is growing each year, paralleled with a rising number of tourists.

Recently, Artsakh rebuilt its airport to establish airway connections
with third countries, only to witness neighboring Azerbaijan pass a
law allowing its armed forces to shoot down ~SAir Artsakh~T civilian
airplanes.

In January, we all celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr.~Rs birthday and
the National Day of Service. Following Dr. King~Rs philosophy of
non-violence to achieve justice, the people of Artsakh have made great
sacrifices in the last two and a half decades. It all began with
non-violent protests in Yerevan and Stepanakert, which were
aggressively resisted by the Azerbaijani and Soviet authorities,
resulting in a bloody massacre of Armenians in Baku, Sumgait,
Kirovabad, and other locations. And so the long-repressed and
mistreated people rose up to demand their rights for freedom,
self-determination, and democracy, all engraved in and supported by
numerous international legal documents.

Azerbaijani authorities, drunk with petrodollars, have escalated their
threats and acts of aggression. They have exponentially increased
their military budget and begun a phase of unprecedented armaments
buildup; declared the Armenians of the world as ~Stheir number one
enemy~T; pardoned and praised an Azerbaijani soldier who murdered an
Armenian soldier at NATO~Rs Partnership for Peace Program; intensified
ceasefire violations on the border; and claimed Yerevan, the capital
city of Armenia that will soon be celebrating its 2,800-year
anniversary, is ~Shistorical Azerbaijani territory.~T The list goes on.

Sadly, Azerbaijan~Rs destructive actions undermine prospects for
regional security and prosperity, and even its own democratic
development.

Azerbaijan~Rs aggressive stance is enabled by the ~Sdiplomatically
balanced~T statements coming from the OSCE Minsk Group and other world
powers in the wake of every new Azerbaijani outrage. Rather than
constraining Baku, these artificially even-handed responses only
encourage greater aggression. Whereas Artsakh and Armenia have always
maintained a position of resolving the conflict exclusively through
peaceful means, and have never declared any group of people as their
enemy, Azerbaijan has constantly threatened the world community with
the possibility of war, and has increased its military budget
exponentially year after year. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ~SIn
the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the
silence of our friends.~T Where are the friends of peace when they are
needed the most? Why expect Azerbaijan to step back from its march
toward war if no one is willing to stand in its way?

I do not wish to believe that the morality of humankind has sunk so
low as to rank oil a higher priority than a people~Rs unalienable right
to self-determination. The same right that allowed Americans to
declare their independence in 1776 and the same right that the U.S.

has vowed to protect for other nations should always be provided for
all the people living on this planet. Now is the time to reaffirm our
principles and stand up for the same rights upon which this great
American republic was founded. The Artsakh Republic has constantly
proven that it is capable of sustaining itself as a democratic,
prosperous, secure, and independent country, and it deserves its own
place among the free countries of this world.

Armen Sahakyan is an honors student studying international political
economy at Bloomfield College in New Jersey.

From: A. Papazian

R. HOVANNISIAN: ARMENIA SHOULD NOT JOIN CUSTOMS AND EURASIAN UNIONS

Tuesday,
March 12

“National interests are citizens of their own country. Both Russia
and the United States should reconsider their vertical relations with
Armenia and turn them into horizontal ones,” Raffi Hovannisian stated
in Liberty Square of Yerevan today.

He said he is against Armenia’s becoming a member of the Customs Union
and the Eurasian Union, but he believes that Armenia should have the
status of observer to these organizations.

TODAY, 20:48

Aysor.am

From: A. Papazian

CHURCH COLLAPSES IN ARMENIA

Monday, March 11, 14:09

St. Hripsime Church dating back to 1901 has collapsed in the village
of Sevakar, Syunik region, Armenia.

The Rescue Service of Armenia reports the alarm was received on March
9. Rescuers arrived on the spot and found out that 330 sq m of the
walls and the 270 sq m roof of the church collapsed. The gate of a
nearby dwelling house has been damaged as well. The representatives
of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the Urban Development and Culture
Ministries have been informed on the incident.

From: A. Papazian

AUTHORITIES DO NOT IMAGINE WHAT HAPPENS IN THE COUNTRY – HERITAGE PARTY REP

15:00 ~U 12.03.13

Deputy leader of Heritage party Ruben Hakobyan came up today with a
news conference at the Liberty Square. Referring first to the decision
of the Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian to hunger strike,
he said he has not approved it.

“I will say no, I have not, as I know the value of Raffi Hovannisian’s
word and I know the consequences,” Ruben Hakobyan said, at the same
time agreeing that this decision was not unanimously approved by all.

Ruben Hakobyan said the authorities are making the situation more tense
with its pick being the incidents in Sevan where the authorities were
coordinating the whole criminal world and a clear decision was made
to create situation for clashes to occur.

“It did not occur in Vardenis, it did not occur in Martuni and even
in Gavar, but it did take place in Sevan. When the mayor met us,
he said angry people have gathered here and I hardly keep them back
from beating you and they are not from Sevan, but Gavar and Martuni,”
Ruben Hakobyan said, adding that it was aimed to hinder the event. The
Heritage party representative said throughout Raffi Hovannisian’s
speech, the mayor was interfering, sharpening the situation and
when he stated that Ruben Hakobyan said ‘you are Turks’ it sounded
as initially agreed ‘order’ for attack. Hakobyan said if not the
interference of the police serious clashes would have taken place.

He also said he is waiting for the Police and the authorities state
their position over the incident and name the guilty as the full
video is at police’s disposal.

Speaking about the causes of hunger-strike, Ruben Hakobyan said that
a situation has been created when the authorities know that they
have rigged the elections and know what is going on and have closed
the door of law. “It is not accidental, and may be Serzh Sargsyan
has written quite frankly that he has organized the elections and
really, the authorities, the president, governors, heads of villages
have organized the elections and they know how much money they have
distributed,” Hakobyan said, considering all the arguments that there
is no reason not to recognize the elections results groundless.

Ruben Hakobyan said clear stuffing occurred in 679 polling stations.

These are those stations that have registered 70% voter turnout and
where Raffi Hovannisian polled 15%, in other stations where average
voter turnout was registered Raffi Hovannisian has won.

Hakobyan said this is not a fight against, but a fight for and voiced
hope that for the first time the de jure victory of opposition will
become de facto.

Speaking about the behavior of the authorities, Hakobyan said they do
not imagine what is going on in the country and are trying to change
public opinion over Raffi Hovannisian through misinformation.

Asked what forces have joined the fight, Heritage party’s faction
head Ruben Hakobyan singled out the ARF-D saying that now the time
of making statements has gone and the time has come when the platform
of statements has become the Liberty Square.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S MOSCOW VISIT COULD INCLUDE MATTER OF REOPENING ABKHAZIAN RAILWAY – ANALYST

NEWS.AM
March 12, 2013 | 12:10

YEREVAN. – In all likelihood, the issue of reopening the Abkhazian
railway will be discussed during Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s
visit to Moscow, stated Caucasus Institute Deputy Director, political
analyst Sergey Minasyan, during a press conference on Tuesday.

To note, Sargsyan’s visit to the Russian capital kicked off on Tuesday.

The political scientist noted, however, that the Armenian President’s
visit to Moscow was preceded by yet another important visit: Georgian
Defense Minister Irakli Alasania’s trip to Armenian capital city
Yerevan. In this context, Minasyan recalled the importance of
Armenian-Georgian relations from the viewpoint of military transit.

According to him, the Yerevan talks also included the matter of
reopening the Abkhazian railway.

“It is likely that this question will be among the [matters] to be
discussed during Serzh Sargsyan’s Moscow visit,” Minasyan stated.

But the analyst also made it clear that not everyone within the
leadership of Abkhazia is inclined toward reopening the railway.

As per Sergey Minasyan, economic and regional security issues,
the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, the Armenian-Russian military
cooperation, and the Customs Union likewise will be examined in Moscow.

From: A. Papazian