ANC TO HOLD PUBLIC MEETINGS IN ARMENIA’S REGIONS
Tert.am
09.04.12
The leaders of the opposition bloc Armenian National Congress (ANC)
headed by ANC Chairman Levon Ter-Petrosyan plan to hold public meetings
in Aragatsotn, April 10.
Specifically, the ANC leaders are to hold public meetings in Aparan,
villages of Ushi and Ohanavan, Artashat and Byurakan.
ARMENIAN COMMUNIST LEADER AWARDED WITH ZYUGANOV’S ORDER
Tert.am
09.04.12
First Secretary of the Russian Communist Party Gennady Zyuganov has
awarded the leader of the Communist Party of Armenia, Ruben Tovmasyan,
with an order for big services.
“This is the party’s highest award that makes me feel proud; it will
also inspire pride in my grandchildren, friends and others,” Tovmasyan
told a news conference on Monday. “When decorating me with the order,
[Zyuganov] said he was bestowing it on a his best friend.”
The Communist leader said Zyuganov had praised his fighting ability,
particularly his recent interviews with Regnum News agency,
when Tovmasyan called for bringing a legal action against Mikhail
Gorbachev. After the interviews, a group of lawyers was set up in
Russia to collect facts for accusing the last Soviet leader for
ruining empire.
“I said in both interviews that we support the Armenian-Russian
relations and will always be close to their sources,” he said, adding
that Gorbachev, and all others responsible for the Soviet Union’s
collapse will be held accountable.
IN ANTICIPATION OF THE ELECTIONS IN THE NKR AZERBAIJAN HIDES ITS HEAD
Leonid Martirossian
Sunday, 08 April 2012 09:51
As it is known, on March 29, the National Assembly of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic appointed the day of the regular presidential
elections in the NKR – it is July 19, 2012. It is needless to say that
for any country committed to democracy, presidential elections are
an event of great political and national importance predetermining
the way of further development of the state.
The NKR is not an exception, because this truth applies equally
to all states, regardless of their internationally recognized or
unrecognized status. Moreover, one can even say that elections in
an unrecognized state, in addition to purely internal significance,
get also foreign-policy sounding.
Surely, in different ways. A kind of resonator with a negative sign
for the Karabakh elections of all types and levels has always been
Azerbaijan, which starts persistently blowing to the whole world
about the illegality and inadmissibility of their conduct in the NKR.
Azerbaijan would betray itself if it did not respond, and very
nervous, to the coming presidential elections. As expected, the Foreign
Ministry of this country, represented by the head of the press-service,
expressed a negative attitude to the elections, calling them “another
provocation of the Government of Armenia” (?!). It was followed by a
tirade, devoid of any logic, that Armenia “displays complete disrespect
and disregard for the principles and norms of international law,
inflicts another blow to the negotiation process”, etc.
A few days earlier, a statement of similar content was also made by
head of the public-political department of the Azerbaijani presidential
administration Novruz Mamedov.
We believe that any sane person will probably ask the question:
and why Armenia? And he will be right, as the elections held in the
NKR, as a democratic procedure of electing the authorities, are an
important constituent of the process of construction and establishment
of independent statehood proclaimed by the people of Nagorno-Karabakh
and not Armenia. And it is in Nagorno-Karabakh and not in Armenia that
the coming, July 19, presidential elections will be the fifth national
elections of the NKR President. And the well-known policy of Azerbaijan
– to distort the configuration of the Azerbaijani-Karabakh conflict and
to present it to the world as confrontation between Baku and Yerevan
is easily seen in accusing Armenia of involvement in the elections
in the NKR. At the same time, like an ostrich, it is burying its head
in the sand, pretending that Nagorno-Karabakh as such does not exist.
Meanwhile, such a position of official Baku, like the similar pose of
an ostrich, is really comical. And regardless of Azerbaijan’s hiding
its head or not, Nagorno-Karabakh will not cease to be an equal party
to the conflict. Especially, it will not cease to be a state.
Moreover, the international mediators of the OSCE Minsk Group secured
the fact of “equal party”, recognized yet in 1994 in Budapest, by
the fact that their currently proposed settlement project is based
on the principle of nations’ self-determinations, which, as it can
be easily guessed, is intended for the NKR.
We should also note another important thing that also has direct
relevance to the settlement process. It is known that the mandate
of the OSCE Minsk Group provides to negotiate with the elected
representatives of the parties to the conflict on the Karabakh
settlement, which the Minsk Group co-chairs do, arriving each time
to the NKR. By the way, even the Azeri authorities of the time of
the current President’s father repeatedly asked for a meeting with
the elected representatives of the Karabakh leadership, which those
in Azerbaijan do not want to remember now.
In general, I must say, the rejection of our elections by Azerbaijan
has a range of reasons. Among them, perhaps, is the fact that dozens
of independent observers from various countries and international
organizations will observe the coming presidential elections in the
NKR, as it repeatedly took place. And we can be sure that, as earlier,
they will state the commitment of the citizens of the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic to democratic principles and the high level of organization
and conduct of the electoral process. It will be another serious
blow to the pride of Azerbaijan, which on the level of democratic
development is firmly fixed in the lower rows of countries’ ranking
and is constantly criticized by international institutions for the
situation with democratic freedoms and human rights. In addition,
the observers and representatives of foreign mass media will tell the
world the truth about Nagorno-Karabakh, which has nothing to do with
the dirty lie being spread by Azerbaijan on the NKR. There is something
for Azerbaijan to fall into hysterics, which we observe today.
AZERBAIJANI PM PRAISES TIES WITH RUSSIA
News.Az
Mon 09 April 2012 11:12 GMT | 12:12 Local Time
Azerbaijani Prime Minister Artur Rasizade has received the chairwoman
of the Russian Federation Council, Valentina Matviyenko.
The PM praised political and economic cooperation between Azerbaijan
and Russia, drawing attention to the fact that bilateral ties between
the two nations have deep historical roots and are formed on the
principles of neighbourliness, AzerTAj reports.
He said that Baku attached great attention to economic relations
with the Russian Federation, and provided information on Azerbaijan’s
economic progress.
Valentina Matviyenko expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved
in the past 20 years since the restoration of Azerbaijani-Russian
diplomatic relations.
Describing Baku as a fine example of the development of Azerbaijan,
Matviyenko said that Russia closely watched the country’s achievements.
Rasizade and Matviyenko discussed issues of mutual interest during
their meeting.
Touching upon the Armenian-Azerbaijani conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh,
Rasizade said that as a result of the military aggression of Armenia,
20% of Azerbaijan’s territory had been occupied and more than one
million people suffered ethnic cleansing. According to the prime
minister, the failure to resolve the conflict affects the development
of not only Azerbaijan, but the whole region.
He briefed his visitors on the brutal murder of 613 civilians in
Khojaly and showed photographs of the tragedy.
ARMENIA’S POLICE TO PUBLICIZE LIST OF VOTERS WITH SAME NAMES
news.am
April 09, 2012 | 14:50
YEREVAN. – Armenia’s Police will soon make public the total number
of those voters who are included in the registry of voters-in the
forthcoming parliamentary elections-and whose names, surnames,
patronymics, and birth days, months and years coincide.
The Police Media Department has clarified the data, which were
published in an article in the Haykakan Zhamanak daily, whereby the
names, surnames, patronymics, and birth days, months and years of 21
voters are in the voters’ lists of two different election precincts.
“The Police study has ascertained that the inclusion of 34 voters in
the list of different precincts is normal, since they are different
persons. The data of four voters are repeating. In case of finding
inaccuracies, corresponding adjustments will be made in the voters’
lists,” the statement specifically reads.
WILL BAKO SAHAKYAN RUN?
Naira Hayrumyan
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 11:52:40 – 09/04/2012
In 10 days, the nominations for the president of Karabakh will start
but no one has so far issued willingness to run. It is hard to hold
elections without candidates, so perhaps they will be the first
non-alternative elections in Karabakh.
The first president of Karabakh was Robert Kocharyan, appointed in
1994 by the decision of the parliament and elected in 1996 through
national voting. Earlier, NKR was a parliamentary republic. After a
few months of his election, Kocharyan resigned and moved to Yerevan
to take up the post of prime minister.
It caused dissatisfaction in the Karabakh society. Though a lot
of people said “our” man in Yerevan will not allow them to “sell”
Karabakh, in terms of an internal point of view, this move was
perceived as elimination of independence. Nevertheless, then and now,
in Karabakh there are supporters of unification with Armenia.
Nevertheless, Kocharyan’s refusal of the national vote jarred the
Karabakh people.
Then Arkadi Ghukasyan became the president who served two terms. He
was preparing to run for the third term. In 2006 the Constitution was
amended, preventing him from running for the third term but under
public pressure Ghukasyan decided not to run the risk and not to
question the Karabakh democracy.
However, the elections confirmed these doubts. In 2007, the ex-chief of
the Security Service Bako Sahakyan became NKR president who represented
the Armenian National Security Service in Moscow. Masis Mayilyan was
the foreign minister under Bako Sahakyan’s tenure.
Colossal administrative resources were used for the election, as well
as NKVD measures were applied to detect the “enemies of the nation”
and launch “witch hunt”.
Afterwards, “unity” reigned in the country, more like a stagnant
swamp where any thought droops. There was an opinion that presidents
are appointed in Karabakh not straight from Moscow. So the people of
Karabakh have lost interest in the elections.
Now the glorious traditions of the NKVD are back. 10 days are left
till nomination and no one knows who will run. In fact, nobody is
interested. Part of the population is confident that Bako Sahakyan
will again run and win. Some people point to the current chief of staff
Marat Musayelyan who also worked in Moscow and has a “higher rank”.
Most probably, this time the traditional “alternative” candidates
such as the Communist Party leader Grant Melkumyan and the leader of
a nearly virtual Armenakan Party Boris Arushanian will not run. Let
alone the real alternative candidate Masis Mayilyan or the ex-mayor of
Stepanakert Eduard Agabekyan who apparently sees no point in running.
ARFD is unlikely to nominate an alternative either, which is part of
Karabakh “unity”.
ANOTHER DEATH IN ARMY
Story from Lragir.am News:
Published: 09:28:41 – 09/04/2012
On April 7, conscript Haik Ghazaryan died in Sisian Hospital.
Referring to Mushegh Aghekyan, an employee of the information office
of the Ministry of Defense, News.am reported that Ghazaryan was called
up from Vagharshapat and served in a military unit in Goris Town.
Proceedings were launched for negligent attitude to military service
under Article 376 of the Criminal Code.
RUSSIAN OFFICIAL MAY BE MISINFORMED – EXPERT
news.am
April 10, 2012 | 05:30
YEREVAN. – The statement by the incumbent Chairwoman of the Russian
Federation Council Valentina Matviyenko may be due to misinformation
by the Azerbaijani media, Armenian expert Sergey Minasyan said.
In response to the request by the Armenian News-NEWS.am to comment on
Matviyenko’s statement voiced in Baku regarding the Nagorno-Karabakh
peace process and its settlement based on territorial integrity and
through peace, Minasyan said that the Russian official may not be
well aware of the conflict details, as she missed to mention one of
the key principles – the right of people to self-determination. At
the same time, the expert does not rule out the fact that they just
‘forgot’ to mention one of the key principles, taken into account
the way the Azerbaijani media functions.
“Russia has been and will continue to have an active role in the peace
process as a mediator. We need to find ways of settling the conflict
in peace. We take as bases the principles of international law, the UN
Security Council’s resolutions, as well as principles of territorial
integrity and non-use of military force. I believe if we account on
those principles, we will be able to find a solution. The issue is
acute not only for the two states, but also for the whole region,”
Matviyenko has stated.
TURQUIE : LE PROCES DES PUTCHISTES REPOUSSE A MAI DANS L’ATTENTE D’UN
Stephane
armenews.com
mardi 10 avril 2012
Une cour d’Ankara qui juge depuis mercredi les auteurs du putsch de
1980 en Turquie, a decide vendredi de reporter le procès jusqu’au 11
mai dans l’attente d’un bulletin medical sur l’etat des deux accuses
qui ne comparaissent pas, ont rapporte les medias.
Les juges ont refuse une demande des avocats de la partie civile
de mettre en etat d’arrestation et de faire venir les deux accuses
par la force, jugeant que leur âge avance et leur etat febrile ne
permettait pas leur comparution.
Les juges ont en revanche decide d’attendre un certificat de l’Institut
de medecine legale sur l’etat des deux suspects qui pourraient deposer
par video-conference de leurs lits d’hôpital, selon les chaînes de
television NTV et CNN-Turk.
L’ex-general Kenan Evren (94 ans), chef de la junte et ex-president
de la Republique, et le commandant de l’aviation de l’epoque, Tahsin
Sahinkaya (86 ans), n’ont pas comparu a l’ouverture de leur procès
mercredi puis jeudi, car ils sont très âges et malades.
Ils risquent la reclusion a perpetuite. Leur cas est unique en Turquie
où aucun responsable d’un coup d’Etat n’a ete juge.
Depuis deux jours les juges ont auditionne des victimes du coup qui
voulaient se faire reconnaître partie civile. Des institutions abolies
après le coup de force du 12 septembre 1980 comme le Parlement et
des formations politiques, ont ete reconnues comme telles.
L’armee a fait trois coups depuis 1960 et a aussi chasse un
gouvernement islamiste du pouvoir, en 1997.
Mercredi, l’un des avocats de la partie civile avait appele les juges
a faire venir les accuses, si necessaire, dans “une cage ou sur une
civière” a l’instar de l’ex-president egyptien Hosni Moubarak.
Cinquante personnes ont ete executees, 600.000 arretees, des dizaines
ont succombe a la torture et de nombreuses autres ont ete portees
disparues après le putsch.
Le procès s’inscrit dans une lutte de pouvoir entre l’armee et
le Parti gouvernemental de la justice et du developpement (AKP,
islamo-conservateur), qui s’efforce de reduire l’influence politique
des militaires.
ITAR-TASS, Russia
April 4, 2012 Wednesday 10:51 AM GMT+4
Azerbaijan calls on Russia to be more active in Nagorno-Karabakh settlement
BAKU April 4
Azerbaijan calls on Russian not to lose an opportunity to exert more active
effort in the Nagorno-Karabakh settlement, speaker of Azerbaijan’s parliament
Oktai Asadov said on Wednesday at a meeting with visiting Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov.
“We are sure Russia will not miss a chance to act more vigorously in the
Nagorno-Karabakh settlement,” Asadov stressed. “We want this problem to be
settled soon with Russia’s mediation.”
In turn, Lavrov noted that Russia also wants this conflict to be settled the
soonest possible on a mutually acceptable basis.