Author: Babajanian Karo

TRIPLETS BORN IN YEREVAN’S EREBOUNI MEDICAL CENTER

by Tatevik Shahunyan

Monday, February 9, 16:51

Yerevan’s Erebouni Medical Center has registered a rare case:
25-year-old Angela Mnatsakanyan has given birth to triplets.

Obstetric officer Anaida Ananyan told ArmInfo that this is a rare
phenomenon as triplets are more often born in cases of artificial
insemination.

The triplets were delivered by caesarean section on Feb 5 and now
four days after Angela is ready to take them home.

She is grateful to the doctors of the center and, particularly,
to the head of the hospital’s pathology unit Andranik Poghosyan.

Now Angela has four boys: five-year-old Ararat and his newly born
brothers Arame (2.6 kg), Vahe (2.5 kg) and Vache (1.7 kg).

Angela is a Russian language teacher in the borderline village
of Voskevan, Tavush region. Her husband, Armen Bvarseghyan, is
a policeman.

When asked if it won’t be hard to raise four boys in a borderline
village, Angela said, “The Lord gave them, so, I hope the Lord will
help us to raise them. We need boys in borderline regions. Who else
will defend us if not they?”

ARMENIAN DIPLOMATS UPSET ALIYEV IN MUNICH

12:05, 9 February, 2015

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 9, ARMENPRESS. During the Munich Security Annual
conference the President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev had a speech
during the Panel Discussion “Beyond Ukraine- Unresolved conflicts in
Europe.” The President of Azerbaijan in essence repeated the boring
statements which are being made over the last two decades.

As reports “Armenpress”, during this section of the conference, where
a number of high-ranking officials were present, not everything went
smoothly for Ilham Aliyev. After the latter’s speech a question was
addressed by a member of the Armenian delegation Andranik Hovhannisyan
that “it is well-known that the OSCE Minsk Co-Chairs have on numerous
occasions appealed to the both countries to accept the Basic Principles
of the Madrid document, i.e. non-use of force or threat of force, right
to self-determination and territorial integrity. The Armenian side has
several times noted that it is accepting those proposals. Azerbaijan
has never clearly stated about this. Can you here unequivocally state
that you are accepting those principles as a basis for the conflict
settlement.”

Putting the question flatly perplexed Ilham Aliyev and he spoke
about his vision of the conflict settlement. Then he made a distorted
presentation of the right to self-determination completely ignoring
the principle of non-use of force and threat of force, and eventually
did not clarify whether he is unequivocally accepting those principles
or not.

Ilham Aliyev underlined that the conflicts in the former USSR space
should have the same solutions, adding that Russia has occupied
the Crimea.

The head of the Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Tigran Lazarian using the opportunity of asking a question, first
of all reminded about the addressed call of the Minsk Group, then
said that Azerbaijan is escalating the situation to undermine the
negotiation process. “Mr. Aliyev, the Minsk Group Co-Chairs, about whom
you mentioned, a few days ago made a statement where they “called on
Azerbaijan to observe its commitments to the peaceful settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.” This is not accidental, that their
appeal is addressed to you, because it is the Azerbaijani side which
is ignoring those appeals and is violating the ceasefire regime on
Armenia-Azerbaijan border, as wlel as on the Line of Contact between
Azerbaijan and Nagorno-Karabakh. Since January the Azerbaijani side
has violated the ceasefire regime more than 3.000 sides, as a result
of which there were several losses on all sides. Just a few days ago
65 and 85 years-old Armenians were killed by your snipers. Don’t you
think that by your actions you are further escalating the situation
and thus are making the peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict in the near future less likely.

I would like to recall the Moderator of this session of the conference,
Slovenia’s President, Mr. Pahor’s question asked to you and the other
panelists, where he asked what the first step on the way to progress in
the peaceful settlement of the conflicts. You wandered around, but did
not speak about the most important. Settlement of a conflict commences
when duns are stopping to fire. So my appeal to you is – Stop firing!”

Aliyev got more upset by the statement of the Armenian diplomat,
repeated his accusations against the international community, the
Armenian Diaspora, Armenia, without responding to the question and
the appeal.

RALLIERS MARCH TO POLICE HEADQUARTERS (VIDEO)

14:53 | February 9,2015 | Politics

The rally organized in support of activist Artak Khachatryan who
was brutally beaten up on Saturday, continues in Yerevan, with the
participants demanding that the police immediately reveal the incident
and punish the assailants.

Artak Khachatryan, a member of the Political Council of the Prosperous
Armenia Party (BHK), was attacked on Saturday afternoon in Yerevan
by masked men who forced him into a car and took him to an unknown
direction. He was later found near his home in an unconscious state
and brutally beaten up. Artak Khachatryan is also known as an active
participant in recent protests against the new law on the sales tax.

“A heinous crime was committed in the presence of eye-witnesses. Artak
was kidnapped in a cynical way by masked men and beaten up severely
for six hours. It is a matter of honour and dignity for the police
and law enforcement agencies to reveal the crime as soon as possible,”
said BHK lawmaker Naira Zohrabyan.

She says the attack was politically motivated.

The ralliers have started a march to the police headquarters.

Addressing the chief of the Armenian Police, Vladimir Gasparyan,
ARtak’s brother Artyom Khachatryan said everyone’s dignity is offended,
and people call for an immediate disclosure of the incident.

We cannot wait for a long time, we do not have nerves of iron,” he
said adding that they well call for resignations of top officials if
the crime is not revealed.

ACTIVIST KIDNAPPED AND BEATEN BY MASKED MEN: POLITICAL OPPOSITION CONDEMN ACT CITING HIGH LEVEL INVOLVEMENT

02.09.2015 14:45 epress.am

On Saturday, February 7, masked men kidnapped Artak Khachatryan from
Tolstoy St. near Tashir mall and beat him up. He was later found in
an unconscious state in Nor Nork’s 8th district.

Khachatryan was heavily involved in the recent protests against the
Law on Turnover Tax and is a member of the Prosperous Armenia Party’s
(BHK) political council.

The activist’s brother, Artyom Khachatryan, told iLur.am that Artak
was kidnapped by 3 masked men with machine guns. He was found in Nor
Nork with serious injuries and had difficulty speaking and was later
sent to the Malatia Hospital.

“I spoke to him last night and there was nothing to be nervous about,
no suspicious talk, no one had called or threatened him. Artak has
no connection to the criminal world; they kidnapped him in broad
daylight on a street in Kentron (downtown). I’m assuming that this
was part of a plan by a special service,” said Khachatryan.

Certain political parties and political figures have condemned the
incident. The BHK’s political council considered the incident as an
impudent and cynical challenge directed toward the political forces
and society.

“It is clear hat the entire responsibility of the incident falls on
the country’s political authorities. The main culprit of the gangster
environment and impunity created in the country is the country’s elite
political power, who are also responsible for all this. We promptly
demand that law enforcement bodies discover in the shortest time
possible the culprits in this incident and all past ordered criminal
activities on political, civil officials and on activists. Let no one
think that the violence implemented against Artak Khachatryan and on
others is going to be left unpunished. Those who carried it out will
be punished, as well as those who ordered it. If law enforcement
does not (punish them), then the people will do it,” stated BHK’s
political council.

Armenian National Congress Party (HAK) considers Artak Khachatryan’s
kidnapping and the brutal violence against him was no coincidence,
stressing that there is a link to a chain of insidious terrorist
actions unleashed against the opposition by the authorities.

“These types of actions by the authorities only call for an adequate
answer by the people and political forces to collectively revolt for
a speedy regime change, to restore the constitution, to establish
legitimate authorities, and secure the supremacy of rights and the
law,” said the HAK’s statement.

The Free Democrat Party also condemned the violence against Artak
Khachatryan noting that Armenian citizens are not protected in their
own country and their constitutional rights are being openly violated.

“The nondisclosure of these incidents creates a vicious atmosphere
of impunity and becomes the cause of their recurrence,” said the
party’s statement.

HAK faction MP Nikol Pashinyan noted on his personal Facebook page that
if the ruling authorities do not quickly and convincingly discover
the monstrous attack on Artak Khachatryan, than the attack on Vilen
Gabrielyan (Navak Jojogh) and other violent incidents would mean
that any Armenian citizen could claim that those entities which are
supposed to prevent and reveal such incidents are responsible for
organizing and implementing them.

“If these incidents and their nondisclosure are not followed by
resignations of high level officials responsible for law enforcement,
then any Armenian citizen has the right to claim that violence is
organized by Serzh Sargsyan’s permission and approval, and maybe at
times directly addressed commands,” stressed Pashinyan.

According to Artyom Khachatryan, as of Saturday, “A group of
investigators came from the Kentron police department, now the head
of the criminal investigation unit has taken over the investigation.”

IDEA CHARITABLE FOUNDATION AND WWF-ARMENIA IS STARTING A PARTNERSHIP IN A FRAMEWORK OF NATURE CONSERVATION AND ECOTOURISM DEVELOPMENT

16:30 February 06, 2015

WWF-Armenia

On 6th February a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed
between the Initiatives for Development of Armenia Charitable
Foundation (IDeA Foundation) and WWF-Armenian Branch (WWF-Armenia),
according to which the parties will collaborate in a framework of
nature conservation and ecotourism development.

On the bases of the MoU IDeA Foundation and WWF-Armenia will implement
joint activities towards improvement of management of Dvil’s Bridge
Nature Monument as well as will initiate an establishment of a new
protected area – Tatev National Park, in the South of Armenia. The
aim of the above mentioned initiatives is to conserve the unique
ecosystem and biodiversity of the area as well as to support ecotourism
development.

The MoU has been signed by Mr. Armen Gevorgyan, CEO of IDeA Foundation
and by Mr. Karen Manvelyan, Director of WWF-Armenia.

“Our collaboration is directed to the nature conservation and tourism
development in the area of Tatev. One of the main objectives of the
Tatev Revival project implemented by IDeA Foundation is to make
the area attractive in terms of tourism, which will also promote
socio-economic development in the adjacent communities. For this
reason all prerequisites are available such as medieval monastery, air
tram, rich nature and unique ecosystem, conservation of which is also
important in terms of ecotourism development. I am sure that by our
joint efforts we will succeed in carrying out all project directed
to the development of the area,” mentioned Mr. Armen Gevorgyan,
CEO of the IDeA Foundation.

“It is very important for us to work together with IDeA Foundation
in order to protect unique biodiversity and ecosystems of the area
as well as to create opportunities for local people to improve their
livelihoods in Tatev area,” said in his welcome speech Mr. Karen
Manvelyan, Director of WWF-Armenia.

Azerbaijani side violates ceasefire regime 1200 times from Feb 1-7

16:19 / 07.02.2015

According to the operative data of the Nagorno-Karabakh Defense Army,
from February 1 to 7 the Azerbaijani side violated ceasefire regime
1200 times opening fire in the direction of Armenian posts for 17,000
times.

The Defense Army press service reports that the Armenian side
undertook retaliation measures and continued their military duty.

Nyut.am

OSCE: Mediators prepared for “intensified negotiation process” on Karabakh

Karabakh | 08.02.15 | 11:51

International mediators have expressed their readiness to host “an
intensified negotiation process” on Nagorno-Karabakh after their
latest meeting focused on the resolution of the longstanding conflict.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE)
Chairperson-in-Office, Serbia’s Foreign Minister Ivica Dacic met with
the Co-Chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group (Ambassadors Igor Popov of the
Russian Federation, James Warlick of the United States, and Pierre
Andrieu of France) in Munich, Germany, on Saturday to discuss
developments in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. The OSCE Secretary
General Lamberto Zannier and the Personal Representative of the CiO
Ambassador Andrzej Kasprzyk also joined the meeting.

“We all agree that the military situation along the Line of Contact
and Armenia-Azerbaijan border is deteriorating, posing a threat to
regional stability and endangering the lives of civilians. The 12
casualties and 18 wounded cited by Ambassador Kasprzyk’s monitoring
reports in January represent the highest confirmed number of victims
in the first month of a year since the 1994 ceasefire agreement. After
2014, in which approximately 60 people lost their lives, we are
alarmed that this disturbing violent trend has continued,” the OSCE
chairman-in-office and the Minsk Group co-chairs said in a joint
statement.

“There is no military solution to the conflict, and the sides must
cease using force. We call on the sides to end incursions, cease
targeting villages and civilians, stop the threat of reprisals and the
use of asymmetric force, and take additional steps to reduce tensions
and strengthen the ceasefire. We find it unacceptable that the
security guarantees are not fully observed during OSCE monitoring
exercises.

“Additionally, we reaffirm the December 4, 2014 joint statement of the
Heads of Delegation of the Co-Chair countries at the Basel Ministerial
Council, calling on the sides to settle humanitarian issues, including
the return of bodies and prisoners, in the spirit of the Astrakhan
statement of October 2010.

“The Minsk Group Co-Chairs, with the full support of the
Chairperson-in-Office, are prepared to host an intensified negotiation
process that can bring to a peaceful end a conflict that has scarred
the region for too long. We strongly urge the sides to find the
political will to begin this process immediately without excuses.”

Likelihood of Resumption of War in South Caucasus

Igor Muradyan, Political Analyst
Comments – 07 February 2015, 23:42

Although Armenia is obviously becoming Russia’s vassal, the United
States and Europe are wondering how Armenia-Russia relations will
develop, how Armenia will maintain relations with Russia and the
Western community simultaneously, whether there are different opinions
in Moscow on relations with Armenia.

They also wonder for what reason Armenia would like to have sources of
supply of weapons in the West, what kinds of weapons it is interested
in, how confident the Armenian political leadership is on its policy
on the West, whether the military command supports this policy.

Besides these circumstances the assessment of risks and threats of war
in the South Caucasus is interesting. As far as NATO experts know,
headquarters of NATO member states, as well as NATO did not organize
role plays, the available analyses are not deep enough, the
information received from embassies of NATO member states in the South
Caucasus is often controversial, sometimes lack of knowledge of the
subject is in place.

On the whole, it is believed that over the past years the situation in
the area of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has shifted from stable
tense to high risk. A lot of weapons are bought, militaristic
propaganda is intensifying, constant aggressive statements are made.
At present, there is no hope for significant progress of the talks.

Major states, including Turkey, Russia and Iran, are not interested in
the resumption of war. NATO and the European Union also consider the
military actions unacceptable.

The United States, Russia and France agree their actions relating to
Nagorno-Karabakh. As the possible initiator of military actions,
Azerbaijan is not ready to implement them. The one who will start the
war and the countries which will support it will appear in
international isolation, primarily by NATO, the European Union and the
United States.

Turkey postures as if for constraint of Azerbaijan, and it is
reiterated in its consultations with its partners in NATO. Turkey is
not interested in a war that would lead to a disaster. In this regard,
conclusions are made that the likelihood and risks of resumption of
war are not high, as some experts and observers may claim.

Is it possible to explain the silent observation of the weapons race
in the South Caucasus by the Western community by the interest of the
West as a factor of pressure on Armenia that leads to its
rapprochement with NATO and the European Union?

The rapprochement of Armenia with NATO and the European Union does not
stem from competition with Azerbaijan in the sphere of defense.
Breaking of the balance of forces in the South Caucasus may lead to
attempts to resolve problems through use of force, which is a threat
to the Western policy in the region.

The purpose of the Western community is not maintenance of the balance
of forces in the region. The purpose is regulation of problems but the
balance of forces is a premise for stability and security. Therefore,
it is time to discuss the possibility for cooperation with Armenia
over supply of weapons.

It is understood that the process of vassalization of Armenia was
enabled and determined by massive supply of modern weapons to
Azerbaijan by Russia.

ARMENIAN EXHIBITION TO BE OPENED AT MUSEUM BULGARIAN CAPITAL’S HISTORY

Focus News, Bulgaria
Feb 6 2015

6 February 2015 | 09:05 | FOCUS News Agency

Sofia. Museum of the History of Sofia hosts a special photo exhibition
themed Armenia – Ancient and Modern. The exhibition was officially
opened by Ehiyazar Uzunyan, honorary consulate of the Republic of
Armenia in Bulgaria, FOCUS News Agency reporter said.

The start of the current exhibition was set back in 2012 when
Mr Uzunyan organised a photo-planner in Armenia with two amateur
photographers – Milko Iliev and Hristo Dimitrov. The two had never
visited Armenia before and were left astonished by the cultural and
historic heritage of the country.

Looking back to the past, the Republic of Armenia is a small part of
the Great Armenia in the Armenian Highlands.

The Armenian nation is as old as the Sumers and the Egyptians. Over the
years, until nowadays, it managed to preserve its authentic culture,
unique writing of 405 and is the first nation to adopt the Christianity
for official religion.

The photo exhibition is a story about the Armenians and their culture.

It is part of a series of events organised by the Armenians in Bulgaria
and all over the world to mark the 100th anniversary since the genocide
against the Armenian nation in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.

SWEDEN READY TO BACKS PEACEFUL SETTLEMENT OF NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT

AzerNews, Azerbaijan
Feb 6 2015

6 February 2015, 16:00 (GMT+04:00)

Azerbaijani and EU relations within the Eastern Partnership Program,
as well as the Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were
mulled in Baku.

Azay Guliyev, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Council of State Support
for NGOs has met Therese Hyden, official of the Swedish Ministry
of Foreign Affairs, Mirja Peterson, head of Swedish International
Development Cooperation Agency and Tomas Danestad, Charge de Affairs
of Embassy of Sweden to Azerbaijan.

Hyden noted Sweden recognized Azerbaijan`s territorial integrity,
adding the country was ready to support peaceful settlement of the
Armenia-Azerbaijan, Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.

Armenia occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan’s internationally
recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent
regions, after laying territorial claims against its South Caucasus
neighbor that caused a brutal war in the early 1990s. Long-standing
efforts by U.S, Russian and French mediators have been largely
fruitless so far.

As a result of the military aggression of Armenia, over 20,000
Azerbaijanis were killed, 4,866 are reported missing and almost
100,000 were injured, and 50,000 were disabled.

The UN Security Council has passed four resolutions on Armenian
withdrawal from the Azerbaijani territory, but they have not been
enforced to this day.