Author: Badalian Vardan

Armenian Parliament Speaker to attend the 129th IPU Assembly

15:16 05.10.2013

The delegation headed by Speaker of the Armenian National Assembly
Hovik Abrahamyan will leave for Geneva to participate in the 129th
Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union September 7-9.

Within the framework of the visit Speaker Hovuk Abrahamyan will have a
number of bilateral meetings with his counterparts.

The parliamentary delegation comprises MPs Karen Chshmarityan, Heghine
Bisharyan, Karine Achemyan and Martin Sargsyan.

NO ARMENIA-EU DEAL TO BE INKED IN VILNIUS: EU COMMISSIONER REP.

October 5, 2013 – 12:30 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – No Armenia-EU document is being readied to be
signed at a Vilnius summit, Haykakan Zhamanak daily said citing the
spokesperson of the EU Commissioner Stefan Fule.

“We’re trying to find routes for further cooperation with Armenia,
based on the existing achievements,” Peter Stano said.

In his address at a PACE fall session, President Serzh Sargsyan
expressed Armenia’s readiness to sign the Association Agreement with
the EU at a Vilnius-hosted Eastern Partnership summit. “Armenia
has always stressed that its policy backs combined, rather than
conflicting interests, a view shared by our European Commission
colleagues,” Sargsyan said, reiterating Armenia’s readiness to sign
the Association Agreement.

Earlier, European Commissioner for Enlargement and European
Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule has expressed hope that the summit in
Vilnius will ensure the irreversibility of the processes of political
association and economic integration of the Eastern Partnership
countries with the EU.

He further described the summit agenda, including signing of the
Association and free trade agreements with Ukraine, initialing of
similar deals with Moldova and Georgia, inking visa regime facilitation
and readmission deals with Armenia and Azerbaijan.

Armenia completed technical talks on a ‘deep and comprehensive
free-trade agreement’ (DCFTA) with the EU in July and it was set
to be signed at a summit with the EU in late November. In addition
to a free-trade deal, Armenia has been working towards the signing
of an association agreement with the EU, a framework agreement on
co-operation that is seen as a first step towards political integration
with the EU.

However, during a Sept 3 meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin,
Armenian leader Sargsyan said Armenia is ready to join Customs Union,
with further plans to be involved in formation of the Eurasian Economic
Union. Mr. Putin supported the initiative, vowing procedural assistance
to Armenia.

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt described Armenia’s intention as
a U-turn in relations with the European Union. “Seems as if Armenia
will break talks on free trade agreement with EU and integrate with
Russia instead,” he said.

Linas Linkevicius, the Foreign Minister of Lithuania, which holds
the rotating EU presidency, said Armenia “has blocked its chances of
signing a free trade deal with the European Union by choosing to join
the Russia-led union.” “We respect any choice of countries but they
cannot enter both organizations at the same time because of different
tariff requirements,” he said.

In a separate statement, Linkevicius and seven other ministers
from Nordic and Baltic countries warned against Russian pressure on
post-Soviet states. “Any economic threat or political pressure directed
against Eastern partners because of their European aspirations and
engagement with the EU is unacceptable,” they said.

The European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy,
Stefan Fule said the Customs Union membership is not compatible with
the DCFTAs which have been negotiated with Ukraine, the Republic of
Moldova, Georgia and Armenia.

“This is not because of ideological differences; this is not about
a clash of economic blocs, or a zero-sum game. This is due to legal
impossibilities: for instance, you cannot at the same time lower your
customs tariffs as per the DCFTA and increase them as a result of
the Customs Union membership,” he said during the European Parliament
plenary meeting in Strasbourg in a statement on “the pressure exercised
by Russia on countries of the Eastern Partnership.”

“It may certainly be possible for members of the Eastern Partnership
to increase their cooperation with the Customs Union, perhaps
as observers; and participation in a DCFTA is of course fully
compatible with our partners’ existing free trade agreements with
other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) states,” Fule said.

The Customs Union was formed in 2010 to include of Belarus, Kazakhstan,
and Russia; Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan later expressed willingness to
join the Union.

A QUIET WALK IN TEGHUT FOREST -PHOTOS

12:15, October 5, 2013

Vasken Brudian

Yesterday, on my second day of arrival to Armenia, I was fortunate
to have the experience of visiting the pristine, untouched, unharmed
section of Teghut Forest.

As environmental activists, we often focus on the destruction,
annihilation, the looting and the plunder of this magnificent
landscape; and rightfully so. We often speak of the embezzlement,
deception, health desecration and the misuse of the land for short-term
gain in our discussions. Yet, we often fail to remember to look or
present the forest in its unscathed, unharmed state and what we are
in the process of destroying.

Although we drove through the mine and we witnessed the devastation,
the destruction, and the activity related to excavating molybdenum,
I would like to present to you the forest in its inherent state,
in its utmost serenity and splendor.

Thank you to the villagers of Shenogh for taking us to this, almost
hidden, “yet” unaffected section of Teghut Forest. It would have
remained undiscovered for us for not to their hospitality.

KARABAKH PRESIDENT CONGRATULATES ON WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY

October 05, 2013 | 11:37

STEPANAKERT. – Nagorno-Karabakh Republic (NKR), or Artsakh, President
Bako Sahakyan on Saturday issued a message of congratulations on the
occasion of the World Teachers’ Day.

“Dear teachers:

“On behalf of the Artsakh Republic authorities and myself, I cordially
congratulate you on the professional holiday, the Teachers’ Day, a
truly public holiday which is traditionally celebrated in our country
as an expression of profound respect for the teacher’s profession.

“All of us remember our teachers, their lessons and precepts with
special warmth and reverence, which guide us during our entire life.

It is a hard and simultaneously an interesting work, very accountable
and very important for our country and people. The human personality
is formed and his future life path is outlined at school age, and
the teacher’s role in this process is indeed inestimable.

“With your wisdom and kindness, patience and self-devotion, you educate
and bring up the younger generation transferring your knowledge,
skills, and a part of your great soul. We are very much grateful to
you for this, dear teachers.

“Rest assured that your problems are always at the focus of the NKR
authorities, since education and science are among the key priorities
in the life of our state.

“Once again I congratulate all the teachers of Artsakh and wish peace,
great health and huge success in carrying out your patriotic mission,”
the NKR President’s message reads.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

LES PRISONNIERS ARMENIENS SONT POUSSES A DES MANIFESTATIONS EXTREMES

ARMENIE

Le système penitentiaire de l’Armenie a ete secoue par une flambee
de protestations et les detenus se sont livres a des actes extremes
tels que l’auto-mutilation dans une tentative d’attirer l’attention
sur les mauvaises conditions.

Certains prisonniers ont cousu leurs bouches, et un homme s’est coupe
un doigt et les militants des droits humains disent que c’est une
reponse desesperee a un système qui nie les droits des condamnes et
les conditions de base. Avetik Iskhanyan, chef du Comite armenien
d’Helsinki, a declare que bien qu’il n’existe pas de statistiques
sur le nombre de prisonniers se blessant c’est un phenomène frequent.

” J’ai moi-meme ete temoin d’un prisonnier se cloue son pied au
plancher dans la prison de Goris, et a Noubarachen et Goris, j’ai
vu des prisonniers qui se sont cousus leurs yeux et la bouche ” a
declare Avetik Ishkhanyan a l’Institute for War and Peace Reporting
(IWPR). ” Si nous n’avions pas visite ces prisons, nous ne l’aurions
jamais decouvert “.

Avetik Ishkhanyan a dit que les detenus qui se livrent a de tels
actes ont agi en desespoir de cause.

” En effet, leurs protestations restent sans reponse. Ils font appel
a des organisations de la societe civile, qui n’ont pas beaucoup
d’influence, et alors c’est le debut de l’automutilation “, a-t-il dit.

Les ex-detenus sont souvent reticents a parler des conditions dans
lesquelles ils sont detenus.

L’IWPR a parle a Vardges Gaspari, un analyste politique arrete et
emprisonne après l’election presidentielle de 2008.

Il a dit qu’il a connu ce genre de conditions qui conduit les
prisonniers a se faire du mal ou se mettent en grève de la faim.

” J’ai passe six mois dans une cellule où les conditions etaient
intolerables. J’ai vu des eaux usees constamment s’infiltrer dans la
cellule …. La cellule d’isolement etait pleine de rats. Il y avait
18 personnes vivant dans une cellule concue pour huit “, a-t-il dit.

L’IWPR a egalement interviewe Benyamin Hovakimyan, un visiteur regulier
de la prison Nubarashen dans la capitale Erevan, où il apporte de
la nourriture a son fils Stepan chaque semaine parce que les repas
fournis sont de mauvaise qualite. Stepan est en prison pour trois ans
pour des vols. “Je ne suis pas surpris si quelqu’un coupe son doigt
et l’envoie aux autorites, ou quelqu’un coud sa bouche “, a declare
Banyamin Hovakimyan. ” Combien de fois avons-nous entendu parler de
suicides ? Pourtant, pas un seul cas a ete etudie correctement “.

L’organisation d’Ishkhanyan est l’une de celle qui a cherche a
connaître des problèmes allant des conditions de vie sordides et de
la surpopulation a la mauvaise alimentation, la sante indigne et le
manque d’exercice. Selon Arman Danielian, directeur de l’Institut pour
la societe civile : ” Les gens dans les prisons essaient de protester
contre leurs problèmes par des voies legales, mais leurs plaintes ne
vont nulle part “.

Un autre problème auquel sont confrontes les condamnes selon les
militants des droits de l’homme est l’intimidation par d’autres
prisonniers plus haut dans la chaîne alimentaire. Ishkhanyan parle de
” un système hierarchique corrompu parmi les detenus qui empeche les
plaintes legitimes d’atteindre leurs destinations “. Vardges Gaspari a
declare les patrons du crime organise dans le système carceral etaient
effectivement en charge, extorquer de l’argent des autres detenus et
de profiter d’une vie privilegiee.

” Bien que l’on ne parle pas ouvertement, les relations inhumaines
parmi les prisonniers est une autre raison pour laquelle les gens
prennent des mesures extremes ” a-t-il dit. ” Je connais un cas où
quelqu’un a fait une grève de la faim juste pour etre transferes
ailleurs, car il etait isole et sous pression “.

Dans d’autres Etats ex-sovietiques comme le Kazakhstan et le
Kirghizistan, les epidemies d’incidents d’automutilation similaires
ont ete identifies comme le travail des membres du crime organise,
mettant en scène une action collective pour faire pression sur les
autorites. Karine Kalantaryan, porte-parole du ministère de la Justice
d’Armenie, a nie que c’etait ce qui se passait dans les prisons.

” L’auto-mutilation est juste un moyen de faire une protestation,
” dit-elle. ” Ces choses sont assez frequents en Armenie ainsi que
dans les pays developpes “. Lem inistre de la Justice Hrayr Tovmasyan,
qui est responsable du système penal du pays et de ses près de 5000
detenus, a decrit le phenomène des prisonniers qui coudent leurs
bouches comme ” tout a fait normal – les filles aiment porter des
boucles d’oreilles ” un commentaire qui n’a pas ete bien pris par les
militants des droits de l’homme. Tovmasyan a declare les incidents
autodestructeurs ne sont pas de la responsabilite du ministère de
la Justice. ” Pour la plupart ils expriment leur mecontentement face
a une decision du tribunal contre eux, ou face a l’enquete initiale
[provisoire] ” a-t-il dit.

Le ministre a egalement exprime son desaccord avec les allegations
selon lesquelles les prisonniers se voient refuser l’accès au système
juridique.

” Un programme strategique de reformes juridiques et judiciaires
a ete approuve pour 2012-16, et un travail serieux est fait sur le
service de probation. En 2012, plusieurs employes de la prison de
divers rangs ont fait face a des procedures disciplinaires ” a-t-il
dit. Karen Andreasyan, l’ombudsman des droits humains d’Armenie,
est en desaccord avec l’evaluation faite par le ministre, decrivant
l’epidemie d’automutilation comme quelque chose hors de l’ordinaire
qui devait etre aborde.

Karen Andreasyan a demande 11 millions de drams, soit environ 27000
dollars US, pour financer son bureau afin qu’il travaille dans le
système carceral et essayer de prevenir la violence, mais cela a ete
refuse par le gouvernement.

Avetik Ishkhanyan a dit que les prisons armeniennes sont encore des
institutions de l’ère sovietique visant a isoler les prisonniers,
et non pas les rehabiliter.

” Il n’y a pas de contrôle pour le moment, et le système est devenu
complètement ferme “, a-t-il dit. ” Je suis d’accord avec le ministre
quand il dit qu’une nouvelle installation doit etre construite, plutôt
que de reparer des bâtiments en mauvais etat, mais la nouvelle prison
est en construction depuis cinq ou six ans maintenant “. Selon Hrayr
Tovmasyan, ” La construction de la prison a Armavir est en cours et
sera acheve a l’automne 2014 “.

Les militans des droits humains avertissent que les condamnes
pourraient intenter une action collective devant la Cour europeenne des
droits de l’homme car la convention europeenne interdit specifiquement
le traitement inhumain et degradant.

Karine Ionesyan est journaliste pour

Institute for War & Peace Reporting

samedi 5 octobre 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

NO ONE IS A “TURK”… EXCEPT FOR TURKS

October 4 2013

In the first half of 90, the Dashnak papers called the first president
of Armenia a “Turk”. This image (or, if allowed to say, “mythologema”)
is also used later; remember, for example, in 2000, the Leon in “Grand
Tobacco” funded cartoon is driving a train in a Turkish fez. In 90s,
this campaign fell on a fertile soil, when I used to say “street
people” that the Turks are a nation, and it should not be used as
an invective, especially against the first figure of the state, my
interlocutors were saying, “he had destroyed this marvelous country,
shut down the factories, plundered, switched off the lights to bring
and sell diesel, he has made all people a hawker or a refugee, what
else he can be called, if not a Turk.” In short, a bunch of fairy
tales, which justifies the swearword of a “Turk”. Now, the young
Republicans call Zaruhi Postanjyan a “Turk”, allegedly, she had no
right to raise Armenia’s internal political problems at PACE. In fact,
in terms of content, I do not agree with it, she had the right. It’s
another issue that she, in my opinion, should have appeared just with
political questions, and the topic of casino seems very frivolous and
caual. In response to the Republican Party, the oppositions are saying,
“No, Serge is a Turk, because he had plundered, he had made all people
become refugees” and so on. Let’s not go into details to know which
of these allegations are correct, and which are wrong. The matter
is that MP, publicists and commentators are using the word “Turk” as
an abusive, insulting, and a very negative labeling. In other words,
it is done not at the level of domestic but of public debate. Those
who are in favor of such labeling bring up to two arguments 1/
other nations, including Europeans, are also using the work “Turk”
in the abusive context, as well as “Armenian” in the same negative
wording, 2/ is that the Turks are bad? Both are very possible. But
I do not care about other nations in this context. I care about us
with our mythology, and our complexities. Let others be involved in
their complexities. The complexities with regard to a “Turk”, to my
understanding, disturb us in general, and especially disturb us to
understand the real Turks. Let’s agree that none of us, Armenian,
is a “Turk”. Only people belonging to given nationality are Turks.

ARAM ABRAHAMYAN

Read more at:

ARMENIA BEGINS TO REDEEM RUSSIA’S $500 MLN LOAN AHEAD OF SCHEDULE

Prime-Tass English-language Business Newswire, Russia
October 3, 2013 Thursday 2:06 PM EET

MOSCOW Oct 3

Armenia has begun to repay a 15-year U.S. $500 million loan taken
out from Russia in 2009 ahead of schedule, Finance Minister David
Sargsyan said on Thursday, RIA Novosti reported.

The amount of the first tranche was not disclosed.

The debt to Russia will be repaid using the funds raised from the
placement of a $700 million seven-year Eurobond issue on September 19.

Armenian Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan said in late September that
Yerevan had already repaid $40 million of the loan.

The interest rate on the loan was set at LIBOR +3%.

Armenia will allocate $44 million annually for the repayment of its
foreign debt.

BRITISH JOURNALIST STUNNED BY SERZH SARGSYAN’S BEHAVIOR

Lance Price, the British journalist and political commentator, stated
today at the Media Center that the first question that came to his
mind was what implications Serzh Sargsyan’s September 3 statement
will have for the future of Armenia.

Price says it would have been impossible to make such a decision
in the United Kingdom without explaining it properly to the public,
the government and the parliament.

He says they are frustrated because they do not understand the reasons
for making a decision on joining the Customs Union.

Lance Price notes that the European Union is an economic club, as
well as a community of nations with shared values.

If you also share those values, we will be happy to continue the
discussion, the political commentator says.

In Armenia Lance Price met with advocacy groups for the rights of
women and LGBT and concluded that there is a diversity of opinions
but the political field and the mass media are not free enough to
present the diversity of opinions properly.

Price has arrived in Armenia to attend the British Days in Armenia
that kicked off on October 1.

Lance Price has worked for BBC, has been advisor to the ex-prime
minister Tony Blair. Currently, he presents political commentaries on
BBC and other British TV and radio companies, as well as contributes
to CBS News-Õ” London Comment, as well as for the Guardian, the
Independent and Australian Financial Review.

17:23 04/10/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

INDEPENDENCE AND SECURITY OF ARTSAKH ARE NOT SUBJECT TO BARGAINING: KARABAKH PRESIDENT

16:23, 4 October, 2013

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 4, ARMENPRESS. On 4 October President Bako Sahakyan
took part in the international conference “Artsakh’s national
liberation struggle: From Gyulistan till our days” launched in
capital Stepanakert.

The Central Information Department of the Artsakh Republic President
informed “Armenpress” that in his speech President Sahakyan
considered important holding such international scientific events
from for in-depth understanding of the Artsakh issue, comprehensive
monitoring of regional processes and making more accurate projections
of possible developments.

According to the Head of the State the Armenian nation’s aspiration
for a free and sovereign existence and restoration of national
statehood is amidst the longest national liberation struggles in the
world history with restoring free, sovereign and powerful national
statehood, ensuring its continuous development and strengthening
being the inalterable supreme strategic objective.

Turning to the current stage of the Artsakh state building process
President Sahakyan underlined that we had no way back, adding that
independence and security of Artsakh are unique values that are not
subject to any bargaining.

ARMENIAN AND AUSTRALIAN MFAS HOLD CONSULTATIONS IN YEREVAN

October 04, 2013 | 15:12

YEREVAN. – Representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs
of Armenia and Australia conducted political consultations Friday in
Armenia’s capital city Yerevan.

The parties discussed bilateral relations, specifically the political
interactions and cooperation within international organizations,
economic cooperation and the legal and contractual framework between
the two countries, and Armenia’s participation in the International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, informs the Armenian
MFA press service.

They also exchanged views on the current regional and international
developments.

In addition, the Australian delegation was briefed on the
Nagorno-Karabakh peace process and the Armenian party’s respective
outlook.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am