Author: Badalian Vardan

SEMINARY RECTOR RUES US INTERVENTION IN IRAQ, SAYS SYRIAN REBELS HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN DEMOCRACY

Catholic Culture
Sept 3 2013

CWN – September 03, 2013

The rector of the Pontifical Armenian College in Rome has told the
Aleteia news site that the Syrian rebels have little interest in
promoting democracy.

“We see ‘democrats’ who enjoy cutting off the heads of their
opponents, eating the hearts of faithful soldiers, firing on truck
drivers who don’t know the [Muslim] morning and evening prayers,”
said Msgr. Georges Noradounguian.

Turning to the topic of possible American military intervention,
the priest added, “If Syrian forces had attacked Iran with chemical
weapons, would the reaction of the international community today be
the same?”

Comparing American military intervention to totalitarianism, he said:

Often we realize too late that the support given to wars for freedom
and democracy was misplaced and actually achieved the opposite
objectives.

>From the time the war on terror was declared, terrorism has been
spread even further. From the time we began to speak about the danger
of the extremists, they have multiplied and spread everywhere. From
the time talk of dictatorial, totalitarian systems began, we’ve gone
from petty dictators on a smaller scale with more limited negative
consequences, to a time and place of large scale dictators with
catastrophic consequences. There is a totalitarianism that is imposed
with force against one’s own citizens, and then there are totalitarian
regimes that impose themselves on countries and entire populations,
through economic and military power, by planning and financing wars ad
infinitum, and by delineating red lines: the use of chemical weapons
or weapons’ mass destruction.

Msgr. Noradounguian called upon the West to “make a serious examination
of conscience; reread the wars of the last 20 years and learn the
lesson from them. Were these wars consistent in their goals and
results? Is Iraq free and democratic? … Are there less victims now,
after the war in Iraq and after the fall of the regime, than at the
time of the dictator?”

“Naturally I’m not in favor of dictators,” he continued. “But my
question as a Christian is this: Is the one million casualties and
the destabilization of a country really the only way and the only
price to be paid for getting rid of a dictator?”

“Christians find themselves facing not good choices but rather harsh
realities,” he continued. “What happened to the Christians in Turkey?

And the Christians in Iraq, where are they? And the Christians in
Egypt, where are they? What are they living through? Christians in
Syria see the absurd, false wars that lead to the destabilization
and destruction of their countries and force them to migrate to
unknown destinations to start their lives from a scratch, from zero,
and abandon the countries that hold their history and their culture
and their Christian identity and their work.”

EXPERT COMMENTS ON ARMENIA’S INTEGRATION INTO CUSTOMS UNION

Vestnik Kavkaza, Russia
Sept 3 2013

3 September 2013 – 7:03pm

Armenia is facing no problems in its integration into the Customs
Union of Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Vice President of the Eurasian
Cooperation Foundation Andrey Smirnov says.

“I believe that will be no problems. The most important thing is to
intensify joint efforts in the framework of the inter-governmental
commission,” he says.

According to the expert, it’s necessary to draft some certain programme
and to start all the necessary activities.

Smirnov also says President Sargsyan’s statement saying that Armenia
will join the Customs Union doesn’t mean that this decision is final.

The intrigue is not over, the expert underlines.

PUTIN, SARGSYAN TO DICUSS KARABAKH, COOPERATION – KREMLIN AIDE

Interfax, Russia
Sept 2 2013

MOSCOW. Sept 2

President Vladimir Putin is to meet with Armenian President Serzh
Sargsyan on September 3 during Sargsyan’s working visit to Moscow.

“The talks will center on ways to ensure stability and security
in the Transcaucasus region and on further steps to settle the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict,” Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said.

He said Russia, as a co-chair of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe’s Minsk Group (alongside France and the United
States) continues active diplomatic efforts to ensure a peaceful
settlement to the Nagorno Karabakh problem.

Putin and Sargsyan will also discuss prospects of Armenia’s interaction
with the Customs Union and the Common Economic Space between Russia,
Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as multilateral cooperation within the
Collective Security Treaty Organization and the main aspects of the
bilateral agenda. The Russian and Armenian leaders’ previous meeting
was held in Moscow on March 12 2013 during Sargsyan’s first foreign
visit following election.

Russia is Armenia’s leading trade partner which accounts for 23.5%
in its foreign trade balance. Trade between the two countries topped
$1.2 billion in 2012 up 22.3% vs. 2011. It increased by 13.2% in
January to June, reaching $600.5 million. Exports grew by 10.4%
to $452.5 million and imports by 22.6% to $147.9 million.

The Russian-Armenian Intergovernmental Commission for Economic
Cooperation will meet in St. Petersburg on September 30 – October 1,
Ushakov said.

Sd mk

ORIENTALIST: MILITARY INTERVENTION WILL NOT RESOLVE SYRIAN CONFLICT

“Aleppo-based Armenians are in a difficult situation as a blockade
was imposed on the city a few days ago, with Internet and mobile phone
services being cut,” Orientalist Araks Pashayan told the correspondent
of Aysor.am, when commenting on Syria crisis and the plight of Syrian
Armenians.

She expressed an opinion that the Armenian side should have reacted
earlier in order to find out who of the Syrian Armenians wanted to
leave the city.

“It will be difficult to evacuate Armenians from Aleppo now, but
our authorities and the Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias should
combine their efforts and help Syrian Armenians,” Pashayan noted.

In her words, the problem of Syrian Armenians should become a key
theme of national consolidation.

“Diaspora organizations too should have reacted earlier. We should
have taken a more compassionate attitude towards Syrian Armenians who
are our compatriots, even though they are Syrian citizens,” she said.

Discussing Syria crisis, Ms. Pashayan said that on September 9 the
U.S. Congress will discuss launching a military strike against Syria.

“Military action against Syria will become one of the shameful pages
of the foreign policy of the U.S. which has already made several
unsuccessful attempts of intervention. Military intervention will not
resolve the Syrian conflict, but it will worsen the situation in that
country,” Araks Pashayan noted.

She stressed that military strikes against Syria will cause civilian
casualties as well, which is a tragedy.

HUNGARY ARMENIANS ASK GOVT. ABOUT SAFAROV ON ANNIVERSARY

Armenians protest in front of the Hungarian Embassy in Los Angeles,
September 2012

BUDAPEST-The community leadership of Armenians in Hungary has asked
Justice Minister Tibor Navracsics in a public letter whether Hungary
has turned to any international forum since the repatriation of Azeri
officer Ramil Safarov a year ago, politics.hureports.

Safarov, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for killing an
Armenian officer in his sleep in Budapest in 2004, was transferred
back to his home country on August 31, 2012 under an extradition
agreement. Although Azerbaijan formally pledged that the life sentence
handed down to him in Hungary would be directly continued when he
was returned to his homeland, the Azerbaijani president granted
him a pardon and formally recognized him as a “national hero” upon
his arrival.

Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan announced the same day that Armenia
suspended diplomatic relations with Hungary.

Two days later State Secretary of Foreign Affairs Zsolt Nemeth summoned
the Azerbaijani ambassador to his office and condemned the Azerbaijani
step as unacceptable to Hungary in a diplomatic note.

In a public letter, the Hungarian Armenian community noted that
Safarov had committed a premeditated murder for a base reason,
calling his brutal act “a continuation of the Armenian genocide”.

“God’s fifth commandment – ‘You shall not murder’ – became weightless
in Budapest in August, 2012, when the government favored Azerbaijan
because of ‘national interests,'” the letter added.

In an interview with Armenpress, community leader Sevan Sargsyan said
about the anniversary, “Nothing has changed. We have just clearly
realized that the Hungarian government’s actions had been planned
beforehand.”

The Armenian community’s leadership asked in its public letter if
Hungary has turned to international forums with a complaint about
Azerbaijan’s action and what measures the government is going to take
to enforce the law.

But Sevan Sargsyan says the government seems to be content with
closing the books on the case.

“They are certain that the deal they made with Azerbaijan was fair
and legal. This case is closed for them and they do not intend to
apologize to Armenia,” Sargsyan said in his interview.

Sargsyan also remarked that Armenians no longer feel safe in Hungary,
feeling betrayed by the government and fearing that their human rights
come second to state interests.

Sargsyan noted, though, that the Armenian community continues to
press for justice.

“We strive to keep [this issue] alive and do not let anybody forget
the awful deed that was committed by the Hungarian government,”
Sargsyan said.

WHEN THE FORMULA OF LIFE OF THE HEROES BECOME OUR FORMULA OF LIFE…

18:25 03.09.2013

Alisa Gevorgyan
“Radiolur”

The 5th and 6th volumes of the “Formula of life” were presented at
the Library after Avetik Isahakyan. The author of the book is Gohar
Martikyan, mother of a killed freedom fighter. She said the seventh
volume of the book is also ready and will be published if there
are sponsors.

The program “Formula of life” has aired on Public Radio of Armenia
for many years. The topic of the program inspires hope, pride and
optimism. Author of the program Gohar Martikyan presents the life
and the history of feats of the freedom fighters, who perished in
the Atsakh liberation movement, and relives her pain with every story.

Gohar Martikyan’s son, sergeant Ashot Chakhoyan, was the first victim
from the special regiment.

“We’ll definitely have the Armenia all of us dreams about, if the
history of feats of these heroes and the formula of their life becomes
the formula of life of any of us,” Gohar Martikyan says.

ARF’S HOVANNESIAN CLARIFIES AMBASSADORSHIP RUMORS

Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013

ARF Parliamentary faction leader and Bureau member Vahan Hovannesian

ARF leader confirms that he has been approached to represent Armenia
in a diplomatic capacity

YEREVAN-Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau member and leader of
the party’s parliamentary bloc Vahan Hovannesian on Tuesday confirmed
that he has been approached by the Sarkisian Administration to
represent Armenia as an ambassador.

In an interview with Yerkir.am Hovanessian responded to questions,
which aimed to quell rampant rumors in the Armenian media, including
speculation by some outlets that Hovannesian’s reported appointment
is signaling a shift in the party’s political posturing and its role
as an opposition party.

Reports in the Armenian media suggested that Hovannesian is being
eyed for the ambassadorship of Germany. While Hovanessian did not
confirm the destination of his appointment but said, “Yes. I have
received an offer to represent Armenia.”

“The offer was made directly to me and not to the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation,” explained Hovannesian, adding that the
suggestion does not aim to establish a new agreement with the party,
nor does it aim to advance cooperation with the ARF.

“I repeat, the offer has been made to me and I have agreed. Naturally,
I have presented this issue to the party, which has also given its
blessing,” said Hovanessian.

The ARF leader said that administration’s offer to him stemmed from
his years of experience in foreign policy where he has led the Armenian
parliamentary delegation to EeuroNest and his current co-chairmanship
of the same body. Hovanessian has also led active roles in Armenia’s
delegation to the NATO Partnership for Peace Program and the European
Union’s Eastern Partnership Program.

“I would like to stress that during the last three years, given
Armenia’s integration talks with Europe, the activities in the sphere
of EuroNest have become a daily diplomatic effort,” said Hovannesian.

“Despite the extremely non-conducive environment created by
representatives of GUAM countries, our delegation has registered
significant successes.”

Hovanessian also explained that offer is a practical one and does
not signal a change in his political views, which have been clearly
articulated during his tenure as a member of parliament.

“I am certain the person making this offer is well-aware of my
positions and posturing,” said Hovanessian who called media reports
that allege a shift in the ARF’s policy “wrong” and “deliberate,
in order to confuse the public.”

Hovannesian was asked about his and the ARF’s very public
disagreements with the administration, specifically as it related to
the Armenia-Turkey protocols and the party’s call for Foreign Minister
Eduard Nalbandian’s resignation.

Hovanessian explained that the disagreements remain not only on the
matter of the protocols but also on other fronts, including a proposal
to sign a memorandum of understanding on military cooperation between
Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.

“The work of an ARF leader in the diplomatic arena in no way deters
the party,” explained Hovanessian, adding that the work of a diplomat,
under ethical mandates, assumes a level of restrictions, which is
very normal.

ICRC HIDES DETAILS OF CONVERSATION WITH ARMENIAN HOSTAGE

Yesterday the representatives of the ICRC Baku met with the Armenian
hostage Hakob Injighulyan. The communication officer of ICRC Yerevan
Hasmik Galstyan told Pastinfo that the Armenian hostage and his family
exchanged family information.

She did not reveal whether Hakob Injighulyan expressed a wish to be
taken to the third country and whether the process has started. “I
cannot tell you anything because the content of the conversation is
a secret.”

Note that according to preliminary information, conscript Hakob
Gevorg Injighulyan born 1991 lost his bearings and crossed the
Karabakh-Armenia border and appeared in the territory controlled by
the enemy on August 8, at 3 am.

17:31 03/09/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

ARMENIAN MP SPEAKS OF U-TURN IN ARMENIA’S POLICY

21:45 03.09.13

Armenia’s ex-FM, Parliament member Alexander Arzumanyan has commented
on Armenia’s decision in favor of joining the Customs Union, given
the fact that, just a day ago, the ruling Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) stated that Armenia would initial an association agreement with
the European Union (EU) unless any special circumstances emerge.

Armenia’s decision is a surprise for him.

“I am expecting official explanations. This is a U-turn which goes
beyond all the limits of foreign policy implemented over the past two
years. This decision runs counter to our foreign policy,” Arzumanyan
told Tert.am.

He considers strange the fact that the head of the RPA parliamentary
group stated Armenia would sign the association agreement, whereas
Armenia’s president states Armenia’s readiness to join the Customs
Union.

He repeated his previous statement that membership in the Customs
Union is a violation of Armenia’s Constitution and infringement on
Armenia’s sovereignty.

“Numerous issues have to be discussed. Let us wait for explanations
and for our European partners’ response. It has repeatedly been said
that the idea of the Customs Union runs counter to the main points
of the Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement,” Arzumanyan said.

Asked about possible responses, Arzumanyan, without speaking in the
EU’s behalf, said, “I am sure they will be consistent. We should
consider the fact that the EU has its norms which it must confirm.”

A union formed under pressure will not exist long, he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am

CONSTRUCTION OF SMALL HYDRO-ELECTRIC STATIONS ON THE FLOWING RIVERS TO LAKE SEVAN WAS DISCUSSED IN ARMENIAN PARLIAMENT

[ Part 2.2: “Attached Text” ]

20:00, 3 September, 2013

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 3, ARMENPRESS: On September 2 the Chairman of
the Armenian National Assembly Standing Committee on Agriculture and
Environment Martun Grigoryan and the members of the Committee met with
the representatives of the Civil Society organizations. The members of
the Civil Society organizations said that creating a working group,
they had organized meetings in Jermuk, Gavar, Gyumri, enabling the
residents of the communities to voice the ecological and agricultural
problems demanding legislative solution in the communities and marzes.

“Armenpress” was informed from National Assembly that the issue of the
small hydro-electric stations being constructed on the flowing rivers
to Lake Sevan was debated, which according to the representatives of
the Civil Society organizations, damage the ecosystem.  Highlighting
the legislative reforms in the sphere of food safety the working group
of the Civil Society organizations proposed to regulate the import of
the genetically modified organisms, especially seeds to Armenia. The
participants of the meeting also touched upon the legislative
amendments of the environmental expertise and monetary-credit policy
being pursued in the rural communities.

Emphasizing the raised items the Committee Chairman Martun Grigoryan
promised to study the submitted materials and organize a meeting to
discuss the ways of solving the problems in future.