Author: Andres-Papazian

Rock pub blew up in Yerevan

news.am
May 08, 2012 | 19:06

YEREVAN. – A rock pub in downtown Yerevan was blown up early on
Tuesday morning.

The owner Tsomak Oganezova is confident that the incident in DIY club
is nothing but a sign of hatred. The owner learnt about the incident
at 5:30 a.m., surveillance camera caught the faces of criminals.

Although there is evidence, she said police is not taking necessary
measures.

`The criminals broke the glass, threw in a container with gasoline and
exploded the pub. The police did nothing, they even did not take the
finger prints,’ she told Aravot daily.

From: A. Papazian

Bryza Criticizes US Policy on Karabakh

ASBAREZ
Monday, May 7th, 2012

Former US Ambassador to Baku Matthew Bryza

WASHINGTON – Former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan Matthew Bryza last week
criticized President Obama’s policy on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict
saying the administration has spent more time on Turkey-Armenia
normalization to the detriment of the Karabakh conflict.

`Washington lost its way in the last couple of years,’ said Bryza,
expressing his criticism while speaking last week at the Jamestown
Foundation.

Bryza said that the Obama administration had spent all its energy on
the normalization of ties between Turkey and Armenia and did not show
any effort for progress in the negotiations on the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. He asserted that normalization between Turkey and Armenia
would not possible without progress in the Karabakh conflict.

`This [Turkey-Armenia] normalization would be great if it’s
achievable. But it’s not achievable and plus it negatively influences
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process,’ he said adding adding, `No matter how
much we wanted Armenia-Turkey rapprochement, instead we’ve got
nothing’.

`Had we put all of our eggs into a solution to Nagorno-Karabakh, we
could have achieved both. Instead, we got nothing,’ Bryza stated.

Bryza took it upon himself to ensure that Azerbaijan would not
initiate any military confrontation. However, if `the ice [over the
negotiation process] does not break,’ the possibilities for such a
confrontation would increase.

Bryza also pointed to the lack of trust between Armenia and
Azerbaijan. In his `that trust isn’t going to come until the US leads
it.’

Since leaving office in January, Bryza has lived in Istanbul and is
the director of the Tallinn, Estonia-based International Center for
Defense Studies. He has also taken to the interview circuit, telling
primarily the Turkish media that Turkey-Armenia normalizations should
have been preconditioned on Karabakh peace and blaming the Armenian
lobby in the US – especially the Armenian National Committee of
America – for undermining his nomination and prospects of returning to
Baku as the top US diplomat.

From: A. Papazian

Karabakh | 08.05.12 | 13:54
May 9: Day of victory for Shoushi, 20 years ago
[image: May 9: Day of victory for Shoushi, 20 years ago]

Photolure

Tank in Shoushi symbolizing the great liberation of Shoushi on May 9, 1992.
By Aris Ghazinyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

On May 9 Nagorno Karabakh will celebrate with grandeur the 20th anniversary
of Shoushi’s liberation, due to which Nagorno Karabakh stopped being an
enclave in 1992.

Immediately after Armenia gained control over Shoushi, the Armenian
self-defense forces entered Lachin, May 12-18 of 1992, and solved a
strategic task, which was to secure a direct land communication between
Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.

Prior to the festivities certain details are recalled that have rarely been
voiced before.

`Twenty years ago things might have turned out differently and we wouldn’t
be where we are today,’ says Armenian expert Garegin Gabrieyelyan, leader
of Keni Research Center.

He says in early May of 1992, then Iranian president Hashemi-Rafsanjani
invited acting head of the Azeri state Yakub Mamedov and Armenian president
Levon Ter-Petrosyan to visit Teheran for bilateral negotiations.

They met on May 7, and the following day a Joint Statement was adopted.

The sides agreed that `within a week’s time as soon as a representative of
the Islamic Republic of Iran arrives and with the assistance of Azeri and
Armenian leaders ceasefire is established and simultaneously all
communication roads open to satisfy economic needs.’

Despite the attractive appearance of it, this statement made no sense.

First of all, there wasn’t a single person in Azerbaijan that could have
guaranteed unblocking the communications (the Azeri Republic then didn’t
even have a president), and secondly, Nagorno Karabakh was not mentioned at
all as a side in the conflict.

`God knows what would have happened to this land, and who would be
populating it now if on May 9 of 1992 the Armenian forces of self-defense
did not start the Shoushi operation taking advantage of Ter-Petrosyan’s
absence,’ the expert says.

On May 9 Armenians gained total control over the Shoushi fortress. This
news stirred huge clamor and indignation not only in Baku, but also among
Armenia’s ruling party members: a session was held in Yerevan, during which
angry leaders of the Armenian All-National Movement condemned General
Arkady Ter-Tatevosyan’s (Commandos) actions.

Shoushi’s liberation became the catalyst of drastic shift in the situation
both on the frontline and in Azerbaijan.

On May 14 Milli Majlis had no way out but to bring back to the office the
resigned president of Azerbaijan (he left the office on March 6) Ayaz
Mutalibov; however, as it turned out, only for one day.

Acting president Mamedov urged `the Turanian nation to unite in the name
of
return of Shoushi’.

In the second half of May Baku was expecting a special delegation led by
Turkish Prime-Minister Suleyman Demirel.

Mutalibov’s second resignation was conditioned not only by the Turkish
interference: other forces affected personnel reorganization in Azerbaijan,
not the least role of which was played by Afghan mojaheds (Muslims who
proclaim themselves warriors for the faith) and Chechens.

Right after losing Shoushi, Hassan Hattab, who had escaped from Shoushi,
met Abulfaz Elchibey and discussed the plan developed by `grey wolves’
on
how to put him into power.

But it didn’t work, the fact that in May the Armenians entered Lachin put
an end to Nagorno Karabakh’s being an enclave.

Vladimir Kazimirov, who during the war was the Russian president’s
plenipotentiary representative on Nagorno Karabakh, recalls that the
changed situation on the frontline was now threatening to put Azerbaijan in
a blockade.

`If Armenia gained exit to Kura River it would cut off Azerbaijan’s
north-western end. Baku did not put forward any preconditions and was ready
for continuous truce.’

This is what became the foundation for the ceasefire agreement.

From: A. Papazian

Trend, Azerbaijan
May 8 2012

Azerbaijani community of Nagorno-Karabakh head: Shusha to be liberated

Azerbaijan, Baku, May 8 / Trend E. Mehdiyev /

Shusha refugees visited the Alley of Honour in Baku in connection with
the 20th anniversary of Shusha’s occupation by Armenia.
“The participation of so many people inspires confidence that they are
ready to fight to liberate Shusha upon by order of the supreme
commander Ilham Aliyev,” head of the Shusha region executive power and
head of the Public Association of the Azerbaijani community of
Nagorno-Karabakh, Bayram Safarov said. “This proves that the
Azerbaijani people are united and organised.”

He said that the Azerbaijani people are always ready to obey orders of
the president to liberate the territories occupied by Armenia.

“We must return to our native Shusha by all means,” he said. “Shusha
will be freed from occupation. Today, Azerbaijan has a strong and
powerful army. If the supreme commander orders, we will free our lands
from occupation rapidly.”

Armenian troops carried out a military operation on May 8, 1992 to
occupy Shusha. Artillery shots were fired over the city which
continued up to 6 pm. Over 1000 Armenian soldiers attacked Shusha from
three sides.

Some 248 historical facilities, eight museums, one photo gallery,
eight music schools and tens of cultural facilities lie under Armenian
occupation in Shusha.

During Shusha’s occupation, hundreds of innocent people died, nearly
60 citizens, including women and children were taken prisoners and are
missing. Most have not been released yet. Nearly 22,000 people became
homeless.

From: A. Papazian

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
May 8 2012

Ankara hopeful about French ties after polls

ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

Right-wing incumbent candidate Sarkozy adresses his supporters after
losing the election in Paris. Ties between Ankara and Paris were
severely damaged during Sarkozy era.

The election of François Hollande as France’s President will not
repair bilateral Turkish-French relations overnight, according to
Turkish officials, who urge the new French leadership not to link
Turkey’s accession to full membership in the European Union with
Armenian genocide claims.

`Turkey and France have never been hostile with each other, and we
have no such intention now,’ Prime Minister Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an told
reporters in Slovenia Monday, expressing his hopes that relations will
improve during Hollande’s presidency. Blaming Nicholas Sarkozy for the
deterioration of bilateral ties, ErdoÄ?an said he would like to see a
new era dawn between the two countries with the election of Hollande.
`I hope¦ the re-establishment of ties will also correct errors
committed against Turkey in its EU membership process,’ he said.

`No one should wait to see a rosy picture,’ diplomatic sources told
the Hürriyet Daily News. `There are so many things Paris needs to do
before we declare reconciliation.’

Ties between Ankara and Paris were severely damaged during Nicholas
Sarkozy’s presidency due to the French leader’s strong opposition to
Turkish membership in the EU and an attempt by his government to
criminalize the denial of the Armenian genocide. Though the
legislation has been annulled by the French Constitutional Council,
Turkey will not immediately remove the mainly military sanctions it
has imposed on France.

`We will first have to see the outcome of the French parliamentary
elections in June,’ ErdoÄ?an said in response to questions about the
sanctions. ErdoÄ?an did not hesitate to urge France’s new leader to
leave behind all the populist rhetoric he used during the election
campaign, particularly with regard to the alleged Armenian genocide.
`I wish statements like `Turkey cannot join the EU before it resolves
its problems with Armenia’ had not been made,’ ErdoÄ?an said, and
advised the French leadership to leave history to historians.

France has blocked five of the 33 negotiation chapters of Turkey’s EU
membership talks. Sources said the new leadership’s stance on the
blocked chapters will be a crucial indicator for the future state of
bilateral relations.
May/08/2012

From: A. Papazian

Baltic News Service / – BNS
May 7, 2012 Monday 3:44 PM EET

Estonia’s Herkel: no direct violatiions in Armenian elections

TALLINN, May 07, BNS – Andres Herkel, who took part in the Armenian
parliamentary elections in the composition of the delegation of the
Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe said that the
elections left him a better impression than expected and there were no
actual violations.

Herkel said that he was observing elections for the first time in
Armenia and that the Armenian elections had been accompanied with
prejudices. “In a couple of last times a rather favorable assessment
had been given by international observers that was followed by some
major bullshit.”

In major outlines, Herkel said, the elections were quite like
elections. “There were no official results yet but exit polls showed
that six parties could cross the electoral threshold.”

Herkel said that the power block would probably not change but the
proportions could change within the coalition as the president’s party
would apparently lose seats and the Flowering Armenia party set up by
the wealthy businessman, Gagik Tsarukyan, would gain a considerable
number of more votes,

Herkel said that the presidential elections to take place next year
would be even more important, as the Armenian system is very
presidential.

In addition to Herkel also Juku-Kalle Raid and Liisa-Ly Pakosta took
part in the observation of the Armenian parliamentary elections in the
composition of the Estonian delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly
of OSCE.
Tallinn newsroom, +372 610 8863, [email protected]
Baltic News Service

From: A. Papazian

ANSAmed – Italy
May 7, 2012 Monday 6:33 PM CET

Italy-Turkey: Erdogan to Monti, economy boom in Ankara;
Emerging regional power, focus on Italian enterprises

(ANSAmed) – ISTANBUL, 7 MAY – After last week’s entrepreneurs’ meeting
in Istanbul, tomorrow an Italian-Turkish political summit will take
place in Rome.

Turkey is an emerging regional power, in-between Europe and Asia, the
West and Islam, a Muslim country and a member of the NATO. The
Conservative Islamic Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be
accompanied by at least six ministers. He will meet Giorgio Napolitano
first, then Mario Monti, while the ministers will have parallel talks.
Some agreements are expected to be signed, one of them concerning
security issues.

This is the second summit with Italian politicians for Erdogan, after
the summit with his ”friend” Silvio Berlusconi, which took place in
2008 in Izmir. There are no clouds in the sky between the two
countries, ”their relations are healthy”, specified the Italian
Ambassador in Ankara, Gianpaolo Scarante. Rome is the first supporter
of Turkey’s EU membership application, which has been standing for
more than 20 years and is progressing extremely slowly, with further
turbulences to be expected in July, with Cyprus EU Presidency.
Economic relations are steadily growing. The Turkish market is a new
promised land for Italian entrepreneurs in these times of crisis and
recession.

The Eastern European giant (which is three times the size of Italy,
with 75 mln young inhabitants, which will become 100 mln in 20 years)
is currently the 16th world’s economy. It has a ”Chinese” growth
rate of 8.5%. It aims at becoming the eighth world’s financial power,
passing from a pro-capita income of USD 10,000 to 25,000. Fifty major
enterprises based in both countries held a meeting last week in
Istanbul, in order to see how the Italian presence on the Italian
market may be extended and t5o prepare a joint venture to face
together the markets of the Middle East, Central Asia, Eastern Europe.
Tureky is driven by the ”Anatolian tigers”, the new aggressive SMEs
inspired by the Italian North-East model; the country expects
investments worth hundreds of billions from today until 2023,
especially in infrastructures, transport and energy. There are 920
Italian enterprises at the moment, and Italy is already Ankara’s
fourth trade partner, with 21.4 bln in 2011. Italy built hospitals,
roads, ports and is currently running for construction of the new
grand bridge on the Bosporus. Against the background of political
earthquakes caused by uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Syria, Turkey is
preparing to take on itself the role of regional power, the police of
the Eastern Mediterranean, drawing inspiration from the ”Ottoman
empire”, according to Istanbul’s press.

Turkey is the second NATO military power and is standing as a model of
democracy for the new authorities stemming from the Arab Springs.
However, relations with Bashar Al Assadi’s Syria are tense and Erdogan
does not exclude to resort to Article 5 of the NATO; the Turkish Prime
Minister might discuss this option with Monti, with Shiite-led Iraq
with Armenia and Israel, in spite of the ”no trouble with
neighbours” line designed in the past years by the Foreign Minister
Ahmet Davutoglu, who will probably become the Prime Minister in 2014,
when Erdogan becomes President of the Republic. However, shadows are
still looming of the human rights front. The Chairman of the
FNSI,(National Federation of the Italian Press), Roberto Natale, asked
Monti to raise the issue of the 100 journalists still held in Turkish
prisons, an issue labelled as ”a matter of concern” by Brussels.

From: A. Papazian

The numbers RPA wrote will have a price in the world-Armenian-Turkish
protocols and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue

17:01 . 08/05

`The elections were planned,’ Leader of New Times Party Aram
Karapetyan said stating because they were planned beforehand the
political forces didn’t present programmes. And the people remembered
not their ideas but their slogan: `Let’s hope in order to make a
change’.

Aram Karapetyan thinks ARF-D is a party in the political field, which
has a serious ideology. However, it received a small percentage of the
votes as it was against the Armenian-Turkish protocols; not because
the people are for the protocols, but because the authority is. The
New Times Party and Heritage Party were also against the protocols.

They are not represented in the new parliament. The Free Democrats are
included in the list of Heritage Party. They were then the apologists
of the Armenian-Turkish protocols. Aram Karapetyan warned his
colleagues from ARF-D beforehand that a smaller percentage would be
written, as who are against the protocols must be in weaker positions
today.

`Each step has its price. Armenia made a very illogical step. That is,
in Russia the social-economic situation was better, but United Russia
Party got less votes. Here what was written, was written. In Armenia
that price is understandable: they will continue robbing as they have
done so far. The price in the world is one with two heads: the
Armenian-Turkish protocols and the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,’ Aram
Karapetyan said.

To note, according to him, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
is going to invest 3-4mln USD in Armenia, about which the journalists
will be informed later.

From: A. Papazian

“They won’t be at ease in parliament”

08:35 pm | Today | Politics

In his speech, Armenian National Congress (HAK) coordinator Levon
Zurabyan mentioned that all Armenians witnessed embarrassing elections
on May 6.

“Based on the observations of the united election headquarters, as
well as independent observers and journalists, the May 6 elections
were held with massive electoral violations planned by the government,
and voters had been bribed to go to the elections in the morning,”
said Levon Zurabyan.

According to Zurabyan, based on the preliminary evaluations, nearly
600,000 ballots were stuffed during these elections. “Based on our
observations, nearly 100,000 of those votes were for the Republican
Party of Armenia (HHK). As to how many votes the other two political
parties stuffed, we’ll mention that after our observations.”

“The HAK is declaring a war against these immoral authorities,”
declared Levon Zurabyan, adding that the HAK has to fight against at
all fronts, including the streets, in parliament and all squares.

“If this government stays in power for a little longer, the cream of
the crop will leave the country. This gap in this condition opens a
very important door for the HAK and gives the latter an opportunity
for us to destroy them. They’re not going to be at ease. In case of
need, we will ask for your support and go to the parliament together.”

Zurabyan also touched upon the conclusions of international observers.

“For the first time, in this report there are no declarations that
there was progress compared to the previous elections and that these
elections corresponded to European standards, or that they were fair.
This means that even the European observers are surprised to see so
much election fraud. We will go against them (HHK-ed.) and show what
it means to establish freedom and justice in Armenia,” said Levon
Zurabyan.

From: A. Papazian

MONITORS GIVE ARMENIAN ELECTION MIXED MARKS

Voice of America

May 7 2012

International monitors have praised Sunday’s elections in Armenia
as competitive and peaceful, but criticized violations they say
undermined the vote, including pressure on voters and an inadequate
complaints process.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Monday
that Armenia deserves recognition for its electoral reforms and its
open and peaceful campaign. But OSCE observers said the sound legal
framework under which the vote was held was marred by irregularities
where stakeholders failed to comply with the law and election
commissions failed to enforce it.

Results released Monday show Armenian President Serzh Sarkisyan’s
ruling party won a majority of seats in Sunday’s parliamentary
elections.

Armenia’s Central Election Commission said Sarkisyan’s Republican
Party took 44 percent of the vote, with former coalition partner,
the Prosperous Armenia party, coming in second with 30 percent.

The opposition Armenian National Congress, led by former president
Levon Ter-Petrosian, finished a distant third.

The parliamentary campaigns centered on unemployment, poverty and
Armenia’s long-running disputes with neighbors Turkey and Azerbaijan.

A disputed presidential poll in 2008 sparked deadly clashes between
police and protesters.

From: A. Papazian