Author: Babajanian Karo

Nezavisimaya Gazeta (in Russian), Russia
Nov 8 2013

AZERBAIJAN HAS WITHDRAWN FROM THE EURO-NEST

by Sohbet Mamedov

Baku accuses Brussels and Washington of bias

Azerbaijan has suspended participation in the work of the Euro-Nest
Parliamentary Assembly as a protest against Point 32 of the resolution
of the European Parliament, which is critical of the recent
presidential elections in Azerbaijan.

Baku’s demarche took place in Kiev that recently hosted the Assembly
Bureau meeting. Head of the Azerbaijani delegation Elkhan Suleymanov
issued a statement, which noted that thus Baku “voiced its protest
against a series of unprecedented attacks on Azerbaijan on the part of
the organization designed to be a symbol of friendship, trust and
cooperation”.

Specifically, the statement of the head of the Azerbaijani delegation
reads as follows: “In Paragraph 32 of the recently adopted resolution
on European neighborhood policy the European Parliament demonstrated
disrespect and distrust of the election of its mission to monitor the
elections and, based on the results of one of the OSCE Offices – OSCE
ODIHR, assessed the election as “OSCE sub-standard”. The question is
what the real position of the European Parliament is. Does it want to
cooperate with Azerbaijan, to create peace and stability in the South
Caucasus? Does it recognize its reports and delegations? What is it
aiming at by ignoring its official observer mission creating such an
abnormal situation for the partner, which has never occurred before in
the practice of the European Parliament and other international
organizations?”

In the end, the statement included two conditions.

Firstly, “the Azerbaijani side has to consider a future format of
cooperation with the Euro-Nest PA, until the causes of the point have
been investigated, and the appropriate measures have been taken”.

Secondly, “during the co-chairing of the Euro-Nest PA by Armenia, an
Eastern Partnership member state that occupied Azerbaijani
territories, Azerbaijan suspends activities in this structure until
the liberation of the occupied territories”.

Just for you to remember that the Euro-Nest Parliamentary Assembly is
a component of the EU “Eastern Partnership” initiative. The Assembly
includes 60 MEPs and 10 MPs from each country participating in the
initiative (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and
Ukraine).

Noteworthy, despite the positive assessment of the outcome of the
presidential elections in Azerbaijan by almost all the observer
missions of international organizations, the position taken by the
ODIHR and the OSCE voiced by the US State Department and the British
Foreign Office was perceived in Baku as fabricated by Washington that
was allegedly trying to impose its interests on the republic.

Evidence of the biased attitude of Washington to the processes taking
place in Azerbaijan was the disclosure of the fact of allocating USD
300,000 to the Center for Election Monitoring and Democracy Training
from the funds close to the US National Democratic Institute.
According to haqqin.az, this center is headed by opposition figure
Anar Mamedli, who sharply criticizes the policy of Ilham Aliyev’s
government.

The edition notes: “By a strange coincidence, the Center’s assessment
coincided with the findings of the ODIHR controversial report that
announced the recent presidential elections in Azerbaijan not meeting
international standards. Despite the fact that there are dozens of
centers for the monitoring of the elections in Azerbaijan, the US
government chose that very opposition structure acting in conjunction
and in close cooperation with one of the actors of the political
struggle – the opposition National Council”. Commenting on the
situation, former presidential candidate and current parliament member
Zahid Orudj said that “through its embassies, NDI, IRI and various
NGOs, the United States is trying to put pressure on sovereign
states… In other words, under the pretext of defending democracy,
Washington is actually trying to interfere in the internal affairs of
Azerbaijan. To achieve this, hundreds of thousands of dollars are
allocated for the Azerbaijani opposition”.

(…) Last March, there was a disagreement between the Government of
Azerbaijan and the US National Democratic Institute because of the
illegal activity of Institute head Alex Grigorievs in Baku. It was
discovered that during his two-year activities in Azerbaijan
Grigorievs provided financial support worth over USD 1 million to the
opposition favoring the overthrow of the current government. At that
time, after a lot of sorting out, the scandal was hushed up.

[Translated from Russian]

New Armenian National Movement party to fight for democratic Armenia –
Alexander Arzumanyan

12:30 / 09.11.2013

Four former members of the Armenian National Movement – Alexander
Arzumayan, Ararat Zurabyan, Hovhannes Igityan and Karapet Rubinyan –
revived the party on October 26. Nyut.am spoke with MP Alexander
Arzumanyan about the programs of the party, attitude of people toward
it.

– Mr Arzumanyan, each party has issues, was not it possible in your
case to solve them and not open a new ANM?

– You are right. But we did not have the issue of splitting. The party
did not exist. By the time we convened congress there was no Armenian
National Movement party it has turned into another one. Of course,
there was no need to display the disputes of the party, especially in
the one where democratic principles are dominating. Multi-opinion is
the basis of the Armenian National Movement party. As far as a group
of people decided to annul the party, another group that consider the
years spent in the party inseparable part of their lives decided to
revive it. We are trying to re-register the party that was created in
1988 from people’s movement.

– How are your relations with ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan? Has he
already congratulated you on the revival of the party?

– We have not contacted with Levon Ter-Petrosyan for the past 1-2
years due to technical reasons as well. I do not think that personal
relations have suffered during that period. No official response,
congratulation has followed, moreover some of ANC members even said
there is Armenian National Movement NGO registered. But we do not want
to engage in such issues. As to the ANC, our principle is that we will
cooperate over the issues and not with individuals or parties.

– Isn’t the Armenian National Movement being associated with Levon
Ter-Petrosyan?

– So much water flowed from the tenure of Levon Ter-Petrosyan, so many
sufferings people faced. We must leave the previous three presidents
back and help the young generation come forward.

– Are the programs of the new party differ from the previous one ideologically?

– It is almost the same, we just updated it. The charter is the same,
no ideological changes have been made. We have always sought to make
Armenia a free, independent, democratic state. We know that people’s
rights are not ensured here, we do not have unbiased courts, we have
corrupted system. We will work to bring to life the provisions of our
program we have proclaimed still in 1988.

– After leaving the Armenian National Movement you founded Free
Democrats party and now you are member of the Heritage faction. Isn’t
it a bit confused?

– Free Democrats is the party founded by members of the Armenian
National Movement who left the party. After we wanted to start the
process of reviving the party, we talked with our friends from Free
Democrats and we have good relations with them. As to the Heritage, I
appeared in the faction as we ran in the elections with the joint
list. I will remain in the faction and represent the Armenian National
Movement.

– On October 26 you stated that the party has restored to fight
against tyranny. How do you plan to fight? How do you assess Shant
Harutyunyan’s actions? Why weren’t you by his side?

– I respect Shant Harutyunyan very much, he is a principle figure,
first fighter in 1988. Each person decides the way and time of his
fight on his own. His actions were not a coup attempt but a scream of
soul. Our issue is to be attentive and not allow provokers do their
work and not to arrest innocent people. We were not by his side as we
did not really understand what happened and it happened were quickly.
We want to reach coup in a constitutional way.

– If you want it to be in a constitutional way, you will probably
participate in next presidential and parliamentary elections?

– We will see. It is not necessary to participate in regular elections
only. There may be snap elections. We will participate in all the
actions as citizens, cooperate with those who want to see democratic
Armenia.

Young Armenian social activist’s life in danger

November 09, 2013 | 11:20

YEREVAN. – A fundraising event will be held Saturday, at Northern
Avenue in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan, to help 26-year-old Hasmik
Hovhannisyan, who suffers from chronic staphylococcus sepsis (blood
poisoning).

Hasmik’s friends told the aforementioned to Armenian News-NEWS.am.

`Hasmik needs to treat her complicated illness solely abroad.
According to the preliminary agreement, about 5,000 euros are needed
to continue her treatment in Germany. [But] Hasmik does not work at
present, and her parents are unable to pay for the treatment costs.

`To save her, an account is opened at Unibank where transfers can be
made to the following accounts: 24 10 03 06 67 43 07 (AMD); 24 10 03
06 67 43 08 (USD); 24 10 03 06 67 43 09 (EUR),’ Hovhannisyan’s friends
informed.

They added that Hasmik is a social activist, a member in several NGOs,
and head of the Youth Union. She also initiated a number of charity
events, and the proceeds collected from these events were used for
providing assistance to families living in border villages, the
socially insecure elderly, and orphan children in Armenia.

The participants in the fundraising at Northern Avenue will sing
Armenian national and patriotic songs and perform national dances.

Court rules to arrest actor Vardan Petrosyan

15:39 09/11/2013 » LAW

A Kotayk court has sustained the petition of police to arrest actor
Vardan Petrosyan.

According to a report received from the ‘Stress’ Mental Health Center,
the actor has left the center – he was taken to the court by police.

Gala TV reported that addressing the media, Mr Petrosyan said in
particular that `Vardan Petrosyan has never fled anything, and is not
fleeing.’

A major car crash occurred in Armenia’s Kotayk province on October 20.
A BMW 320 car collided with a VAZ 2121 at the 2nd km of
Yeghvard-Yerevan highway, sending the driver of VAZ 2121 and 6
passengers to hospital with injuries. Two of the injured died.

A criminal case was opened under Article 242 part 3 of the Criminal Code.

Renowned Armenian actor Vardan Petrosyan was driving the BMW. He was
transported to Erebuni Medical Center with numerous fractures.

Source: Panorama.am

Armenia’s Consulate General opens in Marseille

15:34 09.11.2013
Armenia, Marseille

On November 8 Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and the
Mayor of Marseille, Senator Jean-Claud Gaudin, opened the Armenian
Consulate General in Marseille. Attending the solemn ceremony were
also French lawmakers, politicians, public and culture figures and
representatives of the Armenian community.

In his opening remarks Minister Nalbandian attached importance to the
establishment of the Consulate General, underlining that Marseille has
a special importance for our people.

`Armenians have lived in Marseille from early Middle Ages. Armenian
merchants trading between the Easter and the West were actively
working in this city,’ he said.

`Marseille became the first French city to host thousands of Armenian
Genocide survivors. Many of them settled here and became true citizens
of Marseille. Up until today they continue to contribute to the
development of the city,’ the Minister said.

`With its Armenian Churches, monuments, schools, cultural and sports
centers, the Armenian-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Marseille is an evidence of the high level of integration of Armenians
on one hand, and maintenance of ties with the Motherland, on the other
hand,’ Edward Nalbandian said.

The Minister thanked the regional and municipal authorities of
Marseille for the continuous support to Armenians and for the
important contribution to the reinforcement of the Armenian-French
friendship. He voiced confidence that headed by Consul General Vardan
Armakesh, the Consulate would make an important contribution to the
development and deepening of the Armenian-French relations.

Marseille Mayor Jean-Claud Gaudin said it’s a great honor for him to
attend the opening of the first Consulate General of friendly Armenia
in France, since he has the warmest feelings for the Armenian people
and is a proponent of development of comprehensive cooperation with
Armenia.

He noted that Armenians have made an important contribution to the
development and prosperity of the city and serve as a unique bridge
between France and Armenia. He underlined that Marseille and Yerevan
cooperation in the fields of education, culture, sport, healthcare and
others. Jean-Claud Gaudin expressed confidence that the Consulate
General would contribute to the further deepening of Armenian-French
friendship.

The solemn opening ceremony of the Armenian Consulate General was
aired live on local TV channels and was widely covered by media.

Activists hold a procession in Yerevan to support Shant Harutyunyan

by Ashot Safaryan
Saturday, November 9, 13:41

Activists have started a procession from Liberty Square in Yerevan to
support Leader of Tseghakron Party Shat Harutyunyan and other citizens
detained during the Nov 5 demonstration.

The protesters demand releasing Harutyunyan and his supporters and
initiating criminal prosecution against Chief of Armenian Police
Vladimir Gasparyan, Deputy Chief Hunan Poghosyan and other policemen
for using violence against Shant Harutyunyan and the other detainees.

The procession has been organized by the Facebook initiative group
“Freedom to Shant Harutyunyan and other detainees!” The protesters
will make their way from Liberty Square to Moskovyan Street – Mashtots
Avenue – Sayat Nova Avenue – Nalbandyan Street (Police building) –
Prosecutor General’s Office.

To recall, dozens of policemen and activists were injured as a result
of the clashes that followed a demonstration organized in the center
of Yerevan in support of activist Shant Harutyunyan, on 5 November.
Over 20 activists have been detained. The clashes started at 05:30 PM
when the demonstrators came across a police cordon. The police say
that the demonstration was not sanctioned. As was reported earlier,
the demonstrators were moving to Mashtots Park, when Shant Harutyunyan
tried to cross the street against the traffic lights. The police’s
attempt to stop him ended in a skirmish. Harutyunyan and his son were
detained. Some demonstrators began blowing up bottles with gasoline.
The police cordoned the road leading to the presidential palace.
Earlier Shant Harutyunyan organized a picket in Liberty Square. He
stood there with a poster saying “I am Declaring a Revolution!” A
criminal case has been instituted against 14 activists and 6 have been
released. MP Nikol Pashinyan says on his Facebook page that Shant
Harutyunyan has told him that Chief of Armenian Police Vladimir
Gasparyan and Deputy Chief Hunan Poghosyan used violence against him.
However, the police have refuted this information.

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Nov 8 2013

British MP calls for reconsidering restrictions on arms sale to Azerbaijan

8 November 2013, 18:30 (GMT+04:00)
By Sara Rajabova

Azerbaijan is an active participant in international peacekeeping
processes, a British MP said.

Responding to the questions of the European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS),
Penny Mordaunt said, “We should build bridges with countries that are
West-oriented.”

“We should support their orientation towards the West, their
democracy, human rights, and freedom of society, as well as their
attempts to organize a joint security. Azerbaijan is one of those
states,” Mordaunt, member of the Committee on Arms Export Controls,
added.

According to Mordaunt, Azerbaijan is an active participant in global
peace processes, and, to this end, has sent troops to Iraq, Kosovo,
and Afghanistan.

She said that Azerbaijan has also been an important transit country
for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), and will be a
major transit country during the withdrawal of British troops and
equipment from Afghanistan in 2014.

Mordaunt said the heavy military vehicles will pass through Kazakhstan
and cross over to Baku by ferry via the Caspian Sea, and then will be
transported to Turkey through the Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway.

She called it a testament to the fact that Azerbaijan plays the role
of a bridge between Central Asia and Europe.

The peacekeeping contingent of the Azerbaijani armed forces has been
serving under the NATO-led ISAF in Afghanistan since 2002. The
Azerbaijani peacekeeping contingent started with 22-people-strong
staff and the number of the contingent increased in 2008, reaching the
level of a detachment. Azerbaijani peacekeepers will stay in
Afghanistan after the withdrawal of the U.S. troops from the country
by the end of 2014.

In the past, the country also actively supported the operations of the
Alliance in Kosovo.

Mordaunt also said that the United Kingdom, like Azerbaijan, has a
valuable property in the Caspian Sea which is in need of reliable
protection.

“If Azerbaijan intends to strengthen its own navy to ensure the safety
of platforms, then, in my opinion, the UK must create a condition for
the sale of British ships,” Mordaunt said.

She went on to say that restrictions on the sale of flotilla ships,
namely patrol ships, to Azerbaijan must be lifted.

“Sale of patrol ships is in our interests. It benefits us, not only in
ensuring the security of oil installations, pipelines, and ships in
the Caspian Sea, but also in increasing the export of our ships. Such
transactions will not affect Armenia, which is in conflict with
Azerbaijan,” Mordaunt said.

She also said that the UK should reconsider the list of restrictions
on the sale of military equipment to Azerbaijan.

“We should exclude those weapons that serve the national security of
Azerbaijan and the UK and will not be used in the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict,” Mordaunt said.

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict emerged in 1988 when Armenia made
territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Since a lengthy war in the
early 1990s that displaced over one million Azerbaijanis, Armenian
armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s
internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and
seven adjacent regions.

She said that the same arguments apply to the question of training
Azerbaijani naval officers.

Mordaunt added that this kind of trainings only strengthen cooperation
between the two countries’ armed forces.

The UK recognized Azerbaijan’s independence in December, 1991.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in
March, 1992.

Azerbaijan and the UK have benefitted from close bilateral partnership
and cooperation since 1992, in the framework of international
organizations such as the United Nations, OSCE, Council of Europe, and
NATO. The relations have covered a wide range of issues, from
high-level political dialogue to growing trade and investment, as well
as strengthening cultural and humanitarian ties.

Economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in the
energy sector, is at the core of the relations between Azerbaijan and
the UK. The UK is the largest foreign direct investor in Azerbaijan,
followed by the U.S. and Japan.

Azerbaijan cooperates with the UK in the exploration and
transportation of oil and natural gas from the Azerbaijani part of the
Caspian Sea.

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Nov 8 2013

Nagorno-Karabakh illusions: Customs Union and CSTO

8 November 2013 – 1:13pm

Some Armenian political analysts have been discussing the membership
of Nagorno-Karabakh in the Customs Union. Both Armenia and Azerbaijan
have claims to the territory, while Armenia recognizes it as an
independent state. Either way, Armenia cannot decide whether
Nagorno-Karabakh should be a member of the Customs Union or not.

Membership in the Customs Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan
needs the recognition of the sovereignty of Nagorno-Karabakh.

However, Col. Andrey Ruzinsky, Commander of the Gyumri Base of Russia,
said that Russian soldiers will stop any Azerbaijani attempts to take
Nagorno-Karabakh by force, according to the alliance of Russia and
Armenia within the framework of the CSTO. On the other hand,
Nagorno-Karabakh is not part of Armenian territory, so the CSTO
protects it as a means of self-defense.

Armenia preferred the Customs Union to EU association. Armenian
Minister for Energy Armen Movsisyan has recently said that joining the
Customs Union will save Armenia money because the gas prices will drop
from $270 to $189 per 1,000 cubic meters.

IRNA, Iran
Nov 4 2013

Speaker: Iran-Armenia ties to help restore regional peace

Tehran, 4 November: Iranian Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani said Monday [4
November] that the Islamic Republic of Iran has always stressed the
need for political dialogue to settle regional problems.

Larijani made the remarks in a meeting with the visiting head of
Iran-Armenia Parliamentary Friendship Group, Galust Sahakian.

Referring to long lasting friendly ties between Iran and Armenia,
Larijani called for further expansion of bilateral relations in
different areas.

Enhanced Tehran-Yerevan ties will help restore peace and stability in
the region, he said.

In the meantime, Galust Sahakian expressed pleasure with the growing
cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, saying promotion
of parliamentary relations between Iran and Armenia could improve ties
in all other areas.

He said that he was satisfied with outcome of his talks with Iranian
officials in Tehran.

Iravunk.com, Armenia
Nov 4 2013

Armenia to continue to adapt “key” EU directives, despite joining Customs Union

[Translated from Armenian]

Armenian Economy Minister Vahram Avanesyan has said that Armenia
continues to adapt some EU directives to its own economy with the help
of a group of consultants from the European Union regardless the
planned integration into the Russian-led Customs Union.

“There are areas in which, we will certainly discontinue [adapting],
but they will be pursued in the key areas,” Avanesyan said.

He also said that that the approach was not simply “copying” the
directives, but adapting them to Armenian reality and the approach was
universal. “We have adopted previous EU directives. The same approach
applies to the rest of our partners,” the minister said.

Avanesyan also commented to pro-Russian Iravunk.com website on a
question as to how his ministry was preparing the Armenian economy for
the eventual accession to the Customs Union. “We are currently dealing
with the risk assessment so that we are aware of all risks and able to
understand the impact on Armenian economy of the documents to be
signed within the framework of the Customs Union and find the best way
possible to ensure that accession to the Customs Union will not entail
detrimental consequences for Armenia,” Avanesyan said.