Author: Badalian Vardan

AAA STATEMENT ON OBAMA’S NOMINEE TO SERVE AS AMBASSADOR TO ARMENIA

hetq
10:07, May 20, 2011

Washington, DC – Last night, President Obama nominated John A. Heffern
to serve as the next Ambassador to Armenia, reported the Armenian
Assembly of America (Assembly). The Assembly expects a rigorous Senate
confirmation process in the months ahead.

Current U.S. envoy to Yerevan Marie L. Yovanovitch, nominated by former
President George W. Bush, will conclude her three-year mission in June.

In the mid-1990s, Heffern worked for former Congressman Doug
Bereuter (R-NE) who was consistently one of the most pro-Turkish and
anti-Armenian Representatives to serve in Congress.

Without pre-judging nominee Mr. Heffern personally, he will have a
steep hill to climb in explaining and distinguishing his views from
those of former Congressman Bereuter. For example, in 1995-1996, when
Heffern was on the Congressman’s International Relations Committee
staff, Bereuter voted against several measures aimed to promote not
only Armenia’s interests, but human rights interests around the world.

These measures included, most notably, the Humanitarian Aid Corridor
Act, which prohibits U.S. economic assistance to any country that
impedes or restricts the transfer or delivery of U.S. humanitarian
assistance to another country. Heffern’s former boss also voted against
an amendment to cut $25 million in aid to Turkey, which was proposed
in reference to Turkey’s human rights violations and ongoing blockade
of Armenia. Further, the Congressman voted against an amendment to
cut aid to Turkey until it had “taken all appropriate steps to honor
the memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide.”

The Assembly hopes Mr. Heffern can successfully climb that hill and
represent America’s views and clear record, not only on the need to
squarely recognize the Armenian Genocide and its consequences, but also
on addressing Azerbaijan’s aggression against the Nagorno-Karabakh
Republic to ensure peace in the region with open borders, respect
for human rights and commitment to democracy.

John A. Heffern is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service and
currently serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Mission
to NATO in Brussels. Prior to his current post, Mr. Heffern served
as Executive Assistant to the Undersecretary for Political Affairs
and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Indonesia. Mr.

Heffern’s career has also included overseas assignments to Japan,
Malaysia, Ivory Coast and Guangzhou, China.

NKR PRESIDENT: KARABAKH CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT KASHATAGH

A1Plus.am
18 May 2011

The existence of Nagorno Karabakh as an independent state is impossible
without the Kashatagh region, President of the Artsakh Republic Bako
Sahakyan said in the town of Berdzor when attending a festival event
dedicated to the 19th anniversary of Berdzor’s liberation.

Mr. Sahakyan underlined that the liberation of Berdzor marked a
significant military, political and psychological victory for the
whole Armenian people and added that without this victory it would
have been impossible to defend our country’s independence and freedom.

He considered the development of Kashatagh to be a strategic issue
of pan-Armenian importance, underlining that the state would do
everything possible for its prosperity.

AZERBAIJAN CONDUCTS MILITARY EXERCISE AT THE FRONTLINE

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 16:15:05 – 18/05/2011

Trend Agency reports that the armed forces of Azerbaijan led by the
minister of defense Abiyev are conducting a large-scale military
exercise at the Armenian-Azerbaijani frontline. Land troops and air
force are participating in the exercise.

ISRAELI PARLIAMENT COMMISSION ON EDUCATION TO DISCUSS RECOGNITION OF GENOCIDE

Story from Lragir.am News:

Published: 20:05:14 – 18/05/2011

The Armenian National Committee of Jerusalem informs that the
parliament of Israel discussed the proposal of Member of Parliament
Zahava, Meretz Party, to discuss the issue of recognition of the
Armenian genocide within the committee of education.

Earlier the committee of defense and external relations of the Israeli
parliament discussed the issue which holds its sessions behind closed
doors. There were concerns that the commission might express a negative
opinion on the recognition of the genocide.

COOPERATION WITH THE EU ONE OF THE PRIORITIES OF ARMENIA’S FOREIGN POLICY

armradio.am
18.05.2011 19:23

President Serzh Sargsyan received the President of the European
Parliament, Jerzy Buzek.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that the frequent meetings and the active
dialogue with representatives of the European community give positive
impulses to Armenia’s policy of European integration. According
to the President, the Armenia-EU relations have been dynamically
developing over the past years, embracing not only the fields of
foreign policy and trade, but also domestic reforms targeted at
ensuring the prosperity of the people.

“Armenia is willing to continue the path of reforms on the basis of
the European experience and with the EU support,” the President stated.

According to Jerzy Buzek, Europe believes in the success of reforms
in Armenia, which can serve as a good example for other countries
that have chosen the same path.

Serzh Sargsyan noted that the cooperation with the EU is one of the
priorities of Armenia’s foreign policy.

The EP President said it was natural, since Armenia’s history had
always been tied with Europe. “You have always been part of Europe
throughout your history,” Jerzy Buzek noted.

R. KIRAKOSYAN: TURKEY HAS BETRAYED AZERBAIJAN

Panorama.am
18/05/2011

“Now the situation in the line of contact is more dangerous than
in previous time, which has its reasons,” Richard Kirakosyan, the
director of Armenian Center for National and International Studies
(ACNIS) told Panorama.am.

“The first reason is that Azerbaijan has bought really powerful
weapons which are more aggressive,” Richard Kirakosyan said.

Expert says those are weapons of Israeli, Pakistani, South African
and Turkish production.

According to the expert the second reason is that Azerbaijan is
discontent with Minsk Group activities, and according to Azerbaijani
side there is no advancement in NK issue.

“And another reason is that Turkey has betrayed Azerbaijan because
of the Armenian-Turkish protocols,” R. Kirakosyan said.

According to him, Azerbaijan exercises military rhetoric in NK issue
against the Minsk Group.

R. Kirakosyan says Armenia must react to the Azerbaijani provocations
and exercise more powerful counterattack against Azerbaijan, like
Israel counterattacks Arabs.

Expert says Azerbaijan is well aware they will be defeated if they
resume war, since they are weak and not ready.

R. Kirakosyan has highly assessed Seyran Ohanyan as a Minister of
Defense and has noticed that Armenia has high military skills.

NKR PRESIDENT ATTENDS EVENT DEDICATED TO LIBERATION OF BERDZOR

news.am
May 18, 2011 | 19:10

STEPANAKERT. – President of Nagorno-Karabakh Bako Sahakyan visited
the town of Berdzor to attend solemn events dedicated to the 19th
anniversary of the town’s liberation.

President Sahakyan said that liberation of Berdzor has become a
significant military, political and psychological victory for all
Armenians adding it would be impossible to defend our country’s
independence and freedom without this victory.

The NKR President underlined that existence of Nagorno-Karabakh as
an independent state is impossible without Kashtag region.

Primate of the Artsakh Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church
Archbishop Pargev Martirosyan, members of parliament, as well as
guests from Armenia participated in the event.

19TH ANNIVERSARY OF BERDZOR LIBERATION CELEBRATED IN NKR

armradio.am
18.05.2011 17:34

On May 18 President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan
visited the city of Berdzor and partook in the festive events dedicated
to the 19th anniversary of the city~Rs liberation.

The President noted in his speech that the liberation of Berdzor became
a significant military, political and psychological victory for the
whole Armenian nation and added that without this victory it would
have been impossible to defend the country’s independence and freedom.

The President underlined that without the Kashatagh region the
existence of Nagorno Karabakh as an independent state was impossible.

Bako Sahakyan said the development of Kashatagh was strategic issue of
pan-Armenian importance, underlining that the state would do everything
possible for its prosperity, Central Information Department of the
Office of the NKR President reported.

AZERBAIJAN LAUNDERS MONEY THROUGH PURCHASE OF WEAPONS

PanARMENIAN.Net
May 18, 2011 – 12:55 AMT

The extent of arming and the fighting efficiency of the army are
totally different things, similarly to an expert army in peaceful
and war times, according to Artsakh-based military expert.

In a conversation with a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter, the expert, speaking
on condition of anonymity, cited different reasons for Azerbaijan’s
purchasing enormous number of munitions.

“One reason is, Baku believes, that spending exorbitant sums on weapons
will induce Armenia follow the suit. Another reason is money laundering
through purchase if weapons. Still, whatever the true reason, it won’t
prove effective, with Baku failing to train expert military personnel,”
the expert stressed.

He characterized Armenia’s situation as more advantageous, with the
army’s command staff having been through a war.

The expert was deeply sceptical over t he possibility of a new war in
Karabakh. “The matter is not for Armenia or Azerbaijan to decide. It
is to be determined by more serious players, who won’t let Aliyev
fire a single shot, much as he tries. ”

BRAZIL DONATES $50, 000 FOR SETTLEMENT OF ARMENIAN REFUGEES IN KARABAKH

news.am
May 17 211
Armenia

YEREVAN.- An international conference on “Housing Providing Issues
to Needy Refuges Deported from Azerbaijan in 1988-1992” was held in
Yerevan on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan, the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees, Antonio Guterres, representatives from the Armenian
government and foreign missions accredited to Armenia participated
in the event.

The Government of Brazil, through its Embassy in Yerevan, announced
the donation of $50.000 to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
for the settlement of the families displaced from their homes by the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. It should be noted that Brazil was the only
country which presented a pledge in the context of the Conference,
Brazil’s Embassy in informed Armenian News-NEWS.am.