Author: Badalian Vardan

NKR SECOND PRESIDENT: NKR CANNOT BE PART OF AZERBAIJAN

arminfo
Thursday, September 1, 11:45

“Azerbaijan must be the first to recognize our independence. Baku is
not ready to such step now, but I am sure, it will do that later.

Nagorny Karabakh cannot be part of Azerbaijan. I am sure that
Azerbaijan is well aware of that as well,” Arkady Ghukasyan, the second
president of NKR said in an interview with the NKR Public Television,
ArmInfo’s correspondent to Stepanakert reported.

“…Azerbaijan is not engaged in resolution of the conflict. It tries
its best to harm Armenia. Such is the policy of Ilhav Aliyev, while
we do not aim to destroy Azerbaijan,” he said. Ghukasyan believes
historical reconciliation the only resolution of the conflict. He
is sure that NKR authorities cannot go on any steps infringing the
interests of the people.

“…We should demonstrate to the world that we deserve independence.

We have all the legal bases for that. Unfortunately, everyone now seeks
political solutions neglecting the legal aspect, while a political
solution depends on the political environment,” he said.

“We will yield nothing until we understand what Azerbaijan is ready
for:Alternative to negotiations is war,” he said. He said that final
goal of NKR is a peaceful life of the people. The ex-president is
sure that together with Armenia and Diaspora, Artsakh will overcome
everything.

As for resumption of military actions, the second president of NKR
said: “I am not sure that Azerbaijan is ready to unleash war. The
Azerbaijani leadership is well aware that in case of war, Azerbaijan
face force- majeur situation the first. The world community is against
war and it is evident. The country that will unleash war will be
punished. At some moment Azerbaijan will understand that its hopes
are senseless as NKR can never be part of Azerbaijan,” he said.

NKR has to become a democratic country since it is very difficult
for an unrecognized state to meet challenges, he said.

“Since our task is to have a de-jure status and to be recognized by
the world community, we must learn talking to the world community on
its own language. This made us rapidly pass the stages that take other
countries decades and centuries. We understood then that if we fail
to give freedom to our people, introduce international standards in
our country, our path to independence will be twice as hard. What we
have managed to create in Karabakh is a unique phenomenon I think,”
Arkady Ghukasyan said.

ARMENIA WINNER IN SHORTWAVE RADIO FREQUENCY WORLD CUP

Tert.am
10:41 01.09.11

Armenian radio listeners have become champions in the Shortwave Radio
Frequency World Cup.

According to the intergovernmental TV and radio company Mir,
the contest had attracted 250,000 participants from 150 world
countries.They all participated in the World Cup from their own
countries

To prevent channel disruptions in Armenia, the Morse alphabet
competition was held at an altitude of 1,750 meters above the sea
level.

The Armenian team was recognized the best in radio sport. Russians
won the second, third and fourth places. The Ukrainians won the
fifth place.

A video footage about the contest can be accessed here.

CHORRORD ISHKHANUTYUN: PRESIDENT DECIDES IN PARLIAMENT SPEAKER’S FAVOR

Tert.am
10:38 01.09.11

According to the information at the newspaper’s disposal, Armenian
President Serzh Sargsyan decided in favor of Parliament Speaker Hovik
Abrahamyan as head of his election campaign staff.

The talks about Speaker Abrahamyan being perceived as a member of
Robert Kocharyan’s team did not prove convincing for the president
and he decided in Abrahamyan’s favor.

STEPANAKERT READY TO NEGOTIATE WITH BAKU – BAKO SAHAKYAN

Tert.am
14:19 01.09.11

Independent Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR) has entered its twenties.

In an interview with Nezavisimaya Gazeta NKR President Bako Sahakyan
told about the counties’ achievements, problems and priorities.

– Mr. President, what have been the three major achievements of
Nagorno-Karabakh since it gained independence 20 years ago?

– I would point out the following three groups of our country’s major
achievements. First, independent statehood and its institutions. All
the three branches of power have been completely formed and are
efficiently operating. The NKR has an efficient army, which not
only guarantees its independence and security, but also serves as a
stabilizing factor in the region. Our country embarked on the road of
democratic development, and independent Nagorno-Karabakh does not pose
any threat to any state -either in the South Caucasus or in the world.

Secondly, we have been able to cope with the aftermath of the horrible
war unleashed by Azerbaijan, which actually destroyed our economy.

Artakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) is now a steadily developing economy with
high-level domestic stability.

One more achievement is the Armenia-Artsakh-Diaspora alliance, which
is one of the fundamentals of our independent statehood and is of
paramount political, economic and psychological importance for both
Artsakh and all Armenians.

– What are the county’s top priority tasks?

– I have said that our country steadily developing, but, like any
other state, we have problems to deal with. As some problems are
resolved, others arise, which process is taking place in all the
countries. In this context, I would group the tasks facing our
country into politico-military and socio-economic ones. Among
the politico-military tasks are the following priorities: first,
maintaining strategic balance between Artsakh and Azerbaijan. At
the same time, we are for a peaceful settlement of the conflict
by means of negotiations and are doing our utmost. International
recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh is an all-important political issue
for us. We are well aware the issue is not an easy one and requires
a lot of time and efforts. However, the Nagorno-Karabakh people
and leadership are determined to go on struggling for international
recognition. Constant improvement of our government system, further
democratic reforms, formation of civil society and legal reforms is an
important political task as well. In this context, we attach special
importance to establishing ties with different countries and agencies,
whose experience is necessary for our development.

As regards socio-economic tasks, improving living standards –
especially for socially vulnerable sections of the population – is an
urgent task. Among them are also improving the demographic situation,
developing such sectors as economy, energy, mining and processing
industries, agriculture and tourism. Also, we attach special importance
to attracting investments. We have created a favorable investment
environment, and we have rather liberal tax laws and pay special
attention to legal protection of investors’ rights.

– Unlike Abkhazia and Ossetia, with their independence recognized
by some states, Nagorno-Karabakh has not yet been recognized. Are
there any signs that the NKR’s sovereignty will be recognized in the
near future?

– I have noted that the NKR’s international recognition is among our
priorities. In fact, there are no legal grounds for not recognizing
our independence. In this aspect, our arguments are unassailable.

Another matter is geopolitical reasons, conflicting interests and
so on, which are, to an extent, deterrents to Nagorno-Karabakh’s
recognition. But I think that geopolitics and conflicting interests
must give way to right and morals. Striking evidence thereof is that,
over the past three or four years, the process of recognition of
unrecognized states has entered a new, higher-level stage.

Nonetheless, precedents are not decisive factors for us in getting
Nagorno-Karabakh internationally recognized. We will struggle for
recognition irrespective of whether or not other unrecognized states
have been recognized. We have all the grounds – historical, legal,
political and moral.

– In studying the details of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process,
one gets the impression that NKR representatives may soon return to
the negotiating table…

– Nagorno-Karabakh’s involvement in the peace process as a full
negotiator is the only chance for a comprehensive settlement of the
conflict. The international mediators, particularly the OSCE Mink
Group, admit this fact. Stepanakert is ready for direct negotiations
with Baku as well as for discussing any issues. I think returning to
the full negotiation format is only a matter of time. The sooner it
happens the sooner the conflict will be resolved.

4.6 PERCENT GROWTH OF GDP EXPECTED IN ARMENIA – PM

news.am
Aug 31 2011
Armenia

YEREVAN. – Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan on Tuesday attended
the meeting of Armenian MFA central staff and heads of diplomatic
missions abroad.

Tigran Sargsyan spoke about the current state of Armenia’s economy,
presented the upcoming programs and planned activities of the
government. The Prime Minister summed up the economic results of
the first half of 2011 and noted that 4.6 percent growth of GDP is
expected in 2011.

As for inflation, according to him, from 10-percent inflation stage
Armenia has stepped into 5 percent stage, which will create favorable
environment for curbing inflation in 2012.

Reflecting on the priority programs of the government, the PM
said that they also cover the process of improving the business
environment. During current year, the government carried out important
activities in this area, particularly, in the direction of tax and
customs administration, the introduction of electronic reporting system
that should significantly reduce the contacts of tax inspectors with
representatives of the business environment.

Prime Minister Sargsyan informed the diplomats that the concept of
industrial policy and the program of its implementation are being
developed in Armenia for the first time. It will encompass the economic
structure of Armenia for the next 10 years, identify the present and
highlight comparative advantages and constraints, he added.

POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, MORAL AND CULTURAL SYSTEMS SHOULD BE SERIOUSLY RECONSIDERED, RUBEN VARDANYAN THINKS

Mediamax
Aug 31 2011
Armenia

Yerevan/Mediamax/. Chairman of the Board of “Troyka Dialogue” Ruben
Vardanyan thinks that the value system and evaluation of assets within
the world economy are being transformed.

“We should admit that formal and non-formal systems of checks and
balances operating today have got out of balance. Today, all the
systems, political, economic, moral and cultural, should be seriously
revised. In the developed Western countries an individual’s personal
right of determining his actions prevails over the public opinion. The
only mechanism left in the world which works (not always, though)
is legal rules and laws. They should also be seriously reconsidered”,
said Ruben Vardanyan in the interview published today in “Kommersant”
newspaper.

“There are two scenarios: the first one is the crisis acceleration
in current systems. Everybody starts to understand that crisis calls
for changes. It’s a time for making decisions, painful and sometimes
very hard ones, entailing cataclysms for today’s elite. The second
scenario is to cut off the disease avoiding tough decisions. That’s
what has happened over the recent 20 years in Japan. The problem is
rooted in the society rather than in the economy there: the Japanese
are undergoing conflict between the internal reality of the country and
values of former generations which have been built up over millennia”,
said the head of “Troyka Dialogue”.

Ruben Vardanyan noted that “globalization has already cost very
expensive”.

“At the same time, no matter what is spoken, America and Western
Europe are still dominating though the situation is rapidly changing.

It is indisputable that everything may change provoking a formation of
a new financial system. Again we may exchange a kilogram of salt for
a kilogram of sugar, then for wheat or concrete. Gold may even become
the new currency. That’s not important. A new means of calculations
will be created and the old currencies will rapidly depreciate”,
said Ruben Vardanyan.

He also stressed that the number of the tools applied for regulating
the economy is limited.

“Those who can print a lot of money print how much they can. Those
who are able to throw the debts on the future generation are busy
doing that. Those who cannot do anything are trying to borrow from
others. There is an actual price for the goods of first priority
and there is a price for raw material, production and services. The
value system and evaluation of assets are being transformed now. Why
do we think that the financial world should remain the same whereas
the technological world has dramatically changed over the 20 years?

Everything is interrelated. We are going to face a change of the world
system. The thing is which dominants will be accepted in that system,
including the quantity of money. When I started my business there
were rare billionaires in the world and now this status is being
endlessly devaluated”, said the head of “Troyka Dialogue”.

ARMENIAN COMMUNITY DEMANDS FROM TURKEY TO RETURN DINK’S ORPHANAGE

Panorama
Aug 31 2011
Armenia

As soon as Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed a decree on
returning the properties of national minorities back to their owners,
Hrant Dink’s brother Orhan Dink and the fund of Armenian community
Gedikpasha have taken an initiative to demand back Tuzla’s orphanage,
where Hrant Dink had grown up. According to “Ermenihaber.am” news
website they demand to return the church to Armenian protestant church
of Gedikpasha.

“When the orphanage which belonged to the church was passed to other
owners, compensation wasn’t paid to the fund. The state has owned the
money. Thus, according to the new law, the orphanage must be returned
back to its real owners,” said Orhan Dink.

Adnan Ertem, the director of Turkish Funds, said if any application
is submitted, it will be discussed, but most probably the orphanage
will be left to its current owners.

It’s said that Hrant Dink dreamed of returning the orphanage back to
the Armenian community.

YOUTUBE VIDEO ON MAR. 1, 2008 IN YEREVAN TO BE SENT TO INTERNATIONAL EXPERTS

epress.am
08.31.2011 16:40

Two days ago, Armenia’s general prosecutor appealed to the foreign
ministry to contact several European agencies, so that international
experts can be involved in investigating a video posted on YouTube
which was allegedly shot on Mar. 1-2, 2008, and depicts figures
dressed in police uniform shooting at people. Head of the Mar. 1-2
investigative group Vahagn Harutyunyan conveyed this news to
journalists in the Armenian capital today.

Recall, on Mar. 1-2, 2008, national police and military forces, called
in to disperse the mass riots following a contested presidential
election, used “excessive force and violence” which left 10 people
dead and many more wounded.

The video in question is called “See how they fire on Mar. 1, 2008”.

Harutyunyan noted that the body he oversees examined the video;
however, their center is ill-equipped to give clear answers to all
the questions and it was unable to solve the problem of identification.

The investigative group aims to have international experts receive
useful video footage for identifying the shooter.

Harutyunyan also noted that they have expressed their willingness to
hold the investigation not only in Armenia, but also abroad.

VAYK HOSPITAL STAFF INJECT WOMAN IN LABOR WITH DRUGS AND SEND HER HOME

epress.am
08.31.2011 14:09

Three days ago, a youth civil initiative called “We won’t be silent”
received a call from a resident of the town of Vayk in southern
Armenia regarding an incident in the town’s maternity ward.

The incident described in the video allegedly took place days earlier
and involves a family from the village of Gndevaz in Vayots Dzor marz
(province), though reportedly this is not the only family that has
been affected. According to “We won’t be silent” which prepared the
video below, on Aug. 11, a woman, in preparation of delivery, was
moved to the hospital in Vayk, where she was to wait for department
head Metaxya Hovhannisyan. Relatives of the woman in labor (who was
not named), Avetik Ikhpiaryan and Tsovinar Khachatryan, describe what
happened afterwards.

Khachatryan notes in the video that the patient was injected with
pethidine and sent home. “We know Dimedrol [in fact, most likely meant
Demerol or pethidine] is not allowed during birth,” says Khachatryan
in the video, adding that they informed the nurse who simply told
them she is doing what she was told.

The family was then told by the head of the maternity ward Metaxya
Hovhannisyan to prolong the labor and that she would visit the family
at 10 pm that evening, says Ikhpiaryan in the video. Hovhannisyan
did indeed come, he continues; however, she delivered a stillborn.

The stillborn was sent to Yerevan and then to England for an
autopsy, say the relatives, who were told the cause of death was
brain hemorrhaging.

The family believes the child’s death is due to the prescribed
pethidine in part and to negligence on the part of hospital staff,
and Metaxya Hovhannisyan in particular.

15 THOUS. CARS IMPORTED TO ARMENIA OVER PAST 7 MONTHS

PanARMENIAN.Net
August 31, 2011 – 14:00 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – 1135 traffic accidents have been registered in
Armenia within the first 7 months of 2011, said head of traffic patrol
service of the RA road police.

According to Norik Sargsyan, 150 people died and 1697 suffered as a
result of traffic accidents, the number of which grew by 143 compared
to the same period in 2010.

He explained the growth by the operating law on compulsory car
insurance. ~SThe drivers would avoid calling the police before, but now
they are waiting for the police officers and insurers to arrive even
in case of a slightest collision,~T Sargsyan told a press conference
in Yerevan.

According to him, the import of vehicles has formidably grown. ~SMore
than 15 thous. cars were imported to Armenia over the 7 past months.~T
He also added that in 2010-2011 the number of vehicles grew by 35 000.

Asked when police radars will be installed to fix roads violations,
Sargsyan said the process under way and by the end of the year special
devices will have been installed at 10 cross-roads of Yerevan.