Author: Badalian Vardan

U.S. STATE DEPT: BLURRED DISTINCTION BETWEEN ACTIVITIES OF STATE AND THOSE OF RULING PARTY

10:29 20/02/2013
Story from Lragir.am News:

“According to the preliminary results from the Central Election
Commission, incumbent President Sargsian has won these elections by
58.64 percent. We support the conclusions of the OSCE ODIHR observer
mission in their preliminary conclusions that the elections were
generally well administered and characterized by a respect for
fundamental freedoms, including those of assembly and expression,”
she said.

Victoria Nuland also mentioned the ODIHR conclusion that the media
fulfilled their legal obligation to provide balanced coverage and
all contestants made use of their free air time.

“ODIHR was concerned about some lack of impartiality on the part
of public administration officials and the misuse of administrative
resources that resulted in a blurred distinction between the activities
of the state and those of the ruling party. But in general, election
day was calm and orderly and it was marked by undue – that in general,
it was marked by a calm process,” she added.

At the same time, spokesperson stressed that “there was some undue
interference in the process, including by proxies representing the
incumbent”and that some serious violations “obviously need to be
investigated.”

ARMENIAN SERVICEMAN KILLED BY AZERBAIJANI BULLET

13:00 20/02/2013 ” SOCIETY

An Armenian serviceman was shot to death on February 19, while on
duty at a military unit located in the north-eastern sector of the
line of contact. Gor Ghazaryan, 21, was reported to have been killed
by the Azerbaijani bullet, NKR Defense Army told Panorama.am.

An investigation is carried out.

NKR Defense Army shares the grief of the heavy loss and offers its
condolences to Gor Ghazaryan’s family, relatives and fellow servicemen.

Source: Panorama.am

ARMENIAN EXPORT TO SWEDEN GREW FOR 8.8 TIMES

10:36, 20 February, 2013

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. In accordance with the 2012 results
the Armenian export to the European countries reduced for 7,8 percent.

As reports “Armenpress”, in accordance with the data publicized
by the National Statistical Service of the Republic of Armenia,
our country exported about 39 percent of gross turnover of exported
goods to the European countries. The main European partner-states
of the Republic of Armenia in the sphere of export are Germany (USD
153,111,000), Bulgaria (USD 129,302,000), Belgium (USD 127,176,000),
the Netherlands (USD 79,717,000), and Spain (USD 30,136,000). 10,7
percent of the Armenian export went to Germany in 2012, 9,1 percent
to Bulgaria, 8,9 percent to Belgium, 5,6 percent to the Netherlands,
and 2,1 percent to Spain. The percent of the other EU member-states’
share does not exceed one percent of the Armenian export.

The most palpable growth of the Armenian export to the EU countries
has been recorded in Sweden. The Armenian export to Sweden recorded
a growth for 8.8 times reaching USD 9, 196,000. The Armenian export
to Slovakia grew for 5,3 times.

“ARARAT 73” – 40 YEARS AFTER: AFTER TRIUMPHS…

11:52, 20 February, 2013

The sole Armenian sports periodical “The Armenian Athlete”, which was
published 40 years ago thus referred to “Ararat 73”: “Today’s success
of the Armenian footballers is the most significant one. They will
leave a trace in the memory of the future generations as well.”

Dwelling on the fact of winning the USSR Cup and becoming a champion
the columnist of the newspaper stated that despite a number of major
and minor obstacles the team managed to came out with credit.

Not only good players, but robust coaches as well secured Ararat’s
victory

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 20, ARMENPRESS. Another analytic article being much
more noteworthy and inspirational, is also dedicated to “Ararat 73”,
which realized our dream. A Russian expert refers to the legendary team
in a beautiful and vast article entitled “The Two Cups of ‘Ararat'”. He
speaks about how our team playing “open football” displayed itself
in the stadium. “One needs not only skills to play “open football”,
but courage as well. These two should be characteristic not only to
the players, but to the coaches as well.”

In those days the Soviet and international media published a number
of astonishing articles and materials dedicated to the triumphs of
“Ararat”. Lebanese “La Avyu Leban” periodical dedicated an entire
page to the matches of “Ararat”. In an article entitled “‘Ararat’
Charms the Lebanese-Armenians” states that it’s not only the Armenians
in the USSR, who follow “Ararat’s” matches, but the whole Armenians
living throughout America, Asia, and Europe.

The “Armenpress” photographer Felix Arustamyan, who used to work for
“The Armenian Athlete” in those days, compared the triumph of “Ararat”
with the times, when Tigran Petrosyan was declared the chess champion
of the world.

Varvara Hayrapetyan listed the “biography” of “Ararat 73”

SITUATION TENDUE SUR LA FRONTIERE ARMENO-AZERBAIDJANAISE

Haykakan Jamanak relève qu’un soldat armenien a ete blesse par
les forces azeries sur la frontière armeno-azerbaïdjanaise dans la
region du Tavouch. Par ailleurs, Haykakan Jamanak et Azg relèvent
que dans la soiree du 12 fevrier, la partie azerbaïdjanaise a
regulièrement bombarde les villages limitrophes Chinari, Movsès,
Nerkin Karmiraghbyur, Aygapar de la region du Tavouch. Les tirs se sont
intensifies vers 21h, selon le Ministère de la Defense. D’après le
maire de Chinari, interroge par Haykakan Jamanak, les forces azeries
ont pris pour cible une voiture avec une famille a bord dont les
membres n’ont pas ete touches. Le gazoduc approvisionnant ce village
a ete endommage. Les maires des autres villages relèvent dans ce meme
quotidien que la partie azerbaïdjanaise visait notamment les toits
des maisons, provoquant parfois des incendies. Dans le village de
Movsès, une vingtaine de maisons ont ete endommages. Les tirs se sont
tus suite a la riposte de la partie armenienne. L’on ne deplore pas
de victime parmi la population civile. Le porte-parole du Ministère
de la Defense a indique que la situation, qui s’etait relativement
calmee le 13 fevrier, etait sous le contrôle des forces armeniennes.

Extrait de la revue de presse de l’Ambassade de France en Armenie en
date du 13 fevrier 2013

mercredi 20 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

AZERBAIDJAN. UN CANDIDAT DE L’OPPOSITION ARRÊTE AVANT L’ELECTION PRESIDENTIELLE

Les autorites azerbaïdjanaises doivent remettre en liberte deux
responsables de l’opposition accuses d’avoir organise des troubles dans
la ville d’Ismailly. Cette accusation est denuee de tout fondement,
estime Amnesty International.

Les troubles ont commence la veille de leur arrivee dans la ville
et se sont poursuivis deux jours après leur depart. Les deux hommes
s’etaient rendus sur place pour se rendre compte des evenements.

À l’issue d’une audience a huis clos, un tribunal a ordonne le 5
fevrier le placement en detention pour deux mois, dans l’attente de
leur jugement, du candidat a l’election presidentielle Ilgar Mammadov
et du militant Tofig Yagublu, qui avaient ete arretes le 4 fevrier.

” Ce dossier a tout d’une affaire politique, a declare David
Diaz-Jogeix, directeur adjoint du programme Europe et Asie centrale
d’Amnesty International.

” Ilgar Mammadov et Tofig Yagublu ont ete places en detention parce
qu’on leur reproche d’etre a l’origine de troubles qui ont eclate de
manière spontanee, avant meme qu’ils n’aient mis les pieds dans la
ville. L’accusation n’a jusqu’alors presente aucun element a l’appui
de ces charges. ”

Les deux responsables de l’opposition ont ete inculpes d’organisation
de ” troubles de grande ampleur “, de participation a ces troubles
et de ” resistance violente contre des policiers “, des infractions
qui, cumulees, pourraient entraîner une condamnation a 10 ans
d’emprisonnement. Selon leurs avocats, aucun element tendant a prouver
que les deux hommes ont commis un delit, ou ont incite d’autres
personnes a en commettre un, n’a ete presente.

Les emeutes ont eclate le 23 janvier a la suite d’un incident
impliquant le neveu du gouverneur local. Apparemment sous l’emprise
de l’alcool et pris dans un accrochage de voitures, cet homme influent
aurait agresse un habitant et injurie des badauds.

Des gens se sont alors rassembles a l’endroit de l’accident, puis
s’en sont pris a la police et a un etablissement appartenant a la
famille de l’homme implique. D’autres sont descendus dans la rue pour
reclamer la demission du gouverneur de la ville.

Le lendemain dans la soiree, Ilgar Mammadov, dirigeant du mouvement
d’opposition Alternative republicaine (REAL) et candidat declare a
l’election presidentielle d’octobre prochain, s’est rendu a Ismailly.

Son avocat a explique a Amnesty International qu’il voulait prendre
la mesure des tensions sous-jacentes a l’origine des troubles et
observer la reaction des autorites locales.

Le journaliste Tofig Yagublu, vice-president du Parti de l’egalite
(Musavat, une formation de l’opposition), s’est rendu de son côte a
Ismailly, pour effectuer un reportage pour le compte de Yeni Musavat.

Il avait deja publie dans ce journal plusieurs articles dans lesquels
il denoncait les pratiques corrompues du gouvernement.

Ces deux militants n’ont jamais prône la violence ni incite a son
usage. Ils sont l’un et autre connus pour leur opposition au regime
du president Ilham Aliyev.

Ilgar Mammadov critique depuis longtemps l’attitude repressive du
gouvernement vis-a-vis de la liberte d’expression et de reunion
pacifique. Il a declare qu’il avait recu recemment des menaces de
la part de parlementaires du parti au pouvoir, parce qu’il avait
denonce une nouvelle loi prevoyant des amendes considerablement plus
importantes pour sanctionner la participation a des manifestations
non autorisees.

Les troubles ont dure plusieurs jours a Ismailly. Ils ont ete
brutalement reprimes par la police et ont donne lieu a plusieurs
centaines d’arrestations. Un certain nombre de personnes se sont
plaintes d’avoir ete torturees ou maltraitees pendant leur detention.

Ces allegations n’ont pour l’instant pas fait l’objet de quelconques
investigations.

À la suite des manifestations d’Ismailly, des rassemblements
pacifiques ont ete organises a Bakou le 26 janvier. La police est
intervenue brutalement pour les disperser et a procede a des dizaines
d’arrestations. Jugees dans le cadre d’une procedure inequitable,
cinq personnes ont ete condamnees a des peines d’emprisonnement.

” Après le rejet recent au Conseil de l’Europe d’une resolution sur les
prisonniers politiques azerbaïdjanais, Amnesty International craint
que les autorites du pays ne se sentent de plus en plus autorisees
a reprimer la dissidence, dans cette periode qui precède l’election
presidentielle “, a conclu David Diaz-Jogeix.

mercredi 20 fevrier 2013, Stephane ©armenews.com

ONLY SLIGHT VIOLATIONS ON ELECTION IN ARMENIA – PACE

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Feb 19 2013

PACE observers have stated that the presidential election in
Armenia went smoothly but with slight violations, Karin Voldset,
the organization’s representative told a press conference in Yerevan
Tuesday. She did not elaborate.

She added that the election procedure had improved in comparison with
previous elections.

In their turn the observers from the CIS countries said that the
elections held on February 18 were open, democratic and in line with
international requirements.

In the results of the election the current president Serzh Sarsyan
was reelected.

“THE PEOPLE HAVE CHOSEN RAFFI AS PRESIDENT AND WE MUST DEFEND THEIR CHOICE”

14:28, February 19, 2013

On his Facebook page today, Vardan Gevorgyan accused Republican Party
election operatives at a Yerevan polling precinct of invalidating
ballots cast in favour of Raffi Hovannisian.

Gevorgyan was a member of the local election committee at the 1/4
polling precinct in Avan.

He says that the Republican Party operatives were thrown into a tizzy
during the vote count because Hovannisian was beating Sargsyan by a
wide margin.

“I was there all day and the voting went without a hitch. It was
evident on the faces of the voters that Hovannisian was winning. I
got ready for an eventful night.”

That’s when they started to invalidate the ballots cast for
Hovannisian.

Gevorgyan says he fought tooth and nail to preserve the opposition
candidate’s votes and that the committee chairman was only able to
invalidate 80 or so ballots.

He says that had he been able to save those as well Raffi Hovannisian
would have beat Serzh Sargsyan by 475 to 418 as opposed to the official
count showing Sargsyan beating Hovannisian by 418 to 395.

Gevorgyan says he has always respected Hovannisian as an individual
but hasn’t supported him as a politician.

“Nevertheless, citizens of Armenia have elected Raffi as their
president. Both you and I must safeguard this choice of the people,”
concludes Gevorgyan.

OSCE MONITORING TO BE CONDUCTED

Monday, 18 February 2013 17:40

On February 22, in accordance with the arrangement reached with the
authorities of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic, the OSCE mission will
conduct a planned monitoring of the Line of Contact between the armed
forces of Nagorno Karabakh and Azerbaijan in Martouni direction,
near the village of Kuropatkino.

The monitoring will be headed by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office Andrzej
Kasprzyk.

The NKR authorities expressed readiness to assist in conducting the
monitoring and to ensure the security of the OSCE mission members.

>From the Karabakh side, the monitoring mission will be accompanied by
representatives of the NKR Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense.

NKR MFA Press Service

CLASHES IN BLOODSHED ARE GOING ON IN SYRIA

Today – 11:31

The Syrian Army says it has purged more areas of rebels who are
fighting against the government in different parts of the country.

Syrian government forces launched attacks against militants in the
governorates of Homs and Idlib on Monday and killed a large number of
them, Iranian Press TV informs about this referring to the official
SANA news agency.

In addition, the Syrian armed forces captured many machine guns,
sniper rifles, rocket launchers, and missiles.

In Homs, some leaders of the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front were
killed, and one of the group’s military commanders also died in the
fighting. Ismael al-Khaled, Mwafaq al-Ali, Hassib al-Sagheir, Huzaifa
al-Khateib, and Hussam Abu al-Ezam were identified among the dead.

In the town of Daraya, southwest of Damascus, the Syrian Army killed
a number of militants, including snipers.

Meanwhile, the fighting between militants and government troops
outside Damascus has not died down.

Three mortar shells fired from an unknown destination landed on a
French hospital, near a school, and on a street in Damascus.

Witnesses have said the attacks caused material damage but no
casualties.

Clashes in Syria have started since March, 2011. According to the
UN more than 70.000 people have already been killed in Syria as a
result of clashes. The rebels claim Bashar al-Assad must resign but
the latter refuses to do it.