Author: Andres-Papazian

AZERBAIJANI MP: ARMENIA HARMS ITSELF BY GUILE

Trend
July 23 2012
Azerbaijan

Delaying the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement,
Armenia is trying to gain time. But Armenia harms itself by guile,
Deputy Executive Secretary of the Azerbaijani ruling party, MP Mubariz
Gurbanli said in an interview with ruling New Azerbaijan Party today.

“Armenia wants to lead the negotiation process to a standstill by
using certain maneuvers,” he said. “However, when the Azerbaijani
side puts forward real proposals, Armenians has no arguments.”

He said that Armenia is doing everything possible to slow down the
negotiation process.

“For example, the construction and an attempt to put into operation
the airport in Khankendi is another provocation,” he said. “This land
is not ownerless. It belongs to Azerbaijan. Armenia has occupied it.

Therefore, Armenia is responsible for all the provocations and
incidents in the occupied territories.”

Creating the puppet regime in the occupied territories and holding
the so-called “elections” there are also provocations, he said.

Gurbanli added that the so-called “presidential elections” in
Nagorno-Karabakh have been recognized by neither Azerbaijan nor
international organizations.

“Holding such “elections” is an attempt to conceal the separatist
nature of the puppet regime in the occupied territories,” he added.

From: A. Papazian

TURKISH TRABZON PORT ALREADY USED FOR ARMENIAN CARGOS

news.am
July 24, 2012 | 00:11

YEREVAN. – The Trabzon port is actually used for cargos sent
to and received from Armenia, head of the Cooperation improving
Armenian-Turkish relations program, Union of Industrialists and
Entrepreneurs of Armenia Arthur Ghazaryan told Armenian News-NEWS.am
adding the port can be used in future as well.

Ghazaryan said that the Trabzon port in Turkey serves as a real
alternative to the Poti in Georgia.

“On average, one transit to Russia, Europe or somewhere else costs
about $600 cheaper via Trabzon than via Poti,” he added.

Besides, cargo transportation via Trabzon may become steady rout
and the Armenian side will work in that direction to increase the
cargo transportation.

As the agency informed earlier, the head of Turkish Trabzon port
stated that the port is ready to serve cargos sent to and received
from Armenia. If the Turkish government agrees it will be easier to
execute cargo transfers of Armenia through the port.

From: A. Papazian

CRIMINAL CASE ON SERVICEMAN DEATH IN ARMENIA OVER

NEWS.AM
July 23, 2012 | 18:51

YEREVAN. – Pre-investigation period of Armenian serviceman Hayk
Khachatryan, who died of chickenpox on Dec. 30 last year in Yerevan
infection hospital, was over on July 19.

According to the investigation, two doctors, including Minas Lazarian
and Armenian Armed Forces chief surgeon Mikael Mikaelyan are charged
for negligent treatment, which caused considerable damage, the Vanadzor
Office of Helsinki Civil Assembly informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.

The attorney of Khachatryan’s successor Mushegh Shushanyan, however,
claims that charges brought against the accused do not reflect the
proofs revealed by the case. Besides, there are people who were not
engaged in the case and for which in fact there are enough proofs. As a
matter of fact, the investigative body offers such charges for people
accused in the death of the serviceman, which may be assessed as a
sponsorship and concealing the criminal case.

From: A. Papazian

MEMBER OF VITALY BALASANYAN’S CAMPAIGN OFFICE: PAST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH WAS FREE BUT NOT FAIR

arminfo
Monday, July 23, 18:14

The past presidential election in Nagorno- Karabakh was free but not
fair, Hayk Khanumyan, Chairman of the European Movement of Artsakh,
member of the campaign office of candidate for Nagorno-Karabakh
president Vitaly Balasanyan, told journalists on Monday.

He said that administrative resources were decisive during the voting:
in villages where Balasanyan had proxies he won while in villages
where he had no proxies he received no votes at all.

“Many people were afraid of attending Balasanyan’s meetings while
those who voted for him took a risk – for there has been no opposition
in Nagorno-Karabakh since 2007. Balasanyan’s 33% has proved that
our people are ready to have opposition. Today we are forming an
opposition force, which will certainly run for the parliament in 2015,”
Khanumyan said.

The winner of the July 19 presidential election was incumbent President
of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan (66.7% of the votes).

Balasanyan secured 32.5%. The turnover was 73.38%.

From: A. Papazian

RESIDENTS OF ARMENIA SUFFER FROM FATIGUE – CONSUMERS’ ASSOCIATION HEAD

news.am
July 23, 2012 | 12:32

YEREVAN. – Around 70-75 percent of Armenia’s population does not go
on vacation, and this is a result of dire socioeconomic condition,
whereas 2-5 percent rests at the homes of friends and relatives,
Armenian National Association of Consumers President Melita Hakobyan
said during a press conference on Monday, presenting the results of
their survey.

“The socioeconomic conditions are more difficult [now] than they
were several years ago. Who makes use of external, or even perhaps
domestic, tourism? Who is vacationing in [Armenia’s] Tsaghkadzor
[city], [Lake] Sevan, or in Jermuk [city]? They ask for unreasonable
prices,” she noted.

In Hakobyan’s words, Armenia’s domestic tourism needs to be affordable
at least for the Armenians. According to her, the local population’s
maximum 20 percent is able to make use of these services, and solely
1-2 percent can go on vacation several times during the year.

And as a result, as per Melita Hakobyan, the residents of Armenia
suffer from fatigue.

From: A. Papazian

BAKO SAHAKYAN: THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS MARKED A NEW VICTORY ON THE PATH OF BUILDING A LEGAL STATE

armradio.am
23.07.2012 17:47

NKR President Bako Sahakyan issued an address in connection with the
July 19 Presidential elections. The message reads, in part:

“Dear compatriots,

The 5th presidential elections in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic
have become fait accompli. These elections marked a new victory
on the path of building a legal state and realizing our national
aspirations. They are another manifestation of the nation’s high civil
stance and wisdom. The people of Artsakh once again reconfirmed their
adherence to international norms and standards, their irreversible
determination to build a free, independent and fair state.

I express deep gratitude to citizens of Artsakh for participating in
the elections, to my supporters who entrusted high confidence in me
as well as those who voted for the other presidential candidates. For
me there is no greater and binding power than my nation’s confidence
in and responsibility for our country’s future. We are ready and
resolute in carving this future.

I also express my gratitude to international observers who have
arrived in our country for monitoring the elections and qualified
it as corresponding to international standards, free, fair and
transparent. Their opinions, evaluations and recommendations are of
utmost importance for the development of our state and its democratic
institutions.

During the last five years much work has been done in our country,
nevertheless, a lot still has to be done. We will be consistent in
solving the existing problems, eliminating drawbacks and shortcomings.

Everything possible will be done to develop and strengthen our state,
raise the fighting efficiency of the Defense Army, increase the living
standards of our people, expand and deepen the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora
trinity. I am confident that with joint efforts we will be able to
accomplish our national goals and aspirations and record new victories.

Let us keep working for the sake of Artsakh, for the sake of our
future.”

From: A. Papazian

RUSSIAN POLITICAL SCIENTIST IS CONVINCED AZERBAIJAN IS NOT READY FOR THE RESUMPTION OF WAR

ARMENPRESS
23 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 23, ARMENPRESS: The Republic of Armenia and its Armed
Forces hold a serious attitude towards Azerbaijani diversion attacks.

CIS countries Caucasus Institute senior specialist Mikhail Aleksandrov
had a briefing with the journalists on July 23.

“Taking into account the possibilities and the relationship
between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Azerbaijan will not dare to initiate
large-scale operations in Karabakh: as they are not ready to war. In
the words of the interlocutor Azerbaijani bellicose statements are
just aimed at concessions from Armenia in the frame of the negotiation
process.

Black Sea-Caspian region and Social Research Institute political
scientist Andrey Areshev called the actions in Armenian-Azerbaijani
and Karabakh-Azeri border diversion attacks and stated the attempts
must be ongoing in the future.

“It is not accidental that these attacks overlapped with the visit
of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The military balance in
the border is being safeguarded” political scientist noted.

Speaking about political weapons sold by Russia to Azerbaijan the
political scientist noted that selling weapons to Azerbaijan by Russia
is one of the priorities of RF policy. I do not exclude the involvement
of western countries in providing armament to Azerbaijan. Armenia is
nearer to us, is our partner” Areshov noted.

The political scientist noted that the possibilities of reunification
of the two countries has become greater.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA’S CAPITAL TO HOST WORLD TOURISM LEADERS – MINISTER OF ECONOMY

news.am
July 23, 2012 | 15:00

YEREVAN. – For the first time Armenia’s capital city Yerevan will
become the venue for a conference, which will be convened under the
auspices of United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), on
October 18-19, Economy Minister Tigran Davtyan said during a press
conference on Monday.

The event will bring together the ministers from the world’s tourism
organizations. As per Davtyan, this is an unprecedented format for
Armenia.

Also, the CIS countries’ tourism ministers will hold a meeting along
the lines of this conference.

In his turn, Armenia’s Deputy Economy Minister Ara Petrosyan noted
that the conference discussant will also adopt the Yerevan Declaration,
whereby this event will enter history.

The conference is entitled “Universal Values and Cultural Diversity
in the 21st Century.”

From: A. Papazian

Florida Times-Union, FL
July 22 2012

Book Review: ‘Sandcastle Girls’ a story of love, world history and the
human condition

Connection with the characters makes epic journey worth the trip

By Brandy Hilboldt Allport

In this novel told through flashbacks that range from 1915 to 2012,
author Chris Bohjalian relates a story of love, world history and the
human condition. These topics give birth to words on book jacket
blurbs such as `spell binding,’ `sweeping’ and `epic.’ Such labels and
the literary concepts themselves are often too big. Readers of these
tales can never make an intimate connection with the characters or
find purchase to hang on for the journey. This is decidedly not the
case in `The Sandcastle Girls.’

Bohjalian deftly widens a telescopic lens to encompass the `Meds
Yeghern,’ or `Great Calamity’ of the Armenian genocide and then
narrows it so that readers focus on the characters and join them in
their passage through the story.

First, there is Laura Petrosian, a novelist who lives in the suburbs
of New York. She decides to research the history of her Armenian
heritage to make sense of her grandparents’ past. It is a past, into
which she has vivid but disjointed glimpses. Laura uncovers a family
secret during her research. Next, there is Petrosian’s grandmother,
Elizabeth. It is around Elizabeth’s humanitarian efforts that the
flashbacks to 1915 revolve. Elizabeth, a Mount Holyoke College
graduate travels with her father to Aleppo, Syria, on behalf of the
Boston-based Friends of Armenia. Elizabeth soon meets Armen, an
engineer who has lost his wife and daughter. Because of Bohjalian’s
writing style, which never rings a false note as it moves from
present-day New York to the tragedy of World War I, his characters are
as real as our own relatives. The well-researched history that forms
the background informs, intrigues and enchants – even as recollections
of horror mount.

Chris Bohjalian lives in Vermont with his wife and daughter.
`Sandcastle’ is his 15th book. His titles include New York Times
best-sellers `The Double Bind,’ `The Night Strangers’ and `Skeletons
at the Feast.’ His novel, `Midwives,’ garnered the No. 1 spot on the
New York Times list and was an Oprah’s Book Club selection.

From: A. Papazian

Today’s Zaman,
July 22 2012

Elections in Nagorno-Karabakh Deteriorate Turkish-Armenian Ties

Sunday, 22 July 2012 10:56 .

Armenia has lambasted an official statement from Turkey criticizing
Thursday’s so-called presidential elections in Nagorno-Karabakh, a
disputed territory between Azerbaijan and Armenia whose status has not
been determined in terms of international law, in a move further
deteriorating already soured relations between the two neighboring
countries.

Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan responded harshly
to a statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry on Thursday, election
day in the de facto independent region which is only recognized by
Armenia, saying that Turkey has no right to declare any opinion over
the region, the status of which is still undetermined under the
mandate of international initiatives, including the UN Security
Council and the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE).

`If Turkey really cares about Azerbaijan’s interests, it should teach
Azerbaijan how democratic elections are held and how a democracy
should be constituted in Nagorno-Karabakh,’ Kocharyan stated in an
official statement released on Thursday. He further deplored Turkey
for its policy on the Cyprus issue, stating, `Instead of giving us
lessons [on international law], Turkey should withdraw its military
mission from North Cyprus under Turkish occupation.’

In an official statement on Wednesday, the Turkish Foreign Ministry
maintained that such elections would be a clear violation of UN
Security Council resolutions and OSCE principles, asserting that these
are `just another new example of efforts to unilaterally legitimize
the status quo going against international law’ in the disputed
region.

`Being undeterred in continuing its efforts for a … normalization in
the region in parallel to the maintenance of initiatives to resolve
the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute on different platforms, Turkey deplores
this action [the elections], which means a new sort of violation of
Azerbaijan’s political independence, sovereignty and territorial
integrity,’ the statement further emphasized.

Meanwhile, the EU also has not hesitated in repudiating the so-called
`presidential elections’ in the disputed region.

`These `elections’ should not prejudice the determination of the
future status of Nagorno-Karabakh in the negotiated general framework
of the peaceful settlement of the conflict. I recall the EU’s firm
support for the OSCE Minsk Group … aimed at a peaceful resolution of
the conflict,’ Catherine Ashton, the EU’s foreign policy chief, said
in an official statement released on Thursday.

Although there have been efforts to resolve the dispute through the
Minsk Group, an OSCE initiative that was established in 1992 to help
resolve the dispute, no progress from the group’s efforts has been
reported so far. The territory is internationally recognized as part
of Azerbaijan, but it is under the control of a de facto independent,
but unrecognized, Armenia-backed government. The Nagorno-Karabakh
dispute between Armenia and Azerbaijan turned into a war after the
Armenian invasion in 1991. A cease-fire that persists to this day was
declared in 1994. Supporting its strategic ally Azerbaijan, Turkey
closed its borders with Armenia in an effort to pressure Armenia to
respect the borders of its neighbors.

Turkey also has its own long-standing bilateral problems with Armenia
over its claims that the 1915 killings of Armenians during World War I
at the hands of the Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide. The issue
resurfaced after the administration of former French President Nicolas
Sarkozy issued a bill to make it a crime to deny the Armenian claims
of genocide, which was later deemed unconstitutional by the French
Constitutional Council.

From: A. Papazian