Author: Andres-Papazian

ANC MP SAYS HAYRAPETYAN’S STATEMENT – CROCODILE TEARS

tert.am
09.07.12

Armenian National Congress MP Lyudmila Sargsyan described the statement
of Republican party MP Ruben Hayrapetyan connected with the tragic
death of army doctor Vahe Avetyan as “crocodile tears.”

According to her, the wave of public complaint was so big that it
forced the authorities to smooth up the situation in some way. “I did
not believe in the sincerity of the statement from the very beginning
as I have noticed crocodile tears there.

The voiced statement was a serious joint statement through which
Ruben Hayrapetyan tried to present himself as a civilized person,
very concerned over the created situation,” Lyudmila Sargsyan said.

“Let me not believe in the sincerity of this statement or that
Ruben Hayrapetyan has other methods of contacting with people than
fists,” she said, reminding yesterday’s incident when Hayrapetyan
hit advocate Arman Veziryan in the face at the event commemorating
army doctor Vahe Avetyan. “He raised his hand on Arman Veziryan,
clearly understanding that it is a criminally punitive deed,” she
said, adding that Hayrapetyan has always considered himself to be
above the laws and thinks the only way to solve issues is using fists.

The ANC MP agrees with public on engaging Ruben Hayrapetyan as
a witness.

“It does not matter whether he was there or not. He is direct
participant of the crime as he has permitted his people to use fists
and remain unpunished which resulted in Vahe Avetyan’s death,” he said.

According to her, vacating the parliamentary seat is not enough. It
is necessary to create a temporary commission that will follow the
process, Lyudmila Sargsyan said, voicing assurances that the ANC will
continue its efforts.

“We will try to gather the necessary 44 votes for coming forth with
an initiative. It is not easy though. There is no response yet. In two
days we will try to understand the reason of the silence,” she said.

From: A. Papazian

IT ARMENIA’S BRAND – EXPERT

tert.am
09.07.12

Armenia is positioning itself as not only an IT, but also as an R&D
center, Bagrat Yengibaryan, Director of the Enterprise Incubator
Foundation (EIF), told journalists on Monday.

“IT is Armenia’s brand now. I wish Armenia’s IT brand developed
along with its cognac and apricot brands. We hope that Armenia’s
representation in the Silicon Valley will give serious impetus to the
industry’s development,” Yengibaryan said. More than 300 IT companies
are operating in Armenia now, he added.

Also, a number of new companies have been established in the past
three years. If the current rate is maintained, 10% annual growth
may be recorded, he said.

He noted that the monthly salary in Armenia’s IT sector exceeds US
$1,000 now.

As regards international companies cooperating with Armenia, he
singled out the Microsoft Innovation Center Armenia, which is among
the world’s top ten centers.

With respect to Mobile research Armenia is the second after Poland.

Yengibaryan also recalled the establishment of Nokia laboratories,
which is to get extra financing this year.

“The Armenian-Indian training center is training around 300 specialists
in developing high-speed software,” Yengibaryan said.

Armenia is also negotiating IT development with South Korea and
China, and South Korean IT specialists are to arrive in Armenia late
this week.

IT development centers have been opened in Armenia’s second largest
city, Gyumri, and in Nagorno-Karabakh. Not only local, but also
foreign investments have been made in the centers.

“The construction of the Gyumri industrial park is most inspiring, and
60 specialists are taking retraining courses, and four IT development
laboratories are working, there. Similar centers will also be opened
in Vanadzor and Charentsavan,” Yengibaryan said. Armenia is also
managing Black Sea countries’ IT projects, he added.

Yengibaryan is proud of the fact that “made in Armenia” can now be
read on Synopsys-made tools. Referring to well-known IT experts,
he said that Armenia is now a European-Asian coordination center.

Speaking of brain drain, Yengibaryan said that about 7% of IT
specialists leave Armenia.

“More specialists are now trained in Armenia than leave the country.

They do not go to find jobs. Young people do not any more have such
a strong desire to leave Armenia,” he said.

From: A. Papazian

IN ARMENIAN GENOCIDE ISSUE HOLLANDE IS MORE DANGEROUS THAN SARKOZY: MEVLUT CAVUSOGLU

ARMENPRESS
9 July, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JULY 9, ARMENPRESS: French present President Francois Hollande
supports the bill criminalizing the denial of Armenian Genocide more
than previous President Nicolas Sarkozy. Armenpress reports that about
this declared special representative of PACE head, member of Turkish
“Justice and Development” party Mevlut Cavusoglu during the interview
given to Azerbaijani Medias. “The party of Hollande suggested including
in the agenda of Senate the bill criminalizing the denial of Armenian
Genocide. Despite the fact the bill was at first presented by Nicolas
Sarkozy most of all for the bill voted the senators of Hollande’s
party. Hollande has promised that he would accept that bill and now
tries to implement it. In this context Hollande is more dangerous
than Sarkozy” said Cavusoglu.

Turk politician once again threatened that in case of adoption of
the bill Turk-French relations will suffer greatly.

From: A. Papazian

WHEAT CONCERNS: AGRICULTURE SPECIALIST PREDICTS LOSS OF HARVEST
By Gohar Abrahamyan

ArmeniaNow
09.07.12 | 16:23

At a press conference on Monday Hrach Berberyan, the president of
the Agrarian-Rural Union of Armenia NGO, spoke about the agricultural
year, raising concerns over the poor wheat crop and urging the prime
minister to write off the farmers’ related debts.

In September 2011, Armenia imported 1,100 tons of high-quality grain
seeds from Russia, which was supposed to have high yield. Whereas,
according to Berberyan, in the Ararat, Armavir, Shirak and Aragatsotn
provinces where the high-quality grain has been grown, the height
of the wheat stem is only 17-22 centimeters instead of normal 50-60
centimeters.

“Our research has shown that we have a loss of about 4,500 hectares
of wheat, the wheat stems do not grow properly, and not a single
combine harvester will be able to reap the wheat,” Berberyan said,
adding that the present situation is the result of not testing the
imported wheat species.

“Six out of eight imported [wheat] varieties are unknown to Armenian
farmers. During the first two years they grow properly, however,
after the second year they start being degenerated,” Berberyan said.

Addressing his words to Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, he added:
“Please, establish strong control and punish those who are in charge
of the import and testing of the [wheat] varieties.”

Berberyan believes that it is necessary to forgive the debts of all
the farmers who have got the high-quality grain seeds and are to pay
150-180 drams (about 36-43 cents) per kilo.

As for the apricot yield, according to Berberyan, Armenia is expected
to harvest 45,000-50,000 tons of the fruit this year, 40 percent more
than last year (27,000 tons).

Besides, referring to the irrigation water issue and the additional
volume of water to be drained from Lake Sevan, Berberyan said that it
should not be grounded by drought, because drought is quite relative
in Armenia, it is usually registered from mid-July to mid-August in
the lands which are not irrigated.

“The snowy winter this year, as well as quite rainy June and first
days of July raise doubts over the expediency of draining additional
water from Lake Sevan, because most of the reservoirs are full of
water these days,” Berberyan said.

From: A. Papazian

NAGORNO KARABAKH MUST BECOME SPACE FOR DIALOGUE

Trend
July 9 2012
Azerbaijan

The OSCE Minsk Group’s mediators have inhibited the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Despite the fact that they are based
on politics, opportunities to speak to the press and the big powers,
they can not hide it, Director of the Center of Political Innovations
and Technologies Mubariz Ahmedoglu told Trend.

“The official intermediaries strongly rejected all the steps taken
to create a dialogue between the Armenians of Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijanis living here,” Ahmedoglu said.

He noted that the denial of the mediators of dialogue between the
Armenian and Azerbaijani communities of Nagorno-Karabakh is contrary
to the philosophy of settlement, prepared by them. According to the
Madrid principles, the status of Nagorno-Karabakh will be determined
by the population of Nagorno-Karabakh – Armenians living there now,
and Azeris once lived there.

“Currently the mediators do not prepare such a dialogue and even
oppose the preparations of other structures. Mediators, who fear
to meet with the Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh, are
demonstrating their dependence on the Armenians,” the analyst said.

The authority of the current de-facto leaders of Nagorno-Karabakh
is 27 percent, he said. “Even in the last period of subordination
to Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh leadership did not have such
a low-prestige and respect. It means that the Armenians of
Nagorno-Karabakh declared war to the current leaders. Respectful
attitude of intermediaries to terrorists, who created the
Nagorno-Karabakh military-police regime, expelling the Azerbaijani
population and turning the Armenian population into the hostages,
is doubtful,” Ahmedoglu said.

In his opinion, the only option to prevent war is the transformation
of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the space for dialogue. Along
with the Azerbaijani and Armenian communities of Nagorno-Karabakh,
the respective representatives of Azerbaijan and Armenia may also
discuss a peaceful settlement of the conflict and find a solution.

After reaching an agreement, Azerbaijani and Armenian businessmen will
be able to hold consultations on the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh
on investments and other economic projects. Azerbaijani and Armenian
businessmen, first and foremost, can begin the implementation of
joint economic projects in Nagorno-Karabakh, the analyst said.

He said the pattern “There is no alternative to peaceful settlement
of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict” now creates the opposite effect.

“There is an alternative to “only a peaceful settlement” of the
conflict – a resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by military
means. If it is not possible through peaceful means, war will be
possible. Current situation dictates a solution to the conflict,
rather than vice versa. The only way that prevents the transformation
of the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh in the arena of war is to
make Nagorno-Karabakh an arena for dialogue. EU should promptly and
comprehensively assist the OSCE Minsk Group in this,” Ahmedoglu said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France and the U.S. –
are currently holding peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJAN MORE THAN CONVINCED THAT PUTIN WILL SETTLE GARABAGH CONFLICT

Azerbaijan Business Center
July 9 2012

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Milli Majlis speaker Ogtay Asadov has conducted
today talks in Baku with Sergei Naryshkin, the chairman of the State
Duma of the Federal Assembly of Russia and made several statements.

“We are more than confident that the new Russian President Vladimir
Putin will make all efforts to help resolve this problem as for that
Russia has economic and political power as well as influence in the
region. We are confident that in the near future the Nagorno Garabagh
problem will be solved within the framework of international law and
it will give one more opportunity to develop our region,” Asadov said.

As a result of the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno Garabagh
conflict, Armenia has occupied 20% of Azerbaijani territory and
expelled more than 1 million people from the places of their residence.

From: A. Papazian

APPLAUSE FOR DAVUTOGLU…

Hurriyet
July 9 2012
Turkey

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu must be congratulated for being
courageous enough to confess that Turkey has failed in its policies
regarding Syria. It is not at all easy for a politician to admit
failure of any sort. Davutoglu has been often accused by opponents of
mixing up academia and politics and trying to bend political realities
to fit his “strategic depth” theory. His brave declaration of failure,
anyhow, showed that he must still possess some degree of academic
ethical values.

The confession came in an interview with France 24 channel. Unaware
of the preparations in Paris by the new Socialist Francois Hollande
presidency of France to rehash the Armenian genocide legislation, the
Justice and Development Party (AKP) government is so happy with the
political demise of Nikolas Sarkozy that it has started talking of a
“new era” in Turkish French ties. The France 24 interview was probably
arranged to further accelerate the warming up in Turkish-French ties.

The minister, of course, was talking in a totally different context.

He accepted “failure” in bringing an end to the Bashar al-Assad regime
in Syria. Is it Turkey’s duty, or is it compatible with international
law, for neighboring or brotherly countries to dictate to each other
what kind of government they should have? Has the world, for the sake
of the “right to protect,” brushed aside completely the terms of the
Westphalian code of conduct?

Anyhow, it was good to see the foreign minister conceding, albeit
insufficiently, that his approaches on Syria have failed.

Unfortunately, under Davutoglu Turkey has engaged in a hasty foreign
policy adventure without making any sort of cost analysis, without
basing strategies on the reality on the ground or the potential course
of developments.

Turkey started with a “zero problems” with neighbors strategy, but
ended up having no friends around. Trying to find excuses in the
“but conditions have changed” cliché is unfortunately not enough. If
conditions have changed, what are your alternate strategies to take our
nose away from the mess? Obviously, the strategic depth doctrine was
an academic work that failed in the field application. Forcing results
obtained in the field to conform the doctrine can best be summed up
with two words: Academic obsession. This is a very serious condition.

Unfortunately, Turkey made a very serious mistake in Syria. It
thought that, as in Libya the regime would collapse quickly and would
be replaced with the AKP’s “brothers” the Muslim Brotherhood. The
“Sunni brotherhood” was instrumental in embracing Sudan’s bloodthirsty
dictator Omar al-Bashir, but Bashar al-Assad was only an “Alawite
brother.”

The end result: Yesterday Turkey was the “leading power” of the region
aspiring to become a “regional big brother,” but today it has become
a country whose reconnaissance plane can be downed. The rising power
of yesterday is today a fragile and unpredictable country…

Sparing words regarding the failure in ties with Israel, and without
forgetting his major share in the mess Turkey is landed in, Davutoglu
definitely deserves a standing ovation for at least confessing that
the Syria policies of the AKP government have failed.

From: A. Papazian

INTERIOR MINISTER: IRAN-ARMENIA TIES TOO STRONG TO BE TARNISHED

Islamic Republic News Agency IRNA
July 9 2012
Iran

Tehran, July 9, IRNA – Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar said
Tehran and Yerevan enjoy very special relations, adding that their
ties are too strong to be tarnished.

Making the remark before his departure for the Armenian capital Monday
morning, he said relations between the two countries are profound
and friendly.

He said officials of both countries are keen to promote cooperation
in all possible areas.

Pointing to deep historical ties between the two nations, the minister
noted that Iran is Armenia’s fourth important trade and commercial
partner.

Mohammad Najjar further believed that Armenia plays a strategic role
in the region and could act as a bridge to connect Central Asia to
the Persian Gulf.

The Iranian minister is on a two-day visit to Yerevan to meet and
confer with Armenian president, parliament speaker and a number
of ministers.

From: A. Papazian

OSCE SECRETARY GENERAL IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

Vestnik Kavkaza
July 9 2012
Russia

Author: Alexei Vlasov, exclusive to VK

OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier began a tour of the South
Caucasus; beginning with Baku, where he held several meetings at which,
of course, the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was discussed. I cannot say
that this visit by the prominent EU official to Baku was expected
with high hopes.

In principle, the rhetoric of the OSCE on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
is well known, as well as the positions of the sides on the issue of
the prospects for settlement of this protracted conflict.

That’s why in the public part of communicating with journalists
Mr. Zannier confined himself to two main theses: firstly, the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict poses a greater threat to the region,
and secondly, negotiations are the only way to resolve the conflict.

The Azerbaijani side also performed in the usual manner. At the
very least, there was not any radically new rhetoric from Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during the briefing. The Foreign Minister
of Azerbaijan, referring to recent incidents that led to the deaths
of soldiers both on the Azerbaijani side and on the Armenian one,
said that in his opinion, the problem is the lack of any effective
monitoring mechanisms on the part of the international observers.

This question is just secondary to the main point, which is the
fact of the unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh problem. “The problem is not
in the mechanism bu the presence of the armed forces of Armenia on
Azerbaijan’s territory. If these troops are withdrawn, we will not
have any problems of snipers, no need for the mechanism, no armed
incidents,” the Minister said.

This fact alone shows the disappointment of Baku with the prospects
of mediation in the format of the OSCE, because even minimal progress
in resolving the so-called frozen conflicts has not occurred since
the cease-fire in the mid-1990s,.

Obviously, the Italian diplomat realizes that, despite the persistence
of relative peace, the internal tensions over the Nagorno-Karabakh
problem continue to grow. Most likely, this circumstance has prompted
Lamberto Zanniera to emphasize several times that the status quo can
not be perceived as a solution to the problem. This assessment is
certainly true; the officials both from Moscow and from Washington
and Brussels could put their names to it.

But what will come next? Where is the key that will help the
representatives of the intermediaries to turn the phase of the dialogue
“good that we are talking, not fighting,” into the next phase of
taking real decisions. Alas, we must be realistic and recognize that
at present there is no miracle recipe, and no matter which diplomatic
language may describe the outcome of the South Caucasus voyage of
Mr. Zannier; in fact, it can be reduced to a single proverb about a
bad peace and a good war.

From: A. Papazian

France 24
July 7 2012

Hollande pushes new law to criminalise denial of Armenian genocide

French president François Hollande confirmed Saturday that he plans
to push a new law that would criminalise the denial of the 1915-1916
Armenian genocide by Ottoman Turkey. A French court ruled Thursday the
law was unconstitutional.

AFP – French President Francois Hollande confirmed Saturday plans for
a new law criminalising denial of the Armenian genocide with
representatives of the Armenian community, the Elysee Palace said.

The historical question has long been a hot-button issue between
Turkey and Armenia, a dispute that has also drawn in other countries
and earlier this year sparked a diplomatic crisis between Paris and
Ankara.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their forebears were killed in a
1915-16 genocide by Turkey’s former Ottoman Empire. Turkey says
500,000 died and ascribes the toll to fighting and starvation during
World War I.

Hollande’s conservative predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy angered Ankara
when he pushed ahead with a bill to criminalise denial of the Armenian
genocide.

After the contentious bill passed the National Assembly in December,
Turkey retaliated by suspending military and political cooperation
with Paris.

But France’s top constitutional court struck down the bill in
February, saying it violated free expression, in a ruling welcomed by
Ankara.

Sarkozy vowed to launch a new law but was defeated at the polls.

Now his Socialist successor Hollande has clarified in a talk with the
Coordinating Council of Armenian Organisations of France (CCAF) that
he will propose a similar law, the group said Saturday.

“Francois Hollande has again expressed his willingness to propose a
bill designed to curb the denial of the Armenian genocide, as he had
said during his campaign and even before,” said the group.

It said Hollande had contacted them to clarify his position after
confusion over statements by his Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

The Elysee Palace confirmed the telephone conversation and told AFP:
“The president expressed his commitments during the campaign. He will
keep them.”

“There is no change, although we must find a path, a road that allows
for a text that is consistent with the constitution.”

Both candidates marked the Armenian genocide anniversary in Paris in
April by attending a ceremony and expressing support for the passage
of a newly-worded bill that would outlaw genocide denial. France is
home to a large Armenian community.

US President Barack Obama in April called for “a full, frank, and just
acknowledgment of the facts” of the “brutal” killings.

While denouncing the 1915 massacre as “one of the worst atrocities of
the 20th century,” Obama did not use the term “genocide,” but he
implicitly called for Turkey to acknowledge the role of its Ottoman
forefathers.

After Hollande was elected, Turkey in June praised his positive
attitude toward relations with Ankara.

Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met Hollande on the
sidelines of a UN meeting in Brazil, when the two leaders agreed to
turn a “new page” in relations, the Anatolia news agency reported.

From: A. Papazian