Author: Badalian Vardan

LES ARMENIENS VIVENT DE PLUS EN PLUS SOUS LE SEUIL DE PAUVRETE
Laetitia

armenews.com
vendredi 2 decembre 2011

Des statistiques locaux ont estime que davantage de personnes ont
vecu dans la pauvrete en Armenie l’annee dernière par rapport aux deux
annees precedentes. L’Armenie etait encore epargnee par la recession
economique mondiale.

Plus tôt cette semaine, le Service national de la statistique a publie
un rapport suggerant que 1,2 million de personnes (soit environ 36%
de la population totale de l’Armenie) en 2010 vivaient avec un revenu
mensuel de 33 500 drams (soit moins de 90 dollars). Cette somme est
consideree comme le seuil de pauvrete en Armenie.

Cela signifie que 270 000 personnes supplementaires sont tombes en
dessous du seuil de pauvrete depuis 2008, annee où la nation a connu
une hausse soudaine de son Produit interieur brut (6,9% )avant de
plonger dans une recession de 14,2%, l’annee d’après la chute des prix
internationaux des metaux de base. L’economie armenienne a commence
a se redresser en 2010 de 2,6% et devrait croître de plus de 4%
cette annee.

Armen Martirosian, un depute du parti Heritage, accuse le gouvernement
et l’Etat d’avoir conduit la population dans des situations precaires.

” Le gouvernement, seul, n’est pas responsable. Ceci est le resultat
du travail conjoint du pouvoir legislatif et de l’organe executif,
ainsi que d’autres structures confondues. La richesse dans le pays a
ete divisee entre quelques personnes seulement, et seulement quelques
familles ont ete de plus en plus riches, tandis qu’une majorite de
personnes se sont retrouvees dans une situation precaire. ”

Martirosian conteste egalement le seuil de pauvrete, faisant valoir
que les personnes qui gagnent un peu plus de 33 500 drams sont classes
comme ” non-pauvres ” mais ne sont finalement pas mieux lotis.

En attendant, Gagik Minassian, depute du Parti Republicain qui
preside le Comite permanent de l’Assemblee nationale des finances et
les affaires budgetaires, a revu a la baisse le niveau de vie et les
effets qu’a eu sur l’Armenie le ralentissement economique mondial.

SPENDS NIGHT UNDER OPEN SKY

Leyla Asatryan, who has declared a hunger strike in front of Yerevan
Municipality, woke up on the first morning of winter under an open
sky on the steps of the municipality.

Leyla Asatryan told “A1+” that nobody has approached her or tried to
find out why she has gone to the extreme.

We remind that yesterday resident of building #131 of Sarkavag Street
Leyla Asatryan declared a hunger period for an uncertain period near
Yerevan Municipality and demanded a meeting with Mayor Taron Margaryan.

For 18 years, she has cultivated the 100 square meter land located
under her window and wants to privatize it, but she has been denied.

Her neighbor, according to Asatryan, is a wealthy person and has not
only privatized the other part of that land, but is also implementing
construction there.

OFFICIAL RECEPTION IN HONOR OF THE ARTSAKH PRESIDENT HELD IN RA EMBASSY OF ARGENTINE

ARMENPRESS
DECEMBER 1, 2011
YEREVAN

On 30 November an official reception in honor of the Artsakh Republic
President Bako Sahakyan was held in Buenos Aires at the embassy of
the Republic of Armenia in Argentine.

Central Information Department of the Office of the Artsakh
Republic President told Armenpress that President Sahakyan considered
important the work carried out by the embassy and ambassador Vladimir
Karmirshalyan in developing friendly relations wit the Latin American
states, deepening ties between the Motherland-Diaspora, recognition
of the 1915 Genocide and objective presentation of the Artsakh issue.

Head of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church Archbishop
Pargev Martirosyan, head of the central information department of the
office of the Artsakh Republic President David Babayan, representatives
of the local Armenian community partook at the event.

HRANT DINK FOUNDATION PUBLISHES 2012 “AGENDA” DEVOTED TO HISTORIC TRIALS

hetq
11:50, December 1, 2011

The Hrant Dink Foundation’s 2012 Agenda has been published. The theme
this year is “Trials” and just like in previous years the agenda is
in three languages Turkish, English and Armenian.

The 2012 Agenda “Trials” is a modest tribute to mankind’s ongoing quest
for justice starting from early ages of humanity and to the advocates
of rights, law and justice who – sooner or later – were able to reach
the light at the end of the tunnel in their quest for justice.

The agenda covers various types of trials including some show trials
which were made up of trump-up charges and pre-set judgments, trials
which witnessed the victory of the truth, trials which called for
the account of persecution inflicted by people upon other people or
of the crimes committed by the state.

Vahan Bayatyan who is an Armenian conscientious objector, Jane Rose
who claimed her right to abortion, John Scopes who was punished in
the Scope’s Monkey Trial for teaching evolution are among the people
whose struggles are mentioned in “Trials”.

The Agenda also features some examples of trials and justice struggles
from Turkey’s recent history such as the trial of Seyid Rıza by
the military court, the case of YeÅ~_ilyurt villagers where the
ECHR convicted Turkey, the Supreme Court ruling which described
the minority foundations as “foreigners” in their native country,
the Festus Okey trial and the Susurluk trial.

There are fifty three trials of historical importance presented in
the Agenda covering each week of the calendar year and accompanied by
about sixty photographs many of which are deeply wired in the visual
memory of humanity.

Apart from the official dates for Turkey, the Agenda also features
important dates and feasts of Muslims, Alevis, Armenians, Greeks,
Assyrians and Kurds. The previous thematic agendas published by the
Hrant Dink Foundation were published under the titles “Crowds” and
“Armenia”.

BOOK ON THE HISTORY AND CULTURE OF ARTSAKH PUBLISHED IN PARIS

armradio.am
01.12.2011 13:11

On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the independence of the
Nagorno Karabakh Republic, an illustrated book – Artsakh: a Garden of
Armenian Traditions and Art – was published in Paris in the French and
English languages, under the aegis of the NKR Ministry of Culture and
Youth Affairs and with the assistance of Support to Nagorno Karabakh
organization operating in France.

The book gives its readers an exceptional chance to get
acquainted with the history of Artsakh, its archeological heritage,
historical-architectural monuments, manuscripts, and carpet-weaving
school.

The book’s authors are prominent scientists and academics – history
and culture experts of Artsakh.

L’AZERBAIDJAN NE REND TOUJOURS PAS JUSTICE A JABBAR SAVALAN
Stephane

armenews.com
jeudi 1er decembre 2011

Amnesty International reitère sa demande en faveur de la liberation
immediate de Jabbar Savalan après la decision rendue mardi 29 novembre
2011 par la Cour supreme d’Azerbaïdjan, qui a confirme la condamnation
de ce militant politique âge de 22 ans.

” Les tribunaux de l’Azerbaïdjan ont montre une nouvelle fois
que l’etat de droit n’existe pas dans ce pays lorsque des interets
politiques sont en jeu “, a souligne John Dalhuisen, directeur adjoint
du programme Europe et Asie centrale d’Amnesty International.

Le 4 mai 2011, Jabbar Savalan a ete condamne a deux ans et demi
d’emprisonnement après avoir utilise Facebook pour appeler a des
manifestations contre le gouvernement. Il a ete juge sur la base
d’accusations de detention de stupefiants qu’Amnesty International
estime fabriquees de toutes pièces.

Il a ete declare coupable malgre une analyse sanguine prouvant
qu’il n’avait pas consomme de drogue et des allegations credibles
selon lesquelles les policiers auraient place sur lui les 0,74 g de
marijuana qu’ils affirment avoir trouve dans ses vetements au poste
de police de Sumgaït.

Le cas de Jabbar bientôt devant la Cour europeenne des droits de
l’homme À la suite de la decision prise par la Cour supreme de
confirmer le jugement de Jabbar Savalan, Assabali Moustafaïev, l’un
de ses avocats, a declare a Amnesty International :

” Nous avions encore un petit espoir que la Cour supreme rende justice,
mais sa decision n’est pas surprenante. À present, nous n’avons pas
d’autre choix que de soumettre son cas a la Cour europeenne des droits
de l’homme, et nous le ferons dès que possible.

Jabbar Savalan fait partie des 17 prisonniers d’opinion actuellement
derrière les barreaux en Azerbaïdjan, a la suite de la repression menee
par les autorites contre des manifestations pacifiques en mars et avril
2011. Amnesty International utilise son cas pour attirer l’attention
de la communaute internationale sur les violations des droits humains
dans ce pays a l’occasion de son Marathon des lettres 2011.

Du 3 au 17 decembre, des centaines de milliers de personnes dans le
monde se mobiliseront en faveur de Jabbar Savalan dans le cadre du
Marathon des lettres organise comme chaque annee par l’organisation.

Des habitants de plus de 70 pays ecriront des lettres, signeront des
petitions, enverront des SMS et agiront en ligne pour demander que
ses droits soient respectes.

L’Eurovision 2012 braque les projecteurs sur l’Azerbaïdjan ” Le mois
dernier, l’Azerbaïdjan a ete elu au Conseil de securite des Nations
unies et l’an prochain il accueillera le concours Eurovision de la
chanson, regarde par environ 125 millions de personnes chaque annee.

Les projecteurs etant braques sur l’Azerbaïdjan, il est grand temps
que son gouvernement prenne au serieux ses obligations internationales
en matière de droits humains, a ajoute John Dalhuisen.

” Les autorites doivent liberer immediatement Jabbar Savalan et les
16 autres prisonniers d’opinion actuellement derrière les barreaux. ”

GEORGIAN PRESIDENT: NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT IS PAIN OF CAUCASUS

Trend
Nov 30 2011
Azerbaijan

The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the pain of the Caucasus, said
the Georgian president Mikheil Saakashvili, speaking at the
Georgian-Armenian business forum.

President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan also participated in the forum.

“The most painful issue for us is the conflict that exists between
Armenia and Azerbaijan. It is a pain of Georgia as it is the pain of
Caucasus,” Saakashvili said.

According to Saakashvili, the Caucasus should be integrated, because
it is the only way for the development of the region.

“I believe that the economy of the Caucasus in the future should be
integrated,” Saakashvili said.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and 7 surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

IMAGE OF STEREOTYPE ARMENIANS, LIVING ALONE IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH, BREAK DOWN

Trend
Nov 30 2011
Azerbaijan

The Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh’s denial to take part in the
dialogue with the Azerbaijani community in Berlin testifies to the fact
that stereotyped Armenians, living alone in Nagorno-Karabakh, gradually
decline, Azerbaijani political analyst, MP Rasim Musabayov said.

“The non-participation of the Armenian Nagorno-Karabakh community at
the meeting showed that the Armenians are aware that these meetings
destroy the myths that they seem to be alone,” he told Trend today.

The Dialogue Forum – Nagorno-Karabakh meeting of Azerbaijanis and
Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh was held in Berlin on November 28.

Despite the representatives of the Armenian community of
Nagorno-Karabakh agreeing to take part, they didn’t turn up.

The meeting was held with the backing of the Berlin Centre for
Caspian Region Studies, the independent newspaper Evro Kavkaz and
the German-Azerbaijani forum.

Mr Musabayov said that the meeting was aimed at changing the German
public’s misconception that is there is only an Armenian community
in the Nagorno-Karabakh which wants to secede, whilst Azerbaijan does
not want this to happen.

The Armenian community of Nagorno-Karabakh’s denial from the dialogue
shows that Azerbaijan managed to break down these stereotypes.

Representatives from Armenia, such as human rights activists, as well
as Armenians who live and work in Germany, German experts including the
German former representative in the OSCE Minsk Group and authoritative
experts on the South Caucasus took part.

The forum was attended by representatives of the Azerbaijani community
of Nagorno-Karabakh, MPs Rovshan Rzayev, Rasim Musabayov, Rector of
the Baku Music Academy Farhad Badalbayli, the Effective Initiatives
Centre political analyst Anar Usubov and the head physician of the
Shusha Central Hospital Ramig Maharramov.

The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988
when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Armenian
armed forces have occupied 20 per cent of Azerbaijan since 1992,
including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts.

Azerbaijan and Armenia signed a ceasefire agreement in 1994. The
co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group – Russia, France, and the U.S. –
are currently holding the peace negotiations.

Armenia has not yet implemented the U.N. Security Council’s four
resolutions on the liberation of the Nagorno-Karabakh and the
surrounding regions.

ON THE BACKGROUND OF HYSTERIA ON START OF NEW WAR WITH ARMENIA IN 2012

Azerbaijan Business Center
Nov 30 2011

President of Azerbaijan received Co-Chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group

Baku, Fineko/abc.az. Today in Baku President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan
has received co-Chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group on Azerbaijani- Armenian
Nagorno Garabagh conflict settlement and special representative of
OSCE’s incumbent Chairman which happened for the first time since
the hysteria initiated by Western media about Azerbaijan’s starting
war in 2012 for liberation of 20% of territory occupied by Armenia.

Press service of the Head of the State reports that President I.

Aliyev of Azerbaijan has received co-Chairmen of OSCE Minsk Group- Igor
Popov (Russia), Robert Bradtke (the USA), former French co-chairman
Jacque For and special representative of OSCE’s incumbent Chairman
Anji Kaspershik. The meeting involved sharing of opinions on current
state and prospects of negotiations on Azerbaijani- Armenian Nagorno
Garabagh conflict settlement.

In November wave of information spread in Western media about the fact
that in 2012 Azerbaijan will resume military actions against Armenia
stopped in 1994. Even European entertainment channels registered
themselves with such information allegedly based on statements of
French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

SAAKASHVILI PROMOTES “UNITED CAUCASUS” CONCEPT TO SARGSYAN IN TBILISI
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze

The Messenger
Nov 30 2011
Georgia

After misunderstandings regarding Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s
visit to Georgia,he finally paid an official visit on November 29. On
the first day of his arrival, he met with Georgian counterpart, Mikheil
Saakashvili, and they talked about the two countries’ relations and
future perspectives. During the meeting Saakashvili revealed that the
concept of a “United Caucasus” is still very real for him and in the
frame of deepening relations border crossing rules between Georgia
and Armenia would be simplified.

As the Georgian president mentioned, Georgian-Armenian relations
have never been so positive as now, and such successful relations and
collaboration are based on “personal merit.” One of the main messages
delivered by Saakashvili was the issue of a United Caucasus. “Our
concept is of course based on the United Caucasus concept. I am sure
that all the conflicts in the Caucasus are imposed by an imperial
force whose major principle is divide and rule,” Saakashvili said.

He has also mentioned that it is in the interests of all the peoples
and states of the Caucasus to have a united Caucasus, a united economic
space of the Caucasus and even a united political commonwealth in
prospect. Saakashvili maintains that the idea will come true. “It will
definitely be implemented. There is no alternative for our people,
for our small countries,” added Saakashvili. “I am sure the conflicts,
which were artificially imposed on our countries, will be resolved
sooner or later – I think much sooner than anyone can imagine. We
will manage to find a more common language and to integrate into the
European space faster, if there is less interference from outside.”

At the same time, Saakashvili believes that very soon the
Georgian-Armenian border would be as transparent “as the one of
Switzerland-France”. As Saakashvili mentioned, citizens of the two
states would be checked at only one checkpoint, only one time and
without getting out of their cars.

The Armenian president did not comment on the idea of a United
Caucasus, however he highlighted the importance of the two states
friendly relations. “Our visits are the confirmation of the high-level
relations between our countries and these relations have particularly
intensified this year. I agree with the president that the cooperation
should be enhanced in the spheres of economics, defense and security.

We work in various areas, including the energy sector. Our goal is
to provide proper security for the Armenian and Georgian nations,”
the Armenian president announced.

He also mentioned that there were “two or three very important issues
between the states, which progressed this year,” and Sargysian thanked
Saakashvili for this. However, he did not specify which those three
issues are.

Four new memorandums on collaboration between different state
structures have been signed between the states after the first day
of the visit.

It was not the first time that Saakashvili has mentioned the United
Caucasus idea. It has already got different responses in the Georgian
political field. The government assess the president’s initiative
“as strategically extremely important,” whereas the opposition called
it unrealistic.

As analyst Soso Tsiskarishvili told The Messenger, Georgian-Armenian
relations are “predestined” for friendly contact. As he believes,
this is due to problems in the Caucasus region and growing interest
towards the region from the states of Europe and the US. As the analyst
mentioned, Georgia should be extremely provident towards relations
between the neighboring states and should maintain neutrality. “The
Armenian-Azerbaijan conflict creates a negative influence on
Georgian-Armenian relations. It’s more than 20 years since Armenia
and Georgia signed any international level document where the words
territorial integrity were mentioned.” The analyst also stated that
currently Georgia uses balancing politics rather than neutrality,
trying to please both Armenia and Azerbaijan and forgets that,
“people hold a grudge longer than they do kindness.”

Tsiskarishvili also expressed regret that unlike the European Union,
the South Caucasus states do not have a strict neighborhood policy,
based on a definite conception adopted on the needs of the states’
citizens. As for the idea of a United Caucasus, the analyst called it a
“myth” while there is a hostile attitude towards the idea within the
Caucasus and further afield.