Author: Andres-Papazian

THE HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT’S REACTIONS TO THE SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED RELEASE OF RAMIL SAHIB SAFAROV BY AZERI AUTHORITIES

Prime Minister’s Office
Sept 4 2012
Hungary

Prime Minister Viktor Orban emphasised on Monday that Hungary complied
with international regulations regarding Ramil Sahib Safarov’s transfer
to Azerbaijan. He added that the rules of international law are shaped
openly and not on the basis of secret agreements.

Regarding the sudden and unexpected release of Safarov by Azeri
authorities on Friday, the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and Ministry of Public Administration and Justice released a joint
statement emphasising that Safarov’s transfer was prepared and carried
out by Hungary transparently and in accordance with international law.

Hungary expects the same approach from its international partners
the statement added, also underlining the country’s profound respect
for Armenia.

Following the international outcry of Armenians, Parliamentary State
Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Nemeth asked
Vilayat Guliyev, Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Hungary to his office to
inform him about the position of the Hungarian Government and handed
over a diplomatic note to the Ambassador. The diplomatic note stated
that Azerbaijan’s actions were in sharp contrast with the assurance
received earlier from the Deputy Minister of Justice of the Republic of
Azerbaijan in his letter of 15 August 2012, addressed to the Ministry
of Public Administration and Justice of Hungary. In this letter the
Republic of Azerbaijan, quoting the relevant international Convention,
undertook that the sentenced person will serve the remaining part of
his prison sentence in the Republic of Azerbaijan and may be released
on conditional parole only after he has served at least 25 years of
his sentence.

State Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations
Peter Szijjarto in several television and radio interviews informed
the public that every aspect of the transfer was in accordance with
the 1983 Strasbourg Convention and was a transparent procedure. He
denied every allegation indicating that the case was influenced by
energy relations between Hungary and Azerbaijan.

(Prime Minister’s Office)

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN PREPARING FOR WAR, KARABAKH WAR HERO SAYS

tert.am
04.09.12

Artsakh war hero, General-Mayor Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan (Commandos)
is convinced that Safarov’s extradition was the first step of the
operation worked out by Azerbaijan.

“Analyzing what has happened, I understand that Azerbaijan is preparing
for war. As a military figure I feel the smell of gunpowder,” he told
the reporters today.

The Commandos believes Turkey is also participating in Azerbaijan’s
intention. “Azerbaijan, Hungary and Turkey have made their planned
step. It is impossible for Turkey not be aware of the operation as
Azerbaijan and Turkey have signed an agreement on October 29, 2011
which has committed Azerbaijan not to make any step without Turkey’s
awareness,” he said.

Arkady Ter-Tadevosyan is convinced that these two brothers are already
thinking over the second step. “With the following step they will
try to solve few issues on the basis of military laws. Azerbaijan
has an army, but the state does not have reputation. With this step
Aliyev says – I have given a promise and I have kept it. It has
raised Aliyev’s reputation. Now he is preparing the people for the
NKR conflict settlement,” he said.

Commandos did not exclude that Azerbaijan will kill Safarov with the
hands of an Armenian, to show the international community and its
people that “an Armenian person killed our hero.”

“We should make a sharp step. We should recognize Nagorno Karabakh’s
independence. We should tell the international community that we will
not give Karabakh to a state making an axe-killer a hero,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA CAN OFFICIALLY RECOGNIZE THE REPUBLIC OF NAGORNO KARABAKH
Ilya Pitalev

RIA Novosti
09/04/2012
Yerevan

Minsk Group on Nagorno-Karabakh settlement calls for strengthening
the ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan Azerbaijan and Armenia
are blaming each other for the death of soldiers in Nagorno Karabakh
Multimedia Graphic Journey to the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh

Armenia’s parliament will consider the draft law “On the recognition
of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabakh “, reported the press office of
the fraction” Heritage “, developer of the Act.

If the law is adopted and enters into force, will mean legal
recognition by Armenia of the self-proclaimed Republic of
Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory with a population of Armenian majority
disputed by Azerbaijan.

The Armenian side maintains that the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh
meets all requirements set by international law to be recognized as
a sovereign state.

Armenia and Azerbaijan for over two decades faced by Nagorno-Karabakh,
which in 1988 was separated from the then Soviet Socialist Republic
of Azerbaijan for three years later proclaim independence.

The secession led to a war between Baku and Yerevan, which lasted
until May 1994 as a result of which Azerbaijan lost control over
Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding districts.

Since 1992, the Karabakh settlement is being negotiated in the
framework of the Minsk Group of the OSCE co-chaired by the U.S., France
and Russia. Azerbaijan insists restore its territorial integrity and
Armenia defends the interests of the rebel republic of Karabakh is
not part of the negotiating process.

Relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan have just suffered a further
deterioration of the so called “Safarov case.”

Lieutenant Ramil Safarov Azerbaijani , sentenced to life imprisonment
for the murder of Armenian military Gurguen Margarian, in 2004, was
pardoned just inside the homeland after being extradited from Hungary,
where he committed the crime.

President of Armenia, Serzh Sargsyan, described the decision
grave error of Hungary and accused of agreeing to a compromise with
Azerbaijan. According to the press, Azerbaijan plans to invest up to
three billion euros in sovereign bond purchases in Hungary.

From: A. Papazian

HUNGARY MUST DEMAND SAFAROV’S RETURN – FIRST SPEAKER OF SLOVAK NATIONAL COUNCIL

news.am
September 04, 2012 | 12:45

Hungary must immediately demand from Azerbaijan to return Ramil
Safarov, states Slovak National Council’s First Speaker FrantiÅ¡ek
MikloÅ¡ko’s statement, which is publicized by the Forum of Armenian
Associations of Europe Press Secretariat.

“Sadly, today’s Hungarian government decided to change justice with
petrodollars and returned the criminal to Azerbaijan.

[Yet] I believe it is not yet too late for Hungary to at least
partially correct its mistake and demand Safarov’s return by Azerbaijan
and to return him to Hungarian prison.

The Armenian government severed its diplomatic ties with Hungary by
stating that such actions will slow down and even stop the settlement
of the [Nagorno-] Karabakh [peace] process.

Those who have been to Karabakh understand very well that it is
suffice to insert Nagorno-Karabakh into Azerbaijan for just one day
and its 160,000 citizens would be killed, and the rest of the European
countries might turn a blind eye thanks to petrodollars.

Today it is necessary for Hungary to immediately demand from Azerbaijan
to return Ramil Safarov because of not carrying out the arrangements,
and the European states need to ultimately comprehend that the
acceptance of Karabakh’s independence is the sole unique guarantee so
that similar incidents will no longer repeat,” FrantiÅ¡ek MikloÅ¡ko
noted in his statement.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant
in the Azerbaijani military, was extradited on August 31 from Hungary,
where he was serving a life sentence–and with no expression of
either regret or remorse–for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership
for Peace program in Budapest back in 2004.

As expected, Ramil Safarov’s return to Baku was welcomed, as was
his act of murder, by the officials of president Ilham Aliyev’s
government and much of Azerbaijani society, and the Azerbaijani
president immediately granted him a pardon.

And Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31 that
Armenia is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA AND ARGENTINA TO COOPERATE IN THE FIELD OF SPORT

ARMENPRESS
4 September, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: Armenian Foreign Affair Minister
Edward Nalbandyan and Argentine Minister of Foreign Relations Hector
Marcos Timerman in an official visit to Yerevan had a meeting on
September 4. As Foreign Affair Ministry’s information and public
relations department told Armenpress, Nalbandyan welcoming the quest
stated ” Current year we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of
establishment diplomatic relations between Armenia and Argentina. We
had registered intensive contacts with Argentina within the course
of those years. We attach great importance to the development of
cooperation between Argentina , the opening of first Armenian Embassy
within Latin America in Argentina comes to prove this. Argentina was
the first Latin American country with which we have abolished the
visa regime. In its turn Argentine Embassy in Armenia was the first
in South Caucasus. Two dozens of documents were signed between the
two countries; Argentina is one of the major investors in Armenia”.

Expressing his gratitude for the warm welcome and invitation to
visit Armenia, Minister Timerman said that Argentina wants to deepen
friendly cooperation with Armenia and raise the level of interstate
already existing cooperation. After the meeting the Ministers signed an
agreement between Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs of the Republic
of Argentina and Sports Secretariat of the Argentine Republic on
cooperation in the field of sports. The top diplomats later on came
forth with joint press conference.

From: A. Papazian

REACTIONS OF HUNGARIAN GOVERNMENT TO THE SUDDEN RELEASE OF SAFAROV BY AZERI AUTHORITIES

ARMENPRESS
4 September, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: Prime Minister Viktor Orban
emphasised on Monday that Hungary complied with international
regulations regarding Ramil Sahib Safarov’s transfer to Azerbaijan. He
added that the rules of international law are shaped openly and not
on the basis of secret agreements. AS Armenpress reports citing
XPATLOOP.com, regarding the sudden and unexpected release of
Safarov by Azeri authorities on Friday, the Hungarian Ministry of
Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Public Administration and Justice
released a joint statement emphasising that Safarov’s transfer was
prepared and carried out by Hungary transparently and in accordance
with international law. Hungary expects the same approach from its
international partners the statement added, also underlining the
country’s profound respect for Armenia. Following the international
outcry of Armenians, Parliamentary State Secretary of the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Nemeth asked Vilayat Guliyev, Azerbaijan’s
Ambassador to Hungary to his office to inform him about the position
of the Hungarian Government and handed over a diplomatic note to the
Ambassador. The diplomatic note stated that Azerbaijan’s actions were
in sharp contrast with the assurance received earlier from the Deputy
Minister of Justice of the Republic of Azerbaijan in his letter of 15
August 2012, addressed to the Ministry of Public Administration and
Justice of Hungary. In this letter the Republic of Azerbaijan, quoting
the relevant international Convention, undertook that the sentenced
person will serve the remaining part of his prison sentence in the
Republic of Azerbaijan and may be released on conditional parole
only after he has served at least 25 years of his sentence. State
Secretary for Foreign Affairs and External Economic Relations Peter
Szijjarto in several television and radio interviews informed the
public that every aspect of the transfer was in accordance with the
1983 Strasbourg Convention and was a transparent procedure. He denied
every allegation indicating that the case was influenced by energy
relations between Hungary and Azerbaijan.

Viewed 272 times

From: A. Papazian

POLISH AID FOR A REMOTE VILLAGE IN SYUNIK

ARMENPRESS
4 September, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 4, ARMENPRESS: Ambassador of the Republic of
Poland to Armenia Zdzislaw Raczynski on the occasion of September
1 participated in the opening ceremony of a remodeled school in
Harzhis village of Syunik region. Ambassador was accompanied with
the Vice-Governor of Syunik region Ara Doluntz.

Armenpress was informed from Polish Embassy that it is already two
years that the program of Polish aid helps to renovate and equip
Harzhis secondary school. The overall sum of the aid is 25000 Euro.

This year five classrooms and a teachers’ room were remodeled, while
five other classrooms were repaired and equipped with school tables
and chairs. The aid for the school will be ongoing, while Polish aid
program will try to expand.

In the framework of aid to this remote village Polish Embassy to
Armenia presented a cooling tank for milk to the local residents.

Another exiting project that the Polish aid program is implementing
in Harzhis village is a tourist one. This year a tourist path is
being built from the village to Tatev monastery which is a marvelous
tourist sight.

Harzhis is a remote village in Syunik region with 831 residents. It is
one of the oldest villages of Syunik. People here are mainly involved
in agricultural activities.

From: A. Papazian

L’ARMENIE PRETE A LA GUERRE CONTRE L’AZERBAIDJAN
Ara

armenews.com
mardi 4 septembre 2012

EREVAN, 03 sept 2012 – L’Armenie a averti lundi etre prete a la
“guerre” contre l’Azerbaïdjan, dans un climat de vives tensions
entre ces deux pays depuis que Bakou a gracie et promu un officier
azerbaïdjanais condamne a la perpetuite pour avoir decapite un
militaire armenien.

“Nous ne voulons pas la guerre, mais si nous y sommes contraints, nous
nous battrons et nous gagnerons”, a declare le president armenien,
Serge Sarkissian, dans un communique diffuse lundi sur son site
internet.

Le president azerbaïdjanais Ilham Aliev a gracie Ramil Safarov dès
son retour au pays vendredi, après son extradition de Hongrie où il
purgeait une peine de prison a perpetuite pour le meurtre commis en
2004 dans ce pays.

Accueilli en heros, Ramil Safarov a en outre ete promu au grade de
commandant, recu une maison et obtenu le versement de son salaire pour
les huit annees qu’il a passees en Hongrie, en depit d’assurances
donnees par Bakou a Budapest selon lesquelles l’officier purgerait
sa peine en Azerbaïdjan.

M. Sarkissian a denonce l’Azerbaïdjan comme etant “un pays où l’on
ordonne illegalement de remettre en liberte et où l’on glorifie
publiquement n’importe quel bâtard qui a tue des gens simplement
parce qu’ils sont Armeniens”.

Bakou a de son côte accuse Erevan de lancer une serie de cyber-attaques
contre huit sites internet azerbaïdjanais, dont ceux du president,
sur lesquels ont notamment parfois ete postes des photos du militaire
armenien tue. “Le fait meme qu’il soit procede a une telle action
montre l’impuissance d’Erevan, c’est la tactique des faibles”, a reagi
dans un communique Elnur Aslanov, un representant de l’administration
presidentielle azerbaïdjanaise.

Ramil Safarov avait decapite Gourgen Margarian dans son sommeil, au
cours d’un stage organise a Budapest par l’Otan pour des militaires
originaires des pays de l’ex-URSS. A la suite de son extradition,
l’Armenie a annonce suspendre ses relations diplomatiques avec
la Hongrie. Et, dimanche, le gouvernement hongrois a convoque
l’ambassadeur d’Azerbaïdjan pour protester contre cette grâce
“inacceptable”.

La Russie, membre du Groupe de Minsk qui mène des negociations de
mediation pour trouver une issue au conflit du Haut-Karabakh que
se disputent l’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan, a fait part lundi de sa
“profonde preoccupation” concernant l’extradition de Ramil Safarov
et la grâce lui ayant ete accordee.

“Nous pensons que les actions des Azerbaïdjanais aussi bien que celles
des autorites hongroises vont a l’encontre des efforts effectues
au niveau international, avant tout a travers le Groupe de Minsk de
l’OSCE (Etats-Unis, France, Russie), pour apaiser les tensions dans
la region”, a declare le porte-parole du ministère russe des Affaires
etrangères, Alexandre Loukachevitch, dans un communique.

“La France, fortement engagee comme les autres copresidents du
groupe de Minsk en faveur d’une solution pacifique au conflit du
Haut-Karabagh, considère que cette decision risque de nuire gravement
aux efforts de negociation et a l’etablissement d’un climat de
confiance entre les parties”, a declare un porte-parole du ministère
des Affaires etrangères.

Le Groupe de Minsk a, quant a lui, exprime sa “profonde inquietude et
ses profonds regrets pour les dommages que la grâce et toute tentative
de glorifier le crime ont causes au processus de paix”. Il a ajoute
qu’il n’y avait “pas d’autre option qu’un règlement pacifique du
conflit du Nagorny-Karabakh”.

Dans un communique, le chef de la diplomatie europeenne, Catherine
Ashton, et le commissaire charge de la politique europeenne de
voisinage, Stefan Fule, se sont dits “preoccupes”, ajoutant que les
responsables de l’UE etaient “en contact avec les autorites competentes
et suivaient de près la situation”. “Dans l’interet de la stabilite
regionale et des efforts de reconciliation”, Mme Ashton et M. Fule
“reitèrent leur appel a la retenue auprès de l’Azerbaïdjan et de
l’Armenie, sur le terrain comme dans leurs declarations publiques,
afin d’eviter une escalade”. Le president americain, Barack Obama,
s’etait pour sa part declare vendredi “très preoccupe” par la decision
de Bakou de gracier cet officier.

L’Armenie et l’Azerbaïdjan se disputent depuis des annees le contrôle
du Nagorny Karabakh. Rattachee a l’Azerbaïdjan pendant la periode
sovietique, cette region a proclame son independance, non reconnue
par la communaute internationale, après une guerre qui a fait 30.000
morts et des centaines de milliers de refugies entre 1988 et 1994.

Un cessez-le-feu a ete signe en 1994, mais Bakou et Erevan n’arrivent
pas a se mettre d’accord sur le statut de la region.

From: A. Papazian

UNIQUE MEMORIAL DANCE TO BENEFIT DAGLEY CHILDREN
by Tom Vartabedian

September 4, 2012

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-It’s being called an event with an extreme purpose.

The late Rev. Haroutiun (Randy) Dagley and his wife Yeretsgin Patty
(Sarkisian) Dagley with their two children, Sona and Sarkis, during
happier times.

Members of the Greater Boston community and beyond will gather for
a memorial dance to benefit two children who were left parentless
after subsequent deaths over the past decade.

The loss of Rev. Haroutiun (Randy) Dagley and his beloved Yeretskin
Patty (Sarkisian) to unrelated illnesses left a distinct void in the
Armenian church. Among the immediate survivors were their two children,
Sona and Sarkis, now 18 and 14, respectively.

A cadre of 12 musicians, including some of the finest performers in
New England, will come together and donate their services this month,
the proceeds of which will benefit the wellbeing and future education
of the Dagley children. A general fund was established on their behalf
at the time of Der Haroutiun’s death in 2002.

The extravaganza will take place on Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at Holy
Trinity Armenian Church, on 145 Brattle St. in Cambridge. Tickets
are $35 and may be purchased in advance or at the door. For further
details, please call Becky Megerdichian at (617) 576-3398 or e-mail
[email protected].

Among those volunteering their time are the Arzigian brothers (Bobby
and Johnny), Jay Baronian, Mark DerMugrditchian, Leon Janikian,
Greg Krikorian, Kenny Kalajian, Joe Kouyoumjian, Kevin Margarian,
Leon Manoogian, Bobby Raphaelian, and Greg Takvorian. Not one is
charging a dime.

The idea for such an all-out benefit was conceived by Becky
Megerdichian following her brother’s death. When Der Haroutiun’s wife
passed on seven years later, she became more determined than ever.

Here on this 10th anniversary, it’s become a mission for Becky
in spreading the word and getting the musicians on board playing
staggered shifts throughout the evening.

“I started talking to some of the band members who have been close to
me over the past 30 years, and all were receptive,” said Megerdichian.

“They were also dear friends with my brother.”

The performers graciously said they were here for Becky and started
to get other musicians to donate their time.

The children are living with an aunt (Sharon Dardarian) in Michigan.

Sona is starting classes at Michigan State University while Sarkis
is beginning his first year of high school.

“Both are doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances,”
added Megerdichian. “There is a very large group of friends, family,
and clergy who care deeply for the welfare of these children.”

Sona Dagley played in the band at South Lyon East High School. She
was a member of the varsity softball team, a National Honor Society
member, and attended Armenian School and Sunday School classes. Since
the age of 13, she’s been a member of the ACYOA and won an overall
women’s sportsmanship award at the annual Sports Weekend.

Her younger brother also plays in the school band, travel basketball
team, and baseball, tennis, swimming, and cross-country teams. He’s
been on the honor roll and Principal’s List every year and already
has a college in mind when he graduates in four years: It’s the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge.

Both children would have brought overwhelming pride to their parents,
especially with their roles on the altar-Sarkis as an ordained tibir
and Sona in the choir.

Der Haroutiun grew up attending Baptist and Congregational Church
Sunday Schools but became involved in the Armenian Church at age
19 when the ACYOA seniors of Sts. Vartanantz Church in Chelmsford,
Mass., were seeking help with a Sports Weekend. Later, he took part
in counseling ACYOA retreats and coached high school track and field.

Ultimately, he made a decision to pastor an Armenian church and began
working at St. James Church in Watertown as a youth director. In 1989,
he married Patricia Ann Anahid Sarkisian, and they were blessed with
two children.

After four years at St. James, he proceeded to study at the
Patriarchate of Jerusalem, after which he served as assistant pastor
of Church of Our Savior in Worcester, launching a career that lasted
just over a decade before his death.

His wife had graduated magna cum laude from Western Michigan University
in 1982 with a degree in occupational therapy. Her professional career
took her to Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, following a stint
in Chicago, and on to various school systems in Cleveland.

After being assigned to St. Gregory of Narek Armenian Church in
Richmond Heights, Ohio, she became active in the choir, organized a
Women’s Guild, taught Sunday School and Armenian dancing, and took
tremendous pride in being the wife of a priest.

Der Haroutiun’s brother Nishan followed briefly in his brother’s
steps by becoming a sub-deacon at St. Gregory Church in North Andover.

The benefit dance is expected to draw an immense crowd in what will
also act as a tribute to the family.

From: A. Papazian

EUROPEAN OR EURASIAN?: ARMENIA CONTINUES ITS SEARCH FOR FOREIGN POLICY PRIORITIES
By Naira Hayrumyan

ArmeniaNow
04.09.12 | 13:15

Political autumn came early in Armenia as the struggle of Russia and
the West over wielding more influence in Armenia began to take more
prominent features already in August.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, who paid an unscheduled visit to
Moscow on August 8, apparently agreed to Armenia joining the Eurasian
Union, a nascent Russian project widely believed to be an effort to
restore the former Soviet Union.

A real public debate is now on in Armenia over Russian President
Vladimir Putin’s proposal on the establishment of the Eurasian Union,
with advocates of the “back to the USSR” mode still failing to
provide any solid arguments for such a move. Opponents, meanwhile,
argue that the project has not even gotten off the drawing board
and debating on whether to join it or not is premature given that
no one knows exactly what it is going to be like. Still, all seem to
understand that Putin is going to take all sorts of steps to achieve
the fulfillment of his dream of collecting the peoples of the former
Soviet Union back under Russia’s roof.

One such steps may become the military exercises of the Rapid Reaction
Force (RRF) of the Russia-led Collective Security Treaty Organization
(CSTO) that was originally due to be held in Armenia on September 3-7,
with the participation of the presidents of the CSTO-member states
(Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan). Putin’s
visit was supposed to become the strongest argument in favor of
“returning to the USSR”.

But the war games were suddenly postponed for 12 days. Perhaps this is
due to the fact that Russia these days is busy holding an Asia-Pacific
Economic Cooperation summit, which also appears to be very important
for Putin. And the exercises were eventually postponed to make it more
convenient for him to pay a visit to Armenia. Meanwhile, on September
5, again with an unplanned visit, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh
Rasmussen is scheduled to visit Armenia. It is yet not known what he
might propose to the South Caucasus country.

It is remarkable that Armenia, which had planned to participate in the
summit of the recent Non-Aligned Movement in Iran at the presidential
level, at the last moment decided to send the foreign minister to
Tehran instead. And it happened after Reuters published a “preemptive”
story about Iran using Armenian banks to launder its “nuclear” money.

All these events have exacerbated the geopolitical choice for Armenia.

Where to go – west or north? Armenia does seem to have one clear
answer to this question. But apparently it will have to give only
one clear answer and do it now as it will be presidential election
time soon and the main contenders in this election are likely to be
geared to different foreign policy orientations.

The incumbent president clearly states his European orientation,
although the steps of his government on reforming the oligarchic system
do not seem quite effective to Western partners now. The West argues
that Armenia does not have enough political will. And it is not known
yet whether Western democracies will support Sargsyan’s reelection bid.

Nor is it known who is going to become Sargsyan’s main rival and
advocate of the Russian direction. Some say Armenia’s second president
Robert Kocharyan could join in the fray, but he hasn’t spoken yet
whether he is going to run for president again or not. Much is likely
to depend on Putin’s ability to convince Armenia to seek salvation
in Russia.

The developments around the extradition of Ramil Safarov, an
Azerbaijani army officer who axe-murdered a sleeping Armenian in
Hungary eight years ago and was handed over and immediately pardoned
in Azerbaijan on August 31, are being used for this purpose. The
Russian press has already published some materials claiming that the
Armenians are disappointed with European justice, the West and NATO.

But most importantly, experts who appear to be serving the interests
of Russia, began to suggest that the Safarov case requires a
retaliation. It is obvious that if the Armenian side, or someone
instead of it, provokes an incident in Karabakh and Azerbaijan
responds, Putin will have a good occasion for introducing Russian
forces or the CSTO’s RRF into Karabakh. If troops are sent to Karabakh,
it will be a strong argument in favor of the Eurasian Union.

From: A. Papazian