Author: Badalian Vardan

DEUX SOLDATS ARRETES APRES LA MORT DU JEUNE MILITAIRE AGHASI ABRAHAMIAN
[email protected]

armenews.com
mercredi 7 septembre 2011
HAUT-KARABAGH

Deux autres officiers ont ete arretes mardi après la mort d’un
soldat armenien qui a declenche un tolle contre les abus chroniques
du personnel militaire.

Lors d’une courte declaration, le ministère de la Defense a affirme
que des militaires sont suspectes de complicite dans le meurtre
d’Aghasi Abrahamian.

Abrahamian, qui a servi dans une unite de l’armee près de la region
du Haut-Karabagh, est decede peu après avoir ete hospitalise pour
blessures graves le mois dernier. Le soldat etait inconscient lorsqu’il
il a ete transporte a l’hôpital militaire du Karabagh.

Les enqueteurs militaires ont arrete l’un des officiers de l’unite et
un soldat la semaine dernière. Ils ont accuse le soldat qui l’avait
bizute et ont porte plainte contre l’agent pour abus de pouvoir et
” inaction ” en vertu d’un article du Code criminel.

Le ministre de la Defense, Seyran Ohanian, a promis la semaine
dernière que l’affaire serait entièrement règlee. Nombreux sont ceux
qui allèguent que l’armee ne tient pas ses engagements et qu’elle ne
fait rien pour interdire le bizutage.

Environ 100 personnes, parmi lesquelles des parents de militaires
decedes, se sont rassemblees jeudi dernier devant le principal
bâtiment du gouvernement a Erevan pour exiger des mesures urgentes
face a ce genre d’affaires. Ils ont accuse les procureurs militaires
de continuer a couvrir de nombreux cas.

Plusieurs militants des droits humains ont expose le problème lors
d’une conference mardi. Ils ont exige que le president Serge Sarkissian
agisse en personne pour repondre a ces preoccupations.

” Ce qui se passe dans les forces armees est une violation flagrante
des droits humains. Nous pensons que le ministère de la Defense ne
contrôle pas la situation “, a affirme Artur Sakunts qui fait partie de
l’Assemble des citoyens d’Helsinki, un groupe qui lutte pour les droits
humains et qui est base dans la ville de Vanaszor au nord de l’Armenie.

Les militants se sont plaints que les autorites militaires ne
publiaient pas les donnees officielles concernant les decès dans
l’armee. Selon leurs estimations, 228 soldats armeniens et officiers
sont morts depuis le debut de l’annee 2007 et seulement 32 d’entre
eux ont ete tues par les troupes azeries.

” Une analyse comparative des incidents mortels demontre qu’il est
beaucoup plus dangereux de servir dans des conditions de paix que
d’etre en situation de combat “, a declare Sakunts.

Ohanian a maintes fois promis de reprimer la criminalite dans l’armee.

Des dizaines de militaires ont ete arretes, licencies ou retrogrades
l’annee dernière.

EREVAN NIE LE TRUCAGE DES ELECTIONS DE FEVRIER 2008
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armenews.com
mercredi 7 septembre 2011
ARMENIE

Les autorites armeniennes ont formellement nie mardi les affirmations
d’un haut diplomate americain. Ce dernier signalait que les elections
presidentielles de fevrier 2008 ont ete falsifiees en faveur de
Serge Sarkissian.

Garegin Azarian, le president de la Commission electorale centrale
(CEC) qui a administre le vote conteste, a affirme que Joseph
Pennington, l’ancien diplomate americain charge d’affaires a Erevan,
n’a cite aucun fait concret qui permettrait de revenir sur les
revendications faites en mars 2008 et qui ont ete publiees la semaine
dernière par Wikileaks.

Selon le CEC, Sarkissian a remporte l’election avec presque 53 %
des voix contre 21,5% pour Levon Ter-Petrosian.

Dans le document divulgue par Wikileaks, Pennington affirme que
Ter-Petrosian aurait remporte entre 30% et 35% des suffrages et aurait
dû etre present lors du second tour contre Sarkissian. ” Cela remet en
cause la legitimite de la victoire de Serge Sarkissian le 19 fevrier au
premier tour “, avait ecrit Pennington au departement d’Etat americain.

Azarian a demande lors d’une interview accordee a RFE/RL si les
fonctionnaires americains avaient compte les bulletins pour faire de
telles declarations.

” Des violations ont ete faites durant les elections et personne ne
le nie. Mais cela ne signifie pas que les resultats des elections
ont ete falsifies. Ce sont deux choses differentes. ”

Galust Sahakian, un vice-president du parti republicain (HHK) a
egalement nie d’eventuelles fraudes. ” Ce n’est qu’une simple rumeur
“, a-t-il affirme. ” Si c’est a Wikileaks de decider qui est elu et
qui ne l’est pas, cela n’est pas très respectueux pour notre societe “.

Azarian a egalement soutenu que la plupart des observateurs electoraux
occidentaux de l’Organisation pour la securite et la cooperation
en Europe (OSCE) a conclu que le scrutin presidentiel a eu lieu ”
en conformite ” avec les normes democratiques. ” Il devrait tout
simplement lire le rapport de l’OSCE sur les elections et voir que
rien de tel n’ y est ecrit “, a t-il affirme.

Le conseil electoral armenien de surveillance a egalement denonce
de serieuses fraudes. Ter-Petrossian et son mouvement d’opposition
sont alles plus loin, accusant les autorites d’avoir falsifie les
resultats des elections pour formaliser une passation de pouvoir du
president sortant Robert Kotcharian a Sarkissian.

ARMENIA STUN LACKLUSTRE SLOVAKIA

SportsNewsIRELAND

Sept 6 2011

Ireland’s qualification for Euro 2012 was given a fillip as Armenia
beat Slovakia 4-0 in Zilina meaning if Ireland can win their final two
qualifiers in October they are guaranteed at least a play-off place.

Yura Movsisyan opened the scoring in the 57th minute and the Slovaks
struggled to gain control of the game thereafter.

Just over ten minutes later Henrikh Mkhitaryan added a second and
the Slovaks were caught on the break by a slick passing movement
that allowed Gevorg Ghazaryan to shoot home into an empty net before
Alexander Sarkisov added a fourth in injury time.

The fallout from the shock result means that if Slovakia can recover
in time to draw with Russia next month Ireland could top the group
with wins against Andorra and Armenia.

Placed 71st in FIFA’s rankings, Armenia now join Slovakia on 14 points,
one behind Ireland as they prepare to play Macedonia and travel to
Dublin in what is now a crucial match in the group in which four
teams are still in contention going into the final fixtures.

DARK HORSES ARMENIA HOLD KEY TO IRELAND’S PLAY-OFF FATE

Irish Independent

Sept 6 2011

WHILE Giovanni Trapattoni and his side will be focused on events in
Moscow today, supporters will be keeping an eye on another crucial
game in Group B that could have a huge bearing on the standings,
with Slovakia hosting Armenia.

With just three games remaining in the campaign, the group is still
very much open.

And while Ireland are still in the race to top the group and secure
the only automatic qualifying spot for Euro 2012, the battle for
second place — and the play-offs — is also very tight.

The Slovaks are currently tied on 14 points with second-placed
Ireland. A win for Armenia would bring them level with Vladimir Weiss’
side and back into the hunt for the play-offs.

And they’ll go into the game full of confidence after their win in
Yerevan last October, when second-half goals from Gevorg Ghazaryan
and Henrik Mkhitaryan secured a superb 3-1 win for Armenians.

With Russia due to travel to Zilina in the penultimate game of their
campaign, Russian boss Dick Advocaat is hoping the Armenians can make
life very difficult for the Slovaks.

“There are three points between them. If the Armenians win, they
will catch up with the Slovaks and have a real chance to fight for
second place. It’s good for us as they have a chance and, therefore,
they’ll be extremely motivated.”

Also tonight, Macedonia host Andorra, who are yet to register a point,
in the clash of Group B’s also-rans.

Irish Independent

BRIEFING BY FOREIGN MINISTRY ON WIKILEAKS AND ON NEW VISA REGIME WITH BRAZIL
By Ernest Petrosyan

The Messenger
Sept 6 2011
Georgia

At her regular Monday briefing on September 5, Deputy Foreign Minister
Nino Kalandadze denied information published by Wikileaks that Georgia
continues to provide airspace for Russian Federation military cargo
transportation to Armenia.

Wikileaks published another dispatch of US Ambassador to Georgia
John Bass to the Department of State, where Bass allegedly says that
“Tbilisi continues operating airspace for Russian military cargos
for Armenia”. “This information is not correct”, Kalandadze said.

According to Kalandadze, the Russian Federation applied several times
to the Georgian authorities asking for the opening of airspace,
but the Georgian side has rejected such demands. The last request
was made by the Russian Federation at the end of 2008, according to
the Deputy Minister.

“Information from WikiLeaks should be treated cautiously, since we
do not know if it is reliable or not. Nevertheless the fact itself
is not true. Russia applied to us several times with a request to
open our airspace but we rejected it, ” Kalandadze said.

Political analyst Ramaz Sakvarelidze also expressed doubt regarding the
reliability of Wikileaks information. “I do not think that Georgia is
continuing to provide its airspace for military cargo transportation
covertly. Besides, even if Bass had told such in his notes, there is
not any source mentioned, thus such information cannot be seriously
regarded”, Sakvarelidze told The Messenger.

At the briefing, Kalandadze stated that Georgia does not consider the
participation of Karabakh’s delegation with the status of observer in
Abkhazia’s so-called Presidential election as the official position
of Yerevan. She added that the official Yerevan supports Georgian
territorial integrity and sovereignty, and does not recognize the
independence of Abkhazia or South Ossetia breakaway regions.

“The Georgian Foreign Ministry expresses an interest in all the issues
related to the illegal processes taking place in Georgia [breakaway
regions]. Yerevan’s position is clear to us and the official Yerevan
does not recognize the breakaway regions or any elections held there”,
stated Kalandadze at the briefing.

Kalandadze’s statement referred to the attendance of a Nagorno-Karabakh
delegation headed by Bako Saakyan, the so-called President of the
self-recognized republic of Nagorno-Karabakh, during Abkhazia’s
presidential elections held on August 26.

Kalandadze also mentioned the hotel belonging to the former Georgian
Embassy in Moscow. According to her it was confiscated in 2006 and
will be auctioned off by the Russian Government. “It is an issue
between states, and according to the Vienna Convention, we sent the
first diplomatic note demanding the return of the building on July 26.

The Russian side, however, did not respond, but later declared that at
the end of August the building was going to be put up for auction. We
assert that this is not only an illegal action, but is a violation
of the Vienna Convention”, said Kalandadze at the briefing.

According to Kalandadze the issue is not only a dispute between
private entities but must be solved by diplomatic means. Georgia
exchanges communications with Russia through the assistance of the
Embassy of Switzerland.

Deputy Minister Kalandadze announced some positive news regarding
visa-free entry between Brazil and Georgia. Kalandadze stated that
an agreement has been signed during the official visit of Georgian
Foreign Minister Grigol Vashadze in Brazil. As she explained Brazilian
citizens have been offered one-year free visa entry to Georgia,
and now Brazil has also decided to facilitate the visa regime of
Georgia citizens. The visa-free regime will be launched in a month,
after the procedures are completed.

WASHINGTON DC TO HOST CONFERENCE “20 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES”

Today.az
Sept 6 2011
Azerbaijan

The issue of Nagorno-Karabakh and other regional conflicts will
be discussed at the conference of “Twenty Years of Independence in
the South Caucasus: Achievements and Challenges” in Washington DC
September 15, by the participation of top US officials and analysts,
the organizers informed.

The conference hosted by the New European Democracies Project at CSIS,
Washington DC-based think-tank, is particularly timely for several
reasons: Russia’s muscle-flexing in anticipation of presidential
elections in 2012; Iranian truculence; and recent parliamentary
elections in Turkey.

“Moreover, the conference will highlight US foreign policy in the South
Caucasus region as it comes under increasing scrutiny in the wake of
military withdrawals from Iraq and Afghanistan”, said the organizers.

Jennifer Walsh, Pentagon’s Principal Director for Eurasia, as well
as Eric Rubin, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and
Eurasia will be represent the US Government in the discussions.

Besides that, Department of Justice and USAID representative will e
participate at the conference

Some prominent analysts on the region, such as Janusz Bugajski from
CSIS, Ariel Cohen from Heritage Foundation, Svante Cornell from CACI,
Jon Chicky from the Defense University, and also Col. Robert Hamilton
from the Army War College will make special speeches over the topics.

Azerbaijan will be represented at the panel by Heydar Mirza, analyst
from the Council for International Relations of Azerbaijan, Georgia –
by Mamuka Tsereteli from American University and Armenia – by Rouben
Shougarian from Tufts University.

TOP OFFICIAL: ARMENIA’S INITIATIVES HAVE NO EFFECT ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH CONFLICT SETTLEMENT

Trend
Sept 6 2011
Azerbaijan

New initiatives proposed by Armenia to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, have neither positive nor negative effect on this process,
Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Social and Political Department
Chief Ali Hasanov said.

“There is a simple formula to resolve the conflict,” Hasanov said. “It
is adherence to the international rule of law. Azerbaijan’s territorial
integrity and civil rights of all people of Nagorno Karabakh must
be restored.”

“People speak about these international standards for many years,”
Hasanov said. “The Armenian side’s passivity or its dependence on the
others’ will, disruptiveness or compulsion to disruptiveness delay
this process.”

Hasanov said the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must be resolved sooner or
later. The Azerbaijani territories cannot be always under occupation.

“The foreign countries and international organizations recognize
Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity as a result of the policy conducted
by Azerbaijan in the international arena,” Hasanov said.

Hasanov added that Azerbaijan’s potential has not been exhausted to
continue the talks.

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 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 peace negotiations.

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

POLISH AMBASSADOR: TALKS ON NAGORNO-KARABAKH SETTLEMENT TO BE INTENSIFIED

Trend
Sept 6 2011
Azerbaijan

One can expect the intensification of the talks on Nagorno-Karabakh
in connection with the appointment of new EU Special Representative
for South Caucasus Philippe Lefort.

Polish Ambassador to Armenia Zdzislaw Rachinski expressed this opinion
to media, News.am. reported.

“France is not authorized to represent the EU position in the OSCE
Minsk Group. But it is clear that representing its position, France
represents the EU point of view.

Last week, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security
Policy Catherine Ashton welcomed the appointment of Philippe Lefort
EU Special Representative for South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia.

Ambassador Rachinski said that one of the conditions for successful
implementation of the EU projects in the region is effective
cooperation between all countries of South Caucasus.

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 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 peace negotiations.

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

TEACHER SHARES INSIGHT ON GENOCIDE WITH PIONEERING EFFORT IN RWANDA
By Kevin J. Bargnes

Buffalo News (New York)
September 5, 2011 Monday

Through a program funded in part by the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum,
a local middle school teacher spent time in Rwanda this summer,
organizing that country’s first known genocide seminar for teachers.

Andrew T. Beiter, of Hamburg, who teaches eighth-grade social studies
at Springville Middle School, helped pull together the three-day
conference, held for 35 Rwandan teachers in the capital, Kigali.

It’s a country that is rebuilding after the 1994 genocide that killed
an estimated 800,000 people. And in his first trip to the country in
2009, Beiter realized that Rwandan teachers needed help explaining
the madness of genocide to their young students.

“When you understand the causes of genocide, you can prevent them,
instead of just react to them,” said Beiter, 46.

“These teachers face really, really unique problems. They go back to
classrooms where one of their students may be the child of survivors
and another student might be the child of the perpetrators, so
it’s much different than the Holocaust. [Both sides] came back and
commingled.”

All of the teachers were themselves survivors of the genocide but had
no in-depth knowledge of previous genocides, including the Holocaust.

Without that knowledge, the teachers can’t really teach, since most
Rwandan schools can afford little more than a teacher’s salary and
maybe a chalkboard, and not much instructional material. Beiter helped
find a series of speakers and experts to share their knowledge,
including a Holocaust survivor living in America, who talked with
the teachers via video chat.

“This is a place where teaching about the Holocaust and genocide
aren’t abstractions; it’s really real for them,” said Peter J.

Fredlake of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

Contrary to what Hollywood movies might make the area out to be,
Rwanda has recovered rapidly from its low point following the 1994
genocide. It has a functioning government that is progressive in
many ways — more than half of its legislature is composed of women,
and plastic bags are banned as part of its “green” effort.

“They bring in a tremendous number of tourists, they have an excellent
infrastructure of roads, and they’re some of the friendliest people
I’ve met in my entire life,” said Mark R. Gudgel, a high school English
teacher in Lincoln, Neb., who organized the conference with Beiter.

And since a new Rwandan law now requires that the history of genocide
be taught to children, Gudgel said, they hope to make the Kigali
conference an annual event.

Beyond that, Beiter hopes to expand his educational efforts to other
countries that have experienced genocide, including Bosnia, Armenia,
Namibia and Argentina. Beiter mentioned that they may even expand
some of their efforts to discuss U.S. efforts to fend off and kill
Native Americans during the 19th century.

“By teaching them how to teach the Holocaust, it provided the Rwandan
teachers a softer lens to look at their own experiences,” Beiter said.

“And that’ll be true about any place that has these atrocities.”

SITUATION IN ARMENIA IMPROVED BUT PEOPLE NOT ENTHUSIASTIC – POLAND’S ENVOY

news.am
Sept 6 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN.- Situation in Armenia improved considerably over the recent
10-15 years but the society is not that enthusiastic as it used to be
in early 90s, said Poland’s Ambassador to Armenia Zdzislaw Raczynsky.

“At the turn of the 90s, Poland also found itself in a difficult
geopolitical and economic situation. However, the elite and the
society, government and opposition – all united around the idea of
European integration and overcoming the crisis.

Strong and sustained reforms – what we once called the Balcerowicz
Plan – helped us to get what we have now in two decades. Of course,
Poland is not as rich country as Germany, does not have as many
attractions as Italy, but Poland’s economy is the sixth in the world
from the viewpoint of an attractive country for investments,” he said.

The Ambassador said he had visited Armenia in the 90s for the first
time stressing that changes in country’s life over the years are
quite noticeable.