Author: Badalian Vardan

ADVISERS ARE THE ISSUE

George Bush administration has made lots of mistakes, mostly planned
mistakes but whatever was been done was done professionally, by the
best analysts and experts on regional policy on the Near East.

In some regions the ground was prepared for revolutions, as well as
for more large-scale changes, such as demarcation and emergence of
new states. Real strategy is made for the next administration, not
for the current one, without party distinctions. The essence of the
strategy is not the goal but the tactics with an intensive dynamics
of events and processes.

The so-called neo-conservatives shadowed “modest” analysts and policy
makers who continue doing their job but unfortunately outside the
American administration.

In fact, Obama administration is not well-established, considering the
gaps in its staff, and the Near Eastern team is weak and inadequate.

The U.S. policy on Syria demonstrated the intellectual misery of
people who are making decisions at the State Department. Marginal
experts who cannot be called experts in the full sense of the world
offered a logical scheme of developments over a year ago. Today the
leading experts of the United States, United Kingdom and France are
at a loss and admit their “incompetency”. And only specialists of
the Department of State know how to act.

The main mistake was that it was possible to agree with Bashar Assad
anything except two things which hardly worried the Americans (he and
others in his team were ready for that, for a lot, which was told
to Nicolas Sarkozy during his visit to Paris). They refused that,
expecting easier ways of resolving problems. Soon Francois Hollande
came to rescue of the American president-misunderstanding Obama, his
French copy, and it was no longer boring in this company. Francois
Hollande’s policy was classics of betrayal of fundamental French
interests in the Near East.

In fact, there is “order” and “agreement” in this game, namely the
West has made up its mind to achieve new systemic positions in the
Arab world by doing such a considerable favor to Saudi Arabia and
its satellites. It ended up in utter failure of “agreements”, so on
the eve of the international conference on Syria the United States
is trying to save at least its face, if not the Syrian opposition or
more exactly the Saudi mercenaries.

Who is to blame for the failure of the American politics if not Barack
Obama’s marginal team? America is resting. The American people are
waiting for the Republicans to come, no matter in whose face, to save
this country and a lot more other things in the world.

Igor Muradyan 15:10 17/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:

VAHE AVETYAN CASE: RESULTS OF PUBLIC RESPONSE

20:17 ~U 17.06.13

The murder of military surgeon Vahe Avetyan last year was not the
only incident in Armenia. Society has the habit of “adding them”
and when an especially outrageous incident occurs a popular outbreak
takes place, Avetik Ishkhanyan, Chairman of the Helsinki Committee
of Armenia, told Tert.am.

“But for the deadly incident in the Harsnaqar restaurant [Vahe
Avetyan’s murder], they would convict a couple of persons and nothing
else,” he said.

According to Ishkhanyan, if the ‘Vahe Avetyan’ movement had not
flagged, the deadly incident in Goris would not have occurred.

“In our case, we get enthusiastic for a short period and then
out enthusiasm fades, which the authorities are well aware of,”
Ishkhanyan said.

He recalled Levon Gulyan’s death at a police station in 2007, which
“unfortunately, has been clean forgotten.”

In response to the same question, Artur Sakunts, Chairman of the
Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Vanadzor office, told Tert.am that public
discontent “forced Ruben Hairapetyan to resign.”

“However, his role in the murder has not been determined yet. We have
more questions than answers,” Sakunts said.

On June 17, 2012, Vahe Avetyan, as well as his friends, was mercilessly
beaten at the Harsnaqar restaurant. He died in hospital a few days
later.

President of the Football Federation of Armenia Ruben Hairapetyan,
who is owner of the Harsnaqar restaurant, said in court that he would
have prevented the murder if he had been present.

The human rights defender Artur Sakunts, however, said: “Whatever he
testifies in court now is not a ground for me. No investigation has
been conducted to prove he is honest. I am not going to believe him.”

Ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan points out “culture of terror” in
Armenia. The public discontent that followed Vahe Avetyan’s murder
hardly produced any results.

Armenian News – Tert.am

UK EMBASSY AND ARMENIA’S RENOWNED ROCK BAND TO PRESENT BENEFIT CONCERT

June 17, 2013 | 16:14

YEREVAN. – The British Embassy and Armenia’s renowned rock band,
The Beautified Project, will present a benefit concert on June 28 in
capital city Yerevan.

The event, titled “Singing for Lord Byron,” aims to help raise funds
to renovate Lord Byron School of Gyumri city.

The participants in the Armenian Superstar, The Voice of Armenia,
and X-Factor Armenia projects likewise will take part in this acoustic
concert, the British Embassy’s official Facebook page informs.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

ARMENIA IS FACING BRAIN DRAIN – FIRST OMBUDSMAN

June 17, 2013 | 15:36

YEREVAN. – Emigration from Armenia is a consequence, the result
of a clear criminal policy aimed at reducing country’s population,
the first Ombudsman of Armenia, social activist Larisa Alaverdyan said.

“We need to accept that emigration from Armenia exists. This is
testified by the UN data, according to which, about 1 million 200
thousand people are not residents of Armenia, although they are
registered here,” she said during the Monday press conference.

According to her, the Eurasian Development Bank study showed that
Armenia is the second state among migrants with higher vocational
training, preceded by Estonia and followed by Latvia and Lithuania.

“This means that Armenia is facing brain drain. This leads not only
to quantitative but also to a qualitative change of our society,”
she added.

Speaking on efforts to prevent emigration, she noted “there must be
a victory of understanding of the political wing of the government,
and civil society.”

EMPLOYEES OF KILIKIA COMMERCIAL CENTER PICKETING PARLIAMENT OF ARMENIA

ARMINFO
Monday, June 17, 16:17

Employees of the Kilikia Commercial Center are picketing the Parliament
of Armenia. They demand the Parliament to open pavilions and permit
trading.

They have submitted a letter-request to the parliament speaker. To
recall, on June 1 the State Revenue Committee closed Kilikia Commercial
Center for illegal activity. The Center employed nearly 300 people.

RESULTS OF ARMENIAN-RUSSIAN ACADEMIC-TOURISTIC EXPEDITION SUMMED UP IN TOURISM INSTITUTE

15:39, 17 June, 2013

YEREVAN, JUNE 17, ARMENPRESS. At the course of the round table
dedicated to the results of the 2nd Armenian-Russian academic touristic
expedition held under the slogan “Learn about the Motherland and Tell
about It”, the participants underlined the significant role of the
event, which is aimed at the development of tourism in Armenia and
creating new touristic “production”. The aforesaid round table was
held on June 17.

The Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia
Hermine Naghdalyan noted that it’s impossible to be a true patriot
without having knowledge about one’s country and history.

Also, she underscored that she will never forget their journey by
train held within the framework of the academic touristic expedition.

The Rector of the Russian International Academy for Tourism Yevgeny
Trofimov stated that it’s of a certain importance to strengthen
bilateral ties and in this respect highlighted the academic touristic
expedition. Among other things the Rector of the Russian International
Academy for Tourism Yevgeny Trofimov underlined:

“This academic touristic expedition united us all. The routs of our
trip included Geghard, Garni, Aragatz, Kasakh, and Noravank. It was
probably a hard, but a very interesting route.”

The participants of the second academic touristic expedition under the
title “Learn about the Motherland and Tell about It” started the trip
to learn about the picturesque site of Armenia from “Sasuntsi David”
station on June 8.

The participants finished their trip with an entertaining bicycle
race. The aforesaid 62 km long race launched in Jermuk and ended in
the Yeghegis Canyon. Burning sun did not hinder the successful course
of the bicycle run, which heralded the end of this significant event
aimed at raising Armenia’s popularity.

ONE YEAR PASSES SINCE TRAGIC EVENT IN YEREVAN RESTAURANT

June 17, 2013 | 14:09

YEREVAN. – One year has passed since the day when a group Armenian
military physicians was brutally beaten, and as a result, one of them,
Vahe Avetyan, died in hospital several days thereafter.

Even though the respective trial is still in progress, Avetyan is no
longer alive and his two children are left without a father.

As Armenian News-NEWS.am informed earlier, an incident had occurred
at capital city Yerevan’s Harsnaqar Restaurant Complex on June 17,
2012, where several military doctors including Edgar Mikoyan, Arkadi
Aghajanyan, Garik Soghomonyan, Artak Bayadyan and Vahe Avetyan were
brutally beaten by Restaurant security personnel, and Avetyan had
died in hospital on June 29.

Subsequently, a criminal lawsuit was filed into this incident, and
six people were arrested.

The Restaurant’s owner is ruling Republican Party former MP, Football
Federation of Armenia President, and businessman Ruben Hayrapetyan,
who formally gave up his parliamentary seat in connection with this
incident.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

SAMVEL HARUTYUNYAN: “SUREN KHACHATRYAN HAS FED ASSASSIN CHILDREN, THERE IS NO GREATER PUNISHMENT THAN THIS.”

June 10 2013

“I declare that the criminalization of power began in Goris since
1993. It was spread throughout the country. It’s first target, since
that time up to now, was me. Decriminalization of power is necessary.

I will be very happy that it finally starts from Goris, Syunik Marz
and is spread throughout the country “, – spoke Suren Khachatryan in a
conversation with Aravot.am about the former Mayor Samvel Harutyunyan.

To our question that Suren Khachatryan’s son has moved to the prison,
whether it is not a punishment for him, Samvel Harutyunyan responded,-
“On the one hand, yes, it is a punishment, and he may have done
numerous crimes, and was not subjected to punishment, but the greatest
punishment for him is that he has given to birth, later fed, educated
and bred assassin children. There is no greater punishment than this.

Suren Khachatryan was a very good teacher for his son, like father
like son.” According to Samvel Harutyunyan, Suren Khachatryan could be
sleeping during the shooting at his house in Goris. “The fact that he
is telling that he is not aware of, how can one of his subordinates,
his people kill people, shoot, without his knowledge. It’s just a
tale. ”

Hripsimeh JEBEJYAN

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

IRAN WILL NEVER MAKE CONCESSION ON SYRIA – ARMENIAN EXPERT

June 18, 2013 | 14:09

YEREVAN. – Syria is an important strategic partner of Iran and the
Iranian government will never give up supporting President Bashar
Al-Assad, expert Vardan Voskanyan said.

Noting that Syria is often called “the gateway to Iran”, Voskanyan
said no changes in relationship between the states must be expected.

“Iranian side will never make concession on Syria. The Syrian problem
is rather complicated. U.S. spoke about supplying weapons to the Syrian
rebels, but it seems to be a publicity stunt aimed at strengthening
Washington’s position ahead of the G8 summit,” Voskanyan said during
the Tuesday press conference.

Unless military intervention is launched or no-fly zone is created,
Assad is likely to win the confrontation, he added.

News from Armenia – NEWS.am

OSCE CHIEF ENCOUNTERS DIFFICULTIES IN KARABAKH SETTLEMENT EFFORTS – RUSSIAN PAPER

14:17 ~U 18.06.13

The Russian Nezavisimaya Gazeta has commented on the Monday reports
about the cancelled regional tour of Leonid Kozhara, Ukraine’s foreign
minister who now serves as the OSCE chairperson-in-office.

Kozhara’s personal assistant had earlier said that the diplomat is
scheduling a working visit to the South Caucasus republics (Armenia,
Georgia and Azerbaijan) for conducting talks with the countries’
leaders over reaching a solution to regional conflicts. At meetings
with the Armenian and Azerbaijani leaders he was expected to discuss
the peace negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh.

But the reports on Monday said that the diplomat has cancelled his
tour to both countries after he was aware that the timing of the visit
coincides with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan’s annual vacation
period. The Ukrainian media had earlier said that Kozhara may not
visit Armenia and Azerbaijan if no meeting with those countries’
leaders is arranged. The plans for visiting Georgia haven’t changed.

But an official statement by the Ukrainian Foreign Minister did not
say anything as to the reasons for cancelling the trip.

Commenting on the report, the Russian publication says that the fact
became the most significant development over the past three months’
of Ukraine’s presidency of the Organization. It notes that Kozhara
refused to discuss any details of the Yerevan and Baku talks at a
meeting with the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs on Friday.

“The question received a great attention after a source told the
Ukrainian media that the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents failed
to find time for meeting Kozhara … And the ‘smell’ of a diplomatic
scandal spread in the air,” comments the paper.

Summing up the first quarter of Ukraine’s presidency, it says further
that Kiev had initially agreed to shoulder a big responsibility by
saying that it wishes to break the stalemate over the frozen conflict
on the former Soviet republics’ territory.

The paper quotes Ukrainian President Victor Yanukovich as saying at
the UN General Assembly’s session earlier this year that the country
intends to focus attention on the conflicts over Transnestria and
Nagorno-Karabakh, as well as the Geneva peace talks.

The paper further refers to a recent conversation with Andrey Deshitsa,
Kozhara’s special representative on conflict settlement issues,
who said the key achievement over the period is the agreement on
refraining from use of force (signed at the Geneva meetings by Georgia,
Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Russia and US). “If such an agreement is
signed by the end of this year, Ukraine, as an acting chair of the
OSCE and a co-chair at the Geneva discussions, will consider that
its victory. The fact that we have come to realize the importance
of adopting such a document is already a progress,” the author of
the article says, expressing belief that the question will be a key
topic in the course of Kozhara’s visit to Georgia.

As for the Transnistrian and Nagorno-Karabakh conflicts, experts do
not expect any progress in those processes until the end of Ukraine’s
presidency, according to the paper.

Referring to the critical remarks voiced against country in the course
of recent discussions in Kiev (particularly, the Carnegie Foundation
representative’s statement that the country fails to properly fulfill
its commitments) upon the initiative of the Ukrainian Institute of
World Politics, the Russian publication says that Kozhara’s cancelled
tour added fuel to the fire.

It quotes Kostandin Bondarenko, Head of the Ukrainian Institute of
Politics, as saying that the criticism isn’t absolutely fair. “Someone
wishes probably to seek grounds for criticism. Kozhara’s visit to
Armenia and Azerbaijan has been rescheduled, not postponed. And it
was the right step as the agenda covered issues requiring a meeting
on a presidential level. I think the meetings will take place before
autumn. But that doesn’t mean Ukraine will work miracles to solve
the conflicts. It isn’t possible, and none of us demands or expects
anything of the kind,” the expert said.

Speaking to the paper on Monday, Deshitsa confirmed the report on the
cancelled trip. “With the greatest attention to the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict, we believe the issue has to be discussed on the highest
level. The OSCE too, especially the Minsk Group co-chairs, support
this position,” the diplomat said, adding that a new timeline of
visits is now being considered.

Deshitsa told the paper that the South Caucasus and Transnestrian
focus a special attention to settling conflicts in the region. “We
highly appreciate independent experts’ proposals, their advice and
considerations, but we first of all pay attention to the sides’
position and the situation in the negotiation process …” he noted.

Earlier this year, Ukraine spoke of very ambitious projects which
couldn’t be brought to life within a year, Igor Semivolos, an expert
at the Transnestrial Research Center, has told the paper.

“Yes, stronger, more influential and resource-rich countries chaired
the OSCE before Ukraine, but none managed to resolve the existing
frozen conflicts on the CIS territory. All understand that Russia,
as a key stakeholder in the post-Soviet region, has not yet finalized
its policies on frozen conflicts. So, our objective now is to observe
the ceasefire regime and ensure the security of people. And that
is what Ukraine is doing now, like the other countries that chaired
the OSCE before. As for the settlement of conflicts, it is necessary
to be open enough to say that there are influential groups are not
absolutely interested in a resolution, given that the frozen conflict
regime is like a goose that lays the golden egg. So that fact holds
back any hopes for reaching an easy conflict settlement,” he said

The paper says, citing Yuri Uskalov, an aide to the Russian president,
that the only expectation for progress could now be a joint statement
over Nagorno-Karabakh to be on the sidelines of the G8 summit being
held in Northern Ireland these days. “Kiev expects the document to
promote the conflict settlement efforts before the OSCE Chairman’s
visit to Baku and Yerevan,” he said.

Armenian News – Tert.am