Author: Andres-Papazian

ARS to Hold Online Auction April 17-28

February 23, 2013

The Armenian Relief Society (ARS) of Eastern USA will host its second
annual online auction from April 17-28. The auction committee,
comprised of members of the New Jersey and New York ARS Chapters, is
currently accepting gifts for the auction.

If you are an avid shopper or supporter of the ARS, mark your calendar
for April 17, when the auction goes live on
You will find wonderful items to bid on, including artwork, merchant
and restaurant gift cards, spa and salon certificates, and weekend
getaways! There will certainly be something to please everyone.

And if you are a merchant or and individual interested in donating to
a worthy cause, e-mail [email protected].

Proceeds from the online auction will support the many worthwhile
projects sponsored by the ARS Eastern Region, including operating and
subsidizing schools, camps and daycare centers, as well as orphan
programs in Armenia; providing educational, cultural, and scholarship
programs; and providing relief to areas affected by to war or natural
disasters.

The ARS is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization established in New
York in 1910. Your tax-deductible contribution will help support these
programs and other humanitarian and welfare related initiatives
worldwide.

From: A. Papazian

The Police Warns Raffi Hovhannisyan

20:49, February 23, 2013

It is not the first time the Police of the Republic of Armenia have
reminded Mister Raffi Hovhannisyan and the participants of the
meetings organized by him that in all states including Armenia there
is not and can’t exist a right to conduct meetings which demand a
preliminary notice addressed to relevant bodies without any notice, to
gather in preferable places, give instructions to the police officers
not having that power. Unfortunately, these warnings were not
apprehended by their addressees.

It is several years that the police have taken all the possible
efforts to provide the complete freedom of meetings within the scope
of the Constitution and laws, as well as to make the atmosphere of
peace and interaction take roots between the participants of meetings
and police officers. Such an atmosphere is urgent not only for the
police or for the authorities, but just for the society because it
provides security and stability which are urgent for the development
of peaceful and safe life.

On February 23, presidential candidate of the Republic of Armenia
Raffi Hovhannisyan conducted meetings in Ashtarak, Aparan, Spita,
Vanadzor and Gyumri cities without a preliminary notice.

Thepolice of the Republic of Armenia emphasize that illegal meetings
can lead to an uncontrollable situation, exploitation of rights,
various offences when it becomes impossible to provide the natural and
peaceful course of the meetings.

Taking into the account the fact that the meeting organized by Raffi
Hovhannisyan directly conflict with freedom of meetings, The police of
the Republic of Armenia in order to avoid unallowable developments
find it necessary to inform Raffi Hovhannisyan the methodology of
controlling masses, taking into the account that illegal meetings,
calls not to obey law enforcement authorities and instructions, other
illegalities during the meetings can be n incitement to a variety of
other illegalities and lead to irreversible consequences, depriving
the police of the possibility to provide the peaceful course and
public order during the meetings.

So the police of the Republic of Armenia express their readiness to
discuss the abovementioned issues with Raffi Hovhannisyan and his
allies informing them about the possible consequences of such actions.

The Police of RoA

From: A. Papazian

Council of International Studies ready to support anyone willing to study abroad
15:01 23.02.2013

Sona Hakobyan
`Radiolur’

For eight years now the Council of International Studies has been
providing information to Armenian and foreign students, organizing
language courses and providing Armenians students with an opportunity
to study abroad.

The Council has had a number of applicants, who have studied abroad
and have reached great achievements after returning home.

The Council of International Studies cooperates with about 600
universities all over the world. At the same time it offers a number
of study programs in different countries – summer schools, language
courses, preparatory courses, etc.

Director of the Center Haykush Gevordyan says they are ready to
support anyone, who wants to study abroad. The Office of the Council
of International Studies is located at Apt. 2, 5 Blind Alley Abovyan
Street, Yerevan 0001, Armenia. Tel: +374 10545520, +37498545520, Fax:
+374 10545520.

From: A. Papazian

Armenian elections have turned into vote fraud mechanism – analyst

NEWS.AM
February 23, 2013 | 13:27

The Pre-Parliament movement of Armenia had predicted three months ago
that the people will meet an impasse as a result of Monday’s
presidential voting, since the elections have turned into a vote fraud
mechanism where the `casino’ always wins, the Pre-Parliament movement
coordinator, analyst Garegin Chugaszyan noted during a pres conference
on Saturday.

In his words, it is apparent that the people have gone ahead of their
constituents, and the post-election developments showed that the
notions, according to which the people cannot stand up for their
rights, were empty.

`The oppositional arena [in Armenia] collapsed back in December
[2012], but the latest developments showed that the people are
organizing themselves,’ Chugaszyan said.

He assessed the present-day situation in the country as the first
conscious struggle against the new colonial regime, and added that
quick self-organization is the key task of this struggle

From: A. Papazian

Turkey offers Armenia to join regional project

February 23, 2013 – 13:32 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Turkey has proposed that Armenia take part in its
comprehensive regional transportation project linking Europe to Asia,
in case of progress in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement,
Hürriyet Daily News reported.
`We are trying to stir up the OSCE Minsk Group for the solution of the
Karabakh problem. We introduced the Integrated Transportation
Corridors Project to the Minsk Group in November 2012. This project is
to be implemented in peace time, after the Karabakh conflict is
settled,’ Turkish diplomatic sources told the HDN. `We are proposing
full normalization of Turkey-Armenia and Armenia-Azerbaijan ties.’
The proposed transportation project has two stages. On the one hand,
it is focused on linking Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russian
Federation through fixing unused railways and building new ones. Along
with the Kars-Tbilisi-Baku railway project that is expected to be
concluded by the end of this year, the Turkey-Armenia railway may be
reopened after just a minor rehabilitation. Parallel to the railway, a
new modern highway is also being considered to further increase trade
and human traffic between the two countries.
`Obviously, we are also planning to build new logistical centers and
residential areas, as well as mass housing projects along these routes
to create a new regional hub,’ sources stressed. `The only objective
of this project is to create an economic pick-up in the region, for
the advantage of all countries and for the prosperity of their
people.’
Sources say Azerbaijan has been informed about the project.
Armenia, however, has so far remained cool to the idea, they say.

From: A. Papazian

ABOUT 5,000 PROTESTERS IN ARMENIA CONTEST INCUMBENT’S VICTORY IN PRESIDENTIAL VOTE

Windsor Star, Ont. Canada
Feb 21 2013

YEREVAN, Armenia – About 5,000 supporters of a presidential candidate
in Armenia, who has lost to the incumbent, have protested the election
results.

President Serge Sarkisian easily won a second five-year term in
Monday’s vote, getting nearly 59 per cent of the vote. The closest
of his six rivals, American-born Raffi Hovanessian, polled 37 per cent.

Hovanessian, Armenia’s first foreign minister after the 1991 collapse
of the Soviet Union, has called the election unfair and rigged,
and declared himself the genuine winner.

On Wednesday, about 5,000 of his supporters gathered in the capital
to back Hovanessian’s demands. Hovanessian challenged the incumbent
to come to the square in Yerevan, and some of his followers pledged
to remain there through the night.

International monitors said the election “lacked competition,” but
noted improvements compared to the previous poll.

From: A. Papazian

US CONCERNED BY ‘SERIOUS VIOLATIONS’ IN ARMENIAN VOTE .

The Sunday Times Sri Lanka
Feb 21 2013

Thursday, 21 February 2013 11:24 .WASHINGTON, Feb 20, 2013 (AFP) –
The United States voiced concern Wednesday over “serious violations”
in Armenia’s electoral process after President Serzh Sarkisian was
re-elected.

Thousands of opposition supporters rallied in the Armenian capital
earlier against Sarkisian’s victory in elections seen as a crucial
democratic test for the former Soviet state.

“We agree with the findings that while election day was calm and
orderly, it was marked by undue interference in the process, mainly
by proxies representing the incumbent, and some serious violations,
including cases of pressure on voters,” Nuland said.

Observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly said the election was
an improvement on past polls but lacked real competition after two
leading candidates pulled out late last year.

The United States shares those concerns over “a lack of impartiality on
the part of the public administration and the misuse of administrative
resources that resulted in a blurred distinction between the activities
of the state and those of the ruling party,” Nuland said.

Sarkisian won Monday’s elections with 58.64% of the votes against his
top challenger Raffi Hovannisian’s 36.75%, according to the central
election commission.

“We urge law enforcement officials to investigate and to take
appropriate action in response to credible reporting of election
violations, and we call on all parties to remain calm in this
post-election period and to exercise restraint in their actions,”
Nuland said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN SOLDIER KILLED NEAR KARABAKH: SEPARATISTS

Agence France Presse
February 20, 2013 Wednesday 12:18 PM GMT

Azerbaijani forces killed an Armenian soldier in the latest deadly
clash near breakaway Nagorny Karabakh, the separatist region’s defence
ministry said Wednesday.

“Conscript Gor Kazaruyan, 21, was shot dead by enemy fire” on Tuesday
at the Karabakh frontline’s north-eastern sector, Karabakh’s defence
ministry said in a statement.

Last year, 15 people from both sides were reported to have been
killed amid clashes between Armenian and Azerbaijani troops along
their border and in the disputed region of Nagorny Karabakh.

Armenia-backed separatists seized Karabakh from Azerbaijan in a war
in the 1990s that left some 30,000 dead, and no final peace deal has
been signed since the ceasefire.

Azerbaijan has threatened to take back the disputed region by force
if negotiations do not yield results, while Armenia has vowed massive
retaliation against any military action.

mkh-im/sjw/jz

From: A. Papazian

RAFFI HOVANNISIAN CORRECTED HIS MISTAKE

20:26 21/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

Raffi Hovannisian stated today on Freedom Square, “Today power is in
your hands, you know?” Raffi Hovannisian said. Several hundreds of
demonstrators cheered him. Nikol Pashinyan is on the square.

Raffi Hovannisian said he accepted Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation,
Hrant Bagratyan’s appeal and people’s demand and met with Serzh
Sargsyan. He promised to tell about the details of his meeting with
Sargsyan tomorrow. He said he wants to correct “their” mistake and
will go for open conversations.

“I telephoned Mr. Sargsyan’s spokesman and told him to correct the
mistake, we initially support public, open, accountable debates. And
tomorrow at Freedom Square, which defies political parties and
fragmentation, we’ll have a rally. I will take the floor and, more
importantly, the citizen of Armenia will take the floor,” Raffi
Hovannisian stated.

He noted that people who have never come here will come up and account
to people.

Raffi asked not to chant his name. “I don’t want to hear that.

Those days are gone,” Raffi Hovannisian said, noting that it was old
Armenia, now we have new Armenia.

From: A. Papazian

RAFFI HOVHANNISIAN: IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE AUTHORITIES HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO CORRECT THEIR MISTAKES

ARMINFO
Thursday, February 21, 19:19

Today I met with President Serzh Sargsyan on his invitation, on the
initiative of ex Premier Hrant Bagratyan and on your request. I will
give you the details tomorrow but one thing is already obvious –
the authorities have begun to correct their mistakes, the runner-off
in the past presidential race, the leader of Heritage Party Raffi
Hovhannisian told his supporters in Liberty Square on Thursday.

The rally of Hovhannisian’s supporters was not sanctioned by the
Yerevan Municipality. It was the day of the Republican Party but the
latter put off its rally so as to avoid clashes. Hovhannisian said
that he was ready to wait until a colonel appeared in the square to
tell him that the rally was unconstitutional.

From: A. Papazian