Author: Badalian Vardan

SHARMAZANOV: ALIYEV’S VOCABULARY IS SPECIFIC TO HITLER’S AND SADDAM HUSSEIN’S

13:36, 20.03.2015

YEREVAN. – Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev’s vocabulary was
specific to Adolf Hitler’s and Saddam Hussein’s. If these men are
Aliyev’s idols, he also knows very well what fate befell upon these
historical figures.

National Assembly Vice President and ruling Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) Spokesperson Eduard Sharmazanov commented the aforementioned,
speaking to Armenian News-NEWS.am, on Aliyev’s recent statement.

“It is funny, strange, laughable, [and] even unacceptable that the
president of a CIS member country, a Council of Europe member, speaks
with such vocabulary in the 21st century,” Sharmazanov said. “The
Azerbaijan leader has fallen into the trap of the anti-Armenian
ideology he has created, and he has nothing to say anymore to
disseminate anti-Armenian sentiments.”

The RPA spokesperson also urged the Azerbaijani leader to recall
history, where the entire territory of historical Armenia is clearly
noted.

“Armenia has the Armenian hang-up. Let our European and Russian
partners see how grave our situation is, roughly speaking, that they
sit at the negotiation table with such a man,” the Armenian parliament
deputy chairman added.

To note, Azerbaijani media reported that Azerbaijan President Ilham
Aliyev had stated: “The innocent Azerbaijanis’ shed blood at the
hands of Armenian occupants will not go unanswered.”

NIKOL PASHINYAN: ARMENIA IS NOT A DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY

11:36 | March 20,2015 | Politics

“Two days ago, in his speech at the fourth plenary session of the
Euronest Parliamentary Assembly Serzh Sargsyan spoke in a manner which
is characteristic of leaders of democratic countries. Is there any
objective evidence enabling you to consider the Republic of Armenia
as a democratic country?” Armenian lawmaker Nikol Pashinyan said at
the 15th session of the Armenia-EU Parliamentary Cooperation Committee.

“Never has the opposition won any election in Armenia since the
country proclaimed independence [in 1991],” he said. “Only a few
months speaking at the sitting of the ruling Republican Party of
Armenia (HHK) Serzh Sargsyan ordered a government crackdown against
his former coalition partner Gagik Tsarukyan, the former leader of
the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), after the latter said he was
going to run in the next presidential election.”

Mr Pashinyan also cited Serzh Sargsyan’s words that Tsarukyan should
be stripped of his mandate because of his ‘chronic absenteeism.’
“Terrified of the crackdown and the ensuing internal political strife,
the embattled tycoon [Gagik Tsarukyan] gave up the idea of running
in the presidential elections and after obeying Sargsyan’s decision
kept his parliamentary mandate. Now the law enforcement authorities
seem to have forgotten about the accusations levied against him. Is
this a democratic country?” said Pashinyan.

Then he citied Serzh Sargsyan’s statement peaceful assemblies and
rallies are not banned in Armenia and reminded of the existence of
political prisoners in Armenia, including jailed activists Volodya
Avetisyan and Shant Harutyunyan. “Many in Armenia consider these two
men to be political prisoners,” Pashinyan stressed.

Then he focused on the post-election clashes of March 1, 2008 and said
‘this is another vivid violation of the right to freedom of assembly.’

“Contrary to Serzh Sargsyan’s statements, Armenia is not a democratic
country as long as we have political prisoners and an opposition
candidate is unable to win elections,” he said in conclusion.

AMOUNT OF RUSSIAN ARMS SALES TO AZERBAIJAN KEEPS THE BALANCE OF WEAPONS IN REGION – ANALYST

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Russia is supplying weapons to Azerbaijan
to an amount required for keeping the balance as compared to arms
sales to Armenia, director of the Caucasus Institute political analyst
Alexander Iskandaryan said on Sputnik-Armenia in commenting Armenian
president’s statement during the international “At the Foot of Ararat”
media forum, as cited by Novosti-Armenia.

Speaking at the forum on Wednesday Armenia’s president Serzh Sargsyan
said Armenia is concerned over the Russian arms sales to Azerbaijan.

The Armenian leader also said military and defense cooperation plays
an important role in the allied partnership with Russia.

“Russia has its interests in the region, and it does not want to lose
Armenia for political reasons. But it does not lose Azerbaijan either.

It gets involved and is selling weapons. The South Caucasus is one
of the most militarized regions in the world,” the analyst said.

In general, Russia is selling arms to everyone in post-Soviet area,
Iskandaryan said.

The expert also said Azerbaijan has bought quite an amount of weapons
from Ukraine and Israel. But, in broad terms, weapons come from
Russia that is the main arms manufacturer and supplier in the area,
Iskandaryan said. -0–

MATENADARAN HOSTS EXHIBITION OF ARMENIAN MANUSCRIPTS SAVED DURING ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

16:59 â~@¢ 20.03.15

The Institute of Ancient Manusripts (Matenadaran) has opened an
exhibition of manuscripts Armenian refugees saved during the Armenian
Genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

The manuscripts were saved from Taron (the MuÃ…~_ Province of modern
Turkey) Lim Island, Aghtamar Island, Ktuts Island, Van church and
Varagavank.

The clou of the exhibition is Toros Roslin’s Zeytun Gospel of 1256.

Among the exhibits is also the Cilician Gospel.

“These are the treasures of world literary art. Six exhibitions halls
will host exhibition, and exhibits will be changed throughout the
year,” Director of Matenadaran Hrachya Tamrazyan told Tert.am.

The exhibition has been organized as part of commemorations of the
Armenian Genocide. The participants in the media forum ‘At the foot
of Ararat’ were the first visitors to the exhibition.

ARMENIA’S ECONOMIC ACTIVITY ROSE BY 3.6% IN FEBRUARY

YEREVAN, March 20. /ARKA/. Armenia’s economic activity hiked by 3.6%
in February, 2015, compared to the same period of 2014, the National
Statistical Service reports.

Consumer prices rose 5.4% in the reporting month compared to February
2014, with prices for industrial products having hiked by 4.8% over
the period, according to the report.

Industrial production output amounted to a total of 92.3 billion drams
in the reporting period, a growth of 2.6% compared to the same period
of 2014, says the report.

Agricultural production output was about 26 billion drams (4.9%
growth). Construction output totaled about 12 billion drams (no
significant change from Feb 2014), and domestic trade turnover was
149.3 billion drams (6.4% reduction).

Output in services sector was about 81.2 billion drams (5.3% growth).

Foreign trade turnover amounted to about $319.8 million as of the end
of the reporting period, a decrease of 25.2% compared to February,
2014.

The budgeted GDP growth level is 4.1% for 2015. -0–

GEOPROSPECTING WORKS NOT IMPLEMENTED BY 90% IN ARMENIA

13:04 March 19, 2015

EcoLur

The geoprospecting works are not carried out in Armenia by 90%.

Estimates show, only 10% of the financial investment for 24 billion AMD
has been carried out in regard with the prospecting 55 metallic mines
out of 147. On 18 March Energy and Natural Resources Minister Yervand
Zakharyan discussed the obligations of the companies implementing
geoprospecting for mining purposes.

The State Inspection on Subsoil of Energy and Natural Resources
Ministry carried out inspections, which showed only 4 companies
have carried out proper geoprospecting and filed relevant reports,
out of which 3 with the confirmation of reserves. 21 companies have
performed the works partially, while 30 companies haven’t performed
any works or haven’t flied any reports, website says.

Those companies, who haven’t performed their contractual obligations or
have their term expired, won’t be entitled to revision, while statutory
sanctions will be imposed over defaulting companies, Minister Yervand
Zakharyan outlined. The minister noted it’s impermissible for the
companies having granted the right to prospecting not to make any
investments and works over years and not to permit the access of
other investors into the field.

>From now on stricter approach will be exercised. Statutory sanctions
will be exercised over defaulting business entities up to terminating
soil management contract.

KFW BANK TO EXTEND EURO 205 MILLION LOAN FOR ARMENIAN PROJECTS

March 20, 2015 – 12:24 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The government of Armenian okayed on March 19 the
signing of a draft package deal with the German government-owned
KfW bank under which the latter will provide Armenia with EURO 205
million worth loans in the next few years for the implementation of
various projects.

According to the draft agreement, Armenia will get EURO 100 million
to build a transmission line from Armenia to Georgia as part of the
Caucasus Power Line project, ARKA reports.

The loan agreement for this project in the amount of EURO 85.2 million
was signed with KfW in 2014 December. The KfW loan will be provided
in two tranches – EURO 75 million and 10.2 million. The first is
repayable in 15 years with a five-year grace period and the second
is provided for a period of 40 years at 0.75% interest rate. This
project is expected to enable Armenia and Georgia to integrate their
power grids and contribute to their economic development.

Under the draft package Armenia may also obtain from KfW a EURO 50
million loan for management of water resources of the border Akhurian
River, a EURO 15 million loan for energy-efficient renovation of
schools, up to a EURO 20 million to enhance efficient use of energy
by small and medium-sized businesses and another EURO 20 million loan
for boosting local real estate market.

SWEDISH FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTRY REVEALED LIES OF AZERBAIJANI MEDIA

11:52, 20 March, 2015

YEREVAN, 20 MARCH, ARMENPRESS: Azerbaijani Media currently have
published false reports on the upcoming elections in the Nagorno
Karabakh Republic, which will be launched in summer. At the request
of “Armenpress”, the Swedish Foreign Affairs Ministry announced,
in a response of APA’s question, they only quoted European Union’s
previously expressed approach on elections of Nagorno Karabakh
Republic. Though the response of the Ministry was presented distorted
and falsified by the Azerbaijani media.

Sweden’s Foreign Ministry issued that response-text, which has been
sent to the APA. The report says. “As stated by the European Union
on previous occasions of so-called elections in Nagorno Karabakh,
such events should not prejudice the peaceful settlement of the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Sweden supports the Minsk group and the
efforts of the three co-chairs towards a settlement of the conflict,
and calls on the parties to redouble their efforts to find a negotiated
solution to the conflict,” – the report said.

AZERBAIJAN THOUGHT TO HAVE SUFFERED 14 LOSSES – KARABAKH FM

15:54 * 20.03.15

Azerbaijan is thought to have suffered more losses than reported in the
Thursday subversive attack against Nagorno-Karabakh defense positions.

Speaking to Tert.am, the country’s foreign minister, Karen Mirzoyan,
cited unverified reports which he said claim 14 deaths.

“We have to state, unfortunately, that despite the international
community’s repeated calls for abstaining from aggression, Azerbaijan
keeps pursuing the same policies. This is a non-constructive approach
which has crossed all the boundaries of common sense,” he noted.

The minister said he finds such a behavior a challenge to all the
international community’s peaceful initiatives.

KARABAKH FM: AZERBAIJAN CHALLENGES ENTIRE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

13:45, 20.03.2015

YEREVAN. – It is impossible to speak a language of force with the
Armenian states, Nagorno- Karabakh Foreign Minister Karen Mirzoyan
told Armenian News-NEWS.am.

He believes this policy contradicts the interests of Azerbaijan
itself. Karen Mirzoyan first conveyed his condolences to the family
and friends of the soldiers of Karabakh Defense Army who were killed
as a result of Azerbaijan’s act of sabotage.

“What happened is another using threat of force which has constantly
been done by Azerbaijan over recent years. Unfortunately, we see that
Azerbaijan continues to ignore the numerous calls by the international
community to avoid the aggravation of tension on the contact line
and to rely on peaceful methods for the settlement of the conflict,”
Mirzoyan said.

By rejecting these efforts, Azerbaijan organizes provocations, thereby
challenging not only Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh, but also the entire
international community. Such behavior of Baku, from the point of
view of the Minister, brings the Karabakh peace process to a deadlock.

As reported earlier, an enhanced team from Azerbaijan’s special
military detachment launched an attack, on Thursday at around 8:30am,
on the NKR Defense Army positions stationed in a northerly (Gyulistan)
direction.

As a result of the skirmish that lasted about two hours, the Armenian
military position holders and the relief forces compelled the adversary
to flee. Subsequently, they pursued the said Azerbaijani military
team and completely crushed them nearby their own military position.

Unfortunately, NKR Defense Army servicemen Hakob Khachatryan (born
in 1996), Eduard Hayrapetyan (born in 1995), and Arshak Harutyunyan
(born in 1995) died and four others were wounded while confronting
the adversary.

Nagorno-Karabakh Republic President Bako Sahakyan bestowed posthumous
awards upon the three fallen soldiers.