Author: Andres-Papazian

AZERBAIJAN TROOPS KILLED IN BORDER CLASH
By AIDA SULTANOVA

Wall Street Journal

June 5 2012

BAKU, Azerbaijan-Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said five of its
soldiers were killed in clashes with Armenian troops alongside the
border separating the two countries, deepening tensions between the
two former Soviet nations.

The ministry said in a statement that exchanges of gunfire have been
reported over the last two days at numerous points along Azerbaijan’s
western border. Armenia had said earlier that three of its soldiers
died in the clashes.

Azerbaijan and Armenia have for two decades been at odds over the
disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory, which lies within Azerbaijan,
but was taken over by Armenia during a six-year war that killed about
30,000 people and displaced 1 million.

The incidents come just as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has
embarked on a tour of the South Caucasus in the hope of mediating
progress in territorial disputes in the region.

Azerbaijan’s defense ministry said one clash took place near the
village of Ashagy Askipara early Tuesday morning, after their soldiers
were attacked by Armenian commandos. Four Azeri troops were killed
in the fighting, officials said. Another soldier died in a separate
incident, the ministry said.

Armenia on Monday said three of its soldiers were killed and another
six were wounded in villages nearby.

Mrs. Clinton decried the “senseless deaths of young soldiers and
innocent civilians” as part of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict-just
hours after Monday’s border clash.

Warning that Azeri-Armenian tensions could escalate into a broader
conflict with terrible consequences, Mrs. Clinton said the U.S. would
continue to press with France, Russia and others on mediation efforts.

Violations of the cease-fire have been frequent, and diplomatic
efforts to solve the conflict have failed.

From: A. Papazian

LISTEN: SERJ TANKIAN – “CORNUCOPIA”

The Silver Tongue

June 5 2012

In preparation for his third album coming this July, Armenian
singer-songwriter-wizard Serj Tankian has made a track available for
download through his website. The song, “Cornucopia”, is strangely
upbeat and punk rocky, but with Tankian’s usual odd, unnerving timings
and shifting vocals. This is expressed in the lyrics, which…well,
I shall say only this: “Kiss an ugly turtle to make it cry”, “Seas
and tsunamis give and take, what’s the matter?”

“Cornucopia” can be downloaded here. The album, Harakiri is out July
10, and is presently available for pre-order on the singer’s official
website. $2 from the sale of each pre-order will be donated to a
non-profit organization to fight global hunger.

If you want more of Serj’s multicoloured beard in your life, System
of a Down will also be performing a handful of US dates this August:

08/02 Philadelphia, PA – Susquehanna Bank Center 08/04 Holmdel,
NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center 08/05 Wantagh, NY – Nikon at Jones Beach
Theater 08/07 Washington, DC – Verizon Center Arena 08/09 Boston, MA –
Comcast Center 08/11 Montreal, QC – Heavy Metal Festival Parterre @
Parc Jean Drapeau 08/12 Toronto, ON – Heavy Metal Festival Downsview
Park 08/14 Detroit, MI – DTE Energy Amphitheater 08/15 Chicago, IL –
Allstate Arena

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN, AZERI FORCES TRADE ACCUSATIONS

United Press International

June 5 2012

YEREVAN, Armenia, June 5 (UPI) — With U.S. Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton in the region, the Armenian Defense Ministry announced it
repelled an attack from Azeri military forces.

The Armenian Defense Ministry was quoted by Radio Free Europe/Radio
Liberty as saying an attack by “the enemy” was thwarted along the
border.

“The Armenian armed forces control the situation along the line
of contact, carrying out actions commensurate with the situation,”
the statement read.

Azeri officials blamed the offense on an Armenia group and at least
four soldiers from Azerbaijan were killed during the fighting.

The countries went to war over the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh
in the 1990s. Clinton said, in meetings with her Armenian counterpart,
that she was “very concerned” about the latest escalation of conflict.

“The use of force will not resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, and
therefore force must not be used,” she said in her statement. “(W)e
are calling on everyone to renounce force as well as refraining
from violence.”

Clinton is to visit Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, Wednesday.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS IS GOING TO DEMAND PRESIDENT’S IMPEACHMENT

arminfo
Tuesday, June 5, 19:18

The parliamentary group of the Armenian National Congress is going
to decline the posts of deputy chairmen of parliamentary committees.

Moreover, it is going to demand that the Parliament consider impeaching
the Armenian President, member of the ANC, MP Nikol Pashinyan told
journalists on Tuesday.

“But before the Parliament approves the President’s impeachment,
it must be approved by the people,” Pashinyan said.

He said that even though they had declined the vice chairman positions,
they would work in the committees that fit their specialities.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN POLITICAL ANALYST: “ALIYEV PERSONALLY ORDERED RECENT MILITARY INCURSIONS AGAINST ARMENIA”

hetq
14:59, June 5, 2012

The head of Political Science Association of Armenia Hayk Kotanjyan
has forwarded the following statement to US Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton and the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs:

Military Provocation Synchronized with the Visit of the US Secretary
Clinton

In its statement issued in May 2012, Political Science Association
of Armenia drew the attention of the international community to the
fact that an official from the office of the Azerbaijani President
performing the order of the head of the state issued a statement that
meant the territorial claim to the Republic of Armenia synchronized
with the arrival to Baku on May 11, 2012 the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs
from Russia, the US and France.

Given the fact of the total control exercised by Ilham Aliyev’s regime
over the state and public institutions in Azerbaijan no one can doubt
that the given provocation was ordered by none other than President
Aliyev himself.

Yesterday – on the very day of the US Secretary of State’s arrival –
a raiding party Ïf Azerbaijan’s Armed Forces in accordance with the
order of Ilham Aliyev killed three Armenian military performing their
duty in the territory of the Republic of Armenia.

Under the condition of the arms race uncontrolled by the international
community in the Karabakh conflict zone, the treacherous killing of
the Armenian citizens in the territory of the Republic of Armenia
synchronized with the visit of one of the highest officials of the
US (Minsk group Co-Chair state) to the South Caucasus is a cynical
challenge to peace and stability in the South Caucasus and surrounding
region.

Political Science Association of Armenia calls upon the Honorable
Minsk Group Co-Chair States to condemn in possible strongest terms the
provocative actions of Azerbaijan and exert pressure on Aliev’s regime
demanding an unconditional implementation of the all international
obligations concerning preservation of cease-fire regime on the Line
of Contact.

From: A. Papazian

THE INVASION OF 15-20 MEMBER AZERI DIVERSION TO THE TERRITORIES OF ARMENIA WAS SUSPENDED

ARMENPRESS
5 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN ,JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani Armed Forces subdivisions
continuing their provocative actions undertaken still on June 4,
again tried to violate the state border of the Republic of Armenia
on June 5 night.

15-20 member Azeri armed diversion group tried to invade Voskeapar
village, Tavush region. Information and Public Relations Department of
the Ministry of Defense informed Armenpress thanks to the alertness
of Armenian border keepers the diversion group was found out and as
a result of the special measures taken the danger was subdued.

According to the preliminary data Azeri side has 5 victims and
numerous wounded. The rest of the diversion group managed to escape,
taking with them the bodies of the dead soldiers and the wounded.

No victims and wounded are registered by Armenian side.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIAN OPPOSITION BLOC REJECTS POST OF DEPUTY CHAIRMAN IN STANDING COMMITTEE

news.am
June 05, 2012 | 17:24

YEREVAN. – Opposition bloc Armenian National Congress (ANC) held first
session of parliamentary group of the Fifth Convocation on Tuesday.

Following the session, the ANC MP Nikol Pashinyan stated that they
reject the post of a deputy chairman in one of 12 standing committees
but will participate in the work of all committees.

According to preliminary data, Gagik Jhangiryan will participate
in the works of the Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs,
Lyudmila Sargsyan in the Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Hrant
Bagratyan in the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, while Aram
Manukyan in the Standing Committee on European Integration.

Pashinyan also stated that the bloc may raise the issue of impeachment
against incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan in case of proper political
conditions.

From: A. Papazian

ARMEN GEVORGAYN WAS IN GYUMRY TO GET ACQUAINTED WITH THE PROCEDURE OF THE PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED BY THE STATE BUDGET

ARMENPRESS
5 June, 2012
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, JUNE 5, ARMENPRESS: Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of
Territorial Administration Armen Gevorgyan paid a visit to Gyumry,
to familiarize himself with the works implemented by the state budget
on June 5. By the decision of the Government adopted in 2012 May 24,
$ 1.3 billion AMD was allocated to Shirak province, 500 million AMD of
which stipulated for the expenses in Gyumry. By the third phase of the
program repair works will be implemented in educational institutions,
community centers and houses of culture, community roads, and etc.

In addition the Government reserve fund allocated 500 million AMD
for the construction of 2.4 km road linking to ‘~R Mush 2’~R district.

Information and Public Relations department of the Ministry of
Territorial Administration informed Armenpress Gevorgyan accompanied
with the Head of the Administrative Unit Giziryan attended a number of
objects included in the third phase of the program. The officials went
to Gyumry’s new medical center, the construction of which is already
completed and currently design works are launched here. The Minister
familiarized himself with the repair works in Austrian Children’s
Hospital as well.

At the end of the visit the issues related to the implementation of the
programs were touched upon, appropriate instructions were commissioned.

From: A. Papazian

SOMEONE WANTS TO DEPLOY TROOPS
Naira Hayrumyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 14:44:38 – 05/06/2012

Azerbaijan has decided to shift the escalation from Karabakh to
the border with Armenia, Tavush region, said the foreign minister
of Armenia Edward Nalbandyan yesterday in the press conference with
Hillary Clinton. He did not go into details why it is done though it
is evident that someone wants to involve Armenia into a full-scale war,
or to find an excuse to deploy troops of third forces in Armenia.

Although Armenia does not hide its responsibility for the security
of the people of Karabakh, official Yerevan does not have a defense
agreement with NKR, hence officially Armenia can also refrain from
entering into a war for Karabakh. But when the point is the borders
of Armenia, there is nothing one can do about it.

Who will benefit from Armenia’s involvement into a war against
Azerbaijan? Who would like to deploy its troops in Armenia or to
activate the existing ones? The deployment of any troops in Karabakh
is complicated by the fact that it is unrecognized. Meanwhile, Armenia
has defense commitments within the framework of the CSTO and Russia
and escalation on the border of Armenia and Azerbaijan may lead to
deployment of the CSTO forces there.

On the other hand, the West would not mind having mobile groups in
Armenia which has a small border with Iran. But the West would hardly
initiate subversive acts just on the eve of its top official’s visit
to the region.

Most analysts note that Armenia is gradually facing the West. In any
case, the acting authorities of Armenia do not hide the pro-European
orientation of the country and the desire to have closer ties with
the U.S., so Russia must be worried. And perhaps, it will need
strong arguments to “persuade” the Armenian people to vote against
“pro-Western” Sargsyan and for “its” pro-Russian candidate. The best
way is escalation on the border, which has been used for a number
of times for the improvement of domestic political situations in the
South Caucasian countries.

By the way, this is a good way for the Azerbaijani authorities to
resolve domestic issues, to strengthen legitimacy at home, “mobilize”
the society against the hostile moods of the West and its democratic
opposition.

Most analysts think that the escalation at the Armenian-Azerbaijani
border might be initiated by those who want Armenia to finally
“get angry” and hit Azerbaijan. It is clear that Yerevan, without
100% guarantees, will never take this step, and the analysts think
Armenia could receive such guarantees. That is why escalation is on
the Armenian and not Karabakh border.

There can be many options but one thing is clear -reports from
the Armenian-Azerbaijani border remind war chronicles. People die,
subversive acts are initiated by someone, someone’s interests are
concerned, the Armenian leadership should clearly and honestly tell its
society who stands behind these acts and what Armenia is going to do.

From: A. Papazian

ARMENIA: PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT OR DEVELOPING ORE MINING?

arminfo
Tuesday, June 5, 15:45

Protecting the environment or developing ore mining?

Experts say that in Armenia mining activities are still contrary to
international standards and fraught with high ecological risks.

The Center for Environment and Noosphere Studies warns that in Armenia
heavy metals are present in soil and irrigation water and consequently
in food.

Hundreds of millions of tons of tailings are stored in the country’s
tailing dumps, with many of them located near rivers and none of them
meeting international requirements.

The root of this problem is deficient legislation and high corruption.

The new Natural Resources Code says nothing about tailings, thereby
freeing mining companies from any responsibility for their tailings.

The conclusion of the experts is that mining activities in Armenia
are bad for tourism and agriculture and so the Government should stop
licensing mining companies in the next five years.

From: A. Papazian