Author: Babajanian Karo

HRAPARAK: KHACHATUR SUKIASIAN TO BECOME YEREVAN MAYOR?

Wednesday,
February 27

“Hraparak” daily writes that a number of officials believe that Taron
Margarian should not hold the position of Yerevan Mayor, especially
after the shameful results of the presidential election in Yerevan’s
Avan community, whose administration Margarian previously headed.

Other officials are opposed to ex-mayor Gagik Beglarian’s comeback.

An alternative candidate who would be acceptable to both the
authorities and the opposition is currently under consideration.

According to the newspaper, Khachatur Sukiasian may become Yerevan
Mayor.

TODAY, 12:50

Aysor.am

HERITAGE LEADER SAYS PEOPLE SEEM INTIMIDATED IN KAJARAN

18:45 ~U 27.02.13

The Heritage party’s leader, who started Wednesday a tour to the
Syunik region, said at a meeting with the mayor of Kajaran that he
feels a kind of atmosphere of intimidation in the southern city.

Raffi Hovhannisian, who disputes the outcomes of the February 18
presidential election, told Mayor Vardan Gevorgyan that he is skeptical
about the official voter turnout (45%) registered in the city. He
said the crowd attending his rally suggested something different.

“There is a kind of fear, but I have no idea whether that’s because
of you, the regional governor or the third president,” he said.

Responding to the Heritage leader’s remark, the mayor said he expected
him to be the first to congratulate the re-elected president.

“I swear elections have not been rigged since 1998. We have inventive
and creative people here and, thank God, are socially better-off
compared to other communities,” Gevorgyan said, noting that 80%
of Kajaran’s population is employed.

MEMBERS OF AUSTRIA-ARMENIA PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDSHIP GROUP TO VISIT YEREVAN THIS YEAR

17:40, 27 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS: Foreign Minister of Armenian Republic
Edward Nalbandian on February 26 visited Austrian Parliament, where
he had a meeting with Fritz Neugebauer, the Second President of
the National Council of Austria, as well as with other members of
the parliament.

As Armenpress was informed from press, informational and public
relations department of Armenian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
participants of the meeting had discussed issues on the development
of Armenian-Austrian cooperation, activation of relations between the
parliaments of the two states, as well as issues related to cooperation
of Armenian and Austrian delegations in frames of parliamentary
assemblies of international organizations. Interlocutors also reached
an agreement on organizing the visit of Austria-Armenia parliamentary
friendship group to Yerevan.

Presidential elections of Armenia have been also touched on during
the meeting. In this context, participants of the meeting, who were
observing presidential elections in Armenia, noted that elections
were held in accordance with all international standards.

On the request of Austrian deputies Edward Nalbandian presented efforts
of Armenia and international community aimed at the settlement of
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Interlocutors referred to the cooperation between Armenia and the EU,
as well as the reforms implementing in Armenia.

Afterwards Edward Nalbandian gave an interview to ~SAustrian news
agency~T on external policy of Armenia and the reforms of the country.

Meeting of Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian with Lamberto
Zannier, Secretary General of OSCE, as well as Minister~Rs speech at
5th United Nations Alliance of Civilizations Forum are scheduled for
February 27.

– See more at:

PROCESSION DEDICATED TO INNOCENT VICTIMS OF SUMGAIT MASSACRE

16:36 27/02/2013 ” SOCIETY

Tomorrow, on February 28, at 11:30, in Yerevan a procession will
be held to Armenian Genocide Memorial – Tsitsernakaberd – where the
cross stone (khachkar) in memory of the Armenians tortured and killed
in Sumgait city of Azerbaijan on February 27-29, in 1988, is installed.

The procession is organized by series of non-governmental
organizations. The former inhabitants of Sumgait will also take part
in mourning ceremony, people who have passed through indescribable
tortures and hell, have lost their relatives and friends in the result
of massacre, have received physical injuries and have become enabled.

Representatives of Armenian Public Council, YSU student’s organization
and other youth organizations as well as intellectuals, series of
experts, journalists and human rights defenders togather with the
former inhabitants of Sumgait will put a wreath at the cross stone.

On 26-29 February 1988 in terms of actual complicity of local
authorities and inaction of the USSR government mass pogroms
of civilians were organized in Sumgait city of Azerbaijani SSR,
accompanied with unprecedented brutal murders, violence and pillaging
against the Armenian population of the city. Armenian pogroms in
Sumgait were carefully organized. At the meetings, which began on
February 26 in the central square, city leaders openly called for
violence against the Armenians.

On February 27 protests which were attended by hundreds of rioters
turned into violence. Armed with axes, knives, specially sharpened
rebar, rocks and cans of gasoline and with the pre-compiled lists of
apartments where Armenians lived the rioters broke into the houses,
turning everything upside down there and killing the owners. In
the same time, people were often taken out to the streets or to the
courtyard for jeering at them publicly. After painful humiliations
and torture the victims were doused with gasoline and burnt alive.

On February 29 army troops entered Sumgait but without an order to
intervene. Only in the evening, when the mad crowd began to attack
the soldiers the military units took up decisive steps.

The exact number of victims of Sumgait pogroms is still unknown.

According to official data, 32 people were killed; however there
is ample evidence that several hundred Armenians have been killed
in the city in three days. There is also evidence that the riots
were coordinated by KGB in Azerbaijan. Executioners of Sumgait were
subsequently declared as national heroes of Azerbaijan.

Documentary “Ordinary Genocide: Sumgait 1988”

Source: Panorama.a

NKR FOREIGN MINISTER: HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD IN OUR REPUBLIC IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN IN MANY RECOGNIZED STATES

15:53 27/02/2013 ” SOCIETY

On February 26, a conference titled “Lithuania and Armenia: a look to
the recent past” dedicated to the 25 anniversary of the democratic
movements in Armenia and Lithuania and the National liberation
struggle of the Armenians of Artsakh took place in Seimas, Parliament
of Lithuania, NKR MFA press service reported.

The participants also honored the memory of the victims of the
Sumgait massacre.

Members of the Lithuanian legislative body, representatives of
political, social and academic circles, including the founding members
of the Lithuanian movement of “Sajudis” as well as members of the
Armenian community of Lithuania participated in the conference.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Karen Mirzoyan was invited as a special
guest of the conference and delivered a speech where he noted that
the movements of the national revival that united the Armenian and
Lithuanian peoples around common ideals and principles of freedom
and democracy have resulted in independence. “In Lithuanian case the
independence gave its people possibility to restore its statehood and
fully integrate into the international community, European Union,”
stated Karen Mirzoyan, stressing that the people of Artsakh not
only had to assert its right to freedom and independence but also
to struggle for its survival and right to live on the land of its
ancestors.

The minister reminded that Azerbaijan from the very beginning rejected
dialogue and search for political settlement of the issue, resorting to
the threats and terror, in response to the peaceful and lawful demands
of the people of the Nagorno Karabakh. “But our people withstood
and passed the test of the imposed war. In May 1994 the ceasefire
agreement was signed which gave us an opportunity of peaceful life
and building of an independent statehood,” said Karen Mirzoyan.

He stressed that NKR is committed to the democratic way of the
state building, which guarantees all the fundamental human rights
and freedoms. Even though Nagorno Karabakh is an unrecognized state
and may not undertake commitments to observe the universal democratic
standards before international organizations, but it is steadfast in
following them. “Moreover the human rights record in our republic
is significantly higher than in many recognized states, which was
reflected in the last Freedom House report,” the minister noted. He
expressed regret that the unrecognized status of the NKR is a barrier
for its full involvement in the international developments that in turn
limits the exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms of its citizens.

Dwelling upon the issue of Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict settlement,
the minister reiterated the the NKR’s commitment to the peaceful
settlement of all disputable issues with Azerbaijan. At the same
time he noted with regret that the official Baku does not only reject
all the proposals of the mediators but also suppresses any even weak
initiatives towards reconciliation, as well as implants cult of hatred
towards Armenians and anything Armenian and propagates xenophobia,
intolerance and militaristic moods.

Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia Vahan
Hovhannesyan and Armenian Ambassador to Lithuania Ara Ayvazyan
addressed the conference and noted the irreversibility of the
democratic processes started 25 years ago, emphasizing the importance
of the ideas and the spirit in the peaceful settlement of conflicts.

Members of Seimas DangutÄ- MikutienÄ-, Algis KaÅ¡Ä-ta, Vilija
AleknaitÄ–AbramikienÄ- also delivered speeches and mentioned the
importance of the imperative of staying committed to the ideas of
the democratic movements.

Lithuanian MP Dalia Kuodyte read a declaration on to establishing
in the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania Friendship Group with the
Republic of Artsakh (the Nagorno Karabakh Republic).

The original of the signed document was officially handed in to NKR
Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan. 9 members of different fractions of
the Lithuanian Seimas joined the initiative.

Source: Panorama.am

ADAM SCHIFF: THE US SHOULD REVIEW ITS RELATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN
Lilit Sedrakyan

“Radiolur”
14:29 27.02.2013
Los Angeles

Congressman Adam Schiff was in Los Angeles for a short visit. Earlier
he sent a congratulatory message to NKR President Bako Sahakyan on the
occasion of the 25th anniversary of the National-Liberation Movement.

Schiff said he will continue the efforts towards humanitarian and
political support to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.

“A few years ago I had a chance to visit Artsakh. I was impressed
by the invaluable achievements of that country, and I believe the
people of Artsakh have the right to self-determination, which should
be internationally recognized. Azerbaijan’s behavior – its inflammatory
actions at the border, the shooting at Armenian soldiers and civilians,
the bellicose rhetoric of Baku and the harassment against one of
their writers – is very worrisome,” Congressman Schiff said.

“For reasons unknown to me the United States continues to finance
military education for Azerbaijan. If the supreme commander of the
armed forces of that country glorifies a murderer, any support to the
military education is a simple waste of money, times and efforts,
which should be stopped. We are working in that direction,” the
Congressman said.

“I’m simply shocked by what Aliyev is doing,” Adam Schiff said,
adding that if the behavior is maintained, the US should seriously
review its relations with Azerbaijan.

“I’m not at all optimistic that the nature of that regime will ever
change, and I think that the United States must double its efforts
to exert influence on Azerbaijan. The actions of that country are
unacceptable and go beyond all international norms. It’s necessary
to implement changes in our relations with Azerbaijan, if all this
continues in the future,” the Congressman said.

Adam Schiff informed that they continue to work in the Congress
towards recognition of the Armenian Genocide. A new bill is being
worked out and it will present a new strategy to succeed in the
current unfavorable conditions. Supporting Turkey in its policy of
denial does not meet the interests of our country, Schiff said.

In Los Angeles Congressman Adam Schiff participated in the meeting
with the Head of the Export & Import in Little Armenia district. The
Bank offered Armenian businessmen to rely upon its loans to export
American goods to Armenia or any other country.

LEVON ARONYAN IMPROVED HIS POSITIONS IN THE FIDE RANKING LIST

13:07, 27 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS: Armenian strongest chess player
Levon Aronyan has improved his points in the Fide Ranking list. As
Armenpress reports, triple champion currently posses 2809 points.

Norwegian chess player Magnus Karlsen with 2872 points tops the
ranking list, Russian chess Grandmaster Vladimir Kramnik comes the
next with relevant 2810 points.

Levon Aronian was born 6 October 1982. Aronian won the Chess World Cup
2005. He led the Armenian national team to the Gold medals in the 2006
(Turin), 2008 (Dresden) and 2012 (Istanbul) Chess Olympics and at the
World Team Chess Championship in Ningbo 2011. He won the FIDE Grand
Prix 2008-2010. He was also World Chess960 Champion in 2006 and 2007,
World Rapid Chess Champion in 2009, and World Blitz Chess Champion in
2010. Aronian was declared the best sportsman of Armenia in 2005 and
was awarded the title of “Honoured Master of Sport of the Republic
of Armenia” in 2009.

NKR FOREIGN MINISTRY: SUMGAIT ARMENIANS FIRST VICTIMS OF AZERI HATRED

February 27, 2013 – 13:45 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – Mass murders and pogroms of Armenians took place
from 27 to 29 February, 1988 in Sumgait, a city located less than 30
kilometers away from the Azeri capital Baku. For three days, with
the tacit consent of the authorities and complete inaction of the
law enforcement agencies people were being murdered, raped and maimed
for the sole reason of being Armenian. Dozens of killed, hundreds of
maimed and thousands of Armenians expelled from Sumgait became the
first victims of Azerbaijan’s policy of terror aimed at the Armenians
of Karabakh who in the preceding week had officially declared their
intention to exercise their right to self-determination. In spite of
the peaceful and legitimate nature of those manifestations in Nagorno
Karabakh, Azerbaijan from the very onset rejected dialogue, resorted to
the language of threats and intimidation and pursued policy of violent
oppression of the free will of the people of Artsakh, the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic Foreign Ministry statement said. “Unfortunately,
the Sumgait massacre hasn’t yet received an adequate political and
legal assessment of the international community. Moreover, silencing
the truth about the Sumgait tragedy, concealing its true causes,
and the impunity granted to its masterminds paved the way for ethnic
cleansing carried out throughout Azerbaijan. It reached its climax
during the bloody massacres and mass deportations of Armenians of Baku
in January 1990, which later led to a full-scale military aggression
against the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. The tragic events in Sumgait
laid the fertile ground and contributed to the further development
of the zealous hatred towards Armenians continuously implanted
in Azerbaijan and its society. In today’s Azerbaijan, despite the
international community’s calls to prepare its population for peace
instead of war, xenophobia, intolerance and belligerence are being
spread. Anyone in Azerbaijan, who stands for building any bridges to
Armenians is severely intimidated and ostracized by the Government. At
the same time, the Azeri officer, who was convicted in Hungary to a
life sentence for the brutal Sumgait-type murder of the fellow Armenian
classmate, is being glorified as a national hero and role model for
youth. 25 years later we pay tribute to the innocent victims of the
Sumgait tragedy, and call on the international community to express
its firm and unambiguous position in relation to that crime against
humanity. A clear and unequivocal assessment of those mass murders
and pogroms and condemnation of the forces behind them will both
prevent the recurrence of such crimes and contribute to the moral
improvement of the Azeri society,” the statement said.

STUDENTS CONTINUE STRIKE

TERT.AM
13:13 ~U 27.02.13

Higher school students continue their protests in Armenia’s capital.

Crying out “Free, independent students”, the students marched from
Yerevan State University to Yerevan Medical University.

On their way to Yerevan State Linguistic University, the students
stopped over in front of Yerevan Conservatoire.

About 200 students are participating in the action.

LEVON JULFALAKYAN CONFIDENT THAT WRESTLING WILL REMAIN IN OLYMPIC PROGRAM

12:12, 27 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 27, ARMENPRESS. The Head Coach of the Armenian
National Wrestling Team Levon Julfalakyan excludes the possibility of
leaving wrestling out of the Olympic program. As reports “Armenpress”
during the press conference Levon Julfalakyan underscored that
the decision of the working committee of the International Olympic
Committee (IOC) caused a lot of noise in the world.

Among other things Levon Julfalakyan noted: “That was solely the
decision of the IOC working committee. Jacques Rogge personally
announced that wrestling will not be excluded from the Olympic program
merely because of the working committee’s decision. The matter is
that the International Wrestling Federation conducted a very negative
activity during recent ten years.”

The Head Coach of the Armenian National Wrestling Team Levon
Julfalakyan stated that he is hopeful that there will be palpable
changes after the “FILA” session, which is scheduled to be held
in April.