Author: Badalian Vardan

Raffi Hovannisian’s headquarters: Leaders of Heritage party of
Prosperous Armenia Party came to accord about many problems of
domestic policy which are still relevant today

ARMINFO
Saturday, March 2, 19:29

The problems which arose because of the political crisis after the
presidential election on 18 February, were discussed today by the
leaders of the Heritage party, Raffi Hovannissian, who is the second
in the presidential race, and Prosperous Armenia Party, Gagik
Tsarukyan, at the PAP Central office.

As press-service of the Heritage party reported, during the meeting
Hovannisian proved his position regarding the results of the election
which were falsified. For his part, Gagik Tsarukyan and the PAP
leaders said that citizens of Armenia have a full right to demand
respecting their rights, in particular, the right of choice. They also
shared Raffi Hovannisian’s anxiety about the political and social and
economic situation in the country, and proved that changes are
necessary. “People every day face injustice and infringement of their
rights due to the behavior of some power branches, and Prosperous
Armenia Party believes that increases public discontent,”
press-service reported.

In the course of the meeting Gagik Tsarukyan confirmed his party’s
stance and said that Prosperous Armenia will always be with the
people. The two parties agreed to cooperate to overcome the political
crisis and make emergency solution to the given issue.

The meeting was initiated by Hovannisian. Ruben Hakobyan and Hovsep
Khurshudyan of Heritage Party and Naira Zohrabyan, Vartan Oskanian and
Vahe Hovhannisyan of Prosperous Armenia party attended it.

We have strategy and clear plan of actions – Raffi Hovannisian

19:16 02/03/2013 » POLITICS

`A moment of great responsibility came to the Armenian people, and
everybody understands that this is not a chess game,’ Heritage leader
Raffi Hovannisian told the rally in Liberty Square.

According to him, he has a strategy and a clear plan of actions: with
the participation of Armenian citizens and Armenian people they are
going to protect the people’s right as well as to fulfill their demand
both in domestic and foreign politics. There are no other plans,
Hovannisian said.

`So far I have not received any proposal from President Serzh Sargsyan
on fulfilling the demands of the Armenian people. I am inviting him
here to the square,’ Raffi Hovannisian said.

Raffi Hovannisian said he also invites Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan
and Yerevan Mayor Taron Margaryan to Liberty Square.

After discussing the issue with those gathered, Raffi Hovannisian said
he invites them to come to Liberty Square at 17:00 on March 5.

Source: Panorama.am

US State Secretary leaves Turkey with dossier in hand

March 02, 2013 | 16:16

ANKARA. – Newly appointed US Secretary of State John Kerry, who
arrived in Turkey on Friday, left the country on Saturday afternoon,
Hürriyet daily of Turkey reports.

But the news reporters also noticed that, while leaving from capital
city Ankara’s Esenboga Airport, Kerry was holding a thick dossier in
his hand.

During his visit to Turkey, the US Secretary of State met with the
country’s FM, PM, and president.

It is known that, during his talks with the Turkish authorities, John
Kerry’s main topic of agenda was the current situation in Syria. But
the US Department of State representative had earlier informed that
the situation in the Caucasus, the Armenia-Turkey relations, and the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict were to be discussed, too.

– See more at:

Details on Hovannisian – Tsarukyan meeting announced

March 2, 2013 – 18:58 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – The campaign headquarters of former presidential
candidate Raffi Hovannisian has presented some details of the meeting
between Heritage party leader and Prosperous Armenia chairman Gagik
Tsarukyan .
According to the statement, post-election crisis was in the focus of
the discussion, with Hovannisian confirming his position on the voting
results, deeming them forged.
Tsarukyan shared Hovannisian’s concerns over the current political and
social-economic situation, stressing the need for changes. Prosperous
Armenia party, in turn, noted that `injustice and the ruling
authorities’ violations of the citizens’ rights fuel public
discontent.’
Tsarukyan reaffirmed the party’s position, suggesting Prosperous
Armenia will always support the people. The parties further agreed to
cooperate in handling the political crisis.
The meeting was attended by Heritage party’s parliamentary group
leader Ruben Hakobyan and spokesman Hovsep Khurshudyan, Prosperous
Armenia parliamentary group secretary Naira Zohrabyan, MPs Vahe
Hovhannisyan and Vartan Oskanian.

– See more at:

Envoy: Sumgait pogrom 1st ethnic cleansing against Armenians in USSR

March 1, 2013 – 20:26 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net – On February 27, Armenian embassy in Lebanon
organized a concert in Beirut’s Saint Louis Church, with Geghard
Monastery choir participating.
In his opening speech Armenian ambassador to Lebanon Ashot Kocharian
noted that the concert will deepen the cultural ties between the two
countries.
The envoy said the event was timed to the 25th anniversary of Sumgait
pogrom, with hundreds of innocent Armenians falling victim to the
tragedy.
Ambassador Kocharian further described Sumgait pogrom as “the first
ever ethnic cleansing against Armenians in the Soviet Union.”
Leader of Armenian Prelacy of Lebanon Archbishop Gegham Khacherian,
high-ranking officials, foreign diplomats and cultural workers were
present at the event, MFA press service reported.

– See more at:

`I Think It Was a Slip of the Tongue,’ Larisa Alaverdyan Says About
Hakhverdyan’s Speech

March 1 2013

Larisa Alaverdyan, a former member of the Heritage Party parliamentary
group, resented yesterday’s speech of singer and musician Ruben
Hakhverdyan in Freedom Square, according to which Artsakh was a remote
Azeri region. `Yesterday a phrase was said that offended me very much.
I am very annoyed. I was told that he had used a phrase that was more
appropriate for, say, an economist. I am his fan and will be. I think
that it was a slip of the tongue. I don’t want to think that it was a
slip of the mind…; each of us shouldn’t interfere in every field of
activity,’ Ms. Alaverdyan told She doesn’t fear that
people in Azerbaijan will make use of Mr. Hakhverdyan’s `slip of the
tongue,’ but rather that people inside Armenia will do that. `I will
not talk about how it will be perceived in Azerbaijan anymore. I think
that Azerbaijan has fallen to the lowest level of civilization because
of its political elite. Our task will be to help the Azeri people
overcome that degradation.’ Arpine SIMONYAN

Read more at:

© 1998 – 2013 Aravot – News from Armenia

Ceasefire violated 250 times in the past week

14:10 02.03.2013

According to the data of the NKR Defense Army, about 250 cases of
ceasefire violation by the Azerbaijani side were registered at the
line of contact between the armed forces of Nagorno Karabakh and
Azerbaijan from February 24 to March 2.

The rival fired more than 1,000 shots from weapons of different
caliber in the direction of the Armenian positions.

Committed to the maintenance of the ceasefire regime, the front
divisions of the NKR Defense Army confidently carried out the military
duty all along the line of contact.

Kardashian family promoted a drive organized by the Armenian Bone
Marrow Donor Registry
13:57 02.03.2013

Lilit Sedrakyan
`Radiolur’
Los Angeles

The Kardashian sisters promoted a drive organized by the Armenian Bone
Marrow Donor Registry.

An appeal from Kourtney Kardashian on behalf of her cousin CiCi, who
needs a bone marrow donor after her body stopped responding to
chemotherapy, is at the center of this alliance between the celebrity
sisters and ABMDR.

The organizations director, Dr. Frieda Jordan, hopes that the
Kardashians involvement would attract new donors.

Dr. Frieda Jordan said, people from Armenia have also reacted to the
call of the Kardashian family. The results of the campaign will be
known soon.

This campaign will help enlarge the database of donors, which now
includes 22 thousand people.

Bone Marrow Donor Registry hope the call of the Kardashian family will
grow into a pan-Armenian campaign in the US and Armenia for the sake
of recovery of all Armenian patients. .

OSCE/ODIHR publishes interim post-election report on Armenia

13:01 02.03.2013

The Observation Mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions
and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) issued a post-election interim report on
the presidential elections in Armenia.

This interim report should be read in conjunction with the
pre-election interim reports, as well as the Statement of Preliminary
Findings and Conclusions. The OSCE/ODIHR will issue a comprehensive
final report, including recommendations, approximately two months
after the completion of the electoral process.

The Mission reminds that `the Central Election Commission (CEC) on 19
February announced preliminary election results, indicating that
incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan was re-elected in the first round.
The second-placed candidate, Raffi Hovannisyan, disputed the results
and claimed that he won the election.’

`Since 20 February, Mr. Hovannisyan has staged a series of protest
rallies in Yerevan and several regions, which were joined by some
opposition parties and politicians. The gatherings were peaceful and
the authorities did not interfere, but the police stated that they are
illegal and could lead to administrative liability.

`There were requests for recounts and for invalidation of results of
132 Precinct Election Commissions (PECs), almost all filed by Mr.
Hovannisyan. Three recount requests initiated by election commissions
were upheld and revealed minor discrepancies from the original counts.
All other requests were rejected on the grounds that complainants were
not entitled to file them.

`On 25 February, the CEC unanimously adopted the final results
protocol and declared Mr. Sargsyan the winner, with 58.6 per cent of
votes cast. Mr. Hovannisyan received 36.7 per cent.

`A limited number of complaints were filed with the election
administration on election day, and over 80 after the election. Almost
all were rejected. The police and the Prosecutor General investigated
over 300 possible offences and initiated criminal proceedings in some
10 of them.

`Some broadcast media during the post-election period showed a
selective approach in their coverage of political events, with a
noticeable tendency to limit views critical of the conduct of the
election. A number of online media offered diverse views.

`Following election day and the announcement of preliminary results,
Mr. Hovannisyan claimed that he won the election. Starting from 20
February, he organized rallies in Yerevan and visited several other
cities. The police announced that these rallies are illegal and can
lead to administrative liability, but they did not interfere.

The Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) announced that it had cancelled
a rally to celebrate the election victory of Mr. Sargsyan at Freedom
Square in Yerevan on 21 February, in order to avoid tensions or
clashes between the supporters of the two candidates.

`On 21 February, Mr. Hovannisyan met with Mr. Sargsyan. During his
rally on 22 February, Mr. Hovannisyan stated that he had asked the
president to prosecute all election-related violations and to hold a
second round of the presidential election between the top two
candidates. Alternatively, he demanded the resignation of the
government and the holding of early parliamentary elections; this was
rejected by the incumbent. The Presidential Administration told the
OSCE/ODIHR EOM that the incumbent had assured Mr. Hovannisyan that
perpetrators of violations would be prosecuted.

`Mr. Hovannisyan continued his rallies in six provinces, on 23 and 26
February, and in Yerevan, on 24 February. After the CEC declared the
final election results on 25 February, Mr. Hovannisyan announced that
he considers whether to challenge the results at the Constitutional
Court and that he would continue his protest in the regions and in
Yerevan.

`The coverage of the IEOM’s Statement of Preliminary Findings and
Conclusions by television channels, including public H1, raised
questions over the genuineness of their efforts to provide an
objective and independent portrayal of the election. Most channels
(except Yerkir Media and Kentron TV) presented mainly the positive
aspects and generally omitted critical remarks and shortcomings
highlighted in the report. On the other hand, a number of online media
as well as Radio Azatutyun and public radio offered diverse views and
more balanced reporting,’ the report reads.

REVUE DE PRESSE
Orne. L’Azerbaïdjan lorgne sur les vaches normandes

L’Azerbaïdjan a envoyé son ministre de l’Agriculture en visite dans
l’Orne, ce lundi. La délégation prospecte du côté des vaches
normandes.

Des vaches normandes dans les stabulations d’Azerbaïdjan ? L’idée est
creusée par une le ministre de l’Agriculture de cette ancienne
république soviétique, située entre Russie, Iran et mer Caspienne.
Accompagné d’une délégation, dont l’ambassadeur azéri en France, Ismat
Abbasov a visité la fromagerie CFR de Pacé puis l’Inra (Institut
national de la recherche agronomique) à Nonant-le-Pin, avant de se
rendre à l’hôtel de ville de L’Aigle. Cette dernière sera jumelée avec
Naftalan, en Azerbaïdjan, au mois de mai. Les négociations, portant
sur 500 vaches, au moins, se poursuivent.

samedi 2 mars 2013,
Stéphane ©armenews.com