Author: Babajanian Karo

ERDOGAN RESISTS REPUBLIC DAY CELEBRATION, OPPOSITION IS DEFIANT

PanARMENIAN.Net
November 1, 2012

The police used truncheons and tear gas to stop anti-government
rallies; clashes resulted in arrests and injuries.

Turkey celebrated 89th anniversary of the Turkish Republic, and the
festivities were quite original; protest rallies were held against
Erdogan’s government and personally the Turkish Prime Minister. Tens
of thousands of people gathered at Ulus square in Ankara timing their
action to the anniversary of the country’s establishment.

PanARMENIAN.Net – Official festivities were sanctioned to take
place only at Ankara hippodrome and were attended by the country’s
leadership. However, the key opposition Republican People’s Party
(CHP), as well as the Workers’ Party (IP) along with about 40 NGOs
decided to hold a “mobilization manifestation”; the action was to
start at the building of the first parliament of Turkey and then move
to the mausoleum of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Republic.

Approximately 6000 police officers were providing for the security;
they used truncheons and tear gas to stop anti-government rallies.

People were injured, some were arrested. According to opposition media,
the police blocked entry to the city to bar the way of about a hundred
of buses with opposition activists on board who headed for Ankara to
take part in the action.

Participants of the action blamed the current Islamist government for
infringement upon Turkey’s secular bases. Kemal Kilicdaroglu, leader
of CHP labeled this as agony of Erdogan’s regime. “Erdogan speaks
about human rights in Syria, while he has trampled on all democratic
values in his country. All this demonstrates that we are just a step
away from authoritarianism,” he said. It is worth noting that hundreds
of opposition journalists are jailed on charge of mythic conspiracy.

The army is demoralized. Almost all officers are arrested on suspicion
of plotting a military coup d’etat to overthrow the government.

Meanwhile, the army has always been the guardian of the secular
regime. However, the Islamists have staked on the people who have
remained ignorant, fanatic, and uneducated through all these 89 years.

Current president Abdullah Gul is the only one lacking a general rank,
a mandatory condition in Turkey until 2002. Prime Minister Erdogan is
not much keen on army either. The poem that entailed a 10-month jail
sentence upon him in 1998 has the following ending: “Mosques are our
caserns, domes are our helmets, and minarets are our bayonets. Our
soldiers are full of faith.” Meanwhile, Turkey has been developing
as a secular republic, with authoritarian governance and army’s
intervention aimed at maintenance of this very model of development.

Naturally, the Islamists make every effort to eliminate the cult of
Ataturk that has been successfully enrooted during 70 years. Such
plan will hardly satisfy Turkey’s secular sector that votes for the
CHP and anyone other than the Justice and Development Party (AKP).

AKP wrested the victory during the recent elections; gaining 49% of
votes it did not manage to form a constitutional majority. In fact,
half of the country voted against Erdogan. Also, inevitable forgery
took place, and administrative resources were used. However, this is
not very important. Erdogan is getting troublesome news from Syria.

Kurdish military troops that have maintained neutrality in the
Syrian conflict until recent, have now started to fight against the
opposition troops in Aleppo. If Bashar Assad manages to use this and
maintain the tendency, the balance of powers in the Syrian war may
be altered to favour him. The Kurds constitute over 10 per cent of
Syria’s population; if they back the governmental troops not only in
Aleppo but other parts as well, this will cause serious problems for
the opposition.

Participants of the hostilities against the opposition mostly
represented troops of the Democratic Union party closely linked to
the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) which is engaged in armed fight
against the authorities of neighbouring Turkey. Turkey is much active
in supporting the Syrian opposition, and recently appeared on the verge
of armed conflict with Damascus after a number of frontier incidents.

If Kurds interfere in this, Turkey will face an unpleasant situation.

Hypothetically, the Turkish Kurds may unite with the Syrian and Iraqi
ones, and even those in Iran, which may result in implementation of
another U.S. project, namely the Great Kurdistan. Unlike Erdogan,
the Turkish opposition actively cooperates with the Kurds, and the
outcome of this potential alliance is easy to predict: Islamists
may be overthrown, and special national elections may be organized,
in strict compliance with the democratic norms.

RAIL LINK BETWEEN GEORGIA AND ABKHAZIA MAY BE REOPENED, IF POLITICAL DECISION MADE

YEREVAN, November 2. /ARKA/. The rail link between Georgia and Abkhazia
may be reopened, if a political decision is made, Sergey Harutyunyan,
chief engineer at the South Caucasus Railways CJSC, said Friday in
Novosti International Press Center.

This transportation link is strategically important to Armenia,
since this is the shortest and cheapest way to Russia.

“As I know from media reports, Russia has financed the repair of the
Abkhazian section,” he said.

The railway in Abkhazia functions transporting people and goods to
Russia and back, and the railway section between Armenia and Georgia
operating without problems as well.

In recent days, Paata Zakareishvili, Georgia’s new reintegration
minister, said that Georgian authorities are willing to resume rail
communication with Russia as part of the Abkhazia unblocking strategy.

“GOR TAMAZYAN DEFENDS THE CLERGY,” A SATANIST SAYS ABOUT A NZHDEHIST

November 1, 2012 16:08

Gor Tamazyan, the leader of the One Nation coalition, stated today that
Satanist Bayandur Poghosyan had insulted him and slandered through
a page on Facebook Anti-One Nation. Bayandur Poghosyan commented on
Tamazyan’s statement during a conversation with , “Let
me say with regard to this that an investigation has been launched
and two court sessions have taken place and he doesn’t have the right
to accuse anyone, until the court makes a ruling.”

Responding to Tamazyan’s claim that the page Anti-One Nation had
been opened and administered by the Satanist and it had to be closed,
Poghosyan said, “They have no right to make any claims in that regard.

I am a junior administrator on that page and as for who the founder
is, I don’t know, since the statements of the administration are
anonymous. I couldn’t have created that page for a simple reason –
it was created in December 2010 and I joined it in September 2011. I
talked about that during the court session too.”

Regarding the other administrator of Anti-One Nation, Sevak Kirakosyan,
who, according to Gor Tamazyan, had slandered the Armenian Apostolic
Church, had assessed its activities as anti-national, Poghosyan said,
“First of all, Gor draws conclusions – Sevak Kirakosyan hasn’t made
a statement insulting the Armenian Apostolic Church. He generally
criticized clericalism, talked about the fact that instead of promoting
the true faith or the true church, Gor defends the clergy, which is
engaged in different kinds of misuse and, so to say, casts a shadow
over the faith. Sevak Kirakosyan talked about facts showing different
drawbacks of the clergy and it cannot be perceived as insulting the
church, if, certainly, the church doesn’t think that, say, people
who persecuted Movses Khorenatsi did the right thing. I don’t think
that any follower of the Armenian Apostolic Church might express
such an opinion. I don’t want to talk about the followers of the
Armenian Apostolic Church, because I am not one, but I also don’t
think that they would justify people who persecuted Mesrop Mashtots,
Grigor Narekatsi, Ghazar Parpetsi, Komitas and other intellectuals
and who abused power carrying out persecutions.

Eva HAKOBYAN

IN FRAMES OF “THE EASTERN COOPERATION” THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE WILL DEVELOP PARTNERSHIP WITH PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 2, ARMENPRESS. The Deputy Minister Of Culture
Arev Samuelyan And The Chairman Of “Association Of Young Women Of
Armenia” Public Organization Lilit Asatryan Signed A Joint Memorandum
Regarding The Cooperation In Frames Of Cultural Programs Of “The
Eastern Cooperation”. As Reports “Armenpress” Samuelyan Mentioned
That Such Agreement Is Of A Certain Importance Particularly In The
Sphere Of Cultural Heritage.

The Deputy Minister Of Culture Of The Republic Of Armenia Stated:
“This Is One Of The Financial Programs Of “The Eastern Cooperation”,
Which Armenia Takes Part In. I Guess It Will Be A Key For Opening
The New Doors For The Organizations And Individuals Engaged In The
Sphere Of Museums.”

In accordance with the abovementioned document the sides will realize
the joint program “the New Breath of Culture: Enrich the Heritage
via Arts” in Armenia, Georgia and Ukraine.

Asatryan stated: “The cooperation of the state and society is of a
certain importance for us, as it encourages the activation of the
cultural life of the country.” She mentioned that the state realizes
the governmental policy, as to the public organizations they support
the solution of the cultural issues in frames of their activity.

The goal of “the New Breath of Culture: Enrich the Heritage via Arts”
program is the encouragement and agitation of the traditional cultural
heritage and particularly the best innovational cultural and creative
projects in the sphere of museums.

CENTRAL BANK PREZ MILLIONS – TALK ABOUT ARMENIA’S GROWING INCOME DISPARITY!
Grisha Balasanyan

hetq
12:29, November 2, 2012

RA Central Bank President Artur Javadyan is one of the highest paid
officials in Armenia.

In 2011, his salary amounted to 27,754,356 AMD. That works out to
2,312,863 a month ($5,768).

Let’s put this in some perspective. President Sargsyan is paid 400,000
AMD per month in salary.

According to Javadyan’s 2011 financial disclosure, he had overall
revenues of just over 39 million AMD, $76,267, and 1,514 Euros.

At the beginning of the year, Javadyan had 257 million AMD, $305,000,
and 192,000 Euros in the bank.

The Central Bank president purchased a 1,455 square meter house for
105 million AMD in 2011.

Javadyan’s wife Hasmik Manoukyan doesn’t lag far behind financially.

In 2011 she declared revenues of 44.392 million AMD, $557, and 5,121
Euros. Her wages for the year only amounted to 4.659 million AMD.

16.813 million AMD was derived from rental income.

At the start of the year, Hasmik Manoukyan had 217.3 million AMD,
$305,000 and 335,000 Euros stashed away in various bank accounts.

Talk about the growing levels of income disparity in Armenia.

Talk about the recent government bill, passed by the National Assembly,
raising the minimum wage by 2,500 AMD to 35,000 a month.

Let me do the math for you readers. That’s a $6.20 increase in the
minimum wage.

35,000 AMD per month works out to roughly $87.28, an amount the ruling
government says argues is a step in the right direction and it’s all
the government can afford right now.

LES DASHNAKS APPELLENT L’OPPOSITION A UN ACCORD SUR UN CANDIDAT POUR LE POSTE DE PRESIDENT
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 1er novembre 2012

Un des chefs de la Federation Revolutionnaire Armenienne
(Dashnaktsutyun) a invite vendredi les principaux groupes de
l’opposition du pays a nommer un candidat commun a la prochaine
election presidentielle.

Armen Rustamian a dit qu’a cette fin son parti est pret a soutenir
son poids derrière un candidat non affilie mais pret a transformer
l’Armenie en une republique parlementaire.

” Nous pourrions trouver un candidat absolument neutre ” a-t-il dit
lors d’une conference de presse, en ce qui concerne l’opposition
armenienne.

Selon Armen Rustamian, le Dashnaktsutyun croit qu’une “consolidation”
du camp de l’opposition est la clef de la prevention de la fraude lors
de l’election presidentielle prevue en fevrier 2013. Le parti pourrait
boycotter l’election s’il estime qu’il est incapable d’empecher la
fraude a-t-il dit.

Le parti Dashnaktsutyun a conteste la dernière election presidentielle
en 2008 avec son propre candidat, Vahan Hovannisian. Il a obtenu 6,2
pour cent des voix, selon les resultats officiels.

vendredi 2 novembre 2012, Stephane ©armenews.com

LE GOUVERNEMENT ARMENIEN TABLE SUR DE BONNES PERSPECTIVES DE CROISSANCE ECONOMIQUE
Gari

armenews.com
jeudi 1er novembre 2012

L’economie armenienne pourrait afficher un taux de croissance de 7 %
cette annee, et elle devrait se maintenir l’an prochain, a declare
avec optimisme le premier minister armenien Tigrane Sarkissian, lors
de la presentation aux deputes du projet de budget de son gouvernement
pour l’annee 2013. La croissance econmique etait de 4,7 % l’an dernier
en Armenie, et du meme ordre pour le premier trimestre de l’annee
en cours.

Les statistiques officielles ont toutefois indique une croissance
economique plus soutenue dans les mois qui ont suivi, une hausse
attribuee aux performances dans l’industrie et l’agriculture ainsi
qu’a une legère reprise dans le secteur de la construction immobilière,
qui semble se remettre lentement de la recession de 2009.

S’exprimant devant les commissions de l’Assemblee nationale, T.

Sarkisian a indique que la croissance avait atteint 7,5% en septembre
et elle ne devrait pas tomber au-dessous des 7 % rapportee a l’ensemble
de l’annee. L’economie pourrait afficher une croissance de 6,2 %
en 2013, a precise le premier ministre.

C’est en tout cas sur ces previsions de croissance que s’appuie en
partie le budget propose pour l’annee 2013, qui devrait voir notamment
les depenses publiques augmenter de 10 % pour atteindre 115 milliards
de drams (soit 2,85 milliards de dollars). Le ministre des Finances
Vatche Gabrielian a indique devant les deputes que ces depenses
n’induiraient pas d’augmentations de salaires dans le secteur public,
suscitant de vives reactions chez les deputes de l’opposition.

Ces derniers ont fait valoir que l’inflation qui affectait les biens
de consommation courante allait se traduire par une baisse du pouvoir
d’achat pour des centaines de milliers d’employes du secteur public.

M.Gabrielian a retorque que le gouvernement avait pris en compte ce
probleme, et que 31 000 autres de ces employes pourraient beneficier
d’autres avantages garantis par l’Etat, comme l’accès gratuit aux
soins medicaux.

Le gouvernement prevoit aussi de reduire le deficit budgetaire a un
niveau equivalant a 2,6 du PIB. Selon T.Sarkissian, il se situe a
environ 2,8% en 2012. L’augmentation des depenses publiques devrait
etre compensee en partie par une hausse de quelque 13% des recettes
fiscales. T. Sarkissian a reconnu que le gouvernement devrait
redoubvler d’efforts pour atteindre ces objectifs, en depit de la
croissance previsionnelle. ” Nous avons un accord avec la Banque
mondiale selon lequel nous pourrions compter sur une aide financière
anticipee de 100 millions de dollars si la conjoncture contrariait
l’exercice de notre budget “, a conclu le chef du gouvernement.

LE GOUVERNEMENT DEMANDE A L’OPPOSITION DE TRAVAILLER AVEC LUI CONTRE LA CORRUPTION
Ara

armenews.com
jeudi 1er novembre 2012

Le gouvernement a decide de durcir sa facon significative la lutte
contre la corruption endemique en Armenie et est pret a travailler
de concert avec les principaux groupes d’opposition pour cet effort,
a declare jeudi le Premier ministre Tigran Sarkissian.

” La situation actuelle en Armenie – dans le domaine de la corruption
en particulier – ne nous satisfait pas “, a indique Sarkissian
lors de la session hebdomadaire de son cabinet. “Le president de
la Republique exige des actions resolues, y compris l’utilisation
de methodes chirurgicales, afin que nous puissions apporter des
changements tangibles et visibles.”

” Pour reussir dans ce domaine, je pense que nous devrions renforcer
sensiblement la cooperation avec la societe civile … Je pense qu’il
serait egalement bon d’inviter les partis d’opposition a cooperer
avec nous et de s’impliquer dans ce travail “, a-t-il dit.

L’annonce fait suite a une serie d’enquetes sur la corruption ordonnee
par les autorites armeniennes dans les dernières semaines. La
repression a ete lancee le 15 septembre après une reunion du
gouvernement au cours de laquelle le president Serge Sarkissian
a denonce ce qu’il a denonce comme la corruption generalisee dans
l’administration des achats d’Etat et a ordonne aux forces de l’ordre
pour faire enquete.

Plusieurs hauts fonctionnaires ont ete licencies au cours des semaines
suivantes a la faveur des poursuites penales lancees par la police
armenienne. Le Premier ministre Sarkissian et divers organes de l’Etat
auraient decouvert de graves exactions dans les travaux de construction
commandes par le gouvernement, les achats de medicaments subventionnes
ainsi que dans l’approvisionnement alimentaire des jardins d’enfants
et des orphelinats.

Les dirigeants de l’opposition et des critiques du gouvernement ont
qualifie cette repression de coup de publicitaire visant a accroître
les chances de reelection President Sarkissian lors du scrutin
presidentiel prevue en fevrier. Ce que contestent les representants
du gouvernement et du Parti republicain au pouvoir.

Selon Tigran Sarkissian, le gouvernement souhaite que les groupes de
citoyens et de l’opposition se joignent a la campagne anti-corruption
conseil dirigee par le Premier ministre. Il a exprime l’espoir que
leurs representants seront presents la prochaine reunion du conseil
prevue samedi.

Le gouvernement a envoyer des invitations a des partis d’opposition
tard dans la journee. Deux d’entre eux, la Federation Revolutionnaire
Armenienne (FRA) et Zharangutyun (Heritage), ont accepte les
invitations.

“Nous nous felicitons de toute initiative dans la lutte contre la
corruption, meme un tardive “, a declare Hovsep Khurshudian, le
porte-parole Zharangutyun.

Aghvan Vartanian, chef de file FRA, est plus sceptique, en indiquant
que son parti va envoyer un de ses membres a la reunion de samedi ”
par courtoisie “. ” Ce conseil anti-corruption qui existe depuis près
de dix ans n’a jamais ete connu pour son efficacite et nous placons
aucun espoir a ce sujet, ” a-t-il declare a RFE / RL (Azatutyun.am).

Le radical Congrès national armenien (HAK) a balaye l’offre du
gouvernement de la main, en precisant qu’il allait boycotter
“ce spectacle theâtral et cette tromperie a bon marche. ” Dans un
communique, le bloc de l’opposition a accuse les dirigeants politiques
de l’Armenie, y compris Tigran Sarkissian, d’etre eux-memes corrompu
et donc pas vraiment interesse a la lutte contre ce fleau. Le HAK a
declare que la corruption reste très repandue en Armenie et devient
une ” pratique legitime “.

Le Parti Armenie prospère (BHK), qui faisait partie du gouvernement
jusqu’en Juin, a egalement ete invite a participer aux travaux de
l’organe anti-corruption. Le porte-parole du BHK Tigran Urikhanian a
declare a RFE / RL services armenien (Azatutyun.am) que le parti va
envisager cette offre.

Le president Sarkissian a promis de combattre la corruption, le
nepotisme et autres pratiques de corruption tout au long de son règne.

Les organisations locales et internationales de lutte anti-corruption
ont signale quelques ameliorations a ce jour.

L’Armenie a occupe la modeste 129e place sur 183 pays au classement de
Transparency International, basee sur les perceptions de la corruption
en 2011. Il etait classe 123e sur 178 pays etudies en 2010.

vendredi 2 novembre 2012, Ara ©armenews.com

SEYRAN OHANIAN VISITE LES UNITES SUR LA LIGNE DE FRONT AU NORD-EST DE L’ARMENIE (PHOTOS)
Krikor Amirzayan

Seyran Ohanian, le ministre armenien de la Defense s’est rendu le 31
octobre sur les bases de la ligne de front du nord-est de l’Armenie. A
la frontière armeno-azerie, Seyran Ohanian a pris connaissance sur
l’etat des troupes armeniennes de defense et leur capacite de riposte
a l’ennemi. Il visita egalement de nouvelles installations militaires
et des constructions. Il assista egalement a des exercices militaires
d’unites de contre-offensives et commandos capables de percer les
lignes ennemies. Seyran Ohanian rencontra egalement de nombreux
soldats et grades.

Photos site

vendredi 2 novembre 2012, Krikor Amirzayan ©armenews.com

MORE RHETORIC: ALIYEV SAYS AZERBAIJAN TO CELEBRATE VICTORY IN KARABAKH “SOON”

Karabakh | 01.11.12 | 12:14

Azerbaijan will restore its territorial integrity and celebrate its
victory in the Karabakh standoff soon, said the country’s president
Ilham Aliyev on Wednesday in unveiling a monument, in Baku, to a
prominent Karabakh-born Azeri folk music performer.

Aliyev stressed that Azerbaijan was “drawing closer” to victory with
each day due to its “increasing might” and “growing influence in the
international arena”.

“We are prepared for any variant [of settling the Karabakh conflict].

We will never allow a second Armenian state to be established in our
ancient Azeri land,” said the Azerbaijani leader at the ceremony
honoring Bulbul (1897-1961), a native of a village near Shushi in
Karabakh.

Aliyev said that monuments to Bulbul and other cultural figures
of Azerbaijan would also be re-inaugurated in Shushi and elsewhere
in Karabakh after the “restoration of territorial integrity”. “The
national flag of Azerbaijan will flutter in Shushi,” he concluded.

The Azeri leader’s renewed war rhetoric comes on the heels of the
first internationally mediated talks in months between the foreign
ministers of Armenia and Azerbaijan. After that meeting in Paris on
October 27, the troika of Minsk Group peace brokers announced their
scheduled visit to the region later this month to try to kick-start
the stalled negotiation process with some unspecified new ideas.

Armenia has routinely scoffed at the threats from Azerbaijan to
resolve the Karabakh conflict militarily, saying, at the same time,
that Karabakh’s status within Azerbaijan is out of the question.

“The leader of Azerbaijan continues to make statements that have
nothing to do with the reality,” Deputy Speaker of the Armenian
Parliament Eduard Sharmazanov said on Thursday, commenting on Aliyev’s
most recent remarks.

The two South Caucasus neighbors locked in a bitter dispute over
Karabakh came close to renewed fighting last summer in the wake
of several major border skirmishes resulting in loss of life on
both sides.

Yerevan and Baku have also paraded their military capabilities in
several war games staged in the volatile region during the past year
or so, threatening to overwhelm each other in the event of renewed
hostilities.