Author: Andres-Papazian

EXPERT: AZERBAIJAN STRIVES FOR ESCALATION OF TENSION NOT FOR WAR

arminfo
Wednesday, June 6, 17:57

Throughout the negation process between Armenia and Azerbaijan Baku
has been trying to present maintenance of peace as service to Armenia
and the world community. However, Azerbaijan is striving for tension
not for war, says military expert David Jamalyan. He told media on
Wednesday that war is not within interests of super powers and the
world community will come out with sharper statements if the threat
of war becomes real.

“We must take the ceasefire regime more realistically and not fall
into panic. Our target is subversives and the soldiers who fire at
our positions and not the peaceful population. The tougher are our
retaliatory actions the better. Sabotage and provocations by the
enemy will be continued and we must be on alert,” Jamalyan said.

He thinks that death of the three Armenian soldiers should not be
taken in stride. The Armenian party must do a proper rebuff to calm
down the enemy and not just to make revenge. The Azerbaijan public,
in turn, should understand that the senseless sabotages organized by
Aliyev’s regime take the lives of their sons, Jamalyan said.

To recall, as a result of the sabotage action by the Azerbaijani
armed forces on June 4 in the Armenian village of Chinary 3 Armenians
soldiers were killed and another 2 were wounded.

From: A. Papazian

U.S. EXPERTS CAST DOUBT ON OSCE MG’S ABILITY TO RESOLVE KARABAKH CONFLICT

arminfo
Wednesday, June 6, 17:59

Top US analysts on South Caucasus region have raised their deep concern
over the shaky ceasefire between Armenia and Azerbaijan which has been
severely tested this week by some of the worst violence in years that
resulted in loss of three Armenian solders’ and five Azerbaijanis’
lives, contact.az reports.

A question of “Nagorno-Karabakh: Will the Frozen Conflict Turn Hot?”

was discussed at the Washington DC-based Woodrow Wilson Center’s
Kennan Institute June 5, with participation of top US analysts,
former and current diplomats, TURAN’s Washington DC correspondent
reports from the event.

“Unfortunately, unlike 1990’s post-war years, now we’re witnessing
the pre-war situation between Azerbaijan and Armenia”, emphasized
E. Wayne Merry, a veteran US diplomat (retired), currently a Senior
Fellow for Europe and Eurasia at the American Foreign Policy Council

The analyst believes that the war “not only is coming, but somehow
is positive”. Minsk Group is unable to prevent it. “Mediators don’t
negotiate: both sides – Azerbaijan and Armenia don’t let their job
work. Now, in this case, it’s time to move from mediation to forceful
arbitration”, Merry stated.

A new conflict, for Merry, isn’t a 1988 template – it would be faster,
more deadly, because of the military buildup. Destructive more than
expected.

The new war also would involve regional players – Turkey for
Azerbaijan, and Russia for Armenia – would be under pressure to engage
in maneuvering strategically.

“A renewed conflict would not be limited to just this region –
it would spread”, he added. In the meantime, Merry believes that
Nagorno-Karabakh is “of third level interest to US, but Washington
could get drawn in if other powers come in”.

“Need a big brother’s heavy hand to get things going”, he says arguing
that Azerbaijan won’t engage in a solution without Turkish involvement.

Another panelist, Thomas de Waal from Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace, wonders why would Azerbaijan and Armenia sign
an agreement without knowing the security arrangements?

“Dozens of people are killed each year, so this isn’t a frozen
conflict”, he said. Recent violations prove again that this conflict
is not frozen, but is “misleading and dangerous. Excuse looking the
other way. Smoldering, dormant”, he added.

Many different world leaders have tried to resolve Nagorno-Karabakh
and it hasn’t helped. “External forces aren’t the problem”, de Waal
explained. The problem is, “identity issues going a century back –
got along as neighbors but when borders are involved, Armenians and
Azerbaijanis can’t get on”. No one has a monopoly on suffering and
victimhood.

De Waal says presidents sometimes are “a bit more moderate than some
of the others in their country”. More public diplomacy is needed.

In the meanwhile, he added, Baku is booming and has a weight in the
world: Another decade of peak oil. Gas? Maybe: Elite petro-state
creating stability: “But in 20 years when Azerbaijan is out of oil,
what will happen between the elite and normal people? It will be a
pressure point”, he said.

In the meanwhile, both de Waal and Merry believe that Turkey can
normalize relations with Armenia and trigger positive stuff for
Nagorno-Karabakh, well “but Turkey needs to take the first step”.

In his speech Charles King, a Professor of International Affairs
and Government at the Georgetown University, mentioned that if
there are more Azerbaijan domestic issues, Aliyev needs to mobilize
Nagorno-Karabakh to keep people down.

“International community needs to make everyone understand that
no one gains from a renewed conflict”, he added. The analyst says,
this isn’t a territorial problem, but an estrangement problem between
Armenians and Azerbaijanis.

Since 1992 the OSCE Minsk Group represented by co-chairs from Russia,
U.S. and France has been mediating in resolution of the conflict
unleashed by Azerbaijan in 1988. At present the peace process is
based on the Madrid Principles suggested by the OSCE MG in 2007 in
Madrid and renovated in 2009.

From: A. Papazian

TIGRAN SARGSYAN: ARMENIA’S RELATIONS WITH RUSSIA, EU AND THE US CANNOT CONTRADICT EACH OTHER

armradio.am
06.06.2012 16:10

“Armenia’s strategic partnership with Russia, the European Union
and the US cannot contradict each other. We view these relations as
complementing each other,” Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said
during a Q&A session at the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS).

“Last year we signed a very important agreement for the country – the
agreement on free trade within the framework of the CIS. This opens
the CIS markets to us and our producers can export their gowitods hout
any restrictions. We are holding similar talks with the European Union
on the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area. If we sign it, it will
open the European markets to our producers,” Tigran Sargsyan said.

“Besides we have military cooperation with CIS countries and NATO. At
this point we have no intention to join any new political union. We
have to implement a wise and balanced policy in the region, which,
first of all, takes into consideration our political interests and
ensures our political security,” the Armenian Prime Minister said.

Asked to comment on the suggestion that Turkey views its relations
on a regional scale, not separate countries, PM Tigran Sargsyan said:
“If it is so, the protocols were not to be signed in Switzerland. After
long negotiations the protocols were approved by the co-chairs from the
United States, Russia and France and were signed by Turkey. If Turkey
has a different platform, it did not have to sign the protocols.”

From: A. Papazian

SERZH SARGSYAN MET WITH THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE OF JAPAN TAKAHIRO YOKOMICHI

06.06.2012

President Serzh Sargsyan, who is conducting an official visit to
Japan, met with the Speaker of the House of Representative of Japan
Takahiro Yokomichi. The interlocutors conveyed mutual congratulations
on the 20th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations
between Armenia and Japan and noted with satisfaction that in the last
twenty years the Armenian-Japanese relations have been developing
dynamically. The Speaker of the House of Representative of Japan
expressed hope that the official visit of President Sargsyan will
give a new impetus to the further development of the political and
economic relations of the two countries, deepening cooperation and
strengthening of the interparliamentary ties.

Takahiro Yokomichi expressed gratitude to the President of Armenia
for his visit to the disaster affected zone, for meeting with the
residents as well as for the words of sympathy and support. He said
that Japan didn’t forget assistance provided by Armenia right after
the 2011 disaster and expressed gratitude to the Armenian people who
also went through a similar calamity.

President Serzh Sargsyan underscored that Armenia is interested in
deepening its relations with Japan and thanked for the considerable
technical and other kind of assistance provided to Armenia by Japan
from day one of our independence and aimed at the social and technical
development of our country.

The President of Armenia and Mr. Takahiro Yokomichi stressed also
the importance of Armenian-Japanese cooperation in the framework of
international organizations.

They expressed confidence that after the creation in the newly elected
Parliament of Armenia of the Armenian-Japanese Friendship Group, the
interparliamentary ties of the two countries will become even stronger.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the President of Armenia toured
the Parliament and visited the Assembly Hall.

In Tokyo, Serzh Sargsyan visited today also the Toshiba Museum of
Science, where he was introduced to over 130 year-long history of
the renowned Toshiba Company, its activities, the entire collection
of its products, perspective and modern technologies of the Company.

Today, in the framework of his official visit, President Serzh Sargsyan
will meet with the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr. Yoshihiko Noda.

From: A. Papazian

ANOTHER ACT OF SABOTAGE IN THE DIRECTION OF HORADIZ: ONE ARMENIAN SOLDIER KILLED

armradio.am
06.06.2012 15:42

An Azeri unit tried infiltrating Artsakh around 4 a.m. this morning
from the contact point in Horatiz. The ensuing clashes resulted in
the death of one Armenian soldier. Two others were injured.

As a result of exchange of fire the rival retreated, incurring
considerable losses. Junior Sergeant of the NKR Defense Army Vardan
Ohanyan was killed, soldiers Arayik Mavreyan and Volodya Tsatryan
were wounded.

This was the fourth act of sabotage undertaken by the Azerbaijani
armed forces at the Armenian-Azerbaijani and the Karabakhi-Azerbaijani
lines of contact in the month of June. “This gives a basis to assume
that official Baku is doing its best to change the status-quo in the
region, Press and Propaganda Department of the NKR Defense Army said
in a statement.

“The Azerbaijani authorities, and particularly the leadership of
the armed forces seem not to understand that their strategy is not
only ineffective, but also threatens to bring about unpredictable
consequences for Azerbaijan if continued,” the statement further read.

From: A. Papazian

21 AZERI SOLDIERS KILLED IN MILITARY ACTIONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
June 6, 2012 – 15:42 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 21 Azerbaijani soldiers were killed in Azeri
subversive actions in recent days in Tavush- Kazakh zone of
Armenian-Azerbaijani border.

Miacum.am website says, it was informed about the occurrence by
sources in Tavush province.

Defense Ministry of Azerbaijan confirms the death of 8 soldiers. It
was officially announced that five of them were killed during military
actions with Armenian armed forces, two of them died as a result of
collapse of a concrete slab, while another died from a gunshot wound.

However, as RA Defense Ministry told PanARMENIAN.Net they can’t name
the specific number of victims by the Azerbaijani side.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN MFA SO FAR SILENT ON WHETHER EDWARD NALBANDIAN WILL PARTICIPATE IN ISTANBUL MEETING OF BSEC

news.am
June 06, 2012 | 14:46

YEREVAN.- Armenian Foreign Ministry neither confirmed nor refuted
reports on likelihood of Minister Edward Nalbandian’s participation
in the upcoming meeting of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC).

“Armenia’s Foreign Ministry always receives invitations to BSEC
meetings as a founder state and a full member of the organization,”
Spokesperson Tigran Balayan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

Turkish press wrote about possibility of Nalbandian’s visit to
Istanbul. Today’s Zaman reported that Turkish officials said although
they had not received any official confirmation from Nalbandian’s
office, they would be pleased if the Armenian foreign minister accepted
the invitation.

The BSEC meeting is scheduled for June 26.

From: A. Papazian

AZERBAIJANI FORCES ATTACK FOOTHOLD IN ARMENIAN VILLAGE

12:37 pm | Today | Politics

On the night of July 6, at about 4 a.m., Azerbaijani forces attacked
Berdzenbulagh foothold in the village of Koti. The foothold is
in front of Armenian St. Sarkis Church which is currently in the
territory of Azerbaijan.

The Armenian forces were quick enough to repel the invaders and sent
them back.

There are no casualties on the Armenian side.

For more details, read the Armenian version here

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA RULED BY SEMI-CONSOLIDATED AUTHORITARIAN REGIME – FREEDOM HOUSE

news.am
June 06, 2012 | 11:16

Armenia has semi-consolidated authoritarian regime, says newly released
Freedom House’s repot Nations in Transit 2012.

Nations in Transit is Freedom House’s comprehensive, comparative
study of democratic development in 29 countries from Central Europe
to Eurasia.

Special attention in the report is drawn to electoral processes,
civil society, independent media, local democratic governance,
corruption and other factors.

The ratings of states are based on a scale of 1 to 7, with 1
representing the highest level of democratic progress and 7 the
lowest. The Democracy Score is an average of ratings for the categories
tracked in a given year.

Armenia’s democracy score in 2011 is 5.39. The authors note
improvements in combating corruption.

“E-government services reduced opportunities for bribery, while
new regulations and stricter enforcement led to higher numbers of
corruption lawsuits and fines against senior officials and large
companies,” the report says.

As regards other aspects, Armenia underwent no changes as compared
with the last year.

From: A. Papazian

CANADIAN PARLIAMENT ADOPTED SPECIAL STATEMENT ON OCCASION OF ARMENIAN REPUBLIC DAY.VIDEO

12:24, 6 June, 2012

ARMENPRESS
6 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 6, ARMENPRESS: The deputies of Canadian Parliament
adopted special statement on occasion of Armenian First Republic day.

Armenpress reports citing the official website of Canadian Parliament
that deputy Harold Albrecht reading the message mentioned that in
1918 the first Republic of Armenia declared its independence following
the horrors of the Armenian Genocide and kept it till December, 1920.

“Even 94 years later, May 28, 1918 remains an important date for
all Armenians” said Albrecht highlighting that Armenia is again an
independent country, declaring its independence on September 21, 1991.

“I had the honour to visit Armenia in 2010 and saw firsthand Armenia’s
functioning democracy and vibrant culture” said the deputy.

On May 28 the deputies of Canadian Parliament celebrated with great
fanfare the 94th anniversary of Armenian First Republic.

From: A. Papazian