Government’s Decision Surprised Me – Former Hungarian FM

GOVERNMENT’S DECISION SURPRISED ME – FORMER HUNGARIAN FM

news.am
September 04, 2012 | 04:26

I was very much surprised by the decision of the Hungarian government,
which did not require any guarantees in return for Ramil Safarov’s
extradition to Azerbaijan. Safarov should have continued serving his
sentence, and not be granted pardon, in Azerbaijan, Hungary’s former
FM Peter Balazs told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

In response to the query as to whether the economic component played a
huge role in the arrangement for Safarov’s extradition, Balazs noted
that Hungary has its loan relations with the EU.

“[Monetary] Means are necessary for the successful activity of
Hungary’s economy. Now, rumors are circulating about a monetary
compensation by the Azerbaijani side, but these have not been confirmed
as of yet,” Hungary’s former FM stated.

Also, he expressed a view that Hungary and Azerbaijan reached the
decision on extraditing Safarov, but “such delicate issue should
first have been settled with Armenia.”

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant
in the Azerbaijani military, was extradited on August 31 from Hungary,
where he was serving a life sentence-and with no expression of
either regret or remorse-for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership
for Peace program in Budapest back in 2004.

As expected, Ramil Safarov’s return to Baku was welcomed, as was
his act of murder, by the officials of president Ilham Aliyev’s
government and much of Azerbaijani society, and the Azerbaijani
president immediately granted him a pardon.

And Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31 that
Armenia is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary.

Two Days For Decisive Actions

TWO DAYS FOR DECISIVE ACTIONS
Igor Muradyan

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 11:05:45 – 04/09/2012

For already one year and a half Azerbaijan has been building up its
policy on the lack of will, weakness and uncertainty of the authorities
of Armenia. During all this time, different presidents of Armenia
have tried to build up their style and priorities on foreign policy
but they have always come up with something meaningless and archaic,
oriented mostly to personal or group welfare.

In this sense, the foreign policy of Armenia is characterized by
continuity. And if this feature means stability and order for many
countries, for Armenia with its problems, continuity is nothing but a
deep marsh. Independent Armenia exists for already twenty years and
it is impossible to miss the precious historic opportunity. Armenia
needs a government which will build confidence not only in government
but also state and nation. Such an approach allows understanding
how the country receives foreign investments and joins military and
political blocs.

Now, because of the “Budapest foul act” the political leadership of
Armenia is sending signals on its intention to use the situation and
finally break away from the web which has caught the Armenian people
in the result of completely foreign interests.

The rules set within the OSCE Minsk Group had nothing to do with
prevention of war and ensuring of political foreign political relations
with Armenia. The National Assembly will hold an extraordinary
meeting on September 5 and if no one succeeds to persuade the
Armenian leadership to refrain from statements, we may hope for a
sooner recognition of Karabakh’s sovereignty than we may presume.

The Minsk Group has already announced that despite humiliation and
rough violation of Armenia’s rights the latter needs to continue
the negotiations. Apparently, for the remaining two days, foreign
pressure on Armenia will grow to keep it from radical steps. The
political parties, politicians and authors suddenly disappeared,
preferring to be “laughed” at. It would be good if the real face of
the Armenian current “politicians” and their henchmen is demonstrated.

The time has come for a serious decision oriented to the future of the
country with the prospect of development as a sovereign country. Along
with more or less true assessments, streamline wording comes, such
as “necessity to suspend negotiations until the jerk returns to
Budapest” which is an attempt to deceive themselves. The task needs
to be different. The Karabakh issue should stop being a matter of
discussion. So, Armenia will become more acceptable for the partners
which have been using this situation so far for their interests.

Everyone will be forced to take into account the new reality.

If the political leadership of Armenia is tempted by “stroking its
head”, hopes for the future of the state will be gone forever. This
understanding is gradually coming to not only political circles but
also the entire society. In this case, threats and risks are minimal
but they will not be always. There will be a time when Armenia will
not be able to take sovereign decisions at all. What can a historical
loser achieve?

http://www.lragir.am/engsrc/comments27289.html

Turquie : Impunite Pour Les Meurtres Aux Mains D’Agents De L’Etat

TURQUIE : IMPUNITé POUR LES MEURTRES AUX MAINS D’AGENTS DE LETAT

Publié le : 04-09-2012

Info Collectif VAN – – Le Collectif VAN vous
propose cette information publiée sur le site de Human Rights Watch
le 3 septembre 2012.

Légende photo : Des membres des familles des victimes se réunissent
avant une audience a Diyarbakir en mars 2012, lors du procès d’un
ancien officier de gendarmerie et de six autres personnes, accusés
de 20 meurtres et disparitions entre 1993 et 1995 dans le sud-est de
la Turquie.

© 2012 Emma Sinclair-Webb/Human Rights Watch

Human Rights Watch

Turquie : Il faut mettre fin a l’impunité pour les meurtres et
disparitions aux mains d’agents de l’Ã~Itat

3 septembre 2012

(Istanbul) – Le gouvernement turc devrait prendre des mesures pour
s’attaquer aux délais fixés par la loi, aux actes d’intimidation
de témoins et aux autres obstacles entravant les poursuites contre
des membres des forces de sécurité et des agents de l’Ã~Itatpour
des meurtres, des disparitions et des actes de torture, a déclaré
Human Rights Watch dans un rapport publié le 3 septembre 2012.

Les personnes responsables des graves violations de droits humains
commises après le coup d’Ã~Itat militaire de septembre 1980 et
a l’encontre de la population civile kurde dans les années 90,
durant le conflit entre l’Ã~Itat et le parti armé illégal du PKK
(Parti des travailleurs du Kurdistan), n’ont jamais été tenues de
rendre des comptes pour leurs actes.

Des centaines de décès survenus en détention et d’exécutions
sommaires perpétrées par les forces de sécurité risquent d’être
considérées comme hors délais pour faire l’objet de poursuites
a cause d’une limite de 20 ans aux enquêtes pour meurtre contenue
dans le précédent code pénal de la Turquie. Des milliers d’autres
meurtres perpétrés par des agents de l’Ã~Itat contre des Kurdes
du début des années 90 pourraient se trouver également exclus de
poursuites et de procès au cours des trois prochaines années.

” Des lois anciennes qui entravent les enquêtes sur de graves
atteintes aux droits humains en Turquie ont permis aux forces de
sécurité et aux agents de l’Etat de ne pas répondre de meurtres
et d’actes de torture ”, a déclaré Emma Sinclair-Webb, chercheuse
senior sur la Turquie a Human Rights Watch. ” Il est vital que les
autorités turques agissent maintenant pour garantir qu’il n’y ait
pas de limites de temps pour que les victimes obtiennent justice. ”

Le rapport de 67 pages, intitulé ” Time for Justice: Ending Impunity
for Killings and Disappearances in 1990s Turkey ” (” Il est temps
de rendre justice : Mettre fin a l’impunité pour les meurtres et
disparitions commis en Turquie dans les années 90 ”), examine les
lecons relatives aux obstacles a l’obligation de rendre des comptes
tirées du procès en cours contre le colonel a la retraite Cemal
Temizöz et six autres personnes pour le meurtre et la disparition
de 20 hommes et garcons entre 1993 et 1995. Il s’agit du premier
procès de ce type contre un haut gradé de la gendarmerie pour de
graves violations des droits humains commises lors du conflit entre
l’Ã~Itat et le PKK.

Le rapport s’appuie sur des entretiens menés auprès de 55 personnes
dans la province de Å~^ırnak, dont des membres de la famille ont
été tués ou ont disparu aux mains de criminels présumés agents
de l’Ã~Itat au début des années 90.

Les membres des familles des victimes ont régulièrement affirmé
a Human Rights Watch qu’ils voulaient voir les criminels traduits en
justice pour les meurtres et les disparitions de leurs proches. Harun
Padır avait 17 ans en 1994 lorsque les forces de sécurité l’ont
placé en détention avec son père İzzet Padır et son oncle Abdullah
Ozdemir, que l’on n’a jamais revus. Il a exprimé un sentiment partagé
par tous les membres des familles des victimes interrogés par Human
Rights Watch dans le cadre du rapport : ” Pour nous, des réparations
ne signifient rien. Nous voulons juste que la justice soit rendue. ”

Les entretiens menés par Human Rights Watch ainsi que le procès
de Diyarbakır soulignent le climat de peur qui régnait parmi les
membres des familles des victimes dans la région du sud-est jusqu’a
très récemment, venant s’ajouter a une absence totale d’enquête
efficace sur les meurtres et les disparitions dans la région a ce
moment-la et par la suite.

Un témoin dans le procès Temizöz, İsmet Uykur, a vu le meurtre de
son père Ramazan Uykur commis en plein jour dans la ville de Cizre
en février 1994. Il a déclaré au tribunal de Diyarbakır :

La peur a triomphé a Cizre. En ce temps-la nous ne pouvions pas
aller déposer des plaintes parce qu’il y avait de nombreux meurtres
non résolus… il y avait des gens qui avaient vu les incidents
dans la région mais a ce moment-la ils ne voulaient pas témoigner
parce qu’ils avaient peur ; en ce temps-la nous avions peur de la
gendarmerie et des gardiens de village.

Human Rights Watch s’est entretenu avec des dizaines de membres des
familles des victimes qui ont confirmé soit qu’ils avaient eu trop
peur, pendant de nombreuses années, pour déposer des plaintes,
ou bien s’ils l’avaient fait qu’il y avait eu une absence totale de
véritable enquête. Leurs propos appuient les nombreux jugements de
la Cour européenne des droits de l’homme contre la Turquie faisant
état de violations du droit a la vie par le biais d’une tendance a
omettre de mener de véritables enquêtes.

Des témoins ont signalé que les forces de sécurité ont enlevé puis
tué Omer Candoruk, Yahya Akman, et deux cousins, Suleyman Gasyak et
Abdulaziz Gasyak, après qu’ils aient franchi un point de contrôle
de la gendarmerie sur la route menant a Silopi en mars 1994. Sabri
Gasyak, le frère d’Abdulaziz, a expliqué a Human Rights Watch :

Nous n’aurions pas pu déposer de plaintes a cette époque, ni
réclamer justice. J’aurais été arrêté si j’avais engagé des
poursuites. A la fin des années 80, notre village dans le district
de Siirt’s Pervari a été réduit en cendres par l’Etat et vidé de
ses habitants. Nous avons été emmenés et torturés ; des centaines
de nos animaux ont été abattus. En 1994 après que Suleyman et
Abdulaziz ont été tués, de nombreux membres de notre famille sont
partis a Zahko dans le nord de l’Irak.

Le procès de Temizöz a fourni des lecons importantes sur les
obstacles possibles a la justice susceptibles de surgir dans des
milliers d’autres cas d’exactions commises par des membres des forces
de sécurité et des agents de l’Ã~Itat dans les provinces du sud-est
de la Turquie ainsi que dans les villes principales.

S’appuyant sur ces lecons, le rapport Il est temps de rendre justice
en appelle au gouvernement turc, aux tribunaux et aux procureurs pour
qu’ils développent un modèle de justice centrée sur les victimes en
Turquie. Les procureurs et les tribunaux doivent offrir aux témoins
vulnérables, aux membres des familles des victimes, ainsi qu’a leurs
avocats une protection plus efficace contre les actes d’intimidation
et les attaques tant au sein du tribunal qu’a l’extérieur lorsqu’ils
témoignent dans des procès contre des accusés qui sont des membres
des forces de sécurité, des gardiens de village, ou des agents
de l’Ã~Itat.

Il est également nécessaire de prendre des mesures pour raccourcir
les procédures, qui s’étirent pendant des mois et des années
favorisant les actes d’intimidation.

” Le climat de peur parmi les membres des familles de victimes
et les témoins persiste jusqu’a aujourd’hui ”, a conclu Emma
Sinclair-Webb. ” Pour leur donner suffisamment confiance afin
qu’ils se fassent connaître, les procureurs et les tribunaux doivent
adopter une protection des témoins plus efficace et une approche de
la justice centrée sur les victimes. ”

Le rapport contient des recommandations concrètes pour renforcer
la justice pour les crimes commis par des agents de l’Ã~Itat,
notamment : * Accroître la rapidité et l’efficacité des procès,
notamment en tenant des audiences sur plusieurs jours consécutifs
; * Désigner des procureurs qui se concentrent sur les enquêtes
portant sur les exactions passées ; * Ordonner aux procureurs
d’enquêter en profondeur sur la responsabilité de toute la
chaîne de commandement pour les atteintes aux droits humains ; *
Des efforts vigoureux devraient être accomplis par les procureurs et
les tribunaux pour identifier les membres des forces de sécurité
que les témoins désignent seulement par leurs noms de code, de
sorte que les procureurs puissent les appeler a témoigner comme
des suspects éventuels ; * Les mesures de protection des témoins
devraient être améliorées et les tribunaux devraient veiller a
prendre des mesures pour sanctionner les actes d’intimidation des
témoins et des membres des familles des victimes.

Le rapport recommande que le parlement turc établisse une commission
vérité indépendante pour examiner les exactions passées. Il
s’appuie également sur des recommandations antérieures émises
par l’ONU, le Conseil de l’Europe, ainsi que d’autres organismes
internationaux appelant le gouvernement a entreprendre un projet
global pour démanteler le système de gardiens de village dans
les provinces du sud-est de la Turquie. Le rapport constate que le
système de gardiens de village, profondément ancré dans le tissu
social et politique des communautés locales, représente un obstacle
majeur a la justice dans la région.

Retour a la rubrique

Source/Lien : Human Rights Watch

http://www.collectifvan.org/article.php?r=0&id=66785
www.collectifvan.org

A1+ To Return To Airwaves: Agreement With ArmNews Gives Beleaguered

A1+ TO RETURN TO AIRWAVES: AGREEMENT WITH ARMNEWS GIVES BELEAGUERED MEDIA LIMITED TV ACCESS FOR FIRST TIME IN 10 YEARS

News | 04.09.12 | 14:23

Artak Alexanyan (l), Mesrop Movsisyan

By Siranuysh Gevorgyan
ArmeniaNow reporter

The news bulletin of A1+ TV channel, which has been denied broadcast
rights for the past 10 years will be broadcast on ArmNews TV starting
next Monday.

In 2010, A1+, known for its critical reporting of the government, lost
to the same ArmNews in digital broadcast tender ~V this being the 13th
failed attempt to gain air access. A1+ was effectively banned in April
2002, prior to the February 2013 presidential elections and up until
now the fact that it~Rs been denied airwaves has been mentioned as one
of the shortcomings by various reports on freedom of speech in
Armenia. Both the TV company management and a number of experts in the
field have stated repeatedly that A1+ is denied air due to political
reasons. Since 2010 it~Rs been transmitting programs via internet.

General manager of ArmNews Artak Alexanyan told the press on Tuesday
that, by the contract signed between ArmNews and A1+, Ayb Fe
analytical-news bulletin will be aired five days a week
(Monday-Friday) during ArmNews~Rs prime time, at 9 p.m.

~SThe goal to achieve here is to provide our audience with the most
competitive and diverse TV product. The bulletin will be prepared
completely by A1+ TV; ArmNews will not interfere with the editorial
policy of this program. It~Rs a one-year contract to be extended if so
wished by the sides,~T explained Alexanyan.

A1+ director Mesrop Movsisyan said that the lawsuit appealing the
tender results is still in process against the National Commission on
Television and Radio, which has ArmNews involved as the third party.

~SNonetheless, I~Rd like to keep apart our working relations and our
attempts to defend our rights. We will continue standing up for our
rights, but will do ArmNews~Rs order with great pleasure,~T said
Movsisyan, ruling out a chance of merging with ArmNews given the
positions of the two companies.

Armenian PM Meets Argentine’s Foreign Minister

ARMENIAN PM MEETS ARGENTINE’S FOREIGN MINISTER

armradio.am
04.09.2012 15:35

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan received the delegation led by the
Foreign Minister of Argentine Hector Marcos Timerman.

“I am sure that your visit will promote the further development
of the relations between our countries. Armenian and Argentinean
governments should make efforts to diversify those relations,” said
Tigran Sargsyan.

The Foreign Minister of Argentine hailed the relations between the
two countries and stressed the importance of establishing ties in
other spheres. “Argentine is ready to cooperate with Armenia in all
the fields. We will respond positively to any of your proposals,”
said Hector Marcos Timerman.

The parties then addressed a number of issues of reciprocal interest.

The sides stressed the importance of further development of trade and
economic relations between the two countries and the intensification
of Armenian-Argentinean chamber of commerce.

Tigran Sargsyan noted, that Armenia is ready to organize
Armenian-Argentinean business forum, which will make it possible
to expend and develop business ties between the two countries. In
this context, reference was made to Argentine’s possible involvement
in the free economic zones formed in Armenia within the program of
agricultural products processing.

The parties discussed issues related to the development of bilateral
relations in tourism, science and health sector.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan expressed gratitude to the government
of Argentina for paying great attention to the Argentinean-Armenian
community and being alert to their problems.

Armenian Community Of Hungary Supports Armenian President’s Decision

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY OF HUNGARY SUPPORTS ARMENIAN PRESIDENT’S DECISION ON SUSPENDING DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH HUNGARY

news.am
September 04, 2012 | 23:02

BUDAPEST. – The Armenian community of Hungary fully supports the
decision of the decision of the Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to
suspend diplomatic relations with Hungary, although, the community
will suffer the most, Vice Chairman of the “Armenian National Autonomy
of Hungary” Nikoghos Hakobyan told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

According to him, Hungarian society is shocked by the decision of
the Hungarian government regarding the Azerbaijani murderer Ramil
Safarov’s extradition to Baku and his immediate release.

In response to how the Hungarian government reacts to Azerbaijan’s
statements that the latter is not going to make investments in Hungary,
Hakobyan said that the authorities are well aware about it, but it
changes nothing.

As for the actions by Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora in achieving
justice, Hakobyan believes that the issue is too difficult to settle
at the moment.

Armenian News-NEWS.am reported earlier that Ramil Safarov, a lieutenant
in the Azerbaijani military, was extradited on August 31 from Hungary,
where he was serving a life sentence – and with no expression of
either regret or remorse – for the premeditated axe murder of Armenian
lieutenant Gurgen Margaryan, in his sleep, during a NATO Partnership
for Peace program in Budapest back in 2004.

As expected, Ramil Safarov’s return to Baku was welcomed, as was
his act of murder, by the officials of Azerbaijani president’s
administration and much of Azerbaijani society, and the Azerbaijani
president immediately granted him a pardon.

Armenia’s President Serzh Sargsyan announced on August 31 that Armenia
is suspending its diplomatic ties with Hungary.

RA National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan Receives Foreign Min

RA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENT HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN RECEIVES FOREIGN MINISTER OF ARGENTINA

04.09.2012

On September 4 the RA National Assembly President Hovik Abrahamyan
received the Foreign Minister of Argentina Hector Marcos Timerman.

Welcoming the Minister Mr Abrahamyan noted that his visit to Armenia
would give a new impetus to the development and reinforcement of
the existing friendly relations between the two countries. In the
NA President’s word, Armenia highlights the dynamic development of
cooperation in the spheres of bilateral interest and is interested in
the development and deepening of friendly relations with Latin American
countries, particularly, Argentina. Hovik Abrahamyan emphasized the
necessity of activating the inter-parliamentary relations, noting
that the parliamentary friendship groups created in the parliaments
of the two countries could be an important basis of development for
inter-parliamentary relations. The Head of the Armenian Parliament also
deemed important the cooperation within the framework of international
organizations.

The Foreign Minister of Argentina noted that his country paid great
attention to the development of multi-lateral cooperation with Armenia,
highlighting in this context the activation of inter-parliamentary
relations. The Armenian community also promotes the deepening
of bilateral relations, which, in the Minister’s word has a big
contribution in the development of Argentina’s economy and other
spheres.

In the course of the meeting the sides also touched upon the NK
problem, both stressing that it should be settled as a result of
peaceful negotiations. Other issues of bilateral interest were also
discussed.

http://www.parliament.am/news.php?cat_id=2&NewsID=5324&year=2012&month=09&day=04&lang=eng

Armenia Considers Recognizing Nagorno Karabakh’s Independence

ARMENIA CONSIDERS RECOGNIZING NAGORNO KARABAKH’S INDEPENDENCE

EurasiaNet.org

Sept 4 2012
NY

To Armenia, Azerbaijan’s recent pardoning of Lieutenant Ramil Safarov,
convicted of the 2004 axe murder of an Armenian army officer during
a training in Budapest, was a slap in the face. Now, Armenia is
contemplating a response that could take the two countries’ angry
dispute over Safarov into an entirely new dimension.

A bill was presented to the Armenian parliament on September 4 to
recognize as an independent country the breakaway region of Nagorno
Karabakh, the territory that was the cause of the 1988-1994 war between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. No date has yet been scheduled for the vote.

Arguably, Armenia has long interacted with the de-facto government of
Karabakh as if with an independent country — if not an additional
Armenian province — but has refrained from making that position
official.

Coming on the heels of warnings of war from Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan, a Karabakh native, the measure might well give outside
observers pause.

The bill, though, is far from the enraged response of an isolated few.

Armenia has severed diplomatic relations with Hungary, where Safarov
had been serving life for the 2004 murder, for permitting Safarov’s
return to Azerbaijan, with demonstrations staged in Budapest and
Yerevan, to boot.

Frustration over the international community’s inability to take
Azerbaijan down to size for the exoneration also appears to feed into
the measure. In comments widely echoed by others, analyst Richard
Giragosian on September 3 argued that “If this crisis continues with
Azerbaijan acting so irresponsible, the Armenian government should
consider recognizing the independence of Nagorno Karabakh or demanding
others to do so.”

Washington, Brussels, and Moscow, seen as the key outside actors for
peace over the Karabakh conflict, have all condemned the pardoning.

Budapest, for its part, denying reports that it was looking to Baku
for a debt bailout, claims to be in a state of eye-batting shock at
Safarov’s exoneration.

But the words of censure do not appear to have had the intended effect
on Baku.

Calling the US position on the case “baffling,” Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mammadyarov got on the phone with US Undersecretary
of State for Political Affairs William Burns to seek an explanation
for Washington’s harsh criticism.

Azerbaijani officials, as well as many ordinary people, say that
the atrocities committed by ethnic Armenians against ethnic Azeris
in Karabakh and otherwise during the Karabakh war, fully justify
the exoneration.

But quite a few Azerbaijanis say that Safarov needs a straitjacket
or a prison, rather than freedom, promotion and an apartment in Baku.

As one Azerbaijani wrote in a blog post about the dangers of the
Azerbaijani government’s both stoking and pandering to nationalist
extremism, the state’s embrace of Safarov could turn him into a
frightening role model for other “patriots.”

The Armenian parliament’s vote on Karabakh could well prove an
opportunity to test that theory.

http://www.eurasianet.org/node/65858

Azerbaijan Criticized For Freeing Convicted Killer

AZERBAIJAN CRITICIZED FOR FREEING CONVICTED KILLER

RTT News
Sept 4 2012

(RTTNews) – The European Union, United States and Russia have
criticized Azerbaijan for freeing a convicted murderer after his
extradition from Hungary, and expressed concerns over its possible
impact on the international efforts aimed at bringing peace to the
central Asian region.

In a joint statement on Monday, EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine
Ashton and Stefan Fule, European Commissioner for Enlargement and
Neighborhood Policy, expressed concerns over the move by Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev to pardon the Azerbaijani military officer
convicted of hacking an Armenian officer to death in Budapest eight
years ago.

The Azeri serviceman, Ramil Safarov, was sentenced to life imprisonment
by the Budapest City Court in 2006 after he confessed to killing
Armenian officer, Lt. Gurgen Markarian, with an axe while the two
men were in Hungary for attending a NATO language course in 2004.

Ashton and Fule noted in their joint statement that Safarov was
transferred from Hungary to Azerbaijan on the “basis of an Azerbaijani
request, in the framework of the Convention of Strasbourg on the
Transfer of Sentenced Persons of 21 March 1983, to serve the rest of
his sentence.”

Stressing that EU representatives are in contact with the relevant
authorities and will continue to follow the situation closely, the
two EU officials urged “Azerbaijan and Armenia to exercise restraint,
on the ground as well as in public statements, in order to prevent
an escalation of the situation.” They also called on the two nations
to act responsibly in the interest of regional stability and on-going
efforts towards reconciliation.

Russia also expressed “deep concern” over the extradition and pardon,
saying: “We believe that these actions of Azerbaijani as well as
Hungarian authorities contradict internationally brokered efforts, of
the OSCE’s Minsk group in particular, to ease tensions in the region.”

Separately, the co-chairs of the Minsk group expressed their “deep
concern and regret for the damage the pardon and any attempts to
glorify the crime have done to the peace process and trust between
the sides.” Further, U.S. President Barack Obama said he was “deeply
concerned” about the incident.

Safarov was sent back to Azerbaijan on Friday after Budapest received
assurances from the Azerbaijani Justice Ministry that Safarov’s
sentence, which included the possibility of parole after 25 years,
would be enforced in his home nation.

Despite the assurances provided, Safarov was pardoned by President
Ilham Aliyev soon after his arrival in the capital Baku on Friday. In
addition, he was promoted to the rank of Major, given an apartment
and all the pay he had lost since his arrest eight years ago.

In retaliation to Hungary’s decision to transfer Safarov to Azerbaijan
and his subsequent release by authorities there, Armenia on Sunday
announced its decision to immediately suspend all diplomatic relations
with Budapest.

In an apparent warning to Azerbaijan, Armenian President Serzh
Sarkisian said: “We don’t want a war, but if we have to, we will
fight and win. We are not afraid of killers, even if they enjoy the
protection of the head of state.”

Incidentally, Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet republics,
had fought a war over the disputed enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh in the
1990s. Armenian troops are currently occupying the enclave after they
helped Armenian separatists to seize control from Azerbaijan in the
early 1990s. The war for the enclave resulted in the death of nearly
30,000 people and forced two million others to flee their homes.

Although the two countries signed a cease-fire agreement in May 1994,
the dispute remains unresolved despite continued international efforts
spearheaded by Russia, France and the U.S. While Azerbaijan demands
an immediate withdrawal of Armenian forces from the enclave, Armenia
insists on the territory’s independence.

Despite the standing cease-fire, brief but fierce border clashes
between Armenia and Azerbaijan in early June had led to the deaths
of eight soldiers, including five Azerbaijanis and three Armenians.

by RTT Staff Writer

http://www.rttnews.com/1958343/azerbaijan-criticized-for-freeing-convicted-killer.aspx?type=msgn&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=sitemap

Armenia: Struggle For "The Top Prize"

ARMENIA: STRUGGLE FOR “THE TOP PRIZE”

Vestnik Kavkaza
Sept 4 2012
Russia

Susanna Petrosyan, Yerevan. Exclusively to VK

On September 9 in five regions of Armenia elections to local
administrations will take place. The main issue is the battle for
the mayor’s position in the city of Gumri – the second largest city
of Armenia after Yerevan. Four candidates compete for it: Samvel
Balasanian, the member of Prosperous Armenia; Ovsep Simonyan,
the representative of the opposition party Dashnaktsutyun; two
independent candidates – businessman Andranik Avetisyan and pensioner
Spartak Petrosyan. The ruling Republican party has decided to support
Balasanian. Galust Saakian, the vice-chairman of the RPA, stated that
the decision was based on a desire of local party organizations:
“As always local party organizations decide themselves whom to
support. In Gumri the RPA will support Samvel Balasanian.” The current
mayor of Gumri, the RPA’s member Vardan Gukasian doesn’t take part
in the elections – he didn’t succeed in the parliamentary elections
on May 6 in Gumri when the RPA was defeated by its former partner,
Prosperous Armenia.

The intention to support Prosperous Armenia’s candidate seems to be
irrational for the most powerful and self-sufficient party in Armenia.

The RPA usually support republican candidates only. “If the RPA states
about support of Samvel Balasanian in the Gumri local elections, it
doesn’t mean that the RPA and Prosperous Armenia have any agreements on
this issue. Prosperous Armenia in these elections supports candidates
who provide effective administration and high-quality municipal
management. I hope someday the majority of the society will understand
that Prosperous Armenia proposes advantageous programs, approaches,
decisions, and staff,” the secretary of Prosperous Armenia, Tigran
Urikhanian, said.

Why does the RPA support not a member of the party, but a
representative of Prosperous Armenia, despite its power resources
and nonreciprocity of Prosperous Armenia?

There are two opposite opinions on this step of the ruling elite
and general relations between the RPA and Prosperous Armenia in
the expert and political circle of Armenia. According to the first
opinion, Prosperous Armenia is still a part of power and two forces
(the RPA and Prosperous Armenia) are still cooperating, despite the
fact PA hasn’t joined the ruling coalition after the parliamentary
elections on May 6. “The RPA and Prosperous Armenia share everything
like brothers,” the member of the opposition party of “Free Democrats”,
Karapet Rubinian, is sure.

“Prosperous Armenia is hardly considered as an alternative to the RPA,
as PA is the same power system under a different title,” the chairman
of the organization of “Cooperation and Democracy”, Gagik Avagian,
believes.

Meanwhile, the director of “Kavkaz”, Alexander Iskandarian, doesn’t
believe in a possibility of cooperation between the RPA and Prosperous
Armenia. He thinks that a fight for power is taking place between
these two parties. Indeed, considering a number of candidates for
participation in the local elections, the RPA and Prosperous Armenia
are the most active. The ruling party presented 342 candidates to the
position of communities’ heads and 1001 – to members of Councils of
elders. Regarding Prosperous Armenia, this political force promoted 48
candidates to the position of communities’ heads and 239 – to members
of Councils of Elders. Other parties are taking less active part in
the elections.

Thus, as well as in the parliamentary elections, the competition
in the elections on September 9 will take place between the RPA and
Prosperous Armenia. The latter is the most serious rival of the RPA in
the presidential elections in February 2013. At the moment Prosperous
Armenia has no decision on promotion of its own candidate or support
of some other candidate for the top prize – the presidential position.